conflicting emotions

I've got some issues. I used to pass myself off as a "maximalist" (not a real word, I am aware) to excuse my ridiculous double closet plus 80-100 shoe count. (Other excuses used: "Jinah has a bigger closet and bigger hoarding issues than me, so I am okay." For the record, Jinah says this to herself as well, replacing her name with someone else's. I'm convinced this is a way of life for most girls.)

I look at people who are able to keep their shoe count down to the single digits, or even bloggers like Dead Fleurette who has created a wardrobe based around the French 4-5 piece philosophy in absolute amazement. Seriously, how do you come to the decision to reduce and maintain a small wardrobe? My closet is literally bursting with crap. The sad thing is, I can tell you exactly where I got each item, an approximate price point, and a small anecdote about said item. Is this a sign that I should sign up for an A&E show?

I think I could probably reduce my shoe collection. All the shoes in the first two rows are the ones I've been wearing the most this summer:


Top: Balenciaga cut out boots, Alexander Wang Frejas, Jeffrey Campbell Ticks in Tribal
Bottom: Chloe Kirsten Wedge, Balenciaga space boots from FW08, Alexander Wang mules

But how do I even begin to conquer my clothes? I suppose the first question I should be asking is if this lifestyle is viable for me. Opinions, experiences, and advice requested. Also, if anyone has tried it and decided against it, please tell me your story!

Mondays call for simplicity. I love this dress because you can throw it on and walk out the door. It's casual enough to run errands, but also has potential as an evening piece with the help of jewels and some sky high heels. The best part is that this dress requires no bra, due to its built in bustier. Perfection in black? Hell. YES.





dress. Theyskens' Theory Lara Dress
shoes. Alexander Wang mules SS10
sunglasses. Matthew Williamson for Linda Farrow

things i don't understand #1

I love Net-A-Porter.com. The item photography is fantastic, and most of the things on there are totally droolworthy. But every now and then, I see something that makes me wonder, "Who is shopping here?" Then I look at the item's price and then reel at the fact that something so fugly could be SOLD OUT. Here's just a sampling of the items from this week that are sold out, plus my running commentary.

sold out on netaporter, why by kittenmasks

Rosamosario print dress, $620 - I'm pretty sure this was ripped off Topshop.
Thakoon Addition cap sleeve dress, $625 - first, it's got a cap sleeve. CAP SLEEVES ARE NOT YOUR FRIEND. Secondly, this dress looks way too simple to be priced at $625. Does this dress work magical wonders that I'm not getting while staring at a stock photo on the web?
Artisan earrings, $1,100 - these look like they were picked up at a Miami flea market and used to belong to a very tacky, ostentatious, currently deceased grandmother.
Juicy Couture Striped cotton and cashmere-blend cardigan, $160 - this could be from Forever 21. Enough said.
Preen Razor wool-crepe pants, $1,000 - I'm going to assume that the people who purchased these live in Australia or somewhere else in the world that's in winter. Just THINKING about wool in this weather is enough to make me sweat.
Artisan 18-karat gold diamond triangle earrings, $2,180 - I'm really curious as to who's purchasing earrings priced at over $2K. Also, I'm going to go ahead and assume that there were 1-2 pairs available for sale, because the idea that more people are throwing away $$$ on some crap jewelry item that looks like it's from the bargain bin at Claire's is making me ill.

transition: edgy to brunch

While spending hours on various street style sites, I've come to a number of conclusions about things that are acceptable in various parts of the United States. First, various states of undress are mostly acceptable in California. People won't blink an eye at butt cleavage, peek-a-boo flimsy bras, sheer netting over crochet skirts, etc. None of these things will pass in ATL. (From personal experience, 5" Alexander Wang hooker heels will get you raised eyebrows. Also, so will pink pleated skirts.)

Taking my favorite summer staple, a Victoria's Secret slip worn as a dress, I've made it brunch appropriate with your grandmother. For the transition, I replaced the slip on mules for the dressier Chloe wedges, added a blazer with a splash of color, and swapped the grotesque, chunky jewelry and leather accents for southern-approved pearls and ribbon accents for a softer look.

DOWNTOWN:



top. lace crop by Pencey / dress. black slip by Victoria's Secret / shoes. mules by Alexander Wang / assorted jewelry / sunglasses. Chanel



UPTOWN:




top. turquoise crop top by Topshop / blazer. Zara / shoes. Chloe

how to dress like a korean boy band member

Have you ever looked at the latest K-pop phenomenons and thought, "Wow, I'd love to look like that?" Yeah, me neither. But I thought that there would be a few people who have considered it or at the very least would be amused by my list. (I have an obsession with making lists. Apparently, David Sedaris does, too.)

How To Dress Like A Korean Boy Band Member

1. Everything is unisex. Gender roles? What's that? In K-pop World, everything is a go. You want to wear Alexander Wang's mesh embossed dress, why not? See: G-dragon and his latest skirt obsession.
2. Put studs and spikes on everything. And I mean, EVERYTHING. Jackets (of course), shoes, arm bands, your face. It declares to the world, "I am a badass. Or at least my stylist wants me to be."
3. Neon colors! Electro blue, hot pink, flourescent green - the more of an '80s throwback it seems to be, the better. 
4. Dressing in all silver or gold is also acceptable. 
5. Clothing that lights up are always a plus. Feel free to decorate yourself like a Christmas tree. You'll get those teenage groupies screaming, "OPPA!" faster than Rain (비) can rip his shirt off.
6. Group coordination is one of the key elements to making this look work. The deeper you roll, the cooler you are - see: Super Junior, boasting 13 members. 

K-pop Boy Band by kittenmasks

three teeth left his silver smile

I think I've found a new favorite nail polish brand. I recently ordered Artful Dodger and Lady Muck by Butter London from beauty.com and received them today. They apply flawlessly, and I'm totally smitten by the turquoise Dodger. Also, as a confessed anglophile, I adore the names - Artful Dodger makes me think of the first "Bridget Jones's Diary." My favorite scene was when she was in the bath tub after discovering Daniel's "American stick insect," picking off her fake eyelashes and flicking them onto the tile floor. I would totally do that.

I've gotten a few inquiries regarding the side cross cuff I'm always wearing. It's something I made about 1.5 years ago but wasn't that popular. I've got a few pieces, which I'm selling on etsy.com but feel free to email me about them at kittenmasks@gmail.com.







top. Monki / shorts. Rag & Bone Errington Eyelet Short / shoes. Kirsten wedge by Chloe / nail polish. Artful Dodger by Butter

nutella banana cake

Last week, I spotted the recipe for Banana Nutella Cake on Ruby NZ's blog and wanted to try it. I've converted the measurements for U.S. standards. Also, the bananas I used weren't extremely ripe. For banana cakes, it's best to use overripe bananas, because it'll make your batter sweeter and doesn't require as much sugar. The powdered sugar is optional.



For the Banana Cake  
generous 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened  
generous 1/2 cup cup caster sugar  
2 organic eggs  
2 large, ripe bananas, mashed  
1/2 tsp baking soda  
2 tbsp boiling milk  
scant 1/2 cup cups self-raising flour, sifted
1 tsp cinnamon [I thought this was a little much, so I only used 1/2 tsp.]
powdered sugar (optional)

For the Nutella Cake 
1 cup of Nutella  
2 organic eggs  
scant 1/2 cup self-raising flour, sifted
dash of milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.



2. Place sugar and butter in a bowl and beat until creamy. Then add the eggs one at a time. Do not add the second egg until the first egg has been fully mixed. Stir in the mixed bananas.



3. Dissolve the baking soda in the boiling milk. [I just stuck the milk in the microwave.] Stir milk into mixture. Fold in sifted flour. Add the cinnamon. Pour into prepared cake tin.



4. To make the Nutella batter: add the Nutella, eggs, flour, and milk into bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour onto banana mixture. Use a fork or spoon to mix the two layers.



5. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top. (Optional.)

babies, the documentary

Anyone who knows me at all knows that I'm not a fan of children. (They're not fans of me, either.) I tend to shy away from conversations about anyone under the age of 14, pregnancy/maternity clothes, and child rearing. So, the fact that I enjoyed a documentary called "Babies" is truly revolutionary.

I'm always a huge fan of anything that comes from Focus Features, which probably explains why Netflix recommends only "cerebral dramas" to me. "Babies" follows four babies located in four different cities - San Francisco, Tokyo, rural Mongolia, and Namibia - documenting the moments from birth to around toddler. The cinematography is absolutely beautiful, especially the shots from Namibia and Mongolia, but the film itself never reaches a climax, leading to any type of revelation about humankind and its similarities despite geography. I feel like that's where the directors were going, but without narrative it's difficult to lead viewers towards any type of conclusion.

Regardless, it's adorable (which means a lot when it comes from me) with a few LOL moments. I love all the scenes where the babies and animals interact; it's absolutely fascinating how much patience animals can have towards children. Do they innately know that this is a little person so you're not supposed to bite their face off even if they pull your tail?

Watch it now on Netflix!

riding trains to the end of lines

A lot of people are encouraging wearing 100% silk during the summer months. Can someone explain this to me? Does this 100% silk = breathable fabric only work in low humidity areas like California? I wore this dress to class once and quickly discovered that if you start to sweat in it, you will sweat it in ALL DAY. The back of the dress was stuck to my butt when I got from my chair. Hope no one sat in it after me! (Gross, I know. C'est la vie.)

This dress is by Katayone Adeli. Does anyone else remember that line? She was like the Alexander Wang of the '90s. (I guess I should be saying that the other way around.)





dress. Katayone Adeli / belt. Japanese boutique / jacket. Yubsshop / shoes. Carlos by Carlos Santana (what!) / hat. H&M

the stuff childhood dreams are made of

There's a traveling carnival in the parking lot of my local Kroger, and I can't resist a kitschy childhood throwback. As long as you've got a carousel and a ferris wheel, consider me there. Liana and I began the night with a ride in the spinning dragon, where we quickly realized that we're too old to be in a ride like this. I nearly threw up my tacos. The super duper fast ferris wheel was the best ride, hands down. We finished the night with Baskin Robbins ice cream, rounding out my inner child's best evening ever.








top. Ballerina Retro Chic / shorts. Blank Denim NYC / shoes. Lanvin / bag. Celine / nail polish. Chanel Mimosa

an attempt on salvaging sartorial mistakes

The year was 2003 (or 2004. Or 2005.), and I was a young, naive, and blissfully unaware. Words like "fashion blog" and "recession" were unknown. Instead, I was drawn to phrases like "ladies free before 11pm" and "open bar until 10pm." And Friday nights meant parading around in the skankiest looking club clothes while wearing your highest heels and your blackest eyeliner until 3 or 4am, where you inevitably ended up at Waffle House/The Grill eating D-rated food in a bleary eyed, drunken stupor. Ah, the days of college. Thank God that shit is over.

But years of closet purging can still unearth a questionable fashion purchase like this:



Yes, that is a camo mini skirt from HOLLISTER. That's right, I said it. HOLLISTER. There are about five levels of wrong with the fact that I have an item from Hollister in my closet, but I'm going to save that for another day.

The question of today is: can I salvage items like this?

Paired with a denim shirt, lots of jewelry, and most importantly, Balenciaga cut out boots, this skirt is less crap and less pre-teen. (You could easily replace the Balenciagas with any other type of flat, industrial looking boot.) Finish off with a bi-color pouch, and it's almost fashion editor worthy.





Shirt. Zara / Skirt. Hollister / Boots. Balenciaga / pouch. Celine / sunglasses. Chanel

grocery store runs in 90 degree weather

WEATHER:



ORIGINAL LOUNGE AROUND OUTFIT:


+ ACCESSORIES:


+ BLAZER (optional):


+ BAG:


+ SHOES:


= INSTANT GROCERY STORE RUN GLAM!


T-shirt. Theme Magazine / Shorts. Madewell / Blazer. Zara / Bag. Celine / Shoes. Alexander Wang