To bang or not to bang?

Something needs to be done about my hair. I still want to grow it out, but it needs to be dyed or permed or layered or given bangs. There’s a link to the poll to the right (yeah, I’m copying Jennie), and an explanation of the choices below (listed alphabetically). The poll will close in a month. Also, I don’t know how to get the poll to properly embed itself. If someone knows how to work WordPress, hit me up.

1. Bleach it lighter: At the beginning of this summer, I really wanted to dye my hair the color of Lisa‘s. I still love it, but I’m nervous to go down the peroxide road again.
2. Dye it darker: It has been black before, and I certainly did like it. Especially when it’s cold outside and my skin gets all pale. But then it’s black. That can be hard to recover from, if I decide I hate it.
3. Dye it redder: I love having reddish hair, but it fades so quickly! It’s just miserable to see the pigment wash out a bit more with every shower.
4. Get bangs: I was looking at pictures of me with bangs (like this one), and I’m just not sure. I do remember loving it, but I think that might have been because I was so excited to have hair longer than 1″. And are bangs a bad move for someone growing her hair out?
5. Get more layers: I really can’t visualize this, but if you can see this as a possibility, please tell me.
6. Perm it – loose curls: My hair is already kind of curly, but it’s not really a pretty curl. It’s very inconsistent, and easily becomes a rat’s nest. The product of a loose perm would look something like this.
7. Perm it – tight curls: Thank you, Rhiannon. Her recent post made me want a perm so much. I don’t even know if my dyed hair could take it, but I really really want it. I’ll ask my mom – she was a barber in the perm’s glory days.
8. Other: I’ve included the option for you to write in your suggestions – feel free to do it in a comment here, or on the poll itself.

This is a test.

Seriously?

Internet, it has been a pretty bad day. When I got home, I went through my most calming ritual – reading my Bloglines account, seeing the number of unread posts get smaller and smaller. Winston and I were particularly interested in a post from one of my favorite LiveJournal communities; Bygone Fashions.

BF has a great archive of scanned vintage advertisements and editorials – it’s the perfect place to go to research vintage fashion or design, or just to get inspiration.

Anyway, here are some of the pictures from recent posts that just made me want to die:

Jumpsuits

It’s kind of troupe-marmy on a Saturday, if that makes sense. But I love it.

Tops

I want to wear this blouse with some outrageous color underneath. It’s just. So. Pretty.

Swimsuits

This would be outrageously unflattering on me. But I still adore it. The white swimsuit has been ruined since I was born; it used to be such a beautiful thing, and now the majority of white swimsuits are trampy. Their sole purpose has become to show off a fake tan.

I wouldn’t be surpriesed if the blue one has corset boning.

These are the best. The yellow one with the ruffles slays me. And the wedding-night-worthy one in the middle? Also, someone should do a pirate-themed editorial.

Dresses

$8.95? $8.95?! So, before seeing this picture I had a very solid ordered list of things to do once I get my hands on a time machine. This bumps seducing Big-Chill-age William Hurt to no. 2.

I really hope those aren’t rhinestones.

I adore that collar. But I really chose this because I’ve noticed a trend that I don’t understand in the local thrift stores. All of them are carrying noticeably more polka-dot dresses. It’s like some collective thought has died out, and buried it’s polka-dot dresses with it.

Okay, I only like the bottom two. But that tiered ruffled one? Gah! I tried to make a tiered ruffled skirt out of an old bedsheet earlier this month, but whenever I sew gathered things it always goes awry. So I bought a tiered children’s dress (today, actually), and with a few easy alterations it will be great. Also, the PRICES on these things.

The one on the left! It’s killing me!

Mmmm I love gingham. I counted, and I have three red gingham dresses. But this one is much better than the ones I already have.

Please please please be made of cotton, with light blue stripes.

I want it. I mean, “pleats, sprung from a taut middle?” I really want it.

White shirtdress. People are always talking about how jeans or the lbd are the most important thing in a girl’s wardrobe, but the white cotton shirt dress beats them all, I think.

Mmm, well-fitted paisley.

While Winston and I were browsing, we both started to think, If all these women are so fabulous, where are their cats? And two minutes later, look what popped up:

Bad things about this picture: the weird room, the hair, and the jacket.
Good things about this picture: The cat. Well, the gloves and the cat. But mostly the cat.

I feel much better now, thank you.

Sorry, guys.

Vs.

Yikes. August and September have been polar opposites, posting-wise. Sorry about that. But you should know that I’m meticulously going over each and every SS ’09 collection. Seriously – there are spreadsheets involved. I plan to post about each and every designer showing. Not just the ones in New York, too. It’ll be another one of those post-a-day deals. I’m planning on waiting until the whole shebang is over, and then going through each designer alphabetically.

Because doing things alphabetically gives me so much happiness.

9.9.08

I love this dress. It’s wool, but made of a very thin fabric so it’s not stifling. I did a very poor job in taking it in so the seams are terribly bulky, but it doesn’t make that much of a difference from the outside. And usually I don’t like thicker shoulder straps like these, but … It’s a grey plaid wool vintage dress!

9.8.08

Everything is thrifted.

That’s the same skirt as this one, if you can’t tell. It was wrinkly all day, and is too large for me, but I still adore it. And the top is a diy’d children’s baseball shirt. I did the modifications loosely based on instructions from this book, from the brilliant “99 Ways” series. I highly recommend them if you often find yourself sew-stunted, which is my term for sartorial writer’s block.

9.4.08

Shirt: Burlington Coat Factory; Necklace: gift; Jeans: Levi’s outlet; Shoes and belt: Thrifted

This is one of those rare outfits in which not all of the pieces are thrifted. I wore it with this hat and felt pretty damn snazzy.

But now, eighteen days later, I just don’t like it at all. Sheesh.

Why not?

Why did I use seven double-pointed-needles for this project instead of a circular?
Not because I didn’t have the proper needle.
Not because I wanted to.
Not because I was forced.
Not because it would be easier (because it certainly didn’t turn out that way).

Because I could. This particular project (my own design) was finished about a week ago – maybe I’ll post pictures of it. I really need to get a camera that doesn’t make me want to give up all hope.

9.3.08

Tank: Target, years ago; Skirt, bag and shoes: Thrifted; Necklaces: Gift

Okay, I wore this a million years ago. I rather love this skirt – it’s stretchy but it’s not AA stretchy. And it’s quilted.

I have to buy a gift for my 15-year-old niece this week. I have no idea what to get her! I’ll probably just cop out to Bed, Bath, and Body Works. Poor kid.

It’s like using a broom as a backpack.

I thought you should know that this product doesn’t do much for your face, but makes a really good shaving lotion. It’s no fussy creme or gel, but gave me a really close shave. Do with that what you will.