Giveaway: Sock Garters from SWANclothing

Posted: May 10th, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: Giveaway | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 54 Comments »

Edit: This giveaway has ended.  Enter our current giveaway here!

blog giveaway: handmade sock garters from SWANclothing

The trend away from cheap, mass-produced commodities seems to manifest itself in all sorts of different ways. From food (think artisinal, organic), to cocktails (classic, non-vodka-based “mixology”), to grooming (double-edged—or straight blade ¡scary!—razors), to clothes (premium jeans with gold rush era details), etc. More and more people seem to be finding that there is something to the simple, high-quality construction of the past. It’s something that is enchanting, timeless, and, importantly, sincere.

Take this week’s giveaway item: sock garters. You, like nearly everyone, probably thought that the sock garter was made largely irrelevant by the pioneering use of elastic that has been helping socks strangle your calves for decades. Of course, you’d be right. However, there is something so irresistible about the simplicity and definite purpose of the sock garter, which makes a fashion statement, sure, but is also able to evoke the very sincere vintage charm that seems so rightfully popular.

So let me just jump right to the good stuff (this week’s giveaway has got me giddier than a schoolgirl drunk on sunshine and pixie stix)!  The lovelier than lovely Tara of SWANclothing, who’s been credited with the sock and thigh-high garter resurgence, is giving away a pair of her trend-setting sock garters to one lucky Westervin reader.  She was also kind enough to quell my curiosity by answering a few of my questions.

So why did you choose to name your company SWANclothing?
I think my company may be full of contradictions. The swan reference is one of them. A favorite movie of mine since I was a little girl is Phantom of the Paradise. It’s a really dark, kitsch 70s rock opera by Brian DePalma based on the story of Faust. It’s not soft and romantic or very swan-ish at all.

Swan is a character. I really wanted my name to be Swan.

Did you have any professional experience in the fashion industry before you started SWANclothing?
I was a model from 15-25 in Paris, Milan and Tokyo mainly. So it would be through modeling and working with photographers, doing shows, and sometimes having some communication with and being able to observe designers.  It was especially interesting to see different working styles in different countries, to see how people made choices about style, whether they created it or followed, how styles travelled between countries, how decisions were made, seeing and feeling real quality in design, how hard they worked {everyone}, how leisurely they were with their lunches {Italians}, hierarchies in photography crews {Japanese}. All these things fascinated me. I did love the clothes too but I was very specific about my style. All I ever really wanted at the end of the day was to get back into my own clothes and get my makeup off. My personal style was a little bit far out at the time. I used to carry a large red plastic teddy bear as a purse for example.

Looking through your Etsy sales and Flickr photos, I see that you started mostly with purses and some lovely dresses — when did the light bulb go on for sock garters, and what gave you the idea?
The sock garters were a gift for a boy blogger, Imelda Matt of Well Shod, Well Informed. He is a shoe blogger, and I don’t make shoes so I made him sock garters instead. I do love menswear, and things like bumbags that you attach to your body. And old sock garters styles of course. They’re a synthesis of all that.

blog giveaway: handmade sock garters from swanclothing

So your sock garters are for men, and not just women?
Hmmm, well I have men place orders for themselves, and I have men place orders for women. But mostly I have women who buy them for themselves.

Do you wear your own sock garters?
Yes but not often enough! Because all I do is sit at my sewing machine. I get to wear them mostly for my photos, where I can pair them with my favorite shoes. This for me is FUN.

What materials do you use?
My original style of sock garters uses recycled leather, a lot of the elastic is deadstock vintage and then of course there is the swan bead. The SWANclothing summer lace sock garters are elasticized lace and they aren’t leather, they are vegan.

blog giveaway: handmade sock garters from swanclothing

You’ve received a lot of great press (not surprisingly) — which feature was the most exciting to see and why?
I LOVE to see photos of outfits people make with my work. Bloggers and clients. That is the most exciting part, seeing the photos. It’s like a little game of ping pong with the photos from everyone. I make this thing, you find how it fits your life, you take the photo, and around it goes. But to answer as to which feature is my favourite? That’s so hard to answer. My interview for TFS was very flattering, because Sarah Joynt really took the time to look into the sock garter trend and my company, and said some incredibly nice and insightful things.

What are your top 5 places for a swan sighting?
I just moved back to Toronto from Vancouver, in Vancouver there are a lot of nesting swans in Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park. And I donate a small portion of my sales to The Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre, a nesting habitat for swans in Ontario. I don’t think I can name five though!

Are you inspired by any other Etsy artisans?
I like to see how people make Etsy work for them. I am always curious about people who do things really differently from me. I like people who do their own thing, stay out of the limelight, ignore trends and just have the life they want.

To enter the giveaway:

  1. Leave a comment with your email address (so I can email the winner).
  2. Increase your chances of winning by telling someone else to enter!  You’ll get one additional entry for:
    • Tweeting — leave another comment with a link to your tweet
    • Blogging — leave a separate comment with a link to your blog post
    • “Liking” Westervin on Facebook — leave a separate comment saying you’ve “liked” us
    • Following Westervin on Twitter — leave a separate comment saying you’re a follower
    • Each person you refer — ask them to leave your name in their comment
  3. You have one week to enter.  This giveaway ends Sunday, May 16th at 11:59pm CST.

54 Comments on “Giveaway: Sock Garters from SWANclothing”

  1. 1 cathiehong said at 10:57 am on May 10th, 2010:

    great giveaway — these are so cute!

  2. 2 Charlotte said at 11:02 am on May 10th, 2010:

    I love the vintage feel of these garters–especially now they’re lacy!

  3. 3 Charlotte said at 11:03 am on May 10th, 2010:

    And now I’m following you on Twitter! =) (@charliefarlie8)

  4. 4 Tweets that mention We've got a giveaway that would make even your GRANDMA say, "That sh*t is FLY!" Win a pair of oldschool sock garters! -- Topsy.com said at 12:48 pm on May 10th, 2010:

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Westervin. Westervin said: We've got a giveaway that would make even your GRANDMA say, "That sh*t is FLY!" Win a pair of oldschool sock garters! http://bit.ly/civ7ov [...]

  5. 5 C said at 4:10 pm on May 10th, 2010:

    Awesome, I’m from Vancouver! (the lost lagoon + swans are practically synonymous)

    The socks garters are super sweet. I love the photography too.

  6. 6 Jed T. said at 4:19 pm on May 10th, 2010:

    What a fun comeback! Who knew…I mean besides everyone but me.

  7. 7 apiradee loha said at 4:42 pm on May 10th, 2010:

    Absolutely Fabulous – Love it!!

  8. 8 Bella Donna said at 9:51 pm on May 10th, 2010:

    this is beautifully cute! :)

  9. 9 Bella Donna said at 9:51 pm on May 10th, 2010:

    ooops… email is:

    bellatheowl{at}gmail{dot}com

    thanks!

  10. 10 alyce c said at 2:30 am on May 11th, 2010:

    you keep on having giveaways for things i’ve already been swooning over… lucky me!

    <3

    thank you!

  11. 11 Oksana said at 3:49 am on May 11th, 2010:

    MMM, they are so stylish, and so vintage, I love them!!!

  12. 12 Oksana said at 3:58 am on May 11th, 2010:

    I like you on a Facebook! My name is Andrew there (my husband).

  13. 13 Karry said at 6:07 am on May 11th, 2010:

    Those are adorable. My daughter has a graduation coming up and does not want to wear pantyhose. These would be perfect

  14. 14 Karry said at 6:08 am on May 11th, 2010:

    I follow you on Twitter as Karryknisley

  15. 15 Gaby said at 8:30 am on May 11th, 2010:

    Please enter me!!

    magabygc AT gmail.com

  16. 16 Gaby said at 8:30 am on May 11th, 2010:

    I’m a twitter follower: @magabygc

    magabygc AT gmail.com

  17. 17 alex_alex said at 8:59 am on May 11th, 2010:

    i love love love your giveaway…!!!!

    alex_ophilia@hotmail.com

  18. 18 gustosa said at 9:13 am on May 11th, 2010:

    if this is open for international readers let me in please

    black11angel at yahoo dot ciom

  19. 19 gustosa said at 9:14 am on May 11th, 2010:

    following westervin at fb

  20. 20 gustosa said at 9:15 am on May 11th, 2010:

    following westervin at twitter

  21. 21 Asma said at 3:22 pm on May 11th, 2010:

    Thanks

    themoodyteenager@gmail.com

  22. 22 Margit Rosenaa said at 3:43 am on May 12th, 2010:

    They are just super cool!

  23. 23 anni said at 10:02 am on May 12th, 2010:

    They’re so cute :)

  24. 24 Jessica Bailey said at 12:08 pm on May 12th, 2010:

    Love the sock garters! I can just see a pretty girl in a pretty dress wearing these. jessica@lovelydo.com

  25. 25 lisa said at 4:45 pm on May 12th, 2010:

    cute as a darn button! i’m going to tweet your giveaway too, my dear <3

  26. 26 Nathalia said at 5:33 pm on May 12th, 2010:

    I loved this giveaway! I have seen these sock gaters in the park and cube blog.

  27. 27 Cate said at 6:05 pm on May 12th, 2010:

    Lucky #26!

  28. 28 Steff Metal said at 1:24 am on May 13th, 2010:

    I LOVE my sock garters so much. I would KILL for a pair of the pretty lace ones. It would make me so happy!

  29. 29 Kim said at 9:04 am on May 13th, 2010:

    Sock garters are so classic and seem perfect for the summer!

  30. 30 heleen said at 1:51 pm on May 13th, 2010:

    Lovely giveaway, I could definitely use some sock garters for all my kneesocks!

  31. 31 heleen said at 1:52 pm on May 13th, 2010:

    Oh and I ‘liked’ the Westervin blog on facebook!

  32. 32 Kimberley said at 2:29 pm on May 13th, 2010:

    I’m totally poor and have been lusting after these very garters for ageeees. Count me in!

    sewhotrightnow@hotmail.co.uk

  33. 33 Kimberley said at 2:31 pm on May 13th, 2010:

    ‘Liked’ you on facebook too!

    sewhotrightnow@hotmail.co.uk

  34. 34 Amanda @Bespoken4 said at 9:44 pm on May 13th, 2010:

    I’d love to win! I have always wanted to try these :)

  35. 35 Lorena said at 11:03 pm on May 13th, 2010:

    i’m in! AND i’m a huge big massive enormous fan AND i’m a twitter follower

  36. 36 Tans said at 12:21 am on May 14th, 2010:

    These are soooo pretty, great giveaway!

  37. 37 Michela said at 12:01 am on May 15th, 2010:

    Oh my! I am involved in some serious coveting.

  38. 38 suzanne said at 4:10 am on May 15th, 2010:

    i think i may need a pair of the thighhigh garters..

  39. 39 Eline said at 4:46 am on May 15th, 2010:

    Great interview! :D

    e-mail : flufffox AT gmail.com

  40. 40 Eline said at 4:46 am on May 15th, 2010:

    Also, following you guys on Twitter!

  41. 41 Vivien said at 9:36 am on May 15th, 2010:

    Ooh so cute! I have a love affair with socks but I’ve never owned garters. I may have to start a new hobby!

  42. 42 Miss Fae said at 5:05 pm on May 16th, 2010:

    I am so excited at the possibility of winning this

  43. 43 miss fae said at 5:06 pm on May 16th, 2010:

    http://twitter.com/miss_fae/status/14122607512

    I posted this on twitter!

  44. 44 miss fae said at 5:09 pm on May 16th, 2010:

    I am now following you on twitter.

    @miss_fae

  45. 45 miss fae said at 5:11 pm on May 16th, 2010:

    I also “like” you on facebook. name Erin Fae

  46. 46 Tweets that mention Giveaway: Sock Garters from SWANclothing | Westervin -- Topsy.com said at 5:20 pm on May 16th, 2010:

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Miss. Fae. Miss. Fae said: Sock Garter Giveaway….need I say more? http://is.gd/cca6y [...]

  47. 47 Sarah said at 6:27 pm on May 16th, 2010:

    great!

  48. 48 Sarah said at 6:28 pm on May 16th, 2010:

    (following on twitter @sarahmcneils)

  49. 49 Sarah said at 6:29 pm on May 16th, 2010:

    (and liked on facebook!)

  50. 50 Ann said at 5:32 pm on May 17th, 2010:

    astella-tayler@bennington.edu! oooh they’re so cute.

  51. 51 Ann said at 5:32 pm on May 17th, 2010:

    following on twitter @lapreuve!

  52. 52 Dina said at 4:04 pm on May 23rd, 2010:

    Ohh my gosh, I have been wanting to get a pair of these for so, so long! So beautiful, thank you for your amazing giveaways.

  53. 53 Dina said at 4:05 pm on May 23rd, 2010:

    Following on Twitter (@willowhisperrs)

  54. 54 Dina said at 4:05 pm on May 23rd, 2010:

    Linked on facebook :)

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