I found this old Boy Scout shirt when I was digging through my closet and decided I really wanted to wear it with something sparkly and girly for contrast.

Of course, a grown woman wearing a Boy Scout shirt meant the comments from the peanut gallery were in full force:

“Are you going camping? Can you pitch my tent? Did you earn your badge in (insert blatant ignorance here)?”

Sigh.

I started to wonder why I bought that shirt at the thrift store in the first place.  Nostalgia for my old Brownie days? Nah, I hated selling cookies (though eating them is still a favorite pastime).

Inspired by Michael Jackson and his apparent love for elaborate patches? Perhaps.

Flashing back to 1989 and one of the best movies of that era? Definitely!

Does anyone else remember Shelley Long and a pre-Rilo Kiley Jenny Lewis in Troop Beverly Hills? God, I loved that movie! Give me a Scout shirt and a few merit badges and I’m ready to throw on a Tina Turner wig and sing “It’s Cookie Time!”

Do your childhood memories ever influence your fashion choices?

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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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Screenprinted tee, Urban Outfitters; skirt, Warehouse; cardigan, The Limited; boots, Century 21; feather earrings, Anthropologie; belt, vintage.

I’m not usually a floral print type of girl–give me blacks and grays any day–but I guess the combination of rainy April weather and warm temperatures is making me feel more princess than witch.

Has the impending spring season had an impact on your style?

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Perhaps inspired by the Comme des Garcons/Like the Boys post from last week, I felt the urge to express my masculine side, which, much like my feminine side, involves scowling arrogantly, greedily stuffing junk food down my throat, and telling other people what to do.

Trousers, J. Crew; oxford shirt, vest, and suspenders, thrifted; shoes, Charles David; Porkpie hat, Hats in the Belfry; Watch, Timex

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Sometimes I want to be like the boys. No, not in the smelly-feet-raggedy-drawers-don’t-clean-up-after-yourself way. I mean in the important way: wardrobe wise, of course. It’s not a new idea: women have been “borrowing” men’s clothing for years to great effect: Think of silver screen stars Marlene Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn draping themselves in men’s suiting, the iconic movie wardrobe of Diane Keaton in Annie Hall, and the laid-back glamour of Yves St. Laurent’s le smoking. Even the boys themselves provide inspiration (’bout time): at the top of my mind are the smooth operators of the Rat Pack and Wall Street‘s unabashedly power hungry Gordon Gekko. A dash of menswear-inspired tailoring (because tailoring is crucial) looks professional, adds contrast to more feminine pieces, and can be especially fun to wear when assuming a character. Key pieces include oxford shirts, tailored trousers, and men’s accessories:

1. Boy’s shirt, Old Navy 2. Silk tie, Krimson by Kwame 3. Trousers, Victoria’s Secret 4. Boy’s blazer, Ralph Lauren 5. Raffia fedora, Hats in the Belfry

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I’m usually more of a purple person (thanks, Prince), but for some reason bright blue seems really fresh to me right now. Maybe it’s because warmer weather is coming and blue reminds me of the sky and sea. Maybe it’s because blue contrasts so nicely with all the gray/black/taupe in my wardrobe (really, who needs six gray cardigans?). Maybe it’s because I’ve been craving some of that good ol’ blue Smurf ice cream from Kings Island.

Yeah, that’s it. It must be the ice cream.

No matter the source of inspiration, my wardrobe as of late has been affected:

Print blouse, Anthropologie; blue t-shirt, H&M; blue belt, vintage

I feel like I need more, though (what else is new?). A dress, some shoes, maybe a scarf…

1. American Apparel dress  2. L.A.M.B scarf, Shopbop 3. RicRac tank, Anthropologie 4. Heels, Steve Madden

Apparently, I’m deep into this blue crush. What are you really feeling right now?

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This jumpsuit was yet another goodie I dug out of the trunk of my car. I want to sew some sparkly Michael Jackson-inspired patches on this sucker so badly. Just call me Maverick!

Vintage jumpsuit and clutch, army surplus belt, Giuseppe Zanotti heels, Claire’s earrings.

*Posts will be a little light this week since I’ll be working on the magazine. Cross your fingers for me!

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