Friday, September 30, 2011

in which we're back in business

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So, it's the end of an era. My camera, sadly, did not recover. Last night I dragged K to Best Buy to pick up a new one, and now it as if nothing ever happened! It's going to take a little bit of getting used to (the wide-angle lens briefly struck terror into my heart this morning, but I think all is well). And I had my first pumpkin spice latte (tall, nonfat, 1/2 syrup) of the season, just to soften the blow :)

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(coat: tjmaxx; shoes/hat: thrifted; socks/dress: uo; feather fastener: gift)

This dress is way too small. It was already small when I bought it, but then I washed & (accidentally!) dried it, and now it's quite the constrictor. I still love it, so I'm holding on, but the time will come... my closet is filling up fast, so it seems really silly to keep dresses that really don't fit. I have another dress that I absolutely adore, which actually has never fit me (I bought it on etsy a couple of years ago). But I keep holding on in case I lose like 25 pounds. Which is impossible. I've also been thinking about trying to alter it just enough so that I can squeeze in... I just need to get motivated or something.

Anyway, it's finally Friday. I am so burnt out, but I have some serious goals for this weekend.

I resolve to:

go for a run
write 5000 words

Okay, that's all. But those are hard!! ;)
Have a great weekend, everyone!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

what to watch: bill cunningham new york

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"Fashion is the armor to survive every day life." - Bill Cunningham

Before Scott Schuman and Garance Doré, there was one man on a bicycle (before bicycles were cool) documenting the sartorial street scene of New York City. And I just have to say: Bill Cunningham is the man. He lives a simple life in a studio apartment in Carnegie Hall (before he was evicted) with a colorful cast of eccentric elderly neighbors and floor-to-ceiling file cabinets chock full of photo negatives, riding his bike to-and-fro throughout the city from event to elegant event (never accepting so much as a glass of water--!!!--so as to maintain his objectivity), and celebrating the diverse beauty on the city streets with his (film) camera day in and day out (he was even snapping photos at a gala held in his honor), all while humbly waving off praise with a bashful grin.

These are the people I imagine populating New York City. These are the people that draw me to urban life--creative, unyielding, independent, honest. I know that's not the case, and that most inhabitants of The Big Apple are probably soulless money- and power-hungry liars and cheats who will do anything to get ahead (Too harsh? It's the world we live in.), but people like Bill Cunningham give me hope. He doesn't take payment for any of his creative projects (his job is his job and everything else is just his) so that he can maintain complete control. "If you don't take the money, they can't tell you what to do," he says. "That's the key to the whole thing."He wears the same blue coat every day but has spent his entire life photographing the elaborate costumery of strangers--letting them shine while he darts about like a shadow. He is absolutely, adorably giddy. His life is his own.

Although far from "stylish" himself, he truly appreciates what it is that makes fashion so great. So much of our lives is spent immersed in the mundane, and the simple joy that comes from putting on a prismatic pattern or a stunning abstract hat, can transform the everyday into the extraordinary. He has no interest in photographing celebrities "in their free dresses," or taking pictures of people simply because they are famous. He might sit at a runway show and keep his camera in his lap the whole time if it doesn't excite him. His eye is impeccably trained to spot genuine style--the perfect harmony of beauty, originality and daring.

As I sat watching this delightful little film, completely and utterly charmed by this nonagenarian oddball and trying desperately to will my broken camera back to functionality, I thought about this blog and how much I really rely on it to carry me through each day. Most days I really enjoy the challenge of putting together an outfit that is different and interesting, and I love seeing what all of you are mixing and matching on any given day. I've always known it but it can be easy to forget: fashion isn't about designers or trends or "free dresses." It's about expression. It's artistry. It brings an element of fun to every day, even if all you have planned is an eight-hour stint spent flat on your ass in front of a computer screen. And we all need that fun. We all need to celebrate our eccentricities, to exercise our creative minds. True style is the epitome of art for art's sake--dressing for fun, not functionality or even for fashion, is truly liberating and makes each day a little bit brighter.

Thank you, Bill Cunningham, for being so awesome.

(Tomorrow (I hope) we will be back to regular programming. Looks like I'll be buying myself a new camera this afternoon.)

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

in which it is a blustery day

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This sweatervest might be a little bit goofy, but I couldn't resist. I think it will probably get lots of wear in the winter months :)

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(dress: h&m; sweatervest/belt: thrifted; boots: seychelles)

Last night I basically had a nervous breakdown because I felt overwhelmed by obligations, but after making dinner, tackling the dirty dishes and laundering our clothes, K bought me a bottle of wine (he's such a gem--my friend and I switched debit cards over the weekend and since the great credit card payoff of 2010 I have no other source of monies until I see her tonight!) and I hit the 40,000-word mark around 12:30 last night. All's well that ends well, I say. After work today I'm heading into town to eat pizza and watch Bill Cunningham: New York with a couple of pretty classy ladies.

Sad news: since today was so blustery, my camera crashed into the concrete and is now exhibiting seriously schizophrenic symptoms. The lens is all freaked out by the trauma. However, I'm trying not to jump on the freak-out bandwagon, since this has happened before and my little Nikon miraculously recovered. I know it's silly to have a fashion blog without a super fancy camera, but at times like this I'm glad I haven't shelled out for expensive new equipment.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

in which i wear tooth of the hound

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Brown and Black are the perfect combination, in my opinion. It is hard to find ways to wear this jumper, since it could potentially be sickeningly twee, but I think pairing it with vintage-inspired pieces keeps the whole look neutral and increases wearability.

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(dress/belt: thrifted; blouse/hat: gift; shoes: seychelles)

Since K usually has lots of studying to do on the weekends, we haven't been able to go out as much as we used to (I've been filling that void with rowdy ladies' nights, but I still miss hanging out with my main man). Since he doesn't have class on Tuesdays, we decided to extend the weekend a bit and have date night on Monday, which works for me! I like feeling like I have all kinds of fun happening throughout the week, rather than trying to jam it all in on my two days off.

It was an incredibly beautiful day yesterday--upwards of 80 degrees!--so we had Thai food al fresco on Church Street (red veggie/tofu curry and Thai iced tini by candlenight, yes please!) and headed home to watch ancient episodes of the X Files on Netflix (we're working our way through Season 1).

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Tonight, it's back to reality--dirty dishes and laundry. Blech. That's the trouble with being busy--there are always chores that get pushed to the side by good times. I need a maid.

Monday, September 26, 2011

in which i have big love for this dress

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I really am an old woman. It's terrible. The past few weekends I have been going out with girlfriends (eating delicious Indian food and drinking champagne) and staying out until the wee hours of the morning (dancing/more champagne)... but then it takes me all day Saturday and part of Sunday to recover. There were several things I was supposed to do this weekend that didn't end up happening, but that's okay I guess. I did get some writing done. And alphabetized all of our bookshelves...

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(dress/scarf/belt: thrifted; boots: seychelles)

This dress was to the floor when I thrifted it from Goodwill, which (as you know) is a length I have recently embraced. However, I would look way too Big Love in a full length wool dress with puffy sleeves. Not happening. It's obvious that this dress was handmade, which is pretty impressive. I hope someday my sewing skills improve beyond the odd hem job (I actually hemmed this one on my sewing machine, which was a first).

Friday, September 23, 2011

in which it is the first day of fall

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This dress is the reason I wanted to go to H&M, and its loveliness did not disappoint. The mustard color, subtle mini-pleating, and vintage vibe are just what I need this season. And I think it looks splendid with these shoes :) Speaking of these shoes, I'm grateful that they are accented with orange, because I get anxious when my shoes don't match my belt, but I'm still on the hunt for a dark brown skinny belt. This way, the light brown kind of matches the orange part of my shoes (one of those fashion faux-pas that I don't think I'll ever feel comfortable embracing).

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(dress: h&m; shoes: poetic licence; belt: thrifted)

One of the great things about having a daily blog is documenting the changing seasons. Every day there are a few more leaves on the ground and the surrounding trees slowly change colors. I think it might be time to have some hot cider in my life.

If all goes as planned, I might have an incredibly busy weekend, full of friends, food, and festive fall events. See you on the other side!