Holiday Party Dress Down

ZARA dress  //  MARC JACOBS wallet (on sale!)  //  ZARA shoes  //  THIERRY LASRY sunglasses  //  KATHLEEN WHITAKER earrings

My philosophy for getting ready for this year's holiday party was simple: be comfortable, but dressy, and make it super simple. That was the ideal plan until reality hit: fast forward to the craziness that is the month of December, where I'm working 80 hours on a couple pitches and I find myself the day of the party sans dress. I take my lunch hour and run to the only place I know will have anything a) minimal, b) of the moment c) decently affordable; Zara on Post St. After 30 minutes of hauling ass around the store and pulling dresses the fitting room I find myself with this halter mini. At first I thought it was not my style — too ostentatious, I thought — but like most things, you never know until you try. So try it on I did, and like it much I also did. The thing I loved most about it is how much it seemed like an easy dress. I wore the dress with confidence enough to pair it with my favorite pair of flats at the moment — what I wore to the office that morning, if we're being honest— and to dress it up I put a tuxedo blazer over it and hung it over my shoulders, boyfriend-style.  My favorite Kathleen Whitaker earrings, were already on my ears, so I touched up my makeup and headed out of my office just in time to enjoy the open bar.

What I'm trying to say is leave the annoying planning and details aside and you might be surprised with what you end up with on a whim. We tend to over think things all the time, so I plan to just follow the mantra "fuck it, we're doing it live" more often.

(And if you haven't put it together, these photos are clearly not of the night I am talking about. They are more the day after when I had a raging headache, but Nick was sweet enough to pick up the camera and suggest I take a picture of the outfit). 

My Ideal Holiday Party Outfit Is Heavily Inspired by Prada Spring 2014

KARLA SPETIC top  //  CARVEN skirt  //  SHAUNE LEANE  //  MARC JACOBS The 1984 bag (on sale)  //  VALENTINO Rockstud (on sale!)

Wear This Now: Where Acne Oversized is an Understatement

ACNE sweater (and here) / VIVETTA skirt / MARC JACOBS satchel /TIBI mules

Pajama Party

While I don't particularly like the entire idea of going out with my pajamas on — it conjures up memories of college, or me outside in my oversized pants waiting for a fire department to let me back into my apartment, and other stressful times — I would be more open to it if the quality and overall look was as fantastic as this. The theory goes that if your outfit is casual and overly loungey, you have to make sure to up the ante by accessorizing with more "luxury" things, like fur, velvet, sequins, and silk.  Marc Jacobs did pajamas a great service with his newest collection. He delivered them on a silver platter, decked out with fur and chains and sparkly sequins.

It only seemed fitting to pair such a daringly casual outfit with an equally shiny counterpart. Enter Tabitha Simmons. Her gorgeous shoes for Fall 2013 are the perfect pairing to a borderline Michael Jackson at the courtroom outfit.

Shop the look:

1. MARC JACOBS pajama top, 2. MARC JACOBS  fur Stam, 3. TABITHA SIMMONS F/W 2013 Mary Janes, 4. MARC JACOBS  pants

Styling Mickey Mouse by Marc Jacobs

Arguable the most memorable piece in Marc Jacob's prison bars runway show. Styling a crop top pre-fall for next spring? Why not? Look how adorable is!

Style it:

Marc Jacobs and his Bad, Bad Girls

Like those vintage Disney cartoons, featuring a black and white Mickey Mouse on a steamboat, this collection seemed like a vintage, down and dirty take on Marc Jacobs' grungy muse. The Marc Jacobs girl for Spring 2013 comes from money, clearly. she wears shiny patent leather Mary Janes, but in a low heel, unlike the other Barbie dolls in her neighborhood trotting around on 5-inch stilts. She wears a strict color palette of black, white and grey, the hair is muted and matted, and piled up high into a sweet side swept low ponytail — which I'm in love with, given my current length of hair. The takeaway is moody, urban, and surprisingly refreshing. I cannot contain my love for the resurgence of the Mary Jane, ever since J. Crew put out their sweet double-strapped take on it. It's the new Manolo Blahnik Mary Jane, which too had a killer update this year.

Marc Jacobs' Retro Fancy

Images: style.com

The extreme cat eyes, the volumized hair, and the deep sweet side parts. I love everything about this minimally black and white, glitter retro fest, including the huge bouffants and low-heeled mary janes.

Mystery Solved. The Wonderful Leprechaun Shoes are Marc Jacobs. And I Want Them.

Photo via Into The Gloss

Guns + Roses

Admittedly, the leather pants is not a great idea if you live anywhere hot & humid. Which means that if you're not in the Bay Area, excuse the pants portion of this outfit, and just imagine in your head they are something more practical like these shorts. (If you are content to remain impractical in your warm weather habitat then feel free to ponder these leather shorts).

Getting dressed in the Bay Area, in the summer no less, has confusing questions such as: What will the weather be like today? Will it actually be hot? What kind of bag do I need to carry my flat shoes and my sweater?

Well, behold Bay Area women, this is your answer. You nip this in the bud and come to terms with the nonsensical weather and dress like it's pre-fall all the time. If the weather actually spikes above 70 in San Francisco, then feel free to remove your sweater to expose your pale skin under a tasteful sleeveless top (with SPF!) to the sun.

Shop it:

Marc Jacobs resort sweater, Joseph stretch leather leggings, Proenza Schouler PS1 large suede bag,  Thierry Lasry Excity round-frame mesh-effect acetate sunglasses, Christian Louboutin Chiarana 100 cutout leather pumps, Splendid cotton tank

Marc Jacobs Retro Resort

Not At Coachella

Though I was not at Coachella this weekend, I was not deterred from enjoying some sunny weather of my own in Berkeley. It was legitimately hot for the first time in months and I could not help but wear my new All Saints Carey dress. It's sheer, black, and has buttons down the front. Did I mention it was loose? It kind of has to be when you're prepping to eat at Tacubaya on 4th Street. It's one of my favorite places to go when the weather is nice. Accessories, no need for complications. Aside for a special affection for Karen Walker sunglasses, I have a current obsession with these vintage tiny diamond rings that I got from my mom. She has the smallest fingers I've ever seen and had these custom made when she was young in Mexico. Not all of them fit past my knuckles. But I kind of like it this way, since it highlights how dainty they really are. 

All Saints Carey dress, Karen Walker Numer One Crazy Tortoise sunglasses, vintage rings, Marc Jacobs quilted wallet, DV Dolce Vita Jameson boots

A Fantastic Post Dedicated To The Color Of The Day, Blush

Blush this, blush that. Let me just say upfront that this post is very stream of consciousness for me. It's about a color that I'm literally obsessed with. PINK. Don't want to bother with my words? Click the images to shop!

There's something innately sweet about composing an outfit around it. 3.1 Phillip Lim was inspired by kites for his Spring 2012 collection. Which has given us these adjustable side-zip silk pants — it's half track pant, half pajama slouch. Even Acne is in the blush game, creating their classic Rita leather biker jacket in a suede blush tone. Wildfox can always be counted on for a sweet subversive take on t-shirts. The kitsch cat shirts bring me back to my childhood where real and actual emotions were tied to my graphic tees. Now my emotions are tied in clothes and bags. Bags like Marc Jacob's single bag. I'm pretty much a sucker for chain bags, lately. Especially if they're modified and made modern in a unique way. This goes for sunglasses too! Which leads me to my favorite, Karen Walker Number Ones. The ultimate modified cat eye sunglasses. They are oversized, they are in crazy tortoise, and you will not regret buying these. Little known fact: they fold completely FLAT.

Wild. I know. I'll show you in pictures some time.

Into The Blue

This decivingly simple outfit currently holds multiple items on my shopping wish list, including those insane looking Isabel Marant platform sandals. The Marc by Marc Jacobs bag is a classic shape with modern texture in a color palette that will hold through the seasons. Oh the Chinti and Parker striped top. Truly a classic staple that any girl should own. They say horizontal stripes don't do you any favors, but these oversized stripes paired with a casual oversized fit and slouch is pretty flattering on most shapes. Silver + texture + a hint of boho, bring it. Yay! The range of accessories that Isabel Marant is coming out with is really refreshing, especially the price points. Denim cut offs are the real wish part of this list, since they are a pretty bold choice. These happen to be Victoria Beckham Denim, and are ideal because of their restraint on a) distressing and whiskers, and b) crazy frays all around. I love Ksubi shorts but not everyone is super comfortable wearing shorts with pockets sticking out of the bottoms! Call these the classy pair.

Electric Youth

This was my Super Bowl day outfit. There was so much testosterone in the air that my outfit was inspired by masculine fabrics and touches. It turned my feminine pleated skirt  more neutral in an electric neon green, topped off by a  chambray shirt tied in a bow lieu of a belt, Raybans versus my typical cat eye, and of course, the irresistible Dior water lilly nail polish that has not come off my nails for weeks (I reapply, of course, but I have no desire to put something else on.) The shoes are DKNY, pretty much the most comfortable bondage-looking strappy sandal. They were a steal on Net-A-Porter.

Did I watch the game? No, I did not watch the game, but instead sat on the couch and watched Drive. That movie, awesome. Soundtrack? Even better.

Sweet Mint Lemon Pie Outfit

Marc Jacobs & His Pretty Ladies

Grey Goose

Take a minute to note the amazing split back the Sacai shirt dress has. It literally swings out to expose grey satin in the back. Unexpected and wonderful.

Textures at Marc Jacobs

Poor Little Rich Girl: Marc Jacobs S/S 2012

Something weird happened while watching Marc Jacobs' new collection: it was a familiar look, but updated with something naughty. It was a Cinderella, all gussied up with her makeup and a brand new attitude. Her skirts are sheer, her gingham panties in full view, and a naked pout that matched her new attitude.

It was poor little rich girl with her hair pulled back, but with luxury fabrics, a mix of leather and sequins and chiffon and fringe...and just cowboy boots.

All in all, loved it. Truly something original to see.

Wearable? Maybe in bits.