12.28 // russia, revolutions, top hats, golden hollywood, and pink floyd

last night was ridiculously windy, I got about 4 hours of sleep. Blechh. Anyway...
More on the whole Russian theme. It just so happens that I went down to run on the treadmill (ick - I despise them, but it was necessary, what with the 50 mph winds and all), as I was flipping through the channels I landed on the History channel which - lo and behold - was showing a special on the last czar (or tsar). It didn't have much in the way of clothes, but it got me thinking and I'm quite glad that I'm not either (a) a Russian serf in the early 1900s or (b) a Russian royal in the early 1900s. Either way, you were screwed - starve or get shot & burned in acid.
Fun, eh?
I wouldn't mind living here for 1/4 of the year, though... the Winter Palace, home to the Russian ruling family since Peter III, one of - if not the - most opulent and famous buildings in Russia.



yeah, in Marty's (famous?) words, "I could hang here... this place is cracka-lakkin'!" (Does anyone actually know how to spell that?)
Anyway. I'm having a little trouble coming up with good pictures of traditional Russian dresses and whatnot, let alone the Tsarina's dresses (the ridiculously expensive ones). I really want/need to dig around and find more on Russian culture, dress, etc... don't mind me if I'm sounding like a history nerd, but I think it's cool. :P
After that came on (was it revolution week or something?) an episode about the French Revolution, but that started to get a bit too guillotine-y for me... plus, I needed to shower. At any rate I started thinking about Marie Antoinette, too. But I'll save her for another day, another post.
One more related thing: I'm going to start researching other traditional outfits - you know, the Victorian Era and all that, Greece, France, Russia... basically, Europe. Plus some Asia (middle east, japan, india).... I have a lot to do.

Next on my (title) list: top hats/Golden Age of Hollywood. We watched Holiday Inn - one of my favorite movies - and, of course, I started thinking about the 1930s and 1940s, and the GAoH. And Fred Astaire's top hat.

I want one.

(those aren't exactly what I'd want - a plain-ish black velvet one would suit me just fine - but they are cool, in a costume-y sort of way)
I still love hers...


If you look at what Hollywood used to be - really talented people who could do what they did best and still dress amazingly (not trashy like we see a lot of today)... *sigh*. The gowns, the gloves, the tuxes... and I can't complain about the movies. Not at all.

(Oh look - tulle!) Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers


I just like that look.

Last thing - Pink Floyd. I got the Division Bell cd for christmas, and love the last 2 songs especially:
Lost for Words & High Hopes (High Hopes trumps all... I've listened to it 9 times already)
Beyond the horizon of the place we lived when we were young
In a world of magnets and miracles
Our thoughts strayed constantly and without boundary
The ringing of the division bell had begin

Along the long road and on down the causeway
Do they still meet there by the cut

There was a ragged band that followed in our footsteps
Running before time took our dreams away
Leaving the myriad small creatures trying to tie us to the ground
To a life consumed by slow decay

The grass was greener
The light was brighter
With friends surrounded
The night of wonder

Looking beyond the embers of bridges glowing behind us
To a glimpse of how green it was on the other side
Steps taken forwards but sleepwalking back again
Dragged by the force of some inner tide

At a higher altitude with flag unfuried
We reached the dizzy heights of that dreamed of world

Eneumbered forever by desire and ambition
Theres a hunger still unsatisfied
Our weary eyes still stray to the horizon
Though down this road weve been so many time

The grass was greener
The light was brighter
The taste was sweeter
The nights of wonder
With friends surrounded
The dawn mist glowing
The water flowing
The endless river

On that note, I'm still looking for a pillbox hat. And I'm shopping tomorrow, then going to a pre-New Year's Eve party, but I'll try to post soon. Ciao,

~ r

12.26 // russian chic, sick cats, mink hats, and more

With the weather being as it is - disgustingly cold - I've been thinking about russian clothes, their traditional gowns and especially the royal court's elaborate, ornate, over-the-top, ridiculously expensive wardrobe. (They're all dead now, but their clothes live on...) Also, I can't argue with the abundant furs in Moscow... god, I'd love to go there (and just about everywhere else in the world).

Also on my mind: a fur pillbox hat of my own. I had one ready to bid on, then I realized it was about 4 inches too big for my head; as my dad kindly pointed out, it would cover my whole face. So that was a bit of a disappointment.

Which brings us to my inspiration board du jour...



I'm really loving how knee-length, high-waisted full skirts are in. (When I go shopping on monday, I'm going to end up buying at least 2, I think. I hope.) I also like the tulle/ballerina trend. And the hats & gloves trend.

My current Top 10 list:
1. wildly printed, high-waisted skirts
2. tulle/ballerina-style skirts
3. black shield stripper wedges
4. anything fur (hats, vests, coats, muffs... oh yeah, I'd love a muff, too)
5. patterned tights (lace & flowers, not colored tights. I stick to black & gray)
6. hats of all shapes & sizes (I particularly like the Russian pillbox mink hats, top hats, bowlers, and slouchy beanies & berets
7. ridiculous shoes (spike heels, weird-shaped wedges, feathers, cutouts, you name it...)
8. sweeping, elegant dresses (gowns is a more accurate term, I think)
9. black or metallic leggings (worn with oversize tees and heels)
10. military-style anything: gloves (urban outfitters have some sweet ones that I'm craving), coats/jackets/blazers (*groan*), shoes, hats... I love it all!

And our new cat turned out to be really sick and 10 years older than the adoption lady claimed. He's back at the pet store now (I feel bad, but we didn't want our other cat to get sick, and my mom's other "once in a lifetime" cat died last year, and she didn't want to go through having another one quit on her).

Off to eat dinner (my first meal of the day... I really procrastinated today!), then movie night.
Ciao,

~ r

12.19 // first snow day! and fur coats, a guide to

yesterday, it was the talk of the school. this morning, it was the hope of the school. later this morning it was the dream-come-true of the school... the Big Storm of '08!
yes, it's snowing like there's no tomorrow here in michigan. it's making me think about fur coats/the general fur trend. so i wrote a review & a forum thing for chictopia, here they are...

it's the Next Big Thing. but the public opinion seems to be divided, either because they're for PETA or they just think they're ugly.(mostly, i've encountered the latter).
personally, i am thrilled that fur is coming back... it's chic, cute, versatile, and - above all - warm! (i live in michigan, so that's a MUST). i got my faux fur silver/gray coat on ebay; i don't do a whole lot of ebay shopping, i prefer to go to the store myself, so i was a little apprehensive. when i got it though, i was thrilled beyond belief and have been wearing it practically every day since.
so. fur coats: in and loving them!

fur was all over the runways… still is, actually. all over chictopia people are rushing to thrift stores, vintage stores, and ebay to find the Coat. the perfect one. so many decisions, though…what length? what color? closure or no closure? real or faux? it never ends.
when you’re deciding which way to go, first think about how you’re going to wear it most – dressed up or down? with jeans or leggings? etc. that will help narrow down the style, at least… although fur coats are usually quite versatile.
color: simply pick the one that will look best with you (your hair in particular); i.e., i have brown hair, so i got a silver/gray/white coat, as brown wouldn’t work well with my hair.
length: there are generally 4 lengths for coats: short (hip), medium (mid-thigh), knee-length, and floor length. (only go floor length if you really are daring enough to pull it off! if not, it’ll sit around and gather dust forever). mine goes about mid-thigh, which i like because it’s long enough to (a) provide coverage = warmth, and (b) be dressed up or down. i usually wear mine with heels of some kind, because i’m short & need the height and therefore am always wearing heels; plus it helps lengthen my silhouette.
oh, and mine is faux fur… i’m against wearing animals, generally. (although i have been eying a vintage mink pillbox hat for a while now…)

will post photos later, i'm still in PJs as of now (10:29 am... can't expect me to get dressed first thing on a snow day, can you?)

~r

12.16 - posting LIVE from moscow... michigan?

hat from yesterday...

a bunch of outfits...

so yeah. it is officially COLD here... we only ran like 3 1/2 due to the chilliness (and laziness)...
ici est les vetements d'hier...

my dad did a closet "purge" (for him, 3 sweaters and some ratty Ts), so this one is officially MINE now. :)
sweater: dad's closet boots: ?? macy's (gift from aunt) socks: target belt: little brother's scarf: walmart (surprising... also surprisingly soft)


hmm, this one... the sweater itself is questionable, but warm & cozy. so here it is. (sweater: little brother's outgrown; jeans: aeropostale)


this is just... i wanted to wear this bright BRIGHT red jacket of my mom's that she never wears... i like the color. same jeans; jacket: mom's closet


this is another sweater i inherited from mi padre... crappy picture i know, but i was running out of time (and battery life on my camera...) sweater: dad's closet


this was mainly to incorporate the linen jacket... a very bland outfit, color-wise. also, the hat. yay :) (skirt - target; shoes - ??; jacket - mom's closet; hat - target)

head shot of the hat... i'm seriously thinking of going back and getting the purple one as well. :) cloche - target

hmm, any other updates? i didn't get a fur jacket yet, but i'm going to look into it pretty soon... see if that one is back up on ebay. i hope so. because it's COLD now.
hmm, not much else. ciao for now.

~ r

just a few things...

ok. so this is my current f21 want list (short version). cloche hat, velvet blazer, orange peacoat and leather tote, 5.5 inch oxfords (!), silk dot bra and that amazing vintage-esque lace skirt. love. and this is an amazing tracy reese heel i found... j'adore!
it's been raining all day. i like it. that's all.

~ r