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Why Did You Wear That: Blurring Lines in Gempicket

By |November 30th, 2015|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

gempicket whydid kirsten smith2Upon entering my apartment, one of the first things people notice, besides the fact that it took them twenty minutes to navigate the maze like hallway to get there, is the collection of nightgowns hanging on the handles of my closet doors on the left side of the hallway.  Some of them are vintage, some of them I’ve never worn, others I wear all the time.  You could say that my obsession with nightwear began while watching Golden Girls as a little girl.  That’s right, instead of Big Bird and Mister Rogers it was Murphy Brown, Sam Malone, and Blanche Devereaux.  I still fall asleep to the sounds of Nick at Nite and all of this ties back nicely to the potential narcolepsy I suffer from.  Another hypothesis as to my penchant for boudoir attire is the time I spent buying lingerie for Henri Bendel.  One never knew she was missing a waspie or the imperative need for an embroidered kimono until she spent time in a showroom full of silk, chiffon, and lace.  I only have one dresser in my apartment and its sole purpose is to house my bras, panties, and bathing suits.  You may be wondering why I ever even bother getting dressed.  Spoiler alert, I rarely do.

Working from home most days doesn’t require putting on much more than a whisper of clothing.  Other than slipping into something spandex to catch a yoga or pilates class, I’ve become quite comfortable in the very basics– as have all of my deliverymen.  My freedom in dresscode and days of solidarity have taken some of the stress out of my normal work day, but it has also left me somewhat socially awkward and also in a panic when it comes time to piece together an outfit fit for public consumption.  And this is when the beauty of blurring the lines between “your eyes only” and “all eyes on me “comes into play.  When you can pair a Gempicket silk cotton batiste cami with your favorite skinny jeans or throw a vintage t-shirt on with your delicately demure tap pants, you’ve perfectly bridged the gap between wallflower and woman of interest.  Or you could just call the whole thing off and stay home in your skivvies.

gempicket whydid elodie cami

gempicket elodie cami grace tap pant

gempicket grace tap pant

gempicket loungewear kirsten smith whydid

whydid gempicket kirsten smith

gempicket loungewear whydid

gempicket new york whydidGempicket Elodie Cami, Grace Tap Pants, and Suki Socks

Photos by Michael Stiegler

Why Did You Wear That: Love + Grace… and Smitty

By |May 30th, 2014|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

kirsten smith love grace3Contrary to popular belief, my Instagram feed, and my checking account, one of my favorite things to do is stay home and be alone… with Smitty.  Every once in a while I need some “me” time to refocus and reflect, to do all the work and mundane tasks- like bill paying and closet reorganizing that I’ve neglected and all but forgotten while out on the town with my fabulous friends.  Now and again I need a detox— from myself.  Even when I’m alone, I take pride in my appearance.  I mean, there are more than several mirrors strewn about my humble abode.  Even my antique dresser is reflective.  The only person I’m hurting by looking like a hot homeless mess when home alone is myself.  You see, I’m the type of gal who dabs on her favorite perfume before bed and let’s be clear, the only man sharing my bed is very hairy.  I like to feel good for myself, so when Love+Grace was kind enough to send over some PJ’s in the prettiest shade of pale pink, I could hardly wait to schedule a date with myself.  And that I did.  Made from the softest cotton that drapes and clings in all the right places, these pajamas are both comfortable and cute.  As I passed my full length mirror, prosecco in hand, I thought to myself, “Damn, it’s too bad I’m home all alone.”

kirsten smith smitty

kirsten smith love grace2

kirsten smith love grace6

kirsten smith smitty

kirsten smith love grace

kirsten smith love grace4pajamas: c/o Love+Grace, dog: Smitty, dog pajamas: custom (seriously)

xx,

WhyDid

Setting the Mood: Sleep Tight

By |November 13th, 2012|Setting the Mood|

fashion pajamasThis time of year, when the weather goes from pleasantly crisp to shockingly cold, it’s quite easy to want to just throw in the towel, err… cashmere blanket, and just stop caring about what you wear.  It’s even quite likely that you’ve completely given up on putting yourself together and leaving the house at all.  I’ve found that I now prefer a pleasant night in rather than a raucous night out.  Not to mention, my razor blade refills have become fewer and fewer.  Pretty soon Smitty is going to think I’m fair game.  That said, there really is no reason to be a complete and utter hot mess.  There’s gotta be a happy medium between comfy sweats and club slut… right?

As I sat having dinner with friends at Barbuto on Saturday night (that glass garage door makes for fantastic people watching), in addition to the gentleman in the grey knit cap who walked by over ten times and was clearly casing the joint (or my friends), we were astonished at the parade of Paul Frank printed flannel pajama pants.  Come.  On.  Hello Kitty printed pants aren’t okay in Wal-Mart and they sure as heck aren’t welcome on the streets of the West Village.  When designers sent pajama inspired looks down the runways, I doubt Spongebob was what they had in mind.  I live in a neighborhood that is so trendy, I have to up my game when merely running to the corner deli.  Sure, I’m just on a TP run, but the rest of you are gearing up for stylish dinner dates and tequila shots at Tortilla Flats.  So, whether you’re staying in or heading out, pull yourselves together, girls.

pajamas trend

Eberjey Gisele PJ Set, $115Elle Macpherson Intimates Dunescape Stretch Satin Pajama Pants, $80Juicy Couture Sleep Shirt, $98,Equipment Avery Brushed Silk Pajama Set, $470

Don’t let the bed bugs bite.

xx,

WhyDid

Gift Guide: Fellas, Make Your Lady Happy This Holiday

By |December 8th, 2008|Gift Guide, Somethin for the fellas|

It can be very stressful trying to come up with a thoughtful and useful gift for your honey. So below I have outlined some Do’s and Don’ts of holiday shopping in order to keep you out of the dog house.

What she absolutely does NOT want:

  • Don’t bother trying to buy her clothes. Unless you have (successfully) done this in the past, I would skip it. Plus, you don’t want to have the awkward moment of buying a size 8 when she’s really a size 4. Never buy her a sweater. This is what her Aunt Helen is for.
  • Nix the gift certificates. I know it sounds good in theory and kind of a no fail option, but you are wrong. Gift certificates are completely thoughtless and lazy and trust me, she’ll recognize that. Put in the leg work and get her a real gift.
  • Perfume is way too personal for you to be picking out for her. That’s something she should buy on her own. I also think it is kind of cheesy and trite.
  • Lingerie is iffy. I personally love lingerie, but it is essentially a selfish gift, no? Save it for Valentine’s Day. If you do opt for lingerie, be sure that it’s La Perla or Myla and not Victoria’s Secret. This is no time to be stingy.
  • Jewelry is tricky. There is only one surefire option in jewelry, diamonds. Unless you are very familiar with her style or willing to dish out the $$ for diamonds, I’d hold off. I have a personal horror story about jewelry on Christmas. Picture this: your boyfriend calls you from the Diamond District and tells you how he is the most amazing boyfriend in the world. You are now giddy with excitement (thinking you are finally getting those diamond studs). He shows up with Swarvoski crystals. And ugly ones at that.
  • Any type of kitchen appliance. Enough said.
  • Pajamas. Could you be any less sexy?

Some better options:

In all honesty, my favorite part of any gift is the card. Believe it or not, I do have a soft side. The thought that goes into your gift is far more meaningful than what you actually buy her. If she throws a tantrum or diva fit… maybe it’s time to re-evaluate…

Any of you ladies reading, email me your most horrific holiday gift stories and I will post the best ones! whydidyouwearthat@whydid.com

xx,

WhyDid