SEVEN

its one of those stores you need to go to, if you want to call yourself an avant-garde fashionista. oh, and you need to have a bank account with an immense amount of zeros before the decimal point. it surely helps. for the rest of us, we can just look, touch, drool a little (BUT NOT ON THE CLOTHES), fantasize, and save up.

i am loving the new Preen collection which has arrived in store

expand your idea of what a "working girl"s outfit may look like, artsy and daring blouses paired with not-so-typical skirts:

and for the after party:

asymmetrical heels optional, but strongly suggested:

Seven New York
110 Mercer Street

i can barely sit still in my seat...

all you hardcore fashionistas out there have probably already seen the scans of kate moss's topshop line from the vogue magazines... i am sooo excited for it!! im loving the pictures from the photoshoot even though its still extremely hard to see exactly what the clothes really look like. but omigosh, the most exciting news ever? the only store that carries anything from topshop (in nyc) is opening ceremony on howard street and you're limited to slim pickings on the mezzanine level... but BARNEYS is going to be debuting the line in may!! im already dreaming up excuses to skip work...

meanwhile... i've got several other things on my mind. i love drapes, unexpected details, and layering! these are my favorite pieces of the moment...

(sweetface vest; love from ya-ya top)

(helmut lang dress)

re: twisted

hey guys! just a quick post to respond to comments posted on the last entry...

the long vs. the short
thanks for all the input on the leather jacket! i definitely spent a couple of hours in front of the mirror contemplating the length and going back and forth between wishing i had tried on a shorter version and thinking that some cropped stuff just doesnt look right on me. im pretty happy with the longer version right now though.. hopefully the more classic silhouette would be a much better investment than getting a cropped one (thats just another excuse for.. "but they dont have the cropped one in my size!" hahah) but thanks nonetheless!! i really appreciate all the advice, esp. from girls that i know love fashion just as much as i do :) keep the comments coming!!

the illusion of height
i am definitely short. not tall like a model. i wish!!! i am a measly 5'-3" but thanks to heels and platform sandals, i can create the illusion of legs that go on for miles and miles and miles! haha kidding. skinny jeans definitely make my legs look longer and me look taller. thats why i love them so. also... practicing how to stand in front of the mirror helps me to find the best angle to make me look the slimmest ;)

just how big are those pants?
i am a pretty standard sz 24 though some brands fit better than others (im sure thats the way it is for most people) the problem for me is trying to find a pair of jeans that will fit me well even though i dont have very much in the way of hips. some jeans end up being too baggy around that area, and then too tight around the waist which kinda sucks. radcliffe, r&r, 7s, j brand, paige premium = sz 24. ksubi jeans are.. TINY!! i bought a pair in size 8, which i think is a 26. the sz. 7/25 fits but the 26 isnt as tight around my legs. 7/25 gives me sausage legs... like im walking on two sausages wrapped in spandex. gross!

and... thats all folks! see ya later!

twisted

finally got myself a leather jacket! and decided to wear it today, the hottest day, so far, of the year! haha a bit silly i suppose, but i have good reason to... its one of those "it might reach 70" days, but the low is going to be in the 50s, so its not like i can run around in a tshirt and jeans and feel totally comfortable. instead i've decided to go extremely summery underneath and the leather jacket is a good cover up when it gets a bit breezy.

still trying to get used to wearing so much leather... it makes that weird squishy sound when i move my arms. and its got that smell. and i cant help but feel a bit like michael jackson. i've already annoyed everyone so much by going, "but dont you think i look a little like i just stepped out of the thriller video?" anyways.. hopefully it will pass. if not, i might have to put this one up for sale. haha thats my back up plan for everything!

also went shopping this past weekend and bought two new pairs of jeans. i've been abusing my current skinny jeans. i have 2 pairs that i like that i've been switching back and forth between, every week, for the past year. so i think it was time to invest in some more. dont get me wrong though, i still love the old ones to death -- j brand. i love them... even after so much wear and frequent washing they still havent lost their stretch and there is some fading in the color, but its minimal. thats probably the only reason why i'd prefer name-brand jeans to cheapo jeans, they definitely do last! (probably also depends on the brand too) so the new ones i've added into my collection -- a pair of black tsubi (or ksubi they now call them in the states) skinny zip jeans and a pair of greyish blue radcliffe jeans.

my reviews for them so far? the tsubi's (er.. ksubi's) are awesome! theyre the perfect length for me. im short, and they actually arent super duper long like every other pair of jeans i own. the ankle zip allows me to wear them over heels without stretching out the bottoms. and i love... LOVE the markings on them. they're cool and recognizable, but theyre not loud and tacky.

the second pair from radcliffe, i hadnt actually worn outside yet. im just glad theyre not "just another pair of black jeans" because... well, theyre greyish blue. haha. im loving the little slit in the back pocket that allows a bit of color and fabric to peek through.

but ok, enough about my weekend... today, i am spending some time online looking at tees... im not a big fan of the normal everyday casual tees. i love tees that are casual, but also different. these are just that... with a twist! twisted in the front, twisted around the neck, and twisted in the back!

(first two by margarita saplala, third by guild)

only, like, the best idea ever

i dont know how many people here actually subscribe to daily candy.. but if you don't i really recommend that you do!! not only do you get updated on new restaurant openings, cool things to do on weekends, but also hot new brands and fashion lines to look forward to!

so today, i check my email and found out about 80%20 and i gotta say... i really want a pair of these shoes now. they're perfect for short little old me! perfect for the girl who wishes she could pull off a pair of flats without looking like she's got duck feet and smushy cankles and calves. these boots are made to look like flats.. except they've got a hidden wedge inside which will elevate you 2.75" away from duck-feet-cankle-land. looove them!!

check it out at 8020nyc.com and they sell them online at urbanoutfitters! i want!! gimme gimmeee

warning: text overload

i think most people will agree with me that nyc has no dress code. and the beautiful thing about nyc is that you can find almost every style from every genre, every era, and every culture... all you have to do is hang out in the right area. there is, of course, the stereotypical idea of a new yorker who is dressed in all black, sleek, walking a mile a minute. and then theres the LES new yorker, inspired by british punk, rockin' out in their skinny jeans... the 5th avenue new yorker, always dressed impeccably in old-money designer... the uptown preppy new yorker... the soho new yorker in indie designerwear... and thats only manhattan. then theres the rest of nyc, the inner queens-new yorker in everything tight and flashy, the park slope yuppy new yorker in crocs... i could go on forever. but what was my point? my point is, the lovely thing about new york is the freedom to wear whatever the hell you want and be able to get away with it, no matter what your style. and there is inspiration everywhere!

but enough of these silly observations that i make while i am stealthily people-watching. as a part of my slow style evolution... i have started to rethink everything i have in my wardrobe and its neat to see how i've changed. i went through my punky rebellious phase -- lots of reconstructed band t-shirts and ripped jeans. my cutesy girly phase -- prim and proper dresses perfect for the tea parties i never get invited to. and then my designer phase -- prada skirts that still make me feel too lady-like. my "i'm sexy look at me" phase -- too many halter tops and things that sparkle. ugh, i dont even know where i am anymore. all i know is that now i am in my architectural phase -- everything structured, yet drapy, unique layered details, blah blah blah. and when all else fails, just plain black, like a somber canvas.

enough rambling! here are some of my current favs, perfect for days when i just can be bothered to think up outfit combinations and a dress is the easiest thing to put on:

i love the layers and different patterns. great summer dress from rachel comey


this is a dress by guild with the usual metal chain details, except its not visible in this image. am loving the loose fitting shape.


simple summer dress from clu. would love to pair this with some platform sandals!

for serious

how much do you love shoes?

(available at creatures of comfort)

sorry for the lack of new entries, been browsing online mainly for apartments and it would be silly of me to start posting up listings of hot new lofts with skyline views, roof decks, and etc... ugh, that would be my dream apt. this city is too damn expensive to live in! but i stumbled across the furniture designer -- Jimmie Martin.

who says furniture couldn't be punk-rock?

artsy feet

calling all street-chic chicas! to match that fabulous avant-garde, indie wardrobe of yours, you've got to have equally fabulous shoes! im not talking your usual run-of-the-mill slouchy boots, or bright day-glo flats. im talking shoes with personality like yours -- artsy, unusual, and a touch satirical.

tashkent, one of the brands i've recently fallen in love with... is now on shopbop.com with their spring line! im still lusting for their crazy over-the-knee boots, but im also loving their summery take on the ankle boots (yep, theyre still sticking around). mmm.. now if only my wallet agreed with me... these shoes do not run cheap :( expect to fork out 300$-400$. eeek!

(image of girl from thesartorialist.blogspot.com)
(images of shoes from tashkentnyc.com)

"i'm a model, you know what i mean" ;)

its been a good morning!! its beautiful and sunny out, pretty warm, im wearing my chloe platform sandals.. and i havent tripped yet!

on my way to work, this guy stops me in the street and tells me he's an artist and wanted to know if i would be interested in modeling for him. dude, without even thinking twice i flat out said "no." hahahah and now im kicking myself in the head for not being open minded enough to even consider asking him for more details. so either.. i just missed out on my big chance for a bit of fame in the brooklyn art world or... i saved myself from being hacked up into a million pieces. hey! its nyc, you never know. god.. im so cynical. but perhaps my chloes are bringing me some good luck? whatever it was that he wanted, im glad he's put a smile on my face and a spring in my step!

am loving this opening ceremony skirt/dress. the bikini underneath is separate. must make a trip to their store on howard street soon.. i love trying on all of their funky clothes!

also on my "must-haves" list.. a leather jacket. i love the mike&chris ones, but its so hard to tell which ones would look the best on me. its one of those things that i just have to try on.

hardcore shoe fanatics rejoice! shoes with attitude, personality, and a penchant for standing out

(kristina Kozak, www.kristinakozak.com)