Tag Archives: shorts

September 18, 2011 · 1:30 am

Lederhosen for Oktoberfest

Herzlich Willkommen! To celebrate Oktoberfest (which kicked off in Munich yesterday), I’ve donned a pair of lederhosen.

Sweater: Papaya
Shorts: LuLu’s
Necklace: Forever 21
Bracelet: Thrifted
Shoes: Payless

Oktoberfest has been an accidental part of my life for a long time. When I was 8, my family moved to Kitchener, Ontario, home of Canada’s Greatest Bavarian Festival. The nine-day celebration includes beer gardens at 16 different halls, a Miss Oktoberfest pageant, and a huge parade. Kitchener (formerly named Berlin) has a large population of Germans and people of German heritage.

When I was ten, I got to experience the real deal first-hand. I lived in Southern Germany, 5 kilometers from the Bavarian border. Needless to say, Oktoberfest was a huge event, even in the small town where I lived. We went to beer tents to dance and listen to bands play. I ate potato pancakes and giant pretzels (I’m a vegetarian so I left the bratwurst to the others), while the adults downed beer by the liter. I didn’t make it to the original location—Munich—but they celebrated in Tannhausen all the same.

Now I live in Seattle, home of the Fremont Oktoberfest. I’m also about an hour away from Leavenworth, a small town in the middle of Washington whose entire downtown is modelled after a Bavarian village. Needless to say, they celebrate Oktoberfest too.

Now, I know lederhosen (literally “leather pants”) are men’s attire. I wanted to add a feminine twist to the traditional garb so I wore lots of bling and a killer pair of heels. Plus, I’m not sure I can rock a dirndl (the traditional women’s skirt, blouse and apron). It might seem too Sound of Music-ish.

The best part about my modern lederhosen is that they’re really “veganhosen.” I managed to find the exact type of leather shorts I wanted (distressed and casual, not shiny and sexy) in synthetic.

So celebrate the autumn harvest, dance, eat, and raise a glass! Prost!

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Tagged as fashion, lederhosen, Oktoberfest, shorts, style, vegan

September 11, 2011 · 5:11 am

Fashion’s Night Out at Bravern

This past Thursday was Fashion’s Night Out. There were events held all over the country (and world). Over 250 cities in the USA participated in this after-hours shopping extravaganza. Downtown Seattle had an event. So did Nordstrom in Bellevue. Mr. Jean of all Trades and I, however, chose to attend the party at The Bravern, an upscale collection of shops and restaurants.

The Bravern had a wine garden complete with live band in their outdoor courtyard. Wandering between stores like Hermès and Jimmy Choo, we found live mannequins.

Stylish people perused the breezeways, looking at the latest fashions. It’s was a perfect night for an outdoor event.

Neiman Marcus had a fashion show on ther upper level. I love how the translucent butterflies adorning the mezzanine made it look like it was snowing. It was a gentle reminder that these 80 degree days won’t last much longer. If that didn’t get people in the mood for fall shopping, nothing would.

My husband had his eye on a few models as well. Models of a different kind. As you can see, the well-heeled attended this event. (I wonder if they would have valet-parked my Honda.)

He snapped a few pictures and texted them to his friends.

I read that houndstooth was big for fall. Salvatore Ferragamo is betting on it. You too can wear houndstooth all the way to the soles of your shoes (Don’t worry, I think they take AmEx).

I arrived in silk shorts and a ruched top from H&M (Don’t tell anyone my entire outfit—not counting the clutch—was under $100). I wanted to see if I could make shorts dressy. The key was the fabric (silk) and the shoes (high).

I was also playing around with color and wanted to see how to mix pink and red in the same outfit. The trick, I found out, is to go for a soft blush pink and a wine red. A bright pink and tomato red would work too but the effect would be bolder.

Top: H&M
Shorts: H&M
Shoes: Nine West
Earrings: Premier
Cuff: Greenbelts
Clutch: Vamp Bags

As much as I like fashion, I also like a bargain. I want to look like a million without spending a fortune. The Bravern is a great place to people-watch and get ideas. In all fairness, there’s an Anthropologie and a few pieces in the junior’s department in Neiman Marcus are not out of my usual price range. But many of the stores are filled with the stuff of dreams.

A girl can dream, right?

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Tagged as Bellevue, Bravern, dressy shorts, fashion, Fashion's Night Out, shorts, style

April 3, 2011 · 6:14 pm

National Tweed Day

I’m not making this up. Today is National Tweed Day. Now, I’m not a stodgy old professor so I don’t have any tweed jackets with patches on the elbows. But I do have a pair of thrifted tweed shorts. So in the spirit of old fabrics and old things, I wore my tweed shorts to Pacific Galleries, an antique mall in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood.

Shirt: Ann Taylor (thrifted)
Shorts: Old Navy (thrifted)
Tights: Hue
Clutch: Shiraleah
Shoes: Frye (clothing exchange)
Necklace: Mary Kay

Possibly the best part of this outfit is that it cost a total of $59. I’m forever indebted to my friend, Angie, for bringing these great Frye shoes to a clothing exchange. And since the shorts were $4, I took a chance on them. I might not otherwise try this look, but the cost was low enough. Turns out I do like it and I will wear some combination of shorts and tights again.

Oh, and the antique mall: It was huge. 22,000 square feet of everything under the sun. Estate jewelry, old signs, books, and lamps. Mid-Century furniture, Nineteenth Century art. You name it, they’ve got it. My favorite was a sad little figurine sitting on a chamber pot, clutching her gut. Judging by the cork in her head, she doubles as some sort of vessel or chalice. Perhaps filled with a remedy for what ails you. I can’t make this stuff up.

But I can make up a poem! And to celebrate National Poetry month, I have. I’m sorry, in advance, that’s it’s in such poor taste and so poorly executed:

Stomach Ache
by Jean White

Whether from food or by drink,
Or a bug from a friend,
When gut rot afflicts you,
Seems it just won’t end.

But remember the pain,
Will eventually stop.
First grab a bucket
or sit on the pot.