Sunday, September 28, 2014

"At the Copa...Copacabana"













   Recently I experienced what is referred to as a milestone event.  Yes people, I turned 35 and while this may seem like nothing to those beyond this age, to me it kinda sucked.  There is just something about the number 35 that makes me uncomfortable.  Wait, maybe something is not the right word, let me rephrase that.  There are just many things about the number 35 that makes me uncomfortable.  Hmm...where do I start?
   When you are a woman and 35 people have certain expectations of who you should be.  The biggest label you receive is, "Mother."  Since I am a woman in her 30s and do not have children, this can get rather annoying.  I cannot recall how many times a week I am asked by strangers if I have children.  An example that stands out in my mind was an occasion where I was at the checkout of the grocery store.  Now, my boyfriend and I both work...alot.  This means I tend to buy food that is easy to carry in a sack lunch.  All the old favorites are there.  We have the individual fruit cups, mini chip bags, and of course, what would lunch be without an appearance from little debbie?  The woman who was cashiering took one look at the items in my cart and said, "So the kids are at school this afternoon?"  Now I will admit I just didn't have it in me that day to again explain to someone I don't have kids and yes, I'm well into my 30s.  So I answered her with a simple, "Yep, the kids are at school today."  Little did I realize this woman was going to continue the conversation with anecdotes regarding her own children.  I just kept smiling and agreeing that, "Yes, those kids can be crazy," and, "Oh, but they are worth it."  Then she laid down the whammy.  She asked me, "What time are your kids done with school?"  Honestly, at this point I was tired of the conversation.  I could have lied again, but why?  Why was this stranger so interested in my pretend children's lives?!  I answered, "I don't have any children."  She looked at me very confused and a little upset like I had broken some bond we had formed.  I continued, "You must have misunderstood me."  I then took my receipt and walked my unmarried and childless self out the door.
   In conclusion, I am now 35.  As of now, I am not married and have no children.  At times I feel old and anxious that I have possibly, "missed the bus that everyone else got on."  Then again, I love the idea of a, "Golden Girls," future spent sitting around the table with my girlfriends, wearing tacky windbreaker suits, eating cheesecake, and gabbing about guys.  In this fantasy there are no husbands and no children but maybe, a chihuahua or two.
-r.



Jeans:  Silver Jeans
Sandals:  The FRYE Company
Purse:  J.CREW
Earrings:  Vintage
Bracelet:  Thrifted
Sunglasses:  Dolce & Gabbana  http://www.sunglasshut.com/
Chihuahua:  Zuzu (The true style diva)

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Dressed to Depress













   Sometimes life is just crap.  Not to sound too negative here but I think we can all admit to experiencing rocky patches in the road.  While I try to remain optimistic, sometimes I just give in to the blues.  On these occasions, I find it hard to continue the constant display of, "everything is just peachy," to the public.  It's at this point that I adapt the, "I don't care," attitude.   I will admit during these times of trouble this attitude has often been a relief to me.
   Recently, I experienced one of these rather tumultuous stretches.  Despite my adoption of the, "I don't care," mentality I did somehow keep an interest in this blog.  I decided to get off the couch and take pictures because nothing looks more attractive than stress and apathy, right?  The above pictures are a product of this photo session.  
   Upon inspection of these photos all I could think of was, "God, I have transformed into Brad Pitt's character in True Romance."  This was actually a positive realization because it made me laugh at a time I thought laughter was impossible.  Honestly, all I was missing was a remote control and bag of chips and I think the two of us would have been indistinguishable.  A side note, if you have not seen the movie, "True Romance," climb out from that rock you have been hiding under and rent this fantastic film.  Of course, if you have a strong aversion to excessive violence, drug use, and additional questionable morality you may want to skip it.  However, what's entertainment without these elements?
   While studying the images above, I was able to define my, "go to," comfort clothes.  I identified that when I am, "down," I dress for it.  This made sense since I recognize when I am feeling good I also dress accordingly.  I was not surprised to see that my depressy dressing consisted of a t shirt, over sized wrinkled pants, and a head scarf.  Yep, these are clothes you can couch surf with.  Of course, as usual I could not totally embrace the, "I don't care," mentality.  I still tried to fake, "being peachy," with a pair of blingy flip flops.  However, I am sure the astute eye could certainly have spotted some potato chip crumbs stuck to the bottoms of them.  
-r.



T Shirt:  ebay purchase
Pants:  J. Crew  https://www.jcrew.com
Flip Flops:  Justin
Purse:  Monserat De Lucca
Head Scarf:  banditaz bandanaz (self made)
Ring:  CONTESSA DI CAPRI
Nail Polish:  MARC JACOBS (#108 Secret Love)



(This post is dedicated to my puppy Bradshaw.  Otherwise known as B Man, B, Wubbies, Wubinator, The Poodle, Poodle McPoodleson the Mayor of Poodle Town, Baby Crockett, Piglet, Shermekins, Sherm Sherm, and Beezus.  We loved you, and always will.)

Sunday, September 21, 2014

"All my Bags are Packed. I'm Ready to go"...to Fargo.










   People may wonder, "what's up with this chic? Why does she vacation in Fargo, ND so much?"  My answer to them would be, why not vacation in Fargo? It's a a delightfully quirky city filled with college students, artist types, and mysterious wanderers.  
   Between the neighboring communities of Fargo, ND, and Moorhead, MN, there are three college campuses.  As a result, these towns are home to many young adults who are feeling their first traces of freedom.  Once upon a time...in a galaxy far, far away I was one of these students.  Fargo makes me reminisce about a time full of milestone events like learning to do my own grocery shopping, landing my first non-fast food job at a local floral shop, (huh, some things don't change much), and adjusting to life with roommates. That is one milestone I could have skipped.  
   While residing in the FM area I attended college as an art major and was delighted by the large community of artists who were my peers.  The college experience for me was very special.  I can only describe it by stating that it felt like the planets had aligned and all of the weird and wonderful people in my age bracket ended up in the same place, at the same time.  I had an outrageous group of friends and collaborators whose talents in the fields of art, music, and writing were stunning.  It was a once in a lifetime event that we were all in Fargo together.  Now when I visit my old campus I walk through the art department, that looks and smells exactly the same, and get misty over how fleeting it all was.
  In addition to the large community of artists in the area, Fargo is also full of what I referred to earlier as mysterious wanderers.  I attribute this occurrence to two things.  The first being Fargo is a town of extreme elements.  Basically, the weather is brutal there and one has to be a little strange to tolerate it.  Also, I believe it is easy to get lost in a place like Fargo.  In other words, one can maintain a low profile in such a barren location.  Another reason I believe there are so many strange characters wandering Fargo is the train activity. Between passenger and freight trains this city's railways are always bustling with activity and people on the move.  It is impossible for me not to think about trains when I remember my time in North Dakota.
   So, be it pure nostalgia or artistic allure, I often find myself magnetically pulled back to this odd little city I love.  Of course, it does not hurt that my brother now resides there...and then, we did attend that Paul McCartney concert too...but I swear, I would have still gone back despite these things.
-r.



Outfits on the trip

Style #1
Jacket:  Vintage (Handmade)
Jeans:  Silver Jeans
Sandals:  Sanuk  http://www.sanuk.com/
Purse:  Lucky Brand
Sunglasses:  COACH

Style #2
Boots:  Vintage
Purse:  Lucky Brand
Sunglasses:  COACH

Style #3 (My brother described this outfit as Motorhead meets Yellow Submarine)
T Shirt:  OBEY
Vest:  Daytrip
Pants:  Ann Taylor LOFT
Sandals:  Sanuk
Purse:  Lucky Brand
Hat:  Thrifted  (Goodwill)
Scarf:  Vintage (Jaques Piaget)  http://www.avienavintage.com/






Wednesday, September 17, 2014

I'm at $50 n I wan $55, $55, bid on $55...












   I am sure if you read the title of this post you are wondering if I got caught in some kind of loop with the numbers on my keyboard.  While I am more than a little OCD about things I assure you the title for this post was only intended to be the best impersonation of an auctioneer I could come up with.  Now why, you ask, is she impersonating auctioneers?  How can this possibly be valid regarding a personal style blog?  Oh, you'd be surprised.
   A short while back I was wearing the outfit, presented in the above pictures, to a lunch date with my parents.  While sitting at the table of one of our favorite local cafes my mom noticed my handbag.  She exclaimed enthusiastically on how much she liked it and proceeded to ask me if I would like to part with it.  Now, one may think that she was kidding with this question but that person does not know my mother.  She is a lady who knows what she wants.  On this particular day, what she wanted was my handbag!  The discussion escalated to a full out auction where my mom was suddenly offering me $55.00 for a purse that I got second hand for about $7.00!  The thing is I still did not want to part with it.
   Now I want to set the record straight and state that my mom is one of the funniest, creative, and compassionate people I know.  I would never even consider selling her something of mine.  If I had been ready to part with this handbag I would have just given it to her.  However, when I found this little beauty I almost did a jump for joy since I had been admiring it on the shoulder of a co-worker who had purchased it from J. Jill a few seasons back.  Could it be that I now have the exact purse my co-worker had been carrying around?  Is this particular accessory cursed to cause envy in any woman that sees it?  While a stupid handbag would never create a rift in my mom and I's relationship, I left the cafe feeling guilty and more than a little selfish.  I now have the urge to hide this little treasure in order to keep it in my possession.  I had envied it on someone else's arm.  Now I had it on mine.  It was special.  It was, "my precious?"  Whoa...sorry creepy, "Lord of the Rings," moment.
   Anyway, for the time being this handbag remains in my closet...full of other handbags...because I have more than I possibly could ever need.  Going back to, "Lord of the Rings," maybe Frodo could've gotten the ring of power much faster through a trade.  I mean come on, Gollum never saw this handbag.
-r.



Shirt:  Mossimo Supply Co.
Jeans:  Kasil Workshop
Sandals:  The FRYE Company
Purse:  J. Jill  http://www.jjill.com/
Headscarf:  banditiaz bandanaz headscarves (Mom and I's own local business)
Earrings:  Mama's Little Babies  https://www.etsy.com/shop/mamaslittlebabies
Bracelet:  Thrifted
Belt:  Vintage

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Thou Shalt Not Covet Another's Couture












   Uh, "Sha, Right!," is all I can reply in answer to the title of this post.  Most fashion minded people spend an enormous amount of time coveting someone else's wardrobe or sense of style.  Unfortunately, when it comes to fashion, there always seems to be something trendier or more chic out there.  As a result, many of us self proclaimed fashionistas develop what is often referred to as, style crushes.  For those of you not familiar with this idea it is when one fashion conscious individual may experience a burning desire to emulate another fashion conscious individual's personal style.  Basically, it is when you find yourself thinking, "damn, that chic looks cool!"
   Recently, a friend and I were discussing our current local style crushes and I was relieved to hear that I was not the only individual in the area displaying stalker like tendencies in order to catch a glimpse of another's newest outfit.  Okay, maybe stalker is a little extreme but I will admit to paying very close attention to some of what I think are South Dakota's finest representations of fashion.  I wish I had the confidence to approach them about photographing their style for this blog.  I enjoy fashion blogs that concentrate on, "street style," and hope to someday incorporate this theme into my pictures.  I want to pay homage to my sisters of style since they are a major reason I feel comfortable enough to admit my interest in fashion, a topic that is often criticized as being frivolous and elitist.  
   In response to these criticisms, on the day my friend and I had our style crush discussion we each revealed our current local fashion icons. Her individual was one who's heavily tattooed appearance could only be described as a hybrid between glam and goth.  My style guru was a little bohemian inspired girl whose dreadlocked hair was chock full of chunky beads, charms, and even a full sized pocket watch!  Now I ask you, what is elitist about this pair?  I was surprised that neither one of us mentioned anything about the often coveted Louis Vuitton types roaming around town.  I also could not help but smirk at our own fairly clean cut appearances.  If ever confronted by our style crushes the only thing I can think to say would be in the immortal words of Wayne and Garth, "We are not worthy! We are not worthy!"
-r.



T Shirt:  dELiAs (I am aware that I am way too old to shop at this store, but this t shirt has, "The Kiss," by Gustav Klimt on it!  I could not resist.)
Skirt:  CHAPS
Purse:  Lucky Brand
Bracelets:  Thrifted
Sunglasses:  Vintage  https://www.facebook.com/shopelofson



ATTENTION:  Little House of Haute will now be publishing new posts every Sunday AND Wednesday.  Basically, work has been slow and I have had a lot of free time to write and then hoard unpublished posts.  We will see if I can maintain this twice a week schedule when work picks up again!



   

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Open Mic Night (K.)













   I believe there comes a time in every fashion blogger's life when they get a little sick of looking at themselves.  Now don't get me wrong, in order to have a personal style blog one must be at least a little interested in their reflection.  In fact, some may state one would have to be a lot interested in looking at themselves to maintain this type of hobby.  I would not argue with that statement.  I will humbly admit to liking pictures of myself.  Honestly, it may be one of the main reasons I started this blog.  However, I want to clarify I enjoy seeing these pictures because it gives me an opportunity to reflect on my image on a fairly regular basis...and it occurs to me now that this topic could get rather philosophical, not to mention lengthy and the point of this post was to finally feature someone else's personal style.  So, enough with the narcissistic analyzing and lets get on with it.
   I recently constructed the idea of a series of posts entitled, "Open Mic Night,"  thinking that it would allow me to periodically spotlight other individuals.  I intend on choosing these individuals do to my admiration of their character and sense of style.   It only seemed right to introduce this new series by featuring a great friend and true sister of style.  Let's call her K.
   When I asked K. how she would describe her personal style, she answered that it is a mix of elegant, chic, and country.  She elaborated by stating that she would describe her look as put-together, but unique without getting too crazy.  She admitted that when it comes to fashion, stepping out of the box can sometimes be a challenge, but one she is often willing to take.   
   I then asked K. which pieces in her wardrobe were in heavy rotation?  She answered, jeans are a constant staple often paired with a dressy shirt and cardigan or jacket.  K. also mentioned that she is an, "Accessory Queen."  This is a statement that I am willing to vouch for her on. 
   At this point I wanted to know, where are some of K's favorite places to shop?  Like myself, she has often mentioned going through shopping patterns.  At the moment her favorite finds reside at the Banana Republic.  She also mentioned her loyalty to locally owned boutiques such as, The Clothier by Dawn and Geyermans.  I then asked, while prowling her favorite haunts, what items were currently on her wishlist?  She answered, she has been looking for a traditional black pencil skirt and red peep toe pumps.  
   Lastly I asked K. if, (God forbid,) her house was on fire and she could save only three pieces from her wardrobe what would they be?  She answered with certainty her Donald J Pliner boots (which, I heartily agree must be spared from the fire!), her genuine leather coat she acquired during a trip to Italy, and her wedding ring. 
  In closing, I asked K. to define in one word what she believed others would describe her style as.  She answered immediately, put-together.  Hey it counts, it's hyphenated!
  While I will state K. and I's wardrobes are vastly different, I want to clarify that we share a common respect for one another's individual style and enthusiasm for the fashion industry.  I have always greatly enjoyed the bonding experiences our many shopping trips together have provided. In fact, I would be willing to state that fashion found us friendship.
 -r.



Jacket:  GAP
Dress:  Banana Republic
Heels:  Naturalizer
Purse:  Etsy
Earrings:  Chelsea's Boutique  https://www.facebook.com/chelseasboutiqueonline
Bracelet:  The Limited
Sunglasses:  Maui Jim

Noted Local Boutiques:  

K's fashion influences:  
KENDI everyday:  http://www.kendieveryday.com/