then I thought, I'll just rock my faux mustache

It was a pre-wedding gift from this lady, and it goes very nicely with H-town's *real* mustache.

But I didn't realize there was a whole hipster girls in mustaches trend. (What would I do without Ariel to keep me informed?) I'll be pissed if all the other girls at the party tonight are wearing mustaches too.

I had sensed the growing popularity of mustaches among the offbeat brides. But check out the photos from Erin & Jared's fabulous wedding mustache shoot. Everybody is wearing them.

(Photo of EE Storey, who happens to sell a pretty rad mustache t-shirt here, courtesy of hipster girls in mustaches)

Back in business

My beloved laptop is finally back from the shop rocking a new hard drive, and H-town spent all night setting her up. I would dive into my google reader (and tackle those *four* tags) if I didn't have so much other crap to catch up with.

Crap.

But I am happy as a clam. H-town gave me a bunch of new music, and some new software I think. I don't know what the f*ck he did, to be honest. Sometimes my brain stops listening when he talks about computers. I just know it works!

Image via the always awesome Design For Mankind.

I want to dress like a rock star

I just cleaned out my closet, ruthlessly excising anything unflattering and/or blah. (My hard drive got totaled. I figured why not go all the way?)

1. I've been looking a little frumpy around the house. Which makes me *feel* frumpy. Though H-town very sweetly told me I looked like a skater girl when he caught me blogging in his t-shirt and boxers at 5pm yesterday....

2. Getting dressed should be easy. I want to feel good in everything I put on.

3. The bungalow is f'ing small. H-town and I have three drawers each. But it's the same way I lived in New York, and I've gotten pretty good at letting go of stuff. Here's the way I'm currently looking at it: "If we were suddenly offered jobs in Barcelona, what would I want to bring with me?"

Now that I've cleared the debris I think I might need a few new signature pieces...

Check out the interview with Liela Moss of The Duke Spirit on Refinery29. Here's her list of 5 most loved items:

1. "A jumper dress by Bernard Willhelm."
2. "An all-in-one shorts thing by Suzy at Unhee."
3. "A circus ringmaster-style black blazer by Rag & Bone."
4. "A Canadian Mounty ex-military cape from an Army & Navy store in Toronto."
5. "A gold tunic by Renata Morales in Montreal."

All right.

(Liela Moss, photo by Andrea Spotorno; Liela with The Duke Spirit; courtesy of Refinery 29)

F* the trash the dress shoot

This is not happening for me today. I was on the list but somehow I fell off.

Maybe the universe sensed my ambivalence. Or maybe the organizer read about my ambivalence on this blog. (Brilliant idea giving him the link.)

Anyhoo, glad I didn't drop $100 on ebay for a leather pilot's helmet. Though I would love to have a leather pilot's helmet. Seriously.

(Photo by Air Adam)

I have been remiss

This is an issue that's important to me and I realize I haven't blogged a thing about it.

None of my gay friends are *legally* married, but they were among the first to start families together, buy houses, move halfway around the world to be with each other. In short, to demonstrate the kind of commitment that I've only recently become comfortable with.

Why the f*ck shouldn't they have the same right to make it legal?

Vote NO on Prop 8.

(Image by phlora)

happy happy day

Two of my favorite blogging brides are getting married today.

Here's to Christine & Mas and Kristina & Brock.

I wish you indescribable joy.

(Image from here)

my husband is my

He feeds me. He takes my computer to the shop. Repeatedly. He chauffeurs me to meetings when my car acts up. (Don't ask. This is not my week.)

And he lets me work on his computer.*

Another one from Porter Hovey. Taken in Greenport, NY, a cool town I used to know.

*Please don't tell him I'm blogging.

this guy has style

Maybe it's the hair? Dunno. It's all working for me.

From the Porter Hovey Polaroid Project.

Do bloggers crash their computers more often?

Did I jeopardize my poor Mac spending my days wandering the internet and willy-nilly downloading images?

Or has she been politely trying to tell me something for the past eight months with that faint rattling/whirring sound....?

Meh.

On a happier note, I tested a version of this look on Saturday night and I was a huge hit (in my own mind anyway). H-town is having a little trouble with me suddenly going *out* in the t-shirts I used to sleep in. But he'll get there.

Tord Boontje candle holders

These are not cheap. But aren't they f'ing gorgeous? They have several sizes at the UK Pedlars Webstore.

I had to post them due to the wild popularity of a desert bride's Boontje cut-out backdrop.

(Rad store via Earth Friendly Weddings)

I lied

I have a pressing fashion question.

Am I too old to rock an oversized vintage tee? Because H-town has some really good ones.

Via LOOKBOOK.nu

no blogging for me today

oof.

mr potato
head's lipless grin chides me while
i procrastinate.

17 beats, did you write this one for me?

Farewell, Circus Animals

Mother's Cookies has declared bankruptcy.

Fortunately, Cloth Moth has created a commemorative t-shirt. And until supplies run out, a 1.5 oz. single serving bag of circus animal cookies will be shipped with each order.

It is taking all my willpower not to order one for H-town. (Slash me.)

paper and stitch via pretty.pretty.paper

little flapper bride

Via little winter bride. (I'm pretty sure Didi wore a Morgane Le Fay....)

kicking the mustache photo up a notch

Well done.

See more of this super cool, vintage-inspired, magician-marries-his-lovely-assistant wedding here.

Via Offbeat Bride.

(Image courtesy of Daria Bishop Photography)

Groom Style: Stephen

I told you socks are over.

Via The Bride's Cafe. Photos by Joy Thigpen.

Wait. Multitasking is bad?

And apparently I behave like a teenager. But I knew that already.

Listen to this.

(Photo by Justin Cox via Design for Mankind)

A reader asks the impossible

And I deliver. (Sort of.)

Lisa writes:

I have a question I am hoping you can help me with, or point me in the right direction. I am searching for a very particular bridesmaid’s dress that I can picture in my mind, but find no where! It is made of tulle (at least the overlay) and is a one- shoulder style, with a fitted waist/vintage-style silhouette. Oh- and it comes in a lovely muted French blue or a wonderful muted vintage-jade green J.

Where on earth can I find this!?!?!?! I really want a vintage feel for my bridesmaid’s dresses, but everything I see looks so modern! I’m trying to veer away from the same old plain strapless dresses I see all the time. My own dress is an amazing creation that began as a traditional 1948 war-brided ivory satin, and has turned into an amazing fairy-tale creation with sleeves of pink rosettes and ruffles lovingly borrowed from a 1920’s ballet costume!

Can you help, or know who can? I want my girls to look and feel lovely and old-timey (in the best way J).

I finally found this Tracy Reese Toga Dress.

Not quite a fitted waist, but pretty f'ing fabulous, right?

It's $565. (That's what I get for browsing Bergdorf Goodman.)

So I wrote to Amy of Bride Chic, who specializes in one-of-a-kind, vintage-meets-contemporary gowns. Here's her reply:

Your bride could use the help of a dressmaker or custom designer. The good news is, she already sees the components and fabrication of this gown clearly in her head; this will be a great help to the specialist translating her design into reality.

Price wise a custom designed gown usually runs parallel with those gowns you'll find in better bridal salons. So where to find a dressmaker or designer? This is where most brides become confused. They just don't know where to look.

My recommendation: This bride should check out the vintage stores in her area. Most offer some kind of custom design services or certainly can refer her to someone who specializes in recreating vintage looks.

Typically the best place for a bride to start looking for any designer is via recommendation. If the bride knows a friend or even friend of a friend who has had a gown made, that's the best lead to follow. Other good sources for finding designers: Wedding and event planners usually have a coterie of specialized wedding industry vendors they've had experience with in their area (FYI some planners work on an hourly basis and can be hired for a minimum). Also newspapers and periodicals have wedding editors. These people know all the best designers and bridal salons around the area and would happily recommend.

Online you'll also find some custom designers in your area. Best to type in "bridal couture or couture bridal--or, to even more specific, break it down to--'custom bridal-New York City'. You should come up with all the specialized designers in your area.

Lisa, I don't know if this is helpful. It sounds like you already have a kick-ass seamstress.... I guess the question is whether you really want to get into designing custom dresses for the bridesmaids.

Just to shake things up, I though I'd sneak in this Samoy Lenko dress.

It's a more vivid blue than you described, and there isn't any tulle. But this collection was inspired by "the intimacy of a 1920’s French boudoir." Might not be a bad fit with your 1920's ballet costume.

I can't wait for your wedding, b/t/w.

table numbers I can get behind

From Elisabeth's lovely wedding.

Photo by Stacey Kane.

the scarf is the new shrug

I think you should rock this at your wedding.

I wanted a shrug. I really did. I bought vintage knitting patterns on ebay and I nagged my bridesman to make me one until he finally told me he was too busy. (I can't hold it against him. He was testing recipes for our cake.) I put in an Etsy Alchemy request. BAD IDEA.

On our way up to the wedding, I made H-town drive all over Portland looking for the indie crafters. Where were the indie crafters?? I finally found a shrug at yes, Anthropologie, bought it, and did not wear it. Turns out I am not a shrug person.

Via NOTCouture.

I had great taste in men when I was ten

(So did she.) These guys are still hot. And if you've never seen The Outsiders, hello!

I seem to keep traveling down memory lane now that I'm an old married lady. Am I totally dating/embarrassing myself? Yikes.

Via 2 or 3 things I know...

cool as hell wedding

I have to tell you I totally geeked out when DJ/blogger/etsy maven Genevieve told me she was a fan of my weird little wedding blog. (Actually, what she said was, "I love this blog, it's one of my favorite parts about my wedding planning adventure.") Not to brag, but.... I have the coolest readers.

Above are a few of Genevieve and Matt's photos. Below are her off-the-cuff thoughts on their October 5 wedding.

Okay, I'm in wedded bliss!!!!! Here is the run-down on my super awesome, way fun, cool as hell, not that stressful, totally completely fully "US" wedding!

Okay, so wedding details:

We are a DJ duo, and we DJ a regular new-disco/house party called NIGHTCLUBBING (shamless plug!) at Holocene, where we got married. The music and the food were the two most important things to us with this whole thing, we hashed out the menu with our SUPER talented caterer friend Jeremy Larter, and our friend Derek Plaslaiko flew out from NY to DJ. We didn't go wrong with either thing, both were sooooooo good at what they did for us! We had the ceremony and reception at the same place, and I didn't want to do a huge aisle walk or anything, so we had family members from both sides hold a canopy over us while Matt's brother married us, and my dad did a really sweet reading. Matt's parents have been together since they were 14, and my parents have been married for almost 30 years, so we really felt like we wanted the whole wedding thing to feel really personal and family oriented. After the quick ceremony, everyone mingled *ahem*drank*ahem*, and then we ate the amazing buffet style dinner. People danced all night, (and there was indeed what I must admit would be best called a mosh pit at one point, totally unexpected, but people went nuts when the Pixies "Debaser" came on. You just go with it.) Afterward everyone headed to another bar to close the night.

It was really important to me to minimize waste for this party. All the decorations were totally DIM (do-it-myself), re-purposed/re-purposable, including tablecloths, a thrifted and totally gorgeous collection of vases and candleholders, paper flowers I made mixed with feathers and wheat stalks, and dahlias from the Farmers Market that I put together with my sisters and cousin the night before. I made my own dress (I am a seamstress and designer, so that was a natural idea). We were so lucky to have Holocene's gorgeous space to be in, so romantic and fairylike in there, and we didn't have to do much "decorating". We were able to do the whole thing on a tight budget (I think it's rolling in under 5 grand for 100 people to party like nuts), and make it look and feel like a million bucks. Best of all, I got to have tons of fun at my own wedding, talk to everyone, and feel like I was dancing on air.

I didn't hire a professional photographer, so I think no one may have thought to get shots of my table arrangements and stuff, which bummed me out for a sec, but then I realized that all the pictures of all my friends and family look so happy that what got captured was what really mattered.

Um, Genevieve.

a) Your centerpieces are gorgeous and

b) Damn right. Not only do you have pictures of everyone having an f'ing fabulous time, but I'll bet you anything the dance party is what they're still talking about.

(Photos by Jarkko Cain and Chloé Richard)

Tomorrow: Genevieve and Matt's kick-ass portland wedding

A killer minidress. A NY DJ. A $5,000 budget.

Stay tuned.

list of essentials

Via FOUND Magazine.

what's the deal with the best man?

Why does he always think the speech is his big opportunity to impress everyone....?!

Actually, our best man was a doll. But I did take the precaution of asking my MOH to speak after him. It pisses me off that the men always get the last word.

(Image from here)

Paul Newman Style

From The Upgrader's Week In Style: Paul Newman Edition.

Damn.

How's married life?* (SPOILER ALERT)**

Everyone asks this. But they only want one answer:

a) "Awesome." It is. Married life f'n rocks. But it is also

b) Not that different from shacked-up-together life. The big differences are: we have some great new kitchen equipment, and we are in the process of merging our debt.

c) Anticlimactic. Wedding-planning life was stressful, but it was exciting. The caterer not returning my calls. The can-I-find-a-slip-or-will-I-have-to-line-the-dress? crisis. The eleventh hour hunt for the polaroid camera. Now I'm faced with.... life. As in. Getting on with it.

It's a little daunting.

Not that I'd ever admit this when people say, "How's married life?"

*I owe something to Jake for this post.

**My apologies if you're not married yet. Or if you, er, asked me this question.

(Polaroid by Monica Clapcott)

always

Bela Borsodi (photography) + Stefan Sagmeister (art direction) from The Drawbridge.

Is this a grim series to post on a wedding blog? I dig it. I think it will remind me not to fixate. To appreciate the ephemeral things while they last.

My mom just sent me this Stefan Sagmeister video, with a bunch more of his conceptual art.

My favorite piece is: "Complaining is silly. Either act or forget."

Groom Style: Wing Tips

H-town could seriously rock these with his fedora. I'm not opposed to dress shoes, after all. Just dress shoes with no personality.

Check out 20 more styles on The Upgrader. But be warned: the prices veer toward horrifying. I think we'll be haunting Wasteland.

(Photo: Chris Astley)

Bjorn Borg undies

Rad.

Shop [hus] in meatspace or online.

It's all good

From now on I will wear these.

Thank you, Keri Smith.

I am a white girl and that's okay

I will rock my Minnetonkas and shut the fuck up about Pocahontas.

Thank you tkc 16.

I will also now shut the fuck up about the f'ing moccasins. Really.

(Image from here)

and I'm a little bit obsessed with Nouk B, the 21 year old plushy robot

Also pictured here, in the tweed coat.

He's a thrifter. He's something of a DIY-er. He's a loyal H&M shopper but he doesn't shy away from Esprit. And he makes me laugh.

*plushy robot*

Check out all his looks here.

my hero is fourteen years old

In an interview with Red Velvet Art, Olivia Bee says, "everyday I try to take some photos. I try to because if I take a photo everyday, then by a year's end, I will have learned 365 things about photography and that's pretty rad."

I'd like to cultivate this work ethic.

Olivia is also an avid thrifter and a fan of Minnetonka moccasins (!)

Read the full interview here. And check out Olivia Bee's flickr feed.

two more from My White Dress

Now I want to see the music video, please.

The complete set is here.

(Photo by Stephanie Dangoor)

a wee project

I dreamed up something over the dirty dishes this afternoon (yes, I was actually doing the dishes) and Christine of pretty.pretty.paper has agreed to work on it with me. Yippee!

Now you get to wonder what it is....

(Photo by Stephanie Dangoor found here)

LOOKBOOK.nu is the new Sartorialist

Have you been here yet? Not only can you comment on the outfits, you can vote on them. (Oops, was that too.... gleeful?)

Finland and Sweden (okay and Germany) appear to be kicking some serious style ass. We are seeing a lot of scarves, people. And furry hats. I'm dying to pull out my furry hat. What season is it in Helsinki, anyway....? What the f* am I doing in LA?