Saturday, December 10, 2011

Holiday Movies that wont drive you nuts.

If you are at all aquainted with the state of television, then you are aware that it is time for the networks to throw every possible holiday movie at you. They are everywhere, on an endless loop, and they are kinda driving me nuts.
So its time to get my sanity hat on, and highlight some good holiday films for your enjoyment. Some are, I admit, a little silly, but all are good fun.
In no particular order.

Mrs. Santa Clause

Starting off with the silly. Mrs. Santa Clause, played by the wonderful Angela Lansbury, goes off searching for adventure, and ends up in New York City at the turn of the century. The songs are actually quite fun, and its just one of those goofy things that makes me smile.
Love Actually

A story of interweaving love stories, and my younger brothers favorite movie. I know some people who dont like this movie because of how many diffrent characters there are, and how many plots there are, but I love it. Its one of my feel good movies. And OMG cast. Seriously, its a wonderful cast. Plus, Christmas in England. Good times!
Bridget Jones's Diary

Not stictly speaking a Christmas story, but it both begins and ends on Christmas. Its a fun story, and it has to added bonus of Colin Firth. All holiday films with Colin Firth earn bonus points.
Auntie Mame

This is a pitiful clip, but it does show the central belief of the title character. Mame believes in life, and living it to the fullest! This is another one that is not strictly a holiday film, but one of the most touching scenes is during Christmas, when the devil-may-care Mame must work to provide for her nephew, and realizes that she's not doing very well at it. Plus, Mame is who I want to grow up to be! Highly reccomended.
The Shop Around the Corner

This is adorable. A shop clerk in a dry goods shop in Budapest falls in love with his penpal, while simutaniously fighting with his coworker. The trouble is that they're the same person. It all comes to a head on Christmas, and is just a gem of old movies. Watch this when you want to be charmed.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Winter Essentials: Berets


Its winter! Or almost, winter. I can tell because there are extra blankets on my bed, its very, very foggy, and my ears get cold when I'm out walking. Time to rounc up the things that keep me from freezing to death, dying of cracked skin, or being generally uncomfortable during the frostier seasons.
First among the things I pull out when the weather gets nippy are my hats. I have a great passion for hats of all styles, but really my heart belongs to the beret.Cute! Warm! French!
My favorite beret in my collection is a black wool one, trimmed in velvet, that was a present from my sisters visit to France, but I'm constantly picking up more in bright colors (I feel I need that stunning colbalt example above).
But just though my favorite chapeau comes from France doesnt mean you cant find them closer to home. You can find berets just about everywhere, as they are one of those things that are never quite in style, and are therefore never fully out of it.
Berets also go with a huge range of personal styles. There are frilly berets, berets with bows, with sequins, with crystals, in cashmere, in knit, in silk. Classic, cutsy, sporty, the styling options are endless.J'aime le beret!
If you're hunting online there are some good berets to be found at Amazon and Etsy for some cute handknit toppers.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Shorn.

These two> posts have given me a lot to think about short hair on women.
I'm a short haired girl, and I have been for a long, long time. When I was a kid I equated long hair with princesses and all things feminine and beautiful.
Lets face it, I'm into feminine and beautiful.
However, I have nightmare hair. Its fine, very, very fine. So fine that it will unbraid itself by the end of the day. Combs, clips, and bobby pins abandon my hair mid-hairsyle, and even the most determined curling-iron/hairspray combination will need to be redone in half an hour.
So, when I was in junior high school, I did the unthinkable. I let someone chop it all off.
You know, it makes me feel more feminine. It highlights my cheekbones, my neck, and showcases any pretty jewlery I wish to wear.
Some guys have told me that they'd love to see it grown out, and while I try to never say never, (once I would have died rather than chop my hair off), now I say go for it. Pixi cut, bob, boy cut, bring it to me. Its just hair. It grows back fast. And its much more me this way.
How about you? Do you feel better with long hair? Short hair?

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Fashion Dance (and appologies for being late)




I've been so crazy! Thats no excuse, is it? Well, have some fashion dance.

I will be a better blogger! I have ideas, I swear!

Friday, July 29, 2011

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Sweet Summertime

Things that I must have for summer (or I perish).
  • Sunscreen- Seriously. I live in the stuff year round, but even more so in the summer.
  • Hats- Preferably with a large brim. I'm going through a phase where I live in my boater and my straw cloche. They protect my face, preserve my eyes, and look tres chic in the process.
  • Linen- Yes, it wrinkles, but its terribly cool and comfortable. I have a couple on linen blouses that I live in during the worst of the summer, and a couple of dresses that are required wearings.
  • Parasols- see hats and sunscreen, combined. Bonus for style.
  • Books- Summer reading, anyone?
  • Thursday, June 9, 2011

    Things that are fun

    google rocks my world. Go play the google guitar today, and have fun.

    Tuesday, May 31, 2011

    On the go

    I expected to come home with lots of stories to tell, and I do have them, but the moment I got off the plane, I was struck down by a cold, and jetlag. I have hardly been able to haul myself out of my pajamas, much less compose my thoughts.
    Well, soon!

    Monday, May 16, 2011

    Tales from the Carry On Suitcase

    So, I leave for parts unknown in two days, to have a million adventures. And only one suitcase. And god only knows about the weather.
    So I've got myself a list of what is going in the Worlds Smallest Suitcase (tm) which you can peruse at your leasure.
    The Suitcase
  • 1 denim sheath dress with a yellow belt.
  • 1 yellow cardigan.
  • 1 yellow cami
  • 1 little black dress
  • 1 pair blue jeans
  • 1 pair black capri pants
  • 3 short sleeved shirts (1 black, one black and white striped, one red)
  • 1 long sleeved shirt (navy)
  • 1 yellow rain coat (packable)
  • 1 pair navy blue tennis shoes
  • 1 large hat (for the horse race I'll be attending)
  • assorted socks and underthings, plus pajamas.

    The Backpack
  • 1 journal (for notes and thoughts)
  • 1 reading book for airplane and train rides (Tears of Mermaids; the secret history of pearls, by Stephen G. Bloom)
  • Makeup bag (containing various cosmetics
  • 1 small jewelry bag (containing all jewelry to be worn on trip)
  • assorted pens
  • emergency change of undergarments (seriously, always take these with you on a flight, particularly if you plan on checking any luggage.)
  • cell phone, wallet, keys
  • 1 folder of maps, tickets, and emergency information

    Worn on the Plane
  • Slate blue t-shirt
  • black leggings shot through with berry and slate blue
  • asymetrical black knit tunic, belted.
  • black comfortable flats.
  • blue scarf.



    And I hope that takes me through it all well enough. My color scheme was originally going to be berry and blue, but then I realized that a number of events I'll be going to have blue and yellow or black and yellow as their official colors, and I decided to play around with that.
    I'm excited for the trip, I'm going to do so many things.
  • Friday, April 29, 2011

    Another Princess Bride


    via

    The Future Queen's dress reminded me of another, oh so stylish princess bride. The same sort of timeless, understated elegance.

    Elegance


    via

    I would be remiss not to say how elegant and beautiful I think this dress is. And I'm not normally a wedding dress person.

    She looks great! What a lovely lady.

    Sunday, April 17, 2011

    Like a Tea-tray in the Sky




    Its been a while sense I did a polyvore set, though I imagine that you're all bored of them.

    Alice in Wonderland

    Monday, April 11, 2011

    Admission

    Yep, I went back and got it.

    Sunday, April 10, 2011

    Quandry

    Do you ever get lured by a peice of clothing that isnt in any way you?
    Typical you, I should say.
    I'm a fairly retro girl. I love a good pencil skirt, and a 50's esque polka dot dress. I have a great passion for pearls, and I just generally feel that I was born into the wrong satorial age.

    And then there are days like today........
    I found a really lovely asymetrical knit tunic at a store today, reduced way, way down, and I am tempted. There was only one, and I left it there, and I'm really, really tempted to go back tommorow and see if its still there.
    Its not my usual thing! I like a cinched waist and a knee lenth hem! I'm not the minimalist, mod girl. I dont have the body for that sort of thing..... usually.....
    I keep thinking how cute it would be with leggings and flats, particularly on a plane trip, like the one I have coming up. And my resolve waivers.

    Do you ever have small fashion identity crisis? I know I do. And I'm going to have to think long and hard about that tunic.

    Saturday, March 26, 2011

    Aqua

    Aqua
    Aqua by PeculiarHeroine featuring flat shoes

    Why yes, I am feeling a bit monocromatic. Why do you ask?


    (yes, I know you've seen this picture. There is hardly anything I cant slap an Audrey Hepburn picture on, is there?)


    So I've got a major trip coming up soon. It involves going to a diffrent coast, for one thing, and then, while there, I have any number of very diffrent activities to do.
    For example, there will be a college graduation, several broadway plays, a horse race, museum hopping, some serious shopping, and some kind of gala, to name the highlights.
    Now, I come from the "one suitcase" school of packing, and would like to take as little luggage as possible. For starts, luggage is a pain. For seconds, its fun to be all creative and say "look! I can make a million outfits out of what is in this postage stamp sized box!"
    But a feat like that takes planning, which I've got to start now. I've got some outfits to plan!

    Friday, March 25, 2011

    Excuses

    So its after my fencing class, and I am therefore in my sweats, tennis shoes, and t-shirt emblazoned with my fencing schools logo.
    Not my most elegant attire, for sure.
    I get a call that nyquil is urgently required at home, so I stop by the grocery store.
    When I'm in line, I am suddenly struck down by a sense of embaressment. I am normally a pretty formal dresser. As my mom says, I'm the fanciest person everywhere.
    When I reach the checker I'm tempted to appologise to the checker, and ply him with my excuse of just returning from class.
    Then I realize it doesnt matter in the least. A lady is how she acts, not how she dresses, especially in a late night medicine run.

    I amuse myself with my own absurdity.

    Thursday, March 24, 2011

    Passing


    souce
    A very dramatic, beautiful, colorful, complicated lady just died.
    I think the world is probably a little sadder.

    Tuesday, March 15, 2011

    Elegant in Evergreen

    Elegant in Evergreen
    Elegant in Evergreen by PeculiarHeroine featuring a garnet necklace

    A nice alternitave to shamrocks.

    Unexpected Combinations

    Unexpected Combinations
    Unexpected Combinations by PeculiarHeroine featuring rocket dog shoes

    Black and yellow black and yellow...... what does that song mean anyway?

    Monday, March 7, 2011

    Two Tone

    Two Tone
    Two Tone by PeculiarHeroine featuring kate spade handbags

    Whats black and white and striped all over?

    ch-ch-changes

    Sorry if I've been gone (and I have), but I have a good excuse! Several excuses, in fact.
    But the main one is that my family has got a new dog! To catch people up to speed, our old, much beloved corgi died last year. But last week we got contacted by the Corgi Rescue Society, and now Spike is a member of our house!
    He's adorable, and shy, and hasnt quite got the hang of the house yet. He also is taking some energy to acclimate to the new location. Hense my MIA status.
    Its good to have a dog in the house again, and I'm seriously taken with Spike. He's an adorable little gent, with his expressive ears and his shy manners.
    Easily enough to melt any girls heart.

    Saturday, February 26, 2011

    Hack, Wheeze

    So I've been sick! Thats why all the silly pictures. I havent been much inclined to do any more thinking then is required to put together a polyvore set.

    Plus, I havent yet decided what kind of blog this will or should be.

    I hope it will be a good one.

    Lets hope that I'm done being ill for a while.

    Tuesday, February 22, 2011

    Saturday, February 12, 2011

    Funny Valentine,



    Sometimes a romantic night is staying in with a stack of movies and not doing anything in particular.

    Thursday, February 10, 2011

    Compliments

    Quoth a coworker "I would have guessed that you speak French. You look like a French woman."

    And he should know, as that man has lived in France for quite a while.

    Le squee

    Tuesday, February 8, 2011

    Monday, January 17, 2011

    24 things to do when your 24


    I'm 24 now. I think I should have some fun things to do with this year of my life.
    1. Take up archery.
    2. Write a novel during NaNoWriMo.
    3. Cook 52 new recipes.
    4. Sing Karaoke.
    5. Write a play or screenplay.
    6. Compleate 20 paintings.
    7. Sew 10 garments.
    8. Find the perfect shade of red lipstick.
    9. Donate my time to worthy causes.
    10. Join a Writers group.
    11. Give a genuine compliment every day.
    12. Travel!
    13. Review at least 12 books for this blog.
    14. Try new things to make me move more (dance class, etc).
    15. Do a wardrobe appraisal.
    16. Draw a picture a day.
    17. Spend more time with friends.
    18. Take an art class.
    19. Stop being so camera shy.
    20. Get a facial. (I've never had one before!)
    21. Write 100 letters.
    22. Take myself on dates.
    23. Be a good blogger.
    24. Have too much fun!

    Sunday, January 16, 2011

    Shuffle

    How am I spending my last day as a member of the early twenties? Dusting, cleaning, and getting together a bunch of my stuff to be given to charity.

    Shouldent I be out on a bender or something?

    Monday, January 10, 2011

    Sabrina Fair

    Sabrina Fair
    Sabrina Fair by PeculiarHeroine featuring cape dresses

    Inspired by Audrey Hepburns role in Sabrina. A whimsical yet elegant party ensemble.


    Saturday, January 8, 2011

    Basics



    So this year I'm thinking about basics.
    One of the delightful drawbacks to losing weight was that I "ungrew" a bunch of my clothes and had to replace them, a process which is ongoing.
    But things needed updating anyway. I'm no longer a student, I'm joining the workforce, I'm preparing to set out and blaze through the world. My old, invisible uniform of shirts and jeans in shades of "dont notice me" need to go.
    Now I'm not knocking shirts and jeans. Totally nessisary and enjoyable. But with my new found confidence returned by love of skirts, dresses, tights, and color!
    It is my aspiration to become a lady. A lot of this is action, thought, and behavoir. Some of it is style. I hope that this year will allow me to cultivate all sides of being a lady.
    So I'm going to make decisions in 2011 with thought, and care, and with an eye for the future I'm going to build for myself. And when building a foundation, of any kind, its good to start with basics.
    So thats what I'm going to do.

    Saturday, January 1, 2011

    Resolve

    This year, I resolve to;
  • Eat Well
  • Move a lot (walk, dance, climb stairs)
  • Dress Well
  • Sing a lot
  • Write letters
  • See Plays
  • Visit friends
  • become a better blogger.


    How about you? Any resolutions?
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