the mission

basic v-neck tee- Son Of John different color here.
suspenders- Forever 21.
necklace- antiqued.
cut offs- vintage Levis from Kukuly's.
  rings- stand in venice, Topshop, Target, antiqued.
bracelet- downtown la.
socks- Target.
boots- Dolce Vita.
bag- Anna Corinna.


sam and i had lunch at one of our favorite vietnamese
 restaurants in alhambra and then walked over to the movie theater to see Drive. so gooooood! after the movie sam brought me to the beautiful san gabriel mission for some blog photos. i love the Spanish-Moorish style of architecture. everything around this district is made of stone, brick and mortar. it should be romantic but there is an underlying energy of loss and sadness that is really difficult to ignore.
  it was founded in 1771 in bloddshed and ruin. a soldier's misconduct lead to violent and barbaric death among the indians.  a chief's wife was killed and later his life was taken when he sought revenge. and to think- masses were held, people were baptised, all in the same area the chief's head was impaled on a stick by the soldiers.
        so... that's my excuse for bitch face in these photos.          

home again

headband- gift from mom or brother.  earrings- UO.  switchlade necklace husband's family treasure.  rings/bracelet- antiqued.  fringed top- Mallau from LF.  belt- YSL.  vintage Levis.  toe socks- bought in a little market in tokyo.  platform sandals- Dunes.

i wish i had a tripod. i took these self portraits by rigging my canon on cutting boards and art books and measuring spoons. ha. self timers are rad.  i am still new to photograpghy. i really enjoy learning as i go.  i have such respect for so many bloggers out there with the knack for gaging light and space.  

i may have mentioned in a previous post my recent satisfaction in chillin at the homestead.  it carries on.  i have been taking lavish care of the garden and houseplants. lots of time spent outside enriching the soil and adding layers of mulch to the garden beds in preparation of fall and possible rain. 

yes, please.

 a match made in heaven! JC and Wildfox collaboration = magical monochromatic ballerina...gorgeousness.

i haven't lusted after Diesel in a while...but i desperately need these Diesel jeans.
how adorable is Elizabeth Olsen in the October 2011 issue of W?

sympathy

headband- UO.  bullet casing crystal necklace- melrose flea market.  stones cropped d.i.y. tee- UO.  suede jacket- All Saints.  skirt- thrifted.  waffled socks- DKNY.  lame oxfords- Forever 21.

dark sarcasm

sunnies- Timeless on melrose.  bag- Coach.  shirt- Fendi.  necklace- vintage. hairband- Target.  belt- Liz Claiborne.  vintage deadstock high waisted flares- Wrangler. boots- Gee WaWa fatale.

investing in gold

silk and jersey tank- Marc By Marc Jacobs.  cross- Christian Dior.  bracelets- vintage.  gold jeans- Zara.  pumps- Coach.  bag- Marc By Marc Jacobs. 

take me higher

hooded blouse- Pins And Needles.  crochet bustier- D.I.Y. crochet.  shorts- One Teaspoon.  bloomers- vintage.  socks- H&M.  anklet- downtown la garment district.  clutch- vintage.  sunnies- Karl Lagerfeld.

be still my beating heart

this isn't much of an outfit post but here you go: sunnies- Spanish Moss.  vest- Jessica McClintock.  flannel- vintage.  ruffled henley tank- BCBG.  leggings- Forever 21.  socks- gift.  meteor shower boots- Seychelles.

my love and i decided that we were born to have adventure.  nothing screams adventure like hopping on atvs and riding the oceano dunes.  it was too much fun. we almost couldn't be bothered to stop to take pictures.  these photos do not even come close to showing the beauty that we rode through. huge mountains of sand swept by the wind...huge gusts of wind whipping against our bodies...my heart, beating in fear and excitement as i get caught in the punchbowl and have no choice but to floor it and careen from bluff to bluff going nowhere but circular nowhere- and fast.  riding steep two story cliffs only to spit straight up another two stories giving it your all just to get over the humps.  screaming out conquering screams of joy  and then teeth chattering when you realize that what you are actually doing could be fatal. 

fuck yeah.

my first interview!

Alexys Oliver is a multifaceted woman who works as a set designer and prop stylist and still finds the time to maintain her fashion blog, Fashionbater. She owns a company with her husband called Concretestem. They work on still photography ads. When they are not working, they are planning future trips usually while working on house and garden projects. Her style straddles the line between feminine and masculine. Her pictures always accentuate her tomboyish charm while still remaining delicate. Her blog ishttp://fashionbater.blogspot.com.

Tell us about your personal style. Where do you get your inspiration?

My style is different day to day. I do like to walk the very fine line of masculine/feminine. I have a strong attraction toward the androgynous flamboyancy of the late 1960’s and 1970′s. I love that this androgyny was prominent in nearly every genre.

What are staple pieces in your wardrobe? What are staple pieces you think every girl should have in their closet?

My vintage biker boots, slouchy oversized indigo thrifted cardigan sweater, The Who old rocker tee, black satin vintage Fredrick’s of Hollywood scalloped slip. These are on constant rotation. Every girl should own black tights, black bandeau, leather or vegan leatherette jacket, kimono or long vest to throw on over anything and a tough comfortable pair boots.

Who are your fashion icons?

David Bowie, Lou Doillon, Mary Kate Olsen, Patti Smith and Erin Wasson.

What inspired you to make a fashion blog?

When I was five, my older sister Liz designated Sundays as sister day. We would look through fashion magazine and clip out Guess and Revlon ads and tape them up on the wall. She would point out the unique features of our favorite model, Paulina Porizkova and explain how far beauty has come. We would create folders of our favorite outfits and try to find similar pieces at resale shops. This was before the Internet, but essentially we were hard copy blogging! So I would have to say that my sister, Liz is the force and inspiration behind my love for fashion, my need to express it, and my desire to converse with fellow bloggers who share the same passion.

check out the rest of the interview at Disfunkshion Magazine

bitch pleats

dress- vintage.  shoes- Forever21.  hair scarf- Escada.

I bought this dress so long ago. It's difficult to wear because the fabric isn't the best.  But today I felt the pleats took precedence.  It was one of those warm/chilly days so the heaviness and "unbreathableness" actually worked in my favor.  I tried layering a camel colored knit over it but again, the fabric is limiting and it looked frumpy and hid the interesting bits of the dress. I guess every now and then I can succumb to simple femininity without the comfort of layers or toughness.