Here’s the thing:

Lately, I love super-girly (by which I mean rainbow bright/feminine/floral/fitted/embellished) pieces. I really do.

But!

I do not love looking super-girly.

So: how to reconcile the two factions at war here?

My rule, in short: When wearing a piece (like this amazing Lilly Pulitzer jacket) that could arguably make an appearance on Elle Woods, make sure that at least one other article of clothing on your body (like the slouchy boyfriend jeans I’m wearing here) would make her run for the hills.

Unless “country club chic” is the look you’re going for (which is A-OK if you like that style; it’s just not my kind of thing), mix a little punk (or whatever) into your prep. By which I mean: no French twists. No pearls. No pleats. No other pink bits and pieces.

(I make an exception for pink patent leather shoes, which I firmly believe go with absolutely everything.)

A Few Suggestions:

- Add an unquestionably un-girly piece, like a rugged leather belt or army jacket.

- When in doubt, pair super-feminine pieces with an otherwise neutral outfit (for example, a floral jacket with a grey tee and jeans, or sweet-as-pie pink pants with a navy tank).

- Tone it all down with flats: here, I’m wearing pink stilettos because…well, I like them - but a pair of seen-better-days brown boots or simple, neutral slides would look great, too.

- Don’t “do” that ‘do: keep your hair (and makeup) simple and relaxed.

- If you’re feeling extra brave, go ahead and throw in some ridiculous contrast in the form of skulls, animal print, or spikes.

Completely off-topic, but I have to show you these two pieces of jewelry: the necklace is from Forever 21 and was FOUR DOLLARS (!), and the LyraLoveStar ring is now a part of my daily must-wear Right Hand Repertoire.

Please excuse the devastating manicure. I’m fixing it today.

On me: Mille Jacket c/o Lilly Pulitzer, Rebecca Taylor cut-out tee, jeans c/o Paige Denim, Steve Madden pumps, Forever 21 necklace, Mid City purse c/o Foley & Corinna, LyraLoveStar ring, Juicy Couture sunglasses.

Original Article

Not gonna lie: I miss the days of the rooftop photos.

See, my roof is painted silver from front to back, and generates some killer lighting that does lovely things like…you know…show an outfit’s actual color.

This shooting-in-my-semi-dark-living-room-surrounded-by-Jumperoos-thing? Not ideal. Oh, and my little self-timer whoozit isn’t working at the moment, which means that I actually have to run over to the camera, press the button, and then go leaping back across the room and try to wrangle myself into some semblance of a stationary pose in time for the beep-beep-beep-FLASH. It’s all very elegant, as I’m sure you can imagine.

But unless I feel like carting a baby, tripod, and various other accoutrement up onto my roof (which I don’t), it’s what I got…at least for the next month or therabouts, until I can start incorporating things like for-real grass and trees and sunlight (!) into shots.

When I was putting together the outfit for yesterday’s at-home shoot, I started with a sweet-as-pie Lilly Pulitzer dress dotted with tiny pink-and-green flowers…but knew that I’d have to add a couple of tougher touches in order to make the look more “me”.

Like leopard! And navy pinstripes (that blazer is from my blazers-and-shorts era a couple of summers ago, and I completely forgot I owned it).

Floral + animal print + pinstripes? That’s mis-matching at its finest. I like it.

Here’s a closeup on the bag that I used to pull together the clean lines of the blazer and the pale tones of the dress: a minty Botkier with subtle gold touches.

And finally, here’s a better shot of the gorgeous Lilly Pulitzer pattern.

Segment Wardrobe: Lilly Pulitzer sheath (borrowed), Botkier purse, Aqua blazer, Aldo wedges.

Original Article

So you’re into the whole Canadian tuxedo thing?

I hear you.

I am, too.

Granted, I put together this look for thematic reasons (we were supposed to visit a ranch yesterday, but ended up having to postpone that portion of the shoot)…but still. If Britney and Justin can do it…

So can I.

Here’s the thing about denim-on-denim. There are rules that you can follow to wear it “properly”. Like these:

- Don’t mix denims that are too similar in terms of wash or weight (for example, pair dark-wash skinny jeans in a heavier weight with a pale-blue, lightweight denim button-down)

- Try unexpected shapes, like a denim vest or denim dress (if you’re nervous about the look, a blue denim vest with khaki-colored jeans, as seen here on Karla’s Closet, is a nice, classic way to ease into it)

- Break up the look with different colors and fabrics, like a neon belt or floral blouse

But…OK. See, rules are lovely and helpful and all, but you know what I think the key to this look is?

Deal with the fact that you are wearing head to toe denim, and work it. 

Maybe add some awesome cowboy boots, because why not?

Sparkly jewelry? OK!

(Above, some great ways to wear the look courtesy of Stylelist.)

Segment Wardrobe: Urban Outfitters jacket, Rebecca Taylor blouse (borrowed), Blank NYC jeans, boots c/o Frye Company, necklace c/o LOFT, purse c/o Alexandra Satine.

Original Article

On Friday, I dressed like a garden.

Not “like I was going to a garden party” (although this dress would certainly work for that)…

like an actual garden.

Roses on my dress, grass on my arm, and springtime all over the place.

I love the combo of dusty rose and mint green, and think that if you keep the shapes simple and the shades subdued, the pairing can easily steer far clear of Easter Egg-Ville.

More pretty, flowery dresses for your dressing-like-a-garden (or going to a garden party) consideration:

L to R: Oasis, Whistles, Love Moschino

Segment Wardrobe: H&M (dress), Botkier (purse), Seychelles (sandals), Kyler Designs (necklace), Tom Ford (sunglasses), Lia Sophia (bracelet).

Original Article

Just a little ladylike.

(Not too much.)

What I like most about this outfit is that it looks fairly pulled-together, thanks to the cinched waist on the skirt, the pearls, and the details on the bag…but it’s also capital-C Comfortable. Why? That dress is light as air, the makeup is next-to-zero (just some Almost Lipstick and mascara), and the shoes are like little pillows of walk-all-over-the-city-and-stay-happy heaven.

All about the grass-green toes right now (that’s Essie Pretty Edgy).

Rebecca Taylor (from whom I borrowed a few dresses for segments; this one is so beautiful I’m dancing around the idea of buying it), by the way, has some incredible spring dresses out right now. Three of my favorites are above.

Just a little FYI for those of you with weddings/showers/etc in your near future.

Segment wardrobe: Rebecca Taylor (dress), Foley & Corinna (purse), Clarks (shoes), Swati Jr* cuff, my pearls and sunglasses.

Original Article

Yesterday was fun.

Why?

Well, first of all, I got to wear this. It’s a 1930s dress that my Nanny Ruth gave to me years ago, but that I’ve never had a good reason to wear until now. So that was neat.

Incidentally, you may have noticed that I’ve been wearing some vaguely period-appropriate pieces for some of these shoots…but I’ve been trying not to make them look too “costume-y.” So let’s talk how to do that!

- No retro ‘dos: A nod to the period you’re working with is nice, but pairing a vintage dress with a period-appropriate hairstyle starts veering into too-much territory. Try loose waves, a clean updo, or a relaxed topknot.

- Keep your accessories streamlined: Since your vintage piece will pull the focus, don’t go too overboard with accessories.

- Since vintage pieces don’t always fit quiiiiite right (you can’t exactly ask the salesperson to grab you a different size), feel free to get creative: I’ve worn a three-sizes-too-big vintage slipdress with a boyfriend-style blazer over it (to hide the gaping armholes), and frequently cinch oversized dresses with belts or wear undersized dresses as tunics with opaque tights and boots.

- Try unexpected pairings, like a floral Victorian blouse with leather pants, or a full ’50s skirt with a simple white man’s undershirt on top.

- Feel free to mix eras: If you wear a ’50s hat, dress, gloves, and shoes, you’ll look like you’re headed to a Halloween party. (In the above shot, I’m wearing a ’30s-style dress, ’40s-style (sorta) heels, and ’60s-style sunglasses.)

- If the whole thing makes you a little nervous, start simple: a vintage silk blouse with jeans or some great retro jewelry are easy ways to take the look for a test-run.

A couple more reasons why yesterday was fun:

I hung out at a speakeasy on the Lower East Side to film a segment for JITH (above, I’m with our lovely intern, Ansley).

Oh, and then I came home and discovered that pears apparently taste better when placed directly into one’s hair. (The teeth!)

Segment wardrobe: Vintage dress, belt, and jewelry, Juno heels, Juicy Couture sunglasses, Inge Christopher clutch.

Original Article

Q. Jordan!

My husband and I just found out we are pregnant, but are waiting to tell everyone until the 3-month mark, due to health concerns and for our sanity’s sake.

In comes the dilemma: I’m a petite girl, and can’t quite figure out how to conceal a bump through the spring and early summer. Throw a girl some ideas!

- Jennifer*

(Above, Vicky B. uses the old wear-black-and-carry-a-big-bag trick.)

A. Congratulations!!!

OK, here’s the thing with pregnancy concealment: some people are going to figure it out immediately, no matter how hard you try to hide it, because there are just so many “tells” in early pregnancy. My plan was to keep the fact that we were expecting to ourselves for at least a couple of months, but the second that I went out to dinner with anyone and turned down a glass of wine, whomever I was dining with immediately screeched “You’re pregnant!” (Can you tell how often I turn down glasses of wine?)

Your best friends and closest family members may notice that you’re wearing slightly more relaxed clothing, or drinking ginger ale instead of Pepsi, or looking a little green around the gills…or may just feel like there’s something “different” about you. So my first piece of advice is to have a plan of action for when people start guessing: it’s totally your prerogative to tell little white lies or practice mini-deceptions to keep your secret (adding limes to your soda water to make it look like a cocktail, pleading the flu rather than morning sickness, etc.), but being ready for the questions will save you from getting flustered and give you the opportunity to break the news your way.

So. While I ultimately decided to just tell my family and close friends more or less immediately, mostly because I am incapable of keeping a secret, I wanted to wait to announce my pregnancy on my site because I knew that if anything went wrong it wasn’t something I would likely want to talk about right away.

And you may have noticed that I occasionally post the odd picture or thirty of myself. So while late winter is definitely an easier time to hide a pregnancy, still: it was a challenge.

First, my favorite pregnancy wardrobe discovery: the dress pictured above, a tank-style, sorta tent-y dress from H&M, was my go-to outfit all the way through. I’m about 6 1/2 months pregnant in that shot, so there wasn’t even a whit of hiding going on, but in the early days these dresses (plus a lightweight scarf and distracting hat/jewelry) did wonders to camouflage my tummy when I wasn’t ready to talk about it.

Some more ideas:

- Don’t completely overhaul your style - lest you raise suspicions - but veer towards looser, boho cuts with layered details (like that dress pictured above).

- Pair a flowy top with a super lightweight scarf (lucky you, scarves are in fashion even in warm weather these days, thanks in large part to Jessica Alba)

- Wrap tops (like the one pictured above) are your best friend - especially in a silky, patterned fabric, there’s so much going on there that no one will be able to tell what’s shirt and what’s shape.

- Extend the life of your non-maternity jeans by purchasing one of those waist-expanders…or by pulling a rubber band through the buttonhole to keep them closed.

- Distract with bells and whistles: the aforementioned scarves, hats, and oversized jewelry (try earrings that keep the focus on your face rather than necklaces that will draw attention to your midsection).

- Layer on a lightweight vest - especially one in an attention-grabbing color paired with a dark color underneath.

- On cooler days, try a boyfriend-style blazer in a lightweight fabric with a single low button that hits at the waistline (the blazer pictured above was one I wore constantly during the first couple of months).

Anyone else have suggestions for Jennifer?

*Name posted with reader permission.

Original Article

Oh, I can’t wait to show you the segment we shot Friday.

Here’s a hint: that headband I’m wearing in these shots is a little high-five to the far more elaborate headpiece that got swapped in later on.

It’s ridiculous.

You’ll like it.

Anyway, check out all the pastel action going on here!

Wow, though, is it ever easy to end up looking like an Easter egg when you mix pastels. So let’s talk how not to do that!

- Don’t get too matchy: the main pieces of your wardrobe should contrast enough to make the whole look seem deliberate. Even better, pop in a little high-contrast, like a pale blue dress with a neon yellow cardigan, or top off mint-green pants with a hot pink shell.

- Balance out the girliness with black, leather, or denim (try a rugged brown belt or a faded army jacket).

- Steer clear of sweet accessories: when you’re wearing pastels, it’s time to break out the chunky heels and big hardware. Leave your kitten heels and pearls packed away. (And I ordinarily wouldn’t advise headbands with pastels…but like I said, this was a nod to what was to come in the segment.)

- Choose saccharine-free shapes (think minidresses rather than full skirts and boyfriend-cut, slouchy jackets and sweaters)…and step away from the ruffles.

Or you could just embrace the whole Easter Egg thing and roll with it. That’s fun, too.

Above, some fun mix-and-match pastel inspiration from Lovelyish.

Segment wardrobe provided by: Very.com (dress), Karen Kane (jacket), LyraLoveStar (earrings).

Vintage belt, TJ Maxx bag, chloe + isabel bracelets, 7 For All Mankind wedges, My Haley Girl headband.

Original Article

How many times have you heard fashion-y types go on and on about “pops of color” and how fabulous they are for drawing the eye and adding interest to outfits?

Lots, I’d bet.

I think I’ve gone on about it myself more than once.

But you know what’s even more eye-catching than a slice of neon or a hit of red?

A perfect little white dress.

There’s just no color, no matter how pop-y, that can compete with that.

It’s true, though: white dresses really get more and more appropriate the hotter out it gets. And it’s not all that hot out quite yet. But you can still make it happen!

To keep the look feeling right for right-now…well, don’t do what I’m doing in these photos, what with the bareness and such. Toughen it up a bit.

Here’s how:

- Add a jacket: either a simple, boyfriend-cut denim jacket, or a short mod swing coat (click here for a bunch of pretty, affordable options).

- Try slightly unexpected footwear, like Hunters during those April showers, rugged flat boots, or a mod twist on a classic kitten-heel like the Marchez Vous pair pictured here.

- Whatever you choose to pair your white dress with, keep the fabrics on the slightly rough-and-tumble side rather than going for the floaty stuff. The lacy, fringe-y shawls can come later; for now, try things like leather and denim.

- And finally, keep the whole look casual with accessories that are fun rather than froufy, and a ‘do that’s more undone than done up.

On me: Dress c/o Very.com (click here for more posts from my spring styles collaboration with Very), Isabella Fiore purse, GANT sunglasses, sandals c/o Marchez Vous

Original Article

Yeah, florals are an obvious pick for early spring. But there are so many fun ways to take the old standby of floral-blouse-and-jeans outside the box. This look, for example, feels very non-boring to me.

Let’s take a look at why!

1. Boyfriend-style, cuffed jeans rather than the more expected skinny or bootcut pair.

2. Extra-boho details on that gorgeous Sanctuary blouse (crochet and blousy sleeves).

3. Mixed patterns (snakeskin with florals? Why not?).

4. Extra pops of color, like that grass-green purse (by the way, the Foley & Corinna Mid City remains one of my very favorite picks for an everyday go-to bag. If you’d like to wear it year ‘round, I’d suggest red over black or brown - it’s so much more interesting, and goes with more than you’d think).

5. A mix of rugged and uber-feminine jewelry, like a leather multi-wrap bracelet and a delicate Art Deco-y gold necklace.

So anyway, this is what I wore during the second segment we filmed on Wednesday.

Want to see what else I wore?

PJs.

But that’s another story.

Segment wardrobe provided by: Sanctuary (blouse), Kyler Designs (necklace), LyraLoveStar (cuff), Blush Lingerie (PJs).

Shoemint heels, GUESS by Marciano sunglasses, Paige Denim boyfriend jeans, Lulu’s leather wrap bracelet, purse c/o Foley & Corinna.

Original Article

This.

(You’ll understand what’s going on in this photo, what with the hat and all, when you see the segment.)

And, well, I don’t have many reasons to wear bathing suits generally at the moment, it being March, but what I’m talking about in particular is this retro-ish Freya suit (I wish you could see the cut better in this photo; it’s similar to this one). I love those high-waisted bottoms and fuller-coverage tops when I see them in magazines, but I always thought they would look sort of frumpy on.

Ding ding ding! Style Evolution Moment #2. (Two in one day!)

As it turns out, I felt way better with a touch more coverage than I ever have in the littler bikinis I usually gravitate towards: sexier, more elegant, and even…oh, dear…a little more age-appropriate.

Oh, and?

There was this one time that I was swimming on a beach in California with a whole bunch of people whom I really didn’t know very well - they were mostly friends-of-a-friend - and decided to try to body-surf a wave. And you know how body-surfing never really works, and you mostly just end up dog paddling frantically while the wave moseys right on by?

Well, this time it worked.

And I found myself careening towards shore on the crest of a wave - it was all much more “terrifying” than “exciting”, have to say - and was shortly thereafter deposited onto a very hard patch of sand directly in front of all those people whom I did not know very well. Oh, and then? The wave decided to just go ahead and take my string bikini back out into the ocean for safekeeping.

So I was bikini-less, in front of a really enormous lot of people (did I mention that there were a lot of people?), and doing this weird little flailing-burrowing thing while I tried to hide myself in the (inch) of water remaining on the sand after the wave washed back out.

It was not my finest moment.

Anyway, this is all to say that these events likely wouldn’t have transpired had I been wearing a slightly more reasonable swimsuit.

Like these.

Product info after the jump.

L to R: Anthropologie ($68), Betsey Johnson ($84), Anthropologie ($108), Delia’s ($32.50)

Original Article

What I wore during the first JITH segment we filmed on Wednesday: a dress (part of a spring styles collaboration with Very.com), in a silhouette that I have quite literally never worn before…and now plan to wear a lot. I usually go for either no sleeves or 3/4 sleeves over short sleeves, rarely cover up all the way to my neck, and generally don’t favor fitted on top/flouncy on the bottom. But that dress I wore last week, with its nipped-in waist and full-ish skirt, inspired me to experiment.

As it turns out, I really like this look. It’s just as comfortable as the more potato sack-y stuff I usually wear, and felt a lot more elegant.

And even…dare I say it…more flattering?

I remember when I was twelve or so, and all about the Paris Blues bellbottoms (remember those?), saying that I would never ever evereverever be caught dead in “tapered” (by which I meant “skinny”) jeans. The horror! And my mom said, you know…styles change. But NO. I WOULD NEVER CHANGE AND WOULD NEVER EVEREVER WEAR TAPERED JEANS AND YOU COULD NOT MAKE ME. Ever!

Well, we know how that went.

And when I was eighteen, I swore up and down that my low-rise jeans would be dragged from my cold, dead fingers, because there was no way that a high-waisted cut could ever be flattering.

Hmmm.

And then there was that time that Francesca made me throw away my Western-y button-downs partly because they were ugly but mostly because I had been wearing them nearly every day for a good year and she was probably sick of looking at them, and I almost cried, because I couldn’t imagine ever thinking that they weren’t just paisley, pocketed style perfection.

But once that habit was broken, I realized that there were lots of other tops in my closet just sitting there, waiting to be worn…and if I was telling the truth…well, those shirts were kinda ugly. (And also kinda awesome. Just saying.)

Anyway, this is all to say that I am someone who gets very worked up about my commitment to one look or another and simply can’t imagine ever changing my mind. I usually wear dresses like this…so it was a little tough to imagine what this blue, buttoned-up dress would look like on - forget about how I would feel in it.

But I felt great. 

Sometimes being open to a little style evolution is just what you need to keep on moving in the direction you want to go.

Segment wardrobe provided by: Very.com (dress), Timo Weiland for TSUBO (shoes), Alexandra Satine (handbag).

GANT sunglasses, vintage belt.

Original Article

I know, you’re thinking, “Bad purchase what? That’s what you wear every day, Jordan!”

And you would be right. Which is why the Sold Design Lab neon shorts (which I picked up in three colors during Saturday’s shopping trip) and the perfectperfectperfect grey t-shirt (it’s Vince, which I usually find too expensive, but not at an outlet mall!) was such. a bad. purchase.

Because I have this tendency to be very lazy about what I wear on a day-to-day basis, and if I have nowhere to be and no cameras to prattle into tend to more or less default to variations on the same outfit. In the winter, it’s black skinny jeans and black t-shirts, and in the summer it’s short shorts and relaxed-fit tees.

And I’ve been trying to break that habit mostly because, you know, my other clothing deserves some love, too.

But now I own these things. And they are every single thing that I like about getting dressed in the summer, and now I’m not going to wear anything else, ever.

Look at those. You might as well glue them onto my legs right now, and scrape them off come September.

Original Article