sartorial mashup

shirt | vest | necklace | skirt | heels

Kind of obsessed with this look for Fall- a truly borrowed-from-the-boys graphic tee on top mixed with super feminine pencil skirt and heels.  Obviously I threw in a sparkly necklace and some denim for good measure.  What do you think?

stripes - here to stay

all runway images via style.com

From the looks of NY Fashion Week, stripes are not going away any time soon - 

and I am way okay with that.  That ODLR striped gown is over-the-top-amazing.

Thoughts?

diy - high gloss armoire

As promised... here's the full recap of my newly refinished armoire.

I started out by doing a TON of research about different methods... I really wanted a high-gloss, lacquer-like finish, but without an excessive amount of sanding and smelly toxic paint.  (Oil-based lacquer in a small apartment with very little airflow was not exactly an option.  This was not a project I wanted to lose roommates over.)  And so, I settled on a latex high-gloss enamel paint from Benjamin Moore, that is quick drying, low-odor, and can be cleaned up easily with soap and water.  (Not that I had any spills or anything.)  I primed with Benjamin Moore Fresh Start, that I had tinted at the paint store so that it wasn't bright white.  Step by step, here's what I did:

1.  Wipe down the piece with a cloth to remove any dirt/dust.  Remove hardware.
2.  Sand lightly with a medium-grit sanding sponge.
3.  Cover with one coat of primer, let dry (I left it overnight).
4.  Paint! I used  a mini foam roller for the larger portions, and a brush to get the details.
5. Let dry (again, I left it overnight).
6.  Apply a second coat.  I was more generous with my paint on this application than on the first.
7. Let dry!
8.  Put hardware back on.
9. Admire your handiwork!

Things to note- I removed the cabinet doors and painted them separately.  I bought a gallon of paint, but could have gotten away with a quart (lesson learned).  If you've been reading for a while, you'll remember that I found the brass lion-head hardware for cheap on eBay.

For a first-time project, I LOVE how this turned out.  There are certainly some imperfections, but overall it looks really awesome - it's now one of my favorite pieces of furniture!!  And since I have a ton of paint leftover, I don't see this being my last DIY project.

Hope you enjoyed!

Marissa Webb NYC

background image | Marissa Webb SS 2013

And just like that, New York Fashion Week has come and gone- I've got a lot of catching up to do as far as shows go, but one of my favorites thus far was Marissa Webb NYC.  This was her first season showing solo, after leaving J.Crew last year.  I was intrigued to see what her line would look like in comparison to her work at J.Crew, and I must say she did not disappoint!  I love the mix of textures / prints / colors... a sartorial mash up of hard and soft, muted tones and neons.... of course my favorite look was the ever-effortless sequin-encrusted top/leather skinnies.  See the entire collection here.

Happy Thursday!  Check back soon for my first D.I.Y. post.

IFBCON, day one

Yesterday was a LONG day, jam packed with amazing speakers/information/networking.  I am still attempting to digest all of the information (read: five + pages of scrawly note taking) but wanted to share a few big ideas I came away with, before attending day two.  The first was the importance of consistency and individuality in the blogosphere... the idea that in order to get where you want to be with your blog, you must consistently post beautifully curated content, in a way that is unique to you.  This is not by any means new information, but definitely a good thing to come back to and check in with.  It's sometimes daunting to think about all the amazing content put out by talented bloggers, and something I am often overwhelmed by.  Hearing some of my favorite bloggers/industry leaders speak was definitely a reminder to myself to check back in, be confident in my ideas, and make more of an effort to post consistently about the things I am inspired by.  Because that is why I started this blog in the first place - to challenge myself, get outside my comfort zone, and really have a space to be creative.  It's been a year since I started this blog, and I am so proud of myself for getting where I am today... more so though, I am excited to keep learning/moving forward/challenging myself.  

Here's to another big year!

weekend recap

Had a lovely long weekend... full of furniture painting (dedicated post to follow), brunch with the best sister, gallery wall plotting, donuts at brooklyn flea with the best of friends, and a pre-IFBCON blowout at drybar (it will be very difficult to not make that a habit).  Very excited to attend IFBCON tomorrow- stay tuned for posts on what I'm sure will be an amazing two days!  Hope your weekend was just as wonderful.