8.31.2009 The Vaguely Retro Blues

Dress: The Gap, belt: Accessorize, bag: Earth Tree, a fair trade store in Taipei, shoes: Aldos, necklace: Romantic Roses by Anirtak

I bought this dress while I was still living in New York City, so it is about three years old or so. I like it a lot because it has a vaguely late 1930s/early 1940s look about it, due to its puffy sleeves and the bias cut fabric. It probably looks like I am obsessed with that Accessorize belt -- and I kind of am! It's made of black elastic, so it comfortable to wear in hot and humid weather. My bag is a hand-tooled leather purse from India that I purchased from a fair trade store in Taipei. I didn't get a good detail shot of it, but it's a lovely satchel shape, has some beautiful details and was very reasonably priced. I have a hard time finding handbags in Taipei that aren't too trendy, overloaded with beading, braids, tassels and other doohickies, or ridiculously expensive. If anyone has Taipei purse-shopping tips, please let me know!

On a slightly related note, I (like so many other style bloggers) cannot wait for cooler weather to begin. For one thing, it will help alleviate my weather-related migraines (woohoo!). And as much as I love being able to skip out of the house in a sundress, sandals and ponytail, I am looking forward to taking out my fall items and layering to my little heart's content. To me, style is a non-verbal language and clothing is its vocabulary -- and it'll be nice to express more complex sartorial ideas! For example, I can't wait to be able to throw on a felt fascinator from Giant Dwarf, a jaunty scarf, tights and maybe some gloves with this dress.

Then again, I bet in six months time I'll be whining about how I am so sick of having to put on tights, slips, scarves, hats and coats so I don't freeze outside. Taiwan is considered a subtropical/tropical island, but it gets downright chilly in the winter and the humidity means that the cold cuts right through you. Oh, joy. Fall and spring are definitely my favorite seasons, in the US or Taiwan.

這是一件新的洋裝可是我還覺得它有點复古的風味.