Doing the Nubby

Top: Nubby Twiglet; skirt: recent purchase from H&M (it has great darts you can't see in the pic and is sooo comfy); shoes: Baker's; studded headband: Delia*s

I've been a bit negligent with anything involving a camera, since I felt I owed you guys a "real" photo shoot instead of the crappy photos I can manage with my camera perched on the windowsill of my bedroom as I dart back to the only piece of blank wall and wait for the self-timer. The lighting is terrible, and the position involves removing a piece of art hanging on the wall (I guess I don't have blank wall space in my room, after all), as well as fixing the colors and removing the vent that graces the wall (again, it's not really blank...) on the computer. But alas, I have given in again, so today's outfit photo is in the usual format, with the sad addition of a patchy pink-and-white wall since I'm in too much of a rush to head off to class to bother fixing the colors after removing the vent.

Now you know: Behind the scenes, my outfit photos ain't so pretty.

Anyway, today's outfit was inspired by Nubby, in the sense that I wore her t-shirt (which I love) and stuck with a single, bold color scheme. Also, the red lips and high waisted skirt struck me as pretty "Nubby-ish" too. And shoe does accent things with black quite a bit. . .

If you haven't read Nubby's blog, you should. She is an amazing graphic designer, an eloquent and insightful writer, and possesses a fantastic sense of style you'll have to see to believe.

Yes, another girlcrush. I have many. Including the one I have for all of my lovely, inspiring female readers. All together now: "Awwwww!"

Rants, Tangents, and Botox

I've come to the decision that you should wear anything that makes you smile, as long as it doesn't stray too far from the bounds of propriety. (Translation: dressing like a hooker strays too far.)

A lot of fashion is totally unreasonable, and many of us have accepted that. We know that open-toe booties and sandals with six inches of leather encasing the ankle are kind of ridiculous. We know that fake hands adorning garments, sequined dresses that weigh more than cinder blocks (I only exaggerate a little), and lens-less glasses have left practicality far behind. And we don't care, as long as they make us happy. And that's okay. That's good. We're having fun.

What brought on this impassioned bit of ranting? A few things.

I spent a few hours at the mall tonight, checking out the new Forever 21, bopping into Zara, and spending a bit of my gift certificate from the camp I spoke at. At Zara, I was weeding through the sale rack when I saw the brightest, most fantastically ugly tunic-tank-sweatshirt-dress thing. It was loud, boldly patterned, and I kind of loved it. After trying it on, I headed to the cash register to pay. The man at the register wrinkled his nose in distaste as I handed over my find. Handling it gingerly, he grimaced at me like I was a crazy woman he was trying to coax from the brink of a breakdown. And then he gently informed me of the return policy.

Clearly he didn't understand my reasoning. I wanted to scream, "The top made me smile, dammit!' but instead I closed my fingers around the handle of the bag he gave me, wished him a good evening, and felt the beginnings of a shopping-induced high. Maybe he'll learn to let loose a bit some day.

Having thoroughly studied the most recent Vogue, I'm not so sure the magazine staff are so in tune with my thoughts either. I guess fashion magazines have to take fashion seriously to keep their credibility- except, of course, the delicious Missbehave - but that is still no excuse for falling into the cliche of releasing an "age" issue. Thumbing through articles informing me what women should wear during each decade of their adult lives definitely makes me feel a little sick, as does detailed accounts of how and when to get some "work" done to get rid of the physical signs of aging. I don't understand why growing older means switching from playful to professional, why a single group of writers can dictate styling choices for thousands of women, their choices based solely on age. I mean no disrespect to Vogue - honestly, it's one of my favorite reads - but I'm upset to see such a major publication give such absolute advice (or at least absolute nonsense.) And making women feel that they need to get botulism injected into their faces and incisions all over their bodies or else be considered unattractive really pushes my buttons. Plastic surgery has its time and place, I suppose, but aging is normal and it happens to everyone. It's supposed to happen. Those wrinkles are a sign of many years spent smiling and walking in the sun. Those bits of loose flesh come from decadent meals and the same gravitational pull that has allowed us to run and jump and relax on the couch all these years. The signs of aging may not be gorgeous, but they are a physical record of the fun we've had living out lives. So please, dear Vogue, try to embrace that. I dare you.

Ooops, did I go off on tangents galore? Oh well. I'm sleepy, so that's my excuse. If I wasn't lazy, I'd break this into two posts.

In conclusion, have fun with fashion, beauty, life, etc. I am not a fan of botox. The end.

Bare Feet & Public Speaking

Good morning, lovelies!

Okay, I mean good afternoon. The cat is out of the bag - my summer mornings often extend through the afternoon. But hey, if a girl can't sleep late in the summer, when can she? My schedule is what it is. I'm not ashamed.

Last night I visited a Jewish girls' camp to talk to the older campers about my blog. I had prepared a short slide show, but the girls were amazing - they had so many questions that I ended up talking for an hour and a half straight. My throat's a bit sore, but it was worth it.

I would like to mention that a camp setting is one of the few places I find Crocs appropriate. Most of the girls were wearing them.

Of course, I'm now missing my camp quite a bit. We didn't wear Crocs; we went barefoot all summer and it was glorious. I'm a huge fan of pretty shoes, but there's something about not wearing them that makes you feel fantastic.

Ah, to be young and at summer camp. . .

I was given quite a large gift certificate for my local mall as a thank-you gift, so I guess I won't have to cut back on purchases so much any more. Forever 21 just opened, and I think it's time to check it out! I will, of course, fill you in on any interesting buys.

Dreaming of Feathers

There's really only one way to put it - Rheanna Lingham's jewelry is simply magical.

Her "feather your nest" collection is gorgeous - a shimmering, dream catcher-esque batch of wonders that, despite sharing a medium, are of an entirely different breed than those '80s peacock earrings.

Yes, these creations, orginally available at Pixie Market, have sold out in a flash. I'm hardly surprised.

Says Rheanna, "My recent work is based on the 19th century fashion for using dead birds to ornament clothing. Through my work I have questioned why women wore dead birds, and how these morbid and perhaps barbaric fashions have instilled a beauty and exoticism that has caused cush objects to remain desirable, despite being condemned by the majority."

Of course, she makes non-feathery jewelry, but these are my favorites.

"The jewelry is rooted in historical fashions, it appears both glamorous and decadent, but with an underlying notion of horror or decay. Inspirations are varied, ranging from derelict Georgian houses to pigeon rings, from mourning jewelry to Indian Maharajahs and 19th century fashion to farm equipment." - Luna and Curious

So her inspiration may not have been dream catchers after all, even though my brain jumps to that conclusion at the first sight of these works of art. But still, one must admit, they are the stuff of dreams.

GRRR, SPAMMER HATE

Message to savvyshopper67 :

STOP spamming my comments! If you don't, I will be forced to take action - and take note that my father is a lawyer.

I Spy a DIY

I think my laziness (let's say it's summer-induced laziness, to save face if nothing else) has been compromised. The universe appears to be kicking my butt into gear.

Summer courses, the responsible things I really should be doing instead of sprawling on my bed with a stack of glossies, and a few exciting extras to be shared at later times have raised my stress level a bit. I mean, I'm not hugely busy, but if I didn't procrastinate so much, I would be. But such is life.

That's why it's so unfair that I've been itching to do some DIY projects. I don't really have the time, damnit! But I hope to do them just the same.

Firstly, the new denim issue of Nylon had a fairly easy DIY for these adorable denim romper shorts. Want 'em, must have 'em, will make 'em! The article isn't on Nylon's website, so you'll just have to trust me on this one.

Then, there's this picture of a blazer on the Urban Collection website:

Isn't it stunning? I'd like to think I can make one like it. A trip to the thrift store and craft store should do the truck, and I honestly think it shouldn't be too hard. It would be a piece of cake if I could use a glue gun to attach the silver buttons, but then I wouldn't be able to wash the blazer. I may suck it up an sew by hand; it should be worth it. A garment like that will definitely draw the right kind of stares!

I know, I know. I rarely do DIY projects on this blog, which is kind of strange considering I was ultra-crafty as a kid. I'm a nightmare with a sewing machine. But I'd like a chance to redeem myself, please!

Do you have any neat DIY ideas? Have you made anything really smashing lately? And more importantly, who wants to buy me the Urban Collection blazer to save me from ruining a thrift store one I attempted to spiff up when I should have been doing homework?

Writers Block, The Man, and The Box

Do you ever have one of those weeks where you feel horribly uncreative? Yeah, me too. I've been trying so hard to put up a post for you guys - I've honestly made, then promptly discarded, about five collages on subjects ranging from Audrey Hepburn in Charade (looove that movie) to badass schoolgirl. But instead of whining some more, I'm going to force creativity on myself. I'm making a list of things to do to shake your wardrobe up a little, and I'm not going to let any sort of sense or rationality get in my way. Take that, writers block! I'm sticking it to you, The Man, and that box we should all step out of.

And now, in no particular order. . .

1) Go shopping for yourself, but in the men's section. We all know that large t-shirts can be casual dresses, that skinny jeans are technically unisex, and that some men's clothing seems more appropriate for girls than guys anyway (Manskirts, Miuccia? Really?), but immerse yourself fully in the treasure hunt. That cute v-neck tee in size xs, pointy-toed oxfords, and tartan workshirt might be just what you need!

Where to look? Check out Old Navy. I know I rave about it too often, but the fact is its next door to my favorite book shop, and I tend to duck in after spending blissful moments among those crisp white pages and the glorious scent of new paper. Not to mention the design is getting better and better. But to get back on point, I was there two days ago (bought the world's softest floral henley and a plain black tank dress), and I noticed that the men's section was looking mighty good. Good enough for me to contemplate buying it out for my brother, to be honest. Also look at the selection of Heritage 1981 men's items and the shoes at Payless.

2) When shopping, tape a picture of a look (whether from a runway show or a photo shoot) you adore to the outside of your wallet. Even if the look seems totally "not you," just having it present as part of the shopping process will keep it on the brain. Maybe it will cause you to pick a similar item to try on, but more likely I think it will give yout the courage and creativity to step back from your usual picks and try on something new. At the very least, you get to view that gorgeous outfit every time you take out your wallet, thus giving you a reason to spend often!

3) Watch movies that aren't known for their costumes, looking closely for any amazing styling that might be hidden away. Examples: Run Lola Run (I just saw this, and Lola's hair and plain style managed to look amazing), The Motorcycle Diaries (Mmm, Gael Garcia Bernal in motorcycle gear), The Man in the Iron Mask (Decadent French court frocks, anyone?), Mary Poppins (The epitome of a well-dressed Victorian lady, chimneysweeps in dapper caps and scarves - need I say more?), etc. . .

4) Oh, I'm so predictable, but - read! Novels are great for fashion inspiration because you get to invent garments in your mind, based on descriptions. I remember first discovering the existance of this phenomenon upon reading The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews in second grade. (I'm representing Ms. Andrews today, apparently.) The book, which you should know is absolutely magical enough to merit countless reading at any age, has a description of wacky hats worn to help focus the mind, as well as beautiful bedroom slippers the last Whangdoodle grows on his feet. Later I imagined the dresses Anne so loves in the Anne of Green Gables series, shivered with delight over descriptions of gyspy-like clothing in Wolf Tower, and let my mind fill with images of the amazing wardrobe's owned by Francesca Lia Block's characters. I find the best outfits are often in not-so-prestigious books - I like my profound bestsellers, but I also flip through any book that catches my eye with the frenzied motions of a mad woman. Non-fashion-y tidbit: Am currently reading A Cook's Tour by Anthony Bourdain. The man is a magician when it comes to description - of food, not clothing, that is.

5) Okay, so much for stepping hugely out of the box. I'm feeling too tired for that now. It's late but I can't sleep! My final style tip: Find ways to wear clothing all year round. I've been pairing combat boots with shorts in the hot weather, as well as slipping on a wool beret or scrunched up over-the-knee socks for a final touch. I haven't figured out how to wear my sweater dress in the 90+ degree weather, but I'll keep thinking. . .

Do you guys have any unusual ways of inspiring yourselves? What do you do to give your style that extra boost of creativity-powered exuberance?