I read that these preppy little bracelets by Kiel James Patrick are going to be feature in an upcoming Gossip Girl. I can totally envision Blair rocking one of the girly pieces... and myself too now that I think about it. They're affordable ($20-$30) and are a great accessory for the collegiate/ivy league style. I'm a sucker for customization so I like that you can pick from tons of fabrics & colored buttons to give it your own flair.
xoxo, lauren
Kate Lanphear, the resident Fashion Director at ELLE Magazine has such a distinct personal style. She is always rocking baggy white tees, slightly baggy and worn blue jeans, and a snug fititng black leather jacket or vest. It seems like Alexander Wang has even applied a bit of her basics mixed with high end fashion sense to his latest collections which have a very similar feel.
Her Le Cheap, C'est Chic editorial for ELLE seems to be styled exactly like her day to day wardrobe, which I love. It seems that she must have a closet full of her staples that she just mixes and matches from day to day. It's a look she pulls off wonderfully and has inspired many fashion lovers whether they realize it is her work or not!
xoxo, lauren
When I got my new issue of Nylon in the mail i had an instant flashback.. summer 2006, the height of my O.C. obsession. It was so nice to see Mischa Barton and read about what she's been up to. Fast forward to this summer.. i've been watching re-runs of the O.C. on Soap Net and yet again lusting over Marissa Cooper's relaxed beachy style.
Even though her style is now a couple years old, her character on the show still offers some great fashion inspiration..
Remember the colorful short sleeved jackets and baleros she paired with jeans?
The way she braided her hair into a headband that we all attempted to recreate but never quite succeded?
The way she pretty much introduced bohemian to viewers with her long prairie skirts & floaty tops?
We've missed you Marissa Cooper.
xoxo, lauren
high waisted sailor trousers & gold medallion belt
a Betsey Johnson-esque rosebud print tiered dress
A silk Diane von Furstenburg tunic & rust colored suede boots
xoxo, lauren
I've always loved the risk-taking stylish residents of Miami. They aren't afraid of wearing outfits a little bright or crazy & I happen to find that very admirable in a fashionista. I found Tres Street Chic, a street stlye blog based out of Miami.
Tommorow I leave for South Beach for the weekend to volunteer backtage at Mercedes Benz Swim Fashion Week. I wish I could tell you all about it, but I'm kindaaa sworn to secrecy about everything I see. Anywho, I'm incredibly excited & hope this is the first of many fashion weeks I get to attend! So have a good weekend my lovely readers. I'll come back with some of my own street style pictures to share with you
xoxo, lauren
Every year the Council of Fashion Designers of America (C.F.D.A.) nominates 10 up-and-coming designers to be a potential winner of mentorship from industry professionals and $200,000 to put towards their company.
Albertus Q. Swanepoel for Albertus Quartus: A milliner that has constructed detailed hats and headpieces for runway shows for Proenza Schouler, Betsey Johnson, and Thakoon.
Alejandro Ingelmo: A hot new high-end women's shoe designer. He likes sky-high platform heels in bright colors. Could he be the next generation's Manolo Blahnik?
Alexander Wang: My personal favorite. He's known for his billowy and modern sillhouettes. The clothes are super-wearable and could perfectly find their way into anyone's wardrobe.
Irene Neuwirth: A jewelry designer known for her red carpet ready jewels. Her pieces have already gained popularity with celebrities like Angelina Jolie.
Jason Wu: This designer got his start designing barbie doll dresses. His flirty full-size dresses in daring colors and new styles do not disappoint.
Juan Carlos Obando: An advertising creative director turned designer. His gowns evoke an elegant and clasic look a la 50's screen sirens.
Swaim and Christina Hutson for Obedient Sons & Daughters: Androgynous suits tailored to perfection.. Business wear for the ultimate fashionista.
John Patrick for Organic: As one of the movers and shakers of the eco-fashion movement Patrick is a designer ahead of his time and an inspiration to others.
Richard Chai: With a Target collection due to hit stores very soon this designer seems well on his way to attracting worldwide attention.
Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock for Vena Cava: This dynamic duo creates beautiful feminine looks with experimental colors and prints.
I'm very interested to see who comes out as the winner this year! All of the nominees seem very deserving!
xoxo, lauren
During the summer I like my hair to be as low maintenance as possible. I usually let my hair dry into somewhat messy, beachy waves. This homemade recipe works, but fekkai & bumble and bumble have their own bottled surf sprays as well. During the summer it's easy to just go with the flow than to fight the humidity. The less product and styling, the better your hair will hold up in the summer heat.
Check out this kitschy "vintage" ELLE 2004 Doutzen Kroes editorial for more surfer girl inspiration. The day-glo colored surfwear is pretty kooky.
xoxo, lauren
College Students run into the same decorating problems year after year. They rent a place or live in a dorm where they are forbidden to paint or sometimes even nail things to the wall. No one wants to feel like they are trapped in a jail cell for the school year. Luckily, I have a stylish solution for you: Wall decals.They are removable, and come in dozens of colors and hundreds of styles.
The above designs are just a few that caught my eye (all created by Etsy users). Last year in my sad excuse for a dorm room, my roommate brightened up our room with the bird decals from urban outfitters. It's amazing how much they add to a room and make it feel cozy and comfortable. At an affordable price & much less commitment than painting.. these sticky wonders work magic. I reccomend putting them on your back to school list!
xoxo, lauren
There's lots of sizzling summer deals going on right now (doesn't that sound like a car commerical? haha). Check these out!
This month Quiksilver Inc. releases surf brand Roxy's grown-up counterpart, Quiksilver for Women [Edit: the collection is now available here]. While most of Roxy's clothes focus on loud prints & bright colors, this brand will maintain the carefree surfer spirit but, with a more classic feminine look.
From the preview of the collection, the clothes don't seem to be anything particularly groundbreaking, but they definitely fit the aesthetic of the surfer girl's downtown, going out look. In the press release Quiksilver Inc. says this line is focused on women ages 18-24. I think this label could definitely bring on some more fans to the Quiksilver bandwagon. The clothes have a casual yet put together feel to them.
I spotted a street style photo of the designer on ELLE.com, and it seems that she's brought a lot of her own personal style to the line. I always think it's interesting to see the face behind the name.
xoxo, lauren
For those of us living in the United States tommorow is Independence Day! A day filled with lots of American flags, patriotic songs, cookouts, and fireworks.. I'm getting excited just thinking about it! It's going to be nice to spend some quality time with the family.
Take cues from the Chanel spring/summer 2008 show and put on your red, white & blue. Show off your pride in denim, eyelet, and horizontal stripes; an easy way to achieve the look- Extra points for bright red lipstick! I'm planning on rocking some denim shorts & a floaty white tee.
Have a happy 4th of July everyone!
xoxo, lauren
Tommorow I leave for a good old family vacation.. i'm so anxious to do some boating on the lake, roast some s'mores, and watch the annual hometown fourth of july parade. After a hefty amount of summer vacations over the years i've realized that it is in fact possible to travel fashionably. You just have to balance comfort & style to become one of the jetset.
I reccommend avoiding the juicy sweats & instead picking a sundress that won't wrinkle too easily paired with a lightweight cardigan in case its chilly on the plane. Although i'm always tempted to rock my heels wherever I go, realistically flats are a much smarter choice.
Also, I seem to get an extremely short attention span in airports so I usually stock up on some fashion magazines or bring along some summer reading. My only problem is overpacking & those awful fines for excessively heavy suitcases! Now I just need to work on the whole not packing half my wardrobe thing..
xoxo, lauren
Do you dream about working in the fast-paced, glossy world of magazine publishing? Do you have a passion for fashion and journalism?
