I missed my 10-year high school reunion this weekend.  No, that doesn’t have anything to do with the rest of this post, but it felt like a great opening.  Roll with it.

Bakers clog wedge thingies
mutilated Hanes shirt
AA jeans
Rossmore necklace

I guess it was only a matter of time before I found a clog incarnate that was worthy enough to add to my incredible shrinking shoe collection (as bass-ackwards as that sounds, it’s the truth).  I blame this one and this blog…and by extension, this one for showing me that blog.  Curse all of you for convincing me that these are best styled with the many pairs of jeans and slouchy things I own.

*shakes fist*

No, they aren’t Celine (sheeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit), but they’re good enough.  Actually, they’re GREAT.  These joints are more comfortable and interesting looking than any flats I own and given my usual lax style of dressing, that bodes extremely well for their future.

Of note: I’m pretty sure these came off of the same assembly line as the Jeffrey Campbell versions which cost nearly twice as much.  The only differences I could spot were stitch size and color/leather combinations.  If you’re in the market, I suggest you get to comparison shopping.  After that (and if you can), go to a physical store to get them.  They run small and the novelty just might wear off before you hand over your money.

Seriously.

After an obsessive hunt, I’ve finally found something from Forever 21 that I can get jiggy with.  And I don’t use the term obsessive euphemistically - after I saw The Glamourai’s photos from her F21 collabo, I was logging on to the website twice a day to see whether or not the shirt had been added.

Damn shame.

Actually, given the two-week turnaround time for a lot of their clothing, it wasn’t too much of a shame…ok, it was a shame…but it’s fine now because I got the shirt.  SUCCESS!!

Twelve by Twelve/F21 shirt
Rossmore necklace & ring
more paperbagginess via H&M shorts
Bruno Valenti shoes

I think I want to get a second one, but that’s probably because magazines have told me that when you really like something, it’s good to buy it in multiples.

Now that I just typed that, I don’t think I need more than one shirt covered in printed safety pins…yeah, probably don’t need more than one shirt covered in printed safety pins…

Silence & Noise dress (via Hoodweezy)
DIY necklace
Zara pants (via swap)
Steve Madden Melrow shoes

This face is reading as both “smug” and “full of Jack in the Box. ”  I really need to start eating better.

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I’d like to take a moment to talk about how I love bottoms that have a paper bag waist.  They make everything look a little more proportionate ’round about my southern region…no easy feat, I assure you.

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And for no particular reason, here is a video of a cat smacking a kitten.  It makes me laugh:

“GET THAT BOOLSHYT OUTTA HERE!”

You can laugh.  Really.  The kitten is fine.  I’ve seen that whore of a cat in my backyard do much worse to her own son.  She ran off her daughter a long time ago.  Such a shame.  Calliope was really cute.   

Oh, and she’s pregnant again…

*face palm*

Chichia London dress
J. Crew belt via Crossroads
Steve Madden Nataliaa shoes

Sometimes…you just know it’s love…

Back when I originally posted about Chichia London, I made a promise to myself to practice what I preach and support this indie.  After a couple of email exchanges with designer Christine Mhando, consulting with dudeguy, and lamenting the GBP-USD exchange rate, I decided on this dress.  I’ve been smitten ever since it showed up on my doorstep. 

Quack…

I have a sneaking suspicion that this is only the beginning of my Chichia collection…the blazer from Christine’s latest capsule collection, Insomnia Luxe, is CALLING me:

COME HITHER.  Immediately, if not, sooner.  Photo via Not Just a Label

Annnnnnnnnnd since I don’t really know how I’m going to cap this post off (because some man on the phone just used “that colored fella” to describe Eddie Murphy in Coming to America and I don’t know whether to laugh or cry), I’m going to end it awkwardly here.

Oh, and HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII to everyone who found me via Coco and Creme!  =D

UPDATE: Thanks to Kemi, we have Chichia’s stockists’ links!

http://www.thelookboutique.com/designer/chichialondon

http://www.notjustalabel.com/chichialondon

http://www.agnesandlola.com/chichia.html

Thanks, Kemi!!  =D

H&M shirt
Rossmore necklace
vintage deadstock harem pants
Nine West shoes

I really, REALLY needed a haircut. 

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After organizing my closet for the 19th time, I realized that I needed shirts.  I also realized that I did, in fact, own sandals prior to this year.  I bought these black cutout joints during the spending binge of 2008 (more specifically, the shoe binge of September).  As I recall, this was when I learned that Amazon sold shoes for great prices (and they still do – always check there if you’re looking at shoes online). 

The pants don’t really come with a story and were last seen here.

So yeah, I realized that I needed shirts.  Since I can no longer rely on Hoodwill to fulfill my needs, I’m forced to explore other options…that are full of bright lights, too many stores, and even more people…ugh. 

I got this shirt at H&M after trudging through Skynet’s Culver City headquarters Forever 21 in the Fox Hills Mall (which I’m pretty sure is no longer called the Fox Hills Mall…damn developers) trying to find that shirt I mentioned.  After my fruitless bouts with their website, I thought I might have better luck in a physical store.  Apparently, the news of 4 level department store-esque openings completely missed me because I thought I would be able to run in, find what I was looking for, and run out. 

Yeah, no. 

That didn’t happen.  In fact, it took me an hour and a half to canvas the store.  And you know what?  I didn’t find what I was looking for.  Even worse?  I didn’t find anything else I liked.  ANYTHING.  I went in looking for one specific shirt and any others that would be comfortable for summer wear.  By the time I’d made it to the dressing room, I’d found one shirt and three skirts.  I don’t wear skirts enough to even justify having this many in my hand, but I wanted to believe that I hadn’t completely wasted my time.  So much for that.

You want to know what my main problem with F21 is?  The reason why I can hardly ever find something I like?  They overwork every.damn.thing.  I passed up countless items that could have been cute if it weren’t for the fringe / plastic studs / rhinestones / grommets / odd trims / rosettes / sequins / pleating / frayed edges / whiskering / appliqués all over them.  I’m convinced that there is no version of Tim Gunn in that company telling the designers to EDIT.  I would have bought that breton striped 3/4 sleeved henley, but the distressed front and ruching really weren’t up my alley.  Thanks for getting my hopes up.  Jerks.   

Another problem I have is that the stuff on the website is full of lies.  Sure, it photographs REALLY well, but when you touch it, it’s awful.  For instance, I came across a skirt I saw on the site and said, “Oh!  This was on the site!  So cute!”  When I went to pick it up and examine the tag, I was scratched half to death by some rigid mesh that’s probably used to coop miniature chickens - pretty sure I don’t want that anywhere near my skin.  And stabby mesh isn’t the only offender.  Most often, the fabric itself is either too thin, too flimsy, too itchy, too stiff, or too blech.  Fabric that you know would either discolor or fall apart if you started to sweat just a little bit or washed it in warm water.  Granted, they’re doing a little better with Twelve by Twelve than the main line, but I’m not going for it.  They use better fabrics…like silk…which shouldn’t have taken this long given all the “Made in China” tags I saw…but one silk shirt for every 214 poly/rayon ones is not doing it for me.  At all. 

So, an hour and a half later, I’m in the dressing room with one shirt and three skirts.  The shirt I kinda liked.  It was sitting in my cart online, so I was excited to be able to try it on in the store.  I almost bought it, but the ruching at the bottom killed its prospects.  Next came the skirts.  One was too short, one made me look like a cupcake (its volume came by way of two layers of the aforementioned stabby mesh), and the fabric on the third one sucked.  I was 0 for 4 after an hour and a half.  Not a good feeling, my friends.  Not.  Good.

I’d almost left the mall before I realized that I shouldn’t be handing over my money to Skynet and that this experience was necessary to remind me why.  Thanking the Flying Spaghetti Monster for showing me the error of my ways, I headed next door to the lesser-evil H&M where I knew I’d be able to get an inexpensive, simple shirt in a cut I would like made from cotton.  And I did.  $5 well spent. 

This picture visually represents the happiness I felt when I found this shirt. 

Even better, they also had a breton striped 3/4 sleeved henley…and it was nice and simple, just how I like them.  I bought that, too.

I was flooding when this picture was taken so there isn’t a full length shot.   Some pants were made for wearing with flats…and I should probably stop buying things marked “petite.”

All of the clothes came from Hoodweezy:  Diane Von Furstenberg top, the blazer I always wear, Ralph Lauren pants.  Self-designed necklace.  Unseen are Steve Madden Melrow shoes…which did not come from Hoodweezy

I won’t lie.  I was kind of geeked when I realized that the whole outfit, sans shoes and necklace, came from the Goodwill (or Hoodwill, or Hoodweezy depending on where the store is located).  Although I’m normally a supporter of “getting your consumption on” at your local charity shop, I’m getting a but jaded with the whole experience.  It’s too damn crowded and whomever they put in charge of pricing has lost it; I got this DVF top for $2 in the same location where H&M shirts were being marked up to $10.  Seriously.  That isn’t a joke.  I went back this weekend in hopes of finding a couple of shirts that are appropriate for summer and found nothing.  NOTHING.  There were used Ikea shelves priced higher than they cost brand new and plenty of $30 dresses, though.   o_O

Lately, this is becoming more of the rule than the exception and I’m not quite sure how to handle it.  Going to Hoodwill used to be about the hunt; about finding great things among the racks at prices you’d want to brag about.  Now, it’s become more like shopping at a terribly merch’ed consignment store that doesn’t pay back the original owners.  Whack. 

I could go to Buffalo Exchange…but I don’t really like Buffalo Exchange… 

Where do I go nooooooooooooooooooow?   

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In other news, all I’ve been wanting to do is make necklaces.  The one here is still being tweaked, but I was way too excited about wearing it after working past midnight to put it all together.  I’ll post better pictures when it’s finished.

Not a smog cloud in the sky…photo from yesterday.

Summer has finally decided to show up in SoCal.    I’m always ambivalent at this time of year because summer is no longer synonymous with 3 months of lazing around in next to nothing, running through sprinklers and Slip ‘N’ Slides, playing video games all day, and punch bowls full of Kool-Aid.  No, I am not reveling in the memory of my youth.  I was doing all of that in college…and for a little while after…hell, I still would be if I didn’t have to come to work.

duchamped blazer
self-designed necklace
F21 tank
the jeans I always wear
Prada sandals via the ebay

I’m glad I’m getting more comfortable with this whole open toe thing, because it’s too hot for any other type of shoe.  I sniped these a couple of weeks ago on ebay hoping that the physical presence of more than one pair of sandals in my house would force me to wear them even though I generally hate wearing them (this is one of my less far-fetched justifications, believe it or not).  

As luck would have it, this particular pair is very comfortable and as easy to throw on as those black oxfords that I’m wearing into the ground.  I’m crossing my fingers that the Maddens from earlier this week share those qualities.  If so, I will have officially crossed over to the darkside.  Yay for progress and pumice stones.  

Sooooooooo, is everyone else experiencing 85 degree weather at 9pm?  Do we love or hate it?

Brixton hat
brooch from Birdie
swapped Levi’s
Report Signature shoes

I am cracking up SO HARD right now…

Hey, HEY!  No one said I had to have a 100% intellectual sense of humor…I’m actually quite crude…besides, you guys know how much I love drag queens.

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Highly overdressed for a Friday night of pupusas and drinking at Jaragua.  I wasn’t anticipating this place becoming “the spot,” but given that I spent the last two Fridays and yesterday afternoon there, I may have to get comfortable with the idea.

duchamped shirt
self-designed necklace
AA tank
kaurfunktion ring
swapped Ralph Lauren jeans
Max Studio wedges

Pulling some unused items into rotation while waiting with bated breath for the summer to kick in.

thrifted Gap vest
swapped Laundry dress
Acne wedges
Rossmore necklace
Rossmore & Leviticus rings

See!  No drink!

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A while back, I tried (unsuccessfully) to set up a clothes bartering operation for some of my friends and people who visit the blog.  While the larger attempt failed, my blogger buddy Quean and I decided that we would go forward with the idea since we both had a lot of unwanted stuff that we didn’t want to hand over to Goodwill.  An arrangement was made: I send a box, she sends a box, we keep what’s wanted, and give away or sell what isn’t. 

So far, it’s worked out great (for me anyway -  LOL).  Among other things, I got a few dresses that I probably would never have bought on my own and (surprisingly) I really like them.  The one above is a prime example.  Who would have thought that I, lover of jeans and all things black and drapey, would don a navy blue trapeze dress with puffed sleeves, pleating and abstract seagulls flying all over it? 

The answer is no one.  No one would have thought that.  Frankly, I’m still shocked. 

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In a world of recessions, self-imposed shopping bans, and Forever 21 becoming the Skynet of fashion (you heard it here first… *shifty eyed look*), I think the swap and barter method is the way to go.  Find someone your size and get into it.  =D