Book Style: The Book Of Lost Things

The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly is such a fun whimsical book that contains a very poignant coming of age tale. I think the cover with its midnight blue background and golden vines is a nice reflection of the words within. I wanted to try and convey a World War 2 era British schoolboy in this casual, weekend-ready outfit. I think the Peter Pan collar necklace, newsboy cap, and oxford shoes lend a nice masculine touch while the gold glitter polish, fairy tale book locket ring, and Great Expectations purse bring the magical elements in. (Oh and by the way, if you haven't yet read this book, do so immediately. It's wonderful.)

Link Love: 07.27.13

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• Free Willy is 20 years old (!), this is a great article catching up with Jason James Richter (the non-whale star) and hearing his thoughts on child stardom.
• I really liked Cherie's post about the (I can't believe it's still happening) fat-actress stereotype in Hollywood.
• I'm really not sure what's cooler: This chemical reaction or the kids' calling it "Kraken".
• Lenny Kravitz is a genuine rock star, and his Parisian apartment lives up to his glam rock reputation. I want to live there so badly.
• This is a very interesting look at what Twitter means to the modern magazine publishing industry and might help you understand why pop stars are on the covers instead of fashion models.
• The 6 most groundbreaking female writers you've never heard of.
• I want to be Helen Mirren when I grow up; her advice for young women is spot on.
• Ready for an "Awww" moment: Meet Goldie, a brave dog who risked her own neck to save a tiny kitten, who is now her full time companion.
• Wonderpuss Octopus does insanely amazing things with puffy paint. (FYI there are some decorated adult toys as you scroll down, still amazing puffy paint work though)
• Iceland has some of the most epic scenery ever.
• Listen to (the wonderful) John Green educate you about the real names of 44 common fictional characters. Do you know who the guy on the Quaker Oats box really is?
• Make dessert in a mug. Here are 30 recipes to get you started.
• Celebrities real hair colors. I'll admit that a few surprised me, and a few, like Emma Stone, I prefer with their unnatural choices.
• There are some days that I wish I was more of a primper, but there is no way I could maintain Katy Perry's makeup routine. It takes 90 minutes!
• Super heroines get a hipsters makeover. I love Harley Quinn.
• Andrew Kolb's Cartoon Conspiracy series brilliantly merges cartoon worlds through illustration.
• Did you hear about the Romanian mother who loved her criminal son enough to allegedly burn priceless stolen artworks? No for real, this woman needs to be read the riot act.
• Can you pass the American citizenship test? I only missed three and I'm blaming those on poor math skills.
• I've become obsessed with Heavenly Nostrils.
• If you haven't heard yet, there's a new royal baby (isn't he adorable?) and this asinine reporter seems to think Kate should be praised for having a boy on her first try. 1. Someone needs to revisit how gender selection works, because it's got nothing to do with the mama. And 2. It really doesn't matter that the new baby is a boy since the Commonwealth just voted to allow girls to be first in if they're first born. 

Book Style: From Russia With Love

A little bit of Bond today. From Russia with Love by Ian Fleming is one his most well known Bond novels and this edition from Penguin Ink is my favorite cover (and holds a place on my bookshelves). Sexy is a must for any bond girl and the deep rose, charcoal, and black color palette only helps that along. I played with the Russian theme by picking a clutch that reminds me of Russian Orthodox stained glass, Russian Red MAC Lipglass, and the Anastasia set of lingerie by Myla for the requisite Bond-worthy underpinnings. A nod to Bond's quintessential British-ness with the Jack Wills' nail varnish, too.

Book Review: Unnatural Creatures

Unnatural Creatures is a collection of short stories compiled by, and contributed to, by Neil Gaiman and Maria Dahvana Headley. I love everything Neil Gaiman touches, so of course I loved this, but with good reason, not just because I'm a hopeless fangirl. 

The stories are all, perhaps loosely, based around the premise that there is such a place as an Unnatural History Museum that mirrors the great Natural History Museum in London. You'll get a sampling of several potential exhibits including everything from sentient wasps to griffins and werewolves to death personified. My favorite, no shocker here, was Sunbird by Neil; I have a lifelong love affair with anything phoenix-y. I think my second favorite tale would have to be Gabriel-Ernest by Saki. But, honestly, they are all truly fantastic tales.

I would highly recommend getting yourself a copy of the hardcover to own and cherish for years to come. This is a true heirloom collection, in my opinion. And as a nice bonus, all the sales benefit 826DC, "a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students in their creative and expository writing, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write".

Book Style: One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey is one of those covers that will always look just a bit psychedelic to me. I decided to pay homage to the book and the movie by incorporating some of Randle Patrick McMurphy's iconic wardrobe elements into my outfit. Mac's beanie and leather jacket remain, albeit punched up quite a bit. I wanted this to vibe fun and whimsical to match his attitude; anything goes if you think it's possible according to Mac. I also found these wonderful cuckoo earrings, how perfect are they? And once you imagine "I'm not weird, I am limited edition" in Jack Nicholson's inimitable voice, you will never be able to not hear him when you see that phrase.

Down The Rabbit Hole

Out of Print Alice pouch // Eat, Drink + Be Alice Duo // Alice in Wonderland heels // Queen for a Day mini skirt
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Lithograph // Drink Me mug // Alice recycled corkboard // Disney Alice leggings
Screenprinted Alice sundress // Alice travel poster art print

If you know me, you know I love anything even remotely Alice in Wonderland related. After discovering Out of Print the other week I've been inspired to track down all sorts of Alice related goodies. I'm particularly enamored with the black and white Disney's Alice leggings from Hot Topic (Yes, I know I'm 28, I still like Hot Topic, okay?). I know I've got more freedom in my wardrobe than the average adult since I work at a bookstore; the one dress code rule is "Bottoms are required", seriously, and the reason this even needs to be said had my boss and I laughing so hard. But I think that you could incorporate some Alice, or your favorite book, whatever that may be, into your daily wardrobe. Does anybody else love Alice as much as I do?

Book Style: Etiquette & Espionage

Etiquette & Espionage by brandileahbailey featuring henri bendel

I decided to take on a newer book for this round of Book Style. Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger is one of my new favorite YA novels. While it would be tempting to take an outfit based on a steampunk novel in an over the top steampunk direction, I resisted, only giving in with these amazing boots and the nod with the structured blazer. I decided that a modern femme fatale look would be appropriate to pay homage to a young assassin-in-training. Lots of lace and some hidden daggers complete the look.

Book Review: The Resurrectionist

I rarely hate a book. I mean, as much as I loathe trudging through some of the classics *cough*Dickens*cough*, I still recognize their literary merit and I appreciate having read them. I also, almost never, don't finish a book; even a bad book I choose to see through to the end. That being said, The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black by E.B. Hudspeth came pretty close to earning my hatred.

I think a lot of my ire comes from expecting so much. Look at that cover and tell me you don't expect great, twisted fantasy to spew forth from the pages. Hudspeth has a great premise: An alternative history where the prominent scientist Spencer Black derails a prominent career surgically repairing genetic deformities in order to chase down and recreate mythological creatures. Dr. Black believes that the creatures are not actually fictitious but are the cultural memory of are genetically superior ancestors.

See? This should have been awseomeness squared. But it wasn't. It wasn't long enough. It felt rushed at the end. It felt like the illustrations were more important than the plot. It left me incredibly unsatisfied. All in all, I would not recommend this book to anyone. Sorry. Better luck next time.

Book Style: Catch-22

Catch 22 by brandileahbailey featuring a black pendant

It may be the boredom setting in, now that I've settled in but still have a couple of weeks until I start working, but I thought I'd indulge myself and start a new series: Book Style. I'm going to take some classic and/or eye-catching book covers and create outfits from them. Nothing beats books + fashion! 

First up is Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. I decided to play on the military theme and the patriotic color scheme to come up with a modern, street-savvy outfit with some military punch. I'm particularly enamored with the crystal/bullet necklace and the chevron earrings.

Got any books you'd like to see me re-imagine?

Book Review: Fireblood

Fireblood by Jeff Wheeler is a nice new fantasy find for me.

It's the first in a series, and is clearly written as such. This book does not stand alone, so if you're someone who needs instant gratification, I would wait until the rest are available before you pick this one up. Mr. Wheeler does an excellent job of continuing the tradition of Tolkien and his like by crafting a well fleshed out world and telling an epic tale without taking any shortcuts or rushing through a plot. The thoroughness may feel too slow for some; here's a hint: If Lord of the Rings was too slow of a read for you, don't attempt this one.

This book focuses on the formation of an elite expedition by Tyrus of Kenatos. Tyrus intends to defy the Arch Ryke and venture into the Scourgelands to find the source of the recurring plagues that have been a constant source of agony and death over multiple generations. Two of his "recruits" are his alleged niece and nephew who were separated at birth and who have no idea of the other's existence until the events in the book begin taking place.

I'm excited to see where the next installment takes them.

Link Love

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• Peanut Butter Bourbon-filled Doughnuts? Yes, please.
• I know this is slightly old news now (sorry, jeez, I was moving...), but in case you missed it: Watch this adorable interview with the interracial Cheerios girl who proved so controversial. 
• An oldie but a goodie (and mostly for my friend Jess): The power of sedatives used during wisdom teeth surgery makes one girl very remorseful about murdering her beloved teeth. "They were just tryin' to help me chew!"
• Life measured out in jelly beans. Seriously, watch this video. It will really make you stop and think about how you spend your days.
• I'm easily amused, but I think these famous pictures redone as selfies are very interesting.
• A fourteen year old girl is raped and then her community (adults and teens) slut-shames her instead of standing behind her. This kind of behavior has got to stop people. It's never the victims fault, no matter what she chose to drink or wear. NEVER!
• I've often joked that my improbably high heels could double as a weapon, but I never thought I'd actually see it as a real headline.
• Glenn Arthur's Forever Fabled series is my ideal blend of rockabilly, pinup, and classic fairy tales.
• For all of you fellow Sherlock Holmes fans: Interesting breakdown of the current suit between the Conan Doyle estate and several authors (including one of my faves, Laurie R. King) over the copyright for Sherlock Holmes. Is he public domain or not?
• Everything in the Out of Print store is now on my Christmas list. I want all of the bookish stuff!
• Neil Gaiman is one of the most prominent writerly voices in social media. Here's why he's planning to unplug and take a sabbatical from all his blogging, tweeting, and updating.
• Human-powered helicopter. Yep, da Vinci would be proud.
• Edible flowers fascinate me. I would love to learn to use them. They seem so ethereal and somehow very British to me.
• Get ready to go "awwww": Parent's compiled this video of their son featuring one second from each day of the first year of his life.
• Fat Heroes. I kind of want this framed.

Book Review: The Stud Book

The Stud Book by Monica Drake was a book that I honestly picked up because the ARC came to us pimped out in a care package from Chuck Palahniuk (Ha! Finally I spelled it right on the first go!). I figured that anything one of my all time faves endorsed would be worth at least checking out. 

Mr. Palahniuk was right. This is a really great book that touches on a pretty big nerve in my life and the lives of a lot of young, and not so young, women: Motherhood. 

The story centers around the lives of four long-time friends. One is married to a textbook example of metrosexuality and is desperate for a child of her own; despite multiple miscarriages she refuses to consider adoption. Another is a single mother with two daughters; one in college and the other a bored and slightly troubled teenager. The third is a married, freshly-minted mother of an infant girl who is struggling with her identity as she makes the shift from competent, academic she-warrior to sleep-deprived, fumbling mommy-hood. The final character is a bisexual photographer who refuses to tie herself down with marriage or labels.

Monica Drake's style is wonderfully, painfully honest and slightly cynical. She takes a page from her friend Chuck and makes the reader really think by showing the extremes that life can take. I came away from this book with the message that life is what you make it. Family is defined by you, not society; and sometimes we all strive a bit too hard for what we think we should be and forget to just enjoy what we are and who we're with.