bonne fete du noel

time to play with prezzies, cuddle up in blankets on the couch, maybe go for a nice walk.

 enjoy the day my lovelies!

xx


image via {this is glamorous}

tidbits

• the sex and the city 2 trailer is out and making its rounds. i'll be real, i was never not looking forward to it...i mean sometimes all a girl needs is a completely over-the-top movie with great clothes. afterall, i'm not going to see it for the plot.
• christmas came early for this girl (me)!!! i won this awesome mouse/note-pad from sterlingstyle! i am so psyched after seeing it in the store and resisting the urge to buy it! now it's mine!!
• 2 v. 12: you be the judge. check out this awesome editorial in V magazine illustrating that "fashion can flatter any figure". it's on point, faux realz
• i'm going to push my luck and hope to be the recipient of another awesome give-away on daddylikeyblog. while you are there, be sure to check out her most recent post on going through a friends closet. it's really nice.
• i'm sorry, i just gotta do it....click here to see the cutest thing in the WORLD.

drumrrrollllll pleeeaaaasseee!

to see how i wore my first rodarte for target piece read more!

rollin with the homies

miss you already, tai...

business as usual

this saturday marked the first of many in the christmas party marathon. it was the 13th annual gingerbread party, where friends and family gather to compete against one another in a themed gingerbread scene contest. the older boys team (whom are now all 27 years old) have a pretty strong hand on the competition, but the older girls team (me and my girls!) are known for our attention to detail. this year, for second in a row, the dad's team made a surprising leap to the front with their take on the theme "business as usual". 

 

and you know me, i'm always on the look-out for stylish inspiration. well good thing for me i didn't have to look to far with maggie and rachel on my team. for these girls, looking this cute is just business as usaual. and now: maggie and rachel's signature styles.

on maggie

sweater, younger sister's from gap; jeans, just usa; blouse, weston wear;shoes, ambiance; earrings, etsy.

on rachel:

top, ambiance; skirt, american apparel; tights, kate spade; boots, frye; scarf, borrowed; bracelets, vintage.

party on

 

today officially is officially the beginning of the non-stop holiday party marathon. for the next week, my schedule is jam-packed with one christmas fete after another. naturally, i'll be shopping my closet for most of the outfits (and maybe even recycing outfits, shhhh don't tell!)...but this doesn't stop me from a little online window shopping! here are my holiday picks from modcloth--which, btdubs, is the best place for online window shopping. i'm going east this year to celebrate with my man's fam, so i incorporated some more casual dresses for the laid back parties i have been told to expect.

styling tips: black opaque tights and patent flats or heels--both wardrobe stables-- would go perfectly with all of these ensembles. also, try layering! a thin turtleneck under dress #4 or pullover sweater over dress #2 would be fun and warming tricks. don't forget the jewels...a statement necklace and brooches would knock any of these dresses out of the ballpark, and make them your signature style! 

which one is your fave? have any winter styling tips?

1. freda the snowlady dress, $89.99.

2.the royal park dress in richmond, $84.99

3. sally jane dress, $89.99

4. geometry sweater dress, $52.99. 

5. the kindness dress, $59.99

trading up

ok, i know i might lose some readers for saying this but: i really don't like madonna. homegirl is done in my humble opinion, and she should call it a day and retire. if she was smarter and less self-obsessed, maybe she should have quit while she was ahead about 10 years ago. i mean, enough already! we get it; your fit and old. good for you! sorry if i don't like my pop stars to belong to aarp.
i recently expressed my relief when i found out lara stone was replacing madonnz for the LV campaign, and was duly worried when i found out she was the new face of dolce and gabanna. but it turns out, it's not that bad! in fact, gasp! i kind of like it. the thought of lady madge doing dishes and eating spaghetti is kindof hilarious, and, i dunno, the concept and setting and styling just seem to work this time around. i suppose it also helps that she isn't photoshopped into psychedelic oblivion in this campaign.

so much better than:

all pics via fashionologie.com

best dressed

 this week's best-dressed blogger is brought to you by the letters l, e, o, p, a, r, and d. i've had the print on my mind since i picked up a little goodie last weekend (more on that to come) and it looks like i was not the only one. let's take a look at these lovely ladies' spotted SIGNATURE STYLEZ!

1. annabel from blushing ambition. my first stroll to this blog and there's a leopard outfit on the first post. was it meant to be? i think so. this bay area chick rocks the perfect everyday look with a bit of spice and the perfect amount of 'tude.

2. julie from orchidgrey.  this is julie's second appearance on the best dressed list, and really, is there any wonder why? this adorbs ensemble is perfectly proportioned, totally wearable with a hipster/classic vibe. props.

3. jen from jenloveskev. i love the bold graphic snow leopard look going on here! and the pose in the snow on the rock?! fierrrrrce. also, how is she possibly standing in the snow without a jacket and boots, even for one second? that alone will get you on this california-sissy-weather blogger's list anyday.

4. rumi from fashiontoast. my life would be COMPLETE with the addition of this ridiculous furry, printed oversize sweater. i'm pretty sure i would never take it off. probably the same with those d&g wedges, so i'd basically walk around in some rendition of this outfit everyday. is that wrong?

one of my most favorite things about doing these posts is discovering new blogs! two of these girls are new additions to my daily reads! i get really excited when i find new blogs to crush on....my inspiration keeps exponentially growing!! lovesit.

why didn't i think of this?

i was so stoked about yesterday's gilt sales that i just had to tell my girlfriends at work, and the favor was most definietely returned! i told my friend sharon about the sale (where she scored a botkier satchel. sweet!) and she told me about dekkori, which is just about the coolest thing i've ever seen.

founded by shoe-lover stephanie kim, dekkori is a line of shoe accessories that glams and transforms an ordinary pair of pumps. the concept is to "maximize the styling options" for a given pair of shoes, turning in slingbacks into strappy sandals or even boots. dekkori is perfect for those on a shoe budget, or when under-the-bed, over-the-door, and every inch on the closet floor is filled with shoes. the possibilities are truly endless.

dekkori just lanched an online shop, and stockists can be found on the sleek and stylish website. it's not too late to put these bad boys on your holiday wish-list....trust me, i am!! i can just tell i will be day-dreaming about these until i have my hands on them!

my faves: (ps it is really hard to pick out only five)

the defiance ankle boot

the miracle over-the-knee boot

 the simone lace-up boot

 

the allison satin ankle wrap

the tiffany fringe t-strap


pics via dekkori.com

coming back at 'cha

geeezzz am i the worst or what??  i haven't posted in 5 days! i totally effed up the layout and then spent hours trying to rebuild, and the worst is that i'm not even sure i like the new layout. it def needs some more work, but time is getting harder and harder to come by!however, i do pledge to do my best in these busy times....this blog is such a great outlet for me and i appreciate all the people who have checked it out, even when there is just a weirdo pic of a chick making a silly face (not meeeee, the cartoon picture from the previous post). so, here we go again--onwards and upwards! 

let's start with today's events...i bought myself a little christmas present! i decided i needed a reward after getting all (read: most) of my christmas shopping done and shipped, and starting my christmas cards. plus there was an ahhhhmazing sale on gilt group today. email me if you want/need an invite...somedays it is just so worth it!!!! after much deliberation, paitence, and a little bit of fate, i officially became a gilt customer!

my spoils:

T by Alexander Wand Muscle Tank in Cobalt

American Apparel Jersey Pocket Skirt

American Apparel Yoga Pants


pics via giltgroup.com and americanapparel.com

oops!

blog down! i'm trying to perform sortof an 'upgrade' to the look of this blog but i made a lil mistake and things aren't looking too good. bear with me while i pick 'er up and git 'er going again. k thanx gotta go 

just like music

i just wanted to let share with you the three albums that pretty much get me through the day. that, and a few pandora stations-- early 90s alternative; indie girl music; and jams to be specific.

edward sharpe. seeing them this weekend!

girls. saw them a few weeks ago!

fleet foxes. saw them this fall @ bridge school benefit!

what's on your playlist right about now? do share! leave a comment with any albums that i just neeeeeeed to listen to!

tidbits

• thank the sweet lord that my least favorite, most oversaturated ads are DONE. louis vitton has officially tapped the gorgeous lara stone to replace madonna. i actually hated looking at those ads.
• my rainboots have arrived!!! i opted for the olive/hollyhock tretorns. it was the fuzzy inside that got me. i mean, i might not have to wear socks, and we know how much that idea thrills me.
• my homie jess was in nyc this past weekend and got me a suuuuuuper cool bracelet from wrecords by monkey. i love this idea, and honestly the bracelet is as comfy as it is cool!
• i'm officially learning how to slappa da bass! i learned two "riffs" as they, i mean WE (i'm a musician now, i can say that) call it. now i just need a bass, and thanks to joanne a temporary solution may be coming my way!
• oh, and don't miss my girl diana making headlines and changing the world!

local flavor, global appeal

Any dude who has visited a clothing store in the past year or so will tell you that Americana, as labeled by the capital F Fashion world, has become one of the most, if not the most, dominant trends in menswear of late. American, working-class style is on the racks of all the major clothing retailers and bros from California to Tokyo are rocking Redwings with their Levis, Wayfarers with their TopSiders, and outside of the office sporting a much less polished, more organic look. Beards are cool, plaid is cool, looking like you enjoy getting your hands dirty is cool. Having grown up in a blue collar family on the coast north of Boston, this kind of "look" never really had a name. Folks sport TopSiders because they are practical for days out on the boat, my dad wears Redwing boots because they hold up in the mud all day long, and my grandfather wore Woolrich because because their field coats (the buffalo plaid red and black of course) layer well in the winter and are just the right weight that you don't have to take them off when in and out of the dump truck, back-hoe, or local watering hole. These things are well made, functional, and as it turns out very stylish.

Obviously there are contrasts inherent in working class style meets high fashion but personally I'm on board with the Americana vibe. When practiced in moderation and keeping in mind that I live in San Francisco, not in Minnesota, not in a Polo add, it feels natural to me and always has. The look is classic and thus far has withstood the test of time. I was excited then, when a few weeks back I read (via ACL) that quality Americana had come to San Francisco, to my neighborhood. Union Made opened its doors a month or so ago in the Castro and last weekend Alexandra and I had a chance to check it out. As we walked through the front door we were immediately greeted by the smell of douglas fir, the glow of soft pine, and the enthusiastic hello of owner and co-mastermind Todd Barket. In tow, to Al's delight, was Todd's recently adopted greyhound watchdog buddy, named Buddy. Given it was closing on a Saturday we had the place to ourselves and got the chance to learn a bit about the store while browsing some of the merchandise. Todd was extremely gracious in giving us the grand tour, pointing out some of his favorites and discussing things to come. The selection at Union Made is consistently Americana without being too over the top (no waxed mustaches) or monotonous. The more pricey selections such as those from Alden or Rogues Gallery are balanced well by more affordable goods from Woolrich, Levi's and Alternative Apparel. "Democratic pricing" Todd calls it. As a compliment to this theory, the store also mixes it up with accessories, t-shirts, outerwear, shoes, scarves, ties, totes & even a few man-products. Don't expect to find 20 dollar Wranglers but there's defintely a little bit of everything, for everyone. Having paid his dues in retail at the Gap for many years Todd knows how to run a store and it clearly shows. The place is very cool, it has a nice local flavor and like much of the clothing on the racks bears the mark of hard work and a little elbow grease. When I expressed that I was digging the unfinished pine look of the display furniture Todd gushed that his bf had taken two weeks off of work and built everything from local wood. They had to rent a UHaul to get it all back to the city. Al and I spent almost an hour hanging out and were impressed with their attention to detail and with the diverse selection of man stuff. Keeping my annual income in mind, my two top picks would be the Alternative Apparel sweatshirts (around $50) and the no-name military grade aviators ($100). We walked out with some sweet goods (gotta support your local businesses) but would have been happy just to hang out and drink a beer, Pabst or High Life of course.

Union Made is in San Francisco at 493 Sanchez (basically on the corner of 18th) and a work-in-progress on the web at http://www.unionmadegoods.com/. Remember it's the Holiday season, show some love.

best dressed

let's take a look at the SIGNATURE STYLEZ of the best dressed bloggers this week!

1. advanced style. this is why i want to be old. becuause you can wear a huge faux leopard coat, bright green and pink sneakers (carolyn!! did you see?), leggings, and an old wacky purse and STILL get stopped on the street for a style shot.

2. style rookie. tavi just got back from a spectacular sounding adventure in tokyo and got to pick out her favorite peices by her favorite designer! i mean, how amazeballs is that? plus, she's 13!!!! and she's so stoked on the whole experience that you really just can't help but smile with her. not to mention, this blanket coat is the sickest thing i've ever seen and you should read all about it now.

3. whatiwore. jessica does it again! girl rocks the colored tights and darling dresses and is overall such a positive inspiration that again, it's just hard not to smile with her. this is the type of look i will find myself trying to emulate.

4. the glamourai. oh hi, can i have that outfit for the bazillions of holiday parties i have to go to? talk about perfect proportion, color scheme, warmth factor for holiday party-hopping!.

5. theclotheshorse. the only westcoaster in the bunch, rebecca introduces a more earthy vibe without being in the least bit earthy-crunchy. the outfit is so perfectly original and pulled together. also, ankle socks with tights?? interesting....will give that one a try.

there you have it folks! what do you think of my selection?? have a great weekend!

les beaux timbres

i just sent my dear friend kailey an email requesting she send me these aborbs french stamps....for decorating binders and notebooks and whatever else i find needs decorating. my computer maybe?

thank you all so much for the wonderful compliments about my photoshoot!

xx

style chain!

good morning! today i am hopping on board with the style chain gang and reppin the 'belted scarf look'. first of all, i love this game of taking what you see and making it your own and then seeing how it compares to the inspiration. second of all, i kindof love this belted scarf look.

so i had my bro snap a few shots this morning since i knew it would be dark by the time i got home (i hatechu, winter) and i would like to say a few things. a) how do people take pictures so early in the morning? i'm like a space cadet before noon. b) this "shoot" was decidedly less goofy that the last time bro took pics. c) um i forget was (c) was because it's still before noon. 

the style chain gang: julie from orchidgrey; christina from secondskin; krystal from thistimetomorrow; indiana from adoredaustin; and now me! from signaturestyles

wearing: scarf and belt, vintage; sweater dress, h&m; wool tights, ogilvy's in montreal; boots, jcrew.

keener

so! i am thiiiiiiiis close to being done with my assignment (please note this is well before the due date, and we're talking in terms of days. this is so not me). i took it to the copy place but it turns out i have to reformat it so they can booklet-ize it easier. so i'll get on that this evening but in the meantime here's the whole shebang how i originally designed it.

ps. i bet a lot of you are wondering....

1.	keener
	(Canadian slang, noun) Individual eager to demonstrate knowledge or participate enthusiastically in school, church, seminars, etc. Like nerd,geek, brown-noser, smartypants, etc. but with more emphasis on willingness and enthusiasm, and less on social inadequacy, sycophancy, or natural ability.

the countdown begins

humina humina humina omigosh guys! member in the fall when i was all stoked about the rodarte+target collabo?well not only is it a just a few weeks away, now there's the possibility to get it before everyone else!!! for those  lucky enough to be in SF, NY, or DC, target is launching a little pop-up shop for quick holiday shopping. from december 11 to 13, you go to the store, walk up and pick out gifts, order by number, then pick up your wrapped and ready pressies! and RODARTE pieces are included in the gift assortment! that's NEXT WEEK!  

pic coming soon, the one i chose (and linked to/credited thankyouverymuch) was not working well.

OMG OMG OMG UPDATE ALERT!!!!!

the full lookbook including prices is available for your viewing pleasure here. holy moly thank you so much NYMAG!!!!

the waiting game

that's a working story title for my photoshoot. i've been editing all night and am so so happy with the way things are coming!! here's a little sneaky peaky for you--

photos.shot!

this weekend matt helped me out bigtime and we shot for my final project! i modeled, styled, and did my hair/make-up (i'm a real mutli-tasker slash too disorganized to find someone else), while matt worked his magic behind the lens. we took 672 shots and i am really happy with how they turned out! now i just have to choose the finals and put 'em all together-- i'm digging the layout style of the book above (via anica boutique). can't wait to show you all the final product! coming soon....

steppin up my game

Follow my blog with bloglovin


i just joined bloglovin and it seems like a great way to follow all your daily reads and then some!! now you'll be able to follow me too! i set up a little linky on the right hand side of the blog, underneath the AWESOME photo of jessica stam (photocredit goes to to wetbehindthears [seriously her site is like the best inspiration all the time])

you can also follow me on twitter or on networkedblogs (also links to both on your right). yay!

tidbits

Cyber Monday came early this year:

·         nastygal is offering 20% off all merchandise

·         opening ceremony is offering 30-50% off a wide assortment of styles

·         tulle is offering 50% off sitewide

·         modcloth is offering up to 40% off 50 different items everyday thru Sunday

·         20% of purchases over $100 at gumps.com

i'll keep callin' em as i see 'em!

ps...the sale at apple is not as exciting as i would've hoped

i'm grateful, yo

hope everyone had a great thanksgiving!!

more to come later today!!

black friday

first of all, i am so sorry about the slow-down in posting! this time of year is what we in the retail industry like to call, “hella busy.” we’re ramping up for holiday sales, starting (and hopefully completing) projects to be done by the end of the year, and basically running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to make this year’s numbers.

it’s also what we students like to call, “the end of the semester” and so I have my big final project to do and not a lot of free time to do it.

i’m not trying to throw myself a pity party or anything (but if you want to you can!) i just wanted to explain that is maybe a bit out of my league to post everyday. sorrrrrry!

BUT, while we are on the topic of retail craziness….here are some of the sale notices i’ve received. for those who do not work on Friday (ie, everyone not in retail) take advantage of some of these sales!!

BLUEFLY

our favorite project runway sponsor from like a million seasons ago is back in the game with fun daily deals

NORDSTROM

recently of half-yearly sale fame, this retailer is at it again with deep discounts

BLOOMIES

had your eye on that stella bag for a while now? well here's your chance to score it 

NINE WEST

oooh child keep me away from this one...the sales here get me everytime i can't even  imagine 50% off

APPLE

ok so i heard a rumor that macbooks are going to be 25% and while this is COMPLETELY UNSUBSTANTIATED i will have my running shoes on in case its true and i need to run up the street to go buy one. same goes if the discount applies to ipod touches. again, this is not verified info. just sayin' tho.

there are soooo many more sales so get out there and go crazy! do me, and everyone else working on black friday, a big favor and go buy something! make it worth our time!

thanks! love! happy turkey day!

man-post by me (a girl)

our resident man-blogger is working on assignment, so i thought i would post something for the dudes myself. 
actually i have two things i would like to man-tion (get it? instead of mention?? #imsofunny)....

1. my mom called me sunday morning and told me to get the sf chronicle because there was an article about dan hoyle, aka the golden child. dan is my good friend kailey's brother; he is also a fulbright scholar, and the author and star of a one-man play about nigerian oil politics. the article on sunday was a cute little piece on his fave spots in the city. it was nice. but on the next page there was a great article in about where to find better fitting men's clothes. a lot of the stores were local to the bay area, but the article mentioned that mass retailers are beginning to carry slimmer cut shirts and pants as well. i feel as though a common complaint i hear about men's shirts is how big they are, well it seems as thought the designers were hearing that too and decided to do somethign about it. check it out here! more men's shopping advice by the pocket square here.


2. i realized this morning that i pretty much only own black cardigans and promptly decided that i need to introduce some color into my cardi collection. so i hopped on over to jcrew.com to check out the merch, only to get bored a short little while. my man went into a jcrew store earlier in the week and said he had his eye on a few things, so natch i mosied on over the men's section to see if i could guess what to get him. it was there that i met (online) jack. jack is the men's head stylist at jcrew and he just started a great advice column. the best parts? it looks really cool and it answers some common style q's. so boys, if your not sure to tuck or not to tuck, just go ask jack. 

there you have it, two great new style resources for all the men in your life!