11.30.2011

Summer Dress = Winter Night Gown

The only thing I don't like about Winter is the short days.  About this time each year, I look forward to going home, cozying down into the couch and and doing the rest of my work there until its time to go to bed.  Don't get me wrong, I love walking through downtown with the glittering lights surrounding me, viewing the new holiday dresses in the windows at Barney's, grabbing a drink with friends in a crowded bar - all that is great during the Winter.  But after rushing around in the cold in my heels all day, its deliciously wonderful to lounge at home during the evenings and holidays.

But what to wear?  Yes, I mean at home - that's a perfectly legitimate question.  You don't really think I'm going to subject my guy to watching me hibernate in an oversize college t-shirt and PINK boxers, do you?  Mama don't run it like that.  I was having a difficult time coming up with comfy yet pretty ensembles to wear around the house (mainly in bed) that weren't dry-clean only.  Lingerie isn't all that warm.  "Cozy" traditional two piece pajamas are not appealing (I'd have to get them tailored with my stature and all) .  And robes don't really "speak" to me....  So while I am still mulling over these important things in life, having the most luxurious attractive nightwear a girl can get (within reason), I've come up with the idea of taking last Summer's maxis and sundresses and recycling them into current Winter night gowns.  





My in-laws are always going to the Philippines and they bring back little Summer dresses.  I've started wearing them in the evenings when I get home and wore one practically all day on Thanksgiving.  That's when the realization hit that they act as very attractive night wear.  And if they get stretched out from lounging and sleeping, so what?  They're inexpensive and my Tiny Closet can certainly handle a collection of them each year.

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11.28.2011

A Date with The Magistrate

After years of dutifully paying each parking ticket I receive each month (oy), a friend told me I probably should stop driving paying full price for each ticket.  Apparently, I can get them lowered if I contest in court?!!  Woah.  So instead of following my normal routine of logging into my account and paying for this particularly high ticket, I set up an appointment with a magistrate.

And of course, I came to the appointment prepared: my camera, my guy and a sophisticated ensemble.


This BCBGMAXAZRIA blazer originally fell at my ankles!  I shortened it quite a bit.  
I also shortened the arms to 3/4 length.  Tailoring is everything.






This sweater dress is a staple this Winter.  You can see it here and here.  

The magistrate ended up cutting my ticket in half!  No, not literally, can you imagine?  That would've been fantastic.  No, my ticket was 50% off though.  Black Friday prices up in the courtroom!  So my lil date was worth it - almost worth parking an hour in that 3-minute load/unload zone....

blazer: BCBGMAXAZRIA / sweater dress: H&M / 
lace up booties: Payless(!) / bag: Rebecca Minkoff



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11.27.2011

Mary Tyler Moore Kinda Mood

After my guy, Theo (I will refer to him as such from this point forward), and I finally got his tweed blazer fitted for alterations we saw a little cave like garden across the street.  And what popped into both of our heads?  Photo op!  Yes, he thought it too - and at the same time no less!!  The man is quickly catching on that pretty much every day, an opportunity to take photos will inevitably pop up...and it did, so we did.

My date night dinner the night before was delish, full of laughing and eating (best combo of things you can do ever by the way) and I fell into bed exhausted hence the birds nest atop my head that I awoke with the following morning.  Instead of going into my normal tearful, insane detangling ritual, I took advantage of the terrrible hair day, dug through my Tiny Closet and found this shaggy, glittery Winter hat.  It was so darling that, to match the mood, I popped on this charming dress coat.    I never, never wear hats but(!) I'd like to change this because I realize they're an amazing accessory and have the ability to really pull an outfit together.

I remember when high-waisted wide leg jeans returned to trend.  What was it, almost 10 years ago?  They broke out like an epidemic but the style seemed to only have two categories: cheesy trashy and slim classy.  And in my opinion, cheesy trashy was much more prevalent...  But I get it, its hard to rock denim that zips up past your navel!  It took me 3 years to find the right ones.  And when you find the right ones, you will look so damn good, you won't care if they go out of style :)  

                     






If you're going to venture into such a trend, do it right.  You gotta hem those suckers to perfection!!  Make 'em kiss the floor without dragging. Also, don't get a pair with a ton of stretch, you'll look like a mess when you stand up from sitting.  Oh my god, the creasing - its as bad as a pair of linen shorts after a long drive.  And buttons are not flattering after sitting either - zippers are the way to go.









These gems are from Habitual and they have juuust the right amount of stiffness to smooth out the tummy and waist and the perfect amount of stretch to showcase the curves.


No one wants pancake ass.



top: AllSaints / denim: Habitual / coat: Forever21 / bag: Gustto / hat: Free People / earrings: AllSaints / shoes: Jill Sander  -- scarf and cuff handmade

This outfit ended up being pretty darn fun to play in.  I looked down at my retro shoes, gave my coat a twirl and thought, "You're gonna make it after all!" - yeah, a totally Mary Tyler Moore kinda mood.

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11.24.2011

STYLEMINT Thanksgiving Attire: One Course at a Time

I have recently become a fan of StyleMint.  

Welcome to an online styling boutique dedicated solely to T-shirts!  Created by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen of The Row.  I am a humungoid fan of T-shirts and well, jersey in general and I've been a long time fan of The Row, which started out originally as a line of high end luxury Tees.  So of course now I am intrigued to find their less expensive sister line where every single T-shirt is [drumroll] 

$29.95 !!!

You can view a slice of their inventory above in the first tier of clothing.  They've got a plethora of styles to choose from!  What's great about this boutique is you sign up, become a free member, and every month, StyleMint showcases T-shirts to you privately that are specifically tailored to your personal style.  You can buy every item they choose for you or, if you don't see anything you want, you can skip that month and wait for next month's reveal!  Sounds kinda VIP, huh?  Yeah, mama likes feeling catered to :)

Speaking of being catered to, I am now going to my parents house to stuff myself with stuffing and basically be filled to the brim with uhhhmazingness.  Another reason why jersey is always the fabric of choice for me.  It's fashionable and forgiving!  

In all seriousity though (I made up that word, hehe) I need pumpkin pie in my mouth right now, so if you'll excuse me...

Happy Thanksgiving :)
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11.21.2011

Shaboom, I Hope We Meet Again!

I've had a number of inspirations that've been brewing in the back of my mind lately.  I tried a new hairstyle a couple weeks ago that I've been wanting to take a bit further ever since.  I've been into the 40s recently - probably due to scenes of Captain America still playing in my head.  I've also been amused with my tendency to dress a bit 90s (some days are more obvious than others) circa first season of 90210 and My So Called Life...

I guess it was my last post (Alexander Wang Rabbit Heel) that finally broke the camel's back and unleashed my urges to bring all these inspirations together.  Too bad it all had to materialize today, a regular ol' Monday.  I was all dressed up and nowhere to go, ladies...Don't you hate that?

I satisfied my 40s obsession by adding a second little bun in the front.  No red lips today - that direction would've just been too obvious with the hair now wouldn't it?  And I can't stand being predictable with fashion cues.  I also added a dash of 90s goth with my top - (its old hosiery with the crotch cut out to make a shirt, can you believe that?)

These booties are my girls!  You've seen them here.  They edge up pretty much any outfit I wear and give my 5'1" stature some oomph!

The clear bag is from Chanel's S/S 2005 I think.  Its a summer bag that I've decided to make a fun posh all-season bag :)
The sheer dress, I usually wear in the summer with little hot pants and sandals and even though its the rage now to wear lil pants under sheer skirts and dresses - hot pants aint cute in 50 degrees soooo 
I got out my trusty leather paneled leggings instead.  
That's right, I also wore them here.

So what if I had nowhere to go today?  So what if I missed Gaga's big Workshop reveal with Barney's?  I couldn't let this blog-worthy outfit go to waste so I walked the catwalk through Pike's Market Place while the farmers closed up, blew a kiss to security and had my own night out!

Black Top:
DKNY hosiery (cut a hole in crotch to make as a shirt)

Sheer Dress:
Sparkle & Fade / Urban Outfitters

Leather Paneled Leggings:
H&M

Booties:
Jessica Simpson

Bag:
Chanel




P.S. - I even shot a little video clip of my jaunt in the market.  FYI, I made the fur vest that I'm wearing in the video!  People ask me if its from Barney's. Nope.  The faux fur was $60 for a 1.5 yards.  I cut a big circle and then made two slits for my arms.  Didn't even sew it.  Instant glam!!
Got the idea and directions from P.S. I Made This.


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11.20.2011

Down The Rabbit Hole I Go!

The Rabbit Heel by Alexander Wang...
FashionIndie.com recently partnered with SSENSE.com with a contest giveaway!  I was too late to enter but that did not stop me from divulging what one item I would get for free from SSENSE.com if I had won :)  










So you know by now that I am allll about making the items in my closet go a long way... so these heels with jeans, leather pants, tweed slacks, leggings, slouchy silk shorts, a shift dress, whatever - they will go with everything! 

And the rabbit fur "charm" hanging off the heel is exquisitely sexy am I right?  The answer is Yes.  Reminds me of a sultry lady fox with a sassiness similar to that "seasoned" lady dog in Lady & The Tramp.  Have the right man walking behind you in these sisters and "Hello, lovah", they will do all the talking.  Back to the point though, the asymmetric square toe is subtly edgy and modern, which is a nice twist on a classic design.


And if I'm in more modest company, I can even remove the rabbit furs and perhaps hang them on a long silver chain necklace as a statement or hang them off a trench coat belt buckle - or on the side of a pair of slacks! Basically, these furs will bring a glam, luxe feel to anything you hang them on.  Don't worry, I won't hang them on my ears.


Thanks FashionIndie.com for having such amazing contests!



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11.19.2011

Introducing: ShoeMint


                                                                         click this link to go to: ShoeMint

I looove WhoWhatWear.com!  This blog is a daily read of mine that I highly recommend for fashionistas looking for up to the minute updates on everything style and fashion.  And this post I had to forward on since Rachel Bilson is a fabulous stylist herself and is now designing shoes with Steve Madden!

Mainly, I'm excited because so far I've seen a few wedges and I adore wedges!  Pre-register to get the first sneak preview on November 25th!!  I already have :)

And if you're as excited as I am, 
leave a comment!
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Army Boots & Gypsy Pants

I need to get back to a good sleeping schedule next week.  What was supposed to be a nice careless stroll in the park this morning turned into a rushed afternoon speed walk through it due to my sleeping in...   We managed to take some pics of my early 90s fly girl style anyway, haha!  Check it out!



 Military boots always look good with red lipstick!  Makes me think of the tailored casual styles of the 40s with the pinups clad in army boots and red lips - I love that.  That look inspired my style today.


I couldn't wait to break out my deep merlot lipstick this fall because burgundy lips are all the rage.

This MAC Viva Glam 37 is a matte finish which is great for day wear.  Top it off with gloss at night and its dazzling!











Denim Drawstring Top:
Diesel

Gypsy Pants:
AllSaints

Boots:
Diesel

Bag:
Gustto / 













I am wearing a side ponytail, gypsy pants and army boots... Just by the written description, you'd think "Hmm, In Living Color?" but no!  Since the colors I'm wearing are all neutrals and my denim top hits my hips and not the high waist, this style doesn't actually end up looking dated at all!

Still, a pretty atypical outfit today but I love those types of days where I'm like, screw it, lets do something completely different with these pieces.   Because its fashion :)  you're in it, you're out of it and then you're on to something else!

What about you?  
What unique pairings have you made lately?  How'd it turn out?  
Leave a comment!



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11.18.2011

Busy Busy Busy

I finally took some time to dive into ELLE's AW11 Fashion Week recap.  Ahhhh :)  I went through the usual [traditional] string of emotions: pure joy and wonder (pg.13, letter from Editor in Chief), a gasp of awe ( pg.28-9, Burberry Prorsum snowfall), green with envy (pg. 61, street shots), and a giddy concentrated obsessive mess on each ELLE Manifesto and Front Row News section....

And each time I surface out of the rabbit hole, I am resolute that one day, instead of turning the pages of these events, they will instead be happening right before my eyes.  One day :)

My entire evening and night yesterday was quite busy.  Racing from one social event to another, I just barely had time to take a few photos of my impromptu outfit.  I threw it together (carelessly I have to admit) but with the rain pouring down in buckets and the sky looking like dishwater, I was not inspired to be creative.  Why should I when everyone's looking down and speeding down the sidewalk trying not to get drenched [and more importantly, not looking at what I'm wearing]?

So - not my most thoughtful outfit but I did play with textures and I broke out a very stylish parka!  Not too bad in the end.

 This is the only denim shirt I have and its enough.  Why? It has a drawstring so it can be cinched at various levels on your waist or hips for various looks.  Worn loose, it turns into a tunic.  Genius design.  I will be wearing it later with a completely different outfit to show just how versatile it is.  Clothing with versatility is key for The Tiny Closet!
 This parka is extremely light and much better suited for Spring and early Fall.  But for light errands (especially if you are not relying on public transportation) it works in pretty much all weather!

These leggings are for high performance so the quality rises to the occasion.  The most durable leggings I've ever worn and - tummy control, which gives a smooth look under any top.
 My guy works at an art gallery bar so its always fun to stop by when I'm catching happy hour with friends.  I am looking nonchalant on my phone but in actuality, I had just received a job interview request for today!  Eeee!  Out of the places I've applied, this is the one I want the most.  My fingers are still crossed so wish me luck!

Parka:
H&M

Denim Drawstring Tunic:
Diesel

Leggings:

Booties:
Jessica Simpson

Bag:
Rebecca Minkoff MAB


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11.16.2011

The Case of The Tiny Closet & Job Attire

Walking through downtown the little lights in the trees are already hanging, the Red Cross street team is on every corner and the holiday dresses and shoes at Barney's and Nordstrom are already twinkling in the windows.  Tis the season to be employed!


Every year I get a seasonal retail job and this year will be no different.  Sure its nuts working retail. In downtown. During the holiday season - but I lust for clothing too much to let seasonal employee discounts and extra cash pass me by, ya know?


And in this economy, its much easier to find a temporary seasonal job then a career (as I am still trying for that one) - But with a Tiny Closet, what to wear, what to wear?  When in doubt, I go minimal.  Because that's basically what I'm already working with, haha!  For seasonal retail, my outfit had much more room to be a bit more creative but with my mother in one ear and Nina Garcia in the other (both angels of course), I think I got it right!

 Recognize the sweater dress?  That's because I have another one in black!  These are incredible for Fall and Winter.  Stylish and very warm.  You can view the black version of this dress here!

My guy calls this shawl the "Jedi Wrap" but its a true classic and actually pretty versatile.  You can view it another way I wore it here





Shawl:
Nicole Bridger boutique / Vancouver B.C.

Sweater Dress:
H&M

Leggings:
H&M

Boots:
Kenneth Cole

Metallic Tote:
Gift from a Nordstrom event






Here are my 5 basic key rules for what to wear for a job interview when working with a Tiny Closet:


1.  Shift Dress - they hit a home run every time and you can buy them anywhere if you don't have one (because you should).
Best in Navy, Black, Gray, Brown or White.  And I stay away from patterns because I just don't know about those in interview situations.


2.  Skirt Suit - Pencil or A Line
Best in Navy, Black, Gray or Brown.  Skirt should go to the knees.  Make it lady like with a colorful camisole, scarf or handkerchief


3.  Heels 3" - no higher.
Keep your platforms and sandals at home


4.  Bracelet or Watch - one of each and never both.
I actually prefer a small bangle because bracelets with pearls or charms are noisy and distracting!


5.  Hair  - Usually Up
If you have shoulder length hair, wear down - anything longer should be put in a mid to low neat pony tail or loose bun.


If you have any other golden rules you personally live by, I would love to know... Really I would.  So leave me a comment!  And I ended my day on very positive notes so I am keeping my fingers crossed.  Wish me luck!!!


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11.14.2011

Christian Bale and Tomato Sauce

Had to run to Blockbuster to pick up a new movie to watch with my guy tonight.  I've never seen Equilibrium but pretty much any film that takes place in post-apocalyptic times is fashion eye candy!  Plus Christian Bale AND Taye Diggs?  Say no more.  I was also running low on tomato sauce which is a serious code red because there is ALWAYS at least one day  out of the week that I crave spaghetti and have to have it.


So back to post-apocalyptic fashion - For me, my favorite fashion decade is this one.  Minimalist modern sets, uniform-like tops and bottoms and not to mention, every shade of gray imaginable - love it.  Its the ABCs of me!  Since this style is seen more commonly in high end fashion: Thakoon, Philip Lim, Alexander Wang, Yamamoto, etc its difficult for me to wear the style exactly the way I want to but I am learning how to slowly turn my closet around...


With these ill-timed errands, I took this chance to create a more casual remix of my outfit from Friday night.








This time I paired my poncho and wool swing coat with a simple pair of leggings and thick sturdy leather heels.   This Asos poncho has an enormous funnel neck about 3 feet long.  When worn, it falls beautifully and looks more like a loose scarf.  It makes an otherwise casual drab jersey poncho look actually a little dressy.

Poncho:

Coat:
Anthropologie

Leggings: 
H&M

Heels:

Bag:
Rebecca Minkoff / www.BagBorrowOrSteal.com (outlet)


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11.12.2011

Summer Sandals & Winter Coat

Last night my guy and I had our weekly date night.  We went out for dessert and saw the movie, Immortals.  Just a semi-dressy romantic outing but going to see violent, action films on opening night takes me back to high school where the theaters were packed with kids on dates and groups of friends - a young crowd, much like last night...  and I would go with my girlfriends and wear a cute skirt or short dress.  That night, I didn't feel like wearing a dress (I don't have many anyway) but feeling nostalgic, I decided to use my everyday oversize poncho as a dress instead.  Ha!  


Also, I have been in the process of pairing Summer items with my Winter wardrobe.  Why limit my closet by breaking it up into seasons?  I can get the most out of my wardrobe with an all-season closet.  I think meshing the seasons all together is totally doable.  In fact, last night, I took the first step with this theory and debuted a pair of Summer open toe sling back mules to wear comfortably on a November evening.

 I think the sling backs worked well with my wool swing coat!  Summer 2012, I plan to purchase a new pair of sandals but because I want to be able to wear them all year round, the material of the shoe is important.  These sandals work because of their suede exterior and suede and leather are the perfect material for an all-season sandal as these are fabrics commonly seen in Fall and Winter.  


I am careful of sandals made of canvas or any kind of plastic (especially clear) materials as they are more limited to just Summer wear.  I spend much less on these style sandals since I know I can only wear them a fraction of the year.


The poncho was a wee bit short but worked wonderfully.  I think it makes for a modern dress but nonetheless, I wore little hidden black shorts underneath as I am a lady.


Poncho:
Asos.com

Coat:
Anthropologie

Sandals:
Nine West Summer 2009

Hosiery:
Calvin Klein

Bag:
Rebecca Minkoff / BagBorroworSteal.com (Outlet)


If you like what you see, don't forget to comment!

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11.11.2011

Day to Night Tool Kit

Running around my house looking for my nail file, I came across a ziplock bag in my bathroom cabinet today.  It was chock full of random makeup (so there's my M.A.C. coral blush!!), and toiletries.  I instantly remembered my "kit" from the office.


As I've been a working city girl for years now,  it seemed every Thursday or Friday (or both), I had happy hour, date, movie, dinner, etc to go to after work and I always felt so...bland going to these events.  At one point in time it finally dawned on me to make myself a "Day-to-Night" kit.  A little baggie of saving-face makeup and tools for evening play.


1.  Liquid Eye Liner (easy, fast and affective)
Dress up the eyes for post-work dates, and happy hours


2.  Bronzer (I go very easy on this one making a circle with my kabuki brush around my face)
Gives a fabulous glow.  Bronzer does magic in bar/restaurant lighting giving a toned, soft, sexy look


3.  Clear Gloss
Dramatize whatever lipstick you're wearing by sweeping a clear gloss on top


4.  Lipstick (preferably in the rouge family)
It gives a more ladylike look to anything you've been wearing during the day


5.  Tweezers
Edit those brows


6.  Highlighter
Use on the eyes and nose for a beautiful glow


7.  Blush
If you're looking a bit drained from the day


8.  Earrings
I have a pair of cheap dangle earrings to dress up my day outfit


9.  Bobby Pins / Hair Elastics / Hairband
Work great if you're hair has been battling humidity that day or oil build up, like greasy bangs - pin it ip or pull it back!  A girlfriend of mine uses powder shampoo for these circumstances.


10.  Deodorant
Just incase you skipped it that day

Anyway, there were other things in my kit like nail polish, file and tampons and floss (all important, I practically lived at work) but I think those 10 mentioned are pretty universally helpful.


Side Note: Brushes are very expensive.  Ugh.  Since I'm not a makeup artist, I refuse to spend the money on such things.  You can buy the smaller travel versions of brushes and tools, they're much less expensive but luckily I found a site that sells full size makeup brushes for a fraction of the cost: 



My prayers have single handedly been answered in economic makeup application tools.


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11.10.2011

Wear a Shawl

I woke up this morning and did not want to do a thing!  I didn't feel like going on my morning run, nor taking the shower that proceeded, nor styling my hair or putting on makeup.


But then mornings like these, I am reminded of a story my mom told me of her being out with her sister (my aunt) and, spotting her ex-boyfriend in the distance, grabbed her sister and walked the opposite direction.  My mother immediately explained that she could NOT have her ex see her dressed like "this", indicating her dismal appearance.  At which point my absolutely fabulous aunt asked her, "Then why are you dressed like that?" ...Good point.


From that point forward I started working at dressing well everyday because its great to just be out enjoying a casual day and knowing I am fashionably prepared for whatever the day brings.


Here's me out getting coffee:



So I took the time to get ready anyway.  I still had no desire to tackle my head of curls so I just wore it down.  The style inspired a somewhat equestrian rustic country theme in my ensemble today.  I went with it.


I am wearing the same gray jeggings as in my Shades of Gray post.  This shawl was a gift from fiance and I never brown but because there is a dark, ash hue in the brown, I can still wear all of my gray items and even my black items.







So comfy for a coffee date with my girlfriend but its a bit formal like I love to be.







This shawl is the warmest!  I altered the sleeves 3/4" as I am very petite.  Sometimes its cheaper to get a wool shawl instead of splurging on a new coat (especially if you already have a coat).  And every year I want to buy a new coat - well this year, I am enjoying the nice coats I already have and to satisfy my desire for a new Fall item, I bought a shawl instead.  With even a bit of layering, a wool shawl is just as warm and very elegant.





Shawl:
Nicole Bridger (stylish little boutique in Vancouver BC)

Jeggings:
Asos.com

Boots:
Kenneth Cole / bought them at a consignment shop for $30!!!

Bag:
Yves Saint Laurent

Belt:
Abercrombie & Fitch

Necklace:
Free People






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