everybody is ugly

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Nov 19, 2008

Remember your first true love? While prowling Chictopia in its nascent months, I fell hard for the stylings of a certain red lipped, ginger-haired blogger. Starrgirl’s signature style has been making waves on and off of Chictopia’s community (one of our first Style Icons, natch). So, in keeping with our back-to-basics November theme, here are Starrgirl’s must-have picks for fall. Enjoy!

xoConnie

Let’s start off with a hypothetical scenario: Imagine that you ignored your alarm in the early morning and have now bolted awake only to realize that you have ten minutes to get to class. After rushing to slap on some makeup (I would, I’m not gonna lie) what would you grab to wear first?

Well my answer would be basics of course! Those fail proof pieces in your wardrobe that you find yourself turning to when everything else just seems too complicated. Along with listing my personal top five basics I’m also going to name the specific item that I wear most at the moment (all in black to allow for maximum laziness) because I think it’s more fun that way.

1. Leggings (American Apparel)
Affordable and super comfy. I would not be lying if I said both the regular and shiny versions have become my uniform.

2. Loose T-shirt (Lux boyfriend tee)
One of my favorite t-shirts because of its oversized fit and front pockets. It’s also got a seam down the back instead of the sides which makes it a little more fun. For me the three most important things when it comes to t-shirts are: fit, neckline, and fabric content.

3. Leather jacket (Forever 21 faux)
I basically wear this everyday. I’m currently waiting on an order for a motorcycle style version which hopefully won’t be a disaster.

4. Boots (Payless Raven)
Not necessarily my favorite boot, but definitely one of the most comfortable heeled versions I own. Comfort actually matters to me more than you would think when it comes to basics.

5. Hat (H&M Beanie)
Hats are kind of my solution to every outfit/hair problem. At the moment I’m wearing beanies most often because of the weather. So far I have black, gray, red, and white versions; although I normally just end up wearing my black ones.

—Starrgirl

4 comments

Nov 21, 2008

I get a lot of people asking me how I score so many things at thrift stores so I think it’s about time I made a post about this. Here are a few tips which I swear by when it comes to finding the perfect items:

1. Practice patience
This is definitely my number one tip which can be tedious at first but once you’re used to it it becomes second nature. If you’re really impatient, this definitely isn’t for you. I’d also suggest shopping alone unless the other person is willing to spend just as much time as you! I can literally spend hours at a single store shifting through all the racks thoroughly to find what I want. I actually found a vintage Sonia Rykiel military-esque jacket at a Goodwill once but it was hidden between a bunch of these other hideous black blazers. If you’re squeamish about touching all the clothes, bring some hand sanitizer along! Trust me, it will pay off. Don’t despair if you don’t find anything, though. There have been times when I’ve had to come home emptyhanded :(

2. Don’t feel compelled to buy everything
I know I’m definitely guilty of this. Sometimes I’ll pick something up thinking I would come up with a way to incorporate it into an outfit someday but it’ll just end up wasting closet space. If you can’t think of an outfit on the spot, don’t buy it! Buy only what you really like, even if you only end up purchasing one thing.

3. Try things on
This goes along with the previous tip. Make sure you try things on before you purchase them to make sure they fit! Vintage clothes size in particular are very unpredictable so your best bet would be to see what it looks like on your body. Again, if you’re not completely convinced by the fit, don’t feel like you have to purchase it. Or…

4. A little DIY wouldn’t hurt
If you’re skilled with your hands you can always try reconstructing vintage clothing a la Urban Renewal! Or if you’re like me and only have basic sewing skills, you can turn a frumpy long dress into a cute mini by chopping off a few inches and sewing the hem yourself like I did in this post. This way, you won’t feel limited when you’re browsing! Just make sure you know you actually have the time and patience to complete this or the project will just end up sitting in your closet without being worn.

5. Check every piece for imperfections
Make sure you inspect your clothes for any stains or rips they may have before you take it out of the store. Most of the time if vintage items have stains they’re most likely permanent since the previous owner probably couldn’t get rid of them. Or you can cross your fingers and hope you can fix it!

6. Check out the men’s and children’s clothing
Straying away from the women’s clothing aisles can also prove to be fruitful if you have the time to look thoroughly in these other sections. When you’re in the men’s section, keep an eye out for oversized plaid shirts or sweaters which are perfect with skinny jeans on lazy days. In the children’s section you’ll find things like little boy’s blazers which have a nice snug fit that adds to any outfit.

I hate ending this with a number that isn’t a multiple of 5 but I can’t think of anything else to write! If you guys have any more questions message me at my personal account and I’ll try to get back to you!

Part two of this will be posted tomorrow after I take a trip to my favorite Thrift Town and show you guys how to mix thrifted pieces with modern ones. Stay tuned!

xoxo,
annabel

7 comments

Nov 13, 2008

The local auction house had an auction on Remembrance Day (Veteran’s Day for you yanks). As I had never been to one before, and as they were auctioning off not one but TWO Polaroid SX-70 Land cameras, I decided to go.

Is there a proper outfit for an auction? Hard to say. I don’t think I’d wear this to Sotheby’s, but considering one of the lots at the auction was a box of Playboys I feel this ensemble struck the right balance.

Read about my auction experience at TheSundayBest.

9 comments

Nov 02, 2008

So BritUgly has been away for a while – sorry guys. As of now I’m back in business and will be making up for my absense with lots more posts over the next few weeks.

A recent-ish EIU post detailed how to create smokey eyes. While I’m a bit smokey eye fan, it’s definitely a very dramatic look on those as pale and pasty as me. And it the daytime runs the risk of looking ever-so-slightly drag queen.

A quick and easy solution – when I have literally 2 minutes – is to paint a thick line along my upper lashes and follow with ridiculous amounts of mascara.

Tips:

- Liquid eyeliners can look harsh and a bit cheap. Pencils aren’t always dramatic enough. Try the Stila or Mac eyeliner pots, or even a really good black eyeshadow with a bit of vaseline. Applied with a brush.
- If your hand isn’t too steady rest your elbow on the dressing table, shelf, your knee, whatever.
- Get right down to the lash line so there are no gaps
- Build the line thickness up slowly if you aren’t sure what you’re doing. Don’t be scared of going thicker than feels right as long as the line is steady.
- When you start looking like Winehouse, it might be time to stop…

12 comments

Nov 13, 2008

‘Sup Uglies,
So, I have the wonderful pleasure of introducing Teen Ugly’s newest contributing writer, Jane from Sea of Shoes. Not only is she incredibly fashionable but she’s super sweet and so damn cute. If only I were this well dressed in high school…
- Juliana

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What sparked your interest in fashion?

I consider every aesthetic aspect of life to be important-clothes are naturally a part of that, and fashion is fun!

Who/what inspires you?

I am constantly collecting new inspiration, so it’s always changing. I am obsessed with the Japanese street style magazine FRUiTS-especially the older issues from the late 90’s. I love how isolated people’s style in Harajuku is from anywhere else in the world-there’s nothing else like it. Music always inspires me-I love punk and industrial music. My #1 style icon is Tina Chow-she always looked so elegant and her jewelry was incredible.

Does anyone ever compare you and your mom to Gilmore Girls?

One or two of my friends have pointed it out to me before but the comparison is lost on me because I’ve never seen Gilmore Girls!

How do you fit into the fashion scene in high school?

At my school there isn’t a fashion scene-I have to wear a uniform! I go to a really small school and none of my friends are interested in fashion. To be honest I think they’re a bit embarassed to be seen with me in some of my outfits! But usually I find that people at my high school are an appreciative audience for style-I always get lots of compliments on shoes.

How would you describe your personal style?

A constant evolution, I guess.

If you could only wear one item/outfit for the rest of your life what would it be?

That is a terrifying prospect-I guess if I had to wear one thing for the rest of my life, I’d probably wear some sort of Buddhist garb. Or maybe a pair of antique Levi’s worker jeans from like 1895-is that gross?

How many pairs of shoes do you have?

I’m not quite sure-but somewhere around 45-50 pairs!

What made you start Sea of Shoes?

Summer boredom-I started during Spring ‘07 and forgot about it for a year. I started blogging again this March-since then I’ve really gotten into the swing of it and it’s a lot of fun.

What was your first major designer article of clothing?

Hmm….I’m not sure if he qualifies as a ‘major designer’ but I remember on my 13th birthday, I bought two pieces from Custo Barcelona-a bustier-detail shirt with metallic thread woven through it and this puffy little silver bolero with a blue fur collar. It was when the Custo Barcelona boutique had just opened in Dallas I think and I was fascinated by everything Custo! I still think he is an underrated genius.

What do you plan on doing in the future?

I am really excited about starting a career in fashion. There are so many different fields in fashion I’m interested in-being some sort of editor or stylist would be an ideal career for me. I have some exciting things in the works right now that are keeping me busy too! It’s cool that having a fashion blog has opened up so many oppurtunities for me and I have learned so much from it. I think everyone should have a blog-fashion or otherwise. It’s consumer empowerment!

2 comments

Nov 21, 2008

Hey Uglies,
So, we all know that holiday shopping can be overwhelming, especially when you have a lot of people to buy for. I mean, it can be hard to naviagte the craziness of corporate America while trying to juggle your pumpkin spice latte and being bombarded with loud kids who want to sit on Santa’s lap. But alas, ShopUgly hopes to take a little of the stress out of the season by offering a fantastic gift guide as a source of inspiration and ideas for some of the naughties on your list. Happy shopping!
xoxo
Juliana

American Apparel Circular Scarf- A great basic that should be well-recieved based on the fact that there are 12 different ways to style it alone.

Forever 21 Wool Caplet- Capes can be kind of expensive, so with how incredibly fashionable they are right now, this caplet is a great option and just under 30 dollars.

Target Black Leather Gloves- These are not only extremely practical and trendy for the upcoming cold months but look pretty badass.

Urban Outfitters Headphones- My roommate and I have such completely different tastes in music so it’s good we’re both somewhat tolerant. But in case my patience runs out as the year goes on, if I get her these chic headphones, then I won’t have to worry about listening to metal in the morning.

Chunky Reisen Necklace from Armani Exchange- On sale for 9 dollars, this is a great statement piece to add to a holiday outift.

Anthropologie Tea Set- I love the whole concept of carefree, sophisticated Tea Parties. Buying this for a rommie would pose great bonding potential over tea cakes and gossip. And who doesn’t love that?

 

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