{things i wore} leather jacket
It's so hard to find the right leather jacket. In my experience they're either too long or too short, have too much hardware or too little, and fit too uncomfortably tight or too unflatteringly loose. This one gets the balance just right: I was able to snag the smallest size so it sits right on my hip, zips up snugly, and has just enough detailing to keep it interesting. I love wearing it with boots and any matching handbag I can pull from my collection. Can you ever wear too much leather at once? I don't seem to think so, especially if the textures vary like they do here.
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Pants: Low Skinny 531 Jeans, Levi's [similar styles available here]
Shirt: Short-sleeve V-neck Tee in "Heather," Victoria's Secret [$24.50, available here]
Shoes: "Tune Down" Lace-Up Ankle Boots in Black, Kenneth Cole [$99, available here]
Jacket: Double-Zip Lamb Scuba Jacket in Black, Pelle Studio [was $360, available here]
Bag: Amber Spiral Notebook Clutch in Black, Alexander Wang [$625, available here]
Jewelry: Decenario bracelet; silver bangle; studded ring [old]
{things i wore} tassel necklace
While every look every day can't be inspired by someone as characteristic as Rachel Zoe, sometimes it's fun to borrow style ideas that work. I was in fact thinking of her–read: fur vest, wide-leg pants, and platform shoes– when I threw together this outfit. If your clothes themselves are going to be eye-catching, it's a good idea to keep your accessories more subdued. I love this necklace because it's just subtle enough to keep from clashing with everything else. By the way, although most of my these pieces look like they could possibly have come from the seventies, only the vintage clutch actually does.
p.s. As I'm sure you've realized by now, I adore makeup. I put together this eye and lip combo with some gorgeous mark cosmetics (see below) courtesy of the lovely Amanda Goodhue. And guess what? You can win your own amazing mark products right here on The Beautiful Things! Check back later today to enter to win x
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Pants: Wide Leg Jeans, Levi's [similar styles available here]
Vest: Fur Vest in Brown, H&M
Shirt: Perfect-fit long-sleeve tee, in Black, J.Crew [$24.50, available here]
Shoes: Tifanni in Black Suede, Steve Madden [were $129, available here]
Bag: Brown leather clutch [vintage]
Jewelry: Mixed Media Necklace, c/o Amanda Goodhue at mark [$18, available here]
Eyes: On The Dot in "Neutral," c/o Amanda Goodhue at mark [$16, similar style available here]
Lips: Juice Gems in "Juicy Snow Peach," c/o Amanda Goodhue at mark [$7.50, available here]
{things i wore} rouched leather clutch
I used to think of clutches as inherently formal but some time ago I broadened my horizons by wearing them with more casual looks. This bag by Louloubelle is one of those perfect pieces that can go both ways and be dressed up or down. It's really no wonder that it showed up on Roztayger, a sleek online boutique of impeccably chosen modern accessories (its founder Elizabeth Jeffer studied Art History and was based in NYC so I can't help but connect with her vision). Louloubelle is a brand to watch: conceived by Louise O'Leary, an Irish designer that uses Italian materials, its pieces are eloquently simple but also whimsical and unique (in fact only one-hundred copies of each creation are made every season, keeping them all limited-edition). While I adore this clutch for its supple leather and roominess, one of my best not-so-secret secrets is my love of the color purple so its trim alone won me over.
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Pants: Low Skinny 531 Jeans, Levi's [similar styles available here]
Jacket: "Severt" Twill Anorak Jacket in Olive, Jack by BB Dakota [$82, available here]
Shirt: Short-sleeve V-neck Tee in "White," Victoria's Secret [$24.50, available here]
Sweater: Heavy-knit sweater in Cream, American Eagle Outfitters [similar style available here]
Shoes: Ballet flats in Nude, Nine West [similar style available here]
Bag: 'Robyn' Acacia Leather Clutch Bag in Olive/Eggplant, Louloubelle, c/o Louloubelle and Roztayger [was $308, available here]
Jewelry: Channel-Set Diamond Band [gift]; Thin Gold Band with Bezel Set Diamond, Jennifer Meyer [$175, available here]
Nails: "Purple Rain," Rimmel
{things i wore} riding boots
When you live in New York City, sometimes you feel the need to get away from its hustle and bustle for a while. I recently spent a lovely weekend in Pennsylvania– NY's less hectic and thereby more relaxing neighbor–and enjoyed some fresh air, lots of shopping, and taste-tests of some locally-made specialties (new guilty pleasure: whoppie pies). These riding boots kept me warm and comfy for all of my outings. I've wanted a beige blazer for ages–this oversized one was the perfect surprise Christmas present from my sister.
What do you think? What's your favorite destination spot to just get away from it all? And do you turn to riding boots to stay stylishly comfortable on your winter trips?
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Pants: Low Skinny 531 Jeans, Levi's [similar styles available here]
Blazer: Open Front Blazer in Beige, [$28, Forever 21, similar style available here]
Shirt: 1×1 Ribbed Long Sleeve V-Neck Top in Black, Splendid [$50, available here]
Scarf: Fringed Scarf in Black, H&M
Bag: Village Small Triangle Tote in Black, Cole Haan [was $325, no longer available]
Shoes: Riding boots in Black, Banana Republic
Jewelry: Tiara Diamond Band in White Gold, Ice [$395, available here]; Expandable Wire Bangle in Silver, Alex and Ani
Nails: "Hot Cocoa," Rimmel
{things i wore} heavy-knit sweater
Nothing says autumn in New York better than a long heavy-knit sweater. Before the temperatures get too brutal I love to layer them with tees, jeans, and my favorite boots so I can just leave my coats at home. I find it's fun to play with the styling of big sweaters because you can take them from relaxed and trendy to polished and sophisticated with just your accessories. I kept things pretty conservative, with a structured handbag and simple silver jewelry.
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Sweater: Long Sweater in "Gray," ESPRIT
Shirt: Short-sleeve V-neck Tee in "Black," Victoria's Secret [$24.50, available here]
Pants: Low Skinny 531 Jeans, Levi's [similar styles available here]
Bag: Top-handle tote in "Black," Etienne Aigner [vintage]
Shoes: Wendall Boot in "Black," DV by Dolce Vita [$169, available here]
Jewelry: Paloma Picasso Celtic Love Pendant Necklace in Sterling Silver, Tiffany & Co. [$165, available here]
{things i wore} pleated maxi skirt
Like everyone else in the country I had been eagerly awaiting the Missoni for Target launch in September and like everyone else I underestimated both the public's response to it and the company’s unskilled handling of the aftermath. Still, all complaints aside, the hype was exciting. I had seen the lookbook and had chosen the pieces I wanted. Luckily, through a combination of calling my store (they sold out in the early morning and never restocked), refreshing the webpage, and, as a last resort, a very reasonably priced eBay reseller, I was able to score everything I had originally selected. The one thing I purchased that wasn’t on my original list was this pleated maxi skirt. I actually spotted it online the day the collection launched and fell in love. It remained in-stock for a surprisingly long amount of time—maybe the signature zig-zags are too subtle?—but nevertheless it turned out to be my favorite and perhaps the most versatile piece of my haul.
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Skirt: Pleated Maxi Skirt in "Black," Missoni for Target
Shirt: Tee in "Heather," Levi's
Scarf: Fringed Scarf in "Black," H&M
Bag: No Slouch Faux Straw Dome Satchel in "Black", Kenneth Cole New York [was $198, available here]
Shoes: Balnit Peep-Toe Slingbacks, Aldo [were $110, available here]
Jewelry: Decenario bracelet in Gray, gift; Assorted Sterling Silver Bangles, from Mexico; "Words are Powerful – Live" Set of Three Expandable Wire Bangles in "Silver," Alex and Ani [was $39, available here]; Paloma Picasso Loving Heart Ring in Sterling Silver, Tiffany & Co. [no longer available, similar style here]
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