Home Improvement

There's something about leaving a brick wall exposed that makes a room feel sort of unique and special.  While I typically associate red and brown brick with coziness and warmth, this white bricked small space is comfortable and cozy in a similar relaxing way. Pairing the rustic brick with the more feminine pink and creme pillows and wicker furniture makes for a combination that is both aesthetically pleasing and perfect for a room to lounge in. 

Person of Interest: Olivia Palermo

Olivia Palermo has one of those styles that gives me closet envy time after time. I always admired her sense of style and class and her ability to combine high fashion with more affordable pieces to create the put-together quality of her looks. Aside from her obvious ability to always appear polished, I am interested in the way that she incorporates tailored jackets and coats into her looks--an easy way to add texture and make an outfit look a bit more finished and tie the look together, and, following last week's POI on pattern mixing, Olivia is a master at that, as well.

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Tuesday Shoesday

Even though it is below freezing up in Syracuse right now, and we're in the middle of December, I find myself browsing sandal options for once it gets warmer and I won't be the only one who will be able to see my pedicure. With the black and white popularity during the Spring '13 shows (see: Marc Jacobs and Jil Sander), I realized how these bold graphic straps would provide a simple interesting element to a breezy dress or billowy shorts. However, since it is going to be chilly for quite a while, for now, we will just take notice in the black and white to use as winter wear inspiration and keep these on our minds come spring. 

A to Z: Menswear Inspired

As much as I have a soft spot for extremely feminine and delicate designs, menswear inspired pieces, or incorporating components of menswear into otherwise lady-like looks, is a style that I have been gaining interest in over time. Starting with my love of a pair of Madewell oxfords, menswear inspired pieces focus mostly around fit and quality. Currently, I am really loving a more modern take on menswear with a well tailored short suit that is both polished and whimsical at the same time. 

Below are some of my favorite menswear-inspired pieces. 

Have you ever styled your outfit around menswear? What's your favorite part of it?

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Dress Up

Although I do not know where the components of this outfit are from, I figured that this was the perfect lesson in how to incorporate pastels and light-weight fabrics into fall and winter wardrobes. While pastels are known for being associated with spring time, by combining a longer length dress with a tailored camel colored coat and brown leather bag, this light pistachio-mint color can work for cooler months during the winter just as it can for the cooler months of the spring.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Home Improvement

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There is a library on our Syracuse University campus that has creaking spiral metal staircases and narrow wooden floored aisles that always makes me feel as if I am in an old English library when I am in there. I have collected all of my favorite fashion and art magazines for as long as I can remember, and held on to favorite books for whenever i get the sudden urge to delve into them and hope to one day have an immense shelf filled from floor to ceiling with books and magazines that are not only interesting and beautiful to read, but to look at, as well. I love how in the room featured above, everything about the room is simply white and black and that aside from the rug, the only other color is coming from the spines and covers of the books.

Do you hope to one day have a library? What are your favorite books and magazines to collect?

Person of Interest: Whitney Port

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Mixing patterns is an easy way to create a greater range of variety in your wardrobe and can create a look that appears intensely thought out and difficult to pull off. While pattern mixing has become one of my favorite inspirations while getting dressed in the morning, oddly enough, it was Whitney Port and her style that had me attempt it in the first place a few years ago. Just as navy can be considered a neutral to some, I have gotten to where stripes and florals can be considered neutrals, as well. For me, in pulling off this style successfully, I have found that pairing a bolder or larger pattern (such as the bold striped skirt in the second photo) with a smaller more subdued one (the leopard print flats) usually works. I admire Whitney Port's style for the fact that she always appears put together and polished, while still maintaining an ease to her outfits by providing an undone element, as well.

Are you a fan of pattern mixing and what are some of your favorites to combine?