I’ve been somewhat following the fashion week nonsense these past several days (and by following, I mean if it shows up in my RSS feed, I’ll probably glance at it). I was especially curious to see J.Crew’s new spring 2012 ready-to-wear line, as I don’t believe they’ve presented at fashion week before. Bring on the preppy-quirk.

Photos from Style.com.

Miss Moss and shep also have fantastic posts covering a hand full of the other shows—rather than be a thief and post their composites over here, I suggest you visit to see what else I liked. :)

UNIT OF MEASURE
by Sandra Beasley

All can be measured by the standard of the capybara.
Everyone is lesser than or greater than the capybara.
Everything is taller or shorter than the capybara.
Everything is mistaken for a Brazilian dance craze
more or less frequently than the capybara.
Everyone eats greater or fewer watermelons
than the capybara. Everyone eats more or less bark.
Everyone barks more than or less than the capybara,
who also whistles, clicks, grunts, and emits what is known
as his alarm squeal. Everyone is more or less alarmed
than a capybara, who—because his back legs
are longer than his front legs—feels like
he is going downhill at all times.
Everyone is more or less a master of grasses 
than the capybara. Or going by the scientific name,
more or less Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris—

or, going by the Greek translation, more or less
water hog. Everyone is more or less
of a fish than the capybara, defined as the outermost realm
of fishdom by the 16th-century Catholic Church.
Everyone is eaten more or less often for Lent than
the capybara. Shredded, spiced, and served over plantains,
everything tastes more or less like pork
than the capybara. Before you decide that you are
greater than or lesser than a capybara, consider
that while the Brazilian capybara breeds only once a year,
the Venezuelan variety mates continuously.
Consider the last time you mated continuously.
Consider the year of your childhood when you
had exactly as many teeth as the capybara—
twenty—and all yours fell out, and all his
kept growing. Consider how his skin stretches
in only one direction. Accept that you are stretchier
han the capybara. Accept that you have foolishly
distributed your eyes, ears, and nostrils
all over your face. Accept that now you will never be able
to sleep underwater. Accept that the fish
will never gather to your capybara body offering
their soft, finned love. One of us, they say, one of us,
but they will not say it to you.

—
One of my favorite poems, originally featured in Poetry Magazine, as well as the central creature, fashioned into darling brooches from Made by White.

I wish all of these were hanging in my closet. I had a dream about those purple pants this week. Not kidding.

Red (Monki); Orange (Dusen Dusen); Yellow (Monki); Green (Louche); Blue (Monki); Purple (J.Crew).

This weekend while Mr. Husband is in class, I’ll be off to the DC “Fashion Beauty Lifestyle” Expo. I’m hoping for a lipstick consultation and a chance to meet Nigel Barker, and, let’s be honest, free goodies.

I posted one of Tim Barber’s photographs on Friday Faves last week, but couldn’t resist coming back for seconds. These shots from his “Untitled Photographs” set are really moving—they’re varied and spontaneous, and make me miss being more alone and going weird places I’d have to react to without anyone’s influence. That’s a weird thing to miss. I guess between these photos and reading Rookie Mag’s “higher learning” high school flashback advice, I’m feeling sentimental for the grungy rawness of earlier days. O, melodrama!

Here’s some pictures.

More Tim Barber here.

(1) Carven volcano skirt; (2) “Overthinking” via Pinterest; (3) Fiery Oscar de la Renta lace dress; (4) Untitled photograph by Tim Barber.

—

Not sure why I’m drawn to the smoky and explosive this week. Let’s just say it’s a metaphor for how much I’m ready for the week to be over, and leave it at that.

On a side note, for those blog-readers who are interested, I have a poem up in this month’s Apercus Quarterly. Worrrrd.

by Claire Scully.

I came across Joanna Baker’s darling blog this morning and knew I had to share. What better way to explore artistic talent than to memorialize your fashion wishlists forever? Though I do hope my Pinterest archives will never disappear, I have to say Baker’s sketches are an even more classy way to get those J.Crew wool mini pants into my house without having to cough up my entire clothing budget.

You can also find Baker on Pinterest & twitter.

If I told you my city was hit with not only an earthquake this week, but also a hurricane, would it be enough to forgive my lack of posting? If so, thanks. If not, well, it’s my blog and I do what I want.

Mr. Husband, dog, and I made it through the week alive, and with access to electricity. I say we’ve come out victorious. Here’s a few things (some of which, like this week, are a bit on the wild side):

(1) The back of a bear, by Jill Greenberg; (2) a little Tolkien, via Glitter Guide; (3) Leopard loafers from J.Crew; (4) a fantastic photo by Valeria Lazareva; (5) really excellent bag.

(1) - (2) - (3) - (4)

Have a colorful Friday! This week’s been wild, of course. Non-stop work! Non-stop test grading! Car repairs! This weekend I’m planning a little fun-time. Hoping to go to Old Town on Saturday to find a new teaching-appropriate dress…and maybe some seafood. Hoorah!

Hilarious and terrifying! Woman caught mid-sneeze, 1900. Pinned from Black & WTF.

As predicted, Mr. Husband and I felt terrible all weekend. We ate canned chicken soup and watched Teen Mom from Friday night till Sunday night. I didn’t even feel well enough to look at pretty things on the interwebs, so you’re stuck with Madame Sneeze today. Take your vitamins!