MAKE + WANDER

style lessons: shirley kurata

Thanks to Rookie, I discovered the wardrobe stylist Shirley Kurata. The moment I read she described her style as "secretary chic" I knew we were kindred spirits.

Constantly seeing images of women who are super done up or put together in the chicest, sexiest way makes me want to curl up in a pear-covered cardigan ball (yep, wore that today). My style is far from any definition of attractive in the traditional sense. Yet, I'm not Man Repeller status either, because girls who dress "edgy" and go headfirst into crazy fashion trends usually have a killer attitude and confidence that translates to sexiness.

Edgy and sexy are two words that certainly do not describe me. I am very modest and love to play with color and a sense of humor. I have more brooches and holiday pins to rival your local elementary school librarian. Obviously, this isn't the epitome of sexiness. And I'm okay with that.

I can't say I don't try to look attractive sometimes, but let me tell you this--the rare occasion I do try to look more than cute, I fail miserably. Even if I do succeed to some extent, I quickly pull a cardigan over my bare shoulders, arrange a bow in my hair, or put extremely bright opaque tights on. Or all three.

It's just not me to put myself out there. I'd rather stand out because of my interesting color combination than how much skin I'm showing. Not to say that showing skin is bad--if you want to flaunt your stuff, more power to you! However, in my case, it's more important for me to feel true to myself than look appealing to other people.

And this is why it is so refreshing to stumble upon someone like Shirley Kurata, who not only has a strong sense of personal style, but also has an incredible eye for fashion (see her styling work here).

In the words of one of my mom's second graders when shown a picture of me, "She looks like she's going to sell Girl Scout cookies!"

gift guide: for the whimsical world traveler

It's that time of the year again--Christmas crafting and shopping. It's my favorite time of the year, and it's never too early to start holiday planning (words to live by), so I'm starting a gift guide series of Make/Buy alternatives.

Make: A travel journal. Documenting your adventures is crucial. To give your favorite traveler the gift of personal reflection, find a cheap plain journal and decorate it. Include crafty additions like stickers and paper so he or she is ready to journal. Don't forget to include instructions on how to keep the journal. If you're feeling extra spendy, include a disposable camera. For tips on travel journals, go here and here.