Fashion | WhyDid.com

Setting the Mood: Blue Jeans, White Shirt

By Kirsten|July 29th, 2013|Setting the Mood|

There are times when I gaze into my closet like it’s the great abyss. Just like there are times when I stare blankly at my computer screen with my fingers poised on the keyboard, but not a thing to type. The fact of the matter is, I tend to over complicate things. Overthink them. And so when I start to feel the sweat prickling on my skin as the stress sets in, I take a deep breath, and murmur to myself, “Keep it simple, stupid.” You see, when a women has a few staple pieces in her wardrobe, she can count on them like she can count on the rain after a blowout and her monthly visit from auntie Flo. By having a perfectly fitting pair of jeans, a fresh white t-shirt, crisp white blouse, and a gently destroyed pair of denim shorts, there is no occasion (except for black tie) that she cannot concur. Depending on the woman, event, and accessories, the most simple pieces, American classics, can take you from daytime down time to dinner, drinks, and possibly dancing.

J Brand 485 Luxe Sateen Midrise Skinny Jeans, T by Alexander Wang Classic Jersey T-Shirt, Splendid Voile Shirt, Rag & Bone Mila Distressed Denim Shorts

Sealed with a K.I.S.S.

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: Up on the Roof

By Kirsten|July 24th, 2013|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

When I walked out of my grey carpeted, grey walled, grey everything office on my last day of work, I knew I never wanted to be stuck in a corporate cubicle ever again. Ever. I started WhyDid while working that 9-5 (more like 8-8) job and made it my priority a year later. Sure, I wrote my first book at age ten, but I hadn’t even realized how much I enjoyed writing until over ten years later. I’ve now been fortunate enough to turn something I love to do, into what I do for a living.

While not having to report to an office sure has its perks (like wine at lunch), working from home can become pretty isolating. I don’t have to get dressed or even shower before making it from my bed to my computer. I don’t need to come in contact with humans on a daily basis if I don’t want to. And it’s fairly easy to get totally sidetracked. I have a beautiful apartment, but staring at the same four walls day in and day out can be less than inspiring. Luckily, I have a very special creative oasis just an elevator ride away. Arguably, I have one of the best rooftops in Manhattan. I can see in all directions, and being by the water allows for a little breeze, which is crucial during these oppressively hot summer days. I mean, there’s even WiFi. My only complaint? No electrical outlets, which only allows me to work for as long as my batteries will last. So, management, if you’re reading this…

top: Brandy Melville (similar), shorts: Brandy Melville (similar), sunglasses: Ray-Ban, bracelets: Alex and Ani, necklace: Nina Nguyen, shoes: Charles David, bag: Diane von Furstenberg (similar), dog: Smitty

Rough day at the office.

xx,

WhyDid

Photo credit: Michael Stiegler

Setting the Mood: Playing the Field

By Kirsten|July 22nd, 2013|Setting the Mood|

I’m not even going to pretend I like sports. I am not the girl you’re going to see at a bar cringing her way through a beer wearing her “team’s” jersey shouting profanities at the referee’s calls. I’m just not. The only “sport” I played in highschool was tennis and I was terrible at that. Oh, and there was that one time I thought running track would be fun. It wasn’t. However, I can get down with the athletic look. Way chicer than Umbros and far more pulled together than sweats, designers have put their own spin on sports. The varsity jacket has been reinvented and you don’t even have to date the quarterback to score your own. Track pants and shorts that are acceptable to wear well past practice. Sneakers and a Slimane jersey will have you rooting for the home team.

J. Crew Leather Sleeved Denim Varsity Jacket, Le Plus Dores Team Slimane Jersey, Tibi Spectator Silk Crepe de Chine Track Pants, Supra Skytop Triangle Plus Sneakers

Get in the game.

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: The Witching Hour

By Kirsten|July 16th, 2013|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

While one can essentially never go wrong in a little black dress, the same ol’ cocktail attire can become a bit tired. For a more modern take on basic black, try mixing separates in the same color- most notably in noir. Make the look your own by adding accessories like a hat for a more dressed down take, or twisting your hair into a top knot for a more polished presence. I once suggested another alternative to the LBD, which garnered a love/hate reaction. And to be honest, this is a look I’ve been perfecting since senior prom.

Yes, my parents let me out of the house (and actually escorted me) to my prom wearing these very same fly-away shorts and a beaded butterfly top (dare I mention my very first weave?). I never thought I’d see the day where these shorts would become a part of my wardrobe again, but during one of my 18,000 moves, I returned to my mom’s house in West Virginia and scoured the archives. Jackpot.

hat: borrowed (similar here), top: American Apparel (similar here), shorts: Caché, shoes: L.A.M.B. (similar), bag: Erickson Beamon

xx,

WhyDid

Photo Credit: Michael Stiegler

Setting the Mood: White Heat

By Kirsten|July 8th, 2013|Setting the Mood|

Halfway through summer and all the way to the top of the thermometer. The July heat is nearly unbearable and it’s those humid days where it feels as if anything heavier than a tissue would be too much to wear. While a New Yorker’s standard uniform seems to be perpetually black, reversing roles in all white seems to lighten things both literally and figuratively. Ivory, bone, eggshell, and stark white in linen, lace, crochet and chiffon will keep you cool and cool you down.