­

Friday Frocks: Cheers To That

By |December 5th, 2014|Friday Frocks, Why Did You Wear That?|

champagne toastThere’s lot to celebrate this time of year besides having just celebrated WhyDid.com’s sixth year of publishing as was made painfully clear this afternoon as our email chain grew longer and longer in an attempt to get all of our favorite girls together for a holiday party.  Every time we thought we’d locked down a day to congregate over cooking and cocktails, someone would pipe in with regrets over having obligations to another engagement.  We still haven’t quite nailed down a date for our holiday festivities, but in the meantime, I did nail down some festive frocks to get you through this season’s holiday party.  Cheers!

best party dresses holiday1. Milly Floral Print Satin Twill Mini Dress, $575, 2. Alice + Olivia Princess Layered Tulle Mini Dress, $700, 3. Sass & Bide The Balancing Act Dress, $790, 4. Halston Heritage Paneled Faille Mini Dress, $445, 5. Red Valentino Forest Flare Dress, $895, 6. Grace MMXIII Angelina Faux Leather Trimmed Satin Mini Dress, $385, 7. Victoria Beckham One Shoulder Jacquard Mini Dress, $950, 8. Jonathan Simkhai Metallic Ball Dress, $895, 9. Ohne Titel Jacquard Tank Rayon Blend Dress, $595, 10. Nicholas Window Lace Strapless Ball Dress, $695

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: Washington Park After Dark

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

washington park nycOne 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.

kirsten smith whydid blog

nyc bowler hat

metallic dress hat bolwer nyc

kirsten smith whydid blog nyc copy

whydid blog kirsten smith nychat: 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

Setting the Mood: The Daisies of Our Lives

By |May 12th, 2014|Setting the Mood|

daisy duke flowersTruth be told, I don’t care much for daisies.  I often lump them into the same category as carnations, which are the cantaloupe of flowers in my book.  However, there is something quite sunny about a daisy.  And who doesn’t love playing “He Loves Me Not” with the petals?  Honestly, you have a better chance of getting an accurate read from a bud than boy these days.  So when you combine daisies with denim, you’ve got a combination that even Catherine Bach would stamp her seal of approval on.

daisy fashion

 

Moschino Cheap and Chic Daisy Intarsia SweaterEugenia Kim Daisy Embellished Flower Metal HeadbandSimone Rocha Faux Pearl Embellished Satin FlatsAlice + Olivia Earla Cotton Blend Daisy Jacquard Skirt

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: Spring 2014: Style Cheat Sheet

By |February 25th, 2014|Why Did You Wear That?|

snow flowerAlthough it was fifty degrees over the weekend and snow flurrying today, we really are in the home stretch of winter.  Just hang in there, pretty birds, relief is on the way.  While we wait for the last frost of the season to cease, let us refresh ourselves on the clothing that is just waiting to make itself quite comfortable in our closets come spring.  Since each fashion week presents collections a solid six months in advance of when we can actually get our greedy little hands on it, it’s easy to forget what we need to start scoping for and what to relegate to the back of our wardrobes for the time being.  The fashion elite may be a bit clairvoyant perhaps predicting the dreadfully long winter we’ve endured as the spring collections did not shy away from color, bold patterns, and plenty of shiny embellishment.  Though black and white were ever present, it’s time to drop the dull all black uniform and have a little bit of fun.

While florals are really nothing new for spring, this season’s are a bit bolder and less feminine incorporating the trend of black and white as well as darker tones as opposed to the predictable pastel colorways.  Speaking of which, Easter egg colors abound and are best done head to toe, but if that has you feeling apprehensive of emulating Great Aunt Ida, the presence of a pastel leather jacket or clutch will do the trick.

Along with bold graphics that will have even the biggest globetrotters giddy, art aficionados rejoice.  Patterns for spring give a nod to pop art using brights that make them downright framable.  Wearable art, if you will.

Embellishment was big and came in the form of fringe, 3D embellishments and gilded golds, bronze, and silver.  An alternative to shine in the form of straightforward metallics is presented in the option of iridescence.

And to those who attempted a croptop intervention on me… bad news: the croptop (which will live on through Fall 2014) is stronger than ever for spring.  Might I suggest enrolling in a Pilates class, like last week?  Though tops are shrinking bottoms get a bit of volume in the form of wide leg trousers and full skirts seen prevalently in the midi length.

Most notably to me was that all of the various trends seem to work together quite seamlessly and in some cases there’s quite a bit of overlap.  Full metallic skirts, crop tops with sheer panels, and boldy printed wide leg trousers make hitting a few trends at once a spring breeze.

spring 2014 fashion trends

  1. Fresh Blooms: Rebecca Taylor Sweet William DressJoie Talina B PantsElizabeth and James Klaus Floral Print Silk and Mesh Dress
  2. Go Wide: by Malene Birger Cosyna High Waited Silk-Satin PantsDiane von Furstenberg Salma Wide Leg Silk Pantsalice + olivia Pleated Eric Pants
  3. Dirty Pop: Paul Smith Black Label Maxi SkirtLisa Perry Patchwork SkirtM Missoni Neon Crochet Knit Mini Dress
  4. Heavy Metals: Rachel Zoe Pearl Sequin Fishtail SkirtDAY Birger et Mikkelsen Metallic Chiffon Wrap Dress3.1 Phillip Lim Crossover Biker Skirt
  5. Peekaboo Panels: Yigal Azrouel Scuba Waterprint Mesh SkirtRag & Bone Molly SkirtRebecca Minkoff Antoni Silk Top
  6. Full Circle…Skirts: JOA Striped SkirtTOME Taffeta Skirt, Tibi Full Pleated Skirt
  7. Team Spirit: SEA Cotton-Blend Tweed ShortsSacai Luck Striped Cotton and Taffeta Dress, Equipment Abbot Silk Bomber Blouson Jacket
  8. On the Fringe: alice + olivia Caitlin Fringe Maxi SkirtHaute Hippie Fringe Pencil SkirtJason Wu Cropped Fringed Crepe Top
  9. Buttoned Up: Diane von Furstenberg Trudy BlouseMiH The Oversize Shirt, Carven Silk Floral Print Collared Cotton Shirt
  10. Perfect Pastels: Halston Heritage Asymmetric Satin Twill Peplum Dress, J Brand Ready To Wear Durham Oversized Leather Biker Jacket, Lotusgrace Polka Dot Sheath Dress
  11. Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop Croptops: Tibi Cropped Embellished Cotton Blend TopJonathan Simkhai Cropped Intarsia Jersey TopBCBGMAXAZRIA Kaja Harness Top
  12. Black (and White) to Basics: A.L.C. Harrison SkirtDonna Karan Printed Silk Wide Leg PantsMcQ Alexander McQueen Slash Effect Stretch Knit Dress
  13. Iridescent Does It: Acne Tine Sequined Silk Georgette ShortsRoksanda Ilincic Oriel Colorblock Wool Crepe Dress, 3.1 Phillip Lim Colorblock Suede A-Line Skirt
  14. Global Graphics Clover Canyon Diamond Quilt Printed Cropped Track Pants, Diane von Furstenberg Phaedra Jacquard Skirt, Line & Dot Silk Palm Tree Print Dress

 

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: She’s Got Legs.

By |February 18th, 2014|Why Did You Wear That?|

legwear editorial fashionOh, hey.  It’s snowing again.  Blame that damn groundhog… or global warming.  Whomever is to blame, it’s bone chillingly cold and frustratingly difficult to get dressed each day keeping both style and thermometer in mind.  One tires of wearing only jeans and pants and our poor little frocks have been left hanging lonely in the outer realms of our closets.

A great way to add interest to a basic little black dress is with fashion legwear.  Not to mention, a wonderful way to show off those stems you’ve been keeping in shape all winter long.  Another option?  Consider layering plain black tights under some of the open work options to achieve the same look without losing the warmth.  And speaking of layering, don’t be afraid to layer over the knee options on top of tights.  Play with texture and patterns to keep things interesting until the snow melts and the sun comes out again.

luxury legwear

1. Pretty Polly Tower Block Tights, 2. Commando Secret Garden Tights, 3. Wolford Valencienne Lace Thigh Highs, 4. Wolford Saphira Openwork Tights, 5. Fogal Annegret Hosiery, 6. Wolford Marchesa Tights, 7. Agent Provocateur Polka Dot Stockings, 8. Linda Farrow + Falke Seamed Faux Leather Trimmed Stockings, 9. alice + olivia Semi Sheer Argyle Tights, 10. Nordstrom Mesh Floral Tights

 

xx,

WhyDid

 

image via