watch yourself

A couple weeks ago I was in the mall and I spotted this fun, vibrant Nixon watch at Nordstrom (along with a particularly to-die-for ring, but don't get me started on that).

It's not too expensive compared to many watches, but even so, $60 was more than I could shell out. I adore watches, but since they're all technical and time-tell-y most people don't think of them in the purely ornamental way that I do. I guess since my iPhone is essentially an extension of my hand, a flick of my thumb on the home button is actually easier than going for a full wrist rotation to check the time. (I haven't set a watch since...uhm... come to think of it, I have no idea when the last time was.) Sorry, but this puppy ain't nothin' more than a chunky plastic bracelet to me — and I don't typically spend $60 on chunky plastic bracelets. I do spend $9.95 though. Always a knight in shining budget armor, Target delivered the goods for cheap. Check out my new, undeniably rad, 5-year-old-esque timepiece. 

That's right. 

Sick. Nasty.

This bad boy makes my wrist so happy! 

And look! It came pre-set!

-S. 

BEAU-tiful

Tomorrow morning, bright and early (seriously early -- 7.55 a.m.), I will be on a plane headed down to Austin for a little visit. Lately, Michael has been telling me of his multiple trips to Buffalo Exchange and all the new things he's bought. All I can think about is how excited I am to snoop in his closet and take advantage of my girlfriendy right to raid! Even if it is just for a couple days, I will be swimming in rugged male apparel and loving it. So here, in honor of my little voyage, are a few precious gems you might want to check in your boyfriend's closet for! ;)

beau/bō/Noun

1. A boyfriend or male admirer.

2. A rich, fashionable young man; a dandy.

Boyfriend's Closet by slindig

Pendleton Vintage Plaid Lodge Shirt, $98
Invicta Men's 0431 Vintage Collection Brown Leather Watch, $130
Brushed Beanie, $18
Men's tees, polos & fleece - long-sleeve tees - Lightweight waffle..., $40
21Men - Sweaters - 2084920839, $29
Men washed favorite shirts Solid Secret Wash point-collar shirt, $60
The Classic Fit Sweatpant, $36
Men's Jeans & Denim - Lucky Brand Jeans, $99
Men's accessories - socks - Camp socks - J.Crew, $24

• Thermal waffle tee-- Particularly if it's a henley (i.e. one of those shirts with a few button at the top) it looks great on girls. Though it's like a little baggy or slouchy, contrast that with a fitted skirt or a pair of super short cut offs, depending on where you live obviously. 
• Sweatpants-- I don't exactly recommend wearing these out and about... but I always prefer guy's sweatpants to girls. Sweatpants are not really supposed to be cute. They have "sweat" in their name. Uhm... ew? So I hate when girl's brands try to make them something they are not. Plus my legs are miles long and boy's just tend to fit better. 
• Knit beanie-- It's plain and simple, but it adds a cute and funky edge to a snow bunny look. Plus a beanie is an excellent tool for hiding a bit of bedhead. 
• Plaid flannel-- There is SO much you can do with a plaid flannel. I like the cut of a guy's flannel because it usually isn't so short and fitted. I'd wear it with a pair of dark-wash skinny jeans and black over-the-knee boots. A little bit rugged, a little bit risqué. 
• Men's watch-- Some girl's watches are great. But a man's watch has a bigger face and has this old-fashioned gentlemanly quality to it when it's a leather band. I wear watches more for their ornamental properties than for their functional purposes. Most of my watches aren't even set! So I want a nice, statement piece to really stand out on my wrist. 
• Jeans-- Every girl should know this by now: your boyfriend's jeans are a staple. Now if he's significantly larger than you (though most guys have slimmer hips than girls do anyway), then opt for the girly version. But if you can get away with it, go for the more authentic route and steal the real deal from your beau's closet! Just make sure to offset them with a fitted top that points out your curves and the fact that you are, indeed, a woman. 
• White button-down-- While Tom Cruise may have made his own mark where the white button-down is concerned. Girls can, in my opinion, have much more of an impact when they shrug their sweet shoulders into one of these babies. It's pretty much instant sex appeal. Think: "I just woke up after that party last and I don't want to tiptoe barefoot around the kitchen in my cocktail dress... so I'm going to put on your shirt and make us some coffee." Ooh la la! 
• Cardigan-- This item is particularly useful if you're planning on wearing a long-sleeved shirt underneath the sweater. Guys arms are cut slightly larger to allow for their extra muscle. Not to mention, a less constricting loose fit just makes a cardigan all the cozier! 
• Camp socks-- Call them what you will, camp socks, boot socks, ski socks. I don't care. Basically, they are just longer, thicker, warmer socks. I'm a big fan of guy's socks because they are usually the perfect length to scrunch down above the top of an ankle boot. A lot of styles will have different colored stripes around the top that add a touch of personality to your lower half. 

Happy closet-hunting, kittens! There are definitely far more options that will be yours for the taking once you begin your search. Just remember, if you get caught, you didn't hear anything from me. ;) Toodles!

-S. 

"Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves."  

--Albert Einstein

Layered Confections

This week has produced some of the first genuinely cold days here in Austin. Maybe it's the start of November that has caused Texas to finally accept and acknowledge that autumn is here, or maybe it was the thunderstorms we had in the beginning of the week. Either way, I have busted out the black tights, the cozy jackets and toasty scarves to block the chill from my brittle bones. Personally, I welcome the colder weather. By the time summer is over I am dreadfully tired of cut off shorts and sandals and the craving for layers of luscious knits has planted itself firmly in my mind. I find that in the late fall and winter months though, a lot of people succumb to the temptation to just throw on an oversized and sloppy coat or sweatshirt to keep warm on their way out the door. Layers are without a doubt the best alternative as they will keep you just as warm if not warmer (depending on how many you pile on) and they are far more visually appealing! A tasteful mix of textures and patterns or colors creates an interesting aesthetic-- some of my favorite outfits in my closet happened when I just started putting different pieces on. As your flair for outfitting yourself improves, the layered look will give off that perfectly sexy, messy, "I-rolled-out-of-bed-looking-this-good" vibe. Effortlessly chic. 

Ever since I played personal shopper for Michael at the beginning of the school year this fall, he's been eager to get to wear the colder weather clothes we bought. Yesterday he came over to pick me up and take me to the doctor. When I opened the door to let him in I was incensed that he dared to look great while I was stuffy-nosed, and aurally infected, still bumming in my pajamas at three in the afternoon, and simultaneously impressed with his eye candy of an outfit. It was a perfectly delicious blend of fashion tastes resulting in a look you could call "playful hipster." He combined a well-tailored pair of black pinstripe pants with a sleek belt and vintage buckle. On top he wore one of our favorite Goodwill finds, a worn-in black Coca-Cola graphic tee written in Russian (I think), and added to it a standard blue-toned plaid flannel. To top off this layered cake with a bit of stylized frosting, he threw on a simple twill jacket with a skinny knit scarf and wore blue high-top sneakers. And of course, as Michael does every day, he wore his Swiss Legend watch and black Ray-Ban aviators that I got him. The look had a character and charm all its own. I've tried to recreate it below as best I could with similar items I found online (the original was better though). I think this is a very interesting but easy look just begging to be emulated. Enjoy!

Michael by slindig05

Heavy Flannel Check Long Sleeve Shirt A , 30 GBP
Gourmet Men's Nove Sneaker, $100
Bulova - Men's BVA Series 115 - 98A110 (Silver/Gold) - Jewelry, $503
Ray-Ban RB8041 Aviator Titanium Sunglasses | Official Ray-Ban Site, $215
Bedstu - Precious (Silver) - Accessories, $55
Cheap Monday Vince Checked Scarf, $24
Gap Pinstriped tailored pants (slim fit), $70
Fix Design, omaggio alla Coca Cola sulle t-shirt
Monster Vintage.com Vintage Clothing at its Best For Mens & Womens...
DJPremium.com - Detailed Images of JET LAG JACKET by Black Apple
JanSport Right Pack Originals - Imageview - Free Shipping & Return...

I'm shipping some of my clothes tomorrow and piling whatever can fit into my car. Michael and I are going to road-trip to New York starting either tomorrow evening or Saturday morning depending on how quickly we get everything done! If all goes as planned we should be getting in no later than Sunday. I just loaded a bunch of music on my iPhone for the drive. Anyone have any good playlist suggestions?? It's quite a long trip... Wish me luck! By the way, I made a new banner for my blog and my Twitter page. What do you think?

-S.

Wild Thing

After a morning of chaos and worry, a day spent soaking up the peacefulness of nature was greatly appreciated. As a newbie to the Austin scene, I hadn't yet been to the Barton Creek Wilderness Park. It did not take long to fall in love with the place, though. Within moments of walking onto the roughly beaten path a sense of comforting isolation swept over me. The dense trees, roots rippling through the dry dirt, offered me privacy and quiet from the urban noise just outside the parks border. I decided to abandon the path for a little adventure, and after a few near slips and falls (this was an impromptu trip and my ballet flats weren't exactly traction-friendly) I reached a perfect wading area of the creek. Sunlight was flirting with me from behind its leafy branch lashes, peeking through and out coyly to kiss my cheeks and nose. It was absolute perfection. 

The beauty, and often the humor, of being a fashion fiend is that no matter the setting or the circumstances, you are always thinking of outfits. As I sat at the edge of a rapid little waterfall and dipped my hot pink pedicured toes into the cool stream, all I could think of was how great it would be to go back there when the weather cooled down and cozy layers would be appropriate. As my surroundings so often do, this wild wooded park began to flicker a spark of creative fire in me. Visions of rugged, fuzzy flannels and chunky knit sweaters began to prance around my imagination. I started thinking of driving out to my family's farm to snag my hiking boots stashed in the drawer under the bed upstairs. Though I'd only ever worn them for practicality's sake while hunting, suddenly they sounded so trendy and desirable. Backpacks that hold a load and serve a look were etched onto my need-to-buy-when-I-get-a-few-bucks list! And in order to better fit the organic persuasion of my forest, I figured a watch would be a step closer to natural than my iPhone for the purpose of telling time. So now I will wait for the air to chill and the leaves to crackle so that I may run back to my new sanctuary. The coquette sun and the majestic trees will keep me company as I break in my newly inspired aesthetic.

Take a peek after the jump!

S.

Bittersweet

WOW! What a weekend! After a long three weeks spent in Austin, I returned to Dallas to empty my apartment. Apparently though, the new tenants had already moved in. There were about a million new residents-- a million tiny, brown, buggy residents. Yes, ants. These little critters had decided to invade Delilah's bin of dog food and trail off in a perfect assembly line through my entryway, into my bathroom, around the corner to the bedroom, behind my headboard and my dresser, under the door and into my closet, finally exiting through a small corner in the back of my walk-in. Needless to say, I was livid and terrified and disgusted all at once. A quick trip to Walgreen's and two cans of super-charged Raid later, not a single live ant remained. Unfortunately, my vacuum cleaner was broken, leaving me no way to suck up the dead insects. Instead, my apartment looked like a gruesome battlefield scattered with Formicidaen casualties. 

This weekend, I boxed up my life and stuck it in storage. Foolishly, I put off the packing part of the process until less than 24 hours before the movers were to arrive. The final strip of tape was slapped across the last box around 6.15 a.m. on Sunday. The movers showed up at my apartment at 8.30 a.m.... not the best scheduling. After the three hour drive to Austin from Dallas, my things were crammed into the storage unit and I was left, once again, to live out of a suitcase. You see, that's the disappointment of this particular move. Normally, the hassle of scraping away at the tape dispenser when I accidentally let the tape stick to itself or the monotony of wrapping each dish in newspaper is compensated for by the excitement of getting into a new place I can start making my own. This time around I am deprived of the opportunity to nest just yet. And, to add insult to injury, I better not need anything from my storage unit before I move into an apartment because it is stuffed to the brim and there is no way I will be able to find or reach anything. 

So things may have been crazy, but now that I have adequately whined and vented I can admit that not everything has been all bad lately. See after the jump for the good stuff!