27 April 2011

Conspicuous Consumption

I sometimes love a classic and understated bag, shoe, belt.  But I really love a slap you in the face logo like the eponymous LV canvas, the beloved double C on a bag or a big capital H on a belt.

Banana Republic shirt, INC skirt, J Crew shoes, Moschino belt
In comes my Moschino belt which I wore last weekend in NYC.  Upon seeing me wearing it, my sister joked "who makes the belt?".   Isn't she funny and clever?? 

Zara jacket, Miu Miu bag, Elisha Daniels necklace
Today finally ended up being the day I had been waiting for as it got warm and sunny.  This hydrangea printed skirt is ages old but I love the bright colors of the print and flowers make me happy.  I could have played down the print with something more neutral on top but if you are familiar with my wardrobe sensibilities you know that's just not my style.


And just because it was so gorgeous out and spring is in bloom, here are a couple of pics from my 'hood.

Happy spring!

Steven Alan Event at the Tannery

Next week there is a fabulous event at the Tannery in Boston.  Drinks, shopping, fashion, how can you say no?!

Hope to see you all there!

26 April 2011

Idle Time

I had a brilliant outfit planned for today but when I woke up to the weather report of clouds, possible showers and cooler than expected weather, I realigned my vision.

DVF top, Talbot's skirt, See by Chloe shoes, Aris Geldis necklace
I wore a DVF top, Talbot's leather skirt and See by Chloe shoes.


Still in need of a light jacket, I wore this Talbot's coat, Zara scarf and remember my shopaholic tendencies from the NYC weekend I posted about here?  Well darling blog readers, meet my new Balenciaga bag purchased at Bergdorf's.  You can thank my brother in law for this one.  My sis and I were doing a lap around 5F and he decided to belly up to the bar for a beer while waiting for us.  Well our 5F lap took less than 5 minutes but with a large full beer in front of him, we decided to kill some time down in handbags.  This is what happens to me when left with idle time at one of my favorite stores.  A Gucci bag is what happened to my sister with our idle time.

25 April 2011

Love and Butterflies

Last week on a sunny, blue skied yet still cold day I somehow got away without wearing a coat.   If not for a very short commute, I probably couldn't have gotten away with it but with only three blocks to travel, I managed.

Zara shirt and jacket, Seven jeans, Love Moschino belt, Miu Miu bag, necklaces Chanel and Yochi NY
I am totally digging the silhouette of the wide leg jeans (this pair from Seven) and I paired them with a butterfly top from Zara, a white Zara blazer and a whimsical red Love Moschino belt with a heart buckle.

24 April 2011

Easter Weekend

I had such a lovely weekend especially since I had Friday off of work.  My Friday started off very early catching a train to NYC to spend the weekend with my sister.  While waiting for the train to NYC, a woman came up to me to tell me her sob story of a daughter in the hospital with third degree burns and  needing money to buy some frozen Banquet dinners for her family.  I never know if I’m being told the truth or if I’m being fed a line but I gave her a dollar anyway.  What can I say;  I’m a sucker.  Besides, if she’s telling the truth she deserves way more than the dollar I gave her and if she’s not, her creativity and acting ability are worth at least a dollar.  Besides she told me I was so pretty I ought to be in California.  If that’s not worth a dollar, I don’t know what is.  Anyway, I arrived in NYC just in time to belly up to the bar at Gramercy Tavern for lunch.  I've done the fancy prix fixe dinners there and meals in the more casual tavern.  While I love both, I do so enjoy wiling away a casual afternoon with an abundance of food and wine.

Duck liver mousse


Smoked kielbasa, spaetzle and ramps

Giant meatball oozing with melted fontina in a potato puree

Special of the day: burger with potato bacon salad

Gorgeous flowers in the bathroom of all places
After an overly indulgent and boozy lunch, we headed uptown to Barney's and Bergdorf's where my shopaholic tendency reared its ugly head.  You'll see the fruits of those labors later in this post and in others to come.

Egg sandwich a la brother in law
Breakfast Saturday morning consisted of the best egg sandwich anywhere in NYC which happens to be made at the hands of my super talented brother in law.  If this isn't art on a plate, I just don't know what is.
 
Bloody bull
My sister and I were going to a matinee of Rock of Ages and having been witness to one too many family Ipod jam sessions, my brother in law got us all liquored up with some bloody bulls.  This McClures bloody mary mix contains pickle juice which in my world is sheer genius.  I used to love dirty martinis and have often wondered why I can't find a similar drink but with pickle juice in lieu of olive brine.

It was a dreary and rainy day so after the show my sister and I indulged in a car service to cart us around for a few hours of shopping before heading out to dinner.  I had done my damage the previous day but she picked up a new old school logo Gucci bag and then off we went for snacks and drinks before dinner.  We ended up at Tolani Wine Bar where lo and behold I had a cucumber/pickle martini.  Fate, kismet, bechert, meant to be.  It was super delicious.  Then off to dinner at Atlantic Grill and before I knew it my weekend was over.

After arriving home today, I met up with Elisha for Easter dinner at Hamersley's, my kitchen away from home.


Vera Wang jacket, Zara top, RED Valentino pants, Chanel bag, Sequin Palm Beach necklace, MAC lady danger lips
For my Easter night out I wore a Vera Wang Lavender Label jacket that's been in hiding in my closet for some time.  I bought it a few years ago at Filene's Basement and it was one of my few but lucky bargain finds.

Nicholas Kirkwood shoes
And meet my new beauties; Nicholas Kirkwood shoes purchased at Barneys.  Love, love, love.

I hope you all had a fabulous Easter weekend!

22 April 2011

Facing Reality

H&M coat, DVF top, Zara pants, Marc Jacobs flats

OK people, it's late April.  A time of blue skies, fresh green grass and Easter bonnets.  This is not supposed to be a time of waking up to 40 degree weather.  Yet that is exactly what I've woken up to each day this week.  But I'm happily living in denial, even if that means I've been a wee bit chilled each day.  I wore this whimsical blouse from DVF with hot pink trousers from Zara and decided to punch it up again with the orange H&M coat.  And while my office is casual, I looked a wee bit out of place on this particular day as I had a meeting with some total suit types.  There they are in their buttoned up suits and in I prance in my hot pink pants. 


Necklaces: Banana Republic, J Crew, Nava Glazer  Bracelets: Soho street, vintage gold charm bracelet (my grandma's), LV ring
Being the accessories addict that I am, I really piled it on this day with three necklaces, two bracelets and a ring. 

20 April 2011

Neon Orange and Stripes

Zara shirt and jacket, Banana Republic pants, Miu Miu bag
Yesterday felt like Wednesday which sucked since it was only Tuesday.  It's been a long work week already but I brightened up my day with MAC neon orange on the lips and a bright orange jacket from Zara.


I doubled down on the Chanel necklaces and added this maltese cross that I got years and years ago on a trip to Rome.  Strands of baubles always brighten my day.  That, and the fact that Friday is a holiday.  Yippee!!

19 April 2011

Catch Up

Zara blazer, J Brand jeans, Pour la Victoire shoes
I have some outfits from last week that I had neglected to post so today I'm playing a bit of catch up.  Last Friday I wore my fave J Brand love story jeans paired with the sky high Pour la Victoire pumps.  Those two paired together make me feel and look especially tall (5'9" without shoes so 6'2" with these).

TopShop shirt, Hermes belt, Marc by Marc Jacobs clutch, Coach necklace
I wore a royal blue shirt from Top Shop with the contrast of my orange Hermes belt and Marc by Marc Jacobs clutch.

18 April 2011

Rainbow Brights

My appreciation for all things bright and colorful has been a part of me from a very young age.  When I was in the seventh grade, I attended a weekly jazz dance class and I remember vividly a girl in my class with beautiful red locks who wore bright purple and red together and oh I how I loved it.

Boston is my home and I adore living here but one of my biggest fashion frustrations is that it can sometimes be difficult to find the brights that I am so attracted to.  Several years ago, I fell in mad shoe love with a pair of kelly green patent Louboutin mary janes.  The shoe could be found in Boston but only in neutral colors which is typical here.  Ever the industrious and persistent one, I eventually found them in the bright kelly green that my heart desired.  This spring, you can't imagine my joy at having so many bright options available in so many of the local shops. 

And this leads me to today's outfit and the real point of this post.  Kristina of Pretty Shiny Sparkly is going to be posting regular fashion assignments and this one is right up my alley; it's just sheer fun!  Today's challenge is colorblocking which you've seen plenty of on this blog (here, here and here).

Equipment blouse, Zara pants, Valentino shoes

I wore a hot pink Equipment blouse, bright red pants from Zara and added even more color with an orange coat from H&M.

Necklace Sequin Palm Beach, flower Elisha Daniels, bag Tiziana
I feel compelled to say more about this H&M coat.  I often say it's better to be lucky than good and that's how I feel about having found this coat.  I found it several years ago and sometimes H&M is great for what it's expected to be;  inexpensive, trendy items that satisfy a need for a season.  But quite frankly, this coat is really timeless. 



The details are really superb.  Look at the pleating in the back of this coat.  And what you can't see is how lovely the stitching is.  This was really a great buy.

Saturday Night and Sushi

The priority for choosing where to go this past Saturday night was to avoid the massive marathon crowds.  That meant staying away from the super touristy parts of Boston (no Newbury Street) and fuel for carbo loading (no North End).   Sushi at Oishii in the South End was the perfect answer to our riddle of where to go.  It's super delicious sushi and it's off the beaten path.

TopShop jacket and skirt, J Crew sandals

In contrast to my bright wardrobe of late, I stayed with neutrals and wore a Top Shop white tuxedo jacket and grey leather skirt.

YSL clutch, ring from Cadillac's Castle, watch and necklace from Elisha Daniels

I did add a bit of color with a YSL turquoise clutch.

Sara Campbell coat
Yest again, the cold and rain required that I wear a coat.  Will it ever end?

17 April 2011

Sunday Supper - Simple Steak

Sometimes the most simple meals are the most tasty and Paris has been on my mind since I'm in the throes of researching a trip in June.  Inspired, I pulled out The Paris Cookbook by Patricia Wells and decided if I could get my hands on a good hangar steak, that would be tonight's dinner.


I prepared this onglet le Mauzac recipe from The Paris Cookbook and there's really nothing better than a flavorful cut of steak seasoned simply with olive oil, salt and pepper.  I served it with a couple of Ina Garten recipes for tomato feta salad and herbed rice.  The key to such simple cooking is high quality ingredents such as a good flavorful olive oil and a big chunk of Greek feta.



It was a lovely end to a perfect Sunday which by the way started with meeting a friend for a quick bite at a new spot in the 'hood called Wholy Grain where I had a delicious turkey, avocado and bacon wrap and was taunted by all the delectable looking muffins, croissants and cupcakes.  You can bet I'll be wandering back that way.  After lunch, we went to see the Bill Cunningham New York movie and if you haven't seen it, you must go.  It was truly 90 minutes of pure joy and entertainment.  I found myself laughing and smiling the whole time and even if you aren't a fashion lover (which I know you all are) you can appreciate his unique perspective and love of capturing New York. 


And if that wasn't all enough, I have some gorgeous rununculus in my apartment to remind me it's spring and make me happy.


16 April 2011

Primary Colors

Today was a typical weekend day.  Slept in 'til almost 8 (that's sleeping in for me), hit the gym, got my nails done, ran some errands, did a little shopping.

Zara top and jeans, Jimmy Choo flats, Longchamp bracelet
I started by wearing some green skinny jeans from Zara and instead of tempering the color with a neutral on top, I added a royal blue top also from Zara.  If that wasn't enough I added another splash with this orange Marc by Marc Jacobs clutch which my co-worker last night first commented on what a big bag it is (um, this is me downsizing) and second he commented that it looked like a giant wallet.  Men, what do they know?

Marc by Marc Jacobs clutch, Sara Campbell coat
Sadly even though it is mid-April, it feels like February so I was forced to wear a coat but if one must wear a coat, this leopard number is super fun.

Once the day's errands were run, nails were manicured and shopping was done, it finally dawned on me that I was starving.  I popped into Upper Crust on Newbury for a slice of pizza and tried to stay in my zen place and ignore all the tourists in town for Monday's Boston Marathon.  As I sat there, eating my slice and minding my own business, a darling girl came up and commented on how she and her sister loved my style.  It's really so very nice when someone goes out of her way to pay someone a compliment.  She asked me if I wore vintage.  I would love to but just don't as my shopping skills don't translate well to vintage and consignment shops where one has to pick through a lot to get to the gems.  She did tell me about a vintage shop in Cambridge that I think I will go out of my way to check out.  It's called Vintage Revenge and can be found here.

14 April 2011

The Streak Continues

Yesterday marked the end of my DVF streak.

Talbots jacket, DVF top, Zara pants, Pour La Victoire shoes, Miu Miu bag

I wore a mustard color DVF top, Talbots jacket and Zara pants.   I like the watercolor print of this jacket and I'm loving the Pour la Victoire shoes which despite their very high heel and platform are really comfortable.  I pranced about town in them to meet a couple of friends after work last night for dinner at Boston's new Five Napkin Burger.  I often go to the one on the Upper West Side in NYC since it's a couple blocks from my sister's place and was thrilled to have one so close here in Boston.   It's an eclectic menu (sushi at a burger joint?) but the sushi we shared as an app was really quite delicious and I had a big fat juicy burger.

Necklace and bracelet from Elisha Daniels
An outfit is not complete without the jewels and these are from Elisha's shop.

13 April 2011

It's DVF Week

It really wasn't my intention as I got dressed each day, but as I write these posts I realize that I've worn DVF almost every day for the past several days (here and here and again today which you'll see later).  Perhaps it's because I just completed the closet switch and I'm pulling out a bunch of faves that have been in hiding in the recesses of my closet.  Perhaps it's because of all the bright colors and patterns that just scream spring.  Or perhaps it's just because DVF is timeless and always fabulous.

DVF top, H&M skirt, See by Chloe shoes
This DVF top is the perfect floral with a wee bit of shimmer in the fabric and has these gorgeous pleated flutter sleeves. 

Talbot's jacket, Marc by Marc Jacobs clutch
I topped it with a Talbots jacket and H&M skirt that has a subtle two tone and some fun new See by Chloe sandals.  Yes I'm bare legged and wearing sandals.  Spring had sprung but this was a few days ago and worlds apart from today which is cold and rainy and blah.

If you like this...


You've seen me wear these favorite studded Miu Miu oxfords.  Well, if you like them, here's another version for what I am sure is a less expensive price.


Pour la Victoire oxford available today on Gilt. Thanks for the tip, sis!

12 April 2011

Rules Were Made to be Broken

Before moving to Boston 15 years ago, I lived in south Florida where it is warm all year round and wearing white is always in style.  I remember quite vividly being told by one of my classmates that in Boston white is not to be worn between Labor Day and Memorial Day.  I do tend to live my life within the bounds of most rules, but this is not one of them.  Inspired by Elaine's rule breaking Monday (yes I'm a day late), instead of wearing the blue or tan pants that I pulled out, I wore white.  Yes white.  Before Memorial Day.  I know, it's sinful.  But if wearing white now is wrong, I don't want to be right.

DVF top and jacket, Zara pants, Tiziana bag, Valentino shoes
I wore a DVF top and jacket, Zara pants and my bestudded Valentino shoes.

Necklace from Sequin in Palm Beach, bracelet from Skinner fine jewelry auction
Are you a rule breaker too?

11 April 2011

DVF Double Down

Boston had such gorgeous weather this weekend.  The first days of spring really make me appreciate what a lovely city I live in.
DVF top, J Brand jeans, Miu Miu oxfords

This fun flowy DVF top was the perfect way to celebrate what finally feels like the arrival of spring.

Kenneth Jay Lane cuff, ring from Elisha Daniels' shop
And how do you like my new fun nail polish?  It's Chanel mimosa.  Pardon the messy paint job but this was before I went for a proper mani.

Kate Spade jacket
Since there was a wee chill in the air, I added this bright kelly green Kate Spade jacket.

DVF top, Talbot's shorts, Pour La Victoire shoes, Marc by Marc Jacobs clutch
After my afternoon of prancing about town getting freshly coiffed and running some errands, I went home and did a quick change for the evening.  I decided I wanted to wear these suede shorts from Talbots that I hadn't yet had the chance to wear.  I tried on several different tops but settled on this navy DVF number for my evening out with a couple girlfriends.  And not quite ready to give up the coats just yet, I wore what has become my trusty go to camel jacket from Zara.

Zara jacket, baubles from Elisha's shop

The ladies and I went to dinner at Erbaluce in Bay Village which was bustling when we arrived.  I'm always thrilled when a lovely local restaurant that prides itself on a creative menu with high quality, ingredients seems to be doing so well.   We had the privilege of a visit from the chef who sent out a few treats for us including the house cured salmon which was melt in your mouth delicious as well as a mushroom pasta dish that was layers and layers of mushroom flavor in a perfectly thin sheet of pasta with just the right amount of ricotta.  To die for.  I would definitely order both of those items on my next meal there.

I hope you all had as lovely a weekend as I did!

Spring Accessories Preview Thursday April 21

Please join me at Elisha's shop Thursday April 21 to check out some fabulous accessories (and sip some bubbles).  It will be great fun!

Elisha Daniels
116 Newbury Street 
(2nd floor - in the Jean Pierre hair salon)