Daily Steal: sneaker heel

Can you guess what my favorite movie in middle school was? Spice World, you say? How'd you know?! Remember Sporty Spice and her sneaker wedges? Truly a fashion icon and, now, the sneaker heels are back in full force thanks to some incredible styles by Isabel Marant and Giuseppe Zannoti.

 

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As a single gal living in the mean streets of NYC's East Village, my shoes must meet some specific and important criteria: I mean, how quickly do you think these chic gals could run away from potential muggers/rapists in their Isabel Marant sneaker heels? Pretty darn fast, I bet!

 

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But, if you're like me and don't want to spend a ton of money (read: over $100) on a what's sure to be a short-lived trend, then this version of the sneaker heel by Aldo is the shoe for you. And, bonus, it's on sale! The tan is $32.49 and the black is $44.99. And P.S. Use this code for an extra 10% off until March 15th! "LUCKYU31511" What's not to love?

 

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I must be crazy for loving this trend... I'm telling you, it's the red hair!

Photo Journal: St. Martin

About the same time every year, give or take a few weeks, my family and I take a quick weekend getaway to St. Martin. It is such a wonderful and relaxing time and I look forward to flying south every year. The sun and the sand (and the tequila and rum!) are the perfect remedies to those growing winter blues. Even though we haven't had much of a winter this year, knock on wood, it's still great to get away for a little and break up the monotony of commute, work, gym, repeat.

I spent much more time lazing around in the ocean and the pool than I did last year and hardly took any photos! Check out last year's photos here.

Do you try to get away at least once a year? Do you go to the same place or do you like to switch it up?

Closet Case: leopard neutrals

I've been saying this for years: leopard print is a neutral. And now the trends are finally catching up and agreeing with me. ;)

I'll admit it: I own too much leopard print (and too many stripes and too many sequins) and I love to pair it with an unexpected print. Floral? Definitely. Stripes? You bet. Polka dots? Of course!

However, when I bought this dress from Anthropologie not too long ago, I wasn't really sure how to wear it. I hemmed and hawed: is it too long in the front? Can I wear this with flats? Should this be worn with flats? Is the fishtail weird? Should I have removed the tag? Can I still return it?

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Until, of course, I put on my leopard wedges! Combine that with a matching belt and it looks funky and cool (and like you put this look together on purpose), not like a strange fashion experiment gone awry (when all you packed for vacation were leopard wedges).

 

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What do you think? Is leopard as a neutral a fashion faux pas or something you can't wait to try?

Beauty Board: signature look

The other day I was lining my lids with eyeliner when I thought about signature looks. Is there an item of make-up that you have to put on otherwise you don't feel like yourself? Be it bronzer, mascara, or lipstick?

I don't have a "signature look" per se, but I hate to leave the house without mascara on. I look more awake when my lashes are at full attention. There was a point when I wore eyeliner every day, but lately I've been experimenting more with shadows and placement of eye makeup (for instance, the other night, I coated the outer corners of my eyes with a shimmery brown shadow, both on the lid and under my bottom lashes).

Check out this blog by make-up artist Annamarie for some great tutorials on tons of different looks.

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 So, tell me, do you have a signature look or do you like to mix it up?

New York Fashion Week: Zac Posen

On Sunday evening, my sister and I were lucky enough to attend the Zac Posen fashion week show. He was very inspired by Asian culture and it was fun to see the models up close and personal... but be careful! If you breathe too heavily on them, they may blow away or snap in half!

All the pieces were beautifully tailored and I loved the evening gowns at the end. Some of the most gorgeous parts of Zac Posen's looks, though, were the details from the back. There were bustles and intricate ruchings! And, unfortunately, none of the professional shots got those angles. And my iPhone just wasn't up for the task. Those lights are bright!

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The best part was seeing all the magazine editors... Anna Wintour, Joe Zee, all the names were in attendance. And some celebrity, too: Kate Mara and Dita Von Teese! It was a fun experience and I'm glad I was able to go.

But the burger at P.J. Clarke's after the show was obviously the highlight of the night!! ;)

P.S. Happy Valentine's Day, friends. Hope you have a great day either on your own or with your loved one. xoxo.

What I'm Reading: Around the World in 80 Dinners

Around the World in 80 Dinners: The Ultimate Culinary Adventure by Cheryl and Bill Jamison is a great read for those of us with wanderlust and eyes equal in size to or bigger than our stomachs.

A married couple, who came into their foodie fame by writing cookbooks, decide to use their frequent flyer miles to organize a three-month tour of global cuisine, starting in Bali and including destinations like Australia and South Africa. With lists of hotels and restaurants for each stopover, as well as a specialty recipe from each locale, an around the world trip with a focus on eating (but that goes without saying) is now officially on my bucket list.

Who's with me?

Notice how the book gets closer and closer to my face... A good caption for this series may be, "Hmmm... fooooood."

Statement: Fruit for Thought

It's lunchtime and I'm thinking about food. Of course. I'm always thinking about food. So, I'm taking a cue from the Stella McCartney Spring/Summer 2011 runway, and putting some food for thought into my clothes. (Was that too contrived? Probably.)

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And let me introduce you to my least favorite "fashion phrase" of all time: from runway to real way. Ugh, stop saying this. But, alas, it applies here. Tommy Ton snapped two chic ladies during one of the European fashion weeks not too long ago. I love the banana skirt (Prada) paired with the tough black accessories.

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And if you want to get in on this fruit bowl yourself, here's a fun shirt by RVCA at Urban Outfitters for $79.

Am I cuckoo for cocoa puffs for loving this lemony shirt? Is it too late for this trend? Is it so last summer??

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I think having red hair is making me a crazy person... for instance, today I'm wearing a mullet sweater (shorter in the front than the back) with sequins and stripes on it over a full A-line mini skirt paired with tights (duh, it's cold outside) and grey cowboy booties. And I have a first date tonight!

Let me eat (and dress) in peace, won't you?

P.S. Want to see what I'm wearing on the reg (ie: the aforementioned mullet sweater) and  track the ratio of weird outfits to redhair? Check out my tumblr.

Obsession: sweetly tough

I love contrasts: blue and orange; glitter and skulls; sweetly flushed cheeks and kohl-rimmed eyes; toile and grommets; hearts and studs. So, after a busy weekend full of birthday parties, David Guetta concerts, and Super Bowl festivities, a simple but visually interesting outfit is necessary on a Monday morning when you may have hit the snooze button one or two more times than you should have...

J.Crew heart-printed button-down, Joe's Jeans black pants, Zara studded booties.

What contrasts do you love and what's your go-to crap!-I-overslept morning formula?

Statement: Shark Attack

Isn't it crazy that Shark Week is one of the most anticipated weeks of the year? Considering how most people are afraid of sharks, I mean? Some of them certainly look like scary creatures, but it's 30 times more likely for you to be killed by lightning than a shark. Isn't that crazy?

A few years ago, my siblings and I wanted to do a shark dive while we were in South Africa, but inclement weather put a stopper in our plans. But the next best thing is to deck yourself out with shark-laden accessories, right?

Sara Beltran, the lovely woman pictured above and the designer behind the gorgeous jewels of Deszo, is truly inspired by the sea: her jewelry line features shark teeth and her collaborative line Samudra brings the wonder of the ocean and its creatures to cotton canvas pouches. And while a pouch with sharks or palm trees normally would be deemed a summer item only, I love how she's paired hers with a wool peacoat for a rounded winter look. Perfect for all seasons!

Images from Samudra and Refinery29.

Closet Case: sweater weather

One day it's 14 degrees out and the next it's 53... but I shouldn't complain because the warm days make me so happy. :)

But dressing for this vacillating temperatures isn't easy. I mean, take today for example: it's 52 and sunny out. I packed my blazer in my purse this morning so I wouldn't overheat while walking between subways! I could've had it so much easier, though, since this weather is where sweaters come in handy. Light cotton blends, heavy chunky knits, thick or thin cashmere... there's a sweater for all types of weather.

Just check out these options from Anthropologie:

 

 

How wintry and cozy do the first two look and how perfect are the final two for those weird weather days?

Images from Anthropologie.