today i found this in my closet:

three months and counting. I cheated once. I never told anyone. I was so ashamed. i bought socks. And not just any socks. black socks. black knee high socks. Of which I already own like 6 pairs so it was completely unnecessary and quite a panicked event. But it was only once. In three months. I think I'm doing pretty good. And like they say with any addiction, just because you fall off the wagon that doesn't give you leave to completely stay off the wagon. So I put on my good old vintage boots, some grey wool leggings I rediscovered in a box in the storage closet, an old pale yellow tshirt I dyed black (green?!?grey?!?!) because it had stains on it, and I climbed right back onto that wagon of mine. I'm wearing a grandma belt too, so glad I kept them all. The purse is new. It was a gift! From the flea market in Corpus Christi, TX. My grandma got it for me. She also gave me a kimono (I die!). This was all from a few weeks ago, not quite at 3 months yet...but here I am, 3 months later and still discovering new things from my closet. Whew!

On another note...see the pile of goodies hanging from the closet door? Those are old dresses that don't fit anymore that I was bringing to work for a 20 year old girl to borrow for a cocktail party she was going to that weekend. Not only am I finding plenty of goodness for myself, but I even have enough to share...

I like the think the mouse cord really creates the triangle composition I was going for in this image...ohhahahahaahahahhaaa....

sigh...

Some Kind of Fried Joon.

A few weeks ago a blogger that I am super fan of, Whitelightning posted about the awesomeness that is Mary Stuart Masterson's fashiontime in Fried Green Tomatoes. I concurred. And tonite whilst watching Benny and Joon I realized that it wasn't just one movie. She rocked it out in many a film. Please watch Benny and Joon again, even with the sound off. It is filled with all my early fashion dreams... and heres to you Mary Stuart Fashionson.

Some Kind of Wonderful. Why hello Sam Ronson?!?

Fried Green Tomatoes. More vests. Things I need: Mens leather knife holster. To hold like chapstick and stuff.
Benny and Joon. I don't think this requires any explaination. mmm. shoes please?

last month I found this in my closet...

Get some popcorn sirs. This is going to be a long one...
f
a few TODAY I FOUND THIS IN MY CLOSET from the past...and maybe my new haircolor which isn't in existence anymore cause it was that long ago. Also. Tomorrow officially marks 2 months. Also. Dear computer, thanks for kissing and making up with internet. Your kindness will not go unrewarded. Love, me.


Hello! Angles. Angels. Leggings and oversized plaid shirts. When I was a kid I dreamt about this kind of adulthood.
Dinner for mom in laws bday. Worn with slouchy boots. Which you can't see. Cuz I'm not so good at the photo journalism part of this whole thing. I wore that dress to my 10 year reunion. Sans belt. This is much better.
new haircolor. it's just darker. but now it's lighter again. because i bought dye on sale. watcha gonna do? budget! (p.s. Helloooooo myspace phototime!)
HAIR MASTERS BLOW OUT!


Slouchy cotton yes! Drape drape drape grey yellow grey yellow. I'm dying that skirt black as we speak because I spilled (stained) chocolate ALL OVER IT. Thank you dylon dyes.

Day on bikes in Vancouver, BC along the seawall and The Final Destination 3flippinD in langley. Close up belt time.
Thrifted Ikat 80's jersey knit dress, originally religiously long, cut short. Grandmas belt. White plimsoles. love love love love. score score score score. this outfit makes me want to go shopping.

What I wear to work. Fascinating. Originally black cotton work pants, now shorty shorts that aren't short. I believe they call these city shorts, or urban shorts, or work appropriate shorts.
A daily daily. Poofy thrifted old school gap skirt and grey vneck and some sort of potato vodka-ey cocktail.
Daaaamn, girlfriend. Thanks for playing along. When she found out I was taking a picture of myself she couldn't resist. She's wearing a collarless black blouse of mine, and I am wearing a white shapeless cotton comfyness of hers/her moms. Skinny jeans all around!


whew. i'm exhausted.
Blown away. p.s. Benny and Joon is on tv. expect another blog spot in like 5 seconds.

in the neck of time.

remember that peachy necklace i posted below? If you don't, you might want to get your brain checked, it wasn't that long ago.

The necklace, I'm going to make one. I have some nice black ribbon for the 'chain' and some AMAZING gold brocade butter yellow fabric that a friend (hi claire, again!) gave me YEARS ago. I may have some googly gogs to attach as well.

I will keep you posted.

I'm excited.

Now, here's a challenge to you:
INVITE ME TO HANG OUT SO I HAVE A REASON TO WEAR SUCH A STATEMENT PIECE! thanks.

xoxo,
mender.

anthropologetic.

the new anthropologie catalogue came in the mail yesterday. i normally do not find anything that really makes me tingle. ah, but fall is on the horizon and fall is my favorite fashion time. the boots and sweaters and scarves...all of which i try in vain to wear all year long and are really only perfectly appropriate for the autumn leaf crunching times. Fall is perfect. It moves from sunny to grey in the span of two months...September always starts like summer, it was 74 degrees here today. By the time October comes around the wind storms sneak in, but the days can still be sunny and dry. And then November rushes towards you in all it's blustery greyness. Which means, fashion wise, that you can move from a light crisp white button up and tweed shorts to a full jacket, tights and boots. It's the best of everything. And the colors! All warm and edible. I want to roll in a pile of fall fashion. And of course, there is the nostalgia of back to school shopping. I am not reawakened in the spring sirs, Fall is where my heart will always belong. Some basics that struck me from anthropologie...can you believe that by the time I can shop again it will be deep into winter? I'm going to have to get creative.

I love these boots with everything that I have. <3 <3 <3

(all the stuff up here is from anthropologie.com werd.)

*^*^*^*

And perhaps one of the stranger desires I have. Shearling flip flops. My feet get hot in slippers. But I love the fuzzy happy time that slippers offer. THESE ARE THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS!!!!! I've been drooling for almost two years now...(they are from ll bean, they have a LIFETIME WARRANTY!!!!)

oh fall..I'm ready, as ready as I will be...sigh.

today i found this in my closet:

A wedding!

Right smack dab in the middle of this wonderful experiment. So what's a girl to do when she can't partake in her favorite pre-wedding ritual, SHOPPING!?!? She borrows.

The dress is from the fabulous Claire...it has been worn to a wedding before, but not by me! So many compliments and it inspired an actual teeth baring grin. RARE TIME! Also it's secretly really a nightgown. YESZIRS! That's my devilishly handsome life partner in the schmancy hat and retro watch. Those shades were found by previously mentioned lil bro in the 'lost' and 'found' at the park in which he works. If they are yours, no they are not.

The bride wore Max Mara and looked, well, glowing...


A longer view of the borrowed peachyness with my always well done friend laura...I wish I had a picture of her shoes. I teared up a little. I did. Although! I must say my borrowed strappy wedges from one ms. heidi were perfect, no shots of those either. Also! You must understand how AMAZING it is to have a friend with GIANT feet like me. Who also happens to own one or two perfection style footwares.

What would an extravaganza be without a wardrobe change for the photo booth? 'Oh, gasp, save me you neon caped wiffleball eyed crusader!'

In short, it was a beautiful wedding on Orcas Island with amazing people and a summer camp setting. We are both so happy to have been there to celebrate with the bride and groom...so much love and congratulations go out to them.

Thank you Christopher and Laura for taking pictures. And no thanks to me for not buying batteries.

today i found this in my closet:

That is entirely untrue. I found this in my closet like THREE WEEKS AGO. This is epic brother nite photo time. Thank you brother for sending me the photo so I could post it. And more importantly thank you for buying really good cardigans and loving me enough (feeling sorry for me enough?) to let me borrow it. Also thank you for suggesting subtle changes. Like miniature cuffs. No white sox (i wanted it to work. sooo bad. it didn't.) And giving me a 'hell yes!' to my italian combatty boots, always. you always say yes to these boots. sometimes i think you don't even notice the rest of the outfit. you just want to look at the boots. all day. one time you even had me send you a photo of the boots just so you could look at them. that is a true story. they are really good boots. they make the weather getting cooler ok! ok! ok! white v neck t from nordstrom rack (thanks mom in law) too tight skinny jeans are ross-tastic. scarf is freddy meyer ($10!) and those amazing boots are from the value village. They were $12. sigh. and none of this was purchased in the last 5 weeks. IT's BEEN FIVE WEEKS!!!!!

btws.

My personal computer is on the fritz...does buying a new computer count as an accesory? jk :D! um, anyways. I have a lot of images on it. And can't get them. I have epic evening out with my lil bro wearing his (!) cardigan and a photo by him with his new amazing camera. I have my new hair color. I have another epic evening out with a good friend in her/her moms (!) borrowed white blousy thing. And I have me playing dress up....hopefully soon things will work themselves out.

In the meantime I am buying new work shoes. They are crocs. They don't count. They don't count because I have blisters and am on my feet for 8 hours EVERYDAY in a pair of plimsoles I got at payless shoes. And I am getting older and my back is hurting. And my toes are hurting. And mostly, Jesse said it was ok. And Claire said it was ok. And the girls at work said it was ok. Because....I would NEVER be caught dead in crocs IRL.

What do you think?

(500) days of coveting...

we went and saw (500) days of summer the other nite. A fun little film, that will either remind you of how awful you were to those you had relationships with, or how awful other people were to you. Either way, the images were beautiful, and the music was great. Yet, the first thing I said when we left the theatre was, "I want to go shopping." Jesse laughed at me. Yes, at me. And asked, "Is that all you ever think about?" Yes. Yes it is. But c'mon...don't we all want to dress like 'Summer'? I sure do. These were the only images I could find in the five minutes I have till work...there were a lot of high waisted, wide legged trousers. A lot of poofy little sleeves. Even her pj's made my heart tingle (which is what happens when I see something I love). There was also a whole lot of long hair with big thick bangs. Which has inspired me to grow mine out, again. Thank you hollywood.

dust quotes.

I just needed a reminder.




If most of us are ashamed of shabby clothes and shoddy furniture, let us be more ashamed of shabby ideas and shoddy philosophies.... It would be a sad situation if the wrapper were better than the meat wrapped inside it. ~Albert Einstein

People seldom notice old clothes if you wear a big smile. ~Lee Mildon

Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends.... Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts. ~Henry David Thoreau

Distrust any enterprise that requires new clothes. ~Henry David Thoreau, Walden

Women usually love what they buy, yet hate two-thirds of what is in their closets. ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960

Why is it considered seductive for women to wear beautiful clothes? Wouldn't it make more sense to wear something so ugly that a guy couldn't wait to take it off you? ~Flash Rosenberg

flower box fashion!

today, instead of shopping my brains out, i, well, shopped my brains out! Only it was for succulents for my flower box instead of shoes for my feet. Satisfied. The thirst was quenched. The holes were filled...etc, etc...cause Grandpa Monster got a new hat!

today i found this in my closet:

Head gear! That's my Bern helmet. Oh, you were totally wondering what amazing piece of safety I wore whilst riding all over our little town. It has detachable earmuffs for when it gets cold. Like right now. 65 degrees? What are we? The northwest or something. jeez.

today i found this in my closet:

date night!

the walls in the mall are totally totally tall...

oh dear.

I went to the mall today.

I had to get some stuff for work. Like kitchen stuff and office stuff. I tried to avoid it. I went to many a store outside the mall looking for the goods, but alas I ended up there. Oh mall! Oh lame, sad, small and strangely outfitted Bellingham mall! Your stores are awkwardly far apart from each other. They lack good lighting. Some smell really awful. Oh mall! With screaming children, reeking of popcorn and pretzels. With stores filled with things made in china, meant to fall apart immediately. Oh mall! Your horrid kiosks selling fake hair and real estate. Your massive quantity of cheap teeny bopper slutty boutiques. Oh mall! I missed you. I need you. I almost cried as I passed the strange little store that sells all of it's shoes buy one get one! I literally had to put my head down as I moved through Target, straight to the office section. Target! That giant bulls eye hypnotizing bargain hunting fashionistas. I almost bought furniture, outfits for the house! But I fought that urge as well and slowly walked out, with not even a new purse or earrings...with everything I needed except for dry erase markers in a rainbow of colors. For that I had to go to Office Depot, which is located...gasp! right next door to TJ FLIPPIN' MAXX....oh sigh...

today i found this in my closet:

Thank you sister Claire for the wonderful donations....the cause appreciates! Turns out one good friend was getting rid of many a good piece of clothing, be warned, I may be living in her old closet for awhile. Wore this one tonite...bike ride downtown for dinner and drinks with sister heidi and boyfriend. Sweating bullets because we are at the very beginning of a NW heat wave...which feels like south Texas on a good day...but to us feels like a sweltering mess of sweaty times. T shirt underneath the gifted dress is from a sale at the gap...you'll see it later, no doubt. (no pocket, just hip! gotta prove there is a figure under there! exclamation point exclamation point.)

Not sure why I look so pissed in the picture. Really, truly, happy.

Also!!!

Why do friends decide NOW is the time for epic shopping adventures??? PLEASE!!! IT HURTS TO THINK ABOUT!!! A trip to epic cheap trendy mall time in Burnaby, BC RIGHT NOW???? oh hearts. And AFTER TWO YEARS YOU DECIDE NOW YOU NEED A NEW WORK WARDROBE!!! I mean, congratulations on the promotion and all...but YOU ARE ALL KILLING ME!

xoxo,
gossip girl.

today i found this in my closet:

I like putting my hands in my pockets!

We are going for a bike ride!

That lovely skirt is something I wear A LOT. It's from the JCrew outlet last Spring. woot. And that radical shirt is probably 3 years old, from this funny antique/jewelry/crap/old tshirt shop in Gastown, up in Vancouver, B.C. Which is what it says. I just now found it in the basket of old tee's to make a blanket out of. I'm stealing it back!

We were going to leave 3 hours ago. But then the Mariners were playing. And then they played LIVE the last inning of a perfect game. WHAT!?!? awesome. AND then Bob Ross was painting mountains...so you see why it took us so long to leave. But now we are leaving.

So bye!

also. i have to figure out to take foot shots. SHOES!!!

food, clothes, food, clothes, food, clothes.

So in another frugal moment I decided to grocery shop at our local Grocery Outlet, how can you not want to shop at a place with a GIANT rainbow lighting up the nite??? Anyhow. I did good. Love that place. BUT!! They don't just have groceries anymore...they are like RiteAid, slyly slipping in clothing between the frozen egg sandwiches and dented bottles of shampooooo. I was shopping, shopping, shopping, and as I do anytime I shop I made one last round through the store and then I BLACKED OUT. And when I came to I was standing alone fondling a pair of grey yoga pants hanging on a rack right next to the bbq accessories. WHAT?!?!?! IS!?!?! WRONG!?!?!?! WITH!?!?!? ME!?!?!?! It was like I was possessed, I didn't even realize what I was doing. One minute I'm buying green beans and the next I'm am PETTING WORKOUT CLOTHING AT THE FLIPPIN' GROCERY OUTLET. I was just seconds from checking the price tag on 'em when I realized that one, I CAN'T BUY CLOTHES, and then second, I DON'T NEED GROCERY OUTLET YOGA PANTS. whew. I am terrified I am going to arrive home one day with a bag of clothes and not even remember how or where I got them...it is soooo a possibility. I have a problem. And sorry for all the yelling, but really? jeesh.

Amending is better than ending...

Some tweaking to the rules. And not to make it easier for myself...maybe even a little harder. But mostly just clarifications!

1. I CAN buy fabric. However. I must have a specific project in mind, with a set amount of fabric I will need to do said project. I must also finish the skirt I was going to make 3 months ago with the fabric I bought 4 months. If this never happens then I do not get to go buy new fabric. ok? OKEEE?

2. We are going to Austin. AUSTIN???? CAN YOU BELIEVE I CAN'T GO THRIFTING IN AUSTIN TEXAS???? we are going to have to think of something sneaky and frugal. Any suggestions? A gift of cash to be only spent on AMAZING AUSTIN CRAP??? I don't want to cheat. But, oh boy....hmmm.

3. I can MAKE jewelry. But I must use items I already have. Which is surprisingly a lot. Including earring hooks and stuff....so next time I'm DYING for new earrings the needle nose pliers will be pulled out.

4. Here is a list of necessities that should be the only items I can trade for:
a. Winter coat-I had to get rid of my good winter coat last season because it was way too big and plus, Jesse hated it. It is going to be an El Nino year so I might not even need one by November (crossing fingers) but if the weather gets bad...
b. Costume for Halloween/birthday party. I am going to try not to have to get anything for this. I have the dress already so....(secret birthday/halloween plans will be revealed later!)
c. that's all!!

5. Bras. I have recently purchased a couple of new bras but in a fit of despair our dryer started eating clothes, and in turn tried to eat the clasps off of my bras (I know, I know, my bras shouldn't have even gone in the dryer in the first place, but c'mon I'm no Martha Stewart). Anyways...they are holding strong, I've fixed the clasps to the best of my ability but in case of emergency bra disintergration, and I am talking absolutely unwearability, I am allowing myself to buy ONE and only ONE. (a new one, not a used one, with my assets somebody else's already stretched out undies will not be sufficient) IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ONLY!!!!

I think that is all for now...do you think this is fair? Should I be tougher on myself? hrmf.

today i found this in my closet:

good thing i bought shorts at old navy for $1.99 in JANUARY. They are my only shorts. boom! also good thing I bought a GIGANTIC strange fitting beige t shirt for two dolla summin at Urban Outfitters LAST YEAR AND NEVER WORE UNTIL RIGHT NOW. this picture actually does the shirt justice. strange. I went with simple. Cuz I haven't ran out of clothes yet. Give me a month and these outfits are gonna be wicked crazy. Right now they are a little wicked sane.

oh yeah! the belt is thrifted value village style. word. is this an outfit even worth posting? yes. because i've never worn it and it was in my closet. right...that's like the whole point. righhhhtttt..

Friendliest weather, friendiest day!

I HAVE SOMEWHERE TO GO!

I am going to get on my bike and lolly gag my way downtown to meet my favorite person whom I haven't seen in like over a month which is silly because she is a five minute bike ride away.

I get to wear real clothes!

only it's 90 degrees out there (with a nice breeze though, stop imagining tucson heat).

90 degrees=limited outfits.

First I am going to water my tomatoes and then I am going to shower and then I will come back and show you what I picked out! yes!

Potage des vêtements.

Did I realize before that most of my brain space is taken up by clothes space? nah. If my brain were a closet I'd be competing big time with Mariah Carey (mtv cribs yo.)
That is for real. Do not adjust your television sets sirs. This is really happening. Hi Mariah!

Good thing all I do these days is go to work in khaki and white and lay around in the sun in old tank tops and husbands underwear (boxers, thanks). Not a bad life. Sort of fearing when I actually have some place to go. Will I panic? Will I fail?

To quench the shopping thirst I drink in food stuff. I went on a book buying spree. And by spree I mean 2 books, both about fooooood! Did you know that in the summertime our stupid libraries are closed on Sundays??? There should be a clothes library...isn't there one? A bag borrowing thing or something? I will research and get back to you. Anyways!!! I'm FINALLY reading My Life in France, Julia Child's autobiography. swoon. suhwoon. I hope that somewhere in my closet (the real one, not the one in my brain) I have a long skirt, a patterned polyester button up blouse, and canvas shoes to wear in her honor as I whip up a little Bœuf bourguignon for Julia's birthday in August. If I don't, can I borrow yours???

if only you could wear your asparagus.

doing some 'finances' over here.

maybe we should not buy food for three months also.

or maybe we should only buy food we can also wear.

hmmm.

Can I buy fabric?

discuss.

do you dream in shoes? i do.

NINE DOLLLARSSSS?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!

These are socks with floppy metallic details. they are SEVEEEENN DOLLAS!
TWONTY SEEEX DOLLLLARSSSSS!?!?
THIRTEEN DOLLAAAHHHS!?!?
TWENTY NOTHING DAHHHHLLLLOOOHHHS?!?!?
TEN DOLLAR FIFFFFTY CENT?!? THAT IS NOT A JOKE. dead. oh dead.

So I had this really great idea to discover some CRAZY inexpensive online store right at the beginning of this silly experiment. What? oh dear. Gojane.com. At these prices the crap could fall apart after one wearing and it would still be worth it.

Also, spent the weekend with very fashionable friends, all of them seemed to be wearing brand new shoes. Or had brand new bags. I can see myself getting pretty darn preachy about this whole thing...stop me if I do. Cause it will all be out of jealousy.

Also, I have some old credit left over at a consignment shop here in town. I sold some clothes there once or twice but have never really found anything I liked in the store, thus forgetting I had the credit. So I have about $30 to spend by July 31st. This falls into my rules. So I go check it out, I figure I should get a winter coat if I can, a necessity really. Turns out this store still sucks. Turns out the owner only buys things that are incredibly thread bare, faded, and pilled. Turns out she has the worst taste in clothes ever. I tell her about my experiment. I tell her how some people don't think it's that big of a deal to go three months without shopping, and how others are convinced no one should ever put themselves through that torture. And you know what her reaction was? Do you have any idea what this CLOTHING STORE OWNER had to say about it? She climbed way up high on her soap box and starting ranting about how people have too much stuff, and everyone should stop shopping so much, and she knows how many crap clothes people collect because they take the stuff to her to sell. If you don't want to run a clothing store, don't start a clothing store. harumf. Needless to say, and of course I will still say it, I left the store without buying anything and with dreams of starting my own consignment store dancing in my head....

The small print.

July 14th 2009-November 2nd 2009.

This is how long I will go without buying new clothes.

The rules are as follows:

1. You cannot buy anything related to attire: no accessories, no shoes, and no clothing.
2. You can receive gifts of clothing or accessories.
3. You can trade current clothing/accessories (now known as c/a) for other c/a. But no money shall be exchanged.
4. These rules should not be broken under any circumstance,not a wedding, a vacation, or even a new job.
5. This will last until your 30th birthday, on November 2nd 2009.
6. You can purchase a new home in this time, the ultimate accessory.


The rules, subject to change are as posted. My heart is racing and I feel tears welling up. I could really use a pair of black skinny jeans....oh dear, what have I gotten myself into?

Truth or consequence.

Man, unlike any other thing organic or inorganic in the universe, grows beyond his work, walks up the stairs of his concepts, emerges ahead of his accomplishments.
~The Grapes of Wrath

If most of us are ashamed of shabby clothes and shoddy furniture, let us be more ashamed of shabby ideas and shoddy philosophies.... It would be a sad situation if the wrapper were better than the meat wrapped inside it. ~Albert Einstein

People seldom notice old clothes if you wear a big smile. ~Lee Mildon

Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends.... Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts. ~Henry David Thoreau

Distrust any enterprise that requires new clothes. ~Henry David Thoreau, Walden

Women usually love what they buy, yet hate two-thirds of what is in their closets. ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960

Why is it considered seductive for women to wear beautiful clothes? Wouldn't it make more sense to wear something so ugly that a guy couldn't wait to take it off you? ~Flash Rosenberg