Back to reality

A number of years ago I had a hair stylist.  And she wasn't just a hair stylist, she was magical.  She cut my hair for the duration of my college years and I can honestly tell you that while she was cutting and coloring my hair I received compliments on it multiple times a day.  It was a shorted, shattered, shaggy, messy sort of thing, and since my hair is WAVY not curly, it was the kind of cut that you just put some product in, scrunched with your hands and blew dry with abandon, and then magically it looked like a million bucks.  This Girl was a GENIUS hair sculptor.  Then she moved away.  and the magic stopped.  I shopped around for a new girl but it wasn't the same in fact my quest put me solidly in soccer mom territory.  

So I started cutting it myself.  I just hacked into it. I figured I couldn't really make it worse, and miraculously it worked!  I layered the crap out of it, thinned it by cutting up into it, and stopped treating it well.  Immediately the compliments started up again and I even got requests to cut other peoples hair.  I am now cutting, Edward Scissor Hands style, 8 people's hair regularly and they love it.  I honestly have NO IDEA what I am doing, but perhaps my degree in sculpture (clay!) has helped me with hair proportions or something.

Why do I bring this up now.  Well, my husband bought me a bunch of new tools as an early Christmas gift (razor combs, thinning shears, razor other thingys, just a bunch of random things) and I was bored over the weekend and just went to town on myself.  It LOOKED great yesterday, but today It was a little crazy (hence the pony tail).  Uh oh.  Well see how it goes tomorrow.  (oh and a side note: my girl recently moved BACK and brings her kid to my kid's preschool.  I have seen her a couple times, but strangely its like seeing an exboyfriend or something.  I am nervous to talk to her in case she thinks my hair sucks now. especially now that I may have given myself a mullet.)

why dress at all

1. print by Antonio Rizzi
2.Infanticide, Giovanni Segantini. This mixed media painting is actually in color but I love this sepia tone version.  It feels so much darker and desolate.
3. Cover to Cat Power The Covers Record
4-10. Paintings and Drawings by Egon Schiele


I didn't dress again today, but thought I would take this lovely opportunity to show you some of my VERY favorite images.  Seems that many of them failed to dress as well.  Just laying around in stockings or nothing.  Ah the life.  

Not leaving the house

I have not left the house since Wednesday.  It snowed last night and It looks pretty nice from in here by the fire.  I usually end up wearing just layers of knits when I stay in.  I might hop out the door and get more wood for the fire from time to time, but generally I have just been wearing this same thing all weekend, or variations of it.

I did want to ask all of you what you thought of this drummer boy jacket.  Its VERY old, like turn of the century old.  The buttons are original brass Royal Marines buttons (Gary Cain from Westwall Militaria values them at $60 for the set alone.  I took the jacket in to be appraised).  It is on trend I guess.  The red trim has been hand sewn on and is coming off in one place.  Its actually got a great story too.  A woman who owns the Bliss Mansion (one of the oldest mansions in Carson City) found it in the basement when she bought the place and gave it too me because I am "in to that kind of thing."  Do you think its a little TOO vintage?  I have photographed it several times and prepared to sell it probably 4 times and just as I am measuring it and listing it I chicken out.  I just can't do it.  I DO NOT WEAR IT though.  Something tells me I should just put it on a dress form and keep it as decoration.  What do you all think?  Is it something you would actually wear?  It fits nicely, is warm and comfortable.  Feedback please. And you won't hurt my feelings.

Yesterday

Thanksgiving went on without a hitch!  Well I shouldn't say that, there will be a future hitch, my brother got engaged!  He and his girlfriend, now fiance, have been together for a couple of years and my whole family has thought of her as family for some time, so we are pretty happy she said yes!

As you can see, I ended up wearing the vintage floral.  (Saving the leopard for NEW YEARS, at the suggestion of d.rose.  Thank you all for putting in your vote though!! At least I know that I have a new years getup ready to go!)    Things got pretty hectic right before dinner and I failed to put my lipstick and shoes on so there you have it, no amount of planning can make you picture perfect when the time comes.  The most important part is, all the food was delicious, everyone enjoyed each other's company, and we all felt pretty thankful to have the time together.  I hope all of you had a really nice Thanksgiving too!  I cant wait to browse the blogs to see what everyone else did!

So, What do you think?

The way I see it, I have three options for Thanksgiving tomorrow.  I could go really fun and dressed up in option number one, a little untraditional in abstract, dot dyed leopard, or traditional in fall floral vintage with a sweet little vintage slip under, or casual/trendy in gray tights booties, boy blazer and scarf.   How dressed up are you all going?  I don't have many opportunities to really go all out (even though this isn't REALLY all out) so when I have an excuse I like to take it.  Are you the same or do you like to just do jeans on bird day?

AAA: All About Accessories

We all know that accessories have magic powers to transform very plain separates into complete outfits.   I tend to collect accessories because I KNOW about this ancient magic, but sometimes feel intimidated by their transformative properties and ability, if not applied carefully, to act as a flashing light on an otherwise perfectly good outfit.  What is that great rule of thumb (someone school me right now) about taking one thing off before leaving the house?  The thing is, sometimes you JUST NEED a little something magical to make ordinary things work.  For instance, a fitted gray sweater and a plain Dickies skirt (both second hand).  Obviously the combo begs for a belt, check, and this season's booties, check, and, OH I have been seeing scarves tied neatly at the neck and I really love the colors in this one, so a neckerchief, AND, my felt fedora. . . ? Too much?  I guess if I had to take one thing off it would be the hat, But I really don't want to.  I have also really wanted to wear my glasses out.  I just feel like you sort of have to dress around glasses since they make such a statement on their own.  There are loads of really chic girls who are able to do this effortlessly, and I am always struck with awe at how WELL they do it.  even here I feel like I am TRYING to look like a librarian or a secretary. Both really cool things to look like, but I don't want to TRY to look like anything but me.  Lastly, the penny loafers.  I am actually REALLY into them.  Maybe I am a little late catching this bus, but when I found them at my local Goodwill last week they finally seemed like a REALLY good idea.

On a completely different note, thank you all for giving me some insider info on the whole blogging, analytics, metering thing.  Phew!  I was worried I had stepped over a line for a second! Much more informed now and happy I brought it up!

Pay Tribute

This is my tribute outfit to Orchid Grey and her outfit last Thursday.  It is not uncommon for me to be inspired by my fellow bloggers, but this post was a special matter.  Here is the thing:  I purchased this dress from American Apparel like two months ago and have felt the proportions were a little strange on me since I washed it.  Granted it does need to be ironed, but my disappointment at having paid like 50 times what I would ordinarily pay for something and the fact that its not just ready to go at my beckon call made me not even want to iron the little bitch.  BUT THEN I saw that she bought it (at an outlet none the less!) and I was hopeful that this stylish girl would show me the way.  Well she did.  And with PRACTICALLY the EXACT same Items I have readily available to me in my closet.  The first few pics were actually taken today, while the outside photos were taken by my PHOTOGRAPHER (pictured bottom!) yesterday.  Different scarves, different day, different people I would see, no problem wearing the same thing twice in a row in my book!  Especially since the darn thing has been sitting idle for so long!  SO THANK YOU SO MUCH!