Street Food Cinema's Labyrinth

One of the things I did this summer was attend Street Food Cinema's showing of Jim Henson's Labyrinth with my friend Cathy!

Labyrinth is my favorite film, and getting the chance to see it on a large screen is always a treat. I've seen it in a theatre once before, in the Castro Theatre in San Francisco. Brian Henson and a few cast members did a pre-show for that one. It was fantastic. (:

 In case you haven't seen it, Labyrinth features Jennifer Connelly as a teenaged heroine who sets out to save her baby brother wearing jeans, a vest over a foofy shirt, and sensible shoes:

So I wore my take on the ensemble:

Would have liked more contrast between the vest and the shirt, but it's the only one of that cut I've got. Wouldn't mind another layer-y vest like this, but I'll take it slow, since this one already makes my mother sad.

At least the undershirt is no longer white! I overdyed it to bring out the blue and purple in the t-shirt.

Theatre de la Labyrinth shirt: available on Redbubble, prints on etsy

Undershirt (overdyed): Anxiety Cafe (thrifted)

Vest: Zara basic (thrifted)

Necklace-as-bracelet: Printemps dept store in Japan

Of course one needs a bracelet of plastic beads for barter

Here is a picture of the shirt art from the artist's etsy store:

Seriously, I love this film so much. I love everything David Bowie wears in it, I love the Escher-inspired set pieces, I love that Michael Moschen does Jareth's contact juggling, I love that Gates McFadden of Star Trek: the Next Generation fame choreographed the ballroom scene.

Most of all, you can clearly see the passion and creativity in the detail that went into this film. The sets and puppets are bursting with personality and the world has that distinct wacky, gentle, and thoroughly creative Jim Henson feel.

Fran Brill said of Jim Henson, "He was gentle, empathetic, worked with praise and encouraged you to the best of your ability. He created an atmosphere of fun and foolishness intuiting that in order to create and feel free one had to feel 'safe.'"

It also features the only possible example of leggings-as-pants that doesn't meet with my disapproval:

woo hoo! David Bowie is borderline NSFW in this film.

The event itself had several food trucks and a big grassy lawn on which to spread picnic blankets. Cathy said it was a prime example of the sun worshipping Los Angeles culture. I'm starting to like the city, at least the parts I travel to within its vast bounds. It's too large to wrap my head around as yet.

When I get out of the monochrome suburb where my mother lives, Southern CA has some pretty neat events, creative people, and a lot of wonderful places to eat. I'm working on getting that activation energy to get in the car and drive for an hour to experience some of it. It's harder than just riding the train or bus for the same length of time!

Did you go to any outdoor events this summer? Are there showings of old or cult favorite films in your area?

Waiting for Godet

  Well go figure, I have a good long whinge about the weather (thank you for your patience!) and the next day the sun comes out and it is gorgeous. It's 10F warmer than it was yesterday, and it's been clear all day.  I'm so happy, not least of all because I can wear this outfit before 2014.

Laguardia cloche: Goorin Bros. (sample sale, available here)

Peasant top: Zara basic (thrifted)

Skirt: Free People (old)

Boots: Two Lips (thrifted)

Locket: etsy shop
Rose scrunchie: Japan

  I didn't even need my sweater tights!

  My gorgeous Goorin Bros. sample sale hat goes with quite a bit in my wardrobe, as it turns out! I'm really, really happy with this. I feel a little like a special occasion every time I wear it out.

  The loose grey-blue shirt is new to me. I've always avoided slouchy boho fit, especially with elastic on the bottom for the bubble look (I'm short and absentminded, so it just looks like my clothes don't fit or I'm crazy), but I loved the sleeves and color and tiny brass buttons. I've had this skirt for years, and finally got a tailor to re-install the invisible zipper after I removed it to alter it (hint: if you need to remove the top 5 inches of a skirt, make sure to order the smallest possible size, not your actual size. -_-) and finally I have a top to wear with it. :D

  The earring has been missing its twin for years, but I still love it. I'm always on the lookout for lampwork beads similar to the centerpiece, so I can make a replacement pair, but no luck yet.

  Here's some clothing vocabulary for you: a godet is a circular segment insert set into a piece of clothing, often to give the wearer a wider range of movement. It's responsible for that gorgeous swirling kicking out when walking in a full-length skirt. I've loved them all this time and just found out what they were called!

  In Aya shopping news: I've often read about Hallowe'en being folks' favorite time of year, but it's just now working its way up to one of mine, because I've realized it is the time thrift shops pull out their funky costume-y items and sell them for a song, and those of us who wear those things for everyday have a party.

  Here are some recent finds that I cannot wait to try out when warmer weather arrives:

 Lavender chiffon skirt for $2. Is there anything so feminine as feeling the swish of fabric against the back of one's calves while walking?

   The last time I wore an ao dai was to my dearest friends' wedding. The bride's family was enchanted by the Japanese woman in the Vietnamese dress, despite the presence of a dozen lovely Vietnamese women in them, too. Hee! The groom was entertained that I'd pop the thing open every time I took a deep breath or flexed my lats. (It is held together by a long series of snaps.)
  This one did not have the flowing pants attached, but for $3.49, I am not complaining. I wonder if I can wear it with bootcut jeans?

  I think this shirt is "Asian" as in sold-for-tourists, but I love the embroidery and the color. It's an XXL, but I'll figure out a way to style it somehow.

  Is there anything so fine as thrifted silk? This navy blue linen-and-silk shirt(?) is super long. I'm not sure what it's designed for, but I'm pretty sure it's a woman's garment. I removed the pointy part of the collar to give it a Mandarin look and I like wearing it over tunics with wide leg jeans and platforms.

  What are the latest cool things you've added to your treasures?

  Have a lovely weekend, everyone. (:

The Duck Stops Here

  You know I've owned this cardigan for months and only realized there was a duck on it this week? Alternate titles for this blog post include Duck & Cover, What the Actual Duck, and Augh This Ducking Cardigan.

  I just thought it was a cool asymmetrical pattern! I was not incorrect, but my pattern recognition skills clearly need work.

Migrating Mallard cardigan: Rosie Neira (thrifted)

Belt: eBay (available here)

Jeans: ZARA basic (thrifted)

Sleigh Boots: Report (thrifted)

Excellent Photoshopping over ugly flowerpot: ME

  Gets better: I grew up on a lake. I've been feeding mallards like this my whole life.

  While the Internet has been going on about pumpkin spice boots cooler weather fall blah blah, I have been enjoying San Francisco summer, and desperately gripping the warm, sunny weather with my little blacksmith hands. All the talk got me thinking, though: I have been doing this "outfits" thing for less than a year, now. I have no idea what is going to be Aya style (stAyale?) for fall. What do I even own?

  So I tried this outfit, which I think was kind of based on this idea from Once Upon a Zipper, a website for a consignment store in Nashville, Tennessee. I like the looks the employees put together!

...Then I overheated after an hour and changed. :D This cardigan is warm!

  This cardigan is also the closest to "animal print" I've got. If animal prints are your thing, you should check out How I Wear My: Animal Print at Everything Just So and The Rich Life (on a budget) tomorrow.

  's right, not a zebra, giraffe, or orangutan in my closet, just the occasional dragon and this duck. I have a bustier with what might be blue leopard. Maybe. Evidently I do not do animal prints. Or neon. Or patterns. Or pumps. Or flats. Or capris. Or bright colors. Or open-toed boots. Or wedges with that weird straw/dock rope material looped around the sides. Or anything yellow. I am, however, trying out cardigans and sweaters after a mere 27-year hiatus. I'm sure my adventurous personal style is an inspiration to all.

  How long does a shirt have to be before it's considered a 'tunic'? Thought this one might, but now I think it stops too short and just points directly at my crotch. Too much skinny-jean-squeezed-thigh showing. Clearly this will take some work. But in the meantime, I'm going to be in sundresses and my one pair of embarrassingly holey denim shorts for as long as I can.

  What do you not do in your own wardrobe? Anything you've tried after a long time that you never thought you would?

Fine and Edwardian Dandy

  I figured out something valuable today. If ever you find yourself falling out of your beloved wardrobe, just start adding more layers until something fits and holds everything under it in. Bay Area fashion is all about layering, right?

  I see a lot of style blogger ladies cuffing trousers/jeans over heels. Then they don blazers and smile down and to the side. I never understood this style choice*, but now I do! All sorts of style lessons for me today! I love my Naya Lightning boots and didn't want them covered up. I don't know if anybody cuffs bootcut pinstripe trousers, but if not, it is a thing now.

* I think it's to show delicate ankles. Totally cool. For my personal taste, ankles of steel that can kick through anything up to and including submarine doors. Boots will help with this. Your taste of course may vary.

  I wore the shirt tips/collar tips I featured in a tutorial here. I'm enjoying them a lot. The hardest part about wearing them is figuring out which two flaps of clothing I want to attach them to. I'm also digging this zara basic pinstripe shirt. I last wore it in another Steampunk-ish outfit. It's versatile, so far as Ye Olde outfits go.

  Have you figured out what this outfit has in common with yesterday's outfit yet? ... it's the ribbon from the box of chocolates again! I took it off the dress and made it a skinny tie.

  This reminds me of button bracelets from that time. Maybe I just have a thing for button bracelets in general.
  I hope you all have a fine week. I am linking up to Patti's Visible Monday because if you can't be seen in a Fitzgerald-era Steampunk inventor outfit (my roommate's description) what can you be seen in?
  I also took a picture of myself squatting in a most unladylike fashion so I could mentally hear my long-suffering mother's resigned sigh. It's good to start the week off with a smile. :D

Shirt: zara basic (thrifted)

Vest: FANG (thrifted, size L online)

Collar clips: DIY (tutorial here)

Skinny tie: Recchiuti chocolates box

Hat: Nine West (DSW, old)

Pinstripe trousers: Banana Republic (thrifted)

Boots: Naya Lightning (zappos, old)

Bracelet: CostPlus Word Market (old)

Rainy Day Blues

  I'm back to my old palette. :D While trying out new colors I've never worn before has been a lot of fun, going back to my familiar colors feels confident and happy. PLUS I got to try this denim on top and bottom I've heard of on other style blogs. It's a win-win-win situation! I love style blogging. :D

  It's raining today in SF. I busted out my newly-hemmed ZARA basic dept skinny jeans. It might show in the photos that I screwed up when hemming these. I cut one leg on the new hem line, not the 2nd line I'd conveniently drawn below it for guidance. ): I have hemmed dozens of my trousers and it's the first time I've done that, haha. Oh well, they're dark and will usually be in boots.

  The dress is strapless, which doesn't suit rain so well, so I tied off the alternative apparel overshirt last seen here with a silver leaf ring. The dress has cool zipper halves sewn in a spiraling pattern down the front, and fortunately for any jackets and chairs involved, not the back. It also has built-in padding in the front! I was instantly won over.

  Leggings and skinny jeans under short garments was a revelation for me. I tried to go for a look that is form-fitting and sexy but not overstuffed sausage.

The story of every pair of pants in my life

  Summer school starts for me Monday, so I don't know how much style blogging I'll be able to do, as class is from 9:30am until 10:00pm four days a week. If you look on Twitter and my last post is "AAAAAUUUGGH" then you will know Chemistry has eaten me alive. I would like my epitaph to read 'She tried to get into grad school. [swear] this economy.'

Dress: Do & Be (thrifted) dark grey version size S on eBay

Skinny jeans: ZARA basic (thrifted)

Overshirt: alternative apparel VintageSoft (thrifted)

Boots: Naya Lark (eBay) some on eBay

Ring: Silver of the Valley (etsy, shop defunct)

Necklace: Metropolitan Museum of Art store (gift)