After Dark

Have you ever noticed how night time makes you different? How when the sun has set, and the lights are lit, a distinctive sort of light seems to burn within you? The best parties, the most romantic kisses, the moments only you and your journal will ever talk about seem to often take place under the stars. What is it about the energy of the night that brings about sleek, sleuth, and sultry excitement that often seems unattainable amidst hours of the sun?

I cut my hair one night. Leaving the shower, I looked in the mirror at the little wispy Morrisey esque thing my head had going on and decided it was boring now. I ran to my room, grabbed my fabric scissors and just cut. About an hour before a date with my boyfriend, completely unskilled, and totally on a whim, I cut my hair.

Before this three minute transformation, I didn't have the slightest idea of what I would be wearing that night. I kept thinking about what outfit would look good with sushi, though that automatically brought to mind a kimono, or a loose shirt dress suitable for stuffing myself with rice and raw fish. But standing in the mirror with my new cut, the look suddenly came to me. I love when that happens.

I'm not officially sure how to describe what I wore that night other than I felt mysterious, I felt powerful, and I felt hot. The see through shimmery top was an impulse buy, like pretty much all my buys and I just loved the inherent fun it exuded. I'll probably wear it again later with a cool sports bra/bralette. I love these leggings because the red plaid x's add panache to an other wise basic piece. Oh, and I went by Jane that night instead of Dannie. 

And like the dawn of day often does, the next morning brought me to my senses and I changed my hair again.  

If You Want to Survive

I'm becoming convinced that camouflage pants are quite possibly classic. Despite its very apparent print, camouflage effortlessly pairs with an array of different colors and prints. Pieces like bright red cotton, b&w striped hoodies, or a top within the same camouflage pallet really gives the look a fresh perspective.

P.S: Fall is finally here. I'm a little more than excited to break out my printed tights and knee length boots. I also can't wait for cute, big buttoned coats and thick knitted scarves, hats, and gloves, paired with tulle and intense, yet doll like heels. My heart has been set on oversized, cozy knits with soft and sultry lingerie inspired pieces ever since watching Chloe; Amanda Seyfried was full of serious cold weather style inspiration.

(hk tee sears, pants&boots f21)

I Can Have You Swaaagg Suuurfin'

Mini shorts and tights, mini shorts and tights, it's becoming a uniform...not that I'm complaining or anything; it's pretty much the comfiest look I've discovered all year. And geez, I can't seem to take these specs off for anything, I subconciously find myself gravitating towards them with every oufit, I think I just love the fun quirky factor they add in.

Hue Haiku

Ode Haiku to Electric Blue

The Color of Cool

Dreams and Raindrops, Mod Party

Dance to Your Own Beat

(sunnies- $1 store, hk beanie, bodycon dress- f21, tights- target, boots- timberlands)

Loving Leggings

The I Love Leggings List

A small guide to my favorite piece of lower-body-part clothing.

I'm just head-over-heels in love with the complex statement such a simple piece of clothing can make, often times, the right pair of leggings can serve as the center of an outfit.

• They come in a billi diff. designs, fabrics, and styles, I adore the versatility that leggings allow.
• Perfect for curling up in bed with dairy free hot chocolate, watching Sex and the City, Friends, The Office, or Audrey Hepburn DVDs.
• Great solution when you can't find anything to wear; its as simple as throwing on an over sized tee or button up.
• Perfection in clothing form when you've had a long day, long last night or have an early class in the morning.
• In most cases, causes one to appear slimmer and flatters most figures.
• Great for running errands or running on a treadmill.
• Depending on the style, leggings can fit any look, be it slashed or bleached grunge, sex kitten liquid leggings, or even floral ones that unleash the pretty preppiness.
• They're usually inexpensive.
• Because of the extreme versatility leggings allow, you can wear the same pair over and over with different combinations creating a different look each time.
• They layer wonderfully under jeans, pants and the like, absolute amazingness for this time of year.
• They double as comfy pajamas when you decide you don't feel like leaving your boyfriends house that night.

I've recently taken a liking to pairing leggings with tops that don't necessarily cover my tush, which to many is a huge no-no, but in truth, as long as the top falls on the casual or loose fitting side of the top spectrum, it works great!

I remember seeing these leggings for 16.00 at F21 and me, being the pure definition of recessionista/frugal fashionista even before the economy took a nosedive, decided that almost 20.00 for thin cotton was just a bit too steep. For months, every time I glanced at them I silently commanded the price to drop down to around a reasonable 10.00; and lo and behold- I bagged the loves in leg wear form for 6 flippin bucks, yeees!

"Omygosh Dannie, how did your hair get so long all of a sudden?!", my sincerely clueless friend asked.

Of course I said it was magic, but since I get more questions about my hair than I do my clothes, I cross my heart to do a post on the subject in the near future, just know that my hair serves just as much a part of my personal style as my clothes, which is why I must change it so often, otherwise I'll go crazy..which uh..totally hasn't happened yet, heh heh..

(dad's hanes under tee, current faaave f21 leggings, faaave chuck taylors)

Girly Pieces

The other day I was talking to my brother about how stylistically boring he must have it as a boy: Monday, hmm, I think I'll wear pants, oh Tuesday, what do you know, pants again!" Aaah, I would die! Thank God women have it soo much more various and interesting, being able to don a Tomboy look one day and easily transcend into elegant, fair lady the next!

My favorite girly piece aside from leggings is definitely the dress. Dresses add an effortless femininity to one's look. The fact that the dress covers the whole body, it allows creativity to run wild as you translate the piece to your personal desire; styling it with shredded tights for a gorgeous grunge look, or rocking floral ones instead to expand on the dress's feminine statement. I paired this dress with chocolate brown cowboy boots to allow the dress to be the main focus, while complementing it with shoes that emulate the same theme.

I love this red and white Spanish vintage dress so much! When I spotted it while scouring Downtown LA, I immediately envisioned the love story of a young Latin girl awaiting her handsome fiance's return so that they may flee together from their home country to acquire a more opportunistic life.

I love how the vertical stripes of the dress's waist seem to create a slimming effect and bring a more detailed, unique design to the piece.

(dress- vintage, boots- claires botique, earrings-dollar store ;) )

Ch-Ch-Cheetah: The Obsession Continues

By now, it is more than evident that I have an enormous obsession with prints. I loathe all that is plain and basic, and revel in bold, bright pride! Cheetah print just happens to be my most favorite of them all! I love how versatile it is and how depending on the type of piece you wear, it can very easily be sexy, bold, and seductive as well as innocent, fun, and even sophisticated when in the form of a fun pair of socks or a debonair, structured blazer. Cheetah print makes you feel just a little more sexy, and instantly adds a punch of intrigue and confidence to any look; basically a five hour energy shot in sexy, wild style, animal print form, no?

This is a shot from a recent photoshoot I had a little bit ago. I'm obsessed with these pants I got from Rave! And yes, I changed my hair again, I always do, over and over, it's much more fun that way, no?

This is a shot from a shoot I did with my best friend a long while ago, I'm wearing a cheetah print skirt from JCPenney that I decided looked cuter as a top.

(sunnies-wet seal, sheer zebra top & cheetah tights-f21, brown mocassins- payless)

This post is extra long as a gift because I've been very busy and have treated this blog as a neglected child and for that I'm sorry. In addition, I totally did the whole 'Japanese school girl' costume for Halloween and I can't wait to debut the photos. However, since I've been lagging on posting and I insist on posting in chronological order, I have a few more posts I must publish before I can post my costume. If you don't understand what I mean now, um..you will :)

PC: here, here, and here.

Deserted

Where else but the desert are you forced to wear layer upon layer to keep out the cold one day, only to be faced with a sweltering heat wave on the following day; making you want to roll up the knitted scarf you just wore and convert it to a tubetop. Ahh, that's the Antelope Valley for you, no? ...love how they refer to it as the valley, hmph, maybe Death Valley...

Announcment: Overalls are sooo making a comeback; in my mind anyway! Remember the easy days of youth when we could simply hop into a pair of denim or corduroy overalls and instantly be the coolest, not to mention most comfy, kid in the sandbox? Sigh, the good ol' days.

I suppose jumpsuits/rompers are zee new overall; and while I love a one piece just as much (maybe even more) than the next girl, it's sooo much more exciting to kick it ol' school for a spell.

(sunnies- downtown la, earrings- f21&dollar store, overalls- revolt, black blouse, shoes- soda)

Swan Song

Everyone has that one thing they secretly love more than everything else; for some it is white bread over wheat, for mothers, their son more than their daughter, and this summer, for me, it was these light wash pink denim shorts more than, well, anything!

From the moment I laid eyes on these breezy California cut offs I could feel in my heart of hearts that they would be the perfect summer symphony! Being that my most favorite season of all seasons is unofficially over (meaning bipolar 80 to 40 degree weather) I'm debating on whether I should place these babys into hibernation until we reach the 010's (wait, that sounds weird, what are we calling 2010?) or shall I attempt to remaster them and layer with the amazing yet increasingly annoying printed tights that have been whoring themselves all over the fashion world? The verdict is still out...

P.S- Thinking I may need a tan...hahahahahahahaha, oh I slay me ;)

(aviators- f21, earrings- dollar store, hello kitty scoopneck tee- hot topic, pink shorts- f21, canvas slip ons- punkrose)