Scans courtesy of The Fashion Spot, from here and here. Visit both threads to view the entire editorial.

And in the end, I bring you a well-timed painting that I think adequately reflected my mood during the time in which it was painted. This time, I remembered to take photographs of my progress. As always, the painting is not quite finished, but it is definitely at a point worth posting.

The yellow is liquid resist, which is used to a) preserve extremely white highlights (since the paper will ALWAYS be the whitest highlight… even whiter than gouache), and sharp edges (in this case, for the gold clasps and the suspenders).
Workdesk includes: watercolor palette, coffee cup of water, pack of menstrual relief pills LOL, and more nonsense…

Peeled away some liquid resist to tackle first suspender, and laid down first wash of skirt. This is where I started freaking out – the black came out TOTALLY cloudy and definitely not what I had in mind. Realistically I should’ve expected this but I was somehow hoping for the sheer tulle of the skirt to automatically paint itself. Also added: darker skin shading

The current product, which is still not finished:

And for those interested, the photo reference:

Julia

Love Jas, but Julia did not turn out as planned. Hopefully my next one will be better!

I safety-pinned it closed when I wore it out to avoid subjecting people to the horror of my nude figure.

The arrival of my new Alternative Apparel shirt from Karmaloop was no doubt another small thing that lifted my spirits. While I can’t call myself a “textile nerd” necessarily, I have a penchant for modal (a textile spun from beech trees) due to its incredibly soft texture. It also breathes exceptionally well (much better than polyester), making it a great lounge material as well. The particular shirt I bought was a 90% modal and 10% silk blend, lending to a more sheer and slinky feel than my other modal shirts (which are a modal-cotton blend), and for less than $30, it feels so incredibly luxurious. It’s absolutely comparable to T by Alexander Wang, and far cheaper.

While I do love that its sheer, it’s a bit too sheer for completely practical use. When going out, I’ll definitely have to throw a blazer or sweater over it (which shouldn’t be a problem in our current weather, but eh…) Anyway, everyone should go get this staple tee! It’s truly amazing!

P.S. I curled my hair! What do you think? I’m trying to love the blonde at least a little before I go back to red.

P.P.S. Sorry for the terrible lighting!

Come March 1st, I’m dying my hair red again – I miss the shade far too much. This is an old picture that I never got around to uploading, taken with a Pentax ZX-60 and 35mm film.

I’ve been feeling terribly down in the dumps lately. Tell me a nice story, or post pictures of kittens!

Last week, North Texas was hit with a beautiful, powdery, storybook snow that lasted for the better part of two days. I managed to snap a few photos of the scenery:

I stayed warm with leather pants, a big, black vintage fur coat, and my Target boots (though unfortunately I didn’t get a picture).

This painting is still a work-in-progress! When working with watercolors, I have such a difficult time pushing dark values because I fear putting down something that I can’t take off the paper. So I predict about ten additional layers of paint with this one, haha.

(Closeup)

It’s entitled 鮪, read “Maguro” (the Japanese word for “tuna”). It will be part of a series of at least ten paintings that I complete throughout the semester, related to women’s sensuality. I was kind of underwhelmed by this one, but you know, you win some you lose some. Hopefully my next painting will be better.

Two years ago, I moved to Los Angeles (for a short six-month stint) and landed a job working at Nordstrom in the lingerie department. Prior to holding this job, I cared very little for lingerie, let alone anything that cost more than $60. Within a few weeks, however, I quickly developed a soft-spot for high-quality lace, unlined bras, and oh yeah, Agent Provocateur, after visiting the store on Melrose for the first time.

While its price point is high, Agent Provocateur lingerie is by legions the most comfortable, well-constructed, durable, and gorgeous lingerie I’ve yet to encounter. For the past two years I’ve amassed 5 bras, one bodysuit, and a few other extraneous items and I hardly ever wear anything else. When Agent Provocateur announced its winter sale, I couldn’t resist picking up a few extra pieces.

Sadly, this Aliyah demi-bra is going back! It just didn’t fit properly, which turned out to be a huge disappointment. I love the leopard-print tulle and the black elastic trim. I also just realized that I photographed this one inside-out! Oops!

This snakeskin lace bra is so intricate, and the fit is so snug and comfortable! My boyfriend commented that it looks itchy, but I’ve been wearing it for well over two hours now and can’t feel it at all. The lace is beautiful, intricate, and most importantly, soft.

My favorite piece out of my new loot, however, is the Maschina bodysuit. The entire thing is a dark nude tulle with a thick (it almost feels embroidered) barbed wire pattern. In one word, it’s “hardcore.” I have a penchant for things that juxtapose the macabre and the delicate, and this bodysuit embodies that aesthetic perfectly. I’m heading out to Target tomorrow to buy a long black cardigan (if they have any?) to throw over this so I can wear it out as a top!

I also love the faux leather (pleather?) bow! The perfect touch.

When it comes to lingerie, my largest pet peeve is when I hear girls say they can’t justify buying nice things because they “don’t have a boyfriend” or “have an a-cup.” Ridiculous! I don’t think everyone should go out and buy an Agent Provocateur bra (though I highly recommend it!), but I do believe that gorgeous underwear is ultimately meant to only be enjoyed by one person, and that’s the wearer. In the end, it’s about comfort and a new kind of confidence that comes only from yourself- that under your business suit, or Zelda hoodie and sweatpants (my current ensemble), you’re wearing something simultaneously comfortable and beautiful, and only YOU know it. There are those who can only understand confidence gained from others’ approval, and then those who understand that confidence can also be gained from keeping your own secrets.