even better than the real thing

After several failed attempts to purchase the Martin Margiela ring set I've been lusting over from thecorner.com (I would go through the entire checkout process only to be told the item was unavailable), I turned to my trusted personal shopper, a.k.a. Google, out of frustration. He came through for me once again. I found these cuff rings from a site that turns old silverware to jewelry - these rings are actually made from old butter spreaders. When I received them they were all a little too big. I had trouble re-sizing them without proper jeweler's tools (you can imagine how sturdy a butter knife is) but after pinching them for several hours in a vise and fine-tuning with a pair of long-nose pliers, they fit quite well. Overall I am very pleased; usually when I settle for second best it's only temporary until I get my hands on the real thing. Not so with my butter spreader rings - I love that they are recycled. These are a permanent addition to my jewelry collection.

casual friday

Here is a selection of my work outfits from the past month.

On the far right is an outfit for casual Friday. I had not been able to participate in casual Friday that often because my jeans were either skinny and too tight to wear to the office or boyfriend-fit with too many holes in them. Several weeks ago I decided to do something about it and bought a pair of jeans appropriate for work - still on the slim side, but not so baggy as to look sloppy. These are actually just skinny jeans which I bought 2 sizes up from my regular denim size. They are by Resin, from Barneys. I have a similar pair by Diesel that is a darker wash, so between the two I'm able to take advantage of a few more casual Fridays. It's a nice little perk, it makes the weekend seem that much closer.

winded

These pants were so well-concealed among the tons of other black things in my closet that I forgot all about them. I'm glad I re-discovered them, the high waist works perfectly with my lace crop top. This is also the inaugural picture using ---> Tag Loudly <--- just hover over the first photograph for information on what I'm wearing (might not work in some RSS feed readers, like Google)!





Maybe it was the brief taste of spring we got last Friday, but I really did not feel like wearing a winter coat anymore even though it was still quite cold; I wore a scarf and cashmere wrap in lieu of a coat. I was totally fine until I got hit with the wind gusts. Holy crap. It was quite a workout just walking against the wind.



How do you like my market bag? I'm so trendy, I know. It's no Jil Sander but it'll do... for now... (It's really old, from Whole Foods ;-)

before the season's over

Earlier this month on Groundhog Day, Chuck the groundhog predicted an early start to spring. Judging by next week's weather forecast it looks like he might be right (he does after all have a winning record of 6 out of 8 years!) Knowing that spring might be around the corner forces me to wear fall/winter items that I neglected to wear during the season, like this Helmut Lang hooded scarf from his F/W 2002 collection. I can hardly wait until all the snow has melted and the temperatures climb up to the 50s and 60s, but it would have been a shame to let the season pass without wearing this scarf at least once.





This scarf/halter top hybrid is more than five years old now. Some of my readers might remember it from my Stylediary. Here is a back view and runway picture of the scarf (Stella Tennant opened the show wearing it) to give you a better idea of what it is. Flipping through old Helmut Lang collections is so nostalgic for me, it always reminds me of his quiet genius and brilliance as a clothing designer.





original Helmut Lang by Helmut Lang scarf (Century21 Dept. Store/NYC) // Martin Margiela nude bodysuit (yoox.com) // Balenciaga pants with ankle zippers (Joan Shepp basement sale/Philly) // Christian Louboutin pointed-toe pumps (eBay.com) // Hermes collier de chien cuff // BCBG (Repossi knockoff) gold knuckle ring // Alexander McQueen warrior skull ring (saksfifthavenue.com)

wardrobe planning

Here are just a few examples of the type of look I'll be going for as soon as the heavy wool coats and puffy down jackets are stored away. I own almost everything I need to copy these looks, I just need a few fill-ins.



One of my favorite features in other blogs is when bloggers re-visit shopping lists they made at the beginning of each season to see how well they stuck to their resolutions. This is my attempt at a shopping list and I plan to revisit it around August.

"Needs" (quotation marks necessary as I use the term very loosely):
- Crisp, white, slightly boxy sleeveless button-down shirt. I already found a few candidates online, but it's early in the season and I want to have a few more options before I take the plunge.
- Classic black (patent?) leather loafers. I love my Louboutin Rollerballs but I need a pair without spikes that I can also wear to work.

Splurge:
- Maison Martin Margiela leather shopper in the gray color. This bag is already available for pre-order from LuisaViaRoma but I would rather see it in person first. It should be available at the MMM store in NY soon.
- Frank Gehry for Tiffany sterling silver torque bangle. I fell in love with this bracelet ever since I saw it at the Gehry for Tiffany debut several years ago. I should have bought it back then as the price has since skyrocketed. If I start saving money now until mid-August, I can use my birthday as an excuse to finally buy it. That's the plan anyway.

The following items are not very specific, I will hold off for the right price (consignment, sales, eBay) and/or until I "fall in love" with an item:
- A colorful Missoni piece for summer. I would love a bikini but they never seem to sell the tops and bottoms separately. I could go for a nice kaftan or tunic also.
- Classic black pointed-toe pumps. Just bought a pair of Louboutins.
- A pair of tan heeled (non-stiletto) sandals that go with everything. This is proving more difficult to find than I thought. Why is it that designers only make flats or 5-inch heels, nothing in between?!

Always on the lookout for:
- Ann Demeulemeester open lace-up boots in the original tan color. If you know anyone or spot them anywhere... size 35, 35.5 or 36.
- Original Helmut Lang items from when he was still designing.
- A particular black Rick Owens jersey skirt. It's a maxi skirt, kind of twisted in the front with an open slit. I missed out on it last spring and would love to stumble upon it again.


So there you have it - 10 items for spring. I have very little faith in my ability to only stick to these 10 items so my goal is simply not to go overboard and stray too far from my list.

on the run

Last Friday I had to hustle to catch a train straight from work, then as soon as I pulled into Penn Station I had to run to meet friends for dinner. This outfit was perfect for that sort of situation. I wore the shirt and blazer to work then quickly swapped my dress pants for these JBrand cargo pants before I left the office. I was comfortable enough for an hour-and-a-half train ride yet pulled together enough for a casual dinner.

Man, the weekend flew by (as it always does)! I can't believe it's back to work tomorrow. In other news, Go Packers! Go Steelers! I don't really care! I guess I'll just be watching the Superbowl for the commercials this year...



Ralph Lauren crested blazer (Christmas present) // vintage Christian Dior Jeune Homme shirt (eBay) // JBrand "Houlihan" pants (Barneys Co-op clearance sale) // vintage boots (Vagabond/Philly)

ever ready

I recently found out that the straps on this blazer exist so that you can carry it around like a backpack, comme ça:



It's a brilliant concept - you can take your jacket off without worrying where to hang it up. I walked around my apartment like this then simply put my arms through the sleeves when it was time to head out. Now I wish all my jackets and coats had backpack straps!

P.S. These are my favorite snow boots. They are "on permanent loan" from my mother's closet. They are vintage by Bally (of Switzerland - go figure, they should know a little something about snowy weather out there...) I have no idea what the exact materials are, but they're fully lined with shearling, have a small wedge heel with non-slip soles and are completely waterproof. I am dreading the day they give out on me, but every winter I take them out of storage in the same condition as the previous year so I think they've got several years left in them.

P.P.S. How do you like my ridiculous t-shirt? I plan on wearing it when I travel abroad - I'll be ready for my TSA pat-down at the airport! Ha!



Helmut Lang (original, by Helmut Lang) blazer // Alexander Wang x style.com tee // Les Chiffoniers latex pants // vintage Bally boots // Hermes leather cuff