Archive for January, 2006

The short list

Published
by
threadmettle
on January 29, 2006
in must-have lists
. 5 Comments

I tend to keep a running list of the clothing/accessories I feel I just must have. And then there’s all the things I simply want…at any rate, here’s a peek. What’s on your list?

A trench coat
I want a spring trench just like the one Chloe Sevigny wears over a summer dress in Melinda & Melinda. It has to be a darker khaki (none of this J Crew Stone business), maybe a slight sheen, with black buttons, and, of course, a belt. Imagine just throwing it over whatever you happen to have on–shorts and a tee, for example–and slipping on some flats…you’d be ready for anything.

A white leather handbag
Do you keep a mental list of all the things you wish you hadn’t passed up? I do, and at the top of it is this white leather Kate Spade handbag. Last spring, I left it at Loehmann’s when it should’ve come home with me. So, a year later, my quest continues for that perfect, perfectly white bag.
kate spade oliver
Photo courtesy of efashionhouse.com

Crochet hoop earrings
As I do when wearing visible make-up, I generally feel like a little girl playing dress up when I wear big earrings. But these Wendy Mink crochet hoops won my heart when I saw them in February’s Lucky. I’m going to go check out the Wendy Mink store tomorrow…
crochet earrings
Photo from Lucky.

Pedro Garcia flats
Pedro Garcia flats are just lovely. What else is there to say? Oh right–and they’re sold out everywhere.
pedro garcia flats
Photo courtesy of net-a-porter.com, a purveyor of the Garcia goods, among others.

A piece by Nieves Lavi
What’s this “piece” talk? What I mean is a shirt, a dress, just anything. The prints are so vibrant, I can accept the fact that the prices are on the outer reaches of reasonable.
nieves lavi shirt
Again, photo from net-a-porter.com

A Toast handbag
Some look at this and see the antithesis of versatile. I just see stars. You can procure yourself one of these bags on a site I just visited for the first time, girldujour.com.
toastbag

dare I kick it?

Published
by
threadmettle
on January 23, 2006
in new york style and shoes
. 4 Comments

Nike Dunk High

Have you seen today’s Daily Candy? At least I’m not the only one thinking about Nike high tops.

Nike Vandals. Nike Dunks. The Nike Air Force One. When I pass by Barney’s Co-op, I look as longingly at the men’s footwear as at the women’s. All of those colors and textures on a perfectly proportioned kick; I simply can’t get enough of them.

Yet I haven’t yet purchased a pair. Why not?, you might ask, as I so often ask myself. Well, first there’s the issue of size: the men’s models are always so much more attractive than the women’s, and not all stores carry below a men’s size 7 (I’m a men’s 6). But then there’s the issue of, well, me. I’m not tall, so I’d need to carry them off in other ways. Can I trust my legs to extend stick-like from these solid sneakers? Or will the shoes (which are somewhat squat) make me look, well, somewhat squat?

I’m thinking I might be able to wear a pair with a loose mini-dress, maybe with stovepipe jeans or leggings. But as with all else, if the execution doesn’t work, you don’t get any points for having had the idea. Until I decide whether or not to take the chance, you can find me shooting jealous glances at all the teenage boys wearing my dream sneaks without even having to think about how.

a work of art at the whitney

Published
by
threadmettle
on January 15, 2006
in new york style, sightings and tips & resolutions
. 0 Comments

Friday nights at the Whitney are great for people watching. There I spotted an excellently executed ensemble on a willowy redhead. She wore loose-fitting jeans, silver snakeskin-textured heels, a royal blue crepe blouse embroidered with magenta, red, and yellow flowers, topped with multiple gold chains and a cheetah-print jacket. One would think that all of those different fabrics, patterns & colors would do nothing but fight fight fight, but they were actually thoroughly harmonious and interesting, to boot. Why not wear these materials/patterns/textures as neutrals and see how they get along?:
**denim (duh)
**metallics
**snakeskin/python
**animal prints
**florals

accessorize me

Published
by
threadmettle
on January 9, 2006
in tips & resolutions
. 2 Comments

To quote today’s Daily Candy, in the asphalt jungle, only the accessorized survive. I’ve been working on my accessories (so hard that before I traveled for the holidays I gathered up all of my favorite baubles in a suede pouch and promptly forgot it on my dresser at home). But now I’m back, reunited with my lovely little accents, and offering up a few accessories tips. I’d love to hear yours, as well…

Buy a gold chain: the gold chain offers a world of neck-decorating possibilities. Want to be festive? Throw on a red crochet bead. Feeling old school chic? Toss on a locket or a cameo pendant. What with all the bead stores in NY (my favorite is Phoenix Beads on 37th St. just East of 6th Ave.), you can doll up your chain to suit whatever mood you’re in/whatever bar you’re at (you get the point).

Invest in some new hosiery: as I pontificated in December 15th’s oh london, eye-catching tights are a great way to spice up an outfit (February’s issue of Lucky agrees with me). But now I’m also having fun with socks: grey striped socks and silver slingbacks, navy fishnet knee-highs with red plaid ballet flats, denim and monochromatic ensembles in particular come to life where the feet hit the floor.

Hairwear: friends, the scrunchie is back! JUST KIDDING. As wore nearly every model in Prada’s Fall 2005 Ready-to-Wear show, I’ve been wearing a back cotton/spandex headband (see below). No lie, it makes you feel like a new, much more chic person. Find one in black or a rainbow of additional colors at American Apparel.
prada fall 2005 ready to wear show
Photo courtesy of Style.com.

a new year in style

Published
by
threadmettle
on January 3, 2006
in tips & resolutions
. 0 Comments

I think it’s important to nail down a few New Year’s resolutions in all of life’s endeavors: reading, cooking, on the job, and style, of course. I have a couple of mine listed below. Why don’t you comment and tell me yours?

Shop like Frenchwomen do:
Perusing the Style section of the New York Times, I came upon this sentiment, uttered by one Sarah Ruffin Costello, creative director of Domino magazine: “Americans have too many clothes”, she said. “I’m trying to winnow down to more of a Frenchwoman’s closet: a well-edited collection of essentials with airy space between the hangers.” Hear hear! I knew I should feel bad about those knee-jerk, “why not?” purchases. This year, I want to be entirely deliberate. I want to have a special relationship with each item I buy, draw out the delight extracted from each new purchase just a little bit longer. And if I stop appreciating new things as much as I think I should? It’s like desserts: I’ll just fast for a bit, and be reveling in them again in no time.

Dress like Londoners do:
In London I was confronted by a delightful absence of the logo-laden status bags that reign the streets of NYC. The playful stylishness, sophisticated scrappiness I saw in London made me realize that New York style in general can be too much about status, an outfit squealing “I’m rich I’m rich I’m rich!” instead of whispering “aren’t I fun, contemporary and utterly me?” This year, I’m going to try not to fall into the affluence-as-style pit quite so frequently.

(That said, I really want a blue Chloe Paddington bag! This one’s selling on eBay. Think it’s real??)
blue chloe paddington bag