Daily Wear: Big Sleeve Steeze

A light layer of chiffon keeps me cool...

in more ways than one!

Look at these big ol' sleeves!  What's not to love?

This chiffon kimono style gypsy lookin' slightly Stevie Nick's channeling number is courtesy of a cheapie store I found down in Chinatown.

(When I say "courtesy", I do not mean it was free...although it might as well been it was such a steal.

I really just mean, "courtesy" as in, thanks to my eagle eyes I found this crap store).

Just goes to show I should not write off Chinatown and its fishy stank just yet...

apparently there's still some goodies to be found down there

(just not fake bags made by kids in Guanzhou.  Ok so they're still down there too...I just refuse to buy them.  Sorry Mom, sorry sister...ain't gonna support child labor or rippin' off the talented designers in my industry.  Come visit me, and go there yourself!)

And no...that is NOT a CHER pin on my bag-as a homeless woman on 8th Ave thought it was.

That is freakin' TOMMY LEE in all his Motley Crue glory of the early 80s. 

DUH!

Do you ever find yourself in a part of town you really really despise, only to find yourself sweetly surprised by something on its streets?

Probably not.

But this particular jaunt around Chinatown...and BAM! I got myself a chiffon, huge sleeved, toss on topper and its an ever-so-perfect addition to my fondness of layers.

Wearing:

*Chiffon topper-unknown store in Chinatown

*Black silk camisole-Express

*Skinny jeans-Uniqlo

*Black heels-Nine West

*Sunglasses-courtesy of Foster Grant

*Fringe bag-H&M

*Vintage Tommy Lee pin-gift from ex (thanks college BF!)

The Garrott Tee: Look #14-Flower Power

This week, I tried my hand at whipping up the new with the old...
a vintage frock of floral fauna layered under the "Without my Muse" tee from Garrott Designs.

It's always fun to mix it up in such a way, it keeps a vintage dress from looking too costume-y, while incorporating some laid-back ease that only a tshirt can offer.

The dress itself was a bit longer than my usual preference.  In fact, it was below the knee and rather dowdy. 
To remedy this, I did some DIY work as is not a surprise.  I took some safety pins, pinched the dress at the middle of my thigh at the side front--and took it up a few inches and pinned.  VOILA-thus creating a bit of a high-low hemline and a little more movement and sass overall.  I then did the same exact thing to my other side-front leg area. 
This is a great tip girls if ever you have a full swingy dress that's a bit longer than you like, but you don't have the time for proper hemming/alterations just yet.  A few safety pins can be a girl's BFF.  I know!

I then got all "snazzy" with the dress' tie belt.  I don't need the belt at my waist when I've got the Garrott Tee wrangling in the dress' fullness.  Soooooo, I did what any intelligent lassie would do, I tied it around my neck for some excess pizazz! 
It adds one more touch of floral feminity to the whole look. 
Just one more way to take the "Without My Muse" tee and make it a wee bit girly!

Do you ever try anything like this with your pretty lil' vintage frocks?  Or do you just wear them as they are?  I do both...but sometimes those thrift store 70s dresses are just a bit much, no?  And when that's the case, I find a quick fix like the Garrott Tee to be a lifesaver.  (I mean yes, I could just opt not to wear the vintage dress altogether, but really?  I'm not practical like that!)

So girls...get yourself a Garrott Tee and see what you can come up with.  I'm loving all the creative juices this collaboration has brought about in me.  Before, a tshirt was just a tshirt...but I'm learning along with you, that there's a bajillion ways to wear a tee outside of the norm.

Wearing:
*Gray "Without My Muse" tshirt-Garrott Designs (for purchase HERE)
*Pink floral print vintage dress-Thrift Store
*White lace tights-unknown
*Beige suede booties-Calvin Klein
*Silver vintage necklace-Thrift store
*Ring-H&M
*Silver Hoop Earrings-some random jewelry cheapo store on 14th st.

Daily Wear: Tundra Treatment

Everyone is feeling the affects of Old Man Winter this year, right?

I think the Mayans might be on to something, I think this is the end of the world, 2012 is fastly approaching!

Seriously, what's up with this?  Just as we get the sidewalks scraped, our toes finally thaw out, and we get our lives back in gear, mother nature has to come and dump more slush and crap on us.

No one can catch a break this winter...pure Tundra everywhere I go!

Although the one pretty thing I'm really into right now, is the glare the snow provides on my roof.  It's such a softening light reflected off its surface.  The top photo is without a flash and its lovely 

(not me, just the lighting)

I suppose until spring rolls around I'll keep trying my luck with layers and a mish-mash of whatever I throw together to stay warm and be functional.

As you can see, I somehow managed to mix in a girly piece (the tunic), which I think softens the entire look completely.  It adds a well needed balanced element into the outfit.

This may be one of my better layering moments if I do say so myself.

So stay warm out there kids, stock up on food, take it easy...winter is only half way over.

And if I'm any sorta weather afficionado, I hear there's a HUGE EPIC ICE STORM coming to 1/3 of the country.  YIKES!  

wearing:

*Cardigan-Alberto Makali

*Chiffon tunic-H&M

*Leggings-Uniqlo

*Boots-Jessica Simpson

*Purse-Makowsky

*Necklace-Brooklyn Charm 

Snow Day

You may have noticed I haven't had my typical "Weekend Rewind" up here in a few weeks--that's because it's officially gotten cold outside making me a bit antisocial and not as exciting.

This weekend was no exception.

Instead.......

I had myself a little SNOW DAY most of the weekend!

Because unless you're living somewhere warm, or you're not an avid weather follower as myself, then you know the east coast got slammed!

Yea for Blizzards! And I'm not talking Dairy Queen (although that does sound delicious).

At 1:30am, Sunday morning, the snow was still coming down, lots and lots of it!

And I was bundled up enjoying a cup of tea...cozy and snuggly in a warm fleece blanket (oh if only I had a Snuggie right about then life would've been extra grand!)

So with the current state of my city's temperatures, and the winter-time goodness all around me, I figure it's a good time to play catch up on one of my outfits last week and just how I throw myself together when the thermometer starts to drop.

I brave the outdoors by covering my outfit with much needed toppers:

*Black knit hat-H&M

*Black wool scarf-Target

*Black wool coat-Kenneth Cole

-And my cross-body purse to fit all the essentials

(you know, kleenex, chapstick, more kleenex)

Underneath you'll find what's not yet the real outfit at hand, just a middle layer to keep me a bit toastier:

*Gray sweatshirt-Forever 21

Once inside, shed the coat, scarf, purse, and hat (except here because I have a horrible case of hat head right about now.) and there you go--

My not so bulky outfit in a climate that requires maximum bulk to stay warm.

*White v-neck t-shirt-Uniqlo

*Black body-con bandage skirt-Express

*Black opaque tights-HUE

*Black booties-Nine West

*Silver vintage necklace-Thrift Store

Now I have to rack my brains to do something similar for tomorrow...only this time, switch in the practical shoe to face the icy slush left behind on the sidewalks. Hmmmmm, this could be tough!