Of Two Minds

I wore two different outfits yesterday.  The reasons are fairly self-explanatory, I think.  So two photos then: one for day, and one for night.

Dress - See by Chloe

Vest - Ralph Lauren

Stockings - Hue

Bag - Balenciaga

Shoes - Pour la Victoire

Happy Halloween!

Animal Collective

Miu Miu has never been one to shy away from animal prints, and the Spring 2011 show featured more than one example where Ms. Miuccia gazed upon the world's menagerie for inspiration. This swan dress was my favorite.

I used to not be so down with animal images on clothing. Not animals prints, like leopard, which is awesome, but actual images of animals.  I thought it looked really juvenile, and something I really loathe is when adults dress like children. I likened it to wearing rainbow knee socks and carrying Hello Kitty lunchboxes. But then I had a change of heart. Basically, designs with animals got better and I quit being so uptight. Win-win, yes?

Erin of Calivintage recently posted this vintage koala bear sweater that she's had for some time.  She also hinted at a treasure trove of other animal sweaters she has stashed away. I'd sure love to see more of them!

And finally, here's the sweater that inspired this post, one you've no doubt seen already.  I haven't shopped at Urban Outfitters in years, but when Peter Jensen's capsule collection for the you-oh drops later this December, I will make the effort to check it out. At least if this doesn't sell through instantly, which it probably will.

I sure am optimistic when it comes to bunny sweaters, yes?

Images via style.com, Calivintage, and Six Six Sick

American Bandstand

Ever since I got back from New York I've been much more conscious of when I wear designers from the United States.  Here are a couple.

Sweater and blouse - vintage

Trousers - Rag and Bone

Earrings - my godmother

Shoes - Cole Haan

Bay Area: Sequoia Sample Sale on Saturday!

I like Sequoia handbags because of their soft, luxurious materials, relaxed elegance, and versatility. It also doesn't hurt that Pierre Hardy designs for them. Didn't know that? Now you do!

Sequoia has been available in Europe for over twenty years but is now just trickling over to the States, via it's availabilty in specialty boutiques and features in the September issues of Bazaar and Elle. If you are in the Bay Area and want to get to know Sequoia more intimately, come on down to a sample sale in Presidio Heights this Saturday. From what I hear, prices will be as much as 80% off.  No need to RSVP - just come on by!  Clicking here will help you get a feel for their subtle bohemiam, relaxed glamour and put you in the mood.

You Again

Despite my outfit, I swear I'm not trying to prolong warm weather.  I found this Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress while thrifting earlier this week.  Back in spring of 2007 when it came out, I actually wrote a post about it.  It may have taken three and a half years, but a dress that was originally $345 became mine for $9.

Dress - {thrifted} DvF

Earrings - my godmother

Shoes - Christian Louboutin

Six Tips for Thrifting

Lately, I've been thrifting for clothing a lot more often than I used to.  I don't claim for a moment to be an expert on the subject; in all honesty I never even did it on a regular basis until about six years ago.  Despite my late arrival to this particular party, during my middle school and high school days, thrifting was certainly a popular activity among certain circles of my peers.  I grew up primarily in the Pacific Northwest, and the coolest reply you could offer when someone complimented you on your nubby-ass flannel was "Thanks, I got it at Value Village for $3.97."  (Because it wasn't enough to simply patronize a thrift shop, you had to make sure everyone knew it, lest your edgy coolness cred slip a few notches).

People thrift for all sorts of reasons.  For some it's a hobby, or it's all their budget allows, or the discovery of a once unwanted treasure makes you giddy every time you look at it, long after the day of purchase.  It was during my high school days in the mid and late nineties when the social stigma of buying things (particularly clothing) second hand began to fade away. Some kids at my private, comfortably suburban high school wore their thrifted finds as a badge of honor.  Incidentally, these were also often the same kids who rolled up to school in shiny Land Rovers that turned around to proudly proclaim that a portion of their outfit was procured at Goodwill.  I didn't shop second hand in high school, but I also never bought into that need to be boastful. To wear something second hand out of sheer novelty's sake and brag about it seemed insincere, and reeked of class tourism.  Did my classmates who got their clothes from the dollar bin at St. Vincent de Paul because that was honestly all they could afford also shout from the rooftops where they went shopping? You get one guess.

Juvenile social politics of thrifting aside, I've been quite contemplative over the whole process as of late, and have a few thoughts to share with you from what I've learned over the years.  This is what I have found works for me, not necessarily me telling you how to do it.

1. Bring socks - I don't know about you, but I do not often wear socks.  I'm usually sockless in flats most days and only occasionally wear tights. This means that when I see some shoes or boots on the thrift store shelf that I wish to slip into, I end up wincing in a fit of squeamishness as I ease my naked foot inside. If that doesn't squick you out you can just ignore this tip. Onward!

2. Bring a tape measurer - Let's say you're browsing and come across something you might get for someone who isn't there with you.  It's nice to be sure that the inseam on those trousers will be the right length for your boyfriend or the waist on that ski sweater won't be too tight on your sister. Because items have already been worn and washed a lot, you can't assume that pair of 32 x 34 jeans are actually still that size, and if an item is from the 1980s or earlier, there's a good chance the size on the tag sewn into the garment is not consistent with today's sizing.

3. Shop like a buyer - If you find something but then bring it home only to find an untreatable stain or unfixable flaw, your awesome score wasn't that cool after all.  Some stains and ripped seams are fixable, but there are few ways to know that it's a sure thing when you're standing there in the store. That's why I pretend I work at a very selective, snooty vintage boutique when I'm looking over clothing. I don't just scan the front for obvious coffee spills.  I check for working zippers, missing buttons, pilling on sweaters, the bottom hems of trousers, and I always check armpit areas for yellowing, especially on white garments.  You have to know your threshold for what level of wear and tear you'll accept, then check garments accordingly.

4. Have a regular spot - It's cool to shop around, but having one special place in your rounds where everybody knows your name can pay off over time.  You'll get to familiarize yourself with the store's schedule in terms of when sales and specials take place; the staff may even start telling you about them before they even happen.  There's a place I go to where everyone has come to know me, and I sometimes get a discount for no reason at all (I don't ask for it, it just randomly happens), especially if a certain lady is working.  $27.75 gets reduced to $20 with the tap of her register keypad.  I am always sure to thank her. Kindness goes a long way.

5. Consider leggings - I used to go to this awesome thrift store near my apartment building in Chicago.  They had great stuff and the prices were spectacular, but the anomaly was that there were no dressing rooms. You just had to try stuff on out in the open.  My friend and I quickly learned to adapt to this oddity and wore big loose dresses, tight tank tops, and leggings when we'd go shop.  It's easy to try on skirts this way.  Dressing rooms in thrift stores are generally pretty iffy anyways, with broken locks on doors or curtains that could accidentally be pulled away from you with no notice.

6. October sucks - The month of October is not a particularly friendly one for thrifters.  With the arrival of Halloween at the month's end, encountering price gauging for those seeking costuming fodder is commonplace, and clothing gets picked over at a more rapid clip.  It is also a bad month to try to sell your used clothing at places like Buffalo Exchange or Wasteland; their sales floors are oversaturated already for the masses who have nothing but Halloween on the brain.

And Now, a Moment With Brian Wilson's Shoes

During the vast majority of my free time, my love belongs to the world of fashion, but if you know me well in real life or if you follow my twitter feed like a sniper on meth, you'll know that my heart also beats for a little baseball team called the San Francisco Giants.

I've been a fan since my early teens when I first saw them play at Candlestick Park, and never thought that some day I'd actually live in the same city and get to go to games or listen along on the radio as much as I do today.

What does this have to do with fashion? Not a whole lot, but the Giants have made it to the playoffs this year, and if they beat the Phillies in this next best of seven (the first game is tonight), they will go on to the World Series. I think even the most non-sports enthusiast kind of person can recognize how cool that would be.

The Giants have an amazingly talented, solid group of players this year.  Each member of the team has something special to offer, which is obviously why they've made it so far this time.  I won't go into detail as to everyone's gifts and talents, but to keep some semblance of fashion in this fashion blog, today's post will focus on pitcher Brian Wilson's shoes.

During a game against the Marlins earlier this summer, Wilson came on to the pitcher's mound wearing some custom orange cleats that Nike made special just for him.  Apparently, the Marlins could not stand the ferosh beauty gracing Wilson's twinkle toes, and manager Edwin Rodriguez complained to the umpires, citing the shoes as being "too flashy."

The next day, Wilson was fined $1000 by Major League Baseball for having "non-conforming shoes," or as Wilson put it, having "too much awesome on my feet." He subsequently took a Sharpie to the cleats, covering 50% of the orange, and continued wearing them. That's sticking with a good thing when you see it.

photos via SF Gate

Orange and Black Attack

My baseball team is having a really great post-season. I have to show my love.

T-shirt - vintage

Jeans - Acne

Jacket - Helmut Lang

Shoes - Christian Louboutin

Welcome to Xanadu

This weekend some friends and I took a road trip with tacky fantastic thematic elements.

It was the birthday of my dear friend Amy.  We stopped in Santa Cruz for lunch. All the waitstaff wore zombie makeup. Although I'm not a drinker of soda pop, I had a sip of the stuff they serve down there, and apparently it's the kind from Mexico that's made with cane sugar, and infinitely more delicious.

This fake chicken and bacon sandwich was heaven. 

Then, it was back on the road.

Here's a tip for road-tripping with your friends: surprise them with in-the-car goodie bags. I threw in granola bars, fruit leather, bubble gum, tiny airplane-sized vodka bottles, and Emergen-C.  Bags can be bought individually at art supply stores.

We arrived at the Madonna Inn by nightfall.

If you didn't already know, the Madonna Inn is what would happen if Miss Piggy did acid and built a hotel where every room was devoted to every kind of 'career' Barbie has ever had.  It's the original kitschy theme room hotel, with the color pink being a major theme as well.

After a drink at the bar it was time to retire to our room.

Amy is an ace with pillow curlers.

The next morning we bade the Madonna adieu...

But made a pit stop at a little beach not long after.

Finally, we arrived at Hearst Castle.

Just a simple little no-frills vacation home.  You know.

Our tour guide made jokes about smooching Clark Gable, who was often a guest at this residence.

As a matter of fact, it was common for many movie stars of the twenties and thirties to stay over at the estate. Many guest bedrooms and bathrooms were staged with gowns and suits of the time period.

Quite the girly weekend. I don't think I'll be wearing any magenta anytime soon.

Another One Bites the Dust

After work Ted and I went to a Thai place near our building for an early dinner. On the way home we stopped by another establishment for dessert and got it to go.  Then I did something that is the most horribly cliched thing a blogger (especially a fashion blogger) could possibly do.  Just stick me with a fork and push me off a cliff right now. Seriously.

Long story short, we got macarons and I took a bunch of photos of them.  Shocking, yes? I am the most original thinker on earth.  But it was kind of hard not to. They are quite a photogenic dessert.

And delicious, too.  I had not had them before until tonight.

Jacket - Rag & Bone

Blouse - vintage

Skirt - Banana Republic

Bag- Elliott Lucca
Sunglasses - Chanel

Earrings - my godmother

Shoes - Prada

Halloween Prep

Oh, how I love All Hallows Eve! It's been my favorite holiday for many years. I always dress up and do something, but this year was the first time that my home has been on the receiving end of decoration.  You saw the skull from last week, but that doesn't really count because the plan is to have it be a permanent fixture in our home's decor.  So Ted found some more seasonal stuff.

This is Ramona, one of our kitties, and a little fake pumpkin friend.

Ted found a banner that says 'Happy Halloween' with a few interspersed skulls and bats. We hung it in the living room. I love the shadow that gets cast on the ceiling when a certain lamp is turned on.

Ted and I are going way low-budget with our Halloween costumes this year.  For the past few years I've just built my costumes around my own wardrobe, maybe occasionally borrowing one item of clothing here or there.  This year is no exception. Ted is going to be a bike messenger.  Even though I do not consider myself to be much of a pack rat, I managed to dig up this old hat that I used to wear in my younger post-college Portland days.  It's sort of heart breaking that this was something that I actually wore unironically at one point in my life, and am now using as a prop for my boyfriend's Halloween costume.  I feel like I am parodying and belittling a former version of myself.

As for me, I want to utilize my mop of ginger hair to my advantage. For a long time, I thought being Grace Coddington would be the best thing ever.  But recently I came to the sad realization that no one would know who that was and I would be forever explaining myself at parties.  So now I'm thinking... either this chick:

Or this dude:

We'll see.

Tousled

Sweater- Alexander Wang

Trousers - Banana Republic

Bag - Elliott Lucca

Shoes - Manolo Blahnik

Cuffington on Street Peeper and Nast Magazine

In some cultures, cats are symbols of good luck. Despite the fact that I only wore it on one day, I can't help but think that my kitty cat blouse was largely responsible for the number of times I was photographed at New York Fashion Week last month. Last week, Phil Oh's photo of me on the super awesome street style site Street Peeper was published:

And just yesterday a reader emailed me to let me know I have a cameo in a short film made by a French photographer for Nast Magazine. Click here to watch the film, I am at the 1:00 minute mark. Blink and you'll miss!

I feel slightly out of character for being braggy like this, but it's fun to share with you all. Thanks for tolerating the more narcissistic posts such as these!

Boot Camp

Giving the whole military-jacket-as-a-fall-topper for a spin. Not sure about it yet.

Jacket - thrifted

Jeans- J Brand

Blouse - vintage

Belt - vintage Salvatore Ferragamo

Ring - Burberry

Boots - Proenza Schouler

Bag - Alexander Wang