Photographer: Rylie Houston | Frivolous Universe

BEFORE IT BLOWS AWAY: Light Layers and Holding onto Inspiration

By: Kelly Lynae Robinson

02-04-2012

Kelly: Creativity is fragile. The circumstances that invoke the creative mind are complex and difficult to control. It is the heartbreaking task of those of us who pursue a creative life to chase down the maddeningly fickle triggers of inspiration and try to regiment them. Often, it feels like trying to catch individual grains of sand blowing off the crests of the Bruneau Sand Dunes.

N: You gotta catch the inspiration quick, before it gets carried off in a spring drift. Creative moments are like cherry blossoms, beautiful and fleeting.

K: I realized a long time ago that I had a creative destiny, but I avoided that destiny for a few years after college by working soul-killing jobs . Since becoming a full-time creative being, I have learned so much about those diamond-in-the-rough moments of divine epiphany.

K: Being outdoors on a beautiful day will almost always activate my higher mind. Add to that the rebirth of Spring and warm sand sliding under my feet, it’s like inspiration serum.

N: My energy, mood and creativity also increase immensely with the start of spring. I will be missing the inspiration Idaho gives in these warm months. Spending my spring and summer days outside is vital to my emotional and artistic well-being. Being surrounded by a thriving city offers its own creative energy, but I’ll miss nature for sure. At least I have the waterfront 10 minutes from my house. Nature bumps up against the city skyline. I guess the view ain’t that bad…

K: Not knowing what the fickle weather would chose to do, I wore light layers to the sand dunes, a porous over-sized sweater and sheer floral kaftan, along with your basic bleached Canadian tuxedo: vest plus cut-offs, a look of my own invention. These items used to be jeans and a jean jacket in a wash that reeked of yesteryear. When inspiration whispered in my ear to alter them, you better believe I listened.

N: Yesterday I went down to the East River waterfront in Williamsburg. It’s been much chillier this week in New York than the past two, but my brisk walk to meet my photographer/co-worker in time warmed me up enough to take off my sweatshirt. Underneath: I was inspired by Anna’s NAKED post and layered my vintage slip under denim bustier (that used to be a dress) with floral print skirt.

K: Not to be underestimated in the creative process, Jeanne Giltzow gave me just enough direction and distraction to help me feel uninhibited for these pictures.

N: I’m sooo jealous of the bad-ass pictures you and the other girls got at the dunes.

N: I’m still trying to figure out my creative life in the city. There is an amazing energy here, but I’m still trying to find my niche of like-minded (slightly nutty) people. Until then, creating weird outfits that coordinate with Boo’s is a good way to keep the juices flowing.

K: Dirty!

N: What, I”m just showing off my socks!

We are fixed on a star. We will not change our minds.

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CAN YOU HEAR ME? Because My Outfit is Shouting as Loud as It Can

By: Kelly Lynae Robinson

20-02-2012

K: Your clothes are talking. There’s no use fighting this. Every detail of your life that can be observed, will be observed eventually by somebody and compiled to determine what kind of person you are. My clothes are talking, and I’m not going to worry about how it is unjust because clothing is a terrible indicator of character. I’m much more interested in my clothes saying something exuberant and playful to whoever is listening.

N: I mean this in the most feminist way possible, but my clothes (and yours) are saying, “Grow some mother-fuckin’ balls.” Take all your most extreme pieces, go against your first fashion instincts, and put them together in an unexpected way.

K: In my wardrobe, there are no supporting roles. Every item gets to be a lead – all the time, mostly because my clothes are all divas and refuse to be shunted to the chorus of endless black accessories. This vintage 70s polyester tunic is a statement piece on it’s own. Why not pile on, not one, but three more: sparkly metallic blue leggings, cowboy boots, and an antique Turkmen necklace? The vintage Pendleton wool coat is less of a statement, more of a frostbite defense. It is not warm lying in the rocks. Not at all.

N: By late winter, it’s easy to pick out your the most boring, supporting characters in your wardrobe and put them together any old way because you’e lazy and just want to stay warm. I’ve been in a total winter-hating mood lately, and instead of putting another plain-old sweater with jeans, I decided to go on textural over-load. I paired vintage brocade vest, blue velvet shirt (seen in previous post as a skirt!) and tweed skirt (that’s part of a suit) with my cowboy boots. For warmth I added one more layer of 70’s leather trench coat with awesome lining. It ain’t warm posin’ next to books.

K: We’re both wearing thrifted cowboy boots and beaucoup de statement pieces! It ties together! We’re such good bloggers. Why am I straddling barbed wire? What kind of fucked-up patriarchal imagery is that? (Can we say ‘fuck’? Are we doing that now?)

N: This is the internet. Of course we can say fuck. People say and do way worse things on the internet these days. Mythrifted cowboy boots are from Ariat, and are totes legit cowboy boot. Such a great find. The purple tights are the only non-thrifted part of my outfit. The American Tourister Bag I picked up at a vintage store in Washington D.C.

K: Your purple tights make a memorable color palette with the orange tweed, blue velvet, and taupe. The eye-wateringly bright psychedelic print of my tunic oddly fits with the shape of my Armor Bijoux pendant.

N: I love all the colors in this tunic. It’s an absolute statement piece, and doesn’t need much else to compliment it. My pieces are mostly staples with great textures. Combining them makes them even more special. I added 3 necklaces to my textured layers to give them even more depth. A picture necklace made by Carrie Applegate, vintage silver pendant given to me by a dear friend when I moved to New York, and semi-boring H&M chain to finish out the look.

K: My pictures were taken by Bethany and Anna. Wowzers. I’m sure lucky to have those two pointing their lenses at me.

N: My new friend/co-worker Rylie took my photos the last two weeks. Hope you all are enjoying pictures outside of my apartment for once!

A week from today, Nicole comes back to Boise for a week of frivolous fashion. Stay tuned.

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JEANS, BOOTS, and a BLAZER: How to Keep it Snazzy on a Lazy Sunday

By: Kelly Lynae Robinson

13-02-2012

Kelly, Kelly and Nicole, Nicole

Kelly: Jeans and boots are easy, too easy…

Nicole: So easy that you can stumble out of bed after one-too-many beers (which in my case, is 2), throw them on and ride your mechanical pony to brunch in 47 seconds.

K: When I’m pressed for time to pick an outfit that I wouldn’t be embarrassed to be photographed in, I almost always default to menswear. In this case, a plaid wool blazer layered over a distressed denim vest. No, resorting to wardrobe staples is not brilliantly creative, so I added wow accessories. Both gifts from fellow bloggers, this Indian silk scarf and vintage Turkic pendant are precious to me.

N: My outfit was put together so that I could easily change into work clothes. I had to wear the black skinny jeans and Frye boots for work, so to make it more interesting I threw on this multi-colored floral blouse and navy blazer.

K: Ahem, we call this the gay pirate shirt, probably because it looks like Tobias would wear it.

K: Nicole’s navy blue blazer is by Luella Bartley for Target and used to be mine. The contrast stitching accentuates the tailoring and it has apple print lining! My jacket has a contrast fabric under the collar and the color palette of my scarf is repeated throughout the outfit. We never tire of saying it: Details, details, details.

N: The gay pirate shirt is vintage by Terry of Chicago, and has the most awesome colors and pattern and funky draped neckline. With so much happening I didn’t want to overwhelm it with too many accessories, so I just stuck to these red square studs from Idaho Youth Ranch.

K: Don’t forget the creepy baby ring. Creeeeeepy….

K: My bottom layer is a 70s vintage Sears blouse in red and black check(?) print.

N: Love, love, love all the print mixing.

N: I hate to admit it, but my boring work jeans are Forever 21. Please don’t judge me (too harshly). Boots are Frye, and worth every penny. Mine are finally starting to wear out a bit after 2+ years of continuous wear.

K: I’m on the Frye bandwagon too, even though we normally don’t advocate buying new.

K: My boo spotted my cowboy boots at the Idaho Youth Ranch on Chinden for $7.50 (holy shit) and she gave me these Levis cropped jeans after I repeatedly told her that her ass is too big for them. (It’s a spectacular ass, but that don’t make the jeans fit.) Also alpaca mitts, crocheted by me, and red leather purse, which was practically free at ReStyle.

N: Bundled up in my vintage wool coat (brand name un-readable…) and crocheted wrap made by boo.

K: Check out a different iteration of my outfit (jeans, boots and a blazer part 2) photographed yesterday by Thomas Lea at Boise Style. Yesterday was another lazy day. Bethany did a killer job on my pictures.