Giving the finger

Do you like my new ring??? I'm so excited about it. One: I feel uber cool wearing a knuckle ring. Like when I got my teal banana clip in third grade and could pull my hair into side ponytail. (I looked so foreign.) And two: orange and navy zigzags - looove.

So I drove to work with it on this finger and stared at it the whole drive, but because I'm right-handed, and this ring doesn't bend much, I switched to the middle finger of my left hand....which later turned out to come in handy.

You see, today, I was minding my own business, walking on an elevated area towards the parking lot when a guy in a car yelled, "Excuse me, ma'am?" Because I'm now old enough to be called a ma'am, I turned to look...only to see a guy...pleasuring himself in his car!!! YES. That's right. It was a drive by flashing.

I've never seen anything like this! We had a flasher on our college campus once, but I missed it. And I've heard of this type of thing happening to women in parking lots, but I've personally never witnessed any such thing. Today, the freak-stars were aligned.

So I kind of gave this surprised shriek....and then showed him my new ring.

He sped off before I could get a picture or his license, but I did run and tell the nearby police officer. It felt like such an after-school special.

Double-duty clutch

How perfect is {everything} about this clutch? 

Metallic oyster leather, Chevron print, 

and made by hand in NYC. 

I need it.

Source: via

Be-jeweled

If I buy nothing else all season (which is so not a reality), I will buy a fun piece of jewelry. I may be wearing an old sweater and jeans, but my new bling will make me feel like I have a whole new look. So when JewelMint asked if I'd be be interested in reviewing their product, it took all of .2 seconds to say "yes please!"

If you haven't heard of JewelMint, it is a new jewelry club designed by Kate Bosworth and her stylist. Once you sign up and take their online style quiz, they send you a new piece of jewelry each month that matches your particular style. It's like a little birthday gift in your mailbox every month.

To be honest, not all of the jewelry was my particular aesthetic (which is the point of the style quiz - hellooo), but I did find a few pieces that I was dying for. It was hard to choose! The first piece I received - featured in this post - is the Midnight Soiree Ring with a green glass cabochon stone. I love the antique gold setting and the size of the ring on my small hand is all the jewelry I need. I'd wear it with a neutral cable-knit sweater and skinny jeans on the weekends, but love the mix of wine and green here. And a chunky knit and statement ring need a good shoe to anchor the look, so what's better than a harness boot?

Click the links to view or purchase above items:

1 cable knit sweater 49 (orig 69) ||  2 jeans 180 (other colors here for 44) ||  3 ring 29.99  || 4 boot 228

This ring is the new favorite in my accessory collection and definitely going into heavy rotation this fall. To find your new favorite JewelMint piece, click here, then share your thoughts in the comments below!

{Chic Finds} thin stacked bangles

You can buy these thin enameled bangles at J. Crew for $19.99 each (left), or this entire stacked set at Forever 21 for $10.80 (right). Don't like all the colors included? Just don't wear them!

Which do you like?

Craving clutches

I was sitting in an hour of traffic the other day and randomly thought, "I could really use a big envelope clutch to keep all my papers, rather than carrying around this unorganized-black-hole-of-a-bag." I believe when I have these random thoughts, it's the Universe trying to tell me something.  (And yes, the Universe cares as much about my accessories as I do.)  I was thinking a deep red, cognac or nude.  I actually found the perfect nude, but it's also a perfect $645 YSL.  So here are a few more accessible options.  Which one do you like?

clockwise: 1 ASOS 34.48  ||  2 ASOS 94.81   ||  3 ModCloth 37.99   ||  4 BCBG 61.20 

{DIY} chain and rhinestone bracelet

I love layers and layers of arm candy.  I mean, why bother getting out of bed for just one bangle?  (My life motto. You think I'm kidding.)  This easy little DIY is going to be added to my collection. 

 

 Source ISPY-DIY.  Via Coquette.

See full instructions here.

It's Britney, b*tch

Source: Pinterest*

This picture could have been me 12 years and 10 pounds ago.  Remember that time?  20-something, no real responsibilities, cocktails until the bar closed, Jack-in-the-Box Ultimate Cheeseburgers at 2am, workouts the next day, and not one calorie stuck to your midsection.  Unlike nowadays, when the calories not only stick, they hang on for dear life - as if your gut and thighs are the only place for fat cells to grow and multiply.  If only we could shift that weight into our post-breast-feeding boobs...

But that's not what this post is about...it's about my two favorite things: (no, not eating and drinking)  black and gold.  Aside from her almost-too-short-but-she-can-do-it-because-she's-young cream lace dress, she's working the black and gold accessories, which happen to balance the sweetness of cream and lace.  I've always liked this combination and the contrast of something feminine with something tough and masculine.  While you will not see me in a dress that's barely covering my Britney*, you may see me with one or more of the below accessories.  (Hint: I'll be in the Forever 21 $4.90 knock off version of the $75 House of Harlow necklace.)

 

1. House of Harlow $79 | 2. House of Harlow ring $65 | 3.Scotch Natural black tartan $14.99 | 

4. Emilio Pucci $995 | 5. Valentino studded wrap pump $895

*Top image is all over Pinterest, but no one is naming the original source.  If you know it, please share so I can credit appropriately.

*"Britney" - as in, the decade-old inappropriate picture of her stepping out of a car.  Only for Paris and Lohan to follow, but my lady parts are nicknamed after the original, athankyouverymuch.  

6 ways to tie a scarf

I've posted a few times about wearing scarves (here, here, and here) but never how to tie a long scarf in the basic ways that I wear them all winter long. So when I found this illustration, I had to share it with you.  Because sharing is caring. (See, I did learn something in first grade.  Even if I failed swim classes.)

The outfits may remind you of something your MeeMaw would wear, but the illustrations are well done. (For those of you not from the South, "MeeMaw" is what they call their grandmothers.  And I think the word just sounds like baby powder and floral print.)

My preferences are #1, #2 (outside of jacket) or #4.  What are yours?

UPDATE: See 6 ways to wear a circle scarf here.

Source: 9gag.com via April on Pinterest

Hair today, sunnies tomorrow

You can find anything you ever wanted to know on the internet.  For example, did you know that approximately 135 million pounds of hair is cut in a year?!?!  **And I bet 100 million pounds of it is from new mommies tired of messing with their luscious long tresses falling out in handfuls post-baby.

So what better use of all this hair than to make sunglasses!  That's right, recycled hair turned sunnies.  (Is it just me, or does this kindof gross you out too?  I don't even like to touch my own hair after it's no longer attached to my scalp.)  

I don't know how I found this --- actually I do: I was on some architecture or design site and somehow followed links to this one.  (Then I looked up other things that can be made with recycled human hair, but we won't go into that.)  How I went from architecture/design to biodegradable sunglasses, I couldn't tell you.  But I can tell you how much hair is tossed (ha!) in a year and what someone is doing about it: mixing it with a plant-based bioresin to act as a binding agent and making "hair glasses".  They are 100% biodegradable and no harmful substances are released during production. We can't say the same thing about your Stiff Stuff from the 80's.

via

What do you think?  Would you wear them?  Here's an idea*.......instead of saving your kids' first hair cut in the baby book....

*totally kidding there.

{chic find} World Market

Last week at a girl friends' happy hour, my friend walked in wearing this fantastic tribal-print, strapless maxi dress.  (It started off with little tie straps, but one ripped off, so she snipped the others and it became a tube dress.)  I didn't take a picture, but trust me, it was très fab.  Cotton, lightweight, perfect for summer.

And the best part - under $30!  Where did she find this little bargain, you ask?  World Market.

That's right, Cost Plus World Market, that inexpensive home accessory, furniture, and international food store that offers great ethnic print blankets, rugs, and curtains, now has a little offering of clothing.  And for the same affordable price as the rest of their goods.

I knew they had a small sprinkling of accessories because the bracelets and earrings I wear all.the.time. were purchased there.  Every time I wear either set I'm asked where I found them.  Well, I'm sharing my secret with you, dear readers.  The bracelets are very similar to set from Cusp by Neiman Marcus, but obviously at a fraction of the price. (Under $10!)
 

Don't bother going to their website because that assortment does not do the store selection justice.  Find your local store and check out the goods.  (One store I visited had drawer pulls similar to the ones you'd find at Anthropologie, but only $3-6.)  I'm excited about this new discovery for pieces you won't find everyone wearing.  At least not yet.

P.S. I've had the bracelets and earrings almost a year and they have held up perfectly and are yet to turn my wrists or ears green.  More than I can say for some of my other trendy accessories!

P.S.S.  Interesting note I just learned today, it was named "Cost Plus World Market" because when the store first opened in 1958, hand-picked items from around the world were sold at "cost plus ten percent".  Wonder if they still are?

Lucky you

I had a lovely Friday post lined up for you today, but since it's now lost in the Blogger black hole, I have instead picked out some accessories for Friday the 13th.

 

1.  A lovely clover with a little bling.

2. Double elephants with their trunks up.  

Did you know elephants were considered good luck?

Only if their trunks are up.

3. A red charm bracelet

Red is a lucky color in Asian culture.  

We wear it at birthdays and celebrations.

4. "L and L" for luck and love

5. A simple horse shoe and clover for double luck

So remind me, is Friday the 13th supposed to be good luck or bad?  

Did you experience a bit of either today?

What {knot} to wear

Ok, one more post to add to last week's theme.  One fabulous scarf.  Eight  more ways to wear it. 

PS - see how I wore a scarf as a top here

What {knot} to wear

This week seems to have a multi-tasking-transformer theme to it. (See here and here.)  It must be a reflection of my current persona - one mere mortal cleverly disguised as 100 different things:  mom, wife, creative, designer, writer, maid, dishwasher, cook, dog walker, daughter, sister...exhausted...

So to conclude the week's unintentional theme, I leave you with this: 

Every purchase of a Hermès scarf includes a box of cards to show you all the fashionable ways to wear it.  If a Hermès is not currently in your budget, you can purchase the knotting cards on ebay, though it will still cost you a pretty, albeit colorful, penny.  Or you can save your pennies and just try some of the looks below.  You're welcome.

source: credit

PS.  See how I wore my scarf as a top here.

Love birds

I want:

buy it here

I can't help it.  I'm in a 12-step program.  Maybe my aversion to birds in real life* is balanced by my immortalization of them in accessory form, so my karma is balanced.  Yeah, that's it.

*My aversion is mostly limited to pigeons and crows and those birds that wait around your patio table so they can swoop in and peck at your food.  Oh, and parakeets.  Those are mean little bitches.

{DIY} tshirt scarves

Did you remember to wear your green today to celebrate St. Pat's?  No?  Neither did I.  But I did find a cool idea to "go green" instead.

What you need: an old t-shirt or two, scissors, an hour...

And voila!  A new-ish t-shirt scarf!

image credit

Instructions:

1. Find old cotton t-shirts.  Preferably the non-ribbed and stretchy soft variety.
2. Lay the shirt out fla and cut the hem off the bottom.
3. Cut the shirt into 1 to 1-1/2 inch horizontal strips from the bottom up to the arms.
4. Take a few strips at a time and gently stretch them out, either with your hands, or wrap them around something wide overnight.
5. After you've stretched out all the strips, you can start combining them, braiding, twisting, mixing colors, or whatever your creative, DIY heart desires.

UPDATE: Check out how I wore my own DIY t-shirt scarf here.  

Many more options than shown above!

Honestly WTF

This is a serious question: HowTF - how do these clever girls keep coming up with these ideas?!?

Check out their latest and greatest DIY bracelet.  I'm still trying to to make this one....although, the hex bracelet doesn't seem as labor intensive, so maybe that gets made first.  I love it with different color thread like blue or coral.  (Hint, hint, dear friend reading this and wants to swap bff bracelets!)

 both images via

 Click here for instructions.

Hot for teacher

The top and skirt happened to be hanging next to each other in my (currently) disorganized closet so I decided that it would be today's outfit.  I thought it would be a little J. Crew-ish, but instead I felt like a teacher in a pencil skirt, striped button-up and pearls. Not that there's anything wrong with being a teacher.  A super hot, well-dressed, teacher.

Anyway....getting to my point, I have a long triple-strand necklace, but thought the look needed something chunkier and closer to the neck.  So here's my quickie solution:

 

Fancy, huh?  I can't take credit because I actually took the idea from Elaine.  (I used two necklaces because I didn't have any ribbon.)  Asians are like, the smartest people ever.   They would be even smarter if they had some ribbon laying around.  But maybe using another necklace instead makes me a super genius.

A sight for sore eyes

Have you heard of Warby Parker?  Oh, you have?  Great.  So I'll try not to be mad at you for withholding this information before I spent $300+ on a pair of new prescription glasses when I could have bought a much cooler pair for $95 AND also given another pair to someone in need!

Yes, that's right.  Uber cool frames and prescription lenses are only $95!  (I swear this is not an infomercial.  But wait!  There's more!  If you buy now, they'll throw in an over-the-door sweater razor!)

Warby Parker is doing for glasses what someone should do for shoes (and I don't mean the cheap,wear-one-season-stuff).  Affordable, stylish, and giving back to non-profits.  You can do a virtual try-on at home or have them send you 5 pairs to try on for free.  Seriously - shoe makers - are you reading this???

Check out their whole story here.  You're welcome.
 

Honestly - wtf

Chain accessories have been around for a while now and I still can't get enough of them:

images 1 2 3 4 

Now designers are creating woven chain bracelets like this and this making it a fresh accessory for spring.  Unfortunately, they're not in my budget, so I was excited to see this DIY on Honestly WTF.  The nostalgic friendship bracelet has grown up and is desperately calling my name.

(P.S. You can get the gold square link bracelet at American Apparel for only $25 which is a much better deal than the H. Stern bracelet in the top image.)

Now who wants to be besties and exchange bracelets?

Accessory overload

I was running particularly late this morning and couldn't find any of the accessories I needed to complete my look.  This happens pretty much every morning, since my jewelry is everywhere.  Evidence of this can be seen here:

Soooo...I was looking for ideas to keep it all organized (in one place) where I could see it every morning and not be late.  At least, not be late because of missing jewelry.

I found this little birch tree that would be perfect for showcasing a few favorite things to wear right now:

image via

This is the same kind of feature-a-few-things idea, but if you have more than four favorite necklaces, you can hang a different word.  Like sesquipedalian.

image via

But my favorite jewelry organizer display is an easy DIY weekend project from Amy.  It's huge, it can be hung on the closet wall, or on display in the bedroom, and it can hold all of my jewelry.  I'm now on the hunt for a good large vintage frame.......and someone to make it for me:

image via