laceblade | Entries tagged with fashion

from

jesse_the_k - "Your fashion role models, influencers, cheerleaders, or hell the worst pair of shoes you've ever owned."

I'm having a hard time with this one because I don't feel like I have a personal style. I spent most of high school in jeans and hoodies. Since being an unpaid intern, I've had to build up a wardrobe of business casual, but I don't consider it very fashionable.

I have a hard time finding things that fit me. Until Torrid opened in Green Bay, I couldn't find any lace/nice florals (which I've liked forever) in a size that actually accommodated my bust.

I hate clothes shopping because as a kid I spent a lot of time being unable to fit into things I wanted, unable to shop in all the stores my friends did.

I don't know about role models - I like seeing what Lea Michele is wearing, or Olivia Pope on Scandal. A few other celebrities. But none of these people share my body type, so idk that I'd say I try to copy their fashion.
I guess probably other women in my life - my sister and cousins-in-law & cousins are good at putting together outfits, as are most of the women I work with.

Crossposts: http://mystickeeper.livejournal.com/685788.html

Currently Reading
The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Shadow by Fuyumi Ono - I've been aware of the Twelve Kingdoms anime for years. Back in my semester of Anime Club as a college freshman, this was one of the three shows airing. Steph and I hated it, regularly heckling it under our breath & talking about how much we couldn't stand the protagonist & more especially one of her companions. To be fair, we did miss at least the first two episodes, I think.
I actually really love the book. Getting inside of Yoko's head makes up for a lot of what's just whining in the show.
Yoko gets transported from her high school to another world by a mysterious dude with golden hair named Keiki. They get separated pretty early on, & all she has is a sword, a demon attached to her that allows her to fight extremely well with the weapon, & a jewel that heals her.
She gets taken in by some humans a few times, but gets betrayed by them every time.
I just reached the part where she met the rat, Rakushun.

I'm looking forward to reading more of these, even though I know Tokyopop only released 4 of the volumes, & I've heard that the translation/editing for the 4th volume is abysmal. I'm assuming there are translations of these online - anyone have a link?! ;)

Completed
maybe one day a plane will bring me home by

astano - The first five times Santana visits New York.

A Scheme, Starring Rachel Berry, with Music and Lyrics by Rachel Berry (and Sam Evans) by

ellydash - Rachel’s running after Finn. Sam’s running after Quinn. Eventually, they realize they’re running side by side. Season 2. I read a small blurb on Tumblr recently related to writing, where the mark of good fanfiction especially is that for every line of dialogue, you can't imagine anyone else saying except for the character who's saying it.

ellydash is really good at that. Every single character feels spot-on, even/especially those who don't have big parts in the story.
I want to write like that.
& of course I'd now like to read this author's entire Glee backlog.

There's so much good Glee fanfiction I haven't read yet. :*) And due to that, I fell down a rabbit hole of ellydash's backlog & also

ratherembarrassing's Pezberry reclist.

All My Loving For Someone Who's Loving Me by

ellydash - Mercedes/Brittany/Santana - A Troubletones rehearsal at Santana’s house doesn't go exactly as planned.

Make Me Feel the Same by

gilligankane - Pezberry written after episode 1.15. "She finds out about Finn and Santana through Tina who found out from Mercedes who got it from Kurt who was talking to Brittany who mentioned it in the first place." (I THINK THIS MIGHT BE THE FIRST PEZBERRY EVER WRITTEN?!)

Apologies by

insaneantics21 - During 2x12. Santana & Rachel apologize to one another for the shitty things they've said to each other.

i seem incapable of titling things when drunk by

lynnearlington - spoilers for 2x18, "stop acting like you aren't hot, it's pissing me off"
bandage and the blade by

ellydash - It’s so much easier, in the end, for Emma to blame everything on Will. This focuses on Emma's anxiety & struggles with OCD.
Saga #x

Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson - As with The Midnight Robber, I really love the politics & the world that Hopkinson has set up - in this case a dystopian Toronto where Ti-Jeanne's grandmother's herbal skills are valued, whereas before they were a thing the family couldn't talk about. But I wish there was more about the society/etc., and that it was a longer story. Instead, it's pretty focused on Ti-Jeanne's journey. While I appreciate that she's a protagonist who made mistakes but remained sympathetic, I overall felt a little "meh" about this & rated it 3/5 stars.

Very! Very! Sweet, volumes 4-6 - Still loving this story - the clothes that Be-Ri wears (it seems rare that a heroine in manga/manhwa wears baggy clothing that's still cute/etc.?!), her developing relationship with her love interest, & just everything else.

Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth Cline - Some of the blurbs on the book describe this as being the "Omnivore's Dilemma" for the fashion industry, & that's sort of true. Cline looks into the outsourcing of the production of garments, & also the race to use as cheap of labor as possible with no thought as to either the quality of the final product nor the lives of the people working to make the clothing.
Some of the things Cline talks about are familiar: Women bragging to one another about how little money they spent on clothing; having no idea which fabrics are "good" (raises hand); etc. While I've never watched clothing "haul" videos on YouTube, I watch makeup ones semi-frequently, so I knew what she was talking about.
Some of the things she discusses are unfamiliar: While I mainly shop at places like Penney's, Gap, & Kohl's, Cline talks about buying garments that are only meant to last "3 washes" or so, & talks about throwing her clothes away. I think maybe this happens more often with stuff from Charlotte Russe or Forever 21 (none of which make clothing in my size), so I'm not sure what's up with the discrepancy. I wear clothing for years, & if something only last me 3 wears, I would be pissed.
Anyway, I gave this not that great of a grade because I found it pretty repetitive and not instructive in the end. She has a final chapter on how people should learn basic sewing techniques, buy a few higher quality items that will last longer, & familiarize themselves with their local tailors. These all seem like good ideas, but I still have no idea where to buy "good quality" clothing or how to go about recognizing "good" clothing.
I have a hard enough time finding clothing that fits me & drapes well on my body shape.
Still, I could learn how to repair ripped seams, or patch holes to make "weekend jeans," or a few things like that.
She did mention people like the blogger behind Refashionista, a woman who takes old/out-of-date clothing from resale shops & remakes them into modern/solid clothes to wear at a much cheaper price. It's a neat blog, but I'm not willing to invest that much time into it, I don't think.
As sort of a coda, I also listened to a Planet Money podcast about a family working in a clothing factory in Bangladesh.

Crossposts: http://mystickeeper.livejournal.com/684633.html

So. Rightstuf.com is having a sale on anime-related accessories. While perusing the merchandise, I noticed some handbags with Mokona on them, AND THEY ARE SO ADORABLE. I really want one. Thus, Internet, you must help me decide which one to get.

This one is ridiculously cute. Enough said.

This one is more subtle. The Mokona is still there, but is not as joyful as it is in the first bag. Still, the color scheme of this bag is darker, and probably goes with my wardrobe better.

WHICH ONE SHOULD I GET?! (Just be glad that I don't want this heinous one!)

Also, for my own reference, other things that I think look neat:
FLCL t-shirt
Adorable Fruits Basket t-shirt!

ETA: So, my friends at work think I should get this hat, too.

Throughout my life, I have struggled with the concept of fashion. In middle school and high school, much to the dismay of my mother and sister, I wore whatever I found to be comfortable, be it a flannel shirt or a peasant-cut top. I knew that I wasn't often fashionable, but I didn't really care. As I grew older, I came to accept the fact that my body is different from those of most girls. It's hard to find tops that look flattering on me, because a lot of things have under-the-bust lines that end up being across-the-middle-of-my-bust that make me look absurd.

I have compensated - I have found bargain items that still flatter curves and match with my pants and skirts.

I have come to accept my level in fashion - there is a below-the-line level to which I will never sink (electric blue eyeliner with bizarrely-cut suits in horrific colors that shock the conscience) and a silver lining to which I can never hope to reach (a fashionable haircut with simple but fashionable jewelry that changes every day to complement the highly-fashionable but seemingly effortlessly-put-together outfit I'm wearing).

I am somewhere in the middle, but on days like today, my level is just really annoying. I have this nice just-below-the-knee skirt that's so brown it's almost black (but still brown!) that is cut in a flattering way, but I'm really struggling to find anything to wear with it. Could I wear a yellow polo with a black sweater over it? When people say that wearing black with brown is now acceptable, is it only certain shades of brown? How come I don't have more pairs of nylons? I have enough tights now, but my nylons are terrible....the ones I have on have two large runs and no coverage over any of the toes on my left foot except for the big one....I'm waiting for them to just drift away from legs in tatters throughout the day.

I know that I wore this skirt on Easter, but I can't remember what the hell I wore with it. Did I wear this black sweater with the yellow polo? Did it look as ridiculous as I think it does now? Were the women in my family silently judging/pitying me all day?

Okay, okay. I've traded the yellow polo/black sweater for a short-sleeved blouse that's mostly shades of pink, with hints of dark green and brown, with a really interesting texture. I originally wore this shirt for a thing called Snow Ball.....my sophomore year of high school.

Firstly!
OMF, Antoine starts his job today! Did I mention here that Antoine got a cool job, after quitting grad school? Well, he did. Go Antoine!

A Pwn-tastic weekend
This weekend, I went to Chicago. Saturday morning, Antoine, Chad, and I drove down in my car. Usually, the way it works is that I drive until we get to Illinois, and then Chad takes over (if I knew exactly where I was going in Chicago, then maybe I could handle it - I can handle Madison! But still, the highways and city-driving there are frightening). So, we did this. Also, we (and by we I mean I) grooved to the 12-or-so songs that I have downloaded to Chad's iPod for just such an occasion.

We picked Kristy up downtown, and then checked into the Radisson in Schaumberg (a suburb) that we were staying at. Saturday was spent shopping at the rather large shopping mall there, and then going to IKEA. I performed pretty decently this weekend, not buying too much. I did get a nice sweater and a tank top. At IKEA, I got a nice wooden cutting board. I don't know how to cook many things, but most things that I cook involve cutting up vegetables. So now I have my own cutting board, and it only cost me $3.99! I also got some wooden hangars. By the way, IKEA is an amazing store.

Actually, I lied. After picking Kristy up, but before driving to the hotel, we ate lunch at Kroll's, the Chicago-branch of a popular Green Bay restaurant. It was yummy, but the waitress sucked at keeping our water filled. Whenever any one of us asked for more water, she only filled that person's glass. I DON'T THINK SO.

After IKEA, we went out for Mexican food for dinner at a restaurant called Chevy's, and it was one of the most delicious meals I've ever had. Apparently, they mix their salsa fresh every hour, and it was SO GOOD.

On Sunday, we went back to IKEA (it was that awesome!). I enjoyed breakfast for $1.99 (amazing!) and we shopped around some more. The only thing I regret is not being able to find a lamp, but there really wasn't enough time to get one. Oh, well! I think I have two matching small ones that my sister gave me, and are waiting for me in my closet in my parents' house, so I can try to use those effectively in my space.

We walked around downtown for a while, and it didn't rain on us very much. We eventually met up with Steph and Gordon (who drove down on Saturday much later than we did) for lunch at a Panera-esque restaurant. Then, Kristy caught her train back to Indiana, Steph and Gordon set off for the Art Institute, and Chad, Antoine, and I made our way back home to Madison. We did get caught up in traffic, but Chad booked it and we made it back in about three hours. All in all, an excellent weekend!

Looking Ahead
Chad's parents picked him last night to take him home, and now I am here alone in my house until Thursday, when I leave for my parents' house. I am really excited to go home this time. I tend to mostly affix the faces of my sisters' children to my homesickness - probably because they are small and cute. My sister and her family has moved into a new house since the last time I was home, so I would like to see it.

Also, my father and I will sit down to do my taxes, which I am very much looking forward to (....you know, or not).

This Thursday will be a new episode of The Office! Will Roy really kill Jim?! PLEASE GOD, NOES! Holy crap, I love that show.

Last night, I didn't even unpack once I got home. I spent the rest of the night until 11:30pm finishing up the essay exam for my online class (19th Century Scandinavian Fiction).

I have a very long list of things that I would like to do today, and not much of it is homework. This hasn't happened to me in a long time, so I am understandably excited.

An interesting story from this weekend!
In the mall, Antoine and I meet up with Kristy and Chad outside of J. Crew. "Come inside," says Kristy, "I want you to try on these two dresses."
"I can't afford dresses from this store, Kristy. I'd like to see the price tags before I try them on."
"Just do it for me, please. I might be asking you to wear something like them." (Kristy and Chad are getting married in July 2008)

~~Much swearing and cursing on my part later, and I find myself in a dressing room with two dresses, both of which have halter tops. For those unaccustomed to such terms, it means that while the waist-down is skirt-like and full, there really isn't a back, and instead there is fabric that covers my front and thins down into two wide straps that are tied at the back of my neck.~~

So, I know what my body is like in clothing since I've now spent over 20 years struggling to find clothing that will fit on it. I weigh a bit more than I should, but I am not really overweight. However, I am, shall we say, "well-endowed" and while most people would blush and titter to describe themselves this way, I have no qualms in doing so because mine are so large that they are a curse. Cute, well-cut shirts that I would like to own do not fit me because I am too large in one area of the body. Shirts that are able to get on my body often hang in awkward ways because they fit one part of my body well, but are too big for the rest of it. One of the reasons why I "suck" at fashion is because my body doesn't fit well into it. If I can find a shirt that fits me, I really don't care what it looks like, and I'll buy it.

Anyway. Back to the story. I think Kristy really didn't believe me or something, because when I made her come into the dressing room (those-who-aren't-my-close-friends), she was astonished. I was pleased that from the waist-down, the skirt was attractive and flattering to my figure. I point to the fabric covering the things-in-front-of-my-chest*. Visible on every side of the things-in-front-of-my-chest* due to there not being enough fabric is that-thing-girls-wear*. I point to the fabric and say, "Yeah. As you can see, halter tops don't work with Jackie. And as much as it inhibits the dress options, you really don't want to see how much worse the situation gets if I take off that-thing-girls-wear*."
"This dress would make you look like a porn star," said Kristy.

*Normally, I have no problem using words such as these, but I am very conscious of the fact that mothers of my friends (like Kristy!) read my blog. Also, so does my sister, and this is probably the one post out of 4,000 that she would mention to her.

I feel weird right now. School is a bit stressful - a Shakespeare exam Friday, a SciFi paper Monday, and an exam for my online class that will be made public at 6pm on Friday and is due 12am Sunday night (I know, wtf). Despite this, my mind is preoccupied with other things.

How Expensive is Nice?
I had heard a conversation between two girls somewhere, asking about how much a girl should spend on a business suit. They were talking price ranges of $250-500, and I was kind of appalled. "I just bought one last week at ShopKo," I offered, "And it was less than $40." Which was true! I bought a gray set a couple of weekends ago - the skirt was $10.99 and the jacket was $17.49. I was even worried that the jacket cost too much. I called my mom on my cell phone in the middle of the store to make sure that it was a reasonable price. I don't know. I think it looks decent, but then again I don't know much about such things. How much do you guys spend on nice clothing? I felt bad about spending $15 each on two nice dress shirts, too. And all of this was with my 10% employee discount!

I do know that I'm upset about the close-toed shoe rule - because really, my high heels are infinitely more comfortable than either close-toed pair I have because there are only 2 straps in contact with my feet, which means that I get no blisters. I'm going to have to put lots of band-aids on my toes, I think.

Also, question to the world: It's okay to not wear nylons, right? I kind of stopped doing it in high school, but I'm not sure if people in professional situations consider it to be whorish or not. Hopefully not, because I kind of hate them.

Yes, I am that awesome.
Oh, yeah! Louise and I, along with other various people, have started planning something we dub "Geekon" - a convention where you can "get your geek on." Anime Club (I'm President) and SciFi Club (Louise is president) are seeking out other student orgs right now, but it sounds like this might actually work. The plan is to take over half of a university building for a weekend and have various "geek" programming in different rooms - LARP, RPGs, board and card games, DDR, anime showings, SciFi/Fantasy showings, vendors (ie, Westfield Comics, Capital City Comics, local gaming stores, etc.), and panels on stuff. Louise and I procured an advisor, so hopefully it'll be okay for us to advertise to non-students and students at other universities. Maybe I can invite all of you! You guys could stay at my house. Even you LiveJournal people.
:D *Cackles*

Current Mood: weird
Current Music: full version ending theme of Nodame Cantabile - Crystal Kay