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Fall and I are Thinking Alike

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Worn on Tuesday 11 Nov 2010

Thoughts:  I love to buy things while I’m traveling (especially abroad) because it means the chances that someone else will have it are very slim (not that I wouldn’t buy last year’s fabulous low wedge boots from Target if they were still available).  Especially if it’s one of a jewelry designer’s “it’s the only one I made just like that” kind of pieces.  I got it at the night market in Rome as I was quite desperately speaking English and Italian to the vendor, and I don’t know if I was intelligible at all but I did eventually get the necklace— and by got the necklace I mean I handed over a €20 and received some change.  It was under €20 (maybe under €15, I notoriously can’t count) which is absolutely amazing in Rome at any time, even back in the day in 2005.  Anyway, it’s 5+ years old now and I still have it.  Most of the things I’ve had the longest originated very far away from where they are now and turned out to become some of my favorite pieces.  

If you’re looking for comments/notes, I moved them from the post header to the bottom of the post, is that less confusing?  I admit I like them much better at the bottom, it’s more natural not to scroll back up to the top of the post!  It took me a while to figure it out, I’m not as good at coding as I was in high school.  If only I could figure out how to move the post title to the post header… Of course, it would be better if I wasn’t trying to do that last night when tumblr was broken!  

LuLus.com blouson (a gift from my cousin last Christmas), necklace from the night market, Joe’s Jeans denim shorts (the find of the summer, $40 from Marshalls), Assets by Sara Blakely tights (Target but no longer available on the website in black), Sofft shoes (looking back… I wish I would have worn different shoes).  

Fall Dark and Light

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11.7.10 – Sunday

I had a very enjoyable Sunday last weekend!  I met up with my friend from college to go get some quality Asian food and got to meet her room mate… and spent wayyy too much money on Asian groceries, but really, I have to remind myself that I’m not in Asia, it’s going to be more expensive.  I wish I could just go to Asia regularly enough that I could buy groceries there, I really miss the baked goods!  

I’m also debuting my new herringbone textured tights, and seriously— highly recommended!  The waistband is non-binding but also stays up.  Incredible.  And I don’t I have to squish myself into them, which is the feeling I get with some shapewear tights.  

I’ve worn this skirt many times (many that I never photographed as well), and while it’s really a summer skirt I think it does pretty well with tights too!  I’m looking forward to trying it with burgundy tights soon!  

Francesca’s Collections cardigan thing, LOFT shirt, J. Crew skirt, J. Crew ribbon belt thing, Assets by Sara Blakely tights (Target), Sofft shoes.  

Morning Announcements

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Good morning!  I did a serious update of my about page last night, so if you’re curious about me then take a look!  I included some information I’ve never put on the blog before!  

Also, I finally created a facebook page!  It’s a little sparse, I’m still figuring out what I’m going to post on it, but it’s there!  

Friend Friday: Self-Promotion (Or the Lack of It)

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I just realized I completely forgot to join the Google Group last week, I probably had four million windows open as usual and I was so caught up with the cool topic that I actually read about that I just… oops… totally forgot.  Way to go, self.  Anyway, this week’s Friend Friday from ModlyChic:  

1. How do you promote your blog? 

I don’t.  Okay, that is a lie.  I really just started getting a little more serious with it this week, i.e. I made a facebook page for it, but it’s not quite up and running yet.  And I’m not really sure what to put there, but I suppose I’ll learn!  

I’ve always linked my chictopia and wardrobe photos to my blog but really none of my traffic ever came from those sites, the majority actually comes in from twitter (if you don’t count tumblr).  I don’t have a lot of followers but I like to think that I sort of (a little bit) know almost all of them personally, especially through their blogs.  I even refer to them as my “blogger friends” (is that creepy?) in conversation with my real life friends (or would face-to-face friends be better?  blogger friends are real too!).  And I really like knowing them… and being inspired by them… and linking to their posts… and discovering new blogger friends because of them… and countless other things.  

Participating in Friend Friday!  A few people visited my blog from ModlyChic, which I was totally not expecting but is really nice.  And I found some great blogs to follow from the Friend Friday posts too!  

2. In your experience what has been the most effective form of self promotion? 

I just mentioned this in the previous question, and oddly — at least to me, I totally wasn’t expecting it — twitter.  I never really expected that, but when I started using Google Analytics in… July?  Maybe August?  I noticed that a whole lot of people were getting to my blog through my twitter account.  I had locked my twitter account at one point because weird people were starting to creep me out a little bit, but I’ve since unlocked it again.  I love connecting to other bloggers on twitter too, if you haven’t heard, Stylish White Female and I have a support group for people not participating in 30 for 30.  Which probably doesn’t apply to anyone but us (EDIT: Re-Mix-Her is in for the support group!).  And A Hat and White Gloves and I share a love of Tim Tams, I wouldn’t have ever known that if not for twitter!  

3. Do you think there is a wrong way to promote yourself and your blog? 

I don’t mind the “maybe we can follow each other?” messages at all, I’ve had a few of those through ifb and came across some blogs I love and otherwise wouldn’t have known about because of them!  But sending mass messages just asking people to follow your blog strikes me as sort of… poor form.  

This doesn’t really have anything to do with the question (it sort of goes with promotion though) but I love it when bloggers I follow post some of their favorite blogs to read!  Kendi Everyday?  No idea who she was until What I Wore listed her as a favorite read.  

4. When is comes to others pushing their product what annoys you? 

I don’t like it when bloggers collaborate with retailers that they definitely wouldn’t have anything to do with/wouldn’t buy or wear if not for the advertising opportunity.  Like if Coach approached me tomorrow (they wouldn’t) for a collaboration or to send me something free or whatever, I wouldn’t hesitate at all to say yes, but that’s because I own at least three Coach handbags, countless scarves, wristlets, and other things.  And a pink trench coat.  My mother carried Coach bags, my grandmother carried Coach bags, and I have hand-me-downs and vintage Coach things from them.  But if… umm… Pink Victoria’s Secret did the same thing I would definitely have to think about it.  

5. In Dressful’s post on this topic earlier in the week she said, “It’s impossible to respect someone who wants all the attention, but adds nothing worthwhile to the conversation.” Do you agree?

Yes, definitely.  

Long Chain and Leopard Shoes

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11.6.10 – Saturday 

I love this necklace and always feel as if I don’t wear it enough for how much I love it.  For some reason I feel like copper jewelry is a little bit harder to wear though, am I being ridiculous?  Perhaps a little, I need to experiment more with my jewelry!  My jewelry collection is extensively made up of light, delicate pieces and this is one of my only more substantial ones.  If you can even call this one substantial.  

So I’ve definitely worn this before.  I guess this is just the fall version, and that one was spring.  Although I’d love to pair a jacket with it this season… maybe I could do a black velvet blazer sometime… 

Buttons (Francesca’s Collections) shirt, Odille (Anthropologie) skirt, A. C. Moore leather ribbon thing as belt, HUE tights, Deena & Ozzy (Urban Outfitters) shoes, ken and dana necklace. 

Lately in Lace and Double Plaid

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11.3.10 – Wednesday 

I was so glad when these lace tights went on sale at Target, I didn’t want to pay full price for them because they seem so delicate and like they might easily rip.  I’ve only worn them twice, so far so good (and better than my usual record for delicate legwear, which is a run or hole during the second wear)!  I hope I get to wear them a few more times, it’s supposed to be in the 50s for the remainder of the week, definitely more promising than last week.  I was a little bit cold!  

What do you think of wearing two different plaid patterns at the same time?  I definitely don’t think it can be done all the time, but the pattern on the coat is subtle and only two colors so I thought I should just go for it!  Also, I was really feeling black and pink that day.  I think it helps that my scarf has at least two colors the same as the coat.  This scarf is also one of my winter favorites, you really can’t beat cashmere for warmth and softness among wool.  And it’s really stood the test of time and held up beautifully over the past four years!  

Forever 21 coat, LOFT shirt, Express skirt, Merona (Target) tights, Burberry scarf, Sofft shoes.  

Light on the Shoulder

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11.2.10 – Tuesday – Hello November – Bohemian Equestrian… ish…

So Terra and I are starting a support group for whoever’s not doing 30 for 30.  You’re welcome to join us— but wait, everyone’s doing 30 for 30!  Well if you’re aren’t then you’re welcome to join our (very small) group.  Seriously though, I can’t wait to see everyone’s remixes for the next 29 days!  

I… am really behind on posting, I think it was posting out of order for Halloween that got me a little messed up, so I can’t even remember what I did when I was wearing this.  Oh well.  But these are my latest pants purchase!  They’re the LOFT riding pants on super sale right now.  I actually used to ride horses when I was younger and I could totally see myself wearing this on horseback.  On a non-strenuous trail ride or something, although flat boots would definitely be better.  Yes, I am actually that ridiculous.  

And this is probably why I’m not doing 30 for 30.  This time.  

H&M cardigan sweater thing, Free People shirt, leather ribbon thing from A. C. Moore, LOFT pants, Frye boots.  

Sunday Fall Outing… from a week ago (oops)

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10.31.10 – Halloween – Parade

Aaaaaaaand this is what happens when I have fifty minutes to be showered, hair washed, and out the door.  Forgot my lipstick, hair sort of flying… My friend texted me asking if I wanted to go to the parade at 1:30… and it was 12:40.  I barely made it and I have no photos without the coat — I was just wearing a boring aubergine shirt anyway.  But in other news, I’m appropriately dressed for the first time this season!  It was the first wool coat day of the season as well, and I would have worn gloves but I hate taking photos while wearing them, some weird thing about not being able to feel the camera or something.  

J. Crew coat, Burberry scarf, J. Crew shirt (no photos, oops), Odille (Anthropologie) skirt, HUE tights, Mossimo for Target boots.  

The parade actually occurred on Halloween this year!  It was the first time I’d gone in years.  

Serious commitment: some of the people in this band danced to Thriller while some played.  

I ate some very delicious Irish shortbread. 

I very secretly and blindly took this photo.  I’m glad I got it because I loved this woman’s coat.  Where have I seen it before?  I’ve seen it somewhere but I can’t remember.  

She was also wearing very cool cowboy boots (right).  Another sneaky photo.  

Left the parade behind the Red Hat Society.  I didn’t get a photo of the red sequin beanie though.  

My friends and I once walked through this cemetery to creepily peer in the windows of a house we wanted to rent (it was totally empty anyway so maybe not that creepy).  It was a lot bigger than we thought — we’re talking $3000+/month kind of bigger so that was a no.  Fall seems to be going so fast now, half the leaves are already on the ground…

30 for 30

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Congrats and good luck to everyone starting Kendi Everyday’s 30 for 30 Challenge!  I am not participating because I couldn’t get myself together in time/I am totally not sure I would survive (I really actually do dress for dinner when I go out).  But I am challenging myself to do #3 on the challenge list (taken from the announcement on Kendi Everyday), which is: 

3. No shopping for 30 days. 

Eek! Why in the world would I add insult to injury? Well so that you’ll learn to work with what you’ve got and you’ll learn to appreciate it. Learning to shop your own closet will in turn help you learn to shop outside of your closet. When you have to get creative with your wardrobe you discover other ways to wear a shirt or skirt, that you might not have thought of. Or you might just discover that you really like a certain type of skirt or that you gravitate towards a certain type of jacket, etc. 

I am really really really going to try to do this.  I don’t know if it’s going to work out, actually, because I don’t really have any weather-appropriate clothing and I might get cold.  But I’m going to try.  

What time is it?  Stores are already closed.  I might need to buy a cardigan online tonight.  It doesn’t really count until midnight… right?  

Sitting in the Yellow Leaves

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10.28.10 – Thursday

Finally!  This is where the new header came from.  I think I’m going to keep it… until it’s winter, then I’ll make a new one.  Anyway.  Recently — okay not that recently, I’m totally behind with this post, Terra (Stylish White Female) blogged about vegetarianism and faux fur and Kendra (Closet Confections) scored an amazing faux shearling jacket.  And I might have seen some other posts about fur but I can’t remember.  So I thought… it’s really past time that I think about wearing fur/shearling/leather.  And I have no idea how I feel about cruelty to silkworms.  I really enjoy my silk pieces. 

I actually own… not a lot of fur, but more than you would probably expect, considering its cost.  I own: 

  • magenta rabbit scarf (not kidding), gift
  • black puffer with coyote ruff, gift
  • pink woven rabbit scarf, purchased in fall 2007 from a local boutique that went out of business last year
  • black rabbit scarf, a gift  

I’m fairly certain that’s everything.  And I gave away the magenta scarf last year.  It didn’t really go with any of my coats and it wasn’t the type of scarf that you could just throw on with a sweater.  

So…. about fur I already own… the animal is already dead, I may as well honor it by wearing the scarf/coat/whatever and thanking it for keeping me warm.  And I would probably buy vintage fur as well (same idea, it was killed a long time ago) but I would never buy new fur.  I wouldn’t care if someone else bought new fur, but I feel… it’s too unethical (I can’t believe I just said that) and I wouldn’t be able to wear it without feeling sad.  Something that probably no one on the interwebs knows about me is that I was a vegetarian for almost a year in college, and vegan for about a month and a half.  I have two digestive disorders meaning (1) I cannot eat anything and (2) I cannot eat anything.  I am not supposed to eat a huge list of things (although sometimes I do anyway).  And when I say not supposed to eat I mean I’ve had gastrointestinal bleeding kinds of not supposed to eat.  The list includes about 97% of vegetables… so you can guess how that didn’t quite work out for me.  I dropped to 0/2 from 4/6, was dizzy and falling asleep all the time…   And I really like vegetables.  All I really want to do is eat a spinach salad.  

But. 

Anyway. 

I own a lot of leather.  

…thoughts for another day.