Chiquita Banana

Toro! Toro! Toro!

I die.

Dress (Unknown SF brand via Anthropologie - old, similar here, here, and here), Tuxedo Jacket (Mango, similar here), SHOES! (Zara - face is melting, similar here), Necklace (Dogeared) 

Remember THIS SITUATION? 

Well I bought those Zara mothers. I bought the shit out of them. 

And after only two wears, they've already paid for themselves in gaspy, excited compliments courtesy of passersby. They are indeed a bold statement, but one that must be made. 

And with this dress? Forget about it. With pieces that are this Carmen-Miranda-y, separately and together, the tux jacket plays an important role here. Not only does it highlight the black and the white in the shoes, and tie it all together top-to-bottom, but it also serves as a crisp, calming force that balances out the look and keeps things in check. Also, I just plain love a good tuxedo jacket. 

There isn't really much more to say because the shoes say it all, and then some. All that can really be said is that it's wearing this pair of shoes when I feel most like myself. 

Photos © Rose Garrett

Two Leopards Are Better Than One

Leopard on the top, leopard on the bottom.

Shout out to my man.

Jacket (Urban Outfitters), Shirt (Urban Outfitters, similar here), Pants (Gap, similar here), Shoes (Seychelles - old, similar here), Necklace (Forever 21, similar here), Bracelet (Asos, similar here)

The truth is, you can in fact wear white after Labor Day, so don't let anyone tell you differently. Especially when you're looking for bit of a pick-me-up in the middle of a cold week. My penchant for print-mixing may have had me going a little overboard here, but the white denim is a good basic to build upon—it keeps things from getting too messy.

While there are a total of three different prints playing together here, the duo of leopard prints in varying proportions and colors jives together because the prints share a common pattern, while they act as complimentary neutrals to frame the outfit. Piling on the leopard certainly makes for a good time, but keep things to a dull roar (as it were), grounded with a good, solid basic like white denim, so as not to end up looking like a cat lady.

Photos © Rose Garrett

Dream the Dream: NYFW Outfit Inspiration

Huzzah! New York Fashion Week, and the month of Fall runway shows and related global fashion happenings that ensue, starts TODAY, and consequently, so does my bout of biannual longing. It's that time of year where I sit idly and frustratingly by, pouring over the latest fashion publications each morning, as I renew my status as an ogler and envious non-participant of this hallowed affair.

While other fashion bloggers are running—RUNNING!—Cannon EOS T3is in hand, gifted Minkoff clutches shoved up their armpits, pounds of clever invites jammed in their totes, to the tents and studio presentations and fabulous parties, I'll be watching back episodes of 30 Rock crying about how much I'm going to miss Liz Lemon, reading a British Vogue mumbling something to myself about Cara Delevigne's legs, and feverishly checking my Instagram for any and all FW tidbits and runway snaps.

But a girl can dream, and that's how I celebrate Fashion Week every twice-a-year—by drinking dreaming. That, and an unhealthy amount of aggro shopping. So here's what I would wear if I were attending NYFW (or any of the Fashion Weeks for that matter), and if I slept on piles of money.

Blazer (Lanvin), T-Shirt (Celine), Skirt (MSGM), Shoes (Tibi) Necklace (DANNIJO), Clutch (Lulu Guiness)

I said it was a "DREEEAM OUTFIT", okayyy??? In the meantime, I'll settle for a cheaper version that's just as chic and much easier on the pocket books: Blazer (similar here), T-Shirt (similar here), Skirt (similar here), Shoes (similar here), Necklace (similar here), and Clutch (similar here). KICK-OFF THE FASHION WEEK PARADE BY BUYING THINGS.

Monochromama

Sweater (Forever21, similar here), Skirt (H&M, similar here), Shoes (Boutique 9—I DIE FOR THESE) Necklaces (Dogeared and Urban Outfitters)

In keeping with my (I told you it was tiresome!) habit of mixing prints, recently I’ve taken it to the next level by experimenting with monochromatic print mixing a la this.

The key to mixing prints, monochromatic or otherwise, is staying within the same color palette, or at the very least, picking prints that have 2 or 3 colors/tones in common, and going from there. This is usually a slam-dunk for not looking boring but also not looking crazy. And lately, because of all of the black and white monochromadness (how many different ways can I make a semi-formed play on the word “monochromatic”? got 2 in my pocket already!), it’s been the penguin [<-insert any other typically black and white thing here—penguin was the first thing I thought of] color palette that I’ve been drawn to.

The pairing of the bold, geometric checkerboard pattern of that nine-dollar sweater from Forever21 (gasp) with the more intricate, ornately scrolling mirrored motif of the skirt, works because the combination is playing with the proportion and scale of the prints, while staying within the same black/white/grey color family. I also love the contrast between the two equally bold, but very different kinds of patterns (scroll-y vs. square-y). And those metallic silver pumps make me squeal.

Go, henceforth and get your...um...monochrogaga(?) on. (3 in my pocket and counting..)

Photos by the lovely and talented Rose Garrett

Gridlock

Blouse (J.Crew, similar here), Trousers (Zara), Shoes (Zara on major sale, similar here), Belt (J.Crew, similar here) Necklace (Dogeared)

Thanks largely in part to the Marc Jacobs S/S '13 show, the crispy Spring trend of monochromatic stripes, grid patterns, geometric pattern play, and black and white color blocking that has all of us swooning is providing endless amounts of outfit inspiration. 

Lately I've been obsessing over checkerboard prints and black and white everything. The trend has been cropping up everywhere over the last few months (LIKE MY CLOSET), from Zara to Tibi to Proenza Schouler, and I can barely contain my hair-pulling-out euphoria. (If there’s one thing I've always had in my closet more than anything else, it’s black and white striped shirts...like, a stupid amount of them.) And aside from my (I'll admit sometimes tiresome) obsession with mixing prints, I love the idea of playing with print proportion—like a larger open grid pattern with a classic houndstooth on a smaller scale. That, and this fuchsia windowpane blouse I scored for next to nothing over the holidays makes my eyes bleed it's so gorgeous.

Photos by the lovely and talented Rose Garrett