today i am bringing you both fashion and love. The Kooples makes clothes for women and men that is very british-french. it's tailored, sleek, and timeless AND cool. i always see street style photographs of french and british people and i cannot grasp how cool and put together their looks usually are. what i don't understand is how it always looks so effortless. that is enviable, people.
i'll be spending two weeks in london and paris in two weeks and i'm going to try to figure out their secret. but let's face it, europeans are better than us. i fully believe it.
back to The Kooples, their pieces are timeless which i am a huge fan of because trends are always changing and it's nice to have pieces in your closet that will outlast all the new trends. i'd like one of everything, please. ha ha i can dream, right?
something The Kooples is doing which in my opinion is great marketing is that they are having actual couples (kooples..get it?) be part of their advertising campaigns. for example, some of you probably know of the musician devendra banhart. devendra and his beautiful girlfriend, ana kras are in one of their videos (watch below) and they kind of explain their love story. side note:their storyis probably one of the greatest i've heard in a while. there are so many great videos and photographs that are being used by The Kooples. i applaud them for it. a job well done.
first off, there are three things you should know before watching this video: 1. i love alexander wang and i love basically every T by Alexander Wang piece. the material is great, the fit in my opinion is perfect, and i think these are some of the best basic pieces. 2. i love bon qui qui. i wish i knew someone in real life who was like bon qui qui, i would hangout with her like every other day (i'd need a break ya know?) of the week. 3. i love the people in this video. i think this is really great marketing for T by Alexander Wang. good job to their marketing team. i applaud you all. okay, now you can watch this video and laugh, a lot.
muse of the week is dree hemingway. dree is a model and actress. her mother is mariel hemingway (the young love interest in woody allen's Manhattan) and she is the great-granddaughter of the wonderful ernest hemingway. who wouldn't love to be a part of that family! i had seen the trailer for her latest movie Startlet a few times, but not until recently did i put two and two together. i didn't realize the model was also the main character in the film. i definitely have to watch the movie. dree was also in a french movie as well as a music video for The Vaccines.
what i mainly love about dree is her sense of style. she plays with masculine and feminine pieces creating her effortless and chic style. i think that can sometimes be hard to do for some people and it ends up looking unnatural or a bit off, but not with dree. i love how she finds a good middle point and can pull of chic and sexy without having to expose too much or dress in overly feminine pieces. there is nothing i like more than when someone sticks to the basic timeless pieces and makes them work in many different ways. i may sound like a broken record, but having a few basic pieces in your wardrobe are a major must. take it from dree who is a great example of this. a simple black blazer, a good fitted jean jacket, black skinny pants, and the good ol' striped tee shirt. they are necessities in every closet. i'm a massive dree hemingway fan and i hope that now you are too.
i have just under two months left until my long awaited trip to london and paris. my best friend and i are trying to find a couple of basic items we have to bring. pieces we can use a couple of different ways because we are going to be there for two weeks and can't bring a massive suitcase each. i want to feel comfortable, but stylish while i am on vacation. i love dark colors so picking a few basics is really easy. i plan on bringing at least one striped tee, at least two basic dresses, and comfortable but cute shoes as well as some necessary accessories. these items are some i came across that i really love. i'd love to get my hands on that bag, but it's a little out of my price range right now. i do plan on buying those sunglasses. i've been looking everywhere for black simple glasses. i already own those black boots and i know i will be using them a lot while in europe. i'm still trying to find a great pair of oxfords to bring along on the trip. if you've got any links of shoes you'd like to share with me i will greatly appreciate it.
that cara delevingne sure is a total babe. nowadays you cannot open up a magazine, tumblr, or street style blog without seeing her and i am so totally in love with it. it makes sense because she did win model of the year at the British Fashion Awards. some of you might have seen her in this past years victoria secret fashion show or on past burberry ads. i love reading a magazine and seeing her in it…usually more than once. if you haven't yet checked out her cover on style.com's magazine then you really must. i loved the interview and the photographs so so much.
her cool effortless tomboy look has won millions over, but more so than that it's all about her personality. she seems to really not care too much and is a little bit of a wild child. basically, i want to be her best friend. she is the photobomb queen and she is in with the cool crowd (alexa chung, azealia banks, georgia jagger, and many more). i mean, cara is the definition of tomboy cool.
i've decided to occasionally post about some people i look to for inspiration regarding fashion, music, and art. the first person i'm writing about is none other than gia coppola. does that last name sound familiar? it should. her aunt is sofia coppola and her grandfather is francis coppola. if you have no clue who those people are then i don't know what to tell you. you are clearly doing life the wrong way. ha ha, i'm joking (kind of). i would love to be gia coppola for a day. just to see what it's all like and to be behind the camera. she studied photography at Bard, but she got her start in the fashion world when she made a short video for Wendy Mullin. here comes the fun part...opening ceremony saw the video and then asked her to work for them. a couple of other designers that followed are some of my favorites: Zac Posen, Diane von Furstenberg, and Rodarte. pretty amazing.
can we talk about the fact that she is sitting next to rachel zoe, alexa chung, aaaand pharrell at a fashion show? like, c'mon. and there she is with her aunt sofia coppola. her photography and her fashion videos are really great. hertumblris definitely worth checking out. it is where she posts some of her photography and short films she has directed. hervimeois also an easy place to find a few of her short films which are all clever and inspiring. another thing i love about gia is the laid back (but chic) look she is always rocking. she always looks very comfortable, but stylish and i wouldn't mind raiding her closet. overall gia is an awesome artist who inspires me. here is a video she directed for opening ceremony. doesn't it make you want summer and to wear a dress while riding a bike? this video gets me excited for summer and for everything that comes along with it.
i came across this video onbulletmediaand knew i had to share it. like i have said before in previous posts i am a very visual person and so videos like this one really inspire me. it's the music, the shots, the colors...it all really gets to me. i really enjoyed this video. "Beneath the shadow of a baroque façade stands a woman unafraid. Framed by a pair of citrus Resurrection by Faang sunglasses, she click-clacks across Vienna’s cobblestone streets in a pair of purple Pradas as eccentric as her eyebrows. Patterns fail to intimidate her, and color is the new black. From her floral Marni tunic/collar/pant ensemble to her magnificent, billowingMarc Jacobshat, most certainly a high fashion ode to Whoville, it is clear that this viennese is the bee’s knees, and then some."
as i was deciding who to write about today for music monday, i opted out on doing a playlist (i know, i'm slacking on those) and i realized i wanted to post about someone who can sing and has great style. danish babe nanna Øland fabricius, better known by her stage nameOh Landis no new musician. most people have heard of her and if you haven't then you have to check out the video below. the lady's got a killer voice and on top of that her sense of style is pretty fantastic. Oh Land's on stage outfits can sometimes be kind of theatrical and spunky. i recently sawthisvideo of her performing with a full orchestra and choir while wearing a body suit that opened up and looked like a blooming flower...it is amazing and her vocals are insane. i love that she brings the whole performance to life.
Oh Land is quite the style icon and has achieved this with the help of some cool designers like Sonia Rykiel and M Missoni. while looking at what other designers she's worked with i came acrossthisold article. she talks about designers she loves and how when she was younger she'd watch her mother dress up. she was probably influenced by her mother a bit and i love that. Oh Land takes risks and i totally think that that's admirable. she also has her more casual cool outfits that still have a touch of spunk to keep it original. i always love seeing what she is going to wear next.
a couple of months ago i randomly came acrossMint Clothing Companyand was instantly interested in talking to jessica snyder, the brains behind the company, and getting to know more about her company. i reached out to her and emailed back and forth for a while. i got to ask her some questions about her company, her inspirations, and her goals. i love Mint because i am a huge comfy tee kind of girl and being from california i love the aesthetics of this line.
Mintis a luxury tee shirt line featuring photos and artistry that bring to life the magic of living a surf lifestyle. manufactured start to finish in california, Mint tees are made from the softest of high quality fabric and boast a lightweight, barely there feeling.
What was it that made you decide to start your own clothing line?
I had kinda always been designing without realizing it. I would see pieces in my head that I would search desperately for until I'd realize they didn't exist because I made them up! I had worked in fashion for a few years and I always loved clothes but I knew nothing, literally, about designing. When I started flirting with the idea of doing my own line I asked a few people what they thought and they told me how incredibly hard it was, how much there is to learn, how much competition there is etc... and so I decided I should do it.
How did you come up with your company name?
Have you ever played that word game where you come up with your favorite and least favorite words? Well after years of thinking of it I determined Mint is my favorite. I started the line before I had a name and one day I was driving to the beach and it just kinda popped into my head that it could work!
Did all your traveling help inspire your line in any way?
For the most part I'd say my line is pretty California inspired. I had been traveling back and forth to Europe for the last few years and over this past summer (while I was working on the line) was probably the longest I'd been home for a while. I kind of got back to my "roots" I guess you'd say- I starting surfing again almost every day, was hanging at the beach a lot. That definitely inspired the line.
You worked closely with a celebrity stylist, did you ever want to become a full time stylist yourself?
I thought about it. I do really love styling and putting outfits together! Nothing like sending off a celeb then 20 minutes later seeing something you'd just put together on a red carpet. It's very rewarding. It is also a very tough job, more stressful then you would think!
What inspires you as a person and as a designer?
I'm very proud of where I'm from, I am third generation from LA. My Nanie (Grandma) was born in Los Angeles, and that's probably why it means so much to me because she was so proud to be from here. Where I grew up and how I grew up does inspire me as a designer. I'm a California girl, there is no denying it! As a person, my family inspires me, they believe in me and my goals and it means the world to me. When you have people that see the best in you it makes you want to be the best person you can be.
Mint clothing company is just starting out, but where would you like to see your company go?
I've always been a dreamer, so I've got big ideas! I would love to do a full range line beyond tees and do some more media stuff as well. Stay tuned!!
Last song played on your iPod?
Oh let me check this one out.. "After The Fall"- Norah Jones. Her whole "Little Broken Hearts" album is so good- SO different then all of her other stuff!!
Where do you like to shop for inspiration?
I love Zara, Free People is good... when I was styling I would be in Bloomingdales almost everyday and it would never get old! My eyes would just about pop out of my head! So many of my favorite brands in there; DVF, Marc by Marc, Joie, Sandro.. I could go on and on and on. The other day I was in Nordstroms looking at this Celine bag and it was just so gorgeous I just about cried.
Best piece of advice you have ever received?
"Just be yourself!" You hear it over and over again and it sounds so simple! But it's a good one. Unless your horrible. Just kidding.
i'm excited to see how far Mint goes! i hope you guys love this company as much as i do. the tops from the photos are two of the tees in the line. the long sleeve tee is called "The Paradise Tee" and the muscle tee is the "Made In CA tee".
we all know the story of romeo and juliet. it's truly one of my most favorite forbidden love stories so naturally when i found this short video remake of the romeo and juliet story i almost maybe wanted to cry a tiny bit? yes. don't judge me, but i almost teared up. i don't really know why, but i guess i loved the happy ending? how cool are the montagues and capulets though? i want my wedding to be cool like this! i loved everything about this video. it left me feeling nostalgic and excited for some crazy reason. “Love is heavy and light, bright and dark, hot and cold, sick and healthy, asleep and awake- its everything except what it is!"
can we just talk about the Marc Jacobs Resort 2013 for a second? i mean, i really do love every piece. the oversized jackets, the bags, and the shoes really are perfect. i'd love to get my hands on a couple of items and then not let anyone borrow them. just kidding, i would let three specific friends of mine borrow them because if they ever got their hands on goodies i would want to borrow them as well. a lot of these items can be purchased onshopbop. so, maybe an item or a few will end up on your wishlist? PS sorry i have been so mia lately! i've been trying to fix up this page and it has left me with no extra time to post anything exciting. next week, back on track...promise!
you guys all know how much i love instagram. so, today i decided to pick my top five favorite instagramers. i really love coming across pretty photos because like i have said before i am a very visual person and one single photo can spark some inspiration in me. through instagram i have come across some awesome bloggers, companies, musicians...etc. seriously, thank god for instagram. too much? nah. if you have instagram you should check these ladies out andfollow me.
designlovefestis one of my favorite bloggers. her work is so great and she seems like one killer lady. i'd love to take one of herblogshopclasses. maybe the LA one or the London one since, get this, we are going to be in London at the same exact time.
lateafternoonhas a cool blog and her instagram is just so fun. she's got loads of outfit photos.
bonnietsangis an amazing and inspiring photographer. her instagram is full of delicious looking food and normal everyday things, but she makes them look fun and stylish. seriously, i die over her work.
jengotchseems like that cool friend everyone wishes they were more like. she seems like a whole lot of fun and her instagrams prove this. she's always got photos of delicious looking cocktails and i want her life. the end. she doesn't really have a blog anymore instead you should check out ban.do.
chiaraferragnihas like the coolest life and i feel like i get to live vicariously through her photos. really though, she has the coolest life, ever.
last week i posted my first gift guide of this season:the guys gift guideand i promised i would be posting a new one every week. i really love these gift guides! they are so fun, don't you think?! i hope they are helping you in some way. this week it's all about gifts under $50 for all the ladies. i especially enjoyed this one because there are so many fun and inexpensive gifts out there that you could put on your own wish list or for a friend. can i just have them all! hey friends, feel free to pick up any one of these items for me. k. cool. thanks. what gift guide would you guys like to see next? music lover gifts...tech nerd gifts...send your ideas my way.
with christmas being a little over a month away i have been on the search for the perfect gift(s) for the guys in my life. while working on this post i realized that guys are actually a lot tougher to shop for than ladies. i'm not being biased, i swear! guys just have a little less to work with sometimes and i almost felt like i had to be very very picky with the items i chose for this wish list. depending on who you are shopping for you can pick certain items like shoes and t-shirts where it is a little more personal or you can go with more basic items like a vinyl record or tie. either way, all these items all rock and i love them! these gifts are pretty simple, but they are almost all every day items. i'm pretty sure that any guy would be happy to get one of these above items as a gift. i hope you all have fun shopping for the guys in your life! i know i am definitely buying two or three items from this list for some very important guys in my life and i'm hoping they don't see this post!
i love looking at all the different street style photographs always posted all over the internet. don't get me wrong, i love looking at runway and movie premier looks, but there is something genuine (sometimes) about seeing people striped down and more them. as much as i love color i really always fall back to darker colors. i was recently trying to figure out what my "style" was and i felt like i was kind of having an identity crisis because i was trying to branch out from dark colors and the usual street laid back look to something more. i tried adding tons of color to my wardrobe because i thought it would fix all my problems, but of course it did not. i have since then slowly realized that it's okay to like the grungy street look as well as girly chic and i'm trying to find the in-between.
so, a couple of days ago i booked my flight to london! i am crazy excited. i'm going to be going with my best friend for two whole weeks. we are also going to be visiting paris for a few days. now that my flight is booked i am all about what i should pack. yes, i know it's a few months away and all, but i still feel like i need to buy some great staple pieces i can bring with me to europe. these 8 items are perfect and i want them all. i think they are all really great and almost necessary accessories. honestly though, i just want an excuse to shop and buy more things. great statement necklaces are all the rage right now and thisgold chain necklacecould work for both day and night. i love thesemadewell oxfordsand they are great for daytime exploring. you can even throw on a simple dress, some tights, and a great jacket with these shoes and voila you've got a casual (but cute) night time outfit. i'm thinking about buying a passport wallet. thismarc jacobsone is perfect. it's simple and the perfect size to carry all your traveling identifications and cash money. a big traveling purse is always a must and i cannot handle how great thisalexander wang bagis. i need it now. great sunnies, a book, and a hat are musts. what are some of your travel staple pieces?
guys, i have a major girl crush on british model, cara delevingne. she is spunky and wild, it's great. she is this tomboy bombshell and i cannot help but envy her a little...okay a lot. i came across this video of her trying on different clothes and i find it so fun and i think it's a cool representation of her.
i feel like whenever i open a magazine she always seems to pop up and i love it. she is a natural beauty and she opts for a natural makeup-less face then a full done up look. and can we talk about her eyebrows? they are perfect. i want them. she's just a total babe!
cara walked multiple shows during fashion week and i loved getting to see all her looks. when she isn't on the runway looking fabulous she is making funny faces at any camera aiming her way. i feel like it's kind of her thing now. anyone else would look ridiculous making those faces all the time, but she looks just as beautiful as she always does. stupid. ha ha.
you can catch her next walking the victoria's secret fashion show that will air on december 6.
for this week's shop lovin' i decided to pickmatine. they are one of the cutest etsy shops out there. they sell leather accessories from clutches to business card holders like the one above. i'm also super obsessed with theirgold dipped ipad casethat it's making me want an ipad even more.
i recently became a massive clutch lover and matine has some beautiful clutches. they recently came out with the ombreavgvst clutchand i am convinced it was made especially for me. i also love thegold scallop clutch. it's perfect for lunch dates with some girlfriends as well as dinner dates.
i need to get my hands on every single piece. ha ha, i wish. but, thepolka dotted leather clutchfor sure needs to be mine very soon. oh and they have a lovelyombre passport casethat i need for my trip to europe in a few months.
yesterday i received a text from a good friend of mine,erin brady. she was asking if i had seen thej.crew2013 previews floating around instagram because and i quote, "it has your name written all over it." unfortunately because i had been at work all day i had not. quickly i went on instagram and looked up the different instagrams she said had uploaded sneak previews and i was swooning and i think my heart skipped a beat.
i am slightly…okay who am i kidding..i'm totally obsessed with j.crew's spring 2013 line and i need every single piece. my life depends on it. okay, i may be exaggerating..but only a tiny bit.
whilelooking up these photoslast night i realized i had seen the collection during fashion week and was freaking out because how in the world did i not cry the first moment i saw it.
the spring collection embodies a lot of what i love. the sweaters with cute sayings and all those beautiful pants need to be mine. i really loved some pieces that were more street wear (well as much street wear as j.crew can get) and could be worn while having 'bleh' days and still wanting to feel pretty and collected.
this video is too good to not post. gotta love some wonderful musicians in some great threads on a rooftop. oh and did i mention that this session is formr porter? so good...right?! go check outthe apache relayand fall in love with their music like i have. they are going to be playing the hollywood bowl with mumford & sons next month.
