In restrospect; thoughts on blogs and blogging

Lately, I've been thinking of upping and deleting this blog or maybe leaving it to spiral into the darkness of the world wide web abyss. I've realized also that I sound like a broken record, with posts usually going in this sequence - apologies for not blogging, I'm fat and lazy, let's buy clothes that fit and I'm tired of shopping.

Blogging feels empty a lot of times, even more frivolous than web surfing. I started to blog mostly because I felt passionately about buying ethical, well-made clothing and I loathed the fact that my indulgence was contributing in some tangential way to climate change, human rights abuses and all the things wrong in the world; things that have played out in frightening reality over the last few months and that have been discussed eloquently in quite a few blogs. I sometimes want to hit people over the head for their ignorance on current affairs and for continuing irresponsible habits. But the truth is that people have different priorities, income and tastes. We all agree that ethically-made clothing is expensive and terribly difficult to obtain and not everyone has the time or money or willpower to seek out these things. In fact, like eating organic food or buying artisanal cheeses or single-origin coffee, ethical-clothing is a luxury that a lot of us want but can't justify.

I've grown rather apathetic and exhausted just looking at blogs and magazines that seem to continually push a certain alternate reality - one where it seems that you can make printed art and pressed flowers all day and still afford vintage Boro rugs, Eames chairs and a closet full of APC. I mean, most days I get up, work until I look like a disaster at 3pm and continuing plowing on with a full jug of coffee in my belly, and I mean literally a full 33.8oz Stelton jug full of intensely over-caffeinated coffee (I also have a  theory that's how the Zombie Apocalypse will start). I run errands, do chores, feed one hungry dog and one overworked husband, and by the end of the day, when all the good lighting that bloggers go on and on about is gone, I just want to sleep, play Candy Crush or watch a movie - sometimes all three at once. Despite all that, I make pocket change and leech off of my husband. Life is already exhausting and unfulfilling, I really don't need looking at blogs and magazines to make me feel worse about myself.

Sure, I still want to buy nice clothes because my self-confidence is inextricably and embarrassingly linked to how good I look. But growing older has made me realized that some days, I'm too tired to care. There's so many more things to think about or to spend my money on e.g. traveling, buying a house, building a chicken coop, donating to spineless Democrats, etc., etc. Most days, I just want to feel warm, be comfortable and not have to worry about scuffing my shoes or setting my bag down in mud. I want to be able to go from field work to lunch to a walk with my dog to cleaning the yard without having to change or to use protective leather spray. Do you really think a pair of clippity-clop Dicker boots and hernia-inducing skinny jeans is going to help me achieve that seamlessly? I've taken to looking like a mountain-climbing lumberjack, wearing an endless rotation of the same 5 pieces that don't make me feel bloated. In fact, I wear these 5 pieces so often, I'm thinking of stocking up on multiples of them. The rest of the clothes that I have apparently so carefully "curated", lie unfolded and unironed in a giant pile in the back of the closet. I've garnered so much expensive, unused crap over the years that I get violently nauseous just looking at it. And that, dear readers, is not something that I want to blog about.

I know what you are all thinking - all I ever do is whine and moan and be utterly immature. Blogs aren't real! Just live vicariously through them! Magazines are aspirational! Nobody wants to read about your whining! We need better gun control laws! (see what I did there)? In all serious-ness though, I know these things. My point is that I sometimes feel as if I am personal failure when it comes to blogging - I don't have a purpose or a goal, sometimes I rant about conscious emption, other times I go on and on about shoes and clothing and wishlists and spending more money. As I've come more and more into figuring out exactly what I am trying achieve in my personal style, blogging has become more mundane and disappointing, bordering on futile. There are so many great blogs out there that post erudite discussions on the sustainability and ethics of fashion more eloquently than I can (Empty Emptor and The Nife in L'Air come to mind), other blogs do a better job of pointing you to the latest deals or the latest trends or the latest five-points to looking French. All of which leads to my blog being simultaneously unimportant and banal - the only thing that seems to keep it going is my perpetual rage and existentialism and a polite audience of loyal readers.

I spend most of my time these days dreaming about houses, cooking a lot (as evidenced by my Instagram) and working my arse off to get the hell out of grad school. I don't know if that's part of growing older or if that's just the siren bells of giving up and resigning to a suburban life, but the ennui stemming from style blogging is one that's been simmering for a while. I think that as I start realizing the tremendous responsibilities that adulthood brings, clothing and all the preposterously self-indulgent things in life seem so trivial. And maybe it's the sense of maturity and the process of maturing is what will finally lead one towards actual responsible consumerism.

Recipe: Tangelo & Almond Cake

A good many of you have asked for this recipe after seeing it on my Instagram, so I thought that I would post this in lieu of a write up whining about the state of affairs. This is my adaptation of Nigella Lawson's Clementine Cake. It's a very basic and easy flourless cake originated in the Mediterranean; best of all, flourless means gluten-free (if you're into that sort of thing)! You can use any kind of citrus fruit on hand, depending on the season.  I used tangelos because I had a whole bunch of them from my CSA box, but I reckon this will taste equally good, if not marvelously beautiful with Spanish blood oranges. I ate half of this with a glass (okay, several glasses) of Prosecco and I am now thinking that this would make for a lovely Mother's Day brunch dessert. Note of caution, if you are not a fan of marmalade, this may throw you off somewhat since the cake is quite literally bittersweet.

I promise to be back with some circuitous post about de-cluttering, new purchases from Hope, etc. but in the meantime, go get thee some eggs and maketh this recipe.

Tangelo & Almond Cake
Adapted from Nigella Lawson

Cake
3 tangelos (or about 3/4lb of citrus)
6 eggs
2 1/3 cups fine almond meal
1 1/4 cups granulated (caster) sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp Grand Marnier
1 tsp vanilla extract

Marmalade Glaze
1/4 cup really good marmalade (I cannot stress the really good part enough)
1tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp sugar
1tbsp Grand Marnier

Optional: Crème fraîche to serve

1. Put the clementines in a pot with cold water to cover, bring to the boil, and cook for 2 hours. Drain and, when cool, cut each clementine in half and remove the seeds. Then finely chop the skins, pith, and fruit in the processor (or by hand, of course).

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (Nigella used 375F but I think that's too high)

3. Butter and line an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

4. Beat the eggs. Add the sugar, almonds, and baking powder. Mix well, adding the chopped clementines.

5. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, when a skewer will come out clean; If the top if browning too fast, cover with foil after the 40 minute mark.

6. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, in the pan on a rack.

7. To make the marmalade glaze, heat all the ingredients in a saucepan and mix well. Poke a few holes in the cake with a skewer and pour the warm glaze all over the top. Let set for a few minutes and it's ready to be served with some  crème fraîche.

*This cake can be wrapped in foil and frozen. To serve after it's frozen, just nuke it in the microwave for 30 seconds or let thaw to room temperature.

Public Service Announcement

In case you're wondering, I've been neglecting my blog because I'm spending more time doing frivolous shite like updating my Instagram with pictures of my dog and tea breaks. Lest I become one of those bloggers that do "My Day/Week/Month/Year/Hour/Minute/Decade in Instagram Recaps", I will just point you towards that direction even though I'm probably jumping on the bandwagon a tad too late. I received one of those new Apple toys for Christmas and I'm slowly becoming an iLemming even though a certain person in this household works for the opposing team.

That being said, I find that because I'm constantly looking for ways to share what I actually enjoy in real life sans the need to elaborate, expand upon and purchase, I'm actually spending much less time doing online shopping! I've been getting back into the groove of cooking, eating better and brushing up on my photography skills (merely so I can show it off on Instagram because seriously, it's really just Flickr for a phone). I think the ability to capture minute details of your day in an instance makes one appreciate (slightly) the beauty of everyday life. I've also been enjoying other people's posts of kids (!!!), puppies and cheese immensely.

If you have an Instagram account, please leave a comment! I'd love a nosy glimpse into your life. :-) Or you can add me @assembledhazardly

The Beauty Regime

Top: My skincare stash, lots of unlabeled bottles with homemade crap in them. Bottom: Detox! (Note: Kusmi Tea is extremely overrated, the Detox tea smells like burnt cannabis)

Hello! I hope your new year is off to a banging start. I've been undergoing a strict detox and purging regiment, keeping away from all sorts of nasty food and from the computer. The holiday season hasn't been kind to my skin or my hips and now I'm sort of wishing that I had been eating more cleanly. It didn't help that I stocked up on a whole ton of Crémant, Prosecco and Cava during a recent wine sale and went a tad nuts with a bottle of Tanqueray and a box of lemons. It also didn't help that within a span of one month, I had two turkey dinners, a blueberry pie, multiple pumpkin pies, a bazillion chocolate truffles ('La Maison du Chocolat', oh mah gawd), a ton of processed meat courtesy of Olympic Provisions, and a whole vat of mashed potatoes (almost all in one sitting, I kid you not).

The unfortunate excess however, causes me to get really, really OCD about my skin this time of year, especially since meat and alcohol (yum!) inevitably causes severe acne for me. Couple that with a tendency to develop severe eczema in the winter months, I have been stumbling around looking like a pockmarked meth-addict. In that vein, I've been inspired to post something about my skincare regime due to a myriad of reasons - first by Alexandra's post about winter skincare, then noticing how much the holiday season has taken a toll on my skin, and finally, receiving emails from a reader asking about my homemade oil cleanser and In Fiore skincare.

I enjoy a mostly holistic approach to skincare, meaning I try to use a bare minimum of "natural" and "organic" products. The quotation marks just indicate that those terms are subjective I guess because is anything these days truly "natural" and "organic"? I think good diet and lifestyle practices does much more for good skin than the most expensive facial serum. However, as I have been told time and time again by my husband, this notion is just insulting to a lot of people who genetically have bad skin. So as a disclaimer, I just wanted to share what works for me, and give you an insight into how I approach skin and body care and list some of my favorite products. I generally have okay skin which gets terribly dry in the winter and the occasional breakouts and red splotches from self-induced pimple mutilation. I also have allergies to a whole slew of things (hops, synthetic fragrance, SLS, etc., etc.) that often result in hives so I steer clear of a lot of brand name skincare.

I'm a huge fan of In Fiore, a small label from San Francisco. I first discovered Julie Elliott's line when I was looking for an oil balm to help with my eczema. I apologize in advance that her products are really hard to find if you are outside the US, but if you know of another brand that is similar, I would love to hear about it. The New York Times printed a really good article last year about "modern apothecaries" and Julie's label came up as being one of the pioneers (the article also makes a good point about why I find Aesop products quite overrated). The Japanese, purveyors and consumers of fine skincare also seem to enjoy her products immensely. Evan Healy, another skincare brand carried in Whole Foods and other natural stores used to be my go to, but recently, I think her formulation has changed and it no longer works out for my skin - her milk cleanser was a favorite but it now causes me to break out along the jawline. That being said, natural skincare is mostly trial and error - formulations change, companies get bought out by Colgate-Palmolive or L'Oreal, and they tend to use a lot of essential oils and cold-pressed carrier oils that may not work for everyone. In Fiore tends to be very expensive initially but I find that they last me quite a while and nothing else I have used in the past has ever even come close keeping my skin in top condition.

I also use a lot of my own homemade concoctions, the main one being an oil cleanser that is a cross between Tatcha's Oil Cleanser and In Fiore's Treate. I've been using rice bran oil in lieu of sweet almond oil for the past year and the results are pretty good. I use a mixture of rice bran oil and camellia oils (sinensis because it's slightly cheaper, and a bit of japonica for the luxury) along with some Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), tea tree oil, vitamin E and glycerin which act as preservatives. Rice bran oil is much less of an allergen than sweet almond oil and if it's good enough for old-timey Japanese women, it's good enough for me. I also make my own daily moisturizer using a variation of the oil cleanser while adding in a very Asian mix of red panax ginseng and red marine algae. I've included the recipe for the oil cleanser at the bottom of this post, but the moisturizer is still under a somewhat trial basis. The three main things I use from In Fiore is a brightening serum ('Lucense'), an eye cream ('Vis Clair') and a very, very potent face balm ('Fleur Vibrante') - all of which I can't seem to replicate at home because of the herbal and floral infusion and because I don't want to stock up on so many essential oil extractions.

The main problem I find with organic/holistic skincare is the lack of good makeup and sun protection products. I usually stock up on free samples of lipstick or eye makeup whenever I can and I have a tube of Koh Gen Do foundation that's been rotting in my drawer for a couple of years now. In general, the RMS Beauty 'Un' Cover works fine for me as both a concealer and light foundation - just dab under the eyes, around the nose and on blemish spots. RMS is the namesake of Rose-Marie Swift, the makeup artist for the likes of Miranda Kerr and Gisele Bundchen. A few of her products come highly recommended, especially her 'Living Luminizer' which I must say is an awesome highlighter to minimize dark circles and to make your cheekbones more prominent (and if you're a flat-faced Asian like me, make your nose a tad sharper).

I haven't found a natural SPF moisturizer that rivals the soft, almost translucent look that Cle De Peau's Gentle Protective Emulsion gives, so I'm sticking to that in the mean time while I figure out a suitable replacement. Cle De Peau is definitely not holistic by any means, it comes fully chemical laden but a girl cannot resist a barely-there SPF product. It's strange how I avoid feeding my dog commercial pet food because of propylene glycol (antifreeze, yikes!), yet I'm slathering that crap all over my face. Below is a list of the products I use and how I go about using them.

Everyday skincare products:
1. Homemade Oil Cleanser (about $12 for 4oz.) ~ see below for recipe*

2. May Lindstrom 'The Clean Dirt' ($60)

3. Organic Immortelle Hydrosol from Hood River Lavender Farm with added Witch Hazel ($18) 

4. In Fiore 'Lucense' ($130)
5. Fushi Wellbeing Japanese Camellia Oil ($20)

6. In Fiore 'Vis Clair' ($68)

7. In Fiore 'Fleur Vibrante' ($58)
8. Homemade Face Cream (about $12 for 2oz.)

9. Cle de Peau Beaute 'Gentle Protective Emulsion SPF 20++' ($130)
10. Josie Maran Argan Oil Daily Moisturizer with SPF 40++' ($32)

11. May Lindstrom 'The Problem Solver' ($90)
12. RMS Beauty ''Un' Cover in 22' ($18)
13. Benefit Cosmetics Brow Zings in Dark ($30)
14. In Fiore Veloutee Lip Balm ($58)
15. Moon Valley Lip Treat ($2.99)

Morning skincare regime:
Oil cleanser, followed by Immortelle Hydrosol, In Fiore Fleur Vibrante, In Fiore Vis Clair eye cream and lip balm. If I'm at working from home (which is most days), I add some homemade face cream, spray a bit more Immortelle Hydrosol over the top and call it a day. If I'm leaving the house, then I use either the Cle de Peau Beaute Gentle Protective Emulsion (for winter) or Josie Maran's  SPF 40 cream (for summer) as a moisturizer. I apply a bit of Brow Zing, cover some blemishes with the 'Un' Cover and I'm good to go.

Night skincare regime:
Oil cleanser and rinse, followed by Immortelle Hydrosol and either In Fiore Lucense or a few drops of Camellia Japonica (Tsubaki) oil. Finished with In Fiore Vis Clair and some In Fiore Fleur Vibrante if my skin is extra dry.

Extra skincare regime:
I do scrubs twice a month with  May Lindstrom's 'The Clean Dirt' and mask once a week with her 'The Problem Solver'. I cannot speak more highly of those two products if you're trying to get rid of acne and tighten up pores. I also use a homemade hydrating mask made of 1 tablespoon each of oat flour (you can make your own by grinding up some old-fashioned oats), honey and goat milk yogurt with a few drops of Vitamin E. Leave on for 15 minutes and then rinse off with cool water.

For body care, I tend to keep things really low key - I use a homemade brown sugar scrub once a week (made with 2 parts brown sugar, 1 part rice bran oil, 1 part oat flour and a few drops of essential oil). I use J.R. Liggett's Shampoo Bar most days, along with John Masters' Organics Rosemary and Peppermint detangler, and I buy olive oil soap in bulk. I used to wash my hair every day (sometimes twice a day!) but I think it was causing some sort of thinning, so now I use a very simple homemade dry shampoo made of corn starch, kaolin clay and slippery elm powder and wash my hair every two days or so. I do believe in dry brushing your skin at least every other day to keep off dead skin cells and help new ones regenerate. My body cream is whipped shea butter that I mix with rice bran oil and argan oil. I also use argan oil on the ends of my hair or Yarok's 'Feed Your Roots' Mousse when I'm heat styling (which is exactly four times a year). Every once in a while, when I'm feeling saucy, I dab on some MCMC Hunter but otherwise, fragrance free is the way I roll.

More importantly, I think diet plays a vital role in keeping my skin in a somewhat decent condition - this includes drinking lots of warm water with lemon and ginger (I love Pukka Herbs Three Ginger Tea with added cracked, dried ginger), drinking lots of green/detox tea and supplementing with fish oil, Vitamin C and a Vitamin B-Complex supplement every day. Also, a good green food and probiotics blend (I use Vibrant Health 'Green Vibrance') shaken with coconut water or Odwalla Superfoods juice is wonderful for those days when you're just not getting enough vegetables in your diet or when you're travelling. I love meat, carbs and cheese more than the next testosterone-driven bloke, but the threat of cystic acne and heart failure is making me pare down on those things for the next couple of months while my body gets the cleanse it needs (alcohol is pretty hard to give up though, so everything in moderation, eh?). In the meantime, I'm going to be having tons of the aforementioned tea and getting lots of walks, reading and work done.

As an aside, Renee from Anaïse was generous enough to offer me a percentage-off coupon to her store during my wedding, and I finally got around to picking up the Olio Lusso Crema by Rodin since I had heard great reviews about it helping with dry patches. I've been using that somewhat religiously over the past week and I'm a little sad (and at the same time, quite elated since this cream costs $80!) to report that the combination of macadamia and jasmine scent is a little off-putting to me - it smells like sweaty clothing and mothballs. In Fiore uses a lot of jasmine too, but it never gets as heady as this. My two main gripes about Rodin however, are: 1. the complete ingredient list to all the products is terribly difficult to find and 2. all good aromatherapists/naturopaths/purists will tell you to 'always store your oils in a dark bottle'. I think a huge part of the Rodin hype is that she had easy access to the fashion and beauty market, being a former model and a style editor. I'll confess that I'm an elitist, but I have been using jojoba oil, calendula and argan oil for ages, and it just seems that if your only experience has been with skincare brands that are sold in departmental stores, then Rodin may seem like a tremendously exclusive experience. Either way, I just wanted to thank Renee again for giving me a chance to try out Rodin's cult, and if you haven't already visited her store, please do! It offers a drool-worthy selection of finely curated lifestyle pieces.

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* See the recipe here.

Winter Staples

Since the man of the house, wait, that's the dog... I meant the literal 'man' of the house, is working long hours this winter, I've taken to snuggling by the fire and treating myself to some very feminine indulgences. The mood board above is a collage some of the things that have been keeping me company through the somewhat cold and rainy season.

1. In Fiore Veloutée Balm for Lips and Eyes ($58) (also available here)
I discovered 'In Fiore' skincare products a few years ago and have been hooked on their Veloutée balm ever since. I tend to get eczema on my eyelids during the winter, so this balm doubles as a lip and eye moisturizer. In Fiore skincare is ethically made in San Francisco with natural and organic ingredients. I am also quite taken in by how beautiful their packagings are - the Veloutée balm comes in an elegant, antique gold compact (complete with a mirror). Whipping it out while sipping on a glass of French 75 reminds me too much of Gloria Swanson (I was going to write Mary Pickford, but I decided I'm more of sinister grouch than a sweetheart).

2. Swans Island Merino Wool Throw ($295)
I bought this Made in Maine throw last year for my drafty study and it's kept me toasty all through winter and even the early days of summer since it's technically a summer-weight throw. The dog loves the smell of the wool and he steals it from me ever so often. During specials, J.Crew offers a nice discount on these throws, so wait till then and pick one up (ETA - 12/6/12: Use GIFTNOW for 30% off). I like them better than the Brahms Mount linen blankets because they're softer and much warmer.

3. 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens' ($7)
Along with watching 'Home Alone' and 'It's a Wonderful Life', reading 'A Christmas Carol' whilst snuggled with spiked apple cider by the fire is one of my favorite things to do during the Christmas week.

4. La Maison Du Chocolat Truffles ($77)
If you have no self-control, I would strongly recommend against purchasing these. Saks puts these delicious French-made chocolates on discount every two weeks or so. 42 pieces should (can it really?) last about three weeks - although I usually end up consuming them in front of 'Boardwalk Empire' episodes in a week and then moan about how my clothes no longer fit.

5. Timothy Han Candle in Tobacco and Jasmine ($65 - sold out)
I've read so much about London-based Timothy Han's range of apothecary goods and have wanted to try out a few of his products for some time. I've long given up on Diptyque candles (no-no to paraffin wax),  the Le Labo Santal was starting to get boring and I wanted something a little more luxurious than my beeswax candles. When Barneys recently marked down Timothy Han's scented candles, I picked up one in Tobacco and Jasmine. It's an excellently grown-up scent that seems to juxtapose fresh and old, it reminds me of fresh flowers and mulled wine in an old Victorian study, filled with history and books and the brief waft of snow outside and a man smoking a pipe. It's strange how smells can stir the imagination.

6 & 7. Merino Wool Scarf by With & Wessel ($120) & Steven Alan Cashmere Beanie ($98)
Perfect for dog walking in the blistering cold and when you're just standing there hoping he'll do his business ultra quick so you can go back in and enjoy a cup of tea. The merino scarf is super soft, not too expensive and in my opinion, works better than cashmere for running errands or hiking in the cold. I would suggest waiting for Steven Alan's January/February sample sales to pick up the beanie.

8. Noda Horo Potoru Teapot ($125)
I love this little pot/kettle that can go from the stove to the table. I drink lots of tea and this enameled pot is particularly useful for 'genmaicha' or roasted barley tea ('mugicha') since I just make huge pots of it all through the day and every time the tea gets cold, I can reheat it gently over low heat on the stove.

9. Johnstons of Elgin Cashmere House Socks ($33)
My feet are constantly cold and clammy so I wear these for lounging around the house and to sleep . It also works great for air travel. These socks are not robust enough to handle being worn with shoes or strenuous activity but they keep my toes from falling off in the winter, are breathable and work tremendously well at putting me to sleep with all sorts of warm and fuzzy dreams.

I know that these items are a little expensive, but a lot of them have lasted me for a few years e.g. the Swans Island blanket, cashmere socks etc., and they have given me so much comforting joy that I feel splurging on them every once in a while is good for my mental health. What are your winter staples and do you have any recommendations for me to try out?

End of the year wardrobe assessment

Sweaters, from top: Old J.Crew, Acne, Hope, Rachel Comey, Saturdays Surf NYC

Back in March I posted about streamlining my belongings and it appears that this is still a work in progress. I've been working hard over the last few months at reassessing how my wardrobe fits with my current body and lifestyle. Apart from the realization that I can no longer squeeze into skinny jeans and that my shirts have started gaping at the bust, working from home has further made me conclude that I really do not need that many shirts or parkas or shoes.

A longtime reader recently commented that she didn't understand how I could say I was somewhat broke and yet manage to purchase as many items as I have recently. I addressed my finances about a year ago and since then, my circumstances have changed slightly (although not as dire as I sometimes make it sound) - I am now not funded and struggling to finish my dissertation by the next year. I also received a lot things (out of pity and love, I guess) for my birthday and anniversary, and from the wedding. However, I really do have to apologize for being extremely insensitive and sounding like an entitled brat in my last post. Sometimes, I think a sheltered life has led me to being overtly melodramatic.

In light of that, I thought it would be somewhat interesting to readers to go through a couple of things that have helped in covering the expenses of my recent purchases. I have been utilizing Ebay, my own blog shop, and consignment/used clothing stores like crazy. June and July of this year were somewhat bleak months for me, and in times of distress, I tend to clean and organize. It's strange how much a person can accumulate over the years even if you try to be somewhat conscientious about your purchases.

While re-selling things doesn't usually help with recouping losses, I make sure that I the items I sell are able to cover at least 50% of the cost of a new item. Instead of the one in-one out method, I try to get rid of many things in a particular clothing category before I add something new. For example, to purchase my Hope Guys' Shoes, I sold the Heschung for CdG oxfords, a pair of J.Crew boots and my No. 6 clog boots. This ensures that I have a longer time to think things over and helps to clear out the closet even more. I also dug through things in storage and thought long and hard about the many items I have that no longer fit with my current lifestyle or aesthetic. I'm not a very sentimental person, so being able to part with several very expensive items from ages ago was pretty easy, and that helped cover things like a new tote bag and several shirts.

Once I make a purchase, I wear the heck out of the item. Some people suggest that if you haven't worn the item in a year, you should get rid of it. I personally think that if you haven't worn an item in six months, it probably isn't worth your time or money, unless of course, it's special occasion wear like cocktail dresses and bunny suits (:P). I wear my sweaters all through fall and winter and even spring sometimes. I use summer clothing e.g shirts as layers underneath so that every item in my wardrobe (bar shorts) usually gets a full rotation all year round. I mean, if you don't use it, why own it?

I think that trying to achieve the ultimate "perfect" wardrobe is forever going to be a lost cause for me. My lifestyle and body will always change; a proper job, kids, too much chocolates, etc. are a few things that will keep my wardrobe evolving. Being able to consistently avoid the tragedy of an overstuffed closet with nothing I love in it is perhaps the best thing I can aim for when it comes to matters of the sartorial kind.

Another year

I celebrated my 30th birthday a few days ago. There's nothing quite as sobering as waking up one morning to find that a third of your life is gone and you're still not quite done with school, somewhat broke and getting rather chunky around the middle and bottom parts. While people who surround me have been extremely nice and supportive about it, I'm surprised that they haven't yet run away screaming due to my incessant whining and moping - I am working hard at undoing thirty odd years of cynicism.

The festivities for the birthday started a week before hand - Brian and I took a weekend trip to Vancouver to celebrate my arrested metabolism and his new job. I took no pictures of the event because it was too cold to hold a camera and I was too busy stuffing my face full of mussels at Chambar and having overpriced cocktails at the Bacchus lounge. I spent the rest of the week and my birthday sitting around the house, bottle of prosecco in hand and irritating the dog with baby talk. I also ate exactly three cupcakes in a 21 hour span, and watched Home Alone (how apt!) while the husband was off at some bigwig conference, leaving me at home to feel sorry for myself. A few days later, some friends took me out to watch 'Skyfall'. I avoided the heavy drinking/dancing/lavish dinner pitfall this year and made my transition into (genuine) adulthood.

So that's that. I received some really great and thoughtful gifts (all of which were much needed and pined after) - a hand-knitted scarf based on a BrooklynTweed pattern, a CdG wallet, some earrings from Mociun, the Blanca Monros Gomez seed ring, a beautifully illustrated special edition of Charles Dickens' 'Our Mutual Friend' and I bought myself a new camera lens. Speaking of which, Mociun's jewelry are so elegant and well-made, I understand now why she charges so much for them! And in the spirit of giving thanks, I just want to state for the record that I think know I have it pretty darn good considering the millions of terrible things happening in the world today, some of which are taking place right now where Hurricane Sandy hit. Please pardon my incessant whining and moping and please don't run away screaming.

In other news, I registered for a domain name (yay!) so please update your bookmarks to http://www.assembledhazardly.com. I also gave in to the call of networking heavily filtered camera phone pictures; if you're interested in a gazillion pictures of my dog, you can find them on Instagram.

Heritage Americana

Chimala chambray work shirt, Citizens of Humanity jeans, Hope Guy's Shoe, Superior Labor x Waste Twice tote

I'm not usually one for following trends, and I must confess that while I run a "style" blog, I don't subscribe to or even read any style magazines. My exposure to the trends are usually based on what limited interactions I have with the downtown Seattle hipsters, and for everything else, I subscribe to recommendations from a handful of my favorite stores.

This latest heritage/Americana fad however, is something that I'm very keen on and have been working hard at trying to incorporate a little bit of it into my ever-evolving wardrobe. I have been eyeing the Chimala chambray work shirt for a long time now, after seeing it at Lark a few years back. Now, before you judge me about paying that much for a pre-destroyed, pretentiously distressed chambray shirt, let me state for the record that I have been testing out a few chambray shirts before settling on the Chimala one. I don't know what it is, but this shirt just feels really good on. Maybe I'm over thinking this, but it makes me want to chop some wood, curl up with my hunting gun and put a mallard over the spit ... kidding. Chambray shirts used to make me think of Ina Garten and the 80s, cowboys and riveters, but after seeing how the Chimala shirt is worn on Vipada Wongpatanasin in the Mill Mercantile lookbook, I felt that I really wanted needed the shirt, vapid consumerism be damned. Maybe this post is all about justifying my purchase, but I have a hunch that I'm going to get a lot of mileage out of the shirt in the coming years.

Also, in the whole heritage vein, I've recently splurged on some items that tie in with what I've been moaning about over the course of this blog. I spent an inordinate amount of time (the equivalent of slothful procrastination) seeking out smaller, independent labels only to discover that they all converge at smaller, independent men's store. It leaves one to beg the question, why is it that well-made goods always seem to be targeted at men, while women are left to pick up scraps at H&M? Maybe it's because men hate shopping so much that when they do buy something, they want it to last a lifetime. I know that my husband has been picking out the same shoes in the same style for years and getting him to shop for new ones (or god forbid, try out a new brand) is tantamount to being disemboweled. And the reason he keeps going back to the same brand over and over again? He can wear them every single day for 365 days without worrying if it's going to hurt his feet or rip apart or develop holes in the sole as I've known some overpriced women's shoes to do.

When I picked out the Waste(Twice) tote (pictured above), I based in on some recommendations and research off a men's style forum. I wasn't expecting too much out of it, except that the labor practices were really appealing - small batch totes made in Japan that had sort of an utilitarian, heritage vibe to it. When the bag arrived from Hickoree's, it was quite a pleasant surprise. It was sturdy, very thoughtfully made (i.e. no loose stitches, discoloration, pockets everywhere, etc.) and it would prove to be a really handy tote to have in rainy weather, as opposed to the floppy canvas ones I've been lugging around all summer. By the way, I sold off most of my shoes (see this post) and used the money to buy a pair of Hope brogues. I've always had good luck with Hope as a brand overall, and those brogues are undoubtedly the most comfortable oxfords I've ever worn.

I'm really glad that there is somewhat of a revival to traditional, functional dressing - I know for a fact that women are also starting to demand that sort of manufacturing and styles that were once only limited to men's garments (hence stores like Mill Mercantile springing up). The problem still, I think, is that a lot of women see heritage goods as a "trend" and don't really care about the manufacturing practices or the history behind the company. When you start to think more about how your clothes are made, where it comes from, what it used to represent and how it fits in with your lifestyle, you develop an appreciation for the garments you own. And I think for anyone looking to discover their personal style, or to be a more conscientious consumer, that's a good place to start.

Outfitting for Fall V.2012: Reduce and reuse

Hope boxy tee in wine; J.Crew wool trousers; Church's Sally loafers

Yikes. I don't know if time seems to be going by quicker because I'm older or if I'm older because time is flying by, but even if earthquakes and climate change have made the Earth rotate faster, I feel simultaneously worn out and bored all the time. It wasn't too long ago that I blogged about gearing up for Fall when here we are again -- albeit this time, it feels much too warm to be dressed in sweaters and a waxed jacket in September. My purchases for this season and the next will be highly pared down, for reasons explained in great detail over the last few posts (and I won't get into them again). The funny thing is that I've found myself pretty much set up for the colder weather with hardly worn purchases from last year, which I guess is testament to the fact that I probably overspend on clothing.

I work mostly from home these days in a pseudo-hermetic state, trying to write up my dissertation papers whilst clad in jammy pants, moisture-wicking t-shirts and fuzzy socks. It's gotten so bad that I sometimes feel terribly apologetic when the mailman comes around with a package for me to sign and I look like some post-apocalyptic madwoman. Either way, being at home so often has had some ill-effect on me - I'm getting less exercise AND getting so complacent such that I'm putting more emphasis on comfort and convenience when I do eventually have to go out. I'm not at the point of sweatpants and Minnetonka slip-ons... yet. And not that I would ever allow (or forgive) myself to roll out of the house looking like a wad of disastrous bedding, but I'm starting to think that maybe baggy wool pants and some fleece pullovers isn't necessarily a bad thing or a completely inappropriate attire for the Pacific Northwest. I mean, most of the people I know bike to school, wear trail shoes/clogs and neon raincoats, and by default, every single one of them lists their favorite activity as hiking.

My outfit for work these days has been a pair of extra slouchy pants and a boxy t-shirt. I rotate through a lot of Hope tops and a few other breton tees, and I have several pairs of J.Crew wool Elan trousers that I stockpiled from last year. Suiting is one of the few things J.Crew gets right. Also, mostly because I'm lazy and detest ironing, lately I find myself reaching for shirts a lot less. The tee and trousers combination makes me little bit more workplace appropriate - not overdressed but not sloppy either. It's extremely comfortable, and I think that when it gets into chillier weather, I'll just throw on a scarf and fleece jacket and call it a day.

I don't particularly have a wishlist/purchase list anymore because let's face it - I don't do a very good job sticking to it (and the list seems to multiply every time I surf the internet), but I've added a pair of black Church's loafers to the shoe closet, after receiving a Net-a-Porter gift card for the wedding. I'm dithering about buying a Primoeza sweater over at Anaise but other than that I'll see if I can reduce and reuse and hopefully save enough to make a trip to Barcelona next year (or for retirement, dogs etc., etc.). I'd be interested to read how everyone else's wardrobe preparation/purchases are coming along!

P/S: Man, I really need to get back into swing of blogging because I've realized that I'm incoherently stringing wordstogether that run off in long winding sentences and don't have any structure. Like this. For example, this is the third iteration of this post. Apologies for nonsensical grammar, hopefully I haven't gotten any spelling wrong. I did win a spelling bee competition when I was nine, after all. 

Parklife...

Blur  via billboard.com; all other photos by assembledhazardly

Things this week: Cuddling with a broken weiner dog (recent drama involves losing a tooth and eating dark chocolate - I feel like the worst parent ever), closet cleaning, greasy spoon breakfasts, multiple tea times (breakfast, second breakfast, etc.), winter-ish plants, and sorting through post-wedding crap. I'm finding that I constantly tired so I think it's an indication that I really need to stop snacking, get off my fat arse and get some exercise. I get up when I want to except on Wednesdays when I get rudely awakened by the dustmen (seriously...).

I've also noticed that I've averaged one post per month since February! I'm surprised that I'm actually still accumulating any readers/followers at all. I have a whole bunch of blog drafts sitting around and I really need to get around to posting them - a lot of them are peripherally related to my random observations about shopping habits and what-nots which I guess is the main focus of this blog, no? 

Anyway, I know that I've been posting more random life updates than is necessary but I just really needed an excuse to throw in a very nice picture of Blur from just a few months ago. They were the first band that I ever saw live over a decade ago, and fifteen years on, their music is still heavily rotated on my playlists. Also, as an aside, we all know we secretly want to dress like Graham Coxon (breton top, duffle coat, horn-rim glasses, mysteriously emo sleazy look... how apt!)

In the meantime, have a pleasant week! xx