1.29.2009

PM WISHLIST

I want it. You buy it.
Tell them other broke jokers be quieeeeeeh.




You could get them at Pixie Market.

1.28.2009

OBNOXIOUS BAG

Ever have something in your closet that is truly awful but you love it anyway? That's how I feel about this ridiculous purse I bought recently at Urban (where I used to be a hustler). I mentioned it to Leyandrea and well, she wanted to see it. It could eat 3 of my other bags for an afternoon snack, easy.


My thoughts when making the purchase? EVERYONE WILL HATE THIS.

But I can't resist peach ruffles. on anything.


A Sartorialist moment. Yes. At the movie theater. Lame.

80s SILX tunic, Ann Taylor gray cardi, thrifted plaid scarf, BDG ankle skinny jeans, thrifted crazy 90s jazz shoes, RIDICULOUS BAG from Urban Outfitters


1.27.2009

CORALINE + DAKOTA

Why did I not hear of this until now?



Coraline is voiced by the lovely Dakota Fanning whom I have had a girl crush on since I am Sam. She has the approval of Marc Jacobs. Enough said.


I've got this Marc Jacobs ad taking up a large portion of my inspiration board.




These are swell, too.
An Olsen style fashionista in the making, non?

1.23.2009

PLAYGROUND LOVE

Have you all seen Sofia Coppola's Virgin Suicides? It came out 10 years ago (!), but I finally got around to watching it this past week. While everyone was keeping up with childhood and high school movies I was off being oblivious and clueless (which I actually did see in a timely manner-- <3). Apparently, watching movies is a popular past time that I was never privy to. So now I'm playing serious ketchup.

I suppose our tweenage selves all wanted to grow up to be the enchanting Lux Lisbon (Kirsten Dunst) who had the adoration of heart throb Trip Fontaine (an amazingly young Josh Hartnett with a silly wig), but it was the youngest Lisbon, the first one to off herself, that drew me in. Watching Cecilia Lisbon was like looking back in time at my 13 year old self, straight middle-parted, not quite a bob haircut and all. It was almost as uncomfortable and painful to watch as it was to live through.



Cecilia is one part hopeless romantic, one part nostalgic idealist, and 2 parts dreamer. Mix it all together and she's the perfect example of the wallflower flowerchild. Living in her fundamentalist mother's imposed isolation in 1970s suburbia, it's no wonder she had to check her self out. Too bad though, because she had that lovely lace dress to prance around in.

If Cecilia were still around, and perhaps a smidge older, I imagine these might be her adornments.
cecilia - virgin suicides

I love Air's Playground Love which completes the soundtrack. What a rich and dreamy, melty sort of tune, just like the film itself.

1.22.2009

ADDICTED

Last Friday I went to my friend Courtney's dope. mixer, appropriately called BLOW. Dope. is Courtney's line of streetwear apparel with some printed items and some custom made. Her "vandalized" lil wayne and beyonce tees are hilarious. Courtney's got a great thing going, and as they say, her logo is "fly as hell." I have to agree.

Basically BLOW was this bangin party in this new old warehouse-y space that was revitalized from a failing auto mechanic shop into a retail/art gallery/event space of sorts by local screen printers Purple Monkey. I love how they kept the loft-y industrial feel intact, with exposed piping, cement floors, and chained panels of plexiglass and wood hanging from the super high ceilings to create more intimate spaces. I used to be kind of affiliated with those kids in the early days, so it's cool to see the place finally coming into its own.



I didn't know too many people there, but I'm pretty sure that all the cool kids were there. Lots of new faces meant lots of inspirations to mentally catalog. I wanted to take some random outfit pics but it really was soooo crowded. Crowds freak me out in an unconscious way. Everything's normal but when there are 8000 people around I suddenly find my body in panic mode --heart racing and muscles tense-- through no conscious thought or act of my own.

This girl's hair. I want it.

Luckily, there were several photogs perusing the scene. Check out the nice little blog here for some great pics. And check out the second or third pic where I'm scratching the bridge between my mouth and nose ever so gracefully, Ashley C is in the background doing something so crazy I didn't even recognize her, and Courtney looks lovely and happy as always.

1.19.2009

WARNING

Lovers and lovelies,
You must watch out for this man. I'm going to be a nice law-abiding citizen and not post the copyrighted pic, so you must follow the link or you will find yourself in very, very grave danger.

This man is out to smoke all your ciggies, hog the covers, and then devour your heart. He is French. He is too cool for only one v neck. He prefers two, and the color black. He'll take his coffee the same way, kthx.

One commenter summed him up exactement:
"god is dead, but my hair is perfect."

<3
ashford and the sart

1.16.2009

WHAT I WORE (YESTERDAY)


creep



closer




closer still



can you find me?



vintage top, thrifted crochet belt, Miss Sixty denim, TOMS

1.15.2009

MY FAVORITE S/S 09

I don't have to see all of the Spring 2009 RTW shows to know that Chloe is my favorite of the season. Hannah MacGibbon is now head of the whole shebang, so maybe that's the reason for my recently discovered infatuation with the label. Delectable colors like apricot, lemon, pear, and cherry appeared in the most luxurious of wearable fabrics. The sheen, the feminine scallops, and voluminous bottoms have got me swooning.


Shorts and bows and totally wearable flats, oh my!

Imagine my feelings of joy and fortune when I came upon this skirt thrifting the other day. It ties in a bow, is work appropriate, AND it's vintage Michael Kors. Could it be ANY MORE EPIC?


Well, why yes, actually it could. Like maybe if it fit me.
:o ((((((((
That is a lot of sad faces, kids.


I took some creepy pictures of it on the stairwell.





Sigh, I'm kissing this baby goodbye, handing it over to my luckiest of siblings. Lucky because she was born a girl and is taller than I.

I will always love you vintage-Michael Kors-pencil-skirt-that-ties-in-a-lovely-bow-and-reminds-me-of-Chloe. Always.
and Forever.



vintage Michael Kors skirt, thrifted Kimchi & Blue tank, random black tights, Juicy Couture polka dot socks, Steve Madden mary jane heels

1.12.2009

CUDDLE UP BUTTERCUP

I love color. Half the reason I like playing about in clothes is to explore color palettes and texture mixtures. Sure, I could paint or oil pastel (verb), but it's far more time consuming. If patience is a virtue, then impatience is one of my vices. So I switched to fashion.

My new favorite color obsession is pairing green and yellow. I think I like it because traditionally green + yellow should make you want to vomit. Apparently I love ugly, vomity things. I can't remember what inspired me first, but shortly thereafter a Brazilian woman clad in a minty dress with sunshine yellow heels caught my eye on the Sartorialist . And then Rachel brought home a grass green and lemon yellow button-down from the 1960s. And then I remembered that Schiele piece that I totally adore. And then, well, I just had to try it for myself.






Pantone (the color authority--I'm not kidding, they get all scientificky and sociological about it) just declared YELLOW as 2009's color. The specific shade is called mimosa, and has a slightly orange tinge. Warm and full of sunshine, the color symbolizes hope. And possibly Sunday brunches. Wouldn't Michelle Obama look fantastic in yellow?

Did you know that colors are forecast like two YEARS in advance? Amazing. I'm excited about mimosa because various hues spanning the orange to green spectrum have been my favorite colors since I was but a wee one.
A few months ago I bought this perfect 1960s knit bedspread in marigold and cream that I've been cosying up with ever since. I must admit it does make me feel all lovely and warm, even though baby it's cold outside.


Uh, let's try that again.



Ok then.

1.08.2009

MARNI S/S09

Marni is for weird, arty Italian girls


which means it's exactly my cup of tea.
Legwear? yes m'am

photos by way of Style.com

1.06.2009

YESTERDAY

was muggy as all get out. My skin felt dewy in the bad way all dayyy lonnnggg. Ew. Rain, drizzle, drive, rain, drizzle, thrift, rain, drizzle, bank, was how my day went.

It was not an exciting day for fashion.

details: Hanes v-neck tee, Miss Sixty denim, thrifted vintage gold jellies, F21 poppy orange hairband

POSH SPICE WAS ALWAYS MY FAVORITE

Victoria Beckham is kind of silly.
She's like a caricature of a person who fulfills all the stereotypes thrown upon her. Whatevs, Posh is still alright by me and this video for her new clothing line is totally adorable. Childhood games + cute little songs = my weakness.



I got the link from the ladies at Asian Cajuns. I like them because I think they are the only other fashion bloggers that I've come across that live in the dirty dirty.

1.04.2009

AS I PROMISED

I need a photographer boyfriend to take my pretty picture. As in, make my picture pretty, please. Fashion Toast has one and her photos are always great looking. Chances are that boy friend and I could share some of the same clothes. Another wardrobe to peek through for those days when I have nothing to wear would be awesome. Wow I totally just stereotyped photographers as skinny boys.

The other day I'm wandering through the MALL trying to find these triple buckle maryjanes (Chloe knock-offs) that I've been lurking. Turns out Steve Madden makes a pair, so I head over there but not before getting sucked in by the glowing light of the new two-story Forever 21. Overwhelmed and confused, I'm searching for the section that is merchandised just for me and when I finally think that I've found it, I realize I'm in the boys section. Menswear is just so attractive/distracting.If these come in cognac, I would be as happy as a peach plum pear.


I'm fresh out of photographer boyfriends so I attempted to get to know one of my new technologies on my own this past weekend. Self-timer on the new digital camera, check. That was simple. But a tripod? Oh no. Balancing my camera on a stack of nearly 30 philosophy books on the edge of the banister/halfwall of the staircase = flirting with disaster. Woe is the life of a fashion blogger.
And just where is my roommate when I need him? Like when creepy dudes follow me home, ladybugs crawl along the rim of my cranblueberry juice, or when I need my picture taken. That dude was m.i.a. for like four days straight. Something about New Orleans, don't ever put champagne in the freezer for a week, egg salad was good, and yes I'll fix your LEGO horsie when I get back was scrawled across the refrigerator. And now he's off to Jackson. Alone again with LED screens, battery chargers, and mysterious cables to keep me company.

So this is my first go at it. I didn't really experiment with "tripod" locations; the bare corner between my room and the bathroom is all you get to peep at this time. Get excited ppl.

.


I loved Gucci's Fall '08 so much that it permeated my brain and wallet. Apparently I have been subconsciously collecting haute hippie pieces, including this beautiful vintage rosebud peasant top. The problem is that I never seem to get around to wearing them SO THEY MUST GO TO BETTER HOMES NOW. Even though I adore this shirt, when I see these photos it's obvious how so-not-me the look is. Pretty, but just not me. Plus I like to pass the beauty around for good karma.

Notice how I blinked like a dork in the last picture even though my camera totally let's me know what's up. Ashford: 0. Technology: 1.

Details: vintage peasant top, Miss Sixty binky jeans, thrifted vintage boots, thrifted tiny gold coins necklace, 80s gangsta ass gold knocker earrings that pass as gypsy here (gift from Rachel).

1.01.2009

NEW YEARS EVE

On New Years Eve I had to resist the urge to hermit up. I wasn't shunning the world or having a pity party --hanging out by myself is something I've been doing a lot lately. Mostly because that's what I want to do. I've become superinvolved in all of my projects, none of which I have the proper time to devote to. But I'm really really content with the whole thing.

There were various goings on, none of which were begging for my presence. There were New Orleans, The Moon, or a house party to choose from. At almost the last minute I decided to go to the house party because I was promised organic sparklers and a lot of champagne. I didn't even try on a number of things; I wore the first thing I put on which was strange because I've never worn these boots or shirt before so I didn't have a mental picture of how they would work out. Either my standards were particularly low or I really did pick a winner on the first try. I didn't take pictures that night but here is what I came up with.

The shirt is a thrifted, *ahem* Tommy Hilfiger blouse that is slightly sheer and about 3 sizes too big for me so it's sort of a loose tunic. It was cold and we were outside so I kept my new Kimchi & Blue ruffle coat on the whole time. Black skinnies, thrifted Nine West boots, and my *ahem* handcuff key necklace finished the look. I like the combination of the silver necklace with the gold stars, navy, and black. The mix seems winter holiday appropriate.

I bought the TH shirt because the gold stars reminded me of Chanel. Same thing goes for the patent toe and heel ankle boots. The whole look seemed very Chanel goes to band camp. Or boot camp. Or the French Revolution. I'm not sure which one.

I don't really do makeup, though I've recently taken an interest in it. I was in a hurry due to my last minute decision to be social, so I wiggled on some blue mascara (my FAVORITE beauty item), a very light dusting of pinkish blush, and peachy pink lip gloss. It's not much, but I like the softness.

I DON'T FEEL ANY DIFFERENT

I'm lying. Is it weird that I actually do feel different? I feel revived, refreshed, rejuvenated (in that order). Maybe it's only because I don't have to go to work today. A whole day to myself for blogging, doing laundry, selling stuff on ebay, and possibly thrifting.

I never really believed in New Years' resolutions until this year. I think I was just floating along, dazed and confused for most of my life. Eat less chocolate? Quit smoking? I don't think so. I'm not a smoker, and I'm not turning my whole year into Lent. Plus, self-imposed rules seem generally unhealthy to me. You've got to treat the disease, not the symptoms.

I always have the vague goal in mind that I should be a better person (doesn't everyone?), but it was not until a few years ago that I concretized what that meant for me. I'm not seeking to be a "better" person by giving more or being kind (although sometimes those things are included). Rather than better, I'm trying to be more complete. I'm scaling Maslow's triangle -- working on hang ups, limitations, fears, whatever --and trying to figure things out in this mad mad world, which by the way, I'm totally in love with. It's strange how much I really love the world and being in it. You feel me?

On to resolutions:
1. The biggest challenge I've set for 2009 is to become less emotionally withdrawn without turning into a basketcase. For me this is a fine line which I 've never been able to walk successfully. I think Gabe will be good for this one.
2. Be brave. This is pretty much my everyday mantra, but I'm expanding upon it for 2009. I have to figure out what it is that I want, go for those things, and not take no for an answer. It's the last part that I always fail at. Well, I don't fail so much as I don't even think about it, probably because I am too afraid or tend to translate negative responses into feelings of undeservedness. Um yeah, don't do that. Surprisingly, my role model and mentor for this part is going to be MattBry. He doesn't know that. But, damn, how does he always seem to get what he wants? He's the reason I work at Urban now.
3. Don't fall into uneven relationships, friends or otherwise, where I'm giving more than I get. I suppose this problem could be fixed by being more generous and not expecting too much, but the point is that I'm trying not to be a doormat. So I'll have to be assertive, which means establishing my needs and making sure that they are met. See #2.
4. Look good naked. Look good clothed, too.

Was that all a little too serious?