Sparkly Shirt Magic

  Today I'm digging deeper into the special occasions box, and I'm sure glad I did, because I found one of my favorite (albeit wrinkly) garments of all time. That's right, folks: of all time.*

  When I found this shirt, appropriately in the "special occasion" section of Nordstrom, I had one of those little indrawn breath moments, followed by a happy puff of exhalation and delight. It is the first time I thought to use the word "confection" to describe a piece of clothing, but it seemed to fit: airy, translucent silk that felt as delicate and immaterial as spun sugar.

  I was a training athlete, weighing two stone more than I do now, most of it muscle. If anyone told me back then there was a shirt that would make me feel light and magical, I would have scoffed, then probably threatened to arm wrestle.

  Now that I look at it with more self-awareness of my personal style, it's no surprise I loved it. It has all of the usual Aya elements that show up over and over in my clothes: fluttery impractical sleeves, curving hem, corset-shape, even a shirt shell! Good find, 20s me!

  I thought for an 'evening out' look I could wear it with dark wash jeans and a pair of low-heeled sandals. That's a thing, right? I totally think that's a thing I have heard of. Only instead of an evening out, it's a spinster day in, playing with bicyclic compound models and looking at reaction mechanisms. Crazy thing is, I can't even complain. I'm enjoying the subject material. :D

  Here are my shoes. I bought them for my friend Meghan's wedding. I thought I should wear some nice shoes, even if only out on my balcony.

  You can see how accustomed I am to wearing narrow heels. Graceful!

  And here is a selfie I took when trying to get a closeup of the beadwork. Turned out odd because of the light difference indoors/outdoors, but I decided I like it.

*And to demonstrate how much personal opinion can fluctuate, my mother finds it merely 'meh.'

Magic shirt: Rimini (old, Nordstrom)

Jeans: 7 for all Mankind dojo cut (gift, brother)

Necklace: Claire's (very old)

Shoes: Kenneth Cole Reaction (old)

In Longterm Vestments

  I don't know if it's the physical and mental exhaustion from the long days, or if it's just not as much fun being constrained in what I can wear with lab four days a week, but I'm determined to have more fun dressing up on my three days off.

  When I choose my clothes and makeup, it's a bit like armor against the world outside my front door. I don't live in a hostile or dangerous environment, but I'm nervous by temperament, and having things on that make me smile and remind me of my delightful stash of stuff in my safe home helps keep me going throughout the day.

  Anyway, something clicked (or snapped, your choice of semantics and following implication) when I got home Friday and I reached for the box on my closet shelf that holds my "special occasion" garments. These are garments I don't have a practical use for but bought because they lit up the fantasy part of my brain. My upbringing never cured me of that. I'm a woman in my mid-thirties wondering I'll ever have financial stability or a permanent home. What am I saving them for?

  I live next to a city where I could wear a bathrobe or a ballgown (or both) on the bus and no one would bat an eye. I am so lucky. These items cost me about as much as everyday wear because most of them were thrifted. There's no fiscal or social reason not to wear them, really. The one who decided these things aren't part of a daily wardrobe is me, which is fine, because now I'm changing my mind. :D The practical part of me approves of this.

  On the other hand, the practical part of me is aghast because she's the one responsible for vacuuming my room, and right now there are clothes strewn all over the bed and floor. She'll deal.

  First up! A fancy black top with netting from BCBG.

   Has: boning without restricting breathing/movement, built in padding, tiny stick-on jewels on the straps, and strips of ragged lace. WIN.

  The jeans are new to me. I wouldn't be surprised if they were new, period. Picked them up at the mothership thrift store in SoMa and even after chopping off several inches for my short calves, they are still recognizably bootcut. I am thrilled. (This never happens! I love bootcuts, and by the time I'm through with them they look like straight leg. I love mermaid skirts; when I chop them to my height they are vaguely A-line.)

  And now, a leather jacket, because I love the look of jeans, boots, a leather jacket, and some kind of sexy corset-y top. Something about it seems tough and tomboyish and feminine and sexy all at once to me. I like how the lace strips from the flower still hang below the jacket waist.

  I got the jewelry from a mall travel store in downtown SF that was going out of business. It was located across the way from another travel store. They probably should have planned that better. I like it as a pseudo choker because it doesn't actually touch my throat and therefore drive me crazy. Looked up the company and it is actually a bracelet. Works both ways. :D

  I am linking up to Not Dead Yet Style's Visible Monday where style bloggers share their looks that make 'em feel rockin'.

  It was sunny earlier today:

Glue (the comic)

Top: BCBG (eBay, size 6, size 8, mystery)

Cracked Motorcycle Jacket: Laundry by Shelli Segal (gift)

Sage wrap bracelet (worn as necklace): Foxy Originals (product link)

Juniors low rise flare jeans: Levi's (thrifted)

Shoes: Candie's (thrifted)

All Dressed Up in Black and Blue

  About a month ago, Ally at Shybiker wrote a post on a dress that turned her bad day around. It was the first time I'd read of someone else keeping items in her wardrobe of no practical value because their beauty made her happy.

  I live a highly casual and very budgeted life as a returning student, but I have several items that make me feel magical that I keep in my closet. Since reading Ally's post, I've wanted to do one about my own mood-changing dress, in a kind of solidarity or a virtual cocktail party.  If we have nowhere to wear our prettiest things, we'll wear them inside together on our style blogs. :D

  I found this Elie Tahari dress at a thrift boutique for $18. I hesitated because again, student! Any occasion that would warrant this type of dress would cost money I did not have. Heck, I wasn't sure I had the 18 beans to splurge on something utterly frivolous.

  Trying on the dress, however, was like getting a punch of endorphins to the brain. The dress made me feel like a goddess of sexy and nighttime and class.  I love the color of the blue satin sheath and the overlayer of black lace. I love how it's clingy and has that hint of boudoir nighttime wear without going into lingerie/trashy territory.

  I paired it with a necklace I got at a Styles for Less closing sale for $6.50, again because it was very pretty though I had no practical use for it. Then I put on the sparkliest shoes I own, a pair of Matisse sandals with pewter flowers and rhinestones:

  A former coworker once described the sandals as 'Slave Leia for my feet.' I like the super reasonable wedge height. Even though they do not come in wide width, there's only a toe strap, so my little toes can hang off the edge and not get crushed. I require formal shoes be comfortable enough for me to stand for hours in them, and these absolutely fit the bill, while being sparkly to boot. *thumbs up*

  Thanks to Ally for the idea and opportunity to do this, though it took much longer than I expected because of my semester of URGHawiohga;wekah. I'd love to hear about your special closet items, too!

Dress: Elie Tahari (thrifted)

Necklace: Styles for Less (old)

Shoes: Matisse (DSW, old)