Wait.

Before you head over to the photos. I just have to point out that this might be the most slammin best man ever.

One of H-town's groomsmen floated the shorts idea and was promptly shot down. We were so narrow-minded.

Photo by Jose Villa.

Shoe Style: Georgia & Nate

Love the little silver flats. Love the white monk straps.

Via this rad post on The Bride's Cafe. Striped socks galore. (We already love these.)

May I also point out the fabulous shoes of Peonies and The Boy? In case you've been under a rock.

Photo by Jose Villa.

then I thought, I'll just rock my faux mustache

It was a pre-wedding gift from this lady, and it goes very nicely with H-town's *real* mustache.

But I didn't realize there was a whole hipster girls in mustaches trend. (What would I do without Ariel to keep me informed?) I'll be pissed if all the other girls at the party tonight are wearing mustaches too.

I had sensed the growing popularity of mustaches among the offbeat brides. But check out the photos from Erin & Jared's fabulous wedding mustache shoot. Everybody is wearing them.

(Photo of EE Storey, who happens to sell a pretty rad mustache t-shirt here, courtesy of hipster girls in mustaches)

Back in business

My beloved laptop is finally back from the shop rocking a new hard drive, and H-town spent all night setting her up. I would dive into my google reader (and tackle those *four* tags) if I didn't have so much other crap to catch up with.

Crap.

But I am happy as a clam. H-town gave me a bunch of new music, and some new software I think. I don't know what the f*ck he did, to be honest. Sometimes my brain stops listening when he talks about computers. I just know it works!

Image via the always awesome Design For Mankind.

I want to dress like a rock star

I just cleaned out my closet, ruthlessly excising anything unflattering and/or blah. (My hard drive got totaled. I figured why not go all the way?)

1. I've been looking a little frumpy around the house. Which makes me *feel* frumpy. Though H-town very sweetly told me I looked like a skater girl when he caught me blogging in his t-shirt and boxers at 5pm yesterday....

2. Getting dressed should be easy. I want to feel good in everything I put on.

3. The bungalow is f'ing small. H-town and I have three drawers each. But it's the same way I lived in New York, and I've gotten pretty good at letting go of stuff. Here's the way I'm currently looking at it: "If we were suddenly offered jobs in Barcelona, what would I want to bring with me?"

Now that I've cleared the debris I think I might need a few new signature pieces...

Check out the interview with Liela Moss of The Duke Spirit on Refinery29. Here's her list of 5 most loved items:

1. "A jumper dress by Bernard Willhelm."
2. "An all-in-one shorts thing by Suzy at Unhee."
3. "A circus ringmaster-style black blazer by Rag & Bone."
4. "A Canadian Mounty ex-military cape from an Army & Navy store in Toronto."
5. "A gold tunic by Renata Morales in Montreal."

All right.

(Liela Moss, photo by Andrea Spotorno; Liela with The Duke Spirit; courtesy of Refinery 29)

F* the trash the dress shoot

This is not happening for me today. I was on the list but somehow I fell off.

Maybe the universe sensed my ambivalence. Or maybe the organizer read about my ambivalence on this blog. (Brilliant idea giving him the link.)

Anyhoo, glad I didn't drop $100 on ebay for a leather pilot's helmet. Though I would love to have a leather pilot's helmet. Seriously.

(Photo by Air Adam)

I have been remiss

This is an issue that's important to me and I realize I haven't blogged a thing about it.

None of my gay friends are *legally* married, but they were among the first to start families together, buy houses, move halfway around the world to be with each other. In short, to demonstrate the kind of commitment that I've only recently become comfortable with.

Why the f*ck shouldn't they have the same right to make it legal?

Vote NO on Prop 8.

(Image by phlora)

happy happy day

Two of my favorite blogging brides are getting married today.

Here's to Christine & Mas and Kristina & Brock.

I wish you indescribable joy.

(Image from here)

my husband is my

He feeds me. He takes my computer to the shop. Repeatedly. He chauffeurs me to meetings when my car acts up. (Don't ask. This is not my week.)

And he lets me work on his computer.*

Another one from Porter Hovey. Taken in Greenport, NY, a cool town I used to know.

*Please don't tell him I'm blogging.

this guy has style

Maybe it's the hair? Dunno. It's all working for me.

From the Porter Hovey Polaroid Project.

Do bloggers crash their computers more often?

Did I jeopardize my poor Mac spending my days wandering the internet and willy-nilly downloading images?

Or has she been politely trying to tell me something for the past eight months with that faint rattling/whirring sound....?

Meh.

On a happier note, I tested a version of this look on Saturday night and I was a huge hit (in my own mind anyway). H-town is having a little trouble with me suddenly going *out* in the t-shirts I used to sleep in. But he'll get there.

Tord Boontje candle holders

These are not cheap. But aren't they f'ing gorgeous? They have several sizes at the UK Pedlars Webstore.

I had to post them due to the wild popularity of a desert bride's Boontje cut-out backdrop.

(Rad store via Earth Friendly Weddings)

I lied

I have a pressing fashion question.

Am I too old to rock an oversized vintage tee? Because H-town has some really good ones.

Via LOOKBOOK.nu

no blogging for me today

oof.

mr potato
head's lipless grin chides me while
i procrastinate.

17 beats, did you write this one for me?

Farewell, Circus Animals

Mother's Cookies has declared bankruptcy.

Fortunately, Cloth Moth has created a commemorative t-shirt. And until supplies run out, a 1.5 oz. single serving bag of circus animal cookies will be shipped with each order.

It is taking all my willpower not to order one for H-town. (Slash me.)

paper and stitch via pretty.pretty.paper

little flapper bride

Via little winter bride. (I'm pretty sure Didi wore a Morgane Le Fay....)

kicking the mustache photo up a notch

Well done.

See more of this super cool, vintage-inspired, magician-marries-his-lovely-assistant wedding here.

Via Offbeat Bride.

(Image courtesy of Daria Bishop Photography)

Groom Style: Stephen

I told you socks are over.

Via The Bride's Cafe. Photos by Joy Thigpen.

Wait. Multitasking is bad?

And apparently I behave like a teenager. But I knew that already.

Listen to this.

(Photo by Justin Cox via Design for Mankind)

A reader asks the impossible

And I deliver. (Sort of.)

Lisa writes:

I have a question I am hoping you can help me with, or point me in the right direction. I am searching for a very particular bridesmaid’s dress that I can picture in my mind, but find no where! It is made of tulle (at least the overlay) and is a one- shoulder style, with a fitted waist/vintage-style silhouette. Oh- and it comes in a lovely muted French blue or a wonderful muted vintage-jade green J.

Where on earth can I find this!?!?!?! I really want a vintage feel for my bridesmaid’s dresses, but everything I see looks so modern! I’m trying to veer away from the same old plain strapless dresses I see all the time. My own dress is an amazing creation that began as a traditional 1948 war-brided ivory satin, and has turned into an amazing fairy-tale creation with sleeves of pink rosettes and ruffles lovingly borrowed from a 1920’s ballet costume!

Can you help, or know who can? I want my girls to look and feel lovely and old-timey (in the best way J).

I finally found this Tracy Reese Toga Dress.

Not quite a fitted waist, but pretty f'ing fabulous, right?

It's $565. (That's what I get for browsing Bergdorf Goodman.)

So I wrote to Amy of Bride Chic, who specializes in one-of-a-kind, vintage-meets-contemporary gowns. Here's her reply:

Your bride could use the help of a dressmaker or custom designer. The good news is, she already sees the components and fabrication of this gown clearly in her head; this will be a great help to the specialist translating her design into reality.

Price wise a custom designed gown usually runs parallel with those gowns you'll find in better bridal salons. So where to find a dressmaker or designer? This is where most brides become confused. They just don't know where to look.

My recommendation: This bride should check out the vintage stores in her area. Most offer some kind of custom design services or certainly can refer her to someone who specializes in recreating vintage looks.

Typically the best place for a bride to start looking for any designer is via recommendation. If the bride knows a friend or even friend of a friend who has had a gown made, that's the best lead to follow. Other good sources for finding designers: Wedding and event planners usually have a coterie of specialized wedding industry vendors they've had experience with in their area (FYI some planners work on an hourly basis and can be hired for a minimum). Also newspapers and periodicals have wedding editors. These people know all the best designers and bridal salons around the area and would happily recommend.

Online you'll also find some custom designers in your area. Best to type in "bridal couture or couture bridal--or, to even more specific, break it down to--'custom bridal-New York City'. You should come up with all the specialized designers in your area.

Lisa, I don't know if this is helpful. It sounds like you already have a kick-ass seamstress.... I guess the question is whether you really want to get into designing custom dresses for the bridesmaids.

Just to shake things up, I though I'd sneak in this Samoy Lenko dress.

It's a more vivid blue than you described, and there isn't any tulle. But this collection was inspired by "the intimacy of a 1920’s French boudoir." Might not be a bad fit with your 1920's ballet costume.

I can't wait for your wedding, b/t/w.