summer style: bright color and bold pattern

It may not be an original style concept, but I don't care. My summer wardrobe for this year is all about bright colors and bold patterns - I've even dyed my hair a brighter shade!

In the past, I really haven't been much for pattern or even especially bright colors. I tend to gravitate towards blacks/grays and jewel or autumnal tones, and wear a lot of solids or occasionally "classic" patterns (windowpane, pinstripe houndstooth). But for some reason, when I was shopping for my new summer outfits I was seriously feeling like getting my peacock on. Everything I tried out was bright and cheery and I loved it!

And I've been getting way more compliments on my outfits than usual, so I guess the world digs a little peacock action! When you've got a wild pattern, it says "Look at me" - and if you feel like you're rocking it, you're glad it does! I've been feeling a lot more confident in my style lately...like I've reached the point finally where I have enough pieces in my wardrobe and enough accessories that I'm putting together looks I'm really happy with almost every day. (Of course, that combined with a blogging drought - a lot of that was due to my failing computer, but I have a new one now so I'm jumping back in the saddle!)

In addition to these dresses, I bought two more day-appropriate dresses from Target including my very first maxi dress (what can I say, in the summer I like to have my legs free!), but my wardrobe still isn't quite complete. I don't have any sandals, so I'll need to make a jaunt to Marshall's or DSW to make sure that when the heat really turns it up my feet will be able to breathe.

Just between you and me, when I'm strutting down the street in these, I definitely have RuPaul's "Glamazon" going through my head. Let's all werq it out - dance party at the end of the post! (Warning: not entirely SFW!)

secret obsession: wigs

I just started a new job this week (yay!), so what better way to celebrate movement forward in my fancy career-oriented adult life than a post exploring one of my decidedly dorky and non-adult passions?

My secret obsession (which is not so secret anymore)...is wigs.

I love this wig. I bought it at LeakyCon last year to show my Slytherin pride (I told you this was a dorky passion) after many years of poring over wigs on Ebay and drooling over cosplayers with elaborate faux-hairdos. Last weekend, for lack of anything better to do, I put on a full face of makeup and my wig and took selfies in the bathroom. Obviously, I lead an exciting life, but for real - it was a ton of fun to play dress-up, even if I didn't have anywhere to go. (Also, this was the first time I'd done a full-face of liquid foundation since my spackled and raccoon-eyed days as a high school theater nerd with no idea how to apply makeup. Hopefully I've progressed since then.)

Part of the fun is the chance to be extreme without consequences. A couple people thought I'd really dyed my hair when I posted the pic on the right to Facebook, but this was the day before I started a shiny new business casual job - there's no way I could get away with green and silver hair, no matter how fabulous. But with a wig, I can pop it on and be that cool girl with the alternative hair for a while.

I'd always thought wigs weren't for me because, as I've mentioned before on this blog, I have a really big head. Woe is I. But this one from Arda Wigs fits great, no adjustment needed, even without a wig-cap. If I were actually going to wear it out (which I'm working up the courage to do), I probably would secure everything a little better, but for now I just pin back my bangs and put my hair into a ponytail and tuck it inside. They're super reasonably priced too, and it seems like good quality to me - I don't know enough about wigs to make a full review/rec, but I would definitely say Arda is a great place to get your first wig if you want to experiment a bit. They also have a bunch of tutorial videos to help you care for and style your wig (I haven't done anything crazy with mine, except for adding a few braids.)

The rule I've made for myself is that I can't buy another wig until I wear this one out in public OR if it's for a specific costume I'm working on. That said, I'm going to have to pluck up the courage soon, because I have my eye on a few more (you can see them on my aptly named I Want That board on Pinterest.)

Have you ever worn a wig (for a play maybe, or just for fun)? Am I the only one who yearns to have pink hair one day, blue the next, and long flowing locks on alternating Thursdays?

boots boots boots

Let's get some shoes! As many of you know, I've been on a quest for boots. "But Jenny," my mom says when I tell her I need to go boot shopping, "didn't you just buy boots last year?" Yeah, mom - last year! But, really, my boots from last year are still kicking...the problem is that they're heeled boots, which are fine, fresh, AND fierce, but not really suited to long days of walking on the frozen tundra. I think that my mom may be a convert though; when we went shopping, she was the one who got the fanciest pair of boots! I must be rubbing off on her...

One of my Christmas gifts this year was a certificate for a pair of boots and, quelle suprise, my sister got the same thing! (In an entirely unrelated incident, Dad gifted Mom the "boots of her choice" as well! It was a Very Merry Bootmas in the Zowie household.) So off we ladies set for DSW, my current favorite source for all things footwear related.

There was much trying on, not a little angsting about beauties that didn't come in my size, and even some unrealistic lusting over a pair of bright red boots (I still love them! You can't change me!) But in the end, we all ended up with what we needed. My boot shopping requirements were pretty simple - they couldn't be brown, since my other boots are brown; they needed to be easy to get on and off (zippers were a big plus); and, of course, they had to be mader for walkin'.

I already shared shots of the beauties who came home with me on Instagram, but here they are:

Why yes, I do now own a pair of shiny silver boots. Thank you for asking! I love both of my new pairs of boots, and I especially love the fact that, along with a well-timed sale and the DSW Rewards certificates I had squirreled away, I got both pairs under the limits of my Christmas gift! Merry Bootmas to me!

Because it's been a long (looong) time since I made Polyvore sets, I thought I would whip up some outfit options for my boots.

preview booties by ficklekitsch featuring a jumper sweater

For my silver babies, I went with a day look which is actually pretty similar to how I actually wore them. They look great with slim fit colored pants, either for tucking in or going over the top. I totally fell in love with this owl sweater, and thought the neutral tones went really well with colored pants and a scarf. The bag was just too cute, and the whole quirky casual ensemble is topped off with some funky earrings.

fido bootie by ficklekitsch featuring amrita singh jewelry

I've always loved mixing hard and soft. My family will tell you that the Christmas I got my first pair of combat boots, I wore them to Christmas dinner with a red velvet dress. TRUE STORY. So, to pay homage to one of my first adventurous ensembles, I paired my new combat booties with a slightly more sophisticated red dress. A pair of patterned tights adds some interest and another element of soft, along with some pretty sparkly earrings and bracelet. For a last touch of "hard," I couldn't resist this brass knuckles-inspired spiked clutch. Fierce (literally)!

ootd round-up

Did you know that I wear clothes everyday? Like, every single day of my life? It's true!

I've only very rarely posted OOTDs to this blog because a) I don't have a tripod or a fancy camera or a friendly photo-taking slave to help me get good shots and b) I generally don't feel like my everyday outfits are worthy of commemoration. But now I have Instagram and, by definition, those photos are allowed to be a little funky and self-taken! And maybe knowing that I'll be posting pictures occasionally will help me inspire to be fierce every day.

Here's a selection of some lovely outfits I've worn to work in the past few months:

It's interesting to look at outfits together like this...you can definitely see what my favorites are (hello, black cardigan!) and what the basics of my office style is (cardigan + top/dress + tights/socks, generally). A lot of my work style is based around comfort; while I like to be cute, I have to consider whether an outfit is something that I'm going to be able to wear for 10 hours at a stretch (from getting ready in the morning to changing into my lounging clothes at home) including three stretches of commute, a walk from the city lot for my second job, and a lot of sitting. You can also tell at the end that I got a shiny new app that allows me to make collages which I really like...it's nice to be able to show off accessories or shoes within the same pic (I have some shoe shots that I didn't include in this collage - you can view all of my instagram shots on your computer here).

Looking at the composite also reminds me of things that I want to buy to fill in wardrobe gaps - new trousers and more stylish socks (which I get a huge kick out of wearing) chief among them - as well as things that I have in my closet already and should really make an effort to wear more often - certain sweaters and my blazer (I haven't worn that thing in forever!).

Do you have a formula for putting together work outfits? Are you in the habit of recording your day-to-day looks? Have you ever had someone walk in on you taking a picture of yourself in the mirror (awkward.)?

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.

commuting shoes: the working girl's best friend

The first time I heard of "commuting shoes" was on an episode of What Not to Wear. The makeoveree was defending the sketchy sneakers she wore to work, because she rode the subway, there was no way she could make her commute in the pretty heels Stacy and Clinton were showing off. Happily, Clinton was there to set her straight, and the idea of commuting shoes lurked in my brain through many years of sketchy-sneakers-wearing (I was in college, give me a break!) until the time finally came to put that knowledge to good use.

Source: famousfootwear.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

If you've never heard of commuting shoes before, here's the long and short of it: sometimes you have to walk a lot to get to work. Sometimes you have to drive a long time. And sometimes you don't want to do those things wearing heels. But you are not doomed to wear sensible flats every day of your professional life -- no! You can buy a pair of comfortable, reasonably athletic shoes, and then change into your nice shoes once you get to the office! Do you see how this was a revolutionary idea in my young brain?

My commuting shoe of choice (pictured above) are my Skechers Actives "Addicted" (I have no idea. Shoes, cars, and cellphones have the weirdest names); I bought them for my retail job, because I could stand in them for 4-8 hours at a time without my feet falling off. They're comfortable, provide some arch support, and are nice-looking enough that I don't feel like a total fashion disaster during the ten minutes it takes to get from my car to my desk in the mornings. Actually, I have been known to wear them with trousers; they're a nice pair of black shoes that don't call too much attention to themselves.

Some people keep their work shoes in a desk drawer for easy on/off - just slip them on when you get to work and put them back at night. Personally, I like to have access to all of my shoes at all times (you never know when you'll need them!) so I just pack mine into my work-bag, and off I go. This gives me the added bonus of being able to decide to wear my fancy shoes out to my car, if my feet are still feeling okay and I want to work some stylish professional realness on that catwalk we call a sidewalk.

Do you wear commuting shoes or are you the kind of hardcore fashionista who walks five miles uphill both ways in her heels? (If so, I salute you and stick my feet further into my fuzzy slippers!) What say you, kitschens? (Haven't used that for a while...it's still not cool, is it?)

why i am a glasses girl

I got my first pair of glasses in fourth grade. It wasn't really a surprise--my dad wore glasses then, and my mom wore contacts (and glasses at night). In a few years, my sister would get glasses as well, and plenty of my classmates wore them. But things changed. As I got into high school, and even middle school, my peers started abandoning their glasses for contact lenses (especially the other girls.) I've always had really sensitive eyes (they've been known to tear up when other people are talking about eye stuff), so contacts never seemed like an option for me. By now, at this point in my life, I feel like I could probably learn to use contacts.

But guess what? I don't want them.

I love my glasses. I've had pairs I didn't love (the oversized brown ones that made me look like the world's tiniest dweeby professor come to mind), but I've always liked slipping them on in the mornings to start the day and setting them on the dresser at night when I'm ready to sleep. I love that I always have at least one accessory, no matter what. I love how they frame my face. I like that they cover up minor flaws in eyeshadow application! And yes, I think they make me look...not smarter, really, but bookish. I like looking bookish.

I'm a huge fan of chunky black frames (obviously), but I also adore crazy vintage styles. Give me all the cat's eye, rhinestones, and horn-rims you've got! My goal is to go to the optometrist and get all my eye info so I can buy glasses online. There are places like Zenni Optical who offer frames starting at $6.95! (I have never purchased from Zenni, but it's been recommended to me by people in various communities.) For that price, I could have a different pair of glasses for every day of the week! And, of course, for the non-prescription glasses fan, there are plenty of vintage frames available on Etsy. I got the frames I have now my freshman year of college, and I still feel they're very me, but I'd love to inject some variety.

All too often on makeover shows, the makeover includes straightening lovely curly hair (hey!) and a pair of contact lenses (double hey!). Everyone's entitled to their own decisions, of course, and plenty of people far prefer contact lenses. I'm just sayin' -- give glasses a chance! It is totally possible to be glamorous with glasses. You can also do awesome eye makeup with glasses! To be honest, wearing my glasses when I'm all glammed up sort of makes me feel like I'm still keeping my sassy side alive. It's a little bit funky, and a lot of fun.

My sister and I think so, at least!



Also: I now have the Disqus comment system! It hid some of the old comment counts (they're still there if you click on the post), and I hope that it'll be helpful since I can actually reply directly to you! Hopefully an A+ improvement

ready, aim, fire: shopping goals for smarter shopping

I finally got the new winter coat I've been daydreaming about since the earliest days of my blog, way back in the summer.


Seen here: WORKIN' IT

Ain't she a beaut? My coat shopping experience was really quite excellent, due in equal parts (I'd like to think) to serendipity and to my planning. Now, shopping is fun (or is it a sport?), but it never hurts and usually is very helpful to have a least a few goals in mind when you go shopping. Having an idea of what you want to buy is great, but the more specifics you have, the easier it will be to avoid buyer's remorse and spending fruitless hours searching through things you don't really want.

I'm going to use my coat as an example, but these goals/thinking points can apply to any other clothes, and the principles within might even help you shop smarter when you're looking for books or furniture!

Material I knew I wanted a wool coat. Anything lighter wouldn't keep me warm during the winter, and I'm not really into the shiny/slick/poofy styles. The specifics of the material might not seem as important in your everyday shopping, but the weight and appearance of a piece of clothing can really affect its appropriateness in a physical and presentational way.

Color I did not want anything black. Black is a bit of a safety color for me, as it is for many people, and I've been wearing a black peacoat for seven years. I'm done when black coats. It was tempting to look through the racks and racks of black, but I just remembered how much I envied and enjoyed the pink, green, and yellow winter coats I'd seen other students wearing on campus. (Sidenote: Paying attention to what other people are wearing can be very inspiring! Make sure you remember cute combos/ideas, and remember that an "I love that, where did you get it?" is very seldom unwelcome.)

Fit Ah, fit. That devilbeast that has doomed so many of us to curse the heavens when the piece we desperately want is either out of stock in our size or was never in it to begin with. We are often tempted (at least I am) to go with something almost right. It's just barely too small, right? (Or just barely too large, and you know you won't get it tailored.) Unfortunately, no matter how cute it is, the likelihood of you feeling comfortable wearing it out are slim when it doesn't actually fit properly (and therefore look right), which leaves it to sulk and smolder in the closet, a hateful reminder. With this coat, fit was even more nonnegotiable than ever. I would have to wear this coat over any number of other pieces, so mostly fitting wasn't going to cut it.

Style This one can be sort of a no-brainer, because yeah, duh, you want to buy something you like. But if you're moving in a direction where you're trying to create a wardrobe or a style, you might need to have other qualifications besides just liking it. As an example, though there are tons of great cuts of coats, I was fairly sure I was going to be getting a peacoat. It wasn't a hard and fast rule, but I've always found peacoats very classic and malleable style-wise, so I didn't have to worry about having a totally RAWKIN coat that wouldn't go with a more professional dress or an unltra conservative coat that I couldn't have any fun with. In this case, I ended up combining two of my favorite coats: the peacoat and the trench. Plus, I got tons of the stuff I like: studs, belt, buttons, zippers, fancy collar, hurrah!

Price Depending on your situation, the negotiability of this one will vary. However, even if you had all the money in the world, it's worthwhile to consider how much you're willing to spend on any specific piece. (Although if you had all the money in the world, you would probably be willing to spend a bit more than the average student!) As much as you might like any piece, you need to consider how much you can spend as well as how much said piece is worth. Even if I had a thousand dollars to throw around, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't buy a fifty dollar tanktop because...what? I can't imagine it being worth that to me. This sometimes means making sacrifices. In my case, I got my coat in a super post-Christmas clearance that brought it down to a quarter of the original price. If it had been half or a third of the original price, I wouldn't have bought it, even though I would have loved it just as much. I actually almost put it back on the rack entirely when I glimpsed the price tag, before I saw that it was on a rack that offered additional discounts.

My opinion probably differs from other fashion types, but to me, if the price isn't right for you, neither is the piece. Paying more than you can/want to for anything you don't have to buy will probably lead to buyer's remorse. There are definitely things in my closet that I resent somewhat because I know that I paid too much for them. I don't get nearly as much enjoyment out of them as I do from pieces that I hunted down/waited for/discovered serendipitously at just the right price range. Of course, the other side of the coin is non-buyer's remorse, another painful thing I've felt. It's a fine line, and you're the only one who knows it. And, if you've set up your goals regarding price beforehand, you can feel a little more comfortable either sticking to them or fudging them (just this once).

...obviously I get wordier as I go! I hope some of these tips will help you shop smarter, avoid buyer's remorse, and find exactly what you want! Obviously, whatever "rules" you make about what you're looking for are your rules. You can change them or break them whenever you like. But I find that having the rules/goals/guidelines in place helps me really consider if I want to break them. I buy less impulsively now, and I think that the quality of my wardrobe has improved for it.

Coat is Miss Sixty brand from Boston Store, but it doesn't appear to be in stock anymore.

my style: the art of sassy crossdressing

I mentioned previously that stylish ladies should rock ties more often, and I stand firmly behind that declaration. There are few things sassier than menswear inspired pieces, and I think everyone deserves to rock it out drag king style once in a while. It doesn't have to be a full cross, but stealing portions of menswear for ladywearing can be so much fun and add an interesting flair to your outfit. (Sidenote: the same totally goes for the reverse, but since I don't think there are a lot of gents reading my blog, I'll hold off on my testament to the awesomeness of crossdressing dudes.)

For example, today I was the bartender at the speakeasy my kitchen became for my lovely sister's murder mystery party. As a dapper 1920s gent, I got my cross on:



I wore this with black jeans because that was all I had at home, but a button-up, vest, and tie would look amazing with a pencil skirt for business wear. Or even with plain jeans for casual chic. A fedora is also an excellent addition to many outfits.

If you're dubious, or need a better example than me, I offer up that most sultry of screen sirens, Marlene Dietrich.


Image courtesy of Life magazine

Dietrich rocked a tux in every conceivable way. I don't know if I've ever seen a man who looks as stylish in a suit than she did (maybe Joseph Gordon-Levitt).

The most important thing to remember when you look into menswear styles is your own shape. Some bodies will fit well into actual menswear and more direct inspirations, while others might need a bit more tailoring and shaping to make a blazer, for example, fit like a dream. Personally, I'm mostly hourglass shaped, so a men's blazer that fits my bust will be very baggy around my waist, which I'm not a huge fan of. I need darting and structure for it to look how I want it to. It's one of those things that needs some trial-and-error or, as I like to call it, try-on-and-error!

Have any of you rocked it boy-style? Tips for anyone who wants to get her dapper on?

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Don't forget that you can always ask questions and make suggestions in the comments or my askbox! And, if you like what you read, don't be shy about sharing it! E-mail/tweet/facebook/shout it out!

my style: writer wear

NaNoWriMo is here! As this most stressful yet amazing month starts, I find myself contemplating what writers wear. You see, writing always feels like it ought to be glamorous. I'm sitting and pouring out my heart, crafting the most tear-jerkingly beautiful prose on an ancient typewriter with an ashtray full of half-smoked cigarettes still filling my tiny Parisian apartment with a haze of blue-gray smoke. As you can see, I generally imagine that I'm Christian in the frame story portions of Moulin Rouge, since in real life, I don't smoke, I hate typewriters, and I've never even been to Paris, TX. But the movies do give us this image of a beautiful tortured writer (as well as Ewan Macgregor in an undershirt and suspenders, hello) that I have the urge to aspire to.

I'd like to be stylish, wearing pretty clothes worthy of my words. But Nanowrimo is about speed, sweat, and desperation, and I spend a good portion of it in t-shirts and sweatpants. Comfort is key for me when I want to write; if I'm worrying about my feet or trying to wriggle around getting comfortable, I'm not putting words on the screen. That's what's really important. So I'll have to save the outfits for the movie version of my life, or maybe my fantasy book tour.

Nanowrimo isn't even a day old right now--there's plenty of time to sign up and get started! If you're a writer, I definitely recommend it. There's nothing quite like gathering with your friends, the caffeinated substance of your choice, a big pile of candy, and just writing. The sound of fingers on keys fills the air, and you feel like you're really doing something. It never hurts to try!

my style: rockin' the staples

Staples are a very important part of our lives. They hold together so many disparate (yet related) pieces of paper that would otherwise be scattered to the wind! And in the same way, those of us without humorously (and deliciously) large closets and/or budgets need staple outfits.

I have a confession: I've worn the same exact (mostly) outfit three times this week. Now, before you close the tab on my blog forever, it should be stated that there are extenuating circumstances: I've been home the whole week living out of a medium-sized suitcase that was packed when I had no idea what I would be doing. I usually spend most of break in sweatpants, but things pop up: trips to the mall, trips to my grandparents, lunch dates. I usually try to grab a couple of nice pieces that will travel well, so I can be stylish at the drop of a hat if necessary. This time I had a bit of a mishap--I brought home two skirts only for the unseasonable heat to disappear as soon as I got home. I hadn't brought any tights. So, I had this:

Apt 9 tunic and Vera Wang jeans from Kohl's (the jeans in the picture are just representative!)

My tunic is purple, which makes the outfit less monochromatic than it seems there, but yep, that's pretty much it. It's what I had to work with, and work it I did. I wore this to my grandparent's house with kitten heels, I wore it to a ladies lunch at Olive Garden with sneakers, and I am wearing it as I write this very post because I'll be wearing it barefooted/with socks when my godparents come visit. That's three times in seven days, and that's almost every time I left the house. It's kind of embarrassing to admit and to look at it like that, but honestly? This is one of my staple outfits. The pieces pair great together, I have a lot of accessorizing options, and it's comfortable. The only people who know I wore the same thing two days ago are my family, and they'd never tell!

When creating a staple outfit, consider these things: you don't really "create" a staple outfit. To me, at least, your staple outfits kind of come to you. It's that one that you find yourself wearing when you don't know what to wear. It works for multiple levels of formality with some accessorizing, probably isn't too difficult to get yourself ready in, and the pieces in it can be fabulously paired with other things in your closet. A staple outfit, in my estimation, is what happens when two staple pieces (a tunic and a pair of black jeans, for example) come together in an awesome way. The one other time I had to get myself prettified this week was when I went to the mall to get my sister's ears pierced; I wore the same black jeans, with a purple top and my vest. Both of these outfits can be paired with my fabulous black chunky necklace. It's like a staple party! This wasn't a post about travel, but it follows logically that these pieces that are extremely wearable, mix-and-matchable, and adjustable are the things you should be packing.

What's your never fail staple outfit?

my style: scarf it up

You will never guess what I wore today, folks! (I really need some sort of term of address for you, dear readers. T.Lo have "kittens," maybe you should be "kitschens." Must investigate further.) Just yesterday, I was thinking about scarves. I have never worn a scarf, I thought to myself. Then I steeled myself. I will blog about my desire to wear a scarf and pledge to do so in the next week. Well, hold onto your pickles, because I wore a scarf today.


awww yesss (Sorry for these ridiculous self-taken mirror shots, my roomies never seem to be home when I want to show off my outfit!)

I was trying to figure out what to wear to class, and settled on a newer purple top. It came with a fabric necklace that I'm not a huge fan of, so I know I need to accessorize it another way. I'd worn my go-to necklaces a few too many times to this class, and I wanted to change it up. Suddenly, I spied the scarf my sister had given me for my birthday! Just the right color and with some fabulous ruffles, I suspected that today was the day, the time was now (then), and I would feel like a French butterfly wearing my scarf. And it was true: I felt chic and fabulous!

I'd always thought that wearing a scarf would be difficult. It seems like one of those effortlessly chic things that in fact take a whole lot of effort, like putting on enough makeup to make it look like you aren't wearing any or those adorable little boots that will secretly eat your feet, leaving naught but blistered stumps in their wake. But it turns out, wearing a scarf is...just wearing a scarf. Wrap it around your neck and go.

There are other bloggers who have tons of great ideas on how to wear scarves (I've spent the past twenty minutes trying to track a particular post down for you, but it's not happening. Bitter failure!), and I would definitely recommend checking out a few of those or a few youtube videos if you're unsure of how to wear it. I've only just had my first scarf-wearing experience today...I'm pretty sure I'm not yet qualified to comment!

Most importantly, I paired my scarf and top with black jeans and these beautiful babies:


SO Glorianna Ankle Boots in houndstooth

When I first saw these in a catalog, a nearby dog spontaneously grew human vocal chords and said "Jennifer, you were meant to own these boots." True Story. I adore them.

Opinion Time! I know a lot of blogs rely heavily (or even solely) on "What I Wore" posts. Fickle Kitsch is never going to be a photodiary of my every fashion statement, but would you be interested in seeing some outfit pics when I've got one I'm particularly happy with? Let me know!

my style: the one accessory rule

Yikes, what a week! I feel almost like I'm settled back into the school routine; of course, that just means bigger and crazier things will come up. So I better make sure I get back into my blogging groove now, before things like "homework" start dragging me down!

Now, I am probably not the most stylish person you will ever meet (or even the most stylish blogger you currently read) and I know I probably won't become that. That may seem odd, since I obviously love fashion enough to blog about it, but my problem has always been making an outfit into an Outfit instead of just a series of clothes. I always seem to spy people on the street who look stylish and put together when I just look like I'm wearing clothes--a feat that is seldom applauded in itself. I've recently developed a rule for myself that works wonders to make clothes into outfits. I call it the one accessory rule.

Luckily, I'm not a mathematician or some kind of abstract theorist; the one accessory rule is exactly what it sounds like: wear at least one accessory at any given time. This probably sounds incredibly simple (and probably pretty dumb) to the more stylish among us, but the simplicity is what makes it work. It can be hard to imagine yourself into a fabulous outfit, especially when you're getting ready in a time crunch. If your options are make it to class on time or get yourself utterly fabulous, class (hopefully) wins out. But to put on one accessory is so easy. And I find that once I have one on, others follow. Standing in front of my vanity (it may look like a desk, but to me, it's a vanity) and saying "I need to accessorize" often leads to blank stares at my little Gladware container of jewelry, silently begging my bustier lamp to give me a hint. It's too much. But saying "I need a great pair of earrings" is a more achievable goal. And once I have a great pair of earrings, somehow the right necklace is so much easier to find. And then something to go in my hair...before you know it, I'm festooned in finery! (Do be sure not to festoon yourself too festively; excessive festooning can be detrimental to your overall appearance.) (...festoon!)

Because it isn't a post of mine (it seems) without some lovely Polyvore, have some pretties! As always, everything pictured is under $50.

I tried to get a bit of a mix of brighter and more muted colors, since I do love the bright ones, but I've been really drawn to creams and their ilk lately. Cameos and pearls are calling my name, I can't help but answer!

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Hey bloggers! I've been thinking about doing a School Style series about different colleges nation/worldwide. Of course, no one knows a campus's style better than someone who goes there! If you'd be interested in writing a post about style at your school to be featured on this blog, please e-mail me! (ficklekitsch[at]gmail[dot]com)