Flowers for the Head

I have a problem.

Today my friend Ellen and I stopped by Anthropologie. I found a hat and a headband I was sure would look supremely unflattering on us. I put on the hat, she put on the headband, and . . . 

. . . they were not only flattering, but comfortable, cute, and suddenly exactly what we needed.

Both cost about $40 and were therefore out of the question. So out came the cell phone to snap a few pics to remember the headgear by before we had to leave it behind.

The problem? I love that hat, and I can't stop thinking about it. I want to have its babies. I'm going to attempt to make Ellen a similar headband, but I have no idea how to recreate the hat. 

To end this post on a less whiny note, I should mention that if you are less cheap than me, you should totally go for these. Ain't they jes' divine?

Time to Be Thankful

I've never really bought into the whole one-day-a-year-to-give-thanks thing. It's a nice idea, but. . . well, doesn't giving thanks feel like something one should do a bit more often? Gala and the iCiNG community do this every Thursday, and even though I don't participate on my blog, I like to keep the "Things I Love Thursday" badge on my sidebar to show my support and whatnot. But, since today is both Thanksgiving and a Thursday, I think it's time to run the first ever Fashion-y Blog TILT. It will be body-related and not in list form, but it's a TILT all the same. Can you dig it?

Today I am thankful for my appearance. It sounds vain, I know, and it pretty much is, but let me explain.

This photo is a bit of an older one (hence the bangs and sandals that would allow for frostbite should I wear them now); details on the outfit can be found here.

Over the past few years, I've become a lot more comfortable with my body. I was never one of those girls who stands in front of the mirror for the sole purpose of bashing every body part, but I've definitely had a mental list of my physical "flaws"at any given time - large nose, knobby knees, a non-flat stomach, over-large boobs - but nothing I've ever found particularly horrific. It may seem weird to list those "flaws" here where everyone can look at my photos and critique how I look, but the fact is I've been appreciating these so-called physical imperfections a lot more lately. Large nose? Not such a deformity after all. Gives my face character, I think. Knobby knees? I think I'm the only one who even notices these, to be honest. I am now nonplussed by them. Non-flat stomach? It's not really natural for most women to have flat stomachs. Even with large amounts of exercise I've never been able to achieve this, because it's a tiny curve I'm meant to have. And curves are a pleasing shape, after all. And my boobs? Again, curves are pleasing to the eye. I think I like 'em after all, even if they make bikini shopping quite difficult.

Yes, I feel a little awkward having written about my chest size knowing that classmates, family members, friends, and the like read this, but I'll let it be. Not something to be embarassed about, really. I've been thinking a lot about body image and how it shouldn't be considered vain or taboo to appreciate the way we look in all its uniqueness. Why should it be? Isn't it a much healthier mindset to find the beauty in ourselves and be proud of that than to be vocal about our hated features while keeping quiet about our loved features? I think so. And for that matter, since I'm spewing out random thoughts as it is, I wish compliments could be given more freely in our society. I often compliment strangers on their clothing or accessories, which never fails to elicit a smile and some friendly vibes (if not friendly conversation), but why is it inappropriate to tell a stranger, "Hi, I just wanted to say I think you have the most amazing legs"? Why can't we receive compliments like these without feeling overly scrutinized or hit on? The fact is, we all notice the way people look, albeit not to the same degree we notice our personal appearances, and it would be good for us to be more vocal about this in a positive way when we live in a society full of eating disorders, idolized stick-thin models, and obesity.

For now, I stick to the safe appearance-related compliments when I want to brighten someone else's day. Eyes and hair, folks, eyes and hair.

I would also like to add that, having spent the last 20 minutes or so ranting about body image, I think the preoccupation our society has with physical appearance is kind of ridiculous. Let's also take the time to appreciate the fact that our bodies are the vessels that keep us alive, that they pump blood, take in oxygen, fight illness, allow us to move and think and experience joy, and generally give us everything we have.

That's my long, rambling, tangent-filled TILT. I hope it didn't make me sound disgustingly positive, disgustingly appearance-obsessed, or disgustingly vain.

What do you love and appreciate about your body? It's a great exercise to list your "flaws" and then think of reasons to appreciate them, but I would also love to hear about what you find absolutely gorgeous about yourself. A collection of positive comments always seems to induce extreme happiness (another reason why Miss Gala's site is so fantastic), so let's make it happen. Go forth and comment, anonymously if you so choose, or proudly under your name. I am thankful for this in advance, haha.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Have a good night! And if you want more positive reading material, check out SARK. I'm currently reading her book Succulent Wild Woman (in tandem with Joseph Campbell's fascinating The Power of Myth, which you should also take a look at) and wow is that woman incredible.

A Shoe Post

Aaah, shoes. I will be forever obsessed with you.

These shoes make me think of Marie Antoinette:

Do not ask questions, young grasshopper. I know not why they bring to mind the young queen. But they are decadent, and if Marie Antoinette lived in the modern world and actually had a budget, I think they would surely grace her feet.

I can't stop thinking about these Dries van Noten shoes:

Aren't they glorious? But even on sale, they are still $511, so they will have to remain a distant dream.

And now- to buy, or not to buy, that is the question:

On sale for $19.99, these babies are a deal. Real leather, and very lovely. The only issue is the heel - 3.5" and wooden. I am terrible at walking (or shall we say tottering) on heels. I've been meaning to practice my heel-walking skills, but are 3.5" heels really the best choice? And aren't wooden heels even harder to walk on then non-wooden heels? Help me out here, lovelies.

I have decided to give you all the links at the end, so here they are, from top to bottom:

♥ Marie Anoinette Shoes: Forever 21 glitter pumps, Sugar pointed toe flat, BKE Sole Napoleon shoe

♥ Dries van Noten platform wedge (These are from Gimme Shoes, which makes me want to sing "Gimme, gimme shoes" to the tune of Britney Spears' "Gimme more.")

♥ Baker's Michaela oxford

Tattered Beauty

Aren't these photos from Gibbous Fashions so gorgeous and inspirational? They make me want to pull on tattered lace and lug around a vintage suitcase.

Cigarette Pants

Clockwise from top right: Lisa aka geliebt, Amber of Painfully Hip, Cosmopolitan's Tough Love editorial, Gap clothing, Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face

Having resolved to up the ante with my wardrobe in 2008, I have decided that black cigarette pants are a basic item I need to have in my closet. Classic, classy, and amazingly versatile (just see the above pictures), they can be worn anywhere from a classroom to a rock concert to a fancy dinner. They can look chic, androgynous, or tough; cute, casual, or sophisticated. They add polish to any look. Every fashionista should have a pair, and now that I'm writing this, I can't believe I haven't bought some yet!

You know me. I'll be on the lookout. Fit is everything.

Mimi Et Moi

Uh oh. I found a beautiful clothing line that wants to cause my wallet pain. The coats are to die for, the dresses are gorgeous and floaty, and the tops and knitwear are fantastic. Feast your eyes on the gorgeousness that is Mimi Et Moi.


Belted bubble coat $180, Cashmere bubble coat $599


Bubble dress $75, Ruffle dress $74

Not everything has bubble hems, but for some reason those are the things I ended up including in this post. There are so many things that I love at this website (especially this). Go check it out!

Special Clothing

Susie Bubble pointed out the sheer-sleeved dress Selma Blair is wearing in the new Dazed and Confused, and it reminded me a lot of another sheer-sleeved dress. Or rather, Dress. Everyone has an extremely special item of clothing in their closets, and for me, it's the dress I wore at my Bat Mitzvah, even though it no longer fits. It's the most expensive dress I've ever bought, and although I don't recognize the brand, it was imported from Paris. It's very unique, with silky wine-colored fabric, embroidery around the neck, and sheer lace-edged sleeves. I knew I wanted it the instant I saw it on the rack at this cute little dress boutique, and it fit me perfectly. It brings back such good memories, too. Here's a crappy scanned picture of the top half of it on my 13-year-old self:



One of the reasons I love this dress is because it was the first unique item of clothing I ever bought. Everyone else wore smart little suits or plain skirts and tops, and I decided that I wanted something less corporate-looking. It was my Bat Mitzvah, after all. I'm glad I was brave enough to wear it, because I was in my awkward adolescent stage where I mostly tried to fit in. I'm glad I broke the mold. The fitting in thing didn't really work out for me.

The other reason I love this dress is because I think it's gorgeous.

Do any of you have a special dress or favorite item of clothing? I'd love to see pictures (email me) or at least read a description. C'mon, don't be shy. Show me your most special clothing!

Beautiful Fashion

Fashion is a powerful thing. Sometimes I will stumble across an item of clothing or a runway shot that I can't get out of my head. Sometimes it's something I'm dying to wear, sometimes it is so ingenius I can't stop marveling, and sometimes it's just plain beautiful. I love couture shows, because even though most of the clothing isn't wearable, I appreciate the over-the-top-ness, the bizarre-ness, and the general splendor. I'm one of those girls who always appreciates art museums, but tends to get bored after an hour. This is why clothing appeals to me; Unlike sculptures and paintings, it moves. It can be worn different ways. It looks totally different, depending on the styling. It possesses the same evocative power as other mediums of art, yet it is so much more alive. Case in point - the above photograph featuring a dress by Thai designer Tipayaphong Poosanaphong. The dress isn't something anyone would wear in real life (well, except for maybe Bjork), but its so incredibly beautiful. Part of this is the combination of the flower on top of the model's head and the smoke on the runway, but part of this is the dress itself. It looks like the dress of some goddess clothed in butterflies and dewdrops and cobwebs. If you stop to think about it, the garment is kind of silly, but the overall effect is breathtaking. The model wouldn't look out of place in the Amazon, or maybe in Neverland. A fantasy dress for sure.

Etsy Joy

I was browsing Etsy tonight when I stumbled upon the most beautiful shop. I stared. I gasped. I oohed and aahed. And then, like the true blog nerd that I am, I rushed over here to write about my find. Louise Black Designs boasts a variety of gorgeous dresses, tops, corsets, wrist and arm cuffs, necklaces, etc. All are exquisitly detailed and ultra-femanine, with a decidedly Victorian slant. I'm in love. The prices are far above what I can afford, but just browsing the shop is a visual feast for the eyes. What do you think...Should my next Etsy interview be with Louise Black? I'm thinking that might be a good idea. Surely someone who creats such beauty will make for an interesting interview.

P.S. I have also discovered an item that elicited shrieks of joy, but I can't share it because I may buy it, and t would cause me deep sadness if someone got to it first. But you will be the first to know what it is when I make my decision. I assure you, the said item is quite fantastic.

Shoe Love

Right now I'm digging unique, quirky shoes that aren't always pretty at first glance. Here are some of my favorites, irregardless of price:


I found these via Style Bubble, and I LOVE them! The perfect mix of femenine and masculine. I don't know where you can buy them (I looked, believe me) or how much they cost, but I do know they are Clark's Originals.


These sandals have a great dorky-ugly-cute vibe that I just adore. You can get them in red, black, green, or brown at Remix Vintage Shoes, which is this great website where they sell new vintage shoes, but they cost a hefty $138.


I want these Urban Outfitters booties for this coming fall, and I guess they're priced somewhat reasonably at $48. They just look so darn cozy! my moon and me rocks similar shoes on wardrobe_remix here, here, and here, if you need proof they can look good.

These Topshop sneakers are hideous! Why do I like them? They're a bit over $130, too, so totally not worth it.

These Topshop Mary-Janes remind me of some Eley Kishimoto shoes I've been coveting, only without the floral print. Slightly over $100, though. Damnit.


Okay, so I don't actually want these, mostly because they would cause me to fall on my ass multiple times. But I find it extremely amusing that ASOS sells roller skates. Teehee.

My New Romper

Not too long ago, I was going on and on (and on...) about the LBR I was interested in buying. I finally got around to purchasing it online on Thursday, and it arrived in the mail today. When I opened the package, I was very suspicious because the romper looked tiny, but when I put it on, I was in awe (and not the bad kind). Not only was it supremely comfortable, but it looked amazing! Sure, it was a bit tighter and clingier than it looked on the model, seeing as I haven't worn a size zero since I was around 12 years old, but it was very flattering that way. You may remember that my last post on the LBR focused on how versatile I suspected it was. Now that I have a LBR of my very own, I intend to prove it. (Just so you know, the quality is bad and the color is slightly off because it was kind of dark and my self-timer is not kind to my photos. Boo.)



See? See? I knew it! I will sooo wear this everywhere. I am practically jumping up and down with delight.

Isn't it wonderful when something you buy is even greater than you hoped it would be? Have you made any great buys lately?

I Have Found Love and It is Beautiful

Oh. My. Word. Have you ever seen such beautiful, fanciful dresses? I was stunned into a glory-stuck, dazed silence when I found the dress section of Armour sans Anguish. And for a good reason, I might add. These pieces of wearable art look like they stepped right out of a fairy tale. I may never be able to afford them because most of them are over $100, but I can at least look at them online and drink in their gorgeousness. Aaah. Love love love. Most of the dresses pictured above have already been purchased (I'm not surprised), but if you look carefully you can find some just waiting for your eager and impulsive mouse hand to give the 'buy' button a click.



See? Look how dreamy that is. I want it more than I can say.

I think this kind of dress love is unhealthy. I should probably save the love for family members and possibly a significant other. Oh well. Don't tell my parents that they've been replaced.