{outfit post} savage beauty...

Not me, McQueen! On a deliciously sunny and warm late Sunday morning, Meghan and I met on the steps of The Met to see the exhibit the fashion world has been buzzing about for months - Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty.

Believe the hype, give in to the excitement, and get yourself to this wonderful feast for your couture-loving senses. There are over 150 examples of the late designer's work, from gowns made of clam shells to a headpiece of butterflies. Not to mention that mesmerizing hologram of Kate Moss. I found the exhibit to be vastly superior than last year's efforts of the Costume Institute, so don't be thrown off if you were disappointed by their retrospective of American fashion.

Meghan and I drifted slowly from room to room, absolutely bug-eyed over the creations from McQueen's time at Givenchy and his eponymous label, some on loan from the design houses, and many from the personal collection of Isabella Blow, now looked after by Daphne Guinness.

Per usual for a Sunday in New York City, I woke feeling under-rested but overly-excited to get going and get an iced coffee in my veins. After seeing that the forecast promised sunny skies and pleasing temperatures, I opted for my spring go-to of shorts and close-toed shoes - oh, and a turband, obviously.

Gap sweater and (Tully's) Gap shorts; vintage belt; DV Dolce Vita tassel flats; American Apparel carry all; Anthropologie scarf; Ray Ban Avaitors; vintage necklaces; Michael Kors watch; Marc by Marc Jacobs bangle.

 (Oops, I forgot to take my little museum "M" pin off my necklace. And also apparently needed at least six bobbi pins to wrangle my bangs.)

The roof of The Metropolitan Museum of Art has to be one of my favorite places in the city. The views are incredible. You can look out to the high rises, the hotels, the ridiculous apartments of the Upper East Side, and over all the lush and crazily green trees of Central Park. The current installation up there is a sort of bizarre smattering of huge metal shapes, and it's not nearly as fun as the insane bamboo structure that towered over the museum last season. Bonus? There's a bar. Even if you aren't into art (or awesome Egyptian temples) it's worth paying a few dollars to bypass all that and spend some time up there drinking in how handsome Midtown can look from a comfortable distance.

I'm sorry I'm wearing sunglasses again, and I'm sorry that they're the same ones I always wear. This is annoying, even to me. If I'm being completely honest though, the whole turband thing looks a lot better with the shades. While indoors I was feeling totally self conscious about my eyebrows and how kooky the back of my hair starts to look if I move my head around too much. That being said, I do what I want (even if it looks less than perfect) and I want to rock a turband when my outfit needs a little zha zha zhu. This one did.

This easy, over-sized gray sweater got me through the winter - paired with (ugh) leggings and boots - but it feels fresh again with Tully's crisp, pleated white shorts and a woven belt. I played off the green in the scarf with my AA clutch, and then tried to perfect my no-teeth-smile-with-your-eyes face. How am I doing?

Don't answer that.

(Despite teasing myself for my own facial expressions, Meghan really did a great job taking these photos and I thank her for it! You can check out my pictures of her over on Wit & Whimsy.)

{outfit post} the nylite project...

About a month ago, I was invited to participate in a collaborative project with Swedish brand Tretorn. Myself and 34 other style bloggers were asked to take a pair of their classic Nylite sneakers and style them up our way.

I've always been a fan of a clean white tennis shoe, from the Rod Lavers I wore in middle school to the Converse All Stars I replaced year after year in high school and college. I had never worn Nylites before, and since moving to New York I've all but abandoned the casual ease of sneakers. When I started dreaming up ideas for how to style these sneaks with an intensely preppy heritage, I wanted to find a way to mix their traditional and sporty look with an outfit that fits into the life of a busy city girl.

The look I ended up with was highly influenced by a recent purchase (and a total steal) from Gap. After seeing Sonia on her blog in this phenomenal floor-length white skirt, I was a woman possessed. I bee-lined for the Gap on 5th Avenue the next day, and to my delight found the object of my affections - at an additional 40% off! I love the weight of the fabric and it's simple cut. Need I mention that it has pockets?

 Banana Republic tee; Gap skirt; Tretorn sneakers; Ray Ban aviators; vintage necklace.

The black and white striped shirt is one you've seen before (here) and the necklace is a vintage chain of coins and pearls that's very special to me. I think the canvas sneakers take away some of the stiffness of such a dramatic skirt, while maintaining some playful elegance. This is something I'd wear for an afternoon beer at The Standard or a barbecue with friends in Brooklyn (yes, I sometimes dress borough-specific). (It also came in handy for the ultra-southern-prep oyster bake I attended in Kiawah.)

 

Until I put this whole ensemble together, I never would have dreamed of pairing a maxi skirt with tennies. However, I think the heaviness of this particular skirt grounds the look enough so I don't look off balance. Truthfully it's probably more practical to pair them with shorts and mini dresses in the future, but it was fun to play with proportions and imagination for this project.

 (all photos thanks to Gina)

{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.