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Why Did You Wear That: Kiss the Sky

By |April 18th, 2014|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

kirsten smith whydidSure, as a New Yorker, it’s a given that my favorite “color” is black.  However, if you want to know the way to my heart, take me to see the sun set… or rise.  The color of the sky never gets old to me.  Every single day is a different variation that takes my breath away.  I’d say the thing I miss most about California other than daily morning coffee and cocktail hour with my dad is the sky.  Smitty would say it’s having more than 500 square feet of wood floor to run on.  I tried to take a hike- literally- every evening to be quiet and alone and watch the color of the sun and the way it painted the hills different shades of glorious each evening.  There isn’t a whole lot of that here in the city, hell, we can’t even see the stars, but I’m fortunate enough to have a rooftop that overlooks a lot of the city and Hudson River, so even if I can’t see the Big Dipper on the regular, I can take a rose gold sunset from time to time.  And hey, when there aren’t a bunch of bros drinking Stella upstairs, sometimes, I even get a sacred moment of silence.

nyc sky kirsten smith

kirsten smith nyc

pastel sky

kirsten smith whydid skirt: Zara, top: American Apparel, bralette: Victoria’s Secret, clutch: Alexander Wang, shoes:

SHOP THE LOOK:


xx,

WhyDid

 

Photos by  Brian Schutza

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

kirsten smith

 

kirsten smith

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kirsten smith beach ocean

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kirsten smith california bikini

kirsten smith beach bikini

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

 

Why Did You Wear That: Post Traumatic Stress, or Lack Thereof

By |December 5th, 2013|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

Kirsten SmithSpeaking of evolution, it’s amazing what a difference a year can make.  Cliché?  Yes.  True?  Also yes.  After having scraped myself from my father’s couch and moving back to New York last year, I was ready to put my shattered life back together piece by painful piece.  I had moved back to my old neighborhood (literally across the street from my old apartment), reconnected with my New York friends who hadn’t fled the city for life in suburban wedded bliss, and put my feelers out for new career opportunities and love interests- though only half heartedly on the latter.

I hadn’t been back to California since leaving that last time.  I mean, it’s a long flight, plus I wasn’t sure how I’d feel  about being back there.  However, my dad was long overdue for a visit and the way the weather was looking on the east coast, I was happy to suffer through a five hour flight for a stint in the sunshine.  Upon landing in LA, I immediately felt a bittersweet nostalgia.  Driving through familiar streets in Silicon Valley, I felt every familiarity and the memories of my past came creeping back. Many experts now recommend me to use these Delta 8 disposable vape pens to keep those thoughts in check.

Kirsten SmithFortunately, I have a friend who is the kind of friend everyone should wish for.  She’s the “ride or die” type and the moment she got my sobbing phone call that I would be moving out of the home I shared with my ex, she was quite literally on a plane to come and help with the heavy lifting and to lift my heavy heart.  Her name is Katie and you may remember her.  Upon arriving at said residence, my ex had been so “kind” as to have already packed all of my belongings (well, everything he didn’t try and pilfer) and arrange them conveniently at the front door.  Talk about adding insult to injury.  But on the brightside, this gave us more time to spend together chatting rather than packing.  Katie having never done so, we hopped in her rental and took a ride down the PCH.  Remembering a must see recommendation from a pal Katie had made on the plane (she’s always making friends), we stopped somewhere along Big Sur at a place called Post Ranch Inn where we dined while taking in the views at Sierra Mar.  The views are quite literally breathtaking and those with acrophobia may want to refrain from venturing out onto the balconies.  I was so happy to be in such beautiful surroundings with my beautiful friend, but halfway through my second glass of prosecco, I broke down into tears.

kirsten smith

kirsten smithI wanted to share this place with people who love me unconditionally and make new memories that were joyful not jaded.  My middle brother, Andy and my dad are two men I know I can always count on besides Smitty and I wanted to take them somewhere I loved.  We hopped in Dick’s tiny sportscar (I generously relinquished shotgun and crammed myself into the backseat) and off we went down the windy PCH on our way back to Post Ranch Inn, stopping intermittently to snap photos at scenic overlooks.  Ironically enough, we were seated at the exact same table where Katie and I sat the year before.  This year, however, I didn’t cry into my garden green salad.  I guess that’s the thing about bad memories, sometimes you just have to face them, make new ones, and move on.

kirsten smith

kirsten smithtop: Free People (similar-and on sale-here), bralette: Victoria’s Secret, pants: 7 for All Mankind, boots: All Saints (similar here), bag: Balenciaga, jacket: Andrew Marc

Don’t worry, I didn’t jump.

xx,

WhyDid

photographs by Andrew Smith (my middle big brother- who you should also follow on Instagram)

Smart is the New Pretty: Snooze or News

By |January 25th, 2012|Smart Is the New Pretty, WhyDid Wisdom|

Being bombarded with news about celebrities breaking up and being rushed to rehab on a daily basis, it’s time we looked for some news that might make us smile rather than snooze.  It’s a rough world out there… for a celebrity.

  • Welp, seems I’m not alone in my love of all things neon. [Nylon]
  • You could probably sport something bright to stand out at the newly re-opened 40/40 Club.  Oh wait… [Huffington Post]
  • Hmph… well, there’s always that documentary about cassettes.  That’d be fun. [TechCrunch]
  • BeachMint (mother company of JewelMint, StyleMint, ShoeMint, and BeautyMint) just keeps on growing with more “Mints” to come! [TechCrunch]
  • Not a Mint fan?  ShopSavvy is a pretty amazing new way to comparison shop while on the go by scanning barcodes. [TechCrunch]
  • Pretty soon your car may be very sensitive.  So sensitive it will respond to your very touch.  [Business Insider]
  • Speaking of touching, Victoria’s Secret’s new “Designer Collection” is sure to make your Valentine squeal with delight. [Fashionista]
  • Did you ever think you’d squeal with delight over an aardvark?  Today’s the day. [Huffington Post]
  • No, no.  Aardvarks aren’t endangered species, but these guys are. [Huffington Post]
  • Know who else isn’t endangered?  These six new breeds introduced into the Westminster Kennel Club [Huffington Post]
  • Hell, might as well throw in a cat video while I’m at it. [Gawker]

How did we get here?

xx,

WhyDid

 

photo via A Yankee’s Southern Exposure

The List Volume 1/20

By |January 20th, 2012|The List|

I was not kidding about that pony.  I feel that in honor of my birthday, I should suspend the usual snark fueled list in order to honor some things that make me giggle with glee.  So, here are ten of many in no particular order.

  1. Benetint. I don’t know how else I can say it.
  2. Crispy rice spicy tuna.
  3. Have I ever told you about Smitty
  4. Love.  Surprisingly enough… I love love.  So hard.
  5. Prosecco.
  6. My beloved friends… though I often have to Photoshop us into the same place for us to all be together. 
  7. Shiny things and chandeliers.
  8. Classic television, ie; Golden Girls, Cheers, Who’s the BossDesigning Women, Full House, The Nanny … (yes, I’m old).
  9. My pink HB cashmere robe.
  10. Any good reason to celebrate and deck myself out.

Happy birthday to me (and the rest of you Capriquarius kids).

xx,
WhyDid