And I'm Gonna Be High As A Kite By Then

Sorry I haven't been posting normally lately. It's not that I'm busy exactly, but just growing up and a little jaded/uninspired this winter. Looks like I'm going to stay an extra year at USC to get my MA in Environmental Studies, which is exciting. I've just been applying for a lot of research grants/study abroad trips lately that in my free time all I want to do is listen to music and knit and watch TV like an old woman.

This is going to be a bit of a stream-of-conciousness post:

1. Just got around to watching the Season 3 finale of Californication. (See? Lots of TV!)

I love David Duchovny. I love this show. The finale made me tear up a bit.

2. Related to the above - I've been listening to this a lot:

3. I got the Linda Farrow x Alexander Wang sunglass knock-offs posted on Luxirare, available here.

The real ones, obvs.

The knock-offs.

Not a perfect match, but pretty close. I think I may paint the tips silver, because that's kind of my favorite part. Makes them look more futuristic, less Keanu Reeves. I also wish the lenses weren't purple, but maybe I can figure out how to change that.

4. Apparently, these sunglasses are available from Hot Topic in a few colors. I found this when shopping for - shocker - nail polish! I had always written off Hot Topic as a lame/cheap store for wannabe goth middle schoolers, but I think now that they are targeting scenesters or whatever, their merchandise is really different... Check it out - Chanel ear knock offs (aka "Lady Gaga-inspired headband"):

Don't Quote Me Boy

Oh, yeah... I started a new knitting project! It MUST be winter break if I have time to knit. (finally!)

I'm not using great yarn on this first one, since it's kind of an experiment...

I'll show you how it turns out and include a pattern in case it actually ends up looking good once I'm done.

:)

Let It Out So It Can Breathe

Loving the Payless boots! :)

Finished my shredded up Raquel Allegra DIY shirt, I think... to the dismay of my roommate. She looked like she thought I should be institutionalized when she saw me working on it

When I'm Telling A Story And You Find It Boring

some Pam Hogg craziness

So, I bought some $6 leggings at Target... (not these obviously)

They're just plain black ones. Cotton, I guess?

They are SO LONG. I'm like 5'2" and they go a foot past, well, my foot...

Anyone have suggestions on hemming? I have no sewing machine. I could handsew, but I'm thinking maybe just cutting them or using double sided tape... Thoughts? I never thought leggings would be something I would have to worry about hemming. Always seemed like such a one-size-fits-all deal.

Same As It Ever Was

my shorts, the movie!

I know this is kind of super-boring, but I was doing super-boring things today (except for the part where I went HERE), so it's fitting. But college sweatshirt + cutoffs + keds = default California "style." It's impossible to be motivated to wear anything else when it's so freaking hot out all the time. Also, I only wear my sunglasses inside when I am preparing to take awkwardly staged photos with no makeup for you guys! :) I hate having my picture taken, and I always end up looking like Debbie Downer. Oh, well. I'm happy, I swear!

His Car Is Warm And Dry

The other day, my brother went to a Reel Big Fish concert that so happened to also be a sort of 30th Year Reunion type deal for the Beat. Now, my brother is very much like me in that he basically doesn't come home from a show without a t-shirt or something. I get it, it's fun to collect. At THIS concert, though, he bought a bit of a project for me. He purchased an English Beat shirt almost identical to the one worn by Sting in the Police video for Don't Stand So Close To Me with the design as seen below:

Here's where I come in: Sting's shirt is all cut up, muscle-tee style, so my brother required my DIY scissor skills. Easy enough. 

I just cut off the sleeves, collar, and hem, no biggie.

see? 

Here's the video for reference (and music!):

more about "His Car Is Warm And Dry", posted with vodpod

As payment for my scissor-skills, I asked my brother to borrow the shirt to wear to the No Doubt concert I was going to the next day in Irvine (08/02/09).

sry guys, all I have are crappy Myspace style shots with my crap camera

and my messy room... woops

Ray Ban knocks - Urban

drape-y cardigan - Target

shirt - DIY

belt - gift (but from Target too I think)

grey skirt - a previously long thrift store skirt I cut

& my Docs

Shot at the concert with the lovely roomie (whose face I censored since I didn't ask her if she minded being on my blog, maybe I will remove it later)

I'll Never Be Your Beast Of Burden

A couple episodes of Beverly Hills: 90210 and Mad Men later, here are my shorts! These are from the Wet Seal jeans I got at the thrift store.

Excited to wear them

Candy

They have arrived! Thank you Studs and Spikes for a prompt shipment!

Get Real Steve Sanders

So, my wardrobe is normally 90% black. And, as a rule, I generally stay away from pink, but I couldn't resist. Beverly Hills: 90210 seems to be running through my veins this summer, so I DIY-ed this Lucky Brand shirt I found at the thrift store with an Obesity & Speed style cut. The floral sunglasses are from Forever 21 and the shorts are old Levis I DIY-ed from Valerie's Balmain-inspired tutorial in cut-off form.

Caught Between A Rock And A Hard Place

Just placed my order with studsandspikes.com...

This could be dangerous.

It's The American Way

Thrift store haul:

clockwise from top left: 

- a very shoulder-pad-y navy blazer (pretty cliche thrift store fare, I'm surprised I didn't already own one), 

- silly 80s printed Alaska tourist shirt (probably going to get cut up into a tank), 

- Wet Seal bleached out jeans (which I considered just leaving as-is after I bought them since I have such trouble finding jeans that fit, but then I was like "Wait! Are we in 7th grade or something?" so I proceeded to make them into really slutty cut offs, & will stud them - I'll update on this soon), 

- black and white lacy tops (the kind best worn with a black bra - great minds think alike, but only if I can get out the house before my parents see - not something I thought I'd have to worry about at 20, sheesh), 

- a couple little purses (the one with the chain strap has leather woven through it thats sort of peeling, so I may have to cut it out and unweave it from the chain if it starts to bother me too much, but otherwise both are in decent condition),

- "No Cuffs Bail Bonds" t-shirt, which I have already incorporated into many mental outfits,

- Nine West oxfords that fit me like a peel on a banana (ie awesomely),

- shirt that reads Hindu Kush the World's Finest Since 1993 (too funny to resist, but so huge I might make it into a dress)

- an Pepto Bismol-y perfect Miami Vice/BH 90210 pink t-shirt by Lucky Brand that says Malibu Everyday Camp on it (pretty big on me, will probably be made into a tank)

Total damage: about $25.50. That's it. Afterward I went to Urban and spent more than that much on ONLY A HAT. 

Except mine is gray. It's cute, but I feel super guilty about the hat now, so I may return it. I'm going to look for a cheaper one on Abbot Kinney/Venice Boardwalk tomorrow.

Destroy My Sweater

I realize I am months late in hopping on along with this Raquel Allegra-inspired trend, but I had been rather occupied last semester getting my A in Environmental Law.


As a perpetual crafter, my room is littered with (mostly unfinished) DIYs and, as an avid knitter, in my opinion there can be no greater and liberating joy found than in destroying knitwear. So, last night plopped myself down in front of Conan O'Brien and took to a sort of big and unflattering AA shirt I never wore anyway. Here's my progress so far:

Just starting out

Almost done with the first panel

Crappy close up on my camera (I couldn't use flash since the shirt's white, so they were all coming out blurry)

I liked how the hem looked where I ripped out the seam - a little bit like perforated paper

First panel finished - it starts in the back but is sort of diagonal and goes up to my armpit

This project is pretty fun and therapeutic. Kind of relaxing to do in front of my Netflix Instant Play Beverly Hills: 90210, so at the risk of looking like I was on the losing end of a fight with Nancy Spungen, I think I'll continue with this... Maybe it'll make a good 4th of July outfit addition?