the clothes 2011

One of the greatest photographers of our time is Jerry Uelsmann. He creates his images in a dark room from multiple negatives (note: he does not use computer manipulation). His photographs are allegorical and surrealist--like dream states that some magician managed to capture for us to witness.
"Simply stated...my hidden agenda is to amaze myself." -Jerry Uelsmann

Apparently some schools in my area are closing early tomorrow due to heat...yes, you read that correctly: school closures due to warm weather! Unfortunately, my college doesn't think we are quite as prone to heat related weaknesses as other schools...
Outfit details: dress- H&M, fascinator- vintage, bag- Pull and Bear, shoes- Kenneth Cole Reaction





While the wide open expanses on my campus are ideal in sunny weather and seem to make my fascinators seem appropriate for daily life, I must confess they are not my favorite place to pose. I would much prefer a graffiti covered wall in a city--and have snapped a number of outfit shots in such locations when given the chance. My inner hippie might emerge in a green field, but I still feel at heart I am a city girl trapped in rural nowhere (with no shops!)...

I only recently came across Shin's blog Fashion Cappuccino, but it was an instant obsession for me. In effort to know the girl behind the blog a bit better I conducted my interview in the style of a fashion-themed game of "would you rather?" (Other interviewees can be seen and read here.)
Would you rather dress androgynous or ultra-feminine?
Androgynous. I like pairing soft and tough pieces.
Would you rather emulate Ashley Olsen’s style or Mary Kate Olsen’s style?
Ashley Olsten’s style. She looks so relaxed and confident in her clothes.
Would you rather wear modern, structured pieces or flowing hippy clothes?
Modern, structured pieces. Since my life is a bit chaotic, I want to wear clothing that’s neat and keeps me calm.
Would you rather work for Italian Vogue or French Vogue?
French Vogue, of course! It would be such and inspiration to come to work everyday and look at all the great outfits they’re wearing.
Would you rather wear a mini dress or a maxi dress?
Definitely a mini dress! Long dresses really overwhelm me and I feel like wearing a blanket in them.
Would you rather shop in a mall or purchase items online?
Online. I don’t like waiting in lines and I feel really guilty if I go into the store and buy nothing. When I go to the mall, I do window shopping and browse fashion magazines at a bookstore.
Would you rather meet Coco Chanel or Yves St Laurent?
Yves St.Laurent. He seems like such an interesting and friendly guy to talk to. I would be really curious to know what he thinks about the future of fashion and his opinions about young designers.
Would you rather wear patterned pieces or solid color items?
Solid color items. For some reason, I don’t think I look good in prints and patterns.
Would you rather carry a clutch or a messenger bag?
I don’t like carrying anything actually but I would have to say messenger bag. They make me look serious and important.
Would you rather wear a sack dress or a wiggle dress?
A wiggle dress. It sounds fun!
Would you rather wear stilettos or wedges?
Hmmm…Stilettos. I think they’re sexy.
Would you rather dance all night in ballet flats or six inch heels?
Ballet flats because if I were dancing in six inch heels, I’ll last about 2 seconds.
Would you rather buy six vintage pieces or one designer item?
This is a hard question. I would buy six vintage pieces because I like the feeling of having more clothes and I can mix and match.
Would your rather have front row seats at Milan Fashion Week or London Fashion Week?
London Fashion Week. It looks so exciting and there are tons of celebrities and bloggers to ogle at!
Would you rather wear polka dots or stripes?
Polka dots! They’re so cute and flirty.
Would you rather work for Anna Wintour or Rachel Zoe?
Hmm…..another tough question. Rachel Zoe. She smiles more often than Anna Wintour.
Would you rather live in the 20s or 60s?
60s. So I can go to the Beatles concert!
For more of Shin, visit her blog Fashion Cappuccino.

"There seems to be so much in me I want to say. But it is all so big. I can't find ways to say what is really in me. Sometimes it seems to me that all the world, all life, everything had taken up residence inside of me and was clamoring for me to be the spokesman." --Jack London, Martin Eden
I feel alive and moved by the power of the written word--and yet it is a paradox. For this vibrant realm of life that is released upon the humble page I spend countless hours with my eyes fastened on a dead and dry thing--neglecting companionship, studies, and all else in pursuit of that awakening of spirit and mind. There is no balance. I feel it is so inhumanly possible to be in two places at once and at the moment I am dwelling in a novel...
Outfit details: dress- H&M, shoes- Urban Outfitters, sunglasses- Urban Outfitters
Outfit details: dress- Ivy Blue, belt- secondhand, shoes- Urban Outfitters, bag- Pull and Bear, jacket- Urban Outfitters

This cutie photographed by Drop Snap reminds me of Luella Spring 2009. Conclusion: pastel + pastel = springtime.
Also spotted, this chic young lady adding some quirky edge with her dark eyeglass frames to her sugary Luella heels, snapped by the Sartorialist.

"She felt she was quite, quite lost. She had gone out of the world, over the border, into some place of mystery...she was cut off from everything she belonged to. Ovid isolated in Thrace might well lament. The soul itself needs its own mysterious nourishment." -D. H. Lawrence, The Lost Girl
The novels of D. H. Lawrence always manage to leave me in a state of befuddlement. It is not that I do not comprehend his words or message, but perhaps the message is so alien and unwelcome my mind wishes to reject it. I associate too much with the main character and then am unpleasantly surprised by her fate.
Outfit details: dress- ASOS, cardigan- H&M, bag- Pull and Bear, shoes- Urban Outfitters, necklace- the Stadium Swapmeet in Hawaii
Outfit details: jacket- Urban Outfitters, dress- H&M, turtleneck- H&M, tights- gift, shoes- H&M