10.31.2012

A Dress Fit For Two

My jaw dropped when I saw the pictures of Victoria Beckham's dress she wore to the royal wedding.  
Even if she hadn't been with child, the dress would have still stolen the show, in my opinion.


And of course she wore her own design.  This phenomenal woman, don't even get me started - she has produced, hands down, one of the most attractive, flattering and intuitive woman's clothing lines I've seen since Donna Karen.  Truly, she is incredible and her eye and genuine dedication to her line completely separates her from the just-another-celebrity clothing line category.  A diamond in the rough.  Wow, I wish more people knew the quality and authenticity of her work.  


Anyway, back to the dress - you know me and drape: I luvs it.  And I happened to have a very similar dress in my Tiny Closet to rock my way, stateside :)


This dress I bought at a indie boutique show in Fremont a few years ago.  I dig the slouchy pockets.  It's by Suzabelle and I wear it consistently as it's great for work, dinners and parties.  Simple.  Versatile.  My Tiny Closet likes.


And here I go, here I go, here I go again wearing my JS booties.  Because they are black, stiletto and a boot - so yes,  these bad bitches go with everything.  You wanna see for yourself?  I wear them at least once a week during the Fall and Winter.  Here are some highlighted ensembles I wore them with:  



This Lane Bryant sweater really does go with everything for Fall.  And I'm thankful for that because I still haven't felt in the mood at all whatsoever to wear a coat.  
I don't wanna!  But it's perfect for this type of swing-like knee-length dress.


I will very much enjoy purchasing a Beckham piece in the future (perhaps with matching Louboutins?) but until then, I can definitely wear the heck out of some coincidental look-alikes by wonderful brands like this.  I do love supporting local boutiques.
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10.30.2012

New Do, New Look

 With all this romantic styling I've been seeing, I thought it'd be fun to change up my oh-so-daily fro and make my curls more elegant and romancy.  

And what better dress to wear with my new hairstyle than my favorite (and only) Diane Von Furstenberg dress?  Wool and so mod-like, I've been waaaaiting for the weather to permit me to wear this dress in a warmer version of an earlier Summer post I did, "Pop" with this dress.  

This time, I paired my opaque stockings and favorite suede booties for a bright, but warmer Fall persuasion.

dress: Diane Von Furstenberg / booties: Jessica Simpson / tights: DKNY / necklace: Swarovski / bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB


I love the sleeves on this dress so to make the sleeves even more of a deal, I shortened the dress myself.  I ended up making it too short but actually, the mini-ness of it now is surprisingly more fun to wear. Heyo!


Hope all of you in New York and New Jersey are staying safe!
...and hope you have a lot of magazines with you!!
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10.29.2012

Looking Forward

New inspirations and ideas have been percolating in my Tiny Closet lately...

I usually don't share my style boards but with the overwhelming amount of ideas and inspiration I've been taking in lately, from magazines to Tumblr to Vogue.com to Karla's Closet to Jak & Jil to, to, to...it's comin at me from everywhere lately, I had to lay it all out for myself.  And now for you.

#1: Accessories
rad nails, awesome hair, bracelets, and... freckles!  
I want 'em all.


I have NEVER been into "stiletto" nails.  They're fun, yes, yes, and the idea is great.  But since they're made pretty badly and never fit exactly right, they end up looking incredibly cheap.  Just sayin'...  But after seeing them all glam'd up and suuuper bedazzled, I have to say I'm on board.  

I love pictures of big hair as that is what mine will look like in a couple years and that's tremendously exciting for me.  
Also, I love that woman's Tiffany blue nails.  Guh, so cool.  

Lastly, I don't have freckles but with the right art pen, I plan to draw them on my face.  
Don't laugh.  Okay, laugh - but you will want to do it too when you see how amazing they hopefully look on me.


#2: Simple, Long Dresses
deep brilliant colors, natural makeup, dramatic drape 


I'm looking for A/W maxis.  Surprisingly hard to find... In fact, I'm pretty close to going to a maternity store to find the drape that I need.  

Also, I've longed for a dewier natural look in my makeup. The one thing I envy in runway models is their incredible complexion.  They pamper their faces like nothing I've ever seen so I've been taking more time with mine.  I will dedicate a post on this because I've actually become obsessed with having a clean, bright face.  It really does a lot.


#3: Colors & Textures
mixed geo prints, woven textiles, bright smoking shoes


My feet are wide and flat.  Aren't you jealous?  Yeah, I know.  Years ago, when flats became the new epidemic, it was hard to join in on the fun.  In general flats are just not a flattering shoe for flat, wide feet.  That was until the smoking shoe came into the spotlight.  They're so much hipper and most importantly, they make my feet look handsome and elegant and not like I just got off a 20 hour plane ride.

I've also been into humungous thick scarves, woodsy felted ponchos and zany tribal/geo patterns on dresses and pants.

Whew!  So we'll see if this all pans out.  Oh and before I sign out, I've always crushed on artsy, tattooed, bad boy punks.  Always.  Maybe because I just envied their style.  But I guess I've always loved bold, unapologetic fashion.   And attitude :)

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10.26.2012

I Got Dressed In The Cab: A Wedding Story


On October 15th, everything that could have gone wrong, did.  
Except for my wedding :)  That went perfectly.

From the moment I awoke in bed, to the moment I got to the wedding two hours late, my day was a show for primetime television.  A bit of awkward Seinfeld mishaps to unplanned friction a la Curb Your Enthusiasm, to shenanigans of The Nanny and a dash of 24.

Stuck in gridlock traffic, I finally came to terms with having to put my wedding dress on, right there in the cab.  Spurting out apologies and directions to the driver as he averted his eyes from the rearview mirror, I managed to emerge unwrinkled and stress-free.  And despite the chaos I went through to arrive in time to walk down the aisle, the force of love and happiness I received when Theo led me through the door was like nothing I'd ever felt in my life.  It was hands down, the happiest day ever.

So first, the man behind The Tiny Closet... or rather in front of it, taking pictures.  He's also the man I married that day:


In signature style, he decided to wear an ascot.  I couldn't have imagined anything better really, his taste is far better than mine.  His blazer and vest are Zara Man.  His ascot, an old hair scarf I used to wear.  "Something borrowed" I suppose.

The Bottlehouse wine bar hosted our ceremony and reception fabulously.  A cozy but urban bar with the best wine in Seattle.  Seriously.


And since I wasn't able to show up for the pre-ceremony photo shoot, I was thankful for all the candids taken by event photography team, Derek Dizon & Sam Weissbach.  Cameras and iPhones were flashing all night long so I decided to put together my favorite candid shots of my dress, and me in it beaming throughout the night.  Enjoy! 


 I wore these fabulous Nodri earrings out last weekend here.  And I found this very special white frock at designer consignment boutique, Driftwood in Seattle's Madrona neighborhood.  Just a block down from where I got married.  It's vintage two-piece Max Mara made in Italy.  Apparently, it had been altered for a woman almost exactly my size.  Even though I'd already made specific plans for my dress, when I tried this on during a routine shopping trip, I knew it had to be the one.

My ring is a custom WS Jewelry Design.  A collaboration between Whitney Stern and Theo of pave diamonds with an off-center sapphire.  The band is "something old" passed down to me from my mother.  Can you tell I love gold?  Can you??


A lot of family and friends took amazing photos and Instagrams so I must show a few!


And some of my gorgeous girlfriends.  Each and every one of them have such a unique style.  Inspiration is definitely not hard to come by in their company.





So besides our registry gifts, a new dress that I'll be altering to wear later, and some great lashes that I'm now addicted to seeing on my face,  things are all back to how I left them.  
Just as I planned :)

The End
Photos (except for Instagram collection) by Derek Dizon & Sam Weissbach

Hope you enjoyed and thanks so much for visiting The Tiny Closet!
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10.25.2012

A WS Woman

A couple years ago, I was very lucky to meet and become friends with Whitney of Whitney Stern Jewelry Design.  A particularly magical woman.  And just like this Seattle-based jewelry designer, I immediately found her pieces to be one of a kind and abundant with creativity and beauty.
Whitney Stern actually collaborated with my husband in designing my engagement ring (from scratch) and it is still the most complimented accessory I've ever owned.  And it should be right?  Ha, but it actually is!  Anyway, a couple weeks ago, in the eye of my wedding storm, when I was asked to tag along with Theo to be in WS Jewelry Design's photo shoot kicking off their new exclusive line, I jumped at the chance to be apart of such an awesome process and...model her jewelry!!


I'm definitely a girly girl and I love my girlfriends so meeting the other handpicked women who modeled for WS that day was a wonderful experience.

Since Theo was working with Whitney that day, I wasn't able to focus the camera on me for Tiny Closet records but I did take a few Instagrammies.  The pro photos will be coming soon but this will have to do for now.


My favorite items of WS design is the rings.  Guuhhhh, they're exquisite!  And when one of the models was texting between shots, I had to snap a pic of her adorned fingers.

I've never worn so much jewelry in my life and it was amazing!  The shoot really inspired me to push the boundaries of fashion jewelry and wear it to the max.  Rest assured, you will see this inspiration materialize one of these days.


We shot in one of my favorites: gorgeous Italian restaurant, Barolo.  With dripping wax candles, ornate glass chandeliers and curtains and mirrors everywhere, it was quite sexy and dramatic.  If you visit Seattle, be sure to go there.  Either with your girlfriends or a special guy - it's perfect.


I'm incredibly excited to view the launch coming up and to have been a part of a growing national brand!  From Lucky to O to the New York Times, WS Jewelry Design has been buzzing with press but her work rings truest to me here:

"Whitney creates jewelry for women of the world who continually inspire her designs. A WS Woman follows her heart and chases her dreams. She is not only a conscious consumer, but a dedicated world citizen. Whitney’s vision is to create meaningful and unique products that help empower these women to recognize their individual and shared potential. She is committed to improving local and overseas communities through sharing profits with charities and by engaging in sustainable and ethical business practices." - whitneystern.com

Check out WS Jewelry Design and fall in love!

And speaking of love.... Wedding post coming on Friday!!!  I know, I can't wait either :)
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10.24.2012

Down Vest

Around this time every Fall, feather down puffer vests start popping up.  

I hate them.

I admit, I live in the mecca of the Northwest so I understand the utilitarian purpose of this feather down puffer vest.  And yes, probably every designer since the 80s has redesigned the down vest times over but from North Face to Patagonia to Michael Kors to Comme de Garcons,

I hate them.

So yesterday, I decided to wear my feather down vest.  If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right?  
But psst, mine's better :)

vest: handmade (unknown) / scarf: vintage / denim: Zara / top: Zara / boots: Kenneth Cole

So, okay okay, my vest is more fitting for a candle lit evening rather than catching the express bus for work buuuut it has what the other vests don't and that's style.  
It's fun wearing things out of context.

I found this handmade vest of black boas at a boutique/stall during an indie fashion convention.  And with no tags, I have completely forgotten the designer but when I bought it, I knew it was going to be one of those Tiny Closet pieces I'd own simply as a luxury and where would I wear it?  Who knows?  I'm beginning to think I can actually wear this thing everywhere.



So it may not be warmer, more durable or water resistant but it's preeeeetier.

Lolsies!
wedding pics soon
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10.23.2012

English: A Bit of Town, A Bit of Country

I was flipping through Harper's Bazaar UK's September issue the other day and half-way through, I became curious with two things: why wasn't anything I was seeing my... cup of tea?  And also, why was there an overwhelming theme of English-town-and-country? Eh, I guess the second question answered the first but unlike the issues I've observed in the past, the esthetic of this issue was so strong it was practically a concept throughout.  Which then confused me even more because I hadn't seen the theme displayed nearly as strong elsewhere.  Are people buying this?  Is this a theme now?  I mean, I know  every Fall and Winter (until the end of time), the equestrian boot will take its rightful place, and riding pants and polos are timeless but I didn't get the saturation.  Until I realized ah, silly me, if I had simply taken my head out of Zara for just a second, I would've then seen that this English/town/country concept is everywhere!  

But why?  Whatever, who cares, I wanna play too.  And I may not care much for tailored equestrian looks or Rapunzel inspired dresses but I love a good strong esthetic when I see one.  So themey and fun right?  So with those ideas in mind,  I decided to translate the concept through my Tiny Closet of Magic and accompanied Theo to brunch wearing, of all the items I own, AllSaints.
The side of English style I adore:

The look was a patchwork of ideas that all centered around the very British theme of the issue.  This blazer is actually AllSaints Men and was tailored even more after purchasing.  I wore it with a polo shirt and a hair scarf made as an ascot.  Since the shirt was sporty and untucked, the look leaned a bit more all-boys-school like.  And my Minnetonka moccasins, casual as well, worked for a northern country setting (much like what Roots is focusing on).  I finished up with a khaki pant.


So of course, I started out winking at this style but by the end of the day, I was actually really feelin it. Whether I'm picking up butter at the store or loitering inside Barnes & Noble, if I'm wearing a tailored blazer, I feel like I've got purpose.  It just makes me feel together with whatever I'm not doing.  

blazer: AllSaints Men / polo: Ralph Lauren / scarf: vintage / pants: Zara / shoes: Minnetonka
(all accessories are vintage or custom)

Very much unlike Tiny Closet style, I haven't worn any of these items (except for the moccasins) in a long time.  I realize now when something is no longer working in one's wardrobe, sure it may be time to donate orrrr it might just need some reinvention.  This month is a time for costumes and playing with clothing.  I played around with some oldies and found apparently, a very now ensemble.
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10.22.2012

A Dress For Summer & Winter

In classic Tiny Closet fashion, I decided to wear my most favorite Summer dress, in a Fall/Wintry style.  While making our way to a nearby cafe Saturday morning, Theo and I took a very chilly walk along Alki Beach.

I decided to layer an oatmeal hued, tunic sweater over my Catherine Malandrino eyelet dress.  My all-season canvas wedges were perfect for the ensemble but I did miss some coverage on my legs.  They were cold!  Oh well - when it comes to the sake of fashion, my suffering is minimal.  I will admit though that I am consistently guilty of allowing myself to be too cold or too hot.



I wore my wedding earrings by a relatively new line to Nordstrom's fashion jewelry, Nodri.  The design in gold and crystal pave were perfect for the occasion and actually go perfectly with everything else in my Tiny Closet!  The cowl neck on this H&M sweater is beautiful and so warm.  It's been a A/W staple for a couple years now.

  sweater: H&M / dress: Catherine Malandrino / wedges: Castaner / earrings: Nodri

Have a great week!
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10.20.2012

Settling Into Fall

Back from a quick lil honeymoon, I'm settling back into life.  No more wedding plans, registry updates, venue correspondence, or endless string of errands.  Whew!  

And whoohoo, I'm married!
But more on that later.

On top of being excited to celebrate something beside Halloween for the next 60 Octobers, after Theo and I returned home, we decided to gather up the rest of our registry items that hadn't been bought.  Over the week, I added some denims to my Tiny Closet, as well as some basics, so yesterday when I delighted in a t-shirt and jeans ensemble for our shopping trip, I couldn't think of any other pair of shoes to wear but theeeeese onnnnnze :)
shoes: Badgley Mischka
That's right, I decided to wear my wedding shoes with jeans and a tee y'all.  Why not??



I love black and gold as daily jewelry wear.  My necklace was found at a vintage boutique.  The bracelet is also a necklace by Swarovski.



My new denim is from Zara and very stretchy.  With curvier legs, that's all a girl like me can entertain: denim with spandex.  Hugs those curves tight because its got nothin but love for 'em :)  I have two pairs of denim.  A light, worn pair for Summer and a super dark pair for A/W.  What can I say, I keep it simple.

I am back at the sewing machine so I'm excited to show my new items.  It will also give me something to do rather than pacing back and forth waiting for my wedding photos...  Which I will show as soon as  it is physically possible :)

Thank you for all the congrats and keep visiting for more Tiny Closet Fall wear!!
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10.08.2012

Countdown

I am taking this entire week off in preparation of my wedding, which is in 7 Days!!  This week, will be dedicated to running with my head cut off errands, baking (a lot), tying up all loose ends and finally...peace.  So that I can effortlessly walk down the aisle without a care in the world.  Almost as if I'm floating.  And everyone will be asking themselves, "How does she do it all??"   
And I'll give them a wink and whisper, "Easily."

This is probably a fantasy of course, but in my harebrained mind, it's merely ideal.

So in order to do it all, I will be posting intermittently throughout the week whenever I can; giving you updates on my running-round-town outfits and such.


I also have some fun news of a very special and exciting event I took part in last weekend that I will be sharing with you later.  So check back daily!  In spite of all this wedding nonsense, my Tiny Closet is still #1...well maybe a close second to a big hearted guy I can't quite seem to get enough of :)
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10.05.2012

A New Uniform

Strolling around downtown Fremont after lunch with Theo, we spotted a basement boutique, The Fremont Vintage Mall.  We forgot about our errands and enjoyed the afternoon flipping through records, an enormous collection of Polaroid cameras, coats, nightgowns, cowboy boots, something else cool...  This place is spectacular!!

And, like a puppy at an animal shelter (not really), this beautiful oversize wool jumper with working pockets clung to me the entire time.  Oh, as well as some superbly fitting sunnies.  I think the sunglasses I found are even cooler than the RayBan Wayfarers I've been sulking over for a year (can't pay $300 for sunnies, I just CAN'T dammit!).  These were $12.  The jumper was a couple more.  That's what I call doable.

jumper: vintage (Fremont Vintage Mall) / t-shirt: James Perse / booties: Jessica Simpson / earrings: Tory Burch / sunnies: vintage (Fremont Vintage Mall)
Ladies and gentleman, I have found a new staple outfit.  Roomy, modern, comfy, chic, minimal.  And versatiiiiile!!

So on those days where I find myself pouting in front of a stubborn Tiny Closet, I can pull out this pet and gooooo.  My new go-to.

Enjoy the weekend!
Natalie, out!
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