I found these fabulous shoes at Value Village for $9.99! The tie was only $3.99. And they match perfectly. Add a little spring-y green and brown and pow! Ya got an outfit.
My usual table for doing photos is being used, so here's a lovely shot of my duvet cover. Love the natural sunlight so you can see the brown and green in the shoes and the tie.
The sweater is new-to-me, found in a thrift shop for $9.50 (it's a silk blend, oooh). The "You're Wearing Pants" part of today's title is from the reaction of my office-mate, Bonnie, when she saw my outift. I guess I don't wear pants very often, haha.
My favourite "pumpkin pie" shoes (click here for a better picture of them). The green of the sweater is more acurate in the top photo.
I've owned this dress for nearly 2 years but have worn it exactly once, because, frankly, it's pretty darned short. There's so much that I love about it, though: the wide funnel neckline, it's 100% wool, it fits perfectly, it was under $30 and it's a "Studio" Holt Renfrew label (again, not being a label snob, just thrilled to find such good quality so cheaply). Holt Renfrew is "the" big department store in Canada (we don't even have one in my city), known for very high-end goods. I have never set foot in one - I wonder if they have clearance racks? Probably event those are more expensive than I'm used to, ha!
It's little wooden beads threaded on small hoops that are then all connected together. Groovy.
"Now don't let me hear you making disparaging remarks about yourself again, missy!"
Very...fence-y. Ha!
I loved this dress last time I wore it (very similar outfit), but this time I am just not feeling it. Lack of necklace? The cursed teal tights that photograph blue? The stinky boots that give me calf-down cankles?
I don't know. I hope tomorrow is better. Mom bought me some stuff in Disneyland (yay, Mom! Thanks!), so there's hope.
All together: Wear a dress! 'Cause it's just like wearing jammies to work, only you look better.
Yep, that's stuff, all right. 
This is our "official" wedding picture, the one we have framed in the hall. I look ecstatically happy and L looks calm (if you could see his face, which I have obviously cropped out for his privacey).
Isn't that awesome? I love that it's a long skinny skirt with the train stuck on at the back. The only decoration is the cord and beading at the waist. Just nice and simple, and really, considering this is in 1997, it's not too dated looking. 
My dad stepped on the train...after we teased him and teased him about stepping on it at his own wedding. *smile*
Yay, Happy Anniversary, L! Here's to another 12 years. 
Working the rocker chick look (the usual). Jeans, ruffled black shirt, loads of chains, plain black booties, and L's belt that I grabbed at the last minute. To my relief, reactions to the jacket were actually pretty positive. I was a little worried that people would loathe it. As Ruth so accurately put it, "It's hideously fabulous!"
The stuff:
I liked the mess of chains -I felt that really made this look work.
Okay, the dress is pretty cool too, I'll admit it. I actually got a thumbs up from one of my male co-workers on this outfit today.
Love that plaid. It's got all the good colours in it. 
The Blind Faith Hi "Rebecca" by John Fluevog. *sigh* Aren't they awesome? The zig-zag stitching up the side, the two metal studs, the striped heel and the rock 'n' roll industrial zippers up the front (the front!).
At the very bottom, it says "You need it to see where you are going."
It has equal slits in the front and back and is high-waisted (although not an exaggerated high waist). The front of the skirt is plain, but the back of it has an extra detail at the waist that I love:
My leopard Steve Maddens, my leopard scarf, and my Gucci knock-off eelskin bracelet. Funny about the bracelet: my Mom and Dad bought this for me in Italy. It's 24K gold plated (it says so in very large letters inside the band), and it's real eelskin, but the Gucci logo looks fake.
One of the Gs is upside down, which I think they don't do. I don't really care - I've had this bracelet since about 1989 and I like it. So there.
My lovely husband bought them for me (and another pair of Fluevogs, coming this week) for our anniversary, which is this weekend. I bought him the red pair in the gargantuan post below.
The shoes are from John Fluevog's "Teapot" series (I was told they are discontinuing them...so sad!). Mine are called "Sencha" (a type of tea) and the colour is cherry. 
The heel is like a teapot spout! 
Aw! So cute!
I like that. 
I just wanted to wear this shirt today; it's one of my favourites.
A close-up of the chestal region. Look deeply into my new swirly ring...you're getting sleeeepy...
The first sighting of the ornate buckle belt since the last big Wardrobe Challenge!
Well, hello, Mike Rowe! Aren't you a handsome fellow? Even if you are a little dirty.
I found these Leather Island skull shoes on clearance for about $40 - the skulls are highlighted with mini studs. The orange and blue are Fluevogs (D.O.G. Disciples of God), from the sample sale last year.
The KISS Army shirt, Judas Priest tour shirt and Rush tour shirt. All of these particular designs were chosen as the most aesthetically pleasing.
MTV rock tee (bought by me in NYC), a Cardboard Robot t-shirt with Halfway House angels (used to be mine when I was heavy).
L's short-sleeved shirts: black satin with red Chinese dragons, flaming skulls, red satin with skully and crossbones, Hawaiian shirt with Boston Bruins logos. The three on the left were all bought in those skateboard shops; the Boston shirt is from a sports clothing store.
A cotton plaid blazer I found for $19.99 on the left (I love the pink pajama lining, and the thin red stripe in the brown plaid). The chocolate brown velvet pinstripe blazer on the right is from Guess ($49.99 on the clearance rack).
The skull belt is from Le Chateau ($19.99), the lady buckle is from Metro Wear in San Francisco.
Sorry, it's dark (hotel room lighting). He's doing the Judas Priest t-shirt, with a long-sleeved burgundy textured dress shirt, with the brown velvet Guess blazer. The jeans are a dark brown wash.
On the left, Robert Wayne (from Town Shoes) copper with black crackle finish and embroidery. In the middle, Fluevog red "Iggy" (just purchased this weekend!), with very stylin' leatherwork and stitching. On the right, another pair of Robert Waynes (from DSW clearance rack), with funky teal leather and lime croc detailing.
The Fluevogs that L wore all weekend (you can see how much he loves these and wears them). Nice shape and contrast stitching in a classic black.
These are L's pinstripe velvet black cords. They work well with either casual or dressy.
From left: Hart Schaffner Marx floral/striped shirt (vintage, $49, purchased this weekend), embroidered knight on pinstripe (English Laundry), black Western-style with pearl snaps and embroidery stripe (Le Chateau), Robert Graham floral shirt, shiny cerulean blue shirt with shiny stripes (Le Chateau).
On the left, vintage Mexx ($55, bought this weekend), grey with tan pinstripe. On the right, English Laundry "Rock Star" jacket, chocolate brown with black suede trim and brass studs.
Here, L's doing a ruffled vintage tux shirt (it has French cuffs, and he's wearing a rhinestone square cufflink), his patterned leather belt and celtic knot belt buckle.
My chainmail necklace (handmade), a steel and rhinestone dress ring, and of course, the wedding ring.
L's doing a striped dress pant with this - it is black with a light brown and tan irregular stripe (close up above in the shoe picture). He's wearing the same chocolate brown velvet Guess blazer as he did for the casual look.
To give you a shopping list of the basics, in order of things your man needs the most to pull off the Decadent Rock Star look for a wedding:
- a good quality pair of funky dressy shoes. Black is the best colour to start with.
- a good blazer in a nice texture/material. If his favourite colour is blue, look for blue.
- a leather belt with an interesting buckle. Go with black for the belt, and let him pick the buckle (even if you hate it, see above pink lady buckle).
- a button down shirt with a pattern or texture. Steer him away from suit-y type shirts and look for a colour he might not otherwise do, like teal or purple. Keep the colour dark - really bright colours will scare him.
Advice:
- Compliment him. "Mmmm...you look sexy in that jacket." or "Wow, those shoes totally rock!" or "Honey, you look like a rock star!" He will feel insecure about wearing things outside of his comfort zone, so you need to really let him know that he looks good in them. He also needs a couple of come-back lines in case his friends ask him. "This is my rock star look" is a good one.
- Put together outfits for him when you buy him a new piece. L didn't like the brown and red plaid jacket above until I showed him what to wear with it (eg. your Rush t-shirt, the knight shirt, your brown jeans, and your embroidered shoes).
- Ask him to trust you and just try it on. Many guys just can't picture how things will look together until they see them on. You need to point out things to him, like, "This jacket makes your shoulders look really broad. This shirt brings out the colour in your eyes. These pants make your butt look good." (heh, don't forget to give his tush a squeeze)
- Explain why certain things go together. We women tend to forget that we have all this background on texture, fabric and style accumulated from years of fashion magazines. Explain to him that these things all go together because all of these colours are in the shirt's pattern, or that you're using the texture (velvet, shiny, etc.) to make the outfit more visually interesting. L is a big-picture guy - he totally didn't clue into the details until I pointed them out.
Well, there you have it! I hope this was fun and helps you figure out how to get your husband to dress up for the wedding, Alison! Let me know how it goes!
