Style roots.

So... hiiiiii! I've been MIA because I have been dealing with my life. I constantly have ideas popping around in my head for entries, but the pesky details of being in my 20s, single (and dating), attending university full-time, working full-time, doing volunteer activities, and trying to squeeze in a few hours of sleep here and there kind of got in the way. Add to those factors that I maintain this blog, my personal blog, and am writing a book at the moment and I've been somewhat busy.

Sincerest apologies and thank you to those who have checked in :)

The other day at work I was flipping through magazines to find images to cut out for my employee sales for the past pay period. As I scanned the shiny pages, I saw the same commentary pop-up over and over: minimalism vs. eccentricity.

A friend of mine (Hi Hannah!) has described my style as minimalistic on a number of occasions, but I honestly do not feel that is an accurate description. I feel the things I am most attracted to are fairly quirky, accessorized, etc. That being said, after careful reflection on my style-- because yes, this is something I take seriously-- I realized, she's right. I do tend to dress in a simple, functional style that is slick and efficient. It's not that I don't love accessories, because I do. So why do I dress as I do?

I came up with a lot of theories. The thing is, this is a vital part of my own personal style exploration. Why dress myself any way other than as I feel? What causes me to refrain from adding three more necklaces to any number of ensembles?

My first thoughts went to finances. Let's get real. I devote entirely too much of my income to shopping as it is, but I really can't engage in a full-fledged shopping spree because I have too many responsibilities. I have full faith once I graduate and can get a legitimate job, that will change. I also have faith I will someday hold a position that furnishes my clothing, as I am conveniently sample size. My motivations for getting a degree in fashion are pretty transparent, as you can see.

The second theory falls in line with what so many of our adult behaviors get blamed on, good or bad: my mom. I do not say that in a negative way at all. Despite her utter lack of confidence in anything she wears, my mom has polished, clean American taste. She's very classic and makes an effort. I have never seen my mother go out in public looking anything less than dressed. She is traditional that way. Her influence has had two very large impacts on me. One, I am the only one of my friends who considers it a landmark occasion when I leave the house in sneakers. Two, American style is hardly noted for its eclecticism; moreover it is recognized for being easy to wear and pared down.

A great deal of our choice in life are shaped by our parents. As children we often try to be as like them as possible, then by adolescence we are doing our best to defy them. When adulthood hits, it seems we suddenly start noticing all the things that make us like them; it's the time when we begin using the phrase "I'm turning into my mother/father."

My childhood and adolescence phases were kind of flipped in terms of my mom. As a very little girl, I did my best to defy her. When I got into my teen years, I gradually became closer to her, though of course maintaining a general distaste for her opinions because, hello, I couldn't let my angst go that easily.

So, as a child I did the typical dress-up thing; I spent any number of hours in a child's sized purple satin evening dress and white plastic heels bedecked in feathers. I distinctly remember pictures being taken of me posing with an ivy plant, a moment that epitomized my extremely chic persona. This was nothing like my mother. She would not be caught dead in an uber-glam, attention-grabbing ensemble. She prefers to look fabulous in a less obvious way.

As I got older, I morphed into a couple of different styles. My closet was composed primarily of... well, to be totally honest, nothing worth noting. I had a cute top here and there, but mostly I did not have the confidence to let myself embrace fashion. Simultaneously, my propensity for glitz had not fully disappeared, which explains why I attended prom in an aquamarine dress with a plunging neckline-- we're talking below the belly button here, folks-- and slim links of rhinestones keeping all my pieces and parts hidden behind the sea-colored fabric.

Just under two years ago I had a moment. I realized I was selling myself short; why didn't I deserve to have fun with style as much as the next person? Why did I insist on never indulging my fashion sense? I was living in a vicious cycle: I didn't go out and have fun because I never had anything to wear. I didn't have anything to wear because I never let myself shop. I never let myself shop because I didn't want to spend money. I made less money because I was living on tips and my attitude was dropping substantially as a result of my negative vision of self.

As I said, my mom has very nice style. The problem is her confidence in it... and my problem was my lack of confidence in myself.

Style is as much believing in yourself as a person as it is believing in your ability to wear 4.5 in. platform heels for eight hours at work because they make your outfit fabulous. For me, fashion and style are about taking a few risks. Sometimes you need to step out of your comfort zone to keep your look current with your point of view.

After all, I think we can all identify with change in our life causing drastic style consequences. Who hasn't gone to the hairdresser after a breakup, change of job, or too many pieces of cake and asked for a completely new look? I know I have. That irrational mindset is precisely what led to any number of poor hairstyles in my past: my stint as a brunette (with blonde eyebrows), too many close encounters with a crimper, a cut that was a handful of layers away from being a mullet. Thank goodness I have someone doing my hair now who is a friend and will thus be subjected to me complaining if I look a hot mess. She reins me in when I am tempted to do a bit of emotional snip-snip on my 'do, but still obliges me by mixing it up in a rational manner.

That same logic needs to applied to apparel and accessories. It is important to indulge in a bit of exploration while still remaining true to yourself. Examples include the highly dorky glasses I purchased a few entries back, or the turband (a headband/turban) I've been prancing around town in. I stay loyal to me, though. Hey, I am a nerd, so the glasses make sense. I am a bit of a hippie, so the turband is in keeping with my personality. I wear these things, among others I've added to my wardrobe since realizing I do not dress as well as I could to reflect my sense of self, with things that take me back to my safety zone. I do not wear the glasses with hipster jeans and a concert t-shirt. Instead I opt for a pencil skirt and classic button-down. The turband is paired with designer denim or a maxi-skirt in neutral tones, not a hemp necklace and a fistful of incense sticks.

My style has evolved and continues to do so... and along with the simplistic taste of my teen years, there is still a bit of that purple satin costume dress in my life. The difference is these days I pair it with black pumps instead of white feathered heels. In fact, that was precisely what I wore on New Year's Eve this year-- and now the dress was accented with black lace, because this little girl is all grown up.

FYI

I bought the silly glasses. They make me laugh and I decided that made them worth forking over the equivalence of three vodka martinis.

Over & Out.

A Four-Eyed Frenzy: Meow!

When I was in third grade, I started the year off with perfect 20/20 vision. Over the course of the following six months or so, my eyes changed drastically and suddenly the optometrist was mentioning things like, "astigmatism" and "legally blind".

Initially I was fairly excited about getting glasses. Not only were they an accessory, the most popular girl in class wore glasses. Naturally I assumed wearing them would make me equally cool. That didn't really work out. It turns out there are any number of not-so-friendly nicknames that can be associated with wearing glasses. There are also special phrases, such as, "girls who wear glasses never get passes." What delightful ways to brainwash us into thinking glasses are not a worthwhile accessory.

In fact, glasses are a very easy-- and potentially practical-- way to play with your style. Rocking a pair of simplistic, classic frames certainly gives a different impression from a pair decked out in rhinestones.

I myself am fond of cat's eye glasses. This is nothing new. It is arguably the sexiest style of frames for women. I prefer plastic frames, because they are lightweight and more youthful. I also tend to gravitate toward classic colors, such as black or tortoiseshell. Everyone I have come into contact with in the past three months has heard of my obsession with Prada's Rectangular Cat Eye sunglasses, and a similar look is what I'm currently on the prowl for in the standard eyeglass arena.

The following are some of my favorites at the moment. In case you miss it by the watermark defiling all but one image, they can all be purchased at eyewearbrands.com.

Gucci GG3146 791 in Havana Prada PR16NV 1AB101 in Black

Ray Ban RX5226 2034 in Black Tom Ford TF173 "Nikita" 01B in Black

Realistically, I cannot drop a wad of cash on glasses at the moment. I am, as they say, a poor college student. As a resourceful young lady, I am constantly on the hunt for the perfect budget-friendly version of these gems. Case in point, the following image of me trying to decide if I should pick up a particular pair of frames to have prescription lenses into them. I sent this to a handful of friends who all instantly said "YES GET THEM!" but I'm still unsure... they are awfully enormous. Please disregard the high level of dorkdom being presented by my facial expression.

Yes I know how classy the tag hanging on them looks.

We shall see. Considering they ring in at $24.00 and are undeniably amusing, I may get them just for fun.

Oh please find your ways into my closet!

Not all together, of course, but this is fantasy shopping, so whateva!

Christian Louboutin Patent Leather Platform Slingback Sandals in Ivory

Winter Kate Silk Crepe Top in Ivory Floral Multi

3.1 Phillip Lim Belted Twill Shorts in Stone

Matt & Nat "Hendrix" Bag in Ikat

Real vs. Imaginary Women

A conversation about style inevitably becomes a discussion of fashion. While some people may want to pretend fashion and style do not influence them, we are surrounded by it. In turn, the industry contains a breadth of hot debate topics, ranging from quality and a question of taste to eco-responsibility and social norms. The "norm" most frequently discussed is size.

In the case of men, the number stitched into one's pants label does not seem to be as much of a discussion. Some men pride themselves on their 32-in. waistband, while others subscribe to the "bigger is better" mentality. It seems whichever side of the line they fall under, men embrace their natural physiques with greater ease than women. There are certainly any number of guys who lust to identify in the looks department with such gentlemen as Ryan Reynolds circa Blade Trinity, or the ever classic, Brad Pitt in Fight Club... but I somehow doubt they are standing in fitting rooms crying because they have to go up a size in their pants.

I'm not judging women who do, but I am judging those who refuse to accept their correct size because they are convinced they deserve/ought to be another. What fuels the mindset that a woman must be a certain size? What causes us to believe if we go up numerically, we are a failure? Those are questions I do not believe we will ever truly find answers for.

Some people place blame on society: do we raise young women to believe they must be eternally petite Daddy's Little Girls? Do we encourage females to remain lithe and tiny so as to appear more defenseless and thus, desirable damsels in distress?

A more popular point of view is to attack fashion and the images projected by designers. After all, we are constantly thrown images of long, lean Brazilian bikini models, so naturally we assume we must all look just like them. To me, that logic is the same as saying if you watched Avatar a few times you might draw the conclusion that your skin being any color other than blue makes you a freak.

Such rationalizations might be easy to draw as a child; naive and impressionable, little girls would be easy to convince. But as women? As adults? I think it's time to own up to a little maturity and start asking bigger questions than, "how can I get my stomach as flat as that Victoria's Secret model's?"

The big picture is, what matters most is not what a label defines you as being. That's true in regards to brand names and it is also true for size. Style should not be dictated by how many designer tags you have hanging in your closet, so why do so many people insist on associating it with the size on those tags?

Interestingly enough, that concept is beginning to be embraced in a much more aggressive manner and replaced with a new one: the idea of "real" women, or rather, women who exceed size 10. While many people are more than happy to denounce previously held notions regarding the necessity to be a small size, a great number of them are then clinging onto a new physical expectation: unless you are on the larger scale of things, you are apparently not a real woman.

Some other commonly associated statements with this new neurosis include, but are not limited to:

"Real women have curves."

"Men want a woman with meat on her bones."

"Normal women are not a size 2."

Do people listen to the words coming out of their mouths and consider what they actually mean? First of all, it is entirely possible to be both small and curvy; I am a testament to that. Further, why is it necessary to devalue those who are small in terms of sex appeal? More importantly, why should men get so much say about our physical dispositions? Last, what is so abnormal about being a size 2? I say this because I hear those comments on a regular basis at my job. I am a size zero or 2, depending on the garment. I am also an hourglass figure and not only eat lunch, but also breakfast and dinner and usually I like to top my meals off with dessert. Nevertheless, women have no problem coming up to me and asking me where the Real Women Sizes are.

"The what?"

"You know. The Real Women Sizes. None of this little girl stuff. Where do they keep the stuff for us fully grown girls?"

Ahh. So not only am I abnormal, my growth is stunted. Is that the message I am supposed to take from those remarks? Frankly, I suspect people would get fairly angry if I suggested they push back from the table so they can fit into the Imaginary Women Sizes. I don't believe food is the be-all end-all of what creates our physical stature, but since it is apparently okay to imply such an idea, perhaps I should get on board.

This discussion is something I think about often, but particularly jumped to the forefront of my mind in reaction to a recent post on The Sartorialist. He made a comment about a girl he photographed being curvy and was immediately berated. I feel this portion of his reaction was quite succinct:

"[This] post [was] hijacked over the political correctness of the words. So help me understand; what is the modern way to speak about size?"

I will be the first person to admit I am judgmental. Who isn't? The truth is, I am as bothered by the sight of a grossly overweight woman as I am of a malnourished and frail woman. I prefer a look of health, and to be totally honest, it is infinitely more fun to dress. I find when dressing women of the other extremes, they are never truly comfortable in anything I put on them. I am sure there are any number of reasons for that, but the one that jumps out at me is they are uncomfortable in their own, unhealthy skin.

In reality, no single size or body shape/type is healthy. What is healthy is entirely dependant on the individual and we all need to take responsibility for the health of our insides so our outsides can reflect it. That is not only relevant to physical health, but mental.

I propose we all stop categorizing bodies by "real" or, my personal favorite, "anorexic"-- because it's so easy to see a brain disorder just by looking at someone, right?-- and instead start focusing on ourselves, the individuals. The snide remarks, the nasty slang words; let's just get rid of them. Instead of relegating fault, how about we start taking responsibility for perpetuating body image negativities?

I, for one, believe style is personal. I believe it is about dressing well for who you are, mentally, physically, and emotionally. Embracing style should be a way to express ourselves, not an opportunity to belittle what we see in mirrors and around us. "Normal" is an irrelevant term and I hope someday use of the word "healthy" will no longer reflect a comment on one who fits one specific shape or weight, but rather, the body type most suited for the individual.

Oh My Galoshes!

Spring has sprung (supposedly) and it is high time we all start dressing for it! Despite the aggressive chill in the air and the fact that I am still needing to wear my heavy Winter coat, warmer temps and rainy days ought to be right around the corner.

As a little kid I remember seeing my dad wrap extremely odd looking rubbery things to his shoes during inclimate weather. Through the wisdom that comes with age (or google), I later came to find out he was putting on what are known as galoshes.

This picture makes them look infinitely more stylish than they actually are.

"Galoshes" is also a more entertaining word for rain boots. We've all been wearing thick, weather-resistant boots for the past few months, warding off the potential for a slip with heavy tread. Mine are by The North Face (trust me, I'm judging me more than any of you possibly can for that) and are insulated fleece with so much tread they look like I took the teeth of a monstrous beast and attached them to my boots. They have been wonderful for colder temperatures, but as we creep up to warmer weather-- which despite all reason to believe otherwise, we eventually will-- I know I will need something else.

Rainboots are typically made of rubber... and that's that. They're rubber and do not breathe, which in turn means they will protect my feet from wetness. Unless, of course, you count the wetness that is inevitable when it's a hot rainy day and I'm trekking all over campus in rubber shoes-- do I really need to explain the smelly consequences of such a choice? Rain boots are a necessary evil, though, and typically unattractive at that.

In my quest for all things stylish, I have tried to find rain boots that do not offend my eyes. My selections are as follows:

Jeffrey Campbell "Marsha" Over the Knee Rain Boot

Jeffrey Campbell "Voom" Rain Boot-- essentially a shorter version of the Marsha with a more traditional shine.

Cole Haan Air "Melanie" Suede Rain Boot

Tretorn Shoes "Emilie" Rain Boot

I realize some people like to do crazy patterns on their boots, flash the classic Burberry check, or wear their favorite sport team's emblem on them. I, however, do not. I do not need, nor do I want, more than one pair of rain boots. Let's face it, these rubbery beasts are pretty much going to be the bane of my existence come April (whose abundant rain showers are expected to bring May flowers). Limiting my boots to a single pair is ideal. I want something basic that will go with everything, not something I have to try and coordinate a handful of go-to outfits with. For me, they need to be sleek and simple, a mere addition to my wardrobe-- not the things that causes me to go shopping to make them work.

What's important to keep in mind is not everything that is waterproof is a suitable Spring rain shoe or boot. Many things are made waterproof to protect our feet, but will promptly look like absolute trash if used repeatedly in precipitation-heavy weather. The above mentioned Cole Haans are actually intended to be the exception to that rule; I have no idea what they do to the suede to make it water-resistant, but apparently they can handle major puddles.

It is also worth it to consider shoes that are water resistant, such as Aquatalia by Marvin K. These shoes are not necessarily always the most forward-thinking fashions, but they are quite weatherproof. In my opinion, they are an excellent option for someone looking to get something to wear from the car to the office without destroying their typical kicks in the rain.

Happy shopping! Truth be told, I'd much rather be getting these:

Vince Camuto "Malaya" Pump

Getting back to it!

A couple of weeks ago I posed a question:

Is it more stylish to wear something with a specific intention or to wear something out of natural desire?

The point of that inquiry was to get people thinking: what is the motivation behind what we, and anyone else, wear? Naturally when comments of style come up, a series of names and major impacts come to mind: from Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, and Madonna to flappers, Dior's New Look, and mini-skirts.

What it got me thinking about was why some people get a place in our history books of style, whereas others are swept under the rug and may or may not receive a single line blurb about their kooky looks.

Often in today's modern culture, however, we revere people who reflect a certain shock value influence on style. Lady Gaga leads the pack for modern line-pushing, but plenty of iconic people led the pack before her.

Isabella Blow

Who of course brings up a discussion of Philip Treacy, or rather, his hats!

Grace Jones

My point is, though I love her, Lady Gaga's eccentricity is hardly a new idea. She gets a great deal of attention for sampling music, but what about sampling style? The lack of exposure generations as of late have had to icons who think outside the back is somewhat stunning. Part of it is a result of our society not particularly valuing what is removed from our concepts of aesthetically pleasing, or rather, what is pretty. Following the grunge era-- which in truth, was merely a brief vacation from the images of style = beauty in the '80s-- we have been bombarded with images of women who don't necessarily look like the every day girl, but certainly look like someone we would not have a problem running into. I suppose that description is especially accurate in terms of men desiring to have a casual rendezvous with a teenage Britney Spears clad in her pink tube tops or Shakira and her glittering belly chains.

Currently, though immersed in the neverending media parade of bathing beauties a la Victoria's Secret's swimsuit catalogue, we are experiencing a culture of ugly. I do consider the works of art Lady Gaga wears to be beautiful, but that is out of respect for the garments. It also is likely a direct result of my imagination working overdrive: while other people may have found pearls attached to her face to look like a skin disorder, I thought of a sea princess arising from an oyster shell.

I now ask you to consider other such artists as Ke$ha (and yes, I realize in this case I am using the term "artist" loosely).

Ke$ha in all her blue lipstick glory.

The funny thing is, I actually chose the most flattering image I could find. Some of Ke$ha's trademark look is revered. For example, her perpetually messy hair could be associated with the much sought after look of bed head, aka The Sexed Look. Ke$ha's mane, however, is more on par with what I can best describe as being the I've-Been-In-Many-Beds head. It's not what our culture generally considers attractive, yet all over the place people are emulating her. Blue lipstick has made a mild comeback, something I never expected when I tossed out my tube of it from Bath & Body Works back in the '90s (and to think, mine was actually dual-sided in both blue and green!).

Though not ranked on the same influence level as Gaga, Ke$ha has had an impact. Why? Her shock value! In and of itself, it is a surprise anytime we see a woman doing something other than making herself pretty-- or dying trying. Our traditional references for style are and remain people like Grace Kelly and Brigitte Bardot not because they were such shocking innovators, but rather, because it's what we like to remember. Isabella Blow's influence on modern style reaches far beyond her personal appearance. She is the woman who put Alexander McQueen on the map and brought Sophie Dahl to the forefront. Everyone knows who Alexaner McQueen is and you may not realize it, but you know Sophie Dahl, too.

Who can forget her infamous YSL Opium ads?

I'm pretty sure that shocked more than just my 13 year old self. Isabella Blow made an enormous dent in our modern style and brought new innovators to the forefront. Her contribution to the fashion world as we know it today is undeniable, yet she receives little attention. Lately, however, we are seeing people who are obviously inspired by her work end up as major icons of today. The real question is, will today's new "out there" stylistas end up in the history books themselves? I hope so, and I have faith in that possibility.

I believe today's concepts of style and fashion have been blurred far past the ability to select a well-fit blouse and style it with a beautifully tailored skirt. We demand more. We want lights, camera, action! "Action" being the most important part of that bit. Women in particular have an opportunity right now that was seemingly inconceivable in the past; it's okay to be a little ugly. The idea of moving away from sexualized beauty being the only option has come to the forefront. Women no longer need to be pretty all the time; just look at Heidi Klum's Halloween costumes and you will see just how much we have moved away from that expectation!

While mainstream dressing remains dictated by the hallmarks of beauty, we are seeing movement in the upper ranks. I don't expect us to all start prancing down the street in six inch heels and our heads topped in exquisite hats resembling sea creatures. Nonetheless, a quick glance down any number of runways will reveal our interests and values shifting. It's as much about comfort and beauty as it is about statement. The trickle-down theory means inevitably we may see some new proclamations in fashion being made.

So ask yourself:

Why are you wearing what you wear? Is it to please someone other than yourself? Are you eliminating looks from your wardrobe because your significant other does not care for them? And more importantly, is satisfying someone else's opinion of your apparel more important than keeping with your own?

You don't have to wear a latex body suit or create a headdress orb of beads to surround yourself to make a statement. You also don't have to stifle your expression by suiting it to fit someone else's beliefs. Look to the people making "worst dressed" lists for their wacky ensembles a inspiration to style yourself for every shade of your personality-- from the neutral shades of calm to the experimental tones of neon.

After all, aren't we always saying beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Sometimes I wonder if I missed the addendum to that adage stating, "except when your boyfriend/husband/significant other says otherwise."

But hey, give yourself a break sometimes... I mean, there's a reason we go shopping before a first date and it isn't because our closets were ransacked by wardrobe thieves. Think about it.

Skirting the Issue.

I am not a pants-wearing girl. I spend the vast majority of my time wearing skirts and dresses, occasionally slipping into pants for shock value. Nearly every time I wear them to work, I am bombarded with amused comments, typically guessing when the last time was anyone saw me in anything that required me to step in, one leg at a time: "what has it been, three months?" I have been trying to branch out. After all, I've even purchased designer denim in recent times. That, for me, is quite a landmark in my shopping history as of late.

I blame my affinity for all things mini, maxi and everywhere in between on my size. Standing a strong 5'2" and wearing sizes considered little, my body would seem simple enough to dress because, well, people generally assume every body type but their own is easy to dress. The truth is, my legs are not what you would consider long and though my hips are average size, my rear has just enough bubble to it to be annoyingly out of proportion with my waist. While alterations can be a beautiful thing, I am typically an instant gratification shopper: I need to walk out of the store knowing I can wear my purchases immediately or months later, whichever I prefer. That means no hemming and no nipping things in at the waist.

Skirts alleviate that issue.

Most of the time, I don't have to deal with any issues when wearing skirts. They just fit. Perhaps it is as predictable as falling into a stereotype: I have a feminine body, skirts are associated with traditional views of femininity, ifso facto skirts work on me. In addition to a vast collection of dresses, I have a wide array of skirts. Lengths aside, they have a variety of waist locations (low-riding, high-waisted), prints (tribal, floral, striped, even solids), and fabrications (silk, cotton, linen, and the Fabric That Shall Not Be Named, poly-blend). I'm a huge fan.

Yesterday, while helping a close girlfriend of mine shop for pieces to add to her wardrobe (hi Alanna!), I snatched up a few items for myself as well. While I realize Forever21 is the bane of many's existence, as a poor college student/fashion fiend, it is a necessary evil. Along with a wonderful, silky taupe maxi skirt, I purchased this wonderful paper bag waist skirt.

Abstract Floral Print Skirt from Forever21

I love the print. I'm pairing a rose colored burnout tank with it. I want a cream button down blouse to tuck into it over that tank, but I'll leave it open down to the belly button and roll up the sleeves. The waistband is my favorite detail.

The nice thing about the paper bag waist is it creates an exaggerated line. While it can be frustrating to deal with dressing curves on one's body, an hourglass figure is aesthetically appealing. The paper bag detail on this skirt creates a highly defined waistline, then flares both up and down to create full curves. Perfection.

In related news, here are a handful of skirts I am currently in love with.

Trina Turk "Shaye" Skirt

Marc by Marc Jacobs "Iris" Knit Pencil Skirt

Donna Karen Essential Jersey Drape Twist Skirt

BCBG MaxAzria Flared Faux Leather Skirt

Excuse me, Madame Mother Nature?

Perhaps this is not such a challenge in places in the south or, you know, the wardrobe-to-season-ratio Bermuda Triangle that is California, but here in the middle of the country we deal with more temperature variability than we ought to. We wake up in the morning and get ready to gallivant about town, all the while wondering what to wear-- and not because of the typical "closet full of clothes with nothing to wear" scenario. It's the fact that we have no idea what to expect from the day. After all, the forecast says it should be sunny and in the mid-60s, but it looks as though it's going to pour at any moment and there is a serious chill in the air.

How in the world are we supposed to dress in this weather without looking like a complete nomad with the level of layers we pack "just in case"?

I for one hate the idea of wearing my Winter clothing even an hour past the first day of Spring. To me, the time change is a preview and the actual day is intended to be more significantly a celebration of seasonal change in my wardrobe than a glorification of rebirth in nature. It's not that I don't enjoy the earth and the wonderful world around me... it's that I enjoy it so much more when donning a silk maxi skirt and fabulous sandals.

Each season rolls around and we have those things we covet, those items we know we must have in our closet to make our wardrobe for the coming months fit the image we have in our minds. For me, this past Winter it was a beautiful Mackage coat I obsessed over for months. It was black, puffy, and had an enormous hood. When I speak of it I tend to get that far off look in my eyes not entirely unlike the one drug addicts get at the mention of a magic eight ball-- even when it's a reference to the toy. I love my Winter coat and am actually somewhat sad to say goodbye to it until next year.

At the moment I am trying to decide what my exciting Spring wardrobe maker will be. As it takes so long for Spring to truly show up here, this seasonal piece tends to roll right into Summer.

It doesn't have to cost a great deal of money, nor does it have to be a "hot item" in every magazine's recommendation column. It's that piece that seems to capture your mood for the season. In my case, as it is tremendously apparent, my mood is lost somewhere between Studio54 and fields of wildflowers.

So, as I consider my wardrobe signature this season, I ask the climate:

Please commit. I will commit to those Prada sunglasses or any number of DVF dresses I am obsessed with (or more realistically, the style of either) as soon as you get your act together. This whole "pack a sweater and coat to be prepared" nonsense is getting old fast. The time is ripe for swingy silk maxis, not extending the life of my gray wool mini.

Style does not end with what you wear.

We have all seen that woman who looks almost perfectly styled. Her outfit is phenomenal, you love her shoes, her makeup is perfectly applied in that "is she really wearing any?" kind of way-- with the exception of her obviously-but-fabulously painted lips, of course. Even so, something isn't quite right.

It's her hair. Yesterday you saw her in a Theory suit and today she's in trouser jeans, platform wedges and rocking a sunny yellow t-shirt with layers of red stone necklaces around her neck... so why hasn't her hair changed?

Style is as much about what you wear on your body as what you do with the things you're born with. Hair is all about manipulation, even if you're not doing anything to it with products or styling tools-- yes, honey, dreads are a manipulation too. And, incidentally, not one I'd advise.

Anyway, it's important to embrace your style head-to-toe. Often people perceive that as a direction to buy fabulous shoes, and by all means, do so! But it also means remembering to take it to the top; the hair on your head needs to be addressed when embracing your style.

It's not that the woman you saw who previously had on her work look can't switch it up to a relaxed ensemble and leave her hair the same. I am certainly guilty of doing just that. But... why not mix up your look and change it to something that fits the vibe of your overall appearance? A neat top-knot is perfectly fitting with a pair of slim dress pants and your leopard print Equipment blouse. Toss on a few layers of rosy pearls and you will be impossibly chic.

But is that 'do the best you can do for a look that fits an entirely different facet of your personality? I think not, my friends.

I am a big fan of good hair. I don't remember who said it, but I once read a quote about how if your hair looks good, you probably look good; I stand behind that statement 100%. Whenever my hair looks bad, I feel off. Now, the same can be said for my outfit; if it's not my ideal, I get grumpy. My hair, however, can transform a look that would have been otherwise thoroughly unspecial. It's as though that extra oomph of volume and bounce is enough to also amp up my confidence otherwise.

I am lucky enough that my hairstylist, Emily, is a good friend of mine. She knows my style, my life, my interests. A lot of people believe taking a picture of the hair you want into a stylist will be enough. I respectfully disagree.

The thing is, unless you're taking in a picture of your doppelganger, the likelihood of you leaving the salon looking the way you hoped is slim. Further, it's not just about face shape; is your hair as thick as whomever's style you covet? Is it the same texture? Do you have the attention span to take it past the cut and style it like your favorite model/actress/singer? So much has to be take into consideration. For that reason, I sent Emily a series of pictures of the attitude and style I'm looking to convey with my hair. She was amused, as at least one of the pictures involved someone wearing a hat, but all the same she got it. She understood what I was after.

The keywords I used in my e-mail to Emily were "Earthy, touchable, 70s cool" and "free-spirited, funky, fabulous".

As seen in the picture here on my blog, my hair is pretty long. It is also poker straight and pretty lifeless without a bit of manipulation on my part. I have always desired that beachy, relaxed look of wavy/curly hair. I have tried at least a dozen products and how-to videos via YouTube to get that look, but alas, nothing has ever worked.

Until now. Emily recommended a fantastic Paul Mitchell product that I am now obsessed with.

Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Wild Ginger Texturizing Sea Spray

As directed by Emily, I comb my hair out with a wide tooth comb and let it air dry to a point of dampness. Then I spray this liberally through my hair and tousle it lightly. At that point, I can already see a curl forming. Followed by blow drying with a diffuser on a high heat, low intensity setting, I end up with fabulously curly/wavy hair and a ton of volume. I don't even need hairspray! I have received numerous compliments on this new look, as I typically have very straight, sleek hair and this gives me more of a loose and funky style. I am 100% sold on this product and highly recommend it to anyone whose look this Spring/Summer identifies with the wild and carefree sensibilities of the '70s!

I love these Jeffrey Campbell sandals a lot. They're just another version of the pair I recently posted on my facebook.... may I have every version please? Man I'm loving the current embrace of the '70s!

Almost!

I have one more truly challenging exam to take and then I can allow myself to update this more aggressively again.

Food for thought in the mean time:

Is it more stylish to wear something with a specific intention or to wear something out of natural desire?

In other words, is one more or less stylish when they wear certain things to evoke a reaction? Is it better to simply wear what one wishes to wear with no consideration for results? And are ensembles that are generally perceived as wild or unique the only examples of which one can wear something to illicit a response? Are there not more subtle ways of doing the same?

Images to consider. I wonder who can figure out the reasoning behind each as a part of this inquiry? I will elaborate upon posting the full entry.

"Chanel-lo!"

Can we have a chat about advertising?

I really enjoy analyzing ads. I find the motivations to be interesting, as well as the potential for a story to be told. That may be a direct result of one of my favorite activities-- people watching and assigning them names, jobs, families, lives, etc.-- but advertisements really do hold the key to much of what fuels style.

For example, when the turban trend came on the scene I was fiercely opposed to it... but now, after a couple of months seeing scarves wrapped on any number of models heads, I want one. What?!

Advertisements in fashion really do have the potential to influence us greatly and guide our choices one way or the other. They can be the voice of the brand when fashion does not speak loudly enough, they can create a believer out of even the most disinterested. After all, my vegetarian self feels tempted entirely too often when I see advertisements for fantastic leather handbags... but I have no idea why! I generally steer clear of them!

Often times I find myself looking at advertisements of high end designers and wondering what prompted them choose a certain model or actress to promote their product via advertisement. Then it tends to become a discussion of what causes any particular starlet or model to become the next It girl.

I suppose my current question is why Chanel is so obsessed with Blake Lively? Actually, why are so many people obsessed with her? She dominates entirely too many pages in my monthly Vogue and I am not a fan. My primary theory is she has a phenomenal PR team pushing her face to the forefront of so many style magazines, and that kills me. I hate the idea of people being able to buy their way into anything, particularly the fashion industry. I hate it almost as much as I hate people who take credit for great style when it's actually the result of someone they hired to think for them.

In the case of Lively, she claims to not have a stylist. Good for her! I suppose that is impressive given the ease with which so many celebrities give in to the opportunity to have someone else express their points of view. All the same, I still do not understand the preoccupation so many people have with her. Perhaps I am alone in this, but I do not look at her and instantly think, "yes. She knows what she is doing." More often I look at her and think, "yes. If you put on Chanel, you will likely look fabulous."

And now, Chanel has taken her on as the face of their new Mademoiselle handbag line. Happily my research shows she is at the very least being quite humble about the opportunity. With that knowledge I decided to do a bit of Googling and found a few looks of hers I can get on board with. Hey, if Karl Lagerfeld can finally get on the faux-fur train, I can try to support Blake Lively.

Shown here with a beautiful Fendi handbag. Personally, the pink pants are what got my blood pumping!

Overly tan in my opinion, but I LOVE her pants! The top is very boobylicious, but tastefully so.

Stunning colors, adore the simplicity of her hair and makeup, phenomenal fit.

'
I think I can become a fan assuming she stops acting... or whatever you might want to call furrowing her brow and talking out of the corner of her mouth. Perhaps that is what is holding me back... because honestly, I would wear 90% of the looks I found images of her in. She has a great combination of a versatile color palette paired with many outfits involving classic white blouses and modern black pants or skirts. I maintain that she seems primarily fueled by lots of brand names and labels, but truth be told, who wouldn't take advantage of that if given the chance? I would like to see her expand by learning how to pair a $20.00 dress with a $650.00 shoe and still making the ensemble look like a million bucks. It will be interesting to see where her endeavors with Chanel take her.

Yoohoo!

Hi!

I apologize for the lack of blog updates. My intent for this thing was to do some form of an update daily... until life got in the way. Between working full time, being a full time student, and having my birthday take place quite recently, I've been really bogged down with work and cocktails. Finals week is next week and I've already completed two of them, so legit updates will be plentiful quite shortly.

I do have three entries regarding an array of topics halfway written and intend to post them soon. Tonight should yield the completion of at least one!

Thanks for checking in on the blog and thanks to those who have given me friendly reminders that I need to get back on the horse and write in this again. I promise, I will :)

And as a quick comment (and preview for an upcoming entry ;)), I would like to note how much I am ready for warm weather. I've been fantasizing about "taking a holiday" for awhile now... ahh, if only I had the time to do such a thing, imagine all the blogging I could get done!

With that in mind, I LOVE this bikini from Agent Provocateur!!! My only wish would be for the bottoms to be a high-waist brief.

Yes, I'm still alive.

PSA:

I do plan to update very shortly. I have been outrageously busy for quite a few days, particularly the weekend as a result of my birthday celebration. I have, however, been thinking about this blog and my next legitimate entry should be up within 24 hours.

Thank you to those who have been checking it for updates, it's nice to see a variety of people are interested!

Hooray!

It's not thrift shopping, but it is a fabulous deal! $49 compared to the $189 I would pay at retail!

I just ordered the J Brand "Love Story" jeans from Gilt Groupe. I really love these jeans in general but resisted the urge to buy them at work because of the cost and the wash not being exactly what I was after.

I actually prefer this wash to the one we have at work because I wanted a lighter wash bell bottom. I do love the Citizens of Humanity "Hutton" jean, but I have a bit more faith in these J Brands not stretching out. They should arrive sometime after Wednesday of this coming week.

J Brand "Love Story" jeans in the Loveless Medium Wash

Yikes.

I spotted this person as I walked into my university's main library. I can make my peace with the hideous UGGs, but what I cannot tolerate is the fact that she is wearing cropped leggings with them and then proceeded to roll the boots down! It's barely 30 degrees outside, gray, windy-- this is not bare leg weather!

Did you really need to feel the frigid breeze?

Leggings are a great thing for tucking into boots because they require virtually no manipulation of your pants to make them fit with a sleek, streamlined appearance. I myself am wearing thick, 2-ply leggings at the moment. They also happen to be full length and adequately tucked into my arguable more stylish black boots... it's not a gross enough day to place function over fashion, in which case I would have gone the route of my offensively unattractive The NorthFace boots.

Le sigh. I've worked really hard to train myself to not be critical of every choice I disagree with when it comes to style, but there is no question in my mind this person actively chose this ensemble as a result of what can only be deemed brain washing at my university. The number of girls I see in classes clad in similar ensembles (which are typically finished off with shirts so short I can tell whether or not they are, in fact, anatomically female) is outrageous. Obviously it is sensible to attend class dressed in a utilitarian fashion-- I can even tolerate the occasional sweatsuit-- but this outfit is anything but efficient. She must be cold. And no, she did not slip into that look to show how aloof she is, rather the concept of taking pride in one's appearance is lost on 80% of the female population here. The look she is sporting is not style, it's conformity.

I might be slightly more understanding if it weren't for the fact that last year I worked in a department devoted largely to contemporary suiting and worked with way too many young women who desperately needed help figuring out what was appropriate to wear to an interview/job. Perhaps if they started looking the part of a person who wants to succeed in the first place-- instead of like one who has yet to make friends with a product known as shampoo-- the whole What to Wear to Work debate would not be so complex to them.

That's my rant and I'm sticking to it.

Dress for Success... With Men?

At work today, a girl who works in my old department (Hi Abi) mentioned a blog called Man Repeller that she recommended I check out. I found the title extremely amusing as "man repellent" is my way of describing a certain brand of jeans at the store that is composed of entirely too much spandex, a zipper long enough to wrap around your waist (twice), and all too often is polished off with jewels or sparkles adhered to the rear.

While I appreciated a woman's need to find something that will come up over her post-menopausal pooch, every time someone would ask me where those jeans were I would have an image of an impenetrable shield pop up around her nether regions. Truthfully, the jeans are not designed in an appealing manner and the adornments do little more than create a target out of the wearer's behind... which may be attractive to some, but personally I prefer my suitor taking an interest in my face, not the shiny, sparkly things glued to my hind quarters.

"Mom Jeans" -- thanks for doing your part to raise awareness, SNL.

I did take a gander at the Man Repeller blog and found it amusing. The blogger and I have quite a few opinions and interests in common; for example a shared affinity for not-so-subtle sarcasm. That in and of itself is enough to make me like someone. Further, I love anyone who has the ability to laugh at herself; I laugh at myself a lot, with good reason. If you saw how often I fall down, you'd laugh too. I'm always flabbergasted when people look at me like I'm the crazy one when I laugh at myself. What, would you rather I cry? I don't have enough tubes of waterproof mascara to manage that kind of maintenace.

Anyway, that blog and my distaste for a Jean Brand I Will Not Name For Fear of Retribution got me thinking about style motivations. For a long time I have been of the opinion women dress for other women because for the most part guys don't seem to notice. They know what they like, sure, but when it comes to revving their engines the possibilities typically begin and end with things such as low riding jeans, thigh high stockings, and school girl plaid skirts.

Of course, that's not true of all guys. Unfortunately, the vast majority of ones who actually do appreciate the aesthetic significance of high-waist trousers tend to also be the ones who have no interest in taking those trousers off, ya dig?

In addition to chats about bedazzled denim, this evening also yielded my very first time taking care of a 12 year old girl who weighed maybe 80 pounds soaking wet. She and her mother were shopping for an outfit for a bar mitzvah reception and they were struggling. Long story short, the girl was trying to turn a high-waist cotton/jersey blend skirt into a low riding mini and topping it off with as tight a tank top she could find. I was also informed her intended hairstyle would be "flat ironed!" Memories of lifeless hair and hip bone baring ensembles a la Mean Girls blazed through my mind and I felt a deep-seated need to help. After showing her the benefits of tucking a blousey tank into the skirt and adding a belt (as well as unrolling said skirt to make it a normal length for anything other than a napkin) along with topping it off with costume jewelry, her mother was smiling and the young girl looked stylishly young and fresh. Still, I could tell she didn't trust me.

From Mean Girls... this is how we girls often dress pre-Mom Jeans. Interestingly, this style never seems to die out from the high school scene... it just gets recycled and called "vintage" at your local Wet Seal.

Finally, I told her I was going to take the opportunity to do her a favor I didn't have anyone ballsy enough in my life to do for me as a pre-teen. I explained she was more than welcome to go to the event dressed like every other girl there and chance that one of the boys might notice her amongst the herd-- after all, that's the whole point of this wardrobe debacle, yes?-- or she could trust my judgment, wear the outfit I put together and guarantee a bit of attention. The boys wouldn't know exactly why she looked so much better, but she would have zero competition because clearly none of the friends guiding her fashion choices were receiving the same kind of wisdom. She would be in a league of her own, because no one would look as cool as her. I also suggested a teasing comb and mousse.

She went back into the dressing room, changed, and sent her mom out with the goodies I had selected. We also set up plans to shop this Friday night to put the finishing touches on her ensemble.

So is this whole concept something we develop in adolescence and it pours over into our adult years? And at what point exactly do we stop trying to be as sexually appealing as possible? Do we hit "go!" on the biological stop watch and race to the Fast & Easy sections of the store the minute puberty sets in, only to be stifled like a buzzer going off when estrogen production slows down?

My viewing of style is typically littered with costuming ideas, likely a direct result of spending a huge chunk of my life onstage. I have what I refer to as an overactive imagination and instantly start telling stories in my head when I see ensembles. My ideas of "sexy" can be very warped. If you show me a woman in a colonial era dress, hair piled on top of her head with a handful of loose strands and no makeup, I will begin spinning a tale of forbidden lust and a stable boy ravishing her in the barn. That explains the sloppy hair and, oh, did I mentioned a smudge of dirt on her neck?

Then again, I also have a tremendous amount of appreciation for all things Brigitte Bardot and she is a widely recognized sexy symbol. Apparently everything is fair game for turn-ons in my book.

Brigitte Bardot in her sex kitten glory. Hi, can I have your face?

So what is man repellent? I used to not consider myself worthy of dressing in anything more than jeans and old t-shirts. My ex seemed to prefer me that way, because when we got back together post-self-reinvention, he would often mention how he actually preferred my less "dressed" days. But you know what? The new me felt sexier, more confident, more capable. I wouldn't say I dress in a way that is especially outlandish, and more often than not I am described as being "cute", but expressing myself through style gave me that extra oomph. Of course, there is something to be said for a woman in nothing but a shapeless men's shirt, no makeup, hair loose... but how many of us walk the streets like that?

Now that he's an ex, other guys are noticing my style and not minding it at all. In fact, I'm pretty sure they like it... which has caused me to draw the conclusion that the definition of man repellent is directly related to the confidence of the man in question. The more confidence he has, the more likely he will appreciate those four inch espadrilles or your gold-threaded turban.

Perhaps it's not so much a matter of the woman's age or hormone levels as it is one of the maturity of the guys and the level of self-esteem both parties are exhibiting. Maybe we never have to give up our desire to dress for our own inner success if we stop taking an interest in guys who expect our greatest achievement to be our relationship with them.

Besides, women live longer than men and I'd rather live out the gray-haired days I spend alone surrounded by beautiful, interesting clothes instead of toiling over which pair of faded elastic-waist stretch denim I ought to wear that day.

City Mousetrap.

Today I hopped in my trusty Honda, aka Pheebs/Regina Phalange, with a plan and determination to find fabulous things at thrift stores and come home with a handful of great deals. I set a budget and, after grabbing a good CD to listen to for the ride, headed to an area south of town with a list of thrift and antique stores to hit.

Now, I by no means consider where I live to be The Big City. It's certainly better than some, but holds no comparison to places such as Chicago or NYC. Even so, I consider my area to have a lot of really great draws; wonderful, unique restaurants, interesting bakeries, quirky boutiques, good antique stores, a wide variety of art galleries. Though we are hardly on the map as a mecca of fashion glories, all it takes is a trip to the 'burbs or any number of other Ohio cities to know we are better off here than we would be elsewhere. The small victories count, at least to me.

It took about 20 minutes of driving before I said aloud to myself, "Toto, I don't think we're in the city anymore."

Suddenly great expanses of land had cropped up-- and yes, using the term "crop" here counts as a not-so-subtle pun. Still, I drove on, excited and certain there was some hidden jewel amongst the fields undoubtedly full of manure.

Upon arrival at my first destination, I had serious misgivings. First of all, it began pouring down rain as soon as I parked, which is annoying to walk in and out of stores in, but infinitely worse when those stores are thrift shops. Let me tell you, "wet dog" could be a perfume bottled and sold at thrift stores to escape the stench that surrounds you. That is certainly not true of all, but in the case of my first stop it absolutely was. Second, during the short walk from my car to the entrance, I saw three people wearing leather NASCAR jackets.

I moseyed in with a smile on my face and, despite my initial impression of disappointment, kept that smile glued on as I trekked over to the racks over which a sign saying "ladies" was hung.

"Classy," I thought naively in regards to their choice to refer to the area in such a polite manner.

I felt "silky tops" was a great place to start, so I circled the rack three times in search of the "XS" portion. My hunt was in vain. As I continued to discover as I inspected everything from jeans to blazers, the sizes 0 and 2 do not exist in some places. Even then, I tried to keep my spirits up and decided I would have alterations done if necessary.

It was right around the point when I was flipping through the rack of skirts and discovered one in the "better brands" section marked with a tag for Dress Barn that I started to lose faith.

I left and moved on to the next handful of stops. A couple were closed because of it being President's Day. The others yielded uncomfortably similar experiences to that which I had at the first store.

I was not raised with a silver spoon in my mouth. I do not live a life in the lap of luxury. I am, however, a woman who knows why I ought to appreciate legitimate silver over the metallic-gray frosted "fancy" plasticware used at some picnics, if you know what I mean. What I was finding today did not present opportunities to mix interesting pieces into my wardrobe. The merchandise I found was all bargain, no deal; it's not a great find if you'll never wear it!

Finally, slightly damp from the weather and feeling a bit worn down, I decided to throw in the towel. Perhaps $1 blouses and $3 pants were just not in the cards for me today. I went into my excursion with visions of peasant blouses and funky dresses dancing in my head. I left concerned about the nightmares I might have after spotting a pair of jeans from Weathervane that I'm 99% positive I owned in high school.

On my way home, I stopped at Northstar and devoted a decent chunk of my thrifting budget to lunch and a giant oatmeal raisin cookie. "Better luck next time," I thought. And that is my plan. I have every intention of continuing in my goal to become a thrift shopper and am already crafting a list of vintage and resale stores to hit. I am a woman on a mission.

Round two, here I come. Please do not involve more pairs of used Carhartt overalls than I can shake a stick at.

Weeee!!!

I am trying to amp myself up to go thrifting tomorrow. A positive attitude is key! I am going in, [water]guns blazing, ready to battle the racks and I will be successful!

Yes! I will find fantastic pieces to add to my wardrobe!

I will spend a minimal amount of cash!

I will find things that get me excited in the morning...

...and inevitably the afternoon and evening when I change my outfits over and over!

Considering I typically sell (and take an interest in) clothing that begins in the many hundreds of dollars range, this should be interesting.

The most important thing I will be wearing tomorrow is a look of determination.

Take another look.

I've never been much of a fan of Jason Wu. My dislike wasn't rooted in anything of substance; very little of it was a direct result of anything he has said or done. After Michelle Obama wore his one-shoulder dress for the president's inauguration, everyone was asking for a dress with one shoulder and referring to Jason Wu as if he had created the concept of such a thing himself. I got sick and tired of being at work and listening to women go on and on about how they were going to wear an Obama dress and... yeah, I'm just a big brat sometimes. I'd say my disinterest in Wu can be attributed far more to what some people refer to as "retail hell" than to anything he himself has done.

All the same, I have looked at a fair amount of his work and nothing has excited me. I mean, I can salivate over the Dolce & Gabbana pages in our look books at work for hours, but I'll spend as much time as it takes me to blink on Wu's.

That is, of course, until I saw this little gem. LOVE.

Jason Wu "Pam" Tulle Overlay Silk Organza Strapless Dress

Hi, that's gorgeous. First of all, it's not black and ivory, it's navy and ivory. So unexpected. Navy has been popping up in various lines for awhile now, but often I feel as though black is the fall back color. And the corseting, the ruffle... gorgeous. The layers upon layers of tulle and organza are so indulgent, yet restrained; the perfect combination. It leaves you wanting more!

The same refined luxury appeal adds to the tulle lying over the corset. It's a little bit mysterious and a lot fabulous. The Swiss dot detail gives it a sweet vibe, but can anyone argue with the innate sexiness of the bodice on this dress? A woman wearing this is telling the world there is more to her than meets the eye.

I would love to see this dress styled on someone with a pixie haircut with slightly longer layers in the front. Very Michelle Williams:


No necklace, please. With this dress, I'd opt for a pair of delicate earrings-- ideally set with blue topaz stones in a shade of deep navy. A few slim, rose gold bangles on one arm and a very nice manicure is all that would be needed otherwise; the dress says so much, keep it simple every where else!

While the heels pictured with the dress are lovely, a nude heel is my preference. That could be my 5'2" height talking, but why would anyone miss out on the opportunity to make their legs look a mile long? I say go for it and get glam (and great gams!) with a great pair of Stuart Weitzman pumps.

Jason Wu, thank you for proving me wrong. It was a pleasure fantasizing about wearing your fabulous dress!

Roughly translated.

As I begin to delve into the world of style blogging (and immerse myself in the madness of twitter-- follow me! lauraLdunstan), I am fast realizing I have to prioritize some spending habits so I can more adequately indulge my obsession with all things style. Either that, or find a leprechaun who will just give me a pot of gold, and by pot of gold I mean access to an endless expense account.

The thing is, it's all very well and good to saturate my mind with images of Ikat print maxi dresses and wedge sandals, but it's a lot more fun to actually have those things tangibly in my hands. This morning, while massaging my cuticles in a History of Art class, I started ticking off my irrational expenditures: regular coffees at Cup 'O Joe (which, in my defense, started because I had a gift card and then got wildly out of hand), cocktail after cocktail after work... actually, that's kind of where the list ended. Those beverages, while on opposite ends of the chain, are sucking up a pretty penny from my elephant gray faux leather handbag.

On my way home from class I made a stop at the grocery store and bought coffee grounds. I hadn't made coffee myself at home in well over a year, so I decided to buy some froo froo creamer to mask the failure if it turned out poorly. I also have resigned myself to the fact that I will have to start drinking well vodka when out and about and only drink Ketel One when cocktailing in my abode. I'm not sure who is going to be more upset about that; me, or the bartenders who are about to take a serious cut in income.

It's all in the name of style. If I am serious about this blog, I need to buckle down and devote myself to translating my interest in style to my life in style. After February ends, I'm going to start trying to add at least one interesting contribution to my wardrobe each week. I have to wait because not only do I know about 100 people born in February (and thus have already done quite a bit of gift giving and merry making), in the US it is a customary tradition [read: law] to fork over a chunk of change to renew your license plates. Happy birthday to me.

I do, however, recognize it is unrealistic to think I will be buying every beautiful thing that strikes my fancy. That is why I am about to delve into a world that I am generally not a fan of in Ohio: thrifting. When I lived in California there were thrift shops galore! Everywhere I turned I could buy an aged Aerosmith t-shirt from some tour they did at least a decade before I was an embryo. That's not exactly my style-- and neither is the west coast-- so not only is it going to be a challenge to do some quality thrifting here in the Great Lakes region, it's also going to be a constant quest for things that fit my aesthetic.

Which is...?

Honestly, I dabble. I like to entertain the idea of bouncing between styles and costuming myself. At the moment, my interests for casual wear are in classic American styling circa the early '70s with a touch of eclectic accessories and patterns. When it comes to a more dressed up approach, I'm finding myself drawn to a Daisy Buchanan type of femininity; soft, floaty, the wardrobe equivalent to whipped cream. Of course, Daisy did a lot of loose draping and on my body, tailoring is key. A little volume here and there is okay, but my dimensions do not allow for much. It's easy for me to end up looking as though my ensemble doubles as a camping tent, just in case I were to be stranded. In terms of hair, I am almost always attracted to a touchable look that can survive a little rough and tumble. Ideally, activity will only add to its appeal!

And truthfully, I love a bit of head to toe va-va-voom. I'm only going to be 23 almost 24 once! I don't want to be 85 years old and looking back at pictures wondering why I didn't work it when I had the chance.

The variety of fashion interests I have, paired with my lowly student budget, leads me to stand that much stronger in my opinion that style should absolutely not be dictated by trends alone. Things need to last season to season! When working with limited funds, it is important to prioritize and decide which pieces are worth investing in and which are not. I am also making it a goal to find as many fantastic goodies as I can via thrifting. With any luck, that combination of tools will help me move my style interests from the digital to the day-to-day.

All that being said... let's not even talk about the price tag on this ensemble:

Chloe

Yeah. I will accept that expense account, if anyone is offering.

Wear your style on your sleeve.

I am fortunate to have a job that allows me to play with style a bit more than I could if I worked at say, a bank or a doctor's office. Our dress code is not very strict-- they even acknowledge a statement necklace or scarf as a "third piece". With that said, we do have rules about sleeves. Anything we wear needs to at least go past the edge of our shoulder and cover at least a smidgen of our arm.

As I was browsing ModCloth this evening, I discovered a plethora of dresses with sleeves on them. Now, while some people may not consider that a hot commodity, anyone who has ever worked in fashion retail can appreciate the frequent frustrations of customers in search of "dresses with sleeves". Generally the only things available are dowdy or very Mother of the Bride-esque. ModCloth, however, embraces the need for sleeves and provides a bountiful selection. Here are some of my favorites.

Made in Jade Dress
(They say to save the best for last, but this is one of my absolute favorites and I'm opting to start with it! Aside from the fantastic color, I am loving the wrap style of this. So often I try on wrap dresses and wonder exactly what I am supposed to do about the fact that it is hanging open all the way down to my belly button. This dress is far more demure. The sash is very trend right for Spring and Summer but still looks classic. Faboosh!)

Sketching Memories Dress
(How delightfully lady like! This dress will hug every curve without giving away the details. I look it at and instantly see a woman of relaxed good taste; can't you imagine the loose braid cascading over her left shoulder with a handful of strands threatening to fall free? I would wear this with a nude sandal or pump and accessorize with navy and gray baubles.)

Art Collector Dress
(This dress is impossibly chic. I feel as though anytime a woman wears ivory, white, eggshell-- whatever variation on those colors you prefer-- she exudes a certain elegance that cannot be captured by black. That is coming from a girl who wears black in some shape or form, as The Beatles would say, eight days a week. This is sleek and polished. What would be really fun would be to mix it up with an extremely saturated burgundy pump and sheer black hosiery. That would play up the femininity from a completely different angle!)

Flowers of Romance Dress
(Could this be any sweeter? I love the cornflower blue and marigold colored flowers on this. The shade of red is perfection and has just the right amount of orange. My favorite part is the neckline; it's low cut without being vulgar. That translates to a little cleavage without advertising the color of your bra... unless, of course, you want to. LOVE.)

Cover Charge Dress
(I realize this is not a sleeved dress per se, but I LOVE IT and think it would make a fantastic birthday night out dress for moi. I definitely have birthday on the brain since that special day is fast approaching.)

I'm taking donations.

I love Lauren Hutton a lot. It's not because I have crooked teeth or something and identify with her. In fact, my mother works for an orthodontist, so these babies are straight straight straight. I do, however, LOVE the gap in her teeth and the fact that she did not feel the need to have it "corrected" in an effort to fit in with traditional standards of beauty in our society.

I feel kind of similarly about teeth as I do about hands. As long as they are clean and maintained, I'm a fan of whatever makes them different. Hands in particular can tell a story about where a person's life has been. Teeth, however, are something we are born with and inherently "us".

Physical beauty aside, I adore Lauren Hutton's style. She's classic American with a twist. Often I see pictures of her in hats and think, "I really wish I could pull that off." Hats just aren't my thing. I like to blame it my opinion that my head is excessively large for my body, but the truth is I am constantly on a quest to add more volume to my hair and hats are not the way to do that. No matter how many magazines publish articles claiming they've found a cure for hat hair, not a once have the tips worked.

Getting back to the subject at hand-- Lauren Hutton-- I would like to discuss a fabulous pair of jeans I discovered today at work. Based on their name, I'm assuming she was the inspiration. While wandering departments to pull looks for an appointment, I came upon these little gems and fell madly in love.

Citizens of Humanity "Hutton" Trousers
(Paradise wash)

Holy. Macaroni. I would love to pretend I reacted in an ultra cool fashion and simply grabbed them in my size to try on, but my reaction was a little more on par with how many people respond to hearing they're pregnant. I felt as though I had just found an extension of myself and responded accordingly:

"OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. WHEN DID THESE COME IN?! Oh my god. I love them! BE IN MY LIFE! I need these. Watch my department, I have to go to my fitting rooms. Ahhh!"

To some extent I wish they would have looked like crap so I would feel a lot less inclined to drop, ehh, more money than I typically do on denim. They did not look crappy. In fact, they looked as though someone took my body, made a mold, and these jeans were sculpted on it. Very rarely do I discover pants that fit both my abnormally skinny legs and my adequately plump hind quarters without any alterations. The only problem was length, which I am accustomed to dealing with, and was certainly aided by the fantastic Vince Camuto "Mimis" sandal I tried them on with... I have a problem.

Let's be honest though, I wear pants very rarely and jeans only make appearances on occasion. Spending a sizeable chunk of change on a fabulous dress is way more excusable. With that said, I would be happy to wear these all day and sleep in them all night if that is what is necessary to own them. I also am willing to eat ramen noodles every day, two meals a day, to justify the hideously irresponsible expenditure on my Student Who Works (and drinks expensive vodka) Budget. I realize I could downsize the cost by cutting my cocktail intake, but I'm not willing to do that, so that's not even worth lingering on. Food I am much more willing to tighten my purse straps on.

So now I am wrestling with my choice to purchase them and rationalizing away the irresponsibility in my head because they are called "Hutton," a throwback to a style icon I love. Obviously it's meant to be! I really love them. The "paradise" wash is perfect. While I love the J Brand "Love Story" jeans, I don't love the wash I tried on because it's a lot darker than what I'm after. I love how fantastically faded the Citizens are. They embody that relaxed, 70s casual vibe I'm after in a bell bottom. Give me those and a blousy white button down and I will go to town with that ish.

Ahh. I want. I want I want I want!