Winter Outerwear: Snowstorm of the Week

Wednesday 26 Jan 2011

It snowed and snowed and snowed and snowed (as you can see)!  This is what a snow day looks like… when I’m actually going somewhere.  Otherwise I just sit around in velour and oversized Old Navy v-neck shirts.  I walked to the post office, then Staples, then Marshalls with my friend.  I actually had no errands, I just wanted to go to Marshalls to look at the tights (there were none).  I bought some organic dark chocolate covered candied ginger instead (it was good and I totally ate it all in one day).  I eat things with ginger a lot because it promotes good digestive health and I practically have no digestion.  I am particularly fond of ginger tea, both the fresh and overly sugary instant kind :)

So this is my absolute warmest coat, except for the legs, they just get to freeze.  I forgot about that when I wore it up to Marshalls, but I wanted the hood to keep from soaking my hair, you know?  I ended up BURNING UP in Marshalls.  I don’t wear this coat often because it’s strictly outdoor only, can’t run errands or grocery shop in it ever.  I used to wear it a lot when I was in school (had it since sophomore year of college) because I could just take it off inside and drag it around wherever I was going in the same building.  And no need to carry around an umbrella for the snow.  I definitely picked that habit up in Japan, do people do that here?  I do that all the time, or wrap a scarf around my head.  If I can save my hair I will definitely do it, by any means possible!

Love,

Alex

Coach puffer coat, Burberry scarf, Aqua sweater (under there somewhere), J Brand jeans, Target boots.

A Bit of Lace

(and one more fail lens flare photo.  sigh.  one day.)

Monday 24 Jan 2011

Look!  The sidewalk!  You can see it!  But it’s still treacherous, I’m still in boots and desperately missing my heels.  These boots from Target have ended up being the surprise MVP of snow season and saved me from having a footwear repeat meltdown.  I’m pretty positive they’re made of oiled leather (they have that feeling, you know?), and they’re completely waterproof, I stand more than ankle deep in the snow all the time and while my feet get cold after a while they do stay dry!  Now if only I could have them lined in shearling…

Hope you’re having a good weekend!  I’ll be attending a dinner party tonight, what to wear… what to wear…

Love,

Alex

Alexander Wang tunic, Urban Outfitters camisole, J Brand Jeans, Xhilaration/Target boots.

Some Old Things and One New

Tuesday 18 Jan 2011

Salutations!  I guess I’m just into the vintage look/old looking photo look right now.  Probably has something to do with me working on the blog layout a little more.  I thought it was loading too slowly so I made a few adjustments.  If anything crazy goes down with the CSS in the next couple don’t worry, I’ll fix it!

I got two new belts at the LOFT 40% off sale!  I love buying belts when they have huge sales like that.  This is one of them.  I intended to wear it with the LOFT safari dress (and with other things too of course) but the dress didn’t fit me at all.  Petites were too tight through the chest and shoulder and I ended up swimming in regular sizes.  Sigh.  I really like that dress.

I’ve fallen behind on posts again, which means I’ll be posting through the weekend, tomorrow as well.  If you’re not out playing in the snow (or sun, lucky things) pop by the blog tomorrow!

Love,

Alex

Old rainforest umbrella, Francesca’s Collections open cardigan, BCBG dress, LOFT belt, Assets by Sara Blakely tights, J.Crew wellingtons, vintage Coach bag.

FBFF: Tools of the Trade

Guess what?  This week I get to share the technical side of what I use to produce this blog!

1. What technology do you use in blogging? I keep it as simple as possible.  I don’t even use a lens filter or hood.  I have a filter but I pretty much belong to the school that believes a lens filter is an extra piece of glass between camera and subject, and more glass leads to more distortion, which results in less sharp images.

  • camera:  Canon Rebel T1i, 35mm ƒ/2 lens.  I have a 50mm ƒ/1.8 but that’s not as practical for me (although it does take fantastic photos) and the kit standard zoom lens, too. But both my prime lenses are leaps and bounds above the zoom.
Yes, I’ve got freckles! Who knew?

  • tripod:  SLIK or Neewer, the Neewer is taller but less stable
  • remote:  Canon RC-6

2. What computer and online technology do you use?

  • CMS: WordPress hosted with BlueHost.com

  • photo storage:  my hard drive and my trusty old external which is a Seagate 500 MB.  I also have a Flickr pro that I upload a lot of my photos to.
  • photo editing:  Aperture 3 on a late 2009 MacBook Pro.  However I use GIMP for all my blog graphics like the header and background.  GIMP can be kind of unwieldy but for a free app it’s extremely powerful and a damn good alternative to Photoshop CS5.  I tortured myself earlier this week by checking the price at Staples– yeah, still $699.

I’ve also used Poladroid to make some photos into Polaroids.  I’ve tried Picasa too and think it’s a good program, but just started with iPhoto and decided to run with Aperture.  I’ve used Lightroom 2 as well but I really just think Aperture runs more smoothly on a Mac.

3. What is your process for taking pictures? I have a very structured system, actually, which surprises a lot of people.  It goes something like this: (1) run around like crazy looking for lipstick/gloss/stain/cream blush in a pinch, (2) attach camera to tripod while indoors, (3) carry camera + tripod + remote outside, (4) asses available light and background obstructions, then choose location, (5) set down tripod, make necessary adjustments, (6) run in front of camera, point remote, and snap snap snap, (7) breathe, check photos on camera LCD.  Repeat 4-7 as necessary if background and/or photos are deemed insufficient.

4. When it comes to backdrops for your photos what do you consider? Available.  Light.  I also like many small sources of light for bokeh if possible.  And I like to blow out the background if I can and leave the subject really defined.  Light is the most important for me though, followed by a background that’s not too busy.  I tend to like trees and fences.  Do you scout locations or shoot the same spot daily? I tend to shoot in similar spots, I have about seven different ones that I usually rotate depending on the time of day and the weather.

I wish I had some tall city buildings or plains/forests/mountains/beaches but unfortunately I’d have go kind of far for them.  I’ve always wanted to shoot in a local cemetery that dates to the Revolution, however it’s surrounded by a high traffic area and also I really wouldn’t want to disturb anyone paying respects to family or friends buried there.

5. If you could splurge and get one new piece of equipment what would you be buying? A good zoom lens, 70-200mm or something like that.  They’re $2000+ unfortunately, so maybe someday?  I could probably justify it if I decided to do photos on the side but that’s a very long time coming.

Interested in joining FBFF by ModlyChic?

Email katy_rose1@yahoo.com or join the FBFF Google Group!

Winter Outerwear: Three Old Favorites

Tuesday 18 Jan 2011

Oh, hello!  Snow day!

***Who’s going to Evolving Influence this year?

Another bit of minimal styling.  Well it was just me crunching around outside.  We had an ice storm and I really wanted photos of everything so I braved the outdoors.  Everything looked so delicate, like I could shatter the world with my fingertips.

Still dreaming of L.L. Bean duck boots but they’re on backorder until March.  The worst of the snow will be over by then, so I’m not sure if I should get them.  These are my favorite old wellingtons, I’ve had them since my first year of college.  I think they were a Christmas gift because first semester was incredibly rainy and I wore flip flops all the time because UGGs + downpour = all kinds of bad.  They have good traction and I love the tweed and velvet faux-buckle, but the feet get cold cold cold in the snow!  I’d love to have lined boots for snowy days.

This is also my favorite winter coat, although I can’t wear it much these days.  I got it when I was twenty and um… parts of me have grown since then.  I can’t button that top button any more, and open coats and temperatures in the teens and twenties are not friends.  But since I was just messing around with my camera in the yard for a little I decided I would be safe from frostbite.

By the time I went out in the afternoon the ice storm was a slush storm– I got out the old rainforest umbrella and sort of perched it on top of my head while I traipsed through the snow for photos.  I use this umbrella a lot during the winter.  And really any time it rains because it’s my favorite one.  I love the old-fashioned curved wooden handle and the uncollapsible design because it never flips inside out.  This is my third outerwear post, my other winter outerwear posts are purple coat and vintage fur.

If you’re on the east coast I hope your days are becoming less icy and your commutes less treacherous!

Love,

Alex

Again and Again and Again and Again

Monday 17 Jan 2011

Last week I really went sort of… extremely minimal on styling.  I did take a few photos with lace from a slip sticking out of my dress.  Better with or without?

And!  Finally!  A better photo of the vintage Coach bag that belonged to my grandmother.  It’s been hiding out in my closet for years.  I never carried it because I didn’t want to clean out the things inside: an old blue pen, tissues, some loose change, a Trident gum wrapper, and a change purse I can remember my grandmother having forever.  I didn’t want to discard any of those memories so I kept everything.  I left the pen and gum wrapper in the back pocket and tucked the change purse away somewhere safe (where it won’t disintegrate).  This is perhaps the most personal thing I have ever revealed on this style blog.  Now you know why– I’m extremely oversentimental.

I’ve worn this dress so many times and photographed it at least four now for the blog.  It’s an old old favorite from Commander Salamander (so old it’s from when Commander Salamander used to be good) in Georgetown.  And yes, I totally looked like a fool walking into that store.

Love, Alex
Commander Salamander dress, A.C. Moore belt (from leather for jewelry), HUE tights, Target boots, vintage Coach bag.

Nov 2010 on an unseasonably warm day.

Sept 2010 in one of my first DSLR photos.

March 2010 on a deceptively sunny and warm looking day.

Edit:  Sorry about the weird formatting.  I thought I would do something cool and caption the photos but weird things keep happening with them.

Edit 2:  I think I fixed it, but it still isn’t how I intended.  Oh well.

Looking a Little Chromatic Aberrated

Friday 14 Jan 2011

Dear Friends,

Next time I’ll correct the photos, I promise.  But this time I didn’t because the chromatic aberration (pinkish hair in the first photo) matches my shirt and I rather like it.  Sometimes I do casual Friday kinds of looks.  And most of times I wear pants are on Fridays.  Okay, so I’m only calling this casual because I’m wearing a plaid shirt and flat boots.

I bought this shirt on super clearance more than a year ago from the juniors section of JC Penney, I think it’s like an XXL or something.  I love its loose, longer fit and I’ve been trying to find more shirts just like it!  (No luck so far.)  When I bought it I never thought I would get so much wear out of it, but it’s actually become one of my favorite pieces.

I replaced the usual belt with my often-seen LOFT double wrap belt for something different.  Out of curiosity, does anyone have Commando tights?  I’m still on the search for truly opaque ones and I’ve heard Commando are the absolute best aside from Wolford, but Wolford are soooo expensive.

Love, Alex

JC Penney juniors shirt, BDG/Urban Outfitters skirt, LOFT belt, Assets tights, Target boots.

With the last of the sun…

13 Jan 2011

So guys, I tried really hard to get some cool lens flare…

Yeah, fail.  They’re almost all like that, and the ones that aren’t have the worst chromatic aberration ever.  So none of that, then.  I’ll just have to keep trying!

I haven’t worn these liquid leggings in forever so I thought it was about time I got them out again.  I was going for something a bit tougher looking I guess, with the leggings and the motocycle boots.  However I think I totally ruined it with that Anthropologie sweater.

Ehh… oh well.  I’ve always been more of a gothic romantic type of dresser when liquid leggings and lace and black are involved.   I know I’ve mentioned it before but I had a serious goth streak in high school :)  One of my friends recently posted this about idolizing Morticia Addams as a child.  I was totally Morticia Addams for Halloween once when I was younger.  My great aunt made the dress and it was sparkly and spectacular, and one of these days I’ll dig up the photos.

Here’s to hoping this week’s outfits are a bit more sparkly and spectacular!  I almost didn’t post this set and I think everything I wore last week was spectacularly unspectacular.  I’m not posting some of others but those actually didn’t come out, I swear.  Photos after 5 pm on cloudy snowy days = definitely not advisable!

Love, Alex

Anthropologie sweater, Mink Pink dress, Romeo + Juliet Couture leggings, Target boots.

Snow Flowers

10 Jan 2011

Dear Friends,

I thought I’d experiment with a letter-writing format to go along with the new theme.  So each post will be like receiving a letter… from a few days (or in this case a week) ago.  It seems a bit silly in this electronic format…  so we’ll see how it goes.

I realize now that I should have worn my hot pink scarf with this.  I definitely would have liked the brighter scarf more!  Oh well, I’ll probably try again with it later.  Wore this to the dentist, I should probably tell them I have a style blog.  They are always curious as to what I’m wearing.  I suppose I’m somewhat known for what I wear!

I feel like looking for vintage things so I’m planning on going to the thrift store today, I hope it’s open!  I hope you’re having a nice holiday weekend (and that you actually have the holiday off for a three-day weekend)!

<3 Alex

J.Crew cardigan, Free People dress, HUE tights, Jeffrey Campbell boots.

Recreating The Cape

My dear friends,

A year ago today is when I took the first real photos (not in the mirror) for this blog.  I thought I’d celebrate by updating the look.

I took these photos over the weekend before the biiiiig snow.  I guess it really is time to retire my stilettos for the winter, snow and more snow in the forecast for the foreseeable future.  I had to change to my Jeffrey Campbell boots to actually do anything.

Although I love the cape, I have to admit that I don’t exactly love the cape on me.  It’s not the best of silhouettes for a petite and I always feel too overwhelmed: all you can see is the cape, like HELLO CAPE— oh, and are in you there, Alex?

I wore my Alexander Wang sweater tunic/dress thing under the cape.  It has a much looser fit than I usually go for but I adore it both as a very small dress and a tunic!

Oh, I was also featured on the We Love Colors Style Blog on Wednesday.  Not a bad way to celebrate a year of photos!

Love and snowflakes,

Alex

  • Target cape, LOFT embellished belt, Alexander Wang sweater tunic/dress, Old Navy camisole, J Brand 10-inch skinny jeans, Luccia G. heels.