Why Did You Wear That: Opposite Day

By Kirsten|May 31st, 2011|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

A few weeks ago, we took my fiance’s mom to the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay for dinner. To be honest, it kind of comes out of nowhere. Like all hidden gems, if you didn’t know what you were looking for, you’d never know it existed. The contrast of the crashing waves and the the rocky hillsides are truly breathtaking. What the beaches of northern California lack in heat, they more than make up for with beautiful topography.

Remember opposite day? There are days when I wish we still practiced that silly playground game. There’s something so great and unexpected about the mish mash of opposites. Since no one cares to play along with me, I like to play solo games of opposite day with my wardrobe. I often mix things that don’t traditionally go together. For example, I never like to wear something that’s overtly sexy, like a bodycon dress and five inch heels. Instead, I throw in a curve ball; maybe top my slinky dress with a grandpa cardigan or swap out my heels for biker boots- many times I even put on my glasses.

When I put on these cargo pants, I wanted to soften them up a bit since they can skew a bit masculine. By topping them with a sheer lace top and slipping into strappy heels, my man pants went from warfare to my fair lady. Next time you wear something really girly like a chiffon dress, try pairing it with a leather motorcycle jacket. You’ll be your very own walking opposite day.

1.American Apparel Sheer Rib Lace Raglan $42, 2. Kenneth Jay Lane Polished Stone Pendant Necklace, $132, 3. J Brand Houlihan Slim Cargo Pants, $231, 4. Dolce Vita Emery Leather High Heel Sandals, $205

I really love snakes and I dream of being a neurophysicist. NOT!

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Eat That: Strawberry Fields

By Kirsten|May 30th, 2011|Recipes, Why Did You Eat That?|

After bombarding you last week with bikinis and beach talk, I figured I should also lend a helping in hand in getting you bikini ready. Upping the cardio and general physical activity will help, but changing your diet a bit will help you gain faster results. Listen, I love pizza and pasta as much as the next girl, but even I had to come to terms with this.

I am by no means a “salad” girl (much to the chagrin of my lettuce producing dad), but after whipping up this delightful leafy mix this weekend, I was sold. This spinach, strawberry, grilled chicken concoction can convert even the most carb addicted. It’s light, delicious, and incredibly satisfying. Perfect for summer afternoons on the patio.

Spinach, Strawberry, Grilled Chicken Salad:

Grilled chicken (I just used olive oil, Meyer’s lemon, and salt and pepper to season)
Baby spinach
Strawberries
Sliced almonds and/or pine nuts

Strawberry Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1 cup olive oil
1/2 pint fresh strawberries, halved
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/4 teaspoon white sugar

Directions:

In a blender or food processor, mix olive oil, strawberries, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, tarragon and sugar. Blend until smooth.

You look slimmer already.

xx,

WhyDid

Bowls: Jonathan Adler, Stemless wine glasses, Riedel

Friday Frocks: Run For Cover

By Kirsten|May 28th, 2011|Friday Frocks, Why Did You Wear That?|

The only thing more important at the beach than your swimsuit (and choice of juicy beach read) is your coverup. Long gone are the days of hokey sarongs. No need to channel Aunt Gertrude in a silly muumuu. A coverup should be light, sexy, and able to transform from beachside to barside. There are so many options now that I had a hard time narrowing them down to a few of my favorites.

1. Nightcap Clothing Jungle Lace Caftan Coverup, $320, 2. Anna Kosturova Magnolia Dress, $266, 3. Vitamin A Shantung Coverup, $88, 4. Beach Bunny I Want You To Want Me, $289, 5. Vix Solid Ana Short Dress, $124, 6. Letarte Popcorn Sleeveless Tunic, $198, 7. Mara Hoffman Chiffon Coverup, $308, 8. Zimmerman Copy Cat Silk Swing Dress, $345

Don’t forget some strappy sandals and my beach bag essentials to complete the look.

xx,

WhyDid

Photo via Kristie Colon

Why Did You Wear That: Summer Suit

By Kirsten|May 27th, 2011|Why Did You Wear That?|

I love bikinis. I’d spend my life in a bikini if I could. Can I? It was a real blessing to buy swimwear at Bendel’s… well, not so much a blessing for my wallet, but I enjoyed doing it so much that at one point started to consider designing my own line… til I realized I’d really just rather wear them and write about how much I love them. So, here I am. Loving bikinis and writing about how much so.

I write about them whenever I can… like here… and here… and here… you get the point. I wish I could take a picture of my extensive swimwear collection, but alas, it is somewhere in a box in Pennsylvania or West Virginia… hard to tell.

Moving right along. Memorial Day is what most people consider the “official” summer kick off although the first day of summer is really June 21- aka summer solstice- aka my favorite woman on earth’s birthday- mom. Whether you live somewhere warm and sunny or your weekends will now be spent in the Hamptons or Malibu, you’re going to need some sexy suits to keep you looking lovely pool/beachside. From simple and classic to preferring all eyes on YOU (and why wouldn’t you?), I’ve found and assortment of babe worthy bikinis that will keep you on trend all summer long.

Light Bright

1. Trina Turk French Riviera Bikini: top, $91, bottom: $75, 2. Acacia Charlee Bikini, $187, 3. Bantu String Bikini, $143, 4. Luli FamaDelirio Bikini, $152

Wild Woman

1. Peonie Orange Candy Bikini, $159, 2. Eberjey Phoebe Jungle Love Bikini: top, $74, bottom, $61, 3. L*Space Lompopo Reversible Bikini, $149, 4. Lady Lux Love Game Bikini, $228

Fringe Benefits

1. Indah Fringe Bikini, $99, 2. L*Space Fringe Bikini, $145, 3. Acacia Quinn Bikini, $176, 4. Beach Bunny Cradle of Love Bikini: top, $180, bottom, $89

LBS (Little Black Suit)

1. Poko Pano Rock Candy Push Up Bikini, $136, 2. Red Carter Jefferson Airplane Bikini: top, $70, bottom, $52.50, 3. Beach Bunny Everything That Glitters Bikini, $329, 4. Sass & Bide Fast Forward Bikini, $126

One for the Money

1. Mikoh Santorini One Piece, $190, 2. Vitamin A Runway Wrap Maillot, $199, 3. Beauty & the Beach Monokini, $104, 4. SABZ Eclectico Triangle Monokini, $144

xx,

WhyDid

Beauty Buzz: Beauty and the Beach

By Kirsten|May 26th, 2011|Beauty Buzz|

Memorial Day is upon us, ladies. That means… it’s time to hit the beach and get some Vitamin D. Before you slip into your itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini, let’s pack a bag. There are a few essentials that every girl needs when lounging in the sun as to look like a mermaid rather than a shriveled old pirate.

I know, I just can’t kick my pirate ways… Chock your beach bag full of glamorous goodies to be the fairest maiden by the sea (Check out last year’s picks). The first step is finding a great beach bag. Make sure it’s water repellent (or at least that you won’t care when it’s waterlogged by a rogue tidal wave). Waterproof mascara and hydrating lip color will also have you looking polished and perky. I like to use brown rather than black for a day at the beach so I don’t look like B-roll for the Jersey Shore. Be careful when choosing color for your pucker- some shimmery glosses can actually increase your chances of a sunburn (yes- you can burn your lips and sadly, lip cancer is no day at the beach). If you don’t dare dip your strands in the water, fake the look by spritzing your hair with a “wave spray” or you can make your own mixture simply by mixing salt and water in a spray bottle.