paint a black hole blacker

i've been feeling lately that my wardrobe is a little stagnant...it's like everything i put together is one of the "go-to's" i mentioned earlier. that, and the fact that tuesday's sweater dress made me crave something loose and light, lead to me to this all-black ensemble. i was stoked to see that tieka had the same sort of conundrum on the same day AND that fabsugar is doing an all-month-all-black challenge!

wearing: shoes, zara from italy; tights, target; dress; forever21; jacket, target; headband, goodie. 

title song by: st. vincent

i wish i was a radio song, the one that you turned up

my birthday is coming up!! well, not reaaalllly, i still have a ways to go, but i'm pretty sure that aquarians are stoked on their birthday because i love love love celebrating my birth. in other words, the countdown has begun. and even though it was just christmas and i just got super lvoely wonderful thoughtful gifts, that is not stopping me from whipping up a little birthday wishlist. afterall, this year is kindof a big deal...i'm turning 25! here's what i've been eying so far:

i could either go big...i mean ALL.OUT. with this guy.

canon power shot g11.le sigh....

or i could shoot for more things in a more managable pricerange. 

clockwise from top left: girls with glasses tee by danny roberts, $42; braided belt, $16; brazilet wish bracelet, $5; under one sky cross body satchel, $32; chancellor bib necklace, $17.80; phantasy velvet flat, $14.80; indidenim custom jeans, $145; angel by thierry mugler, $75.

take two

i have a lot of "go-to's" when it comes to outfits...you know, things that you can throw on without much thought. well, i decided i don't like that strategy so much, so this year i resolve to make each outfit unique and special in its own right. this is the start of my more inspired wardrobe creations, and i love it! i tried to mix things up as much as possible. what do you think?

wearing: boots, sigerson morrison for target; tights, hue; skirt, thrifted; blouse, zara; sweater, h&m; coat, jcrew (yummy new christmas present from the 'rents!); necklace, antique (it was my great grandmother's can you believe!!?)

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!

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.

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.

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

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!

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!

richard avedon

attention: bay area readers!! get yourself to the SFMOMA asap to see the avedon exhibit before it leaves on nov26. it is so amazing. avedon's breadth of work is a fascinating mixture of fashion, politics, art, and social commentary. and honestly, his skill is out-of-this-world. each shot features beautiful details, perfect depth of field, and framing that leaves nothing to be desired. i don't know how to say it, i'm not a photo person, but seriously y'all this stuff is amazing.  go to richardavedon.com for more info on where the exhibit will be next and where else you can see it. it is sooooo so worth it, i swearz!

here is the snippidiest little snippet of a look into avedon's portfolio. some of these photos were in the exhibit i saw, but i found them all on the richard avedon website (seriously, go there).

speedway meadows

saturday was my oldest friend's birthday and we celebrated with a old skool bbq in golden gate park. it was fun to hang out with all the homies, and see some old familiar faces (blast from the past times a million =  so much fun!). it was a beautiful sunny day, but that didn't fool me... i layered to the maxx to ensure i didn't get frostbite in the shade--what? i'm from california! i had a whole bag of layers actually and it proved to be quite helpful, thankyouverymuch.

 

what i'm wearing: jcrew cracked rainboots (they're ok for mud). hue footless tights. american apparel skirt. vintage plaid buttondown (brooks brothers mabes?). scarf from my sister-in-law, lord&taylor beige cashmere cardi, sunglasses from i don't remember. layers in my bag included: a thicker pair of black leggings. winter jacket. hat. gloves. two hoodies.

getting a crown today...hoping for some solid gold steez so i can have a legit grill(z)

best dressed

here's my round up of favorite outfit shots posted on the interwebs this week. it was a hard choice what with all the stylish ladies, but these 5 looks stood out to me above the others. also, maybe this is just me and the blogs i read, but was this a slow week or what?? it seems like everyone had a million things going on all at once, myself included. which is why i am beyond thrilled to not have class tomorrow so i can experience the saturday morning laziness i think i deserve.

in no particular order, i present you with some SIGNATURE STYLEZ

1. audrey from homerunballerina. loooove that fun skirt! the bright socks and pumps jazz it up but the black top keeps it from going toooo OTT (= over the top duhhhr)

2. Aimee from songofstlye. girl i would rock this outfit in a heartbeat! killer shoes (i want!), vintage tee, & blazer, black skinnies... the perfect recipe for a flawless 'fit.

3. erin from calivintage. another sfbayerrria blogger (see also, aimee from this weeks best dressed). this post was about "seasonal dressing" in our strange climate. i feel you girl, 60 degrees is faaa-reeezing.

4. jennine from thecoveted. this is homegurl's WEDDING DRESS! first of all, i love that this is her wedding dress. second of all, i love that she is wearing it not on her wedding day. also, love those leggings. sidenote, can we think of an abbreve for leggings? leggs? gings? get back to me

5.jentine from myedit. great work outfit. all the right parts put together to form a perfect whole. check out her blog for the deets shot, the ruffle blouse is pretty much t.d.f. (= to die for. geez do i have to tell you guys everything?!)

lost in the light

for my final project in styling this semester i have to conceptualize and style a photoshoot. this is why i love school! projects like these are super fun and will come in handy for portfolios in the future.

so, here is my mood board; i.e. the first stage of planning. to find these images i looked through pages and pages of wet behind the ears which is like the most awesome website for inspirational editorials ever. if anyone wants to participate --model? photograph? style? lend clothes? DJ? idea bouncer-offer?-- let me know i would LOVE to collabo!

happy almost friday!!

xx

better days

the last two days have been rough on me. while usually a pretty steadfast, happy person, for whatever reason dental prciedures throw a wrench into my being as a whole and i tend to melt down in a mayjah way. yesterday was stage 1 of a root canal and this morning i finished it off. i still have to go back next week for a crown. but after today's procedure i threw in the towel, called it a day,  and went home to cry and recover while relaxing on my couch. to help me back into my reality, i enlisted karl, marc, and annie. please join me as i sit back relax and enjoy: 

UPDATE: a fell asleep during karl (oops!), the marc jacobs doc was a great look into the creative process of fashion shoes, and annie leibovits is ahhh-mazing. of the three that is the one i recommend everyone watch. 

man-shopping

 

my dear readers,
i promised you man-blogging, and i slacked on that one. well not really me, but my guest man-blogger (it's ok i still love you baby). fortunately for all of us, a dear friend jumped at the opportunity to help out and wrote a charming essay about his experiences with shopping. i think it is quite helpful for all those daunted by the shopping process, men and women alike. and i think even seasoned stylistas could learn a thing or two from this insightful editorial. enjoy!
love, signature_styles 

Square One

image from jcrew.com 

Previous to a few months ago, I never felt it was cool to buy clothes. While looking good was vaguely appealing, it didn’t seem worth the imagined shame I would suffer browsing racks and magazines. I can only recall four distinct episodes in my life where I spent any time shopping. For a year in high school I knew the t-shirt racks on Haight Street fairly well.  I also collected a couple vintage jackets (one of which I still regularly wear). Senior year in college I went to B Brothers with my dad and got a gold-button blazer, two pairs of wool gab trousers and a couple ties for interviews. Post college I added to my work wardrobe with some more trousers, shirts, ties, a suit and a pair of shoes. Around the same time I used a gift certificate to get a pair of jeans and a herringbone coat with a sewn-in hoodie on Maiden Lane.
 
Until two months ago, those were the only jeans I owned. Around that time I decided it was time to start caring. The creator of this blog agreed to go shopping with me (I asked because I felt drastically unqualified to pick out any clothes on my own), and we picked out a second pair of jeans and the first t-shit I’ve bought in about 10 years (not counting the two I made for myself and friends). And I felt great about it. But I also realized how little I own.
 
So I’ve set aside some money in my budget and put together a bit of a plan, however misguided, to build myself a functional wardrobe. I’ve decided to start with my work clothes. An inventory revealed my blazer, four pairs of trousers (tan, olive, grey and charcoal), about 12 shirts (mostly blues), a black v-neck sweater and a blue cashmere v-neck. Shoes included cordovan tassel loafers and black lace-ups, and gold-buckle belts to match.
 
The results of my fist shopping trip were mixed. I picked up two sport coats at Macy’s (two-for-one sale), two pairs of brown trousers (light and dark), four shirts (RL and CK; stronger colors and patterns than my current, pale-ish collection), a pair of tobacco lace-ups and a matching silver-buckle belt. I also changed out my gold buttons for blue buttons and resoled by tassel loafers. All this was good. But there were some frustrations. One of the sport coats shed a button after three wears. The shoes are still breaking in. One of the pairs of trousers had to go back to the tailor to fix an unfinished hem.
 
But now that the issues are behind me, I am faced with a bounty of options in the morning. In some ways, I’m a bit lost as to how to put it all together. I also have some ideas for what’s next. Augment my sweaters. V- or zip-neck? Another pair of brown shoes. Chocolate lace-ups or brown Chelsea boots?
 
A significant change resulting from my increase in shopping (and browsing in preparation for shopping) is, as I walk around downtown, noticing what looks good and what doesn’t. I’ve never paid attention before, but it really is a lot of fun.

 happy monday! have a great week everyone!!

(and wish me luck on my root canal, yikes!)

lesson #1

the first (and in my opinion, only) rule in fashion is...have fun! fashion is all about expressing yourself letting your true colors shine. it shouldn't be worrisome or hard to figure out...just get out there and have fun! to illustrate my point i'm going to share the following "photoshoot" with you, dear readers. i hope you enjoy!

despite the fact that i wanted to crash tonight after a lovely dinner and stroll, i knew i needed to put together a blog post so i could start of my monthly challenge on the right foot. so i set up the camera and timer and all that and gave it my best shot. after fumbling around with the zoom/focus i enlisted the help of my brother to take some outfit shots. this is what happened:

one decent (if that) outfit shot, which lead to...

...silliness, which lead to...

...funny faces, which lead to...

...picking up the dog (don't worry, cody loves getting picked up), which lead to...

the dog making funny faces too!

so as you can tell it was pretty hilarious and fun and i still got to a)share my oufit and b)check off another day on the month of posts! c'est parfait, non?

check out more silly pics and outfit deets after the jump!

jessica z

my girl jZ dresses to impress everyday of the week. here is but a sampling of the outfits she throws together...from monday meetings to thursday wrap-ups, she's got it covered. and without any boring fallback outfits (trust me, her 'fallbacks' are way too stylish).

 

isn't she just the cutest?

thanks, jess!