Cheers from Colorado, friends.
Blue Tortuga
Free People Tortuga Boots (c/o), DYLANLEX necklace, ZARA top (M), AG JEANS (26), MANSUR GAVRIEL mini bucket bag
Ankle boots are a tricky thing for me. They're a relatively new adventure in my closet because I rarely even look to them when I'm getting ready in the morning. But this past week was more exciting and inspired because I've teamed up with Free People to showcase how I would style a pair from their newest fall collection of boots. I took a little bit of a risk here choosing the navy blue ankle boot instead of my usual black shoe, and I have to say I couldn't be happier with that decision. It turns out styling a dark, rich colored boot is the same as styling as a neutral black or brown boot. Since the design of the Tortuga boots are rooted in vintage moto style, the wrap-around leather buckles and matted dark hardware are masculine touches that bring a familiar tomboy aspect to my outfits. I'm actually surprised how easily they worked into what I already wear, despite the monochrome nature of most of my closet, which makes me wonder what else I could infuse a little bit of unexpected color to.
Kathleen Whitaker / DYLANLEX
If you still doubt Kathleen Whitaker, then friend, I feel bad for you. Her jewelry is the epitome of "everyday luxury pieces." Why? Because her pieces go with everything in your closet, and you find yourself wearing them every day of your life and think each time, "goodness, these are lovely."
Put another way, you get your money's worth when it comes her pieces. Same goes for DYLANLEX. Trust me, there is no "try out" phase these. You basically open the jewelry pouch upon arrival and immediately decide, "Yes. These are keepers."
Put another way, you get your money's worth when it comes her pieces. Same goes for DYLANLEX. Trust me, there is no "try out" phase these. You basically open the jewelry pouch upon arrival and immediately decide, "Yes. These are keepers."
Rejina Pyo
What a lovely concept, to infuse abstract and surrealist clean lines into clothes that already convey such a streamlined look. The way it's done here is almost tongue-in-cheek, in a Man Ray or Marcel Duchamp way.
Lazy Bones
DYLANLEX Marley necklace, EVERLANE shirt (Medium), MADEWELL shorts (size 28), KATHLEEN WHITAKER ear cuff, MANSUR GAVRIEL mini bucket via PourPorter
Return of the Ma(nsur Gavriel)ck
MANSUR GAVRIEL mini bucket via PourPorter
I know what you think: This bag is frivolous and completely unnecessary, not to mention expensive — and I agree with you. But for some reason owning this bag, in this combination, was so important for my personal style that I was willing to part with other pretty things from my closet in order to afford it more readily.
Why? Because I wanted to own a bag that was special, dammit. I'm a city-dwelling girl and I like pretty things. and as much as I want to be this minimalist person that eschews labels and logos in favor of homegrown pretty things, I can't deny the desire for pretty designer things. Yup, I own a sea of totes now in a variety of sizes (more on this later) which are super perfect for work and practical errands, but I wanted something more dressy and frankly a little more desirable for when I don't carry a laptop. I wanted something renown for its design and recognizable, but I was definitely unwilling to pay for the price of a Céline trapeze or Chanel Boy bags, and I was really tired of spending $80-$150 on Zara bags that give out after a few months. (Disclaimer: There's nothing wrong with owning any of those "it" bags, I just don't think I could deal with the fact that $3,000 will be forever in one bag. A purse. A leather thing I put on the bathroom floor of bars when the hook is broken. That's not to say that if I had the means to get one without breaking the bank in the process I wouldn't do it in the future.)
So why the Mansur Gavriel mini bucket?
Because I already owned the Mansur Gavriel large bucket bag for about a week before realizing I wanted it to be smaller and black. So shoot me if I jumped at it the second I saw it in stock at Pourporter. I have no regrets so far, though I will have to modify my fall purchases now in lieu of this trendy splurge. But hey, as you have seen when I'm over an item it's basically yours for the taking on my Tictail shop.
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Wear this Now: Vactionland
2 weeks until vacation. Say it with me: Yassss. So I spend my time daydreaming about frolicking on the beach in expensive cover ups that are completely impractical for my life.
I will be skipping on this Stone Cold Fox silk dress because I just won't get enough use out of it with the Bay Area weather to justify the price, but that doesn't mean I won't highly recommend it to any wild child in Southern California.
I will be skipping on this Stone Cold Fox silk dress because I just won't get enough use out of it with the Bay Area weather to justify the price, but that doesn't mean I won't highly recommend it to any wild child in Southern California.
"Nothing Fits Me. WTF"
This was just a couple weeks ago in a crazy cool, comfortable and sleek minimal outfit. It's a winner in my book because in it I feel pretty great, even despite the crazy unattractive, über comfortable Zara sandals — which coincidentally are what makes it feel so freaking trendy. So it's crazy how much I loved this outfit on the weekend I wore it and how fast I forgot it existed without this photographic evidence now. WTF? I can't tell you how many morning's I've relived this epically accurate scene This Is 40 fending off my crazy morning emotions and bubbling frustration tears while I stare at the sea of monochrome colors in my closet. Without this blog Tumblr, Pinterest to remind me that I wore successful outfits sometimes I think I'd just never leave the house.
THEORY silk pants (medium), ZARA sandals (6 1/2), J.CREW blazer (US 4), TOPSHOP tank (Medium)
Marley and Me: DylanLex
My closet is like plate tectonics: it's a slow moving animal, and it's shifting slowly into a more minimal territory than I ever thought before. But the tricky thing with a minimal closet is how quickly it can all seem so... boring. True, the occasional plain outfit can make you feel like you're as clean as a whistle, like you've gone successfully into accessory detox land, only to come back with a full-force need for something extravagant. Opulence. And you don't has it. That's kind of where I'm at. I've stripped down to cool basics and realized I wanted the Marley necklace. Problem was it is $550 bucks. Yikes, friends. Very steep. So I took actionable steps: I sold my Céline shoes (to an adorable San Franciscan, I might add!), and used that money to buy this necklace. I still felt frivolous, but I felt financially responsible with this recent purchase, knowing that I'm introducing one extravagant purchase only after letting go of another.
I'm selling stuff all the time, people. Shop it all here. Don't like the prices you see? Email me with an offer.
PS: Consider part 2 of this post because I feel like DYLANLEX deserves a post of its own.
Wear this now: HBIC
If money was no object I'd be wearing this entire thing. Unfortunately it is... so I'm not.
The Modern Boho
RIB & HULL tote (c/o Rib & Hull), MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA boots (38 EU), ANTHROPOLOGIE dress (Small), KATHLEEN WHITAKER cuff, KAREN WALKER sunglasses
I've always liked the whole boho thing. Every time I get inspired by it I picture Sienna Miller in some adorable mini dress with booties or wild hair. So I decide to try it every now and then and like it, except for the fact that going full boho with an outfit wasn't ever truly natural to my personal style. "But it's all about balance!" I think. And even though I'm terrible at math (but amazing memorization) I know the logic should be this: if the dress is overtly boho, then you should balance the equation by wearing something on the opposite spectrum entirely. Like Maison Martin Margiela boots, for example. They're just the right mix of futuristic and manly to offset such a wild-child dress.
Cry-Baby
MADEWELL leather jacket (Medium), EVERLANE x LANGLEY tank (Medium), MADEWELL shorts (size 28), CHURCH'S shoes, here in white (size 37), RAYBAN wayfarers
Remember Johnny Depp from Cry-Baby? That's kind of how I feel in this leather jacket. I've been looking at this Acne leather jacket for years but the price is just so absurd to me that I have forever hoarded it in shopping carts waiting for a sale. So when Madewell released their Fall 2014 lookbook, I jumped at the chance to try this one on and see how it measures up to the Acne leather jacket. You know what? It measures up just fine. Overall, the jacket is a great buy, but beware it is heavy. Also note, that the hardware on the buckles are very loud and a little bit cheap feeling. Other than that the quality is really surprisingly great. The way I see it, for a leather jacket that looks and feels like it should have a $1700 price tag, I'm sure you agree you are willing to make compromises.
So why did I return mine? Some minor defect in the stitching. I'm currently on a backorder to get another one, but I just found this from Zara and (even this one!) I am admittedly having second-thoughts despite my own glowing reviews.
What would you do, friends? Keep the Madewell one or try out the Zara leather jacket.
Get Low
I've found some great swimsuit options, people. The problem is I get paid Friday, so if they sell out of my sizes and styles by then I'm pretty much going to give up and wear my underwear in the ocean, then pout like this sexy babe in the photo. Wish me luck!
Dr. Hauschka
I play favorites with my skin care. My face, hands, and décolletage get a disproportionate amount of product love compared to my torso, legs, and feet. It's because the upper parts of my body are the ones that I see the most, and also the parts I expose most readily to the world. So my thought is why not spoil it a bit? Now this is not to say I'm too good for Lubriderm, Cetaphil or other drugstore staples, but I believe the top half of me deserves something a little more special. In this case, special means it must work very well at doing what it promises, smell fantastic or not at all, and is preferably derived from natural sources and processes.
I've been wanting to try something new for the summer to mix up my routine a bit and was lucky enough to be able to work with Pharmaca to find a new addition to my routine. I've been reading a lot about Dr. Hauschka on other blogs like Into The Gloss and decided to give Rose Body Moisturizer a try after the reviews on Pharmaca seemed to be glowing as well. Ever since receiving the bottle I've been applying it on after my shower, mostly on my chest, shoulders and arms while my skin is still a little damp. It helps make my skin soft and smooth, which is impressive because my skin is prone to really annoying dryness. Even though it doesn't smell exclusively of roses the fragrance is lovely and floral, but not overwhelmingly so. I'l probably end up trying some more Dr. Hauschka products, most immediately by upgrading to the Rose Body Oil just in time for the drier winter months.
Mosey over to Pharmaca if you'd like try Dr. Hauschka or other natural products for your routine. They're having a 20% off sale, FYI!
Dr. Hauschka Rose Body Moisturizer c/o Pharmaca
Weekend Muse: Helena Christensen (That Swimsuit Tho!)
I'm currently looking for a swimsuit like the one above. It's for an upcoming trip at the end of the month to Turks and Caicos and it's just me and Nick. So that means, bring on the low plunging front, let's see some of the booty. When I'm going to an island where I don't know anyone within 400 miles from there then I say go provocative. I've been in the habit of swimming 40 laps on the weekends (dude, exhausting, wtf), all in the name of getting into a healthy routine and toning up. Why not show off the hard work? If you know of a swimsuit that looks like the above that is still available at this early August hour please forward to me.
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