{ who } wore it better

filed under: the most delightful roasting i've ever received!
lucky magazine recently enlisted several male bloggers to take on the postures of me & a few of my style blog sisters. the results literally had me laughing out loud:

{ above: original post HERE // below: original post HERE }

yes, john januzzi; you wore it better. CLICK HERE for more LOL's!!

{ sunshine }

i may be back in black this week, but that hasn't stopped me from dreaming of a few colorful lovelies. we all must arm ourselves with a little sunshine on those grey winter days:

{ clockwise from top left: kolae trousers (i wore them in green HERE), agent provocateur leopard gloves, 3.1 philip lim blouse, ray ban sunnies, giovanna battaglia (i'm stealing that scarf-around-the-waist idea!) by vanessa jackman, asos neoprene skirt, marc by marc jacobs chevron skirt, deborah lippman nail polish }

{ tamu's shoes }

tamu mcpherson, the talented eye behind all the pretty birds & fashion director of grazia.it, has some pretty amazing taste in footwear. every morning in milan, i got so excited to see what she'd show up to the shows in. here are two of my faves:

{ the fashion ranger }

{ i wore: primary blouse, zara skirt, camille zarsky clutch (my wardrobe's fashion week MVP!), corello shoes }

getting a cab when you need one is among the hardest parts of fashion week (that and the lack of sleep), so i was happy to team up with mercedes benz's fashion ranger on saturday. they drove me around to shows, and in between i prowled the town, scouting for the fiercest leopard-spot-sporters on the scene (including superstar stylist june ambrose, below):



you all probably know that leopard is by far my favorite print, so this was a fun project to be a part of. click over to my facebook page for TONS more street style snaps!!

{ ultramarine integration }

i think it's pretty clear what the accent color du jour is this season: cobalt hues are red-hot!!
{ images via go backstage, jak+jil, because i'm addicted, design sponge & stockholm street style }

{ so celine }

i first saw this clutch (in black) under the arm of my friend carolina (turns out she has it in yellow too, as seen below!), and immediately assumed it was celine ~ or at least something equally cutting-edge and costly. it's just so absolutely, perfectly now, with its simple, fold-over design and chunky, gold zipper-teeth.

so, you can imagine my excitement when i learned it was simply from the invariably-available-everywhere american apparel, and is offered in multiple hues (including spring 2011's critical color, camel!) for only $45!! i ordered doubles, how about you?

speaking of celine, i can't believe we haven't addressed pheobe philo's resort 2011 collection for the label yet, because it's everything i'm currently craving...


...and how hard does their simple clutch concept kill it in electric blue?!

{ runway & streetstyle photos via style.com }

{ the streets }

captured at nyfw { above left via refinery29 // wearing: lanvin for h+m sunnies, coach leather bomber (seen HERE), elizabeth & james shirt, c. renee sweater (also worn HERE), vintage skirt & clutch, stuart weitzman boots // above right via nymag // wearing: gifted elizabeth & james sunnies, zara coat, gifted modcloth blouse, miu miu pants & brooch (on vintage bag), lanvin for h+m shoes }

{ just do it } yourself

i realize her bracelet is separate from the jacket, but is anyone else thinking what i'm thinking: that it's totally time to DIY CHARM-BRACELET-EMBELLISH the pockets on a vintage trench?? or maybe i've just got chain-spiration stuck on my mind?!

{ image via style.com }

{ hey, jealousy }

EPIC sunnies. they make my D&G's look downright understated. where where where can i get a pair?!?!! { via style.com }

{ that JACKET }

over-the-top, meet perfectly unassuming. i can't remember the last time i wanted anything more:

what a dreamy piece! { though i secretly wish she had paired it with another shoe // photo by wayne tippetts }

{ stole the show }

started obsessing over leopard stoles when first i saw them on dries van noten's fall 2010 runway...

...the fire was rekindled when they recently began popping up all over the street style sites...

...and the desire has finally been (delightfully faux!) satisfied by my most recent e-order:

i promise you, this piece is even better* in person!! i'll probably be wearing it all winter...
---
{ dries photos via style.com, taylor tomasi streetsyle via style.com/bloglovin/moodboard, leopard stole courtesy of modcloth }
*and it's only $20!! honestly, i would have bought it even if they weren't a sponsor of this site. it's a great trend, a fun piece & SO versatile!

{ favorite lady }

{ iris apfel in a limited edition lanvin tee, photographed by tommy ton for style.com }

iris's elements of style:

(1) never take yourself or an outfit too seriously. (2) visit the animal kingdom. (3) consider the clergy. (4) travel widely. (5) go high and low. (6) don't fret about your age. (7) don't be afraid to stop traffic.

i say amen to that!! {via}

{ spot on }

{ elizabeth cabral // photo via style.com }

another recent favorite streetstyle snap (the collarless trench is lovely, but it's the mixology that makes it!). leopard motifs rate just before kimonos on my list of all-time favorite things ~ and that spotted, skinny belt is a piece every girl needs. we've all noticed how groovy olive green has become, plus the bag she's wearing reminds me of the one i linked here. in short, this look sort of has it all: it's classic, timeless, ageless ~ but still quirky, unserious, and so appropriately now!

{ kimono crossing }

{ june ambrose // photo via gq.com }

i love this look! clearly, it's not for everyone, but i think this chic chick carries it off splendidly.

{ positively perfect } inner + outer style

to me, the following 7 images represent absolute aesthetic perfection. a feast for the senses:







{ interiors via coco+kelley // streetstyle via the sartorialist }

{ lady crush } the contessa

i was recently introduced to the captivating contessa marta marzotto via vanessa jackman's streetstyle blog. mon dieu ~ talk about a grande dame! ladies like her (and the great iris apfel) have me convinced that life ~ and style ~ really just gets better with age.

{ how to wear } pop of blue

i love how both these ladies have jazzed up desaturated ensembles with electric blue bags. i have the same corto moltedo cassette clutch that giovanna battaglia is rocking on the right. bet you can guess how i plan to wear it next!

{ how to wear } cropped kimonos

a client of mine received a pink glamourwrap from her husband for christmas (lucky lady!). she plans to take it with her on an upcoming cruise, and recently emailed me for ideas on how to wear it (besides the obvious 'throw it over a bathing suit' suggestion). this prompted a search through my inspiration files; here are a few of my favorite wrap stars. these styles can also be exquisitely executed with any cropped kimono you already own:

1/ i love nicole richie's casual evening outfit. with a pregnant belly, she proves this look works on all body types! i think her ensemble would be equally chic if the dress stretched to the floor. wear this to dinner anywhere in the world and feel both appropriate and alluring.

2/ natalia vodianova epitomizes hippie chic in a minimalist white sheath (with sleeves!). keeping her hair and footwear similarly simple allows her to go wild with a patterned wrap and serious statement necklace. this is slightly dressier than richie's interpretation, and would work wonderfully for a wedding.

3/ catherine baba's costume may be too much for some, but strip away a few accessories and you've got a pretty pliable rubric. like our other ladies, she keeps her underpinnings pretty simple, letting the topper do the talking. reimagine this silhouette with leggings, jeans, or ~ in the case of my cruising client ~ a pair of palazzo pants! finish it with boots, à la baba, or a pair of strappy sandals and an obi belt!

{ how to wear } vintage furs

i loved reading last week's swide article on anna dello russo. she's become such a style icon thanks to her unforgettable appearances at the international fashion weeks, so it was interesting to hear how she prepares for these public appearances:

"the styling work (is) the same, only done to myself... it's all planned and thought up in advance... i get ready like six months beforehand. i edit the clothes (about 90 outfits for each fashion week). i think of what would look good on camera." - anna dello russo

fascinating, no? if nothing else, it makes me realize how unprepared i am for the new york shows starting next week! as i begin to get ready, i'll be looking to another street style star for inspiration: the captivating catherine baba:

i love the above images from last winter ~ the way she transitioned her accessories throughout a day, moving the belt outside (and to the side) of her fur coat as she got cold.

fast forward a number of months, and it's great to see the way she's worn the very same coat (and sunnies!) to this year's couture collections, tying it this time around with a simple grosgrain ribbon:

i get the feeling that her looks are completely uncalculated. clearly she thinks quite a lot about clothes, but puts them together in an effortless, freewheeling way. a woman who dresses to suit her mood ~ how modern! how divine!

i have an over-the-top vintage ivory fur that i've been wondering how to wear. voila! now i know. and while we're on the topic, i dare you not to want a fluffy (faux?) fur scarf after peeping this pic:

{ photo credits: jak+jil, hanneli, the sartorialist }

{ how to win friends and infiltrate people }

though i do occasionally wear jeans, there is a good reason why i shy away from them more often than not: to understand it, just take a subway ride in new york. look down and 99.99% of the sea of legs surrounding you will be decked in denim. it's like a uniform for humanity, and it's sort of scary.

the truth is, every society and subculture, no matter how obscure, has its own sartorial norms. whether you are personally inclined to escape this fact or embrace it, you'll be struck by the stark reality presented by exactitudes {exact + attitudes}, an artistic observation by photographer ari versluis and social profiler ellie uyttenbroek. these two collaborators have catalogued hundreds of comparative street style studies over the last 14 years. the results are entirely incredible:

{ above: french touch / bordeaux, 2006 }

{ above: le filles du 7ème / Paris, 2008 }

{ above: hipsters / rotterdam, 2008 }

{ above: holly hobbies / limburg, 2009 }

really makes you think a bit about your favorite trends, no? ultimately, this trestise exemplifies the phrase: a picture is worth a thousand words. and yet, i'm dying to hear what you all think about it!