{outfit post} all white everything...

Labor Day is really one of the most bittersweet days on the calendar. It awards us a three day weekend during the most gorgeous time of year, but it also signifies the end of summer. The end of weekends in the Hamptons (or in my case, weekdays), the end of wearing sandals everyday, and if you're a rules girl, the end of wearing white.

Personally, I think this is a rule that should be put on the shelves to gather dust for all eternity. White is amazing. It looks good on everyone and it goes with everything. Especially more white.

My second Labor Day Eve in Manhattan was a bit like an anniversary celebration of the first one. Last summer, it marked the beginning of our friendship with all our neighbors, and we took most of the same crowd to the same bar (Bar 196) and celebrated - well - everything and nothing I suppose. I awoke on Monday laughing to myself about what an excellent night we had, put on an all white ensemble in honor of the day, and headed off to Soho for a full day of work.

I labored on Labor Day, but so what? I must say I am just thrilled to be full-time laboring at all.

H&M men's button down shirt; Gap skirt; vintage belt; Ray Ban aviators.

 I am just so obsessed with this skirt. It went through hell over the 4th of July in Kiawah (dancing on a dirt dance floor at an oyster bake apparently isn't good for floor-length white clothing...) but I finally took it to the dry cleaner /tailor so it could get a few more wears this summer. I have a hard time finding maxi skirts that fit me the right way, and I think the key with this one is that it sits a bit lower on my waist than most, which works for my figure.

This shirt is a favorite too; I just really can't say enough about the mens shirts at H&M. The price is right and fit is perfect. It alarms me slightly that this one is so sheer and meant for a man, but all the better for me, I guess! I'm also wearing some beat up gold sandals from Urban Outfitters, but they're not really worth mentioning.

Quick post, and no detail shots, I do apologize. Oh, and why so serious, Taylor? Jeeze.

Anyway, as I mentioned above, I just started a new job, so I've been a crazed and excited human for the past two weeks. Now The IFB conference is just two days away, fashion week is looming, and I'm still trying to figure out how to time manage my life.

Bare with me my most treasured readers, I won't abandon you!

{outfit post} lock out...

That's right, I went up to the roof to take some outfit pictures for you guys, and then locked myself out of my apartment. I hope you enjoy the fact that I consider us all to be good enough friends for me to admit that right now. I scurried up there sans keys and sans cell phone, and carrying a bunch of miscellaneous objects with which to prop up my camera. (One of them was a box of checks. Another one of them was a hardbound copy of Twilight. Really.)

Fortunately, my downstairs neighbor came home just as I had used my last ounce of energy trying to will the locked door open. Unfortunately, I had to explain to him what I was doing with a box of checks, a giant tween vampire novel, a camera and no keys. Pretty glamorous, right?

For the next three hours, I took advantage of his air conditioning, accompanied him on some errands, watched a terrible movie and eventually got rescued by our house-guest-of-the-week, Alli, circa 9:45 p.m. If it hadn't been such a mess of an evening I probably wouldn't have bothered to post these pictures, but I became stranded in my own building and didn't get dinner until 10 pm because of them, so by gosh you're going to see them.

Theory pants; H&M tank; J. Crew sweater; vintage belt; Sam Edelman sandals, Persol sunnies.

Apparently the growing-out of my bangs has lead to rock a comb-over worthy of the The Donald. Oy. Moving on... I had a quick little freelance job on Monday helping out at the Bloomingdales.com photo studio, so I donned my best "Fashionably Professional: Even in This Humidity" outfit, which obviously included my most treasured grown-up girl piece: my Theory pants. The atmosphere at the studio is rather laid back, and it's an absolute free-for-all when it comes to daily attire. There's an ever-changing bevy of photographers, stylists, and assistants coming and going each week, each with a unique style, and more than a few tattoos. The sartorial freedom that this affords is rather glorious. A cotton tank, flat sandals and fancy pants made for the perfect mix to spend 8 hours organizing, steaming, dressing, pinning and accessorizing.

 All-in-all, I suppose there are worse places a girl could be stranded.

{petite outfit moment} stripes/stripes...

I was lucky enough to have my parents finally come visit me out here this past weekend. It was a trip almost two years coming - and I can't express how excited I was to show them around my New York and see them for the first time since Christmas.

We had a great weekend - a perfect balance of their uptown, upscale Manhattan of past visits, and my downtown day-to-day life. All the things we did piece together like a pretty great guide to wining and dining with a dash of culture and shopping from Soho to the Upper East Side:


{We dined.}

• Gotham Grill: White table clothes, amazing seafood and a very 90s New York vibe, like Gramercy Tavern and totally delicious (the seafood salad is unreal)
• The Modern: minimalist, fancy and contemporary - just like the museum (amazing duck confit)
• db Bistro Moderne: fancy and delicious
  
• The Standard Grill: great spot for an early breakfast al fresco
  
• Public: trendy, brunch-y, delicious lentil salad and great drinks
• La Piscine: on the roof of Hotel Americano; lots of delicious fried seafood with a side of DJ
  
• Brasserie Julienne: cute little french joint on 2nd Ave in the 80s, live jazz with your moules frites
  
• Morandi: loud, busy and seriously great Italian fare on Waverly and 7th Ave
  

{We drank.}

• La Piscine: Before dinner every night we had cocktails on the roof with an amazing view of the city
  
• Kingswood: After dinner at db, I brought my parents to meet up with friends and see one of my favorite West Village bars
  
• Public: a dirty martini for Mom, a bourbon iced tea for me and the Bloody Maria for Dad
  

{We saw.}

• The MoMA:the Cindy Sherman exhibit was cool and creepy, but the permanent exhibits are always refreshing and unmissable
  
• The East River Ferry: A fun and unique way to get between Manhattan and Brooklyn - especially on a warm day; we took it to and from 34th street to the flea market 
• Brooklyn Flea (Williamsburg): people watching, antique-ing and artisianal everything - of course
  
• The Met: My favorite museum in Manhattan, and the Steins Collection and Shiaparelli and Prada exhibit were crowded but truly wonderful (unfortunately the Cloud City exhibit on the roof was closed for weather)

{We shopped.}

• Uniqlo @ 53rd & 5th: picked up 4 shirts for my dad, but the crazy atmosphere and sheer amount of clothes is a little too much
  
• Treasure & Bond: cool, well-curated jewelry, gifts and apparel on lower West Broadway in Soho
  
• MoMA Design Store: so many unique and useful knick-knacks, and perfectly sized art prints for $10

{petite outfit moment} twilight on the pier...

I was lucky enough to have my parents finally come visit me out here this past weekend. It was a trip almost two years coming - and I can't express how excited I was to show them around my New York and see them for the first time since Christmas.

We had a great weekend - a perfect balance of their uptown, upscale Manhattan of past visits, and my downtown day-to-day life. All the things we did piece together like a pretty great guide to wining and dining with a dash of culture and shopping from Soho to the Upper East Side:


{We dined.}

• Gotham Grill: White table clothes, amazing seafood and a very 90s New York vibe, like Gramercy Tavern and totally delicious (the seafood salad is unreal)
• The Modern: minimalist, fancy and contemporary - just like the museum (amazing duck confit)
• db Bistro Moderne: fancy and delicious
  
• The Standard Grill: great spot for an early breakfast al fresco
  
• Public: trendy, brunch-y, delicious lentil salad and great drinks
• La Piscine: on the roof of Hotel Americano; lots of delicious fried seafood with a side of DJ
  
• Brasserie Julienne: cute little french joint on 2nd Ave in the 80s, live jazz with your moules frites
  
• Morandi: loud, busy and seriously great Italian fare on Waverly and 7th Ave
  

{We drank.}

• La Piscine: Before dinner every night we had cocktails on the roof with an amazing view of the city
  
• Kingswood: After dinner at db, I brought my parents to meet up with friends and see one of my favorite West Village bars
  
• Public: a dirty martini for Mom, a bourbon iced tea for me and the Bloody Maria for Dad
  

{We saw.}

• The MoMA:the Cindy Sherman exhibit was cool and creepy, but the permanent exhibits are always refreshing and unmissable
  
• The East River Ferry: A fun and unique way to get between Manhattan and Brooklyn - especially on a warm day; we took it to and from 34th street to the flea market 
• Brooklyn Flea (Williamsburg): people watching, antique-ing and artisianal everything - of course
  
• The Met: My favorite museum in Manhattan, and the Steins Collection and Shiaparelli and Prada exhibit were crowded but truly wonderful (unfortunately the Cloud City exhibit on the roof was closed for weather)

{We shopped.}

• Uniqlo @ 53rd & 5th: picked up 4 shirts for my dad, but the crazy atmosphere and sheer amount of clothes is a little too much
  
• Treasure & Bond: cool, well-curated jewelry, gifts and apparel on lower West Broadway in Soho
  
• MoMA Design Store: so many unique and useful knick-knacks, and perfectly sized art prints for $10

{outfit post} home turf happy hour...

I swear to you guys, I don't spend my entire life going to brunches, happy hours and parties with other bloggers. However, it really seems like it sometimes, doesn't it? We just have an understanding. A no-judgement-if-you-want-me-to-take-pictures-of-you-crossing-your-ankles-and-admiring-your-own-shoes understanding. Aside from that though, we style bloggers are really genial and fun-loving people, so why wouldn't we get together all the time and eat omlettes and/or drink $3 beers? Exactly. Hence we get together all the time. If you want to get technical, the transitive property proves that the more I socialize, the more outfit-y my blog gets. Just go with it.

To that point, I met up with Sonia on Friday afternoon, just around the corner from my apartment, for a happy hour drink and some serious catch-up. We sat at the bar of this sort of random-but-cute-and-nicely-air-conditioned restaurant on 8th Avenue called Donnatella. The beer was cold, the conversation was lively, and then we took pictures.

7 for All Mankind jorts (cut from old bootcut jeans); H&M tank; Forever 21 vest (borrowed from Tully); Persol sunglasses (similar to these); Lyndi bag c/o Kooba; vintage necklaces; Urban Outfitters wedges.

Here's the part where I say, "Hey Tulls, thanks for letting me borrow your vest while you were out of town,  even though I didn't really ask, since we share a closet and you hijacked my shirt to take to Salt Lake City. I realize that it's the best part of the whole outfit, so really this post is like an homage to our shared good taste." Or something along those lines. (I've said it before and I'll say it again: What is the point of having roommates if you can't treat their closet like an extension of yours?)

 Michael Michael Kors watch (similar to this); Tiffany & vintage rings.

{outfit post} summer storm...

I must be starting to sound like a broken record by now, but last week I met up with Meghan to go to yet another fashion event that involved canapes and champagne. It's a tough life, I tell you, but somebody's gotta blog about it.

Whist sipping and snacking, we brainstormed with the design team behind Brahmin to come up with our ideal handbag. It was an interesting evening of creativity and clashing ideas, but ultimately really fun to learn about the logistics of a bag's construction, detailing, hardware and materials all come together.

The even was held at the Hotel Giraffe on 26th and Park Avenue South, so I made a vain attempt to hail a cab, which, if you're a New Yorker you'll understand, is nearly impossible in the rain. By the time I had walked five blocks waving one arm in the air, I was already half-way there.

H&M dress; Fendi bag; Mee Too flats; vintage necklace.

This is the new H&M dress I bought last week, and I'm just obsessed. I love the mustard color, and sometimes there's nothing easier than a long-sleeved mini dress. 

Believe it or not, I purchased this little Fendi baguette when I was 17. I was in Paris in July, during the the French soldes, when all the stores have their amazing sales. I think I paid about 89 euros for it, and to this day it's one of my favorite treasures. As overly branded as it is, it's neutral and just big enough to hold all my going-out necessities, which keeps it in heavy rotation in my closet.

This last picture is one of my all time favorites, big ups to Meghan and her photography skills!

{outfit post} what i wore + DKNY party...

On a rather sweltering Thursday evening a couple weeks ago, Meghan and I met up in Soho to check out the launch party for What I Wore blogger Jessica Quirk's first book, also titled What I Wore, hosted at the DKNY Soho store. As per the usual with our fashion party adventures, we sipped champagne, admired some really gorgeous clothes and mingled with the other guests.

When I think of DKNY, I think chic, and I think black and white. So I kept things pretty simple, and wore my most basic black mini and a white button down, with some vintage chains and jazzy blue flats.

H&M (men's) button down; Express skirt; Steve Madden flats; Ba&sh clutch; vintage chains; Michael Kors watch; Tiffany bracelet; Persol sunglasses.

In my opinion, there are few sexier articles of clothing than a button down shirt, for a man or a woman. I love to get mine from the men's department of places like J. Crew, Gap and H&M because the fit is slim, but more relaxed than a woman's cut. They tend to be a bit longer as well, making them wildly versatile for tucking, untucking, half-tucking and tying. This look is a pretty standard combination for me, I can't seem to get enough of a good button down these days; especially pairing one with a saucy little skirt for a night out. For me, it strikes the perfect balance of masculine and feminine influences, and with a few vintage chains and flats, you basically have my uniform.

I feel like Meghan had a bit of a Jak & Jil moment with this photo, no?

(Thanks again for snapping the pics, Meghan!)

5th avenue finds...

Lower 5th Avenue, between about 22nd Street and 16th Street is what I view as the mall of New York City. All scrunched together on these blocks you can find your favorite chain stores that brought you so much consistency and comfort before you left home for the big, bad city. (Except Nordstrom, sigh.) This is one thing I wasn't totally aware of until I moved here: Most people in NYC shop exactly where everyone else shops. Yes, there are unique boutiques and specialty shops tucked away all over the place, but just like everything else, they're usually expensive. My sweet spot in shopping this city has been to mix the tried-and-true shops I have always loved, with the seriously only-in-NYC awesome thrift, consignment and vintage stores. On that level, I think this city is unparalleled.

I was strolling around yesterday to see what was what in the world (even the most budget-mindful blogger should have her pulse on the retail scene at all times) and if there were any to-die-for fall purchases I should start saving up for. I found that indeed, there are many, many things I desperately want to add to my wardrobe ASAP:

5th Avenue finds

From the looks of it, Fall 2011 is going to be quite the colorful season. I spied hoards of jewel tones and brights, styled together in fresh and surprising looks. At H&M I made my one-and-only purchase of the day - Hooray! Self control! - the mustard dress you see above. It was a whopping $25, and will transition seamlessly from a summer dress to pair with bare legs and neutral sandals to a perfect fall layering piece with black tights, a scarf and a blazer.

From there I traipsed down the block to the newly refurbished J. Crew flagship store. Why I do these things to myself is unclear. I'm like some kind of fashion masochist. I was, per usual, bug-eyed and drooling over just about everything. Their merchandisers are evil geniuses, I'm sure of it. From cozy sweaters to animal print pencil skirts to cool, faded trousers and every manor of button-down shirt, I was absolutely in love with it all. I allowed myself to try on a few things (You see? Masochist.) including the white silk blouse above. In some ways, it's $100 price tag is daunting, but I am thinking of it this way: It's nearly identical to the Equipment blouse of the same style, that costs nearly twice as much (roughly $188), and it's essentially the same fabric. So, J. Crew for the win. That is one investment purchase I'll definitely be making come September.

Madewell usually proves to be a similar story to J. Crew, and on this visit, I was most smitten with their collection of top-zip clutches. They are, admittedly, nearly identical in many ways to the American Apparel version, but with a few added details, and in much more fun fabrics. The pony hair zebra-print one was a favorite, as well as the patent leather blue, which has that Celine look-alike factor.

Zara, oh Zara. A lot of their price points are more reasonable than J. Crew, and their collections are my go-to for chic blazers and jackets, sleek blouses and of-the-moment shoes.

So there you have it. Want, want, want. Need, need, need. Guess I better save, save, save.

today's arm candy...

I got a few colorful new baubles from H&M yesterday that are perfect for livening up my super-stacked spring wrists.

The best part is that each one was $4.

{cameo outfit post} Megan in spring neutrals...

I stayed at my friend Megan's apartment during my Arizona vacation, so naturally we consulted each other while getting dressed each night. I was instantly jealous when she showed me her delicate spring-perfect scalloped shorts from H&M. They are incredibly shear, so anything she tucked in was going to be wildly obvious. Being the caring friend that I am, I suggested she just wear a sheer top as well, then slightly conceal all that sexy with a blazer. After some tucking and untucking, buttoning and unbuttoning, we put together a really lovely all-neutral ensemble, off-set by my vintage black beaded clutch. Behold our tag-team styling:

 H&M blazer, shorts, and necklace; Banana Republic top; vintage clutch, Plenty by Tracy Reese wedges, Banana Republic bracelet.

It's still a bit on the wintery side to pull off a look like this in New York these days, but in Phoenix, land of the eternal summer, it was just right for a warm, breezy night. The contrast between a structured but soft blazer and the super feminine shorts - plus the fact that Megs has legs for days - makes this a look I will be coveting and attempting to copy just as soon as this city will cooperate.

PS: I instructed Megan on the classic style blogger pose (look down, cross legs, pop elbow, show bag), and I think she totally rocked it. What a natural.