New Year, New View Day 5

Cardigan - Target, Top - Urban Outfitters, Jeans - American Eagle, Ruffled Wedges - Mix No. 9

New Year, New View Day 4

Sweater - Macy's, Jeans - American Eagle, Scarf - Market in Chennai, India, Boots - Blowfish

New Year, New View Day 3

Sweater - Forever21, Blue Top - ShopRuche, Tank - Target, Jeans - American Eagle, Rain Boots - Steve Madden.

New Year, New View Day 2

Forgive the self portrait and the lack of a smile. 

Blazer - H&M, Shirt - Forever 21, Tank - Target, Jeans - Ralph Lauren

New Year, New View Day 1

Jeans and tank from American Eagle. Boots, Fergie from Nordstrom's. I don't remember where I ordered the top from but its about two years old and I still love it.

New Year, New View

Happy New Year everyone. Its weird that its already 2013. But I look forward to a new year and a new outlook on life. I am planning on starting my own business in the next couple of years (my 30th birthday present to myself) so that means I have to start paying off debts and saving money. My new year's resolution for 2013 is to pay off my credit cards and pay extra on my car note. In order to do this I have to stop spending. This self described shopaholic is setting a challenge for myself. I will not shop for clothing for 6 months (I originally said a year but that would NEVER happen). I will post a picture a day on my blog of my outfits. I will not say I won't repeat because I can't always be that creative at 6am in the morning and there are outfits that I love or just feel comfortable in that I'm definitely going to wear again. So we'll see how this goes. There are a few exceptions:

1. I have to buy a bridesmaid dress for my best friends wedding in June
2. I have to buy a new pair of running shoes in the spring (can't run races in bad shoes)
3. If I gain weight (God forbid)
4. If I lose weight
5. If a staple item gets ruined (run in my tights, hole in my jeans, etc.)

But that's it. Other than that I can't shop. I'm not looking forward to it. But maybe it will help me appreciate the things I have even more. I have a closed full of clothes, lets see how I can use them.

Happy Shopping (pick something up for me)!

Jean Paul Gaultier

It's been a while huh? I haven't posted since July. I knew this would be my biggest challenge. Between work, church, community service, and trying to have a social life. I knew keeping up a blog would be challenging. But it's fall now and time to turn over a new leaf...(bad pun)

As I promised in my previous post, I want to share my pictures from the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit I went to while in San Fran. Please forgive me because I am not a photographer and my photos will do no justice to his work.

For those of you who do not know much about this genius of a designer here is just a little about him. He is known for playing with traditional gender roles in his shows. His style is often described as provocative and androgynous. He was one of the first to truly add diversity to the runway. He even placed an ad saying "Nonconformist designer seeks unusual models - the conventional pretty need not apply."  Gaultier is a gifted artist and he is extremely skilled technically.

Gaultier's work includes designing the wardrobe for Madonna's Blond Ambition Tour and her Confessions Tour.  He also designed costumes for Kylie Minogue and Marilyn Manson.He was the costume designer for the movie "The Fifth Element".

Fashion's "enfant terrible" describes his work: "All my design comes from taking something that already exists and working on changing it in some way. Look underneath the way I have twisted it to make it 'Gaultier' and things are fairly conservative..." Conservative is not a word that most would use to describe his work but if you look at the lines and the techniques he uses to bring his designs to life you can see the conservatism.

I don't think I could personally wear his designs but I love them none the less. You have to admire his creative genius and his dedication to his skill and his work.

Gaultier's menswear was also represented in the exhibit unfortunately those photographs did not come out as I had hoped. 

If the exhibit comes anywhere near you, I highly suggest you check it out.