Monday, May 9, 2011

Casual Friday: Ochre Opulence and Sunny Saturnine

Last Friday was absolutely beautiful, crisp and pristine weather, but after a tiring week, I was feeling a tad melancholy, despite the beauty surrounding me. Choosing a bright, unique color such as this ochre skirt afforded, at least superficially, a posture to combat my saturnine disposition. My posture proved at least partially successful; while strutting into the office from the adjacent parking lot, a stranger, older woman in a noticeable rush, huffed past me, and exclaimed, a bit out of breath from her sprinting gait, "My, that outfit is gorgeous." Nothing quite instantaneously infuses your day with some energy and optimism like a compliment from a stranger.





This snakeskin mustard belt is one of my favorite accent pieces, for both is pop of color and addition of a rougher texture; although snakeskin prints and textures can occasionally be limiting, evoking a sort of frontier or jungle thematic, I find this particular belt to be very elegant and versatile, due to the almost neutral, yet bright, color and its width.




When I wore this blouse the first time, I specifically noted the symmetry of this pattern with the scattering of stars against the black night sky. The fabric is light and slightly sheer, thus needs a camisole underneath; I stick with black to allow the star pattern to be the spotlight. With the lighter weight, this blouse can be worn throughout the seasons, even as the sun beams grow more potent.




These earrings were purchased for 2$ at the antiques fair I attended with my mother while visiting my parents the other weekend. I own some earrings that are vaguely similar, found at a favorite antiquing and vintage market a bit up north from my parents' home over the Thanksgiving break, however, the classic pearl, black, and gold look is difficult to overdo.









In addition to being a retro-design classic, these earrings give the illusion of either flying saucers or a planet with wide, iced rings.





Clear lucite and goldenrod bakelite bangles to complete a comprehensive look.










Since the weather has warmed, I chose some black footless tights for the skirt and my favorite caramel brown leather Frye heels.





Friday morning commute soundtrack: "Monument" Depeche Mode; "Shellshock" New Order; "Star" David Bowie; "The Warning" Hot Chip; "Breakfast Time" Orange Juice; "SOS" the Breeders; "One Beat" Sleater-Kinney; "No Fun" Vitalic

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