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What I Wore: The Minor Leagues at South Park Tavern, 9.4.2010

amanda_lee — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 20:14:44 +0000

[Psssst. Our Kickstarter, where you guys can give us backing for our new album in exchange for some awesome prizes, is two dollars away from being fifty percent funded. Who wants to make my day? Get over there!]

These photos were courtesy of the lovely Connie Kenkel, expert masseuse and text messager of physical therapy advice at all hours of the night, as well as A+ band mom. She forgot her camera, so she shot pictures of the show with mine. Clearer photos of this dress will appear soon!

Clearly I’ve been watching a ton of Mad Men. My hair is enormous, thanks to my generous application of Aqua Net in the bar’s bathroom. This dress was a thrift find, a buyout from Target [meaning it was brand-new when I bought it]. I paid two bucks for it. Worth doing.

Again with those damn wedges. I’ll show you some more shoes soon, I promise.

We were super-stoked to be back at South Park Tavern for another show – our first since we got back from Nashville. It was awesome to be onstage again. There were so many cool people that drove from far and wide to see us. Thanks, y’all!

The Minor Leagues are on Kickstarter!

amanda_lee — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 03:16:12 +0000

The Minor Leagues just launched our first-ever Kickstarter project! Earlier in the summer we recorded our sixth album down in Nashville, and now we’re raising funds to pay for its pressing and promotion. Fun times! We’ve assembled a great lineup of prizes and whatnot for our supporters, so if you’ve got some cash to spare and want to support one of your favorite bloggers working with some awesome musicians to make something great, check out our Kickstarter.

Fun times for Amanda Lee and I Love Life I Love You!

amanda_lee — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:02:23 +0000

Before I say a thing, I have to apologize for my silence this week. About seventeen work projects due to end, a huge lump of freelance, the beginning of the season at the Playhouse, and one of the worst chest cold/flu combos I’ve had in the last two years, blogging was the very bottom of my priority list, right above baking pies from scratch and wearing pajamas in public. I’m no less busy today, but I’m feeling better, and that makes a huge difference. I’ll be working my tuchus off all weekend to get on top of all my work-related tasks [webinars, ahoy!], so things should shake out soon.

First of all, check out this sexy treasury of knitwear made by RosieOK and featuring yours truly!

On top of that, I was featured in this What is Style? article over at 365 Days of Style. This is the first in a series of weekly discussion questions on style and fashion, featuring some cool talk from cool people. Get on over and check it out!

And finally, I am hard at work on a little something to show you guys starting next week. Are you ready?

Inspiration: 8.30.2010

amanda_lee — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:27:51 +0000

[]

I Love Life I Love You: Shop Update

amanda_lee — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 23:59:36 +0000

First of all, to all my new readers who are here from College Fashion, hi! Thanks for stopping by! I hope you’ll stay awhile!

Just letting you guys know that I just put a TON of stuff into I Love Life I Love You, my Etsy shop. I’ve still got a bunch to go, too, so stop in and getcha some prints/knits/warmfuzzies. If you mention reading my blog, I’ll give you free shipping. Because I love you that much. Wink.

Freakishly Fun Flats for Fall

amanda_lee — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:26:11 +0000

I’ve been commuting in flip-flops for months now, because I can’t justify the beating my shoes take between the bus and the not-built-for-walking streets and sidewalks of Cincinnati. And I’ve gotta be honest: I’m totally done with summer. I know I’ve been very vocal about that lately, but honestly, can I please start arriving to work not frizzy-haired and drenched in humidity?

To that end, I’m ogling all kinds of commuting-worthy flats on Amazon, treating it like my own personal Netflix of shoes – whenever I see one I want, I add it to the queue and buy it whenever I’m able to. Here’s my current favorites.

[A note on the links: since there are so many links in this post, I'm not using affiliate links, because I'd feel a little greedy. If, however, you're feeling generous and you want to buy any of these in support of me and my blogging habit, you can click on this little shop I set up and get them over there. The shop even features a few that I didn't write about here, so check it out. Make sense? Awesome. Thanks for understanding!]

Nine West’s Facinate [what is it with shoe designers and their spelling issues?!] comes in thirteen different colors and textures. Fun times!

Newlyn, also by Nine West, capitalizes on the current pyramid stud trend.

DV by Dolce Vita’s Dina. More pyramid studs!

Berta, by Tracy Reese. This comes in a few different color combos. I think I’d like to wear these with riding pants and a cloche hat.

Melin by Steven by Steve Madden is a funky take on the menswear-inspired wing tips. I have to have these.

Autumn 2010 Goals

amanda_lee — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:03:09 +0000

I’ve written before about how much I love autumn as a time to set goals and make life changes. I learned a long time ago that making New Year’s resolutions wasn’t going to work for me, mostly because I was a) way too ambitious, having come out of a holiday season peppered with excesses of every sort, and b) too deep in a funk of seasonal depression to ever even get excited about my reslutions, let alone get started. It’s kind of like learning to work with your biorhythm: I know that my best working and writing time is between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m., so showing up to the office at 8 in the morning isn’t the best course of action.

So, here’s what I’m trying to get done this fall.

Spend money consciously to make my wardrobe better. I don’t mean buying more clothes; I just mean buying better ones, and being more prompt about replacing things that need it. [Pile of holey tights shoved in the back of my drawer, I'm looking at you.] Typically I can get whatever I need or want at thrift shops, but I could still use a round of new shoes, contemporary-style blouses, tights, and underthingies.
Go out more, damn it. I don’t know why this happened, but sometime in January I developed serious agoraphobia and started staying in. The weather was horrible; I probably also had a bad case of seasonal affective depression, because I stopped writing for awhile, too. When the weather got better, I just never started going out again. It’s only been in the last couple of weeks [read: since I moved into my new apartment] that I’ve gotten excited about going out again. [Notice how I've been blogging a ton more, too? Yeah!] I doubt I’ll ever be someone who’s okay with going out seven nights a week, but I’m getting to the point that I enjoy and look forward to it, when it used to be something awkward and dreadful that occupied my mind and my anxieties in the worst way.
Stay on track with repaying my debt. Kids, I don’t mean to brag, but I’ve been awesome at this. I’ve repaid almost forty percent of my total debt this year, and I’m hoping to have it completely done by my birthday in 2011. As of right now, I’m right on track. I’m super-obsessive about it, too – I have an Evernote worksheet that I use to estimate my income and my expenses of all my upcoming paychecks, and I use that to figure out how much I can pay every week. [If I had more time on my hands, there might be spreadsheets and line graphs. Yeah. You love me for a reason.]
Take a course on indexing online. I’ve rocked the editing game for over eight years now, y’all. It’s time to expand the skill set.
Guest blog a whole bunch more. I had a blast earlier this month when I did some guesting and interviews for Punch Debt in the Face and Yes and Yes. I love that it’s allowed me to write about things I don’t normally cover here – work-related stuff and personal finance, and I’d love to keep going with it. Right now I’m pitching my little heart out.
Move. This should be self-explanatory, but . . . Cincinnati leaves a little to be desired, and ever since I’ve been here I’ve regretted leaving. Obviously a lot of good has come of it, but I feel like I’m much more prepared to take on New York head on, instead of flying by the seat of my pants like I so frequently did last time.

What are you guys getting up to this fall? Do you make goals for autumn, or just for New Year’s?

IFB Links a la Mode: 8.22.2010

amanda_lee — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 18:36:38 +0000

Awesome week for Links a la Mode! I’m super-stoked to be included again this week, along with some of the coolest bloggers around, y’all. Check it out.

All Tumble Down- Focusing on style “best practices”; what we do well instead of what we don’t

Amanda Lee- 6 Great Ways to Repurpose Your Clothing

Beyond Fabric- Tips on size and fit for menswear

Chic Steals- Street Style the New Determinate of Cool? The Evolution of the Girl Next Door as Style Icon

Dramatis Personae- Style on the Run Guest Post: Fall Lust List

Fashion Cents- wants to make sure you don’t break any vows. Get 3 tips on what to wear to a wedding this season

Fashion Pulse Daily- Dana Lorenz, designer of Fenton Fallon Jewelry, oversees a blogger DIY jewelry session in her Lower East Side Boutique

Fete a Fete- Review of Givenchy’s new Blooming Fall 2010 makeup collection

Just B- B Deceived: Handbags in disguise

Lovely and Lavish- Fall 2010 RTW: the Worst Accessories!

Manda Bear- Sally Hansen Limited Edition Xtreme Wear Nail Polishes – Reviews, Swatches and a Giveaway

Mrs. Bossa Does the Do- Autumn’s a-comin’, and brings with it our perennial love of heritage chic – dig out your sequins and tweed, ladies…

RetroChick- 5 ways to update your wardrobe for next to nothing

Return to Sender- A fabulous interview with fat acceptance advocate, and author of FAT!So?, Marilyn Wann and her view on “fatshion.”

Shoe Day Dreams- Skin Secrets – maintenance is key over the long-haul.

Style Eyes Fashion- Fashion bloggers and consumerism – how fashion bloggers are discouraging consumerism and encouraging sustainable style

Style Wax Poetic- 10 to die for shoes All Under $100.

The Curvy Fashionista- Plus size indie label, Jibri gives the Curvy.Confident.Chic Fashionistas a tease with her Fall 2010 collection

The Coveted- Blown away by the Brazilian Blowout

Watch this Place- Dark, but don’t let it be dreary… how to wear Autumn’s dark colors without looking drab.

Enjoy your Sunday, kiddos!

New Prints in I Love Life I Love You!

amanda_lee — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 02:14:19 +0000

I Love Life I Love You [affectionate nickname: ILLILY] is out of its seasonal summer hibernation and springing to life. I’ve posted the rub-off letter prints I made last week, and by the end of the weekend there’ll be a few more [I'm hard at work at the land of Chroneos], in addition to some knitted and crocheted goodies [modeled by all my favorite people. Awesome times!

So, head on over and check it out. If you see anything you love, or you’d like something custom-made, get in touch.

What I Wore: 8.17.2010

amanda_lee — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 01:30:53 +0000

[Note: My good friend Matt helped me out with these photos. Katrina and Tori provided inspiration, and Tori and Bandmate Ben were the reason for my being out in the first place, 'cause it was their birthdays. So, thanks, kids, for being born.]

Dress, Prairie Underground

Blouse, vintage [a gift from Bandmate Hilly, who wore it and loved it for years]

Shoes, DV by Dolce Vita

This is my very favorite dress – one of the first things I bought upon moving to New York, to this day the most versatile piece of clothing I have. I wear it to work, out dancing, and running errands. Typically I wear it alone, so it’s easy, but on this night I wanted more jazz. [More jazz is always a good thing, right?]

Still rocking those same DV by Dolce Vita wedges. Still loving them. Still making waves every time I wear them at the office.

Hilly bought this shirt at a thrift shop, and she cropped the sleeves herself. I’m going to finish the edges and make them a little bit more clean-looking. I already took it in on the sides [it was really boxy], but all in all, I’ve worn it at least three times since she gave it to me, and I’m glad to have it.

My knee has that terrible scab on it, because I’m clumsy.

This was the night that Tori and Ben were celebrating their birthdays, so of course someone brought sparklers.

Tutorial Roundup: 6 Great Ways to Repurpose Your Clothing

amanda_lee — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 14:52:35 +0000

Lately because of my new closet situation and my renewed interest in being a grown-ass lady about personal finance [sidenote: did y'all see my tweet this morning about paying off an old debt? I feel amazing. Really.], coupled with my disdain for waste of any kind, I’m getting more interested in the clothing cycle – buy, use, use up or throw away – and how we can get more out of the clothing we’re using. I’ve been doing some repurposing-type crafts for awhile now. Here are my very favorites.

Make a new piece of clothing from an old piece. Cut a pair of tights ights into knee-highs or shredded leggins. Make a dress into a skirt by cutting off the top and adding a waistband or a sash. Crop the sleeves on a long-sleeved blouse into a sleeveless one. Be creative. The single best resource I can think of for make-new-from-old inspiration is the inimitable and adorable Marisa of New Dress a Day. If you haven’t been by to see her yet, get your ass over there. You’re missing out.

Cut up an old piece of clothing and make some accessories. Here’s a roundup of my favorite tutorials online:

Tiny fabric flowers from DesignSponge. I made a modified version of this that you all saw me wear with my Peggy Olson outfit last week. You can also put it on a pin, a headband, a bracelet, or a piece of ribbon tied around your neck.

Scrunchies. If it’s good enough for American Apparel, it’s good enough for you.

Hair bows. Put ‘em on a headband or a ponytail holder [like Anthropologie is doing this year], or on a headband like we all used to wear in grade school.

Make it into something for your home. One of my favorite bloggers, Erin Doland, writes about simple living over at Unclutterer. The t-shirt quilt is a perennial topic for discussion over there, and I think it’s a great idea for people who want to keep their old tees around – functional and fun, while retaining the sentimentality. Right now I’m working on a crotcheted rag rug for the kitchen out of some old yardage that I’ll never use up. And finally, you can use old clothing to stuff throw pillows and cushions around your house. They’ll end up heavier than pillows stuffed with poly fiber stuffing, for sure, but if you like a firmer pillow, you’re all set. In fact, this might be a perfect way to stuff your dog’s bed.

Make it into a stuffed animal or plush toy for your pet. I haven’t done this since I was a kid, but at that point, I did it all the time. Learn how here.

Make a laptop sleeve out of an old sweater or coat. You can even repurpose the sleeve from the sweater you use and make a matching sleeve for your iPod, phone, or camera. You know you’d love it. Matchy-matchy!

Cut them up and clean your house with them. I try to make my kitchen as paper towel-free as possible. To do it, I’ve got a bin in the linen closet where I keep all my old cut-up tees [most of which came from my last roommate in New York - when he quit his job at the Apple store, he wasn't allowed to sell his company t-shirts, and he didn't want them, so he gave 'em to me to clean with]. They get too dirty to use forever, even if I throw ‘em in the wash, but I figure that even if I use each little piece three times before I toss it, that’s saving me about twenty paper towels per scrap. That makes decent environmental sense, right?

Tomorrow I’ve scheduled a post about how and where to get rid of clothes you don’t want to repurpose. Should be fun! Check back!

Do you all repurpose your clothing? Do you have any great projects you’d like to share?

Amanda Lee Loves Typography. So She Makes Her Own.

amanda_lee — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 13:38:14 +0000

So, awhile back, I inherited an enormous amount of rub-off lettering. I used some of them to make Valentines, but really, it just sat in my closet, begging for use. I didn’t want to waste it. Until I decided it was time to use it all. As much of it as possible.

The two larger pieces are on canvas board that Chris had and wasn’t using.

This smaller one is on a manila file divider that they were going to throw away at my old job. I’m working on a couple more like it.

I drew the outlines by hand in pencil using a grid and a straight edge. They’re based on Helvetica, and the question mark is Helvetica Neue bold. I really should have used French curves to get the ampersand and the question mark exactly right, but I don’t think it turned out too bad. I think as I do a few more, I’ll probably print some stencils to tape down on the boards, because my drawing skills are somewhere between zero and sucky.

The rubbing of letters is killer – my right shoulder is sore. I don’t actually have the proper tool for doing it, so I’ve had to use the edge of a fork and press really hard. Who needs a gym membership?

I’m hard at work on a few more. What other symbols/typefaces/images do you think I should do? I’m seriously thinking of making tiny canvases with each of the letters in “Amanda Lee” and then hanging them in my office. I also might take a cue from Wendy Brandes’ swear rings and make a set that spells [or seems to spell] something naughty. I’ll definitely keep you posted.

Do you guys like ‘em? Any suggestions?

No related posts.

Pretty Old Things: Knitting and Crochet Patterns, circa 1970

amanda_lee — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 18:00:49 +0000

My coworker graciously brought me these two old knitting and crochet patterns that her mother had used when she was young. Good thing, too, since it had been awhile since I had done a Pretty Old Things post.

Bright touches for gay spirits, indeed.

I thought rug yarn was a texture, but apparently it’s just a gauge. Good to know.

I’ve been trying to develop a hood-with-scarf pattern for months. This should help me along. The red hood on the right just reminds me of a Teletubby.

The photo on the left of this cover should probably be on Awkward Family Photos.

This little crochet bag is cute. I see ones like this all the time at thrift shops.

This knitted jumpsuit. Wow . . . there are no words. Okay, let me be really honest: I had one of these that I wore as a warm-up suit when I did ballet. Maybe I should revisit those days.

I’d make this rug all in one color, so the texture of the opposite grains could be the focus.

Cute mittens all around.

These little sockies on the front are so cute. I require ten pairs now.

Pretty Old Things: Toy Knitting Machine

My first blog profile? Really?! Thanks, Sarah Von!

amanda_lee — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 17:18:00 +0000

Wow, kids! This is a huge week for me and this here blog. I feel like a famous person. Sarah Von over at Yes and Yes has put together an amazing post on freelance writing, and I’m representing the copywriting/copy editing corner of the freelance world. Awesome stuff. Head over there and check it out!

And, if you’re here from Sarah’s blog, HI! Thanks for coming! Have a look around and introduce yourself, if you please!

No related posts.

Style Song, Mid-Century Modern Home Decor Edition: 8.11.2010

amanda_lee — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:53:44 +0000

[source]

I’ve got a few things to be stored
Too much yarn and cloth to record
A credenza would neatly
Hold my crafts completely
You’d have no idea how I hoard.

Guest Post Fun Times!

amanda_lee — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 20:30:15 +0000

For all my regular readers: I’ve got a guest post up over at Punch Debt in the Face. I’m wearing my personal finance hat, talking about things you can do while you get out of debt. Read it! You know you want to!

And for all the readers who are visiting from over there: HI! Thanks for stopping by. This is where I write about fashion and fun and design and dogs, among other things. You can subscribe if you want, or just leave me a comment letting me know you stopped by. You know you want to!

OMG Shoes: White Leather Bucks, Bass

amanda_lee — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 02:00:29 +0000

You won’t see photos of these shoes on my feet, because they’re secondhand and I’m still breaking them in [read: I need to take them to a shoe shop to be stretched, because no amount of breaking in can make them stretch the half-size that I'd need to make 'em fit for warm weather].

Lately I’ve been loving flat oxfords for transitioning from summer to fall. I was super-lucky to find these gems in mint condition [tags still attached!] at my local Goodwill goldmine – on half-off day, no less. They fit, but I could use some more instep room and maybe another half size so that when the weather gets cold, I can wear them over tights without screaming.

These are considerably more preppy than anything I’ve ever owned [at least, anything I've ever owned after 1994]. What should I wear them with? Last week I paired them with dark skinny jeans and a ruffled blue blouse that Bandmate Hilly passed off to me – no photos yet, ’cause it still needs some alteration, but I liked how it turned out – pretty prep meets menswear for the ladies. What would you pair them with?

Inspiration from Les Paul: 8.7.2010

amanda_lee — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:17:01 +0000

[source of original photo]

Links a La Mode: 8.5.2010

amanda_lee — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:59:07 +0000

Two weeks in a row of being included in The Independent Fashion Bloggers‘ Links a La Mode? Pinch me! It’s a great group of articles this week, as always. Check it!

Amanda Lee: Avoiding Fashion Impulse Buys

All Tumbled Down: Reflections on a year of no shopping

An Early Life Crisis: Project 27 Completed!

Beyond Fabric: Work appropriate: tips for being presentable at conservative workplaces

Broke and Beautiful: You smell different.

Clothed Much: How to create a minimalist closet

Fashionable People, Questionable Things: Big Day Downtown: A Roundup of our shopping trip in downtown Halifax.

Frenchleave: Who wants to wear a summer jacket

Guacamole and Toast: An interview with The Impossible Project’s Florian Kaps

Independent Fashion Bloggers: How to take your own outfit photos

Mariel’s Castle: A case of unisex

The Demoiselles: Women in the Media: Adele

Stylish Thought: Losing Out Essence: Issues of Race in Fashion

Modly Chic: Friend Friday: Blogger Jealousy

Oranges and Apple German magazine bans professional models – nine months on

Sparkle Birds: Sunday’s Best

Sugar and Spice: Christina Hendricks: curvy role model or another unattainable ideal?

The Coveted: Three essential beauty products under $20

The Sunday Best: Copy Fail | Gap CORE

The Very Subjective: The Style Thing

Un-Stitched: Best of etsy.com

Enjoy, cuties!

On Gender and Friendships: Getting Along With Other Girls

amanda_lee — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 03:20:55 +0000

[source]

I’ve recently been reading quite a bit of Two X Chromosomes over at Reddit for my daily dose of What The Women Of Reddit Are Doing And Talking About. And I found this thread about girls who have trouble interacting with other girls. And, oh, man, can I ever relate to that.

As a kid, I had normal friendships with other kids of both genders, until middle school. It’s a rough period for everyone, because kids can be jerks, but I was an exceptionally easy target for teasing because both my parents worked at the school where I went. And the girls were particularly vicious.

So I mostly stayed away from them, and hung out with kids from acting class and youth group instead – mostly boys. And by high school, when the girls had mellowed out enough to act kindly toward me, my inherent social awkwardness combined with my unwillingness to be a target anymore meant that I almost never had any female friends outside of the girls I knew from ballet.

It wasn’t until college, when I joined a sorority, that I forced myself past it all – being around a group of forty girls a whole bunch and having to actually solve problems together made me get over it. And even then, my closest and favorite female friends were ones that had gotten along better with boys all their lives. This is true to this day.

What I want to know is, can you relate to this? Are more of your friends guys or girls? Why? If you’re an awkward-around-new-female-friends type like I am, how do you get past it?

Style Song: 8.4.2010

amanda_lee — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 21:35:31 +0000

This is a new thing I’m trying – flexing some writing muscles while ogling fashion goodies. Let me know what you think!

[source]

When I first laid eyes on this cloak
My vanity it did provoke
Where regal meets punk
With first-rate sparkly junk
I’d buy it, but then I’d be broke.

Closet Magic: Making Your Closet the Best Ever

amanda_lee — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 02:07:49 +0000

[source]

I talk a lot on this here blog about creating an optimal wardrobe – pieces you love, things you use often, getting the right fit, getting rid of things when they’re not for you anymore. But lately – maybe since I just moved into a new space and therefore am in nesting overdrive – I’ve been thinking about clothing storage. After all, you’ve curated an awesome wardrobe, so you want to treat it with the respect it deserves, so you can get the most mileage possible from it.

So, with that in mind, here are some of my favorite closet organization magic. Go get organized, kiddos.

Put a light in the closet. Even if it’s not a walk-in, it still helps to be able to see everything.

Figure out a way to denote what needs to be mended. In an ideal world, we’d replace a button the moment it’s lost and bind a torn seam within a day, but life gets in the way, especially when your tailoring trickery is going to take a long time or a ton of effort. And it’s so easy to throw your tattered clothes into a pile to get to later, but guess what: the pile is clutter. So tag the hangers of the things you need to fix up somehow. Wrap them with a piece of electrical tape, or put the hangers on the rod in the opposite direction. I actually have two closet bars, one behind the other, and all my to-mend stuff hangs on the front bar, so I see it first whenever I go get dressed.

Think sectionally. Store things up or down as needed. if the majority of your clothing is short, consider one of those double hanging closet rods that hang at half-height from the actual closet bar. Install shelving overhead, if there’s space, and use it for hats, accessories, and out-of-season clothing.

Keep your drawers neat . . . really neat. I live and die by those diamond drawer separators – they keep my stuff looking neat, so if I need to find my short black slip, I’m not rifling around my lingerie drawer for ten minutes pulling out every black bra and long black slip I own.

Remember that the door is part of the closet. This doesn’t apply so much if you have a sliding door, but if your closet door is of the regular hinged variety, consider over-the-door storage for undies, scarves, tights, socks, ties, hats, etc. I don’t typically recommend the over-the-door shoe holders, because shoes are heavy enough to pull a door open, but here’s a secret: I’ve got this organizer that most people use for spices in my Amazon basket, and I’m waiting to click “Buy” on my next payday. [Yes. I do get that excited about organizing. Shut up.]

All your hangers should be the same type.This lends to a neater appearance in the closet, making it that much more pleasant. And if those identical hangers end up being non-slip velvet hangers or wooden hangers, all the better.

Be realistic about what you actually have the space to store. The key to an organized closet is not to overstuff it. This means owning fewer than ten dresses if ten is all you have the space to hang. If you crave new things, practice one in, one out: for every new dress you get, you have to pass one on to a friend or give it to charity.

Later in the week, after I do some more unpacking, I’ll have photos to show you of my new closet. Because honestly? It’s kind of kickass.

What does your closet look like? Do you keep it obsessively organized? Care to share pics?

What I Wore: 8.2.2010 [Peggy Olson-esque, but not on purpose]

amanda_lee — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 02:08:36 +0000

Over the weekend I took a break from moving by heading out to the Drama Workshop theatrical sale. This community theatre group was selling over fifty years’ worth of furniture, set pieces, and costumes, and plus, it was a chance to hang out with two of my favorite girls, Tori and Katrina. And since I was late, because I was exhausted from moving, these two awesome ladies picked out this beauty for me.

Dress, vintage, via the Drama Workshop
Shoes, vintage
Bag, Samsonite, vintage
Ring, Avon
Scarf, vintage
Hairpiece, I Love Life I Love You [psst: want one of these? It'll be available soon in my Etsy shop. Mention this post and I'll give ya free shipping.]

This dress. Wow. They really couldn’t have done a better job picking something that I love. I feel like Peggy Olsen after she grows into her own beauty and skill.

I bought these shoes in 2003 for $2 at a Goodwill in Kentucky. I used to have a tank top whose stripes matched them, but I wore it to pieces. Since then, these shoes haven’t gotten a lot of wear, but I’m stoked that this dress is giving me a chance to dust them off. [Sidenote: I really want a dress like Joan wore in Mad Men last night to wear with these shoes - cap-sleeved, scoop-necked, with a bow on the back that makes me look like a present.]

The handbag is a vintage Samsonite. I saw one like it in a Chicago thrift shop when The Minor Leagues toured there, but I knew I could score one for way cheaper on eBay, so I did – three bucks! The scarf on the handbag is vintage; I found it in a bin at Village Thrift in Kentucky.

My dog wanted in on the wardrobe pics. Unfortunately, he’s not that photographable. We’re working on it.

I wore my photographer out.

You can see more of these on my Flickr.

Special thanks to Katrina and Tori for their immaculate taste and generosity of saving me a cool dress amidst a sea of ladies grabbing for sexy vintage. Also to Chris for his amazing photo skills. And finally, to Hachiko, my faithful friend, who might have a future in blogging after all.

Photo Funtimes: 7.30

amanda_lee — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:09:56 +0000

Hey: when this post goes live, I’ll be hauling my life (and my dog) across town in a Rav4. Send me good thoughts, please! In the meantime, here are some photos from our trip to Louisville last weekend.

The best vintage shop in town, Chicken Lays an Egg, hosted an event last weekend to unveil their new mural. This was part of it while it was still in progress. The photo also features my friends Dana [who plays in an awesome band, the Fairmount Girls] and Jessy [who blogs over at Mascara or Motor Oil and who is hands-down one of the coolest girls I've ever met]. Visit them on Facebook for more pictures of the mural!

I’m just now developing a taste for cottage cheese. Some of my friends call it “grown-up ice cream”. Likewise, delicious.

This troll lives in Chris‘s car. He rides everywhere with us. I think Chris should feature him in a video.

I’m not sure if I’ve ever been to Uptown Cafe, but I’ve always loved their sign. Such old-world glamour.

This ceramic deer hangs out in the window of one of the guitar shops in the hip section of Louisville. It’s been there for years. I think Nubby Twiglet secretly designed it when she was sixteen, because it so looks like her.

I haven’t been a churchgoer in years. This was really pretty though.

When I was little, I was allergic to strawberries. Now I eat them as often as possible to make up for the lost time.

This dog belongs to my neighbors’ parents. He is hyperactive and excitable and beautiful, but he’s afraid of strangers – I couldn’t touch him at all. His name is Brownie.

Social Media Funtimes!

amanda_lee — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:12:20 +0000

Hi there! Looks like some of you are new here. I’m glad to have you!

If you like what you see here, you can definitely get more of it elsewhere. Do you like Twitter? Maybe Flickr? Delicious? What’s your poison?

I like Tumblr, too, but I don’t update all that often. I read others’ Tumblrs, though, and reblog when appropriate.

So, come find me if you want. Thanks for stopping by. Stay classy.