Magazine Reviews

I spent last year reading Vogue and Lucky. Vogue largely made me feel depressed that I didn't live in an NYC penthouse and have a job other than socialite, celebrity, model, or magazine editor. I probably also burned calories just trying to lug 100 pages worth of ads around and lost my temper reading article after infuriating article on how one should maintain thinness and beauty through various methods of plastic surgery and food depravation. Lucky just added insult to injury by largely being a shopping catalog you just dumbly paid for.

Trying to find more realistic fare, I currently spend my time reading Harper's Bazaar and C Magazine.

Kudos to Harper's for creating a high fashion magazine that celebrates variety within the female form (example: every issue contains a Fabulous at Every Age section) and doesn't require me to flip thru 10 pages of ads for 1 page of editorial. Plus the photoshoots are actually interesting and push the envelope (i.e. not the same cycle of predictable female celebrities + Kate Moss over and over). Beauty section is really down to earth (pass the latest lipstick colour, not the latest injectable toxin). Overall: A

C Magazine was a bit of a gamble in order to inject some West Coast style into my reading. While I think the magazine still has some issues with print quality on it's pages every now and then, the photoshoots are a treat. Also I think it's nice that C tries to incorporate both Northern California and Southern California rather than just being a trendy L.A. magazine. Took forever to get my first issue though. Overall: B+

Daughters of the Liberation

Daughters Of The Liberation Trouser Deep Indigo

My latest Anthropologie buy. Typically it's difficult for me to buy pants not specifically labeled petite. However, I've found that Anthropologie pants often seem to run small enough that petites can wear them without the saggy granny look you get with a lot of regular sized pants. A little hemming is, of course, required. For reference, I purchased the above in a 26 and typically wear a 0-2P in pants.

I'm not sure about the designed to "fade over time with washing" on one of the labels as I rather like the dark indigo colour. Will update if something hideous occurs with the fade.

Other Anthropologie sub-brands which I've found can fit petites without explicitly saying so on the label:

Paperboy by G1

Cartonnier

Etsy Faves - Jewelry Edition

There's nothing like the one of a kind handmade and vintage pieces on Etsy. Below are some of my current favorites in the jewelry section:

The Flight of the Dragonfly Cuff Bracelet - Handmade by Coppertina

A stunning vintage upcycle piece. I wish I could turn what otherwise might be trashed into something this fantastic.

Melancholy Lashes Necklace - Handmade by Untamed Menagerie
This version is in cut acrylic, but also available in brushed steel.

Vintage Arts and Crafts Brooch from Nouveau Motley

Gorgeous re-casting of lily pads as design motifs.