Sorry

for the lack of posting over the past week. I've been sick with the flu (regular, not swine!) plus getting our Halloween outfits ready (which are going to be awesome). I'll start posting regularly again on Nov. 1st. Halloween is completely my holiday. I've always believed very strongly that if you don't make your costume yourself it doesn't count. For example, when I was younger I dressed as a picnic in a costume that me and my mother made. It was amazing. And I struggled with this huge costume all night because I made it. I'll post pictures of our finished costumes after Halloween, and after they're finished.
Also, the best clip ever from my new favorite show:

One Stop Shopping - American Apparel

I'm not really a big fan of American Apparel, meaning I've never even walked into a store. So I took this one as a personal challenge. I ended up making three outfits, one that was more me, and two that were more AA/80ish.

Sweatshirt: $43
Skirt: $54
Thigh High Socks: $15
Beret: $24
Total: $136 (no shoes b/c they don't sell shoes)

Second Outfit
Sweatshirt: $43
Leggings: $38
Total: $81

Third Outfit:
Skirt $54
Crop Top: $26
Socks: $24
Total: $104

What do you think. Which look is your favorite?

Urban Outfitters is Evil

I went to Urban Outfitters last night and was treated to some awful behavior by the sales staff. I went their intending to try and find the clothes I used in my online styling from Urban Outfitters. Unfortunately I could only find the hat and sweater, so I went to find a skirt that had a similar vibe and try on the whole outfit.

Here I'm wearing my own Ralph Lauren shoes and then two pieces from Urban Outfitters.
This sweater is the same from before and the skirt is not actually online. This is what happened when I went to try on the outfit with the hat (which I was not allowed to bring in the dressing room because I might steal it? In my tiny tiny purse?).

I was going to have my fiance take a picture of me outside of the dressing room when two staff members rushed over and yelled that we weren't allowed to take pictures in the store. Not even told nicely that it was store policy, we were attacked. Mitch didn't care and took a picture of me walking back into the room, so I don't have any good pictures of the outfit with the hat.
Ultimately the sweater and hat were still cute, but the sweater did not go with the skirt I found. Also, I am definitely never going back to shop there again. You would think that in this economy customer service would be highly valued but apparently not at Urban Outfitters, at least the one in Harvard Square.

Outfit of the Week 10/18 - 10/23

Here are all of my outfits I wore this week:
Sunday:

Monday:

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Friday:


My favorite outfits were Sundays and Wednesdays. Which outfits did you like the best. I'd love to get some feedback!

My Daily Outfit

(Please excuse my hair, it looks awful today)
Today was another dreary day so I just wanted to wear something comfortable and warm. Also, I had two doctors appointments, one to get a shot so I was not looking forward to today at all.
Sweater: Self Made
Pants: H&M
Shoes: Ralph Lauren Thrifted
Purse: Vintage Camera Case Thrifted

One Stop Shopping - Urban Outfitters

I normally don't like Urban Outfitters, it's kind of overpriced for what it is. I mean, I can get the stuff they have in there at a thrift store for a tiny percentage of the price. However, I was online window shopping and I saw a tulle skirt that I loved and thought, it would be fun to build an outfit around this.

I love gray for fall, with just splashes of color thrown in with accessories.
Hat: $28
Sweater: $78
Skirt: $48
Shoes: $48
Purse: $18

Halloween 2008

Last Halloween my fiance and I decided to do a couples outfit and make them ourselves. First we took a look at our combined interests at the time which were lego Star Wars and Project Runway. So we decided to combine those to make a costume.


I was Heidi Klum dressing up as a Gonk droid from Lego Star Wars. I made the pink dress and Mitch made the Gonk Droid costume and got the wig. I loved it, no one know what I was.

Mitch was Tim Gunn as a Jedi! I made him a jedi robe out of pinstripe suit material and a Jedi tabbard or something out of sweater vest material. He wore suit clothes underneath and carried his awesome light saber.

And finally we had to dress our cat Crystal up. She went as a tiger.

Project Runway

Last week on Project Runway cutie pie Shirin was eliminated for her couture witches costume, while Carol Hannah won with her gown. For a stage look. Ok, whatever judges I guess when you have what you had up there you have to make tough choices.
On to this week. Both Carol Hannah and Nicolas have interviews right off the bat. I have a feeling one of them will be in trouble... Also, what is Gordana wearing? She should be kicked off for that alone.

Come on Gordana, you're a DESIGNER

Their challenge is going to be announced by Tim Gunn in the store of a world renowned designer with a store on Rodeo Drive. Althea says it could be anyone. It turns out to be...Micheal Kors. You know they were all a little bit disappointed.

I mean, Nicolas doesn't exactly look blown away.

Not that Michael Kors isn't amazing, I'd just rather him in the judges chair. For the challenge they will have to design a look based on one of his favorite locales, New York, Hollywood, Greece, St. Tropez, Aspen, Sante Fe (a little confused about this one, not gonna lie), and Palm Beach. We get:
Carol Hannah: Palm Beach
Nicolas: Greece (Not NYC because it's too easy for him, he wants a challenge. I do not see anything good coming out of this).
Althea: St. Tropez
Gordana: New York City
Irina: Aspen (outerwear is one of her specialties it seems)
Christopher: Santa Fe

Because nothing says fashion design inspiration like a dead animal skull on a stick. Lovely.
Logan: Hollywood
They then get 30 minutes to sketch, $150, and until the end of the day to finish.
The boys seem to be struggling right off the bat. Christopher's looks fit for an amish person to wear (which was bitchy of Irina to say, true, but also right on the mark). Nicolas doesn't seem to know what people wear in Greece which makes me wonder why he chose it to begin with.
Gordana spent all but $30 on the materials for the neckpiece/necklace. This isn't good when you're making a park avenue dress. It's hard to make $30 look expensive and you know Heidi will jump down your throat for that!
The Final Looks:
Logan and Hollywood:

I really don't see Hollywood in this at all. Maybe if the jeans weren't white
and he took away the suspenders away altogether. But they woud still be just
clothes, not fashion. Definite bottom 3.

Althea and St. Tropez:

I actually kind of like this. I like the shorts, they're in an unexpected color.

I think the whole look is appropriate for St. Tropez, not really sure. I just wish it wasn't so messy and that sash were taken away. Also, why can't the models wear bras?
It can be so distracting! I'll go with top three or safe.

Nicolas and Greece:

First of all the styling on this is atrocious. The hair is a complete mess.
Surprisingly enough I do kind of like the pants and the bottom detailing, I hate
the top of them though. The shirt could have been very pretty
but the fit around the bust is very strange. It also doesn't say Greece to me
at all. I'm going with bottom 2 for him.

Carol Hannah and Palm Beach:
When I think of Palm Beach fashion I immdeiately think of Florida retirees and this:

So really I thought CH had her work cut out for her.

This is really pretty, it reminds of an Uli dress in a good way.
It's a perfect beach party dress, and the detailing on the back was gorgeous,
I can definitely see the glamorous Palm Beach in this. Definite Top Three Entry.

Christopher and Santa Fe:

I was confused with the choice of Santa Fe to begin with. I've never associated it
with fashion. So I have to hand it to Christopher because I can definitely see
Santa Fe in this, and even in more than just the belt. The skirt feels
like the desert. And I have to admit this dress is kind of cute but maybe
only in comparison to the first dress before he made the skirt shorter. I'd say
bottom three for him.

Irina and Aspen:

This is why Irina can get away with being bitchy. This is GORGEOUS!
Everything's perfect. The inspiration of Aspen is clean. I love the rich snowbunny look,
she may wear ski pants but will not be goign skiing. I would love
to lounge around in this outfit drinking peppermint schnapps hot chocolate. Plus that
vest is perfection, it brings the look over the top. Definite win. And I'm now going to
say that she is most definitely going to be in the top three.

Gordana and New York City:

I know that this really doesn't show the dress, but the dress wasn't
exactly the main focal point anyway. The necklace is beautiful and would
be a perfect New York accessory. However I wasn't a big fan of the dress
and it was extremely poorly constructed. I'm surprised they didn't call her out on that.
Anyway, I'd still put her in the top three just because of how awful the
guys looks were.

And we have Althea is safe. Logan, Christopher, and Nicolas in the bottom. Irina, Carol Hannah and Gordana in the top.
Carol Hannah comes in third.
Irina wins! That just came out of nowhere.
Gordana comes in second, which is a surprise I guess.
Logan comes in third to last which is pretty much just because of his pretty straight boy looks. I mean suspenders and white jeans?
Christopher and Nicolas are in the bottom two with Nicolas going home. Drats.
I am extremely excited about Nicolas going home. He hasn't done a single thing that I've liked and I could go on and on about how his science fiction winning look wasn't science fiction at all, but fantasy. However I've already bored my friends with that so I won't bore you.
I have a feeling that we're going to have an all girl finale, the boys just keep getting weaker and weaker.

Glee

8 episodes into this show and I'm officially hooked. It's really an amazing show with great potential (some of the storylines are slightly frustrating and some characters are completely one dimensional). But the musical numbers are fantastic and so much fun. There really aren't enough fun shows on the air. However there is something else that really adds a pop to the show and that's the fashion. It's what gives the show it's whimsy and it really is done perfectly.
Episode 8 Fashion:
First there's Emma, the school guidance counselor. She's adorable and with her clothes she looks almost like what a cartoon guidance counselor would look like. She had some great fashion moments this episode.

First is her guidance counselor look. It's so adorable. The color blue is beautiful and the flower pin makes the whole look come together.


This is wedding dress number one, borrowed from her cousin who had her wedding when they were obsessed with Princess Di's dress. It's very unfortunate, but the picture of her walking down the hall with the long train is gorgeous. The dress also plays a part in the plot, causing Will to trip and Emma to fall on top of him. Fashion as plot, it's so great.

This dress is perfection on her. She looks beautiful and the dress completely fits with her character.
Secondly we have Rachel.

This outfit is perfect for the overachieving perfectionist who still wants to look good so boys (Finn) will notice her. It's a great combination of serious school girl with whimsy in the sleeves and the pink of the skirt.
Best of all is Sue in her Zoot Suit. You really can't blame her for not knowing only the guys wore them.

This picture is the epitome of Sue, eccentric, kind of out of touch with reality (come on, any Sue Sees It clips will assure you of that). Also, this scene wouldn't have been so touching without the Zoot suit. It just made the whole scene more uncomfortable.
Overall I love the fashions on this show. It's almost like Pushing Daises where the clothing was almost as important to the show as the plot.

Daily Outfit

I couldn't figure out what to wear today when I saw my vintage slips. I thought I'd try out layering them and see what happened. Turned out that I like how they look together, plus together they are not at all see through! They're also incredibly comfortable, probably because they're meant to be worn to bed.

Headband: Self Made
Purple Slip: Vintage from Oonas in Harvard Square
Black Slip: Vintage from Vintage Remix in Harvard Square
Shoes: Isaac Mizrahi Thrifted

One Stop Shopping - Topshop

When I thought of topshop I immediately thought of making a crazy outfit, because that's what they're known for. Somehow I ended up with what I think would be perfect for a cozy cuddle in front of a fire on a cold day. With a log cabin involved somehow, maybe a bearskin rug.

Sweater: $100
Jeggings (Jeans + Leggings): $44
Boots: $180
Hat: $24
Total: $348

Come on how comfy does this outfit look? Plus it includes Jeggings! How can you not love jeggings, they're hilarious.

Bracelet

A few years ago I was pressured into buying this bracelet by a very pushy lady I worked with. It's really nice, but it was way to expensive for me. And now I can't wear it because it reminds me of this horrible woman and makes me angry at myself for giving in to her. So I'm trying to sell it on ebay but no one's buying it. I don't understand why. It was really expensive to start with. I managed to sell boots on ebay for more than I paid for them. Ok, rant over.

Really?

These are called embellished pants. That's right PANTS. Not underwear. Not even shorts. What is this world coming to. They're from Topshop by the way, for $138.

Slutty Halloween Costumes

I know that every year people use Halloween as an excuse to dress like a slut, but this is going a little bit too far.

Honestly, it's a slutty Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz. That's bad enough. But this one just goes too far. There are zippers on the breasts. Honestly, why on Halloween would you need easy access to your breasts? Is this a maternity Halloween outfit, for slutty new moms? It's baffling.

How to Make a Simple Fleece Hat

For my halloween costume I needed to make a simple fleece hat so I would have something to connect the felt hair to (you'll see what I'm talking about when I post my costume). I also made this kind of hat for my fiance for valentines day, embroidered with Batman and he loved it. It's super easy to make, warm, and depending on the kind of fleece and embellishments you use it can be super chic as well. (I'm assuming that you have a sewing machine and know how to use the basic stitches)
Here is my finished product:

(I didn't do any treatment to the bottom hem because it's going to be covered for mine, but I will explain different options of what to do)
First of all you need the supplies:

1. Sewing Machine*
2. About 1/2 of fleece
3. Matching thread
4. Measuring Tape
5. Fabric Pencil
6. Scissors
Step 1
First you need to get some measurements. First measure around your head at the part where the hat is going to rest (in other words measure more around your hairline than going across the forehead). Now take this measurement and divide it by 4. This hat is comprised of four parts so this will be the length of the bottom of each piece.
Now measure from in front of your ear to the crown of your head. This will be the height of each of the pieces. Measuring in front of your ear ensures that the hat will be large enough to cover your ears. What good is a hat if you have cold ears?
Step 2
Now you will draw out the pieces using your measurements. Make a straight line the length of measurement 1. Now find the middle of that line and draw a straight line the length of measurement 2 perpendicular to it. Then draw curved lines from the top of the second line to the ends of the first line. You'll have a shape that looks like this:

Step 3
Cut out this piece and use it to create three more. Now you have all of the pieces of your hat!
Step 4
The sewing. First of all take two pieces of scraps of the fleece and practice sewing on it. Fleece can be a little bit tricky to sew on.
Now for the real ones. Take two of the pieces and lay them down, with the right sides facing each other. With fleece it's hard to tell which is the right side and which is the wrong side, so if you're having a lot of difficulty it means it doesn't matter since no one will ever notice.
Start at the bottom of the hat. Make sure to sew back and forth when you start so the seam doesn't come undone and slowly and carefully sew along the curve, leaving about a 1/4 inch seam allowance. When you get to the point stop and sew back and forth a few times again.
Do this with the next piece and one of the pieces you just sewed on. Do the exact same thing.
Now do the same thing with the last piece. The only difference with the last piece is that when you sew the final seam you will be closing the hat. When you do this turn it inside out and you'll have a hat!
Step 5
Try it on. If it's too loose just sew the seams again leaving a larger seam allowance this time and cut off the excess. If it's too small you'll have to start over (I've done this many times, it sucks but luckily the hat doesn't take too long to make).
Now for the hem the easiest option is to just fold the hem underneath to the length you want. Another option is to use a stretch stitch to hold the hem in place. Don't use a straight stitch or you won't be able to stretch the hat to get it on your head. The fanciest way is to use a decorative stretch stitch to hold the hem in place. But really, with this hat just folding it works fine and it stays while you're wearing it. And if it ever gets really cold you can unfold it and try to cover as much of your face as possible :-).
Step 6
Now you can embellish the hat. You could glue on rhinestones or sequins. In the past I've made batman ears out of the left over fleece and sewed them on. I've also embroidered a batman (my fiance really likes Batman if you couldn't already tell). Really it's up to you. This is a great base to put your creativity onto.
Congratulations! You now have your very own hat!

*This can be done with hand stitching it will just take a bit longer. Exact same process though.

One Stop Shopping - Forever 21

When I used to go shopping with my mother she would always make me buy entire outfits at one store if I found something I liked. Her reasoning was that what if you can't find anything to go with it? Then you shouldn't buy it. Now it's useful to be able to buy an entire outfit in one store because it's faster and easier if you need to get an entire outfit. So here's an outfit I picked with all the clothes from Forever 21.

Sexy Date Night Outfit

I love this outfit. The sweater has a military jacket edge to it, which is very in right now. The fact that it's a cardigan takes away the hardness. It also goes great with the skirt, which I love. It's cute and feminine, but also sexy which is perfect for a date.
Cardigan: $22.80
Skirt: $32
Necklace: $12.80
Purse: $7.50
Shoes: $10.50
Total: $85.60

My Daily Outfit

Last night I finished making both of these awesome shoes so I constructed my outfit around that. I also wasn't sure of the weather so I decided to wear my corduroy pants that work in any temperature. But then I put them on and realized they were flared and I hate flared pants, so I quickly sewed them into skinnies. So fashion disaster averted ;-). I also had just finished putting these awesome purple rhinestone buttons onto my tuxedo jacket so I decided why not, and wore that as well.
Jacket: Got it back when I was Drum Major for the Harvard Band
Tank Top: Target
Pants: Macy's maybe? DIY'd by me
Shoes: Thrifted. DIY'd by me!

My Daily Outfit

Today was so beautiful out I had to wear some bright! Even if I did only have classes.
Jacket: Forever 21
Skirt: Self Made
Hat: Fair in Brooklyn
Shoes: Issac Mizrahi Thrifted

Sexy Date Outfit

I think this is perfect for a date because it's sexy but understated sexy. The one shoulder shirt shows off your shoulders and collarbone which are sexy on all body types. Also, wearing jeans is a good choice for a date, they're much more laid back than a dress and I think there's nothing better than a great skinny jean. The high heels are a must as well as the great silver accessories which look great with the dark blue of the shirt!
Blouse: Topshop $65
Jeans: Forever21 $17.80
Heels: Zappos $117.95
Purse: Topshop $90
Cuff Bracelet: Modcloth $15.99
Total: $306.74
Total without the purse and the heels: $98.79
So this look is doable without the heels and the purse, you could get something cheaper, but I love what they add to the look.

Also, Topshop will not let you link to certain items which is why I haven't been linking for that store. The items are not that difficult to find however.

Mad Men Nightgowns

I love on Mad Men how Betty always looks so glamorous when she wakes up in the morning, mainly due to the beautiful nightgowns she wears. So I've decided to get a collection of vintage nighties, so far I have three and I love them. A bonus is that if you wear multiple ones at one time you can make them into a super cute dress!


These two I got at Vintage Rampage in Harvard Square.

This one I got at Oonas in Harvard Square
Now I just a sheer bathrobe!

My Favorite People Part 2

Neil DeGrasse Tyson. I mean come on, he pretty much single handedly declared Pluto to not be a planet. You have to admire someone with that amount of power. Plus he's just an amazing person, I've seen him speak in person and he's incredibly engaging . He makes science fun, just watch NOVA and you'll agree.


Rachel Zoe. For so many reasons. First, she has the best job in the world, getting to style couture gowns everyday. Secondly, she does have an amazing sense of style and was the reason I started to fall in love with vintage. Plus she is a marketing genius. Before her show all I knew about her were vaugely negative things but after watching her (amazing) show she is now one of my favorite people!



Levar Burton. He was on not one but TWO of my favorite tv shows, Star Trek TNG and Reading Rainbow. I was obsessed with Reading Rainbow, everytimg the theme song started I would yell for my dad because we HAD to dance to it. Also, you have to admire someone who wore that eye thing at work every day. And I was complaining about suits earlier.


Mitchell Morris! First of all he is the best fiance in the entire world. Second, he likes to watch Star Trek, science shows, House, and Project Runway. Name another boy that likes to watch all of those. He also goes along with all of my crazy ideas, and even encourages them. I mean, we're going to be pixelated video game characters for Halloween. How much nerdier can you get? He also makes really great presents.

Who are some of your favorite people?