Personal Style: Casual Glamour

I love bumming around in casual jersey. And when I say "bumming around", I mean running errands while wrestling with my kids. Usuallly, I would wear flats, but couldn't find them so I wore these trusty shoes. My (sold out) Shade jersey skirt is a little baggy and a little frumpy. Actually, it doesn't look quite as bad in person as it does in these photos. The fitted American Apparel athletic vintage fit gym tee is one of my favorite fits of all time. Unfortunately, the shirt doesn't hold up to washings very well and gets a little too faded/ pilly for my liking, but I'll survive. Especially since it's my favorite (sold out) Ich Liebe Etsy print.

So, I did this somewhat 40's wave with my bangs and another messy side chignon. Since I made my Ivory Rose earrings  using (increasingly harder to find) vintage cabs from around the same era, and donned my red lipstick, I feel justified. Casey has some wonderful retro hairstyle tutorials, and there are many on youtube as well.

 skirt: shade/ shirt: etsy / shoes: thrifted / earrings: jeweled ambrosia

To learn how to REALLY glam up this look, visit my post here.

*Linked to Clothed Much's Rule Breaking Monday.

Personal Style: Elegant Wench

Another odd shirt tuck rescue. I adore the cut and ruching on this top, though when untucked it looks like a poofy maternity shirt. So, I took my favorite assymentrical, raw edged jersey skirt and high waisted it. I always thought I was too short (at 4'11") for this, but now, I have to say, this is one of my favorite and most comfortable dress styles now. Even though it looks a bit pirate wench like, I love it.

 I kept accessories minimal, just my handmade metal roses earrings, black belt, and my favorite red lipstick.

Concerning my legs. As my sister would say, "I'm not pale, I'm angelic." Really, I used to be obsessed with tanning. But now, even though I love a little glow, I am just fine with my pasty white self. In some countries in a much different era, the milky complexion was considered a mark of royalty, as only the laborers were tan from hard work in the sun.

 I did a sort of a side chignon... a loose bun. I just put my hair in a low side ponytail, pulled at the crown for some height. I took about 4 sections of hair, and wrapped each one up and secured with a bobby pin. Probably used about 5 pins total. Similar to the cinnamon bun tutorial.

 shirt: thrifted/ skirt: thrifted/ belt: ny &company/ shoes: steve madden/ earrings: me (jeweled ambrosia)

*linked to Rule Breaking Monday.

Personal Style: Modern Modest Pin Up

I love pin up style, so to keep it modern, modest and casual, I did it with boyfriend jeans and a skinny belt. And of course, black liquid liner, red lips and a multi leveled updo.

Vintage beaded collars like this are so glamorous. You can find them easily on etsy, ebay and antique malls for a huge price range. Mine was fairly cheap, like under $10. You can find similar styles in fur as well, they often close with a rhinestone brooch. Love 'em.

For the hair, I just made a fairly lose bun. Then, I pulled the top crown area up and out and used one bobby pin to twist a poof into place.

cardi: Target
beaded collar: vintage etsy
belt: vintage calvin klein thrifted
jeans: gap, thrifted
bracelet: wrapped vintage necklace
lipstick: Rimmel moisture renew in Red Alert 900
shoes: forgot
earrings: handmade by me, Jeweled Ambrosia

*linked to clothed much's rule breaking monday (necklace as a bracelet)
* rate this look on smashion
 

Personal Style: Rule of Three

I didn't go anywhere today. But I thought, "Why not get at least a little bit cute?" Normally, I would have worn this shirt with ratty jeans (okay, pajama pants) and flip flops. I thought, there must be something simple I can do to work this and still feel "at home comfortable." I did technically break one rule with the brooch. Aren't brooches for like cardigans, jackets... basically things with a lapel? Well, I've always thought so, but I enjoyed using it on an old tee, and I think you can do it too.

So, I invented the Rule of Three.

*Three minimal accessories to posh up an otherwise unremarkable outfit.*

1. Red lipstick Rimmel moisture renew in Red Alert 900... (will do a post on wearing red lipstick soon)
2. Vintage brooch
3. Awesome shoes.... ones that compliment your outfit but are still comfortable.

I had a belt and rolled jeans to make 5 things I normally wouldn't do while just lazing around the house in a few pics, but the 3 pieces work just fine for me to turn a boring outfit into something a little less boring.

I even jazzed up my mom ponytail, by making it a tad higher than usual, wrapping it loosely for a bit of a mess and pulling the top part out like a crazy woman and twisting in a bobby pin for a bit of 'oomph'.

Sparkles... old vintage brooches can be found anywhere. I got this at an antique mall for very cheap. Tip: Brooches can be heavy.. if pinning on a loose shirt, grab it through a bit of your bra strap to stabilize it better.

 I loved these shoes like a lot. Thrifted, of course. They were too big... so I just tucked the strap since there were no holes for my size. Maybe I'll drill 'em later, but maybe not, the tuck looks kind of cute.

 See, cute but maybe too much going on with the belt and the side tuck. You think?

 hubs told me to walk as I stood there cluelessly...

 He always manages to get a bum shot.

 

My pound puppy, rescued when she was 4 months old... before I even met my husband.

She's almost 9 now, I love my Jackie Chup, though it makes me sad to see her aging,
and even sadder knowing what this lady did to her dog!

This is what he calls a 'perspective shot" So people can see how low I am to the ground since I'm barely 5"

Love him too, such a sweetheart. When we were dating and first married, people used to stop and

ask him if he was a model. Made me feel like a toad... a happy one, but a toad nonetheless.

So ladies, remember the Rule of Three. What small 3 things can you do to jazz yourself up today?

*shirt: target/ jeans: delias thrifted/ brooch: vintage thrifted/ shoes: apt 9 thrifted/ belt: vintage thrifted*
*linked to Clothed Much's Rule Breaking Monday... visit for lots of other rule breakers

*linked to Mom of Two Boys Fashion Fridays

{fashion inspiration: classic neutrals}

. . . with plans to spend the summer in nothing but fluttery summer dresses and billowy pleated skirts the colour of champagne, instantly fell head over heels for the washed silk charmeuse dresses and pretty pencil skirts of this recent collection by edelweiss by sarah, infused with pure 1940's hollywood glamour and a wonderfully modern approach to vintage style, every piece is perfect for a day at the office and a date afterward . . .


{images: edelweiss by sarah fall 2011 via greedy girl}

{two lovely things: red hair & lipstick}

. . . often thought to clash, red hair & lipstick actually looks rather fetching, don't you think? . . . and despite the myriad of beautiful options for taming winter tresses, still clinging to a chic and messy topknot or a classic chignon for simplicity's sake, although now may be a little inspired to weave a tangle of braids . . .

{photography by ellen von unwerth, via a glamorous little side project}

{a new week & a new year}

"i know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream"

~ van gogh

. . . hello again! feels like it has been forever since we last spoke, but after the champagne & sparklers, brie & gruyère, and plans & dreams, and especially after a few days away with less work and more play, it's back to business and so lovely to see you again! hope you had a beautiful holiday and can not wait to see what this new year will bring . . . more a little later, but for now, another cup of coffee and organizing and more organizing . . .


{frida gustavsson by david shields for lanvin}

{colour inspiration: scarlet, crimson & vermilion}

. . . have been known to wear red lipstick nearly everywhere -- on early morning walks with the dog, at the shops and in the rain, and sometimes even to the gym, but very rarely, if ever, decorate with or wear the colour red . . . and yet, somehow, and only next to gold {an all-time favourite}, shades of scarlet, crimson and vermilion, always elegant and wonderfully festive in the form of short and stylish party dresses, are perfectly and utterly irresistable at this time of year . . .




earrings by janis savitt via gilt | yves saint laurent rouge pur couture lipstick | valentino couture bow d'orsay pump | chanel no 5 | dorothy perkins red velvet bow clips | red wine via jaipur, inverness | chanel le vernis in dragon | kelly wearstler brass kaleidoscopes





{chanel no 5 via the inspiration board, red dress via a glamorous little side project; eniko mihalik by camilla akrans for vogue nippon, august 2010 via fashionising; marion cotillard by ellen von unwerth via a dustjacket attic}

{holiday hair how-to: the side chignon}

. . . for late lunch dates and last-minute meetings, it's been mostly chic & messy topknots, and sometimes, even, a classic chignon -- but as the holiday invitations begin to pile up, something a little more sophisticated is in order for those elegant dinner parties filled with sparkling crystal champagne flutes and conversations that last long after the crème brulée has been served -- and of course, the perfect solution is the always lovely side chignon . . .



{one}
using a round brush, blow-dry hair smooth and straight, focusing on the top sections

{two}
once dry, use a large-barrel curling iron to create waves from the ears down

{three}
build height and volume at the crown by teasing hair gently with a fine-tooth comb

{four}
gather hair into a low ponytail; twist it along the nape of your neck, pinning as you go

{five}
once you reach your ear, shape the remaining hair into curls, and pin them back over

{six}
red, red lips and platform peeptoes and you're set!

{p.s.} previous how-to's:
* a classic english hand-tied bouquet
* a driftwood table lamp
* a fun weekend project
* a glamorous guide to champagne

{images: martha stewart weddings via hip hip gin gin; instructions via martha stewart weddings, with the exception of step number 6; numbered image sequence composed by this is glamorous}

{runway inspiration: erin fetherston, new york}

. . . utterly smitten with erin fetherston's resort 2011 collection, a whirl of blush silk crepe and perfectly draped knits, pretty silhouettes and a relaxed elegance made for a sunlit parks and rooftop lunches, afternoon shopping trips and dusky discothèques . . .

{images: style.com via studded hearts, more of this collection at the side project}

{runway inspiration: john galliano, shanghai}

*** more of this collection here ***

. . . always look forward to the dior shows, but with all this talk about diamonds, nearly forgot the resort collection {thanks, felicity!} and, as always, it was one not to be missed -- part imagination, part fantasy, and always a work of art, the resort part of the collection was le savoir faire français, with bardot-inspired hair, red lipstick and floaty fabrics, but by far the favourites were the couture pieces -- pure romance in the form of corseted lace dresses and grand ball gowns showered in embroidery, and dégradé silk organza that made everything feel as if it were a fairytale . . .

. . . and of course, wouldn't dream of leaving without a few . . .








{p.s.} a few things:
* more of this collection: at the side project
* more dior: here & here
* more backstage photos: here

{images: style.com & the love magazine}