Bonjour it's Jinah!

Sunday, February 27

On a Sunday Crafternoon: Deep Space

Inspired by Tanie (of cupcake wishes and unicorn dreams) and Sarah (of silence sweetheart)'s DIY efforts, I decided to fulfill my own space prom wardrobe fantasies and gathered the girls for an official crafternoon/science experiment.


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First we gathered all the necessary supplies: bleach, gloves, blue RIT dye, glow in the dark and matte fabric paints, old paintbrushes, and a bunch of old clothes. Don't forget the Cadbury eggs for important chocolate snacking moments. Pretty essential for me and my girls.

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We all really wanted to make dresses, but you would be surprised how hard pressed you can be to find a perfect black Betsey-esque jersey dress with a kicky little peplum skirt. Okay, maybe that makes sense. We all ended up using either thrifted items or items that had been previously shoved into the back of our closets.


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Mary made some extra adjustments to hers and added a rubber band, tie dye style.

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And then we added the bleach. Everyone used their own made-up technique. Some of us brushed, some of us drizzled, and some of us used a spray bottle, all of them resulting in different looks. It wasn't long before we all started screaming, "It's changing! It's changing colors!!!"

The science experiment part of this endeavor? We kind of wanted to know what color things would turn if you spilled bleach on them--the results were mostly in shades of orange. After the bleach treatment we ran all of the garments through the washer.


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Mine were pretty 80's looking.

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Lana's turned out like a sci-fi superheroine sunrise.


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Mary's turned out like REAL SPACELIKE.


And since I believed that more is more, I thought it would be fun to add more bleach. Which  (after a rinse and dry) resulted in a totally different set of colors:


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The level of fading after two bleach + wash cycles was sufficient so we busted out the dye. We used a royal blue dye, diluted according to the directions on the bottle, and mixed partially with some red wine to achieve a range of shades from smokey blue, deep eggplant, to blood red. (The wine was an especially fun tip from Tanie.)


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The house smelled like winos and bleach after all was said and done.


We were impatient so we skipped waiting through yet another wash/dry cycle and went straight to painting on the stars. I thought it would be fun to have the stars glow in the dark, so I got both glowy and non glowy fabric paints. I also figured the glow would be brighter if the (translucent) glow in the dark paint was painted over the matte white paint.


If you look carefully you can see the classy scraps of cardboard we used as disposable paint palettes.


The stars were painted on randomly and everyone had their own technique.


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I love the twinkling stars on Mary's! She had the brill idea of using the back end of the paintbrush to get more evenly rounded stars. I freehanded mine and took twice as long as everyone else.

And the final result, after washing out the toxic mix of bleach and wine smells was this:


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I felt super duper 90's in it. I suppose that's fitting since we watched all of season one of Clarissa Explains it All while completing this project.
Up next? Finding the perfect dress to ruin with the same process...

Thursday, February 24

Spring Break Casual

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Outfit details:
Secondhand J. Crew jean jacket via Ragorama (shop their current similar style here)
Anthropologie A-Bit-Unruly top
Anthropologie Circle the Globe skirt (similar options: here, here, and here)
Frye Ada two piece shoes (from 2008) (this year's rendition here)
Madewell heritage waist belt
J. Crew x Timex traveler watch 

I am officially over the nasty hump of midterms and well into my last academic Spring Break! Luckily, the weather has decided to cooperate and continues to offer little morsels of sunshine despite how early this year's break is.

I celebrated by grabbing a slew of my favorite things and combining them to make a single outfit: stripes, bright colors, bare legs, and my new (and already my favorite!) timepiece. I even got a little braver and ventured a little out of my comfort zone to snap these photos. A super public place where there is constant foot traffic? Not my usual blog photo backdrop!

After the break, I'm starting an exciting new photography class. Hopefully the assignments will be a push in the right direction. Soon I might even take photos in the most public of places, not just when everyone's safely inside at their day jobs.

And don't forget to enter the Shopbop giveaway! You've got just a few more days!

Monday, February 21

$100 Shopbop Giftcard Giveaway!

This is what dreams are made of y'all. The lovely people at Shopbop contacted me to offer you, my lovely readers, a chance to win a $100 gift card. Considering they carry all of the greatest pieces from so many of my favorite brands, I'm sure you will have no problem finding something to spend it on.

If you're skeptical, I'm more than happy to offer you some suggestions:

They have a wide array of women's wallets--I love this Rebecca Minkoff one. It's the perfect sleek size to tuck into even the smallest of clutches.



Or speaking of clutches, there is a beautiful selection of  DVF handbags. I like the Harper Day bag to channel my inner Chloe (of the Chloe Conspiracy fame).







And while we're talking Chloe... How can anyone resist an obsession with everything See by Chloe?! I'll sign up for a pair of these wedges in addition to every SBC dress on the Shopbop site.




Of course, you could stretch your good fortune and peruse the sale section. I'm eyeing this Madewell number that's currently on sale at Shopbop.




And of course, here are the rules for entry:
  • To enter, simply leave a comment on this blog entry! Please make sure you leave a way I can contact you.
  • As usual, I will reward extra entries if you follow my blog, tweet about the contest, or blog about the contest. You do not need to post these entries as separate comments, just make sure you let me know on this post.
  • The giveaway will run from today, Monday February 21 to Wednesday March 2 at 11:59 PM EST.
  • Open to US and International readers, hooray!
Good luck! For those of you (like me) who can't wait to win a contest, Shopbop is offering next day shipping to US residents for the rest of the month of February. New spring shoes, be mine!

Contest is currently closed! Thanks for playing! 

The winner is Sweet Laundry!

* entries have been hidden to protect against e-mail interception

Sunday, February 20

Currently Digging: fashionABLE scarves

We just received a slew of spring scarves at work, but I'm most excited about this particular batch. What makes them so exciting? fashionABLE is a non-profit organization focused on promoting sustainable business in Africa. A purchase directly supports the women who create your scarf.

And aside from the story behind them, the scarves themselves are beautiful. Each style, named after a woman benefiting from a fashionABLE job, comes in a rich array of colors and is cut from super soft handwoven cotton. All of the textures are yummy and might even bump out my favorite Love Quotes scarves in the accessories rotation this season.

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LOVE the waffley texture on this style.

I'm sporting the Etanesh scarf in white here. Get your own at Squash Blossom in Decatur or online on the fashionABLE site.

Saturday, February 19

Sugar Sweet

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Outfit details: here.
Urban Outfitters Cooperative Printed Bow-Tieback Dress
Avindy Champagne Pearl and Metallic Manget wrap bracelet (as necklace)
Tabitha Tyndall coat from Anthropologie
Frye Lisa T-strap (this season's sister shoe here)
Rebecca Minkoff MAC clutch

Since we were making up for the holiday on Wednesday as it was, I decided to go all out and dress super saccharine sweet for date night with Markus. It's not like we go to one of the most celebrated restaurants in Atlanta any day of the week.

I didn't bring my scary paparazzi camera to dinner for those of you gourmands, so I apologize for the grainy iPhone camera shots we took in the alley.  As for the food--I wholeheartedly recommend the dining experience for you Atlantans. It's something worth experiencing at least once.

Happy weekend, y'all!

Thursday, February 17

Currently Obsessed: Fieldguided



Much like the blog of the same name, the fieldguided shop is simplistic, inspirational, and oh so dreamy. While perusing the shop, I keep coming back to this tote in particular. I can never have enough tote bags, and this one especially feels necessary--perfect for hauling my slumber party supplies and secret plans.

Purchase your own tote here.

Wednesday, February 16

Sponsor Bonjour it's Jinah for March!


I'm accepting blog sponsorships for the first time ever on Bonjour it's Jinah. Ads will run through the month of March and are available at the low introductory price of just $10! The perfect way to advertise for your e-commerce business, Etsy, blog, or personal website. Spaces are limited, and slots will be filled first-come, first-served.

Email me at bonjour.jinah@gmail.com for more info!

Post Valentine's Day Valentiney Post

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Outfit details:
Guinevere parasols cardigan from Anthropologie (circa 2007? 2008?)
J. Crew bici tank
Scout Holiday pennant necklace
Avindy Champagne and pearl wrap bracelet (locally designed and made in Atlanta!)
J. Crew Panne velvet bell skirt (similar here, )
Spanx Tight end tights in Espresso
Bass Enfield oxfords
Marc by Marc Jacobs Classic Q Hillier hobo
 
I meant to post this yesterday and make a Valentine's Day Valentiney post, but (as they usually do) a handful of midterms disrupted my plans. Heck not only were date night plans ruined (hello, Monday evening class!), once again, any potential plans for NYFW were foiled. Sigh, once again, maybe next year!

But Markus and I made up for the holiday on Sunday and had an all day hangout session. I dressed in mauve and chocolate shades to feel more festive. And I really can't complain--we have a heck of a dinner date planned for Wednesday. Not only are we going to avoid the crowds (yick, I do so horribly in crowded places), we are finally going to the top restaurant on my list of places I want to eat. Oh yes.

Tomorrow we will fulfill my little tastebuds' dreams and finally go to Bacchanalia. I'm all wiggly just thinking about it!

Thursday, February 10

Space Oddity

I recently met a really cool girl. How cool is she exactly? Well, for starters, she just hosted a Space Prom. Now what exactly does one wear to a outer space themed dance?

Slaps head--duh. Christopher Kane galaxy print dresses. Commence drooling, coveting, and commiserating with me. I'm still working on how to justify owning any of these pieces.

images from style.com
 

Wednesday, February 9

Preppy in Chevrons

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Outfit details: 
J. Crew Merino Maya Cardigan (available in cotton from J. Crew Factory online--open weekends!, or sub these options: here or here)
Anthro Pointedly Skirt (style #19430602--check in store! My local store still had a couple.)
Urban Outfitters cable knee socks (get a similar pair here or here)
Bass Enfield saddle shoe (super comfy and warm, yay!)

I've been secretly eyeing this skirt, really digging the 70's vibe. When I read on the reviews on Anthro's site and one of them stated it was based on a skirt Grace Kelly used to wear, it had to be mine. 

I decided to mix eras a little bit by adding the saddle shoes. My first instinct was to throw on some boots and head out for the day, but I think the preppy twist really tied everything together much better. Not quite how Ms. Kelly would have styled it, perhaps, but I feel ready to skip to study hall or ask somebody to the Sadie Hawkins dance.

And--congrats to Jacqueline who won the bunting necklace giveaway! If you want to purchase one of your own, meander on over to Mary's Etsy shop.

Sunday, February 6

Spring Wishlist: Shoes!

I've just about lost my mind with the winter doldrums. I'm ready for warm temperatures, and with them, new shoes! I've been daydreaming about a couple pairs, some I've been eyeing for ages.
 
Clockwise from top left:
  1. Swedish Hasbeens Mimmi clog sandals, approx $292 at swedishhasbeens.com. Available in just a few more days, I can't resist the sweet bow and perforated leather on this pair. Mandatory for tea parties and channeling your inner Minnie Mouse.
  2. Madewell the Dustbowl boot, $142 at madewell.com. I love me a good desert boot, and this is my favorite for the season. Love the skinny laces, and the sandy tan color. This one gets my vote over Clarks, J. Crew, and all of the femme'd up options.
  3. J. Crew Marguerite suede wedges, $165 at jcrew.com. What better to pair with your new highwaisted wideleg jeans? Very 70s yet extremely modern. Love the leather wrapped wedge on this pair.
  4. Bass Loves Rachel Antonoff Matilda shoe, $109 at freepeople.com. Been completely obsessed with this collaboration since it was announced. After stalking the Free People, Bloomie's, and Nordstrom sites every single day in 2011, they're here!!
  5. Toms Canvas Wedges, $69 at tomsshoes.com. Comfortable, versatile, and socially conscious to boot. I want to wear these everywhere from the beach to dinner and drinks.
And don't forget! You've still got just a few hours to enter the bunting necklace giveaway!
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