brutally rebuffed!

I suppose I didn't pay much attention to this D&G romper when it came down the runway on Siri.


via style.com

But then something about this image stuck in my mind:


Edita Vilkeviciute by Camilla Akrans for Numero 116, September 2010

Over time I realized that I, too, really needed a sweater romper thing. What else would be so perfect for standing around in a forest of cherry blossom trees in the midst of an autumn sunset? I mean that describes my plans for fall like, perfectly.

But no, I thought. Eventually the cherry blossoms will fall, and then what? Then how will I wear it?


Anouck Lepere by Pablo Delfos for Elle Belgium, September 2010

Oh.

Well, that's perfect then. I sit around on the floor looking pensive way more often than I frolic amongst the cherry blossoms. Suddenly this is a look I realize I could take anywhere - whether lounging decadently around my apartment, or taking it out with a pair of boots and being perfectly, insouciantly daring in a way no one would question, or adding a full skirt over it and nodding cleverly to the fact of winter while acknowledging that my West Coast zip code means I'll barely feel a chill.

So now a grey sweater romper has become a thing I need to own.

My journey takes me to the D&G store at the Forum Shops, where I've passed many a soft hour trying on all the runway pieces and sashaying around like I'd ever have reason to purchase a corseted ballgown. It's August, so fall should be trickling into stores already. I get there, though, and there's nothing that looks remotely familiar from the FW10 runways. Upon questioning this I find that much of the fall collection came in three weeks ago and sold out nearly immediately, in Las Vegas, in August. Maybe the people behind the accelerated fashion calender have something there.

I explain my quest to the shopkeepers, describing the romper in question. Nothing comes up in the computer search, so they bring out the runway lookbook. I find it, but the page only says where to get the cardigan worn over it. More searching ensues. Now we're committed; we will find this romper.

Well, there is one. One. Available on consignment, from the showroom, for editorials and the like.

Because it was never produced for proper sale.

nearly witches

I like to think of this outfit as the evil twin to this look.



Tank top, gift from Fluxus. Vintage skirt. Doc Martens.





Details on the accessories:




Antique ring.


My grandmother's old bracelet watch, vintage skull cuff, fake pearl bracelets stolen from a friend.


Vintage fake pearl necklace, grosgrain ribbon from a Lanvin bag.


And finally some of the inspiration for this look, all sources can be found by clicking each picture:

a deep and primal yearning

I picked this dress up a few weekends ago after stalking it for awhile, waiting for it to go way on sale...final score 75% off. Triumph! I've been wanting one like this for awhile, it's a common style from the label and I still regret not picking up the grape-printed Atlantic Sunday dress from a few seasons back. This one is pretty bonkers though, I love it. I was looking in my closet today mulling over the perfect occasion to wear it, and then I realized that Monday was a perfect occasion, so I decided to go out and start researching my next story for one of the magazines I write for. Fortunately this aspect of my job involves shopping. Not bad, life, not bad.




Dress, Vivienne Westwood Anglomania. Shoes, Marni.

My travels led me to Neiman Marcus, where I discovered that the Prada FW10 dresses so far are epically, stunningly, stupidly beautiful. This one was my favorite, but really they're all beautiful, the fits divine, the skirts just swingy enough, the whole collection made me yearn for fall. And money. Mostly lots and lots of money.

I also lurked the Marc by Marc Jacobs section at every department store I hit, and I'm pleased to report that so far it is all seriously covetable in person, the white Bronte lace dress in particular, and don't even get me started on the sweaters. I could have sworn I heard autumn calling to me, but it was just the mercury breaking through the thermometer again. Alas.

until i fall away

I just got back from a two and a half week trip to California. The first half was spent with family in Clovis, and the second was in LA with my BFF. I neglected to bring my camera with me, so the only evidence is in the form of multiple Sidekick photos on my Tumblr. Visiting the area where I grew up always Stockholms me really effectively, and that was especially true this trip, when we spent all this time driving around in my great aunt's sweet Mustang convertible, heading up to the mountains and driving through all these dinky little mountain towns that leave me in alternating states of why would anyone ever want to live here??/oh my god, I want to live here. Surely it can't be as romantic in reality as it is in my head, right? Cheap rent with a great view, hot sun, artistic inspiration, small town suntanned boys? No, right? It wouldn't just be an endless idyll where I get to dress like this all the time -


Dress and shoes, vintage.




Do you know how hard it is to find vintage shoes in my size? It's literally only ever happened one other time in my life.

It couldn't be quite like that, is the thing, because the dress came from a shop in Silverlake and I just found the shoes in an antique mall here in Vegas. So I'd probably go nuts living in some poky little mountain town with nothing to do and nowhere to shop. (Right? Right?) On the way out of Clovis I totally stopped downtown to hit up all the antique malls we'd missed, and ended up leaving with a stack of 1960s Cosmopolitans, a hat, a dress/lace jacket combo, and some weird accessories. I feel alright about it. I also attended my mother's 30th high school reunion, where I was deluged by questions ranging from my marital status (augh) to what grade I'm in (wtf). Everyone was really nice though, and my mom was adorably jazzed to hang out with her friends. It was an awesome trip all around for sure.

Anyway, here is photo evidence of one other thing I did:


Me and BFF! I'm wearing a vintage dress, with pink ankle socks and sparkly Oxfords out of frame.

That was at The Like's show at Bardot on the 11th. It was really fun and full of attractive people, and I danced a lot because this dress has the swingiest skirt. So good. The next night we went to see The Black Apples in Long Beach, and it turned out they were playing at Alex's Bar, where the Fangtasia scenes were filmed during seasons one and two of True Blood. Um, amazing. (Also Jon Hamm from Mad Men was at the show at Bardot. At this point I just accept that every experience I have in the LA area will be in some way bonkers.)

Now I'm back in glorious Henderson, NV, where it's hot, and also hot. I have purchased tomatoes and later I will go to Barnes & Noble to do some writing. I kind of just described my entire life right there.