Pants on Fire

I received a pair of red J. Brand jeans for Christmas, waxed to look like leather (thanks, mom!). At first, I was perplexed. Then I got to work brainstorming.

VOILA.

Colored, leather-waxed pants (J Brand, $300) + neutral blouse (Kenny, $127) + statement wedges (Lanvin, $599) + delicate, feminine jewelry (Finn ring, $650; Alexis Bittar earrings, $345)  = YES.

I didn't use the exact style, as they've been long gone (my mom snapped them up in August after I stared lovingly at them and drooled on the floor of Intermix), but these can work with any colored denim. Navy blue would look awesome. Obviously, this is a pipe dream of an outfit, although those Lanvin wedges are shrieking my name. Come to mama, little wedges. I will love you and polish you and keep you clean forever. (Purring ensues).

How would you wear a pair of red nearly-leather pants?

Blue Morning

I love how New York City is cast in shades of navy in the early morning when I wake up and walk to the gym. I always imagine the city as a gritty steel color in my mind, but when it's 6 AM and the lights are still winking, it's something altogether a little lighter and fresh.

How was your weekend? I went upstate to the Hudson Valley, which manages to be pretty even in the dead of winter (if you consider 50 degrees to count as winter). I don't mean Poughkeepsie so much as the woods and hills and creeks around it. I figured everyone would be confused if I used the modifier "pretty" for Poughkeepsie. I've been reading The Marriage Plot lately. Has anyone else started reading it? I'm halfway through, but the references and obscure quotes make me feel so unread (and I was an English major) that I can't decide how I feel about it. There's also the part where I'm obsessed with an entirely different genre and set of writers (dirty realism from the 80s; Raymond Carver, Amy Hempel, Richard Ford, Flannery O'Connor). Are you thinking of reading it? I know it received a lot of hype.

[photo cred here and there]

Midwinter Style

Chilly weather can be the fast-track to a fashion rut. Cozy boots, long coats and dark colors galore define winter style, but lately, they seem like external manifestations of severe seasonal affective disorder. That's no fun. I stumbled across two options for spicing up cold weather wear:

1. High-top sneakers: I could probably get away with wearing these to the office. For those who don't work in an environment where things like snakeskin-print trousers are acceptable, they're ideal for running weekend errands. Why? High-top sneakers are surprisingly great at enduring all sorts of precipitation. My Nike Dunks made it through three Chicago winters. Just add luxe touches like fur and leather to keep them from looking too grungy.

2. Khakis: If winter's mild (read: not Chicago, but maybe New York), khakis are such a cute and unexpected alternative to denim and knit tights. Pair them with a short wool jacket and booties. Plus, I feel like so much winter style has a black or navy palette—brown's a little more fresh. To avoid looking like you're confused and think it's still October, make sure everything else is a warmer, darker tone.

Which look do you like best? (I'm all about #1 myself).


[photo cred here and there]

A New Year

I've been thinking a lot about the new year lately. Usually, it stands as a fresh start, the opportunity for growth. Everyone makes resolutions in order to spark some sort of change in their life, whether that be flossing more often (for me, yes) or drinking less gin and tonics (for me, never).

But for 2012, I don't even know what I should resolve to do. There's been so much change in 2011 that I'd appreciate some sort of stasis in the next year. My life was turned upside-down: I left Evanston for a NYC (read: miniscule) apartment surrounded by pigeons and litter, somehow landed a wonderful job for which people pay me to write (I know, right? And you're getting this for free!), and my best friends either moved to Africa or stayed in Chicago. Do you know what it's like when your best friend is in the Tanzanian jungle? It feels horrible. I don't wish it on anyone but my very worst enemies.

So I'm just going to do what I should have been doing anyway. I'm going to floss because my dad's a gum surgeon who went on a long lecture about gingivitis the last time I let him look at my teeth. I'm going to keep my network of scattered friendships as close as possible, given the circumstances. And most of all, since I already have that New York City shoebox, I'm going to explore the city. Really, really explore it. This means walk outside the radius between my apartment and my office.

Hope you have the happiest New Year ever!


[photo cred here, here, and there]

Fur Better

Ann Taylor has fluffy and adorable fur pillows ($78; anntaylor.com). YOU ARE WELCOME.

[photo cred here]

All Wrapped Up

This weekend, I finished up my Christmas shopping. I had a long list this year: my family, of course, my friends, and then the wonderful people who helped me get to the place I am today (which would be: employed). At first, I was a little lost. What should the price point be? Are there any things I shouldn't give?

I'm not a very good gift-giver, but I have one rule when I'm searching for the perfect present: it has to be something that the person will love but wouldn't normally buy him- or herself. Things like Lollia bubble bath, which is beauty-editor approved (not by me, but a seasoned beauty director)(I promise), is just extravagant enough without being excessive. C. Wonder (created by Tory Burch's ex-husband and co-founder of her eponymous clothing line) also has a fantastic selection of affordable yet adorable trinkets. I love these bright enamel boxes and pretty glass plates.

What are your go-to gifts?


[photo cred here and there]

Fancy Pants

Yesterday, I wore a snappy pair of vintage-print Diane Von Furstenberg corduroy shorts. (Yep). (You read that correctly). They're the sort of things that I always want to buy but never actually buy, although apparently, the chances of me saying no when they're hanging on a sample sale rack are nil. So they became mine, and naturally, I layered them over a pair of warm black tights. The thing is, I've never loved the look of tights under shorts. Personal opinion: the pairing looks inappropriate and a little off-kilter. However, I wanted to wear these shorts so badly that I would've put them on over ski pants. The kicker: the shorts didn't look terrible. I wore them ("they" in question being black with pink polka-dot clusters)(yes, you read that right)(no, I'm not blind)(come one, guys, Diane Von Furstenberg always creates baller patterns!) with black tights, a black silk tee, and black flats.

This brought me to my conclusion that as long as the color palette is subdued and the shorts are somewhat fancy (patterned, sequined, not denim), they're a-okay with tights. And then I saw the above picture, and now I'm dying to throw denim shorts over tights and top them off with a cozy sweater and an awesome pair of boots. It's like fashion schizophrenia. So help me: where do you stand when it comes to winter shorts?


[photo cred here]