The rest of the time...

I pretty much look like this. All winter. Hey, I'm from Oregon. Plaid flannel is my birthright. I'm pretty sure Oregon and Maine are the only states where dressing like a lumberjack doesn't automatically qualify you for the Hipster Olympics. I'm also pretty sure adding milkmaid braids and glasses to the mix nullifies that coda, though, so, um, I guess I'll see you guys later at Stumptown and then maybe we can go shopping for Aretha Franklin on vinyl at the vintage store, 'K?

Just kidding. You do whatever you want, but today I'm finally shaking off the midwinter blahs and finishing up that painting job I started back in January (!). I've been digging up all kinds of yummy textiles and antiques to turn my bedroom into a bright and cozy little nest, so I'm excited to have it done this week. And, cutest of the cute, my dad will be helping me. Yay! I already feel like I can do ten times more!

Levis Jeans, Marshalls, $24
B.B. Dakota puffy vest, T.J. Max, $15
Doc Martens, thrifted, $50
Belt, thrifted $ .50
Wool scarf, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, borrowed from Grandma
Tulle duffel coat, T.J. Maxx, $25

P.S. My dad could totally beat up your dad, but he wouldn't. He's just cool like that.

Lightning strikes...

....and fish scales and velvet and pailettes and oversized brocade and black lace and velvet and mod silhouettes and appliqued blossoms and velvet and thigh high boots and velvet...did I mention the velvet? Funny how just last week I was bemoaning the over-use of velvet in NYFW, but here Alberta Feretti has bewitched me with the stuff. I seriously ( I am not even kidding, if I had a gazillion pretty dollars it would happen. ) want every single piece from her fall collection. All of it. She is one of the few modern designers who can walk the fine line between breathtakingly gorgeous and totally wearable. Check it out. 

Tiny little heart attacks all over the place. 

In more practical news, I am not posting outfits because, well, I've been wearing some variation on coveralls and a t-shirt all week. Such is the glamourous world of home renovation. But man oh man, is it coming together. We are supposed to have snow tomorrow, so I may take a break and frolic, in which case, I promise, the camera will come along! 

Bisous!

Blysianni, or Happy Heart Day!

Today's verification gem comes from the smashingly leggy Gracey, of Fashion for Giants (a serious contender for best blog name ever, am I right?). Not only is she an awesome foot taller than I am, she's an Oregon girl, too! Yay! Oregonians should have some sort of collective state nickname, don't you think? Oregonians is just plain boring. I'm talking something with a little pep. Something we can shout out in bars when the Ducks or the Beavers win, or when some girl from Oregon gets crowned Miss America. Hey, it happened once. I'm taking suggestions. Be nice. Nothing about meth labs or dampness or organic free range chickens, if you please.

So, you may have noticed in my last few posts that there was something living on my head that very closely resembled a baby Cthulhu. I'm glad you didn't say anything. It might have heard you, and then we all would have been doomed. Just kidding. That was my hair. I'm growing out my natural color, and it has gotten very big and very unruly. But! Last night I had something done about it, by a genius friend who KNOWS hair. Seriously, she felt my skull up, told me exactly where my silver was gonna come in (Is it weird that I'm super excited to have my grey hair back? Wheee!), and then razored my hair to give me more control, without sacrificing length, and camouflage that weird little flat place on the back of my head. So. Exciting. I could not be happier. And then we went to Shari's and reminisced about high school crushes and I ate food that is definitely not on my super-specialized holistic diet list of beneficial foods. Whoops! I'm making up for it by going out for sushi and miso soup and wakame salad and all kinds of Japanese goodness tonight, followed by the Valentine's Day Heavy Metal Lady's Night at East End, with my bfffffff (Sorry kids, this was supposed to post yesterday, but....my internet was down. Again. Dear Frontier Wireless, can we get on that? Anyway, we had a wickedly good time, as you can imagine!).

I decided that nothing says "saucy Valentine's Day getup" like leopard on leopard on leopard, with BOOTS. Can you believe, this serendipitously matchy-matchy trench and dress are by two different labels, and I found them on different thrifting expeditions? Ha!

Charles Grey trench coat, Buffalo Exchange, $10

Banana Republic dress, Buffalo Exchange, $18

Vintage leopard collar, thrifted, $20

OTK boots, buffalo Exchange, $45

Franco Sarto bag, thrifted, $14

Pearl bracelet, Valentine gift.

Antique amber heart, stolen from mom.

Brodet.

I picked up this little verification gem while commenting on the lovely Joy, Etc. I think its a new term. Like, bro, but for girls. Example: "I was hangin' with my brodet the other day when I saw this bangin' jacket  I just had to have." Yes? No?

Don't worry. I haven't used the term "bangin'" to describe anything other than pogs since 1992 or thereabouts. But this jacket is pretty adorable, huh? I was actually shopping with my mom at our all time favorite resale shop, New to You. I think its something like the largest consignment shop in the nation. You can definitely kill a few hours there. Along with this little Walter jacket, I also found an amazing electric yellow swing coat from an Italian label I didn't recognize and a navy linen Michael Kors tunic with military piping to wear with my sailor pants. And since I had a whopping $5 in my consignment account, I scored all three pieces for under $30. While their designer items can get a little pricy, I have rarely seen anything priced higher than $50. Most items hover around $10-15, with blouses ringing in at $8. Their shoe selection is epic, and they also have a bridal and formal dept. If you live anywhere in Oregon or Southwest Washington, its well worth the drive.

We wanted to take pictures in front of the cool mural on the front of the store. It shows the progression of women's fashion from 1900-1990. Rad! But that photo op will just have to wait, as we were running late. We snapped these this morning. Can you tell its a bit *ahem* brisk out?

Walter jacket, New to You, $15

BCBG blouse, Marshalls, $10

Jeans, F21, $24

Franco Sarto nude pumps, T.J.Maxx, $34

Necklace, ??

Bracelet, Target, $24

P.S. Spring is coming!!!

Sforked...

This is just a quick post to say hello, and share this, which made me laugh wryly for a good 30 seconds over my morning tea.

In addition to being insanely good looking and endearingly awkward in person, Joey Comeau is a GENIUS.

And also this, by far the most creative remix post I've seen so far, for reasons that will soon become hilariously obvious. Oh, just click it!

I'm a bit stranded as my talented photographer is off on a much needed vacay (Not from me, just life. Well, mostly not from me, I hope.), so no outfit pics, unless I get really ballsy and decide to try out my new tripod. By myself. In the middle of suburban wasteland (I'm house sitting.). Nope, prolly not going to happen.

Histries

Yep, that was the "verification word" I got whilst commenting on another blog (Hello, Monkeyface, in case you were curious.). Given what I do, I thought it would make an excellently dorky post title. And then I realized that most verification words are excellently dorky, so I'm going to choose the best one I see every day and use it as my post title for at least a week. Or until I get bored of it. Because I can! I have a blog, you see.

Anyway, in only slightly more relevant news, my mom and I scout for each other all the time. We are both avid collectors of this, that, and the other thing, as well as discerning dressers and decorators, and while our individual tastes are often very different, we have an almost psychic radar for what the other might like. So if, say, I'm knocking around in Anthropologie and come across a dainty handpainted bird doorknob, or she's in our favorite little hometown proud antique mall by the library and sees a killer vintage leopard collar, we give each other the heads up. Its like having a personal shopper, only ten times better, because I get to shop for her, too! And any excuse for extra shopping is a good one.

Tulle duffel coat, TJ Maxx, $24
Vintage wool sailor pants, Buffalo exchange, $14
Max Studio silk blouse, Marshalls, $12
Vintage leopard collar, thrifted, $20
Farylrobin pumps (!!!), Buffalo Exchange, $38
Antique chainlink bracelet, stolen from mom.

Back in the saddle...

Today I opened the little museum where I work after a month's sabbatical. I was entirely unprepared for how cosy and familiar everything would seem, and how quickly I would settle back into my little routine; Lock the door behind you, disarm the security system, turn on the lights, room by room, dust and straighten up anything gravity and proximity to a major highway has disarranged, set out fresh brochures, flip over the open sign, unlock the door, and set the flag in its post....and wait. I'm sure we won't see any visitors today, but that's alright, I'm happy just sitting here, catching up on the mail, getting back into the swing of things.

January was an odd, untethered sort of month. As usually seems to happen in such situations, what seemed like an enormous ( Intimidating, even!) pile of free time vanished under an even bigger pile of routine maintenance, special projects, and all the little minutiae I could never get to during opening hours. I also found that, without a set of work hours to schedule my day around, I lost track of time all too frequently, and things like eating, sleeping, putting shoes on, leaving the house, checking my voicemail, making time for friends, and yes, even blogging, happened erratically, or not at all. It was a bit like limbo, I imagine.

So I'm glad to be back! I already feel the itch of productivity coming on...

Off the grid...

Oh. My. My internet was down for two days. Two days, people.
I actually accomplished a lot, since I couldn't just hang out and Hulu one more episode of Angel Season 3...

Instead I found the perfect rug for my living room, took a gamble with some rather outrageous window treatments, picked up more paint, masking tape, curtain rods, and picture nails, hit Value Village for some seriously awesome vintage throw pillows, took my dry cleaning and alterations in, mailed the last of my christmas presents (hush, now), and paid my PGE bill. I feel very grown up. Also very broke. But the house is really, really starting to come together, and I'm so excited to show you what I've got so far...

Here's a little sneak peek at my bathroom...Its actually finished as of last night, but I took these photos a few days ago, right after I installed the window treatment. I'm in love with the quality of light in there now. The pink walls are very golden and glowy in the morning, and fade to a pale lavender by night. The glossy off-white trim keeps everything really fresh. Man, paint is the greatest.

These earrings were so amazing that I had to buy them, even though I don't have pierced ears!

Ok, so I've really been digging a sort of borrowed-from-the-boys look all week long; Androgynous styling with hyper-feminine details, and simply pretty hair and makeup. It feels fresh and sexy, and just a wee bit scrappy. These jeans have built in suspenders. I die. The field behind me is not even a block away from my Grandma's house. It used to be a favorite haunt of wild geese and marsh birds of all kinds, but now its being graded to become a soccer field. I'm torn. Wild geese? Or sexy soccer boys?

Vintage Italian bespoke wool suit jacket, thrifted, $25

Max studio shirt-dress thingy, TJ Maxx, $20

Jeans, thrifted, $9

Carlos Santana heels, TJ Maxx, $15

Necklace, Temple st Clair for Target, $12

Ok, I have to go catch up on all my emails now...and maybe watch some Angel. Don't forget to enter the giveaway if'n ye haven't already (Its the suspenders. They make me talk like an old coot)...you've got til midnight-ish on Thursday. Good luck!