Project Design: Print & Poetry

Project Design is our own friendly competition where we put together collection of independent designers for you to rate on your very own imaginary runway.

Tonight, Jael Paris and I will be meeting up for an event filled with printers, publishers and poets. In honor of books and words and poetry, I've found some literary jewelry. Which one would make a good addition to your library?

Renaissance Poem engraved Swirl Pendant by EmilyWiserJewelry


I Can't Write Poetry... by Suffix


Live Deliberately Ceramic Pendant by leapinglizards


The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by PuddinCup


Typewriter Necklace by CuteAbility


Wordsmith Charm Bracelet by ALikelyStory

poll by twiigs.com

Nautical Looks

The sailor look is the most traditional way to wear nautical styles. Use a strict palette of red, white and blue. Think buttoned wide leg sailor pants, stripes, sailor tops, and jewelry with stars or a sea theme. Even operating within those constructs, you can still come out looking as girly, casual, or funky as you want.

The Boating Party by angelc featuring Atlantis

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by angelc featuring Paris Hilton shoes

Hey, Sailor! by Fashion Me Fabulous featuring Monsoon shoes

ay ay captain! by x_lilli.katrina (busy) featuring Miu Miu accessories

A preppier version of the sailor look is the yacht club style. Use the same elements as above, but allow black and khaki in your color scheme. Add gold buttons and contrast trim blazers. Your end product should be more reserved than full on sailor, and you will look nothing other than preppy.

Sailor Style by Minni featuring James Perse

For: BohemianStorm4 by KAMILKA on Polyvore.com

16.04.2009 by desdeportugal featuring Tory Burch bags

Welcome To Nautical Party! by Natasha11 featuring Paul Smith

My favorite way to wear nautical involves bursts of yellow, a traditional color in sailing flags. It's so cheery and unexpected that even the most aggressively nautical fashion is less costumey.

escape by rluvsg featuring Juicy Couture accessories

nautic... by paculi featuring Dorothy Perkins

:) by Erin :) featuring Converse shoes

$150 Challenge: Summer Fling

In spirit, this outfit is about breezy summer love. Those intense camp crushes or between year romances. Dates that involve nothing more than laying on a blanket eating ice cream and talking about clouds. Boys whose last names you never asked for but who you will remember fondly ten years from now. But it is dedicated to all the Hermione Grangers of the world crying on the stairs.

Sweet Kisses by Fashion Me Fabulous featuring Forever21

lace blouse, Forever 21 $17.80
ditsy floral skirt, Forever 21 $18.90
gold ribbon trim ballet flats, Wanted at Jildor $40
blue hobo bag, Target $16.08
floral drop earrings, Forever 21 $4.80
lace headband, Urban Outfitters $24
lip gloss, Sephora's "Beach Ball" $5

This cute summer look costs $126.58.

FMF Reader Poll: Heel Height?

I love high heels. Most of my everyday shoes have a three inch heel. I like a pair of flats too, but heels are my style. However, many women cringe at the thought of strapping on heels every day. Other women might think my measly three inch heels have nothing on their stilettos. Are you walking tall or keeping it low-key?

poll by twiigs.com

Leviticus Jewelry

Leviticus Jewelry is a little shop run by jeweler Tara Levitin. She primarily makes chains in silver, brass and gunmetal and often adorns them with found items. The effect is modern with an antique feel, and depending on the items used can also feel slightly macabre (and you know how we love the macabre). I first noticed Leviticus because of the amazing chain harnesses she makes. They are simple yet versatile and void of the fetishism associated with a leather version. I want one to wear with a white tank, jeans and my most killer heels.

Dark Harness $89

Etsy Shop of the Week: Blythe King

Shop: Blythe King

Why We Love It: Electronics are more fun when you can dress them in cute and functional cases.

Price Range: $18 - $70

More Info: All products are made from vintage materials. This shop has new listings every week.

Favorite Items: Lamplighter MacBook Pro Case $65; Meander Moleskine Notebook Case $40 (pictured); Franklin iPod/iPhone Case $30

Zip Trend

I've been wanting to write about zipper trim clothes for months now, actually since 3.1 Philip Lim's Spring/Summer 2009 show in fall of 2008. Alas, you can't really do a search for "zipper" and get good results. The trend took a while to catch on too. Snippets of it would appear here and there, but mostly it was ignored by stores with mass production until lately. Finally, here are a handful of zipper trimmed clothes, a great way to add a little edge to your every day look.Top: black ruffle tank, Charlotte Russe $19.99
blue dolman sleeve top, Arden B $24.99
colorblock shoulder zip top, Charlotte Russe $17.99
Bottom: linen jacket, Sharagano on Overstock $57.99
plaid asymetrical jacket, Charlotte Russe $26.99
white ruffle blouse, Catherine Malandrino at Neiman Marcus $275
three zipper pencil skirt, Guess by Marciano $118
navy a-line skirt, Twelve by Twelve $32
black pencil skirt with asymetrical zipper, Mischen on La Garconne $94.50
grey tiered jersey skirt, Bailey 44 at Revolve Clothing $118

Save or Splurge: Your Best Splurge

Every week I ask you whether you would save or splurge on one thing or another. This got be thinking about my best splurge. My splurges have been few and far between the last few years, but there is one I'm really glad I made.

I bought a Jessica Simpson Saucer Button Wool Blend coat (pictured) at Macy's the winter before last. I paid a bit less than the $200 price tag (which I believe was a sale price to begin with) since I worked at Macy's at the time, but it was a huge purchase for me (working at Macy's, I wasn't quite making the big bucks). It was also one of the best purchases I've ever made. Now only is it warm and well made (it still looks new after much wear), but it also still looks just as stylish as the day I bought it because it's the perfect style for me (bell sleeve, skirted, big buttons)! I see many more winters to come with this coat, which means it cost me much less than buying a cheap coat every year.

What and how much was your best splurge?

In case you love this coat as much as I do, Nordstrom still has it listed on their website. It's unavailable right now, but the fact that it's listed suggests it could be back this winter.

Vintage Jewelry Boxes

This post is usually about vintage clothes, but allow me to veer a bit off course this week to talk about vintage jewelry boxes. Jewelry boxes are old in concept but not as a common item. After all, it wasn't until after the Industrial Revolution and Coco Chanel's popularization of costume jewelry that woman at large had more than one piece of jewelry. Now we go through stages of boxes. When we were little girls, our box played music while a ballerina twirled on top. As we grew older, we'd run to Claire's for glitter-covered earring trees and boxes that could be covered in photos of our besties. As adults who've grown weary of sorting through a tangle of chains, we've all spent a little on "a good jewelry box." With all those stages happening for the last fifty years or so, Etsy is flooded with fun (and affordable) vintage jewelry boxes.
white dresser style box, Molehill Treasures $8
green cloisonne enamel box, Tandem Studios $48
brass trimmed musical wooden box, Serenity Mosaic $29.99
wooden three barrel box, Sassy Doggs $49
wooden box with curdoroy lining, Adelaide Homesewn $16
pewter box with rose petal lid, Moxie Mittens $11

Black Halo at F21?

Magazines are frequently full of requests to know what Amanda/Gabby/Charlotte wore on Ugly Betty/ Desperate Housewives/ Sex and the City, and the answer is Black Halo. Black Halo is one of those brands that is so classic and so well cut, people sit up and take notice. But the key is the cut. A dress that hugs the curves and looks tailored to your body without being too sexy is not that easy an item to make. So imagine my surprise when Forever 21 tried to make a version of the keyhole ruffle dress I thought so perfect for becca. I just looked at the knockoff (because when you're talking about a $300+ dress, any cheap version is worth consideration), and it just doesn't curve. The website clearly used gobs of pins to give it shape, as there is no way it would work on a hippy girl like me. For me, this is a case where you wait for a sale and splurge on a killer dress. What would you do?

Love or Loathe: Beaded Bustier

I'm choosing to use the image where Bebe layered this beaded cutout bustier over a staid white shirt. Part of me thinks it would be great for that experiment in modern Tudor clothing I was talking about. Part of me saw their other picture without the shirt underneath and couldn't help thinking "alien assassin at Comic Con". The back even laces up. Please give my Monday brain a rest and tell me what to think.

Swimwear for the Retro Bathing Beauty

It appears to be retro swimwear day at FMF. Check out this great bathing suit Jael Paris posted about earlier today.

A reader named Lauren emailed us last week saying she liked the blog (thanks!) and told us about her friend's vintage-inspired swimwear line, Zelda Sweetwater. These are some of the most stunning and well-crafted retro suits I've seen. The attention to detail makes these suits look like real designer vintage finds that have never been worn. They are also made to show off a woman's classic curves!

Each style is stunning and unique. There is even a ruffle bikini and a romper style suit! I want each and every suit. The prices are in the $200 range, but the style and craftsmanship are well worth the money.

Thanks for the tip Lauren! Do you know of something we'd think is fabulous? Please leave us a comment or email us at editor[at]gmail[dot]com.

Pictured: Jane Suit $226

Shoe of the Week: Braided Gladiator Sandal

Sky high, braided, gladiator, platform sandal. These shoes aren't messing around. This statement sandal is sure to anchor those flirty skirts and flowing dresses all summer. Add tights and a jacket to carry those outfits and these shoes into fall.

The sandals come in brown (pictured) and black. They are a bulky shoe, but with a sleek or girly outfit, they'll add a lot of edge. The platform also helps alleviate some of the stress of a four inch heel (although they look a little higher to me). This bold summer statement cost $59.95 at DSW.

My Swimsuit's So Girly, I Make Barbie Look Like a Guy

If you're one of our Facebook fans, you'll know that I recently purchased a retro swimsuit. It's the ruffled one-piece from Jantzen, whose Summer 2009 collection is all retro. It has an underwire, removable padding, and an aborable rouched skirt that gives me the illusion of a flat stomache. Jantzen is sold at Dillard's and Macy's as well as the online store Beach Bliss, and most of their suits are over $100. Why am I bothering to tell you about expensive suits that are nearly sold out? Because I got this lovely at TJ Maxx for $25. You're welcome and happy hunting.

This Week (And Last) On Fashion Me Fabulous

-- Tell us: Do you save or splurge on halter tops and shaving gel? becca recently explored Hot Topic; when was the last time you looked into a store you normally don't set foot in? What season has your favorite clothes? When did you start wearing makeup? How annoying do you find uber padded bras in the summer? Also, I want to get these bubble shorts, so you have to present an argument if you think they're fugly.

-- On the Etsy front, becca's filling her owlery, wrapping up in convertible dresses and figuring out how to wear leather masks in everyday life.

-- I seem to have developed an obsession with vintage purses and suitcases.

-- We will never stop shopping for skirted or colorful trench coats. Between coats, we've been looking at clothing the colors of tropical fruit, these adorable colorblock pumps, and halter tops. We also did a round of fantasy styling for a friend. (Shopping for others is a favorite pasttime at the FMF office.)

-- The haute couture shows were beautiful, but we can afford our $150 Challenge version of the runway's black lace and bold accessories.

-- Bonus: We've updated our Facebook shopping album and will have even more pictures up this weekend.

Project Design: Lace Gloves

Project Design is our own friendly competition where we put together collection of independent designers for you to rate on your very own imaginary runway.

When I was a little girl I had a pair of white lace gloves, which I would wear with my frilly dresses to church on Sundays. I didn't just reserve them for Easter Sunday either. I loved my lace gloves. (Even more, I loved carefully taking them off and placing them in my little strawberry purse before taking out my dime to put in the offering plate). Now, I need an adult size pair of lace gloves to add that same dainty, feminine feel to the frilly dresses I still love to wear. Which gloves do you fancy?

Black Lace Wrist length Gloves by DarkDestiny


Lace Trim Corset Gloves by estylissimo


La Camelot Bead Embroidered Fingerless Gloves by LaCamelot


black lace crocheted gloves by crochetize


White Lace Fingerless Gloves by margot22

poll by twiigs.com

The Horror: Granny Panties

I was having a good ol' time shopping for lingerie with my husband looking over my shoulder when I came across this monstrosity at Urban Outfitters. Hubby summed it up nicely: "Are those panties that go up to the navel? Why do they exist? They seem like a wedgie factory." And my husband thinks he doesn't know fashion.

Modern Tudor Clothing

I've been watching the Showtime series The Tudors on Netflix and am surprised by how easily the distinct clothing can be reinterpreted and still worn today. (Yes, I'm aware the show's costumes are not entirely accurate (neither is the history), but I'm not focusing on specks and details either.) For example, sleeves that looked like cages were quite fashionable. Cages are certainly popular today, though mainly in the form of shoes. Cutouts and slashes were another popular trend in the 1500s, and people would use them as a means to display their fine undergarments. (My roommate studies costume history and informed me that Italy had laws about the amount of fabric that was allowed to be used in the sleeves, but they didn't have rules about undergarments, thus, the slashing of the sleeves and the puffing out of the underwear.) Cutout clothing is one of the biggest trends right now, and you could think of it in these older terms rather than as a means to show as much skin as possible. Many a quilted jerkin bore studs because men throughout history have wanted to get their rockstar on. The final touch was massive jewelry, preferably pinned at the shoulders.

Avant Tudor by Fashion Me Fabulous featuring Lanvin necklaces

Ruffles were en vogue as they are by nature a means of using excessive fabric. Pants had not yet been invented, so all the men were a bit hippy. (Thankfully, The Tudors glosses over the stuffed cod pieces of the day.) Sleeves were always elaborate in some way, and the best means of layering with puff sleeves is with a vest. Frequently, one or more of those layers would be brocade. Ladies frequently wore feathered, jeweled or velvet headpieces, easily translated today as headbands. Add some rich jewelry in bright pops of color. And don't forget boots to muck about while hunting.

Frankly, I Like My Head Where It Is. by Fashion Me Fabulous featuring Dorothy Perkins

FMF Reader Poll: Seasons of Style

I know fashion really only divides itself into two seasons, fall/winter and spring/summer, but growing up in the Midwest has four seasons and the clothing is different for each one. Spring wakes up our wardrobes from their winter hibernation under heavy coats and sweaters. Summer has it's light weight, breezy dresses and cute sandals. Fall ushers in jacket weather, tights and a few lightweight winter accessories. Winter means boots, sweaters, coats, hats, gloves and as many layers as you can muster.

My favorite is fall. I love returning to tights and layers, but not yet worrying about snow and freezing. Of course, my love of fall fashion may have something to do with apple pie and pumpkin spice lattes too.... What's your favorite season for fashion?

poll by twiigs.com

$150 Challenge: Sunset Fringe

I featured this ombre fringe top in my fruity post last week, but it can't be the easiest thing to wear. To keep from looking over-the-top and starved for attention, stay simple. Navy shorts are the epitome of understated. A neutral quilted bag and small print cheetah flats continue the textural interest without being overbearing. A gold bracelet ties nicely to the purse, and blue nails both maintain a low key while being unexpected. Best of all, this look barely crosses the three digit mark at $100.85. Take that, economy!

$150 Challenge: Sunset Fringe by Fashion Me Fabulous featuring Forever21

orange fringe top, Twelve by Twelve $42
navy linen shorts, Forever 21 $12.50
cheetah flats, Target $12.99
taupe quilted bag, Tianni on Amazon $14.89
ball bracelet, Target $12.99
OPI Russian Navy nail polish, Amazon $5.48

Cute Trench

If it's not skirted trench coats, then you could say we're always on the lookout for a colorful trench. After all, if you have to wear a coat in gloomy weather, you can at least act as your own dose of sunshine. Land's End sells a highly traditional trench complete with a tie belt and vents, but it's available in a cheery yellow that literally made me stop and stare. Even better, you can also buy it online in purple or a navy polka dot. It's $129.50.

Etsy Shop of the Week: Tom Banwell Leather

Shop: Tom Banwell Leather

Why We Love It: Handmade leather masks at affordable prices make me want to wear these lovely creations all the time (without caring about all the staring it would cause as I walked around town, of course). This costume focused shop has some amazing creations.

Price Range: $13 - $1,995 (Only a few items come close to the high end. Most remain under $100 and my favorites under $40)

More Info: To find out move visit Tom Banwell's blog and website.

Favorite Items: Totem leather mask $39; Lacy Leaf leather mask $39; Leather head wreath $23; Muse leather mask $39 (pictured)

Show 'Em Yer Backside

Why backless tops? Because I have a raging sunburn, and every shirt I own feels like it's made of steel wool. So while we think such shirts are a save, my back would like some relief.
Top: scarf print halter, Arden B. $38
ruffle halter, Alloy $32.90
grey v-neck halter, Ella Moss $81
orange ruffle halter, Arden B. $38
Bottom: chain fringe halter, Bebe $79 (Want!)
orange beaded halter, Forever 21 $22.80
studded halter, Charlotte Russe $19.99
slashed tank, Tigerlily at Revolve Clothing $80

Vintage Suitcases

Who: Bright Wall on Etsy

What: Suitcases with hand painted silhouettes

When: Roughly 50s-60s

Why: While modern rolling, expanding suitcases are superior for travel, stacked vintage suitcases make for cute decor while storing your out-of-season clothing and shoes. And what stylish professional doesn't need a briefcase?

How much: $35-$70 for a single bag whiles sets run around $90, plus 10% of your purchase goes to the charity of your choice.

Favorites: shark briefcase $46; pretty ladies luggage set $150; shark bowling bag $38

Adventures in Mall Shopping: Hot Topic

Jael Paris and I took a trip to the mall on Sunday in hopes of digging up topics to blog about. Jael suggested I visit a store I wouldn't normally shop at to see if they had anything worth while. We were standing near Hot Topic at the moment so I wandered in hoping to find a few goth inspired items to mix with my girlish wardrobe.

After struggling past the wall of Twilight merchandise at the front of the store, I picked through the clothing where I found nothing. The accessories department seemed to be the only section worth while. If you're looking for anything cheap and neon, this is your place. They also had a good selection of crazy tights (always fun!). There were also a few pairs of intriguing fingerless gloves. My favorite finds were a pair of feather false eyelashes and colorful petticoats (although they are a bit shorter than I'd like).
So, if you're looking to experiment with accessories, Hot Topic has some affordable options. If you're looking for some cool goth-inspired apparel though, you'll have to look elsewhere.

Pictured:
Fingerless Lace Gloves $9.99
Feather Eyelashes $7.99
Driving Gloves with Bows $12.99
Striped Tights $8
Red Petticoat $16.99
Neon Blue Tights $8