jeanofalltrades

August 30, 2011 · 6:34 am

Street Style: Skirting the Issue

Cheryl and Dawn, two women at my work, have the same H&M circles skirt as I have. I hadn’t seen them in theirs recently so I decided it was safe to wear mine to the office. As soon as I did, I found Dawn wearing hers! Doh! Here’s Dawn with the skirt in pink.

I love the white and pink combo. It’s so fresh and summery. I especially like how Dawn paired this outfit with a nude strappy sandal. They’re perfect. A white shoe would have been too matchy and a darker shoe would stand out too much.

After seeing Dawn in her skirt I realized a couple of things: First of all, it’s a great skirt and she wears it well. Secondly, the pink and white looks so different from the black and gray that I don’t think it’s worth worrying about who’s wearing what on which day. I’m going to wear mine whenever I want. And if I bump into Dawn or Cheryl wearing their skirts, well, I’ll be in good company.

The Necklace with Two Crows

Today I got dressed necklace first. My friend, Cheryl, who knows I love crows, picked up this necklace for me at her favorite place to buy art, jewelry and gifts, Sasquatch Studios. Sadly, Cheryl can’t shop there anymore because Sasquatch Seattle is closed. However, the owner is looking for a new location at Martha’s Vineyard. So the Sasquatch, commonly thought to be from the Pacific Northwest, is headed east.

To my necklace, I added a yellow t-shirt (there are hints of yellow in the necklace) and layered over a gray blazer (the necklace has a gray background). I don’t have to be that mindful of matching, but I figured, why not? It’s a casual office day (in my mind anyhow), so I threw on jeans and boots.

jeans and blazer

Blazer: Smart Set via thrifted
T-shirt: Swapped
Necklace: Gifted
Jeans: Bluenotes
Boots: Dr. Martens

If it weren’t for the boots, this would be a $15 outfit. But I bought the boots new (and full price) so I’m over the $100 mark, which disqualifies this as a thrifty look. It’s still fun and comfy. Yes, it’s jeans-and-a-t-shirt, but with the necklace, it’s so much more.

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Tagged as blazer, crows, fashion, jeans, necklace, style

August 27, 2011 · 5:37 am

Shadow Shot: Glassy Reflection

Hey Harriet has a wonderful weekly photo challenge where lots of people submit their shadowy shots—pictures that show the play of light and dark.

This week, I want to share a neat shadow cast by a clear glass lamp. I never really thought of something translucent having much of a shadow, but this glass lamp does. In fact, the shadow is more prominent than the lamp itself.

I found the lamp hanging in the window of Quoin, a bar that together with Revel, a restaurant, occupy the building at 36th St. and Phinney Ave. in Seattle’s eclectic Fremont neighborhood.

The yellow wall behind the lamp serves as an ideal frame. It contrasts against the shadow nicely and helps the shadow pop out of an otherwise dark scene.

I also like that the telephone wires and trees outside are reflected on the window, further merging the elements of indoors and out onto one pane of glass. It’s a peek inside and a display of the exterior.

Be sure to check out all the other submissions at Hey Harriet.

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Filed under Art, Photography

Tagged as art, glass lamp, Seattle, shadow shot sunday, shadows, style

August 26, 2011 · 9:56 am

My Circle Skirt

This skirt isn’t really a circle. It’s flippy, but it’s really more of an A-line shape. It does have a circle print, so I call it my circle skirt. I’ve bought it about three years ago. So did a few other people at my work. Fortunately, I haven’t seen them wearing theirs lately, so I’ve been throwing this in the workday rotation a bit more again.

circle skirt

T-shirt: H&M
Skirt: H&M
Scarf: Fred Meyer’s
Shoes: Timberland
Bracelets: Lucca Great Finds
Ring: Vendor at local craft fair

I wish I could remember the name of the vendor who sold me this fabric-and-wood ring. Its round shape mimics the circles in my skirt and the blue fabric matches my t-shirt. I also bought a pair of earrings from her. Coincidentally my manicure matched my scarf and the gray in my skirt.

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Tagged as fashion, skirt, style

August 25, 2011 · 6:04 am

Thrifty Thursday: Tiger Camo and Cropped Pants

I believe tigers are already camouflaged in their environment. They probably don’t need to be olive drab as well in order to blend in. But when I saw this olive-colored, tiger-striped t-shirt, I couldn’t resist.

T-shirt: H&M
Tank: Wet Seal
Pants: Eileen Fisher via thrifted
Cuff: Greenbelts
Shoes: Aerosoles
Laptop Bag: Solo

I’ve been digging the billowy cropped pants that 5′ 10″ waify models have been sporting on the runways and in magazines this summer. I wasn’t sure if I could pull off the look and I didn’t want to invest in a pair of trendy pants. So I did the next best thing: I found a pair of loose, tapered pants at Goodwill and ruched the last few inches of the outside seam. I hand-stitched gathers until they were the right length. I like them and I’ve been wearing them a lot but if I change my mind it was only a $5 investment.

What steals and deals have you found? Do you alter your finds or keep them as is?

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Tagged as animal print, fashion, style, thrifty fashion

August 24, 2011 · 6:11 am

All Gray with Purple Shoes

Look what I found in the “vaults.” If it weren’t for the gorgeous flowers, I’d pass this post off as current. But the rhododendron (which happens to be the Washington State flower) is a spring bloomer. Busted!

One cool spring day I layered tights under my gray skirt. I think gray is my favorite neutral. I sure do wear it a lot. For a subtle pop of color, I wore purple shoes. I love the tights-and-sandals look. This pair of peep-toes is a quiet variation on that trend. It will work for fall as well as it did this past spring.

Top: Old Navy
Skirt: Cop Copine
Scarf: Fred Meyer’s
Tights: Hue
Shoes: Aerosoles
Ring: Premier Designs

Another Walk on the Wild Side

I don’t get tired of animal prints. They’re classic and timeless. You don’t hear pythons and giraffes complaining about not being on-trend. If it works for them, it works for me. I paired a zebra (or is it tiger?) dolman-sleeve top with a simple skirt for a casual office look. I work in a very casual environment. I know in a lot of workplaces the no-collar-visible-tattoos-bare-legs-and-sandals look is frowned upon.

shirt detail

Top: Metropark
Tank: Target
Skirt: Old Navy
Necklace: Claire’s
Cuff: Greenbelts
Shoes: Flexx

I loved the shape of this top and used it as a pattern for a DIY shirt I made. I worked in solid black cotton jersey. I’ll wear it again soon and post about it.

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Tagged as animal print, fashion, style

August 22, 2011 · 5:58 am

Street Style: Long and Lean

I’ve finally captured the elusive Cheryl. She can usually be seen running races or rowing competitively. Today, I found her moving at a slower pace so I snapped a picture. Cheryl is sporting a terrific long and lean look. Yes, it helps if you’re actually long and lean, but you can create a lean silhouette with a slim-cut top, skinny jeans, a sleek heel.

Top: Una
Jeans: Mavi
Belt: Old Navy
Necklace: Bree (by way of Santa Fe)
Bracelet: Street vendor in Victoria, BC
Ring: Store in Brooklyn
Shoes: BCBGirls

I like that Cheryl traveled to three corners of the continent (the Pacific Northwest – Victoria; the Southwest – Santa Fe; the East Coast – Brooklyn) to get her accessories. Perhaps that’s not the only reason she traveled, but it’s certainly a fun way to bring back trip reminders.

Her Una top is a new acquisition from the trunk show at Velouria that Cheryl and I attended last week.

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Filed under Fashion, Street Style

Tagged as Bree, fashion, jewelry, skinny jeans, street style, style, Una

August 20, 2011 · 8:09 pm

20th Annual Seattle Hemp Fest

Today I enjoyed a relaxing day with hubby. We started off with brunch at Julia’s, a Wallingford restaurant. Then we went to the 20th Annual Seattle Hempfest. What started in 1991 as a peaceful protest against the government’s prohibition of marijuana has grown into the largest pro-cannabis festival in the world, with over 300,000 people expected over the weekend.

I was lured in by a free copy of Dope magazine

The sliver of a park, Myrtle Edwards, runs along Seattle’s waterfront beginning at Broad Street by the Olympic Sculpture Park. Tons of revelers listened to music and speakers (including doctors, lawyers and politicians). They danced, shopped and ate. They sun bathed, and rested in the shade. And yes, they got high (well some of them).

Top: Radish Underground
Skirt: Synapse 206
Shoes: Aerosoles
Earrings: DIY
Bag: Nine West via thrifted
Sunglasses: Target

But there’s more to Hempfest than getting high. The hemposiums aim to educate the public about the many benefits of cannabis, including the medicinal, industrial, agricultural, economic and environmental.

I want to see hemp used more as a fabric, food, and fuel. We wouldn’t be fighting for oil if our cars ran on hemp (totally possible). We could grow crops for fabric without the need for pesticides (unlike cotton). We’d have a renewable source of paper. Cannabis is a weed, after all, and grows like one, despite harsh conditions, poor soil, and limited water.

Tax the sale of marijuana (to responsible adults) and use the revenue to fund education. Legalize cannabis and dry up the main revenue stream for drug cartels. I know my arguments aren’t watertight, but I see a lot of benefits to legalizing marijuana.

Phew! To thank you for reading my soapbox rant, I present to you, a hippy school bus:

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Tagged as cannabis, fashion, hempfest, painted bus, Seattle, style

August 19, 2011 · 6:10 am

Film Review: Escape from New York

I might not be timely—Escape from New York came out in 1981—but one of my goals is to watch more movies (especially classics and cult classics that I’ve missed along the way). I want to use this space to share my thoughts about films I like.

I recently rented Escape from New York and enjoyed it immensely. It’s directed by John Carpenter (of Halloween fame). The film is set in a distopian future America. Crime has skyrocketed and the entire island of Manhattan is a walled-off prison where inmates are left to fend for themselves. When Air force One is hijacked and crashes inside the walls of Manhattan, authorities turn to Snake (played by Kurt Russell). Snake is a special forces soldier turned criminal. The film follows Snake as he tries to find and rescue the president.

I enjoy a good story—and this movie has it—but more than that, I enjoy compelling visuals. This film was so fun to watch. It’s dark and moody. There are shadows everywhere (and people lurking in them). The high tech government offices with their super computers is a stark contrast to the rough, almost Medievel feel of the prison. Shots were composed beautifully, and it was a joy to watch. I took photos of the screen with my phone while I was watching the movie in my living room. Strange, perhaps, but the colors, lighting and composition of the scenes inspired me to paint what I saw. Now I have photos to work from.

In addition to Kurt Russell, there are terrific performances by Ernest Borgnine as a cab driver, and Isaac Hayes, who plays the Mayor of New York City.