Life of Colleen

Odds and sods...

2009-11-10T21:48:00.000-08:00

Come to Mama! A built-in remedy, for Khrushchev and Kennedy--yes, I remember that song--I like these shoes, what with the little architectural windows.

Aubrey Organics Camomile Luxurious Shampoo review, updated.

I have since used this up, but don't plan to repurchase. Much prefer Blue Camomile:

Blue is thicker...I don't require weighty shampoo, but Luxurious was actually kind of hard to use, it was that watery. You had to pour and apply so carefully, to avoid wasting precious 'poo.

Blue smells better, as well: light and faintly sweet, rather than the almost medicinal scent of Luxurious. In fact, Blue has achieved this shampoo ho's (unusual) stamp of approval.

Neither lathers particularly well, being organic, but they do clean.

If the road to hell in software development begins with: "Wouldn't it be nice if...", in wardrobe development, it is: "There's a shop..."

This is a killer top. You may be thinking, meh, it's a cotton top...but it wasn't casually slapped together. Like the Art shoe above, a certain amount of thought went into its construction.

This top has a sort of draped, almost paper-like neckline (and cloth that evokes paper is one of my favorite things). The look is more timeless than the cowl neck I was contemplating before.

The cut around the bust is generous (yay!), without appearing baggy. Presumably the neckline would simply be more or less draped, depending on what size rack we are talking about.

The tiny "sleeves" make it seem more season-spanning than true sleevelessness, yet of course it would work in hot weather.

And...it's not cut straight, the way a dude would make it. It subtly undulates at the sides, just enough to be flattering, without being cheesy.

Wardrobe meanderings part 6

2009-11-01T18:22:00.000-08:00

image courtesy bulo shoes

I'm starting to like these, even though they strike me as impractical. When it's cold enough to don tall boots, the last thing in the world you want is a row of holes in them. Yet there is something pleasantly architectural about them. You could always wear wool tights I suppose.

I got one of these...a non-pencil, yet narrow skirt.

I loved pencil skirts when I was a kid, but have been reluctant to wear them now. Not sure why; perhaps I've just seen too many of them (lost my interest in engineer boots for the same reason).

This character from television's Criminal Minds is...my new style icon. I know, I know, he dresses too fly for an FBI guy, and he is a dude after all, but I love his style.

Wardrobe meanderings part 5

2009-10-31T14:55:00.000-07:00

J.Crack update

I bought a men's cardigan on sale at the Corte Madera J.Crew, last time I went. It's no longer on the 'Crack website unfortunately, but it's a lovely black and dark grey, herringbone-patterned, merino wool cardigan. Something like this:

...but herringbone (am I the only one who finds the preponderance of solid colors robotic after a while?).

It was way cheaper than a women's cardigan would have been, and better. I washed it when I got home--I do that, for anything washable, to see right away how well it launders. And I detected not one fleck o' fuzz, nary a pill--as if a man would even notice? bemused

I don't actually want these shoes, but they're pretty decent looking.

Keener on Cydwoq oxfords:

image courtesy bulo shoes

...but I'd want something in between the two. I've seen Cydwoq embossed leathers in person, and they are gorgeous, but not as versatile as plainer leather would be.

But then I haven't seen these "Recess" shoes in person; a bit hard to judge.

A mending tip

When mending a heathered item, in a place where it might show, use two threads--to match the two colors in the heather. Go over the hole once in the darker thread, then over that randomly in the lighter one.

Culled from Craigslist

Someone posted anonymously:

IMO they are adorable but be careful wearing boots over tights. I've had so many tights torn up by boots either because they are kind of ruggedly constructed inside or because the zipper snags when I cross my ankles. What I do now is tights, then cotton ankle socks then boots. Your tights will last longer.

Wardrobe meanderings part 4

2009-10-27T20:00:00.000-07:00

Tissue turtleneck, J.Crew

Thought I'd investigate "J.Crack," finally.

I suppose, on some level, I still thought of them as the mail-order catalogue company they once were--akin to Land's End, LL Bean and Eddie Bauer--before swapping out their wholesome WASP-y models for super-slim higher-fashion types. But the merchandise was still quite practical, from what I saw, with only a veneer of pleasant sartorial snobbery.

Take this turtleneck. Not a particularly sturdy t-neck, yet perhaps the ideal layering piece, precisely because of its thinner fabric and long skinny sleeves. It might well span the seasons better too.

The material was not Kleenex-tissue tissue, exactly; I tried on the above shade with what I thought the worst-case scenario bra (light-colored, with a ton of flowers on it), and the thing barely showed through. nods

Biella cotton blend tights at sockdreams.com

Similarly utile are tights blended with natural and synthetic fibers. Natural fibers help feet breathe, while synthetics add stretch and smoothness.

Italians make the best tights and stockings. Pro-American as I am, I've never seen anything like Italian-made legwear; it's amazing stuff.

But we still make better shoes...

Okay, a tough claim, given the quality of Italian-made shoes...but I've been wearing these boots (mine are all black leather). Oh, I love them. To the point I'm wondering if it's worth getting the same model in dark brown leather.

Wardrobe meanderings part 3

2009-10-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

Sorry, blog! I've totally neglected you, having been mindlessly busy, if that makes any sense.

Fashion-wise...I suppose I've finally become the good Catholic girl I was supposed to be. It's easier to see the virtue in saying no, once you've had plenty of opportunity to say yes. So much of style involves nothing more than saying no, to the onslaught of shopp-ortunities. You must winnow the classical wheat from the trendy chaff.

Take patterned tights:

This style reappeared out of nowhere. Patterned tights were hot when I was in grade school, if I recall correctly; the kind of thing you'd wear with your go-go boots. Part of me still loves them, from sheer sentimentality, but is it worthwhile buying them now?

Eh...it's tempting. I'm inclined to say no, in favor of plain old tights:

How about a turtleneck?

Only it's not a regular turtleneck, it's a ginormous neck, which you are to fold and mush down, and it's of thinner material. Probably not the most practical purchase. But is it really that fabulous shade of red?

Again, highly tempting. I'm dithering (idly, since I space out purchases) between this and the more prosaic classical t-neck:

Though I've been on and off lusting over this dress:

...I know it would be killer on me, what with the old-school printed cotton lawn...this is more what I want to buy now:

Lest this appear to be apple vs. orange, both items are in the same price range, and both fulfill the eternal question (what to wear to work today?) with machine-washable charm.

The skirt pic doesn't do it justice; it's a nifty little gabardine number, with an interesting array of gores, almost like a jigsaw puzzle.

And speaking of classics, this Stranglers video has been sitting here; it's a brilliant cover (check the "Light My Fire" interlude). Not at all relevant to this post, I just happen to really like it.

The Stranglers, "Walk On By" (original by Dionne Warwick)

Linda Ronstadt

2009-08-26T20:36:00.000-07:00

Linda Ronstadt, "Blue Bayou" (1978)

Hermmm...Linda Ronstadt was one of my earlier style icons. I don't mean the Linda Ronstadt on roller skates, nor the one at Governor Moonbeam's side, exactly; rather, the girl who would take a quintessential dude's song (Everly Brothers' When Will I Be Loved, Buddy Holly's It's So Easy, Rolling Stones' Tumbling Dice, Elvis Costello's Alison, et cetera, as well as the Roy Orbison tune above), and transform it, like a magician, into something feminine and powerful.

And the girl in photographs such as this:

Ronstadt had that California-essence, impossible to duplicate from the East Coast, to the effect: "I just fell out of bed this morning looking fabulous, isn't it great?" I mean this picture was from an article dated 1977. Is there any one aspect of her look you could call outdated, thirty-two years later?

Linda Ronstadt, "You're No Good" (from The Midnight Special, 1975?)

I stumbled across this video--someone had mixed it with Amy Winehouse's You Know I'm No Good--I hadn't liked the song, in the mid-70's, it was a droning AM radio mantra...you're no good, you're no good, you're no good, baby, you're no good...but how entrancing it all seems now.

Carla Bruni

2009-08-23T21:52:00.000-07:00

I came across this image--on craigslist, of all places. A pretty lady, for sure, but not why I saved the pic. What immediately struck me was that she was wearing flat shoes, with a narrow skirt...where everyone else presumably would wear heels.

This is a look I'm pondering...a pencil-type skirt with flats.

Happy Saturday: Freedom

2009-08-22T11:59:00.000-07:00

Wham!, "Freedom" (1984)

Nope, the 80's were not only about acid-wash jeans and groups with bad singers and bad musicians. There was also the astonishing 21-year-old George Michael (paired with English-Egyptian beefcake Andrew Ridgeley in those days).

George Michael and Queen, "Somebody to Love" (1992)

After Wham! dissolved, Michael got even better. Sure, he was slammed in the U.S., in our peculiar way of judging people (seems gay politicians are accepted, gay singers not), but history will record Michael as the emperor of pop. Here he fills the late (Parsee) Freddie Mercury's wonderfully arrogant frontman shoes.

George Michael, "Fastlove" (1996)

Thought this video a bit twisted when it came out...hmmm...still kinda is...but the song, to me, complements the original "Freedom." The same amazing individual quality, of a sound you can almost touch.

Pretty Baby

2009-08-11T21:07:00.000-07:00

Blondie, "Pretty Baby" *

Much as I detest "embedding disabled by request," this is worth popping open a new tab. Be sure to choose the HQ option; the guy's not blowing smoke.

The original of this song, from Blondie's Parallel Lines (1978), was not quite as good as this live gem, thirty years later. Somehow the original evokes a New Wave "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)", to me. Not that that's bad...kinda dig The Four Tops...but "Pretty Baby" has been playing inside my head for a couple of weeks now, and the live clip transforms it into a modern piece.

Stars live in the evening but the very young need the sun
Pretty baby you look so heavenly
A neo nebula from under the sun
I was forming, some say I had my chance
The boys were falling like an avalanche
Ya ya baby, "La Dolce Vita" is a magic dance
No one was listening
Pretty baby un petite ingenue teenage starlet I fell in love with you
You with the comb
You look okay in every way
I should have known you'd look at me and look away, oh
Pretty baby you look so heavenly
A neo nebula from under the sun
Eyes that tell me incense and peppermints**
Your looks are larger than life
Long live innocence
Petite ingenue I fell in love with you

* A tribute to fellow New Yorker Brooke Shields
** farrrrr out

Menswear!

2009-08-08T22:55:00.001-07:00

I tried to find a video clip of Mr. Humphries (Are You Being Served?) answering the telephone; no dice.

Today the above composition caught my eye, as I am old enough to remember the concept from 1977's Annie Hall:

...and sufficiently aged to recall, at least second-hand, the sparkling sexuality of Marlene Dietrich in her menswear look:

The first, modern image depicts menswear, diluted to..."boyfriend." As in "boyfriend jacket," "boyfriend cardigan," "boyfriend shirt," yadda yadda... Ugh. That is so lame. That would defeat the joy of wearing men's clothes...that perhaps their clothes are more functional than ours have tended to be, there is stark beauty in anything useful, we can always switch back to women's clothes anyway, or doll up the look as desired...by dwindling these concepts to borrowing the boyfriend's clothes--I can stand borrowing the husband's clothes, but the boyfriend's clothes? ...as I say, it would totally trash it for me, were I not already a great fan of the idea itself.

Stretching shoes

2009-07-29T18:14:00.000-07:00

Why didn't I try this earlier!?

Stretched one of my shoes last night. It is a process; since--logically--they sell you only one of these devices, it takes at least two nights to do a pair of shoes. And the stretched shoe needs further stretching (you can do this a few times apparently). But wow...what a difference already. These were shoes of the right length (meaning I couldn't go up even half a size) but too narrow for me. And now at least one of them almost fits.

I caved and got the "stretching spray" even though you can make one (rubbing alcohol and water) since it was, ah, cheap. I don't see it going bad, so there is the convenience factor.

There is also a "vamp stretcher" (pricier than the regular stretcher above)...and I was talking to a shoe repair guy, who told me the old shoe stretchers did both, but my feet are wide rather than high, so likely a vamp-stretcher would be a waste of money for me. (Conversely if your feet are high but narrow, the vamp-stretcher might be the better way to go.)

Train in Vain

2009-07-25T08:03:00.000-07:00

I was feeling a bit sentimental, as usual...it's funny, you come to understand those middle-aged people, once you become one of them. When I was a kid, the middle-aged folks still loved their 1950's rock and roll. It's understandable (admittedly, I understood it even when I was a kid): this music is beautifully stripped-down. If you want a sartorial analogy, it is akin to the perfect black and white outfit. Everything is there, but nothing in excess.

The Clash, "Train in Vain" (1979)

Not overly nuts about the video, if only because I am old enough to have experienced The Clash firsthand. Mick Jones is merely ten years older than I am. There was a collegial feeling between fans and group, not fan worship.

The nice touch is the predominance of black-and-white images--which, as I say, is not coincidental. Fashion is a phoenix which must periodically burn and be reborn. The minimalist 1950's style became 1970's bloat, before Elvis Costello showed up in a skinny tie and Debbie Harry wearing blonde hair, tights and a simple dress.

I think the next trend will be this kind of simplicity, not another round of Laboutins. (I'm not knocking your Laboutins; it's just a predication.)

You say you'll stand by your man
Tell me something I don't understand
You said you loved me, and that's a fact
And then you left me, said you felt trapped
Well some things you can explain away
But the heartache's in me till this day

You didn't stand by me
No not at all
You didn't stand by me
No way

All the times, you and me were close
I remember these things the most
I've seen all my dreams come tumbling down
I can't be happy without you 'round
So alone I keep the wolves at bay
And there's only one thing I can say

You didn't stand by me
No not at all
You didn't stand by me
No way

You must explain why this must be
Did you lie when you spoke to me?
Did you stand by me
No not at all

Now I got a job but it don't pay
I need new clothes, I need somewhere to stay
But without all these things I can do
Without your love I won't make it through
But you don't understand my point of view
I suppose there's nothing I can do

You didn't stand by me
No not at all
You didn't stand by me
No way

Wardrobe meanderings part 2

2009-07-22T18:13:00.000-07:00

Digging the cowl:

Having read the Fashion For Nerds analysis of cowl necks, I realized afresh how cool this style could be. I don't think you need tons and tons of them, just one or two in nice colors.

Current drool:

Though I'm undecided. Tall boots or short? It seldom gets cold enough around here to require tall boots, but often sufficiently chill to wear them as an option. Hmmm...

Unexpected:

I spotted one of these purses on the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) today, only it wasn't U2, it was Elvis Costello. I was enchanted--these look nifty in person, with the clear image jumping out from the usual deluge of faceless handbags--and had to ask where the purse-carrier had gotten it. Turns out it is musicpurse.com; you can customize or choose from readymade album-cover designs.

Wardrobe meanderings

2009-07-19T16:15:00.001-07:00

I love this image. It's not a look I would ever copy, but that is the point. This ensemble works perfectly for this particular woman.

That's been my stock wardrobe advice (which no one ever listens to), for years. Wardrobe is seldom the thing itself. I could buy these items and wear them, but the look would be wrong for me. If this girl walked into a room, the air would brighten; the rose skirt is ideal for youth, and the dressy-casualness (sorry for the horrible hyphenation...casual-without-looking-like-a-slob-ness?) would work across a variety of social situations and weather.

Hence...I don't often look at another woman's clothes with the thought: That looks great, I want to buy something exactly like it. I tend to look at clothes as components. How is this component going to fit into my life? or is it?

I could use the blouse, actually; not the remainder.

I've done some study of shoes, lately. A shoe is an approximation; the odds are good it's not going to fit your foot until it's broken in. Hence the notion of stretching the shoe. You can pay a shoe repair place to do it, but I don't see anything wrong with doing it yourself.

I haven't tried it yet but can admit I look forward to doing so. I asked at a shoe shop; apparently the "shoe stretching" spray or liquid they sell you, amounts to rubbing alcohol and water. You could use a spray bottle and make some yourself. The readymade one is quite inexpensive though; it's your call.

Happy Saturday!: Please don't ever change...

2009-07-11T17:54:00.001-07:00

The Beatles "Don't Ever Change" album "The Beatles Live At The BBC"

The Beatles "I Wanna Be Your Man"

The Beatles "The Night Before" (Paul's Single voice HVS Mix)

No particular theme here (beyond the obvious); just three of their songs I've liked for, ah, decades.

Troika 4

2009-07-08T20:24:00.000-07:00

Miss Dior Cherie commercial by Sofia Coppola

This is a bit fluffy, even by my standards...okay, I live for this stuff. It's just cute: the kid on a bike, the nice sunny day, rows of sweets in a shop, Brigitte Bardot singing... I challenge you to watch this without smiling.

This is a decent bra, actually. Of the mainstream brands I tried recently, Vanity Fair was best, and Body Superior Support Contour the nicest of the make. (Olga and Bali had beautiful bras, but with an annoying boob-smushing tendency.)

I knew it. There are two Dream Angels demi bras: the sale version (crap) and these. Note the narrow strip of velvety material sewn to the straps. Still not worth $48 imo, but the grey and soft plum models (neither of which made it into the pic) are killer.

Troika 3

2009-06-25T20:02:00.000-07:00

Sixpence None the Richer, "Kiss Me"

Yay! Finally located a copy of the original, "Jules and Jim" video for this lovely song.

(Looks like my old "Lipstick Page" photography, eh? It's not, I'm just saying.)

Ever the shampoo whore, I picked this up on a whim. Turned out to be cool stuff: an archetypal granola-flavored, health-food-store shampoo. Too thin in consistency to please conventional shampoo-ers, and too herbal in scent, this golden liquid feels almost oily on hair, yet rinses almost too clean (not looking for squeaky), leaving hair feeling pretty darn good.

It does build up, used daily over time, but who cares. Just switch to something else for a while.

I'm impressed enough with this to consider trying other Aubrey Organics hair products.

Dr. Hauschka Nasturtium and Lemon Shampoo, revisited.

Cannot laud this enough; even though, as a shampoo, it's a bit of a total rip-off (raised from $13 to $20 a pop). So, I don't use it as a shampoo, but rather as a scalp treatment, applying a small amount to the top of my head, and washing the main part of my hair with a cheaper shampoo.

This has "cured" that top-of-the-head itchy scalp thing I had, when used over time. I don't think it cured it--I think it just doesn't irritate the top of my head, the way just about every other shampoo does.

Aubrey Organics shampoo image courtesy www.nonasties.com.au

Wardrobe natterings

2009-06-20T21:40:00.000-07:00

Hermmmmm...this blog has diverted, lately, from its original frivolous purpose.

I checked out the Victoria's Secret semi-annual sale today. Walked out without anything. It crossed my mind I'd done that a couple of times, and that it probably was a sign. Do I ever actually need to go back there again? The VS panties are good, but you can buy them online. The bras you like are close to $50. You can get Wacoal for less than that.

I tried what I thought was this one:

It wasn't marked down in the store, but I was sure I'd seen it online for $12 less. I noticed something strange though; there were two kinds of them. Very similar in appearance, co-mingled in the VS stack o' see-through drawers, but not the same bra.

The "nice" Angels demi bra has straps with a sort of strip of velvet on them, and a much better construction. The "sale" Angels demi bra is crap, like all the other VS sale bras I tried on today.

sighs It used to be a good shop. Seriously. Now I think you're better off in a department store, or buying from an etailer with a good return policy.

I've started to compile a list of wardrobe rules, like "Gibbs' Rules" from NCIS.

Never screw over your partner. This rule supersedes all other rules. (Just kidding, that is an actual Gibbs' Rule.)

Never shop at Banana Republic. Mind you, I like their clothes, but that's the problem. The lasting quality varies wildly. Take this top:

I really like this; it's amazingly useful. It functions as a hot-weather top, but can be worn year-round with a cardigan. It's dressy enough, easy to take care of using the "LAMP" of garment care: Cold water/Woolite/Delicate cycle/Mesh bag, yadda yadda...I've washed and worn it many times, feels like every other week at least, since buying it almost a year ago. And it's fine. It went a tad dingy, but I Oxi-Cleaned it, and it looks great.

This on the other hand, was bought around the same time:

Loved the notion of a dark grey cardigan--the buttons are a tad cheesy, admittedly, but I'm okay with that because the rest of the sweater redeems them. The fabric is wonderfully soft and thin, so it's cozy, yet lighter than lambswool, and it's washable (remember "LAMP"?). But I've struggled keeping the pills at bay with this thing. I'm having separation issues at the thought of ever tossing it. So replacing it at BR is out of the question.

If you shop at a store and walk out without buying anything, twice, reconsider the necessity of returning to that store. Time is money.

Happy Friday!: Sentimentality

2009-06-19T19:26:00.000-07:00

Daryoosh_ Yavare hamishe momen (Old Version)

Because I don't speak Farsi (beyond "man pul nadaram," "talagh," "ghashange" and the like), it's been a bit difficult for me finding these songs. I've heard them countless times, at a period in my life when I was very lonely...it would be akin to searching for Beatles songs, had they been written in a foreign tongue.

Fortunately, the numbers of these are ever increasing on Youtube. I go through once in a while and see what pops up.

Tange Ghoroobe - Dariush and Aref

According to comments, this is not Aref, but rather Keyvan and Afshin Moghadam. I don't know Aref's voice that well (he made a video some time in the 80's or 90's that's driving me crazy, I can't find it), and have never heard of Keyvan or Afshin Moghadam. It's Daryush though, hard to miss that.

Faryaad Zire Ab

Hermmm...this rather illustrates my point. I couldn't find a third song for this post. The movie always seemed intriguing, and I do like the song; it's just not one I've been looking for.

An 80's moment

2009-06-02T18:41:00.000-07:00

The Smiths - "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out"

Morrissey, singer of The Smiths, was once the laughing stock of rock journalism, chiefly for moaning lyrics such as these:

There's a club if you'd like to go
You could meet somebody who really loves you
So you go and you stand on your own
And you leave on your own
And you go home and you cry and you want to die.

Jeez, lighten up... But, once in a while, The Smiths managed to capture the essence of youth, and never more finely than in "There Is a Light..."

Power Station - "Some Like It Hot"

Some said Power Station was what Duran Duran would have sounded like, had they a competent singer. But that's not entirely accurate; it's as much the percussion buoying the late Robert Palmer's (superior) voice that ensnares. At the end of the day, I rather like the video, which blends neon drawings with dishy (transsexual) model Caroline Cossey.

New Order - "True Faith"

I loathe this video actually (save the live performance bits and nifty sign language, and brief glimpses of a guy trying to stack a pyramid, sphere and cube). It strikes me as emblematic of everything stupid and bloated about early MTV--but the song itself is to die for.

Sundry bra reviews

2009-05-30T19:59:00.001-07:00

Happy Saturday! Oh, this really cheeses me off:

This is from the Vanity Fair "Private Collection," exclusively at Macy's (but is carried in a couple other places; try a Net search). It's a fantastic bra...comes in ethereal greyish blue, cream, nude-toned mauve, and black, and it's affordable.

What ires me: the smallest band size in this style is 36. I rifled the rack at Macy's, cursed them for not stocking my size, then went home, did some Googling and realized the dang thing doesn't come any smaller than that. Whaaaaat???????? I would have bought some, otherwise. Who says full figure has to start at 36 band size?

Tried this on, while I was at it:

...the Maidenform "Meant-to-be-Seen" Lace Cami Bra...as a possible less $ alternative to the Natori versions. Ugh. The lace so does not lie nicely as it does in the image. It just sort of...doesn't do anything. I'm not even sure it would look like a camisole at all, it just seemed to cover the lower part of the bra, which you wouldn't want to show anyway, and it doesn't lie flat.

I'd like to give the Natori Zen one a try--annoyingly enough, they didn't have it at Nordstrom, much less Macy's--but the thought occurs, it might be just as easy to make one yourself. Couldn't you take a regular bra and finagle a piece of lace over it? In fact what would be even better, would be something like the top of an actual camisole...a piece of lightweight cloth with lace sewn at the top, rather than (see-through) pure lace, or at least some kind of opaque lace fabric.

I'm a sewing clod, unfortunately...as a skill, it would be priceless these days...but I like small projects like that.

Wacoal's "Embrace Lace" bra. Loved this; it doesn't look like much, but it supports as well as those much bigger-looking bras. And the drifts of flowers are enchanting. I tried the nude one under a white shirt...it's well to wear a white top while bra shopping...looked fine to me.

Random bra advice...I read somewhere to try on adjustable bras using the biggest hook setting. The logic is the bra will stretch out with wear, then you can use one of the smaller settings, and then go smaller. I'd add it might depend on how stable your weight is. If it fluctuates, it might be better to go with the middle setting instead. (Likewise, you should be able to tighten the straps later on.)

The band should do most of the support, not the straps. It took me a long time to figure that out. If the back rides up, and you're shortening the straps a lot, the band is too big.

Dreams of Californication

2009-05-23T19:36:00.000-07:00

Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Californication"

Since this version got yanked from Youtube--and doubtlessly will be yanked from Guba, eventually--you might as well watch it now. My favorite part involves driving on the Golden Gate Bridge (who hasn't wanted to do it that way?).

Hermmm...years after sulfate-less shampoos became a miniature rage, L'Oreal cranks out their line of same. I haven't tried 'em, though I suspect they are good (L'Oreal being eerily adept at haircare); I've long used health food store shampoos to avoid color-fading ingredients (you will need to read product labels, if that's what you're after).

Sundance Catalog's Madeleine dress

I saw this in person today. It's not as mellifluous as pictured...the colors seemed a bit harsh. Whilst this looked prettier than in the image (ah, my obsession with white shirts):

Mmmmm...

2009-05-16T12:32:00.000-07:00

Don Henley - The Boys of Summer

...you can tell Don Henley is a drummer, more than a singer. I like that, though, in the sense of the background coming to the fore, the foreground receding...ideal for this song.

Sundry thoughts

2009-05-11T19:40:00.000-07:00

Oh, get outta here with that crinkled, no-iron, washable silk tank. I've actually tried this on; it's not worth the retail price imo, buuuuut...it just looks so darn useful.

Even the shade pictured--it's deeper in real life, more to the ecru than to the cream--you could pair it with so very many different skirts and slacks, and the deeper colors and reasonable arm-holes mean less sweat-stain worries. You wash it, squash it, hang it to dry...it works tucked in or worn loose, thanks to the nifty lace at the hem.

Am I talking myself into buying this thing? Eh...but I am up for something similar.

What caught my eye here was the sprightly, many-hued print. The all-is-made-in-China world o' apparel is ruled by prints of only two colors--much as pockets and extra fabric in the seams have bitten the dust.

This looks like something I could totally not wear, but you never know.

"Candy" Iggy Pop featuring Kate Pierson
» Try this one

I love this unexpected duet. Michigan's Iggy Pop, better known as the Godfather of Punk, a shirtless dude jumping around before Anthony Kiedis (but after Jim Morrison), singing a love song with...Kate Pierson? half of the glamorous side of the B-52's (ask your mother). Yet, it works.

Happy Friday: Sundry thoughts and product reviews 1

2009-05-01T18:37:00.000-07:00

REM Driver 8 (Live, 1985)

Mmmmm...love a Southern guy who keeps his accent. :) This song in particular evokes a slew of things I miss, in the almost 24 years I've been a Southern expatriate. You can hear the grits in this music, and the red clay and kudzu, and the people sipping iced tea from their screened porches.

Brushpicks! My mil turned us on to these. They are essentially plastic toothpicks, but with a tiny brush at one end and a curved pick at the other.

These are sturdy enough to be washed out and re-used many times...but the genius lies in the brush end. When you're totally knackered at the end of the day, and feel like doing nothing so much as brushing your teeth and falling into bed, you can use the brush end of this thing to quickly floss your teeth.

Woolite Dark Laundry, revisited.

Recently repurchased my dual Woolites of regular and Dark Laundry (though I have sighted Woolite for All Colors at Costco). So two Woolites last me almost four months.

It's a bit difficult to say at this point whether Dark Laundry is better than regular Woolite on darks. I have a black linen dress which now shows the most minimal signs of wear, but the thing is legitimately old. The newer darks look pretty good.

Dark Laundry costs the same as regular Woolite, is as mild, and smells nice. If it works even nominally better on darks, you haven't lost anything. I'll probably have a better feel for it after another four months or so, though.