One is silver and the other gold

Question: How do you feel about wearing silver and gold jewelry at the same time?

I honestly want to know. Please respond with your opinions in the comment section.

When I was younger I thought there could be no greater violation than to mix metals: if your necklace was gold, the rest of your jewelry had to be gold, too. As I've gotten older I've loosened up my strict-as-a-straight-laced-biddy fashion rules, but I've still believed that mixing metals is a no-no.

You know that terrible movie "Made of Honor"? Well the main girl in that movie wears the same necklace in most scenes: it's just a simple small necklace with two circles that are entwined. I found the necklace online (it's made by Los Angeles jewelry designer Zoe Chicco) because it cast a spell over me and I put it on my Christmas list. My dad graciously gave it to me and I've worn it every day since.

Except...

The necklace is gold. I have two rings that I wear at all times. They are silver. To be able to wear both my rings and the necklace, I need to reconcile my belief that metals can be mixed. Can you tell I've spent a lot of time thinking about this?

Please advise.

30-Degrees, Batman!

dress: portobello road market, london
leggings: aa
boots: frye

Today is a little bit warmer than it's been, so I felt obligated to run a comb through my hair and slap on something decent. I'm pretty sure that all I'm doing today is going to my mom's house to watch some Lee Pace movies, so this awesome little dress won't get much exposure around the public. I bought it about two years ago when my friend Elly and I did the "grand tour" around Europe. We ended the trip in London with practically empty pockets, which is very sad because that city ain't cheap! When I found this little number, I had to throw concern for finances to the wind. I pay for it every time someone asks me where I bought it. I feel like such a pretentious a-hole when I answer back "London, dahling!"

On a side note, here is the view from my window:



Happy Holidays, y'all!

Holy Holidays!

Sorry for the hiatus, everybody. Like I've said, finals week kept both Rachel and I pretty busy and I'd be lying if I said that I had been typing away at papers wearing high heels and a cute vintage sweater. Truth is that I've spent most of the past week in pajamas, hunched over my desk while I worked on this! Good news is that my holiday party for work is tonight and that means that I'm going to get gussied up.


dress: banana republic
tights: gap
riding boots: hand-me-downs
doppleganger: vampire maddie

I've shown this dress before, but tonight it will actually be appropriate! Well, maybe not. It's likely that I will be the most dressed up girl at the party, but that's okay by me.

A funny thing about the boots is that I've had them since I was about nine and a friend of the family gave them to me for dress-up. I even wore them at my fourth grade Star Wars themed birthday party when I dressed up as Luke Skywalker (I was too young to know that Hans Solo is totally more badass). They are currently about a shoe size too small, but what are you gonna do when there's a few feet of snow on the ground and the day's high is 3 degrees fahrenheit (yeesh)?

Notorious

Pin-up icon Bettie Page has passed away.



Despite a lack of clothes, she was (and is) quite the style icon.

Bettie, tonight we raise our glasses to you! Thanks for making curvy so damn sexy.

Handmade Pledge

Sorry that we've been a wee bit bad at posting these last few days. It's the end of the semester and, I won't speak for Rachel, but I'm up to my ears with Paradise Lost term papers, creative writing revisions, scansions, and more. Come next week, I'll be sure to whip out some outfit posts!

Have you heard of the Handmade Pledge?



Are any of you doing it this year? I'm sorely tempted, but it sort of throws a monkey wrench in some of my holiday plans. Can I half take the pledge? Or maybe I could start my own more self-centered version called the "Handmade (when convenient) Pledge."

Thoughts?

Individual Fur Pattern: Literal Edition

When the winters are as long, gray and generally soul-crushing as Wisconsin winters, you have to find glimmers of humor where you can. This hat, I believe, does the trick. I got it on a rural Wisconsin thrifting jaunt with Maddie this summer. A rare find, it was waiting for me in the basement of Halle's Closet, an amazing vintage store in Mazomanie. Guess what else. It had a twin! There were two of these magnificent beasts in that Mazomanie basement. Naturally, I showed the prize to Maddie, who didn't feel the need to be my hat-twin. C'est la vie: she gave me the privilege of bringing this miracle of head wear to the masses.

Every time I wear this hat I get multiple smiles and comments from complete strangers; the kind that make your day a little lighter. Also, when you want to take a nap in class this hat makes the perfect pillow. And it's warm as hell.

Fashion in Action: Las Vegas Addition

I was in Las Vegas over Thanksgiving to visit some family and it rained for only the second time that year. Here's what I wore to get a cup of coffee and a croissant at the Bouchon Bakery and have my picture taken in fake Venice:




beret: local hat store
scarf: vintage
blazer: vintage one that I always wear
sweater: uo
black jeans (?!): gap
bag: uo
backdrop: The Venetian

And no, I did not win big.

Today's Individual Fur Pattern--Now With More Pleating!

hat: marshall's
scarf: gift from London
jacket: thrifted
white undershirt: H&M
belt: thrifted
pants: thrifted
green suede shoes: target
necklace: anthropologie




Good thing Maddie's in Las Vegas or she might start divorce proceedings on account of these pants. High-waisted and pleated, boys and girls. I don't know what's come over me, I just want to look as 80s as possible! Yesterday I bought acid wash jeans! What is this obsession? Logan saw me today and asked, "What decade is this?" haha.

Anyway, I think I look cute and that's all that matters. I went to Goodwill last night and found a blouse, the pants and jacket seen here and some shoes--success! I'm so excited about the jacket, I've been looking for a perfectly fitted wool blazer/jacket for a long long time. I was hoping for gray wool, but this is like a reddish brown color that I've never seen before. It'll be fun.

Carpet does not match drapes...

Just back from getting my hair did!



I decided to get a warmer richer color for winter. That way, my hair won't run into my face a la Daniel Craig. The bangs are a little jarring for me, but maybe that's just because I no longer look like Cousin It.

What do y'all think?

Girlfriend needs a haircut

I just gotta make it until Monday without shaving my head in a fit of rage and frustration.

Dear Dream Closet,

I know that we shall meet, but when?

November Just Kicked Us In the Nuts

scarf: clothing exchange
bird pin: vintage
blazer: vintage
belt: vintage
sweater: uo
dress: vintage
tights: gap
booties: seychelles



hat (which Maddie says is called a 'tam'): Marshall's
sweater: Anthropologie
white blouse: H&M
belt: thrifted
skirt: Anthropologie
tights: Wet Seal (ew)
boots: Nine West from Marshall's

Details:

Today's Individual Fur Pattern (aka outfit post)

blue corduroy jacket: idra at Anthropologie
tan sweater cardi: vintage
scarf: jcrew
tshirt: Locksley band tee
skirt: idra at Anthro
Lighter gray leggings: Target
Gray wool knee socks: Marshall's
Boots: Nine West, from Marshall's.

I cut off my head because I looked straight up wonky. Plus, I'm not very good at photographing myself full-length. Portraits? Got that down, but full body? I can't seem to find a very flattering angle...maybe that's a sign.

Another Sunday post

Like Rachel, Sunday brunch is one of the things that make me most happy. Sundays in general make me happy. It's the one day of the week that I have entirely to myself. Today, I celebrated my weekend with my roommates by making a trip to the nearby bistro for a croque-madame and a glass of fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice. So pleased was I with the prospect that I even managed scrounge up an outfit despite the 30-degree weather.


cashmere sweater: vintage
dress: vintage
belt: vintage
tights: gap
shoes: etienne aigner
pot belly: ham, gruyere, egg

I found the dress at a garage sale this summer in the heat of my Mad Men obsession (the heat hasn't cooled, in case you were wondering). Since I can't wear it to work at Sterling Cooper, Sunday brunch will have to do.

Since this site has been a little deprived of "what I wore" pictures lately, here's the number that I wore yesterday:


striped shirt that makes my boobs look huge: h&m
pencil skirt: tj maxx
tights: hue
flats: dkny
hindquarters of a german shepherd: fergus


Monday, it's back to looking like crap. Why can't everyday be Sunday?

P.S. While taking the picture of this Sunday outfit, my tripod fell over and the lens of the camera that I was using (my dad's camera) broke. Do you see the cost of this blog? Do you see what I'll do for you people?

I like big shoes and I cannot lie

Oh, my dear employer, why must you have such beautiful footwear? Footwear that makes me cry out, "Oh, beautiful footwear! Why aren't you on my feet?"

The Best Fashion Is Happiness

It's hard to look good when you feel un-good. I think a happy mood is the biggest&best fashion inspiration.

There's this blog I've been reading for quite some time: it's called YOU ARE REMARKABLE. If you ever need an instant heart-lift, go there.

Today's post from YOU ARE REMARKABLE:

it’s okay, it’s okay it’s okay. there is nothing to be nervous about, there is nothing to be afraid of. your heart may feel empty & you may feel like you’re drifting alone in the middle of a stormy sea but listen. please just listen. you are loved by so many people. i think that if you knew the actual number your heart might just explode!!! you are loved by some many people & some of them you’ve never officially met!! yes, you may have smiled at them or nodded your head but when you did you entered their heart in such a way that they won’t forget you for years & years!!! that person you waited in line next to yesterday, they loved you. that person you sat in traffic with yesterday, they loved you too. when you’re feeling lost, alone, anxious, scared remember that someone somewhere is feeling that way too. you’re not alone. you’re never ever alone. & you’re never ever without love. listen to me…

So, in place of showing you what I'm wearing today (but believe me, I look cute), here's a list of things that make me happy, and inspire me to dress up:

1. sleeping in
2. a weekend without going to work
3. good tea
4. paper
5. brunch plans


What are five things that make you happy?

Maybe I'll get lucky and freeze to death before it really gets bad

I'm a fashion fraud. Here I come, all hoity-toity, telling you that I have fashion cred and can tell you how to dress. And then what? The weather drops below forty degrees and I'm all about leggings and converse. Didn't I claim to own a sea of vintage dresses that I was just longing to show off? Well, my 1940's sundress doesn't mean a damn thing when its chilly and rainy outside. I don't think that I used to give up so easily. I'm pretty sure that last year I hung in there at least until mid-December. It's probably that last year's winter kicked the emotional crap out of me and seeing this one coming just makes me want to die in a sea of down coats.

I've spent the last hour scouring the internets for inspiration. Something, anything that will act as a beacon of light and help me get through the week (I'm not even asking for the whole season). First, I turned to film. The problem with most movies set in winter is that they seem too unrealistic. I think to myself, "They live in upstate New York? They don't even zip up their coats all of the way! Humbug!" Over the summer, I watched the now-defunct series Wonderfalls and couldn't get over a scene in which Lee Pace wears a hat that doesn't cover his ears. The show took place in Niagara and in the dead of winter. I mean, really! That one little flaw almost ruined the show for me.

So with movies out of the way, I've begun focusing on real people. One person who I found particularly helpful was everyone's favorite fashion Finn, Piksi.



(please note that this collection of images was taken without permission from Art of the Steal. if the author would like it taken down, let me know and it will be taken off quicker than you can say "copyright laws")

I'm hoping that I can dig up more people on my search because, believe it or not, I think Wisconsin gets even colder than Finland in the winter and the ice alone will prevent me from galavanting about in heels. And anybody who suggest wearing skirts and tights when it's -10 degrees outside should have their brain checked.

Maybe what I need is a brightly colored coat to combat the atmospheric gray. I even have one in mind:



What's that you say? It's $498.00? Okay then. I'll pray that I can track down a thrifty alternative.

Wanna help save a budding fashion blogger? Tell me where you get your winter fashion inspiration! Movies! Magazines! Websites full of boots and coats! Flickr links! Anything!

Ye olde shoe lust

At the wedding on Saturday, I saw a fellow guest wearing the most amazing shoes.



I probably would have knocked her over to see what brand they were if she hadn't so nicely told me that they were Seychelles. This was even better news because Seychelles is one of the few companies that makes high heels that I can pull off walking in (I'm absolutely challenged when it comes to walking in anything other than orthopedic grandma shoes). But wait! The news gets better still! Back at home and in front of my computer, I've found them on sale at shoelust!

There a little founding fathers, I know. Still, I can't wait for them to arrive so that I can pair them with mustard colored tights and a vintage dress.


*For the wedding, I wore 1b. Thanks for all of the great feedback. For a less fashion-based retelling of the nuptials, please visit my other blog, The Astounding Adventures of the Pop Quiz Kid.

Goin' to the chapel

I recently read an article about how women are now looking at their weddings like their one chance to walk the red carpet like a celebrity. While I hope that they also look at it as a symbol of their love with their partners and a chance to celebrate that love with their friends and family, I can sort of understand it. I love weddings and one of the main reasons that I love them is because I get to get dressed up and hang out with men wearing suits and ladies in high heels. I haven’t been invited to enough weddings for them to become tiresome, so every time that I’m invited to one I’m thrown into an absolute fit in which outfits are thrown around my room willy-nilly, leaving mountains of dresses, slips, and shoes that are hard to walk in.

This upcoming weekend, I’ll be attending a friend’s wedding all the way in Indiana. Having gone through the usual routine of late night modeling in front of my mirror and still feeling unsure about what I’ll wear, I’ve decided to tap into a new resource: you fine people.

So here are the choices. Let me hear your votes!

1.






Okay? It gets more complicated still as I will probably need a sweater for the ceremony.

1a.



1b.



2.


(looking at these pictures, I realize that I should have maybe worn a slip underneath)

I know that there's the whole "you shouldn't wear white to a wedding" thing, but the dress does have a pattern on it. Does that still make it inappropriate?




3. This isn't really a choice because I KNOW that this one is inappropriate for a wedding, but it's so fun that I thought that I would post it anyway.





Thanks!

I got the red, white, and blues (and that's a good thing)

All my life, I've avoided wearing red, white, and blue together like it was a disease, but something's got me feeling intensely patriotic today. What could it be?


top: marshall's
skirt: anthropologie
heels: seychelles
button: OBAMA!

And here's a hard wink for you, Ms. Palin:


(a horrible face for more horrible woman)

Inspiration: Ashley Watson

Recently I discovered Ashley Watson, a designer out of Vancouver who makes bags with recycled leather. Her online gallery is an orgasm for everyone who loves big bags, searches high and low for the perfectly worn-in leather, and is eco-conscious.

My favorites:











(all images from ashleywatson.net)

Atticus, a locally owned eco-friendly boutique in downtown Madison, is listed as the only vendor carrying Ashley Watson in Wisconsin, so I stopped by. The owner was there and mentioned she'll be getting a shipment in at the end of November, and another one in late February. She said she'd email me when they came in so I could run up and see them. The question is: I know I'll immediately fall in love, but can I afford it? The bigger bags are upwards of $350, and while that's no Louis Vuitton (ew), should I still spend that much on a bag?

Eat your heart out, November

Today's high was 70 degrees. This isn't exactly normal for November in the Wisco. To celebrate this effect of global warming, we headed down the student union's docks to flaunt our non-bundled glory.


shirt: anthropologie
belt: ralph lauren, thrifted
pants: gap
flats: dkny
bag: uo


dress: forever21
plaid shirt: old navy
tights: hue
shoes: target










And a friendly reminder to get out and VOTE tomorrow:




titties for Obama