in which i'd like to thank the academy

I really enjoyed the Academy Awards last night. For some reason it made me think about how many great movies were made this year, and how many great movies will be made in the coming years, and how I can't wait to see what filmmakers come up with next. It may sound a bit ridiculous, but the ceremony somehow reminded me that there is so much ahead of us in life, in general, and what a thrill it is to be alive.

(dress: modcloth; coat: mirage; scarf: thrifted; shoes: lulu*s)

I also got teary-eyed a total of ten times:

I cried when the cinematographer ran off the stage so fast, like nobody cared.

I cried when one of the winners for makeup design thanked his children.

I cried when Octavia Spencer won for Best Supporting Actress and was so, so happy.

I cried when Christopher Plummer won for 'Beginners,' finally, after 82 years, and again when he thanked his 'long-suffering' wife.

I cried when the Northern Irish girl said 'mom, this one's for you!'

I cried at: 'And for all the women in Pakistan who are working for change.'

I cried when Jean Dujardin won Best Actor for 'The Artist.' I f***ing love the French.

I cried when Meryl Streep thanked her husband first, so it wouldn't fade out with the music.

I'm serious about my blubbering, apparently. It might have been all of the wine I was drinking, but it all just made me feel so happy and warm :)

Oh, and Michelle Williams was my Best Dressed, by far (and everyone else's, apparently!). I loved it almost as much as her 2006 yellow Vera Wang (right):

in which it's better late than never

If I had them in my possession, I probably would have worn my new loafers with this outfit, but I had to exhange them for a half-size up. I have been dying for a pair of heeled pennyloafers since last winter, when I declared loafers to be the new oxfords. TopShop had a great, overpriced pair, and Jeffrey Campbell came out with another fabulous, even more overpriced pair, but all of my waiting and bating of breath must have paid off, because when an affordable version popped up on Lulu*s this summer I couldn't wait to snatch them up. These are not them ;)

(shirt/scarf/belt: thrifted; skirt/purse: vintage; socks: uo; shoes: seychelles)

When I left the house this morning I thought that this outfit was going to be a example of why we should follow Chanel's advice and always remove the last accessory we put on... there is definitely a lot going on here, but I think it works. I did, however, almost put on my mink hat, which would have been too much :) I guess that's the lazy woman's Coco Chanel.

in which fashion is such a commitment

This is THE summer dress. I would wear it every day except a) that would get boring, and b) it's actually pretty heavy linen and my body doesn't like to sweat.

(dress: salvation army; shoes: seychelles; hat: uo; necklace: k's)

Now. I have something to say: Fashion is such a COMMITMENT. I'm struggling with this because in recent months I have not been financially capable of keeping up with the trends that I'm enamoured of, and I've officially trained my sights on fall fashion, which I predict I might actually be able to partake in. But when I realized that my DREAM SHOES are back on the market (they sold out last season and I've been checking back periodically for months to make sure I was ready to pounce when they reappeared) and they're just as expensive and unaffordable as they were last year, I was disheartened. I have no problem splurging on a nice pair of shoes, but what if I want them in yellow AND in brown (I do)? I am literally panicked by the thought that they might disappear. And after a night with a bottle of champagne, Project Runway (which always sparks inspiration), and a sketchbook, I want to buy up all kinds of fabric and fashion myself a fall wardrobe (loafers and leather and lace, o my!). But even that costs money. And what about my bigger goals? Would I be such a desperate shopoholic if it weren't for this blog? If I didn't feel pressure to offer up something new and different everyday, would I still haunt Etsy and Modcloth and Goodwill with such ferocious frequency? Would I still stress and sweat over the potential loss of a most-coveted pair of pretty shoes? Or would I be able to redirect that energy elsewhere? To maybe save some money once and a while? What about my other goals? What about travel? I can't say. I love fashion. It's become more and more apparent to me as I've been indirectly forced to watch from what feels like the sidelines while my fellow bloggers prance about in granny florals and washed-out whites, with a seemingly endless collection of pretty heels at their immediate disposable.

I'm not ashamed of loving fashion. I maintain that making clothes can be an art form, and that dressing up is important for many reasons. And sometimes all I want to do is curl up with a copy of Vogue and daydream of what I would do if I could really tackle my technical incompetance and make something miraculous happen with my sewing machine (working on it...).

But those shoes...

I... want... them.

Is that healthy?

oscar night favorites

So, no outfit post today. I took photos (and even took some this weekend as well!), but forgot my camera cord in my other bag (since I got a new one in the mail!) so have no way to upload. What else did I expect from a Monday? Luckily for me I did watch the Academy Awards last night and took note of a few of my favorite dresses, so I have something to share with you today. I'm terribly sorry to be so lame and simply regurgitate photos that are already all over the interweb, but tomorrow I'll be more original, I promise :)

I loved Scarlett Johansson's wine-colored Dolce and Gabbana and her sultry bedroom eyes, but Mila Kunis wore my favorite of the evening--a lovely lavendar Elie Saab gown (who also made the amazing Monet-inspired dress that I swore I would have worn to last year's Oscars if given the opportunity).

My other favorite of the evening (if not even more favorite than Mila's Elie Saab) was Florence Welch in buttery yellow Valentino Couture, but Halle Berry also looked amazing in Marchesa.

I absolutely love that cobalt blue is trendy this season (it's a great color for blue-eyed brunettes). As it turns out, it's also a great color for redheads (although actually this dress is more purple than blue)--Amy Adams looked amazing in sparkly L'Wren Scott (though I would have taken the jewelry in a different direction)--and saccharine-soft-pop songstress Mandy Moore shone onstage in Monique Lhuillier (despite the fact that the song was sensationally silly, as most of Ms. Moore's ballads tend to be).

Who were your favorites?

spotlight: norwegian wood

I stumbled upon the Norwegian Wood Fall Collection on Rebecca's blog, The Dandelion Girl, and was instantly smitten. I love the dark, extravagantly deconstructivist quality of the clothes. The collection is a far cry from what I consider to be my "personal style," I can certainly appreciate the cropping, shredding, bunching and hodgepodge of utilitarian, tribal and trendy elements.

(all images via norwegianwoodonline)

I've had a hard time getting excited about the Spring collections currently coming down the catwalk (I know that's how it works in the Fashion World, but I've been looking forward to fall for so long...), so I'm seeking refuge in fun fall collections! Embrace Autumn!