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Vogue Girl Korea!




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.

Lanphear does cheap chic






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...

Iwona Ludyga

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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...

trainspotting



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.

stowaway

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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.

rendition II

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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.

Stairway to heaven

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Could I ever leave California?

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

dressed down and up

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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.

Auction time!





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

tears for ears

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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.

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

my new/old brogues

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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.

americana

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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:

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

inspiration board

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Sources: foto decadent, tfs

what I wore

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

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

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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!

cliffhanger

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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.

Little black skirt

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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.

nightingale

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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.

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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.

one man's garbage bag...

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:

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

The experiments:

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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?

chloé chloé chloé

They came! I opened the Yoox box savagely, nervously wondering if I had ordered the right size. I slipped one on and panicked..were they a smidge too big? My heart stopped as all my dreams of triple strap glory threatened to disintegrate, so I anxiously took them off and gave them some space to breathe while I rooted around in some random boots for a thick gel insole. This proved to do the trick..and they are even lovelier in real life than I had imagined. I don't have too many pairs of designer shoes (4 or 5? I think all Marc), and I mostly spring for the trickle down versions, but there's something about the thick textured leather and sturdy detailing that makes me want to lick them. Good thing too, cause otherwise I would be pretty annoyed that they're now $100 cheaper than when I bought them. I really should stop looking this stuff up.

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Check out Clem's fun drawing of me..she captured the gladiators pretty well. Thank you Clem!

Dress, vintage. Hat, Forever 21. Heels, Chloe.

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