My new gypsy earrings from All Saints finally arrived, which also means my parachute dress is here, too! These babies are pretty heavy, jingle when I walk, and may be just a tad bit annoying, but I don't care!
I found these motorcycle boots at Buffalo Exchange on a busy, busy Saturday afternoon. They were just sitting there on the shelf all lonely as several girls overlooked them. I couldn't believe no one had grabbed them yet because I was certain they were Frye Harness boots. Actually they are Durangos, but that's our little secret. I literally screeched with joy as I snatched them up-I have been wanting a pair very similar to these as evidenced here.
And lastly I picked up some old, worn-in T-shirts at Buffalo Exchange as well. Black vintage tees are ridiculously abundant in my wardrobe, and the more faded, thin, and hole-y the better. Basically, I get a kick out of pairing grubby tees with unexpected pieces like girly skirts and accessories to give new life to otherwise forgotten scraps of 80s fabric. And the best part about these two shirts is their backs...
Aaand, that one on your right does have Einstein's face on it along with a list of astronomical terms...yesss!
As far as style muses go, Chloe Sevigny and Kate Bosworth rate very, very high on my list. Not only do they always look chic and natural, but it appears as if they do this without the tiniest bit of effort. Plus, they look so comfortable in everything they wear. These looks give me a whole lot of spring inspiration and I can't wait to wear:
-denim cut-offs with loafers/moccasins and socks
-denim vests paired with simple basics to add interest
-cropped tops with high-waist maxi skirts for day and night
And I definitely had a chance to buy those Isabel Marant boots (in my size!) worn by Bosworth in the fifth photo for ONLY $80 at a consignment store, but decided to hold off...STUPID, STUPID DECISION! Have you ever sabotaged yourself from buying a brilliant designer piece even when the price tag was too good to be true?
Pretending to be a teenage burnout circa 1976 was all I hoped it could be...even if this took place at an elementary school. I've always had a sort of false nostalgia for the 70s, which is rather strange considering I wasn't even alive in the "me" generation (I don't think I'm alone here). Basically, I just can't get enough of the flashy and somewhat garish images and clothing of the times: bell-bottoms, vests, furs, aviators as huge as your face, paisley, sky-high platforms, hot pants, lots and lots of hair. Of course there's the music, too...there's always the music! And I'm not talking about that pansy-ass disco nonsense, I'm talking about rock legends like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and David Bowie...along with his eccentric brand of glam androgyny.
So, obviously on this particular day I felt that intense need to dress like an extra from Dazed and Confused. The prospect of wearing high-wasted jeans always scared the living crap out of me, but this stretchy (keyword!) pair made me quickly overcome that silly little dressing fear. Oh and I'm in love with this vintage Chanel scarf that I luckily found at my new, favorite Austin boutique, Laced With Romance-it's what I imagine shopping through Stevie Nicks' closet would be like. And Litas really are as comfy as they say; I could wear them for hours-they only look terrifying, I promise!
While browsing the All Saints sale online the other day I came across this masterpiece of a dress. It's fittingly called the parachute dress as it was inspired by an old World War II parachute. Seventy-five man hours went into creating this draped beauty and it consists of a heaping 10 meters (that's 33 feet America!) of fabric. The aesthetics of this piece bring these bold trinkets to my mind, mixing both futuristic and ancient motifs.
My boyfriend happened to be browsing the sale along with me and graciously bought this minimalistic, yet extravagant frock for me! Now, I don't really have anywhere to wear this to since it's a GOWN and all, but photographing it will be fun-I'm thinking somewhere vast and desolate.
Prior to 2011, I had never seriously made New Year Resolutions. This is probably because I knew I would break them when considering my sparkling lack of self discipline. Paradox? Self-fulfilling prophecy? Ha...I'm afraid so.
Anyways, this year I have made an extensive list of annual declarations that I'm determined to follow through with. I'll spare you the tedious details and just say that they include a new business venture and posting on my little house in cyberspace regularly. Strangely, I feel overwhelmingly optimistic all without the teeny-tiniest bit of surliness (fingers crossed).
I would love nothing more than to convert an extra bedroom (in my theoretical house) into a fully furnished showroom-like dream closet. Not only would this room house clothing and accessories for reality, but it would also include an extensive costume collection complete with ridiculous wigs, hats, and masks to darn myself and friends with for every event imaginable.
Hey, a girl can dream right? Sigh...
But until then here are a few dressing rooms that inspire and cradle this utterly over-indulgent desire:
Mariah Carey's Closet
If you really wanted to drive me crazy all you'd have to do is lock me in a dark, empty room and blare the hyena-screeching cataclysm that is Mariah Carey's music over and over again. While her songs give me a tick, her closet, on the other hand, is a retail wonderland fantasy of mine. The space looks like a beautifully edited boutique and it also spans a whopping 1,200 sqft-that's bigger than my whole house!
Paris Hilton's Closet
We all know the more scandal-prone Hilton sister, Paris, is a huge fan of all things sparkly, so it's no surprise that her closet reflects this dazzling infatuation. The mirrored surfaces, crystal chandelier, bouquet of roses, and pink flooring are all greatly suitable for the likes of a princess. Although, I know if I had that mirrored dresser I'd constantly fret over keeping the thing fingerprint-less!
Nanette Lepore's Closet
Of all the closets I've been drooling over nothing quite compares to designer, Nanette Lepore's dressing haven. The room bears an exquisite balance between old world charm and lighthearted modernity by mixing classic pieces, like the painting, chandelier, and antique furniture designs with unexpected colors and patterns...perfection. Just think of all the inspiration this room could offer for selecting your every outfit!
(photo sources: Jeune Marie, Elle Decor, Oh So Chic Boutique, Luscious)
Ahh Natalie...don't you just love her? She possesses brains, beauty, poise, and I love how she avoids the horrid Hollywood tabloid spotlight. Ms. Portman graces the January cover of Vogue, and the whimsical pictures are taken by none other than Peter Lindbergh. I greatly recommend reading the article-she not only talks about her latest film, but also a bit about college life at Harvard and her film production company. In terms of ballets, Black Swan will definitely replace the usual Nutcracker outing for me this year and I can't wait to see it! Plus, Rodarte designed the tutus for the movie!
I know I really need to post more, but the holidays and my health have finally caught up with me. Saturday was spent doing some extreme Christmas shopping ALL day long with my boyfriend, through which I did find a new amazing vintage store (will post about the store and my new goodies later). On Sunday I goofed around at an office party and then somehow ended up singing my lil' heart out at the Highball in the freaking Kenny Rogers themed karaoke room (of all the rooms), complete with an epic velvet painting of the bearded country dude. In my karaoke experience, two songs that are top notch for obnoxiously crooning along to are, in fact, Heart's "Magic Man" and Linda Ronstadt's "Blue Bayou"-no matter what I will always sing these two gems. And of course Sunday night I sang with a little too much amateur heart as I ended up exacerbating an already sore throat and worn out body, and to my dismay woke up with the full fledged sickness the next day. To put it bluntly...I feel like shit, but on the upside I'm not at work!
This is what I wore while I was pretending to have the vocal range of Ann Wilson and this look is pretty much a uniform for me-white t-shirt, denim cut-offs, boots, loads of accessories. I found these beat-up boots at Buffalo Exchange about two summers ago for only $20. So what if they are two sizes too small for my Wiley Coyote feet? Let me reiterate-they were only $20, plus my abnormally large feet have stretched them out since their purchase-it only took a countless number of blisters! And this scarf...don't even get me started! I heroically won this Alexander McQueen beauty about 3 years ago for $40 after stalking it for months upon months online. Isn't ebay great? Nothing beats the feeling of winning something designer for a significantly lower price!
Dark Night of The Soul is the haunting, collaborative brain child of Sparklehorse and Danger Mouse, and now it's mine, all mine bahahaha! A looong drool-worthy list of talented singers also grace the album and spotlight different tracks, which includes:
-James Mercer, the Shins
-Jason Lytle, Grandaddy
-Julian Casablancas, the Strokes
-Frank Black (Black Francis), Pixies
-Iggy Pop
-Wayne Coyne, the Flaming Lips
-Gruff Rhys, Super Furry Animals
-Susan Vega
-Vic Chestnutt
-Nina Presson, the Cardigans
...and last but not least
Fucking David Lynch!
-WAIT! He sings?
-Yes, yes he does. He writes lyrics too-sounds exactly like his films would if they could sing.
Now as soon as I read this beautiful, beautiful list I almost exploded with overwhelming music-nerd joy.
But wait, there's more!
You think a musical collaborative gem, such as Dark Night of The Soul, would stop at pleasing your ears only? HA! They slapped me silly in the face (yet again) because in tandem with the album is, indeed, a photo book shot by king of creep, David Lynch, and is said to be "a visual narrative for the music" (thanks Wikipedia). And sadly, only 5000 golden copies were made.
Photos by David Lynch
I swear, much like this album, Wikipedia is the gift that just keeps on giving. While googling this collaboration I pulled a Wiki page up explaining that the phrase, dark night of the soul, is actually "a metaphor used to describe a phase in a person's spiritual life, marked by a sense of loneliness and desolation". Yep, that pretty much sums up the whole melancholic, isolated, grainy feel of the work, which does nothing but reel me in even more. Strangely enough, the album title and its gloomy connotations seem to have become a self-fulfilling prophecy for the untimely misfortunes surrounding the project:
-On Christmas day of 2009, Vic Chestnutt passed away from an overdose on muscle relaxants. In a 2009 interview, he had admitted attempting suicide a handfull of times in the past, but as he nonchalantly put it, "it didn't take".
-Lead singer of Sparklehorse, Mark Linkous also committed suicide in March of 2010. He tragically shot himself in the heart with a shot gun outside of a friend's Knoxville home.
-The legal dispute with record label EMI almost kept the album from ever being released. Details of the argument have been kept pretty hush hush on both ends. Although, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that money was the issue-big business conflicts are always cash-centric, especially where greedy, soul-draining record labels are concerned.
Wow, sorry for being such a Debbie Downer!
Moving along now to the actual music. Here are three of my favorite tracks, bare with me as two-thirds of which are described through hypothetical substance abuse:
I really can't illustrate this in any other way than a heroine-induced love song, tragically begetting itself time and time again.
Oh Black Francis, how you light up my life! This raucous track best goes down with a bottle of Jack and a carton of cigarettes, preferably while wasting away at some dark, grungy dive bar.
The eerie title track. This is one of two songs performed by David Lynch and it's definitely reminiscent of Tom Waits' coarse, repetitive sound. The production transitions nicely from a rough, old-world victrola-like recording to a more glossy, coherent sound, as if a haze has been lifted mid song.
Speaking of David Lynch...
I barely discovered today that he directed one of the four short films celebrating the Lady Dior bag by Christian Dior. Each short stars French beauty, Marion Cotillard and the Lady Dior in four colors-black, red, blue, and grey. Lynch created the third film of the installment, entitled Lady Blue Shanghai.
You can watch the first two films of the Lady Dior saga here, called The Lady Noire Affair and Lady Rouge. The fourth and final film, Lady Grey was released today-you must check out the hour glass scene in the very beginning, 'tis amazing!
