The Meanest Thing I've Ever Said*

I am not one to chat up strangers in public, but a few days ago I found myself standing in line at the grocery store next to an kindly Orville Redenbacher-type gentleman.  This bespecled, bow-tied fellow felt compelled to pick up the above issue of US Weekly and cluck his tongue at the whippersnappers on the cover. "She's smiling," he observed. "She doesn't look very 'tortured' to me." I must have been having a very Real Talk moment and my inner monolgue switch was flipped to the 'off' position, because I found myself saying, "Actually, her nasty-ass jeans are kind of torturing me right now."  The gentleman placed the magazine back on the rack and we stood in silence until it was my turn to pay for my groceries.

* No, it's not

Acorn Necklace

I've had a subscription to Vogue for years, and the big old September issue finally arrived in the mail today.  Yeah, today! It totally bums me out to see that magazine on the racks in Target nearly a week before it gets to my door. Part of the reason I have a subscription is to feel a sense of having my I'm-a-special-snowflake feelings validated by getting it delivered days and days before all the regular folks get to see it.  Way to kill my buzz, Vogue.  Nevertheless, the arrival of the September issue of Vogue reminds me that fall is basically here. Which, naturally, causes my thoughts to turn to acorn necklaces.

I've been looking for something big and yellow-gold to add to my fairly small jewelry collection.  And although I firmly believe in seasonless accessories, I thought that something with a subtle whiff of fall would be a welcome addition.  This 1940s-era necklace was at Ver Unica, and the easy-to-recognize hanging leaves helped me to see that the dangling bits between them were acorn tops.  Perfect.

I tend to prefer metals and wood in my fall jewelry, and this necklace will mesh nicely with pieces I already have on hand, which is something I gladly welcome.

All those bracelets are about three years old and from H&M.  They've been for a dip in the Caribbean sea and are a bit tarnished in places.  That's fine by me, it gives them a bit of personality and helps them get along with the vintage jewelry even better.

J. Crew x Lula Frost Bracelets

J. Crew and Lula Frost have collaborated on a line of jewelry for fall. I rarely wear bracelets because I don't like how they slide all over the place. However, when I do, I tend to prefer a thicker bangle that stays put, and these pieces - which definitely have a whiff of deco glamour about them! - are eye catching statements but still very classic.

From the selection of skinnier ones, this cream colored one is my favorite.  It would go with a lot of what is already in my closet, which I something I really try and think about ahead of time before buying jewelry.

I love this caramel-y brown one too. Great for easing in to fall.

My favorite is probably the black one.  J. Crew's website indicates that the inner diameter of each bracelet is two and a half inches.  This means that I'll have to measure a bracelet I already have to see if it would fit the way I'd want it to.  (These pieces are only sold online, so it's unfortunate that I couldn't just walk into a store and try them on.)

I've seen some discussions on these bracelets and folks mentioning that they may opt for vintage versions for budgetary reasons.  While I'm sure vintage pieces that resemble these would be fairly easy to come by, I'm not certain they would be significantly less expensive.  Of the J. Crew items above, the skinny bracelets (which come in a rainbow of colors) are $45 each, the brown one is $58 and the black one tops out at $118.  Vintage jewelry that is of good quality, especially if it is of a design that is seeing a resurgence in popularity, doesn't come cheap.  Buying vintage from a small business rather than a from a huge company who mass-manufactures their pieces is something I would never discourage, but it's just some food for thought.

Images via the J. Crew Tumblr and J. Crew.com

I Totally Paused

For my generation, Clueless was a very influential film.  I recall so clearly how much of an effect it had on the style of the girls at my high school.  One of the many things I remember was that suddenly it was okay to let the tails of your blouse hang out past the hem of your sweater.  And, if your sweater was slightly cropped, that was even better.  I harkened back to that while getting dressed this morning.

Blouse and Sweater - Miu Miu

Jeans - Acne

Shoes - Christian Louboutin

Perhaps I Spoke Too Soon

Earlier this summer I wrote about how I had found the one new shoe to add to my collection for the coming fall.  I do this every season - pick one thing that really speaks to me and make it mine.  I was sure i had found it, but nothing is set in stone.  I feel that is especially true after seeing these.

This top pair is from Lanvin. The one below is Alexander Wang.

There's still time to deliberate.

Rock-a-Hula

I love this blouse. It has tiny little surfers and hula dancers on it.

Blouse - vintage { 1940s }

Skirt - vintage { 1980s }

Belt - vintage { 1950s }

Shoes - Christian Louboutin

Workplace Solutions: 10 Steps to a Cuter Desk

I've had a variety of jobs in my lifetime, and most of them have given me very little autonomy over my workplace environment.  I've worked retail, in a fancy bakery, a couple of video stores* and a slew of offices, with my current gig at four years (and counting) being my longest one yet.  Because I've earned my living in such a variety of work environs, I've come to appreciate how fortunate I am to have a little bit of wiggle room when it comes to the decor of the workspace.

First off, I hang on to a general rule about desk accoutrements.  A long time ago I came across a piece of advice that said to keep the amount of plastic items on your desk to a minimum.  The impetus behind this rationale was to lessen the feeling of working in a cold, artificial environment.  Now, some things almost have to be made of plastic, but I welcome opportunities to incorporate other materials into my work world, like glass, ceramics, wood, metals, paper, and natural vegetation.  That gray Jonanthan Adler head vase was a gift from my friend Annie.  Every Monday morning I buy some cheap fresh flowers and plop them in.

The little ceramic ox was a gift from a coworker for Chinese New Year a few years ago, and the little glass fish bowl is from Venice, a place I went to many years ago.  In the background there is an old Valentine's Day card from Ted. The design is a replica of a vintage Valentine wherein a frosting tube is talking to a cake. It's absurdly charming, and makes me smile every time I look at it.

The Dia de los Muertos tableau in the wood and glass box was a gift from a friend traveling through Mexico.  The bright blue paint on the sides is very similar to the color of the Rolodex about twelve inches away, which strikes a nice balance and creates an unexpected bright blue color story.  The ceramic mug bearing my initial ($6 at Anthropologie) serves as a cup holder for my afternoon iced lattes - I hate the condensation accumulation but am not about to have a coaster on my desk.

Having a single framed photo on your desk is another more obvious way of lending a personal touch, but it can also serve a dual purpose.  Where I currently work I do not have any issues with unwelcome workplace flirtatiousness, but I sure did at some previous jobs.  If you are coupled, a framed photo of you and your sweetie sends a strong message. It's much easier than wearing a fake engagement ring (which I will admit to having done in my younger days).  I got that black frame for about two dollars at a thrift store.  I wanted something basic and professional and this works nicely.  I'm not really a fan of going nuts with a million framed photos on your desk because that can look cluttered very quickly.

That pen cup is actually a large drinking glass I got at a thrift store for a dollar.  I got tired of looking at the perforated plastic cup that had been passed down to me and took the long-ago heard advice of lessening the plastic. The transparency of the clear glass also lets me find what I'm looking for a lot quicker rather than just relying on what I can see poking out of the top.  That large Post It Note holder actually is plastic, but looks like glass.  About nine years ago I started working at my first real office job. I had no idea which end was up and really bumbled through my first few weeks there.  The office manager, Gayle, was a great mentor to me.  She had this exact holder on her desk and I really liked how it looked. Four years ago when I began my current job I learned that the exact same holder was still being made, so I ordered one for myself.  It's functional, of course, but also a bit aspirational, a reminder of the kindness she bestowed upon me as I was still getting my water wings.

We'll end with the day planners.  That is plural on purpose.   My job situation is as such that I don't have to take my work home with me, ever.  I figured out a while back that keeping my big boring work day planner for work and my "me" day planner separate was good, uh, planning.  So, the work planner is all business, and the Kate Spade one is fun, punchy, and small enough to tote around with me as I live my life outside of the workplace.

* I can't wait to regale my little niece and nephew with stories about what video stores were back in the olden days.

Saturday Photo Stroll

I finally saw Midnight in Paris earlier today. Oh, how I loved that film. Feeling overwhelmed with inspiration, I went for a long walk when it was over.

Then I came home.

I'm This Many

Oh brother. Today marks five years of me running my mouth on this website.

Thanks for sticking around.  I love you all.

Army Surplus

I've got my military-issue sailor jeans on, watch out.

Jeans - vintage { 1950s }

Sweater - Givenchy { 1980s }

Bag - Chloe

Shoes - Converse

Rosehip Tea

Dress - vintage { 1940s }

Earrings - my godmother

Bag - Elliott Lucca

Shoes - Pour la Victoire

The Blue Period

Dress - vintage { 1950s }

Sweater - vintage { 1950s }

Earrings - my godmother

Shoes - Salvatore Ferragamo

In Praise of 'Of Another Fashion'

The internet is awash in scans of sepia-toned photographs and daguerreotypes showcasing regular folks in the clothing they wore from the Civil War era through the 1950s. For those who love vintage, we study and swoon over their clothes and maybe wonder who they are.  I've done so on this website and elsewhere, mostly with family (go here and here for those) but also with those 1920s Australian mug shots and those rare color photos from the Great Depression.

Through all this reminiscing about fashion that I'm at least two generations too young to have appreciated first-hand, I felt like something was missing, and there was a slightly ahistoric air about things.  Having stumbled upon Of Another Fashion today, I feel like a gap has been filled.

Of Another Fashion is an photo archive that showcases fashion from roughly the Edwardian era up to the early 1970s.  Their focus is the stories women of color and the clothes they lived their lives in. Of Another Fashion describes themselves as 'a crowd-sourced project that depends on the public to help co-create the archive on women of color’s fashion history.'  I also really like the body diversity and diversity in presentation of femininity and sexuality, too.

For me, some of the most striking photos are those of Japanese American ladies.  Many of their photos were taken at internment camps.  Quite a difference from the photos of my family in the 1940s, or that sailor and nurse kissing on the cover of Life.  There is so much more out there to learn than what we think we already know.

Head on over to Of Another Fashion. I'm so glad a place like it exists.

A New Month, An Old Skirt

Hello, August.

Sweater - vintage { 1980s }

Skirt - vintage { 1950s }

Belt - J. Crew

Earrings - my godmother

Shoes - Lanvin