A Year and a Day

I was sorting through my endless e-mail the other day and noticed that I "have a new friend on polyvore!" Huh. Remember polyvore? Do people still use it, or had pinterest taken its place? That'd be sad because poly really has it all. That, and I'm pretty sure I already dislike pinterest for being too indie for me. (That's just what I assume, having been on only once for about a minute and a half.)

Anyway, polyvore is a really great tool for finding your style. There are a zillion categories of clothing - just list a bunch of synonyms for "shirt" and you've got the idea - that you can peruse in a couple of different ways. One is to search for something specific, like 'blue suede shoes.' Another is to search by clothing type, saving to your page anything that grabs you. Yet another is to view other users' collections, complete with backgrounds, text and even complementary home goods.

I mean, wow. People really do have a lot of time on their hands. I don't, so I take full advantage of the fact that they do.

Everything you see that you like, you save. You can make your own collections - I had one in the past called "Yellow and Blue done four ways" which I still draw from - or just keep your virtual inventory at your fingertips for rainy-day inspiration.

Pinterest may have everything, including pics of teacup dogs, raspberry coffee cake recipes and watercolors of up-and-coming artists. But polyvore trumps them by narrowing its scope to clothes only.

And did I mention yet that it's not all from high end lines? It's like Burberry, Lanvin, Chloe and Mossimo had a sleepover at the White House/Black Market and threw in a little H&M for good measure. So it's not like when you flip through fall Vogue and scream, "I MUST HAVE THAT!" at the pages, only to have them reply back smugly, "Oh, but my dear, you never could," at which point you realize it's true and commence to sobbing over those beautiful pages.

No, when you visit polyvore you actually have a chance to actually obtain something you like! And I mean within the next month, not over the course of ten years or precluding a visit to a foreign country.

If you don't know "who you are" stylistically, or are going through a change of style, or have pretty much got it down but just need a shot in the arm, make some time for a polyvore visit. It's fun and a welcome break from all the monotony that is the daily grind. Who knows, you might find those perfect cobalt blue, patent leather, t-strap Mary Janes you've been dreaming about...

Fall Fashion Preview!

It's fall y'all.

Well, almost. And that means fashion shows galore. I've done a little sifting and found some of the biggest trends of this upcoming season.

Now, don't be scared! The first time I saw 5" heels I thought, "Mhmf, these will never catch on!" Don't even get me started on skinny jeans. Who wouldn't want the exact size of her calves broadcast to the world? Everyone, I thought (how d'you like that double negative!). Boy was I wrong!

So remember... if one trend doesn't please you, try another. Fashion is all about mixing it up, pushing the boundaries. And for goodness sake, dressing like you live in the real world.

Here we go...

If you let another cool weather season go by without a pair of leather leiderhosen, you should be banished to a cave. "But I don't have anything to wear them with!" you say. Excuse me? It's so obvious that, for weather with snow just on the horizon, you should pair you shorts with a cropped sweater. Summer may be over but that doesn't mean your midrif shouldn't still be exposed!

Everyone knows this season is all about mid- and floor-length skirts and dresses (no, really!). What you didn't know is that they look best paired with a balaclava. Also helpful for those nights when you're dying to dress femininely but really, really need to keep your head warm.

Bare arms - out. Completely covered arms - oh so in.

Lest you worry that your fave summer jumpsuit or romper is no longer wearable, I happily announce, there are fall jumpers, too! Because getting totally undressed on a trip to the loo in warm weather just isn't rockstar enough for you. Now you can do it in subzero!

Winter white skinny suit, check. Fur-trim collar/bra, check. Furry hands, check. Peep-toe platforms, check. You stand at the precipice of avant garde and you jump right in. Brava.

Harem pants couldn't be more in vogue. I mean, when are they not?

Might seem a little early for halloween, but this is not a costume. This is "nightmare before christmas" chic at its finest.

In case you thought the fall jumpsuit was a fluke. Naysayer. You will kick yourself for not jumping on this bandwagon.

This is what a sad clown wears... when she's on the runway.

This brought to you by a little known designer house called "richie rich." He's all about the irony; when you've got money to burn, it's best to try and look "poory poor."

Newest trend: head to toe covering, with hip exposure. Don't forget your furry slippers!

And men, you have not been forgotten! All your fall staples are here in the menswear lines: skinny-cut suits, short pants, platform wedges and allover asian floral-print silk smoking jackets with hoods. What's that you say? You're thinking, just maybe, of not looking like a little boy this upcoming school year fashion season?

No, you're wrong. You do want to look like a little boy. Forever. Now go put on your dandy hat and have a seat.

Happy fall y'all!

Be a Woman, not a Girl.

It's her 30-something birthday. [sigh]



Unicorns, skin-tight, boob-baring mini skirt and an eyebrow ring.

Seriously?

For the Love of Contrast

Some people are just naturally drawn to contradictions...

The good girl to the bad boy.

The health nut to the McDonalds fries.

The bold to the meek.


I for one LOVE neutrals with bold, bright colors. There is something so fresh about a pop of color, especially when paired with gray or brown or taupe. Man, I love me some beige. It's not boring if it's serving to temper the rest of your ensemble.

Pairing with black or white also have their place. Relying on white makes you look like a cruise traveler, and too much black is just too much for summer sometimes.

I can't believe I found all these items at Old Navy. Old Navy! The land of yoga pants and endless t-shirt styles (whatever happened to their business casual line?? those were the only trousers that fit my hips!).

Lounging around your backyard on the weekend does not seem as lazy as when you're doing it in style, am I right?

Coral top - something I would never look at any other time... somehow now looks perfectly girly. And these shorts? Come on!



With necklace worn as wraparound bracelet. If I had a first date to go on, this is what I would be wearing on it.



Probably the most random-looking, but would be great for walking around the farmer's market shopping for fresh strawberries and rainbow swiss chard.

Two necklaces are better than one for a lunch, brunch, play date, trip to the zoo, or even for church. You're casual, but not so much so that you can't wear jewelry!



And the other tops I couldn't find suitable bottoms for. Their navy/off white stripey skirt was out of stock, otherwise it would be perfect with any of these!

[sigh] I so wish I had some money stored up for the shopping itch. It's so long until my birthday...

Chanel Eye Wear debuts!

Oh. My. Goodness.

If you're a classics junky like me, you already love Chanel. The boxy suit, the gold details, the chains.. oh, the chains.

I am more than psyched about their new eye wear! No idea how much anything costs.. who cares.. a girl can dream. It's so difficult to find a great pair of shades to last you through the years.

Never been a fan of the "bigger is better" fad in sunglass chic until now.

My birthday is not until October. But I will happily wear these every day if they find their way to me!

Feast your eyes on my favorite pair:

Pretty Hair In Five Minutes or Less

I've mentioned before how much I dislike spending a lot of time on getting dressed and done up. My hair is an especially sharp point of contention. I don't have much control over it, so the easier the hairstyle the better!

I "borrowed" these styles from a major website. They can all be accomplished in five minutes or less. Really! I tried several of them just as a test. The key is to twist or braid or pin everything loosely. That way you have some spare hairs that escape and do that really pretty "I'm not trying too hard" thing.

I am attending a wedding this weekend and hate to have bangs flopping in my face on a hot day. I might just have to go with a braided bang, a la style #3. Or the last style, if it's just too hot...

The Audrey. I tried this.. it's waaaay simple. Divide hair in two sections horizontally. Twist up the bottom and pin in place. Tease out the top 1/2 a little and tuck loosely into the bottom portion. Spray swoopy bangs and pin loosely behind ear. Done!


Double Twist. Divide hair into two sections vertically. Twist each side individually and add an elastic at each end. Then twist both sections together loosely. Tuck ends underneath and pin down any strays so they don't show.


Beachy Braid. Gather bangs and french braid along hairline. Secure ends with a bobby pin. Could that be any simpler??


High Point Ponytail. Tease up hair along the top, spraying with hairspray. Push hair up and secure with an elastic. Place headband just before bump starts on top. It's less Snooki than Holly Go Lightly, trust me.


Not Quite a Braid. Divide hair into three sections, horizontally. Secure the front-most portion on the top of your head, loosely. Twist the middle section and turn under, pinning underneath. Twist up the bottom section, letting the ends fall over the top of the twist and hang down a little. Secure with pins and scrunch hair all over with curl spray. Or, slightly curl small portions.

What season are we in?

Are you having a hard time transitioning into spring because of the jacked up weather? I am!

I want to wear flirty skirts and open-toed shoes... but I can't stand having chilly legs all day and clammy, squishy feet. Thank you Wisconsin 50-degree-and-rainy climate - NOT!

How are you dealing with it? Protesting by wearing your springy things anyway? Pouting in layers and boots? I am compromising... bought some linen-like trousers (wide leg- they are great with heels!) and bright shirts to wear with them, as well as polka-dot espadrilles (the height will keep me out of the puddles I hope).

Here are some half-in half-out spring choices, just in case you can't make up your mind...

It's a boot! It's a sandal! No, it's BOTH! I'm not sure where you'd wear this. I'm pretty sure if you wore it anywhere it would be inappropriate. Not recommended.

Try a nude patent leather heel instead. Not a peep-toe, because who wants soggy toes? These are slick and will go with everything.

Spring is the perfect time for showing off your stomach, right? Eh, wrong. Not that YOU have a bad stomach - in fact I'm sure it is lovely - but this shirt will make it look icky no matter what.

Try a 3/4 sleeve floral number instead. This will prevent chilly arms yet can be worn with a sweater if you absolutely need it. Pair with long skirt, short skirt, trouser jeans, linen pants.. anything!

Another very pretty option. Pink and green - LOVE it.

Or a pretty plaid. In fact, all of these will look nice under that bulky sweater you are still nursing.

Detail around the collar will draw attention to the small bit of skin you're willing to expose to the cold! Take heart - the sun will come out. Maybe not tomorrow, but someday soon...
Another detailed one in a sweet, denim-y blue.

Dresses are still a great option too. I'm not against wearing boots into the official spring season. Booties might look good with this, actually, and keep it from looking too 60s costumey (as knee-high boots might).

Hmm.. Why is she facing away?? Don't know what happened here, why I got this pic instead of the front-facing one. Anyhoo... arms covered - check. Cheery print - check. We have a winner!

Let me know how you're coping with this tricky, icky season so far. And when all else fails, throw on a fabulous trench and you are literally covered!