Military gone soft...

Kind of adoring this feminine take on military jackets... Over florals? What a sweet way to transition from the sun-dresses of Summer to the darker palette of Fall.

Oldies but (major) goodies, by Scott Schuman:

Photo source

She's mixing!!!

Pattern mixing comes and goes in various incarnations- like all things fashion-related... but I'm so happy to welcome it back like an old friend. While it's not for everyone, I absolutely adore this look for Spring. It reminds me of that carefree (read: naïve) feeling of being a little kid and mixing your very favorite pink floral puff-sleeved blouse with your very favorite Sanrio Keroppi-printed stretch pants and a hair ribbon tied around your waist as a belt. You know, hypothetically... *ahem*

Anyway, it's awesome. It feels very loose, and Springy, and... not-taking-yourself-so-damn-seriously! My favorite.

Lauren Santo-Domingo is killing me with her hotsy totsy gold heels for daytime,
with floral pencil skirt and (oh my gosh, you know it's real) python bag. Damn, girl!

Parisian princess goes to the office? Yes, please!
Polka dots and red lips make me swoony.

I never, ever include commentary on menswear, but I'm pretty sure this
guy raided his adorbs girlfriend's closet so he could look equally adorbs.
The marinières striped shirt would've been so cute with the khaki pants, but he
took it to another level when he threw on the embroidered floral jacket. Amazing.

This girl is my favorite, by far.
Leopard leggings, stripey shirt and her bike?!
Also, I'm pretttty sure those are the Tom Ford Anouk glasses...
Hello, soft spot!

Again, not my usual fare- and I have this weird thing about men in bracelets...
but look at his stripey/polka dotty goodness!
He's even pulling off the striped shirt with the pinstriped suit!
Also, who would ever guess that this suited-up Italian would have a
gnarly tattoo up his sleeve??? I love this contradictory attitude so much-
it's really what the heart of this trend is all about. Bravo, sir. :)

Photo source: 1-5

"Florals for Spring... ground breaking"

When Meryl Streep uttered that (now infamous) phrase in The Devil Wears Prada, I snickered at the blunt and blatant accuracy of it. Simple, true... biting! Her character, Miranda Priestly, represented all things correct at fashion's upper echelon, and her remark was the verbal equivalent of a monkey throwing feces at its inferiors.

I'm not going to analyze a movie quote here, I just wanted to point out that I've been thinking a lot lately about trends, seasons, and the general pace of this industry and my place in it. The older I get, the less concerned I am with keeping up and the more interested I am in investment pieces that will float from season to season, and year to year, with ease. Obviously my wants and needs change throughout the year- but at this age I know what I like and what flatters and inspires me, and no amount of runway, marketing, celebrity endorsements, press push, or trending, influences any of it. Free at last!

Although, not the best attitude for a buyer... Eeep!

Today it made me think about that movie quote because- you know what? I love florals for Spring. I love them bold, bright, big, and unapologetic... I love them little, subtle, hinted-at, and light... I want them in my house, my hair, my salads, my window boxes, and yes- sometimes in the fabric swishing around me. I never gave them much thought until I moved to a climate with actual, temperature-changing seasons. In fact, what little thought I did give them was tainted by gaudy images of poly-blend matching sets for tourists. But after enduring months of cold, wet, and grey- florals, sunshine, and cottony, gauzy goodness feel like the reward for making it through another icky Winter. Oooh... I am so feeling these light, breezy pieces for Spring...

I love her dark-palette pattern mixing and the belt that anchors this sweet, movable look with a good dose of solidity.

I've obsessed over this photo since last Spring- but that just proves my theory about age and finding the pieces that you'll want to come back to again and again. Plus, I absolutely adore how adept these Italian girls are at making stacks and tons of jewelry look so effortless and casual.

At first glance you're thinking "What? Too much!"- but I'm telling you, this is the freshest and most fluent way I've seen a maxi dress worn. The color isn't in-your-face and the pattern isn't killing your eyes. She's so unrestricted and fluid, yet the result is regal rather than muʻumuʻu.

This is another one saved from early last year. The epitome of femininity (her dress, her ballerina top-knot, and her pink cheeks) and the contrast of well-worn Converse on a grated metal stoop... I love it so much. I tried a version of this on my Paris trip with a soft, Indian cotton, vintage dress that I picked up for about $12 on the left bank, and my grey Bensimon lace ups. I thought about this photo a lot that day.

This look feels the most ingrained in me. I found a photo of myself from a 5th grade art class recently- wearing something pretty identical, but with a weird, old, felted brown hat thrown in. Hmmm... I went through a very Prairie dress/brown boots phase in 5th grade. I've revisited the look several times since then, and it remains a soft spot. But isn't it just kind of precious? She looks so fragile and sweet, and yet also like she could just kick Miranda Priestly in the teeth for mocking her floral dress.

Photo source: 1-5

Military gone soft...

Kind of adoring this feminine take on military jackets... Over florals? What a sweet way to transition from the sun-dresses of Summer to the darker palette of Fall.

Oldies but (major) goodies, by Scott Schuman:

Photo source

Moving on up...

Today's high temperature was 92.4°.

Though it's unseasonably warm and we're in for a bit more rain, I'm officially saying adieu to Winter. I won't miss anything about it at all, but I figured this might be my last opportunity to post some favorite Wintery ensembles.

'Til next time...

Photo source: 1-4

Cold weather cuteness, Helsinki-style!

Amber sent me an email today about her friend Eri, who was shot for this amazing Helsinki street-style blog. It took all of ten seconds to get sucked in, and now I've gone through about a year of shots. I feel like even after (oh my gosh) almost SIX YEARS of living in weather with actual seasons- I'm still kind of at a loss when the temperature dips below 65. I've finally accumulated a decent volume of appropriately warm clothing, but looking cute in the cold is still a big, elusive animal for me. These girls make it look so easy! I love that they're warm, and adorable, and individual, and realistic! Sometimes the Sartorialist gives me low-end amnesia. Meaning, I forget that I do not need to drop a couple grand on myself to leave the house looking good. I like that these Helsinki girls are so obviously having fun with their ensembles. I love that there's the occasional high-end item thrown in here, with lots of great Japanese and Nordic design, mixed in lovingly with thrifted, recycled, borrowed, or High street. The more I learn about winter dressing, the more I think it's all about maintaining balance and comfort, while never covering up who you are underneath all those layers.

A few of my favorites...

“I'm wearing my grandmother's old scarf, my mother's old coat, knitted leggings made by Estonian designer Liina Viira and a bag made by my aunt. I like to mix colours and prints. I make clothes myself, too. Kirill Safonov is my favourite designer.” -Allii-Liis, 21

“I'm wearing a coat from Mango sale, Vagabond shoes, pants from H&M and a bag from Lindex. I like extraordinary and funny looks like an ordinary sweater mixed with a fur collar. I like to wear transparent clothes and showy jewellery, especially rings. I admire Rachel Zoe.” -Tiina, 22


“In winter I get a bit depressed and start wearing black which I normally avoid. I like to wear dresses and would like to find a perfect pair of leather jeans. Now I'm wearing a second hand jacket, a H&M jumpsuit and shoes from Din Sko.” -Petra, 20


“I like to wear vintage hats and clothes. I collect and sell them, too. 40s dresses are my favourites. Now I'm wearing a vintage Lanvin hat, a leather jacket from a sale and second hand Yohji Yamamoto shoes.” -Leena, 24


“The cape is from Vintage Ansa and it's also called Anna. The beanie is a gift from a friend, the scarf is self-made, the pullover and the bag are second hand. I like nude, beige and other down-to-earth colours. I like loose, comfortable and droopy clothes like big pullovers.” -Anna, 23


“Today I wanted to wear a comfortable outfit. My current favourites are my Chloé bag and dark lipstick. And you cannot go wrong with a biker jacket. Tokyo inspires me. Next I would like to get something in the spirit of Indians. I almost chose to wear feathers around my neck.” -Ann-Marie, 20


“I like second hand, brown, army green and outfits with feminine elements. Sweden, indie bands like The Kooks, sea and sailing inspire me.” -Mona, 17