Arkie Style

ArkieStyle on the Web and on Etsy

2011-07-05T15:56:00.007-05:00

This blog as a fashion blog has been defunct for some time now.

But ArkieStyle is still up and running, as a jewelry, art and graphic design business!

Click here to see all the jewelry on Etsy!

Click here for more than just jewerly, like prints, t-shirts, artwork and graphic design. My portfolio, contact info and much more!

I leave you with some photos:

Just need some suggestions!

2010-09-03T15:55:00.002-05:00

So I know I am not really blogging anymore, because I am making thousands and thousands of jewelry pieces...check them out HERE!

But I still LOVE to read other people's blogs and do so almost daily. I get lots of ideas from them.
Such as:

Pattern Mixing. LOVE IT! Plaids with florals? Where do I sign up?
The wide array of ways to wear chambray. I bought a chambray shirt at Old Navy and wondered how I ever was able to get dressed without it???
COLORED TIGHTS. My one true dream in life is to own a pair of tights in every color that was ever known to man.

But I also get lots of frustrations.

Many of the more "successful" blogs always feature less than stout women, it seems. (Note I said many, not all.) There are great blogs for the plus-size ladies, the tiny ones (everytime I hear how great it is to shop in the kids department, I die a little inside) but none, it's seems, for the in-between!

All these lovely, child-section-shopping women always seem to get lots of cute stuff c/o amazing places like ModCloth. Oh wait, ModCloth isn't that amazing because everything is TINY.(except the shoes) I couldn't even dream of buying two dresses and sewing them into one to fit me. And I am a size 12...not THAT large!!!!!

I just get really frustrated when it's like "look at me! so cute in this FREE DRESS that doesn't even exist in your size!"

Ok. That was my rant. And why oh why have I titled this post as I did?

Because I want some more suggestions of blogs to read! From you! My 13 readers!

My ideal and totally unreasonable fantasy blog:
Woman who has my exact same body
Who likes to shop in thirft stores, Target, estate sales and online...FOR REAL CHEAP
And who likes a bit of classic, mixed with some vintage and fun pieces, in totally flattering shapes
And always looks totally polished with a funky, artisitic and unexpected edge.

I mean, is that too much to ask??? Really? Really?

Movin' and a'shakin'!

2010-07-09T18:12:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone!

So I have taken the plunge and am putting all my extra time and efforts into my freelance world!

I will still enjoy checking out everyone's style blogs of course!!!!

Check out the site here:

ArkieStyle

And now for a change of pace.

2010-05-18T23:13:00.008-05:00

I love reading your blogs. And even more, I love looking at your photos. But due to an inexplicable and hopefully temporary lapse in my self image, all the lovely blogs have made me feel less than par. Wait just a darn minute I said to myself upon this realization. How ironic, how completely opposite of the inspiration and warm fuzzy feelings that I was getting not so long ago.

I am going to chalk up my change in feelings up to a bit of stress in preparing from my trip to Zimbabwe. Oh and also to my hair, as I posted last time.

So, with that said, I am going to shift my focus for a bit. Or maybe forever. I want to mix in some more day-to-day, around the house "fashion" photos. As well as other things that I feel fall into the category of "Arkie Style." Art, nature, food, warthogs, junkyards ... you get the idea.

BINGO

My sweetie Judge, my roomie Spero and my friend Adam Faucett went to Bingo in Pine Bluff on Friday night.

We arrived as the sky was beginning to turn that ominous shade of gray. As you can see, the Bingo hall is a really nice place. We are clearly pumped to get a-playin!

Spero has DABBIN FEVER. So does Adam.

There are so many amazing things going on in this photo. On the top left, on the wall, you will notice a picture of two cartoon dancing horses. Perhaps a standard fixture at all Bingo halls?

Move to the right a bit and we see the Arkansas flag.

Then there is me, with that look of either concern or disbelief. Or maybe I am so concerned how how unbelievable something is.

Judge is just in amazement of that Frito Chili Pie. And let's be honest, nothing beats a Bingo hall Frito Chili Pie.

And here we are at the end of Bingo. None of us won any money, but we had a hell of a time dabbing out numbers for 3 hours straight.

Oh and have you ever wondered if it's possible to drink a white wine spritzer from a Thermos? Well, it is.

Ups and downs

2010-05-17T00:15:00.005-05:00

I am mad at my hair. Usually, it's one of my best features. It's really thick, stays pretty healthy and can look pretty good as long as I take the time to style it. Yet it has taken an unhealthy turn. And there is only myself to blame. My flip-flopping mind has changed it from blond, to red, to blond, to brown in a little over a year. All that has taken its toll on my poor locks. I tried last week to get it back to as close to my natural color as I could think. Well I don't know what happened, but it ended up a greenish/bluish brown. I feverishly washed it twice with dish detergent to get out excess color. Then I crushed up some vitamin C tablets, mixed those with some conditioner and left the mixture on for about a half hour. The blue and green are gone, but I am left with a reddish brown that is certainly NOT my natural color.

Le sigh. For now it will have to do until I can afford the real deal at the salon. Until then, I shall condition condition condition and work with what I got!

Oh and do some more outfit posts for ya'll!

Dress: TJ Maxx, Skirt under dress: Old Navy, Shrug: Stein Mart, Wedges: TJ Maxx, Necklace: Vintage from my Grandma, Earrings: Burlington Coat Factory

The skirt under dress trick is by far one of my faves that I have learned since starting this blog. I have a lot of dresses that are a tad too short for work, but layering a skirt underneath does the trick! Most of the time, people just think it's part of the dress!

Oh and at $7, this dress was an absolute STEAL! And it might be my most favorite dress. I'm not even sure if it's been on the blog or not. Just the flowy shape and bright colors make me feel happy!

Ok and let me just say, I feel quite vain writing an entire paragraph dedicated to the quality of my hair. I am making a trip to Zimbabwe in less than two weeks, where people hardly have enough food to eat and are lucky to have an inkpen to take to school. And here I am blabbing on about my dried out, over processed hair. On one hand, it was on my mind and I needed to unload! On the other hand ... well I should be thankful for what I have and not complain about hair. You know how it goes. Le sigh. Again.

Welcome to Shimmerton

2010-05-12T22:04:00.004-05:00

Tunic: Urban Oufitters, Sweater: Jcrew, Belt: Burlington Coat Factory, Leggings: Target, Shoes: TJ Maxx, Earrings: Burlington Coat Factory (wow! BCF makes a rare double appearance.)

This photo does all my shimmerin' no justice! This amazing bargain from UO last summer ($5!) is a surprisingly shiny yet versatile piece! Not to be outdone in the shine department, the pewter belt makes its first appearance. Anyways, I was kind of not that excited about this outfit when I originally put it on, but I got a ton of compliments at work. And I suppose I trust my coworkers opinions in general ... so, viola! This getup gets to be on the blog!

And the shoe challenge winner is ...

2010-05-02T10:10:00.003-05:00

TaDa!!!! These babies were not even a contender. For some reason, when I searched for pink shoes on endless.com, these didn't show up. Perhaps because they are called "peach" on the box. But whatever, they sure look pink to me.

And want to know the best part? They were on clearance for $23!!!!! Hooray!

Let's all just say a prayer that I don't fall and bust my as in these massive heels. The odds are not in my favor, however, because there is going to be an OPEN BAR at the rehearsal dinner. (Thanks Mom!)

just another heart in need of rescue

2010-04-29T17:17:00.006-05:00

Ok...so I heard Whitesnake on the way home from work. Hence the lame-ass title of this entry.

Sunglasses: F21, Top: Izod-thrifted, Belt: Abercrombie from waaaay back, Skirt: Cable&Guage; Sandals: Born via eBay, Bracelets: gifts, Necklace: All that Jazz, Ruston, LA

I was pretty happy with this outfit. Nice and comfy for work. That skirt RULES, by the way, because it has a 3-inch elastic waistband that sucks my tummy in nice and tight.

Anyone know why I have so many bruises on my legs? Seriously, I think I might be running into all my furniture while sleepwalking or something.

On another note. Hair. Mine is a'failin' me over and over. In a moment of frustration on Sunday morning, I took the scissors to my bangs and am beginning to regret it. I don't really love the style I have going on right now. Rather, the LACK of style. When I wear my hair down, I feel like some conservative bobbed secretary from the '80s. I don't want to go way short because a)I tend to feel really unfeminine with short hair. Probably stems from my short-haired high school days when I got hit on by lesbians all the time. Which wouldn't have bothered me if an equal number of dudes where hitting on me as well. But they were most certainly not. And b) I like to be able to put my hair up/back. What's a girl to doooooo?

Stay tuned for the results of my scissor mania on Sunday morn. Photos to come!

Shoe challenge

2010-04-16T14:54:00.012-05:00

As many know, I love a good fashion challenge. It gives me a valid excuse to peruse the Internet for hours, looking for the perfect whatever. This challenge happens to be ... shoes! My favorite!

This one has been especially difficult. Here is the low-down:

For my brother's rehearsal dinner in July, I plan to wear a bridesmaid dress from two summers ago. It's a gorgeous dress that fits me wonderfully.

The challenge is to punch this dress up with some color. Shoes and accessories are the key! I am searching for shoes first because I feel the kind of shoes I find will dictate what kind of accessories I need.

I would like to do a little something different, so I am thinking: pink. Not fuchsia and not ballet pink. More of a mauve or a coral. A few options I have found so far:

Nice and bright. Would be great for summer. Accent with a chunky gold necklace and bracelet. Or coral jewelry?

Too bland? It's hard to know until you see the pink in real life.

Too casual? Could definitely wear them again. Also, from eBay, so no returns.

I'd much rather have an open toe for summer. And this pink almost looks too bubblegum pink.

These could be perfect ... but again, they are an eBay find. What's that pin REALLY like? Hmm...

Or I could go in another direction entirely:

Decisions, decisions. What do you all think? Any good shoe resources that I need to know about? I need a funky, fun yet wedding-appropriate shoe that goes with that style of dress. And a reasonable price (like less than $70) since I am most likely wearing these one time only!

Pants...again!

2010-04-14T17:59:00.004-05:00

Sunglasses: F21

Earrings: Burlington Coat Factory

Scarf: Clothes swap

Top: Gap

Pants: Loft

Sandals: Born via eBay

This time of the year is kind of strange when it comes to getting dressed. I feel like it's too warm for tights/boots. But I feel it's too early for bare legs. I could do boots without tights, and sometimes I will. But sometimes that just feels weird. Enter: pants.

I bought these on clearance at Loft. It was one of those things I would not normally pick up, but I was feeling adventurous and they were on clearance! Turns out, they fit like a glove, were a great weight, a color I did not have and were super comfortable. So, duh, I bought them.

That scarf is one my favorite clothes swap scores. It goes with everything. (I even have this neon yellow tube dress that it manages to class up. It's a miracle!)

An off day

2010-04-14T12:55:00.006-05:00

Blazer: Vintage, estate sale
Shirt: Loft
Jeans: Express
Shoes: vintage, etsy
Bracelet: gift
Necklace: estate sale
Earrings: Self made

I'm pretty blah about this outfit. I think it's time to retire these jeans because they really have no shape anymore. The butt sags, the zipper won't stay up and they are faded. I tried to give myself a bit more of a waist with the blazer, but I only ended up wearing it for an hour. by noon it was 80 degrees!

Sometimes I wonder if maybe, I should only blog about outfits I like ... I'm "proud" of. But I kind of see taking outfit shots as a learning experience, a way to know whichlooks I like. Therefore, having a not-so-great look is all part of the process! And I feel obligated to share this proccess with you all!

(semi) Extreme close up

On a positive note, I LOVE the shoes. And so far, this my favorite pair of self-made earrings!

Tuck it in

2010-04-12T16:08:00.007-05:00

Shirt: Old Navy via Savers
Jeans: Jcrew
Platforms: Mod cloth
Belt: roommate
Key Necklace: Box Turtle
Earrings:Walmart's*

I have not tucked in a shirt since Friends was in its first season. Maybe even before that. What hath come over me??? Well, one of my awesome roommates rocks the tucked in shirt so I decided to give it a whirl. I am much more pleased with the results than I thought I would be!

I think the platforms make the outfit. You can't really tell, but the jeans are overdyed navy blue. Without those sweet retro shoes, I think this getup might be a tad too prepster for me.

Oh and check out my dog Winnie back there, lookin' for trouble...

*Do you ever notice people making stores possessive? Kroger's, Walmart's, Penny's...as if Walmart were a person and you went to his house...and purchased some earrings.

A bit of shame

2010-04-09T15:49:00.002-05:00

I am a bit ashamed that I have not posted in over a month. I have come to recognize that the fashion blogs with the most readers, the ones that I most enjoy, are the ones that are consistent and frequent!

Now, I could ramble off a list of excuses as to why I have not blogged in so long (my bf and I are obsessed with The Wire, I have lots of freelance gigs lined up, I had a wicked bad sinus infection that still lingers...) but I will spare you. As a good friend of mine always says "we all have the same 24 hours in a day."

With that said...I do have a few new outfit photos to show you. But dammit, I left my camera at home. You'll have to wait until the next post! (And don't worry, we just finished season 1 of The Wire and season two has not yet come in the mail, so I'll have some more free time.)

Good news:
My Zimbabwe Challenge is over! It's been so long, I don't even remember what my Zimbabwe Challenge was. Therefore, I declare it over.

Ok, not really. My Zimbabwe Challenge was a way for me to save money to visit Zimbabwe...by not buying any new clothes, only thrifted clothes. And I could sell stuff and use the money for new stuff. Anyways, it's over and I did it! I have all the money for my trip, PLUS the small fortune I spent on vaccinations. But thank God, I won't be getting Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A, B, Typhoid or Malaria.

More on the Zimbabwe trip on a later day! It's in 5 weeks!!!

So how'd I do? Did I stick to my own rules? Well...mostly. I started way back in August. Then I took a trip to Tallahassee to visit my brother. And we went outlet shopping, so I had to break my own rules. Then after that, I think there might have been a handful of times when I broke the rules. I am definitely become a more picky shopper, however. And I have learned that much of the thrill of shopping, for me at least, is that instant gratification.

So I am gearing up to be a better blogger. And hopefully I will post those photos soon!

Sometimes you just have to throw in the towel

2010-03-05T13:19:00.003-06:00

Where, oh where, have I been, you wonder?

Why, in New Orleans, of course! My baby brother (he's 25) ran the Inaugural New Orleans Rock 'n' Roll Marathon last weekend, so some friends and I went down to cheer him on. And to EAT. A lot. Of delicious shrimp. AND I accidentally purchased $25 worth of pralines. BUT THEY ARE SO DELICIOUS I'm really kind of glad I made that mistake.

When returning home from a road trip, I always feel the need to start purging my life of unnecessary things. Perhaps a small part of me wishes she could fit all earthly possessions in my tiny Honda and just roam the nation gypsy style?

Nah. I just hate having crap around that I don't use. So I cleaned out my closet last night and made this realization: All attempts to sew my own clothes have ended in failure.

When it comes to sewing, I feel like I always have great ideas, but can never seem to execute them very well. Perhaps because sewing in general is a fickle beast that must be nurtured with attention that I am not willing to pay it. And perhaps because I lack the patience and attention to detail to really sew myself a quality garment. Oh and the know-how. I also lack the know-how.

So with that being said, I hereby retire from sewing-from-scratch. I will do a repair or a hem or even a dart or two (on a good day.) Or pillows, I will still sew pillows. But I will no longer be guilt-riddled for failing to create the couture garment of my dreams!

Take that, crafting gods! I shun your sewing and will continue to idolize the shopping gods instead! Now, alteration gods, I pray to you to give me the skills to turn that frumpy frock into a stunning, leg-baring masterpiece. Amen.

Shopping ban? What's that?

2010-02-17T11:06:00.004-06:00

Damn me and my extremely flighty willpower. I went shopping yesterday. At Ann Taylor Loft.

But they were having a sale! And, in my defense, I bought 3 things and none were more than $10. I spent $23 total.

But why, oh why, has my willpower abandoned me? I blame February.

February has many things wrong with it:

It's usually the coldest and cloudiest here in Arkansas.
Our one winter snow has usually come and gone by mid-Feb., as has Christmas and New Years, so we have nothing left to look forward to.
President's day is in February. Lots of my friends get that day off, but NOT ME.

Then again, February has lots of things RIGHT with it:

SALES!!!!!!!

Like the one at Ann Taylor Loft. The stuff I bought was on such clearance that the Web site has already taken off the photos of it. But let me just say, I bought an amazing dress for $4.98! Photos to come!

Then again, I have been a good girl. I sold some stuff on eBay. And with that money, bought Frontline for the dogs. AND THIS DRESS!

I used to be obsessed with dresses from the 60s when I was in High School. They abounded at my local Savers. Alas, that was many years ago and the stock of mod shift dresses has been severely thinned over the years. But here I am, back to my roots, buying this psychedelic print dress! I LOVE bright colors. I just have to watch that I don't end up looking like Bozo's (much hotter and funnier) sidekick.

Lookie what I found!

2010-02-09T16:06:00.004-06:00

So I was uploading some more eBay pics onto the computer today and stumbled across these long lost outfit pics. Not so long really, but lost. I think I took them about 3 weesks ago.
One I like. One I do not. Can you guess which one is which?

Dress: Target
Plaid Shirt: Swap
Tights: TJ Maxx
Booties: eBay
Necklace: Estate Sale

Jacket: Goodwill
Tunic: Banana Republic via eBay
Leggings: Wet Seal
Scarf: gift
Shoes: Aldo
Necklace, earrings: Forever 21

So which one is the bad one?
If you said photo number one, you ARE CORRECT! DING DING DING! Really, it's just my purple cankles that I don't like. I took a risk and wore my "pants booties" with a dress. Live and learn! Those booties are called "pants booties" for a reason!!!

It's what you can't see...

2010-02-09T10:59:00.003-06:00

So I promised you a daily outfit post and finally here it is!

Top: Old Navy
Jeggings: JC Penny
Boots: Vintage via eBay
Necklaces: Etsy and found in the trash
Earrings: ?

Wait, what's that you say? There's no photo?

Oh yeah, that's because I REFORMATTED THE CAMERA before uploading my outfit pics. Dammit!
I am impressed by how I can remember the outfit, however, without a photo to go by. Woohoo!
But basically it was jeggings, a black a-line tee, gold necklaces and earrings, and yellowish-tan boots with gold studs. AMAZING vintage Escada boots. I LOVE THEM and yes, I need to upload a picture so you can drool and celebrate just like I did!!!!!

Arkansas is covered in SNOW right now! It's day two of the snowstorm and they are predicting more snow on Thursday, plus below freezing temps. That means that some sweat pant fashion will soon be in effect!

Thanks!

2010-02-05T14:53:00.002-06:00

I just wanted to give a quick shout out to everyone who reads this blog, but especially everyone who leaves a comment! I don't get a ton of them, but when I do, my day is brightened by at least 10 percent.

Really, comments are about the only surefire way to know that readers are actually paying attention to my blog!

On another note: My weekend goal is to take at least one daily outfit shot!

Have a great weekend! Oh and I now have Valentines for sale in my Etsy store!

A good fashion challenge

2010-02-03T12:37:00.003-06:00

I always enjoy a good fashion challenge. Remember the denim leggings quest? And then the Ugg Alternative debacle?

Well folks, it't time for a new fashion challenge: The Black Denim Jacket Saga!!!!!

I have a regular denim jacket. Plain ol' classic jacket from Gap. Now I want on in black. I have no black jackets and I feel it's a serious hole in my wardrobe! Since I am not buying anything new, I have searched the used ones on eBay and etsy to no avail (so far.) But I did stumble across this beauty:

Hi there fake overly tanned freckled chest boobs. Oh, yeah, the jacket. It's for sale. And yes, that's a massive diamond choker she's wearing.

Coincidentally, I already own a white denim jacket. It too is from Gap. I bought it on clearance. I love everything about it except that it's WHITE. I feel like I just got done filming the Electric Youth video with Debbie Gibson or something. I have considered dying it, and taking Sal's post as a sign, I think I will attempt this weekend! If it turns out gray...well that's better than Foolish Beat white.

I wash myself with a rag on a stick

2010-02-01T13:13:00.003-06:00

Good Lord. No posts for almost two weeks now. Naughty Naughty.

It's the depths of winter here in Arkansas. It's true! We got ICED IN all weekend! The roads were terrible on Friday night. Not so terrible that we couldn't go out and buy beer, but we used EXTREME CAUTION.

The neighbor boys came over and we watched all three Back to the Future Movies, had a bed jig extravaganza, went sledding, made venison chili, watched an absolutely atrocious movie called Sex Pot, napped, ate some more, did some screen printing and jewelry making. It was a fun weekend for sure, but two days stuck in the house is about all I can stand.

So what did I wear? Sweatpants of course! And an old thrifted t-shirt that I don't think left my body for 48 solid hours. And a hoodie and my coat and some jeans when we went sledding. Trust me, none of this fashion was photo-worthy, but a nice ironic shot would have been nice.

This time of the year seems to be the most depressing for lots of people. Not that I am super depressed on anything, just ... blah. What I need is some exercise. But even more, I need the motivation to exercise!

Until then, I look up warm-weather related things, like these badass flip flops from Teva. The most comfortable things you will ever put on your feet.

Dress and boots

2010-01-20T15:46:00.003-06:00

Dresses and boots have been my uniform lately. Saturday night was no exception:

Dress: Target.com
Tights: TJ Maxx (notice the run in them, I sadly had to throw them away when I got home that night)
Denim Jacket: Gap from waaaay back.
White knee socks: Gap from 16 YEARS AGO. Hands down the oldest piece of new clothing I own.
Boots: Naturalizer
Necklace: cbt's closet on etsy
Black Tank (under dress): hand-me-down from Julie

I remember the strangest things, including the fact that I bought these knee socks at the Gap in 1994, the summer before I started 8th grade. I also bought a pair of chunky Maryjane shoes and a schoolgirl plaid skirt. Remember that look from '94? Why these socks have stuck around for so long, I do not know. Perhaps white knee socks are just that much of a staple?

Workin' and wearin'

2010-01-19T13:07:00.004-06:00

My second job is as a hostess three nights a week. Dressing for this can sometimes be tough, as I want to look nice because it's a kind of nicer casual restaurant. But also, I am on my feet constantly for over 2 hours, and I often get nasty dishwater and leftover food all over myself when busing tables. So that means comfy shoes and a hearty top.

This is pretty much my standard second job work uniform for cooler weather. Plaid shirt, tank top, jeans...
I'm pretty happy with it though, especially because I own a small arson of vintage plaid shirts.

What do you guys think of this knotted up shirt business? I've done it once before here, and I kinda dig it as a change of pace!

Plaid top: Goodwill
Tank top: American apparel
Jeans: Banana Republic
Shoes: Tsubo via eBay
Razor blade necklace: CBTs closet on etsy

PS- I kind of hate these sneakers and this photo is probably the last time I will wear them, as I think they are going back on eBay! I can't really explain it ... I just don't like 'em. Plus I have plenty of other sneakers I like way better. Like these.

My leopard retaliates

2010-01-18T15:12:00.003-06:00

I posted this about leopard print the other day. It prompted me to dust of this leopard top from the depths of my closet and try to wear it again. Ta-da!

Leopard top: TJ Maxx
Pants: Ann Taylor Loft
Denim Jacket: Gap from way back in college
Scarf: gift
Shoes: Seychelles via Goodwill

Super amped on inspiration!

2010-01-14T16:44:00.004-06:00

Finally, at long last, I have ventured into the world of Wardrobe Remix.

Holy shitballs it's so overwhelming. Yet fun and SO inspirational at the same time.

I like to browse for women who seem to be about the same body type as myself to see how various things look on them. And I am so impressed!

It made me decide that I will try to tuck in a shirt. Into a high waisted skirt.

I'm a bit anxious, because I am a gal with not only a thick waist*, but a high waist. But I'm going to give it a go and see what I think.

What do YOU think?

(Don't you love the term "thick waist"? That is how my mom always described me...ever since I was little, "thick waisted." It might seem a bit harsh but it's so accurate! Hey, anything sounds nicer than "spare tire," or "beer gut" or something!)

Leopard's downward spiral

2010-01-12T16:17:00.007-06:00

So in my downtime at work today, I was perusing eBay, like I often do. I recently purchased a leopard print pashmina that has worked its way into my wardrobe's regular rotation, and thought a nice basic leopard print dress might be a nice addition as well. (still doing the Zimbabwe challenge, mind you, I have a few items for sale on eBay!)

So I innocently typed in "leopard dress" in the eBay search bar.

Oh my. I had no idea leopard was reserved for one of three kinds of women:

1. Clubbing skanks

2. Street walking trollops

3. Quite Wealthy

Most leopard dresses fit into category 1, Clubbing Skanks:

This duo of frocks best represents the general feeling of the Clubbing Skank vibe. Short, low cut, very stretchy and LEOPARD.

An alarmingly large percentage of leopard dresses fit into category two: Street walking Trollops:

"Dress" is a big stretch with this one. I'd say more "Playboy Mansion Grotto Swimsuit."

I mean, c'mon, this dress is ludicrous, I mean... OH MY GOD THEY PHOTOSHOPPED THAT DRESS ON THIS MODEL.
Take a close look. It's so true. So if I were to purchase this on eBay, would I get a real dress? Or just a printout of one? Maybe just a digital file? I could paste this dress on a photo of my own nude body?

Then finally, we have a decent option:

Ooooh nice! Cute, classy, fun print. I'm sure it would be super flattering! Oh...oh no. It's a Diane Von Furstenberg. Oh and lookie here...the price. $300.

What have we learned today, children? There is a serious gap in leopard print dresses for us middle-of-the-road ladies. Now, go do your homework and find me a cute leopard dress for under $30. OK...maybe lower middle class would be more accurate.

Grumpy day bloggin'

2010-01-07T13:31:00.004-06:00

Last night, the people of Arkansas were promised snow. And ice. And winter weather. I was hopeful to at LEAST have a delay for work this morning. The threat was so eminent that good ole Gov. Beebe has even declared a state of emergency in the state. (I know, you Yankees are laughing so hard right now. And rightfully so.) When I awoke, I peeked out my bedroom window and ... NOTHING. Not a flake in sight. The biggest disappointment of 2010. So far.

Needless to say that started out my day on a crappy note. So because of this, I actually had to get out of bed which for me is SO...HARD...MUST...SLEEP.

See, I am convinced that my body and its bio clock does its best and deepest sleeping between the hours of 5 and 9 a.m. No matter when I go to bed or how well I sleep, I have such a hard time getting up. Especially in the winter when the temperatures are below freezing and the sun has another half hour or so before it starts a-shining.

Are you seeing the domino effect here? No snow means I had to get out of bed, which I did too late, which means I threw on an unexciting outfit and minimal makeup and stomped off to work ... WITHOUT any lunch. Grrrr.

So lucky for me, my friend Ben was free for lunch and we went to Saigon and ate warm and savory pho. Now I feel a bit better. But tomorrow is Friday and perhaps I will be inspired to don a cute outfit and feel a bit better. Though the temperatures are supposed to be in the single digits, so I might just recycle these red cords and toasty sweater.

My vainest post of 2010 ... so far.

2010-01-06T21:58:00.004-06:00

I just downloaded my New Year's Eve outfit shots. I like my outfit.

But hate my head/face/hair. Per usual, I have beady eyes and 35 chins. Lord, I'm vain.

Hahaha. Just blurry enough.

Purple sparkly dress: Target

Boots: Vintage from etsy

Cardigan: Belk

Belt: TJ Maxx

Earrings: Burlington Coat Factory

Bracelet: Gift

Tights: TJ Maxx (same day I bought that belt, I believe)

Necklace: etsy

Woohoo ... happy freakin' New Years!

I LOVE those boots. What do you think? Too red hat lady, with the purple and the red?

My first resolution

2010-01-05T13:44:00.002-06:00

I have never made a New Year's resolution before. I am always afraid that I will fail and then end up disappointed. What a great way to look at it!

But this year ... well this year is different.

I made a New Year's resolution.

And that resolution is to make more stuff. And then sell it!

May I direct your attention to the right of your screen for a bit. See that? it's my Etsy store, ShadesOfErin. That is where the goods will be, all for your consumption and enjoyment.

Keep checking back in the coming weeks, as I plan to add a lot of stuff: t-shirts, vintage clothes, scarves and prints.

Tell a friend!

Wanna see what Santa brought me?

2009-12-29T15:40:00.010-06:00

And by Santa I mean my mom and my brother. They are such good gift givers!
You see, in our family, we are very specific about gift giving. We tell each other exactly what we want-size, color, etc. We are always allowed to return and exchange, no questions asked! Some might say it takes the thought out of gift giving. I disagree, because you still have to think about which specific thing you will purchase for each other. And everyone is happy in the end.
Anyways, I was leary of sending mom and Brian a bunch of etsy stuff that I wanted because sometimes that takes some effort. As in you have to sign up for an etsy account. And a paypal account.
But I applaud them both because check out what mom got me from etsy:

Brian also got me a sweet razorblade necklace and a lion ring.
And from my mother: (these things are not from etsy)

I LOVE French Sole New York shoes. Mom and I discovered them in the clearance room at Belk one day. She tried on a pair, they were a bit too big, so I tried them on. Perfection. And $35 in the Belk clearance room. New, however, they are a touch pricey, but look! I got this pair for Xmas. Yeah mom!

This is the super basic and practical Jackie Cardigan from JCrew. Yet a quite expensive (for me) basic cardigan at $65.00. So on the Chrismas list it went! And this color is so amazing. LOVE.

Of course I had to buy myself a Christmas present. To show myself how much I appreciate myself. Duh. Vintage from etsy!

So stay tuned for when some of things actually appear on/around my body in the coming weeks!

Oh I hope everyone had a satisfactory Yule and is looking forward to the new year!

Christmas Soul Jam

2009-12-24T09:47:00.004-06:00

This is what I wore to the Christmas Soul Jam at Whitewater. When lots of dancing will be happening, one must dress in an ensemble that moves, yet not so much that one exposes ones lady or man parts to the rest of the dance floor. Shoes must be comfortable. I feel I am a bit more inspired to dance in some sort of heel, perhaps because heels encourage the foot to naturally assume a dance-like position. On your toes!

Dress: UO

Leggings: F21

Black button-up: Limited

Boots: Aldo

Razor blade Necklace: Xmas gift from my bro (cbtscloset at esty)

Circle Necklace: Roundabout at Etsy

Normally I would have never purchased that red dress. It laces up the back and has spaghetti straps...exposing my bra straps and backfat. NOT cool. But it was on mega clearance for $4.99, and I always wear something over it. So it sort of just functions as a skirt...which I think turned out pretty cute and FUN for dancin'.

Oh and HELLO...how awesome are those studded leggings? Holy God I love them so.

The double denim dilemma

2009-12-21T15:52:00.008-06:00

For a long, long time now, perhaps since the mid-'90s, I have militantly fought off double denim.

For those who don't know what this is, I have enlisted Brett and Jemaine from Flight of the Conchords* to illustrate the double denim theory:

Jeans. Denim jacket. Denim shirt (a la Jerry Seinfeld)

Folks, this is just my personal opinion, but Double Denim is simply a fashion travesty that should, at all costs, be avoided.

I admit. Five years ago we were all saying that about tapered jeans. HELLO! TAPERED JEANS EQUAL SKINNY JEANS! And now we all wear them. Myself included.

This is an image from StyleBakery. This is ugly for a number of reasons:

White and blue = boring. Throw some non-blue color in there!
There is denim on top and on bottom.
That woman has no head. (Ok, maybe that was taking it too far. Let me extend my sincerest apologies to the headless women, nay, people, of the world.)

This photo proves once again that just because it's on the proverbial runway, doesn't mean it should be on you.

Double Denim.Double Denim.Double Denim.

BORING.

Not to mention, wearing a jean jacket as a top is just uncomfortable.

And I just don't see myself falling for this trend, even if it's renamed something like "duplex denim" or "twinim." There's no foolin' me.

*Unfortunately, Brett and Jemaine did not pose for this photo just for me. I did a Google image search for "double denim" and this is what came up on the third or fourth page. It's a beaut, however, so I went with it.

Pattern combo-ing

2009-12-16T22:47:00.004-06:00

"Oh lawd! It's cowld!"

Dress: ? from Half of Half

Blazer: Goodwill

Leopard scarf: eBay

Boots: Famous Footwear

Tights: TJ Maxx

So you can't see my jewelry...but I'm not wearing much. My jewelry is, in fact, so unexciting that I don't even remember what it was.

I love mixing these two patterns. Leopard and paisley-esque.

PS- See Winnie back there? Aw.

Fashion and cat pee

2009-12-16T15:16:00.010-06:00

Ya'll, my cats are angry with me. I have a new roommate and a new dogmate, and I don't think my little furry darlings are too happy. Why, let's go ahead and meet my lovelies:

This is Alec. He is the submissive kitty. He gets along quite well with Winnie (my dog) and I think he will soon enough warm up to Samone (Brittany's dog.) He enjoys sleeping snuggled up on my hips and meowing until I watch him eat.

This is Emma. (Yes, blurry I know but it was the only one I had available at press time!) She is the boss. She rules my room, sleeps on my pillow, perches in the bathroom ,which she had deemed her very own lair of evil, where she makes her plans to take over the dogs. Anyways, she's pretty pissed about Samone and starts growling that guttural, low pitch growl every time Samone comes near. She tries to eat all the food she can in one sitting, then proceeds to leave a trail of vomit piles on the way back to her lair. It's a great joy to clean that up all the time.
One of these cats, and I honestly don't know which one, kind of went over the edge on Monday night.

One of them peed all over my brown leather boots.

Upon discovery of this, I immediately wiped the boots down, then doused them with baking soda. (Candy asked later "did it sizzle when it hit the cat piss? No.)
Ya'll, I think these boots are ruined. Lucky for me, I didn't pay much for them. I got them for about $9 at Savers. And while I definitely wear them a lot, they aren't my favorite.

What this all means is that I have to get a new pair of boots! Awww...so sad. (yippeee!)

I will concede, however, to my Zimbabwe challenge and get a used pair from eBay.

Here are the contenders:

So there you have it. Brown used boots from eBay in a size 9. Am I keeping you on the edge of your seat? "Ohmigawd which ones will she buy???"

Well stay tuned until after Christmas and when I have some extra moolah to find out...so probably all of these listings will be over by then...meaning that really, the posting of all those photos was pointless...super.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

I found a photo of said cat pee boots! Reow!

When laughter eludes...

2009-12-15T15:04:00.002-06:00

This has been a favorite blog of mine for a while now.
It's been on hiatus for a while, but I have noticed a few new posts in the last 2 weeks.
Perhaps there will be more?

Lord, for laughter's sake, I hope so!

The beauty of the blog

2009-12-10T13:27:00.004-06:00

I'm a Virgo. That means I'm practical, analytical and meticulous.

While my sweet mother would tend to disagree with me being meticulous, ("Erin, aren't you going to IRON that?!") I do tend to take lots of care in choosing my accessories and shoes. Perhaps that's why I have so many? I have to have the PERFECT pair of shoes/necklace to go with an outfit?

What I would like to discuss today, however, is not my attention to detail, but my practicality and why certain fashion blogs lend themselves so well to it.

While I can appreciate high fashion/magazine fashion/non practical fashion as beautiful art, I would much rather look at photos of clothing I can actually WEAR. Plus, I think so much of the fashion that Arkies are exposed to is from magazines ... with the exception of rarities like Little Rock Fashion Week, and magazine fashion relies to heavily on photography. So as much as fashion mags rely on clothes, it relies on super cool photography.

For instance:

I mean, this is a sweet photo. This woman with crazy silver pants, wacky shoes, sky high hair, talking on the phone on the Great Wall of China. As art, it's pretty awesome! Would I ever wear any of this? Nope. I would most certainly bust my face on the concrete in those heels, even WITHOUT the help of alcohol. I never allow my bare midriff to see the light of day. And I don't even have enough hair or hairspray to pull off that style. (OK, admission time, I DO have those pants, but in gold. And I bought them as an ironic style statement for when I went to Las Vegas.)

So my point is, I LOVE looking at blogs because it's one of the only readily available sources of inspiration for cube-dwelling, middle-class, mall-shopping, thrifting regulars like myself!

Kasmira is amazing at combining colors and patterns. I love her unexpected splashes of color.

Erin rocks at accessorizing. I wish I had her drive to switch purses with my outfits!

Kyla is so great with layering and combining textures.

I picked out these three ladies and their blogs mainly because they post so regularly, and I probably get the most inspiration from them!

So, in summation, I'd like to give a good old fashioned shout out to all the awesome people fashion blogging. Woot woot, shout out, etc. etc....

PS- I know there is Wardrobe Remix on Flickr... like billions upon billions of sweet pics and I fully intend to immerse myself starting 2010!

Naughtiness

2009-12-09T15:56:00.008-06:00

Ya'll, I have a confession. I have been cheating on my Zimbabwe Challenge.
Up until the past week I have been doing really well. Only buying used stuff. Thrift stores and Estate Sales.

But about a month ago I started Weight Watchers after my doc told me to drop a few pounds. So far I have lost about 7 pounds. As little as that seems, my clothes are actually starting to droop, and as a result, I kinda feel like a frump now and then. Especially today. I have on these ill fitting dress pants from the Limited that I have already altered, but now I think they are beyond hope. This is a good thing. But also a bad thing. You know?

PLUS, it's starting to get really cold here, and waking up in a cold bedroom at 6 a.m. does NOT make me want to don a cute dress with tights. I want some warm-ass pants dammit!

So under the pressure of my own frumpiness (and chilliness) I went to Ann Taylor Loft today and bought a new pair of pants. They were on clearance for $19.99. Black denim trousers. There is no photo on the Loft's Web site, so you will just have to see them later!

Oh, and I bought two sweaters. Well one sweater really, because they are having a Buy One Get One Free sale right now.

So there you have it, my cheatin' heart.

Oh wait, there's more. I also bought the CUTEST new dress at TJ Maxx on Monday. It was $7.

Yes yes yes, I need photos of all these things and more! Who wants to read a photoless fashion blog? Not me!

Until then, however, I will leave you with these incredibly entertaining shots of Miss Brooke Hogan.

Really, why even bother with the pants?

And the even classier view from the back.

Notice the cargo pocket on her boob. For extra nipple storage?

All she needs is a rhinestone and feather headdress and looks like Cher has some stiff new competition!

Then again, she never really had much of chance.

ArkieStyle for the holidays!

2009-12-02T14:18:00.003-06:00

Let me first apologize. This is not a post about fashion. It is a post about me. More specifically, my art, and where to find it!

I have been working hard on several new things: new tees, new prints and some hand made 2010 calendars!

What's that you say? Sounds like the perfect Festivus gift for your roommate? Epiphany present for your second cousin?

Get your hands on my work, and work from many other (equally if not more talented) artists this weekend at the Arkansas Community Arts Cooperative annual holiday art sale!

It opens Saturday, Dec. 5 from 6-10 p.m.

900. S. Rodney Parham in Little Rock

You shan't want to miss it!

Letter to Jcrew's ad people

2009-11-30T15:48:00.004-06:00

Dear J Crew-

Let's get to the point. This photograph is one of the most awkward and poorly chosen that I have seen for quite some time. While your model has the spindly build and graceful face that is indicitive of your brand, she does this sweater no justice whatsoever. Or maybe the sweater does her no justice. Either way, I feel you could have chosen a much more appealing shot to convince me to buy your overpriced yet medium quality sweaters.

When I look at this woman, I wonder, "is her neck really that long? Does she hail from a region where neck rings are a cultural symbol of beauty? And if so, why did you cover up the explanation with two feet of cabled wool, masking it as a turtleneck sweater?"

Sure, I could do the usual rant about how this woman has less curves than a yardstick and a head larger than Victoria Beckham's. But I'll spare you. It's really the hodgepodge of mismatched accessories and use of holly (a mighty prickly plant, last time I checked) as a sort of corsage for the waist, that really baffles me. I mean, tan sweater, aqua belt, sage skirt, beige tights? Throw the red and forest green holly in there we have an absolute nightmare of discohesion.

Next time you send me an e-mail, (which will most likely be in about 7 hours, if not sooner,) please try a little harder. Oh, and for the record, your promises of FREE SHIPPING aren't fooling anyone anymore. We all read the fine print.

Thanks and regards,

Erin

Wearin' fake gold

2009-11-25T09:31:00.005-06:00

DUDE! I saw Tigercity last night. And they ROCK. I got the new CD and the very first song is about wearing fake gold. Hells yeah, I totally rocked some fake gold at the show!

And here is the photo to prove it.

Entire outfit shot! Those are my skinny jeans but they aren't looking very skinny. I guess that's good?

Jeans: TJ Maxx
Shoes: Aldo
Purple cardigan thingie: Forever 21
Olive Tank: American Apparel
FAKE GOLD necklaces: Forever 21
Bracelet: Gift
Belt: TJ Maxx
Earrings: Walmarts'

Then today, for work, I wore this:

Blazer: Goodwill
Yellow Shirt: H&M
Black Jeans: Banana Republic
Boots: Aldo
Aqua Necklace: The Villa in Hot Springs
Earrings: Cheap Thrills in Fayetteville
Bracelets: Etsy, Grandma

I just love this blazer! I feel like I can throw it on with almost anything and look a bit classier. Maybe even sweatpants. OOH! Thanksgiving outfit idea!!!

Fluevog: Hit or miss

2009-11-23T10:56:00.007-06:00

When some people go on vacation, they like to see the sights, or maybe friends or family. I like to shop. Nay, I LOVE to shop. Browsing through new and unusual stores in larger (and smaller)cities is such a treat for this Arkie, whose local shopping choices are limited to major chain retailers in the mall.

Last June I was in Chicago and was delighted to paruse the places up and down Milwaukee Ave. Among them was a John Fluevog store. I had been to one in NYC before and was blown away by the amazing shoes. If ever a shoe was a piece of art, it was at the Fluevog store.

Now, do I own a pair of Fluevogs? No, I am poor. But maybe, through the miracle of eBay, I could one day wear these colorful pieces of art on my very own feet.

Here are a few of the most recent styles which I feel are definitely worthy of embracing my feet:

I feel like the architectural details sometimes go to far with Fluevog. Take these for instance:
While I can appreciate the concept, the end result looks more like something from Tim Burton's costume closet. There are definitely people who could pull this off, but I feel my personal style is more streamlined than chunky. Or at least that's the goal.

Birth of the doo doo foot

2009-11-16T16:08:00.010-06:00

When it rains it pours. So much stuff went down this weekend.

First, my good friend Lauren McEntire had a gallery opening at the Historic Arkansas Museum. She has a badass quilt that was once hanging in my kitchen (on loan) and now hangs in the HAM. She also has many many more badass pieces that you should go check out.

After that I ventured over to the Arkansas Queen where Stella Fancy and JBrasher rocked out to benefit my dear place of employment.

(The date in that live preserver isn't even correct.)

Then Saturday night was when we got dolled up for a gallery opening and a rock show.

Dress: Goodwill
Shoes: Cole Haan via eBay
Jacket: Gap like 10 years ago
Earrings: Claire's
Pins: various people and places
Necklace: Box Turtle
Belt: JC Penny

Right before we left the house, Brittany let the dogs outside and stepped in a mud hole, covering the side of her shoe and tights with mud. It was then we coined the term " doo doo foot."

I don't know, it was pretty effin funny at time.

Green on green action

2009-11-12T11:07:00.003-06:00

Cardigan: Ann Taylor via eBay
Dress: Banana Republic via eBay
Leggings: Wet Seal
Shoes: Seychelles via Goodwill
Necklace: estate sale
Bracelets: gifts
Earrings: Icing

Nothing too excting today. I had a hard time picking out what to wear, but I'm happy with what I ended up sporting. I love tone on tone colors. Like this green on green. I might try to do this more...

Ugh and look at all those leaves! It's the dreaded raking season.

More Abba and finally...

2009-11-09T11:27:00.006-06:00

A daily outfit post! After long last, I have finally taken a daily outfit photo.

But my head fell off since the last time I posted a daily. oops!

No really I just had like 3 chins and terrible squinty eyes. So my vanity got the better of me today and I just cropped my head right out. Ha!

Dress: Thirfted

Sweater: Belk

Belt: TJ Maxx

Boots: Connie via Famous Footwear

Bracelets: gifts!

I love this blue dress, especially this color blue. ELECTRIC! But it has these weird pockets in the front that poke out under the sweater. See? Pokey.

And here are some more Halloween shots!

Brittany is my new roomie! She went as the Wax Lips Bandit. And here is a good shot of my sweet Abba dress! Hand made and hand painted! Must say I am pretty darn proud of it.

Here is Vinnie as Hedwig! I did his makeup...not bad eh?

Top 5

2009-11-06T09:18:00.008-06:00

So I was perusing eBay today...just looking for some groovy vintage ankle boots. Well, in my search, I kept stumbling across the craziest boots. I just had to share.

TOP 5 CRAZY-ASS ANKLE BOOTS FOUND ON EBAY

Somewhere, a pyromaniac stripper is rejoicing.

Camo tries so hard to be classy. I think these boots nail it.

These boots are kind of like the time I ripped a hole in my jeans and was wearing flowered panties underneath. Except not really.

If Kandinsky lived in NYC in the '80s and designed boots.

Right after Dolly Parton's mom finished her coat of many colors, she made these.

You can dance, you can jive...

2009-11-02T14:00:00.005-06:00

Hooray for Halloween!

As I mentioned a while back, I was part of the ACAC's Great Halloween Coverup...it was the 6th annual, I believe.

Well, we did a mighty fine job channeling Abba, if I do say so myself:

Here is just a sneak peak. More photos to come.

I handmade both our white tunics, then Lydia drew on the cats and we both painted and embellished them. Pretty sweet, eh? The fabric for both tunics was just $15, and I already had all the paint. The boots were the expensive part, at $40, but hey, white go go boots could be part of a million costumes for years to come. I'll consider them an investment.

Our white go go boots came from from the Halloween store here in town. As did our wigs.

Anyways, we had a TON of fun, and it went by so fast I want to perform again! Thanks to the awesome awesome band...Anna, Liz, Lydia, Straw and Russell. They rocked SO HARD ... well, as hard as Abba can rock.

Busy, with rain, slight chance of blog

2009-10-27T16:11:00.003-05:00

Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday. I love dressing up. I love theme parties. I love black and orange! Ok, so I don't love black and orange. But I love candy corn and those little sugar pumpkins.

There have definitely been some highs and lows in my 28 years of celebrating Halloween.

Probably the best costume I ever has was an Indian. My mom used her leftover drapery fabric to make me a dress. We fringed and beaded the sleeves and I added leather moccasins, a leather vest (both things I apparently wore on a usual basis, back when I was 7) and my Indian Princesses headband. Add cheesy face paint and viola! Indian. Yes, not so PC, but whatever. I was 7. This was also probably the coldest Halloween ever. We lived in Dayton, Ohio at the time, and it snowed. My Arkansan mother cringed as she bundled up her babies to go trick-or-treating.

Then there are the awkward years. You know, it starts around age 11 or 12. Perhaps too old for family-style trick-or-treating. But definitely too young (in my parents eyes, anyway) for independent gallivanting. I think age 14 was when Mom decided I was capable of taking my 10-year-old brother around for trick-or-treating. In retrospect, I'm sure he was quite able to go on his own with his friends, but, well, mom always erred on the conservative side. It was one of those last minute decisions. "Erin, why don't you take your brother around tonight." I agreed and scrambled to throw together a costume from the contents of my junior high closet. I dressed as Betsy Johnson. Did I own any Besty Johnson at this time in my life? Of course not. I still don't. But I HAD seen her runway shows on E! Fashion File or MTV's house of fashion, and was instantly intrigued but this woman with the yellow pigtails and striped tights that was the same age, if not older, than my mother. The details of the costume elude me. I think I threw on some colored tights, a miniskirt, colorful top and my Converse. Hair in pigtails and lots of bright accessories. Every time I see a Betsy Johnson hot pink leopard bra, or glittery star necklace at Dillard's, I think back to that Halloween 14 years ago.

I think my last real Halloween hurrah while I still lived at home was when I was 16. We had just moved to Hawaii and I barely knew anyone. I had met Rachel that summer, as she too had just moved there. But she, much unlike me, could make friends easier than I could tie my shoes, so I was quite fortunate to tag along with a vagrant assortment of new friends. We dressed up in our blackest goth gear. I remember wearing ripped up tights, black Converse, a black slip and a black t-shirt. I think I had cut up black tights on my arms too. Of course lots of black eyeliner and lipstick. It wasn't a costume that would win any awards for creativity, but I was 16, in a new place, parading along the Waikiki strip with my gaggle of goth friends. We didn't really do anything that exciting. Just walked up and down the strip, as we did most Friday nights. This time, I was in a goth getup instead of my usual uniform of over sized Dickie's, a tank top or band shirt, and, of course, my Converse. At least the Converse were consistent.

Long time coming...

2009-10-21T11:17:00.005-05:00

Wow, almost ten days since I've posted. Bad blogger!

Ok, so I have an excuse. My grandparents were in town from Arizona. Why? For my little brother's engagement party, of course!

Well I'm sure you all will be excited to know that I finally found a pair of Uggs. Not, Uggs, actually.

These. Bearpaws. I decided not to go with the Uggs because of price, mainly. I'm not going to be wearing these to work, and I think they will do just fine for keeping my cold cold feet warm. And I went with black instead of grey. Woohoo. And I bought them from eBay, since I sold some more stuff!

You all can FINALLY get a good night's sleep, knowing that I have made my cozy boots purchase, at long last and with much ado!

I've been wanting a knit moto jacket. Work with what you've got rocks her's all the time. I tried on the Forever 21 version but my hulking shoulders and heaving bust are much too plentiful for their conservative sizes. So I did a Google search and found this baby at Kmart. I'm going to check it out after work today. I'm not sure how I can pack so much excitement into one day!!!!

And in other exciting news, Brittany is moving in with me! Hooray! This means I will be less poor and lonley. Always a good thing.

Just teasing myself

2009-10-13T08:41:00.010-05:00

I am proud to say, I am doing quite well on my Zimbabwe Challenge. The trip has been scheduled for the end of May, and so far I have over half my money saved up (thanks mostly to several freelance jobs!)

A tried and true Internet shopper, I get several e-mail alerts a day notifying me to sales and specials on various interweb stores. Nowadays I mostly delete those e-mails, as not to tempt myself, but today, I got one from Piperlime and foolishly opened it. What's this? 30% off? I clicked.

And look, just look, at these adorable shoes! God I love fringe. And teal.

It hurts me that I cannot buy these. But what makes me feel better, is at $239 ON SALE, I wouldn't have been able to buy them anyway. Now I shall just search for cheap imitations!

More: Oh shoes. How I love you. You never make me feel fat, or disproportionate. You are so pretty and I never have to get you dry cleaned.

In other news ...

Like mother like daughter. My mom loves to shop too. She recently cleaned out her closet and was generous enough to let me rifle through her unwanted duds and take whatever I thought might sell on eBay. I ended up with a huge stack of lovely Ralph Lauren, Talbots, Chicos and Liz Claiborne tops and pants to put up for auction. With this money, I shall ... well I'm not sure yet.

Nothing like plaid on a rainy fall day

2009-10-09T15:40:00.005-05:00

On Tuesday I went to Savers again. It's less than a mile from my house, so I like to go often to get the freshest merch! This time, I got so lucky and had one of the best thrifting scores I have ever had. I found no less than FIVE vintage, homemade dresses, IN MY SIZE! I'm quite certain they all came from the same lot, and have decided that my old lady doppelganger must have died (R.I.P) and that her sweet old handmade dresses landed at that Savers just for me. Aw. I'll miss her, old lady doppelganger. But her dresses will live on, on me, for some time.

( I generally made stupid faces so I don't feel like such a tool when taking photos. Not sure if that's really working for me though.)

This is the first of the doppelganger dress lot. I added new buttons and made some minor repairs. Then when washed and ironed, she was all sparkling and ready to go! What do you think, does it need to be a tad shorter?

Vintage plaid frock: Savers
Tights (they are a herringbone pattern but the photo doesn't really indicate that): TJ Maxx
Boots: Estate sale
Bracelets: gifts from grandma and parents
Earrings: Icing
Belt: TJ Maxx

Most of the dresses required minor alterations. Some new buttons. Totally easy. And at $4 per dress, how could I lose?

Thanks to Jan for indulging my vanity and taking these photos!

Clothes swap a-go-go

2009-10-05T23:20:00.009-05:00

Witness the majesty that is: Clothes swap!

Fun with proportions!

And later that evening ...

"That just happened. In Kroger"

2009-09-30T15:59:00.007-05:00

Those were the words that came out of Brittany's mouth when we left. Kroger.
And she was wearing this:

(Don't you think this pose is PERFECT? Hair all to one side!)

I bought this beautiful romper at an estate sale for a mere $2 a few weeks ago. I knew it wouldn't fit me, but someone HAD to have it.

This, however, poses the question: Rompers? WTF?

Just google "romper" and the first image is not a baby ... oh no friends, it's a lady. In a romper.

Ok, ok, they're kinda cute. Kinda nostalgic, even quaint. But don't get the runs while wearing one of these beauties. They are not known for their ease of removal.

This is the other estate sale purchase.
Pastel florals? check
Built in bra? check
Smocked back for comfort? check

I call this baby the "Friends Season 2 Special." Savers, $6.
And yep, it's a romper. Surpise!

Where I've been...

2009-09-28T15:25:00.005-05:00

Ya'll, I've been busy. Mainly because I started doing this Abba cover band, Stabba!

We're performing on Halloween. And I am SO STOKED! I love to sing, and I love Abba, so naturally I love to sing Abba!

This is the look we are going to recreate. I am the brunette, Frida. Lydia is the blond.

Other bands are participating too. Husker Du! Blondie! Everyone in Little Rock should come on down!

Here's the poster:

(P.S. That poster was designed by yours truly.)

Also, I had a sweet run at Savers on Thursday. So those photos should be up soon. Brittany still has my tripod, so I might have to do some creative maneuvering to get a full body shot!

Ol' Funny Face McGee

2009-09-23T16:02:00.005-05:00

Brittany and I had a sleepover so I enticed her with my sultry ways to snap my photo this morning. She apparently brings out the best in my goofy faces.

Observe:

So here's the deets:

Cyan Dress-tunic: Old Navy

Sweater: Belk

Leggin's: Target

Sandals: Born via eBay

Red belt: Estate sale

Tourquoise bracelet: Grandma

Other bracelet: Gift

Necklace: Grandma

(As you may have noticed, grandma hooks me up with tons of jewerly. She loves it. So do I. We bond. Over precious metals. And over metal. She loves Iron Maiden.)

The warm boots saga continues...

2009-09-22T13:37:00.004-05:00

Apparently Liz was having trouble leaving a comment about my snow boot/Ugg boot dilemma. So she wrote me an e-mail instead:

Oh Erin, I'm confused. I thought that if you skipped the UGGs you'd be doing it in favor of a stylish alternative. I have to say, those Columbia boots are just as clunky and unattractive as UGGs. Plus, they're no fun for hanging around the house in. What is your end goal? UGGs obviously aren't great for tromping through the snow, but that applies to maybe one day a year of your lift -- so what's with the ugly snow boots?

I admit, I can see where she is coming from.

These:

Or these:

I really won't have to face this decision anytime soon, however. I have
no money to spend on boots right now. And it won't get cold enough to wear them until late November, probably.
Stay tuned for a lovely daily outfit post, as soon as I snap some glamour shots, ya'll!

Candy is the new black

2009-09-17T10:41:00.003-05:00

Ya'll I've been naughty lately.
Naughty as in following a strict diet regimen of PBR and cheeseburgers.
And as a result, I have about an extra 7 pounds hangin' around.

But damn, October is a bad month to try and be good.
First off, there is the Arkansas State Fair.

Fried Oreos.
Fried pickles.
Pig races.
White trash as far as the eye can see.

Then there is Halloween candy. Candy corn and those mallowcreme pumpkins. Straight up high-fructose corn syrup paradise.

And holy shit look at this!

CANDY CORN HERSHEY KISSES!

Yes, it's true. They are real and they are good.

I hear they are also rich in antioxidents. Pshhh.

Ugg alternatives

2009-09-16T15:23:00.006-05:00

I discovered this great post about Ugg alternatives on DaddyLikey.

Now I am thinking about some sweet snow boots instead of Uggs.

Like these maybe?

(Yeah yeah, it snows maybe once a year in Arkansas. But c'mon, my feet get REALLY COLD, I swear!)

What I wore with strangely feathered hair in the office:

Shirt: TJ Maxx (double X)

Jeans: Banana Republic outlet

Shoes: Syechelles via Goodwill

Necklace: estate sale

Earrings: The icing

Bracelets: gifts

Sometimes I am in a hurry and don't put much thought into what I wear. Today was one of those days. I had to take my mom to a doctor's appointment and was in a hurry to get to work. I'm loving these black jeans though! They are a product of my outlet mall adventure with my dear sweet brother in Destin. Unlike my other black jeans, I am handling these with extreme care to prevent fading: infrequet washings, cold water only, hang to dry! That's how much I love 'em!

(If you look really hard you can see that I am posing right next to a trash can. Classy.)

To Ugg or not to Ugg

2009-09-15T07:33:00.006-05:00

It's like this:

My feet get REAL cold. Even in not-so-cold weather, my feet are cold. And in cold weather (which in AR is like 40 degrees) they are SO VERY COLD ALL THE LIVELONG DAY! I have tried countless kinds of socks and shoes. But until January I was convinced that nothing at all could keep my icy toes even a teensy bit warm. Then I went to Colorado to visit my bff Liz (oh and her hubby Chad was there too) and she sang the praises of Uggs. She, too, was reluctant to take the plunge, but did so after facing her first Denver winter. So I decided to give the Uggs a try, and wore them out one day. ALL day. OUTSIDE in the SNOW, shopping of course. I tell you, my feet have never been so warm in all their 27 years of existence.

Now, I don't LOVE the look of Uggs (but I don't hate it either.) I don't LOVE everything that is associated with them (teen celebrities, push up bras, Victoria's Secret PINK sweatpants, bleach blond, tanorexic, wannabe 16-year olds ... you get my drift) But I just can't deny the Ugg practicality. WARMTH.

So ef it! I might just do this, own this. I've got some stuff for sale on eBay (yes, the Zimbabwe Challenge rules still apply) so if I make enough dough, I just might buy some Uggs.

Here's what I'm thinkin': Gray.

Obsessed?

2009-09-14T13:43:00.005-05:00

Sweet mother of Jesus why am I so obsessed with finding denim leggings? They seem a bit elusive, so I am probably just enjoying the challenge.

I ordered this pair from eBay:

They are from Australia, and therefore have Australian sizing, which meant I had to order a 14. So I get them in and they are STILL TOO SMALL. So back on eBay they will go.

Then I see that Urban Outfitters has all their denim on sale for $39.99, and therefore order these:

I can hardly sqeeze them over my ANKLES, let alone my ass. Sigh.
So it's back to the drawing board. I'm going to try my luck at (ick) Wet Seal.

Maybe this is God's way of saying "Erin, you do not belong in denim leggings."

Navy green

2009-09-09T10:15:00.005-05:00

Ok maybe I'm in a rut? A mini-rut? Really, I have been so busy lately. Labor day weekend was sooo fun packed (and it was my birthday too!) but I had no time really to wash any clothes or think at all about outfits. So these past two mornings have been rather trying when it comes to what I wear. Plus I have been absolutely DRAGGING in the mornings. All I want to do is sleep!

This is what I came up with this morning. Eh. I love this dress but it's too short to wear alone. And I have not shaved in a while so I couldn't pair it with another longer skirt. So here we have the navy jeans. I suppose they did the trick. I cannot wait until the weather cools some more and I can quit shaving. It's so freakin' time consuming!

Dress: Violet & Claire, Ross
Jeans: Jcrew
Shoes: Cole Haan via eBay
Necklace: Francescas
Earrings: Burlington CF
Bracelet: Grandma at a garage sale

When ironic fashion goes too far

2009-09-04T15:35:00.004-05:00

In general, I am ok with ironic fashion. Nerdy old tees from the '80s? Cool. Terrible hair metal tees? Nice. Skinny jeans? Colored jeans? Bomber jackets? Acid wash? Slender canvas Keds? All fine by me.

But American Apparel has finally taken it too far.

Is it just me, or does this girl like Jennifer Garner's sister with a cold sore?

What I bought at the outlet mall

2009-09-03T15:56:00.008-05:00

When I start writing a post like this, I feel a bit silly. Because, hey, who cares what I bought at the outlet mall? But then I think of all the other blogs I follow, and I like to get ideas and inspiration from them. So maybe I will inspire someone here? Hm...

I have not been too impressed with Jcrew lately. But the outlet had a nice selection, and best of all it was all 40% off!

I have been wanting these scarlet bootcut cords forever. I have a navy pair from about 3 years ago and wear the crap out of them all winter. And at $40 I couldn't pass them up!

Cardigans are so versatile. That is why I love and cherish them. Here is my new Jcrew cardi in my faaaaaavorite color. It kept me warm on the plane ride home.

Here is the hastily Photoshopped rendition of the Sam Edelman flats that I bought (almost stole, they were $25!) from Off 5th. Again, my favorite color!

In unrelated news, I found this photo of Victoria Beckham and died a little inside. She just looks so oddly disproportionate. Like maybe she'll just fall over one day.

Also, I am unsure of her place in British culture. Do they love her? Do they love to hate her? What is her American equivalent?

Stripes and why I don't know jack.

2009-09-02T08:33:00.006-05:00

Striped top: thrifted

Skirt: Old Navy, hand-me-down from Julie

Shoes: eBay

Bracelet & pin: Grandma

Belt:JCP

Peacock earrings: b-day gift from Rachel

In one of my very first blog posts I wrote this:

Nothing classes up an outfit like a cute belted waist. But on my figure, anything encircling my less-than-small waist is a huge no-no. I have read conflicting reports in various women's mags that say a belt can actually accentuate a non-existent waist, however real-life experimentation has proven these theories quite wrong.

Boy did I ever prove myself wrong! I 'effin love belts, as you can tell. Seriously, everytime I get to plannin' my outfit, I have to fight the urge to just "belt it," because then I would be known around town as belt girl and that would be weird and I just can't have that now can I???

In other news:

Alan Disaster and the Arkie take on the Blag Flag logo.

Green shoes

2009-09-01T10:49:00.005-05:00

Dress: Estate sale

Shoes: Nine West, NEW from my outlet mall adventure!

Belt: JCP

Flower in hair: hand-me-down from Brandee

Earrings: Burlington Coat Factory

And notice I got my tattoo colored in! I'll post some better photos when it's totally healed. I added a cream cardigan for work since I have to cover it up. Glad I did, however, because it's freeeeezing up in here!

Noted: the quality of these photos sucks. I don't know if my resolution is too low (72dpi) or it's just my dinky little point and shoot Coolpix. The photos I take with the Canon (fancy work camera) always look better but I just can't take that one home with me every day! I always have to photograph from so far away to get my entire bod in the shot. Maybe that's the reason?

Florida bro fashion

2009-09-01T10:06:00.007-05:00

I'm back from Florida! I had a super time beaching, shopping and eating with my dear brother and his bethrothed, Emily.

I scored a few things at the outlet mall. I can now cross black jeans off my list, as well as a few things that were not on my list, such as aqua flats and super cute green heels.

While at Off 5th, the Saks outlet, my brother Brian put together a few outfits of his own and even let me snap a few photos.

Behold:

How much does it cost to look this good? Well, about $350 for the shirt and another $550 for the pants. Worth it? You tell me.

Brian loves to play golf. He also loves pink paisly and man scarves. Here's what happens when you combine all those things.

Imagine: You open a new grocery store. The name Piggly Wiggly is already taken. Now what???

Redneck Riviera style

2009-08-28T17:06:00.006-05:00

So I am here on a short vacation in Destin, Fla with my wonderful little brother. And I am keeping this post short because the outlet mall across the street is calling my name.

Actually, my bro lives in Thomasville, GA, but we drove 2 hours to Destin for the beach and ... well ok the outlet mall. I know, outlet malls aren't even that great, the prices are rarely as cheap as promised and the stock is usually lacking. But whatever. I'm falling for the trap. Fell, really.

Earlier today we stopped at the biggest Goodwill I have ever seen.

I scored a vintage dress and some sweet barely-worn Seychelles wedges.

Then we went to a shitty little tourist/souvenir shop.

Unfortunately I couldn't convince Brian to purchase this sweet tee. And I also could not discover how to rotate this photo. I feel so stupid and lost without Photoshop.

I think that tee, however, pretty much sums up the fashion here in Destin. And, I'm out.

Conflicted

2009-08-24T11:06:00.002-05:00

I feel like these booties are a one-way ticket to Rockstarville. Just put 'em on with some leggings and a sweet tunic and bam. Insta-rock star. Especially the styles with all kinds of studs all over 'em.

But here's my question:
How do these boots work in the winter? The open toe design throws me way off. Do I let my already chilly toes suffer in the name of fashion all throughout the cold months? Surely it's unacceptable to wear these peep-toe booties with tights. But surely they can't be limited to onlywarmer months of the year.

HELP ME!

Oh and just a side note: were I to purchase these shoes, mine would not have such a high heel. I can do 3 inches MAX. But anything more is just deadly.

Cheating

2009-08-21T09:12:00.004-05:00

Ok, remember, I'm not buying any new stuff. Only thrifted stuff. And I can sell stuff on eBay and use the credit for new stuff. That new stuff will most likely come from eBay since that's just easier with paypal and all. Or Etsy. Don't forget Etsy!

Anways, next week I am going to visit my brother in Tallahassee. One thing I love about my brother is that he loves to shop. This has only been the case for the last 10 years or so, because as a child, he would magically come down with the "shopping sickness" everytime my mom and I, with him in tow, would set foot in the mall. Symptoms of the shopping sickness include:

Upset stomach
Sore throat
Increased whineyness
Lack of motivation
Frequent urination

I digress. Brian, my brother, likes to shop now. He's very classic in his dress, polo shirts, khakis, plaid shirts, etc. Growing up, we bonded over many many shopping trips with mom. Back to school shopping, special event shopping, grocery shopping. We were all there, in it together, in good times and bad, in sickness and in health. So I think part of our plans for my vacation include doing a bit of outlet shopping. And I think I am going to have to put my Zimbabwe Challenge on hold for a few days. Just a few. Like, 3. I won't have a ton of money to spend, but there are a few basic pieces that I need to look for that would help further my wardrobe:

Black jeans. Nice black jeans. I might have to spend a bit of money here, but I want some super well fitting, bootcut black jeans that I can wear in place of my semi-frumpy black dress pants. In the past, I have tried to bargain shop for said jeans, and they just end up ill-fitting and faded.
Funky colored ankle boots. To spice up all my neutrals.

Here is a nice little photo of Brian and I from sometime last year.

And while I was parusing eBay, I stumbled upon this little number:

I don't know if it's the uber-natural looking whiskering, or the super classy dragon ass, but I think I need these jeans to live. Let's not forget that oh-so-flattering ultra low waist!

More Arkie Ink

2009-08-17T15:51:00.007-05:00

Joe sports the classic state outline tattoo. The eyeball above is 'cause of his band, The See. Or maybe just his love of money, because isn't that eyeball on a dollar bill? Nah, it's for the band. I think.

Tiffany's forearm.

This lovely lady exposed her shoulder for me and I cannot remember her name. Shame on me.

Liz and the cutest darn tattoo in all the land.

Back in time

2009-08-17T10:05:00.008-05:00

This is my Friday outfit.

Dress: Rue 21

Shirt: Thirfted

Shoes: Cole Haan via eBay

Earrings and bracelet: not too sure

I never thought I could pull off the tied-up shirt thing, but after seeing this post from Blue Collar Catwalk, I was inspired. I think it worked out pretty well!

Oh and also notice I finally got my hair cut! Hooray!

Friday seems like 2 weeks ago because I had the most unexpectedly exhausting yet totally fun weekend. And here I am on Monday morning, totally tired still, but hoping this giant cup of coffee will do the trick.

This is me this morning, road worn and weary:

(Weird how being tired actually makes me look younger, and shorter.)

Went to the White Water Tavern on Friday night. It seems like all my guy friends love to showcase irony in their fashion choices. A perfect example:

Dylan's 'stache, shorty shorts and strange Hawaiian shirt. Sweet.

Then there is my friend and bandmate Jeremy, who makes looking this cool completely effortless. (Must have been kinda late in the night when I took this because there seems to be a party foul on his shirt.)

Stay tuned for a few more Arkie tattoos!

Arkie Tattoos/thrifing fun

2009-08-13T15:56:00.012-05:00

PART ONE:

Everytime I go out, it seems, I see another person with an Arkansas-themed tattoo. Now I don't know if this happens in other states (I'm sure it does, because I've seen at least 2 wayward Texas tats here in LR) but it seems to happen A LOT in Arkansas. I had no idea that state pride was such a hip statement, but most of my life, I was given grief for being from Arkansas (I was an Air Force brat) so it's quite lovely to see so many of my bretheran proudly displaying their Arkie pride.

THE POINT: I am collecting photos of Arkansas tattoos. Here are my first two.

I think this was the very first Arkie tattoo to which I was exposed. It's on the arm of Ben Nichols, who plays with Lucero.

This Little Rock Skyline tattoo is on the arm of my friend and coworker Cash. He hooks me up wtih PPR sometimes.

PART TWO:

As I mentioned in my previous post, Brittany and I went thrifting the other day. One of the best things about thrifting is the absolutely hideous gems of clothing, just waiting there to be mocked.

I constantly wonder why metallic vinyl outfits never became a fashion staple.

I'm pretty sure Kid and/or Play wore this shirt in one of the House Party movies.

Week two: no new stuff

2009-08-13T13:46:00.004-05:00

It's been a week and guess what? No new stuff!

I did buy a super cute kelly green dress/tunic at Goodwill on Tuesday, but that fits within the allowable parameters.

And I sold a few things on eBay, so I will have a bit of money to buy a new things, but I must choose wisely!

What do you think is an essential addition to my wardrobe?

I'm thinking about the often-referenced denim leggings. They will come in handy in the fall, with my semi-vast collection of too-short-for-work dresses.

What do you think of this pair?

Stay tuned for photos from Erin and Brittany's thirifting adventure, as well as the first photos in my new Arkie Tattoos series!

Will someone please please cut my hair?

2009-08-12T10:00:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I tried to get in touch with a friend of a friend who said she would cut my hair for a case of beer. She never returned my call.

Today, I called the salon and left a message. They haven't returned my call.

For the love of Jesus, I need a haircut STAT!

A pretty steamy weekend

2009-08-10T18:40:00.010-05:00

Seriously, this weekend was steamy. Not like a dime-store romance. Like for real, like your shower. Like a steam room. Like something you may use to cook broccoli. Steam.

It takes some carefully thought out plans to remain stylin' when the mercury is a risin' and the baromettric pressure is ... pressurizing.

First, always choose a natural fiber. Sure, that vintage polyester printed sun dress may be the cutest in town, but you yourself won't feel so cute once your armpits are highlighted in a musky sweat halo.

Cotton. Cotton is the way to go.

Chose to leave the lycra-spandex body binding undergarments at home during the most sweltering of seasons. Sure you may have an extra pudge, but that's easy enough to disguise under a nice flowing babydoll dress, right?

I'm not quite sure where I was going with this. Really, I just needed an appropriate intro for some summertime stylish Arkie ladies.

I was lucky enough to hang with these dress-wearing hotties on Friday. At least two of the above dresses were purchased a deep-discount strip mall type place. Can you guess which two?

This is my friend Shannon. He has some wicked hot style.

T-shirt: ShadesOfErin at Etsy

Speaking of dress-wearing hotties ... ok no. Here I am in my reclaimed estate sale grandma skirt. You can't really tell but I added a black tube-ish band at the top to make it a dress. I think the vest completes the ensemble nicely. And then that yellow necklace I found at a junk shop in Hammond, Indiana throws everyone for a loop.

Not too sure about this pose. I look like I'm about to start Riverdancing.

I was diggin' the ensembles on these two ladies. I don't actually know them, so that's why I cropped off their heads. Being unsure of etiquette regarding posting stranger's photos to the internet, I decided just to play it safe.

Anyways, their dresses are flowy and flattering and all kinds of yes! And they are cotton. The fabric of your life.

Well I have worked up quite a sweat with this here post, all this typing and all. So now I shall take my third shower of the day.

Happy summer to all my steamy Arkies! (and everyone else, steamy or not!)

P.S. I have no idea why this text turned blue. It just happened.

Let's go black and gold, let's go!

2009-08-06T17:25:00.004-05:00

Go team go!

Ok so my high school colors were not black an

d gold. They were black and orange, a la Halloween High. Actually went to two different high schools. The other one was red and black. But no gold and black.

I like gold and black. I like studded belts.

I like standing on hills.

I do NOT like getting bit by 43 mosquitos while standing outside for 4 MINUTES to take my picture!

Gold top: H&M (Chicago. We have no such place in Arkansas.)

Bubble skirt: Ann Taylor via clothes swap

Belt" JC Penny

Necklace: The Villa, a sweet boutique in Hot Springs

Sandals: Melissa via Box Turtle

Winnie also wanted her photo taken. She makes all her own clothes.

Inspired

2009-08-04T23:10:00.003-05:00

I work for a hospice here in Little Rock. We have a partner hospice in Zimbabwe. In February, the founders of said hospice paid us a visit. They were amazing people, and it was fascinating to hear how much their daily lives differed from ours. In May, I have the opportunity to visit Zimbabwe for 2 weeks. The catch is, I need the money to get there.

I have been spending waaaay too much money lately. Clothes and shoes mostly. Stuff for the house. It always seems to help fill some kind of void. Only temporarily, of course. I should learn to fill voids in other ways, like drugs and alcohol, maybe?

So after checking out several blogs, I have decided that I can't buy any more clothes or shoes. I can swap, I can sell on eBay and use the money for new stuff. I can alter and borrow, estate and thrift. That's it. Nothing new. I really want to see how much money I will have saved by May.

I think I can get pretty creative. And I do love the occasional fashion challenge. So let's see where this takes me. Hopefully to Zimbabwe.

(I am patting myself on the back for that closing line.)

Brown and purple?

2009-08-04T22:40:00.004-05:00

So do brown and purple work together?

I think they look pretty good in this outfit. I just really wanted an excuse to wear these bitchin' Cole Haan wedges.

PS-It's like 105 with the heat index today, with like 80% humidity. I am gross and sticky in this photo, antsy to change into my "it's too damn hot to care" outfit of shorts and a tank top.

Shoes: Cole Haan via eBay

Cardi: The Limited

Birdie collared top: my friend used it as packing material when he moved. Gave it to me upon unpacking and discovering it.

Purple skirt: Old Navy, thrifted

Necklaces: one from grandma, one found in the neighbor's garbage pile

Earrings:F21

(I'm not loving my bangs lately. I think they make my face look too fat. Time to quit cutting them so short and perhaps try a side swept look. I probably just need a new haircut in general, now that I think about it.)

To prove I'm not afraid...

2009-08-04T16:18:00.007-05:00

I'm not afraid to post unflattering/goofy-lookin'* photos of myself in the name of fashion. And blogging. And flogging, which is what I'm going to call Fashion Blogging.

This weekend there was a lot going on! I splurged and bought three new wide belts at JC Penny (on sale, mind you) to go with some vintage dresses I picked up at an estate sale last week. Remember only two weeks ago when I blogged about how wide belts are a complete no-no for me? Well, I have done a total 180 as you can see.

Dress: Vintage from estate sale

Boots: Vintage via eBay

Belt: JC Penny

Necklaces: Grandma, Box Turtle

Dog: Jacksonville Animal Shelter

There is also a lovely cropped, short sleeve jacket to go with this dress. It's trimmed in white. I wore it last night with a red tank and denim skirt, but failed to take any photos.

When rocking out to Guns 'n' Roses in my wood paneled den I like to wear:

Top: I heart Ronson (JC Penny)

Jeans: Gap from like 24 years ago. (Yes, I was two when I bought my first Gap jeans) (*editors note* Apparently I can't do math either, because two plus twenty-four equals 26, and I am 27, almost 28.)

Belt: Forever 21

Shoes: Gap

I swear I really don't get that much stuff from JC Penny. But whatever, apparently JCP really did have the "style of your life" in my this weekend. Or wait, is that Dillard's?

*Apparently over the weekend I also developed some sort of syndrome that caused me to make completely moronic faces in every photograph. I hope you at least had a good laugh, because I sure did.

Senior portraits

2009-07-31T15:31:00.007-05:00

Remember doing Senior portraits? Remember how beautiful and glamorous you felt? No? You felt stupid and awkward and totally uncool, especially with your mom wandering in the background, mimicking your smile, telling your to put on more lipstick?

Yeah, me too.

Well here I am, 10 years after said portraits and I decided to give it another shot.

No, not really.

What actually happened was this:

I wanted Candy, my boss/photographer friend, to take some photos of my daily outfit. So we went outside the office and the hilarity ensued.

See for yourself:

Sweater: Ann Taylor Loft via eBay

Dress: Urban Oufitters ($4.99 on sale last week!!!)

Belt: Forever 21

Leggings: Target

Earrings: Burlington Coat Factory (more than great coats)

Shoes: Born via eBay

I felt this outfit was both stylish and comfy. But that dress makes my boobs look huge. Oh well. Better than my ass.

Follow me!

2009-07-30T14:43:00.003-05:00

A few of you mentioned that the "follow" feature has not been working. I think it maybe have been resolved, however.

So give it another go, or a first time go, if that applies.

Thanks for helping boost my blogging ego!

Oh and if you have a blog and want me to link it, just leave a comment.

(I typed in "follow the leader" in Google image search, and this was the first applicable picture I got that was not a stencil of Hitler blowing his brains out.)

vocab lesson

2009-07-29T16:17:00.003-05:00

Today I learned some new words. Jegging. Tregging.

Sounds like maybe a new kind of way to train for a marathon? Perhaps some sort of sailboat parts? Related to rope? Chain?

NO!

Jeggings and treggings are the uber-trendy jeans/leggings hybrid. I posted about them earlier here.

Treggins are the Brit version, the trouser/legging hybrid.

I have been doing a bit o' research, and seems like the perfect jeggings might be quile elusive.

Probably my fave pair, from good ole' Urban outfitters. They seem more jean, less legging. But I say no to tucking in the shirt. I don't ever tuck in shirts anyways because:

a) my waist starts about 2 inches below my boobs

b) tucking in shirts only emphasizes my spare tire aka donut aka Dunlap (as in my stomach dunlapped over my waistband.)

Anyone else know a good source for some jegs? (Not to be confused with jigs, or jugs, ok?)

Workin' on the weekend wear.

2009-07-27T15:46:00.009-05:00

I usually put a decent amount of thought until what I wear when off work. And I put even MORE thought into it when I strike poses for a timed camera in front of my kitchen pantry. But after week one of blogging and snappin' glamour shots, I think I have already learned a thing or two!

LESSON ONE: This pant length is all wrong.

Cankles much?

Yeah, after seeing these shots, I promptly chopped those pant legs off to right below the knee. But I LOVE these shoes.

Shoes: Dillards

(Unflattering) gauchos: Cato
Tank: Target
Shirt: Ann Taylor Loft

Necklace: Estate sale

For my night job (restaurant hostess/runner/other duties as assigned) I am constatly on my feet and get pretty sweaty. So sometimes it's quite a challenge to not look like Miss Frmpenstein and still be able to perform "duties as assigned" in a friendly and efficient manner. Here we have a typical work ensemble.

Top: Me! (check out my etsy shop to purchase!)
Jeans: Gap
Flats: BC Shoes
Earrings: Forever 21

It's been getting up to almost 100 every day. So I have learned to try and make shorts cute. I think I did a pretty good job. You can't really tell but they have tiny white dots all over them. And almost all my t-shirts are cut up, because the regular necks look SO BAD on me! It's like I'm all chest, or boob or something. Anways, I almost always alter my t-shirts in some fashion.

Shirt: Supersuckers show back in '05.

Shorts: Ann Taylor Loft

Sandals: faux Birkenstocks via eBay

Necklace: Box Turtle (I've had it for a week and have worn it like 5 times. Ding ding, new staple!!!)

LESSON TWO: Those who do not gain weight all in their cheeks are quite lucky. Gotta think of a way to learn to hate tacos and beer.

Weekend

2009-07-26T21:19:00.010-05:00

So this was the first weekend for Arkie Style. Of course, my camera battery died, so Rachel let me use hers. Hooray!

Here are some stylin' Arkies for ya!

Rachel strikes a pose in her new apartment.

Shoe detail!

(Rachel should be an inspiration for us all. She runs marathons and still manages to work some 4-inch heels most days.)

This what I call the "hair wad." It's what I do when it's late, hot and I have a sweaty head.

Liesbeth sports some badass earrings and a corkscrew necklace.

Geoffery sports a sweet psychedelic top.

He kinda reminds me of the dad on Family Ties, no?

And Vinnie explores new and interesting color combinations using his swim trunks.

I couldn't live without...

2009-07-24T11:35:00.004-05:00

It's question time my dear readers. What is the most surprising staple of your wardrobe?

Mine is this yellow cardigan.

Ok not THIS yellow cardigan. But A yellow cardigan. From Urban Outfitters almost 3 years ago. Love it so very much. The 3/4 sleeves, the flattering and versatile color. I just seems to go with so very much. So. Very. Much.

Now I'm off to lunch aka an estate sale! Wish me luck!

Ghost cat and the sweet-ass dress

2009-07-23T22:42:00.002-05:00

At long last, this dress is home. I bought it at an estate sale (for a mere $7) back in May. Took it to the cleaners, the cleaners went out of business before I could pick it up, finally after another month, said cleaners told it's former customers where to find out missing clothes.

So hooray, here is this super cute dress! Where the hell am I going to wear it? Perhaps to play croquet, or maybe a bit of tennis in 1922?

Alec is my ghost cat, he loves a'rubbin on some ankles. Especially if those ankles are encased in anything black.

Hatin' for a sec

2009-07-23T15:59:00.005-05:00

Some trends I just don't like. It may be because they are ugly, or it may be because they don't look good on me.

For example:

Strapless dresses are simply a logistical nightmare for just about anyone who wears a C cup or larger. Combine that with back/underarm fat, and we just about need to hire an engineer to keep the girls in their place.

Harem pants may be comfy, they may be trendy. But all I can think of is SNL's "Oops I crapped my pants."

That is all.

Melissa is my new bff

2009-07-23T10:58:00.009-05:00

I love a good challenge. And finding a decent selection of Melissa shoes online for a decent price is quite the challenge. Apparently Melissa shoes, from Brazil, are all the rage. They are made of recycled plastic, smell kinda like bubble gum (seriously) come in like 23 zillion styles and colors. But, because they are from Brazil, they ain't so easy for an Arkie like me to just purchase at my every whim. So over the course of the last year, I have found a few places to purchase these dreamy shoes. Ironically, back in May, I spotted them at Box Turtle, freaked out, and immediately bought a pair. Have yet to get a pair online, but I can feel myself closing in on my prey.

Now for eye candy. Seriously, these shoes look and smell like candy. In fact, I am wearing mine right now and, yep, they still smell good.

Photo number two is what I am considering ordering from Yoox.

But I also check eBay frequently, and have had some luck, though no follow-throughs.

Where else to buy some Melissas:

Luisa ViaRoma
LaRousse
Tobi

Melissa Australia (although I still can't figure out if they ship to the U.S. or not, but they have lots of cute styles that none of the other places have!)

And now for the gratuitous posing shots

2009-07-22T22:05:00.006-05:00

Lots of fashion, style, street style, blogs have nothing more than outfit after outfit. I like that for others, I can get ideas that way. But for me, well I just feel so damn vain.

Nothing makes ones (or at least my) self esteem plummet faster than seeing unflattering shot after unflattering shot.

But I am hoping that maybe I will learn a thing or two about what looks good on me. Or at least how to pose for my very own timed, full-body shot.

So without further ado, here are my three "faves."

Top: Urban Outfitters

Skirt: Old Navy

Boots: Aldo

Necklace and earrings: Francesca's/Forever 21

Dress: Estate sale old lady skirt converted into a dress

Cardi: Target

Boots: Aldo

Necklace: Estate Sale

So maybe I'm changing my tune about the belt thing. See, already I am learning just from taking vanity shots!

Dress: Old Navy

Shirt: JC Penny

Belt: Forever 21

Sandals: Box Turtle/Melissa

Ok, now is the part when you start telling me what amazing style I have. HA!

Eco chic and the DIY skirt

2009-07-22T15:51:00.006-05:00

Eco chic is extremely over-used these days. The term, not the actual style. Nonetheless, I used it. So there.

I bought this purse at Box Turtle this weekend. It's made from old tires. I figure there is no better purse to take to the bar. I can just hose the vomit off this beauty and away I go. Bad thing is it still smells like a tire.

Skirt:me!

Blouse: Target/Merona

Vest: JC Penny/I heart Ronson

Here is a terrible shot of me in the mirror at work. But I wanted to show off my skirt. I found the fabric at Savers a while back and made this skirt. Still love it, but, as you can see, it's really wrinkled by the end of the day.

And a closeup:

Come back tomorrow for my raving about Melissa shoes, my absolute fave in the eco chic genre!

What do you think: faux denim leggings

2009-07-21T16:10:00.004-05:00

My first reaction was not only NO, but HELL NO. Faux denim leggings? Are you kidding? Not unless in New Jersey or at some sort of white trash party.

Then I got to thinking about it. My skinny jeans are not usually skinny enough to tuck into boots, at least not comfortably without tons of bunching and awkward pulling. And any top I might wear with skinny jeans is going to be long enough to cover up my butt. So maybe the faux denim idea isn't so bad after all?

I found these on e-bay. Where else? No surprise, they ship from Korea or China or something. They really don't differ much from regular leggings, except that they have the double top-stitching down the side just like real jeans. I think they might be an unexpected yet welcome addition to my fall wardrobe!

Personal style v. body type.

2009-07-21T15:24:00.004-05:00

There are lots of clothes/accessories that I would like to wear if they only looked good on me.

Belts are a good example. Nothing classes up an outfit like a cute belted waist. But on my figure, anything encircling my less-than-small waist is a huge no-no. I have read conflicting reports in various women's mags that say a belt can actually accentuate a non-existent waist, however real-life experimentation has proven these theories quite wrong.

My personal style has been significantly shaped by my "thick waist" as my mother so lovingly referred to it all my life. So the current trends of empire waists, baby doll frocks and long flowing tunics is a Godsend. However, the encroaching promise of tucking shirts into high-waisted jeans, cropped tees and svelte-waisted dresses makes my lax abdominals cringe in fear.

My fridge on a midsummer's night last year. Perhaps a contributing factor?

What do you think: moccasins.

2009-07-21T10:13:00.006-05:00

I have been contemplating getting a pair of moccasins for a while. Not sure what the appeal is. But they just seem comfortable. And maybe the "no laces" factor appeals to my lazy side. I feel like they would be pretty versatile too.

These babies are from JCrew via e-bay. I have a day or two to decide. Most likely I won't be bidding on them, mainly because I have no money right now. But I love this color. It's actually one of my favorite colors, seeing as my entire living room and part of my kitchen is painted in "teal tone" (Benjamin Moore.)

Here we have your more traditional moccasin. I dig the beading. And this is the pair I have actually been eyeing for a while. But part of me thinks they are too costumey. And what exactly would I wear them with? My fringed leather vest and deerskin dress?

They come in tan and brown too, but I kind of thought the black was the least costume-ish selection.

Not sure which pair I like better, really. There is something very cute about the beading. And, like, ethnic is so hawt right now.

And now for the "style" part

2009-07-20T15:35:00.006-05:00

Nerdly pose with an oscillating fan. It's the new sideface pose.

Necklace: estate sale
Green cardi: Ann Taylor via e-bay
Gray dress: Buffalo exchange in Chicago
Shoes: French Sole New York (the most comfy and pricy flats I own!)

Anyone in LR knows that our store selection is limited. We are heathens that live without H&M, Urban Oufitters, Macy*s and even a decent second-hand place other than Savers and Goodwill.

I mean, people flipped out even when we got a Krispy Kreme.

I suppose that is why everytime I go on a trip out of town, all I want to do is shop. At least I don't want to go to Krispy Kreme anymore.

Damn my active conscience

2009-07-20T15:06:00.004-05:00

Ok, I just posted my very first blog post, and already I'm realizing what terrible blogger I am.

And by terrible blogger I actually mean liar.

I don't even live in Little Rock, Arkansas. I live in NORTH Little Rock, Arkansas.
I rarely spend more than $20 on an article of clothing.
My BMI is in the "red zone." I workout maybe once a week, and it's only because I feel guilty that my dog hasn't gotten a workout.

But here are some things that ARE true. Really, I promise.

I do love clothes. Just ask ... anyone who knows me really. Even more than clothes I love shoes. And I think that is because when trying and purchasing new shoes, one does not have to confront one's body issues. "Fat feet" are quite a rarity, actually.

Most of my fashion inspiration comes from friends, people I see at the bar, and old photos of people from the 1960s and '70s. Sometimes it comes from photos of celebrities on people.com. Yes, I admit I have a weakness for smut mags.

I make my own t-shirts (buy one here!) and sew my own clothes. 75% of the time, my own creations end up in the "give away" box.

So in summation:
I like clothes
I don't like to pay a lot of money for them
I might just go ahead and embrace my own vanity and post photos exclusively of myself, striking distant glances in ironic-artsy settings.

This post is so stylish it requires no photos.

2009-07-20T14:53:00.003-05:00

Style is so underrated here in Arkansas. I find that it's an art, how we look everyday. And personally, I think the only way to live is to constantly update my wardrobe with the "hottest" looks from the most exclusive boutiques in Little Rock. All my clothing is either new and custom tailored, or vintage couture. The only time you will catch me not in heels is when I'm working out (which I do at least 5 days a week. My BMI is phenomenal.)

I decided to start this blog to show the world that the fashionable ladies in Little Rock could compete with any trend-setting woman in any part of that world. That's right, fashion is nothing but a competition. Oh, and art, of course.