­

Why Did You Wear That: Seeing Red

By |September 22nd, 2014|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

fall trends 2014 sweater dressIt can be tricky trying to decide what color to wear with red.  When I was younger, I had an incredibly strong aversion to wearing black with red.  To me, it came off as a little cheap.  I don’t feel as strongly about it now as I did when I was sixteen, but I still prefer other options over basic black when accessorizing with bold red.  Well then, what options is one left with when black is eliminated?  You could opt for luggage colored brown, or even a soft taupe.  Another great option is grey (also a fall trend).  In this instance, I had forgotten I even had these deep oxblood Pour La Victoire boots hidden beneath my bed (that’s how we store shoes here in New York).  As soon as I’d wiped away the dust bunnies, I recalled that I also had a vintage bag from my mother that was of the same shade.  Once a complete faux pas and something only worn by women donning their Sunday best for morning mass, I threw caution to the wind and got wild by matching my shoes to my bag.  Another option right on trend would be to wear a leopard boot or carry a leopard clutch (thous in this instance, I’d opt for one or the other).  It may seem a little bit “The Nanny” but I actually believe despite what men say, that leopard is sort of a new neutral.  Besides, did Fran not get her man?

Speaking of my man and matching, Smitty celebrated his eighth birthday and one of his doting aunts was sweet enough to bestow him with his own scarlet sweater.  She pays attention to fall trends too.  Pretty much Smitty and I became this fall’s Justin and Britney, Katy and Riff Raff.  Sure, my sweater is just about the same size as Smitty’s and technically it’s just an oversized jumper as opposed to an official frock, but it’s not the first, nor will it be the last, time wherein I wear something not as it’s intended.

how to wear sweater dress

why did blog kirsten smith

dog clothes

sweater dress fashion blog fall

smitty dog sweater dressbest fall outfits

how to wear a trench coatcoat: Michael Kors, sweater: Zara, similar by 6397 here, bag: vintage, similar by Oliveve here, shoes: Pour La Victoire, similar by Opening Ceremony here, dog: Smitty, Smitty’s sweater: handmade, similar by Ralph Lauren here, lips: Benefit Benetint

 

xx,

WhyDid

 

Photos by Michael Stiegler—-> have you check out his interview with Skinny Says Relax?

Why Did You Wear That: Runway Rewind

By |September 13th, 2014|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

new york fashion week lincoln centerOh, hey there.  In case you don’t have access to cable or a smartphone, last week (and a half) was New York Fashion Week.  The fashion elite have since jetted off to London for round two, but here’s a little sneak peak into what was my NYFW experience.  I kept things pretty quiet on Instagram as when I scrolled through my own feed, I was bombarded with photo after photo… after photo of the shows.  I tried to snap shots of things that not everyone was capturing- like bored little girls in the front row and the contents of my bag.  This wasn’t my first rodeo and I can wax poetic like all of those annoying New Yorkers who recall a city of a different era.  A city that still had a little grit and required more than a weird outfit to garner getting papped outside Lincoln Center.  (Did you see the Jimmy Fallon bit?).  So, while I miss when Fashion Week was more about fashion that it was fluff, I am happy to have been a part of another New York ritual.

new york fashion week lincoln center

new york fashion week camera pit

lincoln center unif for love and lemons

front row new york fashion week

why did blog kirsten smith

art institutes new york fashion week

kirsten smith why did blog

why did blog kirsten smithdress: KNITZ by For Love & Lemons, top: American Apparel, bag: Alexander Wang, shoes: UNIF 94 Heels, lipcolor: Clinique

xx,

WhyDid

 

Photography by Michael Stiegler

Why Did You Wear That: Black Dress, Jean Shirt

By |August 17th, 2014|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

lbd day to night how toPerhaps your need to be discreet regarding last night’s outfit is a bit more innocent than the aforementioned instance.  After a beautiful dinner complete with across the table hand holding with your beau, you both awake with a hankering for Eggs Benedict, but seeing as you are not (as of yet) co-habitating, you’ve got to work with what you’ve got.  And isn’t that what life is all about?  A swanky dinner at Claudette called for the perfect little black dress (a favorite LBD of mine worn two ways here and here) and sexy stilettos.  As stunning as you looked last night strolling past tables packed with wealthy Wall Street types and their girlfriends who smacked them for gawking, wearing the same thing this morning to Bubby’s may raise some eyebrows for entirely different reasons.  An incredibly simple way to disguise your enticing ensemble is to simply tie a denim or chambray shirt around you (a flannel variation would work as well) and embrace the uptown/downtown amalgation by also embracing your bed head with a simple rope braid (learn how here).  You’ll look so “devil may care” that the only reason someone’s head may turn this time is to figure out which tabloid star you are.  Order a mimosa for me.denim shirt scotch and soda nyc whydid

west village nyc denim shirt shopping how to wear denim shirt why did blog

kirsten smith why did blog

why did blog kirsten smithshirt: Scotch & Soda, dress: similar by Young Fabulous & Broke here, bag: similar by Alexander McQueen here, shoes: Steve Madden, sunglasses: street vendor on Washington Street, similar by Oliver Peoples here

xx,

WhyDid

Photography by Michael Stiegler

Why Did You Wear That: Crop Top Ya Don’t Stop

By |August 15th, 2014|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

crop top day to night how toWe’ve all awoken as the morning sun manages to creep through the black out shades rendering us nearly blind to the startling realization  that the water glass on the nightstand is empty and that nightstand is not our own.  The second pang of panic comes barreling through shortly after groggily recalling that what we deemed appropriate attire for a late evening dalliance may not exactly translate to daytime, let alone during the morning commute with other responsible, gainfully employed adults.  I was not a Girl Scout, but I am always prepared.  98% of the time, there is a pair of sunglasses stashed safely in my bag (I painfully learned this lesson during that other 2% of the time).  Sunglasses are essentially a real life force field.  Whether they actually prove to disguise your appearance from curious onlookers or not is irrelevant so long as you feel like they do.  As you carefully tiptoe your way to the restroom only to discover that your previously perfect blowout more resembles Bob Marley’s dreadlocks, you breathe a sigh of relief knowing that you have a hair tie on your wrist and a collection of bobby pins in the bottom of your bag.  This is when when a top knot comes in handy (tutorial here).  The only problem left is somehow making that tiny crop top look less Pretty Woman and more Carrie Bradshaw.

One of my favorite outfits and favorite shoots (which you can see in totality here) is a perfect example of something that would garner compliments post sunset and could attract clientele come morning if you’re seen standing on the corner too long awaiting your Uber.  Whether your evening prior to sunrise had been raucous or rather innocent, sometimes you’ve got to borrow from your boy’s closet to save some dignity, but how does one do so without looking like a total shacker?  In this instance, wearing a belted pair of shorts with your crop top and pulling your hair into a squeaky clean top knot will certainly fool any innocent bystander into believing that you did, in fact, wake up like this.

whydid blog nyc kirsten smith

kirsten smith whydid blog

kirsten smith why did blog

kirsten smith whydid blogtop: American Apparel, shorts: Hurley, belt: similar by Rag & Bone, shoes: Jimmy Choo, bag: vintage, similar by Barney’s, sunglasses: Ray-Ban

xx,

WhyDid

photography by Michael Stiegler

Why Did You Wear That: When the Lights Go Down

By |August 9th, 2014|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

sunset cutoff denim shortsMy love of sunsets is no secret to friends and loved ones.  My father often snaps his West Coast stunners for me so that I get to experience not one, but two beautiful skies a night.  That’s love -and one reason I’d totally be down for a long distance relationship.  Cloud coverage, humidity, and time of day can all affect the palette used to create each night’s masterpiece making it nearly impossible for it to ever grow old.  Each night, I’m undoubtedly awed.  The only catch to my sherbert sunsets is that why, yes, that is the W Hoboken.  That’s the irony in all of this.  Joke’s on you, Manhattan.  You pay thousands of dollars a month in rent to gaze appreciatively at New Jersey.  At least Brooklyn gets to take in our beautiful skyline.  Even though we laugh at the fact that all of these glorious sky paintings are hung in the gallery that is New Jersey, I still show up for the show.

Tomorrow marks the second super moon (not to mention the Aquarius new moon), the largest of three super moons this summer. Shit is literally going to get weird and you can bet I will be perched atop my roof to take in the lunar glow sparkling against the Hudson (and New Jersey).  I’ve been known on more than one occasion to wear nightgowns as evening gowns– a trait I earned honestly from my mother.  Which is why some of my favorite clothing items came directly from my mom’s lingerie drawer.  Vintage lace tops worn with this summer’s favored outerwear, the kimono, is perfect for staring at the moon.

But I sure do miss the stars.

whydid blog kirsten smith sunset nyckimono nyc denim cutoff shorts brandy melville

kirsten smith why did blog

lace top kimono nyc sunset

kirsten smith whydid blogwhydid blog kirsten smithkimono: similar by Ecote here, top: vintage Mom’s, shorts: similar by MINKPINK here, shoes: French Connection, bag: Louis Vuitton, necklace: Nina Nguyen, ring: Erica Annenberg, bracelets: Alex + Ani

xx,

WhyDid

Photos by Michael Stiegler