Car Wash in the City

Getting my car washed is like pulling teeth. I used to be able to hose down the car and give it a good rub-a-dub, but no more. My car now gets its rest in an underground garage, where a garden hose is not readily available. Even if a garden hose is available, I could not use it liberally--with an ongoing drought in California comes water use restrictions and/or higher rates for high water use.

For weeks, my car had been coated with dust and dirt from ordinary use. With the recent fires going on in the surrounding mountains, the buildup got even worse. I was finally forced to confront the problem last weekend, since I was expecting family visiting from out of town in the coming days.

Shame spurred surprisingly good solutions. I went to Target to pick up some car washing supplies. I already had a 16 quart (15L) bucket at home, so that was one less thing on my shopping list. I figured that I'd get a sponge, some detergent, and that would be it. A bottle of Armor All was on sale for $3, so that was a no brainer. As for the sponges, I did not walk out with what I had expected to buy. I thought that a nice big sponge would work, but there was an entire wall of microfiber and chenile towels, mitts, and mops of different shapes and sizes. I ended up spending a little bit more on the sponge--$12 for a Vroom chenile wash mop with a detachable extension pole. The mop had soft, fuzzy tubes of gray fibers sticking out of it.

Just my luck, the elevator in my apartment building decided to take an unscheduled break on the only day I had to wash my car; I had to try to complete the job with as little water as possible. The first trip down 4 flights of stairs did not go smoothly--about a quarter of the bucket sloshed on my clothes on my way down. Good thing enough of the water made it down stairs for the initial rinse. In that regard, the wash mop turned out to be well worth it. Since the sponge absorbed a lot of water, I did not have to constantly dip it back into the bucket or worry that I would not have a big enough stream of water to wash off the dirt. Also, one of my biggest concerns was being able to reach the roof of the car, especially now that I do not have the benefit of a spraying garden hose. The extension pole made that fear a non-issue, and I was thrilled with the way the mop swiveled to the contours of the car. I was starting to get a little too excited about the prospect of being able to wash my car to a sleek shine. Fortunately, there was a drain in the garage, so my enthusiasm wasn't dampened by a trek back upstairs with the initial dirty rinse.

The second bucket of water was the soap rinse. This time, I was a little wiser and filled the bucket with less water, leaving enough room for potential sloshage. It worked. The mop again performed wonders in terms of slathering the car with enough of the soapy solution such that it could actually be deemed "washed." The little fibers also did quite well in reaching the nooks and crannies, including the holes in the hubcap.

The third bucket of water was enough to rinse off all the soap. I used a standard squeegee to dry off the windows, and a soft old t-shirt to dab off whatever water still stuck to the car. The whole process took an hour (probably would have been quicker if the elevator was working), and I was quite proud of the wash job. Having done this once, the next time won't be so intimidating. I think I should go back to Target to pick up some microfiber towels for drying, since I only have so many old soft t-shirts that no longer want to wear, and I should get another mop for my parents so that they'll have an easier time washing their cars.

Off the Cuff

It feels like I haven't blogged for ages. Life just got rather busy, with weddings, visiting friends and family, and mundane everyday chores in general. I'm still around, though, and posting will go on until the day I decide to quit doing this for good.

Based on what I've seen on street-style blogs, a popular trend that has existed for some time is the cuffing of the pant leg. Little things like cuffing can work quite well in giving outfits a different "mood." I still can't pull off the cuffed pants look all that well (I think it requires more voluminous pants and some intentional pegging), but this is a good illustration of what cuffing does.

I'm not a polo shirt person, but I was given one to wear for an bowling event, so I wanted to dress it up into something more in tune with my personality. I cuffed the sleeves of the blazer to for a "relaxed professional" look earlier in the day, and when it was time to play, I cuffed the jeans to look more casual. The latter looked a lot better without the jacket on, that's for sure, but it goes to show how cuffing the jacket makes a huge difference...

[Nike polo shirt, a $1 3-rhinestone necklace, F21 dome ring, thrifted Brioni blazer, Earnest Sewn straightlegged jeans, Nike sneakers.]

Rocking After Midnight

Last night/this early morning was boisterously fun, a kind of fun that I haven't had in a long time. My friends and I hopped from one party to another, but it's not the kind of party-hopping that would have happened in the earlier years. We're all grown up now, have complex and demanding jobs, and some starting families, so it's a lot different these days. Still, we put away our Blackberries (well, or at least I tried) for a few hours to enjoy good food, good company, and being loud and rowdy without repercussions (in the karaoke booth, that is).

It was hard to dress for two different events--one was a dinner/baby shower for a couple of friends at a family-friendly restaurant, the other was a birthday party at a karaoke club. Something more casual would have worked for the first event, but as one of my friends said, it was better to be overdressed than underdressed, particularly for the second event.

A blue knee-length skirt is unquestionably suitable for the family-friendly fest; a blue knee-length skirt made of leather is completely appropriate for late-night partying. Sandals covering the front of the foot with lots of leather and grommets are just perfect for any occasion. It took a while to find "the" jacket to complete the outfit, but black denim is just right--a little casual, a little tough. Bright silver jewelry polishes up the look.

My throat is still sore from belting out a little Patsy Cline here, a little Nirvana there. I don't have as much energy to stay out late these days, but last night was the first time in a while when midnight felt like 8 p.m.

[Max Edition mesh camisole (gift), Argento Vivo silver twist necklace, Joie denim moto jacket (from the Joie warehouse sale a good few years ago for a few bucks), thrifted leather skirt, Forever 21 dome ring (which I've been wearing rather frequently), Giuseppe Zanotti sandals (from the Barney's Warehouse Sale yesterday).]

Sanctuary

The decoration and arrangement of personal space has always been a work in progress. I've never been able to afford redoing an entire room at a time, nor did I want to. Shelves, furniture, and other knicknacks were acquired piecemeal and swapped out over time. I have not done any major overhauls until now.

Over the last few weekends, I have been on a mission to make more efficient use of my space. Much of my furniture and equipment carried over from my college days. While they worked really well for the space I had back then, they do not work efficiently with the space and lifestyle now. One particular corner of my room could be put to better use, since things did not fit together very well, leaving awkward patches of empty spaces in between. An old computer cart held many parts for my desktop computer, but because I have a laptop now, I don't use that computer much. To make matters worse, the CPU doesn't fit on the cart, so it takes up even more space right next to it. In the meantime, more books and papers accumulated throughout the years, and I didn't have enough shelves to organize them. Frustration ensued.

I was seriously spurred to action over the Memorial Day weekend, when I went to visit my family and saw the Ikea circular. A couple of pieces of furniture--the Poang chair (which I have always wanted, because it is so comfortable and portable) and a big bookshelf--were hugely discounted, and I could actually get both of them together for less than a hundred bucks. I ran off to Ikea to get them, even though I had no one to help me carry the heavy boxes. I somehow managed to stuff them in my car and drove them home (this time, I had help carrying them indoors).

Once I got everything home, the first thing I did was to get rid of as many old, useless papers as possible; new shelves can only hold so much. After that long process was completed, I finally moved on to assembly. The chair was easy to assemble, but putting together the bookshelf was like a shipbuilding exercise--I had rotate the half-finished bookcase to push the pieces together, and scramble up and down a bench to get to the higher shelves. In the end, all the trouble was worth it, as the bookshelf was everything I needed. It does triple-duty as my nightstand, bookshelf, and counterspace for working. The old nightstand was moved elsewhere in the room, where it was a better fit and continued to hold a lot of things. I got rid of the old rolling computer station altogether and put the chair in its place, while the desktop CPU was put into the problematic corner. The computer keyboard is plunked on top of the CPU instead of taking up desk space. The desktop monitor was placed on top of the bookshelf, but I have arranged the wires in such away that it could be moved off the shelf if I need more counterspace to work with. I LOVE the fact that the counter is bathed in sunlight--I've always wanted a workspace in natural light, but not a desk of the size I needed.

The bookshelf is a workhorse--I have many books and papers crammed in. From an aesthetic standpoint, it would have been nice to have some empty space. Even though it's wishful thinking, I tried to turn a few select shelves into little exhibits of sorts:

(I made this years ago.)



(Empty CD spools turn out to be great for holding bangles.)




(This is actually a tissue holder; the tissue comes out of the top of the volcano. The big plushy thing also is great for concealing a bunch of papers underneath...hehe...)


Another thing that I have desperately needed was a proper desk--the folding table that I have been using has always been too small. A friend of mine is moving and gave me his. It is beyond awesome (the table, not the moving away)--not only is it a lot bigger and sturdier than my old table, the color scheme works with everything else I have. It is tall enough such that I can tuck my rolling cart of crafting materials underneath, thereby saving even more space.


I also used the wall to help free up some floor space. Many of my beads are stored in box of small plastic drawers, which I bought from the Container Store. The color-sorted set-up is something of an objet d'art in of itself, so hanging it up was a no-brainer. It just took me a while to get around to it and find the right place for it. The right place is finally available. It is right at home in the midst of rectangular forms.





This isn't a new decorating idea, but I just love the vintage repro notecards sent to me by a friend. I framed one of them, and left the other sitting next to a bamboo steamer full of necklaces.


It's amazing what wide open spaces does to the psyche. It brightens up my mood, and it feels great to come home and sink into a comfy chair. Today I dressed comfortably to hang out around the house and hammering away at the wall so that the bead drawers could be hung up. I nearly blended in with the neutral-colored furniture and accessories.

[Cris striped tank layered over sheer Nation LTD burnout tank, Park Vogel sheer hoodie, Gap skirt.]

Happy Feet

As you can tell, I love wearing high heels, and I wear them quite frequently. They just make my work outfits look a lot sharper. I am generally pretty good about buying shoes that I can walk comfortably in, but let's face it, heels stop becoming comfortable after a few hours of constant walking or standing. The balls of my feet would eventually hurt from having to bear my entire body weight, and the problem is especially pronounced with the cheaper shoes (at least good leather soles feel a bit more pliable and absorb some of the shock). I generally try to make my feet last longer through good posture, putting more weight on my heels as I walk, and so forth, but I definitely need a little bit of help. As much as I like fashion, I am not stupid enough to sacrafice podiatric health for it. Potential medical costs clearly outweigh the stylistic benefits.

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to try a couple of things in pursuit of comfort. After spending a better part of the day walking around in my Maison Martin Margiela wedges (the lucite ones), my feet were quite unhappy. I decided to stop by a Walgreens to get a pair of $5 private label gel pads that are made specifically for the balls of the feet. While they provided some cushioning, they failed to do enough.

The next time I went to the store, I came across some Dr. Scholl's insoles that claim to take the weight off the balls of the feet. The insoles are a bit pricey ($8-10 a pair), but I thought I'd give them a shot. I figured that padding the balls of the feet is merely a short term remedy--the real solution is to shift and spread the weight. To my surprise, the insoles worked quite well...to an extent. For heels that are of medium height (2-3 inches), I could really feel the extra cushioning at the arches, which redistribute the pressure over a larger surface area and off the balls of the foot. However, for the 4-inch heels, they don't seem to do much good at all, at least on their own. When I inserted a ball of the foot pad underneath the weight-shifting insole, I instantly felt the difference. The balls of the feet became sufficiently padded, and the arch support portion is lifted up such that it finally does some work, though not quite as well as they performed on the lower heels.

I still can't say that I swear by my insoles, but they do make a discernable difference in terms of comfort. Foam insoles have been fairly useless for me, so this is definitely a step up. Because the insoles aren't cheap, I just bought a few pairs and rotated them amongst the shoes I wear. I dare say the rotation method works out quite well. Three pairs of insoles are plenty to keep the fleet of footwear ready to roll at all times.

I have heard of the roll-on sticks (look kinda like deodorant) that can be applied to the back of the foot to reduce friction, but I have not tried it yet. Those should be good for the summer sandal season.

Know of any good and affordable footwear-related products out there? Comment away.

Last Minute Gift Ideas

[Edited because I used the word "thought" way too many times.]

I never thought I'd place myself in this position, but I haven't completely finished my gift shopping yet. That's what happens when I have to hunt down the bacon, drag it home, and fry it too. I'll be out the door soon to complete my mission.

There are plenty of heavy discounts in the retail sector as the stores try to court last minute shoppers, especially the stores slated to get the ax. The discounted items can be fairly eclectic, and I really like the idea of putting gift sets together--instead of spending money on just one thing, which may look dinky, the same amount of dollars can be stretched into something more. I am not kidding about this--this year, $40 got me a nice combination of things for 10 or 11 different people, which is a fraction of people I got gifts for, but every bit of savings helps. On top of that, a good amount of non-perishable deals can be kept for other gifting occasions later in the year.

-Fragrant candles with shiny caps look way more expensive than they are. Sometime last year, I picked some up for $3-$5. In fact, they look great enough that I am completely comfortable with giving just that one thing as a gift.

-Bath and body products are always useful, and they can easily be paired with other things for a themed set, like towels and candles and slippers for a luxe spa set.

-Some may say that gift cards show a lack of thought, but I've always been an advocate of them--the recipient can get whatever he or she wants. However, the downside is that the person will know just how much you've spent. It shouldn't matter, but in reality, sometimes it does to some people or their family members, especially when everyone are at the same gathering. I usually get around that dilemma by pairing it with something inexpensive but complementary, like popcorn and candy with a movie gift card.

-CDs and DVDs require some understanding of the recipient's tastes, but I think it would work out just fine even if there isn't enough time to do homework. Since it's free for the recipient, he or she can experience something that he or she wouldn't have picked out for his- or herself. Who knows? You just might open that person's eyes to something new and exciting.

-Make-your-own gift baskets much less expensive than the pre-packed variety. It also shows that you've given it some consideration and effort. This is probably the ultimate last-minute gift--places like CVS and Walgreen's are typically open even on the holidays, so you can literally wait until the 11th hour (though I'd advise against it) and still be hailed as that sweet and caring person you really are, but just didn't have time to express.

-Mani/pedi set. You can get a set of $1 nail polish of all different colors, and maybe throw in a nail file and some foot cream. Yet another last-last minute gift that can be put together by heading to your local 24-hour drugstore.

-Lastly, something as simple as a thoughtful handwritten note or a handmade work of art can mean more than any gift on the market. A jar of origami cranes or stars is colorful and very affordable. Once I made a bunch of origami cranes, in fairly large sizes, and used them as cards on which I wrote my thanks to each individual recipient; it was very well received and proudly displayed by the recipients, even by those I did not expect to find it moving. At the end of the day, even the ol' cynical me truly believe that it's the thought that counts.

Happy Holidays, everyone. I hope you will enjoy this season wherever you are and with whomever you keep company.

A couple of cycles

Most people I know tend to be pretty conscientious about recycling, so they'll appreciate my giddiness when this happened: I was pretty much jumping for joy when my apartment building finally had recycling bins, and again when my office building started to do that as well.

Not long ago, I decided to make used paper useful for another round before it heads to the recycling bin. One thing I use a lot of is notepads. I write all the time, be it notes of a hearing, or my wild and crazy ideas for motions (or opposing them), and a record of my time spent doing various things. Yup, in my line of work, time is worth a lot of money. Unfortunately, office supplies also cost a lot of money. I read a newspaper article a few weeks ago that the recent across-the-board price hikes have engulfed office supplies. The price of paper clips have apparently jumped 50% compared to a year ago. I can imagine how painful this must be for small businesses that require the use of lots of office supplies.

I learned a pretty neat and how-did-I-not-think-of-that simple trick from my former secretary. She used to cut used paper in half and staple it for her own notepads. That's such a great idea--much paper can be saved, and fresh notepads can be conserved for times when those premarked lines are actually needed. This idea isn't quite as innovative (or pretty) as this, but a little savings here and there will matter a lot.

Neck and Neck

I hate turtlenecks. They're pretty boring and they don't look very flattering, but I wear them because they're functional. Until I discovered the magic of layering, I actively avoided them when I could. Unfortunately, that meant my purchases were not being used very efficiently.

This week I discovered that pairing them with boatneck tops works wonders. I love boatneck sweaters because they show off the collarbones and shoulders, but it's too cold to wear them alone at this time. Now I can, and I'm pretty happy about it. The combo just looks better than a turtleneck paired with a crewneck tee, and I think it's because there's such a huge contrast between the two styles.

This is arguably my most creative work outfit of the week, after wearing suits and other boring office staples:

And this is my weekend look. Not as nice, to be sure, but it lets me wear my casual clothes. It's been very rainy and cold here. I don't know when it'll warm up again.

Tooth and Nail (nail optional)

My Xacto knife had been busy lately. Last time I recycled scraps of cuttings and turned them into cards. This time I made a graduation present with them.

How's that relevant to Hot Off the Sales Rack? Let's rewind a little bit.

As a bargain hound, I do pretty well with buying things I need. Most of the time I use it right away, but sometimes they just sit around because I don't have time to do anything with them. Over time, these neglected goods cease to be a bargain if they remain unused. I've recognized this as one of my weaknesses, and I deal with it accordingly. I keep track of what's not being used so that a) I remember I have them in the first place and not go out to buy more, and b) sometimes they come in handy in an "emergency"--not the life-or-death kind, but the gifting kind. Sometimes you just couldn't figure out what to buy for a particular person, or you didn't have time to get one and it's too late, or you just plain forgotten about it.

Let me make one thing clear: I don't mean pawning off unused items as cheapy, inappropriate gifts. Ever heard horror stories like how Uncle Fred gave Anna a bottle of shampoo and her mom got some ethylene glycol (and oh, a bonus funnel!) as presents, because shampoo was the only thing left at his house and the gas station was the only place open late on Christmas Eve? Well, truth really is stranger than fiction--these things have actually happened before. You don't want to be forever remembered as the donor of the worst. gift. ever. If what you have is nice and a natural choice for a gift, then go ahead. But if what you have on hand is something too commonplace, either put it aside completely or think of it as a starting material for a thoughtful gift.

If you ever need a gift in a pinch, be resourceful. Look around and see if you have some other new, unused materials that you can use to create something special. You can put together a gift set of sorts, provided that you package things nicely and there's a unified theme (deodorant and olive oil don't mix, folks). If nothing else, you can make it a pseudo-gag gift: "What? We've been friends for all these years and all I get is a pack of socks? Oh wait--what's this envelop stuck to the back? 'Just thought you might need some laundry money to go with it.'" I haven't tried this myself, but it's something I thought up.

If you're crafty, you can make something out of the materials you've scrounged. Here's a project that you can use to make a gift or for your own home decorating pleasures. There's no need to be super crafty--just a little willingness to cut and paste is enough.

In law, there's one too many three-part test for the constitutionality of one thing or another. I may be sick of memorizing them, but I've got to admit, having that mentality saved my butt last week. My friend was about to graduate from dental school. I've been looking around for presents (ranging from tooth-themed goods to art for the office), but since I became too wrapped up with my own graduation and my bar review course started almost right away, it became too late for me to order the gift. I had no time to go shopping, and even if I went, I wouldn't know what to shop for. Then came yet another 1am inspiration. Why don't I make some original art for his office? I would have bought some anyway, but a more personalized version would be better.

So I set out to make this 3-panel tribute to dental health:

(Sorry for the dark pictures--I was still getting used to my new camera, and what appeared on the LCD screen was much brighter than the picture actually was.)

Days before the graduation, it became clear that I'd have to make something; store-bought things just won't do. I've been on a "Big Leafiness" cutting streak, so I wanted to do something along those lines, though I didn't know what exactly I was going to do. So, I looked around the house a bit. I bought these Ikea frames a few years ago for a decoration project. I used 3 of the frames and intended to use the rest, but I just never got around to it. Obviously, I'm not going to give a set of picture frames as a gift on such a special occasion. They became a starting material. After having these two key components--the vinyl and the frames--ideas really started rolling in. At 1am, I finally decided to do a teeth-themed set of cut-outs. It took me about half an hour to cut everything. Most people probably don't have vinyl around, but they do have paper and fabric scraps. You can use those in lieu of vinyl.

I knew that I wanted to paste them onto cardstock, but white was too stark, and all the other cardstock I had were either too bright or too dark. I wanted something with a creamy yellowish base. The next day, I went to two different stores in search of cardstock or thick paper--no luck at Big Lots, and even worse luck at CVS. CVS is obviously not the destination for paper goods, but it was getting late and I had few other options. Sure enough, CVS didn't have the cardstock I wanted--things were either too cheapy or expensive, and not in the right color either. As I was about to leave, it suddenly hit me--manila folders were perfect. Not only do they have the right stiffness, but they have the right color (the picture of the middle panel is the best reflection of the color). It was exactly what I needed, and only a fraction of the price of fancy paper.

So there you are--the only ingredients required for the project are frames, manila folders, anything you can use to make a silhouette, a pen (if you want to draw/write on the folder), and an active imagination. Simple, right?

After I was done, I put it in a box, wrapped it up with some Ikea (Christmas) wrapping paper and topped off with a toothy card from Less Than Three Designs. The card was the only thing I could make up my mind on early enough.

This is just one example of how common items can be assembled into a thoughtful gift. I'm sure there are many more out there, and as always, feel free to share yours!

(Nerdy legal epilogue: oh my gosh, I just realized that this post was pretty much written in an IRAC format. Have I been doing it all along? How screwed up is this?!?)

The buttoned-up effect

Sorry for the infrequent post, folks, but I've been sooo busy lately. I haven't bought clothes or shoes for a while. Yay! I may be busy, but cursed be the Internet age, I can shop any time of the day (provided that the servers aren't down for "regularly scheduled maintenance/upgrades"). I went a wee bit crazy with buying lots of beads (OK, at least that's a business investment) and a few other useful articles. Some of them are still making their way over by the way of snail's mail, but I'm happy with what I've got and can't wait to wear them in the coming days.

I have to bring a jacket to school all the time, since it's always cold in the lecture halls. Sometimes I'd roll out of bed and not know what to wear, so I would consistently grab the same few pieces of outerwear that goes with everything. When you wear the same things day in and day out, it gets boring sometimes. To keep things fresh, I like accessorizing with pins and brooches. Sometimes I wear a few at a time, like this:

I made these lapel pins from buttons I bought during the JoAnn store closing sale a few months ago. Now I get the meaning of "cute as a button."

Some days I do cute, but some days I do cynical. While I'm not a big fan of slogan tees, I do like to make a statement with slogans discretely printed on accessories. Unfortunately, my DIY capabilities are limited insofar as my tools and materials are limited, so I actually have to buy my slogans. Joining my ever-expanding pin collection are these two buttons, which cost less than $2 apiece. Being a completely frazzled editor obsessed with achieving perfection in a very short span of time, the one on the left is perfect. Given what I plan on doing for the next who knows how many years, the appeal of the one on the right is obvious:

(Yup, that's the reflection of my camera, along with my short bony fingers. Can't be helped.)

One thing I've been attracted to lately are blank note cards. Having blank notecards may end up saving money in the long run. Instead of buying separate birthday cards, thank you cards, and general correspondance cards, blank cards are one-size-fits-all--you just have to customize them with your own messages. It's good to have a few blank cards around the house. You won't have to worry about card emergencies (when you need a card right away but don't have time to go buy one), and best of all, you won't be stuck with a bunch of single-occasion cards from an 8-pack when you really only need one card.

I've finally come to terms with the fact that I'm a shoe-holic. I may not have money to buy actual shoes right now, but I can certainly afford to buy shoe cards. When I saw these notecards in the same store I bought the bottons from, I couldn't help but snap them up:

They're so cute! Even if I had no one to write to, I wouldn't mind just putting these cards on shelves as decoration.

One highlight of an Etsy transaction is the freebie. In my case, Allegrae was sick and couldn't ship out orders as early as she normally would, so she offered to include some extra goodies to make up for it. I'll say that she more than made up for it:

The, um, button button is quite clever, and now I can flaunt my shoe addict status! The berry magnet is now stuck to my fridge, looking pretty. All in all, I spent less than $10. Since the whole package and all the other stuff in the store are so cool, I just might use that 10% off coupon sometime in the future.

More on my Etsy shopping sprees to follow as packages arrive in the mail...

Oldie but a goodie

[Edited 1/25/07 because 1) parts of my writing was just bad and 2) I realized the order of photos didn't correspond with what I was talking about. Now it looks right.]

It's been a few weeks since I've shopped for clothes, and I'm happy to say that my appetite for shopping has dulled. In fact, I've walked into 2 retail establishments and came out with no clothing purchases! I only bought what I actually need. My latest credit card bill finished off any remaining impulses to shop, which is great!

Ever since my shopping embargo started, I've dug out a lot of clothes that I haven't been wearing much because 1) they were way too big, 2) too boring, or 3) too cutesy. Instead of having to "settle" with wearing clothes just for the heck of it, I didn't have to sacrifice style all that much as long as I made an effort to incorporate them into daily wear. In some cases, the resulting outfits were so "me" that I actually liked wearing them to school or elsewhere. Playing around like this has been so much fun that I could honestly say, "screw shopping!" (Well, for now anyway.)

Let's start with the too-big. Years ago, when I paid no attention to what I wore, I bought outerwear that were a few sizes too big in order to accomodate layers of sweaters and so forth. Sure, that sounds reasonable enough, but I live in Southern California, not the frickin' North Pole! Once I started favoring a more streamlined sillouette, bulky clothes fell out of favor. I've gotten rid of some ugly bulky things that I would never wear again, but I hung onto a few things. Now I'm glad I did. Since the weather's been very chilly lately, big warm jackets come in handy, especially because I've been wearing the same 2 pieces of outerwear during the last few months.

To make the jackets utilitarian again, I started off by throwing them over some casual outfits when I didn't care to dress up, then worked my way up to more creative outfits. I'm definitely liking my black pleather jacket again--now that hooded leather jackets are popular, it even looks trendy! I'm still "meh" about my mom's old blazer--the shoulder pads make me look like a linebacker--but at least I tried. I'm not liking the results, which is why I'm not posting them. Still, the blazer is very warm and just too nice to get rid of. I'll just have to work at it some more.

What's considered the too-boring for me? Turtlenecks. The collar makes my neck feel restricted and itchy, even though it's really not that bad. On top of that, they're just plain and hard to dress up; I tried wearing necklaces over them and things just don't look right. I'll admit that they're very useful, but I hardly ever wore them. Nowadays I'm happy to say that I've made them work for me. Layering a graphic tee or a cute blouse on top makes a t-neck much more appealing. Piling on a chunky scarf works, too!

Lastly, the too-cute:

The last two pictures above feature an impulse-buy--a puff-sleeve top with apples printed on it. As much as I hate to admit it, it's just way too cute for my age. A lot of people tell me I look very young, which is a double-edged sword--good in the sense that I can get away with a lot of things I wear, but bad because as a soon-to-be lawyer, it's hard to get taken seriously when I look too young. I found that wearing cutesy things with "tougher" accoutrements makes for a playful yet age-appropriate outfit.

There IS Redemption for Buyer's Remorse--Party Tops

Here's a problem that I find myself in quite a bit, and I know I'm not the only one: I'd see a cute party top on sale and think it'd be great for the next party or night out to a club. After I buy the said top, which is a really good deal ($20 or under, instead of the $200 or so retail), I realize that I'm a professional student who doesn't have time to go out much. Oops. To make matters worse, I already have like 6 other such tops. What now?

I was raised to save my "nice clothes" for "special occasions," but if I continued to do that, I'd never get around to wearing a lot of clothes I have. A deal is only a good deal if you're able to use it. To lower the cost-per-wear ratio, the only thing to do is to casualize the fancy tops.

One of the "problem pieces" in my closet is actually a beauty. It's a Jak and Rae silk top in a beautiful yellow--the one that is the backdrop for my blog's header. I loved it when I bought it, but once I got it home, I changed my mind. It is way too low-cut, but there was no way I could have fitted into it if I got a size smaller. I thought that I'd use some double-sided tape, but it is clear that it won't do. I contemplated returning it, but after receiving compliments from my friends who saw the garment, I took the tag off and decided to keep it. After all, it's not everyday that you can find a beautiful top like this for $12 at Loehmann's.

What a foolish decision! I let the prettiness of the top overcome all reason. I knew that it didn't fit me very well, but I felt compelled to keep it. However, I decided that I would redeem myself by finding ways to layer it. I have to say that I'm very pleased with the results and I'm glad I didn't take it back for a refund.

Here are pictures taken when I played around with the silk top a couple of months ago. I have a system when it comes to trying out new combinations, which I'll present here in a stream-of-consciousness fashion. First, I'd start with the basic and/or obvious--layering the top over something simple, nothing crazy about the color schemes.

I like this one the best--tone and tone is matching but not too matchy:

After that, I venture out a little further with prints and sharply contrasting colors

I kinda like how the gold foil print on this next t-shirt works with the satiny texture of the top. The colors are very similar, but the gold parts seem to blend together. Coincidentally, Agathe from Style Bytes did something similar today by wearing a gold dress over a print tee.

Now comes more variations with the neckline and other elements of the underlayer...

Hmm...necklines are too matchy. Let's break it up a little...

The silk top has a somewhat frilly hem, so let's layer it over something that's also frilly! Meh...don't like it much. Looks better than pictured, but it's still bleh.

More recently, the weather got colder, so I decided to add a layer on top. The following are outfits that I've actually worn to go out; the preceding ones were merely experiments, but I plan on wearing half of those.

Here's how it looks like in the back. Fits right in with the jumper craze right now. And yes, those are the same ugly pants featured last time. See what a long top can do for ugly pants?

Experimenting really is the way to go to get more wear out of clothes, to get the bang for your buck. That's why I don't believe in buying outfits--what's the fun if I can't play around? Outfits can go out of style in a blink of an eye, but individual pieces endure long after the craze is gone.

They're so out that they're back in

Whenever I clean out my closet, there are some things that I know would never be worn again (and out they go), while certain others are spared with the understanding that they could be useful but won't be worn very often. The clothing in the latter group probably stay in my closet a lot longer than they should, but since there's a good reason why I kept them (even if they were known only to my subconscious mind), I make the biggest effort to eek more life out of them. Trends come and go...and come back. You never know--they might be so old that they might be back in again. However, if your "on the fence" items can no longer be worn in a satisfactory manner, it's time for them to go.

Three pieces that have been in my closet for 10+ years are a pair of skinny pants, a flannel 3/4 shirt, and a long black vest. I have varying reasons for keeping them.

1) The skinny pants are something I'd never buy for myself because they're hideous--the high waist and back side were too big for me, the tapered cut is dangerously close to "mom jeans" status. However, they are insanely comfortable. They've been in the banishment pile following several closet cleanouts, only to be rescued a couple of times. The first time I saved them was because I was going on a ski trip and needed a warm, comfortable bottom layer to battle against the cold. After its purpose was served, the pants went back to the banishment pile. Then the skinny jeans-long tunics trend came around, and I thought the skinny legs of the pants would be perfect. Sure, the fit at the waist is terrible, but a long top would cover it up.

2) The flannel shirt isn't a fashionable item, but I see them around every time Fall rolls around. Perhaps its endurance is attributable to its utilitarian nature--rugged and warm. Also, it's plaid. Plaid can be in sometimes, and even when it's out, it's never truly out. It's just hanging around in purgatory, waiting to return in its modest way.

3) I bought the vest back when I was in high school. Have you seen the show "Ugly Betty"? Yup, I used to dress much like that. Not in such an exaggerated way, but pretty close. The vest languished in the depths of a closet in my family's house for years. When vests recently became trendy, I dug it out, hoping that I'd milk something out of it. Through a little bit of experimentation, I got some wear out of it, but I was hoping it would do something more.

As I said last time, one way to update old items is to mix them with something newer. In my case, I used a newer tunic sweater and my Mike & Chris hoodie. Another way is to wear old items in trendier ways, such as tucking the pants into the boots, wearing a long tunic with the skinny pants, or belting at the waist. Finally, it doesn't hurt to throw all the trends together at once and see what happens. However, this approach is to be used with caution, as sporting too many trends at once may end up making you look like a "fashion victim."

That's my boring little experiment [yes, I actually wore these out to go about my daily business]. Next time it'll be marginally more exciting.