Nora the Explorer

Coming Soon

2010-02-17T21:30:00.000-06:00

I'm excited to announce a new look coming to my blog very soon! Looking forward to new content and a new face for the blog - stay tuned!

RIP Alexander McQueen

2010-02-11T17:49:00.000-06:00

I was very saddened today to learn of the passing of Alexander McQueen. He has long been a favorite designer of mine, and I was really happy to see the full-on commitment to the insect motif during the S/S 2010 RTW show. I also loved the bright colors, the hyper-feminine shape of the hips, and the organic shapes and artistic nipple exposure at the end of the show. Below are some of my favorite looks to commemorate the loss of an excellent designer.

Happy February!

2010-02-10T22:32:00.002-06:00

I totally fell of the wagon when it came to updating in January. I got really busy with a number of freelance writing projects, and I'm TA'ing a class in chemistry and environmental policy - I actually have a stack of legal briefs to grade for Friday! My grandma has also been having some pretty serious health problems, so that has been stressful.

I had two exceptional vintage finds in the past couple of weeks. The first is this great Versace jacket. I couldn't believe I found a jacket with such great metal detailing - the structure and the metallic details are my more wearable, significantly less expensive homages to Balmain. I think it will look cute over flirty tops and skinny jeans for spring.

The other find (which is actually on its way here from Australia) is a fantastic Lanvin skirt. I love the high waist and bright color - perfect for spring - and the dot pattern reminds me of the leopard print Lanvin did in 2009.

I'm sick of the formatting on this blog - I need to find a new layout.

Haiti

2010-01-16T15:39:00.000-06:00

I am totally devastated by the Haiti situation and have been glued to Twitter and CNN since Tuesday evening. I highly encourage people to donate. The information that follows will take you to a page where you can donate to a matching program through Partners in Health. Partners in Health is a wonderful, reputable organization that is very worthy of your donation - I have already given $50 ($100 when matched)! Please consider donating to PIH or any organization that is near and dear to your heart.

Cliff Landis is matching donations to PIH up to $10,000 through his personal donation page. Information about his matching program is available on his blog, and you can access his personal donation page on the PIH website here. He currently has about $3000 to go!

What are you wearing today?

2010-01-12T16:12:00.000-06:00

Ray Ban, Banana Republic coat, LA Made wool dress, Vintage Christian LaCroix belt, sweater tights, Mini Market jodhpur boots

I am still in the process of figuring out my new camera (Nikon D60), but hopefully that means more pictures of actual outfits. I really hate where I'm living right now; finding an opportunity to wear all of the clothes that I really want to wear is really hard. There is just nowhere to go, and sometimes my look is a little "dressy" by campus standards, even when I tone it down and keep the really cool stuff in the closet.

When I photographed today's outfit it didn't really capture my accessories, and I totally forgot to grab my bag.

This LaCroix belt was a great find. I love the heavy look of it and the chain detail. It also has a signature star charm.

I have always worn rings on a daily basis, and these are the rings that I'm currently wearing daily on my left hand. The diamond ring is a gift from my boyfriend/best friend. The middle ring is from Tiffany - the ends of the ring are actually little hearts. A gift from my parents. The behemoth on the right is a labradorite heart ring from my favorite Etsy seller, BeijoFlor. Ironically, it's Brazilian-inspired jewelry. I just love the oversized organic shapes and the weight of all the pieces. This ring is super heavy and is entirely stone. I just picked up another great piece - I'll post it soon.

I've been carrying this bag a lot lately - the Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene Speedy 30. This was a Christmas gift from my parents. I really like this bag a lot - more understated than the classic monogram, no vachetta that I have to worry about ruining from rain, snow and exposure, and it's a nice alternative to the standard black bag for winter.

I'm a winner

2009-12-28T19:39:00.001-06:00

I was thrilled today to learn that I had won a pair of Kill City jeans courtesy of Rachel over at That's Chic! I've never really won anything like this before, so I am super excited to have won. Each entrant was supposed to submit a description of how they'd style the particular pair up for grabs - this was my winning "look:"

I'd wear these with either my Fiorentini + Baker Eternity boots or my Mini Market Jodhpur wedge boots. On top I'd wear a basic black James Perse tank with a vintage Kenzo swing coat over the top, belted at the waist with a vintage Lacroix belt. I would accessorize with ridiculous, chunky, bright jewelry from one of my favorite Etsy sellers, BeijoFlor.

I was thrilled to have been picked out of the many readers that entered. It certainly makes me feel like I know what I'm talking about when it comes to clothes and styling. :) I hope this is a sign of good things to come for 2010! I am staying downtown at The Drake with Loli to ring in the New Year (the Chicago Chanel boutique is on the first floor ohgodohgod), so I am really looking forward to that!

P.S. Seriously, check out BeijoFlor on Etsy. I am totally addicted to these bright, organic pieces. They're going to make me go broke!

Black rats

2009-12-18T16:12:00.001-06:00

Selling a pair of the highly coveted Sass & Bide Black Rats here.

Shoe Lust

2009-12-12T21:46:00.000-06:00

Shoes by Opening Ceremony

Hi, my name is Nora, and I am addicted to shoes. Particularly these.

Four days and the Smart Home

2009-12-11T22:58:00.001-06:00

I am slowly preparing for the GRE. I'm taking it on Wednesday. I'm really not looking forward to it, and $150 seems like a lot of money to spend on a test when I'm only applying to one school - though I must admit, if I'm going to apply at all, the program I'm applying to is absolutely a perfect fit for me. This time last year grad school was totally not on my horizon at all. Right now it's...sort of on the horizon. I would be ecstatic to get in to my program of choice and have that door opened for me, but I have a perfectly viable - if not in some ways more appealing - contingency plan that I would also be content with. I have always been a strong standardized test taker, so I'm trying to not get too worked up about the exam.

Today I went to the Museum of Science and Industry, somewhere that I probably haven't been since middle school. Loli and I went with my mom and aunt to check out the Christmas trees before picking my brother up from his apartment for break. The trees were cool (though no Brazil tree - what the hell?), and we got to take in some other exhibits as well. We went to the White House exhibit, which had a lot of artifacts and ephemera from various administrations, as well as the main attraction - a scale model of the White House with fully decked out rooms. The attention to detail was great - I liked the little version of Bo in the yard, and I had no idea the movie theater was so big!

The thing that I was interested in during the trip was the Smart Home, Chicago's greenest house. The house was incredibly sexy and of course very eco-friendly. I loved the open floor plan and the abundance of various decks and outdoor spaces that are part of the house. Despite a $500,000 price tag for that particular model, the house was very efficient while remaining modern and livable. I would have honestly moved right in if they would have given me the option. Even the bathroom fixtures were very architectural and to my liking. You would never know you were living in a house that only cost $10 a week to heat and light.

Christmas volunteering

2009-12-08T17:25:00.002-06:00

Before coming back home for the holidays, I researched a variety of ways that I could be active in the community, and have continued my search since I've been back, looking for means of giving my time to those less fortunate. I've always been an active volunteer with a variety of organizations since elementary school, and I enjoy doing it as a means to fill my time while I have a break from most of my other obligations.

I've researched food banks, homeless shelters, even the Salvation Army and similar giving-based organizations (though I've been soured toward SA for the recent controversy surrounding their alleged immigration verification process). Frankly, the entire process has left me extremely frustrated. It is VERY difficult to find information on local organizations looking for more than just money during the holidays. It seems kind of messed up! There are very few outlets for the average person to donate their time, particularly if you don't belong to a church or philanthropic organization. I'd rather not just throw money at a cause or drop off a toy in a toy drive box (though both of these types of programs have their merits, and I plan on participating in a toy drive alongside whatever volunteer opportunities I can find since I donate money to other groups throughout the year). I just think it's strange that with the prevalence of the internet and the number of needy families and individuals around the country, particularly during times of economic hardship, that there are so few resources for people looking for local opportunities to help others. I'll probably resort to calling around to different food banks in the areas to see if they need drivers or other types of labor.

Just some of my thoughts on something I've been frustrated by this holiday season.

Lions and leopards and LaCroix, oh my!

2009-12-06T22:15:00.003-06:00

Lately I've been getting into the wonderful world of vintage accessories. Buying new jewelry just doesn't give the same satisfaction - the thrill of the hunt is virtually eliminated, and it doesn't feel as special when there are four identical pieces sitting next to it or just under the counter. I also have a major soft spot for ethnic jewelry - I regularly wear a strand of metal beads from Ethiopia with a strand of fat blue beads (made from recycled glass!) from Nigeria.

Two of my most recent pieces I actually found in the same shop. The first is a great Christian LaCroix signed belt, complete with huge buckle and monogrammed star charm. The belt reminded me of styles by the fantastic (and often insanely priced) Judith Leiber and Christopher Ross.

The other piece is a Bergere stunner from the 70s - a leopard cuff with maximum shine that wraps all the way around and has a nice weight to it. Very Kenneth Jay Lane, though with better craftsmanship and attention to detail. The stones on this piece are actually clear, but it photographed green from all the gold.

My aunt also brought over two fantastic, delicate rings to give me tonight. Each has a row of eight stones (one has sapphires, the other has diamonds), and they fit together in a wave shape. She bought them in the 70s in San Francisco and they no longer fit, so they were passed on to me! A nice surprise. I was actually able to stack them with another sapphire and diamond ring that I already wear on a daily basis.

I also picked up a really interesting (and surprisingly sexy) YSL sweater, but I haven't been able to get a picture of it yet.

Boot lust

2009-11-29T19:34:00.000-06:00

I am absolutely dying over these Fendi boots. If I could only have one new pair of shoes for this season (or maybe even the rest of the year), these would be them.

STYLEBOP.com | Grey/Hazelnut Ankle-Boots by Fendi | The latest trends from the Fashion Capitals of the World

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Absence

2009-11-25T22:04:00.003-06:00

I was sick for a while with norovirus, and then I was busy busy busy with finals, freelancing, studying for the GRE, and everything else. However, during that time, this little beauty from Rozae Nichols came into my life. A $585 piece of eye candy became a sub-$100 purchase that is now in my closet. I am the queen of bargains.

Vintage shopping != productivity

2009-10-25T17:09:00.010-05:00

No idea what's happening with the formatting here...it's driving me crazy, but I can't fix it.

When the weather starts to get cruddy, my frequency and duration of internet usage increases. Much to the dismay of my credit cards, this also means an increased frequency of internet window shopping and purchases. This weekend was no exception. It was homecoming weekend, but my boyfriend was out of town yesterday and I have no interest in watching football, so I stayed in to work on freelance writing...and browse the internet.

My taste tends to be all over the place, and I wear more "new" clothing than I do vintage. However, I have a major weakness for designer vintage and cool vintage jewelry. I found an amazing deal on a vintage YSL cashmere wrap/poncho (above). I would love to pair it with a big Balenciaga City, but for now I'll probably wear it with black jeans, knee high boots, and some luxe sunglasses. This piece is from the 70s but is totally timeless. Plus, it can serve double duty when I travel by being a nice cozy travel wrap/blanket.

I also picked up two awesome jewelry finds. The first is an awesome statement necklace that reminds me of Raquel Welch or a Grecian-inspired dress. I love metal and chains, and I think this will look totally cool with a basic black v-neck or a dress. The second one was just too fun to pass up. More metal and chains, but the stone adds a fun pop of color. I'll probably wear it layered with some other cool bracelets.

My new umbrella!

2009-10-16T22:59:00.001-05:00

I have lived in Illinois for most of my life, and yet I have never really owned an umbrella. Sure, I had some cutesy ones when I was younger, but probably not since I was eight or nine. I have been looking for a cute designer umbrella with some substance to it, so this Moschino umbrella was perfect. Best of all, Revolve is price matching the Saks sale, so I got a really good deal.

Neons into fall

2009-10-11T14:07:00.010-05:00

I bought my gorgeous Stephen Sprouse pink graffiti Speedy 30 in Paris during spring break, and I've been carrying it ever since. I'm trying to stretch my use of it into fall by keeping it as a statement piece against the season's darker colors and more masculine silhouettes. The bag functions as a nice accent to heavy leathers and metals, black skinny jeans, and chunky boots. A white tee with motorcycle boots, black skinnies and a big scarf is one of my favorite looks with this bag, but unfortunately I think Illinois weather may have surpassed tee shirt-only weather already. Fortunately, a leather jacket is a great addition on top.

James Perse tees and tanks are my absolute favorite - too bad their cost prohibits me from owning a million of them. They make great base layers for layering up in cooler weather, and they are totally sexy on their own. I had to stop myself from buying a bunch of things while I was making this entry.

Big chunky sweaters are another thing that I am totally into right now that I think work nicely with a structured bag like a Speedy. There is a great one from Pixie Market that I've had my eye one, but I can't make up my mind, and of course the ones I really like are very expensive. I'd love some Vince or Rick Owens sweaters in my closet this season...

My latest vintage find

2009-10-10T23:10:00.004-05:00

I am so excited - look what's it on it's way to me! A gorgeous pair of vintage Bally oxfords. Very on trend, and I thought the cutout was unique.

I got lucky and managed to snag these before someone else could get to them. I got a great deal on them, too. I'm looking forward to pairing them with dark skinny jeans (slightly rolled at the bottom) and oversized sweaters. Yay fall!

Things I'm Loving

2009-10-10T17:12:00.008-05:00

I am in big trouble for the next few seasons. So many of the trends that have been on the runway for F/W 2009 and S/S 2010 are things that I have loved for a while, so it is going to be VERY tempting to buy a lot of really awesome pieces. Something that I've always really liked is the sort of biker-masculine-goth-androgynous kind of thing. Leather, black and gray denim, heavy metals, and more leather.

You can probably also guess that I am enamored with dark nail polish. My favorite polish this season is OPI's "Here today...Aragon tomorrow." It's a dark, slightly shimmery forest green shade that is a wonderful update to black nails. I think it's a particularly nice color that complements silver and gold metals. I'm also loving more shimmery blacks, and dove gray nails are a nice way to stay true to the color story while lightening it up. OPI's "Moon Over Mumbai" is one of my favorites.

I like to invest in high-end staples that will last me for many years. One such recent purchase was my pair of Fiorentini + Baker Eternity boots (pictured above). They are really hard to get ahold of - by the time I decided to buy mine, Barneys had already sold out of most sizes online. I ended up doing a charge-send over the phone with Chalk Boutique in Evanston. I paid a small premium to get the boots from a boutique (on top of the already steep Cook County sales tax), but it was totally worth it. Chalk's customer service was the best - email replies were rapid and polite, and they offered to call me over the phone to place the order. I placed my order right around 4 p.m. on a weekday, and I had them by 12 p.m. the next day - my package was overnighted for a very reasonable, standard shipping fee. I received two hand-written notes in my package, as well as a small, eco-friendly tote that folds into its own travel pouch with "Chalk" emblazoned on the side.

And the boots! Right out of the box I knew I was keeping them. The Italian leather was supple and luxurious smelling right out of the box. Its 'handcrafted in Italy' construction was flawless and, unlike some of its competitors (Frye!), the boots fit like a dream out of the box. They are really fantastic paired with skinny jeans, and they are super sexy - boyfriend approved, at the very least! I already know that I will wear these for years to come. I am super excited about my new addition, and very excited that fall is here! I am also very happy about my experience with Chalk in Evanston, and I would gladly shop again with them any time.

Other items this season...I purchased the Lauren Moshi top above. I love skulls, I love black, I love metal and chains...clearly I had to have it. The various leather and textile motorcycle jackets that are popular now are gorgeous. I have two leather jackets that I'll be wearing this fall - a super-soft, gray Helmut Lang with asymmetrical draping, and a rich, chocolate brown Mike & Chris motorcycle jacket. I also have a great cotton jacket from Monrow that I got last winter. I love that this look is very conducive to layering.

I love all the heavy metals this season, and I have my eye on several things from Noir Jewelry. I love pyramid studs, spikes, whatever.

I love a big slouchy leather bag for fall. I'd really love to get a Balenciaga bag (maybe a City?) in a great functional, neutral color like black or gray. It's definitely one of those items one my wish list that I know I'll use forever, but the cost is a little hard to swallow.