Midnight Oil

As I approach the one week mark till my show date, I've been logging in some very late nights, burning the midnight oil.  My sewing machine has been working overtime and now he's demanding workman's comp (yes, it's a "he").  I said, "No."  I'm a difficult boss.

Burning the Midnight Oil

It's hard to believe with the hundreds of channels available in this day and age, there is nothing on TV late at night besides a variety of infomercials, horrible reality shows and chances are, Ghost, Forrest Gump or Pretty Woman is on at least one channel.  Everything else is Poker.  I cannot understand how people can watch that.  Ten times more boring than golf.  It's like watching paint dry with the annoying clanking of the chips in the background.  Luckily, I've stumbled across some episodes of Laverne & Shirley and Happy Days which keep me company and they also give me a bit of a nostalgic feeling. 


But, I felt the need to share two cheesy commercials that I see every night.  They win the award of the year for the most ridiculous products...

Pajama Jeans (say that three times fast!) -- ICK!  These are like Indigo "Juicy" jog suits with topstitching detail.  I'm not sure if Jennine of Eat, Sleep, Denim is aware of these beauties yet, although I would hardly classify them as jeans or denim of any kind. 

Did you guys call?  Order before it's too late!!

Style snaps are actually plastic adhesive parts that you stick to your clothes to adjust them (lengthwise, or to keep a cleavage popping shirt secure!).  Um... yeah, that's exactly what I want.  Plastic snaps attached to my clothes.  Gee, I bet nobody would notice.  So chic!

Winter Blues

Ever since NYC had the blizzard in December that grounded planes for days (including MINE!), New Yorkers have been hit hard.  Again and again.  In fact, it is snowing as I'm writing this post.  Enough!  I tend to get the winter blues every year because I am effected so much by the weather and definitely fall victim to SAD.  A few years ago, I invested in one of those light machines that helps to stimulate your retina which triggers the brain to produce serotonin.  It works.  Most offices and inside lighting don't measure much above 300 lux (three times less than an overcast day) while light boxes put out 10,000 lux or the equivalent to actual daylight (direct sunlight is over 30,000 lux).

denim overload!

But, it's not just the grey and gloomy weather that has got me fed up, it's the fact that I cannot find a properly fitting pair of jeans to slip into on these wintry days when I want to be casual, comfy and still somewhat stylish.  Many women struggle with this issue, I know I'm not alone, but it is completely frustrating.  Now, I know all too well how hard it is to make a decent fitting pair of pants and I'm sure my comrade in construction, K-Line will concur.  But, why is every pair of jeans too big on my waist, yet too tight on my legs?  Okay, I am a bit athletic and that causes problems, but still I shouldn't have this much trouble.

 

"Denim Dont's"  NEVER do this!! 

(I don't know why stupid Blogger will not let me import this image vertically -- the way it is actually saved!)

Wouldn't it be great if we could all just customize our jeans?  There have been (and still are) other places who custom make denim trousers, but they come with a hefty price tag.  Well, I recently came across a site called "Make Your Own Jeans."  Um... that pretty much says it all!  Make Your Own Jeans claims to tailor a pair perfect for your shape starting as low as $49.  Pretty great, wouldn't you say?  Levi's offers a similar deal with their Curve ID.  So, I'm giving up on overpriced, ill-fitting brands and giving this a shot.  Well, in all honestly, I will probably just suffer with what I've got already for the rest of the season because I'm being extra frugal these days, but when I'm ready for new jeans I will most definitely go about it a new way.

Denim Endures

I’ve been doing a little spring cleaning lately (even though it’s winter) and I thought that a fun project to tackle would be organizing and filing old photos. Sounds entertaining, right? Class pictures, family gatherings, bad haircuts and fashion tragedies. I skipped over the awkward junior high years – too humiliating! But, when I came across these two antiques (below), a smile stretched wide across my face as I remembered this time in my life so vividly and fondly. How groovy were my sister and I in our matching denim jumpsuits? The scarf is the perfect accessory (apart from the bows in the pigtails, of course!).

Me in a killer denim jumpsuit - 1976

At the time, I didn’t realize what a stylish kindergartener I was – I just thought it was cool that I dressed like my big sister. Looking at these pictures, I almost feel like we could send these vintage gems straight onto the runway today, but I don’t think they would fit even the most anorexic of models! They are very trend-right. I particularly appreciate the red topstitching on the collar and the exposed, red vislon zipper!

My sister Kim in her matching jumpsuit - 1976

Denim is always an important fabric, but some seasons it’s more of a staple than others. Spring 2010 proved to be a very “denim-friendly.” Designers such as Alexander McQueen and Helmut Lang used two-piece dressing in head to toe denim, resulting in a jumpsuit look. Jean Paul Gaultier showed elaborate overalls and corset-like jackets. Ralph Lauren and D&G’s collections were saturated with denim; in fact, I think D&G used the fabric in every look.


So, keep your old jean jackets if you haven’t tossed them already, hang on to your cut offs and mind your miniskirts. Accessorize properly and you should be able to wear all of the denim goodies in your arsenal!