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Why Did You Wear That: April Foolishness

By |April 3rd, 2014|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

kirsten smithEvery time I check the weather on my iPhone and start to feel optimistic about the above 40 degree temperature and lack of rain icon, I’m smacked in the face with reality when I check it again fifteen minutes before leaving the house to see that the temperature has taken a nose dive and the icon may as well be a middle finger.  It’s as if my weather app is playing an elongated and twisted April fool’s joke on me and it’s the only one laughing.  Getting dressed during this time of year is also a joke because one never knows when Mother Nature will snarl and decide she’s bored with the sun and would rather toss out a hailstorm to liven up your otherwise mundane Tuesday.

And while I may look like a delicate spring flower in these photos, I certainly navigated the April showers (along with the ever patient, Brian Schutza) to capture them.  A wet fire escape in five inch stiletto Jimmy Choos?  Child’s play.  I like living on the edge and 6+ years navigating the treacherous cobblestone streets of the West Village qualify me as a pro.  I found these pants in a thrift store in Bushwick, and I knew I needed them because they fall in between the categories of pants and maxi skirt and isn’t that kind of like getting the last seat on an overcrowded L train?  While these pants are beyond comfortable, I had to be very careful with the way in which I styled them, because they could very easily be mistaken as pajama pants– something I discovered when I wore a similar pair to brunch at Bubby’s one lazy Sunday.  When wearing pants with an elastic waistband (yikes!), be sure to keep the other elements more tailored (adding a belt is a good way to add refinement to an otherwise casual style).  Take that, Mother Nature.

Don’t forget to learn how to milk maid braid to avoid rainy day hair calamities.

kirsten smith nyc

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kirsten smith nyc

new york kirsten smithjacket: Express, tank: Brandy Melville, pants: vintage, shoes: Jimmy Choo, belt: vintage (mom’s), bag: vintage

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xx,

WhyDid

photography by Brian Schutza

Why Did You Wear That: Hot Lips

By |March 27th, 2014|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

kirsten smith jeremy pennWith one of spring’s hottest trends being a nod to art inspired style, living in a city with not only limited wall space, but also limited funding for original artwork can be downright depressing- especially for those of us with pensions for more than basic black and white Ikea prints.  So, when New York based modern artist, Jeremy Penn, was generous enough to send one of his Hot Lips tanks (recently featured in InTouch), I was not only flattered, but floored.  Sure it’s “spring” here in the city, but it’s still too soon to bare it all in this soft and slouchy tank and since I really couldn’t be bothered to wait to wear it, I warmed it up with patterned denim, a light spring jacket, and colored suede booties- a look perfect for navigating the tourist infested cobblestone streets that I call home.

kirsten smith new york

kirsten smith

kirsten smith jeremy penn

kirsten smithkirsten smith whydidjacket: Diane von Furstenberg, tank: Jeremy Penn (available here– a portion of proceeds go to the Global Fund for Women), pants: 7 For All Mankind, boots: Pour La Victoire, bag: vintage

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xx,

WhyDid

 

photos by Brian Schutza

Why Did You Wear That: Almost.

By |March 12th, 2014|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

kirsten smith nycYesterday was the first day in a long time that I didn’t have to wear a coat, but a jacket instead.  The thermostat skyrocketed to an unbelievable sixty one degrees although it still felt a little frosty west by the water.  And while skin started to show and our bodies but not hearts began to thaw, it wasn’t quite warm enough to convince me that spring is really on the way.  Restaurants weren’t the slightest bit hesitant about setting up their outdoor seating to capitalize on the overzealous weather revelers.  I even joined friends for rooftop cocktails at Soho House to celebrate (and photobooth foolery followed).  And while we do have only a week left of winter an entire extra hour of sun,  at some point it still does go down.

kirsten smith

 

kirsten smith

 

kirsten smith

kirsten smithShop the Look:

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WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: One Dress, Three Ways (Rated R)

By |February 14th, 2014|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

kirsten smithThe moment the door closes behind me upon arriving home after a long day, or a late night, the clothes are immediately removed.  It’s funny that a woman who loves clothing as much as I do spends so little time in it.  So, it’s a good thing I love silky nighties and lingerie.  That’s why when I came across a dress that could combine all these things, a space was cleared in my closet for it.  A couple of years ago, celebrities like Erin Heatherton and Lea Michele made this look quite popular.   I wasn’t an early adopter, I must admit.  But when a woman works that hard for her body, she wants to show it off.  And if you’re not Lady Gaga or Beyonce, the opportunity to wear a leotard in public comes up rarely if ever.  Ta-da!  No pants, no problem. And if you are looking for a really scary look for your costume then check out these white-out contacts as they look so cool.

kirsten smith

kirsten smith

kirsten smith

kirsten smith

kirsten smithdress: For Love & Lemons, coat: vintage (similar here), booties: Steve Madden (similar here), bag: vintage (similar here), necklace: vintage (similar here), bra: Cosabella, briefs: Commando, lipstick: Makeup Forever No. 50

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: One Dress, Three Way (Rated PG)

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

kirsten smithTo show a little more skin in this dress from For Love & Lemons, I scratched the catsuit and slipped into a silk slip.  As soon as there was more skin showing, the level of drama was amped up.  Mo’ skin, mo’ drama?  Since it is still arctic, I added a fur jacket, gold chains, and a big bag to stow my scarf and gloves in between transit.

kirsten smith

kirsten smith whydid

kirsten smithdress: For Love & Lemons, slip: Skin, booties: Steve Madden (similar here), bag: Alexander Wang, jacket: vintage, necklaces: vintage (similar here),

xx,

WhyDid