Baby, It's Cold Outside....

During my first winter in New York, a very fashionable friend told me that she could not wear a puffer, “they are just too ugly”.  I watched this girl put on three layers of cashmere sweaters under her cute wool coat.  Maybe it’s because of this advice that I don’t seem to own a down coat and have become the queen bee of layering.  But probably not, I probably don’t own one for two other reasons: one, I have never wanted a down coat and I don’t buy things I need, I buy things I want (not a great strategy, but it kind of works for me, most of the time); secondly,  I like to LAYER! 

My layering has gotten a little extreme.  People love the way I look but laugh when they realize how many pieces I have on.  When the temperature is below 40, any given outing for me will have countless layers... a flannel shirt, wool sweater, leather jacket, down vest, jeans, short socks, tall socks, boots, gloves, maybe two hats.

When layering, each piece can be transformed into something else. By wearing multiple pieces, the variables are widened and more options arise.  How pieces are put together can make winter dressing about more than just pure functionality, it can make it about style and creativity.

New Sight for the New Year

Happy New Year!  It’s here.  I am always so thankful when it comes around, not because it erases the past year, nor because it is a chance to start over- honestly, every day is a chance to start over (every day is fresh with no mistakes in it)- I think I love the change of year, because it always brings me into new sight. 

The change of year makes me take inventory of the past year, see the value in it, itemize the successes, the lessons, compare where I thought I would be last year at this time to where I am today.  When I do this, I see growth and I see the opportunity for more growth - which is the exciting and fresh part!

I’m not a big resolution person - as I said above, every day you can change your life.  What I am big on, is understanding what this year will mean for your personal journey in life; if you understand that, you make the minor changes along the way that people often categorize as resolutions (running more often, seeing more movies, making time for friends, writing, etc.).  I don’t like resolutions, if at some point you stop going to the gym because your life gets busy, your resolution becomes a failure.  We have to be adaptable because we can never be certain what life will throw at us.  What we can control in the next year and in our life, is the kind of person we want to develop into.

Put on fresh glasses! (I actually found a steal on my new Balenciaga’s, so I think this metaphor was meant to be).  What kind of a year is it for you?  Who do you see yourself as?  Let's make positive life choices and be gentle on ourselves in the small things, and let's grow on the greater whole.

A Girl Can't Help It

While cleaning up my work area, I came across these items: a Miu Miu sunglasses box with a velvet sleeve, a piece of Fresh soap wrapping (for Freesia) and one of my business cards.  Together they made a very pretty story.  With all of these things I saw, I have very specific and predictable taste, and a girl can't help it; she likes pink, she likes pink.

Merry Christmas Everyone

My Shoes...

These are shoes that I designed and I'd love to actually have this Fall!  I designed them to go with a Swedish Folk inspired collection.  I'm sure you can see a bit of the folksiness in the design.

Hello Fall

Just a "hello" to Fall, my favorite season. 

Boy-iness. Let's Borrow! (Part 2)

I have to continue talking about the boy trend because it is continuing to show up.  

 At Chloe (thank you Clare Waight Keller for bringing a truly stand up show to this House....I've been WAITING for something this good, and want to wear every look IMMEDIATELY), the boy ease of wear was supremely done in a feminine and tailored way.  

 At Stella Mcartney, we saw lots of boy elements too with slouchy pants and over-sized shirts.

Sacai may be my favorite rendition of the boy wear for girls.   Abe really captured all that I am loving about this trend, namely relating to attitude.  There were button downs, buttoned all the way up. Sweaters layered over those button downs.  Slouchy pants paired with lace tops.  And dresses of the girliest blue and white that inhabited the spirit of boy/girl wear with their fully buttoned collars and drop waist full skirts.

What to talk about next...maybe layering...?