I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

The Maya Angelou novel " I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" came to mind when I opened up the box from Aldo two days ago. While the novel is vastly different from my life, these caged up shoes screamed beauty and vivacity (much like the book).
I am quite literally dressed up with no place to go today. My sister and I had plans to go to a home brewer's night at a local brew shop and sample some home made beers, but she called me to say that she was sick. I'm not all that dissapointed as it is hot as hell here and I just want to go jump in a pool (which, coincidentally, is my Plan B).
Also, sorry about not commenting back on my posts lately. Unfortunately, I can only blame it on pure laziness. I promise I will get better. Promise!




Dress: Faith 21 (Forever 21's new plus sized line)
Scarf: The Limited
Glasses: Forever 21
Bag: Blush by B-Lush
Shoes: Aldo Shoes
Cuff: Antoinette Lee (from ebags)

Apples and with a Smidge of Mustard

No, this is not a food preference. Though, pretzels and mustard are a favorite. In fact, mustard with damn near anything is a favorite! Tangent, sorry.
I am consumed with color play this week. First it was orange and blue and now bright red and mustard yellows. By the way, does anyone absolutely love when you go out and buy something one day with absolutely no idea how you're going to use it and then come to find that you can use it the very next day?
These earrings were just such a purchase.
Oh! And check out the bracelet. It's so hardcore with its gladiator shield vibe that I almost feel like a farse wearing it. Fortunately, I'm not scared of being a farse at all.
My dad had the brilliant idea that we should have our own brewfest in the back yard instead of traveling to either Laramie, Wyoming or Salida, Colorado for their beer festivals. We're heading out to buy two bombers a piece and enjoy the nasty, muggy air that is currently draped over Denver, right now.




Dress: Secondhand from Plato's Closet
Bracelet and Earrings: Secondhand from garage sales
Sunnies: Kohl's (the brand is Elle)
Hat: Urban Outfitters
Shoes: Urban Original
Bag: Vintage Louis Vuitton

Stirrup Tights

Patti Smith-Kimberly
I'm venturing into the colored tights again and I simply love these ones. They don't give the lovehandle hangover that I usually dread. Also, the white top is actually a dress that I hardly ever wear because it is completely see-through. I like its effect, though, so I decided to wear it as a top and just let my black bra show through.
Oh! Also, I have some seriously cool boots that I'm bidding on on ebay. One of them is a pair of tan over the knee boots. I've been dying for some over the knee boots for a long time, but haven't found the perfect pair. I think these are them. Then, I've got some seriously sweet cowboy boots and a pair of bohemian style slide-on boots that I'm bidding on from the same seller. I'm crossing my fingers.



Skirt: Secondhand (Arc)
Dress worn as top: Shopbop
Black top: Express
Tights: Express
Necklaces: Ebay, vintage from Ball Park Flea Market and garage sale
Shoes: Vintage ebay
Bag: Secondhand
Feathers in hair: Mezzo

Rosary

Regina Spektor-Us
I really wanted to wear these neon green shoes again, but struggled with a different way of wearing them. Hence the plaid pants. I'd kind of forgotten about these pants that I bought early on in my blogging "career." I like the effect because it has two benefits. One: I'm wearing the shoes in a less "sex pot" fashion; and two: I feel like I never know how to wear pants in a fun manner. Also, you might want to look at the brooch. It's completely scandalous and it's hands down my favorite brooch ever.
Also, I fell down the stairs last night and sprained two of my fingers. I'm grateful that that's all that hurts because it could have been much worse. But, oh, my fingers ache. I feel like an old woman. It will probably take a week for them to finally get better. I'm also using my "injury" as an excuse to lay on the couch, watch movies and cuddle my sister's puppy.



Pants: Ross
Top: James Perse
Shoes: Cool Shoes MD
Brooch: Madame Bijoux Jewelry
Rosary: Ebay
Hair Comb: Ebay

Dessert Party

Rachael Yamagata-Elephants
I went to a dessert party that some family friends had hosted last night. I kind of had a rough day with some unpleasantness so I really didn't feel like going. It seems that my over-abundant holiday merriment is wilting and I mostly feel moody and exhausted. Have no fear! My optimism will not wait long at the gate and I will post much more chipper posts soon enough.



Dress: Pinup Girl Clothing
Jacket: Express
Gloves: Vintage (from Saver's for a dollar!)
Fur Stole: Vintage (from Ball Park Flea Market)
Shoes: Vintage Vince Camuto
Clutch: Vintage from Plato's Closet

So sorry

... for the long hiatus. I just took the no-camera situation as a hint that maybe I should live a little more of my life in the real world for a while. It's surprising how excited/wrapped up one gets in blogging when you really love your subject matter. Anyway, I've been out in the real world and doing some serious shopping, eating, drinking, etc. This photo is a similar rendering of the cowl scarf that my sister is making for me for Christmas. My dear friend Manuel Navarro of Manuel Navarro Design turned me onto this scarf when he sent me an e-mail notifying me about this seller, Yokoo, on etsy. Since I will probably never be able to justify spending $115 on a scarf, I commissioned my sister, the crocheting guru, to make me a cowl scarf like this one in a better color. After she made me try it on probably 30 times, she took it away without giving me the opportunity to take a picture with my camera phone. It's just as well, since my phone would not do the scarf any justice. When I open it on Christmas Day (and put on my faux surprised face), I will get pictures up on the blog so all my readers can be painfully jealous. I also anticipate that I will be getting a new camera for Christmas, so expect exhorbitant amounts of photos from Christmas Day. Sorry, I can't help myself.

Necessity Really IS the Mother of Invention

Modest Mouse-Ocean Breathes Salty
I had a creative writing professor tell me once that cliches were cliches for a reason... because they're true. This is definitely the case for my camera phone. Because my camera is broken, I figured out how to take pictures with my camera phone. It has a self-timer, but I still haven't figured it out, so I had to use these mirror photos. The picture quality is not great, but it's something.
Still on the legging kick, as you can see. Also, this is the thrifted fur that I got for a dollar at Goodwill on Friday.



Leggings: Express
Camisole: The Limited
Button up: Vintage
Necklace worn as a bracelet: Vintage
Rings: Vintage from Ball Park Flea Market, Madame Bijoux, and The Lovely Teaspoon
Shoes: Urban Original
Fur Stole: Vintage

Graduation Party

Fleetwood Mac-Everywhere (Oh, oh. I wanna be with you everywhere)
This evening, my spinning instructor is having her graduation party. I'm such a homebody and I have the house all to myself so I really don't want to go. The only thing that's motivating me is this outfit. I do love it and I'm so happy that one of my outfits turned out well today. On my computer it's hard to tell, but the dress is a forest green and the shoes are a deep purple. I'm working the jewel tones tonight. I really wanted a bright yellow bag to have one vibrant, stand-out piece but I own no such thing in my wardrobe. I guess that's just one more thing to add to the lust list.
Edit to add:
Oh my! I'm also noticing as I am uploading the photos that my boobs like all Romantic era, peaking out of the tank top as they do. Yikes!





Dress: LaRok (shopbop)
Petticoat: Anthropologie
Camisole: The Limited
Leggings: Express
Bracelets: By the Beard of Zeus, The Limited, Madame Bijoux
Ring: Unknown
Necklace: Vintage from Ball Park Flea Market
Pin: My great grandmother's
Shoes: Vintage (ebay)
Clutch: Vintage
Jacket: Paris Blues (Ross)

Christmas Shopping

Today was meant to be a relaxing day with picture-taking downtown for my other blog.I decided instead to help my parents Christmas shop. Huge mistake. They totally stressed me out. Then, I saw my outfit in these pictures and was pretty displeased. Not at all as cool as I'd expected. It's lack luster, at best. I also found out that these shoes do have a comfort threshold, but it's pretty high. It took a lot of running around and shopping to make my feet tired. Even at that, there was no blistering.
My outfit for the evening I think will be much better.


Jeans: Old Navy
Tee: Threadless
Blazer: Vintage from mom's closet
Shoes: Payless
Bag: Vintage Louis Vuitton

I want to be independently wealthy so I don't have to compromise

Roy Orbison-Crying
Today I sold some of my textbooks and took the money to go thrifting. I found the most incredible black cocktail dress that looks like it was made with exactly my body in mind. It was incredible. The sad news is that I went to Goodwill after that and found this stunningly rich-colored fur coat for $50. It even fit my broad shoulders and everything. I wanted it so badly but I had already spent about twenty of my alotted sixty dollars and so I walked away from it. I even considered going back to the Arc where I bought the dress and two skirts and returning them just so I could buy the fur. I decided that I needed the skirts far more than I needed the fur coat. But I want to be stinking rich with piles of money coming out my ears, just so I can buy things like that fur jacket and not worry about prioritizing. I think I can hold my breath for a long time and still never see that money. I am going to be a teacher, after all.
Good news for the day was that I found a fur stole for a dollar and I received my faux snow leopard jacket from Express in the mail today. It is so much cooler than the pictures on the website and I can not wait to wear it.





Skirt: Old Navy
Button up: Vintage from mom's closet
Boots: Ami Clubwear
Necklace: Unknown
Bag: Vintage from a garage sale
Bracelets: Vintage Jesus bracelets from Ball Park Market

Hey, Red!

Jamie Cullum-Mind Trick (remix)
Ok, first of all, I hate when women walk around with like three bags. Hello! Get one big bag, pitch everything in it, done. Right? Well, not today for me. I really wanted to wear the electric blue purse, but I'm off to finals and needed some sustanance/entertainment for all the gaps in my schedule, so I'm the guilty party who is carting two bags around. I guess I can no longer be a "too many bag snob" anymore, can I?
This outfit incorporates some of my favorite items in my closet right now: the leggings, Louboutin's and seven dollar blazer from Saver's, along with the blue bag that I got for like a dollar at an estate sale.





Leggings: Express
Blazer: Savers
Tank: The Limited
Floral Scarf: Savers
Cream Scarf: Gift from parents (New York City street vendor)
Black Bag: Nine West (Ross)
Blue Bag: Vintage (estate sale)
Sunglasses: XOXO (Ross)
Beanie: Miscusi
Shoes: Christian Louboutin
No jewelry today. It's a miracle.

Final Exam Party

The Pierces-Sticks and Stones
Today I am going to a final exam/you're-almost-done-with-the-teacher-education-program party. This jacket is a bit tricky to work with my broad shoulders, but I still like it. I also wanted to thank everyone who has commented on my blog. It makes blogging so pleasurable and it's nice to know that I'm not just chatting to myself.




I love garage's and my parents in particular. It's just filled with junk.

This is my trusty bike that gets me all over town (along with the train and buses).

Skirt: Kohl's
Tank: The Limited
Jacket: Express
Necklace: Unknown
Bracelet: By the Beard of Zeus
Shoes: Urban Original

Argyle

Bing Crosby-White Christmas
These socks are the closest thing to the socks I mentioned in this lust list. I like them, but they keep sliding down. However, I don't think that that would change regardless the pair of socks. It's just the nature of the socks. The only thing on my agenda today is to study, meet a friend to study, and work out. With the snowy weather, I couldn't ask for more. By the way, I'm definitely going to have to stop mentioning the snow because I get the distinct feeling that we will have a really hard winter because we had such a temperate autumn. It's not news if it's old news, right?






Dress: Victoria's Secret
Scarf: Gift from my brother from Italy
Hat: Store in the Highlands, Denver
Boots: CAT boots from Overstock