Vena Cava for Aqua

I actually clapped my hands with joy when I learned that Vena Cava will be doing a capsule collection for Bloomingdale's Aqua, available August 23. For affordable, classic, and well-cut pieces that the line offers, Aqua has been a mainstay in my closet. Vena Cava, on the other hand, does not have the same presence in the wardrobe. Although I fall time and time again for their cheeky French aesthetic, the prices run so steep that I only own a dress and perhaps a top by the line. Now, thanks to this wonderful collaboration, I'll be able to snap up the delicate and whimsical pieces I've been craving for so long. First on my list? The fur vest (shown above) -- Chicago gets nippy from time to time -- or the ruffled silk chiffon dress (not shown above, but the description sells itself). I can't decide, but as the collection is priced between $98 and $179, I may be able to wrangle both. Viva la collab!

[photo cred to Nylon magazine]

Italian Tuna Salad

I'm a huge tuna fan: I eat so much of it that the odds of having pure mercury coursing through my veins are extremely high. After awhile, though, and around the same time that hell experienced a large dip in temperatures, I became bored with the heaps of mayo I inevitably scooped into my tuna salad mix. This event, combined with a full raid on my fridge and herb garden, resulted in a light, Mediterranean-inspired tuna salad.

Italian Tuna Salad (four servings)
2 cans of white albacore tuna, in water
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 can of cannellini beans, strained and rinsed
handful of Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
handful of basil, chopped
1/3 cup of shredded cheese (white Cheddar is a good pick)

Open cans of tuna and push down on top to squeeze out excess water. Toss tuna in a bowl and add every single ingredient. Mix extremely well and sample. Grin. This tastes fantastic on a slice or two of toasted bread, but if you have the time, the salad can be stuffed into tomatoes or red bell peppers.

[photo cred to Philippa Brathwaite, via Realsimple.com]

Why I Need a Bicycle

Via The Sartorialist.

A Monday Stroll

This weekend, I read a sweet article about how the French have twelve synonyms for the word "wandering." I'm from New York and completely fulfill the stereotype that we walk extremely fast, always rushing from one place to another and never without a set destination, whether it be a new falafel place or just the 4 train from 86th and Lex. In fact, I can't even remember the last time I walked aimlessly, simply meandering through the streets. Now that I'm aware of this, does aimless strolling count if you're doing so consciously — how aimless can it be? So tell me, do you ever walk around simply for the sake of taking in the colors around you and breathing in the warm summer air?

[photo cred to Kari Geltemeyer]

Styled: Part II

This, on the other hand, was not an accident.

I spotted this skirt from the window, which is why I was in J Crew in the first place (combined with the Fall 2010 Collection video). I love this skirt. I would marry this skirt if at all possible. When I first showed it to my sister, she simply shook her head and said the word, "Camo." I agreed, but the chiffon basically dragged me to the size 2 and into the dressing room with it. Nevertheless, it did nothing for my waist until Shellie cleverly switched out the harem pants from this outfit for the skirt:

Now, I don't have to go out and find another Shellie, who would in turn find me another blazer, another belt, and another pair of shoes. If checks and plaid are your jam, feel free to keep them. I'm still averse to the checked/plaid business, but I wouldn't mind a subtly-striped collared shirt to layer underneath the blazer and roll up over the sleeves. Personally, I want the interest of stripes with small details so they don't take away from the beauty of the skirt. For a more casual look, a boatneck tee with horizontal stripes would lend a casual twist to the outfit; throw on a chunky metal-ribbon-costume-jewel necklace and you're set. Regardless of what you wear on top, make sure it's left untucked.

Q: The greatest thing about this whole outfit?
A: The skirt has pockets.

More importantly, have a beautiful and relaxing Friday!

Dreamland

Taking a short respite from my J Crew saga to share these beautiful photos by Ditte Isager with you on this shady Thursday morning (found via Creature Comforts). Couldn't you just imagine waking up in one of these beds, surrounded by leafy trees and misty waterfalls? I could sit there for hours on end and be perfectly pleased and amused just by looking around me. Also, that lamp in the first photo just kills me (in a good way). It's the perfect touch.

Styled: Part I

It was an accident.

Actually, I blame this. Because of it, I found myself half-dressed in a J Crew dressing room, trying to simultaneously be French and figure out where my waist had gone in the skirt I was wearing. One of J Crew's personal stylists, Shellie, halted on her way to a client, looked me up and down, and said, "Hon, can I try a few things on you?", which inevitably led to:

Don't let the harem pants fool you. Their success depends greatly on body type; Shellie spent twenty minutes trying to convince me that I don't have birthing hips (I do) before convincing me to wriggle into them. The thing about harem pants is that they create curves, so if you already have them (I thought I did), they won't be the most flattering pair of pants. Also, styling is of utmost importance here: harem pants look best when they're pushed up on the calf and when paired with an untucked blouse, which hides the top five inches of the pants. I swear they look better in real life. My fellow interns deemed them "sexy," "womanly," and "YOU LOOK LIKE A STICK." Naturally, I don't really care what I'm wearing so long as I can be described as a stick. Shellie then slapped the flannel shirt on me (there was a lot of crying involved with this — I'm allergic to flannel), added the blazer, cuffed the flannel over the sleeves of the blazer, and cinched it with a soft brown belt. After I slipped into the shoes (made in Italy, which is a big thing for me), I looked into the mirror and saw the J Crew model version of myself. I liked it. I liked it enough to buy the harem pants, the shoes, the blazer, and the belt (but not the flannel). Instead, I'll layer a soft, crumpled blue blouse underneath the blazer to get the same effect of the rolled cuffs. It's perfect for work and offers a hint of androgyny, which is probably my favorite thing in the world. Even better, these pieces won't work with only this outfit — Shellie introduced me to a few more options to give me more bang for my buck, which will follow shortly.

Hope your week is going splendidly!