This year I jumped on the bandwagon and dressed up as Michael Jackson…Off the Wall-era Michael, complete with bow-tie and ‘fro.  At one point, I was walking outside and guy on the other side of the street pointed straight at me and yelled “Off the Wall Michael Jackson!”

Between all the candy and cupcakes and cookies I consumed in a very short period of time and the thrill of doing the Thriller dance (people kept asking! And, um, I did practice…), I had a great Halloween!

Of course, I always have a great time on Halloween–really, an entire day that revolves around dressing up and getting free candy? Throw in some shoe shopping and I’m gold! Here I am last year as Prince (around 2:40):

Fountain Square costume contest

(I swear I didn’t know they were taping–if I had, I might have, um, conducted myself a bit differently. I just discovered this video on Saturday.)

Sadly enough, all of the above only serves as proof that what little sense I possess is seriously in peril.

How was your Halloween weekend?

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I want to dress like Michael Jackson
You don’t have to watch Dynasty…
“Street” Style

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Oh, what I wouldn’t give to have been in Paris during Fashion Week, cavorting with Carine & Co. while swigging champagne at some seedy Parisian dance club in Le Marais. Maybe I would’ve had a chance to ask Kanye what was up with his girl  Amber Rose…who is she, again?

Back to the point:

Not really naughty, but not necessarily nice, either, I’m really feeling cobalt blue right now. The cool shade adds a bright punch of color to an otherwise (mostly) neutral season.

Some were sparkly, some were slouchy, some were oddly reminiscent of a cross between a business suit and a military-style onesie. I’ve always been a fan of one-pieces–just make sure you use the bathroom before zipping it up.

It was lovely to see such controlled glamour strutting down the runways in styles reminiscent of the fabulous femme fatales of the forties (alliteration is fun!). Bring on the shoulder pads, nipped waists, and smoldering stares.

So, basically:

Why does Paris Fashion Week just feel different? Did you have any favorites?

Whew, Fashion Month is over! Why am I so exhausted? Really, it’s not like I went to New York, London, and Milan…

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Ah, Milano. Voglio venire e mangiare tutto il cibo! Alas, I will have to get my fill of eye-talian food and fashion via the interwebz like a good little midwestern fashionista. On the bright side, at least I haven’t had to deal with the jetlag that comes with traveling to New York and London!

Aside: Was it just me or was there a LOT of fur on the runways this season? I know it’s for Fall/Winter, but really…

Moving on:

For some reason, this color combination–especially black and navy blue–always makes me feel sort of mysterious and very French. The key is to make sure that the difference between the two colors is pronounced so as not to look like you tried to match but failed.

I’m drawn to shiny things like a moth to a flame. Since much of this season revolves around dark colors, tough-as-nails studs and leather, and general urban warrior bitch gear, a little sparkle and shine goes a long way towards softening the look.

Full disclosure: I don’t own an honest-to-goodness, both pieces match and came together as a set suit. Something about the jacket and skirt/pants being sold together makes me feel like someone is dictating how I should wear them, which I resent. Man, I’m a rebel!

Most of the suits I could realistically afford are kind of boring anyway, but these fantasy runway versions? Now this I can work with!

So, in summary:

Photos: Style.com, flickr, fantasy-illustration.com

The rest of the Fash Pack already moved on to Paris, but did you have any favorites from Milan? Why the heck did it seem so short?

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Between the cold/warm/completely unpredictable weather and a long string of 14-hour work days, I’m starting to feel like it’s time for a break. What does it mean when you start plotting devious ways to break into the CDC in order to contract the Ebola virus just so you have an excuse to stay home and get some rest? It means you need a vacation, that’s what.

Unfortunately, that probably won’t happen anytime soon, so I just have to fantasize about an extended holiday in some random tropical locale:

As my girl Liz Lemon would say:

I want to go to there.

Of course, no vacation fantasy is complete without an imaginary suitcase packed with the ultimate you-must-be-crazy-you-know-you-can’t-afford-all-that wardrobe:

Photos: shopbop, Browns Fashion, Colette, Apple , Dreams

The other great thing about vacation is that you can eat tons of amazing food since everyone knows all food consumed while on vacation has zero calories, just as money spent during that time has no effect on your bank account/Visa bill.

What do you do to get away when you can’t get away? Please share–seriously, PLEASE!

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Two Fashion Weeks down, two to go! London was, as usual, the wild card of the group, with a number of up-and-comers fresh out of Central Saint Martins showing their designs on the runways.  Tales of fabulous parties in hole-in-the-wall pubs filled with drunken, dancing (Br)it-girls make me want to say things like “What’s all this, then?”  in a (really bad) faux-British accent!

Let’s get this party started:

Houndstooth and checks and tweeds, oh my!  Traditional English gear mixed with modern accessories (golden damask thigh-high boots = YES) creates a fresh but familiar silhouette.

Fancy wearing your art instead of hanging it on the wall?  These modern masters have made it easy by splashing their creations in colorful abstract prints. In this case, looking like a full-on Monet is a good thing.

Am I the only one who watches Dynasty clips on YouTube on a regular basis? Seriously, Krystle, Alexis, and Dominique’s wardrobes were the inspiration for more fashion fantasies than I can count, linebacker shoulder pads and all. Plus, some days I’m all about a good catfight!

The sheer glamour of the Graeme Black show made my heart palpitate. As much as I loved all the grungy black leather and hooker boots stomping down the runways at the New York shows, I usually prefer to glam it up a bit (see Dynasty reference above).  The coolly lavish colors and textures of these Baroque-inspired looks provide an interesting counterpoint to the casual sportswear shown elsewhere.

As for the London Equation:

What did you think? Did you attend any parties?  I need to live vicariously through someone…

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The first of the Fashion Week(s) is drawing to a close, and as promised, I’ll review some of my favorite looks from the New York collections.  A few things are patently obvious:

1. I definitely need to keep hitting the gym

2. I am in desperate* need** of some leather

*not at all

**cannot foresee any occasion in which it would be appropriate to wear

Just goes to show that no matter what you’re wearing, a fabulous furry/sparkly/animal print/looped yarn(?) topper adds instant interest. I don’t wear new real fur (though vintage and faux are fair game), but methinks I’ll have to pull out the gold sequined tee and see what happens…

Combining patterns and prints in earthy colors is a hallmark of the so-called luxe boho look (Lux-ho? Bo-lux? One sounds like a pole dancer, the other like an injectable muscle relaxer. Hmmm…Let’s just stick with luxe boho for now, mmkay?).

No, not that Casual Corner (My mother used to shop there in the ’80′s and she took forever shopping and trying things on. I promised I’d never do that when I grew up. Ha!). I’m referring to the idea of combining contemporary pieces with casual wear–a great way to get more mileage out of your closet. Pencil skirts with casual tees, shorts with cropped blazers (so Contempo Casuals circa 1994), poufy skirts with sweatshirts…sort of schoolgirl, sort of vampy, very cute!

…And everything in between. Gray has been my go-to “color” for years–and that probably won’t change any time soon–but I also adore the stark contrast of black and white.  The Marchesa gown looks as if it’s enveloped in a swirl of smoke, which leads me to envision myself in an old black and white movie, perhaps in a jazz bar filledwith the sounds of a tinkling piano, and as my eyes casually scan the crowded room, the smoke clears to reveal a devastatingly handsome stranger in a jauntily tipped fedora staring back at m…

Um. Sorry about that, I’ll stop now.

Leather blazer, leather shorts, leather pants…leather everything made an appearance on the runway at some point. Tough but soft (the good stuff), slightly naughty yet versatile…I’m all for it!

So, in conclusion, the formula is as follows:

What did you think of NY Fashion Week? Any favorites?

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Are you a good witch or a bad witch?

I was coerced into watching Disney’s Enchanted, which wasn’t the witty satire I expected it to be, but was fairly entertaining nonetheless.  Though I’m not really a pastels-and-flowers type of girl, I watched the end credits roll with an odd feeling of feminine power mixed with girlish vulnerability.

One part of me wanted to sing and dance while cartoon birds circled my head and bunnies hopped around my feet. This, of course, would be done while wearing long dresses (ooh, frothy ballgowns, mayhaps?) covered in floral prints and soft slippers with pink satin ribbons.

The other part of me (more in tune with the real Tamia) wanted to don a shiny black leather cape with a dramatic stand-up collar and navy blue eye shadow smeared up to my drawn-on eyebrows–you know, the better to consult my magic mirror.

How to achieve a compromise between these fairy tale dichotomies?  How do you channel the light and dark aspects of your personality through your style?

Personally, I tend to lean slightly towards the dark side. The studded Louboutins and floral femme-fatale Lacroix dress would do the trick for me. What about you?

T

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