Stylish with Substance

I just joined Independent Fashion Bloggers and learned about this link swap, so I hope to participate weekly in either posting or being featured, although being featured is sort of an early bird catching the worm thing. And let's just say I often don't feel well and perhaps even lounge and laze about ... like today! LOL. At least it's a perfect opportunity to share some reading elsewhere, where on my own site, there's probably too much brain mush to really write articles. ;-) Enjoy these honestly good reads. <3 Ella

• Breakfast at Saks - Biased Reporting on the Balmain show from a Balmain-iac
• Clutch 22 - Spotlight on three high-fashion indie designers from Etsy
• Consume or Consumed - Stylish film looks channeled toward a more stylish life:
• Debutante Clothing - Special Report: YSL Vintage Clothing Auction in Paris
• Dogmom’s Dish - Alexander McQueen for Target: Post-Modern Punk Princess
• ericdwills.com - Here’s a look at the entire line-up of colors for the Kanye West x Louis Vuitton sneakers called the ‘Don’ and ‘Hi Top’ set to be released in June.
• Fashion Pulse Daily - Fashion Week reviews, Christian Siriano’s shoes, and much more!
• fete a fete - elegant FIEL flip flops, made with love from Brazil!
• Independent Fashion Bloggers - Privacy Tips for Bloggers
• Mademoiselle Robot - A love letter to Jeffrey Campbell
• Nico Assatly - New Spring Polish that will knock your socks off!
• Retro Chick - The Primark Effect - Can cheap fashion be ethical fashion?
• Shopping and Info - Enter for your chance to win a Twelfth Street By Cynthia Vincent Sweater from the Shopping and Info Spring Giveaway.
• Solo Lisa - Less expensive but equally charming alternatives to the new Tiffany key necklaces
• Studio Purpura - Milan Fashion Week Fall 2009 presents creative color schemes and designs to tickle your fancy!!
• Style Amor - The endangered magazine; 2009 fashion mags
• Style Bite - Geared up for Etten Eller’s Newest Collection
• Style Symmetry - Eyeliah loves to layer tights!
• Style With Anna - How to Dress Bohemian
• THE COVETED - Ooh shiny! Vivienne Tam HP Mini Laptop Review

I've been daydreaming about making shoes someday, and I don't just mean dreaming of designing them in the big time, although I am doing that, yes.

My feet are picky and I think I can upcycle and such shoes into more comfortable wears for my feet. And thus the brainstorming has been practiced.

This does lead right to dreams of going big one day with high styles and big budgety means of making anything possible. And this platform here on these lovely rose peep-toes truly inspires, well, the perfect platformed pump. (And perfection takes a team.)

Height can be desired in shoes, but I, among many, don't want my arch too strained with my heel up on 3 inches above my toes. But platforms bring the two worlds together to a less unhappy medium (ahh shoes, rarely comfortable).

The other thing is that platforms can look unladylike and bulky, but these inset soles are just what the professor ordered!!

And maybe, just maybe, I can even make or alter-into a pair like these all on my own. After first trying it simpler.

It is possible to make one's own shoes, practically anything is these days, thanks Dr. Google!

P.S. The roses on the toeses are just lovely, too. A cherry on top of a great overall shoe.

Shoes - Salvador Sapino - ASOS 170 euros.

The bow clutch, the kind with a loop on the side as a handle, made famous by both Louboutin and Valentino, is moving forward...

Finally these:

Bow Clutches by DesignerElla

Inspired this:

Strapless Bow Dress by Derek Lam

What, no bow acting as a single strap? So anti-80s, Derek Lam? Oh sigh.

*Warning: this post might be inspired by humbleness, and therefore doesn't sugarcoat my faults.*

So with my personal weaknesses it's likely a real killer that I still get paid when I don't -well- work --on the blogs. Sure I have to come back eventually, and I could make more if I updated like mad, but this fall I've felt very ill, so I just depended on getting by.

And even when better, after not blogging for a while, I face the oddest writer's block. Every. single. time.

And I haven't even been selling old bags on the bay like I should - it's just an upsetting/daunting thing to do, I guess.

But I decided to end my break from creating accessories and crafty/knitty goodies. And what started as "try out selling on Etsy.com again before gift-buying stops" turned into addiction and over-time-consuption just like that site tends to inspire.

Although somehow I haven't been all that "product"-ive with what's published on my new shop (Ella Mode Made @ Etsy). I'm a "terrible" perfectionist and it's been hard to get new photos up to my standard. That combined with the slowness of knitting and getting "start this new design project" fever (before finishing the current---the many current) - I'm not really making headway with "finished objects" either.

collage features a Flickr photo of a grey sky by Green Velvet.
depicts: actual grey FL skies, photography issues, sore knitter's
wrists, sewing machine annoyances, me adoring my online work,
lack of money and waiting for snail mail supplies.

Really even though I just had my 27th birthday and have been living on my own for a year, I'm far from being a grown up. I just ... well ... stink. At life? Le sigh.

But at least I have talents, and when I use them enough I have good work. Soon, maybe not soon enough, but soon I will have a stocked product catalog and regular blog entries. And money. Oh yeah........that green stuff, right? Heh.

It's pretty "stinky" that being disabled forces me to not work well for others, yet I can't even force myself to work enough, period. (It's like when in a class the teacher doesn't check homework.) And government help? It's not perfect, but I we have HOPE. And that inspires me.

Also I have about a week straight to be alone and work, because my BFF is away, and that combined with writing more about what else I'm involved with (I know I've said it before); mainly indie, will help this site be "stocked" with words. I might even add a few related features, but by now you know me and my lack of sticking to plans.

Or is that to say falling through on promises? I think I must start my new year resolution early, and that is to follow the mantra, "What would Barack do?"

You know, if he were only a slightly less awesome, design-y/writer chick. ;-)

*P.S. It didn't really fit into the article, but I also have my own domain/shop for Ella Mode at http://ellamo.de :-) .

What happened to Vera Wang's skills as a top wedding gown designer? Her entire collection for Spring/Summer 2008 is a bunch of *Sad Sacks*! :-( It's like "burlap chic" with better fabrics but equally bad colours, oh and sans chic. *Snort* Puh-leaze! Next!

Only with HP digital cameras, now photo shooting yourself won't make you want to do the real thing. Instead of adding 10 pounds (which I swear happens), certain digicams by HP can actually reverse the effect. You don't have to be a professional photographer, and no---not even a skilled graphic artist, to produce this *wow* effect. (And I can't even do it that well or easily as a graphic designer, myself!)

It's not done through a magic setting (like the macro flower or something), but with a quick click of a button as a photo editing feature, which is right on the cam, not on your computer. You really can get the results yourself and no one will have to know.

And the effect is natural too---the minimal setting is subtle, but you can up the drama if you're really feeling bloated and/or *cranky*.

Well is one of the cameras by HP with this feature selling for a budget price? The cheapest is $179.99, which isn't bad. Great for a nice camera, but it costs almost as much as my everyday one.

Perhaps the fatties (I say nicely!) of your family and friends can chip in to share one. And you can use it when photographing yourself, and not say your kids, dog, scenery, crafts and purse collection. Hey, that's an idea.

Or maybe we'll throw it in our "Sale Stalk" wish list and save up. The holidays are coming soon, it could even be an early gift, before any family photos are taken. Wait - don't shudder, if you have this cam, you'll think more along the lines of *shutter*.

Of course, if you're already in dire need of a new cam, then the HP ones are a great obvious choice, ranging in price and power-punching from the one linked above to the fully-loaded R967 version, still around only $270!

Never be camera shy again!