DECO

{Mosaic Panel Bracelet}


I hope that this becomes a trend. I love the art deco motif.

STYLE V. FASHION

Yes, there is a disctintion between style and fashion.

Fashion is socially dictated. It's what we see in magazines, advertisements, malls, and on the runway. It's the trends; yellow nail polish, flare pants, Americana, mainsteamed hipsterdom. Fashion is what others tell us we should wear, want, accessorize, purchase. Designers, magazine staff, marketers, they all make a very good living selling fashion to the masses. Hell, you could argue that that's what fashion bloggers are doing: selling fashion to the masses.

But when you look at it, "fashion blogger" is a misnomer, as most of us are really writting up our styles. Style is how fashion is interpreted, incorporated, or created to one's self. Chloe {the (chloe) conspiracy} has a distinct style, and mixes in trends to work with her sense of style. For example, her "Springing for Spring" posts, where she wrote up the runway trends and then showcased her spin on the trend. I love how she does that. While fashion bloggers do discuss fashion, both high & low street, when they showcase their style, can almost always see how the trends are incorporated. There are those who don't incorporate any current trends.

They are the true pioneers.

My purpose of starting this blog, back in July 2007, was to share my view of fashion, the breakdown of the trends, and my grandma's lessons of style and grace. When I revamped in 2009, I decided to honor my grandma by showcasing and developing my style, rather than looking towards a breakdown of fashion. The more time I spend working on the blog, the better I feel about everything in life. I'm learning and growing, and becoming the woman I am meant to be.

I'm 24; still plenty of life ahead of me, plenty of experiences, adventures, and proposals to look forward to. Who knows what I might discover on my next foray to Tampa, or while camping in the Keys, or while taking a trip to Morocco? Maybe I'll find an influence, flavor, or idea. Maybe I'll stumble across a new boutique, tucked away from tourists. Maybe I'll find my favorite piece at a kitchsy tourist trap.

Maybe I'll find a home in the mountains. Maybe I'll find that city life meshes with me. Maybe I'll fall for suburbia. Maybe the rest of my life will be nomadic. Maybe I'll meet an Italian man who's an electrical engineer. Or a Frenchman named Socrates, who speaks the languages of many. Or a good-ol' American boy, corn-fed, strong and tender, cheeky, with a sexy slow smile.

None of us know what life is going to bring us, so why bother only following fashion for the sake of conforming to something that isn't true to ourself? As Simon Doonan, who I love so very much, says, "Knowing who you really are and dressing the part -- with an air of amused recklessness -- is life affirming for you and life enhancing for other people".

Enhance this life.

BACK TO BASICS

The secret of any great wardrobe is twofold: basics and personal style. It's like building a house; you can't pick the paint until you've laid the foundation. And if the foundation is bad, it doesn't matter how nifty your trinkets look when the house collapses. So if you've got the wardrobe essentials, then you can put your personal stamp on it.

Obviously, you need to keep several factors in mind when building your essential wardrobe: your body, your climate, and your lifestyle. As cute as they are, strappy stilettos aren't a good match for schlepping through a blizzard. Likewise, merino is so not a good idea at the Equator. I recommend that you take these factors into account while going through your closet and pulling out all the basic pieces you have. Once you have an inventory, determine what needs to be built upon, and what you should parse from your closet. After the basics are mastered, styling and personalizing is a cinch. (Of course, organization at all stages is key!)

As a Florida girl, my basics will differ from many of you. Here's my wardrobe essentials....

FOUNDATION
* Bras - I get sized by a local shop twice a year. The lifespan of most bras is six months before the band starts to go. My fitter recommends a new bra that hooks on the outermost hooks, so I can extend the life by going in on the hooks. I recommend three colors (nude, black, white) in each of three styles: strapless, push-up, and racerback.
* Panties - I firmly believe there is no such thing as too many panties. After the three main colors (nude, white, black) in preferred styles (thong, string bikini, boyshort), you can go crazy with it. Just remember to watch the shelf life on these too!

TOPS
* Tanks - Multiples in black and white. Straps that are wide enough to cover bra straps, or else have a bra top built into the tank. These are summer and fall lifesavers. Just be careful of deodorant marks.
* Tees - Multiples of these in black, white and gray. I prefer the look of V-necks, but I also have ones with a U-neck.
* Button Down - At least have one of these. White, black or a jewel tone.

BOTTOMS
* Jeans - In this day and age, denim is king. I think a good basis for jeans would be 1 white pair (any cut), 5 dark wash bootcuts or trousers, 2 dark wash skinnies, 1 dark wash flare, and 1 dark wash wide leg.
* Dress pant - I like to have one pair of muted gray plaid, wide leg dress slacks. For the rare occasions I go to a trade conference or have a meeting with creative directors.
* Leggings - These are my version of sweatpants. Pairs in black, navy and gray. Some are for casual errands, others are for working out.
* Shorts - Mostly Bermuda length, although I have a few dress shorts with higher waistbands and hems. 1 pair khaki, 1 pair gray, 2 pairs black, 2 pairs white, and 1 pair of skorts. I have a few terrycloth shorts for working out.
* Skirts - Maxi's are another sweatpant alternative, primarily in black and navy. Knee-length and A-line in black, muted gray, and white. Pencils in black, navy and white.

DRESSES
* LBD - The beloved little black dress. I prefer a deep V-neck and back, A-line, full skirted in a delicate, flowing fabric.
* Wrap Dress - At least one in black, maybe patterned. At or just above the knee.
* Sheath Dress - At least one in a neutral color.

OUTERWEAR
* Leather Jacket - Splurge item, if used a lot. I can make do with cheapies and knockoffs. Sometimes can get lucky at the thrift stores or flea market.
* Blazers - Neutrals. Way to pull an otherwise casual outfit together. Nice to have on hand.
* Cardigan - Any light to medium weight sweater for office work. Again, in neutrals.
* Gloves - Handy (*kneeslapkneeslapkneeslap*) and great for sudden snaps, but are always getting lost.

ACCESSORIES
* Belts - 1 black, 1 brown, 1 metallic.
* Purses - 1 black leather, 1 brown leather, 1 metallic. Clutch preferably.
* Scarves - Neutrals. Neck kerchief, large oval, and bandana sized.

SHOES
* Pumps - Black. Round toe. Stiletto.
* Tennis shoes - For workouts.
* Sandals - Wedges and thongs. Sand doesn't like leather, so mostly cork or fabric.
* Flats - 1 pair black ballet flats and 1 pair pink/nude ballet flats.


There you have it! It's seems like so much, but with this foundation, you can do so much more with your style.

DECONSTRUCTION: UO CIGARETTE JEANS

Like any decent clotheswhore, I suspended my boycott of UO when I found out about their $39 jeans. I sold my soul for some amazing, flattering jeans.


I have been drawn to the cut and look of cigarette jeans for a few years now. Because I'm bigger on the bottom, I usually cuff and wear high heels with them to balance out and elongate my frame. The jeans are super comfy, stretchy material. If you are naturally skinny or curvy, it hits and hugs superbly. I got two washes, to dress up or down, and take advantage of the great sale. They don't pass the "squat test" however, but I can live with that, since most of my jeans fail unless they are ultra high waisted.


I'd say these are a good, solid jean, and worth the investment. Unfortunately, the promotion ended before I received them in the mail, but they are worth the full price. Besides, they make your butt look great!


I've been listening to Lucinda Williams a lot recently. I always seem to fall back into the same music when I'm down in the dumps. Lucinda's music makes me believe in the world and myself, so that's probably why I love listening to her.



Beautiful.

Easy, Beautiful, Chic

Free People has some of the weirdest clothing combinations, but I love this. Printed mini skirt: gorgeous. Thin white top: a basic. Longer length blazer: also a basic.

Together: FUCKING AMAZING.

I'm going home and recreating this from my own closet. Such a great idea!

Ow.

Suffer for fashion.

How many women do that every day? Seriously. Between bikini waxes, eyebrow plucking, hair dye, vanity sizing, exercises, diets, and that's not even taking into account cosmetic surgery. Then the fashions and trends we are bombarded with by the fashion industry are torture in their own way.

Like, stilettos. Visually elongate the leg line, tone legs and butt, make butt appear firmer and rounder. Also, shorten calf muscles, cause bunions and fallen arches, and are hell on the knees.

Now, I love stilettos. The higher the heel, the better. I have no heels under 3 1/2 inches. My guy friends give me concerned looks when I teeter around and ask, "Are you ok? Want me to carry you?" HA! Thank you friends, but I am a high heel SPECIALIST. I can do just about anything I need to in my highest of high heels, short of hiking for six hours and crawling through underground caves.

That's beside the point.

(I'll admit, sometimes I do ask them to carry me back to the car or apartment, but that's usually because I've had too much fun for one night.)

(Also, I have weak ankles. I can't even stand flat footed without my ankles wobbling. And my high arches make the surface area of my tiny feet even tinier. It's a wonder I don't fall more often.)

The woes of my tiny feet are fascinating, I'm sure. I'm almost 5' 8" with a size 7 shoe. My feet are almost freakishly out of proportion with my body. FREAKISH. I always had small feet, and didn't help matters any as a kid when I stubbornly refused to get new shoes when I outgrew my saddle shoes (which, by the way, I was in love with as a six - seven year old) and instead would stuff my feet in there for a few extra years until the soles fell off.

Foot binding, whoo! I was a dumb kid. Oh yeah.

I'm not that much smarter now, especially when it comes to shoes. Particularly stilettos. Last year I found a pair of Candie's candy striped heels (I'll make an OOTD post around them soon) at Kohl's. After enlisting two poor salesclerks into searching the back for any pairs left, they came back with a pair in size 6. I snapped those puppies up SO FAST. They are SO TIGHT. Oh yes, I'm a smart one.

I'm so smart, that I decided to get a pair of heavy ass wedges from Wal-Mart! *fist pump like a champ*

I went to Wal-Mart to pick up some Zyrtec before puppysitting my brother's dogs. I'm extremely allergic to pet dander, and his pups are some of the fluffiest, sheddiest (?) animals out there. My insurance company refuses to pay for my allergy medication (Allegra, which doesn't work very well) because, and I quote from the letter they sent me, "[a]llergens can be controlled easily with OTC drugs, saving you money on doctor's visits and prescriptions".

OTC allergy meds do not control my allergies. My physician prescribed meds don't control my allergies. I'm so allergic to pet dander, I've considered getting the allergy shots even though my insurance refuses to cover it. Oh, Insurance Company! You silly geese!

Anyways, I figured, since I was already there, I might as well just pop over to the shoes and just see what they have. I've been looking for a cute summery wedge for a couple months now, and so far, no dice.

But, Wal-Mart had it! Just how I like it! Huge platform, interesting strap design, and a warm camel-caramely color. For $20. Um, hells to the yeah!

Downside: a nice big platform translates to a HEAVY ASS SHOE. I wore them out with the girls last night to break them in. Super easy to walk in, super cute with capris, a mini-workout for my legs. No biggie.

I woke up sore as hell.

I need to work out more.