Tropically Speaking

I wouldn't say these shoes match my vintage tunic, but tropically speaking, they seem to go pretty well:

The grass and palm motifs work well together and the pieces have some colors in common too:

Tunic: vintage  Pants: LOFT (full length)
Shoes: Sam Edelman "Carol" Slingbacks

Basically, they have enough in common that I thought pairing them would be a good idea:

You know, tropically speaking.


Happy Tuesday, All!

Gracey

Pop of Non-Color

I'm not a big fan of white shoes.  They tend to remind me of nursing shoes.  Or, if they're sandals, of bandaged feet.  Or, if they're pumps, the 80s.  You know I love the 80s, but I never could get behind the brightly color-blocked outfits paired with white pumps.

But, what I can get behind are speckled white flats:

I just think they're more interesting than a black shoe would be with this outfit:

And more palatable, for my tastes, than a white pump would be:

Top: LOFT  Skirt: vintage, thrifted  Shoes: Steve Madden (save, splurge)

It's not that either of those choices wouldn't work, it just that I like these as my pop of non-color.


Happy Thursday, All!

Gracey

Literary Stylings #18: Scent of Triumph

If you guessed I'd be basing today's outfit off of Scent of Triumph, give yourself a hand.  It really was the obvious choice though.  It's the only book I read last month that I really liked and the 1940s fashions described throughout were truly inspiring.

And they provided the perfect context in which to wear my 40s-inspired wiggle dress:

I love that this dress has the classic "wiggle" shape, but the print is completely modern:

Now, I think a true wiggle dress would be quite a bit more fitted, but this one suits me and my need to work in an office.


I completed the look with t-strap sandals:

Dress: ASOS (similar)  Sandals: Camper

And now it's your turn.  If you were sartorially inspired by something you read last month, please link up below!

An InLinkz Link-up

Happy Tuesday, All!

Gracey

Shop Wiggle Dresses

Psychedelic Poppies

So, as it turns out, faux leather is not great in humidity.  I wore this shirt anyway:

I wore it both because I like it and, because it was the only thing I could find to go with this skirt.  I thrifted this skirt months ago, but have struggled in finding anything to wear with it.  It seems like I could wear any color and it'd work, but so far that hasn't been the case.


But, I think this top works.  It has a different texture than the skirt and therefore doesn't read as a clashing or mismatched black:

The top also works well with the sandals:

Top: LOFT (similar) (peplum version)  Skirt: thrifted
Earrings: Lil' Gypsy Vintage (similar)  Sandals: Steve Madden (similar)

And both the top and the sandals add a nice edge to what could otherwise be a fairly stodgy skirt.  You know, as stodgy as psychedelically-colored poppies can be.


Happy Monday, All!  Or, rather, Happy Visible Monday; I'm linking up my psychedelic poppies over at Patti's today!

xoxo,

Gracey

Lucky Number Seven

According to the True Random Number Generator on RANDOM.ORG, seven really is a lucky number.  At least in my Cappelli Straworld Pack-A-Hat Giveaway!

Congratulations, Camille, both on what will be your undoubtedly awesome vacation to Mexico City and on winning this awesome hat to wear there.

Email your address to me at fashionforgiants (at) gmail (dot) com and I'll pop the hat in the mail on Monday.

Thank you all for playing and congrats again to Camille!


Happy Saturday, All!

Gracey

What I Read: April 2015

Holy smokes, I can't believe I forgot about Literary Stylings this month!  I blame the new job; do you know I have to be to work at 7:30?  I know, right?!  Nonsense!  Anyway, my excuse is that I'm sleepy and forgetful and thank goodness for Sheila for reminding me.  And, I figure instead of the first Tuesday of the month, we could just do it next Tuesday, m'kay?  Fabulous.

Now, without further ado, here's what I read:

Midnight Riot, by Ben Aaronovitch:

I never should have read this book.  It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't nearly as good as it should have been either.  And I should known this because Salazar reviewed it on her blog and mentioned that it doesn't quite live up to it's potential.  She was right.  It seems to have a lot of potential what with a London policeman stumbling onto a supernatural crime (his first eye witness is a ghost!) and trying to settle disputes between river gods and goddesses.  But, honestly, it's just muddy (like the rivers!) and while I understood the plot of the crime, I'm just not sure it made any sense.  I truly believe that Aaronovitch saw an entire world in his head as he wrote this book, but, unfortunately, that world didn't make it fully onto the paper.

Another thing that should have warned me off is that it's compared to Harry Potter and that never works out.  It's not like Harry Potter.  Just like The Magicians wasn't like Harry Potter.  Because Harry Potter was beautifully written and wonderfully imagined.  This book is just written and imagined and the imagining portion is far better than the writing portion.


Scent of Triumph, by Jan Moran

As I mentioned in my review of this book, I actually really liked it.  I am not a big reader of historical romance, but this one definitely caught and kept my interest.  Probably because the historical parts were well written and there weren't too many, as Patti aptly called them, "kissy parts."


And now for a book I didn't read.

Annihilation, by Jeff Vandermeer:

Holy hell, did I hate this book.  I didn't finish and I have no desire to finish.  Ever.  Ordinarily, I wouldn't include a book I hadn't finished yet in this post, but I wanted to include it for two reasons.  One, I'm not going to finish, because I hated it because it was the most boring book I've ever read in my entire life.  It made me want to claw my own eyes out.

And two, because I wanted to warn you guys away from ever reading this book.  Because it is terrible.  And, if I didn't warn you, you might read it because it seems like it would be so interesting.  It takes place in an area of the United States (Florida?) that had some sort of unnamed calamity befall it years ago.  And now an expedition is going in to see what they can discover about that calamity and the current conditions.  But, it's not the first time the government has sent an expedition; it's actually the 12th.  And, those other expeditions?  Yeah, they didn't end well.

Sounds great, right?  A mysterious, somewhat post-apocalyptic science fiction novel fraught with danger; what's not to like?  This book.  This book is what's not to like.  And, in this book, specifically, the narration done by the character called The Biologist.  She is the most boring person ever.  Even when she talks about losing her husband (it's not a spoiler because hopefully you're not going to read this book) you're not sympathetic or empathetic, you're just bored.  I don't know why the author chose to have her narrate in this voice, but IMHO, it was a huge mistake because it made the book unreadable.


So, yeah, one book I liked, one that was only okay and one that I'd set on fire if burning books wasn't the realm of despots and idiots.

The good news is that I know exactly what I'm going to wear on Tuesday for the link party.  I hope to see you there!

Happy Friday, All!

Gracey


P.S. My giveaway closes tomorrow; don't forget to enter!  No purchase necessary!

The Good Wife: A Conversation with Dan Lawson

As a bonus for being Dryel Ambassadors, Dryel gave us the chance to ask some questions of Dan Lawson.  Mr. Lawson is the costume designer of one of my favorite shows, The Good Wife.  He is also credited with bringing "work dress back" to TV.  And I couldn't agree more.  Do you all remember what "work dress" looked like on shows like Ally McBeal and Melrose Place?

Those looks are pretty big contrast to the truly professional work wear seen on The Good Wife:

So, let's see what Mr. Lawson has to say about it all, shall we?


Fashion For Giants: Who is your favorite character to dress?  And why?

Dan Lawson: I honestly don’t have a fave.  They are all fun to dress, each with their individual appeal and challenges.  Even guest stars.  Some of my favorite fittings have been with wonderful guest stars who are game for anything I put on them!  Love that!

I'm hoping he was talking about Carrie Preston in her recurring guest starring role as Elsbeth. Elsbeth is one of my favorite characters ever and her wardrobe is a delight!

Seriously, if you've never watched the show, do yourself a favor and at least watch the Elsbeth episodes; she is the best!



FFG: Diane wears some pretty major accessories; can you share the thought process behind that decision?

DL: I think Diane is of a stature that she can carry significant jewelry, including a necklace.  I think it sets her apart from others in the office and it looks great on her.

FFG: Which character's style would you say is most like your own personal style?

DL: I think Alicia mirrors my style the most because I think she is the most classic with an eye on the modern and that is certainly the way I dress myself.

That's really the perfect way to describe Alicia's style, it's both classic and modern:

FFG: Lemond Bishop's wardrobe is one of my favorites because although it recalls the brightly colored dealers from the 80s, it's still very modern.  Would it be fair to call his mix of flash and class the new "drug dealer chic?"

DL: That sounds pretty good to me.  I really wanted Lemond’s look to be high end, but I also wanted there to be just a little bit of it that’s a little garish, just a little.  It’s like he can buy the clothes and really try to fit in, but it’s always going to be a little nouveau because of his need to stand out and say, “look at me”.


FFG: You're credited with bringing "work dress back;" do you, yourself "dress" for work?

DL: I love that.  So cool.  OK.  How I dress.  My day fluctuates wildly.  I can start my day shooting in a dump at 7 AM in the rain or snow, and then find myself in a meeting with producers by 12 and a shopping trip to Saks by 3.  I have to be able to keep warm and be able to be mobile on the set and look presentable in high end stores and meetings.  That being said, I dress in a uniform for most of the year.  I wear slim dark jeans, a long sleeve t-shirt or dress shirt with a dark cashmere sweater over it.  I will add a Uniqlo puffy jacket for warmth if needed.  My coat is a black NorthFace puffy in winter and a slim wool overcoat in fall and spring.  I almost always have some kind of wool or cotton scarf and I LOVE my Puma sneakers.  

This was probably my favorite answer of his because although we talk about "work dress" the fact of the matter is we all work in different environments. It's important to dress not only visibly appropriate for work but also to be able to do the work in whatever you wear.

FFG: Besides The Good Wife, what are some of your all-time favorite shows from a costume/wardrobe perspective?

DL: I know it’s really really current, but I do love “Downton Abbey”.  I think it is beautiful; it’s like a vacation once a week.  I love Lucille Ball’s looks on “I Love Lucy” as well as all the clothes in “The Dick Van Dyke Show”.  I just love that era.  And let’s face it, I was crazy for Ginger’s clothes on “Gilligan’s Island”!  What kind of 3 hour tour did she think she was going on?!?!?  Oh!  And “The Carol Burnett Show”.  Bob Mackie was/is a genius.

FFG: Do any of those shows influence your work at all?

DL: Absolutely!  I often think about those suits and dresses that were so Dior-esque on Lucille Ball and kind of chic.  She made them funny, but they were also elegant.  Bob Mackie’s wit and style and ability to tell a story in such a short amount of time is simply genius.  His work is brilliant.

FFG: Who is the most difficult character to dress?  And why?

DL: All of the characters have their own challenges.  It really is hard to pick one out that is more challenging than the others.  I am lucky that all the actors are wonderful collaborators and care about their clothes on the show.  They trust me to make them look good while staying true to the characters.

FFG: Whose wardrobe on the show do you most envy?

DL: From a completely selfish place I would have to say Finn’s.  His suits are custom made and they are stunning.  And I know if I wore them I would look incredibly gorgeous and thin and tall, just like Matthew Goode.  Right?!?!

Mathew Goode, ladies and gentlemen:

You're welcome.

FFG: If you weren't working on The Good Wife, what show would you want to work on?

DL: I’d love to try my hand at a period piece.  I did period shows the whole time I was in school and then period plays and musicals afterward.  I have assisted on period movies too.  I know it’s a ton of work and you can’t run to a store and pick up what you need for a new scene.  But there is something exciting and intoxicating about a period project.  One of these days…  I did just do a pilot called “Limitless” for CBS and that was a wonderful departure from the world of suits and lawyers on TGW.  Like a busman’s holiday!

I hope you all enjoyed this peek into wardrobe of The Good Wife. I really enjoyed putting together the questions and appreciated Mr. Lawson's thoughtful, insightful answers.

Thank you all, Reader Friends, for reading. And a huge thank you to Dan Lawson for answering all my burning questions with such charm and grace. And, of course, thank you to Dryel for setting this opportunity up!

xoxo,

Gracey

Late Spring Layers

On Monday, it was 91 degrees here in PA.  In two days, it dropped 30 degrees and we're now in the high 50s, low 60s.  I don't mind though.  One, the heat is NOT a dry heat; in fact, it is a sweaty, gross heat that makes me sad.  And two, it gives me the opportunity to pull out some late spring layers:

The layer I'm most excited about is this cream moto:

I got a great deal on it because I bought it super late in the season, but that also meant that it was basically too late in the season to wear it much.  So, when the temperatures dropped, I knew I had to take the opportunity to break it out.

Happily, it worked out quite nicely with my not-quite-a-maxi dress and my suede boots:

Unhappily, I think it'll be the last time it makes it onto the blog for awhile; I believe we're supposed to be back up to 80 by this weekend.  Hot, sweaty 80.  Yuck.


Happy Thursday, All!

Gracey

Get the Look

Book Review: Scent of Triumph by Jan Moran

In my opinion, one of the best parts of blogging has been getting offers to read and review new books.  And, for the most part, pretty good books.

Most recently, I was given the chance to read Scent of Triumph, by Jan Moran:

Now, historical romances aren't usually my thing; for example, I had never even heard of the Outlander series before last year.  But, this book gave me the opportunity to branch out a little, so I took it.

And I'm happy that I did.  The main character of the book is Danielle Bretancourt, an aristocratic French perfumer trying to save her family and herself as World War II rages on.  And, let me tell you, Jan Moran's background in the fragrance and beauty industry served her extremely well in writing this book.  She does a fabulous job describing the art of perfume as well as the fashions of the day.

Now, I have to admit that I could have done with the romance part, but then I guess it wouldn't have been a historical romance.  And it wasn't, I don't believe, poorly written, and it definitely wasn't over explicit, I just found the parts of the book about fleeing the Nazis, working with the Resistance Movement and, yes, the fragrance and fashion, more interesting.

All in all, I recommend this book.  If you like historical romances, I think you'll love this.  And if, like me, you prefer other genres, I still recommend this book as a break to your normal reads.  It's fun and well-written and very engaging.

Happy Tuesday, All!

Gracey

A Bit of Blue

I probably could have gone head to toe neutral with this look, but I am unable to resist sneaking even just a bit of blue into my outfits:

My excuse?  The pendant on the necklace has a little blue one it:

My other excuse?  I love blue and I'm not sorry.



I'm also not sorry about my love for cropped pants.  I'm so very happy they're back:

These aren't quite culottes, but they have a great wide leg and are a nice departure from the fitted pants I usually wear:

Top: thrifted vintage (similar)  Pants: LOFT (on sale too!)
Pendant: Target (similar)  Sandals: Zigi Girl "Maybel"

Oh, and they look great with a bit of blue.  So, you know, win-win.


Happy Monday, All!

Gracey

Cappelli Pack-a-Hat Giveaway***CLOSED***

When I went to Hawaii with my friend Jodi, I made the mistake of trying to pack several hats.  I felt I needed a hat for every occasion; walking on the beach, sitting on the beach, attending a luau on the beach - you get the idea.  So why was this a mistake?  Because I didn't have the right kinds of hats.  My luggage was filled with bulky hats, leaving little room for souvenirs.

Now, if I'd had a Cappelli Pack-a-Hat, I could have taken one of every color and still had enough room to bring home souvenirs for all my loved ones.

As it was, some people just had to settle for postcards.  And postcards are poor souvenirs, folks.  Poor.


So, if you're going on vacation, don't be like me.  Don't give postcards.  Instead, enter to win an awesome, supremely packable, space-saving Pack-a-Hat from Cappelli Straworld.  I'm giving this one away to one lucky winner:

When I was offered one of this season's hats, I chose the "Toast" color because I think it's a warm brown that is flattering for most everyone but will still work as a neutral.  I also love the bit of gold shimmer in this year's version.


So, why I am giving this hat away?  Because I already have one and that's how I know that they're truly fabulous.  They look good, they really are that packable and, best of all, they help protect you from the sun.  Due to the construction and fabric, they offer UPF 50+ for your precious face.  I care about your precious faces, Reader Friends.  That's why I'm giving away this hat.


Wanna win?  Fabulous.  Here is all you have to do.  Follow along with my blog either on GFC or Bloglovin and leave a comment letting me know where you'd take this hat this summer.  Both vacationers and staycationers are welcome to enter.  And I'll announce the winner next Saturday.  Need a hat now?  You can purchase your own here (and you get free shipping too).


Bon Chance, All!

Gracey

Blue Silk Blazer

The blue of this silk blazer is simply the best:

And I love how it looks paired with white jeans for spring:

Also, I totally recognize that I'm wearing a lot of black, white and blue lately.  But, blue is both my signature color and my Kryptonite, as I am powerless to resist it.


Especially pretty blue in the form of a silk blazer like this one:

Blazer: thrifted  Tee: LOFT (similar)
Jeans: Old Navy Sweetheart  Shoes: Old Navy (save, fair to middlin', splurge)

I'm only human after all (at least so far as you know).


Happy Friday, All!

Gracey

Black, White and Bright

Most everyone agrees that black and white are a classic combination.  But, to my eye, black pants and a white blazer can read less "classic style" and more "classic waiter."  To avoid being asked for water refills, I added some navy and a bright scarf to my look:

And, it seems to have worked; not a single person asked me for today's specials.



As is often the case with my outfits, the scarf is the best thing about this look:

It's vintage, silk Vena and it is, of course, thrifted.  I couldn't resist the colors or the mix of graphic patterns.



The navy shirt though; I'm not sure that was necessary:

You can hardly tell it's navy and I'm skeptical that it's bringing anything to the outfit.  I think a black shirt would probably have been fine.  Huh, I wonder if I thought this was a black shirt?  Hell, probably.


Oh, and although you can't tell from the above photos, I am also wearing shoes:

Blazer: Banana Republic (similar)  Pants: LOFT
Top: Gap (similar)  Scarf: vintage Vena  Shoes: DSW (similar pump) (similar flat)

Cap toe wedge pumps, to be exact.  Remember when cap toes were all the rage?  Are they no longer?  Do we care?  I have to say, I don't think I do.  How about you?


Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey