Skeletal themes are trending in fashion categories from mass market to the so-called “high end.” I can’t help but see a correlation between the fad and the fashion zeitgeist’s perverse preference for boney bodies.

And beyond the beauty tyranny, there’s a mood brewing in pop culture that glamorizes death and destruction. Kids are “born to die” and they revel in life before annihilation. Live fast | die young | be wild | have fun.

Show Your Bones by eightyjane on polyvore.com

Murmurs of an apocalyptic 2012 used to be relegated to the fringes of the mainstream. But after at least a decade of being bombarded with Hollywood movies that gave us one end of the world scenario after the other, the idea of impending Armageddon has become pop culture comfortable. photo: rauwblog.nl

While I don’t expect to be headed for the hills come this Christmas, I do expect this year to be something of a cataclysm – for my closet! In effort to de-clutter and put into practice my belief in Quality over Quantity, I’ve challenged myself to reduce my wardrobe by at least 50% by the end of the year. As part of the purge ten trendy bits could get cleared away in favor of one foundation-building, classic. Here’s a list of items that I think are worth preserving or buying at investment prices.

eightyjane created What to Pack for the End of the World

Created on http://ohthatsyou.com

My eyes are lately caught by wooden accessories. Glasses, rings, and things like little box clutches have a humble luxe appeal that vibes with my current aesthetic. I do steer clear of wooden earrings, though, since they have a way of further pushing me down that “earthy girl” pigeon hole that I avoid like plague & polyester.

It’s the unexpected items that are especially exciting – like the wooden iPhone case I recently purchased from Root Cases. The wood isn’t as stately IRL as it is in the pictures, but the unplanned rustic charm as grown on me. Unfortunately, I’m not that confident in the durability of the case, considering that it chipped within days of first use. The limited utility of the case, however, probably matches the length of life I can expect from my Apple product’s diabolical built-in obsolescence. Both are definitely a blip in my attempts to follow the Manifesto. The Root Cases website says the brand plants a tree for every product sold.

I also love the look of these earbuds by The House of Marley. The brand was nice enough to gift me a pair of “People Get Ready” earphones in Midnight. They look great with my phone case and fit the jack perfectly (this review points out that this case isn’t always so accommodating).

The brand has many other styles, including on- and over-ear models and audio systems. All categories utilized wood that, according to The House of Marley website, is FSC certified.

ITEMS FROM TOP COLLAGE are detailed below:

Cult vets might recall a post way back when that confessed my guilty pleasure in online dress up games. Still, those games didn’t manage to hold my attention long – the choices being so few and all. Polyvore is incredible in it’s variety (including interior design pieces) and usability. I can’t believe I’ve been ignorant of it for so long! In fact, the creator(s) have been an IQON contact of mine for awhile and I still didn’t know about it. Shameful, really…

Check it out: This is my series of outfits created for summer parties. Made @ Polyvore.com

Simple and pretty, for that grown and sexy patio party. Fun, funky, and cazh enough for sweaty dancing at an all night disco. Elegant and flirty, for those high-class champagne shindigs. A golden twist on an all-white party look. Another way to ditch the heels: Sneakers and a mini for those basement parties and bars crawls. Posh for the pool parties. The suit is cute enough to be a shirt. A little bit crunchy, a little bit chic. Perfect for those laid back BYOB joints. Boots in the summer? Well, maybe not in Atlanta. Still, this is sweet and colorful for an ice cream social. .

Tags: polyvore, outfits, style, fashion, shopping, summer, parties

I don’t recall which game it was, but is was something like the one at Claires.com, called Getting Ready. Cute, but definitely made for those still in the stage that’s obsessed with all things princess and pony.

When I went searching for a more grown up version of the online dress up game I found that, apparently, not all women grow out of the princess fairytale. Vera Wang is using a dress up game to market her new fragrance.

Unlike the children’s game, though, you don’t get to choose the complexion or hair color of your character at thePrincess Beauty website. There’s just one silly socialite, with a really limited wardrobe. Hmmm… still like the children’s game better.

There’s a more down to earth version of the dress up game at DressErin.com, a site where you pick from the wardrobe of a real woman named Erin.
Unfortunately, it’s a little too real. Erin’s a school teacher in Virginia and… well, it shows. Her wardrobe is utterly boring.

My Virtual Model has lotsa potential. You get to choose the race, hairstyle, sex and bodytype of the model your dressing. It’s not quite fun yet though, the clothing selection being limited. This one requires account signup, but it’s free.

Here’s a few more:

The Republic
pros: play with boy dolls too. con: no accessories!

Nordstrom BP
Very cute, but wish the selection was larger (as usual), and no accessories again! The default model is a cute black girl with natural hair. Hooray for brown girls!

Elle Girl Catwalk
Create your own fashion show!

I-Dressup.com
A smorgesbord of frivolous fashion games, including a few that use couture clothing.

Levi’s LadyStyle
Get dressed in Levi jeans and tops then choose your hair and makeup.

Tags: online games, play dress up, vera wang, fashion, shopping

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