A Mini Monet In The West Village
10 July 2012, 08:13
This dress was a case of love at first sight. When I first saw the Revisited Impressionist dress by Tracy Reese on Anthropologie’s site, I admit, I swooned a little bit. It didn’t take long before the dress & I become one. (Just like this!)
As you can imagine, the skirt twirls like a champ. The Aswirl Twins would be proud. “ASWIRL!!!”
I really can’t get over how incredible this dress is. The print is like a Monet painting come to life, with a fitted waist & elegant cut. In fact, I’d say it’s pretty much perfect.
This is one of my most simple outfits in a long time, because I wanted the dress to be the star! I paired the Revisited Impressionist dress by Tracy Reese with my yellow bow belt from WORLD & Laila heels by alice + olivia. My jewellery consists of Clear Sea earrings also from Anthropologie, my wedding & engagement rings, a druzy crystal ring from Etsy, my Michael Kors watch & a skinny rhinestone bracelet by Frieda & Nellie.
Additionally, I feel the need to point out that this yellow bow belt was one of my first ever non-goth purchases! At the time, yellow was the enemy — my mother had filled the house with it when I was a teenager, & I loathed the sight of it. (Too happy!) So when I bought the belt, I thought, I’ll never wear this! How wrong I was! Sometimes the most unusual things can fill the gap time & time again…
I wore this outfit to my Friday morning breakfast date with Rabbit & honestly, I felt like a superstar. We went to Peel’s & sat outside for hours. It was delightful! This Friday morning breakfast date thing is a new idea, by the way, which I have excitedly adopted from Bri! The goal is simple: meet a friend or two for breakfast, laugh, brainstorm, & drink coffee. It’s pretty much the best ever way to end the week. You should give it a shot!
Photos by Lydia Hudgens!
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alice + olivia & MAGNUM Ice Cream Shoot!
3 July 2012, 08:07
When my cab pulled up at The Carlyle Hotel, I never imagined I would end the night jumping on a bed in a silver neo-flapper dress! But that’s exactly what happened… & here’s the photo to prove it!
Thank you so much to MAGNUM & alice + olivia for showing me such a good time… & Stacey, we can’t wait to see your MAGNUM Mini Bar-inspired mini-skirt at fashion week!
This post was sponsored by the kind people at MAGNUM!
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California Dreamin'...
26 June 2012, 09:27
Warning: if you need a holiday, these photos could trigger a MAJOR California yearning. You have been cautioned!
Nubby & I fell in love with the colours at The Viceroy: that deep turquoise with emerald green, black & white stripes, & acid yellow accents. It was the perfect palette for a California getaway, & our eyeballs soaked it all in hungrily!
Oh, & before you mention it… Yes, I wear hats in the pool. I learned this trick from my mother, who, as long as I’ve known her, has always swum in a hat & sunglasses! Dial the glamour up to MAXIMUM!
My swimsuit was a gift from Swimspot last year; I wore it in Miami & loved it. The brand is Athena & it’s actually a mix-&-match bikini. I’m always on the hunt for a good (non-Grandma) skirted bikini bottom, & I think this fits the bill perfectly. I just looked at what they have now & the colours, shapes & styles are SUPER cute!
My hat is from American Apparel. The colour is such a sucker-punch to the frontal cortex!
My robe was generously provided by the good folks at The Viceroy Santa Monica ;D
Before long, it was time to put on some clothes. (All together now: “Awwwwww!”) I slipped into my new favourite dress…
This dress is a genuine vintage 1950’s skater dress, with a bodice of lace & a tulle skirt. It is seriously gorgeous, & was hunted out for me by the inimitable Mary Bee. When I first tried it on in our hotel room, Nubby started shrieking, because that VERY DAY, while comparing ASOS wishlists (!!!), I had shown her a pink lace skater dress, & we had talked about how it was “the perfect dress” for me. Nubby kept yelling about how I had manifested the real, original version of the dress! Hahah. It was pretty amazing serendipity!
I wore it with one of Nubby’s patent leather belts, knee socks & Frye motorcycle boots. Because you know, that’s how I do. Also making an appearance? My black sequinned backpack from Victoria’s Secret Pink! I can’t find it online — I bought it instore about two months ago — but it’s worth sniffing out if you like it too. It fits everything inside, maybe even entire galaxies… & is perfect for travel.
Doesn’t this photo make you want to fill your house with framed mirrors? I’ve said it before & I’ll say it again: Kelly Wearstler is a killer.
This yellow library was absolutely incredible. I have more pictures of it to show you in the not-too-distant future!
Of course, no day in Santa Monica is complete without a twirl on the swings!
Thank you SO MUCH to Christina, Alie & Marielle of Made U Look Photography! They don’t just make you look, they make you look damn GOOD! I love you girls!
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Brooklyn Bridge Babes!
19 June 2012, 08:25
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of my favourite NYC landmarks, & it’s not just because it’s an engineering marvel. It’s the bridge that Mike & I rode over a million times while we were falling in love; it’s the bridge that Mike’s great-uncle worked on as a foreman; it’s the bridge that we got married under 11 months ago. Oh, & it’s beautiful!
Since none of the girls had seen it before, Kat, Christina, Marielle, Alie & I headed over there for the grand finale on our day of shooting. We started out in the East Village, taking a few snaps while we waited for a cab…
Before long we were in Brooklyn, making the hike over to Manhattan. People forget that New York City is a series of islands. Before the Brooklyn Bridge was built, the only way to get from borough to borough was by boat!
The history of the bridge is fascinating. When it opened, people were so excited that there was a stampede which killed 12! Many others doubted the stability of the bridge, so P.T. Barnum — in a fantastic marketing twist — had his prize elephant, Jumbo, lead a procession of 21 elephants across it!
The Brooklyn Bridge was originally used by horse-drawn carriages & trolleys, but these days, it carries 6 lanes of motor traffic in addition to its pedestrian walkway. It’s an incredibly important piece of New York City infrastructure, since it’s one of the only ways to get to or from Brooklyn when the subways stop working. Thousands of people walked over it to get home on September 11th 2001.
We had such a good time taking these photos. It was the end of a very long day, & even though we were exhausted, walking across the bridge at dusk gave us all a last little burst of energy. It was the perfect end to our day.
The pedestrian walkway of the Brooklyn Bridge is truly crazy. There’s a white stripe painted down the middle, & it’s clogged with meandering tourists & aggressive cyclists. The people on bikes race down the other side of the bridge at top speed, & good luck to anyone who gets in their way!
We were really lucky to get some photos without many people in the background. I don’t really know how we managed, since it was absolutely packed with foot-traffic! Maybe it’s just an optical illusion caused by the hugeness of our dresses & coats!
I wore…
A flower wreath by Which Goose
Vintage dress from the 1960’s
White marabou jacket, also vintage
Frye engineer boots
Kate Spade handbag
Michael Kors watch, engagement & wedding rings
Kat wore…
Vintage dress altered by Fur Coat No Knickers
Jimmy Choo Tokyo hi tops
Vintage fur coat from Frock n Roll
Flower headband & vintage cuff from Lisa Harris Jewellery
Vivienne Westwood handbag
I travel a lot & I rarely do the tourist route. I’m not big on being a “tourist” anywhere; mostly I think tourist attractions are overhyped & a waste of money. I would prefer to see what it’s like to really LIVE in a city. But if you come to NYC, walking the Brooklyn Bridge is a must. It’s iconic & gorgeous, with some of the best views in the city. Do it early in the morning or at sunset; it’s sublime.
Be sure to stop off at Grimaldi’s & — if you have room! — the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, too! We ate at those two places after our wedding. In fact, we cut a Grimaldi’s pizza together instead of a wedding cake! Aw!
If you’re not yet sick of looking at Kat & I (!!!), here’s some more! I love this video of Christina, Marielle & Alie’s trip to NYC. The first half is Kat’s shoot with Gareth (SO CUTE), & from 3.30 it’s the two of us! I love the atmosphere conveyed in this little film.
As always, MAJOR LOVE to the Made U Look babes, to Regan Rabanal for the beautiful make-up, & of course to Kat for being my partner in crime… & a gorgeous person in general!
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New York City Sparkle!
13 June 2012, 09:24
The West Village is the best village. As an East Village dweller, I know I’m not supposed to say that out loud — even think it! But the West Village is where I lived when I first moved to New York City, & it remains my favourite place.
There’s something romantic about the West Village, with its cobblestone streets, beautiful brownstones & immaculately manicured gardens. It smells good over there; it’s fancy & fabulous. One day, I’ll move back… Husband & dogs in tow!
So these photos were all taken over there, in the West Village’s unique maze of gorgeous, leafy streets. They were taken by some of my favourite photographers, the Made U Look girls, while my favourite English babe, Kat, was in town. We had SUCH an amazing day!
We ended up drinking tea, sharing pain au chocolat, swooning over peonies & dancing in the middle of the street. Would you expect anything less?!
I wear these boots practically every day (& pairing them with long socks is my new favourite thing). Aren’t Kat’s Jimmy Choo sparkle sneakers insane?!
When I lived on Carmine Street, I would buy fresh flowers from the bodega twice a week.
I love the way they dye flowers over here. It’s so surreal & fun.
A dance party on Perry Street!
I was wearing…
Star headband from Janine Basil
Custom glasses by Luxyloli. She also made my INSANE phone case! I love Luxyloli!
Sequinned dress from TopShop (I can’t find it online but this one is similar!)
Sweater (in some pictures) by Victoria’s Secret Pink
Frye boots
Kate Spade bag
Forever 21 bracelets, Michael Kors watch, engagement & wedding rings
Kat was wearing…
Topshop cut-out back dress
Jimmy Choo Tokyo hi-tops
Stargazer Japan wig in Sky
Sparkle & Fade Skull Cardigan
‘We are all mad here’ necklace by UntamedMenagerie
So much love for this “taco taxi”! I was getting major Ellen Von Unwerth vibes from Kat during this shoot! Isn’t this so 90’s supermodel?!
This dress transforms into a massive disco-ball when the sun hits it… Perfect for impromptu boogie nights!
BABE! If she were president, she’d be Baberaham Lincoln.
Pretending this stoop is my very own… One day!
When’s the last time you got dressed up & had a dance party in public with your best friend? I’d wager that it was TOO LONG AGO! Make it happen this week!
I have to say a huuuuuuuge thank you to Made U Look Photography — who you should totally shoot with! — & also to Regan Rabanal, my favourite make-up artist! Babes, one & all!
Sparkle on!
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