{ introducing } sachin + babi

{ LOOK 1: tiffany aviators, pink vintage coat (borrowed from jamie), sachin + babi blouse, camille zarsky clutch, gifted kolae pants, zara boots }

{ LOOK 2: lanvin for h+m sunnies, self-designed necklace, sachin + babi leather-trimmed coat and sequin-panel dress, juicy couture bag (previously seen HERE and HERE), B brian atwood boots (knee-high variation available HERE) }

i was pleased to recently make the acquaintance of designer couple sachin + babi ahluwalia, whose clothes i'm wearing in today's post. they're one of those super-creative couples who not only seem to do it all, but also coolly do it together.

for years they've run ANK, an international, couture embroidery business, ANKASA, a high-end home decor line (who's newest store just opened this monday at 1202 madison avenue!), and most recently, they launched sachin + babi, a super-modern, super-wearable collection of artfully-embellished, elegant, cool-girl clothes. and a line of jewelry! these are my kind of people.

that's why i'm extra-excited to be working with them on some upcoming projects ~ kicking off today with a month-long giveaway on their facebook page. CLICK HERE to enter to win any one of the sachin + babi pieces in today's post (blouse, coat or dress ~ winner's choice!). afterwards, CLICK HERE to peep some behind-the-scenes pics from my sachin + babi studio tour ~ then stay tuned for more!! we have some really cool stuff in the works.

{ did you see } my tweets

i just wrapped an admittedly obnoxiously-awesome weekend, spent staying in kelly wearstler's malibu beach house, styling and appearing in her resort 2012 collection campaign ~ as shot by my friend jamie. if you follow me on twitter, you're probably already annoyed by the awesomeness of this experience. if not, just wait! we shot things i didn't know were possible. serious surprises coming soon...

anyway, the above shots were made in her house the day i arrived. i wore tiffany sunnies, a zara vest, a white + warren sweater, a juicy couture bag, a kelly wearstler skirt, and alexander wang shoes. and then i changed into THIS.

look { sharp }

still on a printed knits kick!!
{ vintage emanuelle khanh sunnies, gifted INC sweater (find it HERE or HERE), primary skirt (i ordered THIS VERSION too!!), gifted juicy couture bag, banana republic socks, B brian atwood boots (last seen HERE) }

{ waist down }

{ cuffs: bulgari, khirma eliazov, juicy couture // zara vest (similar HERE), TOV dress (remember it from WAY BACK WHEN?!), rue de jeans, corello bag + boots }

{ grazia }

i'm currently writing to you from milan, where i am honored to be a guest of grazia magazine for fashion week. before coming over, they asked me to shoot a story and share a few words for their website on the topic of grace ('grazia' is the italian word for this). it's a trait i certainly aspire to exude, albeit one i don't always achieve. anyway, in case you don't speak italian (me neither!), i've included excerpts from the piece i wrote below:



{ karen walker sunnies, primary blouse and skirt, forever21 cropped cami, gifted corello bag, alexander wang shoes }

GRACE. Grace is a virtue that’s far-too-infrequently celebrated these days. It’s not about stature or prominence or even glamour. Grace is elegance. It is deference and authority in equal measure. It is good manners, it is kindness and it is a sense of propriety.

But grace is not stuffy. It is being comfortable in one’s own skin, while conscientiously allowing others to feel equally at ease around you. In fashion, this means dressing in a way that is appropriate to your lifestyle and surroundings. That is, embracing your age (at any age!) by combining femininity with a dose of mystery, plus a necessary nod to functionality.



{ nine west sunnies, club monaco jacket, kelly framel necklace, vintage dress (last seen HERE), corello belt, yves saint laurent shoes }

Happily, graceful is the perfect word to describe this season’s long-skirted look. Full and pleated, or languidly bias-cut, it matters not. Either way, the look is simultaneously timeless and contemporary. It harkens back to the silhouettes of Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly, but can be paired just as easily with a utility jacket and wedges as a trench coat and pumps. Modern mid-length skirts can veer fairly formal or incredibly casual – this is not a 1950’s sort of femininity. It’s current in that it’s comfortable and it’s elegant because it works in nearly any situation. You’ll rarely feel under-dressed...



{ juicy couture sunnies, halston heritage trench, meg dress, gifted corello clutch, lamb shoes }

please CLICK HERE to read the rest of the article and see many more pictures of these looks on grazia.it. then, CLICK HERE to check out my up-to-the-minute updates from milano!!

{ party time }

can you feel it? fashion week is nearly upon us!! ready or not, it's kicking off this wednesday, september 7th, when i'll be speaking at lucky's FABB conference (will you be there?).

the following evening, for fashion's night out (thursday, september 8th), you're all invited to join me (plus a few friends, like leandra and natalie) at 7pm at coach's 595 madison avenue location, to celebrate the relaunch of their classic duffle bag:


{ karen walker sunnies, vintage boy's jacket (also seen HERE), hi-line t-shirt, bird by juicy couture linen shorts (recently seen HERE), coach classics bag (last seen HERE), chan luu bracelet, michael kors watch, alexander wang shoes }

a little after 8, i hope you'll all head towards soho with me, for a dress-up soiree at the mackage store at 123 mercer street. i'll be hanging about and doling out styling advice. and my friend and photog jeremy james will be on hand to document the whole thing ~ so pop by and pose for him, won't you?!



{ lanvin for h+m sunnies, gifted mackage blazer, vintage beaded dress, gifted coach classics bag (last seen HERE) and brian atwood shoes }

mark you calendars! thursday night: first coach, then mackage. i can't wait to see you!!

{ fireworks }

{ karen walker sunnies, jean paul gaultier top (previously seen HERE), corello belt (last seen HERE), dedegumo watch, juicy couture cuff and linen shorts, vintage clutch, alexander wang shoes }

i have now worn this exact ensemble twice this month (changing only the belt). the first time was for the fourth of july ~ it just seemed so appropriate for fireworks-watching!! and i enjoyed that evening so much that i decided to give the look another go this week. meanwhile, it's been almost a year since i first wore the top ~ it seems apropos only in the extreme height of summer, and then it's just right.

{ details }

{ kelly framel agate bauble, tiger's eye tassel, and malachite tassel necklaces, juicy couture dress, corello bag and shoes }

UPDATE: check out the total look on my facebook page!!

{ arm party }

my summer staples // as seen together HERE { gifted juicy couture bracelet + dedegumo bracelet & watch }

{ kelly-o }

{ elizabeth + james 'monroe' sunnies, helmut lang jacket (also seen in this recent post), kelly framel jet teardrop necklace, gifted bird by juicy couture washed linen dress, gifted coach classics bag }

semi-embarrassing but totally true: i watched every episode of 'the kennedys' miniseries on netflix recently (it's addictively soapy + it was a rainy weekend!), and this outfit was my natural reaction to the late-night jackie-o googling that ensued. i'm not claiming to be nearly as chic as she ~ just understandably inspired by. one could do a lot worse as far as fashion role models go!!

{ you're invited }

you all KNOW how much i adore my sunnies, so i'm excited to be hosting a little sunglass soirée this weekend in the hamptons, with my friends at juicy couture. if any of you are planning to be out east on saturday afternoon, i would really LOVE for you to stop by! no rsvp required ~ just pop by between 3 & 5 to say hello and enjoy an après beach cocktail!!

{ mademoiselle }

my locks have finally gotten long enough for me to curl ~ and now i can't stop! i love changing my hair because it lets me feel like i'm stepping into a new character, and this one seems softer and more lighthearted than ever before. which is sort of how i feel these days! style really is such a communicative medium.

{ gifted juicy couture sunnies (remember when i told you all about our love story?), vintage lea stein brooch from ebay, jf + son blouse, rachel rachel roy shorts (last seen HERE), vintage chanel bag }

{ the realness }

this pair of shorts + any soft top + these too-comfy-to-be-so-cute shoes = my really real everyday uniform. it's been updated of late by these cashmere wraps, which are perfect for these in-between days when it's not exactly cold anymore, but still not yet warm. schizophrenic seasons are best combated with baller basics.
{ michael kors sunnies (similar pair HERE), gifted white + warren cashmere wrap (worn in another color HERE) and sweater, juicy couture leather shorts, primary | new york clutch, rebecca minkoff shoes }