Retro Rack

In keeping with the Win an ARC contest over on my other blog today I present to you, Fashionable Reader, outfits inspired by the cover of my forthcoming book, Etiquette & Espionage the first of my new YA Finishing School series.

First, a couple of gowns that might be worn by the characters in these books . . .

And something for Primrose to wear in the forthcoming Parasol Protectorate Abroad series.

 Some vintage picks for the Rack:

Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.

The infamous black pencil skirt.

I know, it's wrinkled in the picture, but trust me, this skirt is great. I am a huge advocate of the black pencil skirt. In fact, I would say it is almost more important to a wardrobe than the Little Black Dress. If you are of the pear shape and self conscious about a pencil, then by all means go for an A-line instead (I have one of those too, future blog in the works).


So perhaps this skirt is a little tight. But my goodness I love it. And honestly, I'm in my 30's I've made peace with the dreaded girl tum. Frankly, I'm a chick and I'm curvy and I have a tum because I'm not an airbrushed model. Besides, I don't want to be one of those crazy razor sharp Hollywood women who do 800 sit-ups a day and look like they not only live on endives but might actually turn into an endive at any moment.

Katy Perry with Girl Tum

 So while I can still zip up the darn thing, I'm going to wear it. For World Fantasy in 2009 I paired it with a pink blouse (which I no longer own) to match the cover of Soulless, and some Irregular Choice shoes.


Irregular Choice makes the most wonderful looking shoes on the planet . . . and possibly the most painful. Mine are wedges (unlike the ones above) and I love them, but I can't wear them for more than a few hours even with inserts. Sadness.

However, Fashionable Reader, this is meant to be a WorldCon retrospective and so here I am, in the black pencil skirt at WorldCon 2008 . . .


This time I wore it with a gray silk sailor blouse and gray spectator pumps.


I have several other black pencil skirts but this one sits apart because of the length. Normally, I do not go for a mid length skirt, in this case several inches below the knee. Nor do I recommend it for any but the very tall. For that reason I always wear this skirt with the highest heals possible.


Vintage wise, this length is best suited to a 1940's Dior look. That said, the black pencil is a staple that always seems to show up on the fall/winter runways and this year was no exception. I even spotted a few in this, a more vintage, length.


More on the black skirt in future, I have several different versions and I intend to go into the relative merits of each.

Sorry this blog is a tad delayed, Fashionable Reader. I had to turn in some important notes to New York before 2 pm today which rather derailed the normal synchronicity of my online day, I'm sure you understand.

One of the fun things about being an author is developing relationships with people all over the globe. One of my foreign language translators who consults with me the most (read: at all) is my Japanese translator. We have a sporadic back and forth on the subject of certain idioms and the meaning of Victorian phrases which I really enjoy. It forces me to stop and think about language as separate from story, which reminds me of my academic days.


In one of those crazy coincidences, right after returning for New Orleans and lamenting my lack of fan, I received the following in the mail from my Japanese translator!


These are cute tiny very light little fans, perfect for fitting into any handbag and the right combination of colors to match almost any outfit I have. Then the next day, on one of the fashion blogs I follow, this broach popped up which looked just like one of the fans! Coincidence if far more common that we think.


So next time I visit New Orleans I shall be ready!




Also, I promised pictures of Octavia. Here she is. She has grand ambitions to be an octomaton (note the gears) but is being distracted by sniffing flowers.


And here are a few more from Friday's event in San Francisco.



Sadly, I did not have a photographer (AKA the AB) present at the Kepler's event last Thursday in Menlo Park, so I have no additional pictures but it was great fun. I am delighted to report people came even though it was the premiere of the new Harry Potter movie and the day before George R.R. Martin's signing! Also I was given tribute: delicious Japanese Gummy candy, exciting new tea to try, teeny tiny fake food (oddly, foreshadowing of a scene in Etiquette & Espionage: Finishing School Book the First), and octopuses!


A random moment of pantyhose!

And, just because I feel like it, I've decided to give away the following three books. It is a combination which, if you follow this blog, might appeal just to you.


To enter, simply leave a comment below. You don't have to say anything of import but I am interested in your views on Retro Rack so far. Is there anything you would like to see more/less of? Which kinds of entries interest you the most and which do you skip? Any other thoughts?

The winner will be chose by random number generator, and the contest will end next Tuesday, July 26. I'll announce the winner in this blog, along with the first in an eight part retrospective on the fashions I've worn to WorldCons of old (leading up to Reno 2011).

Have a lovely weekend, Fashionable Reader, and if you are visiting San Diego ComicCon I want a Fashion Report! Pretty please?