kids

ooh baby baby

13 Comments

ok you guys, consider this my first baby post. i’ve been pretty hesitant to share too much in the way of baby stuff just because this space has always been strictly about fashion and personal style. but i also have to admit that my life is changing pretty dramatically these days. we’ve been working on our apartment, trying to make it nice and proper for baby and family. and we’re even beginning to hunt for a proper house to buy, which is such a huge step for us beyond having the baby. so with a bit of encouragement from you guys (after asking the question on facebook), i’ll be throwing a few baby-centric posts into the mix so you’ll have a better idea of what’s going on in my world. i don’t have plans to become a mommy blogger, but even me, with my cold, cold heart can’t resist tiny things made for teeny tiny people!

enter misha and puff. i’d actually seen a few pieces floating around pinterest back when this baby was but a twinkle in my eye. looking through their fall selection seriously makes me wish i could knit anything other than a scarf. i can only imagine that our grandmothers spent many an hour knitting together little clothes just like this! i may or may not attempt to make one of those little pointed bonnets. or else i’ll just cave and buy it.

and in other news, i finally decided to make my baby pinterest board public so you can follow along if you’re looking for inspiration, or just want to squeal at all the cute baby stuff. i started the board back when i found out i was pregnant, but i didn’t want people getting any ideas before i was ready to make the announcement. then i worried that i would be spamming my followers with baby stuff. then i realized i was just over-thinking it. i mean seriously, how can you resist this much cute?






fashion

nico and… magazine

12 Comments

after sharing a few maternity looks from hatch collection fall 2013, bianca left a comment mentioning that it was very “japanese street style” and that she would totally wear all of the clothes. i didn’t recognize it at first, but now that i see it, i’ve been pulling up all of my old japanese style inspiration for a little direction. one of the the things i love about japanese style is that it can be so different from what most americans wear. bear with me because i know there are tons of different styles in japan, and you can’t narrow it down to just one look. but at least in america, it seems most women are really set on body-con clothing, or at least emphasizing the waist. i don’t know how many style advice columns i’ve read where the main tip is to “put a belt on it.” even when i go shopping and try on a simple shift dress, the shop girls always come along with a skinny belt as the perfect accessory, haha. i always kindly decline, but it does seem that there is a huge obsession with the hourglass shape. i mean, don’t get me wrong, the hourglass is pretty awesome. and sure, this isn’t even an america vs. japan style thing. it’s just a reminder to myself that there are so many options out there and it can be really fun to experiment with different silhouettes, even those that may not be culturally “flattering” or fit into the feminine ideal.

i was almost immediately reminded of these images from nico and… magazine that i’d been hoarding in an inspiration folder on my desktop since earlier this year. every month, they have a different stylist share 30 days of outfits and this particular girl really caught my eye. i think it’s because she has the most angelic face and perfect hairs. but her style is also so very cool and japanese and totally something that could be worn by any girl. since i’ll be needing to incorporate lots of loose, comfy separates into my wardrobe for the next year, this inspiration is certainly going to come in handy!















fashion, collections, fall 2013, maternity

hatch collection

8 Comments

at 33 weeks along, i have finally come to the realization that not only will i need to give in and buy a few more maternity pieces, but i will also have to dramatically alter my wardrobe once the baby arrives! i’ll probably be breast feeding for at least six months (how long do people breast feed for? i don’t even know yet!). and that means that i will need attire that can either be easily pulled down or easily pulled up. so all of those cute mini dresses with high necklines? yeah, those are going to have to retire to my closet for much longer than i realized. instead, i’m going to have to embrace separates in a way that i never have before, and more than that, i think i might need to accept that many of my tops will need to be either stretchy or low-cut. the horror! but i’m glad that i’m figuring that out sooner rather than later because it gives me time to pick up a few pieces of clothing before the big day.

the problem i have with most maternity clothes that i’ve seen is that they all focus on somehow emphasizing your belly. i can’t tell you how many times i’ve seen the exact same button front tunic with an empire drawstring. i’ve also seen many a side-ruched top and plenty of stretchy jersey dresses with impossibly high empire waistlines. i know it’s probably the most practical thing for many women, but it’s just not something i can ever see myself wearing. in fact, i still plan to continue wearing an array of non-maternity wear that will be most practical: button front blouses and pinafore dresses still have easy access. and i’m sure a plain t-shirt and sweatpants is all you really need when you’re going to be spending the entire day indoors with an infant.

but thankfully there are other options. for my entire pregnancy, hatch collection has been on my radar. i haven’t bought anything yet, but now that i’m realizing my needs a bit more, i’m really starting to appreciate their style. the concept behind the clothes is that they are designed to be worn before, during, and after your pregnancy. it’s much more casual that what i might normally wear, but when you’re carrying around an enormous basket ball-sized belly, you’ll begin to understand why comfort suddenly becomes the most important function of your wardrobe. and hatch collection is all about creating fashion-forward basics, so most of the pieces can easily be translated to just about any style. the prices are not as budget-friendly as some, but as i realize that i’ll probably be wearing a lot of this stuff for a long time to come, i don’t mind investing a bit in my comfort and sanity.










fashion, collections, fall 2013

mod dolly

11 Comments

on the hunt for some cute holiday clothes (i’m still refusing to wear most maternity clothes), i stumbled upon mod dolly in the asos marketplace and immediately fell in love. this cute little shop features a handful of simple smock and pinafore dresses that i could basically live in for the rest of the season. the easy shift and tent shapes are good for just about any body shape, and the pinafores are especially great for layering. i’ve already got the tartan babydoll smock dress in my shopping cart, and now i’m just doing my best to resist buying the entire collection!

photos courtesy of mod dolly.

     
  

fashion, collections, fall 2013

announcing mayflower supply co.!

8 Comments

if there’s anything making me wish i could wear regular clothes like right now, it’s the launch of mayflower supply co. and their stunning inaugural look book. the site is set to launch in the coming week at the helm of liz hull and offers up a beautiful collection of vintage apparel sourced from thrift shops, flea markets, and estate sales across new england with a focus on heritage brands like l.l. bean and pendleton. liz says she wanted to “underscore the pride in heritage goods that is so deep rooted in american culture—especially from the clothing manufacturing industry that was so prominent in new england during the industrial age. that’s why i love vintage; it’s a direct connection to the past.” and if these photos are any indication, this shop is going to be good. every piece is one-of-a-kind vintage, so you’ll want to head on over the mayflower supply co. and sign up to be notified when the shop opens so you’ll have first dibs on any of the pieces from the look book!

mayflower supply co. look book photographed by courtney brooke, styled and modeled by emily theobald.



















my style

maternity style: pink lips and paisley

12 Comments

things have been slowing down over here lately. my belly is getting huge and i’m having trouble staying on my feet, sitting, or doing any productive human things other than slowly preparing the house for the arrival of the baby. but this weekend, i did have an opportunity to get a little dolled up to celebrate my grandmother’s birthday with family. and of course, the one accessory (besides this epic minju kim for h&m collar) that really completes my looks and makes me feel fancy, is a nice bold lip color. i probably own at least 20 shades of red and pink and am pretty much always on the hunt for the new perfect color. so of course, i was very pleased to team up with refinery29 and maybelline new york to try a few samples of the new color elixir lip colors. it’s a super-saturated lip gloss that you can layer on for a bit of sheer tint or a major pop of color, and this pretty pink shade in ‘fuchsia flourish’ was a perfect compliment to my green and blue getup.

wearing: vintage ’60s tent dress, minju kim for h&m leather collar, vintage salvatore ferragamo mary janes, color elixir in fuchsia flourish courtesy of maybelline new york.






this post was sponsored by refinery29.

home

domestic

15 Comments

i know this is a fashion blog, and over the past five years, i’ve definitely kept it strictly in that place. but if you’re wondering why i’ve been so absent lately, it’s because my outfits haven’t exactly been top of mind lately. my schedule is such that the only time i’m able to snap pictures of what i’m wearing is on the weekends. during the week, i’m working 10 – 6pm, and especially with the end of daylight savings, there is no light left when i get home from work. and while i’m usually pretty happy to spend a few minutes on saturday or sunday to show one of my looks, the past several weekends have been consumed by preparing our new apartment for the arrival of the baby, and the host of house guests that will come with it! we have only been living here for a few months now, and the space is considerably larger than any of our previous apartments, so we’ve been spending a lot of time at flea markets and furniture shops trying to collect everything we need to fill this space.

the trouble is, i’ve never been big on interior design. i mean, i know what i like, but i’ve never really spent much time or energy on home improvements. i’m pretty happy to have a nice place in a nice spot with lots of plants as my main decor. i never think about themes or colors, i just pick things i like when i need them, and do my best to keep the damn space clean! but lately, all i can think about is how to make this place a proper home. perhaps it’s this “nesting instinct” that everyone talks about, but i have been spending countless hours sifting through inspiration trying to imagine what to do with my home.

my aesthetic is still very “bohemian,” for lack of a better word. i like flea market finds and simple mid-century designs. i like a space that feels lived in, and do not dream of having a storybook home like the ones you see in interior design books. and i am obsessed with filling my space with as many plants as possible (which i know might not be ideal for baby, but we’re going to make sure our plants are all non-toxic)! anyway, all of that is to say that i’ve collected a few pretty pictures to share so you can get an idea of where my mind has been lately.

image above via rennes.


a beautiful mess.


a beautiful mess.


bferry.


ink and spindle.


design sponge.


fat cat brussels.


hello lidy.


apartment therapy.


leah reena goren.

 

fashion, collections, fall 2013

charlotte taylor fall 2013

6 Comments

it’s been a little while since i’ve written about charlotte taylor, but their latest fall 2013 collection is too good not to mention! the collection, titled “lost and found,” was inspired by discarded toys and forgotten childhood fantasies of circus performances. a sort of dreamy world filled with shadows and spirits. the concept could get a little creepy, but the clothes are anything but. there are plenty of whimsical prints and warm separates perfect for layering. and you know i love a good pinafore, so of course i can’t get over those ram print mini dresses!

photos courtesy of charlotte taylor.













shopping

let’s swap clothes!

5 Comments

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a few recent life changes have pushed me to do some major closet purging over the last couple of months. it’s just what happens when you relocate from one climate to another all while watching your belly expand to proportions you didn’t think possible. but even if you aren’t going through something as major as a move or a pregnancy, there’s still always that 20% (or more) of your wardrobe that just hangs in the back of the closet. you fully intend to wear them one day, but let’s face it, sometimes you have to admit defeat and accept that it’s time to part ways. i really like the idea of swapping clothes because it’s fun to see my stuff go off to nice new homes, and it’s a way for me to get new things without having to give in to the lure of fast-fashion.

enter swapdom. they recently got in touch with me and asked me if i’d be interested in giving it a try. it usually takes a lot for me to try a new startup site, but with a duffle bag full of stuff just waiting to go, i decided to give it a whirl. swapdom allows you to request items you love, tell swapdom what you’d offer in exchange, and then sit back and let swapdom organize a multi-person swap for you. all you have to do is pay the postage on any items you receive in your swap. for my first round, i took a few minutes to snap some photos and have listed a few items up on my profile. i’m only showing a little sneaky peek here, but i’ve already listed items from paul & joe sister, quicksilver, ace & jig, asos, and ark & co.

 

the site is still in private beta, but you can bypass the wait list with this link so you can start swapping right now and get a better look at the items i’ve listed so far! and if you upload three items to start, you’ll get free shipping on your first swap. so get to it, because i’m on the hunt for some new clothes!

 

my style, giveaways

outfit: a giveaway from jane sews!

258 Comments

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today i am pleased to announce my latest giveaway courtesy of jane sews. you may have heard of this new durban-based designer in my post a few months back, when i had completely fallen head-over-heels for her charming collection. since then, i’ve teamed up with her to offer you the chance to win your choice of any pair of shoes from her latest collection or the keren lace dress that i’m wearing in this post. this is especially great for those of you in the southern hemisphere, but i think these pieces are so classic and timeless that they can really be worn during almost any season that the weather permits.

to enter: simply visit jane sews and tell us which piece you’d pick if you were to win!

bonus: increase your odds of winning and receive an additional entry (up to three extra entries) for following jane sews on instagram, twitter, or facebook! simply leave an extra comment for each platform where you are following.

the fine print: winner will be randomly selected and contacted via email after tuesday, november 5. this giveaway is open to international readers, so anyone can enter. winner will receive their choice of any one pair of shoes currently available at jane sews or the keren lace dress.
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