Monday Monday

Oh Monday Monday, you always come so fast you. I stood in a pile of clothes ankle deep (seriously) in my closet-room this morning frantically trying to find SOMETHING TO PUT ON SO I WAS NOT LATE TO WORK!! I settled on my ol' reliable "Visual T-shirt" illustrated by yours truly. I made one for my boss (who has yet to wear his) and my coworker for Christmas presents. I mean who doesn't want to be immortalized on a t-shirt in the persona of a cartoon bear? I KNOW, right?! ;) Who wouldn't is really the more appropriate question. I threw on my AG jeans that I cut off above the ankle last year and my new Yo Gabba Gabba kicks that I got last week from vans.com. Perfect for my case of the Mondays.

PS-Behind me is my "homage to Marc Jacobs" wall mural I am painting in the Visual office. So excited when that's finished! eeek!!

Here's lookin' at you, kid!

Let me preface this post with...I AM NOT PREGNANT!!  But my best friend Heather in NYC IS, and while we were chatting Tuesday she was telling me how difficult it's been for her to still be fashionable whilst dressing the burgeoning bump. Heather has phenomenal style (she is my vintage clothing partner in crime whenever we are in the Midwest together) so all she needs is a little pregnancy street style photo inspiration (cue the below montage lovely put together by yours truly!)  I also did a little hunting around the internet to find her some reasonable/cool basics that she can add her lovely vintage/urban/edge to so that she won't have to say "good-bye style" while saying, "hello baby!"  Hope this inspires! xo!

It's darn hard to find cool maternity wear! Below are some of my top finds from around the web...

Liz Lange for Target Maxi dress, $34.99. I am most definitely envisioning this with a thin vintage brown belt or possibly snake skin.

L-O-V-E!!  Scuba blue Merona maternity sleeveless halter maxi from TARGET (comes in two other colors!) Currently out of stock on line (sniff, sniff) but could be available in store.

Another Target find by Merona, kind of Helmut Lang or Jil Sander inspired and only $29.99 (also comes in that fantastic scuba blue color above!)

Not in the maternity category but still doable, this strapless wrap front chiffon maxi is only $69.99! Heavenly color!

What I love about this one is that it can be worn as a Strapless Dress OR a Maxi Skirt! Target, $24.99.

This striped contour dress would look killer with a cheetah or floral scarf or even a green army shirt or denim jacket layered over it.  Lots of possibilities! Only $27.99 at Target!

Technically these ARE pajama pants but that's what the whole "pajama dressing" trend right now is all about.  I can see these with a thin black and white striped tank (see the below) and heels with a chambray shirt. On sale for $12.56 at the Gap!

Comes in assorted colors on sale now at the Gap for $15.96!

I love stripes...(sigh)...Gap again $39.95

 

 I love how sexy this pointelle tunic is, it screams "night on the town!" Usually one doesn't equate sexiness with pregnancy but why not? A pregnant body is one of the most beautiful bodies in my eyes. TopShop $80.00.

Sorry for the absolute tininess of this one! The bright tribal print is so FUN and would be killer with a worn in/beat up vintage brown belt, lose that hideous black tie! ;) From JC Penny for only $25.00!

This lovely polka dot J. Crew dress could also be an option with it's tie front, $148.00 J. Crew.com

Maternity Spot Lattice dress $76.00, Topshop.

Scallop Hem tee from TopShop $96.00

Pleat bow shirt also from TopShop, $56.00

Vintage looking maternity Floral Tee dress for $92.00 at Topshop.

Would love this Kimono style Maternity top from Target with the below striped skirt! $19.99! (This one appears to be out of stock currently but if you search "vintage Kimono style blouse" you can find awesome authentic vintage tops in great patterns!

Great striped Maxi skirt from Old Navy and only $27.50 would be great paired with...

Maternity Drop-Back shirt $60.00, Topshop and...

A Old Navy cropped Maternity denim jacket on sale for $25.00! This would look amazing with all of the above dresses too.

I love the idea of this soft shimmer tank with a vintage army green button-up, or wear alone! The back is phenomenal!  TopShop, $68.00 

A great layering piece, Old Navy Slub-Knit vest on sale for $19.50.

PS- I didn't even know J-Brand made maternity jeans! $196.00 from Piperlime.

One last item? Fun Ray-Bans!! :) Nordstom, $160.00.

Those are some of my top pics! Remember, a pair of Alaia flats and a YSL handbag can make any $30.00 Target maternity dress look like $300.00. Good thing Heather likes Barney's as much as I do! ;)  

Coral Crushin'!

Tints and shades of a singular color ALWAYS look great together. It's monochromatic but the hue variance is a bit more FUN! Throw in all of those textures, and I am literally dying!! Leather, knit, fur, hammered jewelry, it's all Heaven! I can just hardly stand it!  Coral I got a crush on you. Sheesh. (Don't tell Peter...)

Skirt: Pop-o-orange leather pencil skirt from Goodwill, Columbus OH.

Shirt: Vintage 1950's peach knit shell from Salvation Army, Columbus OH.

Jacket: Vintage 1960's cropped coral box jacket from Vintage Vogue, Independence MO.

Silver fox fur: Salvation Army, Columbus OH.

Shoes: Gucci

Tights: Donna Karan from Nordstrom, Columbus OH.

Jewelry: 30mm hammered brass ball necklace from Vintage Vogue, Independence MO.  Bracelets from friends and thrift stores!

Unlikely magic

You may have guessed it (hopefully) by now. I like things that don't seemingly go together, but go together. It doesn't make sense, or does it..? It does! Because in the end it's all about the simple rule of balance.  God bless balance!  A few months ago I found this amazing hammered metallic lame top at the thrift store, the sad aspect was that it had been a dress that someone had hacked apart at the waist.  I actually like it better this way, it feels fresher cropped.  I love it with high waist denim and fringe.  I could almost say the fringe makes it. Almost. (Why almost? Because I am forgetting about the metallic gold Keds...)  All unlikely pieces but when combined together make some magic. 

Top: Salvation Army, Columbus OH.

Jewelry: Wow. Big assortment of 5 layered pieces one being made by me.

Jacket: Vintage fringe leather jacket from Volunteers of America, Columbus, OH.

Pants: Vintage dead stock (I cut the tags off from the 70's to take this picture!) from Boomerang Vintage Warehouse in KCMO.  I get ALL of my vintage high waist pants from the owner Ken, have been these past 10 years...

Shoes: Vintage metallic gold Keds from Ohio Thrift, Columbus, OH.

Clutch: Vintage 1930's black plastic pyrmaid clutch. My favorite, favorite, favorite of all time and wildly versatile.

A tiny bit weird, a tiny bit wonderful. (oh ok, ALL wonderful!)

I am kooky in a lot of ways. If you know me personally, well, you know I'm not fibbing about this! I am incredibly happy that I have friends who indulge my kookiness with fashion.  I have Kate who thrifts with me every Wednesday for half-off day at the Salvation Army while I deliberate over strangely embellished sweat shirts, and I have Erin (my eye angel!) who indulges my weird/strange/wonderful whims in eye wear. (Thank Heaven!!!) I contacted Erin a few months ago when I was looking for the Givenchy cat frames from their Fall '11 show and sadly had no luck tracing them in the states.  Brilliant ideas are born from loss so I soldiered on intrepidly until I had that "aha!" moment! That moment arrived as I was perusing the sunglasses section at Nordstrom and spied the Prada Baroque sunglasses from Spring '11. They were big! They were woooooonnnderful! They would make ideal prescription glasses with transition lenses so they could delicately straddle those two worlds between practical (I need glasses to see) and fun (I get to have super large amazing sunglasses TOO! Bonus! BTW, transition lenses have come a LONG way...) My dear friend Dr. Erin hooked me up.  The vision became a reality (pun intended) and now I am one step closer to resembling my idol Iris Arpel or maybe in another 60 years. ;) 

Glasses/Sunglasses: Prada courtesy of Dr. Erin Eye Doctors of Lawrence Ks. If you live in the Lawrence area and need a creative, kind, caring, fashion adoring eye doctor then I couldn't more highly recommend anyone else.

Dress: Crazy patchwork vintage dress Salvation Army Columbus OH, purchased on half off day (Of course!)

Coat: Literally a patchwork quilt jacket! Purchased from River Market Antique Mall in Kansas City Mo.

Vest: Hounds tooth fitted vintage vest Salvation Army Columbus OH.

Necklace: Vintage tube and cord from Ohio Thrift, Columbus OH.

Tights: Nordstrom

Suede booties: Marc Jacobs collection from Neiman Marcus

Lipstick: YSL Rouge Volupte #12