Thursday, June 4, 2015

Summertime Blues

Summertime Blues



A cute dress on its own is a warm weather classic. This one is especially great because it makes me think of these decorative plates my mom used to collect when I was a kid. Coordinated wedge heels and a tote make this easy for summertime office wear.

Monday, May 4, 2015

Last Days

Last Days



Ah, the end of the semester. Time to be casual and cool, but still put-together and professional. Wearing a pair of nice oxford flats with skinny jeans and a flowy tank top is the perfect combination. A tote bag holds the books I still need to carry but adds an element of relaxation. The jacket is perfect to tie everything together, or just in case the classroom A/C is cranked up.

Saturday, April 4, 2015

Fringed

Fringed




I'm loving this vest. As spring comes rolling in, it's time to break out the bright colors, and this bright coral is a great one. I would put it over all black so nothing distracts from it.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Zag

Zag



A bright, popping pair of pants is a great way to play with color and chase away and cold-weather blues.You don't want to wear a top or accessories that will fight for attention, and this zigzag stripe is just the right amount of interest without competition.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Claws

Claws




There's something comfy-casual but still fun about this cape. I'd like it more in a different print (I have issues with it being called "Aztec") but the shape is great. And that t-shirt is too fun for words.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th



I'm not THAT superstitious, but it's still fun to play with the spooky atmosphere of a Friday the 13th. For this one, I celebrate with a sort of goth look, wearing all black and celebrating the scariest animal of all, the black cat. Depending on your local weather, a pair of black tights (maybe with a texture) might be in order.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Sleater-Kinney

Grrrl




I'm going to see the 90s band Sleater-Kinney in NYC tonight! I'm really excited; it's going to be AWESOME.

To dress for concerts, I always start casual -- some skinny jeans or pants and a tee -- then have my fun with accessories. That's exactly what I did here. The floral faux-Docs add in a nice nod to the band's era, too.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Valentine's Day

Fairly Literal




Being a bitter single, I wasn't going to bother with posting a Valentine's Day outfit. I mean, I'll just be working and then probably heading home to watch Netflix and knit, just like any other Saturday night. But I saw this dress and couldn't resist.

A bit literal? Sure. But it's a pretty dress. Besides, when else can you get away with a big obvious red heart on your bodice? The sweater and fedora bring it back to earth a bit, but beware: if your date is male and shows up in his OWN fedora, you might want to run.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Flapperish

Flap It




A couple of weekends ago I went to this interactive play called Speakeasy Dollhouse. It's set during Prohibition, so everyone is encouraged to dress up in flapper styles. I didn't have anything that was perfect for the era, but I found a dress in my closet that I'd gotten during one of ModCloth's Stylish Surprise sales and never worn.

But in trying to figure out what to wear for this thing, as well as in trying to prepare a cosplay outfit for something a few months away, I started looking into plus size flapper clothes. The verdict: there aren't very many, especially if you have specific color needs. For my upcoming cosplay, I needed a white dress. Surprisingly, I found one on a Halloween costume website, but it's not exactly high quality. Unless you want to spend $400 on something, you're sort of stuck with cheapo party suppliers.

But I was browsing the Yours Clothing site earlier, not looking specifically for costumes, and I happened upon the fringed dress above. I'm sure someone who is better versed in historical styles could find some inaccuracies or anachronisms, but it's a pretty cute dress reminiscent of the flapper era. So I put it together in an outfit with some other pieces that reference the 1920s -- round toed shoes, pearls, a cloche, and a smaller purse (apparently clutches were all the rage, but that's not practical for everyday now). It may feel a little costumey, but if you swapped out the fishnets for opaque black tights and added a sweater or jacket, you could make it appropriate for regular wear.