#DreamDress

Valencia Dress

3 very legitimate reasons to be obsessed with it:

-the subtly flirty tie in the back

-the gorgeous pattern

-the fact that it's a maxi-dress, and you simply cannot have too many maxi-dresses between the months of may and september

the sweetest "IT" bag

listen, i like handbags. i mean, i really like handbags. if you ever visit my cozy studio (i'm sorry in advance for lack of ample seating), the first thing you'll notice are the bags. they line the walls. i mean, i'm talking bags on bags on bags, displayed like they're for sale in a boutique (they're not, FYI. it doesnt matter how high my credit card bills get, i cannot will not ever resort to selling them).

but as much as i adore the totes, the crossbodies, the satchels, the reliable hobos, the classic shoulder bags, i've never really been tempted by the "IT" bag. the celine winged tote? chic and modern, definitely. but i wasn't bitten by the 'gotta have it' bug. the chanel 2.55? i mean, i wouldnt refuse it if you were compelled to gift me one, but that's about as far as my interest goes. 

ultimately, while ive appreciated the coveted status these silhouettes achieve and find it fascinating how a cult following is so quickly acquired, ive always been drawn to one thing and one thing alone when it comes to desiring a bag, and that is: have i seen it on anyone else? 

that's probably why i've never been especially compelled to splurge on an "IT" bag, because, well, soon enough, it really will be everywhere. 

ill get off my soapbox now and get to the point of this post, which is, i've officially stumbled across an "IT" bag that actually is IT for me:

Lanvin's pre-Fall Sugar bag. please join me in some ooh-ing and ahh-ing.

and the bold red version on diane kruger is too perfect for spring/summer, right?

so what is it about this bag in particular? besides reminding me of the envelope clutch's cool big sister, i love the mix of leather and chain  for the shoulder strap, i'm a sucker for quilted texture and contrary to all sorts of bags that are marketed as "day-to-night" styles, this is a silhouette that i really can see transitioning so seamlessly. plus, while it's undeniably sophisticated, there's nothing loud about it.

at this point, i'm just trying to see if i sing its praises enough, will one fall from the sky and into my lap? here's hoping

we made it...

sort of? maybe? doesn't really matter bc fun times were had at the skylark for the fashionista "how to make it in fashion" kick-off party this week

summer reading

favorite coffee place + a ridiculously good read = nice little sunday

hello, june!

DUMBO Walls is basically a photo-op jackpot. to celebrate the first day of june, a friend and i spent the day in DUMBO, and there's a good chance i got a little too insta-happy checking out the art. (goes without saying #nofilter applied across the board)

Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell Everly Cutout Ankle Boot; Bag: Joy Gryson Murray Street Crossbody Camo
Dress: Free People

faith47

"i imagine that yes is the only living thing" 

shine on

retro, round frames? don't mind if i do.

The Row

meet the jeans i lived in all spring

heart you, SOLD Design Lab AKA the jeans that got me out of my shameful leggings rut 

K.O.

there must be some link between my affinity for graphic tees and my unyielding love for charm necklaces. maybe it's something about my desire to convey a message? in any case, my latest jewelry indulgence to celebrate the end of April (woof. it was a rough one). packs a one-two punch. so i guess what i'm trying to say is, bring it on, May :-)

Monserat De Lucca Boxing Gloves Necklace

you are a genius, b.j. novak

seriously, go out and buy One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories right now. or, ten minutes ago. it's brilliant. 

it's april and still freezing

i've run out of creative energy when it comes to layering. so i usually end up woefully under-dressed, in protest of the woefully low temperatures the East Coast is still experiencing. it's been a confusing "spring" for sure, hence my confusion regarding my outfit choice for the night. 

for example, is it really ever acceptable - no matter how unseasonably chilly it is outside - to whip out the houndstooth hat i purchased from bebe when i worked there during college (ps - that's a fun fact to throw out to my friends who think they know me through and through. that's right, i was a sales associate at bebe. i was the answer to the statement: one of these things is not like the other. but i had a great time. and i bought an unacceptable amount of tube tops.)

anyways! unsure on the outfit, but absolutely confident in my choice of lipstick: By Terry in "Be Red" the perfect vampy reddish plum shade to suit this up-and-down season.

a little TGIF inspo

courtesy of the one-and-only...

play it cool this weekend, ladies! (tho i never do)

spotted in NYC...

the coolest things, ever. 

Beanie: Opening Ceremony; Boyfriend Jeans: Gap; Flats: Dolce Vita; Top: J. Crew
Jacket: Aqua, from a million years ago

when in doubt...

just say yes to an accent nail

nail polish: chanel in eastern light

glitter top coat: deborah lippmann in shake your groove thing

"oui" midi ring: sorace/d

be still my heart: alex turner/arctic monkeys

hands down, absolute favorite band right now: arctic monkeys.

hands down, absolute favorite memory of 2014 thus far: seeing them live at madison square garden.

yes, i bought a beanie. i almost bought every tshirt available in a size small,
but luckily for my wallet, there were only x-larges left

added bonus: alex turner has impeccable style

must-listen covers:

"feels like we only go backwards" by tame impala

"hold on we're going home" by drake

february lust list

if you're on the east coast, you're probably less than impressed with february so far. we've experienced snowy, slushy, wintry mix-y weather and general unpleasantness. so for my february wish-list, i'm all about spring-inspired, cheerful colors and cheeky sweatshirts & accessories to help get through the remainder of winter 2014, which i think we can all agree has already overstayed its welcome. 

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i've demonstrated an admirable amount of stamina/fiscal responsibility in not purchasing ANYthing designated 'limited edition' from the tom ford beauty collection. but i think with this limited edition range of lip sheers, it's a very real possibility that i'll end up saying sayonara to that stamina. my absolute favorite is the pop of pink color that is 'paradiso'

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while it may seem hopeless in the midst of bone-chilling temps and the slushiness surrounding you, don't lose faith. by march when it starts to warm up (fingers crossed), you'll have the wonderful revelation that you've survived winter! so reward yourself with a clutch that reminds you how you're "always killing it" because you so are:

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spring is all about re-discovering the outdoors and shoving your canada goose jacket way back into your closet and getting sporty, and all that good stuff, and this varsity dress from j.crew is the perfect breezy, slip-on-and-go dress. also, because let's face it, this is as sporty as i get:

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a recent discovery/new favorite casual line is chrldr (pronounced 'cheerleader')...as i think i've already mentioned on more than one occasion, i'm a sucker for a good graphic tee. and this collection offers them up by the boatload. case in point, this sweatshirt:

(you know it's true)

and for those days where you want to go graphic with just your accessories, and maybe channel your inner Parisienne too because why not, there's this snapback:

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i personally can't wait to let my riding boots hibernate for spring/summer. they've had a rough go of it. i got them reheeled and shined and looking brand-spankin' new, and then 3 days later, it snowed, and i wore them out, and the salt and slush got to them, and let me repeat, i cannot wait to start wearing cute flats and comfy kicks. if the sky-blue, cloud print on these kenzo X vans slip-ons don't scream 'spring' then i don't know what does:

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unless you were one of those lucky suckers jetting off to somewhere warm and wonderful every other weekend, you're going to be in need of a lil pick-me up flush of color for your face. eve lom has got you covered with this portable bronzing powder (part of their new color cosmetics launch):

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and, finally, no lust list of mine would be complete without a nail polish pick...for february, it's this perfectly pink and girly shade by YSL: Rose Scabiosa 

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well i'm starting to get a little spring in my step now and am feeling okay with surviving winter. which is great, because it's going to snow again this weekend. that's fine, bring it on!

weekend warriors: arm candy edition

well, it is a holiday weekend, and we're only at the halfway point, but here are the accessories that haven't left my wrist so far

from top to bottom: dream collective, giles & brother, tiffany & co.

if we're ever out shopping and you happen to lose track of me in a boutique/department store/retail establishment of any sort, just beeline for the accessories section because that's where you'll find me. 

i have a lot of thoughts/feelings/opinions when it comes to jewelry. but what's most likely to be the clincher, the major selling point for me, the variable that leads to me swiping that overworked credit card, is the meaning of that ring, bracelet, necklace etc...

i'm a sucker for symbolism, and what draws me most to a piece of jewelry is what it stands for. i do love clothes (clearly) and i do appreciate the transformative power a certain dress or top or jacket can have on a person, but i think when it comes to really, i mean really personalizing your look, the accessories have the final word. 

so what's the meaning behind these bad boys?

let's start with the one that goes 'hissss' aka the dream collective snake bangle. it stands for rebirth and the creative life force, and given that we're just getting started with 2014, and i'm hoping to make some significant changes/renewing my whole outlook on a whole lotta things, it's no surprise this bangle has a permanent spot around my wrist for the foreseeable future. 

next, the giles & brother skinny railroad spike cuff. i'd always had my eye on it - it's the perfect androgynous piece to balance out an ultra-girly outfit or bright pink nail polish or whatnot. a few months ago, intermix hosted a meet 'n' greet type event where you could have a cuff engraved by one of the creators of the line (Philip Grangi). the chance to personalize a bracelet? that obviously sealed the deal for me. 

i'm not embarrassed to admit that when it came to picking what to have engraved, i mulled it over quite a bit. i even brainstormed with my co-workers (they loved that. im sure.) - i thought about the date that i moved to new york (8/2009) or a lucky number or my birthday and vetoed them all. i finally decided on the word "chance" because aside from enjoying its english definition ("a possibility of something happening"), in both farsi and french, "chance" is also the word for "luck" and well, i like that very much.

and finally, the tiffany & co. heart chain bracelet. the symbolism here is comparatively less complicated. it was a birthday present from a very awesome person, which makes it very meaningful, plain and simple. 

rag & bone realness because mondays...

(my Christmas surprise to myself)

i wasn't expecting to be able to break this out till late march at the earliest, but since nyc weather has decided it makes perfect sense to plummet to 3 degrees one week then channel spring-like temps the next, it looks like this bomber gets to make its debut in january :-)

i'm in a new york state of....freezing....

...and you would think i built up a more admirable tolerance living in Chicago for 3 years. but whatever tolerance i had, it's long gone by now. or just absolutely frozen on account of the incredibly rude temperatures nyc has been experiencing. 

i know this term has been on repeat for the past week but, polar vortex. seriously. that is the most succinct way to sum it up.

anyways, i blame the aforementioned term on the reason why i haven't worn anything remotely stylish so far this week. i know, i know, a lot of you are exceptionally talented at looking trendy and terrific even with a -12 degree wind chill, but im still a newbie at all this and ive basically been living in sweatshirts layered over zip-up hoodies plus a pair of winter leggings from american apparel (you might be doubtful about american apparel being able to create an item of significant warmth and/or coverage, but i assure you these leggings are intensely insulating).

but THEN, today, i received a little something in the mail - something that i treated myself to as an early birthday present. so in case anyone's keeping track, this week it's been 3 unstylish looks, 1 winner:

Rebecca Minkoff Tee

ny, i love ya, even at your most brutal

your beauty counter should not be ugly

that has been one of my main epiphanies for the start of 2014 (i will get more profound as the months go on, i promise).

the top of my dresser is home to my beauty stash, and, ironically, it was looking fairly hideous. so to celebrate the start of the first week of the new year, i figured i should pretty up my spot. 

the end result (note: this does not contain my nail polish collection, which is embarrassing in its multitude and is another beast to tackle later on):

organizing my (beauty) addiction is the inspiration for this post - i inevitably had to toss products that were im-scared-to-think-how-old. what remained were my all-time favorites and essentials, which i could go on and on about, but i'll spare you and just provide a snapshot of what makes them must-haves (in my opinion).

• for the best overall lip look: chanel rouge double intensité (Bright Rose)

    
 i have ridiculously high expectations for lip products. they can't be drying (and if they're actually hydrating, well, ill take one in every shade); they shouldn't require countless re-applications/touch-ups/etc; and i would really really love it if they didn't leave a mark on every coffee cup, fork or glass i use throughout the day. 

ive made peace with settling for 2 out of 3 (sometimes even 1 out of 3 if it's a truly fantastic color), but this dual-ended miracle from chanel meets all 3 criteria so maybe it's time to get back to maintaining high standards. the breakdown:
             -the base color has the PERFECT amount of pigment that wears comfortably and actually hydrates.
            -the glossy top coat amps up your look for a gorgeous finish (but be sure to wait for the base color to dry before slicking on the top coat, otherwise its brush just turns into a colored mess).
            -thanks to the magical interaction between base coat + top coat, the color does NOT budge at ALL. seriously, i am still happily surprised by how well it stays put with every sip of coffee i take.

• for the most effective way to go incognito, ie, best concealer: clé de peau

unsurprisingly, i love what it does while actively resenting its price tag.

• for the sassiest cat eye: stila stay all day waterproof liquid eye liner

i swear, it basically has a mind of its own - all you need to do is flick your wrist up at the corner of each eye, and this ultra-thin pen draws a flawless, flirty, feline-inspired line.

• for the prettiest snow white shadow effect: benefit longwear powder shadow (milk it!)

it's a well-known beauty fact that if you want to appear more awake than you are, you should dot a luminizer or white shadow in the inner corner of your eyes. if doing that succeeds in perking you up by a factor of 10, this shadow is a pearly white shade that perks you up by a factor of 100, at least. 

• for the sweetest daytime shadow look: nars duo eyeshadow (alhambra)

a stunning rose gold hue meets a sophisticated champagne neutral. it's the most effortless way to look made up, but not made up.

and those are the tried-and-true favorites thatll carry me into 2014!