Socks: Life doesn't get more interesting than this.

Yeah...that's the stuff... (photo from We Love Colors)

When one starts blogging about socks, should they just hang up their hat and admit that they have nothing left to talk about? Maybe that would have been the case three years ago, but socks have EXPLODED. Who knew that foot bags have become the latest fashion statement? A bunch of designers have started putting their models in socks/heels, and frankly, I think it looks pretty cool. It's definitely one of those trends that has the potential to make someone look really awkward, but there are some fool-proof ways to work it out.

1) For Pete's sake (he loves when you do this!)--wear thin socks. This is NOT the time for those nubby knit socks that you wear in front of the fireplace during a photoshoot for Lands' End. We Love Colors carries colorful (who would have guessed that?) nylon socks that are fairly affordable.

2) If you're going to wear socks with your shoes, make the shoes substantial. No flats, strappy sandals, or kitten heels. I mean, I've seen it done with kitten heels, but it just looks weird. Yes, you're wearing thin socks (hopefully), but you're still wearing socks! You're not trying to look like Audrey Hepburn, so don't wear her shoes. For the record, I even think the heels in the above picture are a little too delicate for the trend.

So there you have it! A post on socks. Now it's time for me to think about what I can sacrifice in order to purchase socks in colors and styles other than "white athletic."

Re-up!

That title couldn't have less to do with this post if it tried. I've recently made my boyfriend start watching The Wire (so that I could have an excuse to watch the whole thing again), so I tend to use a lot of drug terms that I don't understand throughout the day. But I do know what a re-up is! It's a refill on drugs. So, consider this your refill on my fashion musings.

I've been gone for awhile, it's true. School has gotten a little busy, I'm starting a new part-time job, volunteering, and hanging out with fun people while doing even fun-er things. I tend to live life on the cynical edge, but all in all, I'm sort of in love with life right now. However, this leaves me with little time to talk to the internet about clothes, and that's awful. I love this little blog, and I love clothes even more, so in the spirit of Kevin Michael Christy (who's blogging again, CHECK HIM ON THE SIDEBAR), I'm renewing my commitment to this here blog. Until I take another leave of absence.

So, what's the specific occasion that's brought me back? THIS BRACELET ARRIVED IN THE MAIL. That's right, bitches. My birthday present from my lovely sister came to Portland this morning, and I couldn't be more thrilled. I'm going to rock it to sleep every night before putting it in the velvet pouch and brightly colored box it came in.

Stay tuned for thoughts on librarian fashion, muffins, and autumn. It'll be grand!

Presh.

the most delectable earrings ever, via fredflare.com

How adorable are these earrings? Seriously, tell me. Try and quantify the preciousness. Because I did, and I came up with "cuter than a combination of a tabby kitten, Joseph Gordon-Levitt when he's pretending to be dapper, and a toddler dancing to any one of Beyonce's hits. Preferably a medley."

I love thrifting. Yes, I'm STILL writing about it.

So, I love me a good thrifting trip for the scavenging fun and the savings. This love was recently reinforced by a weekend trip to the mall. With my boyfriend out of the house all day, I took it as an excuse to do all of the excessively girly things that I don't really do anymore because of the stares I would get from his judging eyes. (Just kidding, guys. I do what I want! But I really like shopping by myself, so it was nice to not have to be all "NO, BOYFRIEND. YOU CAN'T COME PICK OUT CLOTHES WITH ME.") Right after he closed the door, I prettied myself up and took a stroll to the mall.

HOLY GOD, I HATE MALLS. I honestly had forgotten. First of all, no one "pretties" up anymore. In fact, lots of people barely wear pants. But this was my day! I wasn't going to let a few pantsless bandits get in my way! Now, know that I didn't plan on buying anything. I mainly just wanted to oogle clothes. Instead, I became a senior citizen that CAN'T BELIEVE how much people charge for shirts. You! You over there! Do you see how much this costs? My mother could make this for pennies on the dollar! She could also feed me and my 11 siblings for less than $3.50! Just kidding, I don't have 11 siblings. But my mother was mighty creative with potatoes.

And that shock came from looking at the prices for the evil, evil (yet so pretty sometimes!) Forever 21. They pride themselves on being a budget store, and let's be honest--they are. But I had a hard time buying one piece of clothing for $22.50. That could buy me an armful at Goodwill! Also though, I think that I feel this way because the trends this fall are so incredibly thriftable. '90s minimalism/sorta grunge is back with a vengence (like it ever left), and thrift stores seem to only stock things from that era. That ugly floral maxi dress for $19.50 will probably cost you $6, max via a thrift store. And that's a refined thrift store.

Quick "refined" side note: There's a place in Portland called "The Bins" (i.e. the Goodwill outlet) that charges you per pound. It's something like $1 per pound of stuff you have. Sure, you should only root around with gloves on (yeah, people have found gross things in there), but I like the novelty of buying a wardrobe in pounds.

Don't like wearing other peoples' cast-offs? Get over it. Seriously, I don't have much else to say besides that. Normally, lepers aren't donating their clothes left and right, so you're not really risking much by not buying things new. Usually a nice trip through the washing machine will quell any fears you have. Also, you're creating less waste! Congratulations, the environment loves you.

Now, once I have a little more capital, I plan on fully supporting classy retail stores that I love. Because hello--we all need to buy new stuff every now and then to keep the cycle of "Buy, Donate, then Thrift Another's Bounty" alive.

Slices of heaven

Cannot get enough of agate slice rings. Seriously, all I want to do is pile these puppies onto every finger. They're so rugged yet elegant, like a lumberjack wearing a prom dress. Unfortunately, most of these precious gems are out of my price range (meaning they're over $10), but the second these lovelies become uncool, I am snatching them up from the clearance bin.

The Princess Diaries (sans Annie Hath)

Silly Bandz (the Princess edition) have made my life so much better. I'm not being hyperbolic, I promise. There is something intensely--dare I say--SILLY about wearing rubberbands on your wrist that morph into shapes. Even if people think they're stupid (which trust me, some people will), they still want to see what shapes you have. They're the best icebreaker ever! And besides, my accessories are evolving and maturing from "wear the biggest/sparkliest pieces that you can" into "wear the most ridiculous, fun things possible."

*Disclaimer: In case my friend Sanja reads this, I have to give her credit for getting me on the Silly Bandz-wagon. She was the first person that I saw them on, and I made fun of her relentlessly. Now, I see that I was just jealous.

INSPIRATION NATION

The middle photo was taken from The Sartorialist, which I think is a little overhyped as a site, but the boy (Scott Schuman) certainly does know how to take a picture. While these three pictures aren't the be-all and end-all of what I've been (stylishly) thinking about lately, they're certainly a good start.

I'm a sucker for photos of nebulas and other cosmic things of that gorgeous nature. All of the colors work so incredibly well together, and while there are tons of clothes I'd like to buy with that exact picture printed on them, I see it simply as the colors I want to wear together all the time. With glitter sprayed over them to achieve the appropriate effect, obviously.

Not sure why I'm so attracted to the middle picture--I think it's the absolute effortlessness that this woman exudes while wearing an ensemble that's decidedly full of effort. No one wakes up and decides that it would be easier to throw on their multi-buckled gladiator boots instead of a pair of flippy-floppies. And that dress? I DIE. Seriously. Chiffon dresses that blow around in the wind like they're going to show everything if you don't move the right way are my all-time favorites. Only in theory, though. I unconsciously tried to re-create this look for my last birthday. Let's just say that I did not exude natural grace and beauty like this lass does. No, I exuded more of a "desperately clutching to the world's whispiest fabric and using my boyfriend as an ineffective wind shield" effect. It was charming.

And finally, we have Winny and Johnny. I include this picture because I'm getting a wee bit obsessed with cross jewelry and sheer shirts/dresses/everything else, but also for the "coupling" aspect of the duo's outfits. I find that even though I have a distinct style that I like to play around with (Golden Girls sparkle meets all-American comfort with a strange dominiatrix moment thrown in for fun and confusion), I definitely have a tendency to blend in with whoever I'm dating at the time. Yes, I'm that amorphous person that starts to look like their dog. Except I look like my boyfriend. Who's not a dog. Anywho, I wake up every so often realizing that it's been a long time since I wore a pattern OTHER than plaid and a jean other than a skinny, so I have to remind myself to take a little extra effort and look more like myself. Which, to make a rambling point, is what Winona does perfectly here. Though, if my boyfriend looked like Jim Carrey during his Mask days, I'd probably try a lot harder to look like myself too.

So, there we have it! A PEEK INTO MY SECLUDED (fashion) MIND. Kind of like Inception, but not at all.