Sneaky

I'm completely in love with this skirt, especially with the weather being as shitty as it's been lately. The swirl and movement of the skirt gives it a breezy look, especially when combined with this gauzy, cape-like cardigan, but its length sneakily hid a couple of extra warmth-providing layers. First there was a pair of cotton leggings which served to keep my legs warm, and over those was a full length slip to keep the leggings from sticking to the skirt, and also to add extra insulation. It doesn't really come through in these photos, but the outfit really did have a lightweight and summery feel even though it kept me toasty.

I'm also clearly smitten with the scarf, and love the way it adds an edgy touch to even a soft, floaty outfit like this one.

Thankfully this was the last day before I got my hair cut; my hairdresser had been away on vacation and I simply couldn't bring myself to go to anyone else for a touch-up. In the meantime my gray-streaked roots had grown out to a shameful degree, and my hair had gotten to an unruly length that required a great deal of wrangling in the morning. For some reason I don't mind putting a lot of time into my makeup, but I hate spending a lot of time on my hair. The new 'do will make its debut next week!

Top: Ann Taylor
Skirt: Anthropologie
Scarf: Alexander McQueen
Cardigan: Twelfth Street Cynthia Vincent
Shoes: Fly London

Convergence

I just loved the way the soft cream, yellow and black of these platform sandals matched so perfectly with the pattern of this skirt. It was another one of those serendipitous wardrobe convergences; I didn't buy the shoes to go specifically with the skirt, but it happily worked out that way.

Blogger had some issues last week and seems to have eaten a bunch of comments, so I apologize if yours was deleted.


Top: F21
Skirt: unknown
Jewelry: Betsy Johnson
Shoes: Pour la Victoire

Swarming

I've done a bit of gardening recently; this pot of flowers is one of the last projects. Between this and our new hummingbird feeder, our patio is now swarming with hummingbirds, all trying to defend their favorite new feeding spot. I can't wait to see what happens when Georgie gets too close to these flowers. I suspect she'll go skittering inside when she realizes that hummingbirds, despite their diminutive size, will not be intimidated by larger animals.

The color of this top was described as "mink," but to me it looks like more of a soft purple. I love the movement of the ruffles when the breeze picks up.

This skirt (and the other ones I have in different colors) is truly an all-season one; during the cooler months it's an excellent layer beneath another skirt or a dress, and now that it's warming up again I'm looking forward to wearing it more on its own. The dusty purple color also transitions well from one season to another.

Top: Asos
Tank: Forever 21
Skirt: Noa Noa
Shoes: Bettye Muller

Sunnies

Kimberly inspired me to put together this outfit after her post about red blazers a couple of weeks ago. I figured since the outfit looked so summery, I'd also show you the sunglasses I picked up for a mere 10 bucks at Century 21 while Sal and I were in New York. I love high quality, stylish sunnies, but I tend to be hard on them, so finding a great deal is important for me. For $10 I won't be heartbroken if these get scratched or I accidentally sit on them.

Blazer, dress: thrifted
Cropped pants: La Redoute
Shoes: Michael Kors
Sunnies: Cole Haan

Harem Pants

Here's the second wearing of my new harem pants; this time I wore them with pumps so that the shape of the pants is more visible.If you look closely you can see that the pant legs are quite snug where they end, about mid-calf; they can also be worn with the cuffs pushed further down towards the ankle, giving the upper part of the leg less of a baggy shape. So far I'm really liking these, and I can see them working equally well in a sock-less warm weather outfit.

Jacket: Max Studio
Top: Ann Taylor
Pants: Vera Wang
Shoes: Tsubo

Fidel

I got the idea for this outfit when I was shooting some photos for the shop; it was inspired by the way the harness was styled on the male model in our Auxiliary Magazine feature. The model's outfit in the photo shoot had a military vibe to it that made the harness look very rugged and utilitarian. I thought I could approximate the look by wearing this lightweight jacket as a shirt, and then just for fun I added the tie to fill in the neckline.

The harness is another one that I shamelessly stole from Mark's stash; I saw it there in the finished pile and figured I'd better claim it for my own before someone ordered one in that size. This is the Jane Doe style, and is actually the first black harness I've added to my growing collection.

One of my coworkers told me I looked French in this outfit, which disappointed me a little; I thought I was channeling more of a Fidel Castro look.

Hat: ADS Hats
Harness: Audra Jean
Jacket: thrifted
Skirt: thrifted, shortened
Boots: All Black

I'm pretty sure I've never seen Fidel Castro sporting either 
polka dots or a miniskirt, and that's sort of a shame. 
You only live once, Fidel!

Softly Sculpted

This is one of my only pairs of shoes that is truly comfortable to wear without socks or tights. The ones I showed yesterday are adorable but make the balls of my feet burn by the end of the day. The Bobbi Blu's I showed the day before rub the sides of my toes and scrape the backs of my ankles. But these softly sculpted little flats make me feel like I'm padding along in slippers, even when it's scorching hot outside and my feet are sticky from sweating. They don't get a ton of wear at work, but they're certainly one of my go-to weekend pairs.

This top is strapless, which means it pretty much always gets worn with something else over it. For our sizzling weather I kept it light and cool with the thin jersey vest. The top is a great way to bridge brown and black together, since it contains a little of both. The light brown vest kept the look summery and soft, while the black skirt and belt punched up the contrast and helped define my figure.

Top: Mica
Vest: F21
Belt: Red Dress Shoppe
Skirt: thrifted
Shoes: Cydwoq

Raising the Vamp

I liked this outfit a lot; I thought the subtle polka dots added a lot of interest to the all-dark color scheme, and everything was soft, stretchy, and completely comfortable. I've also worked on these boots a little more since putting the Foot Petals in; awhile back I finally got a good quality boot stretcher because I have several pairs that are tight across the top of my foot, especially on my slightly larger right foot.

Stretching boots follows pretty much the same process as stretching shoes, only you need a different kind of stretcher for increasing the width versus the kind I got for raising the vamp. The stretchers themselves are also a good deal more expensive, so I just bought one and resolved to be patient while I stretched each pair one boot at a time. But after years of owning these boots and wearing them relatively little, I've finally managed to fix all their comfort issues and am excited to get more use out of them.

Dress: from local boutique Ruby

Tank top, vest: F21

Obi belt: Audra Jean

Skirt: thrifted
Boots: from Scoop in Copenhagen

Customer Service

This morning on my way to work I stopped to fill up my tank, and I noticed for the umpteenth time that approximately half the pumps at the gas station were out of order. And I started to think about how the quality of service in general continues to decline in many industries, and how pissed off I am about it, and what I intend to do about it.

The gas station scenario is a common one for me; either the pumps are down or the receipt printer is out of paper or the credit card reader is malfunctioning or there's no fluid to clean your windshield with. Remember when the attendants used to come out and clean your windshield for you? Now they can't even be bothered to fill up the fucking bucket a couple of times a day. And yet the prices still continue to creep up, including the extra fees they tack on for using a credit card, which many people don't even realize they're paying.

Gas stations are merely one example, but I think they're a reasonable indicator of the decline in customer service at large. And the fact is, we do not have to put up with this. There are many entities out there competing for our money, and starting today I'm going to be a lot more vigilant about where and how I spend mine. These are some of the things that are important to me:

• I expect a business to be neat and tidy, well stocked, and fully functioning when I arrive. Any place of business that does not consistently meet this standard will never get my business again. I can overlook a rare occurrence, but if every other time I show up I can't get what I need or the place is a disorganized mess, it's over. If it means going out of my way or paying slightly more somewhere else, I'm prepared to do so. 

• Poor customer service will not be tolerated, ever. I don't care how good the food is at a restaurant, how cute the clothes are, or how low the airfare is, if I'm treated poorly I will never patronise that business again. I expect salespeople and servers to be courteous, to do their utmost to make me happy if there's a problem, and to thank me for my business. I expect returns to be made under reasonable circumstances and not to be unfairly charged for things that are not my fault.

• I expect people to be knowledgeable about the things they sell or the services they offer. If I hop into a cab, I expect the driver to know how to get to my destination without me having to explain it in detail, or they're not getting a tip. If I'm shopping for wine, I expect the merchant to be able to give me some recommendations based on my tastes, or else I'll shop somewhere else. 

• If I feel I've been treated unfairly I resolve to write to the company or contact a manager and at the very least communicate my dissatisfaction. I have let far too many things slide in the past and have not taken companies to task when I really should have. Hardly anyone ever takes the time to really follow up on a complaint, but it can make a huge difference if the right person hears your message. Someday I should tell you the story of the shameful way my financial institution treated me when I had my wallet stolen in Rome; I still kick myself for not writing that letter as soon as I got back. The bitch blamed ME for getting pickpocketed, if you can believe it.

• Wherever possible I want to try to deal with smaller, independent businesses where the customer still has influence. With our Etsy shop, Mark and I work really hard to make sure each and every person is taken care of, and I want to do business with other like-minded people. And sure, just because a business is large doesn't mean they don't care about the customer, but I think among smaller businesses you're more likely to find a level of commitment to customer satisfaction that can be difficult to maintain as a business grows. From here on out the smaller boutiques, the sellers on Etsy, and of course the businesses that have treated me well in the past will be my first stop when I'm shopping for something.

What are your thoughts about the quality of customer service in general? Have you ever written to a company with a complaint, and what was the outcome? What have you put up with that you wish you hadn't? In what other ways can we take a stand and demand more for our money?

Today's outfit:
Dress: thrifted
Skirt: unknown
Belt: Urban Outfitters
Shoes: Camper

Overzealous

I wasn't super thrilled with how this outfit came out; I felt like the cardigan didn't really take the belting very well, and the whole thing looked a bit lumpier than I envisioned when I put it together. I should've placed the belt higher up on my ribcage, or else just left it out entirely. Sometimes I get a little overzealous with the belts, I admit.

I do like the mixture of neutral shades here though, so at some point I may try this idea again in a different configuration. The cardigan is another recent All Saints item, and it's another lightweight, soft layering piece that's perfect for the SF climate. I've actually worn it several times as part of a weekend outfit, and it helps give a casual look an extra bit of zing.

Cardigan: All Saints
Belt: Red Dress Shoppe
Tunic: from a local boutique
Skirt: thrifted
Shoes: John Fluevog

Stumped!

It finally got warm enough to wear this little minidress without something over it... well, at least it did in San Francisco. By the time I arrived at work in South San Francisco however, I discovered this was really the wrong outfit for the windy, foggy day. What I wouldn't give to work in the same city I live in; it would make getting dressed so much simpler.

Today I'm calling on you to help me answer a fashion question, because frankly I'm a bit stumped. The question comes from a reader who quit her corporate job and donated all her summer office clothes to charity, only to later find herself back in an office environment, 2 months pregnant, with summer rapidly approaching. She now needs advice on building a new summer wardrobe for someone who:

- works in a fairly relaxed office environment
- has a budget of about $500 - $800
- needs a little extra room to grow

This question stumps me for several reasons, the foremost being that I've never been pregnant and therefore haven't a clue when it comes to what one might wear over a growing baby bump. But also, the mild climate in San Francisco means that my summer wardrobe doesn't need to vary that drastically from my winter one (as evidenced by the failure of this overly-summery outfit). What I've come up with so far is:

- Check out E.'s pregnancy posts on Academichic; that lady had amazing style throughout her entire term, and she employed a lot of great basics that shouldn't break anyone's budget.

- Look for stretchy jersey items that are not specifically maternity clothes; that way they can be worn during the pregnancy but also afterwards as well.

- Definitely try shopping in thrift stores, since most maternity clothes should be very lightly worn. That said, most clothes I've seen that are specifically designed for maternity wear are profoundly ugly, so even at thrift stores I think I'd branch out and shop in all the sections.

- Um, that's it. Like I said, I'm stumped. Stumped, I tell you!

OK readers, it's your turn. I feel certain you'll be able to put this lovely lady on the right path to affordable, summery clothes that will grow with her and be office-friendly. She also mentioned that she's about my size, so she wouldn't require any specialized sizing other than accommodating the baby. Let's hear it!

Today's outfit:
Dress: thrifted
Scarf: shop in San Luis Obispo
Pants: La Redoute
Shoes: gift from Jess

Rocks

Today's backdrop replaces out-of-place items for unpacked ones. I like how the box next to me is labeled, 'pond rocks.' That box is Mark's; it contains the smooth little river rocks that go in the bottom of the fountain that you see partially assembled just behind me. But I also packed 2 large boxes full of rocks, which are used to landscape Charlie's habitat. I felt bad packing them. Thankfully the movers didn't speak much English, or else they really would've hated me. Although I'm sure when they lifted the boxes, they wondered to themselves in Chinese, "What the hell did she put in here, rocks?"

This was a lazy outfit. In fact, I've felt really lazy, outfit-wise, since we moved in because we still don't have a full length mirror. I've therefore been staying away from anything too experimental or challenging, and sticking with safer combinations. I decided to pair this polka dot dress with jeans, because I initially tried it on that way at the thrift store and therefore already knew it looked good.

Dress: thrifted
Sweater: Cynthia Rowley (via Gilt)
Belt: Red Dress Shoppe
Jeans: Joe's
Hat: ADS Hats
Boots: Jeffrey Campbell

First

Well, here it is -- the first official outfit photo in my new home! This was from last Thursday, and to be honest I was still feeling very disoriented and not fully back into the swing of planning outfits, taking pictures, and working with the computer (I'm still feeling that way to some degree). So I guess it's hardly surprising that I put together the very same skirt/boots combo that I had just worn the last time I'd been in the office.

This outfit actually came about because that afternoon was Game 4 of the Sharks-Redwings series, and since I was going straight from work to meet up with Laura I needed a comfy teal and black ensemble. As it turned out, that was a sad game to watch, with the Sharks getting soundly beaten, but thankfully they came back in the next game to win the series and advance to the next round. I'm just enthralled with watching all the sports commentators, who completely wrote off the Sharks before the playoffs started, eat several large helpings of crow now. Suckers.

Right, the new place. Yes, here it is, or at least part of the front room. It isn't really arranged in its final configuration yet; here you can see a few stray books, a jumble of barware, and the remote control to the tiny Mini Cooper that I love to chase Georgie around with. These things have all since been put away, but at least you can also get a sense of the Victorian detailing (a window seat AND a built-in bookcase!), the tall ceilings, the ample light, and the lovely hardwood floors. As soon as we've tackled the last of the boxes, I'll take some better shots of the rest of the place.

Top: Red Dress Shoppe
Waistcoat: Last Kiss
Skirt: thifted
Boots: All Black

Total Comfort

With this outfit I went for total comfort. It was the last workday in the old place, and I didn't want to come home with aching feet or a squeezed midsection or anything else that might slow me down for the weekend. We finished all our packing that Friday night and Saturday, had the movers move everything on Sunday (and actually we moved a lot of stuff ourselves too), and I took Monday through Wednesday off to start getting settled in.

Everything I wore that day was loose and flowy. I even resisted my natural urge to belt the cardigan and just let the long ends hang down, which I thought gave the outfit a nice modern shape. My low-heeled boots are comfortable enough to walk all day in, and I liked how the small metal studs mimicked the polka dots on the skirt.

For a splash of color I added this big chunky necklace from Dana LeBlanc Designs. This is really an impact necklace and I don't tend to wear it very often; it usually requires an outfit that is simpler than most of the stuff I put together. But with the clean black and white and the simplicity of the unstructured layers, I thought it worked really well.

Coming up tomorrow, my first attempt at an outfit shot in the new house! I'm still figuring out where my preferred location will be, but it's a start.

Cardigan: a gift from Mom
Top: Max Studio
Skirt: thrifted
Necklace: Dana LeBlanc on Etsy
Boots: All Black

A Little Crazy

Something about this dress just causes me to go a little crazy with the dots. I was all done putting it together with the skirt, belt, tights and shoes, and then I spotted (pun intended) the scarf hanging in my closet and thought, 'Why not?" I like that the dot patterns of the dress, scarf, and skirt are all different sizes, and the dress even has a smaller polka dot print around the sleeves and neckline just for good measure. For another version of crazy dot (and stripe) mixing, see this post.

Because I was mixing black and orange in this outfit and didn't want to let it get all Halloween-ish, I pulled the gray shade out of the skirt by adding the gray belt and tights. This softened the contrast of the outfit and de-emphasized the black.

To tie this long, wispy scarf, I used technique #1 from my Scarf Tying Tutorial. Though light and airy, the scarf isn't slippery, so it stays in place with that technique.

Scarf: a boutique in San Luis Obispo ages ago
Dress: vintage, thrifted
Belt: Urban Outfitters
Skirt: unknown; the label is gone
Tights: MP
Shoes: John Fluevog

Minnie Mouse

Sometimes you've just got to take an idea and run with it. An outfit of entirely black and white polka dots and stripes was on my mind, having thrifted both these polka dot items in Oregon and then having gotten this gorgeous black and white wrap cardigan as a gift from my mom. So I mixed 'em all up, threw on my white ice skate-style boots and my red coat, and felt very Minnie Mouse. Minnie Mouse at the Ice Capades, perhaps.

The top part of this outfit is a minidress, probably from the 80's or early 90's. The fit is absolutely perfect and really flattering, so I'm looking forward to wearing it without an additional top layer once it gets warmer (it's short enough that it will always need a bottom layer!). The skirt was floor length, but some quick cutting and sewing turned it into a much more flattering length for me.

Dress, skirt: thrifted
Cardigan: a gift from mom (thanks, mom!)
Belt: Red Dress Shoppe
Boots: Dr. Marten's
Coat: Tulle