The Clothes Horse

Have Camera Will Travel

2009-12-09T09:30:00.000-08:00

I awoke yesterday to the sun shining in my face and the scent of plumeria perfuming the room. A beautiful start to the day, no? The time change made it easy to rise early for a lazy day spent at my favorite beach (Bellows). It's usually a pleasantly empty beach with crystalline blue waters, fine golden sand, and the shadows of mountains in the distance. What more do you need?

This will likely be my uniform for the next week: a simple dress, some comfortable shoes, my swimsuit underneath...

Outfit details: dress & shoes- H&M, swimsuit- Urban Outfitters

Scribble, scribble, scribble

2009-12-08T10:30:00.000-08:00

Scribble-esque, colorful and quirky streetart from Vera.

“It is still an unending source of surprise for me how a few scribbles on a blackboard or on a piece of paper can change the course of human affairs.” -Stanislaw Ulman
Vera via Wooster Collective

Winter's Cold Is Too Much To Handle

2009-12-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

The cool clime of Washington is too much for me...so I'm flying to Hawaii! Okay, so I'm not expecting anything under the Christmas tree this year, but I hardly care because my gift is my family meeting up on Oahu. My father will be back from down-range for his R&R and we're all heading to Honolulu. I graduated from high school in Hawaii, so I'm really looking forward to visiting my favorite old haunts.

Today is the day of my flight and I couldn't be more excited. Sunny skies, warm sands, and family; here I come!

Before I jet away to paradise, here is my last outfit shot in dreary, cold Washington...I've been wanting to do a shoot with twinkle lights forever. And let me just say, it was far harder to wrap myself in twinkle lights and run back and forth for the self-timer than I had anticipated...Gus (the dog) complicated things by barking at me. Concepts like these always work out far better in my head.

Outfit details: dress- vintage, tights- Walmart, shoes- Rosegold via Gilt

Magical

2009-12-05T10:30:00.000-08:00

Simply and utterly magical...

Painting by Kirra Jamison

Photograph by Steven Beckly

A Cloud Of Blue Butterflies

2009-12-04T10:00:00.000-08:00

“I will try to cram these paragraphs full of facts and give them a weight and shape no greater than that of a cloud of blue butterflies.” --Brendan Gill

Outfit details: scarf- Yarnovermovement, jacket- H&M, dress- Forever 21, tights- We Love Colors, shoes- secondhand, ring- The Quotation

Dream A Little Dream

2009-12-03T10:30:00.001-08:00

These pieces of art by Eleanor Wood are really lovely and seem to express an active and colorful dream world. Unfortunately, I never really remember my dreams...does anyone have some fun dreams to share?

Eleanor Wood

Lions, and Tigers, and Bears, Oh my!

2009-12-02T10:00:00.000-08:00

I enjoy taking my pictures in this stretch of wilderness near my home. Yes, there are roads (many unpaved) and much of it is used for military drilling, but I still consider it a sprawl of wilderness. Despite cannons and artillery fire, a good part is just pure rambling nature and is teeming with wildlife. There are rivers with salmon and one can commonly spot deer traipsing about. There are also numerous reports of black bears in this region, though I have never witnessed them here myself. The other day, I did have the fortune of spying a coyote!

They're rather difficult to see, since they blend in well with their surroundings. I was quite excited to see it, but also rather happy that I was safely in my vehicle when I spotted it...

Outfit details: fascinator- vintage, cardigan- H&M, dress- vintage, belt- vintage, tights- Walmart, shoes- Seychelles, necklace- Yellowstone National Park gift shop, ring- street vendor

Bleeding Knees Club

2009-12-01T10:30:00.001-08:00

Sally Scott Loobook

Caitlin Quiet illustration

See Creatures

Need Supply Supplies The Goods

2009-11-30T09:00:00.000-08:00

Much of my wardrobe seems to be vintage or "vintage inspired," a style which is wholly unintentional. Occasionally, I try to expand the range of my closet and seek out pieces to make me feel more "current." That said, I was really excited to be approached by Need Supply, which is full of modern pieces. From studded heels to sleek blazers and sequin bras, it felt like a perfect source to keep me up-to-date with the "kid culture" and all that.

Since I can't fairly review a shop I've only admired via the web and never experience firsthand, they were kind enough to let me choose a couple of items from the shop. I couldn't resist the "Aphrodite dress" and the bag-lady inside me choose the "Fold Over bag" in cognac.

The dress is lightweight, nearly sheer, and with brass detailing that does make one feel like the infamous goddess it is named after. I'm wearing mine backwards, which keeps it rather demure and shows of my tattoos...The bag is nearly large enough to climb into, i.e. the perfect size. I really like the fact it's made to "fold over" and be worn multiple ways. In addition, it's vegan friendly. I'm not vegan, but it's always cool to find quality and stylish pieces that are vegan or environmentally friendly; every little bit counts, no?

So, my review of Need Supply? An excellent collection of pieces and smooth shipping. I'm really pleased with the quality of my items and I think they'll be getting a lot of use/wear. The dress was already really comfortable to wear all day and the bag fit all my necessary objects.

How neat is the crumbling staircase to nowhere? I think this might be my new favorite location.

Outfit details: coat- Forever 21, dress and bag- courtesy of Need Supply, tights- Fred Flare, shoes- Urban Outfitters, necklace- Talonalia, bangle- Marc by Marc Jacobs via eBay

Thanksgiving By The Hour

2009-11-27T09:00:00.000-08:00

One picture from every hour of my Thursday (Thanksgiving).

9:00am

10:00am

11:00am

12:00pm

1:00pm

2:00pm

3:00pm

4:00pm

5:00pm

6:00pm

7:00pm

8:00pm

9:00pm

10:00pm

The Marchesa Luisa Casati

2009-11-26T10:30:00.001-08:00

"The Marchesa lived partly as a slave to her dream world. She had two venues; her palaces and her aristocratic circles. They served as stages where everyone was usually an actor, but when she made her entrance, they automatically became spectators or background extras." -Alberto Martini

Someone as complex and wild as Luisa Casati seems impossible to sum up in words...so, I will not attempt! Go here to enter my current giveaway, "The Marchesa Luisa Casati: Portraits of a Muse." Today is the last day to enter.

The editorial is from the March 2009 issue of Harpers Bazaar and was inspired by Luisa Casati.

EDIT: The contest is closed; the winner (chosen by random) was Mischief My Dear.

Keepsakes

2009-11-25T10:00:00.000-08:00

I'm wearing the dress Modcloth named after me when they made me their "Blogger of the Moment." It's rather wonderful when one is having a less than grand day to throw on a dress that was named in their honor...very surreal. When I started my blog I didn't have any expectations or goals; I just wanted to write a blog. So everything that has come of it is unexpected.

Growing up I never kept a diary, or tried my hand at scrapbooking. The pictures of me from junior high can be counted on one hand; which isn't surprising because before learning to photograph myself, I hated the camera. While I'm generally pleased that those awkward years are behind me and can't be dug up to haunt me, sometimes I do wish I had more proof of the past to jog of my (bad) memory. Now, I'm excited to have such an excellent record of the past couple of years. If I ever feel absent-minded about Greece, I can dig through my archives and find a proper account of my experience. If I ever wonder what I was wearing two years ago, I can go take a peek.

Sometimes I like to think that when I'm old and hunched, I can show this to people and say "you wouldn't know it by looking at me..." Perhaps, I'm too focused on the distant future, but I've stopped cutting up my fashion magazines. My mother never kept her clothes (and I don't know that she even read fashion magazines...), but I often wish that I could loot the closet of her youth. So, I'm making an effort to preserve my magazines so one day I can pass them on to a grand-niece or something. This dress isn't typically what I would imagine as a keepsake piece; I usually think vintage or designer (one day!) as items worth preserving. But a dress named after me? Priceless. This is never leaving my closet...that is until I find the proper person to pass it on to many, many years from now.

"Life is made up of small pleasures. Happiness is made up of those tiny successes. The big ones come too infrequently. And if you don't collect all these tiny successes, the big ones really don't mean a thing." -Norman Lear

Outfit details: coat- Tulle, headband- vintage, dress- Modcloth Clothes Horse dress, belt- self made, tights- Fred Flare, shoes- secondhand, ring- The Quotation

Tuesday Escapism

2009-11-24T10:30:00.000-08:00

I'm really drawn to photographers and editorials that offer a sense of escapism. Whether it be the perfected elegance of Rodney Smith, or the imaginative offerings of Tim Walker, both capture a view of the world that is unreal. Lately, with a desire for brighter skies and warm, golden sand, the photographs of Wendy Bevan are captivating me.

This particular set is full of washed out tones and soothing blues; she shoots a lot on Polaroid and prefers natural lighting. There's a narrative quality to her pictures as well, as if these could be the stills from a Godard film. All in all, it's making me long to run away to the beach in faded basics and nautical stripes...

"To me, style is just the outside of content, and the content the inside of style, like the outside and the inside of the human body. Both go together, they can't be separated." -Jean Luc Godard

all Wendy Bevan

Back To Black

2009-11-23T10:00:00.001-08:00

I'm having an impossible time taking pictures lately; the weather is just so miserable. I got rained on for these and I can only bare that for a short period of time since my camera is not waterproof!

If there is one common thread amongst fashion bloggers, it is our tendency to talk about the weather. We have our reasons: after all temperatures greatly effect outfit choices. Further, when you blog regularly you might just run out of things to say...

On weather affecting one's wardrobe: I'm a firm believer in wearing dresses in the dead of winter, come snow and ice. This can leave one's legs quite chilled, though layering tights and leggings is helpful. The thickest, coziest tights I currently possess are a recent gift from Ozone Socks. I was pleasantly surprised by the sweater-like feel and thickness. They will definitely be keeping my legs "snug as a bug in a rug" this winter and the pattern on them is adorable too. Style and substance? It is possible!

I hope you all are not too bored with BlogMeetBlog stuff yet, because here's a few more links to check out:

-lots of pictures by Mike Adams of the event here (I look like a midget next to Kam in a lot of these...I should wear heels to parties!) via Urban Fashion Network

-a very sweet write up by The Jaunty Magpie (who wears the awesome shoes and socks in my "official" post)

Outfit details: coat- courtsey of Shopruche, scarf- YarnOverMovement, cardigan- H&M, dress- White House Black Market, tights- courtesy of Ozone Socks, shoes- Seychelles

All Wrapped Up In Bows

2009-11-22T10:30:00.000-08:00

Bows, birds, and masked beauties (masks are really starting to be a trend on the old blog)? The drawings and paintings of Charmaine Olivia are sweetly detailed; a wonderful mix of realism and whimsy. The colors in many of her illustrations remind me of a dish of sherbet, which is always a good thing...

all Charmaine Olivia

P.S. A bit more BlogMeetBlog coolness:

VisualNoise made an awesome little video of the event and interviewed Kam and me. So, if you want to see me awkwardly jerk my head all over the place while talking, check it out.

Anna Marie took some great pictures of the event, so visit her blog: Last Days of Light.

BlogMeetBlog Happened

2009-11-21T09:00:00.000-08:00

BlogMeetBlog (the Seattle blogger meet-up that Kam and I put together) was last night. Everything exceeded my expectations and it was really wonderful to see everyone, even if I didn't circulate enough to talk to them all!

BoConcept was a really cool space full of chic and comfortable furniture for crashing on. The different food vendors set up stations all over for a great sense of flow. A big thank you to Trophy cupcakes for the amazing cupcakes, Mike's Hard Lemonade for their yummy apple cider, Qudoba for the taco bar, and Dry Soda for supplying drinks our underage bloggers!

I was too distracted to properly take pictures, but Kam was kind enough to snap this outfit shot for me. (details: dress- Zara, tights- Walmart, shoes- Bona Drag, fascinator- vintage)

I did manage to snap this pic of Kam in action; if you ever run into her on the streets of Seattle this is most likely what she'll look like.

Also, a big thank you to all of our sponsors for the giveways. Shopruche, Modcloth, and SPUN satisfied the fashion-obsessed. While Hazel Salon gave gift cards (and sweet samples which I'm excited to try!), Moo Cards provided a couple of free sets, and Value Village also donated a gift card. I'm mildly jealous of everyone who won, but Kam and I agreed it would be a conflict of interest to enter myself...

My biggest 'thank you' is to all the bloggers who came out and made this evening possible. It was so great to put a face to some of the names I've been reading.

Party On a Flying Saucer?

2009-11-19T10:30:00.002-08:00

I've been reading Flying Saucer for at least as long as I have been blogging. Selina's blog is a smorgasbord of curls, ribbons, and florals. Her style is regularly girly, but she definitely mixes it up with bodycon dresses and chic trousers. Originally hailing from the UK, she's currently spending a semester in Sweden, but she did take time to plan a dream party for me! The whimsical and wild description that follows sums her up much better than I ever could.

What type of party is it?
It's a candy floss, pastel, rainbow explosion to celebrate everything fun and marvellous! Inside is like Willy Wonka's Factory with one room full of edible trees and grass, and a chocolate waterfall! It's a giant overnight party that everyone looks forward to for months and months.
Who is invited?
Everyone! There are different rooms to visit so all my family and friends will have their perfect party, and also lots of cool new people to meet and mingle with. Preferably some hot European boys too.
Where does it take place?
On a boat! I recently went on a student 'love boat' and once it sets sail all your problems float away and you are absorbed by the sea and the atmosphere. It would be a huge boat like the Titanic where everybody has their own rooms with mirrors surrounded by light bulbs and beautiful dressing tables, and bright white bedsheets. Also minibars with goodies and cocktails, and welcome packages of beautiful bath treats and perfume.

What are we eating?
Everything! At the start of the night everybody eats around a huge table. Down the centre is a conveyer belt where all different types of food travel down and everyone can help themselves.
Who gets to sit next to you? And why?
I'll have lots of seats to visit all my different friends and family. I can't choose! The seat keeps sinking and popping up at different places.
What is the theme or what is everyone wearing?
Everybody has to wear their favourite thing. It has to be the most fabulous thing they own and it will remain pristine throughout the evening even though there will be food fights and confetti bombs and popcorn cannons! My outfit changes whenever I visit a different room depending on the theme and the music.

Are there party favors?
Everybody gets different supplements for each party room. They get rave paint and glow sticks for the UV room and glitter for the rainbow room.
What's the play list for the night?
Different rooms play different things so everybody finds something they like! Each song is accompanied by videos on big screens and they are so good that no one stops dancing and the floor is made of clouds so nobody's feet get tired!

What are the hot topics of the evening?
Everybody finds love. It could be new or rekindled or existing love but everyone finds someone special that makes them feel incredible. They wake up with a smile and can always remember the night fondly.
Who is most likely to get drunk and dance on the table?
Me! I will have partied in so many rooms and shared a cocktail with everyone so I'll be drunk off happiness. There are special sky high bouncy castles so people can jump and dance way up high over the crowds.
Who is the last to leave?
Everybody has a lovely room to return to and the last people partying are my closest, favourite friends. We will go and eat pizza and candy before retiring to bed and waking up in a beautiful place.

For more of Selina visit her blog Flying Saucer

Where Paths and Errands Meet

2009-11-18T10:00:00.000-08:00

"The Road goes ever on and on down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, and I must follow, if I can, pursuing it with eager feet, until it joins some larger way where many paths and errands meet. And whither then? I cannot say." --J. R. R. Tolkien

Outfit details: coat- courtesy of Shopruche, dress- ASOS, cardigan- H&M, gloves- courtesy of Modcloth, tights- street vendor, boots- some shop in Greece

P.S. This Friday is Blog-meet-Blog and there's an update on the time: it is now 7-10:00pm.

All The Gold And All The Girls

2009-11-17T10:30:00.001-08:00

I got the Urban Outfitters Holiday catalogue in the mail awhile back and it really swept me away. The images of pretty girls in feather masks, high buns with giant knits, sequined cardigans, and socks with oxfords were lovely enough, but the little illustrations at the back of the catalogue? Even better. There's a real charm to the simple, black and white sketches.

Pictures and artwork from the Urban Outfitters Holiday 2009 Catalogue, by Estelle Hanania

You're Everything A Big Bad Wolf Could Want

2009-11-16T10:00:00.000-08:00

Way back in the dark ages of my youth (junior high to exact) I had a red hooded winter coat that could never be considered stylish, but I loved. Part of the love came from the fact that when I wore said coat, a certain friend would sing "Hey there, little red riding hood; you sure are looking good" to me. There's nothing like a serenade to cement the beauty of an outfit. Of course, I eventually grew out of that jacket (more figuratively than literally, unfortunately...), so I like to think of my discovery of this coat on Shopruche as providence. It comes with a detachable hood, which I removed in order to wear my sequin beret.

A good bit of contrast, no? Little black dress with glam neckline details, ridiculous white tights, and a rugged plaid coat on top...I'm fairly certain none of these things were intended to be worn together, but somehow I'm 'making it work.' Fall weather certainly encourages unlikely combinations.

These tights are a DIY and I wrote a little tutorial for them over at World Ugly on Chictopia. They were inspired by the Emilio Cavalli tights I've been seeing online.

Little Red Riding Hood,

I don't think little big girls should,

Go walking in these spooky old woods alone.

What big eyes you have,

The kind of eyes that drive wolves mad.

So just to see that you don't get chased,

I think I ought to walk with you for a ways.

I'm gonna keep my sheep suit on,

Until I'm sure that you've been shown

That I can be trusted walking with you alone.

Outfit details: beret- vintage, coat and dress- Shopruche, tights- DIY, shoes- Pineapple Express, necklace- Anirtak

Marchesa Luisa Casati Book Giveaway

2009-11-15T10:00:00.000-08:00

In the first half of the 20th century Marchesa Luisa Casati was Europe's most notorious celebrity. This heiress famously said, "I want to be a living work of art." She was eccentric, often scandalous and fascinated some of the most influential artists of her time. Fortuny, Poiret, and others dressed her and designers today (Karl Lagerfield) still name her as an inspiration. She kept cheetahs as pets and wore live snakes as jewelry. Intrigued?

painting by Augustus John

Well, "The Marchesa Luisa Casati: Portraits of a Muse" is a visual biography telling the story of her curious life through the art she inspired. This week's giveaway is for one copy of the book courtesy of Abrams Books. With more than 200 pages of images of the captivating redhead with her piercing eyes, the book should be able to offer the winner nearly as much inspiration as the lady herself.

the book cover

To enter: merely leave a comment below. Open to International readers. Please leave an e-mail address if you don't have a blog.

Vagabond Chic

2009-11-14T09:30:00.000-08:00

These tights seemed to rip the second I put them on, however I've kept wearing them. After all, ripped tights are in, no? Unfortunately for me, apparently most people around me have not gotten the memo...Every time I wear them out, someone kindly feels the need to inform me that my tights are ripped. I'm not just talking friends and acquaintances, but bonafide strangers will walk right up to me and point out the rips...Does anyone else have this problems? Or am I the only victim of non-fashion-y, good Samaritans?

Still, all this silliness hasn't dissuaded me from wearing them out and about. They seemed the perfect compliment to my new Villains and Vagabonds tee shirt and some cuffed jean shorts. I love the trompe l'oeil necklaces with quirky pendants of antlers and rabbit feet on this shirt. It really negates the need to wear jewelry.

Outfit details: shirt- Villains and Vagabonds, tights- Betsey Johnson, shorts- J Crew DIYd, shoes- Pineapple Express, cardigan- H&M, rings- street vendor

Dropsnap Does It Better

2009-11-12T10:30:00.000-08:00

No matter how many street fashion sites I stumble across, I always return regularly to Dropsnap. Perhaps it is because my first introduction to "fashion" was Japanese street fashion which I became obsessed with in Junior High, or perhaps it is because this site doesn't prescribe to a specific style tribe. I like how a very wide and eclectic ranges of fashion is photographed: vintage, harajuku, gothic lolita, etc. Every pictured seems to be the definition of personal style. Here are a few of my recent favorites.

via Dropsnap

Like Apples Of Gold In Settings Of Silver

2009-11-11T09:30:00.000-08:00

Can you feel the fall in these pictures? We have the weather for layers and knits here in 'ole Washington; and in my particular case: layered knits. I have been wearing a surprisingly wealth of neutrals this year...which if you've been following my blog for ages, is unusual for me. I did top this off with mustard yellow in an attempt to keep it from being too blah and predictable. I think I must be highly susceptible to my surroundings considering how often I end up matching them...

Outfit details: hat- H&M, navy cardigan- old school uniform, grey cardigan- Gap, dress- vintage, tights- gift, socks- Thank You Mart, shoes- Seychelles, ring- The Quotation

P.S. More news on the Northwest Blog-Meet-Blog event in Seattle. We've confirmed several sponsors for some rad giveaways. Here's the Facebook page for the event!

Kirei Desu Ne?

2009-11-10T10:30:00.000-08:00

Devon Aoki is one of my favorite models, so really any editorial featuring her will captivate me. The fact that this editorial manages to make mundane settings look marvelous and features rich hues and interesting lighting woos me even more.

Numero Tokyo December 2009 via Lace&Tea