Personal Style | WhyDid.com

Why Did You Wear That: I Got the Hook Up

By Kirsten|September 26th, 2013|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

I always argue that I live in the West Village, though my address teeters terribly close to the streets that fill with drunken girls in stilettos and inappropriately and unseasonably short bejeweled bandage dresses and the men who love them on the weekends. Then one day, I noticed the banner (conveniently sponsored by my building’s management company) affixed to the lamppost on my corner welcoming all to the trendy Meatpacking District. “Live Well!” it decrees. If you mean paying six dollars for a bag of salt and vinegar potato chips at the corner deli and navigating through fanny pack clad Midwestern tourists while avoiding the stench of street carts, then, why yes, you can live very well in this neighborhood.

…And then I received a packet in my mailbox. It was officially welcoming me to the Meatpacking District complete with a Hookup Card. I can’t. And yet, I do. When I first came to New York before my senior year of college, the Meatpacking District was exactly what its name suggests. There was meat on the ground and it smelled and it was not yet infiltrated with Lulu Lemon and the stroller pushing mothers who wear it. It was gritty and scary and fun. It was the old New York. But as much as I complain about it, I love where I live… so long as I always walk south when exiting my building, unless heading to Sephora or Soho House. I’m glad I’ve lived here long enough to know the difference and to be able to bitch about it.

dress: American Apparel, jacket: c/o American Living (similar here), socks: Xhiliration (similar here), boots: Dolce Vita (similar here), bag: Balenciaga

Holla if ya hear me.

xx,

WhyDid

Photo Credit: Michael Stiegler

Why Did You Wear That: Smitty Did it

By Kirsten|September 17th, 2013|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

If you’ve been reading for a while (even only a little while), you are probably well aware that the main man in my life is and always will be an eight pound Maltipoo by the name of Smitty. What you may not know is that his namesake is my father and the reasoning behind that is because they were coincidentally born on the very same day, September 22nd. At some point in my early collegiate years, my mom passed down a vintage t-shirt that she’d owned emblazoned with the phrase, “Smitty did it.” Since my last name is, of course, Smith, I had taken it and worn it without really giving it much thought. Then I gave it some thought… and realized how inappropriate the interpretation of this shirt could be. Almost as awkward as the time my mom tried to hand off her keychain that says, “I love Dick,” which she carried for years without ever realizing that most people weren’t privy to the fact that her husband’s name was Dick and she wasn’t some kind of overly amorous individual.

I held onto the shirt and it became relevant again once this pound and a half of puppy entered my life. No longer indicative of anything other than the fact that my dog probably did it. I didn’t actually realize what a family affair this outfit was until I started listing the pieces individually below. The only member I’m missing something from is my eldest brother, Adam, but I’ve already sported his gear (thanks, big bro).

hat: Dick Smith (dad) similar here, flannel shirt: Andy Smith (brother) similar here, t-shirt: Georgia Smith (mom), jeans: c/o Frankie B., bag: vintage- similar here, boots: – similar here, on Smitty: camo hoodie by

It wasn’t me. Smitty did it.

xx,

WhyDid

Photo Credit: Michael Stiegler

Why Did You Wear That: Little in the Middle

By Kirsten|September 12th, 2013|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

It is my belief that most women either love their torsos or love their legs and the alternate tends to be their trouble zone and bane of their existence- much like fitted sheets are to me. Then I guess there are those handful of you bitches who can’t even comprehend what a “problem area” is. I am not one of those, so read on and continue not hating me. From the time I put on my first pair of tights for ballet class, I cursed my thighs. I always longed for gazelle like legs, but instead was blessed with a set of sturdier stems. A guy I was once dating nearly got clocked for calling them “healthy.” Wrong answer, bro.

When the crop top came back in to heavy rotation this year, I really couldn’t have been more thrilled, unless someone told me there was a new way to make millions while simply drinking rosé and people watching. You see, the chances of the crop top returning to relevance again and my being of age appropriateness overlapping are quite slim. It’s kind of like a blue moon and I’m sure there’s some statistician out there who could calculate the odds, but I cried to my statistics professor to avoid failing, so I’m not your girl. Point is: you give me an opportunity to wear a crop top, and I’m taking it. Like here and here and, well, now here.

jacket: Diane von Furstenberg (similar here), top: American Apparel, pants: 7 for All Mankind, shoes: B Brian Atwood, sunglasses: Chloe, bracelets: Alex and Ani, bag: vintage (similar here)

So, if you’re sick of seeing me in crop tops, blame Jenn Seracuse… and my parents.

xx,

WhyDid

Photo credit: Michael Stiegler

Why Did You Wear That: Now and Later (Later)

By Kirsten|September 5th, 2013|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

I love winter shorts, but this is yet another style gamble that you can lose the house on. When executed properly, the look is young, playful, and a great way to get more wear out of your favorite shorts. However, when you roll the dice and lose, the stares you’re going to get on the street won’t be those of admiration. They’ll be looks of horror, possibly pity, and most likely secondhand embarrassment. You know, the same look you had when you informed the girl seated at the table next to you that she had a toilet paper tail. Oh, that was just us? Anyway, many moons ago, I put together some winter shorts guidelines that still hold true to this day. So, go ahead and hold off on stashing your short shorts for just a little while longer.

hat: Urban Outfitters, t-shirt: American Apparel, sweater: Henri Bendel (similar here), shorts: c/o Cult of Individuality, tights: HUE, bag: Alexander Wang, boots: All Saints (similar here)

Later.

xx,

WhyDid

Photo Credit: Michael Stiegler

Why Did You Wear That: Now and Later

By Kirsten|September 4th, 2013|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

The weather at the end of summer and the beginning of spring is more flippant and unpredictable than a woman two days into Aunt Flo. One day you’re blotting sweat stains from a silk blouse and the next you’re wishing you’d stowed a cardigan in your tote. Most of my summer was spent sunning my stems in denim cutoff shorts. My jeans barely saw the light of day and probably now have perma-creases from staying stagnant in the depths of my closet. Most people see Labor Day as the end of summer and Fashion Week as the beginning of fall. This is when closet starved New Yorkers begin the purging of their closets. Tiny tanks and strappy sandals are stowed and soft cashmere and slouchy boots take their place. But before you pack away your denim cutoffs for good, let’s examine how some of your favorite summer pieces can have an extended shelf life by working them into your wardrobe with winter wear.

sunglasses: Ray-Ban, top: custom vintage (similar here), shorts: c/o Cult of Individuality, bracelets: Alex and Ani, bag: Malini Murjani (similar here), shoes: L.A.M.B. (similar here)