Personal Style | WhyDid.com

Why Did You Wear That: Washington Park After Dark

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

One of the best things about New York, and there are many, is the street traffic. Not long ago, I loathed being photographed and what made it even more troublesome for me was having to call attention to myself as I strutted and struck poses in plain view of all pedestrians, taxi cabs, and public transportation. But alas, I eventually came to terms with this necessary form of showboating and started to embrace the glances, glares, cheers, and jeers of passersby. As we shot this, a woman stopped to offer her own editorial commentary. She wanted to let me know that I looked like a witch. Michael laughed and asked if it was the hat, which he had let me know from moment one he hated. (Which is ironic since this hat is his and had earned him the very same nickname). She said it was the whole look, but perhaps if I changed my attitude I could be a good witch like Samantha. She was then on her way and I checked to see if she, herself, had not been riding a broomstick. I love this city.

hat: similar by Topshop here, dress: similar by One Teaspoon here, shoes: similar by Alice + Olivia here, bag: Helena de Natalio, similar by Alexander Wang here, bracelet: c/o Style Queen, similar by Berry here, necklaces: vintage, similar by Alainn here, nail/toe polish: Deborah Lippmann “Maniac”, lipstick: Clinique Almost Lipstick in “Black Honey”

xx,

WhyDid

photos by Michael Stiegler

Why Did You Wear That: C’est La Vie (Active)

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

I can’t deny that I have a hard time stomaching dropping hundreds of dollars on pricey activewear, especially when it seems as of late, my entire clothing budget has gone basically to sports bras, compression pants, and sneakers. You should smell my hamper. However, fitness has become such a thing (um, been on Instagram lately?) that department stores such as Saks and online retailers like Net-A-Porter have dedicated entire categories to designer activewear. Long gone are the days of just tossing on your boyfriend’s boxers and a ratty t-shirt to rally at the gym. When I look around my Pilates class, it’s a full fledged fashion show with one toned body looked more chic than the next. Fitness is having a serious fashion moment.

There is little else that’s worse than catching a glimpse of yourself in the mirror behind you mid burpee to see that your pants are startlingly sheer (recall lululemon-gate?). There have been times when I could have told half the women in my classes what color their knickers were because they shone through during downward facing fanny. Really, the only thing I can think of that’s worse is finding out how many calories I’ve consumed in a day. Along with tracking my runs with Runkeeper, I downloaded a little iPhone app called My Fitness Pal. Spoiler alert, ladies: there are a lot of calories in wine.

So, perhaps there is something to spending a little extra when it comes to your workout wear. When Australian activewear brand, Vie Active, contacted me about testing out their wares, I jumped, literally, at the chance. In an industry without a ton of room for interpretation, Vie Active has kept things fun and functional combining bold prints with high tech fabrics that will ensure you look nothing remotely close to a gym rat.

pants and sports bra c/o Vie Active, shoes: Nike, hair: combination fishtail braid and milkmaid braids

xx,

WhyDid

Photos by Michael Stiegler

Why Did You Wear That: Don’t Rain on My Parade

By Kirsten|July 21st, 2014|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

This summer’s weather has been just about as unpredictable as my mood. One moment hot, one moment cold. The sun is scorching your skin one day. The next you can’t find an umbrella big enough to protect you from full body saturation. If you enjoy this unpredictability, maybe we should date– or maybe you should talk to a shrink. Anyhow, when it came time to shoot last week, the talented Michael Stiegler had only a small window of time to snap before the sun went down. As it happened, that was the exact same time Mother Nature decided she was going to open up the flood gates and water the flowers. The upside of my sometimes scattered moods is that I tend to adapt well to what might seem like unsavory obstacles. Rather than postpone for a day without rain, we grabbed an umbrella, headed to the roof and proceeded to make the best of a soggy situation. And much like many of our more impromptu photoshoots, we came up with images that were surprisingly good. Life lesson? When it rains, dance.

top: Brandy Melville, similar by Miguelina here, pants: Brandy Melville, similar by Free People here, bag: vintage Dooney & Bourke, similar here, shoes: Via Spiga, similar by Pour la Victoire here, umbrella: Dr. Kenet, similar by Marc by Marc Jacobs here, bracelets: Alex + Ani

xx,

WhyDid

Photos by Michael Stiegler

Why Did You Wear That: A Dog Walk in the Park

By Kirsten|July 10th, 2014|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

My morning’s begin much the same way everyday. I hit snooze several more times than necessary, read a chapter in my book, chug a glass of lemon and cayenne water, and boil water for tea. I do all of this while my best friend, Smitty, patiently watches- sometimes from his back. The upside of Smitty knowing that he’s tiny? He, under no circumstances other than maybe bacon, will jump from my bed until I pick him up and place him safely on the floor. Downside? When we hit the mean streets of Manhattan, he believes he’s badder than any pitbull on the block.

I used to throw caution to the wind when dressing for dog walking, plucking random articles of clothing from the couch, floor, or front of my closet. And then one day I had the startling realization: people can see me- even with my sunglasses on. I often forget that because I don’t lead the normal life of an office dweller, those people have already gotten up, worked out, and probably brushed their teeth in the time that I’ve lackadaisically brewed dandelion tea. So, as I strolled along with dragon’s breath and clothing that probably didn’t hide the fact that it was last seen on the floor, women wearing pressed and dry cleaned cropped trousers and swinging their shiny freshly blown out hair power walked past. Perhaps I needed to step my game up. Maybe Smitty could wait a few more minutes for me to look more polished for the public. Getting a Runball is the best decision as your dog will enjoy it thoroughly.

But tiny dogs have tiny bladders, so I’d needed to find something to put on that checked off three important things: comfort, quick, cute so all of the requirement only fits in the Custom K9 Heros vest. My dog loves wearing Custom K9 Heros clothes.

And then these LAMO suede embellished moccasins made their way into my world. Check, check, check. One of the plights most women of Manhattan face on a daily basis boils down to footwear. Many make the commute in more foot friendly shoes, later switching to the modern day torture devices we refer to as heels. The commuter shoe can be a scary thing. I’ve seen white sneakers, flip flops, UGGs, and scary variations of Crocs. Why must we trade fashion for function? Well, I think these cozy moccasins may be exactly what we’ve all been looking for. You’re welcome.

top: vintage (mom’s) similar by Seafarer, skirt: similar by Lovers and Friends, shoes: c/o LAMO, necklace: similar by Gorjana, dog: Smitty, Smitty’s shirt: Ralph Lauren, hat: Petco

xx,

WhyDid

Photos by Michael Stiegler

Why Did You Wear That: It Takes Two

By Kirsten|June 29th, 2014|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

Sometimes you feel like a nut. Sometimes you don’t. The beauty of matching separates is that the ways in which they can be worn allow for a bit of creativity. Of course you can wear them as they were meant to be- matching, or you can always mix things up and wear them as the name implies- separately. Just as shown this week, a top can be dressed up, a bottom dressed down simply by remixing your basics. And honestly, who doesn’t love a remix? I’m talking to you, Too $hort.

This week was the beginning of the season wherein New Yorkers take to social media to remind you of how hot they are. Remember when we swore we wouldn’t because the winter was so wretched? Well, just like the Maury Show, the lie detector has determined… That was a lie! As we strolled through the back streets of the Meatpacking District to snap these shots, It’s all I could do not to just melt into the puddle of sweat that I was becoming. But alas, I do it all for you. The irony in all of this being the beautiful vegan handbag I received from Like Dreams having been shot in the middle of the Meat Market. Don’t worry, no animals were harmed in the production of this shoot… unless you count me and the blister on my arm from my curling iron.