Ahh, to drown in pleats!

It's been very hard to bother getting dressed in presentable things lately. I blame the sudden change in the weather (temperatures have dropped and I cannot help but feel resentful of my state resembling the little brother in A Christmas Story. I live in constant fear of falling over on the pavement flailing like an upturned beetle) as well as the fact that Thanksgiving break is nothing like a break at all. The semester is almost over, and I have high hopes that after that life will get back into a less scurrying routine.

Today was the first day this week that I wore something normal to class. Yesterday I wore my newest threadless t-shirt, courtsey of the 10$ sale (which is still still going on till December 16th! Thumbs up for cheap Christmas gifts!) and I have no excuse for the other days. I am concerned about falling into the typical University Fashion Choices, but I think that if I am aware enough of the problem it will not happen. Education is key! In the meantime I have taken to repeating outfits so that I don't feel completely disgusting.

On these fascinating fashion sides of things, I feel that I must locate a skirt of many pleats.


The Sartorialist

On Tuesday one of the girls who works at the hair extentions kiosk outside my store was wearing a just below the knee, dove-grey skirt with thousands of pleats in it. It of course helped that she was slight-of-hips as I am not, but it was captivating! I love the way pleats in great numbers swirl. It reminds me of blinds, or more poetically of those paper accordion fans we used to make in elementary school. I also remember when this skirt was at Target, but I think I also remember that I looked ridiculous in it. Despite this, and like all preciously delicious things, I will not be able to stop thinking about it until I have tried one on again.

Prints & Patterns!

I love everything at Mina Perhonen.







I have to say, it does make me wish I lived in a milder climate since most of it brings to mind warmer days of light cardigans and funny little breezes. Oh well! I will have to be content with the few warmer days here before it dips into the 20s, and my poor little face crystallizes in the wind.

I dreamt I was hit by lightening.

Lately I have been wanting nothing more than creamy colors and black, silk flowers, drippy hair, lime desserts, paper dolls, and swirly handwriting.


Gustav Klimt



I think it's a combination of the farewell to fall and the first dusting of snow (which came yesterday) along with the lingering impressions of Lula from last month. This does seem to by cyclical for me though, the desire for things flowery and delicate once it gets cold out happens almost every year for me. Last year I knew it was upon my head when I ate these:



constantly. I suppose it's sort of trendy these days, or perhaps it's always been, but I tend to think it harkens back to my childhood and adolescent obsession with The Secret Garden, Alice Liddell, and (because it was on TV last night) Titanic. Not to mention the impending Christmas season.

Teas, Please.

This is my favorite necklace:



I bought it at a garage sale last summer for 3$ and have worn it almost every day since. Once, I thought I lost it (that was a dark day indeed) and just a few weeks ago one of the circular clasps broke and I was without it for a few days before I had time to fix it. It is copper and very heavy, but I tend to like that. It keeps me from chewing on it, and it has also developed a wonderful rose-hued shine from rubbing. I adore it. I get tons of compliments on it, along with the equally as common “Why are you wearing a teapot???” (Oddly spoken with disdain), and I am quite certain that it is the one thing I own that I would be stylistically lost without.

My favorite tea is Mariage Freres Eros (Flowery black tea for lovers):


Eros: A delicate black tea delicately scented with hibiscus and mallow flowers with a touch of citrus.

Things to eat with tea:




"The sight of the little madeleine had recalled nothing to my mind before I tasted it...." but "....as soon as I had recognized the taste of the piece of madeleine soaked in her decoction of lime-blossom which my aunt used to give me .... immediately the old grey house upon the street, where her room was, rose up like a stage set to attach itself to the little pavilion opening on to the garden which had been built out behind it for my parents."



Things I would love to wear to a tea party, had I any money at all, with little to no mind paid to matching:


Sweetness & Light Slip


Prom Princess (I hate this name.)


Cashmere Femme Cardigan

Dust.

I remember the first time I started the His Dark Materials series. I was in 5th grade, and every year the librarian from the local public library came and gave a talk about how to get a library card and about the library and all sorts of important boring stuff but the really exciting bits were the new books she brought. I remember she brought The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife. I asked mom for them shortly thereafter and have very vivid memories of sitting on our old porch on a kind of wicker chaise lounge and just inhaling these books.

I think it is safe to say they are more dear to me even than the Harry Potter books, because I was younger yes when I read them, but also because they appealed to me in a more sinister mechanical sense. Deamons also really appealed to me, as did Lyra (and who didn't have a huge crush on Will, fingers and all?).

So, needless to say (what a stupid phrase!) I'm both really excited and very worried about the movie. I feel reasonably alright about it from the trailers and things (despite Nicole Kidman's decidedly golden locks), but what I am also excited about is the costumes. Not a total surprise, but a nice one nonetheless.


For example, I need to own this dress, in my size. Gimmie, gimmie, gimmie, I need, I need, I need.


I also love this, with the little smock. I feel this particular image and outfit is very reminiscent of my childhood, since my mom used to make me little dresses like that and my dad often had all kinds of weird mechanical science type things lying around.


Granted, she could make a dishtowel look good, but still. I need it, because I always wanted to be a witch in the manner of Serafina.


I have to admit, I'm not all that crazy about this one but it does work. I do seem to remember her wearing a lot of fur though, or perhaps I just made that up. Either way, it's gorgeous.

Also ft. Daniel Craig and tweed! (I couldn't find any pictures that I didn't hate, so snubs to that) And pirates. Also, a hot air balloonist with a bunny. I cannot wait, I might pass out.

I cut down trees, I skip & jump.

I do not understand this:



Let me explain. I have seen no less than ten floopy haired, tights pants wearing, boys (and a few girls) wearing this patterned jacket. I love flannel and plaid just as much as the next person (how adorable) but I am filled with venom over this! I suppose it is the unwashed nature of most of these individuals with their icky hair that makes me want to throw bars of soap at them but why must they all attempt lumberjack irony?

I am bothered.

Pretty Pauper; Arise Alliteration !

Observing the noisy squirrel.

I broke down and forked over my last 100$ for a new black coat. I didn't have one, my winter coat was lime green and lovely but lime green can only get a girl so far, and it's flattering and pretty and I was very cold. I also bought it with the knowledge that paychecks would be arriving yesterday and was deeply, sorely, depressingly mistaken. I now have 15$ to my poor little name, and am fuming. Of course this happens on the one weekend I spend all my money!

I also notice that I have been wearing a lot of black, navy, and grey lately. This is partially because I have to wear black to work, but also it's sort of comforting and makes the color-filled days more exciting. I do admit, I find it harder and harder to try and come up with creative ways to wear the same black clothes over and over. I suppose this is where our bff jill texture comes in.

A nose in need.

It's cold. We've officially passed into the meteorological realm of "really really cold" almost all the time. Halloween and last Friday were perfect fall days, but now the weather heads into the 40s in the day time. I gave in and dropped my last pennies on a new black coat and now I am a reduced to a pauper (snubs to you, mall delivery man for no paychecks today).

However, I have taken this opportunity to dress myself in all kinds of layers. I find it hard to resist six or seven layers of scarves and hats and gloves with sweaters and socks and many t-shirts. I saw this pom-pom scarf on a few people last year via street style blogs, but resisted buying it since the general consensus around me thought it was heinous. This year however, I don't care what's heinous to other people or not and so I bought it for hardly any money at all since it's from last winter. I feel so blessed! How many times I have passed things up and regretted it for years, but this time it resurfaced, and I am gleeful in my offerings to whatever deity of luck loves me this week. It is clearly not the one of finances.

I am fond of scarves, but also of hats. I have a hard time wearing them myself, except for the ever safe beret option. Which, I really do adore. They come in such fun colors (also,sequins! They also have the added bonus of often being made of wool, and thus keep my poor little apricot ears toasty on those terrible walks from the parking lot to campus. I will continue to collect them. If nothing else, they look amusing dangling on the tops of lampshades.

Unabashed girlyness.

Admittedly, I have a squishy spot for ruffles. But seriously, how cute are these!?



Secretly, I have a thing for ruffle-butted underwear. I have a really impractical pair with huge ruffles and a pirate skull on the front (I don't know either) but like I said: impractical. These from American Eagle though seem lovely, in a frothy, delicate, tiered way that I am inevitably attracted to. I also really love AE's underwear. Perhaps this is only another side effect of mall-fashions, but I really like them. They go on sale for pennies, which is nice, and they're pretty without being too prim. I also find them flattering. I will now stop talking about my underwear.


Halloween to-class outfit. I curled my hair in an effort to feel better about myself, and I have to say it always works. I an feeling fashionably down-trodden lately and hate everything in the stores (except for a shirt dress I can't afford and consequently, cannot stop thinking about). That is always the way.