Feb 13, 2010 | Fashion
Courtesy of Singer22, the Soixante Neuf hammered ring in silver or gold will set you back about $132 or $152, respectively.
I scored my similar ring (without even knowing it had been seen on Vanessa Hudgens and Kim Kardashian), at Forever21, for about $5.80. Though they don’t sell it online anymore you can probably still find it in stores – and here’s some similar ones they have online:
If you like knuckle rings, you can also purchase an eerily-similar-to-that-Robert-Lee-Morris knuckle ring on Etsy for $75 at ashaloo’s shop. (The Robert Lee Morris for Elizabeth + James Knuckle Ring goes for $170 and up.)
I will post a piccy soon of the F21 Soixante Neuf doppelganger soon! have posted a photo here.
And Forever21’s version is sparkly, gals. Yeehaw.
-Carly J. Cais
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Feb 12, 2010 | Fashion
Where have you lived? And what made you decide to move to those places? If you don't mind me asking.
In order: New Jersey; Yokohama, Japan; Virginia Beach, VA; Vermont; Tokyo, Japan; Philadelphia, PA; Honolulu, HI; Portland, OR. I grew up in rural small-town NJ, then my father’s job moved us to Japan when I was 11. We lived there 3 years, moved back to Jersey for a year, than my dad’s job moved us again to Virginia Beach, VA. I finished high school there, then went to college in rural, college town Vermont. Spent a year in Tokyo for a study abroad, finished school and went to 2 years of animation school in Tokyo. Met my future husband while in Japan, moved to Philadelphia PA while he was finishing up school (had to leave Japan since my visa was up), then, when he was done with school, he wanted to move back to where he grew up: Hawaii. So we moved to Honolulu, lived there 4 years until we had a kid and just couldn’t give him the life we wanted to in Hawaii (too isolated, too expensive, housing unaffordable, schools leaving something to be desired), so we moved to outside of Portland, OR, and have been there the past 2 years. Whew! I’m a little sick of all these cross-country and international moves by now.:-) We’ll probably be in Portland for a little while.
Thanks for your question!
Where have you lived before?
xoox
Carly
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Feb 11, 2010 | Fashion
Lee McQueen, designer and founder of the Alexander McQueen brand, was found dead this morning in his home in London. He was such a visionary and the world of fashion will never be the same.
I am shocked and saddened by this premature loss. May he rest in peace.
(img Style.com)
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Feb 11, 2010 | Fashion
Today proved a fruitful day. (It’s funny how much stuff you can actually see and places you can go when you’re like “I only have 30 minutes til I need to be somewhere!” You cram in everything and end up being particularly efficient.)
In the morning we headed over to our favorite spot on the West side of the island.
Through Pearl City, where the Two Towers are… (that’s not really what they’re called; just when we first moved to Hawaii The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers had just come to theatres and Hub and I always joked about Saruman standing atop one of them…okay, we’re total geeks)…
As the land turns to dry desert with cacti and the earth stains red… [yes, this is still Hawaii: the only state containing 11 of the 13 different climate zones in the world!]
As the craggy foliage-covered mountains splay to the east and the west…
Past where they’re apparently building a Disney resort scheduled to open in 2011…
Konishiki’s house – he’s a local from this area originally.
Past Maili, where former yokozuna [sumo wrestling champion] Konishiki has his pad (and we’ve seen him driving his little golf cart around on occasion)….
Through Waianae, the most poverty-stricken area of the island, where crystal meth abuse and vandalism run rampant…
The army appears to be Up To Something.
Through designated Hawaiian Home Land [land leased to people who have a minimum of 50% native Hawaiian blood from the government] and land seized by the US Army for use for training exercises…[you can probably guess how the native Hawaiians feel about that]…
Past Beach People enclaves [homeless who have elected to live on the beach in tents and hollowed-out cars draped with tarps]….
On top of the mountain to the east is the Coast Guard Satellite Tracking Facility that we just call the Big-A** Golf Ball.
Secluded, rocky, dangerous waves, whales on the horizon, and fabulous, fabulous shells. There are a lot of drupes, tiny nerites, as well as abundant varieties of cone shells – my favorite is the Conus ebraeus with its graphic black-and-white pattern. Cowries that have bleached with time and calcium deposits – it’s almost impossible to find a whole, shiny cowrie out here due to the strength of the waves. And sea urchin skeletons and spines, pulverized. Since I don’t scuba-dive, I can’t collect specimen shells; just do my best at snorkeling depths. My dream is to find a whole Cypraea (Cribrarula) gaskoini someday…
Isn’t it beautiful? (img from marinelifephotography.com)
You can just hear the waves crashing, no?
So we played on the beach and I picked up lots of broken shells since the waves were too rough to dare the waters, and I ended up with a sunburn on my ankles and in an oval on my forearm where apparently I missed putting on my SPF.
Me, crackberrying on the beach. This is my normal Beach Attire.
Then we headed back to Waikiki, and I stopped in Island Sweetie for a look-see.
It’s a little hole-in-the-wall, but sometimes I can find some fun, trendy things in there. I hemmed and hawed over a cropped black cardigan with a skull-pattern, but the $59 pricetag finally decided things for me. I found tons of studded MMS Design bags (at least I’m pretty sure that’s what the label said, though I’m unfamiliar with the brand), flowing paisley and vintage-flower-print sundresses, a necklace with a cluster of gems like gumdrops, Swarovski-encrusted pens and business card holders, and the owner cutting up printed tees and re-tying the strips he’d just cut, pure 80’s style.
Then to Ward Centre and Warehouse, and while Hub was getting a hair cut (I write it like that because his hairstyle is pretty much unchanged from before going into the salon, hence, my theory is that he only a got a. hair. cut), I took Lil Tot around to some stores.
Yes, the door says “Misfortune.” It’s really hard to see.Misfortune always surprises me in that though they’re small and have comparatively little on the selling floor, I always find something I want.
At many stores in Hawaii you will find pages from Japanese magazines on display – showing the feature or write-up of their store to their Japanese customers. Many Japanese women collect magazine features on shops in Hawaii and visit – specifically to shop at said stores. What I’ve always found interesting is that rarely do U.S.-based magazines mention these stores or “hot” items they’re selling. 😉
This tee with all sorts of extra bits added onto it was especially nice; I’d probably have bought it if it was in a darker color and long-sleeved. Maybe I’ll make one.
I liked the studded bags on the wall, too.
Linea proved slightly interesting but definitely more urban- and club-wear than I could usually pull off.
Second Skin didn’t have much in the way of notable finds, though the graphic print tank in the window I liked (though I could have sworn I’ve seen it in a past issue of Lucky…)
After a dinner of Mizithra Cheese and Browned Butter spaghetti and watermelon-sorbet-honeydew-ice-cream-oreo-cookie-crust ice cream cake (yum!) at the Old Spaghetti Factory, we went back to Waikiki and I hit up Pineapple County, where I lingered a whole 25 minutes until Hub hustled me out of there, complaining he had to go to the bathroom.
Ah, Pineapple County. So many lovely things, affordable prices (think Zara on sale, not quite as cheap as Forever21)…
Beautiful dress with a see-through lace skirt.
Totally DIY-able with a grinder-attachment on your handheld drill.
Love this: a tank that has a foldover ruffle at the bustline with a lacy bra-top inset as straps.
I tried snapping more photos but my camera battery died halfway through.
I ended up with a similar skull-print cardi to the one I saw at Island Sweetie (except a heck of a lot cheaper at $10.99, and one size too small but I can easily fix that once I get to a sewing machine), with tiny little skulls like polka dots. Refined. And a white foldover skull-studded bag, and a sculptural hammered silver ring. I also would have gotten a “Pineapple County” printed tee, had I not been hustled out of there. I’ll def. make do with a free tote bag instead!
Tomorrow: the in-laws arrive, we visit the Hawaii Children’s Museum and further scar Lil Tot for life with the 8-ft tall doll with the exploding organs, and meet up with even more in-laws for lunch at Mariposa. Whew!
I hear New York is practically snowed in – for those of you there, how is it right now?
I’m a little worried my flight will be canceled.
xo
Carly
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Feb 10, 2010 | Fashion, Life
So we’ve arrived here in Hawaii and despite my forebodings the plane didn’t go down in a flaming ball of carnage.
However, about 2 hours into the flight my son had woken up from his nap and was lying with his head in my lap – and I noticed the guy sitting in front of me was shifting around a bit and suddenly, OUT OF NOWHERE this gigantic, cumbersome, heavy blue thing whizzed up in the air and landed in my lap 3 INCHES FROM MY SON’S FACE. I was staring at it blankly for a few moments, trying to figure out what the hell it was, and the guy in front of my turned around and was staring at me – and I realized that the thing in my lap was the headrest to his seat.
image from hobotraveler.com because I was too shaken to take a photo of the real thing when it happened.
Yup, that thing! He had tried to adjust the sides to the headrest forward, like in the photo above, and the whole thing had snapped off the seat, flown up into the air, and landed smack on my lap behind him. Apparently the whole headrest is secured to the seat with a 4″ steel pin, which had loosened from its bearing and the whole thing had come out. And so there I was, with an amazingly heavy (like 8+ lbs, heavier than my son’s head) headrest with a 4″ pin sticking out of it in my lap, just stunned. I handed it back to the guy, who murmured “sorry” but then I just realized that had my son not shifted a few minutes prior to it happening the headrest would have landed right on his face! (And likely broken a tooth or two.) Lil Tot wasn’t really upset or anything, just a little confused. It was a close call (plus the guy in front of me wasn’t particularly apologetic or concerned – which I thought was weird because if it had been my headrest that flew behind me into a woman with a child, I would have been almost in tears worried that either of them had been hurt) and I was so thankful that my son hadn’t been hit by the headrest.
So once we got over the Headrest Incident, landed, and got to the hotel, we went to
Ala Moana Shopping Center so I could check on my favorite shops.
It’s strange to be back – in some ways it feels like we never left. Hawaii is one of those places that stops in time; every day is the same, the weather is the same; the endless stream of tourists is unchanged; parts of Waikiki get knocked down and rebuilt; the radio stations are still playing what they were 2 years ago. It’s interesting to be back and look down at my side and see a little boy, because I keep feeling like I will see a baby (as my son was before we moved away).
Anyway, at the mall I was quite bummed that Miss Sixty is no longer at Ala Moana (replaced by Lucky Brand Jeans, it seems), so that puts my
Waikiki Shopping map out of date already. Aldo Accessories had some boot chains to be wrapped around the shaft of the boot, kind of like this:
photo from Nelliinen vaatehuone, one of my fave Finnish fashion bloggers
I was sorely tempted, but at $30 they weren’t a deal, and even the ones on sale for $16 were too much for my stinginess. Just buy a studded belt for $8 from Forever21 and wrap it around! (Though a solution will have to be devised to keep the darn thing up. Hmmm….)
Fendi’s cork wedges clocked in at $595 at the Fendi store (I claim no responsibility; mother-in-law wanted to know); Le Lotus Blue was jam-packed with so much Ed Hardy I felt like I was Jon Gosselin’s closet (ewwwww); and the store I had been dying to go to for months – Spiral Girl – was amazingly disappointing.
I only had my camera with me so the quality of my photos isn’t very good, but this is kind of an idea of what the store is like.
Trendy stuff straight from Japan. Usually my cup of tea, but the prices….
Last April the clothing ranged from $30 – $70 or so; with few items being over $100.
Now, most of the clothing started above $50 and ranged way into the $100’s. Even the on-sale shoes were $105 (remember my cone-heel pumps I got there on sale for $20 2 years ago???)
Well, the recession has also hit this store hard and certainly isn’t helped by the yen-dollar exchange rate. I found sequined tops, cropped leather jackets (for $155 ON SALE), drapey tees, and blouson dresses, all way out of what I would consider okay to spend on something that’s basically Forever21 quality.
Tights with super-large polka-dots…
I seriously contemplated this frilly blouson top decorated with tiny gold studs all over but at $79 I decided no.
They had a few different colors, though I was drawn to the green one. Aren’t the dots like starlight? Lovely.
But I picked up some DIY ideas, even if I wasn’t in the mood to buy…
Add lace to the back of a hoodie to girl it up a little…
Punch a variety of sizes of eyelets into a clutch bag…
Decorate a beret with studs. Oops! Done that already. Turned out pretty cute – have to take a photo to share with you guys.
I left the store somewhat let down, I have to say. 🙁
And then we went to this little Greek place called the
Greek Corner that we’ve been going to ever since we first came to Hawaii in 2004…best Greek food on the island! It’s like a little hole in the wall over on University Ave. that’s amazingly good, as far as island-based greek eateries go.;-) Yummy thick-cut oven fries with garlic-mayo dipping sauce, gyros with generous portions of lamb, and thick baklavas with layers of pistachios, oozing butter and honey. I wish I had had the presence of mind to take photos of the food before we ate, but we were so hungry I only realized mid-way through the meal that I hadn’t…and so I demurred, assuming none of you would like to see a half-chewn gyro.:-)
and some weird thing called “Sprunch” on the menu…I can only assume it is Sprite with punch…shall have to try sometime!
Tomorrow…a trip to the beach for the best shells on the island, and maybe a couple naps??
I know I need them!
xoxox
Carly
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Feb 8, 2010 | Fashion
I dyed my hair for my upcoming trip. L’Oreal Feria in #74 Copper Shimmer
.
I never dyed my hair consistently until last year, when I chopped my waist-length hair off and went short. For 6 months I was having trouble styling it, and finally I found this really awesome stylist last February who suggested coloring my hair, to plump up the hair shaft and damage the follicle a bit. Apparently damaged hair holds style far better than virgin hair – which is what mine was, being that I never dyed it because I liked my natural color so much. But my hair is thin, limp, and has no body or volume – and won’t hold any style (no matter how little or how much) styling products I use…everything would fall flat after about an hour or so. So my stylist gave me the same color as my natural color, just punched up a bit to make it brighter. She also gave me lovely streaky platinum-blond highlights.
This is about $200 and 2 weeks later – after the red faded. Red shades (both natural and from the salon) fade very quickly, so again this time I chose a super-bright shade that will fade to…well, back to my natural color over the course of a few weeks.
I’m also playing around with makeup a little; normally I wouldn’t do such a red lip, but I think I kind of like it with the punchy hair and eyeliner.
In other news, my trip to New York for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (as they require all us journalists to refer to it) is so close I can almost taste it!
Tuesday we head to Hawaii first for a wedding we have to go to, then Friday I hop a plane from Honolulu to New York, leaving my family on vacation in Hawaii! (I’m now super-scared of flying, thanks to Hub who has these past 4 months, been watching every reenactment of every flight crash in the history of aviation, for his pilot training. I wasn’t always jittery about flying, but after months of me sewing away diligently on my machine, with “And the passengers of TSA Flight72 never knew that an even greater nightmare awaited them in the murky waters of the Florida Everglades below, as the plane barrelled into the swamp, the fuselage breaking into strips and the nose of the 747 crumpling upon impact”….and screams and sounds of crashing and burning going on behind me….literally for hours on end as Hub watched successive videos on Youtube and whatnot…I’ve become a little paranoid! At least when I ask, “um, when was that crash?” usually it’s like 1972, 1994, 1989, etc. Apparently the vast majority of air disasters are attributed to human error, and/or mechanical failure. But mostly human error. I’m not sure if that makes me feel any better.:-/
So, switching gears…
Does anyone have any suggestions for great places to shop (cheap, trendy) – yummy cheap places to eat – must-sees in the Big Apple?
On my list of cool spots is Century21, Metalliferous, Albertine, M & J Trimming, Opening Ceremony, Bird, TG-170, Pixie Market, What Goes Around Comes Around, Seven, and Patricia Field. Any place you gals would recommend?
And I plan to bring my camera and get some cool boutique shots for the ol’ blog!
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
And here’s a little budget travel tip I found out today:
I’ve been requiring sample-sized products for my trip – but Target and other places only sell small-sized products I don’t want. Some of the products I use regularly are in large, pressurized canisters and I don’t want to chance taking them on an airplane lest they burst, and squeezing them out into smaller bottles will cause them to break down. (Like my Olay Definity Deep Penetrating Foaming Moisturizer
– it will turn from a frothy foam into a liquid if I dispense it into a small jar or something. So it stays home!) Sephora has a great selection of small-sized goods but they can be so pricey! So I just ask them for samples of stuff I don’t have – a scrub, a moisturizer, whatever (I always have a product I intend to buy in my hand so the associate knows I’m not just using them for their samples)…and they’ll make up a sample with a clean jar and just squeeze product out of the tester!! I had thought they would only give samples of pre-packaged products – but no, they’ll make the sample for you, so if you’re going on a short trip then a sample-size of moisturizer or something will definitely last! I also scored some Chanel brightening moisturizer at the counter today when I picked up their nail polish in Particuliere (more about that later!) – so I’m totally set in the way of products. Definitely try it out if you haven’t before!
xoxo
Carly
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I’m telling ya, 
