for the love of a gold chain

♥ a valentine a day [ day three ] ♥


Thank you all for the nice comments you've been leaving about my daily valentine posting! I'm so happy that you are enjoying it!! ♥

Its a well-known fact that I’m addicted to vintage gold chains. Big chains, little chains, chains with interesting elements, chains that look old... I simply cannot say no when I find them at thrift shops--especially since they’re usually so reasonable. My addiction has caused much comment by my mother: “you’re not buying another gold chain?!”. I even garnered the nickname “Mrs. T.” (as in, Mr. T.; think Rocky and The A-Team) in one of my classes last semester due to my wearing chains constantly.


Now, I find the trick with wearing gold chains tastefully is to pair them with other elements that aren’t gaudy, so as to play down the potential “blingage” overdose. Because I’m just not a glittery type of gal. ;) I’m constantly playing with them to figure new ways to wear them. Layered was my favorite for awhile: two or three small to mid-sized chains with a long strand of pearls. After that phase I started wearing them wrapped around my wrist 8-12 times (depending on the length) instead of around my neck. It was a very rock-chic look that I liked (and still do); perfect for dressing up a plain tshirt and jeans. Right now, I’m wearing mostly my mid-sized chains singly or wrapped 3-times around my neck (since odd numbers are more aesthetically pleasing to the eye; yes, I think about those things with accessories...). The long chain look is really cute with the tunic/trapeze tops I’ve been wearing lately and help to give a little definition to my waist (by not letting the front of the top billow out so much!). But just a single chain can be boring, so I’ve taken to pinning and clipping various elements to the chains. I have a little stash of gold-tone vintage pins that I’m having fun with. Right now I’m wearing my newest acquisition: a gold-tone flower with a pearl center. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I found it... it was so perfect for spring (heck--I’m wearing it now in the dead of winter! lol) and was only a dollar. Couldn’t beat that. lol.

So I encourage you to go reevaluate your jewelry stash: try looking at the elements, not the whole pieces. Mixing and matching is your friend, finding new uses for things like pins or rings, layering various pieces... I’ve even been looking at some antique hardware elements (drawer pulls) and trying to figure out how I can attach them, pendant-style, to a necklace! Play, have fun and let me know what you come up with!!


I have to admit, today, besides some *ahem* shopping I did this morning and trying to make a dent in the homework list, I’ve been utterly glued to the computer surfing around for pictures of the Fall/Winter collections being shown in New York now. I’m rather curious to see how F/W 2007 develops; so far everything has seemed to be an extension of Fall/Winter 2006. Lots of dark colors (greys and blacks seem big again), layering, loose cuts, minimalist overtones... Not that I’m complaining, but it seems like they’re could be some more innovation here! My favorite collections (thus far! lol!) are BCBG, Yigel Azrouel, and Rag and Bone (I’m totally in love with those long spats in the R&B collection... and I recently spotted some knit spats at Anthro; could this be a new project for me? lol.). I’ll probably be posting a lot of fashion-related stuff this week since I can get quite obsessed with this... hehe.

in which she rambles

♥ a valentine a day [ day two ] ♥

Did you see?? Anthropologie is putting out catalogs twelve times a year!!! *dies* I’m addicted, but not just because they carry such pretty and drool-worthy clothes that are ever so artsy, but the catalogs are just enourmous sources of visual inspiration to me. Beautifully photographed and composed. I literally have a little stack of them next to my bed to flip through in the evenings... Its sad, isn’t it?

After much hunting, whining to myself at the lack of a good magazine selection at any of the local bookstores, and getting ready to just give up, I finally procured a copy of the March issue of Romantic Homes. One of my favorite bloggers, Alicia Paulson of Posie, was featured in this issue! Its a lovely, color-saturated walk through her amazing home. Seriously drooling over the creativeness pictured! Just looking at the sun-soaked photos lifts me right out of my mid-winter doldrums. If you need something nice and pretty to keep on your nightstand, be sure to pick this issue up (not to mention there are a lot of other nice things in here too!).

holiday hangover

Wow. I woke up this morning and checked my email to find a comment from the lovely Philo mentioning that I had been featured on Whip Up! I’m just... blown away (is that too exaggerated?)! Really. I honestly didn’t think my little paint chip pieces were that fab, but I’m glad other people are enjoying them! Thanks, Whip Up!

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas! It was a bit of a mixed bag for me. Sunday morning was fabulous--I wore my vintage dress and got a ton of compliments on it (its such a beautiful, nearly pristine, dress that it just loves compliments! lol!), including a couple people saying I needed to get professional pictures taken in it! Like an idiot though, I totally forgot to take pictures of me in it!!! No matter though, I plan on wearing it again this Sunday since it’s New Year’s Eve. Sunday evening was a little rocky: I managed to pinch my right eyeball while taking my contacts out causing some bleeding and a little discomfort! Ouch is right! I was very afraid I’d have to spend Christmas morning in the emergency room, but thankfully it seems to have cleared up (though it still looks ugly). I just have been wearing my old glasses for a couple days to prevent any undue strain. But, needless to say I was not a happy girl as of late Sunday evening.



Christmas morning itself was lovely though. We took our time getting around to opening presents; I was able to read a few chapters in Elegance (more about that later) and tea was made before we all settled in front of the tree for exchanging gifts. I had spent the previous three days working my fingers to the bones on a pair of green fingerless mitts (using the Fetching pattern from Knitty) for my sister. She had requested them back in August, forgotten about them, and was utterly delighted when she opened them! They’re perfect for those late nights in the chilly house hunched in front of her computer using her new tablet. ;) I think the best part of Christmas is giving to others, rather than what I get, so I’m going to avoid undue bragging here. Except to say that Santa did bring me a new Olympus digital camera! This baby is a piece of technological beauty; over 14 preset modes for specific photography situations (indoors, fireworks, candlelight, self-portrait, behind glass, museum, etc.), macro and super-macro, a nice bright flash... so much more than my well-used Fuji FinePix (a good first camera, but it was several years old, not to mention limping after a run-in with a ceramic floor). I’ve been having fun playing with it! Its going to be fun to document that bangle tutorial I promised with this (which is on my agenda for today)!



A few days ago I noticed a post on my Live Journal friends list mentioning in passing the book Elegance by Genevieve Antoine Dariaux, published in 1964 and billed as "A Complete Guide for Every Woman Who Wants to be Well and Properly Dressed on All Occasions". I had picked it up over the summer at a used book sale for next to nothing, being intrigued by the title, subject (clothes! fashion! style! what more could a girl want?!), and the vintage publishing date. I hadn’t picked it up until now though, and have been having a delightfully good time reading it. It deals with topics of "elegance" from a-to-z (age to zippers!) and is quite charming. Some of the advice still rings very true (see "Fashion"), some is quite dated (1960s ideas about women in the workplace, foundation garments), and yet some is just plain silly (see "Eccentricity")! Its a fun, light read and look back at the fashion ideas of the age it was written in. Reading it, I realize how lucky I am to live in a time where fashion is so much less conformist and predicated on owning expensive garments to look chic. Online communities like Wardrobe Remix have really highlighted the free-for-all mentality that modern fashion has taken and I think is far more interesting (not to mention encouraging creative expression of self, worldview and lifestyle through clothes).

So, I have had a ton going on and it looks like it isn’t going to slow down right up to the start of the new semester! But, I am looking forward to making some time for further crafting (like finishing the ladybird and apple bags...) in the coming days and weeks. What, I haven’t a clue yet. Anyway, I need to do some serious catch up with all my friend’s blogs--I tried very hard last week as I was finishing those mitts to keep myself from getting distracted! lol. In the next day or two look for that bangle tutorial! :)

street style in motion

I know I said I wouldn't be posting until the weekend, but I couldn't not say anything about this!! Get thee over to Style.com to view the Satorialist's latest effort to document the glamorous world of New York City fashion. A short, but terribly inspiring and informative, video interviewing three stylish women on the streets of NYC.

I love how the last girl shared two points about fashion that pretty much sum up my philosophy about dressing: "black always goes with black" and "its better to be overdressed than underdressed in any situation". These are words I live by. ;)

Enjoy!!

a little something

After I posted my previous entry, whining about how I couldn't get my act together yesterday, I decided to just give up and do something mindless. For several weeks I had been stewing over doing a minimalist grouping of wall-hangings for over my bed. My first idea was to use canvases and paint word on them (typography!), but that proved a little more involved than I wanted to be right now. A few nights ago in a fit of extreme late night inspiration, I conjured up the idea to use some foam board, linen and red perl cotton. After a couple hours of work yesterday evening, this is what I finished with:

I rather like it. Very modern, informal and "me" (as my sister pointed out when I showed her; the swirly lines are one of my "signature" motifs that show up again and again in my artwork). Besides, I've been trying to push my room's decor in a more modern, artsy direction than it currently is. I'm a compulsive old "stuff" collector, so my room has a tendency to begin to look a bit like an antique store... lol. Paired with the nautical blue walls, it can look a little stuffy in there. The antique 1860s fashion prints have come down and are now replaced with Toulouse-Lautrec prints (framed in clear glass), now the white metal headboard is gone from over the bed. Soon I hope to have a new comforter covered with a Laurie Smith mid-century inspired print. Its all about bringing some more interesting colors into the space. I've despaired of ever getting the room repainted, so in the famous words of Tim Gunn, I'm going to "make it work". ;)

I went to get my hair cut this afternoon--the perm is basically gone (or rather, it was starting to go and I just helped it along...), and my hair was looking blah. I got that done and then spent the afternoon in the masses of humanity that are out Christmas shopping. Stopped in a few stores to look at clothes, including my favorite boutique: Cusp. Cusp is Neiman Marcus's "little sister" store focused on carrying trendy lines targeted toward the 20-something hip and moneyed crowd (which I don't fit into, but a girl can dream, right? ;). I always love seeing the Diane von Furstenburg dresses and Catharine Malandrino sweaters. *sigh* Talk about serious clothing lust. I found the cutest little coat dress today in there! It was made from heavy cotton jersey, like the kind they make yoga pants out of. It was basically a large rectangle with a scoop neck and peter-pan collar. The sleeves were large and boxy, but gathered at the end (which was about elbow length) to create a very femenine balloon sleeve. I just loved the simplicity of the dress! I wish I could remember the designer--I should have wrote down who it was, because it was a familiar name to me. :p I hate when I have forgetful moments like this! I also saw the famed Marc Jacobs shoes that I've seen in all the fall editorials and I thought were positively ugly. They do not improve upon closer inspection. Sorry, but the heels just look like they're going to snap right off...

Today was one of those days I desperately wished that I was in Manhattan rather than DC. I was dressed very NYC: black turtleneck, wide-leg jeans (courtesy Gap--finally found a pair of jeans I can live with), leopard print flats, minimal jewelry and my favorite 1960s vintage black and white plaid coat. I didn't help I was listening to the Devil Wears Prada soundtrack during my drive. Plus, my friend K. has been telling me her plans of going to NYC over Christmas break with her boyfriend. Gosh, I'm sooooo jealous!! hehe. Maybe one day I'll make it back up to New York... one day. :D

style icon: lauren bacall

(The first in an occasional series.)

I remember the first time I really sat up and noticed Lauren Bacall. I was watching Key Largo with my dad. Though the movie is one of my favorites for many reasons, Lauren Bacall caught my notice that evening because of her simple, classic and effortlessly elegant style. I don't think I've ever seen any woman wear a simple tailored shirt, dirndle skirt and espadrilles quite like she did in the beginning of that film.

The style she cultivated in the 1940s is my favorite of all her looks. Her angular looks suited the strong, sometimes severe, lines of 1940s fashion. She has, however, continued to be a very elegant woman through the ensuing decades as well (I just chose to focus primarily on her 1940s style in this post). If you look closely at the pictures I've posted, you'll see that many of her outfits are simple; almost basic. Even her jewelry and accessories are carefully chosen for the outfit. They never scream for attention, nor are they too unobtrusive; they just harmonize with the overall look. I think Lauren Bacall's 1940s style is the closest of any star from that era to my own approach to clothing and dressing. Pick a few simple garment shapes that suit you, a few strong pieces of jewelry and go with them. Wear the outfits, rather than the outfits wearing you. Its a simple aesthetic that rings true even today.

What are some details that you notice in these pictures? Tell me your thoughts and ideas!

images from various websites, but the majority are courtesy simply classics