girl with a pearl earring

it's been a while since the "mise en dior" pearl earrings made a splash. i saw them in countless magazine editorials, on the ears of jennifer lawrence and natalia vodianova, and, of course, in the stunning advertisements, above. i became instantly obsessed with the black-and-cream variety, especially after spotting them in one of harper's bazaar editor nicole fritton's "must have" shopping lists. these earrings are at once graphic, classic, and sweetly feminine. they ring in at $350 (which is actually pretty amazing) but you can imagine my excitement when i discovered these lookalikes at ASOS for just $9.

not only did these earrings go right into my cart, but i seriously considered buying them in bulk -- they would make a lovely gift for any fashion-minded friend, and i would never have to worry about misplacing mine. for that price tag, i may just have to stock up.

II emily

shoesday tuesday: fall edition

just a few shoes i'm loving right now... chic little go-with-everything leopard pumps, the perfect black ankle boots (mine are starting to look pretty bad), high-shine scalloped sandals for next spring, and edgy pumps that look comfortable enough for a day at the office or a night on the town.

II emily

censored

{ cynthia rowley tee }

it's only a matter of time before i pull the trigger on this cynthia rowley tee (also available here). i've been eyeing it for months. how good would it be for a lazy sunday in boyfriend jeans, flats and a sweater? or dressed up with leather pants and a blazer? the options are endless. 

and i mean, it's kind of perfect for me -- i'm a bit of potty mouth, but i'm constantly trying to hide it. i'm making progress!

winter re-vamp

{pictured: just a few of my must-haves... equipment cardigan, rag & bone jeans, c.wonder earrings, rgb nail polish, 3.1 phillip lim clutch, rms living luminizer, elizabeth arden 8 hour cream, report flats}

while i'm definitely excited for all of the fall trends, the truth is, i've been looking at these clothes since february — at some point, it starts to feel a little tired. which is why i am on a mission to find perfect, high-quality classics that will keep me going all season long.

for starters, i'm a huge sucker for cashmere sweaters – i have more than i can physically count – but i recently realized they're all pullovers or v-necks. no variety there. i'm hoping to switch up my game this season with a perfectly slouchy cardigan, and this equipment one is looking pretty dreamy.

i'm also in the market for a new pair of jeans (aren't we always? ) and rag & bone is my source for the very best denim. i'm hoping i have time to stop by their nolita store one of these weekends to get a pair. i'm a skinny-jeans-only girl, and these have the perfect rise, super-slim legs and a flattering dark wash.

another wardrobe staple for me? ballet flats. while i amassed quite the collection of j.crew statement sandals this summer (like these and these) i tend to wear ballet flats almost every day. (you can imagine how cold my feet get in the winter). i've been obsessed with these vince flats for quite a while – the pointy toe and d'orsay style are a nice departure from my standard ballets. since i haven't wanted to splurge, i was happy to discover this identical pair by report. they look strikingly similar and are beyond comfortable (yes, i've tried them on a few times). they also come in this super cute leopard style.

as for the earrings, they're from c. wonder and i am in love. (thanks, liz!) the $38 price tag makes them almost too good to be true. they look cute with everything, from a leather jacket and skirt to my favorite sweatshirt and jeans. i suggest you get yourself a pair.

next: do i need a furry clutch? i certainly do not. but that didn't stop me from falling hard for this phillip lim bag, $500 price tag and all. it's everything i want in a clutch – large, simple, functional –  and it's fuzzy. what could be better? now, how can i make this happen…

when it comes to beauty, i'm all about maintaining a solid routine. even though my skin gets drier in the winter, i'll still be using my favorite products – including boots botanics rose hip facial oil, origins brightening eye cream, boscia tinted moisturizer, origins mascara (i'll never go back to chemical mascaras), kerastase cristalliste shampoo, lancome flash bronzer lotion, neutrogena pressed powder (i love the finish), and nars laguna bronzing powder. i've used all of these for years, but i'm constantly trying new products, whether i'm stopping by sephora on the weekend or snagging free samples from work. in terms of new discoveries, i recently added elizabeth arden 8-hour cream to my arsenal (yeah, i'm about 10 years late) and i think i've found the perfect crimson polish in rgb's "classic red." my other new favorite thing is my rms living luminizer, which adds a glow in one swipe and includes just four all-natural ingredients. 

how are you updating your winter look?

II emily

style 101 c/o tommy ton

when you work in fashion, you see a lot of things. a lot of beautiful, amazing, way-out-of-your-league things. you start to rationalize spending hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on "that perfect sweater/bag/shoe/etc" because hello, it's perfect, while at the same time you start to feel like you have no style whatsoever. (not to be dramatic or anything...) try it out: surround yourself with a few dozen fashion editors, lithe models, and chic new yorkers in general, and you will feel like you can't compete!

this rings especially true when you click through tommy ton's street style photos (also mentioned in my last post). if you get snapped by the elusive tommy, you deserve a cupcake or seven because you are one stylish gal. me? i'm still waiting to make the cut. but i can certainly learn a thing or two about adopting a unique sense of style by checking out his latest crop of images, taken at the spring '14 shows in new york, london, milan and paris. 

let's begin.

LESSON #1: wear a slip dress, and wear it with an oversized sweater.

in case you are seriously living under a rock, you should know the 90s are back and, in some ways, they're better than ever. take my advice and forgo the acid wash mom jeans, neon high-tops and crop tops; instead, try the most elegant and understated piece from that wonderfully terrible decade: the slip dress. it's demure, it's sexy, it's minimal. but don't underestimate the sweater. without a chunky sweater (or a loose blazer, or a sweatshirt, or whatever else you're feeling – as long as it's substantial) the look veers into neglige/baby spice territory. don't channel baby spice. hanneli mustaparta, above, looks stunning in her printed louis vuitton slip, but I have my eye on this (crazy-affordable) black zara one (this one is good too).with a little black dress, giant sweater/sweatshirt/jacket possibilities are endless. 

LESSON #2: mix it up. 

there are few things i want more right now than this bedazzled 3.1 phillip lim "i heart nueva york" t-shirt. it kind of captures this precise moment in fashion, and as such i want to wear it like the girl above – with a mash-up of other unexpected things, like a flippy tulip skirt, tough leather jacket, a stack of bracelets and probably some mirrored sunglasses, too. less can definitely be more, but in this case, it pays to pile it on.

LESSON #3: when all else fails, wear all black and/or copy emmanuelle alt.

i don’t know if you can get away with it everywhere, but black-on-black-on-black is really the easiest way ever to get dressed, and it will always look chic, 100% of the time. the reason i don’t think this is necessarily a universal rule is that i never even considered wearing all-black in my hometown of indianapolis; it would read as dark, moody, even a little "goth." if you wear all black in indiana, chances are your friends will ask if you're heading to a funeral. but in new york? london? paris? chicago? LA? not the case. but be bold. wear black wherever you want! chicness knows no bounds. mix up the textures and try this quilted jacket, kitten heels like these or these, and cuffed jeans for a look similar to emannuelle's, above.

LESSON #4: go grey early.

as stated above, all-black is always awesome. it is perennially chic. it is flattering. it is powerful. but maybe i want something a little softer, a little more plush… enter: all-grey. i love this look above -- it's everything i want to wear this season (chunky sweater, structured skirt, giant clutch and subtle heels). i would pair this knit (a size or two up) with this skirt for the ultimate winter minimalist outfit. 

LESSON #5: think (baby) pink.

pale pink is my favorite color, but i'm not the only one -- i could hardly click through style.com or any blogs without seeing someone decked out in the cotton candy hue. pale pink coats are huge for fall (i snagged the perfect one from zara that is now unavailable, but you can get a similar one here, here and here) and alexander wang is doing pale pink bags and accessories for spring. it is universally flattering (your skin will glow next to, say, a pale pink cashmere sweater) and it goes with a range of colors -- like burgundy, navy, black, and dark gray as well as other pastels like pale blue, lilac and dandelion. avoid looking like an infant with some sleek accessories, or dress it down with some ripped denim. 

all images via tommy ton for style.com

back in black

image via tommy ton for style.com

despite the parade of mind-boggling outfits you see in tommy ton's street style photos on style.com (neon-rainbow hair, basketball jersey-dresses, mickey mouse ears, etc...) this particular image caught my eye. not only has this girl mastered the art of draping a jacket over your shoulders (something i still can't quite figure out) and not only has she effortlessly combined leather, floral prints, metallic gold, and earthy rings (just a few of my favorite things), but the the moto jacket itself, the essential piece for the fall season, looks like the richest, softest, most perfect moto jacket you've ever seen. i momentarily forgot about the perfectly good (faux) leather jacket hanging in my closet, but quickly assumed this  jacket was probably by a luxe designer and subsequently out of my price range. 

that is, until liz sent me the following text message: "i need a faux leather jacket! it's your job to find me the best one out there." in my opinion, the essentialness of a black leather jacket cannot be stressed enough, so i happily obliged. i started searching for chic, affordable options for her when voila -- my dream jacket appeared. right before my eyes. and not at barneys. or net-a-porter. but at zara.

that's right: this supple jacket is faux leather and guess what? it looks even better in real life. this piece is sure to become my new go-to, but i found about ten equally lust-worthy options during my search. it turns out zara is really the only place worth looking for a good leather jacket; i'm tempted to get this quilted one as well, or maybe this bomber style, and if you're looking for something a little more basic, this one and this one are perfect starting points.

stripes and spots

{ alexander wang top, frame denim jeans (also own & love these), marc jacobs sunglasses, michael kors watch, shashi earrings, c wonder clutch, loeffler randall sandals } 

every time i walk by a c.wonder store i just barely resist picking up this chic leopard and striped clutch. i've been looking for a leopard bag to add to my arsenal, and not only is this the perfect shape, but the stripes are the perfect extra detail. this clutch would look especially chic with my everyday essentials, like light wash jeans (of which i have far too many), sleek jewelry, and a simple top. 

shop the clutch here or head to your local c.wonder to snag it in person. i'll be doing the same this week.

II emily