Without Hesitation

This great little structured bag came my way via MyHabit, which is Amazon's flash sale site, similar to Gilt. When the bag originally appeared in a sale, I wasn't quick enough to get one before it was gone (my big complaint with MyHabit is that they have very few of each item, so browsing the sales often leads to disappointment when all the best things are sold out within 5 minutes). However, I put my name on the wait list and one became available about a month later, so I snagged it without hesitation. A sure case of non-buyer's remorse averted!

Cardigan: Max Studio
Jeans: Level 99
Top: a gift from my sis
Necklace: a gift from Sal
Boots: Brako
Bag: Elaine Turner

A New Look

I've recently gone a little shorter with my hair, because I discovered that this is really its ideal length. Any longer and it starts to do its own thing by the end of the day, which generally involves falling in my face and driving me crazy. I start to get these insane thoughts, such as wearing a headband. As long as I've lived I don't think I've ever worn a headband, even in the 80's. But annoying hair will do things like that to a person.

I threw this outfit on the other week and thought, "I've worn this exact thing before." I rifled through the closet, unearthed this little-worn vest, and voila! A new look is born.

Dress:
Vest: All Saints
Boots: All Black
Bag: Boktier
Jewelry: Manu Lizarralde, Metal Pointu

Highlight

Many of my current wardrobe favorites are assembled in this outfit, but the highlight for me was getting to top it all off with the same bag I'd been lamenting not buying ever since I visited Paris last December. When I was in Paris again in April I scoured the shops in search of it, but all they had at the time were light-colored suede versions and I was looking for a dressier finish, not to mention I think suede bags are a waste because they don't last. I love the embossed leather because I can dress it up or down, and because it's charcoal gray rather than black, I can more easily pair it with other neutrals. Of course, the winged bejeweled skull detail is what really made me fall for it.

Tunic: Fremont
Vest: Cotelac
Pants: Rag & Bone
Boots:  Brakko
Bag: Zadig & Voltaire
Necklace: Wendy Brandes
Rings: Metal Pointu

Peep Show

It was a very warm day when I wore this, and the SF breezes did their best to create a peep show with this wrap dress, which I wore without a slip because of the heat. Luckily this oversized handbag is just the right shape to carry in such a way that it holds the dress together when I'm walking. It's important to look nonchalant even when your dress is threatening to expose your underwear.

I just love the silhouette that this dress creates. The draped neckline, the nipped in waist, and the cascade of ruffles on the skirt really accentuate my curves and even create them where they don't exist. I feel like this dress should earn a commission for all the work it does.

Dress: All Saints
Shoes: Bettye Muller
Bag: Coccinelle

Surprise

I've been waiting ages to wear this dress. I found it for $9 at the thrift store, brand new with tags, just as we were heading into winter. Since this color is really only suitable for warmer weather, it lurked in my closet packed away with all the rest of the summery stuff that I boxed up to make room for my sweaters and wool skirts. I had pretty much forgotten about it in fact, so it was a nice surprise to open up the box and find a brand new dress waiting for me.

Cardigan: Anthropologie
Necklace: Dana LeBlanc Designs
Dress: Calvin Klein
Shoes: BC Footwear
Bag: Coccinelle

Christmas at Easter

Most of this outfit was a Christmas gift. As I mentioned recently, I spent Easter weekend in Sacramento visiting my parents and sisters who were visiting from Oregon, and the rest of the family who lives in the Sacramento area. As we generally do, we had a very belated exchange of Christmas gifts when we got together. Personally, I like Christmas better in the spring; the weather is better and the flowers are blooming, which seems much more celebratory to me.

The dress, belt, and tights were among my Christmas gifts. It's a good thing having a sister who works in a boutique clothing store; she picks out all the cutest stuff. This dress will make a great summertime piece, but for the rainy day I layered it with a long-sleeved shirt and rain boots.

The bag is a recent score from Crossroads Trading Company. It's almost brand new and even came with its certificate of authenticity; it was also marked down 50% from its already rock-bottom price, so I got what was probably originally a $600 bag for a mere $23.

Bag: Botkier
Dress, belt, tights: gifts from mom and sis
Shirt: Promod
Boots: Aquatalia

Excitement

This outfit is pretty much a repeat of a previous one, but with ponte knit pants replacing the original leggings, the red bag to add a little color, and a few accessories to jazz it up. The first time around I was going for a strict minimalist look, whereas this time I wanted to throw in a few more finishing touches. Since it's a repeat there's not too much else to say about this outfit, which is fine because today I have other things to talk about.

In the comments to Friday's post, many of you correctly guessed that my birthday wish was a new job. I'm surprised that no one pinpointed the specifics though: the outfits I posted were the ones I wore to my interviews. And yes, there were 5 separate rounds of interviews, mainly because people that I needed to interview with were either traveling or out of the office on different days, so the interviews were broken up. Good thing I have a wardrobe large enough to put together 5 interview-appropriate outfits.

Finding the perfect job has been my quest these last several years. I haven't been overly thrilled with my current job from the start, to be quite honest; it's a very large company and is mired in convoluted processes and absurd politics. But for all that, I respect what the company does and its commitment to finding treatments for serious diseases, and so I've stuck it out and made the most of it while I held out for just the right opportunity.

I knew it was really time to leave this job when I started blaming "the company" for irrational things such as the lousy South San Francisco weather. Admittedly, at times it really does feel like our campus was designed specifically for maximum discomfort and walking hazards, from the building layout that funnels in the icy afternoon wind, to the high-heel-destabilizing textured floor of the parking garage, to the multiple loading docks with their procession of large trucks that have to be crossed to reach the front door of the building I work in. Eventually I had become so ready to leave that every little inconvenience just soured me more and more.

I remember vividly getting off the bus one morning and seeing people smiling and greeting each other, and thinking, "These people seem to be happy here; what the hell is wrong with me?" But rationally I knew that it wasn't me, and it wasn't the company; it was like that relationship where although you care for the person and wish them well, you know that you can't continue as a couple because you bring out the worst in each other. It was simply time to move on. Luckily, that perfect opportunity I'd been hoping to find materialized at precisely the right time.

You guys, I could not be more excited about this new job. It's a very small start-up biotech company that's working on an exciting new technology for cancer indications. My job will take me in lots of different directions and although it'll be a lot of work, there's a real chance to make a substantial  difference. Additionally I know several people there, including a very dear and trusted colleague who is also one of my best friends. But here's the kicker: the company is located in the heart of downtown San Francisco. My dream is realized!

So now you know one of the things I've been so preoccupied with these last couple of months. It has been hard to be patient, but finally I was able to give my notice and settle on a start date at the new place. Next Tuesday is my last day, and I'll start at the new job the following week. Not only that, but Mark and I are in the process of buying another house. In fact, we close escrow the same week that I start my new job. How's that for excitement?

Tunic, cropped top: Asos
Pants: Club Monaco
Shoes: BC Footwear
Bag: Foley + Corinna

Writer's Block

For this outfit, I simply swapped out the bottom half of this outfit and tied the scarf in a shorter configuration. I just love how this cropped shirt makes even a casual outfit like this one look interesting. This is the last of my outfits from before I took a week off to spend with family and friends.

I'll be honest with you; since being back from my time off I haven't been terribly inspired by my wardrobe. For one thing I've been sick, which has left me feeling lethargic and decidedly unimaginative in the mornings. I've also been exceedingly stressed out at work, which hasn't helped. I've photographed only half of the work outfits I've worn since my break, because the rest were just too boring. I think I have the sartorial equivalent of writer's block.

Tank: layering tank
Cropped shirt: Asos
Scarf: Express
Jeans: Joe's
Bracelet: Nicole Miller
Bag: Michael Kors
Shoes: Born

Getting Caught Up

I'm still getting caught up after my busy weekend, but I thought I'd better get some of these older outfits posted. For this one I reused the blue/burgundy color combo that caught my eye in the Christian Dior Fall line.

This necklace is tough to wear, because it requires a very wide open neckline, much wider than I typically wear. But I liked the way it looked with the blue color and the crane pattern, so I decided not to care that it overlapped the top in sort of a funky way.


Dress: Max Studio
Top: French Connection
Necklace: Rapsodia (Argentina)
Tights: Wolford
Bag: Foley + Corinna
Bracelet: Leslie Danzis
Shoes: Tsubo

Pinup

I loved how this outfit turned out, with all the soft and light colors blended together and accented with the black belt. What I didn't love, however, was the way I had to hang onto the front flap of the dress every time I walked outside, for fear it was going to blow wide open. Wrap dresses. Why can't they be functional as well as stylish? Next time I'm going to wear pettipants under this dress and just not worry about whether people can see them when I'm outside in a breeze.

The dress is darn flattering though, with its voluminous bust draping, hip-hugging skirt, and strategic diagonal pleats across the front. The muted animal print and 1950's cut make me feel like a pinup girl.

Dress: All Saints
Cardigan: Anthropologie
Necklace: Dana LeBlanc Designs
Belt: Red Dress Shoppe
Shoes: Bettye Muller
Bag: Cocchinelle

Assemble a Rainbow

Indiscriminately mixing coral, navy and red? Why the hell not? I've mixed this particular coral t-shirt with teal, bright yellow, pink, lime green -- you name it. Usually in the same outfit. Since this was a work outfit I kept it to just the three shades, but had this been a weekend look I probably would've gone with a teal scarf, and perhaps I'd even have chosen a yellow bag. There's just something about coral that makes me want to assemble a rainbow of colors and throw them into the same outfit.


Striped shirt: Target
Coral shirt: Michael Stars
Jacket: Banana Republic (via eBay)
Scarf: vintage
Jeans: Acne
Shoes: Faryl Robin
Bag: Michael Kors

Classified

Yep, I wore the same scarf two days in a row. But when I put together this outfit I knew it needed some extra oomph, and the scarf just seemed to give it the perfect, polished-yet-funky touch. And anyway, that day I was on a TOP SECRET MISSION and needed all the polish I could get. Hopefully I'll soon be able to reveal exactly what my mission was that day, but for now it's classified. In this outfit, I felt like someone who'd have top secret clearance. Or maybe just a pistol in my handbag.

Here's a close-up of my new pixie cut, which I absolutely love. It's been awhile since I've had my hair this short, and I forgot how great it is for windy summers by the bay. There is seriously no messing up this style, no matter how strong the gusts get. Between the new haircut, my awesome Helmut Lang blazer (which is possibly the best purchase EVER), and the killer scarf, I felt totally invincible in this.



Blazer, dress: Helmut Lang
Scarf: Alexander McQueen
Bag: Foley + Corinna
Tights: Hue
Shoes: Born
Earrings: Swarovski

Tomato Red

For awhile I considered dyeing this tunic, and I'm really glad I didn't. While it's not the most flattering shade for my skin tone, I don't think it's really as bad as I initially thought, and paired with the bright white and yellow I think the outfit worked really well. The white and yellow softened the impact of the tomato red so that I didn't end up looking washed out.

The jacket is one I recently tracked down on eBay, and I just love how great it looks with my navy blue bag. A cropped, white denim jacket had been on my thrift shopping list for awhile, but after several trips to Goodwill yielded no results, I thought to try online. This one set me back just $15 and is new as far as I can tell.

Jacket: Banana Republic
Scarf: vintage
Tunic: Manuela Roth (Argentina)
Jeans: Joe's
Shoes: BC Footwear
Bag: Michael Kors 

Columnar

 

Here's an outfit that accents my actual figure; by which I mean that it doesn't seek to manufacture curves I don't possess, but rather accentuates the straight, columnar shape I actually have. And I think this is a good thing to develop comfort with, because many of us devote so much time to making our busts look larger, our waists look smaller, and so on, that we overlook the simplicity of working with the shape we already have. Sal is obviously the queen of positive body image writing, so I'll point you to her blog for the more philosophical discussions of embracing your figure; I thought what I'd do here is discuss the mechanics of how this particular outfit plays to my natural shape.

Since I don't have very exaggerated curves, it's easy for me to wear more androgynous shapes; shapes whose lines aren't disrupted by a big bust or round hips. For this outfit, I resisted the urge to add a belt, and instead let the long, vertical lines rule the day. I let the straight-sided cardigan hang open and gathered the scarf into a single line down the middle. I also didn't clutter up the outfit with too many accessories, and let the vibrant red bag be the single point of color.

The sheer black top fits loosely and hangs straight down, and likewise the skirt is a simple column shape. The leggings brought in some visual interest with the horizontal lines, while still keeping the look clean and simple. This was a comfortable outfit to wear, because nothing was pinching or squeezing or slipping anywhere, and I think in large part it had to do with the way the proportions of the garments fit my body's natural proportions.


Over to you. Do you ever try accentuating your natural shape, rather than going for the standard hourglass? What types of clothing play up your real figure, and how do you feel about wearing them?

Top and leggings: Black Market Baby (Etsy)
Skirt: Asos
Scarf ring: from a shop in Buenos Aires
Shoes: Bobbi Blu
Bangles: Amrita Singh
Bag: Foley + Corinna
Cardigan: Anthropologie

Evolution

This dress is so adorable, and yet so hard to wear. It occurred to me the other day that the full, bubble-hem skirt is most likely the reason, so I'm thinking of modifying it to give it a standard hem; I've previously done this with a bubble skirt and was very happy with the results. I think the dress will also be lengthened by an inch or two in the process, which should make it easier to wear with heels; right now it's just a smidge short for my comfort.

There's no denying that our weather lately has sucked; we've had wind, rain, clouds, and cold temperatures (OK, 50's and 60's, but still -- it's June, dammit!). Dressing in a non-wintry way has therefore been somewhat of a challenge. I'm glad this springy yellow cardigan made it into my wardrobe, because it's brightened up more than one layered-up, warm ensemble.

There was really no way around wearing tights with this outfit, it was just that cold and wet. I tried lighter colored tights, but somehow they didn't work, so I resorted to my  dark and somewhat gloomy argyles. And since the dress is short and exposes a lot of leg, the boots were really the only way to temper all that pattern. If the dress were a little longer I feel like I could've worn this outfit with pumps or flats. Hopefully the next stage of this dress's evolution will allow me to wear it in a more summery way.

Dress: All Saints
Cardigan: Anthropologie
Belt: Red Dress Shoppe
Necklace: from a vendor in Prague
Tights: Sock Dreams
Boots: All Black
Bag: Michael Kors
Bangles: Amrita Singh

A Match Made in Heaven

Here's the third of the new bags purchased this year; the first was the taupe-gray L.A.M.B. bag I got in New York, and the second was the Michael Kors bag I showed you a couple days ago. I snapped up this beauty via Gilt after seeing Sal's review of it and admiring how its capacious tote form coverts to a compact cross-body style. This is a great bag for San Francisco, as it is large enough to carry the compulsory sweater or light jacket that is a necessity even on the most seemingly summery of days. The bag itself is also light enough that filling it up doesn't push it into the realm of unmanageable -- unless you fill it with bricks, I suppose. It could actually hold quite a few, should the need arise.

I didn't even realize until I started writing this post that Sal also inspired the purchase of this scarf. While we were in New York in February we stopped at Saks for Sal to pick out her McQueen skull scarf, and while we were looking at all the options I tried on a red and black one. I've thought about it ever since, so I finally tracked one down on eBay, and boy am I glad I did. My $20 knock-off version doesn't hold a candle to the real thing; the difference in the quality and feel of the fabric is immediately apparent, and the skull pattern is perfectly crisp and clear on this one, whereas it's smeary and irregular on the knockoff.

And finally, here are the opaque-but-skintight ponte knit pants paired with the nearly-butt-baring dress; as I suspected, a match made in heaven!

Dress: Asos
Harness: Audra Jean
Pants: Club Monaco
Bag: Foley + Corinna
Jacket: Skin Graft
Scarf: Alexander McQueen
Shoes: BCBGirls

Peggy Bundy

Recently I decided I wanted a pair of thick, ponte knit leggings to wear as pants; this revelation was brought about after I wore regular leggings under a thin and exceedingly short white dress and spent the day feeling somewhat exposed. I tracked these down at Westfield Mall, and they're perfect: they have a zipper and button fly, and real pockets. They are completely, 100% opaque. By any definition they're pants. And yet. That's right, I felt somewhat exposed.

Don't get me wrong, I love the way this outfit looked, and I'd certainly wear it again. But the form-fitting stretchy pants combined with sky-high heels made me feel a bit Peggy Bundy for my current comfort level. That's ok; comfort levels can be adjusted. But until I get used to these, I think I'll stick to wearing them with upper layers that are a little longer. In fact, the short white dress will be just the thing.

Speaking of Peggy Bundy, I have a good story about her. A couple of years ago Mark and I were in a shop on Haight Street looking at steampunk/Burning Man-style clothes; I was trying on a gorgeous but pricey vest and another shopper paused to tell me how great it looked on me. The shopper was none other than Katey Sagal, who of course played Peggy Bundy. Obviously, I bought the vest!

Cardigan, top: Anthropologie
Pants: Club Monaco
Shoes: Pour la Victoire
Bag: Michael Kors

In other news, I walked into the Michael Kors store while I was in the mall and fell head over heels for this gorgeous navy blue bag. Along with yet another bag that'll make its appearance in a couple days, that's 3 new ones this year. Normally I'm much more of a shoe gal than a bag gal, because few bags really move me the way shoes do; in fact, I've sometimes gone 2-3 years without buying a new bag. So when I see one that really rocks my world, I snap it up. 

Going to the Dentist

I thought I'd include my handbag in these photos to demonstrate how well it goes with black and even the bluer shades of gray. Honestly I think I could use this bag exclusively and it would pair beautifully with at least 90% of my outfits.

I decided to wear these shoes for another day, but this time I painted my toenails, which I thought looked a lot better. This was my "going to the dentist" outfit.

Dress: Aryeh
Cardigan: Express
Belt: Forever 21 (came with a dress)
Bag: L.A.M.B.
Jeans: Joe's
Sandals: Kors Michael Kors

Thrifting Philosophy

This is the second time in as many weeks that I've featured my handbag, which is something I rarely show in my outfit photos. But the rich brown of the bag added so much to the outfit that I felt I needed to include it. This is also the second time I've featured this thrifted sweater in the last 2 weeks. Truth be told, I'm practically living in this sweater in my behind-the-blog life; it's the perfect thing to throw on when I'm at home and it's a little bit chilly, or if I need to dash outside to take Georgie out.

Because it was thrifted, the sweater is already down to less than a dollar per wear, and even more satisfying is the fact that upon closer examination I realized that it's an Anthropologie brand (Sparrow), which means it probably retailed for well over a hundred bucks when new. With the other major pieces of clothing being from All Saints, this outfit really sums up the crux of my thrifting philosophy, which is to bring down my average cost-per-item by owning a mix of thrifted, mid range, and high end items. Going thrift shopping and scoring a quality sweater for under $5 means that when the next week I want to drop $200 on a pair of shoes, I don't feel one bit guilty because while one piece may be expensive, the overall cost of my wardrobe remains reasonable.

I lack both the skills and the patience to thrift for my entire wardrobe, and to be perfectly honest I don't really need to from a financial standpoint. But I do have a reasonably good eye, and enjoy both the treasure-hunting aspect of thrifting as well as the notion of recycling clothing and giving it new life. One of the important things I've learned more recently is to apply the same scrutiny to thrift store clothes that I would to new ones. So whereas I used to go thrift shopping and come home with a load of clothes that I liked, these days I come home with one or two carefully-selected items that I love.

One thing I want to try out this year is dyeing thrifted shoes. A friend told me of the joys of restoring a pair of leather shoes by dyeing them, and I thought it'd be a great way to end up with shoes in a hard-to-find color, or even two-tone (If you try this yourself, keep in mind that overdyeing white leather shoes does NOT work; the leather can't have a painted finish or else the dye won't penetrate.). I also want to do more overdyeing of clothing, having been inspired by Sal's recent post. I tried this once last year, and it turned out so well that I'm keeping that option in the back of my mind when I go thrifting now.

What is your thrift shopping philosophy? Have you tried dyeing or otherwise modifying thrifted clothes, and how has it turned out?

Cardigan sweater: thrifted
Argyle sweater, skirt: All Saints
Belt: Lazaro
Boots: Doc Martens
Handbag: Lucky Brand