Popping In Briefly

yes, i'm still alive. My timing for taking a break was excellent, as mr. e and i are both under seige from a particularly evil virus. Instead of choosing to attack either the gastrointestinal system or the upper respiratory tract, this bug hits BOTH. Two days of 'mice having a circus in your guts' (mr. e), followed by your basic sino-sorethroat blow-out. Which is gross enough, but mr. e has a techy tummy and i'm prone to sinus infections, causing the whole sordid affair to linger indefinitely.....

I had a lot more fun a couple of weeks ago at a 'Ladies' Movie Night' hosted by ielgirl.  Food, romantic movie, drinks, dessert, and some very smart and realllllly funny ladies. Our hostess requested that we all wear our most romantic hats, so i trimmed up my straw one in pink and black. I really fancy the way it turned out and plan to leave it trimmed like this possibly through summer. If this event sounds fun to you, be aware that ilegirl is hosting a Fancy Pants Reuse Outing in Danville for April 2nd - Bay Area eccentrics, consider yourselves notified!

As you can imagine, having your brain slowly replaced by mucous does little to increase one's intellectual functioning...however, i have managed to do a little of the writing on high strange experiences i wanted to focus on during this break. I also managed to miss the fabulous Sheila's Leopard Week extravaganza - click here to get the scoop at the Leopard Week Wrap Up! Those ladies aren't the only busy bloggers out there - Allie of Wardrobe Oxygen has been posting some really helpful information the past few weeks - how to dress for the weekends, her 'eat your vegetables' philosophy of wardrobe building (a little like cake and frosting). But to top it all, Allie goes where no blogger has gone before and posts a complete list of her entire wardrobe! I find these type of posts really helpful, and really hard to write, so kudos to Allie!

I saw some long, twisted scarves of cotton gauze at J. Crew a while back and finally knew what to do with that cotton gauze in my stash. I checked out the RIT website for ideas on olive drab, and a few hours later i had a new scarf. It's soft and warm and i've3 been reaching for it constantly.I think of it as a 'statement scarf'. Wearing a new color, texture, size of scarf can really change the feel of your outfits, with such a small commitment of money, time, or commitment (you can take it off much more easily than, say, shoes or your blouse, at least in the circles in which most of us move).

Last but not least at all - i can't believe that people have actually decided to follow me while i'm on this hiatus! I so much appreciate all the people who take the time to read this blog and comment and follow. It is so much more fun to put these posts together thinking about the various 'pairs of eyes' that will take in my efforts - not to mention it makes me take it a bit more seriously. So THANK YOU!!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! to all of my readers and commenters and followers, old and new!!!  In the past couple of weeks, i've started to feel that old compulsion to photograph my looks, so i expect you'll be seeing more of me sooner rather than later - in the meantime, take care and have fun!!!  steph

The More Things Change...

This was such a fun outfit to wear! It's simple but not boring, and the lines are sleek enough to feel frisky. I've talked before about my rule of thumb on value in an outfit - a lite outfit needs a dash of dark and a dark outfit can use a beam of light. So i grabbed this black bandanna to add the black here, but i don't recall how i hit on making a floppy base of the neck bow....maybe i was jut tired of wearing it around my head and my waist? But i got a kick out of how it reminds me of the fashion in the 1910's for big bows at the back and front of the neck.

But the title of the post refers to how similar this look is to one i wore in high school. I had a pull-on tunic with a collar band neckline that opened about as far as this one does - it was also ivory, but with stripes instead of ruffles. The hem was a wee bit shorter, but similar shape, and the sleeves were the same length. The pants would've been denim or olive drab 'utility' type......and the clogs a lite caramel.

I had an inkling these pieces were a bit familiar, but it only really struck me looking at these pictures. I don't know what to think about this, i'll have to let it sink in.....do any of you find yourself in similar outfits/styles/colors to ones you wore decades ago?

And here's some close-ups of my blouses and accessories from the past three days. As usual with me, it's all about the details!


I made the blue camellia before the early August camping trip - i thought it would be a hoot to have a Chanel-style flower, but in beat-up denim and calico because it's 'casual'. I'd like to make more in other colors/fabrics.


I used three different types of buttons on this blouse - they used to be the ones that are now on the windy flapper blouse below. I think the pearl domed ones look better closer together than previously - they have more impact. And i think the grey overdye on the gibson girl blouse helps 'anchor' the darker buttons.



I went back to get more of this rose lace and it was SOLD OUT!!! ah, the nerve!! well, there was plenty in a daintier, zig zag edged lace of the same cotton-rayon blend and a similar 'feel' or 'weave', so i got that and i'm making a long, slender scarf of cotton swiss dot with the lace as a trim down both sides. I've dyed a scrap as a test and it's a nice dusky mid-blue. I'm adding more color, though at an excruciatingly slow pace.....!

Ruffle Tunic: Converse at Target
Cargo Pant: own design, inspired by style underdog
Clogs: Dansko Marcelle
Gibson Girl Blouse: Folkwear # 205
Windy Flapper Blouse: own design, inspired by some girls wander

A New Kind Of Diamond

Another look with the ivory ruffle tunic. We've been having an unusually cool summer her in the San Francisco Bay Area, which means a lot of days in the 80's here instead of the high 90's to low 100's. And also some cooling breezes! When i wore this outfit i had fun feeling it float and whip about in the air on my walk. Nothing i love more than looking different from instant to instant.

The breeze cooperated when i took these pictures - all i had to do was face into the wind.

And it also ties up nicely when you need to get down to business.

Recently i spent some time in Barnes and Noble snooping around the 'style' section. I came across some interesting information on finding your flattering hemlines but neglected to write down the name of the book or the author. I was certain i'd be able to look it up on the B & N website later, but no luck. If anyone out there knows this info, please leave a comment!

Here's the method. Stand with your heels together and your toes pointing out in a '10 and 2 o'clock' position (both toes pointing out equally so they make a right angle between them). There will be some gaps between your two legs that the author calls 'diamonds' (they will be in a four-sided diamond shape). Your most flattering hemlines will hit anywhere in your 'diamonds'. This holds for skirts, shorts, pants, capris, leggings, etc.

I liked this idea because in my experience it holds true, and it's a lot easier to explain than most systems. It's also easy to see where these areas are on your own legs in the mirror. Have any of you heard of or used this system?

The Blogger and Compromise

So most of the day i ran around in barefeet and no hat. (I did wear the jewelry shown.) As preparation for my evening constitutional, i put on this hat and shoes.

This blog is presented as a daily outfit blog. 'Fantasy' outfits are labelled as such. As i set up to take my daily photos, i realized i'd wandered into an ethical quandry - should i show hat and shoes, or bareheaded and unshod?

As you can see, i split the difference. Yes hat, no shoes.

What ethical dilemmas do you wrestle with, inside or outdoors of your blogging life?

Tunic: Converse One Star at Target
Tank: Jockey
Skirt: own design, inspired by The Hidden Seed
Scrap Petti: own design, inspired by Alisa Burke

Foggy Friday

I wore this outfit last Friday night to go grocery shopping. The checker at the next station was helping a 92 year old World War Two vet. This older gentleman took this opportunity to regale the other customers and checkers with stories of his exploits, opinions on letting the Russians take Berlin (bad idea), and how much he appreciated the leeway people gave him on account of being 92. He was a sweety and looking mighty fine for his age! And i was happy to see an elder being given the respect so many deserve and so few get these days.

After i bought my groceries, while i was waiting to use the DVD rental machine next to the exit, he told his assistant to stop while they were wheeling his groceries out. He wanted to complement 'this young lady' (me) on 'her outfit'. I said 'Back atcha!' His navy cap and violet and apple green color blocked windbreaker just jumped off his inky chocolate skin. Definitely a man with style sense. I would love to see some pictures of what he was putting together in the '40's and '50's!

As he moved on, a little creakily, i heard him telling his assistant 'That's one of the great things about being 92......you can stop and compliment young ladies....' Although, honestly, he seemed as if he's had plenty of practice at it!


Hat: ???
Tunic: Converse One Star at Target
Tank: Jockey
Belt: vintage Coach (does it count as vintage if it's vintage old but you bought it originally?)
Skirt: own design
Shoes: old Borns
Socks: Target (i made those pom-pom doo-dads to keep them from slipping down)