Like, my-favorite-shoes-are-slouchy-yellow-superhero-boots kind of taste. And I don't wear heels because a) my feet are so small anything over a 2 inch heel is excruciating, and b) I think most heels are kinda ugly anyway.
I'd like to say my style sense is "bad-ass geek girly-girl with a dash of whimsy," but to be honest, I have no idea what that looks like.
As a result, I'm always looking for a fashion blogger to assure me I'm not a complete freakazoid - or at least to wear something stranger than me and still look good in it. I can't claim to have found her yet, but here are the ones I check in with regularly:
Layers and boots and geeky glasses. Mmm.
Chandra of Modern Day Charm:
With most fashion bloggers I find myself liking maybe one outfit in ten, but Chandra is close to being my style soul mate. If I thought I had a prayer of fitting into her clothes I would track her down and steal most of her wardrobe. (Wait. Was that creepy? No?)
It's such a shame she stopped updating her blog about 6 months ago. Come back, Chandra!
Elsita of The Hidden Seed:
Vintage petticoat skirt!
(If you hadn't picked it up by now, I really, really love boots.)
Funky cool.
Lilli prefers lots of patterned dresses that aren't really my thing, but sometimes she'll feature more layered gems like this:
And sweet casual outfits like this:
It's also refreshing to see a fashion blogger with a body less stick-thin and more, you know, like mine. I've looked for more blogs like Lilli's, but other than a few of the most famous plus-sized blogs, I've come up empty. Anyone have any recommendations?
Another blogger I love who doesn't post many fashion updates anymore. In fact, this is going back a loooong way, but Zo used to do a column for The Suicide Girls called What's Zo Wearing?, and a few years ago I inhaled every bit of those archives, they're all so amazing.
She still has that layered gothic badass look going today, but it's a bit more accessible and modern:
When I first started following Doe's blog a few years ago she looked like this:
Now she looks like this:
And posts photoshoots like this:
Needless to say, her photo shoots are the stuff that dreams are made of: pure eye candy. Since she started her new makeup line Doe doesn't post them as often, but it's a huge treat when she does.
And on a personal note, Doe is one of the few bloggers I follow who've I've actually met in person, and we "clicked" almost immediately. So much so that John and I spent two days with her and her husband Mark while they were in Orlando last year, and she and I couldn't stop talking the entire time. Heh. I find fashionable people intimidating in the extreme, and I don't think Doe reads either of my blogs, so I figured we'd have nothing in common. C'mon, a geek who can't wear heels and a fashion model? - but within a few hours I felt like I'd found a long-lost sister. Doe is quiet and introverted, like me, and we share so many of the same fears and anxieties that come from working online.
We haven't kept up since then, but I mention this because Doe gets a lot of flak online - I believe undeservedly so. She's humble and approachable and cares passionately about her work and the people it affects. If you ever hear differently, take it from me: the person saying so has never met her in person.
[stepping off soap box]
Ok, so tell me, fellow geeks: what other fashion bloggers should I be following? Help a girl out, and tell me in the comments!
I'm sorry I can't help you with any suggestions - I've never bothered looking at fashion blogs before, assuming there would be nothing of interest to me. Turns out I was wrong! Thank you for the links, I'll be looking into all of those ...
ReplyDeleteWhat perfect timing for this post! I have been agonizing over fashion for the past few weeks. I love my internet/geek t-shirt and jean ensemble for most times, but I'm finally ready to dress well and show off some girliness at times. Trouble is, I don't know what "my style" is and it doesn't seem to be what folks in the fashion magazines are showing. Fashion blogs are a great idea and you can bet I'll be going through the ones you've posted and whatever's in the comments to try and figure this out! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
ReplyDeletei don't follow fashion blogs much either but one i check in on occasionally is http://www.rallph.com/ she is quirky and different and nothing i could ever pull off but its fun to see what vintage things she finds and how she puts things together.
ReplyDeleteI just followed a link from frocks and frou frou to http://dollface-is-candysweet.blogspot.com/ She's got a quirky since of style and is also not stick thin.
ReplyDeleteAnother great source of style inspiration (though it's not a blog) is the wardrobe_remix flickr group
ReplyDeleteJen, great post, I love the photos. You were right, they are all like beautiful eye-candy. I think I once shared a link with you for the Beckerman Biteplate blog. True they do wear heels about half the time but they rock a lot of flat boots and lots of mixed bright colors and layers that you love. I think you might find some inspiration there. They are also designers, so sometimes they have their own stuff posted.
ReplyDeleteSo surprised you haven't come across Already Pretty? One of my favorites, very wearable styles and fun links interspersed with really great advice on proportions and color. So we can apply our geek intelligence to our outfits.
ReplyDeleteThere's also Inside Out Style Blog. "Where the science and art of style collide!"
These are the two I regularly consult myself, as a geeky gal. I love style but I don't fashion blog myself because I tend to settle into a couple of favorite outfits. Not enough variety!
Up late - yup! Okay, I loved the pictures here! I just started reading A Beautiful Mess - Elsie Larson's blog (http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com/my_weblog/). She does fashion, crafts, photography, and other stuff - fun. Kind of vintage, but always neat.
ReplyDelete-michelej :)
Thanks so much for posting these, Jen. I'm with Melch--I also am wanting to branch out a bit beyond jeans and geek/animal t-shirts. I love flats myself because I have knee and hip problems from riding horses for years (and yes, I still do), so heels just kill me. I mean, I LIKE heels, they just hurt too much.
ReplyDeleteMy problems are fourfold (is that a word?). First, most of my money is spent on my "kids," which are all furry and four-legged (4 cats, 3 dogs and 3 horses--feeding this zoo is expensive). Second, anytime I think about shopping I want to get more riding clothes instead of REAL clothes. Tired, I work from home as well, so I hate to buy clothes because I hardly ever wear anything beyond t-shirts and pajama pants or workout shorts. And fourth, yes, I'm also a big girl, but I'm losing weight so I will be able to ride my young horse when he's ready to start training. (See what I mean about the kid thing?)
Anyway, I'm glad you posted these, though. It gives me some inspiration to go ahead and dress geeky girly. I'm glad tights are back in--I love them. And in this drawing, Belle and Mulan are SO me! Fashion Princesses
How about my favourite fashionista-scientista, Audi, at "Fashion for Nerds"?
ReplyDeletehttp://geekthreads.blogspot.com.au/
I am a crazy fashion blog reader, so here are some of my favs:
ReplyDelete1. Seconding Already Pretty- Sal is amazing
2. http://www.brightsidedweller.com/ She is so cute and wears lots of more accessible things
3. http://geekthreads.blogspot.com/. Fashion for Nerds- Audi is a master of layering, awesome boots, and amazing steampunk-themed hats.
Not sure if it's really the style you're looking for, but my SIL has a fashion blog, and she LOVES layers.
ReplyDeletehttp://candysclothescloset.blogspot.com/2011/12/rainraingo-away.html
Wow! There are some really cute things here. Any suggestion for a geek girl that needs items to cover her head? I've lost my hair from chemo and would love some geeky goodies to wear (even if they are pins to put on some of the head wear I've already purchased.)
ReplyDeleteSince you're a Diz-geek :), you might like Disneybound.tumblr.com. The blogger puts together outfits based on actual characters. You can totally see the character in the outfit!!
ReplyDeleteShe hasn't been able to update it since her camera broke (though she is still around on Tumblr at Plenilune) but you should definitely check out Her Kirtle Green, which is geeky and real-bodied and AMAZING, and 99% thrifted stuff besides so it shows just how much you can do for basically no money at all.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't technically a fashion blog (and generally pretty girly) but Gertie's style is an inspiration to me- I don't think I could go all out vintage like she often does, but I've definitely taken some hair and general style cues from her!
ReplyDeleteI follow Ephemera (sheilaephemera.blogspot) and geekthreads.blogspot.com. Audi at geekthreads has a steampunk-ish vibe and she & her husband also sell their own hat & leatherwork designs. And her how-two guides have helped me drag my dressing for the day up a notch or two. I occasionally check academichic.
ReplyDeleteI've never even thought to look at fashion blogs. I check People Magazine online after big award shows to see what people are wearing - does that count? :)
ReplyDeleteI follow this board on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/leah_gomes/helen-magnus-inspired/
It's outfits inspired by Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping) from the show Sanctuary - she has the best clothes! :)
Have you hit up Audi at <a href="http://geekthreads.blogspot.com>Fashion for Nerds</a>?
ReplyDeleteHave you seen Polyvore? It's a place where you can put together outfits, interiors, or just images that make you happy. The majority is "high style" stuff, but there are some fun, quirky members that you can follow.
ReplyDelete(hope I did that link thing right)
DB
If you think Doe gets a lot of "undeserved flak", maybe you should actually read what's being said about her.
ReplyDeleteLet me know what kind of things you are looking for! I'm currently trying to crank out a bunch of things to put in my new (& still empty) etsy shop.
ReplyDeleteI've often wondered whether anyone would want to see my personal wardrobe choices on my blog - so far I've only blogged about the stuff I've made for others with a few old pics of stuff I made for myself. I do have a bunch of recent self-taken mirror pics though. Maybe I will post them.
My standard "uniform" is jeans and geeky/quirky tees (because I admit I'm lazy and it's necessary for work purposes), but I'm a little all over the place for my nice clothes. (Probably because I'm a costumer.) Overall, I would say I'm rather retro in the looks I like. I LOVE hats and wear them all the time in the winter. And I'm a total geek! Would love to sew for other fellow geeks!
(Please don't eat my comment today, blogger platform...)
I second Already Pretty! Also: Ashe at Dramatis Personae and Audi at Fashion for Nerds.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any fashion blogs for you (there are lots of great suggestions here already) - but I just had to pop in and say: wear whatever you like! You can look for inspiration, but don't search for approval. Life is too short to wear anything other than what makes you happy! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the well-timed post. Starting a new position at work nest week, so I need something to wear instead of my usual jeans, Star Wars t-shirts & sneakers. :)
ReplyDeleteI'll agree with CheezyK. I didn't think any fashion blogs would be interesting to me. I have very little sense of 'style' (being a total jeans and t-shirt geek, like Melch) but I do check in with the Sockdreams blog just because I like the way they style their sock photoshoots.
ReplyDeleteI've got a thing about over the knee socks and skirts going right now, paired with my black Danskos, as the clogs are awesome without being too over the top. It's warm without being too hot, and no leg-shaving needed. :P
I love fashion blogs. I think my style is a little different than yours, but one of my favorites that you might like is http://www.adoredaustin.com/
ReplyDeleteI don't read it much, but I think http://www.blondebedhead.com/ is very close to your style.
Lastly, while the blog itself is decidedly NOT your style, College Fashion has a few style series that might interest you. This post is about fashions inspired by Dr. Who.
I have not looked at fashion blogs much but just went to check out Doe... LOVE IT! THANKS!
ReplyDeleteJen, you should check out The Littlest Polly by Polly Bland. http://www.pollybland.com/
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff!
It's not a blog and it's a few years old, but becktress on Flickr decided that she wanted to go a year without wearing jeans and did a (more or less) photo a day to document it. She gets a lot of stuff from resell shops and garage sells and it's fun to see how she was able to remix items over the course of a year.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/becktress/368444190/in/set-72157594503140962
Jen, you are amazing. And you're right, we absolutely clicked and in those short two days I've learned so much from you. I wish we lived closer because I know we would be close friends!
ReplyDeleteI haven't been a college student for a long time but I love the site collegefashion.net because they feature a lot of cute things, many of which are very geeky, be it looks inspired by Tangled or Doctor Who.
ReplyDeleteI like http://missameliahart.blogspot.com/. She lives in my town, so I get to see her in person sometimes! And she is always very put-together...
ReplyDeleteJen, you are a hero of mine. (I’d say “heroine” but that is SO open to misinterpretation, especially in a cake-wrecky sort of way.*) Your sense of humor, geekitude, and generosity all appeal. Not to mention the steampunk crafts you do. I love both your blogs.
ReplyDeleteSince you’re posting a request for style-oriented blogs, maybe you could do something for me? Or maybe a commenter out there can?
While I like very much the esthetic of the sites you cite, I am about 30 years too old for them. What looks funky and goth and cute and all that on you young chicks just looks pathetic on someone who’s 58. Picture if you will the older Julia Child dressed like Elsita or Chandra. (I’m almost as tall as JC was.)
What I need is a way to satisfy my sense of fun and eccentricity without looking foolish. There must be a way to age gracefully without becoming either the Queen Mother or an aged crossdresser. (Don’t get me started on the facial hair…)
And maybe this is totally the wrong place to ask for help, but I figure I might as well try. Besides, I’ve been meaning to write you a fan letter for a while now.
Thanks & all that
mXb
*Although I do find your blogs addictive.
Enjoying your post's and the comment suggestions!
ReplyDeletehttp://theblackapple.typepad.com/ is the mind behind
http://theblackapple.typepad.com/somegirlswander/
which is more fashion-y. I do not think your styles match, but I think you'd find her interesting, especially her attention to details.
Never thought I'd see Doe on this blog! :-)
ReplyDeleteDo you also know Megan Maude and/or Austin Sirkin? They are both huge steampunk fans and Austin is from Orlando I believe (or Miami?)... Megan makes steampunk and lolita clothing, and they do steampunk panels at DragonCon sometimes. Doe and Megan are friends :-)
I'll also second (or third, or fourth) Audi at Fashion for Nerds, Sheila at Ephemera, and Sally at Already Pretty (she links to lots of great blogs also). And I'll add Kasmira at What I Wore 2day and Emerald at Sunday Crossbow.
ReplyDeleteLove those pictures of Doe! She looks like she stepped out of the Capitol of Panem!
ReplyDeleteLove the clothes, but I actually would love help with a crafting question. I want to laminate tiny pieces of papers with words on them in the shape of leaves. Have you ever laminated? Do you know if cutting the sheets once they've been laminated leaves a clean edge? I was wondering if perhaps painting them with a clear epoxy might be better. I've never used either. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeletesort of a fashion blog, but sort of not? Librarian Wardrobe
ReplyDeleteand i'm posting this one just because i think it's awesome, and some of my friends have been featureed on it - <a href="http://www.dapperq.com/>dapperQ</a>
Love this post. I feel like I used to be so cool in college...in like 1998...was a funky retro geek trendsetter then but in becoming a mom and all that it entails, i have sort of lost myself. can't wait to have the time to really look through each of your suggested bloggers blogs and the ones your readers suggest! :)
ReplyDeleteAnother vote for Already Pretty. In fact, in reading this post, until I got to the end, I thought I was reading Already Pretty! Especially the comment about boots.
ReplyDeleteAlthough this is a sewing blog: http://www.dressaday.com/ it is a riot to read. It falls into the vintage category. Another one I love is http://adore-vintage.blogspot.com/ -- so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteK. in Hazelridge
It's not a blog, and I'm sure you've probably heard of them: The Pyramid Collection has some beautiful stuff that I would love to buy, but some of it can get pretty pricey. I love almost all their jewelry and they have a lot of steampunk-oriented clothes/shoes/jewelry that is right up your alley. Thought that looking through their website would occupy you for at least an hour with "I want that!" and "Oh! I want that, too!" Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteWow:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tomandlorenzo.com/2012/02/maroquinaris-zoologicae-by-billie-achilleos.html
Not quite geeky nor steampunk but still... WOW.
Just saw a new Hunger games video, and had to share!!!!!
ReplyDeletehttp://geeks.thedailywh.at/2012/02/02/hunger-games-trailer-of-the-day/#more-51840
warning, it'll autoplay
Another vote for Disneybound. Adorable, but sometimes way too girly for my geeky self, outfits based on Disney, and sometimes non-Disney characters.
ReplyDeleteI've followed Frocks and Frou Frou for ages - it's interesting to see how Lilli's style has changed over the years (I'm sure if I took a photo of myself every other day I'd look basically the same for years on end).
ReplyDeleteAlso, for boots for "strong calves" (as a shoe shop attendant delicately said to me once), try Duo Boots in the UK (heaps of styles and sizes)or Bennetts Boots in Australia (lots of sizes but so-so in the style options).
Cheers
Emma
One of my favorite fashion bloggers is LuLu Letty. I love her layered looks the most. This look here, with her vintage breeches, pheasant blouse, tweed jacket, riding boots, not to mention the vintage bicycle makes me totally swoon!
ReplyDeleteTry http://corpgoth.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteHer goth tends toward steam. For the commenter that was looking for older style icons she may help otherwise check out already pretty's blog roll there are a couple older bloggers listed.
sorry - no blogs but a fab shoe designer and he's a fellow canadian - john fluevog - awesome and comfortable!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Colleen
I can't believe nobody has mentioned What Would a Nerd Wear, which has the distinction of having one of my favorite blog titles ever. Her styles might be more conventional than you're looking for, but she likes boots and weird colored tights too.
ReplyDeleteI love Frocks and Froufrou! I'm not familiar with any of the other fashion bloggers that you linked to.
ReplyDeleteI'm the least fashionable person I know. But I like...
geekthreads.blogspot.com
honeybeeinthecity.blogspot.com
I'm surprised no one has mentioned What Katie Wore! The blog just ended, but there are archives! She wears very cool, funky and colorful stuff! For clothes that are a little more accessible, I like Future Lint.
ReplyDeleteI love Kyla over at Blue Collar Catwalk. Not necessarily "geeky", she has a unique style, and comes up with combinations I would never think of. I'd wear more outfits like hers, but I like in a completely different climate (TX to her MN). She's also very nice and sweet to her commenters, and her dog Iggy is in all of her daily posts :-)
ReplyDeletewww.bluecollarcatwalk.com
Sorry that this doesn't have to do with this post, but I thought you might enjoy these two links. :)
ReplyDeleteTardis cat fort
Star Trek coffee table (Actually more elegant than it sounds like it would be.)
Thank you so much for the links! I love dresses, any dress really, and the aussie just directed me to awesome links! I will be happily shopping all weekend.
ReplyDeleteI like her style, and lots of layering and bold colors:
ReplyDeletehttp://joyfullyweary.blogspot.com/search/label/Mommy%20Fashion
Also, I like Twinkie Chan! Such fun stuff.
MBX, if you lean towards the neo-Victorian/ Steam side of things, I highly recommend Recollections.biz. They have a huge number of separates that you can mix and match, and a lot of pictures of real women wearing their stuff in all sorts of combinations in their "what our customers are wearing" section. Most of the ladies shown are "not petite." And the clothing is made in the US and stands up to a lot of wear.
ReplyDeleteTXRed
Inside Out Style is a great place for finding other fashion bloggers because Imogen regularly interviews bloggers. I've found a couple people that way. For a normal girl blog, I like Domestic Sophisticate is a short fashion blogger. For myself, I'm going to have to go check out those blogs you already follow!
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks for the folks who mentioned me - how thrilling! :) I'm a regular reader of EPBOT (and Cake Wrecks) for the past few years and Jen, I adore all the steampunk-inspired stuff you post and create!
ReplyDeleteFYI, I'm in my mid-40s, I used to be 50 lbs heavier (so, honey, I know where you're comin' from), and I love layers and the goth/steampunk aesthetic.
And you have to check out my Christmas village (it has vampires and werewolves) and my Star Wars/Star Trek Christmas tree.
Cheers,
Sheila
Another fun one to try might be Retro Rack. This is by Gail Carrier, author of Soulless and lover of clothes. The blog focuses on a vintage style, and also steam-punk. As Gail herself is a full-figured lady, she also makes sure to stay away from the "it only works on twigs" phenomenon (the "rack" part of retro rack). Right now, she's doing styles created by the Big Bang Theory.
ReplyDeleteNot fashion, but all these cool photo-shoots reminded me of this artist somehow.
ReplyDeleteShe's apparently a disney geek who does cool/sweet 3d/cut paper/shadowbox art, and some 2d digital work too.
BTW: I wear paint-stained jeans, solid-colored t-shirt, grey jacket, & tennis shoes only when it's too hot to wear my favorite, fuzzy, fur-lined boots. I'm working on some better stuff, but fashion is just too darn hard (and expensive!)
-Courtney "The DragonNight"
Check out my website and Zazzle
I'm surprised no one's mentioned http://thingsmissfrizzlewouldwear.tumblr.com/ yet. Cute stuff!
ReplyDeleteThank you Dana, now I have ANOTHER thing to add to my tumblr feed. I like beinggeekchic.com, also What Would Emma Pillsbury Wear. It counts as being g(l)eek, right?
ReplyDeleteI'll third (or fourth) Already Pretty, but I also have to pimp my two good friends (so yes, I am biased), Mia and Tia at Reading in Skirts. http://readinginskirts.wordpress.com/
ReplyDeleteThey're both nerdy, do lots of layering, Tia is plus-sized, Tia also does crafty fashion tutorials, they occasionally post about books and biking, and they are just generally great.
Jen, you would love All This Happiness, with Kaitlin Resler. She adores the character of Remus Lupin, and a lot of her outfits are inspired by him! She's got a really unique style, and she's an unabashed nerd (Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, etc).
ReplyDeleteCheck it out!
http://allthishappiness.blogspot.com/
If you want some pure eye candy, Gail Carriger's retrorack.blogspot.com is fabulous. She's the author of the delightfully steampunk Parasol Protectorate books and the woman has style. She mostly wears vintage or vintage inspired, and there's a fair amount of steampunk/Victorian costuming thrown in.
ReplyDeleteMy friend blogs at www.mascaraormotoroil.com - I am so not into fashion, but I love looking at her outfits! It's funky and cool and she finds the most amazing vintage pieces.
ReplyDeleteI dont know of any geeky fashiony blogs but I just wanted to add that i'm so excited that lilli from frocks and frou frou is Australian and writing in Autralia about Australian brands! its great to see someone from my part of the world featuring on a amazing american blog! thanks Jen!
ReplyDeleteI follow a fashion blog that features a girl who is a bit bigger than a traditional fashion model! She does lots of cool boots, too. :) Of course, she's from my home town of Winnipeg so in winter she dresses a bit warmer than you might want to in Florida.
ReplyDeleteCheck her out! http://latherwriterepeat.blogspot.com/
Bad-ass geek girly-girl with a dash of whimsy, you say? Sounds like an outfit I have... Maybe I'll take some pictures at some point to show you.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, I adore limecrime, it's nice to see the story behind the mastermind :).
ReplyDeleteThis is fashion for the little ones, but I knew you would appreciate it:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.etsy.com/listing/76005733/mmbm-boutique-princess-leia-minnie-r2mk
I stumbled across her stuff on Etsy. Super cute stuff. It makes me want to have kids just to deck them out in these outfits.
Mmm, boots. I couldn't tell you a thing about fashion or fashion bloggers but your love of boots is a good sign that you're stylish. In my book anyway. Now, adda fedora and a tie.. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteIt's been I long time since this post, but I just wanted to share my current fav fashion blog with you, The Dainty Squid. She does mostly thrifted/vintage styles and has amazing, vibrant, constantly changing hair colors so I thought you might want to check her out!
ReplyDeleteI'm actually a huge geek AND a fashion blogger!
ReplyDeletehttp://thegeekypeacock.blogspot.com