Going West

nyfw: showroom pit stop

jennie — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 19:48:45 +0000

while i was in new york, i made a quick pit stop on my final day to check out the kelsi dagger / pour la victoire showroom. (cue the drooling) here are a few snaps of my favorites. above are the new colors for the mai wedge - as seen often on blair. the striped pisa crossbody below had me stopped in my tracks. and don't even get me started on the roma (red bag below). it's so ridiculously beautiful.

above: kelsi dagger cadya
below left: pour la victoire roma

after gawking at all the shoes and bags, i turned to this little shelf and heard angels sing. seriously. i had discovered jack germain handbags. black. leather. hardware. me. i need that book and pouch in my life.

what's black & white & red all over?

jennie — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:59:35 +0000

(red acalia boots c/o kelsi dagger, blouse c/o urban 1972, skirt from wasteland, mini skirt c/o 80s purple, vintage belt, lowluv x erin wasson rings)

spring has returned to san francisco! (even if it may only be here for a hot minute.) i've been badgering my friends about the fact that all i wanted all winter long was a pair of red boots. that's the problem with working at a retailer - i see products months before they're out and i have to obsess and agonize over how much i want them until they're made available.

well, wish granted. i have red boots now thanks to kelsi dagger. i love my new red boots. they make me tall and happy. and that's all that matters, right?

photos by brook peterson

never left the sofa

jennie — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 07:44:25 +0000

i spent the entire day on the sofa. i wish i were kidding but i'm not. instead of going out on a beautiful day, i stayed in watching the history channel and eating chinese food from the restaurant i vowed never to order from again. on the positive side, i cuddled with my dog and looked at all the collections from nyfw. in fact, i pinned my faves from the collections on pinterest.

i also managed to do a little shopping on asos. i'm a little late on the asos train, but i finally placed my first order and i can't wait for it to arrive. i started small with a jewelry order. the skinny cross bangle was hard to resist. and i've been looking for a simple collar necklace that doesn't look like it has daggers for the tips - ouch!

i've kept my eye on asos for a while, and it looks like they are making so many positive changes - free shipping, tracking, shorter delivery times and more. if this order arrives on time and looks good, it's likely i'll return to browse the women's shoes to buy some black high heels for my friend's wedding. oh yes, i'm going to be a bridesmaid in may. i've never been in a wedding, so any bridesmaid tips you have are most definitely welcomed!

*this is a sponsored post that has been written in my own words. i was not asked to order anything nor was my asos order provided gratis.

nyfw: kate spade

jennie — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 04:28:39 +0000

here are a few of my favorite snaps from the kate spade presentation i attended. as a whole, this collection was my favorite. i'm not a kate spade customer, but they sure make me want to be one. and with the latest collection taking on a youthful approach with some downtown elements mixed in, who knows. maybe i could one day be sporting kate spade!

the outfit below was my favorite and one i would absolutely wear in its entirety. kate spade definitely incorporates the mod trend - one i admit i honestly dreaded for 2012 - and modifies it (pun intended) to a downplayed, contemporary look that totally has me on board. the entire collection, styled by official brand stylist brad goreski, was pulled together with polka-dot elements - polka-dot leather gloves, heels, hats, manicures and more. (but the gloves take the cake in my book.)

new york fashion week: day 1

jennie — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:19:01 +0000

(forever 21 jacket & hat, zara blouse & sweater, jbrand denim via crossroads trading, lucky brand boots, iowa necklace c/o maya brenner designs, alexander wang rocco)

on my first day of fashion week, i arrived on friday morning after a redeye with probably the most horrible screeching toddler that has ever lived. new parents, ugh. i think they learned their lesson never to take a child on a plane after it should be in bed.

i knew i would be tired and adjusting to the east coast schedule, so i wore something casual with a bright (almost neon) pop of color to help me look more awake than i truly was. then i was off to see the rebecca minkoff show - where i fell hard for the heavy jackets with leather accents. (get ready for a fall full of leather!) i have to admit, i love going to fashion week in september. however, i'm more excited by the fall collections for their heavy knits, coats, textures and layers.

i spy my boyfriend's only celebrity crush!

the photo below had my favorite piece from the show that wasn't a jacket. my jaw dropped when i saw it. and then i saw the model is rocking the legendary vidal sassoon 5-point cut - i was sold.

last photo from 9-to-5 chic

win $100 to shop lulus.com

jennie — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:04:58 +0000

it's giveaway time and i'm a little envious of whoever wins. i've partnered with lulus.com to give a lucky reader $100 to shop the site! and with lulu*s awesome prices, $100 is sure to snag a lot of cool stuff. let's just get down to it, shall we?

to enter: leave a comment with a link to your fave item from lulus.com

extra entry: tweet "i want to win $100 to @lulusdotcom from #goingwest! http://bit.ly/zClNDX"

the contest ends thursday, february 16th at midnight pst and is open to US and canadian residents only.

and while you don't have to like, follow, or fan anyone to win, we both would love to make your acquaintance on twitter or be facebook pals!

planning ahead

jennie — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:36:18 +0000

(jacket & booties c/o nectar clothing, plastic island blouse, coated denim c/o urban 1972, alexander wang rocco, vintage collar necklace, michael kors watch)

when i find a few things i love, i sometimes get excited and wear them all at the same time. this post is my case in point. coated denim is all i ever want to wear anymore. and when i find the perfect faux fur coat for myself, you know it's going to be on heavy rotation. i think i'll be repeating this look for my trip to new york this week... weather permitting.

photos by brook peterson

diy dannijo

jennie — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:35:22 +0000

they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. and i have more time on my hands than dollars in my pocket, so when i see a $445 dannijo necklace i love - that's like a year's worth of burritos - i have to get crafty.

here's my diy version of the dannijo capucine. i bought my vintage rhinestone necklace on ebay and my neon nail polish from claire's. total spent: $25. (you obviously can save more shopping at the flea market, forever 21, or your grandmother's costume jewelry and using nail polish you already own.) okay! let's get started:

pretty rad

jennie — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:19:59 +0000

it's time i introduced you to rad & refined - an online retailer of clothes and accessories, vintage and contemporary. founded by jacqueline, 24, chicagoan turned la-dwelling stylist. she started the store just months ago in december and hasn't looked back. i have to say it's a pretty cool site, and nylon and refinery29 seem to agree. go ahead and take a look. you'll find pieces from wildfox couture to what goes around comes around's coveted vintage pieces.

if you're in the bay area between the 10th and the 17th, you can make an appointment with her for a styling session. otherwise, she regularly meets clients in la. and i've got an exclusive treat just for my readers. take $15 off your order when you use the code GOINGWEST between now and may 3rd. for real. go ahead! check out rad & refined!

*this is a sponsored post that has been written entirely in my opinion and voice.

shopping fun

jennie — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:51:30 +0000

here's a cute little vid from the grand opening of forever 21's stockton street store here in san francisco. several bloggers, myself among them, make little cameos throughout. it was a fun day. and to be honest, the store really is beautiful and well-organized. i was there again last night to find jewelry for a little diy project i hope to share with you soon.