Is this thing on?

Why, hello there! Why the long radio silence, PeriodicStyle?

I'll be honest -- 2010 was a rough year. Money was tight and inspiration was scarce; it was very much a "put your head down and work" year, and so there wasn't much time or reason for browsing Etsy, wandering the aisles of Sephora, and so on. And so PeriodicStyle fell by the wayside.

It's hard to write a blog that's, at the most elemental core, about being a consumer when there's nothing you're interested in buying and no money to buy it with anyway, and you'e never been comfortable as an outfit or FOTD-blogger.

The truth is also that since starting the blog in January '07, life has changed for all three of us. Just speaking for me, I've traveled to places I've never been, I've had several jobs, I moved to my first non-college apartment, I've had two serious boyfriends and one really heart-wrenching break-up. I've been to Fashion Week twice, and I've learned a ton about myself.

2010 really made it clear that I'm just not the same girl I used to be, even from one year ago. Even from six months ago. And unfortunately, PS just doesn't really line up with who I am and what I want to do anymore, and Karen and Kati agree with me.

So we're closing PeriodicStyle -- we'll still leave up the archives, so please feel free to take a look and drop us a line, but we won't be producing any more content here.

What we *are* doing is that we've moved our energy over to Tumblr -- we are now happily updating at genmaicha.tumblr.com, formerly known as Periodicals. It's short, it's sweet, it's awesome. What's also particularly awesome is that there's no designation of who's adding what to Tumblr -- so it's just one delicious hivemind of the three of us. Please, please come hang out with us on Tumblr!

I know I'm always going to be grateful for the opportunities that PeriodicStyle opened up for me and the amazing people I've met, either in person or through the internets -- but it's time for a new year, and time to move on!

xoxo!

Eureka, I've Got It!

Holy smokes, do you remember this post from almost exactly seven months ago, about how I was desperately searching for a perfect pair of menswear-styled flat oxfords? Well, today, ladies and gent, I FOUND THEM. I have them right here under my desk, and they are fabulous.

As is every great shoe acquisition, today's started innocuously--I had just pledged to not spend any money, having several large upcoming purchases in mind to save up for, and I was out helping my father shop for men's shirts. I was absolutely not going to buy myself anything. The last time this happened two years ago, I ended up with a pair of Chie Mihara pumps that I still wear at least twice a week and I certainly do not regret that shopping indiscretion. We ended up on 4th Street in Southwest Berkeley, always a nice time what with the lovely CB2 and the Pasta Shop, at local and sustainability-conscious boutique Convert.

Convert is a pretty, bare-bones shop with windows filled with utilitarian Moxsie-esque goodies like Toms Shoes and recycled fabric knapsacks. It reminded me of the small warehouse-style boutiques I saw in Japan that seem to be taking hold here, all white walls with a couple of minimalist racks and long, industrial tables in the middle of the room. (Maybe I just haven't been shopping in a while, we are in a recession, after all.) The men's clothes at Convert are far more practical than the women's, so my father was lucky in his shopping endeavors: three shirts, one sweater. Disappointed in their weird, batwing-y ladies' selection, I strolled over to the shoe section to see if Jeanne was right about those weird Tom's shoes (cushioned, but stinky!).

First, I spotted the adorable Dorothy pump with its tickly little leather+fur flower and charming barbershop-pole striped wooden heel. So cute! So furry! Then, OH GLORY:
Eureka! Hello, lovely Jazzy flat ladies' oxford! They are amazing. Handmade real leather soles by J.Shoes, made in the United Kingdom, charming pinked and layered vamp, waxed leather laces that actually stay tied (unlike my Jeffrey Campbell Steppin heels), obviously crafted exactly a la a man's sturdy oxford and I love it.

I feel like I need to bring up the hems of my wideleg trousers and invest in a pair of suspenders to go full-time mascu-femme, top it all off with a snappy fedora and voila! I already scuffed up the slippery leathery soles by walking around on the asphalt and they are going great so far. Perhaps for work, a pair of opaque black patterned tights, a slim skirt, and a high-necked Victorian blouse? Or for the weekend, black tights again with a mid-thigh skirt and summer tee. Back in black, as always!

How should I put my best foot forward with these new shoes, hmm? Keep it period with a heavy dose of tailoring, or go all-out hipster-y in skinny jeans? I can't wait to trot these babies out for the fall!

Polished up and pretty!

So obviously you all know that I'm a big nail polish fan, and my collection is such that I've had to reorganize it a couple of times. Right now, I have a three-drawer unit guy, like this one from Target, sorted out by color.

Top Shelf: Blues and turquoises.
Middle Shelf: Pinks, reds, purples, and overflow from bottom shelf.
Bottom Shelf: Vamps and darks, metallics and brights, and unusual colors in general. (Again, it overflows into the middle shelf.)

It's nice to have such a big variety -- when Kati came to visit in June, she asked me what colors I had so if she needed to retouch her polish, would I have it. (The majority of the time? Yes. Yes I did.) My roommate asked to borrow a hot pink for a pedicure and I promptly fished out Essie's Mod Squad for her.

The thing is, I have such a variety that there are polishes I've never worn before, even while I'm sighing over new colors (and, yes, occasionally bringing new ones home). And so I have to challenge myself to switch up my toes more; I have to keep them in good shape because of my newly-acquired athletic status, so that means I should be taking better care of them and switching up the colors whenever I tend to my toes.

Right now, my toes are the gorgeous Zoya Rea, a shimmery lavender mauve that was hiding in the middle shelf. I'd bought it almost exactly a year ago, as part of the 2009 Fall collection, but I'm totally loving it right now for my cool-weather summer pedi. As soon as I had painted one coat, I told purple-loving Karen, "You have to try this." I don't even know what prompted me to pick up Rea last year, but I am absolutely glad I did.

So while I work my way through my stash, tell me -- what untested colors do you have in your nail polish collection? Any surprises or discoveries?

image from zoya.com

Girl, where've you been??

Alas, it's been way, way too long since we've posted!

Life has been pretty busy/hectic for all three of us at PeriodicStyle this summer -- lots of change is in the air for us, so we're all rolling with it as best as we can. For example, I'm now three days away from trying out for the local roller derby league (yes! it's true! I'm going for it!), so that has been eating my brain and my spare time for the past few months.

That's not to say we're not finding and enjoying new things, of course; I promise to do a better job of keeping up and keeping you all in the loop!

Thanks for your patience while we've been adjusting, and we hope everything's going all right for you too! Why don't you leave a comment and let us know what's been up with you while we've been taking our sabbatical? We miss you too!

Resisting Retail Gravity: the Curse of the Black Blouse

I have a problem. I am perpetually tangled up in a push-pull of my effort to add more color to my wardrobe, yet whenever I make it to a store, I inevitably end up buying the same two items: black shirts, black skirts. Seriously, I must have a hundred version of the same outfit, black shirt, gray pants/skirt, black shoes. My co-workers must think I only own three items of clothing.

There is SOME color in my closet (also known as the pile of clothing I pull out of the dryer and haphazardly make into a work-friendly outfit)--I have a purple and black dress, a teal blouse, a couple of jackets, maybe a navy shirt or two that occasionally come out to play. Let me tell you, it is an exciting day in my world when I wear more than two colors at a time. Maybe I'll mix it up, a black shirt with gray pants and a polka-dot scarf in red and gray--SWEET HEAVENS ABOVE, the avant-garde fashion explorer I used to be has long been subsumed by my corporate conformist self.

As I see it, I am trapped by the cruel pull of retail gravity to always, always end up in an anonymous fitting room with an armful of black blouses. I do try to look for alternate colors on my admittedly infrequent shopping trips. I just am not a big patterns girl, I'll go for a lovely polka dot, Swiss dot, or a stripe provided it's a color on a black field.

One very lovely blouse in my closet is probably the best possible color combination for my wardrobe, a Finley button-up blouse with pleats at the waist, doubled cuffs and collar with black and maroon jacquard lining, all in a an alternating stripe pattern of black, navy, and maroon. PERFECT, right? I can wear it with gray, black, navy, or maroon. Why don't I wear it more often? I HAVE NO IDEA. It lives on a hanger in my closet and it always seems just a smidge too short, or the sleeves are too hot for the weather. That shirt just cannot win in the fashion battle that happens five days a week, at eight o'clock every morning.

Short of gutting my fading black wardrobe of its colorlessness and ransacking every store in a fifty-mile radius for shirts in every tacky color of the rainbow to prove a point to myself, what can I do to resist the siren call of the black shirt-gray skirt pattern? Maybe I don't LIKE anything other than that outfit. I'm not afraid of color, I have a specific sort of style and quality of fashion that I try to cultivate when I do shop, it's just frustrating to go into my closet and come up with the same thing, over and over again. Perhaps I can find a solution in the form of dresses this summer.

So, mystery as yet unresolved, do you have an old stand-by fashion favorite that has taken over your life? Last year, it was all opaque tights and black A-line skirts for us--the cycle continues!!

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Today, as all good comic book movie nerds know, is the day that Iron Man 2 comes out in theatres. Yes, this is exciting, and yes, we love us some Robert Downey Jr. (Hey-yo!) But the comic book movie I'm really waiting for this summer has to be Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

In fact, I was talking with Kati on the phone and I mentioned Scott Pilgrim, and she said, "what?" I said, "HOW HAVE YOU NOT HEARD ABOUT THIS MOVIE. YOU WILL LOVE THIS MOVIE."

Thus, Things in this Movie that Are Awesome:

- Michael Cera, who is one of PeriodicStyle's favorites ever, stars as Scott Pilgrim. Scott is a happy-go-lucky unemployed bass player who meets Ramona, the rollerblading delivery girl of his dreams. But in order to date her, he has to defeat her Seven Evil Exes.
- It also features Mae Whitman (Ann! from Arrested Development! and she has to FIGHT MICHAEL CERA!), Brandon Routh, Chris Adams, Jason Schwartzmann (as the Big Bad Ex, Gideon), Kieran Culkin, and Anna Kendrick. Just the cast makes me bounce up and down.
- It is based on a comic book series (which I own and have read), which has lots of video game references, including K.O.s, 1-Ups and power items, save points, and boss battles.
- It is directed by Edgar Wright, who also did Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz (both of which I loved).
- The soundtrack features Metric, another PeriodicStyle favorite, as "Clash at Demonhead", the band fronted by Scott's own Evil Ex, Envy Adams. (You can hear their song for the Scott Pilgrim soundtrack, Black Sheep, on YouTube.) The whole Scott Pilgrim soundtrack is going to be completely epic.
- They're also making a game with Ubisoft, complete with old-school graphics and music. (Check out the preview from Penny Arcade Expo East here on YouTube.) I know Kati kicks it old-school gamer a lot more than I do, so this is totally for her!

Basically, it is going to be amazing and exciting. And I'm going to be there opening day for sure.

I mean, look at the trailer: how is this not something we'd totally dig for days?



While you're waiting, go ahead and pick up the series -- right now it's at five volumes, with the sixth (and final) one due out this summer. Get started with Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life, and go from there. It's a fun read, and it will definitely get you pumped for the movie.

What movies are you looking forward to this summer?

This post contains an affiliate link.

Inspired by: White Oak Drive-In Cleaners, San Carlos, California

For almost the last two years, I've been living back here on the West Coast in what you could essentially say is my hometown. Here on the Peninsula, life is certainly running at a different pace than it did in New York City, not to mention Tokyo. It's nice to come home, take a breath, and rest in the peace and quiet the suburbs afford you sometimes. Still, I crave the cold, hard multisensory stimulation of big cities and when driving into San Francisco's downtown when I have a death wish won't cut it, I head out of the house to find a local spot to explore. This past week I took an afternoon to walk around downtown San Carlos, California, whose Laurel Street main drag is quickly becoming the hot spot for restaurants and yuppie storefronts on the Peninsula.

It turns out Laurel Street, quiet and set back just one block away from the hustle of El Camino Real, the train tracks, and plopped halfway between highways 101 and 280, has been remarkably well-preserved from its obvious heyday in the 1940s and 1950s. As a huge fan of historic and midcentury architecture, it was a delicious treasure trove of well-loved and well-kept buildings just waiting for my adoration!

I had my camera with me and was immediately inspired by the lines and colors of San Carlos' historic buildings, for fashion, of course. The White Oak Drive-In Cleaners above at 1200 Belmont Avenue in San Carlos is a perfect example of midcentury architecture. Note the Googie-influenced curving street-facing wall that turns what would normally be a plain concrete box into a wonderfully Jetsons-esque structure.

San Carlos has preserved (or restored) the old streetlamps and painted them white, as you can see in the photo above--the Victorian profile of the white streetlamp contrasts with the voluptuous, heavy building and its fabulous original pink and white sign!
Check it out, as we get closer--

Yes, the dry cleaners is connected to a two-story apartment building, classic midcentury profile and to my mind, shows that someone did some excellent urban planning to provide both residential and commercial opportunities when the White Oak Drive-In was built. In my attempts to do research online, I found no citations for the address itself, so I can't tell if it was always a drive-in cleaners or a fabulous 1950s venue for James Dean wannabes and their full-skirted, Rayban Wayfarer-wearing girlfriends.


Seriously, how awesome is their sign? It's what makes me think they have been in business since at least 1960, and the building likely dates from the 1940s when this area experienced a huge wartime and post-war boom in building homes and businesses for young families. San Carlos is not your normal Wild West California town, with very few Victorian-era buildings left and a surprisingly substantial strip-mall style cluster of building constituting the downtown, providing a steady flow of plain but stylistically interesting storefronts for local businesses. Like all micentury design and architecture enthusiasts, signage is a particular favorite of mine, I can't get enough of it! Just goes to show, it's not just Hollywood and Route 66 where you can see great midcentury architecture, walk down to your city center and open your eyes for some great, historic, delicious design left over from the 1940s-1960s.

Obviously, I came home inspired by what I saw and just had to make a Polyvore to reflect the best design elements of this building:

Inspired by: White Oak Drive-In Cleaners, San Carlos, CA by periodicstyle featuring kate spade accessories

See the fabulous orange Wayfarers (a must), the 1950s saddle-shoe inspired flat sneakers for the girl who walks to work and traipses about town, the slightly more feminine accessories to soften the blow of a highly structured outfit. The building's strongly contrasting orange line on a field of forest green makes me think of unusual color combinations for greens and oranges, two colors I would normally never pair together. (Really, what color tights are you supposed to wear with a green dress or outfit? Black? Or is that too uniform-y?) I won't lie, when I saw the White Oak Drive-In Cleaners, I thought to myself, "This is Joanie Holloway AS A BUILDING!" Thus, the lady herself has to be featured in that fabulous green dress, could we love her any more?

So we'll bid farewell and say thank you to the White Oak Drive-In Cleaners for the fashion inspiration they've inspired, in the most unexpected of places. On behalf of all of America's underappreciated and forgotten downtowns, every city's architectural history has something to offer us, and remember you can always look to the past to inject a breath of fresh air into your fashionable life!

Curse you, Mercury retrograde!

Today is my birthday (!), and so the *original* plan was to have a lovely birthday tiara post up for you today. Because hey, birthday tiaras! Awesome!

Alas, my home laptop had other ideas. Ideas like the hard drive deciding that it no longer liked living.

So instead, I'm begging forgiveness for the lack of posting in general and now the extended delay in posting, as my Macbook will be sent off to Hard Drive Camp tomorrow and will hopefully return feeling fresh like a daisy. And, well, empty. It's like having a brand new laptop and yet... not.

Meanwhile, since my poor baby is already almost four years old, it could be time to start thinking about a new laptop, which is absolutely not in my budget at all...

In the mean time, go check out my recent post on BlogHer Style, where I tell you all about my spring wardrobe clearout. Or check out Karen's new flat iron review at Periodic Beauty Reviews!

How's this Mercury retrograde treating you so far? It's going on through May 11th, so we all just have to hang in there. And, if you have any laptop recommendations, I'd love to hear them, since it looks like I'll be back in that market soon. (Sigh!)

Keep your eye open for that birthday tiara post closer to Kati's birthday...!

Happy things for spring!

I've been feeling a little broadsided and run down this month, and so I've been finding myself needing a little mental happy boost. One thing that helps is taking extra vitamin B, and another thing that helps? Sweet inspirational prints on Etsy from dazeychic.etsy.com.

Click on the pictures to go directly to the listings!


I think this doesn't need any extra comment. It *is* going to be okay.


Wise words from Bob Dylan.


I need to make some lemon bars this spring, because they are so delicious and will certainly perk me up around here. Anyone have any recipe recommendations?


And finally, this is one of my Facebook profile quotes, which means I should probably get the print some day! I think it is just perfect. Because really, what is happier than a bird with a french fry? (A bird with a whole pizza, actually, but french fries are awesome.)

What's been inspiring you lately? What have you found on Etsy that has stayed with you, or has just made you happy?

images from dazeychic.etsy.com

Jeanne's Spring and Summer Shopping List

I've been hard at work at spring cleaning -- clearing out the wardrobe, clearing off the *top* of the wardrobe, and my hope is to get everything actually taken care of in the next two weeks. (Man, I don't even know.)

As I've been cleaning, however, I've really gotten a chance to see what's missing, especially as spring comes up. And so here's what I'm thinking of adding to my wardrobe as I clear it out...

- I'm forever looking for cute summer shoes, especially sandals or peeptoes. Last spring I was obsessed with beige flats or demi-wedges, and I never found the perfect pair. Right now the ones I keep coming back to and thinking about are the Petal Pusher Wedges from Modcloth and the Jeffrey Campbell Norma wedges -- they're not exactly what I wanted, but they're very, very close. Plus, I'm still longing for those Swedish Hasbeen sandals, and I've also been thinking about the Matiko Whit wedges in purple for some time. Man, I do love summer shoes. (I need to give myself a pedicure, stat.)

- Every year I say I'm going to wear more skirts and dresses, and so far I haven't. But I do think I would wear the Spectrum Tie Skirt from FredFlare.com a whole lot. How cute would that be with a basic tank top and cute sandals or peeptoes? I really do need more cute skirts in my life, and this one is just so darling. But yes -- another year, another resolution to wear more skirts and dresses!

- I want to spend more time in the pool this summer, but I mean exactly that -- more time in the pool, swimming. Not lying around in the sun (as much as I like lying around in the sun). And since pretty much all of my swimsuits are two-pieces or lounging one-pieces, I need a suit to just swim in. I don't need a fancy Speedo racing suit or anything, so a basic little one-piece like this one from Delias.com would suit me just fine.

- After the clean out, I've noticed I need to stock up on my short-sleeved shirts and blouses. I try not to wear logo shirts to work anymore, so I mostly save those for the weekends or working out, but I definitely could use some more cute tops that aren't tank tops or camisoles.

- I know Karen has heard me complain that I have "too many cardigans", but again, after the clean out, I actually could use some more cardigans! Nice ones. In colors other than black. (She says while wearing a black cardigan.) For all of my tank tops and shorts, when you spend 40+ hours a week in an air-conditioned office, you really do need a cardigan...

- Another big change for me this spring/summer is that I'm going to be wearing contacts more. Since I'm training and working out and rock wall climbing (yep!) and skating more and more, I've made an appointment with my optometrist to get my contact lens prescription updated. And since my main pair of sunglasses are prescription, I've been thinking about getting more fun/inexpensive pairs of non-scrip sunglasses to wear while I'm wearing my contacts. Right now I'm totally crazy about the Jetson shades in Tortoise from NastyGal, which remind me of Gaga's Alexander Wang sunglasses, but L. and Karen have both pretty much said they wouldn't look good on me. (You guys are no fun.) Also, how much do I love these Linda Farrow sunglasses? Maybe, um, not enough to buy them for $275, but I can sure admire them.

- Finally, what I really, really need is a full underwear drawer clear out. It just really needs to be torn apart and started over. I'm not even really working on it yet, but I've been wanting to do it for some time from top to bottom (literally). Plus new underthings are always a good thing to have... I don't really have the money to spring on this just yet, but it would be so, so nice to do.

What are you missing from your closet this spring? Or are you still in the midst of cleaning, and can't be bothered to think about replacing until the Cleaning Is Done? What's on your list to add in?

images from fredflare.com and shopnastygal.com

Won-der-con, Won-der-con~

This weekend is Wondercon here in San Francisco, and I'll be going both days to hang with L. at her booth in Artist's Alley. Come say hi! (Also, you know, to see if I can't sneak a peek at Jake Gyllenhaal. Just a little.)

Anyway, while I don't feel the need to dress in full costume for Wondercon, I can't help but be inspired to put on something, well, super. So I went ahead and made up a rad Polyvore for Batman and Superman-inspired outfits...

(I have to admit, I like Batman better than Superman.)

The Batman outfit features a Batgirl t-shirt with shorts, yellow and black tights, and over-the-knee boots -- maybe they're a little more Catwoman, but I can't help but be drawn to OTK boots lately, especially with shorts. I was very reluctant at first, and I'm still reluctant to do it myself, but I have to admit it looks really, really cool when done well. The sunglasses are Luella, who had some Batman inspiration back in Spring/Summer 2008. Plus, paired with a leather jacket, some bat necklaces (including the Wendy Brandes bat necklace) and a smoky eye with dark nails? Awesome and totally rockstar-worthy. I would wear this around town on a regular basis. Just because I could.

The Superman outfit has a cute twist -- I couldn't find a decent red cape-y sweater to throw over the shirt, so I decided to go with the classic Clark Kent blazer and frame glasses instead. Clever, clever! And since if you're planning on going to a convention you'll be on your feet most of the time, it's all about the flat red Docs with blue tights. With some more accessories (the gold belt, the red lips and nails), it's totally classic.

What superhero would you take sartorial inspiration from? And in the ultimate comic book battle -- Marvel or DC? (I personally think Marvel is generally more interesting, but DC has Batman, so it's a wash.)

image from polyvore.com

The Great Wardrobe Clear-Out of 2010

It is so past time for this, you guys.

I've been in a cleaning and clearing mode lately, which I suppose is a good thing considering that my room currently looks like a tornado hit it. After traveling, etc., it really does look like a disaster zone and Something Must Be Done.

I finally sat down and organized all of my nail polish (but now I feel like I should do it again, once my make-up is organized), I did a shoe clearout (including the navy boots I never figured out how to wear), and after the wardrobe, I have to tackle my make-up. And my sock/tights drawer. And my underwear. And I appear to have wakened a slumbering beast.

Anyway, as part of just general housekeeping and upkeep, I did my laundry, which is always a good starting point for thinking about your clothes and your wardrobe. And so I decided -- why not start with the clothes that are *not* in the laundry -- the clothes that obviously haven't been worn recently enough to have gone in this last laundry run?

So that's where I started, with the long sleeved shirts (a thinner batch, due to the late winter/early spring weather), and then the short sleeved shirts. I did a tank top clean up in the fall, but I'll revisit them again once it's warmer. Sweaters, you bet. If I really don't think I'll wear it again, into the bag. If I'm sick of wearing it, into the bag. It's like a reality show -- you're in, you're out. No sentiment allowed.

It's also a good way to get perspective -- what do I really wear now, versus what I used to wear. What shapes, what colors, what style do I really wear? What am I missing?


And so I'm really just clearing it out, and it's clearing up my head space too, just to go through and say "no, no, no, let's be honest, no". Three bags full, and out you go.

Have you ever done a drastic wardrobe pruning? Or are you in need of one?

image from periodicstyle.blogspot.com

Quick! Nailing it for Spring

Here's something unusual for me -- lately I've been wearing nail polish on my fingers but not my toes.

I'm actually much more likely to wear polish on my toes at all times, even when it's winter and I only get to see my toes in the morning and when I'm getting ready for bed. It actually weirds me out to not have nail polish on my toes at all.

But because I've been pretty hard on my feet so much lately (I'm now thinking of running a *second* 5K this summer -- one in June, one in July), I have to be really on top of maintaining my toes, and with my lack of time, that means the polish isn't happening.

And yet, I've been managing to find the time to paint my fingernails -- which, for me, is really unusual, because if I don't have enough time to sit around with my bare feet idle, I *really* don't have the time to sit around not doing anything with my hands.

So here's what I've been picking up and putting on lately...

- This past weekend, I found myself back in the Pacific Northwest. Specifically, I found myself back in my beloved Fred Meyer. I loved Fred Meyer in college, I really did. It was always a big deal to get to go to "Freddy's", and I always wound up coming home with something random, like potting soil, pots, seeds, and the plan to grow plants in my dorm room. (I grew sweet peas and mint.)

Anyway, I found myself in the beauty section, as you do, and while there was OPI and all sorts of other polish goodies to be had, I found myself drawn to the L.A. Girl displays -- what's this? A large variety of matte nail polishes? And black light reactive nail polish? Hell yes, those were coming home with me.

I picked up the Matte nail polish in "Matte Alpine Green", a dark hunter green (and my St. Patrick's Day manicure!), and the Disco nail polish in "Turntable", a totally hot turquoise-y mint-y color that will look awesome in or out of black light. "Matte Alpine Green" is my first matte mani, and I have to say -- it's pretty cool!

(Kati, I may need to send you on a mission. To Fred Meyer. Just FYI.)

- I had seen the Sally Hansen Complete Manicure bottles pop up in my local Walgreens, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to make the jump. I mean, I already have so many colors. And top coats. And base coats. Would I really want an all-in-one? After reading Michelle's review of the formula and wear -- check out her photos of what her nails looked like after five days!! -- I was convinced.

Since I was feeling a little down and dark at the time and wanted a "don't mess with me" nail, I went as goth-y dark and tough as I could find. I picked up Black Platinum, which is more of a hematite color. I put on two coats before heading out to the dentist, and immediately the assistant commented on my nails. My twenty-minute mani wounded up lasting two weeks. Definitely worth it.

- As I mentioned, I was up in the PacNW, specifically in the Seattle area, and while I knew that Butter London had an airport presence *somewhere*, I didn't realize that their salon was actually in SeaTac. But I arrived, checked in, and spent some time wandering around the airport, as you do, until I saw the Butter London sign and immediately charged right to it. (I also took a picture of the salon with my iPhone, as you can see. Click for bigger, if you like!)

While I didn't have time or money to sit down and get my nails done (sigh!), they have an entire wall of all of their polishes to play with, along with nail polish remover. I must have tried seven different colors, from glitters to neon cremes to pretty pinks, but the first color I tried on is the one I want to wear all spring long -- I'm dying for the bright teal "Artful Dodger". Alas, according to Butter London, they are out of stock online until April... but it *is* in stock at drugstore.com. Yes, I'd have to do the whole base coat/top coat thing, and I'd have to sit and wait for it to dry, but man. That color is so worth it.

What new polishes are you trying out this spring? Are you branching out into different types, like matte? Any new brands or formulas you're curious to try?

images from lagirlusa.com and periodicstyle.blogspot.com

The hastiest of pre-finals posts.

This should be another themed post about Saint Patrick's Day, but alas, I have thirty minutes before I leave town for the day to visit one of my friends. Time management has been a saving grace and a stumbling block for me this year, all rolled up into one little package of "AHHHH!" This post at Get Rich Slowly about avoiding timesuck pretty much is an accurate description of some of the trade-offs I’ve had to make—her list of after-work goals matches up almost identically with mine, and so do her distractions.

And the sad part is? I'm not even one of those crazy kids who's doing full-time work and full-time school. I still manage to fit in three yoga sessions a week and I'm adding in two hikes/jogs a week. I’m loving the energy, not loving the constant hunger while my body gets used to cardio again. But running is easy to fit into the mornings before work, and of course my WiiFit yells at me if I don’t do my yoga. All of this should be a good build up for my dance class next term, which I am unbelievably looking forward to. However, it’s going to be even more of a struggle to fit everything in considering I’m now going to have less than 12 hours in-between classes. Scheduling school around work is no joke here.

Good thing that extra glass of wine I’ll be having to help me cope might actually be a good thing.

I have never been so excited about spring break, if only so I have time to get a haircut, drink some green beers with friends, and write a blog post about shopping for workout clothes.

Image from ign.com.

Planning a Viewing Party

The Oscars are coming up on Sunday, and Gossip Girl is back on Monday. What better time to plan a little viewing party for your friends or yourself? Epicurious has a detailed entertaining guide for everyone who’s a planner. It’s a little too detailed for my personal tastes, but I’m basically a fly by the seat of my pants entertainer. I’ll have themes picked out for months, but wait until the day of to throw everything together, including costumes, food and music, which keeps me from getting too perfectionist-y about it.

But sometimes I like to plan a little in advance, especially where food is concerned. It’s not a secret that Gossip Girl is my favorite night to eat snacks and vegetate, a joy that will soon be taken from me once my Hip-Hop class starts. But I still have three weeks to enjoy the last snackfests of this season.

What am I thinking about eating?

There’s always the classic Strawberries and Champagne—classy and delicious, just like these two events!

It’s pretty hard to go wrong with veggies and dips—instead of ranch or blue cheese, there are a million other options. One of my favorites is salsa (even more veggies!) or artichoke parmesan dip-- something I only eat at parties. I can’t have it in my house without gaining five pounds, hahahaha.

For the Oscars, cute little bags of parmesan pepper popcorn sound like just the ticket. Or if you want to get even more movie themed, Epicurious has a list of menus and recipes based on the best picture nominees here.

For Gossip Girl snacktime, there’s always the infamous truffle grilled cheese from the Gossip Girl pilot. But even more themed? Brunch food! Time to bust out the waffle irons, it’s waffle time. Josh Schwartz has always had a thing for breakfast food in his shows, and right now our waffle love is coinciding. Melted cheese and fruit on waffles? Yes please! Maybe even some cinnamon and other spices? Yes!

Although, knowing myself, I’ll probably just make some sushi.

Do you like viewing parties? Or are you all viewing partied out after the Superbowl and the Olympics?

Image from youknowyouloveme.org.

Things for Spring

It’s been atrociously warm here the past week for February, and I got spoiled with three great days of sunshine and shorts weather. It made me long for spring, and even the renewed rain isn’t dampening my springthinglust. Here are some of the things I’m digging for this:

Waffles! A cute waffle place just opened up down the street from my work, and my friends and I are loving up on it. Sweet waffles, savory waffles, it’s all amazing. Yes, savory waffles—It’s like a sandwich on a waffle and it’s amazing.

Quinoa- nothing is beating fresh quinoa salad for me lately, I love it! And Self just published a recipe for Quinoa stir fry in their Feb issue that I can’t wait to test out.

Gossip Girl- March 8th, save the date! It’s been long awaited in these parts. Gossip Girl is the only show I live-watch anymore, given the craziness of my schedule. I love setting aside some snacks and a nice glass of wine and settling in for an hour of tv. Can’t wait for my little dorky Gossip Girl viewing parties again.

Rainboots and Dresses by kitkati

Seasonal weather—I want the rain and the sun and the balmy temperatures. I love getting up and puzzling out an outfit based on the weather. Rainboots and little dresses, yes please!


Yoga- I have some back issues right now which are improving, but I’m not at my prior level of fitness yet. (Don’t look for me to be taking up roller derby anytime soon!) I’m kind of like Payson in Make It or Break It—yeah, I’m cleared for exercise as long as I don’t push it too hard, but getting back on those uneven bars (or weights and dancing, in my case) and possibly re-injuring myself is kind of terrifying. Thank god for yoga. It doesn’t tweak my back, and it actually helps soothe it, while I’m getting a mild workout. My abs are ridiculous right now. Side benefit—I’m more focused in all aspects of my life (hence this return from the dead post! Let’s keep it up, yoga!)

What’s everyone looking forward to this spring? Or are you still hoping for more winter weather for your snowboarding and winter Olympics?

images from polyvore.com and periodicstyle.blogspot.com

Smudged and smoky into spring!

If you're following our Tumblr, Periodicals, at all, you may have already seen the Beauty Counter blog article on the Rag & Bone make-up for Fall '10/'11. But since I love Rag & Bone -- and Gucci Westman's looks for Rag & Bone, as this isn't the first time I've loved her work -- I'm pointing it out again here, because this is exactly the look I want for spring. The smudgy "yeah I should have taken off my eyeliner but I didn't" eyes and the soft lips? Love it.

The best part? It's easy and inexpensive to recreate -- holla at your Revlon! I picked up the Soft Nude Colorburst lipstick at Walgreens, but you can grab it at drugstore.com, too.

While I've generally been shying away from the nude lip, as it sometimes gives me a bit of the zombie-face, I can't deny that it can look really great with a dark liner. And even though right now I'm looking at the fall faces, I don't see why it can't be incorporated for spring.

Another great dark-eye soft-lip look from the most recent Fashion Week is the NARS look for Marc Jacobs, which features the sheer peach Barbarella lipstick and a soft violet-tinted smoky eye with lots and lots of eyeliner. It's just the right amount of pretty and dirty that's hitting my sweet spot for spring. (Plus, with Marc Jacobs specifically requesting Barbarella as the lipstick for all of his models, I think it's a little apparent that I needed to Have It Too. So it's on its way.)

With all of the French-mod-hipster lady references, how could I resist? Everyone already knows I want to run away to late 50's/early 60's Paris. (And yeah, maybe there's a little bit of the Kate Moss in there. What can I say?)

Since I usually play up my lips with colors, it'll be an interesting trial for me to see if I can adjust to a pale lip. I've been dragging my feet for what feels like years on it, but these looks are just that good. It's probably just an issue of finding the right lipstick, much like how everyone worries about finding The Perfect Red. So far, I'm digging the Revlon, but I'm excited to play with Barbarella.

Plus, then I can put the juicy colors on my nails -- I'm thinking glossy jelly pink, like Butter London's new Twee. Dark eyes, pale lips, vibrant nails? Sounds like a swinging mod spring to me!

Finally, after all of these months of ennui, I'm feeling much more inspired. What a relief!

So -- what did you see at NYFW that you really like for spring? Even if it's for fall, what do you think you want to pull in as an "early adopter"?

images from style.com and narscosmetics.com

Bath salts for sore bloggers!

I've been working out a lot more than usual -- my goal is to work out at least four or five times a week if I can. I'm also considering running a 5K in June, which would be something completely new for me (and would be completely shocking to everyone who knows me).

Naturally, this is both good (hooray! running! skating! doing good things for my body in general!) and bad -- my muscles are shrieking at me all the time about how they hurt.

Since I'm a regular bath-taker anyway (I have seriously turned down apartments because they don't have bathtubs, just showers -- true fact), I've been adding epsom salts to the water to help soothe my muscles. I originally bought the lavender-scented salts from Walgreens, but the smell was so pungent that it clung to me all night. There's got to be something better, I said to myself.

Then I realized -- of course, Etsy will have lovely epsom salts!

- Right off the bat for sore muscles, there are Muscle Rescue aromatherapy salts from thesoapbuffet.etsy.com. They feature eucalyptus and peppermint oils, and would be really refreshing after a long workout.

- The beautifully-photographed (as you can see above) Oats, Milk, and Honey Dead Sea bath salts from mookasoap.etsy.com sound perfectly relaxing and soothing with powdered goats' milk and oats for soft and calm skin along with the muscle-relieving epsom salts.

- After my experience with the Walgreens lavender salts, I have a good feeling that the lavender salts from foxtrotting.etsy.com and the lavender and geranium from ripebeauty.etsy.com will be a great improvement.

- I love a smoky leathery vanilla just as much if not more than a cupcake-vanilla, and soaking in the velvety vanilla bath salts from housemakara.etsy.com sounds like it's right up my alley.

Ultimately, I did jump and buy the Apple Crisp Salt Snow from productbody.etsy.com -- the offshoot studio of one of my favorite body product shops, productbody.com. I'm looking forward to smelling delicious and to having happier muscles!

What are you up to lately? And are you a bath or a shower person? (Seriously, I'm a bath girl. It's totally a dealbreaker.)

image from mookasoap.etsy.com

What's Your Jam? for February 10th

After all of my grousing, here's something to lighten you up -- it's my jams for today, February 10th!

- First off, my first jam is the movie, Sita Sings the Blues. It's showing tonight at the Red Vic Theatre in San Francisco, but it's also available to watch through a Creative Commons license at www.sitasingstheblues.com. I adored it -- it pressed pretty much every "things Jeanne loves" button.

- Lady Gaga, of course, is also my jam. I think we should be friends, just because I would love to hang out and get a little time inside of her head. "Fame Monster" is the bomb and I love working out to all of her music (although everyone probably is wondering who the crazy chick rocking out on the elliptical is -- whatever, I don't care, it's my JAM). And while I'm still hesitating on buying those Heartbeat headphones, I can at least pick up MAC's new Viva Glam Gaga lipstick for all of my Gaga-karaoke needs. (Turns out it's the lipstick she wore to the Grammys!) And Viva Glam Cyndi also looks like a great color to add to my collection. Viva!

- It's just about New York Fashion Week time, so everyone on Twitter is at fever pitch getting ready. I'm not going this season, because I knew that February in New York would be difficult, but I'm excited to see what comes up! NYMag has the entire NYFW schedule here.

- Oh, and Valentine's Day is this Sunday, of course. What I do love is eavesdropping, and so this collection of overheard love stories (if you can call them that) from San Francisco. With charming lines like "If he can't figure out the public transportation system, well... I don't want you dating him", how can you resist?

What's your jam right now? What's lifting you up in the middle of February?

Fe-blah-uary Blues

Happy February? Well, not really.

I'm still in a very blah sartorial mood lately -- I've been holding onto my budget as tightly as I can, which means I'm not bringing much if any new clothes in, and my "give to Goodwill" bag is growing. (This goes for make-up, too -- I got a $50 gift card to Sephora for Christmas, and I haven't made it to the store. Yesterday I went to the beauty supply shop, and they had all of the OPI Alice in Wonderland and Hong Kong polishes, and I didn't buy any.)

I'm feeling incredibly bored by my whole wardrobe and "look"; I feel like I've followed all of the "find what you like and what looks good on you and buy ten of it" rules, but now I've got a wardrobe full of solid or striped long-sleeve tops, solid sweaters and cardigans, and dark jeans. It's the same thing every day and I'm just sick of everything I own and wear. I've been constantly pouring over websites and looking through stores, but I'm still in my "there's nothing here worth spending my money on" funk. I haven't even purchased anything off of Etsy since September or August (and you know I love spending my money at Etsy).

Plus, since it's February, I don't want to go and buy a new coat or boots, since spring is coming up (and I'm tired of looking at coats and boots), but it's also not close enough to actual spring to start buying spring clothes (especially in San Francisco, where there isn't much spring anyway). It's seasonal limbo and I hate it.

It's one of those months where you just have to push through at this point, and it certainly doesn't make for inspiring blogging. (Sorry!)

I will say that I'm dying for a pair of Swedish Hasbeen peep toes for spring and summer; they're everything I've ever wanted in a spring sandal. Again, budget-wise, they're not in the picture right now. But I do love them.

Right now, I'm finding the most inspiration from Sally Jane Vintage and Liebemarlene Vintage -- I always love what they do and find. So I'm starting to perk up a little, but we've got a ways to go before spring...

How are you doing this February? Are you inspired, or are you in the doldrums like me? What's inspiring you lately? (Please share!)

image from swedishhasbeens.com

When Movie-Inspired Hair Goes Wrong

I love the girl who cuts my hair. She's great, she's very affordable, I'm always happy to see her, and we've gotten to the point that I can sit in the chair and she knows what to do. She gives me tea, we talk about life, all is well. This summer will be three years since I started seeing her for my hair, and I won't go to anyone else.

We both know that we love the Jean-Seberg-in-"Breathless" haircut, as below, as she is My Ideal Style Icon in so many ways:


I love having it, she loves cutting it ("I saw you were scheduled for today and I was so excited to get to cut your hair!"), and it works out perfectly. I get compliments, and I give her card out.

There's a catch, though -- she's so good, and now she's gotten so popular, that I have to wait longer and longer for haircuts. Three weeks ago, I tried to get a haircut scheduled for the next week before I left on vacation. No go. I got pushed back to this week. The last time I got my hair cut was in early November, and so I've just been getting shaggier and shaggier.

Due to this, I unintentionally have a new movie-beauty icon -- this guy:


Yeah. My hair has decided that it wants to be Edward Cullen's hair.

This is not okay with me.

It's particularly bad on waking up, especially if it's the second day after washing. It stands up if I run my fingers through it, and it definitely stands up if I brush it up.

I kid you not -- there is no product, just brushing up my less-than-clean hair:


BAM. RPattz hair. (And fake-Wayfarers, because vampires and hipsters are pretty much the same thing.)

But maybe you're having a hard time seeing the resemblence? Here, I've fixed it:


There we go. (Also, how awesome is my bubble wrap calendar in the background? SUPER-AWESOME. My mom knows me so well.)

My haircut appointment is today, and I'm pretty relieved.

(EDITED TO ADD: Dang it! She's rescheduled! I'm stuck with RPattz hair until Friday! I jinxed it!!)

But if I get jumped by a pack of teenage girls before then, well, you can see why.

images from imdb.com, twilight-review.com, and periodicstyle.blogspot.com

She Talks Like A Woman and Walks Like A Man

I am a woman on a mission, in search of the world's most perfect men's-tailoring inspired flats that are neither frumpy nor impossibly girlish. Just functional, fabulous, powerful shoes for your workaday businesslady. Inspired by the lovely selection of vintage and reproduction saddle shoes at Muffy's and Re-Mix Vintage Shoes, I've been poking around looking at my options...we're talking all wingtips, spectators, creepers--generally, leather lace-up flat shoes with men's detailing! I want to look like a Savile Row lady, what else could you want?

-Every time I peruse the shoe section at Nordstrom Rack, I stop and try on the variety of Jeffrey Campbell flats. Jeanne, Kati and I all own various versions of the Steppin heels, I nearly wore mine through after six months working in New York! I find the laces on those to be quite slippery and the heels have worn down to the point that it's a little unsafe to wear them on cobblestones for balance's sake, but I still love them to pieces. Mademoiselle Robot interviewed the very Jeffrey Campbell, making us love her and the brand even more.

-Speaking of Jeffrey Campbell shoes at Nordstrom Rack, I came across a single pair of his Driggs lattice-woven, lace-up flats in a size too small this past summer and I have been DYING TO OWN THEM in a size 9 ever since. Of course everyone else had the same idea and now they have disappeared completely, even from the internet. Come on!! How great would those look under some lovely slacks for work? Some wool socks to keep your feet warm and you're good to go in the winter, cropped pants and a gingham check blouse for spring/summer, it's the look of effortless cool that I aspire to achieve someday. Even my favorite shoe-store-blog, Williamsburg's Shoe Market covered these as part of their menswear detailing for ladies' shoes bonanza.

-Free People, bastion of faux-hippie high-waisted shorts and shredded babydoll dresses surprised me with this lovely pair of buttery leather lace-up wingtip shoes. Give me a pair of these, some navy tights, a corduroy skirt and a warm sweater and I'm a happy girl. The leather laces look just as slippery as my Jeffrey Campbells, but a little double-knot never hurt anything.

-San Francisco's local fabulous shoe purveyor Shoe Biz has the F-Troupe contrast oxfords in black and grey canvas, I love the clean, simple lines. Very Fred Segal, I feel like I could find these in some amazing Japanese men's style magazine with funky scarves and knit caps. An alternative is the Gaga-tastic Kenndy [sic] loafer by Sam Edelman. Those would make any woman look HARD. AS. NAILS. and badass as hell.

-If you've ever been to your area outlet mall, you've seen the Bass stores. At first glance, they appear to cater solely to the hunting-hiking-rough'n'tumble crowd, but if you are savvy they are a great source of hardy work shoes for women as well as men. ShoeBiz surprised me with the Bass Burlington oxfords, clunky but superbly functional!

-The other day, I tried on the Steve Madden Tuxedo in black and white with high hopes, doesn't it look like EXACTLY what I would want? Unfortunately, like every other Steve Madden shoe, these are crazy wide and both the sole and outer leather so thin you'd quickly wear through the entire shoe.

Well, my search continues for the perfect menswear-for-women's-shoes. With a perfectly pressed pantsuit for work, or opaque tights and a mid-thigh-length skirt, you'd be the smartest dressed woman in the room, no high heels necessary! What aspect of menswear do you wish you could bring over to the misses' department? We've taken over three-piece suits, fedoras, neckties (just a little), the boyfriend jean and tee-shirts since women started wearing slacks almost a century ago. Perhaps a pocket square is next for me...if only my suit jackets had front pockets!


Images from FreePeople.com and ShoeBizSF.com

Vacation Time = Swimsuit Time

Just in time to save me from my January ennui, I am headed out on vacation next week! Yes, I'm heading down to Puerto Vallarta for some sand and sunshine with the boyfriend. I've never been, and I'm excited to take some time to charge my batteries.

The other night, after telling my coworker I was headed to the beach, she asked, "have you bought a new swimsuit?"

You all know I'm a sucker for a new swimsuit just like I'm a sucker for boots and coats, and because I'm a sucker for boots and coats, that's what I've been focusing on lately. I haven't been thinking about swimsuits at all. Tisn't the season, and all. But now I'm thinking, well, yes, I do kind of want a new swimsuit...

But where does one buy a swimsuit in January? According to Karen, the bikini displays are already out at Nordstrom, to which I say WHAT. And, of course, swimsuits are available online, but considering my flight takes off Monday, I'm not willing to risk the shipping not arriving in time. That said, I am mighty, mighty tempted by the Esther Williams Bathing Beauty Retro Swimsuit as sold by ModCloth. I love the Esther Williams swimsuits so, so much. And apparently Delia's Swim 2010 section is live. In January.

I realize that I could just head to PacSun and check out their swimsuit selection, which is always cute and leans to the surfer-chic look that I enjoy. How cute is this buffalo plaid bikini? And if I strike out there, I might have to see what American Apparel has... but I swear, some of those things are NOT swimsuits.

Seriously, though -- I know the retail seasons are screwed up (I think coats are already on sale for "end of season" now), but will I actually find swimsuits in San Francisco, The City With No Summer Except For Maybe A Nice Couple of Weeks In September and October, in January?

The truth is, of course, that I don't need a new swimsuit -- the ones I have are fine, cute, and still fit. Also, this way I can hold off and wait until it's really truly swimsuit season and have the full variety/availability (and budget, ahem) to shop...

I'll catch you on the flipside! Don't do anything I wouldn't do while I'm gone...!

image from modcloth.com

Music to Run To

I'll admit that I'm totally not feeling inspired lately. My entire wardrobe has got me bored to tears, I've been limited in what I can eat the past week due to the stupid wisdom teeth coming out, and as much as I want to buy new clothes, nothing has been fitting right. I'm in a general January funk.

Part of the reason why I'm in this funk is that I'm not really being active -- I'm not working out, I'm not roller-skating, I'm just kind of tired all of the time.I need to take it easy and let myself heal, but it's boring and I'm getting antsy. But I'm getting ready to start up again at the end of January, and I think I want to start running. I've never liked running (true story: Karen and I became friends over a mutual hatred of running in middle school gym class), but I absolutely need to work on my endurance. And with my boyfriend being a runner (he ran the Kauai half-marathon last year), it seems like a good idea -- he can give me tips and help me out.

And so I've been looking into music -- particularly podcasts -- to help get me going. I've never really been a podcast subscriber -- I don't know why, but I never really got into it! Way to be two thousand and late, J. Still, I can appreciate a good mix of music, especially if it's already fully set and timed for you so you don't have to stop and flip through to the next song (which is always my problem).

Since I'm really just starting running, I knew that there was the training program Couch to 5K, where you ease into running and gradually add time and speed. To go with the program, there's a Couch to 5K podcast with high BPM techno-y workout-y music and Robert (the podcast creator) letting you know when it's time to walk, run, rest, or cool down.

While standard workout music is fine, I had a feeling I would want something a little more indie rock, and so I found the Jogtunes Indie podcast. And when I found it in iTunes, I followed the "You might like..." links and discovered Indie Soup Runner, which is really cool and has all of its playlists available for you to pick and see which ones you want to download. (I recommend "Angry Rock Chick", because YEAH.) If you find that their websites are a little hard to navigate, because, well, we do, I highly recommend subscribing to them in iTunes and pulling them directly from there.

And don't forget: Kati did a workout mix as her first Lab Accident (I MISS YOUR MIXES, KATI) -- You Know You Really Were The Bomb.

So now I've got some awesome new music on my iPod, but I have a complication in that I'm very picky about headphones. I have tiny ears and earbuds just do not stay in. I hate them so much that when I was asked "hey, can I borrow your iPhone earbuds", I said, "I honestly have no idea where they are." I have a pair of ladybug earbuds that I use reluctantly and with the child-size buds (!), and a pair of behind the neck headphones that hurt my ears after too long. It's not ideal.

However, I could make an exception for the rad and vibrant Urbanears at Moxsie.com. I don't plan on running outside much, so running in the gym with a big colorful pair of headphones would be fine with me. I'm also craving the Heartbeats designed by Lady GaGa and featured in the Bad Romance video. They're enough to make me reconsider the whole "gah I hate earbuds" thing. (And they come with three sizes of buds, for the tiny-eared like me.) Either way, I will have to think about it.

How are you feeling this January? Are you feeling listless like me, or are you revved up for the new year? What's your favorite way to work out, if you're into working out?

image from moxsie.com