COVET.

Introducing Chloe's silk crepe de Chine shirt dress. This is the epitome of my taste in clothes. Simple, soft, understated, yet still luxe. (Not to say this always translates. Sometimes it comes off as just understated and mostly boring.) This dress is also the perfect example of why I love Chloe; the perfect balance of glamor and practicality. I just read Net-A-Porter's description of this dress and my statements are confirmed: "Perfect understated elegance..." Judging by the photos on Net-A-Porter, it looks even better on than when it's on the hanger.



There are two reasons I will never own this dress: 1. There are only size sixes left on Net-A-Porter. Oh, and 2. It costs $1,990. It comes with the little leather belt, so I guess it's like getting two items for, well, $1000 a piece.

I think I will try talking my dad into buying this as my wedding gown... I can already hear him laughing at me.

I guess I will be happy with Chloe Intense. At $98, it's a tad more affordable, and it smells the way I like to imagine the Chloe design firm does. If cashmere and silk had a smell, it would be this.


Chloe Intense is available at Nordstrom
The dress is available at Net-A-Porter

Humor

For my boyfriend, a fort made of Filsons...



If there is anything I love more than the stuff I love, it's when people who love similar stuff make fun of said stuff. In this case, it is fashion, specifically menswear.

Anyway, check out this hilarious blog:
Fuck Yeah Menswear

We've been laughing for too long and too loud. Our neighbors are probably a little peeved.

Rouge

I needed more red in my life, so I bought this sweater. It's thin, but I like sweaters that way. I like to think I will layer them one of these days, when it is extra cold outside.

Other colors I need more of:
Teal
Forrest green
Peachy-pinks
Beige
White

What colors do you feel are missing from your life?



I feel that the majority of my posts are about colors. They are the most obvious aspect of a piece of clothing, so it makes them easy to write about.

Lately, I've really been enjoying my brooches. Turns out I have quite a few; most of them never worn. I seem to be missing my favorite. It is a bug, but not a real bug. It's sterling silver with a green amber body. I got it for my 17th or 18th birthday. The one in the pictures is real, its exoskeleton being affixed to a gold body, and is of the genus Chrysochroa. I'm not sure which species though. We have similar beetles here that are in the same family, Buprestidae, but they are around 1/2 inch long, instead of 1 1/2 inches. I can't recall where exactly I find this pin; probably in my dad's things or at an estate sale.

In these photos:
GAP wool sweater
American Apparel Harem Pants
Rabbit Fur Stole
Madden Girl heels
MAC lipstick

Secret Party!

Success!

I threw a surprise party for my boyfriend this weekend. He would never agree to a party or birthday celebration, so his sister and I were forced to go behind his back. It was a lot of fun. A couple friends asked me the usual "What did you do today?" to which I replied "I worked at the cafe and lied to Trevor. A lot."

The theme was Trevor-themed, which meant everyone dressed up like him (denim, plaid, and denim) and we put cowboy decorations up and wore fake mustaches. Our friend Tara made him a cake based on his favorite cookies: molasses and ginger snaps. It was amazing and I'm sad I left the rest at the party.

I stole his Cheap Monday jeans (fit perfectly!) and a vintage Wrangler I bought for him a while back. I topped it off with my vintage cowboy boots and a belt he brought back from Texas for me.

As always, Trevor looked a little like a bum. A bum who is wearing $650 worth of Bum Brand clothing. He had on his Wings & Horn sweatshirt (which he gets a lot of comments on), A.P.C. jeans, and Lucchese horse-leather boots. Really, I don't think I would know about these brands if it weren't for my boyfriend. They seem to be brands that are real popular among guys, and not so much among the ladies. I have an appreciation for A.P.C., though. I'm always drawn to their stuff when I'm at Blackbird in Ballard.

New Feature: COVET.

Introducing my new, weekly feature: COVET. Every week (hopefully) I will feature a new lust-worthy item. Mostly I will focus on beautiful, high-quality items that I cannot afford, or won't ever own for some other reason (unless I steal them, hence the title!).

Now for my first Covet. item: Zip Leather Gloves by J. Crew. I've been thinking about these gloves since I saw them the store Downtown. They are not completely unaffordable, but I can't bring myself to spend $98 on them, and I would feel guilty if someone spent that much on them for say Christmas or something. I think it comes down to visuals, but I can't justify something that small costing $98.

Now that I've whined about the price enough, let me tell you how amazing they are! They are nice leather. Nice. The softest leather you have felt since you pawed at that Miu Miu bag in Barney's. Buttery soft, the way leather should be. The inside is lined with cashmere and the zipper is, get this, gold-plated. I am going to assume that means actual gold, but since gold-plated items usually aren't stamped there's no way I can guarantee they don't simply mean "fancy gold-colored metal plated." But it is J. Crew and they are $98, so it's probably real gold. Now I really want them. Maybe if I just keep telling myself "At least they are not $680 Hermes gloves!" then I will feel OK about $98.



Zip Leather Gloves by J. Crew, $98

Default

I think for everyone, there is a color palette that suits them best, but it's more about preference than anything. For me it's the primary colors, and then neutrals like black, brown, white and navy. I can't wear camel or most pastels. I know as a blond with a pale, rosy complexion I am suppose to wear blue and gray eye shadows and lipsticks from the cool palette (e.g. magenta). I don't know about you, but I look like a hooker circa 1992 if I try to wear those colors. Who came up with those rules?

I just Googled "Color Analysis" and now I'm pretty confused. I seem to be Spring, Summer, and possibly Winter too. Lord knows. I don't think it really works to put people in categories like that, when what it really comes down to is what you like and what you think looks good. I'm skeptical about "having your colors done" because when I look in each category there is a color that I'm told I should wear that I know for a fact makes me look washed out and/or pasty. Likewise, I am told to not wear colors that I know look stunning on me (black, for instance. It looks great on everyone!) I went to the website for the original "get your colors done" company (Color Me Beautiful), and they actually said "You should never dress in vivid or saturated colors..." Shame on anyone who would ever tell someone that!

Anyway, maybe there's a science behind personal colors, but they make it sound so strict. Sometimes the rules apply, but most of the time they don't. I think it has more to do with magnetism and instinct, and less to do with light absorption and reflection and how colors would look on you if you were a picture painted on a piece of paper. Human beings are not made of ink, our molecules reflect light to create color and the receptors in our eyes pick these up as either red, blue, or green. Not red, yellow, and blue. We were taught red, yellow, and blue in school, because that is how you make paint colors. It isn't, however, how you make the green of a pine needle or the orange of a parrot's feathers. Anyway, I think I'm getting in over my head. Color and color perception are quite complicated. There are the primaries that make paint, the primary lights, and the primary inks used in printing (cyan, magenta, yellow). My boyfriend and I started discussing it, but got stuck on perception and how all these areas interact with each other.

What do you all think? Are there certain colors that you tend to gravitate towards? have you ever had your colors done (I laugh a little every time I say that)? I would love to hear from anyone who has studied color further than I did in my Physics class for non-science majors, haha.



In this series:
American Apparel leotard
Vintage canvas belt
Vintage velvet skirt
Wool beret
Payless shoes

Time

Garnet, coral, and sterling silver. Hanging on a Vileroy & Boch herb pot.

I wish I had more time for art, but earrings are better than nothing! I've made two pairs in the past couple weeks and also repaired some things for a friend. I have plans to start on Christmas gifts. We'll see if anything actually happens, haha.



Vintage plastic from Czech Republic

Grumpy-pants

So I finally have stuff to post and it's been like a bazillion years, but does my internet want to cooperate? NOOOO SIR! Also, I am sooo grumpy, but it is because I'm stressed. My poor boyfriend. He came home last night and I just whined about money and then started crying because I hated my legs more than usual. Then I would just get mad when he would try to comfort me, because deep down I knew I was being ridiculous! Pity Parties really only have one guest, and that guest is yourself.

BUT I am a little bit more cheerful, because I finally had a chance to take pictures! I actually took pictures two days in a row! I will probably post again tonight, after I have dinner with my Dear Ashley. Going to one of my favorite places: Rosebud on Capitol Hill. Capitol Hill is probably Center Of The Universe #2. London is Center Of The Universe #1

About the outfit. I've been wearing this new tweed jacket like 3+ times a week. It fits so perfectly!! Found the shorts at a swap meet in Houston. They came with a jacket, but I decided it was too big, so I swapped it on Chictopia.com. Now I have to ship it to Japan :(

Wedding attire

I'm flying out to Texas for a wedding this weekend. When I asked what the color scheme was I was told "Teal and shrimpy." My first thought was "Eww." and I had this image in my head:



But I decided to go on Polyvore to see if I could make it work, and whaddya know? They're a great match!

teal/shrimp by catiebeatty featuring a double wrap belt

Now if only I had ANY of these pieces. The garments I do have in these colors are too warm for Texas :( It's going to be 82 degrees with 60% humidity. That means no fur stole for me *double sad face*

More maxi please

I was downtown with a friend.
Him: "Man, I can't wait till the maxi skirt thing is over."
Me: "Shut up."



In this post:
Vintage sweater
Thrifted cotton jersey skirt
Fairy Tales Are True shoes
Handmade earrings