Today I wore my Girls From Savoy dress! I was looking forward to another blissfully gorgeous day in San Diego, but our weather went from glorious to dreary today. I wish I had worn tights, I was freezing cold and wore my military ruffled trench all day.

 I'm super tired from a busy weekend, so I'll make this a short post. Gotta get up really early tomorrow! 

Deets:

Dress- Girls From Savoy, Anthropologie spring/summer 2010

Cardigan- Little Bird Label- Anthropologie spring/summer 2010

Shoes- TribEca by Kenneth Cole, 4-5 years old

Necklace- Giraffe in Circus Car, Miss November Studio

Ring- Onyx and Sterling- recent estate sale find

Michael Kors Watch

My giraffe necklace. I was inspired to make circus themed jewelry all because of this dress.

Long Dress-Short Jacket

Today's OOTD was put together for the spring inspiration contest at work!

We have so many maxi dresses in (I LOVE THEM ALL...UGGGGGGGH!) So I pulled out a second maxi dress after yesterday's outfit was chosen as most inspirational for the morning!

Last summer I fell in love with a beautiful blue printed jersey maxi dress that was (yikes!) almost $300. I carried the picture around in my purse for two weeks finally deciding I would just make the dress myself, when, lo! I found this little number at Forever 21 for a mere $25!!!

I did a little dance in the fitting room when I saw the floor grazing length on my 5 feet and  7 1/2 inches of glamazonian height. Usually maxi dresses don't quite fall to my ideal length. I'm wearing 4" wedges and its still long!

Did I mention its also almost an identical print to the $300, but its made of rayon which drapes quite nicely. I love it. 

Although, last time I wore it a lady asked me if I was pregnant. I told her it was my food-baby, which confused her (she was older). Just a quick FYI, unless you see protruding belly button and maternity pants, never reach out and touch another woman's stomach (She actually did this to me). In fact, I think most mothers out there would agree that even pregnant tummy touching is unwelcome unless you have permission or are close family.

I'm happy to report that no one mistook me for being pregnant today.

Deets:

Dress- Forever 21, summer 2010

Jacket- Penguin

Wedges- Jeffrey Campbell

Necklaces- Vintage and Miss November Studio 

Ring- Miss November Studio

My hair accessory is just a silk chiffon sash from a Dolan dress!

Cheers!

The Winner!

I think I spent about two hours making sure every point was counted as I placed each name in my Pyrex mixing bowl and I have to tell you, Carol at In Pursuit takes the cake for most points entered!

Maybe there's room for a spectacular door prize for "most dedicated to winning." :)

The winner of the STERLING FILIGREE RING GIVEAWAY IS......

Drum roll please.....

Its actually stuff jewish girls like, please forgive!

Hooray! Congratulations! Please contact me at missnovemberstudio[at]yahoo[dot]com!

Stop by Stuff Jewish Girls Like to congratulate her and read her blog!

I also won at work today for the best outfit for the morning shift. We have an ongoing contest to inspire great outfitting and this was my outfit for work today:

Deets:

Dress- Maeve, Anthropologie spring 2010

Hat- Vintage

Shoes- Vintage

Ring and Necklace- Miss November Studio

I hope you're all ready for February's giveaway! I'll be posting details soon!

Cheers!

Mexican Embroidery and Vintage Wide Legs

Hi y'all!

I had an uneventful day off, most of it was spent sitting at my laptop doing homework, blah. I made a delicious dinner for my honey and cleaned the kitchen and living room, so I feel accomplished, but I still feel a little guilty that I didn't spend any time in my studio today as planned.

Oh, I also listed the tiki and parasol necklaces on etsy!

And here is my OOTD! I bought this embroidered shirt for $2 at an estate sale with my husband on Saturday. It was brown with age and had stains all over it. A bath in Oxyclean revealed a gorgeously hand embroidered bird and rose motif with silk thread. The fabric is actually from an old flour sack. What I thought was bleed from the thread is actually letters and numbers that were printed on the sack cloth.

I have a collection of hand embroidered vintage mexican shirts, but this is the best one. I'm gonna guess the lady who owned it got it as a souvenir in the '40's or '50's while visiting Mexico on vacation.

The jeans are high waist sailor style wide legs I picked up a while back at the vintage swap store I used to frequent before my New Years Resolution.

Deets:

Shirt- Vintage 

Jeans- Vintage

Shoes- Jeffrey Campbell wood and leather wedges

Beanie- Anthropologie 2009

Glasses- Urban Outfitters

Undershirt- Eloise, Anthropologie 2010

Drawing for the winner of the Sterling Filigree Ring will be tomorrow! I hope your as excited as I am!

Cheers!

Something Old...Vintage Anthro and Entomology Taxidermy and I Might be a Cheater.

Yesterday was my closing shift so my picture was taken at appoximately 1am by my groggy hubby.

I adore this dress. I loved it when I saw it for original price back in 2006, but I found this gem just a few months ago at a fashion swap store. It has an itty bitty stain, but other than that its perfectly worn in.

And so comfy! 

I decided to go quirky and paired it with my victorian-esque canvas and leather lace up boots from Urban Outfitters. I fell in love with these in the catalog and purchased them right away. They aren't very versatile but they get tons of compliments.

My accessories for the day were a victorian inspired jet button ring and a green japanese beetle taxidermy necklace.

I bought the necklace from a vendor in Old Town for $10. Its an unusual accessory for a grown woman to wear, but I love beautiful bugs and sometimes I can be a little weird.

I embrace my weirdness!

As I was walking to Pappalecco for a pre-work panini, I found a japanese beetle laying in the mulch of a planter. Luckily I had my journal because suddenly a story sprang into my mind about an unusual girl of 12 named Clara who wants to be a boy and wears a japanese beetle pendant that she and her apothocary father made. I'm probably a little inspired by Edward Gorey since it has a macabre twist, but I certainly can't draw like E.G. so for now the story is playing out in my mind and in journal form. Hopefully I can keep up with Clara and eventually have a full story to share. Right now I'm writing about how she uses a linen bandage to bind her budding breasts and mimics the lumbering walk of the coal boy to practice being a boy. She has also stolen breeches off a clothesline and sometimes wears them in place of her petti-breeches. 

Annnnywhooooo......here's my "Apothocary's Daughter" OOTD...

Deets:

Dress- Odille, Anthropologie 2006

Boots- Urban Outfitters 2010

Socks- Anthropologie

Ring- Anthropologie

Necklace- Purchased in Old Town, San Diego

Michael Kors Watch

Oh...I have a major confession to make. 

I bought a dress and dipped into my February budget by $20.

I HAD TO. 

Last week at work we were talking about the Twinkle Twinkle dress by Girls From Savoy from last spring, there's a new version of it in stores now. I had purchased this immediately at full price and returned it due to shoppers remorse within a few days. I was in love with this dress and by the time it went on sale my size was gone. I'm just not the type to go searching for things, I'm too lazy, and I took it as a sign that I didn't need it anyway. 

Back to last week's conversation...I had said if it ever magically appeared in my size I would buy it no questions asked. I always felt like this was truly "the one that got away!" Anyway, a few days ago a coworker brought it to me and I bought it then and there. FOR $39.95!!! You all know I have been so good this month and still had $20 left in my January budget, so I borrowed from February and I refuse to feel bad about it. Yes I cheated a little, but let's call it bending the rules. Its not like I borrowed from February, March and April to buy the AG Farrahs!

Don't judge.

Can you ever forgive me for fudging a little?

Now I only have $30 going into February. Is it weird that my palms are sweating and I feel a little light headed at the thought?

Cheers!

Hot, Cold, Hot, Cold...

I'm so glad I wore a blazer to work today. It was hot out, but I was cold, then it was cold outside but hot in the store. I was removing and replacing my jacket all day.

Here's my outfit worn hot and cold:

print mixing with a scarf

staying respectably modest with a lace bralette from free people

a little entomology taxidermy to usher in spring...

Deets:

Blazer- Cartonnier, Anthropologie 2010

Denim- AG boyfriend, Anthropologie 2010

Blouse- Parker Pink, Anthropologie 2009

Scarf- BDG, Urban Outfitters 2009

Necklace- Butterfly Taxidermy Necklace, Anthropologie 2006

Bralette- Free People

Shoes- Seychelles, Anthropologie 2009

Ring- Sterling silver and onyx ring

Michael Kors Watch

Cheers!

Long Weekend, Longer Post!

I had a glorious weekend, thanks to a saved personal day I had to use up before the end of the month.

Blake and I headed to an Estate sale early Saturday morning in Bonita. The email I received called it a digger's paradise, and boy was it!
Blake usually gets bored with estate sales but at this one he spent an hour in the garage digging out various pieces for an old 1960's wood turning lathe. The lathe and an entire box of tools and etc was only $50! He was really excited. So excited that he crammed it in our Rav4 and broke my favorite mug in the process :(

I found a few things too...I scored an old typeset tray for only $20, a really cool vintage mexican embroidered shirt for $2 (silk embroidered on an old flour sack!), a George Carlin LP for $1, a couple of Vera scarves for $1.50 each and this sterling and onyx ring (hubby bought it for me) for $15!

I was drooling over it at the estate sale, just look at the detail! Under the onyx stone is a basket weave base. $15 was a steal. Its an amazing piece, unsigned, unmarked, but obviously hand made.

I also bought a vintage tiki dress clip ($12) which I refashioned into a necklace in the studio today. I'll post that one up on my other blog tomorrow when I take some better pictures.

The rest of Saturday was spent at the in-laws with my pup Ruby. We took her on a long walk to her favorite park where she poop danced all over the place. You know that thing dogs do when they do their business then kick their feet to spread the scent? We call that the poop dance. Aside from the poop, its really fun to watch her kicking her legs in the air and running excitedly in circles. She only does it at the park so its a rare show.

Later in the evening Saturday, my brother-in-law Ryan, along with Blake, performed a song he had written for me. Earlier in the week we had gone to see the Old 97's and Langhorn Slim perform at The Belly Up in Solana Beach. Langhorn Slim was amazing, I even got some pics with the band after. The Old 97's were so-so, their newer songs are very repetitive, but I like their older music so we stayed for them as well. This obnoxious woman in front of me, throughout the entire set, would turn to her friend and talk as loud as possible with this screeching, wretched voice. The guy to their left told them to shut up a few times, but I was getting pissed. Who pays to see a concert and just ignores the music? I finally snapped and told them to go outside if they were going to talk. The woman told me to move (there was no where to move to, it was a sold out show and we were standing in a seated area).  I told her if she was going to talk she could talk behind me but she was ruining my concert experience. There was a little tussle, more arguing, some foul language and wine spilled, but I finally broke through her and stood in front of her, making my point loud and clear. Apparently my B-I-L heard her say "why are you so mean" at some point in the argument, and he had an instant line for his song. I'll have to have him copy it for me so I can share. I promise I'm not overly eager to fight with people and generally I'm easygoing, but the sound of her voice was piercing and I was so frustrated. I guess I'm the uptight sober girl now...

But enough of that. Here's my OOTD for Saturday which I was too busy with family to upload and blog about.  I thought, its so pretty, I'm going to spend the day with my husband, I want to look pretty too! I tiptoed carefully around that "digger's paradise so I wouldn't get my previously unworn dress dirty. Did I mention this was another of those $9.95 steals from around Christmastime? Kitty cat dress with pockets? Sold!

It was very bright. Next time I'll wear sunglasses! I just love these sunny pictures on the patio. People waiting for Hash House staring at me is so uncomfortable...

Deets:

Dress- Floreat, Anthropologie spring 2010

Shoes- Frye, Anthropologie 2009

Necklace- Gold Bird and Cuckoo Clock, Anthropologie In Case 2007

Sunday and Monday I was in grubby clothes so no OOTD's necessary. 

To all of you that joined in on the STERLING FILIGREE RING GIVEAWAY CONTEST I have to tally up your points and find a deep enough hat for all your entries! I'll announce the winner by Friday!

Cheers!

In English, Please.

I'm working at 3 today so I thought I would get my outfit up beforehand while taking a break from a work project.

I feel a little exposed writing my blog in a public place, but I figured I would multitask by eating lunch, having my tea and getting my work done all at once.

I haven't eaten here in a while but sitting here for the past thirty minutes or so reminds me why I love this place. There is a conversation entirely in italian being spoken between the owner and a patron, a loud conversation that almost begs for a little eavesdropping. If only I spoke italian. I bet the conversation is quite interesting (it certainly sounds so).

The place is Pappalecco in Hillcrest, and you can read about why I love them so dearly here.

On to my OOTD. Whenever I wear this dress I feel like a young girl, its flirty style and vibrant colors evoke a certain girlishness lost in the quest to become a woman. Or maybe that's just me.

 I'm fully aware San Diego is boasting bright blue skies and the most glorious weather in the western hemisphere at the moment, but I'm just not ready to bare my legs yet (hence the tights).

Deets:

Dress- Maeve, Anthropologie 2010

Tights- Hue, Anthropologie 2010

Shoes- Totem Heel, Anthropologie 2009

Necklace- Contrived To Charm

Ring- Miss November Studio

I made this ring from a piece of Anthropologie hardware. I have one in yellow too!

Tiki heels! Sometimes accessories can are more fun with unexpected details.

My friend Tiffany (of Contrived To Charm) gave me this necklace she made with found objects for Christmas when we had our vintage store together.

The vintage name charm is my favorite part.

I wonder what the note in the bottle says?

Sterling Filigree Giveaway Contest Question of the day:

If you were to send a bottle to sea, what would your note read?

Cheers!

PS...The conversation in italian was about tourists coming home and receiving multiple traffic tickets in the mail from driving in Italy. I guess if you're going to visit Italy, do not drive! Pappalecco owns a travel company that sends its patrons on exciting trips to Italy. They have been hearing back from a lot of their patrons about the tickets they have been receiving in the mail once they are home. Four tickets and $1500 Euros later, the poor guy sitting near me (topic of conversation in italian) having his lunch seems dejected and finacially drained after having a great trip. There are cameras at intersections you may not be aware of. Yikes!

Vintage Saks

Hey Friends,

Was it just me or was everyone incredibly sleepy today? Gravity was bringing me down!

I spent the entire day yawning my way through work and practically dragging my feet.

But at least I looked good!

I bought this vintage Saks Fifth Avenue tunic at a local fashion swap store as soon as it hit the rack. I think it looks very mid-century and is incredibly well constructed. Yay for geo-prints and turquoise!

All I need is a bouffant, a headband, a charm bracelet and a tray of lemonaide!

Deets:

Tunic-Vintage 1960's Saks Fifth Avenue (Park Avenue Room)

Denim- AG Leggings in black, Anthropologie 2010

Shoes- FarylRobin platforms (older)

Necklace- Vintage 1960's copper and enamel

Ring- Miss November Studio

 The Necklace:

I found this in a thrift store. Still kicking myself for leaving the matching earrings behind.

Looks familiar?

Joan Holloway from Mad Men (S2P1)

Its not the exact necklace, but it sure looks similar!

PS. I want to live in Sterling-Cooper.

Question of the day:

Who's your favorite Mad Man or Mad Gal?

I think I like Joan best. Her style is phenomenal and I secretly want to be buxom ;)

Cheers!

Changing Clothes 1,603,475 Times in One Day

It so nice to have a day off and have nothing pressing to do. I have a to-do list, mind you, but its long and I hate thinking of trying to cram a ton of jobs into my two days off each week.

Some times a girl has to rest, ya know?

First on my list...procrastinating.
I slept in, checked my email, had a text convo with a friend and tried decide which chore to conquer first.

Since I had worked so hard on my bedroom yesterday I figured I might as well finish putting away the week old laundry sitting in my dining room. I took each drawer out of my dresser, dumped the contents on the floor and began sorting, folding, replacing and tossing items in a donation pile. I decided my dresser was just too disorganized to ever find what I want or need so I gave it an overhaul. I ended up filling a trash bag with items to donate!

Afterward, I organized my shoes and boots and took the hats off the baker's rack. Too messy. At some point I'll hang more hooks in my closet to accommodate more hats and belts. This is how my husband cleans the living room. He throws everything in the dining room, including my shoes, making little piles for me to organize and put away. When I pulled the bakers rack away from the wall I found boots and shoes piled haphazardly against the wall.

Note to husbands: please do not treat your wife's shoes this way. It makes her sad.

Once that project was complete, I yanked the vintage bin out of my closet and began photographing some of the items I'll be putting up for sale soon. I'm still undecided on the name of my shop, but I've been tossing around "EDIE+edie Vintage". 

I'll explain...There is a documentary hubby and I stumbled across this summer on Netflix. The description sounded interesting so we watched. After 20 minutes I realized my mouth was agape and neither of us had said a word or dared to comment. We were sucked in. I was sucked in. Grey Gardens was by far one of the best, most interesting and most disturbing documentaries I had ever watched. A few weeks later we watched the movie Grey Gardens with Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lang. They were amazing and the movie was actually very good. 

Suddenly I remembered the book I didn't quite understand at Anthropologie, entitled Grey Gardens...once I opened it a light went on in my head! The strange cat print apparel and dishes finally made sense! Anthropologie had collaborated with Rebecca Maysles, the daughter and niece of the men responsible for the documentary. Her art is inspired by her father and uncle's work documenting the strange lives of these two former society ladies turned shut-ins. I no longer questioned Anthropologie's vision, but I wondered why they never explained themselves? I'm not the only person who didn't understand the cat print skirts and dresses.  

Now I'm just a little obsessed with the idea of these women who lived apart from the real world for so many years. Little Edie had her own sense of fashion, often wrapping sweaters and towels around her head, securing them with a decorative brooch. Big Edie, bedridden, often wore nothing but a large floppy sun hat, and stayed propped up in bed with only a blanket to cover her sagging flesh. They made their own world, living in it with memories of their former lives as members of the upper class, the famed and eccentric Bouvier-Beals mother and daughter.

I hope that explains EDIE+edie. 

Here are some preliminary product shots until I can wrangle an actual photographer and model.

Cheers!