Strappy Heels and Jeans

 

Sorry for the overload of personal style blog posts lately, but I am having so much fun!

With Autumn fast approaching, my mind has started to switch gears and I’ve started getting excited already about fall/winter styles. I think Autumn is my favorite “Style” season. I love layering scarfs, tights, boots, jackets..I feel like there is so much you can do and not have to worry about sweaty armpit stains like in the summertime.  I have loved the idea of pointy toe heels with jeans since I found a picture on Pinterest of someone in boyfriend style jeans and bright  blue suede ankle pumps from JCrew.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t justify spending the money on the “Real deal” heels from JCrew but I found some similar to what I wanted on Ebay. I paired them with light grey washed jeans from forever 21 and I’ve been looking for excuses to wear the combo ever since!

Besides the brightly colored suede pumps with jeans, I also love the look of ankle strap pointed toe heels with jeans…like these (some of my favorites I compiled):

ankle strap, d’orsay heels

Top left: Siren Heels from Anthropologie.com, $143.20, top right: Kristin Cavallari Chinese Laundry Caye pumps available at Nordstroms.com, $149.90, middle: Xenia pointy toe heels also available at Nordstroms.com, $79.95, bottom left: Joe’s Laney Pumps available at Revolve Clothing, $145.00, and bottom right: Jeffrey Campbell Solitaire Heel, available exclusively from Free People, $148.00.

As usual, all my favorites are above my budget, but I did find some similar that I love from DV by Dolce Vita, for $89.95. They are a little higher than I am used to, but well worth the struggle and pain!

 

I paired them with Super Stretch Legging Jeans from Gap.com and a white cutout floral 3/4 length top I got from Sheinside.com.

I also tried the heels with bright orange capri skinny leg trousers from J.Crew and my favorite new slouchy, extra large, comfy sweater from Target

 

 

Thanks again for stopping by, if you have any questions, comments, ideas, suggestions, ect…feel free to Email me at: forourcity@gmail.com

 

I hope everyone enjoys their final, beautiful days of summer.

To Kimono, or not to kimono?

That is the question…

 

 

 

Ever since I first realized that kimonos were coming into style, I was hooked. I love that they each one is so unique and colorful. They are also super comfortable and cozy, and they hide a lot well (and I can braid the fringe when I am bored). But since I turned 30, I have started to question my wardrobe choices seriously for the first time: should I wear leopard print jeans (probably not) should I wear tube tops and short skirts? How about sparkly things (I love some good sequins)? I can only be thankful for friends for being good hearted and not laughing in my face when I show up wearing azctec print, acid wash, holey jeans.

So this summer, while browsing pinterest endlessly for style tips, I started to notice that most women wearing kimonos or shawls were much younger than me. My thoughts were further confirmed when I was in Chicago during the Lollapoolza music festival. Kimonos seemed to be an essential piece of the 20 something’s summer music festival wardrobe, the other essential wardrobe piece: coochie hugging shorts and lots of under butt (Thanks Miley!).  Let’s just say I had some serious concern for the reproductive systems of these girls because it can’t be healthy to have your shorts jammed up your hoo-ha all day long! Think about your future ladies. and I realize I am dangerously close to wearing hoo ha shorts in the last picture, but I got tights and boots on and no under booty I promise!) 

I don’t say this all this to judge these young girls because heaven knows what I was doing and what I was wearing (mostly musty thrift store finds) when I was in college…I am all for being young and care free, exploring new things, expressing yourself and all those other things that come with the roller coaster ride that is the 20’s; I just have to remember that I am not in my 20’s anymore and maybe I shouldn’t be dressing like a 21 year old and making a fool out of myself.

BUT, all that being said…I like my kimonos and my shawls and won’t stop wearing them…but if I start asking you about molly, then someone needs to have a talk with me!

 

what do you guys think about kimonos? If anyone has a picture of their favorite kimono, or favorite outfit with a shawl, you can email me at forourcity@gm

tattoos: i want them, i need them pt. 2

It’s time for round two of beautiful tattoo designs I have been coveting lately. I swear, if I was in a stable job right now, there would be nothing holding me back Last night, while I literally spent all night long looking at people’s “boards” of tattoos on pinterest and found some beautiful, inspiring and unique tattoos. Sometimes, I fall in love with some tattoos but always in the back of my mind I cant help but think…how will I feel about this having to see this every day for the rest of my life?

Lately, (and I am pretty sure this change has to do with my new found obsession with pinterest), I am finding the most amazing tattoos that I would get in a heart beat.  I am being to see a pattern in the types of tattoos I love: simple lines and also brightly colored designs  saw a few beautiful colorful tattoos that look like water color paintings.

I LOVE the colors in the above blue flower tattoo. They are so rich and look so real and textured they look. I also love that the colors aren;t hindered by the thick dark outlines and end up looking like a coloring page….if that makes sense at all.

A few of the MANY stunning watercolor tattoos by artist Amanda Wachob. Check her work out at: http://www.amandawachob.com/gallery/skin/. I have never seen anything like these tattoos.

Another example of beautiful colors and distinct blending.

Do I love this tattoo or am I maybe blinded by the beauty and “coolness” of this model.

the tattoos I am most drawn too, can be categorized into two differing types.  First: simple and elegant lines and patterns;  second: bright and bold colors. This is the one I am leaning towards getting. Something about the simplicity of the lines calms me. While I am more drawn to big and bold colors; something about the simplicity and evenness of the lines calms me. Ever since I was born, I have always had an uncanny knack for creating unnecessary chaos in my life. My parents used to say they could always know where to find me by following a path of discarded and broken items. My husband is always shocked and annoyed at how quickly I can turn a room, or, my life, upside down. I tend to worry about everything and focus on the unimportant little things in life and I think this tattoo would serve as a consistent reminder to simplify my thinking. I don’t know why I think that way, but even just looking at the even circles makes me feel more peaceful.

I also really like this one but I don’t think I would get it on my hand. Mainly because, I don’t think I would be able to get away with it as an elementary teacher.

A couple more……LOVE all OF THESE!

easy peasy T-shirt necklaces

I lurrrv t-shirt necklaces! These are two that I’ve made. They are super easy to do and make a big impact. I also use them as scarves in the winter. Here is a tutorial. Just need old t-shirts and scissors.

Felt-tastic Necklaces

Happy New Years!!!! I hope everyone had a fantastically memorable New Years Eve. Mine was definitely memorable but not so much fantastic.  We listened to a really horrible 70’s cover band (in TIGHT COSTUMES!) and watched a bunch of surprisingly limber, but incredibly inappropriate drunk old women dance.  Next year, I’m not even going to try. I will be at my house, with my husband and my dog; which is always what I wish I was doing when I am out on New Years Eve.

Anyways. Back to felt. fantastic felt! felt-tastic.

Felt. I love this stuff! I’ve been hearing a lot about felting crafts in the past few years- it seems to be what all the cool kids are crafting these days- but,  as usual, I am running a little bit behind with the “trends” and have only just fallen in love with felt! And fell hard! 

So I thought I would share this felt flower necklace craft that I’ve adapted from a couple of different crafters….I love Martha Stewart’s fabric flower necklace and have unsucsessfully attempted it several times but my flowers don’t look anything like Martha’s. And I KNOW for a fact that I picked up the felt flowers from some creative and inspiring crafter on the internet but I cannot find the website for the life of me! I’ll add the links in when I find them.  

Making the felt flowers are super easy. All you need are felt squares, which come in so many different bright and fun colors (Michael’s has them for $.29 per 8 x 11″ sheet), permanant marker, craft scissors, tacky glue (the clear kind works the best) and random circular objects of various sizes!  They come in so many bright and fun colors too.  Just trace various sized circular objects and cut them out. 

 The next step is cutting the felt circle by cutting in a circular spiralliing motion. Then, starting from the inside, with the smallest circle, overlap the layers to create wider and wider circles. Dab some clear tacky glue every once in a while on sections of the felt and then a dab of clue and the ending tip to keep it together.

Once you have a good amount of completed felt flowers, (as you can tell from the above pictures of my felt flowers, I got a little OCD and made way more felt flowers than is needed), then you need to make the base of the necklace. I’ve used a kidney bean shape to create a curve around the neck, but you can do anything really. 

 Using needle and thread, arrange the flowers and sew them onto the backing. I also threw in some

colorful beads. 

Thanks to my beautiful friend Mary who was nice enough to be my felt-tastic model!

Holiday DIY Decor: Yarn Christmas Tree Cones

I got inspired to do these super simple and cheap Christmas trees after seeing a pin on pinterest that came from Thriftyandchic.com: 

soo cute and rustic! But I didn’t have any hemp yarn so I used some thick wool yarn (and instead of styrofoam cones like the ones thriftyandchic.com uses, I used paper cones). All you need is a few yards of thick yarn of your favorite color, a glue gun and a paper or styrofoam cone and you are in business baby!

A simple, easy, chic and unique DIY Holiday Decoration!

Anyone out there done any of their own DIY Holiday decorations lately?  I am always looking for inspiration!

tattoos: i want them, i need them.

Lately,  the urge to get another tattoo has been gnawing away at me. I have two at the moment: 

 a small dove on my foot, that both of my best child hood friends have as well in the same spots (which I got when I was…19 or 20?)

And three peacock feathers on my back between my shoulder blades that I got when I was 21 and going to school in L.A. 

I told myself after the peacock feathers that I would wait 5 years (plus, I’m terrified of needles and had to go back to the Tattoo Parlor at least 4 times because each time I came, I would pass out). I’m 27 now and so much has happened since then. I’ve gotten my Masters degree, got married, got a job I love and feel much more stable and solid than I was 8 years ago. 


Also I’ve lost two important people in the last 2 years: one of my best childhood friends (not one of the ones who got matching tattoos with me) past away from an aggressive cancer, leaving behind a beautiful 5 year old daughter and my grandma who was so beautiful and also happened to be my favorite person and passed away after suffering with Alzheimers’ disease for 16  long years.

grandma in all her 90’s glory (in the silk blue suit)

about 5 years into her disease, after a stroke (around 1999)

right before she passed

 Before I lost these two people, I was very very lucky to not have to face death and deal with the sense of loss, anger, confusion, and the infuriating feelings of guilt for leaving things unsaid and undone. 

Anyways, these things have made me want to get a tattoo in honor of my grandma and friend. A close friend of mine, who has had a difficult life and has suffered so much more loss than I, has these beautiful and simple plain black bands on his forearms. Some of them are thick (an inch or more), others very thin. 

my friend’s arm I had an idea of what I thought the bands might symbolize and knew that he treated each tattooed band with stoic reverence. I finally asked him to tell me about them and what they meant to him. Ever the philosophical fellow, he replied with:  “Humans, like trees, grow rings of memories.” Which I loved because I have always loved trees (such a silly statement to make, I mean, who doesn‘t like trees??). I love how they look, how they smell and what they have symbolized throughout man’s existence (life, death, wisdom, nourishment, hope, growth, security, family).  Anywho, I am thinking of getting two thin bands on my left forearm, one in honor of my grandma and one in honor of my childhood friend. Although, my friend also warned me of getting a tattoo that symbolizes the loss of someone you love in a place that you have to look at all the time. He said that every time he looks at his tattoos it only reminds him of those he has lost and makes him sad. I thought about this and realized that I think the reason I want them in such a visible spot is to remind me to make the most of the time I have with my loved ones and to act in such a way when I am with them, that on that very distant day in the future when I have no more time with them, I will be left with no regrets.   But, I will continue to evaluate the real reasons I want this tattoo, where it should go, and what it will represent to me. In the meantime, here are some badass tattoos that I find to be lovely and inspiring (via this cool website I just stumbled on: http://fyeahtattoos.com/:

by artist: Dan DiMattia

Illustration from my favorite book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein Tattoo Artist unknown

 not sure who did this one but it is so lovely. 

http://caseyjordan.tumblr.com/

 I LOVE this Joy Division album artwork, and apparently so do many people. I have found about a dozen tattoos with this artwork tattooed somewhere on them. I think the forearm one is my favorite.

 one of my favorite paintings by one of my favorite artists! (The Kiss by Gustav Klimt) Tattoo artist unknown

loverly.

Fair Trade Ethiopian Coffee Bean Jewelry.

Ethiopia holds a special place in my heart. I have been blessed to visit three times to work in an orphanage for children with HIV/AIDS and to teach English.

A close family friend, who is the executive director and co-founder of of the Beza International Ministries approached me with these beautiful necklaces made of coffee beans by Ethiopians living with HIV/AIDS.

The Beza Entoto Outreach Program was created by Beza International Ministries as a result of the growing number of people suffering from HIV/AIDS in Entoto, a region in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia.

The Beza Entoto Outreach Program established a project that would allow individuals living with HIV/AIDS to generate their own income.

Jewelry making was chosen because does not demand expensive equipment and is not arduous. The individuals who make the jewelry are paid a sustainable income and by purchasing a piece of jewelry you are directly helping someone in Ethiopia provide for themselves and for their families.

I pay a fair trade price for each necklace and also donate 30% of each purchased piece

directly to the Beza Entoto Outreach Program.

Please visit my new website if you are interested in purchasing a necklace and to learn more about the jewelry and the beautiful people who make them:

http://www.fairtradecoffeejewelry.com/