Gray Morning, Bright Blue Shorts

Goooood morning, my little blog readers! It's kind of gray and... well, gray out. I don't know about you, but for me, Monday + gray = not so winning combination in the productivity/morale department. Makes me want to hook myself up to an IV of color, tropical breezes, and sunshine. Or do the next best thing, which of course is blogging about bright, colorful clothes. Am I right?

Mindy emailed me asking for help with styling a pair of bright blue shorts she has. So far, she's only tried white and black tops, both of which are good options! But let's see if we can get past the... welllll, obvious to something a little more creative.

These are the colors that came to mind...

Gray: I know, not super exciting to start off with (especially given the forecast) -- but when it comes to clothes, it's one of my favorite colors, and it goes with everything. I love gray because it's not as stark as white or black, and it lends a casual, comfortable look to an outfit.

Coral: You might not think that a shade of orange would be the best choice to pair with blue, but here's a little tip, straight from your middle school art class: if you look at a color wheel, you can find complementary color pairings by picking a color and looking at which hue is straight across from it on the wheel (as well as the colors on either side of it). So, in basic terms: shades of red complement shades of green, orange complements blue, and yellow complements purple.



Navy: You can always go monochromatic -- it usually ends up looking pretty chic. Navy and bright blue is one of my current favorite color combinations. It's fun and a little daring without going too crazy. Plus they just look pretty together... I know. Strong argument.
Chambray or denim: Trendy, and classic -- like gray, denim goes with everything.

Others ideas would be bright yellow, a denim jacket over a white tank, or a gold or silver sequined top. Hope that helps some!

If you've got clothes you're not sure how to style (or just want some fresh ideas for) give me a holler and I'll see what I can do. David helped me put a handy-dandy query form in the sidebar, making it easier than ever. Give it a try!

Girl Friday: Jackie

I'm very excited. Today's the day I share my first interview!

The plan is for this to be a regular feature on the blog: I'm going to interview my stylish friends and family and introduce them to you for your inspiration and enjoyment. Cool deal? (If you'd like to nominate someone for an interview, email me!)

Without further ado... meet Jackie!

You don't have to know Jackie for very long before you discover that she has a deep love for boots. Also, that she's friendly and sweet. What I love about Jackie's style is that you can tell she stays true to herself and what she likes, but at the same time she takes risks and fearlessly wears and pairs fun colors together in unexpected ways.

The Twenty Ninth: Describe your style in a few words or a phrase:  
Jackie: Colorful; classic for the tall girl who loves heels and likes a splash of sass ;-)

TN: How has your style evolved over the years? 
J: I have always wanted to push my comfort level or try something different. There are styles I learned to love (i.e. leggings, skinny jeans, belts) that I might not have thought would work for my body type or style. So it has evolved by trying more looks... and working hard to stay the same weight :)

TN: Who are your style influences? 
J: I love to stalk fashion blogs (i.e. The Daybook, Until Tomorrow, Atlantic-Pacific) and then seek to incorporate the more abstract high fashion styles into my own daily life.

TN: Where's your favorite place to shop?  
J: Gap, Old Navy, J. Crew -- they are not "high end" but they are stores you can the classics and trends for reasonable prices... plus I know my sizes there -- no trying on required! :) Guilty pleasure is Anthropologie but only with gift certificates and from the Sale section! For my boots and heels, DSW, Off Broadway, and Bass (who has the BEST, B-E-S-T boot sale after Thanksgiving...)

TN: How do you pick out an outfit? 
J: I tend to build an outfit around a specific piece of clothing I want to wear and make everything fit to that (i.e. red heels today, so I picked cropped tuxedo pants and a white top so that the reds are the show stopper).

TN: What's your favorite thing in your closet to wear and why?  
J: BOOTS! Always and forever BOOTS! :) My dad once tried to "shame" me by asking how many pairs I owned... He stopped listening after I listed my tenth pair... Boots can make casual outfits look pulled together and purposeful while being comfortable -- I can wear boots all day and night long no problem; that keeps an outfit the way I want from the start to the finish of the day. Boots can make a statement or compliment an outfit -- they can play a main or supporting role to an outfit.

TN: Any shopping tips or fashion advice you'd like to share? 
J: Always shop on the off season! I will get a few items during the season -- those are more trendy items or replacing the faithfully worn items. Everything else? Outlet shopping during the off season and before/after the holidays -- that is when you get the steals! Like a winter coat for $9 at Forever 21! Or red jacket for $10 at Old Navy! I don't skimp on the price of shoes though! You need quality if you want to be able to walk more than 20 feet!

Jackie, thanks again for being my first interviewee! If anyone has more questions for Jackie about her style, feel free to leave a comment below!

People Watching: Sundae Sunday

My friend Courtney was wearing this little outfit this past week at church. I had to share it with you guys mainly because it was one of the cutest ways I've seen to style oxford shoes. I've been on the fence about oxfords -- I figured they're probably cute with jeans and a tee shirt, maybe with the right dress. But I loved how Court matched them basic shorts and a tank, keeping the outfit summery and casual, and then threw in the surprise of the shoes.

Favorite ways to style oxfords? Anyone?

Off, Slightly Amiss, Askew.

One of my favorite quotes, from Nina Garcia (found in her book The One Hundred).

The idea behind this is that fashion isn't about having it all together -- it's about wearing things the way you want to wear them, making choices about what you put on based on how you want it and like it to look. I love that. There are formulas that work and are helpful, but they aren't the only way to go about getting dressed. Your style is unique because you're the only one who can wear something the way you wear it. So don't worry too much about whether something's "okay to do" or not when it comes to an outfit -- if you like the way it looks, chances are you're going to own it and wear it better than something you put on because someone told you to.

It's Good To Be Curious, About Many Things.

Goooood morning! Here's kind of weird post for today... Brace yourselves. Or maybe just your eyes.

I can't say I'd ever seen anything like this dress (?) before I tried it on for kicks at The Mustard Seed on Saturday. It intrigued me, to say the least.

The material is terracotta-colored canvas, there's a hidden zipper that goes 3/4ths down the front of the dress, plus a southwestern bib and a huge buckle belt, reminiscent of a trench coat gone Arizona-retro. I originally thought it was a jacket, but as I pulled it on it became clear that it was truly in a class of its own. My shoes coincidentally happened to match... I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

I think Zooey Deschanel probably could have rocked it... me, not so much. But it was kind of fun to try on something bizarre and different than I'd normally pick out. That's the nice thing about dressing rooms -- you can go wild because only you will ever know what you looked like in something. It's a safe space.

Unless you post the picture on your blog for everyone to see.

Ever seen anything like this?

(PS: The title of this post is in reference to this viral video, which, if you haven't seen, is worth a see.)

Finding Inspiration

On Saturday, I was driving home after a trip with my sister to The Mustard Seed (for those who care: I scored this olive green silk dress with pockets from Banana Republic for $15!), and somewhere between Wisconsin Ave and M Street, I came up with about four different outfits I want to try. Believe me, this doesn't happen every day. And the next time I wake up uninspired and the clothes in my closet look as exciting as a rack of brown paper bags, I know I'm going to forget all about my brilliant ideas from Saturday. Actually... I already have. Heh.

My friend Connie asked, "Where do you find inspiration and higher end looks? Who is putting together fun and fresh looks?" and I thought this would a great topic to cover. I think the answers will vary from person to person based on their particular style preferences. (i.e. I don't look at Hot Topic or Coldwater Creek catalogs when I'm in a fashion rut...) So here are my favorite places to go when I'm looking for ideas, but I'd also love to hear about who or what inspires you when it comes to your closet.

My favorites:

• Pinterest has to be my number one go-to these days. I use my fashion board as though it were a bulletin board inside my closet. It's easy enough to pull it up on the computer while I'm shopping my clothes and trying to figure out what works with what. Find pinners who like similar styles as you, or who pin things you'd like to branch out and try, and follow them! If you're interested in trends, follow fashion moguls and trendsetters like Nina Garcia, Olivia Palermo, etc. -- many fashion leaders have Pinterest accounts. (This goes for Twitter as well -- I follow several fashion magazines on Twitter, and they're always linking to ways to wear stuff, trends to try, etc.)
• Website lookbooks -- most sites have an "outfits we love" feature these days and they update it seasonally, if not monthly. My favorite ones to look through are J.Crew and Madewell because they keep things classic and throw in unexpected pieces here and there. Even though I always don't subscribe to their total look, a lot of times one of their outfits will trigger ideas for pieces I already own (i.e. basic ideas like "try a jacket over a dress" or "try a sweater with shorts"). If a site doesn't have a lookbook, they might have their current catalog online. Find your favorite places to shop (whether in reality or in your wildest dreams) and check their sites periodically.
• Film/real people watching -- I like observing what's around me for inspiration I can use. It might sound lame, but I'll rent a movie based on the fashion in it (The Devil Wears Prada, anyone?). And I'm always watching (which sounds really creepy?) whenever I'm out and about for outfits that are different or incorporate elements I want to try. Then I'll come home and see if I can find something similar on Pinterest, or I'll just write down notes to myself.

Leave a comment and let us know where you look to be inspired! Inquiring minds want to know.

Here We Go.

Well, the cookies worked. (I mean, really, have chocolate chip cookies ever failed anyone?)

Surprise, I'm making more changes! But this time I think I've figured out what I really want to do with this blog and I'm excited about it in a way I wasn't before.

I changed my About page to reflect the new direction The Twenty Ninth will be taking, but here are some specifics on what you can expect. (And if this makes you want to hightail it back to the website you were browsing before you clicked your way over here, that's cool too: fly, be free.)

I really want this blog to be for and about real people who enjoy fashion and/or want to learn more about it. I look at fashion as a kind of art, and I get excited when people discover their particular style and put their own unique spin on what they wear. My hope for this blog is to encourage you to be yourself while inspiring you to be adventurous when it comes to your style and wardrobe. Here's how I want to make that happen:

• Interviews with friends & family who have honed their personal style
• Q & A with readers (see below for more on that)
• People watching: describing & recreating outfits and discussing what makes them work
• Random personal stuff: style mishaps; clothes & trends I'm excited about and want to try; things I've learned about fashion, the industry, and shopping; tips & tricks; pictures & stories; things that have nothing to do with anything...
• Clothes for Cheap: high end lookalikes, tips on sales/deals, ideas for achieving your look for less moola

I want this blog to become a fashion-loving community. But to do that, I need your help - I want (and let's be honest, need) to hear from you:

• With questions about how to work with what's in your closet: if you've got clothes you're not sure how to style, or if you're in need of outfit ideas, I'd love to work with you!
• With questions about where to look for a particular piece, or where to find cheaper options.
• Questions about fashion in general - I want to keep learning about this topic, so if you've got questions, I'll do the research for you.
• About blogs, art, outfits, etc. you've found inspirational and think others might too.

How does that all sound?
I'm excited to get started.

Progress Report

To be honest, I'm still feeling muddled as I blog. But I don't want to stop, especially because I'm gaining traction and honing in on what I want to do with this little corner of the interwebs as I write and delete and post and retract. It's all helping me narrow my focus down, even though that means I'm toying with your emotions, leading you on wild goose chases, and probably making you toss and turn at night as you try to figure out just what I meant when I posted that thing about the shirt that one time.

My point is. If you're still hanging in there with me, know that I appreciate it.

Are there any type of posts in the very short week that I've been doing this that you've particularly liked? I think I know what changes I'm going to make, but if something is working for you readers, I want to know. If you have a second and are feeling loquacious, drop me a line!

Meanwhile... I'm going to keep thinking it all through and probs go make some chocolate chip cookies as I ponder.

Trending: Printed Jeans

Okay, so printed pants might strike some as a little too crazy. Or maybe they just evoke memories of a certain pair of floral jeans you had in elementary school (mine were covered in peach, periwinkle, and mint roses). But I feel like it's a trend that really encourages people to have fun with their style - the fact that it's now commonly acceptable to wear out-of-the-box patterns on more than just shirts confirms that you don't have to take fashion too seriously. 

For other cheap printed denim options, check out Delia's, Target, and American Eagle.

// Update: My sister Erin said she saw some great animal print skinny jeans at TJ Maxx today for $20!

2, 4, 6, 8, Who Do We Appreciate? Boys.

...Because if you steal their stuff, you can have more clothes. Simple. Words to live by.

I've stolen clothes from the guys in my life for as long as I can remember - mainly from my older brother, Ryan. When I was about 11, I fell in love with a pair of Buster Brown loafers he'd outgrown. Being the fashion-forward thinker that I am, I adopted them and paired them with jeans (also from Ryan - jeans are jeans when you're a kid) and a white Guess button down, worn over my pink dance leotard. I would've tied the shirt tails in a knot at the waist but I think I wasn't sure if I was allowed to, so I just tucked it in. In later years, I wore his outgrown flannel shirts (buttoned up and tucked in like a lady, of course), and, as a middle schooler, I discovered that boxers make excellent pajama bottoms.

Yeah, I'm not exactly proud of that one... It's... innovative at best.

Sophomore and junior year, I moved on to stealing my dad's stuff. He had this wooly tan sweater that I wore one winter, in a slouchy kind of way. Then, that summer, I wore his 25-year-old vintage Ocean City flip flops whenever he wasn't. Recently, I've been mourning the loss of a pair of burgundy hi-tops that he owned and got rid of before I was old enough to filch them.

Now I get to steal clothes from David, and I have an advantage because I shop for him. He's nice; he doesn't mind. So I made a list of my favorite things of his to wear...

• Baseball hats: Girls' hats are sized too small. His fit loosely over my head and ears, allowing my hair to breathe, so I can rock the messy low bun. I like pairing a baseball cap with a sundress and easy sneakers for a cute, girl-next-door look.
• Oxford shirt: Classic white is good. Since it's a little over-sized, I wear the first few buttons open and tuck the front into cut off denim shorts, or even tie the shirt tails in the front in a knot. Wear it with heels to keep it glamorous and feminine. 
• Basic tee shirt: Not just for when you're painting, lounging, or 8 months pregnant. Try one of his striped tees, or a white v-neck tee front-tucked into skinny jeans, with a feminine belt, and heels or flats.
• Belt: Adds the perfect amount of masculine rusticness to a floaty dress or blouse. I prefer his slightly beat up brown leather belt because I like the unexpected texture it lends to an otherwise very feminine outfit. 
• Watch: Same idea as the belt - it's an unexpectedly masculine piece that can offset your stack of pretty bracelets in just the right way.

Found anything worth stealing from your brother, father, boyfriend, or husband's closet?