Michael Stiegler | WhyDid.com

Why Did You Wear That: Work in Progress

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

When 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: A Walk in the Park

By Kirsten|July 30th, 2013|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

It’s a rare occasion that I make it above 14th Street. Leaving downtown at times feels like leaving the country. Well, my country. I’m not actually a neighborhood snob (okay, maybe), but for me, there’s not much reason for me to head uptown. I used to go for the sole purpose of re-blonding, but then my hairstylist left the country… and I stopped coloring my hair. Some even say your ears may pop when you cross 42nd Street. Whatever the case may be, I don’t make it up to the Upper West Side or the park very often.

I can’t decide if I gave up on Central Park after I realized there were about 3cm of park where Smitty was actually allowed to be or that time we got pelted by a football courtesy of a group of guys trying to catch our attention. Speaking of which, a guy once asked me on a date to Central Park. I never called him back. Even my best friends have a tough time coercing me to the Upper West Side. Given enough wine, I’ve found myself sleeping on their couch in the morning, pleased with myself for having passed out before the pizza arrived. So, when my newly Americanized pal, suggested we head uptown and check out the park, I felt I had to oblige. I suffered through a steamy subway ride and was soon reminded what a wonderful oasis we have in our otherwise concrete desert.

shorts: Torn by Ronny Kobo, top: American Apparel, shoes: Jimmy Choo (similar), bracelets: Kenneth Jay Lane (ring version), bag: Asos (similar)

xx,

WhyDid

Photo Credit: Michael Stiegler

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

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.