sick day shopping

Sorry for the lack of posts, I came down with the flu for the first time in about 6 years. It's also hard to stay motivated when your only footwear choices are snow shoes and rubber wellies to wade through slush! This is seriously the most effort I've put into an outfit since the weather gods decided to hit the northeast with a blizzard a week, so you really haven't missed much.

In better news, I'm totally in love with my sick day purchase - this men's style oversized jacket by Vanessa Bruno Athé. One of my shopping goals for the year is to buy less clothes and avoid impulse purchases, but when I was home sick for three days straight clicking "proceed to checkout" was the about the only thing I had enough energy for. I haven't been that sick in a long, long time - here's hoping there's at least another 6 years before I get sick again!



Below I included a closeup of my Via Spiga coat for those of you who wanted to see the buckles in detail - just click on the picture to see it full size. I was actually wearing the Vanessa Bruno jacket underneath the coat when I took the closeup - it really is amazing how much I can stuff under this coat!



Vanessa Bruno Athé wool jacket (theoutnet.com) // McQ leather shorts (theoutnet.com) // Via Spiga coat // Huntress welllies (zappos.com) // Steven Alan reverse seam shirt

better late than never

I've had this coat for many years but I don't wear it often because it's about two sizes too big. I remember the day I bought it. I was running around the department store with my mother growing increasingly frustrated that none of the coats fit (this was back in the day when shopping online was still a rarity for me, and also I probably weighed less than 100 lbs.) Finally I bought this one out of desperation. Needless to say, once I found a petite coat a few seasons later this one just hung in the closet, sad and forlorn. Fortunately I never got rid of it because I recently discovered (thanks to Phosphene's most recent look, in which she layers a jacket underneath a winter coat) that I can comfortably fit a blazer or a jacket inside. I love the slim fit of my JCrew coat but I would never be able to wear anything more substantial than a thin sweater underneath. I'm very happy now that I don't have to give up my beloved jacket collection during winter! And also somewhat miffed that I didn't discover this sooner...



Ann Demeulemeester moto jacket (Bergdorf Goodman/NYC) // Balenciaga leather pants (yoox.com) // Ann Demeulemeester scarf (aloharag.com) // Chanel motorcycle boots (Bergdorf Goodman/NYC) // self-shredded tee and James Perse black t-shirt // Via Spiga coat

black swan

I haven't actually seen the movie yet but that didn't stop me from paying homage. This skirt flares out a little bit like a tutu and the the obvious footwear choice for this tribute outfit was my Lanvin ballet flats.





Rick Owens cashmere and leather poncho (Barneys/NYC) // Rick Owens leather skirt (Barneys/NYC) // DKNY merino wool leggings // American Apparel thin cotton mock-turtleneck // Hermes gold and black collier de chien cuff // Lanvin patent leather ballet flats (Barneys/NYC)

houlihan

If any of you have been eyeing the JBrand Houlihans or want a second pair in a different color, now is a good time to buy them - they are down to $89 from $230 at Barneys. When I was in the store I had a sneaking suspicion that I was a victim of the "skinny mirror" effect but they were just as flattering when I tried them on at home. I should warn you though they're supposed to be cropped - I just happen to be a shortie ;-)



thrifted vintage silk Krizia blouse (Bella Boutique/Philly) // JBrand Houlihan skinny cargo pants (Barneys Co-op/Philly) // thrifted vintage boots (Vagabond/Philly)

new year, new stuff

Before I show off my sale purchases I have a few guardian angels to thank: Prêt à Porter, who said she wouldn't be going crazy during the sales and is determined to buy less this year; OnlyCoolCats, who told me she would be showing some restraint this sale season and only buying things on her list; last but not least fleurette, who gave me a gentle warning not to get sidetracked. Thanks to these ladies I was able to avoid getting caught up in sale season frenzy. Instead of coming home with a bunch of trendy items (I was this close to buying distressed Balmain jeans), I focused on items that I knew I would wear often simply because they are slightly different versions of things that I reach for time and time again. This may sound boring but I think I did a great job supplementing my wardrobe.

So here are three of my sale purchases, all in the same outfit:





Nili Lotan boyfriend shirt (Intermix online sale) // unknown label cropped leather pants (Roundabout designer resale boutique/NYC) // Hermes collier de chien gold and black leather cuff (consignment)