Posts tagged ‘proenza schouler’
The Other White Denim
After a long winter of tampons and black skinny jeans, I’m happy to report that the latter are folded up on the shelf for the summer (the former unfortunately is still planning her monthly visits, but whatever. For once this isn’t about Flo). Though I’m not quite ready for bare-legged season (we’re getting there though!), my growing collection of white denim has become the go-to alternative to my fall through winter black jean obsession. But after a few weeks of back-to-back white jeans combined with being too lazy to do laundry (don’t judge me. I know you relate), there comes a point when:
a) You realize you need to lock it up, get some quarters, and do laundry. But come on, this breakthrough only comes when you’ve run out of underwear.
b) Your friends start making side comments about your recurring outfits and/or the guac stain build up on your pant legs. ‘Tis the season for margs and guac! AmIright!?
c) You start seeking alternatives to your new and very obvious addiction.
I went with C. and found the next best thing to white jeans in a soft canary yellow pair that coincidentally match this house around the corner from my apartment. Go figure!
After a few tastings, like pork to chicken, I found yellow jeans to be the other white meat. Though they aren’t quite as versatile and uniform as a grilled piece of chicken (or white denim), when paired correctly or standing on their own (if going topless is your thing), they become the commanding item on the plate…or outfit. I’m losing track of whether I’m discussing pants or poultry here. But I digress…
The point here is that I still haven’t done laundry and am just waiting for the next pivotal stain — be it guac related or because Flo’s in town — to make it’s mark. And until that happens, I find solace in knowing that yellow pants will continue to dominate in my daily sartorial choices, even while wearing a shirt that makes me look like Quasimoto from time to time.
But don’t worry, I won’t leave you with a photo of me channeling the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Instead, I leave with you this close up shot of some arm swag complete with a bracelet adorned in beads reading, “Let’s Bone.” Spring’s supposed to be about babies anyways…
Zara shirt (are you sick of it yet?) | J Brand jeans via Article& | Proenza Schouler shoes (again!) | BCBG clutch | Venessa Arizaga bracelet, H&M choker
// photos by the one and only, Emily Malan
“But This is an Outfit”
In an episode of Sex and the City, Carrie goes to a friend’s party where, upon arrival, she is asked to remove her silver Manolo Blahniks. “But this is an outfit,” she tells the host’s sister who clearly doesn’t understand. And with that Carrie, begrudgingly, removes her stilettos. For those who haven’t seen this episode, allow me to be the spoiler alert and tell you that Carrie’s shoes end up getting stolen from the party. And as much as that sucks, my point of bringing this scene to your attention is that very often there’s that one piece that makes the outfit and should it be removed from the equation, well, all is ruined. Ruined! I say!
While both Carrie’s destroyed outfit and shoe robbery experience should teach us all a lesson in not leaving the beauty of a single outfit to one sole (see what I did there?), sometimes these things just cannot be helped. So, while putting together an outfit for a standard rainy Wednesday around Manhattan, I decided: To hell with shirts, I’m just wearing a light jacket. I’m also not going to wear a bra because I just don’t feel like it.
And with that I went about my day. Thankfully no one asked me to take my jacket off, but if they had I’d simply take a cue from Carrie and respond, “But this is an outfit!” And then if they insisted I’d have to tell them that I wasn’t wearing a bra and therefore they had no choice but to let me keep my outfit intact. Unless this was a nudist meeting, in which case this would be a new level of awkwardness that I’d brought to this site upon the internet.
With that I bid you a bon Mardi and encourage you to test drive your next outfit sans bra as it really is liberating. Plus, thanks to the new cleavage, they’re really just unnecessary.
Zara jacket | Supertrash skirt | Proenza Schouler heels | Samudra clutch | Knockaround sunglasses | Catbird rings
// photos by Emily Malan
Love At First Sight
A lot of people don’t believe in love at first sight. I am not one of these people. Though never with a human (I didn’t even look twice at the boy who wound up being my first boyfriend), I have fallen in love at first sight many times. My heart flutters in virginal excitement almost every time I see a slice of pizza, and I have fallen into deep, immediate love with more pieces of clothing than I can keep track of. However, unlike pizza and even humans, the unstoppable heartbreaking emotion that comes when I see a piece of clothing can almost never be immediately satisfied. More often than not this new love interest is walking down the runway, thus a season ahead of my acquiring schedule, or labeled at a price that would require a loan from the bank in order to obtain (see everything Chanel). But thanks to the beauty of sites like eBay and Copious, and consignment or thrift shops scattered about, finding “the one that got away” (or the one you just couldn’t afford when it was staring you in the face) is actually possible.
One of my favorite ways to kill time between meetings, appointments, or just to avoid doing the thing I’m supposed to be doing, is by dipping my nose into random consignment shops throughout NYC. Not only is such an adventure time consuming (you just can’t go into a thrift store and sift — it’s an archaeological digging process), but the gems you can find are just unbeatable — like that time I scored this Bottega Veneta bag for $25.
While in between a teeth cleaning and my own dermatological stripshow, I decided to lift my spirits (I loathe doctors appointments) with a jaunt through a consignment shop on the Upper East Side. I didn’t go in with the intention of purchasing anything — I get as much thrill from looking at clothes as I do with buying them — until my eyes bulged and my body B-lined like Frankenstein on Speed toward this Dolce & Gabbana tomato skirt.
The skirt is from the designer’s Spring 2012 collection and was originally the cost of a nice studio apartment. When I first saw it on Style.com, I twitched and drooled like I’d just been tasered (my normal “love at first sight” reaction). Joseph’s beard and Veronica’s eyebrows! This skirt wasn’t just for me and my love of vibrant prints! It spoke to my tastebuds and stomach as well! I could hear both my mouth salivating and my stomach grumbling, “Is that an heirloom!?”. But one glance at the hefty price tag not only left me with the reality of never owning such a beauty, but also considering a DIY where I would glue tomatoes onto a white trash bag and dub it couture. We do desperate things when it comes to love, don’t we?
But the stars aligned for me that day, and my beloved tomato skirt wrapped itself around my waist for $150. Some of you may consider this “meant to be”, but I like to think of it as a reward for getting an A+ on flossing from my dentist. Let this be a lesson in never neglecting your gums again, because you just never know when the love of your life will show up.
Malika sweater | Dolce & Gabbana skirt | Proenza Schouler heels | Bottega Veneta bag | Vintage sunglasses
// photos by Emily Malan
The 10 Piece Wardrobe
Clockwise from top left: Topshop blazer | Isabel Marant shirt | Issa dress | Isabel Marant boots | Proenza Schouler bag | Asos belt | Ray-Ban sunglasses | Asos heels | Equipment blouse | J Brand jeans
The other day a friend of mine put me up to a challenge; she asked me what items I would choose if I was limited to a 10 piece wardrobe. Naturally, my first thought was, “Joseph’s beard! I can’t even limit myself to packing 10 pieces when going on a weekend getaway!” But I was into this challenge.
Before giving her my answer which, mind you, took about 30 minutes to put together, I made sure that I could leave items like underwear and socks off my list. Obviously those are “essentials” but that just seems too obvious to me. Once I got the go ahead to exclude the under-pieces, I began reciting my 10-piece wardrobe list, which I kind of want to turn into a song to the tune of Beyonce’s “Count Down”, but that’s for another time.
Now let’s break this ultimate wardrobe down.
1. The Black Blazer — Boring? Yes. Necessary? Abso-freakin-lutely. I cannot list the amount of times I’ve reached for my hip-length black blazer to add some polish to a look. The fact that it works with dresses, basic blue jeans, and even sweatpants is enough justification for me to own at least five of these, but we’re dealing with a 10-piece wardrobe so let’s just say I own one.
2. The White T-Shirt — Another basic necessity. Much like the blazer, I’ve found that the white tee can be dressed up and dressed down, and functions as one of the more comfortable pieces in my closet. Suffice it to say, I wear my plain white tees as pajamas too.
3. The Day-to-Night Dress — Everyone believes the LBD (Little Black Dress) to be the ultimate wardrobe staple. I used to be one of those people, but I’ve changed my ways. I think that every woman should own a dress that transitions from day to night seamlessly. You want a dress that you can wear to brunch with the ladies before meeting up with Jack from Friday night for drinks. If this is a black dress for you, that’s fine, but don’t feel the need to limit yourself; hence my choice of a bright red Issa number.
4. The Ankle Boot — I never thought of boots as a year-round staple, but ones that let your ankles catch a breeze are comfortable and extreme climate friendly. I tend to opt for ones in a neutral color with a modest heel so that they go with everything and are easy to walk in.
5. The Shoulder Bag — Ok, this Proenza PS11 has been at the top of my must buy list for easily three years. When I first set eyes on it I knew it was the ultimate everyday bag. It’s a reasonable size, sits perfectly at the hip, and literally goes with everything. I know it’s on the pricier side, but for something that’s going to be worn on a daily basis is worth a splurge (though I have yet to pull the trigger). For a more reasonable option, I suggest trying this Rebecca Minkoff cross-body that’s just as versatile and chic.
6. The Neutral Belt — Belts are one of those accessories that add dimension and breaks up silhouettes. An outfit consisting of jeans, a white t-shirt, and some ankle boots (all members of the 10-piece wardrobe) looks far more stylish when the tee is tucked into the jeans allowing the neutral belt to show. At least in my opinion, which is why you’re here. OK…moving forward…
7. Aviator Sunglasses — I’ve never met a person who doesn’t look good in aviators. Their tapered shape and slim frames are flattering on every face shape and aren’t the kind of shades that steal the spotlight like cat eye sunglasses or giant round ones as favored by Paris Hilton.
8. The Simple Heel — It’s up to you whether you prefer the pump or the sandal, but a straightforward heel is as necessary in a woman’s wardrobe as underwear. Just make sure that they go with everything and are one of the more comfortable footwear options in your closet — no one wants to wear shoes that make them walk like a drunk camel.
9. The Classic Button Down — I wear a button down almost every day, but reach for the one with blue and white stripes more often than not. The vertical stripes are flattering, it can be dressed up or down, and if you’re lucky, your boyfriend already owns a few so you can just borrow right from his closet. Whoa! Did I just narrow this down a nine-piece wardrobe!?
10. The Skinny Jean — As much as I love the Mom Jeans, there is nothing I wear more often than skinny jeans. Once you find a brand and cut that fits you like a second set of skin, I guarantee you will wear them until the butt rips. This just happened to me with my favorite pair of Hudson jeans, though I am also a huge fan of J Brand, Rag & Bone, and Paige Denim.
Do you think I’m missing anything? I’d love to know what you think is the ultimate 10-piece wardrobe! TELL ME PLEASE!
Coachella Style Guide
While we’re on the topic of Coachella (which, whether you like it or not, will be a subject for the next month or so), I bring you three fool proof festival outfits to get you through the weekend*. Though I am not attending this year — my friend and I bought tickets but then some other trips presented themselves and we decided to sell them — I like to think of myself as having a PhD in multi-day festivals.
The most important thing to keep in mind when packing and dressing for these outdoor fun fests is comfort. The second most important thing to keep in mind is sunblock. But I don’t need to school anyone on the subject of sun protection, so instead I present you with three outfits that I would likely wear were I attending Coachella this weekend.
Numero Uno:
APC bag | Topshop romper | Madewell chambray | Superga sneaks | Asos sunglasses | Dannijo bracelet
I originally believed that wearing any sort of romper or overall type coverup was a major mistake when attending a music festival; mainly because they take a little longer to get off when you desperately need to go #1. However, after living in a romper at Bonnaroo (yes, I went. Twice.), I can attest that these full-pieces are comfortable, surprisingly climate controlled, and ideal when worn over a swimsuit. Since you tend to cover a lot of ground while traipsing around the desert, I recommend wearing a comfortable pair of sneakers (foot sunburns suck), a reasonably sized bag, and a light chambray for when the sun goes down.
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Numero Dos:
Jennifer Zeuner necklace | Asos sunglasses | Vanessa Bruno dress | ModCloth bag | Red Valentino sandals
Forget everything I said earlier about a reasonably sized bag. This ladybug purse is the bee’s knees (or ladybug’s forearms?) and is guaranteed to get you festival style snapped — something as common as a street style snap during Fashion Week. But adorably sweet bags aside (wait, have you seen my chicken bag?), a dress that covers your rear when you sit on the grass and allows for whatever breeze there may be to go up your skirt is essential to festival cheer. Also, you can wear that chambray in the above outfit around your waist during the day and over your shoulders when it gets cold at night.
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Numero Tres:
Proenza Schouler bag | 3.1 Phillip Lim shirt | Asos sunglasses | Clover Canyon shorts | Asos sandals
These V-line shorts are the latest craze in shortswear and though I have yet to try out a pair, I imagine they’re great for tanning. Short tans are so last season, ring tans on the other hand are totally in. And since you’ll be in California, why not give a shout out to New York and all the Seamless Web delivery bags you’ll likely be accumulating during your week long post-Coachella hangover by wearing an I ♥ New York shirt. Or Nueva York. Whatever.
