Isn't it Sweet Being Unique?

Silk blouse: thrifted * Pants: Michael Kors, remixed * T-straps: Clarks, remixed * Porcupine quill earrings: hand-me-down from my mom, remixed

I thrifted this shirt a few months ago. I was drawn to its fabric, silk and luxurious, and its unique cut. I actually wore it immediately after I bought it, with an olive pencil skirt, my red chevron tights, and these same earrings, but somehow missed actually taking a picture of that outfit. I've been meaning to recreate the whole look, but it's gotten too warm for tights in Chicago, so I had to alter things a bit. Plus, I've been really leaning towards pants lately. I love skirts and dresses, partly because of how versatile (not to mention pretty!) that they are, but there's something to be said for the undeniable comfort of a pair of pants. Anyway, I'm not really sure how this shirt is supposed to be worn. It's really loose on top, with these crazytown sleeves that taper at the forearm (I wear them pushed up to my elbow to create a sort of balloon effect), and it's also tapered through the hip. It's really kind of a mystery to me, but a classy, comfortable, silky mystery that I love. It's like the murder mystery party of mysteries; fun, and not scary at all.

Also, lots of you asked about my earrings the last time I wore them, so I made sure to get a close up today. They're made of a combination of seed beads and porcupine quills. Apparently, my grandmother (my dad's mom) bought them for my mom years ago. My mom gave them to me, and even though I don't wear them a ton (they seem very flashy, and they're pretty long), I love that they remind me of two generations of women in my family. They're very much in the style of jewelry and art that my grandmother loved, so they remind me of her. And with these particular earrings, I love that they were given by my grandmother to my mom, because then they remind me of her, too. I've talked about this in more length before, but I truly love having pieces of jewelry, clothing, or art that remind me of my loved ones. It can be hard, for sure, to be reminded of someone who is gone, but it's also so wonderful. To me, wearing, or even just seeing, these earrings brings back, in vivid authenticity, the feelings and memories and stories that my grandmother and I shared. I get to take her into my day, into the sometimes trivial moments in my life during which I wouldn't otherwise think of her.

Title song: Velvet Underground, "The Murder Mystery"