This past Friday night I had a dinner and concert date with my boyfriend, and totally loved the outfit I threw together- a patchwork skirt of batik and other ethnic prints worn as a strapless dress and cinched with a crochet and leather belt, a jean jacket and sandals. It felt summery, concert appropriate (especially for the Animal Collective crowd) and feminine. I had forgotten how much I love that skirt. A flea market find from several years ago, it’s been at least a year since the skirt has seen the world outside my closet. I have a feeling it will be seeing a lot more action in the coming months. Floral prints are always a must for me, but I also like to mix it up, and the ethnic patchwork on this piece feels fresh and on-trend for 2009. Today I stumbled across this great editorial of south-of-the-border style on TeenVogue.com- “Spice Girl”- it appears I am not alone in feeling the ethnic vibe for this summer…

It might be overkill to wear these with my dress- patchwork print worn with patchwork print has to at least be a denim on denim level crime- but I am seriously obsessed with these Antik Batik Pita Print Ankle Wrap Sandals. Similar to the print of my dress, these would add a little flavor to any outfit…

Obsessed with this cheeky editorial in Vogue Parisshot by Terry Richardson. I can’t blame the older woman in the first shot for checking out Anja Rubik’s legs, the lucky woman has stems for miles. I’m more than a little jealous. Not helping the jealousy factor is the hosiery she is wearing in these shots. While I love both pairs, the polka dot tights are really perfect and I fear that I must splurge on them immediately. Love the sheerness of the black and the tiny, tiny size of the polka dots (larger polka dots are tricky on the legs, in my humble opinion). They are totally 80’s and glam while at the same time understated. You can wear these a million different ways- paired with white summer mini dresses and layered with skirts and boots come fall is what I keep picturing- and they will last you season after season if you treat them well.

That’s how I’ll justify splurging on Wolford for these polka-dot bad boys…

Image Source: Models.com

For more images from this shoot, check out this LiveJournal link.

While I find her designs to be completely adorable on others, Lilly Pulitzer is decidedly not my style. I’m more boho-girly than preppy-South Beach-girly. When my outfits border on preppy, they tend to border on tom-boy at the same time. Think oxford button-downs and skinny jeans with converse, rather than pastel polo dresses. However, shopping for a good cause decidedly is my style, so I was totally stoked to hear about Lilly Pulitzer’s Colorful Cause Collection. In celebration of the brand’s 50th Anniversary Lilly Pulitzer united with nine American celebrities, who have designed looks for mothers and daughters for the Colorful Cause Collection. 15% of proceeds will be donated to EBMRF, Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research Foundation. Some of the looks:

The Gwyneth Paltrow Patchwork Bikini

The Debra Messing Zigzag Maxi Dress. Love this one!! It really screams Debra Messing, doesn’t it?

The Bridget Moynahan Embroidered Caftan

For more on the Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research Foundation and their great cause, visit EBKids.org.

Click on the above photo to be taken to an awesome, mesmerizing time lapse video from Bradly Brown. I love the transformation not only of the models face but also the evolution of her energy level. She goes from sleepy eyed and coffee downing to bright-eyed and vamping it up for the camera in seconds. If only my mornings were so easy… and came with my own hair and make-up team.

I guarantee you will want to add a bright yellow-gold shadow to your makeup bag after watching this… Love the name of this shade from Tarte- Mrs. Robinson.

Source: Bradly Brown via NotCouture

The sweater dress is a fleeting springtime look I absolutely love. And by fleeting, I mean there are only a few weeks each year where the weather is right for the look- when it’s warm enough that you can wear your sweater without pants (or leggings, or tights) and cool enough that wearing a sweater- even sans pants- isn’t out of the question.

I have a few oversized sweaters that I have tried to make work as actual dresses. This girl pulls it off amazingly well, yet I always end up feeling like I am about to expose my bottom to the world should I have to bend over. I guess my oversized sweaters just aren’t long enough to actually be considered dresses, despite my desire to wear them as such. Before the weather gets too warm in LA (and I’ve only got maybe a few weeks of spring breezes left, according to my totally unscientific calculations), I may just have to purchase a sweater dress.

This cute Max Studio sweater dress is amazingly priced and just long enough to wear without risk of overexposure.

I also love this uber-preppy, striped take on the look from Millions of Smiles… indeed.

Amazingly cute girl-in-sweater-and-awesome-galoshes image source: ELLE.com

Memorial Day weekend is sort of the unofficial summertime kick-off. BBQ’s, pool party’s, officially being able to wear white and an extra day off of work all put me in a summertime state-of-mind. Here are some beauty tidbits, influenced by the summer months, that have been on my mind this weekend…

Summer is sandal season, which in turn makes it also pedicure season. I felt silly even contemplatin wearing close-toed shoes this weekend. No longer can I hide unkempt nails under tights, socks and a pair of boots. Just in time, NARS is celebrating their 15 year anniversary with a limited edition collection of vintage, previously discontinued, nail enamel shades. Perfect for summertime, I’m loving the shimmery tangerine Cha Cha Cha and deep grape Tallulah.

Giving up on my binkini body preparation plans of either tanning in my backyard or faking it with some self-tanner, I cultivated my base tan at a couple different pool parties over the weekend. I managed to hold my head high, despite a fellow sunbather inquiring if I had spent the last several months in the Netherlands, as that was the only reasonable explanation for my pallid frame which apparently was blinding him. I decided to embrace my paleness, and the lack of wrinkles and skin cancer that will hopefully come with it, and instead worry about what all the sun and chlorine was doing to my recently chopped, and finally healthy locks. It might just be my imagination, but it is already starting to feel a little dry after only two days in the sun and chlorine. Next time, I’ll come prepared with Phyto PLAGE Protective Beach Spray, which protects, moisturizes and nourishes the hair with UV filter, anti-UVB polymer, Olive Oil extracts, and Calendula, Willow and Rosemary extracts.

I’ll also be prepared with my base tan (a less-whiter shade of pale, if you will) and perfect pedicured toes…

Whenever I put on a pair of leggings, it is a sort of tug-of-war, and not because they don’t fit properly. It is a mental tug-of-war between the part of me that loves the comfort and wearability of leggings and the part of me that feels they are totally passe. I am sure there are a ton of people that feel the same. Leggings have been around for so many seasons, it only feels natural that the trend should have run it’s course already. Yet, my desire for comfort and an easy layering piece usually outrules my feeling that I may look a little outdated. However, when perusing through the fall o9 collections again this afternoon, I realized that there really is no need to question my pro-leggings stance. Alexander Wang, Diane von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs, Gucci, Fendi and Max Azria- to name just a few- all sent legging accessorized looks down the runway. They came in basic black, cropped, lace, colored, sheer, shiny, leather… you name it, fall 09 was all about it. I suppose it’s in keeping with the totally 80’s vibe of so many fall 09 collections. And as long as these fashion heavyweights are okay with leggings- at least through the fall season- well, so am I.

Love these dressed-up leggings with lace insets by David Lerner.

Image Source: Style.com

The “Noctambule”(night bird) spread in Paris Vogue, shot by Terry Richardson and featuring Daria Werbowy has me totally amped on sequins. And this is not an easy feat, as sequins have sort of been a loitering trend for awhile now. But come on, how hot is this?

I could never see myself in head-to-toe sequins, although I admire any woman (like Daria here) who can do so and not look totally cheesy. My take on the trend is to add just a touch of sparkle, like the photo above with the black dress paired with gold sequin heels. Or even better, to dress sequins down, like Alexa Chung on the cover of WWD. I have been coveting this outfit since it appeared on the May 13 issue… The worn-in blue tee is a great contrast to the sparkly skirt and adds a cool-girl edge- often lacking- to the sequins.

To get the look, start with a statement sequined skirt, like this colorful option from Barron Duquette.

Then pair it with an over-sized, worn-in tee, tucked in. T by Alexander Wang has some great options, like this heather grey sheer v-neck.

Then finish of the look with either flats or sandals… you can dress this look up or down, depending on the accessories you choose.

To see more of the awesome “Noctambule” spread, head over to Knight Cat.

I’m such a sucker for luxury goods commercials disguised as “short films”. A killer wardrobe, great cinematography, a few famous faces and a good soundtrack are all that I need to start proclaiming “Oscar!” and contemplate blowing my life savings on small leather goods I certainly don’t need and perhaps don’t even like all that much. A big budget, which most luxury houses can still afford, makes everything in these films look expensive and fabulous. Ah, the lure of luxury, you can’t help but want a part in it. Even the small, non-speaking role of the consumer. The short “Lady Noire” film for the Lady Dior handbag is no exception. If you’ve got 7 minutes to spare, it’s definitely worth watching to see Marion Cotillard walk the beams of the Eiffel Tower in heels I wouldn’t attempt to walk up stairs in…

If you are anything like myself, after watching this film, you’re probably feeling the urge to purchase something Dior as soon as possible. May I suggest the awesome aviator-style Black Tie 88/S Sunglasses?

Part Two, “Lady Rouge”, is coming soon… I’ll be sure to post it.

I’ve loved Tucker’s feminine silhouettes and prints for quite some time. The prints always manage to be perfect for the season but never too trendy. Sticking to blouses, dresses and tanks whose shapes have proved their worthiness, Tucker instead focuses on a new collection of prints each season. According to The Cut, the designer, Gaby Basora, gives each print “an imaginative name that recalls the person, far-flung place, book, film, or work of art that inspires it. Every print has a story behind it, from the highbrow (T.S. Eliot’s “Sweeney Agonistes”; Nobel Prize–winning physicist Niels Bohr) to the personal (”This one is named after my friend’s uncle, an artist whose lover was part of an East Indian dance troupe … “).” I can’t help but love the collection even more after reading this. The fact that the designer takes the time to tell a story with each of her prints makes them all the more special.

The “North Shore Girl” print on the Rouched Strapless Dress was inspired by the Basora’s trips to Oahu, Hawaii and the “Gloria’s 70’s Hit” print on the Smocked Collar Blouse was taken from an old swimsuit that she had in the seventies as a little girl. It’s also named after Gloria Steinem, and the idea that your business grey doesn’t have to be boring. So true.

Love both these prints, I may need to save up for a Gloria blouse- for some reason it seems to be exactly what I am missing in my sartorial life at the moment. This print and a pair of white leather sandals… funny, I think they will be perfect together!

Source: The Cut