A look for Heathum

My girlfriend asked me "what's new in the jean world?" And I instantly got visions in my head of clothes I would love to try on her. Yes, I'm seeking help for these visions in my head... but in the meantime I figure I'll indulge myself by writing a blog post just for her!

Heather is about 5'9", but she's a skinny minnie! With a tiny waist and a lean frame with legs that go on forever, she's definitely a stylist's dream! Even after a baby, to us, her friends, she looks exactly the same as she did pre-preggers (truth!).

So here's a suggested outfit for my Heathum, just a concept of two styles of the same look that I drew:



Starting with the jeans:



National Jean Company - A Pocket Fit Flare Jean in Vintage Allston. $245.00 (but 20% off with the code "grechen")

For the cool, casual, "mom on the go," I would suggest these Seven Fit 'n Flare jeans. Lucky for Heather, who doesn't have a corporate dress code to abide by, she can go with a few stylish tears in her jeans.

My take on tears: I don't like overboard tears for casual wear. Maybe if you're trying to make a statement at a fancy dinner or a casual club, I would wear skinny jeans with crazy tears (best when they're NOT in style - lends more to the rebel vibe :). But little tears like this I think will never go out of style when paired with equally casual top and accessory pieces.

Another thing about these jeans - they look best on women with long legs. On me, the knee on a pair like this would hit my shin! I have a pair of dark wash Seven jeans that are similar, with small knee tears, that I love to run errands in, but I had to hem them. For Heather's slim legs, jeans that "fit" at the thigh and "flare" towards the ankle are best so she doesn't look like she's drowning in the jeans.

Another jean for a more polished look, and a brand I personally ADORE: J Brand.


J Brand - 722 Lightweight Lovestory Bell Bottom ($188), 20% off with "grechen"

Worn by Jessica Alba, Rhianna, etc. etc., these are definitely one of the "celebrity jeans." But seriously, I know why. It's because they fit like a dream!

And to top off the outfit, who styles casual-comfy-chic better than James Perse? Either of these will do:


Not the most economical choices... but we're still in fantasy land aren't we? Brace yourself:
James Perse Oversized Cotton Shirt, $195, net-a-porter.com. James Perse Sheer Cotton Shirt, $195, www.saksfifthavenue.com.

My philosophy on basics: These prices might seem ridiculous, and they probably are for most so I'm not saying buy these specific pieces, but I would definitely call this shirt a basic. And, contrary to intuition, I would invest MORE on basics than on trend pieces. Quality basics go a reeally long way when it comes to both surviving seasons and looking polished.

The flare of the jeans with these tunic styles will really create curves and movement for the very tall and thin. You can even cinch it with a belt if you're feeling fancy. Or throw it on and roll up your sleeves before you run errands. The loose fit keeps it casual and effortless, but you will look great! Sheer is very in right now, and pairing the white shirt with a camisole underneath, experiment with the color :), or even wearing a nude bra and daring to wear it with nothing under (lingerie-inspired) along with a blazer would be SO hot, such as:



Elizabeth and James, Double Breasted Blazer, $395.00, shopbop.com.

Personally, I think if you found a brown jacket, that might go even better. This is definitely an "in your dreams" pricetag, as is everything else in this post, but if you're looking for something different but casual still, this might fit the bill:



Lela Rose Cashmere Safari Jacket, $995, shopbop.com.

The details here are so unique! From the shoulder panels to the cinch-me or don't cinch-me belt, to the collar that can be worn up or down to the hint of metal in the button and belt details... And this jacket will contrast well with the simplified elements of the rest of your outfit. You can throw this on over just about anything and look very sophisticated. This is definitely an investment piece, and the idea here isn't to buy these specific products, but that classics/quality basics + one investment piece = very polished.

Since Heather is tall, she doesn't wear heels very often. I would suggest any of these very cute flats (to go with her Coach baby bag!):



Coach Skyla Flat, $158.00, coach.com. Coach Honor Flat, $158.00, coach.com.

BUT... I will say - wearing heels with these flare jeans will definitely make you not just very tall, but very hot:


Christian Louboutins, Round-Toe Pump, $625, Neiman Marcus



Of course Love Quotes, go with everything - Love Quotes Linen/Viscose, $79, Singer22.com
I would pick the Bali or Cobalt color (deep blue) with jeans, white or black shirt and pink flats. I would pick cocoshell (brown) or really any color to go with the white shirt and brown flats.

But SERIOUSLY - red scarf with the red shoes, white shirt, either of the jeans, plus blazer? YESSS! :)

So, these are of course not practical suggestions due to the prices. But it's fun to look, isn't it! And hopefully it gave you a style idea or two that maybe you can find in a store at a more reasonable price :)

Gorgeous in YELLOW... Spring 2010?

I've always been interested in clothes, but only recently can I say I've been interested in fashion. And when I say fashion, italics included, I mean not only fashion-as-art, fashion-as-expression, but also fashion-as-buzz. There are so many fashion blogs out there! Is this a big "duh" or what?

Ever since I opened this can of extravagant worms, it became addicting. One blog led to another, one comment led to another blog, and in some cases, links to clothing led to purchase! But don't worry, I'm not in too deep yet. I did notice, however, that I love looking at the fashion shows.

Spring 2010 seems like a long way off, but believe it or not, that's where the buzz is. For those of you that may not follow fashion, the shows feature clothes for the next season. So we saw Fall 2009 back in February (in New York anyway), and Spring 2010 now. And I'm seeing whether the buzz is right: Is yellow going to be the hot color in Spring 2010, just because it's all over the runways now?

I guess we'll wait and see.

In the meantime though, half of me is sold already with Charlize Theron:



What a gorgeous outfit! The gold and even the subtle white on the purse really complements the yellow, and nothing on her looks too gaudy even though you wouldn't think, without looking at this, that gold, yellow and white would go too well together. Just stunning!

Here's a peek at other "yellows" featured on the runway:


Diane von Furstenberg, Spring 2010 RTW


Brian Reyes, Spring 2010 RTW (more greenish than yellow, but I love the structured rouching!)


Zac Posen, Spring 2010 RTW

I actually have a yellow shirtdress that I rocked this past summer, sometimes to work :), and I always got comments on it. Mostly because the yellow was so bright (think Tide bright :) and not muted like Charleze's. I feel so fashion-forward! :)


(dress: From Amsterdam in New York, cardigan: Abercrombie and Fitch [really old but stays in my rotation :)], belt: patent black belt that came from a dress at Ambiance)

I love this dress because I always like unexpected colors that momst people would shy away from. Like this yellow, or when Carrie from Sex and the City would pair rich saturated pink and blue together. (of COURSE I'm a Sex and the City fan...! :)


By the way, the above pic took FOREVER to find. I couldn't find it anywhere until I finally got the right Google phrase: "carrie bradshaw pink knit hat" haha.



I paired this today to go run some errands after work:

(hoodie: Juicy Couture, tee: LnA, pants: HardTail black foldover stretch pants)

So comfortable. And I just loved how I felt in the colors.

Colors make a difference - I wonder if yellow has anything to do with trying to cheer ourselves up given the economic situation? Hmmmm...

80s is back with a vengeance! My lazy-chic shouldered blazer look :)

What was it about 80s and early 90s fashion that made us cringe so much? For me, it was the haircuts. Not that I really remember all that - I was but a toddler :) But still... shudder:



All I know is spandex no longer invokes jokes about Richard Simmons, exaggerated shoulders are no longer for the moms who had shoulder pads in their dresses and suits, and bleached and acid wash and ripped holes and plaid and Raybans are back! Are we seeing something this second go-round that we didn't see the first time, or are we just running out of original ideas?

In an article I read about how to dress for fashion week, the author made a very interesting point - just because you're wearing what's in now, doesn't mean you're being fashion forward.

5. Don’t slave the trends.

Just because something is in when fashion week rolls around doesn’t mean you should devote your entire look to it. Remember, once a trend ships to stores it has been wholesaleing for over 6 months and was designed several months before that. So maybe lace is huge right now, maybe you’ve seen it all over Barney’s Co-op and in the Bloomies catalogue and The View talked about it in their ‘hot trends for Fall’ feature but that doesn’t make it fresh to anyone in the industry. We’ve all been looking at it for the past year!

I’m not saying don’t wear it, I’m saying don’t wear too much of it, i.e. a lace dress with lace fingerless gloves and lace half socks under your open toe booties with a jacket covered in zippers on top (because zippers are everywhere too so you thought it would look totally trendy!). Like most things, a little bit goes a long way.

Just an interesting tidbit that I'd never thought about. Not that I've ever been to a fashion show period (though, duh, I want to go so bad! :), but I'm definitely more interested in how fashion-as-art translates to and inspires fashion-as-expression in the real world. Wear what makes you feel good!

The impetus for this post comes from something that happened to me last night. I was sorting out clothes to hand down to my sister when I came across a suit jacket that I never ever wore because it was slightly too big, and the shoulders had pads in them that I've been too lazy to cut out and alter to fit me. Besides, the suit jacket was $30 and I bought it over a year and a half ago for work.

But when I took it down from the hanger and was about to throw it in the pile, something compelled me to stop and put it on. At the time, I was wearing a pink backless LnA spaghetti strap top and leggings. I loved it! I loved the look! I added my Coach black heels and accessories (my Cobalt Love Quotes scarf or my fake pearl necklace), and tried both long and cropped leggings, and came up with this:




My shoulders in the second set of pictures, plus the leggings - so 80s! I could totally see myself going to a casual gathering or even out somewhere like a museum party. I could even see myself putting on a pair of RayBans!

To give this formal piece (a suit jacket no less!!) that casual vibe, wear it with a tee and a lazy-chic (i coined that term :) accessory underneath. The final touch? Cuff the sleeve!



I can't help it. Maybe I am a slave to trends sometimes.

Maybe I really need to get a real room lamp so everything doesn't come out so blurry!

Love Quotes Look Number... 3?

I've already used my Love Quotes scarves in other posts (SF Outfit, Grey dress), so I'm just going to post one look at a time when I come up with them.

This is the color I haven't yet posted - the Cocoshell Love Quotes scarf.

The tunic/dress is something I picked up at Ambiance San Francisco. I love it because of the texture that the beading creates on the front. So unique! I haven't yet decided what necklace I would pair this with, if any at all! Here is the look with the Love Quotes scarf and my Dolce Vita thong bootie sandals.





I wore this with leggings on a fairly chilly night in Santa Monica this past weekend on a date at the 3rd Street promenade with my boyfriend. I was so comfortable and it was such a perfect outfit for the weather. Don't the folds in the scarf look soo comfortable? Well they are! :)

LnA Skinny Pant, and LnA everything else

I love LnA. Maybe it's because I'm getting into LA fashion right now. Or maybe it's because I'm just craving basics that aren't boring. But I'll get into that in a later post.

I bought the LnA Skinny Pant today at Boutiquetoyou.com. Originally $138, I got it at 20% off using the code "grechen." (By the way, I don't know WHY, but I'm seeing this "grechen" code everywhere! It gives you 20% off at nationaljeancompany.com too!)

But for the life of me, I couldn't find a single search result on Google that reviewed this pair of pants, nor of anyone who owns it! I haven't tried it on myself, so I'm a little worried. And I don't think Boutiquetoyou.com does returns on sale items. We'll see.

Anyway, my motivation was I'm looking for something that looks/feels like a legging, but can be worn as pants. There are a lot of debates out there on whether leggings are tasteful period, but especially on whether leggings can be worn "as pants." My rule is, if it looks good, do it. There are no rules that apply to absolutely everyone because everyone is different. Except for one rule: Camel-toe is ALWAYS a no-go! :) Sorry, that's never going to be in style.

Along this line of thought, I noticed J Brand coming out with "lightweight" legging jeans (Hussein Chalayan for J Brand). I LOVE. And I'm starting to see "legging jeans" everywhere! I know skinny jeans don't fit every body type, but I can't help it - I love the look! By the way, this is a really nice article that talks about skinny, cigarette, and straight jeans and how to wear them with your body type. I'm still a little wary on straight-up leggings that are just printed like jeans. I own a few J Brand and Seven skinny jeans that kind of fit like leggings, and I'd love to try these new ones, but gotta make sure there's frontal coverage. Again, trying to avoid the Camel-toe effect! :)

Another aside: I am not a proponent of "ripped leggings," like LnA Ripped Zipper leggings. I might be able to pull them off; I don't know. And if you can pull it off, good for you. Do it. By all means. I just think it's misleading when they advertise with a model and the "look" is this:




But can you imagine this same pair of hole-y leggings on an average set of legs? hehe



So I figured this LnA Pant would do the trick. I always look for a bit of "classic" in what I buy, rather than JUST following trends. They're pants, not jeans; they're made of 70% Polyester, 22% Rayon, 8% Spandex. And a 28" inseam for a shorty like me (5'1") is music to my ears - this is easily an ankle pant or scrunched up to resemble leggings! Before today, I kept fantasizing about it, and obsessively checking whether it went on sale somewhere. ShopBop and Singer22 were the only places that carried it besides LNAclothing.com, and they didn't have any promotions going on. I missed Singer22's labor day "KEEP25" code. But when I found it at 20% off at Boutiquetoyou.com, I had to have it.

I'll let you know how it fits when it arrives. I may be the only one on the Internet who's bought these pants!


(...okay... admission... I bought a lot of other LnA stuff too. I mean, a lot. Hautelook had a sale today, but the selection was pretty disappointing. I was hoping there would be good stuff and no one would talk about it so I could get first dibs :) Anyway, so yes. Today was shopping day, and I'm not proud of it. I just love LnA's racerback tanks, their pencil skirts, their deep-v tees... I'm enrolling in some kind of 12-step program soon, I swear. The only thing that partially redeems me is I bought everything on sale using relentlessly sought-after coupons and comparing merchants endlessly.)

Casual outfit I wore to work, Day to Night

This is just a quick post on an outfit I wore to work yesterday that easily went from day to night. It's the same green outfit mentioned in my animal print post :)

I seem to recycle these photos often!

Day (office - well, casual office, which is what mine is :) :
(White knit hoodie, DKNY)

Night (happy hour):


Dress: Ella Moss, brown and white shoes: Preview, brown shoes: Nine West, belt: Old Navy, jeans: Seven

It's not always the big brands that make the best looks (but I'll be the first to admit that sometimes they help ;)

To animal or not to animal?

I've heard it said that "every year, the fashion industry tries to convince people that animal prints are wearable, when they're absolutely not."

Whoever said this is absolutely wrong.

Actually, I take that back. Whoever said this is almost absolutely wrong. To me, personality has a lot to do with how wearable animal prints are to each individual. Think Janice from Friends or Fran from The Nanny.



Right, I Googled both of these ladies and for each, the first page of images showed them in animal print. And what are their personalities? Loud, bold, potentially obnoxious, definitely conspicuous women. The kind of women you wouldn't be too surprised to see in head-to-toe animal print.

This is why most people, most people who don't have personalities like these women, steer clear.

Having said that, I agree - head-to-toe print is just too much. But just as you wouldn't want to put too much hot sauce on your buffalo wings (and just as there are people who would), there is a certain amount of animal print that can give your outfit just the right amount of wild.

Even and maybe especially for the more conservative dressers out there, animal print in small doses can give your look an unexpected and bold edge. I tend to stick with the black-and-white variety. The trick is to know how much, where, and when to wear it.

Exhibit A:


This is an example of a nice outfit that doesn't seem outlandish. But, did you know, there's an animal print lurking? Can you find it?

BOOM. It's my necklace!


This is one of my favorite necklaces. I got it an Nordstrom Rack for only $30-something dollars, I believe. It really is seasonless, and a wonderful way to add just a little bit of edge to your ensemble! I have on a green dress by Ella Moss over a pair of worn Seven jeans, slight stretch bootcut (not sure of the kind), I belted my dress at the hip with a basic brown belt from Old Navy, and I have on Preview two-toned belt-buckle shoes from, again, the Rack. They were quite cheap, probably around $70, but they're surprisingly comfortable and cute!

For the slightly more adventurous, let's move on to animal print footwear. While platform animal print shoes may be edging a little too close to Fran-territory for comfort, there is a cute and wonderful compromise that can be found in animal print flats. Case in point, Exhibit B:



(Dress: from Ambiance, comes with belt; Zebra shoes: from Ross, Scarf: Love Quotes in Cobalt)

This LoveQuotes look is going to be featured in my post on the scarves, but I decided to use it here too. (By the way notice the blue that's similar to the Jessica Stroup outfit in my previous post? :)

These adorable little zebra flats were spotted at Ross for a measly $20, on clearance. They're not the best quality, but they've actually lasted me for OVER A YEAR now. I've thrown them on with a basic black dress, or with skinny jeans, just to give my outfit a little bit of punch. In general, if you're going to have one statement animal print piece in black and white, go with a grayscale color scheme and choose ONE color to pop. In the case above, the dress and black patent belt are the grays, the blue is the pop. Instead of blue, imagine pink plus the greyscale. Or red!

If you're doing a colored animal print piece, or leopard/tiger print (brave soul, you!), stick with one other solid color. An all-black outfit - perhaps black skinnies, black crew tee, black flats (or maybe red flats or pumps if you're trying to make a statement) with a leopard or tiger print scarf - would be very cute and reminiscent of old Hollywood.

Here's a practical reason to get into animal print: You'll never mistake your luggage for someone else's at the airport! Exhibit C:



I love wheeling around this Betseyville by Betsey Johnson luggage bag. I make sure NOT to wear my Zebra flats while sporting this bag though:



Too much! Notice how I changed the shoes to patent Via Spiga kitten heels (bonus points for matching the belt :) You rarely want to mix prints unless you really know what you're doing. I am amazed when I see people mixing patterns and pulling it off. It's a fashion risk, but sometimes, just sometimes, it's worth it. It's not always comfortable on the edge, is it? :)

My last exhibit doesn't have any animal print visible at all. Exhibit D:



For those of you who still say, "I want to wear it so bad, but I'm just not an animal print kind of person!" here is your solution: Animal print lining. I don't know if it's just me or what, but sometimes even the things we're wearing that people don't see make us feel a certain way. Cute shoe lining, cute underwear, and jacket linings are just a few examples. This non-leather jacket is so chic, and the animal print definitely helps, even if no one can see it.

There you have it! My thoughts on animal print and how to wear it. I do have an actual animal print dress from one of my previous posts, for those of you who want to see more animal than I've given you here :)

Wow, who knew I could go on so long about this topic... :)