In this Issue No. 14 - Summer dress inspiration

 It's summertime and the living's easy.

 

At least this is what I will trick myself into believing, if only due to the fact that it's warm enough now that I can prance around in pretty dresses and girly skirts, acting like I have nary a care in the world.

My ode to summer is less a poem and more of a visual display of the dresses and skirts that I have seen (and bemoaned that I didn't have the money to buy) in pages of magazines past, that I still adore to this day.  Ahem, and to start:

1.  Seriously the prettiest dress ever. If it were still available, I'd snatch it up in a hot minute.

 (Lucky, June 2010)

2. Pink Plenty! By Tracy Reese dress, top right. I love the illustrated flowers and the flare of the dirndl skirt. Perfect to wear to a wedding.

 Allure, February 2008

3. That skirt can be worn with anything. Dress it up, pair it down. At the office, out for drinks. Tomayto, Tomahto.

 Lucky, date unknown

4. I love how relaxed, yet put-together the model looks. This photo shows that there is no reason why comfort and languid ease must be encapsulated only by the constantly perpetuated vision of t-shirts and sweatpants.

5. I love the duality of this dress; it can act both as a beach cover-up or a dress to wear out on the town - provided that dress has killer accessories to liven it up (see: headband, earrings).

 Lucky, June 2010

6. Again, with the full skirt. Love 'em. They make your legs look soooo loooong.

 Glamour, date unknown

7. It's no big secret that I'm attracted to bright colors like bugs are to a light, so this tangerine, coral and fuchsia combination makes me giddy every time I look at this picture. The excess displayed here - in colors, jewelry, volume of hair, pose - I love it all.

 Elle, date unknown

8. I remember when this Gucci outfit made the rounds in almost every magazine and on several celebrities, such was its appeal, and I willingly jumped on the bandwagon. It has an equal mix of high culture meets low-brow, as can be seen where the pairing of expensive fabrics and masterful tailoring meet gratuitous decollete on display.

 Cosmopolitan, April 2011

 

9. Much like the Gucci dress from above, when this skirt hit the scene, you couldn't throw a rock without hitting someone that was wearing it, or see an editorial without it being featured. Tilda Swinton wore the pale yellow version to the Golden Globes and Kate Bosworth wore the light green runway version to an event. I love the rich orange hue, as seen featured below.

 Glamour, March 2011

10. I hadn't heard of the brand Saloni before read the credits for this fun, brightly patterned dress, but I soon became a fan after I noticed that all of the brand's designs are as eye-catching as this one.

 Vogue, June 2011

11. I'm probably beating a dead horse at this point, but having just discovered my affinity for yellow, I became obsessed with finding a skirt that looks like this. Don't worry, I've already created seven or eight outfits in my mind that incorporate this skirt.

 Marie Claire, November 2010

12. Another take on the Gucci dress featured in No. 8. I love that the voluminous curls and hoops lend a certain vivaciousness to the bold colors of the dress. It wouldn't do to have a meek personality while trying to rock such a style. You can't let your clothes wear you; it has to be a partnership. *Side note: Those shoes. Those. Shoes.

13. I'm talking about the white babydoll dress on right. You know the rule that states, "Show legs or chest, but not both at the same time,"? Playing on that idea, since the bodice is so austere, I'd match this dress with some serious heels, be they wedges, stilettos, platforms, booties.

 

Nylon, January 2012

14. It's obvious at this point in the list that I like the tiny-waisted, flared skirts. The cap sleeves and v-neck combo is what drew me to this look, though, as it's a combination that's very flattering and yet I don't see it on many pieces. I love the barest trace of the ikat print near the waist.

Real Simple, September 2010

15. Though I wouldn't bust this gorgeous dress out for a summer party, this outfit makes me immediately envision myself to be in 18th century France, sipping tea, eating pastries and playing croquet (Did the French play croquet or sip tea in the 18th century? I might have to read up and change my daydream accordingly).

Vogue, 2006 (Total guesstimate)

In this Issue No. 8 - Keel's Simple Diary

I've always been, and likely will always be, fascinated with journals and/or books that prompt the reader to document things in its pages. Regardless of if I walk into a bookstore with a purpose, that is, with intent to buy one predetermined item, inevitably I will be stopped in my tracks by a "write-in-me" book of some sort. For instance, some examples of popular (and very fun, from experience) "write-in-me" books include:

Wreck This Journal, where each page denotes a new task for the reader to accomplish, such as lighting a page on fire or coloring a page with food.

 (image c/o amazon.com)

My friend brought this book out for a group of us to play with, and though the prompts were intriguing, my mind started to wander after completing a few pages. It started to feel like more of a task than a rebellious act of fun to do something weird to a piece of paper.  *Side note: However, it could also be due to the fact that I thought the whole "put food on this page, then continue using this book day after day while the stench grows more foul and permeates your nostrils" thing probably turned me off of it.


The Listography book set is a series of journals that are comprised of...you guessed it, lists. I love this book because I make lists all the time. All the time. List-making keeps me sane by lessening the amount of stress I put on my brain and by appeasing my ADD at the same time. Win-win, no?

 (image c/o barnesandnoble.com)

Anyway, these books are fun and thought-provoking. For example, one of the lists featured in the book asks, "List what you've been for Halloween," while another prompts the reader to describe bad habits that he or she would like to overcome.


The other book that I found via Nylon Mag's website is Keel's Simple Diary.

(image c/o simplediary.com)

The diary, conceived by artist and author James Keel, was created so that people may document their days simply, without worry as to the time and introspection needed to put meaningful words to paper, you know, the things that hinder people from starting to journal in the first place. The pages within the diary can be nonsensical, but they definitely promote introspection, and can show us a lot about ourselves should we look back to page one after a month or a year of jotting down daily summaries. The fact that copies of the journal come in the ROYGBIV color selection and that there are two versions should be motivation enough to grab yourself a copy.

The bright and sunny yellow copy is what caught my attention as I was waiting in line at my local bookstore, and so that is the color I chose for myself. As you may remember from an earlier post, the color yellow and I are getting acquainted now that I've ascertained that we aren't enemies. Here is my copy of the journal as well as a few of the cool pages that you can find in the book.

And a nice little note tucked into the back cover pocket was waiting for me. Nothing like a custom note (intended to be viewed by thousands of people) to make one feel special.