HALLOWEEN...

Happy Halloween Kiddies!!!
This is just one of the various costumes I have worn to work to celebrate one of Ricky's most busy holiday seasons, Halloween. I dressed up as Leg Avenue's Private Pin Up on Sunday. What fun! I wore a petty coat and everything. Also working with a costume superstore and makeup and wig emporium, I got to hear all about what people are going to dress up as, and play with makeup and wigs. It was a long and stressful week, but I still was able to have fun and dress up.

What are you going to be/ have been for Halloween this year?

myMISSONI...

We all know that all the Missoni for Target sold out super fast, online and in the stores, and the items were being sold on ebay hours later at triple the prices. I remember going on the Target website the day the line launched and it wasn't working, everyone was that excited. So over the weekend I was running errands with my mom and we went to Target to pick up some basics. Since I am a tights (hosiery, hose...leg accessory) fiend, I went to check out the selection, and low and behold the most amazing pair of patterned fishnets lay in front of me. I was excited by the intricate design when it finally dawned on me, that these were from the Missoni for Target collection. It was the last pair, just my size, and I was ecstatic. And it wasn't just because of the luck of my find... but these are some amazing tights!!

NOTE: I would especially like to thank my boyfriend for taking pictures for me that day. It was really refreshing to be able to interact with a real live person for a change, rather than a three legged tripod. He is very patient but also enthusiastic, which makes me appreciate it even more. Thanks <3

LUXEDOme...

I asked my boyfriend yesterday morning... "What color should I paint my nails?" I only asked because he advised me on my last couple of color choices...yellow, blue and so on... and he is also a very good judge of these things. I gave him three color choices: Wicked (dark dark burgundy), black, and Luxedo (dark dark purple). He picked Luxedo, so here I am. I have never worn it, but I am deffo liking its mysterious nature-- it's dark and confusing, which I like.

My nail color led me to my outfit, which is not so dark, but deffo confusing. It is outside of what I like to think of as typical "Randi." This is good though. It's missing the skirt and the belt (you're welcome Wretched)...but it still has the high heels.

detail of the blazer- adorable bows

I never been big on button-up shirts, but since I saw this on the Glamouri, I thought I would give it a try. This white button up is from my "almostworkedatJohnnyRockets" days, and I'm pretty sure it hasn't been touched since. But now I can admire the crisp whiteness of the blouse, esp paired with some distressed denim and a finely tailored feminine blazer. The dichotomy though, is something I am used to. I feel like the split  happens all the time, mix of styles, adjectives, colors, textures... So it is nothing too intimidating. Even the white blouse has lost its terror, and has become more conquerable to me. We might just be seeing it again...

neutralZONE...

I was really excited to try out my new Nine West Mary Jane's that I have been wanting forever. Somehow, magically Nine West was having there friends and family sale the weekend after my birthday, and I took it upon myself to get them for meeee for my birthday. I debated for a while over which pair I should get, going back and forth between one of the suede options or one of the snakeskin choices. I, in fact, went to a store, during my great birthday shopping expedition, to try on a pair and loved the ones that they had even though they were not my first choice or even third choice. So happy I got them. Like I said about my new MK snakeskin bag, the pattern adds a little something extra, but at the same time can double for a neutral. It can go with almost everything!

I am looking forward to putting the fancy Mary Jane's with opaque tights and a party dress, or jeans and a funky blazer...or....anything!

yellowDIAMONDS...

So. The other day at work, after a passionate discussion of Rihanna's newest video for the song "We Found Love," I said out loud that I needed to buy a black bandanna. The timing and how I said it implied that I was getting one because she was wearing one in her hair in the video (some of this is true, but I had been wearing bandannas in my hair before I even saw the video like here and here). In my defense, the red bandanna looks pretty interesting (not in a good way) with my current hair color, and I had been wanting a black one for that very reason. Because I was picked on for biting the singer's head accessory, the next day I went to work in my own interpretation of some of the styles featured in the video.

Full on poser... I didn't mind, because what I wore was not far from my own vocabulary. Instead of rocking thigh highs and a garter belt, I went the thigh high sock route. These badboys got a lot of play in London, and will deffo come into heavier rotation once the cold weather sets in. The "chambray" shirt and the high waisted-skirt also have frequent appearances in my day to day ensembles, along with the leather jacket and Hermes scarf, yellow nails and hot pink lip. And of course, the disputed bandanna....

It's fun to play dress up, reinvent and reuse inspirations, because so much of what we see influences us even if it is subconsciously or inconspicuously. At least I put my own spin on it...

xx

monoTONE...

This shirt was one of the new things that I bought myself for my birthday in the last couple of weeks. I do not know why, but I was instantly drawn to it. I can't say that it is the most interesting shirt, because that is false, although I do like the back (business in the front, party in the back). It's utter simplicity reeled me in along with the muted tones perfect for this fall season.

The boots are a new acquisition too (another birthday gift to myself). I also became instantly obsessed with them and was planning outfits with other purchases, along with all the goodies I already have at home. I am so excited for these guys because they are so comfy, and I am hoping to add them to my rotation of out and about shoes (not like party shoes...). Almost simple, almost practical, and just my style.

Now I am going to say, I am not crazy over how this outfit came out. I was really excited about it in my head... new shoes, new shirt, whoot whoot...but something looks a little off. Maybe my skinny jeans are a bit too skinny, or maybe it is a look that I am not quite used to. But its fun to try different things and experiment, even if you are not thrilled with the outcome. It may grow on me... what do you think?

xx

Birthday CupCAKES...

Of course with birthdays come birthday cakes, treats... goodies, whatever you want to call them. And this year my boyfriend insisted that we make some birthday cupcakes. Which I always think is a lovely idea. We have not baked in ages it feels like, so it was good to get our hands dirty (red batter is extremely unforgiving). We stuck to the theme of red (or blue) velvet and halfed this recipe. We did not have any vanilla, so we hesitantly used almond extract instead, and it turned out better than I expected.

I always have a good time baking with Joe, but this time was a little rushed. It really felt like one of the fastest baking adventures we ever had. All the ingredients were in the bowl and the red cupcakes were in the oven before I knew it. The hardest part was deffo getting the batter in the muffin tray. I am really out of practice with that. We had red food coloring most everywhere, but they were (note the past tense) delightful little birthday treats.

xx :)