NYFW: Jill Stuart

Continuing the update from New York Fashion week earlier this month, I wanted to share the review I wrote for the Jill Stuart Fall 2012 show I saw at Bryant Park. Check out the review and other amazing fashion news over at Fashion Pulse Daily.


Also, I am a huge Garance Doré fan and have been loving her recent "Pardon My French" video series. Check out the latest one here, all about NYFW!  


Jill Stuart Fall 2012:

(Images courtesy of Elle.com)

The Jill Stuart Fall 2012 collection was feminine with a touch of vampire-esque sexiness. Contrasting ivory and black prints paired together playfully, only to be spiced up with patent leather platform clogs and a smoky eye. A flirty black dress with a full skirt got sexy with strategically placed cut-outs on top.

An LBD proved eccentric with cut-out flowers weaving their way across the body. One of our favorite looks, a plum leather shell with tailored burgundy trousers created a refined, ladylike look, but a black  fur stole and vampy platforms added edgy sex appeal. The overall balance of sexy/vamp + feminine/flirty had us dying for more.

-Lily Oswald

Oh P.S. Did I mention Olivia Palermo was at the Jill Stuart show? There was a MOB of paparazzi. She looked fabulous in leather pants and a tough leather jacket. :)

Taste of Terrariums

Over the holidays (yes, 2 months ago!) I was the lucky recipient of a fabulous, handmade terrarium. It's been a joy watching this little guy flourish. Gets me excited for the spring season that's coming our way! I've been reading about gardening lately in an effort to better prepare for the growing season. This year I want to make some drawings of my raised bed and really try to plan the garden "schedule", if you will. Here's to a gardening agenda (my first ever!) to keep me on track this year!

NYFW Fall 2012

I had the pleasure of attending NYFW last weekend and seeing quite a few lovely shows. Thank you to my friend Julia at Fashion Pulse Daily for giving me the opportunity and letting me write for her! I'll have details on all of the shows I attended to come, but below is the first runway show I reviewed for Fashion Pulse earlier this week.

Ruffian Fall 2012:

Earthy plaid, velvets, and leather accents ruled the ensembles at Ruffian this season, giving an English-countryside vibe inside of Lincoln Center on a snowy NYC day. Designers Claude Morais and Brian Wolk trimmed a plaid jacket in contrasting plaid pockets, pairing the look with billowing velvet pants and accents of red. We could picture a modern-day Katherine Hepburn rocking the wide-leg pants in her signature menswear inspired style. A black and grey plaid blazer got a modern update with wide, sharp leather lapels that were truly gorgeous. An airy white blouse with dramatic collar ties paired with a coy leather skirt felt wearable, modern, and classic.

While we could’ve done without the felt fedoras in burgundy, black, and taupe (men’s hats on the runway seem to be a big trend this season), the faux bobs underneath with loose, voluminous curls and bold red lips that bounced down the runway had us hurting for some loose curls of our own (and of course, the entire Ruffian look!).

Check out my article and LOTS more Fashion Week coverage here at FashionPulseDaily.com.

Hair today, gone tomorrow!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of sending off a very special Valentine's gift. I finally decided after months of deliberations to cut my long hair and donate the 8.5" to Pantene Beautiful Lengths! The organization is great, they make wigs from donations like mine and donate them (for free!) to cancer patients all across America. 

I felt so grateful that I could make a donation like this with my un-dyed, natural hair. If you're ever considering making a cut like mine, it truly is a great way to make a style change and do something lovely for someone in need!

Here's me rockin' my new do on the first day after the cut!

Shades: Karen Walker, Jacket: J+ Uniqlo (old), Sweater: J.Crew (similar color here), Gloves: Portolano, Bag: Zara

A film about love (happy Valentine's...again!)

I love this short film by two of my favorite fashion bloggers (and love birds!) Garance Doré + The Sartorialist. They collaborated on it as a Tiffany's campaign on love earlier this year.

XOX

lily

Happy Valentine's!

Happy Valentine's Day!

What a cute little Do-It-Yourself idea, colored papers + long skewer sticks at varying heights make dramatic cupcake toppers for the sweetest of occasions! 

Etsy Pick of the Week: Getting Personal

Get personal with Rogue & Co mouse pad and Jill Rosenwald monogram mug. Both are customizable with your signature letters. 

• Monogram Trellis Mousepad - from RogueAndCo in Dallas, TX - $16
• Monogram Chevron Mug - from JillRosenwald in Boston, MA - $80

The world of Charles & Ray Eames

Over the weekend, I watched this great documentary about husband & wife team Charles and Ray Eames. The PBS documentary (titled "The Architect and the Painter") walks the viewer through the couples' personal, professional, and creatives lives together. From the MoMA design competition in the late 1930's that sparked Charles' fascination with the perfect modern chair, to the couples subsequent adventure out west & the development of the Eames Office in downtown LA, this movie really gives the viewer an inside glimpse into the wonderful world of the Eames, both as a couple, as artists, and as successful entrepreneurs.


For those not familiar with the work of Charles and Ray, definitely click here to read about and watch this amazing documentary on the PBS website.


Some of my favorite quotes from the Eames:

• "Take your pleasures seriously."
• I love this quote, because it reminds me that life = work = play = life. Your play can turn into your work, but you must approach even the fun you seek in life with curiosity, devotion, and commitment. 
• "Never delegate understanding."
• This quote from Charles Eames really resonated with me, as I believe in this philosophy whole heartedly (and try to live by it daily). I am the type of person who truly desires understanding, and I will ask a million questions about the topic at hand until I fully understand it (this, I have been told, is called "hashing"). At the essence of this quote is the importance of understanding. You can't count on others to  fully understand a subject or a process for you, if you need to break something down and dig deep, become the expert. Ask the hard questions, read the volumes of books, and do the research that will get you to the level of understanding you need to tackle whatever it is you need to tackle.

Go forth, young creators... be inspired by the fascinating lives of Charles and Ray. You'll find curiosity, creativity, love, and a little bit of tragedy in this gem of a film.

XO

L

Etsy Pick of the Week: Be Mine

Lovely little Valentine's Gifts for oneself or one's lover...

• Tu Eres Mi Amor print - from HappyDeliveries  - $18
• Red Baker's Twine - from LittleAppleStudio in California - $1.75
• XOXO Pencils - from theBigHarumph in Kansas - $10
• Let's Get Lost print - from VaporQualquer in Portugal - $15

Butternut Squash Pizza

I recently made butternut squash pizza from a lovely little recipe I found on my fave cooking site, Epicurious.com. The recipe was simple, and it got even simpler when I decided to call the local pizza shop and purchase a bit of pizza dough on the way home from work, for just $3 (you know, instead of laboring over the actual dough-creating process after work)! Turned out to be a great time-saver, something I'll definitely repeat in the future. 

The recipe is available here, and was pretty easy and made a very hearty little weekday meal. 

Just sauté some onions...

Gather some fresh spinach...

Cube up some butternut squash and roast it...

Collect the sautéed onions, goat cheese, spinach, and cornmeal. (Note to self: more goat cheese next time. Lots more!)

Grab a beer.

Chop up the spinach. (With my trusty Timex, similar here from Piperlime)

Proof that I was actually in the kitchen when all of this cooking went down! I assembled the pizza toppings on top of the dough, then put cornmeal down on the baking pan to create a barrier between the dough and the pan (Note to self: use less cornmeal next time!).

Add a lovely infusion of Tuscan spices from Penzey's for some additional flavor (basil, thyme, salt, pepper, etc)

And the finished product, which I ate with the two boys most consistent in my life, my lovely boyfriend Mark and my wonderful brother Collin.

P.S. While checking for that Timex link I found these awesome watches on Piperlime. And for less than $200 too! I'm becoming a total watch-a-holic!

Link it up: 

• Tan Leather oversized Michael Kors "Mercer" Watch
• Tortoise Michael Kors "Frenchy" Watch 

Craft: Writing about young entrepreneur friends

In 2011 I got the chance to write my very first published article for a local magazine, Berks County Living. The assignment was about environmentally-sustainable fashion. I chose to write about my very talented childhood friend, Annika Blomberg. Annika has been working with recycled materials since we met, over 10 years ago. She recently gave up her day job as a fashion merchandiser to focus on her accessories line, Anschtecka. Check out some of Annika's hand-made creations here.