Hunchback

I wore this outfit today because I figured it would work equally well for my date tonight; however, by the time I got to work this morning my date had emailed saying he was sick and had to cancel. I hope this guy doesn't turn out to be yet another flake. No matter, this just gives me an excuse to spend the evening with a bottle of wine, my dog, and a movie, which frankly sounds like a lot more fun.

This little mod black tunic is from H&M. I love the big open collar, though it does make this a rather challenging piece to wear. The collar sticks out quite a bit in the back and cannot be worn with any but the stoutest of coats, or else it pushes the coat out and makes me look like a hunchback. Thankfully the long-sleeved t-shirt underneath prevented me from needing any coat at all today. I got the scarf at Promod during my visit to Prague last year, and the jeans are by Joe's.

The sandals, by Camper, are yet another new pair; in fact, they just arrived yesterday from Endless.com, along with 2 other new pairs that will be showcased in the near future. They are wonderfully comfortable and I'm already contemplating future purchases of Camper shoes. If you've been following this blog you will have no doubt concluded by now that I do a lot of shopping. This is true; I regularly spend heaps of money on myself and I don't feel one little bit guilty about it. Being single with no kids (now or ever), and having a great career that allows me to indulge my clotheshorse tendencies and passion for travel, my lifestyle can be accurately summed up in one word: fabulous.

Hoodie

I'm not sure who made this long hoodie, but I love the versatility of it; the cut makes it fine for casual wear, but the sparkly silver stripes give it a little bit of flair. For some reason I like things with hoods, even though I rarely wear them up because they usually look stupid that way. The scarf is from a local import store, jeans by Dittos, and the bracelet is Betsey Johnson. The pink sandals are by Stuart Weitzman, and have a cute little flower detail on top of the straps, which I love.

Art Nouveau

Today's outfit was clearly retro-inspired, though none of the pieces is vintage. The top is from a local designer called Porcelynne, who unfortunately closed her shop a few months ago. The skirt is from Noa Noa, as are the tights, which really aren't tights anymore but rather stockings. Since I bought them abroad I had a bit of trouble with the sizing, and when I got them home I realized they were way too short. In order to salvage them I cut the legs off; they stay up pretty well just folded at the top, but I also use sock garters just in case. I find they're a lot more comfortable than tights, and since tulle is pretty warm, they work well under this and my other tulle skirts.

The shoes are John Fluevog, and the hat is from a fantastic hat shop in Salzburg, Austria. The shop is SO fantastic that during my last trip to Europe I made a detour to Salzburg just to go there. The earrings are from Prague, where you could spend all day, as well as all your savings, buying art nouveau jewelry.

Finally, the scarf is from Banana Republic. I love the texture contrast between it and the top.

Indulgences

Back to work after a long weekend of recreation is always tough, especially when you have to leave behind warm weather, a lovely lake, and a group of good friends. Seven of us spent the weekend at a rented house on Clear Lake, about 2 hours north of San Francisco. When I got up to get ready for work this morning, all I could think of for clothing was, "black."

I'm not sure what brand the tunic is, as the only legible words on the label are those that say, "Made In Korea." The capri tights are from Kersh, and the shoes are by Sugar.




Thankfully by this evening the weather was beautiful in the city and I was feeling ok about being back home. The local flower shop was an explosion of color and I could smell the flowers as I walked by outside, so I decided to buy a bouquet for my apartment. Fresh flowers are one of my little indulgences; or rather, they're my only little indulgence, the rest of them generally being big ones.

Eiffel Tower

I got a lot of compliments on this outfit, I think because it has a European flair. I felt like I ought to have been carrying a riding crop, which come to think of it, might come in really handy at some of my work meetings. The shirt is from Old Navy, vest by BCBG Max Azaria, cords by Marlow, boots by Modern Vintage. Whenever I wear a beret I always reach for these earrings; I think it's because they remind me of little Eiffel Towers.

Swap

I got a new hair color and cut yesterday; I just gave my hairdresser free rein to choose whatever she thought best and let her go to it. I thought my hair ended up looking a bit like Audrey Tautou in Amelie, n'est pas? Really the cut has not changed at all; it's the color that makes the biggest difference.

Since I had a rather important meeting today this started out as a fairly monotone, conservative ensemble; however I started swapping one piece for another, and that one for another, and so on until it finally became a lot more interesting than originally planned. The obi belt and short cardigan necessitate frequent readjusting so that everything stays properly aligned, but on the whole I'd say this outfit won at least a few points for comfort.

Leopard print blouse from La Redoute, orange cardigan from e-klah, obi belt from Sunhee Moon, shoes from Born, and the skirt is from an unknown manufacturer.

Betsey

I haven't worn this Betsey Johnson dress in awhile because by itself it's not work-appropriate. It has a semi see-through lace section at the midriff and spaghetti straps; nevertheless, I hate to see it languish in the closet whilst I wear my other nice clothes day after day. Today I decided to cover the top with a cotton blouse from Noa Noa and a waistcoat from Benetton. The tights are also from Noa Noa (hard to tell here, but they have tiny horizontal stripes) and the shoes are John Fluevog. The necklace is also from Betsey Johnson and matches the bracelet I wore last week.

Earthquake Weather

Today it was back to the office and back to windy, foggy normalcy. I have to admit that I sort of like our moist chilly weather though; for one thing it's easy on the skin, for another thing your makeup doesn't get so smeary by the end of the day, and for yet another thing when it's freakishly hot I get a bit paranoid that we're going to have an earthquake. Popular opinion maintains that the one rare occurrence goes with the other, so much so that there's a term for the kind of temperatures we experienced last week: earthquake weather.

Today's outfit consists of a tank from H&M, short-sleeved jacket from Crystal Candy, navy pencil skirt by Moon Collection, and blue t-straps from Paulo. The adorable handbag is by Angelina, and is one that I found at -- of all places -- a beer festival in Seattle. Hey, you never know where good fashion might crop up!

Charms

It was another day of record-breaking heat in San Francisco. After freezing last week, it felt weird to have to reject certain wardrobe items for fear that they'd be too warm. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. This day has been absolutely glorious, and once again I was attending the conference in Nob Hill, so I got to really enjoy it. Riding the cable car up Powell Street afforded wonderful views, and of course standing on the outside running board was the perfect way to travel in the heat.

This skirt is from Old Navy; I haven't worn it in ages, but it was just right for the weather today. I'm glad I didn't get rid of it due to lack of use. The patterned top is by Crystal Candy, cardigan by Solemio, sandals by Anne Klein. The bracelet is one I've been building by collecting charms in the various places I've traveled to. It contains charms I've picked up in Brussels, Venice, Riga, and Reykjavik, to name a few, but my favorite is the antique beer stein I found at a flea market in Berlin. I enjoy having pieces of jewelry or items of clothing that have a story.

Superstitious

Today I had to give a presentation at the conference I'm attending, but with the sweltering temperatures we're currently experiencing in San Francisco (80 degrees!!), I wanted to look somewhat businesslike without sweating my a** off. This is what I came up with. I discreetly covered the tattoos on my shoulder and arms with the button-down shirt, but sported bare legs and sandals so as not to melt (after years of living in this town, I've become really wimpy when it comes to warm weather). I chose my bright orange skirt with saucy little slits up each side, lest I ruin my reputation by looking too conservative.

Since I was giving a presentation I figured I needed a good luck charm, so I chose this necklace. Several years ago the turkey vulture started to creep into my consciousness as a highly under-appreciated animal, and gradually it became my favorite animal. When I found this necklace in Seattle, of course I had to have it. I rocked the presentation, by the way.

Skirt from Sunhee Moon, button-down shirt from Promod, navy t-shirt by Aziz (being v-neck, it functions well as a lightweight substitute for a vest), shoes by Sofft.

Blessed

Today we had record high temperatures in San Francisco, prompting me to bare not only arms but legs as well. As luck would have it, I'm also attending a conference at the Mark Hopkins Hotel this week, allowing me to spend all day right here in my lovely city rather than slogging through traffic to windy South San Francisco. Walking out of that classic hotel this afternoon into a beautiful day high atop Nob Hill made me feel very, very blessed indeed.

The pink tank is from H&M, top from Susina, skirt by Mac & Jac, shoes by Gabriella Rocha. The bracelet is by Betsy Johnson and is one of my favorite pieces of jewelry. I just love the sparkly-eyed skulls, and it makes pleasant little clinking sounds when I move my wrist.

Lucky Bag

It's rare that I build an outfit around a handbag, but today I did just that. It's been awhile since I used this bag, and I thought it was time to take it out and dust it off. The bag is from Lucky, and though I bought it last year for traveling because of its sturdiness and ability to go with a variety of colors, I realized very quickly that it's actually terrible for traveling because it's so heavy. When you start filling it with camera gear, umbrella, iPod, etc. it quickly gets out of control; however, for normal days at home it does just fine, and I absolutely love the colors.




The top is from the Red Dress Shoppe, pants are Dittos, and shoes are Born. The scarf is from a local import shop. It's hard to tell here, but I also had a gold tank layered underneath the teal top.

Goosebumps

Sheer gold top by Susina and leopard tank from Old Navy (both gifts from Mom), brown cords by Marlowe, shoes by Art Shoes. The hat is one I found at Monsoon in Copenhagen. Like a fool I wore short sleeves today and didn't bring so much as a sweater to wear in my chilly office. Goosebumps do not make for good fashion.

Isadora Duncan

I think I'm starting to feel okay about wearing these short boots with skirts. I didn't think twice about it when I put them on; the last time I wore them with a dress I agonized over it for about 15 minutes before I actually left the house.

The teal t-shirt is from H&M, and unfortunately I'm not sure who made the skirt, tank, or scarf. The boots are by Art Shoes, and the tights are from Falke. The jewelry is from a local import store. This is a great outfit for windy days, since both the skirt and the scarf are made from lightweight fabrics that flutter in the breeze in an elegant way. However, when I wear long scarves I'm occasionally reminded of how Isadora Duncan met her untimely end, which is really not a very pleasant thought.

Distractions

I love everything about these shoes; in fact, I love them so much that during the work day I'll catch myself gazing at them and not paying attention to whatever it is I'm supposed to be doing. The shoes are from BCBG Girls. Since they have the potential to be too flashy for work, I've paired them with neutrals in non-shiny fabrics and kept the accessories to a minimum. The gray sweater and black vest are from H&M, and the skirt is from Banana Republic.
This red coat by Tulle is another of my favorite clothing items. I love it when the coat matches so perfectly with the shoes.

Strapless

I don't think strapless tops look good on anyone, at least not when worn alone, and I'm certainly no exception to that rule. Why I own two of them is really a mystery to me; though both of them look great when layered with other pieces, I'm shocked that I even tried them on in the first place, let alone purchasing them without knowing what I'd layer them with. I must have been feeling particularly adventurous that day.

This particular strapless top is by Weston Wear. The cardigan and scarf are from La Redoute, the linen skirt is from H&M, and the boots are Bata. The knee high linen socks are a handmade pair I bought in Latvia, and the hat is one I knitted myself. The pattern for the hat can be found here.

Mixing Patterns

This is something that took me a long time to get over: mixing different patterns together. Then I started taking courses in interior design and learned that many of the same principles can be applied to putting together outfits. In a room you can pair, say, a simple stripe pattern with a complicated floral. Generally, you'd let the floral dominate in terms of complexity and choose a stripe pattern with some of the same colors, but not all of them. I've used the same approach here; the cropped vest includes brown, orange, green, teal, and a dash of magenta. The abstract pattern of the vest is toned down by the geometrical pattern of the pants, which include only the brown and teal colors. Finally, there's yet another pattern in the orange tank, however the subtlety of the pattern and also the fact that it's a simple uniform repeat prevents it from clashing with the others. The pattern is in fact tiny skulls, which I think is fantastic. It appeals to my inner Harajuku girl.
The cropped vest is by Hale Bob, teal t-shirt from H&M, tank by Chloe K, pants from H&M, and shoes by Born.

Sassy

Wearing these John Fluevogs always makes me feel a bit sassy; it must be the little satin bows. This is the first time I've tried pairing them with these cropped pants, which are from Poleci. The pants have a cute tuxedo stripe down the sides of the legs, and the very fine lines of yellow and pink interspersed with the gray and black make them perfect for combining with bright colors. The aqua tank is Old Navy, t-shirt from Supermaggie, and yellow cardigan from Solemio.

Nice Hat

Today no fewer than 5 random people who I do not know (I work at a very large company) passed by me and blurted out, "Nice hat!" This was not surprising; I'm a hat kinda gal and I'm used to such comments. But why do so few people choose to wear them? For one thing, I am strongly of the opinion that there are very few outfits that can't be improved upon by the addition of a cute hat (scarves are next in line in order of preference; the two together are a particularly fabulous fashion coup). Not only that, but I work in one of the windiest spots in the Bay Area; a hat is the perfect means for not having your hair in shambles by the end of the day.


Today's hat is a lovely creation from Parkhurst, who makes a lot of wonderful retro styles. I do realize that this outfit looks a bit wintery, but I'd like to point out that in South San Francisco, where I work, the summers are often as cold, if not colder, than the winters. If you've ever been to San Francisco and thought it was a lot chillier than California ought to be, try visiting South San Francisco some time (Actually, don't. Just take my word for it. I wouldn't want to be responsible for ruining anyone's vacation.).

The rest of the outfit: Drape-neck tank by Michael Stars (do I need to explain again how wonderful these shirts are?), cardigan by Kersh, olive wool skirt from Noa Noa, shoes by John Fluevog.

When I came home this evening, I swapped everything but the shirt and cardigan for my evening walk with my dog, Georgie. I thought the new ensemble still held up as quite fashionable, at least for dog-walking wear. This hat is one I bought in Hamburg, Germany (I don't know who made it); the jeans are Lucky, the scarf is THRIFTED (for me this is a big deal), the shoes are Rieker, and the armwarmers I found at Sock Dreams.

Note all the layers: San Francisco is COLD when in most other places in the US it is WARM. This is how the locals can tell the tourists from everyone else: they're the ones wearing shorts in July.

Final note: Why does my dog always look so guilty?

Close Call With a Bad Hair Day

I'm never quite sure how to take comments like, "Wow, you're so colorful today!" or, "You look so spring-y!" My self-assured, confident self translates such remarks to, "You look great! I wish I knew how to wear something besides gray and black!" whilst my insecure side translates them to, "It looks like Bozo the Clown just threw up on you." For this outfit, my confident side prevailed.

The sparkly tee is from Michael Stars. O Michael, let me count the ways that I love thy shirts: One; they have a shimmery texture that makes them far dressier than a plain tee. Two; they come in loads of different colors and styles, which change every season. Three; they are super stretchy and comfortable. SO stretchy and comfortable that they come only in "One size fits most," and how brilliant is that? I vamped this one up by adding some flashy jewelry and a flower barrette.

In the interest of full disclosure, the barrette really only came about because I'm sadly in need of a haircut right now, and I was on the verge of having a really bad hair day. One side of my hair wanted to flip outwards, the other in. Rather than struggling with it, I decided to fight fire with fire and accentuate the asymmetry by clipping one side up.

The rest of the outfit: navy tee from H&M, jeans from Level 99, shoes by Gabriella Rocha. I wish I could remember the designer of the jewelry, but I purchased it a couple of years ago in a small boutique in the Haight which has since closed. The flower barrette is from a local vintage shop and the belt from an import store. Kasmira reminded me of the trick for tying these long belts; her full instructions are here.