a little bit '50s

Photos by Angie

Top: Arizona, JCPenney (USA)
Skirt: vintage, Etsy
Shoes: Joanne Mercer, thrifted

Out of all the (many) skirts I own, this one is my very very favorite. I love it because it has the perfect '50s shape to it, and it can dress up even the most casual of tops, like today's. I fight the urge to wear it every day by telling myself that my other skirts need love too, but I'll always have a special place in my heart for this one. It'll be a sad day when I can't fit into it anymore... :S

I've also been challenging myself to wear clothes that haven't seen the light of day in ages. For example, this top -- in the last year, I think I've worn it maybe one time. It's missing a button and I'd put off sewing it back on for the longest time...and now I can't find it. I'll do everything I can just to put off fixing my clothes; but lesson learned, I suppose.

xx

australia day

Top: Paper Scissors
Skirt: Topshop, eBay
Shoes: Wittner, thrifted
Sunglasses: Barkins

It's Australia Day!

Pictures of my day on my photoblog.

xx

action

Photos by Angie

Top: Fang, TJ Maxx (USA)
Skirt: self-made
Shoes: Wittner, thrifted
Sunglasses: Barkins
Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs, eBay

I'd definitely consider this outfit a product of functional thinking rather than style. I used to prefer longer-sleeved tops because I didn't like to tan, and for years, I spent the entire summer season indoors so I wouldn't have to face the heat and sun. But I recently decided that I actually wanted to do things, and so that greasy beast, sunscreen, became my friend. It was 34/93 degrees today, and the humidity made it seem even hotter. Is there a word/phrase that describes the opposite of wind chill factor? Because that's what it was...

I own maybe five tank tops, and I'm pretty sure I've worn them all on this blog. Which means there'll definitely be semi-repeat outfits, but I'm working on expanding my summer wardrobe. Speaking of semi-repeats, I actually wore this top/skirt combo when I was in Melbourne, but because I didn't get to document it, I decided to wear it again today. With my recently-thrifted Wittner sandals, which are leather and the most perfectly adorable shade of pink; looks like my pink-binge is still going strong. Aaaand, on the subject of pink-binge, the handbag in my wishlist post? Bought it. What happened to...umm...not buying things? Impulsive purchases are the worst/best! Oh, well...at least I've got a package to look forward to. :)

xx

on my mind

1. Palest pink leather bag, Nasty Gal

2. Belle by Sigerson Morrison suede booties, Shopbop

3. Ego & Greed 'Fung', Solestruck

4. Day dress, Trashy Diva

5. Bygone Times Skirt, Modcloth

complementary

Top: Faded Glory, Wal-Mart (USA)
Skirt: thrifted & shortened
Belt: Valleygirl
Shoes: Nine West
Sunglasses: Barkins

I didn't realize there was a washing-machine stain on my tank top until after I'd taken outfit photos this morning -- so annoying, but relatively live-withable, I guess. Those kinds of imperfections really irritate me in a slightly obsessive-compulsive way. Like after I've taken my photos and notice that my belt's off-center or my bangs are wrong... It'd be too late to redo them so I usually end up posting them anyway, but everytime I see those certain pictures, I can't help but focus on the flaws and will them with my mind to move into the correct positions...

I went to the city today to do a little touristing and photo-taking. See more pictures of my day at my photoblog. Here's a preview:



xx

pink girl

Top: Poof Excellence, TJ Maxx (USA)
Skirt: Barkins, thrifted
Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell, Edge of Urge

I never thought I'd ever say it, but I think my new favorite color is pink! I've been wearing it a lot lately, a fact that is very much apparent in my last several outfit posts. I lean more towards the fuschia and hot pink end of the spectrum, mostly because of the way it clashes with my hair.

It's funny to me, though, because growing up, I was never a pink girl. When my sister and I were children, whenever we wanted the same thing, she'd choose it in pink and I in blue.


I think we got these in 1998

Over the years, it's sort of been hammered into my brain that pink was off-limits...but now that we've stopped wanting all of the same things, I've found that I can finally choose pink -- and recently, I've been doing it in overdrive to make up for all the years I've been without that particular color.

So expect much more pink from me in the future. :)

xx

to write

Top: TWLOHA, Hot Topic (USA)
Skirt: JUNK, eBay
Shoes: Nine West, Nine West DFO

Fact: Sweltering heat demands casual clothes. And this outfit is the extent of my casual style...but I find it funny that my idea of a laidback look includes 5-inch wedges. :D

Recently I've been inspired by an era of fashion of which I've always been vocally dismissive: the late '90s/early '00s. Brown lipstick, Meg Ryan hair, platform flip flops, babydoll tees, handkerchief skirts, sleeveless turtlenecks... The list goes on, and for the longest time I found those trends utterly reprehensible. I couldn't even watch a movie from that time period without getting distracted by their clothes. I don't know what's changed, but nowadays I can look at those trends without activating my gag reflex.

This outfit is my own interpretation to that era: the bright pink babydoll tee and bright blue platform wedges are attention-grabbing, straddling the line between amusingly eccentric and all-out tacky. It's my favorite place to be. :)

xx

day three

On the third day of the Melbourne trip (click for days one and two), we took a trip to our old home. It's currently being rented out so we could only admire it from a distance, but it brought back some half-forgotten childhood memories. The neighborhood's undergone some drastic changes as well.

The road leads into Ceres Farm -- it's essentially a hippie commune, located in the heart of a very suburban neighborhood. I have many memories of this place too, taking evening walks with my family...but especially participating in the Kingfisher festival parade every year.

And I'm not exaggerating in saying that Ceres is a hippie commune, everything is organic: there are multiple gardens dedicated to the growing of organic fruits and vegetable, a nursery for "Eastern medicines," the buildings and artworks all seem to be organically constructed; as in, there's not an overarching architectural vision, per se, but sections are added on as needed. The playgrounds are made of recycled materials: I saw a jungle gym constructed from several old bicycles.







Overall, it's a rather rundown-looking little community, but you can tell that everything's been created with love and care...it's all so much more than it appears.

In the evening, we went to St. Kilda beach ("Melbourne's most famous beach," according to Wikipedia) and took a two-hour walk along the boardwalk. Sunset on the beach is a magical experience, and of the 60-something photos that I took, none do it justice. Watching a sunset -- it truly is bewilderingly exquisite.







xx