Where's My Magic Carpet, Damn It?

I've ranted about a lot of things. Mainly fads that have already taken the streets and my school by storm. But let's switch gears and focus on something that hasn't yet filled the seemingly innocent hallways full of learning and education, but I fear may very well very soon.

I'm talking about harem pants.

I know they're quite popular among celebrities and emerging in larger numbers on people who aren't planning on putting on a production of Arabian Nights, but still, is it worth looking like you had your friend boost your pants volume with a bicycle pump just to be "in fashion?" The answer is no, my friends. No. Diaper-ass is never a good thing. I'd really prefer it if the girls (and the guys!) that I see on a daily basis would refrain from looking as if they're wearing Pampers. Because before you know it, you've arrived here:

"Harem pants" and "hammer pants" are only 1 letter away from each other. Think about it.

- The Tubsters

Style From Los Angeles

Hello there,

Today I am going to introduce you to one of my favorite bloggers- Dylana of Nana in Los Angeles. In addition to being unduly gorgeous, this girl has incredible style. I am always amazed with the way she is able to use such simple items to create such fantastic outfits. There has been many a day where I have tried to emulate her effortless style. So for your edification, here is an interview I had with her, enjoy!



How long have you been blogging? I started blogging the summer of 2008 out of boredom during summer school. But I never really reached out to other bloggers or had as much exposure until I reworked my blog to showcase my daily outfits and personal style. I've actually been truly blogging for just about 3 months now!


How would you describe your personal style? I would describe my personal style as simple and a bit masculine meets feminine. I love muted colors, such as blacks, white, grays, and nudes, but I always like to add a punch of color or work with an interesting fabric or texture. My personal style is all over the place, and the best way to describe it would be "practical eclectic". It's hard to pinpoint it, I just wear what I am drawn too and like putting together different shapes, but I really love to stick to clean, nice lines with one main focus.



Are there any specific "rules" you try to follow when picking an outfit? I hardly ever pick out an outfit the night before unless for special events. But when I am ready to get dressed, I always think about color and shape. I love to play with proportions a lot, too. If I have a short skirt or shorts on, I want something more voluminous on top. I don't really think about rules when getting dressed. I just like to put nice and classic shapes and colors together.


You always manage to take casual outfits and make them very unique. What do you suggest for someone who is looking to do the same? To make an outfit unique, even if it is casual, one must stay true to their own personality and style. Wear what catches your eye, no matter what others think. Wear a little bit of your favorite color everyday and put on accessories that you are in love with and have a significant meaning to you. Think about what inspires you, whether it be a movie, a girl you saw on the street, or a book you read and try to bring a little piece of it into your outfit. Don't try to hard. Just be true to yourself and it will come naturally, I think. Fashion is all about creativity and having fun with colors and shape. Dress in a way that makes you happy!


Do you have a "style icon"? I look to so many people for style inspiration, but I would have to say that one of my first and main inspirations is Kirsten Dunst. She pulls off eclectic Parisian chic perfectly, while still keeping that California girl cool and casualness. I feel like I share her same kind of fashion eye. I have all her paparazzi outfit shots on my computer! I also love Alexa Chung and Audrey Hepburn. I really love the styles of models off the runway, and everybody on those street style blogs just look amazing. I don't even know their names, but those Europeans sure know how to dress so lovely!


Do you plan on going into fashion as your career or is it more of a hobby? I have always dreamed about a career in fashion. I was actually planning on doing something in the medical field a few years ago, but fashion has been the one constant thing in my life that has always kept me inspired and motivated to wake up in the morning. I was both a Biology and an English major at university, so my options are very open. But if I were to work in fashion, I would love to be a fashion writer for a magazine or a fashion buyer for a major department store. I was a fashion intern at Teen magazine and I really loved it writing about fashion and interviewing designers. Something along those lines would definitely be a great fit for me. But for right now, I'm not sure whether fashion will be my career, but it will definitely be a hobby I will have forever.


What is one article of clothing you couldn't live without? This is a hard one. If you asked me this earlier, I probably would have said jeans, but right now it seems that I cannot live without my black blazer. It instantly adds volume and shape to any outfit. I love my collection of blazers so much. And if I feel uninspired some days, I just through one on and I instantly feel chic!


What are your favorite blogs to follow? (fashion or otherwise) There are so many that I follow and love. I really love Phosphene, Natalie off Duty, Mode d'amour, Fashion Toast, My Floor is Red, Coco Rosa, Where Did U Get That?, Fashion Canvas, The Clothes Horse, Late Afternoon, and many more! I cannot remember all the names and the list it too long, or else I would mention them all!


Outside the world of fashion, what do you do in your free time? I love to do everything! I love to read and I bring a book with me practically everywhere. Stories always captivate me. I love gong to the movies or staying in with rentals, long walks by the beach, dancing, singing, playing the piano and guitar, visiting museums, taking hikes. I am obsessed with theme parks and roller coasters. Just being outside and visiting friends is enough fun for me! I really love to travel, and I hope to do a lot more of it once I am done with school!
Thanks Dylana for this incredible interview, and for your daily inspiration!
-Lloyd

Lovers, Old and New

I'll always be grateful to my sister for introducing me to good music. Up until the summer of the fourth grade, the entirety of my music collection consisted of orchestra recordings of Bach and Beethoven along with the Suzuki cassette tapes I was forced to listen to as I started learning the violin (obviously, I was super cool, even back then). The Clash will always have a special place in my heart as the first band I "fell" for - the lyrics and rhythms were like no Mozart concerto I'd ever had to play. I still remember my first love, but I hope you'll forgive me if I say that I've taken a few mistresses along the way :)



- The Tubsters

Off the Cuff

So lately I've been in the habit of cuffing my pants. The main reason for this was originally because they were always much too long (which I could say is due to me being too short, but I'd rather just blame it on the manufacturer...), but now I see it as a way of both showing off your shoes and not seeming like you're just to cheap to get them tailored (or hem them yourself, which as a lazy high school student, is so not an option for me). I've almost always thought that cuffing jeans was the epitome of fashion idiocy - it's slapdash, lazy, disorderly, et cetera. Lately though, the sight of puddles of fabric gathering above my ankles, obscuring those dear shoes that I love so much, was enough to send me folding back the hems. My only concern now is if the comfort factor is enough to negate my suspicions that cuffing my jeans makes my legs look stumpy:



Clearly, I wanted to show off my shoes as well. Moving on (also ignoring the fact that the picture quality is horrible and taken at 11:00 at night. Ahem.).

After debating the topic for about four minutes, I decided that I'm a shorty midget of a thing anyway, so never mind if I happen to wear pants that exemplify that. Muahahahahaha.

- The Tubby McTubsters

In Which I Talk about Undies

In an effort to get to know our readers a little better, I ask of you: What can your bra do? Is it pretty? Super supportive? Capable of generating electricity from solar panels? No? Well then - better upgrade that sucker, lest you be left behind a furious trend enveloping a slew of designers in Japan. Enter Triumph, a brand that insists that your lingerie just simply isn't up to snuff.

With the mindset of improving your underthings with such innovations like a mini-chopstick holder (for those times when your breasts are hungry!) and a corset that unfolds to turn into a miniature putting green (for those times when you just have to practice your golf skills. Naked.), Triumph specializes in leaving me speechless and resenting my bra, which only succeeds in allowing me to cavort around without any fear of a wardrobe malfunction. Damn you, minimally functional bra.

- The Tubsters

SereniTEA

Hello readers,
I have recently discovered two things which I had previously eschewed, but now am very fond of: berets and tea. Allow me to digress,


The first thing- berets. I had once thought that hats of any kind, while they may look very nice on other people, were not very "me". However I am starting to believe I completely miscalculated. I love the look of a good slouchy hat, and the way it can add a very laid back chic vibe to any outfit. They also keep you extremely warm- did you know you lose the most body heat from your head? And sometimes, I like to pretend I'm french. At the moment I own only this one black beret, but I am looking into getting another in a different color very soon. (They have one I really like at urban outfitters.)


The second- tea. I had once thought that tea was really just like drinking hot water, and that it only served as a bland substitute for hot chocolate or coffee. I was positively, woefully wrong. I have gotten into the habit of drinking at least one cup of tea a day and it invariably calms me down and warms me up. Another great thing about tea- there are so many different flavors!! My personal favorites are the peppermint and gingerbread spice made by Celestial Seasonings. They're both very winter/ holiday themed, which is great, because I'm ready for the advent of snow and winter break. I was enjoying my cup of gingerbread tea (with milk and honey) so much that I couldn't put it down, and it ended up as a lovely prop in these pictures.

Outfit Details: Plaid shirt- vintage (my dad's), under shirt- also my dad's, leggings- H&M, beret- H&M

So get a cup of tea and drink up,
Lloyd

Hard Days Night

Hey there,
In the words of the greatest band ever- it's been a hard days night. (And I've been working like a dog)

I paired this shirt with the skirt on whim and I really like the result. The band shirt and doc martens contrast nicely with the flouncy skirt and stockings. And really. Who doesn't like the Beatles? (I can assuredly state that they're my all time favorite band.) I've been contemplating getting the remastered Beatles albums, even though I already have all the songs, just for the better quality. Additionally the mono tracks are often different versions and different recordings than the stereo, so I could hear my favorite songs in an entirely new way. However so far I remain undecided.

Outfit Details: shirt- ?, skirt- anthropologie, stockings- target,

As a side note- we now have three followers!!!!! Thanks so much to everyone who takes their time to check out our tiny little blog. We really appreciate it. We hope you enjoy reading as much as we enjoy posting!

Peace out,
Lloyd

p.s. I promise no more indoor pictures after this!!!