Soundtrack of the Moment

I've been tagged by Terri of The Conveyor Belt to post seven songs I'm currently listening to at the moment. It's a rather random list.

The Sunshine Underground - Put You In Your Place



MGMT - Electric Feel



I'm Not There Soundtrack - Goin to Acapulco



Bob Marley - Concrete Jungle



Massive Attack - Inertia Creeps



Flower Travellin' Band - Satori Pt. 2



Pink Floyd - Time


I'm not quite sure who to tag, since some might not be willing to make a music post on their fashion blog so the tag will be open to whomever would like to join in! I love to discover new music from people.

I am the walrus.

I've been posting many men's fashion centered tidbits lately. It might be the leftover buzz from men's fashion week, but I'm feeling quite inspired by the other side of fashion these days.

Here is one of my favorite Beatles videos circulating around youtube. Sometimes I desperately wish that all of the pattern and color popular in menswear in the 60s and 70s would come back. I remember also being very inspired by the flamboyant style of Jimi Hendrix and Marc Bolan of T-rex. Hmm... Ideas for future posts are percolating in my brain...

Two sides of my style

Last week I was completely stuck in a rut style-wise. I literally wore jeans and different types of simple black tops for three days in a row. It was rather depressing. I'm feeling a bit suffocated style-wise these days. I just seem to open my closet and stare at it blankly for a few minutes before I decide to break out the default jeans and a tee outfit. This post is more of a hark back to the brighter days.

Here is my style summarized into two outfits, worn by two stylish men. The first, my obsession with florals and all things unexpected, the second my more paired back menswear look. The first guy is my new hero, sporting a look from Balenciaga's famous ss 08 womenswear show. I think he makes it look better than many women. I love it when people cross the boundaries.


Photos courtesy of The Facehunter

Mens SS 09 Picks

How big is your mirror?

Hey everyone, I apologize for the slow down in blog posts lately. I've been harboring an aversion to the computer this week. I can't sit still for a good hour or so to catch up on things. I'm sure the phase will pass. In other news, I have a massive new mirror! If you could infer the size of someone's ego from the size of their mirror... well... Let's hope not.

Today's Outfit

A couple of days ago I ventured into my local Value Village, not for matters of work, but for some serious shopping. I came out with many loose summer tops, a suede jacket with a fur collar (completely out of season but I had to have it), and a loose boxy blazer. For today's outfit I threw on three of my new finds. The first being an airy flower print vest (very 50s house-wife on its own), a sheer linen shirt, and my new blazer. I seem to be growing a small collection of black blazers of all sorts. I have some of the close-fitted school-boy variety, some longer but fitted, and some very loose. This last blazer is wider in the shoulders but it isn't exaggerated at all.




And just for fun, a very disheveled looking me having a huh? moment.

Starman, waiting in the sky

So the lucky few British designers who are to recieve financial backing for their catwalk shows this coming fashion week have been announced. Some I was very familiar with: Louise Goldin, Danielle Scutt, House of Holland. Some I was vaguely informed about from the blogosphere: Nasir Mazhar (the headwear designer), Hannah Marshall, Nicholas Kirkwood (OH the pretty shoes!). But as I went off too look up the other names, one designer on my not-familiar-with-at-all list blew my mind. Peter Pilotto anyone?

I'm in love with his fall collection. Worth a mention are the trippy intergalactic prints, the loose sheer pants (or tights?) layered underneath beautifully draped fabrics, the amazing leather jackets and those neat hoods (I want a hood just like that!). Nice.



From peterpilotto.com

Today's Outfit

Ok guys, I admit it. I'm addicted to my glasses. Which is a very bad thing, because my prescription is only -1.75, which means that I shouldn't wear them all of the time because my eyesight isn't very poor and wearing eyeglasses too often would speed up the degenerative process (or so my optometrist says). I like to wear them during work, because they help me see the customers' faces from a few aisles down. But then I don't really have to wear them any other time. I just can't quite take them off my face, except when I'm at home.

Anyways, I did get a couple of positive responses to my very casual outfit the other day, so here is today's outfit, also quite casual. I'm hoping the weather will get warmer! It's back to cold weather now. It's been dreary for so long!

Shearling Coat

The image of this particular Jil Sander ad, dating back to 2004, still resonates with me today. It may be the graceful swoop of the collar, but this ad really sells the jacket to me. I've wanted a clean-looking shearling jacket for a while now. But I have yet to find the perfect one.


From mathias-lauridsen.com

This season, I quite liked these particular vests from Richard Chai and Topshop Unique, paired with a light-knit turtleneck and boots.


From style.com

So you may be wondering by now why I keep talking about winter clothes in the summer. Well, after the brief two days or so of sun, it's back down to a chilly 14-15 degrees. Hello? Summer? Where are you hiding? Stop playing games with me!

Still got it?

I've been catching up on the designers I skipped over during last season's runway shows and SHOCK OF SHOCKS I actually found one outfit of Armani's that I couldn't complain about. It seems like most people are on the same page about Armani. He's really getting on with his years, his shows are rather lacklustre... Every time I look at photos of an Armani show I can't help but remark on the same boring stage set up and lighting, the sheer black tights overkill, the sequin and sparkle overkill, too much black, etc. That said, sometimes a celeb like Cate Blanchette would kick out an Armani gown that would leave me speechless. Sometimes. But here is an outfit that I find inspiring for everyday style. I love the interesting fabric and collar on the jacket, the cute shoes and the loose pleats on the pants. Not too shabby.


Emporio Armani from style.com

The School Girl Look

Saturday night I went to a school girl themed birthday party. I attempted to create the look entirely from items found in my closet, but I ended up borrowing my boyfriend's shirt which I layered under a v-neck sweater from H&M and a thrifted school boy blazer (probably the most authentic piece). I think my outfit stood out from the rest of the group though. Everyone was wearing some variation of the white shirt + tie look.



And today's photo is a good example of why I don't post an outfit every day. Some days are just a little (ok, a lot) slobbier than others.

Out Frolicking

So the sun has decided to finally come out and play. I've been out enjoying the weather and have unfortunately (but also guiltlessly...) been neglecting my posting duties for the time being. It was one of those weekends where I just couldn't sit at the computer for more than 5 minutes. That said, I hope you've all enjoyed your past couple of days!

DIY Vest Dress

I had quite a few remarks on my vest dress from members of Chictopia. I made the dress from an old vest I thrifted. I call it a vest even though it is long and buttons up because the buttons stop somewhere around the belly-button, it obviously wasn't originally intended to be worn as a dress. I could have simply buttoned it up and sewn the rest, but then, since the vest is rather large, it would've been droopy around the armpits and generally unflattering overall. So I came up with this little scheme in the changing rooms at Value Village.

Step 1: The dress has laces at the top, so I criss-crossed them.
Step 2: Tie the laces around the back of the neck. Since the vest is large, the fabric overlaps and no gaps of skin are exposed at all in the middle.
Step 3: Add a neat-o belt. Or two. I layered a slim light-beige leather belt over a wider black satin one.

That's it! Ridiculously simple, eh?

Vintage Missoni

What a lovely capture by The Sartorialist. Apparently she's wearing vintage Missoni. I love the combination of trendy shoes with something much more peculiar and unique. This photo just oozes good personal style.


From The Sartorialist

Inspired By: Alber

Today's outfit was inspired by none other than Alber Elbaz. I love his penchant for nerdy glasses and large poofy bow-ties. Nevermind his designs, his personal style is just as inspiration-worthy.

blazer: thrifted, Ron et Normand
collar: attached separately, from another coat
sweater: Costa Blanca
scarf: tourist shop in Rome, Italy
dress: Mango
boots: Shoe Warehouse

Etsy Finds

So whilst my inspiration for interesting outfits is running dry, I'm attempting to jog my brain by doing a little Etsy browsing. There are so many treasures to be found! I think the most lust-worthy items for me are the first collar and victorian-style blazer from Bonzie. That blazer is just too much! I'm very fond of the detailed stitching, the choice of pattern, great fit and great color palette. It looks like something runway worthy in my opinion. It's unfortunately out of my price range (actually everything is these days hah), but it's very beautiful to look at! I can really see Susie Bubble cooing over their beautiful collars. So lovely.





From Bonzie



From Malam





From Urban Heirlooms

Model Style

It's not that I have a love/hate relationship with Agyness Deyn. It's that sometimes I absolutely adore what she's wearing, and others she just leaves me scratching my head. I think it's safe to say that this particular outfit definitely falls under the love category. I actually have not at all considered buying into the maxi-dress until now, thinking that my height would cause many awkward skirt lengths. Here Aggy's dress falls just above the ankles, which I was afraid of for myself, but it somehow still looks quite appealing. Maybe when the weather warms up I'll look into trying a few dresses on. The Gaultier dress is stunning! What a great capture! By the way, the close up shot has some neat bokeh going on.


Image courtesy of Altamira NYC

Sheer Trench Anyone?

What does one do when they find a beautiful blue sheer trench exactly like this one from the Celine SS 07 show, and let it run away? Cry, cry, cry. I really need carry cash on me at all times when at work. I always end up finding something beautiful.

What I'm Wearing

It's amazing how much a pair of glasses can change someone's face. Sometimes I feel like I'm wearing a mask when I don my new pair. I had a nice compliment from one customer at work today. She said that not many people have the courage to wear larger frames, and that mine fit my face well. It's true though, looking at rows and rows of eyeglasses a few days ago made me realize how little variety there is in terms of design. The look today is very narrow and sleek, but I find it rather dull. I also liked a pair of round frames, and even though I thought they didn't look so bad, I wanted to avoid the Harry Potter references. It's too bad I'm stuck with my own mental prejudices too, they were a perfectly nice pair. It's too bad none of the runway styles become popular enough to find at Lenscrafter's!

New Glasses!

Yesterday I finally got around to renewing my prescription so I can purchase a new pair of glasses. Here's a little preview of them. I'll post better photos when I can get good daytime lighting again. I got tired of the sleek and narrow styles and decided to go with something different this time around. I also didn't want thick frames, as they hide too much of my face. The frames are a tortoise-shell pattern up close. They're slightly nerdy, but not over the top. Opinions?

I think my pants need some ironing.

Trend: Skirts and Braces

Who is influencing whom? It's funny how such a similar outfit can be spotted on completely different sides of the world. Not only are they each wearing a skirt with braces, they all pair it with a feminine blouse and choose monochromatic colors. Ah, the wonders of the internet. I'm a big fan of the girl in the middle. She makes a typically youthful combination look very womanly and fresh. It might also be her wonderful posture. Makes me cower and slouch even further just looking at it.


From left to right: Copenhagen Street Style, Cafe Mode

For the days to come

So while I'm piling on the layers and turning on the heat in my house to keep warm (yes I actually had to turn on the heat, this new house gets so cold!), I can't help but think about what I would like to wear when summer finally arrives. I am also currently in need of a new bathing suit but it certainly looks like it can wait a few weeks. I won't be needing one any time soon.


Left to right: The Sartorialist, clutch from Nine West, Berardi from style.com, Louise Goldin from style.com, Elle.com, shoes from Nine West

Cold!

It's all my fault. There I was yesterday, looking through the fall collections and wishing I could still wear the cozy sweaters and many many layers. Now I've done it. It's so cold and miserable outside. 11 degress in June! Looks like I'll have to pull out my fall/winter clothes again, if only for the next couple of weeks. I'm stuck somewhere in fashion limbo, not quite being able to decide what I want to wear.

Meanwhile, I was getting a little tired of my mid-length hair and bangs look, so I decided to pull everything back and try something new. I look a little beyond my years, I think.

Long and Loose V2

The Proenza Schouler Resort 09 collection was posted earlier on thefashionspot and received quite a few cries of protest. The usual excuses were given: it's not flattering to the body, it looks mushy and sloppy, etc. Well I rather liked this collection. Personally, I prefer to wear loose things on a hot day. There's nothing more uncomfortable when it's 30 degrees out than having your clothes plastered onto you with absolutely no breeze or ventilation to cool you off. I am particularly fond of that peach... is that a onesie? I came close to buying a jumpsuit the other day but decided against it as it was long-sleeved and impractical for summer. This one, however, is absolutely perfect. Light and breezy but interesting. It would be my solution to the "what to wear on a hot day" dilemma. Unfortunately, something similar won't be easy to come by. I'll keep my eyes peeled.



Pics from WGSN via tfs.com

Long and Loose

I'm digging the loose and slouchy look of both outfits. Does anyone know where I can find a similar cardigan to the yellow one the second girl is wearing? I'd love to have those in every color of the rainbow!

Success!

Many thanks to The_Kitten from Picked Picks who notified me about a relatively easy way to create a blog roll from my Google reader list. It worked like a charm! The link section has now been split up into three lists: one for impersonal fashion blogs, one for personal style blogs, and one for streetstyle. This makes it so much easier to maintain the link section. I'm sure I won't be leaving it untouched for so long anymore!

This morning I did a bit of browsing at my usual thrift haunts and found a great fitting boy's blazer, a wool shawl and long vest made of crushed silk that I turned into a dress. The vest was originally very loose and baggy, and had buttons running down the front with strings to tie it up around the collar. I wrapped the strings around my neck and wrapped the rest of the fabric around me to turn it into a type of halter dress. This sounds much more complicated than it actually is. I am very pleased with the results.

Something old, something new

Yesterday I made my first discounted purchase at work. I ended up buying the Pentax K1000 I had my eye on. I'll need to test the light meter with batteries to make sure everything is in working order but it looks like a good buy. While I was waiting for someone to help me with my camera I was eyeing a lady next to me who was looking at a beautiful snake bracelet. Luckily she put it back and I swooped in to purchase it. I was afraid of losing it for a short while. I'm not much of an accessory person because I have a knack for losing small expensive things, but when I do love something I don't let it out of my sight.



The wedding party was much fun and I was surprised at the ease with which I wore my vertiginous heels that night. I was even able to dance and prance around in them. I worry for the future state of my feet, however. Now I'm craving more and more high heels. This could be a problem.

Today I walked in my neighborhood and visited a few smaller thrift stores that I rarely browse through. I didn't end up purchasing anything but did take a couple photos of things that interested me. I found a beautiful hand-embroidered shift dress which was quite lovely but I didn't have enough to buy it at the time. I also like this very long studded belt that I'm still thinking about purchasing. Maybe if it's still on my mind I'm meant to have it?

Blog Links

Hey guys! I'm planning to organize the sidebar of the blog tomorrow so I can categorize and add more blog links. At the moment there are so many more blogs on my google reader than on the list, so it's long overdue for an update. If you'd like to be linked contact me by e-mail or post here. I'm also planning to sort through my horribly messy inbox, so if you've e-mailed me and I haven't replied to you yet, not to worry I haven't been ignoring you!

One question: At the moment I'm just placing the blogs in manually with html. Is there an application that is easier to update that I can use?