Who’s That Girl

When I go shopping,  I like to imagine that if the store was a person, what would she or he look like. As I wander up and down the aisles and look through the shelves and stacks of clothing, I try to get an image in my head of who this person is. What’s their favorite food? Where is their dream vacation spot? What’s the item of clothing they can’t live without? Do they speak another language and go traveling all over the world? Or do they prefer to sit at home and snuggle up with a blanket and book? This could either be the work of an overactive imagination or proof of my slow descent into madness. Either way, it’s something that I do and something that I would like to share with you guys.

Now, if I could draw, I would sketch out lovely images of women, surrounded by the items that they love. But, a talented artist I am not. Nope, not at all. But, where my natural talents fail me, I have polyvore to lift me up!

The Gap-

She’s in grad school, studying every second she can spare. When her nose isn’t buried in a book, she’s breathing in the fresh air and laughing at something her best friend just texted her. She walks too fast and falls deeply in love with all the wrong guys. Her nails are always chipped because she doesn’t have the patience to keep them up. She’d much rather be hanging with friends or studying with her classmates. Her part time job working at a non profit allows her the flexibility to still live her life while also earning money and making a difference. She’s earnest and headstrong. Easy going and well read.

gap girl

Anthropologie-

You know that girl who just looks like she speaks French, can wake up looking gorgeous, and throw together an amazing outfit in two minutes without even breaking a sweat? Yea, that’s her. She traveled during her gap year and took up random language classes as she traversed across Europe. While spending a summer in Paris, she befriended a designer, who used her as his muse  for his upcoming collection. Her boyfriend is a classically trained cellist and she likes to show up to his performances looking chic and mysterious. Her studio apartment is small and messily tidy. Stacks of magazines sit upon thrift store tables. Pillows and cushions are strewn on the floor, remnants of last night’s gathering of friends. Her refrigerator is covered with postcards from pals overseas and black and white snapshots of random days walking through the park.

anthro girl

 

H&M-

She can sing every lyric to Lana Del Ray’s Young and Beautiful and rap every line of Salt N Pepa’s Push It. She can spend hours on her hair and makeup, yet put together the perfect outfit in 10 minutes flat. Her future is wide open and before her. She is in love with life and makes no qualms letting you know it. Her days are long and her nights are even longer, but she bristles at being called a club girl. Her quick wit and easy charm makes her a favorite among the girls and guys. But she knows how to bite when backed in to a corner. Her lips are in a constant smirk, a telling sign of the quick witted quip to come.

H&M

Nicole Artelier Fall 2013

Channel your inner, angsty Kristen Stewart and show up looking “too cool for school” in Nicole Miller Artelier’s Fall 2013 collection. Nicole Miller’s Fall collection is a great combination of dark and somber separates that come together to create a rocker-meets-girl-next-door tomboy look. Overall, I love the skinny straight leg jeans and pants. The close fitting bottoms paired with loose, flowing tops help to create a slimmer silhouette and gives off an effortless vibe.  Add some punky ankle boots and throw in your own expressionless gaze and bitch resting face and you’ve got the K-Stew look nailed.

Flower Power

Nothing says fall like a nice floral dress, right? It used to be standard procedure to pack away your bright floral swing dresses every September and pine away for them until May. But those dog days are over. This fall has seen an influx of darker toned floral dresses that are more wearable into the cooler months. To pull off this look into the chilly months of October, November, and December, pair floral dresses with a warm leather jacket and some kicky ankle boots in this season’s must have color: taupe- rhymes with dope because it’s so awesome and extremely wearable. Taupe is much like other color neutrals: black, brown, navy, and gray. You can pair these colors with nearly any other color and they’ll look great.  Taupe booties and a dark, heathered tight can be your best friend with it comes to extending the wear of your floral dresses. But, if you’re not too keen on taupe yet (whatever, you’re missing out), there is always the standby black tights and black booties or shooties combination.

Find Your Moto

The title is a play on words…get it? Find Your Moto instead of “Find Your Mojo”. Haha, right? Fine….Moving on. It’s no secret that I’m kinda sorta, very much obsessed with finding a moto jacket for myself this fall. I have found one that could very well be THE ONE, but it’s a little pricey *cough* Vince *cough*.  But, I will not let that dissuade me. I tried on a knit moto jacket made by Diesel and it got me thinking that instead of purchasing another leather jacket, a knit moto jacket could work instead.  But, if your heart is still pining away for a leather one, there are plenty of options out there. However! I beg you to check out some of these jackets that could easily replace your go to blazer or sweater.

Tanya Taylor Spring 2014 RTW

When I first looked at this collection I had the strongest desire for a  piece of Fruitstripe gum. The stripes and colors just made my mouth start watering. Pavlov knew his stuff. That unnecessary information aside, I liked this collection and it’s kinda sorta preppy vibe. I see, much to my dismay, crop tops aren’t going anywhere.

Photos: Style.com

BCBG Spring 2014 RTW

My love affair of all things BCBG started when I was in high school. I longed for the life that would grant me the opportunities to wear Max Azria’s clothes. For my senior prom I bought my first BCBG piece. A black and blue dress with sequins and beads sewn into starburst patterns. It was magical. I still have it and even though it’s been over 10 years since I wore it, I can still fit into it. Therefore, I shall keep it.

Back to the Spring collection. Its just as lovely as my senior prom dress: watercolor prints and washed out neutrals. It’s the epitome of city sophisticate. It’s all very effortlessly chic and hassle-free glam.

Photos: Style.com

Josie Natori Spring 2014 RTW

Talk about vibrancy! This collection may start off a tad bland and tea stained, but it quickly warms up to eye popping colors, oversized bauble necklaces (love!) and slinky, sexy dresses that I can totally see Angelina Jolie or Olivia Wilde wearing down the red carpet. My favorite piece is the pink and orange pantsuit. That’s the kind of outfit that will take you places. So good…so good.

Photos: Style.com

We all float down here

Sorry for the cryptic title, but I truly love that line from that book. I made it roughly three quarters of the way through and I just couldn’t read it anymore. I saw clowns everywhere and they were not funny or cute or smiley. They were scary and freaky. However terrifying that reference is, it doesn’t stop it from popping up in my head every stinking time I step foot into the pool. The book has nothing to do with pools. But, that’s the way my mind works. Creepy experience + creepy line from book= Makea’s brain space.  #thisiswhyimsingle

I think the main reason why this reference sneaks its way to the forefront of my mind is because it serves as a reminder to me when I step into the pool. When in doubt, float. I have no qualms admitting that I am a 29 year old woman who has only known how to swim for the past two years. When I was 27 I finally drew up the nerve to register for Swimming Level I at my local community college. For the next three months I swam twice a week across the width of pool. Steadily learning new strokes and allegedly learning proper breathing techniques. We practiced diving, jumping in and retrieving items from the bottom of the pool. I perfected summersaults and flip turns. Things were looking good. Modern day Ester Williams over here! But when I decided to go for Swimming Level II, things took a turn downhill. My desire to perfect my stroke drastically diminished with the changing season. A whole year had passed since I completed level one and I just didn’t care anymore. It didn’t help that I was taking Swimming Level II in the fall. I was being forced to don a bathing suit and swim cap when I would normally insulate myself with corduroys, cable knit sweaters and leather boots.  I began to tell myself that it was okay if I skipped Monday night’s class because it was too cold to walk back from the gym to my car. It’s totally cool that I stay right here on the couch instead of going to Wednesday night’s class. Law and Order is coming on in an hour. It’s part two from last week’s cliffhanger. I can’t miss this episode. I kept along this way until I only had two weeks left and I just stopped going altogether. I had the basics down. Who was I kidding? I was never going to transform into Michael Phelps (I thought about using Ryan Lochte, but even Ryan Lochte wants swim like Michael Phelps).

This summer as I wade into the shallow end of the pool at my friend’s-parents-grandmother’s-neighbor’s house, I hold my head high. I have on my new red J.Crew bikini after all. And as I tie my silk scarf on my head and I bask in the sun, I drink my Tom Collins (thanks MomMom!) and feel at peace. There is no need to prove myself by knocking out laps up and down the pool. I’m a lounger and I was meant to lounge. And I make lounging look good.

beach-We all float image

Wardrobe Envy: Mad Men

The women of Mad Men have some of the best wardrobes on television. From Betty Draper’s prim and proper, impeccably fitted dresses and twin sets to Jane’s figure hugging pencil skirts and sheaths, Mad Men knows style. There’s no doubt that I am merely a speck of sand in the sea of fans who would love to snatch the wardrobe closet key and wander through the racks of clothing. Now I don’t know where you are season-wise or how many episodes on Netflix you need to catch up on…you go to work, I know. So, I’m just going to assume you’ve watched the latest two seasons and know what I mean when I say I want to dance around in Megan Draper‘s closet and sing Zou Zou Bisou. Don’t kill my dream man.

jessica_pare_mad_men_season_5 jessica-pare-long Jessica+Pare+Flats+Ballet+Flats+Sq7NWnAY3oel mainWhen does season 7 start again?

Style Inspiration: Bold Lips

Something about the summer brings out the extrovert in all of us. Is it the hotter temperatures that brings out our inner exhibitionist? All of a sudden sweet and innocent Mary Sue is trading in her cotton chinos and slipping into a sheer crop top with high waisted shorts. No one saw it coming. Take a look down the street. Skirts get shorter. Tops quickly move through the phases of opaque to sheer. Walk through a local boutique and you’ll notice that every dress or shirt is backless, with cut outs on each side. Now, while I do enjoy a nice backless dress/shirt as much as the next gal, it can be a little intimidating to go from zero to naked. However, you don’t have to sit the summer out and hide your inner, bolder, you. Take a walk down the nearest drug store make-up aisle and you’ll see another summer trend-bold lip colors.  It’s an affordable way to shake up your normal, everyday look.  Bonus: you can wear this look to work and save your cropped tops and flowy mini skirts for that weekend festival.