springtime savings

in case you haven't heard, shopbop has been having a massive sale this week and today is the last day to take advantage of the savings! the way it works is the more you spend, the more you save -- i.e. spend $250 and save $30, spend $1,000 and save $200, etc. etc. just remember to use the code SPRINGEVENT at checkout! 

has there ever been a better reason to start start stocking up for spring weather? i put together some of my favorite pieces that you can start wearing right now and will continue rocking all spring (and summer) long. you know i'm all about transition pieces!

{ from left: tibi "athena" dress, pjk x man repeller "tinkerbell" dress, red valentino scalloped jersey dress & three floor "frenzy" skirt } 

{ from top left: 3.1 phillip lim "pashli" satchel, house of harlow "marley" clutch, samudra "flamingos" pouch, & 3.1 phillip lim "31 minute" bag (reverses to white!) }

{ from top left: nicholas "jocelyn" suede sandals, pour la victoire "sierra" sandals, rebecca minkoff "mabel" sandals, & alexander wang "emma" pumps } 

happy shopping!

II emily   

working for the weekend

i've been obsessing over kate spade saturday ever since the first looks were released a couple weeks ago. i'm already itching for spring, and sunny weather can't come soon enough now that i have a new line to stock my closet with!

kate spade saturday is packed with even more charm, whimsy and color than the traditional kate spade line, and the prices (with clothes averaging around $80, shoes for $85, jewelry for $30, etc) are more than right.

peek some of my favorite looks below -- i'm especially excited about that bold paint-splatter dress (the pattern reappears on several other pieces, including a phone case).

and speaking of kate spade... have you checked out their sale lately? it's full of several of my favorite KS pieces, and all of them would transition perfectly into spring. shop my picks after the images:

top images via lucky magazine // sale items: party pearl drop earrings ($47, were $68) is this seat taken? terry bag ($173, was $248) electric gardens bracelet ($89, was $128) all hours winking georgie clutch ($49, was $98)

II emily

prabal gurung x target

2 DAYS. 

...until what? sunday brunch? a new episode of girls? february 10?

well, yes and no. all of those things are definitely happening in 2 days. but what i'm most excited about doesn't have anything to do with my love of waffles or my favorite tv show. no, sunday is the premiere of prabal gurung for target.

i've blogged about target's designer collaborations before, but i don't think i've ever been quite this impressed (from the lookbook, at least). not only is this collection sleek, fashion-forward, and edgy without being gimmicky, but it includes tons of shoes, jewelry and accessories too! usually the designers seem to skimp in these categories when they collaborate with target, but not prabal. his are high-quality and chic.

peep my favorite items from the look book below, and set your iPhone alarm now so you can hit the target nearest you at 8:00 a.m. sharp.

images via refinery29

less is more (sometimes)

though it isn't really news, the current handbag trends seem to have taken on 2 extremes: everyone's carrying either a teeny-tiny embellished clutch (think charlotte olympia, alexander mcqueen and olympia le tan) or an enormous, super basic tote. and though i think we can all appreciate a dog-shaped miniaudiere, the latter option is just plain chic. see below:

 

 

 

images via kendi everyday, because i'm addicted, atlantic-pacific & sincerely jules

since i tend  to carry the same bag around for five years straight, this new obsession is both a blessing and a curse. would a streamlined tote give my wardrobe a sleek and sophistocated update? yes. but i require perfection; that's why my cognac marc by marc jacobs hiller bag (scored on sale back in 2009) has survived my college career (so far at least...), made it through the european adventures of 2011, and resisted the grime of daily subway rides in NYC last summer. i never tired of my trusty bag. it provides stylish stability in my life. and after what could only be described as excessive use, it still looks pretty amazing. 

but now that i'm craving a gigantic, uber-simple leather tote of my own, i won't stop until i find the most perfect one ever. in other words, it needs to satisfy my handbag needs until the birth of my first child (or some other far-off milestone). and that kind of wishful thinking can get pricey.

for now, i've rounded up my top contenders  -- from super-pricey-and-beyond (a girl can dream) to much more affordable options that still look super chic. i decided rich neutrals are best for such a timeless shape, with a few pops of red thrown in for good measure. because red seems to be having a big moment, too. (you can blame celine's giant red tote for that one.) extra points for a good two-tone number.

the best part? there's no shame in loading these up with as much useless stuff (ten lip balms, a pair of shoes, earmuffs, a few diet cokes) as your heart desires.

 

 row one: rochas ($1,020) saint laurent ($2,350) rochas ($1,020)

 row two: tory burch ($575) tods ($1,165) marni ($1,280)

 

row one: madewell ($168) madewell ($168) j.crew ($298)

row two: j.crew ($298) vince camuto (also here) ($228) rebecca minkoff ($295)

II emily

be mine

with valentine's day fast approaching, it's either time to pick the perfect outfit for a date with your sweetie or ingest as much heart-shaped chocolate as humanly possible while you stab a voodoo doll of your ex love and watch twelve episodes of gilmore girls.

for those in said anti-valentine's-day camp, all i have to say is this: if you can't beat em, join em! why not wear a hot pink dress to celebrate how great your relationship with yourself is going? or get dolled up for a fabulous dinner of french fries and wine with your girlfriends to celebrate the kind of love that only besties feel? (hint: i'm referencing carrie bradshaw in all of these scenarios)

no matter how you feel about the holiday, the pink-loving carrie in all of us can appreciate any excuse to shop. try any of the cutest v-day items below for a perfectly cheeky and festive holiday ensemble:

{from top: three floor dress (on sale!!!!), ban.do glitter bobbi, ban.do mini hearts, marc by marc jacobs clutch, miu miu bikini, j.crew bracelet, j.crew flats}

II emily

found: camo perfection

you may remember when we raved about a certain pair of camouflage pants in this post. we were a little obsessed (and still are, though the pants are regrettably prone to stretching out and need to be washed frequently!) 

naturally, after securing my perfect camo pants, i was on the hunt for the perfect camo jacket. j.crew stocked one a few seasons back, and until last week i had yet to find a suitable replacement. disclaimer: i never planned on wearing a full-on camouflage jumpsuit. don't worry.

however, on an ordinary trip to target, i stumbled on what could possibly be my favorite jacket ever. for $34.  it's the perfect color and fit -- slim with a drawstring at the waist. and the fabric is nice and thin, so you can layer it up in the winter and throw it over a sundress in the summer:

i've been wearing my new love nonstop and have been taking notes from blogger blair eadie, a certifiable camo expert. as blair stylishly demonstrates on her blog atlantic-pacific, the best way to wear camouflage is with a little bit of irony, a swipe of lipstick and lots of feminine touches. see my favorite looks below:

{ gingham shirt + graphic clutch + denim cutoffs }

{ printed blouse + tons of bracelets + cinched skirt }

{ ladylike bag + oxford shirt + vintage pin + hot pink lips }

II emily

spring break forecast

{ madewell top, current/elliot jeans, gorjana earrings, club monaco cuff, antik batik clutch, rebecca minkoff sandals }

after yesterday's post about spring fashion, it had me thinking about spring break... and seeing as my friends and i are jetting off to vegas in just about over a month, i obviously started brainstorming outfits. some variation of the look above will probably be on heavy rotation, especially the antik batik clutch.

while i was in new york over my winter break, i rented an apartment on union square from a girl who works for antik batik and she graciously gave me an oversized clutch very similar to the one above. it's proved to be quite the wardrobe update; i've always loved antik batik's boho-chic-French-girl style, but i never took the leap to buy a piece for myself. now i'm able to experiment with my new bag, and i found that it really looks good with everything: all-black, bold colors, striped tees, ripped jeans, sweater dresses, flippy skirts, you name it.

the clutch above is a complete wardrobe makeover for just $86 - and considering the escalating price of all the "it" bags out there, that's a pretty amazing deal. i can't wait to wear mine all spring and summer long, and if you're looking to get your own, you can see all of antik batik's bags here and shop the one above here.

II emily