Recent acquisitions: Embracing mom pants

Earlier in the year, I committed to listing out monthly acquisitions - if only to hold myself accountable and to curb spending habits.  

I failed.  I haven't listed anything in months, even though I have been fairly active with internet purchases. I should have known that pregnancy and post-pregnancy would do a number on my spending - with my changing body shape, pre and post-partum hormones shifts and late nights/early mornings spent comforting an infant, I was bound to make a few irrational internet purchases.  I'm not going to list every single purchase here. That would be far too embarrassing.

But I will say that my purchases of late have been spurred on by my realization that my too-precious silk numbers aren't going to work, at least for now.

• I've wholeheartedly jumped on the Ace & wagon.  It's funny.  I first heard of Ace & Jig when I still lived in Cambodia and back then I could not justify the prices, not when I could make linen/cotton shift dresses in Russian Market. In retrospect and objectively, my gut instinct was probably right. But when I finally purchased a piece, I realized how beautiful the textiles were and how wearable. I was sucked into the hype. These pieces aren't cheap, however, and I don't see them becoming more affordable in light of the the growing cult following, particularly from moms. Bottomline: I need to ease up.   
• For the last year I've also been itching for a new pant silhouette.  Can you believe I've been wearing skinny jeans for over 10 years? While I still wear a black skinny jean regularly, I also welcomed two pairs of slouchy Black Crane pants into my rotation. I must say I'm loving the elastic waist and looser fit. I wear the quilt pants at least two times a week. I also own the carpenter pants in olive, but that pair doesn't get as much use.
• As for shoes, I rotate between three pairs of boots: the Rachel Comey Mars (for days I don't intend to walk very far); the Dieppa Restrepo Mer boots; and the IM Dicker boots, a "maternity" purchase from last year.  To my credit, these are not new purchases.

Distractions

 

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I'm exhausted and a little ragged from attempting this whole work/life/baby balance thing. Frivolous distractions are welcome. Plus, aren't they healthy at this point? Rugs from Bohem.

Dieppa Restrepo, blue suede

via N id Tokyo

Dark blue suede boots from Dieppa Restrepo - a departure from my usual cognac colored boots, but surprisingly versatile. If I've learned anything from living (and walking so much) in this city, it's that flat boots are key.

Sale Alert: Dieppa Restrepo Camilla Boots

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A pair of Dieppa Restrepo boots for $98.  Not a bad deal.

Maternity leave has really exacerbated my online (window) shopping habit.

Today

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Thinking of small everyday pleasures, like these ceramics by Mayumi Yamashita.

Muumuu fever

It's partly due to my growing belly (I can hardly fit into anything else I own these days), but I can easily find a reason to wear a loose, flowy dress.  Ethan's been murmuring that I look very "Earth Mother" lately, not quite a compliment in his book. But I don't care.

March/April Acquisitions: failure, utter failure.

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Here I go trying to keep myself accountable again.  March and April were plagued by some very impactical, emotionally-driven impulse buys, some of which I regret.  I'm not even going to list everything I purchased, though I'll note a few.

But first, a word on my crazy emotions these days: I blame the pregnancy. It's exacerbated a vicious buying cycle. I see something I like. I order it online. I try it on.  Ugh--not great on me.  I'm left unsatisfied.  I see something I like. I buy it. I try it on... and this repeats and snowballs.

I didn't realize how difficult it could be to dress in the morning, particularly on those days when I have a meeting and I need to look semi-put together.  For the past 6+ months, I was able to get by with my trusty, old DVF wrap dresses and a blazer, but even those pieces are now too short and ill-fitted. 

Some of my purchases -

• I was given birthday money by my lovely mother-in-law to buy maternity clothes, so I bought "maternity boots," the IM Dickers to be exact. (Ethan calls foul.) I've been reluctant to purchase these boots as they had such a cult following and are super expensive. But the heel is low, the shape is sleek, and I can see myself walking around the city in these shoes. I also bought them discounted. I do love my Mars boots, but I want less of a heel these days.
• Sézane jacket.  I like being able to touch fabrics and try on cuts before purchasing, but I took a gamble with Sézane by Morgane Sézalory, a French line I'm obsessed with.  I purchased a jacket (pictured above), fully ready to return it if it was of shoddy quality.  Alas, it was gorgeous - of high quality and a nice, sleek cut. Nevermind that pregnancy has caused me to gain weight in strange places (hello, meaty shoulders); I do think it's a piece I'll cherish.
• Ace & Jig tea dress and the domino check reversible robe.  The practical buy was the reversible robe, which I wear several times a week, including right now actually.  I want to wear the tea dress (pictured above; I am a sucker for open backs), but again it's one of those pieces that, while I can squeeze into it, is not the best fit for my current state. 
• Hatch maternity airplane dress - This was a practical buy.  It's massive on my frame (or once was), but it's a piece I can throw on as my belly grows. 
• Emerson Fry caftan -  I know I must stay away from muumuus, but this piece makes the California girl in me happy.  Plus, I have a trip to California later this month and some days in Malibu, so there.

What I should have bought:

• Storq pieces.  Despite the pieces being reasonably priced, I'm nonetheless relucant to spend $65 on a tube skirt.  Also, I wonder about the quality.  But then I see images like this and I realize I could easily use this piece.  Same reluctance about the Storq dress.

 via Helena Price

Closet cleaning: Ace & Jig

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I'm selling my Ace & Jig reversible robe on LoGE, if anyone is interested!

Some things never change.

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Like the fact that, despite (and maybe because) life circumstances change, there will always be a major part of me aching to travel and/or live abroad.

And beautiful white lace blouses are a requisite uniform for warmer weather.  (This one, along with other wares at Myth & Symbol, is 15% off with code: SPRING. Until April 22nd at least.)

Today: On Sezane, human rights lawyering, and wearing lipstick.

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I can tell the crazy weeks of planning and meetings are over because just as soon as I stepped out of the office of a certain Middle Eastern/North Africa delegation, out went thoughts of human rights and international law. What came rushing in were thoughts of Spring: cotton/linen dresses from Ace & Jig; bright sandals that have been hiding in my closet; and this collection from Sezane, a French label that I have yet to try out.

Growing up in southern California, I, like many others, was taught to appreciate certain material possessions. At the same time, I remember gleaning the message that serious, substantial women do not patently relish makeup and beautiful clothes.

This messaging--that smart women do not spend time gushing over beautiful clothing--has somehow continued in my current line of work.  What I find refreshing is that I meet more and more amazing women who dispel this notion all together. That struck me this week, as I was surrounded by international human rights lawyers, many wearing gorgeous frocks and bright lips.  It made my heart sing.

In my previous life in Portland in corporate law, I remember meeting a woman who harkened back to her early years as a lawyer.  Then, she recalled, she had to play down her femininity, opting for masculine wear that demonstrated that she was "one of the boys."  She commented quizzically on how the times had changed, how young female lawyers were now so "free" to look "so feminine."

I could go on and on, as this messaging really peeves me, though I ought to be getting ready for work. These days, I am thinking more about femininity and what values I will pass on to my daughter.  I'll save that for another post.

Coveting

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The sun is out this weekend. It has been a balmy 78 degrees.  Too bad this week was one of those crazy previously-caffeinated, oft-frenetic weeks, where I'm holed up in a certain international institution's buildings for 10-13 hours a day.  I'm simply exhausted.

I mean, there's often a lot of good in these weeks.  One night, I caught up with R, who I initially met in Bangkok and who works all over the world on reproductive rights.  Joining us was another R, who I met on this "human rights bus," years ago, as I was monitoring a trial in Cambodia.  The night wore on, with stories of travels/election monitoring in Armenia, and recent work trips to Nepal, and exchange of gossip from post-Cambodia days.

So a wonderful thing about these hellish weeks is that I get to see friends and colleagues from all over the world.  I'm reminded that there is a small, but strong, global community working on these issues.  In between cursing as I run around this and that meeting, I am struck by the realization that I'm lucky to be doing this type of international work, strange a niche as it may be.

But right now, I'm just at the point of physical exhaustion.  I keep telling myself that I just need to get through a few more days of meetings, and then maybe, just maybe, I'll take several days off and find a reason to buy an Ace & Jig dress.

WANTED: Flat Boots

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While I still enjoy my Rachel Comey Mars boots, I've been perusing the internet for flat boots. I do so much walking in this city - more than I ever did in any other city I've lived in. 

Obsession: Storq

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I've been slightly obsessed with Storq basics.  I don't know if it's the actual clothes/styling or just this nifty video of a woman demonstrating how she mix and matches her wardrobe with Storq pieces. 

February Acquisitions (or, keeping myself accountable)

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To chase away the Winter blues, this month, I bought the following:

• Nars matte color stick in Laos
• A Clarisonic (I'm skeptical, but I was also apparently bored enough to purchase this product)
• Another striped shirt, this time from Madewell (Can I really ever have enough striped things?)
• A Mayle jacket from one of the capsule collections (in used excellent condition)

The bulk of my monthly purchases, however, consisted of baking supplies. Because cakes and tarts seem to be of great interest to me these days, especially this gorgeous cherry number, which screams picnics and all things wonderful and Summer.

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And, confession time done.

Ace & Jig

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I keep telling myself that listing out the items I've bought each month will keep my spending habits in check, will keep me accountable. But I haven't really bought much this month. To be exact, I've purchased one clothing item - this Ace & Jig houndstooth tee, deeply discounted at Mohawk General Store. It's an impractical buy in some ways because it won't keep me cozy when the snow is falling outside (which has been happening more of late).  But I can't help it. I will always gravitate towards non-winter clothes.

Before I left Cambodia, I made a number of silk dresses, gorgeous replications of some of my favorite wardrobe staples - all for my future life Stateside.  The vast majority of those pieces were lost in the stolen luggage debacle, but I realize now that every single one of those pieces was meant for summer days - some being litttle wisps of silk that I'd probably only wear in the hottest of August days. 

With the exception of my occasional daydream of hanging out in the Colorado mountain house, I don't dream of thick coats or fuzzy sweaters (though I'm grateful for these things these days).  I don't dream of winter. 

Maybe I'm just hardwired to always want/hope for tropical or at least perpetual summer weather.

Erin Considine

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I really do love Erin Considine's pieces.  I particularly like the piece on the left, though it's probably too similar to the Erin Considine necklace I own.

For various reasons, I didn't catch the shopping bug this holiday season.  But I did purchase this piece in a different colorway.

Object & Totem

I am loving Object & Totem right now. Read more about Julie Anh's pieces and process here!

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And it's November?!  My oh my, how time flies.

Ship & Shape

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Have you heard of Ship & Shape?

Taking stock. Fall List, continued.

It's been a very busy week and one in which I've run into folks from my previous life in Cambodia (including this activist monk), which always throws me and then makes me realize that the world is small.  Or, maybe it's just that the people who work in this niche of international law (on, for example, independent accountability mechanisms) is tiny. 

Throughout the week, I found myself sitting across the table and engaging in discussions with people from all over the globe who are shaping the functions and mandates of these international mechanisms.  The discussion today centered on normative gaps in these systems and how to increase accountability and access to remedy for the poorest of the poor.  It was terribly fascinating and a little intimidating.  I sometimes don't know how I've landed here.

Anyway, this week also forced me to acknowledge autumn and to take stock of the holes in my wardrobe.  Starting with outerwear, my go-to jackets are my Mayle Olympe coat (first picture) and Fedosia jacket (second).  I'm looking for another coat, something oversized and comfortable.  

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I saw the coat above, and while not an Isabel Marant coat, I wonder if it would do the trick. Straight away, I am skeptical about the quality.  I may have to make my first visit to Zara in years, which should be easy since the nearest Zara is a brisk 15-minute walk for me.  

Other items on my list:

•  A pair of black ankle boots that are comfortable enough for walking around in the District (taking notes from the best black boot review)
• A pair of black trousers (I simply cannot justify purchasing this pair, so I need an alternative)
• A ceramic necklace (wouldn't mind this or this)

Fall List #1: Fisherman Sweater

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In an attempt to curb my spending this season, I'm forcing myself to list what it is I actually need/want. 

First, a confession:  I don't actually know how to dress for autumn anymore.  To think about sweaters, layering, autumn jackets (and ultimately winter coats) is such a foreign concept, which is why I had a little freak-out this evening as I walked through Georgetown and noticed that my linen shorts and thin cardigan were no longer sufficient for the cooler temperatures.  This is what living in perpetual summer for the past few years has done to me.

But I should start thinking about what I need for the new season. 

For starters, I need a sweater and I've set my eyes on a fisherman sweater.  I remember years ago, when I still lived in Portland, I found one at a vintage store.  It was a little boy's sweater, ivory, shrunken, with four dark brown, leather-covered buttons.  I wore it all the time until it frayed and was ruined.  

Even Ethan has a fisherman sweater, which would be super slouchy on me. We, however, left it at the Fraser mountain house.

In any case, I am leaning towards a more shrunken fit.