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Why Did You Wear That: Fall Overhaul

By |September 24th, 2013|Why Did You Wear That?|

September 22nd marked the first day of fall (and also my dad’s and beloved pooch’s birthdays).  Now you can officially start complaining about the end of summer… not that you haven’t been doing so since Labor Day and the end of your summer share.  I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I actually find fall to be a little bit magical.  It’s nice to have everyone back in the city.  Sidewalks are full of brunchers on the weekends soaking in the last bits of tolerable temperatures.  There seems to be a tinge of excitement in the crisp air.  For what- I’m not quite sure… can’t possibly be the impending arctic winter.  And while I do love a teeny bikini, I’ve always preferred dressing for fall.  Layering cashmere, leather, boots, and coats may seem daunting to some though.  So, I’ve put together ten fall trends that will help you start your shopping list and soften the shift from summer to fall.

fall fashion trends

  1. Sweaters that say something: Forever 21 Boom! Cropped Sweater, ONE by Babe Babe Sweater
  2. Layer in leather: All Saints Sens Leather Skirt, Helmut Lang Stretch Leather Legging Style Pants
  3. One, two buckle your boots: Steve Madden Cinch Cutout Ankle Boot, Chloé Susanna Studded Leather Boots
  4. Mad for plaid: Forever 21 On the Range Plaid Sweatshirt, McQ Plaid Zip Skirt
  5. All shades of grey: Free People The James Dress, Richard Nicoll Waffle Knit Angora Blend Sweater Dress
  6. Sneak attack: Adidas by Stella McCartney Discosura Hiker Sneakers, Giuseppe Zanotti London Zip High Sneakers
  7. Oversized outerwear: Forever 21 Oversized Zip Up Jacket, Rochas Oversized Open Coat
  8. Go Army green: Sparkle and Fade Camo Sweater, Faith Connexion Camouflage Tapered Pants
  9. Beanie baby: Urban Outfitters Waffle Knit Beanie, Lanvin Embellished Ribbed Wool and Cashmere Beanie
  10. Mini me: See by Chloe Rosita Mini Chain Purse, Fendi Be Baguette Mini Shearling Bag

Save me a seat at brunch.

xx,

WhyDid

 

image via

 

Why Did You Wear That: Now and Later (Later)

By |September 5th, 2013|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

kirsten smithI love winter shorts, but this is yet another style gamble that you can lose the house on.  When executed properly, the look is young, playful, and a great way to get more wear out of your favorite shorts.  However, when you roll the dice and lose, the stares you’re going to get on the street won’t be those of admiration.  They’ll be looks of horror, possibly pity, and most likely secondhand embarrassment.  You know, the same look you had when you informed the girl seated at the table next to you that she had a toilet paper tail.  Oh, that was just us?  Anyway, many moons ago, I put together some winter shorts guidelines that still hold true to this day.  So, go ahead and hold off on stashing your short shorts for just a little while longer.

kirsten smith

kirsten smith

kirsten smith

kirsten smithhat: Urban Outfitters, t-shirt: American Apparel, sweater: Henri Bendel (similar here), shorts: c/o Cult of Individuality, tights: HUE, bag: Alexander Wang, boots: All Saints (similar here)

Later.

xx,

WhyDid

Photo Credit: Michael Stiegler

Why Did You Wear That: Work in Progress

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

kirsten smithWhen 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: Dress Up

By |November 28th, 2012|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

whydid kirsten smithIt’s always so relaxing to go home.  There are no worries, no pressure, nothing to do, and I gain about ten pounds.  Turns out, the fine folks here are not particularly interested in juicing, Pilates, or whether or not hunting gear should be worn to dinner at Applebee’s.  That said, I am looking forward to heading home (to New York), starting a cleanse, and hitting the treadmill– hard.  In the meantime, I played a little game of dress up in a sweater dress of my mother’s that I’ve been eying for several years.  It hung in my closet in New York for a bit, but never got any play because I couldn’t quite figure out when and where I wanted to wear it, so I returned it during my West Coast intermission.  Now seems like the perfect time for this knit confection to make its way back to my closet once again.  Let’s give it another go.  Whaddya say?

kirsten smith

vintage sweater dress

all saints boots

kirsten smith why did you wear thatdress: vintage, bag: Balenciaga, boots: All Saints, hat: Croft & Barrow

Thanks, mom.

xx,

WhyDid

Friday Frocks: Tee Time

By |June 15th, 2012|Friday Frocks, Why Did You Wear That?|

tee shirtsFridays are meant to be casual… as are the weekends.  And while we may strap ourselves into the tightest tops, shortest skirts, and highest heels for a night out, I, for one, can not wait to get home and get out of my constricting couture and slip into something much more comfortable.  Enter the t-shirt dress.  Remember those sleep shirts you wore as a kid?  Might have been your dad’s or just an oversized tee with your favorite band (NKOTB).  Now, you can take your favorite slouchy tee to the streets by sporting this casual yet chic style.

tshirt dresses1. J. Crew Striped Cotton Drawstring Dress, $88, 2. Sauce Long Fringe Dress, $97, 3. Velvet Roccon Dress, $108, 4. Ecote Tie Dye Dress, $49, 5. All Saints Freedom T-Shirt Dress, $95, 6. Rebecca Taylor Knot Tee Dress, $195, 7. Aubin & Willis Corsham Cotton Jersey Dress, $95, 8. T by Alexander Wang Classic Boatneck Dress, $85, 9. Boutique Slouchy Tee Dress, $80, 10. Wilt Slub Crew Hi Low Dress, $134

Now, relax.

xx,

WhyDid