respectfully yours

homebody

2009-11-14T18:50:00.002-08:00

Though the coldest night in San Diego is still in the 50s this time of year, I snatch up fall as quickly as possible - and when the weather turns cool I am inevitably imbued with the nesting instinct. I want to layer my bed with quilts, put photos into frames, wear soft lounge pants, bake spicy sweets, and generally beautify my indoor life.

Looking through photos on ApartmentTherapy.com, I suddenly realize what is missing from my life.

I have been missing a white fur rug.

Hello, rug. Where have you been all my life?

Although, shit. Rachel Zoe's white fur blanket is stepping it up a notch or five.

more halloween

2009-11-13T08:45:00.000-08:00

Halloween is my favorite, so I cannot resist. Also, my friend Sasha took these photos and they are fantastic.

There she is! Miss Sasha Marie, dead girl and photographer extrodinaire.

Aimee, who you've seen here before. She is a lumberjack.

Toni as a flawlessly executed Beetlejuice.

Erin, the adorable Cowardly Lion (she made this costume herself)!

Seven has a fabulous pair of cat ears underneath that beanie.

I have some very attractive friends who also happen to be very awesome people. A lucky girl am I!

mostly food.

2009-11-12T00:37:00.000-08:00

Public seating and amazing coffee available at the Americana Restaurant in Del Mar.

Not pictured: english muffin with marinated tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, and a fried egg. It is not pictured because I have consumed it far too quickly to consider a time out for photos.

I ate brunch with beautiful Kendra today. She has a very good profile, you see?

Next to the restaurant is this store, which I found enticing due to its giggle-inducing name. Inside it actually had the most appealing Western wear I'd ever seen - soft woolen Pendleton shirts, gorgeous leather cowboy boots, pearl-snap rodeo shirts, fringed leather jackets, expensive cowboy hats, and (my personal favorite) Pendleton luggage in colorful Aztec printed wool. It was b-e-a-utiful. Also e-x-p-ensive.

Tonight this perfect banana cream pie was cooked in our home. We had all the ingredients and did not have to go to the store. The "we" here is Paul and Christine (roommates extrodinarious) and myself.

We used this recipe. Not included in this recipe is Paul's homemade pie crust and an added meringue top layer - four egg whites whipped vigorously (by three people in alternating shifts in order to avoid muscle tissue damage) with powdered sugar added to taste.

couple o' things:

2009-11-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

1. My mom is currently featured on the blog My Mom the Style Icon, so if you're interested give it a click. She looks so cute... and my dad is quite the hip cat as well.

2. I bought a wrist watch. It's not the exact design I originally dreamt up, but it was love at first sight. I got it at a Nordstrom Rack for $100 and have worn it with delight every day. Yesterday someone on the street finally asked me for the time and I was only too happy to report.

3. I'm in the Bay Area for the weekend and it is so beautiful here. Happy!

costume favorites

2009-11-02T09:46:00.000-08:00

My friend Dana made this Chinese New Year dragon costume out of a kite.

Monique in a figure-hugging vintage green velvet dress made for a perfect Cleopatra.

The scholar and the pilot (Lindbergh?)

These two ladies stabbed like six people before the end of the night.

We didn't have a costume contest at our party, but maybe we should have... everyone really went all out for Halloween, they deserved some kind of award! My hat's off to you.

fly the friendly skies with us

2009-11-01T22:43:00.000-08:00

For Halloween 2009 - a pilot and a flight attendant from the swingin' days of TWA-era USA.

As inspired by Mad Men and the fantastic costuming in Catch Me If You Can.

post-carvings

2009-11-01T20:18:00.000-08:00

happy halloween!

2009-10-31T13:37:00.001-07:00

the day has finally arrived.

to later grow up into jack o' lanterns.

to delight costumed children.

to please our party guests later this evening.

i love halloween x100!

halloween inspiration 4

2009-10-30T13:20:00.000-07:00

This one's for my brother Kyle who said I didn't post enough man costumes...

Admittedly, this doesn't exactly look easy to throw together, and Halloween is tomorrow, but I still think you should file this idea in your brain under "Please review".

Just imagine the group possibilities.

loving you is easy: tsubo nabu

2009-10-29T11:52:00.000-07:00

3.75 inch molded platform lace-ups - $140 at tsubo.com

I really like the wide slingback - a peek of the heel only. I saw these shoes in person the last time I was at Macy's and they don't disappoint live...additionally, Tsubo is known for making "functional footwear" (the kind of website where heels go in the 'dress casual' category) so one could hope they'd be an all-day type thing.

halloween inspiration 3

2009-10-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

Et tu, Brute?!

For you and your best friend or significant other with a significant sense of humor. Nerdy friends are probably a plus for this costume. I hope this one would be relatively easy to throw together once straws are drawn for who gets to be the ruler of the Roman empire and who gets to be history's ultimate poster boy for betrayal.

Two togas, one laurel wreath, a cardboard cut-out dagger taped to one's back, and plenty of fake blood (can be made at home with red food coloring and Karo corn syrup).

This will make for fantastic photo opportunities.

halloween inspiration 2

2009-10-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

Practically perfect in every way!

Best paired with a chimney-sweep and the song "Tuppence a bag".

This one I wish I had thought of earlier... maybe for next year?

Vintage granny boots from Etsy.com, a basic white blouse, a little red bow tie, a long skirt, a long coat, a carpet bag, and (of course) an umbrella!

Side note - how beautiful is Julie Andrews? I never really noticed it before, but she is completely gorgeous.

Could be fun for four!

halloween inspiration 1

2009-10-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

Wish I could take credit for this idea, but it's the brainchild of Mac Cosmetics as blogged over at Charmed. This is such an incredible idea - would make a fantastic couple's costume, too.

from my mall to you.

2009-10-26T22:41:00.000-07:00

Did you see Coco Avant Chanel?

I loved it! My company, my well-dressed and film-critical friend Lily - she loved it. I assume there are some who did not, but this post is maybe not for them.

It revitalized my love and reverence for the classic Chanel... including the Breton stripe.

It's just that classic, solid color + white, striped boatneck top. It's named the Breton after the coastal region the shirt originated from.

The stripe loved not only by Coco but by so many other iconic faces... Brigitte Bardot above, Anna Karina, Audrey Hepburn, etc.

I was at the mall this morning searching semi-frantically for Halloween costume pieces and I wandered right into this sweater! A classic is mine. I shall wear it with short skirts, black tights, and various boots.

They have the striped Breton sweater at Old Navy right now (it was on sale $15 in store) and t-shirts too... but they don't have those online (they were ten bucks!)

picture 1 2

loving you is easy: fingerless leather

2009-10-12T17:17:00.001-07:00

Tried on these Free People fingerless leather "Speed Racer" gloves on today for funsies.

The leather is fine - thin, soft, instantly fit to the hands. The snaps were pretty difficult to un-snap, though... I was a little worried I'd break them in front of the Free People employees or the group of high school girls with shining, metallic, casually-used credit cards shopping nearby (I tried to swallow my jealousy).

Maybe I picked the gloves up because I was watching Sid & Nancy last night, or maybe it was the latent tough girl hanging out in my heart while the outer 'Preppy' runs her course...

kathy's vintage boutique

2009-10-11T13:48:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I found myself hanging around in Los Angeles with an unexpectedly free afternoon to myself. While I usually opt to sit at a coffee shop with my headphones on and watch online television, this time I had my car with me. High time to do a bit of city exploration.

Stepping into Kathy's Vintage Boutique was an unplanned but lovely event. I was greeted before I even walked inside the door. Once I did, I followed a short and narrow hallway lined with vintage shoes and one large mirror into a small room filled with varied vintage finds. The size of the shop was probably no larger than my own bedroom.

The smallness is part of the appeal. You realize this is the magic room you with you could find in your grandma's attic (if your grandmothers, unlike mine, do not live in California and actually have attics).

The owner, Kathy, was kind and complimentary, happy to chit-chat, and welcomed shoppers to shop energetically: "Hangers break and hats fall, so don't worry," she told us. The merchandise was good - reasonable vintage pricing with items starting around $30 and moving upwards from there. Some sale items, however, were around $22 or so.

A jacket bedecked with regalia caught my eye from the ceiling.

A lovely cut-out pump, with a backdrop of autographed headshots.

A few choice finds included a black Wilson's leather jacket with military-style buttons, a red lace blouse reminiscent (to me) of Lady Gaga's VMA ensemble, and a vintage cut-out dress that was a lesson in holding one's breath.

I didn't end up purchasing anything that day, as I wasn't necessarily in the market for a vintage item and was more interested in the browsing process. Kathy and her business partner were both really accommodating, welcoming, and I'd say it was an all-around pleasant shopping experience I'd recommend to anyone in the area.

when the sky is starless

2009-10-09T11:12:00.000-07:00

inspirational: temporary badass

2009-10-08T09:15:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen of the bloggery, you may or may not have been witness to my most recent (and I think only) experiment with temporary tattoos. They were lovely, they were colorful, they were of well-illustrated aquatic creatures. They were absolutely not like what showed up during this just-passed fashion month.

Rodarte tribal crop circles, drawn with sharpie.

Jean Paul Gaultier gothic facial tattoos.

Chanel combines irreverence and classicism with chain and logo tattoos.

As Joe Zee twittered during fashion week in New York, "Twice is a coincidence. Three times is a trend!" - so I think it's fair to say that temporary tattoos (of all things!) have certainly made strong headway on the path to trendiness.

My friend Aimee and I were just talking about tattoos last week, sitting out in front of her house, telling each other the designs we almost nearly but never actually had inked upon our respective skins. We agreed that if we could have five-year, even ten-year tattoos, we'd both be for it. Looking at the above runway photos, though, I could settle for a day or three.

Unfortunately, the temporary-tattoo-creating world has not quite yet caught on to the design value visible in the above photographs. It was a tough search, you guys. Perhaps with a little creative cutting, pasting, layering, and experimentiation... one could come close. Or one could, at least, certainly be solidly "inspired by".

All of the above are from tattoosales.com.

runway photos from style.com

scallops: not just a seafood!

2009-10-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

I don't know if this was the case everywhere, but when Chloë Sevigny wore these Chloë scalloped shorts, it caused a pretty sizable ripple among my friends and peers.

Look at them! They really are fantastic shorts - very, very feminine. Retro with the scalloped edging, but modern in a sharp, geometric, die-cut way.

They are also particularly desirable because they are so specifically unwearable, when considering practical daily occurrences like dirt, coffee, pretty much anything colored. Something about their pristine daintiness and current modernity makes them irresistible to many!

Anyways, I was reading Hannah + Landon, a really beautifully done blog, and the writer mentioned that she had modeled for a friend's Etsy store.

Lo and behold, scallops!

They also come in wine red velvet, and you can buy them here.

If you do, send me pictures!

Chloe photos 1 2

anza borrego

2009-10-06T22:44:00.000-07:00

Hey, were you guys wondering where I was all weekend? Were you thinking, "No farmer's market photos? Why?" It is because I was in the desert.

Anza Borrego, the windiest desert*.

Tent, which I assisted in pitching. I have excellent tent-pitching skills from years of girl scouts in my younger years.

An action shot of me in the Indiana Jones hat.

I put the hat on and then ran around the campsite, jumping over and off of rocks, humming the Indiana Jones theme song out loud (loudly).

Homeward bound.

*In my opinion and experience.

happy october/it's already october?

2009-10-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

My calendar alleges that it's the first of October, an undeniably autumn month. San Diego doesn't seem to know yet, my computer weather widget thing says it's 90 degrees.

Anyway - here are some of the images floating around in my "Downloads" folder that I've been pulling off of the internet for the last couple of weeks. Thought I'd share.

From stylesightings

Also from stylesightings. First time I'd seen those McQueen booties in action in a way I really love... look at how many different ways there are to wear black.

From The Sartorialist, further deepening my desire for a classic trench.

Irina backstage.

Leigh Lezark at London Fashion Week, wearing what I think is a Christopher Kane for Topshop bodysuit.

I don't remember where this came from, but I love her.

Ralph Lauren F/W 2005.

From styleclicker.

Another Ralph Lauren F/W 2005.

farmer's market sunday 9/27

2009-09-29T08:47:00.000-07:00

glamour shots

2009-09-27T20:34:00.000-07:00

Girls on the porch: Christine, self, Katie, and Tessa. Just after spending a lovely late morning at the farmer's market.

Christine, my roommate. The tattoo on her arm reads "per aspera ad astra", which translates to "through difficult ways to the stars".

This is my gorgeous friend Aimee with the ugliest root vegetable around. It reminds me of the root baby that the little girl leaves under her mother's bed in the movie "Pan's Labyrinth".

This is Paul's rapper shirt. He told me that he found it in the street. Well done, Paul!

friday september 25

2009-09-26T20:24:00.000-07:00

I wore a double-breasted leather vest in a size extra-small that I rigged with a few safety pins to keep closed. The vest is "B.B. Dakota for Nordstroms B.P." from the 90s.

The tee is an old one from Urban Outfitters.

The necklace is from Forever 21.

Went to practice some songs with my friend Aimee and got to hang out with her roommates' awesome dog. By "practice songs" I mean "Aimee is a really talented musician and I am going to be singing (back ups and harmonies) live with her this upcoming weekend". My dreams come true.

Went to a great new bar, Tin Can Alehouse, to see this guy perform. His name is Microphone Mike and he wears Gucci pajamas. When he's got wearing Gucci pajamas, his well-waxed mustache makes him looks like an old-fashioned strongman from the circus.

This is my friend Paul, who I mentioned in an earlier post. He was the one to correctly identify Microphone Mike's true sideshow identity.

working costumes

2009-09-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

From the TSA display at the San Diego Museum of Air & Space. From left to right, the green uniform is from 1954-1956, the brown uniform is 1960-1962, and the tan uniform (actually the color was labeled "banana skin") is 1962-1964.

For the modern, swinging stewardess (apologies for the flash reflection).

Some serious eyelashes.

Badge reads, "Pure, Sober, Available".

The incredible colors on this too-cool-to-be-real uniform.