{ sunshine }

i may be back in black this week, but that hasn't stopped me from dreaming of a few colorful lovelies. we all must arm ourselves with a little sunshine on those grey winter days:

{ clockwise from top left: kolae trousers (i wore them in green HERE), agent provocateur leopard gloves, 3.1 philip lim blouse, ray ban sunnies, giovanna battaglia (i'm stealing that scarf-around-the-waist idea!) by vanessa jackman, asos neoprene skirt, marc by marc jacobs chevron skirt, deborah lippman nail polish }

{ versioning } black skirt / white shirt

as i get a little older (and a LOT busier), my style seems to be getting more streamlined and defined. along the way, i've come to understand the value of truly great basics, and on mornings when i'm pressed for time, a black skirt + white shirt combo never fails me. i love that the look can be taken in so many different directions! here are a few iterations that i hope might inspire you to think of ways to elevate your own plain jane faves:

VERSION I // ruffled blouse + leather skirt
{ elizabeth + james sunnies, self-made necklace, theory blouse, h+m skirt (recently seen HERE), marc by marc jacobs clutch, stuart weitzman shoes }




VERSION II // man's shirt + fringed skirt
{ lanvin for h+m sunnies, american apparel shirt, (borrowed from the boys), vintage embroidery-turned-brooch, coach classics bag, primary skirt, banana republic socks, corello shoes }



VERSION III // polo shirt + knit skirt
{ vintage yves saint laurent sunnies from ebay, american apparel polo shirt (as above, it's from the men's department), zara skirt (i'm also lusting after THIS SIMILAR STYLE), vintage studio ferre belt, michael kors watch, banana republic socks, loeffler randall boots }

whit and artistry

popped by the whitney contemporaries art party last night ~ for a high glam pressure pulse of art + fashion...

(makeup inspired by marc jacobs fall 2009)

...i indulged in a bit of biddery...

(i'm fairly cetain i agreed to buy this matthew larkin - was it the champers shopping?)

(longed for the marilyn minter skateboard, but sadly couldn't quite afford)

...practiced my prance, panache and posery....

...hobsnobbed with a host of haute hotties...

...then floated home in a giddy, fizzy bubble of rain and champagne!

sparkle + shimmer { always a winner }

as my obsessive compulsion to enhance tired jackets and coats has been fairly well-documented, you can believe i'm always on the lookout for new spruce routes...

thanks to marc jacobs' fall 2009 cape (below), i'm imagining something involving plus-size studs, lacquered with pastel nail polish:

i'm also loving the new fall ornaments at mathew williamson (left) and carolina herrera (right), and feel certain i can find similar antique appliques to repurpose:

no matter your crafting dexterity, there's a DIY here for you. why not simply wear a brooch on an unexpected location, like your hip pocket, or replace your buttons with extra-large beads ~ like this lovely riding coat from lanvin fall 2006 (below)?

{ costume of the day } rhapsody in hue

although the groundhog predicted 6 more weeks of winter, a tease of spring just blew through new york, the faint hint that it won't always be so cold.

the slightest suggestion of sunshiney days is all it takes

to find me dallying with thoughts of spring styling!

i'm looking forward to taking a cue from marc jacobs' spring 2009 runway, where he blended yves saint laurent and classic americana - and emboldened us all to attempt florid gingham patterns cinched with plaid obi belts.

this is layering at its most fun.

j. crew sweater, custom obi belt, vintage skirt & coat, melie bianco bag,

giuseppe zanotti shoes

it's lovely to have maximalism back in such an optimistic

way. there's a freshness to the this spring's look that recalls

one of my idols, the astonishingly stylish loulou de la falaise:

loulou clearly set the bar both in terms of accessorizing and combining color and texture with aplomb. did you notice the lizard climbing under her collar? that's brilliant!

she was a friend and muse to saint laurent, and it's

hard to miss her energy in jacobs' spring clothes.

i love when stylish people have equally stylish homes - it communicates a personal commitment to beauty that i've always admired. loulou's "colorful and generous" apartment (far top left, bottom right) clearly reflects the style and soul of its

chic gypsy keeper.

all interior photos from elle decor, posted by this is glamorous