Shoe Gazing » outfit

Light Bright

Lauren — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:03:48 +0000

It was pretty hot at my house yesterday, but thankfully I escaped to San Francisco, where the weather was beautiful and breezy. Recently, I’ve been liking wearing this old, old (from when they were just starting out!) Sass & Bide dress as a skirt, but I couldn’t find a shirt I wanted to wear with it, so I fashioned this top from a scarf from Bali. It was fun to wear, but made trying on clothes a nightmare (that, and the myriad buckles on my Ann D. wedges).

So recently, I’ve been thinking that, given my appreciation and enjoyment of good color combinations and color in general, I don’t combine enough colors. Sure, my favorite color combo is black and white, but I love color, too, and great colors send me into convulsions of joy (hello, Jil Sander men’s S/S ‘10!), yet I rarely try very hard to create fun color combinations in my outfits.

The problem is, when I wake up, I’m pretty incapable of deciding what I want for breakfast, let alone what kind of new and interesting colors I want to wear. It requires a level of cognition that I just can’t handle 10 minutes after I wake up. But yesterday went a little differently. Yesterday, I woke up, stumbled into my closet, grabbed my Sass & Bide skirt, and, as usual, “what should I wear with this?” popped into my head. But instead of deliberating in a vaguely rational fashion (“well, I should wear something tighter to contrast the many layers of skirt; I don’t want to be too hot; why exactly is this so difficult right now?”), I relied totally on instinct, and instinct told me, simply, “BLUE. BRIGHT, BEAUTIFUL BLUE!”. Now, rational me started grumbling about how I have no bright blue tops, but instinctual me was having none of it, and she was large and in charge. So, on a whim, I whipped out this scarf and wrapped it around myself, and voilà! Blue!

So this is a vague attempt to have some fun with color. I reached for bright aqua instead of simple black, and I’m glad I did it.

Wearing scarf from Bali, vintage belt, Sass & Bide dress, Ann Demeulemeester buckle wedges
Song of the day: Woo Boost by Rusko. Nothing like some dubstep to wake you up in the morning.

Bisous,
Lauren

Longform

Lauren — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 04:14:48 +0000

I have to say my infatuation with wearing full-length skirts has been barreling along since last summer, but my actual collection of them has only just started to gain steam in the past few months. Being the shorty that I am, they all require either hemming or tall, tall shoes to work, but thankfully, I’m not at a loss for either of those things.

I absolutely love the acid-trip butterfly print on this skirt, I usually only like prints if they’re a little trippy or frightening.

Worn with Alexander Wang pumps. They’re quite fun, and deliciously simple.

I’ve really been enjoying swishing around the house in long skirts; for some reason, they almost seem more casual than wearing mini skirts (though my sense of casual-ness is admittedly pretty off). And now that I’ve gotten over my fear of wearing long skirts, I’m ready to play around a lot more with my hem lengths.

The song of the day is Candy Shoppe by Emeralds. I have to admit I started listening to Emeralds a year or so ago just because they were called Emeralds, one of my favorite gems. But thankfully they are actually good.

Wearing Topshop skirt, Oak shirt, UO lace bra, vintage necklace worn as headdress, Hermes bracelet, Alexander Wang pumps

Bisous,
Lauren

Miu Miu Wedges

Lauren — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 05:31:04 +0000

As promised, here is today’s outfit. Incredibly boring, if you ask me, but the hot weather and the fact that I’m still recovering from some intense end-of-school celebrating pretty much insures that I won’t be wearing anything special.The only thing of interest is my Miu Miu clogs, which I’ve had for a while, but haven’t shown on the blog. I love them! I have a permanent infatuation with birds and feathers, so this print is perfect for me. I knew I had to have them the minute I saw them in the lookbook, and had my friend Todd track them down for me.

I’m also wearing my favorite armor ring by Lowluv, with my ubiquitous glass of Dr. Pepper. I’m so addicted, it’s a little scary.

Hopefully it cools down just a little so I can start being a little more creative with my clothes, because I’m sure you are already growing tired of my current minimal-clothing approach to dressing.

Wearing Emanuel Ungaro vintage silk shirt, some old dress, vintage earrings and necklace, Lowluv armor ring, Miu Miu wedges

Bisous,
Lauren

Comfort

Lauren — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:28:58 +0000

This is what I think. I think that just because I feel like crap, because I feel like I can’t function anywhere near properly, doesn’t mean I can’t put on clothes in the morning. Lots of people, including myself, have a tendency to reach for sweats when they feel bad, as if clothes only matter when you’re feeling happy or good. I admit, I have done that many times. But I’m trying to think of it like this: clothes can actually help you feel better, you can say, “hey, I feel like my life is ruined, but maybe if I put on some Proenza Schouler pre-fall inspired boyish clothes, the day will be just a little less bad.”

When things are tough, I want my clothes to be a small source of comfort, and as tempted as I am to think that clothes are so unimportant compared to what’s important in life, how can something so shallow as a pair of ankle boots make you feel any better, I’m going to avoid doing that, and say that maybe clothes are shallow, but anything that can make you feel better is worth trying.

Wearing: Oak shirt, H&M sweater, Harputs Own nylon swacket, Milly shorts, Proenza Schouler ankle boots

xx,
Lauren

Dream On

Lauren — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 07:17:32 +0000

I got my beautiful, beautiful Dries Van Noten sandals a couple days ago, they’re so different than any shoes I currently have. I’ve grown to like slip-on type shoes (these, clogs, etc.), there’s something about them I find appealing these days. I decided to be totally weather inappropriate and throw on this great vintage bed jacket. The intricately beaded sandals seem to call for restraint and beautiful details in my outfit, so I kept it simple.

My favorite detail is the slightly inwardly-curved heels, they’re hardly noticeable but make a huge difference.
It’s another argument for the subtle as opposed to dramatic take on fashion, one that I’m constantly pulled between. I can predict that for the rest of the week, I’ll probably be dressing somewhat inconspicuously, as my life is in a rather intense state of turmoil and stress right now, and I just can’t handle the emotional weight of wearing anything too crazy. Which is interesting, because before now, I’d never thought of clothes having emotional weight. Certainly, they affect and are influenced by your mood, but I can also see a potential for them to be almost oppressive, as if sometimes you need to really keep your attention focused on your life, and not on what you wear.

Soundtrack of the day: “Dream On” by Robyn (just the sort of reassurance I need now)
Wearing: vintage silk bed jacket, James Perse dress as top, Miu Miu skirt, Dries Van Noten sandals, vintage earrings

xx,
Lauren

Poney

Lauren — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 02:01:38 +0000

It figures that the day after I write about incorporating more frills and colors into my wardrobe that I’d be wearing only black and white, but I couldn’t help but think that my new Ann Demeulemeester deserved to be worn (at least once) with Mlle. Demeulemeester’s signature black and white combination, despite the fact that I probably don’t look good in black (I’m very ok with that).

There’s something just so great about a white button-down shirt. I don’t actually own a simple, regular button-down, just some stolen men’s shirts from my dad’s closet, but they’re just so fun to throw on by themselves or with other pieces. I’m not too into the idea of staples that “everyone should have”, because that assumes too much of a dictatorial, authoritarian rule for fashion, but white shirts are definitely useful and good.

Soundtrack of the day: “Poney Part 1″ by Vitalic (see what I did there? yeah, I only amuse myself)
Wearing: vintage Christian Dior white shirt, Alexander Wang tropical wool vest, boyfriend’s hat (it’s mine now!!), vintage and Hermes necklaces, Ann Demeulemeester pony hair boots

xx,
Lauren

New Ann Demeulemeester Boots

Lauren — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:58:35 +0000

My new pony hair Ann Demeulemeester boots came today! I was so excited when Alex gave me the box, I put them on immediately and wore them all day; I didn’t even change. But it was fine, because these boots go with everything! I’ve been craving pony hair, and these are gorgeous. They’re also super comfy, despite being really stiff, I’m excited to wear them with everything.

They continue my obsession with hoof-like shoes, seeing as they’re fairly heavy and vaguely reminiscent of a horse’s rounded hoof. All my friends can’t stop touching them.
I’m a little guilty, because they sort of beg to be styled beautifully, but I didn’t even bother. There’s something about wearing a pair of shoes for the first time that makes you want to put together the best possible outfit for the shoes, a feeling which was trumped today by my insatiable desire to take a spin around campus in these beauties. They may not be all that dramatic, but they’re beautifully solid, fun boots to wear.

Soundtrack of the day: Drumming Song by Florence and the Machine (Boy 8 Bit remix)
Wearing: Gar-de jacket, vintage skirt, Ann Demeulemeester pony hair boots

xx,
Lauren

The Sea Is a Good Place to Think of the Future

Lauren — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 03:43:50 +0000

2009 wouldn’t be complete without some Rodarte. From store curating to collaborations to post-apocalyptic visions of condors rising from ashes, the Mulleavy sisters have had quite a year. I’ve been constantly awed by them since I first set eyes on their beautiful dresses five years ago, I even had a dog named after their inspiring line. Now that they’re established, I’m excited to see where the next decade takes them.

As for me, I’m sad to see this decade go. I may be a child of the 90’s, but the aughts were my real youth. I can’t predict where fashion will go, let alone predict where I’ll be sartorially 10 years from now, but hopefully I’ll still appreciate a nice shade of mustard yellow. 10’s, here we come!

Soundtrack of the day: “The Sea Is a Good Place to Think of the Future” by Los Campesinos!
Wearing: vintage faux fur shawl, Rodarte for Target dress, Alexander Wang Hanne ankle boots

Happy New Year’s!
Lauren

Hold That Thought

Lauren — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:01:37 +0000

It’s approaching the end of the year (and the end of the decade, at that), which generally means year-end lists and reflections on the past year/decade, but I’m not sure I’d be able to really make any sort of good year-end list. I do have a couple resolutions, but none are really clothing related (save for a general wish to curate a closet in which I truly love every piece of clothing). My wardrobe is in a state of turmoil right now. I’m not sure why, but I feel like deciding to try to stick to some sort of sartorial theme or resolution right now wouldn’t be wise. I guess I’m sort of doubting how much I know myself right now, and so I’m refraining from too much decision-making while I figure out my wardrobe plan of action for the future (more on various dichotomous ideas later). So I’ll just keep this holding pattern for now.

Wearing: vintage fur shrug, Christopher Kane for Topshop dress

xx,
Lauren

Hand Knit Scarf

Lauren — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 07:07:11 +0000

I mentioned a little while back that I was working on a scarf, my first knitting project. I used my amazing new circular needles, which I’m rabidly in love with. I’ve never been a big DIY person for some reason, more because of my laziness and high expectations than because of any fear of making things with my hands (on the contrary, making things is actually one of my favorite things to do). At first, I wanted a big, fat mustard yellow scarf to wear in the cold and generally dwarf my body (admittedly, not a difficult feat, as I’m already dwarfed by most tween children), but I decided to make it mostly grey instead and favor the sort of patchy yarn combinations that Rodarte has perfected in the last few years. I’ve got a much bigger and more daunting project in the works now, especially this scarf is my first knitting experience.

I like knitting and crocheting more than my other half-assed DIY projects (in fact, I don’t really consider knitting “DIY”, it’s more just a craft), because, for some reason, the amount of time and effort you put into it makes it more rewarding. My newly made scarf is a lovingly whipped up piece of clothing, as opposed to a stapled/pinned/shredded “trend” piece that will either fall apart in about 10 minutes, or I’ll get sick of, since I didn’t care enough about the piece to spend any money on it in the first place. I’m definitely not discrediting DIY in any way, I think it’s really great when people take fashion into their own hands and put together something really great that they want to wear. But for me, DIY is almost more about the process, and about learning a new skill or working on an old one, than about making something I want.

One of the best examples of someone who takes DIY to a level beyond “oh shredded t-shirts are so cool, I’ll make myself one” is Luxirare. She really takes a lot of care and effort in her handmade pieces, and it’s pretty clear that she isn’t just throwing pieces together for the sake of being on-trend. Similarly, with my knitting projects I want to make things that will last, that I want to make for personal, almost emotional reasons (yes, I realize how silly I am, getting emotionally invested in clothing). That beaming, chest-swelling feeling I get when I make something I am really proud of is intoxicating in a way that doing quick, trend-based DIY’s just isn’t.

Quick DIY’s are fun, and it feels good to make something that you like without slaving over details and skilled work, but for me, more carefully thought-out and time-consuming projects are more sustainable long-term. And since I’m pretty horrendous at sewing, for now I’ll stick to knitting, and think about the best way to approach my ultimate goal of learning how to sew.

Soundtrack of the day: Love Cry by Four Tet
Wearing: hand knit scarf, Rodarte for Target lace cardigan, dad’s jeans, Givenchy lace ankle boots

xx,
Lauren