Boots, My Fave Part of "Fall"

*The term "Fall" is being thrown around loosely here, as it's 85 degrees out and it's early November.  Go home LA weather, you're drunk.*

In preparation for "fall,"  I've started with my annual boot-shopping spree.  Here's my haul so far:

[Gray suede boots- Steve Madden.  Black low ankle boots- F21.  Black platform beauties- Zara.]

I swear I catch a whiff of pumpkin spice-flavored anything and it makes me gag.  I also hate the bulkiness created by layering winter clothes. Boots are the only redeeming thing about fall.   I am STOKED on my new Zara platform lug sole boots.  Leather pants + drapey fur.  Black tights + green plaid for a holiday look.  Silver glittery tights + black collared shirt dress for a (barely appropriate) work look.  So many fab possibilities!

Posh Spice

Dear God, Buddha, Darth Vader, or whatever is up above:

If I ever lose my mind and decide to have kids, please let me be half as glam as Posh Spice.

Seriously, this pic is from the late 90s and she still looks classic.

J. Crew Obsession

I have written in a previous post about my newfound affinity for the Jenna Lyons-helmed J. Crew.  Here's a toned-down version of an inspired look, that I rocked for a beautiful mimosa brunch with friends last weekend:

[Necklace, denim top, pleated skirt- J. Crew, Yellow silk clutch is vintage J. Crew.  Rose gold watch- Marc by Marc Jacobs.  Patent stiletto pumps- Nine West. Pointless story about these pumps:  These are a knock of the Manolo Blahnik model, which I actually own in black.  They look and feel exactly the same, despite a wide price disparity.  I was in Court the other morning for a hearing, and another attorney asked if they were Ferragamo.  These shoes are ubiquitous.  I should've just picked up a knock off version of the black pair as well.]

Here's my best impressions of Jenna Lyons, neither of which ever made it out the front door:

Vintage Dream

The other night, I had a vivid, crazy dream with this cool image that kept cropping up.  I'm pretty sure I saw an art piece like this in passing somewhere, and it just never left me.  I woke up in the middle of the night with the image still etched in my mind, so I busted out a pencil and bristol paper, got the initial sketch going, and went from there.  By about 4 am, this is what I had:

I wasn't going to add a backround, but lately it's been kind of my thing to fill in a weird, unexpected backround color on my paintings.  Gold felt right for this piece.  I have the sickest shimmery gold shade, but I tested it on this type of paper, and it was horrendous.  So I mixed a deep purple shade and threw some make up glitter on it.  Here's the end game:

This ended up reminding me of my friend Danette, because she loves vintage fashion from this time period.   Danette is my old college roomate.  She has become one of my BFFs, and is one of the kindest, most understanding and supportive people I know.  She's one of those people you can count on for anything.  Over the years, she has proven to be an especially thoughtful and creative gift-giver.  From a pile of amazing books carefully picked to fit my personality, to a Paris-themed gift basket, to a surprise housewarming care package.  I definitely dropped the ball when I got her and her husband a stupid  knife set for their wedding.  So I handed this off to Danette for her early BDay present this year.  It's more her vibe anyway.

Style Envy: Jenna Lyons

I have never been a huge fan of J. Crew.  My friend Michael used to be a walking J. Crew ad, and he had incredible style, so I can say I am a fan of the men's line.  For the women's side, I always just lumped Banana Republic and J. Crew in the same category.  It's all nice clothes, professional, inoffensive, maybe a place where I can pop in to grab a dress shirt or suit for work; really nothing special.

Jenna Lyons is the creative director at J. Crew.  She just finished up a guest spot on Girls, as Hannah's stylish and intimidating boss.  I instantly looked up her outfits from the show, and stumbled upon her entire catalog.  Holy. Crap.  This woman is so unbelievably chic!  After analyzing the looks she chooses for herself, I looked at the back catalogs for J. Crew, and these images really clicked with me.  She really incorporates herself into her work.  Everything she personally wears could easily show up, piece by piece, on paper in the lookbook.

The way she styles herself encompasses everything I love about fashion, and so much of what I have been writing about on this blog.

Here are two separate looks incorporating a lovely fur coat.  It works so well in a formal setting, and also in a more dressed-down setting.

The layering with this fur vest is so interesting.  The cross body bag in both looks is a perfect touch.

The contrast of this plain button up shirt with patterns that I would never think to pair it with.  Somehow, it works!  

R.I.P. Vogue

It is not realistic to expect someone I really like on every cover of Vogue.  I don't think Rhianna or Jennifer Lopez are ever good choices for high fashion.  Kate Upton is pretty low-rent as well.  But Kim Kardashian?  I think Buffy said it best:

Vogue is an institution.  Anna Wintour is the IRL Devil who wears Prada.  When I think of Vogue, I think of old school Sex and the City, I think of the era of the classic supermodel, I think of Chanel suits, I think of McQueen ball gowns, I think of the ideal of cutting edge splendor and luxury.  Here are things that will be forever associated with Kim Kardashian: a sex tape, BeBe, and Sears.

Anna Wintour has stated on record that she regrets putting the Spice Girls on the cover in the late 90s.  I understand that a lot of people hated that cover, and argued that the Spices were not representative of the Vogue ideal.  I loved that cover, but then again I was 12 when that cover came out and my bedroom was plastered in Spice memorabilia.  I am trying to be understanding here, but let's be honest, Victoria Beckham would rather gnaw off a foot than collaborate with Sears.

I'll be surprised if the Kardashian taint ever leaves.  Here are some classic covers to mourn what used to be the authority on high-end fashion and luxury. #RIP

[I know it's a Paris cover, but I've seen this image before and I adore it.]

[I remember seeing this issue on the newstand and thinking Madonna as Evita was so glam.]

[Of course I have to include this one.]

Style Envy: Diane Kruger

Diane Kruger was Frau Hammersmark in Inglourious Basterds.  I have no idea what else she has been in, but every time I see pics of her at events, her look is impeccable.

Even for her casual looks, she injects a certain European element.  The best I can describe this, is the ability to mix severely contrasting pieces and making the outfit as a whole look wearable.  This is something I have been trying to master with my own look over the past few years.  I love what she did with the prom skirt here, you barely even notice that the skirt is such a formal piece:

[Cropped T-shirt/ Prom skirt combo.  Stripes/ Patterned bag/ Python sandals combo.  Perfection.]

[Vintage-y dress/ sneakers combo is so offbeat and chic.  How is it possible to be so cute???]

This evening look.  OMG, I die.

[Every element of this look is flawless.  The red lip and nails are the perfect finishing touches.]