looking back

somehow i found myself clicking through the photos from stylecaster's  50 Most Stylish New Yorkers (how, you ask, considering this feature was written back in february? i'm still not sure..) and amid the summer frenzy we all seem to be having in regards to clothing, beauty, and our general more relaxed way of life, i found myself super-inspired by the cool wintery looks these new yorkers are sporting.  i partially attribute this to the fact that i haven't had the sticky-hot, bronzed-skin, sundress-wearing, popsicle-licking, daiquiri-drinking summer that apparently i'm supposed to be having (and that i usually do experience back in humid indianapolis). london weather is both rainy and chilly at this time of year, meaning i've been wearing a variety of jeans & boots, little jackets, piled-on jewelry, lace-up boots, and scarves -- pieces that would never see the light of day during a summer back at home.  i can't say i hate it; i feel like it's infinitely easier to be stylish when its a bit cold, when you can wear comfortable layers instead of your sheerest sundress, which you still sweat through under the hot sun. 


below are my favorite looks from stylecaster's round-up -- 

{clockwise from top left: kelly framel of the glamourai / model ashley smith / designer jen kao / designer abigail lorick / leandra medine of the man repeller / vogue design associate veronica gledhill}

look at all those textures and layers!! i can't wait to start dressing like that again...sooner rather than later. i'm feeling an impulse to replicate any and all of these ensembles. i especially love ashley smith's sheer black top + clunky black wedges and how abigail lorick is wearing black tights with saffron peep-toes. now that's what i call juxtaposition.

stay cool
II emily

these boots were made for walking

since coming to london, i think i've worn my chunky brown lace-up boots at least 90% of the time.  i wear them to work, i wear them when i shop, i even wear them out at night!  they literally go with everything in my closet, from my girliest dresses to my tried-and-true striped tees and skinny jeans.  these boots add the hint of edge i've been looking for, so i laid out some of my favorite ways to wear them below:

{clockwise from left, vintage-inspired: urban outfitters sunglasses, topshop dress, urban outfitters earrings, office 'kojak' boots, michael kors watch / classic - with a twist: j.crew necklace, st. james shirt, j.crew bag, louis vuitton bracelets, urban outfitters skinnies, office 'kojak' boots / fresh & feminine: liberty scarf, topshop shell, j.crew clutch, topshop skinnies, office 'kojak' boots}

II

emily

bright on the bottom

maybe it's my newfound exposure to daring london fashion, or possibly just my own personal desire for more color in my wardrobe, but i can't get enough of bright bottoms. skinny jeans, mini skirts, shorts, trousers, you name it, i'll probably love it.


what's appealing to me about these bold pieces is how you can simply pair them with your favorite white tee or oversize sweater and have a perfect outfit! i've always loved combining neturals with bright colors, and this makes it shockingly easy to do so with some added edge.


i wrote a more extensive piece about this trend over at college magazine, which you can read here. however, i'm currently dying for some of the pieces below:

starting points:

slouchy white tee

oversize striped sweater

+ any of the following!

finish it off with a stack of cool bracelets

{ from top: zara coral skinnies / topshop aqua shorts / topshop melon skirt / zara green pants / topshop saffron skirt / topshop zigzag bangles / j.crew rhinestone bracelet }

you can literally put any of these pieces together and you'll look perfectly bold, effortless, and bright! talk about making your wardrobe go the distance. 


happy mixing!
II emily

london calling

as many of you may already know, i'm currently in london with a group of students from my school for a journalism study abroad / internship program.  we've only been here 2 weeks, but i'm starting to feel like i've lived here for much longer!  possibly because of our action packed days -- we've gone to major london markets, shopped oxford street and carnaby street, visited the national portrait gallery and british museum, eaten fabulous food, and gone on too many adventures to count. with 6 weeks to go i can only anticipate more amazing memories, but i wanted to share with you the few photos i have so far!

had to share this first - how cute is it that kate & will are on my tube card?!

tower bridge - quintessential london.

our neighborhood is gorgeous!!

where i work

burough food market ... aka heaven.

{for some context, this is the list of food i get here: pretzel bread, 6 macarons, goat cheese&spinach quiche, carrot-orange-lemon juice, grape leaves, meringue... WIN}

pastels!

and you know me - i'm already getting into the shopping here. the whole currency conversion thing is a bit of a downer (the $ isn't worth much, to say the least) but it's helped me get creative with less expensive places like vintage shops, boutiques, and markets.  last night, i shopped the adorable carnaby street (where the iconic liberty london dept store is located, BTW) and every shop was having a 20% off "shopping party" -- such a great discovery by my friend claire!  we had a delicious meal followed by a lovely night of shopping the local shops as well as the bigger chains (like MAC, miss sixty, boss orange, and lacoste). i'm so glad i went; i got a floral dress on sale at a tiny little boutique. 

shopping is just one of the many channels through which i'm trying to structure my life like a true londoner; hopefully by the end of my stay i'm an expert on the city! 

well, here's hoping...

happy travels!

II emily

pure glamour!

i know it was last week (and life on the internet moves so fast it seems like last month) but i'm still buzzing over the met gala! the fact that it honored alexander mcqueen and the met's new exhibit of his designs (called "savage beauty") really made it special for me.  i love the mcqueen brand, and though i've obviously never met him, alexander {lee} mcqueen seemed like a wonderful person.  a woman who can testify to that claim is none other than the new mcqueen creative director and longtime friend of the designer, sarah burton.  not only did she help execute kate middleton's vintage mcqueen wedding gowns, but she helped tons of met gala atendeees wear iconic mcqueen pieces to their absolute best: 

{ sarah burton in vintage mcqueen }

{ gisele bundchen in mcqueen }

{ salma hayek in mcqueen }

in other glamour news, the 2011 cannes film festival kicked off last night in cannes, france, and i personally can't wait to devour the 12 days of non-stop fashion.  there have already been some major looks (and some not-so-major looks) that i couldn't help but share with you -- hopefully it inspires you to keep up with the goings-on of the festival, and maybe take a few tips from these glamorous celebs!

{ my favorite look (love the peplum!) - aishwarya rai in elie saab / via the dialy mail}

{ subtly sexy - rachel mcadams in marchesa / via the daily mail } 

{ lady gaga being ridiculous as usual / via the daily mail }

{ angelina jolie looking a bit boring in ferragamo... she needs a bright or embellished shoe here / via just jared }

{ bold & romantic - linda cardellini in alberta ferretti / via red carpet fashion awards }

II emily

i promise this is my last post about lace... for this week.

i couldn't resist sharing this photo from emily schuman's latest post on her fabulous blog, cupcakes and cashmere.  i have this same shirt and wear it all the time - and i just featured it in last week's post!!


what i love most about this look is how emily mixed the lace shirt with the bright mini. i've been on the hunt for the perfect bright-colored mini skirt forever, and once i finally find it, i will undoubtedly try this combination.

i also love the addition of the orange heels & bag; mixing brights is so cute for spring! the shoes also add a healthy dose of stucture and bulk to the super-feminine outfit.

II emily