jeanofalltrades

June 12, 2011 · 12:24 am

Purple Lace: Tiny Hat Optional

The June challenge by Everybody, Everywear is lace. And I thought florals were tough! I don’t have a lot of lace. I had a lace cami that used for the winter 2011 edition of the 30 for 30 challenge. I regretted that and I’ve since given away the top. I have a floor-length black lace skirt, but that didn’t seem spring-like. Then I remembered The Dress.

This amazing dress is made from strips of fabric stitched together in a way that would make a Tim Burton character proud. It’s a Selma Karaca. She’s a New York-based designer! I also have a top from her.

Dress: Selma Karaca
Necklace: Claire’s
Clutch: Thrifted
Shoes: Nine West via thrifted

I didn’t have an occasion in mind when I bought this but when a Seattle boutique owner decided to retire and had a 70% off sale, I couldn’t miss the opportunity. Turns out, this dress came in handy when I was invited to a Halloween evening wedding in New Orleans. I wore it to the wedding, gothed it up a bit with a skeleton cameo I found on eBay, black nail polish, and DIY tiny hat. I bought the hat at a craft store and embellished it with black ribbon and a spiderweb brooch.

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Tagged as Everybody Everywear, fashion, lace, purple, Selma Karaca, style, tiny hat

June 11, 2011 · 12:37 am

Cool Tones and Cropped Pants

I recently picked up a pair of Eileen Fisher flowy pants at Goodwill for $4. This, I thought, was the perfect way to try the cropped baggy look without spending a lot. I know it looks good on 110 pound, 5′ 10″ models, but can a real person pull this off?

The pants might have just been too short (not actual cropped pants) but my idea is to sew elastic along the last three inches of the outside seam at the bottom of the pant near the hem. This will create a nice ruching effect and make the pants seem intentionally short.

I didn’t get a chance to do that before trying them out. I wanted a funky outfit for movies with girlfriends so I made do with safety pins.

Jacket: Guess via Thrifted
Top: Old Navy
Pants: Eileen Fisher via Goodwill
Clutch: Thrifted
Necklace: Shirazi
Belt: Steve Madden
Socks: Sock it to Me
Shoes: Nine West

It’s not a bad outfit, but the pants need work. They need the ruching so they will be a couple of inches shorter. I also need to stop wearing socks and sandals but it’s too much fun. I’m not a rule-breaker. This is like speeding and driving without a seatbelt. I get an adrenaline rush.

On the good side, my hairstylist will be proud that I used enough product to chunk up my bangs and show off the blonde highlights she gave me recently.

Oh, the movie we saw was Bridesmaids. I recommend it. It has just the right combination of raunch and chick flick appeal.

Latté as Accessory

I’m not sure why more of my photos don’t feature me holding a latté. I drink one every day. I can recall at least one other post where I have a coffee in hand. Here’s another.

Today is a jeans-and-T day. My version includes a blazer, accessories, and sometimes, funky shoes.

Blazer: Smart Set via Goodwill
Top: Old Navy
Jeans: Salt Works Jeans
Necklace: Imani
Shoes: Aerosoles
Latté: Starbucks

Even though I’m wearing a green T, I’m drinking a soy latté. As nice as it is to support small, local coffee shops (and I do), I am also a fan of Starbucks. I can get great drinks consistently, no matter where I go. Being a Seattle transplant has turned me into a coffee snob. It’s hard to get good bagels out here, but in New York City, I had trouble finding good coffee. On my last trip there I walked several blocks, past other shops, to get my Starbucks. I tried the others, and couldn’t finish them.

One more thing: If you get a Starbucks card and register it online, you can get your soy and flavors for free! Starbucks will also give you a free beverage after 15 purchases. It took me only ten years of drinking lattés to learn this. It’s not well promoted in the stores. Don’t wait a decade to start cashing in.

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Tagged as blazer, fashion, latte, Seattle, Starbucks, style

June 9, 2011 · 9:25 am

Thrifty Thursday: Tunic and Jeans

Imagine if I were famous. Here’s a photo you might see in the tabloids:

Don’t worry; I’m more approachable than that. Not that I couldn’t run at you like a rabid ferret. But why? I might run to you to tell you all about my latest thrifty find. Don’t be afraid. Just don’t make eye contact.

Tunic: Swapped ($0)
Tank: Gifted ($0)
Necklace: Claire’s ($8)
Clutch: Thrifted ($10)
Jeans: Ernest Sewn on sale ($49)
Boots: Naturalizer via thrifted ($9)

I’m a big fan of clothing exchanges. I get to give away things I don’t need and I can take nice clothes off someone else’s hands. At the last clothing exchange I attended, I picked up this tunic. It’s an empire waist, which I keep saying I shouldn’t wear, but I think it lies flat enough not to look like a maternity top. My new rule: I can’t get mad at someone who asks me “when I’m due” if I’m wearing an empire-waist top.

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Tagged as clutch, fashion, jeans, style, thrifty fashion

June 8, 2011 · 12:40 pm

Tattoo Dress and Blue Tights

I am a woman of contradictions. I’ve said (many times now) that I shouldn’t wear clothes with empire waists. And here’s yet another item with such a cut. I take it all back. Rather than looking pregnant, I think this cut makes my legs look long. Lemons into lemonade. I also said blue tights were too Avatar, and here I am wearing them again. Never say never.

The pattern of this dress drew me to it. It’s a tattoo-inspired hearts-and-lovebirds design and I thought it fancied up an otherwise plain black dress. I like the fact that I’m wearing a $20 dress with $700 shoes. How’s that for a contradiction? Of course I didn’t pay that much for the shoes; new, that’s what they’d be.

In addition to saving money, buying second-hand leather goods aligns more with my philosophy. I don’t like buying new leather products when there are so many great vegan options out there (like the vegan bag) I’m using today.

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Tagged as DIY, dress, fashion, manolo blahnik, shiraleah, style, thrifty fashion

June 7, 2011 · 8:31 am

Red and Blue for Spring

I’m a big fan of the elongating effect of the nude shoe. Matching one’s shoes to one’s skin tone is a good way to add the illusion of height. For me, nude is a light beige color. It’s somewhat of a political issue that nude, in general, refers to a color closely resembling caucasian skin tone. I like that some retailers (Victoria’s Secret and Calvin Klein come to mind) sell nude undergarments in a variety of shades: buff, rose, caramel, coffee, etc. It seems more inclusive. If you’re buying a nude shoe, look for something that matches your skin color.

Well today, I chose a beige shoe (see how beige doesn’t sound as good?) and lengthened my legs, so to speak. I thought I needed the help because this skirt—as much as I like it—hits my leg right at the knee. That’s a tough length; shorter or longer and the effect is lengthening. Chopping my legs in the middle isn’t. But the skirt had a dirndl/Maria von Trapp feel to it and that’s why I bought it.

T-shirt: Victoria’s Secret
Skirt: Le Chateau
Scarf: Boutique in Portland
Clutch: Crystalyn Kae
Shoes: Aerosoles

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Tagged as Crystalyn Kae, fashion, nude, nude shoe, skirt, style

June 5, 2011 · 9:28 pm

Street Style: In the Office

I recently went to lunch with a couple of my coworkers. We ate at Cactus in Kirkland and then popped into Ragamoffyn’s for consignment designer shopping. I’m still looking for a Pucci skirt or dress in my size, but I did find a cute Trina Turk top for $29.

June, aka The Sustainable Fashionista, hit the jackpot with a dress (or two) and this black and white seersucker skirt.

I love how the pattern of June’s skirt seems to dance. Normally, I see seersucker in pastel shades, so this black and white number packs a punch. June paired it with a simple black top and cute red wedges. I love the look!

Here, June is admiring her sustainable diamond engagement ring. Why can’t we all be this lucky!

Stripes in Sunny Seattle

Hurrah! Another wonderful day. It’s been sunny and 80 degrees in Seattle this weekend and everyone is out. The beaches are packed, Pike Place is hopping, and I got out too.

Cardigan: Smart Set
Top: Target
Skirt: Dress Barn
Belt: Steve Madden
Shoes: Aerosoles
Sunglasses: Target

Today my husband and I went to India Bistro for a buffet lunch. We spent time wandering around Ballard and Fremont, just enjoying the day. Then, I found my dream home.

It’s a poured cement structure on the edge of an industrial area in between Fremont and Ballard. It’s steps away from a bike path, and close to a supermarket, but it doesn’t have immediate neighbors. That’s my ideal: in the city, but without anybody next door.

I love the lush gardens with wisteria vines hanging from overhead, and all sorts of perennial groundcover. No lawn to mow. The doors are red (to match the car?) and the window frames are turquoise. It’s a postmodern structure and seems perfect for an urban couple. My husband pointed out that the lower level is a business and the upper floors are the residence. Live/work perfection! It’s not for sale, nor would it be in my price range, but it’s good to know what I like. Nothing wrong with having goals.

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Filed under Architecture, Fashion

Tagged as architecture, fashion, Seattle, skirt, stripes, style

June 4, 2011 · 12:12 am

Circles and Sun

I’ve been posing around this red Rhododendron bush a lot lately. It’s because the flowers are so beautiful and they’ll soon be gone. I’m taking advantage of the color while I can. Plus, the Rhoddie is the state flower of Washington.

Today, I pulled an oldie but a goodie out of my closet. This circle-patterned skirt is comfortable and fun, but two other women at my office have the same one. Fortunately, in the past year of so, I haven’t seen them wearing theirs. So I’ve started wearing mine more often. For a while, I saved it for the weekends to avoid that awkward moment when three people walk into a meeting wearing the same skirt. I’m sure they would have seen the humor in it, but nevertheless, I saved everyone the trouble. I can’t help it that we all have great taste and like a deal from H&M.

Blazer: Smart Set via thrifted
T-shirt: H&M
Skirt: H&M
Shoes: Street Feet
Sunglasses: Target
Necklace: Fremont Sunday Market

Smart Set is a women’s clothing store in Canada, so you can imagine my surprise when I saw this Smart Set blazer at Goodwill in Bellevue, WA. I snapped it up partly out of nostalgia and partly because I can always use a dove-gray blazer to pull an outfit together. It’s going to be close to 80 degrees today, so I’ll shed the blazer and show off the pink T later.

I got to test drive the shoes I bought in Santa Fe to replace a pair of Aerosoles I’ve had for years and have literally worn out. It’s rare that my shoes fall apart (there’s a lot in rotation) but the 3″ wedges from Aerosoles were so comfortable I wore them all summer long for the past four summers. I hope these prove to be a solid replacement. So far so good.

Color Blocking: Jewel-tones

I vividly recall telling my dear readers that I had recently put away my tights until fall. Well, I’m taking that back. Fortunately they’ve been “put away” to the bottom drawer and are easily retrievable. And while it’s true that I’d hoped to not need them for a few months, it’s still cool in these parts. Tomorrow though, promises nice weather.

Today I tried color blocking, starting with this bright raspberry-colored dress.

It’s a bit too low-cut for work, so I layered it over a turquoise tank top. Sometimes I can’t get away with empire-waist dresses, but this one seemed okay. It lies flat on the stomach and I don’t (I hope) look pregnant (not that there’s anything wrong with that—unless, of course, you’re not prego). The purple tights were close to the shade of my shoes (black), but added a bit of color. The bag made up for the brightness of the missing sun.