Vote for Polish - Your three must-haves?

Tuesday afternoon, I got an email from Zoya nail polish encouraging me to vote at ThePolishPoll.com and get a code for three free nail polishes with a $20 purchase (so, four nail polishes -- Zoya polish is $6 a bottle) -- basically, seven nail polishes for the price of four. Awesome! I am all for that.

So I was chatting with Karen about it, and I said, "Man, seven polishes for the price of four! Awesome!" And maybe I was already thinking a little about what seven polishes I might hypothetically get. (Might. Hypothetically. The code is still good until Halloween, so there is time to think about it.)

And she said, "Seven nail polishes? I don't think I'd use seven nail polishes ever."

Me being a nail polish addict, I considered this briefly. Then I said, "Well, you could order the basic Color-Lock System kit for $36, and then get your three free basic polishes. Because really, you only need three basics."

And when it ultimately comes down to it, one can get away with three polishes. (I wouldn't want to, but one certainly could.) So here are my recommendations, if you were to decide that these three free polishes were the only ones you'd have or use.

The first would be a good sheer pink for fingers. Office-friendly, sheer enough that it doesn't make a huge and dramatic statement, but adds a certain amount of, well, polish. I'd recommend Marilyn, Dharma (with purple pearl for a little more oomph!), or Sari. Honestly, a sheer pink is not going to be hard to find and pretty much can't be screwed up.

Second would be a great cherry red. I always love red pedicures, and red fingernails aren't going to be out of place during the holidays, either. (Yep, the holidays! They're coming again!) And if you're a retro chic chick, still nothing wrong with red nails. I picked out these three reds: Anthea (with gold shimmer!), Dominique (which makes me think of ANTM, because all I can hear in my head is Tyra saying, "Dominique" while flipping a photo), and Diana. Again, good reds aren't hard to find, and pretty much every new collection of polishes will feature a solid red, even though most of us have them already. (But maybe you don't, and that is why I am writing this list!)

Finally, and this is especially true now that we're coming into fall, you'll need a good vamp/dark polish. While this might surprise a couple of people at the office, the vamp nail has been around for a long time (Chanel Vamp was introduced in '95!). Traditionally it's a dark "dried blood" color, but I think you're allowed to play with it some, because if you're going to go dark and dramatic, you might as well go for it. You can go with a more traditional vamp like plummy Casey or "dark browny red" Sasha, but I am a blue-loving girl at heart and so I have to include Indigo. (Yeah, some people say navy nails are out, but I will always love my blues.)

So there you have it: for $36, you can have a full set of base coat, top coat, speed-dry drops (which I've never tried... but I know my clumsy finger-bumping bedsheet-imprinting ways would definitely find them useful), and remover as well as your three must-have can't-fail nail polishes: sheer pink, cherry red, and vamp/dark.

If you had to pick three nail polishes that everyone should have, what would you pick? (And, uh, if you have recommendations for, you know, seven Zoya nail polishes... I would like to know that as well. Just for curiosity's sake.)

image from artofbeauty.com

Keeping Calm and Moving On

So part of the reason why I haven't been blogging much or very excitedly lately -- and some of you already know this -- is that right before I left for New York Fashion Week, my boyfriend and I broke up. And it, frankly, has been hard. Really hard. And so that, along with work, is part of the reason I've been so quiet lately. (That's not to say that I'm not buying stuff -- believe me, I am buying stuff, I'm just not writing about it. Nothing is going to keep me from buying stuff. Not even my vows to stop buying stuff.)

But there is a bright side: in two weeks, I'm finally moving into a brand-new apartment with a fresh start, so that will definitely pull me out of my doldrums. So while I'm trying to ignore the pile of clothing that has to get sorted and culled and packed within the next two weeks (I've already made a head start on packing my nail polish!), I'm thinking about decorating and furniture and all the fun part of moving in.

I've always loved the "Keep Calm and Carry On" posters at sfgirlbybay.etsy.com, and I fully intend on picking up one for my bedroom. In case you don't already know the story of the "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster, it was a British WWII poster urging citizens to, well, keep calm and carry on.

As I was getting off the light rail a few weeks ago, I noticed a girl wearing a pendant with "Keep Calm and Carry On", and realized that yes, I wanted one too. So, of course, I got onto Etsy and typed in that oh-so-familiar phrase. Many, many, many pendants popped up, particularly the kind that are on Scrabble tiles. While I like the idea of reusing Scrabble tiles, and it's definitely a good scale, I tend to play hard with my jewelry. So I wanted something waterproof, something that could stay on in the shower. I dug and I dug and I found the resin pendants at MarkJamesDesign.etsy.com. I've ordered one in royal blue (of course), and look forward to its arrival any day now! (I told you I was buying things.)

I also know that I can use some positive reinforcement at the office -- it's one thing to have the poster in your bedroom, where ideally things are calm, but in the office when the phone is ringing, your inbox is full while your computer is crashing, and there's buzz saws in the hallway... it doesn't hurt to have an extra reminder. So I found LillyandCoco.etsy.com, which sells sets of postcards in your choices of colors. Since they come in sets, I ordered the set of two -- one for me, and one for Karen with her big new fancy job. (Pink for me, robin's-egg-blue for her.) Lilly & Coco also sell this awesome KC&CO rubber stamp for you collectors out there; I desperately want one and have no idea whatsoever what I would do with it. (Besides, you know, stamp things.)

So thank you for bearing with me while I've become a slower blogger lately; I am still here, and I am still reading my Bloglines and my Twitter... I'm just more quiet lately. And things will get into fever pitch with moving, but I'm sure you understand 'cause you're our readers and you're awesome like that. (It's true, you know.) Me, I'm just going to keep calm... and move on.

images from sfgirlbybay.etsy.com, MarkJamesDesign.etsy.com, and lillyandcoco.etsy.com

Science Fair for September 15th-21st

It's time once again for your weekly dose of the most fascinating and far corners of our dear friend, the World Wide Web! Although I am saddened by the tragic absence of Mad Men this week, I am off to do an hour of Pilates in a few minutes, so I'll make this one quick and painless. Today's corner of the World Wide Web is less of a corner and more of an island nation in the Pacific, and you know I'm not talking about Samoa.

-Do you like animals? Do you sometimes sit around, dreaming up cute pet names for the day you'll get your very own puppy or kitty? Now you can use that amazing skill for a good cause, donate to help homeless animals and maybe get a sweet black-tie weekend in NYC out of it! Obviously, that cat and dog should be named Miss Dairy Belle and Captain, respectively.

-Could you beat me in a Japanese-food-eating contest? How many truly authentic Japanese meals have you had in your life? Maki at Just Hungry has a comprehensive list of craaazy Japanese foods to test your palate. I've had most of them, thanks to too much time spent eating in Japan and an extremely doting Japanese grandmother. Mmm, saba oshizushi!

-Not to reiterate the whole Japan thing, but in the course of my internet-related diversions this past week, I came across a great list of Japanese words for composing haiku, should you be so inclined. If you've ever bought a bottle of O~i O-Cha, you've seen the amateur English-language haiku contest they do--winning poems go on the sides of the bottles!

-Here's a hypothetical: let's say, oh I don't know, you're me and you love love love Japanese fashion magazines. Maybe your mother and aunt were, in fact, models for Japanese fashion magazines in the 1970s, but now you are a devotee of the new generation of magazines for fashion trends for your generation, like Gothic Lolita. If this hypothetical scenario were true, then I'm ABSOLUTELY sure you'll enjoy this KERA fashion show. Glorious!

-If you're curious about Gothic Lolita or Japanese fashion and want more, we're not the only KERA readers on Blogger!

-On a more socially conscious note, what with big-name fashion designers lining up on partisan sides these days in the U.S., we seem to have forgotten the bigger picture. Designers for Darfur has just launched their website, featuring fashion shoots in Darfur to highlight the humanitarian crisis there. As the Sudanese Ambassador to the United Nations explained to me, the crisis in Darfur is not one that can be easily solved. What began as ethnic and tribal clashes intensified as natural resources became depleted. The displaced population in Darfur is still struggling for survival and basic human rights, even though those of us in America are all-consumed by the presidential election. I just hope that whomever wins the election (shh, I know who I'm voting for) can actually make good on their promises, and restore America in the good graces of the rest of the world.

Now, it's Pilates-o'clock here in California, I'm wishing you all a great week and a good night!

WorkWear Daily, at a brand-new workplace!

Wow, have I been a bad, bad blogger these past few weeks! The time really does disappear when you're working full-time, I haven't fully switched out of the perennial academic phase into professional, 9-to-5 mode yet! What can I say, it's a grind whatever you do, and I am absolutely impressed by all of you hard-working bloggers out there who can manage to look at a computer after a full day. Oh, to be a student again!

Jeanne and I are off to the Vintage Fashion Expo this weekend, so in the spirit of celebrating the fabulosity of yesteryear, I've recreated a few of my more notable office-outfits of the past two weeks. Nothing has been an outright WorkWear failure as yet--all credit for that is due to my office's rather lax dress code! There is a high standard set already, however, as my much-admired boss shows up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed every morning with her hair perfectly blown out, in different versions of a black skirt, colorful tweed jacket, and peep-toe stiletto heels. I feel like I'm schlumping around in flats and 2" heels, while the other half of the company traipses about in sneakers! Oh, the wretched hypocrisy.

The following Polyvore compositions are gross approximations, of course, since one could only be so lucky if she had her whole wardrobe mapped out online! I imagine it would be like a Flash version of Cher Horowitz's closet in Clueless. The first is very simple,

Black wool skirt with pockets and brass button details, from the J. Crew (or maybe Banana Republic? Is there a difference, really?) outlet store--great for winter. Grey blouse by Kersh of Canada, with lovely neck ruffle. Cheap-o, fake-y cuff watch picked up on sale somewhere for a ridiculous price, and the perennial favorites, Jeffrey Campbell two-tone Oxfords. LOVE THEM. Besides Jeffrey Campbell's Crayola box full of colorful two-tone shoes, does anyone have a line on similar styles for those of us with a need for tailored flair in her life?

Next is an unfortunately mediocre outfit from today, when I had to run around like a chicken with its head cut off, grabbing anything that looked clean-ish and fast in the morning:

Purple wrap top over a white H&M tank top (that may have been taken out of the laundry pile, sniffed for cleanliness testing, and OKed for the day). Black plasticky necklace that I got for a pittance at a farmer's market, from far away it looks like it could be strands of tiny, black pearls, I enjoy the kitschy "paste" feel. Cropped, cuffed pants, and plain, light-purple flats. Mediocre, yes, but purple is the color of royalty, my friends, and I welcome it with open arms into my wardrobe! I rolled up my sleeves and popped on a headband to keep a short ponytail in place, I'd say that from far away and with a waist-cinching device, I could have been right out of Rebel Without A Cause.

Last, my crowning, vintage-tastic glory of the week, in iterations of reddish-orange:

This Dayglo-orange jacket is INSANE. I got it for something like $15 at a Buffalo Exchange shop in Oakland, California, it's boxy and fitted at the same time, and has gargantuan plasticky pearlized buttons. Here's the thing about boxy-but-fitted jackets: boxy frames hide a multitude of sins, even out broad shoulders if you've got them, and give the illusion that your waist is teensy-weensy under there. I had to go visit the ladies' bathroom full-length mirror a few times during the day to admire my excellent vintage find. This was actually an experiment in mixing pattern and color for me--gasp, a color AND a pattern, in a single outfit! The blouse is grey and white striped with contrasting white collar and plackets, from H&M, shoes are Campers with funny red platform soles. The little flowers you see there represent a necklace of mine, a pearl teardrop pendant with orange California poppies (the state flower, thank you very much!) painted on it, hung from a maroon satin ribbon. It was one of the first items I ever purchased for myself that wasn't dime-store candy. Lovely lovely.

I'm sure Jeanne and I will come back from Saturday's Expo with a veritable haul, but we need some advice--how do you incorporate choice vintage pieces into a professional wardrobe without looking hokey? There is a 1950s black boucle boxy jacket with mink fur collar hanging in my closet, waiting for an invitation to come out and play...

Images from Polyvore.com.

When Dinosaurs Ruled Etsy

Last weekend, Kati hosted a dinosaur-themed party, but alas, I could not attend! So, to make up for my inability to rock-asaurus rex with her, I went on a paleontological (is that a word? I've decided it's a word; archaelogical is a word) search for some awesome dino finds on Etsy.

First up, these pewter pendants of a Triceratops and a T-Rex from the Etsy seller FindersKeeper are very subtlesaurus if you don't really want to declare "I AM WEARING A DINOSAUR."

While technically a dimetrodon isn't a dinosaur, this lovely vintage-watercolor-looking pendant from loveevol.etsy.com is very cool. Also, dimetrodons always scared me as a small child. They are not nice-looking. (Although really, were any dinosaurs "nice"? Maybe Brontosaurus, and by Brontosaurus I mean Apatosaurus.)

If you're looking for something more fun and colorful, the acrylic T-Rex necklace from LittleAngelsJewelry.etsy.com has neon hearts and a stripy star along with T-Rex.

Do you remember the old-school colorblock silhouettes of dinosaurs that were on mugs, shirts, placemats, everything when you were a kid? Because I do (I had a red mug with a Triceratops on it), and so does likemindedpeople.etsy.com, because they're selling shirts with them, like this Stegosaurus shirt.

Now this is awesome: dinosaur-shaped soap!! dugshop.etsy.com has Stegosaurus, Brontosaurus, T-Rex, Triceratops, and, um, Hello Kitty to choose from. (Not a dinosaur, but still cool.)

What if you want to decorate your room (or a small child's room, or your cubicle, or wherever) with some adorable dino art? The NZ artist nutandbee.etsy.com has some incredibly cute dinosaur prints, featuring Warmosaur, Candysaurus, and two T-Rexes cuddling in the city. I love them all, but especially Candysaurus.

Finally, the Etsy user dinosaur toes gets a shout out because a. great name and b. incredibly cute vintage-y jewelry, including the excellent Oregon Trail bracelet for more childhood nostalgia.

What was your favorite dinosaur? (Because come on, we all had one!) Growing up, mine was Triceratops, but now I'm very drawn to Stegosaurus, Brontosaurus, and T-Rex. (I think we can blame Dinosaur Comics for the last one.)

Yay, dinosaurs!

image from topatoco.com