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.  

Anti Hoarding Behavior: Make Me An Offer on My Stuff

I love these items, but I haven't worn them in a while and I'm deciding to sell them. I had my fun, why not let someone else enjoy them? The money will go to reducing my debt. I just bought a house last year and I'm realizing that having all this stuff is just not necessary, especially if I'm not wearing all of it. Why not share the wealth? Want something real bad? Feel free to make me an offer on anything. 

SHOP NOW

Simple

 Ph. Biby Pacheco

There's nothing easier than following the time-tested rule of matching your accessories to your shoes. Lately, in my case, my hair has been an accessory, and has allowed me to consider things like....color. Taking a page from the Taylor Tomasi-Hill playbook, I choose to make my hair a big part of my outfits and stop relying so much on black-on-black all the time (Although, that can look damn fine, too. I mean, look at this.)

MADEWELL top (sz Large), J BRAND jeans (sz 26),  JEFFREY CAMBELL shoes (runs small, sz 38), KAREN WALKER sunglasses, MARC JACOBS wallet clutch

Details

TIBI mules (Run a full size small, Size 38) / ZARA pants (size 6) /  KAREN WALKER sunglasses  /  ZARA top (in Medium) /  J.CREW ludlow blazer (size 4)

Olive Oil

Ph. Nick Smith

 TIBI mules (Run a full size small, Size 38) / ZARA pants (size 6) /  KAREN WALKER sunglasses  /  ZARA top (in Medium) /  J.CREW ludlow blazer (size 4)

The nice thing about high and low dressing is that a couple of well-made and expensive looking items pretty much make the outfit. Consider the plain Zara t-shirt. The color is lovely, yes, but it's definitely nothing more than a plain t-shirt, and the wax coated pants are if anything pretty basic. What makes anything about this outfit mine and maybe even memorable in my mind are a pair of well chosen accessories and contrasting fabrics. The Tibi mules, with the standout embellishments that make them a special sort of mule, and the J. Crew blazer in a plaid grandpa-esque fabric (that is insanely well made!) plays with the olive tones in a fun masculine way.  

Shower Shoes on the Weekends Are Okay In My Mind

ph. Nick Smith

EVERLANE shirt  /  KAREN WALKER sunglasses  /  THEORY pants  /  ZARA sandals (and these) (and these)

I don't entirely advocate the use of "fashionable" shower shoes for actual work settings, but I do highly recommend them for the weekend. Can you imagine me waltzing into a meeting with these mannish feet? It makes me legit "LOL" at the thought. I'm pretty sure I'd get a call from my boss in two seconds with questions like a) How did you hurt your feet? b) Are you prepping/recovering for bunion surgery? c) How much longer do you have to wear these orthopedic shoes? d) Can you WFH?

Shower shoes are definitely like overalls: wear them in a private circle of trust, lest you want your reputation to be a trend chaser in the office, or in the case of the overalls a toddler. I bought these Zara Birkenstock-esque shoes because a) I was going on vacation, b) I cannot resist a trend that advocates such blatant comfort over aesthetics (I am human, after all), c) I was on vacation. I guess I liked experimenting with them in a non-vacation setting, too, but I definitely think people need to wear them responsibly. 

Getting Dressed in 5 Minutes

You'll need:   KAREN WALKER  sunglasses  /  ZARA  skirt  /  ZARA  shirt /  MAY28th  watch  /  CELINE  sandals  /   FASHIONOLOGY  necklace 

Put it all together and you're pretty much in order for some ass-kicking in a business setting. Easy.

Wear This Now: Black and Blue

Shop it:  1. KAREN WALKER  /  2. ACNE   /  3.  3.1 PHILLIP LIM    / 4.  SAINT LAURENT   (similar here) /  5.  ACNE    /   6.  EDDIE BORGO    /  7.  KATHLEEN WHITAKER    

And for your headphones:

Kathleen Whitaker Earring Pretzels

KATHLEEN WHITAKER earrings / ZARA top + skirt / KAREN WALKER sunglasses / CATBIRD ring / KATE SPADE ring / JENNIFER FISHER earrings

Oh Kathleen Whitaker. I am such a fan of you. If you remember this post, and this post, her jewelry is definitely a favorite because of her designs and the contrast between the dainty proportions of each earring and the sometimes masculine, or geometric shapes. What I love about these long gold chain earrings lately is being able to weave them through my ear piercings — I have three. I wear them in a loop, making a floppy hoop earring shape, and then sometimes I weave the long strand into a slight pretzel. It's just such a versatile piece of jewelry. You can find her stuff here. I'm wearing the long chain and bar earrings. I would die for that ear cuff though!

In other news, I've taken a massive look into my closet and have decided that I need to reassess the situation. I've been donating goods and prepping the launch of the 12:04 shop because I figure if I haven't worn it in months, someone else should definitely benefit from my clothes, shoes and such. In the meantime, I've taken a liking for super clean and simple dressing. This has to be one of the most accessorized looks I am wearing lately, but I think the fact that the jewelry is so dainty and minimal makes it okay to pile it on. Love the oversized proportions of this denim Zara top. The embroidered piping detail is a colorful touch that keeps it just a little earthy feeling for me. This white skirt is really something that I could not resist, which is strange since I gravitate naturally towards black. I literally saw it across the store, and with an arm full of typical black colored clothes, I just made up my mind: "Yea, this is totally wearable this summer. Grab it hurry that girl is looking at it." And the hair? Oh no big deal. Just some Heidi braids. They are my favorite hairstyle right now. It's so easy to put together and it seems like the messier your hair is to begin with, the better the braided outcome.

Easy Peasy

 SUNO /  RAG & BONE / KAREN WALKER 

Powder Blue

Let's imagine for a second that the Proenza Schouler f/w powder blue heels are mine for summer instead of fall. And then let's also pretend I wore them with amazing MIH jean shorts, a lovely checkerboard Zara top, and a touch of retro shag with the Proenza shearling clutch. Sounds like a great plan except for the whole "seasons" thing. I guess this is my way of saying I'm obsessed with it now and cannot wait for the pieces to be tangible reality. Let's call this Adventure Outfit 2.0.

1. ZARA top, 2. MIH denim shorts, 3. KAREN WALKER sunglasses, 4. PROENZA SCHOULER f/w 2013 pumps, 5. PROENZA SCHOULER f/w 2013 clutch, 6. MICHAEL KORS watch

The Velveteen Rabbit

1. T by Alexander Wang, 2. Chanel, 3. Karen Walker, 3. Manolo Blahnik, 5, Mother

The Number One, Karen Walker

Karen Walker Milky Brown Number Ones

If there's a quicker way to dress up and change and outfit than sunglasses, please inform me. Lipstick and other make up tricks are up there as quick look changers, but they're not quite as fun as putting on a pair of oversized, flat-folding, uniquely shaped Karen Walker sunglasses. It's no secret her frames are a cult favorite and this particular blogger's favorite brand. I dare you to find another brand that's as consistently creative as Karen Walker.

Shop Karen Walker:

Girl Power Suit

Photos by Nick Smith

Did you see the Spice Girls perform last night at the London Olypmic Closing Ceremony?! I sure did. It was the minute or so of performances that I was looking forward to, and honestly, the only reason I tuned into the three hour international love fest. They took the stage and I was giddy. I suddenly was filled with the childhood exuberance for all things Spice Girls, girl power, and pink. Looking back at my teeny bopper girl group love for them reminded me of their catchy songs about love and positivity and I got irritatingly nostalgic for the days when the most important thing to do was go to the supermarket with to find out if their newest batch of Bazooka bubble gums have the latest Spice World temporary tattoos. Those were definitely simpler times. The way I see it, this J. Crew bubble gum pink suit is my homage to those girly days gone by, where me talking about why Posh was so cool and why Baby Spice was such the obvious favorite is all I did for an entire summer. While I still subscribe to the screaming "Girl power!" anthem, these days I let my clothes do all the talking on that front.

Shop it:

Outtakes from Dixon

Photos by Nick Smith

 I just found these outtakes from Dixon taken earlier this year, and I just felt the need to post them. Seeing these is a reminder that a) that drama + wind is good, b) mint is still "in" (along with its other friendly pastel cousins), c) I have to make another trip up their soon and experience one of the most beautiful golden hours I've ever seen. What's the point in wearing such a dramatic hemline if you can't go somewhere incredibly windy and capture it on camera? I highly recommend it.

Get the look: