DVF Spring

Spring in New York means going from tights and suede shoes to bare legs and sandals in the space of a week.

These pictures are actually from early March, but I wore the same outfit again this past week when it got freakishly cold!

Diane von Furstenberg “Dizzy” dress, Balenciaga shoes from Yoox.

And a few days later:

Freakishly warm!

Diane von Furstenberg “Kea” dress, Alexander McQueen purse, ancient sandals from Loehmann’s

I had been searching for this DVF dress for years and one finally popped up on ebay a few weeks ago.  I don’t think it’s the most flattering style and it probably needs to be hemmed a bit, but I love the print.

Read Full Post »

While the sun is bright

After reading some opinions about blog photos on Fashionism and having a similar discussion with a colleague, I’ve decided to try out both including my face in my pictures AND looking at the camera.  This is frightening territory.

The weather was gorgeous in NYC this weekend, which was perfect because my dear friend Erin was here for a visit.

Despite the sun, I decided to dress in shades of gray on Saturday.

Soia & Kyo hooded leather jacket (from Bluefly), Gray Ant scarf jacket (via ebay), Helmut Lang spider web sweater, J Brand low-rise 10″ skinny jeans (recommended to me by the always-smart Sarah), Kenneth Cole “Christine” boots (via ebay), Jib & Geona leaf necklace (now on sale!).

But Sunday was even sunnier so I wanted to be springy.  I didn’t even wear tights or socks!  It was very exciting.

H&M trench and scarf, J Brand jeans, Miu Miu flats (via ebay),  Alexander McQueen flapper bag (sample sale), Burberry sunglasses (Loehmanns), Erica Weiner earrings.

Read Full Post »

Peacock

I love peacock prints, although I have to say I’ve been a bit grossed out by the actual birds ever since I discovered the ones who reside at The Alcazar hanging out in a fenced off construction zone full of garbage instead of prancing around in the gardens.

This dress is a bit big on me so until I get it tailored it will have to be worn with a cardigan over it.  I wasn’t sure about two ruffle-necks, but it worked out pretty well.

Milly dress, J Crew cardigan, Belle by Sigerson Morrison shoes, Jill Stuart bag, antique bracelet, antique sapphire ring, amethyst ring from E.F. Watermelon

Read Full Post »

McQueen

I got the Novak bag a few years ago, thanks to my friend Elizabeth, who helped me order it from a Nordstrom Rack in California (because I am a wuss and was afraid of the less-than-helpful salesperson).   I don’t use it as often as I’d like because the short handles can be a pain and the leather gets scratched easily, but I think the shape is gorgeous and I will definitely be carrying this as an old lady (despite the wrinkled appearance of my hands, I am not yet a senior citizen).

Alexander McQueen Novak purse, Tulle coat, vintage rings, wrinkly fingers, Cousin It hair

Read Full Post »

Sunday Spiderweb

Helmut Lang sweater

I was on the verge of selling this sweater last year, but thankfully some friends talked me out of it.  The front has a V-neck so low it’s practically down to my navel, which is kind of weird and perhaps not so flattering, but I love the spiderweb effect on the back.

Read Full Post »

I’ve got some real estate here in my bag

The day I got back from Japan the Wall Street Journal ran an interview with Devi Kroell about packing light.  Luckily my dad taught me to be an expert packer so I didn’t need her tips and was able to make it through 10 cold days in 3 Japanese cities with one small suitcase.

I always stick with one base color palate – either black or brown.  Then I make sure I can mix-and-match everything that I’m bringing.  I pack cheap, fun jewelry to dress things up for night and to make my outfits less boring (I was so sick of looking at these clothes by the end of my trip).  Another trick is to put small items like socks and underwear in plastic bags and to stuff them inside your shoes.  This saves space and prevents the shoes from getting squished.  Also, I always try to find some things that are on their last legs which I can throw out at the end of my trip to make room for anything new I’ve bought.  This time I unloaded some very worn-out tank tops, tights and socks.  For shoes I tend to stick with flats since heels take up so much room.  I made an exception this time because I wanted to wear my new Loeffler Randall Ramona pumps, but I really regretted bringing them.  And not just because I twisted my ankle when leaving the glass-walled lobby bar at our hotel and (in the words of my mortified sister) almost “garfielded across the windows.”

Here’s a picture of almost all of the clothing that I brought with me, minus some tank tops.

I added notes to the photo on Flickr so you can see what all of the items are.

Read Full Post »

Valentine

I wore this vintage dress for my birthday last weekend, but it seemed appropriate to post it for Valentine’s Day.  The top always looks orange in pictures, but it’s actually bright red. The dress is so vibrant that I’ve never found an opportunity to wear it, but luckily having a birthday close to February 14th gave me an excuse.

While it would have been fun to run around in that dress today, I actually wore this navy Ivan Grundahl sweater which I got last year at the IF basement sale.  I love the details – the wide, slightly-cowled neckline, the vertical ribbing, and the long sleeves.

I got this ring during an insane sale at LaForet in Tokyo – my sister took video of the scene, which hopefully I can post soon.

Read Full Post »

Back From Japan

I forgot to schedule posts while I was away, but I’ll be back to posting this week.

For the last 2 nights of our trip we were able to use frequent flier miles to get a room at the amazing Conrad Tokyo.  On our last day in Japan I wore one of my Tokyo purchases – a gray sweater with bejeweled bows.

Conrad Tokyo

Read Full Post »

Heirlooms

I started the new year off by wearing some old things.

To New Year’s brunch I wore my mother’s 70s suede jacket with faux fur lining.  It has gotten some damage over the years, mainly due to a stupid puff back, but Madame Paulette did a really great job of cleaning it and even gave me a discount because they couldn’t make it perfect again.

Later that night I wore this vintage necklace with an Anna Sui dress to the Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle.  The necklace also belong to my mother, but she gave it to me on Christmas because I’ve always admired it.

By the way, if you are looking for a nice night out I highly recommend the Bemelmans Bar, especially if you are a fan of Ludwig Bemelmans (creator of Madeline).  The drinks are expensive and you might get harassed by a drunk 70-year old who tells you that you’re making a big mistake if you decline his invitation to dance, but the bar is so elegant and the murals are beautiful.

Read Full Post »

I had a date with a pretty ballerina

Worn to The Nutcracker.

Banana Republic cardigan, Anzevino and Florence dress, See by Chloé clutch, Georgian period bracelet, Lauren by Ralph Lauren shoes.

“Pretty Ballerina” -The Left Banke

Read Full Post »