medium rare

Bodkin wool jersey dress

Just the kind I like.

Tags: Bodkin.

I have no right to complain about my quality of life when I can get away with wearing this to work, especially since I’m not working a street corner.  The little blessings in life are what truly matter, and – despite opening with a joke – I don’t mean to be the least bit sarcastic about that.

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Tags: Camper, Forever 21, thrift.

My look at the IFB Soirée: H&M oversize shirt dress worn off the shoulder (a recently purchased bargain), Jiao Xiang rubber band and nut necklace (clever, so special, to die for!), coral colored necklace and bracelet from market in Beijing.  I prefer the word ‘zen’ to ‘lazy,’ thank you very much! Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: H&M, IFB Dress Up Soirée, Jiao Xiang.

I’m settling into work and my new schedule.  Here’s another onesie to hold you all over!  This one’s from Forevs — you rike?

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Tags: Forever 21.

Since we don’t get to celebrate May Day here in the US, today is my self declared Play Day!  Who better to spend the day with than my beautiful Brown Nose Bear, who is not a brown noser.  His brown nose is of natural origins.

I recently had a conversation with a friend about how one benefit of aging is growing into one’s jewelry and accessories.  Age lends a look of worldliness that really legitimizes clusters of baubles, doodads and whatnots.  Unfortunately (or fortunately!?), I’m not there yet, so today I tried to wear a few pieces that are a bit youthful and inane.  I think they sit pretty well together.  The rest of the outfit is built for fun.  The silk-chiffon top is from a great French website that no longer sells to the US, and I got the skirt with suspenders from a market in Beijing last summer.  A simple replacement of the terrible glittery plastic buttons with the simple wooden buttons you see now… and VOILA!  A wearable skirt!

Here’s a closer look… grouse foot kilt pin from eBay, thrifted enamel gold ring, thrifted leaf/stone necklace, thrifted screw necklace (formerly plated in 24k gold).  I got the kilt pin at a steep discount because it’s pretty old and it shows.  I’m really happy with the creepy old vibe it gives off.  Plus, ones in mint condition will run you around $180.

Tags: eBay, grouse foot, kilt pin, night market, thrift.

Don’t you love the hat?  My inspirational, muse-worthy friend Jiao not only makes couture gowns, she does hats too.  And I’m the first lady in town to own a Jiao orignal, which makes me special by extension.  So much is right about it: the volume just quirky enough, the small tailored bow the perfect finishing touch.  And the handwork is nothing short of heartbreaking.  Watch out world!  Jiao Xiang is a woman on a mission.

The rest of my outfit is just accessory to the hat.  It was a warm day out so I put on organic linen pants from H&M (a recent under $50 buy — run out while you can!), white t-shirt from the Gap and Nine West shoes.  I felt a little mannish, so I added a soft bow to lend the look a more womanly touch and to emphasize my waist.  I think it reads more French than it does GO USA.  Or at least I hope it does.

I actually felt kinda like a thug-pirate — especially while I was walking home to 2Pac’s “To Live and Die in LA” through the streets of New York City.  It’s really not the most photogenic outfit, but I felt chic as hell knowing that it took me five minutes to dress, very little money and that I was comfy as, well, a thug-pirate.

Tags: H&M, Jiao Xiang, Nine West, the Gap.

So, here it is… my ubertrendy outfit.  The jumpsuit is an impulsive $50 buy from H&M dressed up with a Forever 21 necklace, light wool jacket from Angel Street Thrift Shop, and — of course — my A Détacher shoes!  The belt came free with one of my favorite sweaters.  I’m sure I’ll be photographing the jacket again sometime soon as it’s in heavy rotation these days.  I love the way I feel when I wear it… like pure 90s Armani.

I like monochromatic dressing because it’s easy, chic and luxurious.  I actually felt quite luxe today despite the small price tag, probably thanks to the many textures.  Gotta love wool flannel, cotton jersey and supple suede paired with plastic belts and beads galore.

I promise the next look won’t be as obnoxiously trendy!  Or maybe it will be…

Tags: Angel Street Thirft Shop, Forever 21, H&M.

It’s been a crazy week for the kids at FIT.  The senior class presented their garments for judging today.  I’m always so impressed with what we manage to whip out in the final hour.  Best of luck to my dear friends!

In true masochistic form, instead of catching up on all the other work in my life, I decided to play dress up.  The weather in New York City can be described in one word: bipolar.  Our fair City’s mood today?  Chilly, windy, a bit of rain… really a little bit of a bitch.  My reaction?  A final huzzah for wool pants and gray sweaters of course!

I’ve had these pieces for quite some time now.  The cropped gray sweater is Sisley.  I remember purchasing it in 1999!  The belt is thrifted from somewhere in the Haight, also many years old now, and the wool trousers are Allan Waller — a great Loehmann’s find from 2005/6.  Today is an oldies but goodies kind of day.

I initially styled this look with the following accessories but axed them when I felt cluttered.  The earrings and necklace are Givenchy fashion jewelry.  Though most people under 40 hate the DTM look, I believe that sets have their place.  Case in point being my little set right here.  That and amazing women in amazing power suits.  Someday I’ll get me that bright blue Thierry Mugler skirt and jacket from Amacord Vintage to join the ranks of those women…

Tags: Allan Waller, Givenchy, Sisley, thrift.

I am a mess – just one of those troubled, obsessive people who has to overanalyze, rearrange and ultimately destroy everything. That’s right. That’s why all the posts have disappeared again.

Though my friends at school are fabulous and runway shots are always fun, I want you all to know me. There was no recognizable face or voice the way I was running this joint before. Hell, you may have thought that my beautiful friend Jiao was the general manager. I realize that fashion blogs need to generate a lot of content to remain interesting, and one can argue that my interest enough in an image to post it is an extension of me, but I want to keep the content closer to home.

So, for my first official post, I chose a look that is very essentially me – minimal makeup, messy room and all. The backless dress is thrifted from Beacon’s Closet. My ‘journalist belt’ (as I like to refer to it) is vintage Moschino. My beloved, seen-a-lot-of-action shoes are Prada Fall ’07. The clip on earrings are vintage Robert, and the nude micro fishnet stockings are Donna Karan. The only thing missing from my essentially me outfit is my Bell & Ross Vintage 126 Gold Pearl watch. It’s my little bit of luck on loan to a friend who is down on his.

You can see all of the letters on the belt in this shot.

Trust me. You don’t want to see my legs in focus.

Here’s to more egomaniacal, never-ending self exploration!

Tags: Beacon's Closet, Bell & Ross, Donna Karan, Prada, vintage Moschino, vintage Robert.