autumn inspiration

In the month (ouch!) since I last posted...fall has appeared!

Mostly...we still got into the 70s this week in Wisconsin, but you can feel that hint of fall in the air. It smells like sweaters and apple cider, and I am welcoming it with open arms. True Fall Confession: I don't like pumpkin. No pumpkin lattes, muffins, candles, or pies for me! I am all about the apples once leaves start changing.

I had the best intentions of doing a fall shopping list post, but...then I accidentally went fall shopping before I had a chance to write it. So instead, here's a little bit of an autumn inspiration post!

Everyone loves a sweater in the fall (right?) I love sweaters layered with heavy classic fabrics like this skirt. My big obsession with sweaters for this fall, though? LEATHER.

That's right, got myself a sweater (a tunic-length sweater, which is my other favorite) in this gorgeous forest green color with a great leather detail on the collar. It's probably my mental connection between fall and great boots, but leather just goes great with knits.

I love everything about this look. The vibrant dress, patterned tights, cute boots, cuddly scarf. I'm really excited to recreate it with some of my new pieces - no pics yet, unfortunately, since I only got the chance to wear a sweater once before we creeped back up into the 70s, but yay! I'm always a fan of texture tights, and I'm excited to try layering them over my colored tights this year. Double warm! (Maybe?)

I also picked up a fall staple I've been craving for a long time that I'm super super pleased with:

Ohhh yeah, it's a bomber jacket! I saw it across the store and there was a swelling choir of angels. Brown (faux) leather, studs, zippers, great detailing in the stitching...I'm totally in love. I haven't had a good fall jacket besides my trench for a long time (which is great, but not so versatile for day wear). Gotta say, I feel totally bombin' in this jacket (hey-o!). The top is also new, featuring another of my favorite fall details:

Studs! There's also a stud gathering the sleeves at just 3/4-length, and they are so fabulous. A little bit of a hard edge on a very floaty feminine garment, such a big fan.

And that's my fall haul so far - I can't wait to get the chance to wear the rest of my new pieces (another sweater, a gorgeous blazer, and that dress!) and to pick up the last few things I'm still looking for. I haven't broken out the boots yet, but I have the perfect outfit in mind. As always, follow me on Instagram to see all the latest! (Plus cat pics.)

octo-obsessed

I recently attended a company picnic at the Zoo, and while I saw a lot of cool things (fighting tigers! pettable stingrays! an improbable number of Duck Dynasty t-shirts!), what most inspired me was watching the octopus climb across the glass of its tank. You might not know this, but I totally love octopuses. They're weird and a little bit creepy, and so so cool.

So I whipped up a little Polyvore set, in case you'd like to bring some of the creepy coolness of our eight-legged ocean friends into your style or home:

tentacular spectacular by ficklekitsch 

Fabulous, right? I'm deeply in love with that scarf, and wouldn't the morning be better if you were sipping your "wake up" beverage out of such a bright and tentacley mug? (Fun fact: mine is water! I don't drink coffee.) The totebag is a straight up cute version of the octopus, and I really like the pseudo-Victorian vibe I get from the rug. It would be a great way to add a little bit of off-kilter class to a space.

Have you ever found style inspiration in the animal kingdom? Would you decorate with tentacles or does it all just look like so much kalamari to you? ...mmmm, kalamari.

dream a little dream of spring

True story: the other day, I thought to myself, "Hey...isn't there a time where you can...just wear skirts and no jackets and not be cold? What is that?" Yup, I forgot what spring was. Anyone who lives in a northern clime can probably relate. So I thought I would look ahead, past the darkness of winter, and share a little bit of springtime.

retro spring by ficklekitsch 

Ahh, can't you just feel that warm breeze? Spring is all about color, of course, but I'm not married to the traditional pastels. Why say "oh, hey, here's a little color" when you can say "WOW, here's a lot of color!"? (I take the same stance on chocolate, cookies, and episodes of the greatest sitcom ever, Frasier.) I was feeling a little retro feminine flair when I made this outfit: pair the bold, fun skirt with a sweet pretty top (love that bow!). Like the rest of the fashion world, I'm obsessed with these metallic toed flats and darling little leather satchels. The earrings call back to both the chevron and geometric trend without being overly trendy and top it off with a chunky bracelet in a contrasting color. Since it's springtime, you'll obviously need an adorable pair of sunglasses too. I would pair this outfit with a classic trench, just in case you end up in some spring showers. Man, I just want to put this on right now. Why is there still snow on my stoop?

I'm also excited for...

Source: roadkillrescue.net via Jennifer on Pinterest

DIY! There's a great deck off the back of our apartment that I think will be perfect for any kind of outdoor projects, like spray painting. Secret confession: I have never spray painted anything. Not even once. What have I been doing with my life??? Every DIY blogger I follow has shown me how something s simple as a can of paint can transform a piece from bland to bold. I've had this project over here waiting on my Pinterest for 6 months. 6 whole months, and look what cute stuff I could be doing with a little lace and some paint? I'm definitely hoping (as I previously mentioned) to paint our new bookcase and after that, who knows! I'm still on the hunt for a dresser for my room; if I pick one up at the thrift store, it very well could end up getting a fresh coat of paint (there's a new Habitat Re/Store that just opened up the street AND a brand new Goodwill about to open, I'm going to be second-hand heaven!).

Speaking of the deck, I'm SO excited to finally make use of it! There are already some cafe lights strung through the railings, but there's so much more to be done. The deck might be half covered in snow now, but it could look like this:

Source: shelterness.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Wow! Upholstered furniture may not be in our future, but I definitely want at least a cute cafe table and chairs. Sitting outside on the weekends, writing blog posts in the sun? Hanging out with the lights on at night, enjoying the breeze with my roommate? Sounds just about perfect.

I can't wait for spring.

autumn incoming

Illustration by the lovely Claire Whitmore

Yesterday I wore a dress with tights and today I wore a sweater. It can mean only one thing:  autumn is coming! As much as I love the lazy days of summer...well, let's be real, they aren't that lazy when you're a grown-up and I'm more than ready for the heat to break and a cool breeze to blow in from the north! I'm ready for changing leaves, pumpkins (but not pumpkin-flavored stuff, yuck), Halloween, chilly nights spent curled under a blanket, cups of hot cocoa, and, of course, fierce fall fashion! Even though I'm not in school anymore, fall still feels like a fresh start.

Source: Uploaded by user via Jennifer on Pinterest

I've always loved crisp autumn weather. Outerwear is one of my truest loves, and fall (in Wisconsin, at least!) lets you play with coats, hats, scarves, and all sorts of outer accessories without being too worried that you might freeze to death (thanks, winter). I'm still hoping to find that perfect trench, but for now I have a lovely teal trench-style coat that my mom picked up for me to protect me from the wind, rain, and mid-level chill of the fall.






I am ridiculously in love with this look. The coat is beyond gorgeous (great color, great texture, those CUFFS), but the scarf is a perfect capper. Something as simple as tying a loose scarf into a bow really can make an outfit into something special. I believe this is at the end of a fur collar, but it could be done with any scarf you already own, provided that it's long enough to tie and still have enough length for a bit of drama. Obviously her hands are in her pockets, but I would imagine topping this look off with a pair of sleek leather gloves. I've always wanted leather gloves, but it really doesn't make sense - most of the time, even though I have gloves, I just shove my hands in my pockets anyway. Last year, I got a pair of those fabulous hybrids sometimes known as "glittens," which are a little silly/cutesy, but I can wear them while I drive, so haters to the left. (Besides, I'm a little silly/cutesy, so it works out.)

Source: chiestore.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Shoes! And tights, hurrah! I love charcoal tights in the autumn - they're tremendously versatile - and pairing them with a bright pair of shoes is such a lovely idea. Jewel tones are definitely the name of the game when the weather gets cold; keep your style warm all through the season with vibrant, saturated colors. As I'm sure you all know, your shoes are definitely a place for a little bit of extra fun in the wardrobe. Obviously you can't show up at the office in 5" lucite heels, but I've noticed plenty of fresh and funky shoes on otherwise conservatively dressed ladies - rock on, ladies! I actually just bought new shoes (nothing bright, unfortunately, but my wardrobe was actually lacking in cute neutral flats - who could have guessed?) and I'm excited to keep playing with footwear this fall.

That's what's got me shivering with anticipation and reaching past the sundresses in my closet for some long sweaters! Other things that I'm interested in this fall: colored trousers, socks over tights, bright lipstick on grey days. What are you looking forward to? Fashionwise or otherwise! Even if you're one of those foolish people with poorly functioning tastebuds clamoring for the return of Pumpkin Spice at Starbucks...I love you anyway.

avenging fashion

Like the rest of the free world, I went to go see The Avengers earlier this summer. I loved it (of course, Joss Whedon and superheroes? What's not to like?) and as I do, I was inspired to make some outfits. "This will be great!" I said to myself, "A very timely post!" Except then I sat on the outfits...and sat...and then it felt too late but, hey, that's okay! Comic-Con was coming up! Once again, it would be a timely and appropriate post!

...yeah, that worked out well. But now The Avengers is coming out on DVD and also, who cares about timely when it comes to superhero-inspired fashion? Superhero-inspired fashion is ALWAYS appropriate. This is the motto that I live by. (You can see my past pop culture fashion posts right here! DC heroes (and a villain), Buffy Summers and Hogwarts houses.)

captain america by ficklekitsch featuring mary jane pumps

The lady who draws sartorial inspiration from Captain America is one classy broad. I tried to incorporate vintage flair into this look, with a pretty and structured coat and some pearl earrings, along with America-colored sweetness. There are stripes and a very sensible bag, and of course I couldn't resist the compass necklace (a bit of an extra nod to Captain America).

iron man by ficklekitsch featuring skinny jeans

Tony Stark is Iron Man, so I tried to work a little bit of both into this look. Obviously, the red and gold are Iron Man colors, but I think that the effortlessly cool rocker flair is a look that Tony would emulate. An easy tank top (for when you need to get at your personal ARC reactor ASAP), hot skinny jeans, boots, super cool aviators and some rockin' metal accessories. Boots are obviously both functional and stylish, and the bag is, again, a cool satchel ready to be filled with all the necessaries for being a superhero, genius inventor, or mogul.

the incredible hulk by ficklekitsch featuring a short sleeve dress

Last but not least, the Hulk! This one is also a bit of a balancing act between the Big Green Guy and Bruce Banner. Green and purple made their way in for obvious reasons, but I also tried to include touches of Bruce, both in the floaty easy style of the dress, the pretty yet practical sandals, and got a little bit cheeky with the glasses necklace. I love having some fun with accessories - you can have a lot of freedom there if you play your cards right (I actually have an upcoming post on that very topic! Stay tuned!). Plus, a backpack, most sensible of all, to keep your things safe while you travel the world and tool around on an old motorcycle.

These are the three I designed so far; if you'd be interested in seeing outfits for Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, or even Loki (my personal favorite, even if he's not actually an Avenger and is "evil" or something), let me know! The pop culture inspired outfits are a ton of fun to make, any suggestions are welcome.

blog rec: his black dress

One of my favorite parts of blogging is seeing how people have found my site. I thought I'd get a fair number of hits from people looking for clothes, some for DIY projects (oops, maybe I should post some of those), maybe some who stumbled upon me thanks to my sparkling wit (...at least one, right?), but by far the most popular search bringing visitors to my blog? Crossdressing.

Yep, that post I did about the joys of crossdressing has served as a beacon, welcoming those wondering about "crossdressing," "classy crossdressing," "crossdressing tube" (???), and even "crossdressing dirndl" (obviously a two for one hit with my dirndl appreciation post) And I'm happy to have them! I really do love crossdressing (in its variety of flavors) and perhaps I should take the hint to post about it more often!

Today, I want to recommend a blogger who challenges the notion of "cross"-dressing. I am all about transgression and boundary crossers, and Michael Spookshow of His Black Dress is definitely a boundary crosser.

Source: hisblackdress.tumblr.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

His Black Dress documents the daily outfits of a man who advocates for "men's fashion freedom": he asks why dresses, skirts, heels, and jewelry should be reserved for women. Ladies wear sneakers and jeans...why shouldn't a gentleman be able to wear a pair of cute pumps and a pretty dress? In my opinion, no reason! Pretty clothes are fun and I'm totally in favor of anyone who finds them pretty rocking it out. That said, it takes a lot of gumption to be willing to individually and personally challenge social norms with your daily apperance, and I really admire anyone who's willing to go for it. Shine on, fashion warriors!

This blog also reminds me of one of my favorite quotations from the chief Executive Transvestite himself, Eddie Izzard: "They're not women's clothes. They're my clothes. I bought them." Wear/style/do what feels glamorous (or unglamorous, if that's what you're feeling!) and right to you, regardless of who's "supposed" to be wearing it. Look to funky style icons like Tilda Swinton; she obviously wears whatever she damn well pleases, and though it might not be an outfit most of us would dream of imitating, there's no denying she works that crazy get-up. Confidence is always the best accessory.

And with that little life lesson out of the way, definitely go check out His Black Dress because I deeply covet Mr. Spookshow's wardrobe. There's a dark rock'n'roll edge to his style while still being very...what we would usually call feminine. Fab? Mascuglam? Whatever you want to call it, it's super cool and definitely inspiring to ladies/gents/anyone who rebels against wearing pants. And lets be real, pants are pretty bogus.

Have you ever worn something that was "meant" for someone of a different gender presentation? Do you daydream of a day where stores have "Dresses" and "Pants" and "Shirts" sections instead of Mens or Misses? You already know that despite my femmey heart, I do love to get my vest-and-tie on!

dapper 101: style inspiration for men

I realized while tweeting with a gentleman friend of mine that I've never actually posted something on my blog for the guys. Now, most of my audience is ladies, but there might be a dude or two mixed in there! And if not, some of you ladies might have dudes in your life who could benefit from some fashion! Or, you all should know how I feel about crossdressing (spoiler: I LOVE IT). I think dapper is an adjective we can all aspire to! I'll be referring to men/guys/dudes/bros/fellas because that's who appears in the pictures I found (and because it was requested by a gentleman!)

First of all, I had a devil of a time figuring out where to look for cool menswear that wasn't A) full-on suits/super formal or B) excessively hipster. Both styles are fine if that's what you're going for, but I wanted something that applied a bit more broadly. Then I found Tetino-tête, where the photos that follow were collected! (I have them all pinned to Manwear if you'd like to click through the specific posts)

My gentleman friend, whose name is Michael and I'm not sure why I was coy about it to begin with, specifically was inspired by my grey inspiration post from earlier this week. He was hoping for some manly outfit inspiration using a lime green/grey color scheme; I wasn't able to find exactly what he was hoping for, but I definitely found some good stuff.

Boys: get a blazer. Get lots of blazers! Also vests! Really, adding a sport coat to basically any look, from a t-shirt and jeans to slacks and a sweater/vest (or sweatervest!), pulls everything together in the way I've found cardigans to function in womenswear. And while the second two looks are fairly standard, be inspired by the mixing of color and pattern in the first look! Teal plaid meets blue checks and it looks good. I think that the latter outfits would actually be improved with sassier ties. A bright color or fun pattern could really pump them up, but if you want to really let your nerdy style come through, why not consider a Toybreaker tie? Their motto is "Ties that don't suck" and they definitely live up to it.


Photos via Toybreaker

These ties come in numerous patterns and colors; I just picked the patterns I thought might particularly interest Michael, since he is my gentleman prompter for this post (from left to right: circuit board, tentacles, hops/barley/wheat, gears).

Now, like I said, I had a little trouble finding grey/lime green inspiration pics, but I did find some lovely examples of another vibrant color combo: grey/orange! The mixture of cool, neutral grey with the warmth and brightness of orange is a lot of fun; I think you could sub in the color of your heart's deepest desire (like, perhaps, green) with the orange very easily in any of these looks.

Plaid! Plaid is one of the greatest things in the entire world, and it can add a little touch of lumberjack realness to an otherwise streamlined look. Basically, I love plaid.

Love the mix of the blazer with the t-shirt; it's a great way for a man to continue a style without looking stuffy or over-dressed. There's just a touch of the orange, but you can see he's also rocking colored pants. Not for the faint of heart, but a cool look!

To be honest, I'm not crazy about that scarf, but I really liked this example of using more of the bolder color. The orange jacket is such a statement piece, and you know how fashion bloggers love statement pieces! And maybe it's hipstery, but I'll admit that I'm fond of fingerless gloves. Not with a suit, obviously, but if you're going for a little funkier vibe, the gloves add a bit of an irreverent Artful Dodger sort of touch.

Hopefully this inspiration will help both guys and dolls feel a little bit more dapper! I'll admit, it was weird to write about clothes that I wouldn't necessarily wear; I tried to apply my usual style concepts to menswear (and added in a healthy dose of things I like to see, shall we say!).

PS: I have a special treat coming up that some dapper ladies and gents will hopefully appreciate, so keep you eyes peeled!

cuckoo for rococo

Remember when I posted about Marie Antoinette as a style inspiration? It was way back in March, but I'm still crazy for the baroque/rococo look! I found a new set of photos and fell in love all over again.

I'm not 100% sure about the event these photos are from, since the blog is (understandably) mostly in French, but it appears to be the "Carnival of Versailles" and is incredibly gorgeous. I'm totally digging the play of the over-the-top decadence of the dresses, wigs, and makeup with the sleek glimpses of modern technology. The past and the present meet in such a delicious way:











I know it's hard to believe, but I just picked my very favorites. The full set of photos is here, and well worth viewing. The last photo of course reminds me of this one from the Marie Antoinette film set:



I'm still cuckoo for rococo, though it's admittedly a more difficult style to work into my every day life. Vintage/mid-century style is popular enough right now that it doesn't seem too strange to get a little 50s/60s drag on, but a powdered wig isn't exactly the height of today's fashion world! Still, I find inspiration in the feel of decadence, and I think I'd like looking like a marvelous frothy dessert. More accessories, prettier accessories, and maybe (just maybe), I'll figure out a way to stick some birds into my hair!

How would you work the baroque in every day style? Be inspired by the feeling, work a few pieces into an otherwise modern ensemble, or just go for (wait for it) baroque? (I couldn't help myself!)

inspiration: gray grey gray

I am all about grey lately. Or gray. I've always spelled it "gray" but recently it's started to look a bit less sophisticated than its UK counterpart. (Yes, I am the type of person concerned about the aesthetic quality of the words I use.) But from the grey dresses you saw me feature in my last post to gunmetal eyeshadow to those dreamy grey bedrooms, I have a fixation. There's something so wonderfully serene about the right shade of grey, and I have a real thing about pops of color. What better to pop off of than the delicate neutral tones of grey? Grey/yellow is definitely my favorite pairing, although grey and blue also make lovely partners. Plus, I've always had a tender spot in my heart for the industrial look, and grey makes me think of big ol' ducts and metal fittings.

I went on a bit of a mad pinning spree tonight and filtered through most of the grey/gray tagged items on there. I'll only share a few of my very favorites, but please do follow the link and see all of them if you're as fond as grey as I am.

Source: shopjoielle.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Source: urbanoutfitters.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Source: modcloth.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Source: theepochtimes.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

I will definitely keep adding to this board when I come across more fabulous greys!

On the fashion side, I obviously love grey dresses. Pair them with a fabulous bright shoe to get the fun pop I talked about above:

grey lady by ficklekitsch featuring long dresses

Or, if all-over grey is a little bit much for you, why not try a pair of grey tights or socks to add some contrast to a bright dress? I used the same color combos here as above, because I like parallelism like that:

grey legs by ficklekitsch featuring party dresses

Are you a grey fan or does it just make you feel like you're stuck inside on a rainy day? (also, I switched up the Polyvore embed...do you like having the separate pieces clickable on the bottom or no?)