What rules you?

Often, when reading interviews about 'fashion people' the inevitable question arises: what are your style rules? Sometimes they are wise words, sometimes they are not. The problem with me and rules, is that I will decide, 'oh, yes what excellent rules to live by' and then promptly, accidentally, forget about them. But there are a few rules (found on Details magazine 'Rules of Style') that are worthy of remembering, scrawling on a scrap of paper, repeating to oneself, even if they aren't explicitly followed. The ones that I like the most are less style rules and more suggestions for living a life well led or ones that simply make me laugh.

I love the back. A beautiful back makes a beautiful front. When you slouch, think about what happens to your front. You have to keep your back in the right position. This is where your spirit lies. Yohji Yamamoto

Classic simplicity always works. Tom Ford

Cheesy music makes a party. Donna Summer or Madonna—that stuff gets people on the dance floor. Then you have to have junk food, done well, because that’s what everyone really wants. Micheal Kors

I’m a big fan of old Shetland sweaters. Anything with a hole or two in it, I feel that it’s worn and loved. Marc Jacobs

The biggest mistake a person can make when dressing is following other people’s advice. It’s up to them. Even if they end up badly dressed, if they're happy, it’s okay. Kean Etro

Style is a question of charm, not nationality. Veronique Nichanian

It’s sad that the cell phone is replacing the watch as a time-telling device. Thom Browne

Cigarettes are a vile, dirty habit. Joints, on the other hand, are perfectly acceptable. Scott Sternberg

Trying to talk with your clothes is passive-aggressive. Rick Owens

And after listing 9 rather good rules, Rick Owens ends with the only rule never to be forgotten:

It's funny—whenever someone talks about rules, I just want to break them. I recoil from the whole idea of rules.

Oh Boy, Oi Polloi

For me, one of the joys of being a lass is comfortably wandering into the men's section of a store and being able to purchase something in sizes ranging from xxs to l with no qualms. I think it is a bit of a luxury to be able to wear men's clothing so freely... not that men cannot wear women's clothing, but I imagine the fit must be harder, at the very least. I quite like men's clothing, especially in terms of basics, sweaters, cardigans and the like, which is why I squealed in delight when I stumbled across Oi Polloi, an online boutique "for men" -- which just translates to online boutique of "oversized wonderfulness for me." I feel a bit bad stealing from the boys, when it's hard for them to do the same, but with goods like these, it's hard not to.

take a break, it's wednesday

This has nothing to do with anything other than the fact that I thought it was hilarious. And it's Wednesday. And I had to wake up early, but woke up late, subsisted on coffee alone for four hours and have to go to work in three. But this made two minutes of my Wednesday brighter...maybe it can do the same for you.

fall feelin'

Last night, it was rather a bit chillier than it has been here for the past few weeks, and I was wearing both a cardigan and scarf around the house when it hit me: I miss Fall. As in the season. It is probably my favorite season in terms of fashion. I love summer as a season for weather, but I get bored quite easily with it style-wise. Autumn is perfect because there is that slight nip in the air, meaning you have to start layering up but not too much so that all you are wearing is the same coat and terrible tights for four months. I don't necessarily want it to be Fall right at this very moment though, summer is not autumn, and I'd be perfectly happy to have last week's heat wave repeat itself and wait a couple months for cooler temperatures and cozier clothes. Even so, lately I've been more attracted to images that are rather autumnal...like this fella's outfit. I love the doubled up cardigan look, and how gut-wrenchingly glorious is that red, white and blue cardigan? My gut, it wrenches.

(photo from ici)

Stick Boy + Match Girl

Today, I thought I would share a snippet of one of my favorite books to glance at. I picked up The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy last year mostly because it is by Tim Burton, one of my favorite directors from childhood (Batman, Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands were on constant rotation in our VCR). He started out his career as an animator for Disney but apparently his vision proved to be a bit too macabre for the Disney crew...anyway, then he started making movies, became known for his twisted dark style and came out with this little tome in 1997. It is filled with the poems and illustrations about misunderstood outcast children accompanied with that perfect Burton mix of dark humor and sweetness. Here's one of my favorites, the very short love story about Stick Boy and Match Girl:

Inspiration: The Sartorialist's Boys

Some of my favorite Sartorialist pictures of late have been of men. The little things that these fellas do in terms of accessorizing & stylizing themselves puts me to shame. Let's hear it for the boys.

Velvet scarf, awesome boots and that bag!

This may just be the definition of dapper. I want his sunglasses like whoa.

Patter-mixing master

An extra-large safety pin as a brooch? My next "must find" accessory, methinks.

Scissorhands

Tonight's the night. So very excited!

the road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom

I've always had a certain fascination with Oscar Wilde, his life, his writings and his philosophy. Admist the malaise of the fin de siècle, he promoted ideals of Aestheticism and Decadence, that art existed for art's sake (without moral or social presumption) and that life itself was a work of art. He dressed luxuriously, always with a green carnation on his lapel and a witticism on his lips.

Although I wish I could live a life of decadence, I am but a poor student, and other things, like eating, take priority. But, layering luxurious fabrics that are shiny, sheer, gold and velvet mixed with ring-heavy fingers let me pretend that I am anything but...

When I wear them all at once, I feel a bit like a magpie and I kinda like it.

Did you hear about the corduroy pillows?

...they're making headlines! Remember that one, anyone? Anyway, 3rd grade jokes aside, I am pretty sure I might be going insane. It has come to a point, where Robert Redford is inspiring me. 1970s dashing Robert Redford that is. Well, specifically, 1970s dashing Robert Redford as Bob Woodward in corduroy pants is what is inspiring me. Or rather making me itch with envy.

That makes me sound crazy, right? Well, to clarify further...a few months ago, I watched All the President's Men because it's famous and I thought I hadn't seen it. After watching it, I realized that I had, in fact, seen it a couple of years ago because it was famous and I hadn't seen it. That element aside, what caught my attention this time 'round was Rob as Bob, who, in all his investigatorial glory was trouncing around Washington talking to Deep Throat wearing an awesome corduroy suit. (Words I never thought I'd type). I hadn't considered corduroy pants since the 8th grade, but I wanted. I even wrote it down.

Then I saw Michelle Williams in the Boy by Band of Outsiders campaign and my desire was confirmed. I want. I need. In that perfect honey color. But why-oh-why do they have to be so frickin' expensive?


****
ps. Wes Anderson looks pretty nifty in corduroy too.

En Rogue

Recently, I did a wardrobe round-up: emptied my closet onto my bed, organized my clothing by article and then counted the items as I put them away. This inventory was mostly to force me to see what I did and more importantly, did not, need, as well as to reintroduce me to the darkest corners of my closet. Of my somewhat haphazard tally count, probably the article with highest count had to be the t-shirt. I decided, then and there, no more tees for a good while. I just do not need any more.

Well, that caveat aside...

I am finding it very difficult not to scoop up one of these shirts. They are part of Rogues Gallery's Fall 08 menswear line, which is rugged and dark in its lumberjack appeal. I love the awkward fit of wearing men's tees, and find it amusing that my bf complains of the lack of reciprocation in our dressing. I can steal from him, but not vice versa. Anyway, I will be able to keep my tally count steady, if only because Rogue's shirts are out of my budget -- but that doesn't stop me from looking. And wanting.