a combination of new and old

God, I haven't done an outfit post in so long! Had to fight several spiders and skeletons in the closet to get the tripod out. Now I remember why I stopped doing them, taking your own pictures is a pain in the butt. But I did want to share this outfit agenda!

I actually just got this Comme des Garcons skirt yesterday-- for less than $100, too, happily enough. Like I said in my old budget/dream wardrobe series, it seriously pays to have friends in retail who are looking out for you. This still has the tags on it! I love good, random fortune. I'm wearing it with an Express jacket, which is plain and boring and lovely. I like to wear things that are either far too much or very plain. When you wear those two agendas together it makes for a good time. I wear my Margiela Tabi's every other day and they've broken in perfectly. 

Oh yeah, I'm a redhead now. Surprise? It has most certainly changed my beauty routine, I don't wear blue lipstick anymore (for now...) because I look a thousand percent like a clown (and not a Cindy Sherman one) with it on, but I am appreciating Lady Danger by MAC a whole lot. I've been testing out different skin finishes, also, trying to get my #robot look down. Still working on it. I'll keep you posted.

Anyway. Yep! Now I must go back to work. I'm a full time freelancer now (woo) and it's keeping me very busy, delightfully enough. See you around!

tabi time

Illamasqua Scribe Eyeliner, Comme des Garcons Jacket (remixed) from Fall 2005, TAO CDG blouse (remixed), Undercoverism shorts (gift), Margiela Tabis.

Hi peaches. Long time no see I suppose, at least on this little internet space. I have been writing elsewhere -- Teen Vogue, Rookie, and The Style Con (twice a week right now). I also did some interviews, I've been keeping busy. We're back to working on our monstering photo series, Tayler and I, after about a month off. "Off" is an inaccurate word to describe what I've been up to though. I've never been so busy in my life! I've been at Teen Vogue freelancing M-F and then working on other projects on Saturdays. Today and tomorrow are the only days I've been home, but I've been working today too. The only downtime I've had was when Tayler came over to hang this weekend and she took these pictures. This is my dining room, I've photographed in here quite often over the years. It's really dusty and gross right now, but I think that's fitting, everything in it is old. Pirate ship looks.

So -- since last post: I bought myself a grail item of mine, Margiela Tabis. I'm considering them my 21st birthday present (yes, that happened last week!). It was also the blog's 7th year anniversary, which is absurd to me. I've wanted these shoes for probably at least half of the blog's lifetime. When I look back on my past posts, in between cringing, I can recognize myself in my inspiration even though how I interpreted things was a lot different then. Quite honestly, my inspiration boards are the same they've always been. I have just reformulated my process, trimmed the fat. I wrote about giving away a lot of my clothes for TSC actually. 

Three years ago buying these shoes would have been completely ridiculous and unfeasible to me. But a lot has changed since then. The other week, I was walking through the office on one of my last days at the magazine, staring at my feet in these shoes, in a Seditionaries tshirt (a gift from Hazel from a Rookie swap) and navy CDG skirt (bought for myself last summer), and I had this out of body experience. I was living -- am living -- the dream I first articulated on this very blog years ago. Sophomore in high school dreams being lived out as a Senior in University. I've already purchased so many of the things I've dreamed about, through my writing and other work. I'm in the process of doing so many other things right now I can't even talk about, and I'm so excited, because even a year ago I wouldn't have had the capacity to think myself capable. But now I'm the girl with the tabis I used to hyperventilate with jealousy over. A lot of it -- so much, actually -- has been because of the kindness of my friends and mentors who have believed in me and gave me a chance (and even their clothes, as you might have noticed from this post). I'm a lucky girl. 

Thanks for helping me with everything, peaches. I'm happy you're here with me too. I think I'll do you proud this year.

thanksgiving

Hope you're all having a nice holiday weekend -- I know it can be hella triggering and terrible (usually I totally dread it), I hope it isn't the case for you and you are surrounded by people (and food) you care about. This morning I spent the day gloriously in bed, brainstorming pitches and watching Zoolander. It's a bit frightening how it never gets old. Thinking up pitches on fashion criticism while watching Zoolander is just.. really surreal and funny. Because honestly it's not that different from real life. Which makes it even funnier. 

Anyway --- these weren't taken by Tayler, she's gone home for the break. They're actually in my new studio! But it's still under construction, so it's close cropped. I am embarrassingly rusty at taking my own photos now, but I think these came out kind of cool. Blurry and void of details, yes, but let's all pretend it's #art. Optimism! 

Ok, I felt absurd with all those blurry photos, so here is ONE where you can actually see me. Bah. 

But to the clothes.... my new parka makes me feel very Blade Runner especially with my new haircut. And I am finally wearing my vintage leather pants I thrifted a month or two ago -- during Rookie weekend, so I guess it's been two months? Time flies. It feels so long ago. I was on a mission that day for some CDG because I heard someone had sold a bunch of theirs to a consignment store, and I ended up going on a really dramatic mission throughout the neighborhood looking for a mysterious CDG collection and also leather pants. I lucked out and found these in the first store I went to, for I think $12! I ended up finding way more than I bargained for and ended up having a panic attack in the dressing room with a frozen bank account because I couldn't leave without buying more than I probably should have. OH WELL. I DON'T REGRET IT AT ALL. 

I'd rather resell things I don't wear than walk away wondering what if, anyway. There is so little that I actually really want in my closet nowadays anyway so when I find multiples of things that inspire me I can't just turn away! I don't wan't to wonder what could have been. That applies to more than just clothes. 

Hope you're having a delicious day darlin. See you soon.

on the grid

Shot these the same day as the last outfit post actually, and I've been wearing this suit in some variation ever since I grabbed it off of Choies. I've been looking for a patterned suit for months -- maybe even a year? This fits like a dream. Being petite can be incredibly annoying when most inseams are for people several inches taller than my 5 ft 2 frame, but I seemed to have lucked out this time.

Blazer: Choies Button Up: Vintage (previously seen here) Pants: Choies Shoes: Cole Haan c/o.

I'm super into the graphic lines of this suit, for some reason it reminds me of J.W Anderson though he wouldn't and hasn't done a suit of this nature before. Most people are saying I look like a new version of Beetlejuice, which I'm into so long as it's not Robin Thicke's version of Beetlejuice a la that horrible performance. I think I mostly look like a game show host. It's cool seeing this suit out of the context of my life though and just on a grid. I kind of am way more into this than I am a quick street style photo simply because you can actually tell this is editorialized.

 People have a hard time realizing my internet life (and those of other bloggers) are pretty much editorialized fictions at this point. You're seeing what we want you to see. That's ok, that's fine, I think, I think knowing you're being presented choice aspects on purpose is much better than being led to believe otherwise. The outfits I post on this blog are real, and I do wear these things, and I certainly think all these thoughts about fashion and beauty and queerness, but I'm also dealing with friendships and sadness and school and so many things I'd much rather keep close to my heart and never tell the internet. 

You can assume from a street style photo that oh yes, I'm living and loving in Da Big Apple, running from this and that to this and that. Glamour! Getting That Guap! So on. Some of that is real. Sometimes I am so lucky to go to events and things. But mostly I'm hustling to get my homework done and overthinking myself to tears on the L train from being overwhelmed from ALL the feelings, and the thought of presenting a magazine-glossy glamorized (and at this point, very standard) street style photo seems wrong to me. Also I have never been good at that? Most of my outfit posts have been me with a tripod in my neighborhood when nobody is walking around, and then me running back into my house. The quick street snap is not real, it never was. I want to explore how weird and complex and intricate I can get with myself in a way that a street style photo can't serve. I know what my clothes look like in the context of my life and work and things, I want to see them in my own imagination via weird photoshoots and stuff. So that's what's happening with Tayler. It's not a perfect interpretation and it won't ever be, but I'm ok with exploring. 

loop theory: yale and sartorial excellence

Juggling work, an internship (my dream internship, no less!), school, and a social life is a grind I am trying to perfect with some difficulty -- but I'm making it happen because I have to. A fortnight ago I teamed up with my girl Tayler on a few photo projects, one of which were these snaps of a beautiful suit sent to me by a lovely young designer -- and reader -- named Elliy, of the brand Loop Theory. These photos were a long time coming. I was actually sent this suit probably a month or so ago, but with my friend Massiel, my most faithful blog-photographer and cohort off in Japan doin her graduate school thang I have been trying to find someone I trust as much to work with for photos. I don't mind working alone, but taking photos on top of my bed with a tripod gets old way fast. So I'm excited to be working with Tayler, and to be able to finally show this really cute suit off because Elliy is a smart and kind person who has created a very beautful collection. 

I'm wearing: Loop Theory Suit c/o, Vintage necklace, Bonlook glasses c/o.  

A little about Loop Theory -- you may recognize the prints on this suit if you're into architecture, or have ever been to Yale, as they are manipulated snaps of the Ivy League campus. Here's an excerpt from Elliy's brand statement:

Yale was where Loop Theory and all the memories surrounding it were first created. This collection's surrealist designs entail both metaphysical and metaphorical reflections of an illusive Yale based in reality but perceived only through memory in the realm of mind.

This outfit is from her Pre-Fall collection and comes in a skirt version as well. It was hard deciding what to style, but I decided on a suit option instead of a dress for more outfit options. I'm interested in playing around with how these very unique prints play off other patterns in my closet, as I don't have anything quite like this. How would you style this? I'm thinking plain white button up or t-shirt would be most predictable and casual, but I'm also neither of those things.

Anyway -- truth be told I'm feeling super under the weather, but I really wanted to post these up as soon as possible. As a young designer (and reader!) I feel very, very honored and proud to be able to showcase an upstart in the industry, especially as she's a WOC and has little connections to the industry as she doesn't come from a fashion school. Breaking into fashion is SO hard but I hope and think she has a really thoughtful brand and a vision worth watching. Here's to hoping.

the irony of perfect destruction

This outfit doubles as a London outfit post AND shows you what I wore to the first day of NYFW, haha. Quick phone snaps of my current 'practical' 'every day' fave outfit, I've worn it at least once a week for a month. Dress by Comme des Garcons, everything else is from wholesale liquidators and/or Goodwill. The most literal high/low mix and pretty descriptive of my actual style....I buy from Goodwill every six or eight months or something if something I've worn for awhile is worn out, and save the rest for the yearly CDG sample sales. My focus for my future is to consume less but better. This dress is surprisingly versatile and good for this idea because of the half sheerness, and the lack of structure (or rather, the more unusual kind of structure) of the top, so I can wear it tucked into pants, or with shorts, or with another layer of skirts, or backwards, etc. A lot of possibilities. It would be completely hideous if the actual techniques used weren't perfect. Comme is so interesting because it uses the rules of tailoring, patterncutting, etc, and completely distorts the approach. It reformulates the rules on it's own terms. I like this particular take on it a lot for it's playful dark geometry....if I bothered going to my senior prom, I'd have gladly worn this.

The quality of these photos is a bit of a  bummer but we shot & edited them on my phone, so you win some and lose some. These photos were taken on the side streets of Brick Lane in London, such a cute neighborhood, so much cool art and interesting shops.  A nice mix of  dollar bagels and Yohji Yamamoto gloves -- the best mix, really.

Edit: Thought it would be cool to show that yeah, I literally do just completely recycle outfits shamelessly. Here's outside Lincoln Center w/ my cutie internet bud Ben. He let me print his photos in my queer/fashion/feminsm zine I did a while back (but have yet to sell online, because I'm horrible), he's really talented:

Yay, friends!!! Aren't his shoes the illest? Ignore the fact I am a scrub and not looking in the right camera. Oops. 

kentish town calling

Hi darlings! I'm blogging this from my phone in London, so I apologize for  weird coding, blogger isn't the best for mobile blogging. I love London, it's just as fast paced as Nyc but there are more pubs and cute accents here. -My best friend Scott, who I'm visiting, took these photos and then my camera promptly decided to flash low battery and die and my charger isn't a fan of uk adapters. The dress is from Choies c/o and I picked it specifically for this trip. I think it was the perfect decision, right?

This neighborhood is so cute, I saw pictures of it literally hours before I left NYC and immediately knew thishad to be the first place I visited. I am not a very good tourist, I haven't done any of the requisite landmarks yet though I will force myself to sometime during my trip, probably...hopefully...maybe.

Anyway, I'm starving so I'm going to go eat some leftover pizza and plan my day. I'm sorry I am a bit slow in responding to emails at the moment, I'll be back in the states soon. (edit Actually, this post is going up from my bed at home! Anyway.) Hope all is well.

quote work attire unquote

Scheduled post, still in London and these pictures are my living room mid-construction work. It's a favorite spot of mine for photos -- same place these two posts were shot --- but it's hardly recognizable at the moment with all our trinkets in storage. We're replacing a lot of the windows and renovating the attic into a little paradise for me. Custom closets say WHAT. 

This is just an outfit I threw together in very literally one minute after getting a last minute email for a meeting. I really wanted it to be ten degrees cooler out, so I could wear my Comme des Garcons tumor cape over this because it's not quite weird enough for me, but I guess it was for the best since this is also as close to business casual I can get with my wardrobe hahaha. It's very hard to find button downs in my size that are made well, I'm a snob so I'll just wait until a Helmut Lang top pops up in my size somewhere. I know it'll be worth it. 

Outfit details.... this hat is my dads, it's a vintage Stetson. Luckily for me (and horrible for him), all his hats have shrunk to the point where they fit me perfectly, and I've consequentially stolen each and every one for myself since middle school. I love me a good hat. This top is not new to the blog either, I got it on a Goodwill trip in freshman year and it's served me very well. Jeans were c/o PacSun, but they aren't available anymore so I linked to some alternatives above. The bag was a surprise from Rebecca Minkoff last summer I think -- it fits my tablet & wallet perfectly, so you know it'll be a school essential. And the shoes....are basically my everyday pair. I am so lazy and out of practice with actual heels, I wear these creepers every day. I'd be ok with just having a million pairs of creepers and no other shoe option, honestly. If you want your creepers to last, skip the Demonias and go straight for a pair of Underground, though. The difference in quality is so noticable and worth it, and your shoes will last way longer.

My hair fades to different shades of green so quickly and grows SO fast, I don't know for how long I can frankly afford to even have short (and green) hair at this point when my undercut grows like an inch every two weeks! Topher @ ARROJO is always in shock whenever I come in for a buzz at how fast it's grown. I really love how short hair has directed my style though, I feel not necessarily more masculine, but not so automatically femme when I put together an outfit. I just like mixin it up. Though I suppose since I'm so known for absurd hair colors at this point maybe it will be the ultimate challenge to one day soon go back to brown hair. One day....

another jump from paper

This is the other JumpFromPaper bag I was given to play with -- I think its my favorite, I'm going to use it as my bookbag next semester when I'm feeling particularly snarky.

Anyway, this park is actually an old outfit post area, or at least -- the grass far beyond that white wall you see in the background.  I've always wanted to take some photos on this walkway though and I think they turned out really well! I'm trying not to burst out laughing because the kids playing in the background kept on sneaking into the pictures, haha. This is definitely the most casual outfit I've ever posted on the blog, but it's one I wear at least once a week because sometimes you just have errands and I don't really think going to Home Depot merits me pulling out my Rodarte dress. I'm sure you understand.  

Outfit details: Bonlook Nomad Glasses c/o, Urban Decay Lipstick in Jilted mixed with Anarchy c/o, Serge & Jane Muscle Tee from BITNB c/o (it's not available anymore though, alas), Vintage Belt and Thrifted Denim Shorts, and JumpFromPaper Bag c/o. For my lingerie babes, I wear this shirt with the Rumeur bra by Huit. Huit's one of my favorite brands, and this is my favorite set by them. I got it through True&Co, along with a few other bras I'm loving. I haven't talked about my True&Co experience though it's been months -- is that a post you'd be interested in? Lemme know in the comments.

a jump from paper

When JumpFromPaper contacted me a few weeks ago I jumped at the chance to try out their bags! I've seen em around the internet and I've admired their surrealist wonky attitude to fashion since first sight, and I feel kinship to them since they're based in Taiwan. Gotta rep my homeland. 

 I am more inclined to take fashion very seriously internally, but I'm way too drawn to bright colors and pattern mixing to be the gothninja of my dreams.... I think that's fine though. Fashion should really make you feel happy, I think. These bags do a good job at that. Plus, they make other people smile, too, which is nice. 

My "Gimme all your money and also your soul" look.

Outfit details: Armani Exchange Button Down c/o (similar), Zana Bayne Harness, Kelly Wearstler Camo Jeans c/o, Qupid Strappy Wedges c/o, JumpFromPaper Jazz Bag c/o. I'm wearing Urban Decay Lipstick in Jilted on my lips.

tap dancing elves vs street harassment

Boop! Summer means as little clothing as possible, and in the perfect kind of weather -- no humidity, a slight breeze, cloud covering so I'm not sweating -- I can even wear sleeves. Perfect. Summer is the season of butt cleavage, though with it comes out the creeps. On the way to taking these pictures actually, I had to yell at a dude who wanted to like, hug me? I don't know. He kept on doing that thing where you stop and try to lowkey take a picture, but I knew what he was doing so I just kept on walking behind him and making his life difficult. Dude, I have a headband on, I'm not naked, why are you so interested? It took literally ten minutes for him to go away, I don't know why dudes think I'm ok with them taking my picture without my permission or you know, honestly even breathing the same air as me without my permission. Wait! Yes I do! Patriarchy! Hah. That old thing. I hope one day guys will understand I don't exist to please or appease them, but until then, I'm gonna hollaback. 

Outfit details: Crafts Store Headband, Vintage Blouse (similar, similar), Nollie High Rise Shorts c/o, Qupid Holographic Flats c/o, OCC Powerplant Lip Tar.

wall of rainbows

Quick snaps before my friend and I went to Sephora meant not really finding a nice place to take photos, so I made due with what I had and messed around a little. 

This outfit is just a combination of summer necessities of mine -- vintage D& G top, Acid Wash Skater Skirt c/o Necessary Clothing, and creepers (previously seen here). Honestly halfway through the day I usually give up and just wear my Marlies Dekkers Bra (which I'm wearing underneath this crop top) with the skirt and call it a night. Thank the Goddess for tolerant roommates who share an appreciation of cute underwear.

 The top is old (I don't even remember not having it in my closet) but I provided some alternatives below if you want to cop this look yourself. 

sasawaturi in the urban jungle

Hi cuties! Long time no see. I wish I could say I've been busy but mostly I've been sitting in the library reading a lot and cooking with my friends. Summer is passing by at a nice pace, in between hopping between New York and New Brunswick I feel both at home and in transit at all times. Sometimes I'm too hard on myself or overanalyze things to the point of utter neurosis but I'm getting better at recognizing it and dealing with it. I try to learn and move and surround myself with Missy Elliot songs and nice lipstick and the color red to give me strength and it works. Red is def my power color, and has been for years. I was never faithful to any one color as a kid and gendered colors like blue or pink or whatever have always weirded me out. You think people grow out of that force fed stuff and then you walk around the Financial District and 95% of all the dudes you see are in blue striped shirts. You won't burst into flames if you wear another color, dude.  

GENDER!!!!! COLOR THEORY!!!! I mean. I have a fascination with the history and associations with all colors, probably the reason I like red so much is it's supposed to be bad or something. Or sexy. I am not a sexy person, I do not ooze sex, but I am endlessly fascinated with the implications of sexuality in clothing and in life in general, I like seeing different kinds represented in film, I like exploring what it means, I like hearing other people's stories about it. Red triggers a lot of interesting things I care about and so I like to carry myself in it as a form of protection and aggression and kindness all at once. Because although I would love to wear head to toe black or white CDG every day and wear in a beautiful pair of painted Margiela tabi's, that shit is expensive (dry cleaning!!) and impractical and I like the ceremony of those clothes for when I feel like I need their strength. For most days, I just wear red and remind myself of Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamomoto's feelings about red. (Red is the new black.)

I'm impressed and unsurprised I brought everything back to my faves. That is true commitment to my cause. Anyway, I hope you're having a nice summer so far. Talk to you soon. I'll be wandering around playing with the imaginary creatures I see in the overgrown weeds of my city. 

The first doodle is by my darling Brandon, the rest are me spending an excessive amount of time on Photoshop.

summer spicy food and camo pants

Summer isn't too disgustingly hot yet, so I can still wear jeans for a lil bit! Went out for brunch with my friend (& frequent blog photographer Massiel) and we walked around spying on cute dogs. I haven't been doing much the past few weeks honestly other than read a lot in the park and oversleep. I'm excited to sit outside the Art Library at school all day this summer and read and drink homemade bubble tea and spend time with my friends (I don't get to do that a lot during the school year because I'm constantly going between class and fashion events and work...so I don't see anybody for weeks). It's going to be nice just having time to do whatever for a bit, just to explore and learn what I'd like. Spending the day walking around my old haunts and noting how they have changed in my neighborhood (like the few blocks surrounding this mural) is just a nice relaxer. Hopefully I don't get bored out of my mind not being stressed out though... I do actually like working so it's going to be weird not having things to worry about for the next few months. 

Outfit Details Above 

K, I'm off to pack. See you soon!

parachute pants and james deen impressions

While cleaning my closet some days ago I came across a drawer full of cool pants I have very rarely if ever worn, they're all vintage pants my mom made or wore when she was around my age. These wool parachute pants were one of them. I think she made them herself, I haven't bothered to ask her though. How can she like these but then call my new CDG skirt ugly?! The world may never know.

I am wearing that TAO blouse again (you can see more of the details without the jacket right?), along with these ridiculous but wonderful shoes. Walking on cobblestone in these was way fun -- not. But they are beautiful and I suffer through it. Every time I wear them, I complain but they also make every outfit better so it's really just talk.

Hope all is well. x Arabelle