Poncho Mania

Poncho Mania by elbonner featuring a wool poncho

I've been so busy/lazy lately that my little blog has been severely neglected! After I fed it some Polyvore collages and gave it a good flea bath, I made this little compilation on a few of my new favorite things: PONCHOS. Seriously, they're not just for offensive Halloween costumes or Argentinian gauchos anymore; the simple poncho turned what could have been a very cold and miserable weekend to a comfortably cozy one. It's great for sitting down activities like watching parades, tailgating, going to sports games, or just for hanging around in a chilly house. It has all the warm without the sloppiness of a big sweatshirt. Just pair it with some skinny jeans and some funky fringe boots and you'll look super cool. So don't hate on the poncho, go get one!

L-R

Sperry Topsider
John Lewis
Target
Quiksilver

Dawn Patrol: Doing Stuff I Like

Dawn Patrol by elbonner featuring knit sweaters

I haven't been to the beach, let alone surfed, in so long it's making me crazy! Usually around this time of year I get really brave/stupid and try to conjure up the will to go to the beach for a winter surf with a friend.Working full-time and away from a surfable beach has made planning this activity out kind of difficult (not to mention everyone thinking I'm dumb and crazy, including myself). I think of it as exercise where you burn twice as many calories because your body is fighting off hypothermia! I haven't done the whole "dawn patrol" thing since high school when my little surfer friend and I got up at the butt-crack of dawn to get to the beach before work or school. I miss those days of riding around in my surf truck, sweaters on, coffee or hot chocolate in the thermos, and being very vocal about the fact that someone should invent a genital warming feature to go inside the crotch of a wetsuit. You can only pee on yourself out there but so many times. Above I created a little piece of my past: an outfit perfect for a chilly beach day. There's nothing better after a morning cold shock to the system than to out on some soft, dry clothes that you threw in the dryer before you left the house and wrapped in saran wrap to keep the heat in (hey, it works!). The good part about winter surfing is that no one is there to see you fall, because they're all at home snug in their PJ's while. Maybe if I can convince myself to get up from my warm bed to throw myself in the cold ocean then I can relive that period of my life, even if it's just for a little bit. I only really remember the good times had during those frosty mornings so it's time to make myself look like a bad-ass and brave the frigid Atlantic!

Winter Brights

Winter Brights by elbonner featuring ski sweaters

It has been unseasonably warm the past few weeks and it's keeping winter from literally sucking any joy or moisture out of me (suck it, winter!) and it's wonderful. My only qualm (ONLY) is that I can't wear any chunky sweaters. Chunky sweaters are a godsend during the holiday season. They give you the room to disguise all of those break room gift basket binges that we all do. Everyone does it, don't act like you're above me! I'm loving all these bright, geometric-print sweaters and cardigans. They're fun and keep you from having to wear a bunch of layer to keep warm. A coworker and I vented about our hatred of layers because all they do is ride up over your love-handles and remind you of how out of shape you are. So go for one layer instead of lots of bunched up tanks and long-sleeves. Ain't nobody got time for that!

L-R
BB Dakota
Mara Hoffman
Quiksilver
J. Crew
Topshop
Mango

Urban Gaucho

Urban Gaucho by elbonner featuring zip bags

If I'm going to have to wear winter clothes, then they're going to have to remind me of the beach and summertime  somehow. I think Southwestern prints are very beachy, but also great for the winter. They liven up the grey-white deadness and make life worth living. I call this look "urban gaucho" because that's what it looks like, a gaucho with a keen eye for fashion and mixing prints. So get yourself some funky prints and ride off into the Argentinian sunset drinking yerba mate! Ole!

Sweater- Jens Pirate Booty
T-shirt- Quiksilver
Jeans- Quiksilver
Bag- Carryall
Hat-RVCA
Bracelet-Jens Pirate Booty
Boots- Minnetonka

Son of a Beach

Missing the Beach by elbonner featuring essie nailpolish

No matter how excited I tell myself I am for winter, I always spend one lazy Sunday afternoon watching surf videos on YouTube and reminding myself how wrong I was.  I am a summer time person; I love the ocean, sand, and life without a jacket. Today I'm just feeling a little homesick for summer so I put together a bunch of things that remind me of it and make me happy. At the moment they're sort of making me depressed, but I'll take what I can get. Now that I'm out of school,summer doesn't equate to absolute freedom where I can spend every day at the beach and every night eating Mexican food with my fellow sun burnt friends. It's a bittersweet realization, but now that I am out of school I can take trips to warm places throughout the winter to get rid of that seasonal depression disorder. The clocks have fallen back, the night begins much earlier, and everyone wants pumpkin spiced fucking everything. No thanks, I'll be scrubbing off all my winter dead skin, slathering on my favorite sunless tanner, and pretending it's still summer for just one night.

The Dude Abides

The Dude Abides by elbonner featuring oversized tops

Enza Costa oversized top, $165 / Quiksilver / Cheap Monday , $76 / Minnetonka shoes / Chloé satchel handbag

I feel that if "The Dude" in The Big Lebowski was a somewhat fashionable lady, she would wear an outfit like this. Especially with that awesome sweater coat. It really ties the outfit together.

Me By The Sea

This is a pretty typical outfit for me nowadays. I am a beach person through and through until I die. Quiksilver is killing me with all their stuff for summer 2012. As much as I'm aware that my summer is slowing going down the toilet, I try to dress summery as long as I can possibly get away with it and the quiksilver.com sale section is helping me do just that. The tank and shorts are courtesy of quiksilver, flip-flops are my favorite Rainbows, and the beautiful bag is Antik Batik that I would have if god gave me all the money in the world.