INSPIRED BuY...my day job

my nine-to-five also involves fashion:  i'm the associate buyer of young men's denim collections for macy's, specifically guess jeans and lucky brand.  neither brand really meshes with my personal style (lucky is closest), but i have to say i'm kinda digging some of the pieces i bought for early spring (see below).  there's more good stuff coming this summer so i encourage you to stop by your local macy's and drop by the young men's floor.

sidenote: lucky brand makes some pretty great denim.  drop by their store and check out their 121 heritage slim jean.

*items 1-6 and 8 are made by guess jeans.  7 is made by lucky brand.

INSPIRED BuY...sun airway - "put the days away"

i imagine this song playing in the background of a movie scene that goes something like this:

he sits alone on the stranger-filled train, gazing out the window.  he watches as trees & meadows, towns & cities quickly pass him by.  he reflects on his life, thinking about the people & the moments he let slip away because he was too afraid to let them in.

1. ma.strum waxed jacket

2. herschel supply co. settlement backpack

3. life/after/denim task shirt

4. schwood sunglasses

5. earnest sewn kyrre 368 juno denim

6. timex camper watch

7. fine and dandy striped handkerchief

8. seavees twill bayside moccasin

INSPIRED BuY...adventures in brooklyn

i love roaming around different neighborhoods of nyc- hitting up coffee shops and boutiques, grabbing a bite at a local eatery, and just learning the lay of the land.

after growing up 5 miles outside nyc and residing in hoboken for the past 3 years, i've learned a lot of the ins and outs of downtown manhattan.  i love it there, and there's always more to learn, but i needed something new.

my latest exploration project is brooklyn.  i know a little bit about bedford ave in williamsburg and smith street in carroll gardens, but that's about the extent of my BK knowledge.  from what i've seen so far, i really love it over there- i feel at home.  

here in hoboken i hop on the path in my army green jacket and beat up boots and look like a homeless person standing next to the "suits" aboard the train.  it's the complete opposite in brooklyn (at least in the areas i've been to).  the "suits" are the outsiders, and those wearing army green jackets are the norm.

i'm not saying that i'd like to be the "norm", however, it is nice to be surrounded by similar people with similar interests.

the main reason why i'm telling you about my recent desire to explore brooklyn: it's not so easy to get there from hoboken!  i don't have a car, and the walk --> path --> subway can take an hour, depending on what area i'm headed to.  SO, i've recently been eyeing up some cruiser bikes.  i could ride my bike to the path, head into manhattan, and ride straight over the brooklyn bridge!  i'm getting excited just thinking about it!  (i'm also slightly nervous, because i've had several close encounters with cars while crossing the street on foot,  so i'm not sure bike riding is the safest form of transportation for me...)

anyway, i've been shopping around for bikes which made me realize i also need a funky backpack to wear while traveling!  i came across the options below.  i sometimes forget that i'm not a "baller" and that i cannot afford the fanciest/prettiest things, but i am very happy with my less expensive finds at the bottom of the picture (although that $400 backpack is pretty sweet).

pro: will leather goods backpack / electra bike

j.v.: creative genius backpack / nivre bike

rookie: ll bean backpack / huffy bike

INSPIRED BuY...a call to abolish the 'tweener (and new shoe suggestions for guys)

here's a little something for the male readers out there (or for those of you who are looking to spruce up your significant other's look).

as my friend meg always reminds me, your shoes say a lot about you.

i must admit, bad shoes on a dude =  major turn-off for me (sorry, i know it's superficial, but i'm just being honest).

what exactly do i mean by "bad shoes", you ask?

well, the number one worst guy shoe out there is something my friend debi calls "the 'tweener".  The 'tweener is the lovechild of a sneaker and a dress shoe (get it, in between a sneaker and a dress shoe).  These shoes were most likely purchased by the guy's mom when he graduated from college, in an attempt to make him look more sophisticated.  i need to clarify a few things for ya:

1. there is NOTHING sophisticated about 'tweeners.
2. it's time to grow up and buy your own shoes.
3. it's 100% fine to wear sneakers.  i actually love the look of a guy in a cool pair of sneaks.  sneakers are a great way for a guy to show his personal style.
4. if you're not a sneaker guy, there are lots of other options out there for you.

Here are the types of shoes/sneaks i'm loving for guys right now:
- simple red sneakers (vans, keds)
- colorblocking
- perforation
- bright colored soles
- white shoes
- grey shoes
- bucks (with wood bottoms)
- chukka boots

various sneaks

1. timberland x opening ceremony (colorblocking)

2. vans (simple red)

3. genetic surplus x obey (perforation)

4. vans vault (perforation, grey)

colored soles

                                              

1. frye    2. walk-over    3. frye    4. walk-over

bucks

*from left to right

1. band of outsiders  2. mark mcnairy  3. bed stu  4. j.crew  5. bstore  

6. mark mcnairy

chukkas

*from left to right

1. cvb   2. toms  3. j.crew  4. band of outsiders + sperry  5. pointer  6. seavees

INSPIRED BuY...global prints

by now, i'm sure you guys know about my obsession with global prints (see aztec shorts, pendelton blanket, printed maxi, and various tweets).  i can't get enough of them!  however, i understand you may not be as into printed clothing as i am, so these global shoes are a great way for you to funk up a simple outfit.

sidenote- i'm also really into belts and bags in these sort of patterns.

tip: don't over-do the prints.  don't match your printed shoes to your printed bag to your printed headband to your printed skirt.  got me?

1. deena and ozzy (only $39!)

2. enzo angiolini

3. rockport

4. lucky brand (under $100!)

5. matt bernson

6. lucky brand (under $100!)

INSPIRED BuY...colorblocking

yesterday, after making a stop at the brooklyn flea in fort greene, i ventured over to smith street in carroll gardens.  my sister (jen), her boyfriend (matt) and i had a lovely brunch at verde during which we were entertained by the bluegrass duo melting point- they were super friendly & got bonus points for playing a john prine tune!  afterwards, i convinced jen & matt to stop in bird boutique with me because the dresses in the window were calling my name.  i spotted the phillip lim sandals pictured below (awesome), which inspired me to write today's post.

i just love how the spring colorblocking trend has translated into footwear!  these shoes can turn a simple, minimalist outfit into a chic, pulled together look.  my two favorite colorblocking combos are: 1- a neutral with a pop color & 2- black with tan.  neutrals & tans offset the harsher colors, creating a classic but laid-back look.

1. phillip lim

2. born

3. rachel rachel roy

4. dolce vita

5. anthropologie

6. nine west

7. sam edleman

8. tory burch

9. elizabeth and james

INSPIRED BuY...classic kicks

buying a new pair of shoes (or uhh, 3 new pairs of shoes) is my favorite way to update my wardrobe for a new season.  so, since the warm weather is at our fingertips (hopefully) and it'll soon be time to pack away our boots to make room for summer footwear, i'm officially declaring this "shoe week" on the blog.  get excited!  

I'll showcase some of this season's trends and some of my personal favorites, but i'm kicking it all off with the originals.  

you probably own/have owned a pair by one of the brands featured below; maybe they're tucked away in an attic or in a box under your bed at your parents' house.  if that's the case, i highly recommend that you re-incorporate them into your wardrobe.  they've probably felt neglected for the past 10 (or so) years...so, show them some love!

1. bass saddle shoes: a re-useable piece of your catholic school uniform.

2. dr. scholl's: this doc was known for more than "odor eaters" back in the day.

3. ugglebo: the swedes know how to make a mean clog.

4. kork-ease: the original platform sandal.  so hip this season.

5. keds: casual sneaks that both you & your grandma love.

6. birkenstock (gizeh): a cool comfort shoe?!  thank you, mr. birkenstock!

7. sperry top-siders: super versatile; wear with cropped pants, shorts, & skirts.

8. clarks desert boots: a perfect winter->spring or summer->fall transition shoe.

9. pf flyers: a personal favorite of benny "the jet" rodriguez.