Personal Style | WhyDid.com

Why Did You Wear That: Take Two, Part Two

By Kirsten|August 14th, 2013|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

I was once quoted as saying my ideal outfit is “feminine but tough. (Like a pretty girl on a Harley)…” For me, it’s awfully difficult to look anything but all American. Long blonde hair and fairly classic features make it pretty easy for me to be lumped in with your average white chick. There are times when I don’t feel as if my insides match my outsides. I remember the first time I sat down in my hairstylist’s chair. She’s a super cool girl from Brooklyn and I could just tell by the barely noticeable eye roll that she had pegged me as just another girl from the West Side by merely taking in my fresh face, designer bag, and simple tank dress. After speaking with her for fifteen minutes, her initial impression of me was completely forgotten and I won’t let anyone else touch my hair with his or her scissors.

I like to take something classic and turn it into something unexpected by giving it some edge or “dumbing it down.” Anything too obvious makes me uncomfortable. Predictable scares me and boring is the end of my existence. If it’s too pretty, I add something ugly. I used to always wear my glasses with anything bodycon… until that became an ironic trend. Now I just deal with my less than perfect vision by forgoing my spectacles. Even the prettiest of cocktail dresses can morph like a chameleon by swapping out strappy sandals for rugged boots, fussy hair for wild strands, tasteful jewels for “in your face” bling. A little black dress that I thought would only come in handy for last minute cocktail party invites has fast become a closet staple.

dress: Nightcap Clothing (long sleeve version), necklace: vintage (similar), bracelet: vintage necklace (similar), boots: Frye, bag: Expressions NYC (similar)

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: Take Two, Part One

By Kirsten|August 13th, 2013|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

Buying a dress for your own birthday party is a pretty big deal. At least it was for me this year. For my first birthday back in New York, I wanted to celebrate with my favorite friends who I had missed so much and look damn good while doing so. However, having a birthday in the icy wintry month of January proves to be a bit more difficult when perusing the racks. I had been eying a particular lacy black dress online for quite some time and finally concluded the day of my birth would be the perfect time to debut it.

The good thing about this dress is that it’s neither seasonal, nor too trendy. It makes a statement without being something that can only be worn once. So, one evening, when I couldn’t quite figure out what to wear for another friend’s birthday party, I pulled this pretty little thing out of my closet for another spin around the dancefloor. This time sans tights. On my way out, I decided I should also probably take out the trash. Well, wouldn’t you know, it was a good thing I hadn’t worn my usual post workout sweat stained garb to handle the task. As I approached the compactor room, a very dashing gentleman was on his way in to toss his own trash. Being an actual gentleman, he held the door open for me and continued to hold it so that I wouldn’t be shut in the creepy, stinky room solo. As I leaned over the shoot, the fellow commented, “That’s quite an outfit for garbage duty.” To which I replied, “Oh, this old thing?”

dress: Nightcap Clothing (long sleeve version), shoes: Steve Madden (similar), clutch: Helena de Natalio (similar), bracelet: vintage necklace (similar), nails: Marie Nails

Stay tuned for this little black dress, take two.

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: Hat Trick

By Kirsten|August 10th, 2013|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

When my fave friend and photog and I do a photoshoot, there are about a billion pictures wherein I look like an asshole. However, when we get one, we really get one. After prancing through the streets a few weeks ago, we decided to just play around with the look and my oh so rustic exposed brick wall. It’s amazing what a little red lip can do. This particular shade is my tried and true. A bit of hair tossing, creative direction, and fun created these outtakes… which sometimes turn out to be the best ones.

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: Work in Progress

By Kirsten|August 2nd, 2013|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

When I first came to New York, it was a very different place. I spent the summer as an intern at Escada, living in a sublet studio apartment on West 49th Street. Other than sleeping and going to work, I didn’t spend much time in that neighborhood known as Hell’s Kitchen. The majority of my first Manhattan adventures happened right where I live today. Back when the Meatpacking District lived up to its illustrious moniker, we stepped over pools of blood and hunks of meat in our stilettos before making it to our final destination. During that time, before Buddha Bar moved in and skyrocketed the rent, our friends and designers had their studios on Little West 12th Street, which is where more than many of our New York City nights began. We’d drink and dance and swap out our Midwestern garb for the stylings of our fashionable friends. When the clock struck midnight, we didn’t head home like Cinderella. That’s when our evening began. This was the era when rubbing elbows with an Olsen and sitting down to rest your feet only to find Roberto Cavalli seated beside you was commonplace. Unlike LA, no one here bothered to bat an eyelash. (more…)

Why Did You Wear That: A Walk in the Park

By Kirsten|July 30th, 2013|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

It’s a rare occasion that I make it above 14th Street. Leaving downtown at times feels like leaving the country. Well, my country. I’m not actually a neighborhood snob (okay, maybe), but for me, there’s not much reason for me to head uptown. I used to go for the sole purpose of re-blonding, but then my hairstylist left the country… and I stopped coloring my hair. Some even say your ears may pop when you cross 42nd Street. Whatever the case may be, I don’t make it up to the Upper West Side or the park very often.

I can’t decide if I gave up on Central Park after I realized there were about 3cm of park where Smitty was actually allowed to be or that time we got pelted by a football courtesy of a group of guys trying to catch our attention. Speaking of which, a guy once asked me on a date to Central Park. I never called him back. Even my best friends have a tough time coercing me to the Upper West Side. Given enough wine, I’ve found myself sleeping on their couch in the morning, pleased with myself for having passed out before the pizza arrived. So, when my newly Americanized pal, suggested we head uptown and check out the park, I felt I had to oblige. I suffered through a steamy subway ride and was soon reminded what a wonderful oasis we have in our otherwise concrete desert.