And Now for Something New

*Clears away cobwebs* Well, I must admit to being particularly atrocious at upkeep, it's been a grand forever since I set metaphorical foot on this particular plot of 0's and 1's in the grander digital playground we call the internet. What I'm trying to say is, sorry for the absence! Happy holidays! Happy 2014!

Now that's out of the way, and because I'm feeling particularly lazy, here's some pictures of me! The side of the twosome that you rarely see.

Pretty In Pink

Continuing in the trend of naming posts after iconic films of whatever genre, we descend on the newest installation of our style series, Rack Diving #15.

The "September" Issue

We're not Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington, and this blog is certainly not Vogue, but the issue of "September", or rather "the beginning", looms just as ominously on our horizons for this Rack Diving #14.

Miss Carrington Goes Hunting.

Jonesing for cooler climes? Well worry not, The Rack Girls have got started on the job of Fall fashion for this Rack Diving #13. Gird your loins, Winter Is Coming.

Rackstagram

It's been a while, but I've been up to shenanigans and nonsense as usual! Here's a peek into the past few months via my instagram! As usual, I'm at nsq89 on IG!

Blood Ties

In celebration of 1 of 4 finals being taken and put to bed, I decided to take a break from maniacally scribbling flash cards to present to the internet the sublime gift of my little sister's face (and bod).

Cara Mia: An Ode to Spring

Fast on the heels of our sultry last post is this 11th installment of Rack Diving! This time, we've opted for a complete change in tone and time with a shoot set in the wee hours of the morning.

In the Middle of a Lonely Night

Good Lawdy Wawdy we've reached the big ONE-OH! That is to say 10. Ten whole Rack Diving posts! It feels like way more! I never thought we'd get much past 3, mostly because I'm a hopeless slacker/procrastinator and never get up on deadlines. So sue me. Anyways, these were taken in the DEAD of a cold cold COLD night, and I'm sorry to poor Vikky who put up with my "vision" and braved the chill of my backyard to do this for me.

She so Fly (I know you Jealous)

Bold title aside, I won't claim to being the most sophisticated in making my sartorial choices. I started the (school) year in a very different place, style-wise, than where I am now. I like to think I've evolved, but maybe I just got more clothes.

Ivory and Tweed

Jacket: Thrift
Dress: Thrift
Shoes: Target

Rack Diving: 09

We stumbled blearily through these shoots in the chill of the desert morning, but we got them done out of love and devotion and now here it is. The miraculous ninth installment of this series on style, Rack Diving!

A Good Wrap

Rack Diving: 08

So we decided to do something new and post up the entirety of the Rack Diving here on the blogger, pictures and text, while the pictures only go up on tumblr. Seemed like a thing to do. Anyways, we've been pretty absent for a while, and that's pretty lame, but you know school and life got in the way. Winter break was pretty productive, despite the extremely convincing whispers of laziness in our ears, we got a whole bunch of shoots done and they're all pretty cool! So thats for the future! Anyway, let's get down to it!

The Wool Flyer

As Mistress Sandy withdraws her train of destruction, her wake is marked by a steady succession of much awaited cold days. Though the aftermath of Sandy is gruesome and unfortunate for many, my area of the city remains miraculously unscathed.

After checking the weather on my phone, and rolling my eyeballs over a reading that clocked in at a shocking 20 degrees below previous weeks, I decided to drag out one of my precious and much beloved thrift store gems.

The glorious letterman I've got on was found nestled in a rack of neglected men's coats in a Waco thrift store. The second I spied the buttery leather and forest green wool I was gone. The detail of the jacket is subtle but makes a huge difference in upping the style ante. Emblazoned on the red lining inside is The Wool Flyer, which makes no sense to me but looks nice anyway.

I hope everyone is staying warm and my prayers and wishes to those affected by the storm.

Leggings - I.N.C
Black Camisole - F21+
Chambray Shirt - Thrift
Boots - F21+
Letterman - Gant, via Thrift

The Flower Kingdom

Unfortunately for all of us, my apartment is experiencing ridiculous Internet problems, thus I must eschew my usual tidy formatting and fancy textual footwork and term to simpler, more barren means if achieving a decent post. So I'm using an app for now >>.

Anyway, here's one of the new ones, never before seen on the Internet, our lovely girly shoot, done to counteract the definite masculinity of the one done prior to it. Vikkys absolutely ethereal looking in this natural setting, with thunder hair and this completely gorgeous dress. Where from? You ask? Why, it's thrift! And a damn good find if you ask me! Pair this bad boy up with a smooth leather jacket and boots and you've got yourself a great 'fit for nearly any situation.

Dress - Thrift
Hair - Thunderhair

I got the Blues...

...And they all live on my dress! Today was a day for dressing up but not really dressing up. There's a law firm information session going on today where reps from the company will come and talk to us about working at their firm. They're also giving a paid internship and a scholarship so I figured I'd go. The email told us to go completely casual, like...jeans casual, but I'm mistrustful and don't want to be the only poorly dressed fat broad in the room.Thus I banged together this ace in the hole ensemble, combining the best of classier night club-wear and safe-for-business elements (like my trusty black cardigan). Its a pretty simple outfit, I threw on a necklace after taking these pictures to jazz it up a bit. I think I did ok.

Cardigan - Thrift
Dress - Macy's
Boots - Lane Bryant
Leggings - Forever 21

Cray cray for some Chambray

Finally! I bought this dress weeks ago on a mad hunt for a chambray dress to go with my leather jacket and haven't got the gumption to wear the outfit until today. In seeming defiance of yesterday's decidedly Spring themed outfit, today's look seemed smugly rooted in A/W dress sensibilities. Mid-length dress, thick leggings, jacket, and boots say to the world that I'm ready for the wind and the chill, and I'm looking damn decent at it too1

Jacket - Asos Curve
Dress - Woman Within
Leggings - Vince Camuto, thrift
Boots - Thrift

Potatoes in a Jacket

Feeling tropical! It's highly inappropriate for the fall, but today's weather was more in line with balmier climes than with fall's signature chilly edge anyway! Anyways, its a Monday, and if I have to live through it, I'm going to dress like I was on a beach somewhere instead of slogging through text-heavy law books. The tunic is, as I've noted below, from Dorothy Perkins; I talked about it a few months ago in one of my posts about the joy's of capitalism (or something). It's a delicious item of clothing, and, as a plus, its not jersey! This might have proven problematic, but it fits me quite well so win-win! 

The leggings and the jacket are exciting because I bought them at the thrift store. I went to my first Philly thrift store and it was like trying to go to one in Austin, where hipsters young and old have destroyed the true art and enjoyment of the activity. Nowadays, searching for thrift stores brings you to "quirky" "atmospheric" small businesses where they overcharge for "trendy" "cool" looking old stuff they most likely found in larger establishments (like Goodwill or Salvation Army) for miles cheaper. The one I went to on Saturday was just that. I knew the second I stepped in and glanced around the strategically disorganized smorgasbord of stuff, that I would be sorely disappointed this trip. Most of the store was taken up by useless old stuff like VHS and old CDs, the clothes were sparse and awkwardly arranged throughout the shop. The Halloween section they boasted about on their website and in the front of the store was 2 racks of stained or garish items too outlandish to be considered chic even by the trendiest of trendy young people. 

I almost gave up all hope when I lumbered up the rickety steps and was faced with the single tiny rack labeled "plus size" shoved in an awkward corner next to an assortment of too-ugly-to-be-cool ladies' blouses. The majority of the rack was unacceptably damaged, inexplicably small, or just plain terrible, so I left it to take a gander at the room labeled "the vintage room" (which turned out to be a tragedy and a lie). When I returned I think things had been added because immediately I spotted this blazer and ripped it out. Its slightly too large but works well over things and, of course, has this totally amazing leather part of the lapel. As I was about to leave to meet friends, I spotted these pairs of leggings and snatched up all of them (3) as they were EXACTLY what I needed. They're Vince Camuto and are unique because the seam goes down the back in the middle of the thigh. They're the kind of thick almost-pants type of legging thats perfect for the winter, I'm dead happy about them. I definitely won't be going back to that store as it was mostly an overpriced waste of my time, but my thrift journey hasn't ended! I hear tell of a mystical Cave of Secrets-type Goodwill in North Philly that's meant to be phenomenal and I completely plan on going to it soon. Until then!

Blazer - Thrift

Tunic - Dorothy Perkins

Boots - Lane Bryant

Leggings - Vince Camuto, Thrift

Undeniably Universal

What better to pick up a gal's spirits than a good old homage to her one true home? I'm speaking of course about the Universe, where we all live and lay waste. Today was a case of fighting through the Thursday doldrums with the never-waning power of space inspired t-shirts (of which I regretfully only own 2).
Blazer- thrift
Shirt- On The Byas
Boots- Lane Bryant
Leggings- I.N.C

Hipster Fortune Teller

I've got a turban on today because I had absolutely no desire to do anything to my hair and I've been wearing a knit hat for days.
Dress - H&M+
Leggings - Mysterious Origins
Over Knee Boots - F21+
Necklace - F21
Denim Jacket - Thrifted

Be still my heart: Riding boots for a wide-calf girl

Being a plus size lady with big calves, but "normal" size ankles and knees makes finding tall boots - that is stylish, good quality boots - quite a trail. Right now, riding boots are all the rave and you know, I need them in my life.

I had found my perfect pair of boots, the Vince Camuto Kabo in Rich Cocoa, but as luck would have it, they were not offered for my big calves. I tried to move on and find another pair of riding boots in a cognac color, but no dice. The Kabo had made a lasting impact.

I found the wide calf version at Camuto's website and at Bloomingdale's website. These puppies are a hefty price, $239, for this poor college student. So, again I tried to forget about them, but I could not - I had found THE ONE. Well, I bought them for a sale price of $195 (with free shipping) because sometimes good things happen to broke fashionistas. Ladies and gets, I present to you the perfect pair of riding boots:

Simple, elegant, beaux. Notice the rich cognac color, the tasteful gold buckles, and those darken round toes.  The circumference of these boots according to the VC website is 40.64 cm, or 16 inches. My calves are 15.7 inches and they do fit a bit tight, but comfortable even with jeans. 

Jeans and scarf - F21
blazer and button -thrifted
earings -Kenneth Cole
Ring - asos

If you guys are looking for your perfect pair of boots, I hope these links will lead you to them. Bonne chance mes amis! 

Zappos’s- Check out Etienne Aigner’s Chip Wide- Calf Boot, $189

Simple Be - Legroom Boot Super Curvy Calf 

Lane Bryant - Equestrian Boot in Brown

Wide Widths - Loads of options; more in the pricey side 

DSW - Coconut’s Blakely Boots, Annie Jackie Riding Boots

A Fine day for Wearing Leather

The Leather Biker Jacket from Asos Curve
Beautiful details
Gorgeous Fit
Incredible comfort

The Tee and Tights
Shirt - Dorothy Perkins
Leggins - Forever 21+
Boots - Thrift

The Eccentric Edge
Shirt - Thrift
Skirt - New Look Inspire
Tights - Forever 21+
Creepers - Demonia via eBay

The Ladylike Edge
Dress - Alfani
Leggings - Forever 21+
Boots - Thrift

I love this jacket and what a great option it is for assembling good warm-weather outfits. I'm definitely warm-weather bias and I love to layer and wear neck-to-ankle covering ensembles. Not because of body shame or whathaveyou, but because its so many more options, so many more things one can wear without sweating to death. Fall and Winter have always been more about wearing clothes than wearing less clothes. I put together these three looks to show sort of the way I would style this jacket with my clothes now. The weather is getting chillier by the day, people are bundling up, and I am ready to suit up in my cold weather best. Bring on the scarves and gloves and jackets, tis the season!