District of Chic

spoiled

2012-02-14T20:17:00.000-05:00

Ok, one slightly obnoxious Valentine's Day gift post before we resume our regularly schedule programming. Promise. Just wanted to share what my thoughtful husband gave me, because I've been pining after this fragrance for such a long time now. The fancy chocolates were a nice touch, too.

Voyage d'Hermès and Suisse Laderach chocolates from Chocolate Chocolate

PS He got a deep fryer, so I think we're even ;-)

Utica Greens

2012-02-12T23:18:00.002-05:00

Utica Greens are pretty much my favorite Central New York food and after our recent trip, I realized it was kind of silly that I had never tried making them myself. The beauty of this recipe is that you can really apply it to just about any green. The original recipe calls for one large escarole, but I used kale since it's abundant at the farmer's market.

For this recipe, you will need:

1 large escarole (I used a large bunch of kale)
4 slices prosciutto, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 long italian hot peppers, seeded and julienned (I used several tablespoons of pickled ground cherry peppers I found at the grocery store, which worked well because vinegar tends to complement greens)
½ cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup pecorino romano cheese, grated
1 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper, to taste

Clean and rinse escarole twice, then chop in large pieces. Boil down for 5 or 6 minutes so it’s tender and wilted.

Place olive oil in an oven-safe skillet and heat. Add chopped garlic and prosciutto and render for 2 or 3 minutes.

Add seeded peppers and cook another minute or so. Add the escarole and all the other ingredients in the pan.

Gradually add the bread crumbs and grated cheese, tossing gently until blended. Taste for final salt and pepper seasoning.

Sprinkle a little of the bread crumbs and place under a broiler for 3-4 minutes. Serve hot.

Utica greens pair nicely with spaghetti bolognese - here's my recipe if you'd like to try it!

super size me

2012-02-11T17:35:00.000-05:00

Nothing beats gross cold weather like oversized layers. Hope you all are enjoying your weekends!

Marc by Marc Jacobs sunglasses (similar here)
vintage coat
thrifted sweater
H&M pants (similar here)
Lamarthe tote
Zara oxfords

warm and fuzzy

2012-02-08T23:08:00.001-05:00

My Super Bowl-watching outfit. Sporty, right? I'm not exactly a football fan unless the Redskins or Saints are playing. I wasn't originally planning on wearing the fur vest, but weather dictated another layer and, well, it went with the shirt a little too perfectly. And since we're talking about the vest, let me say it is definitely as comfy and cozy as it looks.

I'm sure you know by now how much I love enamel bracelets. These babies came care of my lovely new sponsor Poshlocket. I've already found that this color assortment goes with just about everything.

button-down c/o Romwe
faux fur vest c/o Romwe
Hermès bangle
bangle set c/o Poshlocket
Chanel purse
H&M jeans
Jean Michel Cazabat pumps
Illamasqua lipstick in 'Growl'

"Some say he isn’t machine washable, and all his potted plants are called Steve..."

2012-02-06T23:31:00.003-05:00

I finally had to replace my much-loved tan loafers, but I have to say I'm very pleased with their Topshop successors. How cute are the pink soles?

Major weekend activities revolved primarily around good food - El Centro, Masa 14, freshly made cinnamon doughnuts from the Falls Church Farmers Market, burgers from Joe's Burgers, and a delicious feast at Delhi Club. I feel like DMV dining keeps getting better!

Illesteva sunglasses (same style in tortoiseshell here)
Ann Taylor coat
thrifted boy's button-down
Anthropologie sweater
H&M jeans
Topshop loafers
Bally bag

Ulyana stalking

2012-02-04T17:20:00.001-05:00

Those of you who follow my tumblr might have noticed an abundance of Ulyana Sergeenko photos tagged with "inspiration" (oh, and I was pretty stoked about her debut collection, too). She can do no wrong in my eyes - the perfect balance of ladylike and sexy.

(Ulyana inspo via tatler.ru, Stockholm Street Style, All the Pretty Birds, Mr. Newton, Pin-Up Life, Jak & Jil)

star-crossed

2012-02-02T14:51:00.001-05:00

This plaid button-down is another piece from the Love Charles Vintage swap. The sweater is a Christmas present from my grandparents. It seemed like these two were meant to be, but alas, the top must go onto the next stage of its journey: Happy, Honey and Lark! I guess if you truly love something, you have to let it go, right?

Marc by Marc Jacobs sunglasses
vintage Brooks Brothers coat (similar here)
thrifted button-down (via Love Charles Vintage)
Neiman Marcus sweater
super-old Calvin Klein jeans (similar here)
Proenza Schouler shoes
Bally bag

PS I was recently featured on BrightestYoungThings and All Things Fashion DC - check 'em out!

pinch of poppy

2012-01-30T22:54:00.004-05:00

Part 2 of the Love Charles Vintage thrift swap begins! This top could have gone with any number of skirts, but with the unseasonably warm weather, I was craving something bright and spring-like. Perhaps winter might concede an early defeat this year?

top (via the Love Charles Vintage swap)
vintage blazer (similar here)
Hermès bangles
ASOS necklace
Michael Kors watch
pleated skirt c/o Romwe
Proenza Schouler pumps
vintage Louis Vuitton bag

Chictopia Joie Girl Contest Winner!

2012-01-27T13:50:00.003-05:00

Congrats to Marcella, the winner of the Chictopia Joie Contest! This beautiful and stylish lady will be featured in Joie's upcoming spring campaign! I was honored to be a guest judge for this contest. It was very hard to pick from all of the creative entries, but we were able to narrow down our second and third runner-ups to Likefreshlaundry and TickTockTap. Check out all of their looks on Chictopia!

LikeFreshLaundry

TickTockTap

dream hair

2012-01-26T23:38:00.000-05:00

A good friend of mine just got a Louise Brooks-style haircut and it got me thinking about hair. Despite my somewhat static hairstyle, I actually have quite a sizable hair inspiration folder. As you might guess from some of these, my mind has been on soft curls for quite some time now... Any ideas on how to make that happen?

(hair inspo via vintagegal, Fashion Gone Rogue, latinamericana, The Swinging Sixties, gimmeavisky, Wicked Halo)

dizzouble dizzutch

2012-01-25T21:55:00.004-05:00

This has pretty much been my uniform for running errands lately. This sweater is another one of my scores from that rather productive trip to Unique Thrift. Perfect length and very soft. I love a good cowlneck.

Ray-Ban wayfarers
thrifted sweater
H&M jacket (old, but similar here)
Michael Kors watch
Zara jeans
Karen Millen boots (old, but similar here)
KMRii bag

snowflakes

2012-01-23T19:10:00.000-05:00

I think winter finally arrived this weekend. I actually don't mind a light dusting of snow, so long as it doesn't mess with the roads. I think I would feel cheated not to get just a little bit of snow in wintertime (operative word being "little"). Also makes a wonderfully clean background for slightly garish costumes.

vintage Brooks Brothers coat (similar here)
Kate Hill dress
Brooks Brothers cardigan
Bally bag
Michael Kors watch
Topshop tights (sold out, but similar here and here)
Zara shoes
Essie nail polish in 'Dive Bar'
Lipfusion Infatuation in 'Screen Siren'

mix 'n match

2012-01-19T21:17:00.001-05:00

It's been a while since I did a home-related post, but I'm back on the hunt for inspiration after fabric shopping for living room pillows. Maybe I'll share the final product when I'm "finished," (is any room ever truly finished, though?). Anyway, since patterns have been on my mind, I find myself scouring the internets for interesting combinations. I'm always fascinated by how people balance prints.

(inspiration via notmybeautifulhome, desire to inspire, Design*Sponge, NY Times, Inspirations Déco, Sea of Shoes)

"It's after six. What am I, a farmer?"

2012-01-18T22:17:00.007-05:00

It's still winter so I'm cramming velvet and sparkle into my recent ensembles to get it all out of my system in preparation for spring. Something strikes me as "Upper East Side" about this blazer, though you wouldn't know it from the price tag. In fact, this blazer is one of the spoils of a fruitful thrifting expedition made with Megan and Sarah over the holidays. We checked out Unique Thrift in Falls Church, which I've been hearing about for ages, but had never been to. For some reason, I had pictured it as a mass free-for-all and prepared myself to spend the afternoon rummaging through piles of questionable clothes. In reality, I found it to be very organized and I was hard-pressed to find holes or stains on the majority of the clothing (not the norm for most of my thrifting). I recommend all of you local readers check it out if you haven't already!

ASOS necklace
thrifted velvet blazer
Topshop lurex dress
vintage and Hermès bangles
vintage gold cuff (similar here)
Oscar de la Renta ring (similar here)
ASOS stockings
Stuart Weitzman velvet pumps (similar here)
Chanel purse

PS You can always find what I'm shopping for (and coveting) on Currently Obsessed.

I never promised you a rose garden.

2012-01-16T20:49:00.003-05:00

Alright, I know this outfit is awfully Alex Chung-ish, but this skirt just oozes girliness. Go big or go home, I guess. And with that, part 1 of the Love Charles Vintage swap is now complete. Next stop for this package is Mousevox Vintage - I can't wait to see how she styles these pieces!

vintage crochet collar blouse
United Colors of Benetton sweater
floral skirt (via Love Charles Vintage swap)
ASOS crochet tights
Zara shoes
Lamarthe tote
Hermès bangles

notes on a thank you card

2012-01-13T21:54:00.000-05:00

Taking a little break from writing thank you notes to procrastinate (because, really, isn't that what blogs are for?). Anyway, I thought I'd share my thank you note design, which I created way back when I was putting together the save-the-dates for my wedding. The boots design was inspired by a Crane's card that I liked that had an English foxhunting boot and whip on it. Since I'm an equestrienne and B wears cowboy boots almost exclusively, I thought the two contrasting boots would be a perfect representation of us as a couple. I worked with Just Paper and William Arthur to create my save-the-dates and ended up liking the results so much, I had them make my thank you notes, as well. I highly recommend both if you ever decide to create your own personalized stationary!

green bean

2012-01-11T23:22:00.001-05:00

Continuing with the swap, this time with an extremely versatile green sweater vest. I've said this before, but the one problem with participating in a swap is that you end up wanting to keep so many of the items. Alas, this will have to be the one that got away.

Meanwhile, I must profess my love for these darlings. They combine pretty much all shoe elements I coveted in the fall 2011 collections. Oh yeah, and they're cobalt. Sold.

button-down c/o Ann Taylor
thrifted sweater vest (via Love Charles Vintage swap)
Zara pants
Zara shoes

back in black

2012-01-09T23:42:00.003-05:00

I'm so excited to be a part of a swap organized by Lily of Love Charles Vintage. She invited to me participate in one of these ages ago and it was such a fun experience that I jumped at the chance to do it again. The basis for this swap is very clever: all items were thrifted for 50 cents to a dollar (obviously, I am in awe of Lily's thrifting skills). Check out the other bloggers who are participating (the best part is seeing how different people style the same items):

Flattery
Happy Honey and Lark
Hummingbird Girls
Mousevox Vintage
Missing Love Birds
Selective Potential

I hope you enjoy the results!

Marc by Marc Jacobs sunglasses
swapped/thrifted striped top (via Love Charles Vintage)
Zara turtleneck
Marc New York coat (old - this thing has lasted me forever, but here are similar styles)
Elizabeth and James pants
Belle by Sigerson Morrison boots (similar style here)
Saddleback Leather bag

country livin'

2012-01-07T23:17:00.002-05:00

Still catching up on the holiday vacation photos. This outfit was from a first birthday party followed by shopping in Middleburg, which, by the way, is the most ideal spot for finding last minute gifts. How is your weekend going? I'm enjoying having absolutely nothing planned after the holiday chaos!

Marc by Marc Jacobs sunglasses (similar here)
Brooks Brothers button-down
United Colors of Benetton sweater
Zara pants
vintage loafers (similar, possibly cooler pair here)
Bally bag

equine embellished

2012-01-05T09:00:00.002-05:00

You've probably my noticed my affinity for Hermès bangles. Well my aunt got me a beautiful one with a horse head design for Christmas :-) I could not be more delighted to add another one of these pieces to my small but much-loved collection. Like the scarf, they're all such works of art, and I would love to dream up some way to display them someday.

Marc by Marc Jacobs sunglasses (similar here)
Kookai sweater (super old, but similar here)
Hermès bangles
Oscar de la Renta ring (just sold out, but here's an equally beautiful one)
J Brand jeans
Bally bag
Jean Michel Cazabat pumps

home for the holidays

2012-01-02T22:57:00.012-05:00

I know this is a little late, but let's just pretend I posted this a few days ago. Anyway, this outfit was from Christmas Eve, when my parents, B, and I cooked a relatively elaborate meal (by our standards at least). Fun family bonding without the slightest hint of irony - 'tis the season. Hope you all enjoyed your vacation! Here's to a successful and stylish new year!

ASOS metallic cardigan
The Limited blouse
Adia Kibur necklace
Hermes bangles
Chanel purse
ASOS pants
Prada pumps (similar here)

PS Thank you all who shared such helpful scarf-tying tutorials in response to my last post! Hopefully I'll have some results to share soon!

gift highlights

2011-12-29T21:02:00.002-05:00

At the risk of sounding overly gushy, I think I fell in love with my husband all over again when he gave me this Square Lust scarf for Christmas. It's even more beautiful in real life than I imagined. I'd be halfway tempted to frame it if I wasn't so excited to wear it. Which brings me to the question: how does one artfully tie a scarf? Any good tutorials I should check out?

Oh and the ring? Pretty much been wearing it nonstop since the moment it came out of its package Christmas morning :-)

round 2

2011-12-27T01:03:00.003-05:00

How did the holidays treat you? Did Santa bring you everything you wanted? I have some Christmas photos to share, but in the meantime, here's my outfit from today's after Christmas shopping and exchanges expedition, which wasn't nearly as frightening as I expected it to be.

Illamasqua lipstick in 'Growl'
ASOS necklace
button-down c/o Ann Taylor
Webber Sweater c/o Joie
Michael Kors watch
Oscar de la Renta ring (someone read my Christmas list :-)
Ann Taylor belt
H&M jeans
Karen Millen boots (old, so here's a similar style)
Saddleback Leather bag

PS Don't forget to enter the Chictopia Joie Girl Contest! I've been checking out the latest entries and getting tons of inspiration already!

...and to all a good night!

2011-12-25T00:17:00.000-05:00

A few of my favorite Christmas songs, but I hope all of you are having a lovely holiday, whatever you celebrate!

flashback to October

2011-12-22T22:49:00.000-05:00

Now that I'm on vacation, I finally have a little time to go through pictures I may or may not have promised months ago. Back in October, my friends and I tailgated at the fall Gold Cup races. The weather was perfect and the company was stylish, as always :-)