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twenty. four. (and friend friday)

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Another year.  I first wore this dress one year ago.  Not much has changed except the hair and accessories.  I’m headed out of New York for a thoroughly boring weekend in the country… but if left to my own devices in New York I will go shopping.  And it will be bad (Bergdorf Goodman and Lanvin kind of bad, most likely).

This is what I wore to the bridal shower last Sunday, for the second of my friends in my immediate age group to marry.  I’ve been getting to wear my favorite shoes again now that the weather is turning– nude patent just doesn’t seem to work during Northeast winters.  And this week’s FBFF is about shoes!  A topic I’m sure is very near and dear to many of our hearts.

1. What is your go-to pair of shoes?
My nude patent leather platforms from Sofft.  I think I’ve worn them about 200 times in the past year.  Okay maybe not that many, but I wore them practically every day from April – October.  I’m considering buying this season’s updated model with a peep toe.
I don’t tend to spend a large proportion of my wardrobe money on shoes because more expensive shoes tend to be narrow and I just can’t wear them.  I was fortunate to go to a Manolo Blahnik sample sale a few years ago but I couldn’t get my feet into any of the shoes!

I apparently missed the memo about bright shoes for the bridal shower…

2. What goes into your shoe buying decisions?
Quality, price, and the balance.  I can’t wear any shoes that make you feel like you’re leaning forward, it’s just too uncomfortable for me.  My feet are a Disaster-with-a-capital-D from ballet and I have a very unstable left knee.  I’ve learned to spend a little bit more for quality shoes and it definitely helps me out.

3. The majority of the shoes in your closet are what color?
Black.  I even have a ton of black sandals, I guess it’s just a thing?

4. When it comes to design shoes what are your favorite brands and why?
I like Frye, which is pretty much the only brand I’ve stayed with from high school on.  They’re (generally) comfortable and well made.  Cole Haan has decent comfort as well, but I have the hardest time tracking down shoes in wide widths, even at the stores.  I like Sofft for casual, comfortable shoes and Ferragamo for classic shapes.  Dream shoe wardrobe-wise, I would want them all to be Cole Haan, Stuart Weitzman, and Salvatore Ferragamo (all make shoes in wide widths).

5. If price wasn’t an issue, you’d own which shoe?
Yves Saint Laurent Tribute Sandals or custom Sergio Rossi.  I was incredibly tempted by YSL platforms last year (not these Tribute sandals but similar) but the price of YSL shoes is kind of killer at $700+.  Maybe someday.  I’ll have to start filling a very large jar up with spare change for shoes…

Interested in joining FBFF by ModlyChic?

Email katy_rose1@yahoo.com or join the FBFF Google Group!

Little Leopards On My Feet

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Look!  Shenneth and I must have been on the same wavelength with these colors.  I do admit to a huge fondness for rust and whatever peachy/salmony color this top is.  I was actually able to take off my tights later in the day, and I’ve pretty much been wearing bare legs since about a week ago.

I’ve finally come to a conclusion about my spring/summer wardrobe.  I’m going totally vintage.  I’m starting to look for full skirts and 70s-inspired pieces.  I got my Anthropologie happy birthday 15% off last week so hopefully that will help!

The Last of the Snow is Behind Me… I Hope

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26 March 2011

As of Saturday there was still snow on the ground.  It’s gone now though, but still.  Gah.  Despite how lovely and sunny and springy the first photo looks it was actually cold enough for gloves and way too cold to be in summer weight fabrics with cap sleeves.

Practical dressing is really not my strong suit.

These are my new jeans, they’re what I was braving the ice rain for in SoHo last week (they were on sale, I had to go- $15 off!).  They’re the new(ish) Levi’s Curve ID and the fit is a lot better than I expected, almost perfect for me.  They’ve stretched out more than I hoped for though so I might buy the next size down as well for a slimmer fit.  Designer denim is apparently just a huge waste of money for me, if you want any of it let me know, I’ll be purging most of my collection this weekend.

So excited to be wearing heels again that I’ve been wearing these boots nonstop.  My feet were hurting a bit today and I took the Dr. Scholls foam insoles out… somehow they’re much more comfortable without them?

Last Minute Change

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25 March 2011

I’m wearing most of this, I swear, I just switched out the skirt last minute for a new one I got at J.Crew for $19.99 during the ice storm on Wednesday (seriously, I had to seek shelter).  The new skirt is a washed black cargo, similar to this but chino instead of denim.  It also looks a little less ragged and grey than my old Urban Outfitters skirt, which is a definite improvement.

This is the same scarf necklace that I wore here.  It looks very different depending on the way I tie it and I really enjoyed the versatility.  I may borrow it again for the weekend!

This week has made me want to revisit the idea of turning this into a black and white photography only blog.  I really really like black and white photos.

Join us for the last day?  Yesterday Lydia wore another fab skirt she made!

Black and White Week: So Dark

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I can’t believe it was this dark around 5pm before Daylight Savings.  Yes, I took these a while ago.  I typically never post on Wednesdays, I’m throwing off my schedule and I hadn’t posted these yet.  I decided to experiment with the red filter setting in Aperture (I usually use yellow).  Red seems to have more contrast, the darks hold but the lights definitely appear lighter. Interesting.

Borrowed this cool necklace from my internship.  It’s made with a vintage scarf!

Visit Chic on the Cheap too see what Lydia’s wearing in black and white too!

ken + dana Jewelry and Alexander Wang Sweater

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22 March 2011

This is one of my favorite sweaters because it’s loose and comfortable… and it can double as a dress with a good slip dress under it! It’s also one of my only sweaters. I always tend to think they’re itchy, so I hardly ever purchase any. But I have to admit, Alexander Wang does a pretty good knit. This one has such a beautiful finish in person.

Trying to get some close up photos of my bracelet.  Definitely failed in the close department, but I liked how this one turned out!  I get to pick free jewelry from my internship and this bracelet is a strong contender.  I like its darkly romantic vibe.  It’s also called the Dream Weaver bracelet which you know… just sounds cool.  What do you think?  See it in color on flickr.

Alexander Wang sweater dress, H&M dress underneath, Assets by Sara Blakely tights, Jeffrey Campbell boots, ken + dana necklace and bracelet.

It’s Black and White Week!

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17 March 2011

So far March is definitely living up to the “in like a lion thing”.  It’s been really windy with no hope of normal-looking hair. Also whenever it’s rained, it has rained.  I’m thinking it’s going to be decidedly soggy this week, which is too bad because I wanted to walk around with my tripod.  But I’ll freak if my camera gets wet… are there raincoats for cameras?  I feel like someone must make those…

It’s Black and White Week so post some black and white photos with Lydia and me!

P.S. Sorry about the awkward lens flare.  It’s green in color so it’s actually kind of festive– I wore this on St. Patrick’s Day last week.  Also, first sandals of spring!  My feet are not in shape for open toes anymore, could definitely feel a blister coming on.

It’s Beginning To Be Spring

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This necklace was an amazing piece to borrow.  It’s rose gold, which I’ve never had the opportunity to wear before.  I’ve decided I like it better than yellow gold.

So.  One last color set before Black and White Week starts on Monday.  Visit my partner in crime at Chic on the Cheap to see Lydia’s black and white photos too!

Grab the banner and join us!

You may have noticed my absence yesterday on a day that I normally always post.  I participated in For Japan With Love, a bloggers day of silence to raise money and awareness for the situation in Japan.

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I think I’ve probably shared this already, but I studied abroad in Japan for spring semester 2008 during college.  Japan is also one of my top international destinations: I’ve been three times.  None of my friends live farther north than Tokyo so I’m relieved that they’re well out of the disaster area.

I wasn’t blogging yet during study abroad and none of my photos got viewed by anyone other than probably my sorority sisters and neighbors.  I’m finally sharing my adventures now, these photos were all taken with my old Sony and I so wish I had the Canon then, can’t even imagine the amazing photos I would have gotten!

In rough chronological order from January to May 2008, click through if you want to see them larger on flickr.

Fushimi Inari, the shrine of the god of rice.

Looking out over Kyoto, taken somewhere near the top of Fushimi Inari.

Kobe, near the harbor.

In Chiran they don’t decorate the sidewalks with something as common as grass… no, they have koi ponds between the sidewalk and the street.  Of course they do.

Standing at the bottom of an active volcano looking back towards Kagoshima, a southern regional capitol.

Sakurajima (an active volcano) in the background.  Sakura were just beginning to bloom in the south.

Shops in Gion (a district in Kyoto, also the setting of Memoirs of a Geisha) during the sakura viewing festival.

Sakura and a traditional gate in Gion near Yasaka Shrine.

View from up top in Roppongi Hills (Tokyo).

And because this is a fashion blog I’ll point out three fashiony photos from Tokyo: (1) Takeshita Street is one of the main streets in Harajuku.

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(2) Yohji Yamamoto storefront in Omotesando.  It’s very austere inside.

(3) Tsumori Chisato’s super cool window display in Omotesando.  I really regret not getting photos of the inside of the Comme des Garçons store, it looked like the MOMA.

The always bright Dotombori district in Osaka.  Tsutaya is like the Japanese Barnes and Noble, there are even Starbucks in most of them.

Sunrise over the rooftops on my last day in Japan.

Here Comes The Flood Again

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10 March 2011

So yeah, you can see in the background that everything was basically underwater when it rained last week.  My hair got a bit damp and started to curl so I think it looks sort of vintage in these photos.  They got a hold of me while I was in Sephora and I ended up testing the Temptu and having my eye makeup redone.  It always looks so much better when someone does it for me… wish I could stop into Sephora and have that done every day!  I liked the Temptu but I feel like I look a little too made up in these photos, what do you think?  Can you tell the difference?

P.S.  I swear a lot of time actually passed from the last photos and when I wore this shirt again.  I’ve been mildly obsessed with it lately.

Edit:  Also Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  I’m wearing green!

And this is for real what I looked like all day.  Totally hiding under the umbrella as much as possible because the rain was blowing sideways.  There was really no escaping it.

J.Crew shirt and sash, Anthropologie skirt, Assets by Sara Blakely (Target) tights, Frye shoes, vintage umbrella, ring borrowed from internship.

Weekend Boring

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5 March 2011

Really, the only reason I got dressed on this particular Sunday was to take some close up photos for the internship’s blog.  And to go to the store.  I needed allergy medicine and almond milk.  This is pretty typical weekend wear for me though: no belt, no sweater, no extra pieces.  A sort of stripped down version of what I often wear during the week.

J.Crew shirt, Express skirt, Commando tights (I could be wrong though, they might have been HUE), Sofft shoes, b-side by ken + dana ring and bracelet.