Showing posts with label styling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label styling. Show all posts

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Outfit Post: Birthday Happy Hour in NYC

As tired as I am of talking about the cold, I feel the need to point out that it's still frigid in the NYC area. Last Friday V and I braved the elements to celebrate the birthday of my fabulous best friend from College, Laura. Laura writes the awesome workout blog, werkitinnyc, you should check it out.

The temps have been in the 20's during the day and the teens at night, so warmth was an absolute priority. On our way in V and I actually entertained the idea of walking from the station to the venue (Bo's in the Flatiron district), but we quickly realized that that was just crazy talk. In the few minute we were waiting on the train platform the 4" space between where my boot ended and my skirt began were already showing the signs of frostbite.

All my life I've had a weakness for pleated skirts, especially plaid, kilt-style skirts, so when I saw this Burberry number at my local consignment I had to have it. Pairing over-the-knee boots with what some might deem a "Catholic Schoolgirl Skirt" can be tricky, but I covered up everywhere else and felt much more Andy Sachs/The Devil Wear Prada than Pretty Woman.
Still working on these poses...

...haven't quite got it yet #jazzhands

Another consignment score

Turtleneck: Lord & Taylor Skirt: Burberry Boots: Vince Tights: Hue Earings (not pictured): Alexis Bittar Glasses: Chanel

Friday, January 24, 2014

Outfit Post: Kinky Boots on Broadway

The cold weather is still in full force in the NY area forcing fashion fans everywhere to break out their best layered looks. Never one to shy away from a challenge I was determined to dress appropriately for both the weather and the event when we went in Manhattan last weekend to see an evening performance of Kinky Boots on Broadway.
Waiting to get in - so excited!

Given the show’s subject matter, I knew I had to break out my Vince ‘Julianne’ over the knee boots. Thankfully, they are as warm as they are stylish. I’d originally planned to wear them with my favorite Isabel Marant for H&M tank and my W118 by Walter Baker hot pink tuxedo jacket, but it was just too cold, so I convinced myself to save that outfit for warmer weather.
In the aisle next to our excellent Orchestra seats

Multi-strands make life easy
Instead I layered this high-low sweater over a black shirt-dress and added a BCBG statement necklace for some fun. The necklace was a bit more than I typically spend on costume jewelry, but I knew it would come in hand for moments like this.
 Sweater: Barney’s Co-op Dress: Wyatt Boots: Vince Bag: Gucci Necklace: BCBG Glasses: Chanel

V and I had a friend visiting from out of town who happens to be a big-time Broadway buff so we waited outside the stage door after the show to get autographs.

Here's the show's star Billy Porter signing my boot (yes, I took off my boot in freezing temps to have an actor sign the arch. See the show and you'll understand, he was that good).

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Outfit Post: Tee Time


Hooray for better lighting in my hallway!
Scarves and tees and leather jackets, these are a few of my favorite things. The crisp Fall weather gives me to opportunity to combine all three making my life easier when it comes time to get dressed.

Here's the outfit breakdown:

T-shirt: Express – This soft sweater tee is perfect on this crisp fall day. It’s a snug fit so I wanted to make sure I balanced it out with a wider legged pant. I’ve tried layering it with a button-down before, but it’s definitely better without the bulk.

Jeans: Seven for All Mankind – This cut is called the Dojo. They don’t come in petite, so I took them to the tailor and she managed to shorten them without losing too much of the wide leg. This might be old news, but when having your jeans shortened I highly recommend having them reattach them hem (as opposed to creating a new hem and losing the thicker edge) because it keeps the same finished look the jeans had when you bought them.

Jacket: Gap - Leather moto jackets are super popular right not, but this is a style that I have never abandoned. This Gap jacket was stiffer than a 1950's cocktail when I first bought it over 5 years ago (which is probably why is was on such a steep discount, I paid less than $100), but I knew that I would eventually break it in and it would be worth it when I did. The leather jacket and the jean jacket are equally essential and timeless, I just prefer the former for my style.

Scarf: American Eagle – This is the first infinity scarf that I have ever purchased and I like it, but I don’t love it. It sort of reminds me of a beard because, if you’re a messy eater like me, any food that drops from your mouth gets caught in it (T.M.I.?). Maybe if I stop eating like a savage who hasn’t seen food in a month I won’t have this problem.

Belt:
Vince – Belts were never my thing, so when I spent $80 on this one I definitely considered it a splurge. It’s adjustable and it’s a leather/cotton combo and I really bought it because it reminded me of my dad’s uniform belts from when he was in the navy (which I later stole and wore with my “skater” clothes in junior high). Now I wear it all the time.

Shoes: Vince Camuto – I bought these crackled metallic wedges on sale from Piperlime for a wedding at a vineyard (lest I aerate the lawn). They are extremely comfortable and a great height, but I almost didn’t get them because of the brand (see my bizarre issues with Vince Camuto here). Thankfully I was able to look past their poor marketing and put these great shoes into rotation.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

"It’s a new era in fashion - there are no rules. It’s all about the individual and personal style, wearing high-end, low-end, classic labels, and up-and-coming designers all together."
— Alexander McQueen

Obsessed with this quote this morning, but then again I'm obsessed with McQueen in general ever since seeing the "Savage Beauty" exhibit at the Met. Why else would I have waited on this line (or the "McQue" as the Twitterverse was referring to it) for 2 hours?

Monday, August 15, 2011

Inspiration Board? More Like Inspiration Book


Ever since I was a little girl, collecting leftover Sassy and Seventeen magazines from around the house, I have been tearing out "looks" that I love. Over the years I've collected these images and when I came across a leftover art journal I knew that those fashion tears had found their home.

While I've been really good about continuing to tear images that inspire me, I've been a bit lax about organizing them. But recently I've been struggling with my closet and, in an effort to edit down my wardrobe and reveal my style, I have revisited these images.

Watching design shows you see design boards and that's great for one look, but when it comes to a wardrobe I need more room to work -- and so the rebirth of the inspiration book. Out came the images, out went the ones I'm already over and on went the rubber cement to secure the keepers. It's my hope that my style progresses along with the book and, when I'm having a fashion meltdown, it will serve as a place to go for answers.

Originally I wanted this to be a style blog, but I'm so sick of the standard style blogs; put-together women in their 30's being photographed by their significant others in whimsical poses and whatever setting mimics a soft filter on their SLR camera (which they probably received as an out-of-the-box wedding gift from their equally hip friends/family).

Like so many women my age, I don't quite have it all together. I'm getting there, but I'm not going to post phony photos that make others envious of my Brooklyn loft and my impeccably groomed puppy. I'm 29, I live on Long Island, I work in a small office and see the same handful of people every day; so my day-to-day attire simply does not call for high fashion. The problem is I'm also tired of the jeans/tee/hoodie combo, not to mention that I'm terrified of Stacy London and Clinton Kelly ambushing me for the new season of "What Not to Wear," and I think it's high time that I figure out how to adapt my dreams of everyday dressing to fit my reality. Yes, I escape to the city and the Hamptons as frequently as possible and when I do I use that as an excuse to wear the clothes I dream of, but it's still not my reality.

So this isn't an established style blog in the traditional sense, it's a finding-my-style blog. Let the editing down begin.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

In My Online Absence

While I was on my unintentional blogging break I went to Vegas for a friend's 30th birthday. We stayed at The Hard Rock, where I had never stayed before, and I loved it!

Since The Hard Rock is a boutique hotel it was the perfect place for us to stay. We were a group of about 10 so the small size of the hotel made it easy to meet up at any given point.

We had (2) regular rooms and a suite and they were all really nicely designed; they kept with the rock and roll theme and had fabulous bed linens and great stereos (the suite even had a touch screen stereo that you could hook your ipod up to!).



I particularly enjoyed gambling there because their roulette table was just a $5 minimum bet all day and night. I'm not sure if it was because we were there in the office season or because they're located off the strip, or a combination of the two, but this allowed me to play for quite awhile.

Everyone who worked there was beyond friendly in a chill, relaxed way, rather than an overcompensating customer service way, which I see as a huge plus.


Saturday night we ate at Nobu and there was a plate for every price point and delicious drinks as well. Think kobe beef, sushi, tuna tacos, and even the more basic dishes with chicken looked and smelled amazing.

After dinner we headed up to the suite for a few pre-club cocktails (and a mini photo shoot, my friends crack me up) and then headed down to Vanity, the nightclub at The Hard Rock.

A good friend had been to Vanity over the summer and did not like it, she even went so far as to warn me against it, and I seriously trust her opinion and taste level. Due to this information I went in with low expectations, but I am happy to report that it far exceeded them!

The crowd outside resembled a bunch of Rock of Love rejects, but that's to be expected. I was a happy little fashionista dressed in Gucci H2T, and my friends all looked amazing as well, so I didn't really care about anyone else.


Once inside the design was very cool, very Vegas, total excess. Mirrors, LED lights in waves on the ceiling, velvet seats and an enormous chandelier as the centerpiece. The bathroom was quite literally a vanity with huge mirrors with round light bulbs going up either side and stations to sit and fix your make-up. Cute without being kitsch.

Ladies drank free champagne until midnight so we squeezed a glass in before they cut that off. You cannot be sad while sipping a glass of champagne (or prosecco or cava or any other country's version of sparkling wine for that matter), and I was in a good mood to start, so the night continued to go up from there.

They played a great mix of dance and rock and the crowd was attractive and well dressed (for the most part, that can't keep all the riff raff out) and we danced into the morning before heading back down to the casino to gamble a bit before bed.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Merci!

Monday my mother came back from Paris and she brought me a fabulous present; a flowy, asymmetrical hemmed, white t-shirt with a black and white image of Coco Chanel on it. LOVE!

It is going to look amazing with my new black skinny Joe's and the combat boots I ordered from Nordstrom. Obviously a polyvore collage is in order, look for it later today...

Merci Mama!

Monday, August 23, 2010

Bag Binge

The past few weeks have been crazy busy with weddings and weekends away so tonight, when I finally got the chance to unpack and organize my room, I realized for the first time that I've been on a bit of a bag binge.

In the last month I've purchase 5 handbags. 5!

Granted not one of them was full priced and 2 of them were exceptionally cheap, but that's still a lot of bags in a very short period of time, even for me.

The Rebecca Minkoff is already mentioned below and that's one of the 5, so here are the rest, each with their various purposes and price points:

Pietro Alessandro 2081 Tote in metallic champagne.
Purchased from: ideeli.com
Original Retail Price: $112.00
Price I Paid: $69.00
Reasoning: I don't have a gold going out bag. Okay, so that's not entirely true. I have a metallic gold-ish bag, but it's from Old Navy, which a bunch of guy friends dubbed my "Members Only" purse because of the fabric. I was due for an upgrade. Plus, this one can be used as either a clutch or a cross body tote. It's a 2-in-1!


Nordstrom Ruched Silk Wristlet in champagne.
Purchased from: Nordstrom.com
Original Retail Price: $48.00
Price I Paid: $22.90
Reasoning: I needed a bag to go with a bridesmaid's dress. This fit the bill.


Barney's Black and White
Purchased from: Barney's Outlet at Tanger Riverhead
Original Retail Price: $120.00
Price I Paid: $19.50
Reasoning: It was so cheap and I have a weakness for bags that I know to be somewhat cheap/cheesy looking (hence the "Members Only" purse mentioned above).


Be&D "Twiggy" Large Tote in green
Purchased from: Saks off 5th
Original Retail Price: $1,080.00
Price I Paid: $125.99
Reasoning: While the markdown is reason enough, this bag is just amazing. I had my "Girl in the Green Scarf" moment, a la Rebecca Bloomwood in Confessions of a Shopaholic, I could see myself walking into an interview carrying that bag and the people in HR would just know that they had to hire me.


So now I'm on a bag shopping freeze. I think I actually have every type of bag I could possibly need at this point... I think... haha

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Regulating Rompers

Last night on my train ride from Long Island to NYC two girls got on one stop after me and both of them were in rompers. The first girl, who was more petite and wore the style better, had on a purple and white patterned strapless romper in a dressier fabric (perhaps charmeuse?). The second girl, who really wasn't built to be wearing a romper in the first place, let alone a cheap ill-fitting, wore a black romper with a floral print in a decidedly more casual fabric (pretty sure it was cotton).

For starters, did they not call each other to discuss what they were wearing? It's not like they were both wearing dresses, rompers are far more distinguishable. Granted they were different patterns and color schemes, but the cut and lengths were extremely similar.

But allow me to get to my real argument: Rompers are not for everyone and they're not for every activity. Just because they're on trend right now does not mean that they're appropriate for a night out.

You still need to consider fabrics, patterns, and accessories. A silk romper, by say Geren Ford or Haute Hippie, could certainly be worn with heels for a night out in the city, but save the cotton for the beer gardens, block parties, and other activities of the like and, please, wear them with flats. Maybe you can get away with heels with a more polished cotton, but there are exceptions to every rule.

Now for the second part of my argument: the logistics of wearing a romper on a night out drinking. Every time you go to the bathroom you have to totally disrobe and, I'm guessing, the fine establishments these, seemingly under-aged, girls were headed to were not going to have the most pristine restrooms. So now you're drunk and getting almost totally undressed and you're outfit is hitting the nasty bathroom floor. That's just not a chance I'd be willing to take.

So it's not that I'm anti-romper, I'm actually quite pro-romper when worn correctly. But that's how I feel about any item of clothing. So I guess my point is more about appropriate dressing in general rather than rompers specifically. I just think the recent popularity of rompers is highlighting how one a trend hits the mainstream there is always the possibility of it being abused.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

AllSaints Sale!

This morning I opened my AOL mail, where I have all of my shopping and junk mail sent, to find a lovely surprise: an e-mail from AllSaints announcing a sale of up to 50% off!

Naturally I went on the website immediately and began perusing the sale selection. At most I had 4 items in my cart, but whittled it down to 1, very beautiful and quite unique, top.

After completing my purchase I began to daydream about the different ways in which I will wear my new "Draconis" top, so here's one 'brought to life' in a Polyvore set:


Wednesday, June 23, 2010

A Dress Fit for a Kimberley

A second opinion always helps.

So last night, before my mom and I went to a lovely and delicious dinner at Plum in Bayside, we stopped home so I could try on the Milly dress I'd ordered from the website. It's a beautiful black and white brocade with gold metallic thread running through it that I got on sale.

When it had first arrived, next day despite being shipped UPS Ground - I just love when that happens, I had to put it on by myself. Milly dresses are well-made and this one had one of her neat corset contraptions in it, which basically means you need to hook yourself in as you would with a bra. While this is fabulous in regard to fit and makes the dress look like it was made just for you, it's not so great when you're trying to put it on in an empty house. So the first time I tried it on I hooked it, swiveled it around my body (which was no easy task), and then tried it on with one shoe as I rushed to get ready because I was meeting John to go see a band play.

Needless to say, this was not the best way to try on a new dress, in a totally different cut than you're used to wearing, if you want to be excited about it. Rookie mistake. Perhaps it's why I didn't even blog about it.

Anyway, with the help of my mom last night, I was able to get a proper idea of what the dress would actually look like on the day of the wedding. She hooked me in, I put on both shoes (I had on one originally to which she said "What are you doing? Go put the other shoe on! You're never going to be standing like that." As I stood there with one leg bent in half like a flamingo), and I stood up straight (I attempted to show her that the dress gapped in the back to which she said "Would you stop arching your back? Stand normal.").

Looking in the mirror, standing up straight, with my dancing shoes on, the dress actually looks quite lovely. It meets all of my original criteria:
Sophisticated? Yes, but without looking too "old." Sexy? A little bit, but let's keep in mind that this is a family function and no one wants to be "that girl" in a room of relatives. Stylish? Always.
And it is definitely a little less Kimbo and totally Kimberley.

Perhaps I was just caught up in the mania of the search, and if that was the case, I'm definitely happy my mom was there to help me calm down and see what a great dress it is and how it really is just what I was looking for for this event.

I'll see if I can't Polyvore it up for you all so you decide for yourselves, but I think (fingers crossed*) this is it!

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Sick of Looking

Have you ever become so obsessed with finding the perfect outfit that you just get sick of looking for it? That's where I'm at right now with the dress for this wedding. I'm as sick of looking for it as everyone around me is of hearing about it.

When I'm on a shopping mission the term "abnormally obsessed" might not even do my condition justice. The item I am searching for or want, but refuse to pay full price for, it is all I think about. Whether it's searching for it in general or looking for coupons to stores where it's sold, I explore every single option.

It actually takes effort for me to keep the search from consuming me. And, yes, I do realize how sick this sounds.

Today I started reading Spent, Memoirs of a Shopping Addict by Avis Cardella (is it just me or is it a bit coincidental that her first name is an anagram for "Visa?"). Only 1 chapter in and I relate entirely too well to her plight.

Hopefully the book will at least distract me, if not give me some clarity, during this bout of fixation.

In the meantime, send me any great websites for formal wear. Thanks.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Outfit Crisis Averted

*Sigh of relief*

After the other day's frantic wedding-guest-dress post I am happy to report that I found a dress to wear to the wedding this weekend.

Towards the end of the day I'd become quite desperate, I was even going through old facebook albums to see if there were dresses I'd forgotten about, so I rushed home in the rain.

The first dress, a fabulous peach lace Carmen Marc Valvo dress, washed me out so that was removed from the running. The second dress, a flirty Kelly green BCBG number with ruffled straps, had a spot on in from the last time I'd worn it to a wedding (lesson: take better care of one's property).

Finally, I had saved the best, and most likely viable, option for last. I slipped on the black chiffon Banana Republic dress that I'd bought at the outlets months back with the mindset that one can always use an extra LBD.

As I hooked the hook and eye and zipped the zipper, I knew it fit.

Now I am not a girl who normally stresses a little weight fluctuation and I rarely worry about clothes (other than jeans) not fitting because I (thankfully) went through my the-tighter-the-better phase Sophomore year of college. So the unique joy that washed over me when I zipped and exhaled was an emotion that was fairly new to me.

I am all about loving your body. Would I like to have larger breasts and a more-defined rear end? Sure! Am I willing to pay for or work out towards those ends respectively? No. So I love what I've got.

I embrace my petite stature, but everyone has had a moment where they say I have nothing to wear because of [insert body issue here] so I shop for clothes that mask those problem areas and/or create the illusion of a more perfect physique. And thankfully, this dress does all of that and does it with style.

Accessorized with my new "lipstick pink" Tory Burch heels and my new Olivia Harris clutch and I will look good, feel good, and have fun. May you do the same with your weekend...

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Sorry, We're Out of Stock, Try Again Later...

This weekend I have a family wedding to attend in Florida. I had my dress all planned out, as posted below, and even got a cute black clutch, at a steal of a deal, to complete the ensemble.

Since I'd already worn the dress accessorized in a similar fashion I thought it'd be fun to get new jewelry as well, but a search of the standard inexpensive accessories stops (Express, Aldo, NY&Co, Ann Taylor Loft, even Chico's and Claire's) yielded no results.

Upon arriving home I optimistically posited; I'm being ridiculous, surely I can make a killer combo with the accessories I already own.

In order to get the full effect of my look-options I decided to put on the dress. And that's when it all went down the tubes...

In addition to not zipping up with the usual ease, the dress was apparently torn where the bodice met the zipper and the boning was digging into my mid-section.

Before going into full panic mode I rationalized that it may just be the cut of this particular dress, as the waist falls at the natural waist line and that is the one part of my body that is completely out of proportion with the rest of it.

As I put on the dress I planned to the rehearsal dinner I knew that that one wasn't going to fit either (although this one was because of my bust line, so I really wasn't that upset about that) and I would need to do a total overhaul on my weekend packing spreadsheet (yes, I plan weekend outfits in Excel, now if someone would just hire me I could put this obsessive compulsive level of organization to good use).

At lunch I went over to the outlets, but much to my chagrin I didn't like anything I tried on and that wasn't even the worst part, I actually looked at the rows and rows of clearance items and thought; I'm too tired to look through all of this.

That has never happened to me before. Ever.

So now it is almost the end of the day and I'm going to my last resort: the black garment bag.

Whenever I'm kind of over a dress (translation: I've worn it to more than 2 events and/or I never really loved it in the first place) it winds up in this one very over-stuffed garment bag.

Wish me luck.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

About That Wedding Outfit...

So here it is, or an adaptation at least. As I mentioned my actual dress is from last season, but this one is also Rebecca Taylor and it's the same shade of blue. I like to think that mine is a bit edgier as the polished cotton is tone on tone blue zebra print; I threw in the bangle to add that missing element.

And don't forget the handsome man I'll have on my arm, it wouldn't do justice to the Madonna homage if I didn't ;)


The Pre-Metallics Era

When I was growing up when getting dressed for a formal event (whether it be a bat mitzvah or a sweet 16), you wore black shoes. There were no fancy metallic options unless they were of the Nina brand bridal shoe variety and therefor, to be avoided.

Then, somewhere between High School and College, right around the same time "black pants" were replaced by jeans as the new going out attire, metallics were reintroduced to the fashion canon. And so black shoes became the footwear equivalent of a dirty word to me.

Black shoes with a pink dress? Ew, what was I, like, 40 or something?


Now, several years later, I have come to appreciate the black shoe again, but in a different way. Now black is used as an accent, a statement of contrast, like it's used with pink at Victoria's Secret or as a color scheme for a wedding.

With this in mind I am choosing to wear black shoes with a blue dress to an upcoming family wedding in Florida. The dress is from last season, but I'll attempt to create a collage that's as close to the real thing as possible on Polyvore and post in a bit.

I guess when it comes to black, you can go back.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

AllSaints Day

When I was in London a few years back my roommate Steph and I stumbled across a little shop in Covent Garden on Long Acre called AllSaints. After yet another trip to Zara, which despite having British buyers was still very similar to the selection in the US, we walked into a store a few doors down and began to mill around.

The exposed brick walls and sparse metal fixtures gave the place a great vibe, very industrial, and the great clothes with their deconstructed lines and cool color palette, which could technically be described as neutral and washed but is really anything but, complete the very London vibe.

We browsed and tried on tons of stuff but, being students on study-abroad budgets and the exchange rate being about .50 cents on the dollar, wound up each getting 1 item: the exact same leopard print slip dress with chains draped across the back. It was on sale and when we both came out of the dressing room you could tell we both loved it since our mutual reaction was ‘well when are we ever going to be together that we have to worry about wearing it to the same event?’ (Steph was an undergrad and I was the only grad student on the trip; so, while we still chat from time to time, we’ve definitely never worn the dress at the same time) and we immediately changed so we could rush up to the register.

The chatty sales person let us know they’d be opening a location in Ibiza next and one in New York “soon.” Upon returning home I checked once or twice to see if they were opening up in the US, but eventually forgot about the store.

Fast Forward to a few months ago; I’m on People.com and I notice that Pink is wearing this kick a** leather jacket and, sure enough, it’s from AllSaints. Within nanoseconds I’m on their website and pleased as punch to realize that it’s the same shop I’d loved in London not so long ago. Still no NY store but they did have a US website and, as it turns out, they ship from New Jersey so when I placed my order for 3 dresses for my Vegas trip the package arrived in 24 hours. No joke.

Naturally I joined their mailing list and the other day Christmas came early because I received an e-mail saying that they will be opening up a Soho location this month! I can’t wait to be able to try everything on instead of selectively ordering items I’m almost positive will fit.

Plus I’m really hesitant about ordering shoes online and, despite my secret desire to totally master the Anglo-style, I just haven’t been able to persuade myself to order one of their many pairs of combat boots. In addition to being unsure about fit, there are just so many styles to choose from and I may actually make a day out of selecting a pair at the new store. Crazy, I know, but if you didn’t understand these desires of mine, you probably wouldn’t be reading my blog.

P.S. I’ll post Polyvore collages of my most recent purchases soon. I’ve been playing around with how I’ll style them since they arrived earlier this week. <3

Friday, April 2, 2010

Three Cheers for Polyvore!

After realizing that reading lists of outfits I've put put together in bullet format is about as exciting as waiting for your fresh coat of OPI to dry at the nail salon, I joined Polyvore, a virtual styling website.

The site is so great, you can put together items as you've styled them or ask other users to style an item you can't quite figure out on your own.

It's oodles and oodles of fun and it's free and I'm still just figuring it out, but I can't wait to play around with the site.

Here's my first set, which is how I styled my black AllSaints Temptress dress for Vegas:
Find me on Polyvore
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