Category Archives: how-to

florals and pleats: the how-to

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this skirt from brooklyn industries manages the impossible – it’s as frilly as can be, but work the look the right way, and this is the ultimate hip spring floral. and it’s on sale for $58.

no question, florals are tricky – and in the spring, you risk looking more laura ashley than kate moss if you play them wrong. but, done right, they’re ideal for the season, and end up looking oh-so-stylish, with that “i just threw this on and look amazing” perfection we’re all seeking.

so, the how to: first, drop the girly quotient from the rest of the ensemble. instead of pearls, think heavy chains. bare legs will work with a bold shoe, but black tights are even better (with the blue, that is – stay bare with the black skirt). for footwear, my choice is an edgy heel, but heel or flat, stick to black or a bold, bright and non-matching color. red or hot pink with these cool floral skirts, for example, would be fantastic. layer a couple of tanks or tees, and pair the whole thing with a blazer or a menswear vest (not a cardigan, unless it’s very oversized and a neutral shade) – maybe even a plaid or striped scarf to top things off. let your inner tomboy/rocker chick come out to play when you don flowers, and the end result will be stunning.

check out this fantastic piece from whowhatwear with even more ideas for updating a floral. incidentally, these ideas are also a great way to do the old “shop your closet” bit – you should be able to unearth a floral skirt or two from the ’90s, no?

spring translations: rocker chic

there’s an old-school fashion adage by which i fill my closet: once is enough for any trend. in other words, if you lived through a trend once, you shouldn’t embrace it again. of course, this spring, that means i’m having to sit out just about everything, because the 80s are back in a big way. so, i’m considering a slight modification to the earlier rule. while i definitely think you shouldn’t give a great big bear hug to the trend the second time around, a little tip of the hat is just fine.

when it comes to the rocker chic trend that’s so big this year, here’s what i mean: if, like me, you’re dying to add a dash of rocker to your wardrobe, just keep in mind that i think it works best when offset by going overboard to avoid the punk trend with the rest of your outfit. so go ahead and buy the studded handbag, but pair it with a classic ensemble. a studded bag with a tee and dark jeans manages to be both chic and trendy…but paired with ripped acid wash or a flashdance-style sweatshirt, the same bag just looks tired. or take a flirty, floral dress and pair it with the edgiest dominatrix heels you can find.

if you’re looking to dabble, you can go even more subtle by adding a few studs to your jewelry routine. i have been stalking these fabulous medor twillies from hermes for months now. essentially, it’s a headband-length scarf paired with three stud charms. you can use the charms with the twilly to create a wrist cuff, a headband, a choker – the options are endless. or get creative and wear the charms solo on a chain, or slip them onto a headband of your own. the set with the scarf is $275, but i’m pretty sure you can pick up the charms alone for $175 at your local hermes boutique. not exactly cheap, but a bargain by H standards, to be sure. or, grab a studded leather wrap bracelet for $32 at bebe (i can’t quite believe i just recommended bebe). in either case, keep the rest of the ensemble preppy…almost to a fault. these pieces will look fantastic with a white button-down, or even to edge up a suit.

so, the moral of the story: if you’re into the rocker trend this spring, choose one piece, and keep the rest of the ensemble either simple or completely contradictory. and, at all costs, keep it to one piece at a time, unless you want to look like courtney love‘s long lost twin.

what do you think? will you be going punk this spring?

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design file: michael s. smith

(editor’s note: today’s the last day to enter our fab valentine’s giveaway…don’t miss it!)

i was so thrilled to hear that designer michael s. smith had been tapped by the obamas to decorate the private living areas of the white house. i’m a long-time fan of his style…it’s how i imagine my “grown up” house will look some day.

for those of you that are craving a little more style in your home, or just desperate to re-create a little more obama magic, i thought i’d share some of smith’s signature stylings to help you get the look.

1. traditional twist: smith is known for taking a relatively traditional room and turning it on its head by adding one out-of-place element. most commonly he achieves this with artwork. so, you might see a room with neutral couches, persian rugs, and shelves packed with books…nothing remarkable by itself. but look for one standout piece – in the rooms above, it’s artwork. and then, watch for subtle tricks the designer uses to make that standout piece fit in just a bit – you’ll have to squint a bit to recognize them. in the room on the left, it’s a striped throw with the same color palette as the art, though a dramatically different style. in the room on the right, it’s the same concept, but with curtains instead. the end result is that the standout piece remains a standout…but doesn’t feel quite as out of place as it would if there was nothing tying it to the room.

2. another favorite trick of mine from smith’s playbook is his approach to bedrooms. it’s rare to find a bedroom he’s designed that doesn’t involve a four-poster or canopy bed…it’s definitely his signature statement, and a great trick for bringing drama to the room. but on a simpler scale, smith always reaches for solid white bed linens, and accents with a boldly-patterned throw at the foot of the bed. the result is clean, chic, and endlessly changeable. when you’re bored, just switch out the throw for an entirely new look. and yes, white can be a dirt magnet…but it can also be bleached.

3. last but not least, i love that smith leaves no corner of the house neglected. whether it’s an extravagant dresser in an otherwise sparse bedroom, or a mosquito-net canopy over a bath tub, smith knows that the trick to a really special home is leaving little unexpected touches absolutely everywhere. try propping a gorgeous piece of art up on your dresser, or adding a beautiful (but washable) rug to your bathroom floor. those little touches really do take a room from ordinary to original, and they don’t require more than a moment of effort.

if you love smith’s style as much as i do, i cannot recommend highly enough either or both of smith’s books: elements of style and houses. both are packed full of photos and tips from the designer’s work, and i guarantee there’s inspiration galore to be found. it’s the best $30 you’ll spend on your house this year, i promise.

weekend read: the one hundred by nina garcia

i’ll admit, i was a little skeptical of nina garcia’s new book, “the one hundred”. to begin, i really know her only as my favorite judge on project runway…”nina-garcia-fashion-director-of-elle-magazine” (spoken in a fantastic german accent). i absolutely live for her bitchy comments about some of the heinous designs on that show. but i wasn’t sure i was willing to put my entire wardrobe in her hands.

moreover, the title made the book feel like an extended version of that “classic 10-piece wardrobe” myth you hear the occasional fashion guru spout about. i don’t know who these people are, but i’m pretty confident they have a great deal more than 10 items in their closet. 100 sounded more do-able, but i had to wonder if it was possible for any list to truly encompass every woman’s basic wardrobe needs.

fortunately, nina seems to know this. she makes it clear at the outset that her “list” is really just a guide, and that it wouldn’t be style unless you put your personal spin on it. fair enough.

there’s nothing truly remarkable on this list, except possibly the image of nina garcia wearing converse sneakers (which i simply cannot conjure). some are obvious: the little black dress, opaque black tights. some are not necessarily pieces i would have put in a “must own” category: frye harness boots, a cape. i’m not entirely on board with what she deems the four handbags on the planet worthy of a splurge, if only because i think the most important thing about a truly investment-worthy bag is that you absolutely, wholeheartedly adore it, and can’t imagine your life (or, at least, your wardrobe) without it. but i can’t deny that her choices are solid classics.

despite my departures from nina’s style on several points, i still loved the book. for a fashion novice, it’s a great working checklist, and it provides some timeless words of wisdom (ie, when you buy animal print, go designer – cheap animal print looks just that). for someone a little farther up the educational ladder in this arena, there is still plenty to learn from nina. i finally figured out, for example, what all the fuss is about wolford tights. they’re $80, so i’ve always just mocked and moved on. turns out, there’s a whole system of weights and measures when it comes to tights, and wolford is the only manufacturer that makes the 80-denier (ie, the most opaque) tights out there. who knew? i also never knew that real camel hair is gathered from a camel’s underbelly by professional camel hair gatherers who follow camel herds around the desert, collecting these hairs. no wonder that coat i wanted last year was $4,000.

like any “guide,” it’s not perfect – it’s just that: a guide. if anything, it intentionally doesn’t reflect nina’s personal style…it’s general enough to allow you to find your own style within its confines. or to decide for yourself, like i did, that frye harness boots aren’t necessarily an essential part of your wardrobe…but maybe those loeffler randall flat boots i’ve been after for a year now would be a good substitute.

whatever your level of expertise, i’m pretty convinced nina has something to teach us after all. grab your copy today, and let us know what you think.

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SMC how-to: the poor man’s pedicure

it’s hard to believe, but there was once a time i was completely convinced there was no reason to get a professional pedicure. thankfully, those days are well behind me – now, i’m about as high-maintenance as a girl can get.

however, the reality is that sometimes we need a little DIY action…maybe an event is coming up and you can’t get to the spa, or maybe you just look down at your toes one day and realize you can’t possibly leave your house wearing those gorgeous peep toes, because everyone will be doing just that…peeping at your less-than-perfect pedi.

fortunately, i’ve unearthed a few products that make the DIY version simple, seamless and – my favorite – quick.

first things first, the hardware: i just got the most perfect thing in the mail – it’s a summer staple if there ever was one. it’s a 10-piece pedicure kit from kiss that comes complete with literally everything you’ll need for perfect summer toes. pumice stone, scrubber, clippers, cuticle pusher (the good, metal version) and nipper, buffer, and even toe separators for the polish. for $9.99 – seriously, that has to be the ultimate cheap thrill.

now, my pedi solution is cheap and dirty – after i remove my old polish, i just sand my toes down with a sugar scrub in the shower…that’ll get you close enough, especially if you’re not hunkering down for serious cuticle time. i happen to completely adore this version by airplus – and their foot lotion is literally the only thing that heals my heels after months of sandals.

i think everyone knows the sand/cut/file/buff routine, so i’m going to skip that and get to the polish. traditionalists will run for the OPI, and with good reason – i do love the staying power, and the colors are lovely. but i just tried out a new polish by bourjois that may have surpassed my OPI obsession. i love it because it’s infused with vinyl, if you can imagine. translation: it dries superfast, and sticks without chipping like nobody’s business. plus, what their color selection lacks in quantity, it makes up in quality. their rose vamp is the ultimate hot pink for hot days, and rose escarpin may just be the elusive ‘perfect red’. definitely a toe must-buy.

so, start with some OPI nail envy, slap on that bourjois polish (remember the toe separators…that’ll save oh-so-much time in touchups alone), and top it off with sally hansen’s hard as nails, and you’ll be sandal-worthy in no time!