Introducing Letters to Friends

Letters to Friends is something I dreamt up a long time ago when I was branding Delayed Missives. When I was first setting up this site on WordPress.org, I imagined that each post would read like a letter.

But… I decided that I didn’t like addressing posts to “dear readers” or “dear friends”, which you may remember from my experimenting in the past. Then I came up with the idea that I’d address each post to a different blog friend.

So, dear readers, if you’d like to help me with my blog theme — and also get some free press — you can submit your site and I’ll write you a blog post letter. I’ll include your name and link to your blog, or if you don’t have a blog it can be your Twitter, Pinterest, etc. I promise to rotate everyone in some semblance of order.

It’ll look something like this in the layout:

We’ll see how it goes, but maybe one day the Letters to Friends will evolve into a full-blown blogger network! I think that would be pretty cool.

If you’d like a letter, I’ve made it easy for you with a Contact Me form. Just fill it in!

Something WEIRD is Going On

Stand by while I try not to make it any worse… and sorry, I feel like this site is always half broken.

Update:  I think I fixed it but please let me know if weird things keep happening.

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!

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.

On Wednesdays We Wear Pink

Originally posted on 1.12.11 on Alex Elizabeth.

Worn on Wednesday 5 Jan 2011

These are back photos from before the snow.

On Wednesday I went to Pottery Barn for euro shams.  I ended up getting mismatched ones, one of which is from the faux sheepskin collection.  And I might have to go back for the throw.  I got it for my friends as a wedding gift last year and I had a really hard time giving it away!

I wore my oxfords because I ended up with a private yoga lesson Tuesday night.  I was the only one at class and it was kind of killer.  I felt really unsteady Wednesday morning and I actually made the responsible decision to wear completely flat shoes.

Sorry my shirt is doing weird things in these photos.  I almost steamed it but then I decided I liked it wrinkled.  The front is silk and just didn’t want to drape properly when tucked into the skirt.  I like this shirt so much that I sort of want it in the other two colors too… I have always had a problem with wanting multiples of clothes I love!

J.Crew shirt, Anthropologie/Odille skirt, Anthropologie belt, HUE tights, Cole Haan oxfords, LV bag + Coach scarf.

I also made the cookies featured on Stylish White Female back in December.  I intended to make them back in December but ran out of time during the holidays.

I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing that these are so sweet they actually gave me a headache (and I adore sweets).  A good thing because I can only eat two at a time… a bad thing if I can’t have just two!  I’ll definitely be making these again!  Maybe next time a little less sugar :)

Winter Outerwear: Snow Falling

Originally posted on 1.10.11 and featured on the We Love Colors Style Blog.

Taken on Saturday 8 Jan 2011

I really hope you like these photos because I almost got eaten by a hawk while I was kneeling to get a better shot of those holly leaves.  It was eyeing the back of my head the whole time and making me very, very nervous.  I thought it was going to try to pick me up by the collar and fly off with me.

Luckily I was spared!  I was treated to a glorious view of its brown and white spotted underside as it flew away.  I guess it decided I wouldn’t make very good prey after all.  Unfortunately it was gone in a blink and I was unable to capture it in a photo.

I wish I could tell you what kind of hawk, but I’m not a very good bird-watcher.  My father is though, he definitely would have been able to identify what type of hawk.

I wasn’t going to take any photos of myself, but once I got outside I thought the snow was just too nice.  I definitely had one of those weirdo dressing days where I thought I wasn’t exactly myself.  I hardly ever wear this much color all at once… I mean, green tights?

Hahaa one snowflake fell on my head and apparently my hair is big enough that it didn’t melt while I was taking photos.

After I photographed the fur I decided to do a coat series, but I didn’t do a very good job with this coat.  I’ll have to get photos with the collar buttoned up sometime, it looks very different!

Expect more outerwear soon!

J.Crew Colletta coat (better sale in stores though), Love Quotes scarf, Charlotte Russe dress, We Love Colors tights, Gap mohair socks, J.Crew wellingtons.

Winter Outerwear: Vintage

Originally published on 1.9.11

Worn on Friday 7 Jan 2011

We’ve been having a lot of snow in the Northeast lately.  I’m skipping two sets of photos (pre-snow) to show you some timely outfits (for once).

My coat literally saved my ass on Friday— the temperature dropped drastically in the afternoon and a lot of the melted snow turned into ice.  Which I didn’t notice because those ice patches were puddles at 1pm.  Yeah, wiped out.  Not pretty.  Luckily no one was around to hear me laugh hysterically at myself while lying on a sheet of ice in the middle of the road (all the other crazies must have stayed in).  This coat is so huge that I didn’t feel a thing when I fell.

The best part about this coat, though, is the lining:

The initials belong to my cousin’s mother, it was her coat and gifted to me by my cousin during the holidays.  My cousin is very tall (and I top out at 5 feet 2.25 inches) so the coat doesn’t exactly fit her.

I left my hair kind of wavy and disheveled, I didn’t want to look too done up wearing both the coat and the suiting dress.

I found some very tiny gloves in the pocket.  They definitely don’t fit me and I can’t think of anyone I know that could wear them.  Anyone wear glove size 6 1/2?

The days are getting longer, but how quickly the light still fades.

Strouss coat (vintage), J.Crew dress, turtle pin, Assets by Sara Blakely tights, Target/Xhilaration boots.

Between Holidays

Originally published 1.7.11

Worn on Thursday 30 Dec 2010

I think I’ve been suffering from holiday burnout and general I-have-nothing-wear-but-not-really syndrome, so I picked out one of my favorite shirts, a fluffy skirt, and a new sparkly belt.

Out of all the things I bought in 2010 (and there were way too many, believe me), I think this lowly American Apparel dolman sleeve shirt is the best purchase of the year.  I surprised myself with how much I loved it, how many times I wore it, and how much more versatile it is than I thought at the time of purchase.  None of my other AA stuff gets worn nearly as often.  I might have to order more colors, is that a serious fashion faux-pas?

American Apparel shirt, J.Crew skirt, LOFT belt, Assets by Sara Blakely tights, Sofft shoes.

Dolman sleeve favorites: