Spring wishlist

Well, I looked at what was lacking in my wardrobe, I've glanced through the spring trend forecasts, and I've settled on the pieces I think I'll need most this Spring. Of course, I'll end up buying loads of things not on this list and probably barely anything that is but it's still fun to pretend. The pictures are not exact representations, merely similar things I could find photos of.

The investment piece:

A pleated taffeta skirt. I'm really into rich jewel tones right now and I keep hearing about how cobalt is the new navy so that would be wonderful. Another good choice would be a ruby wine color. I'm calling this an investment piece not because of price but because I view it as something that will come in handy for seasons to come. I want something with a really beautiful luxe European feel to it.

photo: etsy

The fun/ trend pieces:

A belted jersey dress. I'd prefer a flattering wrap style but with shirt dresses being so trendy right now I might have to go with that. I'd like a fun bright color like a Smurf blue with cute details.

photo:etsy

White tuxedo jacket. Menswear and boyfriend style blazers are big right now. And as I'm looking for a way to incorporate more white into my wardrobe this seems like the perfect way to do it.

photo:etsy

The transitional pieces:

Cropped trousers. In a beautiful versatile grey these could easily be made for cold or warm weather. I'll have fun experimenting with making them more feminine or incorporating more menswear style.

photo:etsy

Short sleeve thin knit sweater. A perfect piece to layer with now or wear alone for chilly spring evenings. I think emerald green would be perfection.

photo forever21

The Classic Pieces:

Double breasted coat with fold over collar. I know a coat isn't very Spring but what with the 20+ inches of snow we had last week, I'd say we have plenty more winter to enjoy. I have a few winterish coats but none in grey my favorite color.

photo forever21

Boys white T-shirt. A wardrobe must! Cheap, basic and oh so versatile. I'll wear this every day with everything.


The Accessories:

Ankle band sandals. I saw these last year but wasn't brave enough to get a pair. I'm not really a fan of foot exposing shoes but I'm trying. In a lovely brown.

ethnic fabric bag. Global accessories are huge for Spring and though I have many purses, I have none that are anything like this.

photo:etsy

charm necklace. Something sweet and dainty. I may actually start to wear jewelry!

photo: forever 21

Style Icon: Emma Pilsbury

Hurray for neurotic lovelorn guidance councilors! Ok, maybe just the ones that dress this sweet and stylish.



I love her unconventional beauty and being able to see a fellow redhead on tv. Plus I find her craziness cute and lovable.

Her look is so simple, a little vintage inspired, a little librarian chic, but it's the little things that make it so special.



I love the way she'll build an outfit using shades of the same color.

I love how she wears such vibrant colors despite her more timid personality.



She's always perfectly accessorized, not too little, not too much. But also just the perfect beaded necklace or broach.



Sweater sets and pencil skirts are classic and lovely.



And then there's the little details like a peter pan collar, contrast stitching, or delicate bow.

So deceptively simple, i think i could never quite manage this but I'll certainly try. It's perfect style in my opinion. individual, recognizable, iconic.

Going Dutch

I really wanted to do a blog all about Amsterdam street/style blogs to compliment the post i did on London. I'm going to visit there in early September as part of my vacation/second honeymoon. But I just really couldn't find much. maybe my search engine got sleepy or depressed. One blog I already had picked out isn't actually from Amsterdam, but I'm completely open to bloggers in the Netherlands. Another blog I found was the only one I kept running into through other blogs in their international section. And then I stumbled into the third one somehow. Three! That's it! I KNOW more are out there, so please, if anyone is receiving this transmission, send me info/links on Amsterdam/Netherlands style/vintage/??? blogs.....


Renee Sturme has a lovely blog that I've been reading for some time. I really love her creative outfit posts and living vicariously through her travels. She's a prolific poster, so check back often.



Dam Style is , of course, a street style blog. I love getting to see how real people in foreign lands dress themselves. The more ordinary and less self consciously fashiony they are the better. I think I like street style blogs so much because they show male style and i think most bloggers are girls, or at least the ones I'm finding.



fadtony is another street style blog. And the only thing bad about those types of blogs is that they can be a bit more impersonal. Sometimes it's nice to feel like you know someone through their blog. But this still has some nice pics of local characters...



So I guess that's it for now. I'm sorry this was such a lame thrown together post. i promise I'll have some more style inspiration next time.

London Calling

I'm going to London in a couple of months so I thought I'd share some cool inspiration blogs. I don't know these bloggers personally and many of them list their location as "United Kingdom, so they're probably not from London at all but they're lovely in their way so please delight in them at your leisure.


The Style Scout is a London street blog. I love seeing snapshots of beautiful, stylish dolls because they inspire me to make unusual pairings with my own wardrobe. This one seems to have an emphasis on vintage and creative attire.


Street style London is another street style blog, obviously. I love the photography in this one for its color and composition. The pictures almost seem to be more about the people than the clothes and I like daydreaming about what the characters are like and their histories.


Style Slicker is the very last street style blog I'll write about...now...in this post. This blog is cool because it features interviews with "fashion insiders". But it's also good for quick inspiration with many textless photos. And the pics of men style are cute and wearable.


I've been a fan of Cheapskate Chic for a long time now. I absolutely love the fashion editorials this blogger finds for her site. Plus we're both thrifters!


Vintage tea shares my passion for fantasy shopping lists and she posts pictures of full ensembles. She also has an etsy shop for her beautiful delicate jewelry.


Diamond Canopy has adorable sugarsweet style and lovely candids alongside dailywear photos.


Discotheque Confusion mines magazine editorials, film, and street style for beauty and inspiration.


Wish Wish Wish has wonderfully photographed dailywear posts as well as tutorials for quick change ideas. I can't sew and I can use these ideas.


Go to Prim Things for adorable fairy waif fantasy dress up fun and D.I.Y. projects.


The Dictionary of an Incredible Illness isn't a style blog. I just like this guy's rants and if he were to post one every day, I'd still read it.

Well really I always wear what I can afford

So there's this thing on fashion blogs right now where everyone is talking about their five always wears and five never wears. And it sounded like fun to come up with my list but then after about thirty seconds I realized that what I will or won't wear has less to do with personal style or trends and more to do with finding things that hide rather than flaunt my many many many body flaws.

So here's a partial primer to dressing me:

1)Skirts: Always wear a-line. I'm am most definitely pear-shaped. My waist is much smaller than my hips/thighs/ugh. I have a hard time with finding skirts that fit because if they are big enough to fit around my hips then the waist is huge and if I buy to fit my waist I end up not being able to get the skirt on and have to resort to pulling it down over my head and apparently too small breasts. And now that I'm thirty I've begun wearing skirts a little longer to the knee. Never wear any other style of skirt. Can't do it. Anything form fitting like a pencil skirt is horrendous and lumpy. Anything too short is trashy and shows off my huge thighs.



2) Dresses: Always wear shift dresses. It's basically the same thing as above. I need a dress that accentuates my waist but it can't have a skirt that flares out too much because I'm already bottom heavy. And I can't wear anything too long because I'm not tall and long dresses look dumpy on me. Never wear any other style of dress. A few current trends I can't enjoy: maxi dresses, sack dresses, drop waist flapper dresses, tunic style dresses, and the list goes on.



3)Pants/jeans: Always wear wide legs. I don't think wide leg trousers look especially good on me but it's better than my other choices which is skinny cut where I can show off every bump of fat and cut off my circulation, no seriously, or the in between mom style pants, which, you know, no. Never wear the above mentioned alternatives.




4)Shirts: Always wear semi shapeless blouses in prints or bright colors. Oh guess why? Firstly, the colors and prints add visual interest to draw the eye away from my bottom half. Plus anything too form fitting, um, well you can see my form and I want to avoid that. However, if I take it to the extreme and wear a loose or babydoll style top I look pregnant or heavier than I am which I guess makes me even with my lower half but I'm trying to look smaller not bigger. In summary, never wear babydoll tops, tight fitting skirts, or loose fitting shirts.





5)Wild card! Always wear a cardigan, coat, jacket, snowsuit. I always feel like I need an extra layer even in summer. It helps me feel less vulnerable/naked, keeps me warm in winter, further hinders the ability of others to determine my shape, and helps me hide how terrible my clothes look together because I had to pin my skirt in the back so it would fit my waist and my blouse ended up being too...blousy. Never wear shorts! Not since I was twelve. It doesn't look good on other people so I would never try it on myself. Most peopole have unattractive legs, and end up looking trashy, slutty, etc. It doesn't seem like a classy grown up look to me. I'm not going to do it and I want you to stop too. If you are hot wear a skirt and if that skirt is short for the love of god wear shorts or tights underneath it.



So I'm boring, I'm limited, but you know what to get me for Christmas.

So who am I going to be this season?

All winter long I kept dressing in an almost exclusive palette of pink and cream and black and grey. sometimes I'd get crazy and through in a little lavendar accessory like nail polish or a ribbon in my hair. I called the look "1920s ballerina on her day off". All ribbons and frills and pastels mixed with maybe a femmed up version of tuxedo wear. Lots of ballet flats. I wore some dresses and skirts but mostly i kept wearing the same pair of grey pants because they fit so well and i outgrew my denim. It was all pretty inappropriate for winter even though it was buried under a cream colored coat. Brrrr.

Well I'm sick of all the ribbons and pearls now. I just moved and have been renovating a house so I haven't been thinking about fashion at all. I have no idea what's in style right now. Well, to be fair, I never really know what's in style. It's usually something that doesn't flatter me anyway. But I have been buying clothes and I'm starting to see a trend developing out of my purchases. First off, I bought a pair of jeans that actually fit. They are the high waisted wide leg trouser style that I used to hate. But they are so comfortable and they make me look thinner. Which is way better than the sausage casing of my old jeans. Something like this:


And I've noticed that I've been making purchases in red, a previously hated color. I'm also finding myself drawn to white and blue. Especially primary colored floral tops with elastic waists and interesting sleeves. Well, you'll see what I mean when I get my camera up and running. Basically, I'm into what I can only describe as non hippie 70s americana. If that can exist. i don't know. It's all come as a shock to me. But surprisingly, so far, it's season appropriate.