Street fashion trend: All black outfits & How to Make Them Work, with Kat Von D, Jordin Sparks and more!

This isn't news by any means, but I am so into all-black outfits. They've been showing up fairly often on runways for awhile. I think Gucci had a fall or winter season a few years ago where they showed off all black looks, and suddenly I was in love. Whereas before I thought all black outfits looked awkward and overdone, I now saw elegance and beauty in them. But... what did these designers know that I didn't? My black outfits were failing miserably. As a teenager, I was into the whole goth scene: the music, the look... but goth clothing can appear tacky and cliché when not styled properly, like this.

Here's how Kat Von D wears it:



How does she pull it off? When I was in high school I'd try on all kinds of outfits in my bedroom. I had a few pairs of black jeans, and I'd try pairing them with a black top, but somehow the outfit would feel awkward. Those outfits never made it beyond my bedroom door.

So, what's the secret? There's a trick to making a look like this successful. It's all about LAYERING! Think about different textures, like leather (real or pleather), velvet, suede, cotton, lace, shiny vinyl or PVC, matte fabrics, cable knits, and so on. A cotton shirt with a cotton shirt in all black's just going to look boring and just doesn't feel right, kind of like this outfit Jordan Sparks (American Idol) wore:



The fabrics are just too similar. That's not to say that she looks bad, but the outfit lacks spice.

Here are some more successes like Kat Von D's...



She mixes a matte knitted (and high shouldered) top with leather shorts and  leather shoes. Her accessories (leather bag and round Chanel-esqe specs) really help to make the outfit interesting. Some times it's all about accessories. Accessories, like silver and gold toned jewelry, can really set an all black get-up on fire... in a good way.



With black, you have more options than you might have thought. Lace and sheer mesh are in right now, so it's easy to find them in stores, but you'll certainly be able to find pieces with a lot of character while thrifting. I just got a sheer black blouse at the Salvation army that will go GREAT with my $2 thrifted leather pencil skirt and black bra. (I know, I desperately need to show off my recent finds. Sorry!)



Another thing you may want to give a second chance is fringe. Fringe may have had it's heyday in the late 60s and on into the 70s, but by the 80s and 90s it got stale, tacky... People ran around with puffy leather jackets with swede fringe hanging from their arms, while the fashion police cringed. Lately though, daring fashionistas as well as celebrities have been adopting this misfit into their outfits. Fringe is back! Some designers are taking a new approach to fringe, like these from Giuseppe Zanotti:



And with studs and chains being so popular right now,  I guarantee you'll find a cheaper alternative. I was just in Rue 21 a few days ago and they had spiked black stillettos! Craziness. (I wanted them but decided combat books and a lace top were better investments. I don't have many fancy occasions to get all gussied up for these days.)

Let these looks inspire you!

Fashion Icon: Siouxsie Sioux

I first discovered Siouxsie & the Banshees sometime before or around high school. I was drawn to the slow and dark sound of their music, but also to Siouxsie Sioux.



She was first known to run around with the Sex Pistols and their posse back in the late seventies. At that time she had a bleach blonde buzz cut, and often donned men's button up shirts and ties.

After the band dissolved, Siouxsie was able to make an image for herself, reinventing her style drastically, helping to start the gothic subculture that grew during the 1980s.



I admire her style for a lot of reasons. Some are superficial. I love layering different textures of black. I like the goth subculture because I think it's cool. Yeah, that's very high school, but I also love her style because it's sexual in a way that's assaulting to the onlooker. In her early days she'd wear shirts so thin you could see her breasts, vinyl underwear so tight they looked like they were painted on... Her sexuality wasn't there to impress men. She was in control of it, using it as a tool to stand apart from the public.



Basically, she's badass and I love her.







I have been terrible with updating, and I have a ton of thrift store finds to share, so stay tuned guys.

If you like this post, comment, digg it, tweet it, whatever floats your boat -- anything helps get the word out about my blog!

Viva Las Vegas!

So, I just got back from a week long trip to Las Vegas, Nevada. It was very hot and very dry, but I had a blast. We perused many of the bigger hotel casinos like Treasure Island and Ceasar's Palace that had amazingly high end stores! Of course, I couldn't afford anything but it was fun to look. Here are some gorgeous Prada shoe displays:





There were all kinds of great stores that I drooled over...





Being around all those expensive stores inspired me in my shopping trips to places that were tailored to my budget. I will show off my finds in my next post.

Fashion Icon: The New York Dolls

I've been working on writing an article on fashion fads and the various subcultures over the decades, so I've been watching a lot of documentaries to look at what people were wearing. I got thinking about The New York Dolls. Many people credit them as the true first punk band, but one thing is for sure, they really kicked off the glam rock thing. They were some of the first heterosexual male musicians to wear women's clothing, make-up, and jewelry.

They are probably most known for their heroin abuse, and I will concede that their feminine appearance was probably done out of a desire to shock people. Be it intentional or consequential, their adoption of traditionally feminine apparel served as a rejection of a social norm: men did NOT wear polka-dotted blouses and red lipstick. They helped make it acceptable for men to broaden their choice of clothing and helped call gender norms into question. They certainly weren't role models, but I don't think fashion would be the same without them.



The eighties would have been a lot different if it weren't for the Dolls. Polka-dot prints, animal prints, silk scarves, platform boots and heels, and teased hair were all common for the band.







While fashion can be superficial (and nearly always is), there's more to it. The way a person chooses to decorate their body can be an outward expression of their personality, their desires, their beliefs, and so on. Those in the early glam rock subculture, whether they were thinking it or not, helped change the public's opinion on how men should dress. Men who dressed like this prior to the Dolls were likely cast aside as sexual deviants or freaks. The New York Dolls dressed in a way that would have even been looked down upon for women!

So, the next time you go out in your leather platform go-go boots, leopard pants and silk scarf, you'll have The New York Dolls to thank for it.

Recent Thrift Store Finds...

Well, I've got some stuff from the Salvation Army and some stuff from a church thrift store to share this week.



Here's a vintage cotton candy pink accordion pleat skirt with what looks like fruit slices printed all over. I love it.  I got this at a church that has a thrift store where you can full a paper grocery bag for $2.



A closer look at the detail...



Nautical? Candy stripe? I love it! A waist cincher belt that will go great with a few skirts I've got in my wardrobe. Same bag sale.



A nice thin leather belt from that same store again. They had a ton of similar belts, and I thought it would be a handy piece to add to my wardrobe.



Lace "Express" blouse, like the kind Prince wore in the eighties! Not vintage, but still cool. $3.99 from Salvation Army. (Actually it was half of that because it was "Family Day," so everything was half-price.)

There are more things to come, so stay tuned.

Go get yourself some cheap sunglasses...

Summer is here, and with summer comes the need to protect your body from the hot sun. Sunscreen is important, but don't forget about your eyes! Sunglasses were created out of necessity, but you don't have to have boring ones. Everyone seems to be wearing similar sunglasses. A good way to make sure your shades are unique is to buy vintage! Here are some great vintage sunglasses from Etsy.com:



Flip-up double lens sunglasses just like Lady Gagas! $28.



Alexander Wang designed a pair of sunglasses like these that cost $325! I love these so much! $28.



Fuzzy sunglasses! Definitely came out of the 80s... $10.



Big, round, and awesome. (And expensive.) $75.



These are identical to a popular Chanel design! $32.



Like Willy Wonkas. $9.



Split personalities! $15.



So unique but so expensive. $85.

Show me your cool sunglasses!

Street Style Round-up: Sweet Summer Looks

Here are some really neat (and thrift-store doable) looks from Lookbook.nu and beyond.



Striped tops are all the rage right now. They pair well with vintage denim shorts.



Shorts would be wise with a poncho/shawl like this. Looks great, though!



Suede fringe boots with shorts? I love it!



I have got to get a pair of harem shorts like his...



Capri length tribal pants... I want them.



A cool mash-up of several eras -- rockabilly hair, 7os punk skirt and tights, and 90s hip-hop jewelry and shoes.

That's all for now.

Help out the Gulf Coast!

Everyone's heard about the oil spill crisis in the US Gulf Coast by now... and everyone seems bent on pointing the finger of blame on someone. What is really scary are the photos of wildlife literally drowning in the muck:





Anyone would agree that this is just horrifying. This website offers six ways to help out.

Not all of us can go on-site and volunteer, but there are other ways to help.

Matter of Trust is collecting monetary donations as well as donations of hair (like from barbers and hair salons), fur (like sheep's wool or alpaca fur), feathers, and nylon to help sop up the oil. How thrifty! Even donating just $1 through PayPal helps! Hell, any amount helps!

The Audobon Society is also working to help the wildlife affected by the oil spill. They are accepting credit card donations online as well as donations through regular mail. Here is the mailing adress:

• National Audubon Society
  225 Varick Street
  New York, NY 10014
  Attn: Gulf Coast Oil Spill Disaster

If we all mailed in at least a $1 bill, we'd make a difference. You won't miss $1, and you'll know that you've done something to help. Please consider it!

Fashion Icon: Stevie Nicks, THE Gold Dust Woman

Stevie Nicks is one of my favorite female musicians. She is so talented and beautiful, but her fashion ain't bad either. In her younger days with Fleetwood Mac she wore a lot of fairy like things -- silky, flowing dresses, suede pixie boots, and so on. Later in her career, her look could be characterized as withcy -- still similar to her old style, but matured and darker.















Hats off to you, Stevie. You're amazing.

"Free Box" Dress...

Today I wore a dress that I plucked out of free box at a yard sale about a year ago...





The big wooden peace sign necklace came from an antique store and cost $1.

So, not including the shoes... that's a $1 outfit!!!

My Style: A little update...

So, earlier this past week, I graduated from college! Sad thing is, even though I have a Bachelor of Arts degree, I will still be working a crap job this summer. It's for convenience, as I want to go on vacation with my family this summer, and where I work will allow me to take off. Still, all summer, I will be job hunting for a good job. So, you can expect me to show off some thrifty finds that are job interview appropriate.

Here are some photos of my friends and I all dressed up for at 1970s themed party:

[caption id="attachment_184" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="My outfit... I was going as Stevie Nicks."][/caption]

I am wearing a vintage dress from Goodwill that I bought recently for only $4!! I added a waist belt and cowboy boots.

[caption id="attachment_185" align="alignnone" width="480" caption="Close-up."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_186" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Charlie's Angels attempt..."][/caption]

Both Sara and Kelly look fabulous!