standards to the wind

i have this problem; an affinity toward ugly sweaters.
who's idea WAS this sweater, i wonder?

-it's short sleeved. [short-sleeve sweaters give me the heebie jeebies. what purpose do they serve? I also feel -this way about puffer vests. i cannot swing them.]
-it is made of bright red and hot pink chunky yarn...a color combo best reserved for chewy candies.
-it has an awkward and unflattering shape.
but something about this sweater calls my name.
i like it.
i like to play with the floppy collar, over my head, over my face...
avante garde meets english mammy. the SHAME of My Ugly Sweater Devotion!

and OH, the rules/do's/dont's, out there that we either consciously or subconsciously, willingly or unwillingly, follow every day when we get dressed...it's very tiring. the only rule, the only thing to consider should be: do i like this or not? no need to explain or think any further. if we find loveliness in it...we should wear it.* I don't know why i ever let myself be convinced that it is anything but that simple. fashion people really shouldn't have jobs.

*with the exception of CROCS. vomit!

"for aslan!"- grizzly bear

meet our creations! a little while ago, me and kel (roommate/bestfriend extraordinaire, if only i'd been christened Kenan) started soldering/sottering/saudering/whoevenknows vintage clip-on earrings to ring-backs, essentially creating really fun cocktail rings that are more unique than the kind you can get from COUGH COUGH forever 21 and the like.

this one is my favorite. it's basically a shield or something from a pair i got at an estate sale. I wear it with the pride of a scottish family crest. speaking of family crests, lately I have been wishing I had one...potentially the cause of my fixation on this particular ring. but i just love it: it's humong, and i have a thing for comically oversized accessories. i have convinced kelly to let me keep this one--the other from the pair will be for sale like the rest (making the purchaser the only other member in my scottish family...can I getta Lifelong Bond whatwhat!)

PS I love this rainy day. I want to cut it out and put it in a scrapbook, glory glory.

check out this rockinly shameless monochromatic "look" i "caputured" on the "street" this morning. this is what i have to live with! a yellowgirl! [plus dont you love that huge mug we have.]

LOLA

I am not a huge perfume girl. I remember my friend/neighbor sarah, she used to have shelves of perfumes; both kinds of dkny delicious, burberry, beyonce, every scent you could imagine. If she didn't own it, she'd tried it and had a ready opinion. She always smelled like something new and interesting, which I loved. I'd wander into her room and just spray, squirting myself into a medly of scent/a puddle.

Me, on the other hand. I don't think I owned one single bottle of perfume or spray until I was in college, and even then, I got them at walmart on clearance. The scent was mary-kate and ashley: coast to coast. there were two (obvs, twins); NYC and LA. one was pink and one was blue, and I would squirt then in accordance to how I felt that day. If I was playing with my friends outside; LA. If I had an important presentation; NYC. If the occasion was extremely worthy; a squirt of...dun dun dun: BOTH. [I figured, one squirt of LA and one of NYC, meet halfway and you've got Kansas right?]

(ivillage.com)

Since then I've gotten a new smell of perfume for each new phase of my life, because smell calls to mind so many memories...and with my track record lately, not all good memories, necessarily. It's a pity, because smelling my beautiful Betsey Johnson, the one I've had since graduation, kind of brings to mind the emotions of "pissed" and "oops." Not good for the day-to-day! But as a general idea, I love how strongly smell reminds of us things. plus look at my beautiful betsey:

(ivillage.com)

So, new phase new scent, yesterday my mom bought me Covet by Sarah Jessica Parker, because the bottle has two of my favorite colors [and we all know we buy perfume for the bottling. just saying. the Rule of Pretty Packaging also applies to....everything-kleenexes in particular]: pukey light green and transcluscent browny yellow. Plus it smells mature, which is the vibe I've been going for these days. (bloomingdales.com)

I also really want marc jacobs lola...but if I get it, I think that makes me a perfume girl. not sure if this is a resonsibility I am ready to accept. but look at the amazing bottle!

(bloomingdales.com)

but really...I love the idea of a Signature Scent. It's especially important if you have a baby, and it can't even open it's eyes, but it knows its you...only mommy wears sjp covet. just saying.

in the mood for a musical

. right now I wish I had 6 skinny watches of all colors and thicknesses, to wear all at once in a stack, like bangles. maybe I can find some cheap broken ones on ebay? they don't have to work to work, if you catch me...though it would be nice if one of them at least told the correct time, should I find myself in a time pickle. and they have to be metal ones and dainty, otherwise I'll end up looking like avril lavine or something equally dreadful.

[just embarrassing to be surrounded by people while in a time pickle, not knowing what time it actually is in spite of my 6 watches. and the people are just staring at my six broken watches like, you gotta be kidding me.]

it depends on your heart whether your life is fun or not, they tell me

i am really embracing this whole "uniform" thing.
if you ever see someone with:
- boyfriend jeans? check.
- stripey top? check.
- mulan/ballerina tiny flyaway-central bun? check.
- swingy chain? check.
- big shades, to fake like a moviestar? check.
- starting to get old? UNCHECK. [stripes or bust]
...pretty likely its me.
(add a cardi, some booties and scarf, and we're straight into fall babybear)

stripes, I do love them. although I frequently run into a dilemma [nelly/kelly!] when it comes to finding striped tops with perfect fits, stripe widths, and level of stripey appeal of the shirts and jumpers I used to wear when I was, i don't know, four?. drives me whack.

I am thinking of opening up a ramen shop with my dad on college campuses in a silver bullet trailer. it will be called "rockin ramen" or "ramen rob's" [my dad's name is rob, see] and we will travel to the needy hungry stoodintz with fancy ramen (thick, not like top ramen, though I've probably intaken 400 gallons of that stuff in my lifetime) he brings home from japan and a variety of toppings including; meats, veggies, and eggs! cheap and yums! I shall be a hero. cause I always wanted to drive a thingy around, selling stuff out of it. life dream.

roll call

inspired by my cool plato's closet find (these gray dolce vita boots- $25!), I am going to share :
My Roster.
Everyone has go-to brands and never-let-you-down basics. I say, it's good to be familiar with your own Roster (obvs), but also the Rosters of your friends/muses. That way, when you're shopping, you have reference points on treasures you may find. The Power of Trusted Recommendation!***

SHOES: dolce vita [hence the boots. slightly on the expensive side retail, but totally worth it. the quality and fit is incomparable and agelessly cool.], frye [they have more than harness boots, everything has a kind of chunkalunk 70's edge that I have been loving], and for every-day flats that have flair AND hold up: Old Navy.

JEANS: citizens of humanity [they give your bum a nice presence. plus, you can usually find a pair or two at most thrift stores...same as sevens, but I dont really roll with sevens: butt sag] and forever 21 [I wear their $14.50 jeans almost every day. classic fit, great with boots, surprisingly cool for the price. can't go wrong! buy 12 pairs and you'll be glad you did...this is an exaggeration, I do not have 12 pairs. but if I did, no one could blame me!]

SUNGLASSES: always betsey johnson. [Sunglasses can be showstoppers, because no one can deny that you need them. When the sun is out, you need sunglasses, so they can never be "too much"! marbelized ray-ban style ones or wire-rimmed meg ryan circle shades, betsey makes them all. (although hers are usually made in some form of pink, which I can forgive)]

CARDIES: j. crew [particularly the jackie style, they are like $60 but totally worth it. cardies are the types of things I can justify splurging on...i am a cardie girl. but if you find a j crew jackie cardie on sale or at a thrift store, snatch it up! even if it's an XS...just squeeze yourself] ps: they also have great tees.

MAKEUP: mascara, covergirl lashblast [the big orange kind- although you do need to buy it more frequently cause I think it runs out really fast. worth it? YES] eyeliner, urban decay. blush, tarte cheekstain. [I recommend "blushing bride". it looks good on everyone i've ever met]

PARTY DRESSES: French connection, kenzie, hype.

CONVINCE PEOPLE YOU'RE PROFESSIONAL: Theory. [whatever fabric dressy clothes are usually made out of, they need to take a lesson from these peeps.]

LAYERING TANKS: C&C California [long-lasting fit and playful, childlike -yet flattering- cut]

HAPPY SOCKS: target.

HANDBAGS/WALLETS: hobo international [not cheap, but so lovely and perfectly designed. this is seriously the only brand of bag or wallet i've wanted or purchased since....feels like forever.]

COCKTAIL RINGS THAT LOOK MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THEY ARE: charlotte russe.

JEWELRY: david aubrey. [pretty, pretty, heavy with quality, pretty, vibrant colors]

oh kay! My Roster: complete!

***hint wink hint: i want to know Your Roster...

heftier than my average impulse buy

i am going to name my firstborn September.
or maybe not.
I just love thinking about peoples names and today is September.
it's always good to name kids/pets specifically after people/things you love, those are my favorite names to hear about. Gives an entire new meaning to why you are glad they are alive. I love you, little Taco and little Chartreuse. Because first I loved Tacos and silken Chartreuse throw-pillows, then I had you two, and now I love the color chartreuse and tacos for dinner more than ever because they remind me of you, who I love most.

ok ANYWAY,

Look at this trunk I got at a secondhand furniture place with my mom.
I want to use it for something cool in my room (that is, when I'm not taking it with me to hogwarts)

I have always loved old-looking trunks and hope chests...
Should I re-paint it black? Or spray-paint the whole thing gold?
Or leave it as is, beaten and charming?
I struggle.