Details: Latest from Rocksbox

Oh man, the internet is out at home so I am currently sitting in the parking lot of my local Starbucks to get wifi because I don't feel like going in and being guilted into buying something. Still working on a new Scarlett and Giselle, but I really liked these photos and wanted to share them. These are my latest pieces from Rocksbox, the jewelry subscription service that I style for. If you are in the US and would like to try it for a month free, use code "jennastylist"! The amazing choker is from one of my favorite designers, Jenny Bird, and the earrings are by our private label SLATE. Loving these gold beauties for the holidays. 

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Alright, working on big plans for Scarlett and Giselle. This is going to be a lot less about me, more about creativity and inspiring humans. For now though, my love took some pictures of me in an outfit I loved, so I decided to post them. These were taken in Manhattan Beach, California. Now I am back up in Northern California and it's near freezing, so the beach sounds a little crazy right now. I hope everyone is having a beautiful winter!!! Talk soon. 

Details: Top--HOWARD // Overalls--Madewell 

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Judith

It's here, my favorite day of the year!!! This October felt very important. I feel like I stepped into something significant this month. October is always so special to me. The veil between worlds is thinnest now and I really can feel it. One of the artists I featured last post wrote an amazing description of the history of Halloween so definitely check it out here: (x). Even though the month is almost up, I feel that I have begun to uncover more of myself and I don't want to give that path up. As we enter the "dark half" of the year, you can expect more witchiness, magic, femininity, and nature. This time of the year is always so cleansing to me, I just love it. 

I worked SO HARD on my costume this year, and I am so pumped to share it. I decided to embody Gustav Klimt's "Judith with the Head of Holofernes" from 1901. This work depicts the Old Testament heroine Judith, who used her sensuality to lure her enemy Holofernes (the general who was trying to take over her village) to her. After she had gotten the man drunk, she cut off his head, thus saving her village. She is looked at as a symbol of piety and modesty. Even though she used her sensuality to lure a man, she did it for her religion and people. In the Renaissance, this idea was explored through many paintings under a theme called "Power of Women". This topos explored the ways in which women could dominate men. It seems that Klimt tapped into this idea, making his Judith more of a femme fatale character. When he first painted this, his mostly Jewish elite audience was shocked, thinking that perhaps he meant to title the piece after Salome, a more sinister character. But no, his woman was Judith and she became the symbol a woman who is both sexual and respected. I love her unapologetic vibes and I was so excited to make this costume.

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The Plague Doctor

I spotted the work of Zai Zai Jewelry on Etsy (x) about a month ago. She makes fantastic necklaces out of polymer clay and there were quite a few I simply needed. But this one...I knew I needed this one for October. I dropped very heavy hints to Ian and he got it for me for our anniversary (3 years woohoo)! This is honestly the most unique necklace I have ever seen. I showed it to Ian's dad and he said"...what is the significance of the breasts?" To which I answered, "I really don't know but aren't they fabulous?" This necklace is called The Plague Doctor in reference to the mask that the woman is wearing. These masks were used during the Bubonic Plague to shield the doctors from the airborne illness. They would stuff the beaks of the masks with herbs and flowers to help with the smell and provide protective properties. I think this necklace was so arresting for me because the heavy mask next to the woman's flesh just feels so wrong. She seems to symbolize protection but also vulnerability, like a Goddess of the Plague or something. 

Things like this are obviously right up my alley: I, being a girl who loves studying medieval art and practices, can't help but get excited every time someone references these things in their art. I like that the style is slightly steampunk, so it almost brings the piece into the realm of Victorian gothic. I knew I needed some eerie pictures to go along with it so I shot these in my bathroom. I think I will feature it again as the winter months come, hopefully outside next time so I can get some more evenly-lit detail shots. For now, please enjoy my ghostly take on the Plague Doctor Goddess. 

Necklace -- Zai Zai Jewelry // Bodice -- UO circa 2011 

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Katrina Van Tassel

Following my Tim Burton post, I just had to post an outfit inspired by a Sleepy Hollow character, right? Originally I had planned to create this look with a black and white corset I was going to make myself, but GET THIS: literally no fabric store around me had black and white striped fabric. Luckily I fished some faux leather from my stack of fabric and crafted this fun little belt/corset. This outfit was of DIY importance for me. I feel like a lot of blogs have not been taking advantage of the DIY direction that fashion is moving in. I love how so many pieces these days are deconstructed and edgy, but it seems like people aren't brave enough to take that on themselves. We seem to be in an "anything goes" period of fashion, and I really wanted to take advantage of that. I turned an old striped blouse backwards and sewed some fancy sleeves onto the end of it. I tied a ribbon around my neck and cut my own damn jeans. I don't think we should be afraid of taking fashion into our own hands--that's the whole point of blogging right? This is a very silly and fanciful look, but for October and one of my favorite movies, I thought it was the right time to get creative. 

On Katrina Van Tassel: my oh my, she is the woman I want to be. I mean, she has seen some shit and lost a lot of people, but still she's so cool. For those not familiar, Katrina is the daughter of the richest man in Sleepy Hollow. Katrina exists in most (and I assume all) retellings of the Sleepy Hollow legend, but she rarely is given any more agency than her position as a Van Tassel and a beautiful woman. In Tim Burton's 1999 film though, she is a witch (really a healing woman) who falls in love with Ichabod (played by Johnny Depp and I would fall much quicker if I were her, let me tell you). Young Masbeth says of her: "[She is] a strange sort of witch, with a kind and loving heart." It's refreshing to see witches in this film shown as "children of nature" as Ichabod says it, especially when 100 years earlier New England was running wild with accusations of witchcraft--a term that then meant dealings with the devil. I always love the recognition of witches in film for what they really were: people (mostly women) who understood nature and its ways of healing. Katrina in Sleepy Hollow casts spells to protect her loved ones, follows men into the woods to help them solve mysteries, and wears some amazing dresses. I just had to honor her with my own reimagining of her iconic black and white gown. 

Outfit details: 

Shirt -- TJ Maxx many moons ago // Corset & Sleeves -- DIY // Shoes -- Target // Jeans -- H&M // Nail Decals -- NailPop

Thank you to Maddy for photos in the graveyard by her house!

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like a lady

Maddy said to me, "You look very safari." I was kind of going more for cool lady who wears men's clothes and goes on adventures...which I guess could be safari-esque. Okay but secret time: I was really thinking about Catriona in Penny Dreadful. I'm sorry for the reference point--this blog honestly gets nerdier with every post, but I just finished Penny Dreadful a few days ago. I watched the whole series in like five days. It was so good and I don't really know how I hadn't watched it before this. 

Okay anyways, the point is I wanted to look like a badass slightly steampunk vampire hunter...probably didn't necessarily achieve that but I like this outfit nonetheless. I wore it out to Apple Hill with my friends. (Apple Hill is a region in my hometown made up of orchards and pumpkin patches. It's basically a fall dream.) It was a gorgeous day and made the world feel like October. Finally! 

Outfit details:

Sleeveless Trench--SheIn // Overalls -- Madewell // Boots -- Madewell // Scarf -- Vintage

Cuff -- Madewell // Necklace -- my childhood closet? // Sunglasses -- Garrett Leight

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criss-cross

A little outfit post for the end of September. I am gearing up for all the things I want to post in October (I get very enthusiastic about Halloween), but for now I just wanted to document this pretty dress and share some thoughts. First things first, this dress is from Urban Outfitters. I boycotted them for the longest time, then caved when I saw this because I absolutely loved it. Back to boycotting now. But still how I love this dress! I feel like it has some major puritan/peasant apron vibes going on in the front but the back is so sexy and lovely. It's one of those minimal pieces I love to reach for on incredibly hot days like today (seriously what the fuck LA). I usually wear it with my white Tretorns and look sooooo California Girl.

As for the update side of things, I feel like I have been struggling with "what to do next" in my life. I graduated, laid around for a little bit, and now I'm not sure what to do with myself. I feel like I should be looking for a big-girl full-time job, but in truth I have no real interest in the "Social Media Intern" positions in the world. I want to be able to use my brain and creativity on projects that feel right to me and so many of the jobs I am seeing look so bland. On the other end of the spectrum, of course, are the research jobs I so desire in the art history world, but am not qualified for without a Masters Degree. So here I am in the middle. The conclusion I am coming to is that I really should be relishing this time of questioning. I should be taking advantage of the time I have and using it to explore some things I had forgotten. I have been teaching myself new art forms, and dreaming about others like tintype photography and pottery. I am happiest when I am creating, and I really hope that I can arrive at a place where perhaps I can feel confident enough in these passions to want to pursue them "full-time." I know this might be a difficult path, but I am tired of feeling uninspired and like I have let my art fall to the side. It's who I am and I want to embrace it. 

Dress -- Urban Outfitters / Shoes -- Tretorn / Earrings -- a.v. max via Rocksbox

Photos by Greta (thanks bb!)

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A Modern Marie

I've been thinking about play; about how fashion has always been a way for me to dabble in other personas, to play dress up of both body and mind. I've also missed doing self-portraits. Ian has been so lovely in taking my photos so often, but I really do enjoy the process of taking my own photos for this blog, even if they are a little off-kilter or look too much like they were taken with a tripod. Self-portraiture is a way for me to check in with myself because it's just me and the camera--I'm running between my chosen spot and the tripod (even more today because my remote died). It's quite cathartic; everything but my immediate surroundings and my own feeling of existence just fades away. 

Today I reached for this fun velvety shirt and this collar I made while I was home. They reminded me of Marie Antoinette, or rather, the characters that I have seen her become in the public eye. I've actually read a few Marie Antoinette biographies and of course I adore the Sophia Coppola film, if only for the delicious visuals. Marie Antoinette is the epitome of privileged white girl, I suppose, but there is something so mournful that I have always found in her character. She was a young girl thrust into high society and away from her family. I imagine her spending a lot of time alone, trying to pass the time while absolutely nothing is expected of her (for better or worse). So today I honor her with a pink color she would have loved, some unnecessary frills, and a collar--which, now that I think of it, seems almost like a reference to a guillotine. 

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bloom

Some very sunny pictures for a very sunny day. Ian and I had a glorious Los Angeles day. Some days I don't want to live in LA at all, and other days, when we actually get out and do things, I am very thankful to live here. Today we hit up Sqirl for breakfast, which I'm sure if you have looked at any kind of "Things to Do in LA" lists, Sqirl is at the top. It's just really really good. Also many dogs, would recommend. We then meandered down to the Silverlake Flea Market and found some really cool sellers--I need to go back when I have actual money in my bank account. Then we went to Secret Headquarters which is an amazing comic book store at Sunset Junction. The rest of the day was spent on walks and naps. Weekends with Ian are very nice because it gives me a chance to chill out and not worry so much about "what I am going to do with my life." Because believe me, most days are spent doing that.

So this outfit is a good one, I think. This skirt was thrifted from my favorite Goodwill back home and it reminds me of blooms and love. The necklace has been in my closet for years...I think my mom got it at a Flea Market. Most importantly though, are these scarves tied around my arms. Since Carrie Bradshaw was my muse this week, I wanted to honor her amazing scarf-on-the-arm concept. You know the one: (x). In general I just wanted to challenge myself with bright colors and absolutely no black!!! It's not like I'm a "I only wear black" person, but I often shy away from mixing bright colors. So instead of my usual black ribbon around my waist or gold necklace, I decided to let my dress roam free and my neck sport some color. Just how I imagine Carrie would do. 

Skirt as a Dress - Thrifted    //    Shoes - Old Navy    //   Scarves and Necklace - probably from a flea market

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