There comes a time in a woman’s life when she feels a certain…pull at her spirit, a tug on her psyche. It’s as inevitable as the changing of the seasons, and as natural as the sunset.

It’s time for Fall fashion.

As usual, around mid-July I start thinking about cultivating a “look” for  Fall. No, said “look” is never fully manifested; and yes, it’s as ridiculous as it sounds, especially since I’m wearing Daisy Dukes and a tank top as I type this–but it’s, like, nature and stuff. Totally out of my control.

This is what I’m thinking so far:

Images: Style.com

All of which is to say that not much has changed since last Fall. Designers and retailers aren’t stupid–they understand that consumers are tighter with their cash and aren’t interested in dropping copious amounts of dough on styles that will look outdated in a year.

As usual, black is the new black–but surprisingly, I’m no longer interested in the leather-clad powerbitch getups that have been stomping down the Autumn/Winter runways for the past few  years. Aww…maybe I’m growing up?

Nah.

When do you start to think about the upcoming season? Do you have a plan or do you just wing it?

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A while ago, I was talking to my brother about a manuscript he’s been working on for years. As I tried to determine whether he was planning on snail-mailing an actual handwritten manuscript to a publishing house for consideration (people still do that?!), the same thought that pops up whenever I work on the magazine hit me:

Don’t wait for people to give you permission to do what you want to do.

If you want to be a writer, write. If you want to be a magazine editor, create a magazine. If you want to start a conference for people who like to dress up as furry animals, start a conference for people who like to dress up as furry animals. In other words, as a wise man named Michael Jordan once said, just do it.

The ‘net and all of the brilliant (and not-so-brillant) people who congregate online have opened up a world of possibilities for a number of traditional (and not-so-traditional) careers. I explained to my brother that he could start a blog, create an e-book, self-publish with Lulu or Cafepress or Blurb or any of the other online platforms, promote on Facebook or YouTube or Twitter, and sell on Amazon.

It takes a lot of time, a lot of work, and a fair amount of luck, but it can be done. And–pay attention, because sometimes this is the most difficult part to grasp–YOU can do it.

While the web isn’t exactly the great equalizer everyone seems to think*, if you have the heart and can handle the hustle, you can carve out a space for yourself and do what you love.

Are you doing something you enjoy? Or is this all just a pipe dream?

*You still need to be able to afford a computer and internet access, or have the free time to use the services provided at, say, the library. There are still a lot of people who aren’t able to do either, so no, not everyone is included in this “great revolution.” Sorry.

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Clueless was, and still is to this day, one of my favorite teen movies. Really, it ranks right up there with Girls Just Want to Have Fun! and Fast Times at Ridgemont High (also directed by Amy Heckerling). Sadly–or gladly–I have all of the above on DVD.

I watched Clueless pretty much non-stop after my uncle was kind enough to tape it (err…remember VHS?) for me. I was the girl who thought “Rolling with My Homies” was a pretty darn catchy song, and I really wanted to go to a school where people walked down the hall talking to each other on their cell phones.
Since my parents wouldn’t let me transfer to a fictional high school in another state, I scoured the sale rack at Contempo Casuals in search of Cher-like outfits back in the day. Turns out, it’s just as much fun rifling through my current closet for pleated minis and thigh-high socks. I still miss the black patent leather t-strap heels I bought at DEB, though. Man, I really wish I still had those shoes…

Anybody else a Clueless fan? Wanna hit the Val party with me?

You’ll like these, too:
Scout’s Honor
The Gamma Rays
Fashion Math

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I figure we’ve known each other long enough to expose you to my errant babble and rambling life reflections:

• I discovered Scandanavian designer Henrik Vibskov a few months ago and am LOVING his effortlessly blase pieces.
• Did y’all ever “design” new outfits with Fashion Plates and a bunch of stubby colored pencils?
• And did you play with Designer Denim Barbie? I remember those pink molded plastic cowboy boots like it was yesterday…
• The leather cheerleader skirt in this image from Net-a-Porter is so naughty French schoolgirl.
• Confession: I have a mild girl crush on Ashley Olsen (I know, I know) and am now dying to hit the local thrift stores in search of a pair of slouchy (men’s) tweed pants.
• I’ve been wanting a chunky bib necklace for months and the chains make this one look pretty hard core.
• Black Givenchy cutout shoe-ties add a touch of badass to anything. ‘Nuff said.

Have a good weekend!

You’ll like these, too:
Inspiration: Fall-ready?
The Original Blair
Inspiration: Witch One?

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Though it’s almost the complete opposite of the fierce Xena Takes Manhattan looks we saw on the Fall runways, I was drawn to this softly feminine ensemble at Louis Vuitton. By using draping and ruching instead of ruffles and frills, toning down candy-sweet shades of pink with neutral beige, and adding glossy black accents via accessories, it’s a modern take on femme fatale that’s easy to duplicate:

You’ll like these, too:
Runway Copycat: Marc Jacobs
Show Nuff: London Fashion Week
Wear it Now: Fall 2009

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After wasting spending time watching reruns of My Name is Earl on Hulu, I was inspired to dress like Jamie Pressly’s character who, let’s be honest, is a l’il trashy. Trashy can be fun when it’s done right, though! Let’s take a look at some of the key elements:

1 & 2 “A-line” Tank top Shown: American Apparel 2. Hanes
To keep it simple, go for the ol’ standby classic: a ribbed cotton wifebeater. If you don’t like the idea of wearing such violent-sounding clothing, try to find something that looks like it was procured at an impromptu roadside biker rally. I picked up my combination tie-dye/bald eagle flyin’ atcha duck! ribbed tank top from a mall in New Jersey. ‘Nuff said.

Bonus points: Tube top or bikini top–anything that opens the possibility of “accidentally” exposing boobs.

3. “Gold” accessories Shown: earrings, girlprops.com
You can’t go wrong with a cheap gold accessory in this case, so I say doorknocker earrings for the win! You could also try hoops the size of a small foreign car–as long as they’re not real gold. Because really, what would be the point then?

Bonus points: Wear a several pairs of said oversized earrings.

4. Cutoffs Shown: Ksubi, LaGarconne
I made my denim cutoffs from an old pair of jeans–my “8th grade jeans” to be exact. I remember roaming the halls of WWMS thinking I was hot stuff when I wore those jeans, but eventually I, er…”outgrew” them. Not to worry! A few rough measurements and handy pair of scissors took care of that in less than two minutes. You can buy ‘em or do it yourself–they’ll fray and fade nicely after a few washings.

Bonus points: Cut the leg higher than the bottom of the pocket lining for a Britney pre-comeback look.

Note: If you stop here, you’ll probably fall into “trailer” side of this look, which just so happens to be all over the runways right now so score! If you prefer to add a bit of chic, keep going.

5. Add a cover up Shown: Lux, Urban Outfitters
I know I said the point was to show skin, but limiting the exposed skin to one body part (legs, shoulders, back, etc.) will keep you from getting arrested while standing on the corner waiting for your bus. I chose a black open cardigan because it’s easy to put on and remove. For when I get hot, not to fool the cops! Jeez…

Bonus points: Wear a well-cut designer piece like Nini.

6 & 7 Keep the remaining accessories sleek Shown: Belle by Sigerson Morrison sandals, Shopbop; Michael Michael Kors belt, Bluefly
A simple black belt with a gold buckle, strappy black sandals, a vintage cuff…I wore these because black leather is always trailer-appropriate, but also because of the streamlined silhouettes. In this case, too many accessories can look busy and distracting.

To achieve style harmony you must balance the trailer and the chic, grasshopper.

Do you ever get inspiration from unusual places? What are your tips for mixing seemingly disparate styles?

Read these, too:
Fashion Math
Style: Like the Boys
What I Would Wear if I Had a British Sugar Daddy

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After clicking through some of the looks from the recent couture shows, I went back and reviewed some of my favorite collections from Fall 2009. I was drooling over the combination of studs and sequins at Balmain and reminiscing about Michael Jackson‘s foray into French ready-to-wear when I made a startling connection:

Err…has Christophe Decarnin been watching Spike Lee joints? Does he sing (and dance) along to “Be Alone Tonight” in the shower? Does he secretly wannabe a Wannabe?

Let it suffice to say that this particular scene is one of my favorites, and I welcome any reason–no matter how gratuitous–to post it.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJOsjlXXfVo]
Now that you’ve witnessed the fabulousness first hand, here’s what I want you to do:

1. Find yourself a silver and black dress.

1. Dress, Perk Up Vintage 2. Dress, Dena’s Vintage Closet 3. Dress, Shrinkle on etsy

2. Download the Be Alone Tonight song.

3. Keep watching ’til you learn the moves.

And lipsynch in the mirror along with me.

Read these, too:
You Don’t Have to Watch Dynasty
Shopping: Virtual Vintage
Work Style: Take Flight

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I know what you’re thinking:  Tamia, didn’t you already take ridiculously self-indulgent photos in this outfit?

Ah, but no, grasshopper. This is yet another jumpsuit I picked up during a thrift shopping adventure. One that sat lonely and unused in the trunk of my car until I rescued it in a half-hearted attempt at reorganization.

Jumpsuit, vintage; belt and sunglasses, Gucci; sandals, Ash; bracelets and earrings from a craft fair.

The similarity of the pieces is a total coincidence given that they were purchased on separate occasions, but I’ve decided I kind of like having both as an option!

Loss
On a sadder note, yesterday was a really crap day: losing both Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson on the same day was really just too much. Both idols in their own right, Michael was obviously an inspiration to me (and many others) in so many ways. I had MJ posters on my walls, jewelry plastered with his likeness (Jheri Curl and all), and a sparkly glove or two for good measure.

His music has been the soundtrack to my life! I remember seeing the Moonwalk for the first time on the Motown 25 special–it was like magic!–and everyone trying to do it the next day.

I remember being haunted by my fuzzily child-like comprehension of the Billie Jean video–not really knowing what it meant, but not completely misunderstanding it either.

I remember being straight up terrified at the Thriller video (even though I wanted to be Ola Raye)–MJ turning into a zombie? Not my Michael! I would jump off my parent’s bed and run from the room as soon as the werewolf howled at the beginning of the song!

I remember watching  Moonwalker (especially the Smooth Criminal video) at slumber parties and playing around with my uncles and cousins at family gatherings trying to do that “extreme lean.”

There’s so much more–I mean the man’s musical catalog spans decades and his videos used to premiere on network TV at prime time!–but a part of me can’t help but feel like a little piece of my childhood is gone forever. RIP Michael.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfQhdBpCFCA&feature=channel_page]

Read these, too:
Work Style: Take Flight
Shopping: Romper Room
Inspiration: Michael Jackson

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The crazy schedule of the fashion industry (Spring shows in September, Fall shows in February) has thrown off my seasonal sensibilities for years. As a result, I usually start craving Fall items around the beginning of July or so. It’s kind of ridiculous–in the midst of watching fireworks on Sawyer Point in 90-degree weather wearing short-shorts and a tank top, I’m daydreaming about boots and sweaters!

This year, the craving has set in a bit early and it’s much more specific: I can’t stop thinking about thigh-high boots. If you recall, they were all over the Autumn/Winter runways:

Images, Style.com

I keep thinking about wearing them with a floaty romper, dangly earrings, and a brightly printed shawl, sort of like a cross between Talitha Getty and a YSL-clad Veruschka with a little Pretty Woman thrown in for good measure. Definitely a 70′s vibe.

1. Diane Yang earrings, Max & Chloe 2. Warehouse playsuit, asos.com 3. Jamawar shawl, Shawls-scarf-stoles.com 4. Sunglasses, Forever21 5. Two Lips boots, Zappos

However…it is June after all, and thigh high boots aren’t necessarily warm-weather friendly.  Am I being ridiculous? How do you wear things that are technically out of season?

Related Posts:
Show-Nuff: New York Fashion Week
Show-Nuff: London Fashion Week

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I’m not really a math person. As a left-brained creative type, reading, spelling, and language have always been my favorite subjects. However, due to my anal-retentive control freak tendencies and a maniacal need for organization, I do appreciate formulas–as long as they don’t involve numbers.

This translates to my wardrobe accordingly: I like coming up with easy-to-understand combinations–recipes, if you will–for putting clothes together. For instance, trousers + fitted tee + blazer, or this pencil skirt + print blouse + cardigan + boots combo. It makes it simple to get dressed, but still leaves room to have fun with accessories (woo-hoo!) for interest.

Fashion Math really comes in handy when I’m deciding what to wear to work in the morning, especially since mai brane duz not wurk rite before 9am. Today’s equation was inspired by BOY by Band of Outsiders, and is really easy to pull off:

As with real equations, you can use different variables and get the same answer–in this case, the answer is looking good! Another plus (get it? Plus?) is that you probably already have most of these items in your closet, and if not, it’s easy to find inexpensive substitutes:

Left column: Shirt, American Apparel; Blazer, Urban Outfitters; Chinos, J. Crew; Shoes, Net-a-Porter Middle column: Shirt, Old Navy; Blazer, Pixie Market; Chinos, Bluefly; Heels, Steve Madden Right column: Shirt La Garconne; Blazer, asos; Chinos, Urban Outfitters; Heels, Zappos

How do you get dressed? Do you have a process or do you just throw caution to the wind every day?

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