Wednesday, 23 June 2010

Oversized Shirts, Multi-Chain Necklaces, & Bird Nests

Oversized long sleeve shirts are my latest go-to pieces in my closet. Comfortable and loose to wear, and the solid color makes it easy to accessorize. I hate getting sleeve and strap tan lines, so these shirts are light enough to use as coverups when the sun gets harsh.

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Closeup of my bird nest hair piece. The little nest is made of moss and the bird has long tail feathers. Also wearing random flower rings and double finger parrot ring :)

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I'm wearing a multi-chain cross necklace made by Dana of Nina Ramone which she told me was constructed from several vintage rosary necklaces.

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I'm wearing a vintage shirt, bird nest hair piece from My Fair Birdie, multi-cross necklace from Nina Ramone, lucite chain necklace from Macy's, Forever 21 rings, Hue knee highs, and Target shoes.

Monday, 21 June 2010

Knit Poncho

Obsessing over ponchos lately! Ponchos have more shape and volume than regular fitted jackets!

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I like to wear my necklaces as bracelets sometimes. I'm wearing a leather necklace with heart and key charms here as a multi-strand bracelet, along with my three-point bracelet from Lellabean, and random rings.

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Also wearing this kanzashi headband from Sumomosuki which has burgundy colors that match my poncho.

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My vintage circular lens glasses with removable shades.

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I'm wearing a vintage poncho, Anna Sui for Target dress (for sale), Steve Madden shoes a la Margiela Spring 2008, and Sumomosuki kanzashi headband.



Friday, 18 June 2010

Vintage Velvet Jacket & Layered Fringe Dress

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Oversized jackets are much harder to find than expected! I had to go up to a size 13 to get the right oversized fit and length! There is also an attached gold tiger striped vest (same pattern as the sleeves) that you can kind of see peeking out.

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The outfit is pretty busy with the fringe dress and gold jacket sleeves, so avoided my bold statement necklace this time in favor of a simpler piece from Inez Designs.

Also wearing my three point bracelet from Lellabean with random flower rings.

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I'm wearing a vintage gold-trimmed velvet jacket, fringe dress from Forever 21, necklace by Inez Designs, slave bracelet by Lellabean, feather hair piece bought in Japan, shoes from Forever 21, and random fishnets and rings.

Thursday, 17 June 2010

Military Jacket & Armor Plated Necklace

I've decided that navy and green together is definitely favorite outfit color combination. You can see my other navy-green outfit here. This color pairing was inspired by my boss' suit a while back, he had on: blue blazer, dark olive green slacks.

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This is my favorite necklace at the moment. The gold plates are so bold, shiny, and obnoxious.

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I'm also wearing this three point bracelet from Lellabean on Etsy. My hands always feel so bare if I don't have a ton of rings and/or bracelets at my wrist, so this one's perfect as it multi-purposes as both a ring and bracelet and covers the entire backside of my palm.

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I'm wearing a military jacket from Sly (bought in Japan), tube dress from Charlotte Russe (for sale), Kensie liquid leggings, armor necklace from Macy's, slave bracelet from Lellabean, studded belt bought in Japan, and shoes from Forever 21.

Wednesday, 16 June 2010

Black & White

My friend B was visiting from San Franciso so we stopped by Comme Ca, a cute little French restaurant in West Hollywood. I highly recommend.

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I hate styling my hair, so the easiest thing I've found to make it more interesting is just wearing some out-of-the-norm hair piece like my bird nest, oversized hair bow, flower crown, or these bunny ears, which I've also worn here.

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I'm wearing lace up stockings from Sock Theory that you tie up like ballet shoes. I have on a separate pair of sheer stockings underneath, but you can get this thigh high version that has the same effect. Going with my black and white color theme, I really want these and these too!

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Also, my ear cuffs have slowly been replacing my earrings!!! I got this one from Zannedelions. It's so dramatic but not heavy like most dangly earrings. Zannedelions has a huge selection of ear cuffs!

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The necklace is from Poison Apple NYC. It's so sweet with the dripping chains and jewel teardrops.
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I'm wearing a striped jacket from Next, BCBG embroidered eyelet dress, chandelier necklace from PoisonAppleNYC, triple chain ear cuff from Zannedelions, lace up stockings from Sock Theory, lucite/snake/braided bracelets from Lord & Taylor, angel ring from Target, gladiator shoes from Forever 21, and bunny ears from Forever 21.

Monday, 14 June 2010

Come Fly Away

I've been staring at my bird nest hair piece from My Fair Birdie for a few days now, and it finally made its debut while I was shopping yesterday. Donning a bird with long tail feathers perched on a moss nest, I was prepared to receive lots of awkward stares, but surprisingly I received lots of compliments! Anyways, I'm sure there will be people who think its strange, but I really want to be more experimental with my style and wear things that appeal to me even if it's totally unexpected or different.

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I'm wearing a Charlotte Russe olive pleated top, custom-made necklace from Ashlee Collection, jeans from Primark, shoes from Forever 21, and custom-made bird nest hair piece by My Fair Birdie.

Friday, 11 June 2010

Mixing Plaids

This skirt has been sitting in my closet for years now at least 6 years. Sadly it's not the only one. I kind of like how the two different plaids are mixing together. What do you think?

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I'm wearing this ear cuff from Superwicked. It has this crazy cool lightning bolt shape with extra long dangling chains. Also wearing a customized double finger ring from Superwicked with my nickname P3 on it. I had to limit myself, I wanted to get everything in the shop. It all has such a pop art cartoon feel to it.

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I'm so bored of the boring white background on all my pictures so I decided to just snap pictures at the supermarket. I know I just used 2 variations of "bore" in the same sentence. Taking self-timer pictures at the market ends up taking way too long. People keep walking up my aisle and then I have to scurry off to find a new abandoned aisle. And figuring out what is the easiest food to make. Canned soup, frozen dinners, instant noodes require minimal effort. I just need to moderate the microwave to ensure nothing explodes, as it quite often does. Perhaps the only thing better than setting off the fire alarm at my office and making more than 10 floors of people evacuate is when my friend LG said he set off the alarm on the Hollywood sign.

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I'm wearing flannel plaid shirt, vest, and lace up booties from Forever 21. Armor ring from Japan. Ear cuff & double finger ring from Superwicked. Paneled leggings by Milk. Skirt by Double Zero (for sale).

My Fair Birdie + GIVEAWAY

Remember that blue bird that Carrie Bradshaw wore on her wedding day in the first Sex and the City movie? Well it's not easy to pull off such a dramatic bird in your hair, but I like to try new things and My Fair Birdie offers some beautiful hair pieces that feature birds, flowers, and other fauna. Check out my interview with Kendra of My Fair Birdie and find out how you can win a piece from her collection too!

What is your name, and where are you from?
My name is Kendra Heithoff and I was born in California, raised in South Dakota, and now live in Boston.

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Tell me about My Fair Birdie! Is this a full time endeavor or part time hobby? How and why did you start My Fair Birdie?
My Fair Birdie is a part time hobby. As a professional dancer, I do many things to support myself.

My initial inspiration came from a boutique I visited in Montreal with beautiful head bands and millinery supplies the artist referred to as 'hats.' Being an artist/fashionista/mega DIYer, I decided to buy their most inexpensive hat, dropping $40.00 for a very simple headband of sorts. I wore it, and continue to wear it often, and every time I do, I feel like a special lady with my 'hat' on. My Fair Birdie was very much inspired by this small and simple hat, where I hope my buyers feel like a million bucks when they wear their pieces.

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Can you describe your creative process? What are some of your inspirations? Where do you find your materials?
I tend to let the materials inspire me. Often times I start with one signature piece, say a bird or flower, and build it from there. Each piece needs something to complete the rest of the look, which is sometimes simple and sometimes ornate. I don't know what each piece will end up looking like when I start one, but instead try to compliment the entire accessory with just the right accents. My inspiration is almost always nature, which is why my pieces have a very earthy feel to them. What I love about them is that they can go with many different styles of clothing. I've found myself wearing them with sundresses and boots, little black dresses and simple gray suits. Most of my materials come from craft and millinery suppliers, but I also live just one hour from the Brimfield Antique Show (the largest antique show in America that happens three times a year) so I always end up finding something vintage from there.

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How long have you been designing? Do you have formal training?
My mom is an interior designer, so I grew up learning a lot about colors, textures, structure and softness. That coupled with a very creative mind had me teaching myself to sew, bake, take photographs and just about every other creative art known to woman. I have a BFA in dance which is performance art, but knowing so much about time, space and energy also informs my creative choices when I make headpieces. I'm a choreographer here in Boston, and can honestly say creating headpieces (or taking photographs or making stationary) is a lot like making dances. Once you have the tools, a creative mind can take you anywhere.

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What kind of girl do you imagine wearing your pieces? How often do you wear your own designs?
From the fashionista who accessorizes every outting, to the more laid back hiking type, I imagine many types of women wearing my creations. Some of the most obvious places to wear these pieces are nights out on the town or to a show, but I often enjoy wearing mine to the farmers market and back home again. I wear my own designs very often, but most of the time when I make them they go into safe keeping so their future owner has a pristine headpiece to wear (in other words, I don't wear the pieces on my site in order to preserve them!)

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Can you tell me the inspiration behind your bird accessories like the Hannah or Louise pieces? Any relation to Carrie’s wedding hair piece from Sex and the City Movie?
Hannah and Louise are stand alone pieces. I have actually never seen the Sex and the City Movie, but after googling it, it's pretty amazing how they do have similarities! I created Hannah and Louise as statement pieces. They would pair best with a formal outfit in a single color.

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Have you always been comfortable wearing birds in your hair? What would you say to girls who love the idea, but are a little shy to wear a small bird as a hair accessory?
Like I mentioned before, I grew up dancing and I've had many crazy costumes throughout my life, so wearing a bird or a nest in my hair has never seemed weird! It's always felt natural and I'd say just go for it for all those gals in Saturday clothes! It really does make you feel like the special woman you know you are!

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Win an exclusive item of your choice from My Fair Birdie that could be worth up to $50!!!
AlphaBetaChic x My Fair Birdie
Fashion Giveaway Rules

To ENTER
+1 Visit My Fair Birdie HERE and tell me what's your FAVORITE ITEM
+1 Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect HERE

For EXTRA Entries
+1 Add My Fair Birdie to your favorite Etsy sellers (include etsy username)

+1 Heart as many of your fav items in the My Fair Birdie ETSY store (+1 entry for each item you heart, include item link)

+1 Comment on any of my older outfit posts (but not limited to) here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, or here (+1 for each comment, include post name)

+1 Blog, Twitter, Facebook this giveaway as many times as you like (+1 entry for each, include links)
For Twitter use "Win an exclusive hair accessory from My Fair Birdie worth up to $50 on @PresidentP3's fashion blog http://bit.ly/MyFairBirdieGiveaway!"

+1 Follow me on Twitter @PresidentP3

+1 Include me @PresidentP3 in your Follow Friday

+1 Add me to your blogroll (include blog url)


Don't forget to post a separate comment here for EACH entry!!! You can enter as many times as you like!

*Please include links to your blog post, twitter/facebook status, etsy username, email, or My Fair Birdie product page when necessary so I can verify your entry and/or contact you if you win!!!*

Open internationally.

[[UPDATED]] This giveaway ends on June 26 at midnight! Good luck!

Tuesday, 1 June 2010

Biting into PoisonAppleNYC + GIVEAWAY

I'm a girly girl and I'm not embarassed to say that hearts, rhinestones, pearls, and shiny gold things make me kinda giddy, and my latest online discovery caters to this girl-centric side of me. This cute little boutique Poison Apple NYC has an aesthetic much like the chunky, funky, charm-adorned jewelry from Betsey Johnson and Juicy Couture, except most of these pieces are one of a kind. From chain necklaces to cascading earrings, all the PoisonAppleNYC pieces glitzy and flirtatious--perfect for girls' night out! Check out my interview with Jonelle of PoisonAppleNYC and some of my favorite pieces!

AlphaBetaChic x PoisonAppleNYC

What is your name? Where are you from?
My name is Jonelle Maira and I am originally from Rochester, NY but I've spent 1/3 of my life living in NYC which is where I first started this label.

AlphaBetaChic, PoisonAppleNYC

Tell me about Poison Apple! How did you come up with the name?
The name seemed to perfectly describe the style of my jewlery, it is something feminine but with an edgy side. Girly and tough at the same time, so Poison Apple seemed to sound right for the look and aesthetic of my website.

AlphaBetaChic x PoisonAppleNYC

Is this a full time endeavor or part time hobby? How long have you been running PoisonApple?
It started out as a hobby to do on the side while I was working full time at other jobs, with the intent to turn it into a full time endeavor if things started to go my way. It is currently my full time job. I first started selling on my website (http://poisonapplenyc.com) under the name Poison Apple in 2003. I later joined etsy to use as another outlet to have my designs seen.

AlphaBetaChic, PoisonAppleNYC

Describe your creative process. Where do you get your materials? What are some of your inspirations?
I am inspired by all kinds of things but I'd say I mainly concentrate on being aware of what is currently on trend and working with that to come up with pieces that are in style but also my own in some way. I take note of what jewelry trend seems to be selling well and what is popular by reading magazines and blogs and keeping up with runway shows by perusing style sites. I have a little notebook that I jot down all my ideas in and sometimes I'll sketch out a quick design so I don't forget it later. Then I basically just pull out all the materials I'll need for that particular design and I'll make it. Some ideas take a while to feel finished while others come together easily. And because most of my pieces are one of a kind, I use a lot of vintage materials that I source out from various places.

AlphaBetaChic, PoisonAppleNYC

I noticed you were formally trained at NY’s FIT! How did you become interested in design?
I've always been interested in design since I was a little girl, it had always been my dream to go to "art school" in NYC and one day become a designer of some sort. Jewelry had always been a passion of mine and it all came together sort of organically over time.

AlphaBetaChic, PoisonAppleNYC

Why jewelry over clothing?
I think of jewelry as “mobile art” because each individual piece is one of a kind and unique and the people wearing it are walking around and it is getting seen by different people every day. So it is like art that's traveling around to a new audience each time it is worn.

AlphaBetaChic x PoisonAppleNYC

What kind of girl do you imagine wearing your pieces? How often do you wear your own designs?
I'd imagine the girl who wears my pieces is very into fashion and has a unique sense of style. She probably likes to make her outfits unique by accessorizing with bold statement jewelry and she enjoys knowing that her friends can never have the same one because it's one of a kind. I wear my own jewelry from time to time, but mostly I wear pieces that I created specifically for myself.

AlphaBetaChic, PoisonAppleNYC



AlphaBetaChic x Poison Apple NYC
Fashion Giveaway Rules

To ENTER
+1 Visit Poison Apple NYC HERE and tell me what's your FAVORITE ITEM
+1 Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect HERE

For EXTRA Entries
+1 Add Poison Apple NYC to your favorite Etsy sellers (include etsy username)

+1 Heart as many of your fav items in the PoisonAppleNYC ETSY store (+1 entry for each item you heart, include item link)

+1 Comment on any of my older outfit posts (but not limited to) here, here, here, here, here, or here (+1 for each comment, include post name)

+1 Blog, Twitter, Facebook this giveaway as many times as you like (+1 entry for each, include links)
For Twitter use "Win a @PoisonAppleNYC necklace worth up to $75 on @PresidentP3's fashion blog http://bit.ly/PoisonAppleGiveaway!"

+1 Add me to your blogroll (include blog url)

+1 Fan Poison Apple NYC on Facebook

+1 Follow @PoisonAppleNYC on Twitter

+ Follow me on http://twitter.com/poisonapplenyc

Don't forget to post a separate comment here for EACH entry!!! You can enter as many times as you like!

*Please include links to your blog post, twitter/facebook status, etsy username, email, or PoisonAppleNYC product page when necessary so I can verify your entry and/or contact you if you win!!!*

Open internationally. This giveaway ends on June 7 at noon! Good luck!

[[UPDATE 06/08/10]] Thank you for participating in the AlphaBetaChic x PoisonAppleNYC Fashion Giveaway! The giveaway and comments section are now closed. Please check out this week's giveaway :)

[[UPDATE 06/09/10]] The lucky winner was Jenn! Congratulations!