De Lune

Surviving NYFW with Model Lounge NYC

2012-02-07T14:43:00.000-08:00

I've partnered up with Model Lounge & Teen Vogue again this season to prep and survive NYFW just like the working models running all over the city are doing this week. Now, aside from the Polyvore Live show I'll be walking in next Monday (EEEE!!) I'm not a full-time model, but I have modeled a bit part-time since high school (my red hair is actually a product of a past modeling job!) and I am an absolute WRECK during Fashion Week if I don't have my basics for survival during a whole week of days that basically go from 6 am to midnight (with classes in the afternoon) and involves me traveling all over the city. It's super fascinating to see Fashion Week through the scope of a model's career because they are some of the hardest working girls during the week, especially when they have multiple shows everyday for a whole week that they have to rush to constantly! Click below to see and read more and see

Onitsuka Tiger sneaks & Ugg Slippers (I cannot stress that enough) and from l to r:
Schick Quattro Trim Style, Whitening Wisps, Redken Anti-Snap repair mask, Vaseline lip therapy balm & lotion, Nimble bars, Dr.Scholls Fast Flats

So what Model Lounge does is provide a space in NYC for Models who are in-between castings to relax and grab a snack or drink. They also provide workshops for walking in shows and presenting themselves well in castings. For Fashion Week, they always give the girls a portfolio tote and some supplies for keeping prepped and ready for work. This season, Teen Vogue helped curate the prep gear along with Ugg Australia, who provided some shoes from their Spring collection along with Onitsuka Tiger for some before-and-after work footwear to save their feet. Sneakers for running to shows & castings, slippers for after a long day walking. Smart, no?

The grooming products are pretty self-explanatory; relief from over-processing and product overload wth Redken's hair masque, Nimble bars for lasting energy throughout the day, fast flats for platform relief and lotion to keep your skin soft and even. But another important addition I forgot to photograph was the Calvin Klein invisible nude thong that is basically the most necessary thing ever when you're wearing clothes for a living. It totally disappears on your body, and really, that's how underwear should be anyway.

Allow me to take a moment to talk about Uggs here. I have always identified these shoes as slippers- as in, they are the most comfy shoes on the planet, yet they shouldn't really be worn outside the realm of lounging or running to get groceries or do laundry. In this case, they relieve any aches that might come after a long day of shows. Totally necessary. But these sneakers you guys, SO AWESOME!! Like Marants only sportier and, well, flat. I love these things, and they're great for when girls have to literally run to their next job aaaaaand still look cool as ever, you might see me rocking mine this week!

So NYFW kicks off this Thursday, are you guys excited to follow any shows in particular? I'll for sure be documenting my journey on here for you lovelies! Until then, catch y'alls later!

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Colleague

2012-02-05T19:15:00.000-08:00

Forever 21 blouse, vintage sweater, belt & coat, Cheap Monday jeans, Topshop boots, Vanessa Mooney Clara necklace worn as a bracelet, Vintage doctor's bag, Warby Parker sunnglasses

More and more androgyny these days, I had to throw on some lipstick before I left the apartment to add some femininity, and why not, ya know? I had just left le beau's place in Brooklyn for a stroll about town and a (much needed) hair appointment.

This, for me, is one of those classic situations where you just have to not care about any burdens fashion might thrust upon you, because despite how heavy this bag is, I need to wear it out once in a while. My mom found it a bajillion years ago in an antique shop and she graciously bestowed it upon me when I was like, 13 I think? It was meant to hold surgical supplies at one point or another, so it's one sturdy carry-all! I had stayed over at le bf's place (from which I stole back my Warby Parker sunnies since my boyfriend has been constantly wearing them himself), so an overnight bag was necessary. I just feel learned and badass wearing this bag around and plopping it on my lap when I sit down on the train. It's just good to makes yourself feel like one cool cat every once in a while no matter how dorky you really are, and believe me, I'm on the dork-tastic side.

Also getting a walk around town are these brand spankin' new Topshop leopard print calf hair boots (say that 5 times fast!) was a good thing. These are my third pair of shoes with the calves' hair/leopard print combo and I can never have enough! They add just enough sauciness to basics while still keepin' it real chic, ya dig? They're also a +1 to my every-growing chelsea boot collection, which is always a good thing you can never have too many of. I keep getting a ton compliments on these boots from guys incidentally, like, I was in the Jcrew men's store on Broadway with Natalie & Dylana and I ended up having a whole conversation with the staff on where to get them, and all I had to say was "Right down the block!" Topshop really does have everything.

**So one of my new year's resolutions was to not look so pouty & weird in my blog photos (I'm gonna start calling it the "Del Rey"-yes, I went there), I swear it's because I'm not trying to laugh!

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City Light

2012-02-02T14:26:00.000-08:00

Zara leather jacket, Stylemint shirt, vintage maxi, sunglasses & bag, Cheap Monday angle heel boots, Eddera olive branch ring, Accesorize Silver tri-loop rings, belt stolen from my dad (thanks, Pops!)

And oh, how lovely it's been!
Sometimes I forget I live in Manhattan. I grew up in Queens, which is a much, much different borough on the other side of the Hudson. I grew up in Woodside, which is a mostly working-class neighborhood with a really amazing cultural heritage and architectural history (the apartment complex I grew up on was a huge park in the earlier half of the century!). Woodside is sort of half-residential-half-urban, so it was really quiet at home, but if you were to walk a few blocks up, there would be shops and restaurants for blocks and blocks.

Now I live in the East Village and it's fantastic, but daunting sometimes. It's infinitely more lively and, well, it's Manhattan! I forget I'm in the same city I'm from! If you grew up in another borough, you always referred to Manhattan just as "the city", which has a sort of an at-arms-length kind of feel to it, like it's the only city. You only came here if you had a good reason to, y'know, work or play, but you made a day out of it, like it was an event. Being able to go to school in the city has really helped me see all of New York City in a different light (no pun intended, given the photos) and I guess I'm rambling here, but the point is, I've been living in my current apartment complex for about six months and I never come down by the water! It's a block away and I guess I forget I have access to it because I'm still not used to it!

I wore out my new leather jacket. This is a milestone because I have never had one, and I bought this cherry red number myself after months of stalking it. MONTHS. Totally worth it though, I might not be a badass, but I can tell myself I am when I wear this thing. It was a chill day so I kind of threw on this crazy awesome wicker bag since it's a little different and funky when worn with something as simple as what I had on. My room mate Jenny, who is studying photo at Parsons, took some shots as we reacquainted ourselves with our area.

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Zoom In: Hyoni Kang

2012-01-31T15:38:00.000-08:00

Ugh, man. Such respect for my girl Hyoni here. Sometimes I feel like my ensembles are too meticulously put together, and it shows. She just does whatever the hell she wants and WERKKKS it. Be it a Philip Lim furry coat or a vintage Mickey Mouse tee shirt, she always uses what's in her repertoire to make looks that are playful, awesome and effortlessly cool.

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School Boy

2012-01-29T19:38:00.000-08:00

Vintage Oscar de la Renta blouse, H&M sweater, UO cargo jacket, Vintage coat, Big Star Jeans, Candela NYC shoes, Vintage Coach bag, Hannah Warner bracelet, Eddera Olive Branch ring

After a haircut at Arrojo, my dear bud Justin and I had an afternoon of debauchery around the West Village, drinking a whole mess of tea and all that jazz.

I wore a couple of comfortable pieces, including this sweater that reminds me of a pinafore when I wear it over a blouse like I did here. I adore these super comfy Big Star coated jeans. Natalie, Christina and I happened to pick up the same pair, and every once in a while we'll end up wearing 'em at once because they're soooo awesome. They're perfect for edging up an outfit! I threw on my Candela golf shoes to add some preppy flair, I can't wait to wear these out with just a sun dress in a few months when the weather starts being truly kind.

In other news, since I'm creating my own major in school for Fashion History & Theory, this semester I'm taking a mix of classes that deal with color theory, food culture, blogging (!), fashion policy and fashion history. It's been a fantastic first week and I wanted to share this PBS documentary one of my classmates shared about the conditions in a garment factory in China. It's a pretty thorough piece, so if you have an hour to kill, take a gander here.

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Sentiments

2012-01-26T05:56:00.000-08:00

Stylemint tee, Blank NYC suede shorts, 3.1 Philip Lim blazer, vintage coat & belt, Cheap Monday boots, Persol sunglasses, hat knit by my grandma, monogram necklace designed by my mom, Neha Joyas heart necklace

Another beautiful day here in NYC comparable to springtime in April. Well, at least yesterday was.
Classes have started up again along with events, so even though it was my day off from school, there was still a lot to be done during the day! I put together tomboyish to work with this AMAZING 3.1 blazer. Like, dudes, it has inside pockets and everything! I bought it second-hand at my local Buffalo Exchange and it is seriously the find of the century.

I realized I had also put together an ensemble that was somewhat of a family affair. My monogram ring chain necklace was designed for me by my Mom and my hat was made by my grandma. It's things like these that keep me grounded and a little less homesick when I have them with me while I'm away at school. I try to wear my monogram necklace everyday to keep my parents close.

Ooookay, well, before things get too mushy, here's a photo of Audrey Hepburn shopping with her pet deer. I'm off to class!

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Them Paris Girls

2012-01-23T13:22:00.000-08:00

via The Sartorialist

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Wrapped Around the City

2012-01-22T16:50:00.000-08:00

Vintage coat & sweater, Cheap Monday jeans & boots, Vintage Coach bag, Persol sunglasses, Neha Joyas heart necklace, A+Ro sweater & scarf

Snow has finally hit us here in NYC! It was a chilly but beautiful afternoon, Nat is back in the city, so we had a little reunion by parading the city as we normally do, exploring new places in SoHo to grab tea and a bite while drooling over the local fare at boutiques. Chinese New Year is tomorrow so the whole city is preparing. It's so awesome to turn a corner and see really gorgeous & colorful decorations waiting for the celebration!

Needless to day, I had to bundle up today! My aunt so generously sent over this tawny peacoat just in time, and it's been fun experimenting colors with it. All of my coats are super dark & heavy, so this is a nice departure. A+Ro makes the best knits, I swear! They're the warmest pieces I have, so layering with them has become absolutely invaluable and constant. Under the cardigan was this amazing vintage varsity sweater that I found at No Relation Vintage a while back. For $10, it's an absolute gem! Can't go wrong with a snarling mascot tiger, I just wish I knew which school it once repped!

Buried underneath all the layers, I wore this amazing new piece by Mexican jewelry designer Neha Joyas. I've wanted a heart pendant for such a long time and this one beautifully and elegantly tones down the edginess of the dissected heart with a delicate pearl bead chain. I'm obsessed! I've been wearing it as much as I can!

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Frizz Free Friday: No More Tired Eyes

2012-01-20T06:10:00.000-08:00

GOOD MORNING!!!

Yeah, not really.

Fun fact about myself: I have a really hard time falling asleep. I just started taking melatonin supplements because my sleep schedule on school break has been really awful. Sometimes I'll seriously go a day without sleep. So, I'm sure you can see why concealer is one of the most fundamentally important elements in my makeup repertoire. I like to think of myself as a concealer aficionado since it has taken me a looooooong time to finally find the perfect concealer, and since I have finally found said product, I wanted to share that with you guys.

I decided to take photos for this post bright and early at 7:30 a.m. this morning to show you my routine for prepping and managing my eye makeup. So, here we go:

First, my top 3 concealers and agents:

from l to r: Sephora concealer airbrush #57, Makeup Forever Lift concealer Benefit Bo-oing concealer, DiorSkin concealer, Ooh La La Lift, Naturopathica Vitamin K brightening serum

t to b: serum, ooh la la, bo-oing, dior, m4e

I love all of these products, but if you really want to know which one is the best, Make Up Forever takes the cake. I just discovered this product last week and it's a life changer. It's light yet highly pigmented and long-lasting. Before I used to layer two concealers under a powder to get the same coverage this one little tube gives. I seriously, seriously recommend this stuff, but everyone is different, so you might want to check these other guys out. Benefit's Bo-oing has a really creamy texture, which is nice and the pigment is perfect, but I noticed it gets a little cakey and it'll start to sit in any line or crease under your eye. Dior's concealer is really hydrating and light, but not as long-lasting. Everyone is different though, so it'd still be good to do some research yourself.

So, to start off, take your seriously tired face and stand in natural light. This might be kinda scary, but is very important since it's the only way you'll be able to see your true skin tone and makeup coverage. But you knew that already.

I prep my eyes with my Naturopathica brightening serum. It's a really nice product that's sticky at first, but goes on totally matte. it has flecks of mica which brightens eyes from the start.

Start with 3 dots and blend away! Pay close attention to the corners of your eyes and where they meet the nose. Get your eyelids too to even out.

This is where I add my Ooh La La Lift, which is a brightening agent. It really wakes you up!

Et Voila! There you have it. A thousand percent more awake (looking) and good to go! Now you're ready to swish on your favorite mascara/liner/shadow or whatever else you need!

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Stalking

2012-01-17T13:09:00.000-08:00

Zara leather jacket, Spring & Clifton garter sweater, Free People blouse, Cheap Monday Jeans, Steven loafers, Hannah Warner double skull bangle, Persol sunglasses

It's gotten bitingly cold here in NYC, but I was finally able to buy this leather jacket after months of stalking it, so dammit, I'm gonna wear it! I played up the classic edginess of the piece by layering it over "basics"- something I love doing! This garter sweater is anything but ordinary with its detailing, I tend to layer it over white blouses a lot just to par down its construction to something more familiar.

We all see a lot of pieces that are inspired by nature, death, decay and rebirth, but Hannah Warner's designs stand out & are particularly intriguing to me. The matte surface of this bangle is something I don't normally see, and I love wearing it on its own since it's weighty and a really great metallic element on its own. I guess in that vein, I went pseudo-greaser on this one, wearing my favorite jeans and walking around SoHo in the cold. The golden hour upon us, I threw my sunglasses on, if only for an hour, and walked the streets in search of comfort in the form of soup.

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Back To The Wind

2012-01-15T23:39:00.000-08:00

Ph. by Rachel Scroggins
Amber Sakai bodysuit, vintage bellbottoms/belt, Jewelmint pomander necklace, Rachel's sunglasses

These are some of my favorite photos that I have been able to shoot with Rachel for. We hit up her roof again JUST as the golden hour was upon us. It was magic, yo.

I'm sure you've noted the pigtails. I guess I got fed up with not really being able to style my hair since it's so short, so I looked at the heart shaped sunglasses and said "That's it, I'm going Lolita!!" and there you have it. I was wearing one of my Amber Sakai boysuits, one of my favorites in fact. There's something so elusive about a backless piece. You have to take care in how you wear it because it's so sensual from just one side! I decided to pair this lovely piece with some almost shapeless bellbottoms that are SO COMFY in the blistering cold when you wear some Uniqlo heattech leggings underneath Yeah, generates heat when you wear it. Welcome to the future.

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Shots From ENK

2012-01-15T08:30:00.000-08:00

Instagrams: Jenny from Jenny Bird's amazing boots, Vanessa Mooney's Clara collection, One of Jenny Bird's hand carved wooden rings (doubles as a weapon), Bangles from Sorrelli, Rebecca Minkoff neon goodness, Sam Edelman Banana sandals

Click below left to read more & see what I wore out!

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Forever 21 shirt, A/L cardigan, Vintage hat, Vintage coach bag, Sam Edelman boots, DL1961 jeans, Jenny Bird Dionysus ring, Accessorize Silver multi-ring, all else vintage

Instagrams: Jenny from Jenny Bird's amazing boots, Vanessa Mooney's Clara collection, One of Jenny Bird's hand carved wooden rings (doubles as a weapon), Bangles from Sorrelli, Rebecca Minkoff neon goodness, Sam Edelman Banana sandals

This past week I joined Justin for a trip down to the ENK Accessories Circuit show, which was a mind-boggling experience. We spent a couple hours perusing our favorite brands' stalls & getting a first-hand look at the Spring '12 collections. I was super excited to meet some of the designers who I've collaborated with in person, including Jenny from Jenny Bird, David Khan from his namesake jean line (suuuuper nice!) and the team from Vanessa Mooney (Hi, guys!). Jenny had some ridiculously amazing boots on, I can't remember the brand, but I'll be sure to get that from her soon :]

I wore something super comfy that day. I was excited to run into the team at DL1961 because it was just so happening that I was wearing their jeans out! Their pieces are amazing, all of their jeans are made with Lycra, which NEVER stretches. Ever. It always keeps its shape, and what's really awesome is that all of the DL jeans are so insanely vibrant, they've really mastered the dying process with the materials they work with. Seeing all of the new product first-hand was pretty awesome

Frizz Free Friday: When Air Drying Isn't Enough

2012-01-13T11:58:00.000-08:00

We're back!

Most of the Frizz Free Friday questions I've been getting from you guys have to do with keeping curly hair. One of my secret weapons for maintaining my hair is my diffuser & hair dryer, a combo that every girl who wants/has curly hair should own.

For those who haven't been introduced to the magic that is a diffuser, it's a bowl-shaped attachment that you put on your hair dryer to, well, diffuse the air. Pegs are also put into diffusers, which act as "fingers" to further shape curls and prevent frizziness. By making the air flow more broad, you can get more defined curls.

On my last trip to Arrojo, my go-to stylist Jon showed used three different styling products to use when he diffused my hair: Mousse to keep it airy and curl cream mixed with tacky styling paste to give some hold and definition to my curls. After applying each in equal parts to my hair, he dried my hair with a diffuser attachment by pointing it upwards since my hair is cut in a square shape to define my face.

Pretty much worked.

At home, I use a HANAair Pro Hair dryer, which is a pretty miraculous hair dryer, lemme tell you. Before I was using this piece of garbage hair dryer by BedHead and although the hair dryer itself sucked, the diffuser it came with was amazing, so I kept it for that until I got fed up noticing it frizzed the crap out of my hair. Missikko asked me to review their most popular hair dryer and I GLADLY accepted the challenge because I just wanted to see if it would really make that much of a difference.

And yes, it does.

This thing dries my hair crazy fast. If I'm in a rush, my hair will be dry in 3 minutes. Seriously. This is definitely worth the plunge if you're looking for a hair dryer. It's fast and its temperature range is completely safe and reasonable.

The dryer didn't come with a diffuser, so I had to get a universal one myself. This one I've been test running is a Solano Solano Crystal diffuser. It looks pretty cool, but it's not amazing, only because my hair is short. I need to play with it more, but after a few uses, I've noticed that since my hair is a bit shorter, it's not long enough to hit the bottom of the diffuser and I tend to get a softer look with it. Which is fine and pretty, but I might be better off with a diffuser with longer pegs if I want something bouncier.

Proper etiquette for diffusing your hair is just flipping your hair over and drying your hair from the bottom, letting your hair sort of fall into the bowl of the diffuser. Once your hair dries, it will be light and bouncy. Before styling, be sure to prep with a conditioning product since you are indeed working with heat, which can destroy your hair and dry out the follicle in no time. I HIGHLY recommend Moroccan Oil, which I've been using for a couple months now and I love it. Zero fizz and my hair has been significantly shinier and healthier. It also makes your hair dry faster, which is just bananas. Definitely the best treatment for when you're using heat. And the scent? Beyond amazing.

Here is a list of diffusers that get the De Lune stamp of approval:
T3 II (for Featherweight dryers), Conair pro (Universal), CHI (for CHI Infra Tech dryers), Elchim (Universal), Cricket (For Cricket Dryers)

The best diffuser in existence is the Devachan Finger Diffuser (universal), but man is it expensive...
definitely worth the plunge though!!

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Wall Flower

2012-01-11T00:16:00.000-08:00

ph by Rachel
Free People blouse, ADAM sweatshirt, UO jacket, BDG jeans, Jeffrey Campbell Rumble boots, Alexander Wang backpack

You know you have a great friend when let you borrow their AMAZING Alexander Wang backpack! Rachel promised me that it's a photographer's best friend, fitting every stitch of SLR gear you could imagine while looking totally badass and awesome. I love how weighty this bag is, with all of its hardware, there are so many different ways you can wear it, another practical plus. I mean, there's a reason Alexander Wang won his CFDA award in accessory design!You know what else is awesome? Banana splits, finding the perfect ringtone, and Brooklyn street art! Rachel has some really amazing and ever-changing murals in her neighborhood. It's really inspiring!

I'm usually pretty hesitant to wear this insanely amazing ADAM sweatshirt I got over the summer because each individual gem is hand-sewn and delicate. I also have to be careful to not hug anyone who is wearing a knit too much when I wear it because it'll snag on them, eeps! On the bright side, it jingles when I walk & it's pretty darn warm. It's one of the girlies pieces in my closet and I'm glad to have it since Adam Lippes actually grew up in Buffalo, NY, which is where my Mom's side of the family is from and where I spent my high school years. I'm also a little worried though because it appears that the line has supposedly lost its funding. I really hope it survives because Adam Lippes really does create some wonderfully charming pieces. One of my highlights from last Fashion Week was seeing his show

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Diffuse

2012-01-08T22:22:00.000-08:00

Ph. by Rachel Scroggins

Tory Burch jeans, Forever 21 blouse, Vintage blazer, Jeffrey Campbell boots, what was previously my Dad's Vintage belt

This past week I spent a lot of time shooting & hanging out with Rachel, who I met last year after she took my photo for a street style feature on a cold Fall afternoon. After running into each other at multiple Fashion Week seasons, we've become great friends & I love hanging out with her! These were shot on her roof in Brooklyn, the sun slowly lingering on the horizon and fireworks leftover by her neighbors strewn all over the roof. Recipe for greatness!

Rachel let me play around with her antique cameras. This one is a Kodak Brownie, which my Dad also has in his collection. This camera was invented in 1900, and it was the first camera that really made photography accessible for emerging artists and camera enthusiasts alike because it was relatively inexpensive. This camera was responsible for a lot of amazing documentary photography during the depression and beyond.

As for le outfit, I've been experimenting with colored bottoms lately. I usually have nooo idea how to wear these jeans because they're absolutely nuts, but I've learned to just tone it down whenever I wear them. That gets the job done. Tory Burch's amazing eye for textiles has always inspired me, and these jeans are no exception. The fragmented colors come from photos of peeling paint and posters, the chipped colors make for a mélange of crazy legs. No complaints.

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Frizz Free Friday: Pretty Packaging

2012-01-06T00:41:00.000-08:00

From l to r: Deborah Lippman nail polish, Sonia Kashuk brushes (discontinued but UGH so pretty), YSL Rouge Volupé, Clinique's newest Barely Lipstick shades, Stella McCartney The Print Collection Fragrance, Nars Body Glow & Monoi Oil, Fairy Drops mascara, Chanel mirror compact, UltraFlesh panthera mascara, Tom Ford eye palate , Bobbi Brown jelly lipglosses

Call me superficial, but sometimes I judge from the packaging. I can't help it! My mom is a graphic designer, so I grew up paying attention to how she worked, which involved looking at packaging and wondering how it reflected the product it housed. Nars & YSL are the ultimate for me in that realm, you know the makeup is amazing, but the packaging is really sleek & glamourous.

Doesn't it feel wonderful to pull out a tube of lipstick out of your purse that looks like a piece of jewelry, or to catch the light going through a pretty bottle of perfume on a windowsill? I may not wear a ton of makeup, but I do especially love when something that looks pretty makes you look even prettier!

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Striped

2012-01-02T22:06:00.000-08:00

Cooperative sweater, Vintage blazer, Lucky Brand belt, Textile by Elizabeth & James cords, ASH boots, Free People scarf, Rebecca Minkoff bag, Lulu Frost plaza necklace, Jenny Bird Dionysus ring

Man, it is good to be on break! I spent one fantastic afternoon with my dear friend Justin, who is the best window shopping buddy ever. Nothing quite like a few hours of collectively drooling over everything we can't afford in Zadig & Voltaire/The Barneys Co-op. Ah, youth.

I know this sweater is totally spawned from the Isabel Marant-Wannabe train, but I had to have it. I mean c'mon, it's neutral and it's not at the same time. Bada boom. Logical.

And oh, this scarf! The minute I saw this draped up on the wall during my Free People visit, it was like Gary White started playing in my head and I just knew I had to have it. Naomi & the folks over at Free People were amazingly kind enough to send it over and I haven't stopped wearing it since! I can't say no to something that looks like it had a second life. Plus, it makes for some fun blog photos, no?

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On the Bias

2012-01-01T16:47:00.000-08:00

Vintage sweater & boots, thrifted Gap vest, Amber Sakai skirt, vintage Coach bag, LAS skull ring & vintage baubles

Happy New Year everyone! Glad y'all survived the end of the world!!!

Hoo boy, do I love a good sweater. Of course it's a staple, but what makes a good knit essential is the ability it gives you to play with texture. I kind of went Chelsea girl a bit back when I wore this, pairing a whole mess of vintage pieces with my beloved Amber Sakai bias cut skirt. Do you ever feel like you can't really dress the way you want until you find the perfect pair of shoes or that one jacket? I was DYING for a pair of Chelsea/Beatle boots FOEVER until I found these vintage black boots at a local go-to vintage shop stop, No Relation. I kind of have big feet (size 10), so I find that I have a harder time finding vintage shoes. Boots tend to be easier since I can just grab a smaller pair of men's boots, but they're never narrow enough. These however, add enough polished androgyny.

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Looking Forward

2011-12-31T12:06:00.000-08:00

2011 was pretty much a whirlwind of a year for me. Between completely changing my major to focus on fashion studies, to watching my blog grow with me and my adventures, I find myself meeting new experiences every week, and I've loved every second of it. In trying to keep things from getting sappy, I thought I'd share a few things I'm looking forward to in 2012, and that means SPRING! Specifically, spring dressing! So take a gander with me as I go through some fave collections for the upcoming year.

Click below left

Cut25

Yigal Azrouel killed it with his "younger" line, Cut25. I don't normally dig sporty pieces, but these were kind of a collage of an acid trip on Venice Beach, or atleast that's what it looked like. The actual presentation was interesting, with each model standing on a grid. The girls rotated as the audience did around them. THe collection was inspired by 80's surf culture, which has been addressed by a lot of artists and designers lately, but this was a little more contemporary in its approach. And the shoes you guys, I'm done. Awesome.

Keds At Opening Ceremony

Inspired by classique Keds designs from the early 60's, this debut collection exclusively sold at Opening Ceremony carries pieces inspired by folks like John Lennon and Yoko Ono who wore their sneakers every day. I'm obsessed with the little details in this collection, like the linings and peter pan collars worn with cute layered florals. The best part of seeing the collection though was trying it on! The jackets are to die for! Every piece had really unexpected charm, and the little details from the angled button flaps to the hidden quirky linings were so great!

L.A.M.B.

This collection wasn't amazing, but the details were. Agan, I'm not normally into sporty pieces, but this collection was sexy & pretty cool.

H&M

Yes. Oh, God yes. I love stopping into the H&M showroom because they always cover all the bases. From feminine flippery to the collaborated lines (Versace x H&M, you know) to geometric panelling to pretty much anything else you can think of, it's all going to be there.

Juicy Couture

Nobody celebrates sunshine like Juicy! It was raining and freezing outside of the Spring '12 preview, but inside it was neon amazingness. I loooooved how fun this collection was, I mean, do you expect anything else? Lace with neon coated bags & gems? I'm in.

Tory Burch

And finally, some amazing details from Tory. Tory Burch's SS '12 line was another inspired by the 20's & The Great Gatsby scenes by the seashore. More bright color, but this time it worked alongside beachy tones like sandy beige and sea glass blue

In the Navy Yard

2011-12-29T06:27:00.000-08:00

ph. by Christina
Pavonine top, Lucca Couture shorts, Elizabeth & James jacket, UO tights, Porter Grey Jacket, Rebecca Minkoff Racy bag, 80%20 boots Lulu Frost Plaza necklace

More shots from the Free People visit!
Temperatures have significantly gone down since then and seeing myself in shorts is making me cold! Nevertheless, it was beautiful out when we shot these, the sun was juuuuust at that golden hour, and the sun was going creeping down below the horizon at thePhiladelphia Navy Yard where the FP offices are located. It really is one of the coolest places to work ever.

How I managed to sneak all of my favorite pieces into one ensemble I'll never know, one of them being my Lulu Frost Plaza pendant, which I'm mad about. Lisa Salzer designed her plaza collection with letters and numbers taken from the historic Plaza Hotel when it closed briefly for renovations in 2005. It's very near and dear to my heart partially because I grew up reading Eloise, but also because my mom & I would take trips uptown to visit the hotel during free afternoons when I was younger. It's really a wonderful piece to wear even if it's just with jeans and a tee.
Everything else is on constant rotation and worn at least once a week. I'm OBSESSED with this Pavonine top and my 80%20 Rina boots, they're super easy to just throw on when you need proportional experimentation or just comfy basics.

Jenni Kayne Pre-Fall 2012

2011-12-27T18:24:00.000-08:00

Jenni Kayne, via Elle.com

Jenni Kayne's work has always been deliciously wearable, I love this cozy-yet-refined take on (almost) pajama dressing for Fall & Winter

Oh, and bonus points for looks that go well with the Warby Parker sunglasses I adore so much

Tee Week: StyleMint Giveaway

2011-12-22T22:22:00.000-08:00

StyleMint tee, Ani Lee dress

Loves my basics! There's so much possibility in dressing up or down a perfect T.

Congrats to Ariel for winning last week's AGAIN Apparel giveaway!
Now I have another one for you guys!
______________________________________________________________

StyleMint and I are teaming up to gift one of my readers their perfect T! Here's what you need to enter:

Must be a follower via Bloglovin' to enter
1. Create a StyleMint account by following this Link
2. Once you've created your account, comment below with your favorite T Shirt from your personalized Showroom to let me know you've entered

I'll choose a winner by random on Monday 12/26 and contact the winner via email!

Tee Week: Ponchito Case

2011-12-22T11:41:00.000-08:00

StyleMint tee, UO cargo jacket, Quiksilver ponchito, Sparkle & Fade jeans, ASH boots, AK Vintage bodychain, MINT hat

New York has been very, very warm lately. This has put me in a constant state of disillusion when it comes to dressing and going out in general. Last year I was huddled up in my dorm room about 90% of the time, dreading the thought of heading out for a slice of pizza after recovering from final compositions and projects. Nowadays, rather than it being around 22º and miserable, it's a whopping 55º and sunny. I ask you, WHAT. IS. THIS?! Dude I'm making sure every scrap of paper in this apartment to post-consumer product and making sure I unplug everything at night because the climate change is happening. This is the loveliest NYC winter I've ever had, but it can't be good. It's too nice.

I shouldn't be complaining though, because this gives me a wonderful opportunity to break out le ponchito, it's so comfy it's practically a wearable blanket, but not in the Snuggie sort of way. No, this thing is golden! And T week continues! Adding in more prints this time with my StyleMint Prince tee (Prints with Prince!), yes I went there. This color is really lovely, it's a neutral brown with a little more pink in it, so another way to go is to go in the opposite end of the spectrum and wear mostly white with it.

I grabbed some coffee and did some last-minute gift shopping with my buds Dan & Simone before I head up to Buffalo tomorrow to visit my family & the bf's family for Christmas & Hanukkah. It'll be nice to make latkes with my Dad in the morning and then head to the beau's later on for Christmas dinner, only downside is it'll be much, much colder than it is here.

Tee Week: classique/éclectique

2011-12-21T12:35:00.000-08:00

StyleMint striped tee, Oscar de la Renta button-up, Jenny Bird clutch & cocktail ring, DKNY trench
Day: BDG jeans, ASH boots
Night: Gap shorts, vintage cardigan

Aww yeah, breaking out the long sleeves! I had to order this StyleMint striped shirt because it's one of those basics that everyone absolutely needs, and my closet has been barren of stripes for far, far too long. Ever since I was little, my mom reminded me that the rule was, aside from the occasional charming print of victorian woodcut animals or letters on your clothes, one should always have at least one plaid, one striped and (maybe) one polka dot shirt in your repertoire. I decided to go the extra mile and pair my stripes with my plaids and keep everything else totally solid.

To dress things up, I brought along my Jenny Bird leather clutch and Dionysus cocktail ring. I love Jenny's accessories, her bags are made from amazing leather and I love how tongue-in-cheek this coin ring is! Dionysus is the Greek god of Wine and merriment, so I love wearing this piece to a party or a fun outing. Wearing it with the multiple prints made it even more of a party!

So I've got some first purchase goodies for you guys:

Use the promocode LUNE (all caps) for 15% off your first purchase on StyleMint!

Use promocode DELUNE50 (all caps again) over at Jenny Bird for 50% off the coin collection!

Tee Week: DIY cardigan wrap skirt

2011-12-19T21:19:00.000-08:00

StyleMint tee, Lilla P Origami wrap, a+ro snood, JewelMint pomander necklace

I don't really like to seriously dress up for the holidays, I just wanna be comfortable enough! Lilla P's Origami top can be used a thousand and one ways as a top, but I wanted to stretch its versatility and wrap it as a skirt. Just wrap the ends, tie them at the front and tuck in the sleeves! Boom! You could do this with any cardigan, but this one has those extra long sides that easily wrap around for enough coverage.

Keppin' things simple, I paired it with my AMAZING Mulholland top from StyleMint. This one is my absolute favorite out of the Style Profile I was given, they really hit the nail on the head with this one! Not only is it super comfortable, but it's got the right amount of detailing to make it a polished basic. If you log in to StyleMint, use the promocode LUNE (all caps) for 15% off your first purchase!

Tee Week: Basically

2011-12-19T10:53:00.000-08:00

StyleMint tee, Forever 21 denim shirt, Jcrew blazer, A+Ro snood, vintage rings, Club Monaco sequin shorts, Aldo heels, thrifted ponyhair clutch, Jewelmint pomander necklace

I have a serious love for just dressing up basics, but it's actually really hard for me to find simple T Shirts that have just the correct amount of structure and/or slouchyness to just throw on, maybe tuck into a pair of jeans and go.

Enter: StyleMint

Ever heard of it? Now you have, and you will thank me 'cause it's GREAT. It makes your life easier by giving you a Showroom selection of T Shirts that are chosen based on a quick Style Profile that you create. Each T Shirt is designed by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who have come together to bestow their impeccable taste to create the most perfect basics ever for $29.99 each. It's kinda cool to see your style reflected in the selection chosen for you, and it makes you wanna buy the whole Showroom!

I wore my Newbury Ivory tee with more layered basics to tone down the glitz of my Club Monaco shorts. Interestingly enough, I tend to only wear these shorts in the fall and/or winter, partially because I'm crazy, but also because they look great with nubby wool and a cooler palate. Throw on a cheetah clutch & it's a party!!

PS- As a special goodie for you guys, use the promocode LUNE (all caps) for a 15% off your first StyleMint purchase now until December 31st! Start off the New Year with some new Ts!

Edge Clad

2011-12-17T14:01:00.000-08:00

photo props to Christina

Free People tee, bralette, jacket & necklaces, M2F vintage wash jeans, Doc Martens creepers

Some additional shots from out Free People styling sesh! I really went for something way edgier than what I normally wear, which was a cool departure to take part in. The girls over at Free People laid out this insanely awesome spread of nubby woven sweaters mixed with selections of lacey intimates, band tees, worn leather jackets and edgy jewelry. I was like, "Aaaah! I'm not worthy!!"

Speaking of, dudes, isn't this photo of Kurt AMAZING?

Gettin' Grungy with Free People

2011-12-15T21:45:00.000-08:00

Man, dude, whatta trip this was! Natalie, Christina and I took a wonderful trip down to Philly this past week to bask in the glory that is the Free People offices. Along with Dylana & Cheryl, we met up with the ladies behind Free People's BLDG 25 blog to style up some looks and have ourselves a maniacally wonderful afternoon of boho bliss. The creative directer and marketing team put together a selection of some of the newest FP offerings for us to style up with a lean towards Grunge, something I don't normally get the chance to try out, which made it all the more fun! I took the nirvana/ 90's city girl route with Doc Martens and leather jackets. Stay tuned for outfit posts with my looks soon!

The offices are...just insane you guys. Housed within an old warehouse in Philly's shipyard, the building is full of natural light, exposed brick and peeling paint. Every single inch of space was either painted, crocheted or sewn over, the whole building just dripping with creativity. It was a beehive of sorts, with some of the coolest people running around creating, styling, writing and more, acting as the heart and soul of one of the most innovative brands out there. I loved taking a tour of the creative spaces in the building, like the dye room where textiles were taken and given unique dyeing properties, and the pattern room where patterns were hand drawn for new fabrics. We also got to take a look at some of the amazing vintage pieces that the team has gathered and arranged into a showroom with separate themes of coolness. At a certain point though, my camera died on me and I, in turn, died a little inside. Thankfully I had thought to bring my new Instax camera with me, so I was able to document the rest of the offices with film.

After running around in a whirlwind of creativity, we retired from the offices and had ourselves a truly memorable dinner at Parc, an AMAZING brasserie in the absolutely gorgeous Rittenhouse Square. All-in-all, it was an unforgettable trip for sure and I now have about 50 new additions to my holiday wishlist because everything was AMAZING and soooo cute. Thank you to everyone over at FP for having us! You guys are the bestest!

You can see more from this trip over at the FP Blog, BLDG 25 :]

What do you guys think? Anything you see here you'd like yourself for the holidays?

Maxed Out//AGAIN Apparel GIVEAWAY!

2011-12-14T10:34:00.000-08:00

Vintage sweater, Lilla P silk top, Lulu Frost Plaza necklace French Connection Style by UK jacket, vintage belts, AGAIN skirt, Jeffrey Campbell boots, Rebecca Minkoff bag

Hey world!
So when I haven't been beating my brains in whilst working on finals, I've taken my fleeting moments of breaktime either scouring Chinatown for comfort food or hangin' with Rance. Accordingly, my outfits haven't been terribly blog-worthy since they're just tees and high waisted jeans with a pen stuck behind my ear. No sleep...you get the picture.

I did feel the need for some drama though, so I reached for this AWESOME Beetlejuicey maxi from AGAIN and wore the hell out of it around the city, hence the top/belt switcharoo. This thing totally brings the thunder, I've been trying to inject more graphic elements into my closet and this skirt totally does the job. I love what the contrast of the vertical and horizontal lines does to one's silhouette!

NOW HERE'S THE FUN PART!!
I've partnered with AGAIN to give you guys the awesome opportunity to win one of these skirts for your own! I'll be choosing a winner by random next week. Here are the rules to enter:
1)Like Again on Facebook
2)Follow me (@ClaireGeist) & Again (@Wear_Again) on Twitter
3)Comment below with your name, twitter name & how you would wear this skirt in your own awesome way

->GIVEAWAY ENDS NEXT WEDNESDAY 12/21 SO HOP TO IT!!<-

If I had a Wishlist...

2011-12-11T11:42:00.000-08:00

1.Mulberry Clipper Holdall- The most insanely perfect bag for any use

2. Christopher Kane x J Brand jeans- I recently attended a breakfast hosted by Barneys for a meet/greet with Christopher Kane to hear more about his inspiration behind this collaboration. The high waisted skinnies are PERFECT. I would wear these just as CK intended: with a whole mess of neutrals

3. Lulu Frost Locket ring- Vintage-inspired cuteness

4. Kitson Enamel Globe Ring- It's always good to have a bit of costume jewelry

5. London Sole - Like French Sole, only much more narrowed down to the essentials and less expensive

6. Play Button - I love this idea for a gift, Play Buttons hold an entire album that you can wear. It's cheaper than an ipod and one of the best things about a record is that you can listen to the entirety of the album and absorb its story. The selection for albums is on the limited side for now, but if you find the right one for someone, it's sure to be an amazing gift.

7. Alice's Adventures Underground- Alice in Wonderland is one of my all time favorite stories (I have "The Walrus and the Carpenter" memorized!). This book has author Lewis Carrol's original story as written (in his own handwriting!!) and illustrated by him for Alice's Mother in 1862

8. Proenza Schouler boots- Just plain schoolgirl badassery

9. The Lake & The Stars bralette- My favorite lingerie brand, my favorite bra

10. Christie Martin gold tag rings- Amazingly simple and gorgeous, my family is big on initials & monograms because it makes the gift that much more personal. I would never take these off!

11. Bobbi Brown Shimmering Neutrals eyeshadow Palate- The most perfect neutral eyeshadow palate that has everything you need for a pretty everyday eye

12. A.P.C. Chambray Tie Dress- This Dress. For Everything. For Anything.

Gone Carney

2011-12-07T00:42:00.000-08:00

The Lake & The Stars Double in Brass slip dress, MANGO coat, Rebecca Minkoff Racy bag, thrifted Gap vest, vintage sweater, vintage boots, Persol sunglasses, Accessorize silver thumb ring

I tend to steer away from hot colors because I worry they'll look awful against my complexion, but I had to go for this amazing Lake & The Stars slip dress a whiles back despite the bright pink, I just had to. I have a bodysuit from the same line too! This number is from the L&S sister line Double in Brass, which in itself is old Carney slang for having multiple performance talents. Gotta love it!! The details on this thing make me weak in the knees, I just love anything with intricate back detailing.

As the weather gets colder, I've been noticing that I've been reaching for edgier pieces. I guess it's mostly because of the palate change to something darker. I decided to pretend I was cool with my Persols despite the cloudy weather and chilly temperatures, they just went with the coat so well...

And speaking of edgy, take a gander at some slides I pulled from the AGAIN Apparel Fall 2011 Look Book! Why am I showing you these awesome possum pieces you might be asking? Because I'm cookin' up a giveaway for you silly geese and gander! Be prepared to be seeing AGAIN well, again!
For now, check 'em out on Facebook or spy their Collections

Fuzzy

2011-12-03T16:13:00.000-08:00

And now...

(Not that you probably care after all that cuteness, but..)
Forever 21 sweater & denim shirt, Cheap Monday jeans, Lucky Brand belt, MINT hat, Jeffrey Campbell boots, Rebecca Minkoff Racy bag, Necklace with a ring designed by my mom

So my boyfriend & our friend Moishe acquired this insanely adorable puppy this past week. Everyone meet Rance! He is (we're guesstimating) about 15 weeks old, and although we are still not 100% sure what his breed is, he is nonetheless mind-numbingly adorable. He's very shy and still in the process of getting used to his surroundings, but that makes him all the more sweet!

Before the surprise meeting with Rance, I was out 'n about for classes & previews con Natalie (as per usual). The temperatures dropped a mad bunch this week, so the sweater was adequate enough for warmth...until the sun went down. Then it sucked.

I try to wear this necklace almost every day. This very cool gold chain holds a monogrammed ring that my Mom designed for me when I was about 8 or 9 years old. It's of course too small for my hands now. The other charm is a Venetian glass pendant that my grandmother bought during a trip to Italy. Both of the pieces together jangle about when I walk, which is kind of comforting, kind of like my loved ones are with me as long as I wear it.

FFF: Quick Fixes

2011-12-01T21:11:00.000-08:00

I always run into trouble when it comes to my appearance. Whether it's waking up late for class without time to do my makeup or hair, forgetting a step in my routine or just plain laziness, I always have moments where I look into a mirror and notice something's amiss.

In this installment of Frizz Free Friday, I thought I'd throw out some tricks I've learned to use when i'm having a beauty crisis and I'm low on time or in a pinch, like...

Curling flat hair with a straightener

I don't straighten my hair ('cause it's nearly impossible), but having my tiny Cricket friction free straightener comes in mighty handy when my hair needs a pick-me-up. Generally used for travel or for bangs, this little guy is great in a pinch. When my 'do is seriously lackluster, I just pick my hair (with un pick, also from Cricket) and loosely wind a few sections around the irons for a few seconds. I then secure the curls with MorrocanOil hairspray et voilá!

**Note to loosely wind your hair around the iron to keep things from getting that fresh-outta-the-90's crimped look, unless you're going for that, then be my guest.

Quick Dry a Manicure
Since I'm so addicted to consuming media, it's hard for me to keep my hands still and avoid using the computer even after I've attempted an at-home manicure. To dry my nails SUPER fast, after painting them I'll dunk them in ice cold water for about 2 minutes, and although it's super cold and a little painful for a hot second (Ha! See what I did there??!?), the polymers in the nail polish harden super quickly in the icy water. Using cooking spray can also do the trick, but I usually don't go this route 'cause I don't like greasin' up my keyboard, ya dig?

Oh Crap, a Zit
We get them. It happens. I'm currently in the midst of finals, so I'm breaking out a ton from stress! The key to healing a zit fast is drying it out, so you have a couple of options. One being you could crush up an asprin, mix it with a little water and dab it on. Asprin has a bit of salicylic acid in it, so that can reduce a spot. Eye drops are also actually kind of amazing for reducing redness. But the product I love above all others is Happy Me Skincare's Overnight Pimple Eliminator. Ohhh dudes, I love this SO much!! I've used a lot of similar products like Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion, which totally does the job just as well, only Happy Me's formula is sold in drugstores (most of the time), costs $9 instead of $20, doesn't run down your face or flake off and smells a WHOLE lot better thanks to the botanical oils it contains. It's meant to be used overnight, but I usually also use it to reduce the size of a zit when I'm just chillin' around my apartment and doing homework. Zits are gone in a DAY.

Other Quick Fixes:

-Chew some parsley when you don't have any mints in a restaurant, the chlorophyll kills bad breath bacteria (or "Triple-B" as I like to call it)
-And while you're there, pick up a matchbook, the strike pad makes for a great nail file
-Warm up your eyelash curler quickly with your hairdryer for a longer-lasting dramatic curl for your lashes
-Feeling dull and looking like it? Bend over as far as you can from the waist and just hold for 30 or so seconds. Gets your blood moving!
-If you're not liking a heavy or spicy scent that you sprayed on, cut it with a citrus scent
-To make your lips look fuller, apply an orangey or brighter hue in the middle of your lips and blend

Enjoy, guys :]

Leafy Tones

2011-11-28T09:46:00.000-08:00

Porter Grey jacket, Jonathan Simkhai tee, Volcom pants, Jeffrey Campbell boots, Rebecca Minkoff bag, Jewelmint pomander necklace, Persol sunglasses via Sunglass Hut

Back from the sun means back to Fall dressing! Although NYC has been crazy out-of-season warm these days, it's no Boca. I do like having the ability to wear layers again though, especially since I can throw on this amazing wool/leather number by Porter Grey. I don't usually wear green so this was an experiment to see if I could pull it off. I just ended up wearing the colors of the fall leaves. Nature FTW!! I kept colors warm by playing up the gold accents in my amazing new Rebecca Minkoff purse and my favorite pomander necklace that goes with everything via Jewelmint. My mom always encouraged me to use flora and fauna as a reference when it came to color palates, so this was a fun way to go about it. It just works, ya know?

So how was everyone's Thanksgiving? Mine was intense, I ate so much that I didn't have room for breakfast the next morning, I kid you not. Slowly coming back to reality from Thanksgiving breaks means setting started on finals! Yay! So things are busy but fun still. Most of the time I'm city hopping and/or gift shopping, another big chunk of my to-do list.

I have some exciting goodies coming up for my readers these next few days (coughcoughgiveaways) so stay tuned you guys!

High/Low [Tide]

2011-11-24T06:58:00.000-08:00

Pavonine hi/lo skirt, Forever 21 sweater, vintage leather belt, J crew bracelet, David Yurman sunglasses, Malibu Native bathing suit

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I'm here in Florida and I couldn't be happier to have even the smallest amount of a break from the dreariness that has been NYC lately. We've been beaching it up these past two days because believe it or not, I didn't really swim in an ocean this year at all. Practically blasphemy in my book!

I'm obsessed with this Pavonine skirt. It comes out of the Fall 2011 collection, which was inspired by the facets and dimensions of minerals. Pretty nifty, eh? I'm a fan of how designer Jessica Solomon took a different route to incorporate the contrasts of the natural world in order to create a really cool High/Low collection, which you can peek here. I took to that high/low aesthetic and styled it simply, with a belted oatmeal sweater to bring it back down to earth and minimal jewelry. I sported my David Yurman chevron sunglasses to add a bit more luxe, which these definitely pack!

Malibu Native was kind enough to make me beach-ready this summer, but I was never able to have beach/pool access until now. Such a bummer when you have such an adorable birthday suit. I couldn't help but have a Bob Fosse moment when taking these photos! It's riddled with charming quotes and illustrations by designer Louise Petit which enough to make anyone wanna kick around sand & dance, or it could just be me and my utter joy when it comes to being beachside...

Either way, I wish all of you cool cats the happiest & safest of Thanksgivings. Travel well and stay awesome! I know I'm thankful for all of you :]

Packing Contents

2011-11-21T09:05:00.000-08:00

I really don't know what it is, but I've found that there's something very glamorous about going to the airport with your favorite, choice pieces packed, a coffee or tea in hand, some magazines so your eyes don't fall out from boredom and maybe an ipod. I am packing as we speak, and I wanted to sneak in some shots of what I am bringing with me to Florida this holiday week. My family is spread all over the East Coast, and this year, we're spending Thanksgiving at my Grandparents' place in Boca Raton and I am GLADLY accepting this escape from Fall-struck New York.

SO, here we go, from top-to-bottom:
1. Rebecca Minkoff bags, MINT by Goorin panama hat
2. David Yurman & Persol shades (my Warby's are ~~being babysat~~ stolen by the boyfriend)
contents of my Quiksilver jewelry pouch, Lulu Frost, Vanessa Mooney, Sorelli pieces intermingled with vintage ones
3. Rebecca Minkoff boots that I intend to wear with everything
4. Sparkle & Fade tank
5. Kolae leather dress that is perfect for travel because it can be unzipped into separates
6. Forever 21 & vintage Oscar de la Renta button-ups
7. Forever 21 maxi
8. Malibu Native bikini, this bikini has the cutest little details, can't wait to wear it out!
9.Travel beauty essentials: Smashbox illuminator brick, Benefit mascara, concealer & cheek tint, Moroccan Oil hairspray, Physician's Formula SPF 50 powder (MAJOR must), Poppy King for Jcrew lipstick, Cricket mini straightener (I use this to curl limp sections of hair, more on that next FFF!), bag from Accessorize
10. All of the above plus my awesome Lucca Couture velvet shorts, Pavonine sheer maxi that I intend to wear during actual Thanksgiving & my Forever 21 crop tank
11. Airport outfit: Lulu Frost necklace, Lilla P origami wrap (amazingly comfy with endless ways to wrap it around) & Rebecca Minkoff jeans, something that feels glamorous yet VERY comfortable!

Studio Visit: Lulu Frost

2011-11-17T06:57:00.000-08:00

I first came to know about Lisa "Lulu" Salzer's designs for her brand, Lulu Frost, about 3 years back or so after reading a piece in Teen Vogue about her now-iconic Plaza & Code collections. Her aesthetic goes much further and is one that is unforgettable and completely unique; effortlessly blending together Victorian, Art Deco and Nouveau designs with more modern takes on timeless classics. It's everything I love: high-low, totally committed to highlighting craftsmanship and defined through personal experience.

I've been quietly ADORING AND OBSESSING over Lisa's work for some time now, so you could only imagine the palpitations and crazy excitement I experienced when I was invited to work with Lisa as an ambassador and visit her studio. Like, dudes, I walked in, and it was like I had died and gone to a space where multiple decades were being lived through design, which is AMAZING. First thing about the studio is Lisa herself, who is incredibly kind and inspired so much by the world around her (Fun fact: both of us happen to wear the same shade of pink lipstick: Sephora's Love Test). It's really great energy to be around. She grew up with her Mother and Maternal Grandmother (née Rock Frost, from which the brand is named after) working in the estate jewelry business, so she was constantly surrounded by these beautiful antique pieces. In 2004 she launched Lulu Frost and since then she has been featured in every magazine you could think of and has had her pieces carried everywhere from Net-A-Porter to Bergdorfs. Oh, and did I mention she currently has a capsule collection with Jcrew? Because it's basically a match made in heaven.

Being given a studio tour by the actual designer behind a collection is really an amazing experience. You are able to hear about the exact vision and personal experience that a collection embodies. Lisa walked me through Spring '12, which was inspired by the beach visits of her childhood in Montauk. Rough-cut stones that resemble sea glass, pearls and feather brooches intermingled with silk orchids brought together unexpected elements perfectly, especially in her 100 year collection as well, which brings together elements that range from 1860-1960; vintage shoe clips, pins, hair combs.. a never-ending assortment of uniquely crafted pieces that are brought together in one collaged statement piece. Each one is completely individual.

Whenever you order something from Lulu Frost, it takes about 10 days or so to be made because each piece is completely handmade. For example, as you can see above, each mesh bib used in her Modern Vintage collection is hand-cut with each section mathematically counted and adorned with vintage pins once finished. Her Plaza collection uses letters and numbers taken from the iconic Plaza Hotel, using history in a way that is personal and a unique experience for a wearer. Seeing everything being made was a blast and super inspiring, but my absolute favorite part of the visit was being able to sift through Lisa's absolutely amazing old sewer's button cabinet full of odds 'n ends. Each drawer is organized by cool detailing and color. It was amazing to be able to see so many completely unique things I had never seen before all in one place. Lisa's desk was also insanely cool and collaged to the ceiling with things that inspire her; photos, hat pins, jewelry, magazine cut outs, illustrations... all things absolutely amazing.

I left Lisa's studio starry-eyed and completely inspired. I learned that so much more is possible when you embrace contrasts and that the things you love deep-down are made all the much more special when they become a part of your everyday.

Stop by the Lulu Frost Tumblr to get even more personal tips and bits from Lisa & her team. There's always something there to inspire.

Adventures Downtown

2011-11-15T08:42:00.000-08:00

Mango rabbiit coat, Forever 21 blouse, thrifted Gap shorts, Vintage shoes, Zoe Metro clutch, Jcrew belt

As per usual, Natalie and I thought we'd be heading out for normal shenanigans, but we ended up having a little adventure walking around SoHo, shopping around for tea and then rushing home to drink said tea. We're addicts, what can I say?

This. Coat. Is. Amazing.
I feel like I should act as if I'm in Studio 54 with this thing on! Mango sure as sugar knows how to design a fabulously warm coat, lemme tell ya. I prefer my coats to be as minimal as possible, which is what i really love about this number; it has just the right amount of leather trim over the zipper line and on the sleeve cuffs. The cuffs are especially great because making the cuffs more fitted to the arm doesn't let air in or out. This makes walking around in freezing temperatures that much more bearable, which I can always appreciate because it means I can have many more adventures out & about even when it starts to get even colder!

Onward!

2011-11-12T10:11:00.000-08:00

Textile by Elizabeth & James cords, Lilla P shirt, French Connection Style by UK jacket, Jcrew belt, Jeffrey Campbell boots, vintage hat, vintage Coach backpack, Lulu Frost Double Sawtooth bracelet & Narrow Mesh bracelet

So many faves in one place I don't know where to begin!

I had to give my favorite hat another spot on here because I almost lost it the other day when I left it in my classroom, only to come back from a break to find it gone! My professor came in the next day and told me she was safe-keeping it for me. I was like, thaaaaaaaanks? But yes! Awesome!

So I'm really terrible when it comes to preparing for cold weather because I almost always forget to stock up on long-sleeved shirts. Like, always. So the folks down at Lilla P knew wassup and provided some digs for the colder days ahead of us. I love this striped piece, it has elastic at the sleeves to ruche the ends a bit. It's the little details you gotta look at, ya know?

So I'm also VERY excited to be sharing with you guys some of my favorite pieces of jewelry ever (yes, it's underlined because I mean it). Lisa Salzar, the designer behind Lulu Frost is mind-bendingly awesome at bringing together antique and modern elements together in the pieces she crafts. Each piece of jewelry is hand-crafted and completely unique, which is something I really appreciate, it makes every piece that much more special. And not only that, but you can see the experiences and life that is injected into every design. I', also really, really, really obsessed with the Lulu Frost blog, Onward, Lulu for inspiration! There's always something there for when you need ideas on how to jazz up basics!

FFF: Winter Skin

2011-11-11T05:24:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am really this pale, even in September!

A lot of you guys have been asking me about my skin regimen on here and in my Ask Me box on Tumblr, so I thought I'd dedicate this week's installment of Frizz Free Friday to skin upkeep in the Winter & Fall. Now, I'm really fair. Like, really really fair, and my skin gets to be a tad more sensitive in the winter since it gets so dry. So here are some of my go-to's when the temperature really starts to drop:

Skin Trip Body Lotion This is something I've had almost my whole life since my parents use it too. You can pretty much find this at any health food store, or here. If a coconut and ocean breeze had a baby, it'd smell like Skin Trip. This might be the lightest, best-smelling, best all-purpose moisturizer out there. What I love about this the most is that it absorbs super quickly, it's crazy effective at relieving chapped skin and it's light enough to put on your face too.

Nude Cleansing Oil The fact that I use this stuff is proof that getting samples of beauty products out during Fashion Week is effective marketing. I first started using this lovely cleanser when I received it in a gift bag from VPL. If you have dry skin or sensitive skin, it's better to go with a cream or oil cleanser that will keep moisture in. It might seem a bit weird to wash your face with oil, but it's amazing, and trust me, it doesn't clog your pores.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer And this would be my facial moisturizer. Again, it's light and works with all skin types. Pretty basic, actually.

Benefit It's Potent! Pore-fessional Eye Cream One of my main goals in life is to have the practically immaculate complexion my Mom has by the time I'm her age. I did inherit her dark circles though, and since the under eye area has the thinnest layer of skin on one's body, it's important to keep it protected. I'm 19 and I don't use any other age complexion products, but I do use an eye cream, I specifically use this one because it's, one more time, incredibly light.

Kerstin Florian Rehydrating Neroli Water This might be more of an aroma therapy situation since it smells AMAZING, but I carry this in my bag to rehydrate or wake up a bit more in school especially or whenever I need it. Just a spritz and I'm good. *On a side note, Kerstin Florian's Correcting Eye Rescue is one of those products that is 100% worth how ridiculously expensive it is. I tried a box sample of it back during NYFW and the stuff really de-puffs and makes you look a thousand times more awake. You saturate these eye pads with the Neroli Water and keep them on for about 10 minutes, after which time you look brighter and more awake. Craziness.

Neutrogena's Ultimate Sport Spray Sunblock SPF 70 Some people are addicted to watching Parenthood or No Reservations, some people are addicted to eating Pocky, some people are addicted to many other things, but my name is Claire Geist, and I'm addicted to sunblock. There is not one thing on this planet I use more than sunscreen, and I especially make sure to use it in the winter when the sun is super strong and light is reflecting and bouncing everywhere. I like sunscreen spray because it's non-greasy and dries super quick. The rule of thumb also tends to be SPF 50 or go home.

Lumene Sensitive Cleansing Wipes And finally, one of my biggest time savers. Really effective at removing all sorts of whatever makeup you have on and they're unscented, which is a big one for me because when they are scented, they tend to sting the crap out of my eyes. Pond's pads are amazing too for general skin cleansing, like, really amazing, but I prefer to use those in the summer since they have the possibility of drying out my skin in the winter.

Some other tips for keeping skin great during the chilliest of days:

-Don't stress out! More than anything, stress is what causes me to break out. I mean, obviously i can't tell you to not get stressed about something, but be sure to do something nice for yourself and do something that makes you happy for a good portion of the day. Kiss your boyfriend/girlfriend, make some cookies, treat yourself to a new shirt, whatever makes you calm down will help!

-Hydrate! Water, seltzer & tea are the best, but if you do drink sweetened drinks, don't go for something with fake sugar since ingredients like Aspartame are really awful for your skin

-Clean your pillowcases and sheets regularly. This is a big one. This is something that will show visible results since you wouldn't believe how must nastiness gets trapped in your pillows and you put your face on it for hours and hours every night! Hop to it!

Elie Tahari

2011-11-04T17:48:00.000-07:00

Soooo late on posting these great memories, but I had to share!

This past month I had the amazing opportunity to stop by Elie Tahari to view the F/W collection and get styled up by the man himself! Such a sweet guy ohmigosh you guys...

But yes! It was everything you'd expect from the brand, lush textures in amazing jeweltones (I almost went for a ruby red velvet blazer that Mr.Tahari put me in), everything you'd need to look super mysterious and cool against the snow.

Click Below to see more event photos!

Bag Lady

2011-11-02T21:52:00.000-07:00

All Tied Up Blouse via LYLIF, AK Vintage bodychain, Elizabeth & James blazer, Silence & Noise jeans, Ecoté booties, Vintage hat & Moni Moni bag wrapped with vintage fabric

Gah the weather has been bonkers here in NYC! One day it's snowing and disgusting, & the next it's absolutely flawless & 60º! This was worn out on one of those not-so-awful days and I felt like donning some recent obsessions. I was wearing my floral scarf , but it ended up being too hot, so I decided to stretch its possibilites and made a bow with it around my bag, which was great because it still kept some color in my ensemble.

This blazer is a Godsend, like, I can't even deal with how much I love this thing, it's PERFECTO. I decided to layer it over this nifty new top from Lylif.com for a Mick/Bianca Jagger sort of dealio with my new vintaaahge hat. This hat is kind of a milestone for me because I thought my hair never allowed me to look decent in a hat, but research has been done and I realized I just need one with a larger rim. This AK Vintage bodychain is also pretty awesome, it's made from recycled metals & leather. You can't go wrong with badassery that's good for the planet, right?

All Hallows

2011-10-31T14:12:00.000-07:00

From l to r:

AllSaints dress, Alexander McQueen boots,Gareth Pugh shred dress, Raquel Allegra sweater, Balmain jeans and pin dress, Asos collar tips, Auriel Bidermann ring, Jason Wu dress, Gryphon sequinned top, Skull brooch, Balmain red leather dress, Gareth Pugh chiffon detail pants, Lanvin cream gown.

Yes, my pretties, we all know what today is!

I'm more of an icky-creepy-Rocky-Horror-Beetlejuice kind of Halloween person. I love my fair share of Tim Burton movies (well, more like all of them) and I'm secretly sad I'm getting older because I stil love trick or treating.

My festivities were disrupted by work today, so the selection of photos of my costume are few until I go off to my bff Elanna's house for un partay. I decided this year to go as La Marchesa Luisa Casati, one of my all-time favorite figures in fashion history. An eccentric Italian heiress in the early half of the twentieth century, she served as muse and patron to the arts after winning over the admiration of artsits everywhere who were drawn to her insanely alluring look and impeccable & eccentric sense of style. She was photographed, painted and sculpted by numerous artists including Man Ray and Augustus John.

La Marchesa enjoyed taking strolls with her pet cheetahs, wearing live snakes as jewelry and going out naked under an assortment of furs. Nude servants decked in gold leaf attended her and she kept wax mannequins as dinner guests when she was alone.

I mean, how could you not love that?!

I, unfortunately, do not possess an amassed fortune to afford a pet cheetah or a small plethora of fur garments (ew anyway) to make things more convincing. I can, however wear tons of black lace, kohl my eyes and carry a cheetah print calf hair clutch in place of the real deal for tonight.

FFF: Lipschtick

2011-10-28T11:54:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday everyone!! Y'all know what that means!

First off, thank you everyone for all the wonderful comments on my last post, I'm so glad you guys are just as excited for fall as I am! So, from what I noticed, I've received a lot of feedback in my last post about the lipstick I'm wearing, and I've noticed that tends to happen when I post stuff in which I am donning a bit of color, so today I thought I'd go through my 3 faves on constant rotation.

To start, above is my favorite red lipstick of-all-time-ever-ever-ever, my YSL Rouge Volupté in Red Muse. You can see me wearing it most recently in this post. Anything else I usually go for in a lipstick is matte as life, but this one is glossy and is really the only thing own that I consider to have diva power. It doesn't have the staying power of my other two faves, but the color is just so rich and the lipstick itself has a really wonderful, velvety texture. Also, my mom and I both look great in this color, which is another one of the reasons why I love it so much.

(ps-that pursette is from Forever 21)

Stila's Long Wear Lipcolor in Paramour is another great one. Last posted about here, this color is also really nice against blue tones, so I usually find myself reaching for it in the colder months when my hair and eyes pop against the darker palate of the season. One thing, it can get a little dehydrating, so I just prep my lips with a little balm before I apply it, which, I mean, you should do anyways, but after that, this stuff stays great all day!

And finally, here's what I wore in my last post and this other one, Sephora's Rouge Cream Lipstick in Love Test. Lemme tell ya, when they say "long lasting" on this one my dudes, they MEAN it. This line of lipsticks in Sephora's namesake collection is absolutely amazing, you totally 100% get your money's worth with their incredible staying power and vibrancy. I plan on getting like, maybe, 5 more colors in this line because they're so dependable

Side note on the nails!: Just yesterday Natalie and I went showroom-hopping for some previews, and we had the BEST time over at Dietch PR where we got to check out the latest from lines like AGAIN, In My Air and (my fave) Kahlo. We were also given Shellac manicures by CND and I really don't think I can recover from this one you guys, oh my word. Shellac, aka powerpolish, stays chip-free for about two weeks, and unlike Gel manicures, it doesn't destroy your nails. I'm not even kidding when I tell you I full-on "gasp!"ed when my nails were done because they looked so shiny and perfect! Definitely a recommendation, best manicure I've ever had for sure!!

Folding into Fall

2011-10-25T00:11:00.000-07:00

Vintage blouse, Bird by Juicy Couture blazer, Moorea Seal chevron necklace, thrifted Jordache jeans, Aldo heels, Rebecca Minkoff Covet satchel, thrifted piece of fabric that is now a scarf

I know it's fall now that I've thrown on this amazing Bird blazer again. I think this month marks my one-year anniversary with it in my closet, and it has remained an absolute staple. I paired it up with some awesome patterns, including this scarf that is actually just a huge square of fabric I found in a thrift bin, can't complain! I love the dusty colors, so expect to be seeing it a lot on here from now on!

I was generously gifted this triple chevron necklace from Moorea whose work I've known about for a while. Her designs always balance the right amount of edge with geometry and earthy elements. I love Chevron triangles, you see them throughout history in architecture all over the world, so to be able to don them is really cool! Along with my fuchsia lips, it was a great finishing touch as I walked out the door to enjoy the day.

So, This Happened

2011-10-22T01:14:00.000-07:00

B&W shots stolen from Christina

I can barely even begin to describe the bombtastic evening I had at Sir Studios with The Girls. After hopping off from a Kenneth Cole Spring 2012 presentation, we headed a few blocks down to attend a private show from 50 Cent for the launch of the Motorola Razr. I basically relived middle school for a hot second when he performed his 2003-2005 hits, it was sick. I was absolutely reeling when he came out and performed P.I.M.P. whilst donning a white pimptastic fedora. I mean really, I could have died right then and there.

What came after was a series of party hops that involved piling into a van with about 10-15 cool cats, some of whom I wish I could remember so I could credit them for a couple photos here. Oh, did I mention this happened on a Tuesday evening? What is my life?!?!?!

Autumn Sun

2011-10-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

Alpinesrars by Denise Focil top, Sparkle & Fade bralette, vintage skirt, Gap flats, Melie Bianco bag, Jewelmint pomander necklace

Injecting some summery flow into my Fall ensembles lately, something that's pretty much effortlessly done when you have anything Denise has designed for Astars. This perfectly sheery top has an interesting bias cut down the front that wraps really nicely. She has a wonderful way of injecting some interesting details into her pieces!

I wore this whilst chilling around the Village a bit. I live in this labyrinth of an apartment complex, so even though I've been living here for about 5 months, there's always a new garden to stumble across or a new favorite chill spot on the lawn, it makes blog photo opportunities quite abundant! I also had the always lovely opportunity of chilling with my loves Natalie & Christina I piled some necessities into my new Jasmine satchel from Melie. I LOOOOOVE the clasp on this guy and the shape holds all my stuff for classes really nicely. Life is good when your accessories make your day easy to carry around with you!

Giveaway: Who Makes you Feel Pretty Powerful?

2011-10-19T10:07:00.000-07:00

Heya Ladies! So today I'm ecstatic to be teaming up with Bobbi Brown, whose work I've worshipped since I was about 13 years old, to talk about her newest campaign which celebrates natural beauty-beauty with or without makeup, it's Pretty Powerful! I have learned all about makeup thanks to Bobbi's amazing book, Teenage Beauty, which helped me learn so much about myself and how to use makeup to feel more confident and not hide behind it. It was my mom who gave me that book, and that's partially why she makes me feel Pretty Powerful.

When asked about who I ge my most inspiration from, I always say my mom. Her absolutely effortless style and collected philosophies on fashion brought me to love fashion and adore every facet of the industry. She taught me that when you wear something, you should tell a story or at least re-live a memory. She puts herself into every outfit whether it's the hat she designed herself for my parents' wedding, or the perfect shade of lipstick that she and I both wear (YSL Rouge Volupté in Red Muse). She's the coolest, and I'm proud to have her as my mama!

Now that I've told you my story, I want to hear your stories! Who or what makes you feel pretty powerful? GIVEAWAY TIME!! Vote or Submit in Bobbi's Competition HERE, follow me on Twitter and then Tweet at me with your stories using the hashtag #PrettyPowerful by Saturday 10/22 and I'll send a winner one of these palates:

Tweet here Face Here

Can't wait to read your stories everyone!!

Village Roof Party

2011-10-14T21:15:00.001-07:00

Photos by Nat
Winter Kate kimono wrap, Improv'D jacket, Upson Downes shirt,vintage belt, Lucca Couture shorts, Accessorize tights, Restricted boots

Apologies guys, FFF shall be postponed for a few days thanks to midterms, but rest assured I've got something cookin' as we speak :]
However we can talk about hair 'cause if you thought my hair was straight in that last post I did, here it is REALLY sleek thanks to another stellar trip to Arrojo! I figured, what the hell, why not?

These were taken up on Natalie's roof, an awesome place for photos when you consider the graphic elements you get from the tops of neighboring buildings and a seemingly endless skyline! We ventured up there earlier in the week and realized it was a great chill spot! Hooray for great friends with roof access!! It was also hella windy outside, which made playing with flowy pieces like this Winter Kate cardigan super fun, I love stuff like that. This jacket has also been on heavy rotation thanks to dropping temperatures. It's got this great cut and a zip-up turtleneck sweater collar that can be worn a bunch of different ways. I gotta get some photos the next time I wear it and zip the neck up to just under my eyes. Toasty!!

City Slickin'

2011-10-12T13:04:00.000-07:00

Vintage blouse & belt, French Connection Style by UK jacket, Forever 21 shorts, Rebecca Minkoff Covet satchel, Zara boots, Sorrelli Pyramid bracelet, Vanessa Mooney zipper wrap, Giles & Brother bolt bracelet, rings from Jewelmint & various antiquing trips

Chillin' in the city, chillin' in the city!
Just an afternoon spent shopping around with Natalie & then hanging out with the boy & our best friend Moishe for dinner. I kinda prepped it up and went neutral. I can't stop wearing this jacket! Its perfect khaki color and lovely rippled ruffle detailing goes with well, errythang! I paired it with some simple shorts, which I'm still trying to wear as much as possible despite the changing weather.

Later I had dinner with my boyfriend & my Dad who came down from Buffalo to pick up some pieces for his gallery. This is where I would insert a photo of the AMAZING soup dumplings we partook in at Joe's Shanghai in Chinatown, but it was super steamy in the restaurant and of course my boyfriend and I basically inhaled them all before I could remember to take a shot!

Fall Film Wardrobe Inspiration: The Graduate

2011-10-10T18:47:00.000-07:00

MSGM coat, CALVIN KLEIN Lingerie/ PAUL & JOE Blazer, ANNA SUI shirt, AURELIE BIDERMANN bracelet, ALICE + OLIVIA skirt, TIBI flats

For fall, I always think of collegiate style and classic movies like The Graduate, the very film I was thinking of immediately when I was styling it up with H&M (keep readin'). I am utterly obsessed with this movie, from the characters to the soundtrack, I've been watching this movie since I was 13 and I never get tired of it.

What I really love is the juxtaposition of the sultry Mrs.Robinson, and her daughter Elaine, who is more normal and youthful. Mrs.Robinson of course steals the show with her signature leopard coat and the lingerie she exposes to seduce the much younger and shyer Benjamin, knocking him on his feet and pushing him into a mess of a situation. Elaine is more of a normal girl from a well-to-do family, and dresses accordingly. I love styling around characters and bringing elements from two different personalities together!

Part of what I'm basing my studies at Parsons on is this idea that Fashion is basically equal to culture, and that all art forms and methods of producing personality go into the industry, so it's important to take heed of what makes individuality and character so important when it comes to clothes!

And Now, The Fun Part

Now I'm really excited to share with you guys an awesome opportunity that came 'round recently. Alongside 4 other amazing Blogga ladies who I adore to pieces, I was able to style an autumn outfit from some of my favorite pieces from H&M with Refinery29! I almost died when I saw the coat I'm wearing. It was SOOO warm and it felt so glamorous to just throw on top of anything, something that is hard to achieve when it's cold and miserable outside and you have to layer so many bulky pieces!

Now is your chance to make your closet even more awesome! Vote HERE for your fave look (heyy :D) and leave a comment for a chance to win a $500 gift card to H&M! You deserve it!!

Sunset on the Roof/ Jewelmint Offer!

2011-10-08T11:51:00.000-07:00

Photocred goes to Moishe's skills

Vintage sweater dress, Qupid flats, Forever 21 shirt, Pomander necklace & Midas ring c/o Jewelmint, Rebecca Minkoff Boy Toy satchel

I had a fantastically chill evening hanging out with my boyfriend and our friend Moishe in their new digs. Since the boys have only been in their apartment for about a week, we decided to explore the building a bit and managed to get up on the roof despite all of us needing a good 5 minutes or so to build up the courage to ricochet up some rickety metal ladders. It was totally worth it with the sun setting over the city and the perfect amount of breeze. I wore this vintage sweater that I bought second-hand over the summer. I bought it when we were in the midst of the hottest day in July, but I knew I would end up wearing it to death in the latter months. I am so glad I invested in it when I did!

I am so essited to share my two newest additions to my jewelry box courtesy of Jewelmint. Jewelmint is a super cool boutique that offers everyone a personalized selection of jewelry that is designed by none other than Kate Bosworth and her amaaaaaaaaazing stylist Cher Coulter. Believe me, this isn't really a normal celebrity-turned-designer thang, the pieces really are very thoughtfully designed and there's something for everyone! Every piece is $29.99 which is awesome for the attention to detail and quality each trinket has, lemme tell ya.

I'm OBSESSED with this Pomander charm necklace! My jaw dropped when I noticed it on the site because pomander charms aren't really worn anymore unless you can find one at an antique shop or flea market. They were designed in the Victorian era to hold a piece of scented cotton or some herbs to leave a subtle scent in the air. I put lavender in mine :]

The design of this one is just modern enough and it goes with absolutely positively everything. Same with the Midas rin that I picked up as well, I love the retro Egyptian-esque design with the beads of color running down the length of the ring, totally gives me vibes of Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra

As a special treat for y'all, if you guys sign up with Jewelmint feel free to use ze invite code HERE and the promo code BOCT50 to receive 50% your first purchase! It expires October 31st so do it up!

Frizz Free Friday: Getting a No-Makeup Look with Benefit

2011-10-06T21:05:00.000-07:00

Whaddup everyone?

This week's installation of FFF comes after an amazingly awesome event I attended in celebration of Benefit Cosmetics' boutique opening in SoHo (note the MAJOR dorkage in photo 4). Now, my theory when it comes to makeup is to wear what flaunts an air of nonexistence, makeup that doesn't look terribly much like, well, makeup!

So after getting my eyebrows shaped (something that I shamefully don't often focus on), I was given a new face with some products that I am probably going to obsess over for quiiiiite some time! Focusing on my dark circles, I was dosed with some really great products that essentially erase the evidence that I have been working on midterms for hours into the night. First I was introduced to the very first eye cream I have ever tried: It's Potent! (literally). I loved the cooling effect, always nice.

Next was the Stay Don't Stray primer for the Boi-ing concealer. The Primer does its job of course, but it's also tinted slightly, which is a plus. And then, I was blown away by the next product, which made my whole face wake up! Love, love, LOVES me some Ooh La La Lift! This brightening booster is amazing on top of concealer, I know I'm always going to have this on me because even if my concealer is lacking at the end of the day, this stuff will pick me right back up! Definitely worth a try.

And the last touches, the What's Up highlighter, which was really nice since I have never really dabbled in using a highlighter, and this guy is double-ended so that it can be applied easily and evenly to the cheekbones and browbones. I got the Cha Cha tint to finally warm up my cheeks and lips and They're Real mascara.

So what did I learn?

-Highlighter is kind of amazing? Putting it on my cheeks or in the corners of my eyes instantly makes me look more awake and alive! I love it!

-My skin tone along with my red hair gets a boost from a peachy tint or blush, the warm tone, well, warms!

-A little Primer goes a loooooooong way. Applying it with your ring finger on your undereye area is prime since it's the weakest finger.

Dudes, I loves me some Benefit! I'm so glad they've made a home here in NYC all the way from their home-base in San Francisco. I really loved exploring a bit more in the realm of skin-perfecting makeup and I hope you guys picked up some tips and tricks yaselves!

Straight Hair!

2011-10-06T14:04:00.000-07:00

Ph. by Christina

Forever 21 top, Improv'd jacket, Gryphon skirt

I stopped by my beloveds over at Arrojo on Sunday and decided to try something new. Along with a cut, I got a blowout, something I haven't experienced in literally 2 or so years! I totally couldn't recognize myself! My hair was actually straight for most of my childhood, only once I hit 13 had my hair became super curly, so in some weird way it was like seeing my former self :]

Leopard & Gold

2011-10-03T19:25:00.000-07:00

Vintage blouse, belt & sweater, Textile by Elizabeth & James pants, ASH boots, Eric Javits bag, Vanessa Mooney necklaces worn as bracelets (1 here), silver rings from Accessorize, Warby Parker sunglasess

Oh, Autumn, sweet, sweet Autumn.

I've been really enjoying the temperature drop these past few days, only because I can wear sweaters and light jackets and be comfortable. And to me, running out, getting a coffee and taking a long walk with the cup warming your hands in the cold is just sooo lovely. Of course these enjoyable feelings will fade as we get further into Fall, but for now, it's all good man!!

This kinda is an accessory-centic ensemble! I threw together something simple to wear with my new Eric Javits baby bag. I cannot even begin to explain how much I adore this bag, it fits everything I need. Plus, I mean, you guys know me, gimme an accessory with a little bit of leopard print and I'm good to go! Oh man, and these drop-dead-crazy-awesome Vanessa Mooney necklaces are like a dream come true, I can see myself wearing the bone and tassel piece just thrown on with a T-shirt or to an event, I'm already addicted to incorporating it with anything!

Frizz Free Friday: A Homemade Hair Mask that Actually Works

2011-09-29T21:54:00.000-07:00

It's always fun to take matters into our own hands, and I tend to take extra special care of my hair during these upcoming drier, cooler months. Now, I have some frizz issues (don't we all?) from time-to-time, and I've tried maaaaaaaany things in a pinch to hold down the fort. I've tried vinegar masks, banana and almond masks, egg yolk and olive oil...the list goes on. I can't help it, it's just fun! But nothing, NOTHING has worked as effectively for frizz and "Omg" shine as this Avocado hair mask

I know it looks like a bowl of dip, but that would be the wrong sort of application

You'll need:

1 whole, ripe Avocado

1 Tbsp Honey

2 Tbsp Olive Oil (EV preferred)

1 Tbsp Loose Peppermint tea (optional since it's a bit cumbersome to clean up)

1. Combine everything together, making sure you blend the crap out of the avocado, otherwise it'll hard to spread it out evenly. Extra Virgin Olive oil is fantastic for your hair! It's just PACKED with vitamin E and has more concentrated levels of B-vitamins than regular Olive Oil, but if you only have the regular stuff on hand, that's totally fine.

2. If you choose to add it in, brew the loose tea and mix in the leaves. The peppermint, I find, makes the mask and your hair smell really lovely

3. Apply the mask to dry hair from root to tip, you'll get an idea of how well this stuff works when you notice how soft your hands get too!

4. Cover your hair with a shower cap and chill about for 5-10 minutes, I dunno, go watch Mad Men or something or catch up on some emails. I usually keep the mask and cap on in the shower, letting the heat and steam work with the mask to make it work a bit deeper.

5. Rise out and wash with your normal shampoo. I use Arrojo's Gentle Sulfate Free awesomeness

The Avocado's superfruit abilities are never-ending! I love this mask for how siiiiiiiiilky it makes your hair. Not only will your head be frizz-free until your next shampoo, it'll also be crazy shiny.

So there you have it! It's cheap, messy & fun!

Comfort After Class & Chillin' at Google!!

2011-09-28T13:24:00.000-07:00

Zara pants, Fairy Tales are True tank, American Living for Jcpenney jacket, Deena & Ozzy flats, BDG satchel, Warby Parker Sunglasses

Sh'na Tova Everyone!!
Gosh, I love these pants. I picked up this lovely, lose-fitting number earlier this week along with the top at Buffalo Exchange earlier this week and it's been great for knocking around town. After classes and before a few events yesterday, I grabbed some lunch with Nat in this. Some super lovely weather has been bestowed upon us this week , so all I needed was this light jacket that I have come to love and wear with almost anything.

Thanks to our friend Ben, we also had the AMAZING opportunity to check out the Google offices! It was really awesome getting a behind-the-scenes look at the host of our blogs! I had heard about Google being an amazing place to work at, but I had no idea just HOW awesome/epic the offices were here in NYC. Between game rooms equipped with pool tables, ping-pong, massage chairs and foosball, can you really go wrong? Oh, and public scooters to get around? Dude. Amazing.

J.Crew Perfects

2011-09-25T20:59:00.000-07:00

J.Crew Collection
I mean, really, could you be more effortless?