Pinterest Picks: Blush Beauties

My New York wardrobe rarely ventures into pastel territory, but I can't get these blush-hued beauties out of my mind.

The trouble with patent apricot oxfords is that you can only wear them so often before they start to get old. Still, it doesn't prevent me from coveting these lovely Dieppa Restrepos.  Available sometime this Spring, apparently.

via Breanna Jackson

This gorgeous mystery blouse. I thought it was Acne, but it's not and it's infinitely better than my Madewell top. Any help?

via Aleksandra Cornea

And a fuzzy nightlight, just because.

via Kate @ Wit + Delight

May Flowers: Budget-Friendly Floral Finds

I'm generally not a floral prints person, but these sweet, flower powered looks are tempting (and wallet-friendly to boot).

Perennial tank, $34 @ NeedSupply.

Floral Tunic Tank, $38 @ NeedSupply.

Cooperative floral laptop case, $28 @ Urban Outfitters.

Photos:
1 & 2) www.needsupply.com
3) www.urbanoutfitters.com

Steal of the Day: a Party Perfect Peekaboo Blouse

Loving this silky, lattice-sleeve top. Loving the fact that it costs a mere $33 even more. It's like a sexed up version of my favorite plain white tee.

When in Rome white top, $33 @ Lulu's.

Photos: www. lulus.com

Winter Obsession: Madewell's Clerkenwell Blouse

This mustard-hued number has been on my list for a good while now, and though I'm not supposed to be shopping (i'm currently on the Chanel diet -- i.e. saving up for a very special Xmas present to myself), I might just have to order one up for myself. In silk crepe de chine, understated tuxedo-style detailing and delicate buttoned cuffs strike just the right note. Also available in cream and black.

Madewell Clerkenwell Blouse, $110.

Photos: www.madewell.com

Cream Dreams: Winter Lace

There's something so lovely about off-white lace in the wintertime. Maybe it's because it conjures up images of delicate snowflakes? A few I've had my eye on:

Vintage appeal and pretty, scalloped edges. Joie Elvia Lace Top, $198 @ Bloomingdales.

 

If allover lace is too much, go for just a small detail. I love the sleeves on this silky, whisper-light blouse. Reformation Mark Top, $198 @ Shopbop.

Okay, so the lace is black here, but it's so fine and looks beautiful against a solid cream ground. Vasia by Ulla Johnson Anastasia Dress, $88 @ Urban Outfitters.

Photos:
1-2) www.shopbop.com
3) www.urbanoutfitters.com

Winter Indulgences

My antidote to cold wet days involves cranking up the heat, curling up on the couch with a decadent mint hot chocolate topped with marshmallows, and ordering up a movie. Some perfect pieces for luxe lounging:

Beautiful, blush-colored silk shorts. Rosamosario Piccola silk-crepe and lace shorts, $150.

A supersoft baseball tee. J. Crew drapey stripe baseball tee, $39.50

Sweatpants never looked so chic. J. Crew skinny ultra-lounge pant, $49.50.

Photos:
1) www.net-a-porter.com
2-3) www.jcrew.com

My Crush on Frances May, Continued: Silky Blouses from Vena Cava, Dusen Dusen, and Shabd

I'm on a silk blouse kick and once again, Frances May has come to my rescue. I should really just move to Portland already. With all the amazing shopping to be had there, it would surely lead to my financial ruin, so I think I'm actually safer in NYC, where I can only afford to window shop.

I adore the cutout detail on Vena Cava's Sinew Blouse. Features include a button-off collar, elastic cinch waist, and a tiny puff sleeve. $310.

I am in love with the beautiful print on Dusen Dusen's Storm Tee. The boxy shape is great for contrasting with a body-hugging pencil skirt (and it's also the most affordable of the three). $125.

The perfect dye job: Shabd's simply stunning Solaris Blouse. $310.

Photos: www.francesmay.com

From Rachel Comey Cardigans to Viva Vena Dresses, Frances May's Got the Goods

I can't get enough of Portland boutique Frances May these days. Their Fall 2010 picks are all so covetable that I'm glad I live a safe 3,000 miles away, lest I be tempted to stop in and try on these lovely wares. Some pieces I've been eyeing from afar:

Viva Vena by Vena Cava Paper Knife Dress, $187.

Rachel Comey Reversible Cardigan. Perhaps a justifiable expense, considering you get two in one. Black Ostrich on one side, Camel on the other. $364.

Love these Surface to Air Desert Grey Bat Wedges (on sale for $231 but alas, only available in a 41).

Photos: www.francesmay.com

Let Loose: Relaxed Fit Tops for Easy Summer Dressing

Between travels, weddings, and illness, I haven't had a chance to stop by the blog in the past week and a half, and it sorely needs tending. Since summer seems to have arrived in all it's sun-scorched glory, I thought I'd welcome you back with some easy, relaxed tops that will keep you feeling as cool as the icy sweat dripping down the lemonade pitcher.

Eskell's loose, silk Chloe top features charming design details, including a printed waist tie and three yellow buttons to close the shoulder. $200.

Loose, Dolman sleeves are a godsend this time of year. If it's cross-ventilation you're after, this should do the trick. T Alexander Wang 1x1 Rib T in Heather Grey, $90 @ Otte.

Stuart & Wright's Easy Silk Tee. The name pretty much says it all, and it's gorgeous in navy. $188 @ Refinery29.

If you like the look but can't bear to part with 200 bones, American Apparel has some appealing options, including the new Silky Loose Crop Tee, $38. It actually looks a lot better on, and works great over one of their tight cotton bodycon dresses or high-waisted pencil skirts. Also available in tank form.

Photo credit:
1&3) www.refinery29.com
2) www.otteny.com
4) www.americanapparel.net

Summer Wardrobe Essential: Peekaboo Tops

Round out your summer wardrobe with a playful, sheer top or two. The styling possibilities are endless – you can dream up countless new combinations by layering them over contrasting tanks (nude + neon brights = winning strategy), or take your swimwear from the beach to the city streets by throwing it on over your bathing suit (an excellent solution for days when you haven’t any clean laundry). And if you dare, tease your fellow barflies on a night out by letting it peek out - sans base layer - from under a white blazer. Some excellent options:


Kelly Bergin Crochet Tank, $153 @ Otte.

Kelly Bergin Chiffon Pocket Tank, $85 @ Otte.

Photos: www.otteny.com

Summer Scheming: Building an Outfit With Steven Alan's Red Gathered Tank

The howling, gale-force winds that have descended upon NYC had me hiding indoors for the better part of the weekend. It was probably for the best, as my recent shopping excursions have left me penniless. I did get to log in a fair bit of online window shopping, however, and I'm now saving up for several items that have whet my shopping appetite anew, like this adorable picnic-checked top from Steven Alan, which inspired me to dream up the perfect summer outfit.


Red Gathered Tank, $118 @ Steven Alan.

It would look so, so good on dark blue jean shorts or cropped skinnies. High-waisted Hotpants, $55 @ Topshop.

Add  a pair of espadrilles, or these vintage-inspired basketweave flats. They've gotten rave reviews all around. $28 @ Urban Outfitters.

Finish the look with brown or tortoiseshell sunnies, but in a modern shape to keep the look from going too retro. With their modern take on the cat-eye shape and pitch-perfect combination of milky vintage brown plastic frames and grey-green lenses, Karen Walker's Number Ones are just right. $170 @ Gargyle. Get 'em while they last.

Photos: 
1) www.refinery29.com
2) www.topshop.com
3) www.urbanoutfitters.com
4) www.gargyle.com

Reader Question: How to Wear Black for Spring?

I fiiinally had a chance to check my blog email and was delighted to find an interesting question from Shoptometrist reader, Becca.

"I'm addicted to wearing black and never know what to wear in the Spring. Pastels and floral prints make me want to vom. Is there any way to get away with black in the warmer months without looking all wrong?"

Worry not, dear Becca, because contrary to what the store windows tell you, your wardrobe does not have to turn candy-colored come Spring. With strategic styling, you can still get away with a mostly black wardrobe. The key is to lighten up the look with a clever mix of warm-weather staples. Three ideas to inspire:


1) Layering a sheer top in a contrasting hue over black allows you to lighten up your look without straying too far from your comfort zone. See-through burnout tees and mesh tops abound this season, so take your favorite black tank shopping (Oak and American Apparel come to mind) and see what you can come up with. I love Kelly Birgen's sheer, grey tank over lacy black camisole. Charcoal Laced Crop Tank, $118 @ Oak.

2) Take winter's black pencil skirt and tuck in a loose, breezy white tank in a graphic print. It lets you wear your black and play with prints, without going floral. Or you could buy the look as a whole, as shown. Motel Graphic Print 2-in-1 Dress, $59.18 @ ASOS.

3) Nothing says it's summer like tie-dye. Done in black, it looks more edgy than Dead-head. Wear it on its own as a dress with strappy gladiators or tuck it loosely into denim cutoffs.  Add a couple of layered necklaces + aviators and you've got yourself the perfect outfit for a summer music festival. Tie-dye racerback dress, in what is actually a dark, almost-black purple. Tie-dye Racerback Dress, $48 @ Nasty Gal Vintage.

Readers, feel free to share your own tips!

Photos:
1, 2) www.oaknyc.com
3) www.asos.com
4) www.nastygalvintage.com

Burnout Beauties: Alternative Apparel's Perfect Tees

Alternative Apparel always makes the best burnout tees and tanks, and this season's offerings are no exception. Their semi-sheer, supremely soft cotton feels well worn from the get go, and they're easy on the wallet, too. Three wardrobe essentials, available at Oak:

Ash Heather Burnout Tank, $32.

Oatmeal Burnout Tunic, $38.

Ash Heather Deep V-Neck with Pocket, $38.

 Photos: www.oaknyc.com

I'll Have What She's Having: Equipment Silk Blouses, a la Carine Roitfeld

You may have heard about French label Equipment being revived for Spring 2010. With founder Christian Restoin (Carine Roitfeld's beau) and Serge Azria (brother of Max and Creative Director of Joie and Current/Elliott) helming the relaunch, you can be sure it'll soon be a favorite among fashion's cognoscenti. In fact, Carine was spotted wearing one of the signature silk blouses (and making it look fabulous, per usual) way back in November, months before it would become available to the hoi polloi.

With its perfectly slouchy, boyfriend fit, in a silk that clings to all the right bits, it's going to be a great summer staple. I can picture this tucked into a mini (a la Carine) or worn over leggings or cropped skinnies, with stacks of bangles, hair twisted into a top knot, and a cool pair of sunnies. It's available in several colors, but my personal favorites are the nude and olive green.

Equipment Silk Oversized Shirt, $178 @ Intermix.

Pulling it off as only a stylish French editrix can:

Photos:
1) www.intermixonline.com
2) www.elleuk.com

Your Winter Recovery Program Begins Now: New Items to Freshen Up the Wardrobe

As the weather grew worse and worse over the course of the winter, I slid into some pretty slovenly dressing habits. Long johns in lieu of leggings? Done it. Elasticized waistbands? Guilty. Trying to pass off an oversized sweatshirt as a dress? Been there (more often than I care to admit). Now that things are warming up just enough to venture out of doors without piling on an increasingly mismatched combination of layers, getting dressed can, at long last, be fun again. A few transitional pieces to inject some style into a stale winter wardrobe:

Out with the heavy tweeds. Let's start with a brand new, feminine blazer to pair with everything from jeans to evening wear. Maje Tison crepe tuxedo jacket, $495 @ Net-a-Porter.

At the bar, shed the blazer to reveal a silky blouse with a cutout back. The fellers will fall over at the mere sight of bare skin, having been deprived of it for so long. Dolce Vita Ash Tank in taupe, $126 @ 80's Purple.

Ditch your burdensome oversized satchel for a night in favor of a carefree clutch. Claflin, Thayer and Co. Black/White Roads Clutch, $130 @ Oak.

Photos:
1, 2) www.net-a-porter.com
3, 4) www.80spurple.com
5) www.oaknyc.com

Doo.ri Does it Right with Under.ligne

I've been a fan of Doo-ri Chung since the debut of her semi-eponymous label at New York Fashion Week for Spring/Summer 2005, and I clearly remember the moment I first glimpsed one of her gorgeously crafted pieces in the flesh. I was working at a boutique in San Francisco that year, and my coworkers and I were busy putting the latest fall shipment out on the floor. A collective gasp escaped from us when we discovered among the merchandise a cropped tweed jacket with oversized buttons,  beautifully embellished at the sleeves with crystalline beading.  It retailed for over $1,000 so owning it was but a wistful dream. Fast forward to 2009, when Ms. Chung cured me of that heartbreak by launching under.ligne, a diffusion line that offers the same play on proportions, deft draping, and distinctive design details that first won me over, but at a much friendlier price point. Some items I'm currently crushing on:

A sheer, whisper-thin draped cardi, $325 @ under.ligne. Available in cream or black.

Love the cutout detail on the Harness Tank Top, $165 @ Tobi.

A sculpted, stretch mini that's both cozy and chic. Knit Mini Skirt, on sale for $100 (was $245) @under.ligne.

And just for old time's sake, here's the doo.ri jacket that broke my heart:

Photos: 
1, 2, 4) www.under.ligne.com
3) www.tobi.com
5) www.style.com