all hallows eve

since h-dubs is on a saturday this year, it's basically a two-for-one deal. we have two days and nights to dress up. which is perf for someone like me who has some issues with decision making (see, rainboot posts). i like to do it up, and then do something easy, and maybe squeeze in another costume if i can. this year i have three tentative costumes (work, class, and saturday night). last year i only had two, one of which is pictured below:

me, as karl lagerfeld.

so not to toot my own horn or anything, but this costume was amazing. i completely rocked it. unfortunately by then end of the day i thought i was going to asphyxiate on the pounds of baby powder that i dumped in my hair. so when i got home from work (oh, did i mention i wore this work and was pretty much the only person dressed up?) all i wanted was to shower and put on something more natural. for the party that night i wore a nuditard and a wig and was eve. it was great. nuditards are super comfy, full of shock value, and a great investment piece. for anyone without a costume at this stage in the game: go get a nuditard and thank me later.

have fun this weekend and be safe kids! i'll post my trifecta of costumes by the end of the weekend!

the new 'do

 for those that know me this will come as no surprise: yesterday completely overhauled my hair. i went from strawberry blonde to dark brown in the course of an hour and a half. i don't know what inspired this change but i love it! i feel like a different person. my hairdresser is SO fantastic, he makes every color look like my “natural color” (whatever that means anymore). i love how instantly the dark brown changed my complexion completely! my eyes all of a sudden pop with green! my co-worker said i looked super tan! my skin tone looks much more even! it’s such an amazing and fun transformation…maybe that’s why i do something like this 4 times a year.

so…what do you think? i love to hear people’s reactions to things like this, and don’t worry I won’t be offended if you like other colors better. i’m pretty used to that too.

also, socks with open-toed heels? totes digging it! are you? 

 

cashmere tee: isaac mizrahi. skirt: jcrew. socks: brand?? purchased at loehmans. shoes: nine west. bag: comptoirs des cottoniers.

ps. not so into these pictures. what a horrible background. might stick to laundry room photoshoots from now on.

more boots

geez i am the worst. not only am i more torn on which pair to get thanks to everyone's insightful comments...now i have more to add to the mix.

banana republic equestrian rainboot. $98

too boring? i love these classic looking boots, but maybe some color would help make a rainy day less drab.

michael kors stormy rainboots, bloomingdales. $125.

also too plain? but they are motorcycle rain boots! like frye's but rubber!

ok, so i've been lucky and it hasn't poured again yet. but i need to be prepared...let's choose a winning style! i think i have elimated the lace-up chookas if that helps. but i still like the rest! help me out in the comments!

jessica z

my girl jZ dresses to impress everyday of the week. here is but a sampling of the outfits she throws together...from monday meetings to thursday wrap-ups, she's got it covered. and without any boring fallback outfits (trust me, her 'fallbacks' are way too stylish).

 

isn't she just the cutest?

thanks, jess!

cruisin for a bruisin

last night I worked late at an event at my store (not mine like i own it, mine like it owns me. as in, where i work). i'm in charge of rsvps and checking people in. i'm kinda like a bouncer but i can't be as mean as i would like. instead, i look pretty and smile and greet people but if you're crashing my party i'll give you staredown so hard it'll bruise! trust me, you don't want to see it.

when i got home at 9:30 last night i asked matt to take outfit pics because i felt so darn pretty!

 

dress: theory

tights: hue

shoes: zara

 nailpolish: vamp by chanel 

bracelets: tortoise shell cuff, antique. beads, my mom's design.

rainy days ahead

it's that time of year....winter is on its way. in san francisco that means months of mild gray days with hopefully good amount of rain (yes, i went there and while rain is no fun for anyone, it's certainly better than a drought and fires). unfortch for me, my super cute rainboots cracked and now they don't serve their primary purpose all that well. that is to say, they don't keep my feet dry. i can get away with it on light rains, a.k.a. mist, but not for actual drops of water falling from the skies.

i'm not exactly the biggest fan of boots, rain or otherwise (see carousels and bows wherein i discuss that socks are like prisons for my feet. boots are maximum security, but cute). nevertheless, wet feet are pretty awful so i am embarking upon a search for new rainboots. knowing me, this could last all season and then i could put it off again until next october.

chooka lace-up rain boot. nordstrom's. $79.95

too much?? i like the lace-up cuz it's different. and i love the olive green trim at the top.

chooka signature croc boot. nordstrom's. $79.95

too boring? what's up with that big chooka label on the side. but i do like the croc.

tretorn skerry vinter. piperlime. $60.

too short? hmmm i kinda like that. and fur!! they come in a goodlooking brown also.

hunter original in merlot. piperlime. $115.

too expensive? these are the classics though, so maybe they are built to last. hopefully.

kate spade randi. kate spade. $125.

too absolutely ridiculous? yes. but too cute?? also yes.

can we play the voting game on this one? that was so much fun last time. also, please if someone who lives not in a mostly dry climate has any suggestions i would looooove to hear them. i'm all over the place on this one and clearly need some guidance. thanks!!

alexandra wang

last week i asked you, my dear readers, to help me choose a designer to emulate in front of my class. together, we chose alexander wang. secretly, i was pretty sure i would choose him all along, as i am a longtime fan and have a few of his oldest pieces, and certainly want his newer ones. so good choice, you guys! thanks! and here are the results of last weeks poll and costume party slash midterm project.

   

tah-daH! maybe if i get a good grade on my paper i'll let you guys see that too. we had to present this in class and i went first (i am soooo brave now) and i got some good vibes. what do you guys think of my interpretation? should i get an A+??

happy friday!

i know that on a friday afternoon, the last thing anyone wants to think about is monday morning, but i just want to QUICKLY point out that the pierre hardy for gap fall/winter boots are hitting stores on...you guessed it, monday morning. just a lil something to keep in mind over the weekend!

pic via vogue.fr, but also via nitrolicious (it's the same imgae duh)

which ones are your fave? i'm feeling the tan suede...with black tights and a dress that could look kinda cute!

Gentlemanly Affairs (a.k.a Man Stuff)

After the San Francisco Brooks Brothers absolutely butchered the tailoring job on a new suit I had (almost) purchased last year I thought it was over between the two of us. It was a ridiculous scene. I was pretty bummed too because it was my first suit and I dig the Brothers; their gear is well made, timeless and reasonably priced. If you need a nice suit and you're not Rockafella (said like my folks, with a New England accent) you might as well buy a BB suit. I thought.

Anyways, they say time heals all wounds and I'm thinking it might be worth another shot. Brooks Brothers has teamed up with the costume designer for Mad Men and created this limited edition "Mad Men" suit. Yea yea yea I know every Dick and their dog wants to dress like Don Draper these days but there are several reasons why I'm actually thinking about buying one of these. First, everyone should dress like Don Draper. Second, everyone knows you can't miss, or mess, with gray/charcoal. Third, I'm thinking sharkskin is pretty cool, and definitely NOT the norm over here in the FiDi where I reside from 9-5. Fourth, the cut on these things looks to be RAZOR sharp and, fifth, to top it off I'd be getting a limited edition BB suit for just shy of 1, 000 buckaroos. They're only making 250 of these! This might be the cheapest nicest suit I've seen in a long time. There's 5 reasons why I should make an effort to forgive and forget. I don't know what else to say. Does it come in a 3 piece?

I'll definitely be trying one on, I suggest you do the same.

(via nytimes.com)

ta-hizzle

last week i left you all with some awesome art activities to do while i was in the middle of the woods in tahoe (=taheezy, ta-hizzle, ta to the hoe, etc). i spent most of the time carting around firewood, going on hikes, and eating pancakes, but it wouldn't be a weekend without a great shopping find. behold, the ultimate hipster sneakers that i bought for --are you ready for this? maybe you should be sitting down-- $2.49 at RITE-AID!!!! i know i know, i am one lucky girl.

 

 

 

who makes these puppies?? 

cotton--the fabric of our lives.

ding ding ding we have a winnnnahhh!

dear you guys,

thanks SO MUCH for your help! by the end of the day alexander wang was the clear winner, so i was on a mission to make it work (love you tim gunn). i stopped by forever 21 and got some faux leather shortie-shorts, walgreens for some athletic socks, my roomate's closet and my own to get all the pieces i would need for my outfit! it's looking so good so far, and i still have two days (kinda) to perfect it. i'm so stoked!!!! i took a pic on my phone but i can't figure out how to upload it here, so just wait till saturday for the final product!

i'd like to give a special shout out to the boys that weighed in on the subject---it's so nice to have (an attempt at) gender balance!

stay tuned!!

love,

al

for a sneakie peakie-- these looks are incorporated in my ensemble!

homework help!!

dear you guys,

i need help! i have a big ol' project due on saturday but i want to get it done as soon as possible since Bri is coming to town and work and stuff and blah blah blah. basically, we have to choose a collection from nyfw and write a little report. easy! great! no prob! but WAIT. this is where i need your help: on saturday we have to DRESS LIKE THE COLLECTION!!! that ups the ante major-styles.

so far i have narrowed it down to 2 collections that i love/think are cool new directions, and 1 that is cool and i could probs dress the most like.

door #1: ALEXANDER WANG.

gotta love a hometown hero....been a fan since the beginning and i'm digging the athletic look this season.

door #2: MICHAEL KORS.

too easy? it's nice, but a little...predictible. but i could slash up an old sweater no probs.
door #3: RODARTE.
we all know i love those mulleavy girls and they've done it again this season

PLEASE, go check out the collections at style.com and report back with your favorite/what you liked best/how i could rock it/ etc...

thankYOU!!!!

love,

al

diy jim bag

friends, i'm going away for the weekend, which means no new posts during the time when i usually post a lot. i know, i know, most of you are thinking "well shoot, what am i going to do?" but, fear not!. in my absence i leave you a super fun DIY project! i made a gym tote for my workout-buddy/ shopping partner / friend / mentor / possible soon to-be-guest-blogger, jessica a few weeks ago as a super belated birthday present. it's a fun, personal, and useful gift, and it costs me only a few bucks to make! see for yourself, make something while i'm gone (sending it to me is optional).

you'll need: a silkscreen + squeegee, fabric silkscreen paint, some acetate paper (the stuff that's used on overheard projectors), an x-acto knife, a sharpie, a cool image in your head or to trace, spray paint (optional),  hairdryer if you are super impatient like me, small paintbrush, and something to print on! some old newspaper/magazine scraps are good to have around too.

silkscreens are super awesome and fun to have around and can be found at your average art supply store. they're not too expensive (mine was a gift--thanks jann and amy!!) and if you take care of them they'll last a long time. 

here we go!

supplies. moet optional.

one time i tried to teach myself how to draw fashion illustrations. needless to say it didn't quite work out but the book itself has been an inspiration. 

trace the picture you picked out onto acetate. the best place to get this is at a copy center/paper store for like 10 cents a page. if you're artistically inclined, here is where you draw/trace your own image on to the acetate.

then you cut 'em out!

i like to test out the stencil with some spray paint. then you can make adjustments, tape broken lines, etc before you put the final image on your garment.

go time. tape your stencil onto the screen, making sure no spaces are left around the perimeter for paint to seep through. center the screen+stencil on your fabric, so that there is no space between the fabric and the stencil. next, dab a line of paint on the inside of the screen. while applying pressure to the frame (knees, or a partner help with this one) use the squeegee to drag the paint across the inside of the screen. keep dragging the paint, adding more if needed to make sure the stencil has been evenly coated. 

carefully lift the screen off of the fabric. make touch-ups (nobody's perf) using a fine paint brush and the fabric paint. icyww, yes that is Jade on my fingertips.

ta-dahhhh! stylish silhouettes on a sac!

for the opposite side, i did a fade effect using a different stencil. for this i simply moved the screen and squeegeed without adding more paint.

i topped it off with a bow...my older stencil but still one of my faves.

finished side 2. the last step is to heat seal your handiwork. just grab a clean rag/random t-shit, put it over your design and iron at the highest setting for a sec. this way you can wash it (good idea for a gym bag) without the paint fading.

xx

try it this weekend and send me some pics... or, if you're already a silkscreen pro (ahem, amy) send me pics and tips!

have a great weekend and please nobody do anything newsworthy i'll be in the woods till sunday night.

enchante!

i would like to take this time to introduce a very special guest blogger, MATT! matt will be contributing weekly man posts to signature styles. you know, for diversity n' stuff.

he made his debut earlier this evening regarding some super sexy man-boots. homeboy knows his shit, so when he showed me these guys i just had to ask him to share these (remember? being a blogger gives you courage. see, shannon) here's how it went down.

Matthew: http://www.contextclothing.com/item.php?id=1152

me: wow. those are good looking
Matthew: and look how amazing they are when broken in
me: i want to eat them
Matthew: http://allplaidout.com/?p=2919
me: omg

can you write a blog post for signatuerstyles about these?

just a little blurb?
Matthew: yea ok

so please, lets all welcome my boy matt! please direct your fanmail to moi, and if you have any questions you'd like the man-blogger to address, send 'em right along!

Man Stuff

Becoming a man has historically been a long and sometimes arduous road. "Manhood is not easy," dads like to say, "manhood is something you earn." Depending on where you're from you can get the job done different ways: kill a lion with your bare hands, get laid for the first time, join the army.

Frankly, all that crap is just that: C.R.A.P. Manhood is easy: plaid shirts, Carhart pants, trucks, boobs, beer, football. Done and done. Most importantly though, if a man's gonna kick some man-ass a man's gotta have something on his feet. Boots would be best, and coincidentally the most bad ass boots I've seen in a while are ready to make you a man, maybe even a gentleman. Alden and retailer Context have teamed up to create these super classic, comfortable, durable, works of man-art.

These boots will make you a man without you having to earn a damn thing (besides $450 bucks. small detail). These puppies demand respect. Furthermore, you'll have them for the rest of your life. Think of that. Something that lasts. Something more than a trend.

(h/t AllPlaidOut)