My Attempts at Business Casual

I went to a job interview last Wednesday. With this outfit, I really hoped to play off classic menswear (the structured coat and skirt) with quirky pops of color and off beat accessories (my warrior necklace and mouse flats). Despite the fact that I may or may not have googled the company so much I had no possible questions to ask at the end, the interview went very well. I call back later today to see how things go. Fingers crossed!

(photo credit: Anastasia Sierra)

tweed coat from J. Crew (unavailable)

lime scarf from J. Crew (similar here)

warrior necklace by Kenneth Jay Lane

lime batchel from Cambridge Satchel Supply

triangle top from Reiss

skirt from Zara

tights from J. Crew (unavailable)

mouse flats by Marc by Marc Jacobs

xo,

The Cosseted Pauper

A Walk(er) on the Dreamy Side

My family moved to the Maryland/ DC area when I was about 11. In attempts to cover the doubty wallpaper left from the previous owner, I made it a habit to rip out interesting pictures from magazines and tape them to my walls and ceilings. Through this, I had inadvertently surrounded myself with the editorial work of some of the greatest fashion photographers of this and last century. My favorite photos are by Mr. Tim Walker. No one quite does fairyland photography quite like him. I absolutely love his dreamy aesthetic. Here are some of my photographs of his:

xo,

The Cosseted Pauper

Moody

Today was just not my day. I feel disheveled. I wish it was maybe 15 degrees warmer. Before this, I was on a run with a friend where I slipped and fell on ice and scraped up the back of my calve. My overall disgruntled-ness came out in the moodiness of my outfit. 

(photo credit:Anastasia Sierra)

vintage netted top

striped boat neck tee from Zara

belt from Club Monaco (unavailable)

skirt from J.Crew (unavailable)

tights from Target

Beanie from Portlano (unavailable)

vintage statement necklace 

heeled riding boots from J.Crew (similar here)

xo,

The Cosseted Pauper

Pajama Day

At his fall '13 RTW Marc by Marcob Jacobs show, Marc Jacobs traded out his usual Homme Des Garcons dress for a pair of silk pajamas from the same name sake. In a follow up  interview with André Leon Tally, Marc simply said "its all about home, lounge, & louche." With school picking up and the craziness of New England winters, I couldn't agree more. You don't have to sacrifice comfort and ease to remain stylish.  I tried to embody this with funky harem pants (I couldn't help pulling them up a little to resemble some sort of tailoring), bright flats, and a comfy sweater. 

(photo credit: Holly Rike)

mechanical sweater from Ralph Lauren (unavailable) 

chambre button down from J. Crew

Herum pants from Forever21

vintage black flower necklace

turquoise flats from J. Crew

xo,

The Cosseted Pauper

NWFW F/W '13 Notes

A week into Fashion Month, the theme of this coming fall appears to have taken a shift towards menswear inspired structure and textiles juxtaposed with jewel tone accents and rich embellishments. F/W '13 was a sharpening of skill set and alliteration of style identity for most designers this NYFW. Below are a few of my choice looks and accompanying notes from the runway/showroom.

Alice + Olivia's moody-toned collection is an accessible mixture of feminine silhouettes meant for all access style ogling. What Stacy Bendet sacrifices in overarching coherency, a reoccurring aspect of her line, the general female populous gains in great transitional options. The floral floor-length skirt (in the second picture in from the left) brings to mind Paul Gauguin's St. Martinique oil paintings.The color play between the richly pigmented navy and deep rose and saffron accents in its overlaying flower and bird print plays up just the right balance of dramatics and utility for transition between cozy dinner with friends in October and festive holiday parties in December.  Pop-of-color maybe the oldest trick in the book for temporarily curing your seasonly affected inability to muster up energy, but that's not stopping me from using it as an excuse to invest in this gorgeous and dramatic skirt this coming fall. 

(Credit: Alice + Olivia)

Oh, Band of Outsiders, you quirky and complex creature. This is one line that I really can not get enough of. No matter the broader direction of the particular collection (in this case a menswear inspired 40's film noir mystery thriller with a tauntingly elusive female lead) Scott Sternberg never loses the essence of the label's identity. Direct your eyes to the vibrant yet subdued deep violet galaxy print and emerald plaid used to construct the knee length drop waist skirt and sashed shift. In addition to the cohesive larger cinematic reference, Sternberg collaborated with Atari to tweak the graphic print for the violet fabric just so, adding an offbeat kookiness to his sophisticated study on cool and confident female leads. The textile was originally used in Band's menswear line.

Let me just address turbans, quickly: Turbans are the always overlooked but surprisingly chic winter accessory. Winter wear is all about glamorous functionality. Offbeat yet functional, turbans are amazingly useful for tucking your hair into with a comfortable tee, waxed jeans, and statement scarf for unbearably frigid days. The height and maneuverability of Band's version are more overt than others out there (Eugenia Kim has gorgeous more subdued knit versions) but it's deconstructed volume is style gold. Throw your hair in and go about your day with a warm head and temporary feel-good three inches tacked onto your physique. 

(credit: Band of Outsiders)

Prabal Gurung's study in military-inspired day wear is an interesting exception to my thematic introduction earlier. The military equestrian style, while classically cool, is a new exploration for Gurung. There were obvious nods to his more feminine approach in the skirted knee length trench coats and voluminous peplum detail on the army green blazer adorned with a militaristic body harness. I am interested to see where Gurung goes with this idea in further collections. He left room for improvement in dresses like the one farthest to the right, an attempted melding of feminine drapery in masculine textiles. The subtle softness of the satin skirt is a mismatch with the visual abrasiveness of the embroidered bodice. The structured demi-sleaves feel derivative compared his mastery of more ornate details in past seasons.

(credit:Prabal Gurung)

Ending on an ever elegant note are  studies in tailoring, luxe, and detail from Zac Posen's F/W '13 collection. The citrine gown in the center feels like a modern yet subdued take on one  of Charles Worth's 19th century architectural feats. The classic boned bodice and soutache embroidery pay reverence to France's first couturier. Electrifying the classic silhouette with the citrine coloring, downplaying the skirt's volume, and leaving off the princess puffy cap sleeves for almost athletic feeling thin straps breaths new life into a classic. When Posen is able to strike similar successful balances between the classic form and the modern female, I imagine its like a "you go girl!" high five from Posen himself in the form of an ornately constructed gown. Or maybe I have watched him to much on Project Runway... Either way, "I applaud you! You go Posen!"

(credit:Zac Posen)

xo, 

The Cosseted Pauper

Diaries of an online shopping addict

Sorry for the lag in posts lately. In between Nemo and papers for school, I haven't been able to keep up with writing or shooting. 

(credit: Missouri S & T)

The impact of the storm in Boston didn't stop my roommate and I from enjoying New York Fashion Week. Thanks to the live stream of shows on mbfashionweek.com we were able to watch the shows while pent up in our igloo apartment. The day after the storm, we even adventured out onto Newburry street to indulge in the 60% off sale at LF. There, I bought a leather fold over clutch similar to the one below but in sea foam green. It is purely for going out and having fun. The color perfectly matches my current wallet.

(credit: Lavish Alice)

I have been lusting after these Outlier riding pants for a while. But after just buying another pair of Paige jeans, I didn't feel like dropping so much money on pants in one month! I found these Tarte Ponte leggings on Gilt for a super good price, so I decided to grab them up. 

(credit: Amazon)

I was pretty satisfied with my weekend's bounty at this point. But, while perusing my Facebook newsfeed yesterday, I spotted this adorable illustrated André Leon Talley t-shirt. I definitely foresee dressing this up and down. I'm obsessed with him, his story, and especially his steady stream of dramatic capes and man uggs. He also stars in a mini series called Mondays with André on Vogue's youtube channel. Each episode is only a minute or so long, but its all you need to lift you up from the realization that four days separate you from excusably day drinking and lounging like no one's business.

(credit: Refinery29)

Fashion month commentary and more personal style posts are in the works!

xo,

The Cosseted Pauper

January Favorite Five

Verdugo Ultra Skinny by Paige Jeans 

As you can tell from the model, these pants are meant for athletic and curvy legs. These definitely allow room in the calves and butt with out having a gaping waist. As a distance runner, I had never had a pair of pants I was satisfied with the fit with before these. I just bought my second pair. Their incredibly soft, comfortable, and flattering. The only downside is that they're dry clean only.

(credit:Paige Jeans)

Statement necklaces

I'm slowly but surely developing my collection of these baubles. Statement necklaces are an easy add-on accessory to any outfit without any drama! I love ones with complex texture and structure in a more unified color like the ones below. Because of their neutral colors, they add complexity to an outfit without the worry of clashing. 

Khiel's lip balm number one

This Khiel's classic is by far my favorite lip protectant against winter wind and temperature. It's packed with sweet almond oil, Vitamins A & E, as well as other emollients. It's not too gooey. It's a no frills get the job done balm with a consistency close to vaseline. It's a great base under lip stick so your lips don't get dried out. It also comes in flavors including mango, coconut, and vanilla. 

(credit: Kiehl's)

Nike Lunar Running Shoes

Until recently, my go to for distance trainers were the Mizuno wave inspire model. Although they are aesthetically pleasing, I had enough problems with them that I knew I had to make a change. I found that my feet would occasionally go numb on the elliptical and during longer runs (even when I made adjustments to the laces). I also had a tendency to roll my ankles and  get unsightly blood blisters on the tops of my toes. In the last month or so I've bought the 3 models shown below from the Nike Lunarglide family. As you can see from their profiles they are light on the upper body with a pliable and cushy sole. A month in, I have no complaints. 

(credit: Nike)

Lunareclipse +2

Lunar Allways TR

lunarswift 3

Smoothies

I've been trying to cut down on processed foods lately. Replacing processed grains, dairy, and meat products in the morning with a fruit, veggie, and protein filled smoothie is a great way to start your day without any additives. I've found starting my day with a smoothie sets me up to want healthier foods throughout the day. My current favorite includes almond milk, dark chocolate peanut butter, a banana, and spinach. 

(credit: food u recognize)

xo,

The Cosseted Pauper