Recent "Outer-wares"

Sometimes I photograph my complete cold weather ensembles because I am such a sucker for a good coat. Despite my archival efforts, I don't always share the visual results on the blog. I tend to wear coats in rotations because they vary in weight and suit different patterns of weather. Some of my boldest coats don't transition across a range of outfits easily. I've noticed that those ones end up being worn less overall. But once I've pulled something and grabbed gloves and scarves to match, my laziness takes over and it becomes the default outerwear for a week or longer.

For Valentine's Day I remembered to wear this Zara coat from 2007.

The bright red can be a tough match because my wardrobe relies heavily on vibrant prints. But I managed to wear it quite a bit.

This week I've been wearing my black and ivory MBMJ coat from 2008 (bought on ebay in 2009-10).

On the coldest weeks I've relied on this old staple which is my warmest coat.

It is another Marc by Marc Jacobs coat but from 2005ish? I bought it in 2007 (also from ebay).

Lastly, I've been wearing my new Burberry coat which photographed kind of poorly but I think is pretty darn cool.

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to live in a place where such an arsenal is unnecessary. But I am glad for the seasonal variety because of my love for coats!

Winter's Last Ditch OOTD

See by Chloe patchwork print dress and coat

Spanx tights

MBMJ shoes

Michael Kors Calista bag

I wore the above See by Chloe patchwork print dress last Monday and the Friday before that. This piece haunted me after it went on sale and sold out. The retail was insane. I cannot fathom how/why they get away with such obscene pricing. I love the dresses and prints but they're priced in an even more inflated way than retail MBMJ. It's Anna Sui caliber pricing! Which means that even on sale I cannot afford it.

I finally tracked one down on ebay and am so glad I waited. I am also glad that it seems like SbC clothing has flown under the radar of counterfeiters. Unlike MBMJ or Anna Sui, when I find a deal on ebay, I don't have to weigh the possibility that it is fake. Even if I won't get to wear this dress a lot, it is the kind of visually interesting dress I hope to wear for years. And I saved a lot of money compared to the sale prices (Zappos' current sale price triples it!). It was an online only item for a lot of retailers so I didn't expect to find one marked down enough for me. Even if stocking patterns have not resumed what they were pre-recession, I am convinced yet again that everything eventually will go on sale. And if it doesn't then who needs it?! Anyway, when Chris saw me pair it with my many years old SbC coat, he made fun of me for being such a fangirl.

My MBMJ Soviet Inspired Dress

I stalked this dress for years and finally tracked one down on ebay for a song. From Marc by Marc Jacobs fall 2007, I knew it would be the perfect winter dress for the coldest of days. But until last November it eluded me. I was thrilled to wear it into Manhattan with Chris to have lunch and peruse the Saks consolidation sale. It was the coldest day of my visit to New York but somehow everything except my legs stayed super warm. I've been wearing a lot of plain wool dresses lately.

I am sure I was influenced by the recent musings of That Damn Green Dress and Commonwealth Girl so all brown dresses and "Soviet" inspired pieces are bringing me a lot of comfort.

Chloé Wishlist Miracle: Secret Garden Dress

Like many other consumers I have a running wishlist of pieces I covet from current seasons and seasons past. One such wishlist item was the centerpiece of an advertising campaign for one of my favorite designers: Chloé. The "Secret Garden" dress was featured in these Fall 2007 RTW ads on supermodel Shalom Harlow.

 

It immediately grabbed me because of its graphic black and white print illustration. I never saw it in person but it lingered in my brain since then. Occasionally I'd see it on ebay but only in the tiniest sizes. That was until about a month ago. 

One was listed in my size with an "or best offer" option so I took a chance and made a lowball offer. To my surprise it was accepted! And although the dress is shaped (and makes me look) like a rectangle, I couldn't be happier to own what I consider to be a piece of modern fashion history! It has a functional zipper all the way up the back so I am considering how to wear it to maximize this potentially versatile feature. Perhaps I will try it as an odd short-sleeved topper?  How ever I end up styling it for real life, I am glad to cross this dress off my wishlist.

See by Chloe Ethnic Print Dress

This dress was yet another product of See by Chloe ebay stalking. I scored it for a song thanks to Just Snipe (this snipe bidding service that gives you five free snipes/week). It was a bit blousey (size 8 and SbC usually runs large) but I paired it with a belt and was good to go. I wore it to the Center for Contemporary Craft museum in the Strip District where Chris and I accompanied his aunt for the day to view an exhibit and have some lunch at Kaya. It was chilly that day so I threw a cardigan over it.

My favorite piece was definitely the human figures sewn together with pieces of xray images. But I also liked this funny muppety piece on the right.

The colorful dress fit right in! A dolman sleeve is not the greatest way to minimize an otherwise ample bustline but minimizing wasn't really my goal with this anyway. I am just a sucker for interesting printed silks.
See by Chloe print dress (similar here, here, and here; similar plus here)
Forever 21 belt (similar here)
Chloé flats (similar here)

On the Discourse of "Flattering"

This 3.1 Phillip Lim dress was an ebay bargain and also a gamble. I had no idea what size I'd be in this style since I'd never tried it on before. In my experience, 3.1 usually runs very big but one or two dresses I've tried have been very narrow in the hips.
3.1 Phillip Lim bib dress (similar here, here, and here)
Balenciaga flap bag (similar here, here, and here)
Chie Mihara green pumps (similar here, here, here (with closed toe), and here)
Bracelet gift from my mom (I think from Macys)

This dress was not cut narrowly in the hips (this is a 10 but I could have taken an 8). The square cut sleeves and bib style are examples of things I like enough to ignore how "unflattering" they are on me.

It's interesting how the word "flattering" at least when applied to clothing, almost always presumes the word "figure" in front of it. Flattering so often refers to something that makes a woman (at least in my size range) look thinner or smaller or something else deemed conventionally valuable.  I've been thinking about this a lot lately thanks to some of the discussion on a messageboard I frequent (BCO). On a discussion about fashion and feminism a poster named Maitland brought up the curious and often limiting/normative language of "flattering" and I thought it was so astute and something I hadn't previously thought much about.

Although I fall into that language trap often when I think about clothing and style, I don't subscribe to wearing clothing that always tries to "flatter" my figure in the "make it look thin" sense.  I am not lithe and since middle school my body has been hour-glassy and on the "ample" or curvy side of average, so I wear things that I find aesthetically and stylistically pleasing, even if that means wearing what Stacy London or Clinton Kelly would deem "unflattering" to my figure.

What about you? Do you always go for clothing that hits the narrowest part of your body or hugs in places that make you look smaller?

Chloé Van Gogh print dress from Resort 2008

Chloé Van Gogh print dress (bought from ebay)
Linea Pelle Studded Belt from the sample sale (in taupe here; cute budget similar here)
Heather gray Hue tights from Ross (similar here)
Dollhouse shoes from TJ Maxx (similar here)
Vintage cameo necklace from an antique store

I found this dress on ebay for an unbelievable price. I have no idea why it is called a Van Gogh print since I don't think the printed style or the abstract geometric shapes are evocative of Van Gogh at all. I do think something about the print seems illustrative or painterly so perhaps that is from where the name came? Although the front makes it seem collarless, I was pleased to discover these funny little points emblazoning the back collar area.

Thanks to the detailed information on the garment's measurements provided by The Outnet, I was able to determine this size 6 would fit fine.

The bubble hem and the ample, blousey shape are a little difficult to wear, but the print was so interesting that I decided to jump. I couldn't figure out how to style it at first. So I tried a jacket.

 

 And realized that this one from the Kohls clearance rack wouldn't work to counter sufficiently the blousey middle, because the tailoring of the jacket wasn't precise enough. Instead I would wear it with this other jacket my mom bought for me, also from Kohls, incidentally!

 

It is from the Simply Vera collection. It has a sash that will cinch the trench but I didn't have it fastened for this photo. I grabbed the sample sale belt that was proxy purchased for me by Lilykind and thought that looked pretty good with the dress. Now that I am seeing the photos, I do wish I was wearing different shoes. But I stand by the belt.

This particular dress was from the Resort 08 collection and they paired it with a stronger black sandal comprised with thick straps. I don't have anything like that but I do think something slightly more masculine or at least androgynous would look nice. What do you think?

Nerd Dress Alert: Nanette Lepore Stella Dallas

My ongoing interest in prints has made difficult the hunt for occasion pieces. But maybe my undocumented, uncorroborated rules are too strict? I tend to wear solids to weddings, unless the fabric or silhouette is formal enough to carry off a look.

Anyway, I nabbed this Nanette Lepore Stella Dallas number off ebay for a song, thinking I could wear it to a wedding or two this summer. The pixelated flowers drew me to the dress. (Which can be found for reasonable prices on ebay. You can also find similar pixel prints here and here).

From far away the print is unremarkable but up close you see something reminiscent of of an 8-bit video game. The only problem is, it is about two sizes too large. I bought a 12 (it was seriously so inexpensively priced) and wish I had waited for a 10 or 8. The overall effect makes me look bulky (especially in the shoulders and bust). Not sure if anything can be done but I am going to take it to the tailor just in case. I panicked in part because of another pixel print dress that got away.

I still long for the above, beaded, beautiful 3.1 Phillip Lim one.

A Suitable Replacement

I became enamored of the Proenza Schouler PS 1 handbag a long time ago but knew it wasn't in the cards for my budget any time soon. Unwilling to pursue a blatant knockoff, I channeled that enthusiasm more generally to the category of vintage leather satchels. Recently I decided to take the plunge and bid on one from the Coach of yesteryear, on Ebay. I knew I loved vintage Coach leather so it seemed like a safer bet than going with a stiffer, shinier contemporary version in the realm of my budget.

I was pretty pleased when I received the result. While it was more worn than I anticipated, I grew to appreciate the aged leather. The cross-body strap makes it an idea purse for quick errands or dog walks.

It's certainly no PS1 but it was also only 1/100th of the cost. Shown with a Zara coat, Old Navy cords, and Tory Burch flats.

One Coat, Three Ways: Marc by Marc Jacobs Scarf Coat

Speaking of my tastes not really changing, I recently located a Marc by Marc Jacobs scarf coat I have coveted for years! As far as I know, it wasn't stocked broadly because in my hunt, I only located one store that ever carried it: Shopbop. Because of its seemingly limited availability, it never was marked down significantly enough for me. Here it is in gray and black on the Shopbop model:

It also came in ivory and black. The attached scarf, colorblock panel, and large bubble buttons are somewhat clownish, particularly in the ivory and black colorway, but that never deterred me before! After I watched it sell out on Shopbop a few years ago, I scoured ebay. And since then, I've only seen it once (in the wrong size). So last summer when I saw it in my proper size, I decided not to pass it up.

I generally buy one new coat per year. I know how indulgent that sounds... I am lucky to already have a closet full of coats I adore. This purchase was arguably superfluous, as this genre is well represented in my closet. But coats are practical items that I can use with more frequency than a dress or even basic cardigan. Part of why I buy a coat a year (and why in weaker years when sale goggles really overtake me, I buy two) is that a coat truly has more closet longevity than other items. Especially if you live in a climate that requires them...

I am on the academic job market this year, applying widely to jobs all over, for which I am qualified. I've never lived in a place that didn't have four distinct seasons. Even so, I will find a reason to wear my coats. In early October, I already have! Classic coats will always be useful. They don't get beat up like shoes. They aren't as vulnerable to the ebb and flow of trends. They really can pull together a dog walking outfit comprising otherwise of Chuck Taylors and jeans. And because I bought it out of season, I got a good deal! Although it is a statement garment (I doubt I'll wear it on nights when I'd rather blend into the wall), the scarf makes it more versatile. You can really wear it three ways.

Ala Shopbop:

Ala Blair Waldorf (if the show aired when this coat was in season, I imagine she would have worn it to Constance like this):

Ala Jesspgh (one tie thrown over the shoulder):

This coat fills the hole in my closet left by a long-gone ivory outerwear piece. I had a vintage, ivory, cashmere topcoat with exaggerated buttons. It had 3/4 length sleeves. It had an immaculately clean lining. The pockets didn't have holes like so many other vintage coats I've found. It was perfect... And... I lost it. I forgot it at a party. I left it behind by accident one Halloween. The party hostess was in the process of preparing to move, so somehow it got mixed up with her things. And... she proceeded to sell it to a consignment type store called Avalon Exchange (our local Buffalo Exchange/Beacon's Closet place). By the time I went to buy it back, it was already sold. Ever since, I've searched for the right replacement. And while the wool of this one isn't cashmere, it has its own charm. I am pleased with my one coat, and its three ways.

The Spoils of Estalking: F/W 2k6 Anna Sui Peter Pan Dress

Two Fridays ago, I confessed that I was in love with a few dresses that got away. Among them was an Anna Sui dress from F/W 2006 that had what I consider to be the ultimate peter pan collar.

Soon after that entry I decided to run an ebay store search and randomly came upon the dress, two sizes below what I typically wear, but for a good price. According to the listed measurements it seemed like it *could* fit. So I contacted the seller to make an offer, rationalizing that if I got an even better price on it, then I could just take a chance.

And they said yes, much to my surprise! So I got the dress on Friday.

Well it basically fits. Except it is SO SHORT! I do not have the gams to pull off such a mini. I am going to try to creatively layer until I come up with a magic dress lengthening strategy. You can see the apprehension in my face. Also pictured are my new Delman flats! And a special guest spot by my extra dusty mirror!