The Iron(ed) Blogger

So 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.

Here's one of the few:

Black-and-white stripy top, FDJ French Dressing, thrifted, remixed

Orange flower-print skirt, Gap, thrifted

Shoes, John Fluevog "Summertime: Haight," remixed

Silver necklace: depths of the jewelry box

The skirt, an XL/Tall, is way 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.

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.

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.

So braids again it was. Next up: gin and tonics and ice cream for dinner.

How do you cope with excessive heat? How do your clothing choices change when the mercury boils?

Too Darn Hot

I do not do well in hot weather.

Dress, Brooklyn Industries, "Kritti"

Shoes, John Fluevog "Laurelei," remixed

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.

My hair, thankfully, is continuing its progress toward braidability. I still get wisps at the back of my neck, but at least I can get the majority up and off my skin.

This is the new-and-improved version of my favorite blue dress, in... a different color blue (although this one's also a bit shorter, which is nice). I usually don't buy multiples of anything: having two dresses of the same style in the same color family is nigh-unprecedented.

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 Ravelry, 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 so much cooler.

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!

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!

Do you iron, or is the very concept loathsome to you?

Rock and Roll

Sometimes, I just want to feel tough. 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.

Sheer black blouse: Ann Taylor Loft

Jeans: Ann Taylor Loft "Curvy Boot"

Belt: Gap, thrifted, remixed

Socks: Sock Dreams, "O Chevrons"

Shoes: John Fluevog, "Summertime: Sunshine," remixed

Woven leather cuff: Urban Outfitters, remixed

Black headband: Sephora, remixed

Key necklace: Key from antique store

Of course I put my own twist on it: a sheer blouse with smocking details and lacy OTK socks.

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.

After last week's Black-Out, it feels refreshing and calming to wear this dark, neutral-heavy combination. I love black and brown together, 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.

What are the unsung workhorses of your closet? Have you ever identified - or had trouble identifying - with a certain color or style?

Summertime, and the Living is Easy

On 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.

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.

Dress: Brooklyn Industries "Kritti" (last summer's colorway)

Shoes: John Fluevog "Summertime: Haight," remixed

Oceanic necklace: gift

Silvertone and "pearl" cuff: antique store

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.

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.

I'm so fond of this one dress, though, that I'm thinking of getting this season's version - in a vivid turquoise!

Do you have a "perfect" piece of clothing?

Summer Black-Out, Day 5: Strawberry Fields Forever

Thank 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.

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.

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 tastes better!

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!

Striped tank: Alternative Apparel, thrifted

Suede vest: thrifted

Brown braided belt: Gap, thrifted

Jeans: Victoria's Secret, remixed

Sneakers: Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars Hightops, TJMaxx
Scarf in hair: Mommed

Leather flower necklace: mall accessory store

Cream beaded necklace worn as bracelet, brown beaded mala bracelet: depths of the jewelry drawer

Macrame leather bracelet: gift from a friend

I usually like my vests buttoned up, fitted, and Victorianesque, 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.

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.

Strawberry-stained hands - a sure sign of summer.

Do you ever wear looks that don't fit into your normal style vocabulary? Do you feel uncomfortable (or not) doing so?

Summer Black-Out, Day 4: Oceanic

Tea with the ever-fabulous Jen Kiaba on a cool, rainy day meant a dress and heels for me today.

Aqua dress: H&M

Military-style jacket: Ann Taylor Loft, remixed

Green lace-up pumps: John Fluevog, "Teapots: Darjeeling," remixed

Larimar pendant, purchased from artist in St. Thomas

Orange bangle, thrifted, remixed

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.

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.

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.

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...

photos: Fabulous Husband

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.

I was going to go for double French braids, 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.

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.
* Vampire pun unintentional. Promise. Apparently that's just where my head is today. My deepest apologies.

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?

Summer Black-Out, Day 3: POetry

There's a poem entitled "Warning," by Jenny Joseph, that I'm sure you've heard. It begins:

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.

(full text here)

I've always kind of disliked it.

For one thing, why should we "wear things that [don't] suit [us]" just because we're no longer young, or that being younger means dressing with sobriety?

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 not entirely sure. As far as I'm concerned, you don't need a uniform to be uninhibited and have fun.

Red and purple look do "go," anyway. Beautifully.

Dress: BCBG Max Azria, TJMaxx

Cardigan: Design History, TJMaxx, remixed

Boots: United Nude "Pocket Hi," remixed

Sugar skull pendant, Jenn Feldman Glass, remixed

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.

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:

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!

I've worn these boots with a grey wrap cardi, 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.

Purple crown compact, Papyrus, gift from my friend Emily

My beloved sugar skull necklace was the perfect highlight.

photos: Fabulous Husband

Do you ever wear colors that "don't go?"

Summer Black-Out, Day 2: In the Garden

I'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.

Bodhisattva tee: Lucky Brand, Marshall's

Brown belt: thrifted, remixed

Blue ruffled skirt: Marshall's, remixed

Boots: John Fluevog, "Bellevues: Libby Smith"

Art Nouveau necklace: depths of the jewelry box

Tiny mandala beaded earrings: self-made

Braided silver bracelet: Anima Perdita, remixed

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.

The boots weren't the inspiration for this outfit, though. That honor goes to this pretty bodhisattva:

I'm not usually a graphic-tee kind of girl, but I fell in love with this top. The graphic reminds me of Yuan and Ming 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.

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!

photos: Fabulous Husband

Are you willing to surrender "normal" proportions to create an otherwise great outfit, or does proportion trump all for you?

Summer Black-Out, Day 1: Fun With Sleeves

Thank 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.

Therefore, I'm participating in the Already Pretty Summer Black-Out. 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.
*None of which are all that likely, but I like to leave my options open.

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.

Like this one:

Kimono-sleeve red top, Natori, TJMaxx

Orange scarf, TJMaxx, remixed

Webbing belt, thrifted

Suede skirt, Daisy Fuentes, thrifted

Socks: depths of the drawer, remixed

Shoes, John Fluevog, "Mini: Dollface," remixed

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...

...even if theyare prone to getting in the way whenever I try to do anything. Cooking becomes an adventure!
Fortunately, traditional Japanese clothing gives us an answer: a long cord called a tasuki 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.

I almost feel like I might take flight if I flap my arms hard enough!

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 voluminous petticoats, I don't think I'll be sporting any full-on Loli looks any time soon...

A Malaise of the Closet

I've been struggling with something recently, Fabulous Readers.

I've been struggling with getting dressed.

This morning, for example, I spent a hour trying to get dressed. An hour! And I ended up in.... jeans and a T-shirt.

Purple striped T-shirt, Martin + Osa, thrifted

Jeans, Victoria's Secret, remixed

Shoes, John Fluevog "Choice Hi," remixed

Cute jeans and a T-shirt, yes, and there's nothing wrong 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.

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.

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.

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.

I don't love summer clothes. At all.

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.

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.

 Tangle of silver necklaces, including a pendant from Jenn Feldman Glass (remixed), tiny crescent moon pendant Fabulous Husband bought me because it reminded him of my tattoo (remixed), and the amethyst ring I wore while he and I were engaged.

photos: Fabulous Husband

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 don't want to wear them? Absolutely.

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?

Not at all.

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 out of it?

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!