fitforafemme.com

We had a very nice weekend. It’s interesting the way the fog works down in the lower bits of California. It’s nothing like up here. We’d wake up, step out onto our private balcony in our fluffy shocking white terry cloth robes and slippers, bemoan that somehow the cold had tailed us all the way down the coast, and then BOOM! they’d dissipate into fluffy wisps and trail lazily while the sun blazed down on us, by God.

Our suite was bigger than our flat (but smaller than our old loft). It’s humbling to come home from.

Thus, I’ve informed M that I insist on getting a king-sized bed when we move.

Her response was, “Why? Even when we sleep in one we only use half of it.”

D R A T S.

How handsome and serious does M look here, all tucked into this nook? I think it’s a little bit amusing that we both brought such dire reading to our mini-break weekend: The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker and What Is the What by Dave Eggers.

I also brought with me four tiny vials filled with fragrance (which I haven’t mentioned in quite some time, to my own dismay and that of others). You newcomers may not know that I used to regularly write reviews of scents at FFAF. Sometimes M would, too (those would always be of the masculine variety – most of mine are feminine or unisex). I’m going to make a real effort to reintroduce that aspect here, because it’s a lot of fun and I think scent is an important part of one’s self-expression.

You can read about the four fragrances here (as well as get some “vintage” FFAF from early 2009!):

Pillow of Flowers from Parfums d’Armando Martinez
Coup de Fouet from Caron
Cuir Ambre from Prada
Un Lys from Serge Lutens

Outfits! I am wearing my Runaway Pony dress with a belt I snagged from Fred Flare, and I topped it all off with a vintage clutch and these super hot, sherbet-esque Enzo Angiolini strappy sandals.

M’s got on Calvin Klein slacks, an RVCA dress shirt and Zara shoes. Both the tie and tie clip are vintage.

I’d love to stick around, but ZOMG Gossip Girl starts in, like, ten minutes.

(M in “resort” wear and I am in sundry Liberty of London for Target bits.)

FEMME CONFESSION: Y’all? We are still packing, still working a lot, still wishing it was already that blessed time when me and my girls and pups are all settled into our new place. This is going to be quick and dirty, but SF PRIDE was so, so amazing and so, so good to us. My sweet Grandma Jones’s delicious secret bourbon slush recipe was a big hit (someone even suggested that it should be the new house drink) and when I woke up in our new place with M on Sunday morning, the birds were singing and I half-thought when I opened my eyes that they’d be right there with ribbons at the ready and there might be bunnies braiding my hair. Heavenly. I cannot wait to be there 100%.

PS. M bought me this lovely lilac parasol at SF Pride. Isn’t it cute?

PPS. There will be no tomboy confession, as M is out of commission and has been since about 10 minutes after the photos below were taken, poor thing. She also adds that she has inexplicable bruises to share, if anyone is interested.

FEMME BONUS ROUND: Y’all get a bonus round. This fancy outfit is a wardrobe change post-Dyke March, to get ready for late night drinking and dancing! As we were boozy, they didn’t come out so hot, but they’ll do in a pinch, I guess.

Song: Old Whore’s Diet by Rufus Wainwright (with Antony).

Scent: L’Artisan Parfumeur Mechant Loup, by Bertrand Duchaufour. Lord have mercy, this is masculine but soft. I suppose I mean that it isn’t abrasive despite notes of pepper, star anise, licorice, sandalwood, honey, hazelnut, myrrh, tonka bean and cedar, and truth be told I am somewhat reminded of the fine scotch whiskys we’ve been trying this year. (It seems I am on a sort of subconscious myrrh kick, also.) Smooth but aggressive. Their description is kind of adorable – “Full of forest scents with the heart of hazelnut! Mechant Loup is a woody perfume, which will soften and sweeten the most incorrigible charmer inside every man.” This is absolutely a big, warm, manly scent for Fall or Winter. I’d love it on M, I think, but not so much on myself. I’ll have to update this later once it’s fully dried down! (And maybe after I’ve convinced M to give it a shot.)

Confession: Late last night, M noticed lights flashing outside and the next thing I knew, she was motioning frantically for me to come over and take a look and shouting about long poles and WHAT THE HELL and ZOMG there was some sort of covert alien transportation thing going on. It’s all wrapped up nice and tight for you in this most excellent video with an Of Montreal song (Sink The Seine). It was some sort of wide load container thing, very shiny and new, and all these men were running to and fro with the police blocking the street and talking to people over the megaphone and proceeding very, very slowly. Totally bizarre. M ran to get her binoculars. What WAS in the massive box? Who can say?

When: Monday, September 22nd, 2008.

Femme What: Black pencil skirt from H&M, sheer black paisley blouse by I.C.E., clutch from Fred Flare and belt from modcloth.com. Patent sandals by Enzo Angiolini.

Tomboy What: Grey ‘Producer’ slacks from Men’s Express (I must have like 10 pairs of these by now), white Volcom shirt, black Nautica military sweater (thick). Skater shoes from Element.

Confession from M: It was so cold this morning, I climbed back under the covers while waiting for the iron. So I dressed for Fall, but by the time I got to work, I was slapped in the face by more summer. I surrendered around 1PM and finally took my sweater off. There is much to love about California, but on days like today there is also much to hate. Is 12 hours of consistent weather spanning 30 miles too much to ask?? Make up your mind, Earth! I can’t keep up with your shenanigans. Like the Jonesey says: It Should Just Work™.

Femme Confession: I gave M that sweater. I like to dance. I love these photos. That is all.

When (Day): Friday, August 1st, 2008.

What: Elie Tahari buttery yellow cotton sundress with matching slip, vintage belt and Kensie sandals. The random polka bag was a freebie from Eve (very strange Australian magazine) that I planned to only wear to the beach, but discovered it would make a STELLAR shopping bag for all the goodies we planned to score in Old San Juan.

Confession: God, we woke up so bloody late from Thursday night’s awesomeness, not to mention the aforementioned 47 hours without sleep, etc. At one point around 9:30am M roused me, mumbling something about how we had to get up, a rainforest, blah-blah, and I told her please to STFU or I’d have to pitch her off the GD balcony, that I loved her dearly and really, it was perfectly OK-corral to sleep in, cowboy. So, yeah. We showered around 1pm and decided to head into Old San Juan for a very late breakfast at the wonderful La Bombonera, go shopping and to sightsee at the cemetery and forts and whatnot. Fun! We also ate about five meals that day. Mm.

When (Night): Friday, August 1st, 2008.

What: BCBG Max Azria printed dress with flutter sleeves. Patent tricolor sandals by Enzo Angiolini. Clutch by the fabulous Jenna, of course, and pretty abalone earrings from a boutique in Old San Juan.

Confession: I adore these shoes. Back in the beginning of Spring, when I was hunting for bright, fun kicks to bring me out of a drab winter and saw these in a bouquet of pretty colors, I was tempted but passed them up in favor of blues, greens and pink snakeskin. I was totally stoked to find them on the cheap in Old San Juan, of all places! The bargains, I can haz them. Plus, they’re bloody purple! I love purple, and just bought a pretty rhinestone barrette to go with them today.

Just for fun, here I am being a lazyface kitten in bed the next morning with my new Marc by Marc Jacobs shades:

They make me feel like a SUPERSTAR. You can get your own at 80s Purple. OK. Now I have to pull myself away from the very fantastical opening ceremonies to get into the shower. We’re going dancing!