Thursday, November 17, 2011

Flavors of the Month: November

Every month there is something to get excited about. The weather changes, fashion changes, new movies come out & the social calendar becomes restocked full of exciting adventures. So I will be keeping you in the loop. I know we are a little ways into November already, but maybe you haven't gotten fired up like I am and need some kindling for your soul bonfire.

BREW NO EVIL
The first weekend of November, some of my husby's and my best friends had everyone over for a day of football and home brewing lessons. We got to drink the fruits of their labor in the form of an amber they had brewed a month prior and then learned by making batches of pumpkin porter and holiday spice beer. It was lots of fun and I loved the whole process (I got to help strain the goodness into a bucket!). There are learn to brew classes popping up all over the place and I suggest you hop (get it?) in on one or hook up with a friend who already does it on their own. I believe the new DIY/getting back to basics trends like home brewing, sewing, knitting, carpentry, screen printing, wine making, collecting vinyls etc. are a positive reaction to all of the technology that has gotten us away from physically creating & collecting. Find something that has always interested you and master it!

SEE NO EVIL
The Muppets FINALLY comes out this month, Wednesday the 23rd (the day before Thanksgiving). The Great Muppet Caper is still my favorite, but anything to do with the Muppets is pure gold. Apparently Jason Segel (who wrote this film) cried his first day on set with Kermit and everyone had to break. If anyone was going to write this newest installment, he was definitely worthy of the job. So go see it. Thank you.


HEAR NO EVIL
On Tuesday, the 15th, my husby and I saw The Pixies live in Bricktown! They are currently on their Lost Cities Tour playing their masterpiece album, Doolittle, while hitting all of the cities they have never played in. They were even better live and you could tell they were all having a great time. Probably some of the most memorable moments of the show were when they opened with Un Chien Andalou playing on the big screen, "La La Love You" and when they fogged out the stage and audience during "Into the White." I also aspire to be as effortlessly cool as Kim Deal. Pixies are wonderful any time of year, but the crisp autumn air is paired perfectly with their sound.


Their opening band, Imaginary Cities, from Winnipeg, were by far the best opener I have seen. The lead singer, Marti, sounded like a sexy cat cartoon character with awesome moves like Janis Joplin and even a little Shirley Temple thrown in. Let's just say she was an adorable badass. Their music is right up the Pixies' alley, but less grungy. Loved when the guitarist, Rusty, switched from piano to rocking out on his guitar. Check. Them Out.


The Horrors' new album, Skying, is great for this time of year also. They hearken back to The Smiths, The Cure and The Thompson Twins with just a pinch of surfer rock in some of their songs.


Of course, while we are discussing the Smiths, they are my favorite cloudy/rainy/cold day band, so add them to your playlists this fall.

EAT NO EVIL
'Tis the season for Thanksgiving. Please stop jumping straight to Christmas, Thanksgiving is the best. It is my absolute favorite holiday because there is no expectations other than creating amazing dishes and getting together with your loved ones so you can eat like fatasses and fall asleep while drinking and watching Lions football. Then you get to wake up, have dessert and more leftovers and watch Planes, Trains & Automobiles. And continue to drink. Quit jumping the gun & enjoy this low-maintenance holiday. Stay tuned for details on a Hobo Potluck we will be hosting the Saturday after Thanksgiving. My Thanksgiving secret weapon shall be revealed at that time!


PAINT NO EVIL
I am devoted to L'Oreal Paris' nail polish in Devotion. This picture doesn't really do it justice, but it is a strange taupey cocoa color that can appear more cocoa in some light, purple-ish in another and even charcoal in others. I originally was on the hunt for Essie's Hot Cocoa nail polish, but when I compared the two, Devotion won my heart (& it was $3 cheaper!). I may still pick up hot cocoa, but it has a bit more warmth with hints of cognac, while Devotion is a flatter color. GET IT NOW.


WEAR NO EVIL
My freshman year at Michigan State, I roomed blind. My roommate and I hated each other most of our first semester, but by the end of it, we became great friends. I realized she was basically a younger version of my mom. Go figure. We still keep in touch, but one thing I took away from that experience that always keeps her close to me, is her affinity for crazy old lady/old man sweaters. They were always somewhere between a 1970s ski trip sweater and a Peruvian llama sweater. Now I too have a collection and this season, thanks to Rachel Zoe, I found out Stella McCartney gives my old roomie and I some legitimacy. Go with the hip grandma look and you will not only be cozy but chic.

Keep a look out for some more new featurettes, including Party On, Dude, where I will chronicle the themed parties I host. I will not only show you our Halloween Bash, but our Hobo Potluck the Saturday after T-Day!

Other than that, let me know what your "musts" are for November or what you think of mine.



Turkey Time and warm November days,
bunny

Friday, November 11, 2011

Working Girl: Back to Basics

As boring as it can be, you need your neutral, classic pieces. Tops & bottoms in white, cream, beige, black, gray, brown, tan, etc, will all be your best friends in your new work wardrobe. When you slowly build this core up, you can pair one of the neutrals with a bright or patterned top or bottom that will let you express yourself, but also be grounded and mature. Plus, when you have a good line of neutrals, it's way easier to get up and throw together a great outfit after you drank a little too much the night before.

On an episode of What Not to Wear, they had a young woman with no confidence in her ability to put together professional outfits. Her outfits were too casual or too bright because she thought that neutrals were boring, but she was moving up and needed to be taken seriously. Stacy & Clinton came to her rescue and explained that she could still be youthful & have fun with her wardrobe, but there was a method: find something you like, something you love & add some bling. Basically, find a flattering neutral for your top or bottom, add a fun top or bottom that you love, then put on the amazing shoes with personality &/or funky & blingy jewelry to top it all off. Don't overdo the bling, but with a neutral at the base of any outfit, you will look great!

The outfit I am showcasing today is not the most exciting outfit I have, but it is one that is flattering, I get lots of compliments on & it is SUPER comfortable.  Most of all, it's got those lovely neutrals with personality that we all love (or will learn to love).


My ruffled blouse and basic black pencil skirt both hail from JCPenney. Some people scoff at good 'ol JCP, but if you want quality stuff at a reasonable price, they are a better option than most. Some love Kohl's, but they just don't have the same quality and they are usually more expensive. JCPenney's best brand for work neutrals is Worthington. For your funky stuff, try I <3 Ronson. American Living is another good one that can be a little mom-ish, but it is meant to be an adult preppy line like JCrew. Sometimes they have great funky pieces, but for the most part, they have lots of classic patterns & styles. 

My shoes are Aldo Howett in black leather. They are well-made & comfortable & although they were $60, they are well worth it since black flats come in handy 150% of the time. Aldo makes great flats (neutral & otherwise), so check them out. 

***Invest in your classic pieces. You will save money in the long run and feel fabulous every time you wear them.

Your assignment this week is to find a FLATTERING plain black pencil skirt and plain black flats. Also, stop buying knit tops for awhile, you need more blouses. 

Hope this was helpful. Leave any questions or comments below and stay tuned for next week's exciting edition of Working Girl!



back in black,
bunny

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Working Girl: Funking Up the Professional World, One Outfit at a Time

Since I graduated from Film school a year ago this December, I was promoted from my job as a lowly sales assistant to an executive assistant at the company’s corporate office. It’s still entry-level, but at least I have my own space and I am no longer crawling on my hands and knees cleaning and organizing. Chained to a desk with a stricter dress code and a wardrobe of college student/boho chic, I found myself lost at sea when it came to work apparel. I also found myself getting depressed over my increasingly boring outfits that recycled the same tired pieces.

It has almost been a year now and I am finally starting to feel like I have more options, not only in the variety of pieces I own, but in my ability to funkify my neutral drone wardrobe, while still staying in dress code. These limitations have, in turn, inspired my Casual Friday outfits, where I am more apt to let my freak flag fly, but appropriately.
Can this be my wardobe? Do we even need to discuss this?
I know I haven’t been the first workforce newbie lost when it comes to acceptable yet stylish outfits for work, so I have set out to guide you through this frightening time. Frightening, not just because you are a young professional with rules on how you can dress, but frightening because you are most likely a twentysomething who is on the same rollercoaster I am; somewhere between bliss and hysteria, fully aware that time is flying by and you aren’t even sure you are on the right ride.

Every week I will post my favorite work and Casual Friday outfits and/or answer office survival questions. For example, what pieces you should have to make your groggy mornings easier and your outfits sleeker, where you can find these (reasonably priced!) pieces, the dos and don’ts for office apparel, along with any other advice on surviving office life, from Lean Cuisines to community coffee to catty coworkers. I am still a rookie myself, but with a year under my belt, I can help you avoid the mistakes I have unfortunately made and be the office mentor you are probably missing at your own job.

I'll bang out the first one for your reading pleasure this Friday. I'm holding us to this, so write yourself a memo or task or something and I'll see you at the water cooler!






working it for a Working Girl ending,
bunny

Friday, November 4, 2011

Meow Mix

Great things are in the works for jojobunny.  I came up with a bunch of little featurettes when I was applying to be an editor &/or writer for a blog, but since things didn't work out, I am taking my know-how to the interwebz streets. I'm currently getting said posts squared away, but I promise I will keep the space between posts shorter than in the past.  While you wait, please like various & sundry on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/various-sundry/243081135748148

And then visit this other amazing blog:

http://thekittencovers.tumblr.com/

And then listen to this song:





lock, stock & two smoking blog posts,
bunny