Le Geek, C’est Chic!

I don’t talk much about my day-to-day job at ModCloth on this here blog. I guess my love of ModCloth’s clothes is obvious, and I love/hate that I have an employee discount that encourages me to fill my closet to the brim. But what I’m truly thankful for is that I’m doing work I enjoy, for a customer-centric company with a truly awesome community of customers.

Before ModCloth, I was a grad student studying psychology & behavioral decision research. Basically, I was looking into why people make the decisions they do and what affects their judgments. I’m still passionate about that area of study, but academia can be rather isolating, and I often felt like I was floundering with no real impact on the world around me. Fast-forward to today, and I’m still studying psychology & decision making – but in an applied way, with a collaborative team of coworkers.

And then, once or twice a year, I get to play in ModCloth’s hackathons. Our hackathons include a mix of people who work on website & app development, user experience, analytics & customer research, along with colleagues from other parts of the business (like marketing and buying/merchandising). We form small teams and spend 3 days building a new feature or proof of concept. The goal is to spark creativity and build something to enhance the ModCloth user experience. Last year, for example, a team developed a prototype that became “Fit for Me” – a feature on the ModCloth iPhone app that enables customers to browse products based on their measurements.

Alright, but this is a personal style blog, and you gotta know there’s an outfit in here somehow. At our most recent hackathon, we got these fab hoodies designed by Amy Luo and Steph Monette, user experience designers at ModCloth. Check out the sweet print:

ModCloth’s hackathon hoodie, designed by Amy Luo and Steph Monette. Yes, that’s a nyan pug!! (Photo by Pat Zimmerman)

And in the spirit of celebrating creativity, I paired it with a Harold and the Purple Crayon tee. Plus polka dots and fuchsia tights because I like ’em. :)

(Photo by Pat Zimmerman)

(Oh yeah, and I actually do wear glasses – they’re just for long-distance, which is why they don’t normally show up in my photos.)

As for my team’s hackathon project – we’re working on getting it implemented, so it’s still under wraps for now. But I’ll let y’all know if it goes live!

Top: Novel Tee in Harold, Out of Print via ModCloth (Out of stock, but also available on the Out of Print website)
Skirt: modified from a ModCloth dress
Hoodie: Print designed by Amy Luo and Steph Monette
Tights: Nordstrom Rack
Shoes: DKNY
Glasses: Eye’DC v837 in purple

[Photos by Pat Zimmerman]

Black and white and dogs all over!

When Pat saw me take this sweater out of my latest ModCloth box, he said, “I can’t believe you bought that!” But how could he believe I wouldn’t buy it?! I mean, it’s covered in Boston Terriers!

And Rocky completely supported my decision.

(Of course, as long as it means he’s getting attention, Rocky supports any decision.) (Photo by Krystal St. Julien)

As I’m wont to do, I paired the sweater with one of my go-to skirts and my red Calderon belt. Black fishnets layered over red tights completed the ensemble. Perfect for a day at the ModCloth office, with Rocky by my side!

Rocky and I strike a pose (Photo by a helpful passerby!)

What I wore:
Sweater: Champion the Paws Sweater, Moon Collection via ModCloth
Skirt: Essential Elegance Skirt, Moon Collection via ModCloth
Belt: Calderon, thrifted
Tights: Nordstrom Rack
Shoes: DKNY

Penguins and Polka Dots

Happy Black Friday! I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving – unless you don’t celebrate American Thanksgiving, in which case I hope you had a lovely Thursday. :)

Being in the retail world, I had to go into the office today – but with great coworkers it’s not so bad. That is, it wasn’t bad once I managed to drag myself out of bed – yesterday put me in a food coma!

I decided I wanted to wear something fun and COMFORTABLE today, so I grabbed my white polka dot skirt (an old standby) and paired it with this sweet Sugarhill Boutique penguin sweater with a Peter Pan collar. (To be honest, I hadn’t planned on taking outfit photos, but then I ran into a couple of coworkers who were off to take outfit pics for ModCloth’s new Style Gallery, and they invited me to join them.)

Penguins and polka dots, taken in ModCloth’s aptly named Concord conference room. (Photo by Jenna.)

So what were you up to yesterday and today?

Top: In It to Penguin It Sweater, Sugarhill Boutique via ModCloth
Skirt: modified from a ModCloth dress
Earrings: Quote Couture Earrings via ModCloth
Shoes: Adventure Capitol Heel, J Shoes via ModCloth

[Photo by the lovely Jenna Winn]

1954 Meets 1994

 

The neon trend this summer totally reminded me of growing up in the 1990s, and particularly of TV shows like Saved by the Bell and movies like Clueless. (Confession time: Clueless is one of my all-time favorite movies. It’s way existential.)

But I felt like mixing in more of a mid-century vibe, because, well, that’s what I do. So I took a neon yellow-green shirt and paired it with a polka-dot skirt and cherry red accessories.

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

I kept to gold-toned accessories, and picked up a neon woven chain bracelet from H&M to bring it all together.

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

And because I can never have enough color, I dragged my husband out to a neighborhood garden to take photos among the flowers. :)

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

Skirt: modified from a ModCloth dress
Shirt: Nordstrom Rack
Necklace: Right Under Your Nose Necklace via ModCloth
Belt: Calderon, thrifted
Bracelets: Victorian mourning bracelet, H&M black bangles, and H&M neon woven chain bracelet
Shoes: Hot for Hemlock Heel in Crimson, Chelsea Crew via ModCloth

All photos by Pat Zimmerman

 

Twinsies!

The thing about working at ModCloth is that you’re surrounded by a bunch of people who share a similar aesthetic. And everyone has an employee discount. And so, invariably, one day you come into work and you’ve got a twin!

Hannah, Rocky, and me. Photo by Santina of Style by Santina.

This was totally unplanned, but funnily enough it was about a week after we had a “Seeing Double” day, where Hannah and I purposefully wore the same outfit as each other (but a different one from this).

My outfit:
Skirt: Sunday Diving Skirt, Eva Franco via ModCloth
Shirt: Learn the Basics Top in Navy via ModCloth
Shoes: Vintage 1950s Pamela Heel by Joseph La Rose via ModCloth

Hannah’s outfit:
Skirt: Sunday Diving Skirt, Eva Franco via ModCloth
Shirt: Thrifted
Shoes: 10 Things I Love about Shoe by BC Shoes, via ModCloth. (For the record, I also have those shoes and previously wore them in this post.)

Photo by Santina of Style by Santina.

A Little Bit Country

When I first picked up this dress I wasn’t sure I loved it. Something about the print just didn’t feel like me – maybe it felt a little too country? The only reason I bothered trying it on was the full skirt.

But when I did try it on, I loved how it looked. And since it was $15, it was easy to go ahead and buy it. Sure, there were some stains from age – it must have been packed between cardboard or something similar that left marks. But I’ve learned that those kinds of stains generally wash out (and they did!).

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

Fast-forward a couple of years and this has become one of my go-to dresses. Since it’s from the early 1950s, I’ve had to take a needle & thread to it a few times – but it’s worth it! It’s super easy to wear and mix & match with accessories.

This time, I went with cheery summer brights – a pink cardigan (coming on the heels of my last post, it seems I have a thing for pink cardis!), yellow bangles, and lime green earrings.

Bright accessories add pop to a black & white print. (Photo by Pat Zimmerman.)

Then I added some chic patent heels and did what any reasonable girl wearing a full-skirted dress should do – went for a spin!

Love spinning in full skirts! (Photo by Pat Zimmerman.)

Btw, I think sunny days make me giddy . . .

Full on cheese! (Photo by Pat Zimmerman.)

*ahem*

(I’m a serious fashion blogger. For reals.)

Being a serious fashion blogger. (Photo by Pat Zimmerman.)

Anyway . . . What piece in your closet has become an unexpected fave?

Dress: vintage early 1950s dress via Eons Fashion Antique in Pittsburgh, PA
Cardigan: Banana Republic
Earrings: vintage
Bracelets: vintage (yellow bangles) and a gift (silver cuff)
Shoes: Giuseppe Zanotti via The Outnet
Purse: Cole Haan Valise Archer leather satchel via Rue La La

[All photos by Pat Zimmerman.]

Professor Salt’s Coffee Truck

Check out this totally awesome truck I found!

Awesome classic Chevrolet truck. (Photo by Pat Zimmerman.)

My husband and I went out to Port Costa for dinner with his parents and happened across this classic Chevrolet truck. I hadn’t planned on taking outfit pics, but the photo op was just too good to pass up.

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

In addition to the old-timey “Prof Salt’s Coffee Co” sign, there were chicken plushies in the passenger seat! Rather irresistable, don’t you think?

Do you see that chicken plushie in the window? (Photo by Pat Zimmerman.)

My dress fit in quite well, given that it’s a handsewn vintage dress from the late 1940s or early 1950s. It’s got a somewhat unusual floral pattern, with abstracted black and grey vines amongst the green leaves and purple flowers. I paired it with a green cardigan and purple handbag, plus black shoes and belt for contrast. The black lace on my cardigan helped pull it all together.

The whole ensemble, framed by Professor Salt’s coffee truck. (Photo by Pat Zimmerman.)

So cheers! to Professor Salt. I don’t know what your coffee is like, but I sure do love your truck!

Dress: handsewn vintage dress, likely from the late 1940s or early 1950s
Cardigan: Game of Chance Cardigan, Darling via ModCloth
Bracelet: vintage art deco silver bracelet (a gift)
Belt: borrowed from another dress
Purse: Coach (a gift)
Shoes: Me Too (thrifted)

[All photos by Pat Zimmerman.]

Summer Warmth

Summer in San Francisco: I still (usually) need to wear cardigans, but I try to mix in elements that remind me of the sultry summers I grew up with.

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

Like warm peach and yellow, the color of northeastern summer sunsets. And one of my favorite pair of earrings, in the shape of cicadas, that bring to mind the sounds of summer nights.

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

Mix in some gold and caramel accents, add a white skirt with florals and sequins . . .

Gold jewelry and nails. Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

. . . and I’m the very image of summer!

Catching my shadow :)

What does summer mean for you?

Skirt: White House Black Market (thrifted)
Top: Now or Nectar Top, C. Luce via ModCloth
Belt: Gap
Earrings: Magicicada Earrings, Erica Weiner via ModCloth
Bracelets: Sparkle an Idea Bracelet via ModCloth and Victorian mourning bracelet
Cardigan: Somewhere to Bow Cardigan via ModCloth
Shoes: Adventure Capitol Heel, J Shoes via ModCloth
Purse: Basketwork Bag, Industry via ModCloth

Manicure: Pams & Kin holographic glitter (“THIS Year”) ombré over Julep Nail Parlor shimmer polish (“Nessa” layered over “Ashley”).

[Shadow photo by me. All other photos by Pat Zimmerman, as noted.]

Style Challenge: Neon!

Aloha! It’s Friday, which means another style challenge! The theme this week is neon. And where better to wear neon colors than on a sunset cruise?

Neon and navy, with my soon-to-be-lost plumeria blossom. Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

I grabbed this bathing suit at a super-tropical store: Old Navy. And I paired it with a jersey knit chevron-striped skirt and a jersey knit navy cardigan when the breezes picked up. Plus a pair of pearl earrings.

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

The effect was tropical meets nautical – which meshed well with the scenery!

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

Happy Friday!

Bathing Suit: Old Navy
Skirt: Old Navy
Cardigan: Final Touch

[All photos by Pat Zimmerman]

Check out the rest of the style challenge crew this week, and join us or follow along on Twitter: #stylechallenge :)
Meghan of Voilà!
Rebecca of Thirty-Five Inch Inseam
Adiel of It’s Because I Think Too Much
Angie of The Hotness Your Momma Warned You About
Amanda of Fashionablee Me
Carlina of Allergic to Vanilla
Nic of Manners and Moxie

Seafoam and Coral

It rarely gets very warm in San Francisco. In the winter it’s usually in the 50s and 60s — which is wonderful for someone who dealt with chilly Pennsylvanian winters for most of her life! But in late spring and summer it’s usually in the 60s and low 70s, and layers are always required.

Except for every once in awhile when the weather warms up a little, and I rejoice by wearing a sundress!

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

I love the retro styling of this coral Bettie Page dress, which is actually based on a 1950s Elvgren painting: “That Low-Down Feeling (Who, Me?)”. This dress was one of a series that Bettie Page did last year, all based on Elvgren pin-up paintings. The series was fantastic and I’m hoping Bettie Page does something like it again!

“That Low-Down Feeling (Who, Me?)” by Elvgren, 1957

I paired the sundress with seafoam green accessories and nails:

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

And added nude-colored patent-leather heels. And my dog, Jasper – isn’t he a great accessory? :)

Nude patent leather heels by Jessica Simpson. Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

Then Rocky joined for a photo too!

Yay for totally cheesy smiles. ;) Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

What’s your favorite warm-weather wear?

Dress: Sweet Coral-ine Dress, Bettie Page via ModCloth
Purse: Nordstrom
Bracelet: From a clothing exchange
Earrings: A gift
Shoes: Wishing and Taupe-ing Heels, Jessica Simpson via ModCloth

[All photos by Pat Zimmerman]