raised by wolves!

i can’t tell you how happy i was to find out that elizabeth a.k.a. raised by wolves a.k.a. queenelizabeth, has just started her own style blog! i’ve been a fan of hers since i joined chictopia at the beginning of the year, so i’m super excited to share this interview with you. her looks are campy and adventurous, yet always pulled together and sophisticated. she’s a master of styling and she does it on a budget!
name: Elizabeth
age: 16
location: Massachusettswhat is it that you do? I’m a senior in high school, and I suppose you could say that I’m also a fashion blogger. I do costumes for my school’s Shakespeare play, I’m on the crew team, and from now until February (ish), I’m also a college applicant. Cross your fingers for me!

i’m trying to channel into the mind of elizabeth here. what goes on in your head when you’re planning out an outfit to wear? I get ideas for outfits from pretty random or arbitrary things. A lot of times it’s a song or a phrase that gets me thinking, or an idea to put together two things that don’t really make sense. Occasionally I’ll put together an outfit based on a runway show or a street-style look, but more often it’s something that has a story or a character behind it. I’d much rather dress up like a flapper, a 60’s stewardess, a librarian or a modern Brigitte Bardot than something I saw on style.com. (I also sometimes look through my old photos for inspiration – I’m definitely guilty of wearing different variations of the same outfit or re-using old tricks, and it makes me think, “You know, I haven’t worn tights over shoes/an upside-down sweater/my hair in a beehive/etc. in a long time…”)

now you must tell us about your fall inspiration. My fall inspiration? I’m not really sure. I do tend to dress more “dark” during the fall and winter, and of course I start to layer a lot because of the weather, so my look ends up being more complicated than in the summer, when I’ll just throw on a simple dress. When I feel stuck in a rut, I look through the Charles Addams and Edward Gorey books on my shelf and they always inspire me – the illustrations are kind of lovely and morbid at the same time. I’m also becoming really interested in the late 60’s/early 70’s – I watched The Graduate recently, a family friend gave me a huge stack of 70’s magazines, and I’ve been listening to a lot of music and looking through a lot of photos from that time period. I think it’ll be interesting to see how these two sources of inspiration get thrown together.
is there a list of elizabeth’s fall must-haves? I don’t have a list of fall must-haves, but in general, my must-have items are: something shiny, something frilly (preferably a tutu), something with sequins, something floral (preferably vintage), and anything red, white and blue. You can worry about little black dresses and pencil skirts and other “staples” when you’re older and working in an office – I’ve always believed that it’s better to dress a little crazy while you can still get away with it.

where do you usually shop for clothes? The places I shop aren’t really extraordinary at all – mainly thrift stores, and sometimes Urban Outfitters or H&M. I keep a spreadsheet of all my clothing purchases, and according to that, in the last year I’ve also shopped at TJ Maxx, Marshalls (they have great shoes sometimes), Target, Topshop, Forever 21, and an assortment of yard sales. I’m also a bit embarrassed to say that I bought 2 bathing suits (for $10 each!) from American Eagle, and a $4 over-sized pocket tank from Aeropostale. I kind of hate myself for shopping at such stereotypical mall stores, but I do enjoy it when I can find something I’d actually wear next to all the low-rise boot-cut jeans and graphic T-shirts with monkeys on them.

i’ve been following your style on chictopia for a while now and i’m so excited that you’ve started a blog! what inspired you to start doing outfit posts and to eventually start your blog?
I only started getting really interested in fashion during high school, and at the beginning of sophomore year I decided to take a picture of my outfit every day (without posting it anywhere), just to have as a sort of fashion diary. Towards the end of that year I started reading a lot of fashion blogs, including some written by teenagers, and found out about Chictopia through them, so at the beginning of junior year I started posting outfits there. By the end of the year I was doing a lot of writing along with my outfits and posting other things that didn’t really fit into the “daily outfit” setup, so I made the jump to Blogger and started posting on my new blog in addition to Chictopia.

do you aspire to work in the fashion industry? Sometimes people ask me “So you want to be a fashion designer, right?” or “Are you going to be on Project Runway?”, mainly because not a lot of people at my school dress the way I do. I would love to do something fashion-related, but right now I’m not sure if that means working at a larger design house, or a magazine, or doing something more business-related, or finding a more stable job and doing fashion stuff on the side (since the fashion industry is depressingly hard to break into.) I’m also kind of fascinated by advertising and what makes people want to buy certain things – I think it would be really interesting to have a job that explored that side of the fashion industry.

you can see more of elizabeth at chictopia.com/queenelizabeth or at raisedby-wolves.blogspot.com.

marcinéma

these lovely photos were all taken from marcine’s beautiful flickr account!
as i continue to process my amazing weekend in nyc, gathering photos and writing up a time line of the events, i can’t help but think of a certain lovely new york inhabitant: marcine of a clock without hands has an incredible eye for photography, an impeccable sense of style, and the most wonderful taste in books and cinema alike! she’s such a wonderful source of inspiration that i just had to ask her for a little interview!
name: Marcine M.
age: 20
location: New York
hometown: Claremont, California

what is it that you do?
At the moment, I’m a student in New York City, trying to learn as much as I can about cinema studies and creative writing. We’ll just have to wait and see where film preservation and poetry will take me!

i first have to comment on your lovely style (and your etsy shop). what would you say are some of your favorite things in fashion right now, or what are some of your strong influences at the moment?
Well first of all, thank you miss! Secondly, I have the awful habit of trying to avoid anything-fashion related (which is pretty impossible). On the other hand, I think I am in the Jeanne Dielman phase of my life (minus the prostitution and murder). Cardigans, simple skirts and blouses, and peeling lots of potatoes. Delphine Seyrig and Monica Vitti (particularly in Red Desert) can do no wrong in my eyes, so I try to base all sartorial choices on what they might have worn inside and outside of motion pictures. The list goes on and on though, from what Joan Didion might have worn to the New York Public Library to layering coats like François Truffaut!

and of course, with a nickname like marcinéma, you must tell us about your love of cinema. (and perhaps a top ten list, or if you’re not into lists, perhaps you can tell us some of your favorite genres with a few recommendations?)
I’m afraid my love for film can’t be pin-pointed to an exact moment. Despite all of my trying, I cannot remember the first film of my life. It is as if there was no beginning of my obsession, just an always. I grew up glued to Turner Classic Movies, something I’ll be eternally grateful to my mother for (though I get extreme déja vu at times when I watch a film for what I believe to be the first time only to remember that I’ve seen it years ago). In high school I watched hundreds of scratchy, deteriorating VHS tapes from the library, determined to watch three films a day, read a book a week, and basically become the kind of girl François Truffaut and Robert Lachenay would have skipped school with to go to see “Le Corbeau” thirteen times. Moving to the city a few years ago helped me realize that what I felt was an obsession was an accepted lifestyle. The MoMA Titus theatres are, as silly as it sounds, a second home.


It’s always hard to think of favorites, as it always changes, but I cannot praise Carlos Reygadas’ “Silent Light” highly enough. I saw it last September and I still can’t get it out of my mind. “Cluny Brown” is another favorite film, though just about every Lubitsch film is. I’ve a terribly soft spot for anything with Trevor Howard, and I’m quite sure Jimmy Stewart was the love of my life!

what else do you collect? do you have any favorite places to go when hunting for new treasures?
I collect tiny plastic animals that I’ve found or adopted along my way. Romantic telegrams, stationary, too many books, and I don’t think I’ll ever own enough silk scarves! I try to wake up early for flea markets or trek to antique shoppes, but I am always open to digging for treasure in unexpected places. Dead Horse Bay in Brooklyn (a landfill from the 1920s) is surely a favorite!

vivetta

doesn’t that little blue dress remind you of totoro? all images via vivetta.
so i have to start this off by telling you that i still feel a little funny about posting things for fall because honestly, i feel like the summer has just barely started, even though my summer break is almost over! but the weather here in the bay area was actually chilly to warm most of the break and it only got hot about two weeks ago! i haven’t even broken in to half of the dresses i bought for the season!

but having said that, i have to get a head-start for fall, because if the cool summer was any indication of the weather to come, i better get myself ready for a chilly winter! and i’m actually quite pleased, because i’ve found yet another perfectly inspiring fall collection from an italian designer, vivetta. you just have to visit the site because even the little splash page is adorable!

wren lookbook!

yes, please! i came across these wonderfully inspirational autumn/winter ’09 lookbook photos from wren and i couldn’t be more excited! this came at a very opportune time because i was beginning to feel a little concerned that i wasn’t finding quite enough inspiration for the colder months, but now i’m feeling quite inspired! direction is materializing!

back at the beginning of spring/summer, i was going gaga for the “geek chic” looks coming from charles anastase, 3.1 phillip lim (who’s nerdy glasses i bought for myself), and luella circa spring ’08, among many others which aren’t coming to mind at the moment… it probably stems from my roots as a high school nerd myself, complete with baby blue rhinestoned cat eye glasses and silly outfits borrowed from a bookish audrey hepburn in funny face. i kid you not! it was a bizarre combination. and i think i will always have an affection for the nerdy looks because i’m blind as a bat. it’s true!

these lookbook photos have got a lot of what i lust for in fashion right now. that adorable matching red turban and sweater, the vintage specs and hats, and those sweet little saddle shoes! not to mention that amaaaazing sheer lace dress on the top right up there. enough said.

photos via refinery 29, which i’m assuming were via wren, but i couldn’t find the lookbook on their site! hm.

oh and you know what? while we’re at it, since i’m in the market for a fresh pair of saddle shoes, does anyone have a recommendation ?

that hair!

oh barbara, i just love your hair!
oh just a little something for a friday morning. last week i got sick and had to stay in all weekend, so i started a little movie marathon. that photo on the left is from Breakfast for Two (1937). it’s actually funny, i’m quite the movie buff, yet i never seem to do any movie posts on this blog! i think it’s partially because i’m trying to avoid putting myself in the position of a movie critic. there are already so many beautifully written synopses and critiques on the internet, and i really don’t think i need to throw my two cents into the mix! it’s funny how much i can stress about what to write in these little posts! silly me.

but i just had to share these two pretty pictures with you. i’m thinking a lot about hair lately because i haven’t gotten a cut in probably two months and it’s in desperate need of some attention. i just don’t know quite what to do with it because i’m fighting the fact that my hair is stick straight and very thick and i’m longing for some soft waves or curls like good ol’ barbara stanwyck over here. lucky for me, i finally found a really good hairstylist who can probably help me out with this. i should really make an appointment!

saturday spoils!

oh all these vintage dresses (and more) were in one spot!

so i had all of these blogs posts to do this past week, but surprisingly, i ended up so busy that all of my content is still incomplete! i did a sewing project and turned a vintage feedsack into a lovely dress, and my mom sent me two more surprise packages in the mail. but when i sat down at the computer to write about it, the only thing i could think about were my estate sale finds from this morning! (though i promise to get back to those other lovely things soon!)

i managed to procure quite a few dresses and tons of old ephemera. in fact, i got a box full of adorable greeting cards and valentines, some of them possibly as old as the 40s, though i can’t be certain. and all of the dresses are very old. i even have a very delicate little 30s dress, which i’m pretty sure is not going to fit me. so that’s a hint to expect to find it in the etsy shop some time next week…

a little sampler of some of the things i found: vintage hankies, stuffed dog, vintage greetings, and a lovely art deco style purse!

and there were tons of vintage handkerchiefs. it’s funny because just yesterday i dug up an old box of vintage hankies that i had buried in a drawer, and lo and behold i found some lovely additions to my collection. it’s a silly addiction since i seem to find them everywhere, but i just can’t help myself! and who knows what compelled me to buy that silly little stuffed dog? he just looked so cute sitting on the table all alone. ah, and i was just getting fed up with lousy estate sales. ;)

lydia!!!


ever since i first laid eyes on lydia, i have been in awe of her fun and quirky style. she has so many outfits, it was almost impossible to pick only a few to show you here! when it comes to thrifting, she’s got quite the eye. and when she isn’t finding amazing pieces out in the shops, she’s piecing together new dresses and accessories right at home. her latest d.i.y. le sac dress has gotten me so inspired, i’m going to do an entire blog post about it!i recently asked her a few questions about her inspirational style.
oh hello there! can you tell us a little about yourself?
Hi, I’m Lydia. I’m currently a Barista at Starbucks… but I hope to become a stylist after completing a Fashion Merchandising diploma!

ok, now tell us about your style inspiration. where do you get your ideas for all of your amazing outfits???
My inspiration comes mostly from fellow bloggers! There are so many girls with amazing style on the Internet, it’s hard to keep up sometimes. A few of my favourite blogs (this is the very short list!) are Hand It Over (Wendy has a knack for making simple, comfortable outfits that still are astonishingly cute!), Garbage Dress (Zana is my hero, confidence wise. There is no messing with her!), Karla’s Closet (Best haircut, hands down. She was part of the reason why I chopped off my hair! So adorable with a killer collection of shoes), Taghrid (another girl with insane confidence), Ringo, Have Another Banana (Her vintage sensiblity is almost the exact same as mine), Neenee (She makes clothes that will blow your mind. So innovative and stylish, with a lot of color!), and of course calivintage (She’s got so many vintage finds I want to steal!). I also love looking at streetstyle blogs like Garance Dore, Sartorialist, Face Hunter, and Turned Out, among many others. Other than a lot of internet surfing (you should see my google reader, I either get inspired by random colors and ideas (All of a sudden, I will have an outfit in my head and have to go either hang it up, or write it down), or things in magazines like Nylon, Teen Vogue, Elle, Preen, Ruush, and Lula. I also look at online stores, designers etc. Basically, many MANY things inspire my outfits.

do you have any style advice for other young ladies out there?
My advice is to be fearless. Corny? Maybe. But honestly, 98% of great style is boatloads of confidence… Don’t be fearful of color and patterns. They are what makes a good outfit that much better. Also, check out thrift and vintage stores, which are an endless source of unique, fun pieces. Also, don’t feel like the only way to be stylish is strictly to be trendy. Trends are great, but so is individualism.

do you have any links to share?
I’m the proud owner of whistle.vintage, an online affordable vintage boutique! I also have a blog, Style Is Style and you can find me on Chictopia, Flickr, Weardrobe and Lookbook.

ringo, have a banana!

all images from ringo, have a banana!
i asked fellow blogger, siri, of ringo, have a banana! to tell us a few fun facts about herself. i love reading her blog which is filled with beautiful images, her daily style, and an incredible collection of shoes!
Name: Siri

Age: 24

Occupation: Film student and freelance journalist. I’m inches away from earning my BA in Film Studies at Brooklyn College. Film Studies doesn’t actually involve making films (though I did make a short Super8 film last year), instead I spend hours a day watching movies, discussing them, and writing papers about them. I keep meaning to start a film blog…anyways, I grew up in the San Juan Islands in Washington State and spent several years living in California before I moved to NYC to finish school. My heart definitely belongs to the West Coast–my ideal day involves the beach, bicycles, thrift stores and a burrito or two. I’m also trying to keep my career as a freelance journalist afloat, and so far I’ve had several small pieces published in BUST Magazine.
favorite food: Avocados and Reed’s Ginger Brew

favorite color: A tie between green and yellow

what do you collect: Fancy shoes that I will never wear out of the house, little dresses, vintage milk glass, big vintage rings, Franciscan Rose dishes, cat ephemera

favorite online destination right now: I just love turnedout.tv, I got to meet the woman behind it the other day and she is so brilliant and fun! Bonadrag.com to daydream about things I want but still can’t quite afford, and I adore both thethinkingtank.wordpress.com and portillon.wordpress.com for their eyes for simplicity, beauty and elegance.
define your style: I get a lot of inspiration from streetstyle photos and movies that I love, like Harold and Maude, The Passenger, Dazed & Confused and 3 Women. Often what inspires me isn’t a specific look but a mood, a feeling or a color scheme, and to those ends I also love the photographs of William Eggleston and the artwork of Egon Schiele.

links, please:

boy by band of outsiders

ok, seriously! what is wrong with me? how is it possible that i have never seen this blog/website??? and how is it possible that i completely zoned out and never saw the spring collection from boy by band of outsiders? craziness. i am especially in love with the pretty pictures of kirsten dunst modeling the line. and don’t get me started on the pictures of michelle williams modeling the fall collection from last year. she’s so adorable! oh, remember her dawson’s creek days? haha!

anyway, i caught up on this reading the refinery29 blog because apparently they’re having a sale on the spring collection right now.

charles anastase sheer skirts!

excuse my terrible magazine scan from lula. my favorite magazine at the moment.

it’s true. i’ve already done a super-obsessed charles anastase post before… but it’s been months. er, at least one month… and in that time, i had forgotten about the collection for a moment.

but now i can’t get it out of my mind! ruffles, bows, sheer fabrics, romance, denim, boater hats, nerd glasses, super tall platform sandals with socks! it’s the way i would dress if i had the commitment to any one style! it’s the way i would dress if i had the money to buy the whole collection. er, i don’t even know where to get this stuff anyways. do they even sell charles anastase in the states?

anyhow, what i’m really thinking about most are the sheer skirts! oh, the sheer skirts! i would sew one right up out of a certain shade of dusty rose fabric i saw in the fabric store the other day, but i don’t think i’m skilled enough with the sewing machine to do something sheer. i wouldn’t be able to hide my mistakes!

i put together this little photo collage using photos from style.com


so instead, i’ll sit here and feast my eyes on the collection. and who knows, maybe i’ll find something vintage that’s incredible similar…


let’s dream, shall we?