leon's birthday

last weekend we had leon's birthday party in spite of the gloomy rain. party favors included cards by simplesong and postal press. there were crayons for the littles. i made a sour cream banana cake, which i forgot to photograph. it was so yummy and moist, even without the rum.

what i wore in the 90s.

chelsea's posts about 90's fashion, including lace-up boots, made me nostalgic for my old dr. martens. while home, i went through my old clothes. the docs were nowhere to be found, but i did try on a few things from elementary and high school.

st. joseph's school uniform skirt, c.1993-94 (a K-8 school). i usually wore this with knee-high white socks and a white polo shirt. navy hoody in the winter. we hemmed the skirts as short as possible, of course.

i shopped at the gap, banana republic, nordstrom, and goodwill for most of the 90s. this skirt is from banana republic. it was too small even back then. i'm shocked i was able to button it. c.1994

an utterly nondescript olive shift dress from benneton. even classic clothing is often 'dated' by slight changes, but this dress has held up pretty well. c. 1996

my favorite dress. the silk is just as soft and luxurious now as it was 13 years ago. it reminded me of mid 90's prada and was a catalyst for my obsession with 50s dresses. from banana republic, c. 1997

one of my mom's many dresses from the 70s, which i wore throughout high school. many were custom-made in korea and have such fantastic prints.

leon is one

 

my imp is one today.

we're going to celebrate with a cupcake today, and then a last-minute trip on thursday to see the grandparents in california and have a proper dol.

denim

why yes, my hair is naturally wavy, although the haircut does a lot to bring out the curl. i agree that i'll probably like my short hair more in a month or two once it settles in and grows out a little. i wanted to wait a year after having leon to cut my hair off, and i'm glad i did. however, as jenny gordy mentioned, it's strange to have short hair again after nearly 6 years. it's a bit like time travel, it was a shock to my system to look in the mirror and see me circa 2004 (so much has changed). at least my current stylist is very good at cuts that grow out gracefully. i probably won't bother doing anything for the next 6 months. come summertime, i'll be back to my old ways--ponytail, bun, braids.

now, on to the denim question. thanks for all the suggestions, you've given me a solid list of brands to try over the next week or so.

this is my list so far:
Madewell
J Brand
James (Twiggy)
Sass and Bide
Acne (Hex)
Earnest Sewn (Harlan)
APC (New Cure and Petit Standard)

i actually adore the Current Elliott legging jeans, but they are super lightweight for winter wear. the C/E skinny jeans don't really flatter my back side, sadly. i haven't tried on a pair of denim from Levi's or the Gap in ages, so they might be worth checking while at the mall.

i'll keep everyone posted with photos and reviews from the trenches next week. my r13s stretch out so much, they look like jodhpurs! i spent $160 on them, and would like to spend no more than that on the next pair. wish me luck. for some reason, there's nothing more demoralizing and exhausting than shopping for jeans...

hair...short or long?

well, my haircut didn't exactly turn out like my inspiration photo. in fact, it's startlingly similar to a haircut i had 6 years ago (making it dated in my eyes). i spent a few days hiding and periodically crying out, 'what have i done?!?' but i think i'm getting over the shock of losing over 10 inches. it'll grow out, like it always does, and maybe this is a sign that i should get a new stylist. i can never decide whether i want short or long hair except right after a drastic cut. so, hopefully this time next year it'll be well past my shoulders (it grows very very quickly).

on another note, can anyone recommend a good pair of skinny (but not too skinny) jeans that don't stretch out after two wears? i'm wearing my new pair of R13s from Barneys Coop, and they bag out terribly in the seat. jcrew's toothpick and matchstick jeans both fit awkwardly on me, especially right above the knee. i used to wear earnest sewn keatons, so maybe harlan would be a good fit. acne might work, too. i like my martin straight legs, but they're too lowcut. i need something closer to an 8 inch rise.

any thoughts about this never ending dilemma?


i am considering this DR K SH D W pair but am unsure about sizing. i definitely prefer a slightly faded black wash.

friends and birthdays

flowers from margaret


my favorite scents from stephanie


matthew has his thesis review this afternoon, so we're going to celebrate both good things tonight! leon and i are now off to a playgroup in spite of the snow.

birthday wish list

for next tuesday....


mociun moonwalker skirt

jess brown + wovenplay rag doll

verre initial necklace in glass

repetto zizis in dark grey


makie wool cardigan

a haircut

the analog days