crimson tide

Vermillion shoes have been a signature of mine for the past few years, but lately I've been – how should I put it – diversifying my investments. That is, I've been buying shoes in other colors, notably neutrals like tan, black, white and blue. Red, however, speaks of defiance, fantasy and life's very vibrancy like no other color's business; as such, I will always have a soft spot for such a charmingly rebellion-hued shoe.

These square-toed, patent leather mini-wedges from Aerosoles are the latest addition to my stable of red footwear. Which, of course, is not to say that they're necessarily a recent purchase. I got these shoes in January to replace my Naturalizers – round-toe, leather affairs crumbling from so many years of alternately stomping and scuffling along. Though I've worn these shoes elsewhere on the blog, I've chosen to put a spotlight on them now, for the very reason that they pop out in the photo.

The other standout to some might be the cropped pants, which I suppose are on the money (or, if not on the real moolah, than at least on the fake money that comes with the Monopoly board game) with the dropped crotch, Hammer pants trend. But like the red Aerosoles, these H&M pants are not new. No siree, these pants are a year old, as evidenced in this old post of mine (a post that, to be honest, kind of delighted me in a re-reading!)



Outfit: F21 black/white striped puff sleeve top, H&M black blazer, H&M brown/black striped high-waisted highwater pants, Aerosoles red patent shoes, Peeps feather fascinator from Bona Drag, Banana Republic black skinny belt.

leanimal kingdom

With no cable in my living quarters, I've again resorted to watching Project Runway on YouTube. This season, contemplative whimsy has come in the form of the bespectacled, brunette-banged, Portland, Oregon-based Leanne Marshall. The designer has been quietly churning out elaborate pieces for present-day pixies, full of organic contours and free-flowing geometry. While the tiered skirt of the black cocktail dress hinted sinisterly at a rose, Marshall's creation for the Olympics Opening Ceremony challenge – with its triple-tiered, raised collar (in the US's colors, natch), skirted waist and cuffed shorts – seamlessly fused preppy and wood sprite. Her recent silhouette-transforming submission for the car parts task resulted in high marks from the judges. Even when her garment placed her among the failures, I could easily see her thoughtful intentions in the silk winged flutters of her dress. Marshall's own attire is nothing to scoff at; the sculpted maroon vest she dons from time to time gently hints at what she does off-show.



Then, the other day, Ondi – fellow Bostonian and crafter of feathered hairpieces fit for petulant forest nymphs – sent me a link to her current obsession, Leanimal. The line's limited Etsy offerings were the stuff of avian dreamscapes: While the Illiyon dress's petals were made penguin-esque in black and white, the Gezane dress's origami pleats flowed ghostly and swan-like.

Despite knowing the name of the talent behind Leanimal, it took me several seconds before I realized that Leanimal and Leanne Marshall of Project Runway were the one and the same. When I finally did make the connection, I had one of those "Ohmigosh!" moments – like when you discover that the cute girl you're chatting up while in line at the bakery is actually the mastermind behind your new favorite fashion blog. In such moments, you recognize the consistency in not only the other person's work and style, but in your own tastes as well.

If my tastes are expressing anything, they're pleading, "Please put up more clothes on Etsy now, Leanne!" For, as Ondi put it, upon making her own Project Runway-Leanimal breakthrough, "Now I kind of have to own a piece."

light the way

As you might've guessed, recess is still in session. Summer has proven a time of excursions and special projects, and little ole' blogging has unfortunately fallen by the wayside. Languid will the pace be around here for at least another several days; I'll trekking up to Maine for some hiking, lobster-munching and quiet time.

When I think of Maine, I think of lighthouses – hence, the photos. There were some far more epic versions on Flickr, but I prefer these hazy, watercolored versions. How could I not, with a name like dreamecho?



Photo credit: Lighthouses, lighthouses and more lighthouses in Maine.

nerdbeat

While browsing through the musical lineup for Somerville's ArtBeat a few Fridays ago, I MySpaced each of the performers for audio samplings. Freezepop's sugar sweet, synthetic tinklings tickled my ears, so I started hatching plans with Partner immediately.

When we arrived in Davis Square, it was drizzling. A bunch of dudes with bagpipes and leather accoutrements were rocking out on the outdoor stage. After a moment, I turned to Partner and remarked, "You know, I don't think this is Freezepop." To make use of our time waiting, we sauntered over to JP Licks for ice cream (Oreo cake batter, how I heart you!), then picked up Indian food for dinner from Diva's temporary food stand. And, yes, it happened in that order.

When Freezepop finally hopped up on stage, the sky was bursting with lightning literally every 15 seconds. Free light show! I peered quizzically at the crowd: Numerous nerdy types bounced and thrashed about to the beat. (By "nerdy types," I mean actual, socially awkward, highly specialized nerds – not cool party kids who call themselves geeks.) I was disoriented at first, having never seen so many nerds gettin' jiggy with it at once. Soon enough, though, I recalled my earlier research; Freezepop's work had appeared in video games like Guitar Hero and Dance Dance Revolution. Alright, then. Nerd mystery solved.

Speaking of...um....bookish and socially inept individuals, I wore the outfit above to ArtBeat. There's a bit of a Chloë Sevigny/Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony vibe to it, no? I've got a floral bustier, not completely dissimilar in flavor from that of the OC line, as well as Chloë essentials like penny loafers and her seven, can't-live-without-'em, Mr. Roger's-esque grey cardigans.

Outfit: Calvin Klein white tank top, F21 floral bustier, American Apparel grey cardigan, Gap denim shorts, Eastland black leather penny loafers (read my ode to frumpy shoes here!), glasses necklace from Korea via Fops and Dandies, Gap brown leather belt.

i keep a second home in nyc

Okay, I don't really do that, but a surprisingly significant number of dreamecho posts seem to revolve around excursions to the city that never sleeps. I'm almost starting to think it's time I create an NYC category, not unlike my Boston and Honolulu sections.

Partner and I made an impromptu jaunt to New York the other weekend – which, for those who are keeping score, was not any of the weekends I've previously mentioned. This time, we made like the tourists we were and checked out the Met. I hadn't been there since I was a kid, so we made it a point to visit the Temple of Dendur. There, I tried to act out scenes from Don't Eat the Pictures: Sesame Street at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, with me as Big Bird and Partner as Snuffleupagus. (The movie's on YouTube for those who need a refresher...or just a trip down memory lane.) Unfortunately, Partner wasn't having any of it.

Later in the evening, we passed through Times Square. I can't say we planned or especially desired to go there, but it was on our way to dinner. Without further ado, the gratuitous shot, please:



Outfit: UO purple/pink/blue lace knit top, H&M oatmeal cardigan, vintage highwaisted jean shorts with elastic band (!), Aerosoles red patent leather mini-wedges, INHABITstructures time necklace from Bona Drag.

Photo credit: Partner

magically delicious at the brooklyn flea

The last time I hung out with Fops and Dandies in NYC, we also made the trek out to the Brooklyn Flea. Now, there's a school of thought in regards to flea markets, one that is, incidentally, not unlike what we want out of our thrift stores. Those who belong to that school prefer their flea markets a little grubby, cluttered and cheap. A hodgepodge of randomness and, in that, hope. But, I guess in the same way that thrift stores have mutated , so have flea markets. Instead of the jumbled mess one might expect, Brooklyn Flea vendors had a carefully edited selection of clothes, accessories, household goods and knickknacks, all priced at affordable, but not exactly dirt-cheap, levels.

If I sound like I'm down on the Brooklyn Flea, I'm not. Everyone has to earn a living, and I think this is a fair and decent way to do so. I suppose I'm just intrigued by the changing face of flea markets and thrift stores, especially in urban areas. They're no longer mom and pop, junk-filled affairs. Now, flea markets have, as Fops and Dandies put it, "jaded young people" running booths, catering their wares to other hipsters. Meanwhile, there are vintage shops that might sell the same items as Goodwill, but at eight times the cost.

Aside from the mushroom, spinach and mozzarella scone I picked up for breakfast, the only thing I wound up buying was a pair of magenta, clip-on earrings from Blue Canary Vintage. The earrings are deadstock from the 60s/70s, and they remind me of something I would have worn as a second grader back in elementary school. I feel like I'm resorting to magazine cliches when I say this, but – so what. I love the little pop of color they provide, as well as the hint of playfulness. Plus, they're four leaf clovers, which can only mean one thing: They're inherently lucky charms.

Extra credit: Imaginary bonus points to the person who can spot Fops and Dandies in these photos. It's not that hard, especially if you know what she's wearing.