Fashion for Writers

I know that some of you may be interested in seeing pictures from the wedding; I’ve gotten the OK from our photographer to show her work on my blog, so be prepared for a slew of photos when she gets them to Chris and me. In the meantime, here’s a little teaser, consisting of photos taken by my beloved Uncle Carl!

Our wedding colors were aqua and poppy, with a theme of a bit of vintage and a bit of the literary (plenty of leather-bound books from thrift stores across the SF Bay Area!). That octopus is from Adventureland in the 50s. I put a tag on him so that he wouldn’t get stolen by someone who thought he might be a wedding favor. 

And here is the sneakiest peek at our duds. This photo was taken during our first dance. My dress, which was a vintage reproduction (silk charmeuse with embroidery and chiffon), had already been bustled at this point, and I’m wearing a diadem from 1920s New Orleans in my hair. Chris is wearing a custom-tailored British suit and black Converse with laces in our wedding colors. We were really happy by this point, especially after the hardcore sobfest that was our ceremony. 

Today Chris helped me do the drawing for the Elizabeth & James t-shirt giveaway. The above photograph is proof that we actually put everyone’s names on tiny cards and put them in a straw hat! The winner of the giveaway is Ellie – only problem is, I need your email address! Please email me at meggy.wang@gmail.com so that I can get you your prize! 

The next three weeks or so are going to be crazy; we’re leaving to go camping tomorrow morning for four or five days (no Internet!), I’m helping one of my best friends move halfway across the country, and Chris and I are doing a tiny honeymoon in a former gold mining town, so blog entries may be sparse. But I’ll try to keep y’all updated as much as I can, and I hope you’re doing well as summer comes to a close!

Because there are only TWO DAYS LEFT and I am Busy and Stressed and Emotional, you will just have to make do with photographs of my gorgeous sister-in-law-to-be in a vintage ensemble. Yeah. You’re welcome.

My wonderful, amazing in-laws (well, not officially till NEXT SATURDAY) are coming in tonight to stay at my parents’ house for a week and a half; the day’s been spent cleaning house, buying tons of groceries and flowers for a bridal shower tomorrow (which I’m definitely dressing up for/taking pictures of!), and doing some down-to-the-wire wedding things. Like going to the tailor’s to assess the status of my dress, which is still too long in the torso and needs a bustle, or dealing with fairly incompetent Kinko’s employees who can’t seem to figure out how to make a booklet, and ending up basically making a zine — cut and paste, gluing a flat, and copying one-to-two-sided — in order to show them how it’s done. 

The outfit of the day is all in the “deets,” as Susie Bubble would say. Fairly plain and black, the skirt is actually a bubble skirt, made of bubbly tulle draped over a pencil skirt with a wide, cinched waist. I also decided to pile on the accessories today (well, as much as I ever “pile on” accessories) by donning a watch, bracelet, elaborate silver belt, black leaf earrings, and drapey silver necklace. 

And I don’t know if it’s the heebie-jeebies about throwing a huge party soon or what, but I’ve been having throngs of anxiety dreams lately, not to mention going on random (affordable) online shopping sprees. You’ll see the results of that shopping sprees soon enough, but in the meantime, keep your fingers crossed that I stay healthy and sane until next week!

Surprise! As of today, the photography book 2009 is available through mail! Containing documentary-domestic, travel, and street photography, I’ve been compiling this 20-paged, 8×6 inch softcover book from 2008-2009.

Copies are $16 or equivalent trade (covering printing costs and shipping, with a tiny bit left over). If this turns out to make any sort of money, I’m planning on donating some to a charity of my choice (to be decided later); mostly, I’m totally happy and excited to be sharing it with everyone. 

Right now I’m accepting $16 via PayPal to meggy.wang@gmail.com; for more photos of the book, please see the page at my website here. & thank you so much for supporting FFW!

One blog that I particularly enjoy, Daily Routines, culls descriptions of, well, famous people’s daily routines. As someone who is basically self-employed these days, save for the occasional workshop and/or class, I find reading about other people’s daily routines fascinating, despite their seeming mundanity. 

How about Simone de Beauvoir:

I’m always in a hurry to get going, though in general I dislike starting the day. I first have tea and then, at about ten o’clock, I get under way and work until one. Then I see my friends and after that, at five o’clock, I go back to work and continue until nine. I have no difficulty in picking up the thread in the afternoon. When you leave, I’ll read the paper or perhaps go shopping. Most often it’s a pleasure to work.

Or Paul Auster:

For me, five or six hours of writing is plenty. That’s a lot. So, if I get that many hours the other stuff feels satisfying. The other stuff feels like a kind of grace.

Like I said, I don’t have that kind of daily routine (although Gala Darling has a great little write-up about creating your own). It’s very loose, although the basics are the same: eat breakfast, have coffee, write, check blogs, reply to email, write, etc. 

Breakfast (or brunch) is essential. Today’s breakfast is a wedge of Laughing Cow Swiss and a bowl of sweet raspberries.

Do you have a daily routine? How do you make the hours of the day work for you? Or does a daily routine seem too stifling?

Today was just a blah day. I didn’t feel like blogging. I didn’t feel like writing, exercising, being awake, napping, eating, not eating, or really doing anything besides smoking — a terrible habit, I know — and trying to stay warm. I’m just going to pretend that today didn’t happen and start over tomorrow. 

In the meantime, I bought some Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear in Fuchsia Power and Lime Lights, and did my nails. Did it help? Not really, but at least my nails aren’t a splotchy mess anymore. I’ll report later on its staying power (I’m notorious for screwing up professional manicures a day or two after shelling out for one). 

Good-night, good-night, good-night.