Because I need more sartorial seduction in my life. :)
Allow me to preface this...whenever I hear the phrase "fair trade," my first inclination is to find products made in the U.S. (Go ahead, throw tomatoes.) So that would include Velvet, Stewart + Brown, C & C California, Cydwoq, smaller brands such as Heartbreaker Fashion and Punkin NYC, the odd Supima cotton item...all of which I have bought, and check out periodically. There is also a slew of brands I have yet to try, such as LA Made, Lamixx, Prairie Underground, Clary Sage, Vintage Shoe Company, Aurora Shoe Company, Splendid, yadda yadda...
Hermmm...
posted by Colleen Shirazi
on
Saturday, January 1, 2011
at 6:14 PM (Pacific)
Happy New Year.
Today, PG&E (our beloved power company) doused the electricity around 11:20 AM, not to power it back up again until after 2:00 PM. Happy New Year to you guys too. Fortunately the gas was still going, so we spent our holiday huddled around a gas fire, playing the world's least ethical Scrabble game (imagine someone fondling the tiles inside the bag, attempting to feel for a blank???). In the end, words such as "wabet" were accepted (what Elmer Fudd hunts)...oh wait, wabet is a word?
I just realized I posted something every month in 2010, which has to be a first. I should do a Best of 2010 wardrobe recap.
January:
The height (depth?) of my turtleneck obsession. I still cower inside these once the weather turns. J.Crew cranked out ton-loads of Tissue Turtlenecks at one point, but a good turtleneck is relatively easy to find. Yay!
February:
J.Crew Nico skirt in Black Blossom
Love this skirt (no, it is not as short on me): great for summer, travel, casual Friday with tights, has pockets, goes with every color, yadda yadda....
March:
J.Crew Boatneck Painter tee in Pale Blossom
My two Boatneck Painter tees—this is actually light pink, like a ballet slipper, the other is light bluish-greenish grey—have served me well. The boat-shaped neckline makes them fancier than plain tee shirts, and the colors are sublime. Hope the 'Crew puts out more in 2011.
April:
Anchor Print skirt by Heartbreaker Fashion (via ModCloth)
This skirt has been lovely for weekends and casual Fridays. I'm usually not too big on prints, because most of them, well, suck, (are extremely uninspired) but the anchor-and-rope design charms, and I like the high waist.
May:
J.Crew Jackie shell in Pearl
Jackie shells, I love you! Why don't they carry them in the stores?
These are pretty handy tops; working in hot to coolish weather, coordinating with matching Jackie cardigan for a non-saccharine-looking twinset, even going nicely with non-matching Jackie cardigans, or any number of office or weekend clothes.
June:
J.Crew Crinkled Chiffon Tunic in Orchid Shadow
Okay, I didn't buy this in June, merely commenced drooling over its fine self. Wish there were more crinkled, doubled-layered silk tops from the 'Crew, and in a wider color choice (there were only the three above).
Oh, and I wash this in the machine (Woolite, delicate cycle, mesh bag) and hang to dry. Silk should be washable.
This is becoming a huge post. Probably should break it into two.
I'm trying out the "mound of cornstarch on old oil stain in fabric" thing. Supposedly (half wondering if it's an urban myth), you can remove even old oil stains in fabric, by laying the item flat and placing a small mound of cornstarch on the stain (talcum powder may be used instead). Leave it overnight...the cornstarch is supposed to suck out the stain. At most the procedure may need to be repeated.
My ModCloth Last Hurrah Sale items arrived. The two tee shirts, by Korean company POL, are as gorgeous as photographed, but they're both quite big. Usually size Large isn't, well, large. I'm going to try shrinking them in the dryer, even though they appear pre-shrunk?
The lace blouse is even more beautiful than its image...you're supposed to dryclean it though. I don't dryclean anything these days (unless it's something inevitable, like a wool suit), so I'm trying out washing in a mesh bag, cold water, Woolite, delicate cycle.
Does anyone write songs about email? How about texting?
Give me a ticket for an airplane I ain't got time to take no fast train Oh, the lonely days are gone, I'm coming home My baby, she texted me.
It isn't quite the same, eh?
Top: J.Crew boatneck painter tee in Soft Dove Cardigan: J.Crew Jackie in navy blue Necklace: gift from husband Skirt: Heartbreaker Fashion anchor print (detail here) at ModCloth Boots: Cydwoq Extreme
Ah! Finally a pic of the boots. The mid-calf height is versatile in our climate; on many days, tall boots would feel hot. I've worn these in the dead of winter (okay, for us that usually doesn't mean freezing, but it does get cold) with wool tights, but here, they're fine with bare legs.
I'm currently working on our International screen (my department's internal tracking system). I went for that next because it has the most records involving document processing. PHP is faster than Lasso, to the point you can get away with some interesting processing ideas, but of course you like to test out the speed on a bigger data set.
Is it really Friday?
posted by Colleen Shirazi
on
Friday, September 10, 2010
at 7:55 PM (Pacific)
Should I add a random-access feature to my pager? Currently it has First, Previous, Next and Last links, and where you are—say, 1-50 of 200, 51-100 of 200, et cetera.
I had to bring this up with my co-worker, and he always guilts me into adding more features.
Him: What if they want random access to the results? Me: mumbles... They should use the filters; the idea is to encourage people not to pull up the whole honkin' data set every d*** time. Him: quizzical look—how could you not add a random-access feature? Me: Okay, Yoda, I'll add it.
I don't actually call him Yoda, but it is valuable asking his opinion, even though it usually means more work.
Do I look a tad fried? I'm still thinking about the pager. May the Force be with you...lol
Cardigan: J.Crew Jackie in Dark Charcoal (worn here and here) Top: gift from husband; one of my favorite shirts. It's just a black henley tee shirt with a little white piece of cloth sewn to look like you're wearing a shirt under it. Shoes: Cole Haan
This is the skirt I got at ModCloth in March this year:
And MP Checkered Pattern tights. Here's a detail of the pattern:
I was in a hurry this morning, but another reason I like this cardigan so much: it works like a black cardigan, but looks softer and a bit less usual.
Happy Friday!
posted by Colleen Shirazi
on
Friday, April 2, 2010
at 10:43 PM (Pacific)
Hermmm...the week went by quickly, eh?
Thought this was interesting.
I tried these shoes...was rather disappointed. Had been going for an Alcoa Building effect:
Dunno, something architectural, line-wise. But the shoes were not really comfortable on my feet. The girder effect was okay; perhaps not as spectacular as I'd hoped. Shoes have to be comfortable. I've decided to return them.
On a cheerier note...
I like this skirt. It's an odd piece to own; a touch too long to be fashionable, though I like the high-waisted effect. What sold me was the anchor and rope pattern:
When did I last see such a design? thirty years ago? Were I not a total 'tard with a sewing machine, this skirt is the fanciful item I'd make myself. Some day I do intend to take up sewing. It makes too much sense not to.
I know this style is old school, but a navy blue dress with a conservative-ish print...anywhere from knee to calf length, with anything from no sleeves, to 3/4 sleeves...is actually quite useful. Even better if it doesn't require ironing. The fabric should be lightweight, but not flimsy.
I'm beginning to think this:
...is better than this:
I love the idea of a stretchy camisole that stays up at the neck, and stays down at the hem...but the original camisole just seems like so much fabric. If only they made a regular-length "ShamWow of camisoles" camisole.
And, the short version comes in only black or white. The long cami boasts 46 colors, for crying in a bucket.
I realize I've never gotten around to linking to other fashion blogs.
Partly because I don't see my blog as a fashion blog. I'm too lazy to take those nifty outfit-a-day pics, I don't bother listing where I got anything; in fact I post things I never got anyway. Moreover, this used to function as more of a beauty blog, and, before that, a personal meaningless blog. I've been blogging since the late 1990's iirc. This won't remain a fashion blog.
And partly it's too much work to do much else with this blog beyond porting it from its current, soon-to-be-deprecated FTP format.
But I do read other fashion blogs. In fact I've been a bit amazed at how many of them there are now...good ones.
I started out reading Fashion for Nerds, for obvious reasons (pretty sure I googled "fashion for nerds"). :)
From there, I began to follow academichic, which features a team of "Three feminist PhD candidates at a Midwest university, on a crusade against the ill-fitting polyester suit of academic yore."
Ah...that's it. I've been slowly trying the links on Fashion For Nerds' sidebar.
I read J.Crew blogs, but not religiously (I don't shop 'Crew enough to do so). They're incredibly useful, given how many 'Crew items are offered only online or in catalogs, and for the 'Crew Final Sale.
Happy Saturday!
posted by Colleen Shirazi
on
Saturday, March 13, 2010
at 9:00 PM (Pacific)
International Women's Day - Iranian Embassy - Ottawa, Canada March 8th 2010 (Pt. 1)
I got the skirt.
Mmmmm...even nicer than in the pic. I'd envisioned it as a "slap it on, it's Friday" thing, but it's actually formal enough to wear during the week.
The fabric is thicker than it appears; it's rayon but feels more like a fairly substantial cotton knit. The side "ruffle" is comprised of two pieces of cloth sewn together, engineered to fall as if it were a ruffle. The skirt is lined, with two pockets...and even the sides are interesting. The fabric is not lined up to match perfectly, but it doesn't have to be, because the pattern flows as if the sides were in fact lined up. In real life, the print is even more sprightly, as if some mad artist had scrawled it in a fit of passion.
Because the skirt is not flared (nor is it tight), you could conceivably cover the top part of it with a cardigan or pullover sweater, if you wanted a subtler effect.
All in all...sweet.
This is so cute!
Like the J. Crew Black Blossom Nico Skirt--based on the image alone, not something I'd normally consider. But, in person, the deep blue version of this is to die for.
The other colors...the pinky-red one was cheesy-looking, like bad lingerie. The lime green and orange versions...hm...not bad, particularly the orange. But the blue was dead-on; looked truly vintage, what with the antiqued lace and deep blue crinkly-ish silk. It reminded me of a vintage silk bed jacket I had when I was a teenager.
Wardrobe meanderings
posted by Colleen Shirazi
on
Monday, March 8, 2010
at 10:04 PM (Pacific)
Why so many wardrobe posts? It is finite, you know. Once you have developed a skill, you move on.
In the meantime...
Ever wish you were twenty-two again? I can admit I don't, most of the time. It would be the ideal age for this jaunty heart-printed skirt. But when you're actually twenty-two, you don't have the money to spend on frivolity.
Likewise...this dress is printed with little colored horses. Yup, horses. Way pretty, but again, a tad too youthful for me.
I wonder if this thing works? It's touted as the ShamWow of camisoles (sorry, I seem to have ShamWow on my mind lately)--one size fits size 0 to 24. Supposedly it won't creep down, nor will it ride up. But...is it shapewear? Shapewear is 21st-century for "girdle"? Hm. I'd like to find out.
I couldn't resist this skirt. It's not the same as the stripes:
...nor the graph-paper print I've been turning over in my mind. Yet there is something graphical about it...and it's relatively long (20"). The sole concern I have is, it's rayon, which might be prone to wrinkles. But it couldn't be worse than linen, right? I have a linen skirt I love. It tends to get squashed, and I don't care.
When I embarked upon this working-wardrobe journey, I wasn't planning on buying a lot of skirts. Old school thought revolves around suits or dresses...but then this is based on the notion that working women are either executives (suits) or secretaries (dresses). Either you have a secretary, or you are a secretary.
I've found skirts more versatile than either. The same skirt can keep going, with any number of blouses, cardigans, pullovers, even a nice tee shirt; shoes or boots, stockings or tights. A good skirt can sort of span the seasons. I don't buy trendy skirts such as bubble or maxi, or anything I wouldn't want to wear five years from now (okay, I'm cheap).
I can admit I've been a bit mesmerized by the J.Crew website. It's not that the clothes are...different, in the obvious sense. They're not; in fact they're formulaic, classical if you will. They offer virtually the same clothes year after year.
What's eye-popping is, you'll be tooling along on the site, wondering just how many tissue tanks it is humanly possible to create, or cursing the 'Crew for not producing more non-dryclean items, then you'll suddenly bump into this:
Hold the phone! I don't mean the skirt (which is gorgeous). What the heck is she wearing, if it's not little socks and sensible oxfords? with this smashing silk skirt and office-friendly white top?
I love you, J.Crew! erm...it's not that I want to wear little socks, it's the idea of pushing the envelope.
