Spirit

I wore this to work on Halloween, so as to be in the Halloween spirit and still not have to deal with a costume. It was a good call, because pretty much no one downtown wore a costume, and also because this was way more comfortable. And yes, Halloween was almost a month ago and I'm just getting around to posting this now. It has just been that busy lately.

If you're in the US, I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving weekend. I certainly did; we spent a lot of time relaxing for a change, and for Thanksgiving dinner Mark and I went to Harris's for some delicious steak. OK it wasn't exactly a traditional meal, but I've made up for it by spending the last couple of weeks warming up for International Pie For Breakfast Month with plenty of pumpkin pie. It's always Thanksgiving when there's pumpkin pie.


Dress: Skunkfunk
Tights: Sock Dreams
Boots: Modern Vintage
Necklace: Untamed Menagerie

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Spirit

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Simple Elegance

When I pulled out this dress to design an outfit around it, I was all set to start layering it up and playing with belts and accessories. But once I put it on, it looked so darned cute* that I decided it didn't need much of anything, so I threw on a scarf, some simple jewelry, and shoes and called it a day. In my constant quest to be original and quirky, I sometimes overlook the elegance that exists in a simple look like this one; it's something I'm trying to get better about.

If it weren't for the scarf, this entire outfit would have cost me under $25. The dress was thrifted for around $7 and needed $12 worth of alterations to adjust the fit, the shoes and bangles were both gifts from friends, and the earrings were purchased at Cost Plus for around $5. Amazingly, the dress is a Carolina Herrera and is basically flawless. I'm still in shock that I managed to pick it up at Goodwill.

Scarf: Banana Republic
Dress: Carolina Herrera
Shoes: BC Footwear

*It looks cute except for the ugly sock marks from the outfit I had on earlier that day; I assure you that by the time I actually wore this outfit, the marks were gone.

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Simple Elegance

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Below the Knee

Here are those amazingly versatile Modern Vintage boots again, this time making an appearance with the cuffs folded to just below the knee. With the cuffs at this height, they stick out a little further and give the boots a pirate-like look, as opposed to when I wear them folded further down like this. I know it's tough to tell from the photos, but in person the effect is much more noticeable.

While we're on the subject of versatility, this little dress turned out to have far more of it than I ever imagined it would. Every time I've worn it I've assumed it was the last completely original variation I could come up with and the next wearing would have to be a repeat of a previous one, but so far it hasn't happened yet. For a retrospective on the ways I've styled this dress so far, check out the photos below.

Which outfit is your favorite?

Scarf: Duke et Duchess
Shirt: H&M
Dress: Orla Kiely
Boots: Modern Vintage

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Suggestions

I hope everyone found my Buyer's Remorse posts informative. As you may have noticed lately, I'm trying to add some meatier content to the blog instead of just describing my daily wear. I love all the discussion that gets generated around my more in-depth posts, and many of your comments are very helpful for me as well. I'd love to hear from all of you for suggestions on topics you'd like me to cover, so feel free to stop in and make a request. I've already got one future post rolling around in my head, which is Sal's request for a tutorial on layering skirts. I haven't forgotten, Sal!

On to today's outfit. I'm going to go out on a limb and state that a drape-neck (aka cowl neck) cut looks great on everybody. They are flattering to larger busts because they soften the look of, well, that big 'ol bust sticking out. The look is sexy without being sleazy, and the cowl also adds a slimming V shape down your middle. But this cut is also great for small busts like mine, because the cowl fills in the gap in between your boobs and makes it look like you've got more up top. I just love this shape, and I'd recommend it for anyone -- provided the rest of the garment flatters you below the bust.

This outfit is a modern take on a very retro silhouette. Normally I would pair this dress with a contrasting belt, but I wanted to keep this look simple, long and lean. The end result is unfussy, and looks every bit as comfortable as it is. If it weren't for the heels, I would've felt like I was wearing my pj's all day.

Shirt: Target
Dress: Skunkfunk
Skirt: ??
Shoes: Paolo

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Suggestions

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Mr. T

When I had to put together this last-minute, assembled-in-the-morning outfit I resolved not to default to my standby blue and orange combo. Somehow I just couldn't let go of the orange though, so here it is paired with gray instead. In my own defense, it actually came about because I was wanting to layer a skirt under this dress, and this mod, circle-patterned skirt seemed like the perfect way to add a little springtime flair to the flat gray. Once I had those two pieces together the orange cardigan just made the most sense.

A found the necklace in a vintage store the last time I was in Seattle, but I have to admit I often don't know how to wear it. I'm no expert at rocking statement necklaces the way Sal is, so there have been several times I've tried to use it and thought it was just too much. I figured with the solid pieces it would stand out but not overwhelm, but just in case, I didn't wear any other jewelry lest I end up looking like Mr. T back in his A-Team days. Yeah, I know Mr. T wore gold, but still.

By the way, this skirt is actually a little too long to hit at the spot I wanted it to, so I actually wore a second elastic belt underneath the dress to hike the skirt up a little and keep it in place. This made for a very toasty midsection, but my skirt stayed put just above the knee.

Dress, belt: Red Dress Shoppe
Cardigan: e-klah
Skirt: I don't know; the label is gone
Boots: Mia

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Mr. T

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Standby

I had an amazingly productive weekend, having spent most of the day Sunday down at Wayne's workshop, where he hosts an open lab once a month for his students. I'm working on some new hats for the shop, and potentially for another seller that I'll tell you about later if the opportunity pans out.

This outfit was thown together in the morning before work, so it's pretty much a rework of this one. I find that when I'm pressed for time, I tend to gravitate towards the orange/navy combination, because I have a lot of items in those colors and have gotten really adept at putting combinations together with them. It's always good to have a standby core wardrobe with which you can put together outfits effortlessly. What are your go-to combinations when you're in a hurry?

Striped top, skirt: Target
Orange top: Tulle
Scarf: Banana Republic
Shoes: Azura

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Tourniquet

When I bought this vintage minidress, the neck and arm holes were tight enough that I could have used the dress as a giant tourniquet to cut off my entire blood supply. Some simple alterations took care of that, and now it allows both circulation and comfort. The shade of orange has got to be one of the brightest I've ever seen, so I added plenty of white to the outfit in order to to wash it out a little.

Hat: a gift from Kimberly
Minidress: Light Years Vintage
Shirt: H&M
Cropped pants: La Redoute
Shoes: Camper

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Tourniquet

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Sadistic

Some fashion problems simply can't be fixed no matter how hard you might try, and these shoes are one such problem. Cute though they are, they're also unbearably uncomfortable and there's no other solution but to jettison them. I've been able to rescue several other pairs by modifying them in one way or another; generally it involves ripping out the existing insoles and replacing them with Superfeet, but in this case it's not an option because the shoes pinch in every possible way. Even just standing in them hurts, never mind walking. Adorable but sadistic shoes, you have tortured my feet for the last time. I'm sorry to see you go, but then again I'm not.

On the other hand, these cotton leggings are the best. They're breathable, have a non-constrictive waistband, and take the chill off without being too warm. I'm planning on stocking up on a few more colors and making them a staple this summer.

Scarf: from a local import store
Dress: Orla Kiely
Leggings: Foot Traffic, via Sockdreams
Shoes: Pink Studio

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Sadistic

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Triadic

This outfit features a 'triadic' color scheme: colors that are evenly spaced around the color wheel. This is a great approach for a colorblock look, since the colors have such striking contrast to one another. With this one I used the navy blue to evenly divide the different sections of the outfit, and made sure all the other pieces were large and continuous chunks of solid color.

Generally when I mix colors in an outfit I like to use different shades of the same basic hue; however with a colorblock look it's really better to match the colors where they repeat or else the effect is lost. Thus my hat, belt, and shoes are all exactly the same shade. Compare today's outfit with this one, where I mixed up several different shades of blue and green for a completely different look.

Hat: vintage
Shirt: F21
Cardigan: Max Studio
Obi belt: Sunhee Moon
Skirt: thrifted
Shoes: Paolo

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Triadic

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Soggy

Today our gorgeous sunny weather was replaced by soggy coldness, making extra layers an absolute necessity. Not only that, but this vintage scooter dress is downright see-through and needs something under it for the sake of modesty, not to mention good taste. As the weather gets warmer I'll have to think of some lighter layers to line it with.

The upside of today's lousy weather was that it gave me another opportunity to wear my new vintage cape, though the busy pattern of the dress kept me from wearing it plaid-side out (I'm determined to wear it that way the next time). I foolishly left the detachable hood at home, a big mistake on a rainy day on which I also forgot my umbrella.



Dress and scarf: Vintage, via Beta Boutique
Turtleneck: H&M
Orange Skirt: thrifted with Sal over the weekend
Teal fishnets: Accessorize (from years ago)
Bnots: Mia
Cape: vintage

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Catch Up

I'm playing catch-up today since I was lazy all weekend and never got around to posting Thursday's outfit. As you probably already guessed I had the fabulous McGraws, Sal and Mike, in town over the weekend, and between the shopping, the sightseeing, and the dining out we pretty much wore ourselves out every day and left very little time for anything else.

I'll tell you more about our weekend later; for now I'll just get caught up since it's already almost 10 pm and I still have another post to do.

Orange dress: Skunkfunk
Blue dress: Forever 21
Tights: Not sure; probably Cronert
Shoes: John Fluevog

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Special

Today is an exciting day for several reasons. The first is that I have some VERY special guests arriving in town today, who I sincerely hope will agree to make an appearance on my blog. Stayed tuned for more on that front.

The next item is that today is April 1, which means I'll soon be kicking off my first ever Fashion For Nerds contest! You may remember that last month I alluded to it when I did my Inspired by Interiors post; well, now it's time to kick off the contest for real. I'll follow up with the details later this evening, so be sure to check back!

Lastly, I wanted to show off the new pendant I received from the nice folks at Ice.com. When I first received their offer of a piece of jewelry, I wondered if I'd be able to find something that has that unique, somewhat quirky style that I'm drawn to. I really wanted to make sure that if I accepted something for free, it would be something that I'd actually spend my own money on. Well, I did find something that fit the bill perfectly, this sterling silver and tiger eye pendant. It arrived beautifully packaged and is actually even prettier in person than it is in the website's photo. Despite the name, the store carries far more than just diamond jewelry, and they have a huge selection of items under $100. This necklace certainly wasn't the only thing I found that fits my style, but the fact that it matches my beloved patchwork boots makes it extra special.

Cropped tank: vintage
Shirt: H&M
Necklace: Ice.com
Cords: Marlow
Boots: Vintage

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Popsicle Toes

It felt really great to put on sandals with no tights today, but as I feared it's still just a smidge too chilly for exposed feet, and I ended up with frozen toes when the evening breeze picked up. Walking to my car after work I was reminded of that cheesy 70's song called Popsicle Toes, and then I was truly unhappy indeed.

These jeans, however, are just the thing for a spring look that still keeps out the chill. If I'd worn some socks, this outfit would have been weather-perfect.

Jacket: Vintage
Shirt: H&M
Jeans: Dittos
Shoes: Camper

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Popsicle Toes

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Unbridled

This amazing cape was another find from the Vintage Expo over the weekend. Despite my unbridled shopping habits I was relatively restrained at the expo, and only brought home 3 clothing items for myself: the mod yellow and gray set I wore on Tuesday, this cape, and a little plaid vest that still needs some alterations before it's ready to be worn. The rest of my purchases at the expo were vintage silk flowers that will be used in trimming my hats, which will all be for sale in the near future.

The cape is reversible and has a removable hood, which I left at home today. As it turned out the cape was the perfect outerwear for the sunny-chilly weather; and as with Tuesday's outfit, I fear I may have limited opportunities for wearing it again before next fall.

Cape: vintage
Cardigan:e-klah
Strapless top: Mica
Skirt: Merona
Shoes: Camper

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Looks Like Candy

I thought it was high time that Georgie made another appearance on the blog, especially since she just had a bath last night and is looking particularly fetching. As you can see she likes to lick clothing; usually it's shoes or your pant leg, but since my belt was all she could reach today I guess it was an acceptable substitute. That Georgie has some interesting habits, to be sure.

My jewelry and shoes all look like candy today, with the bright colors and shiny finishes. The enamel necklace was a gift from Jess and is 2-sided; the larger circle has navy blue on one side and red on the other, while the smaller circle is yellow and orange. I love getting a gift that shows just how well someone knows your taste; this was one of those gifts. The turkey vulture necklace is from Seattle but I now can't remember the name of the designer (it might actually be the same as the enamel necklace, but I can't be sure). The earrings are made of red coral; Mark bought them for me during our Christmas trip to the Yucatan. Normally I'm not a huge fan of anything with hearts on it, but I instantly fell in love with the deep red color and asymmetrical curves of these.

Shirt/dress: Thrifted
Gray shirt: H&M
Obi belt: Sunhee Moon
Skirt: ??
Tights: Hue
Shoes: Camper
Enamel Necklace: Orange Peel Enamel

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Looks Like Candy

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