silly

I just can't get away from dresses. They contain endless possibilities.




Coming soon, however, are amazing jeans and belts. They're a little harder to find among the endless haystacks of unflattering fodder, but I'll guide you as best I can.

the joy of contrast and reruns

Two things I wish I possessed:
One: The opportunity to rock such an amazing shade of neon pink lipstick.


Two: The innate skill and vast amounts of hairspray it takes to recreate the Breakfast at Tiffany's Audrey Hepburn up-do.

dressed to kill (or at least knock 'em to the floor)

I am very much liking the more form-fitting dresses that are in (versus the moo-moo and curtain ones that seem to be running rampant, don't ask), but with the littler, mini dresses I worry that it'll encourage another revolution of anorexia. Remember the skinny part of the 80's, 90's, and 00's? Ghastly! I was beginning to be encouraged by the amazing people in the media who represented a more curvy variety of beauty. America Ferrera is one them. Here she is looking fly in a casual yet stunning dress. Kelly Ripa is starting to look scary-skinny, and it worries me, because if this becomes a trend, there will be scores of people blowing away in the wind and getting stuck in trees. What a mess. And here are two other celebrities who happen to be thinner BUT healthy-looking in dresses I ADORE. Both the blue/black and black/white are classy yet popping. Both utilize the belt well, too. I still will be featuring my article on belts sometime soon. :)

Miscellaneous

I was going to write about Audrey, which I will, but I'm not going to do that today, because the undertaking is going to require a scanner and more time than I have at the moment. So instead I'll just write about a few things I was thinking about, fashion-wise.

First off, I found a website to buy accessories that made me wish every shopping website were designed like this. It is www.endless.com. You should go there and play if you feel like conveniently browsing through pretty things. :) I almost bought a pair of fuschia flats from there but then realized I was only hypnotized by their amazingness; I would only wear them twice. Thus, no dice.

Also, I'm not usually a fan of silvery dresses, but isn't this pretty? Claire looks radiant. It's Gucci.

I love that v-neck and the soft silk (is it silk?) belt. So flatterinnnng....

Oh, and one more thing. I've done some casual browsing through the Resort 2008 fashion shows, and man...I love what they're doing! The bright colors and interesting combinations make me smile. Apparently snippets of the 80's are still around.
Understand, however, I've only browsed into the B's of designers, so I'll post more of what I like as I get further in. The designers are
1) Akris
2)Balenciaga
3)Badgely Mischka

free to roam

It was proven to me last week how numb I've become to the fact not everyone is used to seeing breasts. I didn't think about how appalling it would be to check out someone's fashion blog expecting a refreshing series of delightful and wholesome items and see, instead, a horrific image of Anne Hathaway's "mammary glands", as my father put it. All I was thinking when I posted the picture was "Holy buckets of blood! What a fashion travesty!". I was not thinking about the actual body parts.
So in learning this, I most sincerely apologize if I made anyone cringe for a week. It was sort of the effect I was going for, but I wanted the world to gasp at the bad wardrobial choice, not the actual chest. So, if you care to observe, I censored the picture. Never again will I cause such visual anguish.

And on to something more refreshing. Today was Princess Diana's birthday, so I wanted to post a picture demonstrating her timeless class and glowing kindness. She is one of my fashion role-models, for sure.

Here we go. I was delighted to find a picture of her not only in a gorgeous suit and heels, but talking with Mother Theresa, who had the most beautiful heart of all, so I found it gloriously appropriate to include her as well.


Happy birthday, Di. I wish you were still around, because I think you would've aged so gracefully and I would've loved to have seen not only that but the greater scores of good works you would've accomplished for children and the poor. That goes for you too, Ma Theresa. What a lovely pair of ladies.

Tomorrow or later this week when I have more time I'm going to post an entry on Audrey Hepburn, so keep checking back!

a tear has been shed.

Anne Hathaway was moving up the ladder of fashion classiness in my book of standards, but after seeing her where something like this outside the house, she has been erased from my book entirely. Everyone is allowed the occasional revolting fashion faux pas, but this was just plain tastelessness when applied to her situation.

The only time I can justify a top like this is on the runway with models who don't have chests. Oh Anne, how you've disappointed me so! Your cute earrings did not save you. I've discovered my fashion religion has no Jesus to forgive all sins. Things can add up to eventually send a person to fashion hell, and if a certain sin is bad enough, the person can be sentenced to eternal burning right away.

I'll write something more positive next time. To end on something good, here's a picture when she was still on the path of the good and true. *sigh*

names, identities, truths

Oh, time, where have you gone? This weekend was one of the most introspective weekends I've had in a good long while, and although it hurt a little, truth and joy were the juices I extracted when all was said and done. Regarding this blog, these are the things I realized:

• I was trying to be someone else rather than just plain old me.
  
• I was too caught up in being/looking professional, when in reality the best approach is to just, as I said, be me.
  
• The name is not Julie enough. Who's Jane, anyway? If I ever get published, the name is going to be Juliette Pafoofnic, and that is final. Jane is a faceless doll in the nether-regions of my mind, not a real person.

Those things being said, here is the birth of what is my real fashion blog. Here is what it will be about today...

If I could be any celebrity, I would be Zooey Deschanel. Why? She's classy, she's unorthodox, she loves vintage, she's talented, she's real, she has electric eyes, and her name is part of a Salinger title. She is all spark and all woman. Here are a few visual examples:

^Although, they air-brushed her left arm. (see it?) Why? She's a stick-figure as it is! Bah. Oh well...still a pretty photo. I LOVE the dress.

and one more,

Here are some specifically cinematic examples:
1. She was great at being rebellious and high-looking in "Almost Famous". And you've got to smile and giggle at that stewardess outfit.
2. Her character's singing voice in "Elf" was not dubbed over. That was her.
3. Even though it's a kids' film, I really liked her role in "Bridge to Terabithia". *sigh...that movie reminded me a LOT of how I was as a kid.
4. I looooved her character in "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy"...and who else could look cuter in bright blue go-go shorts?
5. Ok ok ok, "The New Guy" was a duuuumb movie, but at least her voice was real in all the singing parts. Oh well.
6. Even though "The Good Girl" depressed me to no end, it was a very difficult piece to act and both she and Jenn did a stellar job. Art is not always pretty, I suppose.

I can't imagine what it'd be like to have my life written out on Wikipedia (because I read about Zooey's on there and I started feeling a little stalkerish even though it was public information). Hooray for celebrity lives. At least we can enjoy the fashion! :)

p.s. unrelated to fashion but still important are the new albums out by the following bands/artists... find! listen!

• coldplay
• the black keys
• aimee mann
• sigur ros
• death cab for cutie
• jakob dylan
• the zutons
• my morning jacket
• old 97's

Not saying they're all the greatest, but they're still important! Often, to listen is to know.

aah!

I realized something over the last couple weeks. In order for me to update this blog every day, I'm going to need a blackberry-type device. So, when I switch phone services and have to purchase a new phone, I think that's what I'm going to do.

More to come soon!

Belts of thought

Today I had a serious wardrobial conflict between cuteness and comfort. Those new shoes I got (see past entry) gave me blisters after I walked the halls at work, which I was hoping wouldn't happen, considering they're already broken in. This quote came to me while I sat and bandaged my injured heels:

"I design for real people. I think of our customers all the time. There is no virtue whatsoever in creating clothing or accessories that are not practical."
-Giorgio Armani <---I've always liked him and his lovely, humble attitude! There's an article in December's W of a diary he kept about his trip to Dallas, and I really enjoyed it. You should get your hands on a copy of that issue if you can...maybe at a local Half Price Books or something. The cover looks like this:



















And I'm going to talk about belts tomorrow when I have more time; it's been a very, very long day. I'm glad you stopped by. :)

questions and swaps

A dear friend of mine told me yesterday that it's important to ask yourself two questions whenever you're purchasing any sort of clothing or accessory item.

1: Do I love this item?

but more importantly,

2: Does this item love me?

After asking myself those questions, I actually bought about 85% fewer items than I would've bought if no questions would've been asked.

I think everyone should go through this mini self interview before they go to the cash register. It'll hopefully eliminate most of those things we never wear!

And speaking of never wearing something...Have you ever done a Clothing Swap before? I recommend that groups of friends in every community try it. You take whatever clothes in your closet you still respect but never seem to wear, and bring them to a specified time and place. Others do the same. Once you're all there, you basically set them out in the middle of the room and everyone just sorts through and takes what they want. It's a wonderful method of reusing resources that also feels safer and warmer, because the exchange is done with trusted comrades rather than mere strangers. I always love wearing a cute shirt I know was loved by my friend Melyssa or whoever.

I highly recommend it!

No pictures today. Subject for tomorrow: wide belts

Thrift Shops.

Today I got a fantastic pair of patent leather flats with an open toe and a multi-colored front. Here is a picture:

















They only cost me 2 dollars and forty cents. THIS is why everyone should stop buying things at retail so much and take the time to browse Thrift Shops.

Everyone knows, vintage is completely back in, which is great. However, hardly anyone is actually getting their merchandise (whether it be shoes, clothing, purses, jewelry) from the past; they're paying gobs of money to buy things, brand new, at retail stores!

I say we need to stop creating things and start reusing what already exists. I will show you more great finds as they come along.

The Scarflette

These are the future of winter wear. I do realize, Summer is around the corner for the Northern Hemisphere, but as most of you know, the fashion world is already preparing for Fall. Here are a few I really like, all different types. All of them are from www.etsy.com.

Interesting, aren't they? :)

For Starters...

I'm sure there is a lugubriously healthy amount of helpful and interesting blogs about fashion for the artists, the cheap-a-leaps, the workaholics, the impatient, the neurotics, the pickier-than-anyone, or etc. etc. etc...

But is there a blog in this lonely world for any and all of the above?

There is now.

Welcome to the place you can go to find something you won't find anywhere else: the anatomy and workings of my fashion brain.

I sincerely hope you will find something useful or at least entertaining here, each and every day.

For today, here are a couple pictures of two types of things I'd like to see sold more often in the general array of less expensive chain stores in my town (or any town!). They're all from the Fall 2008 Ready-to-Wear fashion shows.
They're both designed by ADAM.

For this first one, it's the material I like, along with the interesting high-waist. The bird brings a nice hipster touch to it. Doesn't it look like a tattooed yet Hepburn-esque woman named Mev Stoneblue made it in her spare time with the trusty Singer sewing machine she keeps in her bedroom? (and then you look at it and say "why yes, J. Pafoofnic, it does.")


















And the second, it's mainly the cowl neck-piece I'm longing to purchase. Is it a scarf or a neck warmer? I don't really care which; I just wish I could know where to get one for under 25 dollars. If I find such a place that does, I'll let you know.