The Ottoman Inspire

  It's pretty dark when I get home from class these days, so you are getting treated to my morning face. It involves squinting and unkempt hair.

Shirt: Bisou Bisou (thrifted)

Vest: MOUTHvalley (Japan, thrifted)

Pants: Koi Kathy Petersen (thrifted)

Sash: Megan Mae (gift)

Jeweled dagger brooch: eBay

  This is an entry for Spy Girl's Accessorize! challenge: pick your accessories for the day first, then dress to match them. I chose the jeweled dagger brooch I picked up on eBay recently. To match, I went with a (very loosely!) Turkish inspired outfit. The pants gather at the ankles and I added a wide sash around the middle (a gift from Megan Mae.)  The super flowy sleeved shirt and vest are for fun.

  I count five sets of strings/dangling things on my outfit, making this a definite top contender in the fire hazard category.

  Random note: I can't make a fist or grip anything with full strength for about an hour after I wake up. It's worse if I've been woken suddenly or didn't get enough sleep. The Internet says I'm having a stroke (I don't think this this the case, this has been going on since childhood. The Internet also said my migraines were brain cancer.) Does anyone else experience that?

Belting it out

Let's talk belts.

  I love wide belts, probably because they suit my build. Skinny belts at the waist make me look like I have been bisected into two powerful chunky pieces, and I can't wear belts at my hips because I wear long fitted shirts so I don't show a big section of my lower back/upper butt when I sit and squat.

  I'm always interested in hearing about how other people wear belts and how they suit different body types and figures. And if you have any advice on how one wears hip belts that doesn't involve a strange series of lumps under one's long shirt, please let me know.

  I cruise eBay to calm down before bedtime, as it's lightly engaging and doesn't take much concentration or brain power. I've been fixated on Crystaline's Steampunk Lolita ensembles this past month and I'm in the market for a belt like the one she sports in a lot of her outfits:

  I thought I'd share some brown wide belts that caught my interest. Let me know if you'd be interested in any other styles or items, and maybe I can poke around the internet for you when I can't sleep! Links here don't profit me, but they may benefit YOU. ;D

  This studded brown belt with double buckle looked simple enough to wear on the street but had a cool fantasy vibe to me. It has an elastic section in the back and claims to fit ~30-33 inches. $12 with shipping.

  This is a German trachten belt. It is also adorable. Dangly hearts on little sock-shaped pieces of wool! Says  it will fit waists ~36-41 inches. $30 with shipping.

  An obi-style fake leather belt with a panel in front and long elastic band behind it. I guess this would be for wearing under jackets or if I was going to spend an evening leaning against a wall. On the plus, the stretchiness says it will accommodate up to 43 inches. Also comes in brown, black, and red. $16 with shipping.

  I like the asymmetric holster-feel of this one. I think it looks modern and conjures a bit of gunslinger feel at the same time. ~27-34 inches. $8 with shipping.

  Closest in appearance to Crystaline's belt, this cincher comes in several colors and finishes. Claims to fit ~30-40 inch waists. $17.45 with shipping, but seller has individual colors on auction that you can bid on for cheaper.

  One thing I've noticed is that many of the new-fangled belts are mass-produced pieces from China, meaning the size range can be quite small in comparison to American sizes. For myself, growing up the nice clothes here were always too big/tall/long and when I discovered Asian clothing, it was like a world of things that fit me opened up. However, this means that my friends are often excluded because of the limited sizing. Do you have better luck with particular brands? Do you have experience finding clothing from a particular country that fits you better? What do you look at when you shop online?

Style Imitating Art: Illumination

  There is sunlight today, so I got to try Salazar and Jess's Style Imitating Art! (I've been looking forward to this for weeks.) Their blogs are Animated Cardigan and 14 Shades of Grey, respectively. Thanks to Gracey from Fashion for Giants for posting about it.

  Each week a piece of art is selected, and participants can send in photos of ensembles inspired by the artwork. Salazar and Jess post them up on their blogs.  This week's inspiration is Colette Calascione's "Illumination" :

  Spring seems to traditionally be about florals, something I have traditionally not worn. I have plenty of things with flowers on them though, which is pretty much the same thing, right?  I love the color range used here so much. I don't like bright colors (... or prints. or patterns. or symmetry.) for some reason, and the level of saturation and brightness in the painting felt so on for my wardrobe.

  I also liked the way the painting had her makeup done, because it's pretty similar to how I do mine every day. I tried to replicate it with Wamiles pearl pink base color, and The Body Shop's pressed face powder, brown eyeliner, & lipstick #22 (Garnet). I tried to part my hair in the middle too, but it was having none of that.

  It's strange; I do not like white clothing except when it's sunny out, and then all I want to do is wear floaty white skirts and shirts. It's not in the nude, but I think it's a spiritual equivalent- I love it when I can wear light, flowing clothes and feel the breeze against my skin. Rare occasion indeed in Daly City!

  I wore my favorite long summer skirt and a shirt I've had for years but never worn. It was $4 and it made me feel like a fairy princess (bought it!) but is transparent at the midriff (can't wear it outside!) I got up the guts to wear it out to take photos though, because hey, the painting gal ain't worried, and she's nude. I'm thinking I will make a separate colored layer to wear under it that will help highlight the lace and subtle sequins. Both items have flowers in the fabric design.

  I'm wearing one of my favorite necklaces again, a bead and flower confection from Printemps in Tokyo. Wearing it always brings back memories. The earrings are a new thrift find from last weekend. I'm excited at how well they matched the floral arrangements flanking the model's head.

  This was really fun. Thanks to Salazar and Jess for coming up with this idea and to Gracey for introducing it to me; I had a blast participating, and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone else's styles June 3rd!

P.S. If anyone's wondering what my process is for earrings, it's cleaning with Claire's antiseptic, followed by distilled vinegar if I want to polish the metal, followed by alcohol. No ear poisoning so far! *crosses fingers*

Shirt: True Light U.S.A. (thrifted)

Skirt: KOMMOTiON NY (eBay)

Necklace: unknown (Printemps, Tokyo)

Earrings: unknown (thrifted)

Rings: unknown (gold flowers-Brasil, lab emerald-gift)
Shoes: Rieker antistress (thrifted)

In which Aya has no idea what she is doing

  I wasn't at all sure about this, but I'm running out of clean clothes, it's still sorta sunny today, and so I said "___ it. I'm going to ___ing wear this." I said it with the underscores and everything. That is the kind of semester it has been.

  I like very feminine elements and punk/goth elements in my clothes, but don't feel comfortable going to extremes or making a full outfit out of either. I think it implies an attitude or a persona that is not me. Mixing them, on the other hand, shows that I don't take myself seriously or I have no idea what I am doing, both of which are much more accurate.

  I started with the blue frock because it's sort of sunny out, and because pockets. This thing gets wear maybe once a year because of prevailing weather patterns, and I may have to donate it because it's so impractical for where I live, so why miss an opportunity? Also did I mention pockets? They're right under the empire waist ribbon. They make me look kind of pregnant, but I don't care because it's a place to put my keys and ID.

  The trouble started because it's quite short. And while I said modesty goes flying out the door with sunny weather, today's a little more overcast and, like the weather, the clouds of my self-doubt something something bad analogy.

  What on earth do you wear under a dress? Out of desperation I pulled my bandage/criss-cross leggings out because I like them and they are awesome.

  And then, because there's a very strong breeze and some clouds, I pulled my Victorian blazer by Guess from the closet. This is what Sally of Already Pretty calls a 'closet orphan' (I think the term was coined at youlookfab, but I'm using Already Pretty's definition.)

  I love this blazer with all my clotheshorse heart. It's grey zig zag fabric pinstriped in pink. It has a gorgeous pink-salmon-rose lining in satin that peeks through the front panel seams. It's cut high in the back and ruffled with puffy shoulders in a Victorian-inspired cut that makes my body type go 'whee!' and I haven't the foggiest idea how to style it.

  I'm ready to make an outfit from scratch to go around this blazer if I have to. But today I wore it for the first time because.
  Edited to add: someone is selling one on eBay! (size M)
  Edited again to add: I bought it! Now I will have two in case something happens to one. If you are upset and wanted to buy it, let me know.

  My first pair of ladyflats! I think I like them. They are flexible, practical-soled, and pretty. The strap fastens with velcro!

Dress: XOXO (eBay)

Leggings: no brand (eBay)

Blazer: Guess (thrifted)

Shoes: Rieker antistress (thrifted)

Back in Blue

  On Monday I went back to my old standbys: racerback tank top, overlayer tank top, tailored shirt, and jeans. I would have worn my black platforms, but you can see here that they are still waiting for the day they are worthy (wide enough) to accept my feet.

  Last time I realized very dark ivy is not the background for me and I needed to go farther afield. I got the opportunity when I stepped out of class at 7 pm, and like magic the sun was painting everything in slanted rays of soft gold. It was the first time I'd seen sunlight in weeks. I hurried home and grabbed the tripod.

  Surprise! No fancy magic color correction exposure tweaking necessary. Sunlight makes everything better.

Better get ready before that timer goes off!

  I like this tailored shirt a lot, but I do not know who they expect to get her arms through those sleeves. I should just remove the button and loop, they will never be united.

Sweater: Sparrow (eBay)

Tailored shirt: BCX (thrifted)

Tank top: Express (old)

Bracelet: unknown (The CAMP)

Jeans: 7 for all Mankind (brother)

Shoes: New Balance (Dad)

Sun Francisco

  This morning I woke up, checked the weather report, and jumped out of bed singing "High of 91 today, high of 91 today, high of 91 today!"
  Today is the warmest day we've had all year, and I got to pull my summer clothes out of the closet. (And then I took a lined trench coat to school as a precaution, because campus is on the windiest, foggiest hilltop in SF.)

  The rare summery day here is like a festival.

  I really love this drapey vest/cardigan thingy. It has a racerback cut in the back done in lace. I get to wear it a few times a year when it is warm enough that I won't curl up and die of exposure.

  Couldn't get the color balance quite right, but this is a dusty rose colored scrunchee my mother bought for me from Japan.

  I had chem lab today, so I wore close-toed shoes. They may have made me look like a nursing student.

  Underneath, I wore celebratory socks.

  This is one of my favorite necklaces. My mom likes to go to Ginza, the shopping district in Tokyo, and look at things in store windows that cost more than my tuition. I tell her I am not comfortable in stores where if I sneeze on something I could end up in debtor's prison, but she says I am silly.

  I found a Printemps in Ginza: a French department store in downtown Tokyo. I fell in love with this necklace and it was on sale for ~$40. I love having a rainbow of beads and flowers on a gold chain around my neck. Wearing them with the pearls on this tank top makes me feel like I have a casket of jewels on my chest.

  Today was a gift, even the hours I spent in chem lab calculating the mineral content of water.

Necklace - (Printemps, Japan) 

Tank - Bow & Arrow (Buffalo Exchange)

Skirt - Odille (eBay)

Drapey vest - Poof Apparel (Styles for Less)