Holy Grail of Boots

A mini-ransacking of Marshall's turned up these blindingly blue Betsey Johnson tights for $5. An exceedingly colossal amount of luck had me strike the Marc by Marc Jacobs store just in time to snatch up the last 7 1/2 in these (DROOOOOOOL) shiny shiny shiny black ankle boots. For 70% off. I'm pretty sure my heart palpitations were audible within a 3 mile radius as I gleefully declared I would take them. Thank you fashion gods!

Sunny San Francisco Day

Traipsed about in San Francisco today and deemed it appropriate to break out the AA lame leggings and a semi-ancient bag. The only complaint I have about these is that I feel like I have to hoist them up sporadically. Otherwise, very fun to work into different outfits.

Top, Urbn. Jacket and legwarmers, F21. Lame leggings, AA. Boots, JS. Bag, Lucky.

Crafty not-failure

A veritable triumph! I had long forgotten about this skirt, having deserted it in a plastic bag full of unwanted randoms at my parent's house, but I fished it out yesterday and decided to at least attempt to complete my dreams for it. The first thing that had appealed to me at some San Francisco Goodwill that fated day was the slightly puffy, dotted texture and seemingly small-enough waistline, but the knee length hem was not for me. I decided it would make the perfect basic-with-a-twist high waisted miniskirt but then after purchasing, remembered that I can't sew. Thus the aforementioned desertion. However, after a surprisingly small amount of wheedling my mother into teaching me the mysterious art of the sewing machine and an expectedly large amount of help from her, it has been massacred into an adorable mini with a fun slight tulip shape where I think my hips are supposed to be. Yays! It will be worn lovingly with a large array of thrifted belts and semi-loose shirts. Unfortunately, I am thinking there is no way I am going to be able to remember how to get the thread situated in the sewing machine without close guidance and lots of looming. Well, one battle at a time I suppose.

Ooh and merry Christmas everyone!!

Top, F21. Skirt, belt, and scarf, vintage. Shoes, Joey.

H&M Almosts

I took these pictures last Tuesday during the jaunt to LA with my boyfriend. It was my first visit to the Pasadena store and I found it relatively disappointing but all is not lost since we're definitely going to do a thorough perusing of the San Francisco location in the next few days, post-Christmas downtown mayhem and all. These were the only two items that piqued my mildly fickle interest but they were not fated to join the ranks of my wardrobe. The blue chambrayish-looking dress actually fit pretty well (for a semi-shapeless smock, that is), and I would have purchased it had I not swiftly determined the $59.90 price tag to be a tad jarring for the simple style and quality level, as much as it may connote APC. Not that I don't still think it would be adorably chic with gray ribbed tights and some weathered boots, or that it would transition smoothly into spring/summer with strappy leather flat sandals. Okay fine I'm having some tinges of reverse buyer's remorse.

This gray skirt, on the other hand, had a much more friendly price tag of 20-something dollars, an extremely fun uber-high waist, and a whimsical space-age look to it to boot, but my dreams were quickly crushed when the smallest size they had in stock was too baggy at the waist, which was of course also the case with the black version. I even momentarily contemplated getting it anyway and trying to make it look like a purposeful paper-bag waist but then realized this would be complete folly in the end. Here's to an impending mad hunt for it in San Francisco...

December 22

Jacket, Forever21. T, AA. Skirt and clutch, vintage. Boots, Jessica Simpson.

Birthday Suit

Best birthday ever, complete with new Balenciaga in my DREAM color (pics to come later), coconut shrimp sushi, hotel room, all my favorite people in the world, and pretentious club downtown followed by white peach hookah and cheesecake. Didn't feel like hunting down a new dress so went with my summer favorite, the cupcakey white concoction from Armani Exchange.

Feeling girly today

F21 Jacket and headband, H&M dress and socks, Bebe shoes, vintage Chanel bag.

All dark hues today, this is one of my favorite little dresses, I love the crochet cutout embroidery detail at the collar and hem.

Jacket and dress, F21. Bag and shoes, Aldo.

Fun day shopping in LA with the boyfriend...was in the mood for a little wintriness so didn't mind the rain, though it made the photo all muddy and washed out.

Jacket, F21 (did NOT know they sold actual leather products!). Tee, Urbn. Shorts, Abercrombie. Boots, vintage. Bag, Aldo.

Feeling kind of bland...

Urbn T. Jeans, J Brand. Flannel, secondhand. Shoes, F21. Belt, from high school. Bag, Balenciaga.

Schoolboy Chic

Felt like a British nerdling in my thrifted little boy's Ralph Lauren blazer. I love the millions of shiny gold buttons and super skinny fit. Children's departments are definitely underrated. It felt right to pair it up with this sturdy vintage saddle bag.

Blazer, Ralph Lauren. Dress, F21. Boots, Oh Deer. Bag, vintage.

Out last night with the boyf, was feeling angelic in my white sequined dress. I'm trying to rotate some of the clothing that's gotten shoved into the nether regions of my closet, cheaper than going shopping for new everything and it's always fun to rediscover odd things that might be useful again.

Dress, FCUK. Bag, Balenciaga. Bangles, F21 and vintage.

Bag Voyeurism

I don't know what it is, but it's always fun to see what everyone else is carrying around in their beloved bags. Somewhat voyeuristic in a noncreepy way, I'm thinking. This curiosity is especially applicable when I see someone with a Balenciaga weekender - I mean I like big bags too but what could you possibly have in there to warrant such ginormity? Not that I don't really want a Weekender myself or anything, but still. At least my Anna Corinna is semi-collapsible when only half-full.

Anyway, here's my squirrely stash, packed haphazardly into my French blue Balenciaga City (I love you dearest Balenciaga-knowledgeable boyfriend!) Took these pics a couple days ago, I've been trying to jam everything into my latest secondhand bag since.

So here I have:
_my gas-station-esque Wayfarers
_Harajuku Lovers makeup bag (I'm so Asian I know)
_my semi-random Kenneth Cole wallet that I only like because of the huge coin compartment
_a Ziploc of almonds for sudden hunger attacks (these have halted the onset of many a bad mood)
_my Bluetooth earpiece that I DON'T wear unless I'm actually talking on it (seriously people, take that thing off when you're cruising the cereal aisle in Vons!)
_crumpled ones
_bobby pin duo
_Rimmel lipgloss in East End Snob (LOVE. LOVVVVVE.)
_L'oreal Colour Juice in Bubblegum something or other
_Razr that is dying a painful elongated death
_iPod touch (yaaaaaaaay!)
_Altoids gum
_slouchy black arm warmer/almost glove things
_keys with attached large fluffball that I bought at a train station in Tokyo last fall
_this weird antibacterial Bliss towel from the W that I'm sure will come in handy when I have apple sauce all over my hands while driving...or something

Wasson gets it again

The girl is amazing. *dies*

pic, elle.com.

Got this fun little ice skating-ish skirt thrifting this week, along with the canvas & leather bag, which has a top opening with a satisfying snap closure only mildly reminiscent of my Stam. Marked Barney's New York, and I was extra excited because the accents are actual leather. Perfect for throwing about carelessly as I feel like doing with my purses sometimes. And sorry I'm a little fixated on this jacket but we're still in our honeymoon period.

Jacket, F21. Skirt, secondhand, with AA skirt underneath. Bag, vintage. Hat, Zara.

Colorless

I've been pretty fixated on keeping it basic, with little to no shots of color but instead focusing on texture, like this relatively slutty AA skirt. Pretty excited about my newest ankle boot acquisition, as loth as I am to disclose the brand (Jessica Simpson, why must you use such buttery leather and pleasingly sky-high heels whilst maintaining a manageable comfort level!!)

Shirt, Urbn. Skirt, AA. Bag, Anna Corinna. Tights, Old Navy. Necklaces, secondhand. Boots, ugh, Jessica Simpson.

Random collaging

I love it when girls dress in a way that is so personal and suited to themselves, with a dose of mildly rumpled goodness.

all pics from thefashionspot

Hungover today...too many vodka sprites last night but merriment was had all around. Went and got curly fries and Jamba Juice to ward away the pain, still trying to figure out what to do tonight...

Wore my newest F21 purchase, this navy plaid hooded jacket with sort of a babydoll cut. The half-sleeves are what got me, full long sleeves bother me somehow - I think maybe I feel less mobile in them? Or something.

Jacket, F21. Tee , Urbn. Shorts, A&F (eww I know). Bag, MJ. Shoes, Oh Deer. Hat, Zara.

Might give up and switch to Converses later.

Top, AA. Shorts and tights, F21. Shoes, Aldo. Bag, Balenciaga.

What I would wear to work today if I worked at French Vogue. And it's my fantasy, so I wouldn't pull a Sevigny and fall flat on my face in the boots.

Lily Donaldson Street Style

To me, Lily Donaldson is insane. As in, the fact that she exists. And that she could convincingly play Legolas' pulchritudinous older sister. To put it succintly, she has taken ethereal to a whole new playing field.

Perhaps aware of this awkward yawning gap between her and approx. the rest of the planet Earth, she offsets her cool beauty with plain but edgy pieces. Unlike mix master Gemma, walking wtf Agyness Deyn, sexy cazh Gisele, and belongs-in-Harajuku Iekeliene (ooh think I spelled it right on the first try!), Lily is pretty much the queen of basics. But they are all the perfect basic piece. As in: the supply worn in ballet flat, the ideally slouchy plaid buttondown, the gray tee, the artfully destroyed denim shorts, the black carryall, blah blah blah. Yes she's one of those. Annoying, but we can study this master and perhaps even dream of having similarly perfectly pared down wardrobes.

On the upside is that many of her pieces are so plebeian as to be a stride into American Apparel and a couple frenetic clicks on eBay away. She seems to go for the tri-blend very frequently at minimum, opting for the beloved raglan pullover, racerback tank, track t, and deep v. Add in a couple outerwear classics like the navy blazer and shrunken leather, and always go for standout accessories like studded anything, a reliable outlandishly large bag, or a simple hat. Lils tends to keep it considerably sleek legwise, with the skinniest jeans, body-concious high waisted minis, and denim shorts. And lastly, always (duh), make your look personal by adding signature you-ish pieces or mixing things up in an unexpected way. Methinks Lily would approve.

More Polyvore fun

Though perhaps deathly in the wrong hands, I'm a little fixated on this sequin skirt idea, namely when combined with casual items and fabrics. I've got a black sequin tube top coming in the mail I snagged off eBay that I'm going to try to pass off as a skirt, could be disastrous but if not, I will post details.

I love to wear really simple clothing and nondescript slouch Ts with fun accessories, plus it speeds up the occasionally painstaking process of getting dressed. My hand must have been moving pretty fast here.

Tee, Urbn. Skirt, AA. Bag, Charlotte Russe. Heels, Nine West.

...ahoy?

I love sailor-style dresses, maybe it's my Japanese side quietly screaming through. Luckily I found this Catherine Holstein knockoff at Forever 21 for $19 or something ridiculous of that sort. They are just that reliable for k/os of the randomest things. This was what I wore yesterday but was too lazy to post.

Dress and tights, F21. Bag, vintage Bally. Patent t-strap flats, Nine West.

Sundays are my absolute favorite, the boyfriend and I ran around, checked out apartments (moving soon maybe), picked up groceries, and enjoyed overpriced coffee concoctions. Yay!

This is my first winterization of one of my favorite dresses from this summer, the infamous Kate Moss pansy print, worn here around September in Japantown in San Francisco.