I’m starting out the new year working on my third editorial design project in as many months so magazines are on my mind big time. I’m constantly on the lookout for inspiring covers and these are some of my favorites as of late. Enjoy!

I recently designed a set of landing pages for Solestruck featuring All Caps, a line of shoes that are handmade in Portugal — I love this brand because their styles are fresh and the quality surpasses that of even many of the designer brands out there.

The ads showcase the Dahlia in all three colors . I wanted to do something different this time around; 60s-inspired with a bright, retro pop-inspired feel.

I always say that bright colored shoes are the equivalent of an exclamation point at the end of any outfit. I got to keep the red pair and when I wore them around town the next day, they proved to be incredibly walkable considering the soaring height. The secret is the substantial front platform which keeps the incline from being ridiculously steep.

All Caps: Fall into color. Photos by Joey Maas. Concept, design and copy by Nubbytwiglet.com.

Last week, I wrapped up my biggest editorial design job to date. Needless to say, magazine covers have been on my mind a lot lately. This is a compilation of some of my recent favorites. Want even more? Take a look back at my previous batch of favorites.

Custom made Clothing? These days? Who can afford such luxury? I think I’ve had one item custom made in my entire life. Usually, my clothing is strictly off the rack or it’s a no-go. It’s true that you’ll most commonly find me alongside a pack of 16 years olds in Forever 21 or placing a late night order on the Urban Outfitters site. Or, perhaps scoring something really unique on Ebay. But custom sized? No way. First of all, where do you go for such a thing? Secondly, I hate trying on clothes (U.S. sizing is a mess). Usually, I check out what the mannequin in the store display is wearing and grab the same thing.

Pieced together just so-so with great accessories, off-the-rack clothes are great. On an average of three days a week, when I’m in a hurry, you’ll probably find me wearing one of five pairs of the perfect black skinny jeans I picked up at Urban Outfitters on sale for $20.00 a piece. But sometimes, all those basics need to be taken up a notch. And that’s where my friend Zoetica Ebb’s collaboration with Plastik Wrap comes in. Hello, GHST RDR jacket!

I placed my order with three simple measurements (comically measured early one morning with a standard tape measure by Joey) and less than two weeks later, this beauty showed up on my doorstep. I threw it on, zipped it up and…it fit to a tee. No bunching, no gaps. Perfectly form fitting.

This jacket looks fairly basic when dressed down with jeans but gives you major curves in all the right places. I love the knife pleats, the built-in thumbholes and the two-way zipper. I have a few other lightweight black jackets but I wanted something a little more fitted and dressy. Done and done. This fits the bill perfectly. Now, if only I could afford an entire closet of custom made clothing…ooh GHST RDR, look what you’ve started!

Ah, Parisian fashion. Admired from afar, constantly imitated in American Fashion magazines and revered for its understated elegance. How do they do it?

My Paris Fashion Inspiration: Wolford Bondage tights, Loewe campaign complete with chunky gray knits, sexy sheer black plus leather via Reed Krakoff, Dolce & Gabbana Miss Rose satchel, bold basics, ModCloth jacket & dress finally, adding an element of surprise to a basic outfit.

Parisians strike me as being quite sensible.

Their wardrobes are much more edited than their American counterparts with color schemes mostly limited to black and gray. Every day basics are of very high quality. If you want to fit in while in Paris, basic clothing that can be easily layered in dark colors, a great coat and nice quality, walkable shoes will serve you well. The French mastered the art of the basic long ago. When thinking of Paris-appropriate clothing, an equation should come to mind: well-styled + sensible = smart. And, a bright colored scarf in a fun pattern or solid color like red will add some visual interest to any dark ensemble.

What I admire most about the French is that they are very well put together but never overdone. Americans have a tendency feel that more is more when it comes to getting dressed and pile on a little too much of everything — I am sure they come across as gaudy to the sleek and refined Parisians.

Since it was my first time visiting Paris, I had arrived with the preconceived notion that people would be swathed in very avant garde, futuristic fashions straight off the Rick Owens runway. I had visions of my Fall / Winter Style Direction, Parisian Cyborg coming to life right before my eyes. Once I’d spent a full day in the city though, it became quite apparent that the reality was much different — I think I’d been absorbed in too many French fashion editorials, wrapped up in a big ol’ fantasy world. You see, most of the French are much too practical for such nonsense — they don’t sashay down the street in the equivalent of a costume!

I, on the other hand, ended up walking around town in what might have been more appropriate for Parisian daily wear in perhaps 2050. Though I got some stares, everyone was still polite. Even though the French tend to dress to blend in, I think they still secretly appreciate the element of surprise.

This outfit may have been better suited for an 80s movie set in Paris. I’d become an instant caricature of Parisian fashion, thinking that a black dress + patterned legwear + a beret would equal the perfect daily outfit. I’d over-romanticized everything in my head, thanks once again to chic fashion magazines. At least I had a good time in the process! I was wearing an H&M dress, Zana Bayne 4-strap belt, red beret from Juliane, Wolford Bondage tights and Camilla Skovgaard wedges.

If you are on the hunt for cutting edge, avant garde fashion, Colette has some pretty stunning (and expensive) pieces. It feels more like a perfectly curated museum of modern gadgets and attire than a department store, though. The place was brimming with tourists and who could blame them? I fell in love with a selection of white dresses displayed in the front window, reminiscent of the 60s space age fashion of Courreges and Pierre Cardin.

One of my favorite discoveries in Paris was that women appreciate a nice, short skirt paired with patterned leg wear. While strolling around town, I stumbled upon a huge number of shops specializing in just socks and tights. Much to my delight, Wolford boutiques were plentiful, dotted throughout the city.

Though French men and women do wear denim, it’s clean, hole-free and fits well. Baggy and wrinkle-laden jeans can stay bunched up in America’s closets, thank you. I also appreciated the fact that when we went out to dinner, there wasn’t t-shirt in sight. Men tend to wear button-ups or sweaters instead. What I realized is that it doesn’t take a lot of effort to look good!

When you look around the streets of Paris, what you quickly gather is that not every single person is wearing something amazing; nor are they wearing the latest ‘it’ item. Simply put, they just know how to get dressed and pull a look together from head-to-toe. They skip the fussiness, invest in the best quality possible and dress timelessly.

Nearly every boutique window throughout the city was beautifully curated. If I really was off to Paris to get married on a whim, this dress would have fit the bill. It was so nice and refreshing to not see chain store garbage cluttering every street corner!

What is more chic, French and timeless than Chanel? When I think of Chanel, a black and white palette comes to mind along with classic cuts featuring a modern twist.

Gala and I pretty much play dress-up wherever we go and Paris was our playground. Our vision of what we’d felt was Parisian-worthy attire left us looking more like a girl pop duo from the 60s than anything else. The concierge at our hotel cracked bemused grins every time we walked out the door. They probably thought that we were nuts…just another influx of crazy Americans!

Parisian chic strikes me as fashionable yet understated. Both classic and timeless. They never look dated — their look is always in style. And isn’t that what makes the Parisian sense of style so alluring?

For more Paris posts:

Paris in Polaroids
A Look Inside Le Marais, Paris
A Beginner’s Guide to Paris
Magic in Le Marais: Hotel du Petit Moulin
Hello From Paris Part 01: The First Time Experience
Hello From Paris Part 02: Architecture and Grandeur
Bonjour From Paris!

How could something so basic and practical transform into something so sinister? It all started out innocently enough.

A few months back, Osborn offered to send me a pair of plain canvas lace-up shoes to D.I.Y. in any way I wanted. I fully admit to not being very hands-on with these types of projects but Joey had an idea. Soon after, on his recommendation, I ordered a bag of spikes and he got to work, painting and studding these standard-issues.

Armor for my feet? Why not! Over the last year, I’d eyed studded Miu Miu flats in New York and tiny spiked Louboutin lace-ups in Vegas but they were still very prim and polished. I wanted these to look like they were ready for battle.

What better to wear with mega studs than mega sequins? What can I say, it’s the Michael Jackson in me. Tough & feminine, my favorite fashion combination. Speaking of the King of Pop, he always loved wearing things that reflected light when he danced. These would have been perfect for that purpose…or for his leisurely tree climbing.

Practicing my moves. You never know when you’ll be challenged to a dance-off.

Take a walk on the wild side.

Sometimes you just need a pair of casual lace-ups for laid back evenings of television watching. Something unassuming and cozy.

A huge thanks goes out to Joey for coming up with the concept and then studding these baby armadillos for two days. His thumb is still sore, but my feet are happy. Needless to say, these are fairly heavy and not super comfortable. I love them, though. Thanks to Osborn as well. It’s been fun. Okay, I’m off to sashay through the streets of Portland!

This afternoon, I got a message from Bianca asking, “Are those your feet on the Solestruck blog?” Why yes they are — now you know how I spent my Sunday afternoon!

I hadn’t tried on any Matiko styles in the past but once I did on Sunday, I was sold. The studded pair were my favorites of the bunch. Not only did they have a stable heel and a fair amount of cushion but they were also fully lined in leather and had gorgeous gold zippers up the back.

If you like the styles featured on my feet, you’re in luck! Enter the Matiko: Party Like It’s 2011 Shoe Giveaway over at Solestruck’s blog and start your year off in style!

Last week, I shared some of my current interior decor inspirations and this week, I thought I’d share some fashion-related inspiration (old and new) that’s been on my mind as of late.

1. Super Chunky Knits. This version by AF Vandevorst is pretty much perfect. 2. Smooth and Sleek Hair. Black and shiny; I love this aesthetic. 3. Leather Shorts. I’ve been wanting some forever and they are a definite for next summer (source unknown). 4. Studded Accessories. I’m still kicking myself for not picking these Givenchy heels up off the Barney’s sale rack last year. 5. Corsets + Muti-buckled Belts. As usual, Ann Demeulemeester was ahead of the curve. 6. Acne Admire Wedges. I actually tried these on a few months back in New York and wow, they are awesome in part because of the mismatched zippers (one’s on the outside, one’s on the inside). 7. Proenza Schouler PS11 Quilted Bag. The hardware on this bag is gorgeous (and it shows in the price!) 8. Newspaper Leggings. By BlackMilk Clothing. 9. Sheer Black & Edgy Evening Wear. This dress has been out for a few seasons now and I think it was by Alexander Wang. I love the back as much as the front. 10. Black & Gold. I still love this image from Dolce & Gabbana. Regal, edgy and modern.

1. Ungaro Branch Heels. Not particularly practical or wearable but who cares? They’re art. 2. Futuristic Ruffles. I tend to like overtly feminine trends to be a bit harder edged and Christopher Kane manages to nail this aesthetic. 3. Cropped Chunky Knits. I’ve loved this look ever since I spotted it on Elle.com. 4. Glam Safety Pins. Just what you need to hold your chunky knits in place! Also via Elle.com. 5. Perfectly Smokey Eyes. Agyness on i-D is the ideal look I’d like to aim for. 6. Sleek Stripes. I’m digging stripes on more dressy silhouettes these days. 7. White Dr. Martens. After a 10 year break, I am happy to have a white pair of Dr. Martens back on my feet again. Tough, comfy and perfect for winter.

Readers: What’s inspiring your style at the moment?

Extra Credit Reading: Style Direction: Fall / Winter 2010.

To me, style and organization are interrelated. I don’t know about you, but I find that when my clothing is organized, easy to access and whittled down to what’s most loved, getting dressed and pulling together a look becomes so much more enjoyable. Getting dressed should be an adventure — never a battle!

Though I rely on solid, tried and true basics for most days, I always try to dress things up with great accessories. A simple t-shirt and black skinny jeans can be elevated with a unique pair of shoes, a well constructed jacket and a favorite bag.

When I am investing in my wardrobe, I tend to buy shoes, jackets and bags. My theory is that I can use them every single day and get a better cost per wear. For instance, I would never buy yellow jeans because they’d be so recognizable that I wouldn’t want to wear them more than once a week. But yellow shoes? I could wear the yellow shoes on a daily basis and add a pop of color to any outfit, no matter how casual.

One of my biggest pet peeves is having to buy the same item over and over again because it was poorly made and wore out. Give some thought to what you use the most and buy the best you can afford whether it’s a white t-shirt or a black cardigan.

Back to the topic of organization. I have a strange closet set-up. When I moved into my house over a year ago, I had no closet space (typical of most older homes) but oddly enough, a ridiculously huge bathroom with an abundance of empty space. My two oversized IKEA wardrobes were a perfect match for the wall space but the tops were cluttered with a mish-mash of irregular-sized shoe boxes. Over the weekend, I picked up a bunch of Kassett boxes which now hold everything from shoe bags to hats and spare purses to childhood costumes. They add that look of polished uniformity that random shoe boxes just can’t equal!

Another thing that my closet was sorely lacking were nice quality hangers. At almost 30, it was time for me to trade in cheapo plastic hangers for sturdy, beautifully minimal Erling steel hangers. They make every piece of clothing feel worthy of display!

Everyone has their own method for organization but arranging clothing by color works well for me. I have two IKEA wardrobes that hold all of my clothing. The first consists of all coats, skirts and dresses while the second is all shirts and sweaters (above).

Of course, I have a sizable amount of black clothing (as you can probably tell from my outfit posts). Looking up, there are still some lingering plastic hangers that will eventually be replaced. And, though I recycled a number of shoe boxes, I kept a handful of the Dries ones, tucked away at the very end.

This is the ‘other side’ of my closet, half of which is stuffed with jackets and blazers. Dresses are at the very end, mostly in black. I keep items that are more costume-related and not for every day wear (including fancy dresses and lederhosen) tucked away in the spare closet in my office (also organized by color).

A true Virgo doesn’t stop at just organizing their clothes. My tights (above) and socks (not shown) are both sorted by color and stored in clear plastic trays that I found at Target.

Every mouse needs a place to rest their ears. And, a full length mirror to check out their daily costume. This is the wall next to my IKEA wardrobes.

The jewelry that I reach for most is stored in a plastic container on my windowsill that I found at Target.

Longer necklaces have began to take over the door knob to my office. Some day, I’ll come up with a better solution. Until then, I like the decoration!

I’m a big fan of treating my favorite clothing and accessories like art. If you have something that’s beautiful, let it sit out and become a decoration instead of lurking in a dark closet. I have a love of shoes so I have my favorite pairs organized by color on a book shelf in my office. It’s nice to see them every day and a way to remind myself of what I already own so I can rotate them instead of lazily reaching for the same tired pair of black boots. Since I have fairly small feet, the sale racks and Ebay have been incredibly generous over the years! Fashion may change but well made, unique shoes never go out of style.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my mini sartorial journey and in the process, discovered your own passion to get organized. Show your closet some love and appreciation and return, your personal style will shine through!

Over the weekend, I was walking through Portland’s newly opened H&M when this layered mesh tank top stopped me dead in my tracks. It reminded me so much of my all-time favorite Ann Demeulemeester collection from Spring / Summer 1998 (I’ve always referred to it as the ‘tattoo collection’). For some reason, photos of this are extremely elusive on the internet but after much searching, I was able to find two.

Does anyone else remember this collection? I have a book on Belgian Fashion Design from around 2000 with a reference to it and I remember it popping up in a few American fashion magazines at the time. I loved the script printed on sheer mesh, giving the illusion of type-based tattoos.

Mesh, sequins, type and black are always a winning combo in my book. I have no idea what ‘Cool by night’ is supposed to mean but I’ll take it!