Resolutions of a sartorial nature

 

Listening to: "I won't be left," Tegan and Sara.

Dress: Sangria, bought at Sym's, NYC;

Sweater: Anne Taylor Loft, gift;

Tights: Target, gift from Nikki;

and Kady cognac boots: Target.

I've been thinking a lot about goals for the next year and I want to choose ones that are related to blogging and expressing creativity through clothes combinations. Almost every year I choose some resolution that's diet-related (like "Give up soda products or chocolate"). This past year however I worked really hard and lost quite a bit of weight, and while I want to continue good habits, I don't want them to be a central focus for the next year.

This blog has been a really great outlet of creativity for me. I first got into fashion blogs when I interned for a summer in NYC almost two years ago. People-watching became my weekend hobby and in a way encouraged me to step up my wardrobe and the way I thought about clothes. I discovered a few blogs that summer, and this year Nik and I started our own. It has been incredible fun to do daily photos, and we appreciate and enjoy the friends and followers we've met on here. Every comment and bit of encouragement means a lot to us!

So after some thought, here's what I'd like to start for the next year, and hopefully it will inspire us to be more creative.

1) Write more. Sometimes writing once a day may be hard, but I'm going to try to write in the blog and and my personal journal more. I will also try to take more pictures and learn more about photography techniques and posing.

2) Stop resorting to the easy wears. There are days when laziness consumes any will to do more than a t-shirt and jeans. That is okay sometimes but I am going to try to really make use of the wonderful pieces in my closet -- skirts, dresses, ruffles, lace -- that really need to see more time out.

3) Break as many fashion "rules" as possible. Reading different sites and finding new kinds of inspiration is a mind-opening way to expand what I already have in my closet. And I'm over the old stiff rules of not doing certain color combinations or fabrics during certain seasons. So next year, I will try to forget those dumb rules. I will wear black and brown, pink and red, mustard and purple. I will mismatch my patterns. I will wear brocade in spring, linen in fall. I will no longer care about the invisible audience and dress for myself.

This may be it for me for this year -- see you in 2010! What about you -- do you plan to have any New Year's resolutions and why?

Hope you have a lovely New Year's Eve, wherever you are!

I am sixteen going on seventeen, I know that I'm naive

Yesterday was my seventeenth birthday. And it was such a beautiful day! I slept in (instead of my usual morning run) and spent most of the day with my best friend Marya at the Mall of GA. The day was lazy and not jampact with things to do. For dinner we stayed in and ate pizza since my mom came down with a cold and wasn't well enough for a night out. And later I was surprised with Hello Kitty cupcakes. Overall it was a great birthday. :)
listening to Sixteen going on Seventeen; Sound of Music

 

 

 

what i wore: h&m dress & belt, target tights, american eagle shoes

I hope everyone is enjoying their holidays!

Feeling professor-y

 

 

 

Dress (as top): Disney World, circa 2001

Ruffle sweater: Anne Taylor Loft, gift

Giant white sweater: Unknown label, free

Wool skirt: Ralph Lauren, thrifted

Tights and boots: Target

Bag: Vintage, thrifted

Monsho the turtle pin: Vintage

Just a lazy Monday. Trying to recover from the 23545 family events we had last week, which left me feeling gluttonous from so much good food but grateful for the company.

About the outfit. So the top is actually a dress that I bought in 8th grade during the chorus performance field trip to Disney World. I think I found it in one of the stores in Animal Kingdom. My nostalgia-induced hoarding will not allow me to get rid of it. The dress still fits in the bodice area but it's reallly short now, so it got overskirted by the thrifted Ralph Lauren piece. The vintage bag is something I found at a thrift store while in high school -- it's made of leather and the print is made of a carpet-y material and I love the colors in it.

Got any plans for New Year's yet -- and do you know what you're going to wear? I'm still debating a few ideas, which I may post here.

I have to celebrate you, baby

Hey all -- we're back! Sorry for the seemingly long hiatus -- several family events crammed into a couple of days will do that, and I'm trying to get caught up on everyone's posts this week. We'll both be back up with outfit posts very soon.

Just wanted to say that Nikki's 17th birthday is tomorrow - Happy Birthday, darling sister! You are the best and I hope you are as happy tomorrow as you are in this picture.

 

Nikki, circa 1996

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!  Would love to hear your holiday stories --- did you go anywhere, have a favorite/least fave present, do anything fun?

And everything looks good tonight

 

 

 

Listening to: "The Passenger," Iggy Pop

Trenchcoat: Banana Republic;

Dress: Anne Taylor Loft;

Tights: Target;

Shoes: Aerosoles;

Bracelets: Black cougar bracelet - thrifted; Green: gift.

This is what I wore to Jeremiah's family's (well, I guess my family too now!) annual Christmas dinner at Maggiano's in Atlanta. Everyone dresses up and we gorge ourselves on yummy Italian food and drinks. The last couple of years the little cousins have liked performing during dinner and since Jeremiah and I are the older ones, they pulled us into their grand production of "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Jeremiah and I represented '11 pipers piping' and '10 lords a-leaping,' respectively. I guess we are in that strange age period where we are still considered somewhat new to the adult table but are still young and hip enough (I can't believe I just said that) to hang out with the younger ones. It is always a great time.

 It was feeling balmy in Atlanta yesterday afternoon when we took these photos, so I wasn't a total crazy person for wearing a short-sleeved dress. I love this dress from Anne Taylor Loft - I found it on major sale for $10, originally $80. I could have danced circles around the dressing room, it made me so excited. I love shopping there because their jeans actually fit me (I'm a petite and I like the straight leg look) and their dresses are pretty lovely. Cougar bracelet made a return, and the Aerosoles are comfortable. A pretty easy and comfortable outfit.

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday, wherever you are!

These are probably the worst pies in London

Sorry that I've been away for awhile. School and finals took up most of time and now that it's winter break I'm having trouble deciphering the days. But today I'm aware of the date because it's the night of my good friend's birthday dinner. I'm excited, but, I have no idea what to wear! I love winter, but it's hard to wake up and get dressed in something besides sweats and a sweatshirt. I've been so out of my usual fashion ways. I came up with this one outfit that I love, but I feel like it's too summery and too dressy for something as casual as a dinner. So, I came up with this, but now I'm having second thoughts...

song currently stuck in my head: The Worst pies in London, Sweeney Todd OST 

 

what i wore:long sleeve forever 21 top, hand-me-down jeans & skirt (worn as top), self made bottle cap necklace

I thought the top as a skirt idea was genius, but I discovered it falls and is a pain to keep pulling up. Another thing that bugged me was it bunched under my arms. The pictures give this outfit justice but, it's just annoying and not for tonight.

I think I'm going to wear this. It's the fore mentioned "summer outfit" in the beginning of this entry.Well...I just added tights and my blue forever 21 shirt, and lo and behold, it works! I thought it would be too dressy because the top over my blue long sleeve shirt is my homecoming dress and it has dressy print. But whatever. I love it.

what i wore: forever 21 shirt and dress (worn as top aka homecoming dress), american eagle skirt, target tights

P.S- I apologize for the strange facial expressions in a couple of the pictures. It was quite sunny and I just grimaced back at the sun.

Rodarte for Target review

After scouring the looks for the past couple weeks online, we finally got to see some of the pieces from the Rodarte for Target line. Here's our take!

Outfit 1

 

Juniors Lace Halter Dress in Pink and Juniors Mesh Lace Cardigan in Black

Nikki:  This dress looked great on the hanger with its beautiful colors, but when I put it on the collar choked me because the straps were a bit short. Fortunately, the collar can be tucked in, but I'm not sure of how well the dress will hold up on its own.

 

I liked this cardigan a lot but the buttons didn't align properly.

 

 Outfit 2

 

Crepe Slip Lace Dress in Nude

(Worn with my Target Cognac Kady boots)

JoAnn: I had high hopes for this dress when I saw it on the rack.The color in real life is a gorgeous beigey nude with a bit of pink. However, when I tried it on in a medium, I felt like the color really washed me out and it looked more lingerie-y instead of a party frock. I also had major static cling issues and had to keep pulling down the back of the dress so I didn't flash anyone who happened to be standing in the dressing room hallway. I think this would be a good slip dress or layering piece, but I think especially with the nude color on me, I don't know that I would ever wear it on its own. I didn't try the black for fear of the same static issues.

Outfit 3

Juniors Mesh Lace Top in Chesterfield Navy 

(worn with american eagle tank top)

Nikki: This shirt looked super cute, but in reality it wouldn't last ten seconds in the wash. The print was nice, but the fabric wasn't durable at all.

Outfit 4

 Crepe Lace Print Dress in Oxford/Black

JoAnn: I tried on a medium in this dress and it was too big up top. I loved the print of this dress and it would have been something I could have incorporated into my wardrobe on that alone. However, the fabric of the dress is really thin and would probably need a slip dress underneath it.

Outfit 5

Kimono Floral Print Hooded Raincoat in Beige/Pink

Nikki:This jacket was way too big (keep in mind we just grabbed things off the rack). Like everything I tried on, the print was lovely, but it was extremely thin. In my opinion rain jackets should live up to their name. I would have liked it more if it was a little thicker.

Outfit 6

 

Sequin Leopard Print Dress in Gray

JoAnn: I liked the fit of this dress - it was a medium and fit pretty true to size. The sequins gave the fabric more weight and the low neckline showed some cleavage. The print definitely stands out and this would be a good party piece.

Outfit 7

 

Cotton striped long sleeve top in Navy/White 

and Black Skirt (Not showing up online so I can't find the name of it)

JoAnn: I ended up really liking this combination and felt very me in it. The top is 100% cotton, comfortable and nautical stripes are such a closet staple. I'm wearing an XS in the photo, and though a little tight, the size worked. I think I'm going to wait until I can get a small. The skirt was the right length and had a brocade-ish stripe at the bottom. I think it would be a good basic to have.

Conclusion

JoAnn: The Rodarte for Target line had some bold pieces and beautiful romantic prints. The fit for the most part was true to size. I really did like some of the dresses, but the fabric was often a concern because they looked and felt too thin. I will probably go back for the striped top because I think it's a wardrobe basic that I can't get enough of anyways. I may try to go back for the crepe lace print dress if I can find one in my size. I will also try to go back and see if any nearby Targets have some of the pieces that weren't available at our store.

Nikki: This line had great prints that are quite lovely and are mainly true to size, however, the fabric felt flimsy and felt like it could fall apart in the wash. Like Jo said, the fabric felt a little too thin. The line had a great concept but it didn't seem like it was carried out too well.

What about you -- did you get to try out the line and did you have any favorites? Let us know what you think, and if you agree/disagree with our thoughts!

Dancing the torange

 

Chunky white sweater: Free circa 2004, unknown label;

Tan sweater (underneath): Kohl's;

Orange top: Old Navy;

Orange tank (underneath): Urban Outfitters;

Scarf: Gift from Jeremiah, from Mexico;

Jean: Anne Taylor Loft, thrifted;

Flats: Target.

 

  It's been a busy last couple of days. Yesterday Jeremiah and I threw a party for some of our college friends -- it was a great time full of chocolate goodies, peppermint schnapps, A Christmas Story and Mean Girls. I meant to take some pictures of the festivities, but it was pretty busy the whole time and I just forgot! At one point the fire alarm went off because I left the nachos in the oven for too long. They were a little burned but still delicious. Susie, Cleveland, Rachel, Vargas, Amanda and Ashley -- thanks for coming!
Today I got some last-minute shopping done. It was freezing and I just threw on about five layers. I love this scarf that Jeremiah picked out for me when he went on a family trip to Mexico a couple years ago. For the longest time I had no idea how to style it because it is so vibrant and it would often end up being a blanket for Sprinkle. But lately I've been experimenting with some of the brighter parts of my closet and I'm trying not to shy away from being bold. Do you ever have a problem styling super-bright colors, and how do you deal with it?
This much orange reminds me of some children's book about colors and rhymes. Of course nothing rhymes with orange so the book authors had to make something up like, "Mr. Orange loves to dance the torange." I think it should be the next dance craze, like the Macarena or Soulja Boy.
Have a great week!

P.S. Nik should be back to posting in the next couple of days -- hooray!
P.P.S. Thank you to Indiana of Adored Austin for featuring me in the "Red, White and Blue" outfit contest. It was a fun idea and it was great to see what everyone else came up with!

Threehorns never play with Longnecks

 

 

Listening to: "Big Rock Candy Mountain," from the "O, Brother Where Art Thou" soundtrack.

Thinking about: "The Land Before Time."

Dress: Banana Republic;

Slip (unseen): Thrifted;

Sweater: Target;

Tights: Anne Klein, Marshall's;

Belt: Fossil;

Necklace: Beacon's Closet, NYC;

Shoes: Nine West.

Book: She Captains: Heroines and Hellions of the Sea by Joan Druett.

Nik will be back to posting soon  after this Friday -- she's going through her semester finals, which are always stressful. You can do it, Nik! Think kind thoughts for her this week.

I was having a rough day this afternoon -- something I had applied for turned into a rejection email. It felt pretty bad, but I am trying to stay on the sunny side. I was in a foul mood when I came home after work, but I came through the door and Jeremiah had gotten some burritos from Moe's and had Sprinkle on the couch waiting for me. The tense knots and sad feelings began to dissipate. I need to keep telling myself that there are people who love me, I have a lot to look forward to and a lot for which to be grateful.

About the outfit. The necklace is my favorite part because I am obsessed with the ocean and all things nautical (I even learned to sail in high school). I found it at Beacon's Closet in NYC when I went to visit this past spring break. The dress was a pick-me-up purchase last year. I love the color but don't really love how thin it is. Oh well. The combination of green and brown, especially my legs and shoes, made me feel very foliage-y which reminded me of "Land Before Time" and Littlefoot the brontosaurus's obsession with leaves, or "tree-stars," and then hence my favorite quote from the movie which I used for the title. I know, that is a random chain of thoughts, but the idea of dinosaurs forming prehistoric cliques never ceases to amuse me. On another note, we should start calling leaves tree-stars.

Have a good night!

How all the changes came about my ways

 

Listening to: "These Days," Nico.

Dress (as top): Anne Taylor Loft, remixed;

Skirt: Casper, thrifted;

Tights, boots, sweater: Target.

I think pairing a skirt over a dress is my ongoing obsession for fall when a hemline is too short or the dress is too body-conscious for work. I got a few compliments on the top today and I got to share my outfit secret.

 We won trivia tonight because we're all mega geniuses. Ha. Actually the questions were easier than most nights, and we were good at guessing some of the big ones. (Sample question: "What movie did the song 'White Christmas' debut?" The Holiday Inn) We also have a new cool waiter who lets me order off the kid's meal even though I'm not 12 anymore, so hooray.

Because I've had this song in my head for most of the day, I leave you with this scene from the Royal Tenenbaums. Probably one of my fave character entrances ever. Enjoy!

Ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?

Most of my friends know that I am a pretty big Batman fan -- the origins, the comics, the movies, everything, appeal to me. When "The Dark Knight" came out last year I was at the height of my fandom, because almost every single day there was a new article or slideshow or something related. And when I was in New York, I kept my eye out for similarities between the fictional and real Gothams.
Feeling some inspiration from watching the movies, I decided to redo the wardrobe of Batman's damsel, in three outfits that depict the stages of their relationship:

Superhero femme fatales by jmarieand
 

Outfit 1: They've just met, and Bruce Wayne is already smitten with her. Miss Femme Fatale wears a warm red dress and cloche hat that evoke a 1920s style, but her sword necklace gives off a mysterious vibe, in that she is not the innocent photgrapher/district attorney/etc. that she may appear to be. It is also a bit of a demure outfit, in case an evil baddy decides to kidnap her and she has to fly in the air.

Outfit 2: After Batman saves her from being a Gotham underground hostage, she's sensing that they've met before. At the museum  benefit that Commissioner Gordon hosts later that night, she approaches the dashing Wayne. The mask earrings and black dress hint that she may be on to his secret identity; the unicorn pumps suggest that she's willing to suspend her disbelief about a bat superhero.

Outfit 3: In the final showdown at Gotham City's 200th anniversary gala, she appears in her nicest ballgown saved for her spotlight moment of being kidnapped yet again by the evil baddy. The glitz and red shoes express her desire for Bruce/Batman to notice her, but the outfit also makes her the primo target at the gala because she is the prettiest, shiniest person there. Once Batman saves her, she kisses him in a longing, lingering way; however, because she knows his identity, her life will be in danger if they continue their forbidden relationship. She breaks it off, and promptly moves to Metropolis, hoping to catch a break there.

The End. Not bad, eh? Christopher Nolan, please call me and I will be your stylist! :)

Today we escape, we escape

 

 

 

Listening to: "Exit Music for a Film," Radiohead

(from Baz Luhrmann's "William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet" soundtrack)

Top, Tights, Sweater, Shoes: Target;

Skirt: The Limited;

Trenchcoat: Banana Republic; 

Bag: thrifted;

Necklace: Some shop in Gatlinburg, Tenn., circa 2001.

Just an easy Saturday outfit -- guilt-free lunch at Waffle House, a couple hours at Barnes & Noble and chili dinner with family.

I've had most of these items for a long time now and I'm still trying to make full use of all the items in my closet.  I know I am reiterating a common blogger complaint, but it's really hard to stay creative when it's just so cold outside. I'm hibernating today, hoping for the cold rain to go away so I can play outside soon.

I'm excited for the next few days -- Work reception, weekend party at our place and a family reunion at Maggiano's. I feel like I have a lot to look forward to.

About the title. I studied Latin for five years and I had the great fortune of taking a class in college with a well-regarded-in-the-field Latin professor who actually wrote our textbook. He was a nice professor, and really challenged our class by making us converse in Latin and look for modern examples of it. Anyways, he had edited the textbook to have beautiful illustrations and quotes, I suppose to keep the Latin stories interesting. One day in class we were reading Ovid's "Pyramus and Thisbe" which is a very Romeo-and-Juliet story and these lyrics were printed across from this illustration: 

[Thisbe by John William Waterhouse]

"Wake from your sleep/the drying of your tears/today we escape, we escape." Which are very fitting, haunting words for both stories. I just thought it was so cool that my 60+ year old professor, who was into all things ancient, was awesome enough to have Radiohead lyrics from a Baz Luhrmann film in his Latin textbook.
Ok, back to watching "Love Actually" now.

Oh, by golly -- JoAnn's favorite holiday movies

    I have to admit, I am not a huge Christmas person --- I don't care for the holiday Muzak that's churned out by Top-40 artists and played in every single store, nor do I care much for cliched seasonal cheer that's often found in office parties and Secret Santa swaps.  And don't get me started on the phrase "Tis the Season." I learned from my former newspaper adviser never to use this as a headline -- it's trite, forced and just terrible. 
    I refuse to utter it in good company.

    Don't get me wrong, I like hanging out with my family and friends, but sometimes the cheesiness of it all leaves me in a curmudgeon state. Fahlalala humbug.

    But anytime I watch any of the following Christmas-related movies, I can't help but feel my heart growing three sizes a la the Grinch. Funny, moving, romantic and sometimes musical, I recommend any of these if you're feeling stumped on your next queue choices.

 

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Meet Me in St. Louis (1944): Probably my favorite Judy Garland besides "Wizard of Oz" and "Easter Parade." About a family dealing with the heartaches of love and moving in the early-20th century. Great performances from Garland and Margaret O'Brien as 'Tootie,' the adorably funny, scene-stealing sister. Cast: Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Mary Astor, Leon Ames. My fave songs: "Meet Me in St. Louis," "The Trolley Song" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

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Love Actually (2003): I believe in the healing powers of this movie. I once spent an entire summer watching this movie nonstop when I could not sleep at night. This 2003 film follows the lives of several couples in London in the month leading up to Christmas. Funny and moving, it shows different interpretations of love. You should see it for the all-star cast alone -- Bill Nighy, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightley, Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson and Colin Firth, just to name a few. Fave moments: All of them, but especially Hugh Grant's dance scene.

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The Holiday (2006): When I first heard of this movie, I thought it was going to be an average holiday rom-com. Sure it's got some predictable moments, but it has a stellar cast and a lot of charm. Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz are having some man problems, so they decide to get as far away as possible from home during the holidays by switching abodes. Of course, trying to escape man issues means...they run into more. I'm not into modern rom-coms, but this one has "gumption." (Disclaimer: I am a sucker for anything Kate Winslet, including her perfume commercials.) Cast: Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jack Black and Jude Law. My faves: Jack Black's impersonations, the score and every Kate Winslet scene.

What are your favorite holiday movies?