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FROM: eBay, Etsy, et al.

When disaster leads to style inspiration

5:55 PM, August 19 2009 by Jennifer Romolini
633845554300053750-21-G.jpgI was stuck on an unmoving subway train for two hours today. Yes, you read that right: TWO HOURS. Between the smell of underground MTA funk; the garbled, anti-helpful announcements; and the "air conditioning" which was not so much cold, but a kind of sweaty, intermittent, essence of cool--I could've died of claustrophobia-rage. The only things that kept me from becoming a FULL crazy person were my iPod, a tattered old New Yorker found at the bottom of my bag, and one extremely stylish, inspiring girl who was holding it together in the cutest shorts/plaid shirt/tie-up booties outfit I've seen in a while. It made me want to start adding more retro-preppy pieces to my wardrobe--a button-down plaid shirt for sure, but maybe khaki shorts and even (gulp) loafers? Perhaps that's the key to remaining calm? 
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FROM: eBay, Etsy, et al.

The baby showerer's dilemma

6:11 PM, August 11 2009 by Jennifer Romolini
il_430xN.73133600.jpgThere comes a point in every girl's life when she has to attend important parties that involve only women and are centered around watching one of these women ooh-ing, ah-ing, opening gifts and eventually wearing a hat made out of bows. These weird parties are called showers and they always seem to come (at least for me) at least a half dozen at a time. I attended nine wedding showers in 2004, and, now, as is the way of the world and nature and reproduction, I've graduated to showering for babies. And, herein lies the problem and the point of this post: What do you get someone for a baby shower? Even though I think I should buy diapers, slings, and that bulb thing people use on a baby's nose, I'm more that person who goes for  completely pointless, so-cute-I could-die onesies or stupid-tiny shoes that will look great for a month, but never be worn by feet that actually walk. Today, however, I may have solved the dilemma through a store called Sewn Natural, which sells beautiful, organic baby blankets, changing pads, burp cloths, car seat covers, etc to infant needs infinity. Sewn Natural's stuff is stylish, but not too hipster baby; eco-friendly, but not too crunchy. Best of all, it fulfills the gift recipient's need for practicality and my desire for sleek adorableness all at once. 
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FROM: eBay, Etsy, et al.

What kind of shopper are you?

3:28 PM, August 04 2009 by Jennifer Romolini
clueless.jpgThis is a situation that happens often, especially around this time of year: I'm at, like, a wedding or something, meeting complete strangers. They find out I work for Lucky and say something lovely, complimentary and good natured such as, "You must be such a good shopper! I'd love to go shopping with you." And I immediately feel...terrible. Like I've been caught in some huge lie, like I'm the fraudiest fraudster in Fraudtown.

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FROM: eBay, Etsy, et al.

Are denim dresses ever OK?

5:03 PM, July 08 2009 by Jennifer Romolini
Thumbnail image for LotImg224.jpg281659376_tp.jpgI keep hearing all of these positive stories (by fashion people I respect) about the coolness of denim dresses and I keep thinking, "No way, really?" I don't know why, but a one-piece jeans outfit fills me with a particular type of terror. It's as if I'd put one on and suddenly become back-in-the-day Britney and I'd look over at my husband and he'd be wearing head-to-toe stone wash, and it would all be scary, in a "Naughty Girls Need Love Too" 3405_1.jpgway. However, when I poke around a bit, 37479275.jpgand open my frightened little mind, I notice there are some very good-looking DDs to be had. Like this button-up style, which would be great with flat sandals, or this dark-wash jumper-ish look, which is '70s-Three's Company cute, or how about a corset version? Is that too 2001 Brit-Brit? I just don't know.
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FROM: eBay, Etsy, et al.

Help! I've fallen into a rut and I can't get out!

3:04 PM, June 10 2009 by Jennifer Romolini
P1010613.jpgReaders, I think I'm in a fashion rut. I have yet to solve summer!BTgKNOg!2k~$(KGrHgoH-EIEjlLl09!jBKIzE3u7lQ~~_2.JPG 2009's great riddles (jumpsuits, fedoras, denim vests), nor can I fully get behind (heh) some its scarier offerings (short shorts, boyfriend jeans). And so I'm escaping to all vintage, all of the time, which is not necessarily good. My closet is filled with polka dot scarves, bold floral prints, starry blouses from a past season Kate Moss/Top Shop DSC_955.JPGline that do not fit (you were right, Deelee!), old-timey bags and wacky Mrs. Roper jewelry. Can a wardrobe be too fun? Too filled with unique pieces from eBay? Right now I want more than anything to be sitting in this vintage Chloe outfit wearing vintageferrb.jpg '70s sunglasses and carrying this vintage Ferragamo bag (by the way, I'd be sitting in my just-bought vintage bar stools which look exactly like these). Yes, current fashion will always be derivative, but I wonder if I'm living too much in the past? Is there a "vintage overkill" line no chic woman should ever cross? 'Cause, man, if there is one, I fear I passed it miles ago.
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FROM: eBay, Etsy, et al.

Cute, affordable dresses save me from the monster

11:11 AM, June 02 2009 by Jennifer Romolini
Jeepers-Creepers-2-on-VHS-Reviewed-Two-II-Second-Sequel-Horror-Movie-Film-Scary-Psycho-Maniac.jpgSometimes, for no real reason I can discern, I wake up in the morning and feel as though I am too fat to live. It's as if my body dysmorphic, bad-permed, 15-year-old self has come back from the dead, armed with a vendetta to eat my brain. The whole enterprise is terrifying and lasts sometimes an entire morning, basically until I find something cute to wear (like one of these amazing dresses from Voodoo Couture Vintage--check them out here, here, and here), recognize that I am not living in an opposite-land Shallow Hal-ian nightmare, and appreciate what I have. Are you ever briefly visited by embarrassing, regressive, "I feel fat" monsters? If so, how do you fight back? 

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FROM: eBay, Etsy, et al.

Scariest style proposition, possibly ever

10:33 AM, April 22 2009 by Jennifer Romolini

Ebay01

Something filthy, terrifying and perhaps just downright wrong has been happening to me, style-wise, and I don't know how to make it stop: I want a denim vest, specifically an acid-wash denim vest and I want to wear it over cute floral-print dresses and with subtly-sparkly tops and pretend I am Poppy from the movie Happy-Go-Lucky (if you haven't seen this film, you should just leave work right now and rent it. It is that awesome.) Now, I've been wrestling with the vest monster for years (the vest usually wins), but this specific sartorial desire seems far more risky and regret-producing, to the point that it could make me look like a crazy old woman who rides around on a tricycle and eats soap. Of course—as with all things dangerous and borderline batty—I am finding it impossible to resist.

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FROM: eBay, Etsy, et al.

Update: Overcoming my fear of cleavage

12:01 AM, April 15 2009 by Jennifer Romolini
Ebay

So, I did it. Last Saturday I wore a strapless, corset-style dress to a party that looked kind of like this, but was actually by Yigal Azrouel ($26 on eBay, down from $325—score!). Ebay_02 I wore it with black tights, a fitted blazer, tie-up heels and a zillion gold chains. The experience was definitely more positive than negative. You should try it.

Pros:
I felt cute.
My husband liked it.
Boys stared at me.
Girls gave me compliments.

Cons:
I had to pull my dress up often, in a decidedly unladylike way.
Trying to get out of the cab on the way home, my dress slipped too far down, my husband was embarrassed, and the cab driver laughed.

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