via GQ: Kennedys & boats

GQ thought it was only appropriate to compile a slideshow of the Kennedys on various boats in honor of the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. I couldn't agree more.

Check out all the sailing and yachting from Italy to Hyannisport here.

the $100 handbag challenge: UPDATE!

I know, I know, I said I would get to this like, a month ago. But you know how it is... Ugh, I'm sorry. Anyway, are you excited? I want to thank everyone who chimed in with some great tips for budget bag hunting - your options were excellent! I decided that your research was far better than mine, so I combed your selections and picked my favorites!

Becca: Urban Outfitters & Quiksilver Women

We all know what we're getting when we make a purchase at Urban. It's going to be trendy, a little more than you think is reasonable to pay (but not so much that you won't do it), and on the disappointing side of durability and quality. That being said, it's still a great option when your wallet is thin. I've found that if I treat my UO purchases well, they return the favor. I think the best move is not to purchase an imitation leather bag (which will show it's price immediately) but something in canvas or a print that isn't so obviously inexpensive. Here are my favorite bags from their online shop:

Deena & Ozzy chain tote - $58

Cooperative Washed Canvas Satchel - $59

I think both these bags are perfect for summer, could be from anywhere, and are probably worth their price based on how versatile and on-trend they are for S/S 2011.

Quiksilver Well Traveled Bag - $78.50

 Quiksilver Spree Backpack - $74.50

I'm pretty much obsessed with both these bags. I have a couple long weekend trips lined up for this summer, and I have been on the hunt for a casual and sophisticated weekender bag to tote around from plane to train to Greyhound, you name it. I love the bright red canvas of the Well Traveled bag: easy to spot amongst the black, and super-durable.

Jenny: Aldo

Aldo Mudd - $60

As Jenny mentioned in her comment, this is a pretty blatant knock off (very Proenza Schouler PS1) and made of a synthetic material. You are most definitely getting what you pay for, and it's hard to gauge quality based on online photos, but you can bet it's probably not great. However, it's a quick fix to get the look you want and not trouble yourself over spilling or general wear and tear.

Lindsey: Deux Lux

Deux Lux Paris Lock Pouch Messenger - $93

Deux Lux Ipanema Medium Duffle - $93

I love the first little bag, and I actually saw it in person at my cousin's friend's boutique in Boston, LIT Boutique. I think it's an ideal "party purse" as I like to call them, meaning one you can sling over your outfit that goes with everything and holds your keys, card, phone and camera. The second bag may be the most glamorous weekend bag I have ever laid eyes on. It comes in a few different color combinations, but the olive and aqua is my hands-down favorite.

Alyson: Melie Blanco

Melie Blanco Edith Top Handled Frame Bag - $70

Melie Blanco Jane Fold Over Cross Body - $68

Both of these bright little bags remind me of Kate Spade's current collection of bags. They're at a great price, and come in both notice-me and neutral hues. The top one is my favorite, and comes in a stunning orange that is unfortunately on back order until mid-June.  

What do you think of these options? Did we meet the challenge? Did we fall short?

{video tutorial} the top knot...

At long last, it's here. I must thank all my stylish and curious readers for your diligent requests and for your patience. I can be a little camera shy when it comes to video, but I would do just about anything to make you happy! So, I propped my computer up next to the mirror in our bathroom and talked myself through the styling process. This is definitely a bit raw, as I don't have any editing tools, but I believe it's straight forward and pretty easy to follow.


shut up, i love that top knot on you. from Taylor Davies on Vimeo.

The best part of watching myself do my own hair was realizing just how simple and quick the top knot actually is! I hope you agree, and that you can duplicate the look for yourself at home. Please, please share any feedback or advice in the comments.

Also, the song playing in the background is Dragonette's "Easy (Fabian Remix)." I picked it because the chorus goes, "It's easy, hard as it looks." Clever, eh?

Good luck & let me know how it goes!

 2011: The Year Of The Top Knot

summer wrist stacking...

It's getting a little crowded on my left wrist. 

Now that I've re-taught myself how to make a chevron weave (thanks, Google) and picked up some rhinestone chains from a trimmings store, I'm on a roll.

The tan line under that collection can't be good.

mid-week music moment...

So I'm in the middle of creating my mid-summer playlist to share with you guys, but I couldn't resist posting this song for the MWMM. It's a great mid-week (and mid-day) pick up, for one of those days that feels so oppressively hot and sticky, you think it might never end.

Bag Raiders, "Shooting Stars"

Let's all just admit that this video is super weird and a little scary, but the song is pretty amazing.

{outfit post} Easter in the city...

Sunday was definitely one of those glorious spring days that almost makes all the rainy, dreary days of the past week melt away as if they never happened. Tully and I rolled out of bed and hastily dressed - something like a pastel prepster and boho - and hopped in cab to go to Easter mass in Nolita. We put the windows down and marveled at how warm the breeze was as we zipped down Houston Street. While we waited for the service to begin, we popped across Mott Street to Cafe Gitane for iced beverages and ogled all the street style passing by.

Now clearly, this blog is not a forum for a religious discussion, but I had such a lovely time at Church. I attended Catholic school for 12 years of my life, but have rarely returned to any formal religious gatherings since. Saint Patrick's Old Cathedral is incredibly beautiful (not to mention 200 years old), and they have the most amazing choir. I found it to be a wonderful hour of reflection; giving thanks, spreading a little peace and appreciating the fact that I had never seen so many well dressed Catholics in my life.

After mass we met up with Rachel and managed to snag an outdoor table at a cute little French place called Jacques on Prince Street almost immediately. Achieving this on a sunny Sunday at 2 pm in New York City is rather a miracle. (Not a resurrection, to be sure, but it was fortuitous!) We toasted Mimosas to Easter and Passover, ate too many French fries and lingered over our crumbs far longer than the charming wait staff probably would have preferred.

After our so-late-you-almost-can't-call-it brunch, we decided, as we usually do, that we should walk around, see the people and shop our way home. New York is in the middle of that short-and-sweet blooming phase right now, and all above our heads cherry trees were sprouting fresh little leaves and thousands of little white and pink flowers. Even if it was slightly humid and not lacking a serious amount of crowds sometimes, it was one of the best walks I've taken in the city so far.

Me: J. Crew shirt, Anthropologie Aniseed Skirt; American Apparel clutch; vintage necklace; Mee Too snakeskin flats, Ray Ban wayfarers; MK watch; Tiffany, H&M & J. Crew bracelets; vintage scarf (seen in first photo).

Tully: Quicksilver Girls dress; Ray Ban aviators, F21 earrings; Michael Stars cardigan; Star Ling shoes; vintage bag.

  

Now do you see the "boho and prepster opposites with great color palettes" thing I was talking about? It's pretty good, isn't it? Anyway, I am utterly obsessed with Tully's new dress. Isn't it just the most perfect maxi? It's light as air and the colors are so perfect. She wore it with heels and it still managed to reach nearly to the floor, which ideal with that kind of dress. Obviously, I can't wait to borrow it.

If you recall any of my outfit posts from last spring, I had a major moment with this skirt. Guess what? I'm still having it. Stripes are my new black, and my pink button down went perfectly to give me that touch of "Easter egg chic" color. Oh, and surprise, surprise that AA clutch rarely leaves my arms these days.

Rach and Tully on Sullivan Street...

Can you tell I'm having sort of a passionate love affair with the top knot these days?

 

"Oh, hi! I didn't even see you there!"

 

Cherry blossoms in full bloom...

My new favorite intersection in the city: Waverly Place and W 11th Street.

(For those of you keeping score out there, this is the part where Tully & I switched shoes about half way home...)

*To be fair to those of you feeling bitter about the lack of spring weather in your neck of the woods, clouds gathered and rain began to fall just as we arrived home. The rest of the late afternoon and evening was spent inside with Firefly cocktails, nail polish and Glee, while thunder rolled and lightning flashed.

*Also, I'll give you guys a better close up of that necklace soon. I found it at a thrift store in Chelsea and it's so cool. I actually asked Tully before we left in the morning if the birds were "too pagan" or could they be "birds of peace?" We both agreed on birds of peace.
*Meghan and I had to quite literally rain check our plans for Saturday brunch, so that's just one more outfit post you can look forward to...

visual imagery that pleases me lately...

 Margaret Howell lookbook & ELLE Denmark

 

Audrey Hepburn & George Peppard

 Oh, the things I would do for a Tom Binns necklace...

Sun Valley, Idaho

Sea of Shoes, and quite an old picture of Nicole Richie's wedding.

{MTV movie awards} just leighton & emma...

As far as I'm concerned, the only looks worth looking at:
Emma stone in gorgeous lace overlay Bottega Veneta.
Leighton Meester in to-die-for / couldn't-be-more-amazing Balmain.
(Seriously Leighton looks so fantastic I can't really get over it. And, that dress has pockets. And, I want her hair color. And, someone to do my eye make up like that.)

{weekend essentials} the jersey shore...

Don't get too excited, I'm not off to Seaside to join the cast of a certain MTV reality TV show. Aren't those fools off to Italy this summer, anyway?

Actually, about 10 of us (roommates, friends, neighbors, et al) are off to Ocean City, New Jersey for the weekend. It's the same house, and nearly the exact same weekend I went last year, when I had only been in New York about five days. This year proves to be quite a different story, with many more friends and (insert immature excitement here) no parents.

I plan to adhere to a strict selection of activities while in Ocean City, which should help keep my packing list rather short:

1. Frolicking in the ocean
2. Laying around on the beach
3. Eating hoagie sandwiches and popsicles, exclusively
4. Drinking spiked Arnold Palmers
5. Playing lawn games

So what does one pack for such an occasion? Here's the gist of what I'm planning to tote with me on the Greyhound...

ocean city
I'll let you know right now that I am one of those unreasonable people who packs more pairs of sunglasses than days in the vacation. So clearly, each scenario I may find myself in will require a different pair. Aside from that, I think a couple of swim suits, a pair of jean shorts, a shirt dress and a romper are just about all I will need. Pepper those basics with a wide-brim sun hat, rubber flip flops, leather sandals and a beach bag and I'll still have room for my SPF 30.

mid-week music moment...

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - "Simple Girl"

It's the kind of song and video you wish were about you, and staring you. It's so sweet and sunny. At least at first. Upon a second listen, I realized I sort of think that maybe Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. is a bit of an idiot. I don't know a single simple girl, and I'm pretty sure they don't exist. The more I think about it, calling this girl simple is kind of an insult, right? She's probably quite complicated and interesting, but doesn't think that Mr. Earnhardt Jr. Jr. deserves to know all that, or meet her family.

I've officially read too far into this. Anyway, it's a pretty song and a pretty video. Summer-y and all that.

{blog crush} Tomboy Style...

The more time I spend over here at Blogger, the more gems I find in our little (gigantic) community.

My latest crush is the well rounded, totally inspirational and expertly sourced Tomboy Style.

To me, it's like what a lot of reblog-happy Tumblrs wish they were.

From icons to uniforms to traditional apparel and gear labels, this blog presents a wonderful spectrum of, well, tomboy style.

mid-week music moment...

Lauren is finally back from her wild adventures in South America, and before she could even bother to tell me anything about anything, she sent me this song. I can dig it.

Mark Farina - "Dream Machine"

{wallet warning} Kate Spade online sample sale...

Just thought I'd share that Kate Spade is having a major sale on their site, with some fantastic pieces available at pretty reasonable prices. My desires?

This amazing seahorse cuff. Favorite animal + gold + pearls? Please, I'm obsessed.

$69.00

Fun color, fun shape.

$159.00

{FYI} i'm doing that Pinterest thing...

As if we all needed one more thing to be checking up on online, I've added Pinterest to my routine. I just joined today, so my "boards" are not very robust, but stay tuned, I'm sure they'll be brimming with beauty soon enough.

Follow my pinning adventures here.

fast forward 10 years or so...

If my future husband / baby are not as cute as this, I don't think I want to be a grown up.

If you're a cynical, single girl in your 20s, living in a large, metropolitan area and attempting to date men, this is probably not the blog for you.

Rockstar Diaries is literally the cutest, most dreamy vision of a family I have ever seen.

Click through that link if you dare.
Seriously, they're too much.

(*Thanks / ugh to Cait for sharing this one.)

monday night movie: The Hustler

So on Monday night I crawled into bed with some vintage Paul Newman. I started watching The Hustler, and definitely fell asleep before it was over, but I just thought, if my readers enjoy Paul Newman even a quarter as much as I do, they will love some screen shots just of him smiling and wearing a jacket. And, am I right? Look at him! I tell ya, Ryan Gosling has nothing on Paul Newman.

In the movie he's an up-and-coming pool shark with a sweet spot for Jack Daniels, and he plays against this dude named Minnesota Fats. I'm interested to see what happens next, so perhaps later in the week I'll let you know. He just met a girl, and I think he might like her. She drinks a lot, too. Anyway, if I've piqued your interest, it's currently streaming on Netflix.

I loved this moment where "Fast Eddie" and "Fats" both take off their jackets and really get down to business in their high-stakes pool game.

I mean, come on. Those blue eyes shine even in black and white.

Le sigh. There will never be another.