I'm happy it's back on. I don't generally admit to looking forward to TV, but for Project Runway I'll make an exception. I watched the first episode with my new (well, new as far as this blog's concerned) neighbors and, as it turns out, they have a bet going. Based on this episode, we're supposed to pick three designers, and the person whose chosen contestants go furthest wins dinner from everyone else in the building.
After repeatedly trying to stake my claim on "the two yellow dresses," I went and actually looked up people's names. I like:
Korto (yellow kimono sleeve dress with vegetables)
Wesley (yellow dress with fly swatters)
Kenley (dodge balls and picnic chairs)
I thought all three were well constructed, interesting, and flattering. I thought the plastic cup dress was really cool, but it just didn't seem to fit the model's shape. I know it must be hard to dress someone you've never seen in the flesh, but it really seemed to me that the stiffness made her waist look thick. And the dyed vacuum bags on the dress that won looked gorgeous, but the coffee filter bust just wasn't my thing - I kept imagining the coffee filters spinning around like pinwheels.
There's a bar here in Austin that shows Project Runway every week on a projector. They also make a tasty gimlet. Once I feel more certain about the people I've vowed to support, I'll have to get out there and root for them.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Saturday, April 12, 2008
necessity is a mother
I have wardrobe issues. Currently the weather in Austin is only getting up into the 80s, but it's going to get hotter. When that happens, even my current rotation of jeans, flip flops, and tank tops won't be enough to keep me simultaneously clothed and cool. So I'm searching now for breezy little dresses I can wear on 100-degree days. But I'm also taking advantage of what constant sunshine has done for my motivation level and beginning to sew some things.
At the Capitol Hill Value Village in Seattle I picked up a few yards of some nutty vintage jersey. The print is notable because it features piles of what look like cigarettes. I can't tell if they're just decorative cylinders or if this is, in fact, such a strange throwback piece of fabric that it's actually promoting smoking. But for a buck a yard, beggars can't be choosers, and I decided to go ahead and make a dress out of it.
The design is pretty easy, mostly just a long skirt coming from an empire waist. It has a band around the waist, shirred with elastic in the front, and two v-shaped pieces forming the bust and front straps. The back just has normal, thinner straps, but thick enough to cover my bra straps decently.
I gave it a test drive today and, aside from its disconcerting tendency to attract caffeinated beverages, I think it's going to work out nicely.
At the Capitol Hill Value Village in Seattle I picked up a few yards of some nutty vintage jersey. The print is notable because it features piles of what look like cigarettes. I can't tell if they're just decorative cylinders or if this is, in fact, such a strange throwback piece of fabric that it's actually promoting smoking. But for a buck a yard, beggars can't be choosers, and I decided to go ahead and make a dress out of it.
The design is pretty easy, mostly just a long skirt coming from an empire waist. It has a band around the waist, shirred with elastic in the front, and two v-shaped pieces forming the bust and front straps. The back just has normal, thinner straps, but thick enough to cover my bra straps decently.
I gave it a test drive today and, aside from its disconcerting tendency to attract caffeinated beverages, I think it's going to work out nicely.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
adjusting to austin
There's this 80s night here in Austin I keep looking forward to. I went the third night I was in town and it was like reliving my early twenties in Olympia. I'm missing it again tonight because I have some kind of horrible illness whose arrival seemed to coincide with my introduction to beer pong.
So I have nothing better to do than talk about shoes. Look at my shoes!
I got them cheap at Buffalo Exchange last weekend. I adore them! They're patent leather platform ankle boots with cute little white plastic flower buttons. But, though I love them with every fiber of my being, I think they might have been a mistake..
(Incidentally, what the heck is up with thrifting in Austin?!? It's insanely inconsistent. The good deals are at boutiques crammed with gorgeous stuff, while Goodwill and Savers are full of 100% overpriced crap. It's really weird. Anyway.)
It's my goal to start riding a bicycle to work, since it's just about fifteen blocks away. Numerous people at work wear flip-flops and everyone wears jeans. South Congress, the major street I live off of, is no less casual. So I've got these cute shoes and I have no idea where I'm ever going to wear them. At least I can enjoy them around the house while I have stomach flu.
So I have nothing better to do than talk about shoes. Look at my shoes!
I got them cheap at Buffalo Exchange last weekend. I adore them! They're patent leather platform ankle boots with cute little white plastic flower buttons. But, though I love them with every fiber of my being, I think they might have been a mistake..
(Incidentally, what the heck is up with thrifting in Austin?!? It's insanely inconsistent. The good deals are at boutiques crammed with gorgeous stuff, while Goodwill and Savers are full of 100% overpriced crap. It's really weird. Anyway.)
It's my goal to start riding a bicycle to work, since it's just about fifteen blocks away. Numerous people at work wear flip-flops and everyone wears jeans. South Congress, the major street I live off of, is no less casual. So I've got these cute shoes and I have no idea where I'm ever going to wear them. At least I can enjoy them around the house while I have stomach flu.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
roadtrip ready
We're driving to Texas when we move (this weekend - aieeee!). It's probably the part of the move I'm most looking forward to, cause I love me a good roadtrip. The most direct route takes us over the Rockies, but since there's still snow on the ground in many parts of the country (especially the giant mountain range parts), we're going to take the PCH down into California and then go over on I-10. We can expect temperatures in the 50s along the coast, and then the 70s and 80s once we reach the Southwest. Great roadtrip weather all the way.
I don't drive much at home, but the recent increases in fuel prices rip my heart out nonetheless because I think few things are as romantic as getting out on the freeway, paring your life down to what fits in the glove compartment and a backpack. I love seedy motels, greasy diners, sleeping in rest areas - the whole thing. In a way I think it's patriotic, a homage to the nomadic national character of my country.
Anyway, since we're packing up the house (or will begin packing it up any day now), I need to figure out what to put in my suitcases to take on the drive. And, natch, what better tool to help me condense my thoughts than Polyvore?
Roadtrip Essentials
(These in addition to your normal beauty routine, socks + underwear, t-shirts, the things you'd pack for any trip. Note there is no swimsuit here. That's because you only need your suit at the motel and if you try to go swimming then get back in the car with a wet bikini under your clothes you are gonna be damned sorry, my friend.)
1. vintage sunglasses - Since it would be criminal to drive a fuel-guzzling vintage car across any portion of the country longer than a few miles, show respect for the travelers who laid the freeway system with period-appropriate eyewear. Sunglasses are also crucial for good visibility when the sun is low and protecting your eyes from UV damage when it's high.
2. hand sanitizer - Cause if you're driving eight hours a day your hands and your steering wheel are gonna get nasty.
3. giant bag - To hold all your stuff. Changes of clothes and toiletries - stuff that only comes out at the campground or the motel - can go in its own suitcase, but you'll probably feel better if you can keep all your essentials on your person.
4. comfortable dress - Cannot recommend sleeveless jersey enough. I like a loose dress with no waist, no pleats or sequins or anything that could get messed up, nothing to bind or wrinkle. Good ventilation makes a big difference after eight hours, hence the lack of sleeves. And a thin fabric is easy to layer when it gets late or in case you reach a windy beach.
5. sturdy boots - I like leather boots with a chunky stacked wooden heel. I mean, that describes my favorite footwear in general, but for roadtrips especially. Machines are fallible and god knows where you might end up if you have car trouble. Also, I find that big leather boots confer a good dose of attitude, and the confidence to scare away potential predators is really important if you happen to be making your roadtrip alone.
6. a classic jacket - As previously discussed, I'm going to be rocking a trenchcoat. However, I think a neat little leather jacket with an elastic waist is also cute and practical. (I'd stay away from the biker version, though, unless you want to look like your roadtrip started in 1995.)
7. platform sandals - These should be sturdy enough to drive in - no stilettos. Only necessary if you're going to the beach or somewhere hot, but obviously they breathe better than boots.
8. lip balm - My lips get dehydrated on the road, I don't know about you.. My favorite is Burt's Bees Honey Lip Balm.
9. cutoffs - Wear them under your dress to avoid sticking to vinyl seats or chafing your butt on cloth ones. Obviously this only works if the denim is well-worn. Also you'll be getting in and out of cars a lot and, in the wise words of Daddy Likey, you don't want to show-cha your chocha. Or your underwear. So wear shorts and then it totally won't matter if you come out of a gas station bathroom and walk past a parking lot of truckers with the hem of your dress tucked into the waistband of your underwear.
10. gradual self-tanner - A native Pacific Northwesterner, I believe suntans are for suckers. However, a tan can make your skin look smoother and more toned. If you're going to be showing a lot of skin, you might want to layer on a subtle fake tan as you're moisturizing each morning. Ideally one with a sunscreen. This may also help make a case of Trucker's Arm less obvious.
11. lightweight cardigan - Obviously this will provide a comfortable layer of extra warmth. That's great and all, but the real reason you must pack this item is to mitigate shoulder chafing from your seatbelt. You could also tie a scarf around your seatbelt, but if your scarves are like mine they'll migrate and just end up making you grumpy.
12. a hat - Returning again to the patriotism theme, I like a cowboy hat for its iconic value. But I also like it because it has a nice big brim and suits almost any face and haircut. I'd love to rock a fedora, but I really don't have the cheekbones. Anyway, the skin on your face is thin and you don't want it damaged by the sun.
So there you have my hard-won wisdom about packing for a roadtrip! And there I have found a reason to spend another hour I was supposed to be packing doing something else!
I don't drive much at home, but the recent increases in fuel prices rip my heart out nonetheless because I think few things are as romantic as getting out on the freeway, paring your life down to what fits in the glove compartment and a backpack. I love seedy motels, greasy diners, sleeping in rest areas - the whole thing. In a way I think it's patriotic, a homage to the nomadic national character of my country.
Anyway, since we're packing up the house (or will begin packing it up any day now), I need to figure out what to put in my suitcases to take on the drive. And, natch, what better tool to help me condense my thoughts than Polyvore?
Roadtrip Essentials
(These in addition to your normal beauty routine, socks + underwear, t-shirts, the things you'd pack for any trip. Note there is no swimsuit here. That's because you only need your suit at the motel and if you try to go swimming then get back in the car with a wet bikini under your clothes you are gonna be damned sorry, my friend.)
1. vintage sunglasses - Since it would be criminal to drive a fuel-guzzling vintage car across any portion of the country longer than a few miles, show respect for the travelers who laid the freeway system with period-appropriate eyewear. Sunglasses are also crucial for good visibility when the sun is low and protecting your eyes from UV damage when it's high.
2. hand sanitizer - Cause if you're driving eight hours a day your hands and your steering wheel are gonna get nasty.
3. giant bag - To hold all your stuff. Changes of clothes and toiletries - stuff that only comes out at the campground or the motel - can go in its own suitcase, but you'll probably feel better if you can keep all your essentials on your person.
4. comfortable dress - Cannot recommend sleeveless jersey enough. I like a loose dress with no waist, no pleats or sequins or anything that could get messed up, nothing to bind or wrinkle. Good ventilation makes a big difference after eight hours, hence the lack of sleeves. And a thin fabric is easy to layer when it gets late or in case you reach a windy beach.
5. sturdy boots - I like leather boots with a chunky stacked wooden heel. I mean, that describes my favorite footwear in general, but for roadtrips especially. Machines are fallible and god knows where you might end up if you have car trouble. Also, I find that big leather boots confer a good dose of attitude, and the confidence to scare away potential predators is really important if you happen to be making your roadtrip alone.
6. a classic jacket - As previously discussed, I'm going to be rocking a trenchcoat. However, I think a neat little leather jacket with an elastic waist is also cute and practical. (I'd stay away from the biker version, though, unless you want to look like your roadtrip started in 1995.)
7. platform sandals - These should be sturdy enough to drive in - no stilettos. Only necessary if you're going to the beach or somewhere hot, but obviously they breathe better than boots.
8. lip balm - My lips get dehydrated on the road, I don't know about you.. My favorite is Burt's Bees Honey Lip Balm.
9. cutoffs - Wear them under your dress to avoid sticking to vinyl seats or chafing your butt on cloth ones. Obviously this only works if the denim is well-worn. Also you'll be getting in and out of cars a lot and, in the wise words of Daddy Likey, you don't want to show-cha your chocha. Or your underwear. So wear shorts and then it totally won't matter if you come out of a gas station bathroom and walk past a parking lot of truckers with the hem of your dress tucked into the waistband of your underwear.
10. gradual self-tanner - A native Pacific Northwesterner, I believe suntans are for suckers. However, a tan can make your skin look smoother and more toned. If you're going to be showing a lot of skin, you might want to layer on a subtle fake tan as you're moisturizing each morning. Ideally one with a sunscreen. This may also help make a case of Trucker's Arm less obvious.
11. lightweight cardigan - Obviously this will provide a comfortable layer of extra warmth. That's great and all, but the real reason you must pack this item is to mitigate shoulder chafing from your seatbelt. You could also tie a scarf around your seatbelt, but if your scarves are like mine they'll migrate and just end up making you grumpy.
12. a hat - Returning again to the patriotism theme, I like a cowboy hat for its iconic value. But I also like it because it has a nice big brim and suits almost any face and haircut. I'd love to rock a fedora, but I really don't have the cheekbones. Anyway, the skin on your face is thin and you don't want it damaged by the sun.
So there you have my hard-won wisdom about packing for a roadtrip! And there I have found a reason to spend another hour I was supposed to be packing doing something else!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
reconstruction rebellion
For, like, months I've had this thrifted trenchcoat hanging on my mannequin in the dining room where I do my sewing. Or did my sewing half a year ago when I last sewed anything... Anyway, it was pretty ugly. It was straight out of the 80s, decorated with lots of buttons and pointless D-rings, and came down to mid-calf. I figured the semi-military details would be cute on a shorter coat, though, so my goal was to reconstruct it.
But it took me a long time to get around to it. I'm tempted to say I only finally did the reconstruction because I was looking for something - anything - to be doing that wasn't packing. Sad that I'm most creative when I'm procrastinating about something else.
This is probably the easiest darn reconstruction in the world, since you only really need to move two pieces of fabric and the fabric is nice and stiff and easy to keep lined up correctly. I did this:
1. Detached the side panels of the coat from the front and back panels.
2. Cut one side while the coat was on the dress form, using the pocket as a guide and cutting about three inches below it but not cutting through the pocket, k.
3. Used the side piece I just cut off as a pattern to cut off the same part of the opposite side.
4. Cut the pieces I removed roughly in half, discarding the thinner parts that were the top of the panels.
5. Pinned the shorter panels back on, pleating them to take up excess (since the panels get winder toward the bottom) and create a kind of ruffly effect.
6. Sewed those suckers on.
7. Cut off the front and back panels an inch lower than the hem of the new side panels.
8. Cut off the lining at approximately the same length as the front + back panels.
9. Reattached the side panels to the front + back panels.
10. Hemmed the front and back and the lining.
Tada! Here are some pictures of me being a ham in my newly flirty and relevant spring trenchcoat in the midst of all the stuff I need to pack by Friday.
But it took me a long time to get around to it. I'm tempted to say I only finally did the reconstruction because I was looking for something - anything - to be doing that wasn't packing. Sad that I'm most creative when I'm procrastinating about something else.
This is probably the easiest darn reconstruction in the world, since you only really need to move two pieces of fabric and the fabric is nice and stiff and easy to keep lined up correctly. I did this:
1. Detached the side panels of the coat from the front and back panels.
2. Cut one side while the coat was on the dress form, using the pocket as a guide and cutting about three inches below it but not cutting through the pocket, k.
3. Used the side piece I just cut off as a pattern to cut off the same part of the opposite side.
4. Cut the pieces I removed roughly in half, discarding the thinner parts that were the top of the panels.
5. Pinned the shorter panels back on, pleating them to take up excess (since the panels get winder toward the bottom) and create a kind of ruffly effect.
6. Sewed those suckers on.
7. Cut off the front and back panels an inch lower than the hem of the new side panels.
8. Cut off the lining at approximately the same length as the front + back panels.
9. Reattached the side panels to the front + back panels.
10. Hemmed the front and back and the lining.
Tada! Here are some pictures of me being a ham in my newly flirty and relevant spring trenchcoat in the midst of all the stuff I need to pack by Friday.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
wrist flare for big girls
When I was at an impressionable age, I developed this obsession with an aesthetic best described as "shit all over my hands". Rings, bracelets, if it was shiny or noisy, I was an instant fan. It started with taking over my mom's costume jewelry, evolved to buying my own jewelry of questionable authenticity at Seattle import stores, and culminated sometime during college with a freakish collection of rubber tubing bracelets, slinky bracelets from San Francisco Chinatown, cuffs from fetish shops, and unearthed surfer bracelets from middle school.
When my life as a Professional began, I dialed it down to just the rubber bracelets and the slinkies, then just the rubber bracelets, and as those became brittle and broke off I replaced them with black + white versions. Presently I have two off-white bracelets and one black one left, all on one wrist.
And, man, let's face it. I'm approaching the end of my twenties. If I ever had any punk rock in me to begin with, all that's left now is what's reflected in my choice of accessories. I'm not in a band. I'm not some glamorously nutty Iona working in a record store, nor an artist, nor a kooky fashion designer. I'm just a normal chick and I need to come to terms with my adulthood and stop wearing children's jewelry. At the very least I need to stop wearing it to work.
However, my desire for shit all over my hands remains. My one wrist feels naked and strange without its rubber bracelets. They must be replaced. This is trickier than it sounds.
The tubing bracelets have been with me for so long not only because they shrunk after never being taken off and were stuck on my hands, but because they make the statement I'm after without interfering. I love rhinestones (™), but they snag your tights and your knitwear. Typing while wearing thick, chunky bangles is a pain in the ass. Victorian-style scrolly things and tarnished metal that should come off as steampunk are forever associated in my mind with eccentric hippie art teachers. An everyday bracelet must have a clean design, sit close to the wrist, be light enough to wear while typing for eight hours, and be completely smooth so it doesn't get caught on things. Polyvore is helping me track down this object.
My first thought was to completely cop out by upgrading from rubber to leather. Which might be ok, as it's a cleaned up version of that Hot Topic aesthetic I'm so crazy about. On the other hand it sort of makes me think of guys who play acoustic guitar and work in the mall.
If I were going to go with bangles, I'd want them to be slim and hopefully lightweight. I think both marbled black + teal and tortoiseshell would be interesting enough to look cool while conservative enough to go with most outfits.
But I really like a good cuff, because it stays on your wrist and out of the way. An enamel or wooden cuff with a geometric pattern would be really good. Then there's this (faux?) leather cameo cuff, which I totally love in theory. However, it may be a little bit cleverer than I want to go for, and as much as I think black leather cuffs are very sexy, they're kind of masculine for my own taste.
Now that I'm writing this, it's occurred to me that the ultimate in grown-up wrist flare would be some sort of edgy yet polished watch. Which is a nice thought, but I'm one of those people on whom watches inexplicably stop working. Seriously. I've never had a watch for more than a week or so. Nothing to stop me from faking it, though.
Ultimately, though, I'm just kind of excited to have a goal for my first paycheck in a year and a half.
Sorry about the face there.
When my life as a Professional began, I dialed it down to just the rubber bracelets and the slinkies, then just the rubber bracelets, and as those became brittle and broke off I replaced them with black + white versions. Presently I have two off-white bracelets and one black one left, all on one wrist.
And, man, let's face it. I'm approaching the end of my twenties. If I ever had any punk rock in me to begin with, all that's left now is what's reflected in my choice of accessories. I'm not in a band. I'm not some glamorously nutty Iona working in a record store, nor an artist, nor a kooky fashion designer. I'm just a normal chick and I need to come to terms with my adulthood and stop wearing children's jewelry. At the very least I need to stop wearing it to work.
However, my desire for shit all over my hands remains. My one wrist feels naked and strange without its rubber bracelets. They must be replaced. This is trickier than it sounds.
The tubing bracelets have been with me for so long not only because they shrunk after never being taken off and were stuck on my hands, but because they make the statement I'm after without interfering. I love rhinestones (™), but they snag your tights and your knitwear. Typing while wearing thick, chunky bangles is a pain in the ass. Victorian-style scrolly things and tarnished metal that should come off as steampunk are forever associated in my mind with eccentric hippie art teachers. An everyday bracelet must have a clean design, sit close to the wrist, be light enough to wear while typing for eight hours, and be completely smooth so it doesn't get caught on things. Polyvore is helping me track down this object.
My first thought was to completely cop out by upgrading from rubber to leather. Which might be ok, as it's a cleaned up version of that Hot Topic aesthetic I'm so crazy about. On the other hand it sort of makes me think of guys who play acoustic guitar and work in the mall.
If I were going to go with bangles, I'd want them to be slim and hopefully lightweight. I think both marbled black + teal and tortoiseshell would be interesting enough to look cool while conservative enough to go with most outfits.
But I really like a good cuff, because it stays on your wrist and out of the way. An enamel or wooden cuff with a geometric pattern would be really good. Then there's this (faux?) leather cameo cuff, which I totally love in theory. However, it may be a little bit cleverer than I want to go for, and as much as I think black leather cuffs are very sexy, they're kind of masculine for my own taste.
Now that I'm writing this, it's occurred to me that the ultimate in grown-up wrist flare would be some sort of edgy yet polished watch. Which is a nice thought, but I'm one of those people on whom watches inexplicably stop working. Seriously. I've never had a watch for more than a week or so. Nothing to stop me from faking it, though.
Ultimately, though, I'm just kind of excited to have a goal for my first paycheck in a year and a half.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
i think i'm going to like it here
I spent last week in Austin, trying to find a place to live and a job. It's different than the Pacific Northwest, no question, but I found it pretty inspiring.
If you've been here before, you may notice that the way Austin looks just naturally is right in line with the washed-out spring aesthetic I'm so hot for at the moment. It's not just that, though. I walked down South First Street a little bit, and there were tons of vintage boutiques, and almost as many stores selling handmade and reconstructed clothes. Not that I'm thinking of revisiting my dream of owning a brick + mortar clothing store, but you know, if I were..
I'm so sad we won't be moved in time for SXSW, because I'm sure that, in addition to all the great shows, there would be some fabulous outfits to see. But I get the impression that Austin is a creative and inspiring place to be pretty much year-round, so I'm not too sad.
If you've been here before, you may notice that the way Austin looks just naturally is right in line with the washed-out spring aesthetic I'm so hot for at the moment. It's not just that, though. I walked down South First Street a little bit, and there were tons of vintage boutiques, and almost as many stores selling handmade and reconstructed clothes. Not that I'm thinking of revisiting my dream of owning a brick + mortar clothing store, but you know, if I were..
I'm so sad we won't be moved in time for SXSW, because I'm sure that, in addition to all the great shows, there would be some fabulous outfits to see. But I get the impression that Austin is a creative and inspiring place to be pretty much year-round, so I'm not too sad.
And yeah, I recognize that posting a bunch of photos in lieu of actually writing something in my blog is something of a cop-out. But this moving thing is taking up a lot of time, so go easy on me.
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