(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)