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Monday, February 23, 2009

Now The Fables Have Grown Old

I find it interesting how books always get a big reaction from bloggers--even the "frivolous" fashion blog niche in which I am entrenched. To me, it seems very logical that those who like to express themselves through writing, also like to read. A passion in the latter almost always seems to lead to dabbling in the former. I would also be interested in knowing who among the aesthetically affected stylish crowd would describe themselves as bookworms or even nerds.
Personally, I spent many of my lunch periods in high school reading a novel in the art room rather than socializing. I still tend to eat my meals in my room choosing written word over companionship; a habit that friends find endearing (hopefully), but can also trouble people. While I know that I am not an island, it is hard sometimes to deal with reality when one is so moved by characters and word play...
I really adore this idea of a shared meal from "House Like Lotus" by Madeleine L'Engle:
"Sometimes when I went over to Beau Allaire, Max and I ate together, with books open beside us on the table, and didn't talk, unless one of us wanted to read something to the other."
Outfit details: dress- H&M, vest- gift, tights- gift, coat- H&M, shoes- secondhand, bag- Pull and Bear
A little while ago Shot Couture had a giveaway with several sweet prizes. I was lucky enough to win this scarf. It is lush.
Outfit details: scarf- prize, cardigan- Banana Republic Outlet, skirt- secondhand, stockings- Thank You Mart, shoes- Marshalls, bag- Pull and Bear

76 comments:

AsianCajuns said...

100% bookworm. Cath and I grew up in libraries. We worked in libraries and bookstores... now our favorite shopping item at Ikea is bookshelves. We also grew up sitting around the breakfast table all reading... this makes me wish I wasn't at work now and could go read a book (currently The Naked and The Dead).
Lovvvve the scarf and the vest- always inspiring!

Nadia said...

Who takes your pictures? Do you carry a tripod around?

Tahda said...

I love your tighs (blue & reddish). very cool.

I know what you mean about the company of books. I go through phases where I am very much a "lone read"!

Raquel said...

such cute outfits. love seeing you wearing your glasses too :)

Helen said...

Of course, being a literature student I am a total bookworm! Both for pleasure and for study, although I can't wait to graduate to tackle the growing pile of books on my 'to read' list. People find it funny when I say that me and my boyfriend read in bed. I love it though, it's like a hobby you can enjoy alone or together.

When we find something funny or interesting we share it - which is good since we both read totally different kinds of books. He's into sci-fi, fantasy and fact whilst I like classics, post-modernist stuff (and some chick lit!)

Ashe Mischief said...

Gah! I love all of the references to Madeline L'Engle's stories as of late. She was my favorite author growing up, and still is to this date. Now I want to go & re-read all of her books... I love how many had adult themes in them without us really knowing it.

Penny said...

i am in love with your studded shoes!!

i agree, nothing beats a good book

Twobreadsplease said...

The scarf is really very tasty. And I love your white waistcoat with your blue dress. You always look so lovely. I love reading books and I opt to eat in my room quite a bit too, although usually, i'm just watching trash tv online rather than reading something refined. I like the quote from "House Like Lotus", is it a good book? xx

Tina said...

i adore a good book! the outfits are lovely, love the cardigan, skirt & shoes in the 2nd outfit!

Ambroisine said...

I agree with you about books..Sometimes I prefer to be alone with a good book rather than being with friends, some people just find you asocial ! I love both outfits, the scarf you won is beautiful !

copperoranges said...

my mother used to ban books from the dinner table because i would always read through meals and not talk to my family!

Jen said...

That meal sounds lovely. I used to be a complete bookworm and I still do read a lot, or at least intend to, it just seems I have no time for it. I am still reading though - just not in English and I'm being graded on it!

I have a big pile of 'to-read' books on my bed side table that I really need to get through.

I've tagged you by the way :) See my blog for details!

Emz said...

That is a fantastic scarf. And I wish I had time to do outside reading.. Too bad I'm taking heavy reading courses that reading them is taking up all my time!

Chester said...

Lovely outfits.
I'm a bookworm and would go so far as to call myself a nerd in the best possible way.
I've been reading less these days which is something I need to cure with the long steady meditation of reading a good book. I love your outfits! I wish I owned more dresses, I used to hate them but now I love dresses. I saw the cutest one at Anthropologie but their prices are a little on the high side so I couldn't get it. :(

Jess said...

I definately consider myself a bookworm. I am always reading something. I have also spent many a lunch reading! And I agree that most creative people love to read. We just like admiring other creative people.

Winnie said...

That scarf is lovely.

I used to get told off for reading in bed all the time and at school I would take a book out of the library and devour the thing in a day, only to get another one the next day! Needless to say, I do love a good book.

Emmy said...

I too am a fashion addicted bookworm. I'd sooner read a book than go to some massive party any day. In fact, when I was younger I used to carry around a book to read WHILE walking in the hallways. It's a wonder I have friends.

ann said...

that second pair of shoes? AMAZING. i'm with you about preferring the company of books to most people ;)

dearilou said...

You definitely have a librarian chic thing going with that bun and those glasses.
Also, I am a total nerd. A bookworm, a science wiz, and a former band geek. Heck yeah, proud of it!

enc said...

The color scheme and print on that scarf suit you very well, Rebecca.

I spent much of my childhood and early adolescence reading books. I really loved imagining the world through others' words.

♥ Chloe said...

I am an odd mix of social and not. My job is highly social (on any given day I can encounter more than 200+ different people, and since it's a gym they tend to be repeat customers that you get to know and uh, even marry *points at self*) but on my days off, I find myself craving quiet and solitude. I read a lot. I enjoy the arts. If I had a piano to pound away on, I would do that too. But since I currently don't, I just need to pretend and drum out chords and rhythms with my fingers.

I love your vest in the first picture. It's perfection over that dress!

~JiAtAkeo!* said...

As always .. you look fabulous!! =)

vintijgospogurl said...

i love the vest and the scarf...!! they look divine! Agree to that 'wormbook' thing, i am one myself.

xx imelda

The Stylish Wanderer said...

I think Im a bookworm, or at least half of one, because I find myself busy lately and having no time to read.

blue tights.... love

Joey said...

i too am a total book worm. one of my prerequisites when purse buying is that it must be large enough to carry at least one book!

The Red Velvet Shoe said...

Yes, another bookworm. Although I don't have half the time to read I wish I had, I keep stacks of books everywhere so I can always get a quick fix, even if it's just a paragraph here and there. Also, your shoes are gorgeous~~love that autumnal color.

Ashley B ;-) said...

Thanks for the camera advice! Funny, "A House Like a Lotus is also one of my favourites of Madeline L'Engle. I also Highly reccomend "And Both were Young". I will someday visit the French Alps because of that book! Love the outfits!

L. said...

cute looks

Eyeliah @ stylesymmetry.com said...

eek, I still don't read enough.

muchlove said...

I love your last outfit a lot. Your scarf goes well with the skirt and shoes.
I wouldn't say I'm a bookworm, but I wish I was. I'm in the process of pushing myself to read more books nowadays. At least 1 new book a month is my resolution this year.

ps. in regard to your comment, I have a fear of trying too... that's another thing I'm trying to push myself to do :)

Diane said...

I feel like I don't read as much as I could, primarily because of school! I am a total bookworm though and have even been called a nerd. I work in two stores - a used bookstore and a comic book store. I think I mentioned before that I'm studying to be a librarian and have an internship at a public/academic library. My whole life revolves around books! It's good to know that there are some fellow readers/style bloggers out there.

And as always, lovely outfits! I love the vest and dress together in the first outfit and absolutely adore your shoes in the second!

Emily said...

Gorgeous scarf! Congrats on winning such a beautiful prize :)

Just call me a little bookworm. When I was younger I found more enjoyment in books rather than playing with my siblings or friends. Sometimes life is better when its just you & your book.

Hannah is Narnia's Closet said...

fashion people are smart people, DUH! haha, no, i think it comes from fashions unique role in society as a sort of time capsule. from fashion you can see what the designer was thinking, as well as the trends and attitudes of the time. books do something similar (but probably better... well, different).

Hannah is Narnia's Closet said...

fashion people are smart people, DUH! haha, no, i think it comes from fashions unique role in society as a sort of time capsule. from fashion you can see what the designer was thinking, as well as the trends and attitudes of the time. books do something similar (but probably better... well, different).

Shen-Shen said...

I love both these looks, but the shoes are my favorite parts!

tofuscloset said...

oh your dress is cute!! and you are actually wearing heels!! =)
i love reading books too..but i find myself getting completely obessed with stories sometimes i get too wishy washy about wanting that to be my reality..wierd huh..LOL
xoxo

Flashes of Style said...

Aww those black pointed flats are so adorable. And you are a lucky lady, that scarf is gorgeous.

lisa said...

That scarf looks great on you, and peep-toe shoes with tights are lovely AND timely (considering the subject of my most today). :)

Self-confessed nerd and bookworm right here. I used to bring home as many library books and magazines as I could stuff into my backpack and devour them all in a week. As far as lazy days off go, the most perfect one in my mind is sleeping in and staying in bed in my pj's until 3pm reading.

Wanderlusting said...

I'm the same. More times than not I prefer my own company than others. Though I've been pretty mental lately and so even getting on MY nerves lol.

ZombieLace said...

I LOVE your lonely school yard type photoshoot you have going on! It's so fall and lovely, and it really does remind me of my high school days. Some books were just more comfortable and friendly than people sometimes! Now all I do is read and write and study all about words... Total bookworm/nerd :~)

EternalJade said...

Bookworm here. I'm currently a literature major. LOL. I guess what you said just shows the difference between the world of blogging and haute couture.

amanda said...

Some of my most enduring friendships are with literary characters. Which probably says loads about me, but judging from your comments and post, I'm among kindred spirits. :)

The blue tights and 40's style peep-toes are insanely gorgeous.

jayne said...

bonafide nerd right here, and proud of it! love the scarf and shoes btw!

catherine said...

the first pic with h&m dress is just so adorable, j'adore the garment

goldenmeans said...

you are totally right; i spent every lunch break in high school in the hallway outside our library, reading :)

love your cardigan!

Denise L said...

guilty!

am so a bookworm. i need to be surrounded with books all the time. been reading since i began to learn how to read. i've read all my textbooks even before the school term starts. if that isn't nerd then how do you call that. I can stay in my room forever in one condition, i need to have a book. My trips to the mall won't be complete with buying a new novel or discovering a new author. I can't decide now if am gonna bring all my books to NZ when we finally move there. But it's crazy right?

am still waiting for a new Murakami novel now.

Denise L said...

ps,
i love your shoe. that is soooo jazz!

and the scarf too.

Irides said...

Definitely a self-described fashion-obsessed bookworm, and also a writing major. My glasses are a direct result (at least, according to my mother) of my reading late at night, in the cars, while lying down... you name it, I probably took a book with me.

One of my professors state that the major reason as to why people are compelled to write is to "continue the dream" that is the universe of the written word. It's true, at least in my case. :D

Oh, before I forget: nice outfit.

Amelia said...

I'm definitely a bookworm and a nerd. I love the location of the first pictures and that scarf is beautiful.

Ziling said...

Looking real goood!!!

Hot Bot said...

I've always loved writing, and as much as I harp about my BA in English and my days as an English major; I embarrassingly enough don't read as much as I should or want to.

And I also write insanely long run-on sentences.

foolfashion.com said...

I really love thos spots shoes

yiqin; said...

I used to spend all my breaks reading too! The library & bookstores were my favourite places to go & I always get excited over a good book! I have a pretty big collection of books too :O

Brigadeiro said...

I used to be the hugest bookworms (loved the classics in particular, and even read encyclopedias, haha, anything I could get my hands on)...I must reignite that flame :)
xx

Georgie said said...

Great shoes and scarf :-)
I am lucky to have a sister who studied english lit at university and has bookshelf upon bookshelf and piles and piles of books. Whenever I need a book I go to her library, she has true classics and modern classics, all amazing.
x

Andrea said...

Those brown shoes with navy tights: love it!
I am definitely a bookworm/nerd. Always have been. I fancy myself something of a writer as well, though I've yet to find "success" in that arena.

closeup said...

i loove colourd tights!

deedoubleyou said...

nothing better than getting your head lost in a good book...and as for the nerd thing, no comment. haha
love the mix of colour adn patterns in the second outfit. wonderful as always :)

Nadine said...

I'm in love with the second look - and I'm also a big bookworm. I adore reading.

dapper kid said...

Love the shoes in that first outfit and that scarf is absolutely beautiful! I'm definitely a nerd, not something I like to call myself, but a name that seemed to follow me around at school. Far too few people really read anymore, it is such a shame. I seriously read at any opportunity, I read when commuting, read when in waiting rooms, I even sometimes read when walking. Plus I'm collecting books for that lovely library room with walnut shelves I hope to own one day ;)

bellzar said...

You are absolutely adorable and I love your site... It is the most original blog orientated towards our demographic. I visit frequently.

Your shoes and tights in the photos with the brick background are fabulous too :)

Kvestelser said...

I am a nerd. And I can see your habit of choosing the books over the people, sometimes.

the Oracle of Style said...

I love those outfits!
Especially shoes:)

Lucyn'Diamonds said...

You look lovely. Nice work with the colours. *

The Clothes Horse said...

@Nadia,
Yes, I take my own pictures. I use a tripod but I hardly carry it everywhere--I try to set aside 10-15 minutes every day to take portrait shots.

Trisch said...

lovely photos. I love books as much as I love people. I think the best is when you find someone to read with.

Anna Pope said...

Love the blue tights with those shoes, so cute!

I've always considered myself a bookworm and even though I've been getting lost more and more in anatomy books than literature (the only think I really, really hate about my school of choice) I still get giddy when it's just me and a great novel. Bookworms unite, yes? :D

jessie said...

i love those maroon tights! and that cream vest is so so great!

Pratishtha Durga said...

Hey the scarf looks lovely on you! I am so glad you like it. Ritu Kumar is one of India's ace designers, and her prints are to die for. You look lovely.

bellefantaisie.net said...

That scarf is gorgeous! It looks ace on you!
x

Swell Vintage - Frankie said...

I'm really loving those studded shoes...*dribble* x

Annie said...

Hurray for stylish nerds! What you said is really interesting, and part of why I like to blog not just about fashion but about art and music and stuff. Because all of those parts of my life inspire each other! If I didn't love writing so much, would I have a fashion blog? Definitely not. Yay :)

http://anniediamond.blogspot.com (if you're interested)

Manja said...

I am the biggest bookworm there is. I buy SO many books, it is almost embarrassing! I have around 70-80 unread books here, just because I tend to read one book and buy three new ones. I put a stop to this now, though, because I have to save up for my summer vacation...I'm going to the USA (Okay, it's not like I don't have enough books I still need to read^^)

Little Bow Prep said...

I really like the last outfit and the eggplant colored tights!

Rachael said...

Lovely outfits, I particularly like the vest - you make me want to try wearing one.

I'm quite bookworm (and indeed general nerd), and always have been. I worried, initially, that my foray into fashion blogging and fashion in general was too frivolous a pursuit, and somehow anti intellectual. But it's quite the opposite, the fashion blogger community on the whole is highly articulate, reads more than the average person and I'm certain that a far higher proportion of us than the average are tertiary educated (including the vast numbers of still engaged in said education). And yet it's such an apparently frivolous interest that we have in common... Interesting.

Sorry for the essay, but your posts are so thoughtful I do go on a bit when I comment on them.

tis serendipity said...

You have such a wide array of colored tights it really amazes me!

I like that quote you posted... For some reason everytime I come across a person eating quietly and reading a book by himself/herself in the cafeteria my heart goes out to him/her because it's such an apt reflection of myself. There are times when I just want to be alone yet some people would consider such acts as being anti-social/loner-ish. It's important to be sure of ourselves and who we are as people though I suppose.

At times I still feel a little guilty about how my reading of other subject matters has dropped quite a bit because of all the time I spend blog-surfing... It seems I view more images now than read text. How do you balance it all?

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