Style Porn

where is my mind?

2012-02-09T23:34:00.000-08:00

wearing thrifted Ellen Tracy pencil skirt, thrifted silk top, Judith Leiber pumps, ASOS leather jacket, spikethepunch necklace

I accidentally went to work today looking like Valentine's day threw up all over me.

concentric circles

2012-02-06T07:54:00.000-08:00

wearing vintage shirt, J Brand jeans, ASOS leather jacket, Belle by Sigerson Morrison flats, vintage necklace, Timex watch, Furla bag, Christian Dior sunglasses

It finally got warm enough to take one of my new flea market finds for a test drive. Actually, scratch that, I've worn the shirt once already over a turtleneck. I found it in LA at the Melrose Trading Post, and loved it so much I broke my own rule of never buying polyester. Oh, and the $12 price tag didn't hurt either.

Day 3: HOME STRETCH

2012-02-03T21:05:00.000-08:00

In t-minus 12 hours, I'll be able to eat!!!!!

Day 3 is practically in the bag. I felt alert and well-rested today even though I got about an hour less sleep than I usually do. My clothes are also pleasingly loose on me, but like I said, I expect that to last all of a week. On the downside, I'm so completely nauseated by (and sick of) the taste of the juices, that I'm not going to be able to make myself finish the last 2. Instead, I had a small handful of walnuts, and when I start to get really hungry, I'm going to go to bed. Unconsciousness is always the best defense against discomfort.

Now, the important part: getting back to eating the foods that I love! I wish I could stuff my face with everything pictured above tomorrow, but in reality, I'll have to ease back into eating solid foods slowly, starting with the ugly stepchildren--cooked veggies and salad with grilled chicken. One thing I WILL be indulging in is a cappuccino, which I've been depriving myself of for the past week. I guess the one thing I've learned through this whole juice cleanse business is you have to pick your vices. Of all my vices (of which there are so many!) I pick:

coffee
alcohol (in moderation, of course)
cheese

And the vices I have to do my best to curb are:

bread, cereal, pasta (I'm a carb hound)
Red meat (ok, I'm not swearing off of it forever, but I'll try to cut back)
dairy

Ok, enough about all this. I've bored myself. I promise never to talk about food again unless it's delicious food that I'm eating. Amen and good night.

Day 2: evidence of things unseen

2012-02-02T23:09:00.000-08:00

what I wish I was eating: chocolate covered potato chips via Because I'm Addicted

I've made it to the end of day 2, and I wish I could tell you I feel fan-fucking-tastic. To be honest, I do feel a lot better than yesterday. No headache, and I'm definitely not as fatigued, plus I managed to avoid the full-on ED (explosive diarrhea) that plagued me last night. But something has occurred to me, and that's that living without food isn't really living at all. I mean, no duh, but I don't think it really hits home how important the ritual of food is until you can't eat it.

Case in point: I was working from home today, so my mom said (without thinking) "oh, let me come meet you for lunch." While I'm sure she would have come out just to, you know, sit in a room and drink dandelion tea with me, it would have been so pointless. After eating, what else is there besides reading (a solitary activity) watching movies (goes better with popcorn) and shopping (which requires fuel to do properly)? NOTHING. Ergo, food is everything. And I can't wait to eat it again.

I suppose I should go into the positives while I'm at it. My jeans are definitely baggier on me today, but I'll bet you a million bucks they'll go back to fitting snugly as soon as I inhale the sweet odor of a hot dog (and then inhale said hot dog). I have to hope there are some invisible health benefits to doing this. And I'm not denying that it's good for me, but holy god it's not fun.

Oh, and because this is a style blog (not a whine about not eating blog) here's my favorite blog find of the day, Children With Swag:

YEP, MY OVARIES JUST EXPLODED.

Day 1: the hunger games

2012-02-01T19:24:00.000-08:00

Since you're all dying to know how my CAN CAN juice cleanse is going (ok, I lied, only Angie is dying to know) I thought I'd give a quick update after day #1. In short, I'm still alive. But barely. Let's just say that however much you might imagine this sucks, it actually sucks 1,000 times more. Let's break it down.

For the next 3 days, I will be subsisting solely on eight 12-oz jars of juice per day:

Here's the "menu":

Lemon Ginger Juice
Ingredients: lemon, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne, coriander, filtered water
What it tastes like: spicy water with lemon juice in it. Not sweet, and not particularly appetizing. This must be what those 2-week lemonade/maple syrup/cayenne pepper juice diets taste like. I'd rather pull out my eyelashes one by one than have to live off of this shit for 10 days.

Green Juice
Ingredients: celery, cucumber, green cabbage, broccoli, fennel, romaine, spinach, kale, parsley, ginger, apple, lemon
What it tastes like: Pretty much what you'd imagine--every vegetable in the grocery store put through a juicer. I drink this one 2x daily.

Dandelion Tea
Ingredients: dried dandelion leaves, filtered water
What it tastes like: regular herbal tea. It should be noted that I had to endure TWO of my co-workers eating delicious Philly cheese steak sandwiches today while I sipped on water with dried dandelion leaves in it. The world's cruelty knows no bounds.

Winter Orange Soup
Ingredients: Carrots, butternut squash, onion, garlic, celery, ginger, cayenne, cumin, curry, cinnamon, olive oil, coconut butter, sea salt, filtered water
What it tastes like: Delicious! This may be the one thing I have to look forward to in a lineup of beverages that are more healthy than they are tasty. It looks like baby food but tastes like an actual pureed soup, not some bastardized health food version of one.

Spiced Apple Juice
Ingredients: apple, fennel, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, cloves, filtered water
What it tastes like: This one is actually not bad either. It tastes like a healthy version of apple cider. I don't hate it.

Mixed Nut Milk
Ingredients: raw almonds, hazelnuts, brazil nuts, cinnamon, dates, filtered water
What it tastes like: a creamy soy-based health drink. It's not bad, and although it's not sweetened the spices in it trick your mind into thinking it might be.

SO, the question is, how do I feel? Mostly like shit! I was ok until around lunchtime since I'm used to not eating breakfast (horrible I know). Then people started bringing food near me and smells started wafting in and I was pretty much ready to throw in the towel. And I've been TIRED as hell today, which I partially blame on a cold-turkey cutoff of caffeine. The pre-cleanse ritual involves slowly "cutting down or eliminating" caffeine, but up until today I was still drinking black tea, so today was technically my first 100% caffeine free day.

It should also be noted that when I got home from work, I broke down and "cheated" with 1/2 an avocado, which is an emergency measure that CAN CAN recommends if you feel like you're about to die. It was the best avocado I've ever had.

We'll see what tomorrow brings! I'm hoping it'll be somewhat easier, but you never know. I'm still waiting for that clear-headed come-to-Jesus moment when I realize that I never want to eat animal fat again and that processed foods are the bane of human civilization. So far nothing except a vague craving for Wendy's.

Oh, and the highlight of my day was definitely coming home to find these babies waiting for me:

Here's to a brighter, healthier tomorrow.

cleanse

2012-01-30T20:56:00.000-08:00

wearing Madewell shirt and scarf, Zara coated jeans, Balenciaga heels, Timex watch, vintage ring

I clearly have no intention of ever taking this shirt off or posing for a picture without Kobe by my side. I can't help it!! He's so cute with his little flipper feet.

In more serious news, I am about to embark on a 3-day juice cleanse for the first time ever. Since I'm one who usually gets hangry (hungry angry) if I don't eat every 2 1/2 hours, this is going to be an exercise in emotional and physical self-control that probably won't be any more pleasant for friends, family, and co-workers than it will be for me. Already kicked off the "pre-cleanse" by cutting out caffeine (ouch), white flours (double ouch) and red meat. Wednesday is the day it all begins, so I'll be dragging each and every one of you along on this ill-advised adventure. Get ready.

I'd rather be wearing...

2012-01-28T23:45:00.000-08:00

1. Rodarte x Opening Ceremony button down
2. Tom Ford Sunglasses
3. J Brand cords
4. MADE brass rings
5. J. Crew Edie purse
6. Balenciaga wedges
7. Gryphon faux fur jacket
8. Topshop Beanie
9. Dannijo necklace

she thinks my tractor's sexy

2012-01-23T23:41:00.000-08:00

wearing Madewell denim shirt, UO jeans, vintage belt, rings, and necklace

There's nothing like denim on denim to coax out the beer-drinking, football-loving, gun-toting American in all of us.

Special shout-out to Tara (for the beautiful long silver ring from Portland) and Callie (for the vintage silver and glass necklace). You girls are the bestest birthday gifters ever.

starstruck

2012-01-19T20:53:00.000-08:00

wearing Acne Jacket, Madewell denim shirt, Leif leather leggings, vintage bracelet and necklace, Steve madden shoes

Spent a few (coldish) days in L.A. visiting a best friend this weekend. Checked out the Melrose Trading Post flea market (grabbed two amazing tops which I'll share later), ate at Mario Batalli's Pizza joint Mozza, strolled through Will Rogers Park, and finished off with dinner at Chateau Marmont seated within spitting distance of a distracted, chain-smoking Lindsay Lohan. Also saw Dita Von Teese hurrying out in an amazing femme tux. I know it's uncool to admit it, but I LOVE seeing celebrities. Going to L.A. without seeing at least three D-listers is like going to Africa without seeing any Zebras. Shit is just wrong.

is there a doctor in the house?

2012-01-14T01:10:00.000-08:00

wearing vintage coat, Madewell shirt, vintage/UO necklaces, Leif leather pants

A predictably hipster outfit I wore to a friends' birthday a couple of weeks ago. Sometimes you just need a uniform.

I'm hopping down to LA this weekend to see a good friend and visit the Denim Doctor. I've heard GREAT things about the place, so I'm sincerely hoping they can mend my favorite black J Brand jeans. There is nothing quite so depressing as having fabric succumb to expanding flesh.

UPDATE

2012-01-11T10:41:00.000-08:00

Thanks for all of your concerned comments about my car. Yeah about that...there's an update. Read about it on Angie's blog The Hotness Your Momma Warned You About. I'm too mortified to write it here.

29

2012-01-08T23:17:00.000-08:00

what i wore to dinner: vintage dress, Louboutin shoes, TJ Maxx necklace

On Friday I got home from work and found that my car was missing. With a sinking feeling in my chest, I searched the blocks around my apartment, hoping that I'd eventually run into it and think, "duh, I forgot I parked there." Eventually I came to the realization that unless the car had taken itself for a drive, it had indeed been stolen. So I spent the better part of Friday night calling the police, waiting for them to come and take a report, and finally trying to convince them that identifying characteristics of my car--which include Louisiana brake tags and a number of angry liberal bumper stickers--were details worth writing down in their little notebooks. So in short, there's some asshole riding around in my 2000 Nissan Altima with 175,000 miles on it. And the police aren't going to do a goddamn thing except call me if they find it and give me 20 minutes to get to the location to pick it up or they'll charge me $300 to tow it to an impound lot.

Oh, and Friday was also my 29th birthday.

But fret not! In spite of the whole car theft incident, the weekend was awesome. I spent it at the Tonga Room with friends on Saturday and then went to dinner with my parents tonight. I think 29 will actually be a kick-ass year. As soon as I get a new car.

fancy pants

2012-01-02T12:41:00.000-08:00

wearing Madewell silk blouse, Anthropologie pants, vintage Andrew Gellar pumps, UO necklace, J Crew bracelet

I couldn't have found a more perfect pair of pants to ring in the new year. When Anthropologie does 30% off sale items, good things happen.

desolation yes, hesitation no

2011-12-31T15:51:00.000-08:00

I dunno about you guys, but I'm going to party tonight like the Mayan calendar predicts the end of the world. You dig?

Thanks to the few of you who have gone on this journey with me for the past--GASP--3 years. I still have no idea what I'm doing, but I guess I'm doing it.

got green?

2011-12-28T22:34:00.000-08:00

wearing T by Alexander Wang sweater, Madewell blouse

Digging this painterly rendition of an ombre nail. It's like a Picasso*--from far away it looks pretty cool but up close it's a big 'ol mess.

Ed. note: Thanks to a commenter who is smarter than me (and has a better memory) I now stand corrected that I actually meant a MONET. No, I didn't take any art history classes in college. And no, that's not an excuse. I should at least have Clueless memorized by now.

non denominational gift giving

2011-12-25T19:32:00.000-08:00

wearing Madewell shirt and sweater, Zara jeans, Made by Elves booties, vintage Tibetan bracelet and silver ring (gifts from my sister!) and Commes Des garcons wallet (gift from my parents)

For a heeb, I made out pretty well this Christmas. My sister (pictured above in some kind of graceless arabesque) brought me back some real goodies from her trip to India earlier this year, and my mom made my dreams come true by giving me the CDG wallet I'd been ogling/begging for. Plus, I was privileged to get to spend the holiday with this handsome devil:

Yep, that's Kobe wearing his elf costume, an indignity he suffers quite well when given the chance to snarf down treats. Love that little bugger.

Hope everyone's Christmas/Hanukkah/long weekend was wonderful!

I feel like cameras should just follow us around

2011-12-21T11:26:00.000-08:00

wearing vintage dress, belt, and blazer, Banana Republic gloves and bag, vintage Frye boots

Any glance at the "trending" list on twitter will tell you that it's generally not an incubator for latent genius. Rather, it is a refuge for the lowest common denominator to discuss important issues like #thingsthatuse2BeCool and what happens #whenblackpeoplegetpaid.

However, HOWEVER! Sometimes there's some truly inspired shit on Twitter too. And @shitgirlssay tops my list of the most highlarious accounts. And now it's a Youtube series that I'm predictably obsessed with. It's like they followed me around for a week and recorded everything I said, then had a dude dress in drag and imitate me. How did they know this is exactly what I sound like?!

Clothing note: just rediscovered this schoolboy blazer under my bed and I still like it. Or I like it again. Either way, it'll be back in rotation for the winter.

i'd rather be wearing...

2011-12-17T13:42:00.000-08:00

1. Ann Taylor Silk top, $118
2. Rag and Bone Wool Fedora, $75
3. Tucker silk pleated skirt, $460
4. Modcloth bag
5. Burberry Brit Leather Jacket, £895
6. Brian Atwood boots, $500

ACNE!

2011-12-11T20:25:00.000-08:00

wearing Acne jacket, Madewell blouse, Zara pants, Manolo Blahnik heels, F21 rings

I've got Acne!!! No, not just on my face! On my body! Oh wait--not the puss-filled inflamed pore kind--the Swedish kind. Yes, I caved into my baser instincts and blew a wad of cash on this uuhhhhhmmaaaaazing jacket you see here. It was on sale though, so I am officially NOT GUILTY of conspicuous overindulgence. I'm just the proud owner of a jacket that, let's be honest, I'm going to wear the living snot out of. It's already come in handy for an unusually cold weekend. And it's a lot more comfortable than 5" heels. Can I get an amen?

mixmaster

2011-12-08T23:45:00.000-08:00

wearing Reliquary vintage jacket, old as hell Three Dots turtleneck, J Crew skirt, UO tights, Missoni for Target shoes, BR cuff, Stein Mart necklace, vintage ring

BOO YAH for rolling clothing racks. On Sunday night I set aside a week's worth of clothing and getting dressed has been a breeze ever since. And more creative than usual, I might add. I have these crappy pictures to prove it.

country christmas

2011-12-04T22:10:00.000-08:00

I'm wearing: vintage Saks Fifth Avenue blouse, thrifted BCBG leather skirt, friend's bolo tie, vintage roper boots. The fringed cowboy shirt and cow-print shoes belong to other partygoers.

Like any real jew, Christmas fills me with an irrepressible glee. Especially Christmas parties. Especially if they're theme parties. So obviously, my head pretty much exploded this weekend when I attended a Country themed Christmas party at our friends' house. The night was all Johnny Cash, bourbon, and Victory rolls. I would do my hair like this every day if I could.

like buttahhh

2011-11-27T23:20:00.000-08:00

wearing Leith leather leggings from Nordstrom Rack, Tucker blouse, mom's sweater vest, Urban Outfitters shoes, vintage necklace and bracelets, DIY tassel earrings

Thanksgiving outfit, take 2. Decided that elastic waistband buttery soft leather leggings would do less to impede consumption and digestion than my wool trousers in the previous post. It was a wise decision.

These are my first pair of leather leggings and I had to buy them in a medium because the only other size was an xs. Reeeeaaallly hoping they don't stretch out and become leather hammer pants. Does anyone know how much leather leggings tend to stretch?

give thanks

2011-11-25T01:37:00.000-08:00

wearing Armani Collection trousers, Tucker blouse, Zara cape, Missoni for Target shoes, vintage bag and bracelets, Christian Dior sunglasses, DIY tassel earrings

I'm thankful for the fact that this is the 4th Thanksgiving I've gotten to spend with my wonderful boyfriend. I'm thankful that I've had some of my friends for over 20 years. I'm thankful for my apartment, my job, my family, and the occasional lucky streak at the flea market. I'm just pretty stoked in general.

pussy bow

2011-11-16T21:26:00.000-08:00

Not nearly as dirty as it sounds...

wearing vintage blouse, Zara pants

d'oh!

2011-11-14T22:11:00.000-08:00

top to bottom: BellJar SF lookbook via Refinery29, amazing letterman sweater on Ms. Vintage Virgin, drawer pulls via Kelly Wearstler's blog, "Smoking" dress via Street FSN, weird lipstick via Circa Now, Margaux Hemingway via Google, Friend of Mine Spring 2012 dress via Studded Hearts--oh, and you can find it all on Pinterest.

I'm pissed off y'all. I had Wardell take excellent outfit shots for me this weekend (wearing new leather leggings!!!!!!!!), and accidentally deleted them from my SD card before I uploaded them to my computer. I Googled what to do and am relatively convinced that so-called programs used to retrieve deleted files are all just viruses and bullshit. Has this ever happened to anyone? Were you able to retrieve your photos? If so, how?

Twenty bucks says I get a spammer commenting on this post.

geaux tigers

2011-11-07T22:39:00.000-08:00

wearing thrifted BCBG skirt, Tucker blouse, Target for Missoni shoes, necklace from TJ Maxx, vintage bracelet, vintage clutch (and my aunt is wearing the Missoni for Target coat too!)

Ok, so I know I'm a day late and a dollar short on the whole Missoni for Target thing, but better late than never. The entire collection sold out in my area in about the time it takes you to let out a silent fart, but luckily in Monroe, Louisiana, they still had these pumps in my size about a month after the collection hit stores. A MONTH. It's almost enough to make me want to move to a 100% Republican state and start caring about LSU football. Almost.

And speaking of LSU, check out the groom's cake at my cousin's wedding:

It was much more delicious than attending an actual LSU football game. Nom nom nom.

shoegasm

2011-11-02T22:38:00.000-07:00

top to bottom: Charlotte Olympia wedges, Stubbs & Wooton slippers, Maison Martin Margiela curved heel boots, Charlotte Olympia kitty flats, DSquared ice skate heels

It occurs to me I have totally lost sight of the original purpose of this blog, which was to document those ridiculously expensive designer items that make my panties wet and that I'll never be able to afford. Let's indulge in a bit of fantasy, shall we? If I was Kim Kardashian and wanted to reward myself for making a big splash with my fake marriage and celebrate the fact that E! Network now pays me an amount roughly equal to the GDP of Sweden, I would most certainly buy all these beauties and call it a fucking day. Real talk.

'ween

2011-10-31T16:49:00.000-07:00

images via mymodernmet.com, refinery29, Thisisnailporn, Oystermag.com

It is with a heavy heart that I write no Halloween festivities were had this weekend, thanks to a wedding in Louisiana that sadly, was not Halloween themed. It just doesn't even seem like fall yet because I haven't spent countless hours researching, creating, and applying my costume (past years have necessitated a wide range of preparations, including fake tattoos, sculpting an ass out of travel pillows, and applying an artistically accurate face painting with Kryolan cosmetics). Because I'm feeling nostalgic as fuck, let's have a look back at some costumes of years' past:

2010 - Day of the Dead Bride

2009 - Lady Gaga

2008 - Kim Kardashian

2007 was Amy Winehouse (pre-mortem) and I'd sure love to get my hands on a picture but it has long since been relegated to some forgotten external hard drive and I can't quite conjure up the willpower to unearth it.

IF I had been blessed with the opportunity to dress up this year, I would have gone as the Black Swan. Not because I fancy myself to be as svelte or as pretty as Natalie Portman but because I've always had a hard-on for ballet and it would be super fun to do the makeup. And my first position isn't too shabby either.

OR I might have just canned all my plans and worn this dress, which surely would have gotten me at least an honorable mention at my company's annual Halloween contest:

$100 seems a little steep to wear Steve Buschemi's face, but it's a chance I probably would have been willing to take.

So tell me dawls, what were your Halloween plans this year? Just don't make them sound too fun, or I'll have an even harder time getting over my loss.

new hairdo

2011-10-25T23:00:00.000-07:00

wearing vintage everything
I chopped off some of my wretched, tangled mop of hair this weekend and gave it a little extra "oomph" in the color department as well. Still getting used to the feeling of the nice blunt ends and a shorter ponytail, but I like it so far. Having a little too much fun doing shampoo commercial head tosses though.

lets talk brows

2011-10-23T22:48:00.000-07:00

Anastasia of Beverly Hills beauty express kit in brunette

When I was a kid, I had horrible caterpillar eyebrows (and no, I will not show you pictures). It didn't take me long to figure out that achieving social acceptance would be greatly expedited by the liberal and frequent use of tweezers. What followed was a period where I had, for lack of a better description, sperm eyebrows. You know the kind--big bulbs at the front followed by the thinnest line of hair. I stopped short of using a sharpie to fill in the overplucked areas (thank God) but still somehow fell victim to brown lipliner. But I digress...

The point is that it's taken me a long damn time to get my brows in any kind of decent shape. By and large, I was able to re-grow the thinner areas to some semblance of normalcy, but more recently I've noticed some areas thinning out, so I've actually started filling them in with brow powder to make them more uniform. Enter the Beauty Express Kit from Anastasia Beverly Hills. Anastasia's team was kind enough to send me a kit to try out, and I've pretty much been using it ever since. It's not just a brow powder either--there's a wax (for helping the powder adhere and keeping brows from getting all bushy-like), an excellent matte and shimmer eyeshadow to set off the brow bone, and stencils for helping you choose the best shape to aim for. I've been neglecting all my eye makeup for just the ingredients in this kit for the past few weeks, and I have to say I'm a new convert to the "done-up brows" look. You kind of don't need anything but brows and mascara anyway.

wedding bells and puka shells

2011-10-19T23:27:00.000-07:00

wearing Eskell Dress (from Eskell in Chicago), Steve Madden platforms, Banana Republic cuff, noir octopus earrings, vintage clutch, Christian Dior and gag sunglasses (can you guess which is which?)

I was in "yeah bro" Santa Barbara this weekend for my friend Callie's wedding, which gave me a perfect opportunity to buy an unnecessary pair of platforms and don celebratory eyewear. The wedding was amazing--the perfect mix of tradition and hipsterness that I love. A freaking mariachi band led us from the ceremony to the reception. Genius.

Also, this dress is one of my favorite pieces ever. I found it during my trip to Chicago (remember that?) at the Eskell flagship store. Original design, fantastic print, super comfy, and on sale for $80?? In the words of Minnesotans, "you 'betcha!"

THE grandma couch print pants

2011-10-12T22:38:00.000-07:00

wearing vintage pants, H&M sweater, thrifted jean jacket, Minnetonka moccasins
These are the kind of pants that could literally stand in for birth control. I didn't even realize how true that is until I saw them photographed in all their resplendent polyester high-waisted glory. No self-respecting individual would wear these and think they look halfway decent, but I did, so apparently my opposite body dysmorphic disorder has struck again (wherein I think I look better than I really do). Ah, the power of denial is quite something, isn't it?
And fuck if I don't say so myself, but this week's manicure is killing it. Wrinkly knuckles and all.

saturdays in the sun

2011-10-09T16:24:00.000-07:00

Still savoring the last few days of an Indian Summer. This weekend I went to San Francisco's favorite drum circle/burner hangout/dog watcher's paradise Dolores Park with my friend Kelli and her daughter Isabella. We claimed a spot long before most of the hipsters woke up and were out before 3pm. Not my normal schedule, but sort of nice and different.

Also found a knee-length A-line leather skirt at Goodwill that has completely changed my attitude about Fall. Bring it on.

stalked

2011-10-03T22:42:00.000-07:00

wearing thrifted Elie Tahari skirt, vintage blouse, J. Crew sweater, BDG jacket, Dolce Vita boots, vintage ring (belonged to my Aunt), Stella & Dot necklace, and Butter London nail polish in "Wallis."

It's Monday, it was already dark when I get home from work, and it's raining (hence sour face in above photos). My only weapon for combatting the sudden dreariness of Fall was this metallic skirt I found at one of my favorite consignment stores. Bonus that it ended up matching my Chanel Peridot wannabe from Butter London, which is totally going to be one of my go-to fall polish colors.

Also, this hilarious bit of fuckery:

Yes, that's me walking in front of my office with my 10am Cappuccino in hand. Google Maps totally stalked me.

hardly strictly bluegrass

2011-10-01T22:52:00.000-07:00

wearing vintage Saks Fifth Avenue label shirt (last seen here), UO jeans and boots, etsy horseshoe earrings, vintage bracelets, costume shop sunglasses

Saw Broken Social Scene, Irma Thomas, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band (!!), and Steve Earle today in the park. For free. And as if that weren't enough, this business in the front, party in the back dude:

It was awesome.

love this place

2011-09-29T21:45:00.000-07:00

The Unseen Sea from Simon Christen

what I saw at Folsom Street Fair

2011-09-26T21:10:00.000-07:00

Well, let's just say what is seen cannot be unseen, so proceed with caution (that means you, mom).

For those who don't know, the Folsom Street Fair is an annual gathering of BDSM enthusiasts in San Francisco. For about 8 hours, the streets are overrun with sexual deviants of all stripes and colors. Here are just a few of the things I saw:

- Bare-assed men getting whipped before a delighted crowd
- A pair of she-males pissing on a woman
- butt plugs (one with a whale tail hanging from it!)
- cock rings (stacked 5 or 6 high! It was like an arm party...but on a cock)
- ball gags

...and so much more! No really, so much more. Too much more. It was an experience to say the least, and I'm glad I did it but it was kind of like Disneyland--once is too much. I think I'm good for a few years.

If you have nerves of steel, check out the rest of the (NSFW) photos after the jump!

These two statuesque beauties definitely had dicks. How do I know? They whipped them out. And the one on the left was about 6'5".

There was a street performance put on by this trio--the two she-males ended up dominating the other woman and, much to the crowd's delight, pissing on her. It was kind of intense.

Best tattoo of the day goes to this guy:

And finally, your moment of zen:
Need brain bleach yet?

pinned

2011-09-21T21:50:00.000-07:00

images, from top: unknown, Pierre Dal Corso photography via here, Vilhao Pham photography via here.
Just a few images that have been capturing my fancy imagination. If you want more, follow me on Pinterest.

hot coffee

2011-09-18T15:25:00.000-07:00

wearing UO sweater, vintage suede shorts, Lush button-down, Stella & Dot necklace, Timex watch, UO boots, random sunglasses from costume shop

My favorite weekend coffee spot happens to be the one where my boyfriend works, called Brown Owl in the Outer Sunset. He makes a mean cappuccino, and his latte art is top-notch. Totally worth the drive into the persistent fog that hovers around the neighborhood, and even more worth it on a day like today, when the weather is so nice, it's even nice in the Sunset. Woo hoo.

waning

2011-09-13T22:42:00.000-07:00

wearing ASOS dress, vintage bag and belt, Swedish Hasbeens for H&M shoes, vintage bracelets and antique monocle necklace

Summer is, I guess, officially over. But it really just started in San Francisco, which is why it suddenly feels appropriate to post these pictures from my visit to New Orleans in May. New Orleans, the city of myriad enchantments, including the fabled Hand Grenade, a radioactive green drink made from the fermented juice of god-knows-what. Fact: if you have too many of these, your vomit will be the exact same color. I hate them, but I had to subject Wardell to their grossness for his inaugural trip. It's a rite of passage.

Love this dress. I've also worn it here, here, and here. It's always a sad day when I have to officially retire it to the "out of season" box under my bed.

where were you when it happened?

2011-09-11T22:31:00.000-07:00

I was in my first month as a Freshman at Tulane University. I woke up to what seemed like absurd rumors that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. As soon as I became aware it wasn't an accident, I freaked. Called my parents to make sure my dad wasn't crossing the Golden Gate Bridge like he does every day for work. Because for all I knew, San Francisco could have been next. I felt sort of lucky to be in New Orleans, the kind of back asswards town that wasn't symbolic enough of "America" to warrant a copycat attack. But anxiety gave way to anger (as it does) which gave way to a profound sadness and sense of loss. I couldn't stop looking at the pictures of the towers. Of the people falling serenely out of 90th story windows, choosing that over burning to death. People who had woken up and gone to work that morning just like everyone else. I saw images of New York looking like some kind of surreal, fucked up movie set. But I also felt the groundswell of camaraderie between Americans in the wake of the attack. The quiet knowledge that, in the words of one survivor, "as long as a plane didn't crash through your office building" you weren't really having a bad day. 9/11 didn't just happen to New York. It happened to all of us.

Ten years later. I can't believe it's 10 years later.

suede

2011-09-10T17:07:00.000-07:00

vintage suede shorts, H&M knit top

The suede shorts from this post in action. They have this genius fit--nice and roomy through the thigh so that when I sit down my legs don't look like sausages oozing out of their skins. Very important. I'll be wearing these all winter with tights, boots, and secretary blouses.

Oh, and I'm having a Kobe sleepover weekend! Yay!

more or less

2011-09-08T20:10:00.000-07:00

images via Nanna van Blaaderen
Loving these sculptural hand knit pieces from Nanna van Blaaderen. She created them by combining knitting and braiding techniques. I have no idea where she was able to find yarn that big though. Do you suppose she used giant knitting needles?

cool hunting

2011-09-06T21:35:00.000-07:00

Tie-neck blouse, Suede shorts, and Norwegian sweater via Black & Brown vintage

I've been pretty lucky at thrift stores/vintage boutiques/flea markets over the past few weeks. So much so, that I'm kind of on financial lockdown until I can at least unload some of my old stuff. Besides, shit's getting a little crazy in my closet and I'm out of hangers.

nail swag

2011-09-04T19:33:00.000-07:00

From top left: Illamasqua campaign, Ben Trovato Blog, Nailside, Fuckyeahprettynails, Fleury Rose (I think?)

Just a few of the nail designs that have been catching my eye in the blogosphere lately. I'm especially fond of variations on the half-moon manicure. And all those tribal/Native American designs that there's no way in hell I'd be able to emulate.

For Fall, I'll probably need a few new polishes in my arsenal.

And finally, just because I'm an asshole, an image that you'll be trying to erase from your memory for the better part of a week.

image via Nail PornNAIL PORN! Lit-rally. Har har.

fuckyeahchicago

2011-08-31T21:51:00.000-07:00

It's been a productive week. I spent the last 4 days in Chicago visiting a college friend who just had an "oops!" baby. Mistake or not, he's adorable, and totally chill enough to let my untrained, non-maternal self hold him without wailing. What a trouper.

Aside from New Orleans, Chicago is one of my favorite cities to visit. God knows I'd live there if the weather weren't so atrocious 8 to 9 months out of the year. Among the highlights this trip: vintage shopping in Bucktown, dinner at Frontera Grill, and a fantastical Mexican Cowboy store with everything from leather chaps for infants to sterling silver boot tips to roadkill fashioned into hats. I just about died. Total kid in a candystore moment.

I did come home with a couple of goodies (including the most honest-to-God awful polyester knit grandma couch-print bellbottoms ever created by the hands of man) and a much more tasteful dress by local Chicago label Eskell. But of course I can't stop thinking of the one that got away: a gorgeous purple fringed suede skirt that despite the jaws of life, a can of Crisco, and 10 hail Marys would not fasten over my hips. SAD.

Already missing my friend Hannah and little Monty and not being at work. Oh well, it's another 3-for-3 week. Three days of work followed by a 3-day weekend! As it should be.

technicolor dreamscape

2011-08-24T23:04:00.000-07:00

"Deliverance from Envy" by Jackson Zhao via Ben Trovato

Love everything about this: the nails (of course), the makeup, the light, the hair, the pained expression on the model's face...it's all pretty much perfect.

alamo square

2011-08-20T19:35:00.000-07:00

wearing vintage skirt, thrifted jacket, Gap t-shirt, necklace from consignment store, thrifted bag, Swedish Hasbeens for H&M

Enduring blustery winds in Alamo Square for the annual Alamo Square Flea Market. Missed out on an overpriced pair of woven leather loafers when someone swept them up before me but came home with a sweet 70's tie-neck dress and Alpaca sweater along with a couple of super old framed photographs to add to my bathroom collection. I think I could shop at flea markets for the rest of my life and never miss the mall again.

sissies

2011-08-19T19:18:00.000-07:00

wearing vintage shirt and jacket, fucking awesome necklace borrowed from my best friend, UO jeans, vintage Frye boots, Banana Republic bag, Christian Dior sunglasses. Rachel wears Zara dress, UO belt, vintage bag

My sister just came to visit from New Orleans for Outside Lands. As you can see, we actually kind of look alike, a fact which isn't so surprising unless you saw what we looked like growing up: basically she was blonde haired and blue-eyed and I looked like a Sephardic Jew. Now she looks like a Sephardic Jew too so no one would be surprised that we're related.

Whenever she comes to visit, it seems like we go on a mad shopping binge with my mom. This time was no exception, but unfortunately it was my mom and sister who had the most luck at the consignment store. My mom came home with vintage Gucci heels and a pair of quilted Chanel-esque ballet flats by Stuart Weitzman, and my sister found an absolutely adorable cross-body bag for $12. I too didn't leave empty-handed, coming home with this gigantic lucite bead necklace to wear with clashing prints. The best purchases (or at least the most exciting) are ones that look perfect with the outfit you have on when you buy them. Instant satisfaction.

Ughhhh, I would so wear the shit out of those Gucci sandals if my mom and I wore the same size!

guy bourdin | in between

2011-08-17T19:14:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite coffee table books of all time. Guy Bourdin's work straddles a fine line between art and exploitation (especially his cringe-worthy photos of young girls wearing makeup), and often his images force us to confront our feelings about violence, nudity, isolation, and death. But some of them are also just really beautiful. Most of his photos from fashion magazines (spanning the mid-50s through the late 70s) still look completely fresh and modern. I would DIE for those blue chiffon and gold polka-dot dresses.

milkmaid

2011-08-15T23:02:00.000-07:00

Stella & Dot earrings

Sometimes you just want to throw your greasy ass hair in a couple of braids and pin them to the top of your head. I may or may not have needed to watch three hours of Youtube tutorials just to make this happen. I'll never tell.

dammit, jim

2011-08-13T20:45:00.000-07:00

Things I wish I could wear to Outside Lands tomorrow:

images via Mr. Newton, unkown

However, there is one complicating factor:

My freedom of sartorial choice has been cock-blocked by the weather AGAIN. Shitty wok.

reliquary sf

2011-08-10T22:33:00.000-07:00

wearing vintage jacket from Reliquary, J. Crew top, UO jeans, vintage Frye boots, Stella & Dot earrings

Best. Print. Ever. Reliquary is a magical little shop in Hayes Valley where they "remodel" vintage pieces and sell some new labels as well. I pretty much want them to come and decorate my entire apartment. For now, this jacket will do. Check out their beautiful space below:

images via Reliquary's Tumblr

i like stuff

2011-08-08T21:01:00.000-07:00

Finally popped my Alameda Flea Market cherry on Sunday AND IT WAS AWESOME. I seriously can't describe how much I loved it. Pretty much ran around with dilated pupils and sweaty palms the whole time. I was so excited that I forgot to buy something. Oops.

The best way I can describe it is like Ebay in real life. Everything you can think of exists here in multitudes of at least 300: telephones, vintage zippo lighters, baby doll legs, belt buckles, vintage signs, cowboy boots, etc, etc. A collector's paradise. A hoarder's wet dream...

And an opthalmologist's playground! One booth had hundreds of pairs of vintage eyeglasses. I totally should have bought this Buddy Holly pair that made me look like a nerdy high school kid's yearbook picture from 1967:

Oh well there's always next month.

let's pretend to live here

2011-08-06T23:36:00.000-07:00

wearing old-as-hell INC shirt, thrifted jean jacket, Gap pants, J. Crew belt, vintage bag, Stella & Dot necklace, hand-me-down Belle by Sigerson Morrison flats (thanks Annie!)

Switching up our usual Saturday morning breakfast spot ended up paying off (even though the new breakfast spot had sub-par biscuits). Wardell and I went on an urban safari through gorgeous neighborhoods and, serendipitously, came across a fantastic bespoke dressmaker's shop and a consignment store where I got an Elie Tahari metallic woven skirt for $30. I managed to pass on the YSL Mombasa handbag they had as well, even though I've wanted one since around 2001. My frugality knows no bounds.

Heading to the Alameda Flea market tomorrow for the FIRST TIME. Wish me loads o' luck.

a van down by the river

2011-07-31T22:21:00.000-07:00

Went camping this weekend near Colfax, CA at a spot right on the American river. The water is all snow melt from the Sierras, so it's clean as fuck (and pretty cold) but perfect for relaxing with a beer. Inner tubing not recommended unless you want to end up 10 miles downstream. Come to think of it, it's amazing that no one drowned. I think the worst injury I saw was my friend whose legs got mauled by one of the swimming dogs.

Sigh, back to real life.

lumpia farts

2011-07-26T18:55:00.000-07:00

wearing vintage skirt, J Crew sweater, Zara oxfords, Jewelmint necklace, vintage bag, hat from New Orleans, Christian Dior sunglasses

Optimistic dressing during a cold San Francisco summer unfortunately leads to rapidly stubbly legs and an immediate need for some hot food. Luckily, when I was traipsing around with Wardell this weekend, we had the brilliant idea of going to Irma's Pampanga Filipino restaurant. 10lbs of Chicken Adobo and a plate of lumpia later, and I wasn't thinking about the cold anymore.

shanghai lumpia, Sarsi sarsaparilla root soda which the ladies told me was "Filipino root beer". YUM.

weekday

2011-07-23T19:24:00.000-07:00

wearing vintage striped top, H&M jacket, Zara pants, vintage shoes, Madewell and J Crew bracelets, vintage necklace, vintage bag

In my 9 to 5 (ha, I wish) I'm usually wearing some version of the outfit above. Heels that I can run after the bus in are a key ingredient. Being late is not cool.

odd future

2011-07-21T22:27:00.000-07:00

Just some randoms from my 4th of July weekend that never made the cut before because they're weird and emo. The blue bathroom belongs to some friends of ours who have fashioned their house into a living, breathing David Lynch tribute for unknown reasons. I have no idea how they managed to mount their flat-screen TV onto the 6-armed mannequin, but it looks pretty fucking rad actually.

Oh, and I can't get over Odd Future. Recently downloaded Tyler, The Creator and Earl Sweatshirt's mixtapes, which have been imbuing me with a healthy sense of "fuck you" on my daily commute for the past couple of weeks. These kids have crazy skills and not one of them is over the age of 20. If you're not afraid of swear words, vomit, and insane teenager-fueled stream-of-consciousness, you should check out their blog here.

Quween on the Scene

2011-07-18T20:26:00.000-07:00

Photos by DREW ALTIZER (in case you couldn't tell)
A couple of photos from the Madewell opening last week. Besides browsing the racks of $98 silk tank tops and downing glasses of cheap chardonnay, Angie and I stalked the event photographer and kept nonchalantly posing within her eyeshot. When she didn't oblige our camera whore tendencies, Angie took the bull by the horns and asked her to snap a photo. The result, obviously, is pure Art.
It was fun meeting some other SF bloggers and realizing I am far from alone in my penchant for print-mixing, location-scouting for outfit posts, and obsessive thrift store wanderings. Elizabeth from Mission: Closet and Jeane from Shop Sweet Things were so totally sweet that I hope I didn't make a bad impression on them with my ass sweat jokes. Swass.

bombay beach

2011-07-16T15:54:00.000-07:00

A glimpse at what the world would look like about 15-20 years after the extinction of humanity...

The most famously dilapidated of all the sad, dilapidated towns lining the Salton Sea is a tiny city called Bombay Beach. Once a haven for vacationers and billed as a "Palm Springs with water," it now looks more like a post-apocalyptic film set than a desert oasis. Years of pollution from nearby farms and the raw sewage flowing north from Mexico have turned its waters into a toxic soup where it is estimated that no fish will be able to survive by the year 2030. Half of the city has literally been eaten away by the salty, corrosive mud washed in by seasonal flooding and the other half is practically vacant. The few occupied houses left are so abandoned-looking that they have to post NO TRESPASSING signs in the windows so curiosity seekers won't just walk inside and start looking through the cupboards.

Being a ghost town junkie, I visited while in Palm Springs last weekend and ventured into some of the abandoned houses to take photos. It was shocking to see how much stuff had been left behind--everything from bills, magazines, and old tins of food, to shoes and in one case, a pair of underwear. The whole town is enveloped in an eerie silence, made even more oppressive by the 115 degree heat. Walking through the deserted streets, you still feel like you're being watched. And in one case, we actually were--by a suspicious looking townie who kept circling the block in his Saturn, no doubt wondering what in the Sam Hell we were doing there.

Another charming feature of this god-forsaken resort town is that the "beaches" of the Salton Sea don't have any sand--just the pulverized bones of millions of dead fish. And there are dead fish everywhere--they litter the beaches and produce the most pungent odor of decay that gets stronger the hotter it is. So in July, it's pretty hot and pretty stinky.

If nothing else, The Salton Sea should remind us that if we shit where we eat, bad things happen.

palm springs

2011-07-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

wearing: H&M Garden Collection shorts, vintage Bob Mackie tank, vintage necklace, J Crew and handmade bracelets, Dolce Vita shoes, vintage Anne Klein clutch

A number of groundbreaking discoveries from this weekend in Palm Springs:

- Midget strippers creep me out. A lot.
- It is physically impossible to get drunk in 110 degree weather
- Bombay Beach, a ghost town on the Salton Sea, is the most wonderfully creepy place ever
- I want to live at the Ace Hotel

Even though I'm back at home in the fog, it's nice to look down at my supertan legs every once in awhile and remember that, for just one weekend, the sun was shining and I was in a swimming pool.

3-day weekend, 3-day week

2011-07-05T21:59:00.000-07:00

wearing vintage top, UO cardigan, H&M shorts, Swedish Hasbeens for H&M shoes

I spent the weekend like every other god-fearing blue-blooded 'merican: face down in a vat of BBQ while dunking my head in beer and getting sunburned as fuck. Three day week and then I'm off to Palm springs to get sunburned some more. It's going to be like 110 degrees or something absurd like that. Can't wait.

rosegold

2011-06-28T20:41:00.000-07:00

J Crew crystal bracelet, vintage chain link bracelet with hardware store upgrade

A couple of weeks ago I got all ambitious and tried making a braided hex bracelet, snickering to myself all the while because lazy people were paying $40 or more for them on Etsy. Well I can tell you, 3 hours and 5 or so frustrating attempts later, and I'm convinced that the pre-made ones are worth every penny. Those things are stupid-hard to make.

As an easier DIY project (a one-armed child could do it) I decided to use these plumbing pieces I got at Home Depot to dress up a vintage bracelet. First saw them standing in as super cool modern rings on Ivania at Love Aesthetics (who does the GREATEST DIY's) and picked them up in the hope that some use would come of them. And lo and behold, it did. The same cannot be said for the 40 yards of bungee cord or mason line I also bought at Home Depot. I swear, that place is harder to get out of without spending $100 than Costco.

awesome people hanging out together

2011-06-26T22:15:00.000-07:00

top to bottom: Salvador Dali and Francoise Hardy; Will Farrell and Bear Gryls; Kate Moss, Johnny Depp, and Iggy Pop; Karl Lagerfeld and Grace Coddington; Bill Murray and GZA; Salvador Dali and Coco Chanel.

My latest blog obsession--even though there are way too many pictures of Kanye West.

newness

2011-06-23T23:23:00.000-07:00

Dolce Vita shoes via Gilt Groupe, Jewel Mint necklace

The retail therapy continues. I really need to stop bribing myself to feel better. ANYWAY I finally checked out Jewel Mint, the members-only monthly jewelry service that is the supposed brainchild of Kate Bosworth and her stylist BFF. You get a "personalized" selection of pretty cute pieces to choose from every month, for a flat rate of $29.99. I guess what makes it different than say, Shoedazzle, is that some of the stuff is actually really cute. Sorry Kim, your shoes are fugly.

PINEAPPLES!

2011-06-20T20:41:00.000-07:00

vintage Bob Mackie shirt, Urban Outfitters shorts, J crew, handmade, vintage bracelets, vintage necklace

The only thing I have to show for my preliminary apartment hunting this weekend is this fantastic Bob Mackie shirt I discovered at Minxy while killing time between showings. The tag on the inside reads "Wearable Art." I couldn't agree more.

Oh, and in case you were wondering what I did with all those daisies:

30 does 30s

2011-06-18T20:10:00.000-07:00

Speaking of turning 30, my boyfriend had his 30th a couple of weeks ago and one of our friends threw him a 1930's prohibition-themed party in their rad as fuck apartment. I wish I lived there. They have a killer roof deck, a view of the ocean, and a house full of enviable mid-century treasures. I think I'll have to go back for a proper photoshoot soon.

shroomy

2011-06-13T19:20:00.000-07:00

wearing vintage skirt and top, Urban Outfitters sweater, Made by Elves booties, vintage bag, boyfriend's sunglasses

Could NOT resist this skirt when I found it in a local vintage shop the other weekend. It's hard to tell but there are little ants hanging out with the mushrooms and they appear to be holding umbrellas...which doesn't make any sense. Who needs an umbrella when you have a mushroom for shelter?

Also, be sure to check out my guest post for Angie over at The Hotness Your Momma Warned You About. I made recommendations on how to spend her 30th birthday! Go check it out here.

june gloom

2011-06-11T12:45:00.000-07:00

Holy radio silence, it's been a week since my last post! I feel bad, but not that bad. The good news is I just got a prime 50mm 1.4 lens for my camera and I'm going out to take pictures today so I should have a post up soon. In the meantime, please feast your eyes on these. They remind me of the summer I'm NOT having. While the rest of the country has been plunged into an oven-baked heat wave, it's about 60 degrees here and windy. So much for the beach.

images via Ben Trovato, Wildfox Couture lookbook, and uknown sources

everything's fine

2011-06-05T01:36:00.000-07:00

wearing APC shirt, Banana Republic jacket, UO jeans, Zara shoes, no name sunglasses

So far, the weekend has been absurdly low-key. Friday night I stayed in drinking Prosecco (because, why not?) and today I spent way too much money on arts + crafting supplies and then made cupcakes with a two-and-a-half year old. She was way better at cracking eggs than I am.

The smart little boiled wool jacket I'm wearing in these pictures actually belongs to my Jewish soul sister/roommate/life partner. It's from Banana Republic that one year they didn't suck (2005?) and she still wears it a ton. I should really start raiding her closet more often, there's some good stuff in there. Roommates (with good taste) rule.

give peas a chance

2011-05-31T22:30:00.000-07:00

wearing UO cardigan, borrowed dress from Anthropologie, Swedish Hasbeens for H&M shoes, vintage bag

No, the New Orleans photo diaries will never end.

May I also add that even thinking about apartment hunting is the most stressful thing ever. I don't want to move, but finding a fungi growing out of my bathroom floor like we live in an abandoned swamp hut certainly doesn't help my current apartment's case much. I'm beginning to think it is a domicile only suited for mice and really really dirty hobo people. Oh lord, send me a 2 bedroom apartment with an updated kitchen and hardwood floors.

be nice or leave

2011-05-27T22:00:00.000-07:00

top to bottom: Dr. Bob art, an alley in the French Quarter, the house we stayed in, delicious Barq's root beer, fried shrimp po boys at Parkway, walking around mid-city, inside the snowball place, yummy pineapple mint flavored snowball, Cafe Du Monde

Being back in San Francisco after a week in New Orleans feels kind of like being audited by the IRS while getting a root canal. My systems are in shock--I just went from the cultural center of excess and gluttony back into my boring adult life where people don't smoke and eat salad. It makes me remember why I loved living in New Orleans in the first place. I'm homesick.

down in the tremé

2011-05-19T22:35:00.000-07:00

After a 3-leg flight, I am finally in New Orleans. And it feels so right.

Warning: what follows is a non-fashion related far too photo-heavy post. And there will be more to come.

lost one...

2011-05-16T22:21:00.000-07:00

It is a time of terrible tragedy for my closet--I have inexplicably misplaced a utility jacket that hasn't gotten much play on the blog but that I wore with an alarming regularity. I found it about two years ago in the sale room at Urban Outfitters for $40. It had a hood that tucked into the collar and a removable quilted lining. I think it's safe to say that I could not have lost a more useful piece of clothing, and I'm mourning the loss of it every day when I go to my coat closet and don't have anything left but stupid wooly winter coats. It was the perfect jacket for summer or winter thanks to the lining, which is now hanging forlornly in my closet without its soul mate.

I am desperately looking for alternatives, but nothing comes close either in price point or versatility. Here are a few of the options I'm playing around with though:

Clockwise from top left: J Crew Ryden Military Jacket, ASOS Wrangler Canvas Parka, Madewell Utility cargo jacket, Forever 21 Cotton Blend Utility jacket

HELP ME friends! I need your expertise and your flawless taste!

high fiving a million angels...

2011-05-09T22:57:00.000-07:00

wearing UO pants, vintage shirt and jacket, Zara cardigan, J. Crew belt and bracelet, Zara pumps from like, 5 years ago, Noir earrings, Faux-lenciaga bag (don't hate)

Here is a more detailed, narcissistic look at what I was wearing on Mother's Day. I thrifted these pants from the trunk of my car (a really great spot for lost and forgotten articles of clothing--you should try shopping there sometime). I think I tried to sell them at one point and then put them in a shopping bag with a pink snuggie and left them to die. The shoes were suffering a similar fate in an old storage bin under my bed before I realized they bore an uncanny resemblance to the current asymmetrical Zara pumps everyone in the blogosphere is wearing. With a skinny, pegged pant they remind me very much of Isabel Marant's FW2011 collection. I am giving myself serious high fives for this look. High fiving a million angels...

word to your mother

2011-05-08T22:48:00.000-07:00

This is my mother. She is a nice little southern lady, and I can only imagine (ok, I know) that she's embarrassed by my inability to control my volume or leave the f-bomb out of daily conversation, but bless her little heart, she loves me anyway. And I love you, mom. Thanks for putting up with me all these years.

please turn up the heat again

2011-05-06T22:56:00.000-07:00

Signs of the coming summer: beer on the beach, Frankie looking fat and happy in an impossibly lush pasture, orange ranunculus, neon colors, weekend walks in the city, and picnics in the park.

Unfortunately, it's back to a windy, cold-as-fuck 61 degrees. But when it DOES warm up again, I'll know what to do.

complimentary

2011-05-03T21:16:00.000-07:00

wearing thrifted Ellen Tracy skirt, H&M sweater, child's motorcycle jacket from leather shop, Made by Elves shoes, necklace from Lili Vintage in New Orleans, Banana Republic bracelet

Why are they always eating at Subway on The Real World? Can't they get a reputable food establishment to sponsor the show? Oh wait, I'm the only one who still watches it, so I guess not. And speaking of advertising, how am I supposed to extract meaning and enjoyment from life without Donald Draper's weak-chinned profile brooding through a haze of cigarette smoke on Mad Men? With the series postponed until 2000-God-knows-what, I'm resorting to marathons of Chloe and Lamar just to make it through. Clearly, I can't go on like this. My brain will literally implode on itself from disuse.

In happier news, I am approaching the 3-week countdown of my trip to New Orleans. I can't wait to bury my face in Alligator cheesecake.

this is just a love story

2011-04-30T23:59:00.000-07:00

wearing Lorick dress, J. Crew belt + socks, Zara shoes, vintage, J. Crew, bracelets, Latico bag, costume shop sunglasses

Remember when I ran into Angie of The Hotness Your Momma Warned You About and proclaimed we would be great friends? That wasn't an idle threat. We finally got together today and made the sparks fly over Bloody Marys where we discussed, among other things: bocce ball, Pauly D, guys with tattoos, Lush hair products, the awesomeness of free food, and the difficulty of deciding what to wear in SF when the temperature breaks 70 degrees (we don't own any tank tops).

In case you don't believe that I actually made a friend, here are our Awkward Family Photos of the event. Look at us LAUGHING and being DELIGHTED by each others' company:

That, people, is genuine fondness you see. Genuine fondness and my prominent lady adam's apple. Note to self: do not throw head back when laughing. Yeeesh.

Tomorrow is forecast to be even warmer than today was, so I'm looking forward to barbecuing in our much neglected backyard and getting some sun on my Twilight skin.

fuck yeah royal wedding!

2011-04-28T18:24:00.000-07:00

Some of you might find it hard to believe that I am UN-ironically excited about the Royal Wedding, but I assure you my excitement is genuine. Case in point: I am about to power nap for a few hours before heading back to work to live tweet the entire event. I will be up from 1am to 6am on nothing but adrenaline (and 5 hour energy). Shit is going to be balls-to-the-walls crazy. I can't wait.

If you're up for some reason, you can watch the event live on Ustream. I'll be the one frantically pulling different feeds into the player on the homepage. See you there!

pack your saddle bags

2011-04-25T18:24:00.000-07:00

wearing H&M sweater, J. Crew shirt, Zara pants + shoes, F21 necklace

Two new shows on my radar: Audrina (yes, ceiling eyes is back) and another piece of televised fuckery called Saddle Ranch, which as far as I can tell is about a bunch of people with Daddy Issues who work at a bar in LA with a mechanical bull and like to punch each other repeatedly. Words cannot express (at least not in the order I'd be prone to putting them) how much I love truly bad TV. And I'm not even talking so bad it's good TV. I'm talking so-bad-it's-actually-alarming-especially-if it-says-something-about-modern-society-and-holy-shit-WHAT-ABOUT-THE-CHILDREN?!?! tv. Generally, if it's raising eyebrows and setting off high alerts at the CDC (see: Jersey Shore, Teen Mom) I'm all over it.

Anyway, that has nothing to do with the sick open weave sweater I'm wearing above, but just wanted to share in case someone was taking notes. If it ever gets warm enough to wear with one of my maxi dresses (cc: Stacy) I will definitely do it. As it is, I think there's about to be a tornado outside my house, so if you'll excuse me, I must take cover.

easter bunny

2011-04-24T23:26:00.000-07:00

Easter egg-colored nail polishes in my basket this year. Thanks, Mom!

Also, this:

No friends, your eyes do not deceive you. That is a Peep dipped in dark chocolate. That little Peep swam through a lake of creamy chocolate all the way into my hungry belly and it was good. Must. Find. More.

seasonal shift

2011-04-20T22:20:00.000-07:00

Copped a sweet loose-knit, just-waiting-to-be-snagged-on-a-hangnail-or-rogue-jewelry-clasp sweater and a pair of the Swedish Hasbeens for H&M today in a mad lunchtime rush downtown. They're ridic comfy, so I'll probably be wearing them all summer with mom jeans and colorful socks and other man repellent articles of clothing.

straight + narrow

2011-04-17T17:40:00.000-07:00

wearing vintage top, Zara pants, vintage necklace, J crew bracelet, Timex watch

Got my haircut last weekend thanks to the talented Veronica Valdivia and her traveling pop-up salon. I decided I wanted to do something pseudo "edgy" without going full-on Alice Dellal (which I am not sure I'll ever be ready for) so I went for the Taylor Tomasi Hill--blunt and straight across the bottom. Oh, minus the red hair dye of course. I don't think my virgin strands are ready for that kind of commitment.

Bonus shoe porn for all you freaks:

Donna Karan shoes

utter drecktitude

2011-04-11T22:27:00.000-07:00

J Crew sweater, shirt, and bracelet, Zara pants and shoes, vintage bag and necklace, Wayfarer sunglasses

Please enjoy these pictures of me dancing around like a retarded roofied squirrel. If I was a contestant on America's Next Top Model (humor me) and these were my best photos of the week, I'm pretty sure Noted Fashion Photographer Nigel Barker would say I hadn't committed all the way to retarded squirrel dancing, and A.L.T. would proclaim it "pure drecktitude." Which reminds me that I resolved to use that word at least once a day in casual conversation.

missed connections

2011-04-10T02:13:00.000-07:00

Images via Luxirare

Tonight I made the completely horrifying discovery that someone I know just found THE Chanel lightbulb heels at Jeremy's. And they were cheap. And they were a 37.5, which is close enough to my size that I would most certainly have squashed my unnaturally large-ish big toe into them and called it a fucking day. All I keep thinking is--I go there on my lunch break all the time. It could have been me.

salmon pants

2011-04-07T20:56:00.000-07:00

wearing Zara pants, J crew sweater, vintage bangle, random chain necklace worn as bracelet, J crew crystal bracelet, grandmother's ring, Made by Elves booties
It definitely wasn't the color that attracted me to these pants initially, but salmon pink is surprisingly versatile. The best part? Coming to work and having my (male) co-worker say, "Oh mannn, I just got a pair of pants in that exact same color." He wants to return them so we don't accidentally come to work as twinsies one day. I'm insulted. Who wouldn't want to look like me?

foundation

2011-04-05T22:59:00.000-07:00

wearing vintage slip, Forever 21 petticoat, Steven by Steve Madden ballet flats, vintage necklace

I got suspended from school in 9th grade for wearing this slip as a dress. Then I used it for a Halloween costume one year and covered it in fake blood which miraculously came out in the wash. Now I use it for more civilized purposes, like wearing under sheer dresses. I added the Forever 21 petticoat just to give my vintage shirt dress a little extra 'Betty Draper' in the skirt. Because you can never have too much Betty Draper.

Wearing fussy underthings makes me feel all ladylike and shit.

warming breeze...

2011-04-03T23:13:00.000-07:00

wearing thrifted silk t-shirt, earrings handmade by my sister, random costume shop sunglasses, Gap jeans, Chuck Taylors (duh)

The boyfriend and I walked everywhere this weekend, thanks to the glorious weather. Awesome way to get exercise, but frustrating for the lack of footwear options that wouldn't leave my feet blistered and bleeding. In the end I opted for my old Chucks that actually aren't comfortable at all. I would have been better off in a low, sensible heel.

Anyhoo, we went to our favorite breakfast spot about 2 miles away from my apartment called St. Francis Fountain. They have this super amazing veggie hash thing with vegan Chorizo, eggs, potatoes, cheese, and sour cream that I can never finish but always try to anyway. The place has been around since the 60s and still retains a lot of it's old-world soda fountain charm, except for the fact that the staff is entirely tattooed and un-showered. A modern twist, I guess.

Possibly the coolest thing that's ever happened to me (well, besides discovering Coconut water) occurred last week--I had a completely unexpected run-in with one of my favorite bloggers, Angie of The Hotness Your Mama Warned You About. Apparently we share a mutual love of the Rib Whip food truck in addition to our devastatingly on-point analysis of Youtube videos. Without skipping a beat, we both gave each other a hug, and contrary to what she claims, it was NOT in the least bit awkward. I mean, I don't think she felt my lady boner, so we should be cool...

Angie, you are rad. And We are going to be friends.

in absentia

2011-03-30T19:43:00.000-07:00

images from top: Shai Yehezkel photography (via unknown), back tassels at Mara Hoffman, Sergio Rossi lookbook, Alexander McQueen backstage, Jak & Kill

Sorry for the lack of posting (because I'm so sure you're at home right now clutching a bottle of wine in one hand and a box of tissues in the other, wailing to the heavens now that MY MAGNIFICENT VOICE is no longer echoing across the internets). Unfortunately outside forces have conspired to keep me on long, profanity laced phone calls with Comcast because my internet and cable don't work. Oh, and my computer is out of memory and cannot handle one more picture, so I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of an external hard drive. Things are malfunctioning. We should be back to regular irregularly scheduled programming shortly.

room with a view

2011-03-24T22:28:00.000-07:00

The best part of living at the top of a hill: whether it's sunny, hazy, foggy, rainy, morning, evening, or nighttime, there's always something pretty to look at from the couch.

blonde

2011-03-22T22:38:00.000-07:00

All images via Google

As you may have noticed in a previous post featuring my (not organzied) nightstand, I've been reading Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates, and finally finished it last night. It's a novel about Marilyn Monroe that chronicles the factual elements of her life and then artfully and convincingly invents those details that we would have no way of knowing. It was utterly and wholly engrossing and obviously well-written, and I find myself more curious than ever about her. In particular, I am fascinated by photos taken towards the end of her life--at a time when hard living had crept into the corners of her eyes. She was still beautiful, but so worn looking.

It's hard to say if any modern-day blonde truly lives up to her genius beauty, talent, and natural propensity to delight people, but Gwen and Scarlett are two of my favorite modern-day blondes.

Gwen Stefani for Elle UK and Scarlett Johansson for Vogue China, via Fashion Gone Rogue

And because no discussion of blondes is complete without their patron saint, here's Coco and her "amazing 8th-world-wonder ass":

image via Dlisted
So, who are your favorite blondes?

tucker

2011-03-20T23:13:00.000-07:00

wearing: Tucker blouse, Burberry pants, Zara oxfords

Shortly after these pictures were taken we locked ourselves out of my apartment. Luckily my boyfriend is part monkey and was able to crawl up the side of the house and into the open bathroom window (we live on the 2nd floor). So in honor of his bravery, he is being included in this post's outfit festivities wearing a brand-spankin' new (thrifted) Pendleton flannel and some seriously rugged sheepskin-lined snow/rain boots found in yesterday's thrifting adventure at Black & Brown (which also turned up the Burberry wool trousers above). I love that we can shop together.

wardell is wearing: Pendleton wool flannel, vintage Wrangler pants, L.L. Bean boots

Ok, so he needs to work on "smizing" but isn't he cute?

my space

2011-03-16T22:56:00.000-07:00

a few vignettes from my room

Japan is on my mind, as I'm sure it is yours. Thinking about how tenuous our grasp on normalcy really is kind of puts a new spin on simple luxuries like reading in bed, cooking yourself dinner, or hanging out with friends. It could be snatched away from us at any moment, so shit, enjoy it. Do what you love. And if what you love is to buy things and write about clothes and force your boyfriend to take awkward pictures of what you're wearing, then do it. A tragedy shouldn't force us all to look at our hobbies like they don't make sense anymore. It should have the opposite affect--to strengthen the bond we have to the material world and the things that occupy and keep us happy within it. So no, I don't feel dumb posting pictures of a few random nooks in my room. And, just my two cents, you shouldn't either.

we did it, we're living in the now with no regard for the future

2011-03-13T18:26:00.000-07:00

wearing Zara cape and v-neck sweater, "vintage" pleated skirt from high school, Forever21 blouse (from a long time ago as well), patent belt from Banana Republic, Made by Elves booties

Not that you were keeping track, but I technically haven't bought a single item of clothing since February 1st. Until now. Last week's Gilt sale on Tucker dresses and blouses turned out to be a little more than I could handle and I purchased the blouse below from the label's Fall 2010 collection:

Image via Tucker site

I'm proud of myself anyway though. Still haven't dropped a dime at Forever 21, H&M, or Target this year, despite having entered a quite expansive new Forever 21 store and visiting the website on a couple of occasions. So, ya know, woo hoo for that.

remotely

2011-03-10T23:54:00.000-08:00

wearing vintage sweater, Topshop vest, J Brand jeans, vintage necklace

Been testing out my new wireless remote for the Pentax-- clearly something that I have not yet mastered.

Side note: holyfuckingshit Japan just got hit with The Big One. My thoughts go out to everyone affected, especially my colleagues at Ustream Japan. I can't even really process all the damage I'm seeing on the news. I hope it's not as bad as it looks.

nola

2011-03-08T23:30:00.000-08:00

images via Trendland

Happy Mardi Gras everyone! It's always around this time of year when I get nostalgic and homesick for New Orleans. Luckily my sister lives there now and I'm going to be paying her a visit in May, during which time I will certainly be on the hunt for each and every one of these Banksy works. I will also stuff my face with crawfish and heavy sauces, hang out at a lot of bars and music venues that end in "eaux", sweat my ass off and dance too much, and basically not give a fuck. Because when you're in New Orleans, that's how you do.

For a hop, skip and jump down memory lane, read about last year's pilgrimage here, here, and here.

Is that a banana holder in your hand or are you just happy to see me?

2011-03-06T22:56:00.000-08:00

Sometimes my favorite thing to do on a Saturday is go to a store where I don't necessarily need anything and buy a whole bunch of it. Thank GOD my friend Annie introduced me to Daiso recently, because it has changed my life. Nowhere else on the planet can you find nail gems, banana holders, black q-tips ("earwax can be seen on tips clearly after using"), and disposable underwear for men and ladies. UNDER ONE ROOF. For those of you not familiar, Daiso is a Japanese dollar-store chain that basically stocks everything you never knew you wanted. Sometimes it's better than clothes:

men's disposable panties, banana holder

Cell phone holder, cruel and unusual anti-feline mat

toothpick holders, portable ashtray

Black q-tips, black facial puff
If you ever get a chance to do to Daiso, I highly recommend going.
Oh look! You can shop online.

i can't help but stay the same

2011-03-01T21:51:00.000-08:00

wearing Vince silk pants, Old Navy sweater, vintage embroidered vest, Saks Fifth Avenue scarf, vintage, thrifted, and flea marketed jewelry, Zara studded boots

You should see me trying to totter down this hill in front of my apartment in my highest heels every day. I'm pretty much bound to fall eventually. I just hope when that day comes the dude who walks his cat on a leash isn't there to see it, because I don't think I could bear being laughed at by a man who walks his cat on a leash.