Miserable face, messy desk, sub-par under-eye concealer.
I realize I’ve been delinquent in my duties here. Like, really bad. Maybe worse than ever before. So it’s probably not the best time to congratulate myself on the fact that this blog came into existence almost exactly two years ago! Despite the fact that I’ve done a less-than-stellar job in recent months, my malformed brainchild maintains a pulse. Continue reading
It’s been forever, I know. I’m sorry. Things have been really busy around here. What with the holidays and work and a weird compulsion I suddenly developed to slog through all six seasons of Gossip Girl in five weeks, I could hardly find the time to do anything productive. You know you love me, xoxo. Continue reading
A few of my favorite things.
It’s recently come to my attention that I have too much stuff. This slow-burning realization was of course catalyzed by my move across the country, which has forced me to take a hard look at my belongings and truly contemplate the meaning of the word “necessity” in a way I never really had before. (It’s an annoying word that just sounds prissy and precious, in my opinion.)
We’ve all read articles about how to pare down your wardrobe and do more with less. That’s all well and good when it comes to clothing, and it makes sense when your living quarters afford limited room for excess. But one area where I refuse to compromise is in the handbag arena. Continue reading
I’m on an unending quest for the perfect fragrance, and seriously, there are so many good ones to choose from. But when fall rolls around I find myself distancing myself from floral scents in favor of fragrances that are a little richer and more sophisticated. It would be great to be richer and more sophisticated, as a general rule.
You know who does that really well? The damn Olsen twins. The success of their fashion/beauty empire has actually managed to completely eclipse any memory of their acting career[s], at least in my eyes. I’m not even getting paid to say that. I’ve always loved Elizabeth & James clothing, so when I received samples of their new Nirvana Black & White dual fragrance exclusive from Sephora, I was intrigued. Real talk: both of these scents are to-die-for. Continue reading
Since moving to the West Coast, I’ve made a wealth of new connections for whom I’m truly grateful. I’ve even been lucky enough to acquire some brand new family out here: my self-appointed adoptive aunts, Marcia and Suzanne. After three months, I feel like I’ve known them forever– and I hope to.
On Suzanne: Calypso tunic. On Marcia: Anthropologie top and pants.
Suzanne and Marcia have been together for nearly 25 years, and after the long-awaited repeal of DOMA they decided to make their union official. Surprisingly, their decision to marry wasn’t a given. Continue reading
Anyone notice my new header photo? Apparently I’m the last person in the free world to figure out how to take a panorama photo on an iPhone! How cute and endearing!
You can stop guessing about the location; I spent a lovely 4th of July weekend with my family in Malibu. It was perfect because I’m one of those incredibly lucky people that has family members who would be cool enough to hang out with even if we weren’t related. I’m pretty sure this is a rarity.
In all seriousness, the women in my extended family– on both sides– are really cool, and have fantastic style. Each of them has such a unique and inimitable aesthetic that when I’m around them, I find myself feeling a lot like I did when I was young and clueless and still wearing Talbots. My outfits are like stirrup leggings and Keds compared to their effortless, eclectic chic.
On Dana: J Brand tee, BB Dakota overalls, Converse shoes, vintage Coach bucket bag and bracelet, Madewell bracelet.
I’ve been slacking here, and I feel terrible about it. But I swear, I have an actual reason, and hopefully this will be the last big lapse in posting. (Dare to dream.)
About a month ago I moved to San Francisco for a new job, which was a big and exciting decision for me. I spent a couple of weeks using Airbnb before finding an apartment in the city, buying a car (after not having driven, really, for years), and basically starting from scratch with three suitcases full of clothes. Well, one of them was full of shoes. (Still, it was a completely insufficient selection; I may as well have been camping, honestly.)
View from my office window.
There are some things you can prepare for, and other things that you can’t. A cross-country move is something that you can wrap your mind around logistically with a bit of effort. There’s finding a job, a place to live, a car, and the means of transporting yourself 3,500 miles. Sometime soon I’ll be able to speak to my success or failure in these areas– as of yet, I’ve done what I could to prepare, but some details always manage to slip through your fingers.
One aspect of my move that I have been able to prepare for is in creating a feeling of emotional groundedness that transcends locations and time zones. I’ve been able to do this with the help of my friends. It sounds so simple, but shit, it really isn’t. Anyone who’s been alive for a little bit knows that feeling understood and accepted is a phenomenon not to be taken lightly. One of the greatest successes of my life thus far has been finding amazingly warm people to reassure me that the world is an innately kind place. Their existence proves that to me every day. The bonds I’ve had the luxury of forming have proven so much more essential than anything tangible in life. So while I chase my dreams of working with beautiful things, you’ll always have my heart. You know who you are.
Thanks for supporting me through everything– I won’t forget it.
If there’s one piece of advice that I’ve absorbed from What Not To Wear‘s Stacy London (a polarizing figure, I know), it’s that one should have her clothing tailored. As much as humanly possible.
Think about it: the fashion industry caters to a very limited range of sizes, and sizing between brands– and even between styles– is an often imperfect science. While I happen to have a body type that most would deem “easy to dress,” I’m also about the height of a fourth grader. Or a really big toddler. I don’t know, whatever, most children look the same to me. When I have my pants hemmed (which is an utter necessity, not a choice), there’s usually about eight inches of loose fabric to be axed. Enough to make a bandeau top, or at the very least one of those fake bandana headbands that we all wore in 1999.
Hemming, for many, is a given. It always has been for me. But what if all of your clothes could fit better? I bit the bullet a couple of years ago and decided that yeah, mine definitely could. From there, I set out to find the best tailor in the DC area. Because you know, go big or go home.
Cheryl.
KATE NISHIMURA 