Monday, August 29, 2011

school bells.








college is starting up for many people, and that means quite a few of the folks i've gotten to know this summer are packing up and going back to school. it feels a little lonely here in this town, especially as my immediately local friends get busy themselves with work and school, but i have work of my own to accomplish. august was my month to talk to the contacts i already have; september is the month to make new contacts. i need to know if the art schools i'm looking at are the proper ones for me to be shooting for, and if so, what i ought to be doing in order to get in. i need to talk to artists.

i'm planning on getting in touch with illustrators the likes of  mark rydensabine pieper, and laura laine, just to name a few. i also want to write to a couple of small magazines i'm interested in working for in the future. the word Intimidating comes to mind a million times.

simultaneously, i'm dressing figures at the store and updating my lookbook, creating a portfolio of my styling efforts. my drawings are starting to increase. i have to make everything happen right now.

in the sky, geese are flying south in strands like mockeries of springtime kite strings, but unlike kites, the birds are actually going somewhere. particularly compared to where i was in the spring, i'm really starting to go somewhere, too.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

stark.

yesterday's events were a bit of a blur. i went through the motions-- i woke up, went for a run, showered, took pictures, went to work, went to a bonfire, and had the privilege to speak with people i love-- but i felt like the real me was hovering somewhere above my body nearly the entire time.
i spent far too much of my night on my enormously messy bedroom floor listening to Dear Prudence by Siouxsie and the Banshees, Motorcycle Drive-By by Third Eye Blind, I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You by Colin Hay, and Helplessly Hoping by Crosby, Stills, and Nash. just some therapeutic tunes to lull my emotions back into my broken heart. it's a horrid thing to be so aware of the anniversary of losing someone i love. it terrifies me to know that there will soon be more death dates to remember, more sadnesses to have; i only have to learn to keep from letting those thoughts rule me. i have far too much fear for a healthy human being.






on a much brighter side of things, i absolutely love my new job at ragstock. the atmosphere is almost something out of the movie Empire Records, my coworkers and managers are wonderful, the music and clothes are fantastic, and i always have something to do. i am getting a bit ill from the abrupt schedule change, but i don't mind at all. bring on the tea and oversized sweaters.
speaking of which, i've been on the hunt for more of my fall and winter wardrobe, and i've come across some spectacular finds to share. more on that later.

in the meantime, i'm just transitioning into fall and putting my american apparel basics to use. i'm also starting to put some more effort into jewelry, which is a bit of a challenge since i firmly go by coco chanel's words to Always Take One Item Off Before You Leave The House. i want to keep things clean and simple, but, of course, interesting. if you like it, let me know here by hitting the hype button on my newest looks.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

another morning walk.




in mid-august, seven o'clock walks really are the best way for me to be outdoors here. i chose to take this one at the closest nature center. it's been a part of my life for as long as i can remember, and it's beautiful every time and every season. i always see one of my two favorite animals-- deer-- but alas, neither my camera nor my physical reactions are swift enough to pick up a good shot before they bound away.

i'm mildly regretting taking this walk in a pair of jeffrey campbells, as they are suede and have to be regarded as such when i clean them off. they'll be good as new in no time, though; living with midwest weather has taught me a lot about how to fix water stains.

until next time, go to lookbook and hype me!

Monday, August 15, 2011

red.




i am very proud of the artwork on my body. my first tattoo holds heavy meaning for me; it's a symbol for my closest girl friend, who passed away in a car accident almost exactly three years ago.

on the day of hannah's death, i went for a long bike ride out in the country, and on my way home, i pedaled past a bright red cardinal that had been hit by a car. for all of its agility and awareness, i was shocked and horrified to see such a beautiful creature destroyed. a pit formed in my stomach. i felt drained not only from my trip, but also from what i had just taken in.
within a couple of hours, i received the phone call that, upon hanging up, had me huddled on my kitchen floor in a sickened ball of horrible emotions. it was like having a cannon ball blow straight through my middle. she was dead.

within months, despite unimaginable grief, i began the process of imagining how to use art to commemorate the closest soul to me. i finally chose to show her as a bird alighting on a hand. the cardinal was obvious. it had to have somewhere to come home. she had to have somewhere to come home. i wanted to show a hand accepting her in peace. and thus, my tattoo was made.

i will continue to add to my body art at times in my life, but this will always be the piece to show the calm landing of the girl who was always in motion. this is for hannah.

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Thursday, August 11, 2011

no more neckties.


yesterday was my first job interview in a while-- i had fun, but i don't want to jinx it, so i'm not going to say anything more.

with any luck-- or perseverance, i suppose-- i'll be getting out of my little old town to head to a city again very soon. i'm constantly hungry for not only new experiences, but new landscapes. i've been using a great leatherette weekender bag to tote around clothes and knick knacks on my latest excursions, and it's proven itself, holding up from chicago to vancouver.

normally, i'm not into larger bags, but this one is a favorite for me. in fact, i just used it when i went to milwaukee and scoped out the latest in my favorite junk shop, where i found another piece from my ensemble below. enter the bolo tie.


upon finding this, i discovered i actually love bolo ties and their ability to be pretty necklaces instead of generic contributions to country-western get-ups.

i also found that my brown and neutral garments popped against the green-blue of my hair. the coming season's color combinations inspired a jump-start on my love for the contrast between luxurious, deep navy and lush chocolate tones.... there's even a lavish name for the former color-- yves klein blue, which showed up at cushnie et ochs, 3.1 philip lim, and dries van noten menswear, amongst others.
happily enough, this palette mixes into both genders' wardrobes, and both colors are basic and wearable in all seasons. the result is richer than a thanksgiving meal.

... and suddenly, i can't wait for fall.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

aviary.




this box of raw sugar candies made their way to me by a japanese exchange student teacher. they are absolutely exquisite to the point where i'm afraid to eat them, so for now, they are sitting on my desk and overlooking the mess of pens, paper, and bird wings i have yet to clean up. instead of a sugar fix, i've been getting my energy once again from lots and lots... and lots... of coffee.
on a trip with my own exchange student, i picked up a pretty button-down blouse from ragstock. the piece is covered in pastel flowers and barn swallows-- one of my favorite flyers-- and i've been incorporating it into my combinations almost nonstop for the past week. it's oversized and sheer, and the buttons allow me to wear it like a tunic or a bed jacket. beautiful design.

i have an interview for my first job in a while tomorrow, so i'm very jittery, but i'm feeling pretty positive about the information i submitted and the way i carry myself lately, so hopefully things will go all right. as soon as i get a job at whatever retail store, i'll likely post a lot more items from the store itself. i'm excited. pressure's on.

Monday, August 8, 2011

lights.






lights. that's what the remainder of my summer will be made up of. sheers, chiffons, silks, lace, all in cream, white, and pastels. i've decided i can get away with this despite my pale complexion because of my hair, and of course because of makeup.
one of the key elements that i'm transitioning from summer into fall is the use of color. i'm very into black, but i'm going to gloss things up in not only the expected fall trend of clothing, but especially in my face, à la miu miu of the coming season.
for now, i'm planning to do some shots to show just how bright things are going to get.

check back soon!


collage photo credit: american apparel, martin margiela, anna sui, rodarte, valentino

Sunday, August 7, 2011

treasure.

this is milwaukee's third ward treasure shop. it's my new favorite place.








check back soon for the rest of my pictures from the featured photographer shoot.

Monday, August 1, 2011

modern house wife.

i'm continuing the use of my maxi skirts and dresses into the fall and winter, but the flowing hippy floral prints are getting a little old. i decided to add some structure to flowery dresses and skirts.
i just received a dress from london that came out absolutely lovely and with a more fifties-era shape but, because of the above-the-knee hem, seemed almost matronly to me at first-- i'm used to either floor or micro mini lengths-- until i added some four-inch wedges and an oversized faux-fur jacket. what an offset.


i think this shows a touch of my obsession with big shoes and big hair, and also some of my love for clash-matching patterns and colors.
to celebrate the tiny drop in temperature, i paraded this outfit around inside and a little bit outside with my favorite little boy, nova.

these pictures just make me think of stories of when i was in kindergarten. my parents chose to put me in a specialized school because of my minute attention span. instead of doing my math homework, i would draw on the back of the paper. instead of paying attention during history lessons, i would sing to myself.



we get a little bit distracted. especially him. especially me. i think we're both getting a lot better, though.