Okay, I know the Outfits of the Week have been a little music-centric lately, but I’ve been trying to update my stale playlists and there are just some amazingly inspiring chantreuses. I really like how Janelle Monae, like Patti Smith, has a very calculated and streamlined look. In fact, I’d go so far as to call Monae’s “look” a uniform: tuxedo shirt, oxfords/saddle shoes, tuxedo pants, coifed hair.

View the full Polyvore set here. That tuxedo shirt is a K by Karl Laggerfield for under $100 (as is everything in the set)! I’m a little unsure if Monae would actually where these Kenneth Jay Lane earrings, but they are black and white and add a nice texture to the crisp tuxedo pants and shirt.

Cath and I have a soft spot for Monae not just because she is talented and creative, but her artistic birth happened in Atlanta, and she’s a shortie like us. She’s a five foot powerhouse, and featured in the April 2010 shape issue of American Vogue (see below).

Now, I promise this video of Monae’s latest single will totally make your Monday. And if you get a chance to see her in concert, you should (Big Boi joined her on stage to perform “Tightrope”)! We saw her uber theatrical performance last Tuesday. The best $14 I’ve ever spent.

Let me know what you guys think! And happy Monday!!!!

Congrats to our talented writing friends Tom and Jamie for their new boutique editing and writing partnership Chronicle. And thanks for the uh, flattering pic and AC shoutout on the company’s homepage – woot! We think Chronicle is the start of great things to come for these guys.

• Young Blood Gallery & Boutique’s Jolene makes us wish we had a cat of our own.
• Lar and I are determined to make it over to the Civic Center at some point this month for the Diana: A Celebration exhibit. In conjunction with the exhibit there will be a cocktail hour every Friday in April from 5-8 p.m. Visitors can sip martinis while looking at family heirlooms, mementos, paintings and photos of the people’s princess.
• We’re completely addicted to Kate Bingaman-Burt’s Obsessive Consumption blog – ink drawings of her daily purchases and now available in book form.
• Lar and I couldn’t stop laughing after being introduced to these Sassy Gay Friend videos. I mean seriously, Juliet would not have killed herself if she had a sassy gay friend. H/t: Nate, our sassy gay friend.
• I love the library setting of Shopbop’s Marc by Marc Jacobs spread – it makes me want to dress up in patterned dresses, wide headbands and chunky platforms and head over to my local library for some good spring break reading.
• Folk artist Butch Anthony is inspirational in every way. Just to name a few things: he has a discipline dress code (denim overalls), is a self-taught artist, built his own house/cabin, and is the founder of Doo Nanny, an annual alt/folk art micro festival in Seale, Alabama.
• Props to the First Lady for wearing a $60 Talbots blouse the other day!

I know not everyone is enjoying spring/summer-like conditions this week, but we’ve finally hit the 80s in the ATL. The sun and warmth had me digging out my summery dresses and shorts. But even if you aren’t wiggling your toes in the sunshine and clinking glasses of sweet tea, I think this week’s outfit helps you feel like you are.

This week’s inspiration: the new Goldfrapp album! I got my copy from one of my favorite stores in Decatur, Heliotrope (check out their online store here).

Large sunnies, a dash of sequins, a brightly colored jumpsuit/romper, and a pinch of electronica je ne sais quoi, and you’re good to go!

Check out the full Polyvore here. I’m eying the magenta Matt and Nat clutch and the oversized studded clutch/purse from moxsie.com.

I love Alison Goldfrapp’s style, especially in these album shots below (all images courtesy of their blog):

What do you think?

I hope this brightens your Monday morning a bit! Give Goldfrapp a listen here if you do need a lift at work or school and forgot your magenta romper at home.

P.S.- I hope you all had a lovely weekend! Cath and I spent it with friends and family eating my mom’s fabulous cooking and knocking Easter eggs (a post with complete explanation and photos to come soon!).

There are so many reasons why Lar and I love these guys and their sound. We saw them two years ago at Eddie’s Attic and were able to catch them last week at the Drunken Unicorn. Check them out here.

• Sushi is probably one of my favorite things to eat, but I’ve been worried about contributing to unsustainable fish farming every time I have a meal at Sushi Avenue. Then I saw this The Right Fish chart on Good.is. Now at least I know what I’m suppose to be eating. It’s at least a step in the right direction, no?
• I love Louboutin shoes and now after watching this film, The Making of Dancer in A Daydream, I love the designer just as much.
• Am I the last one to hear about Liam Gallagher’s clothing line, Pretty Green?
• A giant health care leap forward for women, woot, woot!
• I’ve always been inspired by Kathryn Hepburn’s style, but never could quite figure out how to do an updated version of her look. Refinery 29 nails it – and gets bonus points for using an American Apparel shirt in a non-hipster way.
• I think Romola Garai is one of the most underrated – and brilliant –  young actresses out there. Read Dazed Digital’s interview with her.
• We’re probably too short to pull off this look, but Lar and I both would love to get our hands on this T by Alexander Wang maxi dress.
• I’m dying to make these raspberry white chocolate scones that my foodie friend Devin featured on his blog, nom, nom, nom.

I can’t think of a lady whose style is more unlike our last three Outfits of the Week (Tim Walker-esque, Happy-Go-Lucky and Unabashedly Girlie). Patti’s style is also the most unlike my own, but I think her style is a good salty to our sweet.

After reading this article about her in the New York Times last week, I realized that her calculated “look” reminded me of so many other fashion icons we admire. It’s not that Audrey Hepburn walked around in cut-up jeans and Ann Demeulemeester blazers like Patti favors, but (at least according to the Times), her disheveled punk gamine look is as consciously “put-together” as Audrey’s cigarette pants and boat-neck tees. And I like that.

Consciously choosing a “look” reminds me that fashion can really be a tool to express who you are (or want to be, or feel like being on a particular day), and that doesn’t necessarily happen just by accident. I mean, some days throwing on whatever you stumble into in your closet really works, but usually that method means I end up wearing something ho-hum (jeans, oversized tee and platform booties).

I love this photo that accompanied the article about her in the NY Times. The article is a must-read to feel inspired to do your own thing- deliberately (but make it look effortless).

Ooo I love the black desert boots from Need Supply and that gorgeous bronzy looking ring from Shopbop. Check out the details of the entire polyvore set here.

I’m also really itching to read this recently published book about her relationship with Robert Mapplethorpe (more art history nerdiness – woohoo!).

Do you guys choose to present yourself to the world in a certain way? Or do you do the throw-something-on-and-look-fabulous thing? I wish sometimes I could do the latter, but I’m much more intrigued by the former. Discuss.