item of the day – hunter bicolor boot

[get them @ hunter]

basically right now i am disgusted by all my winter outerwear. i am sick to death of my coats, scarves, hats and boots. i need something to entice me to get dressed to go outside. and these hunter boots might be it. imagine them with fuchsia or blue hunter fleece socks, for color blocking that will get you out the door. xxx, t

item of the day – phillip lim tank dress

[get it from phillip lim]

so here i was, surfing the phillip lim website, looking for spring inspiration, and i stumbled upon this totally adorable phillip lim dress. love love love the black/white color way, the perfectly wearable length, and the easy silhouette [the dress has really nice movement, you can see that in the video on the saks website]. so perfect for any spring event in march/april. and come summer, wear it with a really bright shoe, like these fuchsia manolo pumps. but since i am a declared flats girl, i personally would pair the dress with these super chic black manolo flats. i think the geometry of the lattice detail in the shoe contrasts nicely with the floral pattern of the dress. xxx t.

[get it from bergdorf]

[get them from bergdorf]

print i love – leopard

[photo from fabfashionfix.com]

i love leopard. to me, it’s just so…… chic. it’s my favorite print, hands down. for me, generally, a little goes a long way, most of the time [except for those times that definitely call for a “more is more” approach. you’ll know when those times come along. trust yourself]. here are a few ways to put some leopard in your life.

[get it from barneys]

in a tshirt. this one is by one of my favorite t shirt labels, etre cecile. i love their colors and graphics. and the fact that they are logo free [there is a bit of mystery to the label, since apparently the founders, who are fashion insiders, wish to remain anonymous]. even if leopard is not your thing, do check out the line at barneys. i think their t shirts look great with pencil skirts come spring.

[get it from barneys]

in a skirt. this skirt happens to be in my favorite shape, fit and flare. the movement in the skirt plays up the fun factor in the print. wear it with all black if you are just venturing into the leopard print world. wear it with a black/white leopard print sweater [saks has a good one on sale] and over-the-knee boots if you have the confidence and you are not worried about anyone having you involuntarily committed.

[get it from piperlime]

in a bag. clare vivier clutches are big among fashion insiders [i am not exactly sure why i am including this bit of information. it seems to be the standard opening sentence in magazine articles about new products. honestly it does not matter to me if editors etc.. really like a particular item: i think the whole point of fashion is self expression, so it should only matter if YOU like the item, and the item makes YOU feel confident and happy when you wear it. net a porter totally gets this – have you noticed that they never show the face of the models? they just show you the product, and let you project yourself into it. smart marketing by women, for women].  if you prefer the fold-over style, you can get it directly from the clare vivier site. j. crew also sells a cute leopard clutch/pouch, at a lower price point.

[get them from hunter]

 in socks. i am always looking for inspiration as to how to look chic in the cold, the rain, the snow, a swarm of frogs/locusts…. you get the point. i love these socks. super chic with black or navy hunters, and utterly fabulous with red or yellow ones.

[get them from net a porter]

in shoes. love love love everything about these gianvito rossi sandals. the block heel, the crisscrossing straps, the attitude. i would pair them with an orange pedicure. [btw, if you dare, gianvito rossi has also made a stiletto version of the leopard shoe. insanely fabulous on the right woman]

[get them from bergdorf’s]

and finally… in rock studs!!!! i just can’t help myself. rock studs. in leopard. with a dash of neon. bestill my beating heart.

xxx t.

style file – flats, part 2

although most of the clothes I choose fit the description of “timeless”, I would guess that about 20% of my wardrobe is made up of pieces that are kind of “out there”. you know, the kind of stuff that, when shown to your husband/boyfriend/partner, elicits one of the following responses: “what is it exactly?”,  “where are you planning to wear that?” and my personal favorite  – “is it returnable?” blah, blah, blah.

of course these items tend to be my favorites, because they are the ones that really spoke to me when i saw them for the first time [a pair of wide legged miu miu pants with an apple print immediately comes to mind].  you know you have them as well. they are the items that give you a chance to really show the world who you are. maybe you were even a little nervous the first time you wore one of these items… wondering if people were going to think you had lost your mind for wearing such a thing in public. yet wanting to wear it anyway.

so, in honor of our collective sartorial braveness, here are a few whimsical flats.

[get it from bergdorf’s]

miu miu garden kitty flat. i have to say, miuccia prada has convinced me to take a lot of fashion risks over the years. her designs are so intelligent, and miu miu just makes me happy. these flats are new this spring. i would pair them with a black dress and a leather jacket, just to show that you have not completely lost it.

[get it from forward]

tabitha simmons dolly espadrille. the moment i saw these, i put them on my wish list. i think the color combination is so fun. they would look adorable with a white cotton dress and a jean jacket. btw, since these espadrilles are not cheap, you might want to check out the collaboration tabitha simmons has done with tom’s.

[get it from barney’s]

 rupert sanderson sandals. a newish designer, at least for me. these scream summer.  imagine them with a shimmery blue pedicure. wear them with a really colorful skirt – like this one [a long fit & flare style] from mother of pearl, and a white t shirt.

 xxx t.

[ps – i know the green border around the pictures is ugly. as soon as i figure out how to remove it, i will!!]

style file – flats, part 1

as much as i want to wear heels, i am a flats girl. no heel is, or ever will be, as comfortable as a flat. there: i have said it.

now. over the last few seasons, a whole new world has opened up for flats girls. now we can choose among a myriad of options that have personality, a point of view.

here are some of my favorites [clockwise from top left]

valentino rock studs. these rule my world. i love them in every permutation and combination. in my opinion the ones pictured above – the rockstud noir – are the gateway drug. before you know it you will want the crystal coated version for evening and the blush version for spring.

aquazzura belgravia. aquazzura makes a shoe called you sexy thing that has been featured in a lot of street style pictures. this season he introduced the belgravia. finally flats girls can join the party. the grey version is insanely chic.

chloe lauren. i love chloe. these ballerinas are very very simple but so feminine. i think the lavender snakeskin is so special. if you are looking for a more basic color, nordstrom offers a ton of options [btw- i find that these have no support at all. if that does not work for you, i would skip them]

valentino tan-go. one of the few flats that can do dress up really well. start with the black patent of course. then graduate to the lipstick red version. this style comes in a couple of heel heights, so it is perfect if you are trying to wean yourself off your addiction to heels.

i hope you find one that works for you! xxx t.