Very much in like with...

Things at the new gig are going well; I'm especially excited to flex my product development muscle a bit... I've been told, "Here's all of this awesome equipment, if you think of something cool we can do by all means...." And that makes me very excited, for I already have a few ideas up my sleeve, some of which I may share here soon.

Things that make me excited that I'll share right now are these:

Your Eyes Lie.

The most perfect of shirts, for those of us who always wanted a Diamond Dogs poster and Mickey Mouse ears, but the planets never aligned right.

Sorry for this miserable image from G-d knows where.

I like Lily, but I love Lily in glasses. These frames are legendary. I'm counting the days (well, months, really) til my health insurance kicks in, and then I'm going to bring the four-eyed rain.

YesStyle.

I'm totally in love with these hand-painted sneakers by HVBAO. I'm entertaining fantasies of taking a picture of myself wearing these on a park bench in fall. The beginning of October, in fact, when the wind blows crisply but the sun is still enough to warm you slightly if you sit still in one spot with your hands in your blue sweatshirt.

So you see, gentlemen, if you want to sell men on glass cielings, you can do it by providing some beautiful women to look up at!

Also, I'm in love with this utterly fantastic app from AMC. Dig yourself as a cartoonized character from MadMen! Keen!



Also, please do check out this haunting, 1964 version of the song, "Always Something There to Remind Me." I just discovered it today at dinner when my Sweets put on a record we hadn't listened to before. Amazing.

Cheers to new discoveries! What are you "very much in like with" this week?

Yours,

Elissa.

Newness.

Today I started at a new job. Everyone is funny and agreeable (and they read my blog, such good taste!). I'm excited to finally have a "dress like an adult" kind of job... although tomorrow I'll probably jeans it as they recommended, for I'll be down in the production area for the day making buttons and hopefully getting a whack at the embroidery machine, so I can learn more about the products I'll be promoting.

Blouse: Actually a dress, from Target. Skirt: Target. Hmm... Shoes: Nine West via Amazon. Bag: Urban Outfitters.

Shoes: Nine West via Amazon. Necklace: Forever 21. Bracelet: Thrifted.

After work (yes, after), I found what may well be the best workplace distraction besides Facebook. Looklet is a bit like Polyvore, but vastly improved. Your items appear on a model and in a setting of your choice, and putting together outfits is like playing high-tech paper dolls. There's also a "love it" feature which is rather gratifying when you've spent the last half hour "styling", as they put it (but really, why not call a spade a spade?). Below, a few that I've put together:


My little Trustifarian rocks a vest-topped, Grecian-inspired evening gown to a picnic. Though feeling the boho flavor, she still wouldn't forgo a classic bag. I mean let's get real. It's a Louis Vuitton, and besides, it was Grandmother's. It's vintage.


Here, my sexy, beach-going bookworm. She doesn't care much about the way she looks but she isn't shy, and manages to throw things together just so. A slouchy cardigan with a mesh bodysuit and wooden heels might be the perfect thing to wear on the boardwalk tonight when she has to break a boy's a heart because, sigh... he doesn't read.


Normally seen at a sprint around the school's track, this one has finally been coaxed into something feminine for the prom. Separates make it a bit more casual, and the asymmetrical weirdness of it all makes her outfit "like, I dunno... funner?". But don't expect her to wear some kind of lacy cover-up or stiff jacket. This girl feels at home in sweats, and she came to this party to move.



Who can explain my art? And why would you? What a useless concept. You either feel something, or you don't. I can tell that you're some tragic troglodite who wants me to wrap up my sculpture for you in a pretty bow, become something other than the blood, feathers and television sets that it is made of so you can take it home to your pretty wife and show off to all of your friends who will marvel at what a philistine you aren't. Well I won't be doing that for you. So good day, sir. Good day.

Looklet is still in Beta version, so helpful additions to the site like being able to import clothing from other websites (a strength of Polyvore's), or styling a guy would be nice. What do you think? Give it a try! Looklet, Polyvore or Photoshop?

Play on,

Elissa.

Winner!

I have to say that this was one of my more favorite contests to host, simply because it gave me the opportunity to be inspired by my readers. After many arduous hours reviewing the fashion-inspirational video clips you sent into me, a winner has been decided (by virtue of argument amongst myself and friends). This clip left me inspired for days later, and in fact served as a guide for a recent thrifting journey. The dress that I found there is at the dressmaker's being altered to Gwen-like hotness, but will make its debut here soon.

Here, the winning clip:



Reader known as "Midnight Cowgirl", you are the winner of the Current/Elliott Jean Leggings in Black, couresy of Chickdowntown. Shoot me an email at spandexpony@gmail.com for details on how to claim your prize!

A big thank-you to Chickdowntown for sponsoring the contest, and a huge, sloppy thank-you to all of you for sharing your inspirations with me!

Til next time,

Elissa.

Flowers 'n' Darkness

It suddenly dawned on me this week that the wedding countdown is nigh... three more months to go, and there's still so much to be done! This week alone, I researched photographers (and have since decided to look for a talented student, for the unorthodox eye and ahem-- affordable pricing), made an appointment for a cake-tasting, got most of the addresses I've been dragging my feet on asking for, and consulted with a florist (I'm gonna compare three).

Clockwise from top right: delphinium, foxtail fern, hyacinth hybrid, peony, hypericum berries, mini callas, a swag I'd like to see over the threshold of the gazebo, potential boutonierres for all of the men in attendance and the type of shape I'd like my bridal bouquet to be.

I'm not huge into flowers, but when working with someone who knows what they're doing, what looks good and what's possible, the juices got a-flowin. Since our theme is Art Deco and our colors are navy, peach and silver, I knew I wanted elegant, vertically-oriented flowers like hyacinth. The first florist guided me towards hypericum berries, peach mini callas, delphinium and foxtail ferns for vegetation. There's also a fountain where the ceremony and reception are, so we're going to float some waterlilies in there. Le sigh!!!

Blouse: thrifted. Shoes: JC Penney. Skirt: ModCloth. Necklace: KidViskous on Etsy.

I left the appointment excited, but with a tinge of sadness that grew throughout the day... Although I thankfully have the wonderful help of my soon-to-be mother-in-law, I do really wish that my mom were around to get excited with me, offer advice and bond with. I considered staying in last night for a gigantic weep-fest, but instead gussied up a bit to party with the ladies (and gents).

I love these shoes... I rampaged a clearance at JC Penney and got them for only $9!

Also, the contest has ended! I'll review all of your entries and pick a winner in the next couple of days. A big thank you to all who entered!

Yours,

Elissa.

HBIC

Say what you want about Anna Wintour, I am chomping at the bit to see "The September Issue". I am frankly impressed by her ability to hold fashion opinion so firmly by the balls. And, if unrelenting force of personality and ruthless rebuttal are the way to it, I say more power to her. Millions of people, of their own free will, buy what she sells. I'd like to know how she does it.



Ruthlessly yours,

Elissa.

Second chance...

These recent window displays at Barney's (now pulled) remind me of my trip with Stella the Cat to the vet today. Let's just say, my nice white blouse (which I wore to deflect her nervous, white shedding) now sports quite a few bloodstains on it. Nice.

image via Village Voice.

I also have some important news! The previous winner of the iPod Shuffle contest remains un-contact-able and so I've gone ahead and drawn another winner!



Will the reader known as Getpalmd please stand up? Put one of those fingers on each hand up and be proud to be out of your mind and out of control and...... then just email me at spandexpony@gmail.com!

For the rest of you hopeful hopefuls, there is still another contest for you to enter-- only 2 more days remain!

Good luck to all,

Elissa.

Recap!

It's taken me a full two days to recover from our marathon drive back from Chicago overnight so that I could work at 8 in the morning, but I'm finally ready to tell you a little bit about the Pitchfork Music Festival this past weekend.

Sandals: Delia's. Jams: Thrifted. Tank: 80's Purple. Jacket: Thrifted. Attitude: Inherited.

Our first stop was to a Wal-Mart in eastern Indiana to stock up on road-snacks and drinks. There, I found a kiddie Vespa in their bike aisle. I took it for the tiniest of spins in my favorite summer bottoms, a pair of culottes that wear more like jams, all flowy and below-knee-length in a spirited Hawaiian print.


What should have been a six hour trip or so turned into 8, what with the horrific traffic. We entertained ourselves by inserting road-snacks into our holes.



Finally, we got off an exit and had the locals direct us on the quickest, backwoods way of getting into Chicago. Here, my favorite road sign of the day, "Why are you reading when you could be eating?" That's it, ya'll close up your browsers and get yourself a burger. I'll be waiting.



We decided the whole day was a wash, but that we absolutely must find a way to make it to see Built to Spill. They went on at 8:30. We finally arrived at 8:45...


...Eastern time. Little did we know we'd crossed over into the land of Central Time, and we were actually 45 minutes early! Hurrah!

Jacket: thrifted. Tank (second in a series of animals wearing hats by Insight): Cultist. Jeans: Thrifted. Shoes: Strange Cargo.

The next day, my sweet's pleadings to go to Manny's fell on deaf ears. I wanted to revisit the Indian place where I had a tremendous samosa a few months back. Sadly for both of us, the samosas were the only good thing there, by a mile. Most horrendous Indian food of all time. Somehow, we figured out a way to be friendly to eachother despite.


An awesome window on Sheffield. They're good. Oh, they're very, very, good.

Not that I'm biased or anything, but the best two shows were definitely Matt & Kim and M83. Here, a picture of my sweets and I posing to "Colours". Things I saw the most of, fashion-wise? Fixed-gear bikes, boys wearing ballet flats (yes. You read it correctly. No more are pants the sole article of womens' clothing appropriated by the mens), white girls wearing hipster scarves in the style of the hijab, and Birkenstocks. Lots of them. On hipsters. My sweets estimates that, "hippies will have their day again, as the latent 'I spend money' message of hipsterism becomes outre beneath the crashing waves of a waning economy." That's why I love that mutha.

Also I love him, because he likes to go to Ikea. The friend with whom we stayed happens to live a block away from the Ikea so a breakfast of Swedish Meatballs turned into a full-scale house-outfitting mission. Keetonz appreciates the flokati rug we scored.

We also gorged ourselves on all the prints and posters for sale at Flatstock, but I'll have to reveal those to you in a future post.

While you wait, why not enter The Contest and win yourself a pair of Current/Elliott jeans?? Four more days...!


Yours,

Elissa.

Me, out!

You might not hear from me for a couple of days, as I'm headin' 'em up and movin' 'em out to Chicago to attend Pitchfork! Yeeeehawwww!!!

I'm most looking forward to seeing M83, The Walkmen, Vivian Girls, Yo La Tengo, and of course, Matt & Kim.



Follow me on Twitter to hear all about it!

Yours,

Elissa.

Currently in love with...

In an hour-and-a-half we meet to sign on a new place,
My nerves show not but for a tic on my face
So in order to calm myself (and provide you all with some reading)
I present to you all of the things I love/want/am needing:

"Elsita (Elsa Mora)" from Wardrobe Remix.

Poetically clad and picturesque-ly backgrounded
I'm epically obsessed with her photostream-- I'm dumbfounded
By her uncanny ability to channel Frida Kahlo
If I weren't kind of straight and attached I'd be her Diego.

Swacket via Harputs Market

Holy crap, it's like 80 garments in one.
If I find a spare $500, I'ma rock this, son!

Rock Candy Ribbon Necklace via Supermarket.

Speaking of rocks, howabout a whole strand?
I just wanna eat it -- no, wear it-- no--! Damn!

via Jpgmag.

Also, bananas. And turbans, and couches.
And a lady who lunches (on bananas), and slouches.

Style.com

Wait---! I never like Chanel, I said with a snarl.
Then why the hell do I suddenly love everything Karl?
The shoes above are so "punk Bonnie and Clyde",
And that hat's like a disco-ing flapper just died.

Ohmigawd...


Holy bejeweled crap...


Sigh, the layers, ooweeee!


Je besoin d'obtenir cettes vetements aujourd-hui!

A consummately perfect wedding gown,


Preceded by a Klimt-like kiss,


How amazingly galactic is this?

Sigh... off I go, not sure if we'll spring for it.
I've never hopped off a lease
Though the circumstances certainly call for it.

Til later, alligators,

Elissa.

Turning to face the strange.

When it rains, it pours, eh? Metaphorically speaking of course, for it's a sweltery one. I spent it in a sultrily thin cotton sundress that made me feel all "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof".

"'Memba how you used to love me?" Dress, thrifted. Belt, thrifted. Bag, thrifted. Shoes, JC Penney. Earrings, thrifted.

Orange is my favorite color...


I thrifted the dress serendipitously when I found it thrown over the rack. Shape unnoticed, I grabbed it prinicipally because the color sang out to me.

Look, I'm Edward Citrushands...

You never know when you'll need a favorite-colored ensemble. I know I do today, for a world of change is headed my way.

The only pair of clip-ons that I own, or that I'd wear. I made a special concession for these.

Remember my raccoon issues? Well, I still got 'em, in spades. And a host of other problems made worse by a super inattentive property management company and The Neighbors from The Bad Place. Like, "call the police, SPCA and Al Sharpton" bad.

So, fantasy love-nest it is no more. We're packing up once again. The good news is, we think we know where to and we think we've really picked a winner this time (this candidate has a dark room in the basement... EEEKKK!!)

And speaking of winners, why don't you try your hand at becoming one (not that you already aren't!) by entering my current contest brought to you by Chickdowntown! I'm really loving all the clips you're sending me.

Yours,

Elissa.

Contest!!!

Yup, again! And this time, even better!

One of my very first style icons was Mary Tyler Moore as Laura Petrie on The Dick van Dyke Show. Classic, clean, feminine and spunky.... I remember that it was this scene that firmly cemented her in my mental lookbook:



Black, skinny pants, pointed flats and a little crew sweater.... le sigh! Now you have the opportunity, courtesy of Chickdowntown, to start putting together your own unforgettable little number.

You (U.S. Residents only, tho) can score this pair of Current Elliott Jeans "The Legging" in Black!


All you have to do is leave a comment with a link to your favorite fashion-inspirational video. It could be a fashion show, a music video, a clip from "Big Love", it could be anything, really! Just leave the link and a blurb on what about it inspires you. Don't forget to leave an email address where you can be reached if you win!

The contests starts today, and ends on July 25th at 12 pm. A winner will be announced shortly thereafter! The prize is available in sizes 24-31... pick yours!

In the meatime, check out the rest of what Chickdowntown has to offer: Citizens of Humanity denim, C.C. Skye Jewelry, L.A.M.B. shoes, and so much more.... slobber....

You can also find Chickdowntown on Twitter and Facebook.

Good luck everyone!

Can't wait to see your fashion inspirational videos,

Elissa.

Like buttah.

The other day, my Sweets and I went to a butterfly show and gave the macro setting on my camera quite a workout...

This is my very favorite color right now... "Do you have this in Neon Butterfly Green?"

I've never been a butterfly kind of a girl, in fact, I often find their lilting flight to be kind of clumsy-- as if a telephone book were to take to the air.

You should click on the image for the full effect... this guy's understated, turkey-like coloring is quite beautiful close up!

Seeing them proximally, however, gave me a new appreciation for the frolicky fellers... and it's something I haven't done in a long time; in fact, I think the last time I saw a butterfly (not of the cabbage variety) could very possibly be years ago. That's citification for ya.

Definitely click this one too... you can actually see all the yellow pollen on his wings and legs!

This pretty little dude is blue on his topside, and orange on the bottom.

Lovely, and kind of delicious-looking, like a young walnut.

And now, ever since the show, I can't get their stunning, temporal beauty out of my head-- and wish there were a way to make a necklace of butterfly wings sans cruelty. Til then, I'll settle for these:

Nicholas Kirkwood at Farfetch. Guh-guh-guhhhh.....

Free People Top at Chickdowntown.

Summit Fashion Rhinestone Sandal at Amazon. Brings out my inner Mariah Carey.

Jordan Maxi Dress at Chickdowntown.

Digital Butterfly Wings Print Leggings at Topshop.

Customized Vans Sneakers by Anissa Housley.

Chris Benz Skirt at Shopbop.

I'm-a wing my way to bed, now... let's all hope I don't have to work yet another 11-hour day tomorrow!

Yours,

Elissa.