Link-tastic! 28 May 2010

 The Memorial Day weekend is upon us, Fabulous Readers!

As I mentioned earlier this week, I was featured (along with quite a few other fabulous bloggers!) on What I Wore. I'm really intrigued by the various ways the style challenge was interpreted.

Sal at Already Pretty writes something every week that I find thoughtful, inspiring, or insightful. This week, she's got two humdingers: letting go of the last great bargain mentality and the great fashionable/feminist divide myth.

A bit of fashion design history: Stacy from taffetadarlings talks Desses.

Finally, to slake your Memorial Day thirsts, why not try a delicious-sounding lemonade cocktail 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.

Have a fabulous (long) weekend!

Sweet 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):

Battenburg lace top, Ann Taylor Loft

Belt, thrifted

Skirt, Marshall's

Studded strappy sandals, John Fluevog "Choice Hi" (style unknown), remixed

Butterfly necklace, estate sale, remixed 

Labradorite and bronze earrings, self-made

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...

...or maybe it was just the heat. I get a little silly when the mercury climbs.

I am unutterably gleeful that my hair's finally (sort of) long enough to go into braids again, especially on a scorcher like today.

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.

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!

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.

Recently, though, I've been seeing other bloggers, like S. from academichic and Meg from good morning midnight 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.

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!

Style Challenge: Sweet and Rough

A few days ago, Jessica of What I Wore posted a style challenge: mix sweet and rough in one look. I rise to challenges when it suits my fancy, and this one hit me where I live.

Pink ruched-shoulder top, Velvet, Marshall's,

Satin-collar vest, Ann Taylor Loft

White eyelet skirt, gift

Studded sandals, John Fluevog "Summertime: Sunshine," remixed

Military bag, vintage, purchased somewhere in London (I won't admit how many years ago)

Woven leather cuff, Urban Outfitters, remixed

Bronze flower necklace, thrifted, remixed

Bronze filigree earrings, gift

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Do you like to mix style registers in your outfits? What are some of your favorite combinations?

Link-tastic! 22 May 2010

Gracious, 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!

The academichics did a roundup of Dress Your Best Week posts (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.

Next project: a week without black. 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.

On a more theoretical note, why are we willing to pay for fashion magazines but not blogs, especially considering how much it can cost to run a fashion blog?  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.

Also from threadbared: a political view of sweaters.

Talk about wearing your heart on your sleeve (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.

Now that I've delineated an ideal thrifting outfit, bone up on your rack-combing skills with some tips from a pro.

Have a great weekend, Fabulous Readers!

My Day in the Sun

Mmm... sunshine at last!

Orange striped tunic, l8ter, Marshall's

White cami, Ann Taylor Loft

Pink studded stretch belt, Betsey Johnson, TJMaxx, remixed

Pink twill skirt, thrifted

Orange flower sandals, BOC Born Concept, DSW, remixed

Sugar skull pendant, Jenn Feldman Glass, remixed

Orange bangle, thrifted, remixed

Turquoise-look earrings, mall accessory store 

Sunglasses, Anthropologie

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.

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.

I think it's the sunshine.

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.

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.

Take 'em off when it's this bright out? You must be kidding, right?

photos: Fabulous Husband

I just picked up Linda Grant's The Thoughtful Dresser. I was interested in this book when I first saw S. mention it on academichic. 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.

The Thrifting Uniform

After 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:

John Fluevog, "Mini: Dollface"

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 - eight 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.

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.

Here's the breakdown:

1. Leggings: 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.
2. Short skirt:  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, remixed)
3. Small bag with shoulder strap: 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 Coach Willis 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.
4. Second-skin top layer: 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.
5. Something to go over item #4: 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)
6.  Wristwatch: 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)
7. Comfortable shoes: 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).
8. Belt: 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, remixed)

Not pictured, but also key:

1.  Favorite bra: 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.
2. Colorful undies: 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.
3. No-show socks: 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.

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.

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?

For a small bag, it holds a surprising amount. From top left, clockwise:

1. Sunglasses and case: in case it's bright.
2. Tiny folding umbrella: in case it's wet. Today was a toss-up, and at times I needed both.
3. Smartphone: 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.
4. Coffee corset: When I start to get discouraged and worn out, it's time to stop for a cup of coffee or tea. 
5. Hand santizer: 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.
6. Three-foot tape measure: I can usually eyeball dimensions to a high degree of accuracy, but sometimes, it helps to measure to be certain.

...and, of course, my car keys and wallet.

Do you have a 'shopping outfit?' If so, what do you wear, and why?

Link-tastic! 14 May 2010

Happy Friday, Fabulous Readers!

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 there's nothing wrong (and often quite a lot right) with simple.

Worn through continues to amaze and fascinate me. My favorite posts this week: a zippy history of the zipper and work wear from the Jazz Age.

Speaking of fabulous historical looks, Super Kawaii Mama has tips for looking good while you're cleaning the house. 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!

The Waves looks into the psychology of body image. Why do we perceive ourselves the way we do, and what's the significance of self-image on a biological level?

Speaking of self-image, The Waves also has an amazing guest post on what it's like to be a model 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.

I've heard of Seasonal Affective Disorder (heck, I might even have Seasonal Affective Disorder), but what about Seasonal Dissociative Disorder, otherwise known as "Why am I shopping for a wool coat in August?"

And to round up the week, how about a passel of giveaways: win a knitting book from Twist Collective, a sparkly headband from Kendi Everyday, a cute dress from What I Wore, a Molly Crabapple/Neil Gaiman print from Haute Macabre, a darling clutch from academichic, or an oversized canvas print from Jen Kaiba Photography?