M.O.D. Style

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

2012-02-14T21:52:00.000-08:00

StyleLikeU Closet Interview With Fatima Robinson from StyleLikeU on Vimeo.

I fell in love with this chica in the Ellements of Style book and was soooo happy to see her on stylelikeu. Love.

AlternaBeyonce

2012-02-08T18:58:00.000-08:00

I love you, Solange! Looking good, girl. Image courtesy vogue.co.uk.

Patchwerk

2012-02-08T18:56:00.000-08:00

Was getting my toes done the other day and saw this in Glamour. Totally wanted to rip the page out. On the hunt for a close facsimile of these jeans, which are apparently Chloe FW2011.

Making Me Smile

2012-02-07T19:39:00.000-08:00

Image courtesy thechicmuse.

Want To Live Here

2012-02-04T16:26:00.000-08:00

Doesn't hurt that it's Jerome Dreyfuss' house. Hook me up with a bag, J. Image courtesy thecoveteur.com

Coury Combs

2012-02-03T16:57:00.000-08:00

Obviously on a bit of a stylelikeu tear. Hey, it's Friday and I have the shut the door between me and my children. Not figuratively. Literally. Granted, it's a glass door. They are enjoying some t to the v and I am enjoying some stylelikeu, where I just watched Coury Combs's very sweet video, promptly went to her site and whoops, bought this sweater.

Awesomeness

2012-02-03T16:22:00.000-08:00

Wandie Kabule Closet Interview with StyleLikeU from StyleLikeU on Vimeo.

Goooorgeoussssss! And you know I love a vaguely Valley Girl black girl. Also, I want that New Order shirt. Wandie Kabule video courtesy stylelikeu.com

Ridiculously Beautiful

2012-01-29T22:05:00.001-08:00

Angel Clouthier Closet Interview With StyleLikeU from StyleLikeU on Vimeo.

She talks about how people are always erroneously saying she looks like x light-skinned celebrity, but her face does remind me of Pam Grier, which is not too damn shabby. Angel Clouthier video courtesy stylelikeu.com.

LBD

2012-01-29T20:32:00.000-08:00

Chic, chic, chicy-chic. Image courtesy stylist Amanda Ross's closet on thecoveteur.com.

Patriot With A Twist

2012-01-20T12:40:00.001-08:00

Ooh, I like the red white and blue Native American print. Mildly ironic, but hey. Cloak by Lindsey Thornburg, image courtesy Refinery29.

We Like To Party

2012-01-15T21:29:00.001-08:00

Getting my pre-birthday celebrations in--last night out to dinner with the hubby (so very nice) and tonight surprised with a cake by the whole fam. The cover story for the cake was, "Don't come in here, there's a rat in the kitchen." Pleasantly surprised, indeed.

Hi Pretty

2012-01-13T23:19:00.000-08:00

Have been neglecting my stylelikeu of late, but checked back in and found the video of this brother and sister duo. They seem a little too anxious to distance themselves from "the subcontinent" in my opinion, but they are both pretty much beyond gorgeous. She has a blog here.

In My Dreams

2012-01-13T17:32:00.000-08:00

I will look this tots pulled together. Maybe in 5-7 years.

Dries It Yourself

2012-01-07T18:22:00.000-08:00

It was DIY night last night! Finally got around to doing this project courtesy of In Style a couple of months ago. Dries jeans? Why yes, please! These are a pair of Gap jeans that I found at the thrift store. Dipped them in 6 cups water, 12 cups bleach for five minutes, hung to bleach for 30 min, repeated 3 times. Turns out the base color on these jeans is not white but "natural," so they look more like a pale lemon yellow than white. Works okay for me. And funny, because I'd just seen two other women wearing light yellow jeans and thought Hmm, interesting.

Cuteness

2012-01-06T12:32:00.000-08:00

More good simplicity. Image courtesy closetvisit.com

Happy Happy!

2011-12-31T22:06:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! We're just back from Super Frank's, which was ridiculously fun. Totally content to celebrate the new year on EST and be in bed by the time the PST celebrations roll around.

I haven't posted an outfit picture in forever, mostly because I lost my camera; but got my husband to squeeze me in today. This is indicative of my sartorial mood lately, laaaiiiiiiiiid back, low key, with a little razzle dazzle.

Evergreen Inspiration

2011-12-29T11:01:00.000-08:00

I love you, Emmanuelle Alt! Images courtesy jakandjil.com.

Yes

2011-12-28T22:33:00.000-08:00

I freaking love Phillip Crangi. The Roman coin looks mixed with (presumably) gay boy irreverence is just too good.

In A Former Life

2011-12-28T21:52:00.000-08:00

Oh, what to do, what to do when a girl band doesn't work out? Throw on a pair of Loubs and leave that sh* behind? Good plan, Karla, good plan. Do you think she still keeps in touch with overenthusiastic dancer in the lead there?

Janezic's Back!

2011-12-21T18:44:00.000-08:00

Well, I was just rootling through Refinery29 when I exclaimed to no one in particular, "Janezic's back!?" Woo!

Funny how you can have such a sense of history with a brand, even when you are only a fantasy customer. I remember seeing Janezic dresses in the good old Lucky, maybe um, 2005? 2006? I liked the style and happily pounced on one of the dresses in the much missed Dish boutique on College Ave, only to be thrown back by the price tag. Like 7, 8 hundred dollars as I recall.

Last month I came across a Janezic dress at my local consignment shop for $35 and promptly bought it, as the sales girl (one of my new faves) and I were talking about the fact that Janezic wasn't around anymore. But lo! She's back! And I love that jumpsuit.

Why Can't I Be You

2011-12-15T22:27:00.000-08:00

Ridiculous hotness right here. Julia Restoin-Roitfeld for Kiki de Montparnasse.

Grace Slick

2011-12-08T21:56:00.001-08:00

I'm feeling Grace Slick right now. First of all, I didn't know you could have curly hair and bangs, worn curly. Props for that. Second of all, my husband was just randomly watching this video on youtube and she blew my mind.

Wishin and Hopin

2011-12-08T19:34:00.000-08:00

Some more goodies over at the coveteur. Of course I'm getting to these about a month late, as Stanford's bitchy boyfriend Neville immortally pronounced, but good nonetheless. This mother/daughter duo has ridiculous amounts of Chanel and they run a vintage couture website. Apparently this Chanel velvet dress needs a home. I might know of one.... And these chairs are lovely. The wall of Miu Miu bags ain't bad either. I'm particularly fond of the tan one on the top left.

Gwynnie

2011-12-08T19:16:00.000-08:00

How could you not want to be friends with this woman? Really. Images courtesy GOOP. You know it.

Don't Lie

2011-12-08T16:17:00.000-08:00

You know you love her too. Quite enjoying this little slice of Rachel Zoe's office life over at thecoveteur.com.

Memorex

2011-12-07T01:17:00.000-08:00

I must have this bracelet immediately. The silver bird bracelet on the bottom there. Putting it in my file of "to have specially made when I am a billionaire." Image courtesy thecoveteur.com.

Comme Moi! Well, Not Really, But Hey.

2011-12-07T00:59:00.000-08:00

I didn't know Jessie Randall had a third baby! And another boy! Ridiculously happy. Just like me! ...In my imagination. Fighting those hormones.

She had her twin boys at the same time I had Eli, so in my mind we are twinsies. Was happy to discover that our totally imagined twinness extended to having another boy after that. Also quite enjoying the Eleanor Friedberger mixtape on the Loeffler Randall blog.

Digging

2011-12-06T20:48:00.000-08:00

Totally loving this simplicity as well. And pretty sure those are the Rag & Bone suede booties I have been mildly obsessing over. You guys, I am being so good right now. All my wishlist Opening Ceremony boots are on 50% sale at shopbop right now and I am nooooot evennnnn loooking. Not even. Image courtesy Andrea Linett's weird new I want to be her! website. Not necessarily weird in a bad way.

K.I.S.S.

2011-12-03T15:16:00.000-08:00

One of my favorites of Preetma Singh's outfits. I like it simple. Image courtesy theworkinggirl.com.

There's More!

2011-12-03T00:03:00.000-08:00

The same shoot includes Lady Miss Dunn. Too good. Toooooooooooo goood.

Daria Strokous

2011-12-01T22:38:00.001-08:00

Someone I know is working with this model tomorrow! Totally excited in my little corner over here. Fantastic picture of her working winter as well. Image courtesy swinging-paris.com.

Happy Place

2011-11-30T23:28:00.001-08:00

Stylelikeu is calling her an 'unsung style hero', i'm saying, unsung by who? She's obviously the shit and everybody I know knows it. But thanks for the picture.

Damn

2011-11-22T21:47:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness, you're gorgeous, girl. Image of Seema Hamid courtesy Refinery29. Props for looking like you're wearing a dress of Cosby sweatuuuuuh.

Plip Plop

2011-11-20T23:16:00.000-08:00

Also, this boot is on my next-up list. Cute in the rain. Currently $98 on sale from $196, but I'm going to see if it goes lower. And um, also, try to get some money in the meantime.

AA in Da House

2011-11-20T19:31:00.000-08:00

Yeah, it's been kind of a crazy couple three weeks. I was out of town (New York!), Chris was out of town (Chicago, the city of our birth as a couple), we had family in town, all the town stuff was happening. So sorry I have not been keeping up with the blog.

I've also been weirdly not online lately. Eh? What?

When I have been online I've been trying to determine how to spend my $50 for $100 American Apparel groupon. I want some combination of this sweatshirt that I have already owned twice but seems to keep disappearing, this teenalini dress that I previously owned and then sold to Crossroads under the impression that I am too old for such things or at least should publicly appear too responsible to wear them. Yeah, I want it again. But I think the logic still holds.

Truffle jeans? Nubby socks? A warm flannel? This crop top that I tried on in the store and flinch to think of paying 20 dollars for, but which I think might actually fill a high-waisted skirt related hole in my wardrobe?

Thoughts?

Also, when I went into the live store to try stuff on in preparation for these decisions (hey, it did help me rule out all of the "easy t's" in my cart) I saw the cutest shopgirl ever. I kind of want to adopt her. Seriously, I was thinking of going back to give her my e-mail address. Creeper alert! Maybe it's that I had an uncharacteristically chatty mcchat plane ride out to New York and now I'm believing in synergy all over again.

Moda Life

2011-11-05T05:53:00.000-07:00

So I finally caved to the Moda Operandi membership, which I had been previously ignoring as totally not relevant to my life. Pre-order the new Prada right off the runway! Awesome! Is it free? Yeah, no. But I got the membership after repeated related website prodding and I'm not sorry. That's some good eye candy. Like say this SS12 Rodarte.... Images courtesy modaoperandi.com.

Well, Looky There

2011-11-02T19:34:00.001-07:00

A case of the makeup artist being more beautiful than the model.... Image courtesy fashiontoast.com.

Having A Moment

2011-11-01T23:48:00.001-07:00

I'm having kind of a St. John Knits moment right now. It started with window shopping a really excellent maroon and navy tweed knit dress at a local consignment shop, happily continued with a $2.50 top and skirt score at my local thriftie and now I'm just kind of vibing on the quality. I don't think I had really seen their vintage before. The company started in 1962, but I was only aware of it as an ever-present ad in Vogue from the 90s on up, with The St John Lady, apparently Kelly Gray, daughter of the founders, and then Angelina and Kate, looking...mean. And riding elephants and ish. The cut was always, "I'm rich, conservative and old," but in the 60s and 70s they were jammin. I mean look at that coat! And the suit, which the seller claims is 80s, ain't bad either.

Mines

2011-10-16T23:24:00.000-07:00

Give me that shirt, Lauren Santo Domingo. Gimme. I have the 10 dollar version of this shirt, but wouldn't it be nice to have the 1000 dollar version? Eh? Image courtesy thecoveteur.com. It's working, I'm coveting.

Bootsy

2011-10-10T00:27:00.000-07:00

Those boots....those BOOTS! They are Charlotte Olympia for Peter Som from Renee Barletta's Coveteur segment. Not entirely clear whether they're hers or just in the office, as she is VP of PR for Peter Som's PR company. Just catching up with my coveteur lusting. I think Laure Heriard Dubreuil's closet was maybe the most perfect closet ever.

Continuing Love Affair

2011-10-04T22:50:00.000-07:00

I looooooooooooooooooooooooooooove you, Natalie Hartley. Pure no-doubt-intimidating-as-f-in-person awesomeness. Really making me miss the fun of dressing up because you wahnt to. I recently separated my clothes into "mommy day," "solo day," and "solo evening" (a totally delightful endeavor for me) and now I'm just bummed out by "mommy day." No surprise it was the smallest category.

Hey Presto!

2011-09-28T20:56:00.000-07:00

I want these shoes, please! These No. 6 style boots have kind of been everywhere lately, but am really feeling the Acne version. I almost got happy when I saw the price in Euros, but no, beyond my budget. Bookmarking....

Also, I did some market research with my sister when I was in New York in August, and that shoot just came out. A wonderful proprietary feeling! It's all, "Hey, look number 17, you made it!" Feeling especially warm and fuzzy about the Altuzarra top and skirt, the Givenchy hat and the Burberry coat. Here's some of my favorite images, full shoot at http://www.vogue.it/en/vogue-gioiello/how-to-wear-/2011/09/equestrian-jewels.

Inspiration Rotating and Permanent

2011-09-25T09:48:00.000-07:00

I'm just about to switch my inspiration board over, not necessarily for fall, but just to include the backlog of images that I like, and thought I'd share the one on the way out with you guys. Is it nerdy that I have a seasonal and a permanent inspiration board? No, no, don't answer that.

From the rotating:

From the permanent:

Gorgeous

2011-09-23T20:21:00.001-07:00

Image courtesy thesartorialist.com. Burgundy is so good on brunettes.

Hangin Out

2011-09-17T19:53:00.000-07:00

Funny that I am loving this. Lace fishtail pants, why not? Image courtesy halcoholic.com.

NYFW

2011-09-14T15:14:00.000-07:00

How cute is this? Especially as an approach to the shows, it's super light and airy for fashion week dressing. Image via The Sartorialist.

Delfina Delettrez

2011-09-11T21:37:00.001-07:00

Loving this. First of all, I love the concept of an 'orgy ring.' Delightful. And then I love that the chain is so delicate and the whole effect is so dainty. I heart you, Delfina Delettrez. Seeing her stuff in person at Opening Ceremony was impressive.

Too Good

2011-09-09T22:04:00.000-07:00

Lord, please let me be this awesome when I am 63. Image of Linda Rodin (of Olio Lusso fame) courtesy Refinery 29.

Peekaboo

2011-09-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

Got these two identical J. Crew t-shirts on final sale (don't even get me started), thinking how bad could a gray henley t-shirt be? Of course the lesson was reinforced once again that J. Crew is just not for me. I like their styling and I'm totally on the Jenna bandwagon as much as anybody else, but the clothes themselves never ever fit my body. You would think I would remember this at final sale time, but no.

Well, not to let that 6 dollars go to waste, I recently chopped both t-shirts to varioius halfsie positions and I think I'll get more wear out of them. This is the shorter of the two and should be good with high-waisted business, like this vintage skirt that is on loan to me from my sister, and the other is good with jeans. It's less a half-shirt than the way t-shirts used to be cut before the concept of 'layering tees' emerged.

90sville On The Town

2011-08-30T18:25:00.001-07:00

Going out with a friend tonight, and hey, I thought I'd take 90sville with me. This is the aformentioned vertically ribbed corduroy mini dress. Tots into it.

Blowout

2011-08-27T17:45:00.001-07:00

I am learning all kinds of things about my hair lately. First of all, it is long. I kind of knew this, but I also kind of feel like my hair never Really grows much beyond a certain status quo. But no, it's pretty freaking long right now. Wet or stretched out it's down to my boobs. Air drying it's up to my chin. Ah the vagaries of curly/kinky/whatever you want to call it hair.

So yes, one thing I learned recently is that I can just wash and go. Like, what?!? I have not washed and gone in a long ol time. I used to just put on some conditioner, comb it and roll in Chicago way back, but since then I've either been wearing it up or using Curly Pudding or conditioner or something to set it so it doesn't shrink so much, which means it takes all freaking day long to dry and is not really worth it to me here in my children-having years. But Solange got me to try it again and hey, it was all right.

My other new thing is also from the recent East Coast trip. I spotted the tiny, weak blowdryer in the airport hotel bathroom the night before we left and remembered folks talking about blowdrying their already dry hair to add back in a little length. I tried it and I liked it! This is what my hair looks like blown out, or rather with a blowdryer on low pointed haphazardly at it.

I have this picture of Marsha Hunt up on my mood board, from a Nostalgia piece Teri Agins wrote for the I think March issue of Vogue. I love it. She is the mama of Mick Jagger's first baby, Karis. Have you ever seen a child look morelike Mick Jagger? That man's genes must be strong because no matter what beautiful creature he mates with of whatever ethnicity, his children all look alike. Witness adult Karis. It's not a bad club to be in. I know I'm trying to be Marsha fab.

Splurge Say What?

2011-08-25T22:30:00.000-07:00

I mayyyyyyyy have bought this dress at the Opening Ceremony store in NYC when last I was there. I mean, maybe. I mean, yeah. It was a magical moment, what can I say? I am v amused that the older I get the shorter and tighter my clothes get. Is that like, kosher? Hmmm. All I know is I seriously need to rewatch Clueless, stat. Pic courtesy one Eli Perrius.

A Muted Color Block?! Color Me Tickled.

2011-08-21T22:27:00.001-07:00

Oh no, I'm not done yet. Still got room for Hanneli, killin it as usual. Image courtesy hanneli.com.

Flash

2011-08-21T22:18:00.000-07:00

Loving the red with the washed out colors.... Image courtesy songofstyle.com.

California, Coming Home

2011-08-21T15:34:00.001-07:00

Okay, this is like freaking me out beautiful. Asian Joni Mitchell in a lovely dreamy shade. The stuff of which fashion daydreams are made. Image of Sunny Walker, owner of SF vintage boutique Painted Bird, courtesy of closetvisit.com.

How Did I Miss This?

2011-08-21T15:31:00.001-07:00

Loving Jenna Lyons at the Met Costume Ball in a sweater and attitude. Image courtesy New York magazine online.

Is That A Supreme Curve In Your Pocket Or Are You Just Happy To See Me?

2011-08-20T22:22:00.000-07:00

I've been curious about the Levi's Curve ID jeans, as I fondly remember the Notify bra-size jeans from back in the day--they came in A, B, and C botto sizes. Enormously helpful actually, and mysteriously discontinued after a year or two. Tried to squeeze into a pair of Notify jeans sometime after that only to discover that all their regular jeans are decidedly size A.

So yeah, curious about these, and just found out they're only $68 (I'm reading my Lucky magazine right now. We're back on in this stormy relationship; enjoying the new layout ideas--vintage Sassy actually and I know because I was just going through my 1993 stash last time I was home--and a September issue is always a good thing).

Went on the website and they're having a sale on skinny jeans: 25% off and free shipping over $50. With the 25% off these are 51 bucks, not bad if they actually fit. Will let you know how my "Supreme Curve" gets on with its bad self....

Empire Records

2011-08-19T18:09:00.000-07:00

I just discovered from shopping with my sister over the weekend that I have a total predilection for things 90s, and not just a predilection, but a BLIND SPOT. I can’t even tell when they’re 90s.

Which is why I was so amused to come home to this dress that I bought for 20 bucks at Zara just before the trip. 90sville, USA. Most amused. Though I will say that I did at least have an inkling about this. I think I have probably bought this dress two or three times in my life, the last time postpartum baby 1 at h&m and the first time probably upon discovering Urban Outfitters nirvana in New York at age 17. Viva la formative years.

Also some highlights from our family vacation: Eli and Leo cuddlebunnies on the plane, Chris in brother guitar heaven (would you look at that leg! it's beyond white and into blue, no wonder my children are such butterbeans), Eli's glitter tattoos and Eli's first family portrait.

Thrifted sweater, Zara dress, American Apparel loafers. And by the way, for my non-Bay Area readers, the sweater is totally not for effect. Apparently it's spring/fall here all the time, a fact which I have ceased to appreciate after 7 years. I almost freaked out being back in the humidity of a HU-man summer in a non-California locale. No layering? What?!?!?! Today it was a cool and overcast 65 in the Bay. I am going to miss it when we inevitably move East.

Karen Elson for Nine West, Who Knew?

2011-08-18T14:03:00.001-07:00

I think I need these to make all my 90s dreams come true....

Pretty

2011-08-02T19:55:00.001-07:00

Images courtesy Vanessa Jackman.

Peel Me A Grape

2011-08-02T19:51:00.001-07:00

Pretty stinking fabulous. Image courtesy Vanessa Jackman.

Yessssssssssssssss

2011-07-25T20:51:00.000-07:00

I need these shoes (and those cuffs?!?!?!) immediately. Image via Nobody Knows Marc, which has a really excellent blog header design.

90s Much?

2011-07-21T20:45:00.000-07:00

This is cracking me up. This is just like whole hog 90s, like Sophie Dahl, Courtney Love, Patricia Arquette on a bike. I had almost forgotten about this extremely 90s hair sitination. And thank you, random lady, for reminding me. I love you, Patricia Arquette in True Romance! Image via Refinery29.

Cutie Pea

2011-07-16T21:46:00.000-07:00

The right way to do a halfsie shirt. Image courtesy refinery29.

18 Again

2011-07-14T15:05:00.001-07:00

Mmm, no. So you know how old people say they feel 18 until they see a real 18 year old? Yeah, that happened to me today. I went into the American Apparel store on Bancroft in Berkeley today--which I try to avoid doing as it has been proven to be the most effective hyperaging medicine known to man--but I was walking by and Leo was asleep in the stroller, so....hey.

I went in and asked for the wide legged twill pants and the very sweet and cute 18 year old salesgirl was like "wide? yeah, we only have skinny-legged pants here." Gotcha. I am old. What is this skinny pant you speak of? Can't a girl get a landlubber around here? Some room for the old thighs? No? No. So I tried on some other staid items--four way stretch pants, striped shirts--while the girl next to me bounced out in an endless succession of sheer mesh bodysuits and hot pants. You think I'm exaggerating, but I'm not.

The bright side was any anxiety I might have had about not dressing age appropriately was laid to rest. I'm age appropriate all right. I totally wear pants and you can never see my butt cheeks. Welcome to the 30s.

On that note I've been enjoying some very covered-up outfits of late--today's shorts were the cause of my too young anxiety (pshah!), I guess because it was comparitively racy, as I've been rollin sweater, mid-length skirt and sweater giant skirt style this week.

From top: ubiquitous Forever21 scarf, Elizabeth & James cashmere cardigan, Tucker for Target top, Marc by Marc Jacobs shorts, American Apparel "velvet" loafers, Lilo and Stitch faux sequel, Leroy and Stitch. Good stuff.

Forever21 scarf, Chris's cashmere sweater via TJ Maxx, thrifted skirt, Rachel Comey boots

thrifted and DIYed sweater, thrifted dress, Jeffrey Campbell France boots

And That's Called Being A Supermodel

2011-07-13T23:01:00.001-07:00

How do you manage to be this supermodelicious on the fly? You're selling me that wedding, Kate, sellin it. And Karen Elson too. She looks like she is probably pretty stupendous looking in person. Jack White...not so much.

And here's Marc Jacobs to swoop us all up on a white horse and take us into fashion paradise. Yum. Yum. Terry Richardson images courtesy fashionista.com.

Still You, Julia

2011-07-11T20:24:00.001-07:00

Could you be any cuter? Could you? Image courtesy Jak&Jil.

Sale Wishing

2011-07-08T23:06:00.000-07:00

Oh, hello, BAAARNEEEEEEEYYYYYS. How you been, lover? Not quite as broke as me? A bien. Send these right over, if you will.

Rochas oxford platform: yes.

Clergerie woven plattie, well all right, if you insist. Looks like a good everyday shoe...

YSL cork wedge? No, I couldn't possibly. Oh, slip it in, you imp.

And a rose suede wedge? You win, you win. Pack them up and charge it to my AmEx. Now if you'll just look the other way while I steal yours....

p.s. I've tried these Alexander Wang's on and they are gorgeous, like make out with the mirror hot, but they are as my Jeremy's friend says S&M shoes, stand and model....

I'd like to convince myself that maybe these don't fit quite the same. Heh.

Top O' The World

2011-07-04T16:18:00.000-07:00

Those boots are amazing. The first Charlotte Olympia piece that's giving me the sweats. Image courtesy nataliehartleywears. And while we're there, a good grunge mood, too.

Weak

2011-07-04T14:55:00.000-07:00

So, we've had no wireless at our house since our neighbor moved out. Coincidence? I think not. Yeah, we were pirating. But we're on the up and up now, just waiting for our installation date. Annnnyy day now. In the meantime, much cafe-hopping and some pictures for your perusal.

These are mostly for the fro; the outfit was cute in person, but didn't do much on film. Um, I think it was cute. Cute enough for the moment anyway. Ebayed Jimi Hendrix tee, which is making me happy, despite being kind of random, Gap jeans, Minimarket wedges, thrifted leather jacket, thrifted orange bag.

As I was taking these, standing by our bird feeder, our neighbor (sipping tea in his underwear) casually told me that he's seen rats climbing up and down the branches of our tree and into said bird feeder. Bye bye bird feeder. It's been nice knowing you.

Thrift to Live, Live to Thrift

2011-06-27T20:01:00.001-07:00

Some of my recent finds...I got this great dictionary definition biker jacket at the Salvation Army and I bought it even though it wasn't half off--it was $35, which, as you know, is a lot at the thrift. It was/is ridiculously heavy, so much so that some dude giggled at me lugging it to the counter to pay for it and was like, "Heavy, right?!" Yes, dude, heavy. And large. Am I deterred? You know I'm not. Anyway, I did a little DIY surgery on this jacket. It had really stiff big shoulders and a Thinsulate lining, which I removed. The shoulder pads turned out to be huge blocks of foam. Huh. I had no idea. So yeah, took about 3 pounds of lining out of it and washed it in the washer like my imaginary biff Meredith Melling Burke and now....yeeeeeah.

Also recently purchased this rando light wash denim skirt, which is making my day. Remember when skirts came with little fake like ribbon stuff attached? Maybe in the 90s maybe in the early oughts? Yeah, this is one of those. I just really like that it's high waisted and gives you that sort of sexy paunch and I'm into light wash denim right now, though it's generally not into me, so a skirt is a safe way to go there. This is also my favorite shirt right now, a thrifted Brooks Brothers shirt that I cut about 4 inches off the bottom of. The shoes are also thrifted and DIY. Last seen here I recently dyed them with RIT Wine colored dye, which turned them kind of a magenta pink that I think I like.

Got the short high waisted skirt at local vintage store Pretty Penny as a trade for some things that I couldn't stand to look at anymore. I really like it. I had passed up this teeny tiny ballet wrap skirt at Beacon's like three years ago and it reminds me of that skirt but isn't as scandalously short, though it is sheer. It's a wide knit tweed with no lining. Thinking it will be cute in the winter with tights/leggings and boots. The jacket with the blue velvet lapel is also from the Sally and had a charming little label sewn in, "Hand made by ___." I love that stuff.

And I thanked the thrift gods when I saw the sleeve of the last cardigan waving to me from the rack--I always love a pastel or color on a black background and I have a particular weakness for these Dude looking (like, White Russian the Dude) kinds of 70s sweaters. Also rocking some crazy dated late 80s early 90s heels that Alexander Wang is going to bring back next week.

And that's Eli's BRO shirt that I made for him before Leo was born. It's part of a set, Eli's says 'BRO' and Leo's little onesie said 'bro.' They are amusing to me partly because I like the big bro little broness of them and partly because I'm amused that Eli is advertising that he's a "brother," because maybe it's not obvious. ::chuckle chuckle chuckle::

Out and Proud

2011-06-26T15:51:00.000-07:00

Loving Solange's hair! Ugly duckling no more, Solange, ugly duckling no more. I've been wearing my hair down/out more lately, not that I have any photographic evidence to show you guys, but I've been enjoying it, definitely like it more when it's on the frizzy/big side rather than defined curls. But I also like going back to my bun at the end of the week, pulling my sh* together. The bun, for me, is the best of both worlds, the advantages of short hair without the manliness and those of long hair without the irritation of having to do anything to it. Long live puttin yo hair up...or out, whatever feels good at the mo.

Momo Suzuki

2011-06-22T00:35:00.000-07:00

Super gorgeous flowiness.... Images courtesy closetvisit.com.

Delightful

2011-06-20T08:01:00.000-07:00

Quite the accomplishment to channel both Sofia Loren and Denise Huxtable. Image courtesy the sartorialist.

B-A-N-A-N-A-S

2011-06-15T20:25:00.000-07:00

I love you, Grace Coddington! I hope to be this cool at 70. Image courtesy Jak&Jil.

Next Life

2011-06-13T19:28:00.000-07:00

I'd be okay with coming back as this lady. Someday I hope to be able to work the smoldering camera stare. For now it's awkward mirth for me, thanks. She's also a mom and a designer of children's clothing, as well as a worker of many simple, fantastic looks. Images courtesy closetvisit.com.

Yes!

2011-06-12T21:43:00.001-07:00

I think I just had a color-gasm. Joy! Image courtesy carolinesmode.com.

Chillin

2011-06-09T21:12:00.000-07:00

Making me want to reactivate my AA tribal leggings... and so nice to see a picture of someone who is not tiny but very lovely. She actually kind of reminds me of Kim France, whom I am missing right about now--what has happened to Lucky? It occured to me recently that it's kind of like Alloy for "grownups." Image courtesy closetvisit.com.

11:30 in Oakland

2011-06-04T23:40:00.000-07:00

Why is dinner and a movie so reliably good? Deeply satisfying. Japanese food and a little case of neck-tattoo-proximity-induced paranoia--did I mention I have a yellow streak a mile wide?--and an actually good recent Woody Allen film = one happy girl. I wore my sweatpants all day, which was definitely part of the happiness equation and then put on a number of favorites--a washed silk Phillip Lim dress from Jeremys that I'm pretty sure used to have some kind of neck embellishment before it made it to the Jeremys rack and which I'm glad it no longer has; my thriftemalan sweater and these Forever 21 wedges that actually eased my shin pain from overenthusiastic walking in unsturdy shoes earlier in the week. And my $50 Lanvin bag, also, of course, from Jeremys and also covered in mystery stain/paint/markings which bother me not at all.

Woody Allen totally brought one in for the win with Midnight in Paris. I went into the movie with the barest of enthusiasms and proceeded to be totally charmed. Owen Wilson is one of the few Allen protagonists who manages to be Woody while still being himself. Most of the other recent Woodyites are deep in his long shadow. Anyway, I love a Wilson brother (maybe Andrew most of all, maybe most of all in Whip It) and I love a well-done Woody Allen movie. It was a totally enjoyable comedy and for me, a totally enjoyable study in the language of clothing.

I was like Hey, I speak this language. I know what that big Chanel tote, that Hermes bag, the Dior, the Chanel (?) jacket (maybe Vanessa Bruno?), the Isabel Marant are saying. I hear you, heels. They are saying Do you know how much money this is? You can't afford me.

I was impressed at the subtlety with which they said it--it was very modern. The savvy "rich bitch," not sartorially exaggerated, but exercising her clothing and stock options to the max, completely aware of what looks good, what is "good" and satisfied with that. It takes a while for Gil to realize that there isn’t (in this very male script) any richness or self-awareness beneath the surface, because the surface looks so good. (In the female version of this script you wouldn't trust that man for a minute, you'd be like What were you doing with that chick, you shallow jerk? Questionable.) He doesn't know what those labels, those casually killer espadrilles are saying. But any woman would. I was both amused that this is the kind of woman that all my favorite magazines are urging us to be (marry up, ladies! no wonder their editors are all enmeshed in old families) and interested that big, even big, subtle fashion was a key element in the characterization of the disinterested siren that has all the familiarity of an archetype.

There’s the woman that uses clothing as armor and the one that uses it as expression, there’s bait and atmosphere. In Midnight in Paris Inez is obviously still fishing for another kind of visible currency while Gil is fishing for atmosphere. The double standard of fashion still holds--you better know how to use the language, how to pick the right little white sleeveless shirt and tuck it into your jeans with a Gallic shrug, but you'd better not strut around in heels measuring with every step. Because that makes the natives restless. They’re not sure that they can hold you. They’re not sure that they’re not in for a life of discontent and cuckolding as you keep on trading up.

I was thinking about this movie in conjunction with a piece I read on Fashionista this morning, in which an FIT fashion design student described her fellow students as being "vacuous glamazons"--I mean, her fellow fashion design students. Come on. Where can you look for an alternative reading to vapid insecure fashionistas if not in fashion design? It made me think about our insistence on identifying fashion, obvious fashion with emptiness, vapidity, even as we use fashion to create desirability, authenticity, hope. The language of clothing is used to write both scripts.

In the movies, as I think for most men in real life, simplicity always wins. And in the movies as well as for most men I know in real life it’s the appearance of not thinking about it that is paramount. An attention to clothing is not the enemy, just so long as it is one among many attentions. Like say, bedding artists, or walking on bridges. These attentions don’t need to be deep, just so that they ward off the demasculinizing threat of narcissism, of wielding your feminine beauty against them so deeply that it precludes them.

The Leonard Cohen lyric has also been in my head all day—“I love your body and your spirit and your clothes.” I love that. I like that this line is actually a more specific recipe for atmosphere. Now that I think of it, I think it’s the same song that says “I don’t like your fashion business mister, and I don’t like these drugs that keep you thin.” There it is: nobody likes fashion, but everybody likes your body and your clothes, especially if there’s the promise of the spirit coming through them.

Girl Crush

2011-05-30T14:47:00.001-07:00

So pretty! Image courtesy Into the Gloss.

Hairspiration

2011-05-26T11:06:00.000-07:00

Hairspiration for sure, though this falls under the category of "yeah right" for me. When my hair gets this long it will definitely be more up and out than this. Love the dress and the necklace too. Image courtesy Refinery.

Giant+Sheer+Tiny=Formula For Success

2011-05-26T10:57:00.000-07:00

Cute! Tights and shorts not done yet.... Image courtesy Refinery29.

Happy Together

2011-05-23T22:27:00.000-07:00

Oh, love! The noncolor pairings are perfection. I love when people quote their natural coloring in their clothes. Image courtesy Hanneli.

Oh, You Fancy, Huh?

2011-05-20T18:26:00.000-07:00

Loving this. I had no idea it had been so long since I'd posted. All kinds of happy busyness afoot....

Later On

2011-05-08T19:40:00.000-07:00

And post-brunch, by our new thrift store piano. Half-off days are good for more than men's sweaters. Who knew?

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T10:09:00.001-07:00

Happy Mother's Day, y'all. Brunch for all!

Adventures in Accidental Texturizing

2011-05-07T14:56:00.000-07:00

Sooooo....dudes. Dudes. I am not digging one of the new directions for curly hair care these days. Sit, I will tell you.

I recently read about Garnier Sleek and Shine Blow Dry Perfector and thought hey, maybe. Then I went on Amazon or somewhere and read the bazillions of scary negative reviews about how the product had fried people's hair, making it break off and/or just ruining it. Uh, what? Turns out the product is basically a relaxer marauding as a "blow dry perfector." And it's not alone.

It turns out that lots of conditioners that are marketed either for curly hair or for "coarse, unruly hair," aka black hair are doing the same thing. I just found out that I own two products that contain sodium hydroxide--aka lye, aka relaxer--that I was putting on my hair regularly with no idea that I could be altering the chemical composition of my hair. WTF?!

The products in question are Pantene's new Curls to Straight Conditioner (replacing their old curly hair conditioner which in no way needed replacing) and Kiehl's Superbly Smoothing Argan Oil Hair Pak. These are both brands you would trust, right? In both cases the ingredient in question is far enough down on the list that it's not the main thing, but they are also geared towards 'taming' curly or in Kiehl's speak 'coarse, unruly' hair and there's no sodium hydroxide in their non smoothing formulas.

Now a relaxer is all well and good if that's what you're looking for, but you can't just sneak a relaxer into someone's conditioner because there's no coming back from a relaxer. Once your hair is chemically altered, if you don't like how it looks, you have to cut it off. Yeah, I did that once. I haven't had a relaxer since 9th grade and I already had to cut off all my hair at 17, I'd rather not do it again. Especially because of some covert bs.

Can we get some regulations up in here? And stop pretending that it's the argan oil that's so magically smoothing?

My ingredients revelation is courtesy of the excellent website Tightly Curly run by Teri LaFlesh. She also has a book, Curly Like Me, which like most things re: curly/black hair functions as part how-to, part mind-decolonizing empowerment manual.

And in an unrelated note, we are watching Jurassic Park and it is totally reminding me how awesome Jeff Goldblum is. Funny and hot, and a little bit strange, a combination for the ages. I have a hankering to watch some old Elliot Gould movies....

If I Buy This Dress, Will I Look Like Rachel Roy?

2011-05-03T21:20:00.000-07:00

I love this dress. I'm not really wearing dresses lately, so I'm not going to like buy it or nothin' but it's gorgeous. Rachel Roy does a good job with the prints and I like that that carries through to her secondary line.

New Girlfriends

2011-05-01T19:28:00.001-07:00

Apparently I am a sucker for a big fur wrap or a leopard caftan. Practicality first, that's my motto! Images courtesy Vanessa Jackman.

Chillin'

2011-04-29T23:27:00.000-07:00

Love this. ::looking for those pants right now.:: Images courtesy of closetvisit.com.

Blowing In The Wind

2011-04-28T20:27:00.000-07:00

Major chutzpah points. Image courtesy Fashionista.com.

Amazoing

2011-04-25T23:57:00.001-07:00

Good work, Celine. Understated, oaf-sexy and perfect. Image courtesy Jak & Jil.

Black White and Cranberry All Over

2011-04-21T23:56:00.001-07:00

Cuteness. And making me think (wrongly, no doubt) that a velvet skater skirt has a place in my life. Image courtesy Vanessa Jackman, all clothings American Apparel.

Preetma Singh

2011-04-21T21:57:00.001-07:00

So pretty! Image courtesy Refinery29.

Supersaywhat?

2011-04-18T20:34:00.001-07:00

I am loving Rihanna's red hair here. I like it longer and looser, much more superhero off duty. This picture is from my AOL homepage. Yup, AOL. 90s, bitches. Also heard Oasis's Wonderwall in the car today, and thought there's a 90s phenomenon that sunk without a wave.

Shala Monroque Workin That Prada

2011-04-18T11:56:00.001-07:00

I love the blue fur, obviously, but I really love the mustard shoe with the jeans. And apparently her earrings, which you can't really see, are two little Josephine Bakers in banana skirts. Thank you Prada and thank you Shala. Image courtesy Vanessa Jackman.

Needy

2011-04-16T01:00:00.001-07:00

I want that jacket! Image courtesy vogue.com.

Natalie Hartley

2011-04-12T17:31:00.000-07:00

This chick could sell me ice in a snow storm. Respect.

Top Knots and Multi Colored Leather

2011-04-11T22:31:00.000-07:00

Most enjoying this street style, courtesy Refinery29. I like that she still manages to look very plain and pared down, even though she's wearing red jeans. And I like the brown bag with the black jacket (not to mention the size of the jacket--muy bien.)

Wind Machine

2011-04-10T00:27:00.001-07:00

I love this picture of Florence Welch! Gorgeous. Image courtesy Vanessa Jackman.