2007: Better Than 2006

It is New Year's Eve, my dears! Tonight, we should all step out in four-inch heels, dance to cool music, drink champagne, and wear short little frocks like this:

Ruby Rox, $59.


Jump, $89.

Free People, $80.

Of course, I myself will be doing none of the above, as I will be at Paige's house with a bunch of our friends. For your information, we will probably play Twister, listen to some lame alterna-pop (All American Rejects, anyone?), and watch Disney Channel. I will be wearing some ancient jeans with a patch in the butt and some three- or four-year-old Chuck Taylors, paired tastefully with a gray tank top, which is cut in such a way that it inevitably reveals my bra straps every time I wear it. Yeah, I'm pretty sure tonight is going to be a blast.

Maddy

I know, I have been horribly negligent.
Sorry.
Here is a pretty shoe:

Steve Madden, $70.

Merry Christmas!

Maddy

Karen Walker

I was thoroughly let down by most of what designers had to offer for spring. All the shows were long ago and I have yet to write up a single one. However, there is a certain designer who has been getting better and better as the seasons progress- Karen Walker. I am quite fond of her superhero-inspired fall collection and have taken liberal amounts of inspiration from it when getting dressed in the past months:

I didn't like the collection quite enough at the time to write a post about it, but now, looking back through it, I wish I had. Piled-on neutrals interspersed with delightful shots of electric colors and patterns... an absolutely ideal fall wardrobe. Anyhow, I digress. What I really want to talk about is her spring collection. Take a look:

This is exactly the sort of stuff I like... A flippy denim miniskirt and argyle cardigan paired with menacing black boots; a hastily belted pink taffeta prom dress; a diamond patterned sweater tucked into a short tattered skirt. You'd think the whole girly-with-a-spin thing should be really tired, but Karen Walker took that and made it new again, and I totally love her for it. This collection is just so boppy and pleasant and now I can't wait for spring!

Maddy

Madeline's Selfish Wishlist

The Christmas season is officially upon us. Thanksgiving is past, Halloween was long ago, and now it is time to think in terms of mistletoe and cinnamon. I am trying my very hardest to get my holiday shopping out of the way as soon as I can, as I do not want to be making any Christmas eve runs to Barnes & Noble this year. So far, I have gotten two of my nearest and dearest their presents, so that leaves approximately... well, the rest. Anyway, all of the generosity expended at this time of year tends to wear me out, so I will compile an indulgent little wishlist of my own. Perhaps some eagle eyed friends or relatives of mine will spy it and take the hint? (I know, I'm shameless.)

(From top: Urban Outfitters, Autumnomatopoeia, Oh My Cavelier, Sock Dreams, Waterfall, J. Crew, Blaze Danielle, Knittles, Hansigurumi, Allira Tee.)

Cute Leg Warmers?

Okay, so generally, I hate leg warmers due to my instinctive distaste for anything remotely associated with 1980s fashion. I firmly stood my ground throughout their '04-'05 revival, and I have avoided direct contact with them for all of my life. However. . . I find my resolve faltering when presented with these.

They just look so very cozy and quirky and adorable. Alas, I just can not resist anything with buttons running up the side, it is a documented fact. But they are not even that 80's looking, are they? Maybe they are not even 80's looking at all? It is a strange new feeling to not be repulsed by a pair of leg warmers. I still am not quite sure whether I am experiencing a brief stint of insanity, and these are not actually very cute after all. I am kind of relieved that they are sold out right now, or else I might be quite tempted to click the "add to cart" button. Sock Dreams, $18.

Maddy

An Adolescent Boy's Guide to Looking Halfway Decent

Lately, my little brother Jacob has been coming to me for clothing advice. Which is cool, because quite frankly, he could use the help. Not that he dresses heinously- he doesn't. It's just that he happens to be a typical eighth grade boy, and therefore has no qualms with wearing things such as tee shirts with bleach stains or shoes that have gaping holes in them. Today he came up to me while I was catching up on some blog reading and asked me to find him a sweater. Apparently he does not currently own a single one. This was surprising and strange to me until I mentally reviewed what he has worn over the past couple weeks- jeans, tee shirts, the aforementioned hole-bearing sneakers... nary a sweater, or indeed a fit article of clothing, in sight. Yes, it appears Jacob's wardrobe is in a dismal state, but I do not think he is alone. All across the country, there are adolescent boys who wear the same tee shirt three times a week, who haven't stepped foot into a proper dress shoe since the third grade, and who cringe at the thought of anything other than denim coming in contact with their legs. This is lamer than lame. Sure, the style options for boys are dreadfully limited when compared to those of the gentler sex, but certainly they can make more of an effort than this! Here is some stuff that I would have my little brother wear were he not afflicted with his typically masculine fear of clothing variety: Striped sweaters are a good thing to have a lot of if you are a boy. They are comfortable and non-dorky, and they lend an air of niceness to your persona. Boys in striped sweaters are the kind of boys who like puppies and go to expensive colleges. The first one is from Gap for $39.50 and comes in a whole slew of colors. The second is from Urban Outfitters for $48.

Now, on to pants. Jeans are fine, but I am so bored of them. So how about. . .

Some khaki-colored cords, perhaps? Like oh, I don't know, the ones pictured above that are currently on sale for $39? Just a thought.

Or perhaps a casual grey twill? Grey goes with everything, after all, and twill can be worn all year round. These are $40 from CCS. Seriously you guys, I am begging you. I don't really care what particular material you choose to cover your butt with, but please let it be something besides denim at least once in a while.

Okay, so I know most boys will wear a tee shirt under any circumstance that allows them to. Most would probably wear a tee shirt to their wedding if their bride was down with that. Anyways, if you're going to wear tee shirts every day, at least wear cool ones from Threadless. Like these:

All $15. Sweet.

Alright, so those ugly "skate" shoes that the majority of the boys at my school wear. LAME and AWFUL. No more. May I suggest Chuck Taylors? I'm not talking about your basic black low top. I mean, those are acceptable, but quite frankly rather boring. And since most guys only have one pair of shoes that they wear every day, that one pair should really be more interesting. Like these, for instance: These are so fly. If I was a fellow I would totally rock these. As a matter of fact, I might rock them anyways. . . Christmas present, anyone? $95 from converse.com.
So these are kind of badass, in a geriatric sort of way. I like them a lot. $97 from converse.com.
Orange suede! I don't know about you, but I am all over this crazy combination. $109 from converse.com.

And finally, we come to accessories. I know that the guys for whom I am writing this guide (i.e., my brother) don't really care that much about jewelry, bags, hats and such, but sometimes they add that extra je ne sais quoi to an outfit that make you look cool. Every guy should have a nice watch, for one thing, like this one:

This is not a sissy watch, you guys. It's got buckles and grommets and a stamped leather strap, and Roman numerals on the face, even. It is called the Adventurers Watch and it is by Etsy seller Marcus Stratus for $70.

Messenger bags are a good thing to have, too. Not for carrying all day every day, but just for school and travel and so forth.

This one will do the job nicely, I'm sure. It's down from $50 and is now $18. I like the mossy green color and it is not the sort of messenger bag that people might call you gay for carrying, I don't think. It is from amazon.com.

Whew. This post took forever to write. Too bad no boys will ever see it. Next time, it is definitely back to skirts and earrings and unicorns and all that other girlie stuff. Boy fashion is kind of boring.

Maddy

This Post Contains 0% Fashion. Sorry.

I haven't had a lot of time to type in the past month or so. Sorry sorry to the three people who care. I don't have any fashiony things to discuss, but here are some pretty noises:


Take Me Out to Kun-Ding Tonight


This is by a little-known YouTube girl named Joanna Wang. I like her, even if her YouTube profile annoys the crap out of me. (Why won't you properly capitalize your sentances? Does your keyboard not come equipped with a Shift button, Joanna Wang? ) She does lots of covers, but I like her original songs better. This one makes me feel all bubbly, like how you feel when you like a boy.


Floating


This is by some cat named Jape. I hadn't heard of him until a couple weeks ago. Be warned- the tune is very sticky in your head.


I have been having a pleasant little while. There was a post-Halloween party at my house on Friday night, during which we watched Hocus Pocus, bootleg DVDs of Are You Afraid of the Dark, ate Reeses Cups, talked about what it was like in middle school, and had a generally silly time. I plan to do it again soon. I love parties. Here are some other things I love:

- Chai tea lattes. Why did nobody tell me about the magical effects of these sooner? The creamy spicy perfection of these concoctions puts me into some kind of fugue, during which I can do my Algebra II homework without even noticing it.

-Cold weather. Yes! Yes! And also Yes! Bring on the socks, and the sweaters, and the cable knit, and oh, all of the navy blue, marroon, and rust colors that my little heart desires! I love Fall, you guys.

-Dumb websites. Including but not limited to: Cute with Chris, White Ninja Comics, Waverly Films.

Okay, sorry about the serious lack of fashion content here, but I am one busy sophomore. And in between getting real-life dressed, being annoyed by my French teacher, and wasting my time on the Interweb, it's hard to work fashion dreaming into my schedule. But I solemnly swear to try harder.

Maddy

Current Etsy Favorites (Edition II)

Okay, guys, so here's the problem:

I love Etsy more than is good for me. I can spend full hours just scrolling through all of the lovely and wonderful things Etsy has to offer, made by lovely and wonderful people all over the world, and wishing that I had a real job to fund my obsession (Nobody will hire me until I am sixteen unless I want to spend twenty hours a week making snow cones, which I don't. If you have never assembled a snow cone in your life, take it from me: you don't want to either). Also, I have just switched my bed into a different room in the attic, and this room has so many interesting angles on the walls and wonderful nooks and crannies in which to place works of art, that my Etsy addiction has become worse than ever... I will see a beautiful/cute/witty print, and think, "Oh, my! But how lovely that picture would look above my nightstand, in between the little chipped-up angel and the window!" Then I will click the "add to cart" button in my fit of consumerism before realizing that, wait, no, I'm broke. Sigh. Well anyways, here are my favorite Etsy people right now:

Acolloquist

This chick lives right here in my home state of Virginia, a fact which I was quite pleased to discover; this means that anything I order from her arrives post-haste. The jewelry available here is made mostly from vintage things put together in sweet and interesting ways. I love this necklace of hers, called Rat a Tat:

I don't know why, honestly. I have mentioned before that I like jewelry or apparel adorned with icky creatures, and little crystal-eyed rats are no exception. When I told my mom I was thinking of buying it, she said, and I quote, "Ew. Why?" So it looks like my loved ones are not ready for this particular gem, but if yours are, it is $42. (On a side note, a different package I ordered from Acolloquist arrived recently, and I am so happy! It was in a tiny white box with a red ribbon tied around it, and a little pin-back button with an octopus on it was tucked away in there too. Awww!)

Elsita

Elsita's shop offers a lot of really cool, sweet, graphic prints (She also does little toys which are very cute, but I'm mostly interested in the prints). These images are so strange, but somehow familiar, and so soft despite their definite lines. As soon as I have more money, I think I will be ordering this one:

I like the soft, dusty colors, and how the anatomical heart, which might usually seem rather creepy and macabre, is rendered to look like a patched-up stuffed animal. It is 8.5" x 11" and costs $20.

t8designs

Like Acolloquist, this store sells jewelry composed of vintage materials, but the aesthetic is very different. The jewelry here all has a vaguely archaic feeling to it, if archaic is the word I want. As if it could be found among the posessions of a wealthy, slightly crazy, Victorian woman, or something.

Since the moment I laid eyes on it, I have been unable to forget this necklace. It is as if it was made just for me! Of course, this can't be true, because if it had been made just for me, it would cost zero dollars instead of fifty-eight. Sigh. But if any of you ducks out there are lucky enough to have the means to purchase this and not feel guilty, do it. Do it for me and think of me each time you wear it. And if you ever get sick of wearing it, feel free to send it my way. I'll totally take it off your hands.

I think we've all heard enough of me complaining about how poor I feel. But seriously, though, if you like cool handmade stuff but still haven't gotten into Etsy, what is wrong with you? That is basically the moral of this post. Okay, bye guys.

Maddy

Sorry, three people who read my blog

Yeah, sorry about the postlessness lately. I'll try and be better, promise. But we just got a new compy, and it has quite rudely increased the difficulty with which I can post pictures. Now I can't copy the picture directly from the source, I have to save it first and then select it from my personal files and WHATEVER. I do NOT have that kind of time, New Compy. FOR SHAME. And besides that, every time I start to write a new post, my ramblings kind of run dry about five minutes in, and I start thinking about everything I should be doing instead of tooling around on my lame fashion blog that only like three people read anyway (Because naturally I write this for the fame and fortune that inevitably comes to everybody with a blog). Anyways, I have a buttload of homework lately and I've been stitching up a homecoming dress for my friend in between all of my other projects and in the meantime sorta-maybe trying to start up an Etsy shop, so my little corner of the Internet has been getting a little dusty as of late. Insert the usual promise about more posts and more fashiony business and blah blah blah John Krasinski is cute.

Maddy

A New Bag for a New Year

My blogging has been rudely interrupted by the reappearance of school into my schedule. Sigh. How annoying. Fortunately, it's looking like I may have more success as a sophomore than as a freshman- cuter boys, higher level French, no more Great Expectations, fewer apprehensions about wearing knee socks, etcetera. However, despite these minor perks, school is still school, and I will therefore be spending most of my time amidst the unwashed miscreants (if I may borrow a phrase from Julia Stiles) who walk those hallowed halls in Uggs and Abercrombie than all of my lovely fellow bloggers. Expect more as the school year progresses- I think that this might be an interesting one.

Here is the school bag. Seems to be holding up pretty well so far, knock on wood (it's much fatter when stuffed full of books).

Here is my beloved new hat. I am dying for an opportunity to wear it. I'm thinking I'll wear it with sparkly tights, an accordian pleat skirt, and an all-encompassing navy blue pea coat for a delightfully dramatic ensemble. Of course, the aforementioned unwashed miscreants at my school would never appreciate the ensemble, but they can suck it because they wouldn't know fly if it bit them on the nose.


So yeah. I'm off for the weekend to see my cousin's adorable baby Charlotte get babtised. And by the way, isn't Charlotte the prettiest name? I think it is one of my very favorite girl names, right up there with Adelaide and Piper and Emma. Well bye!

Maddy

p.s.- I feel as though I look very silly in both of these pictures. Sorry about my lack of camera wielding skills.

Pretty Fall Things

Since school is starting on Tuesday, and I am utterly miserable, I've decided to look at the bright side of the situation: the clothes I will soon be rocking upon ending my summer hiatus from the realm of style. So here are a few things I am looking forward to for the coming months.

1. Cloches. Yeah, so these are pretty much all the rage for fall, and maybe they're already so far in that they're out. I don't care, I love them and I have one. It is a black felt Liz Claiborne (RIP) thing with a bow and a little brim on the front. Sadly, it will still be a couple months until it is cool enough out to wear it. Until then, I will just admire these pictures for inspiration:


2. Old Navy. Although their summery stuff is definitely more on the hit-or-miss end of the spectrum, I can always count on Old Navy to deliver the goods when it comes to winter.

This tweed jumper would be perfect over a solid color tee, although you might need to employ some of your higher heels and a pair of textured tights to make it look a little less grade school. $29.50.

Ruffly scoop-neck tee in a highly rockable shade of purple. I think it would look excellent with some wide legged jeans and black patent kicks. $10.

3. Sweater dresses. These are my winter equivalent of the summer jersey dress. For those days when I just can't be bothered to make an effort, I have a stockpile of sweater dresses that I can pull on with my trusty red Chuck Taylors, a headband, and a long sleeve tee on top so that I end up looking reasonably put-together (read: not homeless).

J. Crew is like sweater dress headquarters. Unfortunately, since their prices have been inflating to private-school-kid standards, I can't shop there very much. But I can still look, right? From top: $175, $118, $160 (Gak!).

Yeah, so that's all I got for now. I was going to wax enthusiastic about flannel, but before I can do that I need to put up pictures of the schoolbag I made (It is yellow and gray flannel with a Nintendo 64 patch and a patch I got in Amsterdam. It's awesome, if I do say so myself, which I do). So I'll do that... sometime? I know all of you utterly devoted fans are just dying to see what I'll be hauling around my French textbook in this year, I know. I can see it in your eyes.

Maddy

Pencil Skirts and Condescension

I hate shopping at American Apparel. Certainly, they stock excellent basics, and some of their non-basics are even mildly covetable. But walking through that store is torture, torture! I mean, God, I had no idea there were enough hipsters in the city of Richmond to fully staff even one of these shops, but I guess you'd be surprised. The place just exudes purposeful condescension, which is something very difficult for me to stomach, especially from a very hairy cashier who is smugly wearing shiny black short-shorts. I suppose he was being ironic, as hipsters are wont to do. I was not impressed. Also, when did everything turn shiny? Is that really necessary? Aside from the ubiquitous golden leggings which I will never mention again, there were bikinis and leotards and other things that I feel don't need to be shimmery. Oh, and on the checkout counter, there was a box of those dreadful eighties aerobics headbands (in metallics, natch) that are meant to be worn around the forehead of the type of girl who decided stringy bangs were a great idea and Kirsten Dunst is a real inspiration. Niether of which statements are true, by the way, but American Apparel begs to differ. Sigh. Well, at least I am satisfied with the jersey pencil skirt that I finally went out and bought in gray. It really is lovely. It's just, gracious, I hate actually entering the store. I think I may have to perform all future transactions on line. Those shop clerks just make me want to roll my eyes and say oy vey. And I am not even Jewish.

Maddy

p.s.- In case you need them, here are some visual aides.

Good:

Bad:


Got it?

Color Block and Underwears

Despite my aversion to most things 80's, color blocking is a trend that has stolen my heart. It's interesting to see one color sitting starkly alongside another, and whether they complement one another or not. Some combinations are very jarring, while others can be subtle and even sophisticated.

I particularly like color blocking in the form of a jersey dress. This one is a lovely combination of buttery yellow with cranberry and magenta, and I like how the stripes flow into the shape of the wrap dress. Oh, and by the way, wrap dresses kick ass always. $58 by Lux (via Urban Outfitters).

I am not a fan of plastic bags. They are bad for the environment, and besides that, unsightly! These nylon grocery totes are not only easier on the Earth than a plastic bag, but they are also much cooler looking. I think I'll buy my mother one of these to replace the ratty old canvas thing she takes to the store. It's falling apart anyway. $28 from Fred Flare.


I'm kind of digging big soft tee shirts, and I am also kind of digging brown and gray. Many people are shocked to find that I actually love this particular color combination- I guess it must be written down somewhere that mixing your neutrals is a minor sin or something. I don't know, I never payed attention in catechism. Anyways, I personally think that neutral mixing is just fine and dandy and employ this particular combination very often myself. I'm not sure precisely how many years this would earn you in purgatory, though, so be warned. $19, American Apparel.

Here are some other things that I just like.

This is a rug that looks like underwear. It is from Fred Flare for $24.


Here is a watch on a chain. I would buy it, but I think I could find it at the junk store for three times cheaper and three times cooler. It's still pretty cool, though. Delia's, $24.50.

Why is Steve Madden so awesome lately? $90.

And.... that's it.

Maddy