The Individual Bride

I’m working with a fabulous woman next weekend who’s getting married and has very strong opinions about what she wants to look like. She wants her personal style to come through in the dress that she chooses, which means she doesn’t want to look like a typical bride. She wants her dress to be unique and extremely individual and I LOVE THAT! I applaud anyone who is willing to step outside the box and bend the “rules” to find something that works perfectly for them.

She got me thinking of my good friend, accessories designer Aneta Genova, who recently married her boyfriend of 8 years in an intimate city hall ceremony here in New York. Aneta is full-on fabulous. She loves fashion and tends to gravitate to over-the-top design so there wasn’t any chance that she’d be showing up to city hall in anything “ordinary”. Uh-uh. Nope, instead she found a gorgeous ivory one-shoulder John Galliano evening gown at Century 21. Then when she couldn’t find the perfect length earring to graze her shoulders, she made her own. She looked stunning and completely individual. LOVE THAT! Another thing that I love is that her husband Luis looked just as good as she did in a beautifully tailored suit, simple tie, and classic shoes. Here are some of their wedding photos taken by their friend, photographer Barrett Doherty.

Congratulations to Luis and Aneta!!!
Definitely check out her new blog Bobbin Talk, which is all about fashion and accessories.

I put together these looks to give some simple ideas on how to bring out your personal style on your wedding day:

Buy a white dress straight off the rack from a designer you love. All of these dresses are from the designer’s ready to wear collections and are available in store now. This Giambattista Valli dress would be perfect for an afternoon wedding paired with Christian Louboutin python pumps and Kara Ross rock crystal earrings.

Don’t fear having fun with colorful accessories. This bohemian Temperley gown is stunning with Erickson Beamon coral beaded earrings, Mark Davis jewel-encrusted bangles, and gold Christian Louboutin flats.

Wear fabulous shoes. This modern Thakoon dress is stunning with this Lanvin coral colored beaded necklace and nude Lanvin peep-toe embellished shoes.

Try wearing something black with your shade of white. Black looks great with white, so why not experiment with a pair of black shoes or a black jacket. This Dolce & Gabbana satin dress is a glamorous option for an afternoon wedding worn with a Lanvin gold and crystal necklace and a Tom Binns diamante necklace. A Richard Nicoll black pearl cluster brooch is pinned at the center waistline to add interest. A Vivienne Westwood black pleated bolero jacket and Alessandro Dell’Aqua black lace-up peep-toe boots punctuate the look.

Another look that is punctuated by black, this Diane von Furstenberg glamorous white sequin gown has a contrast black silk sash. I’ve paired a Lanvin tiered crystal black ribbon necklace and a pair of Gina metallic round-toe pumps with the look which gives it sort of a modern 1930’s vibe. Metallic shoes are a great alternative to a white shoe.

Okay, this look is definitely for the edgy fashionista either getting married at city hall or having an afternoon ceremony. This Christopher Kane dress has black leather scallops and a black tulle skirt. I’ve paired an Yves Saint Laurent black velvet bow tie belt, Givenchy black lace sandals, and a Tom Binns black crystal bracelet to make this look even more dramatic.

A romantic, ultra-feminine look for an afternoon wedding, this Dolce & Gabbana lace corset dress could be topped with this black Calvin Klein tuxedo jacket to balance the feminine details with masculine tailoring. Loree Rodkin gold chandelier earrings and Christian Louboutin pink satin flutter sandals finish the look.

Wear a statement necklace. This simple Philip Lim 3.1 silk sheath gown comes alive with this Ericson Beamon dramatic stone necklace and gold Miu Miu crystal encrusted sandals. A L’Wren Scott embroidered short jacket is the perfect jacket to finish the look with.

Consider chic modern accessories if you’re more of a minimalist bride. This Giambattista Valli textured bubble dress has a simple modern shape that would look too fussy with heavy accessories. I’ve chosen a pair of Jil Sander diamond and aquamarine spear earrings and a Jil Sander diamond cluster bracelet with a Tahitian pearl. The silver Givenchy sandals play off the darkness of the pearl and the white gold of the jewelry.

I hope I’ve given all of you brides-to-be some new ideas. I’m always here to help if you want to create your own unique bridal look and are in need of some professional know-how or just an objective opinion. Feel free to contact me and we’ll work together.

***Music today: Doves “The Last Broadcast”.

A Perfect Day To Layer

Google told me it was going to rain and be overcast today and I was to be in the city shopping with a client for the afternoon so I dressed for it.  Of course, then it was sunny and beautiful all day.  It wasn’t until I was heading home that the wind started whipping up and it got a little chillier.  This outfit worked well.  The jacket added warmth when I needed it and when I wanted to cool off a bit, I just took it off and walked around in the light weight t-shirt and grandpa cardigan.  Such a pretty Spring day and no rain after all.

I’m wearing my favorite t-shirt, a light heather grey Clu scoop neck pocket tee (which I just noticed Urban Outfitters totally knocked off so I’m gonna have to pick another one up), under my black light weight Club Monaco grandpa cardigan with silk chiffon trim and my Vivienne Westwood Anglomania striped wool jacket.  The jeans are my new favorite J.Brand dark denim skinnies tucked into my lovely Costume National riding boots.

I kinda like when my sweater sticks out from underneath my jacket, but hey, it’s up to you if you like it for yourself.

My beloved Dina Sutter rutilated quartz and rose gold necklace is the only jewelry I decided to wear.

You can never go wrong with a riding boot.  Classic, comfortable, and great for city shopping.

So, I got home and checked my e-mail and there was this awesome drawing waiting for me from my client’s daughter Maya, who’s an aspiring fashion designer.  She expertly assisted me with putting together outfits for her mom and then even came up with some ideas of her own.  Thanks Maya!  I love it!!!

***Music today.  Depeche Mode “Violator”.

Bonnie Cashin

Yesterday, I was buzzing through Ebay in search of a vintage handbag, when I stumbled on a Bonnie Cashin Coach bag!!! I totally flipped out and stalked the listing for hours until I made sure that I won the bag, which I did. Hooray!

This is it and it’s perfect! I can’t wait until it comes.

All day, I was remembering the retrospective exhibition the F.I.T. museum had in 2001 after Cashin passed away. It was the best fashion exhibition I’ve ever experienced. It made me feel as though I’d had a glimpse into her life. All of the mannequins were so close you could have touched them and you were able to see every single beautiful detail of every garment and handbag featured that she’d designed. They also had recreated her workspace, which was full of bright color and texture. It was endlessly inspiring.

I love her box of affirmations hanging on her kitchen wall. (Both photos of Cashin at home courtesy of Corbis.)

Bonnie Cashin started her career as a costume designer for Broadway and later for the movies. She designed her own very successful sportswear collection as well as launching the women’s accessories collection for Coach in 1962. Her trademark toggles and hardware are still used to this day. She was a true artist and visionary. For more information on Cashin and her life, see The Bonnie Cashin Foundation website.

Here are some of her vintage bags for Coach:

Bonnie Cashin Clothing:

(from the Metropolitan Museum)

a paper jacket

Cashin’s colorful home and studio:

(photos courtesy of Style Court)

***Music today. Sia “Some People Have Real Problems”.

I’m Feeling A Little Blue…

… 0r so it seems since I had an awful lot of blue on today. Of course, I didn’t think too much about it. I checked the weather in the morning and saw it was gonna be cold so I grabbed what was warm enough without being too wintery. Alright, the cashmere coat may have been an overkill, but I’d much rather be a little too warm when walking around the city as opposed to underdressed and cold. It’s easy to unbutton a jacket or take it off when you get too warm but if you’re too cold and don’t have anything to cover up with…

Here I am wearing a blue cotton Madewell shadow stripe scoopneck sweater over a Gap Body white tee and a pair of high-waisted J. Brand dark jeans.

My cashmere coat is from a small label called Operations, which has two stores here in New York. They’re known for their tailored pieces with special details, like for example pop colors in unexpected places like this jacket illustrates.

I bought this rayon floral pareo from Target right before my trip to the Philippines anticipating it would make a great beach cover-up. I washed it to make it a bit more rumpled and wrinkled and then decided instead to twist it up and wear it as a scarf. Never take anything at face value. The patent leather heart pendant is by Sabrina Dehoff.

Brown Frye boots, as always.

***Music today. The Stone Roses “The Stone Roses”.

Spring Forward

I don’t know about you but I’m pretty impatient for Spring to really show up.  I mean, I know it’s officially Spring now, but it’s still frigid here in New York.  I’ve made a few new Spring additions to my wardrobe over the last month and I’ve been biting at the bit to actually wear them.  As is pretty customary for the month of March our weather is all over the place.  One day it will be in the 60’s and everyone will be so excited and then the next day it’s snowing and in the 20’s.  What’s a girl to do when she’s sick of wearing all of her warm winter gear but she still needs to stay warm?

Today, I decided that I couldn’t wait to wear my new pieces any longer.  After all, there’s no reason why I shouldn’t be able to bring a little Spring into my daily life.

I’m wearing my new red cotton scarf that I got on my trip to the Philippines with a grey Madewell ribbed tank and my warm black merino/cashmere Club Monaco cardigan, cinched at the waist with my Linea Pelle leather belt.  Another new purchase, a pair of dark skinny J. Brand jeans are worn over a black pair of tights and my new A.P.C. grey snakeskin wedges that I got on Ebay.

I love the idea of wearing a belt over a scarf that just hangs from the neck.  Remember that super chic Swedish fashionista I got this idea from?

Another purchase from the Philippines.  When we were at the airport in Manila, I noticed one of the girls at the ticket counter had a pair of these colorful earrings on and wanted so badly to ask her where she got them.  I didn’t ask, but kept thinking of them and hoping that I would happen upon them during the course of our trip.  And wouldn’t you know on the last day, there they were in this little store in Iloilo City for 50 cents American!!!  I bought two pairs.    I love the way the tangerine orange color looks with the red of the scarf.  It adds a little more bright Spring color to this outfit.

Probably one of my best Ebay purchases to date, these A.P.C. wedges look great with tights or without.  Now, I just have to see what kind of magic my shoe guy can do to prevent me from getting major blisters from all of these straps when I’m not wearing tights.

***Music today.  The Streets “A Grand Don’t Come For Free”.

Celebrity Advice?

I say why the heck not?  Especially when it’s someone as stylish, well-traveled, and intelligent as Gwyneth Paltrow.

My fabulous client Suzanne and I were discussing food and restaurants last weekend as we were shopping, when she suggested I check out Gwyneth’s website Goop.com which has the tagline “Nourish The Inner Aspect”.  Gwyneth talks about parenting, food, travel, cooking, books, exercise, and most importantly for our purposes here, style.  It’s a terrific website and you can even download a Tracy Anderson butt-busting lower body workout for free.  Nice.

These are some of my favorite simple styling ideas of hers:

***Music today.  Nick Drake “Five Leaves Left”.

I Heart Marc Leffman

He’s gonna kill me for posting this, but I have to do it because my friend Marc has killer style. We’ve been friends since design school where he was the French-American kid who had worked at Christian Lacroix and believed in fashion for fashion’s sake. He had major opinions about fashion and design and always stood his ground whenever a design instructor disagreed with him or challenged his taste. I always admired Marc because he was true to himself and his design esthetic.

Fast forward to present day and Marc is a super creative design director who just started his own brilliant blog called Trendboard, which muses on design inspiration and forecasts fashion trends. Definitely worth checking out.

The thing I love about Marc’s personal style is that it’s a little preppy, a little disheveled, a little quirky, and totally unfussy. His accessories are always classic but personal and he knows which pieces to splurge on and which ones to save on. He mixes designer with discount, preppy with edgy, classic with trendy, and it always works.

All photos are courtesy of his facebook profile (tee-hee-hee). Thanks to his friends, family, and of course Marc himself for posting these photos and letting me borrow them without your knowledge.

***Music today: Yeah Yeah Yeahs “It’s Blitz”.

Suddenly, I Love Chinos

I’ve always loved the idea of wearing a great pair of chinos but could never find a pair that didn’t feel or look too preppy on me.  It always looked odd with the rest of my wardrobe.  I’d buy a pair with the best of intentions and then wear them once or twice before giving them away to a friend.  They just never looked right on me regardless of the fit, fabric, or design details.

Then a few months ago I took a rack full of designer clothing from a client to help her sell on Ebay.  In her cast-offs were a pair of Prada chinos from however long ago.  Every day I’d walk by this rack and the chinos would catch my eye and I’d think about them for a split second until finally one day I pulled them off the hanger and actually looked at them closely.  When I discovered they were my size, I had to try them on.  Et voila!  They were perfect. They are made out of a crisp poplin, have a slightly higher rise, a flat front, cinch back, and a wide leg.  They fit me perfectly, not too over-sized but still slouchy and lived-in looking and washed down enough to be soft and casual without being beaten up.  I decided to purchase them from my client for the price I thought they might fetch on Ebay.  And easily enough, I am now a chino convert.

It was a gloriously warm day, perfect for cuffing up my new Prada chinos.  When was the last time you pegged a cuffed pant?  For me, I would venture that it was 7th or 8th grade.  LOL!  And now, I’m digging it again.
I’m wearing a Gap Body white tee, Clu heather grey vest, and a Club Monaco navy cashmere cardigan.

My favorite Robert Geller white painted ring always adds a quirky detail to any outfit I wear it with.

My favorite Subversive for Target necklace adds some color to this otherwise neutral outfit.

Thank God for a warm day so that I can unleash my favorite zebra print J.Crew flats.  Adding key accessories like an animal print flat to an outfit adds interest and instant personality.  So much better than a boring black flat any day.

***Music today.  Meat Beat Manifesto “99%”.

I’m Back :)

I’m back from our trip to the Philippines, and what a trip it was. I’m kinda bleary-eyed with jet lag from a 13-hour time difference starting to set in, but I’m fighting it off by pretending that I slept normally last night and will stay up all day just like I did yesterday.

So, let me start by saying that I’m kinda experiencing reverse culture shock right now and I’ll explain why. My boyfriend, Rich, had been prepping me for this trip for two years so that I knew what to expect. His family on his Mom’s side have a farm on a small rural island called Guimaras which is in between two large islands, the closest province being Iloilo. Guimaras is poor with the median annual income being equal to $400 US. People on the island conserve, recycle, reuse, and re-purpose everything not because it’s the “green” thing to do, but because it’s the only thing to do. They appreciate everything that they own and that is given to them. Simply put, it is a beautiful way of life.

Rich’s family’s farm is beautiful and is full of coconut, mango, papaya, and banana trees as well as lots of chickens, vegetable gardens, and rice paddies. The family grow and harvest the majority of their food so everything we ate was the freshest it could possibly be. Their farm hand Ray was always scampering up trees to pull down ripe fruit for us to enjoy. Every day, Uncle Vicente, who is an excellent chef, would feed us with the most incredibly tasty yet simple dishes. That chicken that we’d see Ray chasing down across the yard, was lunch an hour later. Every morning we’d rise with the roosters and be greeted with fresh coconut that we’d slurp all of the yummy coconut water from then spoon out all the pulpy fruit. We spent our days touring the island, reading, spending time with the family, and eating non-stop. No cell phones, no computers, nothing. It was great being disconnected. At the end of the day when the sun set and dinner digested we’d watch the stars and eventually stroll off to bed.

As I said, what a trip.

Rich and I with our coconut. Delicious.

So, my main concern while packing for this trip was dressing simply and bringing lots of sunscreen. I found this panama hat online and loved it for its’ pattern and color. The glasses are classic Oliver Peebles and I pretty much lived in this J. Crew navy sundress the whole time we were there.

Alu Bihod, the local beach. That’s me in the water with two of Rich’s cousins Paul and Trixie. Laying in the sun is Rich’s mom Dina.

Every morning around 6:30 the fish monger would roll up to the farm on his moped with his catch of the day. This was lunch.

Rich and Dina at the magical Neptune Pittman gardens. I was really impressed with this dinette which is made out of painted old tires. How cool is that?! The other thing I saw a lot of were planters made of old tires. Such an inventive way of re-purposing something instead of throwing it away.

This was our little getaway to Isla Naburot for a day. When we first got there it was raining, but that passed within minutes and the day became gloriously sunny. Our bungalow was the one all the way to the left and we were only joined by 4 other guests. This is paradise here on earth

A view from our bungalow.

Me lounging on a hammock reading in the shade. I wore a pair of Gap cargo shorts and a Madewell tank. All of the houses and bungalows on the island were made of reclaimed wood, quirky coral bricks, and shell screens.

Our fabulous tour guide, Dina in her Gucci sunglasses, Uncle Vicente and Rich in the back of a jitney. All island transportation is open air and without seat belts. A jitney is pretty much a small bus. Most of the time we either walked or took tricycles, which are mopeds with side cars.

Some of the delicious fresh fruit from the farm that comes off the tree and straight into your mouth.

Rich munching on some delicious pork barbecue that Vicente made for us.

Right before we left. From left to right, Rich’s Lolo shaking his spoon at you, Rich’s Lola, Aunt Elizabeth, me, Ning, and Rich. His grandparents are in their 80’s and they’re still active and super agile. One afternoon we watched his Lolo carry a load of heavy wood atop his shoulder with our mouths open. Okay, it’s one thing to carry that, but it’s a whole other thing to get it up to your shoulder. I don’t know about you, but I wanna be like them.

***Music today. Glasvegas “Glasvegas”.