(blog it forward) what inspires me?

Whether you have visited before or this is your first time, welcome to my musings on fashion and how to stick to a monthly fashion budget. I was SO excited to hear about the blog it forward mashup and had to join in on the fun. Each blogger is supposed to post about what inspires them, their creativity, their appreciation for beauty.

Yesterday, Design Fixation gave us an exciting roundup of very colorful images and on Monday we will be treated to the inspiration behind the awesome Diary of a Smart Chick.

What inspires me?

That is a difficult question to answer.

My Lord and My God, the King of Creation, from Whom all Beauty flows. We ultimately glorify Him in the way we dress our bodies that He so lovingly fashioned.

Silence is the best school at which to learn about ourselves, our hearts, and find God speaking to us in a quiet place.True beauty flows from peace within, and being comfortable in silence is a prerequisite to learning peace. (Photo from the globetrotting Henzlerworks)

Love. My family and friends love me and enable me to be able to pass that love onto others who need it. (Photo from my collection.)

Laughter. God is evident in every real joy, every smile, every laugh. And smiles are really so beautiful. (Photo from The Journey For Truth.)

Nature. One can only find peace and love in the midst of nature. (Photo of Yorkshire Dales from my collection.)

Travel. I love adventures, anywhere, with anyone. (Photo from my collection)

I love the dreamlike quality of polaroids. (This one from Arielle Fenton)

I love fabulous shoes. (These from Alexander McQueen)

I love the simplicity of Asian artwork. (Via Holly Goes)

I love the chic style of old Hollywood greats like Audrey Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, and Rita Hayworth. (Sorry – don’t know where I got the Audrey Hepburn photo!)

And, of course, all the lovely bloggers behind sfgirlbybay, Sweet Sassafras, lobster and swan, Black*Eiffel, Cup of Jo, Missed Connections and many more inspire me daily with their wonderful aesthetic!

Christopher Kane 2010

While Cathy Horyn criticized Christopher Kane’s Fall 2010 line as “matronly” and “sickly sweet”, I actually find it quite pretty. For example, this one here intrigues me with all the lace and embroidery.

Girls' Night

Last night, after spending a grand total of six hours sitting in front of my laptop tapping away at a presentation I am due to give this afternoon, I desperately needed a break. Good thing I had planned to go out on the town with some of my best girlfriends (and inspiring fashionistas)! So I threw on some out-and-about earrings, put on some perfume, tied on a scarf, and glided out the door.

First stop: Urban Outfitters

I’d never been inside an UO store before. They had a lot of pretty dresses there that I imagine would be adorable over leggings or tights, but the quality of the materials did not appear to match the very high price tags. Note to self: I would rather go shopping at Anthropologie with those prices, than shop at Urban Outfitters.

Next stop: Anthropologie

My favorite sale racks are at Anthropologie. This time, I did not try anything on, but I did have a decent amount of time to do some trendspotting. It appears (as all the magazines would also tell us) that African/tribal motifs are coming into vogue. Anyway, I was in the market for some new perfume (which isn’t included in the fashion budget) and at long last picked out a small bottle called “Song in D Minor”. It is *delicious*.

Final stop: Dinner at La Madaleine

A girls’ night out requires conversation around the dinner table.

I am doing a massive secondhand shopping trip on Saturday with my roomate, so stay tuned!

Vintage 1950s Gingham Dress

This adorable dress is now all mine from allencompanyinc…I’m so excited!

Cost: $72 + $7 shipping = $79.00

New totals on the side —–>

Now I need some edgy shoes to ground my outfit and I’m set!

Guy Friday: Belt Buckles!

Who is the tv king of belt-buckle fashion? Agent Seeley Booth of Bones, naturally!

His psychiatrist (played by Stephen Fry) says that Booth’s penchant for awesome belt buckles is a manifestation of his rebellious nature, but I really don’t care. Let’s face it: it is hard to “change up” the regular suit-and-tie. This, however, is what makes male fashion a fun challenge. For the gents, it is all about the POP. The ensemble can be uniform, but with one little surprise that says the wearer is amazing.

A word of warning before you try this out, though. Wear these snazzy belt buckles with a subdued suit, not with a t shirt and jeans.

So without further ado, some very nice belt buckles from around the internet…

(This last is definitely my personal favorite!)

Guy Fashion

My bro Kenny has great guy-fashion sense.

He was really rocking the pink tie and stripes-in-different-directions (i.e. the suit and tie). Nice.

One of these days – hopefully soon – he is going to write a post about vests and how versatile they are. I am looking forward to it!

Oh my...

ABSOLUTELY. DELICIOUS. (From the March 2010 Issue of Harper’s Bazaar, via Sally Jane Vintage)

Collars

This post by Rachel at Lovely Clusters makes me want to focus on my shirt collars more…so pretty and feminine!

From darlingdexter on flickr

This one was actually my favorite of those in the cluster, and I LOVE the necklace. I tracked it down in Whitney Deal’s shop on Etsy, but the shop is closed while she moves. I hope she re-opens again soon! I want to buy some of her lovely looking pieces!

Wow...

I went to this little factory in Suzhou—a small town of about two million people! The factory was like being in a dream, it was so unbelievably different. No heat. No bathrooms. But I saw incredible technique there—a totally different way of doing things. They had the same Japanese machines that we used, single needle and over-lock basically, and that’s really all we needed. But the precision in their shapes was totally new to me. It wasn’t really about a seam allowance. It was about the final shape. In America, you cut out your shape for a pocket; you had a quarter-inch seam allowance, you’d bend it over, press and sew it on. In China, you cut the final shape of your pocket on hard cardboard. Sometimes they actually took rice paste and water and painted it on to get the fabric stiff. Then they would hold the fabric over the edge of the cardboard and press it over these shapers. So if you wanted to make a collar it was all kind of pre-pressed for a precise shape. It was exactly right before it was sewn on and it gave a certain look to the clothes. It was very presentable but it was also a harsh look

….I still struggle in my dealings with Chinese factories to give more three-dimension to a garment and stop treating it like it’s a pancake. We don’t want an edge to be like a knife blade.

This from On the Runway. From now on I will certainly take a closer look at where my clothes are made, even secondhand pieces!

Fashion Show - DVF

I was paging through photos of the Fall 2010 line from Diane von Furstenberg. I actually like the look -very dark with a dash of color or glitter here and there-and would have to say that photo #23 is my absolute favorite of this collection.

Apparently new talent Wes Gordon is a fellow to keep an eye on in upcoming months. We shall see what he has to bring to the table!

Building a Wardrobe Week 3: Making a Shopping List

Now you have (1) discovered the colors that show you off to your best advantage and (2) gone through your clothes to find the gaps in the wardrobe that fits your lifestyle. This week it is time to take those gaps and make a concrete shopping list to work from over the coming months.

Be honest with yourself when you create this list. Maybe you need a lot of things to build a decent wardrobe; maybe you need very few. Maybe you are tired of items you have from last year and want to freshen up your wardrobe by giving away old pieces and buying new ones. It is okay if your list seems too long or too short. You have a budget and you will stick to it, so you don’t need to feel badly about your list.

Make a list of EVERYTHING you need based on the gaps in your wardrobe and your lifestyle. EVERYTHING means clothes, shoes, jewelry, accessories, and even underwear. Don’t be too specific yet about style or color — you should do a little preliminary browsing first to decide what you like. I generally use Microsoft Excel for my wardrobe lists because I can add columns if I like to keep track of where I buy things, how much I paid, etc.

Now, divide your list into two: one of things you are willing to buy cheaply/secondhand/deeply discounted and one of the few things you are really picky about and on which you are willing to spend some extra $$$. This is the hard part. Only list a few things — maybe four or at most five.

For my part, I am in the market for two things that I am willing to spend extra money on: a new bathing suit and a new pair of amazing sandals. Everything else I am perfectly happy buying off the Goodwill or Value Village rack.

Happy listing!!!!!!

New Jewelry

Remember I said I was going to make a planned jewelry purchase today? Well I did it….!

Music paperbird earrings from munieca. Cost: $8.50 (including shipping).

A gorgeous little peacock necklace from oh hello friend that I have been eyeing for WEEKS. Cost: $27.75.

The budget totals are updated on the side! ———>

(Psst….Laurrose is having a 20% off sale as she nears her 500th sale!!!! Check it out!)

My next planned purchase...

Pssst….want to know a secret? I’m stalking several 1950s vintage dresses in the hopes of snagging one this month!

Budget tip: PLAN YOUR PURCHASES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH. What do you need? What are you looking for? Anticipate the next season, your next vacation, or (in my case) the next family wedding to which you are invited.

Building a Wardrobe Week 2: Seeing the Gaps in Your Closet

Now that you’ve set yourself a budget and figured out your colors, it is time to start looking for the “holes” in your wardrobe. What basics are you missing?

For the past weekend, I have been performing an analysis of my summer wardrobe (I know, I know, there are 2-1/2 feet of snow outside) so I can get a start on warm-weather shopping before prices skyrocket. Thus I will set out some general questions and tips for working on your wardrobe, by using mine as a particular example. Obviously my preferences will be different from others’ likes/dislikes.

What do you like to wear? Do you feel more comfortable in pants, dresses, or skirts on a daily basis?

I love to wear dresses and (sometimes) skirts.

What do you dress for on a daily basis? Do you work outside? Do you work in a dusty library? Do you work in an office environment? Do you teach? Do you have a dress code?

In the mornings, I work in an office environment, and then I work in a lab with nasty chemicals and black lab benches every afternoon. Thus, my wardrobe needs to both be ready for foreign dignitaries, and conform to basic lab safety requirements (closed-toed shoes, skirts/dresses at least knee-length).

What is your daily environment like? Is it normally cold in your workspace? Hot? Dirty?

Both my lab and my office are freezing cold on a daily basis, so I need sweaters and scarves whether it be winter or summer.

A brief perusal of my current wardrobe from summer 2009 shows me that I have three dresses, four skirts, two pairs of cargo pants, and a pair of jeans. My collection of shirts to go with these (I find summer shirts wear out so much faster!) is scanty. I own three summer scarves, three sweaters in basic colors (cream, black, and brown) and two pairs of flat shoes (black and brown).

For a decent wardrobe, you should have enough outfits to wear for ten days without repeating.

While the pants are awesome for casual weekends, obviously I have some work to do when it comes to dresses and skirts. At this point I have seven outfits, and need three more. I will definitely need some more summer shirts and accessories (scarves!) to change things up. Time to do some eBay shopping and get to Goodwill when the snow melts!

What about you? If you prefer pants, how many pairs do you own? Some basic short-sleeved shirts in several colors and well-chosen accessories (statement necklaces, scarves) will take you a long way and save you $$$ on a bunch of fancy blouses that only match one outfit.

Now, make a list of what you need for summer!

thought-provoking

…for a snowy Friday…

I am reminded at times of a young nun from the Sisters of Life that I met a couple years ago. When I asked her the hardest thing to give up to become a nun, she answered emphatically “fashion”. Being based in one of the fashion centers of the U.S., she said it took awhile to get used to walking by shop windows amongst fashionable strangers, knowing that she was “far from fashionable”. I beg to differ: I would say that these fine ladies are the some of the most fashion-forward out there.

Vanessa Bruno

This morning I was paging through the outfits from Vanessa Bruno’s Spring-Summer 2010 collection. I can’t download a photo, but my favorite item is shoe #59 – platform sandals. I think the most intriguing part of it is the leather/cotton jersey contrast, which you could easily replicate with your leather sandals this spring (I hope I get a chance to try!). Just be sure your ankles aren’t too thick before you try this style: ankle straps already draw attention, and cotton jersey is only going to draw more.

Statement jewelry

I am in the market for some new jewelry/statement pieces – February 15 is marked on my calendar as a deadline. I find giving myself dates to buy things helps keep me within my budget, because it saves me from impulse buys as (a) I fill my Etsy cart and then have to wait 1-2 weeks to buy anything, (b) I can think through my wardrobe and decide if that piece/accessory will go with more than two outfits, and (c) sometimes things sell in that time and I know then that I wasn’t meant to have it.

I love this glass pendant “walkways through europe” from photoglassworks (based in Durham, NC) and would work well with any late winter outfit.

These gold floral ovals from sweetmini (based in sunny California) would compliment any spring outfit.

I am obsessed with lengthy earrings, TEXTURE and lace/crochet and these octopussy earrings from This Ilk (based in Montreal) combine all three.

Inspiration: Vintage Photos

I have many, many blogs on my Google Reader under the heading of “Fashion Inspiration”, and the list grows week-by-week. When I post about these blogs here, I am trying to cover various styles and aesthetics. Hopefully you will find something from which you can draw inspiration and ideas.

For today: Shorpy Historic Photo Archives. Not every photo posted here has people in it (and I love old photos even without people!) but the ones that do are absolutely golden.

How do you draw inspiration from such photos without going completely vintage? Pull elements from outfits. For example, men could imitate the three-piece suit or – even better! - the shirt collars that I adore. Ladies could easily adopt the fur above (faux fur, if you like) or the adorable little hat she wears so confidently. Just a few things to keep an eye out for when you go secondhand shopping: don’t simply pass over that “old fashioned” $3 blouse or pair of shoes will an eye-roll. Pick it up and imagine the possibilities.

Back in January, the Sartorialist discussed the charm of historic/old photographs too. (I know, I know, I am always talking about Scott’s blog…but it is amazing!!!!)

Inspiration: Xiaoxi Zhang

This adorable gal, Xiaoxi Zhang, is a great inspiration for anyone trying to craft vintage-inspired outfits. Her sketches and fabulous outifts never cease to amaze me. Visit her at It Is Nancy’s New Blog.

Building a Wardrobe Week 1: Discovering Your Colors

Welcome to Part 1 of a series of posts on how to build a versatile, fashionable wardrobe on a budget, because you really need the basics before you can start playing with anything quirky or trendy, or even set your own personal style.

What colors you wear are extremely important. You want to wear colors that are going to compliment your skin tone, your hair, and your eyes, not clash with them or (worse) overwhelm your lovely natural coloring.

The first thing you need to do is figure out what “season” you are, i.e. what colors suit you best. There are a couple ways to do this. You could use some of your monthly clothing budget to pay a consultant from Color Me Beautiful to do it for you (my mom took me to see a consultant for my sixteenth birthday) or you could do it yourself. Many websites have tutorials, step-by-step instructions, or even quizzes to help you figure it out.

Once you know your season, I strongly recommend you buy the corresponding swatch from Color Me Beautiful. For example, I am an Autumn, so I own this swatch. The color swatches are indispensable when you are starting to shop; after a time your eye will get used to picking out the colors you can wear and will no longer need to carry the swatch with you.

I was approached last week by a male friend who said he liked the new blog but wondered “what about the guys”? Colors are key to male wardrobe as well — you don’t want to wear a suit or tie that clashes with your natural skin tone and coloring (God’s gift to you!) either. Here is website with a flowchart to help figure out your season and recommendations for suit, shirt, tie, shoe, and even briefcase colors that will compliment you.

"Etsy Finds"

For a great daily digest of color and quirkiness to help you define (and re-define) your personal style, sign up for the Etsy Finds newsletter here. Although the digests feature finds in housewares, bath & beauty, furniture, and just about anything else you can think of in addition to clothes, accessories, shoes, vintage, and jewelry, it is a great resource for new and interesting wardobe pieces. Just make sure you browse and resist the temptation to buy – stick to the budget!

Budget stats

I’ve reset my budget stats to start afresh for the month of February. What do you do with the unspent $$$ for the month? Go on a shopping spree? NO! Bank the money and save for your next investment piece (e.g. that pair of amazing $150 boots at the secondhand store or that awesome suit jacket that probably won’t be there next time you go).

Also, I have decided to branch out a bit and save $10 of the monthly budget for books about fashion. We’ll see how that goes.

Gentlemen, take note.

Scott is once again right on the ball…girls like a man (and a wardrobe ON a man) that can age gracefully. Please don’t be too trendy.

Anyway, read Scott’s lovely post, the nicest thing I’ve seen today.

High Fashion Temporary Tattoos?

Believe it or not, yes.

The models showcasing Chanel’s Spring 2010 collection wore chain-link temporary tattoos around their wrists and legs. I am quite taken by this look though I know for certain I would NEVER be able to pull it off myself.

If you also like the look and could wear it well, you could go the cheap “I want the same look for less” route or you could wait until mid-February and invest in the Chanel packet of 55 temporary tattoos selling for $75. It could be your new spring accessory!