Outfit of the Day — Say Goodbye

Apt. 9

Aqua Blues top. Divided by H&M skirt. Apt. 9 scarf. Stupa purse. 

Today is the day my parents and younger sister said farewell to their Christmas tree. My parents work all day and my sister is a full-time student, so naturally the tree was decorated on December 24. That’s why, though Christmas came and went, my family wanted to hold on to this tree for as long as they could. Today I post to commemorate its beauty and spirit.

The Christmas colors are red and green, and between the two I prefer red. Red velvet makes me think of bows, gifts, wreaths, and holiday parties; in deep burgundy, a velvet top errs on the more sophisticated party side. This top, which was my mother’s, can be tricky to wear. At first it comes across as formal, but its dramatic wrap shape exposes the midriff. My solution is to wear it with a high-waisted skirt, short or long. This flouncy floral skirt continues where the shirt’s volume left off, creating a bell shape.

Tarina Tarantino

Brette Connolly hat. Tarina Tarantino ring. 

My favorite part of the outfit is the hat because I made it myself. When I was 15 I saw a chic selection of newsboy hats for the winter at Nordstrom, and instead of buying one I decided to sew one. Herringbone tends to have a serious look to it, especially on a traditionally masculine shape. To counter this effect, I chose a pink fabric. I have always loved Barbie dolls, but these days I play with Barbie jewelry. I think of Barbie as a renaissance woman who got everything done and bought everything she wanted, and always looked put together doing it.

Claire's

Claire’s earrings

I don’t think one can ever be too old to wear snowman earrings. I bought these last year for Ugly Sweater Day at Nordstrom. Of course the plan was to buy a Christmas sweater, but I couldn’t seem to find any. Instead, I opted for accessories: snowman earrings, a reindeer antlers headband, a bracelet watch with Christmas charms, festive brooches, and crazy Santa Claus glasses. The headband and glasses are long gone, but these earrings are cute enough to wear annually.

INC 2       INC

INC shoes

Burgundy shoes tie the outfit together. Ankle boots stay on easier, but the bold cutouts bridge the gap between boot and pump.

MORE VELVET TOPS

Topshop 3          Roberto Cavalli           American Retro

Topshop, $60                    Roberto Cavalli, $60            American Retro, $200 

Carmen Marc Valvo   Rick Owens 2         

Carmen Marc Valvo, $295       Rick Owens, $725           Thierry Mugler, $1,200

MORE FLORAL SKIRTS

Chicwish   Diesel 2     Moschino Cheap and Chic

Chicwish, $36                       Diesel, $82               Moschino Cheap and Chic, $169

Alice and Olivia Marni    Lanvin

Alice + Olivia, $290                      Marni, $740                       Lanvin, $1,100

MORE BURGUNDY HEELS

Wet Seal    Charles by Charles David         Seychelles

Wet Seal, $23                  Charles by Charles David, $99       Seychelles, $130 

Marni 2  Manolo Blahnik        Dolce & Gabbana 3

Marni, $400                   Manolo Blahnik, $635                     Dolce & Gabbana, $1,020

MORE NEWSBOY HATS

Adora  August Hats       Nine West 2

Adora, $8                            August Hats, $15                                   Nine West, $17

Luxury Divas        Hattie Carnegie

Luxury Divas, $19                       FFR, $90                              Hattie Carnegie, $325

MORE INFINITY SCARVES

Charlotte Russe  Three Dots     Eileen Fisher

Charlotte Russe, $17                  Three Dots, $73                      Eileen Fisher, $178

Tory Burch 3  Pologeorgis      Brunello Cucinelli

Tory Burch, $445                     Pologeorgis, $695             Brunello Cucinelli, $1,805

Outfit of the Day — August 23, 2015

WIN_20150823_08_12_45_Pro

This summer I have been going to the office five days a week for my marketing internship. While I am used to the anything — and I mean anything — goes dress code of college classes, I looked forward to a tacitly understood dress code of professionalism. I value outward presentation and consider it an art form, and it’s energizing to be around people who feel the same way. Working in the fashion industry asks for more creativity (and less formality) than the stereotypical skirt suit or neutral-colored shift, and sometimes the line between “fashion-forward”  and “too casual”  can be confusing. My strategy is to dress as vibrantly and adventurously as I like, as long as I don’t show much skin. Luckily midi skirts have been on trend lately, especially full or high-waisted styles.

WIN_20150823_08_11_03_Pro

XOXO top; Forever 21 skirt

I don’t often mix prints, merely because the majority of my wardrobe is solids, so I was excited to try it today. The sweater and the skirt don’t clash because: a) one print is small and the other is large b) one print is neutral and the other is loud and c) they are both florals.

WIN_20150823_08_11_34_Pro

White House Black Market cardigan

Okay, maybe their flowery similarity doesn’t technically matter, but piling on florals in an outfit never fails to make me happy. There is even a flower on the handbag!

WIN_20150823_08_12_14_Pro

Chateau tote bag 

Yet my favorite part of the outfit is this pearl necklace from my mother.

WIN_20150823_08_15_08_Pro

Pearls are everywhere, but I think the baroque cut is more sophisticated. It has a look reminiscent of the pearls’ oceanic roots.

WIN_20150823_08_16_43_Pro     WIN_20150823_08_16_33_Pro   WIN_20150823_08_16_53_Pro

Pearl earrings from my mother, Macy’s cuff;    Eton ring that tells the time;   Vintage bracelet watch, vintage ring 

WIN_20150823_08_14_17_Pro    WIN_20150823_08_14_27_Pro    WIN_20150823_08_14_38_Pro

BCBG heels 

These super-feminine shoes are professional without being severe.

TREND — HIGH-WAISTED SKIRTS

Topshop        Cacharel   M Missoni

Topshop, $48                                 Cacharel, $61                           M. Missoni, $75

Lela Rose        Paul Smith  Kenzo

Lela Rose, $95                             Paul Smith, $100                         Kenzo, $193

Peter Pilotto  Milly    Rag and Bone

Peter Pilotto, $220                      Milly, $231                                       Rag & Bone, $245

For Edition01   Stella McCartney  Chanel 7

Marios Schwab, $370                       Stella McCartney, $395                      Chanel, $470

Gianni Versace         Alexander McQueen

Gianni Versace, $575            Versace, $750                    Alexander McQueen, $780

Alaia     Oscar de la Renta  Pierre Cardin

Alaia, $785            Oscar de la Renta, $1,120     Pierre Cardin/Bonwit Teller, $2,600

TREND — BAROQUE PEARL JEWELRY

Majorica  Vendome     Vintage

Majorica, $127                           Vendome, $350                             Vintage, $395

Miriam Haskell      Miriam Haskell 2

Miriam Haskell, $450                   Schiaparelli, $450                     Miriam Haskell, $975

Vintage 2  Miriam Haskell 3   Kate Wang

Vintage, $1,530                             Miriam Haskell, $1,875                   Kate Wang, $1,995

Vintage 3    M. Haskell        Chanel 4

Vintage, $2,930                           M. Haskell, $3,250                                Chanel, $3,800

Vintage 4  Chanel 5      Chanel 6

Vintage, $3,800                           Chanel, $6,500                                        Chanel, $6,500

Russell Trusso      Vintage 5  David Webb

Russell Trusso, $8,256               Vintage, $15,500               David Webb, $43,890

TREND — LEATHER TOTE BAGS

Juicy Couture  Emilio Pucci     Tiffany & Co.

Juicy Couture, $100                        Emilio Pucci, $245                   Tiffany & Co., $245

Michael Kors 2  Louis Vuitton      MCM

Michael Kors, $360                        Louis Vuitton, $385                      MCM, $387

Yves Saint Laurent 2  Loeffler Randall      Sophie Hulme

Yves Saint Laurent, $400             Loeffler Randall,$445             Sophie Hulme, $645

Valentino 3  Bottega Veneta      Chanel 2

Valentino, $920                            Bottega Veneta, $995                         Chanel, $995

Fendi 3  Valentino 4      Chanel 3

Fendi, $1,295                                  Valentino, $1,998                               Chanel, $2,130

Alaia 2  Celine 2      Christian Dior

Alaia, $2,250                              Celine, $2,800                                Christian Dior, $4,000

Trend of the Day — Platform Heels

2015-06-27 02.03.17       2015-06-27 02.09.29

Forever 21                                                      Alba

2015-06-27 02.07.34        2015-06-27 02.06.13

Shiekh                                                              Pleaser

I have always loved platform heels, and have worn many over the years. The four above are my current favorites. My style is feminine, but in a way that stands out; as a young adolescent I was very shy, and I decided that if I couldn’t be the life of the party, then at the very least I wanted to show up in a fabulous outfit. Some “avant-garde” apparel can come off wacky, but using a bold accessory, like a shoe or a handbag, as a focal piece is just wild enough.

Wearing the Shiekh shoes in the Meatpacking District.

I am also attracted to platform heels because the platforms make it easier to walk. Pick your favorite shoes on this page. Now imagine the same heel height, with the platform removed and the toes dropped to the ground. My feet are crying just thinking about it. The two solutions to shoe pain are: 1) a lower heel or 2) a higher platform, and it’s obvious which side I’m on. There’s also something about the size of a platform that makes me feel powerful, in a way that a kitten heel or a flat never could.

Here are my favorite platform heels at every price point!

CiCi Hot 2  Lulus                CiCi Hot

CiCi Hot $25                         Lulu’s State Your Fame, $27                     CiCi Hot $28

BCBGeneration  Unique Vintage 3                Luichiny

BCBGeneration Sochi, $50  Unique Vintage Lolita, $54           Luichiny Great Lee, $56

Jeffrey Campbell  Betsey Johnson 2      Iggy Azalea by Steve Madden

Jeffrey Campbell Stride for Perfection, $100 Betsey Johnson Leanah P, $110            Iggy Azalea by Steve Madden Paatra, $110

Martinez Lierah  Kat Maconie    Chanel 2 (2)

Martinez Lierah Dissolving, $410         Kat Maconie $473            Chanel $499

Charlotte Olympia 8  Charlotte Olympia 9    Christian Louboutin 2

Charlotte Olympia Kiss Me Dolores, $945   Charlotte Olympia Century, $985  Christian Louboutin Highness, $1,595

Zaha Hadid for United Nude  Charlotte Olympia 10 Christian Louboutin 3

Zaha Hadid for United Nude Nova, $2,138  Charlotte Olympia Avalon, $2,395   Christian Louboutin Daffodile Strass, $5,995

Trend of the Day — Black Puffer Jackets

I was overjoyed to find out that puffer jackets, specifically black ones, are trendy this winter. I have spent the past month in the San Francisco Bay Area with its temperate climate, and predominantly indoors besides. But next week I will be back in Manhattan in all its chilly glory, and I have a feeling that my hip-length bouclé jackets aren’t going to cut it anymore! Whether I am walking to class or taking the subway to a sushi restaurant in the Upper East Side, I usually put on an ankle-length black hooded puffer coat (and whatever I want underneath). Here are some puffer jackets of various lengths to help you get through a cold day!

TBR  T Tahari

1. TBR high-neck puffer jacket, $15

2. T Tahari, $100

 

Phase Eight  French Connection

3. Phase Eight, $150

4. French Connection, $290

 

Burberry 2     

5. Burberry London, $796

6. Red Valentino, $985

 

Donna Karan  Moncler

7. Donna Karan, $1,223

8. Moncler, $2,065

Trend of the Day — Plaid Cape Coats

I may go to NYU, but I can still appreciate the New England, Ivy League vibe of a plaid cape coat! Here are my current favorites, at every price point.

Girls on Film  Nasty Gal

Girls on Film, $29                              Nasty Gal, $69

 

Runyiyi  Vivienne Westwood

Runyiyi, $118      Vivienne Westwood Anglomania, $290

 

Club Monaco

Ralph Lauren, $510            Club Monaco, $695

 

St. John 2  Libertine

St. John, $1,395                      Libertine, $2,750