Shallow and Very, Very Bossy

Tips & Tricks - #3

2012-01-10T12:39:00.000-08:00

many of you assholes have perfect, narrow feet. I do not. I have small, very wide hobbit feet. it is not attractive.

there are some shoes I cannot wear as a result. some I have to order in a half size up for width (Christian Louboutin's for instance, I have to get in a 36.5, even though in Valentino, I am a 35.5....first world problems).

but for most others, there are a few solutions if my size is just a little too snug:

just wear them. they stretch out eventually if they're leather or a stretchable fabric. I typically try to break in fancy shoes by wearing them around the house in sweats while doing whatever weird shit I'm doing.
have them professionally stretched. Nordstrom does it for free when you buy any shoes, it takes two days (but they can do it in a day as well, they just won't be as stretched) and you get a semi-stretched pair of shoes when they're done.
buy one or both of the following:

liquid shoe stretch only works on leather, but it relaxes the leather and allows the shoes to mold to your feet better or something. I don't know. it works.

these old school puppies will also work, you just insert them and expand the front part and store your shoes like this until they stretch to where you need them to not lead you to want to amputate at the end of the day because your toes have lost all feeling.

xo d

Tips & Tricks - #2

2012-01-06T12:30:00.000-08:00

for drawers, I found that the most ridiculous waste of my time was folding underwear. seriously, it pisses me off and they end up in a drawer all mashed up and I HATE rifling through a drawer to find what I want. I also hate messy drawers. the main reason being that I can't stand feeling like I lose things and I have found that the best way to not "lose" something is to just be organized.

enter these two items.

I use the three-section silk organizer for my bras. the bras fit width wise when stacked in each compartment, I can fit 5-6 bras in each row. and then the whole thing fits neatly into my drawer. no more messy bra drawer. if you want to get really psycho like me, you can color arrange them. I have a black row, a printed row and a white/nude row. I'm nuts, I know. but it really does help and is inexpensive.

secondly, I use this organizer as a way to organize, ugh, I hate this word, panties. this thing basically is a set of plastic inserts that you can decrease based on the size of your drawer. instead of folding underwear (I know, some of you don't actually do that, but seriously, the big free for all drawer of underwear freaks me out), I stuff them into each space (I fit a few per square) and, again, if you want to get super nuts, I organize them by the fancy ones in the front and the, ahem, mangy pairs in the back. when I get to the back and only have the skanky pairs, it's time for my lazy ass to do some laundry.

ok enough OCD for today.

xo d

Tips & Tricks - #1

2012-01-05T12:20:00.000-08:00

As a psycho shopper/thrifter and accumulator of stuff, I have tried my very hardest to stay as organized as possible. And beyond the basics (i.e. get plastic shoe box containers for your shoes, seriously, it changes your life), I have some tips that have served me well in my charge to a more organized hoarder.

The first thing that I do, and this is kind of stupid and obvious, but I seasonalize my closets. If it's summer and I don't need those wool coats? I dry clean them all in March or so, zip them up into a garment bag and forget about them until November rolls around and I need them. I also take one or two plastic shoe boxes and stack my flip flops in them (I can fit three pair per box on average) and put those at the very top of my closet. I do the same with the really summery sandals, espadrilles, etc. I don't need those in December, so up and away they go.

closet-wise, I also love the two following tips:

first, get a belt/tie hanger. I got mine at TJ Maxx, but you can also get one here. I hang all of my camisoles on this by the straps. it's awesome. it saves a ton of space, you don't have to take up a drawer by folding them and they hang visibly in your closet.

the other item in my closet that helps is this baby, a belt ring. it is a very cheap thingie (seriously, $4) that I use to hang all of my belts by the buckle. I also quickly tie sashes and silk/thin scarves to this. I was so sick of banging nails into the sides of my closets to keep my belts in order.

ok, more to come.

xo d

eBay: a love/hate relationship

2012-01-04T13:32:00.000-08:00

I hate eBay because it makes it so easy to purchase things that I REALLY don't need. Case in point...

I love eBay because these babies are now in my possession for a fraction of the retail price. Sigh. I have a problem.

selfish xmas lists

2011-11-17T18:27:00.001-08:00

so instead of being helpful regarding xmas gift idears, I am going to be self-serving.

I am building my xmas list for my mom now (YES I AM 30, GET OVER IT) and so I need to find things I want.

first on my list.

um. how adorable are these porcelain containers! for fruit and vegetables or like whatever you have in your fridge (mine consists of lemons, limes, club soda, 8 dollar white wine, two ketel one handles (don't ask) and some questionably ok to drink kombucha)

I think they're cute though. so that's enough for me to want them. you can get them (for me) here.

xo d

fact

2011-11-15T17:33:00.001-08:00

One should never enlist with a Nordstrom personal shopper (thanks to BFF Ashley). It is BIG trouble. The best part? She is in Seattle. I don't even have to see her or go in. I just find things I like online and email her and she finds my sizes and ships them to my work.

See? Danger.

memory foam shoes? yes please.

2011-11-07T09:59:00.000-08:00

I was shopping with my mom a few weeks ago and in Macy's (which, sidenote, is my version of hell, I hate Macy's, everything is always jumbled around and it's crappy and no one ever helps you) I was waiting for my mother to make a damn decision about which boots she wanted and that can take hours, so I started trying on random shoes.

And in the running shoe area, I picked up these babies and was in awe of how light they are. Then I tried them on. And holy hell. If there had been an actual salesperson that could have actually helped me instead of roaming around by the Clinique counter aimlessly, I would have purchased them on the spot.

Now. Pay attention to what I am going to say here.

The sole? The ENTIRE sole of this goddamn shoe? IS a thick, amazing layer of MEMORY FOAM. Like, what is that?! That shit remembers your foot! Fucking technology.

I mean, do they probably give you horrific shin splints? Yeah, probs, but they have stuff in them that is normally made for BEDS. IN YOUR SHOE. Also, part of them is made out of sweatshirt material or something.

Wow. So I'm kind of glad I didn't buy them at fucking Macy's, because the internets has taught me that they come in so many other colors. Pink! Black! Gray! and dudes, they are $70. That is like free for amazing running shoes that, again, REMEMBER YOUR FOOT.

Ugh, just get them, jesus. Your life will be changed.

Also, they run true to size.

xo d

best bra ever

2011-11-04T11:38:00.000-07:00

I hate bras. And as a 32 D (sometimes DD lately), I really can't do without. While they are perky, they are still annoying and need to be covered up these days.

I have tried just about everything and seriously, bras just piss me off lately. The ones I have purchased in the past year (DKNY, Calvin Klein, Target, Victorias Secret) just suck. They all suck. They do one or all of the following:

stretch out to the point where they no longer hold anything; this is ESPECIALLY annoying when it comes to the straps
have underwire that pops through the bra fabric and then stabs my armpits all day long until I want to knife someone
completely fall apart
give me cone boobs (VS bras in particular do this, and it is a HUGE pet peeve of mine)

So I decided to do what I normally do when I am unhappy - throw money at the problem.

Hence a little bra shopping spree at Nordstrom. Where I found the most amazing, comfortable bra and promptly bought it in two colors. And it's not a hideous, giant farm woman bra either. It's pretty! And boy approved!

I think my fave part is that it wraps lower on your torso and has a thick band of tight lace right under the cups. That shit is comfortable and flattering. AND you don't get back fat as a result. Win-win.

Anyway, I got the nude and the hot pink/purple combo. I also want the above and I wish it came in black. At $50, it's not cheap, but good god, it's amazing.

I also want to try the Genie Bra after reading this review.

xo d

outfetto of the day: august 9

2011-08-09T16:53:00.001-07:00

dress: urban outfitters
belt: thrifted
cardigan: jcrew outlet
heels: aldo

I desperately wanted to wear this dress not belted, but it looks like a muumuu and even I have too much self pride to be prancing around in those in public.

also, the lady last weekend chopped all of my stupid hair off. ugh.

tools of the trade

2011-08-05T11:43:00.001-07:00

I am in a hair rut. I am growing it out as long as humanly possible and am growing out my bangs in the meantime and it's basically turning into a rat's nest.

also, I am trying to shampoo it ONLY every third day.

after trying this no-shampoo thing, I have to say, I have no bad hair days. I get a zillion compliments (ME! compliments on my hair!) and am using less product too. more on that later. but, on 'day 3' I tend to need to pull it up and out of my face.

and while getting a nice, big bun necessitates either very thick hair (I think I have six hairs on my head, total) or length (which I thankfully have a little bit of now), there are still some tricks of the trade I have come to rely on as completely fool proof for getting a nice, big bun on top of my head with 'day 3' hair.

volumizing dry shampoo

this stuff is my most favorite. it's clear so it doesn't dry white in my dark hair and it is perfect for giving you that dirty hair, volumized feeling. note though, this does not make for 'run your fingers through hair' hair. it will be sticky and kind of gross once you spray this stuff on your roots.

2. a teasing brush

once you've sprayed the roots all over with the spray, get to work with one of these, teasing the hell out of the crown of your head.

3. some ingenuity

I am growing out my bangs. as such, I have to figure out what the fuck I'm going to do with them EVERY DAY. I tend to either twist them back and to the side or braid them to the side. the bun makes it easy to hide the ends in.

4. curved bobby pins

these puppies hide incredibly easily in hair and are more secure than the regular shaped pins. once I'm done spraying, teasing, braiding and/or twisting the bangs, I pull it all into a VERY HIGH pony tail, using these hair bands (which are amazing and worth the money). then I pull the pony tail forward over my head and twist it around the base to the right, twisting the ends under and fluffing with my fingers to make it bigger and fuller looking in front. then I pin away with these babies, it usually only takes 3-4 of them.

5. the wild card - omg, stop. it's fake hair, not dead animals

I know, right?! gross! but I am obsessed with my clip in extensions (also, I have the 14 in ones, 18 in is SO long) and while I don't use them every day (and basically only save them for special occasions), they do make up-do's like big ol' buns SUPER easy and very full looking. I clip two into the crown of my head, tease away like a maniac, include them into the pony tail and twist away into the bun.

I always finish with some shine spray and A TON of hair spray to tame sketch fly-aways.

anyway, just saying, this is super easy and pretty pulled together looking.

xo d

nerd alert

2011-07-20T12:43:00.001-07:00

um. this is brilliant. anyone else sick and tired of clambering around under your desk to find each cord every single freaking morning?!

taken from one of my fave DIY/design/all around great stuff blogs, how about orange

outfetto of the day: july 15

2011-07-16T09:15:00.000-07:00

yep. a scarf, jacket and boots. in july. gotta love san francisco 'summer'.

**********

dress: random purchase from a sample sale a zillion years ago
jacket: topshop
scarf: chan luu
boots: vintage frye
bag: The Strand book bag, NYC

outfetto of the day: july 14

2011-07-15T08:15:00.000-07:00

so I guess what they say about wearing horizontal stripes is true.

you will look like you're in your third trimester when you aren't pregnant (except for the food baby I carry around).

cute.

**********
tank: gap (I have this tank in three colors, I am obsessed. The straps are thick, the scoop neck is perfect and it's cut a-line so it's loose around the mid-section.)
skirt: target
cardigan: jcrew (via NYC jcrew sample sale, featherweight cashmere! $40!)
oxford flats: steve madden

outfetto of the day, july 13

2011-07-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

oh hi! remember me?

anyway, I realized the other day as I was cleaning out my closets, that I really have no idea how much freaking crap I have. seriously. I forget all the time about the sheer amount of clothing I have piled and stuffed into closets.

and the only thing that kept me wearing it all and not wearing the same black jersey preggo dress every single day was chronicling it. so here goes.

this was yesterday's outfetto. more to come.

xo d

**********

dress: vintage, thrifted @ st. vincent de paul
cardigan: target
belt: vintage thrifted @ st. vincent de paul
camisole: victoria's secret
espedrilles: seychelles (from ambiance on haight st.)

two new additions

2011-05-04T09:51:00.000-07:00

to my ridiculous shoe collection.

I buy a new pair of black wedges every summer, and by Fleet Week here in SF (October), they are destroyed and disposed of. I find them to be the most versatile pair of shoes in my summer wardrobe. In fact, if I had to order the top four pairs of shoes that I wear ALL spring/summer they would be:

1. black wedges of some sort (I HATE cork heels, so they're usually wood or rope)
2. cognac brown leather wedges (ditto on the heels)
3. the thin gold flip flops from jcrew or old navy (I can wear them to work being that they aren't rubber)
4. my workhorse Frye boots (kind of like these)

and that's it. but then, I also bought these just for fun. and while they are RIDICULOUS and the bf thinks I look like an idiot wearing them, I don't care. so there.

pretty posters

2011-05-03T14:54:00.000-07:00

so we all know of my obsession with the small stakes and Jason Munn's awesome graphic posters for shows for some of my favorite bands.

in that vein, I also adore Sara Wood. such gorgeous artwork.

xo d

Two SF Must Eats

2011-04-29T12:16:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post on two restaurants I am currently absolutely obsessed with in San Francisco.

Outerlands
Neighborhood: Outer Sunset
My fave thing: Portabello mushroom open faced sandwhich with gruyere, spinach and walnut gremolata on their homemade freaking amazing bread. Holy crap, it's good.

I've only had brunch here (twice), but it is freaking amazing. A few of my fave things? The ambiance is great, they serve Chemex drip coffee (you get your own little decanter of coffee), their menu is tiny with fresh, local and organic ingredients and EVERYTHING on it is delicious.

Nojo
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley
My fave thing: The gyoza were pretty freaking good, but my fave was the chicken breast skewer with avocado and wasabi.

We had dinner here last night and it was awesome. Their wine list is great, the waiters are amazing and helpful and attentive and the skewers were so good. My absolute fave thing (it's served as a dipping sauce) is a whole egg yolk with soy sauce. You mix it up and dip things in it and seriously I cannot get enough of that. It was SO SO SO ridiculously simple, yet SO good. Ugh.

xo d

did you know...

2011-04-19T17:03:00.001-07:00

that you can get kombucha on tap at Whole Foods and it is cheaper that way? they have delish flavors (my faves are pineapple-ginger and hibiscus) and you can even bring your jug in to be refilled for EVEN cheaper.

love it.

xo d

friday tunes

2011-04-01T16:10:00.001-07:00

obsessed for a while now. very catchy.

also, got tix to see them at the fillmore! woot.

(almost) a la mer replacement

2011-03-29T16:24:00.001-07:00

in my attempt to find something less expensive that works as well as my la mer cleansing gel, I stumbled upon this lovely cleanser and snapped it up.

it is a cross between the la mer cleansing gel and cetaphil. it really cleans my skin, removing all traces of makeup, smells FANTASTIC, and doesn't make my skin feel tight and flaky.

and it costs $20.

once I become a greasy Italian again this summer, it won't be enough, but for now, it's just right.

xo d

party for your neck

2011-03-29T15:00:00.000-07:00

just saying.

ThePolkadotMagpie on etsy

fate

2011-03-25T14:55:00.000-07:00

is the only thing I can think of when I randomly (ok, drunkenly) purchase this vintage bracelet off etsy

and then find this AWESOME diy project

um. done and done.

xo d

ah, spring (sort of)

2011-03-25T12:23:00.000-07:00

mary kate steinmiller (love her)

we all know of my obsession with bows and white lacy dresses

love brown leather accents with black tights

I think I may need to purchase that clutch in the medium size...

anyway, I am in denial. see, in the stupid bay area, it may technically be spring, but really, it's freezing and VIOLENTLY POURING rain. today is a bit better, but it's supposed to pour all weekend (even in Napa, where I'm headed). boo.

anyway, I can still dream about spring outfit inspiration.

**photos linked when I could remember where they originated from, all others, I can't remember!! sorry!!**

oh, hey there

2011-03-08T17:47:00.000-08:00

checkity check out my new little (big) baby.

isn't he so pretty?! he is a Canon Rebel T2i.

and I am in love.

etsy find: barking bird art

2011-03-04T16:13:00.000-08:00

can one of my friends please just get knocked up so I can buy one of these? thanks.

barking bird art on etsy

d

dude, you need this

2011-02-28T15:30:00.001-08:00

no, trust me, you need all of these.

I bought the lemon one with spf 15 just before my trip on a whim at CVS and it's basically all Clarice and I did on vacation. Re-apply this goddamn orb of moisturizing, delicious lip balm.

it's like crack. it's amazing. and people have no idea what you're doing with it because it looks like a tiny egg. and when you leave it on your table on accident in a restaurant in Vietnam, they will run after you down the street to give it back to you. This I know from experience.

xo d

most recent acquisition.

2011-02-25T20:22:00.000-08:00

and I couldn't love them more. they're like a rip off version of these (but are so beautiful in person and fit PERFECTLY on my freakish tiny wide feet).

now if it would just stop faux-snowing and get warm so I can break 'em out...

what do you get when you pair....

2011-02-25T12:56:00.000-08:00

unicorns, champagne, rainbows violently shooting from said unicorns, gun shoes, confetti and Dawson? Ke$ha's new vid, obvi.

side note: wtf is Dawson doing in this.

gllooooobaaalll waarrrmmminggg!*

2011-02-25T12:03:00.001-08:00

*The only clear explanation for the 85 degree weather we had on Superbowl Sunday.....morphed a few weeks later into SNOW in SAN FRANCISCO.

Also, I don't even have clothes for this. It's going to be like the time I went to NYC in a snowstorm and all I had were very high heels, jeans and one tiny Forever 21 pleather jacket, behold:

etsy find: the vamoose

2011-02-24T21:07:00.000-08:00

the vamoose. cute.

three things

2011-02-24T15:59:00.000-08:00

...that I really, really, really want for reals.*

1. to build a vintage black milk glass collection
2. a Canon Rebel xSI
3. a vintage starlight globe (they're cheapest on eBay, FYI)

*I know, I was supposed to get the camera for xmas, but when it came down to it, I didn't want to bring a fancy camera to Cambodia and I used the money instead to fund about 80% of the trip itself :) stuff's cheap over there!

**UPDATE** purchased a Canon Rebel T2i last Sunday! whaaaahooo!

love: mixed prints

2011-02-23T11:53:00.000-08:00

I really adore mixing prints. when done just right, it looks so great and is so unexpected.

my fave is black (or navy) and white stripes with florals. but I love this outfit of miss calivintage's (who also lives in the bay area, hi!) and am definitely filing it away as inspiration.

image taken from her blog!

new obsession: anastasia brow powder

2011-02-22T23:41:00.000-08:00

I have always been obsessed with my eyebrows. I WAY overplucked them in highschool repeatedly. So now, they don't really grow back. Then there was this sketch point in college where I thought it was cool to have dark tranny chola brows with a ridiculously high arch. Pretty.

I've been a loyal fan of using brow powder instead of a pencil for years now, when paired with the perfect angled brush (in my case, MAC #208), the results are the most natural and soft. When blond, I love MAC's Omega shadow. but now that I am brunette, I was having some trouble finding the right color.

Enter Sephora and the Anastasia brow powder duo. I started using it last weekend and I love it. The two colors make results look incredibly natural, because you can just blend them to get the right color. The powder is the perfect amount of waxy to hold brows in place. I am a medium/light brunette and I use Medium Ash and it's perfect.

get it here.

xo d

preeeeeety

2011-02-16T17:48:00.000-08:00

so today, I have had the following thoughts:

I maybe shopped too much last night.
but I really didn't spend that much money.
so it's ok.
but really, it's not, because I want to move and need to save money for that.
I also want to go on another trip immediately.
like back to Asia.
or to Kilimanjaro.
but like, there are so many pretty things on etsy.
I'm hungry.

and then I pept these really pretty, magical looking necklaces/rings by FIVE AND TWO on etsy and fell in love. a little out of my current price point given that I'm trying to save money, but still pretty to look at.

xo d

do want*: where we're from

2011-02-15T16:50:00.000-08:00

*only I'm a huge single loser

regardless, I really adore these cut outs, each person is made of a map from where they are from. how cute is that?!

this could be a great DIY idea/gift idea, or you can also buy them really inexpensively on etsy from TerrorDome.

girl talk breakdown

2011-02-15T13:56:00.000-08:00

click on the image to see it much bigger

so I sort of love the newer Girl Talk album. I realized why I like it so much, it reminds me of the cheerleading dance mixes we would make for our half-time routines. any other cheerleaders out there that feel the same way? it's pretty funny that they are now a well regarded genre of music called 'mashups' mostly courtesy of Girl Talk.

anyway, my stupid evil ex sent me this image, when blown up, it shows you just how many songs are mashed up into each individual track on the most recent album.

pretty crazy stuff!

xo d

oh, also...

2011-02-14T13:35:00.000-08:00

...this is really cute.

hearts,
d

so, like

2011-02-14T10:32:00.000-08:00

while I may look like this today:

and am butt-hurt because I am single and blah blah blah.

really? I feel just like this:

and not because I have a ton of dudes banging down my door (or, really, banging anything). but because I am a happy, lucky person. and it is Valentine's Day for christsakes.

xo,
d

new fashion inspiration

2011-02-12T10:37:00.000-08:00

things to try NOW: taiyaki

2011-02-11T21:01:00.000-08:00

holy chunkler alert!!

there are these things.

they are sweet little waffles.

full of various fillings (custard, vanilla cream, nutella*, etc.)

shaped like teeny tiny fat fishes.

and all I want to do is devour them all day long.

so, like, you should eat them immediately.

their name is taiyaki. I call them 'the delicious weird little fishes'

xo,
d

*side note. my obsession with nutella started young. my grandparents watched me for a weekend once in 1st grade when my parents were on a romantic trip. and my Italian grandparents (who barely speak english) sent me to school one day with a nutella sandwich and a thermos of coffee for lunch (because that's a healthy lunch...in Italy). and everyone made fun of me and said I was eating a poo sandwich. but it was chocolate hazelnut spread. joke's on those bitches.

Things to do: Birchbox

2011-02-11T10:24:00.000-08:00

so, I just found out about this from the lovely Selena here (who has given me many a music suggestion), but there is this fancy box you can get every month for $10 that has beauty loot in it!

Birchbox.com

so I signed up, duh.

let's see what the first shipment brings!

hearts,
d

oh wow, it's been a while, no?

2011-02-10T20:50:00.000-08:00

I know. I know.

a lot is going on in ShallowLand and I just am too busy/tired/jetlagged/sick of being back in real life/cranky to make this whole blogging thing happen.

also, that's me up there. yes. that was my life for a month. dammit.

but. stay tuned.

new stuff is coming. changes. some fun business, and in the meantime, blog posts.

because, as we know, I love yapping to anyone and everyone on the internets!!!!*

hearts,
d

*I've been drinking wine.

Obsessed.

2011-01-12T08:43:00.000-08:00

Since D is out having the time of her life and I am stuck in the office with no one to chat with on IM (rude!) I am trying once again to hop back on the blog-train.

I am OBSESSED with these cool Antler Handbags from Rich in Craft. Now I just need to find an extra $600 lying around somewhere...

hugs,
A

fun business

2010-12-30T20:28:00.000-08:00

just some outfetto inspiration

2010-12-16T15:19:00.000-08:00

photos found in various places on the web, but those taken from blogs I read were linked!

xmas gift idears

2010-12-14T10:37:00.000-08:00

this made me laugh so hard

fun (and actually useful) kitchen gadgets for the cook

fun poster for rap fans

pretty concert posters for music geeks

a handy adaptor kit for world travelers

pretty gloves with an iPhone compatible fingie pad for touch-screen users

ira glass finger puppet for This American Life junkies

after a DSLR, one of these babies was top on my list this year

must listen: sleigh bells

2010-12-11T13:46:00.000-08:00

ok so I am more than a little obsessed with Sleigh Bells. I saw them live Thursday night and it was a huge sweaty dance party. and I mean that in the most fun, awesome sense. It was great. and I was sober, so that's saying a lot.

outfetto of the day: dec. 10

2010-12-10T12:45:00.000-08:00

I left the house this morning so happy I live in California and wearing a coat wasn't necessary. also, any SF'rs think last night was unusually warm?! it was downright balmy (which I of course associate with creepy earthquake weather).

ruffled cardigan thing: forever 31
top: forever 31
black skinny jeans: urban outfitters a zillion years ago
over knee flat boots: steve madden last year

if I could design a shoe...

2010-12-02T13:41:00.000-08:00

...that would be named after me, it would be a six-inch-high stiletto d'orsay Louboutin with a small platform, in a spill proof/stain proof material that is particularly repellent to red wine.

It would be lined with gel inserts for dancing and would show just the right amount of toe cleavage. It would come in a zillion colors and would retail for $20.

That is all.

And I hate Blake Lively. There, I said it.

testing, testing

2010-12-01T10:08:00.001-08:00

messing around with my camera in my room and took some pics of the top of my new/old dresser.

also, I have officially decided to get a DSLR for xmas. finally. because this whole point and shoot situation is poop.

xo d

lesson learned

2010-11-30T12:25:00.000-08:00

this is what happens when you get home from work, drink a bottle of wine on your couch and find so many gray hairs you want to die. so you dye.

I woke up with mild hangover and brown hair.

and this is my life.

warning, douche bag post*

2010-11-24T15:20:00.000-08:00

*pun intended, har har

anyway, look. my lovely sister works for LVMH corporate and they own a lot of really fun brands like korbel and marc jacobs and dior and so I sometimes utilize her substantial discount to waste my money on shit I probs don't need.

BUT I did want a new work bag. because until now, I have been lugging a purse AND a computer bag (super dorky with my company's name and logo on it) all over the place and I just wanted ONE bag that was acceptable as a purse but also big enough for my laptop.

and we all know of my love for marc jacobs. I have this bag already (which is incredibly heavy and not big enough for a laptop), and so when I saw the mama version for sale courtesy of my sister for a serious FRACTION of the price, I snapped it up.

behold, the mama and the baby

and yes, I know. there are legitimate problems in the world and I should probs stop blogging about my clothes and shit I want on the Internet and stupid ass handbags I spend money on when I could be feeding small children etc. but I can't help it. I'm an American consumer. Shameful. But I never promised to be a good person, so, like, at least I'm honest.

outfetto of the day: wearing pjs in public

2010-11-24T10:41:00.001-08:00

having spent the past three days fighting off a cold (I think I lost as of this morning), I said to myself in the shower today "self, wouldn't it be awesome if you could wear pajamas to work today? and also, you're really pretty!" and then I had a sneezing fit and hacked and then wheezed a whole bunch.

so then I was like, hm. I could totally throw something together that is just like pjs. acceptable to be worn in public pjs. so I did.

leggings + plaid nightshirt looking thing + blanket you can wear in public sweater + belt and boots so it doesn't look completely homeless = I'm a genius.

leggings: forever 31
plaid tunic: american eagle
belt: vintage, wasteland on haight
boots: vintage frye campus boots
sweater blanket thing that I am never taking off: h&m
socks (you can't see them, but they're hello kitty and awesome): h&m courtesy of A

and yes, those are dumbbells in the last pic, and no, I don't ever use them.

um amazing

2010-11-23T17:29:00.001-08:00

these are pretty awesome. G turned me on to them and I have to say, they look great, are cheap and are freaking fake jeans that are leggings. what more could you want this holiday season?!

they also had them at bloomingdales in SF (the dark denim and gray are particularly great)

druzy pyrite

2010-11-23T17:06:00.000-08:00

over the weekend, shopping in godforsaken union square, I fell in love with this necklace. I just didn't love the chains all around the pendant and $30 is a bit steep for the quality of the necklace (which wasn't great).

anyway, it totally spurred my love for druzy pyrite (or fools gold) for fall. just sparkly enough without looking cheesy.

fun with drop caps

2010-11-19T12:58:00.000-08:00

on't you LOVE this pretty letter?

if you go to this site, you can see that she adds a new pretty drop cap letter every day.

learly, I am obsessed with them.

aybe too much.

make your own owl calendar!

2010-11-19T12:16:00.000-08:00

I LOVE this! you go here, make your own owl calendar, make it a PDF and print away!

IMO

2010-11-07T12:13:00.000-08:00

louis vuitton spring 2011 killed it. amazing.

patchwork clutch

2010-11-06T11:31:00.000-07:00

inspired by this lovely lady's post, I would LOVE a patchwork vintage clutch for fall (preferably one that works with black and brown)

all images linked to their respective sellers on etsy

well executed neon

2010-11-05T11:43:00.000-07:00

I love the splashes of neon, particularly when paired with mid-century or victorian architecture. must incorporate some neon pink and citron into my living room and kitchen (even in DIY friendly ways with some high gloss spray paint)

etsy items are linked to their respective sellers

etsy find: vintage signage

2010-11-04T14:35:00.000-07:00

loving these vintage signs.

outfetto of the day: nov 4

2010-11-04T10:57:00.001-07:00

ooh looky, pockets. and cankles.

so this is one of those random dresses that I purchase when I am delirious and hungover at Nordstrom Rack. I vaguely remember it being $15 dollars or something and it was during a heat wave last spring and I found it in my closet last night and was like, wha?!

so another day, another a-line belted dress with a cardigan. oh well.

xo d

chambray shirt dress: necessary objects via nordstrom rack
cardigan: jcrew outlet
watch: armitron via kohl's (p.s. it was in InStyle! my ghetto $40 men's watch!)
belt: target
slingback pumps: victoria's secret years ago

mama likes

2010-11-03T18:48:00.000-07:00

that is all.

have I officially given up?

2010-11-03T13:50:00.000-07:00

today's all spandex outfit and now, these on my wishlist?!

wow, flattering cut.

outfetto of the day: nov. 3

2010-11-03T10:22:00.000-07:00

ok, officially sort of back on track over in these parts.

first outfit post in a zillion years, I know. maybe I will keep with it this time, we'll see.

also, that is supposed to be a hair shot for myself to chronicle how it looks five months after my last highlight. eek. and it looks much worse in person, seriously.

xo d

skirt: american apparel
sash as belt: american apparel (now 50% off!!)
t-shirt: forever 21
cardigan: nordstrom
tights: target
pumps: nine west wedges

november music

2010-11-02T17:33:00.000-07:00

so this was actually supposed to be an october playlist but I was far too screamo/mildly drunk/tired of myself to post it, so here you go.

xo d

the next big trip

2010-11-01T18:17:00.000-07:00

Hong Kong...

...to Cambodia (Siem Reap, Battanbang, Phnom Penh, assorted beaches)...

I can seriously not tell you how out of my mind excited I am to see Angkor Wat in person, this is going to be incredible. I expect to lose it a bit, I mean, I teared up when I walked into the Colosseum (I know, I'm a loser, but it was so huge and overwhelmingly old)

...to Vietnam (southern islands and Saigon)...

A month taken off work and tickets booked.

Finally, something to look forward to.

this week's inspiration

2010-10-27T14:20:00.000-07:00

bow collar + ivory tights + bow flats = so awesome

I kick myself almost every day for not buying the black platform forever 21 miu miu rip off mary janes a few months ago when they still had my size. bah.

definitely into the white bow collar on black this fall.

I would love a pretty bird tattoo, and love how this follows the line of her arm.

love this whole ensemble. when I lose weight, I would love to try the knee socks with boots look.

fulfills my peter pan collar obsession (wonder if this is the dress she's wearing)

must incorporate pretty hair bows and polka dot stockings (I acquired these a while back with a gift card)

I admit that while everyone seems into leopard these days, it really scares me. it's too "too" or something. I don't know how to explain it. I do like this little outfit and her pretty hair (although I'm sorry, I really hate peep toe boots).

DIY bookends

2010-10-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

love this sparkly DIY bookend idea from Design Sponge today...

pretty clogs

2010-10-19T16:15:00.000-07:00

as a rule, I tend to be anti-clog.

for one, wood heels are heavy.

two, they tend to make my short legs look even stumpier.

anyway, as a birthday gift to myself (along with new rayban wayfarers to replace the ones I lost the FIRST day I was in Australia), I snapped up these babies:

and have gotten a zillion compliments. even by random people on the street. and they are really comfortable, I was able to walk from BART to the Greek Theater in Berkeley recently in these babies and for you norcal residents, you know that walk is far and uphill.

anyway, some other options I am drooling over (most of which are under $100) and wish I could purchase. however, I am saving up for a big trip this January and don't need six pairs of clog-like shoes. duh.

all pics linked to the site that sells 'em.

psst, the steve madden ones are on super sale right now, $39!! ahh!

some current inspiration

2010-10-18T14:22:00.000-07:00

this cake is made out of one of my most fave cheeses of all time, cypress grove truffle tremor. I may or may not have single handedly eaten two wedges of the stuff at a dinner party (like seriously the hostess had to put out another wedge, whoops).

I kind of cannot wait to wear tights. we've been having a heat wave in SF for the past few weeks and while it has cooled down this weekend, I am so ready for fall.

cheap, vintage tins are a great way to display flowers.

I would never think to put brooches on the waistband of a pencil skirt. such a great idea.

more pretty vintage tins.

love this new iteration of F. Scott Fitzgerald classics.

annnnd officially on the hunt for a vintage cocktail cart.

love this macaron "cake", oh and sparklers are always a must.

I desperately need those shoes. and I want alexa chung to be my friend.

love all the colorful vintage accents (and the owls of course).

I am an heirloom tomato freak, and this way of serving them would be so fun at a dinner party.

this is what I am working on with my hair these days. I haven't had it highlighted in four and a half months (eek!) and am trying to grow it out as much as possible.

this is from a wedding, but I thought it was pretty and I love those fanned out patterns.

while I have basically banged holes into every wall in my apartment, I love the above look with picture hanging wire.

love all the white

these mobiles are pretty incredible. if I had a mansion with a reading nook (and floor to ceiling shelving with a little rolling ladder) (and my husband, jake gyllenhaal, serving me wine while I read), this would be a perfect item to hang.

eclectically fancy, yes please

2010-10-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

so I took one look at these babies and I immediately thought about the HOURS of painstaking work and sore, numb fingers from making friendship bracelets in elementary school.

so pair my (probs rusty at this point) amazing bracelet making skillz with my absolute obsession with vintage rhinestones (I avidly collect rhinestone bracelets for really no good reason, I never wear them) and I am instantly obsessed.

these bracelets by Frieda & Nellie made from woven thread and vintage pieces are pretty awesome. I love me a good eclectically fancy combo.

crap, er, gap logo

2010-10-17T13:57:00.000-07:00

one of the things I definitely wanted to comment on was the gap logo controversy.

being a PR/branding/marketing professional myself, I have walked through the branding process with many a start-up and know how important the right logo, color, placement, tagline, etc. is to brand something to success.

I sat with an extremely established software company and listened while they seriously went through where the placement of the number "4" should go and pitched an entire campaign around the changing of an icon.

this shit is important. people take notice. which was why it was so shocking to see GAP change their logo. and at first I was all like, oh ok, whatever, who cares. until I saw the new logo. and cringed.

it was bad. real, real bad.

so it wasn't surprising that a week later they changed it back, mostly due to backlash over how truly awful it was.

and with that, go make your own crap logo. hours of fun!

whew. I'm back.

2010-10-15T12:47:00.000-07:00

sort of. kind of.

I took a much needed hiatus for a few key reasons:

some life issues, in which things blew up in my face and were messy and I'm still dealing with the consequences (both financial and emotional)
as a result, I have spent the better part of a month feeling like shit about myself
as a result, the last thing I wanted to do was to dwell on my personal life here. it felt stupid and trivial and shallow. and I know that is the title of the blog and all, but if I am dealing with actual issues, the last thing I feel like doing is writing about my (lack of a) dating life, or my heavy drinking, or my (lack of) shopping habits
writing about crying at my desk over my life problems at work consistently, working insane hours because it is the only thing I can focus on that is positive right now, and hating myself isn't particularly interesting to read.

I haven't felt inspired in a long time.

I believe this is called a rut, and I know I will get out of it and will end up fine and happy, but I find with age, it gets harder and harder to dig oneself out.

I also feel lonelier than I have ever felt. And not just because of my ongoing lack of a meaningful relationship. I feel lonely across the board.

all stuff I will get through, I know. I also know it could be much worse. and I am taking it one day at a time and am working to better myself and see what happens and attempt to stay optimistic about my life even though I am consistently, repeatedly, thoroughly disappointed.

all that said, I have missed writing for fun. and I have seriously been astounded by the emails I've been getting from readers asking me if I am alive or hoping that I am ok. I haven't offed myself yet, dudes, but your thoughtfulness in sending me these notes is really incredible and appreciated.

more to come. promise.

xo d

september music

2010-09-08T16:31:00.000-07:00

enjoy some of my latest faves, lovers. happy September.

xo d

jellies for grown-ups

2010-09-08T14:19:00.001-07:00

jelly designer extraordinaire, melissa, teamed up with miss vivienne westwood a while back to design some awesome jelly creations.

I had seen the heart slingbacks and the heart flats, but had not laid my eyes on those wedges or my faves, the black flats with the tortoiseshell bow (only $115!).

insane fall concert line-up

2010-09-07T18:15:00.000-07:00

band of horses at the greek theater

florence and the machine at the fox theater

the xx at the fox theater

matt + kim at the fillmore

arcade fire at the greek theater

hot chip at the warfield

somehow, in the midst of moving, I also have tickets to attend the following (in fact, I double booked a night and had to sell my Neon Indian ticket, boo). and I wonder why I'm broke all the time.

wow, I love this house

2010-08-31T16:23:00.000-07:00

found here

so a few great things have been brewing.

1. I secured my dream apartment in SF! yay! I got the news today, my sister and I move in on October 1st.
2. this means I need to SAVE, SAVE, SAVE moola to make sure this move goes smoothly and that I don't end up in major debt over the move.
3. more to come on decorating it and also arranging my furniture. I am moving from a small one bedroom into a 1300 sq ft two bedroom apartment. eek. my tiny couch is going to look so silly.

ANYWAY, I love this house. I don't love the bathroom, and some of the more clinical looking features, but the warm kitchen and mid-century vibe are awesome. also, love the black Victorian facade.

xo d

ugh, Monday

2010-08-30T09:47:00.000-07:00

just trying to keep this quote in mind.

oh, hello

2010-08-27T14:44:00.001-07:00

too bad my potentially exciting news will leave me broke for the foreseeable future. mama like.

lattitude and longitude

2010-08-27T14:41:00.000-07:00

a very cool twist on the location poster, love it

ilovedesign2010 on etsy

vintage find: wood handled bags

2010-08-26T15:32:00.000-07:00

bermuda bags (as they are sometimes known) are definitely only for summer and/or fall, but still, wood handles on bags instantly make them look more expensive a la anthropologie (on a shoe string).

all photos linked to their respective sellers on etsy

vintage find: woven purse for fall

2010-08-25T19:16:00.000-07:00

I am on the hunt for the perfect vintage woven leather bag for fall, preferably cross-body in style and medium sized so I can wear it to work and to the bars.

all images linked to the respective etsy sellers

quick favor, please

2010-08-25T16:30:00.001-07:00

pretty, pretty please with a martini olive on top think good thoughts and pray to the gods and cross your fingies and toes for me for over the next few days

big opportunity afoot and I need all the positive energy I can get to FINALLY have something in this universe go my way

thanks in advance

xo d

outfit of the day: august 25

2010-08-25T15:08:00.000-07:00

yesterday was too fucking hot to wear anything even remotely fashionable. and today isn't much better, but it is a little cooler (low 80s), so I didn't exactly feel like I was walking on the surface of the sun this morning.

ruffled camisole: forever 31
necklace: gift, forever 31
rings: banana republic stacking rings, worn on two fingers (my preference instead of wearing them all on one)
cardigan: nordstrom
pants: jcrew 'minnie' pants (best investment EVER)
wedges: ambiance on union st.

outfetto of the day, august 23

2010-08-23T15:12:00.000-07:00

dress: c&c, mercer in seattle (also seen here, I figure I need to wear my white stuff now, before it's too late)
cardigan: jcrew
belt: forever 31
heels: mary jane clogs, aldo

it is 10,000 degrees here today and I am hot and hungover and cranky. that's all.

xo d

sash on the outside, dudes

2010-08-20T12:34:00.000-07:00

love, love, love learning new ways of wearing things.

this genius girl took the sash from her romper and tied it on the outside of her blazer. definitely going to be doing that soon (although not with a romper because my hips are big and I can't find one that fits me on top and on the bottom at the same time, life is rough, I know).

I'M BAAAAAACK / I don't wanna work today

2010-08-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

I'm back.

Back from my wonderful wedding, back from an even better honeymoon, and back to the daily grind. My discontent with being back at work is currently super-intensified because a) going on vacation makes me realize how pointless and dumb working is and b) there is a god-forsaken conference early next month that is ruining my life.

That said, now that I am a married woman (eek) I have this sudden desire to look more pulled together. Its like I finally feel like an adult or something. My outfit today is definitely nothing special, but it is Friday after all.

cardigan - jcrew

plaid shirt - vintage
jeans - citizens
shoes - borrowed (stolen?) from D

xo
A

oh yes, these will be mine

2010-08-19T15:59:00.000-07:00

saw them in person last week and while I couldn't fathom buying lace up boots just yet, these are going to be my pick for Fall/Winter 2010-2011.

that red stripe up the back, holy crap.

music thursdays: minipop

2010-08-19T11:42:00.000-07:00

do want cute boys book (and cute boys, duh)

2010-08-17T13:26:00.000-07:00

I love this. do want.

newest makeup obsession: smashbox halo

2010-08-17T11:37:00.001-07:00

my good pal miss. gravy train got me hooked on this stuff when we were in NYC in June and I seriously cannot say enough about it.

dusted loosely over a very thin application of my fave giorgio armani foundation and you instantly have perfect skin that isn't too powdery and literally glows.

tuesday vintage finds: steel fans

2010-08-10T13:34:00.000-07:00

I love the colors and the steel of vintage fans. the modern plasticy towers are hideous, and I would love to replace mine with one or two of these babies.

all images linked to the respective etsy seller

etsy find: the turquoise buffalo

2010-08-09T15:01:00.000-07:00

so you know how I'm all like "oh I love this DIY project, just buy anything and paint it red or turquoise! so awesome and easy!" and then instead I spend the weekend sitting on my ass drinking on my couch alone not doing a goddamn thing?

well this etsy find does the work for you.

etsy find: celeste lauren designs

2010-08-06T14:25:00.000-07:00

more than a little into these awesome statement necklaces

check out her shop on etsy

etsy find: the brass menagerie

2010-08-04T15:10:00.000-07:00

I covet that ribbon ring.

the brass menagerie on etsy

tuesday vintage finds: black rotary telephones

2010-08-03T13:22:00.000-07:00

I would love to have a vintage black rotary telephone some day.

all images linked to the respective etsy seller

bow inspiration

2010-08-02T16:26:00.000-07:00

LOVE the bow. I need more bows in my life (pretty balloons don't hurt either).

DIY: painted chandelier

2010-08-01T12:34:00.000-07:00

how many times do you see a fug ass chandelier at a garage sale or at a thrift store and haven't given it a second look?

a little bit of paint can go a long way, and I love the idea of a otherwise traditional chandelier shape in a bright, modern color like red or turquoise.

photos from design sponge DIY feature

must have these shoes

2010-07-31T10:22:00.000-07:00

I am kind of obsessed with these shoes. super cute with shorts or wide legged pants, no?

and these jeffrey campbell wedges are to die for.

if only I weren't dirt poor right now :(