No Repeats W & W: Days Seventeen & Eighteen

Not much to say about this outfit other than sometimes the pictures look a lot cuter than you felt when you were wearing the clothes.  I'm pretty sure i'm still stuck on 'too comfy = sloppy looking'. But that equation is false.

Here you can get a glimpse of some aquamarine beads i bought on Telegraph for six bucks. Everytime i string beads, the string stretches out after i wear them a few times and it looks bad. So i'm trying wearing these ones before i finish the necklace with findings, clasp, etc. to see if i can avoid the problem. Any input/feedback on this issue is avidly anticipated!

I wouldn't consider this outfit completely successful as an outfit - but it has some elements i'm very glad i stumbled upon. Angie at fashion me blog, Serene at The Elegant Bohemian, Katie of Interrobangs Anonymous, and others i can't recall at the moment have all been really rockin' the 'scarf as blouse' trick.  I've been attempting it myself a few times recently, and this time i finally got the hang of it!

I also really like lacey anklets with these boots.  With skirts, with skinny cargoes, or with fishnets in nude or brown......it really expands the range of these booties.  And using just a couple of lacey touches (scarf and socks) on a neutral base to lend a romantic air to the whole outfit is a nice strategy. But those black leggings under the skirt got under my skin as well.  It's too blunt. But i was too busy, too cold  and too tender to change them out for, say, nude fishnets or my gray lace Betsey Johnson tights. 

That's the beauty of a daily outfit blog - you can stash these elements away for future use.  In real life, i'd remember how much i liked these details but most likely forget precisely how i pulled them off....

I've had this rutilated quartz bead for three or four years now. I tried wearing it a number of ways, but none really felt right. Terri has featured acorns in a number of her DIY projects, and it finally occurred to me to go see if i could find one for this bead. I found one and burnt a hole in it for the wire. I also bought a couple of strings of iolite beads on Telegraph from the same vendor as the aquamarine ones. That's an iolite bead at the base of the 'acorn', and i've strung iolite beads to make a necklace for this 'acorn' pendant. Here i used a black ribbon, as the iolite string is in 'the stretching process'.

I can see the end of the workaday capsule challenge!  I'm doing my best to 'go out with a bang', but the weather and random evil stains conspire against me.  Wish me luck!

Holiday Hankerings

 Yes indeedy, the holidays are rapidly approaching, possibly even already here.  Our neighbors had a neighborhood get-together last night, which was really nice! I had two glasses of eggnog (virgin) and some fudge. I also learned a huge amount of neighborhood history from our hostess, who has lived in the same place since 1972. I've lived here eleven years, a veritable newcomer in comparison, so it was fascinating to hear all the dirt. Things are much quieter now, thank heavens!

 I bugged out on the No Repeats challenge (as per my 'rules') for the evening and added this festive embroidered velvet jacket on top of my other (challenge-approved) pieces. Not much more to say about this look, except that my white crochet socks kept falling down into my boots, so i kept pulling them up. And i wore my white petticoat under my skirt, you can just see it peeking out from under the hem.

In the spirit of our major festival of consumer consumption, here are a few drool-worthy items which i've recently run across, for your delectation.

image from official Doc Marten site

Bella from the Citizen Rosebud was gifted these boots in black - how perfect for our favorite blushing blossom! Kudos to her gift-giver, for excellence in taste and in generosity!

Diamond Rose necklace at Thomas Mann jewelry

I mentioned the jeweler Thomas Mann in the comments to my last post. I've been lucky enough to be gifted and to buy a few of his pieces over the years. The first was a gift from my mom when i was around 20 (?). It was kind of pricey, especially for one (?!?!?) lone earring.....yet i still get compliments every time i wear it!

Bird's Nest necklace at Thomas Mann jewelry

Back then i only knew of one shop that carried any of his work, and for several years i couldn't find any of his pieces anywhere. What a world where you can browse his catalog online....progress has indeed taken place.

Plymouth by Ariat

I've been poking around online and in the real world for 'tall boots' (ones that go to up around the knee somewhere). I've only had one pair, some secondhand Fryes when i was in high school, long gone. The boots above are Plymouth, by Ariat (the same company that made my beloved paddock boots shown below).

my 12 year old Ariat paddock boots.

I am very reluctant to shell out the type of cash needed for ANY decent pair of shoes, much less what they charge for tall boots, without a feel for the quality and 'foot compatibility' of the company's shoes. These boots pass that test, and the basketweave detail is phenomenally classic. An intriguing development. Ariat has a nice line of paddock boots these days, as well.

Enough day dreaming (for now)! As a dear friend used to say, 'We've got places to go and people to scare.' Happy day, everybody!

Jacket: Yak Magic
Grey Sweater: Mossimo at Target
Skirt, Necklace, Petticoat: own design
Boots: Bass Lamont

No Repeats W & W: Day Five

What i wore most of the day around the house. Beautifeel shoes. It got this dark by around 2 in the afternoon. Dramatic weather, for sure!

Grocery shopping means you have to leave the house - into 40 degree F temps and a nice, steady rain. I'd just sprayed my Bass Lamont boots with waterproofing spray two days ago. Perfect time to get 'em wet!

I also needed easily accessible pockets and more warmth. Thus, Royal Robbins jean style jacket and Nine West wrap cardi. Gloves via The Berkeley Hat Company. I'm wearing Smartwool socks under those boots.

I've had this necklace since i was around 22 - but instead of that great lemon quartz bead, it had a square, kitchsy clump of milky semi-opaque stones, base metal flowers, and rhinestones. It was pretty great how it was, and my friend Shawn (a guy) still brings it up on a regular basis, but i'm not feeling so 'ironic' these days (in my manner of dress). I'd been looking for the perfect way to showcase this quartz bead for a couple of years - who knows why it finally hit me now!  I love how it turned out, especially as i've been on the hunt for more statement pieces.

You can just make out the stars at the ends of the chains at the center. That chain tassel is so fun to fidget with! Plus, chain tassels are very 'in' these days......groovy.

I hope you all have a great weekend, the last before Christmas! We're headed to The Dickens Fair and also plan to do some gift shopping.  I hope it doesn't get too crazy for any of you out there.....

Ivory Cotton Sweater: Royal Robbins
Skirt: own design, inspired by The Hidden Seed
Jean Style Jacket: Royal Robbins
Black Wrap Cardi: Nine West
Gloves: The Berkeley Hat Company
Pumps: Beautifeel
Boots: Bass Lamont
Wool-Blend Tights: Hanna Andersson

Developments

As is true with everybody starting an outfit diary blog, one of my main motivations was to expand my style vocabulary.  I've got a good handle on how to project certain style - dressy, festive, feminine, artsy, bohemian, romantic -  in way that feels comfortable to me and flatters my form.

But in other arenas - casual, tough, rocker, edgy, pared-down, serious, grown-up - i've never felt as if i had a solid grasp on how to inhabit these styles. I'd love to be able to be able to pull off some of Nubby Twiglet's or Style Underdog's or Vahni's (from grit and glamour) looks, and feel they could suit my form and personality (with some attention to fit and style tweakings). I've just been having trouble figuring it out for me, my wardrobe, my body (aesthetically and practically). It's partly vanity, but also has to do with expanding and challenging yourself in a creative way. I hate to feel i'm stuck in a rut.

I truly believe in the small wardrobe for me. I also believe in projecting a cohesive, identifiable personal style. At the same time, i literally crave variety in my day to day dressing.  I've always fantasized and planned about my perfect wardrobe - one which contained the few, amazing pieces which can combine into an infinite variety of looks - the french gamine, the Italian widow, 1920's Hollywood  vamp, Wild West can can girl, Calamity Jane, tough-edged Cockney rocker girl, simple 1930's farm girl, Miss Blixen on safari.....

I love to pile on the clothes and accessories, layering to the beyond of beyond. And i have a knack for it!  But after a while of layers on layers i start to crave a severe, minimalist look for a while, to cleanse the palette.  However, there's a fine line between minimalist perfection and sheer boredom - how do you add in just enough to signal your particular style? Terri at RAGS against the MACHINE makes (jewelry) and wears (clothes) wonderful pieces which have shown me another very interesting way in which to wear a minimal and anything but boring look. All of this has been on my mind the past couple of months, even more so because of the blogging i do.

I've been forced to try some very different clothing combos the last few weeks due to our prolonged cold spell.  I only have about three 'obvious' cold-weather outfits, and as our cold spell lengthened into a second and third week my creative faculties were truly taxed in trying not to repeat. (Not to mention, you have to wear something clean after a few days......)

Then, the other day i stumbled upon an outfit which actually garnered comments from passing cars ('Great Outfit!') and which i really enjoyed. The lines were clean and the look was much more spare than my usual, but it felt truly 'me' and was interesting and flattering. I made sure to photograph the look, even though circumstances were not auspicious, and set to figuring out how this look could be used to spark a new direction.

detail of headgear

 The outfit in this post is my second take on this look, inspired by my 'accidental outfit'. Both outfits felt very 'new' to me, but were created strictly through shopping in my closet. In my next post i'll show you the first look, and tell you what i took away from it in order to be able to use it as a basis for making new outfits in the same vein. You'll also find out what all of this has to do with cake and frosting (though a few of you may already know). Happy Monday!!

Cashmere Cardi: L.L. Bean
Top: Missoni for Target
Skirt, Earrings: own design
Belt: Coach, very old
Socks, Bandana: Target
Hat Trim (worn as fascinator): Renaissance Faire vendor
Boots: Bass Lamont