He, he... I win!

As a retail employee, I am painfully aware of just how badly stores want rid of last season's merchandise. Now, boots have got to be one of the most expensive things out there, especially when you're me, and you demand quality footwear. I walk too much for cheap shoes! So, I've only very recently started looking for boots.

After cruising the usual outlets, I decided to check Ebay for a week or so, and was mildly (very mildly) surprised to find that vintage boots cost near as much as new ones! I bid $50 on the beuts above, with faux croc heels, and was instantly outbid... I said screw it, I see where this is going!

On a chance outing to Urban Outfitters today (after returning a Statistics textbook... my drawing classes are way too work-intensive already!), I found the perfect new boots for $74. A very good deal, considering they're perfect. No, faux croc heel, but a perfect chestnut brown (the photo does not accurately depict the color) and just the right height for someone of smaller stature whose legs often get swallowed by tall boots.

When I got home, I saw that I lost the auction, of course, but it ended at $96 for the vintage boots, plus $12.95 S&H! Now who won??


[images via ebay and urbn.com]

Videos of the Day!

My wonderful boyfriend sent me a link to this priceless 1930's video about the Future of Fashion and what space-people of the year 2000 might be wearing. I'm still thinking about the accuracy of the "cantilever heels" prediction. Junko Shimada heels, above.

Ohh, swish!

See if you can follow this video to the land of super-neat shirt storage. Demonstrates an unconventional method of folding shirts.

Ready, set, fold!



[image via Manolo's Blog]

Behold! And take note!!

Peep this ballzy outfit. Wardrobe Remix user "Lewis Mirrett Photography" ratchets male fashion up a notch in this pic by smashing near every norm out there, with panache and retaining masculinity. FAB.

Not only are leggings pants, but they are men's pants. The more staid yet still offbeat blazer/shirt combo create the perfect foil for the lame (that's luh-may!) leggings, which if you ask me are a boon for the vegan leather-lover. The shoes are sharp and the satchel is gorgeous, yet perfectly professional as well. Well done, my friend, well done.

Close Encounter of The Bat Kind

Today, I found a bat on the ground and put it into a coffee cup and took it to the zoology building because it's back legs seemed broken. He was otherwise extremely cute (I have a soft spot for bats) and was licking up the traces of coffee still in the cup. He also took a drag of my cig. ;)

The guy I took it to had the NY Times on his desk, open to an article about how many bats are becoming "inappropriately aroused", or coming out of hibernation before they should, then dying of either starvation, because there aren't any insects out to eat this time of year, or of a fungal infection or pneumonia. Eek!

I asked him what I should do for him, and he told me to stick him in my fridge for one day, then move him into the freezer. Why? To kill him! Helloo!!! Like, I keep Hot Pockets in there...

This dude was not into saving the weak, waxing poetic on killing off those with disabilities and the elderly. Luckily, a much cooler girl came by and said she knew someone who might be able to take in Lord Batley, III as I had named him. Hope he's doing all right, or at least not hanging out with Dr. Death... Poor Batley!

First Day of Spring Quarter...

... and I feel like I may already be in over my head! I'm most nervous about a couple of drawing classes. One's a croquis-drawing class and the other, an Adobe Illustrator (!) class. Hand-drawing is okay for me, as long as it doesn't involve much perspective and is around the size of a half-dollar. But any bigger and my lines get shaky as balls!

Then I'm serving as a T.A. for a Costumes and Cultures class, about which I'm thrilled. I even get to lecture a bit; the prof gave me the topic of Symbolic Interaction -- when someone's appearance cues you to behave in a certain way (i.e., a nun in a habit causes you to mind your language). So cool. Additionally, I have a volunteer project coming down the pike, wherein I'll be helping to catalog items in the Historic Costume and Textiles collection. In the parlance of Posh, "Mayjah." This will be my most difficult quarter yet, I think, but also the most fun, rewarding, and professionally helpful.

To motivate myself to "go get 'em girl", I've posted this pic from Wardrobe Remix of Kissing Candy. Love the Chucks and lady-like gloves combo, and the shot itself is terrific. Reminds me of "Freaky Friday" (the original) where Jodie Foster, in her mother's body, plays baseball with the boys.


[pic via wardroberemix.com]

3.15.08. Saturday. Pie Day!

We got up early and snagged a snack from the Sleepless Goat. Was stuck to "The Lonely Goatherd" from "The Sound of Music" all day.

Chris and his friend Owen have an awesome radio program called "Cognitive Dissonance" about psychology and music (listen in on www.cfrc.ca). We went to the studio in Carruthers Hall at Queen's College to sit-in on that day's show. Much to my fright and eventual amusement, I actually got to be on the show! We talked about favorite songs, making granola, and singing as a cure for stuttering.

Afterwards, we went to the flea market and found this great deer figurine! I've been on the prowl after having broken the porcelain star of my 2009 calendar and now I can begin shooting again. I took this shot today, next to the first blooms I've seen this year.

Afterwards, we took to the supermarket to pick up pie ingredients. In honor of our coming, Chris planned a Pie Party! Chris was going to make a poutine pie. For those who don't know, and I didn't, poutine is Canadian "drunk food": fries, gravy, and cheese. And tonight, these items were going into a pie crust.

Just about as soon as we returned, I realized that I felt like a bum not contributing a pie! The only food place still open was a convenience store, so I bought some chocolate pudding cups, a pack of oreos, Cool Whip and a pie crust and proceded to put together an Oreo Pie. I was more than gratified when I overheard guests tell eachother to check out the chocolate pie!

Other pies that came to or were constructed at the party: a lattice-crusted Apple-Blackberry Pie, Pear and Stilton (my personal fave. Amazing.), Banoffee (my close second-fave. Bananas, Dulce de Leche, Chocolate. Recipe detailed on my food blog, here.) There was also Chocolate Pecan, Lemon Meringue, and Chris' Poutine Pie.

Everybody got nice and drunk and full of pie, then challenged eachother to Crokinole, a game that melds Tiddlywinks and shuffleboard... the party was amazing. Thanks Chris!

Vacation in Review! March 14, 2008. Friday.

Starting our drive at 5 a.m. didn't pan out like we wanted, so packing some leftovers from my Dad's birthday dinner the night before, we headed out around 10 a.m. An hour up the highway, we had to turn around, having forgotten my passport.

After righting that wrong, we drove through burgs all through the great states of Ohio and New York and found ourselves safely over the border. Along the way, we listened to The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon, some stand-up comedy, and Justice.

We arrived in Kingston around 9 p.m. and enjoyed a mellow night with destination-friend Chris, beer, and banana chips. Chris has an excellent apartment right in the middle of town; excellent not only in location but in its tasteful well-appointedness. We sacked out relatively early on the Best Futon Ever.

I find this really awesome.

Man, I will fall over dead the day I become this ingenious. Every designer must imagine the life that their creations will lead but few actually give one, of sorts, to them. Pictured, "Sleeping Beauty", a lamp which slowly knits itself when it is turned on. Designed by Nadine Sterk, a student at the Design Huis in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. A beautiful "blowing of the life breath" into a machine by its maker.



[image and story via boingboing.net]

I find this really sad.

In this promotional photo for The House of Dereon's children's line, the baby analog of Beyonce is the star of this shoot, the white child is in the foreground, and the black child relegated to a seat in the back. Hmm.



[photo via Dlisted.com]

Montreal, NYC...!

My boyfriend and I are taking a trip to Montreal to meet up with his best friend, and to see Justice and others at the Myspace Music Tour in Montreal. Then we're sojourning to NYC to spend some time with my brother and some old friends.

This all goes down, and we're going by car, at 4 a.m. on Friday. Eep!!! I have to pack!! I have to have the perfect electropop-show outfit! The car thing is gonna rule. We have both The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay and Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates to listen to (if you have neither read nor listened to these, you must!), as well as the most gigantic ipod available crammed with everything else we could ever hope to hear. ;)

Above is what my Justice outfit is gonna look like, if all goes right... Urban Outfitters has these riDIC clear wayfarers with clear lenses. The above is a close approximation. Unitard I've been wanting going on a couple years, and the gold wedge sneakers I blogged about last month or so. Add my skinny flourescent orange web belt that has saved many a boring outfit, and the scarf in my previous post, transformed into a necklace of sorts by tying it in knots at intervals down its length. Last but not least, some bright pink lipstick on a nude and rude face.

I'm most excited to see what people will be wearing. There will be pictures. Trust.


P.S.--- woulda polyvore'd all this but, I gotta PACK!!!



[photos: urbanoutfitters.com, americanapparel.net, sephora.com]

Thrifting Bounty

Like I've said previously, I'm no floral-lover. However, with black tights or otherwise juxtaposed with irony or toughness, they take on a new likeability. This spring and summer, urged on by a long black halter dress I rocked all last summer, I've been seeking out maxi skirts. These will be both skirts and dresses. I'm especially excited to get a black scarf underneath the bust of the tan-colored one and wear it with black tights and heels. The colors are a bit milquetoast-y in this pic; they're way mo' bettah in person.

This loveliness in followed by a fantastic, huge scarf I found with an image of villagers, oxen and eery trees with a foreign (Filipino?) script.

Lastly, a tank top that reflects my teenage obsession with muscle cars: Hot pink with peach binding and reads "GTO: Get Turned On"! Paired with this scarf that the cashier mistakenly put in my bag, I think it'll make a lovely coupling with some higher-waisted shorts.

Delish!

On Me Today

Reflecting on my previous post, "Can Shorts With Tights Ever Be Cool?", I decided to find out if it would work for me. Here, on a visit to the thrift store and with the help of a package from Newport News sent to me by my mother and filled with leggings of all lengths and in black and white, I wore the Above.

The suede boots were thrifted a couple of summers ago for $3. No lie, they're the most comfortable pair of shoes I own besides Nikes!

As for the white leggings, I'm considering dip-dyeing of tie-dyeing them varying shades of pink.

Return of Future-Fetishism

Some scans from the new Marie Claire Italia have surfaced on Livejournal, depicting a woman in silky jumpsuits romancing what looks to be Asimo. I immediately thought of Sixties advertisements for things like Clairol Moonbabies lipsiticks and Bjork's beautiful video for "All is Full of Love", directed by Chris Cunningham. Which, by the way, is one of the most touching and erotic videos I've seen ever seen, definitely gives testament to the power of a three-minute music video.

I think the Marie Claire shoot could have been a lot sexier... isn't it fashion's de facto job to push boundaries? The above image was the raciest of the bunch. With a little more "realness", like say, making the robot life-size, to up the "squeam" factor that enters when you can't tell if something is alive or not (there's a word for it...), it could be a valuable social commentary... about people falling in love through technological mediums and with eachother's avatars or online personas... hm...




[Bjork photo from www.director_file.com, Marie Claire photo from foto_decadent at community.livejournal.com]

The Men.

The fashion fierceness of the female of the species is voraciously documented on the interwebs, but where are all the guys?

Check out these dudes. I love how Guy #1's scarf and rings are popping out against his heavily subdued outfit. I love Guy #2's "Bill Nye Rapping about Clown School" outfit. Guy #3 looks like a more lively Walt Whitman. He knows how to mix it up. Classic, and funky! There aren't enough pictures of older people out there, and that what's I love Sartorialist for. All ages, all sexes, all races. Guy #4 is the most fascinating guy I've seen in awhile. That self-assuredness! That hat/scarf/necklace/cigarette/everything! This is how cool is done, and apparently it's done in France (where the photo was taken). In fact, I think all the photos were snapped in Europe.

And while dressing well seems to be done with more aplomb overseas, for all the fellas out there, Guys #1 and #2 are perfect primers. All they're doing is refusing to take things too seriously, and putting one or two things they really like or think is funny and toning 'em down with a couple of things every guy has in the closet. Alex, you're welcome.

[Guys #1,3 and 4 come via thesartorialist.blogspot.com, Guy #2 comes via hel-looks.com]

On Me Today

Haven't done one of these in the while... last week of the quarter and busy busy. Today it is snowing incredibly and had to call off work.

Boots: Calvin Klein, got 'em from Century 21
Pants: American Rag.
Cardigan: thrifted
Jacket: thrifted from my last journey.
Scarf: thrifted
Hat: Minimarket, Williamsburg.

Also, last week I was voted one of the "Thrift Stars of the Week" on the Painfully Hip blog. I couldn't believe it! Truly an honor! I went thrifting a couple of nights ago and decided to invest, if I may call it that, in some classically 1990's minimalist long dresses, which I love. A few more scarves to round out my burgeoning collection, and a cute green suede purse with a wicker inset that will make its debut up here verrrry soon.

Ow!

Pictured, The Stiletto Run held today in Amsterdam. The winner of the 380-yard dash said, when asked how she would spend her $15,000 prize, "Anything but shoes". The minimum heel height was 3.5"! Check out that chick in front! Then check out the full story here.


[AP News Photo via Yahoo! news]

Jovovich-Hawk: Meh

There's been a lot of buzz surrounding the newest of Target's guest designer collections. Generally, I don't get excited about it, because even though Proenza Schouler or Luella Bartley or whomever designed it, the clothes get wrung-through the costing machine. At the end of the day, they are going to be the same quality as all the other clothes sold at Target (kinda, meh).

But everything looked good online, at least, so I went in. As soon as I saw the size tags, I was immediately disappointed. These are Juniors' sized clothing. This stuff hasn't fit me since I was 14. But I tried it on anyway, and, like all Juniors' clothing, gives the impression that one's curvaliciousness is outsized and grotesque beneath its narrow confines. I got depressed. The cute, floaty dress of better-than-Target quality, actually, with pretty "glass" buttons would not be mine.

Which got me thinking.

+Why is the most on-trend stuff (available to a suburban consumer) cut in Juniors' sizes?

+I understand the theory behind the narrow cuts of Juniors' sizes, but as someone who has worked in a Juniors department, I can attest that maybe 5-10% of teenage girls have a figure that is flattered by this cut.

+Girls are developing earlier and earlier. Why do they not cut the clothing to reflect this? My guess is that it's cheaper to make Juniors' sizes because they do not require as many cost-inflating shaping methods (darts, ease, etc) as Missy sizes.

+I think that when girls try on clothing that's supposedly "made for them" and yet it doesn't fit right, it creates an opportunity for body dysmorphia to sprout. I know that as a teenager I felt horrible in Juniors' clothing and thought that something was probably wrong with my body if it couldn't fit the clothes that were made for it. Wouldn't it be more socially responsible for apparel makers to put a little more thought into the fit of young WOMEN'S clothing?

I feel a little self-conscious about trying to warn people away from buying Juniors'-sized clothing, because it is so cheap and trendy, but you've got to be good to yourself. Unless you're twelve, or have a boyish frame, wearing these clothes makes you feel as if your body is somehow untamed and needs to be changed in order to look right.

Clothes are about looking and feeling good. Buy wisely!

[image via target.com]

Latest Obsession

Why do I want these? I can't stop thinking about them. With a unitard and a denim vest. With black thigh-high socks and a denim mini. With rolled up, loose jeans and a basic v-neck? Suspenders? ...hot...

But I'm wrestling with myself --- are these OK to wear after high school? How do I avoid looking more like Liv Tyler in the "Crazy" video, and not like one of the 4 Non Blondes?


[pic via Zappos.com]