Labels: fashion, shopping

( 0comments )

I taught in this outfit today. I think it's my favorite thing I've worn all year. The skirt kicks ass. Gosh, I love Alice in Wonderland...

Labels: fashion, loligoth, teaching

( 12comments )

at October 2, 2008 9:18 PM  natalia said...

Why isn't it "socially acceptable"? If it isn't for some reason, why did you wear it to class? Did you find that people commented on your outfit?

I think you should dress this way more often. Did you make the outfit? It rocks.

 

at October 2, 2008 10:22 PM  Lorie said...

At first, I also thought she meant that the outfit itself wasn't socially acceptable. Now, I think she actually means that it wouldn't be socially acceptable to wear the same outfit every single day, as she would like to do with this outfit.

I'm also wondering, is it just an odd perspective created by the camera angle, or is your ceiling really so low that you almost touch it while standing on tip-toe?

 

at October 3, 2008 8:17 AM  jillydreadful said...

Yeah, what Lorie said: “I think she actually means that it wouldn’t be socially acceptable to wear the same outfit every single day, as she would like to do with this outfit.” It’s not cool to wear the same thing every single day unless you have multiples of the same outfit like Albert Einstein (smell issues and the like, ya know?).

It’s an odd perspective because it was a low shelf on my bookcase that I stood my camera up on. Brad could probably touch the ceiling, but on tip-toe, I cannot.

 

at October 3, 2008 12:19 PM  Gungy said...

And here you thought my picture was cute! *wink*

(That was a regular wink, by the way - not a creepy wink.)

 

at October 3, 2008 4:34 PM  natalia said...

I thought you chose the angle b/c it's very Alice in Wonderland.

You never answered my question though... did you buy the skirt or make it?

 

at October 3, 2008 5:21 PM  jillydreadful said...

Oh that's right. I did not make it. I would have tried if I had my sewing machine readily available, though. Since I'm only here a year, I didn't want to ship the sewing machine and possibly have it break. (It's a refurbished unit as it is, so it's kind of touchy without the extra shipping it around twice across the country.)

 

at October 6, 2008 12:31 AM  El Hombre said...

That's pretty damn cute. I would also wear that if it was socially acceptable!

 

at October 6, 2008 5:27 PM  Alex Knight said...

Senior Hombre, that is the most disturbing thing I ever heard.

That being said, I agree that it looks cute. Though I am also curious, as your first comment asked, did people comment on the dress? Granted, it's not that greatly unusual.

 

at October 6, 2008 6:59 PM  jillydreadful said...

Oh yeah, Full Disclosure: Although I no longer judge purchases of clothing that are extravagant--because when I was poor, I admit I did judge--I feel as though I must say that I did not pay that much for my shoes (if you actually followed the link to take a look). I wouldn't care if you judge me for buying extravagant shoes, but the story that goes with my shoes speaks to my poor roots so I feel compelled to share.

I was apparently shopping at the right time on endless.com and those exact shoes were being sold for $70 at the end of August, and I needed a pair of shoes to go with my suits, and since they were over a hundred dollars off, as well as the perfect balance of quirky and professional, I bought them. Although I'm a true size 8, Miss Sixty's size 8 was surprisingly small, and endless.com doesn't do exchanges (you have to repurchase your item and then mail back the shoes you don't want and they refund you when the shoes arrive).

When I went to repurchase the shoes, they had gone up to $170! (They've slightly fallen in price in recent weeks it seems.) But they had skyrocketed within a matter of 5 days and I was not about to pay that price, so I called endless.com and they honored the original price point. When I asked, this was the first time they had seen a pair of shoes go up in price more than $10.

So, I feel as though I was meant to strut around in these shoes because they were a great price, not to mention a designer brand (and they're the perfect gothloli shoes, which is a bonus). I am fairly confident that I'll have these shoes for years and I'm happy about that.

 

at October 6, 2008 8:59 PM  Lorie said...

Like Alex Knight, I wouldn't have thought this outfit would be considered greatly unusual. I mean, the Alice in Wonderland pattern is unique, but otherwise, it's a white blouse, a black sweater, and a black skirt. I wouldn't have even realized it was an example of gothloli style if you hadn't tagged it as such. But I guess it would stand out if you're amongst a sea of professors wearing khakis or whatever it is they wear that's generally non-descript. But I've always felt like I should dress up a bit if I'm in a position of authority, so the idea of looking "too professional" while teaching is really bizarre to me. It makes sense, I guess, within the attitudes of academia you describe, though.

 

at October 7, 2008 1:05 AM  natalia said...

I see what you're saying, but I guess I was raised never to look at clothes as a way to express myself creatively or to show to the world that I'm a "creative person." I see clothes as being functional not expressive. I wish I didn't see it that way, but alas, that's how it is.

P.S. Did you know that your man, J. Michael Straczynski, wrote the new Angelina Jolie movie, The Changeling? Just thought I'd share. :)

 

at October 12, 2008 5:41 PM  Lindsi said...

So before I even read your blog I clicked on the picture to see it better, I thought to myself, "it's so Alice in Wonderland, perfect!"

 

This week I purchased a booqbag. The Mamba pack in brown to be precise. I spent more hours than I care to admit researching professional looking bags that could hold a laptop, and so I'm pretty happy with my purchase. My research included price checking multiple websites, and looking for bags that were designed for women, since bags categorized "for women" tend to have more design personality, as well as reading reviews about laptop bags (that I didn't know existed, but was happy to find).

After all the reading, I felt more confused than ever. I concluded that I needed to create a set of criteria I required in a bag (especially if I was going to spend over a hundred bucks for it).

My Criteria, I needed something that would:

1. Hold my laptop.


2. Be equally comfortable to use while riding my bike or walking.


3. Water resistant since it rains a lot here.


4. Hold other items in addition to laptop, such as a couple of books and documents.


5. But not be too big.


6. Relatively lightweight: I'd prefer if it didn't weigh five pounds on its own (like my other bags).


7. Look professional, but funky.

Made of:

1. Durable material (leather, neoprene, nylon, lycra)--something that will last a several years.


2. Not suede (the dye in the suede leaks onto my clothes)--this is why I needed a new laptop bag. The brown suede bag that I've been using for the last couple of years started leaking brown dye on my clothes when I carried it around.

So, after hours of blindly reading and shopping online, I felt confused. But as soon as I created my set of criteria, I discovered the two following possibilities within a few minutes. (It's weird how knowing what you want can really speed up matters.)

The possible suspects:

Mamba Pack, $135 (or it's other incarnations: the sling and the saddle)
Pros: I thought this bag had everything I was looking for actually. All seven criterion.
Cons: But I wondered: is it professional looking enough? I was especially concerned with the backpack style. I've only seen one professor carry a backpack and it was leather, so the leather kind of ups the professional factor; most professors I've seen use tote bags or messenger bags, so I worried a backpack would be too student-y.

Ristretto Messenger, $90
Pros: Durable. Funky styling.
Cons: I wasn't sure if it's wide enough to carry a couple books in addition to the laptop. Also, how awkward is it riding a bike with a messenger bag? They don't even seem to stay in place while I'm walking. Plus, the messenger style tends to dig into my shoulders, and, already having back issues from my car accidents when I was 17 (couldn't walk for 8 weeks), the bag style tends to hurt my back because I always seem to weigh it down with everything I need to be on campus since I'm there all day (it's not uncommon for my bag to weigh 30 pounds).

I decided to take the plunge and buy the Mamba pack (added bonus: it came with a free Venom pulse bag that I can put my digital camera in). But when it arrived, it was bigger than I anticipated. The website makes it look so sleek, and sleek in my mind tends to go with small (kind of like iPods). They gave the dimensions, so I should have been prepared, but I wasn't. (They really should have pictures of the bag on people for scale and perspective.) It's also as wide as my back (wider, in fact, in places like my shoulders and where my waist comes in) and it's as long as my back as well.

So I was terribly conflicted when I opened it. On the one hand, it's a beautiful, beautiful backpack. And damn if it ain't sturdy. And the lycra and polyester fabric, surprisingly, is really supple and kind of awesome to touch.

On the other hand, though, it was huge and it felt like it dwarfed me. How could something so big possibly be professional? It's fine if I'm wearing jeans, but what if I wear I suit? Won't it look silly?

Since I don't have a mirror (except a tiny medicine cabinet variety), I took pictures. In my favorite suit.

That's how big the backpack is in comparison to my body. But it's structured so it doesn't look messy like my other backpacks, so it actually doesn't look bad at all. The more I look at it, the more I like it. Plus, all the compartments are designed really well, so there's lots of storage space without looking overly big and sloppy.

And this is why people should always have one full length mirror in the house. If I had a mirror, then I could have seen that the backpack actually doesn't bad at all, even with my suits. But I freaked out and called B and was like, "I'm not sure if the bag works! Can I take pictures and you tell me what you think?" But I didn't need his response because as soon as I saw the photos, I was convinced.

Labels: backpacks, booqbag, fashion, funky, laptop bags, professional, style, suit

( 2comments )

at August 9, 2008 9:56 PM  natalia said...

That's a great backpack! I really like the way it looks. Keep on blogging. I love reading about your life in NY. I miss you!

 

at August 12, 2008 11:49 AM  Chandra said...

Nice backpack!

I carry my laptop in a Harajuku Lovers' tote... but I don't do a lot of hauling it about or I'd have to get a backpack, too.

 

[caption id="attachment_458" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Fig. 1: Exhibit A, Loligoth"][/caption]

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who knows what loligoth (Gothic Lolita and it's sister style: Sweet Lolita) fashion is--I know I'm not, I'm lucky enough to have girlfriends who are hip to my jive, yo. Plus, I randomly came across Dreaming in Red (my new favorite blog), and I felt inspired to finally address this loligoth topic on my own blog.

I would dress this way every day if I could, but, being in the USA, there aren't a lot of loligoth options here (hello eBay!). So whenever I try to whip out a loligoth outfit, it feels more like a costume than a stylistic lifestyle. I have had a couple skirts and tops that are ruffle-y and vintage-y that I have purchased at random places like thrift stores and Express on occasion, but because my closet isn't filled with these kind of outfits, it enhances the costume-esque feel. And I would rather it be my style than a costume.

But is it possible for the Lolita (Gothic or Sweet) to move past a costume/cosplay presence?

The way I gauge clothing is by asking myself this question: would I feel comfortable teaching a classroom of college freshmen in it? The reason why I like this question is because it addresses a multiplicity of criteria in a single question: comfort, wearability and style.

1. Comfort: is the garment comfortable enough to teach a class in? To ride a bike? If not, to ride a bus in or to walk to class in? Will I get hot? Will I get sweaty? If it's white, do I have the ability to keep it crisp?

2. Wearability: how often will this garment be worn? Will I get my money's worth in the number of times I'll wear it? For instance, I have a green BCBG dress I bought for about $110 last August. I have worn it at least once a month (sometimes 2 or 3 times a month). So let's say I've worn it 15 times (a low estimate). That's $7 each time I've worn it, so the more often I wear it, the better the value. (This is also how I think about furniture.) But something like my Chi costume (the one I made) cost approximately $100-$120 to make (not to mention the number of hours I put into designing and sewing it), and I've only worn it twice, so the value of this garment is approximately $55 each time I wore it. Plus, I can only anticipate wearing it at Anime-Expo next year, so the wearability of the costume is much lower than my BCBG dress.

3. Style: because I'm a fiction writer and a comics scholar (remember what my academic fellowship is in this year: gender and animation, and my project is tracing the cyborg myth through monstrous bodies such as zombies and witches and vampires as they appear in literature and comic books), I feel like I have more liberty with my style of dress than maybe other people have (or want to have).

I like to look quirky but professional, so I feel good when I stand out, but I don't want to look costume-y. I went clothes shopping with Laura before I left L.A. and we went to the Camarillo Outlets and I was looking for some suits to teach in (since I'm actually considered faculty this year and the students will be calling me 'professor') and to give presentations at conferences in. So I picked out two suits that I could mix and match together easily--but one jacket definitely has a cyborg/Matrix vibe. Laura said she wouldn't feel comfortable teaching or giving presentations in it, but she'd definitely wear it around just in general. But I feel comfortable doing both. And both she and another friend of mine (Hannah) have noticed aloud that I wear dresses a lot. Laura didn't say it like it was a bad thing, but I couldn't tell what Hannah's comment meant. What these anecdotes relate is that I like to look different. But there's a definite line between quirky and kooky to me.

[caption id="attachment_456" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Fig. 2: Loligoth, toned down"][/caption]

If I wanted to teach in something like this (Fig. 2, directly above), I would feel comfortable doing so. It's a little more toned down than Fig. 1 (the first dress at the top). I know someone at USC who dresses really uniquely (thanks to the wonders of eBay Alexander McQueen is one of her favorite designers), and I really admire the way she puts outfits together. But on one of her evaluations, students (plural) said that the way she dressed was distracting. I think that kind of comment is a cop-out (and she had some problems with a couple misogynistic students commenting on her Tarina Tarantino Hello Kitty jewelry during the semester anyway), so it felt more like a personal jab than a legitimate criticism.

However, Fig. 1, or something like Fig. 3 (below) is what I would love to attend the the Spike TV Scream Awards in. I figure if there's ever an opportunity to dress Loligoth, and not be afraid of looking costume-y, then the Scream Awards are it.

[caption id="attachment_455" align="aligncenter" width="196" caption="Fig. 3: A loligoth dress that I'd like to wear to the Scream Awards"][/caption]

And if you think about it, the Lolita look is not that dissimilar to one of the recent challenge winning Project Runway dresses:

[caption id="attachment_457" align="aligncenter" width="206" caption="Fig. 4: Suede's winning dress in Episode 2"][/caption]

I mean the designer, Suede, is completely obnoxious, but the outfit is really cool. Notice the layering of fabric and the poofy skirt and noticeable petticoat. Natalie Portman, the guest judge for this episode, said she'd wear it in a heartbeat. I can't blame her.

But I do have this dress in my closet:

[caption id="attachment_459" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Fig. 5: My BCBG fancy dress that I've never worn"][/caption]

It's a fancy dress that I've never worn (I bought it in May)--so the wearability factor is low for this one, but it was heavily discounted. I originally saw this dress last August (at the same time I got the green BCBG dress mentioned earlier), and decided to get the green dress instead because it's wearability factor was much higher. But I promised myself that if I ever went back to the BCBG outlet store, and this garment was on the 50% off rack, I would buy it. Like 9 months later, Laura and I went back and there it was, only one in my size, and I couldn't put it down. I just haven't had a place to wear it yet.

Could this be my Scream Awards dress? Knowing my penchant for loligoth, this dress does echo in that general direction, which is what I really like about it.

But yeah, the question motivating this whole post: can loligoth become mainstream? Or, more specifically: is it acceptable for someone like me (a creative professional writer type) to wear it on a daily basis? Maybe not something like Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, but something like this:

[caption id="attachment_460" align="aligncenter" width="224" caption="Fig. 6: Daily Loli"][/caption]

What are your thoughts on this subject? And, equally important, what should I wear to the Scream Awards? And, to what extent is fashion distracting?

Labels: bcbg, fashion, gothic lolita, loligoth, mainstream fashion, project runway, scream awards, spike tv, sweet lolita

( 8comments )

at August 6, 2008 6:06 PM  Chandra said...

Hi Jilly, I came to respond to the question about loligoth fashion… I don’t think it will go mainstream, just because we don’t have the same worship of cute that Japan does. There’s just something absent in American culture that would have produced the same result as Japan has. Could it transcend a costume? Well, on a person to person basis, maybe. I don’t think as a country/culture we are ready (or able?) to accept loligoth as a fashion style and not a costume. To know that a lot of the Japanese girls travel to Harajuku or Tokyo Dome in their regular clothes and change into their loligoth or cosplay outfits once they’ve arrived… well, to me it says it’s still a “weekend fashion.” It’s not an every day style yet.

 

at August 6, 2008 6:15 PM  natalia said...

Hi Jilly! I say GO FOR IT! I would totally do it if I was smaller! I like how they look Victorian.

When I'm an old lady, I'm totally going to dress in handmade Victorian getup and say, "Fuck it. I like my clothes and I don't care if you think I'm senile!"

 

at August 6, 2008 7:37 PM  jillydreadful said...

So why don't you do it now? Why is age the determining factor? Is it something along the lines of, "I'm old and I've paid my dues, bitches!"?

 

at August 7, 2008 4:03 AM  Lorie said...

My first thought was that it was number of ruffles that made an outfit drift into "costume" territory. But then your last example has quite a few layers of ruffles, and it does seem more subdued. Maybe it's lace and ruffles and overall flounce? I've been scoring too many math tests lately, and it makes me want to come up with some sort of graph or ratio of the attributes to figure out the perfect balance.

I'm not a good judge of anything fashion-related, but your reason for getting a dress like numbers 1 and 3 for the Scream Awards makes sense.

I'm also curious - I've always thought of the style as gothloli. Is loligoth the more correct term for it?

 

at August 7, 2008 9:12 AM  jillydreadful said...

I believe either term is correct. I've seen all three: Gothic Lolita (Bible), gothloli and loligoth. For some reason, I always seem to call it loligoth when shortening the full name. It seems more fun. I might have picked this up from eBay auctions calling the outfits loligoth. I'm not sure.

 

at August 7, 2008 9:31 AM  ish said...

First off, a straight guy giving fashion advice here, so feel free to discount it as such (even if I do watch Runway).

There is some danger of your clothing creating a prejudgment of you, and this definitely flirts with the line between costume and style. But ultimately its *you* that people will judge you by the most.

It reminds me a bit of a certain Math Professor back at the Tech, with a penchant for wearing Confederate Battle Regalia to class (I'm certain you recall him). Being a person who's taken more math than any human every should, I've had class with him and in reality he's a really great guy, a very conscientious teacher with a strong desire to help students learn, and pretty amusing to boot. Before I had class with him my opinion was entirely formed by his clothing, and I thought he was a nut. After having class with him I wasn't any less convinced he was a nut, but I did think he was a pretty good teacher and a good guy.

You may be caught fighting more for respect if you dress more "forward" than most, but I'm sure you're up to it. I'd also offer a more cautious go for it, but say be prepared to set the tone early. Also, comfort and self-confidence are the most important tools for any look. If you feel like you belong in it, you will look like you belong in it. Really the difference between quirky and kooky is far more in behavior than dress. But that's just me.

 

at August 7, 2008 9:37 AM  jillydreadful said...

So is the general consensus that I should dress lolita for the Scream Awards? Remember, I'm supposed to actually be on TV, not just attend. Keeping this in mind, what dress should I have made? Aside from #1 (which I think is my favorite), I'm listing these in no particular order:

1. http://tinyurl.com/595pk6 -- if this one, which color: the antique-y white or black?

2. http://tinyurl.com/63nkqo

3. http://tinyurl.com/6ecjzy

4. http://tinyurl.com/55vplf -- if this one, which color: white or black?

5. http://tinyurl.com/68n7yp

Or I could go as Chi, since I was in my Chi costume when I won the opportunity: http://tinyurl.com/6du3xz -- this costume is so over the top that I love it.

 

at August 7, 2008 1:01 PM  Chandra said...

I was fond of #4, because it looked refined. Like a cocktail dress with a loli touch. Then I zoomed and wondered if it looked too much like a Maid uniform.

Number 3 is also kind of young and a little less matronly, but it's definitely more casual.

 

Peter Gronquist's show at Gallery 1988: The Revolution Will Be Fabulous.

Kinda makes Murakami's Louis Vuitton collection seem downright... pedestrian.

Labels: art, chanel, fashion, fendi, gucci, guns, louis vuitton, pac-man hand grenades, Peter Gronquist, rifles, takashi murakami, the revolution will be fabulous

( 0comments )

For a couple of months years I have wanted a sewing machine of my own. I want this one actually:



I watch entirely too much Project Runway and I've Got Nothing To Wear, so I foster delusions of making my own shirts, skirts, dresses, and costumes and quilts.

When I was little, my mom made each of her siblings a quilt for Christmas (for a total of three), each with a design that represented them (a flower, a surfboard and a hand airbrushing a rainbow). While I thought this was insanely cool, two of her siblings actually gave their quilts back to her (the flower and the hand airbrushing a rainbow--I never quite understood why, maybe they didn't like the designs after a while?). When I was 11, my mom finally made me a quilt and I loved it. But it was only a twin size quilt (which never really fit my twin size bed to begin with) so I've kind of outgrown it since I've been married (it really doesn't fit my queen size bed), but I still sleep with it every night, and it's the blanket I take around with me to sit on the couch with or at my computer everyday. So while it's not on my bed, I definitely still use it even though I would never willing decorate my home with pastel colors because it's soft, cozy and I'm able to make myself a nest out of my quilt.

My delusions of grandeur in my own quilt-creation fairytale are to make quilts for my family--but quilts that they will (hopefully) not grow out of: like queen size quilts without kitschy designs of surfboards or flowers, but an actual quilt, maybe a kind of patchwork design where one color flows into another color, like the spectrum tool on PhotoShop.

But the sewing machine is $139.99 -- I can afford to get it because I have some birthday money and Barnes & Noble finally sent me my affiliate check (five years later).

What I'm worried about is not actually using the sewing machine. Are my fantasies just fantasies? Because Laura and I found a store last week called DNA Clothing Co. and it turns out that I would like to spend my birthday/B&N money there if I don't get a sewing machine. And so I wonder: is it better to spend money on clothing I know I'll wear or is it better to get a sewing machine and try to make sure that I don't lose interest in this new burgeoning hobby?

Labels: clothes, clothing, fashion, hobbies

( 3comments )

at July 17, 2007 3:36 AM  Laura said...

If it were me, I'd pick the sewing machine, only because sewing machines last for years and are always in style. Plus I'm a crafty person and I enjoy being able to make things. It's the gift that keeps on giving!

However, I'm not sure if it'd be right for you, only because I wouldn't want you to have buyer's remorse 3 months after you've bought it.

Hmmm... but if you say you've wanted a sewing machine for years, why not buy one? If you don't buy one now, you'll probably keep on wanting it for who knows how many more years before you actually buy one :) I guess the question is if you're ready to buy one now; you'll buy one sooner or later. You could always wait until you think of a piece of clothing that you definitely want to make, like a Halloween costume or something.

If it were me and I really wanted a sewing machine, I'd either buy a cheap or used one to try the hobby out. THat way, if I didn't like it I wouldn't feel bad about getting rid of that sewing machine. What's stopping me is the fact that I don't really have time to start a new hobby, I haven't knitted in ages as it is :(.

I think you definitely want one. Ask yourself if you want one now or later. If you feel you can wait and don't have anything specific in mind that you'd like to make, go buy some new clothes. On the other hand, if you feel you already have a ton of clothes and need something to do with your hands, buy a sewing machine. Remember, buying a sewing machine means having storage space for it, along with sewing odds and ends and any cloth you plan on using. If you're going to make a quilt you'll have to buy enough cloth for the whole quilt and that could take up a lot of space depending on how thick and big you want it.

Man, now I want some yarn.

 

at July 17, 2007 6:10 AM  Lindsi said...

My mom gave me a sewing machine for my birthday a few years back... Always great to have around for mending and little projects but it doesn't get much use. I really don't see you sewing, it's kind of funny to think about, but if you do, you ARE making me a quilt! LOL I would treasure it. Oh and btw- I have failed yet again to mail something, surprise, surprise... I got half way to the airport and realized I left your stuff on my stampin' desk. I could have had Todd send it, but I wanted to package it nicely so not to get messed up, so your already late anniversary card will be even later with your soon to be late birthday card. Of which, happy birthday eve eve old lady! Luv ya!

 

at July 17, 2007 11:54 AM  jillydreadful said...

Thanks Laura! I appreciate your input. As for Lindsi, "I really don’t see you sewing, it’s kind of funny to think about, but if you do, you ARE making me a quilt!" You don't know everything about me. Back in Mt. Aukum, I used to make my own dresses and costumes that I never wore around anyone or told anyone about. I didn't even sew in front of my brothers. The last dress I made was when I was 17. It was made of a stretchy velvet material, but it was such a bitch to sew that it totally turned me off from sewing again, so I just stopped. Just 'cause I didn't like making the stupid gender neutral baby book, and don't really have any interest in knitting, doesn't mean I'm not crafty.

B says that he thinks the sewing machine would be a good purchase for me because now that I have given up web design for the most part, I don't really have any creative hobbies. I mean, I write, but it's more like my job now to be creative, so it's more stressful than fun a lot of the time. And he said that we could make room for the fabric I'd need to make quilts. He said the closet would just be better organized because right now it's not efficient. He's a doll.

Plus, my friend Charlie wants to make a sewing room in his bungalow, and the sewing machine has a handle and only weighs 10 lbs, so it would be portable enough to take over to his house where we could have delusions of being on Project Runway together.

 

I found the perfect pair of pirate boots the other day. But I haven't been able to wear them yet. I haven't left the apartment (building)! Blast you Guild Wars and Okami!

I should take a picture of them because they're hot. But I'm so lazy when it comes to picture taking.

They weren't the most comfortable boots in the world, but I figure $70 is a heck of a lot better than $199 (price based upon the perfect pair of Frye Dorado boots on eBay). Besides a Dr. Scholl's insert for $8.99 makes the hard sole quite comfy indeed.

I'm only 2 more posts away from 300. Sweet.

Labels: clothes, clothing, fashion, pirates, shoes

( 0comments )

Actually no Christmas miracles were to be had this year--two years ago (or maybe three years ago, I forget), I prayed for snow and it started snowing 5 minutes later. But then again I was in Michigan... but then again snow was not on the forecast... but then again, it was Michigan... I still chalk it up to my own personal Christmas miracle.

If I had to pick a Christmas miracle that actually happened, it would be getting my little brother up here to visit for 5 days. It's really hard to pry him away from his girlfriend. But apparently we were so much fun that he wants to come back next week, which is fine by me and B.

If I had to ask for a post-Christmas miracle, it would be to find the perfect pair of black boots. I have some moolah burning a hole in my pocket, and I want some awesome pirate boots, that aren't skanky.

For instance, these boots are skanky.

These are perfect, but are $199, which, granted, is a lot less than their original $450.

Trashy.

Cool, even if they are granny boots instead of pirate boots.

I bought a pair of Nine West boots today that were kind of pirate-ish. But they have a stupid zipper on the calves! I thought maybe I'd get used to them, but I just can't. So I'm returning them tomorrow.

Oh and I was tagged. So here are the rules:

Once you are tagged you MUST write an entry about 6 weird habits/things you do/odd information, as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose the next six people to be tagged and list their names.

1. I patrol eBay for clothing items I will never buy because I don't like to buy clothes or shoes on eBay. It's a stupid waste of time, but I can't stop myself.

2. I have a lesbian crush on Angelina Jolie and new one on Gwen Stefani. The funny thing is I loved Angelina Jolie back before anyone knew who she was--back when only I was the only person I knew who had seen Cyborg 2, Foxfire and Hackers. My two loves back then were Angelina Jolie and Jude Law (also pre-crazy-famous, about 10-11 years ago). But as their famousness soared, my crush on Jude Law vanished, but my crush on Angelina Jolie has never wavered. Not even through the media fiasco that was Brangelina. Not even though I think what she named her daughter is stupid (and a proven dog's name).

3. I want a pair of really expensive jeans from Blue Cult or Seven For All Mankind. They are the best jeans I have ever seen, and they look so good on. But I could never justify spending that amount of money on a pair of jeans unless I was spending birthday money or something.

4. I am writing movie treatments on the side for extra money.

5. I got a 'B' in my Women & Popular Culture class--and I don't even care that I got a B, but it pisses me off that NO GRADUATE LITERATURE CLASS outlines exactly HOW grades are achieved in the course. I would NEVER get away not outlining percentages on my own syllabus. I feel as though if the professor doesn't really like you or doesn't really like what you have to say in class, they could give you a 'B' without even reading your paper (because we never get these back anyway). Last year, in my 501 class (which is the only required course for all English Dept. Ph.D. students), they kept CHANGING the percentages that the were required for participation, the ancillaries, the presentation and the final paper. The last they told us, they were going to do away with the ancillary work and just make the presentation and paper 50% each. I got an 'A' on my presentation and a B (or was it a B+?) on my paper, which resulted in a B for the course. I was totally confused, so I went and talked to a professor and he said that they changed the percentages to 30% presentation and 70% for the final paper since most people did better on the paper than the presentation. So I was screwed.

6. I'm getting tired of nerdslut -- I think it may be time for a new domain name.

I tag Jezebel, Desmond, Lorie, Charlie, Lyn and B (you can write it here).

Labels: clothes, clothing, fashion, pirates

( 4comments )

at December 30, 2006 10:15 PM  Anonymous said...

i am sooooo boring. do you know how hard that was? if you were here with me i probably would have had an easier time since you find sooooo much more weirdness in me!

 

at December 30, 2006 10:15 PM  Anonymous said...

talk about hard! i'm the most boring person in the world.

 

at January 1, 2007 9:01 PM  Lorie said...

I have finally done my duty as a tagged person (taggee?).

 

at January 10, 2007 9:39 AM  Anonymous said...

I tagged you with this a while ago. My 6 things weren't very good. A lot of bodily functions and masturbation stories.

 

I would just like to say that we are all morons. What does the national terror level do for our country? Well, I think it's kind of like Britney Spears. A few months ago, I saw on MSNBC that Britney did an exclusive "candid" interview where she cried to Matt Lauer about being stalked by papparazi and the ridicule she endures for being "country" (read: bad mother). Immediately afterwards, Harper's Bazaar ran this photo on the cover of their magazine:

Did Britney have a reason to be the cover? No. She was simply knocked up--again. She doesn't have a new album coming out. She isn't doing another movie, or even a stupid music video. She was getting this much needed, and wholly unnecessary, publicity for absolutely nothing--well, maybe not absolutely nothing. She was (is) in desperate need of an image overhaul. (And I have to admit the naked cover photo is way more visually appealing than the horrendous preggie-pre-teen outfit she wore with Matt Lauer, so perhaps her fashion sense was also in need of rescue.)

So I deduce that the government does the same exact thing. When it needs some publicity, we get a jack to the threat level color code. What's the point of this? Is it to test the limit of civilian complacency? Or maybe it's to remind us that we're all in constant imminent danger from terrorists who want nothing more than to hijack our vacations and the government is the only one who can keep us safe? I have no idea.

But how much longer are we going to throw out our freakin' water bottles, lip gloss, sunscreen and shampoo in order to live under the facade of "security"? How is my parting with reading material or a frappucino going to ensure my or anyone else's survival? It makes no logical sense... Much in the same way as Britney Spears being on the cover of a magazine when she has no body of work to promote makes no logical sense.

Laura Yeager left four bottles of Gucci and Cartier perfume for the hotel maid before heading to the Atlanta airport for her flight back to Philadelphia. She still had to give up her lip gloss at the security checkpoint.

She just shrugged and tossed it. "It's better to feel safe. We thought it was going to be a lot worse."

It's already worse. Are these terror plots real or is the government seeing how much the public is willing to swallow?

Kathy McMahon, 49, of Mill Valley, Calif., was frantically helping her daughter stuff sunscreen, makeup, contact lens solution and other liquids into every corner of her half-dozen suitcases to be checked as she headed off to college.

"I think it's ridiculous," McMahon said. "But we'll do it anyway. What are you going to do?"

I wonder what the public will do when American citizens start getting "re-located" to "safe houses" or when citizens' business and houses begin to be seized for "security purposes" a la Japanese Internment Camps. I've known people whose families were thrown into poverty from those camps, and it kills me to think we might be heading down the same road, except with different rhetoric.

Labels: art, blazin' awesome, children, fashion, government, news, pregnancy

( 0comments )

I found this article on MSN called: 9 Ways to Look Rich But Live Cheap. I really enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed the end, but I won't ruin it for you...

Labels: fashion, news

( 1comments )

at December 29, 2005 2:05 PM  Lorie said...

There's an extra http in your link.

I don't know...I don't know if I care to look rich, especially if it involves hobnobbing. I don't think I can hobnob. I'll stick with just being cheap.