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Transition Inspiration: Isabel Marant RTW Fall 2010

For the past 5 days in Southern California Mother Nature has graciously paid us back in full (and in record time) for the summer we were robbed of.  Two of my best friends were visiting and we had a great time taking in the warmth, but when they left this afternoon I have to say I kind of wished the hot weather would have departed as well.  Don't get me wrong - it's been great to wear summer clothes in appropriate temperatures, but now it's time to cut to present.  How can I possibly get excited to even talk about fall fashion much less take an outfit picture in July-like weather?  It doesn't feel like fall at all...I mean I've eaten ice cream for breakfast 3 days in a row!

The truth is we usually get a zap of heat in September/October that causes us to pause on the fall wardrobe.  It made me wonder today - what have I done in the past? So tonight I spent some time rooting around in the closets before turning to Isabel Marant's Ready-To-Wear Fall Line for inspiration.  Without fail, I fall in love with every piece of her collection season after season.  Her clothing speaks to my heart in all the right ways and knows just what I want before I can articulate it, her Fall 2010 collection being no exception.  It is absolutely perfect warm weather transition wear and I felt renewed vigor staring at the looks over and over again.  It's like Grease meets Parisian-chic...

See what I mean?  The rolled denim is perfect and the sparkly bomber adds
just the right unexpected touch.
Can someone please tell me where I can get red, cropped skinny denim?
And don't even get me started on the amazing jacket.
Never before have I so longed for electric blue sequined denim.
This is one I could replicate so quickly if I just had the pants!!
I won't even comment.  The outfit speaks volumes all on its own.

The most important thing I took away from watching this show (on repeat for an hour, I might add) is that even though I may not be able to afford all these separates - I can look in my closet and find similar shapes and silhouettes to create really great warm weather fall transition outfits.  Isabel Marant continues to be a designer I look to for inspiration because she doesn't follow rules - she follows what she likes.

You Can Ring My Bell (Bottoms)

When I think of bell bottoms my mind immediately fills with images of Farrah Fawcett in a form fitting track jacket a little more than half-zipped up and slightly high-waisted bell bottom denim with cute sneakers peeking out from beneath.  Suddenly a new image pops up with her in a blousy peasant top tucked into the waist of her bell bottoms - I can't see her shoes because the bells cover them perfectly but I sense they are wedges.  Then I'm blinded by her amazing feathered hair and bright contagious smile and I'm back in Charlie's Angels land...sigh.

But back to this post.

I'm a huge fan of bell bottoms - they take me back to my wee days when my way older and very fashionable teenage cousins were prancing around with the extreme bells and patchwork suede bags, while posters of the Bay City Rollers took up every square inch of their bedroom walls.  *I was "allowed" in those sacred places if I didn't touch too much or tell my mom anything I overheard, and they would paint my finger nails and give me their leftover junk to take home which was well-worth the rules!*  For months I have had been waiting to find just the right pair for me.  J Brand's Lovestory bell bottoms called out, but upon closer examination I didn't love the wide hem at bottom.  One day before wallet restriction set in I strolled into my neighborhood Gap and stumbled upon their Vintage Flare Jeans.  My trip to the fitting room was filled with jumping up and down and maybe a shriek or two because they are made from a super soft denim with just the right amount of stretch, have a normal hem at bottom and fit perfectly - snug in the leg to the knee and then moving into a nice bell landing just over my shoes at bottom allowing for the perfect bit of swish when I walk on by!

Despite the fact that it was 108 degrees at noon this past Sunday, we opted to go ahead with these outfit pictures.  Hence no necklace or bangles because they may have melted right onto my skin.  It was insanity!

I had fully intended to wear the jeans with my own track jacket
and sneakers, but 100+ temps = no dice.
Instead I opted for this peasant inspired linen tank. The print on
the top coupled with it's billowy flow gave it just the
right amount of boho-chic.
My cousin's patchwork suede hand-me-down bag is long gone.
aka massive loss.  (moment of silence please *sniff*)
Instead let's focus on how the denim fits snugly to the knee 
before flaring over the shoe.
Here's a close-up.  When I walk the denim maintains the perfect length
showing just a hint of, in this case, my cloxfords (previously seen here).
This gives another example of the leg of the denim which easily
rests just over the tip of the shoe in ultimate bell bottom perfection.
These jeans are not high-waisted, but still maintain the overall 
effect.  That being said, it would be great to find
a vintage pair that could showcase a high waist and a crazy belt 
with a flowy top tucked in.  Le dream!

How about you ladies?  Are you a fan of the bell bottom or are some things better left in the past?

Outfit details:  Free People - Linen Tank/Blouse, Gap - Denim, Steve Madden - Cloxfords, Foley + Corinna - handbag, Target - Sunnies, Green Ring - Nordstrom

Universal Truths of Birding #3

Photographic proof that tree swallows are properly named.

DIY Hair Post - The Bun

Let me begin by saying I'm pretty nervous to do this post.  I've never done one before, I'm flattered that so many of you have asked for it, and I hope these directions display just how easy it is to pull off this twisty bun *that my niece calls "the pom-pom" - love her!!*

Please bear in mind that it was 105 degrees outside and 437 degrees in the Chef's bathroom when we took the pictures for this step-by-step on Sunday.  The temperature has currently dropped to 398 degrees on Monday evening and I have spent far too much time eating heavy quantities of orange popsicles after mowing down mad amounts of amazing sushi with two of my best friends who are visiting from out of town.  This summer in fall thing is something I could totally get used to.  I haven't thought of one single thing I neeeeeed for fall in at least 5 days and my wallet is in heaven!  Woo hoooo!!

This twisty bun is my go-to, I can't take anymore heat or fussing hairdo.  Following are the steps I take to make it happen:

I have fine hair, but a lot of it and it has a natural wave to it.
I enhance the wave by adding Bumble and Bumble styling creme and 
scrunching the hair as I lightly blow dry it so it has a bit more volume.
More volume will result in a bun that is more full.

Once the hair is dry I gather it on top of my head approximately
where I would want the bun to sit once it is complete.
During this stage I rake my fingers through the waves/curls in front and on
top of my head to get a bit of lift in front.

You probably couldn't tell, but I had a thick ponytail holder on my wrist 
that I flip over for easy access onto my hair.  
I begin by proceeding as if I'm going to put a high
ponytail atop my head.  

I have a lot of hair so I only have to wrap it twice around.  The goal is for it to be
a bit snug, but not too tight because you have to leave room 
for all your hair to rest inside it at the end.

Here is where you flip what would be a regular ponytail to the front, BUT
you don't pull it all the way through.  The hair has gone through the ponytail 
holder twice and is now being flipped to the front like so:

See how I've swiveled the remaining length of the hair to the front 
and am essentially reversing a ponytail that has not been pulled 
all the way through.  
Next you determine how full you want the bun to be by how much hair
you have or want to pull through.  

I like a poofy bun, but I also have a lot of hair. 
See how there's a degree of fullness to the bun itself, 
and the ends of my hair are resting
in front atop my head.  
Here's another shot that's straight on so you can get a 
better sense of the volume in the bun and ends left over.
Next I take the ends and basically divide them in half, wrapping
them around to the back at the base of the bun like so:

Sometimes I have shorter lengths that I let rest like a little nest in front.
I'm a fan of the messy, poofy bun because it's very carefree
and I don't have to worry about any hairs escaping and looking a mess 
throughout the day.

Finally, if I'm able to, I tuck some of the ends up into the bun -
especially if it's come loose - and then secure the long ends with 
bobby pins in the back toward the base of my neck, but leaving
some loose curly pieces hanging in the back.

Because there was a heat wave outside and in the bathroom we completely 
forgot to get a front picture of the finished result for a finale shot.  Oops!!
You can however see it a little here in yesterday's post because this
is the hair I wore out a short time after we took the pictures.

Or here is another classic example of how it turns out:
Sorry this isn't a closer picture, but you get the basic idea.

You can also see closer versions of the bun here, here, here and here.  I hope this DIY portrays how quick this hair can be.  Often I roll out of bed after a nap or the next morning, toss it up like so and go.  It is my hair saving solution!!

Happy Tuesday everyone.  Hope we don't melt today in SoCal!  It was 113 degrees in LA and 111 at my place near the beach yesterday.  Crazy!

Happiness is....

A heat wave in late September?  Well, since we basically froze this summer in California I would have to say YES!  Last Thursday when the local weather guy said there was "warm weather right around the corner for the weekend" I gave the tv the ol' eye roll and kept on walking.  "Suuuuure there is Dallas Raines," I said right out loud in my own home (where no one else was at the time except two cats who "pretend" not to know what I'm saying half the time - except when food is involved, of course).  Never in a million did I think I'd wake up on Friday morning to the scent of warm summer air - it's a real smell you know! - and temperatures already at 75 degrees when I stepped outside at 10:30am.  Cut to Saturday when we were full blazing hot at 8am and it became apparent that Dallas had struck weatherman gold aka his predictions were spot on.

Suffice it to say happiness is also the cool comfort of a movie theater after you've relived several summer dreams you thought you had been robbed of (read:  strolling in the warm air wearing a tank top, skirt and sandals at 10pm, visiting a few of your most fave brunch places to lounge leisurely in the warm air over early afternoon brunch, and tending to your fruit and vegetable garden in the warmth of the day). Saturday and Sunday saw us in LA with temperatures over 100 degrees both days.  After puttering around doing warm weather things all day we took the ultimate lazy day summer retreat to escape the heat at the movies where we saw Never Let Me Go (starring Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley) on Saturday and The Town (starring Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall and Jon Hamm) on Sunday night.  Both of these movies, in my opinion, were excellent.  If you haven't seen The Town yet I will only say that Ben Affleck must have taken some acting lessons because he did a great job.  I'm a huge fan of Carey Mulligan and she was brilliant in Never Let Me Go...it ended up being nothing like I expected. If you enjoy movies that make you stop and think then you will likely enjoy its themes - they will definitely be playing over and over in my mind for weeks to come.  Has anyone read the novel it's based on by Kazuo Ishiguro?  I'd be interested to get your take...

 this is the look of sheer "summer didn't abandon us after all" elation

I can't tell you how wonderful it was to be greeted by warm gentle breezes leaving the theatre.  We seized the moment to zip across the street to our favorite watering hole just to visit the bartender and sip on the best cold cocktails in town. I noticed so many people wearing cute summer outfits, sandals, up-do's...everything I saw very little of in June, July and August.  Even though we were all scorching I noticed no one looked unhappy, and for a moment we were all on the same happy team.  Now when does that happen in LA? hehe

Oh!  And happiness is also guest posting for another blogger!!  Jess at Cheap But Chic was so kind to invite me to her blog today.  I mentioned the post last week and it should be up around 6am EST - it is a side by side comparison review complete with pictures of Tucker by Target's signature blouse with one from the brand's regular line.  If you've been holding off making a purchase from either line this post might help you out.  Please stop by and take a look!!

Hope you had a great weekend!  Was the weather crazy warm in your parts of the country/world?

Universal Truths of Birding #2


The road less traveled is not necessarily the birdiest place to be.
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