You know what they say about everything being big in Texas. Case in point is this big (and by big I mean 48,000 sq ft) mansion that’s been listed for a few years now and finally going up on the auction block. But never mind the bowling alley, ballroom, or indoor pool. You’d just find me 24/7 in the dressing room that’s decorated like a Chanel boutique. Is that even legal? But heck, I want one!
Anyway, with the image of today’s first photo burned into my head, I’ll segue right into today’s outfit.
ODJ 248: Chanel 11A ecru tweed jacket, 09A platform slingbacks with metal chain details, 08A lion necklace, black GAP t shirt, and 7 for all mankind straight jeans,.
Anyway, the auction for that house is slated for March 30th. Who’s in with me?!!
Tags: 7 For All Mankind, Chanel, Chanel tweed jacket, dressing room, Gap
All right, so I’ve read all your comments and held the skirt then shoes up against all my shirts and sweaters and think I can either do something funky with the color or the pattern, but not both at the same time. Professional stylists are very clever with mixing both colors and patterns but I still have to stay true to what I could realistically wear outside of my closet. So here are a few options I’ve pulled together so far…
Look 1: a very safe option with the crinkled gray embellished cotton shirt from JCrew. It’s a no brainer and I like the funky beading along the shirt placket, but it’s not going to win any award for imagination:
Look 2: I thought, well, what if I added something burgundy over Look 1 to play off the burgundy in the shoes? And what if this burgundy item were tweeded and fringed (and sometimes makes me feel like the Michelin Man on my bloated days) to give it yet another layer of texture? Too much mixing of patterns perhaps? Chanel overdrive, you say?
Look 3: Then I reached for more gray stuff, like this fringed t-shirt from last summer…kinda nutty with a totally different type of pattern in the shirt’s tweed fringe, right?
Look 4: When I’m uncomfortable with a color or pattern I have a habit of throwing a solid cardigan over what’s ailing me and pray it all works out. So to temper the mixing of patterns in Look 3, I add a dark gray Prada cardigan over it (no sleeveless look for me till I get back to my workout routine!)…but it’s really a dowdy look:
Look 5: But what if I went with a lighter shade of gray like in this JCrew cardi instead?
Yeah, still dowdy. Gray is gorgeous but it can totally un-cool you.
Look 6: Then I thought, what if I went all casual and wore a GAP chambray button down with it? I’d let my pearl lariat necklace dress it up a bit:
Look 7: In this final attempt, I’m trying to take your advice about color. You’d mentioned blush, green, yellow, aqua and I love all the suggestions with a checked skirt. I’m just scared to mix colors with a patterned skirt! So this is me being bold with one pop of color while keeping everything else toned down:
I’m not sure what these outfits will actually look like on, and as you all already know this, how you carry off a look depends a lot on how comfortable/confident you feel in that particular ensemble. So I’ll go try them on and submit my favorite photo in the next entry. And who knows, maybe inspiration will find me and I can surprise you with a completely different look 
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When it rains here, we Angelenos (1) call in sick (cough, cough), (2) videotape it for posterity, and/or (3) whine that it’s raining even though the meteorologist tells us we need the rain. I was born in the tropics and grew up in Texas so I’m no stranger to rain, but all these years of dry LA living has brainwashed me and I always find myself unprepared for anything but sunny skies these days. So when a reader suggested a challenge for a rain wear, specifically to run errands in, I was wondering how to even FIMTSO such looks without a single umbrella in any of the pics…I think all of my umbrellas are either somewhere in the car collecting dust or in my carry-on waiting for a trip to a wet destination!
For today’s episode, I’m going to do something a little different. Instead of featuring one key item in all the looks, I’m going to make the rain be the common denominator for the various looks.
Test Item: Rainwear
Look 1: Rain usually happens during the “winter” months here in LA, and that’s when I can break out one of my favorite Chanel pieces: it’s my navy tweed trench from the 08C season worn over the 08A navy/gray striped turtleneck. Skinny jeans and navy leather converse complete my outfit. I know I’m in LA and we love to show off our pedicures here, but if it’s raining, you’ve gotta cover your toes!
Look 2: The weird thing about winter here is that it actually makes sense to wear puffer vests. It’s not quite cold enough to wear a puffer jacket, so if you remove the sleeves it’s just the right amount of coverage–ha! I love this hooded black vest from the GAP over white long-sleeved ts and cropped corduroys to show off my rain boots. Chanel always gets black/white right!
But if for some reason the vest is too thick or I’m not in the mood to look like a Michelin gal, I would wear a black leather jacket over a long-sleeved hoodie tshirt with the above outfit instead:
Look 3: The truth of the matter is that when it rains and you are schlepping around running errands, you just want to be comfortable. No fuss, no muss. So if it’s Sunday and raining, you will find me in jeans, lace-free sneakers, and a fun t-shirt (I love Harajuku Lovers tees). Then I throw on the lightweight Prada hooded windbreaker/quasi-rain jacket just to keep the rain from hitting my arms and torso. I find a bold print in the jacket makes everything more fun to wear!
Look 4: If it’s raining and not super cold, I might venture into girly-girl territory and wear this dark rinse short denim sundress with navy sneakers. The Marni rain jacket keeps me from the rain and baring my shoulders too much in this strapless number. I know what you’re thinking…who in their right mind would wear a light colored rain jacket? Well…this is la-la land after all.
But look closer, at least the jacket is utilitarian. Do you see how the hoodie has a bill, like with a baseball cap?! And the Mossimo dress has tuxedo ruffles in the front!
So this FIMTSO begs the question: just what is the right bag for rainy weather? I’ve yet to solve that dilemma…
Tags: Chanel, Converse, FIMTSO, Gap, Harajuku Lovers, Marni, Mossimo, Prada
On this season’s America’s Next Top Model, Cycle 14, host Tyra Banks wears a jumpsuit to each elimination round. So I thought I’d follow suit–all puns intended–and feature it in today’s FIMTSO episode. Just for giggles, instead of doing looks by occasion I’m going to see if I can do it by season! I’m pressed for time so will try to get modeling pics in another entry 
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Test Item: camel linen jumpsuit from Young Fabulous & Broke.
Spring: Spring is all about the cardigan, so here it is paired with a short-sleeved JCrew peach cashmere cardigan and bronzy/peachy lizard Manolos.
Summer: I actually like the idea of a jumpsuit in a breathable fabric when it’s warm…until I have to use the ladies’ room. And that’s when I realize why most people who wear jumpsuits to work every day are men. But I digress. I’m baring the shoulders and dressing up the jumpsuit with accessories instead. In the first look I’m using a vintage Chanel belt as a choker and wearing the Chanel black camellia sandals.
If I want to look less casual, I’d add my humongous rapper-fab patent Chanel belt and swap the flat sandals for patent Dior wedges:
Fall: Fall is really just summer minus ten degrees in LA, so all I’d need to do is throw a black lightweight GAP open cardigan over my summer look (btw we wear our summer shoes pretty much year round here!):
Winter: Santa Claus wears shorts to deliver presents in LA, so it’s hard to even entertain the notion of this wintry season. But for the five or so days of chilly weather here, I could actually break out a blazer/jacket. I find it ironically appropriate to pair a Chanel jacket with a very simple linen jumpsuit from a label called Young Fabulous & Broke! I’d probably wear my brown slingbacks with this outfit.
Accessories shots:
Tags: Chanel, FIMTSO, Gap, JCrew, Jumpsuit, Manolos, Young Fabulous & Broke
