Giveaway Time!

Hey everyone! I just got back from my trip to New Orleans. My bros and I had so much fun, utilized nearly all of your wonderful tips and advice, and ate enough po' boys to choke a good-sized horse. Photos and details coming soon, but in the meantime I thought it would be a good time for a giveaway, so check out this rad hand-embroidered moleskine notebook from Portland-based etsy shop Nowvember:

What would you write in it? A hit single, a hit list, a love note, a haiku?

All you have to do for a chance to win is leave a comment telling me (briefly) what you'd write (or draw!) in this cute lil' notebook. I'll choose a winner at random a week from today.

Good luck, and I'll be back to blogging soon with a New Orleans travelogue and a new installment of Don't Show-cha Your Chocha!

UPDATE: Congrats to our winner, commenter "andlaughing." Stay tuned for more giveaways in the near future!

Awesome Affordable Etsy Find of the Week, Times Two!

Vintage fabric sleepytime eye mask, $22, here

The amazing Annie from Poetic & Chic recently started an Etsy store called Sourdough, and it's stocked with adorable handmade sleep masks as well as other goodies. Annie generously gifted me with this sassy lil' number, and although it's slightly over the $10 price limit I set for these Affordable Etsy posts, I'm making an exception because Annie's awesome, this sleep mask is awesome, and $22 is a small price to pay for a lavender-scented distraction from stress, insomnia, or the really upsetting noises your partner makes when they sleep.

And just in case you're a stickler for rules or, um, carbs, check out this sourdough bread ring I found while searching for Annie's store:

Bread ring, $6, here

It's really strange, definitely awesome, and under 10 bucks! I would pair it with a ham bracelet and provolone earrings. Delicious.

High Fashion Haiku

I'd walk on hot coals

for a chance to own these shoes.
Still cute with blisters?

Lanvin Satin Platform Slingbacks, expensive enough that walking on hot coals is a better option than actually purchasing them, netaporter.com

Go Mom!

Today my amazing mom won the election by a landslide to get a seat on the School Board in my hometown. I'm so proud of her, and to celebrate I'm posting this cute picture of her, which will make her really mad, but I love you mom! You go, girl!

Blogback Mountain

My friend Brittney, whom I recently deemed an expert at styling a boring work uniform, just wrote up some great instructions for styling a boring work uniform.

I have a strong aversion to cleaning my makeup brushes. I guess I have a strong aversion to cleaning anything, but wow, cleaning makeup brushes might be the worst. I pretty much never do it. And would it gross you out if I told you that one time my powder brush fell into my bathroom garbage can and after I fished it out I gave some serious thought to whether or not it really needed to be cleaned? Cuz, umm, yeah, I totally didn't do that. That's gross! Heh, heh. But anyway, The Coveted swears they've found a product that makes brush cleaning easy shmeasy.

I had no idea the simple combination of yellow and white could make me go, "Eeeeeeeppppp!!"

In which Sarah V.B. hilariously pretends that "masturbation" isn't a word.

If I run into Nubby on a Portland street wearing these, it ain't gonna be pretty. And by that I mean I would probably start humping her shoes.

Punky is such a badass. Love her.

Already Pretty has a fantastic amazing mega awesome post about body image and arbitrary clothing sizes. [Sal, after I read this I wanted to give you a big hug! Meet me in Montana?]

Princess Poochie and WendyB have exciting fashion blogger adventures in NYC and I'm more than a little jealous.

Adorable Queen Marie discusses the inevitable SPLAT ATTACK.

My friend Ollie just started a rad new blog called The Process that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the art and design featured in National Geographic magazine. Please check it out and leave him a few (hopefully nice) comments!

And finally, enter this giveaway for a gorgeous embellished headband! (But please don't win. Thanks.)

My So-Moled Life

The first freebie I ever received as a fashion blogger was a package of fake moles (yes, as in the highly pigmented skin growths dermatologists spend their days excising). I was kind of hoping to get shoes or sunglasses or a private jet filled with Japanese snack foods, but instead I got an email from a woman representing "Hottie Dots," asking if I'd like a sample. Of course, my young blogger self circa 2007 said, "YES PLEASE," and soon a little envelope arrived at my house. Inside it was a super excited note--"Hottie Dots add instant glamour to any outfit! Tell your readers to buy them!"--and a sheet of little black circle stickers that normally retail for $6.95.

And these fake moles have been sitting on my desk for two years. I even moved--twice--and still, they sat on my desk. Sure, I played with them from time to time, sticking one on my cheek or my best friend or my cat, but I never really got serious about the Hottie Dot.

Until yesterday.

I decided it was time to add some investigative journalism to my resume. It was time to add instant glamour to any outfit. It was time to live a day in the life of a...person with a facial mole.

Here's me, pre-mole:

Awww, my life was so meaningless!

And after:

Red lipstick and blue velvet capelets are pleasant mole side effects.

The plan: I would put on a Hottie Dot and go about my daily life, recording the earth-shattering events that were sure to occur. Would a beauty mark change my life? Or more importantly, would it spice up a boring Monday of work and errands? Read on to find out...

Monday, May 19th, 2009--The First Day of the Rest of My (Moled) Life

9:30 AM: Wake up (well, sort of), start replying to emails and looking over edits for an article I'm writing.

9:40 AM: Still grumpy and incoherent. But wait! The mole!

9:45 AM: Delicately and precisely apply a Hottie Dot above my lip.

9:46 AM: Feel the same. Damnit.

10:00 AM: Boyfriend gets up. Shuffles past me and says, "Nice mole."

10:10 AM: Eat breakfast, double checking each bite to make sure that it's indeed pepper on my egg and not a rogue Hottie Dot.

10:30 AM: Apply my makeup, careful not to disturb the mole. Wonder if this is how people with authentic facial moles feel.

12:30 PM: Bring my car to the mechanic to replace a fuse. Mechanic gives me a confused, patronizing stare. But that's normal.

1:00 PM: My license expired last week, so I gather every identifying document I've amassed in this lifetime and head to the DMV to renew it. DMV is closed. Decide the mole is cursed.

1:30 PM: Get lunch at a cafe. Take a sample of chocolate cake and spill it down the front of my shirt. WTF, MOLE?!

2:15 PM: Back at home, back to work, but internet radio is playing all my least favorite songs. This mole is ruining my life.

3:30 PM: Important conference call with editors in Seattle goes great. Give mole full credit.

4:15-5:15 PM: Write.

5:16 PM: Catch a glimpse of my reflection in my laptop screen and think there's a spider on my face. Slap myself on the cheek in a panic.

5:17 PM: Feel foolish.

5:18-6:40 PM: Write more.

6:45 PM: Go for a vigorous bike ride. Mole stays intact. Impressive.

7:00: Stop in to visit my brother at work. Brother gestures to alert me that I have something on my face. I say, "I know."

7:15: Get hit on by a guy who looks exactly like a younger version of my dad. Dude. Did I accidentally put on a Back to the Future mole?

7:20: Get really worried that the guy actually was a younger version of my dad and I must repair the damage this mole has done to the course of history before it's too late!

7:30 PM: Buy some pita and hummus and forget what I was worrying about.

8:00 PM: Stop by Nordstrom Rack to return a pair of shoes. End up buying expensive sunglasses. Blame the mole.

9:00 PM: Watching tv and snuggling with boyfriend on the couch, my Hottie Dot literally pops off and hits him in the face. Awkwaaaaard.

10:00 PM: Replace Hottie Dot. Boyfriend announces he's going to bed. Apparently he is not entranced by my seductive new beauty mark.

10:15 PM - 2:00 AM: Work.

Conclusion: Hottie dots add instant glamour to any outfit! You guys should totally buy some!

Awesome Affordable Etsy Find of the Week

"Juicy Peach" Body Butter, $7.95

I believe I've already mentioned that if something smells edible and delicious, I'm going to try to eat it, whether or not that something is a peach pie or peach lotion or a peach-scented votive candle. My valiant boyfriend has saved me from certain death (or at least a stomach ache) numerous times by heroically jumping across the room to swat a tub of vanilla skin cream out of my hand as I was excitedly scooping some toward my mouth. Sometimes I thank him for intervening. Other times I tell him that I please please please just want to sample a little bit and why does he always have to ruin my life?

So obviously, I should not buy this peach body butter which looks and smells edible and delicious, but maybe you could? And then maybe I could come over? For a buffet?

Happy Friday! Happy Fashion Mad Libs!

Happy Friday, everyone! What better way to celebrate the end of the week than by reading our wacky Fashion Mad Libs results?? (If you were absent yesterday, scroll down to the post below to see what up.)

The text we mutilated yesterday came from a really boring piece in the New York Times about sunscreen. (I'm sorry NYT, it's true.) I think ours is way more exciting, and definitely more poetic:

Carrots should be applied often and languidly to magic skin. Ideally, sunscreen should shield festering ultraviolet lint and egotistical ultraviolet socks. (Both can lead to Sarah Palin.) For pumpkin protection, look for ingredients like printers, titanium dioxide and deer that doesn’t degrade in light. For UVB, the American Academy of Quantum Physics recommends at least an SPF 28,900,785,140.

Keep the following in mind, even in winter, and especially near peanut butter, pumpkins, and coconuts:

Use a shot glass full of weasels on your body; two coats of spray since it’s hard to detect pale bananas.

Apply a Toronto 15 to 30 minutes before a badger, because some take time to become fully old.

Ultraviolet Kit Kat bars can pass through the back of the turtle that holds the world, so office workers with the luxury of a slam dunk should take precautions.

Reapply after shopping, cycling, hauling, or every two hours, if you miraculously don’t entreat at Poughkeepsie, NY.

The End.

Thanks to all who participated (love your word choices!), and to those who missed out--not to worry, there will be another opportunity within the month. And I'll take BumbleBecky's advice to warn you beforehand so you can be poised at your computers, ready to spew witty adjectives and plural nouns! And please, whatever's on your agenda for this weekend, watch out for festering ultraviolet lint and egotistical ultraviolet socks.

p.s. If you actually want to read about sunscreen in a fun, well-written format, head on over to Apocalypstick Now, where's she's wrapping up Sunscreen Week!

Let's Play Fashion Mad Libs!

Wow it's been forever since we did this, but I think the time has come!

In case you're new(ish) to Daddy Likey, Fashion Mad Libs is the most self-explanatory feature ever, in which I callously steal a fashion-related blurb from a respectable source, turn it into a Mad Libs, enlist the vocabulary of my readers, and voila, we're talking about albino peacocks.

If that description didn't help at all, check out the Fashion Mad Libs introductory post for more guidance. The most important things to remember are:

1. Post in order (first commenter fills in the first word; fourteenth commenter fills in fourteenth word, etc.)
2. Number your comment (for example, write "1. Goats") so other Mad Libbers can tell where we're at. Otherwise, people will get confused, start posting out of order, and worldwide chaos will ensue.
3. Have fun! (I totally agree with my junior high health teacher that every set of rules should culminate in "Have fun!" Woohoo!)

Your Mad Libs Mission:

1. Plural noun

2. Adverb

3. Adjective

4. Verb ending in -ing

5. Plural noun

6. Adjective

7. Plural noun

8. Something scary

9. Noun

10. Plural noun

11. Plural noun

12. Difficult academic subject

13. Ridiculously high number

14. Noun

15. Noun

16. Noun

17. Plural noun

18. Adjective

19. Plural noun

20. Noun

21. Noun

22. Adjective

23. Plural noun

24. Something strong and sturdy

25. Noun

26. Verb ending in -ing

27. Verb ending in -ing

28. Verb ending in -ing

29. Verb (present tense)

30. Place

Once we have all the words filled in, I'll post our breathtakingly brilliant prose!

So, What Should We Do in New Orleans?

Last month I found a sweet airfare sale so my brothers and I decided to take a random three-day trip to New Orleans. We're leaving in about two weeks and so far our diligent planning sessions have produced nothing but the following notes scrawled on a piece of notebook paper in my purse:

• Eat Po' Boys.
• Jambalaya!!
• Fan boat swamp tour like Rachael Ray?
  
• Hotel waffle bar
• Find the baby Dr. Oz rescued, who is like 3 now.
• Repel vampire attacks.
• Cool museums
• War of 1812 history
• Stephen Ambrose--go to his grave?
• ANTHONY ANDERSON FILMING LOCATIONS FOR "K-VILLE"!!!

As you can see, planning isn't our strong suit. I mean, none of us even liked "K-Ville."

I already got some fabulous tips from Ashe Mischief (thanks again, my dear!), but I'd love to know if you guys have other recommendations for cool stuff to see/do/eat. New Orleans sounds like an amazing place, and with only a few days to explore, I want to get the most bang ("bang" here meaning "po' boys") for our buck! Thanks in advance for your help!

Dear Daddy Likey: I'm a Wannabe WASP on a budget!

Dear Daddy Likey,

I am in desperate need of some work wardrobe help!

This summer, I have been 'promoted' at the country club I work in- I have moved from waitress to golf shop girl! Along with a fifty cent raise, I also get to organize the shop, make charts with magic markers and flirt with all of the rich country club boys. JOKE'S ON THEM, because I would do that for free.

But enough of showing off! Because the real problem is that while I don't have to wear the ugly blue uniform shirt (gag!), I still have to wear country-club appropriate clothing. Apparently I get to buy clothing from the shop at cost, but I'm pretty sure that just rotating the same shirt in pink, orange and white isn't going to be fulfilling.

So how do I dress as a ritzy shopgirl WASP on a smallish budget? I think I have about one polo shirt, and one pair of white pants. I'm sure there will be a requisite pair of khakis in there, but I'm more of a florals and wrap skirts kind of a girl, so any advice you'd have would be wonderful!

Sincerly,

Wannabe WASP

Dear Wannabe,

I'll do my best to answer your question, but I have to admit that as the child of west coast hippies, the extent of my knowledge of WASP culture comes from the Friday night dinner scenes at Lorelai's parents' house on Gilmore Girls. Plus this one time in DC I got a random one-night job of keeping drunk country club types away from Whoopi Goldberg at a ritzy dinner party, but that's another story for another time.

I thought your question was a good one to publish though, because while we're not all so lucky as to be golf shop girls, most everyone struggles with translating their personal style to workplace dress codes. In your case, it sounds like you normally like to dress very soft and feminine, but your work environment is very "boxy polo shirt." To bring softness and femininity into your work life, you could hum Jason Mraz ballads all day, or you could try out some of these soft, feminine, WASPy options (or maybe do both):

A Twist On the Polo Shirt with Pretty, Flattering Details

"Gather at the river" top, $39.99, here

This has many of a polo's defining features--the collar, buttons, and short sleeves--but its girly shape and pretty details are perfect for a ritzy shopgirl. Wear with slim, cropped black slacks, a sparkly necklace, and bright shoes and you've got it goin' on, girlfriend.

Fabulous, Feminine Accessories

The absolute best way to sneak your personal style into your work wardrobe is with accessories. Back in the day my boyfriend worked at Starbucks where the dress code is pretty restrictive, and I thought there was no way around the harsh black, white, and khaki parameters (he once got sent home for wearing black pants with a dark grey pinstripe so subtle you'd need a government-funded microscope to see it), but today when I go see my friend Brittney working there, she's so decked out in gorgeous earrings and necklaces and shimmery eye shadow that she might as well be dining with distinguished foreign diplomats instead of spilling shocking amounts of soy milk on herself. Same company, same dress code--the only difference? Brittney rocks the personalized accessories. My boyfriend, perhaps understandably, did not.

A few options to start you off:

Red poppies scrabble tile pendant necklace, $6, here

Lilac flora wrist cuff, $9.50, here

This one's even called "country chic"! $5, here

I couldn't answer a question about country club style and not mention headbands, could I? Seriously, if you buy nothing else to augment your one polo shirt and pair of white pants, buy a few headbands in pretty prints and colors. It'll be enough.

Colorful, Cheerful Shoes

"Fancy" by rsvp, $17.14, here

If your office dress code doesn't include "boring black closed-toe shoes," which is the sad reality for so many, exercise your footwear freedom and wear exciting bright blue open-toe shoes instead! When they only cost $17, you really have no excuse. Freedom isn't free, you know.

Do I have any real WASPs buzzing around in the audience today, aching to dispense some (affordable) fashion tips? Former ritzy shopgirls with tried and tested advice? Anyone just want to talk about how much they miss Gilmore Girls? Because I'm always down for that too.

Awesome Affordable Etsy Find of the Week

"Mod Squad" bobby pins, $5

As someone who often buys her hair accessories in the baby and toddler section of The Dollar Tree, I realize my opinion on this topic carries little weight, but I think these teeny flower bobby pins are ADORABLE.

Woodrow, Back By Sort of Popular Demand

So, I probably get more emails requesting the return of beaver/fashion commentator Woodrow Wilson than FOX gets requesting the return of "Til Death," which is to say I got like 3 emails last week and by god, it's time I listen up.

Back by popular demand, I present to you, Woodrow:

Hey there. Woodrow here. Got into a bit of an awkward sitch yesterday. Long story short: tried to eat these deelish bracelets and ended up taking a bite out of some lady's arm. She was sort of upset.


XOXO,
Woodrow

Mixed wood bangle set: French Connection, $28, here

The Namesake

The lovely Ambika directed my attention to this gorgeous tweed clutch a couple days ago. While it's not totally my style, I'm seriously considering purchasing it because it is called "The Winona."

My name is relatively rare, so I don't see too many pieces of clothing named Winona. I used to pout over this quite often, especially in my Delias catalog-loving days, because their dress page reads like a suburban girls' school roll call, and my name was never included. In retrospect, my name scarcity was probably a good thing, as I would have excitedly bought anything and everything labeled "Winona," whether a toggle coat or a new strain of heroin.

So here's a question for you: Have you ever bought something--a "Christina" coat, "Lyndsey" flats, etc.--just because it shared your name? Or are you way more mature than I am?

Cheap Chic Recessionista Cliche Chronicles Volume I: Shop Your Closet!

As many of you have surely noticed, one side effect of the bad economy has been the awkward attempts by fashion media to work realistic, affordable ideas into their coverage.

Ideally these tough times would mean more creative and useful style tips for the masses. In reality, it has meant the criminal overuse of the word "recessionista," condescending travelogues in which chic fashion writers venture into big box stores (eeeww!), and a level of worship for Forever 21 that surely violates the first commandment.

So, to hop on the bandwagon and to honor the 30 of you who voted as a joke that they'd like to see more such articles here (laughing now? ha!), I'd like to present the Cheap Chic Recessionista Cliche Chronicles, a parody of this disturbing trend in fashion journalism. These posts will be packed with cliches, condescending tones, and ridiculous tips that don't make any sense.

And what better topic to start us off than the much-hyped "shop your closet" theory? While this is a great idea at its core--look through your closet for older clothes you can make new again, instead of buying new stuff--and has been written about in wonderful creative ways by hard-hitting fashion bloggers like Sal and WendyB, "Shop Your Closet" articles usually look more like this:

Cheap Chic Recessionista Cliche Chronicles Volume 1: Shop Your Closet!

Every fabulous recessionista knows that in this economy, cheap chic is the way to go. And it doesn't get much cheaper or chicer than shopping in your closet! Seriously, rediscovering old clothes crammed in the back of your closet can be just as fun as shopping at a real live store if you follow these helpful tips:

+ Make your existing pieces feel luxe by buying price tags and attaching them to bargain pieces. For example, clip a "$1000" price tag onto a Forever 21 purse, then pick it up off the shelf, check the tag, and say something silly like, "Hmmm...not sure if I can afford this!" Nothing distracts from recessions and pandemics like a hearty LOL.

+ Take this idea to the next level and go buy expensive pieces from top designers like Prada or Louis Vuitton, rip the labels out, and affix them to your existing clothing and accessories. Shopping your closet gets much more fun when all your Gap tees magically become Dolce & Gabbana. (To be extra eco-friendly, repurpose the ripped-up designer items as dish rags.)

+ Consider hiring a full-time employee to work in your closet. Instruct them to greet you with a smile and help you choose outfits. They could even stand in the corner and look down their noses at you, if you want your closet to feel like an upscale boutique.

+ Install unflattering lighting to add to the ambiance.

+ Can't afford a good tailor? Do your own creative alterations to make old clothes feel new. For example, rip the crotch out of a pair of leather pants--voila, Instant chaps!

As you can see, with a little creativity and a lot of money, any girl with any budget can enjoy a guilt-free shopping spree in her own closet and become a recessionista fashionista!

The Flapjack Who Stole My Birthday

Sorry for my absence this week! I've been preparing to run my first 5K at 8AM tomorrow, which also happens to be my birthday. I'm sort of regretting this decision since getting up early and running are two of my least favorite activities, but at least I'll be hanging out in Eugene with some of my best (and more athletic) friends.


To make matters worse, I just found out that Krusteaz brand pancake mix always enters a human-size flapjack in the race and then gives anyone who finishes before it a free bag of pancake mix. This flapjack can run a 5K in 18 minutes.

So in the early hours of the anniversary of my 24th year of life, I'm going to be soundly defeated by a flapjack. Happy birthday to me!

Hope you guys have a great weekend, and I'll be back on Monday.

UPDATE: I finished my 5K in 35 minutes, which was way faster than I'd planned for. (FYI--I'd planned for it to take me a few days.) The flapjack was super intimidating and had amazing thighs and actually lapped me, but whatev.