Private Moon

Private Moon is an ongoing photographic project by Leonid Tishkov that has held my admiration and imagination since 2003. The series started in the artist's homeland of Russia but has since taken him and his "private moon" all over the world. Adding to the beauty of these images is Leonid's tendency to anthropomorphize his moon; in response to a question about the most interesting place he's taken the moon he stated, "The strangest place was in the depths of the Yenisei River -- this cold, fast-flowing river in Siberia. I took hold of the moon's chain and pulled her onto a fishing boat like a huge, bright gold fish. And I swam with her to a deserted shore."

More Please

*collage by me

A quote that has been resonating with me lately comes from a poem by Marty McConnell that is called "Frida Kahlo to Marty McConnell." While I find the entire poem incredibly inspiring and sometimes ponder the beauty of the lines "don’t wish away your cracked past, your crooked toes, your problems are papier mache puppets you made or bought" which just makes me feel so much better about my own history, today my focus is on this potent bit of text, "don’t lose too much weight, stupid girls are always trying to disappear as revenge; and you are not stupid." While I don't like being told I've been stupid, that line really wakes me up every time I read it. I don't see it merely as an attack on diets, but an assault on the countless, routine ways in which myself or other females attempt to diminish their own presence in society. What is the shrinking of bodies but an attempt to take up less space? Even on a subway or bus I find myself crossing my legs and keeping my arms tight to my body, tucking feet under the seat and holding my purse on my lap--turning my body into a pretzel in order to take up less bench space. Half of the time in this situation I can look across and see a young man sprawled with legs splayed wide and body stooped over as he consumes part of the space in front of his seat as well as.
When it comes time to pen resolutions for the coming year I'm once again struck by how many times the focus is on "less." Whether it's less fast food or less time spent online, the focus is on reducing and looking at current habits in a negative light. Sure, some things are destructive and should consume less of our days or lives, but approach and the way things are phrased matters. Instead of less fast food perhaps it can be more cooking at home (the goal of a new recipe a week), or instead of less time attached to your computer why not figure out what you do want to spend more time doing--reading, hiking, learning a new skill? It's merely language but language is the beginning of definitions and how we see ourselves and it's possible that if we change the root we can alter the entire pattern. So for me, 2014 is to be my year of "more."

Born With A Silver Spoon

While I was not "born with a silver spoon" as the saying goes, I do get a kick out of jewelry made from silverware. I had a spoon bracelet in college I've since lost and recently I received a few new pieces from Silver Spoon Jewelry. This particular line further suits my preference for vintage pieces since this jewelry is inspired by silverware patterns from the 1800s and early 1900s. So the whole collection is a fun mashup of antique romanticism and modern tastes--i.e. the jewelry is inspired by vintage pieces but it seems unlikely you'd find fork rings in the 1800s. Anyway, wearing this while visiting my family. It's so nice to be back to my mother's home-cooked meals for a little while and with family members you don't see every day nearly every night ends up being a game night.

Outfit details:

Shop Ruche coat

Boden sweater

Family Affairs skirt

Modcloth tights

Seychelles oxfords

jewelry ℅ Silverspoon Jewelry

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Looking Back

I know recap posts from the past year are predictable and commonplace on the blogosphere right now, but on a  personal level a recap affords the opportunity to reflect on everything you've done in the past year and look forward to the future. And while 2013 started slow and cold it certainly picked up on a big way in spring and when I do look back at everything that happened this year I become very excited for the future.

I started growing out my pixie cut and over the summer I fulfilled my childhood fantasy of having blue hair. Dyeing my hair was a pretty big step for me and I'm excited to play around with color again when my hair is longer.

Towards the end of summer my sister and I spent a week exploring Iceland. It was really wonderful to visit such a beautiful country after planning and saving for this trip for over a year.

I met my boyfriend Thomas in Lancaster, but since he's from Northern Ireland it was my turn to visit him in October. Since he took nearly all of my pictures while I was there the only pictures I have of Ireland without me in them are from Instagram! Ireland was beautiful and I can't wait for an opportunity to go back. Also, I'm hoping to post a little more on Thomas in January that should assuage anyone's curiosity on that subject.

Pennsylvania got steadily colder and our past month has been a busy bustle of Thanksgiving, Friendsgivings, preparing for Christmas, finishing my zine, and dealing with snow. Some of my favorite pictures from the year have been taken in the past month while exploring my city and the parks in the snow.

While that's a some of the places I've been and things I've done in 2013, some of my favorite posts were semi-embarrassing like talking about being a late bloomer or not feeling pretty when I was younger. I don't know what 2014 holds, but looking back at the past year or even how I felt a few years ago always makes me feel more hopeful about the year. I've been low in the past and it's always gotten better and that's reason enough to enjoy looking towards the future.

Lace Affair $75 Giveaway

Today I'm excited to partner with Lace Affair for a new giveaway. Lace Affair has a bevy of lovely vintage-inspired pieces, perhaps my favorites are their line of tulle skirts--I have one and wouldn't mind adding to my collection. The skirt hits at the bottom of my knee and is full without looking like a tutu, definitely a great piece and well under $75. The winner of this giveaway will receive $75 to Lace Affair to buy whatever their heart desires, whether it is a vintage-inspired lace blouse, mod mini skirt, or cozy cardigan. I clearly like the classic black and white outfit from the Urban Wanderlust lookbook (although the library setting is probably influencing me as much as the clothes), but the store also carries more colorful and modern pieces.
To Enter:
-leave a comment here linking to your favorite item at Lace Affair
-bonus entry: like Lace Affair on Facebook and leave an additional comment
-that's it! open to International readers, the winner will be drawn at random in one week

///This giveaway is closed. The winner was Eline.///

Passion Pit: Carried Away

Passion Pit's music video for Carried Away is hardly new or fashion-related, but since a recent re-watch left me inspired by Sophia Bush's wardrobe all over again--I can't resist sharing. It's a catchy song and the video is full of fun French New Wave influences and yes, beautiful clothes. I mean that lace swing mini dress with the dangly earrings? So good.

Home For The Holidays

I've been visiting with my parents and sister for the holidays and Virginia has been a little warmer, a good deal less snowy, but just as festive. With this coat the color scheme of wreaths and ribbons has been working itself into my wardrobe and when I add in some new bobby pins from my sister I feel like an ornament myself. I know Christmas is technically over, but I'm hoping not everyone tears their trees and lights down immediately since I quite enjoy the decorations and the warmth they add to these cold December nights.

Outfit details:

bobby pins, gift from my sister

Shop Ruche coat (sold out, similar)

Lauren Moffatt dress

Modcloth tights

Seychelles oxfords

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by Cali Sales

Sunday Remix

Previous outfit posts: one, two, three, and four.
I got this sweater back in 2011 and it continues to be a fall and winter favorite (semi-similar sweater here); the fair isle pattern is a classic and the colors always seem so in-tune with the trees in October and November. Off the topic of clothes, I think the first two pictures are rather funny--the way I seem to be smiling at myself. I am fond of looking out of the frame in pictures; part of that drive to make the clothes and composition the subject of the photograph rather than a cheesy grin.

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A Moment's Reflection

So much of art and photography that you admire is this underlying theme of "I wish I had thought of that." But you didn't and the original artist probably did it better than you anyway. I definitely wish I had thought of Cody William Smith's photographic series titled "A Moment's Reflection." It's an ongoing series studying reflections, drawing "new connections between familiar forms by introducing specular reflections to environments where none would typically exist. The mirrors serve as a focal point within a given scene and also function as a window to provide an entirely unique perspective on the same location."

Populaire

Populaire tells the story of young woman dreaming of escaping her small town roots and living the life of a modern woman as a secretary…the problem is, she's a terrible secretary in regards to everything except her ability to type like a demon. Roses's speed typing skills soon win over her reluctant boss Louis and sets him on a scheme to train her into the fastest typist in the world which leads us to a series of typing competitions all on the road to infamy. Reminiscent of Rock Hudson-Doris Day romantic comedies down to the music, the romance in this film is similarly as questionable as that infamous pairing, but the charm and pure vintage eye candy carries the film through. Rose is a perfect ingenue, equal parts self-doubting and determined and Louise acts the perfect cynical counterbalance, who is wooed by Rose despite himself. In the end it was the art direction and costume design that kept me hooked through this film.