them brows

Thanks to extremely poor vision (and an acid attack, no I don't want to talk about it...), I've worn glasses since I was a child. I have become so accustomed to wearing them that I could never dream of wearing contacts. Not that I could, even if I wanted to, as the acid attack left me unable to wear contacts.  Thusly I spend a lot time searching for the perfect spectacles, opting for an interesting"statement" pair - something that makes a first impression. There is no singular item that I place more consideration and forethought into than a new pair of specs.  Glasses are worn every single day on the most visible part of your body! They should enhance your features and blend with your wardrobe! Therefore, I exercise extremely due diligence when selecting my next pair, and pay the highest attention to design, form, and daily wearability.

So when I saw the Prada Fall 2010 eyebrow glasses, I KNEW that they are destined to be my next pair.

(all images via style.com)

For people like me, who obsess over spectacles and quirky eyebrows, this is practically porn. I adore the exaggerated cat-eye shape, which brings to life Prada's ethos of sexy-matron-attitude-without-the-fuss. The heavy form of the glasses would provide a healthy structural contrast to the draped pieces I usually wear, allowing my eyes to make a statement that my flowy garments could not.

BUT!! Do they pass the Photoshop test?!

DINGDINGING WE HAVE A WINNER!

 Prada eyebrow glasses, you will be mine. I'll set up camp outside the Prada boutique in Chicago if I have to, just to ensure that I get a pair in the colorway worn by Valerija Kelava before they sell out. MUST. OWN. THESE. GLASSES.

PS: Here is what I look like without glasses, for those of you who are interested. I don't like the way my face looks without them.

a paragon of her kind

(american apparel le sac top, oooold urban outfitters necklace, alex&chloe skeleton key necklace, forever21 belt, bdg jeans, ld tuttle boots. click for hi-res)

Today's outfit is proof positive that I've been playing too much Dragon Age: Origins for Xbox - hey, gotta have something to do when you're underemployed, right? *uncomfortable giggle* In any case, I love pairing this waist belt with a draped top. The resulting medieval aesthetic makes me feel like a rogue in a fantasy game. I feel like perhaps I should be brandishing a sword, fighting off darkspawn!


Oh, and in case you're wondering: yes, these really are the only pants I own. As soon as I get a better job, I plan on remedying that situation promptly.

some velvet morning

My new job has a fairly strict dress code, but black nailpolish is one of the few things I can wear. I picked up Chanel's new limited-edition lacquer #430 Black Velvet from their pre-fall Paris-Shanghai collection. If I'm not mistaken, I think The Divinitus has this color as well. The hype surrounding this polish is that it has a matte finish, but as my picture shows, it's not completely matte.

It's more like a buttery smooth leather finish. There is some sheen present, but it is an extremely dull sheen, one that highly diffuses reflecting light. It's a lovely finish, and makes me feel like I'm feel like I'm wearing latex on my nails. Congrats Chanel, you've created the first fetish-friendly nail lacquer.

Black Velvet, Trapeze, and Particuliere are all I need for the summer. Neutral workhorses, and Black Velvet for special occasions.

exclamation station

(WARNING: annoying excessive use of exclamations in this post) Okay, so! Exciting things are being set into motion! I really wish I could spill the beans on everything but soon my pretties, soon you will see!

First of all, this little bloggity-blog-blog here may have contributed to my getting involved in some great projects! This blog was seen by some people at Bonnie & Clyde's, my favorite boutique in Chicago and source of some of my favoritest pieces in closet. They offered me an internship, and I accepted! So, I will be starting some fun projects with them very soon (which I will be sure to share with you all!) and I am thrilled to be working with one of Chicago's best boutiques! Yay!

Second, I had a chance to meet Tavi (who really needs no introduction, but if you don't know who she is, read this) over vegetarian soups + pastries to discuss an incredibly exciting project that she's working on! I'm overjoyed at the chance to possibly play even a teeny-tiny part in this venture. Tavi is just as sweet, intelligent, and friendly as she seems in her blog. On the internet, people can easily craft a persona that masks how dull they are IRL (I have been guilty of this), but with Tavi, What You See is What You Get. We chatted for a while about some business, then wandered around to some shops in the area. And since my camera and I are practically attatched at the hip, I took some photos! Click for hi-res.

We stopped in a vintage store and found this polyester tennis-print miniskirt, with a tag reading "Tennis Anyone", which obviously made us LOL real hard.

At a bookstore, she checked out the collection of Vogue covers. I lusted after the behemoth book Helmut Newton Sumo, located in the stand just to Tavi's left. I WILL OWN THAT BOOK ONE DAY. It's the only thing I want for my birthday this year!

 She bought the new issue of i-D, which led to us ooh-ing! and ahh-ing! over everything inside, especially the Miu Miu spread.

She took me to a joke shop and showed me these neat postcards. Yes, apparently joke shops still exist. I had no idea either!

Finally, the first photo that is not of the side of her face.

Her mismatched socks ruled pretty hard, I gotta say.

Completely adorable! She really is as friendly as she looks.

After being unemployed (oh yes, did I mention? I found a new job!!), I am glad to be busying myself with creative activities and surrounding myself with really wonderful people. It's still a bit too early for me to decide if  whether losing my "grown-up" job was ultimately good thing, but I do know that life has a funny way of working itself out over time. In my 24 years, I have learned that the trials and tribulations of life always give way to positive outcomes in ways you may never ever dream of. I lost my boring office job, but I'm pursuing creatively stimulating projects in fashion and photography, where my heart really lies. And that certainly takes the sting out of the job loss experience!

Exciting times, my friends. Very exciting times for me! Thanks for reading this blog and being a part of my journey! XOXO

not so navy

Remember when I posted about Jil Sander Navy, Jil Sander's new diffusion line? Okay, you probably don't, so I will link you HERE to refresh your memory. Ahem. Now. You may continue reading this post.

Images from the new Jil Sander Navy lookbook have hit the intarwebz. I'm really enjoying the modern silhouettes and clean lines, as well as the highly tailored aesthetic which so defines Jil Sander. Jil Sander Navy is not skimping out on the little details that are characteristic of the main line, and admittedly, that was my biggest worry. However, I'm not super stoked on much of the pieces in the debut lookbook. There's a few pieces that I like, but for the most part this collection doesn't seem very inspired to me. I really hope that Jil Sander Navy pushes the envelope for their next collection. A diffusion line doesn't have to be a sad, pathetic version of the mainline. See: McQ, Rad by Rad Hourani, Marc by Marc Jacobs.

(images via refinery29)

Hell hath frozen over the day I weareth pink, but OMG look at the oxfords in look #1! Blue canvas with black wingtips and a wooden sole...perfection! 

Looks #1 and #2 are total yawns. But dress in look #3 + aforementioned oxfords = A+++ WOULD TTLY WEAR ERRYDAY. The understated, soothing print makes me want to listen to Pure Moods: Vol. 1, or the only volume of Pure Moods that you should ever care about.

Still not really crushing on anything here, but I really like the crisp tailoring of the shirt dress and shift dress.

So what do you all think? Are you impressed? I really appreciate that Jil Sander Navy stays true to Jil Sander's core, but I personally think they could have created a more interesting collection.

PS: My vacation to Spain was amazing, and stay tuned for many photos from my trip!

(h/t to refinery29)

the rain in spain

Well guys, I'm leaving for my vacation today. I'm going to Spain and I'll be there for the next 10 days. I have no queued posts, but I will post lots of photos when I return! Take care lovelies xoxo

late bar

(thrifted shearling jacket, pleasure principle dress from bonnie & clyde's, thrifted cheap monday leather shorts, zana bayne belt, forever21 and marc jacobs bracelets, thrifted steve madden pumps. click for hi-res.)

Wore this to Late Bar, where some friends of mine were DJing for a new goth music night. I really like the premise of their event - a goth night for people who like Cocteau Twins and Zola Jesus...as opposed to, uh, Combichrist. The goth scene in Chicago is primarily composed of nu-metal rivet heads who wear tacky Demonia boots and stomp to VNV Nation at Nocturna, so it's nice to see my friends putting together an event for those of us whose definition of goth is a bit more refined.

 I'm pretty sure this is a men's Pleasure Principle shirt...but no mind, it fits me like a dress! It's one of my great scores from the epic Bonnie & Clyde's warehouse sale a few months ago. I'm wearing leather shorts underneath to stay decent, and found this shearling jacket at a thrift store. Supposedly shearling jackets will be big this fall, so I decided to get started on the trend a bit early. It's perfect for those chilly spring Chicago nights.