Factory Girl

shirt/dress - thrifted

If you couldn't guess right now, or you don't have such exquisite tastes in 60's fashion, this entire look is inspired by Edie Sedgwick, the Factory Girl. I have yet to see the movie about her. Though it's on my list. Been on my list, really. She's a character, that Edie. Not one I'd particularly like to model my life after, but had such a unique sense of style that no one else could duplicate without copying. She had such definable traits: the makeup, the earrings, the hair. I only dream about being characterized by such a unique style one day. I'm still discovering it.

Someone once used told me the best analogy to date I've heard about being "inspired" by something using a music analogy. With a "cover" of a song, you have two options: one, you can recreate it in all likeness, or you can subtract its unique elements and use it to build your own version (yes please, get me to rant about music, like I don't already ramble enough!) Most the time I feel like I can only recreate something - being so enamored with an idea, I can't make it my own, so I really just copy it. It makes me sad. I wish I were more creative.

Having said that, though the look may be extreme, I really love the Sedgwick makeup style. It really enhances the eyes. It's time consuming and a headache to take off, but if it were up to me, I would wear this sort of makeup all the time. And Edie and I already share a mutual obsession with overly large earrings.

Random trivia time - I actually have worn this sort of makeup once before when a friend treated me to seeing an Andy Warhol exhibit (all of his Polaroids).

So I've used Audrey Hepburn and Edie Sedgwick in my looks now... Twiggy, you're next!

~

I have a week off for Thanksgiving break from classes. However, I doubt I'll be able to engage in any hobbies, as the worst holiday known to man is fast approaching... Black Friday.

If anyone's ever worked in retail for that holiday, or has common sense, they should understand. It is greed incarnate. The things we do in the name of the dollar sign. It frustrates me. I already battle my own intellect feeling I can be too materialistic at times (I was once a devotee of George Harrison and his "Living in the Material World" sermons. That's stuck with me and creates a conscience every time I go shopping. But that's all for another post for another time.) What I've told people and will reiterate my point again, the same thing you can buy at 2 AM you can buy at 2 PM. Yes, they might run out. But most companies get plenty of shipments before December 25th. Also, ordering online saves frustration. I've personally signed the petition going around to make companies give their employees Thanksgiving night off instead of working all night for Black Friday, which I myself have to do. I hate that each year Thanksgiving gets thrown under the bus as far as Christmas music and store decorations go - I guess we don't put enough emphasis on being thankful for what we already have instead of what we are about to have. Oops, I seemed to let Mr. Harrison speak for me there.

-H.

Love was a promise made of smoke in a frozen copse of trees

 

 

 

 

 

 

Romper - Forever 21, Necklace - Aldo, Bag - thrifted, earrings - gifted, shoes - minnetonka moccasins 

This was one of my favorite outfits this summer, I had to show if off before the weather got too cold. I don't know exactly what to call this pattern, but it makes me think of something with Aztec infuences maybe? Anyways, it has a color block I'm in love with. It's so comfy. And open. And airy. I feel like I'm wearing nothing. 

The earrings have a special story - the night before I chopped off all my hair, my mom came home from work with a plastic bag. She started to pull goodies out when she said, "I hope you like them, but when you get your hair cut, you have to promise me to wear dangly earrings all the time." And she pulled out these, and a few others. That was her way of approving my decision. It made me happy. I kept my promise! 

Still loving the short hair! I'm still getting accustomed to styling it, thus why one side is poofy and the other flat. OCD is kicking in, ignore me.

~ 

I've made some pretty hefty life decisions lately. It feels like sometimes half the battle is initially making the decision vs. dealing with whatever the decision is about. I won't go into details, but I got a nice life-learned lesson about putting myself first or learning to submit and be miserable. I made a choice that back tracked me, but I keep reflecting on what I could have done differently and, as silly as it seems, how proud I am that I listened to my own needs for once.

I share with you a quote I found today that has really spoken to me, from my Goddess, Sylvia Plath:

"So many people are shut up tight inside themselves like boxes, yet they would open up, unfolding quite wonderfully, if only you were interested in them."
Sylvia Plath

 

I could ramble on and on about that quote and all the circumstances in my own life where that applies, but I'm sure you can deduct enough from the quote itself. I guess I'm posting this in relation to fashion just to remind everyone, as often repeated as it is, you are intrinsically unique and as long as you know it and feel it, you don't need someone else's recognition to validate it. 

-H.

Makeover!

 shirt - forever 21 (old), skirt - family vintage, belt - borrowed, scarf - borrowed, earrings - vintage buttons

Notice anything different? Unless your powers of observation are minimal, I CUTTED ALL MY HAIRSES OFF.

I've finally joined the ranks of Twiggy, 1950's Audrey Hepburn, Edie Sedgwick, Mia Farrow and other 60's mod era fashion icons and hacked off my follicles. I hate to use cliche words such as "empowering" but I really do feel so liberated with short hair. I donated that alarmingly heavy pony tail to Locks of Love so someone in need can have the hair I once babied.

I've always been in love with a woman who could pull off short hair (see list of style icons I adore listed above) I always worried I'd come off too manly, because of my large nose... 3 days later and I don't regret a thing except that I didn't do it sooner. It's changed my view of the beauty standards. I'm embracing it. I've been told time and time again (though the compliment never gets old) that I favor Emma Watson. I completely adored her makeover, and as we all know, every good artist copies, every great artist steals. How could you not love her with short hair?! Too many girls feel limited to having long hair because it's safe. That's been the reoccuring theme I've heard among reactions to my dramatic makeover: "Oh I wish I could pull off short hair!" YES YOU CAN! Just do your research, and try it! It'll always grow back. What was really helpful for me, and it might be a fun experience for anyone who wants to just play around, is this virtual makeover site from InStyle that allowed me to try out several pixie cuts. It's fun just to play around with!

My mom made me promise that when I have short hair, I must wear lots and lots of dangle-y earrings. I have no problems with this. (image: emma-watson.net)

Ok, enough about hair, let me tell you about the outfit: did it ring any bells? This was an impromptu look heading out the door... The inspiration is quite literal and taken from Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday. Remember when she hacked off all her hair? Yeah, that's exactly how I felt after I cut all mine off.  Roman Holiday is one of my favorite Audrey Hepburn films.

(image: en.wikipedia.org)

I hope to continue updating regularly again. Classes have taken over my life, and I thoroughly miss my "me time" that photoshoots provide. xx

-h.