••• high and low in new york city •••
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••• GRANT’S TOMB •••
On President’s Day we were feeling particularly patriotic, so we trained up to West 116th and walked to Grant’s Tomb on 123rd St. (Strangely, I never realized this was in the city!) The building is impressive for a “tomb,” with a classical dome and massive Doric columns in front. The interior is peaceful with its subtle ambient light and lack of patrons—-even on President’s Day we saw a total of 5 visitors for the hour that we were there. Grant and his wife really are “entombed” in the circular crypt below the main level (not “buried”—-the origin of the joke). We rounded out the holiday by finally going to see Lincoln at the theater :)
For this excursion, I wore my recent work-week go-to—-an outfit I put on when I’m too tired to be creative, but need to pep myself up with color and silk: a Rag & Bone dress with a bright photographic pattern, and black tights. I was told recently this is a Dries Van Noten rip-off (loudly, in the middle of my office), but since I got it two years ago, I’m not so sure :/ Atop, I wore a Trina Turk faux fur coat and accessorized with my floppy hat and some gold necklaces. The long one is a Forever 21 find I altered to wear as a belt most of the time, and the short “smile” necklace came from a great boutique on Hawthorne Blvd. in Portland called Cassidy Jewelry.
[Prada bag, Rag & Bone boots, American Apparel hat, Tiffany’s silver bracelet, Alexis Bittar gold bracelet, Gucci sunglasses, Spanx tights]
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••• FEB/MAR IN PRINT •••
As a change of pace, I thought it would be fun to periodically create collages from magazine clippings, showing objects of desire and styles I like (and sometimes dislike). Since we can’t have it all, this is also a productive way to consider which trends to invest in versus those that seem fleeting.
COLOR: Everyone’s been talking about black and white, but I also love these blue and white textiles that are reminiscent of toile patterns and Asian ceramics. And although quite opposite, I’m also drawn to this bright yellowish-green hue Prabal calls “Sulfur” in his LOVE collection for Target. It’s a sophisticated evolution from all of the neon last year (but I still like you, Neon).
PLEATS & PLASTIC: Two styles I know I’ll be seeking out this spring are mini pleats, which add a delicate dimension and texture to long skirts, and clear plastic … well, anything. I love the large cuffs, and if only I could get my hands on this Valentino clear studded raincoat.
SQUARE: I’ve often hypothesized that my affinity for grids in art and graphic design derives from my childhood obsession with Tetris. The obsession continues with this exquisite spring line by Louis Vuitton, featuring bold, high contrast checkerboard patterns. I’m also drawn to the gridded textiles by Chanel (pink suit) and others.
P.S.—-I can still be spotted playing Tetris daily on the train.STOP IT: Seeing so much monochromatic denim this month made my head spin all the way back to 2001, when JT and Britney wore head-to-toe jean more often than not. We’re heading back into dangerous territory with features like Amber Valletta on the ranch in February Vogue, but there’s hope yet with some of the latest looks by J. Brand and Rag & Bone—-who insert varied color and pattern to break up the monotony. Prada, I have nothing to say to you.
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••• NEMO, EAST VILLAGE •••
Saturday morning, New Yorkers woke up to a snow-packed yet bright and sunny city. I looked forward to walking around in the snow, but most of the sidewalks were already shoveled by the time we made it outside. One of the few untouched areas in our neighborhood was the park block at Chrystie and Houston, where a few people had built some gimpy snowmen.
I headed out in my red (everyone else calls it “orange”) APC wool coat, layered over a colorful See by Chloe sweater and white sleeveless blouse. I also debuted my black fur hat, which Adam thinks looks like an Elvis wig … maybe he has a point after looking at these pictures! This blue Gryson bag was another treasure unearthed in my closet during my recent visit home, yay.
I’m running out of coats to share, so here’s to hoping this cold weather subsides soon!
[Paige Jeans, Maison Scotch blouse, LL Bean boots, Aqua hat, Marc Jacobs sunglasses]
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••• EAST RIVER •••
It’s been harder and harder to get out over the past two weeks due to the streak of cold weather, but last weekend we braved the sub-20-degree temperatures to check out the East River. The last time we were here was the day after Hurricane Sandy; the ground was covered with debris and uprooted trees, and homeless squirrels ran around looking hungry and confused. After 3 months, I was surprised to see how much evidence of the storm remained (including the hoards of squirrels). Life goes on in Manhattan, but it was a good reminder that many people are still dealing with the aftermath.
The goal this week was staying warm, so I immediately went for my reliable Jean Paul Gaultier blue puffy coat. I found it for half-off in a Tokyo boutique in 2008, and still can’t bring myself to replace it after so many years. Underneath, I wore my striped Sonia Rykiel sweater dress, which I bought right before graduate school in 2004. A few years ago I was devastated to find it riddled with moth holes, but I took it to the amazing Alice Zotta and she was able to completely restore the knit despite the rare hot pinks and oranges. My Vintage Shoe Company suede boots don’t have a story, though I got them at Tani where I always find interesting shoes. I suppose it was “vintage” day!
My necklace is an unpolished crystal-y stone bordered with gold from a jewelry maker at Artists & Fleas in Williamsburg, but unfortunately it didn’t photograph well up-close :/ Other accessories included my New Wayfarer sunglasses, a Steven Alan handbag (blue and brown—my favorite color combo!) and $1 cutoff gloves from Kmart.
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••• LAZY SUNDAY, EAST VILLAGE •••
Last Sunday our plan to visit Flushing was foiled again by the unreliable 7 train. As experienced during my 6-month stint in Woodside-Sunnyside, the 7 train rarely runs on weekends, stranding Queens residents on a regular basis. But we took advantage of this setback by sticking close to home and taking a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood, followed by brunch at The Smith and grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s.
I was really excited recently when I found this Forever 21 skirt that combines several styles I’ve been seeking out: sheer, maxi, high-low and ombré (or “gradient,” as non-French people called it before 2012). Ironically, the 1998 Laundry prom dress I unearthed during my latest visit home channeled the same look—it’s true that all trends circle back around! I covered the elastic waste with a wide Prada belt, and toned down the transparency with neutral gray stirrup “pantyhose.” It’s always a challenge to pair skirts and tops without looking frumpy, so I had to try on eight different shirts before settling on this old Thomas Pink silk Chinese-inspired blouse. I kept my jewelry simple with my favorite necklace of all time: a gold “Credit Suisse” pendant I got from my mother on my 28th birthday. It was a gift to her from her father; he found it in Hong Kong in the 1970s and bought one for each of his three daughters.
The East Village may be the setting for the next few posts unless the weather warms up significantly. 12 degrees… painful! -
••• FINANCIAL DISTRICT •••
This past weekend we cabbed it downtown, waaay downtown, to one of our favorite spots in Lower Manhattan: a hidden green space two stories above FDR drive and sandwiched between several office buildings near Old Slip street. I love the juxtaposition of new towers and historic buildings, like the old police headquarters (now the New York City Police Museum—-stone edifice pictured above). During the weekend there are rarely any people around and views of the water are perfect.
What better location than the Financial District to wear my “Japanese Office Lady Meets Japanese Schoolgirl” look? It doesn’t hurt that sheer dark nylons have come back into style, this is exciting news since they’re so much more flattering than opaque tights, which seem to turn my legs into flat, black lumps. This Marc by Marc Jacobs dress has sat in my closet with its original tags since 2007, but I recently pulled it out determined to figure out how to give it more shape—-a thin belt did the trick. I glammed up the look with a faux fur Jordache coat I found at Red Light in Portland. Since it was received with such overwhelmingly positive reviews at an 80s birthday party, I decided to insert it into my 2013 wardrobe. The folds of the jacket transition nicely into the pleats of the dress.I finished off the look with a few bracelets—-this prissy striped bow bangle goes well with the theme—-and some black pumps. On a recent mission to find basic, go-with-everything heels, I found these suede Pierre Hardy’s; I knew I had to have them when I saw the shiny architectural heel that makes them a little more unique than other styles I’ve seen.Flushing is still on the radar![Coach bow bracelet, Gucci sunglasses] -
••• 5 POINTZ (sort of) •••
Ah 5 Pointz … If you’ve ever ridden the 7 train into Queens, you’ve probably emerged from the dark tunnel and seen this monument to graffiti. When I lived in Woodside-Sunnyside in 2007 I was so intrigued by the iconic building that I cavalierly decided to rent a studio space there for several months. Despite my fantasies of spending all my free time with a paintbrush in hand, I ended up avoiding the place with stubborn conviction (kind of like the time I joined Equinox for 6 months and never went once. No seriously, not once). I digress…
Adam and I thought this would be a fun location to shoot; so after donning my brightest, 80s-inspired jacket, we made our way to Long Island City. There were more people taking pictures in the area than I would have hoped, but I did my best to get into character and put on a convincing pouty face. After a few minutes, we were approached by an Italian(?) woman: “don’t you SEE all of the signs around here? [we hadn’t] You need permission to take pictures if you plan to publish them.” With a following of 2 friends “publish” is pretty generous. However, she was nice enough to tell us about a wall across the street that was royalty free, and a fine specimen of street art to boot. So these are the images we were allowed to show.
For such a colorful setting, I decided to wear my purple and gold Moschino Cheap n’ Chic puffer (c. 2004). It kind of goes with everything and nothing at all, so I just paired it with some dark jeans and a silk patterned Gryphon T that tapers in the back. My favorite part of this outfit was the multicolored plastic clutch I found in Portland, adorned with a fur neckwarmer I bought years ago in Tokyo. Initially, the bag was just a place to hang my scarf when I got too hot, but after several strangers admired the combo, I went with it. Lastly, I wore my beloved clear and white Gucci sunglasses, they’re kind of beat up but I’ve never been able to find another pair like them. Ok, this post just descended into label whore territory, apologies :/ Next up, Flushing!
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••• EAST VILLAGE •••
The first weekend of the New Year was a relaxing one. Taking cues from my close-to-home Portland posts, we spent time enjoying our own “front yard”: our second floor fire escape that sometimes doubles as a patio (great for people watching). Later, we wandered around the neighborhood window shopping and eating dollar pizza. It’s good to be back!One highlight from my trip home was finding this old letterman’s cardigan with my name embroidered on a giant “E” patch. In the 80s, my mum was a designer at a knitting company called Dehen’s that specialized in cheerleading uniforms, letterman jackets and rugby shirts (remember those?) She had the cardi made for me one Halloween to go with my cheerleader costume, and though it used to reach my knees, I was surprised and delighted to find that it still fit! Underneath, I wore a great eyelet blouse my sister bought for me in a Thai market last year, and finished the look with my basic Diesel jeans and new lace-up wooden wedges from Rag & Bone. I swear I’m not trying to be the R & B poster girl, but I’m just so obsessed with their look.[Prada bag. On Adam: Rag & Bone cardigan, Woolrich jacket]
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