patternmash: stripes & dots

Simple, simple. I love mixing patterns together but know that it can be a bit overwhelming if everything clashes too much. By keeping everything in the same color family, it keeps the mix pretty subdued & mellow.  The heels keep the whole outfit from being too dressed down and help polish up my unkempt, softly-wrinkled appearance.

Dots and stripes are my favorites to mix  together. What’re your go-tos for a patternmash?

bicycles, boots & a cardigan

This dress makes me happy— it’s got such lovely little details and the pattern is fun and the palette is a tish vintage just like the cut of the dress. And there’s pockets! Who can say no to pockets? Not me. Other things that make me happy— patternmashing! The cardigan is a more subtle/low-contrast leopard print in addition to all these crazy bicycles. dress: anthropologie / cardigan: gap / boots: steve madden

it's about the details: pleats, pattern & pockets

simple cuts & quirky colors

I tend to stick to simple cuts (like the pencil skirt—my favorite wardrobe staple) but mix it up by using a less-traditional color. I wouldn’t really call mustard, russet & moss “quirky” but in comparison to the more standard fare of black/gray/navy, I think it’ll work. cardigan: jcrew / tee: forever21 / skirt: jcrew / shoes: MIA

bold black & white stripes

More stripes! ALL OF THE STRIPES! I am addicted to the punchy graphic dash they add to the mix. & I feel like these in black & white are a more polished version of the cream & russet of the previous outfit which helps offset my converse and moto-sweatshirt-jacket. jacket: urban outfitters / top: french connection via rue la la / denim: gap / shoes: converse

This is the second post in a new blog segment that I am trying out (started here). It’s a bit of an experiment so please let me know what you think!

Oh hey, I cut all my hair off.

23 March 2012

First day of short hair! It was a bit chilly out and I knew my head was going to be unusually cold as well so I layered. I have been in love with this grandpa sweater that I found at Crossroads trading; it’s by Park Vogel (fancypants!) and is made out of a crazy amazing cashmere yarn not to mention the lovely mushroom-mouse color it’s got going on. cardigan: park vogel, via crossroads trading; tee & tank: forever 21; denim: gap; boots: nine west.

28 March 2012

Proof that I don’t always wear jeans. Probably one of the last tight-wearings of the season. Toying around with greys, opacity and stripes (with the pattern of the tank top, the stitching on the sweater and the double-strap of the shoes). The fuller skirt always seems a tish frilly to me, so I try to balance that with sedate colors and otherwise simple items. sweater: express; tank: forever 21; skirt: the limited; shoes: tribeca; tights: aldo.

29 March 2012: jump!

Jumping photos are hard —but I am happy with how this one turned out. Wish my legs were in focus/crisp but that’s what you get when you’re racing a self timer, I suppose. Onto the outfit! More of my wardrobe staples: the pencil skirt, patternmashing (horizontal stripes & blue leopard print this day) and that dash of color. cardigan: gap; tee: old navy; skirt: american apparel; tights: dkny; shoes: steve madden.

02 April 2012: watermelon

This outfit makes me happy because I feel like I am both a watermelon and like I’m imitating Audrey Hepburn because of the ankle length jeans and flats combo with a blousier top. top: old navy; tank & jeans: gap; leopard print flats that are hardly in the photo because Menace came to investigate: journey’s; scarf: a much loved gift from my mother.

03 April 2012

After the super brights of the previous day, I wanted to indulge in some neutral and more sedate color and maybe a little shiny. cardigan with slightly shimmery leopard print: ann taylor loft; top: old navy; denim: hudson, via crossroads trading; my favorite color-blocked t-straps of olive, bone & shiny pewter with the dreamy cone heel: seychelles.

I feel a tish silly posting this here but it’s seems like I should. Fashion is just another way I express myself visually and creatively. I love playing with the colors (surprise!), the shapes and silhouettes and the textures of different fabrics and how they drape. It’s all a way for me to doodle visually; it’s doodling with clothes. I plan on updating here every so often with some outfit posts to add a little more variety.

I’ve been taking some sort of wardrobe pictures since 2007 as part of a group called Wardrobe Remix on Flickr, started by the lovely and talented Tricia Royal. Every now and then I become concerned that this outfit-photo-taking may come off as a little vain to the uniniated but honestly, taking pictures of my outfits has been one of the most educational experiences ever. I have learned how to dress myself by taking so many pictures and figuring out what works for me and what doesn’t. I’ve also been so lucky to get to know many different women through the flickr group and make some really wonderful blogging friends. All in all, two thumbs up to wardrobe photos. Highly recommend.

Here’s some catchup for the month of March.

07 March 2012: hearts and hearts

I have been attempting to adopt something resembling a uniform. Tee, jeans, boots or flats. Some sort of visual interest. The visual interest here is definitely my heart cardigan. I am a sucker for an adorable print. cardigan: forever21; tee: h&m; denim: gap; boots: nine west

Wardrobe Remix- a five-year-old flickr obsession

I love the bright colors, the stripes and the extra dash of pattern that my shoes add to this pretty simple outfit. I think the dolman cut of the tee keeps it from just being jeans and a tee shirt even though that’s clearly what it is. tee: target; tank: old navy; denim: gap; shoes: fossil.

22 March 2012: haircut day

This is another variation on the jean-and-tee-shirt look but again, I’m trying to vary it with a bit of a different cut on the tee shirt (a cowl neck, ruching & crazy strings). tee: target; tank: old navy; denim: gap; shoes: seychelles; hairstick: size 8 dpn.

Do you take outfit pictures? What have you been wearing?