Friday's Favorite Look 4.29

What else can I write about today except the Royal Wedding?!  Even though by the time this post goes up, the wedding itself will be done, I had to do it.  I must admit that my Tivo is set to capture it all, although I haven't been totally wrapped up in the coverage leading up to it.  I love this picture of the royal couple because it's one of the more natural ones I have seen.  I am sure today will be extremely overwhelming for them both, so I hope that they have a chance to stop and appreciate their special day.  Congrats to Kate and Wills! 

*image via pinterest

The Best of the Best

I love a good best dressed list, and the most recent one that I am coveting is the Net-a-Porter List that recently came out.  I like their take - not just celebs, but also editors, models, and bloggers (my fave of course).  So I decided to pick the best of their best which was surprisingly tough!  First up - the lovely Kate Bosworth, who keeps turning up lately.  I featured her a few weeks ago in Friday's Favorite Look, she was all over the Coachella style pics, and last week I even spotted her at the San Francisco airport! 

Next up is the editor - I chose Taylor Tomasi of Marie Claire.  Now I will admit, MC isn't a magazine I read as often as others, but Ms. Tomasi's style is the perfect blend of undeniably cool and approachable at the same time.  Maybe it's time to start reading her stuff!

 

When it comes to the models, I went with Natalia Vodianova.  The dress she is wearing in this picture is stunning - the perfect gold evening dress that will get everyone's attention. 

Last but definitely not least, the blogger of choice.  Tamu McPherson, writer of the fabulous blog All the Pretty Birds, was an obvious choice for me.  Her blog has been a favorite for a while and her style is just as great.  This look is no exception, I love the splashes of color with the tailored coat.  Keep 'em guessing, Tamu! 

My New Favorite

I try not to play favorites, but sometimes you just have to... I recently got a new bag and I can't help but LOVE it!  Clare Vivier is a recent discovery for me, but foldover clutches aren't.  So even though I have 2 foldover clutches that I love, I didn't have a black one (duh) and I was in the market for a new black bag that would go everywhere.  And then I found this:

 

How can you not love this??  My favorite bag has arrived.   Apologies to the others. 

Friday's Favorite Look 4.22

As we speak I am on my way to Clearwater, Florida for a dear friend's wedding in which I am... a bridesmaid!!  For the first time, I might add.  I am definitely excited to celebrate with them and our other friends, and enjoy a sunny weekend by the pool.  While we were deciding on our bridesmaid dresses, Anthropologie launched their new wedding brand, Bhldn.  Our dresses ended up being J.Crew, but I couldn't help be inspired by the Bhldn dresses, especially this one! 

The theme of this story on Bhldn.com is that you can wear your bridesmaid dress again, as a party dress or for another occasion.  Not sure if I will be able to do that with mine, but I thought this one was a good translation!  See the full bridesmaid dress story here.

Coachella Round-Up

I know there have already been a lot of posts out there on Coachella fashion, but I just had to add my two cents to the bunch!  I love that "festival fashion" is becoming a look, and the relaxed summer wardrobe that is perfect for outdoor music festivals like Coachella is being celebrated, and kicked up a notch too, in my opinion. 

And the funny thing is, as many celebs were at Coachella and looked great in their festival gear, I actually loved the street style pics and what other people were wearing the most!  So many inspirational looks out there.

*images courtesy of refinery 29, elle, and pinterest (pins below!)
http://pinterest.com/pin/14705522/
http://pinterest.com/pin/14757729/
http://pinterest.com/pin/14275037/

Honored!

What better way to start a Monday than to receive an award!  The fabulous Nik, of her blog A thought in the mind of..., chose ME as a winner of the Kreativ Blogger award this week.  I am so honored to be chosen, along with 2 other bloggers.  Here's how it works - it's kind of a "pay it forward" kind of thing, which I love... Part of the award is about posting 10 things that others may not know about you, and the other part is choosing 3 blogs to pass it on to!  So here goes...

1. I absolutely love brussels sprouts.  I absolutely hate coconut. 
2. I am from Delaware (that's right, the First State).
3. I haven't owned a car in almost 12 years, and rarely drive. 
4. I can be pretty crafty - I do calligraphy and have taken classes on stained glass.
5. I have hitchhiker thumbs - they bend back really far.
6. I drink my coffee black (and must have it every day).
7. My favorite band of the moment is Phoenix.
8. I own 51 cardigans.  Yes, it's a problem. 
9. I love movies and have been to the Sundance Film Festival 8 times.
10. I took piano lessons for 11 years growing up, although I am a little rusty these days! 

And to pass on the award, my nominees are I'd Rather be Shopping, Pennyweight, and Mission Closet, all blogs I read faithfully and admire.  Congrats ladies!

Amazing Grace

A bit belated, but Happy 70th Birthday to the fabulous and iconic Grace Coddington.  The Vogue creative director celebrated her birthday on this past Friday, April 15th, with a party not to be missed at Indochine at NYC.  I first became enamored with the vision and talent of Ms. Coddington after seeing the amazing documentary, The September Issue, a few years ago.  Grace was the unsung hero of the film and really shined throughout all of its scenes.  I read the coverage on vogue.com of her birthday party written by another Vogue icon, Andre Leon Talley, and it sounded like an affair just as stylish and unique as Grace herself.  Full of toasts, singing, dancing, and reminiscing, many of fashion's elite turned out to pay their respects and celebrate with Grace.  One highlight of the evening was Karen Elson singing "Amazing Grace"; there was also a memory book of career highlights, and of course there was a cake full of candles for the guest of honor.  I also loved the Anna Wintour quote that ended ALT's article which says it all, "I think of Grace as the heart and soul of the magazine.  She is a beacon of excellence." 

*images courtesy of vogue.com

Friday's Favorite Look 4.15

Since the Coachella Music Festival is happening this weekend in Indio, I decided this week's look would be inspired by that.  I found this picture of Kate Bosworth from last year's festival, in a gorgeous Suno dress, enjoying the festival on a friend's shoulders.  I love this image because it's candid and casual. 
I couldn't help but reminisce back to the year I went to Coachella myself (6 years ago?!) and how much fun we had.  After a long roadtrip down to Palm Springs, we had a blast at the show, seeing so many great bands and enjoying the warm weather.  To everyone that's going this year, have fun this weekend! 

*image via pinterest

Cool Collaboration: Gaia Repossi and Zadig & Voltaire

French brand Zadig & Voltaire has always brought great style to the table, with sophisticated silhouettes that aren't afraid of color and print.  Their collections aren't as common here in the US, although I was lucky to find them more recently at local shop, La Boutique.  Now Z&V have a new collaboration with jewelry company Repossi.  Gaia Repossi has created a delicate beautiful line with just 5 pieces in gold-plated silver and black-patina silver rhodium.  The pieces are inspired by tattoos, body paint, and Native American tribal ornaments, and it's easy to see how Z&V couldn't help but partner with Gaia on this amazing jewelry. 

Also on the Z&V website, check out their feature on Erin Wasson, current muse for their Spring/Summer 2011 collection.  These pictures easily make you want every piece in their collection!  

 
*images courtesy of zadig and voltaire

The New Attitude

Just when I thought I had picked out my favorite mini-crossbody bags last week, this little number walked right into my life today.  Thanks, Barneys.  As usual you have served up something I cannot live without!  This Givenchy animal print bag is definitely next on my list of favorites.  If only it was in my budget... sigh.

 

And how much do I love the tagline, "Wear it with your own attitude."  Yes, I will, thank you very much.  

New Find: Lenny Swimwear

Last week, when I went to the Charity Fashion Show, I mentioned that one of the collections I was most impressed with was Lenny Swimwear.  So of course I had to check out their full line which got me even more excited about this chic swim designer.  I also love the story behind the line: Lenny Niemeyer is a former landscape architect who started designing swimwear when she herself was in need of a flattering sophisticated swimsuit while living in Rio de Janeiro.  After working for several swim companies, she started her own line in 1993. 
Here are a few of my favorite swimsuits from her 2011 collection.  See the full collection here. 

*images courtesy of lenny swimwear

Style Crush: Clemence Poesy

There's just something about Clemence Poesy that I can't help liking - her style is fresh and easy, French but not too foreign, sophisticated but accessible.  Definitely a style crush of the moment!  She's a bit under the radar, which I like too, despite her stint on Gossip Girl, one of my favorite (and most fashionable) shows.  Exhibit A - these photos from the February 2011 issue of Marie Claire magazine, found on Pop Sugar, showing Clemence's beautiful style in new Spring fashion. 

 

But outside of fashion magazines, Clemence's own street style and runway style are also evidence that she knows her way around clothes and how to put together an amazing look.  Exhibit B - an assortment of looks that I wish I could pull off.  

And lastly, I just love this! 

*last 5 images via pinterest: pin 1, pin 2, pin 3, pin 4, pin 5

Friday's Favorite Look 4.8

Today's look is all about dresses, and the way you feel when you wear one.  I am definitely a dress girl - no matter the season or the occasion, I just love wearing dresses.  Intermix has a great feature right now on dresses, and the many options for different occasions this summer.  This amazing red dress by Halston Heritage grabbed my attention right away, and I loved the words next to it.  The perfect description of why dresses rock. 

I also loved the quote by Sarah Jessica Parker, one of my style icons, about this dress, "Wear this dress with flats or a strappy heel to fly out of the winter months, whether for your first spring fling or to welcome summer.  Simply lovely!"  See the full feature on dresses here.  Happy Friday! 

Collection 66 Trunk Show @ La Boutique

Last night I was fortunate to attend a trunk show at the fabulous La Boutique in Jackson Square.  La Boutique has been a favorite of mine since they opened a year ago (happy anniversary!), so I was thrilled to go and support them and shop the store.  The trunk show was for Collection 66, a beautiful line from Swiss designer Agnes Boudry, who was there at the event looking fabulous in her own designs of course.  She was wearing a gorgeous dip-dye skirt that I could not take my eyes off of.  I was impressed by all the inventive prints that were a part of this collection, and the variety of fabrics used.  Of course I wasted no time trying on a few pieces, and ended up getting a lovely summer halter dress in a pretty floral print, pictured below. 

*image courtesy of collection 66

Everything in the store looked great as always, with champagne cocktails, macarons, and flowers for the event.  I enjoyed shopping the rest of the store as well, and the staff was as friendly and helpful as always!  Here are some more pics of the event.  By the way, their windows right now are SO cute - I couldn't help but take a picture!  Thanks to La Boutique for such a fabulous evening.

Maximum Minis

Lately the one handbag silhouette I see more than any other is the mini crossbody bag.  On the street, on the runway, or in magazines, it's the bag for spring.  I have to credit a friend of mine for pointing out one of the best features of this silhouette: it's hands free!  Makes me wonder if that's part of the allure of this bag, other than the fact that its super cute and in many cases, converts to a clutch for a night out.  Here are the minis that I am currently coveting.

 This Derek Lam Ume Saddle bag is unbelievable.  

 I adore the fancy sequin bag from Antik Batik (although it wasn't available yet on Net-a-Porter... I hate waiting!)

This J.Crew envelope bag is the perfect everyday mini. 

Shopping Mission: New Jeans

On Sunday, I went on a shopping mission with a friend who had one purpose: new jeans.  My friend hadn't bought new jeans in about a year and had recently had a baby, so she was looking for an update for this wardrobe staple.  Naturally I accepted the challenge, and we chose Union and Chestnut Streets as our destination.  First stop was the Blues Jean Bar on Union - a favorite denim destination for many in San Francisco.  I love the set up here - simply tell the staff what you are looking for and they pull out lots of options from behind the "bar" for you to try.  Both my friend and I had plenty to choose from (they carry up to 40 brands) and patient sales associates to help us.  My friend ended up with a great pair of skinny jeans and a pair of slim straights from DL1961.  I couldn't be left out of the fun, so I got a skinny pair from Habitual.  Our experience there was great!

 *image courtesy of blues jean bar

After a few more stops with no luck, we ended up on Chestnut Street and lucked out at Two Skirts.  My friend still wanted to find the perfect white jeans, and we had success!  She picked up a flattering pair from AG Jeans, and I found a great rolled straight leg style from Current/Elliott, one of my favorite denim brands.  Two Skirts is a beautiful boutique, with a broad variety of designer lines.  I also found a cute pair of Matt Bernson sandals that I couldn't pass up!   All in all, it was a successful day for both of us - Mission Accomplished! 

*image courtesy of two skirts

Charity Fashion Show

On Saturday night, I went to a fabulous event benefiting my favorite cause, the Princess Project, called the Charity Fashion Show.  This annual event chooses a new beneficiary cause each year, and showcases amazing fashion talent.  I was very impressed with the list of designers - known and unknown, big and small, local and international.  The event was sold out, and I was lucky to have gotten my ticket early enough to have second row seating - what a great view!  The night kicked off with a visit to the lounge, where there was wine tasting, sponsor booths from Stella and Dot jewelry, Pop Chips, SanFranpsycho t-shirts, and many more.  My favorite thing was the photo booth from The Laugh Box, where you could make a custom flipbook of a short video.  Of course I wasted no time jumping in there!  What an ingenious idea.

 On the red carpet before the show.  

 The lounge area with sponsor booths.

 The Laugh Box photo booth (amazing).  

Now let's get to the fashion.  While all the designers did an amazing job presenting their collections, I did have a few favorites.  Two familiar faces, Milly and Tracy Reese, both showed colorful fun collections with their usual sense of personality.  Lenny Swimwear definitely had the best swim collection - full of flattering, wearable suits that I wanted to buy right then and there!  Both ahr.es.ihm and Rag Doll Designs were new to me, and presented strong collections with new silhouettes and fabrics.  Here are some pics from the show (please excuse the photo quality, taking pictures when models are moving is apparently a challenge for me!).