{sneak peek} Kooba project...

I don't want to give away too much, but I'm participating in a really fun project with Kooba, and I just couldn't resist giving you a hint. That's the Lyndi in indigo suede, isn't she a beauty?

Additionally, that's my Schott NYC Perfecto (hello again, lover) and the Steve Madden gladiator heels that I managed to wear for 9 hours straight on the day of the IFB conference.

Stay tuned for more Kooba-centric goodness soon.

(Oh, and Tully's dress.)


[Photo by my newly manual setting-proficient photographer, Meghan.]

{quick outfit post} perfecto + purple

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

tgif...

Sara Bareilles - "Gonna Get Over You"

I just thought this song and video were so appropriate for a drizzly Friday. It also makes me really excited to bust out my Schott NYC leather jacket...

Enjoy and have a great weekend everyone!

{outfit post} fashion 140...

I feel so overwhelmed with love this week! I got a wonderful shout out (and huge traffic boost) from my menswear-blogging/tumblr-ing friend L.A.S. and about 30 new Twitter followers during the Fashion 140 conference yesterday. I'm so glad people had such a positive response to my Always & Never list. I mean, what can I do next to keep you guys so interested and excited? (Seriously. Suggestions welcome and encouraged.)

I'll post more later about everything amazing that went on at the conference, but for now I figured I could at least give you a little bit of an outfit post. Wednesday started out pretty rainy, and coupled with the fact that I'd be sitting in an auditorium for hours and hours, I aimed for a comfortable-yet-chic look that would hold up all day.

Schott NYC Perfecto lambskin jacket; vintage Missoni for Nordstrom tunic; BP black tank; BDG jeggings; Jessica Simpson ballet flats; c/o Amanda Pearl Gobstopper pearl earrings.

This is that amazing Missoni tunic I wore to NYFW earlier this year but was totally hidden by my fur coat. It's incredibly fragile and a treasured piece inherited from my mom. It has those distinctive Missoni stripes - and in perfect-for-spring colors. I have no idea what year it's from, and I'm sure if she could figure out how, Mrs. Davies would leave a comment letting us all know. (The 90's, Mom?) Anyway, after a Tweet-spiration from my friends at Schott, I knew my Perfecto had to come out for the conference as well. 

The rest of my look just sort of fell into place. My Amanda Pearl earrings have become a staple with my top-knot, though I'll be the first to admit that after looking at these pictures I'm really peeved that it was so smooshed on one side. Ugh, #whitegirlproblems. Additionally, I'm hyper-aware that jeggings are on their way out, but they are so incredibly comfortable I may never give them up. (Breaking my own rules, 'cause that's how I roll.) As for the ballet flats, did you expect anything else?

 Oh, and in case you were worried - don't be. I wore seven bracelets.

Various baubles from Marc by Marc Jacobs; J. Crew; Tiffany & Co.; Kenneth Jay Lane; vintage; that Michael Kors watch and F21 owl ring.

It's like I pulled up my sleeve and surprised even myself at how many of them I was wearing!

{always inspiring} the glamourai...

Kelly Framel of the Glamourai always turns it out. Hers was one of the first personal style blogs I ever laid eyes upon, and I have been an addict ever since. This particular look really grabbed me when I was browsing her site this morning, mostly because I have a similar moto jacket (my amazing Schott Perfecto). I also love the way she is playing with the length and volume of her skirt with her shirt tails poking out underneath. I have an extra-long button down, so maybe I'll have to play a little dress up next week...