In the mean time...My new Marni bag!

So I haven't gotten around to the daunting task of cataloging my wardrobe but I've done my laundry (Yay!) and I've picked up a few amazing pieces over the past month.  Like this Marni bag that has retired my CHANEL wallet-on-a-chain.  As a new mom toting snacks, tissues, and God knows what else I feel this was a much needed switch. It is spacious, durable, comfortable to carry and cost $30 at a second hand store.

 

I find that the obscure lines I love are often overlooked and under-priced when compared to their more popularly recognized contemporaries. At the same store, for instance, a Tory Burch bag was far more expensive though it retails for considerably less.  Go figure.  I hope they continue to not do their homework so I can keep scoring...

 

Personal Shopping: UAL

UAL is a treasure trough of liquidated designer garments and accessories for men and women.  Last week a client and I met my close friend and fellow stylist, Sam Mercer, at the small yet well stocked space where we unearthed a strong collection of high quality and distinctly fashionable threads for a fraction of their original retail value.  

Giambattista Valli Gown...$2780 retail on sale for $89.99.  

That was a very dense day for me, full of appointments and standing obligations...not to mention, I still haven't done laundry.  Ridiculous, I know.  SO I threw on one of my comfortable statement skirts and got creative when deciding what to wear on top.  This Dries Van Noten blouse was picked up at a thrift store for $4 and has been hanging in my closet ever since.  The wide and high neckline, overall length and shape do not work with my current figure so I tied it up.  I was happy with the look but those sandals were very uncomfortable!  (One of my CHANEL Brand Ambassador clothing allowance pieces.  Thanks Saks!) I had to take them off toward the end of the appointment and run around the store barefoot.  Whatever it takes...

Work Attire:  Dries Van Noten blouse, Vintage hand painted Mexican circle skirt & CHANEL sandals

Closet Confessions

So...it's laundry day (or week) and due to the extreme nature of this undertaking, I decided to get organized like never before.  If I have to do all of this work, might as well right? 

 



 

 

 

And this isn't half of it NOR does it include my daughter's clothes...*sigh*.

 

To bring about lasting order in my closet and peace in my heart and mind, I am documenting each item in my wardrobe.  Everything.  From the trunks in my living room to the bags in miscellaneous places, I am going through each piece taking photos and writing descriptions to upload and track.  I am tired of asking myself "What did I do with ____?".  I have had so many glorious garments that have just disappeared or bit the dust in one of my many purges.  Without accounting for what I have, I will keep making poor decisions in this regard.  Granted I have finite space and can't keep everything, but there are some things in my collection that should not be disposed of due to a knee-jerk decision.

 

 

Me this morning leaving for work.  White button front cotton top by Van Heusen, 50s era Hand Painted Mexican Circle Skirt, Vintage Head Tie that went to the ensemble below I did God knows what with (see what I mean!), Eye Been Framed browline specs and Manolo Blahnik shoes

 

 

Photo taken at a Missia Saran concert in Conakry, Guinea in the missing outfit... 

 

 

For every client I've had that has felt a tinge of embarrassment when I enter their space, this post is for you.  My closet is a nightmare right now.  I have mixed seasons, shoes and bags of random clothes everywhere (not photographed but you can take my word for it) and laundry piled higher than I care to admit.  It has never been this bad.  In light of this new low I've found, I am ascending to a state of organization I've only dreamed of.  I need to be held accountable for seeing this through...hence this series of posts.  The journey will be documented here and some items may become available for sale or rent.  Stay tuned and thank you for not judging me. :-)

 

 

 



 

My horribly organized, mid season closet.

 

 

  I am ashamed.

  

Straight, No Spacers.

Though inconvenient at the airport and clamorous when handling a sleeping baby, I have worn bangles 365, 24/7 for the past 4 years.  It began with a fateful find buried within a huge collection of vintage clothing housed in a New Orleans washateria.  Twelve lovely, thin silver bangles begged to come home with me and be mine forever.  I agreed.  They were easy to love yet difficult to slide off which made them a permanent fixture.  Soon after, I acquired my first of many pieces crafted by the legendary jeweler Dr. Footz.  The bangle boasting a fleur de lis and African mask was the perfect item embodying the blend of cultures that makes me who I am and New Orleans what it is.  Next to join the team was the Giles & Brother Rail Road Spike in silvertone which I coveted for some time.  Though it isn't solid silver, I never take it off and like the finish as it wears and reveals a copper hue below.  Finally, the piece that made me type this entry, the piece that was crafted from orbs I clutched to my bosom in the bead store like a madwoman, the piece that was strung by the goddess herself, Julie Mims of J.B. Mims Collection, an AMAZING clear quartz crystal bracelet has found its final resting place on my arm.

It was love at first sight.  While perusing a local bead store, feeling my way from one crystalline energy source to another, I was led to a basket of miscellaneous stones that contained the strand of spheres.  The marble-like quality, color and clarity of the beads made them irresistible.  I had to have them and the rest is Julie...

 Silvertone wire makes it appear as if they are floating in space.



Hand crafted closure by Julie Mims.

Wow. Part 2...

 

 Ariya Karo Kaba Smith & I

 

As I mentioned yesterday, wow.  It's amazing how the seeds that bring forth the future and answer all questions are always in our possession.  Never has this sentiment been more real to me than now in this season as a mother...

 

Reflecting on posts from the past I am reminded of my passion, insecurities, intuitive foresight, evolving perspective, style and body (see this post regarding the passage of time and one's personal style).  I am fuller now in more ways than one...I have to be.  Food Source, Astrologer, Lover, Spiritual Advocator, Homemaker, Student, Stylist, Merchandiser, Legislative Aide, Friend, Teacher, Guide and Witness are but a few of the hats I wear on a regular basis. 

 

When things first shifted and my internal world, with my heart at the helm, became a priority I trivialized the art of getting dressed.  Sad because I could no longer fit many of my treasures, overwhelmed because I didn't know where to begin dressing my new and ever changing physique and unsure where the time and resources would come from to acquire new pieces, I settled within and focused on the matters of the "higher chakras", if you will. 

 

That was a much needed and welcomed transfer of focus yet I quickly discovered my love of fashion transcended ego and is an integral part of my work in this lifetime.  I am an artist and clothing is my medium.  With this renewed insight and zeal for style, I found the answer to my problem in my own closet...CIRCLE SKIRTS!  Particularly vintage hand-painted cotton circle skirts for several reasons...The wrap style closure accommodates the ebb and tide of my waistline as a new mother.  They are one-of-a-kind art pieces that are worth the investment.  Difficult to find in vintage specialty shops but easy to peruse online via Etsy and Ebay, these skirts come in a variety of subjects and themes.  Here are a few I've purchased recently that have transformed my wardrobe and made it function better than I ever imagined during this summer season. 

 

Wrap Skirt Made in Zimbabwe

 

I love this continuous print...There is no true leader in this procession.  Everyone, including the dog, is engaged and an active participant in the journey.  They each possess a component needed to complete the task at hand and are confident individuals in a functioning whole.  Amazing.



Hand-Painted Mexican Circle Skirt with Girl & Burro Embellished with Sequins

 

 

I'm not the sequins wearing type but I always make an exception with this genre of skirt.  The textured cotton and hand painting gives it a casual feel that begs to be worn with almost anything (cut-off Roscoe's Chicken and Waffle tee is one of my favorites pairings with this piece).

Hand-Painted Mexican Circle Skirts with Tribal Motif

It is hard to place the origins of this skirt at first sight.  Some think it's new because the colors are so crisp.  Others think it is from The Continent because of the palette and imagery.  This makes it my absolute favorite because it embodies the interconnectivity of time, space and cultures. 



 

 



 



Wow.

Time has passed.  Fashion has changed.  I am a mother.  I'm inspired to share again.  That is all for now...