Fashion Friday: Teal and Coral: I have a plan bwahaha

All right. Let's talk about brown. Isn't it super? Awesome? Totally great? Okay, and boring, but so's black so we're moving on. Picture!

Brown, teal, sea green, coral, orange, gold, rust, more brown, and a touch of beige. So, this picture is me. Aren't I colorful? And intense? And slightly ominous? Hm. Maybe this isn't me, but it's probably bits, around the edges.

This is for my spring capsule, because I like planning ahead, particularly during winter when the reality is too bleak for contemplation. Particularly when everything's so green. It's confusing.

Anyone else have spring/summer inspiration breaking through the bleak midwinter?

Fashion Friday: Monochrome

Okay. So, does anyone else notice that the way to look chic and photoshoot worthy is to don the same color from cap to toe-cap (the lastest shoe trend that I'm waiting to go away)? How do you look good in a tan bomber? Wear a tan flippy skirt with tan heels and tan tights, oh, and it helps if you're a blonde. Need to wear something outrageous? Make sure the rest of your outfit is the same color as that tutu, and you'll look AMAZING.

So, it's boring, so what? You'll look chic and that's what it's about.

Pause here while I rant for a second.

How you look isn't real. I know. That makes no sense, but seriously, after you get dressed, how much time do you spend looking at yourself? Checking in the mirror to make sure you're not gapping or whatever, but the rest of the day? It's how OTHER people see you that's going on, and that's interesting. Because how you look affects how other people think that they look, which is why I'd rather go to a party where I'm the worst dressed person than the best, as in, everyone's in t shirts and jeans which feels nothing like a party, not that there's anything wrong with t shirts and jeans, but still, if I'm there, it's what I see, so whatever amazing sequinned or studded thing I'm wearing, I'll feel like I'm wearing jeans and T's.

Does this make any sense? Probably not. Anyway. Back to monochromatic.

I've been wearing burgundy a lot. Like, head to toe, lot with burgundy skinny velvet jeans (which turned out amazing and I LOVE) and burgundy origami shirt (feel a little bit pretentious when I wear it, but who cares?) and my lace hoodie (lace has never been so cozy). I lurve it. To death. And I look so plum fantastic, AHA!!! I caught myself there, acting like how I look is actually something that I can be impressed by. How I think I look? Hm. Well, it's fantastic!

Anybody wear monochrome and look/feel super elegant or just boring?

Fashion Friday: Writing my Wardrobe

First thing I knew I was facing off with my closet, one foot in a sophisticated kitten heel, the other bare on the wood floor tapping in time to my alarming song, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPZQ7ZLy3MI . Try to not tap your foot, bare or not.

Second thing, slipping into the silver sleek vroommobile on my way to the Woldemort bazaar for my first spectacle. Wrap skirt of an exceptional singular gorgeousness....

Hold on a minute! What's going on here?

Um. Apparently I crave writing a fashion blog so much I'm starting to fictionalize it. Sad really. Fine. I'll do a fashion blog post but only because my psyche is completely out of control and no one wants a dramatized version of me getting dressed (particularly when I'm doing weird stuff like giving alternative names to Walmart that imbue the evil nature of a certain Harry Potter villain which is also an evil franchise (lots of levels there, don't you think?))

Where was I? Right. Fashion post. I've found the BESTEST (It's cuter when other people use it) blog called, the vivienne files which has the capsule stuff, the 4x4 stuff, which I've never heard of but is most useful particularly when you're starting to go insane about hot pink or ox blood, and you have to do something about it, keeps you from having to do an 8x8, gasp. Or you can do the 2x2. You know I'm doing a 4x4 in burgundy for the sewing competition. You people have no idea what I'm ranting about but it's AWESOME! and I'M GOING TO PARIS!!!! I really shouldn't be so excited but I totally am! So whew! Fashion post out of my system I can go back to being a calm, introverted writerly sewist.

Have you got a favorite fashion blog?

Fashion Friday: Green with luck?

Hi! I made a polyvore because I'm excited about St. Pattys, but Green turns out is kind of a hard hue to hurl at the eyes of the beholders, but here we go anyway!

I have several green dresses, so maybe I could pull this off, will certainly give it a go. Wish me luck leprechauns!

Fashion Friday: The pants are in the House

Pink floral pants that is. I thought this was random, but look! It's in fashion. How weird and fortuitous is that?

As my brother would say, Hoody Hoo!

Fashion Friday: The love goes on and on...

I have this sort of plan that has to do with cuteness, spreading it out through the month of lurve, with red, pink, flowers, hearts, clocks, all 14 days before the big day. It goes along with the days of valentine, which I stole shamelessly from another blogger, where you do little gifts, poetry for the days before to make it more thoughtful less consumerist, but wouldn't it be nice to combine that with cute florals? I'm trying to scheme up a good plan, do a 14x14 like people do the thirty days thirty things thing. (and look good the whole time, crazy people. Getting dressed thirty days in a row would be challenging enough, not to mention looking cute:)

I'm going to have to investigate this so that if it goes well, it goes well. Otherwise, there's always the wonderful laugh I will have at myself as I flaunt my flannel floral cropped pants. Oh, there's so much to laugh at:) Anyone else want to dress up for two whole weeks in love-ly looks?

From Polyvore where they have bazillions of cute amazing sets that make me want to eat tulips.

Oh, I was actually going to write about how makeup and hair have taken over hats and gloves for finishing outfits. Oh well:) Happy Weekend! Wear something cute;)

fashion friday: let the games begin

So, I was thinking that it would be nice to have someone who knew what they were doing to arrange my life so that I was always dressed smashingly with a nod to weather and activities of the day. You know, like a personal stylist. Since I haven't got the cash to lay on a prime stylist, I decided to interview and subsequently style myself. Here's the interview:

Angelique Pfeffenseirer (AP, prime stylist with a french/british accent who always wears black, white and a splash of gold): So glad that we're here today, can't wait to get a look in the closet. Writers always have such exciting wardrobes.

Me. (ME, in sweatpants and a pale blue cashmere sweater with a dot of spaghetti sauce on the hem) er, thanks.

AP: When you think of people, fashion icons, what sort of people come to mind? (She crosses long elegant legs hosed in black with subtle dots)

ME: (long silence while I think that I shouldn't say Daisy from "Keeping up Appearances" Or Rose for that matter.) Nancy Drew?

AP: (long silence) Isn't that a fictional character from a book?

ME: Mhmm. She drove a roadster.

AP: Ah, a fashion forward independent woman who was fashionable as well as capable. I like it!

ME: Sighing in relief.

AP: So, do you have any other influences besides Nancy Drew that you'd like to bring up?

ME: Shrug

AP: What is your favorite season?

ME: Summer but I like to wear fall stuff. My hair is red. (I point to my head as though she can't see it by herself. She pushes her chic and intelligence enhancing glasses on her nose and nods thoughtfully)

AP: Your neutrals should be dark brown, medium brown, and cream. The colors that suit you best will be blush, teal blues and greens with a splash of orange and eggplant. And gold. What do you like to wear in the winter?

ME: (looking down at my sad sweater and pants) I like to be cozy. I'm a writer, they drink tea and wear sweaters.

AP: There are ways to be cozy and stylish at the same time. I will fill you in after I've jetted to Italy to touch up my shoe collection. Be back next week. (she stands, elegantly, then evaporates, also elegantly. I amazed and cannot wait to see what she comes up with for cozy and comfortable. As a polyvore! I'm definitely staying tuned.

Fashion Friday: Cute and Cozy Collide!

I like sweat pants. Not just any sweat pants, my DH's sweatpants that are like footie pajamas because they're so long and trailing under my feet. It's a sad day when the ankles get holes in them and I have to cut them off and wear socks like a normal person, maybe I could wear them backwards and get more wear out of them except that would require me to tie the thingy (called a tie;) from behind and I'm not sure if I'm that dextrous.

So the wardrobing that I've been doing, aka, examining my closet, has led me to realize some gaping holes. I have fancy clothes and schlumpy clothes and hardly anything in between. Problem? Um, since my life is mostly somewhere in between, yes, I'd say it is. And to think I never noticed this until forced (by myself) to do this fascinating closet analysis.

The reason for this gap is because I think wearable clothing is mostly too boring to shop for and too tedious to sew. I like new, exciting, twirly/silky/wool stuff that isn't quite as wearable as daily fare. So I'm going to try and incorporate cozy fabrics, like fleece, into sophisticated patterns that make frumpy clothes fashionable. I'm not certain this won't fail brilliantly, but I'm mostly okay with that. Has anyone else got gaps that they'd like to fill? Too much fancy? Not enough?

Fashion Friday: I have Nothing to wear

Yes, your closet is full, your settee is overflowing with garments onto your hardwood floor, your drawers are spilling into other drawers and yet, you have nothing to wear. The scenario is played time and again in many a desperate scene.

Dreamscape: You wake up one morning with birds singing outside your window. You yawn, stretch, and sit up, the birds and mice have already pulled back your blanket and pushed your slippers under your feet. Mice? Make that frogs. treefrogs are really cute. And slimy. Anyway, you take a shower on the wood floor from a sponge held by a bird, and then the frogs mop up the mess, or you leave it there because you don't actually like the wood floor and are wanting a little revenge from the wicked stepmother, landlord, whatever. So, you raise your arms over your head and the flocks of fowl drop your garments onto your body.

If only it were so easy in real life. Wait, maybe it is! Some people take this kind of thing very very very seriously. That's mostly because they're terribly serious. We are not, but sometimes we try. (although we know what birds are most likely to drop on us and it's not trimmed in chiffon)

So we are going to do a nothing to wear segment where we will break down the wardrobe and figure out what works and what doesn't. Doesn't this sound fun! (that's not a question because I don't want any smart answers:)

First step, take out your clothes and take photos of all of them. Yes, this sounds fun! (again, no comments) It is an extremely smart thing to do if you're looking to maximize what you've got and figure out why all of these things add up to nothing to wear. Trust me. I'm a... trustworthy person? Anyway. This is what you do. You take pictures of all your clothes. Style them. Make them look good. Do a photo shoot worthy of an Anthropologie catalog.

After you've got all of this stuff organized, you go over to http://gochicorgohome.com/  where you have to be a member, sorry, get a membership first, it's like a facebook membership, no fees or anything, they just don't want spammers. ANYWAY after you go to the link above, you create your digital closet. You upload all your clothes and suddenly, you're eternally organized. You go online, take a look at your closet and suddenly, you can see colors combinations, shapes, things that go together that you'd never before considered. Oh yes! This is fun! And then, you wear said clothing and for the one day you get dressed all week, you look fabulous!

Fashion Friday: Inspiration outfit

Last time I made my striped skirt. It turned out brilliantly. I have a semi-devious plan to once again set out to conquer some otherwhere cuteness. It involves capes AND polkadots! Sheer genius. I was talking about it with Daisy over a nice cup of herbal tea yesterday. "Daisy," say I. "What could be a way of incorporating the bizarre mint green that seems to have corrupted so many of formerly sensible taupeys in my soon to be divine fall ensemble?" (I try to use big words with Daisy so that she'll be impressed. Just because she doesn't have a head doesn't mean she hasn't a brain.)

Daisy responded with something about small enough amounts so as not to overwhelm the whole, or, she adds, I could use the fandango dots. This confuses me until I remember that Daisy always confuses polka with other dances. "Of Course!" I enthuse. Daisy smiles demurely while I gaze at a never fix-ed mark somewhere between the microwave and the refrigerator. I am still trying to figure out how it will be done, but here is my inspiration.