Puff Daddy

No, this is not where I talk about my love for Sean Combs (should I have titled this post P. Diddy? Is that more appropriate? I guess I'll deal with copyright issues later...), but instead where I talk about my undying love (yes, it's that bad) for this H&M cardigan. It is not a new purchase, but instead one I have owned for about three years. It can really spice up any jeans-and-a-white-t shirt combo. Plus, it's a nice textural flashback to the bold shouldered look. (And comfy, did I mention comfy?). 

Cardigan, jeans, t-shirt, and scarf by H&M. (Dude I could totally be in their next ad campaign). Shoes by some shitty unknown company I bought at some shitty unknown store in Belgium. Good luck finding them. (But they were only 20 euros!)

Party of Five Glitters

This post is not what the title makes it to be. It is, however, a petite text about what I did yesterday. Yes, I discovered Wet n' Wild's Fastdry in Party of Five Glitters Nail Polish. There I was, simply picking up some shampoo at Walgreens when this mini party in a jar jumped off the shelf, threw me to the floor and said "Buy me! Buy me! Buy me!" And that I did. And it is my new favorite. While initially a little difficult to put on (you have to mix the, uh, goop with the glitter first), it turned out to be a very fun change to my normally naked nail beds. I offset the pink glitter with a pink thumb nail. Though this was not my original intention (long story...maybe another time...), it turned out to be quite nice, perhaps my new signature? Glittery nails with a solid colored thumb? But well, glitter is all you really need on a Sunday morning, isn't it? It's like Saturday night threw up on my finger tips. Wet n' Wild Nail Polish, available at all drugstores.

Oceans 18

Fun in front of a new wall of photos. Speaking of photos, I have had a weird obsession with photo/digital print clothing lately. Dress by H&M. Jeans by Jolt. Scarf by Primark. Shoes by Aerosoles. Flag from Belgium.

Is it here yet?

The Oscars are coming the Oscars are coming! Yes, it is that time of year again, the year of award show after award show, half of which no one has heard of (but hopefully the nominees have...). Normally, I get bored bored bored watching such shows, but the Oscars are of course the exception. I intend to dress up for the occasion (though I'll be going no where special, just the lounge..). And here my dad said I would never re-use my prom dress! I know what you're thinking. Prom dress? "At" the Oscars? That's not tacky at all (note the sarcasm). But you know not my dress: a vintage, knee length, black and gold beaded shift. Yes, it is beauty. I thus created a set (thank you, polyvore) inspired by both my dress and the Little Gold Man himself.  Though, if I had to do it over (with a bit more money in my bank), I would wear this eerily similar Zac Posen gown. If anyone wears it to the Oscars, it better be someone I admire. Or I will be grumpy with them. And their stylist. On a side note, the film HUGO was nominated for best picture, best costume, best art direction, best directing, best film editing, best music (original score), best sound mixing, best sound editing, best visual effects, and best writing (adapted screenplay). How many nominations is that for Hugo, then, my math-geek freinds? That's right: count 'em up TEN. If I had a vote in this, Hugo would sweep the show.
Top picture: Created by abakibeck, www.polyvore.net. Bottom picture: Courtesy Zac Posen Pre-Fall 2012.

Obsessed w/: Wooden Cities

It is times like this when I really feel I need to get away. Slush, wind, and ice (ice under slush? kill me now). While I'm sure January still exists in NYC or Paris (if you read that with a French accent, the two cities rhyme), a little vacation never did anyone any harm. Plus, there would be less tourists. It's that ugly time of year between the winter holidays and Easter. But alas, I cannot afford to jet half-way around the country, or half-way around the world, so I'm stuck with these wooden guys (plus the screen saver of Hong Kong on my laptop...). Wooden Statue of Liberty stamp and Paris wooden block toys (which is perfect for a desk decoration or any YUPy babies you know), both from http://www.muji.us. 

Pattern Pants for the Win

I love love love pants. I'm very picky about jeans, skirts, and dresses, but pants I LOVE. (I have two favorite pairs that I would wear every other day if I could, but alas, that is only socially acceptable in Europe. The Parisians get it...) Harem pants, slouchy slacks, baggy jeans, and my personal favorite: patterned pants. Patterned pants were everywhere this past fall, and I still can't get over them. I was inspired by style icon Christine Centenera and Proenza Schouler, but toned it down a bit. I wear floral pants in cool colors as opposed to Celine (on Centenera) or PS pants in hot orangey tones.
Blazer by Anne Taylor. Shirt and pants by H&M. Shoes by Aerosole. Necklace by Forever 21. Vintage watch.
Additional photos credited to www.thesartorialist.com and www.vogue.com.

My Man Magritte: Decorators Addition

These are a few of my favorite things: paintings by Belgian surrealist artist Rene Magritte, and dinosaurs. Both of them combined? Major win. I bought this paper-weight/doorstop/statue/new bestie a few years ago, before I had even heard of Magritte. When I went to the Magritte Museum in Brussels last spring, I saw the top painting and was like "Whaaat? I recognize that...but from where?" Needless to say, when I got home and made the connection, I gained a new favorite dinosaur (but don't worry Petrie, you're still my number one).

Quicky DIY: 3D Floral Shirt

 1) You will need: At least two plain white t-shirts; a pencil; tacky/fabric glue; white thread; scissors 

 2) Draw jailbird lines one inch apart on the t. 

 3) Cut the strips. 

 4) Sew/scrunch each strip. 

 5) Sew together the end of each scrunched strip to make a flower shape. 

 6) Glue five flowers on each shoulder. Wait 24 hours. When glue is dry, sew the flowers on for extra support. 

More photos to come soon! Have a happy Tuesday! 

Fire and Ice

From Top Left: Jacket by D&G. Sweater by Julien Macdonald. Sequined T-shirt by Vince. Shoes by Vivi Vintage. Boots by Chanel. YSL Lipstick. Pants by Richard Chai Love. Leaf Brooch by Avalaya. Ring by Solange-Azagury Partrige.

Some say the world will end in fire; 

Some say in ice. 

From what I've tasted of desire 

I hold with those who favor fire. 

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice. 

Fire and Ice, by Robert Frost. 

My Own Swan Dress

The One. The Only. The Dress. 

Bjork is without a doubt an outlandish style icon, marching to her own beat. She was last decades version of Lady Gaga. One of her most famous dresses, was of course, the Swan Dress, which even has it's own Wikipedia page. (For those of you who don't know, she wore The Dress to the 2001 Academy Awards.) The dress was parodied in everything from the film White Chicks to the Nickelodeon cartoon Fairly Odd Parents. Of course, not everyone can pull of a dress like that and still like gorgeous (i.e., not all of us are BJORK). So, here is my more wearable, more everyday version. No, not as out-there as The Dress, but it is none the less happy. Shirt by H&M. Skirt by Clockhouse. Shoes by Aerosole. 

Pre-Fall Collections: Boxing Day Reinvisioned

 Giambattista Valli.

 Prabal Gurung.

 Stella McCartney.

Zero-Maria Cornejo. All photos courtesy http://www.vogue.com/.

Gone gone gone are the days of body-con, bandage dresses. No, this season designers are embracing a more masculine side of dressing. The go to shape this year (hint: hourglass is not the correct answer)? The box. Square shoulders, straight shirts. No waist line in sight. I am thus a huge fan of this pre-fall season. For the last year or so I've owned a "leather" shirt from H&M with a boxy shape, similar to the shirt by Prabal Gurung seen above. I've always been nervous to wear it, however, because without the proper accessories, it just looks like an oversized leather-bag-converted-into-an-awkward-shirt(?). But this is truly the season to bring it out! Pictures to come soon. I just need to figure out how to make it less, eh, dark. (Black leather? Less dark? It is a challenge I am willing to take!)

On a side note, am I the only one who finds it crazy that it is already pre-fall? Well, technically everything that occurs before fall is pre-fall, but Hello, it's only January! Yes, Easter decorations are already in stores (or is that just here? Should I hold this town to be the national standard? Hm. I should perhaps reconsider this statment.) Nevertheless, I am very proud of designers this year for, again, not falling trap to the idea that the only woman is a 36-24-36 ("She's a brick. House!" ). This years pre-falls shapes are perfect for skimming those extra holiday pounds, or those beautiful folds that those of us not participating in the world of haute couture modeling embrace. Can't wait for normal-fall (un-pre?). Until then, I'll be sporting my leather T with a smile.

Obsessed w/: Cutsey Origami

It is on these blustery winter days, when so many are knitting, baking, or watching SVU marathons, that I realize I need to dive into the pool of hobby-ing. When I was younger, I bought a plethora of origami animal kits from Book Clubs at school or stationary stores, learning how to make origami dogs, guinea pigs, and seahorses. I never learned how to make swans, however, until just last fall. After the awkward stage of making chubby chubby swans, I was hooked. Last year I passed my hours dans la salle d'etude making swans of old chemistry exams and French papers. Legend says that anyone who makes 1000 swans will have their hearts true desire; I've already made nearly 300. (Does that mean I'll become the next Andrea Sachs if I make that many? Future clacker I am!) But nonethless I really don't feel like cutting up worksheet after worksheet, hoping it will be a perfect square. These cute papers (conveniently already cut into squares!) would certainly make my swans more attractive, and their bright colors may help to disguise any badly folded edges (I really don't want to return to my chubby chubby swan phase). This paper is from http://www.muji.us/

New Shoes (a.k.a. Who's That in My Window?)

I am always on the search for "man" shoes, which I find work wonderfully with just jeans and a T. For the last two years I wore the same pair of black ones almost everyday, but after eleven months of walking through the cobblestone streets of Europe, my beautiful shoes finally gave in. I was forced against my will to throw them out. However, here is a new pair I "inherited" from my younger sister (i.e., Her feet are big, my feet are less so.) Shoes by Tommy Bahama. Blazer by Anne Klein. T-Shirt by Merona. Jeans by Jolt. Necklace by Forever Twenty One.