Clothing and Memories

Ughh. This has been the worst week for blogging ever. Seriously. First my computer broke, then I spent a day in bed with an excruciating headache, and then the power went out. Well, I'm here now so here's the first post in a while.

One of the many things that I love about clothes is their power to evoke memories. You might be reminded of an amazing party by your little black dress, or that time you had to walk 20 blocks with your feet in pain by those killer yellow heels. A t-shirt that says "I'm tight like spandex" (and yes, I have actually seen this shirt) may remind you of rowing on the high school crew team. A poofy pink dress worn by some unfortunate little flower girl might remind you of Glinda from The Wizard of Oz. And so on. What spurred this rant about clothing and memories, you might ask? Well, take a look at the picture below.



I was scrolling happily through the Urban Outfitters website when I came across a Betsey Johnson Martini Bow dress. Immediately I thought of a very similar dress, worn by Julia Roberts in the movie Mystic Pizza. You see?

What's so fun about finding an article of clothing worn in a movie is that you can play dress up all day long and no one else will be the wiser. I'm not suggesting you go out and buy that Betsey Johnson dress, because it is both expensive and unattractive (in my humble opinion), but if your taste says go for it, then by all means do whatever floats your boat. Personally, I have been planning to buy a pair of sparkly red shoes (the ruby slippers, people!) and a girly blue dress and spend the day dressed as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. And yes, I am kind of obsessed with that movie.

Lulu's Fashion Lounge

Lulu's Fashion Lounge is an online boutique of sorts that I have known about for a long time. I have to admit that I was never really all that impressed with the merchandise they had to offer. Well, folks, the tides have changed. I visited the site today for the first time in months, and, lo and behold, there was a fantastic selection of shoes and accessories. I wasn't thrilled with the clothing choices, but the shoes and accessories were dead on, especially the shoes. Not only are most of them extremely cute, but they also have a huge under-$50 section. Can you say score?Still, there were two pairs of shoes that stood out, shoes that unfortunately lie outside of my price range. Look how pretty:


Oh. My. God. I am in love with these boots. They are such a rich, unusual (for boots) blue and I really like the unique touch that the little metal studs add. I'm a size 8US, hint, hint...Pretty please with a cherry on top...


I remember coveting these flats (or maybe very similar ones) at Urban Outfitters. So unique and fun! I love them maybe a little too much.

Anyways, those are the lust-worthy, out-of-budget items of the day. So sadly, I didn't buy them. I did unpocket the cash for a pair of plain red flats (just those junky Mary Janes you can buy in any Chinatown, but I'm a sucker for any shoes with a $6.00 price tag), a cute strawberry printed headband with a bow, and the bag that is shown below. Sweet, isn't it? I think I will be very happy with my purchases, even if those blue boots and white flats aren't among them.

Two Very Different Dresses

Below are two very different dresses that I'm digging right now.


The first thing I thought when I saw this Forever 21 dress was Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City. I can totally see her out on the town in this dress and some killer heels. This spring I'm all about feeling fabulous and funky and colorful, and nothing says that more than taking wardrobe inspiration from Carrie Bradshaw.


I know what you're thinking...I just went on about how I was loving color right now, and now I'm coveting an American Apparel dress that can only be described as dark and simple. But you leave out one key thing...accessories. I think that this dress would be so fun (and comfy as hell) with bright shoes and big plastic jewelry.

Happy dress shopping!

Patrick Robinson for Target

Target recently announced that Patrick Robinson would be the next designer for the Go: International line. His designs, which are available for viewing in the Target press showroom, are loose, breezy, and covered in pretty boho patterns. This is the first Go: International collection where I can actually see myself in every outfit, so needless to say, I'm counting the days 'til it's released this summer.

My Topshop Desires

The title of this post says it all...



Oh, how I covet this coat. It's perfect and I want it! Wish it was in my budget.



These shoes are somewhat unique, and they look comfy as well. I want.



I also want these shoes. They would add a splash of color to an outfit, they are probably comfortable since they're flats, and I'm really into the t-strap thing right now.



I have no idea why I'm so enamored with this dress, because it's not the kind of thing that I usually go for. But you have to admit, it's a damn nice dress.



A simple, pretty bag. End of story.


I wish I could go on a Topshop shopping spree. In addition to what I posted here, I would buy a neon bomber jacket for every day of the week, neon skinny pants to go with them, and a sweet plaid coat that caught my eye. Maybe I'll spring for one of the items pictured above. After all, Topshop now ships to the US. Hooray!

Tights and Leggings

Right now I'm really into fun tights and leggings. I love neon tights that pop from underneath a skirt or dress, and I admire the funky abstract patterns you can find on various leggings. I really covet the H&M leggings below. They would really pump up the little black dress or black shorts or a black jumpsuit.



I need to get down to H&M one of these days. It really has some fantastic clothing at very good prices. Also, I want to check out Madonna's collection. It seems pretty nice to me...I love that kimono-style dress that's being featured. Very classy, no?

Vintage Websites to Watch

http://www.vforvintage.com/index.html
http://vintagefabulous.com/index.php
http://www.ninjavintage.com/index.html
http://www.adorevintage.com/ - pricey but awesome
http://avantgaudy.com/ - cheap shoes
http://sydneysvintageclothing.com/cart/
http://www.dandelionvintage.com/
http://www.sveetcouture.com/catalog/
http://www.prettybabyvintage.com/
http://www.modcloth.com/ - coupon code 'blog' gives you 10% off
http://www.vintageamore.com/

Want Asian Street Fashion?

Well, you're in luck. Asiajam.com sells adorable clothing and accessories imported from Asia. Some of them are too cutesy or puffy for the average American, but others are just right for putting together unique, fun look. The prices aren't bad either.

I like a lot of the items for sale there (Those Hello Kitty purses are so sweet!), but there was one item that really stood out. The skirt pants (shown above) are cute and unique. I've never seen or heard of skirt pants, but I hope they make it big. I may just buy these and bring the trend to America.

Spring?

Today is a glorious spring-like day, at least in Massachusetts. As I was walking along through the melting snow and streaming sunlight earlier this morning, I was struck by a sudden urge to put on this Forever21 Coat and some playful heels and frolick in the beautiful weather. I wouldn't begrudge myself a pretty umbrella either, like the Free People one below.



So, has Spring sprung, or does it just feel that way? It doesn't really matter. I will enjoy it either way.

The Perfect Look

No matter where I am, I always manage to find some sort of item of clothing or accessory that I covet. I tell myself that if I had that item, I would wear it, adore it, plan whole outfits around it...you get the gist. As someone who is so interested in fashion, I always feel that my wardrobe is hopelessly inadequite. I want to trade with someone else, please.

And yet, I also have to wonder...what can I pull off? Some woman can put on the frumpiest grandma dress and turn it into a head-turning, eye-catching walking piece of art. I can't. I consider myself a confident person, but I don't have that "oh, i just rolled out of bed and slipped into this amazing outfit" air. If I wore some of the things worn by the brave and beautiful, it would just not look right. So here is the dilemna.

My most out-there outfit does not venture beyond the likes of the image on the upper left. I think I pull it off.

But could i pull off a bright, high-wasted pencil skirt with neon tights? or huge aviators and a vintage jumper with tall leather boots? Or am I just too afraid to try? We shall see...

Good Find!

www.the15dollarstore.com - Clothing, shoes, and accessories..all for only $15.00 YESSS!!!!! Another good find (although almost nothing could compete with the awesomeness of a 15 dollar store) is www.gojane.com.

New Spring Look: Metallics

That's right...metallics are back in. I've been seeing clothing and accessories with that disco-y, bling-bling effect. I'm not sure if I'm a big fan of metallic tops, bottoms, or dresses, because they seem a bit tacky to me, but I think a nice touch of gold or silver in the accessories department can really brighten or dress up an outfit. Here are some of the items I've seen:


This Wet Seal top is a bit too disco for me, and it seems tacky.


This Forever 21 headband, on the other hand, is just the right addition to almost any outfit.


OK, let me just say I love this Zara bag. It would work with a daytime or a nightime look, and it looks so chic and hip at the same time.


These Wet Seal shoes have a bit of that disco feel, but I think they would be really fun to wear on a night out.


These American Apparel leggings would work great for day or night, and I love how they can make any outfit looks effortlessly fun, funky, and fashionable. Don't believe me? Well, look at how great it looks in Mathew Williamson's spring collection.


See? I told you so.

Flickr.com

So I'm really liking flickr.com. I got an acount there a week or so ago, but I didn't really get around to using it until thursday. Believe me, this is so much more than a photo-hosting site. There are so many groups with pools of photos on any subject. Some of them are extremely clever. My faves? Wardrobe Swapshop is a group where people post pics of the old clothing, shoes, and accessories that they no longer want, and if they like the stuff that someone else posted, they can trade one of their items for it. That's right...it's like thrift shopping, except it has the added bonus of cleaning unwanted clothes out of your closet, and oh yeah, it only costs the price of shipping. Yippee! Another awesome group is Wardrobe_Remix, where people post pictures of their daily outfits. I'm always so jealous of how awesome everyone looks. It's a great place for wardrobe inspiration. (I'm clothing-obsessed, can you tell?). Finally, flickr hosts many groups full of photos of delicious-looking food and accompanying recipes. This is great for me, but not so great for cookbook authors. Score!

http://www.thethriftshopper.com/

Enter your city or zip code and get a list of charity-driven thrift stores in your area. Some stores have even been reviewed! I will definately be using this site.

Rethinking Old Navy

In the past, I haven't been such a fan of Old Navy. The store may be okay for the occasional t-shirt, but that's pretty much it. Lately, I've noticed that there are a few nice pieces gracing Old Navy's shelves. My picks are below.

Note to Self

Check out Heritage 1981. It's a store like H&M and Forever 21. The collections should be online soon.

Picks for Valentine's Day (for Imaginary People)

Well, imaginary people who read this blog, you're in luck! In honor of the upcoming holiday of Valentine's Day, I am posting some of my favorite Valentine's clothing, accessories, and fun litle objects. Click on the pictures to buy them. Enjoy!


Heart Glasses - $9.00 - Fred Flare


Pizza my Heart Tee - $19.50 - alloy.com


Vans Love Slip ons - $40.00 - alloy.com


Boo Boo Kisses Bandaids - $4.99 - girlprops.com


Paul Frank Heart Panties Trio - $24.00 - Fred Flare


Be Mine Bear Cookie - $1.99 - amazon.com


Charm Patent Ballet Flats - $24.00 - Delia's

www.forestprints.com

Weird, and yet... alluring, this Singapore site has simple cartoonish forest-inspired designs on cozy cotton T-shirts, cute cards, and more. We love the selection of squishy pillow people, especially Forest Magoo, which looks like—well, just check it out yourself.

CUTE bags and shirts and stuff. Kind of like what you'd expect to find at fredflare.com.

Cheap Designer Apparel

www.bluefly.com
Clothing, Accessories
Discount shopping online just doesn't get better than this, with an ever-changing and growing selection of designer clothing and accessories. Searching by size and designer is a snap.

www.designerapparel.com
Yes! The average person can now afford designer clothing!

www.smartbargains.com
Clothing, Accessories, HomeAn outlet center online: get everything from linens to Loehmann's fashion overstock.

The Best Places for Vintage in Boston (Lucky Magazine)

Boutique Fabulous
1309 Cambridge St., Cambridge
617-864-0656
Amazing home items, jewelry, and accessories from the '20s to the present fill this eclectic Inman Square shop. We found rustic wooden baskets ($45), a blue beaded Moroccan chandelier ($415), and a wide array of burlesque '20s table lamps ($30 to $60).

Room 125
125 Charles St.
617-523-4450
This small storefront is definitely a hit-or-miss kind of place, but when you hit, you score big: vintage pieces from designers like Pucci, Halston, and Diane von Furstenberg, priced from $65 to $350. Check back regularly for special shipments or sign up for alerts at room125.com.

The Great Eastern Trading Company
49 River St., Cambridge
617-354-5279
Stop here before Halloween for Vegas-showgirl, belly-dancer, and cowboy looks, or visit anytime for modish miniskirts, little black dresses from every era, a rich selection of oversize bohemian jewelry, and a wallet-friendly boot selection.

Oona's
1210 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge
617-491-2654
Just outside Harvard Square, this tiny shop is packed with dresses from the '60s and '70s, leather jackets, and tons of covetable jewelry, bags, and accessories, including feathered hats, ladylike '50s fur shawls, and colorful plastic bangles from the '80s.