Posts tagged ‘runway hippie’
A Week in Review
Clearly I’m boring.
I’m having issues with Spring. Sure, the weather is great (except for right now) and the flowers are pretty, but I’m a newcomer to this whole allergy thing and I hate it. Should you be following me on Twitter (and you should), you are already well aware that it’s all I’ve been talking about. I realize that’s not exactly a selling point in joining me in the world of Twitter, but if you’re a victim of the pollen plague then maybe you’ll find solace in hearing me bitch. So, as you can imagine, this week I’ve been under the influence of Allegra followed by Zyrtec and a sea of watery eyes and tissues in the nostrils. But aside from that I’ve been counting down the seconds until this very moment, where I find myself in quiet solitude in Connecticut. Nothing but me, a cup of coffee, and the smell of the ocean, which actually just reminds me all those times I collected seashells as a wee tot and stored them in my room overnight only to wake up in a stench of salty fish. Yum. And speaking of fish and crustaceans…check out that lobster roll below — and the rest of the bits and bobs from this week.
Diet starts after this Pearle Oyster Bar lobster roll….
New everyday jewels by BesoBeso
I’m progressing in the world of home building.
Your Epidermis is Showing
Like bare arms and legs, your upper abdomen is going to be getting a lot of sun this season thanks to the spring 2013 runways. Now, if you were to take a survey asking women if they would feel comfortable baring a part of their stomach while wearing a dress or shirt, I guarantee that at least 70% would say “oh hell no.” Not only is the stomach one of women’s biggest “problem areas”, but it’s also an area we cover up for the majority of the year (unless you live in a bikini, in which case you are hereby excluded from this entire post). But before you turn your back on the trend, know this: revealing the upper abdomen — we’re talking just below the boobs — can actually be extremely flattering, and requires little to no work at the gym.
Unlike the crop tops before them, these upper torso cut-outs aren’t here to expose your FUPA. Instead, they show off the flattest part of your stomach, provide ventilation (the under boob sweat is one of my biggest issues come summertime and this nixes that whole problem), and may actually be sexier than cleavage. Should you be a man reading this right now, you’re probably thinking, “Sonia doesn’t know anything when it comes to sexy dressing.” And given my recent stint with gaucho pants, perhaps you’re right. But in the act of self-defense, I too think I am right.
The upper-ab cut-out leaves much more to the imagination than a J.Lo style dress or Lil Kim nipple pasties. While cleavage will always have a place in the world of fashion (as it should), this new epidermal focus is far more refined and elegant than a set of perfectly plump knockers pouring out of a strapless gown. Maybe not for the office or the first time you meet the parents, but for a summer party (like this very Memorial Day Weekend!), it’s definitely worth taking out for a test run. Also, for the record: bras are optional whilst going crop-top. Feel the freedom and find your own suitable cut-out dress from my picks below.
Memorial Day, The Outfit
When I think about Memorial Day Weekend, a couple of things come to mind: cocktails, friends, grilling, and basking in sunshine — Mother Nature willing. So what does this mean for your outfit? I’m glad you asked (even though I didn’t hear you, but whatever) because I’ve broken down my ideal Mem-Day weekend outfit into a few necessities.
First off, you want to be comfortable. Not only do you need to be able to sit like a beer-bellied man passed out on the couch in front of ESPN (all class over here!), but you also need to be able to regulate your temperature. For me this means pants, preferably of the boyfriend variety, though I’d say yes to a husband pair too. The slouchier fit allows for breadth of room (i.e. extra hot dog), and means you can engage in all the outdoor activities you want since the issue of your skirt being blown up is, well, a non-issue.
This also means light layers. I don’t like to break out tank tops until I absolutely have to, so instead I opt for lightweight button downs and blazers. What’s nice about the button-down blazer combo is that it transitions seamlessly from day-to-night. This may not be a necessity for some of your weekend activities, but it’s better to be prepared than look like a naked and cold fool because you wore your tank top and didn’t bring something to cover up with in the evening. Having said that, not bringing a jacket is also a great way to pick up a gentleman, since only the most chivalrous of lads offer their coat to a woman clad in goosebumps. Therefore, if this is your way of fishing for men, don’t let me stand in your way.
Festivity should go hand-in-hand with your comfortable, climate-controlled outfit, and what better way to secure this than with a hat? Honestly, is there anything more festive than a hat? Birthday party hats, sombreros, crowns, bonnets — I can’t think of a festive occasion that doesn’t involve some kind of a head topper. Since this weekend doesn’t have a designated style of hat, I suggest you pick one that suits your face shape best. I’m partial to the straw fedora come summertime, but if My Fair Lady sun hats are your thing, then by all means…
And now we must address the shoes, because really that’s always a topic of debate. Since I’ll be on the grass most of this weekend, I will likely either be barefoot, sandaled or sneakered (footwear adjectives! Oh yes!). But were I going to a party where concrete or hardwood floors were part of the decor, then I’d leave those flat shoes at home. A pair of heeled sandals that won’t rip your toes to blistery shreds are absolutely imperative to warm-weather dressing. And if you’re concerned that your feet will hurt by the end of the day, don’t worry, I’ve found that most summer soirees end up with everyone barefoot anyways.
So there you have it, my key to Memorial Day dressing, otherwise known as what I’ll be wearing all weekend. Now let’s all make a face that looks like we’re peeing in our pants and count down the hours until the holiday weekend begins!
Ralph Lauren blazer | Theory shirt | Zara jeans | Max Studio sandals | Prada bag | Scoop hat | Venessa Arizaga bracelet
//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
A Week in Review
From where I sat for three days straight.
After a full month of non-stop travel and events, I cannot stress how happy I am to be home for the long foreseeable future. As much as I love the idea of a jet-setting life, there’s something to be said for the comfort of your own bed, a full refrigerator, and the ability to watch an entire season of Game of Thrones without the guilt of not going outside on a sunny day. I guess what I’m saying is that while I love to travel, I also love my couch. We’re good friends. Supportive of one another, even in the darkest of times. So I’m going to take it pretty easy this weekend (i.e. marathoning all three seasons of Arrested Development) since next weekend is Memorial Day and who knows what kind of shenanigans that will bring. Adios!
Clear eyes. Full margarita. Can’t lose.
Really digging giant gold rings that get caught on my sweaters these days…
The Banana Stand comes to NYC!
