Style Imitating Art: Lighthouse

  This wasn't consciously designed as a Style Imitating Art outfit, but this happy coincidence saves you from  another one of my terrible titles for outfit posts. This morning I ended up pulling these items out without consciously planning it, and realized later that with the red piping and style in back, this is the closest garment I have to the painting, and I was even wearing the correct color trousers.

  Today's pick from the "special occasion" box is a cut and sew velvet tank top from a Renaissance Faire of many years ago. Part of why I bought it was it also fit neatly into a running Princess-Leia-gold-bikini joke between an old friend and me.

  The drapey double vest has buttons on both layers so it can be worn in a number of ways.

  My not-so-secret ambition is to be the quirky old lady with the fabulous outfits in another 40-50 years.

  I realized I last wore this shirt at a party eight years ago. Geez. Fun fact: beloved reader and commenter Michelle was at that party, too:

  Sometimes the trouble with unique items is you have no idea what to wear them with, because you have not seen any precedent. Also they might be low cut with a big transparent mesh panel over the midriff.

  I used Carrie of Petal by Petal's tip about lengthening a necklace with a bracelet, lengthening a long necklace I folded in half.

  This weekend went by far too quickly. I studied a lot though, and I had a blast making outfits and blogging about it. Thanks to all of you so much for reading- writing this blog is a lot of fun and a big stress reliever for me. I can't wait for next weekend already. :D

Velvet tank top: NorCal Renaissance Faire (v.old)

Double layer vest: MOUTHvalley (thrifted, Japan)

Pants: unknown (clothing swap)

Necklace: crystals- unknown (Mom) sunburst bracelet- Jeanne by CJ (Paris, old)

Faux leather bracelet: Foreign Exchange (old)

Edeen wide calf boots: Fitzwell (6pm.com)

Treasure Rock of Ages

  Wow, people are here! Ally wrote about me in her blog and a number of her lovely friends found their way over. Should I have a separate post and an outfit post? I'm not sure what the protocol for multiple posts in a day is. I suppose we just make our own rules here, so I'm flying blind. Blind, but excited. :D

  I'm really looking forward to reading about and getting to know everybody. I read an interview once in which a style blogger said that one is supposed to read/find bloggers who are built like you and dress similarly. I don't know how folks put up the Bat-signal for that ("ATTN: short stocky future fantasy warrior/AZN punk fantasy warrior/steampunk past fantasy person/fairy princess style blogger seeking more of the same") but what I have found in style blogging is a network of interesting, supercool people whose passion and creativity pop out in their writing. It is a fun, organic process of exploration following links, and I'm so glad you guys took the time to say hello and give me more places to explore and read.

  To the outfit post!

  So, here's the deal. Several years back, I had a thing for shirts with lots of studs in them and laces. I'm over it now, but funny thing: if you add extra stitches to clothes, then tie them together with laces, then rivet them together, they do not come apart. I've made my wardrobe, now I have to lie in it for a few decades. Or not, because all of these metal studs are kind of uncomfortable to sleep on. (I'm joking. I took a nap in this shirt earlier and it is fine.)

  This Treasure Rock tank top is from a defunct online shop. After a poke around the Internet, I'm actually not sure the brand exists any more either, but there are brand new copies of this tank top in black on eBay. Or if you really like it in blue, come and talk to me. I layered it over one of my ubiquitous lace racerbacks and wore it with a black miniskirt and criss cross leggings because I am trying not to bore you dear readers into Denim Oblivion, which has actually been the reality for the last 26 years. :D

  Since the Treasure Rock brand's aesthetic is rock/glam and my aesthetic is more huh?/dork, I tried balancing out the outfit with accessories.  First, a pink hoodie. Then, in the event anybody still thought I should be taken seriously, I added a teacup necklace and sun bracelet.

It's hard to be taken for an angry rocker in a pink hoodie.

  I bought the bracelet in Paris several years ago. My friend Cathy and I went in summer, when dawn was at 6 am and the sun didn't set until after 10. It completely threw off my circadian rhythm, having that much sunlight, but I loved it, at least as much as you can love 100+°F in a country without widespread air conditioning or iced beverages.  I thought this gold sunburst bracelet would be the perfect reminder of those times. Then I came back to San Francisco and found the same jewelry company downtown a month later. Hahaha! It's ok though, it's still an awesome souvenir (and I know where to take it if the glittery stone falls out.)

  Thank you to my friend Diana for taking the outfit pictures today. We hung out in Golden Gate Park today, by the Sharon Art Center, where we saw the most beautiful stained glass window we both agreed we'd ever seen.

Tank top: Treasure Rock (available in black)

Victorian Hoodie: Prairie Underground (thrifted)

Criss Cross Leggings: no brand (eBay)

Sun Bracelet: Jeanne by CJ (Paris, old)

Teacup Necklace: (Nordstrom, old) - similar on etsy