treasures

Brass horseshoe stud earrings from Trillium's etsy shop, vintage necklaces

There are few joys in life more wholly satisfying than arriving home from work to find an Etsy purchase waiting for you. Especially if said Etsy delivery has been delayed thanks to the practiced mediocrity of USPS and package comes equipped with a personalized thank-you note from the seller. I saw these babies in the March issue of Lucky Magazine and had to have them. The vintage necklaces (one from my favorite vintage store in New Orleans, the other a 'gift' for my best friend which has ended up on my neck more often than hers) were the perfect counterpoint to an oversized "I don't care anymore" t-shirt. Sometimes bits and baubles are all it takes.

running with the fash pack

all photos via Vanessa Jackman

Vanessa Jackman's street style blog is a bit like spending time perusing the impossibly perfect landscape of heaven. It's just as good as you thought it would be. And it's not even the clothing that makes everything so perfect--it's the way the clothing has been styled to suit the needs of each individual. You get the feeling that if each of these women were given the exact same items to wear, they would still manage to look totally unique. That, to me, is the definition of exceptional personal style, and to be honest I'm not certain I have it. Sure, I'm pretty good at donning something someone else told me to wear (it helps if it's Chloe Sevigny, Anna Wintour, Alexa Chung, or the Urban Outfitters catalog). But do I really blaze my own trail? Or am I just following the pack? Ultimately, does it really matter as long as I'm comfortable and have fun with clothes?

Also, is it just me or does the abundance of inane rhetorical questions posed above remind you of an episode of Sex in the City? Reread the first paragraph in Carrie Bradshaw's voice...No, I'm just kidding. Don't do that.

death is like traveling abroad

vintage dress, LaRok sweater, vintage Halston belt, vintage necklace, Christian Louboutin shoes
A friend's baby shower on Sunday yielded the perfect opportunity to don a cold war-era dress and vertiginous heels completely unsuitable for walking in. Baby showers are also a convenient excuse to drink before 12pm.

Also, my grandfather died on Friday at the ripe old age of 102. Back at the funeral in Phoenix, my dad delivered the eulogy and read this quote from Marcel Proust that's been occupying my mind ever since:

"People do not die for us immediately, but remain bathed in a sort of aura of life which bears no relation to true immortality but through which they continue to occupy our thoughts in the same way as when they were alive. It is as though they were traveling abroad."

Safe travels, Papa.

curiouser and curiouser

wearing F21 skirt, t-shirt from LF, Urban Outfitters tights, Zara booties, vintage and F21 jewelry, vintage mink stole, vintage Bally bag
Last night I suffered through fist-pumping and throbbing techno music--a vomitous combination that left me irritable and craving pizza. Needless to say I won't be setting foot in North Beach again unless I come in search of transgendered prostitutes or lousy weed.

Luckily tonight was way more amazing. I saw Alice in Wonderland in 3D at the Castro Theater, and it was every bit as 3D as I hoped it would be. Tim Burton is some kind of weirdo genius.

long white dresses

Spending a few days in the sun really hammered home the fact that a: I am the palest person in the greater San Diego area, and b: I can't wait to dump all my remotely warm clothing and start hunting for a simple white column dress. Modern or vintage, it doesn't matter. As you can see in the pictures below, either option is lovely:

L to R: Ashley Olsen via Olsens Anonymous, Victorian lace dress via Chic and You Shall Find

Thoughts occupying me this evening: What do you think is going to happen when the spawn of MTV's "16 and Pregnant" grow old enough to comprehend the fact that their asshole parents decided to document The Biggest Mistake of Their Lives on a reality TV show? Nothing says "I love you, kid" like showing your little one the first time daddy texted mommy: "tell me where 2 sign the papers 4 that little mistake."

Someone should do a case study on this. I want follow-ups in 15-20 years.

travel diary: san diego

Putting real life on pause is an extraordinary luxury. I am privileged to be able to share it with my boyfriend as he shows me around his hometown of San Diego (aka the freshly showered version of LA). Clean air, blue skies for days, and a (slightly) less intimidating network of freeways make it a tourist's dream come true. And I've been touring, all right. Today's activities included a visit to the botanical gardens in Balboa Park and shameless indulgence in pastries and rose-flavored lemonade. Tomorrow, beach.

"once you kill a cow, you gotta make a burger"

Alice Dellal by Fabio Bartelt for Vogue Brazil March 2010 via fashiongonerogue

It's amazing how I can be digging soft, ethereal 70's silhouettes one minute and the next get a major hard-on for 80's-style studs, mega-shoulders, and leathers straight out of a Guns N' Roses video. I'm pretty sure my adulation of the latter has been reignited by the release of the music video for Lady Gaga's "Telephone." You could watch it below or, as Michael K says, "Better yet, skip the video and just put a half tab of acid under your tongue and watch a marathon of Freeway, Thelma & Louise, Kill Bill, and Changed Heat while eating a miracle whip sandwich." Yeah, that about sums it up.

dark garden

So, confession time: ever since attending my first Renaissance Faire in 6th grade (oh, and there were more) I've been obsessed with corsets. This stems not so much from a preoccupation with a small waist but a devotion to antiquated accessories that no longer have a purpose or a place in our modern society.

So imagine my utter delight at stumbling across Dark Garden after attending the ballet on Sunday and finding the holy grail of corsetry inside. Corsets and adorable handmade hats to be exact:

All the corsets are made to order and come in a variety of fabrics and styles. My whims were graciously attended to by the lovely Andrea, who didn't waste time rolling her eyes at my squeals of delight every time I happened upon a new treasure (striped ruffled bloomers, for instance) and asked me if I wanted to try on one of these handmade creations. Um, yes.



A few minutes later I was tightly laced into this half corset style in black poplin that retails for $250. And was it uncomfortable? Well, no actually. Andrea informed me that it's only supposed to feel like someone is hugging you very tightly. If it's any more restrictive than that, it doesn't fit right. And I have to say, I have posture akin to Mr. Burns from The Simpsons, and I enjoyed the fact that the corset made it literally impossible to round my lower back into its customary slouch. Oh, and did I mention that my waist instantly lost 3 inches?? And that my stomach was as flat as a board? And that the corset instantly transformed my ho hum shirtdress into a sexy little cocktail number? Yeah, I'm sold.

Even more fascinating is that I learned that people with back problems like scoliosis actually go to this store with a prescription in hand. I can hardly blame them for wanting to don a corset in place of one of those awful medical back braces, and apparently the physiological benefits of wearing one are the same as that of their ugly medical counterparts. In addition, there have been studies done on the effect of corsets on people with extreme anxiety disorders. Apparently wearing a corset can cause a significant reduction in the frequency and severity of panic attacks.

So basically I'm now more obsessed than ever, and determined to return to this little oasis to unload some of my tax return. Anyone in the Bay Area should seriously make the trip in here to see Andrea and try on one of these miraculous clothing items.

The most well-known modern ambassador of the corset, Dita Von Teese, has worn corsets from Dark Garden. According to Andrea, her waist cinches down to an astonishing 18 inches. But don't go starving yourself just yet--apparently Dita is also about 4 feet 11 inches tall and somewhere in the neighborhood of 95 pounds. Yes, elves have very small waists.

party slut

wearing Alice McCall dress, Calvin Klein cardigan, vintage bracelets, vintage and F21 rings, unknown thigh-highs, Terry DeHavilland wedges

A lovely weekend overall, filled with friends, family, and just a dash of The Sads brought on by the inevitable close of a perfect Sunday. Can't complain.

And finally, a little gratuitous Kobe action. Just because he got a bath and he looks so new and shiny.

so, this is war

top to bottom: Illustration by Sylvia Ji, Alexander McQueen "Titanic" pumps via Fashioncopious, bare legs at the Dolce & Gabbana finale via Jak & Jil, and Freja Beha by Solve Sundsbo.

At the end of a long, unnecessarily cruel week, sometimes I just like to come home, get into the ugliest sweats I own, and feel sorry for myself while having imaginary conversations with my tormentors. This may or may not be accompanied by multiple episodes of The Millionaire Matchmaker because Patti Stanger doesn't take any bullshit.

maxed out

No, I haven't had time to pore over every detail of the Fall collections and no, I probably never will. However, I have been pleased to notice the following developments:

- Plenty of floor-sweeping hemlines

- The triumphant return of Isaac Mizrahi (love his hooded evening dress above)

- Luxe layering

- Rich prints, textures

I'll probably end up relying on my fellow bloggers to help me pick through the best of the best, but rest assured I have extended hemlines on my radar.

delusions of grandeur make me feel a lot better about myself

wearing vintage jacket, t-shirt from LF, Forever21 leggings, unknown shoes, vintage necklace

Playing dress-up with clothing left over at my parents' house. The jacket was my mom's in the 70s, the shoes are a New York purchase that turned out to be too big and have now been bequeathed to my sister. If you look closely in the first picture, you can see Kobe's fine snout making a guest appearance (and his fanny making a guest appearance in the third pic). Good golly I love that dog.

And wouldn't you know it, I've been stricken with tuberculosis or something awful and I've been hacking all day. I'm off to bed.