INSPIRED BuY...equestrianism

horseback riders always look so put together. leather riding boots, fitted pants, perfectly tailored jackets...you get it. as much as i like to dress in floaty fabrics, i have a major appreciation for structured classic style. the key to mastering this style is all in the fit. a crisp white shirt shouldn't bunch when it's tucked it, a skirt should hit a couple of inches above the knee, pants should fit just right, and most importantly- the sleeves of your shirt or coat should hit about an inch past your wrist. if you're petite or tall, it's often difficult to find a shirt with the perfect sleeve length- that's where rolling comes into play. no one can tell how short/long your sleeves are once you roll them, so make rolling your best friend! (sidenote- banana republic makes an amazing white buttondown for petites)

ready to ride

shirt- girls polo

skirt-h&m

brown ribbed tights- hue

boots- vince camuto

little red rider

sweater jacket- free people

tee- target

jeans- earnest sewn

boots- vince camuto

INSPIRED BuY...alexa chung

alexa chung is one of the biggest fashion icons of the moment. in case you don't already know, she's an english model who hosted a show on mtv and most recently, she designed a line for madewell- one of my favorite stores. in her style, she likes to play with proportions (see the "mini with a long top" posts i've put up recently). she's all about the structured completer piece (jacket/blazer). this lacey tunic and this girly skirt with a blazer combo are two of my favorite alexa outfits, and inspired me to wear the following:

black and white

skirt- free people

spandex tank- the limited

wool blazer- madewell

tights- hue

oxford shoes- steve madden

necklace- blue tree boutique

winter white

leggings- forever 21

tunic- french connection

necklace- vintage

boots- vince camuto

INSPIRED BuY...mini skirts

i am a little too obsessed with mini skirts these days. my favorite way to wear a mini is paired with a long blazer, cardigan, or shirt so that only about 2-3 inches of the skirt shows at the bottom. the length of the skirt elongates the leg for a sexy look, but paired with a longer, looser top it's not too revealing. here are two different takes: 1- a romantic, playful look and 2- a more chic, sophisticated look. i also just purchased a paisley mini from free people that i cannot wait to wear with a chunky sweater!

leather and ruffles

cardigan- banana republic

tank- h&m

skirt- free people

boots- vince camuto

metal bow necklace- urban outfitters

a splash of red

blazer- madewell

slub tee- target

skirt- material girl (macy's)

booties- old school from journey's

chain necklace- vintage wallet chain

INSPIRED BuY...dating in nyc

so i've been on a bunch of dates with a bunch of different types of guys here in nyc. good looking, not so good looking, interesting, not so interesting...you get it. one date sticks out in my mind (in a not-so-good way, but it inspired me to wear this outfit, so something good came out of it!). he was a very good looking guy. he asked me to grab drinks with him. i offered to pay for the first and he let me. we sat down at a table to chat, and it was like pulling teeth. i asked him a question. one word answer. no question back. t e r r i b l e. this continued for about thirty minutes. finally i finished my drink, excused myself, and got the heck out of there!

anyway. i found this wonderful shirt the other day when i was strolling through macy's. it's silky and white, and written on it in script (like a misbehaved child would write on the blackboard) it says: "I will not make any more boring conversation". If I ever see this dude again, I hope I'm wearing this shirt.

shirt- rachel rachel roy

pants- banana republic

shoes- miss sixty

bracelet- vintage

INSPIRED BuY...the color green

i flock to anything army green. actually anything army in general. and now that i think of it, also anything green.

i know you're probably already sick of hearing it, but military is where it's at. this trend came at the perfect time. totally wearable, easily adaptable to any style, available at any price (and oh-so-much vintage shopping fun). it's the perfect trend to arise during a recession because it gives people a reason to buy. everyone's got skinny jeans and riding boots, but only a select few have the perfect pair of army green skinny cargo pants and lace up boots! time to go shoppinggggg!

here are a few army inspired outfits for summer/fall...and just a side note, i am a little too obsessed with these boots

modern military

tuxedo style chinos- gap

striped tank- converse one start (target)

wool blazer- madewell

pumps- inc

casual parisian

tuxedo style chinos- gap

black tank- banana republic

80's style leather jacket- bcbg

sneakers- converse

classic remix

tuxedo style chinos- gap

silk shirt- banana republic

gold and green necklace- target

pumps- inc

phys-ed funk

skirt- h&m

sweatshirt- gap

shoes- massimo baldi

gold chain necklace- vintage

stylish scout

skirt- h&m

shirt- banana republic

belt- banana republic

wooden platform pumps- aldo

INSPIRED BuY...the utility jacket

utility, military, safari-chic. the look of the year. i found this wonderful, lightweight utility jacket on sale at the gap. i'm dying to wear it but its just been too hot, so i thought i'd try it on in my air conditioned room and post it for you all!

jungle-ready jacket

skirt- urban outfitters (silence and noise)

shirt- banana republic

jacket- gap

shoes- steven by steve madden

INSPIRED BuY...the black and white uniform

black and white can be the most cool, classic combination if done the right way; it can also make you look like you're part of the staff. if you want to avoid being asked "can you bring me more water?" or "do you have this in a size 2?", follow these two simple rules:

1. make sure there's interest in the pattern, texture or fit

2. differentiate with accessories (i'm loving the black/white with gold accessories combo)

borrow from the boy

cropped pants- banana republic

white shirt- free people

black tank- target

shoes- bcbg

gold chain necklace- vintage

in the navy

ruched skirt- bcbg

striped tee- h&m

wood bottom shoes- aldo

black/gold watch- vintage

casual cool

silk striped shirt- urban outfitters

patent sandals- jessica simpson

INSPIRED BuY...gossip girl

pop culture is crazy. information from tv shows, events, movies, and celebrities' personal lives spreads infectiously. i've actually never seen the show gossip girl, yet i know the actors/actresses; and from reading articles, blogs, and magazines i know the style of clothing they wear on the show. both of these looks are kind of an update to a prep school uniform. they are kind of the girl version of the staple "khaki's-and-a-navy-blazer" look in any traditional man's wardrobe. khaki's have really made a comeback this season, in just about any silhouette- skinny and tailored, cropped and destructed, flat front or pleated- the list goes on...retailers like gap, jcrew, and madewell are destinations for these basics with a twist

casual khakis

khakis- banana republic

blazer- gap

tshirt- gap

shoes- miss sixty

pretty prep

skirt- dor l'dor boutique in hoboken

sequined knit tank- ann taylor loft

shoes- massimo baldi

topaz necklace- vintage

INSPIRED BuY...the jungle book

first it was leopard print, then zebra, then giraffe. it seems like the jungle has made its mark on women's fashion this year. diane von furstenburg's spring 2010 line is a great example of this. she's known for her patternwork, and what could be more beautiful than patterns we can find in nature?! the line was filled with animal prints of all sorts, and it has a good balance of neutrals and brights. i'm sure mowgli would fully embrace this trend...

it's a jungle out there

skirt- banana republic

top- ann taylor loft

cardigan- simply vera vera wang

pumps- massimo baldi

INSPIRED BuY...the sartorialist

my dear friend elana got me the sartorialist book for my birthday. i could flip through it 1000 times and be inspired by something different each time. i noticed that there are a lot images of men wearing double breasted jackets in the book and on the blog. i wanted to translate this into a more feminine look, and since i needed to get dressed up for work today i wanted a look that was an update to a suit. the double breasted jacket that i own has metal buttons so it's kind of a statement piece on its own. this is why i decided to keep everything else pretty neutral and simple. the look is mostly about playing with proportions. boxy longer jacket, skinny cropped pants, and high heels to elongate the legs.

fresh suiting

jacket- gap

shirt- polo ralph lauren kids

cropped pants- banana republic petites

patent pumps- inc