the style of other.

all pics from style.com



Most models are 15-18 year old Eastern Europeans, blonde, blue eyed, pale white girls, 5'10, 97 pounds, don't speak English. I think about that a lot (people wait until the second time they meet me at least before asking what ethnicity I am).  I've BEEN thinking a lot about it lately. I remember the moment I realized I was in a biracial marriage. I remember realizing I'm not white, 2nd grade, girl beneath me on the slide called me a monkey, I kicked her in the face. 

I don't talk about this a lot. (before Sept 11, most people asked me "are you brazilian?". after, people ask me "are you lebanese? middle eastern?")

It might be easier if people could pigeon hole me. If I lent myself to a racial slur already prepared. When I was a teenager, my boyfriends all told me I was pretty in an "exotic" sort of way. What does that mean? You think I'm going to make you pad thai/dim sum/lumpia/soul food cause you can't tell WHAT I am while I belly dance/carry a basket on my head of your laundry?

I am no hate crime victim (white people are the global minority). I am simply not the poster girl for the fashion industry. I have been made aware of my outsider status. BUT. The fashion industry, in my opinion, is (slowly) improving. Today, I just want to include a few models (above) that are shifting the focus from scary skinny pale adolescents to...well..everyone else in the world. 

Also: this is my new favorite poet, who has the greatest cheekbones ever. And really depicts what I'm trying to convey here:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q11Nnba3iQ

distant

Sorry for the absence here, had a lot of family stuff going on. Will be back in full swing very soon. In the meantime, here is my new favorite thing: Shorts with heels.

Fashion Toast, Sea of shoes.

Chicks at Conference.

This weekend I attended a women's leadership conference down south, land of I HATE YOU HUMIDITY . This is code for: basically, I hung out with my friends all weekend. Some of them are UBER stylish and cute so I took some pictures...you'll notice that I'm the only one who looks like she reads fashion blogs because I am. That's the greatest part: all my friends have their own style, very individual, always unexpected and fresh, whereas a regular fashiony person can get a little toooooo trendy for her own good. Anyway, enjoy the eye candy:

the evolution of the trend

This is just an observatory post, ladies and gents. It's a notation of what trends I have noticed are falling to the wayside, and which are beginning to join us. This isn't to say I don't like, own, or wear some of the former category, so please don't email me all huffy. It's called EVOLUTION. So:

On the Way Out

on the way out by maryjanemanolos featuring J Crew Shoes

This is just a sample, of course, there are tons of outdated stuff on bodies passing by us everyday. And some of this isn't totally outdated, it's just outdatING. So we have the cropped cardigan: I'm sorry, are your boobs the only part of you that's cold? I purchased one of these against my better judgement recently and as soon as I wore it, realized that I was the only person still doing so. Me and a few college freshmen. Then there's the city shorts and the pointed flats. Very 2003. Ok next is the pencil skirt. THIS IS A TIMELESS PIECE OF CLOTHING. Do NOT throw away your pencil skirts. My point here is that two years ago it was the cool new 40's thing and everyone and their mother was in a pencil skirt, squeezin' this and tuckin' that into this shape. In 2009, it has returned to its appropriate wardrobe place, that of a classic piece which flatters almost everyone but shouldn't be worn every bloody day like you're on an episode of Mad Men. And the pointy toe heel. The roach killer. This very severe, very intimidating shoe is dead. Off the runways, out of designers minds (wait five years, I'm sure they'll be back). Replaced with a much softer, rounded retro look. And then there's the leggins/tunic combo. I've never liked this never ever and I'm glad it's getting dated. It makes your legs look short and fat and your torso look like a sack of potatoes. But it's done. Move on. And Vera Bradley. Don't see it in stores anymore. Saw about 30 in the thrift stores this weekend. Dead.

On the Way In

on the way in by maryjanemanolos featuring CHANEL Bags

So what's going to replace these old, last year-ish items? NEW CLOTHES!!! ROAARRR!!! SHOPPING! Ahem. Starting with the shoes, the new silhouette is the gladiator shoe. Last year we had these weird sandals that wrapped up your legs, but they've evolved into these super fierce heels and flats that kinda remind me of hippies. Also, the razor sharp pointy toe heel has lost some of its severity, as seen by the YSL tribute heel on the bottom right. Ditch the points. The pencil skirt gave ground to the new volume-based skirt (not for the pear shaped). Harem pants are here and I hate them. But there they are. I hate them. Anyway. Skinny jeans are now RIPPED skinny jeans..at least it makes for easy DIY. I am a little confused by the fringe necklaces I've been seeing everywhere...a necklace so big it might as well be a bra. But, there again, I'm not here to judge. Except I hate harem pants. Then there's the doctor bag shape, and embellished headbands available in any color with anything glued to it at F21 for 5 bucks. And last but not least: the BOYFRIEND BLAZER. Wear it with anything! Wear it to bed! Just get one! Try thrift stores.

Thrifting.

wearing: great thrifted vintage blazer, h&m pendant, f21 tshirt, target jeans, really old shoes from ny

OK. I'm not a thrift store person. I'm not into the smell. I'm not into the rifling though tons of crap to find one or two things that are half decent. I'm not into the other people who are at thrift stores, snobby as that may be. But whatever. So I decided, after my umpteenth trip to H&M, that I needed to venture into the world of vintage. So I spent most of Saturday doing so. Here is a summary of my day:

1st stop: Goodwill by St Mary's Hospital. Verdict: Pants. Lots of pleated pants. Lots and lots of pleated pants. One really great 80s prom dress that was 10 sizes too big. Seriously contemplated getting it anyway and wearing it everywhere. Decided that was kind of a freakish desire. Put dress down. Left.

2nd stop: Hall Tree, Carytown. Verdict: This is more consignment shop than thrift store, and I did find a few pieces from Banana and Anthropologie, but barely discounted. In fact, I found several tops from Forever 21 that were MORE than they are in the store (!?). At any rate, nothing super unique or even super high end. I went expecting to drool and not buy very nice things. Instead I didn't drool, didn't buy, left confused.

3rd stop: Second Debut, Carytown: Also known as "the fancy goodwill" cause that's what it is. Not very well organized as far as sizes go. They arrange the racks according to color for aesthetic purposes but that makes it impossible to find anything. A few things stood out to me here: a fantastic pair of old cowboy boots, one size too small for me. A very small child laughed at me OUT LOUD as I danced around trying to get them off. Also, some really kick ass vintage fur coats and jackets for 25$. When it starts to get cold again, I'll be going back. I didn't note if they were faux or not, so vegans beware.

4th stop: Massey Cancer Center Thrift, Patterson Ave: Ok. This place owns. My. Face. It's basically a CLUB of old ladies that meet daily in this store and just trade their crap. I walked in and was the only one not involved in the conversation. I wasn't made to feel unwelcome or anything, it was just obvious that these ladies are all really tight. AND all their crap is AWESOME. This store is way behind Short Pump, far out of the reaches of both vintage- trolling hipsters and cheap, cheap scary cheap people with seven kids. I can't even tell you: there were vintage tuxedos. Piles and piles of old belts (I got a great Donna Karan one) that are all 1$. Amazing cookware and linens. Quilts. Wedding dresses. Toys, games, furniture from as far back as the 30s. Funky purses. Jewelry. Racks and racks of records and books. National Geographics from the 50s. Anyway, I didn't get much because at this point I was exhausted, but I'll be going back.

5th stop: Nap

6th stop: Goodwill on West Broad: I did some damage here. I think this one is also far enough away to not be mined by vintage savvy folk. This is the biggest Goodwill on this side of the river, and it takes awhile to go through it all. A great resource for dresses and blazers, and has tons of great comic book tshirts in the little boy section. :)

Anyway, I was going to go to Rumors but couldn't find it. And there's the whole southside to check out. So, I'm sure I'll be updating again soon!

Style Tips pt 1

Ok, ladies and gents...this is part one of a series I am going to entitle "developing your personal aesthetic." It's my theory that everything about you and your world is a reflection of your personal style. A great deal of people see "style" as another word for "fashion" but it isn't. It's a conglomerate of every aesthetic decision you make in your life that creates the whole of your individuality. It's about being singularly, unapologetically, guiltlessly you. So, as I continue on my journey of making decisions that further define me, I will be sharing them with the interwebs, along with insights from friends. So what follows will be ideas and thoughts about style that will hopefully get you thinking about what makes you, you.

1. Find a signature scent and wear it nonstop. Everyday. Until your clothes smell like it and it doesn't wash out. Until people smell that smell and automatically look around for you. BUT! Make it a single note: chocolate. Cut grass. Roses. Linen.  Daisy. Mine is honeysuckle. Try essential oils, like my friend Jackie who dabs a bit of gardenia oil on the ends of her hair. "A woman who doesn't wear perfume has no future." -Coco Chanel

2. Pick your favorite disney movie. Put it in the search bar under "jewelry" on etsy.com and buy something. Check this out! And this!

3. Wear matching lacy underthings. Everyday. Throw out your boring stuff so you have no choice. 

4. Tear pages out of fashion magazines. Frame them with ornate, over the top frames from Target or thrift stores. Fill a wall.

5. Collect something eccentric. Old books, vintage vogue magazines, china teacups. Make it unexpected (not dolls) and just one thing (you're not a bag lady).

6. STOP going to Wal Mart. RIGHT NOW. Surrounding yourself with cheap merchandise makes you feel cheap, even if it's just subconsciously. Inexpensive things can be found in much more self- image friendly places.

7. Find a few celebrities whose style you consistently admire. For me, it's Cate Blanchett, Gwenyth Paltrow, MK Olsen. Find out who their stylist is. Tag that persons website and plan to hire them when you're wealthy.

8. If you are not confident about your own style, shop alone. Buy things according to your own, unadulterated taste. Accept no input until you have developed a strong sense of self.

9. Think about your dream home, but forget the McMansions. Think about abodes that are strong stylishly, and fiercely individual. Japanese pagodas. Log cabins. Monticello. Huge english estates with 200 rooms and acres of rose gardens. Lofts in skyscrapers. Hip downtown brownstones. A waterlogged Venetian apartment. Consider what about these places you like. Is it modernity? Femininity? How do these concepts play themselves out in your daily choices? If they don't, change that.

That's all for today!

new observations

Ok, guys, I know I haven't vlogged my last few days of the Raw experiment, and that's because I got a fantastic haircut today, left the salon, got caught in a deluge and promptly ruined my cute hair for the day. SOOO no me on camera. Maybe tomorrow. Ok, down to business:

not liking so much right now:

1. still hate harem pants. why are they allowed. why.

2. women wearing mens shoes. "brogues". that's not what they're called. they're called mens fugly shoes and you still look stupid in them.

3. the 90s fashion comeback. your acid wash is ugly. it was ugly then, its ugly now. shoulder pads are ugly. ugly ugly ugly. the 90s were a great decade for TV. that is all. and no I DONT CARE if that jacket is Balmain, your shoulders don't stick out like that.

4. adam still being on american idol. he sounds like an animal dying in the night. painfully. slowly. 

5. the west end farmers market kinda sucks...nothing's organic! 

far more positive about, and glad the list is longer:

1. cracker barrel with my dad. he's pretty wicked. and didn't make fun of me when i told him i'm a vegetarian.

2. owning multiple pairs of black high heeled shoes.

3. developing my own aesthetic.

4. ironically, this vodka sauce that i'm eating right now from the above ostracized west end farmers market

5. owning several pairs of linen shorts.

6. my 5$ peacock ring from etsy.com

7. finding a hairstylist, today, that LISTENS to me! and cares! and has great hair herself, which is a good sign!

8. this website: galadarling.com

9. deeply and completely loving and accepting myself.

10. high heels with spikes on them! a la rodarte

11. discovering the PERFECT white tee at forever 21! it's been two years that I've been searching!

also, on my style radar: a pair of mustard yellow, (thick) strappy, very high platforms under 50$. found the perfect pair at bakers for 80$. waiting for markdown. a gun necklace. big, chunky rings. a tissue- thin, visually interesting white cardigan. vintage band tees. structured dresses. anything from alexander mcqueen for target.