Get Excited: Leopard-Print Harem Pants

{Princess Jasmine in a fitting ensemble for a late-night date to view a whole new world on a magic carpet ride. Photo credit: romanticmovies4u.wordpress.com}
I'm gonna go ahead and put it out there on the Interwebs: Princess Jasmine from Disney's Aladdin has long been a major style icon of mine, right up there with Audrey Hepburn and Kate Moss. I love her chunky, over-sized statement jewelry, flowing black hair, cat-eye winged liquid liner, off-the-shoulder top, independent spirit, and mellifluous voice.
Oh, and her harem pants.
While modern gentlemen are usually repulsed to the point of pain by this look, I have decided that, with the right proportions (I catch a lot of flak right about when I say this), I love the look. Love it. After a really fun but exhausting weekend, I got hit by a wicked night of insomnia, and found myself in a bleak mood on Monday morning. I decided that the only way to have some fun and emerge from this funk would be to bust out my $14.80 gray leopard-print harem pants with matching sash-belt, with understated separates and massive platforms, of course. I donned 'em, I went off to work, and I proceeded to be inundated with an equal number of compliments and ... expressions of deep concern for my mental state.
{Pants and platforms: Forever21, oh mighty slinger of couture rip-offs; Tank: H&M; Shrug: Target; Chain necklace: Kenneth Cole for Macy's.}
Call them harem pants, dropped-crotch stovepipes (designers seem to prefer this term), Persian army pants, or MC Hammers; these are the kind of item that women (correction, some women) can appreciate and men simply abhor. I totally get the "wtf" factor: what purpose does such a large crotch area serve? Is one wearing a gargantuan set of loaded Pampers, or does one have an abnormally large genital framework? Is one trying to birth a set of snow-leopards?... On and on. All I know is: they're amazingly comfortable, I love the "afterthought" skinny fit at the ankles that seems both ironic and chic, and to me, they are fierce.

{Google "Rihanna harem pants" and you will find that the sultry songstress adores them in every shape, material, and color. I love her balls-to-the-wall approach to fashion and the fact that she doesn't give a hoot what anyone thinks of how she dresses ... or um, sings. Photo credit: http://www.crushable.com/ }

{The star has worn variations on the silhouette from Givenchy, Yves St. Laurent, and more. Photo credit: http://www.ambertheblogger.blogspot.com/}

{Of course, I got plenty of "Hammer time" comments, but I'd like to think I brought my feminine A-game. Photo credit: www.babyboomertalkonline.com }

{My next potentially mission-impossible is to find a pair in a great, bright, preppy robin's egg blue, sort of like these from Korean Spree 2009, for an even more interesting juxtaposition. Photo credit: www.joyofsunshine.blogspot.com }

Upon seeing my outfit for the day, my extremely sardonic husband told me that I might get fired and that we might get divorced on account of my pants. I reminded him that I'm currently feeling the man-repeller look (see www.themanrepeller.com, one of my favorite sites, for a comprehensive definition). Anticipating plenty of mockery, I decided to hit my day running with one of my favorite images, above, in mind. (Thanks, Sarah!!)

Can't touch this.
----xoxo

I Spy (Inspiration): Saturday Cholesterol and Tchotchke

{The only way I was able to resist these cupcakes was to remind myself of the chocolate-chip pancake I was going to order as a breakfast appetizer.}

There are few events more beautiful or spectacular than the slow bloom of autumn in central Connecticut, few comforts more luxurious than a massive, cholesterol-heavy breakfast with best friends and strong coffee, and few scores more satisfying than cheap-yet-charming knick-knacks for your home - even if they are 100% whimsical and superfluous, and serve best in the realm of imaginary interior design. This past weekend, we were lucky enough to run into best friends Nadine and Dylan at one of our favorite cafes, which boasts some of the best baked goods around and one of the best coffee brews for a less-than-perky morning (I probably drank at least 4 cups). I've been nursing a burgeoning habit of perusing the home-goods section at Marshalls and T.J. Maxx, which is threatening to develop into full-blown addiction, so I dragged the hubs with me after we ate. (He rolled his eyes initially, but then came barreling up to me as I wandered among the handbags, all excited because he had found an amazing, basket-seat, cushioned folding chair for tail-gating.) While I don't have the extra income, necessity, or cohesive creative chi to justify purchasing any of the tempting whosits and whatsits at present, I enjoyed the fun, colorful aesthetic inspirations brought on by such trips, and am planning a (budget of course!) future home office in vibrant pinks, blues, and purples with an affordable combination of punk-rock, wood, gold, and vintage girlie accents. All in all, I'd say that quirky tschotchke and rich breakfast treats are a winning weekend combination.

(An excellent life philosophy.}
{My "Monte Cristo" sandwich: milk-and-honey-white bread, Swiss and American cheese, ham, bacon, fried eggs, and honey-mustard. Amazing.}

{Dylan's over-sized cinnamon roll and side of crispy bacon - a shrewd move. Nicely played, my friend - nicely played.}

{A somewhat incongruous Rastafarian Bert encouraging passers-by to give a soon-to-be-closed local business some love.}

{Dainty, vintage-inspired paper-mache stationary boxes in soft pastel colors - pretty and functional. I would use them for a combination of greeting cards and unsightly electronic paraphernalia, such as batteries and a camera charger.}

{Fun wardrobe busts in sparkly materials. I've always wanted one of these; they are a great decoration on their own and would also be ideal for styling and preparation purposes, but I have a neurotic concern that I would get too scared if I read a Steven King story and then had to sleep with one in my room.}

{Love these brushed velvet chairs with their ice-blue color and dark wooden legs; I'd put them in a conversation semi-circle across from a great antique chaise and a dainty table or sideboard stacked high with magazines and colorful coffee-table books.}

{Really had to hold out against a royal-purple ceramic Scotch tape dispenser and matching post-it caddy, but still think they would make the perfect addition to a champagne-stained natural wood writing desk ... along with this large mirrored office-supplies box decorated with random numerical typeface. This box would look perfect with a silver-framed black-and-white photograph and small finger vase of flowers.}

{Do hot-pink-and-black Jolly Roger-tatted piggy banks have to happen for a reason?}

{Eye-catching animal-print stools with spidery brass legs would add color variety and a funky element to the room without being too loud.}

I have no idea when my dream office can come together, but I do know that snacks will be allowed - to be eaten while perched on leopard-print upholstery of some kind, natch.

--- xoxo

I'll Meet You at the Butterfly

{The karaoke-bar section of The Butterfly Chinese Restaurant used to have its own sign and its own name, Koi, but I strongly suspect that no one actually called it that. The letter I (it was arguably a Y) was in the shape of a martini glass, the O was like a giant purple bowling ball, and after a few tall ones, my BFF Lisa and I were very often inclined to hold miniature photo shoots in various states of tomfoolery using the letters as a backdrop. We were taken aback to see that the previous signage was gone, but we accepted the truth with grace.}
Have you ever told yourself that a particular snack was guilt-free because it says 'low fat," decided it was safe to plow said snack in multiples or mass handfuls, and then done so? The Butterfly is something like that. It's deceptively low-key so that you end up telling yourself it's a "judgement-free" zone, it boasts the cheapest, stiffest drink in town (the incredible, heavy-handed, highly competent bar-tender has been there ever since anyone my age can remember), and the whole place has the feeling of a minimally spiffed-up dive. When you go there, you go hard, and you see things that belong in a Charles Bukowski poem. After all, any karaoke bar adjoined to a Chinese restaurant is bound to have a certain poetically ironic feel, and this is the exemplar. It's five minutes from my home, and I've been trying to get people to go more often practically since I could legally drink. This past Saturday night, best friends, friends of friends, and best friends of best friends were all visiting town, so a sizable group of us got together and rolled more than twenty deep to the 'Fly for what ended up being a truly outstanding (I'm trying to cut back on my use of the word "epic") night - the kind that karaoke dreams are made of. There was even a bachelorette party of some rather rambunctious girls who actually broke into a choreographed dance as the bride-to-be belted out "PYT." Everyone sang - everyone, including yours truly (performing my go-to, Fiona Apple's "Criminal"), everyone was gloriously over-dressed, strangers became friends, friends became after-party guests, and I lost my voice.

{I've had this lotion longer than I care to admit. While I'm not one to stress much about having a tan, I would rather not have spindly albino legs in a micro-mini. This product evens outs most light to medium skin tones and has a really subtle, gold-flecked shimmer throughout that makes your legs appear to have a nice radiance, but it won't leave a muddy residue on your clothing or furniture. I layered Estee Lauder's scented body-oil spray in Azuree Soleil on top for a silky effect. A 5-second move that made a noticeable difference.}

{My stunning friend Sarah (her Style Profile is upcoming) styled up her amazing one-shouldered frock from Forever21 with a jade-green accent belt and these killer cognac open-toed booties to which I would gladly apply a five-finger discount if we wore the same shoe size. I love how the bright, tropical colors of the feathers pop against the neutral taupe; both the pattern and shape of the dress are fresh and unexpected. Sarah has a great instinct for finding unique party dresses that many girls wouldn't think to try, but are still within the parameters of good taste. I was with her when she copped this. We had just had a fair quantity of white wine. She selected this winner, while my inebriated ass went with - wait for it - gray leopard-print harem/Hammer pants. Luckily, I love them - post coming soon.}We met this cutie Dana as someone was busting their pipes singing "One" by U2, and I loved the sporty, clean, laid-back but still polished simplicity of her outfit. It's a great example of a casual look that can go easily from the office to a night out. She said the ensemble was composed of Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, and Target; personal touches like her lariat necklace and criss-cross platform sandals added to her basic separates. I am a sucker for a good old-fashioned nautical stripe; her tan-and-white striped sweater is aces.
{Our crew was not afraid of of the microphone or of patterns that night! We were definitely Prin(ts)cesses Charming. Here's our adorable girl Jackie rockin' in an absolutely bangin' snakeskin mini-dress from H&M, for under $30.00. To me, this is a perfect party dress: comfortable, silky material, a flattering but forgiving cut, good, warm neutral colors, short length, and modest top, with some definition at the waist. I was 150% tempted to rush out and buy it the next day, but I did inventory in my closet and came to the conclusion that I am officially cut-off from buying any more animal-print this season, no matter how cost-efficient, understated, or cute. Willpower!}

{Of course, this is a blog and not Facebook, but I had to include this ridiculous photograph, a mere inkling of the kind of night we had from soup to nuts, start to finish, from Mariah Carey to Beyonce and back again.}

{What I Wore: Mini - Forever21; Belt: came with a different F21 dress; gold drop earrings: Target; Multi-chain necklace: Kenneth Cole for Macy's; Multi-chain necklace with over-sized crystals (aka Favorite Statement Necklace) - Target (J.Crew rip-off for a fraction of the price); Bracelets: F21 and vintage; Chain purse: Vintage; Gold and cork platform wedges: Dolce Vita for Target, on sale for $7.68. So comfortable. So damn cheap. So much fun.}

{My cheapie-but-goodie dress featured excellent details such as a thick, heavy [read: forgiving] polyester-spandex-cotton blend that holds its shape and is also climate-versatile, a slightly poufy silhouette that suggests I might have hips, and a fun, interesting double-cut-out detail in the back. For evening, I like dresses that have balanced proportions, with a lot of leg but a covered-up top. This print also reminded me of a snow-leopard who got splashed with some cobalt-blue paint, a fate that often befalls a heedless snow-leopard.}

Have I been convincing enough about this party spot? If so, let me know if you want to hit up the Butterfly for a friendly face, a killer play-list, and a drink or .. well, let's leave the number open for now.

--- xoxo

Summer Send-Off, October Rain

{Audrey Hepburn catching some precious zzz's as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's, which I used to watch every morning on VHS my sophomore year of college while I got ready for the day. My own discount earplugs, while completely indispensable, are far less glamorous. Photo Credit: www.vlbeattie.typepad.com }

It is finally legitimately cold outside this evening, and I'm bidding summer a formal farewell / welcoming the crisp new season with open arms. This weekend was insanely full, and as Holly Golightly demonstrated so well, any party girl worth her champagne knows when to grab her beauty rest in order to beat the mean reds (and be something close to effective at work). Still, I took a truly mean (red) turn of insomnia last night and didn't crawl into bed until 4:00 this morning (my alarm went off at 6:15am), so I'm looking forward to burrowing into the covers in the next five minutes to doze with an open window and a gentle, early October rain falling. The time has come for dark, plummy nail colors and the deliciously sharp scent of wood-smoke in the air. This is the last truly summery image I captured recently, a late-August self-manicure using shock-treatment neon Essie Nail Lacquer in Funky Limelight, a highlighter-hued chartreuse so bold it practically glowed in the dark. I am really not a meticulous applier of nail polish.
{Bracelets: White enamel and metal bangle, ancient Forever21; Chain and rope link bracelet, vintage at an amazing thrift shop I used to prowl in Middletown called Three Ladies which is now defunct, although I think they re-opened somewhere else - a favorite current layering combination.}
October Goals:
1. Learn to bake a homemade apple pie so I can "sur-pies" my man with my new-found culinary prowess.
2. Spend plenty of time with family and friends, especially on the weekends before winter hibernation hits.
3. Outsmart my insomnia ... whether by blogging, hell, or high water!... Which, if this rain continues, there will be plenty of come morning. Yet another excuse to break out some tall leather boots.
Goodnight ...... --- xoxo

Craving: Nerd Glasses

{Scooby-Doo's bespectacled wunderkind brainiac Velma, rocking a classic autumn palette, turtleneck with pleated skirt, enviable rust-colored knee-socks, and sensible chunky Mary Janes. Photo credit: www.thirdraildesignlab.com }
What is it about the right pair of over-sized glasses that instantly communicates intelligence, nerdy avant-garde swag, and the sort of hipster iconoclasm that doesn't give a flying fig what the generic rest of the world thinks? The continual rise and fall of this trend always intrigues me. My current 8th grade students trade their well-smudged, well-loved, colorful checkered pairs back and forth the way kids of my generation circulated slap bracelets - often ironically sacrificing clear vision for their sartorial elan. This is one of the cravings that I've either lightly indulged or tried to resist since the age of 11, with varying degrees of success ... and failure. Unlike braces, which I had from the 6th to 10th grades (here I think the acronym "FML" is entirely appropriate), glasses always seemed enviable and covetable on other girls, but my vision was always just short of actually requiring assistance. In college, I had a pair of faux tortoiseshell rectangle-shaped frames, which I earnestly thought lent a certain sexy-librarian je ne sais quois; I wore them any time I was late to class, hoping they would give the impression that I had tumbled out of bed, had "no time to put in my contacts," and rushed helter-skelter across campus. Quite a leap in thought process, but then I often made those in my undergrad years. In adult life, I have an actual prescription pair by Ann Klein that I love. Still, I had a hankering for something larger, more unabashedly excessive and superfluous, more "man-repeller chic," the look championed by such fashion darlings as Alexa Chung:

{Alexa Chung, looking like a bohemian secretary in large cat-eye frames. Photo credit - www.the-electric.blogspot.com}

{Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) and Enid (Thora Birch) doing dark comedy proud in Ghostworld, which I watched way too many times the summer after high school.}

{Eternal It Girl Chloe Sevigny, doing both a literal and figurative wink-and-a-smile in her bi-focal-styled glasses. Photo credit: www.wowie.ie}

{Alexa again in some of my favorite items - nerd glasses, accent belt, long, eclectic neck-wear, slouchily sexy loose tunic top. Photo credit: www.ericchristian.wordpress.com }

{Multi-hyphenate comedi-dancer-singer-sexy-symbol-and-cool-guy-at-large Justin Timberlake doing the dapper thing. Photo credit, www.nyfashionmag.com }

{I satisfied my craving at Claire's for under $10.00. Jessica Simpson leopard scarf, H&M long-sleeved tee, Dolce Vita booties, American Rag jeggings.}

I won't go too far by buying a case of Pabst Blue Ribbon and sneering at other people's iPod playlists, but I did find a super-hipster-esque pair to throw in the mix just for fun once in awhile. I'm thankful that I didn't run into any students where I bought these, since that store is decidedly for children, period. (I may no longer have braces but am still fairly adept at frequent self-humiliation.) The nerdy-chic spin is a lot of fun, and I really do love the purposely unconventional, funkily man-repelling look, but like so many men, my husband hates it and demanded that I reserve this particular accessory exclusively for outings with my girlfriends. He threatened to design a shirt that reads "She's On the Rag" (one of his much tamer suggested captions) with a giant arrow, and to wear it anytime I attempt to don these in public around him. I told him this was entirely fair.

To my man - honey, I know you hate it, but the occasional dose of man-repeller fashion is in the rotation to stay. Mea culpa! (See how I said that instead of just "my bad?" The glasses up my intelligence through, um, osmosis.) --xoxo

Brunch is the Breakfast of Champions

{Enjoying a spicy Bloody Mary, which nicely zapped some allergy stuffiness (a prerequisite for all steadfast dorks). Lipstick: Siren by L'Oreal}
Last weekend, my husband and I committed to going long on a good old-fashioned Sunday breakfast-lunch at a local restaurant. We don't usually favor the place for dinner, but their brunch is aces. Who doesn't love brunch, at which you can get eggs, alcohol, raw bar, sweet treats, a nice afternoon buzz, and an excuse for a mid-day nap? Both of us tend to get tunnel vision when it comes to our work, so this year we are determined to purposely make time for our life together and all the sweet meals and moments that make the weekends oh-so-worth-fighting-for.

We had no sooner taken our seats when we were greeted by the beautiful and incredibly sweet SueAnne! She and I used to work together in the cosmetics department at Nordstrom, and she is such a doll. She was one of the much-envied, uber-polished Chanel girls, while I grumpily slung Free Gifts and Youth Dew perfume at Estee Lauder. (It was said on the street that my brief, cantankerous management of said counter "drove the business into the ground." My bad.) SueAnne also sports one of the most stunning tattoo collections I have seen.

{Flowers and Korean characters and poetry, oh my! Her own photographs.}

We are professional diners. Following Bloody Marys and coffee, we started with some raw bar and calamari, then the incredible, perfectly salty country ham above, with mustard and warm pretzely-buttery-rolls and an heirloom tomato salad. He went for a Reuben and I had a delicious chopped salad with grilled shrimp. Satisfaction.

{Perfectly cool, temperate weather with diminished humidity always increases my urge to stack on metal bangles and bracelets: Random Macy's find, vintage chain bracelet, Target bangle.}

What I Wore: Tyte for Macy's jeggings (and yes I bought them ripped;I love the look but don't exactly get artful tears from playing outside or roughing it in any manner - please, I'm a girlie girl and proud of it), old Banana Republic crochet top, hundred-year-old Claire's sunglasses, Target gold drop earrings, DIY necklace (vintage door-knocker bauble on Forever21 chain), assorted bracelets, chunky gold ring from Forever21, beloved Dolce Vita desert-gray lace-up booties found for a ridiculous price at T.J. Maxx, and my studded green Aldo doctor's satchel, which I cannot get enough of.

Of course, it wouldn't be Sunday without some aggressive procrastination, so before settling in to grade some quizzes and write some lesson plans, I broke out my new Essie Nail Lacquer in Geranium and watched some Ferngully while it dried.

--- xoxo

New "Business" Card

I'd been meaning to make these for a very long time, and finally got around to doing so (for free!) through www.vistaprint.com. Their service is great; a few of my friends have ordered cards through them before, including artists Buglione and Rossi. (More on their work coming soon; they are fantastic, and I'm commissioning them to do a painting for my home office.) My husband thought the lightning bolt was a bizarre choice, but it's supposed to represent moments of inspiration and light, duh! This blog is about joyful moments of style and inspiration, not "fashion," so I though it was fitting - and I can't resist anything purple. The cards came within a few days and I'm happy with the results, although I've got to cringe a little at the line that includes the moniker "Site Creator." It's fairly obvious that I've never been very cool in any traditional sense, but this really seems to drive the final nail in the coffin of my chances. Let's just say that Zack Morris would not want to "hang" with me.
The cards make it considerably less awkward when I want to go up to a random stranger to ask if I can take their picture for my blog (which I did last night - thanks *Dana!*), but I think that ultimately, some of us just have to embrace our inherent creepiness - and soldier on.
-- xoxo