awesome winter hair

                   

Winter hair.  Black and white can be so elegant.  I love white hair.  White as air.  White as wind.  White as the snow.  I think my outfit was inspired by the two art shows I saw on Sunday.  Yes, that can happen to you.  One day you are looking at someone's art, and the next day you're wearing it.

Top to Bottom:

Me, wearing vintage dress by Filene's, sparkly neck wrap thing from my friend's closet - no tag, anniversary earrings.

faultline and falsettos (shell-ed), oil and wax on canvas, 30" x 24", 2013 by Joseph Lee.  

Angel, linocut, edition of 50, 1992 by Elsa Flores.  Printed in collaboration with El Nopal Press.  El Nopal.  The coolest.  See this print at off ramp gallery in Altadena.  Go now through January 12, 2014.  2014!  It's pretty there.  It's really not that far away.  Nice old trees.

Style icon, Yasmina Rossi, queen of white hair.

Elevate

The purpose of dressing is to elevate.  That's what I'm thinking today.  Taking off for a walk to the beach yesterday, I needed to make this day special.   Again, that pomp and circumstance.  I am capable of flying in this outfit. I kind of want a broom like Kiki's Delivery Service. I could do more than deliver some cakes, however, in this outfit. I might cruise over Milan in these boots, and sprinkle an art installation all over Florence' Uffizi Gallery that brings to light our connection to nature, our connection to each other. How's that for concluding Thanksgiving break?

Boots: Italian, Dress: Levi's, Sweater: Vintage, Purse: Vintage, Sunglasses: Tokyo Shop

photos by Evan Hartzell

spring, summer, to fall... what is your favorite season to dress for?

Spring...

Summer...

To Fall...

 

Spring, Summer, to Fall... What is your favorite season to dress for?  To dress for.  Just yesterday, my fashionista-Phd.-wielding-momma friend, Holly was explaining to me how it's not that she likes to dress fancy all the time, she likes to "dress for her day".  She says she likes the "pomp and circumstance" of it all.  Me too!  I thought about how I dress for my day, and I realized I dress for occasions that I imagine might happen or that I desire or that I am trying to evoke.  Here we go, from the top:  

Spring

Evoking:  I am going to a mother's day tea.  In Palm Desert, California.  In the 1960's.

Reality:  I was hosting an open studio of my art. 

Summer

Evoking:  I am an actress in a Greek Tragedy at the outdoor theater by the sea at the Getty Villa.

Reality:  I was picking up my sons from cross country practice.

Fall

Evoking:  I am drinking Turkish coffee in Prague at a vinyl listening party.

Reality:   I took a walk and took photos of cats on the street.

                    

Nice outfit, cat.

Spring:  dress - vintage, necklace - vintage

Summer:  dress - Matty M, skirt under dress - Matty M, necklace - vintage, Mexican blouse - vintage

Fall:  dress - Mayle, belt - vintage, necklace - Tiffany's, headphones - Sony, boots - used, unknown, darn label worn off!

guava boots

This is what together looks like right now.

I dreamed of a guava room. It was guava colored with guava branches hanging down the walls.  There was a window somewhere with nice late afternoon light coming in.  Paula, giver of pineapple guavas floated through the room.

"Paula, Paula!  I got these two pairs of shoes!  Come see them!  They're amazing, and they were only three dollars!"

She looked back smiling and floated away out the guava door of the guava room.

Do you know that as I write this, I am breathing guava?  This photo is actually a combination of Paula's little pineapple guavas sitting in front of me amid my dad's giant guavas and avocados.

So the next day after the dream, Holly comes over to drop off not only her son for the (last) mega slumber birthday party, but also two pairs of boots that look a lot like the shoes in my dream.

And they fit.

And they are comfy.

Thank you San Francisco friend of Holly's sister for cleaning out your closet, and thank you Holly for thinking of me.

Happy.

boots by Hanna Anderson, top is vintage, jeans by Levi's 

Miss Marple

Spring break'n it on Main Street with Lissa of Two Trees Herbal and the dashing Aristotle the Photographer...

Us ladies were fresh off a very amazing night at my studio, Paradiso Arts where we gave the workshop, Transformative Power of Beauty with the effervescent Briana Schuck. We were feeling all glowing and successful because we created an art studio/spa/feast for a special group of women. We got to reap the benefits of each other's teaching as well. It was down right transformative that is for sure!

Prior to this photo shoot, we had a hat fest at Fedora Primo in Santa Monica. I might have to go back for a huge, floppy brimmed wool black hat. Made me look mysterious. Artists must retain their mystery (ha!), I learned from a character on Miss Marple, that happening BBC murder mystery show set in the early 50's, I've been addicted to this spring break. God, they have a superb costume designer!!! Anyway, I digress. Lissa and I discovered at the hat shop that we are both attracted to hats that do not look good on us. On the other hand, when we try on hats that we are not attracted to, we end up looking incredible. Interesting. Aristotle was the only one to walk away with a handsome purchase... In this case, a Greek fisherman's hat. Perfection.

We pose in front of the shop, Paris 1900 which is NEVER OPEN. Art nouveau spectacular shop design. My outfit is a 2013 take on Miss Marple, while Lissa's is part forest.

Also, prior to this shoot we had just rolled down a grassy hill overlooking the ocean in skirts. It's okay because we decided we were 12 years old for the day.

Laura's tank is by American Apparel, cardigan by Loulou, shoes by Hush Puppies, belt is homemade, and healing stones necklace is by Nicole Hoegl.

Lissa's outfit is vintage, baby!

Aristotle's hat is by Dorfman Pacific Company.

vintage clothing expo IS my disneyland

Santa Monica Vintage Clothing Expo.  If I wasn't doing yoga and meditation all the time I would have simultaneously hypervenilated, had a panic attack, and lost all feeling in my legs when I walked into the Costumes from the 1930's Mexican Independence day booth.  But luckily, I am doing yoga and meditation so I didn't.  Whew.  

And by the way, I found one a shorter version of one of these skirts that needs a little TLC in another booth for $15.  Score.

I put this find on when I got home.  I am hoping I can wear it when I get to be a "fancy extra" on Enlightened tomorrow, but I am waiting for that special call from wardrobe for my instructions.  (Did you hear my secret agent attitude.  Always.)  Anyway, this dress isn't really vintage.  It was a stowaway at the expo, but it makes me want to say, "Yes, take me to the Tonga Room."  We lived a few blocks from San Francisco's Tonga Room in another fairy tale chapter of our lives.  Go there.  You exit the street and enter a night time tropical paradise, with a band playing on a barge surrounded by a lagoon, happy hour food on skewers, and it RAINS.

Dress by Kimchi in Blue

Rebecca!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First, thank you to my friend, Laura for getting me to the expo (texting me during Avengers the day before), and thank you to Rebecca for missing the surprise part of a surprise party to come shopping at the expo so last minute.  Rebeeca comes dressed to do some damage in her beautiful platform shoes, lady-like hat, updated 50's shape skirt, modern neck drapery (What did I just make up?), and... come on!  She had to get these gloves.  She was an accessories girl that day.  Delicate handkerchiefs, suit triangles for her man, sunglasses, and gloves... those gloves.  Ms. "No thank you, I don't need that plastic bag for my vintage treasures" Harrell Tickell is one of my super heroes whose film, "The Big Fix" about the BP oil catastrophe will be released on DVD on June 19th.  Pre-order your dvd now!!!

I have always had this vision of rolling racks instead of closets. Finally I moved one from the shed in to the upstairs. It houses my leather coats, boots, and special vintage pieces. - Holly

the church of clothes Or is it the gallery of clothes, or is it the nest of clothes? When your closet is really good, what is it for you? I've heard people joking about nannies who color code children's closets. Uh, is that weird? My fantasy closet is definitely color coded, and yes, I color code my children's t shirt shelves. I mean, they make me happy when I look at them! And I do the same for myself. I love having a moment, and thinking, "Do I feel green today? Red? Blue? Oh, the obvious lack of blue in my wardrobe..." But, I digress into color coding, when I just wanted to talk about closets. Holly had a closet clean out weekend. Lucky. Here are a few snaps: Vintage Chloe stacked heel!

Stack of Missoni, Rosae Nichols and Donna Karan.

Pucci vintage 1975. Fabulous!

Joe Erin boot- very comfortable. Had to have them!

Vintage dress and Lanvin heels!