Having a Vested Interest

The right vest is really such a cool addition to Fall layering. I was lucky enough to get this Pucci one on sale many years ago. I love how retro Pucci is. It’s fun to bring those 60’s swirls into 2018. This neutral color scheme of brown, tan, navy, and touches of orange elevates my classic Fall looks of jeans and a turtleneck, or over leggings and a button down like I’m wearing here. It was still in the 60’s temperature wise when we did this shoot, and not yet jacket weather. This vest is a statement piece as a result of its design, so it looks just right over clean solids. You know how much I love my newsboy caps this time of year too. I was clearly feeling very Town and Country that day.

The leaves were incredibly beautiful, the sun was shining, there was an approaching crispness in the air. Not that I actually went anywhere, but in my mind I was dressing for an Autumn drive in the country. When it gets colder I love wearing this over a turtleneck sweater that’s one of the colors in the vest. Dark blue denim, beat up brown cowboy boots; the perfect classic look for this time of year. I def recommend inVESTing in a good piece that you can layer with and keep for years. Pardon that pun, it was just too easy.

40 Candles 🎂

 This is the second Sixteen Candles reference I’ve made in the past week. Wearing this style hat makes me think of 80’s teen goddess Molly Ringwald in that film. Any 80’s kid knows what I’m talking about. Those movies were seriously the best. Being a Yeshiva girl where the only requirement for being “fashionable” in high school was a wearing floor length denim parachute, I recall being in awe at the styles in movies about public school kids. Why did they look so cool??? Were they allowed to buy and wear whatever they wanted??? Public school seems to begin at the crack of dawn, so what time did they have to wake up to pull together outfits with such clarity???The best was how if they went out AT NIGHT, a foreign concept to a Yeshivah student who first got home at 5:30, they CHANGED INTO EVEN COOLER OUTFITS. These Brat Packers had lives yo.  Yeah, I know it was a movie but it all seemed representative of an adolescent life that was simply not an option for me. The good news is that I can wear whatever the F I want now. If I want to dress like Molly did, ain’t no one to tell me I can’t.

This bulky red Maje sweater was delicious on a crisp autumn afternoon. There’s nothing better than the right sweater this time of year, when we don’t overheat by having to layer on a coat. The baggy, distressed jeans with the tapered ankle are so 80’s too. Red kicks were an obvious choice. Red was huge during that decade and so was being super matchy. The sneaks are Margiela btw. Topping this off is one of my favorite J Crew hats. A dark gray wider brim number that I love to wear tilted forward or back. Any angle works for this hat. It’s an easy fit that looks fly this time of year. Now if only I had some guy named Jake to yearn after from afar...

Blackbird

 I love this whimsical Marc Jacobs sweater. In general I love birds. I have them strategically placed throughout my house, on jewelry I wear daily, and printed on clothing. I love what they symbolize; freedom, soaring to new heights, lack of fear, and gliding effortlessly through the sky. This pastel parrot looks cool contrasted against the black sweater. I paired it with these athletically striped black jeans to add some sporty detail. The jeans are from Mother and have short, distressed ankles. I liked the Oxford style ankle boots with this in that I felt it gave the look some gravity, as opposed to say, a ballet flat or a plain boot. This look is cute but isn’t thesis worthy:) Jeans, a fitted sweater with a dash of personality, and boots is a staple look as the weather gets colder. I kept my white shades though. No way I’m giving those up yet.

Leather Shorts

 This was the best post title I could think of, because is there really anything more to say? “Leather Shorts” are most def a show stopper, even in words alone. I was talked into buying these babies ten years ago, when my fashion choices were way safer. I didn’t have nearly as much confidence or bravado at that time, for several reasons I won’t delve into right now. I talk about that mostly in my Inspire section posts, so feel free to hop on over there and get to know that side of me too. I laughed nervously when the pushy saleswoman tried to get me to purchase what looked to me like a leather diaper. I didn’t like my butt or legs at that time either, so the whole concert seemed insane and age in appropriate. Btw, I was 30. If that’s an indication as to the warped view that I had of myself as an “old, washed up Mom in an orthodox neighborhood”, then there you go. So sad, but it’s over so it’s really fine. We can only improve coming from places that need improvement.

Ok, so she talked me into the shorts. I thought they’d be one of those items I wore once max, or perhaps one of those indulgent purchases that never actually leave the closet and make it onto your body. I must say that these Haute Hippie shorts are hands down the coolest item in my pretty darn cool closet. I wear them a ton, and they’re always a showstopper. I have gotten tremendous use out of them, and now that I truly do like my butt and legs thanks to yoga, I rock them proudly at 40🏻.

For this look I contrasted the lil sexy shorts with an oversized chunky turtleneck sweater. I love things that are large scale, and this sweater is another fave. It was instant comfort and ease literally just thrown on with the shorts. Sexy and comfortable is always the goal. With or without tights, the high heeled Brian Atwood boots give the right amount of height and edge, and are very comfortable as far as high heeled boots are concerned. I am not a heels gal at all, so you can trust me if I tell you these were good to my feet. This new hat from Urban Outfitters is a new purchase that I’m loving this Fall! It’s the perfect scale of width and flop. It fits great on my head with no fussing. The round Prada glasses are old and look great every time. This look has a very retro Bridget Bardot feel. I saw Bohemian Rhapsody last week with my son. It was outstanding, and I was inspired to dress with a nod to that incredible time period where rock and roll was at its best, and mostly coming from England. The fashion at that time is my favorite era. I’m guessing Freddy Mercury would have dug a cool pair of leather shorts. Or even had it actually been a leather diaper.

That’s My Crew

For those of you who often read my style posts, you know what a longtime fan of J Crew I am. Whether I’m wearing their pieces as a layering building block or featuring one that’s a whimsical print, this brand never disappoints. Like ever. Since childhood. It’s so common that our tastes evolve and change over the decades of our lives. We all have tons of photos that should be captioned “what was I thinking????” Sweater sets and me are not friends. Voluminous poet sleeves? Eek. Heinous trends we were once obsessed with that morphed into embarrassing lapses in judgement🤦🏼‍♀️. It’s cool; it’s so important to be able to laugh at ourselves and refine our style over time.

Personally, I’m wary of peeps who have dressed the same since infancy. How much have you changed and grown if your wardrobe hasn’t changed even a little?? This is why I love J Crew. Their look is constantly evolving and flowing with the changing needs of the customer. The more pragmatic, preppy designs from my youth became the butterfly printed silk button down of my adulthood. Burgundy pocket t shirts grew into a burgundy pleated leather skirt, one of my prized items in my entire closet. My best hats came from J Crew. Sunglasses, gauzy beach wear, and vibrant color blocking are some of my favorite concepts from the company. My all time fave would have to be my impressive collection of button down shirts. From masculine oxfords to silky, feminine styles that drape my femininity, my J Crew shirts literally carry every outfit. I’ve asked a lot of them over the years, mixing them up in a million different looks. They fit incredibly and are classy and sexy at all times. Yes, I’ve given some J Crew away over the years. The solid pencil skirts aren’t me, and neither were the boxy floral dresses that made me feel like Jackie O for five minutes. I never loved their leopard prints or sequined pieces. But there has never been a time in my fashion history that hasn’t included this brand. Here are some of my favorite J Crew looks from the Lady Blaga archives. Which do you like best? Any suggestions for more ways I can mix it up that might help you put together an outfit? I love acting as a stylist, so if there’s a certain concept you could use ideas for, I would love the challenge of coming up with inspirational combos for y’all. Can the J in J Crew stand for Jessica?

Cardigan Slip combo

For this cardigan look, the sweater serves as a blazer. A softer, more relaxed version. This is def a going out look. The Rag and Bone leather pants are a major staple in my closet. They were a splurge, but so worth it. They're incredibly versatile. You'll be seeing them a lot.

I found this ancient off white silk slip, that I remember was an underlay for an old dress. I think that dress involved eyelet and a sash (can you imagine me in that?? I guess I hadn't yet found myself). I'm glad I kept the slip. It's not that transparent so I can get away with using it as a dress or a top. Girls, always keep that stuff. Anything too see through or flimsy can always be used as a nightgown, on a non bleach stained boxer night😜.

I "slipped" this on and belted it with an edgy studded black belt. Black leather zipper heels which you've seen me wear many times. I am so uncomfortable in most heels. These are very wearable, despite the dominatrix effect. Lol, even those gals still need to buy milk and toilet paper🚽.

Lastly, the cardigan thrown over softens all the edges of the overall look, bringing a great mix of sass and "silky smooth". Thank you, Zohan!  Leather, hardware, silk, black, white, and a little unexpected preppie vibe from the cardigan makes a cool combo. If your slip truly isn't see through, ditch the pants and just use this look as a dress based idea. Everything else can stay the same. When the sweater comes off, it's still all perfection. Smoky eye, nude lip, loose hair. Just keep this ensemble for nighttime. This is trying way too hard during daylight hours. However, if you're killing it, hopefully after your big night out, you'll still be awake to catch some daylight creeping in. If you're too tired to even find those aforementioned bleach stained boxers, just ditch everything else and sleep in the slip. Hope you have fun, lemme know where to meet ya‼️

Scarfing it Down

I must say that I’ve never worn my hair like this, all wrapped up in a scarf over a high half top knot. I must also say that I freaking loved it. When we do a photo shoot for the blog the goal is to get at least 8 to 10 different looks. This is for obvious reasons of efficiency. While it would be easy to throw on a cute dress or one showstopper labeled item, that to me is both boring and lazy. As a person, I’m really not a shortcut gal. I try to do everything with max intentions, yielding the fullest results. If I can’t deliver all of me then I’ll sit it out until the right vibe strikes. I’d rather do nothing than do something halfway.

That being said, it’s a fun challenge to put together ten fashion looks that require creativity and uniqueness. I like to keep you guys interested, and I’d never insult you by delivering anything less than what you came here to see. Enter this look for today. I bought these splatter paint pants at Diesel years ago. They’re cute but not particularly flattering. I think I’ve worn them only once. I have to hike them over my butt, which requires me being in the right mood to deal with that (again, once). But they’re cool. I had on this cropped black tank from the previous outfit, and I love quickly thinking of ways to build a whole new look off of a previously worn piece. It’s also a time saver. Since the waist line on the pants doesn’t do me any favors, it required something to go over it to camouflage any belly that poked out. I added my trusted boyfriend blazer for relaxed structure, complementing the chill vibe of the pants. Wearing flats or sneakers would be cool to dress this down, but I put on heels to dress it up. A cropped ankle shortens legs and a heel combats that. Ok, fine. A cute outfit but nothing to write home about (or a blog post). It’s fun to mix prints that are in the same color family, so I reached for my black and white skull printed Alexander McQueen scarf which I’m obsessed with, and just wound it around my head. Dug it!!! Boom, instant flash and fun.

This is one of those instances where an accessory and a bit of boldness carry a look. The red sunnies were a nod the the color scheme on the pants, a tie in. This scarf look is definitely something I’ll add to my repertoire, especially on an island vacation. Have your accessories enhance your outfits by finding new and creative ways for them to serve you. The best answer is often the non obvious one.

Turban Jungle

Having my Kourtney Kardashian moment in this leopard turban. I’ve admired her style for years, and I think she often outdoes Kim. There’s a definite effortlessness to the way Kourt dresses (she told me I can call her that), and you know that’s my thing as well. Her style is chic, sexy, and relaxed. Even when she’s more decked out, there’s a naturalness to it. This whole look felt like something she’d wear.

This parachute DKNY skirt is one of my warm weather favorites. It’s so cool to wear a light, long skirt when it’s hot. I like to juxtapose the overpowering skirt with an itty bitty crop top. It breaks up the black and adds sexiness to the seriousness. This look called for a fun pop of something. After all, too much black in the summer can feel misplaced.

I love animal prints, always have. I love adding a dash of animal print to any neutral palette. Instant personality. I tried to do the turban/headscarf thing for years, but to no avail; I felt like an idiot. I’m finally hitting my stride with stuff like this, and it’s so fun to play around more. Tip; just because something doesn’t suit you at one point, doesn’t mean it will never work. Maybe you just need to hit more of a sweet spot style wise. Maybe it’s a confidence thing. Fashion and style should be ever evolving. Who the heck wants to look the same for 70 years?? Keep playing around. Oh, and stay away from dudes who refer to themselves as “Lord”. Love you, KK. 

Fresh Gauze

This gets the prize for my favorite summer dress ever. Flowy, gauzy, soft, sexy, and easy; all words that ideally describe that summer livin’ mood. Until I hit my style sweet spot, I’d look at those chicks who always seemed to nail it and feel a bit envious. How they managed to lock down the perfect look with such natural ease. One dress, a couple of key placed accessories and done. That seemed to evade me at a time where I wasn’t as in tune with my body, my fashion, and mostly myself. Which is all proof that the more centered we are in our essence, all the offshoots that stem from our core will emerge as they should. Overthinking clothing most likely indicates unnecessary overthinking in more important areas too. Basically, to look natural and flowy, one must feel that way inside first. Or the dress just won’t read as it should. But this is a fashion post, so back to that.

I rekindled my love with Urban Outfitters this summer. Reunited and it feels so good. This perfect dress made me feel beautiful each time I wore it; the absolute point to clothing (in addition to us not getting arrested for public indecency). Belted or not, layered with a lot of hippie gold jewelry, gold Birkenstocks, and I felt wonderful. This amazing hat was from Urban too. It was a great change from my usual summer fedora style. The yellow lensed sunglasses were so perfectly 70’s. This was my fave look for floating through the summer months, and it’s my new must take for all vacations going forward. Perfect for the beach, day, or night (no hat at night), this one piece wonder delivered each time. It gave me that desired fresh feeling all chicks aim for.

Random

 Hands down my fave look from my summer shoot. If I have to say what I’m most adept at in styling myself, it’s my ability for expertly combining the utterly random. Nothing in my life is obvious or homogenous. While sleeping at the home of a bestie from high school (hi, Danna!), I was telling her hubby a story that compares being married to not. He was like, “you went from A to Z; there are a bunch of letters in between”. His wife wisely observed that nothing in my life is normal. I swear it’s unintentional but my life is definitely comprised of wacky extremes. Everything winds up being large scale. Which is kind of funny when I just want to be left alone and quietly go about my business. What can I say? I have a large energy that naturally attracts and mixes all sorts of crazy shit. That’s why I’m far more in my element dressing like this than say, in a beautiful designer dress. Blah. Give me interesting any day.

This look has elements of menswear, tween, and girl next door. The crop anime tee was a new purchase from Forever 21. This silk boxy blazer is a few years old from Rag and Bone. I wear it to death. It’s unstructured so it feels like a silk pajama top. My J Crew fedora is Diane Keaton meets the Hamptons. I met her once, at the Crosby Hotel in Soho. She was beautiful, nice, and dressed exactly as one would imagine. Total goals. If you don’t love Annie Hall, I’m trying not to judge but...

White denim shorts from Current Elliot. The priciest item here are these white Margiela high heeled clogs. Always the most boss accessory at the party. I would love this tee under my torn denim overalls, the ones that make me feel like Left Eye from TLC. Each piece here has endless uses on their own, and tied together they are an unexpected combination that (I think) ooze creativity and confidence. Which is one of the best things about fashion; we can say nothing because our outfit says exactly who we are. Mix it, Kids. You’re better than a paint by numbers outfit.

Love you regardless.

Longing for This Skirt

There’s no end to the clean elegance of “the long, pretty skirt”, especially with a cami in the summer. It’s so gratifyingly easy when it’s blazing hot out, to have a beautiful look be comprised of just two perfect pieces. The emerald color of this Maje skirt is so fresh. The skinny pleating and banded waist are truly flattering. I sometimes feel hippy in a pleated skirt, but this waistband allows for just the right tuck, adding no extra girth.  I didn’t have to blouse at all; the top fell beautifully on its own. This is an old silk camisole from J Crew. I have it in a couple of essential neutrals. They are absolute building blocks in any wardrobe. The ease and femininity here are what make this outfit chic yet soft. Girly does not mean fussy!

I always say I’m only comfortable if my outfit appears to have been pulled together in five minutes or less, and that’s the truth. Skirt, top, ✅ This would look great with layered necklaces or one clean statement piece of jewelry, say large earrings, a big ring, or a single pendant. It’s an easy look to transition into cooler temps; just throw on a boxy boyfriend blazer. This skirt, despite the color, still feels conservative and modest. I happen to love Maje’s designs. They are so fresh, clean, and  bright. There’s a strength in the cuts and colors while really championing girlhood. I love each Maje piece I own. This would also look beautiful with a white button down or even a white tee. A skirt this definitive calls for an easy, classic top. Every closet should have that long pretty skirt. Find one in winter fabrics too; you’ll wear them for years.

Bit O’ Plaid

I’m crazy about this little plaid top. I kinda went on a bender at Urban Outfitters. That was absolute favorite store in high school. The stuff I bought there mid 90’s legit drove my mom to self medicate with cigarettes and TAB. Omg, warm and flat TAB was a staple in our home. I craved it like the crack cocaine it really is. My mother still buys it by the case. I think Amazon delivers it directly from Chernobyl.

I’ve been all about gauzy, linen, and light this summer. This ruffle would never have interested me prior to right now, and I’m so glad it did. How cute and sexy is this top? It’s light as a feather so it’s perfect for these two thousand degree temperatures here in the tri state area. I love this shirt with the light wash denim. They work together in their ease and pastel palette. The top is sparse, so the long skirt balances that. If one wore this with daisy duke cutoffs, they’d look  like they were trying waaaayyyyy too hard to be Miss Chili Cook Off. This would also look cute with high waisted denim bellbottoms. That would be a good transitional look, when it gets a bit cooler.

Off the shoulder is always so feminine and alluring. It’s a body part that everyone can be comfortable showing off. A size 4 is irrelevant, everyone has nice shoulders. If any of you don’t love certain parts right now but want to show some skin, try off the shoulder, either one or both. Dip your toe in the water that way. Believe me, I get it. I wasn’t a skinny teen, and having four kids has put my body through the ringer in a zillion different ways. This level of physical comfort is quite new for me too. But once achieved, it’s really nice to enjoy your body. Make that the body loving goal; it’s really not about size or number on a scale. It’s about how you feel when you look in the mirror naked. No spanx, no control top, no tricks. You and what you see. You and how you feel. It’s your human suit, so please find ways to love it. Life is just easier that way.

Suck it, Griffendor

Where my Harry Potter fans at? Ah, there you are.

So you know how there are four houses at Hogwarts, and how Griffendor is the annoyingly perfect and superior house. Slytherin is for assholes, Hufflepuff sounds a bit fluffy, and then we have Ravenclaw. While all the cool kids are vying to get with the captain of the Griffendor quidditch team, this sorceress prefers to be iconoclastic and roll with a less obvious house.

Never one to conform, I bought my Ravenclaw t shirt at Universal Studios last year, in the overpriced gift shop conveniently located at the exit of the Harry Potter exhibit. Suck it, Griffendor! Ravenclaw represents creativity and wisdom; I’ll take it. Plus, I really liked this particular shade of gray. I love incorporating a whimsical t shirt into an outfit. A good tee says something about who you are. I love to pair one with a snazzy pantsuit too, in the way of injecting humor into a sharper look. These linen pajama pants from Urban Outfitters presented the perfect relaxed chic bottom. I love pajamas out of the house. My 13 year old beat up Converse have been a source of refuge for my feet since I was pregnant with my son. My feet ballooned in size during that 80 pound weight gain, and those shoes have stretched and contracted over time to fit my feet. The straw fedora lightens up the whole look in both color, weight, and feel. It adds a jolt of summer atop the dark gray of the shirt, and bookends the linen pants. This is probably my favorite look from this most recent photo shoot, because it’s  indicative of how I’d dress on a summer day. It’s Me from head to toe, like my Ravenclaw shirt. Don’t ever be obvious about anything. You’re wiser and more creative than you realize.

Primary Colors 💙💛💚

What do yellow and blue make? We learn that it’s green when we are about two years old. This all linen look is entirely J Crew from eight years ago, when color blocking was having a major moment. I was in quite a preppy, Jackie O phase. I imagined her wearing this while casually strolling around her Narragansett family compound. I actually visited this compound with my ex husband before we had kids. We had taken a road  trip to Newport, Rhode Island. It was Kennedy heaven.

I loved these yellow slacks when I bought them, then kind of thought they were stupid, and now I’m back to loving them. I thought color blocking was awesome at the time, but then I morphed into a mostly black wardrobe. I couldn’t believe I dressed like a walking rainbow. I felt Black was sleek, chic, and sexy. I dressed with such a hard edge for so long. I’m happy to say that I’m back in the land of joyful, cheerful colors and patterns! All so reflective of how I’ve softened up all over, which feels so nice. Since I love button down shirts do much, and since I embraced navy a couple years ago, I love pairing this shirt and slack combo. Yellow and navy is always so fresh feeling. Crisp navy and sunny yellow compliment each other beautifully, it’s like sky meets sun. Let’s add in some grass with the green! These Jimmy Choo patent leather bright green wedges are always a fresh pop of color. The primary color theme works so well from top to bottom, and is a lovely warm weather statement. It’s a great ladylike take on menswear. The colors all feel fluid since they’re all hues of equal strength and vibrancy. Nothing is a pale shade, like the chick writing this post.

American Woman

 I always loved Lenny Kravitz’s version of this song, especially because he had this hot female drummer who was so killer in the video. I have always had a thing for Lenny. One day I’ll tie him up and demand he give me his secrets to aging backwards. Look at him; something is up. I mean, the guy just looks better and better. Piercings and eye makeup on him somehow remain “age appropriate”. It’s the funniest when Howard, who is the same age as Lenny, compares himself to him and says, “Can someone just please shoot me already?”. (Omg, I was just looking for my beloved gun emoji; was it taken away???).

Anyway, this look was chosen for my July 4th post. It was a classic, all American blue jeans and   t-shirt choice, complete with the navy bandana scarf. Standing over the Central Park fairgrounds on this particularly magnificent day in this incredible city was special. New York, like the rest of America, will not be shut down. If you blow up our buildings, we will rebuild. If you threaten us, we will not cower. If you F with us, you will lose. And we will look way better than you while we continue to defend and protect ourselves.       

PS: For all my bravado, I really almost killed myself climbing up the rocks that day in four inch wedges. It was quite a sight. But that’s how we roll; we struggle and trip, get right back up, climb, and smile. Triumph only exists because failure does too. No one will remember your stumbles. Everyone remembers the chick who got herself to the top🏻🇺🇸🏼

Capping It Off

 I adore the blazer and cap combo! My inspiration for starting to dress like that came from an old photo I saw of Carrie Fisher, of blessed memory. I think it must have been early 80’s in which she and Paul Simon were together. A few years ago I saw a black and white picture of them, in which Carrie was the height of cerebral chic in a turtleneck, cap, and blazer. She looked so effortless, cool, and smart. I was in awe of how she was dressed. Add to cart!

My other source of inspiration for this style comes from two titans in the rap/hip hop world: Mos Def and Common. I have always been obsessed with this genre of music, and remain blown away by the brilliance and intelligence these two specifically bring to the table. These dudes are just so freaking smart, and they are true lyrical poets. So when they rock the hip hop collegiate thing, I know it’s not due to some cheesy stylist. I’ve seen Mos Def perform live a couple times, and when he busts on stage in baggy shorts, a blazer with the collar turned up, cap on, and mic in hand, I am gone. Gone. It is just so sexy, especially since what’s coming out of his mouth is this liquid force of lyrical genius. Common also has a style and swag that knocks me out.  His music has been a driving force for me as well. Famous musicians can really get away with churning out popular crap. So when artists maintain the highest level of integrity by spitting rhymes of the utmost cerebral and creative quality, it moves me. That’s what I came for; give it to me.             

Dressing like this is the epitome of New York cool. This look was based on these bellbottoms and t shirt that I was wearing already. Since we were shooting in Central Park with no place to change, I needed a quick way to mix it up in order to get another look photographed. So if you see me wearing these pants in a lot of my photos, that’s why. To squeeze the most out of shoots I need to make fast, subtle practical changes that will allow for a whole new outfit. Which is really how we dress in real life, so I don’t care if I repeat. My friend Rachel once told me she loves that I wear the same things over and over because it’s realistic. I loved that she told me that! I’ll never pretend like all I do is shop and refuse to repeat an outfit. That is not my life in any sense. I’m just smart about my choices and combinations. Intelligence and style are always a match. Sometimes all you need to create an entire new style possibility,  is a couple of well chosen accessories and the knowledge that you know what the F you’re doing.

Love you today and everyday, The 🐝

Softening Dark Denim

These frayed denim Norma Kamali bellbottom jeans have given me tremendous mileage. I never thought I’d use them so much. I figured I’d wear them once in awhile, and that they’d be one of those items you had to have but never found the right use for. These pants are hands down a sexy staple in my wardrobe, and I always feel great in them. Clearly they look the way they do, and require height in a shoe. I always pair them with a wedge. But I have worn these bottoms with a wide range of tops. Tucked in button down, a half tucked t shirt, a cropped top, a bodysuit, a sweater, a blazer, or the matching trench coat I bought it with. The high waist is very forgiving, and holds you in nicely. Leftover pregnancy tummy can be camouflaged nicely 👏🏻.

This look was all about softening the statement denim with a soft, feminine white linen top. This shirt personifies summer; easy, breezy, light, and crisp. I love off the shoulder tops. It’s nice to show off that toned part of my body. All those vinyasa flows have given me more than just inner peace😉🙏🏻.

The only accessory here was a vibrant, handmade cuff I bought on the beach in Mexico. I wanted to add a little pop of color, but the outfit really didn’t need it. Denim and white are always a winning combo. The gorgeous weather and shooting in Central Park didn’t hurt either! Give your shoulders some air time this summer. They carry so much, and they most certainly deserve their time in the 🌞.

Happy buzzing, The 🐝

Cocktail Frock

Holler if “Troop Beverly Hills” is one of your fave flicks from childhood? I know, right?? My favorite line is when the mean, battle axe scout leader is yelling at Shelly Long that she desecrated her sacred scout uniform by “turning it into a little cocktail frock”. Her name was Velda.  Her delivery of this line kills me every time.

Well, this vintage cocktail frock is Marc Jacobs, one of my all time OG fave designers. I’ve had this for 12 years I think. It has been with me though different sizes and life periods. It has been in both Orlando and Monte Carlo. It playfully incorporates Chinese symbols in gold, so I wear it with matching yellow gold shoes and accessories. This dress delivers each time. It’s cute, has so much personality, and gets noticed despite its conservative cut. Navy and gold is always a crisp, chic color combo. You’d never know that I changed into this in a Porto Potty on Riverside Drive. Unless I told you. Which I guess I just did 🗣.

A smart cocktail dress that’s not an LBD is a terrific investment. Enough with the black already. And btw, conservative is nice sometimes. Sexy is not always the goal, or even not always the right move. Time and place. Options. Vintage. Let’s keep going with the key words... 

💙💛 Sending you double love, Marc and Moi (I have zero right to pretend I know him).

Damn, That's Some Hot Pretzel

Sometimes you buy clothing thinking, "I have no idea when the hell am I ever going to wear this, but I like it so whatever”.  That’s how I felt about this two piece, white and gray Norma Kamali ensemble. Truth is, if I’m ever invited to a black tie gang initiation I could make this work. Until that day hopefully arrives, I’ll put it on to eat a pretzel overlooking the water on Riverside Blvd. As always, Norma’s fabrics are the utmost in comfort. They don’t wrinkle, and they breathe with you. I’d actually wear this to go dancing, with hightops. I’m loathe to ever dress revealing effort, but this outfit is actually effortless. It’s an open back, so the white sports bra was all that was needed. This amazing industrial statement necklace is from that store in Israel I’ve mentioned, Plazmalab. FYI, it’s in Tel Aviv on King George street. Go. I always say how I love “things that look like other things”, so a necklace made of recycled machinery parts is rad. I’d love to wear that necklace with a strapless black or white dress to a fancy event, bringing an unexpected mood to the whole enterprise of “fancy events”. Statement necklace indeed.

I was starving at this point in the shoot, so what better snack to shove in my mouth than a classic NYC hot pretzel. I had to forgo the mustard; there was NOT A CHANCE it wouldn’t have dripped down. This outfit is straight up urban chic, a refreshing change from all that leggings athleisure insanity. It’s just too much; that genre has usurped complete control over how women dress on a daily basis. To athleisure I say this, “don’t be so greedy. Let us wear other cool, comfortable things as we do our errands and pretend to workout”. Actually, I’m going dancing with the squad this Monday night at Fat Buddha on the LES. The DJs are my teachers and friends. Think I’m gonna wear this! Midnight salty carbs yeahhhhhhh👍🏼.

Stay both cool and hot at once, L🐝

The Oldest One Was Madeline

 I had This uncharacteristic preppy, Jackie O phase a few years ago. I was knee deep in J Crew catalogs and clean bursts of color. It’s so interesting to observe how our style evolves. The shape our external takes as the internal struggles to find its footing. In 2018 I can safely say I have no interest in being on a boat in Hyannis Port, but this look very much appealed to me for a couple years. I think color blocking was very much a thing and I dug it. It felt fresh and effortless. It’s not me overall though, and I kick myself thinking how much stuff I bought and then gave away.

I had a tendency to buy one in every color if I liked something, so I had a Rainbow’s worth of options in pencil skirts abs v neck tees. While much of that phase’s clothing was ultimately donated (at least there’s that), this dress remains a lovely contributor to my wardrobe. It’s a red, white, and navy print. It’s a great, easy summer dress that works with anything from white sneakers to a neutral wedge to a nude heel. It’s indeed effortless and looks so. All I needed here were white summer slides and this straw fedora, another J Crew fave. I find that my best hats come from there. We took this shot near the Riverside water edge on the upper west side of Manhattan . It was a lovely scene down there; peeps lunching, strolling, kids and teens chasing each other, and a nice tree to sit under. This type of scenario is always most welcome in the midst of a concrete jungle, specifically a hot one!

The hat reminds me of a line in the Madeline books, an absolute fave of mine since I’m little. Hence the title of this post.  Now as Miss Clavel runs faster and faster, to the scene of the disaster, I’m going to relax knowing she will take care of everything. It’s all good; there’s someone in charge making sure we are in two straight lines, even as we cause a bit of trouble and disrupt our balance.

Wishing you a lovely summer day, LB