The Laundry Narrative

Pssst!

2011-04-22T16:29:00.000-07:00

I'm back...sorta. I've started micro-blogging at The LN♥too at Tumblr. No words, just images. I've been collecting random style snapshots on my phone and decided that they needed to be shared. I think it strikes the right balance of what I need in my life. No pictures that I have to set-up and edit and no words, just impressionistic phone shots of my style.

One more thing (a BIG, BIG THING!), my first attempt at this new surface pattern design career actually resulted in amazing success. I have a sock design that is being put into production at Sock It To Me! It should be available in mid-July. I'll pop back in once it's listed for sale and let you guys know the details. I'm pretty excited, if you can't tell. I was jumping up and down, giggling, and squealing for several minutes when I got the email. The design thing, it's really great and it's really happening! I have a few prints I'm prepping for Etsy. I'll also let you know when those are available. Things seem to crawl slowly since I'm still doing the whole full-time stay-at-home mom things, too, but they are still progressing and I haven't once dropped my enthusiasm. I think I finally found it. I found that thing that's for me. Does that make any sense?

Closing Time

2011-01-25T14:24:00.000-08:00

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.

Yep, the title means just that. After three years of fashion blogging, I'm ready to move on. I really enjoyed building this blog, but I'm also not really sad about moving on. I would sometimes think about this day, wondering what would lead me to stop blogging on The Laundry Narrative. Funny that I always imagined it would be age factors, even though there are some awesome women in their golden years rocking their style online. I always imagined the end being sad because I always thought of it as an end instead of making way for a new beginning.

I'm going to leave the blog up so you can access my archives. I also might drop in every once in awhile to announce any exciting things going on with my new venture. Which leads me to...dun dun da duh: fiafia, my new surface pattern blog! I'll be posting my design inspiration and my work there! So for those of you who follow this blog for me and not just my style, feel free to join me over there. It's a little slow going right now because I'm building it from scratch, so mind the "dust." I would love to have you visit. Best of luck to all my fellow fashion bloggers. I'm still following many of your blogs and will definitely be using all your creativity for inspiration in my design work. Goodbye.

Love,
Fia

Christmas Decorations 2010

2010-12-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

Want more Christmas spirit? Here's my post from last year!

Daily: 310

2010-12-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

secondhand dress, too old to remember cardigan, F21 leggings and belt, Steve by Steve Madden boots via Ideeli

I found this dress at Goodwill and fell in love with how the print on top is made up of bows that create geometric shapes in the negative space. I also like the vintage cute of the dress, but the sheerness gives it a modern twist. However, the sheerness means I need to add another layer underneath. I thought a black tank and black leggings were perfect even if I feel very much like maybe I should be in a modern dance performance.

*I tried getting better pictures of my feather extensions (as opposed to the Photo Booth pictures I took for this post), but I realized my hair was a little flat because it's time for a shampoo.

In With The New

2010-12-15T16:14:00.000-08:00

Steve by Steve Madden boots via Ideeli, Earth Shoes, Easy Spirit

By getting rid of the shoes in my last post, I had no qualms welcome these three pairs into my closet! I've already been getting a lot of wears out of each pair, sometimes switching it out in the middle of the day!

Out With The Old

2010-12-15T13:12:00.000-08:00

Parting with things is always a part of moving for us and lately, I've been on a kick trying to get rid of some things. I've been holding on to these shoes for nostalgia and a touch of maybe for Halloween, but for some reason it just feels right to let them go now. I wanted a better photoshoot, but in the madness of moving, I just snapped some quick shots with my phone. (I started this post ~~two days~~ ~~several weeks~~ a month ago! Oh dear, seems like I'm easing back into blogging instead of jumping in. Oh, and I just took a sip of a new tea I bought: Cocoa Chai! Yummy!)

*I thought about titling this post "Bye, Nice Knowing You." Then I realized how cruel that would be just coming off a long hiatus.

The Clown Shoes

The Goth Boots

The Go Go Boots (or something)

A-Ha

2010-12-14T00:06:00.000-08:00

I promise I'm not giving up on this blog. Doth the lady protest too much?

When I took my break, it was because I was feeling overwhelmed with life, had been feeling overwhelmed with life for awhile. I stepped back from almost everything that it was possible to step back from and just focused on getting right with myself. I'd already been talking to a therapist and I think working out some of my issues made me realize that I needed drop some things and to heal before I continued on. So, I stopped blogging. I started doing some cliched soul searching. What was missing in my life? What part of me needed to be fed?

I started another blog that is public but I have really publicized or shared the link with anyone save three people. You could probably find it if you tried hard enough. I've been using it to truly journal and giving things that have been banging around in my head a place to live in the world. I needed to get these ideas out even if no one else sees them.

For a long time, I've known that I'm not a standard mold. I don't fit. Most people don't fit, but they can make themselves fit well enough with only a few tweaks. But I really don't fit and trying to make myself fit always leads to...to where I was a few months ago. I've been there before.

And it always comes back to becoming comfortable with WHO I AM. With being okay that I'm not like most people and realizing that who I am is not a judgment on others and that most people probably don't see it that way anyway.

And then, I had my a-ha moment. Which is somewhat unrelated to all these issues that I have been working through, but by getting past the baggage, the enormous weight of learning self-acceptance (all over again) on my back, I had some clarity. I was in an aisle in Michael's craft store picking out paper for a few Christmas decorations that I was DIYing this year. I spent a long time running my eyes over the papers, flipping through enormous books of decorative papers, taking in all the designs. After an hour in the store, I headed to Starbucks and sat for awhile just contemplating life and then it hit me that I really should be designing again. Only instead of graphic design, which is what I was doing pre-child, I'm interested in surface pattern design. (See here.)

To be honest, I didn't even know it existed. How did I get through a degree in graphic design without even hearing about this career? First my thought was, I could design scrapbook/craft paper. Then I pulled out my phone to do a search for what type of designer that would be and 40 minutes later, I was home spouting off ideas and dreams to my husband with appropriate title (surface pattern designer). So, you can now blame my lack of posts on the fact that I'm working on a few design projects. We are going sett up our office up after the holidays, so that I have space to pursue this new career. But it will also make it more convenient to photograph my outfits and make posts. (I've been creating some excellent outfits! Sorry I haven't posted them.)

The thing is surface pattern designers are also responsible for all the great prints you guys are wearing, so staying connected to the fashion blogging world will definitely provide me with tons of inspiration. Besides, you guys are such a fun crowd and I'm not ready to leave the party!

Feather Extensions

2010-12-10T11:28:00.000-08:00

Click to enlarge

Sunday, we traveled to Santa Cruz, because I had an appointment with Ashlé Nouveau of Featherluxe. Ever since I saw feather extensions on Christina from Second Skin Style, I knew KNEW I had to get them immediately. I think the immediacy was because I could see them blow up in popularity and not that I feel like I have to be on the cusp of trends, but once you see a certain trend all over the place it become common and loses it's appeal. The other reason for the immediacy is that I think once the trend hits, it could quickly become a fad and I want to enjoy it as long as possible. I could be wrong in my predictions because I don't pretend to be the pulse of everything trendy. I pretty much go my own way and it that happens to be trendy or not, I still wear what I like. RIght now, that means I have rooster feathers on my head.

Daily: 309

2010-11-23T15:39:00.000-08:00

Tucker for Target dress, secondhand Michael Michael Kors dress, Foot Traffic socks, secondhand AK Anne Klein loafers

I think this might sum up things around here: Thanksgiving dinner will be just the three of us with Trader Joe's prepared cranberry sauce and prepared mashed potatoes, Whole Foods prepared stuffing, can of Pillsbury crescent rolls, frozen corn, and Trader Joe's prepared chicken breast for Tim. Low key, low key, but really I'm okay with that right now.

P.S. First one to claim these shoes can have them for $15. There a size 8 and a little narrow in the toe box which is why I'm passing on them. I'd keep them if it weren't for that. Yesterday's post had close-up pictures.

Daily: 308

2010-11-22T14:26:00.000-08:00

secondhand dress, shoes, and belt, Target sweater

No words! Until I get back into more of a routine with blogging the only way I'm going to be able to get these up is if I keep comments short.

Thought you should know...

2010-11-15T12:53:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to give The Laundry Narrative fans a heads up that Gilt currently has Paige Premium Denim and Tart leggings on sale! I can't tell you how much I like both these items and how many compliments I receive on them. So, if you want a pair of your own, head on over to score them for a great price! If you need an invite, just click here. Happy shopping!

Daily: 307

2010-11-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

Tucker for Target top, secondhand skirt with DIY button detail, Modcloth belt, H&M scarf, Target socks, Mossimo shoes

I tend to dress with more youthful silhouettes but every once in awhile, it's nice to have a more mature sleek look. I definitely felt more grown up in this outfit. I added the knee high socks to give it just a touch of youthfulness.

This weekend we had some good friends stay with us and Evelyn quickly took to them, calling them from the other room to color with her, asking about them when she woke up. They just left, so we'll see how she handles their departure over the next few days. I feel like I have a lot of things to talk about that happened during my absence, but right now I'm just happy to be blogging again.

In other news, when we moved, we made the decision to put all the boxes in the room that will eventually be Evelyn's room. Since she still sleeps with us, this isn't really a problem. We want to simplify our lives a little and part of that involves going through our stuff and minimizing what we own considerably. It made sense to set up our living space without the clutter of boxes and take our time unpacking and going through every thing. Once the room is cleared out, we'll start preparing it for Evelyn and transition her gently and gradually into it. In the meantime, it looks like this (WARNING! Frightening hoarder-like photo):

Eep! I just need to remind myself "baby steps" and "this is a temporary situation that will lead to a much better environment"

Halloween

2010-11-12T16:33:00.000-08:00

I know most people have moved on from Halloween, but I promised some people I would post pictures of our costumes. I was the Morton's Salt Girl and Evelyn was a bunny, though you won't be able to tell from the pictures because she wouldn't cooperate. I think next year if she isn't ready to choose her own costume, I might have ours correspond to one another. Cruella Deville and a dalmation, Queen of Hearts and Alice? Perhaps.

Daily: 306

2010-11-11T14:11:00.000-08:00

secondhand dress, Target sweater and socks, H&M belt, Blowfish shoes

You guys, everything is conspiring against me getting this post up. First it took me 20 minutes to dig up the remote and tripod head (is that what it's called?). Then, after I took the pictures, edited the pictures, and uploaded them, I heard Evelyn on the monitor up too early from her nap. Luckily, I got her back to sleep after 20 minutes of nursing. Shew! So, I'm just going to stop typing and getting this up. I'll fill you in a little more later when I have more time!

P.S. My outfit was channeling a little bit of Christina from Second Skin Style and I think she showed up in one of my poses. :)

Change

2010-11-11T10:35:00.000-08:00

Fall has finally come. The warm days seem to be behind us. Evelyn and I still walk familiar paths around our neighborhood, but we leave and enter a different door. We've left the apartment that never seemed to be right, that always felt temporary. Our new home holds potential. We haven't had time to mar the newness. We're brimming with ideas. We're trying to commit to this place because in the last nine years of marriage, we've moved seven times (twice with Evelyn). We want to settle in and make this place home for a few years at least.

Now that we're settling in, I've found the camera and we finally have internet, I'm ready to make a return to this blog. This is just a short post to let you know to expect an outfit post this afternoon. Consider me back in the game. (A game with only winners, no losers. Right, fellow style bloggers.)

Not abandoned

2010-10-12T15:31:00.000-07:00

I know I hardly have the popularity that Agathe from Style Bytes did when she disappeared from the fashion blogging world. No one's raising an alarm over my lack of posts. Still, I thought I owed you guys an explanation.

I may be down, but I'm definitely not out. This blog has survived many extended breaks and for those of you who've followed me through those periods of silence, I'm very very grateful. You don't understand how much it means to me to still have people following along from the early days. Those of you who are new, I'm very grateful for you, too and I hope that my silence won't drive you away from boredom.

The thing is, I'm tired. Very very tired. Possibly depressed. (Don't worry. I'm talking to a therapist. I care enough to at least take care of myself.) I tend to keep tight reins on what I say here and so many of you might not have even noticed how long I've been struggling. The truth is probably longer than I should have.

I love this blog. I've put a lot of work into it and I'm not ready to give up yet. But I need to check out for a sanity break. At first, I was angry at the weather for not cooperating. (I just received a new jacket in the mail yesterday when it was in the high 80s. Ridiculous!) So, I stopped posting my outfits, but I was still reading other blogs and commenting. After awhile, I stopped commenting and then stopped reading. I think I may have been a little jealous about all the cardigans and tights that others were wearing.

I've taken the time to read some (three!) books and catch up with some friends. I've also sat on the couch being lazy, recovering from the days storm before I have to do it all again.

We're moving in two weeks. We're gaining an extra bedroom in the move, a better kitchen (our current one is a cave, it's so sad), but also maybe a fresh start. This apartment holds some painful memories. I'll be busy with the move in the next few weeks, but I'm asking you to trust me. Trust me that I will be back. If you want to keep in touch, feel free to email me. I love getting email.

Modcloth follow-up

2010-09-29T14:37:00.000-07:00

Two representatives of Modcloth have been kind enough to contact me in the comments of a recent post I wrote about them criticizing them for their sizing. Thank you Elisa and Aire for taking the time to discuss this issue with me. I've come out of the exchange with a feeling that Modcloth does care about their customers. They claim that they are at the "mercy of how [their] designers size items." I don't know enough about the business side of the clothing industry, but it seems reasonable for them to make this argument. Again, not knowing enough about how the industry works, I wonder if it's possible for their buyers to purposely pursue designers who work with larger sizing. They also let me know that if there are designers I support and would like to see sold through Modcloth, I can contact them at press@modcloth.com. I would like to encourage my readers to send any independent designers that work with a wide range of sizes to Modcloth for recommendation. I have to say, I'm very impressed with this experience and it has helped me to understand where Modcloth is coming from. I still would like if there was more of an active search from Modcloth buyers to seek out designers who are willing to work with more average sizing and who knows, maybe this exchange has been an impetus for more inclusive sizing. What do you guys think? Do you have any designers you would recommend?

SOL: Digging Dirt

2010-09-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Evelyn sat for 20 minutes digging dirt out of this hole in the sidewalk and putting it in my hand. The things that fascinate her are so random sometimes. Also, she has two new phrases that tickle me whenever she says them, which is often, like every few minutes often. "Oh no!" and "oh wow!"

Throwing up my hands

2010-09-28T00:04:00.000-07:00

...but not throwing in the towel.

I might be a little flaky this week on outfits. The weather decided to be horrendous. I'm sick of heat. Each day, I check the weather thinking maybe it will be the day things cool off and then I realize, no, in fact, they took a turn for the worst. 94º was the predicted high today, luckily it only got up to 88º (*eye roll*). So, I just stare at my closet all zombie-like because I can't make a decision, or rather, I don't want to make a decision because I don't want to wear another summer outfit. I'll try to make it up with some fun random posts this week. Like Evelyn's sorta Halloween costume:

I debated over a pumpkin hoodie or this bunny hoodie. It was a really tough choice!

Daily: 305

2010-09-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Vitta Luna dress via Modcloth, Tart leggings via Gilt (click if you need an invite), Born shoes, belt from a Tucker for Target dress

I've decided I'm done with Modcloth, which means I should probably stop visiting their site so I don't find another cute dress to buy. I've criticized Modcloth before on this blog, but my criticism at the time wasn't enough to merit a ban from buying. Yes, they have a major presence in the blogging world, but so do many other stores. It's practically impossible to be completely original. Not that I'm necessarily trying to be just that.

No, my reasons for ending my relationship with Modcloth have to do with size. The dress I am wearing is a large and that makes me mad. Before you think I'm mad that it indicates I am large, that is not it at all. I am not large. I generally don't state what size I wear because I don't think it's beneficial to most conversations, however for this conversation, I think that it is. I wear a size 6 in pants (I don't know what that translates to in dress size). I realize sizes are very arbitrary, but I think you can get most people to generally agree that size 6 is considered thin. I don't say this to brag, I say this to make a point that Modcloth doesn't want you as a customer if you are larger than a size 6 because many of their dresses wouldn't fit someone bigger than me. There are a select few dresses on the website that are larger than a size 6, but often when I am looking around at dresses, I find that I consistently fit in a large and sometimes I can't even fit in a large based on their measurement chart. Even this dress is bulging at the buttons and I will probably end up wearing it open and layered over other dresses because of this.

I realize that my size gives me some privilege over other women. I am able to buy styles that some women don't have access to. This does not make me happy, in fact it makes me sad. When I wear an item on this blog, I am promoting it to a certain degree and it upsets me that this could exclude some of my readers from purchasing those items if they wanted to. So, I'm done with Modcloth. Now the question remains how to handle the clothing I already own. I like the pieces I have and I've already purchased them, but when I wear them, it's is an advertisement for Modcloth. What do you think?

Let me tell you, my list of unacceptable stores to shop at is getting longer. I think I'm being pushed more and more into buying secondhand. If only secondhand weren't so hard to buy online.

*I know my dress is a wrinkled mess. Ah, high-maintenance fabrics. Grrr.

Daily: 304

2010-09-23T15:33:00.000-07:00

Tucker for Target top, Gilligan & O'Malley nursing tank, Four Stars skirt, Target socks, Old Navy shoes

Have I told you that my husband and I are Trekkies? Maybe not dress up for a convention or collect figurines type of Trekkie, but we like the shows and can sit around and debate the merits and faults of the show with anyone who would be intested. We started the original series about three years ago. I had never seen a single episode, but my husband had and decided on a whim to get it on Netflix. I started watching along and enjoyed it. We worked through 3 seasons of the original series and then all the movies that accompany it. Then we started The Next Generation and worked through seven seasons plus movies, taking a brief hiatus during Evelyn's first year when we were just trying to survive with the lack of sleep. Just this week we finished the last (and seventh) season of Deep Space Nine. We plan to take a break before starting the next series in the Star Trek franchise.

It's funny growing up with a certain impression of what Star Trek is and then actually take the time to figure out what it's really like. I feel like my whole adult life has been relearning everything I thought about the world. Almost every week I read some fascinating post on one of the feminist or sociology blogs I follow and my perception of the world is blown up and then pieced back together in a different light. I, personally, love it. I love to have my ideas about the world challenged. I think it's the only way to grow as a person and the last thing I want is to stagnate in a small narrow view of life.

Daily: 303

2010-09-22T14:43:00.000-07:00

H&M top, Paige Denim jeans via Rue La La, vintage Etienne Aigner oxfords

*This outfit was from a few weeks ago.

It seems like every month, I need to take a short break from blogging (and no it doesn't align with my cycle). Mothering is the hardest thing I've ever done. My time is not my own. I'm not used to this much dependency and it's draining. I love it. I feel like I need to say that every time I talk about being a mother. It's a disclaimer that just because it's tough doesn't mean that I wouldn't do it again. I know you know this, but I feel the need to say it anyway.

I think parenting is tough in this age of spread out families. I, of course, don't know what it was like to parent in generations before me, but this generation, I see a lot of people without the built in support of parents, aunts, uncles, etc. because they live too far away. While it's somewhat a choice to live away from families, it's not always desirable, I think. At least not for me with my tight knit family, in-laws included. I've had a few friends with one child mention that they have no desire to have any more and while we don't intend Evelyn to be our last, I definitely understand that sentiment. I sometimes wonder if the growing lack of community in our society plays into that. I don't think children were intended to be raised by just two people and yet, I feel that is happening a lot more often and it's freaking hard!

Daily: 302

2010-09-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Moon Collection dress via Modcloth, Xhiliration cardigan, Mossimo shoes, belt from Tucker for Target dress

I saw this cardigan on clearance when I was shopping the Tucker for Target collection. What can I say, I'm a sucker for puff sleeves and lace backs. Let me tell you. I'm forcing this cardigan to work today. It's actually not cool enough for it, but I really want it to be cool enough to wear it. So I'm wearing it. Some of my neighbors are starting to lament that the warm days are fading, but I am so so ready. I actually don't like to be warm. Anything above 75º is annoying to me. Yep, you read that right. I have a low tolerance for being hot so please bring on the cooler weather.

Daily: 301

2010-09-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tucker for Target dress, H&M belt, Target socks, vintage Etienne Aigner oxfords

This is the other Tucker for Target piece that I bought. I was planning on buying the Navy diamond print dress, but this purple really made my eyes shine. Before you ask if I was able to have my shoes repaired, I only wore these for the picture. If they weren't broken, they are what I would wear. While I'm disclosing things, yesterday I only wore my squirrel necklace for 20 minutes before Evelyn's eyes locked on it and I knew it was over. A mother can dream, right?

Daily: 300

2010-09-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tucker for Target top, Paige Denim jeans via Rue La La

Three hundred outfits! I used to do a collage every 100 outfits, but I think I'm going to start doing collages based on my blog anniversary which is in January.

It's funny how seeing something online and seeing something in person can make a difference. When I wrote about anticipating the Tucker for Target line, I had an idea of what items I might purchase. If I had purchased those items online, I would have probably been fine with my purchases. I make many purchases online because it's just not easy to shop with a very active toddler. Because of this, I'm also not afraid to send things back that I just don't like or exchange items for a better fit. However, I took sometime on Sunday to visit my local Target and I'm glad I did. I bought the Signature blouse and the Signature dress, two purchases I was planning on making, but I bought different prints. Seeing what I originally wanted and what I ended up buying next to my skin made me realize which ones were more suited to my tastes and complexion. While not always possible, buying in person is a far superior experience.