summer staple

 

Missoni ombre duster sweater
Kain pocket tank
AG Jeans boyfriend shorts
Chloé sandals
Margiela gold ring set

Got a bit of a 'Tobias Funke' vibe going on with these jorts, lol. 

(Arrested Development - yes/no? Moving on...)

Clearly loving these Chloé sandals right now.

Nation Ltd. oversized tee
Rick Owens Lilies jersey skort
Chloé sandals
bag by Fluo

I love this getup, I would be perfectly happy dressing like this all summer long.

third time's a charm

I never thought my calves were particularly big until one day last fall at Bergdorf Goodman when I tried to squeeze into a pair of Louboutin Egoustina boots. They didn't even go past my ankle! I suppose my calves are healthy runner's calves, nothing like the super-slim ones all French Vogue editors seem to have. I think it also has to do with the fact that I'm short, so the thickest part of my calf is a few inches lower on my leg than the average.

I have tried several versions of over-the-knee boots. These Biba ones were the most recent to date. I still love how they look but they are so tight around my calves that when I take them off at the end of the day there are huge dents in my skin from where the zippers dig in.

When the price dropped on these Calvin Klein suede boots from theoutnet.com I decided to give them a try. They are still snug around my calf but not uncomfortable, just enough to keep the boots from sliding down. I can actually stuff a thin pair of jeans or pants in them (unlike the Bibas) and the heel height is perfect. I am pretty confident that these will be the last pair of black over-the-knee boots I will ever buy. Between these and the others I should have all my bases covered.

Rag & Bone shirt (yoox.com) // Vanessa Bruno Athé jacket (theoutnet.com) //
Calvin Klein Collection over-the-knee boots (theoutnet.com) // Prada mini bag (eBay) //
rings by Elizabeth & James and Iossellani

tough call

I always have trouble getting dressed this time of year. It's as warm as it's been all summer but I'm tired of wearing my summer clothes.

Junya Watanabe CDG studded collar shirt (eBay) // Luxirare cuff // Sara
Berman cropped leather pants (theoutnet.com) // Charles David boots (endless.com)

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!

runway to my way

Ann Demeulemeester S/S 2011 skirt.

Ann Demeulemeester S/S 2011 skirt // Nation Ltd. gray top // Martin Margiela black mini tube skirt //
thrifted Donna Karan sandals // Prada evening bag

Skirt on the runway and on Harper Bazaar Australia's Christine Centenera

Although I cannot imagine a situation where I would let the train drag behind me (that is until I buy my marble-floored mansion and hire a team of minions to keep it dust-free) I still wanted to keep that option open. I saw these snaps-on-a-strip at the sewing supply store and tried them out, sewing the strip along the edge of the skirt and at the tips of the train. It works very well and because the snaps are an inch apart I can actually adjust the length for different heel heights. This skirt is currently my favorite "not-so-basic" basic. It looks great with a plain white tank top in the summertime and I plan on using it as a layering piece when cooler weather rolls around.

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

in limbo

The calendar says spring but the temperature says winter! Although I will always love black, sometimes I get tired of wearing drab winter colors.

I spy... a Martin Margiela gold ring set! They popped up one day on yoox.com - I don't think I checked out so fast in my life!

I'm in a state of limbo right now when it comes to my wardrobe. Every week I wrestle with the decision to switch out my closet from winter to spring. So far I have resisted - I think I'll wait until we have a string of consecutive warm days. Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later, I have a few pieces just begging to be worn!

T by Alexander Wang striped linen tee (Barneys Co-op/Philly) // Current/Elliot jeans (Saks Off Fifth outlet) // Zara coat // Mulberry "Alexa" handbag // Rachel Comey boots (Steven Alan Outpost (their sale outlet store)/NYC) // Martin Margiela 11 gold ring set (yoox.com)

fringe benefits

Those of you who follow my tumblr might already know that I made a killing on a recent trip to Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in upstate NY, an unplanned stop on the way back to the city from a weekend of snowboarding. Here's part of my loot - Jil Sander fringe jacket, from the S/S 2009 collection by Raf Simons.

Original retail price: $1795

Clearance price: $280

"Take an additional 60% off clearance price" promotion:

BOOYAH! Now we're talking.  Beautiful Jil Sander runway piece for less than 20 Starbucks drinks? Yes please, wrap it up!

As expected, impeccable tailoring by Jil Sander:

This jacket was the pièce de résistance, but I also walked away with a pair of Balenciaga pants for $22 (no joke) from the same clearance rack and a beautiful silk blouse from the Chloé outlet 80% off retail. I highly recommend going to the outlets on a weekday if you can. There were tons of extra promotions going on that I've never seen on a weekend, probably to make up for the slower weekday traffic.

Jil Sander S/S 09 fringe jacket (Saks Off Fifth outlet) // Theory tank // Alaïa wool bicycle shorts (eBay.com) // H&M tights // Rick Owens boots (brownsfashion.com) // Tres Fluo leather bag (oogaboogastore.com) // silver cuff rings (forkjewelry.com)


Here is a runway picture of the jacket (on the right, it's on the model in the background.)

Jil Sander S/S 2009 (style.com)

winded

These pants were so well-concealed among the tons of other black things in my closet that I forgot all about them. I'm glad I re-discovered them, the high waist works perfectly with my lace crop top. This is also the inaugural picture using ---> Tag Loudly <--- just hover over the first photograph for information on what I'm wearing (might not work in some RSS feed readers, like Google)!





Maybe it was the brief taste of spring we got last Friday, but I really did not feel like wearing a winter coat anymore even though it was still quite cold; I wore a scarf and cashmere wrap in lieu of a coat. I was totally fine until I got hit with the wind gusts. Holy crap. It was quite a workout just walking against the wind.



How do you like my market bag? I'm so trendy, I know. It's no Jil Sander but it'll do... for now... (It's really old, from Whole Foods ;-)

mélange

cool in the shade, warm in the sun - last weekend was perfect fall weather.

ITEMS (rollover description to view item detail)

- vintage Yves Saint Laurent blazer (eBay)
- Yves Saint Laurent lace logo tee (INA Consignment/NYC)
- McQ leather shorts (theoutnet.com)
- Alaia grommeted boots (Bergdorf Goodman/NYC)
- Mulberry "Alexa" bag (consignment)
- Ann Demeulemeester scarf (aloharag.com)
- Alexander McQueen skull ring (saks.com)

save it for later

i was a little hesitant to post this outfit. i was afraid of the Chanel purists out there who would gasp and say "where is the matching skirt?! the fancy stilettos?! why aren't you wearing PEARLS?!!!"

well you know what, i'll save the pearls for when i'm fifty. right now, this is how i'm wearing the jacket!


Chanel tweed jacket // Martin Margiela Line 4 striped button-down shirt // Les Chiffoniers latex pants // random Italian suede boots found at Daffy's // Portolano cashmere scarf // Hermes collier de chien cuff // Elizabeth & James knuckle ring // Vanessa Bruno classic tote


p.s. bigger pictures - yay/nay/indifferent/didn't notice?

tl;dr part deux

I was given an "I love your blog" prize by Dead Fleurette. Thanks so much! I'm very honored, and now it's my turn to answer the questions.

The rules of the prize are:
- Do an entry with the prize.
- Answer the questions.
- Give the prize to 10 blogs.

1. Why did you create the blog?
I used to post regularly on StyleDiary, an online community where people shared pictures of their daily outfits. Many of this blog's followers knew me first from that site. You can view the archive of pictures from StyleDiary on the page above, there's a link below the header. This blog is just an extension of that; it's basically the same concept, except this time my outfit pictures are slightly bigger.

2. What kind of blogs do you follow?
I follow tons of fashion blogs, much more than can fit in my blogroll. I also follow nerdy blogs like xkcd, slashdot, and BoingBoing, and silly ones like The Daily What and Comically Vintage on tumblr (<--Click! Best site ever!) I'm a native New Yorker but work in Philadelphia now, so I follow random New York -centric blogs to keep up with the times - I love the New York Public Library's twitter and tumblr, and I'm obsessed with the MTA's time-lapse videos.

3. Favorite makeup brand?
Well, unfortunately I am headless, but if I did have a face I would use La Roche-Posay's Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid, Powder FX mineral makeup, YSL Touche Eclat, and Chanel's Inimitable Noir Obscur mascara.

4. Favorite clothing brand?
I collect original Helmut Lang by Helmut Lang pieces. I don't like the contemporary re-incarnation of the brand under Theory, most of the stuff just looks like wannabe Rick Owens. Incidentally, Kate Lanphear also collects vintage Helmut Lang so she is probably the one outbidding me on all the super amazing pieces on eBay. If Helmut Lang gave up his fine art career, bought back his name, and started designing clothes again, I would empty out my retirement fund and be the first on line (or maybe 3rd, since Kate Lanphear and Carine Roitfeld would probably get there ahead of me.) I do like the regular Theory line for work wear though, and Steven Alan for work shirts. I can't live without my Les Chiffoniers pants - I have 4 so far. Other brands I love and wear are Rick Owens, Ann Demeulemeester, Martin Margiela, and vintage YSL. For shoes I like Louboutin and Chanel. I must also mention that I never buy anything at full retail price, so put your darn claws away!

5. Your indispensable makeup product:
YSL Touche Eclat.

6. Your favorite color:
Beige.

7. Your perfume:
It's always been Jivago 24K.

8. Your favorite film:
Oh man, I was going to pretend that I like artsy French films (which I do!) to sound more interesting, but what I really love are violent films with good plots, and if there are a bunch of good-looking boys in it, even better. So one of my all-time favorite films is Scorsese's The Departed. I also like The Godfather, Aliens, and Terminator (the sequels of all those, not so much...) And randomly (also to sound less like a dumbass), I like many of Atom Egoyan's films.

9. What country would you like to visit and why?
Japan because I hear they have fancy toilets that greet you by lifting the toilet seat when you enter the bathroom, and also Sweden for all those great clothing brands (Acne, Weekday, Monki, etc.) that are hard to find in the US.

10. Make the last question and answer it yourself:
What is your greatest fear?
Mediocrity.

pale fire

Ann Demeulemeester shirt (from eBay);
Ann Demeulemeester trousers (from Joan Shepp clearance/Philly);
Chloe sandals (from yoox.com);
Mulberry "Alexa" bag;
Alexander McQueen viking warrior skull ring (from saks);
Love Quotes linen scarf

comfort zone

back from a much needed weekend in NY to visit big sis and the parents. i was finally able to cheer on the Yankees without pissing off Phillies fans!



it's always hard to leave but at least i get to bring back a goody bag filled with enough home-cooked food to last the week.

ITEMS (mouse over to view detailed picture)
James Perse baseball hem t-shirt (old, from shopbop.com)
Missoni ombre duster sweater (old, from Filene's Basement/NYC)
Les Chiffoniers stonewashed suede pant (old, from Kirna Zabete clearance/NYC)
Portolano extra-long cashmere scarf (super old, from Filene's Basement/NYC)
Charles David boots (from endless.com)
Mulberry "Alexa" bag

say hello to my little friend

Jil Sander knit minidress; Balenciaga Le Dix boyfriend blazer ; Charles David boots; Mulberry "Alexa" bag...

...and let me introduce you to my Alexander McQueen viking warrior skull ring!

yeah!

addendum

this post is sort of a footnote to the previous one. this is what i wore last saturday. when i go away for the weekend i usually bring: one pair of pants (which i usually wear on the train), a dress, a couple of tops, and one pair of shoes which i wear for the entire weekend. i choose either silver or gold jewelry and plan my outfits and handbag accordingly. i check the weather forecast to make sure i won't be, say, stuck in a thunderstorm wearing super-fancy shoes. i know some people like to have outfit choices when they go away for short trips, but i much prefer to pack light.

i guess my only gripe with Les Chiffoniers pants is that they all stretch out after a couple of wears - apologies for the saggy leather butt!


p.s. for those of you who asked, i received Dexter and American Psycho last week. apparently Netflix thinks i'm in a serial killer type of mood...

p.p.s. finally updated the archive.

p.p.p.s. i will try to retire these pants from the blog for at least five posts, lest you all think i wear nothing else! (though i could very easily live in them!)

ITEMS (mouse over to view detailed picture)
Les Chiffoniers classic leather pants with zippers (from Barneys.com clearance)
Helmut Lang drape-back tank (old, from Barneys Co-op/Philly)
Jeffrey Campbell "Ann" boots (from eBay)
Free People lace bandeau (in black, from Urban Outfitters)
vintage Chanel purse
vintage Hermes collier de chien cuff
Luxirare giant cross necklace (from shopluxirare.com)
Yves Saint Laurent "le smoking" jacket (super old, from eBay)