HOW TO | POPSICLE HUES

I won't lie: The world of colorful dressing can be perplexing.  It isn't always formulaic.

I used to wear a self-imposed uniform of black, myself.  I have always envied those women who were able to master color effortlessly.

The most important thing everyone should learn early about cultivating your own sense of style is to give up your certainty that some things just don't go together. You must try it on and see all of the elements working as one.  You can't imagine.  Throw your imagination out the window.  No pictures, paper dolls, or what-have-yous.  Nothing comes close to actually trying something on and literally seeing what happens.

BUT, A Few Guidelines Might be Handy... 

1  //  Balance colors and shapes.  If the colors are bright, keep the silhouettes simple and classic.  If you go crazy in one area, you must stay tame in another.  

2  //  NO Polyester.  Bright things can look cheap more easily than neutrals.  Stick with natural fibers like silk, cotton, cashmere, or rayon.  Yes, I consider rayon a natural fiber since it's made from wood pulp.

3  //   Keep bright colors within a similar range of intensity OR within a similar hue, i.e. tertiary colors, in which case the intensity (brightness and darkness) may vary.

4  //  Give yourself a quick and painless study of basic Color Theory.  

You might also like to have a go at Color Scheme Designer, to get some ideas of where to start in your own wardrobe. 

Good Luck!

Kooky Style Finds | Ichabod & Gaga Make A Baby

The more I plunder the Etsy marketplace, the more bizarre and and wonderful the little hand-crafted treasures become.  I've been so delighted with the variety and creativity of the little notions I've found, Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters seem to hold my interest less and less. 

Ichabod Crane and Lady Gaga would be terribly pleased at my latest find....

Johnny Depp as Ichabod Crane

Lady Gaga

I'm assuming you know where this is going.  But in case it isn't clear enough, remember the Alejandro video?

I. Cannot. Wait. Until. Lenscrafters. Catches. On.  Say hello to the new hipster.  The anti-hipster.  The "I-genuinely-don't-give-a-rat's-ass", baditude.  

Ray-bans are cool and everything, but they have prudish appeal at best compared to these bizarre and beautiful optical contraptions by Mann & Co.While Mann & Co advertises these as "Steampunk", I say wear them with your wholesome 1940's picnic clothes.  On your bicycle.  With something like these...

The Moody Bohemian Biker

Blackened Brass & Black Leather with Gears, $200

Altuzarra, Fall 2012

The Optimistic Bohemian

 At a Weekend Soiree?

Solid Brass & Brown Leather, $170

Givenchy, Fall 2012

Polished Conservative

And Closeted Style Kook

Leather & Brass, $140

Gucci, Fall 2012

They've got the old-world, Victorian nerd appeal of Ichabod, and the striking shock appeal of Gaga.  All expertly hand crafted, using delicious leather and elegant metals. 

And if the price seems rather steep, remind yourself that all you need to justify the practicality of these little babies is a motorcycle, a chemistry lab, or a welding kit.  Yeah.  Switch the lenses out for all your different eyeball risking activities.  These things are deceptively functional.

We Can Danse Macabre in Summer Too

Why am I thinking of skulls and gnarly little creatures in the middle of summer?   

Maybe it's so disgustingly hot out I would be more comfortable as a skeleton.  Preferably a skeleton marionette, with someone else pulling the strings, so that I can spend my own waning energy locating  ice buckets.  Full of....ice.  And possibly champagne. 

Or maybe I'm sick of seeing polyester blend jersey dresses in all the colors of the rainbow paired with plastic flip flops - also in all the colors of the rainbow.  Please don't misunderstand me- there is nothing wrong with color!  Except for when it has no chutzpah, and also lacks direction.  (Please Note: There is also nothing wrong with plastic flip flops! As long as they are restricted to garden or poolside use.  And judiciously, at that.  And polyester blends are absolutely fine!  As long as we are talking about upholstered lawn furniture, of course.) 

As a natural arse, it is my duty (and my pleasure!) to bring a few summery skeletons out of the closet.  Fear not - these are no icky Debbie Downers.  Just a few splashes of good old-fashioned, lighthearted macabre to lend a bit of balance to a lively wardrobe.   

If you're not convinced yet that this is an excellent idea, lets start off with something undeniably beachy...belly button jewelry.  Oh yes I did.

Bat Skull Belly Button Ring by Moon Raven Designs, $28

  

This enchanting little devil, cast from a real bat's skull, is enough to make me re-think the whole belly button thing.  No offense or anything, but I always sort of associated navel piercings with surfers, porn stars, and Jersey girls.   

Yes, my bad.  Shame on me.  I totally get it now.  And I would LOVE to have this hanging from my navel.  It's just so wrong, it's right.  It also completely justifies pasty skin at the beach. Dear Goths & Metalheads: See you in the sunlight! 

Just to be sure you don't run out of ideas, here are a few other trinkets to lend some worldly charm to our plethora of diaphanous, summery dresses.... 

Similar Hand-Carved Deer Antler Skull by Braincase

Chloe, Spring 2012

There's something really easy about this superlong, supersheer dress with a long, delicate skull pendant. 

The key with the skull jewelry is to mix it with something that isn't gimicky.  It makes more of a statement when paired with something elegant and minimal.  Feminine, but never girly.  Pink frills and roses with skulls is not ironic.  It's just detestable.  

Peter Pan Skull Collar by FrancisFrank, $28

Chloe, Spring 2012

This exemplifies my idea of properly cheeky office attire (swap the shorts for a white pencil skirt).  Add the peter pan skull collar on top of the button down, and it becomes a rather lively "Day of the Dead".   

Similar Skeleton Bangle by Turquoise City

Gold Bat Bangle by FrostedWillow, $17

Alice & Olivia Spring 2012

These three darlings go together like good old fashioned bread, butter, and pickles.  I would wear this Alice and Olivia ensemble with a gold bangle on each wrist.  Keep the green pumps for the office, and exchange for leather gladiator sandals on the weekend. 

It would be awfully fun to dig around in the picnic basket with these devilish little talismans flanking a wholesome, pastel skirt.  Don't you think?

Similar Sterling Silver Claw Ring by Skeletos, $76

Blue Diamond 18k Gold Stackable Rings, $94 each

Lanvin, Spring 2012

Cocktail Hour = The Only Hour that Really Matters 

Obviously, rings are my go-to adornments.  Pair this ethereal aqua frock with the dangerously pointy Raven's claw ring, some sort of Balenciaga-esque biker heel in black leather, and a super dark smokey eye.  Later wear it with the dainty stackable gold skull rings, blush colored satin heels, and very vampy cat-eye liner, a la Dita Von-Teese.

And so ends my little chapter on how to adulterate (enrich!) the nonsensical notion that summer is all about flowers, bright colors, butterflies, laughing children, and tooting trumpets.

Party Like It's 1899 !

With a return to long dresses (albeit deflated), and an exhaustion of all other eras of dressing, the turn of the (20th) century looks fresher than ever.  

Claude Monet hit the nail on the head with his picturesque immortalization of the woman below with a straw hat and blue scarf:  

Claude Monet

This washy, airy chiffon dress and straw hat craves (aside from a nod to the 70's) a pastoral scene and petite garden path, painting below also by Claude Monet...

Claude Monet

There may be nothing more feminine than yards upon yards of fabric, billowed underneath a pretty dame.  Jessica Stam (above) demonstrates a modern version of this phenomenon.  John Singer Sargent (paintings below) loved his women and their soft, dreamy yards of excess.

John Singer Sargent

John Singer Sargent

Are you craving a day at the park with a parasol yet?

all fashion photos via DustJacket Attic

Delicious Spring-y Baubles

It might not be fair for me to skip winter as if it didn't happen, but have a look at these delicious spring-y jewels.

This is sort of awesome, right?  Stacking Babushka ring from Anthropologie.   

I would probably try to wear this with everything.  Oh here's an idea that involves winter...I would wear this one with big chunky over-sized fisherman sweaters.  And everything else dainty...skinny legged pants in jewel tones, and little ornate flats. 

But for Spring I would wear this with deeper colors...burgundy, dark blues, bright tomato red.  I'm thinking dresses.  And of course little vintage leather flats.

I guess I'm really into brushed matte gold right now.  Frog Lake ring, also from Anthropologie.  (Can you tell its my favorite store for jewelry?)  I'd wear it with airy bright whites, lace-up vintage leather flats, and a basket-y bag. 

  

This deliciously juicy bauble really steals my heart away.   Of course for something this grand, it couldn't be anything other than Dior Joaillerie.  From the Incroyables et Merveilleuses collection, this is the Oiseau ring.  Note the little nest with pearl eggs and the diamond encrusted birds!   

A perfectly sweet and completely over-the-top ring for the season of all things new.  I would wear this with everything.   

Yes, sometimes the thing that seems least likely to go with anything is the very thing that actually goes with everything.  And besides, if you ever hope to get your money's worth for this dazzling little charm, you'd probably better wear it every day for the rest of your life.