Rock out with your socks... er, on

A few weeks ago my mother gave me a bagful of goodies from Loehmann’s—her favorite place to go shopping for designer stuff and—I’ll admit—one of mine as well. As well as a Calvin Klein raincoat and brand X dress that looked very 1950’s housewife-ish (in a flattering way I swear) I also got a pair of gray of thigh high socks with pink seams and pink roses up the sides. It was very Betsey-looking though I don’t have any idea who actually did design them. At any rate, they’d been sitting in my sock drawer ever since then, untouched. Every couple of days I’d look at them longingly, promising myself I’d stop being so lazy and pick an outfit to wear around them.
And today I did! Hey, the mercury went up to a whopping 27 degrees with no wind—so… no excuse to put on skinny jeans and practical boots and call it a day.
Now in case you’re wondering what the purpose of this post is, here goes.
If you have some kooky thing in your wardrobe that you enjoy looking at, you’ll probably enjoy wearing it even more. So it’s worth the effort to leave your comfort zone.
(Mine lately being skinny jeans and slightly loose fitting tops that show my bra straps. Not a fashion faux pas as long as your bra is a pretty color like red or fuchsia. My own personal rule. But still... it gets boring after a while.)
Anyway, the important thing is to give yourself some time to do that one kooky item you’re not sure how to wear justice—weather it’s a sky-high pair of platform wedges or an antique hat with a taxidermied bird on it or a vintage fur. Then just wear it with confidence. If you have to spend an hour trying on stuff, so be it. It’s worth it to have an outfit that’ll make you feel good all day whenever you wear it. The other important thing to remember—and this is going to sound like a contradiction of what I’ve just said—don’t overthink it. Spend too much time deciding whether one pair of shoes or top goes better than another and you’ll just end up in jeans and a t-shirt out of frustration.

What I did was pick a theme—vintage dolly—and run with it.
I ended up wearing my flowerific socks with a poofy layered black skirt from Anthropologie. It was knee length so you couldn’t see the subtle black lace of my pantyhose under the socks, except for glimpses. On my feet I wore a pair of short lace up boots with a low heel. I’ve had those things a million years, but something like Oxfords or any peep toes high heels would have worked just as well. Then I put on a gray top from Forever 21 with mesh on the cleavage area to match—but not compete—with the socks. I completed the look with a black velvet coat from Anthropologie and a beaded black headband.

My husband looked at me like I was crazy, but then kept telling me how hot my legs looked.

Hats that won’t make you look like a dork

It’s frickin’ freezing, Mr. Bigglesworth.

In the NYC area, it’s not exaggerating to say that for the past couple of weeks, the wind and cold can cut through a person, knife-like, making you wish you hadn’t been so damned vain as to not wear a thicker hat, pair of gloves, scarf, etc.
Of course, for some, fashion goes out the winter during the colder months, and when the consequences to not dressing appropriately for subzero temperatures are oh, hypothermia and frostbite, even Pretty in Pink Leopard can’t pooh pooh such a practical choice with her nose in the air.
But neither can I succumb to it.

Chunky sweaters that weigh a ton, hats with pom poms (seriously unless they’re for your kid, eww), puffer coats. It’s all so unnecessary considering that winter wear has come a long way.
So, without further ado, here are my choices for the most fabulous winter hats.

Channel Aretha at the inauguration in this fierce, big-bowed beret. ($38, Urban Outfitters) It’s silver and yet, somehow subdued. And… even better than the soul diva’s choice of headwear, this cutie can be dressed down as well as up. Respect!

A fedora in an eyelet-like weave ($8.80, Forever 21) can work in both cold and warmer weather. I also love the combo of a feminine shape in basic colors. (It’s available in black or brown.)

Cloches, while pretty, can be hard to wear for some due to their retro look. But basic black and pattern-free, this one ($12.80, Forever 21) could even become a winter staple.

Here’s the less “safe” version of the cloche, with jeweled embellishments ($12.80, Forever 21).

Berets are that perfect combination of structure and laid back. To keep this sure-to-be-warm knit style ($15, Urban Outfitters) more French girl and less lunch lady, don’t neglect that liquid eyeliner, leave some hair hanging out and… um… try not to smell like pickles?

There’s something about a big, floppy hat that lends a girl an air of mystery and sophistication. Seriously, I think it’s the new oversized sunglasses. Too bad most Hollywood starlets are too clueless to work this look for the paps. The trick is to make sure the hat can be adjusted around the face and hair as needed. Any hat that’s too stiff will just make you look like a church lady. This one (Topshop, 25 euros, also available in black) is just perfect.

There aren’t too many animal prints that could be considered ladylike, but somehow snow leopard manages to be both wild and expensive-looking. Of course, the fact that this one is made of real fur (rabbit) and leather ($350, Saks) probably has something to with it. Yeah, I like bunnies, too, but… so pretty!

Here’s a slightly more affordable version ($210, Lord & Taylor.) Hey, I did say “slightly.”

I don’t know why I like this wool captain’s hat ($15, Urban Outfitters). It’s neither vintagey looking nor especially rock-n-roll looking (My personal go-to looks). Maybe it’s because it looks like something Winona Ryder or Kate Moss would wear with a cute mini, black tights and the mother and father of overpriced handbags.

Lotus Lover

I’m a relative newcomer to the art of shopping Etsy, having just made my first purchases yesterday—a pair of earrings and a knit hat crafted by a talented friend.

However, after taking a quick browse around a few jewelry shops on the site, I’ve already spied an accessory trend: Lotus plants embedded in hoop earrings.



There’s something about the lotus flower that feels elegant and yet somehow it’s neither fussy nor frou-frou. Meanwhile, the traditional hoop keeps the look practical—another way of saying these earrings are low-key enough to be worn as often as you want, without worrying about being seen in the same thing too often.

Here are a few of my fave designs. (The starving artist-friendly prices are nice, too!)

“Golden Lotus” (brass)
On sale for $12.80 by Luxedeluxe

“Floating Lotus” (bronzed brass)
$16.01 by Torque

Silver “Rising Sun” (sterling silver)
$10 by Cravejewelrydesign

I’m not sure how this particular trend got started. Perhaps a celebrity was photographed in a pair of lotus hoops, but frankly, I’m more inclined to give creative credit to Etsy’s craftspeople. And I’m definitely getting a pair, though I haven’t decided which one yet.

What the frock?! Village Voice loses Lynn

My favorite fashion writer, Village Voice columnist Lynn Yaeger has been laid off, I just read on Fashionista.com.

All I can say is... damn.

Obviously, we all know the field of journalism, specifically print, is in the toilet, but I have to admit-I am completely shocked by the fact that the decision makers at big publications are trying to remedy the problem by canning some of their most popular writers. I guess they're generally the most expensive to keep on the payroll, but guess what? If you don't have a quality product, nobody's going to buy it. Personally I only read VV for Yaeger's down-to-earth, but funny take on high fashion along with her tales of flea market and big box shopping adventures. That and Dan Savage. Knee-jerk reactions to decreased ad revenue like this one don't help publications, they ruin them.

Fortunately for Lynn, she's generally worshipped in the fashion blogosphere, so I'm sure that's where her next gig will come from-and soon.

I think the reason for her popularity also has to do with the fact that she's not a diva, but she's still an intriguing character. I met Lynn on the street near Union Square Park a couple of years ago. She was dressed up in her signature vintage dolly look with rouged circles on her cheeks, and was very gracious when I said hi and told her I loved her column.

Best of luck, Lynn.