I've been in a sorry state the past few days with an energy-draining cold I've been grappling with, so when the postman rang the doorbell yesterday I didn't manage to answer it in time and had to flag him down barefoot in my sick uniform of yoga pants and cardigan. Must have been quite the sight, but I signed for my package and got really excited when I saw that it was from Korea and in magazine form. I tore it open and the editor that had contacted me for the World Blogger feature had kindly marked the page with a Post-it note. It's quite surreal seeing photos of myself in print (though I can't decide how embarrassed I am to be wearing the same shoes in almost every photo..heh..), and I'm very honored to be included in this story - so thank you very much Vogue Girl Korea! I was so happy to see a diverse bunch of familiar blogger faces from all over the world, but I won't ruin it by posting their pages too. I actually haven't ever been able to look at an issue of Vogue Girl since I never see it for sale anywhere here in the US, but I must say it's really fun to flip through even though I can't read a single bit of it.

Now to work on getting better so I can get back to posting outfits and filling the store with all the crazy cool stuff I've found lately. And partake in drunken 4th of July festivities, of course.

The interview in English:

1 Briefly introduce yourself.

My name is Rumi Neely, I run an eBay store and do freelance fashion work from the San Francisco Bay Area.

2 When did you first blogging and why?

I first started it as an extension of my eBay store, Treasure Chest Vintage - I would receive a lot of message asking where I got my accessories from and if I had an online diary of my personal style. When Whowhatweardaily put me in one of their Myspace Muse features, I finally decided to really give the blogging thing a try.

3 What is your signature style?

It's very California - slightly messy and bohemian with an edge. I like to wear really casual, nondescript items alongside crazy heels, and most of the time I incorporate vintage into my look to give it a special touch.

4 When and how did you come about establishing your own style and look?

I've been into clothes since I was a little girl, but of course like anyone else, I've experimented and been through a bunch of phases. I think the mark of coming into your own look is when most of the things you buy you still love and wear years later, and this happened for me a couple years ago.

5 What is your fashion/styling rule?

I think my only rule is to not have any rules! I love to take something that is generally perceived as ugly and try to make it work, like a strange '80s fringe jacket or oversized men's denim shirt.

6 Explain how you get dressed in the morning, step by step.

For me it isn't about a method, it's more just pure randomness that affects what I wear. Some mornings, I'll try to pick something out of my closet that I haven't worn in a while and try to rework it, other times I'll base it on the shoes that I want to wear that day, and sometimes I even just put on whatever's on the floor of my bedroom since it's the most easily accessible.

7 What is your key fashion item?

I have a strange fascination with denim shorts, currently my vintage Levi's are at the top of my list.

8 And what's your favorite way of styling the item?

Since they're so tomboy-ish and rugged, I like to wear them with high high chunky heels and lately I've been loving the look with my vintage fur vest and tons of jewelry.

9 Explain how you mix and max color palette.

I like to wear colors that aren't so obvious to put together, I recently wore an outfit with a red bandage skirt and army green strappy heels and really liked that combination. I like neutrals just as much as I like brights, so it really depends on what mood I happen to be in. If I think an outfit is too dull, I'll add in colorful bangles or an obnoxiously bright bag.

10 Who's your fashion icon and why?

Erin Wasson - she has such a way of mixing up simple clothing to create unique looks and always knows exactly how much to accessorize or layer.

11 Where do you shop? What are some of your favorite shops and why?

I shop everywhere! From Barney's to thrift stores to eBay to cheap stores like Forever 21 and H&M, I think there are treasures to be had most places if you look closely enough. I love to put together looks that incorporate pieces from all of these places - I think it really adds dimension and personality to one's look.

12 What are some things you keep in mind when you shop? Do you have any shopping rules?

I always ask myself if I really love something before I purchase it, my closet is too small to buy everything that catches my eye. I never really go shopping in order to look for a specific piece, I just go when I'm in the mood to hunt and buy whatever sticks out to me, be it a feathered headband or a mirrored jewelry box. I've found that if I go looking for something in particular, I'm bound not to find it! So my main shopping rule is to be open to anything.

13 What's your most recent purchase? Can you give any tips on how to wear it?

A pair of triple strap Chloe maryjane heels from the spring '06 collection that I bought from Yoox. I imagine I'll be wearing them the most with summery minidresses, but my first look with them was a simple knit top and fringed skirt worn with long chain necklaces.

14 What's your favorite show from 2008 S/S collection? Has this show affected the way you dress in any way?

My favorite show was Balmain, the tough hippie look really appealed to me. I love that Christophe Decarnin made everything from tie dye to sequin vests look fresh again.

15 If you can buy one item for the summer, what would it be?

Balmain's moccasin ankle boots to wear with shorts and minidresses - they are the ultimate shoe to me.

I always look forward to seeing Kate Lanphear's work in Elle, though not as much as I do to seeing random street style snaps of her on The Sartorialist and Style.com - her futuristic crop of white hair is always perfectly set off by her grungy/edgy style. If you thought there were only so many ways to wear black, just check out her thread at The Fashion Spot.

Last week, when airport boredom led me to the magazine stand, I stopped obnoxiously lingering and flipping and purchased the issue on the spot after seeing this editorial featuring her styling work. The pieces she used are ridiculously cheap, the details listing off brands such as Forever 21, Fruit of the Loom, and Converse for Target, though they are spruced up by thousands and thousands of dollars worth of jewelry. Gotta keep it high fashion somehow, duh. The pieces she used are very familiar (lamé leggings, denim shorts/vest, leather jacket) but taken to another level. I dug out my scanner that I haven't touched for about two years to share these, so sorry if they're crooked, horridly done, etc. - I can seriously never manage to align the pages properly. Now to find those amazing stripey knit shorts...

I do an immense amount of pretend shopping for my non-eBay job, which frequently results in me buying things I never would have otherwise (most recently: Kain tops) and discovering odd little lines, or, actually, big lines that I'm clueless about for whatever reason. I first noticed Iwona Ludyga's jewelry by way of the twig-inspired bracelet, it's organic design and rather delicate wood nymph-ish feel appealing to me so much that I would consider forgoing my usual armful of wrist-gear to focus attention on it. Further exploration turned up a gorgeous chain-linked double ring (please ignore the model's pretty scary talons), a horizontal horn necklace, and a couple well done scapular-inspired pieces (is it weird to anyone else that these are becoming trendy?). I just might try out the bracelet, but what I'm really irrationally lusting after is the Electric Feathers chain vest that Susie posted earlier this week...

So..my boyfriend and I are having fun playing with the new camera. To all who have asked who takes my pictures, he is my lovely and tireless photographer.

When I was trying to jam my goods into this beautiful but microscopic bag, my boyfriend sassily noted that he "thought I hated small bags". Jeez...well hate is a little intense, I just have a hard time with all that contorting and smushing. But I will always make the sacrifice for this one, it's one of the very few cool things my mom has handed down to me. There's nothing worse than listening to her ramble about all the amazing things she used to wear that she cruelly didn't keep.

Top, Forever 21. Belt and bag, vintage. Heels, Marni. Shorts, Levi's.

Seriously...a blazer minus the sleeves. I couldn't not buy it. I ended up taking the scarf off because it's freaking amazingly hot.

Blazer, clutch, and belt, vintage. Skirt, Forever 21. Top, Alternative Apparel. Scarf, H&M. Sunglasses, Ray-ban.

Could I ever leave California?

T, American Apparel. Skirt, vintage. Heels, Marni.

Wore this out to a casual sushi dinner last night - one qualm I have about wearing denim jackets is how completely not warm they are. There is no insulation going on there! Maybe I need to get a flannel lined one from LL Bean or something. Sexy.

Denim jacket, Unionbay. Scarf and tights, H&M. Skirt, Forever 21. Belt and cuff, vintage. Bag, Givenchy. Shirt, Alternative Apparel. Shoes, Dollhouse.

Everything pictured here AND MUCH MORE is currently in the store...all sizes available...summer is almost officially here. Are you ready?

This skirt makes me so happy I want to die. Well it's actually more of a loincloth than a skirt since it's pretty much a triangle with snaps and the rest of it is just fringe, sweet fringe. Hopefully I'm not becoming so bored with readily available merchandise that I must reference the prehistoric. Anyway, I took cover underneath with a black mini because I am not a stripper.

But that is not the focus here. I want to discuss earrings. Somewhere along the way it seems they became irrelevant, or perhaps it's just me? Aside from my peacock feather ordeals, I never even think to put them on anymore. Perhaps we are living in a time of the necklace and bangle. Not wanting to exclude entire categories from my accessorization practices, I wore this piece today, which I picked up at a thrift store years ago in a set of two. It requires no piercing, instead relying upon the shape of the ear to stay put. Belgian model and Jefferson Hack dater Anouck Lepere came out with a line of similar jewelry made of delicate chains that I remember wanting every single piece from, but for some inexplicable reason she discontinued it. A Google search only yielded the below image (of Anouck herself), from The Fashion Spot of course, but it is enough to demonstrate how beautifully ethereal her designs were. If I had known, I would have gladly sacrificed buying a couple poli sci textbooks in college for at least a few pieces..though I know I'm lucky to have found these similar-ish gold ones. Man I hate it when good things stop existing.



Top, American Apparel. Skirt and earring, vintage. Heels, Dollhouse (thanks to Karla for bringing them to my attention!). Bag, Givenchy.

I've had a lot of requests lately for a jewelry post (which I will definitely do soon), so here is a closeup of one of my favorite vintage pieces. Most of the jewelry I wear is vintage, and the remainder is either from Forever 21 or things I pick up when I travel. My mom brought me back some cute silver bracelets from Paris so those have been integrated as well. I love how battered this particular cuff is..normally I hate wearing watches, somehow they feel suffocating to me, most likely because I am crazy. But the watch face here is so small that it doesn't bother me..I know zilch about watches but the brand is "Sheffield" and it's made in Switzerland so it can't be too bad..I keep on meaning to take it to a watch place to see if it can be made functional, but I've never gotten around to doing this in the two years that I've owned it. Man I'm lame. Luckily it's so un-watch-like that no one ever asks me for the time since it's set on a permanent nine o'clock...could be pretty awkward explaining to strangers that I'm wearing a defunct timepiece.

And after all that whining about my Kain order, it shipped approximately a day afterwards. Suspicious. Luckily this thing was worth the wait, I'm rather obsessed. Whatever modal is, it's so soft and thin it barely exists. I'm contemplating ordering one in black too. I also got a few Alternative Apparel burnout tops and have been wearing them in a bunch of auction photos, I highly recommend them to everyone that was asking about my Urbn white T in this post.

Pocket tank, Kain. Skirt, secondhand (bid on the same style in gray here). Shoes, vintage. Bag, Lucky Brand.

So I did get some cool loot out of my American Apparel excursion last month, this fiery top included. Deep v acid washed Ts are so so good. I used to ferociousyl hate red/white/blue combinations in clothing, even approximations of the scheme. But then all of a sudden I started thinking it was rad...especially with some black thrown in there.

And just because I don't have many bland real life photos of me up, this is how I look in parking lots:



Tee, American Apparel. Shorts, Forever 21. Bag, Givenchy. Shoes, Aldo.

Sources: foto decadent, tfs

Tee, Gap. Skirt, made for me by Camille. Scarf, vintage. Bag, Givenchy. Heels, Aldo. Gold cuff, Forever 21.



Top, secondhand Gap. Shorts, Levi's. Heels, Marni. Bag, Givenchy.



Blazer, Banana Republic. Tank, American Apparel. Scarf, vintage. Shorts, Forever 21. Boots and tote, secondhand.

Well I suppose I'm good about taking the photos while I'm traveling, but not so on it with the posting..sorry! Here are a few day's worth of outfits I wore. Talk about June gloom, it was weirdly hazy/cold/humid/suffocatingly hot in the car while I was down there..I was glad to return to balmy 85 degree days! Enough useless weather talk though.

I hit up the Nordstrom half yearly sale last weekend..I didn't really mean to purchase anything and was more in the mood to stroll around aimlessly and quickly grope some material goods before hunting down a smoothie, but when I saw these very discounted Marni wedges it was all over. The patent seemed shinier than any other patent I've seen and was offset perfectly by the dusty neutral tones and sporty elastic black strap in the back. Oh yeah and that insane cliff-like edge in the back is alright too. I also spotted Camille's buckled Marnis and my god those are even better in real life.

And I know it's been ALL outfit posts lately, I'm trying to make some time to Photoshop up some fun inspiration/shopping posts. While I'm getting the store back at full force again, any vintage requests? I saw that a few of you want to see more shoe action, interesting. Do we mean vintage boots, newer heels, or just anything that's sort of cool?

Edited to add: a sweet reader let me know that I have somehow managed to make it onto the devote.se homepage?? I think it's a Swedish blogging platform, feel free to correct me. Once again wishing I understood Swedish, but the article looks fun!

This little spot by the ocean is simply magical, with wildflowers of every color, a long path to amble your way through, and a rocky cliff overlooking the water. We spotted chipmunks, lizards, rabbits, bizarre orange bugs, and happily pollen-sucking bees. And, of course, a weird camo print gizmo that I frolicked on. The perfect idyllic Sunday.

Dress, vintage. Jacket, Forever 21. Boots, secondhand.

Yeah I got my hair done, the same color as I did last time but it does seem to have come out lighter this time. I haven't really shopped at Forever 21 in a couple months since I like the Socal stores more and I never have time to really peruse the way I want to when I'm down here but this skirt remains one of my favorite finds there this year - especially for $20!

Shirt, secondhand. Skirt, Forever 21. Heels, Nine West. Bag, Givenchy.

I have a policy with handbags - if I end up falling in mad lust with one, which is relatively rare, I'll wait it out. If a year later I still want it, I'll figure out a way to get my hands on it. And so it happened with the Nightingale. After seeing it dangling nonchalantly from both the Traina sister's arms last year, I knew that the simple, logo-less design, pliable leather, and S&M-reminiscent zipper strap would work it's way seamlessly into my wardrobe, and since so much later I still couldn't get it out of my mind, I finally bit the bullet and got the luxuriously huge Maxi size. What I love most about it is that it's so damn mushy that if it isn't filled to the brim with my goods, it sort of collapses it's way into not seeming like such a massive bag, but when I was lugging it through the airport yesterday, it fit every last thing I could possibly need to smash in. Caldwell doesn't seem to be quite sold on it yet, declaring it huge and plain, but I'm going to give him some time to come around.



Oh and I can't stand that creepy black mark my camera is now decorating all my photos with either..taking care of this problem soon...

Tee, Gap. Shorts, Levi's. Sunglasses, Rayban. Bag, Givenchy. Shoes, Aldo.

Okay it isn't actually a garbage bag. But I couldn't resist picking this could-be-mistaken-for-one skirt up at an LA thrift store last week. It's almost hopelessly trashy, but I of course wanted to salvage it and give it a chance to shine. I regard it as the horrible cousin of my sweet vintage leather skirts (bid on a more acceptable skirt here) and AA lamé ordeal, but I honestly have no clue what it's composed of...vinyl? Yeah no clue. So, in a very Blog de Betty-style multiple outfit post, here are the incarnations I came up with.

The kit:



Vintage boots, Forever 21 leather jacket, hat, and sweater, Balenciaga bag, Jeffrey Campbell heels.

The experiments:



Right off the bat, I wanted to make it pass for casual wear alongside these battered vintage boots and obnoxious hat. I for some inexplicable reason liked the pairing of the shine and the leather jacket, though I assume most would..not. But then all of a sudden I pictured Lohan wearing similar garb, which kind of ruined it. It also bothered me that the hat looks like it came as part of a matching set with the tank top. Moving on.



My mummy heels are already proving to unexpectedly make sense with a lot of different looks (see here and here), and to imagine I was doubting the army green! This silhouette is hardly progressive but I love it. Would wear.



Tucked in, more fabric..err vinyl real estate is exposed. I would perhaps save this incarnation for when my boyfriend is around. No one bothers me when I am with him.



Have I ever worn a sweater on this blog? I am suddenly thinking not. Especially not one of the turtleneck variety. I actually own a lot. This is one of my favorites, not least because when I hold it up it looks like a gigantic knit plus sign. It takes actual seconds to decide which hole to put my head through.

Next up:



Additionally, I am agonizing over a vest situation...I need to keep this right?