These Are a Few of My Favorite Things: White Christmas

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My favorite Christmas movie, by far, is Irving Berlin's classic, White Christmas.  This is a movie that made an unfailing appearance every year in our household during the Christmas season.  My dad always had a great admiration for Bing Crosby, and I inherited this appreciation as I grew up.  

Good ol' Bing stars as Bob Wallace - one half of a composing/directing/producing duo a la Rogers and Hammerstein.  His partner and best friend, Phil Davis (played by Danny Kaye), convinces him to take their act on the road to Vermont after they are mixed up with the Haynes sisters (Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen) due to their attempt to do a favor for an old army buddy.  The movie progresses when they arrive in Vermont, discovering their old commanding officer from the army runs the inn that they are staying at and needs a bit of a helping hand.  From there, we see the duo of Wallace and Davis coupled with the Haynes sisters trying to stage a great production to secure the future of the inn.  

With such classics as White Christmas and Count Your Blessings, this film is more than satisfactory in the music department.  It has that "old movie charm", romance, a solid cast, and memorable scenes.  It's a movie that I can watch over and over and over again!  

Something I've been unable to ignore in my years of watching this film are the amazing costumes that the cast is fortunate enough to don.  There's no surprise that the costumes are so fabulous.  They were created by famous Hollywood designer Edith Head.  This week, I decided enough was enough. I was finally going to style a few sets for my readers based on my favorite costumes from the movie.  After all, Christmas comes only once a year.  

Pretty much everything Rosemary Clooney wears...

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(From left to right): Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Rosemary Clooney in the "Minstrel Number".


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This amazing green velvet dress that Rosemary Clooney wears during the engagement scene.  It screams "1950s!" to me.  
(Top): The dress in action. (Bottom):  The dress on display today...
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Now for my interpretation...

Dress;  Tights;  Necklace;  Pumps;  Ring;  Gloves

The set I have for you draws inspiration from the above two outfits.  Rosemary's sequined, black dress from the "Minstrel Number" is the base.  Since this movie was released in 1954, I wanted to keep the vintage flavor in the outfit as much as possible, hence the red gloves. Throw in green accessories that pull in the element of the velvet dress and a vintage looking pearl necklace also inspired by the velvet dress look, and you've got it!  You'll be elegant and chic for any upcoming parties!




Bing & Danny's "Minstrel Number" attire... Blazer;  Shirt;  Oxfords;  Pants;  Bow Tie;  Gloves

The first picture from the "Minstrel Number" should give you a good idea why the men's set has these items.  Keeping in mind that one might also want to wear this set to an upcoming party, I gave it a distinctly "holiday" flare.  The jacket, bow tie, fingerless gloves, and red button up are all ideas lifted directly from the minstrel scene.  The green pants are my interpretation of how to finish off the outfit.  I wanted to make the look a bit less costume-y, and more daily wear friendly.


Thanks for bearing with me through my gushing over this classic movie.  If you've never had a chance to watch it, there was never a better time!  For those who have it, the movie is now on Netflix!  If not, the movie has been released in several formats including DVD and Blu-Ray.  Rent it, snuggle on your couch with a blanket and a mug of hot cocoa, and watch White Christmas.  It will really get you into the holiday spirit.
Until next time!
~ theyseekherthere

Countdown to Halloween...Costume Idea #2: Elements of the Periodic Table

We're REALLY getting down to the wire now on the Halloween front.  While there's a bit of time left, I wanted to offer another unique costume idea that one could pull out of their closet.

I can never resist a clever costume.  This is why our current installment of "Countdown to Halloween" features a set of outfits sure to be light on the wallet and invoke a laugh out of friends and co-workers.  This time, it's Elements of the Periodic Table.

Mercury Set:  Lipstick; Leggings; Heels; Dress

Oxygen Set:  Dress; Eyeshadow; Necklace; Sandals; Headband

Neon Set:  Bandeau; Bracelets; Top; Skirt; Heels

I've taken inspiration from the properties of each element (or how we think of them) in order to assemble each outfit.  "Mercury" has a wet, metallic look to it.  "Oxygen" is airy, flowy, and feminine.  "Neon" is bright and flashy - calling to mind the properties of attraction its signs possess.  No matter what, these sets are sure to get some heads turning on Halloween!

I hope you've been inspired this Halloween.  More to come in the next 24 hours plus bonus Dia de los Muertos posts!  

Until next time!

~ they seek her there

Countdown to Halloween... Costume Idea #1: Glam Rocker

The date is approaching, and I'm already seeing a healthy amount of people scrambling to find last minute Halloween costumes.  Even if you were living in the darkest of holes near the South Pole, you would still be filled with awareness that Halloween is quickly approaching.  As always, I'm here to help!  

At my job, we have the freedom of dressing up on Halloween if it happens to fall on a weekday.  This year (as you know) it does, and this means I must look impressive.  For those of you who also have jobs that allow you (and even encourage you) to dress up but are having trouble making a decision - fear not!  It will be my job to bring you a plethora of easy and exciting ideas to make your Halloween costume sure to stand out.

This doesn't mean I've forgotten those who have to abide by a stricter dress code.  I also put together some inspiration sets for those who are interested for dressing in the "spirit" of the season but can't be so obvious about it.  

Today, I have our first costume idea - Glam Rocker!

Tee;  Leggings; Eyelashes;  Eyeshadow;  Eyeliner;  Microphone

Jacket;  Headband;  Heels;  Bracelet

I'll confess that many of my sets center around a single piece.  When I spot a deal that stands out, I can't ignore it!  With this costume, it was the leggings.  For only $6, this is a great piece to spring for even if you never wear them again.  I often try to buy pieces for costumes that I'm going to use again, especially if they're expensive.  With almost every other piece in this set, you can wear it again.  In case your fellow party goers or co-workers can't tell you're a rocker chick of sorts, I've also thrown in a cheap microphone prop (only $3.99 at Party City).

Half the battle of pulling off this look is the styling.  In my mind, the headband model has it right.  No need to have a complex hairdo for this outfit.  The make up is a bit more tricky, though.  Bold colors are key.  I've chosen gold and purple, but you could probably choose to do a few different combinations.  The bolder and brighter, the better.  If you're not sure how to pull this part of the look off, start here.  Remember, Google and YouTube are your friends.  Take advantage of the tutorials and inspiration pictures you can find there.

I hope this was helpful for those of you out there who might be stalled with their own Halloween creativity.  Let me know if you have a costume you'd like to see featured on the blog for the rest of the week.  I'll be bringing you fresh ideas all the way up until Halloween!

Until next time!

~ they seek her there

What did I do during Fashion Week?

Why all the pomp and circumstance for this specific post? What exotic location did I sweep off to during Fashion Week? Have I built up your curiosity quite yet? I should hope so! Well, now would be the time for the big reveal...

I spent the last week in L.A.!

Why you might ask? Well...I was at Gallifrey One...

Right now, I expect you to be staring at your computer screens in relative confusion. Don't worry, you're in the majority. You see, the one side of me you all get to view on this blog is my fashion forward/loudly creative/strangely daring side. The other side of me is less apparent. Today, you will all be privy to my glaringly geeky side.

I'm a little bit of a pop culture buff in my "other life". This includes being a unhealthily enthusiastic fan of a British sci-fi show called Doctor Who. Feel free to click on the link for a better explanation than I could possibly give on this blog. Okay, so you know what Doctor Who is, but what about Gallifrey One? Gallifrey One (or Gally - as goers affectionately call it) is a huge gathering of fans of this show. There we socialize, find ourselves in intellectual discussions, sing karaoke, and even costume. Yes, costume!

What does this have to do with fashion? Beside one of the websites on my Blogroll doing not one, but two, of their own posts on looks inspired by the show, there are an incredible amount of fans who wish to recreate and design costumes from the series to wear for their own benefit. As much as it is not focused on, costuming is a significant building block in the game of fashion. I'll draw the parallels for you.

1) Sketches

Every person who wants a well-executed costume or wants to launch a collection knows the importance of sketching. It's the first step of transferring the vision of your creation from the internal to the external. There, you get to express your color schemes, fabrics, cuts, and anything else necessary to the construction of your piece. For the costumer, it might be most important to transfer the necessary details of the original along with a bit of personal flare. For the designer, it's all about getting their personal vision across. Whatever the purpose, the endgame is the same - the artist displaying their work for the public. Whether your medium is the catwalk or convention hallway, there is a desire to make yourself known as a creator.

2) Labels

Because of the influx of "younger" companions to the Doctor coupled with a brilliant costume department at the BBC, many major clothing labels have been worn by characters on the show in the last six years. Brands such as Topshop, Free People, All Saints, American Apparel, and Uniqlo can be see on the main players.

(From left to right): American Apparel Dolman Hoodie, Free People Multicolored Scarf ,

All Saints Ovid Heels

(Left to right): Rose Tyler wearing the scarf, River Song sporting the heels, and Amy Pond modeling the sweatshirt.

In addition to costumers and collectors alike wanting the pieces seen in the show, they are also very happy with look-a-likes. Forever 21, Wet Seal, Miss Selfridge, Charlotte Russe, ASOS, and even department stores are only some of the places avid searchers have located pieces that resemble their favorites from the series.

Even men (Yes men!) can take a lesson in fashion from this series. The Tenth and Eleventh Doctors have clean, tailored looks with eye-catching details. The Tenth Doctor wears a suit and Converse while the Eleventh Doctor almost always sports a bow tie.

Ten's Chucks


Inspired by Eleven's bow ties

3) The Thrifting Connection

I'm sure you haven't failed to notice as my readers that I include quite a few thrifting pieces in my everyday wardrobe. When costumers, for an event like this, search for pieces they want to spend the least amount of money. Thrifting is your best option to do it on the cheap. The most ideal way for you to thrift for costume pieces is to also look for the items you can incorporate into your everyday wardrobe. It is possible, it just requires a little forethought. Whether it's a belt, jacket, or pair of pants - this is achievable! Planning out what your looking for ahead of time is not a bad idea, nor is carrying reference pictures around with you. I've heard it all!

I hope I've been able to successfully tie the world of fandom costuming (Or cosplaying - there I said it!) to fashion, and immerse you a bit into the world of Doctor Who.

Feel free to comment here or send pictures of cosplaying you've done that might tie into your everyday ensemble!

Until next time!

~ they seek her there

P.S. - Welcome to all of my new readers due to last week's convention! I'm so glad to have you.