Pre-Fall Fashion Favorite: Milly

Back in February when I was planning this new blog, I made a list of posts that I would write. I had some pre-fall collections jangling in my mind, but late winter/early spring didn't seem the right time for them and so those items stayed on the list. Until now. Now that we're actually approaching, fall and, um, pre-fall (as I will now start calling the months of August and September) it seems like as good a time as any to take a look at one of my favorite pre-fall collections (even though I've already started in on my fall favorites. Whatever.).

One collection that's stuck in my mind all this time is Milly. Now, in my mind, designer Michelle Smith can do little wrong. I'm always in love with her collections that are full of bright colors and patterns paired with feminine silhouettes. Her pre-fall collection is just up my alley. My favorite part? The ladylike leather pieces. I've never been big on leather (unless it was a gorgeous pair of boots) because I'm just not cool enough (I'm super uncool). But with my favorite shapes redone in leather, I finally think I can wear it. I'll definitely be taking some inspiration from this collection as I start to make fall purchases.

Images via NY Mag

Fall Fashion Favorite: Tommy Hilfiger

It's no secret that I'm a huge Tommy Hilfiger fan. I'm all about stylish American sportswear and the brand always delivers it in spades. Past seasons have delivered some of my most lusted-after items (I'm still lamenting the fact that a pair of those high-heeled duck boots never made it into my closet) and this season is no different. But before I go into pieces though, let's talk the ad campaign.

click to enlarge

I've spent the last few seasons just about obsessed with the Tommy Hilfiger ad campaign. The "Hilfigers" (wouldn't it be nice if we could all create our own fictitious, ridiculously attractive families) tell a story each season, painting a picture of a sprawling upper crust family that does everything together - hanging out at the country club, taking camping trips or just celebrating the holidays in a massive Connecticut house covered in plaid. To me, the ad campaigns strike the right balance of aspirational and inclusive - sure, the family is dressed in the latest not-inexpensive Tommy, but, while the lifestyle screams 'wasp,' the mix of models, however genetically unfair they may be, doesn't.

There are so many things I love about this ad campaign. I'm not much of an outdoors person, but I have to admit that a glam, all-American foxhunt in a English country manor meets Fifth Avenue (home to the Tommy Hilfiger flagship, of course) vein is right up my alley. Especially if I could dress in the quilted jackets (and I'd like all of those quilted jackets, please) and tweeds showcased above. I'd like to spend my Autumn dressing like a private school refugee crossed with a former competitive show jumper crossed with Spencer Hastings, so my fantasy fall wardrobe is full of well-tailored tweed blazers with elbow patches, cable knits (or cable knit prints like the ones the Tommy team rendered on silk for this season) and knee-high boots in buttery leather. Another thing to love about this ad? The Craig McDean-shot campaign was snapped in Warrenton, Va. - right in my (proverbial) backyard! If you didn't know, Virginia is home to some prime horsey-set country which makes it the perfect setting for the old money meets modern sensibility feel of the Hilfigers.

I can't forget about my favorite looks from the runway show which hit all the right notes of preppy equestrian cool- I'll take all the coats and boots, thanks.

And doesn't that last look remind you of a modern, fashion-forward Samantha Parkington? Love.

Tommy Hilfiger ad courtesy of Tommy Hilfiger
Runway images via NY Mag

Pick Three: Little Black Booties

When I make a shopping list, just as often as there are specific items (like a Madewell sheep sweater, for instance) there are things that I know I want - but I'm just not sure where to get them. I'll write down "striped shirt" or "pencil skirt" on my list and hope that I come across the perfect one while out shopping or browsing the internet. A lot of times I'll come up with an expensive ideal and then work to find something that's actually in my price range. That's the premise behind this "pick three." I think of something I want - in this case, a pair of black high-heeled booties and then I find three that fit my desired description at a variety of prices. These range from $995 (at the top) to just $46 (at the bottom) - I think I'm going for the sweet spot in the middle.

1. Christian Louboutin"Vicky" ankle boots, $995 2. Topshop "Aristocrat" shoe boots, $170 3. Lulu's "Kailin" platform booties, $46

Dresser Decor: A glimpse into my apartment

Even though I've been in my apartment for two months (wow.) it's nowhere near fully decorated. In fact, we only just got a couch and coffee table this past week. My room is pretty consistently a mess, and with minimal space there's not much to see. One space I am proud of right now, though, is my dresser - at least when I can manage to keep it neat. I had an idea of what I wanted my room to look like (remember this post?) and when I started picking up odds and ends for my dwelling, I tried to stick to that black, white, lucite and bright theme.

I started off with a melamine tray from Target and filled it with goodies from the Container Store - a bright pink acrylic box (that houses nail polish), two clear acrylic jars (one for bracelets and one for loose change so that I'm constantly saving for shoes), a white metal cup for brushes and hair clips and a clear acrylic cup for makeup and makeup brushes. Another tray, this one a heavier clear acrylic sits beside it...with more nail polish in it.

(Like the glimpse of my deodorant and night guard case?)

On the other side, I keep my stack of magazines (do I ever not have a stack of magazines) and all my various reading accoutrements (aka my Kindle and iPad). Don't you love my Fair Isle Kindle case? It was a handmade gift from my crafty older sister.

Though I don't have any art on my walls yet, right now I'm content with the picture hanging out with my makeup and jewelry and the jewelry that I've hung up on my wall. In such a small space it's vital to make use of every single inch of space and by hanging my jewelry up, it's both organized neatly and on display in an aesthetically pleasing way. Plus, it makes it super easy for me to put away which curbs my tendency to just throw things wherever is convenient.

It's still a work in progress - just like the rest of my apartment - but I'm glad to see at least one part of my room come together the way I wanted.

Obsession: Madewell Sheep Sweaters

I am not getting over animal prints any time soon. Just when I thought I could love nothing more than hedgehog prints, Madewell did it to me again. With sheep.

Images via Madewell.com

Look, I love sheep. Something about their little woolly bodies and bleating. In elementary school I made a clay sheep that my mother still keeps (and was briefly on display in our town's community center. I know you're jealous). I have a sheep pin that I've had since childhood that I still wear and get compliments on. Sheep are my jam. And so I'm seriously coveting one of these Madewell sweaters (to preorder or not to preorder - that is the question). I just can't decide though - do I want my sheep in a row, or in a pyramid?

When Life Gives You Lemons...

Sweet Lemon Magazine Issue 5 is live! Check it out!

Summer Reading: The Innocents

 One of my favorite things from childhood summers was the public library's summer reading program. You'd get a blank list at the beginning of the summer and fill it out as you read books. When you read the requisite number, you turned in your list for an almost completely useless coupon book. I was a big reader back in those days - time not spent at day camp or at the pool was spent reading. And with 100 pages counting as a 'book,' I could read Harry Potter and fill in multiple slots on my list. The coupons were rarely useful, but I got a lot of joy out of seeing how quickly I could complete my list (and sometimes how many lists I could fill out over the course of a summer). Unfortunately there's no equivalent for adults, such that I can tell, but I'm trying to get the same joy out of reading this summer when I have the time.

I'm not usually one of those people who reads the hot book recommended in magazines, but recently something caught my eye. I was intrigued by The Innocents by Francesca Segal because of its modern retelling of Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence. Here's a little back-story:

In my senior year of high school my English teacher gave us a choice of five books to read - we would list them in preference order and he would assign us to groups. My top choice was Wharton's The House of Mirth, drawn in by the promise of old New York society-based fiction. Instead, I got assigned Thomas Friedman's The Lexus and the Olive Tree (even though there was someone in the House of Mirth group who didn't want to read it. Obviously I'm still outraged by this injustice) - not a bad book, but nonfiction about globalization doesn't quite equal a page turner for me. Last summer when I was in New York, I decided to actually give Wharton a go by snatching up The Age of Innocence on a trip home. I spent afternoons reading in Washington Square Park, but it never got finished, put aside for other pursuits, like reading Helter Skelter (more on my fascination with true crime stories later). This summer I hoped that The Innocents would pull me in and rekindle my interest in finishing the original.

Luckily, it did just that. I finished it this weekend while lying on my stomach on a beach towel in Washington Square Park (back to old haunts) and I can say that it sufficiently whetted my appetite for the original tome. The London-set drama made me yearn to read the period New York version to recognize the streets I walk daily among the pages. I need to know how the updated version compares to Wharton's. I feel the same kind of urgency that I did all those summers ago filling out my reading list - now that I've finished one book, I just can't wait to pick up another.

Animal Print Obsession: Hedgehog Hegemony

Animal prints are just about everywhere now, but there's one little critter I couldn't help noticing: the hedgehog.

Back when I was in high school and desperate for a pet (there are dog allergies in my family that prevented us from getting another dog and a cat was completely out of the question) there was a time when I thought the perfect creature to fill the hole in my life was a hedgehog. I didn't end up with a little hedgehog friend, but I still think they're pretty darn cute. I fell in love with the Kate Spade hedgehog pieces, but at those prices (that iPad case is $85) the animals were once again out of my reach. So of course I was thrilled to see Asos' take on hedgehogs, this time on a sweater. Sure, the little guys are a bit cartoon-ier, but they're no less cute. And at only slightly above $50, these are some hedgehogs that might actually be able to make it into my home.

Fun fact: I learned the word hegemony from the Ender's Game series

Stopshop

Or, Why Summer's not Taking any More of my Money

One of the realities of New York is that it's a serious money drain. On top of the higher cost of living (rent, food, etc.) there's the constant lure of restaurants that deliver, $15 cocktails with friends, shopping for a new outfit (the H&M and Zara down the street from my office are a consistent temptation)... the list goes on. We all know that I have a hard time resisting a good buy, but this summer I'm on a mission. Seeing as how I basically hate summer weather (an opinion that was justified by this past week's oppressively disgusting heat and humidity) I've decided not to buy any summer clothes unless it's absolutely necessary. The truth is that all my summer clothes just get gross and sweaty, and half the time I'm just throwing on a dress and a pair of sandals before calling it a day. I'd much rather save my money for other things, like gelato and fall clothes.

Fall is my favorite season to dress for once the temperature drops from summer highs into the comfortable chill of mornings in the high 40s and afternoons in the low 60s. When the weather gets hot, I'm either dreaming of being on a beach somewhere or dreaming of sweaters. And since the racks that fill the halls of my office are displaying wool coats and we're discussing boots while the temperature hovers around 90 degrees, I'm experiencing some major winterlust. So I'm saying no. No to sales at H&M, no to another sleeveless sundress, no to dropping my hard-earned money on something that will only be worn during the summer and then tucked away until next June. Instead, I'm saving my pennies for fall, fun and, let's be honest, weekend gelato lunches. Wish me luck!