Hooray for Boots!

It's fall guys..that means i've been wearing boots with a vengeance and loving every second of it. I'm really, really broke right now (i credit my lack of posting to my lack of buying), so i've been in shopping detention. sad face. but i did treat myself to these in brown:


can't WAIT till they arrive!

look familiar?

remember this adorbz dress from the peter pan collar page i did in BUST? well, the AMAZING Bianca, the brilliant designer behind Dear Creatures let me keep it! And i've been waiting and waiting and waiting to wear it cause it's a little heavy and definitely a fall dress. But i just couldn't stand it anymore, i had to wear it today...it IS fall now right? plus, white tights and oxford heels..yes, please.

Color me Marc.

i said i was gonna do it. and i did.

i opted for a slighly different silouette, a cap sleeve (more approps for fall), and obvs i used a mustard/white duotone rather than the red. again, more fall and more my color.

more pics tomorrow when i'm wearing it....

i couldn't wait to share!

*ADDENDUM*
i wore it today! here's a pic!

it had a tendency to bunch a bit. but that's the life of not so skinny person. what can i say? i'm not stick or mannequin-like.

Tights!!!

IT'S TIME. it's time guys! TIGHTS!!!

i felt the fall breezes this morning and decided i could wait no longer. i had to break out the tights for the first time. and i didn't regret it. it was the BEST fall day today in ny. and it did my heart so much good.

is it weird that it's cool enough to wear tights but warm enough to wear a tank top? I DON'T CARE. i did it.

AAAAAAND. it afforded me the chance to break these out as well:


gray shoe booties from AEROSOLES! yeah, they totes stepped it up with their fall collection. and of course, they are SO comfortable. i bought them about 2 weeks ago and have been waiting and waiting to wear them. they kind of remind me of the Chloe ones Alix wears but 4958094358 times cheaper i'm sure.

Stick Figure.

Feeling very accomplished guys..
I have ALWAYS wanted a dress form for forevs and Project Runway just gets in my head and stays there, making the urges that much stronger. But they are SO expensive! Even antique and vintage ones are way more than I want to spend. BUT I found this tutorial from Etsy labs. And was insta-inspired. So this weekend I set out to make my own. Observe Fig. 1 below:

Yay!
Not a vision of perfection. But i'm pretty damn happy with it. Annnnd it's exactly my measurements, so no more guess work and figuring out the math when i'm drafting patterns!

The body form is cast in duct tape just as described in the tutorial. And used a recycled coffee can to give some structure to the neck.

I bought a 1" dowel rod from a hardware store to use as the stand, but you could use the wood shaft of a broom or mop too.

The wheely stand bottom I constructed out of the wood planks from some cheap wall hook fixtures that i bought at the dollar store for 1 buck. I removed the hooks and use the holes that were pre-driven to screw together the pieces and form a cross. i also magically found 4 wheels with appropriate hardware to screw into the bottom of the stand at the same dollar store, also for $1. I used a 1" drill bit and electric drill to make a hole in the center of the cross stand and filled the hole with wood glue. Fit the dowel into the hole and secured it with some L braces I had around the apartment. i probably did the whole thing for around $40. Score!

no no miu miu

Yep, uh huh, i did it. i broke my shopping detention and bought these Faryl Robin shoes and they're nothing short of magical. somewhere between something dainty and feminine that Alix would wear and something Elizabeth would call bonkerstown. i love 'em. and i can't wait to wear them with crazy bright tights!

doctor, doctor!

one of the many perks of working in magazines, is the free stuff. and since doc martens is sponsoring our big 15 year anniversary party next tuesday (which if you live in the nyc area, stop what you're doing and go buy a ticket now!), we're getting hooked up with some new kicks. while perusing their site today to pick out my pair i came across these:

i've seen other chicks rock these flowered doc martens (well, i mind you) and i often have envy pangs for those who can pull them off. i wish i had enough bad-assery to wear them confidently, but sadly i just don't. so instead, i settled on these:


not your typical idea of a doc marten, but a little bit more my style. is it fall yettttttt???

Thank You!

To everyone (Jennifer, Amy, Francesca, Siriwan) who I had the lovely opportunity to include in the recent fashion feature in BUST Magazine...thankyouthankyouthankyou

I'm truly honored to have you grace the pages of the magazine as each of you are totally inspiring in your own unique ways.

Everyone else: Go buy the issue!

big things..made small

i've been on vacation this week (!!!!) and that means i've had time to do a ton of stuff i've been putting off/not having time to do, which is so so satisfying. the super amazing effie gave me this dress, which was about 12 sizes too big on me. i wore it the very next day after i got it in the mail even though it was a sack on me because i loved it so much, and i've been yearning to wear it again, but not before i did some major alterations on it. i finally got a chance to take it in and i couldn't be happier a) with my altering job and b) with the fact that i got to wear it again! it really is one of the most beautiful vintage dresses i've ever seen and so very thankful to effie for sending it to me.

got my toes done up, and finger-nails poppin'

i got a manicure & pedicure today! i'm on vacation and i had gift certificate...that's about all that needs to be said about that.

love at first sight.

remember a bunch of posts back i was hunting for a pair of wedges i could call my own? mission accomplished! i found these babies on zappos but they were all sold out of my size so i searched for them at shoes.com and found them for $20 less! score! best part....? they're made by Natural Comfort, which if you've ever had a pair on you know how heavenly they are. Like walking on clouds.

new things!

i haven't been buying as much new stuff lately as i usually am, which could either be a really good thing (for my wallet) or a really bad thing (for my ever-expanding closet). but 2 new things worth mentioning is this yellow bag i bought for a street vendor ( the color is what sold me), which will be awesome for the extra crap i carry around with me in the summer months, i.e. sunglasses, umbrella, change of shoes for when i wear hurty heels. Annnnd, my new fave thing of the moment...this totally awesome super amazing bracelet! i was at Fringe Salon having a consultation about hair extensions (that's a story for a different time!!), and sometimes they have local jewelery artist's wares for sale there, and low and behold this beauty, among other lovely pieces made of old spoons and forks and coins and bones and trinkets of all kinds snatched up my attention. i bought this guy with an old key, an old coin, an old gage, and some tiny pearls. be still my heart, i love it so.

what! what?

i spy.....me!

find me on pg. 144 in the new issue of NEET Magazine if you dare!

models hangin' out

Sorry guys for my lack of posting. I credit my blogging dryspell to being so crazy busy it's ridic. if i had time to breath, maybe i'd have time to blog! hang in with me though!

In other news, i had the chance to be on set while we (BUST) shot Leah, the lovely gal behind the clothing line, Married to the Mob. She had this awesome lips couch that we used for the set and the photographer snapped this pic of me standing in while he set up lights. Everything in the shot is just too ironic, i had to post it.

brown paper packages tied with a bow..

Saturday morning was perhaps one of the best. Not sure about anyone else, but there isn't anything quite like the feeling you get in the instant you've discovered there is a package waiting for you. what is it about the unknowing of what's inside that box that excites me so? either way, Saturday morning there were 3 packages (yes! triple excitement!) waiting for me at the post office and among them was the cutest little box wrapped all up in nice paper with the magical touch of my new insta-BFF, the snail and the cyclops aka effie. Miss thing is not only like the nicest person evs, but you know if you have a package with her name on it, whatever it contains inside is going to be, like, everything you ever wanted. Right? Well, you can only imagine that upon opening it, my dreams came true. She sent me the cutest, most perfect vintage dress (of course, in pristine condition) and this little clip she found at a flea market whose little box was equally as adorable, with a really nice hand-written note that made me melt into a puddle. Everything that girl touches is magic. I sound really gushy and almost like i'm talking about a guy I have a crush on or something...but this is so much better because instead of an awkward makeout and a non-phonecall..i actually get to keep these amazing things. SO much better. Thanks so much Effie!

cold feet

alright, already! i've had quite enough of this cold, wet, rainy weather for the endo of May! Cut us a damn break mother nature!!! i'm starting to fear global-colding. But more than the cold, wet, rainy weather, i'm sick of cold, wet feet. Screw trying to walk around in this mess with cute, peep-toe sling-backs. forget it. but more than cold, wet feet, i'm sick of slushing around in the disgusting grime on the street and in the subway with bare toes. i can't even bring myself to think about what filth i'm wading through. so...i bought these guys. though the rain boots with floral patterns and other eccentric decoration are cute on others, they just aren't my cup 'o tea. and these weren't on the lower end of the spectrum in matters of price, but they are really well-made and figured they'll last forever.

the new me..

this is me at 10 o'clock this morning...


this is me now...

several hours later, some copper red highlights, and approx. 7 inches of hair removed. i must say, changing your hair this drastically is like getting a new face. it takes a bit of time to get used to, and i'm not quite there yet, but i'm well on my way. i just worry it looks like i'm wearing a wig..no? i assure you, i'm not. but i did start experimenting with headbands and i discovered i quite prefer headbands on shorter hair..bonus!

jen corace..how i love thee

i've been noticing a lot lately that readers of blogs alike, everyone seems to love a bit of beautiful photography here and a dash of fine art there in addition to all the wonderful fashion musings we see most of the time. one of my commenters asked me recently about my profile picture which is indeed a jen corace illustration (by far, my fave illustrator). it resides as my computer wallpaper and many of her other illustrations and painting are plastered all over my bedroom walls. i just can't get enough! her adorable drawing style makes me ache. i believe it's something with the faces she puts on all the impossibly cute girls she paints, it's so whimsical. i can just get lost in their playful simplicity. she's done some illustrations for Bust before, and if i could, i would give her every illustration, but unfortunately i have to give other lovely illustrators work too...and her style doesn't necessarily work for every assignment i have, but for me...she is perfection.

today's key word: skirt

i tried desperately and unsuccessfully to take a good picture of this flyer for a vintage show i went to today at City Opera Thrift Shop, but wanted to share it because i thought it was lovely. the show itself was about as successful as my poor picture taking abilities. mostly overpriced high-end couture and rich housewife types..not for me. i considered buying a big fabric bow with purple stripes for $5, but decided against it because why would i buy a fabric bow when i have the means and skill to easily craft one myself if i need such things? but i don't, so i feel my decision was warranted. but i had to make my venture to 23rd street worth it, so luck struck when i discovered a goodwill next store. and skirt must be the word of the day because not only did i sip (and by sip i mean down 3 in approx. 15 minutes) a fabulous cocktail called "the swaying skirt" but i also thrifted these great skirts! i realize now that the latter needs a little ironing, but i'm happy with my finds, none the less.

left photo:
scarf: h&m
blouse: f21
skirt: just thrifted!
shoes: jeffrey campbell

right photo:
knit beret: wet seal
scarf: vintage
belt: vintage
skirt: just thrifted!
shoes: aerosoles