Chaotic and beautiful. That's the name of the game, lately.
Have The Cake. Eat It, Too.
Paradigm shift. That's what I would describe my current status in life. Without going into too many details, shit be shiftin' — and it's exciting. What does that mean for my wardrobe choices? It means easier outfits, but you know, still fashionable. Like the above.
Yea, maybe the sleeves are a little much, but I managed to snag myself some Céline satin knot sandals, which have been a favorite of mine for years, but I have been super duper unwilling to spend $1,000 on freaking sandals. (P.S., like most dream shoes, they are surprisingly uncomfortable).
BUT then how do I have them? It's simple: patience, sales, and re-sale sites. My favorite places to shop these days are blogger's closets and resale sites like The Real Real. Ever wonder how so many of my clothes happen to be designer but the content of my posts is about saving money and being more frugal? You can have it both ways with these types of sites. Style and savings!
I plan on being way more open about which pieces I got from where. Why? Because I see a lot of bloggers still pretending like their crazy-ass, willy nilly credit card-wielding lives are authentic. And even it if was, is that really a healthy lifestyle to promote? Fast fashion is wasteful, credit cards inhibit your real financial future (you can't live in your clothes, you can live in an actual house that you own) etc.
Finally, I got the absolutely sweetest and most honest email from a pal who reads this blog. She mentioned how much she appreciated the point of view and most importantly the honesty. She called it "refreshing" and it made my day. Nay, my week. Thank you, M, for the lovely words, you are basically one of the reasons I still keep this silly blog thing going even after all these years.
ALSO: THIS IS NOT A SPONSORED POST. I'M JUST BEING HONEST WITCHU, but if you want to let me have a little commission if you so choose to shop the real real, just click the banner ad below. :)
Wearing
• Céline sandals via the Real Real
• My favorite Levi's jeans that are stretching out (boo)
• Dries Van Noten top, which gives me a neck rash for some reason so I'm returning it
• Mansur Gavriel bucket bag (which is beat up as hell, but photographs like a brand new bag)
• Kathleen whitaker earrings
Friday Mood
Painting by Jonas Wood, illustration by this blog, photo via Visual Optimism.
New Found Color Appreciation (Act Accordingly)
There's something very interesting and unexpected going on right now. I'm really into the idea of color. Not quiet colors either, but loud ones, with bright patterns and prints layered over other patterns and prints. I'm sure it's a byproduct of my paintings right now, which aren't really published anywhere per say, but are posted quite frequently on my Instagram.
Why did it take the painting of fictional dream people for me to be inspired to wear it? It makes sense and it doesn't. I spend plenty of time in front of each painting, familiarizing myself with the intricacy of the prints and the complementary colors that would make the painting really something special to me, and in a way I think that color appreciation has made it's way into my brain and onto my body.
As a staunch advocate for black on black for so long, I have to say I see the appeal: everything seems so happy, even when I'm emotionally not. I'm visible now, and I behave differently because I know I can be seen more easily. I stand out. That's something I always wanted to do in quiet and smart ways after observing, but this new found color theory for my wardrobe throws a wrench into all of that and puts me right into the spotlight of attention. And what do I do? I act accordingly. I don't shy away or stay introverted, I find myself experimenting more with my choices and finding a new sense of style that I never new was ever going to be "me."
isabel marant etoile Brenda shirt (36) | Etro shearling | Céline sunglasses
Hang In There, Baby (or, When Your Body Isn't Suited For A Trend)
I've tried the 100% cotton Levi's resurgence thing. It's been the look du jour for about half the jours in a year already and I still am waiting for it to blow over. Why? Because my body just doesn't suit this trend.
This trend by nature requires a slim-hipped woman, with essentially meatless thighs to be able to let the denim just effortlessly hang straight down. On top of that, the waist line has to be flawless in order to achieve the subtle tuck of a tiny baby tee. For a woman with a hefty butt, thighs, and sometimes a little bit of stomach (I'm not a model, I live my life!) this is a non starter.
Here's official documentation of an attempt to squeeze my curvy butt into a pair of jeans that by nature do not have any ounce of give or stretch. It was painful, physically and at times mentally. I spend my time ingesting inspiring images and a lot of those include women wearing the trend of straight leg skin-tight Levi's with chelsea boots, leaving me wondering if and how I can pull it off.
The reality is that this trend is not for me because my body is just not meant for it.
But let's be honest with ourselves for just a minute and just understand that not all trends are suited for our bodies. Why? Because we are all unique little snowflakes with different body shapes and different tastes which makes it so obvious that one trend can't be one size fits all. Furthermore, just because a certain influential people are all wearing the same damn thing in the same way doesn't mean I have to. (And I mean "influential" in that those certain people have a lot of visibility either by social reach or by nature of their public job, not necessarily implying they have any style — burn, I know, sorry #notsorry.)
Ok. So what do I do now that I have to wait for the hysteria around the skinny Levi's look dies down? Well, I'm going to spend less time worrying about molding my body to fit this trend and more time finding what really makes me look great as is. Personal style is just that: personal. So I'm going to use my time experimenting a little bit more and finding my own personal sense of what is cool, regardless if other people are wearing something else entirely.
Isn't that the whole point of this whole thing anyway?
Gimme
Images via La Garçonne and Pinterest