Nifty Thrifty Stylist Closet: Styling/Modeling

Make-up straight? Check. Valuables concealed? Check. Keys in hand? Check. Car locked? Check. Friend not locked in car? Check. Bra straps concealed? Check. All parking signs thoroughly read and clearly understood? Uuuum...

A few months ago on a warm summer night, I went for a nice long drive with a friend of mine through the beautiful roads of suburbatory. I'm not quite sure how we got into the topic of NYC Parking, but we did, and I almost died of heart failure via laughter when he told me that he got his car towed because apparently he thought that the "No Standing" sign literally meant that one, as a person, as a pedestrian, was not allowed to stand there. Now, if you know me, you KNOW I have jokes on him. And if you don't know me, now you know! However, it just may be like calling the kettle black. In 2008, I had my own fair share of issues with the NYC Parking rules. I got my car towed not once, but twice! Though, my question to my friend is, did he have as much fun as I did prior to the towing and show up as stylish as I to the impound? Hmm, I say most likely not! Scroll down for more of my story, pics and some examples of how most of your clothes are more multi-functional than you think!

On September 11th, 2008 I rushed into Chelsea to meet with an artist about a possible art collaboration. I quickly paid my muni-meter parking, after running around like a chicken without a head to get quarters for it, and rushed off to my meeting feeling secure since parking was free after 7. After my meeting, I hopped into a cab with my friend Deyanira to Pier 40 to go "Shimmy on the Hudson" and see some belly dance friends perform. Now, sharing fashion ideas was only something that people told me I should do, but wasn't sure how I was going to do it, so a blog dedicated to my closet and style was not thought of yet. Therefore, please forgive the lack of detailed photos of accessories!

That evening I wore my favorite vintage necklace, by now I've owned it for 13 years and I am NEVER getting rid of it! I want to have it dipped in gold. The earrings are also vintage and I bought them at a garage sale in Yonkers. They go so well with the necklace, so I am really disappointed that they are among a group of jewelry that has gone missing this summer.

:( <--They really need a pouting emoticon

The thin bangle is vintage and was a hand me down. The thick bangle my grandparents bought me back from a trip from Egypt. The thick crystal bead bracelet was a gift from my friend Susan. I wore it so much that it's all stretched out but I still have the beads to restring it! My shawl was bought for me by my friend Melissa of Fun.Fit.Chic in Dubai, I love this shawl to death and it goes with so many things and fits so well with my love for exotic styles. Susan and Melissa know me so well!

I had so much fun on this cruise around the Hudson that I failed to be a shutterbug this evening! I bumped into a group of dance friends I hadn't seen in awhile and we just laughed and danced the night away in between catching up. My friends Elektra and Sahazha danced that night and Layla Isis (above) was the guest dancer of the evening. My yellow pencil dress is by Moda International, carried in the Victoria's Secret catalogue, but I got mine on Ebay ;) I also bought my cummerbund on ebay for $5!

Me, with my happy face on across the street from the West Side impound.

Skipping on the NYC streets on the way to my car, happy as ever, I stopped at a flower stand and bought me and my room mate two dozen roses to decorate our rooms and apartment with. Skipping about 100 feet further away I started freaking out that my car had been stolen!!!! Deyanira and I didn't see any signs near where my car was and didn't walk much further in our heels before someone told me that my car may have been towed and that the precint was on the next block. I was so confused, because there WERE CARS THERE!!! When I got to the precint I received that bad news that my car had in fact been towed and I probably missed it by less than 10 minutes (damn flowers).

One last shot of me with my ticket before I enter the impound. Thank God for my friend Deyanira because I did not have enough money in the bank and I left my credit card at home! Got friends? Thank God I had the money to pay her back a few days later, NYC RAPES your wallet just to hold your car for half an hour!

Now, fast forward a few months later, December 2008. My friend Melissa and I venture out to Iguana's to spend some time Salsa dancing and celebrating the holidays with friends. In our mad rush, the sign is quickly, and as you'll see later, clearly misread.

Above is two of my favorite people and super talented Salsa dancers, D & D :p
And below, well, here they are again...

It's very important that I fill you in on the fact that the above pictured man was a victim of having his car towed two days before this joyous occasion. I should also mention that I am the one who brought him to the impound to pick up his car after we all left a Salsa social in NYC that Sunday evening. During this car ride, I filled him in on my above car towing experience in hopes that it would make him feel better. You know, like part of a club. We all learn from our mistakes right?

My beautiful friend Lizzie being silly with some guacamole and pico de gallo.This is the same beauty who went with me to Layaly, from the pictures shared in my last post, "La Bruja Buena".

And here I am with my muñeca Melissa Lopez of Fun.Fit.Chic and Lizzie Boo! I'm a HUGE fan of leopard print and the "shirt" I am wearing here is actually a dress. Most club dresses are so thin and easy to crunch up a bit that they can double as I tunic. In some cases, some club dresses are too short to use as dresses (depending on the junk in your trunk and preference) but if you really love it, it most likely looks great as a tunic! This particular dress I can wear both ways as long as when worn as a dress I only use it for photo shoots because if I dance in it, it rides up. The price was oh so right that I didn't even care and as you scroll down you'll see how versatile it is!

This is the last picture I took before encountering the doom of another car tow. Notice there are no pictures at the impound this time around. It's not as much "fun" having your car disappear on you in the dead cold (read: snow on the ground!), just two days before Christmas when you know you are broker than broke, and not to mention after you had a friendly reminder by bringing a friend to the impound two days earlier! Anyway, back to the clothes. I wore the dress with a long, spandex, spaghetti strap camisole underneath that I bought at Joyce Leslie. The dress is from Pretty Girl in the Bronx. My Co-Exist and blue Swarovski crystal hummingbird charm is by Pilgrim and the "hand that holds the charms" necklace is also by Pilgrim. My turquoise colored earrings, no joke, DOLLAR STORE!! Most likely one in Yonkers or White Plains.

Below are pictures of more ideas on ways to wear this dress.

The first series are taken by Paul Newland, one of my favorite people to work with.

In Paul's photo shoot I wore an open square cinch belt, red Indian bangles that my friend gave me (which she bought from a street vendor in NYC). The beaded necklace my great aunt bought me from Mandee's and I later found the matching earrings (I don't remember where). I wore black fishnet stockings from Victoria's Secret and red pointed toe pumps by Bebe.

I really love belts and in this case it was just what the dress needed and the red added color to this otherwise neutral look!

In this next set of pics, taken by Eric Mayr, you can see how the straps of the dress can be manipulated to make a whole new look! This time around I wore the dress without the fishnets and wore a solid black elastic cinch belt. My earrings are gold with coral beads and I am wearing a red and gold glass beaded bracelet with the same Bebe shoes. I really love how you can wear this dress with the straps fully on, with one strap off the shoulder, or go for a complete off the shoulder look!

Thank you for reading and remember to check your signs lest you want to be taken pics of your hot outfits at the impound!

Besos, Beijos, Filakia, MUAH!

Lisa xo

With Halloween around the corner, there's much buzz going on at my job about who is going to dress as what. I am a caretaker for people with developmental disabilities, so I allow myself to get equally involved and enthusiastic with the clients about what to wear. The other day, while contemplating his choices of costume possibilities, one of my guys pointed at me and said, "You need to be a witch! Glenda! The good witch!" That may have a bit to do with the fact that I did some crazy glitter make-up and wore a black feathered witch hat to work last year for Halloween. However, considering the nature of my job, I wore gray sweats with a matching stretch gray tee. Neat, polished, but nothing fancy...

While flipping through these photos in my style guide for the first time last night, I came across this outfit. The first thing that popped into my head was, "I look like a glammed up fairy bruja!", which is "witch" in Spanish...got that? Lol. Then of course, I remembered the above conversation which was endearing, so I just had to share that little anecdote along with photos of my sequined fairy, meets Esmeralda, meets gypsy witch attire.

While my Halloween conversation and "Witchy" thoughts inspired this post, this is actually an outfit I would wear (and did wear) on a summer night. I wore it to Layaly in NYC when it was still open. It was my favorite place to grab some yummy Lebanese food, enjoy some belly dancing and dance the night away with friends to Arab and Spanish hits!

Here are some photos with details from my style guide, taken by Eric Mayr of EM Photo Services in Staten Island (NY), and some pictures from my night at Layaly! This outfit is also a great display of my great bargain shopping habit ;)

Good witches, Glenda's, Fairies, Esmeralda's and Glammed Gypsies must be feminine and dainty but always regal and strong!

The white corset top has silver sequined fringe around the hem. I bought it for less than $15 on Ebay a few years ago in the lingerie search. Ooh, la, la ;)
This pic also has the best shot of the shoes, which I unfortunately didn't get a close up on. I also bought these in Getty Square, Yonkers. The pic doesn't do them justice, they don't even look right here :/ *annoying* However, they are beautiful. Kitten heals, toe clasp, shiny bedazzled upper, $14.99...what more can this girl ask for? You couldn't tell by this photo, but girls always stop in the streets to ask where I got these shoes. They are from Pretty Girl, which may still have locations in Bronx, NY.

The pink skirt also has silver sequins and beads and goes so well with the corset. I bought it for only $5!! I found this bargain on the clearance rack at Weber's in Getty Square, Yonkers (NY) and the original price was only $10 anyway. The skirt is actually plus size, but I wanted it to fall on my hips anyway, so it worked out.

Uh oh. I think I'm looking a little "w"itchy in this pic, and it doesn't look like I want to put a good spell on anyone!

This is the clearest shot of my earrings. I love these earrings. So much that I bought two pairs during an accessory shopping spree at Mandee's years ago...buy when get one free section of already marked down jewelry. They are dangling sequins and are perfect with this outfit and I use it to add a touch of flamboyancy to almost any outfit that needs a little something. I put these puppies through a lot over years; I've lost count of how many times I've repaired them!

Hope you liked the photos of the outfit. Here's are some pics of my night out at Layaly with my friend Lizzie a couple of years ago. I wore the same outfit down to the very last accessory that night, with the exception of the bracelet and minus my wild curls!

Some things are just meant to stay the same. In this case, beautiful friendships and outfits I love :) The bracelet I wore on this day was purchased at Rainbow Shoppe.

Hookah!

Everyone enjoying some belly dancing! Her name is Layla Isis, look her up and enjoy her talent too! There's plenty of her to be found on YouTube if you don't live in NY!