shuffleboard

I have had people remark to me more than once that my personal style often falls on the old, Jewish, Bingo-playing man side of the spectrum. Funnily enough, I am completely okay with this. I decided long ago that even if my affinity for wool socks, ill-fitting cardigans, wrinkled button-ups, and ugly (but functional!) shoes is not socially acceptable, I will never stop wearing them. They make me feel great when I put them on, and that is the ultimate test for any item of clothing. Also, for anyone out there who does not believe that old men are a legitimate source of style inspiration, I submit to you this Sartorialist photo of a Parisian artist:
Mesmerizing, no?

in case his genius was doubted by any:

The only way out is through.

-Robert Frost

for the new grass and the birdsongs.

One of my favorite poems, perfect for springtime:

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,

There is a rapture on the lonely shore,

There is society, where none intrudes,

By the deep sea, and music in its roar:

I love not man the less, but Nature more,

From these our interviews, in which I steal

From all I may be, or have been before,

To mingle with the Universe, and feel

What I can ne'er express, yet cannot all conceal.

- Lord Byron

I saved Latin. What did you ever do?

I adore Wes Anderson. He is one of a handful of movie directors that I love unconditionally - artists that make (or have made) beautiful, intelligent, thought-provoking films that I rewatch over and over until I've memorized every line, yet can still discover new details and glean new meaning from at the next viewing. Among those that I hold in the highest esteem are Baz Luhrmann, Joe Wright, Sofia Coppola...and of course, Wes.

He is, as far as I can tell, a genius. This sketch depicting what a Wes Anderson Spiderman movie would be like makes me wish he would direct the real thing:

One of my favorite things to do when watching an Anderson film is to pause it at a random, inconsequential moment. Chances are, the image on the screen will be as meticulously composed as a still photograph. How could that sort of attention to detail not win you over?




It probably doesn't hurt that Jason Schwartzman is my #1 favorite person, either.

too sleepy to fight

All I've been listening to lately. Reminds me of sunshine/warm breezes/friends holding hands and jumping off driftwood logs at 11pm on the Fourth of July into the ocean under starbursts of homemade fireworks. Or, summer. It'll get here eventually...

feeling the need

It's that awkward time between the shifting seasons where one can never tell what they should put on in the morning. These days, a freezing morning can melt into a sunny afternoon and a seemingly clear sky can turn cloudy and windswept in the blink of an eye. So what's a girl to do when she's trying to get ready for school? My main conflict of wardrobe interest these days is legwear - specifically, tights. From September to February, a pair of tights were basically glued to my legs, making all kinds of outfits seasonally appropriate and spicing up boring ensembles. But lately, all I can think of is ditching my stockings for bare legs and frolicking in this ephemeral sunshine that I keep catching glimpses of in my peripheral vision. I'm not sure if I'm ready to relinquish my tights quiiiiite yet, but when the weather finally changes in my favor, I know what I'll be ready for...

I'd forgotton how happy I can be when the weather is good.

i've got a laugh halfway off of my heels

One last thing...I'm obsessed with the changing of the seasons right now, and this lookbook photo encompasses in one instant what I want my early springtime to look/feel/sound/smell/taste like. Isn't funny how pictures can evoke intense sensory experiences far beyond the realm of vision?

on the cliffs of your wildcat charms i'm riding

This week is already seeming extra long...I'm too busy to do much of anything! Since I'm already predicting I won't get around to blogging very often, I'll leave you with some beautiful pictures to keep the inspiration flowing.







via boyswhoblush, various tumblrs, vi.sualize

built for two

The hills that make up my neighborhood are not at all conducive to long, relaxing bicycle rides...however, lately all I've been wanting to do is go out for a pedal in the sun. I just want to get outside and stay there for a while - a feeling inspired, no doubt, by the spring sunshine and blooming flowers that are slowly erasing the drabness of this pewtery, wet Seattle winter. And what better way to enjoy the day than on these bikes from Villy Customs and Liberty of London for Target?

we can do it

Another beautiful short film from the Belles of the Black Diamond Field chronicling the evolution of women's roles in society from 1900 to the present day. I think my favorite part is Sarah Sophie Flicker's Patti Smith impression at 3:30.

parce-que j'aime le sens de l'humour

The main reason why Sonia Rykiel remains one of my favorite labels to follow year after year has less to do with her designs (beautiful as they are) and more to do with her unique attitude towards the business of fashion. While other designers force their models to stay stony-faced and stoic as they showcase "serious" dresses, Sonia puts giant pompoms on their heads and encourages them to prance, skip, dance and twirl down the runway with a smile on their face! It makes me happy to know that even "important designers" can retain a sense of levity amidst all the melodramatic doom and gloom that seems to pervade the fashion world today. It comes back to what I always say when people question my interest in design: take it with a grain of salt. It's supposed to be pretty, and it's supposed to be fun!

gossamer

All the hype surrounding the new Alice in Wonderland film made me remember one of my favorite silent films; the 1903 version of Lewis Carrol's first novel. I have a soft spot for silent movies - I try not to view them as quaint antiquities, but as snapshots of an era. These films recall a time when movies had a sacredness to them, a sense of novel mystique that there was such a thing as a moving picture. I love the earnestness and simplicity that is used to convey the story being told, and I love the way every shot looks like an in-motion version of dignified black-and-white photographs. Even the damage compliments the images - it adds another layer of ephemeral magic, as if warning the viewer that this specialness, this esoteric privilege, is fleeting.

To me, this will always be the real Alice In Wonderland.

little joy

Everyone in the world has probably seen this by now, but I've been too busy to spend much time perusing the Internet of late, so I missed it. Remember Carrie Mulligan's Prada dress? The black one? This is a close up of the bodice:

This makes me feel like Carrie and I would get along very, very well.

supernova

I really do love awards shows. There's something so special and unique about watching Hollywood royalty get all dressed up for a night of frivolity. I read once that it's not uncommon for celebrities spend $10,000 in preparation for this night, which is ridiculous and amazing and sort of tragic all at the same time. What about the people who don't look very good? How can this be a $10,000 day for them?

This year, there weren't too many dresses that I truly loved - most of the ones I saw were either costume-y, matronly, or junior-prom-y. But there were a few beautiful pieces that really captured my attention:

I liked Nicole's Reem Acra dress because it's so resoundingly different from the usual sparkly, formfitting strapless sheath that has become the standard at events like this.

Carrie Mulligan has been in two of my most favorite movies (Pride and Prejudice and An Education) and I love her haircut, so I was hoping she'd look good. And I love her Prada! It's just a little different from the basic black gown, and she wears it super well.

Vera Farmiga in Marchesa. I adore Marchesa, and their detailing is always incredible. I think this dress is wearing her a little bit more then she is wearing it...but again, props for taking the risk!

Usually this color scheme reminds me of the dreary watercolors that hang in cheap hotels and hospital corridors, but it looks very pretty on this Elie Saab Haute Coture dress. I think it has to do with the bodice and the petal shape of the skirt.

I adore Helen Mirren, she's so gorgeous and she has Captain Von Trapp for a date! Her Badgley Mischka is mature without being an "old lady dress", and she looks fab.

Big ups to Robert Downey Jr. for the Alber bowtie/Lavin ensemble in general. Guys in tuxedos all look the same to me, so I appreciate a little whimsy here and there.

The show was very well and good (I only paid about 40% of my attention to it as I was simultaneously finishing my homework and making tea), but all I could think about was how much I wanted Miley Cyrus to stand up straight.

5'10'', like cindy crawford.

Things that make me want to be tall:





Dries Van Noten, Fendi, Charles Anastase, Michael Kors.

dear sam:

The Harvest. Film trailer. from LOVER® on Vimeo.

Lover is one of the best new labels out there, period. It's pretty tragic that they only ship in Australia from the website. This video makes me want to move to the Outback, lay around in wheat fields, and carry bales of hay around while wearing suspenders. And also monologuing in an accent. I'm so excited for this collection!

top to toe

I...just...but...

I really have no words left in me to talk about this photo. However, I know it makes me 100% jealous of Keira Knightly. I know that I would pretty much wear this every day if I could. I know that she has an awesome sense of humor (that print is NAKED CHICKS - if I were in Keira's position, I probably would have gone with the cats or the birds from this same collection because I'm not sassy enough to pull this off). I know that Miuccia Prada is still one of my official bad-ass heroes. And I know that one day, somehow, a piece from this collection will be mine.

I wish Leith Clark could style my life.

This short film was created by The Belles of the Black Diamond Field, drawing inspiration from "Feast" by Edna St. Vincent Millay. Yes, that is Karen Elson and Zooey Deschanel. I live for stuff like this.

I drank at every vine.

The last was like the first.

I came upon no wine

So wonderful as thirst.

I gnawed at every root.

I ate of every plant.

I came upon no fruit

So wonderful as want.

Feed the grape and bean

To the vintner and monger:

I will lie down lean

With my thirst and my hunger.

the stars eat your body.

Lately, I've been stuck in a rut. Style-wise, I mean. I've been feeling uninspired, bored, and I've slowly started to get into one of those phases where I hate all of my clothes...as shallow as it is, I just can't shake this feeling that I need to make a change. Maybe I just need to go shopping, or re-examine my priorities. Maybe I should stop being so selfish when there are people in Chile without food, water or shelter right now. But I do know that when I like the way I look, I feel better inside. I'm a firm believer in the look good/feel good connection, whether it's imparted by a cute dress or a new haircut, which brings me to the drastic measure I'm taking to inject some life back into my style: bangs (or fringe, as I prefer to think of them. Fringe is just a much nicer word). I have no idea if they will be the least bit flattering, but I haven't been able to get the image of a long, blunt, eyebrow-grazing fringe out of my mind. I've had the same approximate hairstyle for years now, and I'm hoping that with this change will come a new attitude, and a new capacity to appreciate the beautiful and wondrous nature of the world we live in. Maybe that's a little to much faith to entrust in a few quick scissor snips, but I'll try anything at this point!

Some inspiration for my future fringe(or, laughably high expectations for a hairstyle that I probably can't carry off):





Photos from The Stylish Wanderer, Helsinki Street Style, and Le Blog de Betty.
Donate to the Haitian and Chilean relief efforts HERE.