nothing new here

So here are a few odds and ends. As usual my closet is a mess this time of year, with lightweight summer dresses fighting for space among winter coats that I have yet to dry clean and store. Most of my sandals are still tucked away which makes it difficult to figure out what I need to buy for the season, if anything. I'm going shopping with my mother and sister tomorrow on Mother's Day and I only have a vague list in my head. The only thing I'm sure of is that I'll be paying close attention to return policies!

I have been taking outfit pictures I just need to find the time to sort through them. I also want to be better at documenting my 'fancier' outfits ('fancy' might be a stretch, most of the time it's just one of my regular outfits with dressier shoes!) It was difficult in the fall/winter because by the time I was ready to head out it was so dark outside, but perhaps now that it's light until late in the day I will do better.

Thanks for sticking around, guys. I have always said that my blog is for myself primarily as a point of reference but I'm still very glad to have a few loyal readers ;-)

knit tales

Belated Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all of you! I've been busy but life is great, which to me is a perfectly valid excuse for not posting more 

thin cotton turtleneck (American Apparel) // vintage wool nubby sweater // Balenciaga leather pants (yoox.com) // suede boots from Daffy's // Alexander McQueen skull ring // vintage Gucci watch // Maison Martin Margiela gold ring set (yoox.com) // flea market bracelet

You haven't missed much; mostly I've been wearing some version of my usual Les Chiffoniers pants + button-down shirt + coat uniform. But I finally have something new to show you guys - this awesome hand-knit wool sweater tunic. Apparently it was from the 60s. I love pieces like this - kind of a no-brainer, just throw it on and go. I plan on wearing it with over-the-knee boots as well. I like to think it is Isabel Marant-ish, but that might just be my way of consoling myself because I can't actually afford any of her stuff!

excuses, excuses

Oh how these photos lie! Move just a few inches to the left or right of where I'm standing and you'll see a big old mess. I'm in the middle of switching out my wardrobe and there are clothes and shoes everywhere! I decided to take a break and blog a little but in all honesty there has been more of these "little breaks" than there has been actual cleaning...

Les Chiffoniers latex pants (Intermix/NYC) // Rick Owens boots (brownsfashion.com) // thrifted faux fur vest (Addiction Consignment/Philly) // Dolce & Gabbana coat with leopard lining (eBay)

tips and tricks

One wardrobe trick that has always worked for me is to wear skirts higher up in my waist, right at the smallest part of my torso, to make my legs look longer.

Missoni top // R.E.D. Valentino skirt // Hermes belt // Fendi bag //
Gucci watch // Giuseppe Zanotti sandals

Dolce & Gabbana silk top // vintage Christian Dior skirt // Hermes belt //
Gucci watch // Giuseppe Zanotti sandals

This skirt is so old (actually all of the clothes in this post are!) I'm so glad it still fits. The skirt is actually several layers of pleated silk. It's hard to tell from the outfit picture so here is a closeup:

Love the print!

brighter days

These are without a doubt "man repelling" pants. They are super-wide and balloon-y. But nothing beats a comfortable, loose-fitting pair of linen pants for warmer weather. As long as I wear them with heels they are not so offensive.

Just like newly-minted Duchess Catherine, I too brought out my family jewels yesterday (ha!) I had a choice between a loud belt or a loud necklace - I would never wear both at the same time - and I chose the latter. 

It was finally time to wear sandals! And bags in other colors besides black!

Not looking forward to making a mess and switching out my wardrobe for the new season. I think I'll ignore that task and enjoy the beautiful weather instead... just like I plan on ignoring the enormous bill for dry cleaning my winter coats.

Chloé silk blouse (Chloé outlet @ Woodbury Commons) // 3.1 Phillip Lim linen trousers (yoox.com clearance) // Burberry Prorsum sandals (theoutnet.com clearance sale) // Fendi bag // flea market necklace (Greenflea Market/NYC) // inherited pearl and diamond ring

fashion desert

I've been experiencing "dejà vu" with my outfits lately, and this one is no exception, so if it's been a bit boring around here lately I do apologize. I did buy a few great pieces recently to spice up my wardrobe. I'll introduce them as soon as I finish up alterations - hemming, shortening sleeves, blah blah blah. Oh the life of a short girl!

 

I did have some fancier shoes on originally, but I decided it was too early in the day for sexytime. Kidding! (It's never too early for sexytime.) Actually I realized that I had two different colors on my toenails and fingernails so I swapped out the sandals for these dorky heeled desert boots. I liked the more casual feel.

Dance dance dance!

T by Alexander Wang pocket tank (Petulia's Folly/Philly, now closed) // Les Hommes-Femmes side slit skirt (yoox.com) // vintage leather jacket (ebay.com) // Louis Vuitton x Sprouse leopard scarf // Veronique Branquinho heeled desert boots (ebay.com) & Marc Jacobs studded ankle wrap sandal (Bergdorf Goodman/NYC)

scheming

Thank you everyone for your advice RE: mixing metals. Although I can't see myself committing fully to it anytime soon, I think I should definitely relax when it comes to little things like hardware on shoes or belts. 

This is what I wore today. I went to visit the Apple "geniuses" to pester them about the iPad2 launch this Friday. If an Apple employee says the store won't be getting the shipment until 5 pm, are they blatantly lying for the sake of crowd control? I should offer one of those broke college kids money to stand in line all day and save me a spot...

on the run

Last Friday I had to hustle to catch a train straight from work, then as soon as I pulled into Penn Station I had to run to meet friends for dinner. This outfit was perfect for that sort of situation. I wore the shirt and blazer to work then quickly swapped my dress pants for these JBrand cargo pants before I left the office. I was comfortable enough for an hour-and-a-half train ride yet pulled together enough for a casual dinner.

Man, the weekend flew by (as it always does)! I can't believe it's back to work tomorrow. In other news, Go Packers! Go Steelers! I don't really care! I guess I'll just be watching the Superbowl for the commercials this year...



Ralph Lauren crested blazer (Christmas present) // vintage Christian Dior Jeune Homme shirt (eBay) // JBrand "Houlihan" pants (Barneys Co-op clearance sale) // vintage boots (Vagabond/Philly)

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)

standbys

Ummm, feeling lazy, so reverting back to the old standbys...







YSL logo men's tee // thrifted flannel shirt (Vagabond/Philly) // Les Chiffoniers leather pants (Barneys.com sale) // Rick Owens DRKSHDW furry hooded sweatshirt (Century21/NYC) // Rick Owens boots (brownsfashion.com sale) // Hermes collier de chien cuff // Marc Bernstein triple wrap bracelet // assorted rings

cashmere queen

when it's cold outside, i love to drape myself in cashmere head-to-toe (down to my socks!) cashmere keeps you warm but it's lightweight so it doesn't add a lot of bulk. i often find that a good thin cashmere sweater can provide as much (or even more) warmth as a bulkier wool one. it can be quite expensive so i'm always on the lookout for sample sales and online deals. now is a great time to stock up on cashmere - i've been getting a lot of email blasts about cashmere blowout sales from discount sites like gilt, hautelook, and ruelala, and tons of sample sale alerts in NYC.



however, if money is no object, i suggest picking up one of each style in every color of La Garconne's new cashmere sweater line, Lou. they all look perfect, you will not need to buy anything else all winter. if you do stock up on these don't even tell me about it, i will be insanely jealous!

ITEMS (mouse over description to view item detail)

- Autumn Cashmere shirttail hem sweater
- vintage apron (Vagabond/Philly)
- Kier&J cashmere leggings
- Portolano ruffle hem cashmere wrap (overstock.com)
- Portolano cashmere gloves (Filene's Basement/NYC)
- Chloe Paddington boots (yoox.com)

à bientôt

this is certainly not the most scintillating outfit picture to leave you with for the Thanksgiving holiday, but there you have it, this is what i wore last sunday.

i'll be logging off and taking a break from the blog for a few days. i'll be spending time with my family, catching up with friends, eating way too much food, and maybe starting my Christmas shopping (let's see if i can resist buying things for myself!)

also, i took a cue from Dead Fleurette (hope she doesn't mind!) and recently started a tumblr to archive images i find inspiring.

for those in the US, enjoy the holiday and try not to get trampled during Black Friday sales. i'll be back in a few days with some brand spankin' new outfits. or, a more likely scenario, i'll be back with the same old, same old...



Martin Margiela nude body - what an awesome winter layering piece! (yoox.com) // Current/Elliot boyfriend jeans (Third Street Habit/Philly) // Rag & Bone t-shirt (Barneys Co-op) // thrifted Calvin Klein collection navy blazer (Housing Works Thrift/NYC)

le week-end

my traveling outfit this past weekend:


COS sweater (from Ytligheter via seconds.se) // vintage Yves Saint Laurent scarf (from Addiction Consignment Boutique/Philly) // Balenciaga leather pants (from yoox.com) // Rick Owens boots (from brownsfashion.com)




i just wanted to thank all of you, my readers, for letting me indulge in my love of fashion with this blog. none of my friends or family know about this blog, so it's kind of my little secret. in the middle of a stressful work week or after a crazy weekend, i really look forward to those few minutes when i get to slow things down and morph into my alter-ego, miss fashion blogger. blogging is never a chore for me, and when i wear an outfit i love, it's even better knowing that i get to share it with you guys. i update as often as i can, and i hope you'll come back after any short breaks in blogging due to the upcoming holidays and life in general.

it's time once again to log off and return to normal life. i think i'll ignore all the cleaning and unpacking and re-packing (might be heading up to NYC again this weekend!) that have to get done and watch a movie instead - i just received I am Love from Netflix, very excited!

have a great week, everybody!!

problem solver

all in all a good outfit choice for a day that was neither hot nor cold, sunny nor rainy. it is my belief that a good trench coat will solve 90% of outfit issues (this particular issue being -> i didn't want my a** hanging out on display but it was too warm to wear tights.) just throw a trench over it!

ITEMS (mouse over to view detailed picture)
vintage Dior Jeune homme shirt (super old, from eBay)
McQ leather shorts (from theoutnet.com)
Alexander McQueen trench coat (super old, from yoox.com)
Alexander McQueen viking warrior skull ring (from saksfifthavenue.com)
vintage Hermes collier de chien cuff
Charles David boots (from endless.com)

the look for (a lot!) less

i was lamenting the fact that i had no good reason for dropping $625.00
on a flimsy lace mini dress...


Lover lace mini dress and Acne leather jacket from net-a-porter.com


...and then i realized i already had something similar, a dress i picked
up at a thrift shop a couple of months ago. yeah!!!


thrifted lace mini dress; Ann Demeulemeester cropped biker jacket

reader request: rollerball preview

i did plan on styling several different outfits with the Christian Louboutin
"rollerball" spikey loafers but got lazy when i realized i would have to take
a lot of my fall/winter things out of their plastic bins, where they currently
reside. so i apologize for this half-assed attempt, which was the best i
could do with stuff i could easily reach for. no worries, you'll be seeing
these shoes with better outfits in the fall! 'til then, here's the preview:




Rick Owens tank; thrifted plaid shirt; thrifted army shirt; Les Chiffoniers
classic leather pants with zippers; Hermes collier de chien cuff; etsy.com
sword pendant; cross pendant from Portobello Market; Christian Louboutin
"rollerball" studded loafers

the pants are the latest addition to my Les Chiffoniers collection. i never
thought i would find these on sale, it seemed like all the other styles would
go on sale except these. but there they were on Barneys.com, 60% off.
woohoo! Les Chiffoniers makes the best, most comfortable leather pants.
these aren't Ross's leather pants, y'all.

work it out

low humidity -> more opportunities to wear leather this summer!


Kain tank (old, from Intermix/NYC); Kiki de Montparnasse leather bikini
top (from gilt.com); Rick Owens leather skirt (old, from Barneys sale/NYC);
thrifted Donna Karan sandals; vintage Hermes collier de chien cuff; cross
pendant from Portobello Market/London



cotton and leather cropped tee (from eBay); 3.1 Phillip Lim wide-leg
trousers (old, from Barneys Co-op sale/NYC); Balenciaga belt (from eBay)
thrifted Donna Karan sandals


re: workout regimen. would you all be annoyed if i said "i don't do anything
and i'm naturally super skinny and i eat A LOT." well, don't worry, i won't!
there was a time, up until high school, when i could probably eat a whole
roasted pig and still wake up with perfectly flat abs the next morning.
sadly those days are behind me, but fortunately i do not have to be a diet
and workout fanatic to maintain my weight.

my main motivation for maintaining weight is: i have a lot of nice clothes
and i would like to be able to wear them for a very very long time.

i go running every weekend morning, not very long, about 5 miles per run.
for me running is more meditation than working out, which is why i try to
run early in the morning. i do Pilates 2-3 days a week, 4 if i'm feeling
ambitious or if i'm heading to the beach that weekend. lol. my weak spots
are my arms and my butt (i want a bigger one!) so i try to target those
areas with Pilates. running is not very good for your posterior - in
some cases it tends to flatten it out, so i try to include stairs in my
running route. for some reason it's difficult for me to tone my arms. they
just seem to get bigger (though firmer) without getting toned. i'll just
have to keep at it, i guess.

that's it, folks. i wish i had some amazing weight-loss secret to reveal!
like most people, some days i wish i was skinnier (♪ i wish i was a little bit
taller, wish i was a baller ♪) and more toned, but i try not to be too hard on
myself. i just make an effort, that's all.

summer skin

ITEMS (mouse over to view detailed picture)
re-worked vintage scallop-hem shorts (from etsy.com seller neneee)
Yves Saint Laurent ruffled shirt (old, from eBay)
vintage Hermes collier de chien belt
Cecile & Jeanne hammered gold cuff (old, from Cecile & Jeanne, Madison Ave./NYC)
Christian Louboutin mary-jane espadrilles (old, from Barneys clearance)
Mulberry Alexa handbag
Chanel "Gold Lamé" nailpolish