{things i learned} my week through instagram
{things i wore} floral silk scarf
A while ago I saw someone wearing a silk scarf tied to a tank top on thier blog and finally decided to give it a try. Not only is it now my new favorite way to add some color and style to an otherwise simple look, it's so easy to do: just fold a scarf in half, allow two ends to form a point in the front, and tie the other two ends onto each of your shoulder straps. Use your hair to hide where you've attached the scarf, and voilà–a completely casual way to wear a piece that's sometimes hard to style.
p.s. The sunglasses I'm wearing are the same model three lucky readers can win in my latest giveaway! Remember, today is your last chance to ENTER….click HERE for all the details!
____________________________________
Tank: Ribbed tank in Black, J.Crew [not available online]
Scarf: Silk Scarf in 'Passione,' Missoni for Target [no longer available]
Pants: Café Pant in Gray, J.Crew [$89.50, available here]
Bag: Belted Satchel, Cole Haan [old]
Sunglasses: GU 7107 Sunglasses in Black Crystal Grey Gradient, Guess – $82 [no longer available]
Shoes: Court 2 Platforms Shoes in Black, BCBGMaxAzria [were $98, available here]
Jewelery: Thin Gold Band with Bezel Set Diamond, Jennifer Meyer [$175, available here]; Gold, Diamond, and Garnet Ring, Macy's [was $600, available here]
{things i wore} lace tee
It's no secret I that love lace (I did design my blog's layout after all), so when I saw that Jason Wu's line for Target had a version of his signature lace tee I knew I'd found the piece I wanted. Then I remembered the Missioni madness of last year and decided I wouldn't partake in the company's badly managed designers-for-less sales strategies anymore. I even planned on featuring the actual Jason Wu lace-detail tee (which retailed for a staggering $515) as I "thing i covet." But then my sister went shopping and returned with none other than my dream piece in a plastic bag dotted with bullseyes (she also snagged a very summery straw and canvas clutch for me that I can't wait to wear). The tee is everything I wanted: soft and comfy but with a subtle wow-factor, my favorite way to wear it is with jeans and blazer.
______________________________________________
Tee: Short-Sleeve Tee with Lace Print in Heather Gray, Jason Wu for Target [$20, available here]
Jacket: Black Fitted Blazer, Banana Republic [no longer available]
Jeans: "The Rocker" Lean Flare in "Aniston Wash," Joe's Jeans [$167, available here]
Shoes: Balnit Peep-Toe Slingbacks, Aldo [were $110, available here]
Bag: 12.5" Satchel in 'Pillarbox Red' Standard Leather, The Leather Satchel Co. [$124, available here]
Nails: 'Elegant' by Revlon
{things i learned} hand-painted glass bottle
My love for Missoni lies largely in its use of colorful geometric patterns (for the manifestation of this obsession in my clothes you can check out some of my past outfit posts). Since I can DIY better than I can knit, incorporating such designs in my home decor is relatively simple. Want to make your own painted zig-zag bottle? To create this one, I searched for images of chevron patterns (here are some great ones). After printing out the design I used an exacto knife to cut out the lines i wanted to fill with color. Then I attached the pattern to the bottle with a little blu-tak putty and painted directly on the glass in a gradient from navy to white. The guide comes right off, allowing for touch-ups and voilà: a bottle with some Italian fashion-house pizzazz.
{things i wore} druzy ring
It might seem silly to think of a ring as the focal point of a look but when it's as attention-grabbing as this one from Manu it definitely earns that distinction. I love druzy — it looks like loose glitter but is as hard as rock — plus this particular cut has the most gorgeous tones of black and silver. I kept my outfit's palette similarly steely in tone– after all, I wouldn't want to compete with my statement ring.
p.s. As I've been mentioning on Twitter all week, I'm so excited to be hosting a giveaway featuring Manu pieces. Check back tomorrow to enter for your chance to be one of three winners! xx
______________________________________________
Skirt: Pleated Maxi Skirt in Black, Missoni for Target [was $50, no longer available]
Shirt: Tissue long-sleeve V-neck tee in White, J.Crew [was $32.50, available here]
Shoes: Suede Boots in Brown, Banana Republic
Jewelry: Gold Bangle [vintage]; 30-Inch Link Chain in 14k Gold fill, Suzi D. Jewelry [$44, available here]; Luxe Titanium Druzy Ring, c/o Manu [$295, available here]
{things i wore} over-sized printed sweater
Unlike the Missoni for Target skirt I wore last week, this sweater was on my wish-list from the second I saw the look-book for the collection. To be honest, it was at the very top of that list. My favorite way to wear Missoni’s famous zig-zags has always been a long and large sweater so I was beyond thrilled to snag one on the day of the launch. The oversized cardigan kept me cozy in the pumpkin patch over this past weekend. It’s a good thing something gave me the warm-and-fuzzies because the harvest's offerings were a bit disappointing. I guess there was some truth to the reports of shortages thanks to some unfavorable weather in the late summer. However all was not lost: I aimed small and put together a nice table-top display of sugar pumpkins and gourds to keep me in the fall spirit until Thanksgiving.
p.s. how perfect are those chickens?
_____________________________________________
Sweater: Cardigan Sweater in Multicolor Zigzag Print, Missoni for Target [$50, no longer available]
Shirt: Short-sleeve V-neck Tee in "Black," Victoria's Secret [$24.50, available here]
Pants: Raquel CRS Jeans in "Black," Affliction [$118, available here]
Bag: Welles Hobo in "Dusk," Hayden Harnett [$478, available here]
Shoes: Wendall Boot in "Black," DV by Dolce Vita [$169, available here]
Jewelry: Micropave Diamond Band in White Gold, Channel-Set Diamond Band in Yellow Gold, gifts, Tiara Diamond Band in White Gold, Ice [$395, available here]; assorted Alex and Ani Bracelets [similar styles 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.
______________________________________________
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]
{latest instagram}
