{fbff} outside influences

I haven't participated in FBFF in a little while, but I really like today's topic--outside influences & inspiration.  Since I feel as though I've had a lack of outfit inspiration as of late, this is timely.  I've been wishing for some free time to spend organizing and playing in my closet, getting my head around what I have, but just haven't been able to fit it in, what with my recent frequent weekend trips to North Carolina.  *Side note: I'm glad to be staying home this weekend and just relaxing!*  Anyway, I've said all that to say this--I've been feeling like I need to get back to my roots, fashion-wise.  Almost like I need to stop paying attention to outside inspiration for a bit and instead go to my closet and get creative.  Of course, with the season change, I also just want to dump everything I have and fill my closet with new pretty summer things.  That's the smart choice, right?  Wait...

1. What magazines do you subscribe to?

Everyone knows I have a long-standing love affair with Lucky magazine.  I've been a loyal subscriber since it's debut when I was in high school.  I even remember where I was when I first heard about the magazine, before its actual launch.  (Is that weird?  Probably not, since I remember everything...)  I love Lucky for its mix of high and low pieces and for the friendly yet spare writing style.

Lately, I've also been really into InStyle as well.  I've found that InStyle's approach to workwear is much more realistic than other magazines.  (I love you Lucky, but I simply cannot wear shorts, a button down & a blazer to work.)

My grandmother has provided me with a subscription to Allure as part of my Christmas gift since I was a teenager.  Not surprising coming from a woman who is in her early 80s and refuses to leave the house without 4-inch heels, a full face of makeup and a coordinating ensemble.  While I don't wear a ton of makeup, the beauty tips I've gleaned over the years from the magazine have been invaluable.

Finally, I've become a recent subscriber to Vogue.  Most of the editorials are not translatable to my real life, but the styling is unmatched and legendary and unique.  Plus, the writing content is much heavier than the other two fashion mags I read.

2. Do you watch any fashion TV shows?

Formerly, I was addicted to TLC's What Not to Wear.  I even watched it way back when before Clinton Kelly was even a host.  What was that other dude's name?  Wayne or something?  Anywho, my husband figured out a way to break me of this addiction...by cancelling our cable.  Now, we have a high definition antenna and get about 30-40 channels for free, but none of them are TLC.  Still waiting for those seasons to come available on the Netflix instant queue.  (hehehe)

Speaking of the instant queue, I got inexplicably excited one day when I realized all the Project Runway seasons were available to watch instantly.  (Inexplicable because I've never actually seen an episode of the show before.)  I promptly added every last one of them to my queue.  When I went back the following day to watch an episode, they were no longer available & Netflix had added all the discs to my regular queue.  So now we have a bajillion seasons of PR on our regular queue, which I'm sure the husband is thrilled about.

So no, I don't watch any fashion tv shows.  Next question.

3. Beyond blogs, what websites do you frequent for fashion inspiration?

I can't really think of any...pretty much just blogs.  Isn't that time-consuming enough?

4. Advertisements play a huge role in forming public opinion about a product or brand…What ads do you like and why?

This is a much harder question than I thought it would be.  I can tell you which ads I don't like much easier than the ones I do.  For instance, I never like the Marc Jacobs or Louis Vuitton ads.  Never.  I mostly like ads that are relatively simple & product-driven or evoke happiness.  I'm not a fan of shock-factor ads or ads that are too busy.

5. Do you own any fashion books?

I can think of two that I own: The Lucky Shopping Manual and The Lucky Guide to Mastering Any Style.  However, I don't know that I ever finished reading the second one.  I have been thinking about getting one of Nina Garcia's books, and I'd kind of like to read Victoria Beckham's book That Extra Half an Inch, mainly because we're basically the same size.  Don't judge me.

If you’d like to read everyone else’s thoughts on this topic, see the whole list of bloggers who are participating this week at ModlyChic.