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Why Did or Why Don’t: Braidy Bunch

By |August 27th, 2014|Beauty Buzz, Somethin for the fellas, Why Did or Why Don't?|

cary fukunaga braidsWe have already covered the man bun/mun/male topknot (feel free to weigh in), which does not seem to be going anywhere if this week’s awards shows have been any indication.  Just look at all the fuss over Game of Throne’s, Kit Harrington’s, perfectly executed updo from Monday night’s Emmy Awards.  But all the man buns in the world and even Jared Leto’s ombre mane couldn’t compete when True Detective’s director, Cary Joji Fukunaga, took the stage to accept the award for Outstanding Director.  I, for one, audibly gasped at this handsome man, but it wasn’t just his cheekbones that sent the internet into a tizzy.  It was his hair.  At first glance, he looked clean cut, but as he described his coiffure, “For tonight, I just thought business in the front, party in the back.”

Though Cary was a pleasant surprise in a room full of familiar faces and stuffy industry types and his hair seemed to be a fresh interpretation for man coifs worldwide, he’s not the first to be seen sporting man braids.  As a matter of fact, the night before rapper, Riff Raff, clad in denim had a head full of braids and is probably asking today, “Dafuq?” Even before Riff Raff, there was David Beckham, Axl Rose, and let us never forget Kevin Federline.

famous men braidsI, myself, spent a sunny Saturday afternoon in Amagansett this summer lackadaisically braiding cornrows into one of my man bun wearing guy friend’s head.  We thought it was kind of funny and for him, the look actually worked.  I even taught him the importance of patting his head when it started to itch as to avoid creating frizz.  So, back to Cary’s internet sensational hairstyle and potentially the next wave of hipster hairdos (Slate created a pretty genius rendering).  It may have something to do with the fact that he’s terribly good looking, but the only part of his hairstyle that truly bothered me was his (unintentionally) crooked part which The Cut got a close up of.  You see though, I’m quite dextrous and great with a comb, so Cary, call me next time you’re you’re looking for some Poetic Justice.

What do you think about men with braids?

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).

kirsten smith

kirsten smith

kirsten smith

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: Hot Child in the City

By |July 9th, 2013|Personal Style|

When I opted not to hop a flight to New Hampshire, I found that the city was essentially empty this past weekend.  It was like my own little Manhattan.  And while it sure is nice to have the sidewalks all to myself, it can also feel a little like the apocalypse.  Fortunately, a few friends also chose to stick around, so we made the best of our sticky and abandoned city. Roaming the streets with to-go cups (yes, we acted as if Manhattan was Cancun on spring break) and my own personal paparazzi, we kept ourselves more than a little entertained.

The only way to keep cool during hot July nights is with your hair as far off your back as possible, t-shirts with plenty of ventilation, and short shorts.  The boots may appear to be an odd choice, but with the unpredictability of downpours this past week, I’d had my sandals drenched and trekked through enough puddles posing as ponds to have learned my lesson.

atm machine

kirsten smith

t-shirt: UNIF Clothing (similar), shorts: American Apparel, boots: Frye, bag: Amrita Singh, bracelet: Chan Luu

kirsten smithThe heat is on.

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: Bottoms Up!

By |January 9th, 2013|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

kirsten smith whydid comI bought a pair of questionably patterned pants about a month ago, which Serena apparently wore on an episode of Gossip Girl.  This is basically the closest I’ll ever get to looking like Blake Lively.  These were a post holiday sale impulse purchase and while it took me a while to actually wear them (in public), I do kind of love them.  Something I try to do during the colder winter months is stock up on pants of interest.  I realize this is the opposite of what most stylists might suggest, but I love the idea of bringing drama to an outfit from the bottom  up.  Rather than slipping on a sparkly top, I slide into patterned pants, velvet leggings, or leather embellished trousers and “top” them off with a simple tee or neutral blouse and leave the rest up to accessories.  If you’re looking to switch things up, I suggest starting from the bottom up.

kirsten smith whydid printed denim

kirsten smith

how to wear printed denim

kirsten smith colored denimtop: Elizabeth and James (similar here), pants: Rag & Bone, shoes: B Brian Atwood, bag: DIY original (How To coming soon!), hair: top knot with a fishtail twist

Bottoms up!

xx,

WhyDid

The List Volume 2012

By |December 29th, 2012|The List|

new years 2013You know how at the end of the year we’re bombarded with all those obnoxious “best of’s” and “top moments of” countdowns?  Well, it’s your lucky day, ’cause I’ve gone ahead and jumped right onto that bandwagon and I’m about to give you my very own “Best of WhyDid 2012” countdown.  It’s always hard to pick your own favorites– not because I’m partial, but actually because I’m my own worst critic.  I’ve selected thirteen (to stay in theme with the upcoming year– I didn’t forget how to count) of my favorites and hopefully some of your favorites as well.  For those of you just now tuning in (shame on you), you’re welcome, here’re the highlights of what you missed and next time get here on time.  It’s rude to be tardy:

  1. Well, I started off the year on the right coast at least.
  2. You can take the girl out of the city… but… well, you know the rest.
  3. I found my new favorite photographer.
  4. You don’t need great buns for a top notch top knot (but I can get ya great buns too).
  5. Might not have been named the “color of the year” but my favorite beverage (and hue) finally got some airtime.
  6. Oh, but wait, I called it.
  7. “I knew I had fallen in love with Lolita forever; but I also knew she would not be forever Lolita.” Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita
  8. Wedge sneakers are stupid, okay?
  9. I’m sure Solange never saw this one coming…
  10. I fixed my eyebrows.  Everyone happy now?
  11. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish: Would you rather be a big fish in a little pond or little fish in a big pond?
  12. We tried to find a little bit of “truth” in advertising.
  13. And decided that it was finally time to start shining.

While not everything could make the list, it was good to revisit a few of my posts that I may need to print out and glue to my refrigerator as reminders.  What were your favorites?  What made your 2012?

xx,

WhyDid