Like blogging, Wardrobe Remix was something that I first had to experience as an admiring spectator before getting up the courage to participate myself.  I’m sure I first read about the ‘DIY fashion community’ on Bits & Bobbins, the fashion, style and craft blog by Tricia Royal, the very person who started Wardrobe Remix and who features participants every week (and now interviews some of them as well.)

What first got me to really appreciate the group was how attainable the featured clothing is.  A huge percentage of the time, parts of the ensemble are thrifted or vintage.  These are clothes that I have an equal chance of stumbling across in my local charity shops or consignment stores.  When the items aren’t thrifted, they’re generally from shops I’ve heard of and have even browsed in: Banana Republic, H&M, Uniqlo.  This isn’t haute couture or even Saks-level stuff.

What’s more, the rules state that the outfit has to be something the person has actually worn within the past week so there are plenty of casual shots, work outfits, or even just hanging-out-on-the-weekend-chasing-the-kids outfits.

That’s the other thing: people of all ages, races, and backgrounds contribute photos to this group.  It’s nice to see people my own age and muddled background reflected in a fashion photo pool, not something that can be said of the many flickr style groups that are based around restricting who participates.  Of course, every photo has it’s place, but given that I’m not planning on dressing up as Christina Aguilera or being in Pakistan any time soon, it’s unlikely these groups are going to appeal to me.

What finally got me to post my own pictures in this pool is just how nice everyone is.  Negativity is not allowed–but given the general attitude of the folks participating, it’s starting to seem impossible to me that anyone could have something bad to say in the first place.

My only complaint, if it can even be called that, is that participating is making me realize how blah my closet is.  I try to post only when I’m really happy with what I’ve got on–which I’m starting to realize is far from every day.  Given how much I like clothes, style and fashion, it seemed contrary to me that the contents of my closet could be so boring.  But there it is.  Safe, neutral, and often nondescript, participating has made me realize that there are some things I want to change–probably starting with the three pairs of black pants I only put on when I can’t think of what to wear–two of which I don’t even like all that much.

So more color, more patterns, and trying to love what I put on.  Every day.  For that reason, Wardrobe Remix is kicking my ass.  And thank you, Tricia.

Nope, not sick of purple yet.

A hint of things to come.

I honestly can’t believe there are only 84 blogs listed in my reader (and God bless you, Google, for making it so easy to keep up with all of them.)  When I sign in on a Monday morning and see that lovely 100+ flashing at me, it usually feels like so many more.  Not that I’m complaining!  Frequently updated blogs are a thing of joy.

Even better?  The craziness of being acknowledged by one of those bloggers — and not just in a random link but as someone worthy, someone who rocks.  A giant thank you to the talented Susan, who is somehow finding time to post in the midst of all of her cross-country moving adventures.

I couldn’t even think about trying to pick others to tag with this fun honor, especially when I was under the impression that I had 100s of blogs listed in my reader.  Now that I know there are only 84, I think I can take a deep breath and choose five.

The first is an easy choice.  She was one of the first people I had an email exchange with after starting my blog, a conversation that included a reference to Stephen Hawking digging Balenciega.  Always hysterically funny (Martin is a creation that makes me smile whenever I see him featured) who manages to keep it real about some of fashion’s sillier foibles, Winona of Daddy Likey definitely rocks.

You know who else rocks?  The Queens rock (Michelle & Marie, that is.)  Not just because they are so incredibly good at doing their own thing (in wildly varying ways) without regard for the greater trends, but because it is so obviously a natural thing for both of them–not a pose, not a style, not a desire to stand apart.  They stand apart simply because they do.

Octophrost, Santa of the Sea, makes me laugh every time I think of him.  For that reason alone, Futuregirl rocks.  She also rocks for making amazing crochet bags featuring such cool embellishment, for her always thoughtful comments, and for her great taste in music & movies (great in that it’s similar to mine.)

Jennine makes me want to live in San Francisco, wear high-waisted jeans, and jewels in my hair.  Her sense of proportion, her fearlessness, and her equanimity in the face of being denied a press pass to San Francisco’s fashion week are all things that make her rock (I can think of a dozen other people, including myself, who would have had the proverbial sh!tfit about that last one.)  For those reasons and more, The Coveted rocks.

Last but not least, Sarah & Tyler, my very good friends, rock like nothing else.  The fact that they’ve managed to hit up internet cafes on every continent to keep their friends up to date on their round the world trip is pretty fantastic in itself.  That they do so without boring the pants off of me (and make me want to visit random places in Vietnam and New Zealand) is significant as well.

Other things that rock:

This chai from Trader Joes.

My Chie Mihara’s.  I knew it was possible to be smitten with a shoe, I just never knew how much.

The Noisettes seriously rock, especially Shingai Shoniwa, the lead singer.  Thanks again, Alex Richards, for reminding me of their name.

And big thanks to Roberta for getting this whole thing started.

Don’t tell Winona.

Hey, anything goes when it’s for a bachelorette party. 

Two sisters, Magda & Ella, one dark, one light–but both so so lovely.

Who could fail to want Magda with her sensuous mystery and dark charm?

But what of Ella, so pale and pretty with her blushing beauty?

How to choose?

Why choose?

After going on about half a dozen artists, I of course went with an entirely different print.  I’d admired Askey’s pitbull prints ages ago and even considered buying one for the madre before deciding against it.  Then, browsing the sold items, I saw a print I knew I had to have.

T-straps get me every time.  The entire thing is so perfectly my aesthetic that I’m amazed I missed this in my art search weeks ago.  Next to the Klimt print the boyfriend brought back from Paris for me, it’s even more perfect than I imagined.  Hopefully, the two will inspire me to make things as pretty as they are.

Montmartre’s Sketchbook reminded me of how much I love the look and sound of Au Revoir Simone.  I discovered them through some very bored browsing on MySpace, downloaded a couple of songs, and was instantly hooked.

It could just be that I’m a sucker for bangs, a hair style I endlessly envy but can never adopt.  Despite it’s growing ubiquity, a girl with a thick fringe across her forehead still makes me instantly think she must have the keys to all the fashion secrets my curly hair prohibits.

In addition to being members of the Good Hair Cabal, their style is decidedly vintage and very sweet.  I imagine they might have been extras in The Virgin Suicides in some of these photos.

Being out of Brooklyn, it’s likely they have access to some excellent vintage shopping.  I’d like to think, though, that given their name and fey style, it’s all from a great-aunt’s attic.

It doesn’t hurt that their music is fantastic.  Relying entirely on keyboards and their own pretty harmonies, they bring the Beach Boys and Joanna Newsom to mind.  It was ‘Stay Golden’ that made me a fan but their entire collection is wonderful–dreamy, lush, and fun.

Come to think of it, in addition to playing Kirsten Dunst’s friends in The Virgin Suicides, they could have provided the soundtrack as well.

Moose carries some of the best designers–any interesting, artistic jewelry you stumble across, chances are, they’re carried by Moose.  Given that I make my own jewelry, I try to limit my drooling over other’s creations.  It seemed natural then, to check out Moose’s other sections.

What a mistake.  If I thought I was wise by staying away from the jewelry, I was a genius to have a look at their fiber goods.  Because how adorable is this tartan bird pin by Strudel?  I love how they have it here on busted black jeans–but I could also see it in all the classic spots: lapel, purse strap, or even in your hair.  And with the current exchange rate, it’s only 26USD.  That’s some fine Strudel.

Matchy match or contrast?

I went with the red but it seems a bit…obvious?

But enough about shoes.  Let’s get to the part with the alcohol.

How we ended up at a Moroccan restaurant for my birthday is a bit of a long story.  Suffice it to say, none of us regretted the choice.  Delicious food, rich decor, and an enthusiastic belly dancer added up to a memorable evening that had most of the party vowing to return to the restaurant.

Even sitting on pillows and cushions on the floor in a dress didn’t feel like a challenge once I figured out how to tuck my feet under me.

How authentic this place was, I can’t really say (though I bet Maryam would know).  But I know I want to try and make it back for the nights when they have a male belly dancer.

I never thought a pine cone could look luxurious but Agnes & Hoss have proven me wrong.  Via A Dress a Day, I stumbled across their sparse Etsy shop and immediately fell in love with the fabric there.

Wondering at their limited wares, I quickly stumbled upon their online shop and have yet to stop drooling over their handbags.

They also carry pillows and scarves for those of you who don’t want to drop $3-400 on a handbag.

The usual state of things is that I know what I want better than anyone else.  There are the rare instances when I’m wrong about me but usually I’m dead on.

It’s actually been sometime since I’ve made earrings for myself and I couldn’t be happier with these blue tear drops.  That first picture?  That’s the most make-up you’ll ever see on my face–I see no point in trying to cover up all of these freckles.

And these.  These are the beloved Chie Mihara’s I’ve been pining for.  I can’t even remember where I first saw them since every fashion site in the world has gushed about them for ages.  The price was far beyond my limit for shoes and sadly, trawling ebay resulted in zero finds–no one is giving these up for any reason whatsoever.  And I know far too well why.

But they are mine now, a slightly discounted gift for myself from a random online boutique with brick & mortar locations here in Seattle.

We’ll see if my boyfriend’s gift can top this.

It’s my birthday!  No, I can’t believe it either.  These suckers creep up on you and before you know it, there’s candles and gifts and trying to pretend like the crazy woman singing the ‘Happy Birthday’ song is a total stranger.  (No joke–the madre came into my work two years ago with flowers and a balloon & sang for me.  She’s awesome like that.)

I’ve been slowly adding new items to the shop in preparation for what I’ve repeatedly read is the busy fall season.  But who cares; it’s my birthday and I’m feeling as crazy as the madre. 

So for today only, the majestic day of July 19th, take 15% off any item using the code birthday in the message to seller.  I’ll send you a revised invoice with the discounted amount–but only if you promise not to sing the birthday song to me.

This is an obvious one, kind of like saying Kate Moss has bad taste in men or John Galliano is into pirates.  But given that the heyday of her band was around the time I was born, you’ll have to excuse me for gushing a bit over my newfound source of inspiration: Debbie Harry.

She held her own in a talented group of people pioneering in genre’s that had no precedent (Debs goes down in history as the first person to put rapping to record–and on a number one hit, no less.)

Given the new wave genre she was in, Deborah Harry experimented with futuristic looks; I would be surprised if Ridley Scott wasn’t inspired by her for the costumes in Blade Runner.  Glittery fabric, single strap dresses, two toned hair and duct tape were all part of her look.

Hunting down these pictures made me feel like I was in a time warp.  Between the swingy, loose mini dresses, skinny jeans, hoodie & sunglasses combo and shaggy bangs, I feel like I could be looking at photos from yesterday instead of 30 years ago.

Not to mention all the people influenced by her style.  Along with Ridley, Gwen Stefani, Madonna, Lilly Allen, and Karen O. are fans.  Hell, even my friend Kristie dyes the hair at the nape of her neck black to contrast with the blond.  And given that she’s younger than me, she probably doesn’t even know Debbie Harry is the one who did it first.

The boutique I wandered into in Ballard looked as if it was made for me; peach colored walls, delicate jewelry, beautifully embellished clothes, and sweet accessories.  How then, did the boyfriend manage to score the best find?

By Fluffy Co., these mini-wallets were exactly what he was looking for to replace his old, battered wallet which was starting to feel too big for his pocket.  Made from vinyl so you can feel cruelty free, they also carry check book covers, bag tags and apparel.

See if I ever take the boyfriend shopping again.

Through Slip of A Girl, I stumbled across an article on the Collector’s Quest Blog: Crafting vs. Collecting:  Repurposed Art, Environmentalist Recycling or Criminal Act.  The article might have gone over my head at one point & time.  I usually have no hesitation about altering my own clothes, have no qualms about ripping ads and pictures out of magazines, and am ruthless with ribbons, handkerchiefs and other forms of embellishment.  Me & scissors get along just fine.

That is, until now.

After constantly reading about repurposed items on a variety of blogs, I knew I had to get a little wiser with my thrifting and start seeing the potential in the fabric of used items as opposed to just the items themselves.  So when I saw this dress in Victoria, I knew I had to have it.  I didn’t even try it on.

I was pretty sure it wouldn’t fit (and it doesn’t) but I figured the fabric was fantastic enough to use for other projects.  Of course, when it came time to make the cut, I actually hesitated.  It seemed such a pity to cut up this colorful, original piece of clothing, especially given the obvious fact that this was once a quality vintage piece.

I finally decided that I would try to preserve the top of the dress as a shirt; there’s a greater likelihood I’ll actually wear it.  And I have to say, given how much I love this tote, I don’t regret finally picking up the scissors.

This is one of those few items that if it doesn’t sell, I’m totally keeping it.

I know I must be suffering heatstroke because nothing looks better to me right now than this coat:

I have a dozen belts I can picture this with and it looks perfect for the not-quite-winters we have here in Seattle.

Of course, I’m also a little more than smitten with this ten times more expensive version by DVF.

Though I have been vowing to resist the temptation of cheap clothes that don’t last a year and invest in quality items–you will not see me spending $700.00 on a coat.  I’m not that crazy.

For when you want to look as if your head is interchangeable.

Only 189.99.

On three occasions I’ve seen women in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle using parasols.  Not typical umbrellas doing double duty as sun protection but honest to God fabric parasols with a hint of frilliness to them.

I’ve browsed a couple of street fashion sites looking for some kind of documentation of this trend, if it can be called as much.  I’d say the sun worshippers still outnumber those looking to keep themselves wrinkle, freckle and sunspot free.

I’m certainly guilty of loving a nice long lounge in the sun.  Despite my ethnic background, the fact that I’m covered in freckles means my heritage is not going to save me from sun damage.  Shopping for another accessory would certainly be a good excuse for giving your skin a rest.

As of now, most of the parasols available to buy are vintage or tourist finds on ebay.  Otherwise, you’ll have to settle for these.

My boyfriend and sister marveled at how easily delighted I was when my Singer found it’s new home a perfect fit.  You would seriously have thought it was Christmas with how much I squealed when I saw not only how perfectly the new desk fit in the corner of the bedroom, but with how perfectly my sewing machine fit onto the desk itself.  Another hand-me-down from the madre, this antique is a piece she decided was too small for her purposes; it replaced a small antique writing table she bought for me when I was a teenager that was much too tall to sit at and sew.

The slots for envelopes, pens and bills seem as if they were made for spools of thread; they also currently hold packets of ribbon and buttons.  The open drawer space beneath is the new home for my single sewing book (soon to be joined by others) and my cases of needles.  It’s really like some sort of kismet…

If only for furniture.

Two necklaces came together this past week that I slowly realized have the vintage look I’m always seeking when I browse for jewelry.  The first is based around a pendant that had stumped me for some time; I tested it out with some smoky gray quartz and contemplated teaming it with funky red and purple beads.  Finally, on an exhausted evening after meeting with my book club, I realized that glossy white glass truly looked the best.

Totally makes me think of something Daisy Buchanan would have worn.

The second necklace is heavy on the coppery tones with it’s figaro chain.  It is well and truly ridiculous that I didn’t invest in copper colored findings before now.  Copper tone metal really captures the look of something antique and old and loved–besides which, I’d been dying to use these red, cinnabar-ish beads.

It may be ages before I work with gold again.