How to Wear It: To belt or not to belt

As much as I love a good belt, it seems the explosion of its popularity in recent seasons has left women the world over belting up just for the sake of it. To this I vehemently stamp a foot down in protest.

A good rule of thumb is to make sure the belt has a purpose beyond mere decoration.

An example of deliberate belt usage is when it alters an existing shape as is generally the case when you have loose fitting garments you want to cinch in. See my [very] rough sketches below:

Of course, belts don't always necessarily have to create shape. Sometimes, the shape is already there and the belt steps in as a useful accessory to divide a silhouette and separate top from bottom. This is generally true when you are tucking a top into a bottom. After all, there is a reason why trousers have belt loops even when you can wear them without fear of dropping your pants sans belt. Again, see my rough sketches below:

The usual way in which women go wrong when donning a belt is when the final shape created is unchanged and somehow the belt actually draws negative attention to an unflattering area. See the example below taken discreetly with my mobile:

Now before you go ballistic and charge me with some pejoratives about my "weight-ism", let me just say that I am in no way criticizing her figure--just her outfit choices for her figure! Instead of the skin-tight ensemble, she would be much better served in something a size or two larger, more comfortably-fitted, and then possibly belted. Might I suggest a casual shirtdress with an A-line bottom plus belt? Also, even if she were stick-thin, this use of a belt would still be unacceptable.

Finally, I have one more example of an instance where a belt appears to be thrown on for no real purpose. I'll leave you to read my explanation below:

All right. That's all folks! Happy belting!

Eat: The Guide to Snacking

Since entering my mid-twenties, I've noticed a drastic change in my metabolism. In the past, I could eat bagfuls of Sour Patch Kids and Salt & Vinegar Chips (and regularly did) without a second thought. These days, I can make out the oblong shape of the Sour Patch Kid in my fat. Oh dear.

I've recently reentered the fitness frame of mind not wanting to "let myself go" especially as I'm not even hitched (hoho, I keed)! As such, I've been exercising whenever I can and have been watching what I eat. No more sitting idly by as my waistline expands. Oh heelllls no.

With that said, I present to you my go-to list of snacks to help fill the boredom and the grumbling stomach in between mealtimes.

1. Egg whites - I keep a bowl of hard-boiled eggs in the fridge for ready snacking. One egg white is only a measly 17 calories and a whopping 4-5g of protein. I limit myself to one egg yolk/day.
   
2. Fresh turkey from the deli - Also kept in the fridge for ready snacking. A few slices of turkey enjoyed with some sort of sauce (usually mustard) is another really great, low-cal, high protein snack.
3. Grapefruits - Another constant in the fridge. Giant ruby red grapefruits are ever so tasty, take up a bit of effort to consume (great for boredom snackers), and seriously delicious. It also nips those sugar cravings in the butt.
   
4. Low-fat yogurt - The flavours available from Yoplait are really awesome. Boston Cream Pie, Strawberry Shortcake, White Chocolate Strawberry--you get the idea. While none are quite as satisfying as eating the real deal, they do make an excellent 100 calorie replacement for dessert.
5. Cheese - Please! Especially in the fun, stringed variety (in moderation!)
   
6. Wasabi and Soy Almonds from Bluediamond - So addictive! Whether you get these or something else, nuts are really excellent, fiber-rich snacks
7. Nut-based butters - Whether it's peanut or cashew butter, nut-based butters (check nutritional info and get one with less sugar) are great for sweet cravings. I usually eat this either with a piece of fruit (like a banana) or just one tablespoon straight from the jar, enjoyed lollipop-style.
   
8. Extra, extra dark chocolate - We're talking 70%+ cacao. I love dark chocolate and find the flavours in a small piece of extra dark, bitter chocolate goes a long way and really satisfies the cravings. Nothing wrong with enjoying chocolate in moderation!
9. 100calorie popcorn packs + spices - Sitting in front of the tube and need a snack? Popcorn, my friends. To spice up the flavour, I usually sprinkle a healthy dose of cumin or curry spices onto a freshly popped bag of popcorn. It tastes much better than artificial butter and adds nothing in terms of fat or calories!
   
10. Mustard - As mentioned previously, I highly enjoy straight up turkey and dijon mustard, but this versatile condiment goes far! Enjoy alone with some raw carrots or mix with some honey for a great honey-mustard dip. It really packs in a lot of flavour per tiny, low-cal serving.

In general, just be mindful of what you're eating. Even if you can't resist that bag of Haribo Frogs (I know I rarely can), at least enjoy such things in moderation. Personally, I could not imagine a life without snacking, and I imagine most of you can't either. Hopefully, with these lifestyle changes, I'll be ready for the beach by the time summer is in full swing.

If you have some other great, healthy, low-cal snack suggestions, we'd be glad to hear them!

The Suit: Menswear for Women

Refinery29 has a feature up right now with some of the most creative working woman suits for the season. I was particularly taken with this example on the left from Boy by Band of Outsiders.

The jacket, modeled after a man's shawl collared tuxedo jacket, is especially chic and summer appropriate with its single, double-breasted button and linen fabric. I'll be on the look out for something similar in the men's section of the Goodwill. Heee.

For the contemporary working woman, Boy by Band of Outsiders is definitely a brand to keep an eye on. The menswear-inspired collections mean you don't necessarily have to get your androgyny kicks from Dior Homme anymore!

WIWT Weekday: 28/4/2009

So I often find myself in the conundrum of having to make it to a party right after work with no to little time to change. For those of us who occasionally log long hours, its almost impossible to run home prior to a 8PM dinner or cocktail party. I tried a possible solution with a versatile work dress.

After shoving the work shirt and tights in the big purse I use to lug my heels around (don't judge, its better for the heels and my toes), I then donned a slick pony tail and voila! Garzon, where's my champagne?

On a side note, I'm still growing out "the Rachel" hair cut I got in Singapore back in January. Note to self: hair aesthetics do not translate internationally. A no-brainer surely, but what I thought would turn out modern and a bit worldy ended up not so much.

White shirt with ruffled front (Kenneth Cole) / gray wool crepe dress (Theory)/ textured tights (Club Monaco) / suede peep toe heels (Cole Haan Nike Air)

WIWT Weekend: 25/4/2009

The weather has the single most greatest impact on what we wear. Though style and venue can make similar claims, the simple fact of the matter is that trusty weather.com is what tends to dictate whether you wear suede pumps or wellies, silk or cotton.

Jozee and I are both currently located in quite muggy areas and so the white shorts (oddly a springtime fetish of mine of late) have come a bit early for the season. Meanwhile, the hat has little to do with style and more to do with avoiding sun damage. I'm not leaving the house without it until they start making the summertime umbrella socially acceptable again!

In retrospect, I succumbed to the oft-made mistake of not matching belts to shoes, but I am very much in love with these cork heels. Not so great for walking on uneven Georgetown streets, but I really dig the quirky take on nude heels.

I apologize for the blurriness that comes from poor photographic skills! There will be much improvement with practice surely.

linen ruffle collar top (Club Monaco) / white shorts (Bebe)/ straw hat (J. Crew) / faux snake-skin belt (Banana Republic)/ cork heels (Donald Pliner)

WIWT Weekday & Weekend: 24/4/2009

Can you believe it's almost May? No, I surely can't even though every sweaty pore of my body knows exactly what month it is. Oh Texas. I really can't handle its heat.

No matter--I'll dress for the weather. With regards to that cinch belt, I've been wearing it with everything! Really, a woman can not have enough of these waist-cinching belts. Loose and billowy parachute silhouettes come and go, but a proper waist will always be in style.

Apologies for the horribly blurry photos. Will be upgrading my camera soon... sooooon.

sheer, tuxedo-style, silk blouse (Theory) / printed, cotton, summer skirt (O by Oscar de la Renta) / elastic and leather sandals (Modern Vintage) / elastic and pleather cinch belt (F21)

Note: I actually would have worn this with brown sandals, but I don't have any with me! Ah well. This is the life of one who lives out of a suitcase.

Etiquette Shmetiquette

What to do when you have to remove a piece of inedible food from your mouth (bones, shrimp tails, etc.)? Aha! According to Debrett's, it is to be spit delicately into the cupped palm and deposited discreetly on the side of the plate. That really would have helped a couple of years ago at the Cosmo's club... next time.

Etiquette for Girls is a book I picked up at Book Expo last spring after having endured a rather awkward exchange and ogling from one Alec Baldwin who was promoting his book on divorce (look who needs an etiquette lesson!). I needed a distraction from the former Mr. Kim Basinger and the cover picture certainly was pretty. Surprisingly, I hit gold! The kind of gold for those of us not lucky enough to have Coco Chanel or some other old-fashioned yet charming and stylish personality for a grandmother. As a natural introvert, yet living in the city that's always networking and networking with "old guarde" types, its been exceedingly helpful. Some useful tidbits...

• don't scoff at wine bottle screw tops, its wine ignorant
• always tip housekeeping staff after hotel stays
• place sushi fish-downward on your tongue for maximum flavor
• shorter skirts mean more opaque tights, longer skirts mean more translucent (good to follow particularly for the workplace)
  

In retrospect, one might feel frivolous and slightly elitist after reading about the minutiae of eating oysters and responding to invitations. However, I was delighted to notice a section called "getting ahead." It tickled my feminist sensibilities, plus "pulling rank is flaky" is good sense. Hear, hear!

Jo's Quest for Skin Perfection

While I have my gripes with my nose, large forehead, none-too-taut torso, and so forth, when discussing the one thing I could change about my physical appearance some years ago, my answer was to have perennially perfect skin. Mind you, not just any perfect skin, but like skin so luminous, smooth, and flawless that angels weep at its sight. Honestly, I could think of nothing better, and I still can't.

Recently, even in my old(er) age (hah), I've noticed acne starting up again around my hairline. What. The. Eff. It's this damned Dallas weather, I tells ya! In any event, I've been battling it with topical applications of benzoyl peroxide and also through over-hydration--the more sloppy moisturizer the better. I am happy to report, it's working. Face is currently acne free except for that tiny bump by my nose that isn't quite a pimple but isn't quite not a pimple.

Still though, the fact that it's even an issue plagues me. Oh, blast you oily, acne-prone genetic lottery! Evidently Mother has never had a zit in her life (yeah, jealous much?).

To tie this all in with some pop culture, the other day I was--I shamefully come forth--watching "The Hills". Honestly, believe it or not, I rarely watch this show; I mean I'm all about being upfront about my bad tele choices (VH1, anyone?), but truly, MTV is not my pick... but I digress. Now has anyone noticed how fucking amazing Heidi's skin is? Surely, you must have. I must give a bidge props when it's due, so props to you, Heidi Montag. Your skin has that angel-weep-inducing luminosity and brilliance that we can only hope to attain.

Obviously, there is some a lot of makeup at work here, but wow. Just wow.


Edit: I have just googled some photos of Heidi on the internet and am pleased to see that the girl has her own share of imperfect skin. I guess the makeup crew on "The Hills" just really know their foundations.

Images via ElleGirl Blog

And just for kicks, it's always good to remind ourselves that they were once regular people with shiny foreheads (and a bigger nose) too. Teehee.

Underneath your clothes...

Image via Meaningful Distractions

I'm back from a weeklong hiatus thanks to several grad school papers. Its led me to adopt a more studentesque wardrobe of jeans, flats (gasp!), and turtleneck sweaters. This morning I decided to get myself out of the funk by putting down the Hanes Her Way...

I was recently inspired to post about my love affair with lingerie (consummated 3 years ago this April in Venice) by a fellow lover of the Italian frilly over at Fashion Squad. But this is a blog about work style and so for the tie-in I'd like to suggest that its really all about the details... even the kind that your co-workers aren't lucky enough to see. I know when I dress for an interview I make sure to bust out the power underwear along with the power suit.

Tis a controversial school of thought since it ties sex appeal to confidence and begs the question just how appropriate is this in the workplace? Would you rather be a Condileeza Rice circa those rockin' boots in Germany or a Hillary Clinton who clearly eschews the sexy label? I used to have a co-worker when I worked at a highly conservative think tank who regularly wore fishnets to the office (with peep toe pumps, hot!) and it made me a little afraid of her, in a good way.

Misogyny, alive and well

Here is a completely unrelated-to-fashion post. You've been warned. Expand to read the entire post.

I had set my ITunes to shuffle and suddenly this song came on: “Superman” by Eminem. In listening to the lyrics of this song I hadn’t heard in years and years, I was really, well, shocked.

I mean Eminem is no stranger to the criticisms of feminists the world over, but how is it that the public as a whole accepts his clear, unabashed misogyny? Here are a couple of choice lines:

“Bitch you make me hurl”

“Superman ain’t savin’ shit, girl you can jump on Shady’s dick
Straight from the hip, cut to the chase, I tell a muthafuckin’ slut, to her face”

Meh. I could write an entire thesis but I'll just summarize and say that it seems true that everyone, men and even women, have a little streak of misogyny running through them. As a woman, I can hear those lines Eminem’s spouting and explain to myself, “That’s ok—he’s means that type of woman; that ‘muthafuckin slut’ type of woman”, and as a result, I throw my fellow sisters under the bus instead of rushing to their defense. Why do I do this? Because at the end of the day, it's a man's approval I seek. As long as I prove to a man that I'm not a "muthafuckin' slut", I'm safe.

We also allow Eminem his two cents here because despite his hate of his mother and his estranged wife (or are they back together?), he does have a daughter he truly seems to love and appreciate, pudenda and all. That means, he really doesn't hate all women--just the "muthafuckin' sluts". Right? Right???

Of course, what really is the distinction between the daughter, wife, sister, mother you love and the muthafuckin' slut you hate? And it’s not just the men who categorize; women will categorize each other just as quickly as a man does—to our own detriment, ultimately. Admittedly, I am guilty of this activity.

Ok, I’m not sure where this is going, but I guess all I can do—and hope that you do—is to be aware of how extremely sexist the world is still. Don’t scoff when presented with those statistics about how women earn $0.70 to a man’s $1.00; it’s not about money. It’s about how despite everything, we’re still sexist as all hell—sexist enough to have lined Eminem’s coffers and laugh at his jokes and hardly bat an eyelash.

I apologize as I didn't mean for this to be some sort of fingerpointing session at Eminem whose latest song (while also tinged with sexism) is quite catchy. It was simply what I happened to be listening to but he is far from the only artist/television personality/politician/etc. to have marginalized women. Society's acceptance of him and the rest of it is telling of society's acceptance of sexism as a whole. The eradication of racism may be progressing in leaps and bounds, but I'm sad to say that sexism is still alive and well.

Shoes for the lusty magpie

As I have been sitting in bed this past week making a Kleenex fort, the photo updates are slow in coming (although that doesn't explain CR's absense. Oh CR; where art thou?)

So I present to thee some shoes we can't afford (or can afford, but really, in this economy, spending $1,000+ on a pair of shoes is hardly the prudent move):

Shoes all from of Browns

Those infamous Balmain sandals have spawned hundreds of love-children, because let's face it: crystal and metal encrusted and a lot of patent is better. As to the High St. versions I've seen: unimpressive. No one has gotten the ratio of SHINE : NO SHINE quite right. They're all treading along the safe side with a few poorly placed studs here and there. In this case however, more really is more.

Shoes (L-R): Alaia, Alaia, Margiela, Dries Van Noten

May-December romances, two ways

The older you get, the more acceptable becomes winter and spring romancin'. And this is what I think about as I look into my lonely future with fear and trepidation in my quivering, single girl's heart. Now if I can bag myself a 50+ year old as hot as Jeremy, or be as hot as Jerry when I'm 50+, I shall have nothing to worry about.

These are just a couple of teasers. Click link below for more glorious photos!






Image heavy post. Click to expand...

Images from the Jeremy Irons and Milla Jovovich for Donna Karan ad campaign (2001).

I love this campaign. The photos of these two seem to be set somewhere in Africa and have a very intimate feel to them. Trade places with Milla in these photos? In a heartbeat. Jeremy Irons is 53 or so here and looking fine as hell. This campaign also reminds me of an excellent (and very sexy) book I'm currently reading: Mating: A Novel by Norman Rush.

As to the clothes, I'll just focus on Jeremy's beautiful khaki suit. For some reason, the heavily pleated pant seems right at home when the setting is hot, exotic Algiers or what have you, but relocated to midtown Manhattan and it suddenly loses its charm and makes the wearer seem instantly dated. Pleats, in recent years, keep trying to make a return into the mainstream. Hell, if these photos are from 2001, it has been at least 8 years that pleats have tried and, more or less, failed. I, for one, am pro-pleat and own a few pleated pants myself. Now if everyone can pull it off like Humbert Humbert up there, I don't think we'll have much of a problem.





Images from the Jerry Hall, 52, for Chanel ad campaign (2009)

I'm glad for all the older models in the recent Chanel campaigns (Claudia, Christy, etc.), and Jerry, of course, looks beautiful. Oh how far she's come--or, arguably, not very far at all--from her days schlepping for VH1 reality show, "Kept" (full disclosure: I love VH1 reality television). I always did think she should have gone with Austen. But I digress... once I have my millions from my third divorce, I hope I too can get myself a doting, young lovah.

Skincare that doesn't hurt the wallet

If you haven't been living under a diamond these past few years, you know that many studies have shown that some of the drugstore brands are just as good if not better than the department store brands. In one blind test, users rated Olay Total Effects better than La Mer!

After finishing my bottles of Estee Lauder, L'Occitane, and Shiseido products, none of which--product wise--really spoke to me, I decided to take a gander through Walgreen's aisles. This is what I purchased:

As I just bought the Regenerist cream last night, I don't have much to say about it. I ended up selecting it over Total Effects because of a review I read online. It smells kind of funky, and I will probably switch to something else once I'm finished with the jar. Besides, I don't yet have fine lines to be rid of (thank GOD). As for the Cetaphil SPF 50 moisturizer: I love it! It applies extremely smoothly and doesn't leave your skin feeling like a greasy mess as most sunscreen/moisturizers are wont to do. It is much, much better than the L'Occitane Immortelle product I had previously used, and it really does an excellent job moisturizing! In fact, my skin quality has noticeably improved since I started using it last week.

Price: Cetaphil, $12.99, Olay Regenerist $18.99

I was discussing moisturizers with another friend of mine and she now swears by the Aldi line, Lacura. Aldi, if you're unaware, is an extremely low-end food retailer from Europe. It's the Wal-Mart of grocery stores, essentially. But the makeup line exclusive to the chain, Lacura, has garnered international praise. She now swears by her $6 jar of nightcream--makes her skin suppler than a baby's ass, she claims. In fact, I am having her mail me some of the products once I finish my jar of Olay.  If you have an Aldi near you, you should check it out and report back!

Weekday Casual Friday: Another one from Polyvore

Let me begin by extolling the wonders of Polyvore: Using it is like playing with paperdolls circa 1993! What fun. Next... the clothes:

Another ensemble for the working woman. This one might be a little too casual for most workplaces--hence, Casual Friday! If you don't get Casual Fridays, simply replace the bottom half with some fitted slacks and pumps and this is good to go. As to the crisp, white oxford, I'd wear it with the top few buttons undone thereby showing off that beautiful necklace.

Also, keep the shirt collar beneath the lapel of the exterior jacket or blazer. It's a personal pet peeve of mine to see women and men flip the shirt collar over the blazer lapel... unless of course, you're Scarface and the year is 1975.*

* Yes, I know "Scarface" takes place in 1980, but it's Miami. Need I say more?

leather jacket with extra large collar (Rick Owens) / crisp white oxford with breast pocket (Jil Sander) / dark denim jeans (Dorothy Perkins) / floral necklace (Tom Binns) / purple "Dylan" tote (Linea Pelle) / black patent wedges (Chloe)

Very French, very awesome hair

Image of Audrey Tatou via Style.com

Refreshed by a new outlook brought on after a long dreary Winter, I have been seriously been considering Audrey Tatou's avant guarde do. I'm highly intrigued by doing away with all the hair baggage. I'm hardly a stranger to the pixie cut, having used it in the late 90's to scare my mother with my tomboyishness. These days, it would be a bit of a challenge to keep the cut fresh and feminine with my flat and thin tresses. However, Audrey's hair seems to have the same consistency... what say you, readers?

Weekday: Polyvore to the rescue

I am sick and confined to bed--face wan with the distinct look of consumption (/dramatics). And there I thought I was going to make it out illness free this winter-spring season. Bah!

But enough about me and my old lady ailments: in my lacklustre state, I have created a simple spring ensemble with the help of Polyvore.

I think all of these items are pretty much standard wardrobe fair. And to answer Miss Pragmacat's earlier quesetion about what to wear as an up-and-coming freelance writer in LA: this! Well, perhaps not this exact ensemble with its hefty price tag, but you know, something similar that expresses professionalism, style, and all other good writerly virtues. I guess you can skip the shoes too as you are already of statuesque heights (lucky girl) and kill the trench as it's probably already too warm in LA for such business anyway, but the simple dress + bold accessory are an unbeatable combo and oh-does-it-make-it-easy-to-get-dressed-in-the-morning.

It's always amused me that whenever I wore dresses to work, my male colleagues would remark, "Oh, got dressed up today, eh?" Little did they realize that throwing on a dress is about the easiest thing for a woman to do. In these modern times the dress has definitely taken a backseat to the pant-suit in the modern working woman's closet. I say, bring back the dress!

And now wish me a swift convalescence!

silk safari dress (Donna Karan) / grey trench coat (Phillip Lim 3.1) / t-bar sandals (Marni) / resin bead necklace (Marni) / "Nightingale" tote (Givenchy)

Happy Easter!

Hope everyone had a fantastic Easter!

"The Easter Bunny gave his body to science". Via Etsy.

Also cannot stop listening to this song this Easter Sunday! <3

The Highlander, edited

Images via Unknown and GQ Style Autum/Winter 07/08

I have no idea where the painting is from. I took it off a mate's facebook profile.

The entire editorial is quite handsome. I especially like the belted sweater-jacket above. Now if only all members of the NRA looked this good...

Gooptastic

Images via GOOP and Gilt Groupe

I think Gwenyth Paltrow is going through my closet again because today's installment of her GOOP newsletter includes one of my favorite DIY projects for Spring...

I've certainly seen these Mexican-inspired embroidered dresses and tops a lot lately, so you can imagine my joy when I pulled out an old huipl my mother brought back from a family reunion in Mexico and fixed it up with a higher hemline and accessories. After seeing Gwenyth's GOOP update today I'm looking forward to wearing it again once the weather gets warmer. And with these fantastic new Theory gladiator boots I just ordered today... pictures to come in the following weeks.

Tribute to the delightful Miss Lodge

Click to enlarge. Images via Flickr.

Reminded by some style forum commenters of how stylish the guys and gals of Archie Comics were, I dug up these images as a tribute to the ever-delightful and fashion savvy Veronica Lodge. 

I haven't seen these in the grocery stores of late but hear there was a much derided redesign in 2007. No matter, I still have my own well-worn treasure trove of Archie's to turn to. 

WIWT Weekday: 08/4/2009

Most guidebooks will point out the quality and affordability of tailoring in Southeast Asia. On a research trip to Thailand earlier this year, I succumbed to this trend and experienced mixed results.

For the most part, you can get things that fit just as well for the same price by rifling through the petite section at Banana Republic and without worrying you'll end up with 1980's shoulder pads or oversized lapels. The name of the game is BE SPECIFIC. They also tend to do men's wear a lot better than women's wear... the image of the working woman tragically has yet to become a global phenomenon.

I thoroughly look forward to wearing this to the scotch and cigar session for tonight's engagement party. Hehe.

shirt with white collar and cuffs (Thailand) / silk cashmere pants(Thailand) / silk cashmere waistcoat (Thailand) / patent leather peep toe pumps (Report Signature)

Ken as envisioned by Gareth

Reminded by a recent post on Style Bubble, I just had to post about the latest 50th anniversary Gareth Pugh Ken Doll.

images via manbehindthedoll.com

Uhm, all I can say is: like totally awesome! I've recently fallen in love with men who sport these counter-culture avant-garde all black ensembles. I'm not sure what it is exactly. Maybe it's the whole vampire thing or Alan Rickman's Severus Snape--who knows? Admittedly, I've always had a crush on Blade, and he essentially just got 10 times more fashionable. Now Ken only needs to change his name.

WIWT Weekend: 04/4/2009

Totally gaga over this FCUK Balmain-inspired military jacket purchased in London last month with the exchange rate making it deliciously affordable. And speaking of Gaga, a picture of the often pant-less singer gave me the inspiration to wear it with white short shorts and Kenneth Cole faux croc toeless boots. A bit early in the season, but I never did agree with that post-Memorial day rubbish.

Military jacket (FCUK) / short shorts (A&F) / gladiator-style peep toe boots (Kenneth Cole)

Additions!

I am happy to announce that my good cross-country friend CR will be joining the bloggin' roster here at TIWAW. We'll be adding her to the contributors page.

In other news, I'm gone for a day and have so many google reader RSS subscriptions to catch up on! I'll be back with a more substantial update later today. For now, let me just say I've fallen in love (haha):

Image from L'Uomo Vogue, February 2000.

All right. See you wonderful gals and guys later!

WIWT Weekday: 06/4/2009

Tailoring is some god's gift to little people. I'm wearing a rather fantastic J. Crew skirt that long hung in my closet neglected due to some very effective Pilates classes. This is its first debut after losing two inches off the waist and hemline. Matched with mum's belt and Kenneth Cole wedges, I think its a slightly uninspired though polished outfit to start off the week. I wish I wore glasses so I could play around with a sexy librarian look... please ignore the tired face. It was Monday!

In other news, the tulip bulbs were a significant pick-me-up on the way to the metro. Springtime in DC means you get to wear your silk before you start sweating all over it in June.

white button down shirt (Banana Republic) / braided leather belt (unlabeled) / wool crepe pencil skirt (J. Crew) / brown suede wedges (Kenneth Cole)

WIWT Weekday: 03/4/2009

More pale hues for spring. I can't believe I never paired this sweater and skirt before. Blame the fact that I am a lover of black. This blog is bringing me into the light.

blue-violet cashmere sweater (Miu Miu) / wool crepe pencil skirt (Banana Republic) / elastic cinch belt (Forever 21) / Cut-out, toe-cleavage pumps (Pollini) 

The haircut

As I am off to Dallas tomorrow morning, I decided to get my hair "fixed" at a salon my friend recommended. So now here is the end result of the before and after. The interim stage of my bad haircut is not shown, but you can see it here. I am happy to announce I have found a good hairdresser. He salvaged my Connie Chung hair and gave me this bob. It's a lot shorter than I originally wanted pre-bad haircut, but there wasn't much that could be done with the Connie Chung hair.

I still miss the long hair (wistful sigh), but it's good to get some change. I'll be anxiously waiting for it to grow out some more in the meantime. 

(Wearing sunglasses because the make-up free face is lookin' a little sallow. Yech).

Tropicana Meets Margiela

Do my eyes deceive me?! Are those? Is that? My dear word!! I do believe those are Margiela shoes in the new Tropicana "Trop50" commercial starring Kyra Sedgwick. (Yes, yes, I admit I was "watching" TLC's "What Not to Wear" whilst doing taxes). I wonder if Kyra choose the shoes or if the commercial's stylist did. These are certainly two brands I would have never expected to see together.

Nonetheless, I covet, I covet. Le sigh. Zhey errh--oww dew yew seyh--fahhhh-bulous!

images via tropicana and saks

You can still get the shoes at Saks for $895. Oh, go on sale please, pretty please? Like 90% sale? 

Hermès Fall 2009--Of Coats and Aspirations

images via style.com

Even in these times of penny pinching, a girl's got to have some aspirations. The coats shown in the Hermès collection for Fall 2009 are perfection personified: mature, timeless shapes, understated palette of greys, browns, and blacks, and luxe materials. The crocodile one, in particular, might actually be worth its bazillion dollar price tag. One day, one day...

One thing is for sure, one of these coats will outlast and correct a lifetime (and more!) of poor fashion choices. I'm looking at you. Kidding! You have great style. No, really.

WIWT Weekend: Date Forgotten

While I don't actually remember if this is a "weekend" photo, my thought here is that those boots are definitely a little too casual for most work environments. So that's how it works: "Weekend" tags are not necessarily weekends--just too casual for the usual M-F work environment. Got it? Yeah, got it. Now that that's out of the way:

These are actually older photos from earlier in the year when I still had LONG hair. Le sigh. My current hair is shoulder length, and I was rather annoyed with the haircut. It was not at all what I wanted--he took off way more than I asked (about five inches more) and then denied any wrongdoing. I caused a scene. Actually, I only imagined causing a scene while I politely tipped him through gritted teeth and a fake smile muttering, "Oh yes, you're right. This is lovely and exactly what I wanted." God, I just can't shrug that feeling of obligation even when they commit bloody murder--because I am but a sweet, innocent lamb.

I still need to find a permanent hairdresser. This is hard, of course, when I'm constantly moving around.

Ah, but see? Isn't long hair nice (perhaps not quite as long and raggedy as it is in the above photo)? It'll be another three years at least for it to grow that long again. In fact, by the time it's that long, I'll be too old to for such styles. (Holy shit. I just thought about how old I will be in three years and it kind of freaked me out--nervous laughter). Ok then... moving along...

Silk wrap dress (DvF) / men's sweater-jacket (Polo) / unlabeled leather boots (Brazil)

Non-Fashion: Island Extraordinaire

Image via styleforum.net 

In helping Mother plan her kitchen remodel, I stumbled upon this beauty. It's from a monstrosity of a house in Kuala Lumpur, but this kitchen island made from a solid piece of rock is breathtaking. 

If I had this, I would roll on it naked about 23 hours of the day all the whilst giggling to myself.  I'm hoping in a few years when this bazillionaire tires of his marble slab and wants to redecorate--as the obscenely wealthy are wont to do every couple of years--he'll toss it on the side of the road. I'll fly to Malaysia to get it--I will! 

Mrs. Prez does Europe, Pt. II

Images via Marie Claire

More of Mrs. O. This woman has a fondness for cardigans that can only be matched by my own. And apparently, she's not one to shy away from the slightly avant-garde. Here she is wearing an asymmetrical cardigan from Junya Watanabe. Dress is Jason Wu. Combined with the pearls and hair, I can find no fault with this presidential outfit.  She's adopted the poofy skirt silhouette as her modus operandi. It works, and it works well, conveying youth, style, and reminding us of a simpler era--the era when we weren't all broke with foreclosed homes and "Rock of Love Bus" as our favourite show.

Motherhood, French Vogue Style

Images from French Vogue via Jezebel.com

This is the French woman's humour (which is to say, humourless and mildly passive aggressive) and why American Vogue is irrelevant (which is to say, funny or not, this editorial is kind of awesome).  I was initially taken aback by Lily smoking and feigning a shot of smack, but then realized that in France, they don't work under the assumption that the reader is a complete idiot. This is good. And a good stab at all the lovey dovey "Motherhood" sentiments of the last few years. Carine, you sneaky woman, you! 

Plus, that coat is cream-filled heaven.