Take Control Of Your Closet... & Your Life!
12 December 2012, 10:30
When Hurricane Sandy hit, & I found myself without an internet connection for a week, I did what any stylish Virgo would do: I decided to tackle my closet. I even wrote about it on xoJane!
I really do believe that you can make sense of your messy life by cleaning, tidying & organising like a fiend. I mean, at least, it has always worked for me!
So for two days, I grabbed, assessed, sorted & tidied, trying to find some sanity, & clear my closet of its madness.
By the time I was done, I felt fantastic… But I have to admit, that was a month ago, & I still have bags of clothing sitting in my office! I’ve taken at least two huge loads to Buffalo Exchange, where they happily took my items, but I still have a lot left over.
The first couple of loads I sold were mostly inexpensive pieces from ASOS & the like, but a lot of what’s left are big ticket items. I haven’t really known what to do with them. It makes me cringe to remember selling an unworn Betsey Johnson dress to Buffalo Exchange & getting $30 for it. Ouch!
I mean, sometimes it feels like it’s worth taking almost anything just to get the clothes out of your house, but let’s be honest: we’d rather not be slapped in the face when we do it.
So even though I’ve been very lax on dealing with these remaining clothes, I’m kind of glad I waited… Because I just heard about Hello La Mode.
Hello La Mode is like eBay… But verified. If you’re anything like me, you loooove a bargain, & eBay’s one of the best places for that. But you don’t always know that what you’re getting is the real deal, & it can leave you feeling a little gun-shy.
At Hello La Mode, they verify every single item they sell, allowing you peace of mind in addition to your new garb!
To celebrate their launch, Hello La Mode invite you to perform your very own Closet Detox (though I like to think of it as a kind of wardrobe exorcism!). If you go through your closet & list your unwanted clothes with them, you’ll get a $50 credit to shop for something you really adore! Even better than that, one lucky new member will win a $3000 shopping spree, so you can really kit yourself out for the new year!
So awesome, & don’t worry, I’m participating too! I’m selling Rick Owens boots (above!), an alice + olivia dress, Sonia Rykiel trousers, some Helmut Lang, a little Rodarte… It’s a pretty fabulous gaggle of items! Click through to own a little piece of my wardrobe!
Are you ready to get cracking on your own closet detox? Hop to it!
This post was sponsored by the good people at Hello La Mode, but as always, thoughts & opinons are entirely my own!
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The Perfect Gift For A... Girly Girl!
10 December 2012, 07:56
Kate Spade Ta-Da! t-shirt $58 / Gap two-tone leather clutch $39.95 / Gap leather tote $125 / Bauble Bar Ice Bloom Bib $48 / ASOS Cat Ear Headband $21.11 / Kirna Zabete for Target lips ring $7.49 / Strawberry striped candy $3.79 / Melissa Ultragirl Ballet Flats $114.34 / Miu Miu cat eye glittered acetate & metal sunglasses $390 / Marc by Marc Jacobs Stripey Lips iPhone case $38
If your best friend would rather go dancing than get her hands dirty, if your sister would rather wear glitter than gumboots, & if your cousin would prefer to pick accessories than berries, then you’ve been paired up with a girly girl!
Often referred to as “the girl who has everything”, buying the perfect present for her can feel like a Sisyphean task! But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! Here are some fabulous hand-selected gifts that will make her smile…
Be sure to use sparkly wrapping paper!
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What Do You Buy The Girl Who Has Everything?!
16 November 2012, 14:09
It’s a question we’ve all asked ourselves, especially when the holidays start to creep up on our calendars: really, what do you buy the girl who has everything?
This is a question that has always vexed me. As much as I love “stuff”, the truth is that most of us don’t need more of it. On the flip-side, I believe your home can never be too beautiful… & our friends can help make it that way!
You’ve probably guessed what I’m driving at. Art is the perfect gift!
I’ve teamed up with Art.com to bring you a Perfectly Eccentric gift guide, bursting at the seams with a selection of fabulously weird prints & photographs.
Magic tricks? Yes! Warhol? Of course! Pin-ups & Edward Gorey? It would be my pleasure!
You get the gist, darling!
Imagine your best friend tearing open a huge, framed print of a gazelle in a dress for Christmas! I mean, how fabulous, really.
Now obsessed with finding the perfect pieces,
This post was sponsored by my dear friends at Art.com, & I love ‘em!
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Style Direction 2012: Day Tripping Darling!
20 February 2012, 11:05
Every year (or thereabouts) I write up a little style direction piece for myself. It helps me to get really clear on my aesthetic & how I want to dress. In fact, I bookmark my style direction articles on my phone so that when I’m out & about, I can revisit them! It’s so easy to get overwhelmed & confused when you walk into a store, so getting really clear on what you want to wear & how you want to look can be a total godsend!
With my new inky black locks, I’m totally ready for a different look & a few changes! Here’s where I’m heading this year…
Day Tripping Darling is a progression from Gossip Girl On Acid & Psychedelic Ladies Who Lunch. It’s a look that takes the best from the past & mixes it with the crème de la crème of the present.
Day Tripping Darling is a violent & vibrant mingling for a thoroughly modern minx. Inspired by the recent collections shown by Betsey Johnson & Kate Spade, Day Tripping Darling is a celebration of eccentric girls. We’re not afraid to jumble up prints or wear pink with orange, & we firmly believe that the higher the heel, the closer to god. We are ladies with punk rock hearts.
Colours are bright & punchy, anchored by classic black & white. Hot, hot pink, day-glo orange, sunshine yellow, amethyst purple, emerald green & peacock blue all dance the Charleston on this stage. Patterns boldly rub shoulders: stripes, polka-dots, leopard, florals & brocades. We pair purple & green, paisley with stripes, & wear popping pink lip gloss.
Day Tripping Darling is not shy or coy — it is big & brash. Pastel colours have no place here, this is not a nursery! We wear huge striped sun-hats & oversized sunglasses; our shoes leave a trail of glitter in our wake…
Texture is big big big. (Always!) Wear an ostrich feather skirt with a simple cotton t-shirt & a leather motorcycle jacket. Mix sequins & candy-coloured patent leather. Pair a rough-cut citrine crystal necklace with an orange neoprene skirt. Do something unexpected, be a surprise!
Stock up on belts: skinny, thick, patent leather, bows, & crystal-studded. The focus is still on the waist, but skirt-lengths have shortened from the 1950’s mid-calf to the 1960’s mini. You don’t have to go ultra-short if you’d prefer not to show off your gams, but keep it above the knee. (Anything is more flattering than a mid-calf length skirt!) If you buy a dress from the 50s, take it to a tailor & have them hem it to just above the knee. I promise it will look so much more cute, not to mention modern!
To really embrace the 60s mod look, cut a blunt bang/fringe & flat-iron your hair. Use a good highlighter underneath your eyebrow, & open up your eye by using a flesh-coloured pencil along your waterline. Don’t forget a pair of fabulous false lashes! These retro 60s & Raquel Welch-esque make-up tutorials are gorgeous, too!
Details, of course, are of utmost importance. Paint your nails with holographic glitter or black & white stripes. Get your hands on a brightly-coloured handbag to cart around your essentials — Kate Spade, Cambridge Satchel Company & Zatchels have wonderful options. (I would go so far as to say that the Kate Spade New Bond Street Florence is the statement bag of this look!)
We’re never stodgy or old-fashioned. Though we may be wearing vintage dresses, we carry iPads in our candy pink satchels. We wear glittery sneakers to the gym, & get high-tech Japanese manicures. We talk with our hands & support independent designers. We’re never afraid to be different. We lead the pack, we don’t follow it!
LOTS of animal-print (every girl should own a leopard-print coat).
A bare head is akin to sacrilege — back-comb your hair, wear a hat, add a crown of stars or a huge bow. Something, ANYTHING! Scour Etsy for fantastic hats from the 1960s, there are some absolute gems to be found. My new favourite thing to wear on my head — also via Etsy — is a pair of Swarovski crystal-encrusted mouse ears. Love!
Go through your lingerie drawer & throw away any bras or knickers that don’t fit, don’t support you properly or are raggedy & uncute. Make a resolution to only buy underwear which fits you & makes you happy! Think of your lingerie as the essential foundation for your clothing. Seriously, you could be wearing an Herve Leger bandage dress, but if your underwear doesn’t fit, you’re going to look like a sack of potatoes. Anything that pinches or gives you unfortunate lines beneath your clothing is a definite no-no! If you have no idea where to start, Cosabella thongs are fab & Victoria’s Secret yoga knickers are excellent too.
A mix of shoes which are both practical & decadent. My everyday shoes are still my Frye motorcycle boots, but I love to switch it up & don a pair of purple pumps, sparkly ankle boots or crystal-covered platforms.
Chunky — & slightly weird — statement necklaces. One of my favourites is a cluster of candy-coloured skulls by Vivienne Westwood; the other is a bundle of oversized gold, bronze & silver stars from Topshop. Wear ‘em short, so they rest on the collar of your t-shirt. Gorge!
A steady hand for major cat’s eye realness! I used to be a devotee of MAC Fluidline & an angled brush, but my new favourite is L’Oreal Lineur Intense in carbon black. It has a felt-tip end which makes adding a little flourish to your eyeliner super-simple!
Stockings, tights & socks in every possible incarnation. They’re such an easy way to add some interest or a splash of colour to your outfit. I’m flying to Las Vegas right now & I have short socks covered in kiss prints, polka-dot anklets & long black over-the-knee socks all packed in my suitcase, because I know I’m going to need ‘em! I’ve had great luck buying fun socks & stockings at DSW — they’re always on sale & great value.
Fun separates. Look for brightly-coloured miniskirts, t-shirts with cute designs & blouses covered in wild patterns. Kate Spade have some super-cute t-shirts right now, & I always love browsing ASOS for well-made & inexpensive options. I especially like this tank covered in square sequins, this orange lace tank, this cheetah-print peplum top & this green neoprene top! Any of these paired with a colourful mini would make for a really sweet look!
What are you wearing this season?
Love & psychedelic colours,
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An Assortment Of Spooky Goodies To Delight Your Inner Goth!
9 January 2012, 14:25
You know, if you grew up listening to Bauhaus & Sisters of Mercy, it never really leaves you. Even though you may have moved on from the dog collars, PVC & eye of horus make-up of yore, a certain dark sensibility still lingers…
Do you think back on your goth day with a sense of nostalgia? Did you read books by Anne Rice & Poppy Z. Brite? (An aside: you can’t possibly enjoy Twilight if you’ve previously been introduced to Zillah.) Do you remember sitting in your friend’s room underneath a huge Bauhaus poster? Did you carry a black bag containing cheap black lipstick, a tattered notebook & crystals from the metaphysical store? Were all your friends much older than you? Did they buy you a pair of padded leather handcuffs for your 15th birthday… ?!
Maybe teenage gothdom didn’t affect you, but it could have touched someone you know! Even if your friend with the impeccable eyeliner won’t admit to ever having flirted with a goth phase, here are some things that are a dead giveaway: An obsession with Rick Owens; a fondness for Dr Marten boots; excited sniffing of the air whenever anyone smoking a Clove walks past; owning not just MAC Cosmetics’ Carbon, but a whole assortment of eye-shadow in varying shades of black; a feeling of tenderness towards Robert Smith, & your accidental discovery of their secret stash of ankhs & crucifixes!
Like I said: it never really goes away.
Maybe it’s the winter-time & all those bare trees, but lately I’ve been feeling the urge to goth it up. Just a little. Here are some of my favourite things from my recent window-shopping adventures, & here’s something to listen to while you peruse…
Sources: Pamela Love Antique Silver Cross Dagger Rosary; Charles Albert Skull Ring; Jessica Kagan Cushman Sugar & Spice Bangle; Alexis Bittar Druzy Droplet Gunmetal Bracelet; Jeffrey Campbell Revel; Marc by Marc Jacobs Dotty Snake Little Ukita Bag; Effy Collection Diamond Ring; Jeffrey Campbell Night Nail; Betsey Johnson Skull Boss Zip Around; Tom Binns Bejeweled Small Safety Pin Earrings; D&G Dolce & Gabbana Black Short Sleeve Lace Top; Pamela Love Small Pentagram Earrings; Betsey Johnson Lace Skull Clutch.
Sources: Gaga’s Workshop x Erickson Beamon Crystal Dangerous Liaisons Bracelet; ASOS Zatchels 13” Satchel; Topshop Premium Black (Faux) Fur Chevron Coat; Yves Saint Laurent Square-Frame Acetate Sunglasses; ASOS Cross Charms Ring; CC Skye Pave Stud Bracelet; Wolford Lace Art Tights; Topshop Dark Square Ring; Helmut Lang Asymmetric Knit Sweater; Gaga’s Workshop x Erickson Beamon Silver & Crystal Spike Drop Earring; ASOS Star Hard Case Clutch; Topshop Angst Tee By Tee And Cake; Topshop Stripe Full Circle Skirt; Japonesque Criss Cross Eyelashes; Iris Van Herpen X United Nude Iris Shoe Laced.
Maybe this treasury of “haute goth” items will reinvigorate your desire to go back to black! It’s so nice to see dark done so well. I think that goth done properly can look irresistibly chic & elegant. (Don’t hold onto that fishnet shirt forever!)
P.S. If you’re hankering for some “grown up goth” looks to emulate, some of my favourite dark dressers include Nubby Twiglet, Alicia Hannah Naomi & Nadia Bailey. (Babes.) This Pinterest board is gorgeous, too.
P.P.S. If you still get excited every time you hear The Cure playing in a store or public place, don’t worry: you’re not alone!
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