fashion news // cynthia rowley for roxy

In my dreams, I'm a SoCal surfer girl. I live in a beach bungalow. I awake to the sound of crashing waves and run (read: own) a little surf-inspired boutique/gallery just steps from the ocean. In real life, I live nowhere near the ocean, I awake to the sound of my snoring beagle and I run (read: am owned by) the corporate rat race. But a girl can dream. And a girl can chase her dreams, too, right? And until I finally catch them, I can at least dress the part of a SoCal surfer girl thanks to the surfer-girl-meets-girlie-girl Cynthia Rowley collection for Roxy.

images: roxy.com

PS- Once I do catch those dreams, I'll still awake to the sound of my snoring beagle because her foghorn of a snore will most definitely drown out even the loudest of ocean waves.

PPS- That ruffled, aqua dress? Consider it mine.

Forever 21 website fail

WTF, Forever 21?

I don't know about you, but I'm thinking that replacing actual product images with copy that says "image coming soon" on an e-commerce site is about as helpful as wet matches in a pitch black cave.

Q & A with the Magic 8 Ball iPhone App

Actual answers, actual questions, not manipulated.

Displaced Urbanite: Am I going to catch a big break soon?
Magic 8 Ball® : You may rely on it.

DU: Am I going to have a new job by June?
M8B: You may rely on it.

DU: You're sounding a little redundant, Magic 8 Ball. Do you have any other answers you'd like to share?
M8B: Reply hazy, try again.

DU: Okay. Will we be living in California by this time next year?
M8B: Signs point to yes.

DU: Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule for our little Q&A session.
M8B:: Concentrate and ask again.

We now return you to our regularly scheduled randomness.

happy monday (sort of) and what I wore for saturday night out

Well. This weekend didn't exactly go as planned. It started out pleasantly, with Saturday morning spent shopping at Lancaster Central Market followed by a brief trip to the mall. Then on Saturday night, D and I had a tasty dinner with his parents at Gusto, a local Italian restaurant.

And then, it all came crashing down when I woke up in the middle of the night on Saturday with a nasty stomach bug.

So not fun, people, so not fun.

I'm still not feeling too great, but at least I got through the night last night without incident.

But anyway. Here's what I wore for Saturday night's dinner out. (I followed up this cute number with a lazy day on Sunday spent in my favorite lounge pants and Temple University hoodie- perfect attire for loafing on the couch, watching the Olympics and guzzling mango juice to rehydrate myself.)


Dress: Abercrombie & Fitch; Cardigan, scarf, leggings: H&M; Shoes: random; Earrings: Handmade by me

what i wore // outfits of the day

So I can't guarantee that all of my outfits are interesting and as a result, they will not make posting status on my blog. But in the event that I wear something post-worthy, I'll keep you...uh...posted? Ahem. Yeah. Here are two from this week:


Left: Dress, H&M; Cardigan, GO International from Target; Boots and tights, random
Right: Dress, Forever21; Turtleneck, American Eagle; Cardigan, Banana Republic; Boots, Anthropologie Winding Ruffle boots

PS- please do not judge my photography skillz by these oh-so-beautious pictures. Usually I just hastily snap these with my iPhone or with the timer on my little point-and-shoot. Mayhaps someday, I'll feel inspired to post better outfit of the day pictures, but then, that would also require finding time for photoshoots. So, uh...yeah.

Happy Friday! Have a great weekend!

fashion week // milly fall 2010 ready-to-wear -- mod(ern) classics

image source: style.com

A modern classic take on mod fashions in punchy colors with flashes of metallic. By Milly for fall 2010.

View the entire Milly fall 2010 ready-to-wear collection.

fashion week // anna sui fall 2010 ready-to-wear -- La femme bohème

image source: style.com

Perfectly bohemian style from Anna Sui for fall 2010, plus a nod to flapper fashion in that gorgeous gold sequined dress. I'm especially loving the first one with the brown dress layered over the aqua and brown patterned blouse.

View the entire Anna Sui fall 2010 ready-to-wear collection.

fashion week // nanette lepore fall 2010 ready-to-wear

image source: style.com

Lush fabrics, sequins and rich jewel tones. I'll take one of each! View the entire Nanette Lepore fall 2010 ready-to-wear collection.

fashion week // rodarte fall 2010 ready-to-wear

image source: style.com

I'm loving the mixed patterns along with unexpected color combinations, floaty fabrics and detailed necklines.

View the entire Rodarte Fall 2010 Ready-to-Wear Collection.

dream location // found

I was perusing the San Diego listings on craigslist, as I often do, and I came across this awesome retail location listing. If I were in San Diego, finished with grad school, and had everything ready to go, this would be it. Everything about it is perfect- the front window, the awning, the exposed brick (okay, the awning and paint on the front might need to change colors, but other than that, it's perfect!).

Sigh. Someday.


image source

Happy Valentine's Weekend!

A few of my favorite Valentine's Day heart Flickr photos:


Megan Troyer


kiwi gal


Kimberly Clark


Photo Jennix


Just Ree


Vicker Monkee

Don't forget to tell someone you love them this weekend! See you Monday!

Creativity mapping

Last semester one of my first assignments for one of my classes was to visually demonstrate my creative process for a particular project from start to finish. I chose making a piece of jewelry, a bracelet to be specific. And since this is my inspiration board blog, I thought I'd share my creative process with you here.








*The studio pictured is no longer my studio. We moved in January and now I have a much bigger space (with a skylight!) that I'm still trying to organize. Someday I will and then I'll take pics to share it with you.

looks from Lucky // march 2010

A few of my favorite looks from the Lucky Magazine's March 2010 spread, "Bright, bold, and spontaneous for spring."


Image source: Scans from the March 2010 issue of Lucky

Rest in peace, Alexander McQueen

The fashion world (and the world at large) lost a great talent today when 40-year-old Alexander McQueen took his own life this morning in London. You can read the full story here.

Known for his theatrical, colorful designs, Alexander McQueen created collections admired by celebrities, socialites and fashion lovers everywhere. I thought I'd honor his memory with some pictures from his most recent collection:



Rest in peace, good sir. You and your creative talents will be truly missed. View Alexander McQueen's entire Spring 2010 RTW collection.

Image source: Style.com

rock my socks...with sandals?

When I think of socks with sandals, I think of SO and his penchant for pairing his beat up old Birkenstocks with thick wool socks. It was his daily winter uniform when we first met. But recently, a slightly more feminine, fashion-forward look has popped up- on the runways, in magazines and catalogs and now, in the New York Times. And I have to admit, I bought a pair of sparkly silver and sparkly gold socks over the holidays with the intent of rocking this look, but chickened out. But perhaps I should give it another go?


Image source: New York Times

in my studio // LOST Kubricks and vintage owls

It's an odd combination, I know, but that's me. I thought I'd share a few pictures of my creative space. It's a work-in-progress since we moved about a month ago, but I do have a few creative touches hanging about. In the top pic, vintage milk glass, vintage owls and a metal tray holding lampwork glass beads (my favorites!); in the bottom pic, my fisheye camera and Hurley, Jack and Sawyer (my LOST Kubricks are forming an army, but they need some more members- I'd spring for Desmond but he costs $125 and I'd just rather spend that on shoes or jewelry supplies).

Clusterflake 2010

So thanks to the 4 feet of snow that's been dumped on the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast this past weekend and again today, my office was closed today and will be closed again tomorrow. I'm pulling for closed on Friday, too, because let's face it, a free 5-day weekend pretty much rocks. And this is the face of an animal who is thrilled to have her people home with her:

Go ahead, I dare you to look at that sweet little face and tell her that her people will not be home with her on Friday. Yeah. I didn't think so.

spring 2010 rtw // Alice + Olivia

I'm loving these looks for spring from Alice + Olivia, especially that striped dress in the top right and all its pastel-y, rainbow sorbet-colored yumminess.


All images from NYmag.com

SQUEEEEE! SCORE - Anthropologie Winding Ruffle Boots!

They're mine! All mine! The much sought after (but sold out everywhere) Anthropologie Winding Ruffle Boots are mine!

Call it Snowmaggedon, Call it The Snowpocalypse...

.but whatever it is, it's a lot of freaking snow! A few images from when D and I were out and about this afternoon with Thing 1 and Thing 2:

I think we'll hit the bars tonight. 

spring 2010 RTW trend // neutrals

Yay for my first "real" post on this blog. Let's talk about spring 2010 trends, shall we?

One of my favorite trends this season is neutrals. Is anyone else loving them, too? I never really liked neutrals much before but I'm finding they're really fun to mix and match with other neutrals and with brighter pops of color, which makes for a way more versatile wardrobe. Here are a few of my picks from Spring 2010 Paris Fashion Week:


Top row (left to right):Chloe, Bruno Pieters, Andrew GN
Middle row: Anne Valerie Hash, Chanel, Christian Dior
Bottom row: Elie Saab, Emanuel Ungaro, Lanvin
All images from Style.com

I have nothing to say, except...

Have you ever posted a post just push a previous post off to the next page? I have, I have! I'm sick of looking at that long "I'm a 7" post a few doors down, so because I have nothing of consequence to say right now, I'm rambling about absolutely nothing. And now I'm done.

And now back to your regularly scheduled brain activity.

Things I bought this weekend

1. Dinner from the local delivery service - $50
2. Some lampwork beads to make some jewelry - $25
3. An X-Ray image of my beagle's innards - $600




Yep. Six hundred dollars for that beautious picture. And a Saturday evening spent in the pet emergency hospital thinking the beaglet was dying. She's not- she's just fine (thank goodness; I like that dog more than I like most people and I'd be devastated if anything happened to her), but my wallet is looking sort of emaciated.

And then today was Monday and I had to get up and go to work. FML.