Professional Steampunk

I think this outfit turned out well!

Folk Hoodie: Prairie Underground (eBay)

Necklace: family crest (family reunion)

Tank top: Theory (thrifted)

Crop blazer: Charlotte Russe (thrifted)

Pinstripe pants: Banana Republic (thrifted)

Shoes: Aravon (zappos)

I've been trying to thrift colors I find too bright or unflattering on their own, so I can mix them. I've internalized that a color that doesn't look good against my face can be balanced and complemented.

My friend asked me to take him thrift shopping for a new color palette "because [I] am the goddess of that" (hee!) and told me about color theory. We found this website and after watching him mix colors for an afternoon, I was raring to give it a go.

I think this fuchsia breathes warmth into the navy blue and grey. I found this Charlotte Russe cropped grey blazer recently, and it has charming tiny buttons all down the front and on the sleeves. I combined it with pinstripes and a brass-colored necklace with rivets for a hint of Steampunk.

Not sure what to call the pattern; it's very fine herringbone, but with black yarn sewn through it in rows so regular little black dots are all over it. Either way, it's a keeper!

20 Buttons

All these style blogs I see gals looking to the side instead of at the camera. I'ma try that shit, too:

Sailor buttons!

Military blazer: Bica Cheia (thrifted)

Camisole: Express

Sailor pants: Elevenses (thrifted)

Shoes: unlisted a Kenneth Cole production (thrifted)

Locket: Express (v. old)

Rings: Claire's, Brasil (v. old)

I've been wanting a pair of sailor-style trousers since I saw Megan Mae rocking them on her blog. I cackled when I found this like-new pair on the thrift rack in Daly City, and even though they were the wrong size, I factored in the tailoring cost as what I'd be willing to pay for a pair.

Goodness knows what to wear with them, though. They're higher waisted than I'm used to, and finally I hit on the idea of wearing them with this blazer, which also stops close to the natural waist. After all, what goes with 8 buttons better than 12 more buttons, amirite?

I always think this blazer has a hint of lavender in its grey. Am I crazy? Do you see it? I wore things to bring it out in case I was correct.

It's cooled off in a damn hurry here, and we even had a few seconds of rain! I feel kind of like a boor, always talking about the weather, but it really affects my outfit choices, just as much as my mood. I wondered if I'd just lost my passion for dressing for a few months there, but it's just because none of my SF clothes were made to be worn when it's more than 65F outside. :D

They see me rollin', they bustiertin'

It's cool enough to wear pants again! (Trousers for our UK reader. Hi, Curtise!)

 I feel this outfit could use a brown bowler hat. It feels subtly everyday Steampunk to me.

Denim bustier: Guess (thrifted)

Buttondown: Salsa Jeans, 1st Level collection (thrifted)

Trousers: Citizens of Humanity (thrifted)

Bracelet-as-choker: Foxy Originals

Boots: Two Lips (thrifted)

The layering is because the denim bustier is short and leaves a good inch of midriff bare. The laces are also let out all the way in the back, so by itself this is more skin than I'd like to show, even in sun-worshipping Southern CA.

The material is stretchy, the detailing is fun, and it's quite comfortable though, so I'm glad I figured out a way to wear denim on top. :D

This outfit's actually a twofer: I also dig the trousers but don't know what to wear with green pants, so I stapled the two elements together with the brown shirt as a connecting piece.

Love the contrasting stitching and the leather side cinchers and buttons on this shirt! It has a Western/Steampunk feel to me, though the brand, Salsa jeans, is Portuguese. :D It's another one of those brands I'm sure I'd never have come across if not for thrift shops.

The decorative buttons on the side of my green trousers. Hooray useless buttons and zippers!

I think I like lots of decorative elements on my clothes to have something to fiddle with or stare at. It started because I was a terminally bored child in school, and even though those days are long behind me, having jewelry to touch or interesting shiny bits on my clothes brings me comfort.

What elements draw you to your favorite clothes? Texture, details, visual appearance?

Always remember to tuck in your shirts

The temperature has dropped 30F in 3 days. It's okay; this is weather I know how to dress for. (:

Lace-trimmed camisole: Express

Ruffle tee: TRF t-shirt collection (thrifted)

Blue grey lace vest: Odille (eBay)

Brass snaps corduroys: WOW jeans (thrifted)

Boots: Two Lips (thrifted)

Suede hair clip: Taiwan

Sundial necklace: gift from high school

Tiny gears necklace: gift from Cathy

Or at least, know how to stay warm in. Knowing how to dress for this weather probably includes not looking like I'm going to burst forth from my vest like a cooking sausage. More on that in a bit.

I have missed you so much, everyday Steampunk style!

I wore the same triple layered lace combo here, when my friend Mo called my outfit "vintage Bohemian fairy." Strange thing is, I didn't look too chunky for the vest then:

I have been exercising a lot, and I gain weight and some girth when I work out, but I think there are other forces at work here. The vest pulls in at the waist, then loosens as it hangs into its pointy bits at the bottom.

I made the mistake of trying to show the layers of my shirts below the vest. In the outfit above, the shirts are tucked in, and the A-line skirt follows the lines of the vest flaps as they point out from the natural waist, making a smooth transition.

Here, the horizontal lines of the shirts cut off the diagonal lines of the vest flaps coming out from the waist. Then the shirts end right where my hips and thighs begin, the widest part of the lower body. The bump under the shirts from my waistband doesn't help.

This was one of those outfits I really liked when I put it on, then made this face in dismay when I looked at the photos D:

Oh well, live and learn. That's one of the neat things about blogging, getting a more objective look at outfits.

However, please don't let my questionable ability to dress myself deter you from entering my Couturgatory Anniversary giveaway! Follow the link if you would like a chance to win a Cara New York fascinator. :D

Casual Goth Slacker

I'm back! Feeling the most normal I've been in weeks, so let's start the day off with a blog post.

Velour jacket: kimchi & blue (thrifted)

Cami: Express

Gloves: Ozzon Japan (Japan)

Choker: Foxy Originals Sage Bracelet

Black slacks: Banana Republic (thrifted)

Boots: ALDO

You guys see what I meant about looking like a sturdy ninja now, don't you.

This is my first try at styling my new-to-me black pants. This may be the first set of slacks I have ever found that required no alterations whatsoever. I was so amazed I promptly bought them without considering what I'd do with them, thus this challenge.

I love the little split at the bottom of the legs to show off boots. I was trying for Everyday Steampunk, what with the velour blazer, but I think I ended up Everyday Goth, instead.

In the top photo, you can see the chalk marks I made. This blog made me realize many of my jackets are visibly straining at the shoulders because I buy size small to fit my waist, so now I'm trying size m and taking in the waist or moving the buttons. It's hit or miss; sometimes the jacket looks totally distorted after, because the buttons have to go at an angle, or because I mess up princess seams and get frustrated. Go go inverted triangle body type! d=

Here's a side-by-side comparison:

I haven't decided if I want to keep it this way or try the more frustrating and complicated business of pinning and taking in several seams (the blazer is lined) to keep the ruffle look and points intact. What do you think?

Either way, size m feels amazing. I can lift my arms more than 45 degrees in a jacket now! I'm annoyed because this means I'll now have to alter all of the jackets I buy, in addition to altering all of the trousers (except for these! :D), but having experienced the ability to move my shoulders, I cannot give it up.

This is also a change in that I'm trying photos inside. I wanted to see if the lighting works better, and I won't have the balcony railing shadows that always make people think I have cool stripes on my pants. I haven't done it before because I don't wear shoes inside, but I'm moving in a few weeks, so I've loosened up. Any thoughts on which looks better?

Personal stuff after the break, so if you're uninterested, you can skip!

Cop Copine Out

  The weather's been gorgeous! Can't miss your 1/2 hour shooting window though, or you'll end up sort of red, like I am here.

Shirt: Cop Copine (thrifted)

Vest: Forever (thrifted)

Skirt: Ann Taylor (gift from Megan Mae)

Gloves: River Island
Pointelle tights: Hue (eBay)

Earrings: unknown, very old

Lightning boots: Naya (gift from Dad)

  Hope this isn't too similar to the last time I styled this skirt here. It lends itself perfectly to dark neutrals, okay? :D Since I am wearing my Naya boots that I wear in every other post, I am linking up to Citizen Rosebud's Shoe Glitterati.

  I really like this unique shirt by Cop Copine. It's got a knit body with a cowl neck, then button down fabric sleeves with slightly puffed shoulders, followed by cuffs and more knit fabric down at the wrists:

 There are even little cufflinks of buttons knotted together! ... well, one fake cufflinks. They were missing on the other side, so I made another pair out of the smallest round pearl buttons from my button box.

  I randomly found a missing vintage earring today, which is great! I found it while searching for my missing lipstick, which did not turn up. |= Soon I will have to issue a missing makeup report, because my pink eye shimmer is also missing, and it's simmering on the back burner of my mind, slowly driving me insane.

  This is perplexing me because I'm a reasonably clean person and I live in a tiny apartment. Too many things! Has anything you own gone missing lately? Does it ever turn up in the most obvious place, leaving you feeling asinine and/or infuriated? Does it also drive you to distraction when you can't find something?

Pirate Life

  This is my second attempt at styling this foofy shirt. Today, I am a pirate:

I think my winter gloves really finish the look.

 Foofy shirt: Parsaman New York (thrifted)

Waistcoat: styles (thrifted)

Wool pants: Banana Republic (thrifted)

Boots: ALDO (thrifted)

Wool coat: S by Serle (thrifted)

Gloves: Target (available here)

  Well, maybe more like a navy captain, with this coat. Airship captain is more my thing, but I'll give this a try. :D If I had a coat with a a sweeping tail and swirly folds (technical term) going from front to back, it would look more piratey. This coat was a song at the thrift shop and is fully lined though, so you are hearing no complaints from me.

  I am going to link up to Patti's Visible Monday with this one. A suit like this feels pretty visible.

  I figured out I can go back to my everyday steampunk style if I put leggings and long sleeved undershirts under everything and if the weather cooperates. Hooray! I wore it to class, but no one shouted "Yarr!" at me. Oh well.

  Secret for when one's vest and trousers don't overlap: I folded and scotch-taped the bottom of the shirt up, since it was too short to tuck in.

  Do you have wardrobe quick-fixes? What are you layering up with this winter? Are you also a pirate?

Style or Die! challenge: Triple Five Soul vest

  Outfit 1 is everyday steampunk using the Triple Five Soul pinstripe vest:

Vest: Triple Five Soul (clothing swap)

Skirt: Ann Taylor (Megan Mae)
Aristocrat coat: CAbi (thrifted)

Lightning boots: Naya (gift, old) 8.5W on eBay

Rhinestone locket: Express (very old)

Grey shirt: Gap maternity (thrifted)

  I like this one so much I will link to Patti's next Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet style. :D

  I don't know much about the brand CAbi, save it's probably not Japanese, because kabi in the Japanese language means mold. I found out from Google images that this is called the Aristocrat coat. It's 100% merino wool and a teal color. I love it already.

  The skirt is brand new to me, having just received it in the post from Megan Mae! It's just the color I like, fits me at the waist (fantastic since I outshrank most of my skirts while in school) and has layers of ruffles that can be bustled up. Here I used a safety pin to take up the front. I think it's going to become a wardrobe staple really fast. :D

  If you've followed my blog for any amount of time, you'll notice I have a lot of vests. Most are thin and meant to layer under jackets. This one's is thick and double-layered, as well as longer and wider at the shoulders. It has to be worn as a top layer because jackets over it make me look like a fullback. Thin overcoats seem ok. I think it needs mid-length skirts at or near the natural waist so as not to look like office wear. Time will tell if this is too narrow a set of constraints.

  Tried this outfit with other vests and the proportions don't work as well. And it's *warm*. I ended up sweating while writing in my apartment, which is a good sign. For now, I think this one is a keep.

Simple DIY skirt bustling

I'd been meaning to try out this idea on Crystaline's Steampunk blog (Japanese language) for a long time, and was prompted anew by Sheila's traveling yellow skirt bustle job. This is a quick and easy DIY for making a long skirt into a bustle skirt.

photo credit: Crystaline

   Long tiered skirts like this are plentiful in thrift shops around here. They aren't my style because I like asymmetry and butt-hugginess, and ideally both in one, but I did have one I fell in love with for its color, ribbons, and lace:

  I used clothespins to pick up where I wanted the skirt to bustle up, so I could step back and check the overall look. I wanted it to be slightly asymmetrical without looking like a sloppy mess.

 I added a little side hitching to keep the skirt out of the way and to make the back a slight train.  Then take needle and thread, and go to town! PROTIP: make sure not to sew your skirt to your mannequin.

  It keeps the skirt out of the way if you're going up stairs, too. Next I think I'm going to either bustle it in back or get a small hoop skirt to go underneath, because it hangs rather limply in back.

  In addition to sewing on top like this, you can also pull a fold of the skirt under itself and sew it to the inside, like so:

  I think you can try this on any long skirt with fabric that crinkles (jersey fabric would have a more folded/drapey look) and wherever you choose to pin your fabric up will make yours unique. Have fun and let me know if you try this!