{ the jaunty magpie }

On Sex and the City, Carrie referred to it as "Secret Single Behavior," the oddball things we do by ourselves, something we don't share with significant others, and it's just the weird habits we have that make us happy. For some it might be tweezing brows, others may sit with snacks and watch Cheaters marathons in the wee hours of the night -- not that I'm naming names or copping to any of these things, but let's face it, we've all got our little rituals that aren't shared in mixed company.

But the Magpie is breaking down the wall and daring to share her own SSB (Secret Single Behavior), which is really not that strange or illicit. I'd argue most of us do the exact same thing, which is have a little private fashion show, piecing different looks together from your wardrobe and basically playing dress-up for a night. Given the upcoming Fashion Week events, this Birdy wanted to do her homework, flip through the latest magazines, put some effort into an look or two, and test-drive some things from the Jaunty Wardrobe. I also wanted to try some makeup and hair styles out. Because normally, my getting-ready ritual is a mad flurry of too much to do, too little time, and running out the door already ten minutes late. Oh, Magpie...

For a night of rummaging through the closet, the camera phone is a must-have. I took some shots with the Big Girl Canon, but the little iPhone does wonders when you just need to see things at a different angle, with the help of Instagram to help smooth out all sins. I gave up a Friday night out to do my Jaunty Homework, take stock of the festive wear that's hanging in the closet, and see if I could work with what I had, versus buying something new. It had been a while since I'd forced myself to get creative with evening looks that would fit with trends but still be true to the Magpie -- the looks will be debuted during the Bellevue Collection Fashion Week events, so looking forward to seeing you there!

Jaunty Fine Print:  photographs by Denise Sakaki