Outfitting: Dancer in the Dark

We were waiting for our friends to meet us at Kezar Pavilion and were just walking around when we got pulled into this store called Free Gold Watch. They were having a clearance sale on last season's items so we decided to have a look-see. What we found were a couple racks of pretty awesome screen-printed tees, blouses, hoodies, and sweaters.

In about 10 minutes I got two things, this sheer-back, batwing blouse printed with a vintage ballet dancer in motion (so graphic!) and a tee with a giant purple panda face on it, both for just $10.  Garry got a nifty sweater with some cool button detailing along the shoulders.

  • Free Gold Watch dancer blouse
  • Paperboy capri pants from Anthropologie
  • Vintage snake and tarnished silver cuffs from sarah19r on eBay.
  • Zara pink suede slingback kitten heels

Outfitting: Sky high

Netta and I had a hard time identifying what, exactly, this piece of clothing is. A cape? But it has sleeves. A poncho? ...but it has sleeves. Finally Mina spoke up and called it a 'trapeze jacket.'  After verifying on Google Image Search, Netta and I had to agree. Whatever it is, it was one of the few items I was really happy to procure during my time in Beijing a couple years ago. The boots though, I may have to sell, because they are simply too high.

  • EBase woven trapeze jacket, bought at Zhongguancun Center in Haidian, Beijing
  • Rock & Republic jeans
  • Celine high heeled boots
  • Ring from ethnic boutique on Nanluoguxiang, Beijing

Outfitting: In living color

I normally do not wear much color.  In fact, I most certainly do not ever wear THIS much color all together, and certainly not with so many patterns mixed in, and with no neutrals to anchor them! I bought this dress on a whim, during the ModCloth Labor Day 'Last Hurrah' sale, because it was cheap and I thought maybe I'd try something a little beyond my comfort zone. At first I had no idea how to pair it with anything. The burgundy tights were an accident over the weekend, when I was cold and these were some of the only tights that were still clean and not plaid, or lacy.

Something about the dull orange-y yellow of the heels fit too, maybe because all the colors were in the same class, they seemed to work. I love Pink Studio so much because the shoes are not expensive but are still very high quality. Only problem with these is that the left shoe is labeled a 6M, but feels like a 5.5, which is not very comfortable at all.

Start-Up Chic: Tony D

Today I asked my friend Tony to join in the outfit photos. I notice that a lot of Garry's start-up friends have darn good style, so I've been wanting to do a new series focusing on stylish men in technology.  Tony just spent a year living in Kuala Lumpur and Montreal developing a mobile game.  Next week he joins a start-up in NYC.  

And he always has the most interesting shoes.

On Tony:

Outfitting: Looking a little spotty

Inspired by Netta's play on patterns yesterday, I tried pairing this strikingly polka-dotty dress with some polka-dotted tights. I'd originally been disappointed that the dress came in navy blue spots, rather than black, but when I played it up I think it worked out well.

Also took some shots of my coworkers, Shanti (our awesome 'librarian chic' office manager) and Netta of ninja fame.

On Shanti:

On Netta:

Outfitting: Pom-tificating

Today's outfit did not take a ton of thought, just wanted to showcase this awesome print scarf (with pom-poms! I luv pom-poms!) and keep everything else relatively simple. I had so many issues getting this scarf to hang right, especially because it's only printed on one side. I still love it because of the super retro 70s-style pattern and funky earth tone colors.

Outfitting: Subtle Woodland Creatures

I'm trying something new - now that I'm working for the most fantastic online indie retail site evarr (yay SEO backlinks!), it's high time I start documenting my daily outfits. It's been hard to be creative when so many other things are taking priority, but I have to try. To make things easier, my coworker Netta and I decided to help each other take photos so we don't feel so silly using self-timers in our (my) badly lit apartments.  I still felt rather sheepish ducking into a conference room and posing for Netta's iPhone. Oh well, I'm sure we'll get used to it.

Layering the two necklaces was a stroke of inspiration yesterday when I looked at my stuff and thought, how do I make this owl less cutesy?  How do I make this cool deer-skull less creepy? I have to say I probably first got the idea from the whimsical Jane Aldridge. But hey, animal combos really work!

What came first, the City Flat or the Tieks?

...More importantly, why exactly would I pay $130-$200 for 'designer' foldable ballet flats that look exactly like the ones I can get at The Gap for $39.50?  

Perhaps if I were determined to get a unique color, like turquoise or tangerine, or if I really wanted to have those nifty robins egg blue soles and the luxe gift bag, I'd go with the Tieks (pictured above).

But if I'm happy with basic black, metallic silver/gold, or red, then it seems the Gap's City Flat will do just fine.  That said, now that I'm working in the city and walking at least a mile or more every day, I love the idea of foldable flats that tuck into your purse or backpack, rather than the 80s working woman look of bright white tennis shoes + suit.  These flats, whether you prefer the high end or the mass-market, are so much more practical and modern!

UPDATE: Thanks to my friend Mario for this tip - there are two new UK companies, Rollasoles and Afterheels, that are selling these kinds of foldable, portable flats...but the genius twist is that the disposable flats are only GBP 5 and are dispensed from a vending machine!

Dear Anthro: I'm still in love with you.

It's been a while since I made a serious visit to the Anthropologie site. I was a little burned out after the orgy of Anthro-induced spending I made last year, where I bought all kinds of things including a $200 trench coat (which I still like a lot, by the way). Looking back, that was entirely too much to spend on a trench of that sort. 

I'm not really sure what got me to go back this time. I think because someone at work sent around a link to the Free People "Vintage Loves" campaign (which, by the way, is totally absurd, especially the pricing!), and that got me thinking, and then I got an e-mail about Anthro's latest sale. So I made a beeline for the sale section, and picked out all the best of the best--and yes, I too noticed my penchant for whites, blues, and pale oranges.