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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.”

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

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: From the Top

By |January 29th, 2014|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

crop top day and nightDue to my computer’s inability to function last week, I was unable to finish my three part series documenting how a crop top and pencil skirt could be reincarnated quite easily.  Not that last week was any warmer, but the fact that my face froze off  yesterday afternoon as I ran errands, it seems a little odd to be posting about crop tops.  Especially since the inclement weather has prevented me from prancing ’round town in one, but if Jenn keeps it up, I’m gonna have no choice but to walk around topless… and potentially pantless.

So, how can one dress down a sequined top that is cropped?  Pair it with destroyed denim, motorcycle boots, and a tough leather jacket to look more downtown than bridge and tunnel post Bagatelle brunch.  It’s just that simple.
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kirsten smithtop: Express, jeans: 7 For All Mankind, boots: Frye, jacket: Andrew Marc, bag: Balenciaga, dog: Smitty

I will have another mimosa though.

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: Woodgrain and Leather

By |January 22nd, 2014|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

pencil skirt dressed up dressed downIn adventures of “I’ve run out of clothes- what can I find in someone else’s closet?,” I popped into Dick’s closet to grab a jacket and found one which he claims is older than I am- which means it’s probably made out of dinosaur skin. While in the depths of his closet, a baseball cap in the same maroon hue caught my eye. When I reached up and dusted it off, my head nearly exploded as I discovered that the brim was… woodgrain. If I hadn’t had breakfast that morning, I totally would have passed out. Instead I fired off a text to my male bff telling him about the treasure I’d just unearthed. He was beyond stoked and probably a little jealous that he didn’t have his own. Don’t worry, homie, I’m on the hunt for a replica.

Pencil skirts are most often associated with secretaries and desk jobs a la Mad Men -pretty, prim and proper. However, I think they can be a very sexy addition to a dressed down look without losing all femininity. When I mixed a distressed (aka future dishrag) t-shirt that I cropped (obviously) and removed the sleeves from with this basic black skirt and topped it with an oversized leather jacket and baseball hat, I felt I’d created yet another perfect contradiction.

The combination of woodgrain and leather essentially makes me a walking rap song and what could really be better than that?

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kirsten smithhat: brilliant find from dad (similar here), t-shirt: future cleaning rag turned crop top (similar here), skirt: Express, jacket: vintage (similar here), boots: All Saints (similar here), bralette: Victoria’s Secret, dog: Smitty, earrings: (similar here)

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: Sand Skating?

By |January 11th, 2014|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

kirsten smithSpeaking of skating… I’ve skated right through two of the east coast’s coldest months by hiding out in California.  While there have been more than a couple of bikini clad Instagram photos, to be fair the temperature does dip below 70 when the sun goes down, but those sherbert sunsets never get old.  I’ve made it my duty to watch them nightly because not one is ever the same and not one can ever be done justice by an iPhone photo- though Lord knows I’ve tried.

Speaking of aesthetic strife, no one can ever say I’m not resourceful. Yet again I’ve survived with a mere carry-on suitcase’s worth of clothing for the last eight weeks.  (California must have that effect on me).   Luckily, black and grey go with everything and I inherited some thread barren t-shirts that my dad was just about to relegate to cleaning rags.  To say my dad is stable would be an understatement.  If you need someone to put on your “in case of emergency” contacts, he’s the one.  For instance, there’s a pair of sneakers I bought while visiting him maybe my sophomore year of college that have made it through five or so moves and always manage to reappear in “my room” whenever I visit.  The deal with these shoes is that I made the rookie mistake of buying them half a size too small because they didn’t have my actual size of 7 1/2 and I just HAD to have them.  I continue to make the rookie mistake of thinking that maybe they fit now… as if my feet have shrunk with age.  All’s good and well for a few, but about 15 minutes into wearing them, I feel as though I’m partaking in the ancient ritual of feet binding.

Full circle?  There’s a trail near my dad’s house where my mini sneakers abide and where I relish in the pastel skies on a nearly nightly basis.  As I’ve  traversed this trail, I’ve been mesmerized by these things that I incorrectly call sand dunes.  Since I can’t really describe them (let alone identify them), I figured it was the perfect place to pose.  So, Smitty, my own personal mountain goat (one of the memes my brother introduced me to) and I trotted up the trail in my tiny toe crushing shoes for this post.  (Told you a skater skirt would look stellar with a crop top).

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over the knee socks

kirsten smithjacket: (similar here), top: Splendid (similar here), skirt: H&M (similar here), socks: StockinGirl (similar here), shoes: Converse (similar here – good job, Dick… these are apparently rare), bag: Balenciaga, necklace: no clue (similar here), dog: Smitty

I soaked my feet for an hour afterwards.

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: New Year, No Clothes

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

kirsten smithI 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.kirsten smith

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kirsten smith bikini beachhat: 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