(Image Above: Battalion Jacket in Black, Laser Light Show Dress, Chic Chevron Tights, Nefertiti Heels, Snake, Rattle, and Roll Bag, Compact Cassette Ring, and Calla Lovely Earrings)

It was sheer gluttony, pure indulgence, unabashed self ingratiation. Yes! Well, perhaps I exaggerate, but that’s beside the point. You see, when us writers choose an outfit of the week, we generally have an inspiration in mind. Sometimes, we try out a new style, something out of our comfort zone. Other times, we build an outfit around a theme, say, Western wear. For my outfit of the week, however, I decided to throw all that to the wind. Ah yes, there it goes now, little flecks of well-conceived thought borne away on the currents of my desires. Why? For my outfit of the week, I decided to do nothing more than seize the occasion as an opportunity to get decked out in some of my favorite ModCloth items. No seamlessly calculated plan. No invisible thread weaving the outfit together. Just a gleeful avidness for wearing clothes I admired. The result was a visual cacophony of color, pattern, and shape. The curved frogging of the Battalion Jacket in Black contrasted with the jagged, angular shapes on the Laser Light Show Dress. The delicate organic loops of the Calla Lovely Earrings played opposites with the bold geometric design on the Nefertiti Heels. Then, for good measure, a few accessories – the Compact Cassette Ring, the Chic Chevron Tights, and the Snake, Rattle, and Roll Bag. Some may say the whole is a bit overboard, but I can’t help but love it.

What do you think?

And, what’s your favorite ModCloth item?

Who doesn’t love a good Mad Lib? Not you. Not me. Not anyone. So, this week’s Top Ten is here to bring you nonsensical fun! Fill in the categories below, then read on to make your marvelous Mad Libs of the Top ten Movie Quotes. Be sure to comment with your funniest line!

10. (noun); (adjective)
9.  (noun)
8. (adjective); (noun)
7. (noun); (verb with -ing)
6. (verb); (noun)
5. (verd with -ed); (noun); (verb)
4. (noun)
3. (noun); (verb)
2. (noun); (verb); (verb)
1. (noun); (plural noun); (verb)

Click below to read your ridiculous results!

10. “I’m pretty sure there’s a lot more to (plural noun) than being really, really, ridiculously (adjective). And I plan on finding out what that is.” – Zoolander
9. “I’ll make him a(n) (noun) he can’t refuse.” – The Godfather
8. “I’ll get you, my (adjective) and your little (noun) too!” – The Wizard of Oz
7. “The (noun) in Spain (verb present tense) mainly on the plain.” – My Fair Lady
6. “Frankly, my dear, I don’t (verb) a (noun)!” – Gone with the Wind
5. “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You (verb with -ed) my (noun). Prepare to (verb).” – The Princess Bride
4. “May the (noun) be with you.” – Star Wars
3. “The greatest trick the (noun) ever pulled is convincing the world he didn’t (verb).” – The Usual Suspects
2. “(Noun) moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and (verb) around once and a while, you could (verb) it.” – Ferris Bueller
1. “My (noun) always said, ‘Life was like a box of (plural noun); you never know what you’re gonna (verb).” – Forrest Gump

“Wow!” That’s the first word that leapt to the forefront of my cognition when I set eyes upon this hat. Birds of paradise, monarch butterflies, vivid irises – pure amazing. It’s loud, proud, and simply wonderful. Creative hats have spent nearly four decades being under-appreciated. It’s high time they’re brought back as an integral part of outfits, no? Kudos to this gal for wearing such a wonderful headpiece and for styling an adorable, 50s-style, lusciously purple outfit to go with it!

What do you think about wild hats? Good? Bad? Ugly? Stunning?

(Outfit Above: À La Mode Coat, Windy City Dress, Tights for Every Occasion in Ski Lodge, Academia Flats, Style Thesis Bag)

Prepare to be swept away by the wonders of the Windy City. Home of the deep dish pizza and modern improv theater, you better believe that ‘Chi-town’ doesn’t need to resort to chicanery to impress the ‘white sox’ off you. So, strap on those imagination caps and get ready for a journey to Chicago!

1. More cheese please! In your continuing quest to brie-ng more deliciousness into your life, you’ll want to stop at the Caputo Cheese Market. This cheesy wonderland has an unending selection of imported and domestic dairy goods, all priced for guilt-free consumption. If a sea of cheese makes your stomach rumble, don’t worry, the market’s deli has scrumptious sandwiches to sate the waves of your hunger.

2. Whether or not you’re an architectural maven, you’ll want to skip over to the Oak Park section of Chicago to take in the vicinity’s frankly fabulous Frank Lloyd Wright houses. With twenty-five Wright masterpieces to admire, his own home included, a stroll around these streets will cantilever even the most cantankerous of spirits with unending currents of amazement.  You can find a map of Wright’s Oak Park oeuvres right here.

3. Hosted in the basement of an American Legion hall, word has it that Rory Lake’s Karaoke Dreams is Chicago’s (or possibly the world’s) best karaoke experience. A homestyle-type affair with a wildly good song list and Rory himself fueling the party, these karaoke events have it all. You want pool? Check. You want a diverse crowd? Check. You want part of your expenditures to be donated to charity, and you want to have a heck of a good time doing it? Check and check.

4. Not sure how you might finagle this, but when you’re in Chicago, you’ll definitely want to find the Puppet Bike. Stationed on the back of a huge tricycle, this colorfully painted, six foot, roving puppet theater makes everyone who sees it bubble with delight. With a host of poignantly cute puppets and the tinker of playful music, the Puppet Bike might as well have “Smile” as its middle name.

5. Soon to set its cheerful cogs into motion, Chicago’s Christkindlmarket is a festive bit of fun no matter what your holiday traditions hold. So what if you can’t make it to Germany for the holidays? This market will make you feel like you’re in Berlin (minus the worry of understanding German, of course). From booths of tsotchkes to mugs of hot, spiced wine to lively musical performances, this market’s warm atmosphere will make you forget the cold.

So, all you Chicagoans, there’s been plenty left unsaid here. Tell us what else to see in your fair city!

Or, have you visited Chicago and have a story about your trip?

I just can’t get enough of this girl’s Tsumori Chisato dress – its color, its pattern, its Persian miniature-like scene. It’s nearly too bright and beautiful for me to take! (I wish I could afford it.) Straight from the streets of Jakarta, this fashionable gal sports a garment that melds fashion and art into one being.  She flaunts this statement piece the right way, letting it shout by pairing it with subtle, neutral-colored shoes, coat, and bag.

Do you have any statement pieces? How do you fashion them?

There are some street names which make you wonder, “What avenues of thought lead to this name?” And no matter what path you take in endeavoring to court a good reason, no matter how much drive you have, you may never find an answer. But enough with these theoretical musings. You’re here to read this week’s Top Ten, so let’s get this show on the road!

10. Lois Lane, Mercer, Pennsylvania.  I bet there are a lot of ’super men’ who live on this street.

9. Bossy Boots Drive, Allen, Texas. Don’t try to tell this drive’s dwellers what to do.

8. Malfunction Junction, Kingston, Arkansas. Remind me never to drive anywhere near this road.

7. Kickapoo Drive, McLean, Illinois. Eww, I don’t want my shoes to smell!

6. Psycho Path, Traverse City, Michigan. That’s one craaazzzzy name!

5. ZZyzx Road, Baker, California. Named on “End of the Alphabet Appreciation Day.”

4. This Ain’t It Road, Dadeville, Alabama. Makes for a good Abbot and Costello skit: “Which road are we looking for?” “This Ain’t it.” “I KNOW this ain’t it, but which road is it?”

3. The intersection of Lonesome Road and Hardup Road, Albany, Georgia. Sounds like a sad place.

2. Magic Pudding Place, Faulconbridge, Australia. Has all the ingredients of a hilarious name.

1. Old Trash Pile Road, Henderson, Louisiana. A personal favorite, they certainly didn’t waste a good name on this street.

Do you live near any amusingly named streets? Or, have you come across any in your travels?

What sort of humorous tidbits do you incorporate into your wardrobe?  Or, do you think humor is a ‘no go’ when it comes to fashion?

(Image Above: babble.com)

The Jack-O-Lanterns are extinguished. The costumes are stored away in the closet. The embarrassing photos are hopefully not on Facebook. It’s sad, but it’s true – Halloween is over. Over it may be, but there’s still loads of candy lying around, whether it’s your personal spoils of trick or treating or leftovers from the lack of costumed kiddies that knocked on your door. While you indulge in chocolate bar after gummy bear after chocolate bar, you might as well put your head to work as well as your digestive system. And so, without further ado, this week’s Top Ten, in celebration of Halloweens past, present, and future, presents to you the “Top Ten Facts About Candy!”

10. Wondering why chocolate melts in your mouth? It’s because the melting point of cocoa butter is just below 98.6 degrees, the human body temperature.
9. When they were first created, gummy bears were named “dancing bears.”
8. The Snickers bar, created in 1929, was named after the inventor’s family horse.
7. The biggest lollipop ever produced was roughly 18.9 inches thick, weighed 4,031 lbs, and measured more than 15 feet tall, stick included.
6. Kit Kats were originally introduced in the UK as “Rowntree’s Chocolate Crisp.”
5. When it was first produced in 1932, Three Musketeers was a package of three pieces of candy nougat – chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.
4. William H. Luden, best known for inventing his namesake cough drops, was also the inventor of the 5th Avenue Bar.
3. Roughly 35 million pounds – about 9 billion pieces – of candy corn are produced each year. If you laid this amount of candy corn end-to-end, in would wrap around the moon nearly 21 times!
2. Younger children as less partial to chocolate than their older compatriots. Fifty-nine percent of 9-11 year-olds prefer chocolate, while only 46 percent of 6-8 year-olds call it their favorite.
1. For some odd reason, houses with black shutters are 77 percent more likely to give out Kit Kat bars to trick or treaters.

(Image Above: MakeMyStay.com.au)

(Outfit Above: The Perth Dress, Butterfly Effect Necklace, Band on the Run Shades in Metallics, The Kidman Boots, The Outback Bag)

It’s time to bring some exposure to one of the most isolated cities on Earth – Perth, Western Australia. If you think that a metropolis whose nearest urban neighbor is over 1,000 miles away is bereft of vibrancy and vitality, guess again. Perth proffers plenty of pleasantries, so let’s dive in for a spin Down Under, and see what on Earth there is to do in Perth!

1. Get in touch with your inner animal at Perth’s Caversham Wildlife Park. Whether you’re more of a kangaroo or a potoroo, you’ll have a blast whiling away time with the wildlife at this delightful destination. Feed some ‘roos, become acquainted with the koalas, take a walk in the bush – you can sate all your nature necessities at Caversham. Don’t forget to brown bag a lunch so you can picnic in the surrounding Whiteman Park.

2. Seeing the Quokkas is reason enough to go to Rottnest Island. As one of the sole homes to this odd little critter, Rottnest is only a short boat ride away from Perth. There, you can marvel at the stunning blue of the Indian ocean, or, better yet, go diving in these waters with an eye to spot one of the many shipwrecks scattered on the island’s reefs!

3. How about an eatery where you set the cost of your meal? Hard to believe, but Annalakshmi is such a place. This scrumptious, buffet-style restaurant, with its curries, pilafs, teas, coffees, and more is good for the body and for the soul. Proceeds from this largely volunteer-run restaurant go to a non-profit which aids Asian charities.

4. Dappled with old charm, Fremantle is only a short hop from Perth’s city center. Still a working port, Fremantle boasts plenty of attractions. Spend the morning on one of the lovely beaches. When the sun gets too hot to handle, poke into the Fremantle markets, located in an old Victorian building. Or become acquainted with the area’s history by following one of the many walking trail maps available on Fremantle’s Visitor Center site!

5. Ostensibly, an event for kids and their families, you too will be captivated by the AWESOME festival. Just the name of it makes it sound good. Taking place at the end of November, this arts festival features everything from the nonsensical installation world of Llamaland to performances of Parkour.

So, all you Aussies and Oz-lovers, put in your two cents. Tell us what there is of worth in Perth!

You want your school mascot to be something frightening, something grand, or something august, right? Something like The Warriors, The Tigers, The Spartans, or The Fighting Okra. The Fighting Okra? What? Can someone please break out into a rendition of “One of These Things is not Like the Other?”

Yes, it’s true. There are some mascots out there that are purely baffling, absolutely bamboozling, simply befuddling. So, sit down, take a deep breath, and prepare yourself for a barrel of laughter – the “Top Ten Strangest School Mascots!”

10. The Hubbers of Smethport High School.  A wheel. Must have thought they were on a roll when they came up with this one.

9. The Anchormen of Rhode Island College.  I wonder if their color is burgundy – Ron Burgundy that is.

8. The Artichokes of Scottsdale Community College.  Nutritious, delicious, and oh so… frightening?

7. The Blue Hose of Presbyterian College.  If it’s a garden hose, I don’t get it. If it’s hose as in tights, I expect their mascot to be quite fashionable.

6. The Banana Slugs of UC Santa Cruz.  What are you gonna do, ooze all over me?

5. The Brewers of Vassar College.  Seems a ‘beer-y’ ironic choice for a college mascot.

4. The Claim Jumpers of Columbia College.  Before you can even get the words out of your mouth, they’ll shout, “You are NOT better than us!”

3. The Mighty Macs of Immaculata University. A computer, a raincoat, or a burger? Which one is it?

2. The Fighting Pickles of North Carolina School of the Arts. How can someone with a functioning ‘brine’ think up such a thing?

1. The Dirtbags of Long Beach State Baseball Team. Something to be proud of, for sure.

What’s your school mascot?