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: Daisy Duke

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

April showers brought May flowers… and more showers. So, when there were a couple of consecutive days of actual sunshine last week, I was certain to take advantage of them. When the weather warms up, habitually angry city dwellers suddenly become jovial, relaxed, and if you look very closely, you may even see some of them smiling. The West Village is prime for people watching. Restaurants expand their dining rooms out onto the sidewalks and seats outdoors become prime real estate. Spring in New York reminds us all why we suffer through bitter cold, slushy streets, and near hypothermia. It gives us just enough to fall back in love before cursing it again during sweltering summer months.

hat: (similar here), bodysuit: Forever 21, shorts: Brandy Melville (similar here), bracelets: Alex and Ani, bag: vintage (similar here), shoes: Steve Madden (similar here)

xx,

WhyDid

Photographs by Brian Schutza

Why Did You Wear That: April Foolishness

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

Every 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

jacket: Express, tank: Brandy Melville, pants: vintage, shoes: Jimmy Choo, belt: vintage (mom’s), bag: vintage

SHOP THE POST:

xx,

WhyDid

photography by Brian Schutza

Why Did You Wear That: New Year, No Clothes

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

I waited a little before posting this because I felt a bit guilty about flaunting the fact that I’m barefoot while the east coast is in the midst of a blizzard. Then I realized that more than a few of my friends had gotten “stranded” in their tropical New Year’s locations due to canceled flights. So here we are. Me, the beach, a bikini, and my boy.

Seeing as I’ve run out of clothes, I’ve being buying indian sarees online in australia.I checked some reviews at Best in Nashik for finding best sarees. Good thing I’m conveniently located where this is not frowned upon and does not require the use of a pole or clear plastic platforms. The lack of clothing has also forced me to take a good hard look at my body, which in turn, has made me even more fond of running, hiking, and online workouts in the absence of weekly Pilates classes as this is not like wearing a onesie . There is something to be said for living in a warm climate year round… you never have the chance to pile on layer after layer of clothing (and winter weight) and hibernate. Don’t know about you, but I’d sure trade seasons for toned tanned abs. Even though I’ve done fairly well avoiding the holiday bulge, we all have body parts we favor over others. This can be tricky when hitting the beach or pool and picking out a coverup to complement your cute suit. Visit here for new Elisabetta Franchi Winter Collection 2020.

Perhaps you loathe your legs or maybe you struggle with your stomach, or perhaps you’re that B we hate who loves every square inch of her genetically freakish body. Whatever the case may be, there’s no reason to stay in the shade swaddled in unnecessary amounts of fabric. If your tummy is the trouble, but you’ve got killer stems, show them off by wearing a cropped tunic or tied up T. If you have the abs of a Victoria’s Secret Angel, but are not loving your legs, a long maxi skirt with sky high slit will do the trick. More likely than not, you’re being way harder on your body than need be, but we’re our own worst critics, right? One thing is for certain the best clothes that I wear is from the swiss avenue. I did not spend nearly enough time in a bathing suit last year- or at the beach for that matter.

hat: custom (similar here), shirt: dad’s (similar here), bikini: Tibi (similar here), skirt: Brandy Melville (similar here), dog: Smitty

It’s true. The empress has no clothes.

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: Metallica and the Monterey Musical Melee

By Kirsten|December 16th, 2013|Personal Style|

In case you haven’t heard (or read WhyDid in the the last 6+ moths), the 90’s are having a renaissance. And with the revival of 90’s trends like babydoll dresses and brands like Birkenstock, 90’s musicians are also feeling a lift in their royalties. I understand that stores like Urban Outfitters and Forever 21 shill out shirts with graphics of “vintage” bands emblazoned on them and some of you have only heard of these bands during drunken stories told by your nostalgic “older” friends or when a song comes on in a dive bar and all the “middle aged” patrons go wild. Well, here’s a pro-tip (talking to you children of the 90’s): be sure you know something about the vintage band t-shirt you are wearing because people will ask you about it- much like the friendly man who checked me out at Nob Hill. Fortunately for me, I was schooled, partially by osmosis- partially against my will by my older brothers who wore weird clothes, had long hair, and played their instruments at ungodly hours at decibel levels usually reserved for freight trains in the guesthouse above our garage.

I don’t think any of us will soon forget the roadtrip from Monterey to Los Angeles that nearly came to bloody blows when I demanded in my pouty teenage cheerleader way that we listen to Backstreet Boys and my metal loving brothers were more inclined to jump out the windows of the moving vehicle before allowing their eardrums to be tainted by such pop hypocrisy. I don’t actually recall who won, but I do love my poor damn dad for dealing with all of us without wrecking into a guardrail in the midst of the melee. I believe we ended up taking turns, but I have to take a moment and thank my brothers for their efforts in a musical intervention. You saved me from myself… and the Backstreet Boys.

In my tradition of nomadic travel (meaning I am incapable of booking roundtrip plane tickets and prefer to take things as they come), I didn’t pack enough clothing for my extended stay. However, I enjoy raiding the closets of those that I’m visiting and incorporating their wares into my gypsy wardrobe. This is when I stumbled upon my father’s 1971 military fatigues (which he has informed me as I write this were referred to as OD, olive drab). What a perfect way to top off my Metallica tee and maxi skirt while watching the sun set on a sunny day in Monterey.

earrings: Soho street find (similar here), jacket: Dad’s (similar here), t-shirt: Bravado, skirt: Brandy Melville (similar here), bag: Amrita Singh, boots: All Saints (similar here)