tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10185341174760420122024-03-06T00:19:58.275-05:00Everybody Gets DressedClothing is a universal human experience, so why do we consider fashion to be frivolous? An interdisciplinary theorist takes a look at the intersection of fashion, technology, and society.FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-50185916695290668202010-09-13T13:56:00.000-04:002010-09-13T13:56:17.935-04:00What I did on my summer vacationHello, Fabulous Readers!<br />
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First of all, please accept my deepest apologies for the long gap since the last post. The summer turned into a very hectic time for me - as well as an unpleasantly warm one. Some day, I'll figure out that trying to deny the existence of warm weather by refusing to buy clothing for it isn't a very <i>productive</i> strategy. <br />
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The other reason I haven't been posting is that I've decided to take this blog in a new direction. Rather than focusing on my own personal style with outfit-a-day postings - although I'll still be sharing some of those - I'm going to be focusing more on fashion knowledge, history and technology.<br />
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I'm also starting to offer my services for personal style consultation, wardrobe management, and fashion styling for photography, fashion shows, and special events. As my clients permit, I'll share my work in that arena as well. <br />
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All of this will be happening over at my shiny new Web site, <a href="http://www.everybodygetsdressed.com/">Everybody Gets Dressed</a>!FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-34586527469793112002010-07-09T17:45:00.000-04:002010-07-09T17:45:38.211-04:00Link-tastic! 9 July 2010My goodness, Fabulous Readers, it's Friday again already!<br />
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Franca at Oranges and Apples muses on <a href="http://orangesapples.blogspot.com/2010/07/dave-made-me-dress-and-some-thoughts-on.html">gender divisions in the crafty world</a>, and it's a subject that bears a lot of thought. The majority of top fashion designers are men, but men are very seldom thought of in terms of home or craft sewing, especially when it comes to making women's garments. There's a lot of history behind why some crafts are "men's" and some are "women's" (and some are perceived as relatively gender-neutral), but why do those divisions persist? Is the supposed lack of interest of fashion to men part of it? Is it related to the home/workplace divide?<br />
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WendyB <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/why-my-gold-jewelry-is-a-total-steal/">breaks down the price of gold</a> (literally!). Fabulous Husband also makes jewelry, albeit mainly in silver, and has the same issues: silver currently costs over $18 an ounce, but most people's mental total of "what silver jewelry should cost" is based on a price that's less than half that, from just a few years ago. What Wendy doesn't talk about (but has previously, if I recall) is how much time, effort and skill goes into making good jewelry - and how hazardous it is. In order to craft a piece of jewelry, a jeweler will work with 2000°F+ flames, highly toxic chemicals, and power tools that can cause some pretty serious injury.<br />
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Is white the answer to summer heat? Maybe not. Cheap JAP delves into history, science, and (of course) thrift stores to see if <a href="http://shopcheaplookloaded.com/personal-style/heat-wave-wares">black is actually cooler</a>. I'm eager to see what she finds to beat the heat!<br />
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Of course, if you can hit the beach (or the pool) in this weather, you can stay cool in a swimsuit. Read up on the <a href="http://www.wornthrough.com/2010/07/06/bathing-suits-morals-and-technology/">history and culture of swimming clothes</a> first at Worn Through.<br />
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Angie from You Look Fab talks about <a href="http://youlookfab.com/2010/07/06/how-to-wear-tops-with-skirts/">how to wear tops with skirts</a>. With my skirt-centric wardrobe, I gleefully violate her first "rule" - I find it harder to match trousers and tops than skirts and tops! Of course, to her suggested ways to wear skirts, I'll add <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/04/double-dog-dare-denim.html">with a jacket</a> and l<a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/05/my-day-in-sun.html">ayered under a dress or tunic</a>.<br />
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Great methodologies from Sal at Already Pretty: <a href="http://www.alreadypretty.com/2010/07/reader-request-effective-inventories.html">inventorying your wardrobe and honing your style</a> and <a href="http://www.alreadypretty.com/2010/07/what-is-flattering.html">is it flattering</a>? <br />
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I'm very lucky that every single one of you Fabulous Readers is a kind, good-natured (or at least exceptionally polite) person who would <i>never</i> post a gratuitously nasty comment here. However, I know that other bloggers aren't so lucky. <a href="http://iheartthreadbared.wordpress.com/2010/07/06/trolling-in-the-fashion-blogosphere/">Minh-ha from threadbared</a> and <a href="http://www.grechenblogs.com/2010/07/fashion-blogger-bashing/">Gretchen from gretchen blogs</a> both look at the unfortunate phenomenon of comments that go beyond disagreement or constructive criticism and into mean personal attacks. <br />
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Also from threadbared: <a href="http://iheartthreadbared.wordpress.com/2010/07/09/flashback-superman-fights-fashion-pirates-1943/">Superman saves us from designer knockoffs</a>! He may be the Man of Steel, but is he faster than a speeding fast-fashion merchandiser?<br />
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And a little bit of feminist thought to chew over for the weekend: Does Jezebel <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2259434/pagenum/all/#p2">feed on women's insecurities</a> as much as traditional fashion magazines - just in a different way? Not included in that article: the rebuttal to the original Jezebel post <a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/message">by its subjects</a>.<br />
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Have a wonderful weekend, Fabulous Readers!FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-91080585063666544772010-07-07T18:49:00.000-04:002010-07-07T18:49:16.312-04:00The Iron(ed) BloggerSo it appears that my new-found passion for ironed summer clothing is not widely shared. Worry not, Fabulous Readers: I have no intention of becoming an ironing evangelist, especially because a quick tour of my closet revealed that I had very few lightweight, loose-fitting wovens that would benefit from such treatment.<br />
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Here's one of the few:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXreKxaxRuvdSglubvKhPJNS8scBKDwjk2jdyBigaYmmpe-4Des07QuCALUFNoP2VoqVNxTNWTD4MnVN33D7azvABaZp2y2g8MNCVo1STFwvb-qggQupSWppuqKBfe53B7sSEpjMnMxIN/s1600/ironed2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="today's outfit, stripy tank top, Gap cotton skirt, John Fluevog sandals" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXreKxaxRuvdSglubvKhPJNS8scBKDwjk2jdyBigaYmmpe-4Des07QuCALUFNoP2VoqVNxTNWTD4MnVN33D7azvABaZp2y2g8MNCVo1STFwvb-qggQupSWppuqKBfe53B7sSEpjMnMxIN/s640/ironed2.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Black-and-white stripy top, FDJ French Dressing, thrifted, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/05/skulls-and-stripes-forever.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Orange flower-print skirt, Gap, thrifted</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shoes, John Fluevog "Summertime: Haight," <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/06/summertime-and-living-is-easy.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Silver necklace: depths of the jewelry box</span></div><br />
The skirt, an XL/Tall, is <i>way</i> too big for me, and has some construction features that make me reluctant to take it in. Normally I'd leave at item that fit me this poorly on the rack, but the super print, lightweight all-cotton fabrication and pockets convinced me to take this one home.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__jQ9mpQ7Hb7HW6aXq65_n-83tCBg_5vCPDwJSm2KnaHp0Ps9zoj5yPVh9p1ziEIJZPecTycXvrSlUagOs3WKMVDVIDE9VaAW-dHaNWvXS0uBEjF5AH0jsP_waBRVpdKDS2UVVxcYy6Wz/s1600/ironed1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="heatwave outfit, fashionable in summer weather, beat the heat" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__jQ9mpQ7Hb7HW6aXq65_n-83tCBg_5vCPDwJSm2KnaHp0Ps9zoj5yPVh9p1ziEIJZPecTycXvrSlUagOs3WKMVDVIDE9VaAW-dHaNWvXS0uBEjF5AH0jsP_waBRVpdKDS2UVVxcYy6Wz/s640/ironed1.JPG" width="282" /></a></div><br />
I usually belt it at my waist for a paper-bag effect, but today I was more than happy to let it sit as low on my hips as it wanted and be drapey and airy. Proportions, in this weather, are the least of my concerns.<br />
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Oh, yes: the heat wave continues, with temperatures breaking 100° F for a second breezeless, sweltering day. The weather itself is becoming an endurance trial. We're really not accustomed to this weather in New York. Our houses aren't built for it (no AC in mine!) and neither are our wardrobes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs69MfjYwAEbvUy3r2jaOgp8VQzstI-0N1LWGHh0nlUKVgGEdw8HLpwcI01QYykx-iw_vs7jNIuAVj7dLhmKpWJSTVT7u2WclEsC81JUhhWkVQSTvJb_SgVLtgCjshgmiOKAstPX5cnzOO/s1600/ironed3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="double French braids, rear view of braids, cool summer hairdo" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs69MfjYwAEbvUy3r2jaOgp8VQzstI-0N1LWGHh0nlUKVgGEdw8HLpwcI01QYykx-iw_vs7jNIuAVj7dLhmKpWJSTVT7u2WclEsC81JUhhWkVQSTvJb_SgVLtgCjshgmiOKAstPX5cnzOO/s320/ironed3.JPG" /></a></div><br />
So braids again it was. Next up: gin and tonics and ice cream for dinner.<br />
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How do you cope with excessive heat? How do your clothing choices change when the mercury boils?FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-87466396037264407492010-07-06T18:54:00.000-04:002010-07-06T18:54:10.055-04:00Too Darn HotI do not do well in hot weather.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QOt1tQWkxc-x_DcQ6Whe5QCVm_Tdf7cXUIoufYyiVyja0jAGoMRlxfTGyQ-xb37DSJZKFQ9hcr7bLuN8Hq311R5DViH51USP1a-lXSRul-JsGreie27eFRufKFC2fAcGILzL8cW1YmYo/s1600/toohot4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QOt1tQWkxc-x_DcQ6Whe5QCVm_Tdf7cXUIoufYyiVyja0jAGoMRlxfTGyQ-xb37DSJZKFQ9hcr7bLuN8Hq311R5DViH51USP1a-lXSRul-JsGreie27eFRufKFC2fAcGILzL8cW1YmYo/s320/toohot4.JPG" width="320" alt="fainting blogger, sundress, heatstroke" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dress, Brooklyn Industries, "Kritti"</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shoes, John Fluevog "Laurelei," <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/05/skulls-and-stripes-forever.html">remixed</a></span></div><br />
So I'm melting in the floatiest, most minimal dresses possible, drinking huge, icy beverages, and trying not to move much. It's even too hot to wear jewelry.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIcYc-eL5q5dPahm_7yE8xA-6l-hFTf-iDfcTMtpWu1DBd8YiCNJ7PswCLIZV8YAvz9rMlE_ZlWYyAPZmT_M11FY06p5WitWAaHn7bhtqrghcuZacg4u20tC1NM6uKRgViJgiVN1F12MnM/s1600/toohot1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIcYc-eL5q5dPahm_7yE8xA-6l-hFTf-iDfcTMtpWu1DBd8YiCNJ7PswCLIZV8YAvz9rMlE_ZlWYyAPZmT_M11FY06p5WitWAaHn7bhtqrghcuZacg4u20tC1NM6uKRgViJgiVN1F12MnM/s400/toohot1.JPG" width="321" alt="today's outfit, Brooklyn Industries dress, John Fluevog sandals" /></a></div><br />
My hair, thankfully, is continuing its <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/05/sweet-and-rough-part-2-battenburg-lace.html">progress toward braidability</a>. I still get wisps at the back of my neck, but at least I can get the majority up and off my skin.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvK8W6q-tezi7TyKpeGTrR2UsxpuWXxV8ibKxOdezdR4wR9e4rY21M21YeYlxdmUkE1-su_caxKmfc4qZWZbErsD6VdTNy7Oesiqbvmy4cRhxHH0IyIgjjjsXIjqbAVLpTmrQaZRiV96j/s1600/toohot2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvK8W6q-tezi7TyKpeGTrR2UsxpuWXxV8ibKxOdezdR4wR9e4rY21M21YeYlxdmUkE1-su_caxKmfc4qZWZbErsD6VdTNy7Oesiqbvmy4cRhxHH0IyIgjjjsXIjqbAVLpTmrQaZRiV96j/s640/toohot2.JPG" width="280" alt="double French braids, cool summer hairdo" /></a></div><br />
This is the new-and-improved version of my <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/06/summertime-and-living-is-easy.html">favorite blue dress</a>, in... a different color blue (although this one's also a bit shorter, which is nice). I usually don't buy multiples of <i>anything</i>: having two dresses of the same style in the same color family is nigh-unprecedented.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhNhcicw9IrTRGdnD0RAu8NEUrNc1NhR5b59xqqJrPv6oQxD4_vwhzeIHEAyDNE1GGjPHLpBy1mcmnT44lJaZFMU1SKo7g0FEh7mG3MeLmBvC_AThz2Fki9wQjsCaeL3sc3yayljrlrUk/s1600/toohot3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhNhcicw9IrTRGdnD0RAu8NEUrNc1NhR5b59xqqJrPv6oQxD4_vwhzeIHEAyDNE1GGjPHLpBy1mcmnT44lJaZFMU1SKo7g0FEh7mG3MeLmBvC_AThz2Fki9wQjsCaeL3sc3yayljrlrUk/s640/toohot3.JPG" width="332" alt="turquoise knit dress, black white beige sandals" /></a></div><br />
I've realized something pretty amazing in the past few days, though. Inspired by some conversation in a meandering thread on the fiber-arts site <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/">Ravelry</a>, I tried substituting my tried-and-true summer staples - wee knit dresses like this one and knit camis and tanks - with crisply ironed natural-fiber wovens. Goodness gracious, Fabulous Readers, I was <i>so much cooler</i>.<br />
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I know everybody hates ironing. It's a practice that's very out of vogue, at least in my area. I'm finding, though, that it doesn't really take that long to press off a blouse and a skirt, or a little sundress, once you get in the habit of it. Do the clothes stay looking fresh-off-the-board crisp all day long? No, of course not. Does that really matter? The only down side I've really found is that on hot days, the last thing I want to do is be wreathed in a cloud of pressing steam!<br />
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I don't have too many summer-weight woven clothes, but the next time I go thrifting, I'm absolutely keeping my eye out for clothes I can press!<br />
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Do you iron, or is the very concept loathsome to you?FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-37416597337924064712010-06-25T16:27:00.001-04:002010-06-25T16:27:00.661-04:00Link-tastic! 25 June 2010It looks like the quest for stylish shoes is <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100609/ap_on_sc/us_sci_old_shoe">nothing new</a>. Since this link came to me by way of the Fluevog Twitter account, I wonder if we'll be seeing an updated version in an upcoming season?<br />
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Andrea from a cat of impossible colour writes about <a href="http://acatofimpossiblecolour.blogspot.com/2010/06/unexamined-life-is-not-worth-living.html">why she blogs</a>. I'm immersed enough in modern academic thought patterns to be truly intrigued by metatextuality, the whys and wherefores of even our most basic actions. At some level, that's why <i>I</i> blog: to examine the reasons that I, and other people, wear what they do.<br />
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As ethical, sustainable production becomes more of a social issue, we'll hopefully start seeing more companies like Oliberté, a footwear company devoted to <a href="http://www.thesundaybest.org/2010/06/olibert%C3%A9-made-in-africa.html">making shoes entirely in Africa</a> - while providing their employees with fair working conditions. The shoes look like they're well-made and, while they're not my usual style, are definitely on the list to consider if I ever need a pair of casual athletic-type shoes.<br />
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In response to a New York Times article on <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/19/business/19plus.html?scp=1&sq=plus-sized&st=cse">the fashion demands of the plus-size market</a>, The Waves wonders if getting swept into the fashion industry's current dynamic of overabundance of mediocre products is what <i>any</i> woman needs.<br />
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I've been expending a fair amount of brainpower trying to figure out if I can knit Nubby Twiglet's <a href="http://nubbytwiglet.com/2010/06/19/what-i-wore-6-20-10/">elegantly destroyed sweater.</a><br />
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S. from academichic recaps her year in Europe <a href="http://www.academichic.com/2010/06/21/goodbye-munich-a-travel-wardrobe-recap/">with a deliberately limited wardrobe</a>. I particularly love her comments on choosing items that allow for the most versatility, even if they're not always "perfect." I think we get far too caught up in trying to find "the perfect..." (shoes, bag, jacket, whatever) and end up with burgeoning closets full of possibly redundant near-duplicates. Of course, I'm a big proponent of "buy what you wear" - there's a lot of sense in knowing your favorite items and sticking to them - but there has to be a happy medium somewhere.<br />
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Imogen from Inside Out Style suggests <a href="http://www.insideoutstyleblog.com/2010/06/packing-tips.html">a packing list</a> for a two-week, multi-function trip. I'm not sure I agree with all her choices - I'd choose a jersey dress for travel rather than yoga pants! - but it's a departure point.* What do you think?<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">* That was totally inadvertent. Sorry.</span><br />
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For those who sew, Gertie has some great tips for making <a href="http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2010/06/summer-sewing-tips.html">comfortable, cool summer garments</a>.<br />
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Megarita of Fashionable Academics discusses a way to examine summer clothing: <a href="http://fashionableacademics.blogspot.com/2010/06/mr-president-were-at-caftan-2.html">the CAFTAN scale</a>, ranging from "Heck, I might even be found in a closed-toe shoe in a snappy color" to "There is no hair style to be had. There is no shoe that will feel ok. There is no fabric that can stand this."<br />
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Super Kawaii Mama comes up with some outfits for <a href="http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/2010/06/24/hanging-with-some-greats/">spending time with her favorite musicians</a>. I'm not as musically inspired or linked as some - I cannot write with music in the background, for one - so I love seeing how others are inspired by their favorite tunes.<br />
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Some musings on <a href="http://www.wornthrough.com/2010/06/24/veils-of-modesty-how-bout-a-little-cool-down/">veils, modesty, and hot weather</a>, from Worn Through. I'm not sure what I think about this, to be honest - is it possible to fully separate extreme modest dress (i.e., full-body veiling) from the cultures of oppression, violence, and subjugation that often come with it? (And on a related note, has anyone ever looked into dress cultures and gender relations of the Tuareg, a nomadic group from Northern Africa whose traditional dress includes veils for men? Where does that fit in the current European/American dialect of the veiled woman as oppressed other?) Do the benefits of modest dress taken to extremis outweigh the possible health risks, i.e. heatstroke?<br />
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Audi discovers <a href="http://geekthreads.blogspot.com/2010/06/key-to-success.html">the secret to success</a>, and it's thigh-high socks. I <i>knew</i> it!<br />
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Have a lovely weekend, Fabulous Readers!FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-55552832749414016822010-06-24T20:04:00.001-04:002010-06-24T20:38:51.575-04:00My Two Wardrobes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3LRq-D6LdRy2hGkolGwCn1cTXcQsquRdJ2Ip7qx4LV5k0rPnN0YUfj3Q8E32p13JAyHIPPQ40weZ7X03nmO4kduPl6LIX6siTt9UvbVYa8_7_X-7TpGVBnQAn0Z1DCosEQjThySssXBng/s1600/2wardrobes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="self-portrait of a redheaded blogger" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3LRq-D6LdRy2hGkolGwCn1cTXcQsquRdJ2Ip7qx4LV5k0rPnN0YUfj3Q8E32p13JAyHIPPQ40weZ7X03nmO4kduPl6LIX6siTt9UvbVYa8_7_X-7TpGVBnQAn0Z1DCosEQjThySssXBng/s400/2wardrobes.JPG" width="267" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Tie-dyed shirt, thrifted</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Butterfly pendant, estate sale, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/05/sweet-and-rough-part-2-battenburg-lace.html">remixed</a></span></div><br />
I've been thinking a lot about <a href="http://www.grechenblogs.com/2010/06/outfit-posts-everyday-or-just-when-you-look-good/">this post</a> recently, and the significance of editing - the self-editing just about every blogger does.<br />
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I don't show you all my clothes, Fabulous Readers. You don't see my gardening/scrubbing/home construction grubbies, the baggy board shorts I go kayaking in, my lounge-around-the-house-in-a-funk pajamas, my ad-hoc workout wear. You also don't see outfits on days, like today, where after half an hour with the camera I haven't been able to get a single photo that looks decent, that approximates what I see in the mirror.<br />
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Is that vain? Absolutely. But there are a lot of facets of me that I <i>don't</i> discuss on this blog: my politics, my religious views, my other areas of interest, what I had for dinner. <i>That's not why you come here</i>, which is also the reason I don't attempt to encyclopedically document every single thing that I put on my body, in some mad quest to be fashion blogging's answer to Samuel Pepys. You read my blog, I hope, to see and hear about my particular (peculiar?) perspective on fashion, its whys and wherefores - and hows.<br />
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Clothing might not shape our self-image <i>in toto</i>, but it does help define it to the world at large. I don't expect my clothes to express the sum of my personality to the world at large: instead, they present a carefully-edited version of myself, the parts of me I choose to show. <br />
That process of editing, of choice, is what really fascinates me about fashion. Why do we make the choices we do? What determines why I find one shirt cute and another so unflattering as to only be suitable for the most menial of tasks? Why do we emphasize some parts of our bodies and desperately try to camouflage others?<br />
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It's easy to say "because of the dominant social paradigm" in response to all of these questions, but I think that's too simple an answer, and maybe even a bit of a cop-out. What are the forces that drive that paradigm? Where do they come from and what influences them? And what about the people who stray from that paradigm, by degrees minuscule or dramatic? What inspires <i>them</i>?<br />
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What do you think? Should style blogging be encyclopedic, a comprehensive catalog of what one person (or several) wears, or would you rather see a carefully thought-out selection of outfits a blogger thinks are interesting, inspiring, or attractive? What degree of (self-) editing is all right before a blogger loses authenticity and thus authority - some? None? Lots? No upper limit? Are style blogs more like diaries or one-person fashion magazines?<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>PS. Apologies to all you Fabulous Readers who subscribe via RSS: I don't know why this published while I was halfway through writing it!</i></span>FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-5518187297986111642010-06-22T19:10:00.000-04:002010-06-22T19:10:48.272-04:00Reader Request:: Surviving Brutal SummersFabulous Reader Mindfulranter asks:<br />
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"Hey can you think of some looks for a seasoned (nearly 50) full figured woman who lives in Phoenix? Summers are brutal, would love to figure out simple, flattering, comfortable outfits to wear!"<br />
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I'm immensely flattered by this request! I've lived in the northeastern US all my life, where summers are a bit cooler and much more humid than the Southwest, so I'm working from theory rather than personal experience.<br />
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I don't know anything about Mindfulranter's figure type, complexion, or financial circumstances, so what follows are general ideas and suggestions, rather than specific recommendations for garments to buy.<br />
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<div style="height: 500px; position: relative; width: 500px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/lovely_linen/set?.embedder=1313757&.mid=embed&id=19957170" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lovely linen" border="0" height="500" src="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFktFS3g4enRfM3hHWFl0aVMyWUtOTlEAAAACaWQKAXgAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg" title="lovely linen" width="500" /></a></div></div><b>Learn to love linen</b>. Linen has a bad rep: people think that it's hard to care for, wrinkles easily, and needs to be dry cleaned. That's true if you expect linen to act like a suiting material and be crisp, shiny, and have a hard hand. Linen was the fabric of choice for undergarments in Europe for centuries for a <i>reason</i>, though, and not just because it grew easily all over the continent: when washed, linen becomes soft, drapey, and develops a gentle hammered texture. It's also one of the coolest fibers you can wear: unlike cotton, it doesn't "swamp" when it gets damp, and it's much more breathable than any synthetic. Look for linen garments that can be machine washed and dried, whether the tag says so or not: avoid acetate linings (which ruin the cool comfort, anyway), hand-wash-only trims, and structured garments like blazers. Other good fibers to look for are ramie, cotton, silk, bamboo, hemp, and rayon. Avoid polyester, nylon, and synthetic blends: they trap heat and moisture. Fabrics like seersucker, chambray, gauze and voile are all good choices: these are lighter, more open weaves that allow for more air flow. Lighter colors are generally more comfortable, but some dark hues in your summer wardrobe are just fine.<br />
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<div style="height: 500px; position: relative; width: 500px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/super_sundresses/set?.embedder=1313757&.mid=embed&id=19958509" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="super sundresses" border="0" height="500" src="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFlFpT2VpVUJfM3hHVGNZMmUyWUtOTlEAAAACaWQKAXgAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg" title="super sundresses" width="500" /></a></div><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/" style="bottom: 2px; line-height: 1%; position: absolute; right: 2px;"><img alt="Fashion Trends & Styles - Polyvore" src="http://www.polyvorecdn.com/rsrc/img/logo_embed_alt_63x21.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border-width: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="Fashion Trends & Styles - Polyvore" /></a></div><br />
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<b>Dresses are the best.</b> What could be better in the summer than a cool, breezy dress? Look for styles that skim the body rather than cling in lightweight fabrics. Don't fear maxi dresses whether you're full-figured or slender: just choose them carefully for your figure type. The extra length can provide a bit of shade and trap breezes. Keep accessories light and minimal: broad belts and giant statement necklaces can be oppressive in the summer heat. Skirts are great, too, when you want separates.<br />
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<div style="height: 500px; width: 500px;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/summer_tunics/set?.embedder=1313757&.mid=embed&id=19960438"><img alt="summer tunics" border="0" height="500" src="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFk1Ha29aVWRfM3hHZWJ2YkY3blVJblEAAAACaWQKAXgAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg" title="summer tunics" width="500" /></a><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/" style="bottom: 2px; line-height: 1%; position: absolute; right: 2px;"><img alt="Fashion Trends & Styles - Polyvore" src="http://www.polyvorecdn.com/rsrc/img/logo_embed_alt_63x21.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border-width: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="Fashion Trends & Styles - Polyvore" /></a></div><br />
<b>Flowing tunics are great, too.</b> Pair them with cropped leggings, harem pants, and knee-length or maxi skirts. Again, keep the fabrics light, and choose wovens over knits: knitted materials seem to absorb and retain more moisture, trapping heat with it. A super-light summer scarf, wrapped loosely, can add color and style without getting too schvitzy. Soak it in cool water, cowboy-style, to help cool off if the temperature's unbearable.<br />
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<div style="height: 500px; width: 500px;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/outfits_with_hats/set?.embedder=1313757&.mid=embed&id=19961885"><img alt="Outfits with hats" border="0" height="500" src="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFmdIcERGVTFfM3hHVjZEckEyWUtOTlEAAAACaWQKAXgAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg" title="Outfits with hats" width="500" /></a><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/" style="bottom: 2px; line-height: 1%; position: absolute; right: 2px;"><img alt="Fashion Trends & Styles - Polyvore" src="http://www.polyvorecdn.com/rsrc/img/logo_embed_alt_63x21.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border-width: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="Fashion Trends & Styles - Polyvore" /></a></div><br />
<b>Don't forget your hat.</b> Broad-brimmed hats are ideal for sunny, hot climates: what's not to like about portable shade? Fuller-figured women often have the body scale to carry off broad brims with style. Look for straw or canvas styles, and pair them with just about anything in your wardrobe.<br />
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One thing I <i>don't</i> think works well for hot, dry climates are shorts. Those are better in hot humid weather, where excess fabric can cling and stick. However, when it's hot and dry, a loose, drapey longer garment can provide a bit of protection from the sun and trap stray breezes.<br />
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Any Fabulous Readers from desert climates have any suggestions or further ideas? I'd love some feedback!FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-16731002930135090742010-06-19T20:32:00.000-04:002010-06-19T20:32:17.655-04:00Link-tastic! 19 June 2010 (Better late than never)I usually try to get the week's roundup of links posted by Friday night, but the last two days have been <i>seriously</i> discombobulated. My apologies, Fabulous Readers, and enjoy...<br />
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Two great theory-based posts from academichic: <a href="http://www.academichic.com/2010/06/14/14-june-2010/">one from S.</a> about the metatext of blogging in the context of creativity and a limited wardrobe, and <a href="http://www.academichic.com/2010/06/14/14-june-2010-3/">one from E.</a> about the intersection of style and functionality.<br />
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Speaking of limited wardrobes, Kasmira at What I Wore Today has some great tips for <a href="http://whatiwore2day.blogspot.com/2010/06/summer-wardrobe-capsule-challenge-recap.html">assembling a capsule wardrobe</a>. While she places them within the context of capsule wardrobe challenges (I've never done one of those and am quite frankly a little intimidated by them!), the same process could easily be applied to selecting clothing for a trip or even, on a larger scale, to building a well-edited and compact wardrobe.<br />
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La Historidora de Moda is now <a href="http://fashionableacademics.blogspot.com/2010/06/dr-de-moda.html"><i>Doctor</i> La Historiadora de Moda</a> (and she looked smashing when she defended her dissertation, too)!<br />
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Another set of posts on a theme: fashion, consumption, ethics, and sustainability, as seen by Sal at <a href="http://www.alreadypretty.com/2010/06/how-do-we-re-cast-ethical-clothing.html">Already Pretty</a> and Andrea at <a href="http://acatofimpossiblecolour.blogspot.com/2010/06/consumptive-qualities.html">a cat of impossible colour</a>.<br />
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Enjoy the rest of the weekend!FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-42004645116102543272010-06-17T18:42:00.000-04:002010-06-17T18:42:33.018-04:00Rock and RollSometimes, I just want to feel <i>tough</i>. Don't-mess-with-me tough. Usually, when I do, I reach for a vintage military inspired look: laced boots, fatigues-inspired jackets. Sometime, however, I prefer to draw from the style vocabulary of classic, badass rock: jeans, leather, studs.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QDXoO3WCpiOgdzg-XNO-WBS_uADRJh0qbOeS22hOsL3UcQICOKiPJ1nkQM9zi_NPToMalSijPyCXGcMBwHOSC7N_TJhVOJBR9ODEmu3z3TpiXrhI2jUoGBEuDHJ8EZfUIZjgQuuzJhxW/s1600/rock3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ann Taylor Loft blouse, Ann Taylor Loft jeans, Sock Dreams socks, John Fluevog sandals" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2QDXoO3WCpiOgdzg-XNO-WBS_uADRJh0qbOeS22hOsL3UcQICOKiPJ1nkQM9zi_NPToMalSijPyCXGcMBwHOSC7N_TJhVOJBR9ODEmu3z3TpiXrhI2jUoGBEuDHJ8EZfUIZjgQuuzJhxW/s400/rock3.JPG" width="243" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sheer black blouse: Ann Taylor Loft</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jeans: Ann Taylor Loft "Curvy Boot"</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Belt: Gap, thrifted, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/06/summer-black-out-day-5-strawberry.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Socks: Sock Dreams, "<a href="http://www.sockdreams.com/products/socks/over-the-knee/o-chevrons">O Chevrons</a>"</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shoes: John Fluevog, "Summertime: Sunshine," <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/04/rockabilly.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Woven leather cuff: Urban Outfitters, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/05/style-challenge-sweet-and-rough.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Black headband: Sephora, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/04/rockabilly.html">remixed </a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Key necklace: Key from antique store</span></div><br />
Of course I put my own twist on it: a sheer blouse with smocking details and lacy OTK socks.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2vnbF5EEOK-FPDE-Ck1419gD7nF7yZElM7eaBRDcKHTsNqsNiJc74h51oUmS6HDjGlHlKwuD6HmuRzgUeCN-vWyNHY1C-tcGBRsXFMEh5EVOujCMlLPjzYu05CtWwBjjaCpf_iYnIF4s8/s1600/rock4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="cuffed jeans, blouse, studded sandals, headband" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2vnbF5EEOK-FPDE-Ck1419gD7nF7yZElM7eaBRDcKHTsNqsNiJc74h51oUmS6HDjGlHlKwuD6HmuRzgUeCN-vWyNHY1C-tcGBRsXFMEh5EVOujCMlLPjzYu05CtWwBjjaCpf_iYnIF4s8/s400/rock4.JPG" width="235" /></a></div><br />
I like these jeans much better cuffed to capri length than unrolled: I have better-fitting full-length jeans aplenty, plus I'm not terribly into bootcut jeans right now. I may cut them down to mid-calf length: then I could wear them like this or cuffed further into Bermuda shorts.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3zP0ec3gBkiJTkqk-SOZi9XK9NZQ_UF73hMkKN3Ujh3berhn-SGm58ZMcTMUzw6y3L1F3CkoktPwyXYItMV12I7yEDErPQj7Z3XAII5QadPZ4F91AozIoBbnYdN14gKr0MKnRZnlp_yRi/s1600/rock5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="rock and roll style, neutral color combination, black and brown" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3zP0ec3gBkiJTkqk-SOZi9XK9NZQ_UF73hMkKN3Ujh3berhn-SGm58ZMcTMUzw6y3L1F3CkoktPwyXYItMV12I7yEDErPQj7Z3XAII5QadPZ4F91AozIoBbnYdN14gKr0MKnRZnlp_yRi/s400/rock5.JPG" width="197" /></a></div><br />
After last week's <a href="http://www.alreadypretty.com/2010/06/daily-outfit-6710.html">Black-Out</a>, it feels refreshing and calming to wear this dark, neutral-heavy combination. I love <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/03/neutral-ground.html">black and brown together</a>, and until recently felt very uncomfortable in bright colors, especially in combination. Eschewing black, a fashion baseline for me, really helped me refocus on its strength and simultaneous connotations of power and loss. I was feeling very distanced from the black items in my closet. Now, after a week of forcing myself to work with everything else, I can contemplate the dark half of my closet with clear eyes again.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVDA8GKDuycETKIx5g672CVXdUyqGi5gc138-UQPDYswxNFxuYFRhUlWnEcGptt551k2lTAywlWOyECXuLt5xOEnL9Noo27u8wqfySQOomG2jNBViM4w-4ZMPLJFzsuZQRcaYC7t70fp9m/s1600/rock2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="under the bridge" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVDA8GKDuycETKIx5g672CVXdUyqGi5gc138-UQPDYswxNFxuYFRhUlWnEcGptt551k2lTAywlWOyECXuLt5xOEnL9Noo27u8wqfySQOomG2jNBViM4w-4ZMPLJFzsuZQRcaYC7t70fp9m/s320/rock2.JPG" /></a></div><br />
What are the unsung workhorses of your closet? Have you ever identified - or had trouble identifying - with a certain color or style?FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-79396632297107827332010-06-15T19:45:00.000-04:002010-06-15T19:45:13.735-04:00Summertime, and the Living is EasyOn a technicality, it's not summer yet - not until the 20th. Long, warm, sunny days make it hard to remember that it's still spring by the calendar.<br />
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Even though I hate getting dressed in summery weather, every so often I hit a perfect, simple sweet spot. Some summer outfits are like gin and tonics, on-the-rare-side grilled steak, or a bowlful of sweet strawberries - ideal in their simplicity.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiajSjhH6Zd8jBvpy-G3nfQOGVVfMfPulwZwyIX3rWnxBlOV4tg8kx78A6JegFsSpAUrOiJlxUSSLJwjQH0U6aXbc-oJST-_wvUh67UCMuA6cpeSu2Pz6PjDEM-Mi4EOn8DKNL94U_rPET1/s1600/livineasy1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Brooklyn Industries dress, John Fluevog shoes" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiajSjhH6Zd8jBvpy-G3nfQOGVVfMfPulwZwyIX3rWnxBlOV4tg8kx78A6JegFsSpAUrOiJlxUSSLJwjQH0U6aXbc-oJST-_wvUh67UCMuA6cpeSu2Pz6PjDEM-Mi4EOn8DKNL94U_rPET1/s640/livineasy1.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dress: Brooklyn Industries "<a href="http://www.brooklynindustries.com/women-dresses/kritti-dress">Kritti</a>" (last summer's colorway)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shoes: John Fluevog "Summertime: Haight," <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/04/yet-more-layering-with-dresses.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Oceanic necklace: gift</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Silvertone and "pearl" cuff: antique store</span></div><br />
Dress, sandals, statement-y accessories. Minimal makeup, air-dry hair. Done. I tend to over-think and over-do things, but this is just right in its simplicity, comfort, and ease.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC3Z_VshhHNyuEojvpoxzqWXBhQXyFoaw1ST2jMn8itb-RTPUsGYk2GQkr-0qlw-zzVc7Dx4mX7MQBi7OACvns7C7orHgbWfez-bO8kA19wVSinRw3royGNaW9vMQvOO51qjponJD9exbD/s1600/livineasy3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="simple summer outift" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC3Z_VshhHNyuEojvpoxzqWXBhQXyFoaw1ST2jMn8itb-RTPUsGYk2GQkr-0qlw-zzVc7Dx4mX7MQBi7OACvns7C7orHgbWfez-bO8kA19wVSinRw3royGNaW9vMQvOO51qjponJD9exbD/s640/livineasy3.JPG" width="321" /></a></div><br />
A big part of that's this dress. I love it: it's simple, comfy as all get-out, and cut just right for me. I'm so-so on a lot of Brooklyn Industries' stuff: for the most part, I think my body type is completely out of their designers' frame of reference.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00gtHeLicE6aALL_ZIFVWpkLHLYYp_Cs4tgsoyILsSS48XqPS9qkxDHuBr2K6Aa0Xi_wmvVAFV8lsRKalOcHpxTzbnHRDABB74OkOCbAZQcmrFin454UyYER_sFbzAyfN-y2IaT_GIfUB/s1600/livineasy4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="favorite dress, statement necklace" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00gtHeLicE6aALL_ZIFVWpkLHLYYp_Cs4tgsoyILsSS48XqPS9qkxDHuBr2K6Aa0Xi_wmvVAFV8lsRKalOcHpxTzbnHRDABB74OkOCbAZQcmrFin454UyYER_sFbzAyfN-y2IaT_GIfUB/s320/livineasy4.JPG" /></a></div><br />
I'm so fond of this one dress, though, that I'm thinking of getting this season's version - in a vivid turquoise!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfxDFAruBTE4CnetGHAtdF0R3w9VXHLC7eOXLp-shALkVZHqCw8hWJE5ZLEfeNMuIx_KV4hVHN6bTwfWhwaBIz4pa6-DDvvr_k1qb988fjvMwJ9lmoem35cCrQgSG_Iq7Jk9MaJ4QJUjNT/s1600/livineasy2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="easy summer dressing" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfxDFAruBTE4CnetGHAtdF0R3w9VXHLC7eOXLp-shALkVZHqCw8hWJE5ZLEfeNMuIx_KV4hVHN6bTwfWhwaBIz4pa6-DDvvr_k1qb988fjvMwJ9lmoem35cCrQgSG_Iq7Jk9MaJ4QJUjNT/s640/livineasy2.JPG" width="272" /></a></div><br />
Do you have a "perfect" piece of clothing?FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-13835769142544041512010-06-11T19:15:00.001-04:002010-06-11T19:15:00.534-04:00Link-tastic! 11 June 2010Goodness gracious, Fabulous Readers, it's Friday again <i>already!</i><br />
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I was featured, along with quite a few other fabulous bloggers, in the Fashionable Academics' <a href="http://fashionableacademics.blogspot.com/2010/06/annotated-bibliography-of-tattoos.html">Annotated Bibliography of Tattoos</a>. I loved seeing the different styles of tattoos and reading the stories behind them!<br />
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<i> </i>I know that there are significant differences in clothing terms among American, British, and Australian English. Here's <a href="http://www.insideoutstyleblog.com/2010/06/international-language.html">a guide to some Aussie terms</a> for fashion and more.<br />
<i> </i><br />
Win a pair of <a href="http://nubbytwiglet.com/2010/06/07/jeffrey-campbell-shoe-giveaway/">covet-worthy Jeffrey Campbell</a> sandals from Nubby Twiglet. I'd love to wear these with jeans or a floaty sundress!<br />
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If you're not comfortable with wearing patterns (and nobody says you have to be!), here are a few great suggestions for <a href="http://youlookfab.com/2010/06/07/breaking-patterns-into-a-wardrobe/">introducing them into your wardrobe</a>.<br />
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The Waves examines <a href="http://nosignposts.blogspot.com/2010/06/on-clothes-and-identity.html">fashion and identity</a>, in <a href="http://nosignposts.blogspot.com/2010/06/on-clothes-and-identity-again.html">two parts</a>. I'm still mulling over my thoughts on this issue: they're deep and complex, and I want to give her the well-thought-out response she deserves for writing so intelligently on such a complex topic.<br />
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How much does your <a href="http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2010/06/i-have-hunch-fashion-and-posture.html">posture affect how your clothes look</a>? After years of yoga and dance, and some time in the weight room (you get <i>very</i> aware of your posture when you've got an 85lb. barbell on your shoulders!), I've become much more aware of the alignment of my back, hips and shoulders. I don't have picture-perfect posture every moment of the day or anything, but I am more aware when I do start to slouch and quicker to correct it - and yes, it does make my clothing fit better!<br />
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Have a great weekend, Fabulous Readers!FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-13948149833038342892010-06-11T18:40:00.000-04:002010-06-11T18:40:17.117-04:00Summer Black-Out, Day 5: Strawberry Fields ForeverThank you for your wonderful comments on yesterday's post, Fabulous Readers! It was great to hear from several other people who feel the same way I do.<br />
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However, the Goth Without Black outfit got put on hold a bit. Today is Fabulous Husband's birthday, so we went out to get his favorite treat - fresh-picked strawberries. There's a pick-your-own farm right down the road from us.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2r1WKIKj-15nz6P0ZDSNGh8nRcA3qfiDXmHplFtyhmadS0Qyl7vNtQwWXWmAiJqGLDz1UW009O20mEyZo6FMgZyFP9vx49Klrp38Nzdcp-5ysriT6n5ypJGm9en5R0I7ldLEyXr-HLmqx/s1600/strawberry4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="box of strawberries, 10 lbs of berries, fresh local produce" border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2r1WKIKj-15nz6P0ZDSNGh8nRcA3qfiDXmHplFtyhmadS0Qyl7vNtQwWXWmAiJqGLDz1UW009O20mEyZo6FMgZyFP9vx49Klrp38Nzdcp-5ysriT6n5ypJGm9en5R0I7ldLEyXr-HLmqx/s320/strawberry4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
There's nothing in this world quite as delicious as fresh-picked strawberries, still warm from the sun. They'll be transformed into daiquiris, strawberry shortcake, and preserves as well as eaten just the way they are. I'm a huge proponent of fresh, local food - in addition to being more ecologically responsible (those strawberries have traveled maybe 10 miles from where they were grown), it just <i>tastes</i> better!<br />
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I wanted something casual and comfy for kneeling on the ground while picking strawberries, so this is that super-rare outfit for me - jeans, a casual top and - can you believe it - sneakers!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCCXAWKYAPehKDxX4LKZLpIsUeB-D3C0lzjKdAJlJpiB_Ltj8dokAkYFydfA-p-MVM_cdEMZysh5xl_EOsg-sLQRLxfMZX9zzSuEbDJyYkEvFdupICPUkUWAMKAsHx0hkyP128YpwEHB-P/s1600/strawberry1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="today's outfit, Alternative Apparel tank, suede vest, Victoria's Secret jeans, Converse sneakers" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCCXAWKYAPehKDxX4LKZLpIsUeB-D3C0lzjKdAJlJpiB_Ltj8dokAkYFydfA-p-MVM_cdEMZysh5xl_EOsg-sLQRLxfMZX9zzSuEbDJyYkEvFdupICPUkUWAMKAsHx0hkyP128YpwEHB-P/s640/strawberry1.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Striped tank: Alternative Apparel, thrifted</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Suede vest: thrifted</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Brown braided belt: Gap, thrifted</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jeans: Victoria's Secret, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/06/malaise-of-closet.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sneakers: Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars Hightops, TJMaxx</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Scarf in hair: Mommed </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Leather flower necklace: mall accessory store</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Cream beaded necklace worn as bracelet, brown beaded <i>mala</i> bracelet: depths of the jewelry drawer</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Macrame leather bracelet: gift from a friend</span></div><br />
I usually like my vests <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/04/misled-by-weatherman.html">buttoned up, fitted, and Victorianesque</a>, and my original intent when I bought this vest was to alter it into something more... girl-shaped. I haven't gotten around to that yet, though - story of my life.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9ZjzGfsaOApIXq3N_Ab-1Bww6xJOmDIncrc82BDc1xo8JKpGE6tg_SGoiyVuZdLuXaZg_5yFgrKXZR6M5n_Qn3xqERoD5F9GRX1Ge1JDBmKLOs_WAwqryYZCcsSP7uoPzTqLuDNct528/s1600/strawberry2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="vest, tank top, flared jeans, tray of strawberries" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9ZjzGfsaOApIXq3N_Ab-1Bww6xJOmDIncrc82BDc1xo8JKpGE6tg_SGoiyVuZdLuXaZg_5yFgrKXZR6M5n_Qn3xqERoD5F9GRX1Ge1JDBmKLOs_WAwqryYZCcsSP7uoPzTqLuDNct528/s640/strawberry2.JPG" width="294" /></a></div><br />
Tossed over the striped top with flared jeans and a scarf in my hair, though, it had a kind of happy hippie-chic vibe to it. I might live less than an hour from Woodstock, but that's never really been my thing. I was not unhappy with the results, though. Even though this isn't a "me" look, it was perfect for the day's activities.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_A6hcJaXCztIxHqoshjKfWok65CiEFIoUHD8_Jtrm4R6MBoBs-q_2JqURnvlkAF_ulEeJoh5WA-zfGB-4bbBBQlJbFfE1HbAChGIzD75OFBpIdKXGncMDNDyaqhmbxh8ltY9da10B1_mb/s1600/strawberry3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="berry stains" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_A6hcJaXCztIxHqoshjKfWok65CiEFIoUHD8_Jtrm4R6MBoBs-q_2JqURnvlkAF_ulEeJoh5WA-zfGB-4bbBBQlJbFfE1HbAChGIzD75OFBpIdKXGncMDNDyaqhmbxh8ltY9da10B1_mb/s320/strawberry3.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Strawberry-stained hands - a sure sign of summer.<br />
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Do you ever wear looks that don't fit into your normal style vocabulary? Do you feel uncomfortable (or not) doing so?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxOExOr55fRqkkIwrg1F3deNlZKnxB4g4rz94zR5Ri-FigVcmAaZRRdT3rshS_GNVU8IIBU2cOLXXCilmkz0pJXdDDzCynl8z8pDiepztCn4Gk3n0KODIbjhXOIv87wa43-acGHQb5FoX/s1600/blackout_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Already Pretty Summer Black-Out 2010" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxOExOr55fRqkkIwrg1F3deNlZKnxB4g4rz94zR5Ri-FigVcmAaZRRdT3rshS_GNVU8IIBU2cOLXXCilmkz0pJXdDDzCynl8z8pDiepztCn4Gk3n0KODIbjhXOIv87wa43-acGHQb5FoX/s320/blackout_banner.jpg" /></a></div>FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-65478190414630664482010-06-10T19:15:00.000-04:002010-06-10T19:15:10.310-04:00Summer Black-Out, Day 4: OceanicTea with the ever-fabulous <a href="http://www.jenkiabaphotography.com/">Jen Kiaba</a> on a cool, rainy day meant a dress and heels for me today.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLn-i5iSTVdOtnFswSB_NtLnX5inJ4t6ShlJYodOf60bop66MJ3Zl7THRBG_zxOdZyjuew6-uZL0txNSm4_P57YlNv4EaVuO5BLvkYegBTEw5fmNCnfAax3QvOJo-HgcMliqKqjb58pZ0/s1600/oceanic1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="today's outfit, H&M dress, Ann Taylor Loft jacket, John Fluevog shoes" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLn-i5iSTVdOtnFswSB_NtLnX5inJ4t6ShlJYodOf60bop66MJ3Zl7THRBG_zxOdZyjuew6-uZL0txNSm4_P57YlNv4EaVuO5BLvkYegBTEw5fmNCnfAax3QvOJo-HgcMliqKqjb58pZ0/s640/oceanic1.JPG" width="337" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Aqua dress: H&M</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Military-style jacket: Ann Taylor Loft, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/05/baby-blue-eyes.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Green lace-up pumps: John Fluevog, "Teapots: Darjeeling," <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/04/more-layering-with-dresses.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Larimar pendant, purchased from artist in St. Thomas</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Orange bangle, thrifted, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/04/cherry-blossom-time.html">remixed</a></span></div><br />
This dress, which I've had for ages, has always reminded me of the ocean. I picked up the olive tones in the pattern with the jacket and shoes, and the aqua ones with the pendant.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcXWWb0cy6oKoUjHniLzl-H4xq2K0QUAp1nP80h2AhFac0cIWN7hyjKsRkA-JiiTYkwdv2HxYg82NgMyMEzHHtDJzK7IWIVaM-wiANCi5cjxjWlD335gPnEiILaE8LeIr8L_FD0tt4Am2/s1600/oceanic2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="empire-waist dress, hip-length jacket" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcXWWb0cy6oKoUjHniLzl-H4xq2K0QUAp1nP80h2AhFac0cIWN7hyjKsRkA-JiiTYkwdv2HxYg82NgMyMEzHHtDJzK7IWIVaM-wiANCi5cjxjWlD335gPnEiILaE8LeIr8L_FD0tt4Am2/s640/oceanic2.JPG" width="304" /></a></div><br />
With the atmosphere so watery and dense, it felt a bit like we were underwater all day, so the oceanic theme was apropos, at least.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynTktrFLGPC4Hrlk4PXUd9cpE4VJ-q3vz2k_NiX1EYc2XYmIaz8d7W5oDM2u-qcTpwtYviDZ9lXz0xHyowcHf_C-YDsV1X1iommfoM40G7NDKMpU_TLvs9FtKs77Bv3wH2WH_yCedTfd6/s1600/oceanic3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="aqua and coral, accented analogic color scheme" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynTktrFLGPC4Hrlk4PXUd9cpE4VJ-q3vz2k_NiX1EYc2XYmIaz8d7W5oDM2u-qcTpwtYviDZ9lXz0xHyowcHf_C-YDsV1X1iommfoM40G7NDKMpU_TLvs9FtKs77Bv3wH2WH_yCedTfd6/s400/oceanic3.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Of course, what's the natural choice for a hit of contrasting color? A bright, coral-y red-orange in the bangle and my eyeshadow. The aqua and green are an analogous color combination, while the red-orange is the aqua's compliment, making this an accented analogic color scheme.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXWAO81gz7RKajOIbDKlMdZiDLXd_T-HyrMrO0lqAUMD-3-HxfJeYQeC9ou8BcyM0RXMed1Zacr2S_Cg1xqKY8STwHLh6tet8qzyBvGzjdH0OWoQVn_Uhns5YSwxzxl-FiBgfNtnOZhie/s1600/oceanic5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="John Fluevog shoes, Teapots Darjeeling" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXWAO81gz7RKajOIbDKlMdZiDLXd_T-HyrMrO0lqAUMD-3-HxfJeYQeC9ou8BcyM0RXMed1Zacr2S_Cg1xqKY8STwHLh6tet8qzyBvGzjdH0OWoQVn_Uhns5YSwxzxl-FiBgfNtnOZhie/s320/oceanic5.JPG" /></a></div><br />
I promise that I really didn't intentionally wear a pair of "Teapots" shoes to go out for tea! We had Lapsang Souchong, not Darjeeling...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4XsyTTpvMhLD95b3DdwwnD9FNWc5rJH-NlbRiJ1m-76Qz0cHJg6EBwaUm7Z6xCaN_a22CWCobjBN50mJFoI-rUGwOHX8uRkYfH8GpKQK7i1IwFTGbkJwJKsVZyvic98R_l4VinW95VGb/s1600/oceanic4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pigtails, pigtails and bangs" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4XsyTTpvMhLD95b3DdwwnD9FNWc5rJH-NlbRiJ1m-76Qz0cHJg6EBwaUm7Z6xCaN_a22CWCobjBN50mJFoI-rUGwOHX8uRkYfH8GpKQK7i1IwFTGbkJwJKsVZyvic98R_l4VinW95VGb/s320/oceanic4.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">photos: Fabulous Husband</span></div><br />
My hair was terribly uncooperative after I washed it this morning. I do my best to only wash it twice a week or so, because it's really at its nicest two or three days after a shampoo - right after I wash it, no matter how aggressively I blow it out, it's far too feathery and poofy for my tastes. Years of having super-long hair taught me to go easy on heat styling and products, so I usually resort to some sort of updo on wash days.<br />
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I was going to go for <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/05/sweet-and-rough-part-2-battenburg-lace.html">double French braids</a>, but I didn't like the effect with this dress. Instead, I went with one of my old Goth-girl standbys, high pigtails. I wonder, sometimes, if I'm too old for this style, but I'm still in love with the way it looks on me.<br />
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The hair made me think, though. I define myself as a Goth, at least in part, despite the fact that I wear bright colors and have been on a no-black shopping ban for months. For me, being Goth is more about a mindset - a darkly romantic sensibility, a somewhat morbid sense of humor, and a loving acceptance of death as a natural part of life - than it is about wearing any particular hue or style. I've had an idea in my head for a black-free Gothic bellydance ensemble for a while. Today, I'm wondering if I could come up with a street-style outfit in the same vein:* Gothic without black. I may try for it tomorrow.<br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">* Vampire pun unintentional. Promise. Apparently that's just where my head is today. My deepest apologies.</span></i><br />
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Do you consider yourself part of a style-identified subculture? If so, do you always dress in that subculture's style? Do you think that style or philosophy is a more important factor in aligning one's self with a particular group? <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ysh_3F7CIskYS1EGr0Lg5bbL1vQLvkaHAMzyMZ9oLwdCFagCeG_HZHxZsOVCoSo_38UhHF0Z2_zneT8jsIk4OAAjkec6WIR87l1oYZ4NgfUo1EkW2hPwU_x5oAflmtCvsmHvmr9tNiz6/s1600/blackout_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Already Pretty Summer Black-Out 2010" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ysh_3F7CIskYS1EGr0Lg5bbL1vQLvkaHAMzyMZ9oLwdCFagCeG_HZHxZsOVCoSo_38UhHF0Z2_zneT8jsIk4OAAjkec6WIR87l1oYZ4NgfUo1EkW2hPwU_x5oAflmtCvsmHvmr9tNiz6/s320/blackout_banner.jpg" /></a></div>FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-50367346558353465282010-06-09T21:28:00.000-04:002010-06-09T21:28:14.902-04:00Summer Black-Out, Day 3: POetryThere's a poem entitled "Warning," by Jenny Joseph, that I'm sure you've heard. It begins:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>When I am an old woman I shall wear purple <br />
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.<br />
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves<br />
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(full text <a href="http://www.luvzbluez.com/purple.html">here</a>) </span><i><br />
</i></div><br />
I've always kind of disliked it.<br />
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For one thing, why should we "wear things that [don't] suit [us]" <a href="http://advancedstyle.blogspot.com/">just because we're no longer young</a>, or that <a href="http://www.wornthrough.com/2010/06/08/john-waters-on-fashion/">being younger means dressing with sobriety</a>?<br />
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For another thing, it has effectively devalued the wonderful analogous combination of red and purple, making it the province of middle-age women who do... what, exactly? I'm <a href="http://www.redhatsociety.com/aboutus/whatwedo.html">not entirely sure</a>. As far as I'm concerned, you don't need a uniform to be uninhibited and have fun.<br />
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Red and purple look do "go," anyway. Beautifully.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAIu-VVTv95IfcJ2avsgd0zVlh6IDeV8xD-2OXWzPJQIH1XVjoNCcqGXWglzjsK0Ow0U3Kr6jSuFlZnuVrKYq6S8dpH8HK3ytctPSufh3i7lacwCTnh_2qW648tne8fLI8iOj_o1AYNMe/s1600/poetry1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="today's outfit, BCBG Max Azria dress, Design History cardigan, United Nude boots" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAIu-VVTv95IfcJ2avsgd0zVlh6IDeV8xD-2OXWzPJQIH1XVjoNCcqGXWglzjsK0Ow0U3Kr6jSuFlZnuVrKYq6S8dpH8HK3ytctPSufh3i7lacwCTnh_2qW648tne8fLI8iOj_o1AYNMe/s640/poetry1.JPG" width="265" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dress: BCBG Max Azria, TJMaxx</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Cardigan: Design History, TJMaxx, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/04/boots-and-skinnies-at-last.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Boots: United Nude "Pocket Hi," <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/03/spring-has-sprung.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sugar skull pendant, <a href="http://www.hestiashearth.com/">Jenn Feldman Glass</a>, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/05/skulls-and-stripes-forever.html">remixed</a> </span></div><br />
Although I didn't necessarily plan this outfit this way. Originally, I woke up to a chilly, rainy morning and wanted to wear my United Nude boots.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYyswZWaRFCqdWvt4QAjrf-MYnG8lElvhjiwqOjEvE2LRdu0MGWnag0XPm6ymYSnl5wOSlxykmHIY6RuwsHWmvux9c-dlbIfhofhZilqCekQ86u64OSEL_9TPEOhBW4oNqyqnENYnca4it/s1600/poetry2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="dress and cardigan, summer boots" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYyswZWaRFCqdWvt4QAjrf-MYnG8lElvhjiwqOjEvE2LRdu0MGWnag0XPm6ymYSnl5wOSlxykmHIY6RuwsHWmvux9c-dlbIfhofhZilqCekQ86u64OSEL_9TPEOhBW4oNqyqnENYnca4it/s640/poetry2.JPG" width="290" /></a></div><br />
I don't really have words to describe how much I love these boots, even if their narrow shaft means I can't pull them over my calf. They've got straps and D-rings and pockets and little tags that say "Remove Before Flight," just like an airplane:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf9YHODGW8dRDbAY7HgqM8CJlMeMDWAuVcPaT18OWg_oIPGT_uO4gRLYflfdMoj5qOSVdNdKT__nF96tqCuYDDk6tfbKhVvDBEew-yXf_5BE2Hds4oH8Sf9SL2s4icQEUb_5HVrl_WPCh-/s1600/poetry3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="United Nude boots, remove before flight tag, boots with pockets, military-inspired boots" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf9YHODGW8dRDbAY7HgqM8CJlMeMDWAuVcPaT18OWg_oIPGT_uO4gRLYflfdMoj5qOSVdNdKT__nF96tqCuYDDk6tfbKhVvDBEew-yXf_5BE2Hds4oH8Sf9SL2s4icQEUb_5HVrl_WPCh-/s320/poetry3.JPG" /></a></div><br />
I decided I'd highlight those tags by pairing them with the red dress. Which was fine, until I spent five minutes in the outfit - brr! It was too chilly today for a short-sleeved dress!<br />
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I've worn these boots with a <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/03/spring-has-sprung.html">grey wrap cardi</a>, but I didn't think it would work with this dress: the dress's sleeves are too full and the cardi's too thin and tight. So my only other non-black cardigan was this one. Red and purple are a bit vivid, but on such a grey day, vivid sounded good.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jS0FniF5EKlnPBaQuSkUrj8t3xs0WIubZPU0RS6ryfrDreIDHGsdoNZxiw-SMP_0qH-AXg2p4CxWIVTIRcCW8ygZW8NesClLrQVsoDFTQ7uJJ0zakVj7_gC0eGWYRf7_cBhm-T8wAlu-/s1600/poetry4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="dress, cardigan, compact, checking makeup" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jS0FniF5EKlnPBaQuSkUrj8t3xs0WIubZPU0RS6ryfrDreIDHGsdoNZxiw-SMP_0qH-AXg2p4CxWIVTIRcCW8ygZW8NesClLrQVsoDFTQ7uJJ0zakVj7_gC0eGWYRf7_cBhm-T8wAlu-/s320/poetry4.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Purple crown compact, Papyrus, gift from my friend Emily</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
My beloved sugar skull necklace was the perfect highlight.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyM_B6HaY1mMmcG-uZInURGiaZFpaKRi_KVqYP4poQ-eZJT3Fvw4BPh4tiuvYDm2k8kK-6y96YOc5a2xEMXX_juXL8HKlev0TcSnCXSTfwck_OvR2B92bh389zne33cNYPzucfT654ycWu/s1600/poetry5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Jenn Feldman glass, sugar skull pendant, lampworked bead" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyM_B6HaY1mMmcG-uZInURGiaZFpaKRi_KVqYP4poQ-eZJT3Fvw4BPh4tiuvYDm2k8kK-6y96YOc5a2xEMXX_juXL8HKlev0TcSnCXSTfwck_OvR2B92bh389zne33cNYPzucfT654ycWu/s320/poetry5.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">photos: Fabulous Husband</span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Do you ever wear colors that "don't go?"</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UQ-yr6koAkNAqvf9jKuqP72A_IaXSlDjsimVDLg8PkGWUIfe0APRHLA7CQYAmhOliSuy0jaEIsTrljOP_SxK7ukLLbijH0aod9IxX3S9P__cOOgPOp4svtFUZ0Gj0yUjWg1QJ1lQowlo/s1600/blackout_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Already Pretty Summer Black-Out 2010" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UQ-yr6koAkNAqvf9jKuqP72A_IaXSlDjsimVDLg8PkGWUIfe0APRHLA7CQYAmhOliSuy0jaEIsTrljOP_SxK7ukLLbijH0aod9IxX3S9P__cOOgPOp4svtFUZ0Gj0yUjWg1QJ1lQowlo/s320/blackout_banner.jpg" /></a></div>FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-71313296833168316832010-06-09T12:19:00.000-04:002010-06-09T12:19:51.439-04:00Summer Black-Out, Day 2: In the GardenI'm sorry I'm posting this now, Fabulous Readers, instead of yesterday. Fabulous Husband and I went down to visit my parents and, of course, took advantage of their amazing garden as a photo location. Unfortunately, by the time we were done with photos, it was time to go out for sushi! I decided a slightly delayed blog post was the better part of valor.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KMJmaLo6rOIi2RsG6m1AYbmEY1QGlmYQNWZYsXA3RjCHZ3SYZ4U0XH1nOvZxXtdgZy3QfKNCjPoRnknTRUJqQ7V3nEbuoiernUa2arXb46hONI0nSRQQN0azrsQQhcRJSqmrbAmDyom0/s1600/garden1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="today's outfit, Lucky Brand tee, ruffled skirt, John Fluevog boots" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KMJmaLo6rOIi2RsG6m1AYbmEY1QGlmYQNWZYsXA3RjCHZ3SYZ4U0XH1nOvZxXtdgZy3QfKNCjPoRnknTRUJqQ7V3nEbuoiernUa2arXb46hONI0nSRQQN0azrsQQhcRJSqmrbAmDyom0/s320/garden1.JPG" width="318" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bodhisattva tee: Lucky Brand, Marshall's</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Brown belt: thrifted, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/05/sweet-and-rough-part-2-battenburg-lace.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Blue ruffled skirt: Marshall's, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/03/its-really-starting-to-feel-like-spring.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Boots: John Fluevog, "<a href="http://www.fluevog.com/code/?w[0]=gender%3Awomen&w[1]=attribute%3ABoot&pp=1&view=detail&p=16&colourID=2555">Bellevues: Libby Smith</a>"</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Art Nouveau necklace: depths of the jewelry box</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Tiny mandala beaded earrings: self-made</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Braided silver bracelet: <a href="http://www.animaperdita.com/">Anima Perdita</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_999913178">, </a><a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/03/work-clothes.html">remixed</a></span></div><br />
Continuing with this week's ancillary theme of dredging my wardrobe for seldom-used items, I wore these boots. They're a bit of a challenge to work into an outfit: they're an odd height for such a fitted boot, and distressingly close in color to my legs. Given their Victorian styling, I keep wanting to wear them with floor-sweeping skirts. Pairing them with a knee-length skirt, especially without stockings to give some visual contrast between the boot top and my leg, was a bit of a stretch for me - but I think it worked.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAMvxS8b2Uzz45ouToAtI3oUa7t_3kfldFyFCQiXY2WEgdk5Xy6CKnIAJgTBknfBYS5p99ojSs2Ywca7wHISD6jasXqGnbSQRwVfECS36PxBN4v7uK1hRcEXKZmSTlT4I-HIO3qAj90CQ/s1600/garden3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fluevog boots" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAMvxS8b2Uzz45ouToAtI3oUa7t_3kfldFyFCQiXY2WEgdk5Xy6CKnIAJgTBknfBYS5p99ojSs2Ywca7wHISD6jasXqGnbSQRwVfECS36PxBN4v7uK1hRcEXKZmSTlT4I-HIO3qAj90CQ/s400/garden3.JPG" width="353" /></a></div><br />
The boots weren't the inspiration for this outfit, though. That honor goes to this pretty bodhisattva:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjiTRoTHUvzWN6E5PZdBoD3KhhbyCFdQ1398bKJr5qiNz63-O5zpZBFEVLNo6LeGLt6vNzlBYNI4fFFnQBov7ZAm5_K63Pg241k70LjFFPeJo9kwEmVEbOh7sLrgI7CnA_PD6TvLJlEpj/s1600/garden5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lucky Brand top, graphic tee, Art Nouveau necklace, bead earrings" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjiTRoTHUvzWN6E5PZdBoD3KhhbyCFdQ1398bKJr5qiNz63-O5zpZBFEVLNo6LeGLt6vNzlBYNI4fFFnQBov7ZAm5_K63Pg241k70LjFFPeJo9kwEmVEbOh7sLrgI7CnA_PD6TvLJlEpj/s320/garden5.JPG" /></a></div><br />
I'm not usually a graphic-tee kind of girl, but I fell in love with this top. The graphic reminds me of <a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/yuan/hd_yuan.htm">Yuan</a> and <a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/ming/hd_ming.htm">Ming</a> Dynasty ink paintings, with its calligraphic lines and washes of gentle color. I picked up the bluish-purples and the floral motif with the skirt, which resembles a folded lotus or peony bloom, and the necklace: the tiny mandala earrings were also a perfect match both in theme and in color. The red buttons on the boots would have been a bit jarring with the delicate pinks if they were in closer proximity, but distance - and the dominance of the cream color in both tee and boots - kept them from clashing excessively.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhumhp2j0Zmwf7xG92_A5hensu6BRZEtzhZ6EuRCNXhWhRCbbQJp1TTj99n0cW2GoSUUKw0YCEJUBk8D-5zMNo1xwXYpiXWbtCp0eFOi60-yomrMBT85-y5YyCGQl9oKjcYtB8KgKltAdRs/s1600/garden2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="tee, skirt, belt, short waisted" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhumhp2j0Zmwf7xG92_A5hensu6BRZEtzhZ6EuRCNXhWhRCbbQJp1TTj99n0cW2GoSUUKw0YCEJUBk8D-5zMNo1xwXYpiXWbtCp0eFOi60-yomrMBT85-y5YyCGQl9oKjcYtB8KgKltAdRs/s400/garden2.JPG" width="288" /></a></div><br />
I usually don't tuck-and-belt, and you can see why here. I am very short-waisted indeed! The belt, which narrows to about 2 1/2" on the sides, is hitting both the bottom of my ribs and the top of my hipbones. The proportions of this outfit ended up being a little strange as a result. Trust me, it looked even stranger with the tee untucked!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgSGBa9Hvx26_apiHhxUz8ltCgczmy5-wmsZ6OL5axM5WpMBMTuif1MASpvfDDO9dhlsnPqZ0OcFFEQobVzqhMSIgTAV4oPYHU3AbeNA7ef1TNBcQrfTpCD_iEfWAJFcYxfVULS5Ulsc8/s1600/garden4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pink, blue, cream, decorative lantern, garden" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgSGBa9Hvx26_apiHhxUz8ltCgczmy5-wmsZ6OL5axM5WpMBMTuif1MASpvfDDO9dhlsnPqZ0OcFFEQobVzqhMSIgTAV4oPYHU3AbeNA7ef1TNBcQrfTpCD_iEfWAJFcYxfVULS5Ulsc8/s400/garden4.JPG" width="267" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">photos: Fabulous Husband</span></div><br />
Are you willing to surrender "normal" proportions to create an otherwise great outfit, or does proportion trump all for you?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzkpwyHVLlgw9IV3C_7Ne5AAFj9AbOq0kk_Vo0CY-9OzqYPTxgrClOj-OxFbYs7VvpAH3XS6pNgK_PN58IFAzOU0M3fngSmz-xSacRdshqlH9cCwCRj1Q3lbmMYnFf68IiOntE_MDa1dDC/s1600/blackout_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Already Pretty Summer Black-Out 2010" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzkpwyHVLlgw9IV3C_7Ne5AAFj9AbOq0kk_Vo0CY-9OzqYPTxgrClOj-OxFbYs7VvpAH3XS6pNgK_PN58IFAzOU0M3fngSmz-xSacRdshqlH9cCwCRj1Q3lbmMYnFf68IiOntE_MDa1dDC/s320/blackout_banner.jpg" /></a></div>FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-8853798164135431682010-06-07T16:19:00.000-04:002010-06-07T16:19:05.448-04:00Summer Black-Out, Day 1: Fun With SleevesThank you so much for all your sympathetic comments and helpful suggestions on my last post, Fabulous Readers. I'm still struggling to get my wardrobe mojo back in gear, though a break in the weather has helped a bit. So, too, has a style challenge: I often find that when free-form creativity lets me down, a bit of structure can help me direct my energies.<br />
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Therefore, I'm participating in the <a href="http://www.alreadypretty.com/2010/06/summer-black-out-2010-are-you-game.html">Already Pretty Summer Black-Out</a>. Sal's going to try to not wear black until sometime in August. I recognize and respect my Gothy roots, so I'm taking the lesser form of the challenge: no black all this week. Workout clothes are excepted, as are accessories and black in patterns (as long as it doesn't dominate). I'm also going to give myself a free pass for any funerals, job interviews, and ninja expeditions* that may occur this week.<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*None of which are all that likely, but I like to leave my options open.</span> <br />
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Will this be a challenge? Oh yeah. With black skirts outnumbering all other colors two-to-one in my closet, a ratio that is pretty consistent across all my clothing categories, I'll be stretching the boundaries of my outfit-making skills and pulling out pieces that don't see the light of day that often. <br />
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Like this one:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8e2HCcK6uA75IFp3alSSTG6vTaOs573UjPq_noQByWwUagbQbGYHsCtmc5tWh6qC2ExvFzBCs_pMuM87UfhpgC2x2Uv18N3IqURfNsq2uzd9qtzgK5Q7wPXPKGVLl7974kCQD0ZBi8QZo/s1600/noblack1_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="today's outfit, Natori top, kimono top, suede skirt, Fluevog mary janes" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8e2HCcK6uA75IFp3alSSTG6vTaOs573UjPq_noQByWwUagbQbGYHsCtmc5tWh6qC2ExvFzBCs_pMuM87UfhpgC2x2Uv18N3IqURfNsq2uzd9qtzgK5Q7wPXPKGVLl7974kCQD0ZBi8QZo/s640/noblack1_1.JPG" width="281" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Kimono-sleeve red top, Natori, TJMaxx</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Orange scarf, TJMaxx, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/05/take-me-out-to-ball-game.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Webbing belt, thrifted</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Suede skirt, Daisy Fuentes, thrifted</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Socks: depths of the drawer, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/04/rockabilly.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shoes, John Fluevog, "<a href="http://www.fluevog.com/code/?w[0]=gender%3Awomen&w[1]=attribute%3AShoe&pp=2&view=detail&p=30&colourID=2578">Mini: Dollface</a>," <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/05/thrifting-uniform.html">remixed</a></span></div><br />
I love this top, with its sleeves cut like a traditional kimono's (including the opening under the arm!) Not only is it buttery soft, the sleeves are a lot of fun to wear...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2b9WVh86E7iVzPIljsaDQ-II5Ju-SYiTojbhybbDvNyjI1FB72VV_m4mOZ57IE1UN0Jr2u0TD77lY0l85lQeaKT1FPxtV5PlFsJsvkYQhG-9LLvhS_xZiei3emwsj3ZAHpOUEoDlf6gs/s1600/noblack1_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="kimono sleeves, hanging sleeve" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2b9WVh86E7iVzPIljsaDQ-II5Ju-SYiTojbhybbDvNyjI1FB72VV_m4mOZ57IE1UN0Jr2u0TD77lY0l85lQeaKT1FPxtV5PlFsJsvkYQhG-9LLvhS_xZiei3emwsj3ZAHpOUEoDlf6gs/s320/noblack1_3.JPG" /></a></div><br />
...even if theyare prone to getting in the way whenever I try to do <i>anything</i>. Cooking becomes an adventure!<br />
Fortunately, traditional Japanese clothing gives us an answer: a long cord called a <i>tasuki</i> can be tied across the shoulders, holding the sleeves back. The scarf I'm wearing is long enough for that, and also changes the shape of the top's boat neckline a bit into something a bit more flattering.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHmlBxMMYT2hn-rYuuLEZIAgW7yq04IYij5s-2bQhgpsjy8ygEpO6tLSo74OeSVVyQw6mHHca4H65oR9oddOJCMXkCGXzowHH9NrMQms5WSrd8TDUD4w-j-NI0JCGt-vPKfwJYEFOIXcw/s1600/noblack1_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Up, up, and away!" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHmlBxMMYT2hn-rYuuLEZIAgW7yq04IYij5s-2bQhgpsjy8ygEpO6tLSo74OeSVVyQw6mHHca4H65oR9oddOJCMXkCGXzowHH9NrMQms5WSrd8TDUD4w-j-NI0JCGt-vPKfwJYEFOIXcw/s320/noblack1_2.JPG" /></a></div><br />
I almost feel like I might take flight if I flap my arms hard enough!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStA9retXEVJjmU22-MsEAh2TQlb08a8eAzFSq0TiFzNn3_EJv19ay5vXH2wFu3knunnoQG1jJmUv4f5DgdWbuStWZgKICc34sAINNrk8SIZOQx-pwmWcB9uNxH3_BpvUSzN7KhWFtHfyo/s1600/noblack1_4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fluevog shoes, Mini Dollface, mary janes with socks" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStA9retXEVJjmU22-MsEAh2TQlb08a8eAzFSq0TiFzNn3_EJv19ay5vXH2wFu3knunnoQG1jJmUv4f5DgdWbuStWZgKICc34sAINNrk8SIZOQx-pwmWcB9uNxH3_BpvUSzN7KhWFtHfyo/s320/noblack1_4.JPG" /></a></div><br />
My cute Loli-ish Dollfaces continue the quasi-Japanese theme, picking up on an entirely different aspect of Japanese fashion culture. I love the aesthetics of Lolita fashion, with its over-the-top ruffles and bows, although I wonder about the psycho-sexual connotations of a movement named for a literary target of pedophilia that encourages young women to dress like little girls - or life-size dolls. Despite my fondness for frills, lace, and <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/04/cure-for-bad-mood.html">voluminous petticoats</a>, I don't think I'll be sporting any full-on Loli looks any time soon...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwh6NQ7gB5B-_rPZjQNRaG8CYgKhHHF9pZMdgIvDh95tzpgo4RBDnLXONli-SQDMtkM90IG-OhEO5lBI5oZWv1zr4ifF3EJxaIJhoqGmxVHveGhxIeOh4zI8ED-70J_JKlHydM9igAbqZg/s1600/blackout_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Summer Black-Out 2010" border="0" height="84" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwh6NQ7gB5B-_rPZjQNRaG8CYgKhHHF9pZMdgIvDh95tzpgo4RBDnLXONli-SQDMtkM90IG-OhEO5lBI5oZWv1zr4ifF3EJxaIJhoqGmxVHveGhxIeOh4zI8ED-70J_JKlHydM9igAbqZg/s320/blackout_banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-62415699754411404642010-06-02T20:37:00.000-04:002010-06-02T20:37:27.575-04:00A Malaise of the ClosetI've been struggling with something recently, Fabulous Readers.<br />
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I've been struggling with getting dressed.<br />
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This morning, for example, I spent a hour trying to get dressed. <i>An hour! </i>And I ended up in.... jeans and a T-shirt.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaKyQ8cSrKLLK_WOjKl8zRg7mKVAG93JgJk0CNBZiaSkss1Cx0WsCpeVGt2GiVnVV9taW95foLRhwTi3r21V_xWSmxGOdojvoV33Bquv8ZHKpQmK4LocxQ4b_-yxy7HPGNU9_15kcAZIql/s1600/malaise1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaKyQ8cSrKLLK_WOjKl8zRg7mKVAG93JgJk0CNBZiaSkss1Cx0WsCpeVGt2GiVnVV9taW95foLRhwTi3r21V_xWSmxGOdojvoV33Bquv8ZHKpQmK4LocxQ4b_-yxy7HPGNU9_15kcAZIql/s640/malaise1.JPG" width="339" alt="today's outfit, jeans, tee, Fluevog sandals" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Purple striped T-shirt, Martin + Osa, thrifted</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jeans, Victoria's Secret, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/05/take-me-out-to-ball-game.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shoes, John Fluevog "Choice Hi," <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/05/sweet-and-rough-part-2-battenburg-lace.html">remixed</a></span></div><br />
Cute jeans and a T-shirt, yes, and there's nothing <i>wrong</i> with jeans and a T-shirt, per se, but still - after an hour of effort, the best I could salvage from my (not unfull) closet was jeans and a bloody tee.<br />
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I don't know what happened to my fashion mojo, where it went, or how to get it back. Every single thing in my wardrobe seems unappealing, even though I know I picked each item with care and consideration.<br />
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Part of it's my body and my image of it. I've been slack about going to the gym, for no good reason at all. I know I should love my body Just The Way It Is - but I don't. It's not that I'm unhappy with my size, it's that I'm unhappy with my shape. And texture. A month or so away from the gym means a slightly broader waist, looser upper arms, and a general lack of nice, firm muscle tone. They're small differences, but they loom large.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3FzArsO_oVV8cDKcLyvBzMS7xwcTAoVnrY2ho6SSekzdupfINIZmzPyP5h88gzeQRTGeY-mwMW__24fN_31Ui3msMTzuYM1qZth0wkVdVBNGl_5fVcV_cplm15SddjaIRR_VMHFrIy3Bn/s1600/malaise2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3FzArsO_oVV8cDKcLyvBzMS7xwcTAoVnrY2ho6SSekzdupfINIZmzPyP5h88gzeQRTGeY-mwMW__24fN_31Ui3msMTzuYM1qZth0wkVdVBNGl_5fVcV_cplm15SddjaIRR_VMHFrIy3Bn/s320/malaise2.JPG" width="304" alt="Martin + Osa tee, Victoria's Secret jeans" /></a></div><br />
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Another part of it's summer. There are a lot of things I love about summer. I love the long, lazy evenings when the light never seems to fade. I love the heat that seeps into my bones and the bright sunlight. I love gardening (check out my spiffy new shade garden behind me! I put that in this past weekend). I love cooking dinner on the grill every night for a week straight. I love tall, fizzy cocktails. I love pies made from fruit that was on the tree that morning. <br />
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I don't love summer clothes. At all.<br />
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I can't layer in summer, for one. If you're lucky, you can get away with a camisole under a tank in summer, or a light jacket over a dress. Much more than that, and you braise gently in your own clothes (particularly if, like mine, your house isn't air conditioned). Yuck. I didn't realize how much I'd come to depend on the ability to stack layer upon layer of texture, color and pattern to create visual interest, until I couldn't do it without courting heatstroke. <br />
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I also just don't like summer clothing. Floaty, barely-there dresses don't flatter or even contain my figure. Light, unstructured fabrics are cool and comfortable, but usually make me look dumpy. Strapless dresses are a nightmare at my bra size. I love my curvy rear, but the pair of shorts that'll fit it gracefully, without gapping at the back waist, cutting in at the leg openings, or bunching up in the crotch has yet to be sewn.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCY2H_SzoJsMu6wYSIev9fYYwgQUC9cPMgKOnK-ayK5fZVdGV6i9SexYj603p_gqiKXsNJO5PdN11f7EFBAzqYHbSppdtpaVgi3ngKaYmDNmEuEfLY5h2HuV4K4xyMhWT5haaieoiUnzb/s1600/malaise3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCY2H_SzoJsMu6wYSIev9fYYwgQUC9cPMgKOnK-ayK5fZVdGV6i9SexYj603p_gqiKXsNJO5PdN11f7EFBAzqYHbSppdtpaVgi3ngKaYmDNmEuEfLY5h2HuV4K4xyMhWT5haaieoiUnzb/s320/malaise3.JPG" alt="silver necklaces, Jenn Feldman Glass pendant" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Tangle of silver necklaces, including a pendant from <a href="http://www.hestiashearth.com/">Jenn Feldman Glass</a> (<a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/03/synesthesia.html">remixed</a>), tiny crescent moon pendant Fabulous Husband bought me because it reminded him of my tattoo (<a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/02/death-takes-golf-holiday.html">remixed</a>), and the amethyst ring I wore while he and I were engaged. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">photos: Fabulous Husband</span></span></div><br />
Am I whining a little (a lot)? You bet. Am I aware of how bratty, overprivileged, and ridiculous my complaint is - not even that I have no clothes to wear, but that I have a whole lot of clothes and simply <i>don't want to wear them</i>? Absolutely.<br />
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Does that in any way mitigate my frustration at my inability to present a coherent image with which I'm happy to the world, or my distress in finding no enjoyment in the process of getting dressed, only aggravation?<br />
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Not at all.<br />
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Have you ever gotten to a point where getting dressed felt like drudgery? How did you get through it? Better yet, how did you get <i>out</i> of it?FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-67324408969135315422010-06-01T11:17:00.000-04:002010-06-01T11:17:23.372-04:00Uniform chicLast week, Worn Through featured an article by Tove Hermanson entitled "<a href="http://www.wornthrough.com/2010/05/25/fetishizing-military-gear/">Festishizing Military Gear</a>." It's a great piece, and I can't fault Ms. Hermanson's conclusion that sexualizing the horrors of war is unacceptable. However, I'm not entirely certain that the prevalence of military gear in fashion is a result of the fetishizing of war, per se: rather, it represents an ongoing fascination with the uniformed body.<br />
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There's a lot of history behind militaria in fashion. Just about as soon as people started making armor, it became not only a statement of power, but one of style. Ancient Greek artifacts show arms and armor decorated with beautiful motifs: Roman senators and emperors were depicted in their armor on coinage and in statuary.<br />
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By the later Middle Ages and early Renaissance, it became the norm for men to combine pieces of their garnitures, or suits of armor, with their softer, fancier 'street' clothes for portraiture. Not surprisingly, the clothing worn by even unarmored men began to resemble the padded, segmented garments worn for protection under the heavy metal harnesses. So, to an extent, did those of women: some fashion historians theorize that the rise of the corseted female body, which began in this period, was an adaptation of the structured, armored male torso. <br />
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Borrowing from military styles has been an integral part of fashion ever since. In the late 1700s, women wore Spencer jackets, often decorated with epaulets, braid, and other ornaments of the era's military insignia, over their diaphanous Empire-waisted gowns. Cardigans were the innovation of a British commander during the Crimean War. Khakis, trench coats, duffel bags, Breton stripes, and other perennial fashion favorites are all of military origin.<br />
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Fashion has always had an uneasy attraction to the concept of uniform. Dress, in our society, is supposed to be a means of self-expression, which is an antithesis of the concept of the uniform. However, fashion itself represents a type of uniform: What's in style this season? What looks are the designers showing? Very few people dress with true individuality.<br />
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Uniform goes deeper still. All individuality is, in theory, subsumed into the uniformed whole. What this means in practice is that any expressions of individuality lie in two fields: the manner in which the uniform is worn and the body inside it.<br />
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It's the second factor, I think, that is one cause of fashion's ongoing fascination with uniforms and militaria. The only time a uniformed individual is able to show his or her individuality is when the uniform is removed. There's an inherent eroticism in the concept that, in order to have the freedom of expression that we consider a necessary component of personhood, the uniformed individual must be unclothed.<br />
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If the fetishizing of uniform was entirely about glorifying war, why would other uniform images - schoolgirls, nurses, even clergy - have such a strong presence in fashion and erotica both?<br />
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Another contributing factor is the growing casualness of dress in our society. Uniform, in many cases, indicates a more formal mode of dress, or at least the possibility of its existence. Even in work clothes, though, military clothing hints at the possibility of greater formality: the most tattered-looking soldier has a formal dress uniform <i>somewhere</i>.<br />
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A quote from a vintage pattern seller <a href="http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2010/06/featured-sponsor-blue-gardenia.html">featured on Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing</a> made me think about the power and authority of formal uniform: "<i>The hat, the crisply starched white dresses, the white shoes that nurses used to wear commanded respect. The nurse's uniforms conveyed an authority that the sloppy scrubs with teddy bears that many nurses wear today do not</i>." In many professions, the uniform is now a polo shirt in company colors: crisp shirts and ties have fallen by the wayside. That's not the case in the military, one of the few truly uniformed institutions remaining in our society. Adapting the trappings of the military allows the wearer to borrow a little bit of the perceived power and authority of the uniformed soldier - an interesting dichotomy, because in many situations, soldiers themselves have less say in their career paths, living arrangements, and, obviously, dress, than the non-military person adapting military imagery. <br />
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The dress regulations of the US Army fill a book of not inconsiderable size. In any circumstance, a soldier has guidance and direction as to what to wear and how. How many of us, when faced with the welter of choices presented by fashion's conflicting messages, haven't wished for that sort of guidance, even if just for a moment? The popularity of, and fascination with, capsule wardrobe challenges and <a href="http://www.theuniformproject.com/">The Uniform Project</a> among style bloggers indicate that the concept of a limited, dictated wardrobe has appeal, even - perhaps especially - among people who are immersed in the culture of self-expression through fashion.<br />
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Separating the uniformed soldier from the war is a fine line: perhaps it's an imaginary one. My perspective on this matter is not unbiased - I'm married to a US Army veteran, which colors my understanding of the military. However, I think that saying that militaria in fashion is little more than a glorification of war sells both fashion and the military sadly short.FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-12767943990847859622010-05-28T19:57:00.000-04:002010-05-28T19:57:13.575-04:00Link-tastic! 28 May 2010 The Memorial Day weekend is upon us, Fabulous Readers! <br />
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As I mentioned earlier this week, I was featured (along with quite a few other fabulous bloggers!) on <a href="http://whatiwore.tumblr.com/post/631157968/what-we-wore-sweet-and-rough">What I Wore</a>. I'm really intrigued by the various ways the style challenge was interpreted.<br />
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Sal at Already Pretty writes something every week that I find thoughtful, inspiring, or insightful. This week, she's got two humdingers: <a href="http://www.alreadypretty.com/2010/05/last-great-deal.html">letting go of the last great bargain mentality</a> and <a href="http://www.alreadypretty.com/2010/05/feminist-clotheshorse.html">the great fashionable/feminist</a> divide myth.<br />
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A bit of fashion design history: Stacy from taffetadarlings <a href="http://taffetadarlings.blogspot.com/2010/05/whats-old-is-new-third-installment.html">talks Desses</a>.<br />
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Finally, to slake your Memorial Day thirsts, why not try a <a href="http://blog.mrslilien.com/mrs-lilien-styling-house-blog/2010/5/26/from-my-bar-to-yours.html">delicious-sounding lemonade cocktail</a> from Mrs. Lilien? If you don't have premade simple syrup, no sweat: just put equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Let it cool before you use it in a drink! I make up good-sized batches of simple syrup (~2c. at a time) and store it in a bottle in the fridge. In addition to cocktails, it's great in iced tea and coffee.<br />
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Have a fabulous (long) weekend!FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-40015635583128433062010-05-26T21:17:00.000-04:002010-05-26T21:17:10.791-04:00Sweet and Rough, Part 2: Battenburg Lace, Braids, and Balance!I'm keeping going with this week's sweet and rough (or girly and tough, whichever way you want to put it):<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0icaiAfkvGUyBYb3KVmy0sMSIiaapL7OhuBDmPdXDV4OCUz13tvV67fKU1CjKBEb733QBKqwXB-MewAjNS6z05MdOx_JOaAyBMiiUixCspav3VUZ6g-82pkYQ0KxDm9fnHBoMpZFNdLZT/s1600/battenburg_braids1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="today's outfit, Battenburg lace top, olive skirt, John Fluevog shoes" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0icaiAfkvGUyBYb3KVmy0sMSIiaapL7OhuBDmPdXDV4OCUz13tvV67fKU1CjKBEb733QBKqwXB-MewAjNS6z05MdOx_JOaAyBMiiUixCspav3VUZ6g-82pkYQ0KxDm9fnHBoMpZFNdLZT/s400/battenburg_braids1.JPG" width="267" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Battenburg lace top, Ann Taylor Loft</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Belt, thrifted</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Skirt, Marshall's</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Studded strappy sandals, John Fluevog "Choice Hi" (style unknown), <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/05/baby-blue-eyes.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Butterfly necklace, estate sale, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/03/dialing-it-in-plus-new-haircut.html">remixed</a> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Labradorite and bronze earrings, self-made</span></div><br />
Yes, I am in the process of climbing on my deck railing. Fabulous Husband has iffy knees and sometimes isn't too comfortable hunkering down to get pictures of my shoes, so I figured I'd bring them closer to his eye level...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66ZfmnFoCHIUjJB4jGM3f7PYLEAVcKdOaqncq-ugnWhny7RrEwxoM77lKT8pcPzdTYiXXbP_vKg_vd_1Y8lzgjcPrKp5NzcYwaZgpFjhl5_mHHBHN4CJINKe8bpynWF6a2eXEPK6pbvUd/s1600/battenburg_braids2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="balancing on rail" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66ZfmnFoCHIUjJB4jGM3f7PYLEAVcKdOaqncq-ugnWhny7RrEwxoM77lKT8pcPzdTYiXXbP_vKg_vd_1Y8lzgjcPrKp5NzcYwaZgpFjhl5_mHHBHN4CJINKe8bpynWF6a2eXEPK6pbvUd/s400/battenburg_braids2.JPG" width="267" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfF8HYKD4-vK4Nzmbq2uyw-j_3R66CHAWkk9xP_qW2kXL69UJPmhwmHatGxEDhI4Y4LUHVcX-35Qvl9Egn60zApK9c6r7xMlT3ydGpIS39Ul79OtL34xZZqxhfmgbW2y9_0LULvOU2EYS/s1600/battenburg_braids5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="John Fluevog sandals" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfF8HYKD4-vK4Nzmbq2uyw-j_3R66CHAWkk9xP_qW2kXL69UJPmhwmHatGxEDhI4Y4LUHVcX-35Qvl9Egn60zApK9c6r7xMlT3ydGpIS39Ul79OtL34xZZqxhfmgbW2y9_0LULvOU2EYS/s320/battenburg_braids5.JPG" /></a></div><br />
...or maybe it was just the heat. I get a little silly when the mercury climbs. <br />
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I am unutterably gleeful that my hair's finally (sort of) long enough to go into braids again, especially on a scorcher like today.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnScYKRBfig_6xi34oNkiY1R2n-zIBulCDOeBtxYGQfgXCEzGsv5pQvxLFiU0jKLWTpm7Xkm3a2bTA0aiYDi498czwvA1EIXX7Oa52bTcH1RQQmLlIMqfwYOm6lP26ULaWGfzGEdk2-Kyv/s1600/battenburg_braids3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="braids, French braids, braided hairdo" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnScYKRBfig_6xi34oNkiY1R2n-zIBulCDOeBtxYGQfgXCEzGsv5pQvxLFiU0jKLWTpm7Xkm3a2bTA0aiYDi498czwvA1EIXX7Oa52bTcH1RQQmLlIMqfwYOm6lP26ULaWGfzGEdk2-Kyv/s320/battenburg_braids3.JPG" /></a></div><br />
I used to have Seriously Long Hair (as in, I could almost sit on it). Braiding was a necessity: if it wasn't confined, it was uncontrollable, prone to tangling, and got caught in things... like car doors. Ouch! I'd wake up in the morning, braid it in any one of a dozen different styles, and in the evening, it would get braided into a looser plait before bedtime.<br />
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I cut it when I woke up in the morning with the braid wrapped around my neck. There were other influencing factors (my conditioner bill was unbelievable), but anything that tries to strangle me in my sleep has to go!<br />
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For a few years, I was happy with hair far too short to braid. I was glad to be free of long hair, of the daylong wait for it to dry, of the weird ache in my arms from holding them up long enough to braid it into a coronet. Braiding was a necessary burden I was all too free to be rid of.<br />
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Recently, though, I've been seeing other bloggers, like <a href="http://www.academichic.com/2010/01/12/13-january-2010-3/">S. from academichic</a> and Meg from <a href="http://morningmidnight.com/post/616506629/french-braid-undercut">good morning midnight</a> craft their hair into fabulous, stylish braids, and I've been incredibly envious. I miss my braids! This double French braid isn't nearly as voluminous as some of my old coronets, but it's a step in the right direction. It's keeping all my hair off my neck, which is a blessing in this weather, and it's held up pretty well - we took these photos at the end of the day, after running errands with the car windows rolled down so we wouldn't suffocate.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcO3yfzAJPa9DsjYUD3iRbkPP2uEEUqxYt7TL4KroHzDXh1Wt5zA8fGEGP0XkPvel8LvNFEt6bZZ4rJiqNQKQrD3235KOGG3XHq0DJ1k6glN-caPmiLiWAwCNg2-sx7bjxYy-6z7LwyF2/s1600/battenburg_braids4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="eclipse tattoo" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcO3yfzAJPa9DsjYUD3iRbkPP2uEEUqxYt7TL4KroHzDXh1Wt5zA8fGEGP0XkPvel8LvNFEt6bZZ4rJiqNQKQrD3235KOGG3XHq0DJ1k6glN-caPmiLiWAwCNg2-sx7bjxYy-6z7LwyF2/s400/battenburg_braids4.JPG" width="242" /></a></div><br />
Also, for (I believe) the first time, you can really see my little tattoo. It's over a decade old, and has held up pretty well for comparatively fine line work. It helps that it's in a place that's hard to show off, especially for someone as bra-dependent as I, so it's been pretty sheltered from the sun. The stylized eclipse is the symbol I use to sign my sketches and other artwork. My messy signature is for checks!FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-80939213340816145172010-05-24T18:56:00.000-04:002010-05-24T18:56:24.540-04:00Style Challenge: Sweet and RoughA few days ago, Jessica of What I Wore posted a style challenge: <a href="http://whatiwore.tumblr.com/post/619010421/weekly-recap">mix sweet and rough in one look</a>. I rise to challenges when it suits my fancy, and this one hit me where I live. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVXOW7pEEPWw9OU5HYDkASJSrOMAfgATYA5-SNAcz8KP5QfqNrb1RyEUZR-_YxieiSwZWIK1llbpKY-f7_3ibeURctNs8c9mPfj5J7l_2oPAlkXi01F0Hzm8FELaCWs_asBPDGOKt_oTe/s1600/girly_tough1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="today's outfit, sweet and rough, velvet top, Ann Taylor Loft vest, John Fluevog sandals" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVXOW7pEEPWw9OU5HYDkASJSrOMAfgATYA5-SNAcz8KP5QfqNrb1RyEUZR-_YxieiSwZWIK1llbpKY-f7_3ibeURctNs8c9mPfj5J7l_2oPAlkXi01F0Hzm8FELaCWs_asBPDGOKt_oTe/s640/girly_tough1.JPG" width="346" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pink ruched-shoulder top, Velvet, Marshall's, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Satin-collar vest, Ann Taylor Loft</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">White eyelet skirt, gift</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Studded sandals, John Fluevog "Summertime: Sunshine," <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/04/rockabilly.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Military bag, vintage, purchased somewhere in London (I won't admit how many years ago)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Woven leather cuff, Urban Outfitters, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/03/back-in-black.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bronze flower necklace, thrifted, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/04/more-layering-with-dresses.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bronze filigree earrings, gift</span></div><br />
What could be sweeter than white eyelet and a pink top with ruched sleeves? What could be rougher than studded sandals, a leather cuff bracelet, and a military-issue rucksack as a purse?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCX03xhTUwYcio4bGZCGt3BP2r44H9nKumnUUC4o_s9f_30nVU9YUxOn6g6oqlszfD5LHPwKGN2tov6vg-ehj0cVhCb6-jC7kPkP9qA6mgavCw8vmLBlzs4PsaURyvny_MOOvmGVbTJW0b/s1600/girly_tough2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="pink, white, pinstripe, leather, studs, military" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCX03xhTUwYcio4bGZCGt3BP2r44H9nKumnUUC4o_s9f_30nVU9YUxOn6g6oqlszfD5LHPwKGN2tov6vg-ehj0cVhCb6-jC7kPkP9qA6mgavCw8vmLBlzs4PsaURyvny_MOOvmGVbTJW0b/s400/girly_tough2.JPG" width="226" /></a></div><br />
I'm fond of looks that borrow from different style registers, causing a bit of contrast and maybe even some cognitive dissonance. Sweet/rough (I prefer the description "girly/tough") has long been a favorite of mine. Even in high school, when my fashion sense was not nearly as developed as it is now, I favored floral skirts with stompy boots and denim jackets. In college, I layered motorcycle leathers over ruffled dresses. Maybe I can attribute my fondness to girly/tough styling to my interest in Goth and steampunk looks, many of which blend exaggerated Victorian femininity (bustle skirts, corseted waistlines, tiers of ruffles) with rugged elements such as combat boots and industrial-influenced jewelry.<br />
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In fact, the very concept of a corset could be seen as the ultimate blend of femininity and roughness. Corsets first appear in fashion subsequent to the development of plate armor in the 14th century. Some fashion historians consider corsets to be an adaptation of masculine armor styles to female fashion, neither the first nor the last: 13th-century fashionistas wore men's hunting hoods with their fitted, floor-sweeping cottes, while in Jane Austen's era, women wore Spencer jackets, originally a military style, over their Empire-waisted gowns. Throughout history, women have adapted men's styles, whether from the hunt, the military, or work clothes, and adapted them to suit their fashion requirements. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieU2WfCZ_ogJj-rFErpPTzcmFFlYV4mNKkaIE02fvf9cQOAo1uTLRFVvrjyDsCnNl3TCOHG8-pJLlt_RyVpuNc5CGag9GcqE_Nv84zdFwAQ8cyPkxCCT51sdF_az_RbkC98voFvO_tkfRU/s1600/girly_tough3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="yellow eyeshadow, pinstripe vest" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieU2WfCZ_ogJj-rFErpPTzcmFFlYV4mNKkaIE02fvf9cQOAo1uTLRFVvrjyDsCnNl3TCOHG8-pJLlt_RyVpuNc5CGag9GcqE_Nv84zdFwAQ8cyPkxCCT51sdF_az_RbkC98voFvO_tkfRU/s400/girly_tough3.JPG" width="323" /></a></div><br />
This vest is a perfect example. It's a very menswear-influenced style, with its satin-faced notch collar, and it's done up in suiting fabrics. Its cropped, shaped cut and faceted 'jet' buttons make it clear that I haven't stolen part of Fabulous Husband's suit collection, though.<br />
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Incidentally, I'm quite pleased with my makeup today. I discovered bright yellow eyeshadow about a year and a half ago, and really can't get enough of it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6W6eOc3fHHzfPacfzoFJwknV39EbzzN3RyMRmt0mkPoM4_JNSLxcO0HHk5XsueV45-sXbHcfgygzSC5q_50oRAZcxlYa56jaxGuVTEyHS7wONonGaRYDBVVwGKyIiuKFfnkFf-H3AqdL/s1600/girly_tough_shoes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="John Fluevog, Summertime, studded sandals, eyelet skirt" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6W6eOc3fHHzfPacfzoFJwknV39EbzzN3RyMRmt0mkPoM4_JNSLxcO0HHk5XsueV45-sXbHcfgygzSC5q_50oRAZcxlYa56jaxGuVTEyHS7wONonGaRYDBVVwGKyIiuKFfnkFf-H3AqdL/s400/girly_tough_shoes.JPG" width="215" /></a></div><br />
I had so much fun wearing this outfit that I might just see if I can keep up the girly/tough look all week long!<br />
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Do you like to mix style registers in your outfits? What are some of your favorite combinations?FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-54310087411712984322010-05-22T13:06:00.000-04:002010-05-22T13:06:36.575-04:00Link-tastic! 22 May 2010Gracious, sometimes weeks go by so fast that before I know it, it's Friday and instead of patiently collating a week's worth of browser tabs into a Friday link roundup, I'm kayaking through a swamp with Fabulous Husband. Oops!<br />
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The academichics did a <a href="http://www.academichic.com/2010/05/21/dress-your-best-round-up-part-iii-bodies-in-time-and-space/">roundup of Dress Your Best Week posts</a> (part three of three, internal links to parts one and two). It's wonderful to see the different ways in which the participants celebrated their bodies and overcame the dominant social message that women should criticize and hate their own bodies.<br />
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Next project: <a href="http://www.alreadypretty.com/2010/05/daily-outfit-51810.html">a week without black</a>. My wardrobe is very black-heavy (surprise, surprise!) so this one will be quite a stretch for me - I don't know that I have five days worth of non-black clothing. We shall see.<br />
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On a more theoretical note, <a href="http://iheartthreadbared.wordpress.com/2010/05/17/why-are-we-willing-to-pay-for-fashion-magazines-and-not-blogs/">why are we willing to pay for fashion magazines but not blogs</a>, especially considering <a href="http://iheartthreadbared.wordpress.com/2010/05/19/linkage-hidden-costs-of-fashion-blogging/">how much it can cost to run a fashion blog</a>? This is a key question in the ongoing debate about blogging, advertising, and legitimacy. I've been a journalist as well as a blogger, so my perspective (which I think I'll delve into in a post in the near future) is informed by both professions.<br />
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Also from threadbared: a <a href="http://iheartthreadbared.wordpress.com/2010/05/18/art-lisa-ann-auerbachs-and-jimmy-carters-sweater-advocacy/">political view of sweaters</a>.<br />
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Talk about <a href="http://newtextiles.media.mit.edu/pmwiki.php?n=Main.DesignedOnNature">wearing your heart on your sleeve</a> (although the dress itself is sleeveless): my friend Ellan uses microscopy, computer rendering, laser cutting, and traditional dressmaking techniques to represent the human heart - and its symbolism of passion - in dress form.<br />
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Now that I've delineated an <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/05/thrifting-uniform.html">ideal thrifting outfit</a>, bone up on your rack-combing skills with some <a href="http://www.alreadypretty.com/2010/05/thrifting-lessons-from-pro.html">tips from a pro</a>.<br />
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Have a great weekend, Fabulous Readers!FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-2078394282217417572010-05-20T18:31:00.000-04:002010-05-20T18:31:05.982-04:00My Day in the SunMmm... sunshine at last!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijdWj9GDQz-PC65kBgrJtbrqgH9CHys65gyEzPDZDlGGY1FOsPC2nqUy2tuCrLy6lrLyvrLOo2P0KZr2FpU1qLwoq0w0AzRu16zHAk62HPZSbc4m5NMAgQCF51e04cl9-1v0HECynWHwYT/s1600/sunny5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="today's outfit, warm colors, tunic, skirt, belt, Born shoes, Anthropologie sunglasses" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijdWj9GDQz-PC65kBgrJtbrqgH9CHys65gyEzPDZDlGGY1FOsPC2nqUy2tuCrLy6lrLyvrLOo2P0KZr2FpU1qLwoq0w0AzRu16zHAk62HPZSbc4m5NMAgQCF51e04cl9-1v0HECynWHwYT/s640/sunny5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Orange striped tunic, l8ter, Marshall's</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">White cami, Ann Taylor Loft</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pink studded stretch belt, Betsey Johnson, TJMaxx, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/04/rockabilly.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pink twill skirt, thrifted</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Orange flower sandals, BOC Born Concept, DSW, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/05/take-me-out-to-ball-game.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sugar skull pendant, <a href="http://www.hestiashearth.com/">Jenn Feldman Glass</a>, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/05/off-playing-with-faeries.html">remixed</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Orange bangle, thrifted, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/04/cherry-blossom-time.html">remixed </a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Turquoise-look earrings, mall accessory store </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sunglasses, Anthropologie </span></div><br />
I was so happy to wake up to a warm, clear day - and so glad to have colorful clothes after yesterday's thrifting expedition - that I went for a very intensely colored analogous color scheme for today's outfit.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0doQbLuJPGEz_vrX2FGkjft69OjuARwc9wJAexf0h5d_anG7wvi5FUFM_Z9IFtvc4zS2NbYMFIM2c2YWcRxacpAGsRgkBuXGler4SvlAOSoC2pIeDejA58J_a75981ODHOQylNTKl_TG7/s1600/sunny1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0doQbLuJPGEz_vrX2FGkjft69OjuARwc9wJAexf0h5d_anG7wvi5FUFM_Z9IFtvc4zS2NbYMFIM2c2YWcRxacpAGsRgkBuXGler4SvlAOSoC2pIeDejA58J_a75981ODHOQylNTKl_TG7/s640/sunny1.JPG" width="334" alt="pink and orange" /></a></div><br />
These colors verge on clashing: if they were any closer together on the color wheel, they'd be eye-watering (and the rhododendrons in the background may be a bit much). Something about spring brings out my craving for vivid hues.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkB8BAs-DPdnwy9Oj4V4UhhhYumZ21RV9CsnAb6KcjeFy_wZCFL3dV7gV1sTslPL6VvxAltW_ysQrDbwqTqa2qozQcEbkwpqlkPnftrjcnSqcgNbQRTwxAyFgA7Bc-_psnNoVp4FdMGlt/s1600/sunny4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkB8BAs-DPdnwy9Oj4V4UhhhYumZ21RV9CsnAb6KcjeFy_wZCFL3dV7gV1sTslPL6VvxAltW_ysQrDbwqTqa2qozQcEbkwpqlkPnftrjcnSqcgNbQRTwxAyFgA7Bc-_psnNoVp4FdMGlt/s320/sunny4.JPG" alt="sunglasses" /></a></div>I think it's the sunshine.<br />
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Usually, Fabulous Husband and I take pictures during the "golden hour," that brief period right before sunset when the light is flat, even, and not blinding. As a result, I don't need sunglasses while we're taking pictures. Today we had to take pictures earlier, though, necessitating the shades.<br />
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I've always had a love-hate relationship with glasses of any sort. Something about the shape of my face makes finding flattering glasses a trial - they're always too narrow, too square, or just the wrong shape. It's only recently that I've found a pair of prescription glasses that I'm willing to be seen in public in. These sunglasses are even newer, and I'm happy not only with the way they look on me but with the amount of light those huge lenses block.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjShrvTy_geVEXql33PKNngstloD9r8w74PncDtDBBYX0pNChU4hEmJ94S1pOsydlsw-zFiSCaNi3aw2rIGFaatIocmLFh31cUvyH3xO2Y5qnqfW_OpcmEnSQUTMQrfbDx4tMwGaM-_OQ5/s1600/sunny3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjShrvTy_geVEXql33PKNngstloD9r8w74PncDtDBBYX0pNChU4hEmJ94S1pOsydlsw-zFiSCaNi3aw2rIGFaatIocmLFh31cUvyH3xO2Y5qnqfW_OpcmEnSQUTMQrfbDx4tMwGaM-_OQ5/s400/sunny3.JPG" width="313" alt="not without my sunglasses!" /></a></div><br />
Take 'em off when it's this bright out? You must be kidding, right?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8PaIrKrZ45FHLcA9GIdgJN5ppAZzxel7jFdkx1Kx9d-OV62j_j-ZR-Qnmg23wnBLzQknj9C5pc18DoQilU3uAkV7qu9dbXbbEiszt-p07Gb7-sdvqvonm90qe9q3w4fIv0MsQj8E1e7d/s1600/sunny2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8PaIrKrZ45FHLcA9GIdgJN5ppAZzxel7jFdkx1Kx9d-OV62j_j-ZR-Qnmg23wnBLzQknj9C5pc18DoQilU3uAkV7qu9dbXbbEiszt-p07Gb7-sdvqvonm90qe9q3w4fIv0MsQj8E1e7d/s640/sunny2.JPG" width="310" alt="orange and pink outfit, bright hues for sunny days" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">photos: Fabulous Husband</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I just picked up Linda Grant's <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Thoughtful-Dresser/Linda-Grant/e/9781439158814/?itm=2&USRI=linda+grant"><i>The Thoughtful Dresser</i></a>. I was interested in this book when I first saw <a href="http://www.academichic.com/2010/03/30/30-march-2010/">S. mention it on academichic</a>. I'm about halfway through it, and I'm very impressed. It's neither a long book nor an abstruse one: in fact, one of Grant's points is that verbose academic fashion theory fails to capture the ineffable pleasure inherent in fashion. The book is not without flaws - I think that Grant's view of fashion and shopping is overly gendered - but it has been, so far, a pleasure to read. I'll post more thoughts when I'm finished with the book.FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-40656622235777084692010-05-19T19:58:00.000-04:002010-05-19T19:58:26.539-04:00The Thrifting UniformAfter a month of avoiding shopping for myself (with one or two exceptions when I encountered a demand my closet couldn't meet or was faced with a unique opportunity), it's over. International Fluevog Day has come and gone, and I am the proud owner of these beauties:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7-wa6KwK9wZnlHTy77EO4U3vpLEk1cfb_OGeUKEWr3YkJ1LlnAiBfnVLm_A5G-QajAFrbT8e9sjm6Qc_eBOTKqPhrmx3jUH7JWZa7RdY-zRphyphenhyphent2Otu80seMBP6KbvArD45qJQGOK_-O/s1600/thrift_uniform_shoes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fluevog shoes, Dollface, red" border="0" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7-wa6KwK9wZnlHTy77EO4U3vpLEk1cfb_OGeUKEWr3YkJ1LlnAiBfnVLm_A5G-QajAFrbT8e9sjm6Qc_eBOTKqPhrmx3jUH7JWZa7RdY-zRphyphenhyphent2Otu80seMBP6KbvArD45qJQGOK_-O/s400/thrift_uniform_shoes.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">John Fluevog, "<a href="http://www.fluevog.com/code/?w[0]=gender%3Awomen&w[1]=attribute%3AShoe&pp=2&view=detail&p=30&colourID=2578">Mini: Dollface</a>"</span></div><br />
and, more to the point, I am free to return to my local thrift stores. Hooray! I'm particularly excited because a spate of weekend closet-organizing revealed that I have -wait for it - <i>eight</i> black summer-weight skirts, and virtually no other bottoms fit for hot weather. While I love my black clothes (obvs!), I feel like I need a little variety in my wardrobe, if only so as not to bore you to death, Fabulous Readers. Or myself.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYp48fi0YSk81s31TubaQCDQ2wCnmG9uxOPmY3JJhF7yS5dBDzbnBgO8kH6vGq2siYgew-d1TrNU5tt8dOqFVM8W_uDskPLv0Rfd0LicJUVUk7Ybdm3kRJ5BkxnpGk0KQMWVBbpSmrgbQ/s1600/thrift_uniform.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="today's outfit, thrifting uniform, leggings, skirt, sweater vest, tee, belt" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYp48fi0YSk81s31TubaQCDQ2wCnmG9uxOPmY3JJhF7yS5dBDzbnBgO8kH6vGq2siYgew-d1TrNU5tt8dOqFVM8W_uDskPLv0Rfd0LicJUVUk7Ybdm3kRJ5BkxnpGk0KQMWVBbpSmrgbQ/s640/thrift_uniform.JPG" width="302" /></a></div><br />
I've spoken in passing about my thrifting uniform before. As long as I'm basking in my return to active consumerism, I might as well go into it in a little depth. I've come up with this loose uniform, which combines utility and presentability, to make my life easier when I'm trawling the racks of my local Goodwill (or anywhere else, really) for sartorial treasures.<br />
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Here's the breakdown:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTA99m498gCRVxzZdtfgjfl_L8RiJyAjDm-WNdItmkyML3fU3FU0JeIkbaJiOEfe0CQaLwaICc9oyskTLugmgpT04XK7Z-gk_SCZ7vSIhu7iCzJK5pyir8KVW6gPR3sTslJhi5upU-VXu/s1600/thrift_uniform_numbers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="outfit by the numbers" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTA99m498gCRVxzZdtfgjfl_L8RiJyAjDm-WNdItmkyML3fU3FU0JeIkbaJiOEfe0CQaLwaICc9oyskTLugmgpT04XK7Z-gk_SCZ7vSIhu7iCzJK5pyir8KVW6gPR3sTslJhi5upU-VXu/s640/thrift_uniform_numbers.JPG" width="322" /></a></div><ol><li><i>Leggings:</i> Not every thrift store has adequate (or even any) changing rooms. By wearing leggings, I can slip on skirts and pants in an out-of-the-way corner without showing the other shoppers more of my anatomy than they want to see. They also form a physical barrier between my body and any potential nastiness lurking on clothes of questionable provenance. </li>
<li><i>Short skirt: </i>Leggings might protect my modesty (eek!) in a questionable changing-room situation, but they're not the most flattering thing on their own. I cover up with a skirt that can slip up or down over my hips: I can ruck it up around my waist if I have to try something on in the aisles. (Old Navy, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/04/double-dog-dare-denim.html">remixed</a>)</li>
<li><i>Small bag with shoulder strap:</i> I'm usually an aficionado of big bags - really big bags. I consider something sized to hold a letter-sized portfolio to be on the small side, and my larger bags double as luggage. However, the narrow, usually poorly-straightened aisles of a thrift store are not the place for a bag of epic proportions: it'll get caught on protruding hangers, stuck, and generally make a nuisance of itself. I prefer smaller bags like this vintage <a href="http://www.coach.com/online/handbags/ProductDetailWrapperView?storeId=10551&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&partNumber=9927_mah">Coach Willis</a> for thrifting expeditions. Not only is it small enough to not get in the way, it's got a long strap, so I can sling it over my shoulder or even across my body and have both hands free for sorting through racks, rescuing clothes about to take kamikaze dives off hangers, and haul my selections.</li>
<li><i>Second-skin top layer:</i> This silk knit tee from Reyen Design Studios serves the same function as the leggings, but for my upper body. It's thin enough not to affect the fit of clothes, but protects me from potential ickiness and indecent exposure. Depending on my mood when I get dressed, this can be a tee, tank, or camisole. </li>
<li><i>Something to go over item #4:</i> Just like the skirt, but for the top half of my body. I choose top and bottom separates, rather than a dress, for versatility: with a dress, if I want to try on a top, I have to take the whole thing off. With a top and skirt, I can just swap out the piece in question, and get a better idea of how the item I'm trying on will work with other clothes. (Hooded polka-dot vest, Demanding by Say What?, thrifted)</li>
<li> <i>Wristwatch: </i>Although this gets in my way as much as it helps, I like to keep track of time so I don't inadvertently spend hours combing through the racks. (Nicolet, TJMaxx)</li>
<li><i>Comfortable shoes:</i> Thrifting means quite some time on your feet - unless you're really lucky, you're going to spend quite some time sorting wheat from chaff. Comfy shoes are a must. In an ideal world, I'd wear slip-ons to make changing and trying on shoes easier. In an ideal world, slip-ons would fit my feet comfortably and not slip off whenever I take too vigorous a step. Compromise is key. Plus, I just got these and I'm still having the ooh-shiny-new-toy reaction (and breaking them in).</li>
<li><i>Belt:</i> As an hourglass-shaped girl, I'm pretty much a compulsive belter (defined waistlines are my friend!). Wearing a belt that I know fits and works on my body means I can play with belting garments without rolling the bones on the store's selection. (Aldo, thrifted, <a href="http://everybodygetsdressed.blogspot.com/2010/05/things-i-love.html">remixed</a>)</li>
</ol>Not pictured, but also key:<br />
<ol><li> <i>Favorite bra:</i> I want to make sure tops lie right over my bust, so I wear a nude, smooth-knit, modified racerback bra that molds my bust into my preferred shape. </li>
<li><i>Colorful undies:</i> On the other hand, I want to know if a skirt's a little too sheer to wear without a slip - or if I should just avoid hot-pink panties while wearing it.</li>
<li><i>No-show socks:</i> These provide just enough coverage to keep me from getting blisters by wearing my shoes barefoot (I hate wearing closed-toe shoes without socks!) and also protect my feet from the floors at the thrift store.</li>
</ol>Also, check out what you can't see - makeup and jewelry. I don't wear any jewelry beyond my wedding ring and infinity hoop earrings (that never come off) and watch (which serves a function). Earrings, necklaces, and bracelets can catch and pull when you're taking things on and off - I've nearly lost earrings by having a shirt pull them out of my ears as I pull it over my head. As for makeup, I know how easy it is to get a lipstick stain on an otherwise-great piece of clothing (and how hard it is to get it out). When I've got a thrifting expedition planned, I put on waterproof/smudgeproof liner and mascara and a little cheek stain and skip lip color entirely.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd6qZMmBmlLu1MJruHu_oJDYQYq2NjKVKtbMrdk-KSv6DoM5e_QSX6M-xJQBXU_kQs3Pyofci8sV6yPHKHpmJ8a_B-NZJ81pMgqWEMp0bNhp3bSE9wFJm7qJgkvBpGkz9ymkmi516zXTG0/s1600/thrift_uniform_watch-bag.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nicolet watch, Coach bag" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd6qZMmBmlLu1MJruHu_oJDYQYq2NjKVKtbMrdk-KSv6DoM5e_QSX6M-xJQBXU_kQs3Pyofci8sV6yPHKHpmJ8a_B-NZJ81pMgqWEMp0bNhp3bSE9wFJm7qJgkvBpGkz9ymkmi516zXTG0/s320/thrift_uniform_watch-bag.JPG" /></a></div><br />
I know it's only a small bag by my standards. I've never been an itsy-bitsy clutch kind of girl - there are too many things I want to have on hand. What have I got in my pocetbookses, Precious?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjucOdenCiwzuv5S8OQcZCW45VXPAh5ZG4oJWlRdQarWjl7WkUn8Fx7zrDHmcqvCs4g3Qu_UXUydi2Vl04li7gmjW1YJQ8JLqZQNX11cDqljqRqjL2J_fmtEqj_m4Krcy0IdEOxRMNcJVQv/s1600/thrift_uniform_bag-contents.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="purse contents" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjucOdenCiwzuv5S8OQcZCW45VXPAh5ZG4oJWlRdQarWjl7WkUn8Fx7zrDHmcqvCs4g3Qu_UXUydi2Vl04li7gmjW1YJQ8JLqZQNX11cDqljqRqjL2J_fmtEqj_m4Krcy0IdEOxRMNcJVQv/s320/thrift_uniform_bag-contents.JPG" /></a></div><br />
For a small bag, it holds a surprising amount. From top left, clockwise:<br />
<ol><li><i>Sunglasses and case:</i> in case it's bright.</li>
<li><i>Tiny folding umbrella:</i> in case it's wet. Today was a toss-up, and at times I needed both.</li>
<li><i>Smartphone:</i> This is bar none my most useful tool while thrift shopping. I don't see the point in buying secondhand clothes (or even new-with-tags ones) from fast-fashion or low-end retailers. Many items from these sellers are cheaply manufactured and fall apart quickly - and that's an issue if you don't know how the original owner treated them! Despite my pretty broad knowledge of brands, I'm not familiar with every label on the market. Is Tiana B. usually sold at Kohl's or Nordstrom? A quick Google search lets me know if a tempting-looking item is worth my while.</li>
<li><i><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/jenngee">Coffee corset</a>:</i> When I start to get discouraged and worn out, it's time to stop for a cup of coffee or tea. </li>
<li><i>Hand santizer:</i> As previously mentioned, clothes in secondhand shops are of unknown provenance. While I'm not usually too germophobic, I figure this is one of those situations when a little bit of caution can't hurt - especially if I want to stop for a snack.</li>
<li> <i>Three-foot tape measure:</i> I can usually eyeball dimensions to a high degree of accuracy, but sometimes, it helps to measure to be certain.</li>
</ol>...and, of course, my car keys and wallet.<br />
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Do you have a 'shopping outfit?' If so, what do you wear, and why?FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1018534117476042012.post-19173689023262669722010-05-14T19:53:00.001-04:002010-05-14T19:55:26.725-04:00Link-tastic! 14 May 2010Happy Friday, Fabulous Readers!<br />
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As a style blogger, I often fall into the trap of It's Not Enough. Jeans and a top? Not Enough! Put on three more layers and try again. Simple dress? Not Enough! Add a skirt, a scarf, and half a mall store's worth of accessories. Jentine of My Edit reminded us this week that sometimes, Enough is Enough, and <a href="http://myedit.blogspot.com/2010/05/more-and-more.html">there's nothing wrong (and often quite a lot right) with simple</a>.<br />
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Worn through continues to amaze and fascinate me. My favorite posts this week: a <a href="http://www.wornthrough.com/2010/05/11/the-secret-sexy-life-of-zippers/">zippy history of the zipper</a> and <a href="http://www.wornthrough.com/2010/05/12/jazz-age-attire-for-working-women/">work wear from the Jazz Age</a>.<br />
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Speaking of fabulous historical looks, Super Kawaii Mama has tips for <a href="http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/2010/05/12/secrets-to-being-glamorous-for-every-occassion-cleaning/">looking good while you're cleaning the house</a>. Who says you have to vacuum in baggy sweats? Maybe looking crisp and put together (and a little like Rosie the Riveter, which is never a bad thing) will help me make my house look put together too!<br />
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The Waves looks into<a href="http://nosignposts.blogspot.com/2010/05/our-friend-mirror.html"> the psychology of body image</a>. Why do we perceive ourselves the way we do, and what's the significance of self-image on a biological level?<br />
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Speaking of self-image, The Waves also has an amazing guest post on <a href="http://www.alreadypretty.com/2010/05/guest-post-no-signposts-in-sea-on.html">what it's like to be a model</a> at Already Pretty. A lot of people criticize runway models heavily, with comments like "real women have curves" and "eat a sandwich!" Hey, those girls have feelings too, and they put them on the line every time they try to do a day's work. Very few of us could stand to have our bodies examined and dissected every day - and then be criticized by random passers-by as well.<br />
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I've heard of Seasonal Affective Disorder (heck, I might even <i>have</i> Seasonal Affective Disorder), but <a href="http://observationmode.blogspot.com/2010/05/poll-74-what-time-is-it.html">what about Seasonal Dissociative Disorder</a>, otherwise known as "Why am I shopping for a wool coat in August?"<br />
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And to round up the week, how about a passel of giveaways: win a <a href="http://www.twistcollective.com/collection/index.php/blog/38-twist-collective-blog/662-free-pattern-and-giveaway">knitting book from Twist Collective</a>, a <a href="http://kendieveryday.blogspot.com/2010/05/spellbound-giveaway.html">sparkly headband from Kendi Everyday</a>, a <a href="http://whatiwore.tumblr.com/post/595746047/win-this-dress">cute dress from What I Wore</a>, a <a href="http://hautemacabre.com/2010/05/the-puppet-makers/">Molly Crabapple/Neil Gaiman print from Haute Macabre</a>, a <a href="http://www.academichic.com/2010/05/14/friday-give-away-embellished-clutch-from-beadle-bop/">darling clutch from academichic</a>, or an <a href="http://www.jenkiaba.com/2010/05/tgif-win-16x20-canvas-print.html">oversized canvas print from Jen Kaiba Photography</a>?FashionTheoristhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05982910422976864716noreply@blogger.com3