the alteration

carven resort

2011-07-15T17:58:00.007-05:00

Carven

Resort 2012
via style.com

I'd wear looks #1 and #6 exactly as they are. Perfect prints and inspiring color choices. I'll be looking to this collection frequently as I seek to really narrow and define my sense of style - hopefully an achievable goal!

breton box cut

2011-07-10T10:50:00.001-05:00

express top, forever 21 shorts, steve madden wedges

I wore this outfit out on a date with a super good-looking guy and the zipper on my shorts broke while I was in the bathroom. Spent the rest of the evening nervously shuffling around with my left thigh way more exposed than I intended.

why, hello, so good to see you again

2011-06-22T00:13:00.003-05:00

my hair is shoulder-length now. pixie cuts are an absolute pain to grow out.

flourescent

2011-04-03T18:02:00.002-05:00

i'm thinking the yellow one will be my little spring splurge...if it comes back in stock, that is. siiiiigh.

cambridge satchel company flourescent satchels
via dover street market

top it off

2010-11-06T15:58:00.000-05:00

jalouse

november 2010

via studdedhearts

so navajo

2010-11-02T14:37:00.001-05:00

next major purchase. i am stuck in a southwestern style rut.
(i was even a native american for halloween. it's officially an obsession.)

bb dakota bostwick wool toggle coat, $128 at nasty gal

birdhouse jewelry

2010-10-18T12:53:00.000-05:00

Stumbled across this designer last month while perusing the Brooklyn Flea Market, which I finally found after two wrong trains and a long and expensive cab ride. I've been wearing my crossbones necklace (I have it in black) and horseshoe ring every day. Their designs aren't revolutionary...just simple, dainty, interesting, and great for the price. I have my eye on this skull necklace next!

""

2010-10-11T10:55:00.000-05:00

"The Dreamer"

Vogue UK//October 2010

via Culturalite Mag

Serving as my primary inspiration for tomorrow's thrifting trip, although I doubt I'll ever find a suitable replacement for those glorious Fendi boots in the last photo. I also need some recycled retail therapy to get through the last week of midterms I'll ever have to take!

ovrszd

2010-10-06T11:22:00.000-05:00

Paul & Alice brown oversize trench coat, $345.

I don't buy anything that fits anymore.

[re]invented

2010-10-05T19:23:00.003-05:00

photography by ken schles

Album art for the recently-released "Invented" by my all-consuming music obsession, Jimmy Eat World. I saw them perform last night for the fourth time and, as usual, they delivered spectacularly. The new album has been playing on my laptop, IPod, and in my head for the past week straight, and I have to say that I'm completely in love with the entire thing, so the fact that I find the artwork equally as inspiring is no surprise.

Jim was inspired by Cindy Sherman's photos "The Complete Untitled Film Stills" and Hannah Starkey's "Photographs 1997-2007" when writing the album, both series that are worth checking out on their own. Most interesting is that he writes these songs from the perspective of a woman, and as a female fan I'm completely astounded that he pulled it off so well. Although I'm pretty sure "Action Needs an Audience" must be an outlier. The standouts for me are "My Best Theory," "Higher Devotion," "Movielike," "Stop," and "Cut" if you're looking to check it out.

Definitely recommended for all those indie/alternative rock fans out there!

And on another note, I have gone through a lot of changes in my life - a breakup with my boyfriend of three years, struggling with my senior year of college, and finding a stable job (two in my case). I'm happy to say that I am hoping to now return to my regular scheduled programming, with a few tweaks. It feels good to be back.

bright lights, big city

2010-09-06T22:44:00.000-05:00

First day in New York City was definitely out of my personal book of dreams. No work to do, other than learning how to navigate the subway system.

Hit up Zara and H&M on Fifth Ave, stumbled upon the Conde Nast building (held back subsequent urge to storm Anna Wintour's office), ate NY-style pizza, took a ridiculous amount of Times Square photos, and dragged our weary selves back to the little place we're staying at in Sunnyside.

I start my internship at LaForce + Stevens tomorrow....can't wait!!

NYFW

2010-07-31T11:30:00.006-05:00

I'LL BE THERE.

brand new colony

2010-06-08T22:23:00.000-05:00

crooked horizon, style like u, lookbook, souvenirs, vanillascented, anywho.dk, fashiontoast, amlul

daydreaming of adventure

2010-05-07T11:44:00.005-05:00

Shopbop Spring Designer Lookbook, Marc by Marc Jacobs.

The minute I think I've figured out how to define my "personal style," I find myself swayed in a new direction. One minute I'm fawning over pastels, lace, and ruffles; the next I'm obsessed with tribal prints, saturated colors and the BEST rendition of the clog I've seen all spring. (I hate the shape of traditional clogs; these are inventive, feminine, and look absolutely killer with tan skin.)

This lookbook is a huge source of inspiration for me right now - I'm definitely all aboard the mixed print bandwagon, and I love the library setting. It feels like this is what you'd want to wear on your last day of classes, semi-cramming for your very last final exam of the semester but yet not really caring because your mind has already hit vacation, finishing the test in 20 minutes and then heading out to some rooftop fiesta to celebrate the start of summer.

(Maybe I just feel that way because I just finished my last final? YES)

I need to run out to Forever21 and snap up all the headgear they have haphazardly thrown on their accessory towers.

finals week

2010-04-26T00:32:00.000-05:00

if i have hair left by the end of the week, it's a miracle

mixology

2010-04-19T16:47:00.000-05:00

Harper's Bazaar Australia continuously serves as one of my primary sources of inspiration. We're just always on the same sartorial wavelength, and this is no exception.

Harper's Bazaar Australia, May 2010
Model: Meghan Collison (What an interesting face, don't you think? There's something sort of Linda Evangelista/Milla Jovovich about her.)
Photographer: Benny Horne
Stylist: Jillian Davison

Source: fashiongonerogue, of course

they said it changes when the sun goes down

2010-04-16T23:21:00.000-05:00

express tights & sweater; f21 skirt; vintage top, boots & earrings.

Random night shoot + root beer float run. It's still a bit chilly here...I can't wait for the grass to really be green.

Picked up two pairs of these tights at Express, both have already ripped. I'd been searching the world over for polka dot tights since they became popular, because I truthfully think they would be a personal wardrobe staple for the rest of my life. Haven't been able to find any in my remote location, though, and every time I found them online they were sold out.

Not a very original outfit, though I would say my style has gotten more eclectic recently....

lazy day

2010-04-06T22:32:00.000-05:00

gap shirtdress, old navy scarf, vintage purse

EYES, LIPS, FACE

2010-03-22T22:30:00.007-05:00

I've been completely distracted by the most embarrassing of things: YouTube videos. Specifically, those relating to "hauls" and/or makeup tutorials. I know, I know, so shallow, so ridiculous, I can't even believe I've been spending all my time watching cheesy videos from makeup gurus like DulceCandy87 and AllThatGlitters21 (her little sister has the most annoying voice), but I have, and I'm just going to be straight-up honest with you, because this is my blog and this is why I haven't even really been inspired to do outfit photos, hah.

So, in any case, my newfound silly addiction has had me absolutely gaga over all things beauty. Any money from my tax return that I could have spent on clothes and shoes has now been spent on Urban Decay eyeshadow palettes and Smashbox lipsticks, and all time that I usually spend on streetstyle websites and blogs has had me searching about looking for beauty editorials.

Thought I'd share a bit of beauty inspiration:

src: fashiongonerogue, tfs, cobrasnake, unknown

What do you guys think about the relationship between beauty and fashion? Do you watch "haul" videos? I'm entirely new to this whole beauty thing (I have used the same 10-shadow palette for two years straight and I didn't own an eyelash curler up until 4 days ago) so if you have any site/product recommendations, let me know!

pick and choose

2010-03-17T21:11:00.002-05:00

1.] aldo "rill" boot, $49.98
2.] jeffrey campbell 'biz' boot, $166.00
3.] steve madden 'ernest' boot, $49.95

i have been dying for a pair of buckled boots like these, just have to decide which ones. the jeffrey campbell's are my "dream boot," but i'd have to save up for a couple of weeks. tried the steve maddens in store today, the quality of the leather isn't that great.....the aldo ones could be nice, but i like the height of the other two.

what do you think?

FALL 2010: PART TWO

2010-03-14T12:45:00.002-05:00

So I did this backwards...these would be my picks 5-10. :)

pics from style.com

(1) No. 21. It's sad that Alessandro Dell'Acqua lost the rights to his name, but he's back with this awfully-named line that has some truly pretty pieces. (It's named after his favorite number....yawn with me.) He used all of my favorite fabrics and had my number one print of the season - that blue floral splatter-print is delicious. Loved the shapes and the colors and I thought the collection was just really nice.

(2) D&G. LOVED the snow bunny theme. Cute and cozy - the finale dresses were gorgeous and I adored every pair of shorts that hit the catwalk. I also think that between this show and Chanel, we'll be seeing furry boots as a major trend next fall. Not sure how I feel about that.

(3) Christian Dior. Another line that almost always makes it into my top ten. I'm a huge fan of horses, so I was really into the equestrian theme. There were a few too many chiffon dresses - but when they're this pretty, I'm not going to complain. Loved the knee socks!

(4) Reem Acra. I find myself obsessing over evening gowns every season (usually Marchesa), as if I have somewhere to go. If I did, though, Reem Acra would be my first stop. I can see Rachel Zoe sporting any of the longer, draped numbers. The fabrics are rich and luxurious, but the shapes are still youthful and sexy.

(5) Elie Tahari. This is why, during my last post, I had to stress the fact that these are based on my personal style and not "fashion merit." I don't think Elie Tahari ever makes it into Vogue editorials, but I thought this collection was completely wearable and totally comfortable. Nothing particularly mind-blowing, but I can appreciate that, too. I'm so into the slightly oversized suits, although, again, nowhere to go in them. I'll take the camel one now, though. Please and thank you.

What were your favorite Fall 2010 shows?

fall 2010: part one

2010-03-13T04:24:00.003-06:00

I can't believe the fall shows are over already...it seems like just yesterday I was impatiently waiting for the updates on style.com. Thought I'd share my top ten favorite shows with you all (based more on my own personal style than "fashion merit"):

style.com

Click the number to go to the show.

(1) Rodarte. A lot of critics didn't particularly enjoy this collection, but it was my favorite Rodarte show yet. It was ethereal and exquisitely crafted, with floral chiffons, luscious knits, and intricate detail. I would be absolutely thrilled to own any of it, and was happy to see the Mulleavy sisters lighten up a bit.

(2) Fendi. You don't have to knock my socks off with some elaborate theme or crazy costumery for me to appreciate great fashion. Karl Lagerfeld kills it as usual, making a superb collection featuring great furs, darling boots, and interesting silhouettes. It may be very practical-meets-chic, but that's what we all want to fill our closets with in the end, isn't it?

(3) Lanvin. It's never a surprise to me that I obsess over the latest Lanvin show. I would love to just snuggle up to Alber Elbaz and tell him what a brilliant, magnificent, adorable man he is. By the time a new fashion season rolls around, I'm over black and looking for a little color, but Lanvin always manages to make the solemn shade look fresh and fabulous.

(4) Maurizio Pecoraro. I adore it when some designer that nobody ever talks about manages to catch my attention. This year, it was Italian talent Maurizio Pecoraro. Style.com panned the collection for the most part, citing it as unfocused and predictable. I don't know anything about the guy, so I'm not sure about those comments, but I loved the style and the wearability of his designs. I would take any one of these looks straight off the runway - particularly that suit!

(5) Tsumori Chisato. The more I go over this collection, the more I love it. The Aladdin-meets-circus theme was clever, colorful and outrageously fun to click through. I'm always on the lookout for really great color, and here it was in fine form. The show was inventive and imaginative, and I truly enjoyed it from start to finish.

f21 picks

2010-03-12T17:04:00.000-06:00

(1) snap button romper, (2) fancy floral bracelet cuff, (3) lace allure boot, (4) ruffle waist skirt, (5) vixen studded boot, (6) military sweater dress, (7) raw edge trimmed cardigan, (8) silken woven shorts, (9) darling silk floral romper, (10) feather wrap ring, (11) slouchy rope purse, (12) floral lace corset.

these will probably be sold out by the time you hit the links, but these are some of my spring faves.

ready for spring

2010-03-11T22:36:00.000-06:00

express tank, h&m skirt, vintage bag, & marc by marc jacobs booties.

Too bad the weather isn't.

Today I made myself a caprese salad, BS'd a midterm, drove in a slushstorm, decided I needed to get into some sort of pre-bikini-season shape, watched "All About Eve," bought the latest Zink! mag, and got out all my spring/summer clothes. Wishful thinking, obviously.

suzie + uo

2010-03-08T20:46:00.007-06:00

My apologies for being MIA lately. I quit my job and have been trying to juggle two internships & school while simultaneously keeping my head above water financially. Needless to say, my availability is super limited and it's making it difficult to find new employment. I may have to re-instate my limited-run vintage Ebay store for a little extra cash until I can find a waitress/retail job to help me make rent until the summer.

Thank god spring break is next week - although that time will be spent doing my taxes & throwing my resume around. Until then, I guess I'll just cuddle in bed with my cat and the latest Urban Outfitters catalog.

2010-02-26T13:06:00.004-06:00

OBSESSED with the prada 2010 ad campaign video. how adorable is this!?

Elizabeth & [jamie's?]

2010-02-17T00:23:00.002-06:00

i'm not the biggest fan of the olsen twins' casual style, but these are everything but "dumpster chic."

elizabeth & james
all styles available at zappos couture

groovin'

2010-02-15T23:40:00.001-06:00

stunning girl with a cool 1960s mod thing going on. note the impeccable eyeliner tutorial here.

c'est le requiem pour un con

posh

2010-02-14T23:08:00.000-06:00

victoria beckham fall 2010

personally, i think the woman has clearly demonstrated she's more than tabloid fodder.

i will say that her pieces are always styled far too clean for my tastes. muss up the models' hair a bit and pile on some jewelry, and i'd wear any one of the looks in her latest collection.

my kind of town

2010-02-12T22:03:00.000-06:00

not only did the world lose alexander mcqueen this week, but also my wonderful grandfather.
i'll be in chicago for the next few days, to be with my family.

RIP

jet set

2010-02-10T21:14:00.001-06:00

definitely the sort of mood i'm feeling for spring - pale creams and nudes mixed with punchy pinks and bold neons.

flavia de oliveira by fabio bartelt
via fashiongonerogue

hit the floor

2010-02-03T20:47:00.002-06:00

net-a-porter & farfetch

i will forever be fond of short little dresses, but lately i've been quite drawn to the longer end of the spectrum - that peter pilotto piece in the bottom right is sooooo stunning.

it's quite a challenge to layer maxi dresses in the wintertime without looking completely dowdy & drab......any suggestions?

a single man

2010-02-01T22:03:00.004-06:00

googleimages, v magazine courtesy of justjared

i saw tom ford's "a single man" at my local independent theater tonight. it was a beautifully crafted film, with absolutely stellar performances. colin firth's every move and every word were perfectly executed, and julianne moore played the sort of charmingly pathetic female role rather well. ford's directing was visually stunning and carried the movie through it's slower portions. and, not surprisingly, everyone in the film was astonishing well dressed.

i adored it from start to finish.

ashley shaw

2010-01-29T15:44:00.009-06:00

the muff? the cape? the bra? the print on that dress?
girls like this prove why a thrift store beats the mall any day.

if she had used the phrase "staple in my wardrobe" one more time i probably wouldn't have posted this. hah

bubble yum

2010-01-28T17:46:00.000-06:00

vintage dress, vintage boots from etsy, express fabric necklace.

came across these bubblegum-pink booties on etsy and i knew i had to have them. they're such a unique color and their silhouette is still pretty modern. too bad both heel tips snapped off within minutes of their first trek out on the town; oh well, nothing a semi-decent cobbler can't fix. i had to basically slide my way to all of my classes (absolutely no traction in the university hallways) but i spent all of mass media ethics staring at my pretty pink shoes....so i guess it was all worth it.

pattern play

2010-01-27T00:37:00.003-06:00

vintage top and quilted bag, f21 skirt and shoes.

i love the idea of mixing prints, but i'm only brave enough to do it with the classics - for the most part, the only not-solid fabrics in my closet are florals, stripes, animal prints and polka dots. this is just a test shot with my new camera; i'm feeling a more extensive, editorial vibe for future outfit posts (the brick wall background doesn't do it for me anymore....)

avenue debut

2010-01-22T14:35:00.024-06:00

i'm a brand-spanking-new intern at the lovely & relaunched la vie cherie mag. the site has come a long way since it's inception, but we are looking to improve it with each passing day.

we offer a "street-style" feature called avenue debut - readers send in photos of themselves in fabulous little outfits, and we post them on the site along with a short write-up and outfit description. it's a good idea considering the popularity of sites like lookbook.nu and chictopia, but the submissions we've had aren't exactly blowing us away.

see below:

seriously, a henley and jeans? i know you girls can do better. send a head-to-toe pic to info@lvcmag.com to have your own 'avenue debut,' & tell them jamie sent you. we'll contact the best ones and publish it on the site - free press for you, it's that easy!

EDIT: we can link to your blog! send those snapshots in, ladies! (and we'll be offering contest/prizes in the future.....i'll keep you posted!)

oh, and i tracked down my camera! if the next post isn't an outfit post, you can officially stop following me. lovelove!

despair//outrage

2010-01-21T20:15:00.007-06:00

src: modelcouture

fedex let a stranger i've never heard of sign for my $500+ canon rebel - purchased with ALL of my christmas money, plus half a paycheck - even though my boyfriend was sitting in my apartment at the time they "delivered" it.

i have no idea where it is.

say it with me: FML.

decisions, decisions

2010-01-18T14:00:00.003-06:00

VS.

the responsible blogger in me says to invest in the sleek little canon rebel, but these aqua elizabeth & james pumps are swaying me in a dangerous direction.

(but my point-and-shoot just wouldn't do these babies justice! bring on the outfit photos, new purchases and miscellaneous photographs in DSLR-quality....)