Mishaps and Miracles

Working It: Golden Gloom

2011-12-22T02:10:00.005+09:00

I'm a little ticked off today because customs confiscated my sausage. My delicious Summer Sausage that makes my mouth water whenever I think about it. I'm hosting a party this weekend and I ordered some treats from overseas, but it looks like sausage is off the menu. I should have looked at the customs regulations before I sent it. Anyway, life goes on and I can't wait to show you my candy cane dress. It is just beyond words, you just have to see it. I'm really behind on posting at the moment. I have loads of photos to look through. I don't really edit my photos. I just take so many that it's hard to choose a decent one. However, my holiday outfits are getting bumped to the top of the list. Any reason for me to get all dressed up is great.

OK, now on to my outfit. It's finally cool enough to wear my Aladdin jacket. Looking at it makes me so happy. It's a combination of some of my favorite things; gold, green,metallic, brocade, and glitter. I found it on Etsy and it was described as a kimono. There's nothing kimono like about it at all! My pet peeve is when someone claims that something is kimono like, but it's anything but. I'm extremely anal at times when it comes to categorizing clothing. I've found way too many things I like only to find out that they're really Barbie outfits. I wish they made them in my size. Please stop putting Barbie clothes in the clothing section! They're toys dammit, TOYS!!! By the way I'm having a sale so check out the shop

Jacket: Vintage
Dress: Zara
Shoes: Pleaser.

IMAN

P.S. Barbie clothes are TOYS!!!

Working It: The Floral Matrix

2011-12-14T03:09:00.005+09:00

The weather here continues to be indecisive. It doesn't know if it wants to be Summer, Fall, or Winter. It's a bit of a challenge dressing for dysfunctional weather. Sometimes I wear a jacket or a sweater or even a stole. The day that I wore this get-up we had spring temps. I took this as a sign to pull out my favorite jumpsuit and this outrageous reversible vest. I will be wearing again soon. I've already thought of 5 different outfits for it. It's 4 in the morning here so I'm not very cohesive at the moment. Please forgive me if I sound strange, but I figure that I should post and NOT SLACK OFF! I will return soon in a less sleepy state of mind. The next post will feature my Aladdin jacket. I figure I have to go all out this month for being so lazy and sloppy these past few months. Thank you for you patience and stopping by.

Jumpsuit: Vintage
Vest: Vintage
Belt: Vintage
Shoes: Victoria's Secret

IMAN

P.S. I forgot to mention my new belt Leo, isn't he gorgeous? Ok, it's time for bed now.

Working It: Quilted

2011-12-10T23:46:00.007+09:00

I can't lie to you, so I'm just going to tell you the truth. I've been lazy!!! It stops right now because it's party time. The holiday season is here and I have parties to host, so that means HOSTESS DRESSES!!!. I am soooo excited. I also have a metallic Aladdin jacket coming up, a matrix vest, knit kimono, rainbow fur, and a candy cane dress. It truly is one of the most wonderful times of the the year to get fancy for no reason at all. Until then enjoy some quilted goodness from my loungewear collection. The weather's been on and off lately. Hopefully it will make up it's mind and stick to one season.

Skirt: Vintage
Robe: Vintage
Blouse: Vintage
Shoes: Victoria's Secret

IMAN

P.S. I plan on stopping by everyone's blogs tomorrow. I can't wait to see what you've all been wearing.

Working It: Me and my buddy

2011-11-23T00:50:00.009+09:00

Have you checked out my fuzzy friend yet? His name is Gary and he's a Den-Den Mushi(snail phone). He's a gift friend my boyfriend and I love him to bits. For those of you who don't know Gary is from an anime called One Piece and it is EPIC! Stop what you're doing and watch it right now! I named him after my other favorite snail, Gary, from Spongebob Squarepants. Yes, I watch cartoons and I'm not ashamed. Gary is actually a coin purse, but to me he's a plush minaudiere. I can carry all of my cash and cards in him, he also goes perfect with most of my outfits. Well, I have more snail tales for you later on, but now it's time for bed. Good night folks.

Skirt: Zara
Shirt: Uniqlo
Scarf: Made by E
Pumps: Bakers

IMAN

P.S. I hope that everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. I will be at the dentist and gym that day, so please eat lots of food for me.

Halloween

2011-11-13T21:28:00.006+09:00

Yes, I know this post is late and it's all my fault. The day after I posted the first costume and promised to refrain from slacking. My computer and I had a disagreement. I was very mean to it(I punched it and shouted insults at it), afterwards I promised I would never do it again(I begged profusely until it started to work again) and now we are friends. When the screen went black I started screaming MY PICTURES! I have a ton of things that I haven't gotten around to posting yet.I think I may have to buy a new computer very soon. You would think that since I live in the electronics capitol of the world I could find any computer part that I needed, but that is so not the case. I have to wait 3 weeks for a new part to come. Please bear with me, if you don't hear from me now you know why. I'm really hoping that me and my computer can stick it out until the new part arrives. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Anyway, this kimono is the absolute nonsense, in a good way. When I saw it I knew it had a place on my shelf. I'm dressed up as the girl that's painted on the kimono. She's a girl from the Heian era, so I had to whip out some red lipstick. I don't really mess around with make-up, but it was definitely needed for this outfit. Traditionally Heian girls had hair that reached their ankles. I looked damn near everywhere, but they don't make wigs like that anymore, so I had to make do with what I could find. I like a good wig. They easy to throw on and they give my hair a nice break between stylings. I do hope that you enjoy the kimono. It was very hard deciding on which two to wear. Right now I'm in the process of winterizing some of them, although it's still hot as hell here. I would love to wear a long sleeve shirt without sweating profusely. Thank you so much for all your sweet comments.

IMAN

P.S. I hope that my computer will continue to be my friend.

All Hallows Eve

2011-11-05T02:32:00.007+09:00

I'm baacckk!!! Thank you so much for your encouraging words and advice folks! I'm 100% again and ready to get back in the game. I made a few tweaks to the blog and still adding more. Everything should be done within the next two weeks. I have some great things coming up on the blog really soon, so stay tuned.

For this Halloween I dressed up on the 30th and the 31st. Any day that I can dress up is a great day and on Halloween I go all out. Maybe next year I'll dress up for everyday of the week. Today I was a girl from the Heian era. They were known for wearing 12 layered kimono, red lips. and hair down to their ankles. On the day I took these photos it was pouring buckets, but I was determined to photograph this kimono. It is my absolute favorite and it's 100 years old! I hope that everyone had a great Halloween. I'll be back soon with my other Halloween costume.

IMAN

P.S. No more slacking off!

A Change of Heart

2011-10-25T03:50:00.002+09:00

Ugh! I'm such a drama queen. I've changed my mind. I will not be shutting down MishapsandMiracles. I will revamp it and come back with some fresh and funky content. Give me a week or two to get my shit together. Sorry for being so blah these past couple of months.

IMAN

Kimono Kinyobi

2011-10-04T01:04:00.004+09:00

These beauties have been added to the store, but I just got around to posting them. Winter and Fall are my favorite seasons for kimono. The fabrics and designs are very luxurious. You'll see more embroidery, interesting motifs, and even velvet and fur! Fur kimono jackets are really hard to come by, but there are heavier grades of fine silk around.

This time around I added more florals and abstract motifs to the shop. My favorites are the midnight blue with the bright flowers, the birds, and the one that's reminiscent of a kaleidoscope with that diamond pattern. It is always a challenge for me to part with them. As soon as I think about keeping one someone snaps it right up. This happened earlier this morning. It's OK though, it's good to send beautiful things out into the world. I truly cherish my kimono even after they're gone. I only sell what I would wear myself. I think that the russet brown kimono would look great with a blouse and jeans or even some dress pants for formal occasions. Kimono Kinyobi will be coming with me to the new blog. If you have a minute make sure you stop by the shop.

IMAN

P.S. Only 5 more posts left!

The Countdown begins

2011-10-02T22:54:00.007+09:00

Hello everyone! I have some major news for you, I'M SHUTTING DOWN MY BLOG! After many hours of thought I've decided to close Mishaps and Miracles.This blog has really been lacking especially during summer. Displaying my outfits on this blog and meeting you wonderful people has been an amazing adventure. I'm so happy that you all ventured over here to hear my random rants and see my wacky get-ups. Alas, I feel as if I've never truly expressed myself. 99% of this blog's content is titled 'Working It'. My true style has only peeked through those outfits. I've probably shown about 5-10% of my actual wardrobe on this blog. The other amazing items are just sitting in my closet collecting dust and I ask myself why? I just wanna WEAR MY CLOTHES! I don't give a fuck about trends, what's in or out, what's hot or not! I just admire a garment for it's beauty and that is all. If it happens to be designer so be it. I just want a medium to express myself.

My new blog will go online later this month. I will give you all of the info before it goes online. I do hope that you guys will follow or visit me over there. However, before I go I must send Mishaps and Miracles off in style. So before I officially close this blog I will post 7 more times. The final and seventh post will be on my birthday, October 7th.Today's post is the first of the 7. I adore you guys and I thank you for stopping by. The new blog will have much more content related to my thoughts and opinions on various things, not only fashion. Most importantly it will have more of my WACKY WARDROBE!!! I do hope that you'll come and sit a spell.

Thank you so much for dropping by.

IMAN

Working It; Red, Green, and Blue Typhoon

2011-09-26T23:00:00.008+09:00

The weather recently has been completely bananas over here. It's typhoon season so there are storms left and right and the last one was a biggie. I have been in some sort of weird funk and I can't figure out what to do with myself. I do my best to clear my mind by clearing out my closet. I've already sold 10 bags of clothes and more are on the way. Maybe it's because this year I'll be 26 and it's time to get serious again about the things that I want to do in life. When I get serious I'm focus, driven, and accomplish just about everything I put my mind to. The only set back is I become a bit of a bitch. I'm still mulling things over, but expect some big changes soon.

Also I feel as if I have not been able to really express myself through my clothes and that makes me angry. This blog features my work clothes. I have very rarely shown my everyday clothes. If this doesn't happen soon I'm going to explode and so will my closet. What a conundrum this is for me. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Suit: Vintage
Shoes: 6pm

IMAN

P.S. I don't make a habit of exposing my midriff because I'm shy. It was really windy that day and I'm just happy that I work out.

Working It: How I wear a T-shirt

2011-09-17T20:07:00.007+09:00

My computer has completely died on me!!! It's in the other room beeping every 5 damn seconds. I thought that the keyboard was my only problem, but now my computer wants to act like an asshole. It sucks because I have a bunch of pics that I want to upload to the blog. Right now I'm using my boyfriend's laptop and it's a Mac. Macs scare me, I can use them, but I'm still in awe of them. So the hunt begins for a new computer, unless I can get that beeping piece of junk to shut up,it is still beeping!!! It is still very hot here and I'm still against pants until the weather cools down. In fact, the skirt in these pics was very hot. Many of you may not believe that I own "basics" and to some extent this is true. It's just what I consider a basic(novelty prints, leopard, and plaid in abundance) differs greatly with what others agree to be a basic. I do own such things as t-shirts,jeans, blazers, and even a, gasp!, conventional suit. Even in fashion we must always have back-up wardrobes. You never know when you'll need it. I have added some new stuff to the shop as well and I'll show you all next week. I do thank the Style Crone for her recent purchase. Her hats are to die for! If my head wasn't so big I'd gladly cram one on. She is a very elegant lady and I'm so happy that she took an interest in my wares.

Skirt: Vintage
Tee: Uniqlo
Shoes: Nine West
Belt: Vintage

P.S. STOP BEEPING YOU BLOODY COMPUTER!!!

Working It: Adjustments

2011-09-09T20:03:00.005+09:00

It feels so strange to return to blogging after my summer absence. In an earlier post Rose told me that I should just enjoy my summer and that's exactly what I've been doing. I've traveled, met with friends and family, and tracked down a few goodies. However, now that the season is changing ,so is my posting schedule. I've loads of pictures this week and I can't wait to share with you all. I'm just trying to adjust myself to the change of pace. I will also be adding new kimono to the shop this week, but I won't show on the blog just yet. I feel as if my kimono are stealing the spotlight from my other clothes. That's not fair at all, all of my garments deserve equal exposure.

The weather around here is still hot, so I will continue to wear summer clothes for the next month. I don't have fall fever just yet, although I do think about it. When I took these photos it was the day after a typhoon, so it was pretty windy. I wore my jacket closed at work. When it was time to take pictures the wind was blowing so much that I couldn't resist taking it off. Sometimes we have to adjust our outfits to the weather. This was one of the times that I was happy to do so.

Suit: Vintage, I bought it in Ohio for six dollars
Shoes: Nine West, they're my favorite out of all my golden girls
Tube top: Very old H&M

IMAN

P.S. Please forgive my lack of comments on your blogs. I've been stopping by, but my keyboard is not working so I can't type anything at the moment. I'm using my boyfriend's computer to write this post, but the problem will be taken of by next week. Kimmie, yes, I was in someone's driveway. It was too pretty to pass up, but I learned my lesson. Shortly after I started posing bugs attacked me! I have quite a few pictures of me running from them that I'm too embarrassed to post.

Working It: Silky Superhero

2011-09-02T15:31:00.006+09:00

There are days when all I want to do is wear a cape. Alas, capes right now are very bad for two reasons. First, it's too damn hot and humid out. Second, I still haven't figured out a way to incorporate them into my 'work wardrobe'. I guess this trailing, giant scarf will have to do until then.

Dress: Zara
Scarf: Worn as a cape, Made by E
Shoes: RSVP

P.S. My keyboard has passed away, so please excuse the typos. I'm back to business this week and I mean it.

Making room

2011-08-19T00:19:00.004+09:00

I just wanted to say that I've done some major markdowns on the kimono in the shop. Hurry and snap them up while you can. The Haori were originally priced at $60 and they're now going for $35. Some of the full length kimono were marked also. That beautiful cream Furisode was marked from $150 to $75 I have to make room for the stunners that I'm adding this weekend. They are things that are nothing like what you saw before. I just got back from Kyoto and Hiroshima, so sorry for the lack of posts. I was playing hostess to my boyfriend's mom. Major things coming up which have been taking up a lot of my time. I promise you won't be disappointed.

IMAN

P.S. Why are you still reading this? You better hurry on over to the shop.

Dear IMAN

2011-08-07T00:21:00.003+09:00

You are such a lazy bum!!! I command you to remove yourself from bed and stop rubbing calamine lotion all over your bug bites. You have spent the past two weeks lurking indoors reading George R.R. Martin. Please put a dance with dragons down and get from underneath the a/c. Stop eating fudge pops and curry every freaking day! Put on your sneakers and walk to the gym or just go walking. Most importantly get back to blogging and sewing. The closet full of clothes and boxes full of fabric are waiting for you. Take your tripod with you and stop scowling at the people who stop in front of your camera. Scowl, glare, and sneer only when they touch it. I know that come summer the heats saps all of your strength and enthusiasm. Long story short stop being a lazy, slobbish bookworm and get your ass out of bed and post SOMETHING!!!

Sincerely,
IMAN

P.S. Sometimes I must kick my own ass into shape. I'm back this week with new stuff. I'm sorry, but I really wanted to read a dance with dragons,watch transformers, wear capes, and pretend I'm a superhero. Please remember that I'm a nerd and bookworm first and foremost. Now I must get back to sewing my fur cape.

Kimono Kinyobi:In Bloom

2011-07-23T02:45:00.006+09:00

Hello. I'm so happy to post a new Kimono Kinyobi after such a long break! I've decided to post Kimono Kinyobi every two weeks instead of every week. This week I'm adding a blooming selection of gorgeously silky floral kimono. The kimono in the last two pictures is the one that I spoke of in the last post. Isn't she a beauty? I will add them to the shop tomorrow, but if your interested leave me a message in the comments or send me an email.

IMAN

P.S. The next post will feature PEACOCKS!!!

Working It: Go speedracer goooooo

2011-07-16T23:04:00.004+09:00

Hi guys. I'm finally feeling like my old self again. I thank you so much for all of your supportive comments. If you don't know, I'm the type of person who never backs down, unless for a very good reason. Sheaccessorizeswell put it best when she said that sometimes we have to do things we don't like to keep a job and that is so true. Fortunately, everything worked out in the end and I still wear red and yellow and curly hair! A lot of you talked about discrimination laws and you would be right if we were in America. All of those laws don't apply nor exist in Japan. Since it's a homogeneous country and a bit conformist in some ways. There are a few laws, but there are still some places where foreigners are banned. There are even swimming pools that you can't enter if you have a tattoo. Sometimes I do feel like I'm in a bit of a time warp. Nonetheless I still love being here and every country has it's good and bad points. I will not let anyone upset me. The situation has been resolved and I'm not going to dwell on this, but I just wanted to say thanks to all of you.

Meanwhile, I have not been idle. I've been shopping for kimono for the shop(and a little for myself). I've also made a bunch of garments as well, but they're for fall. I hate summer clothes! Which explains my lack of posts and the heat and humidity are driving me nuts. Right now I'm taking a break from the 20 kimono that I'm styling and sorting. This is always so difficult because I want to keep most of them and a few I do. I have a very special Kimono Kinyobi coming up this week. Many people ask about the kimono on the front page. No, I'm not selling it, but I have another one that is equally beautifully and detailed with the most beautiful scenery that I've seen thus far on a kimono. Wonderful shades of gold, green, red, blue, and orange. You'll just have to wait until Friday to see it. If you like my dress I've found another just for you here. I think it looks like a race car track or something from Alice in Wonderland. What do you think?

Dress: Vintage Bill Blass
Pumps: Pleaser gold Mary Janes. I heart them!!
Belt: Vintage
Jewels: H&M

IMAN

P.S. I'll be back with peacocks, peacocks, and more...PEACOCKS!!!

Hello

2011-06-29T23:05:00.002+09:00

Hi everyone! I just got back from vacation and I did not take my computer with me. I had the best time with my family and friends. I didn't buy any shoes or clothes! Can you believe it? Usually I leave with one suitcase and come back with four. I'm shocked myself. While I was there I got to meet Roxie and she gave me a kick ass belt. She's so beautiful in person and she recommended a great vintage shop, where I bought more jewelry. I was so souped to come home and see Terri rocking that gorgeous haori. I was having such a great day until me and my boss had it out regarding...my hair and wardrobe! I pointed out that no one had problems with it for the past three years. The whole conversation actually started with them saying that my hair was too big and curly. I couldn't believe it! So it's a problem that needs to be taken care of because I never knew curly hair was unprofessional.They also said that I wear red and yellow which was really detailed. I never knew red and yellow were so offensive. Don't worry though I will still post outfits, but at the moment these "problems" need to be solved pronto. I will post a new Kimono Kinyobi and my jewels in the next two weeks. Wish me luck!!!

IMAN

Working It: Twist and Scowl

2011-06-13T23:31:00.005+09:00

I know that I look super angry in these pictures. Every time I started my timer a car or bike would come by. I've kind of given up on finding a nice isolated spot for posing. It seems that there will always be something going on wherever I pose. I'm in the process of attempting to pack for my trip back to the states. I'm trying my best to pack "light". Try not to laugh your ass off. Whenever I travel I always pack a bunch of outfits and wind up only wearing 1 out of the 10 I bought with me. I also try not to dress too fine in NY. People will think that you're something that you're really not. Case in point when I go to flea markets. I will not wear any of my usual garb. Wear something nice and they'll charge you double the price. This a vintage Leslie Faye dress and I love it. She did a collection where each piece had some sort of Asian theme. Such as ladies in kimonos, cherry blossoms, or Japanese waves. Needless to say I do a cartwheel every time I find one of these pieces.

Dress: Vintage
Shoes: Steve Madden

IMAN

P.S. I really do wish that I could meet you lovely people! However, I'll be in NY and most of you folks live very from away from my neck of the woods. I do have faith that we'll all meet someday soon. What do you pack when you go on vacation?

Kimono Kinyobi: The long and short of it

2011-06-11T04:18:00.003+09:00

I've been thinking that while many people like kimono, they can be a difficult piece to incorporate into your daily wardrobe. I find that this is true especially for longer kimono. I was so happy when Terri showed the various ways to style long kimono,but very few people are as brave as she is. So this week I'll be adding short kimono(Haori) to my Etsy shop. I've styled them based on how I would wear them whereas last week I just belted or left them open. I enjoy wearing them as tops, jackets, or even as a mini dress.

I don't want to impose my style upon anyone. I'm just showing you folks what works for me and it may work for you. On the other hand styling kimono is a bit tricky so a few pointers won't hurt. Feast your eyes upon these beautiful kimono. The only drawback about styling kimono to my outfit guidelines is that I want to keep them for myself. Don't worry, I'll share with you all....this time:) Don't forget about the shipping discounts!!! Time's running out.

IMAN

P.S. Regular outfit posting will return as soon as these darn typhoons go away. The past 2 weeks have been very wet. I've been wearing hats and carrying an umbrella 5 days a week. The rain, rain coats, and rain boots are no longer fun after the age of 5.

June to April

2011-06-09T00:19:00.007+09:00

Ahhhhhhh! Last week there was no Kimono Kinyobi and I'm so sorry for that. I have posted my favorite outfits from June 2010-April 2011. I have been a little preoccupied with work, staying in shape, and preparing for my visit back to the states. I do have a bit of a surprise for you all living in the states. Shipping rates to and from Japan are pure extortion, no one knows that better than me. So for a limited time I will be shipping items from the US while I'm there so you can save some moolah on shipping fees and get a fantastic kimono without breaking your bank. This offer is only available from June 6-18. You must purchase a kimono in this time frame if you want the discounted shipping from the US.Please convo me about the kimono you are interested in and your address. I will get back to you ASAP with a shipping quote I will be posting some gorgeous kimono in the next two days.

IMAN

P.S. See ya soon:) Seriously, I will be back in two days with KIMONO ;)

Happy Birthday!!!

2011-06-01T00:45:00.007+09:00

It's my blog's birthday!!! It has been two years since I launched MishapsandMiracles. When I first started I wasn't really dedicated to blogging and posting on a daily basis. I just knew that it was something I could do, but I didn't focus on it as much as I should've. I can say now that has changed. I will focus more on posting and sharing my interests with you guys. A year ago no one ever really stopped by my blog and then I met Terri, who introduced me to you lovely folks. I decided to post some of my favorite looks for each month from the previous year. This is a kimono that I made last May entirely from ties. I call it the tie-mono. I love it to bits, but it takes forever to make. If you want a real one of a kind kimono check out my Etsy shop . I hope that you guys will enjoy some of my looks from the past year. I thank you all so much for taking the time to read my blog! I greatly appreciate all of you!

IMAN

P.S. Are you ready for this week's Kimono Kinyobi?

Kimono Kinyobi

2011-05-27T04:23:00.010+09:00

They're here!!! As promised I posted them on the blog first. If you are interested send me an email at MishapsandMiracles@gmail.com. I will leave them on the blog for the weekend before I add them to my shop. I will then update the blog with the shop address on sunday night. The shop will have more detailed photos and fabric close ups. Every Kinyobi(Friday in Japanese) I will post kimono. I will notify you beforehand if there won't be a post the following week. I have a variety of genuine kimono in various colors, patterns, lengths and fabrics. Kimono with intricate designs and expensive fabric have a higher price point. As for shipping, Japan is very far away from other countries so it's a bit more, but you will get your package in 7-11 days with tracking. More details on shipping will be posted at my shop. If you have any questions or want addtional photos please shoot me an email. Hurry up and get them while they last.

Update: The kimono are now up at my Etsy shop so please click here. Also please excuse my hair. It was very hot and humid when I took these photos. My hair looks like a huge helmet, but it's about the kimono not me!

IMAN

P.S. Alison, kimono are very roomy and can adapt to many figures. If you are still unsure send me your dimensions and we can talk.

Kimono of The Week: The Florist

2011-05-21T22:59:00.007+09:00

Monday's are just not my day for taking pictures. The wind always throws me and my outfit off guard, but I'll keep trying. I have so many flowered garments, but I can only name 10 off the top of my head. If you ever ask me what kind are on my outfit I'll probably reward you with a blank stare. I'm currently in the process of learning the names of more flowers. The kimono are almost ready so hold on to your seats. I've looked all over the web and there are no kimono that compare to mine. You'll just have to wait and see.

Kimono: Vintage( You can buy your very own NEXT WEEK!)
Dress and belt: ZARA
Shoes: Nine West

P.S. Gorgeous goodies are on the way!
Dress

Breaking News!

2011-05-20T03:35:00.008+09:00

Hello! I'm almost 100% again, but I still feel guilty because I haven't posted anything in so long. I'll be back this weekend, but I wanted to share some news with you. You all know that I adore shopping and I usually buy garments that stand apart from what's in fashion or stores today. By being such a savvy shopper I've accumulated quite the collection or should I say collections. I collect several garments, much to my boyfriend's dismay. My most prized collection would be my kimono collection. I have to say that my kimono are the best by far compared to all of the pseudo, rip-off, wannabes that I see online all the time. If you don't believe me look at the photos above and my archives.

What's shocking is that most of the kimono online are not even real KIMONO!!! I'm so tired of others forking over hundreds of dollars for false lackluster goods. My intention is to set this problem to rights by providing you lovely people with the REAL DEAL!! I mean one of a kind silk(most of the time) made in Japan Kimono. It gives me great pleasure to announce that I will be selling kimono in the very near future. Many, many people have asked me to do so and I've decided to give it a go. I will hit you back with the exact venue and dates. I promise that I will always display items up for grabs on the blog first. In the future I plan on doing a giveaway as well. In lieu of my usual outfit post please enjoy some kimono from the past.

IMAN

P.S. See you soon :)

Working It: Acid Trip

2011-05-14T23:13:00.006+09:00

Not much to say today, except Blogger sucks! It's been down for the past three days so I couldn't post anything. I also have a fever and my throat feels awful. I'm going to bed. I hope that you'll accept these pictures without my usual ramblings.

Dress: Vintage
Shoes: Victoria's Secret

IMAN

P.S. I really could use a nice glass of O.J. right about now.

Working It: 64 Colors

2011-05-10T03:23:00.008+09:00

Ugh! My body hurts so this will be a quick post. I just got back from walking and my legs feel like jelly. I had a few questions regarding the kimono set. Kari, I couldn't post a tutorial if I tried. I won't tell you how many kimono I destroyed before I arrived to this conclusion. When it comes to my designs I follow the flow of the fabric and pattern. I don't have a form or use a sewing pateern, so I pin and drape them on myself. However, I do have a very easy tutorial planned and I will post it next month or this month if I get a chance to wear it. Terri, the skirt is a bubble wrap skit. The skirt gathers a little in the front.

When it comes to my tie designs I think the main thing is finding good quality ties. I can't stress this enough. I just bought some from Ebay and they're a huge disappointment and costly. The number of ties needed for a jacket/dress depends on your shape so what works for me might not work for another person. You should also have ties that are a similar length and width. This is something that's easier said than done. It takes me months to find good ties for my designs. I hope this answers your questions. I'll be back later this week

Tie jacket: Made by E
Dress: Vintage
Belt: FCUK
Shoes: Bakers

IMAN

P.S. Thanks for the food suggestions! I think about them while I eat my salad.

Working It: Kimono sets

2011-05-02T00:19:00.007+09:00

Ugh! Last week I promised to post 4 times a week and I'm sticking to that despite my slack from this past week. I recently started a rigorous exercise regime, my doc's idea not mine. I thought I was taking good care of myself, but the doc thinks I can do better. I now go to the gym 5 times a week, power walk for an hour almost everyday, and go to hot yoga twice a week. Before the fingers start wagging, let me say that my goal is not to lose weight. I am very happy with my shape and size, but working out benefits the body in other ways and right now my body needs those benefits. I used to be a card carrying member of the eat what makes you happy club. I now see that eating what we want makes us happy mentally, but not physically. I hate salads with a passion. They're rabbit food, but they are now the main staple of my diet. I am really, really, really hungry as I type this. I will remain optimistic because there are people with problems far worse than mine so bring on the salads and the treadmills. The bottom line is that I'm completely knackered after working, going to the gym, and power walking. I'm still getting use to the routine and sticking blogging in it. Don't give up on me.

This is an outfit I made all by myself. I've talked about it for ages. Remember a while back I mentioned that I was butchering kimono? Well here's what I did with it, a skirt and jacket set. I've made quite a few outfits I just need the time to wear them and take photos. This took a week to make and forever to find decent trim. I do hope that you love it as much as I do. I have a long overdue kimono post coming up this week so keep your eyes open because it's an absolute beauty!

Kimono set: Made by E
Pumps: Victoria Secret

IMAN

P.S. Send me pictures of the yummy things I can't eat.

Working It: The wind is not my friend

2011-04-27T01:49:00.006+09:00

So me and the wind had it out today and I got my butt whipped. These photos were great compared to the blurry ones and the others that feature my tripod upside down. Even though it was super windy I still had a good time. I have some company today in this post. The gentleman in the white van watched me for 20 minutes from the inside of his car. Scary? A little bit, so I figured I should take his photo since he got a free show. I don't mind when people watch for a few minutes, but 20 minutes is a bit much.

The dress is actually a robe worn backwards and it's not Pucci, but a great look alike. Over the next few weeks I will share a few more of my quilted pieces. I also have a boatload of kimono coming up and some other goodies. I'm now back to a posting schedule of 4 posts a week. Thank you so much for your comments regarding my last post. Sometimes people stop being people and turn into monsters. Their baseless comments cause destruction and harm to others and they seem unaware or ignore the effects of their words. Recently I've read so many news stories about children killing themselves because of the bullies at school. I don't know what's going on in the world today, but parents really need to monitor their children. Most importantly they need to DISCIPLINE THEM and be their parent NOT their friend. I usually don't talk about such topics on my blog unless they directly affect me, but I couldn't keep my mouth shut on this one. I just hope that kids today grow to be a little bit stronger.

Robe: Vintage
Belt: Vintage
Shoes:Bakers

IMAN

P.S. See you soon :)

Working It: A Cinderella Affair

2011-04-20T01:51:00.007+09:00

Growing up one of my favorite Disney movies was Cinderella. I know that a lot of people think that this movie teaches little girls all the wrong things, such as vanity, materialism, and depending on a man. However, whenever I watch this movie I always see something different. The evil stepmother and sisters represent all of the people who have ever hated on me and tried their best to rain on my parade. The fairy godmother is my support group that helps me in times of need. The mice were my peers who were also ridiculed and picked on. The dress was the object that gave me courage when I felt like I would fail or lose my confidence. The prince represents my future and the ablity to start fresh and leave the negativity behind. I have a lot more,but it would just bore you.

I love red and wear it so much, but this is my first time debuting a red dress, I have a few, but this one really does take the cake. It's an evening dress and I wore it to work and the supermarket. I don't set out to impress anybody. I've just always loved clothing especially dramatic clothing. When I was younger I dreaded being the outcast for about 5 minutes and then I just learned to love and accept ME! There will always be someone who is pointing at you, judging you, or just telling you that you're not good enough. I simply give this people a piercing look over and then I laugh and walk away. This is exactly what Cinderella did, she gave those judgemental cows a look and walked off into happily ever after. This is something that we all must master in order to put our troubles and any negativity behind us.

Dress: Vintage Victor Costa
Brooches: NY jewelry shop
Shoes: Pleaser, they're the cousins of my lovely green pumps.

IMAN

P.S. I promise that I will resume posting 4 times a week.

Working It: Hats on

2011-04-14T04:54:00.006+09:00

Yawwwwnnnn! This is the first thing that comes out of my mouth on Sunday morings. I'm not a huge fan of Sundays because I have to wake up early. Usually it's not a problem, but I didn't feel like doing my hair on this particular Sunday, so on with the hat. I have this hat in 5 different colors and I wear them all throughout the year. They are comfortable and cheap at 100 yen each. You've seen this dress before when it was dolled up and now it's dressed down. As I type this it's currently 5:25 am. This is the time when I sew and my creative juices start pumping. Yes, it's crazy to be up this late, but it's what I normally do.

I've been so busy that I've haven't had the time to read my favorite blogs. That's what I plan to do after yoga today. I know that I'm rambling on, but I'm sleepy, so this post may not be too coherent. Thank you for all of the smashing advice on making my photos larger. I did listen to your suggestions and attempted to change the size so let me know what you think. Also a THOUSAND THANKS to the lovely German girl who featured me on her blog I combed through your blog, but I couldn't find your name. I love that you posted some of my outfits and I'm happy that you enjoy my crazy costumes. It's always good to find another person who embraces color. All right folks that's it for me. I'm gonna take a nap before I head out to yoga. I will resume my blog browsing and commenting later on today.

Dress: Zara
Belt and shoes: Nine West
Jewels: H&M

IMAN

P.S. Next post features new hair and my Cinderella affair.

Kimono of The Week: Traffic cone

2011-04-10T03:44:00.006+09:00

I'm in the middle of spring cleaning and I just discovered that I have a crazy dust allergy. I'm sitting here typing and wiping my nose at the same time. I have 3 suitcases of clothing that I'm going to donate this week. It feels so therapeutic to clean out my closet. I can see how much my style has evolved and the things that I favored from the past. When I first came to Japan I bought a lot of boring work clothes and left all of my pretty clothes in the US. I was under the impression that I would have to conform to the corporate clothing required in the workplace. Eventually I begin to experiment and twist the rules a little bit to let my true style show through. Although with this outfit I broke all the rules. I'm 100% sure that leather shorts are unacceptable in most workplaces and the same goes for fluorescent kimono. I just couldn't help myself because I've been trying to wear these shorts for the past 3 months! Yes, I wore this to work, but these are actually my street clothes. The leather shorts just had to make an appearance and they will again. The last 2 photos are for my Japanese friends. They complain that I never smile and the peace sign is super popular in Japan, but I hate when it's in pictures.

Kimono: Made by E
Shorts: Issey Miyake
Shoes: Steve Madden
Jewels: H&M

IMAN

P.S. Sarah, thank you for your kind words. I don't know what's going with blogger, but it's pissing me off. I do get requests to make my pics larger,but I still can't change the size. I will do a post that features close ups of my more detailed garments. Can anyone tell me how to make my pictures bigger? I would greatly appreciate it.

Working It: Beacon

2011-04-05T00:55:00.006+09:00

I like lights of all shapes, sizes, and colors. This should come as no surprise to those of you who stop by this blog. I'll even admit to you all I that I have a light saber, and yes, I do play with it from time to time. There's a bit more to me that I haven't shared with you all because I am extremely shy. Yes, I have a blog, but I started it to be a bit more social. In this past year I have taken more pictures than all of my 24 years combined. You won't find any pictures of me in my junior high, high school, or university years. That's how much I loathed taking pictures, but that's all changed now.

I collect lounge wear and I've featured a few of my house coats and leisure suits on the blog. I'll be wearing more of them in the near future. This particular dress is another Etsy find. Quilted lounge wear holds a special place in my heart. I wear all of my lounge wear OUTSIDE! It would be selfish to keep the beauty of this dress all to myself.

Dress: Vintage, an Etsy find at $24
Jacket: Faux fur from Marshall's $12
Stripper Shoes: Pleaser, their cousins will make an appearance soon! They're even more ostentatious.
belt: Vintage

IMAN

P.S. Terri, the coat is fox. My new hair is 4 posts away. Let's hope that I don't go and cut it again

Working It: Repetition

2011-04-04T02:45:00.006+09:00

The black skirt is back and so am I!!! I have to post everyday this week to make up for the time that I've missed. Even though I've haven't posted in a bit I still have pictures from the week when my camera broke. Yikes!! I am such a horrible blogger and a habitually lazy person. My lazy habits are holding me back and it's no one's fault but mine. I'm pumped up to do a little more every day now and focus more on accomplishing my goals. One of which was to cut my hair and I did this very evening, but I can't show it to you until I post the photos form the last few weeks. My other accomplishments will be shown throughout the rest of this month.

Moving on, the weather has been extremely fickle and I know that some of the changes were due to the quake. Some days it's warm enough to leave the house without a jacket and others, like today, require something a bit heavy. When I wore this outfit it was freezing in the morning, but by mid-afternoon it was scorching. Eventually the coat come off. I wore this skirt a few weeks back and I love it so much that I had to wear it again. I believe in wearing the items that I love repeatedly. To be honest I've worn this skirt 3 times in the last two weeks.

Before I go I have to tell you that you must go over to Terri's blog and see the wonderful things she did with a beautiful kimono. She has made my week and it's only Monday. Hope, it's a pleasure to meet you and thanks for stopping by. I get the majority of my kimono from flea markets and little no name shops throughout Japan. I will post some pictures of a kimono flea market in the very near future.

Coat: Vintage fur
Blouse: Vintage
Skirt: Zara(it's really long, but I pinned it up)
Shoes: Nine West

IMAN

P.S. I'm so happy that Spring is almost here.

Working It: Old man's pants

2011-04-02T22:38:00.008+09:00

I'm a bit sleepy this evening, but I still wanted to post. I bought these pants a while ago and just got around to wearing them. I noticed that I haven't really posted any pants outfits so I had to remedy the situation. It's not that I don't like pants. It's just difficult to find any that I truly like. These pants probably belonged to a little old man before me. I made them longer, but I still could have used an extra inch. The blazer is also a man's item. I love to buy men's clothing in Japan. The designs are a bit more funky and the clothes are cut more on a bias. Well, that's all I have for this evening. I promise to be more talkative and alert tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by and for being patient with my erratic posting schedule.

Pants: Vintage, 250 yen
Blouse: Vintage, 100 yen
Blazer: Vintage, 400 yen
Stripper shoes: Bakers

IMAN

P.S. Good night and sleep tight.

Kimono of The Week: Out of the shadows and into the light

2011-03-29T00:54:00.007+09:00

I'm back and I've decided to stay. The situation has improved a little and I have faith that it will get better. I can't continue to dwell on what may or may not happen. I just have to enjoy my life. If you spend all of your time worrying you'll never have any fun. I'm still cautious, but not so much that it causes me to freak out every five seconds. Life's too short to be a hypochondriac. I'm going to spend this evening staring at my favorite blogs and hunting for treasures on EBay. I thank you for all of your positive vibes. Also many people are sending donations to the Red Cross and that is the most respectable charity so if you can donate to it.

Kimono: Vintage
Skirt: Zara
Belts: Zara and H&M
Shoes: Bakers

Working It: An off day and a sad day in Japan

2011-03-18T03:04:00.005+09:00

Again fashion is the last thing on my mind this evening. I decided to post pictures just because editing them has distracted me from the news. Right now I'm deciding whether or not I should leave Japan. I love this country so much, but the situation isn't looking so good. I spend the majority of the day talking or reading about the disaster. It's all that anyone can think about if you live over here. Foreigners are fleeing the country in droves and flights are selling out. So to be honest blogging is the last thing on my mind at the moment. I apologize for not visiting your blogs and I miss doing so, but until this crisis with the reactors is resolved I can think about nothing else.

As soon as I make a decision regarding my stay in Japan I will get back to blogging. I need a bit of a break to sort things out. I will miss you guys dearly, but I will come back soon. I just want to say that if you decide to make donations to Japan please choose a reputable charity. There are many sickos out there who take advantage of these situations to rip people off. I ask you once more to pray for the reactor workers and the survivors of the quake.

See you soon
IMAN

P.S. I can't think straight at the moment nor can I put an outfit together so this is me on an OFF DAY.

Working It: All of the lights

2011-03-16T00:49:00.006+09:00

I have no words that relate to fashion, so it's best to let the pictures do the talking this evening. I do have words regarding the recent events in Japan and around the world. Recently there have been a slew of epic disasters in Chile, Haiti, Australia, Brazil, and Japan. It feels like the environment is trying to tell us something. I think that it's a message that can be interpreted in many ways. Protect the environment, help others, cherish you love ones, and most importantly have faith. However you interpret this message depends on you and your beliefs. These events make life much more fragile, beautiful, and precious all at the same time. They also make me realize that we don't have much time on this earth and that time can be taken away at any moment. It's events like this that make people want to seize everyday and live life to the fullest. I hope that this is something that you all will do or continue to do. I am so grateful that I have a group of readers who care so much about my well being. I thank the good lord that I'm able to post anything this evening. I ask you now to send your love, prayer, positive thoughts, and anything that you can to the victims of the quake. Please pray for the 50 men who are putting their lives on the line to clean up the mess inside the reactors. Despite the risks to their physical and mental well being.

IMAN

P.S. I appreciate everyone who took the time to read this post. Please continue to pray for Japan.

I'm Okay

2011-03-12T15:09:00.002+09:00

Hey everyone I'm sorry that I've been gone, but I'm sure you've all heard about the earthquake. I've been trying to get in contact with my friends to make sure that they're okay. It didn't really affect my area of Japan. I was at work when it happened and I was on the 6th floor. The building started to sway back and forth, but thankfully nothing worst happened. I'll get back to the blog soon, but I have to check that my friends are okay first.

Thanks for all of your concern,
IMAN

Working It: Up High

2011-03-07T22:20:00.005+09:00

Today's post doesn't focus so much on my entire outfit just the kimono. Last week when I took this photo I was feeling a bit reckless and decided to pose in this spot. I was nervous and excited at the same time. There are not many people who would pose on narrow wedges of concrete in four-inch heels. I think that I've accomplished my goal of finding interesting spots for posing with this post. I was too concerned with falling off the ledge to get detail shots of my jewels, but I'm sure you understand why. I did my best to not look so terrified. In a few shots I'm hanging onto the fence for dear life. I can't wait for more days like this and I look forward to posting more warm weather outfits. My coat rack just fell and there are coats everywhere. I guess I'll be cleaning up for the rest of this evening. I'll catch you folks later.

Kimono: Vintage
Shirt: Zara
Pants: H&M

IMAN

P.S. Yesssss! I found my gold cami! It was buried under my coats. I have been looking for it for the last 3 months. Happy, happy, joy, joy! Does anyone else remember Ren&Stimpy? Sacramento, I will post a more detailed shot of the dress from the previous post later on this week.

Working It: Light gets in your eyes

2011-03-06T20:24:00.006+09:00

Yikes!!! I've been gone for a week now and I know that this makes me a sloppy blogger. I have a one track mind which can sometimes be a gift and a curse. I'll focus all of my time and energy on one thing, but then everything else gets left behind. What really sucks is that the temperature is not appropriate for what I want to wear right now. The garments that I've been working on for the past three weeks! I think my camera was punishing me tonight for neglecting the blog. It shot my pictures in two very different lights. The first set of pictures feature a dazzling flash which really hurt my eyes. The other set show some sucky underexposed photos. I consider both to be mishaps. Yet there's still something interesting about them.

Dress: Vintage
Coat: Vintage
Shoes: Nine West

IMAN

P.S. I'm back to regular posting. I'm trying to learn more about time management.

Working It: A handful of flowers

2011-02-28T23:35:00.006+09:00

Since starting this blog I've been able to make many observations of my wardrobe. Many that I would be oblivious to if I did not have a blog. I noticed that I wear obscene amounts of red, I really don't wear necklaces(which I should), and own way too many flower print items. I apologize for none of this and I intend to wear more of them. One of the perks of having a daily record of your outfits is that it encourages you to experiment more with your wardrobe or in my case, a work wardrobe. I'm starting to dream about the potential benefits of owning a sewing machine. A variety of stitches, self-threading, and super fast sewing! My fingers would really appreciate the last one. I'm still sewing, stilling gasping over ridiculous prices for gorgeous fabric, still getting in trouble for destroying shop displays, and still butchering kimono. I'm almost finish and it wasn't my intention to destroy the display, I just really wanted that particular fabric and I couldn't find anyone to help me. Since I have kimono on the brain I decided to wear one.

Kimono: Modified vintage Made by E
Skirt: Vintage
Shoes: BCBGirls
Coat: Vintage

IMAN

P.S. Terri, the black skirt from Zara is actually a long skirt. I just pinned it up.

Working It: Be Mine

2011-02-26T03:42:00.007+09:00

I'm currently playing catch up and doing my best to post my photos from last week when my camera held them hostage. This is what I wore on Valentine's Day. If you look behind me you'll see all of the lovely snow that we received on the day of love. I couldn't pose outside because snow is not beneficial to satin and suede shoes. I refused to take my gloves off during this session and my hair was blowing every which way. However there was no way I could let this beautiful textile not be photographed. Isn't it super? When I saw it I knew that it had to be mine. I sacrificed my toes again just to show off this lovely outfit. Thanks for stopping by.

Dress: Vintage Etsy find
Shoes: Bakers
Belt: Vintage
Necklace: H&M
Coat: Vintage, a gift from my boyfriend's mom.

IMAN

P.S. Terri, I own three muffs.

Working It: Don't look at my Muff!

2011-02-24T02:44:00.006+09:00

OK, so I'm finally wearing a red dress. However, I'm wearing it as a coat in this post. It was definitely not meant to be worn this way. Yes, it looked good, but I was freezing so I pulled out my muff. Last year I told you that I was going to bring muffs back, but said muffs have just been sitting around collecting dust. I have a few of them and I'm happy that I was able to wear one before the weather warms up. I'm actually wearing a men's shirt and the silk is the exact same fabric and color as the shirt. This rarely ever happens. I've been lucky enough to find men's shirts for pennies and usually in mint condition with the original tags still attached. Well, today's post is a quickie because I have to get back to sewing. I'm in a really creative mood at the moment. If that makes any sense at all to you.

Dress: Vintage and worn as a coat
Shirt: Men's vintage Ungaro
Skirt: Zara
Belt: Vintage Anne Klein, I got it for a $1 in Ohio
Shoes: Steve Madden

IMAN

P.S. The world is a bit hectic at the moment. Please take the time to tell your love ones how much YOU LOVE THEM! You never know when something will suddenly be taken away from you. Take a moment to say I LOVE YOU! I love you guys :)

Working It: Roadkill Overkill

2011-02-23T01:55:00.007+09:00

Oh my goodness! It feels like I've been away for a minute now. Again I am so sorry about the delay in posts. Last week some red light on my camera was just blinking and then my camera went black. Of course panic followed right after that. I have 4,000 photos on my camera. The majority of them feature my friends and family so I was more concerned about losing those photos than my outfit photos. Fortunately, everything is alright now. I've had my camera for a year now, but I haven't even bothered with reading the instructions so whenever I discover a new feature I'm so excited. It took me 7 months to learn that I could take more than 3 pictures with my timer. Yes, I have my dumb moments and this was one of them. After the blinking red light fiasco I decided to download and read the instructions, all 169 pages. I'm quite pleased because I'm learning so many new things about my camera.

Anyhow, yes, I'm wearing leopard and tiger prints today. The skirt was a steal at 680 yen and it's faux fur. I felt like a jazzed up old lady going to play bingo today with all of the prints and rainbow brite jewels. I almost got hit by the truck in the first photo. I'm still on my quest for interesting backgrounds, but it gets more and more difficult everyday. I know I have been idle with the blog, but I've been as busy as a bee at home. Here's what I've been doing this past week.

1. Sewing, sewing, and more sewing. All by hand! My fingers are very red and swollen.
2. Looking for a sewing machine that doesn't cost $2,000. They've lost their damn minds!
3. Haggling with shop owners over the price of brocade fabric. Some idiot wanted $40 a yard.
4. Buying interior fabric because I refuse to pay $40 for brocade fabric ;(
5. Butchering kimono, but I promise it was well worth it. I'll show you guys very soon.
6. Laying on the floor and sleeping in yoga class when I should be doing the poses.

The past week has been so busy and I'm thrilled. I've made a lot of new garments that are not made from ties. As soon as it heats up a bit I'll post photos of them.

Jacket: Old BeBe
Skirt: Vintage
Sweater: FCUK
Shoes: Bakers

IMAN

P.S. Thanks for your well wishes regarding my camera. Terri, fortunately I didn't suffer from any food poisoning, but I was surprised when I heard that news. Japan is known worldwide as an exceptionally clean country so food poisoning always comes as a shock here.

Loads of Updates on the way

2011-02-21T01:41:00.002+09:00

Hey everyone! So sorry for the slowdown in posting, but my camera is acting a bit strange at the moment. I should have everything sorted out in a day or two. I haven't been idle. I have new goodies that I can't wait to share with you all. I hope that everyone has a nice weekend. I just hope that my camera doesn't delete my photos :0.

Working It: Dude are you trying to steal my camera?

2011-02-15T01:45:00.009+09:00

If you look to the left in my photos you'll notice that I have a guest in today's post. He attempted to open up the conversation with "Are you a model?". Though I'm very flattered to be asked this question, I need to set the record straight. Real models do not carry around 12 inch tripods nearly everyday. Real models do not teeter across the street in six inch heels to avoid getting hit by a car. Real models do not pose in secluded alleys to avoid getting ran over by a bicycle or a stampede of ten year old children pointing and shouting great(Sugoi) or scary(Kawai) in Japanese. Of course I didn't express this to him, but I was thinking it. The reason for my snarkiness is because I really think he was trying to steal my camera. Whenever I walked away from it he would walk towards it. I assume that he took one look at my shoes and thought she can barely run let alone walk. Au contraire buster, I'll kick these off and get away with my camera before you can blink. In the end he gave up especially when I crouched near my camera and got into a poncing stance. Think of a tiger about to attack it's prey.

Helga- Hi, I've been looking through your blog along with Jem's and my eyes bug out every 5 seconds from all of the creativity. I must come to NZ and meet you.

Kimmie-Thank you again for the hair info. I forgot to mention that I did cut off all of my hair last year and it was awful. I stopped posting for about a month. You can view the horror here.

Terri-What's your favorite color, flower, print, pattern, or design. I know that it sounds strange, but please email me your answers.

Steph-I just wanted to share my general thoughts. I think it's great that you and your readers have an honest relationship. Although with blogging we can never actually really get to know the blogger. Yeah we post pictures and share a bit of ourselves, but even still we have control over how the public views us. You would never know that I'm an Anime addict and comic book freak by the way that I dress because I didn't share that info until now. Being nice all the time is not good at all, but if I have nothing nice to say then I just leave it at that. Why waste my time commenting on something that I don't like?

Vix-Honey there is no one like you! The only thing that's ridiculous is routine, rudimentary, rude remarks to people who are not afraid nor care to be different. I thank you for the lovely mention and I'm happy to be included in the company of a woman such as you.

We say that words don't carry weight, but they do. People if you don't like what someone is wearing it's simple DON'T COMMENT. I know that I look like a walking pinata. There are days when I resemble a drag queen. Sometimes I leave the house wearing more colors than a box of 64 color crayons. There are days when I have major hair issues and pants badly in need of a press. I wear a mixture of animal prints, fur, feathers, leathers, and polka dots all in one outfit. I know that I'm ridiculous and I'm not ashamed. Anonoymous assholes find the nearest cliff and jump off it.

Dress: Vintage 400 yen
Belt: Vintage Alexis Kirk
Jacket: Faux fur from Nordstroms's BP
Shoes: Pleaser

IMAN

P.S. Happy Valentine's Day everyone. I hope you all recieved some delicious choclates. This is not what I wore today. I'm a bit behind on posting because I'm still trying to recover the feeling in my fingers and toes. To all of the newbies, thank you so much for stopping by my blog.

Working It: Blown Away

2011-02-12T23:17:00.007+09:00

This weather is fantastic, well it is to me, but others may have a different opinion. I was able to debut another stunning jacket this week and I posed outside again. The wind nearly knocked me over and tried to make off with my jacket. Today I can't feel my toes, but who cares because I love my outfit. I've been eyeing this gray dress for the past 6 months at Zara. Those idiots wanted way too much money for it so it did not come home with me 6 months ago. When the sale started it still wasn't marked down low enough to satisfy me. Then I remembered what happened last year. There was a coat that I'd really wanted, but it never got marked down again like I thought it would. I really wanted this dress so I went ahead and snatched it up and I'm so happy that I did. It's a beautiful basic that I can dress up or down. Today, like most days, I went for the dressy look. I piled on brooches, rainbow brite jewels, and finally my Roxietoxl obi belt. She's been away from Etsy for a minute and I really wish that she would come back. I could make my own belt and I have, but for the sake of my fingers I think it's better to buy one.

On another note I found THE MOST GORGEOUS GOLD LAME KIMONO! I gasped and gave a little squeal of delight when I found it, but I didn't buy it. I decided to sit on it and be a good girl for once. I've been thinking about it constantly. The only thing that's stopping me is the fact that's it's a wedding kimono and I already have about 5 that are just sitting on my shelf looking at me and waiting to go out into the world. Then again it's three of my favorite things combined, Kimono, Lame, and Gold! Hopefully it will be there when I go back and if it's not....I won't think about it. The only reason why I haven't worn my ceremonial kimono is the fact that they weigh at least 8 POUNDS! I'm still trying to figure out what to do with them.

Dress: Zara
Jacket: Vintage fox fur
Belt: Roxietoxl, an Etsy shop
Shoes: Steve Madden

IMAN

P.S. I wonder how much longer will this weather continue? I'm not waiting to find out so stay tuned for more coats and jackets. They've been couped up in my closet for way too long.

A certain type of snow

2011-02-12T02:42:00.007+09:00

Before I start yapping I want to say thank you all for the kind words regarding my tie dress. It's one of my favorites and I can't wait to share more of them with you in the future. I'm so happy that this post features some of my everyday clothes. When I woke up this morning everything was covered in white. I was super excited for the opportunity to wear one of my heavier coats. I finally settled on this men's kimono housecoat that I bought last year. It's usually worn indoors and they don't really make them like this anymore. You can just imagine the stares and finger points I received when I went out today. This coat is super warm and heavy and that's the most important thing. Also I take hot yoga lessons so I ALWAYS wear a hat on those days. My hair after yoga is just.....well, there are no words for my hair after yoga. Which is why I wear a hat so I don't scare the children. The boots are new and they're from Victoria's Secret and they're true thigh high boots. You all know that I adore stripper shoes, but it's tough incorporating them into a work wardrobe. I bought the brooches last year at a flea market.

On another note I've finally decided to stop being so shy so I went ahead and joined IFB. I'm sure to you guys it's no big deal, but for a girl who has hid behind a book for the past 20 years it is. I feel that I have something to share with the fashion world and it's about time that I kick down the door. I swear if I did not have a dress code to restrict me this blog would have gone in a completely different direction. Although I still love it and I'm extremely proud of it. Whatever the case I'm still striving to get my message across and I'd rather it be visual than verbal. Actions always speak louder than words especially in my book. I just want to show people that dressing up can be glorious and you don't need a reason to do so. Nor do you need to follow some magazine or industry doctrine of what's hot or not. You should just do you and be you. At the end of the day the only person whose opinion matters is yours.

IMAN

P.S. Terri, it has been colder this year and we got snow twice. Hmmm....I guess global warming is real. Sacramento, I don't make all of my clothes, but I wish I could. I have made other things like dresses and jackets, but I haven't featured them on the blog. Also thank you for telling me about IFB.

Working It: Blue nights and Green lights

2011-02-11T02:25:00.006+09:00

The wind and cold have been kicking my ass for the pass three days. I can only blame myself for deciding to take photos outside. Yes, I'm making an effort with new backgrounds, but it's super difficult when people walk through your photos with a cigarette in hand. Some people just decide to sit behind me and gawk in the cold. C'mon now, you're not sitting outside because it's sunny. I'm compiling photos of all of this craziness and dedicating a post to it because it's ridiculous and funny at the same time. I don't mind people looking, but it's not nice to jump in front of my camera while I'm using it.

Anyway, I've made tie dresses, but never got around to posting them until now. This one is made up of various blue and green ties. As much as I love my tie designs it takes quite a bit of time to make them. Mainly because I need good quality ties to work with. I have loads of ideas in my head, but the material has yet to appear. I can't just use any old tie, it has to be fascinating. The same goes for my garments that are not made from ties. I need interesting fabric to make an interesting garment. In time I will share them with you guys. In the meantime here are some of my other designs here, here, and here. Sacramento, I just used link within all for you darling. And for anyone who's curious about my designs just click on the Made by E label at the bottom of this post to see more.

Coat: Vintage from Salvation Army
Dress: Made by E
Shoes: Nine West
Belt: FCUK

IMAN

P.S. I can't feel my fingers. This is a prime example of why it's better to take photos indoors.

Sneak Peeks

2011-02-08T23:32:00.003+09:00

I just want to say thank you to everyone for stopping by and voicing your opinions on yesterday's post. I just couldn't keep my mouth shut any longer. A lot of you bought up some interesting points. So I'm going to take the time to respond to them.

Wendy- I absolutely agree with your response. When people become famous their priorities do change. However the people who stay connected to their roots get more respect than those who leave them behind completely. I also think that in some cases it may be too difficult or painful to go back. Although with blogging that rarely is the case. Bloggers should always make some effort to try to stay true to who they are and connect with their readers.

Terri-I knew you would find point #2 hilarious. I am guilty of having boring backgrounds and you know why. However, I do my best to make sure that the outfit is always the focal point. I need isolated areas for posing. When I pose in public I attract unwanted attention. I will post new pictures of more bizarre bystanders very soon. Also my boyfriend does not take my photos, although I wish he did. I use a tripod and a timer.

Kimmie- I think it's great that you go back to the beginning of a blog to see the growth of a blogger. I do thing the same myself. For every blog that I follow I go way back and read each and every post.

Joyce-I provided a larger close-up of my jewels. They're not a set, but I did buy them at the same store. I don't have much of a jewelry collection. The things that I truly adore I don't have the funds for. I do the best with what I have and in the future I promise more close-ups.

Sacramento-How did you know that I didn't know how to use link within? I just learned how to use it the other day. From here on out I will provide links that are related to my newer posts. If you want to see more of my crazy duds you can always look at my archives. I don't know about IFB, but I will google it. I don't promote my blog like I should because I'm a bit shy and anti-social. I am working on improving this and I will share with you when I add something new to the blog. I don't even have a twitter account and I don't plan on getting one, but I'm considering a facebook page for the blog.

Vix-The only time that I even consider buying or looking at magazine is in September because that's when you get more bang for your buck. They have at least 700 pages of eye candy worth drooling over. I also buy magazines when I'm about to get on a plane and that's it.

Julija- Hello and thank you so much for stopping by. I know that my wardrobe is not for the faint of heart. There are not many blogs like mine. The majority of fashion blogs are personal style blogs of what people wear to hang out with friends, party, or go on vacation. 99% of the content on my blog is what I wear to work. I have very rarely posted my street clothes and, yes, they are a bit daring. I don't expect anyone to dress like me,but it is a bit of a let down when I see the same Jeffrey Campbell boot or Alexander Wang something on 90% of today's blogs. There is absolutely nothing wrong with making a profit off of your blog. I'm all for it, but just don't forget your readers. The blog is what made them famous so it shouldn't be neglected.

Yesterday I found the 80's dress graveyard. I was in heaven. There was an entire rack jam packed with prints, patterns, neons, and paisley! I lost my mind. Did I mention that each dress was only 400 yen? I don't usually post photos of my purchases, but I couldn't resist showing you a few quick pics. You'll probably see more of them in the summer when it's warmer. Don't be surprised if one pops up later on this week.

IMAN

P.S. An outfit post is coming up next. Just as soon as I finish making it :).

The Hunger for More

2011-02-08T03:27:00.004+09:00

When I first started blogging, about two years ago. I was so excited and overwhelmed by all of the talent and originality that I saw. It's what made me want to start a blog, but nowadays there isn't so much creativity out in the blogosphere. There are maybe 100 blogs that get a lot of exposure in magazines, stores, and just anything else that relates to fashion. The people who receive these accolades deserve them because they are unique. However, I've noticed that once a blog reaches that point of massive exposure and mainstreaming they lose that spark which has made them so special. I don't understand why. I've noticed that many popular bloggers post less and their outfits consist more of the items that there sponsors sell. Yes, I understand that it's a business and of course you're suppose to push the product,but what happens to the things that make you, you?

Some of these blogs I've just stopped following because it felt like I was reading a magazine or press release rather than someone's unique voice. I've noticed that all of these popular blogs have at least 5 major themes in common, which I've listed below.

1. A boyfriend that just happens to be a professinal photographer.
2. Backgrounds that are more interesting than the actual outfit.
3. Endless posts of magazine editorials, runway shows, or the latest 'it' items.
4. They have at least 10 designer duds or more in their closets.
5. An outrageously expensive camera with equally expensive lenses.

I'm not jealous of these people because in some cases they really do deserve the attention. I'm just angry because their blogs lack the quality that they had prior to their success in the fashion world. People please don't get so distracted that you lose focus from what made you originally want to start a blog. It's the same as singers who have a really great first album. They receive a bunch of awards and attention. They go on talk shows and give countless interviews. They have cameos in movies and TV shows. Then two years later they release their second album and it's complete shit! Shape up people! Don't become lazy and complacent just because you've received a little attention.

IMAN

P.S. Enough with the editorial posts, that's what magazines are for. I don't want to see a picture of some waif wearing a $1000 black shirt that I could punch a hole through. If you're going to post an editorial it shouldn't feature basic clothing that you could pretty much buy or see anywhere. Post the clothes that many people fear wearing outside, the clothes that are only seen on runways. Fashion has always been about escapism and drama. If I pay a $1000 for a shirt it better come with a vacation and free meals. This is my opinon and I know that I could look at another blog, but I'm just saying...enough already.

Up to 201 and it's still fun!

2011-02-06T23:05:00.007+09:00

I don't know who got more stares on the train this morning. The girl with the blue hair and spiked headband or me, the girl with the sparkly gold dress and feather jacket. Whatever the case, it's always better to be looked at than overlooked as Mae West said. This is post #201 and I had to celebrate it with my brand of glamour. Over the top and completely ostentatious. I had three gowns to choose from for today's post. All of them have feathers, sequins, and glitter, but this golden beauty stole my heart. Yes, it's a gown and you'll see more of them in the near future. Who knows when I'll be invited to some black tie event? I don't and neither do you. So why would I keep such loveiness locked up in a closet? Everyday in my world is a holiday and today I'm celebrating post 201 day. I want to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU to EVERYONE who stops by my little blog. I also send a COLOSSAL shout out to Terri, who was so kind to interview me and send people to my blog. You are a doll! Last, but most certainly not least I thank my boyfriend who encouraged me to start this blog. I can't wait to share more with you all.

Gown: Vintage and an Etsy find
Shoes: Sequin pumps from Nine West
Belt: Japanese Vinatge
Jacket: Feather jacket from Zara
IMAN

P.S. It just become Monday 1 minute ago so this post still counts as a Sunday post in my mind.

Working It: Tomato Soup

2011-02-05T20:58:00.004+09:00

Today's outfit reminds me of tomato soup. I know it's strange but my coat is the same color as tomato soup and my skirt reminds me of grilled cheese. I was just really hungry while taking these photos so tomato soup was the first thing that popped into my head. I'm a soup fanatic especially during winter. Moving on, today before I started to take photos. I had a conversation with a bystander.

Him: Why do you always take pictures here?
Me: It's pretty.
Him: Are you a model?
Me: Ha, I wish.
Him: I like your shoes.
Me: I like your suit.
Him: Bye
Me: See ya

I was taking photos in an area near a parking lot and he's come close to running me over in the past. Maybe after talking a little he'll slow down when he sees me. I sincerely hope that he does. I've provided a more detailed shot of my jewels and shirt. I'm extremely shy as you can see. In the future I'll do my best to remove my hands from my face.

Coat: Vintage
Skirt:Vintage
Shirt: Vintage
Belt: Vintage
Shoes: Bakers

P.S. It's so sad that ladies with big feet can't find vintage shoes. When I clean out my storage unit in the US I'm donating a bunch of shoes to the nearest thrift store. Does any one else wear a size 11 or 12? Where do you buy your shoes?

Red Retrospective

2011-02-04T01:46:00.004+09:00

I was looking at Terri's blog the other day and she was talking about the color red as a cultural influence. I won't repeat everything that she said, but I suggest you head on over there because it's an interesting post. She made me think about how people always harp on the power of the color red. For example if a women wants to look super sexy she puts on a red dress. Police also stop red cars more than any other color. On electrical gadgets a red indicator is a sign of trouble. The list go on and on. Throughout history the color red has always been associated with bad things, but occasionally it did represent good things. Talking about this color makes me think of my own obsession with red, so I decided to post some of my favorite red outfits. What's really surprising is that I've never featured any of my red dresses on the blog. I've worn them, but I was too lazy to take a picture. I will make sure that I do post a red dress very soon.

IMAN

Working It: Playing nice

2011-02-02T22:55:00.007+09:00

Yesterday I told you all that I had to wear a few suits to compensate for all of the crazy outfits I wore last week. So today's post features a suit as promised. The inspiration for my suits come from two shows that I adore, The Nanny and Dynasty. I love the sharp shoulders on suits from the 80's and loads of chunky matte gold accessories. Joan Collins had the best garments out of all the cast members and she wore them well. Sometimes I sit and think about what they did with the wardrobe after the show ended. Fran Fine was and will always be my favorite nanny. Short skirts, high heels, neon fluorescents, and big hair 24/7. She's my dream come true so are her mother and grandmother. Sylvia was always strutting her stuff in a body hugging ensemble. Yetta went everywhere swathed in sequins. This is another wardrobe closet that I think about, but I have seen some of the costumes on auction sites. So today I decided to be a good girl and wear a proper suit. Although, next week I may go a different way.

Suit: Vintage 700 yen
Coat: Vintage, an Etsy find
Cami: Zara
Shoes: Nine West
Brooches: Vintage JJ

P.S. I hope that everyone is having a good week in spite of the terrible temperatures. I'm going to sew and watch The Nanny this evening.

Working It:Legos

2011-02-01T23:20:00.005+09:00

I did it again. I'm wearing indoor clothing outside again. This is probably the seventh time that I've done it and this is my third robe. I collect vintage lounge wear so I have a few leisure suits and housecoats lying around, but I wear all of them outside. I bought this from a shop that had quite a few robes on display, but the one that I'm wearing was the most interesting. The pattern looks like Legos, I should've posted a more detailed shot. In the future I will provide more close-ups of my jewelry and any wacky prints or patterns. Kimmie, I love how optimistic you are about my boss's goals, but I really don't think that's the case. I can say with confidence that she hates my wardrobe. Since I've been wearing so many zany outfits I'm gonna have to wear a few suits pretty soon. I just received a box of some sparkly goodies and I can't wait to wear them, but I can't until I wear a week's worth of suits. I try my best to keep a balance of crazy and conservative.

Robe: Vintage
Skirt: Zara
Turtleneck:Zara
Stripper shoes: Pleaser(I will post their cousins very soon)

IMAN

P.S. New Made by E duds are on the way and some of them are not tie designs. I'm going to start sewing lessons and buy a machine in the very near future. 2011 is the year to face my fears and stop being a coward.

Working It: The hostess with the mostess

2011-01-31T22:20:00.004+09:00

One of the things that I love about blogging is the inspiration that I get from other blogs. They inspire me to do more, be more, and wear MORE! Terri inspires me to post on a consistent basis. She's really dedicated to her blog and I love it. She posts almost everyday! So, I'm going to follow her example and post everyday this week. Vix has inspired me to wear more of my 60's/70's garments and I'm sure that my boss hates me for it. My maxi dresses are actually maxi gowns sewn with metallic thread, sequins, and some extremely unique prints and patterns. Today's dress is a prime example of such nonsense. My boss could not stop staring at me, I thought she would've said something, but she didn't. I think she's keeping a tally of all of my inappropriate outfits to use against me in the future, who knows.

Dress: Vintage(an Etsy score)
Shoes: Victoria's Secret
Jacket: I got it from Marshall's 5 years ago for $12

IMAN

P.S. Vix, I'm 5'9, I don't think that really qualifies as tall anymore. I've seen girls much taller than me. Also for those who asked, I've tried to make my pictures bigger but blogger makes them smaller. This is something that I'm trying to fix, but in the meantime just click on the photos to see a larger image. Sacramento, I can't believe that you don't own ANY COATS!

Left Behind

2011-01-29T23:16:00.003+09:00

In an earlier post I shared the news that I would not be buying any coats for the next 4 months, Boohoo.....:). As soon as I make that promise gorgeous coats start to appear out of thin air and at amazingly low prices as well. Some of them I couldn't even check the price tag because I would be too tempted to buy them. I just wanted to show a few pics of the beauties that I left behind. The ladies in the shop were staring at me like I was crazy because I just kept snapping photos of the coats. The white one just happened to be Valentino. I was imagining it with an assortment of brooches around the lapel. Oh, the things we do to keep a promise. But seriously, I don't need any more coats until I wear the ones that I have or get rid of a couple. I hope you enjoy the photos.

IMAN

Working It: Woolly Mammoth

2011-01-28T18:10:00.008+09:00

It's now officially Winter. The season when most bloggers don't post as often because they're terrified of the cold. For others they seem to go into what I call "Hue Hibernation" which results in them wearing monochromatic clothing until the temperature picks up. Why do people decide to stop wearing color when the seasons change? This is a question that has no answer good enough to satisfy me. A little grey, black, brown are OK, but not everyday. I too at times wear too much color so every now and then I take a break from color which resulted in today's outfit.

I don't mind monochromes when they have an interesting shape, cut, or fabric. The sweater is something that helps me come closer to my dream of being a superhero. It has the most beautiful movement and I love how it trails behind me like a cape. The skirt is form fitting and elegant, it has a little train. The obi belt and snakeskin pumps are staples in my wardrobe. If more clothing were made like these 2 items I would be so happy. I'm a girl who loves clothing both modern and vintage. I don't buy vintage clothing because it's green or cheaper. I buy it simply because I like it. Clothing from the past is much better thah clothing today. The materials, construction, quality, and design exceed today's standards. Why do you think vintage and thrift sales rival those of modern clothing? I don't want to wear Modal or Eco-cotton that shrinks after a couple of washes. Show me an affordable, quality, and unique modern modern clothing shop and I'll pay them a visit. Until then my closet remains a time machine with a few visitors from the present. This is one of the very few times that I've worn an outfit that consisted of new clothing.

Skirt: Zara
Cape sweater: Benetton(their knits are stunning and worth every pretty penny)
Obi belt: Zara
Pumps: Victoria Secret
Coat: Zara

P.S. Yes, I like Zara! It's one of the very few places that I buy "New" clothing from.

Working It: Toga

2011-01-25T02:29:00.005+09:00

Have you ever had a garment that you really adored, but you just didn't have the confidence to wear it outside? I have several and I'm still trying to muster the strength up to wear them outdoors. One of my goals for the new year was to wear more of my outrageous garments without feeling self-conscious. Most of you have probably seen some of my outfits and going from there you probably think that I'm brave enough to wear anything. I wish that were the case, but it's not. The thing that limits me the most is my dress code for work. In my closet I have the most stunning blue feather dress that's just begging to be worn, but it still hasn't seen the light of day. I did wear one of my feather dresses last year and I barely got away with it. You should've seen the looks that my boss gave me.

Today's outfit was a bit daring because the dress is super sheer. It's also super tight so I can't wear a slip underneath. Wearing a jacket would still leave my front open and exposed. Tights provided no coverage whatsoever. Despite all of this I love this dress and I was determined to wear it. Suddenly I remembered the giant scarf that I made and after some strategic draping it became suitable for work. The final result reminded me of a toga. What do you think?

This is off topic, but I just saw the most bizarre thing while I was doing my laundry. A man walked into the laundromat and stripped down to his underwear. Then he placed his clothes in the dryer and watched them dry while wearing JUST SLIPPERS and UNDERWEAR! I was trying my absolute best not to look as shocked as I felt. But who does this? I'm pretty sure that he wasn't homeless. My boyfriend has seen him a couple of times and he said that he usually strips down and drys his clothes. He only dried them for 5 minutes then he put them back on. I swear I see the most bizarre things since I've been in Japan. If this happened in New York or DC I would simply get up and leave because that behavior is a sure sign of someone who's a little "special". But the again, whenever something strange happens to me in Japan I just don't know what to do. I just sat there and tried my best to sip my tea without running out the door or spitting it out.

Dress:Thrifted
Giant Scarf: Made by E(that's me)
Shoes: Nine West
Belt: Vintage Alexis Bittar

IMAN

P.S. Thanks to everyone who gave me advice on Ebay shopping. I don't use any snipe tools and I back away when the bidding becomes crazy. My biggest advantage is the 12 hour time difference. Since I'm 12 hours ahead I can bid while everyone else is sleeping. I've had more luck with Etsy than Ebay, but I do find more unique garments on Ebay. Good luck and happy hunting folks.

Working It: Paisley Plumage

2011-01-22T20:18:00.007+09:00

I know that I've been slacking off recently and there's no excuse for it. For the past week I've been reading blogs and manga,sewing, walking away from coats that I would love to take home with me, fighting over clothing on Ebay, and attempting to clean the house. Looking through my blog I've noticed that I should post more and that's what I plan to do this year. I really would like to post clothes that I wear on my days off so I'm going to make some time for that. To be truthful I haven't really been wearing "work clothes" the past couple of days. Suits are just so stifling. As long as I'm not wearing pasties and dental floss then I should be able to wear what I think works in a workplace. Who the hell decided suits were the way to go? I wanna meet them and kick their ass. Enough of my random rant. Today I'm wearing another Etsy find, I love that site a little too much! I've also wandered back over to Ebay and I'm noticing that when it comes to bidding I'm not a nice person.

In the beginning I felt like I was stealing someone's goodies if I wasn't the first to bid on the item. It felt like the finders keepers rule should apply to them. On the other hand I also wanted to find a way to send a virtual middle finger. Sometimes
I shout at my computer screen if someone outbids me. There are other times when some seller is trying to rip people off royally by charging massive amounts of cash for so called dusty vintage. I find that I'm doing my best to keep myself from sending them a history lesson on the origins and a proper price for their item. However, I'm in a very good mood today because I won something that I really wanted. Ebay is bringing out my dark side so I may need to take a breather.

Coat: Vintage from Etsy
Dress: Vintage
Boots: Victoria's Secret
Belt: Zara

IMAN

P.S. I'm starting a new series of posts that will feature all of the left behind outerwear. Yes, it's torture, but it's also proves that I have willpower.

Promises made in the snow

2011-01-20T03:37:00.006+09:00

This evening my boyfriend was looking at clothes and he said you have too many coats. I automatically replied no I.....don't. I looked around and slowly tallied up the number of coats that I have and I'm embarrassed to tell you that number so we'll just say that I have too many coats. What's funny is that I don't get an opportunity to wear them because it never really gets cold enough. That has changed in the last week. We got snow for the first time in 3 years! I did wear my coats, but it was too cold to take a picture outside and too crowded inside. I did make one heroic attempt to take pictures in the snow. I thought it would look cool, but it's only cool if it's flurries falling. It's not cool when heaps of snow fall on your head and nearly ruin your shoes and kimono. I included a few pics just to show that it's funny, but not really fashionable. We have to celebrate the mishaps sometimes. I was trying so hard to pose, but the wind was blowing me away. I've also promised my boyfriend that I would not buy a coat, jacket, or vest for the next 4 months. I've listed a few of my favorites to cheer me up. But I just know that tomorrow I will spot the most smashing coat ever, but I won't be able to buy it because a promise is much more important than a purchase.

IMAN

P.S. A proper post is coming up as soon as I can tear myself away from the Vintage Vixen's blog. You must check her out ASAP, VintageVixon.blogspot.com

You, me, and Mari

2011-01-15T23:50:00.006+09:00

Last week while I was taking pictures I had a few people and animals interrupt my photo shoot. I do my best to avoid high traffic areas because I don't want to be a nuisance and I'm a bit shy. However, one lady just happened to be walking her dog in the spot that I chose for my pictures. She actually stood behind the camera and did the thumbs up/down for my photos. I won't lie, I was nervous and couldn't focus on taking a proper picture. While she was doing that her dog was wandering around licking my coat, bag, kimono, and finally me. The best part however was when she jumped into the pictures and pushed the dog into my hands. I was trying to give it back, but she kept pushing it into my hands. Say hello to Mari the adorable dachshund that was forced upon me. I've told you since I've been in Japan weird things happen to me and this is just one more to add to the list. Well, at least she matches my outfit.

IMAN

P.S. Terri, congrats on the kimono score. I can't wait to see what you do with it.

Working It: Smooth Criminal

2011-01-13T22:18:00.007+09:00

I'm sure some of you remember my previous posts where I mention the Toy Cops. For all of the new folks please allow me to explain. The Toy Cops are the security guards in my building, for the past year they've been telling me that I can not take pictures of myself with my camera. The main reason why is because they fear that I might get in somebody's way. I take most of my photos in an empty stairwell because it's well lit and EMPTY 99% of the time. I usually just ignore them, but recently they've been turning off the lights and interrupting my photo shoots. We've been at war for quite some time now and I'm not retreating until the temperatures rise, but until then I'm staying in and there's no rule that says I can't take pictures. However, today some people were actually using the stairwell so I couldn't take as many pictures as I wanted. I packed up when I heard them coming so I wasn't in anyone's way. I was also able to snap a photo of some of the girls. I don't know what they were doing, but they were just sitting and waiting for something. This suit was actually going to be my Halloween costume. I'd planned to dress up as Micheal Jackson from smooth criminal, but I got sick. I let the hem out on the pants and I still don't know what I want to do with the jacket. It's a men's suit by the way.

Suit: Vintage men's suit
Shirt: Vintage
Shoes: Victoria's Secret

IMAN

P.S. Thank you for stopping by my blog.

Working It: Matador

2011-01-11T23:51:00.007+09:00

It's been a great week so far and we're only two days in. The lovely Terri from RagsAgainstTheMachine.blogspot.com interviewed me! I was so surprised when she asked me because my blog is not easy to find. I don't market it very well, this is something that will be changing very soon. I'm a bit anti-social and starting a blog was my way of opening up a little more and not keeping my nose hidden in a book. I was also surprised because most bloggers my age often wax lyrical about a designer or trend that's appearing on almost every blog or runway. I'm way different from those girls my outfit posts rarely feature cutoff shorts or Jefferey Campbell boots. All of my looks are things that I wear to work not a party or hanging with friends. I usually wear head to ankle vintage about %90 of the time. I go outside wearing things like kimono, stripper shoes, obis, and feather coats. Most of these things are appealing to drag queens and myself. So imagine my shock when I learned that someone was actually looking at my blog. I don't check the comments very often nor my email so it's always a shock to me when someone drops by. Because of Terri some new people have stopped by and I thank you for doing so. I hope you enjoy reading my posts as much as I enjoy creating them. Welcome to Mishaps and Miracles, I promise that you'll always be surprised.

Moving on to today's outfit, I felt like a matador because of the red coat and the constant movement to avoid the cold. Taking pictures outside during the winter is no joke. Wind chill and low temperatures will make anyone speed up their photo shoots especially when you're using a timer. Those ten seconds feel like ten hours. Make sure you check out Terri's blog. I learn interesting things about the origin of today's clothing, sweatshops, and thrifting techniques all from her. She's one smart and stylish cookie.

IMAN

Coat: Vintage $11
Blazer: Vintage $15
Dress: Zara
Shoes: Nine West

P.S. Tinyjunco, I didn't eat mochi, but I've tried mochicream. Carolyn, good luck and have fun in Tokyo. There are so many amazing things to see and buy. It is kind of twilight zone because I was in Tokyo last week. Sacramento, I'm dying to see Spain I'm so in love with the costumes and history. Do you have a blog?

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

2011-01-10T00:41:00.006+09:00

I know that I'm 10 days late, but better late than never. I wanted to start off the new year with a bang and last year I mentioned that I would post some extraordinary kimono. Here's one that I found last year, but never got around to posting it until now. Isn't it breathtaking? I originally planned on turning into a coat, but there was no way that I could modify it without destroying it's personality. I think for the time being it will be a worn as a gown or a jacket. I put a little bit more effort into this post because I wanted everything to be perfect. Little did I know that things don't always turn out that way we plan no matter how hard we try. Murphy's Law teaches us to always expect the unexpected. If we think that something bad will happen it most likely will come to pass. I know that this isn't always true and thank god that it isn't. Although there are times when it's good to mess up, make a mistake, or have things not go the way you planned. That's how it was for me today. My hair was blowing every which way, people and dogs were walking into my photos, and it was a tad cold. But all of those factors will make this post even more memorable and special to me. I had so much fun today while creating this post. Remember that it's okay to make mistakes, but the most important thing is how you deal with the mistakes. Happy new year everyone:)

IMAN

Working It: Sweater Weather

2011-01-09T16:01:00.004+09:00

In the winter it can be quite difficult to put together an outfit. There are some days when I just want to wear my comforter and slippers outside because they're so warm and cozy. Alas I can't do this and I'm a little sad about that. The next best thing to wearing a cozy comforter is a sweater and a skirt made from sweater material. Sometimes I don't have the energy to put on a loud outfit so I turn to my sweaters. In Japan I don't have so many with me. The majority of them and my favorites are packed away in the US and I miss them dearly. I threw on this outfit 10 minutes before heading out the door. Yes, it's not what you normally see me wear, but we all have off days. However, you know that I can never leave the house without wearing something bright. Say hello to my gold coat.

Sweater: Victoria's Secret
Skirt: Zara
Belt: Vintage
Coat: Vintage from Etsy

IMAN

P.S. Hello new people. I greatly appreciate you stopping by and I look forward to speaking with you in the future. To my new friend Fashion Panache, I stopped by your site and I love what I seeing. I can't wait to see more :)