Don’t you love it when you make up a garment in your head and then learn it actually exists? That’s what happened with this blazer last spring, so when I found it on Shopbop I obviously had no choice but to splurge on it. I love it because the only way I can do florals is if they are a little bit futuristic, so the kaleidoscope effect is right up my alley. I enjoy dabbling in softer details and challenging myself to make them work without reaching too far outside of my natural edgier tendencies. That’s why my Moschino belt, blue mirrored aviators, and Free People cutoffs are becoming full-on staples for spring and summer. I can mix them into an otherwise classic or feminine outfit and instantly bring it to my happy place.
We’re all guilty of it. You go to your closet to piece together an outfit that will hopefully make you feel like a new woman but everything seems to have a big red ‘X’ on it. You’ve been wearing the same four things in rotation (likely the last four things you bought) but you know you can’t reach for those yet again. It’s time to dig a little and give your old clothes a chance to reemerge. When you mix the old with the new, the old becomes new again. This bleached cotton jacket is the epitome of that. I have held onto it since I bought it in 2002 after I had come back from studying abroad in Italy and was obsessed with all things Diesel. It might be the oldest non-vintage thing in my closet. I used to wear it everyday to class with boot cut jeans, sneakers, and graphic tees – what a different time that was. Today it’s fun to reinvent it by pairing it with a more sophisticated, styled ensemble – a full mix of old and new. These 3.1. Phillip Lim shorts are a few years old and they’ve been through the ringer, but quality always lasts. I love them with a featherlight silk tee loosely tucked, a glam statement necklace to add texture, structure, and sparkle, and a lemon purse from Coach’s Legacy collection – their own nod to favorite old styles.
Diesel jacket, Gold Hawk top, 3.1 Phillip Lim shorts, Coach purse, Spike the Punch necklace, Shoemint shoes, Michael Kors watch, Low Luv ring
Photography by Ian Sheppard
Fashion never ceases to surprise me. If there’s one thing that I never thought I could pull off with my pear shaped figure, it was harem pants. I’ve tried many times, but they tend to bring out all my worst features in every possible way. Don’t you hate that? For some reason though, these Gold Hawk ones manage to pass the flattery test by a hair, which makes me a happy (and shocked) girl. Of course, this means I have been wearing them tirelessly. How could I not? They are basically silk sweatpants – casual comfy and luxurious elegance combined. On this dreary day, I enjoyed brightening them up with not one but two sources of neon pink pop. I’d been wanting this fluro Cambridge Satchel forever and now that finally got my hands on one, I display it on my dress form’s shoulder and simply glance over at it whenever I need a mood booster. This top serves the same purpose but takes it one step further with its geometric line party and glammy silver glitter panel down the front.
Top from Esther (c/o), Gold Hawk pants, Cambridge Satchel Co. bag (c/o), Vince Camuto booties, Nixon watch, Bracelets: HRH Collection, H&M, J.Crew, Forever21, Nails: OPI You’re Such a Budapest
Photography by Ian Sheppard
When you find yourself laying awake at night wondering why and how overalls managed to come back into style, don’t fret. I promise you’ll feel better if you come to terms with the fact that it was actually a series of very natural steps that lead to this. It’s been a good 15-20 years since they were last widely considered fashionable. I did own a wide leg pair from H&M somewhere around 2004 – not sure how that happened. But a lot has changed since the 90′s. Exhibit A: Rompers and jumpsuits became totally normal wardrobe staples. Exhibit B: The saggy crotch boyfriend jeans are no longer confusing to the mind like they first were when they surfaced a few years ago. Mix these totally acceptable trends together and overalls are exactly what you get.
I gotta say, I’m actually OK with it. I’m not going through a nay saying period on this one. Don’t get me wrong though, there are plenty of ways it can go very bad very quickly. So there are a couple things to keep in mind if you decide to try this trend: 1) The flap shouldn’t hang completely below your boobs, so make sure it reaches at least up to that general region to avoid it looking like you put on the same ones that fit you in 5th grade. And it shouldn’t be all the way up to your neck either. 2) I’m a fan of the ankle cropped, rolled up, relaxed style. That’s what keeps the look making sense. I’m sure some can pull off the more daring styles like the leather or skinny jean versions, but the classic denim boyfriend look will make them much easier to style. 3) Keep an eye on the behind. Some overalls can just hang all wrong back there so make sure it looks passable. In general, this trend is not a butt-flattering trend so let’s just make peace with that. But you can still avoid a disaster by choosing a pair that looks somewhat right back there. Everyone is different, so a little trial and error is all you need. 4) Freshen the look up from the early Rachel Green look we all can’t get out of our minds by pairing them with a modern shoe, like a structural gladiator heel, or ankle boot. I personally can’t wait to snag a pair for myself and find out where they can take me.
Top: Asos, J Brand, BDG, Bottom: Citizens of Humanity, Viva Vena! by Vena Cava, River Island
Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
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For the most part, May in LA is well past sweater weather, but a few overcast windy days still sneak up on us here and there. I don’t mind it, especially since it gives me a chance to cozy up with this tribal print knit number – a new addition to my wardrobe that has unexpectedly come in handy lately for early morning dog walks and cold plane rides. The high contrast design gives it a bit of extra oomph and when mixed with fringey cutoffs, it becomes perfectly appropriate for cooler spring days. These biker boots are another winter gone summer staple, which I was actually compelled to buy last fall because of the inspiration to wear them with shorts. They took me through the colder months with skinny jeans but they’re ready to take on their originally intended identity. I love spring fashion because it’s a chance to get creative with your clothes and think of your seasonal pieces in a different light, before it’s time to pack winter away and fully immerse yourself into summer.
Esther cardigan (c/o), Gold Hawk cami, Free People shorts, AllSaints boots, Ray-Ban sunglasses, Heather Belle clutch (c/o), Nixon watch, Bracelets: Kindred Stones, Forever21, BCBGeneration, H&M, Nordstrom, Nails: OPI You’re Such a Budapest
Photography by Ian Sheppard
One thing I learned about Austin is that people love backyards there. Every backyard I saw was perfectly prepped for some serious down time, sipping an Austin Beerworks brew or a Topo Chico (how can one brand of sparkling water be so particularly refreshing? Must be the graphic design), and hanging out with the neighborhood pets/livestock. The backyard at the house we rented had a chicken coop, an extensive herb garden, and of course a Texas flag – as we all should. This is the way of life there and I love it. Heather and I decided to shoot in the yard to capture the beautiful simplicity of it all, which is why I obviously had to add a harness to the equation. OK fine, that was just for dramatic effect. But in all seriousness, I’m a harness fan and you can expect to see more ways to wear them in the coming months. This flowy Gold Hawk dress is going to be my summer favorite, I just know it. It’s so soft and feminine which makes it an easy target for edging out with hardass accessories. I might even have to grab it in gray too. I picked up the star jacket at Forever21 back in February with Austin already in mind, but at the last minute decided to chop off the sleeves which took it from middle school to School of Rock. I wish you all the chillest of weekends, Austin style.
Gold Hawk dress (here it is in blue), Forever21 jacket (turned into a vest), BCBG harness, Marlies Dekkers bra, Jeffrey Campbell boots, Workhorse Jewelry necklace (c/o), Bracelets: H&M, Hailmary (c/o), DIY, Forever21, BCBGeneration
Photography by Heather Gallagher (see more photos from this shoot on her blog!)
I think we can all agree that Free People has stepped up their game over the past few years. I remember when their stuff seemed to be nothing but crochet and knit flower appliqués as far as the eye could see. For that reason, it took me a minute to catch on to the fact that Free People is not just for hippies anymore. In fact, the collection is chock full of stunning pieces for a range of styles and budgets. Right now, I’m pretty fixated on their dresses and have quite a wish list going for a breezy summer wardrobe that’s equal parts feminine, flattering, comfy, and edgy. These are some of my top picks for every occasion from lazy days poolside to a twinkly twilight wedding. Which one is going to make it onto your wish list?
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12
*This post is not sponsored by Free People, I just genuinely think they’re rocking it these days.
Don’t you love those days when life slows down and you get a chance to stop to appreciate the finer things? Like time with friends under a picturesque sunset, enjoying good food and wine, and experiencing a new city for the first time. That’s what this trip to Austin was for me and I did not want to come back to real life. It’s such an awesome city filled with the most amazing music, vintage stores, patios, BBQ, Tex Mex, and more bars per capita than probably any place I’ve ever been. The best part is the way of life there that’s hard to describe except to say that everyone is just loving life – us included. I even had a chance to go out and shoot with my talented friend Heather Gallagher, who as you can see here from the matte black VW bus (what??), really knows how to make magic happen. This outfit is all you really need in Austin – cutoff shorts, loose vintagey tees, beat up boots, pops of contrast, and cheeky accessories. I’ll be collecting more of these things in preparation for my next visit, which hopefully will be for much longer.
BCBG blazer, Vintage Havana tank (c/o), Free People shorts and socks, Steve Madden boots, Ray-Ban sunglasses, Rebecca Minkoff purse, Workhorse Jewelry necklace (c/o), House of Harlow ring, Nixon watch (c/o Watch Co), Lipstick: Maybelline Color Sensational Vivid in Electric Orange
Photography by Heather Gallagher (see more from this shoot on her blog!)
The weather in LA generally gives us nothing to complain about. While my Dad has been sending me pictures of end-of-April snow in Minnesota, we’re already moving on to summer here. I love not having to worry about the weather dictating my day, but I’ll admit I do yearn for moody layers when it’s way too hot for them. This day was a little overcast, so in the midst of a brightly colored April wardrobe (as witnessed in most of my spring outfits thus far), I welcomed the opportunity to go back to my favorite neutral basics and take a needed break from bright. Sometimes it just takes a cloud or two to make black feel perfectly appropriate. So I threw my old Forever21 asymmetrical blazer (this thing has been worth its weight in gold since I got it three years ago) which is perfectly light for a less cool day over a new nubby knit tank by Margaret O’Leary which is both delightfully cozy and breezy at the same time. Paired with my trusty J Brand zipper skinnies and recently crowned staple Jeffrey Campbell cutout booties, this outfit was my ideal mix of polished and laid back.
Margaret O’Leary tank (c/o), Forever21 blazer, J Brand pants, Jeffrey Campbell boots, Valentino bag, Tom Ford sunglasses, Michael Kors watch, HRH Collection ring, Kate Spade earrings
Photography by Ian Sheppard
Sometimes we spend so much time trying to make something new, different, and special that we forget about the tried and true basics. I’m always looking for the next cocktail with some sort of artisanal element like a special herb or exotic fruit when I’m ordering at a bar, but I’m the first person to appreciate something simple and effortless when it comes to making drinks at home. A vodka gimlet is about the easiest, most basic cocktail you can make and adding mint makes it taste that much fresher. This one is worth keeping limes and mint in the fridge on a rolling basis for spring and summer.
INGREDIENTS:
2 oz vodka
2 limes
mint
1/2 oz simple syrup
DIRECTIONS:
Put about 10 mint leaves at the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add the juice of 2 limes and simple syrup. Muddle but don’t be too hardcore about it. You want the mint flavor to blend with the other ingredients but you don’t want it to break into a million pieces (not fun for sipping). Add about 5 ice cubes (crushed is better for this drink, if you have it), and the vodka. Shake. There are two ways to serve it – in a lowball with all the ingredients, or strained into a martini glass. Depends on how glamorous you’re feeling.
Thanks for stopping by! I'm Catherine Sheppard, a fashion stylist living in Los Angeles...
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