backtalk
Cindy is a darling in this easy tie-dyed frock and blunt fringed 'do.
Kaylee has the bright idea with breezy florals and a matching statement necklace.
Don't be surprised if you pass her on Mississippi: Stephanie, Miss. Ave's own Marketing Manager is always running about in something new. We adore this animal-spotted number, which she brightens with a gold arm cuff.
Tuesday and Jessica certainly brightened up our Thursday with their fun interplay of textures and prints. How cute is this duo?
"This is actually a bit different for me," Hannah says of her heart-shades she scored at Buffalo Exchanged. She says she usually looks to style icons of the 60s like Brigitte Bardot and Francois Hardy.
This New Yorker won us over with her personality, indefinitely matching the radiance of this beautifully draped dress.
Meet Saundra and Ursula: the ultimate farmer's market cuties. We ran into Saundra early in the day as she was setting up for market, and caught the two in their booth where they sell natural bath and body products. We asked them what inspires their personal style, and Saundra replied, "I'm very intuitive -we'll both show up with the same colors on. It depends on the cycle of the moon and the sun."
"We met the other day. She's living with a friend of mine. I go 'I'm just hanging out this week,' and she goes, 'I'm just hanging out this week' so we started hanging out."
Meg and Christina, Backtalk regulars, take to the streets with their adorable pup. We love their pairing of mid-length hemlines and neutral palates with metallic details. One can often spot the two looking this effortlessly wonderful, as they live right on the block!
We love Russel and Brittany's minimalist look. With Brittany in monochrome, and Russel in mixed neutrals, the pair looks simply perfect for a Saturday stroll on Mississippi.
Maya, shopping at Reading Frenzy, wears a Seiko watch with a casual vintage outfit and Tivas. "It's an easy step to dress up outfits," she told us, so she wears it to work every day.
We spotted Isabel right off the bat with her adorable haircut, frock, and chunky platforms. We can't even choose a favorite part of this look!
Backtalk's jewelry line, RillRill, has just launched the fall collection with a killer lookbook!
Photographer: Mikola Accuardi
Model: Rachel Rector
Styled: Backtalk (Katie Freedle)
MUAH: Meachell Horton
Perhaps you came to our unveiling last Saturday or perhaps you've noticed our absence from Alberta St. Either way its official: we've moved to Mississippi Ave. and we are so happy to be here.
So far we have discovered a community of wonderful neighboring businesses (stay tuned for Backtalk's Portland favorites guide) and lots of encouraging enthusiasm from Mississippi customers. After weeks of building the new space, we were excited to share it with you, and after only a few days in business, 3962 Mississippi Ave. already feels like home.
And did we mention our recent addition of designer Alexa Stark to the Backtalk team? Yes, Katie and I are pleased to welcome this Portland-based by way of New York garment magician in to our space. You can now find her sharp designs and charming smile as permanent Backtalk fixtures.
If you missed our opening festivities please come visit the new digs. You can also browse these lovely photos of the new space, courtesy of Lavenda Memory (whose portrait series is currently showing at our space) and Cory Betts.
Backtalk sends big love to everyone who has been involved in our developments. See you soon.
Winter layers can be tricky. Avoid the Michelin Man look and take a tip from cute Colleen: structured denim and slouchy knits help a girl stay warm AND look good. Faded black denim and stack-heeled JC boots denote an inner badass while freckles and a fresh smile keep it light. Well done, Colleen.
Come on guys, we are making holiday shopping so easy for you! Here are a few more gift items your family and friends will love:
1. Pendelton wool accent pillow by Scout and Whistle $40
2. Silk nebula print scarf hand printed and sewn by Pillars of Creation $50
3. Brass cage ring by VRD jewelry $50
4. Winter gloves $30
5. Vibrant, all-natural lipstick by PDX Blacklipstick Co. $10
6. Handmade leather wallet by Wulf $55
There's a lot of pressure to find that perfect gift but its that time of year again so you better start shopping! More than ever, the Portland community is trying its damnest to focus its energy on supporting small businesses. We want to extend that effort this year by participating in local bazaars, community shopping events, giving holiday discounts and staying open late.
Here are a few gift ideas that you can find at Backtalk:
Handmade geometric print gift cards $4.50
Gold-filled triangle stacking rings $30
Optic hand-knit pom pom winter hat $38
Neon woven cord bracelet $20
Raw brass cut out spine cuff $67
All natural, herb-infused soap rocks $12
Find us at Union Pine's Give Good Gift December 7-8 and ADX Gifted 2 December 15-16!
Don't feel like getting trampled in a Best Buy isle this Black Friday? Cool. We don't either. Fortunately, BACKTALK joins Little Boxes this weekend for a shopping event that reclaims Black Friday for small businesses and curates an enjoyable, local experience.
The event offers a bounty of incentives for shopping at Portland's "little boxes" including 10 percent off at participating shops and a gigantic raffle with big ticket prizes like ipads, hotel stays and shopping sprees. So you can support local business AND have fun.
Backtalk's pumped. Are you? It all goes down this Friday and Saturday. Come enjoy spiced cider, markdowns and a host of new gift items.
BACKTALK is charmed to announce the launch of LUCID DESTINY, Elissa's line of handcrafted spell candles.
Each
candle was ceremoniously prepared on the last full moon with
hand-poured, pure beeswax, essential oils, 100% cotton wick and recycled
glass.
Why beeswax?
Commonly used paraffin wax released toxins in the air while beeswax
burns clean, burns longer, occurs in nature and smells wonderful.
While
the candles were created for candle magick they can be appreciated on a
purely aesthetic basis. Each re-usable vessel is hand-painted with its
intended manifestation.
LUCK is infused with spicy, earthy anise to bring luck and prosperity
WARMTH delivers sweet clove and concentrates on protection.
CLEANSE
presents tannic cedar to cleanse the air. This functions much like a
smudge stick and can be burned often in all areas of the home.
These candles are not meant to alter destiny but, instead, they help cultivate the powerful inner magic we inherently contain within ourselves through meditation on a presented quality. When you daily encounter these candles in your home and create time to burn them, it constantly returns you to that sentiment and helps us to subsequently incorporate that meditation into our consciousness.
Create luck, warmth and cleanse your spirit. Questions, consultations and orders available in shop or through [email protected].Before I expound let's admire the symmetry of these designs:
So what's the story? Yesterday BACKTALK debuted VRDjewelery, a line of hand-worked, raw metals by designer and metal smith Victoria Ramos.
Ramos crafts the pieces in her Tampa Bay studio and claims, "It brings me so much joy knowing that something I've designed and
created with my own hands is now a part of a customer's daily life"
We chose VRD designs for Backtalk due to the line's precision and artisan execution; both of which contribute to the immense beauty that runs through the entire collection based on quality, simplicity and artistry.
We currently stock all of the designs featured above along with copper captive and brass cage rings. Each piece is well under $100, direct from Victoria's Ramos' hands onto yours.
Virgine Millefiori is a NYC-based jewelry designer by way of France whose delicate designs are created for "whimsical people". Inspired by poetry, nature and wordplay each piece is small, detailed and a little bit magical.
While we can appreciate whimsy at Backtalk, we love minimal elegance and these Millefiori rings that just arrived in shop encompass both of those aesthetics in the very best way. One ring creates a sweet simplicity or you can stack them for more statement and color.
Each ring is gold plated and, true to Backtalk's code of honor, 100% handmade by the designer. Size 5,6,7
Come wear them your way at BACKTALK. $30. Available at the shop, if you'd like to order online please email [email protected] with color/size/quantity preference! The perfect gift!
...To paint your lips a sinful shade of black, or scarlet, or blue, or purple, or turquoise. Fortunately, Portland homes the premiere, goth-lipstick sorceress. Kim Damio of PDX Black Lipstick Co. has concocted the perfect all-natural lipstick formula in a prism of high-drama shades. My personal favorites are the wicked, dark hues: Undead Red and, of course, Black.
The recipe breaks down to plant-based products: sunflower oil, coconut oil, cocoa butter, beeswax, Candelilla, and Vitamin E. This means no nasty paraffins, parabens or (eeeeek!) triclosan.
Perhaps more than any other product at Backtalk, PDX Black Lipstick Co. attracts a diverse crowd into our space. From hot goth chicks, to Ren Fair enthusiasts, to teen queens, to your mom; a standard day sees a string of women enter the store and beeline for the lipstick shelf.
This makes sense because it looks great and, hell, it feels like chapstick! We have used it in most, if not all, of our press shots and events. Check out these kissers:
Clearly, it doesn't have to be Halloween to don some lusty lips. But in honor of Hallow's Eve we want to say: we LOVE you PDX Black Lipstick Co. <3
Find a sexy rainbow of shades in store.
Last week, Backtalk received a shipment of these DEADSNAP hats from Wintercheck Factory. Sewn from deadstock, 90s fabric in Denver, CO, each hat delivers classic snapback style: 6 panels, button top and flat brim. Nuff' said.
(Clockwise from Top): Portugese Man O' War, Jurassic Park, Miami Vice, Mixed Berry, Vision Quest
