MCLV Style: New York City
New York City BABY!
As I’m sure you picked up, I was beyond excited for this trip – Seeing my best friend, attending IFBCON, and getting the chance to spend some quality time in NYC, a city that I’ve been having a love affaire with for years now.
{You can shop similar pieces by clicking these hyperlinks: Embellished Striped Top – Zara, Zipper Detail Shorts – Zara, Ankle Strap Heels – Fendi, Oversized Crocodile Clutch – Express, Silver Art Deco Bracelet – JewelMint, Silver Bow Bracelet – Forever 21, Silver Chainlink Watch – Vintage & Ring – Tiffany’s}
{You can HYPE this look on Lookbook.nu}
Check out more outtakes from this shoot here – just log into Facebook to view
When I was packing for my trip to New York I found myself in a quandary – it was going to be extremely hot and humid but I’m a fairly formal dresser. Luckily for my internal body temperature this was the first Summer that I’ve worn shorts since Junior High, so I packed a few pairs for the trip. But how to style them? Shorts & a tank might be an appropriate bathing suit coverup, but for walking down the streets of New York City? Definitely not!
So with that in mind I paired my exposed zipper shorts from Zara with a striped tee with a rhinestone embellished collar, tons of chunky silver jewelry, ankle strap heels, and an oversized envelope clutch. I was comfortable temperature-wise, but still felt stylish enough to strut my stuff all over Manhattan! 🙂
Interesting in more fashion from my September trip to New York City? Check out these previous posts:
Did you have fun wearing shorts over the Summer? What’s your favorite style of shorts to wear when the weather heats up?
Celebratory Weekend
This past weekend was a once in a life time celebration for my family – My baby brother, who happens to be the only male cousin, celebrated his recent engagement. He and his adorable fiance drove (drove!!!) up from Albuquerque for a week in California which ended with three days of non-stop celebrating in San Francisco.
The festivities began Friday night with our longtime tradition, dinner at our favorite North Beach spot, Don Pistos. The chips & salsa are amazing and we always gorge ourselves on them long before the food ever arrives, the tacos and seafood specials never disappoint, and their sangria is top-notch. Which is very important in a restaurant.
Ceviche tacos, carne asada, fried calamari, fish tacos, wine & sangria, and unpictured (eaten too quickly…) veggie tacos for me.
Why do boys never tire of trying to scare you?
After leaving dinner, totally stuffed as always, we walked past Washington Square Park and headed to another fun North Beach spot, the always lively brewery Rogue which has great outdoor tables and a huge beer list.
How cute is my future sister? 🙂
I’m always exhausted on Friday nights, the week always seems to come crashing down on me riiight around 7pm, so I made my life easier and just threw on a little black dress and some killer gold jewelry for our Friday night out.
V-Neck Dress – Mink (from the North Beach boutique Annabella’s), Heeled Sandals – Ralph Lauren, Lariat Necklace – Vendome (from the Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry Trunk Show), Bracelets – JewelMint & Vintage, and Ring – BCBG {Click on the hyperlinks above to visit sites where you can find similar pieces}
For the main event on Saturday the rest of our family joined us for brunch and bottomless mimosas at a little hole in the wall bar/restaurant in North Beach called Tiernan’s Irish Pub.
And yes, I ate sweet potato fries for brunch. Completely worth it.
Comparing bling with fabulous friends – An important part of any good outing
Most of our extended family departed after brunch wrapped up, so those of us who remained walked over to the beach at Ghirardelli Square for some celebratory bubbly and a toast with a killer view.
Fashion highlight? Realizing Sean had been wearing my little pink running socks from Victoria’s Secret with his new Banana Republic dress shoes all day…
And what did I wear for this fabulous event you ask?
Zara Zara Zara
Striped Blouse – Zara, Royal Blue Shorts – Zara, Shoes – MaddenGirl, and Zebra Print Aviators – Piperlime {You can shop similar pieces on ASOS Style Finder or click on the hyperlinks above to visit websites where you can find similar pieces}
In conclusion, it was an amazing, sentimental, crazy fun weekend, and now I feel like I need to sleep for a week to recover. 🙂
How was your weekend?
2012 CFDA Awards
The CFDA Awards were held Monday night and there were all sorts of highlights – from gorgeous red carpet dresses to fun announcements to an after party that just wouldn’t quit.
I swear, there was nothing else on my Twitter feed for HOURS.
Breathtaking. Sleek and sexy evening wear at its finest. I love that she didn’t wear a necklace and let the dress’ neckline take center stage. I also adored her strappy heels and cocktail rings. Perfection!
His tuxedo is classic and dapper, while she’s a vision in her eye-catching Eastern inspired dress.
Designer Olivier Theyskens and his gorgeous date Constance looked great together despite their height difference. Her dress is gorgeous, I love embellished 60’s style shift dresses and this one is gorgeous!
This Lela Rose gown is unique and eye-catching. I love that she wore something different and interesting. It suited her really well and she looked beautiful!
Fun, funky & totally unique. Just what I love about Taylor Tomasi Hill. And apparently she picked everything & got ready at the last-minute. How cool is that?
And if you’re a lover of prints and patterns on the red carpet, there were a handful of ladies who impressed and really brought the drama in that department Monday.
What did you think of Dakota’s Eastern-inspired Proenza Schouler dress? I bet it looked like a work of art in person, the attention to detail is pretty astonishing.
Definitely eye-catching! I love high-necks on dresses, I think it adds a sense of drama that a plunging neckline simply cannot.
I love women who dare to wear cocktail-length frocks on a red carpet filled with gowns, I think it’s a great way to make sure everyone is really taking a look at your dress choice. This look is busy busy busy with mixed patterns, an embellished neckline, and two-toned strappy heels, but she makes it work.
Clearly a good time was had by all!
I love to see the serious and intense fashion insiders letting loose and really enjoying themselves at events like this one. It’s a great reminder of how much fun fashion is and what an amazing opportunity these kinds of celebrations can be.
My blogger crush The Man Repeller (left) with designer Rebecca Minkoff and model Hilary Rhoda. Blues are definitely in!
P.S. You should definitely check out The Man Repeller, Rebecca Minkoff, and Hilary Rhoda’s hysterical “Call Me Maybe” music video that they made while getting ready for this event.
So. Funny.
Beautiful designers in their beautiful designs!
Fashion is frequently about the past meeting the present, and here’s the personification of that concept – Fashion icon Lauren Hutton with new designers and CFDA winners Ashley & Mary-Kate Olsen.
Can’t forget our boys! From traditional suits to tuxedos with a twist to white linen, they definitely clean up nice!
Want to check out the list of nominees and winners from this event? Harper’s Bazaar has you covered here.
Or you can see my choice for the best dressed individual of the night in lacy black Marc Jacobs…
MCLV Style
Welcome back to another MCLV personal style post, I hope you enjoy these shots of some of my daily looks and of the place where the magic happens – cue the dramatic, swelling music…
I’m not going to lie, this walk in closet – along with two hall closets – was about 75% of the reason that I picked this apartment. A girl’s gotta be able to spread out. Purses need their air.
Dress: Zara, Pumps: Franco Sarto & Jewelry: Vintage
Sometimes polka dots are really the only option! 🙂 I love this mini to death, it’s fun and flirty, but the long-sleeves make it appropriate enough to wear all day long. Perfect for errands and lounging after work!
Shirt: Zara, Jeans: Juicy, Jewelry: JewelMint & Rachel Roy and Shoes: Asos.com
Clearly I love stripes just as much as I love my polka dots. Definitely couldn’t pick between the two. Sophie’s choice!
And those shoes… I was trying to find the perfect shoes to wear to an upcoming wedding and since the bride-to-be is one of the coolest chicks ever and the wedding is going to be a ridiculously good time, I thought something fun like polka dots would be perfectly appropriate. Then they arrived and I KNEW, I just knew. They were destined for this wedding. Destined I tell you.
So now I’m just breaking them in. Promise.
Dress: Zara, Shoes: Very Volatile, Tights: DKNY, and Belt: BCBG
Typical work look for me, a dress in a flattering silhouette paired with pumps,and accessories. It’s the shoes, belts, headbands, scarves, and jewelry that’s the fun part for me – I like playing with the extras and adding them to my classic basics.
Dress: Vintage, Coat: Unknown (bought it in Rome years ago) & Shoes: BCBG
Chanel pendant, Manila pearls, JewelMint, Tiffany’s & Express
I frequently tend towards solid colors, but some days I really crave color. And patterns. This look is a double whammy – A colorful, floral patterned vintage dress with a traditional looking black & white plaid coat.
Dress: Banana Republic & Shoes: Franco Sarto
Pendant: JewelMint, Leaf necklace: Vintage & Ring: Rachel Roy
I love wrap dresses – from H&M to Zara to Diane Von Furstenberg. I have a couple of these faux wrap dresses from Banana Republic in different colors and patterns. They’re comfortable, flattering, and perfect to throw on during a hectic morning when you don’t have time to put mix and match separates.
Along with my personal style snaps I wanted to share with you a new obsession that is just too juicy not to spill – Emm Kuo accessories. These handbags are just divine, I adore the classic, structured styles and the versatile but unique and one-of-a-kind colors, fabrics, and patterns. From dramatic shoulder bags to the perfect day bag to envelope clutches for every possible occasion – they’ve got you covered.
Enjoy the bag porn!
You’re welcome!
Interested in my personal rules on business wear? Check out What NOT To Wear To Work.
MCLV Fashion & Lessons In Self Portraits
While I originally strove for the impossible here – i.e. decent looking self portraits – I decided to give this another attempt this past week. I’ve been having a lot of fun with my fashion choices lately and wanted to share it with you guys as best I can.
Pocket tunic - Express, Pants - DKNY, Sweater - Banana Republic, Boots - Can't remember & Jewelry - Vintage (Belle Cose)
A tunic over slim pants is one of my favorite silhouettes and I adore layering vintage gold jewelry so I really love this type of look. These boots, that I got years and years ago, are my current favorites – I like the thick heel because they’re incredibly comfortable, while the buckles give them a bit of a rock n’ roll feel.
Dress - BCBG, Jewelry- JewelMint & Vintage, Wristlet - Mango & Shoes - MaddenGirl
This colors in this dress are perfect for Spring while the subtle pattern is fresh and eye-catching. Styling it is fun because of the different ways that you can go – In January I went with a bright red coat, tights, and black pumps during the 10 Day Style Challenge. These new MaddenGirl shoes are really comfortable and I’m absolutely mad about them right now.
I always feel like Inspector Gadget when I wear bucket hats! 🙂
Coat - H&M, Booties - BCBG, Jewelry - Tiffany's & Hat - GAP
A belted jacket is such a great, classic look when its chilly out. No matter the occasion, day or night, a great coat can finish your look. It gives your outfit an overall air of polish.
Skirt - Zara, Tank - Anthropology, Booties - Max Studio & Bag - Givenchy
I love pleated skirts and excitedly picked up three for this Spring season. This black one is incredibly versatile, it can be worn with tights and boots when its colder out or with sandals and a tank during warmer weather.
Unfortunately we’re still suffering through day after day of rain here in San Francisco, so despite my desire to pull out all of my Spring clothes I’m still very much in winter mode from a wardrobe standpoint.
Have you switched to your Spring clothes & accessories yet?
10 Day Style Challenge – Part II
Welcome to Part II of Freckles in April‘s 10 Day Challenge: Winter Edition. In an attempt to keep my personal style interesting and steer clear of fashion ruts I’m participating in this fashion challenge. Each day Kayla provides us with a theme for our outfit and we dress accordingly, then share the pictures.
If you’d like to catch up on Day 1 & Day 2 you can see them here.
Day 3: Embrace A Trend
Sometimes it’s easiest to just stay in our own little comfort zone of classics and basics and ignore passing trends. But for tomorrow I want you to pick a trend that intrigues you and go for it. Neon nails? Sure! Faux fur? Heck yes. Red pants? You know I love ’em.
This is such a great prompt, it really makes you face your fears and try something new and unusual. I stood in my closet and spent some time on Style.com weighing the pros and cons of various trends. Would this one be flattering? Am I brave enough to try this? And you know what I decided to go with?
STAR STRUCK!
As much as I’ve adored the Dolce & Gabbana star-studded gowns that have made it to the red carpets lately, the key to making this trend work for me was going to be translating it into a day-to-day, wearable format. Sadly that meant the hotpants were out too. Tragic really.
Tunic - Zara, Cigarette Pants - Juicy, Bag - Express, Jewelry - Vintage, JewelMint & Tiffany's, Scarf - Zara, Flats - Lucky & Blazer - Aqua
Day 4: Channel Someone
For tomorrow I want you to channel someone. Alive or dead, fictional or real, famous or regular Joe – doesn’t matter. The trick here is to keep your outfit from looking costumey. You don’t have to copy them exactly…just try and capture the flavor. Pick something they might wear. Give their hairstyle a go.
When I saw this prompt my brain went into overdrive! Audrey Hepburn. No – Grace Kelly. No – Jackie O. No – Twiggy. No – Someone original, someone no one else will pick. To save my pride I’ll lie about how long that little conversation in my head went on for and just say that it went on for a while.
So where did I end up?
I really wanted to channel a 60’s-era Mod girl but since Twiggy is a bit out of my range size-wise, I went with Jean Shrimpton who not only had some curves, she also had long hair with straight, dramatic bangs.
E Voila!
Dress - Burberry, Boots - Zara, Coat - H&M & Purse - Vintage
10 Day Style Challenge
In an effort to shake things up style-wise I decided to participate in Freckles in April‘s 10 Day Challenge, which started on Monday, January 23. I don’t know about you, but I have favorite pieces in my closet and tried-and-true looks that I throw together on a regular basis. Perhaps too frequently… While it’s great to have some go-to looks to save you time in the mornings, sometimes that can mean a style rut or even – gasp – forgetting about great pieces that are smashed in the back of your closet.
The 10 Day Challenge: Winter Edition consisted of Miss Kayla providing a daily prompt for inspiration and the participants using said prompts to choose their look for the following day. Since the majority of my day is spent in the office and I don’t always change before running errands or going out after work, I wanted to include some work looks as well as more casual attire over the course of the 10 days. I’m going to share the looks with you two at a time so that I don’t overwhelm you with pictures of me for the next two weeks.
You’re welcome!
My friend Liz was kind enough to act as photographer over the course of the 10 day period and she’s doing a great job despite my complete and utter hatred of having my picture taken. Hopefully this challenge will be the beginning of me sharing more of my daily fashion looks!
Day 1 : Layer It
I’m starting you off easy! But the biggest perk of doing a winter challenge is that we can wear layers. Layers add depth and complexity to an outfit as well as warmth. It’s a great way to work in pattern or texture and there are a million different ways you can go about it.
What I love about layering is that it gives you a chance to give an outfit depth. As amazing as a fabulous dress or a great suit can look, layers allow you more creativity and a chance to make a look wholly your own.
I wanted my layers look to be colorful and fun so that it got me out of my all black phase, warm enough to survive the day and professional looking so that it would be appropriate for a Monday at the office.
Dress: BCBG, Coat: Zara, Purse: Zara, Gloves: H&M, Tights: Kate Spade, Pumps: Very Volatile, Pashmina: from market in Manila & Sunglasses: Christian Dior
Day 2 : Monochrome
There is just something about a monochromatic outfit that feels so wonderfully organized and clean to me. Last time I went safe with blue..we’ll see if I can be a little bolder this time!
I agree with Kayla’s comment above, the first word that I would use to describe most monochromatic looks would be “clean.” And who better to take as my inspiration than the King of Clean himself – Michael Kors?
I’m not going to lie, it took ever fiber of self-control that I have not to wear all black for my monochromatic look. Its safe. Its slimming. Oh, and I have any entire closet full of it… But, it’s also my go-to and the point of this little exercise is to mix things up.
Dress: Banana, Purse: BCBG, Jewelry - Vintage, JewelMint & Tiffany's, Booties: BCBG & Coat: H&M
I was surprised by how well the various shades of grey worked together – the tights and booties ended up complimenting the dress even better than I’d hoped. No, I’ll never be Zoe, but I can emulate her style! Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?
Stay tuned for the next eight looks of the challenge, including some separates and street clothes…
Moi Contre La Vie 