Fop

This outfit was inspired by one of my favorite movies, the 1982 Scarlet Pimpernel. I love Sir Percy’s fop persona.


Sweater, To the Max. Blouse, Worthington. Vest, H&M. Trousers, Forever 21. Lace-up pumps, Target. Bag, No Boundaries. Charm necklace, thrifted. Earrings, Into the Fray.

Mail Bag: Colors for Asians

okay Kasmira,

Allow me to confess my ignorance on online fashion blogging websites, for i have just stumbled into this lovely side of cyber world only since the past month (my normal daily routine would usually consist of msn news and yahoo finance).

Your blog has been quite an eye-opening experience for me. I have learned so much from your daily outfit, color palettes, and also developed the love for thrifty shopping. I wish there were such lovely websites existed back in my teenage years; it would have saved me much sorrow on awkward and embarrassing fashion moments growing up.

I am sure you have thousands of thank-you & i-love-you letters a day so i will stop babbling on how much your blog enlightened me. I would love to know what color palette you would consider looking best on medium asian skin with black hair? Being artistic has never been my forte, so going through different color one attempt after another is just a complete torture.

I work at a financial investment company so black is my normal go-to outfit, but i have to admit that the blonds just look immediately 10 times better in it. oh, and they also look striking in red, green, blue, pink, and any other bright color you can think of, and all of them make my asian skin look dull. Any suggestions?

your devoted fan who views your blog on an hourly basis,
Kat

ps. This is the first time i have ever written letter to a stranger (never even to a celebrity growing up as a geeky little girl), yes, you have inspired me THAT much. Hope you consider it as my best appreciation.

I’m so glad you enjoy my blog, and I hope you’ll consider it merely an entry point into the wonderful world of style blogs (buh-bye news and finance). In fact, I am going to point you to some bloggers with coloring similar to yours for inspiration. These ladies may or may not consider themselves “asian,” but they share your yellow-based skin and dark hair.

Academichic (check out E’s posts)
Adored Austin
Cheapskate Chic
Clothed Much
Fashionist (a street style blog that often features asian women)
Just My Style
Nubby Twiglet
Style Bubble
That’s Chic
Times of Glory
Two Thousand Things
The Voguette

Also, try scrolling through the Wardrobe Remix Pool for color inspiration.

I don’t intend to avoid your question or label anyone, but I think that observing others with coloring like your own will be more helpful than any advice a cool blonde can give you!

Another way to find colors that look good on you (besides color charts – which have never done me a bit of good), is to take an honest friend shopping with you. Try on tops in different shades and get her opinion. You might even ask her to take pictures so that you can more objectively judge for yourself or revisit certain colors later. Having a buddy will hopefully make the experience less torturous.

Also, experiment with makeup. The right lip color can make clothing in even the most unwearable shade work for you. If you’re no makeup maven, find a cosmeticsaholic friend to help you out.

Finally, I’d ask my readers to leave their own advice (and links to any other inspirational style blogs) in the comments.

Undocumented

Yellow-green plus blue-green (or is it green-blue?) is one of my favorite color combinations that you wouldn’t think would work, but somehow does.


I actually wore this outfit once before, but didn’t take a picture, so it’s fair game for the blog.
Dress, London Times. Belt, thrifted. Pumps, Colin Stuart. Earrings, Target. Ring, Rafia & Bossa.

I can’t claim to have come up with this color combo on my own. I copied it from a flickr member who used to post on Wardrobe Remix. She’s moved on to other pursuits, but continues to inspire me.

Prior yellow-green and blue-green combos (many of these were also featured in the Lime Green Pumps mailbag post):


And, as a little bonus today, you get a picture of me and Londyn together!


Can you tell that I’ve had a glass of wine?
The only thing better than lime and turquoise together is adding a dash of hot pink! Now if I could just have carried Londyn around with me all day…

Dress Stalking

I stalked this dress. I saw it in a magazine (Glamour?) this weekend and knew I had to have it. Purple, ruffles, feather print…what more deliciousness could be packed into one garment?


When dress stalking, one must be very, very quiet. Here, we see this number in its native habitat. The dress’ natural camouflage can make it hard to pick out from the background. The determined shopper, though, will spot it, bag it, and bring it home.
Dress, I Heart Ronson. Headband, Forever 21. Necklace Steve and Barry’s. Pumps, Pulse. Cuff, Pangaea.

I Heart Ronson is carried by JC Penney and I quickly located the dress on the Penney’s website (along with a navy and purple striped cardigan of the same brand). Repeated mouse clicks failed to deposit the items in my bag and I was confused until I noticed small red letters telling me that the items were “unavailable.”

I fretted about my frustrated purchase for a day until someone suggested I find it at a brick and mortar store. To my delight, I found that one can do search the stock of local stores through the online item page! The dress and cardigan were in stock at the Stone Creek Town Center store. I cadged a ride up north and now they are mine, mine, mine!


This isn’t the first item I’ve tracked down from a magazine. It also took web searches and multiple store visits for me to find this leather jacket (Wilson’s) and tartan dress (Bitten) after they were featured in magazines.


Ah, the thrill of the hunt!

Too

A day of “too.” Too tired, too humid, too bright, too frizzy, too sweaty, too much.


Cardi, Forever 21. Tank, Apt 9. Skirt, Mossimo. Scarf, some department store. Fishnet tights, Simply Vera. Peeptoes, Bitten. Sunnies, Walgreen’s. Pendant, Victoria’s Secret. Bangles, Girl Props. Bag, vintage.

Blue Jacket

I took the day off to visit some sights near Dayton, Ohio. The purpose of the trip was to see the now defunct site of the Blue Jacket Drama, but also included a visit to Yellow Springs and Young’s Dairy.


Blouse, Okinawa, Japan. Vest, Urban Vibe. Skirt, London Jean. (Wet) boots, Diba. Tassel necklace, Hancock Fabrics. Zipper cuff, Urban Outfitters.

Um, yeah, no one told me I’d be climbing fences and tromping around in the woods wearing a miniskirt and kitten heels. I was thankful these boots are faux suede because they got pretty wet.


My latest and greatest idea: wearing decorator tassels as jewelry.
The show has only been closed for two years, but the site is already becoming overgrown. From what I’ve heard, the spectacle was a well-loved tradition that is missed by locals and visitors alike.

Blue Jacket:


Yellow Springs and Young's Dairy:

Wet Ride

You might think an amusement park would be no fun in the rain. You’d be right. It’s downright miserable, but I had free tickets and swag to grab.


Umbrella (I swear it’s navy, not purple) and galoshes, TJ Maxx. Sweater, Forever 21. Tee, Merona. Peacock necklace, Wet Seal. Ruffle-butt skirt, Chaus Sport (thrifted). Blue-tinted glasses, Nine West.

I grew up in Washington state – the land of evergreens and clouds. It didn’t rain every day, but it was often overcast and the diffused sunlight bouncing off the cloud ceiling could be blinding. I called these my “cloudy day sunglasses,” because they cut the glare and made it possible to drive without squinting.


Days like this sometimes make me melancholy for Washington. And then a wet butt from riding Adventure Express in the drizzle makes me glad southwest Ohio is so often dry.

Neutrals Mix

I’ve got a colorful reputation, but I also enjoy the occasional all (or mostly) neutrals ensemble. In the warmer months, I like to mix khaki and cream. The combination is restful and calming.


(I was trying to get Sammy in this picture, but he ran off. All I got was his fluffy bottom at the right edge of the frame.)
Cardigan, Mossimo. Skirt, B.B. Dakota (thrifted). Boots, Playhouse. Necklace, gift from a fan! Sunnies, Rampage.

In true, ornery cat-style, Sammy made it into every other pic.

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Past khaki and cream combos: