Victorian Revisited

If Victorian style has a season, it’s got to be fall (and maybe winter, too). What better time is there for all those heavy, sumptuous fabrics and high, lacy collars?


Jacket, New York & Co. Blouse, Newport News. Skirt, Express (thrifted). Tights, We Love Colors. Shoes, Isaac Mizrahi for Target. Bag, H&M. Necklace, Macy’s. Sunglasses, Xhilaration.


My lower half is dressed 100 years ahead of the upper.


Speaking of time warps, here’s how today’s outfit compares with the one I wore on this date, five years ago:


Same jacket and same shirt (but in a different color)


Photos by Beefy Muchacho

Catching Up

I returned from Orlando to discover that Fall had fallen.


Blouse, borrowed. Skirt, USMC service uniform (embellished with lace trim). Bag Vieta. Shoes, BCBGeneration. Earrings, Epcot Mexico. Tassel, Epcot Morocco. Arrowhead pendants, thrifted. Sunglasses, Xhilaration.

I also came home to many, many unread posts in my Google Reader. Among the news I missed: today was Everybody Everywear Do It Yourself day. I was happy to realize that I had serendipitously worn something I “did myself.” This olive skirt was once a part of my USMC service uniform. I added some lace trim at the waist and hem and pressed it into civilian service.



Happy fall and happy EBEW DIY day!





Photos by Beefy Muchacho

Organic

A black and white outfit, accessorized with pops of bright color, is classic, but can come across a bit contrived and artificial. To bring some naturalism to that sterile palette, I like to add an organic, earthy touch. Wood, feathers, or an animal print break up the black and white and dull the harshness of brights.


Dress, Allison Taylor (thrifted). Sweater, New York & Company. Obi belt, Sugadaminka. Shoes, Steven by Steve Madden. Bag, Charming Charlie. Earrings, Pangaea.



Photos by Beefy Muchacho

Repeat Wearings

I brought five pairs of shoes to Boston (including the pair I wore on the plane), but I made my clothes do double duty. For the flight home on Saturday morning, I wore the same dress I flew out in on Wednesday evening.


Checked tunic and belt, Wet Seal. Flowered dress, swapped and shortened. Bag, H&M. Shoes, Lela Rose for Payless. Necklace, The Bead Factory. Watch, Vivani (gift). Bangles, thrifted, Deb, and the Garden of the Gods gift shop.

To create a variety of outfits out of one suitcase, you might think it makes better sense to take fewer shoes and more clothing. However, I find that my feet are happiest if I can at least switch between two pairs of shoes each day. (That doesn’t really explain 5 pairs of shoes in 4 days, but one pair was for the plane and the other for the gym.) I like to have a selection of footwear and use creative layering to get more mileage out of my limited number of garments.



Photos by Beefy Muchacho

My capsule wardrobe for the past four days:


Not pictured: my giant purple wrap, the ballet flats I wore on the flights, and the leggings I slipped on under my dress on Wednesday evening.
And those lime pumps never left the office.

Cheer

It was a thoroughly cheerless morning: gray and drizzly. I brought my own cheer with bright colors and zany pattern mixing.


Sweater and bag, H&M. Dress, swapped and shortened. Pumps, Colin Stuart. Bracelets, Target, Claire’s and thrifted.

I was feeling REALLY cheery once I got out of the rain and settled into my office with a raspberry-filled donut and strong coffee. Cheerful, inside and out.



Photos by Beefy Muchacho

Creative Juices

I bought this dress for $1.30 in January. I thought it would be perfect for the warmer months. I imagined it would be in constant rotation because of the easily mixable print, flattering cut, and lightweight fabric. Instead, it’s only made two appearances. I’ve planned each week’s wear, looked at it hanging in the closet, and dismissed it as boring, unable to think of a single interesting way to style it.



I took my best shot at non-boring styling today and, whaddyaknow, new outfit ideas popped into my head all day. Sometimes, I just have to spend some quality time in a garment to get an idea of its true potential.





Cardigan, Rodarte for Target. Dress, Allison Taylor (thrifted). Belt, Banana Republic. Shoes, Nine West. Bag, H&M. Earrings and owl ring, vintage. Coral and turquoise ring, shopgoodwill.com. Sunglasses, Girl Props.









Jumping is also good for stimulating the creative juices. (Especially in too big shoes and oppressive humidity.)





This is how I’ve styled the dress in April and July:





What future outfits do you suggest?

Light

As summer draws near its steamy close, I continue to be grateful for light, breathable materials like cotton, linen, and straw.





Shirt, Christopher & Banks (thrifted). Skirt, Talbot’s. Shoes, Wild Diva. Bag, Vieta. Hat, Charlotte Russe. Owl brooch (on hat), thrifted. Bangles, Mix It, Target, and Claire’s.



The blue shoes are not light OR breathable. They’re made from horrid, sticky, stiff plastic. I nearly gave up on them the very first time I wore them, but persisted because I love the color. I’ve been on the lookout for a replacement pair for over four years.





I brought back-up slippers for walking to and from the bus and JUMPING!





Feeling light as a feather in my slippers





BCBGeneration ballet flats