Word of the Week: Vaticination

Vaticination  \vuh-tiss-uh-NAY-shun\

noun

1: prediction

2: the act of prophesying

By looking at these charts of phone usage information in Geneva, he could make a vaticination of when and where the fugitive would make the call, place undercover spies in these areas, and successfully close the case .  If only he could read French.

(photos collected from colmnfivemedia)

The Colors of Night

From the looks of street style, celebrity style, and personal style blogs around the world, proper attire for the business and/or professional fare requires a white top and a black bottom.  See here.

(photos collected from marieclaire, stayhungry-foolish, southernbelledish, and fellt)

That I Jest

I think Frodo and Sam from The Lord of the Rings would have appreciated having me around on their journey to Mordor.  1.  My super curly Hobbit-like hair would make them feel right at home.  2.  I would provide a few feminine touches like enforcing better hygiene, making small talk to pass the time, and providing encouragement by telling stories of another journey-er named Link who beat the odds as well (his land of Hyrule in Zelda: Ocarina of Time is the map on the backside).  3.  My map dress would be an invaluable tool to make it straight to Mount Doom without any wrong turns or shortcuts into giant spider land.

(photos by e.hunt)

Gone But Not Forgotten

I caved.  I bought something so trendy yesterday, one of those trends that will probably only be acceptable to wear for one year, maybe two.  Remember gaucho pants?

I had a pair, all the girls at school had a pair, even famous models had a pair; however, I can assuredly say that none of us would have been caught dead wearing them before the year 2004 and after 2005.

Anyway, one of this year's experimental trends is the hi-low skirt, with a mini skirt length front and tea-length back.  It's kindof like a reverse mullet, with the party in front and business in back.  I think it's fun, versatile, and fulfills my newest shopping requirement, work appropriateness.

It's also a perfect match for my one and only crop top, that's too big so I cut a slit up the back and tied the two pieces in a knot, which you can kindof see in that last picture.  And this last one wasn't on purpose, but it turned out really cool; like Degas and Monet pointillism paintings.

(photos collected from thredsbysandra, and by e.hunt)

On Belay? Belay Is On

To go along with this accessories theme I've got going on (first the jewelry then the shoes), I will now present you with a wonderfully fascinating post on belts.  I'll begin with some inspiration shots:  Rumi Neely, the subject of one of my most favorite personal style blogs, showing the knotted belt, a rope belt, which I need to try sometime, and a tie belt.

And now here is my collection of belts.  Even though I look quite serious in this picture, I was laughing during the whole putting-every-single-belt-I-own-on-and-then-taking-pictures-of-the-madness-that-ensued process.

(photos collected from fashiontoast, fashiongonerogue, thestylishwanderer, and by e.hunt)

Maybe I Just Need to Get Wild

I'm starting to look for another pair of fall shoes for work to add to my lineup that so far, consists of these awesome brown and white oxford flats.

Now, I would be perfectly content wearing one of the many colorful pairs of feds (fake keds) that populate my shoe basket, but the dress code does not agree.  These three would make awesome business shoes, and would translate seamlessly into the next stage of my career where heels that create a satisfying click on the linoleum floors is a must.

And here's an extra little footwear treat.

(photos by e.hunt, and collected from google, pinterest, and vogue)

A Perspective Rooted in Evolutionary Theory

My original plan for this post was to discuss the importance of jewelry in fashion.  If you know me at all, or look at pretty much any photos that I post, there is little to no jewelry on myself or in any of the spotlighted outfits.  Sometimes, a great necklace can make an outfit.  My intentions were to highlight those outfits in blog post form; however, while looking through my files for examples, I literally only found one.

I guess you can see that jewelry really isn't my thing, or something that I value when it comes to great style.  I would rather take the concept of jewelry and get a little more creative with it, like these ladies.

(photos collected from fashiongonerogue, notcouture, styledevil, and missatlaplaya)

It's Called Power Clashing

Fall fashion inspiration from the depths of the fall section of my fashion book.

(photo collected from anthropologie, design by e.hunt)

Word of the Week: Splenetic

Splenetic  \splih-NET-ik\

adjective

: marked by bad temper, malevolence, or spite

The witch cast a spell on the most splenetic girl in the world that made flowers, the most delicate and happiness-inducing thing on this earth, spring forth from her whenever she said something mean.

(photo collected from honestlywtf)

Creativity, Deviousness, and Amateur Espionage

While cruising my blog circuit the other day, I saw this piece of editorial awesomeness and couldn't look away.  There's just so much going on.  I mean, it's like 1/8 Harry Potter, 1/8 Masquerade Ball, 1/4 Indian Chief, and 1/2 Marie Antoinette with a little Queen Amidala thrown in.  And somehow, with all these vastly different details, it works.

(photo collected from an unknown source: I can't remember and I can't find it again)

Such Ingrained Habits

Farm girls, school girls, Laura Ingles Wilder girls; what do these three types have in common?  They would all wear dresses like these.

(photos collected from fash-eccentric, fashionsalade, and vogue magazine)

Polymorphing Opinion

Tattoos are very intriguing to me.  If someone considers permanently imprinting something on their skin, whatever words or images or a combination of both, it's probably pretty important to them.  I like to know why.  Placement is also very telling in someone's tattoo intentions.  Is it a big, colorful depiction on skin that is always visible?  Or is it more discreet, in a place that can be hidden by jewelry or clothing?  If I were to ever get one, and so far, I've never had anything that meaningful happen to me that I'd like to etch it into my skin for the rest of time, I'd get something small and black, in a place like one of these, where I will see it and be reminded of its meaning everyday, but not every Joe I pass on the street will ask me what it means.

(photos collected from pinterest)

Part 2: Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost

And for Part Two of the movie series, another set taking place in a undisclosed time period; however, by little clues in the movies such as battle instruments, technological advancements (or lack thereof), and systems of rule, I would venture a guess that these stories would have taken place way a long time ago, except for Avatar, which is verified as happening in the future, but I felt the Navi culture fits in best with this batch, and it's the only entry I have collected that is futuristic but doesn't have enough interesting detail to uphold its own part in the series.  Whew that's a long sentence.

The ladies of Lord of the Rings and The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe obviously had stylists that came back in their second life as seamstresses during the time of medieval courts.  Each is expressive of their respective climates and values:  Eowyn of LOTR has a flowy dress that flits with the wind from the plains and is not highly accoutremented as material wealth is not as important as identifying with her people.  The Queen on the other hand, is outfitted in high end, eye-catching material with a plush animal pelt to keep her warm in her year-round imposed winter.  The menacing sceptre and spikey ice crown complete her look.  

All of the costumes as well as the overall production design of Tim Burton's Alice and Wonderland are inspirational: a true feast for the eyes, but Alice's clothing, designed by the great Colleen Atwood of Chicago and Big Fish fame, takes the cake.  Transforming her big clothes into a draped and tied dress for her mini Wonderland self is a stroke of genius, while the shredded animal print over red number is just so much more exciting and intriguing to look at than the average and expected Keira Knightley-like period piece costume.  But, would you expect anything less in a Tim Burton movie?

And finally Neytiri from Avatar, with her modernized Native American warpaint, feathers, and loincloth, topped off with different bikini tops for different occasions.  My favorites were the brightly-colored stringed together battle top, and the metallic squiggly necklace that morphs into a top as it keeps going.

(photos collected from googleimages)

A Little Bunch of People

Twisting fashion and design into one, using quite possibly the most hipster family in the world.

(photo collected from buzzfeed)

Word of the Week: Irrefragable

Irrefragable  \ih-REF-ruh-guh-bul\

adjective

1: impossible to refute

2: impossible to break or alter

As is a soldier's duty, calls to battle by the King are always and inevitably irrefragable.

(photo by e.hunt, painting in The Louvre Museum)

Curiosity is Halfway to Creativity

Here is the most recent did-it-myself project, this time involving a busily-printed strapless dress and some wide black ribbon.  The idea of the reverse halter of sorts evolved from this picture in my fashion book.

The most logical and efficient way to achieve my idea would be to use two pieces of black ribbon (which would contrast nicely with the zany pattern); the first sewn straight down to the waist of the middle of the front with the top folded over and sewn to itself to create a connector for the straps.  I then slid the second piece through the loop of the other ribbon and sewed the ends to the back.  Take a look.

(photos by e.hunt)

May I Have One of Those, Madam?

Today at work a bunch of guys came in and bought over $250 worth of women's white flared dress pants because they were going to a nautical themed sorority dance and wanted to be sailors like Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly in On the Town.  The best part was when they tried them on and came out to show all of us who were helping them, doing the walk and singing the song from the movie.

(photo collected from googleimages)