It's hard to believe that we're about the enter the last weekend of September. Like, kind of crazy, actually. As you know, it took me a while to get into the fact that the weather was cooling down, but now that the inevitable has occurred, I'm really pumped about fall everything. Fall colors, fall foliage, fall activities, fall style, fall inspiration, fall romance. You name it, I'm excited about it. With that in my mind, I'm really feeling this week's mood board. Every single photo I have for you below touches a chord in me. Hope you love it and wishing everyone an amazing weekend - September's last and fall's first.
It's no secret that I am not a purveyor of color when it comes to dressing myself. I love it on others but I never feel like it works when I'm wearing something flashy. While some people think that head-to-toe black is boring and unimaginative (just ask Anna), I beg to differ and I am about to make my case.
If your individual pieces are interesting, the sum of their equation has to be amazing by default, amiright? It's undeniable that black, no matter how cheerless in character it is, is a "color" that really serves as a style elevator. It's the one shade that you can throw on without asking yourself if it works -- it always works. Of all the hues associated with timelessness, this one is the queen mother. People who layer black always exude a certain power, a certain je ne sais quoi that transpires into everlasting, undeniable cool.
When I see a girl in a look comprised mostly of dark pieces, I always turn around. I want to analyze who this person is, my first thought being that she is really fucking cool. If you can wear all-black and catch people's eye, you're in a whole different style category. That said, I wear a lot of black and hardly think of myself as one of those girls, but that doesn't stop me from feeling chic when I do.
These were taken on our last full day in Paris this summer, but this outfit is the kind that has such neutral, minimal appeal that it could truly transcend seasons. Needless to say, I felt pretty strong in my layers of black.
You know the drill, friends: yet another variation of dark monochromatism. This time, I did something I don't often do: statement earrings -- and if you saw beneath my Ray-Bans, you would notice my winged eyeliner, yet another anomaly in my general state of being. Something else you may or may not notice in this series is one of my favorite summer makeup tricks: collarbone contouring.
Nothing is sexier than a beautiful collarbone. I think it's the epitome of femininity and you can get away with so much, sartorially speaking, if that part of your body is exposed in just the right way. Allow me to paint the picture: the sun is setting, you've got a glass of rosé in your hand, you're in the company of your favorite person, and the light catches that area, giving the most amazing glow to your skin.
I usually use two different products to achieve glimmer below the neck: the Nars multiple sticks in South Beach and Copacabana. I spread the South Beach shade, which is a deeper bronze, in the creases along the bones to emphasize protrusion. I then finish it off by slathering Copacabana, a very subtle silvery pink shimmer, all over the surface of my bones, including my chest bone and even going up to the center of my neck. Try it out and let me know how it goes!
Well, hello October! That is I N S A N E. It's been grey and dreary all week and it has also been the first time thus far in the season where the cool down has really been felt. Fall is asserting itself and we all know what that means... let the countdown to Christmas begin! Wait, what?! Have a great weekend everyone, and may this mood board inspire all kinds of good stuff xx
New York City provides an endless well of interesting places to take photos. At any given time, no matter where you find yourself meandering in the streets of this massive metropolis, you can stop and find a backdrop that will infinitely enhance whatever it is that you are wearing that day. Exhibit A: the beautiful brick wall yonder, spotted on a leisurely stroll through the Lower East Side on a peaceful Saturday. The beauty of this town is that the character of certain buildings is not contained within their walls, but runs all the way through their exterior as well.
Exhibit B: the walk across the Williamsburg bridge on the way home, a photo opp call I would never fail to answer. One of my favorite routes to take back to the bat cave, but made in exceptional circumstances each time for obvious reasons. Not only is the trek breathtaking, but it's good for both the figure and the soul. It allows one enough time to breathe, to think, to take things in, to reflect. It's as good as it looks.
While pastels are revolting to a lot of my fellow dark clothes aficionados, I revel in a light monochromatic palette as much as I do its opposite. While powdery hues are often associated to girlie sweetness, I think that wearing them in cuts and shapes that are anything but spices things up once in a while. Like these oversized nautical bermudas and the sk8er grl slip-ons for starters.
The colors of my outfit would usually scream butterflies and unicorns. However, my affinity for loose garments would beg to differ... and my tomboy nature would never telegraph such a thing anyway. I felt like these elements borrowed a little something from the country club, but my mischievous attitude removes all of the properness this look might have had.
Another busy week for the books, another fun (hopefully) weekend on the books! Now well into October, things are getting frisky and the long weekend is apparently going to be a series of typical brisk fall days. Sunny and crisp with cool make-a-fire-snuggle-in-a-blanket nights. Yes, please! Enjoy your long weekend if you're in the US and Canada, and your regular weekend if you're in the rest of the world xx
I always complain about winter. I really, really, really loathe it with all of my being. I'm talking about a real northern winter, with temperatures below the freezing point and snow that won't cease tumbling down from the clouds. It. Is. Horrid. I know, pretty uncharacteristic for girl that hails from the Great White North, but it's true: I never "got used to" winter, as most people do. Generally, they just make do and accept the fact that it's just the way the cookie crumbles. Not this girl. While New York winters are more tolerable than Canadian ones by leaps and bounds, but they're still annoying as hell. But I still want them around, strangely.
I know what you're thinking: dude, why are you boring us with this outlandish, unrelated rant? Bear with me, I have a point, promise. So, with all of that said, I don't think I could live in a place that doesn't have a cycle of four distinctive seasons. The fact that we are able to experience four of Mother Nature's completely divergent mood swings is perhaps one of the best things about having grown up (and still dwelling) in the Northeast. Each and every season brings on a whole new world of possibilities, it reminds us how truly amazing the Earth really is, and mostly, I find that it makes us appreciate everything on a much higher level. It all weighs heavier in the gratitude scale.
Fall has been my favorite season for as long as I can remember. While I was never very academic, that back-to-school period was synonymous with the sort of enchantment I couldn't get enough of - the smells, the new clothes, the radical change in lifestyle, the chance to start fresh, the opportunities for getting cozy, and last but not least, the countdown to Christmas. It's the season where people begin their longing to hunker down while still having a strong desire to maximize those last beautiful days of the year while they still can. Nature's colors are enough to make anyone want autumn to last a lifetime. And while it's probably the shortest season of them all - the magic lies precisely in that hurried sensibility: take in every moment while you can because winter will be taking over before you know it. Those magnificent reds, oranges, greens and browns will fall to the ground and leave everything looking less than alive and feeling even less so.
The best way to experience autumn is to trek to a place that is dense in nature. To fully get a grasp of what fall really means, you need to see the trees, you need to smell the air, you need to go apple picking and pumpkin patching and have (spiked) hot tea by the fireplace. You need to have a spa day that overlooks insane mountain views and engage in pumpkin ale drinking at cocktail hour. You need to take scenic drives along the tree-scattered roads and hikes around a mild-distanced lake. Bonus points if you have a canine to play fetch with between all the aforementioned activities. That is my idea of perfection, what 's yours? Cheers to fall!
I know that I always blab on and on about my tomboy nature and natural inclination for less than feminine garb, but I do get the odd moments where I have this inexplicable desire to unleash the girl inside of me and break out of my own mold. And when that happens, I get all femme and don some out-of-character pieces... But in an unexpected twist, I strangely usually still feel entirely comfortable, at ease, and more importantly, like myself. Does that mean I have a split sartorial personality?
Moving along, this outfit works as well for a summer night as it does for the current transitional weather: throw a leather jacket over your shoulders and you have an ideal getup for a beautiful fall evening. How's that for feminine versatility?
We're already halfway through October and time just seems to be going by even faster by the day. I suppose that's what happens when you're crazy busy, right? The week's been a little schizo in terms of weather, raining and crappy mid-week and beautiful the rest of it. What I can't complain about, however, is the fact that it's been unusually warm and clement for this time of year. Today is set to be another one of those perfect blue skies with the sun shining down at just the right temperature. Hopefull that's foreshadowing for the rest of the weekend and I'll be raising my glass to that tonight. Enjoy the moodboard guys xx
When you're a wee little one, going to the park has a very special recreational connotation. It's the place reserved for playtime with your friends, it's a locale of extreme fun, complete with jungle gym races and sheer downtime pleasure. Once you start tipping the scale into your teens, parks take on another meaning -- it's maybe where you hang out with your clique, partaking in activities not so fit for the child you used to be, but learning from experiences nonetheless.
Once you cross the line into adulthood, parks are no longer synonymous with monkey bars or baseball diamonds, but they're still very much a place of serenity and leisure. It's where you take a blanket and lay out a beautiful picnic spread, it's the place where you dream of taking the latest best-seller you've been dying to start and getting lost for hours in its pages while the sun shines down on your face. It's also the default destination you make your way to with Fido three times a day...
Parks take on different implications depending on the timing of your life, but they remain a place of fun throughout the years. And if you live in a city setting, they're a little oasis in the midst of all the noise and the hubbub of the daily grind. Bryant Park is one of those places in middle of what I consider to be one of Manhattan's worse areas. Its a giant park that spans an entire block right behind the New York Public library. Adding to its charm are cafés, bars and seating within, along with a huge slice of turf in the middle for people to take that breather between the chaos. It also boasts a skating rink in the wintertime to bring that extra touch of park magic among the hustle and bustle.
If you find yourself in the area on your Big Apple visit, make it a destination. You won't regret it.
One of the most awesome things about living in Brooklyn is that you can always expect a twist on anything that would be run-of-the-mill anywhere else. For example, instead of having regular old blown up billboard ads peppered through the streets, the more common approach in my neck of the woods is to go the artist route and paint advertisements on the side of buildings instead.
The backdrop for these pics is actually the painting of an Arcade Fire promo. With bricks as canvases, these pieces are so impressive, larger-than-life, and incredibly intricate. It's pretty mind-blowing to actually watch them in action, their artistry is unparalleled. If you ever have the chance to stumble upon the making of one of these, I urge you to stand and observe for a little while. In the meantime, if you happen to see an ad-mural like this one, take the opportunity to stand in front of it to immortalize your outfit.
While the weather plummets gradually, the fun to be had resides in bundles of cozy layers, fluffy knitwear and luxurious cashmeres. I actually happen to be in Canada this weekend for a wedding and let me tell you, this place is fackin cold... but I'm having an amazing time catching up with some of my best friends. It's kind of a whirlwind and it's going by at lightning speed, but I know the memories will last forever (and if not, all the instagram pics will). Enjoy the break guys and find all the inspiration you need below xx
I personally don't know very many people who fuss over their weekend attire, unless it's Saturday night and they're going out dancing, of course. But not bothering with your attire is not synonymous with sloppiness, ladies. Don't even think about throwing on your Uggs and Lululemons and calling it a Saturday. Loose-fitting cropped trousers paired with fly kicks will bring the same amount of comfort and reap way more style impact.
Aside from the regular sartorial chatter, let's just discuss glorious fall weekends lazily spent in the city for a sec, shall we? Some of my favorite weekends are spent at home, without any particular obligations to fulfill, with no concrete plans, and letting the hubs and I's moods dictate what to do by day, by night and for every feeding. It's such a blissful feeling to be able to go with the flow and just take advantage of life a little bit.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I was away for a few days last week and over the weekend. We drove down to Canada for a wedding, and I gotta say, I love road trips, especially during this time of year when the foliage is hitting its sweet spot. When you're slated to be sitting in a car for nearly 10 hours, rummaging through your closet for something comfortable enough to wear for such a lengthy period of time without looking like you've just rolled out of bed can be a bit of a challenge. Because, yes, along with the prolonged driving came a nice rise around 5:30. Did I mention that I am NOT a morning person?
Nevertheless, it's important to remain somewhat sartorially composed. The trick is obviously to have your trip clothes ready for action the night before. If you're gonna do a legging, skip the spandex yoga pant and go for a stretchy material that is less gym-centric, like a thick cotton variation with a cool zip along the leg, as I've done here.
On the top is my favorite sweater, an oversized cashmere polo knit stolen borrowed from my husband for that perfect casual comfort, which still gave me a bit of a luxurious while I belted out my best Lady Gaga in the co-pilot seat (my poor tender half, what a patient man). Finally, let's all count our lucky stars for sneakers having a chic moment, and all you need to seal the deal is some form of striking outerwear.
You've now seen my garb on the way up to Canada, now I give you the way back to NYC's attire. Just riffing on my car outfit on the way up, I literally have the same base on, but I swapped the footwear and the outerwear not to be too repetitive.
It's full comfort without the exercise or PJ vibes. The best part about wearing these boots during a long road trip is that they're so easy to slip on and off when getting in and out of the car. Pure ease. Now let's not mention anything about the fact that I'm at a McDonald's and I have something other than a coffee in my hands. What happens on the road stays on the road.
Happy halloween everyone!!! Got any super fun plans for tonight? I actually haven't even given it a thought yet but I do know that I want to somehow get in costume. We shall see how the evening unfolds... I feel as though it's been forever since halloween has actually fallen on a Friday night so it would be such a missed opportunity to not seize the moment, amiright? Anyway, below is this week's mood board and hopefully it leaves you inspired xx
With a new season comes a whole panoply of renewal feelings, but, more importantly, the burning desire to buy new clothes. I don't think anyone is immune to that, and even less so when all you do in life is based on style and fashion. Every major seasonal shift - summer and fall - I come up with a shortlist of brand new things that I want to add to my wardrobe in order to make my old things feel current.
With balance always in mind, however, I tend to also do a purge because I hate clutter and I need to make room for the impending acquisitions. Below are the things I'm coveting this season. What's on your fall wish list?
Right before the first frost sets in, fall days filled with sunshine are infused with so much bliss, it's hard to accurately describe. While the air has a hint of coolness, the strength of those rays is still fully there, shining bright and enveloping your face like a warm blanket. A light jacket suffices as insulation, layering is still for style purpose, as opposed to utilitarian, and you can just walk around freely holding your pumpkin spice latte without having to duck from unpleasant wind gusts.
One of the things I try to maintain on this blog is authenticity. The outfits I post here are not premeditated ensembles that wouldn't fly in real life. My pictures are mostly taken with an iphone during an actual activity I am partaking in. The shoots I do with my photographer are looks that I've either already worn or plan to wear in the immediate future. I think being disingenuous is not only obvious to readers, but it's also less compelling.
In that spirit, I've never shied away from posting selfies on here in the past. When I am wearing something I deem worth sharing, but did not get the opportunity to ask someone to snap my photo, one must resort to their own devices, aka the #selfie. And to play on the #TBT theme, I bring you three looks - all selfies - from this summer that showcase my simple and easy style.
%2Bin%2BBlack.jpg "Proenza Schouler PS11 cros sbody bag in black")
