One-Dollar Wonders

Yep, it's the "Taken" guy! There was no fooling you today. :)

One thing that bugs me about a lot of action/spy films is that, even though the hero is supposed to be super smart and highly trained, they often still make silly mistakes. Either that, or the villains are smart and highly trained enough to they give the hero 2 hours worth of a hard time... I mean, that's fine for plot filler, but it leaves me no reason to cheer for the hero over and above his inherent "goodness" - and hey, I want to respect and admire my heroes, too.

"Taken" doesn't mess around with any of that. When Brian's daughter gets kidnapped - at least an ocean away from his current location - he has enough to overcome without adding his own incompetence to the list. When Bryan calmly tells the kidnapper that he will find and kill him, he can back those words *up*. He tears through Europe, quickly, efficiently, precisely, and intelligently. No ill-advised-sparing-of-villains-who-resurface-to-thwart-you-later silliness. No bargain-with-the-villain or become-a-noble-idiot shenanigans. No wasted bullets. One shot: done, and on to the next thug in the way.

For the outfit, I went for Bryan's discreet yet serviceable button-front and blazer combo. Wrinkle-free Brooks Bros shirt, of course, because who knows when you'll be able to iron while hunting European slavers? Large, briefcase-esque handbag for carrying tools, foreign language dictionaries, and maybe a requisite weapon or two. Except for me, that pretty much means perfume and a ballpoint pen. ;)

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"I don’t know what size it is. I don’t know what color. If it is expensive, I can tell you I don’t have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for designers like you. If you price your clothes reasonably now, that’ll be the end of it. I will not look for it on Ebay, I will not pursue a DIY. But if you don’t, I will look for it, I will find it, and I will pay a fraction of retail cost."

...good luck.

Mo and I both fell in love with this cargo Jacket, but we were both too unsure about sizing to pay full price, plus shipping, and also possible return shipping costs. She spotted an XS on Ebay and thought it might work for me, and I was actually able to win the auction! Woohoo!

So Mo, here are some pics to hopefully demonstrate the fit. First, there is no true shoulder seam - there is the end of the vest, which sits a good ways inward of my shoulder line (I like this, kind of like a cutaway sleeve when you wear it as a vest) and then some decorative piping at the arm. The XS fits comfortably over my 32D chest, and the ultra-cropped mode *just* covers the boobage for a bolero effect. Any smaller, and there would have been some weird underboob action. I don't know about you, but from the Ebay pics, I was expecting a caramel color, and this is definitely army green, which is fine since I don't own a jacket that color yet not what I expected.

Thanks again for pointing out the auction!

P.S. I don't think I'd actually style the super cropped versions like this, but I wanted to have a high contrast to show the shape of the jacket.

Time for the big reveal! Many of you guessed it: Billy Mack (possibly the greatest Christmas character ever), the "bad granddad" of rock n' roll from "Love, Actually" (possibly the greatest Christmas movie ever).

Billy is a formerly-huge rock star who tries to jump start his career with a holiday version of one of his hit singles - only, because he's so very *Billy*, he does so in the most sarcastic, irreverent, way possible. He doesn't play the music industry's game. He knows his time as their golden boy has passed, and he can't win by the usual rules. But he comes out on top, anyway. Score one for having a sense of humor about yourself and blazing your own trails.

You don't know how hard it was for me to NOT run out and buy a cobalt Nexx blouse for my homage to Billy's paint-encrusted Christmas suit... but I held firm and pulled out this lighter blue shirt instead. Picture #2 shows me miming the scene in which Billy, with painful yet typical male awkwardness, sloughs off his cavalier shell for long enough to give a heartfelt thank you to his manager. It's almost as if poor Billy would rather *gesture* out his message, if only he could. As funny as Bill Nighy's poses may be on their own, they show us how difficult -- and how important -- his character's words really are.

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I feel it in my fingers: this post will have some wanting me to b***** off – but as dire chance and fateful c***-up would have it, the salty language is integral to the charm of today’s inspiration. I hope the outfit fits the bill enough that you can forgive me. I know that this white jacket will be getting lots of my love, actually, same as these British boots that continue to make my heart sing.

The second "draft" of my Getwear Custom Jeans arrived today -- what a difference a rise measurement makes!

You may remember that I was dubious about the custom experience when I reviewed the first draft here:
http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....stom-jeans

I wrote to the company to explain my fit issues, and I was very impressed with representative Maria's level of communication and attention to detail. I had requested that they change the front rise and back pocket angles on the revised pair, and she was eager to meet my requirements -- no arguments or excuses or insistence that I was somehow wrong (yes, believe me, that has happened to me elsewhere).

Maria clearly explained that post-washing shrinkage made the back pocket measurements hard to match exactly, and that conversation gave me the opportunity to ask that they err on the side of closer-set pockets (as opposed to wider-set pockets). She also let me know the mechanical difficulties involved in keeping the same number of front buttons due to my lower-than average rise. I had a brief scare when she said they could only include two buttons - that wasn't the design I ordered! - but this turned out to simply be a miscommunication between us. She meant two buttons *in addition* to the tab closure - all good. I really felt like I was working with a knowledgeable person creating a product especially for me.

I also started to worry a bit about my order after a week passed with no communication - had they forgotten about my revisions? Were they only worried about new business and unconcerned about my satisfaction now that I'd already paid? Quite the contrary - when I inquired, I was pleased to learn that the delay was caused because Getwear had taken the time to recreate my pattern *by hand* in order to adjust the original, software-produced pattern. This boosted my confidence a lot, considering all the horror stories I'd read about other custom jeans companies revising one measurement at a time in a pattern program without thought for the overall fit.

Perhaps most interesting of all was that, during the revision conversations, Maria also wrote to ask me follow up questions about my opinions on the denim quality. But wait! I'd never emailed her to complain about the denim quality... it turns out that Getwear had seen my initial review and wanted to hear more about my expectations. In a world where I often feel irrelevant as a relatively low-spending consumer, I was pleased with this level of concern, attention, and consideration.

Now that I have the final product, I'm *very* pleased. The fit really makes all the difference in the look and feel of the jeans - the denim drapes better on my body, the angles of the pockets work with my narrow hips and full backside, and the overall effect is much more luxe. Even my DH, who has high standards for the rear view and is generally skeptical of skinny jeans, approved the look.

***ETA***
I just measured, and the front rise is still not the 7" that I requested. I have a feeling this is due to my request that they also keep the correct number of buttons.

Included in the below detail shots are close-ups to demonstrate construction, denim texture, and several cute branding elements that I did not mention before. I particularly like the tiny metal scissors on the leather label and the "lucky penny" embossed with the year of production.

I would recommend Getwear.com to:

- Anyone who is genuinely hard to fit and has never found that perfect pair of jeans. I feel confident that Getwear's team will listen to your issues, *understand* your issues, and get you sorted.

- Someone who has fallen madly in love with a paritcular, unique design that does not exist in real life.

- Someone who has fallen madly in love with a particular, unique design that only exists in a cut/color/size/length that is not flattering to them.

Other things to note:
- Although I didn't see this information on the website, the jeans are shipped from India.

- The FedEx shipping parameters require signature for delivery - if you have your jeans sent to an empty house, you'll either have to authorize them to leave it unattended or pick it up from your local FedEx location.

- I paid for my pair of Getwear jeans, wrote this review without prompting, and have no connection to the company. All my opinions are my own.

Looks like Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds, Captain of the Firefly, hero of the "Firefly" series and "Serenity" film, and heart-of-gold space pirate extraordinaire is popular here on YLF! And what's not to love? On the losing side of a war against Imperialism, he still manages to cling to small freedoms, eek out an existence using his own special talents, and thumb his nose at the authority that threatens to homogenize even the far reaches of space. Mal may have been jaded, but he still sticks close to his own moral code and protects his crew ferociously. That's more than I can say for myself -- and I've never lost a war.

As for style, Mal rocks in digs most likely left over from his fighting days - his brown coat was a signature of the resistance ("Brown Coats" being a similar term to the "Red Coats" in our own reality). He's unconcerned with the elaborate displays of the inner planets and dresses for utility - tall boots, serviceable and muted garments, suspenders - very Han Solo taming the Wild West. In homage, I donned my rust sweater, brown blazer, cognac bag and boots, and rifle shell necklace. As "Firefly's" opening credits state, you can't take the sky from me!

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Sometimes, getting dressed is a lot like catching fireflies - there are a lot of gorram misses, hopping about space, and feeling mal-content about not owning a brown coat. But if you guess today's inspiration, I'll be able to get through work with a sense of peace and serenity.

Did any of you actually know MacGyver's first name? I had to look it up while trying to think of clues! With a last name like MacGyver, you really should just legally drop your first name, right?

I used to watch this show all. the. time. I still know the theme song! Even back then, I loved that DIY spirit. No escape route? Rig one up from clothesline and a bike handle, duh. No backup on the way? This lightbulb will be my backup, TYVM. A super-smart secret agent - what could be cooler to a kid with very little sense of agency?

As Angie pointed out, Mac's style is pretty darn 80s: blouses, tight jeans, and his ubiquitous leather jacket (which hits right at his waistband - no lower). I don't usually like 80s style, but this is still rugged, so it felt okay. All I need now is a mullet and a pair of aviator sunglasses. :)

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Many ladies may have considered him prime Angus beef, but it's no secret he's a hero because of his big ol' scientific brain. He can explode a building with duct tape and a Swiss Army knife, but don't ask him to carry a gun, because he's a pacifist like that. I also wouldn't tell Patty and Selma Bouvier I'm dressed like him today, or I may only escape that exploded building as a phoenix rising from the ashes...

Most of you guessed it today: Kurt Cobain! My hero since I was about 11 years old, back in 4th grade - who knew that one was not only allowed to voice angsty, anger, and sadness but also scream and sing about it? Kurt's sometimes indecipherable lyrics and strained vocals had an uncanny way of making you think it was okay to feel like you were going crazy - moreover, Kurt kind of made you feel like you'd be crazy not to feel crazy. Nirvana's albums still rank among my most favorites.

Stylistically, Kurt, Nirvana, and the rest of the Seattle scene rebelled against the strong, straight shoulders of the 80s and brought on the layers, distressing, slouch, and messy hair like nobody's business. I don't think I'd ever seen a cool, young man in a cardigan before! And check it out: Kurt is rocking a map print jacket in an interview. :)

In tribute, I wore a cardi, ripped up jeans shorts, map bag, distressed belt, and Dr. Martens boots. I had to take off the cardi and change into sandals when we went to the Valley for a car show. Yes, I could have been grungier, but this isn't about putting together a costume, so I polished things up a little bit to suit myself and the weather.

Clues were:
Nevermind (album title)
grungey (grunge music)
Bleach (album title)
Heart-Shaped Box (song title)
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Nevermind how today's inspiration really dresses... it's way too hot, so jeans would leave me feeling grungey (kind of jealous of the Seattle weather right now). Had to alter original idea to bleached shorts, stone necklace, and heart-shaped box ring. Happy guessing, and if no one gets it right, I will be back to enlighten you later today!

OK! There have been enough guesses and it's late enough in the day that I hope it's alright to reveal the answer: Colonel Saul Tigh of Battlestar Galactica - congrats to Diana, who got it right as the very first guess!

Since the Battlestar crew wears a uniform, I could have chosen any of the men as my inspiration - Zap's guess of Lee Adama (Apollo) was my first idea, since he is a great fighter and pilot. I next thought of Helo, who stood up for his relationship in the face of amazing adversity. Still, I settled on Tigh.

Colonel Tigh may have been a drunk for much of the BSG series, but I count him as a hero anyway. He had to deal with a cheating wife, a robot war, impending death/extinction, torture, a lost eye, one *truly* heartbreaking scene with his wife, and a whopper of a personal discovery - yet as much as he tried to self-destruct and had every reason to do so, he always seemed to pull it together and do what had to be done at the time.

As stated in the comments section, today's clues were:

- "battle"
- "star"
- "Colonel"
- "one eye out"
- "XO" (abbreviation for his title as second in command)
- also, the T for "Tigh" - although now I realize it could stand for "Thrace," too.

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Guessing today's inspiration might be a bit of a battle, but whoever does gets a gold star and a bucket of Colonel Sanders. Keep one eye out for clues! XO!

More on Manspiration Month here:
http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....ckoff-post

ETA:

Shannon wins! Today's outfit was inspired by Supersoldier Steve Rogers - also known as Captain America. Pics added of the captain selling war bonds and returning to camp after a successful rescue mission.

The only success of a secret government experiment, Cap ran around
kicking major Nazi/Red Skull bootay before being frozen, thawed, and
hit with some serious time-lag. He's awesome because his earnestness
and idealism are literally from a bygone era - he's a big, burly
champion of retro-40s charm. In tights.

This outfit is inspired by 40s-era Cap: red, white, and blue topeed
with a brown leather jacket. :)

. Clues were:
- red/white/blue
- military theme (bomber jacket, air force blue bag)
- "shield" (Cap's weapon/accessory of choice)
- Memorial Day (Cap was thought killed in action)
- "star"
- "comic-al"
- "frozen" (Cap was actually frozen in the ocean - not killed)

More on Manspiration Month here: http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....ckoff-post
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Manspiration Month happens to start on a Friday! So can you guess today's hero?

Have a great Friday-after-Memorial-Day, and don't forget to shield yourself from all that sun we're supposed to have this weekend!