For Show

"That's two D's, for a double-dose of this pimpin' "

2012-01-27T16:27:00.000-08:00

thrifted top and skirt / shoes from BE

Sterling and I finally decided to try the Barbeque spot across from my house. It's less than a block away, but they have such odd hours (11-4, Wednesday through Saturday) and often close earlier than that because they run out of food, which is a sure sign that the food is awesome. That, and the fact that cops eat there all the time. Cops love good meat and shit.

After consuming a half-pound of mac n' cheese, and one of the hottest hotlink sandwiches I've ever had, we waddled back home with a pound of ribs and another pound of mac n' cheese wrapped up for later.

And then we ate the ribs.

: /

Dayglo Like Faygo

2012-01-22T22:40:00.000-08:00

Went on a thrifting / pho adventure in Chinatown this weekend and stumbled upon a festival that was going down for the Chinese new year (that's how I met my little friend here). I picked up this 1960s, retina-burning orange coat in Orange Country over the holidays. It was originally down to my calves, but luckily my mother is a cracker-jack seamstress, and together we hemmed it to the perfect length. It's getting rarer and rarer that you find something in a thrift / vintage store that wouldn't be perfect if it were juuuuuust a little shorter / larger / what have you. I usually factor in the cost of tailoring when deciding whether or not to buy something that's not...quite...there. It's always worth it, though. I get so many compliments on this coat. At the bus stop the other day, a woman turned to me and said "Girl, your shit's clean as hell" and then offered me a joint.

Isn't fashion wonderful?

Plug

2012-01-18T15:59:00.000-08:00

Instagram: @nerdberger

Field Trip: "Renegades" at Bekris Gallery

2012-01-17T16:33:00.000-08:00

More snaps from my visit to the Bekris Gallery on Saturday. I'm still finding my way around the city, and most of the time I'm choosing which exhibits to review based on what little I can gather from art listings online (or in a place like SFAQ, which has been the most fruitful so far), so encountering an insanely interesting photography show like Renegades was really serendipity, especially since I went with Sterling, who not only shares my love of photography but also happens to be dyed-in-the-wool derpa derp metal nerd, and his knowledge proved invaluable.

The fourth and fifth photographs pictured here are my favorite. How does that guy up top not make you think of Mötorhead's Ace of Spades cover, but somehow darker, almost apocalyptic? And then you spot dude-fries in the background going about his business in his khakis and backpack...

I love the one below him, it was the only one done in that stark, silvery print style. Very Mapplethorpe, but more heroic than fetishy.

The show up until Janurary 27th. You ca read my review of it over at ArtSlant, and then I highly recommend you hustle over.

In the Rojo

2012-01-14T19:04:00.000-08:00

vintage blouse and jacket / thrifted skirt and shoes / street vendor pins / Buffalo Exchange sunglassesI

I took a little trip to see a photography exhibit in the SoMA area of San Francisco today (more on that later this week). Many of the fine art galleries in SF are in that neighborhood, flanked by designer boutiques to one one side, and janky chain stores on the other. I dashed into Macy's (which sort of represents an equilibrium between the two) to use the restroom, noticing that salespeople and patrons alike were staring at me like, I don't know, they just stared... I don't think I blended in with the Tommy Hilfiger and Rachel Roy diffusion line displays very well. I also became very aware of the fact that department stores are not designed for people to dash in and out of. I got lost, a little bit overwhelmed by all the sparkly lights and throngs of people, and almost flipped over a table covered in Swatch watches just to watch the pretty rubber colors fly and maybe feel something other than anxiety...

Thankfully, I made it out without too much fuss.

Field Trip: Photobooth SF

2012-01-14T14:13:00.000-08:00

Annalise and Ashley

Jen

pink motorcycle jacket Sterling gave to me for Christmas - I just need a white one, and the trifecta will be complete

Opening Ceremony skirt / vintage boots

Annalise's uncle had an opening at Photobooth SF in the Mission last Friday, and I was excited to view what can only be described as sexy, blown-up fashion photographs taken using a daguerreotype-type process called Tintype. I'm pretty interested in Polaroid and antiquated forms of photography myself, and one of my goals this year is to sort through my photos (there are literally hundreds of them, stuffed in a shoebox) and make quality prints with some of them. Photobooth has has amazing products and printing resources; seems like a great place to start poking around and asking questions. I even picked up some very special Impossible Project film for a shoot I'm working on at home.

Afterward we gorged ourselves on fine mac n' cheese from Grub. I ordered mine with lobster meat, and it was deeeeeecadeeeeent!

Hurpy Hurlidays!

2012-01-04T23:44:00.000-08:00

Jen, looking gloriously apropos to her surroundings

I was trying to get a closeup of Ashley's beehivey 'do, but alack, I managed only to capture her fine Roman jawline

me and the mister

Great Dane, Ashley, Annalise, Rachel

I call this one "Beard With Arm"

Some belated holiday photographs from a super-sweet holiday party at Jen's house - there were baked goods and bottles of wine on every surface. I wore a vintage dress from Mousevox Vintage (that would be Rachel's lovely vintage shop), which I was so happy to have occasion to wear. There's a criminal discrepancy between the amount of sequin dresses we are marketed during the holiday season and the amount of holiday parties that behoove them. It was pretty wonderful. I ate way too many cookies and I think at some point I took some upskirt shots of myself with Ashley's camera. I thank her heartily in advance for not posting them.

Hop over to Ashley's blog for many more photos, including ones of several good-looking people I didn't get the chance to properly meet before catching the BART home...but I see you ladies...oh, I see you...

New Yeeeeeear

2012-01-02T15:01:00.000-08:00


I think I'm saying "what the shit" or something here

my pretty-girl face

vintage dress (hemmed short by me and my mum / vintage boots / cheapo shades from Buffalo Exchange

Some pictures from my last full day in Los Angeles... I woke up extra early to visit my doctor's office, mainly as a final-check up and to ask her if I could go rollerskating later that night. She seemed skeptical, but I confessed that I had already attended a swing dancing lesson earlier in the week. It's a special pleasure knowing I spent the first night of my vacation in the hospital, and my final night roller-skating the night away and falling only twice, during the backwards skate, which everyone else was too chicken shit to do, anyway.

I don't have many resolutions this year beyond generic things like reading more, managing my time better, and picking my nose less. I already got a head start on being pro-active about my health, and I really, really encourage you to do the same. I'm not saying that every sneeze is a death knell, but when you know something is wrong, you know, and just, like...fucking, go. Go to the doctor. At least for your own peace of mind. And if you find out that that growth on your head that you've been freaking out over is just some calcium build-up, well then all the better. A perceived brush-with-death is like BlueBlockers for the soul.

After my appointment, Andrew and I wandered around the fashion district in downtown, looking for a new suitcase for me—I got so many new clothes during my break (since Christmas is so close to my birthday) that I had to get extra luggage! We bought flowers, grabbed coffee, I made it home in time for lunch and vintage shopping with my parents, and rounded it all off at the Moonlight Rollerway for Elisa's birthday. I even managed to squeeze in a business meeting and a quick brunch with Marie from Agent Lover the morning of my flight!

Here's to 2012 kicking ass. I can't wait to see / meet more of y'all this year.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T18:15:00.000-08:00

Wrapping Up

2011-12-23T23:16:00.000-08:00

Greetings from Southern California! I'm snuggled up at my parents' house after a whirlwind few days. I turned 27 on Sunday, flew down to Long Beach on Monday, had a minor operation on Tuesday morning (a routine follow-up procedure for the surgery I had back in July), came home Wednesday night and now I'm in bed, sipping Mexican hot chocolate, being generally thankful and pretty overwhelmed by everything that's happened this year.

I took this right before leaving my apartment to get to the airport - wearing a super cute little teeth pin that Marie was nice enough to send me. People keep asking if I'm a dentist.

There's cheetahs on the back of my shirt. My dad took this as I was waiting to pick up some god-awful shit at the pharmacy. What is it, you ask? Well, whenever you have tummy surgery, you need to be all spic n' span down in there, so that means no food whatsoever the day before and—this is the best part—you get to drink a gallon of laxative. No joke, a GALLON. It tastes like lemon gatorade and latex gloves, and I think you can pretty much ascertain what goes on after that.

Anyway, the shirt is vintage and was my birthday present to myself.

Here's me right after surgery. I'm wearing t-shirt Sterling designed for Blood is the New Black that says "Don't Be A Pussy". The nurses thought it was very funny.

....and here I am only a day later! The dollar store near my parents' house has tons of weird rings right now. I may have bought 5 or 10 or 20 of them.

Have a super Merry Christmas, count your blessings and try not to be a dick to your family. Sorry if I got too personal there with...you know...laxatives...and stuff....

Actually, I'm not sorry at all. Peace!

Field Trip: Beat by the Bay

2011-12-20T21:04:00.000-08:00

In the midst of writing four papers for finals last week, I managed to attend opening for retrospective of Beat visual artists at the Ever Gold gallery in the Tenderloin. It's a tiny, interesting space run by two ambitious young men who also publish and write for the San Francisco Arts Quarterly (it's free, and the current issue has a great interview with Chris Burden). Click on any of the pictures above to read my review for ArtSlant, which perhaps comes off as more ambivalent than I would like, for I really did enjoy the show; a fitting introduction the SF arts scene for a butt-head Angeleno like me.

I hope you're enjoying the holidays. I'm getting an actual digital camera soon, so you can look forward to sharper outfit posts and art stuff and other stuff.

Shake a Leg

2011-12-17T15:53:00.000-08:00

Occupy Oakland, 2011

Recursive

2011-12-12T12:58:00.000-08:00

Waiting at the BART station to go have a drink with Rachel on Friday night. Wearing a vintage coat and TopShop heels. The top photo is from her Instagram and the bottom one is from mine - can you tell which one of us is rocking the older iphone?

Wanderin'

2011-12-10T18:52:00.001-08:00

Had a wonderful day palling around Chinatown with Sterling, scoring some goods at Salvation Army, and enjoying pan-asian cuisine from questionable establishments...

Taking a breather in the furniture section. Wearing a striped blouse from Mousevox Vintage, thrifted green leather skirt, Marc Jacobs jacket and (duh) chucks.

This store carried Angry Birds slippers. I wanted them.

Sorry for the janky photos - It was kind of dark in there. I only have two more papers to write before Wednesday and then I'll be free for the holidays!

Play Nice

2011-12-05T15:18:00.000-08:00

David bunny brain / Brian, 2011

It was all whirlwind, heat and flash

2011-12-04T15:58:00.001-08:00

I took a little break this morning to grab scones from Arizmendi bakery after pulling an all-nighter to finish my final Art History paper. Wearing a Marc Jacobs motorcycle jacket, old UO dress, and vintage boots from Pretty Penny in Oakland. The embroidery is so bright - I get stopped and complimented every time I wear them!

Doll Hairs

2011-11-30T15:52:00.001-08:00

From about 12 to 22, I had short hair. Short, like Michelle Williams pixie-cut short, with some stages of mohawkery and once instance of full-blown head shaving. I started growing it out about 4 years ago, because I dunno, I hadn't had long hair since I was a little girl and I wanted to try my hand at being conventionally attractive. It was a good run, but I had a li'l freakout in my bathroom last night and I got something in between Louise Brooks and Anna Wintour.

My haircuts are almost always a result of existential crisis with a pair of Friskars. I'm sort of freaked out by how much more...out there my face is now, but it's growing on me. My style was starting to feel a little one-dimensional with all that hair. I'm sure it sounds weird because my hair has been long since I started this blog, but short feels a little more me.

In Your Hood

2011-11-26T23:25:00.001-08:00

A few pictures from the launch party in Venice Beach for a collaboration Sterling did with Hoodie Buddie. They're a company that makes hoodies with earbuds in the drawstrings and a headphone jack coming out of the pocket. I don't wear sweatshirts really, but they've revolutionized my daily run—even though people stare because I've got hoodie drawstrings coming out my ears.

Skinner (who I think looks exactly like Mike Mills), me, Sterling

That's our friend Casey on the right, doing some sort of sexy snake dance. I wore a red leather halter top from Painted Bird in Los Angeles, because it was our last night in Los Angeles and I said fuck it.

(photos by Mike Hill)

Sea of Snacks

2011-11-25T15:57:00.001-08:00

Happy belated Thanksgiving! Did you have a wonderful feast? Sterling and I decided to take a holiday from the holiday. We're both in the middle of huge projects until the middle of December, and the friends who we had planned on cooking for canceled last minute, so instead of freaking out in the kitchen all day we slept in, grabbed bagels, did some work, went for an afternoon run and then out for the worst dinner either of us have ever had before drinking Jameson and watching Scarface in bed.

It was pretty awesome.

Naturally, we took a break from Black Friday as well. I always shut myself in the day after Thanksgiving, I just don't understand that shit at all, though I do like the push this year to patronize small businesses instead of big box stores. Lots of rad Etsy and Ebay sellers are having sales this weekend, too.

This is what I wore to pop out of the house for some snacks (Captain Crunch and Chicharones, if you're wondering). The sailor hat is from an army surplus store in Silverlake. It makes me feel like Turbojugend. I want to join the Oakland chapter just so I can get a jacket.

Peace! I'm out for a jog and then going to make fideo for dinner. It's a really cheap, quick Mexican comfort food. My mom used to make it all the time when I was little.

Oh my Goth

2011-11-22T14:43:00.001-08:00

A couple photos from an awesome post Ashley did about Annalise's goth-themed birthday party (the last one is from my Fujifilm camera - I dig the b+w treatment). Click here to see the rest!

Space is the Place

2011-11-21T11:00:00.000-08:00

It's a typical to be a feature of writers' workmode to remain aggressively dressed down when they are writing. Shameful descriptions of mismatched slippers, t-shirts from ex-lovers, and pajamas with cartoon characters, etc. are common when reading about writers at work. I have to dress to work. As a full-time student with freelance work in lieu of a part-time job, my home is my office, library, studio, and coffeeshop. Getting fully dressed to work keeps me alert and delineates work time from leisure time (though I must stress here that there are no cartoon characters to be found anywhere in my "relaxing-around-the-house" wardrobe, either).

This is what I wore cooped up in the house all day Saturday, working on an art history paper and putting the finishing touches on the latest issue of Blood is the New Black magazine. It's getting better every time; I can't wait to show it to you!

Need to learn how to crack a smile

The coral sweater is from Community Thrift in SF, and the skirt is Jeremy Scott via Wasteland in LA. Community is a popular thrifting spot in the Mission, but despite the crowds I always find something awesome there, including the Blues Brothers soundtrack on vinyl (!) I have yet to visit the Wasteland store in the Haight—I hear it's good.


this Star-Trek looking ring is from F21

I freaking love the moon-print! With all plaids and florals I have, it's nice to find a weird, modern print for contrast. Classic shapes with modern prints are my favorite...

My apartment, god bless it, has built-in bookshelves. There are still random stacks of books piled around...

Candela NYC oxfords

Okay, back to work. No rest for the weary. I'm trying to get to a good stopping place before Thanksgiving—I sadly can't make it down to LA tosee my family, but I'm excited towhip up turkey dinner on my own for the first time. Wish me luck!

Black n' White

2011-11-18T14:27:00.001-08:00

Celebrated the last day of bay area bare-legged weather this week. My wardrobe is sorely lacking in practical cold-weather wear, but I'll have to wait and see how stupid I feel going to school in faux-fur coats before buying anything else.

This vintage Bergdorf Goodman knit cardigan is from my BFF Elisa. She's a pretty good picker, and when we both lived in LA she would let me go through her hauls before putting them on eBay. I was reminded of this vintage Ralph Lauren button-down by a certain Zara shirt that keeps popping up on my RSS...not that I don't want that one as well...

Apologies for squinty face - overcast days can be sneakily bright

I get so much wear out of this AA skirt, I have to tear myself away from it sometimes. It's simple, structured, and the perfect counterpoint for prim, printed blouses. I originally found one for 8 bucks at Buffalo Exchange, but when I needed the next size down, I was miffed to find that the thing retails for $45 in AA stores. I mean, it's great, but it's essentially a little circle of cotton with a zipper. Luckily, I found another one second-hand at Painted Bird in Los Angeles, in my size. Chalk it up to my pathological inability to pay full-retail for anything...

These socks are from Target, would you believe? The buttons are real! I picked them up last year, I should have bought five pairs of them...

Field Trip: San Francisco Sock Market

2011-11-12T17:48:00.001-08:00

I've told you about the sock thing before. I was psyched to have another sock adventure with Marie of Agent Lover. Where else, but...

Marie was visiting the bay area from Los Angeles and I really wanted to be able to show her around, but seeing as I just got here myself, I don't know anything about that little-hole-in-the-wall spot with the best whatever-it-is, or that amazing dive bar off the something-or-other where the rad-stuff happens some-night-of-the-week. I figured socks and burgers were a safe bet for a blind ladydate. Do you agree, Marie? Marie? Helloooooo!?

We had pre-game burgers at Hard Rock Café in Fisherman's Wharf. I don't know how we could possibly be any more touristy. Well, I was THISCLOSE to suggesting we eat at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.. but I'm not proud of it. Afterward we made our way to the Sock Market, which, in reality, is the size of Claire's boutique.


HOW CAN YOU NOT HAVE A GOOD TIME IN HERE!?

I wore one of my favorite thrift finds - I've had this paintstroke-print dress for almost seven years now.

Agent Lover approved!

Something for everyone...


No really. Everyone.

EVERYONE.


I ended up taking these pink, winky-face numbers home with me.

Thanks for hanging, Marie! Let's do it again soon...with booooooooze.

pics via my Hipstamatic and Marie's twitter.

Liebe Me Be

2011-11-08T21:14:00.000-08:00

David Liebe Hart frequented this coffeeshop I used to work at in Downtown LA. After long day of busking in front of Walt Disney Concert Hall, he would roll up, eat soup, draw pictures for me, and generally spout his craziness for hours while I cleaned up. This happened almost every night.

Having exhausted everyone else's good graces, latched onto mine. Whatever. His conspiracy theories are sort of next-level crazy, his party stories aren't fit to repeat, and he always had a mouthful to say about perceived abuses he suffered at the hands of Tim and Eric, but I liked having company while I closed. I'd say he's still got a teeny plot of real estate in my heart. I kept all the portraits he did of me, and one he did of Sterling with a dragon.

I think his outfit in this photo is amazing. How many shirts is he wearing, like eight...teen?

Fixins

2011-11-07T11:34:00.000-08:00

Quick post to show you my print-mixing skills, which will apparently come in very handy this spring. I'm wearing a vintage palm-tree print cardigan from the Melrose Trading Post, and a silk tie-dye bustier tank I bought from some sidewalk sale at the Warehouse Shoe Sale in Echo Park. On the weekends they roll out racks and racks of weird F21 samples and overstock for about $5 apiece (he who seeks beauty will find it).

I just spent my last weekend in Los Angeles for a while. Missing it so much, but happy to be experiencing another city.

Little skull charm that always looks like he's laughing at you. What, what is it? Do you have something in your teeth?

Thrifted lace-ups. These are the next best thing to going barefoot.

The mister and I are working on our teeny tiny apartment at the moment. I like the way our stuff is coming together...I'll share some pictures as soon as it's done. Peace!

Light Travel

2011-10-24T18:20:00.000-07:00

Things have been rather frenzied around these parts. I was in Los Angeles this weekend to visit my doctor, see my beau's art show, and go shopping with my mom. This on top of that magical time of the semester when teachers realize they've assigned you thousands of pages of reading, but something like one paper, so they must pile on three more papers in the last six weeks.

Death disease mayhem pizza.

I wore a vintage red suede sheath dress (that I recently shortened–I can't help it), and trusty ankle boots to run around Silverlake with my mom and grandma. Together we are tres generaciones.

I picked up way too much stuff from Painted Bird. I had a great experience selling things to the San Francisco location, and nearly cleaned out the Los Angeles location. The selection is pretty quirky and the prices are noticeably more reasonable than other vintage stores in both areas. The owner, Sunny, is very sweet and fun as well.

But that is for another time. Right now I'm composing and Ode to Cheeseburgers. In my brain.

Work It

2011-10-13T21:33:00.000-07:00

This was taken on the first day of the semester. I'm wearing some treasures I picked up over the summer in Los Angeles - thrifted black suede skirt and crop top from Melrose Trading Post.

The Atomic Professor

2011-10-13T18:50:00.000-07:00

Click here to read my latest piece for ArtSlant, a critique of the short-story excerpted above.

Bit o' Business

2011-10-12T20:34:00.000-07:00

Click on the image above to find my new tumblr, full of awesome / random tumbly things related to fashion, art, movies, and regulation-hotties of yesteryear.

Click on the flyers to find my photography journal, dedicated exclusively to my ever-growing collection of Polaroid and Fujifilm prints.

Follow your nose,
Christina

Don't Eat the Daisies

2011-10-10T20:24:00.000-07:00

These were taken Sunday afternoon, the last day of weekend sunshine before the rain came back this morning - fitting that I wore my new daisy-print dress from Annie's Vintage.

Annie's Vintage isn't really a store, it's a rack of vintage clothes tucked into the corner of the Cotton Basics store in Rockridge. The selection is really random, but I usually find something wacky and/or special. I don't know. I like buying clothes in random places. I still think the Silverlake Farmers Market has some of the best vintage shopping in Los Angeles, and in high school I used to swipe clothes from the theater department's wardrobe closet (ah, wayward youth!)

I have a habit of hemming all of my dresses to mini-length (or as haters like to call it, "pussy lampshade") but this dress has a big ruffle around the bottom, so I'm going to leave it long.

...pigging out on a fresh fruit tart. I forget where this is - somewhere in the Piedmont area. I was there to visit Issues and treat myself to a fat European glossy, but there were so many magazines that I had been wanting for so long (Garage, Love, the latest Lula, Oyster, L'Officiel, Fantastic Man...you get my drift) I freaked out and left empty handed.

Best to go in with a game plan next time.

Loony Crooners

2011-10-09T22:06:00.000-07:00

I'm still kind of new to the Bay Area, so in the interest of being a people person and meeting cool ladies and such, I went out on Saturday night to meet the lovely Ashley and some of her friends at very nightclubby karaoke bar called Pandora (white leather couches! blue and purple lighting! scantily-clad women!) to hopefully break some hearts with my budding karaoke skills. I was a bit nervous, so the first order of business upon arrival was to get a drink in me. I am not accustomed to drinking three whiskey-sodas in rapid succession, but I'm pretty sure everything was uphill after that.

Here you see examples of standard karaoke partying levels.

Then the sailors came.

...then the sailor found the birthday girl...

...but the IT Guy was not about to be outdone by a sailor...

...and in the end he got the birthday girl...

...he got her good.

Now Watching

2011-10-06T15:12:00.000-07:00

Bill Cunningham New York is a wonderful documentary, less about fashion and more a portrait of Bill as an artist with an extremely poignant and disciplined attitude toward his work. Documentaries don't usually lend themselves to screen-cappery, so I'll just share what I found to be the most amusing part of the film.

This little playboy-diplomat had such a meek demeanor, like any old man who likes to talk about where their stuff is from, only his stuff consists of madcap, custom-made, head-to-toe suiting.

Mr. Upadhaya is featured in the film as one of Cunningham's recurring subjects (for obvious reasons), and the filmmakers turn his interview into a great montage of his favorite outfits. He talks about putting on a plain suit to go to work at the U.N. in the 70s, then going into full regalia to spend his nights at Studio 54. So amazing. What is it about U.N. diplomats? They're so...cool. Don't even get me started on Boutros Boutros Ghali.

More pictures of Shail after the jump!

"This is my Scottish plaid outfit...I do not know what clan it is from."

"This jacket is made from my old couch. The pants are from my old ottoman."

He's saved and laminated every picture Bill has taken of him in the New York Times. "To show to my grandchildren," he says.

Was your gramps this awesome?

Calibrating...

2011-10-05T16:46:00.000-07:00

I know I tend to have strong taste in clothes, and most days I attempt to put myself together in a thoughtful manner. But—and I think this has something to do with growing up in Southern California—that all goes out the window at the slightest hint of inclement weather.


thrifted pants and sweater, PopKiller tee (inside out), army surplus suspenders

I'm trying to adapt, I really am. I bought shiny black rubber rain boots and a clear vinyl bubble umbrella and all sorts of cute, warm, tights; but when the moment of truth comes, apparently all I can do is dress like every guy I had a crush on in high school: high-water pants (these are so big they actually necessitate suspenders) and big sweaters.

...still remembered my doodads, though. Actually I just forgot to take them off from last time.

I kind of like the awkward length of the pants with ankle boots. Normally my rainy-day outfits end in Docs (to round off the high-school-crush-as-inspiration theme), but I just got these boots repaired and wanted to take them out.

I also contracted a very bad cold from jogging in the rain last night. My old man told me it was a bad idea, but I had the Drive soundtrack going in my earbuds, and the lights around Lake Merritt looked so beautiful, I just kept going, half expecting, half hoping Ryan Gosling would pop out from behind a tree in that shiny scorpion jacket and be all "hey girl, don't be scared. Let me buy you a torta from your favorite taco truck."

mmmmm.....tortas

Sometimes you have to just follow your bliss, you know?

Sketchy Times

2011-10-02T22:58:00.000-07:00

Sterling drew this right before I went into surgery. I couldn't eat anything for 24 hours before, so by the time I was ready to go under, my hunger was actually distracting me from my nervousness–all for the best, really. Sterling and my parents had fasted with me in solidarity, but as soon the men in white coats wheeled me away, they bolted for Masa (my favorite restaurant), and gorged themselves on burgers and beer. I knew they were going to, too, the bastards. I could see it in their eyes. The first thing I remember coming out of surgery was seeing them around my bed and thinking that I should say something witty to show that I was okay. I don't remember exactly what I said, but Sterling told me later it was

"You may touch the hem of my garment."

Going Native (Country)

2011-10-02T16:31:00.000-07:00

Been missing my Texan man back in Los Angeles a lot lately. I think it's starting to manifest...in my dress...

Really though, I don't wear this jacket half as often as I should. Went out for dinner at Uva Enoteca in the Haight for a little reunion with Mitra and the rest of the bay area Blood is the New Black crew. Still thinking about garlic ice cream sandwiched between ginger cookies dipped in caramel...

I've been having the most amazing thrift luck lately—first, a vintage Missoni twinset (more on that later) and today I found the perfect pair of cowboy boots.

These peewee type boots are hundreds of dollars on Etsy and Ebay. Goes to show you have to keep your eyes peeled and beat those pickers to the punch.

Wearing an old thrifted dress and cowprint pony-skin belt. I usually try to avoid wearing all black, maybe I should just give in.

*note: I will no longer be posting my polaroid and fujifilm photography here. You can check them all out on my tumblr from now on. Peace!

Excuse Me, Your Tastes Are Showing...

2011-09-27T14:30:00.000-07:00

I have this urge to counteract the sweetness of my clothes with my pins and doodads. I don't know why this is a worry, looking too sweet or girly: I've seen actual sweet-looking girls cross the street to avoid running into me. Either way, doodads are very important in my life. Some constants are the little skull charm around my neck, which was part of a brooch I found at thrift store - the hinged jaw really works! I wear it with a sterling silver heart charm I found at a flea market that says TEXAS on the front (for my bf), both strung up on a 14k gold chain. I never, ever take it off. The sunglasses pin never leaves my moto jacket, and the naked-lady mudflap pin is a new addition. Got it for a dollar from a street vendor in SF. It reminds me of this old Culture Clash sketch I saw when I was little, about some Mexican day laborers trying to sue their employer for 20 dollars "and a pair of naked-lady mudflaps." Strange how random stuff like that stays with you. I move this pin around a lot, I love the way it looks with pretty vintage blouses....

Vintage Escada spectator brogues. I've had them resoled once already. I cannot stress enough the importance of investing in the care and keeping of shoes, especially those special thrift store finds that are irreplaceable. I've seen too many a good shoe go down in it's prime. It feels weird to spend $20-30 on some shoes that you originally spent $10 on, but they will look like new and last forever, just like you wanted. Go now, you fool! Buy your shoes some love!

I'm on sabbatical from makeup, and it feels so good. Ironically enough, my skin greatly improved once I pried myself away from all the goops and spackles I was using. Black soap has a lot to do with it, too. I recommend this terrifying poop-looking stuff to everyone. Doodads, shoe repair, poop soap...life is pretty good.

Waiting

2011-09-17T22:13:00.000-07:00

Lake Merritt, Echo Park / 2011

Sleep

2011-09-15T23:00:00.000-07:00

my bedroom, Oakland CA / 2011

"There actually is a St. Hubbins...he's the Patron Saint of Quality Footwear"

2011-09-13T19:43:00.001-07:00

I have this...thing, for novelty socks.

There's store place called The Sock Market in San Francisco (I think there's one in LA too, but it's out in Universal City) that I will actually brave the terrifying crowds of Fisherman's Wharf in order to patronize. It's wall-to-wall socks with insane designs and motifs that sometimes have no business being on socks. For this reason, I love it. I pretty much wear my crazy socks exclusively with my Doc Marten service shoes, like somehow it takse them down a few notches? I don't know. I got a lot of looks and comments, and some really nice compliments on my Virgen de Guadalupe socks today.

I wore my pious footwear with a vintage dress and Marc Jacobs jacket.

Here's a slightly better picture, strategically cropped beacause I was in the middle of a sentence and it looked like I was making a really strange (albeit accurate) impression of Robert DeNiro. I have got to get more comfortable in front of the camera. I wish I was one of those stoic, willowy girls with a blog name like "Foxes and Cameras" or "The Fashionable Library" who can just sort of peek into the lens half smiling, with half-shrugged shoulders, somehow looking totally natural.
I'm kidding, I don't wish that...often.

Anyway, going along with the pious theme, here's another favorite pair from the SF Sock Market.

Patterns of Intention

2011-09-12T19:53:00.000-07:00

Alameda, CA / 2011

I Don't Like Confrontation

2011-09-10T21:20:00.001-07:00

Alameda, CA / 2011

I Can Haz Time to Make Myslef Pretty

2011-09-07T18:52:00.000-07:00

I wanted to commemorate today, this day, as the day I finally dressed myself for school. The first week or so is always hectic, and I end up wearing whatever is on the floor closest to my bed. Sometimes, the results are serendipity - like when I throw on a motorcycle jacket over my bedclothes and convince myself it's an outfit.


Still sleepy from waking up 10 minutes early to dress

Remember Proenza Schouler for Target? I loved this shirt more than anything else. I should have bought several, seeing as I'm already preemptively rue-ing the day it finally falls apart.

I've taken to just tying my shirts now. Tucking them in makes me pull and fidget with the hem all day. It also masks a multitude of fit problems. Worn with this delicate lace vintage skirt and nerd-alert loafers from the Silverlake Farmers Market.

I'm off on a mission to find a bottle of Mexican coke. Wish me luck.

Sun Spots

2011-09-05T14:36:00.001-07:00

Alameda, CA / 2011

Brow Beat

2011-09-04T20:29:00.001-07:00

Alameda, CA / 2011

Oot and Aboot

2011-09-04T01:51:00.000-07:00

Hey now! Doesn't this look like an outfit post? I think so! One thing I've learned about fashion blogs (other than the fact that despite their-self proclaimed disposition of heralding a new democracy in fashion, most are capable of making you feel just as crappy about yourself as any of those ladymags they're supposed to be liberating you from) is that most outfits that "work" in "real life," outfits that make nice strangers give you compliments and petty strangers give you dagger eyes don't actually translate into "good" "street style" "photos." This is what I wore to have dinner with my mom and wander around Walden Books in Oakland. I couldn't get myself to put something crazier on just for a better picture (there's probably plenty of that for later, anyhow). Let's have a close up of the shoes, which are all that matter here.

I purchased these bastard things on sale at ASOS, a terrible demon-harpy, cyber-warehouse of an online clothing clothing store that lures you in with promises of free shipping, with no minimum purchase. They are surprisingly sturdy and comfortable for being so high. I was able to walk around all night not looking like a newborn colt trying to find it's footing.

This is me reading a style book from the 80s titled Clotheswise: Successful Dressing for Your Lifestyle. For belonging to an ephemera-driven genre like "style books," the message has aged pretty well. Instead of dated pictures and fuck-all references to Audrey Hepburn, there is broad, practical advice on choosing clothes to accommodate the life you actually lead, instead of the life your ego-centric consumerist spending habits would have you aspire to lead. The first chapter is called "The Costume Party is Over."

...

I change my mind, this book is a bummer.

Field Trip: Ai Wei Wei at LACMA

2011-08-20T14:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Andrew and I attended a press luncheon for the Ai Wei Wei installation Circle of Animals / Zodiac Heads in the courtyard at LACMA; the series of bronze sculptures depicting the traditional Chinese zodiac signs are modeled after the heads that stood in the courtyard of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing in the 18th century.

On top of the process and piece itself occluding straightforward notions of nationalism, the politicism of Wei Wei's work and existence in general right now was made evident by the ratio of art writers to political journalists. One to one, I think?

"Quick, take a picture before a security guard yells at me."

The heads form a circle around the elevator that comes up from the parking garage. It sounds just like the sort of awkward collision of historical and modern that we're all supposed to disparage, but the experience of coming up from underground to find yourself in the middle of them is pretty great. I love going to these things and hearing about the process and concept behind the works from the curators themselves. The three course lunch that followed was delicious - as if you could expect anything less from such a fine cultural institution. Bonus! I was seated right across from Edward Goldman of Art Talk on KCRW. He was surprisingly funny and affable, and complimented me on my skirt *blush*

Obligatory photo in front of Chris Burden's Urban Light

I wore a quilted grey mini from Opening Ceremony (which is not suited for warm weather, but I love the damn thing so much I wear it year-round) and a silk feather-print blouse from the Salvation Army. I was born in the Year of the Rat, which according to the Chinese zodiac means I'm "charming, clever, and have excellent taste"; one of several unfortunate myths generated from an otherwise noble and insightful people.

I'm Aliiiiiiiiiiive!

2011-08-04T19:17:00.000-07:00

Hello! I'm back, sort of. Resting now at my parent's house. My hospital stay was...interesting. I had my own room and the staff was very friendly and helpful, but there were some complications that slowed my recovery - at some point I was getting my stomach pumped, and the pain was so intense it was almost interesting. Almost.

BUT. That's all behind me. Right now I just feel achy and tired all the time. It's like being an old man. I can barely walk around the block. This blows my mind, as I was running 10-15 miles a week right up until the surgery. I should be in top form in time for school at the end of the month, so right now I'm just trying to take it all in stride...baby steps.

This is how she looks at my Dad whenever he says something asshole-ish

ANYWAY. Seeing as I've been wearing nothing but pajamas, or a long black tent-dress if I must leave the house (it's kind of Yoji Yamamoto / comfy womfy look I'm trying out. Can't say I don't like it) I wanted to show you how nice my mom looked today. She found this dress at a thrift store. It had huge puffed out shoulders that made me say "way to go ma" but then she altered the sleeves and it looks so pretty and modern. I want to steal it now!

I love the little peplum and different-colored piping.

So you know that I truly am alive, here's a picture of me on the way to the doctor's for a follow-up. The bruises are from all the damn daily shots I was getting in the hospital. They're everywhere. I look like I got rolled...

Oh, uh...blah blah September issues blah blah blah.

Lunch Break

2011-07-20T13:52:00.000-07:00

Wrapping up my last day at work for a while...

My propensity to doodle on/in everything

Cheap knockoffs of *those* Tom Ford Sunglasses

Blue cotton dress from Pasadena City College flea market

Black patent loafers from Silverlake Farmers Market

Future Now

2011-07-19T18:50:00.000-07:00

Some outfitty stuff I've been meaning to get off my phone for weeks now....

blouse from The Loved One shop in Pasadena, though I like to tell people it's from the future

Patriotic macaroons from Intelligentsia

Purse from King Richard's Antique Mall

Mexican embroidered skirt and thrifted shoes

I call this look the "Man Without a Country"

Winding Down

2011-07-18T21:24:00.000-07:00

I think you should save money and not spend it all on fashion. Is that controversial? Save 10% of what you earn. Always. Pretend you never earned it. Because one day you’re going to want to buy a house to live in, and you can’t do that if you’ve spunked it all on not-so-cheap threads. I love that phrase ‘spunked it all’.

Save some money, because you work hard, and at the end of each year, you can look at that bank deposit and say “that’s what I have to show for it.” Fetishize over the balance as much as you do a new pair of Miu Mius. You deserve more than a pile of potential op-shop donations for your hard work. Don’t be fooled into thinking you need to buy clothes all the time. You don’t. People like me who talk about clothes all day do it for a job. Other people talk about bin collecting all day, or hedge funds, and you don’t fiendishly slave over what they’re saying. Maybe you do, let’s talk. You’re funny.

Buy once and buy well. Love clothes and enjoy them, but choose pieces that work for your body, you’ll go back to them year on year. Update with seasonal purchases here and there. Don’t panic buy and treat sales like brain surgery. Be precise, make only considered incisions into your wallet. Save money, buy a flat, but don’t worry about when it happens. Whenever you manage to land your own home, it will eventually make you money. And at that point, you can spend the extra on clothes. (via)

I've been thinking about this quote a lot today, how the commodification of "fashion blogging" has put this immense pressure of professional stakes on what should be a positive outlet for expression. I've always been bad with money, always spent just a little too much on clothes at the expense of oh, say... paying bills on time, or filling up my gas tank. There's a lot of talk in the air about what fashion blogging has done to our sense of self; I realized that my mostly reckless-yet-always-enjoyable pursuit of clothes has become tainted with a sense of anxiety, even urgency. My style has always been a very natural extension of my personality, but lately the simple task of finding things to cover my body has been taking up a little bit too much of my mental energy, at the expense of the pursuits that truly make me happy (reading good books, going to museums, playing the ukulele, copping feels on my boyfriend) and that are in line with what I actually want to do with my life (writing, editing, becoming a video vixen).

Troubled by complexities of life, and by complex fruit

Earlier today I was making a mental list of what I could buy with my next paycheck, because I had actually forgotten that I'm having surgery this week. I was channeling my anxieties about surgery into buying stuff, and maybe that's okay–there are worse ways to channel negative energy–but the truth is I'm freaking scared, and it's troubling that I've found it so hard to express that, especially since I have such an open (some would say confessional) nature. Bloglife has become about putting your perfect, most innocuous self forward, but at best, my innocuous self is the one who remembers to not pick her nose in the car (I think tinted windows make me invisible). So look, I'm having surgery this week, and probably won't be feeling very cute for the next month or so, but I'll update as often as I can with stuff that makes me happy. There's lots. It's not very hard. I'd been freaking out over having a scar on my belly for the rest of my life, then I saw a photo of this sexy, scrappy chick on Terry's Diary and it made me happy. It made me feel better. Like life goes on. Like life is what happens while you're trying to blog.

At peace with fruit and life and myself

Catch you on the flipside, my damies....

Sticky Business

2011-07-15T12:31:00.000-07:00

I found this little guy while waiting in line at my old community college, trying to wrangle some transcripts–what ingenuity boredom can breed! He kept me company at my doctor's appointment later that day, and also at the supermarket. Having to spend days off running errands and tending to the sundry business of life makes me a little bit depressed, but Gum Guy here cheered me up a bit.

(ed. note: I was going to title this post "Teeny Little Super Guy", but that's my exclusive nickname for Ronnie James Dio, God rest his soul).

Better Late Than

2011-07-13T12:38:00.000-07:00

Pictures from Sterling's birthday dinner back in May that I snagged from Seth.

I'm probably telling what anyone else would call a terrible joke here. I get no respect.

The red suede sheath dress and ankle boots are both from Etsy. The sunglasses are cheapies that I now buy in lots from eBay, because I lose sunglasses so often (I'm already on the third pair of the batch). I remember thinking hey, my entire outfit is from Etsy. That's neat! Do you every feel that way, when you unwittingly step out of the house wearing head to toe __________?

King Richard's Antique Mall

2011-07-08T12:56:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite places to be when I'm in Whittier. If I wasn't heading back to Oakland in August, I would have loaded up on things for the house!


sir...miss...

Babies have it right: sparkly things are wowie zowie the coolest shit in the whole world!

I was on the hunt for a practical, everyday purse. I almost convinced myself that this was it.

I ended up buying this knit purse, which I mistakenly described as "Yves Klein" blue to a graphic-designer friend who had knocked back a few. I know it's a bit of a faux pas, and probably insult to color fetishists who make pilgrimages to Europe just to see Yves Klein blue with their own two eyes. Anyway, he really let me have it. I don't remember it too well. I had knocked back a few myself, on an empty stomach, no less. I vaguely recall something about Italy and piles of color swatches being monastically sorted and compared to original Yves Klein works and making a book out of it. You'd think I claimed to have a fur stole made from Sasquatch.

I know it's not something you can just pluck from the ether, but if old ladies can (maybe) find Pollock's at garage sales, then someone's Nana can (maybe) knit an bag from IKB-colored thread found in the Irregulars bin at Michaels.

Let's just call it cerulean/cobalt/Jil Sander and go home.

Don't Believe That

2011-07-06T12:28:00.000-07:00

Echo Park, 2010

Will Work for Work

2011-07-05T16:28:00.000-07:00

West Hollywood, 2009

All the Eggs a Basket Could Hold

2011-07-01T18:06:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to the fourth of July! I got a head start last weekend with a much-needed marathon chill-fest with my two favorite people, topped-off with hangover breakfast at my favorite greasy spoon. Look at those decorations!

margarita time, awkward monokini-bunching time

Elisa in her new killer Esther Williams suit

Scrabble Cheez-its changed my life

new kimono robe from Chinatown

don't worry - it will

A Thin Layer of Ball-Flake

2011-06-29T09:46:00.000-07:00

Sunset park, SF

The Loved One

2011-06-26T15:50:00.000-07:00

Took a little timeout on Thursday to visit The Loved One shop in Pasadena. I had merely wanted to poke around and say hello, not really knowing what to expect, but I'm happy to report that Hannah and her partner Elvia have created an amazing store. How they manage to cram so many special pieces in that tiny little shop remains yet to be proven by science.

I walked out with a handmade, 1950s cotton day dress (that fits like a glove! A tight glove) and an insane, jet-setter-by-way-of-tetris blouse that I'm sure to wear this week. The salesgirl Lauren was very sweet - we ended up chatting for almost an hour while my boyfriend surreptitiously flipped me the bird at regular intervals.

Yer a Beautiful Snowflake

2011-06-21T16:43:00.000-07:00

West Hollywood. 2009

Summer Coattails

2011-06-18T20:23:00.000-07:00

I don't know where these maxi-skirt lobbyists are getting their numbers, because right now everything short short short. Chicks left and right wandering around in mini skirts and crop-tops. Kind of like this strange vest / pinafore thingy I got from the Silverlake Farmers Market. I love that it's high-low; and not in the "I loooooove to mix designer with vintage" type way. I mean it's high in the front...

and low in the back! It's like a mullet top (actually, that's gross. Forget I said that), but it does have tails that make this plain AA skirt look sortof like a color-blocked dress. The mister mentioned that my new vesty thing reminded him of something the flying monkeys in Wizard of Oz might wear, making charming primate noises and doing a little jig in order to drive home his point, which got lost somewhere in the mix...

sliver of belly may or may not be contributing to the color-blockedness

It's from the brand XOXO, which I remember thinking was so insanely cool in gradeschool (along with French Toast, All that Jazz, Judy, et al), and now thanks to the alarmingly shrinking trend cycle coupled with the explosion of vintage resellers invading every nook and cranny of my neighborhood, I can play out my childhood fashion fantasies. Woo! Tumblr! Movies and stuff! Triangles! Animated GIFs! Walgreens!

I think it goes without saying that the key to maintaining the confidence and je ne sais quoi required to pull off a crop-top means avoiding any type of meal that calls for the unbuttoning of the skirt or pants, and I'm proud to say that I almost made it.

Happy Summer!

I Luh You

2011-06-04T15:36:00.000-07:00

Got a little thing goin' on with my nails, dress and ring today.

Field Trip: Balenciaga and Spain

2011-05-28T21:03:00.000-07:00

Some sneaky snaps of the Balenciaga and Spain exhibit at the de Young. Be sure to hit "read more" below...I risked life and limb to bring you this illicit coverage! For legitimate coverage, check out my review over at ArtSlant.

wacky embroidered skirt from WGACA, fur-collar sweater from guilting my mom into giving it to me

The entrance was a long hall filled exclusively black pieces that highlight Balenciaga's architectural bent.

I stared at this coat forever - could not get over the genius and simplicity of the construction.

...this one seemed terribly confused by the gown before her.

We sprung for the audio tour, because having Hamish Bowles talk in your ear for an hour is a singular pleasure. Here you can see my mother trying to mimic some sort of glow of health via various potions and poultices, a ritual I had the foresight to perform in the car.

This dress was hands-down the one thing I wanted most for myself. I feel it's a bit base to view a fashion exhibit simply in fantasy-wardrobe terms, so let us just say that the evocation of desire in a contemporary context speaks to the timelessness of the design (posh posh posh).

How to Be a Man

2011-05-27T10:59:00.000-07:00

Boning up on Glenn O'Brien's "compendium of manly arts." I just got it in the mail - it's kind of a silly book, the chapters are so short it's just begging to rest atop the toilet (or bidet), but fun nonetheless.

The wacky ribbon skirt is from What Goes Around Comes Around - it's quite body conscious, but very comfortable. The pattern is just nuts, I've never seen anything like it.

Under Pressure

2011-05-17T18:16:00.000-07:00

Thrasher art & photo show, SF, 2011

If Your Mother Only Knew

2011-05-17T18:14:00.000-07:00

Brooklyn, 2005

A Season for All Things

2011-05-09T14:51:00.000-07:00

ArtSF Now Gallery, SF 2011

To Tha' Mothafuckin' Ladies With Babies

2011-05-08T11:15:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to my beautiful, loving mother with the heart of a true artist and the mouth of an Irish sailor (one of these things isn't true). I love you Mom! See you soon...

The Noble Fist

2011-05-07T23:36:00.000-07:00

Thrasher Art & Photo Show, SF, 2011

Going Stag

2011-05-06T13:08:00.000-07:00

This is a good look for...say...treating yourself to late afternoon cocktail? As I am about to do?

smile now


cry later

Everything here is thrifted. The blouse was discovered after months of fruitlessly searching for a plain white, sleeveless button-down - which seems like a pretty basic item, no? Little bugger was hiding out at Goodwill all along.

The flowers on the skirt are all ribbon appliqués. I had to use my iphone camera to really capture the detail...

The dots on my hand are a homemade tattoo, acquired last summer with the help of a 12-pack of Pacifico. Do I regret it?

no!

More Things I Like (a lot)

2011-05-05T12:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of updates - finals are just around the corner and I'm freaking out a bit. The following things have kept me sane over the last few weeks. Be sure to hit "read more" below!

Fishies in a bathtub at Fabric8 Gallery in SF


paring my Doc Marten service shoes with intense socks.

Scaring birds while jogging around Lake Merritt


my best friend, Elisa P. Foster, and her vacation dresses

fine dining with my bozo texino


the view from a takeoff - I'll never get over it


sage advice

the giant poochies at Walden Pond Books

You Learn to Get Around

2011-04-27T21:05:00.000-07:00

Silverlake / Highland Park, 2010

You're Mad as Hell and I Don't Have to Take It Anymore

2011-04-26T19:19:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit obsessed with saving things I find on the street. This is exactly the kind of specimen that piques my interest:

front / hook / elusiveness

back / sinker / madness

I picked things up all the time in LA, but the (how shall I put this charitably?) more literary nature of Berkeley crazies has pushed my collecting into overdrive. So much so, I've begun to write for ArtSlant about these lost articles. The first of a monthly column on found art, this article attempts to describe the impulse behind my saving these neglected scraps. Subsequent articles will spotlight items in some other context.

You must think I'm crazy.

A Joke is a Very Serious Thing

2011-04-23T22:11:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a wonderful day in SF, doing touristy things and buying weird socks (more on that later this week). This post goes out to the ladies who freaked out over my skirt while I was at the ATM machine. My friend Rob was there and kept saying "You like that? She has a fashion blog, you know. Tell them about your blog! Don't you have a card or something?" I don't have a card. Moving on!

blouse from What Goes Around Comes Around sample sale

janky varsity jacket on I got on clearance from UO

What's the big deal, you ask? It's just a little black skirt. Well...um...

boom!

blam!

I spotted it while selling clothes at the Buffalo Exchange in Berkeley, and what can I say? The heart is a strange and unknowable melting pot of desires - I had to have it. The skirt itself fits really well and I would probably have got it even without the sweet vinyl appliqués. It's more just funny than sexy, and I believe a sense of humor is sort of vital when dressing yourself. It helps to take life's knocks.

Case in point: my debit card was stolen somewhere around the Fisherman's Wharf and someone stole mucho dinero from me. I immediately called my bank and sorted it out as far as I could, and after that there was really nothing else I could to, so I didn't let it put too much of a damper on my mood. I was having such a good day. I mean...I'm wearing a Mike Tyson pin.

To be fair, this also helped:

Off to cuddle down with my bad self and read. Have a wonderful Easter Sunday. I'll be missing my family for sure.

Some Things I Like

2011-04-21T18:01:00.000-07:00

Mini hand-shaped vase from Christie, casting of my ex-boyfriend's teeth, flash cards my mom sent me.


Arrow magnets from Office Depot, "Elite Trap" from the Shadowshop at SFMOMA, drawing of my fist.

ArtSpeak dictionary, teeny tiny clothespins I've saved for years. I don't know where I'll ever find them again.

It's So Good To See You

2011-04-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

Lake Merritt / Downtown Oakland, 2011

Survival

2011-04-17T16:08:00.000-07:00

Excited to bust out this 1960's Ranchcraft denim jacket I found in LA. It's soft and worn to the point that it drapes like heavy jersey rather than stiff denim - companies like Current / Eliot are completely based around emulating this kind of wear, which is great! But expensive! And you don't have to stand for it! Unlike certain items, flimsy old denim jackets are still prreeeeetty easy to find.

I like that it's slightly oversized and not too precious. Good for running around in. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOUR PHONE DIES AND YOU FORGOT YOUR KEYS AND YOU'RE FORCED TO SIT ON THE STOOP FOR HOURS, READING MONT SAINT MICHEL AND CHARTRES AND PRAYING THAT YOUR LANDLORD WILL STOP BY.

I'm okay now. We must remember that even in the small margin of freedom left by thousands of years of looming social and semiotic structures, bearing down on us with inscrutable authority, in that teeny-tiny margin of freedom that is awareness and reflection, Henry Adams would like us to know that there lies our creative and inquisitive nature, the exercise of which is true liberation.

And hey, because I like you...

Missed Connections

2011-04-11T18:26:00.000-07:00

Echo Park, 2009

Hello, Dolly

2011-04-09T12:40:00.000-07:00

I agree, people do strange things when they're on vacation - they buy leather jackets for much more than they're worth - they do NOT fall in love with fascist dictators. -Greg Kinnear in You've Got Mail

I thought I could slip this in no big deal, like when you want to wear a hat but you don't want anyone to point it out. So I thew it on over a little black dress to meet my best friend for drinks. "Oh my" she said when I opened the door "you look very...iconic. Where did you get that?"

I was wandering around Melrose Avenue, dehydrated, existentially unstable, and in need of a sandwich. I spotted this in the window of a vintage store, tried it on, put it on hold, texted a picture of it to my BF, left the store, went 5 blocks, turned around, walked back and bought it. Weeks later I'm proud to say I don't regret it one bit. It's become something of a wardrobe staple.

It gives me instant "outfit" status on days I just want to wear jeans and a t-shirt, and toughens up works a flowy little vintage dress with a little more oomph than a regular motorcycle jacket. It even helps my posture.

...and has improved my vocal range.

Squeezing into the Photobooth frame like that seriously can't be good for my back. I'm off to the de Young museum this weekend for the Balanciaga exhibit. Hopefully I can take pictures!

Buh-Ro.

2011-04-08T18:38:00.000-07:00

Downtown LA / Downtown Oakland, 2011

Shooby Shooby

2011-04-03T23:12:00.000-07:00

I do that really terrible thing every fashion magazine tells you not to do where I hang onto and even buy clothes that are too small with the intention of "fitting into them later." This is especially a problem when it comes to vintage clothes or something on clearance, where you can't just pick the next size up. This is especially a problem for me, because these are the two main sources of my wardrobe.

My terrible hoarding paid off this weekend when I was finally able to wear this pink tweed swing dress I got years ago from Anthropologie.

It was heavily marked down because the zipper was broken, so I blandly threw it on all half-open and decided that it fit. When I got the zipper replaced and tried it on properly for the first time, it required both pliers and a roommate to get it zipped, and even then I could barely breathe. I try it on every few months to see how it feels, and, as a result of my daily walking commute, or maybe just the fact that I've stretched it out from trying it on so much, it fits. It. Finally. Fits. Comfortably.

I beat you, you stupid dress!

I wore it do a dance party at the Starline Ballroom in Oakland Friday night, where it withstood hours of sweaty dancing, and a few gin-and-tonic spills. It really needs to be taken to the cleaners now, which I never do...another bad habit, I'm told.

Pattern Recognition

2011-03-31T22:24:00.000-07:00

Silverlake, 2006

An Ideal Situation

2011-03-30T13:04:00.000-07:00

Some sneaky snaps from a recent visit to the Berkeley Art Museum. You can read my review of their current exhibition, Abstract: Now and Then over at ArtSlant.

Pony Up

2011-03-26T15:47:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting for months for these Bass <3 Rachel Antonoff shoes to come out. I wore them out the other day and got nonstop compliments. I feel like the fuss around these should be much bigger! If the fashion blogosphere descended into civil war, it would most definitely be a case of the Lita's versus the Lady's.

My mom took this while we wandered around Space15Twenty. I paired my new saddle shoes with a black suede mini-skirt and vintage cardigan I picked up from the Silverlake Farmers Market. There's always one or two vintage vendors among the fine fresh produce. I tend to buy more clothes there than vegetables : /

"No mom, I like the bag in the picture - it's a pretty color."

Are We Not Men?

2011-03-23T12:06:00.000-07:00

LA has been wonderful so far. It's strangely awesome to be on vacation in my own hometown. I flew in Friday night, went straight from the airport to an opening at R&R Gallery in downtown, and it's been nonstop since. It's hard to take pictures here, but I'll try to share some of my finds with you before I head back to the bay - I'm going to have to buy a bigger suitcase!

Oh yes, and I saw DEVO on Saturday night.

Yes, In My Backyard

2011-03-15T17:04:00.001-07:00

Oakland, 2011

Only two more papers (one in French) until Los Angeles...

Learning to Love Again

2011-03-10T12:52:00.000-08:00

Despite the recent explosion of online vintage sellers, I get the feeling the average thrifter is quite reluctant to buy used clothing online. I know...because I'm one of them.

This is my story.

hurt/confused/don't know who to trust.

I troll ebay and etsy stores like they're lookbooks (especially the expensive, branded, highly stylized ones): strictly for looking. The notion that I could reach out (via PayPal) into the ether and pluck these items to have to myself was unthinkable. Too weird, too risky, etc. etc...I finally broke the ice with a leopard print coat from ebay. It turned out to be a little snug in the shoulders, but I kind of like it that way, and I get compliments on that coat, without fail, every time I go out. Shortly after, high on my good luck, I spent way too much money on the perfect pair of brogues that turned out to be too small. From this learned the Golden Rule of Online Vintage Shopping:

No matter what the size is listed as, check the measurements. For the love of God, check the measurements! You will save yourself a lot of heartbreak.

I found another perfect pair of brogues for much less, but they arrived with one of the taps missing, and I had to spend an extra $10 to get it replaced. What you would consider a flaw worth noting may be different than what a seller would consider a flaw worth noting. I decided to be diplomatic and leave neutral feedback on the transaction, but I was turned off by the experience.

When I saw this blouse on etsy, I agonized over the decision. I added it to my favorites, visited it, looked for things in my closet to go with it, and finally took the plunge. I'm happy to report it fits like a dream! It's from the Mammal & Lamb shop, and I should also add that the service was impeccable - when my package was delayed, they graciously refunded the shipping cost. That's some Zappos shit.

3 good experiences out of 4 isn't so bad! I may be turning into a full-fledged online vintage shopper. It's made me much less impulsive, less likely to pick things up while I'm out. I can't remember the last time I bought anything (other than socks and underwear, bien sûr) from a normal retail store. Even at thrift stores lately, I tend to walk out empty-handed, knowing that I've held out that much more for something I've been eyeing online for weeks. It may just be a part of getting older, or having a smaller closet, but I for the first time in my life, I feel like I'm building a wardrobe to last.

Feels fancy.

ringa-ding-ding

Pooped

2011-03-08T19:09:00.000-08:00

Ashby Flea Market, 2011

Wiped out from midterms this week, but I did have time to write this piece for Thought Catalog! Check it out and let me know what you think. Excited to be a contributor - look out for more articles in the coming months, probably also nerdy and/or fashion-related.

Clocking out now - about to have a glass of wine, paint my nails and watch Cry-Baby.

Make That 5

2011-03-03T18:59:00.000-08:00

I got another pair of glasses.

I don't see these being in heavy rotation just yet, but they're so comfortable I couldn't resist. And they were 6 bucks. Yay.

The Guanlet is Thrown

2011-03-02T14:39:00.000-08:00

Caffe Mediterraneum, Berkeley

They All Belong in a Loony Bin

2011-02-27T15:59:00.000-08:00

Incredibly beautiful, untouched mail-order vouchers that came in pair of records I bought recently. I wish I had a better scanner so you could see the texture of the cardstock. Each one is just saying you should buy the other volume - luckily I found both of them together!

The albums are someone named Leo Ferre singing the poetry of Baudelaire - it's quite beautiful. If you're looking for good records to have on during soiree or what have you, anything French and croony from the 20's to the 60's pretty much gold. I like to have French music on while I study; the lyrics don't register the way English does so it's not distracting. Jacques Brel, Jean Sablon, and Yves Montand are some of my favorites...

Redemption

2011-02-26T20:13:00.000-08:00

This is a really protracted anecdote to accompany a single thrift find, but I have been looking for this sweater for well nigh 14 years. That's right. This one.

My mother taught me how to shop early on. She has a really artistic sense of style coupled with an almost pathological frugality, which meant thrift and vintage stores were and indelible part of my childhood landscape. The only reason I can claim to have worn vintage clothes since I was a wee-lass is because my mom was always bringing home cute things for me (being the only girl probably had something to do with her dressing me with such relish). I relied heavily on her eye whenever we went out. Once, at a Salvation Army, she came around the corner while I was poking around in the skirts and said she found the cutest little fuzzy green sweater somewhere over there and I should take a look at it.

We both spent a good 20 minutes trying to find the sweater that she had just spotted a minute earlier. We split up to cover more ground. I heard an "oh shoot!" from somewhere near the door. She came over to me. "I can't believe it! Some girl just bought it. I saw it peeking out of her bag. Oh darn, why didn't I just grab it?"

For some reason I was extremely disappointed. I hadn't actually even seen the sweater, I just knew I would have loved it. I couldn't have been older than 12 or 13 at the time, and I've had an image of it in my mind ever since. No joke, I've had dreams about it. I'm half-looking for it whenever I go thrifting, and ladies and gentlemen, this week...

I FOUNT EET!

I mean really - the color, the fit, it's all just as I imagined! That ostensibly makes it a talisman. Honestly, I don't think grad school/marriage/a firstborn could top this. Thanks to Pretty Penny in North Oakland for making my dreams come true.

Now back to regular weirdo programming.

Now Watching

2011-02-22T23:33:00.000-08:00

Quinn and Daria crushing it at Pappy and Harriets.

Lost at Sea

2011-02-21T20:35:00.000-08:00

Ashby Flea Market, 2011

Upward Mobility

2011-02-17T14:01:00.000-08:00

Sterling, Echo Park, 2010

Il Pourrait Être Plus Clair

2011-02-14T00:10:00.000-08:00

SF MOMA, 2011

You're Putting Me On

2011-02-10T21:46:00.000-08:00

I don't have a full-length mirror in my apartment right now, so on days when I really feel like giving my outfit a little ...how's your father? I'll take a quick photobooth snap to make sure I haven't gone over the edge. It's my own jerry-rigged, low-budget version of Cher's outfit software that we all freaked out over. Here's how it works!

-Forget to close bathroom door.
-Open PhotoBooth and stand in front of screen.
-Ask your screen, does this skirt made out of ties that I've had since high school look stupid?
-Push the button.
-Wait for PhotoBooth to give you it's inscrutable results:

STATUS>>>>>BITCHIN'

Post Partum

2011-02-08T19:50:00.001-08:00

downtown Oakland, 2011

Part 5

2011-02-08T12:50:00.000-08:00

Do you ever find yourself buying a particular item of clothing over and over? I do. This dress I wore today is probably the 5th iteration of it's type that I've owned. Since junior high I haven't been able pass them up, and just as one is wearing out, I always find another to take it's place. Despite all of my style phases from then until now (and believe me, they are legion), I've always felt good in a simple black dress with a white collar.

Wore it with my leopard coat from ebay.

What type of clothes do you find yourself buying again and again?

To Do or Not To Do

2011-02-07T16:50:00.000-08:00

Berkeley, somewhere on the I-5, 2011

Bay Area Bounty

2011-01-27T16:51:00.000-08:00

Soo-weet feather print silk blouse from Salvation Army in downtown Oakland. The silk is key. I passed up many other blouses because they were polyester, and I'm trying to be more discriminate in my thrifting. Sometimes the good Lord looks upon thy prudence justly, and shines down upon thee with grace and good favor in kind.

What I'm trying to say is that I really like this blouse. I wore it the other day with my little glasses pin and an old cashmere sweater from Ron Herman that's falling apart, but I've hung onto because there is a general paucity of cashmere in my life.