Planning for an Elegant Afternoon

Working from home, as usual on Fridays. But I felt like playing around with Polyvore to plan an outfit for the future.

I have this black cotton dress from ModCloth & the printed cardigan from Chadwicks (which I wore at Thanksgiving, but haven't worn to work). While I don't have shoes quite so awesome as those by Irregular Choice, I have a variety of pumps to choose from. And I have jewelry similar to that shown (again, not as awesome -- or as expensive -- as the Betsy Johnson).

And I'm going to Dickens Fair tomorrow, so I'm in a old-fashioned frame of mind. I don't wear Victorian garb to work, but a little prim & proper retro feel is perfectly fine.

Elegant Afternoon by Trystan featuring a black dress

Black Cotton Dress | ModCloth.com, $100
Printed Cardigan Sweetberry Jewel | chadwicks.com, $30
Poetice Licence Backlash, $98
Betsey Johnson - Betsey Vampire Rose Necklace (Black/Rose Pink), $111
Multi-Size Gem Drop Earrings, $5.80

Cyber Black Friday Spoils, Part II

Two packages in the mail today, again shoes & tights! The final pair from my Aldo order, which I *big puffy heart.* They're not always perfect, but they're closer to ideal than most any other brand I've found. The sizing is very consistent for my inconsistent feet, so I'm pleased. And the quality is awfully good for an average of $40 a pair (I buy them mostly on sale). A few specific styles haven't worked on me due to where a vamp hits on my foot (especially my right foot, which is the bigger, wider one), but in general, if Aldo has a 39 in stock, it'll work out fine. Except for tall boots -- alas, my calf is too wide for them as with most places, unless the boot has an elastic gusset.

I can't wait to figure this shoe into some outfits. It's adorable. It's a gothic elf shoe. I have another pair of Aldo flats with a skinny T-strap that I wear allllllll the time, they're insanely comfy, I walked all over London in them last May, I've worn them with costumes, they're the best, & yes, I was inspired to get them after seeing Sarah's & how cute they looked on her. It's a testament to shoes if they can look great on a itty size 5 or whatever minuscule wee foot she has & a big ol' honkin' wide 8 (9 European) foot too. I'm hoping these ones with the bigger buckles will be BFFs to the other Aldo flats.

The other box was full of Calvin Klein tights. A ton of plain black, plus a few textured tights in black, one in grey, & one black lacy pair. So much tights goodness that my hosiery drawer is stuffed to overflowing now!

Time for a Coat

Welcome to Northern California winter, such as it is. High 30s / mid 40s in the morning, mid 60s at the top of the day. Yeah, yeah, nothing compared to the East Coast or Canada or anywhere with real seasons, but I don't do weather. That's why I live here.

Thus, I'm wearing a coat for today's pix. My "nice" winter coat, which I commissioned about 2 years ago from a costuming friend. Sure, I sew, but I am more than happy to pay other people to sew for me, especially modern clothes, so I can save up my often-limited sewing mojo. Plus, sometimes friends are looking for work, & I love to keep my business local when I can.

I chose a long, princess-seamed coat design with contrasting shawl collar & cuffs in black velvet. She found a lovely wool in a paisley with black & rich browns, burgundies, & gold. The coat is lined in black silk & is quite cozy. I don't have many coats, just a rainproof trench, & a suede swingcoat from the '80s, so this was a great addition.

What I'm wearing:
Wool paisley coat, custom-made
Grey knit dress with black trim, Next in London
Black leggings, Newport News
Black buckled ankle boots, Aldo (see closeup here)
Necklace of black & white African hand-painted tube beads & round black Moroccan jet beads, one long strand worn tripled, made by me
Large silver filigree earrings, Target
Red-brown lipstick, Lorac

Rather casual outfit under the coat. That's because I was having friends over right after work for a stitch 'n bitch, so no time to change, & I wanted an outfit that'd be comfy for sitting on the floor doing projects.

Also, it's the first night of Hanukkah, & while I'm not Jewish, I love to celebrate (I'm not Christian, but I celebrate Christmas too), & I was making latkes tonight for friends (ok, I heated up Trader Joe's frozen latkes & other treats, but still, I needed to wear something that was kitchen-friendly).

Oh & I love parentheticals!

Cyber Black Friday Spoils, Part I

All those amazing deals started online on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, so, yeah, I took advantage. Hey, I had the funds, & I'd already finished my gift shopping, honest! There's just some holiday gift-making left (altho' the biggie -- our Real Travels calendar -- is done; check it out on CafePress. This is one of our annual gifts to the family).

So today, I received some of my purchases in the mail: 3 pairs of black stripey tights from We Love Colors (in fuschia, maroon, & rubine), & then two pairs of shoes from Aldo, shown below.

Both of these were practical purchases as they replace somewhat similar shoes that are falling apart. I desperately needed some low, flat boots that were a little dressy (e.g., not hiking boots). The Aerosoles I wore to the department offsite are starting to separate from the soles & tear at the heel, so I think they're beyond repair. They lived a good, long life -- got to traipse around several continents & enjoyed their last kicks with cute goats. Can't ask for much more.

The flats are another reasonable option, because I find myself with limited practical shoes. Not that I'm a big fan of them anymore (someday soon, I'll ramble on about how I gave up dull comfort shoes for style). But this type of shoe is an ideal mix of cute 'n comfy. Actually, both these pairs were quite comfortable, & I foresee wearing them often.

Black & White & Red All Over

Well, just a teeny touch of red. The best part is the awesome red manicure that I did on Sunday afternoon at my pal Sarah's (of Yet Another Blog About Fashion) house. She's really into nail polish & has a great collection of colors, so I took advantage, while we drank wine & watched silly British comedies. Good times!

What I'm wearing:
Black sweater with ruched shoulders, H&M
Black & white plaid dirndl skirt, H&M
Black studded belt, Macy's
Black tights, unknown brand*
Black T-strap pumps, Aldo
Black & white flower hair pin, random accessory store
Black glass bead necklace with a red & black glass heart handmade in Venice by an artisan as I watched, necklace assembled by me
Black & white bead earrings, random accessory store
Pearl stud earrings, gift from my stepdad
Red lipstick, Sephora

Winter is finally hitting NorCal, in so much as we have winter. This morning's photoshoot was freakin' cold! But I didn't want to wear a coat because that would cover up my outfit. The things I do for fashion...

*This is the last pair of plain ol' black tights -- I cleaned out my tights drawer of all the ratty, cheapo tights in anticipation of being replaced by a bunch of those faaaaaabulous Calvin Kleins that I ordered during Black Friday online madness. Of course, that means I'm stuck wearing either fishnets or pants until the order arrives, eep! I think there might be some more semi-decent tights in the laundry pile.

Attention CorpGoth Shoppers!

Calvin Klein has those faaaaaaabulous tights on sale -- a 2-pack for $15 instead of $20. So a mere $10 each for the most comfy, durable black tights I've found. Also comes in grey, teal, berry, & a few knit patterns. But stock up on the ever-classic black & you won't be sorry.

Dinner With the 'Rents & Shopping Online

So, I did manage to get pix of what I wore on Thanksgiving -- tho' it turned out to be more difficult than my usual 7:30am photoshoot because my front porch was too dark at noon & the backyard was too bright. Go figure!

I swear, getting decent pictures is the hardest part about this blog. I have a great camera (a Canon G9), which I know how to use & have taken tons of fantastic outdoor landscape & architectural shots all over the world. But timer-&-tripod photos of me? Horrrible! Plus, I've never thot I'm all that photogenic. Getting decent pix of myself in costume has always been difficult except with a few really amazing photographers who can style a picture well. But me, going fast, on a timer? Torture. Oh well. The point is to get the clothes.

What I'm wearing:
Berry-colored print cardigan, Chadwicks
Velvet & satin stretch skirt, tags missing
Black tights, Calvin Klein
Black kitten-heel pumps with tiny buckles, Payless Shoe Source
Pearl, silver bead, cameo, & silver charms necklace that I made recently
Silver cameo earrings, vintage
Pearl stud earrings, gift from my stepdad
Burgundy hair flower clip, Forever 21
Cabernet lipstick, Tarte

On Thanksgiving, my hubbi & I first went to his dad & stepmom's house for an early dinner (we only ate a little there) to see his grandmother, aunt, & cousins. Then we had our actual dinner at my mom & stepdad's house where his mom & stepdad joined us, along with my parents' old family friends who are like my aunt & uncles. It was a long afternoon/evening of good food, wine, conversations, & fun. We left Mom's house with a ton of leftovers, even 2 bottles of wine!

At some point late Wednesday / early Thursday, I found out that a lot of clothing stores already have their Black Friday sales online. Hah! New York & Company has everything in the store 50% off, plus free shipping on orders over $99, which I easily made. And Kohl's has a ton of things 40% off, with free shipping on orders over $75, also easily done.

In the past when I've done a little shopping around this time of year, it's all been Xmas gifts. But this year, I've already bought my gifts & have a start on the handmade gifts. So, hey, it's OK to shop for me! And the stuff was all on super-duper sale, sweeeeeet.

Today, all I'm buying is a programmable thermostat because our house is freezing, thanks to the thermostat breaking during this week's coldsnap. I *might* hit the thrift store too because I have some DIY ideas, but otherwise, it's sewing & stuff around the house.

Happy long weekend to thems who have one!