Mood/Music: Acne Studios / Anna of the North

Velocite

I think this jacket has always been pretty bad ass, now in a tan shearling combination it's even better. Too bad the price tag is absolutely outrageous.

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

Moodboard; Acne/Fun

Wearing An "XS" Acne Sweater Best Sized and Suited for the Nutty Professor

 ACNE sweater  //  ZARA skirt  //  MIU MIU shoes  //  THIERRY LASRY sunglasses  //  TARGET tights

In Acne's strange world an XS is actually an oversized XXL sweatshirt. It's so large that the sleeves are billowy like a bat and the length allows me to ponder the pant-less ways of yesteryear. It's a great sweater to live in on the weekends, mostly because it provides the freedom to eat and do whatever. If anyone gives you a weird stare you just shrug it off and say "they don't get it." The reality is that no one gets it — not even Nick. He's supportive and only goes so far as to say it's an "interesting" sweater, but I know deep down that means that it's pretty much hideous in his eyes. But who cares? I love it, so I wear it. My point is, that if you're going to order something from Acne, a) don't be surprised when the proportions are different (and by different, I mean enormous), b) wear it loud and proud, and c) own it.  

The Huffy Secret Treasures Bike of Sweaters

I typically love an all-black wardrobe and this is no surprise here on my blog. But every so often I find something lovely like this Acne sweater to pull me out of my comfort zone of all-monochrome all-the-time and live in what is known as Girl World. This wool blend garment has the complete appeal of what fashion types call the "statement sweater" — the voluminous sleeves, a boxy man shape — yet looks like spun cotton candy from afar. (Disclaimer: this sweater is quite itchy, if you're allergic to some kinds of wool like I am, you will to best to skip this splurge as I eventually had to unless you want o live your life with a rash — yuck). What is it about this shade of pink that makes it so irresistible and almost punk to me? I think it's the fact that pink seems like an unapologetic color because it screams girl and there is no confusion about it. You can't hide under shades of black or act too tough in pink. You just have to wear it with confidence.

I grew up as the middle child and the only girl in the family. This meant that all my older brother's friends were cool older boys who loved to roll in the grass and play baseball, and my younger brother's friends were all silly young boys playing in the dirt. There was little room for pink in this  adolescent equation and all I wanted to do was fit in. I tried so hard to be one of the boys, but I was secretly pining for girl stuff, like dresses, or delicate ballet tutus, and even Easy Bake Oven bake offs.  My mom, in her all-knowing mom-wisdom, must have known my secret need for these girl things when she bought me the pinkest, princess-iest bike in town: the Huffy Secret Treasures bike. (You're welcome for the ad, BTW). There was no hiding my glee for it when I opened the box. It was a bike that only I could ride, because it was so pink, so girly, and so perfect.

This Acne sweater is the equivalent to that bike. You take it out of the box and wear it with confidence, no matter how boxy or voluminous the shape is.

Beauty note: The beauty gods smiled upon me last week because the cool gals at Refinery29 asked me what I thought of Maybelline's Color Elixir lip gloss and sent me a sample to try. You know what? I loved the Scarlet Red color. The deep red tones blend in with my natural lip color, but with a slight sheen (hard to capture in photos above), to produce a berry stained pout. I find this combination just the right amount of pink to compliment such a prolific Acne sweater moment. 

ACNE sweater / ZARA skirt / ZARA flats / THIERRY LASRY sunglasses / MAYBELLINE Color Elixir lip gloss (courtesy of Maybelline and Refinery29)

Wear This Now: Where Acne Oversized is an Understatement

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

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:

Once More With Feeling

Wearing: 3.1 Phillip Lim sweater, Kate Spade bag, Barneys boots, Acne skirt, Miu Miu sunglasses, Jennifer Fisher earrings

Somehow managed to forget the head-to-toe photo. So here it is. Once more with feeling. I can see myself using the Acne skirt + knit top quite often this season. The Barneys boots I got on ridiculous sale at the start of summer are fast becoming a favorite of mine, if only for their leg slimming effects. Legs + slimming = no brainer. Now that's an endorsement, ladies.

Photo by Nick Smith

Pop Art

Wearing: 3.1 Phillip Lim sweater, Kate Spade bag, Barneys boots, Acne skirt, Miu Miu sunglasses, Jennifer Fisher earrings

It was Labor Day Weekend when this playful outfit happened, which explains the down home backyard BBQ background settings. It was a pretty day, but it wasn't a fancy enough occasion to actually get dressed up. This is where easy knits the oversized, overtly Lichtenstein 3.1 Phillip Lim sweater comes in handy. When playing art pop games what better way to live in the world of color and contrast than with a tailored pencil skirt in a blue jaquard color and a pair of contrasty black ankle boots? The whole thing ends up being retro in a comfortable way, which was perfect for this personal occasion. The cheeky attitude is all courtesy of the Miu Miu sunglasses.

Photos by Nick Smith

Casual Luxe

An otherwise casual and plain outfit if it weren't for the incredible luxury touches of the accessories. Hugh Hefner type Miu Miu loafers with some intricate embroidery play against the navy of the Acne jeans perfectly. The star of the whole look is the Dannijo Galgano necklace, without question. It's stunningly large, and a basicT by Alexander Wang single pocket  tee is just the right backgdrop to play against the metals and blue pastel hues. Finally, the piece I've been most excited for this fall is the Alexander Wang Pelican satchel. It is the hybrid of sleek leather satchels like Prada Saffiano, with a touch of trapeze like Céline (or more attainably, Marc by Marc Jacobs), the postman's lock on Mulberry bags, with a cool nonchlanant Proenza Schouler-like cross body strap. Can you tell I'm obsessed?

For the Dogs

The Row cat eye acetate sunglasses, Acne Brooke cropped wool-blend pants, Dolce & Gabbana Bulldog tapestry and python shoulder bag, J.W. Anderson checked intarsia wool sweater, also try Mulberry small Bayswater textured-leather bag

Completely bright, startlingly charming. J.W. Anderson's pieces are begging to be mixed with the crisp modern designs from Acne and the youthful lady-like Dolce & Gabbana accessories. It's just happiness personified. Materialized. Objectified? No. Wrong word.  You know what I mean. The concept of the outfit is mixing large patterns, with bold jewel tones, and kitschy grandma fabrics and shapes reworked with modern touches.

Acne Déjà Vu

Acne pencil skirt, net-a-porter, scalloped Chloe shoes courtesy of ShoeMint, shoemint.com, Karen Walker Number One Milky Brown Sunglasses, Zara peter pan top, zara.com, Eddie Borgo spike stud earrings, net-a-porter, Anthropologie sweater, anthropologie.com


I couldn't help myself. I had to post another set of the photos we took in Dixon. I hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoyed lounging around in an authentic retro poolside environment in my lady chic outfit. In reality, the Acne pencil skirt is doing all the work in these photos. The school girl jacquard fabric in a ladylike pencil shape, accentuated with edgy zippers, is the centerpiece of the look to me. It fits like a dream, and literally, required no hemming or tailoring at all. On a pencil skirt. So instead of calling this a repetitive topic, let's instead look at it as a celebration in buying a fitted piece off the rack and wearing it like it was made for you. Works for me.

Photos by Nick Smith

Acne for Easter, Poolside

Acne pencil skirt, net-a-porter, scalloped Chloe shoes courtesy of ShoeMint, shoemint.com, Karen Walker Number One Milky Brown Sunglasses, Zara peter pan top, zara.com, Eddie Borgo spike stud earrings, net-a-porter, Anthropologie sweater, anthropologie.com

It was picturesque in Dixon, California yesterday. It was Easter Sunday, and we drove from the Bay Area to the quiet town where Nick grew up for an afternoon with his family. Little did I expect that his grandma's adorable garden would end up to be the absolute best compliment for my Acne ginger jacquard pencil skirt. The color of the pool was a somber blue with flecks of leaves and petals floating in it. Needless to say we got a little carried away with pictures, so don't judge me if I break up this Easter post into a couple posts. Because it's happening!


Photos by Nick Smith

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.