Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Really need it to get by

Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Empire Records inspired
Necklace - thrifted, vest - gift, tank - my sister's, skirt - Forever 21, boots - Doc Martens

I was planning on wearing a 90's inspired outfit today, Doc Martens and all, regardless of heat. However, to my delight, the weather today has been mild. I understand this isn't super-90's... I was trying for an Empire Records inspired outfit. I have a weird soft spot for cheesy 90's movies. They always make me a little nostalgic even though I was six when the decade ended.

Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Empire Records inspired
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Empire Records inspired

I've been enjoying life still... and already wondering what sort of plans will arise for Independence Day. I'm sorry, it's just weird calling it the Fourth of July, as if we actually put days before months in the good ol' US of A.

Yesterday involved lounging around, spending time with Tracey, and hanging out in a friend's tree house.



I've also been published again on Everybody is Ugly, check out my post here.

Hope all is well, and expect an exciting post tomorrow!
xox Catherine

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

My Favorite Fashion Discovery

Upon reading Park & Cube, I discovered the Battle of the Bloggers run by Asos. Naturally, this is just another reason I wish I lived in the UK, but residence aside, I quite liked the topic to write about.

I'm young, and I've been young forever. I frequently feel that I never change - my appearance, my personality, my taste in music, etc. But inevitably, after long enough, nothing is the same. Of course, uniformity and too much similarity makes me crazy. Sometimes it's difficult to gauge time, so little changes are easier to take note of, and to carry with me into the future as a time-marker. And naturally, I look back too much.

Take the example of my clothing log. I've actually never designated a name for it, but I've been keeping track of what I've been wearing since March 20, 2006 as a seventh grader, six days before my thirteenth birthday. How do I remember the date so well? Perhaps I have a keen memory, but perhaps it's because I remember what I wore.

I suppose I've always had a weird relationship with clothes... as a preschooler, I would insist upon wearing the same dress nearly everyday. The top had black long sleeves with a heart in the middle, and the skirt was black and white gingham. Throughout elementary school, I insisted that every item in my wardrobe was purple. I also remember the Maryjane sneakers (in purple, naturally) that I wore everyday in kindergarten. With the exception of my beloved preschool dress, most items I used to wear have since been discarded in some manner.

Incidentally, when I woke up this morning, I was overcome with a desire to sort through my clothes. It's been nearly a year since my last closet clean-out, but I don't feel that much has changed. Over the past year while my weight has been constantly fluctuating (to my dismay), I've focused more on my shoe collection. Admittedly, it's still relatively small - by no means am I a shopaholic nor do I have sufficient funds to buy pair after pair of shoes.

My room is cluttered to the brim with various "stuff." It builds up, and my environmental science class has instilled in my head that there is no "away." There's sample size products that I've never used, but still have around. But I digress - this is about clothing. However, as it turns out, clothing, style and fashion are not synonymous. I suppose I should have known this forever, but during the first couple years of my adolescence, I found great pleasure in buying the latest items from my favorite stores. Fortunately for my present-day self, these pieces were more likely to come from H&M or Forever 21 than the ubiquitous coveted middle school brands - Hollister, Aeropostale, American Eagle, or Abercrombie.

Despite my distaste towards such "mall brands" as I used to refer to them, I enjoyed the irony of wearing a pair of Hollister jeans with a studded belt. Unfortunately, I must have sold out in some sort, since it's not as though their jeans fit me particularly well. In fact, they were completely wrong for me. But I couldn't resist the faux-Californian vibe these stores tried to present.

Let me add something - the summer after eighth grade, I took a fashion construction summer course at Moore College. I was by far one of the least "fashionable" persons there, and my style was hardly defined. I cited my favorite designers as Chanel and Betsey Johnson - the first two that came into my mind. But I attributed my love of fashion to my aunt and grandmother... countless nights I had sat in my aunt's guestroom, reading fashion books and flipping through every September issue (since the early 1970's, I believe) of Vogue.

As I journeyed through high school, I grew nauseated at the thought of dressing like everyone else clad in Ugg boots and strangely colored tshirts decorated with the logos of "mall brands." Slowly, I put my Hollister jeans away, exchanging them for dresses. However, with this new found anti-high-school-fashion attitude, there is another conformity to be confronted. Sure, I enjoy reading style blogs, but I grow tired of seeing the same Jeffrey Campbell shoes paired with some dress from Topshop.

I've found that most girls in my age bracket spend hours getting ready, regardless of where they shop. Frankly, I can't be bothered to wear something that takes effort to think of. I've grown so familiar with the pieces in my closet that I just brainstorm combinations without ever opening the door. And a majority of the time, I wear outfits that were created in my head.

I suppose I'm not the best dressed person around, nor is my shoe collection highly noteworthy. I've discovered clothing is necessary, style is personal but somewhat superficial, while fashion is the entirely optional part of the equation. My choices are unlimited, and as cliche as this sounds, what I wear is up to me. I can choose to disregard "fashion" in exchange for my comfiest tshirt, or I can wear a new pair of high heels in attempt to break them in. Or both. Ultimately, what's left is style.

Monday, June 28, 2010

6.28.10

Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Keds Wildfox H&M
Necklace - made by me, tshirt - Wildfox, skirt - H&M, bracelets - antique, sneakers - Keds via Chictopia

I'm not sure about what I'm doing today... there's a storm rumored to hit this afternoon (again), but I think I'll be hanging out with some friends. I've been having a really great summer so far. I've hung out with friends frequently, but I still manage to have time to relax by myself. In short, it's kind of perfect.

Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Keds Wildfox H&M
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Keds Wildfox H&M

This Wildfox tshirt is probably the most comfortable item I own. Maybe not, most of my clothes are comfy, so this has a lot of competition. I'm starting to feel that my closet is becoming a little too packed. I'm very reluctant to get rid of clothes, so I think I'll try to rework pieces before anything else. You know, if I'm not too lazy.

Hope all is well! xox Catherine

PS I believe I have some exciting news coming up... stay tuned!

Sunday, June 27, 2010

6.27.10

Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Miu Miu inspired
Necklace - antique, gray tank - Target, floral dress (worn as tank) - Forever 21, cuffs - antique, jeans - Delia's, shoes - DIY

Nevermind that it's been nearly a week since my last outfit post... and nevermind that it's disgustingly hot outside. I must have gotten bit/stung by something at the beach, so my legs have some sort of rash. I've been covering it when possible, hence the long pants in nearly-100-degree weather. But alas, I can't be bothered to wear anything intricate - summer makes it okay to dress simply. Right?

Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Miu Miu inspired
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Miu Miu inspired

Actually, I wanted to post today to catch up a little bit/debut these shoes. I've been experiencing summer relaxation for the past two weeks, so I'm thinking it's about time to start some projects... mainly making more necklaces and setting up an Ebay shop with my aunt. We'll be selling high-end vintage goods... but more on that later!

xox Catherine

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Return and an offer



Just a quick post sorta recapping my mini-vacation... laying on the beach, rollercoasters, walking on the Guido-filled boardwalk, playing with my camera while waiting for my sister to get piercings, etc. I have plenty more photos from the trip, but to protect the anonymity of friends and to prevent certain judgments, they won't be posted.






xox Catherine

PS Lulus.com has been kind enough to offer a 15% off discount code for my readers! The code is: SILHOUETTE and it lasts until July 23. If I weren't broke the whole store would be mine.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

DIY: S/S 2010 Miu Miu-inspired Printed Platforms

By now I'm at the beach, but I couldn't resist leaving this post! I might have mentioned a DIY the other day... my mom was at a flea market and came across black platform clogs with a fabric upper. I was half-asleep when I received a message asking if I wanted them, but I instantly thought of the Miu Miu platforms from this season. I've been on a creative spree lately, so I decided to customize them!

Inspiration:
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Miu Miu inspired DIY swallow print platforms
Miu Miu S/S 2010 swallow print platforms
(second image via thefashionpolice.net)

Step 1:
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Miu Miu inspired DIY swallow print platforms
Gather your materials. I used white fabric paint, but acrylic paint might work if you have some laying around. Be sure to follow instructions on bottle for drying times, etc. Also get a paintbrush (preferably on the smaller size), a paper plate, a pencil, and shoes.

Step 2:
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Miu Miu inspired DIY swallow print platforms
Draw the birds in pencil. I didn't draw too many - you get the hang of painting the birds after a while. However, if you're a little nervous, it wouldn't be a bad idea to practice on paper first.

Step 3:
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Miu Miu inspired DIY swallow print platforms
Pour paint onto the plate, and begin to apply to the shoes.

Step 4:
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Miu Miu inspired DIY swallow print platforms
Apply a first coat of paint... it can be kept pretty rough for the time being. It was very helpful for when I was doing the second coat.

Step 5 (not shown): Repeat step 4 more carefully to prevent mess-ups.

The finished product:
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Miu Miu inspired DIY swallow print platforms
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Miu Miu inspired DIY swallow print platforms
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Miu Miu inspired DIY swallow print platforms

Monday, June 21, 2010

To the...

Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia vintage
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia vintage
Dress - altered vintage, necklace - thrift, bracelet - Amrita Signh via Ideeli, shoes - Dolce Vita

...beach. Yes, the infamous "Jersey Shore." Wildwood, NJ had its heyday back in the middle of the 20th century, so as an ode to that, I'm wearing this cotton sundress that I believe is from the 1940's. Hemmed it and slightly altered the sleeves... now I want to wear it everyday. In other news, I have no idea how to not overpack.

Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia vintage
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia vintage

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Tie Dye Shows

Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Punk Rock Flea Market Dolce Vita
Dress - flea market, necklace - antique, bracelets - antique, shoes - Sweet Life by Dolce Vita

It was disgustingly hot yesterday, so I decided to wear this strapless dress... strapless for once. By no means would I say I dress modestly, but I'm always a little reluctant to wear low-cut shirts/short skirts/strapless items. It's not necessarily insecurity. I'm not sure what it is. Anyway, I decided to wear this outfit to a local coffeehouse show.

The show itself was a good time... lots of people, great music, and of course, my favorite acai green tea (which the barista kindly told me was "a-say-ee" rather than "a-kai"). Afterward, we were invited to an "after-party," which was costume themed. Unfortunately, I won't be posting photos of the event, but I was Waldo. Big brown glasses, beanie and all. It was a good time and I'm glad I'm starting out my summer so well.

Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Punk Rock Flea Market Dolce Vita
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Punk Rock Flea Market Dolce Vita
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Punk Rock Flea Market Dolce Vita
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Punk Rock Flea Market Dolce Vita

If you follow me on Twitter, I suppose you'd know about my upcoming DIY idea and that I've finally hemmed another dress. I've been feeling so creative lately! Which will hopefully ensue in good things.

Tomorrow I'll be leaving for the beach, but I'll try to round up some scheduled posts for when I'm gone. It's more of a mini-vacation... visiting some friends at their senior week houses. I'm expecting more summer goodness, finally catching some rays (I plan on using sunscreen, but there's always that bit that sneaks through - I could use it), and overall good times.

Not sure if I'll be catching the latest episode of True Blood tonight. Oh well, there's always encores/reruns.

xox Catherine

6.18.2010

Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Asos DIY Dolce Vita
Top - Asos, necklace - antique, cuff - Amrita Signh via Ideeli, shorts - DIY, sandals - Sweet Life by Dolce Vita

I wore this yesterday to Tracey's party. Although this is typical summer attire for me, I set up my camera and tripod in attempt to get some good shots. The photos came out saturated and very contrasted - clearly, I don't know proper terms. So naturally, when I came home from my friend's party I sat on my computer attempting to edit photos until 4am. Naturally. I think I need to actually take the time to learn about aperture/f-stops/depth of field... and composition. If I have a DSLR, I might as well try to use it to its full potential!

I realized that I still have to send a ton of forms into the summer program I'm doing, but I'm so excited for it! I can't wait to make cool stuff, hopefully I'll learn how to use the pottery wheel correctly. I'm terrible and centering.

Today my mom is helping my aunt with a flea market table, and she apparently came across platform sandals/clogs. I couldn't really see the style too well, but they're black and appear to be fabric. A chunky heel+black fabric instantly reminds me of Miu Miu so I'm thinking I might try to do a DIY, which could be a little passe... but I could always put my own twist on it. After all, it's not like there's many knockoffs of the highly-coveted platforms in retailers - yet.

Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Asos DIY Dolce Vita
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Asos DIY Dolce Vita
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Asos DIY Dolce Vita
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia Asos DIY Dolce Vita

Hope all is well! xox Catherine

Thursday, June 17, 2010

I'll Remember...

Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia H&M Modcloth
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia H&M Modcloth
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia H&M Modcloth
Dress - H&M, necklace - thrifted, bracelets - antiques, shoes - Modcloth

I'm really tired - I had a long day. Sorta. I lounged around most of the day due to a late start (which was a result of falling asleep late last night... whoops), but then I went to my sister's commencement ceremony. It was long and boring, and afterward we went to Red Lobster to celebrate. Who goes to chain restaurants for special events? It's probably a given, but if you're vegan, Red Lobster is a horrible choice. Just saying. But I went anyway, and drank raspberry lemonade and got creeped on by the waiter.

Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia H&M Modcloth
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia H&M Modcloth

I really need to wear these shoes more. Because I like them. However, I can't promise that the next couple of weeks will consist of outfit posts galore... I'm sort of trying to plan a huge scavenger hunt that might take place in a week or two. I like to pretend I'm funny, so I've been entertaining myself with making a list.

Ah, I have to finish my art project tonight so I can head up to the school tomorrow... in stealth mode, because being there when I already sent in a note would just feel weird.

Feels good to be back. xox Catherine

PS I should probably use an iron more often.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Silhouette Girl's First Giveaway! - Winner

So, my computer has been malfunctioning since Sunday, but it is back! Such a relief... I've been having mini-anxiety attacks over the giveaway winner. That makes me a nerd, right?

Well, I'm now back to announce the winner - Maggie from lifesize paperdoll!

I used random.org to generate a random number... my Stat teacher would probably advise against using computer generators, but I'm out of school! Wooh, it's summer!



xox Catherine

PS I haven't taken photos of any outfits during my short absence - I've been dressing comfy. Expect a post tomorrow since I'm going to attend my sister's graduation.

Monday, June 14, 2010

notice

Hello all, my internet is not functioning right now, which seems to make me feel like a bad blogger because I have a giveaway winner to select as well as new post content. So this message may be self-assuring, but hang tight!

xox Catherine

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Weekender

Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia
Silhouette Girl style blog Philadelphia
Dress - altered vintage, necklace - antique, cuff - grandma's, shoes - Aldo

I wore this on Saturday... finally got around to hemming this dress that has been sitting on my artsy table since last year. It's a little tighter than most of the pieces I own, so I sorta wish it was loose like 90% of my wardrobe - but change is always good, right? If the print looks familiar, it's because I have a belt from this dress that I wear frequently. Get this - the belt and dress were $1 together. I love incomparably cheap finds.

Before I discuss Saturday, here are some photos from my outing on Friday to the big field I like:







Please excuse what you may see in the first and second photos. Anyway, after this, I went to a crappy nearby diner, then to the city with some other friends. Bought strawberry sorbet from Hagaan Daz, went to a hookah bar, and finally reached my bed at 2am.

Most of Saturday was spend lazing around, but I ended up going to a friend's graduation party. Ironically, this one was also located close to an elementary school, so naturally, we went over and sat on the newfangled playground contraptions.


Hi Tracey!




I've been having so much fun with different shutter speeds lately.

I'm really glad that this weekend has been a particularly good one - I usually prefer to end things (school years, summer, calendar years, etc.) on a good note, so this is suiting that requirement of mine. Two more days, and it's summer! And today will probably be a good one two - season premiere of True Blood! Who else is excited?

xox Catherine

PS This post is significantly more picture-heavy than usual. Just saying.

PPS My giveaway ends tonight at 11:59pm EST!