5-17-2026 MY WEEK: controversy

i have no business shopping around, as if gas isn't almost $5. but i need to share this crazy haul from this week.

i'm starting strong. this one's going to ruffle some feathers.

i've been wanting tabis since 2019 hftwt (high fashion twitter) but could not justify $500 maison margiela ones. when i saw a pair of these babies in my local dillards, i blacked out and found myself at the register clutching a pair in my size. as i was paying for these flats i could almost hear my mother's "eugh" reaction. the woman is a patron of everything ladylike and graceful. these would be considered demonic hooves.

some people are adrenaline junkies, some are horror fanatics, i find thrill in wearing a controversial piece here and there. let me be clear, i may not be found in complete extremes, i love pieces that are somewhat wearable, avant-garde, semi-appropriate for the occasion, and just plain weird. i like the ugly stuff, the weird stuff. i want your reject pile. the thing is, my suburb isn't soho, and my benkovac is far from berghain. while my twin cities differ in many ways, at the core they're just small towns. people dress accordingly; there's an unspoken rule. i get giddy when i don't dress accordingly, when i break these rules. 

next two items were thrift pieces i fell in love with at the local kiwanis barn sale. the fish necklace is another bizarre piece i am eager to wear this summer, and the lamp was purchased in a pair. it's a nostalgic piece sib and i got for a bargain. 

this hollywood regency lamp is from the 70s, inspired or even made by anthony california inc., made from brass and often murano glass. numerous lotus, tulip, and other floral designs can be found online, for sale, usually ranging for at least $300. sib and i got the pair for $40. our mom has one, extremely similar to the photo below:

mom's petals aren't as pink, more of a pale shade, closer to our's

turkish lamps and tiffanies are overrated. these gems are our prized possessions.

sib peer pressured me into getting this pair of adidas gazelles we found at ross for over 50% off its original price. i'm trying to get to sib's sneaker level. a bit of avantgarde and a bit of conventional. it's called balance.

finally, sib and i enjoyed a super-hot sunday in the midst of the annual rib-off in downtown willoughby. we stopped at our fave spot elite repeats and once again sib was the bad influence on me, "forcing me" to buy this adorable martini necklace. cheers!

this week's looks

spoiler: wednesday's look was my fave, yet it had mixed reviews at work. strong workwear most of the week, pinstripes and pencil skirts. i loved the mid- and end-of-week pops of color. i used to adore burnt orange, as witnessed by the few pieces i wore just this week. 

monday i suffered from a severe case of bed head, so i figured a put-together skirt suit would do the trick. blue tones with the tank and sunnies, a pop of luxury with the vivienne westwood costume jewelry. subtle gold hardware striking against black leather. it's just another manic monday!

a sober but chic look for tuesday. black blouse with purple and white stripes, high waisted rebecca minkoff sample jeans, doc martens with heath details, leather shoulder bag, and the jewelry stack.

tuesday night sib and i took a walk and i just wore the simple exercise uniform: sweatshirt, yoga pants, sneakers and sunnies. 

midweek madness. controversial look at work. an old mr potato head tee that boyfriend gave me (dude cleaned out his closet), and a dkny wrap skirt, some black accessories to tone down the primary colors. i joked that i should've added my yellow bandana for a full effect. coworkers were baffled. 

thursday i toned it down with earth tones. a knitted sweater was paired with ribbed pants, my new sneakers, a woven shoulder purse and plaid light coat. 

i debuted my tabis at a place i thought would be the best for harsh judgment, as my thought process was 'get the shoes out so everyone rants about it and then we move on'. i accompanied sib to the croatian school graduation party. i paired my flats with a burnt orange silk blouse, skinny jeans from old navy, calvin klein leather purse, gucci sunnies, and the same plaid coat. guess what: no one gave a shit about my shoes. it was about the kids, duh.

work

farmer's market

friday for work i wore another burnt orange top, a ribbed sweater, paired with a grey pinstripe pant, woven shoulder bag and patent leather heeled boots of the same cream color.

friday was the first local farmer's market day, and i went uber-casual, a browns tee, skinny ripped jeans, black jacket, tote, and sneakers.

saturday for our evening walk, i wore a very americana outfit. bruce springsteen tee, adidas star spangled shorts, walking sneakers and sib's versace sunnies. 

sunday - church and rib-off. wore a silky floral blouse and baggy jeans, a felt magenta bath and body tote, tortoiseshell sunnies and my tabis. i thought they were gonna demonize me in church. news flash, moi: no one cares.

we couldn't end such a beautiful day with just the rib-off, sib and i changed into more relaxed clothes and visited our cousins then drinks with bestie victoria. vlajternativa tee, mom jean shorts, vintage coach bag, brown flip flops, blue wired sunnies. i don't want the weekend to end. 

what am i looking forward to this week?

memorial day is coming up, and it's been about a month since i last traveled. boyfriend and i are going to vermont for a long weekend getaway, and i am once again testing my "sudoku" packing. since we're driving, i have more freedom for shoe and jacket choice.