9.30.2011

Subtle Sailor



top- the Gap
leggings- American Apparel
wedges- Urban Outfitters

Uh oh, the day is fast approaching when I run out of nautical-related puns(don't worry, I've got a few tucked away for a rainy day). This is no good since that's pretty much all I ever wear(except the flannel I'm sportin right now). Wow. Maybe I should use more parentheses. This shirt has a tiny hole in the boob, kind of an unfortunate place for the fabric to rip. But in a move of thriftiness that would impress even my mother, I spotted it at the store like that and they gave me 25% of the price! I think it's expanding ever so slightly but I'm gonna ignore that til it gets to the point where I may get arrested if I wear it in public again.
This outfit is from Wednesday, and I'm happy to report the warm spell is OVER and the flannel and boots have been busted out AS I TYPE. I have been kinda worried about potential frostbite if/when I move to a colder city, but my always-stylin' pal Doug(who just moved to Montana, brrr) gave me some excellent advice: "build up a collection of neat flannel and you'll be set." Wise man. Though I gotta keep in mind that this is coming from a guy who wears wife-beaters well into the winter months.
Fun fact about this outfit: it prompted my dad to say "are you seriously not wearing any shorts or anything under there?". Yup dad, pantless and proud.

9.29.2011



blouse- Forever 21
scarf- vintage
shorts- American Apparel
sandals- Modcloth

So there's a bit of indian summer happening right now, not really a big surprise considering my locale. Can't wait to cover up these legs with TIGHTS. A woman at the drive-thru actually said to me, "wow, I never thought I'd meet someone paler than me." Thanks lady, that's really what I need to hear at 6 a.m. Mercifully I have tomorrow off to let my body rest for longer than 4 hours without waking up every 20 minutes thinking HOLY SHIT I'M LATE. Maybe my post will be more inspired next time? Katherine and I are going to go vegan for a few weeks(or however long I last before collapsing in front of the fridge crying "BUTTER"), cause sometimes eating nothing but baked goods isn't really good for a gal.
Let's see, my outfit: too much leopard in mah life. Also, this is a pussy-bow blouse, which i put a wildcat-printed scarf over? OVERKILL

9.28.2011

Dotty


cardigan- Banana Republic
dress- Tara Jarmon for Target
boots- Target

Check out my new Target boots!!! Just when I got really excited to wear them multiple days in a row it got warm again today(actually had to turn the AC on in my car)! Oh well. This outfit is from Monday, I got a bit behind posting. Thought about making a drunk post last night but WISELY I refrained.
I love this dress but rarely wear it, since it has puffed sleeves. I have fairly small arms(skinny people flab though) but puff sleeves make me look like a monstrous child. However, a cardigan keeps all that bizness in check. I have completely lost my train of thought...whoops.

9.26.2011



top- Urban Outfitters
skirt- thrifted
flats- Target

I bought this top at the New Orleans Urban Outfitters several years ago, from the Urban Renewal line. It used to be a normal men's button down! Each repurposed top was different, making it possible to get a totally unique item from a big-box clothing chain, which I love! Worn with my trusty purple thrifted skirt(seriously, what did I wear before I bought this thing?), and some really cute yet incredibly slippery and dangerous peep-toes from Target. I actually fell and busted my butt wearing them a few years back in a gas station parking lot. It was pretty painful yet hilarious, especially considering no one else saw it. They might need to go, since 4+ years of wear has yet to make them less slippery. Have another clothing swap, Elizabeth. I'm finding more stuff to dump every day!

9.24.2011

Last Day of Summer




top- Tara Jarmon for Target
shorts- Delia's
flats- Old Navy

These are my favorite favorite shorts! I can't believe they have not yet made an appearance on this blog, considering that I wear them at least once a week. In true mom fashion(for her, anyway), my mother said: "Are you seriously wearing those in public? I can see your buns, you know." Yes mom. I wear them in public quite a bit. These pictures are actually from Thursday, the last day of summer! It was pretty chilly once the sun set and I actually needed more clothes than this, but what're you gonna do. I went to the free Jack Oblivian show that was the opening event of Gonerfest and stared stared stared at all the obviously-not-from-Memphis QTs. Garage rock folks from cities other than here sure love some double denim. Afterwards I met up with some lady friends and giggled a lot and harassed people on the Facebook(SORRY). I think when events like Gonerfest roll around I always tend to dress archetypal garage rock(though sadly no boots this time around). Last night I got to wear an amazing polka dot dress I found on Ebay, but unfortunately/mercifully no photos got taken. I'll just say that I broke my phone after drunkenly dropping it and had to spend $120 on a new one today, but last night I found it HILARIOUS. NO MORE WINE FOR ME.

9.23.2011

Hakuna Matata



dress- vintage
wedges- Urban Outfitters

On Wednesday, Alice and I went to see the re-release of the Lion King in theaters. LET ME TELL YOU, I think I was even more into it this time around than I was at age 8 when I originally saw it on the big screen. There were some wet eyes behind my 3-D glasses! And a palpable feeling of "they don't make them like this anymore" in the theater when it was over. Anyway, to be extra festive/crazy, I wore my jungle dress. I also took these photos right before bedtime, kind of tipsy, with nap hair(not nappy hair. Nap-head.) In every one but this first one I had a goofy grin on my face, so this is the only one that made the cut. This dress is so amazing, but I like to let it shine on its own, so I rarely wear it with anything other than black.
Tonight is the only night of Gonerfest I will attending(other than the free stuff, duh), and we ladies have the perfect pick-up line to use on all those foreign QTs: "You're a long way from home, young man." Meee-ow

9.19.2011



dress- Forever 21
flats- Old Navy

Yesterday I went to see Vivre Sa Vie at the Brooks, so I wanted to dress appropriately nautical in an Anna Karina homage. Also, I like dressing like a sailor(how many times have I said that on this blog?!?). There was not a soul there besides me under 70, but I still enjoyed myself. Godard and dance scenes, you kill me!!! Seriously, have you ever seen a cuter prostitute in your entire life?(that sentence might be an oxymoron). I need to rock plaid skirts and little blouses like her more often. Not that it helped her character out in the end...but this is a clothing blog.

This dress is one of those that is so tight-fitting that it retains my shape when I hang it back up on the frame. I need to find a name for that phenomenon. I forgot to take a picture today but I am really wanting to wear a new polka dot dress I got on Ebay and take pictures at Sun Studio. Really would like a P.I.C. for this blog! Preferably one with a nicer camera, oh ho

9.17.2011

Finally Fall



shirt- thrifted
skirt- Modcloth
flats- Old Navy
music- Earth- The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull

It's finally feeling really like fall outside and I love it! Unfortunately that also translates into my body freaking out and getting a major cold. I am sniffling so much that I feel like the most annoying person on the earth. Speaking of, we went to see Earth last night, and what I saw was really amazing. But I felt so crappy from my cold I couldn't see the whole set(probably 5 songs in 2 hours, ha). That didn't stop me from bringing 20 earplugs in a fit of overexcitment and saying "I WANT IT TO BE SO LOUD I CAN FEEL IT IN MY THROAT." I was not disappointed.
Anyway, this outfit is from Thursday, cause I am so sick looking right now I am not taking any more photos til this passes! This top was the main score in my aforementioned successful thrifting earlier this week. And I've been waiting for the cold to pull this skirt out, since I truly look like a ghost if I wear it without tights. It has a really neat and subtle polka dot pattern if you look closely enough.
No more talking. I'm napping out

9.15.2011

Represent



shirt- bought at the Hitone in 2008
pants- Banana Republic
flats- Target
music- Six String Jets- Memphis

So this is what I wear to work most days(switching up the t-shirts, of course)--pretty unexciting. I got a multitude of excited comments about this shirt from customers in the drive-thru line. Even though I sometimes feel weird wearing it around town(I'm more comfortable in it on vacation!), people are always like "HOLY SHIT I WANT ONE." To be clear, I do not support guns in any way and am completely terrified when I see one. But I do feel a bit like a badass in this shirt. I went to Comcast(pretty crazy cross-section of the city in there, woo wee, heard some maintenance men arguing about Wu-Tang) to dump off my internet modem(gotta save that $$$) and on the way to make Elizabeth serve me pineapple gelato, I saw a full-grown adult woman sitting in a baby stroller waiting for the bus in front of the main library. GOTTA LOVE THIS TOWN. I couldn't even make that shit up. And today we went to a semi-ghetto convenience store on Jackson where you walk into the back, ask a little lady for a plate, and get the most delicious and cheap pile of Ethiopian food. I hate to think of leaving Memphis when there are so many amazing secrets like that waiting to be discovered! But that'll be a while off. Right now I am trying to fight off a cold with Green Machine and a smoothie...waking up at 4 a.m. is ROUGH on a body.
P.S.- Charlotte lookin' sassy in that 2nd photo, LOVE THAT DOG

9.14.2011

Yeah yeah yeah




cardigan- Urban Outfitters
dress- American Apparel
spectators- Urban Outfitters
music- Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Y Control

Yesterday was my day off and it was really great! But kind of a blah day with the outfits/photos. This outfit was another one of those that seems really good in theory but not so spectacular in reality. However, I did go to my favorite thrift store and get some really good things! It was very inspiring. I can't wait to do more thrfitin' and take fun photos(hellooooooo all of the places we took zine photos in 2005) when my BFF gets in town next week! So many exclamation points! In addition to the thrift success, I cleaned my shower(seriously, worst chore in the entire world) and made a strawberry coffee cake and ate the best sub sandwich in the world. I know that if I move to Chicago I will likely find an endless bounty of delicious sandwiches, but NOTHING WILL EVER REPLACE THE CHINESE SUB SHOP). Ok. The three hour nap I accidentally took today has really thrown my brain for a loop, so I'm gonna stop typing. Night!

9.12.2011

Mint Chocolate Chip



top- Urban Outfitters
skirt- Red Dress Shoppe
flats- Nine West
music- Jesus and Mary Chain- Some Candy Talking

I guess I just love sweets so much I'm going to dress like one! After buying this skirt several years back, it languished in my fixer-upper drawer forever after the buttons and straps fell apart. I finally quit being lazy and sewed it back together and am very glad I did so before the summer is up! Each of the polka dots is made up of even more little bitty dots, and the skirt's nice and swingy.
Tomorrow is my first day off since last Wednesday so I am going to sleep in soooooo late, and follow that up with some possible thrifting! Hopefully it will be as beautiful outside as it was today!

9.11.2011

Come Sail Away



jean jacket- Old Navy
sailor shirt- vintage
shorts- American Apparel
wedges- Target
music- Dinosaur Jr- The Water

Oh yes, I'm doing double denim up in here. I suppose it's not a true Canadian tuxedo if the denim is two different colors, but close enough. Not sure what I'm doing in that 2nd photo, or why I have bruises all over my legs. But those are problems for another time! I have to open tomorrow so I'll keep this short. I bought some new boot(ie)s at Target today that I can't wait to wear(I LOVE YOU TARGET), but the weather seems to have settled on pleasantly warm again(I am definitely not complaining!). I just made some chocolate chip-coconut bars and am all weepy from reading some ASPCA article about brave rescue dogs with little protective vests on who searched for people during the wreckage of 9/11. I won't say much, but that my first trip to NYC was exactly one month to the day before 9/11, and I think pretty often about how lucky I am that I was there on 8/11 instead, and of the little Asian lady I bought spiced peanuts from right in front of the WTC who may or may not have made it. Not very eloquent but it's the best I can do right now.

9.10.2011

Peachy


top- H&M
skirt- Proenza Schouler for Target, via Buffalo Exchange
flats- Target
music- The Raveonettes- Bowels of the Beast

Whooooops, this outfit is actually from Wednesday but since I canceled my internet to save some dollaz I am a bit behind! The weather is still MAGNIFICENT here and is allowing for a lot more wardrobe variety than Memphis normally does this time of year. Jackets one day and sheer blouses the next! I've been working so much, with crazy ass hours, that thanks to the enormous optimistic tip jar and not having any time to spend its contents, I would like to make some new clothing purchases soon! And the clothing swap I mentioned in the last post was really great and I got three new things I'm pretty excited about! Lion's head door-knocker belt, how shall I wear youuuuuuu?

9.07.2011

Blustery Days



cardigan- Target
top- Target
shorts(cut from pants)- Old Navy
boots- vintage


sweatshirt- Forever 21
camisole(underneath)- Old Navy
leggings- American Apparel
t-straps- Jeffrey Campbell, via Urban Outfitters

Wow, right after I made that last post the weather did exactly what I wanted! And I responded by wearing...a sweatshirt. Really though, I was so happy to slap some tights over these pasty stems. And SO pasty they are...I look moon-bright in that last photo. I kinda felt like an aerobics instructor who threw on some heels and went straight to a party after her class. I think I am too conceptual sometimes considering how simple the outfits end up being! I just made some cheese tortellini with tomato-basil cream and am so full I can't think! Tomorrow maybe. This weather is AMAZING. I even forced Charlotte to go on a different walk than normal and she LIKED it.
Going to a clothes swap tomorrow night, hopefully I'll end up with something good!

9.04.2011

Futile Fall Fantasy


dress- vintage
flats- Target
music- The Cramps- The Most Exalted Potentate of Love

Again, trying to shop my closet and pull out things I don't wear often! I ordered this dress off Ebay a few years ago and, as often happens, it was waaaaaay too big. I hemmed it up about 4 inches and took off the weird belt it came with and now it looks like a perfect mod dress! Like most authentic mod-ish dresses I have it's fairly loose around the waist but kinda tight around the hips, which I guess served a Twiggy type quite well but doesn't have quite the same effect on me! I wear them anyway though! This dress is also made of a breezy linen blend instead of the itchy weird sweaty synthetic fabric that people got a little too happy with back then.
After bitching about the winter for ever and a day, I am oddly craving sweater weather now! Maybe this is because my brain is so currently obsessed with moving, most likely to a place much colder than this one(that's not too hard to be, since only NOLA and Brazilian jungle are hotter than the Memphis summer). I have a little winter wishlist going! Here's a (realistic) sample(the fantasy one will come later!):

booties from Delia's

dress from Forever 21

coat from Modcloth

shorts from Modcloth

jeans from Urban Outfitters

dress from Alloy
There is a WHOLE lot more, but I should stop while I'm ahead, no? I'm gonna keep the fall inspiration coming til it gets cooler, which should be sometime in November.
Happy Labor Day! Hope you get the day off.

9.02.2011

(title unknown)



top- vintage
shorts- Forever 21
flats- Old Navy
music- Tomorrow- My White Bicycle

That second picture is sooooo awkward. My arms looks so stiff. Ok. Onto business. In the past couple days I have been thinking nonstop about future moving plans(or lack thereof) and it's left little room for other thought! I've also been working very early in the obscenely early morning hours quite a bit, as well as this weekend. Never will I appreciate Labor Day so much! I had today off(sort of) so yesterday was my weekend! I went to get margaritas with some fun ladies I've never hung out with before. Nice to know there are still people to get to know in Memphis!
I have probably spent over 5 hours total in the past week looking at dresses on Etsy. It's quite sad and ironic that I get most enthusiastic about clothes(I am always hesitant to use the word "fashion") when I have NO MONEY. To try and make myself feel like I had something new(this psychological trick did not work, by the way), I pulled out this top that I have worn about twice in my life, despite getting it over 3 years ago during a particularly fruitful trip to a Buffalo Exchange. My nails accidentally matched it. That seems to happen a lot, odd since I wear black about 60% of the time.