Beyoncé and Jay Z Love My Viral Fashion "Destination Dressing" Piece

And so will you! Check it out: http://viralfashion.com/2013/07/destination-dressing/

And think of me hunkering down and writing all week if you're lucky enough to be on vacation! 

This Weekend I Escaped to Istanbul

Oh how I WISH I was one of those "she's so lucky" types that weekends in the Black Sea, but alas I am purely referring to a candle

Granted this an Archipelago candle (ooh, Greek vocab time. How many Byzantine states can I fit in one post, honey?) so our little Park Slope home took on the sea cliffs of the Istanbul (was Constantinople!) with a heady blend of black cannibus, warm ambers and flush rose leaves. Green and exotic, this scent made the unshakable heat of our New York apartment feel like a divine invitation to wine and Netflix heavy evenings in the a/c

(Turn down the lights, turn down the bed...)

Trust me on this one: Archipelago Istanbul tin candle, $12 for 5.9oz at http://www.archipelago-usa.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductName=Istanbul%20Travel%20Tin 

Ain't Nobody Come Back to Work Today

Except this chump and me in my red white and blue 

All of Sudden I want to Step Out of Cars with Matching Accessories

(Nicole Kidman in Jimmy Choo Fall 2013 campaign; shot by Mikael Jansson)

Funny how a striking red short cut and olive satin booties seems so right for weekend road trips. Oh Nicky, this is the mysterious, sultry side of you I love so much (here and here) 

Comeback Week: Vacations and Lazy Days

I know I disappeared mid-week but I took a mini vacay and went to the beach 

and you know what I'ma do the same thing this week, so "Comeback Week" is going to be a two-parter. Pays to be the boss and make this little last minute decision. Either way, it's Summer. Go out there and enjoy yourself!  

Oh and happy belated PRIDE, y'all! 

Three Reasons I love Resort Collection (In Pictures)

When I was in Toronto, my friend, fellow fashion writer Naomi Mdudu from The Fashpack and I were talking about Resort collections and how much we liked them. She brought up some good points on why they are the emerging fashion darling of the designer collections and added to my personal reasons why I love these "in-betweeners"



1. They offer sharp and necessary change for the designers at retail


It's late December / early January and you are now officially bored with your tartans and tweeds you so romanticized mere months ago. You want change from the mounds of snow and 30 and below. Enter tropical prints and soft silks

(Peter Pilotto)

2. They allow designers to test Spring collection ideas


Your strengths lie in designing graphic, clean colorblocking and mixed media shoes. The public's pep for peplums has popped. Now you know before you waste valuable assets and store space to these ideas. Carrying over proven ideas into the next season is a lot easier when you have a test lab without the Spring delivery pressures

(Roksanda Ilincic)






















3. They're no longer for rich folks who 'resort'


Resort began as a way to showcase swimwear for luxury clients who don't know what the term 'cabin fever' means. The jet-set elite who literally jumped in their jets for warmer climes at the first snowflake. Worry not, you 1%, Resort still shows lighter weights and, of course, a swimsuit or two, but these are also great pieces for work or wear with heavy coats - those aforementioned tweeds are instantly exciting again!

(Giambattista Valli) 

  

(" 'Oh, I'm off to the shore. toodles.' Bitch")

Resort to This: Phillip Lim's Office-Friendly Resort Collection

"Who has the time to go on vacation anymore?" wondered Phillip Lim to Style.com at his Resort 2014 showing this week. 


Sure enough the collection had a nice mish-mash of lux laddies who languish on islands post New Years and the women who have to schlep back to the office
































Of course, keep in mind, I'm a full time fashion writer. These are the things ladies wear to work in my experience

Yes, including jumpsuits

Thanks for the Memorial Day Weekend Ad: The Magic of Macy's?

I don't know if it's that magic they always talkin' about, but I kinda want this star print shirt on this model

Maybe it's the capital in the background or the subway campaign being completely shot in my old backyard of D.C. but I am feelin' this shirt with my French Connection red shorts and no shoes. And margaritas. Ah, the countdown for the Memorial Day four day weekend has begun, honey! 

Ms. Blair Jones Got Married!

Does this mean I can't call her "Blair Jones" anymore???

What Do You Wear to an Iowa Wedding?

Tomorrow morning, bright and early, Mr Taurus and I are on a Delta plane to Des Moines, Iowa. 

I know: jealousy! 

But Ms. B.J. is becoming Mrs. B.J.Z. and it's time for a real barn dance to celebrate, honey! Iowa style. 

But what do I wear....

Toronto was a Garden of Inspiration

(Holt Renfrew's glorious hanging garden. And I’m not just Babylon!)

But with bags still unpacked and a full work load, I'll have to get back to you on that. #TorontoStyle 

Part of My #JCPenney Spring Wardrobe Makeover this Weekend

If you didn't already hear, I kinda tore it up this weekend in the Maryland JCPenney's

(We went NUTS!) 

Now tongue wag all you want, but JCPenney has been my secret source for jeans. Those perfect fit Arizona brand skinnies have been mistaken for much pricier styles from the likes of J Brand, Earnest Sewn and even Acne jeans.


Anywho, after hearing so much about JCPenney's controversial shop-in-shops remodel under recently ousted CEO Ron Johnson I decided to check it out in the flesh this weekend in Maryland. I might be in the minority, but I LOVED it. The layout feels vibrant and compelling. Like I'd be amiss to pull a Dionne Warwick and walk on by

(BAM!)

And no one is immune to the pull of the Joe Fresh right at the mall entrance 

The home stuff was right on par too with eye catching and playful prints and pops from some of the big names in the biz like Michael Grave, the aforementioned Pantone collection, Martha Stewart (ugh... can I mention her name?) and the Happy Chic line developed by Jonathan Adler

How I resisted taking these demon dog bookends home is beyond me now

Anywho, I did plenty of damage with or without breaching the home department

But luckily JCPenney figured out customers have always known and loved them for deals and coupons



and this little 20% everything all weekend long worked like a charm. Yes, 20% off EVERYTHING including clearance, child








That meant my bounty went a little something like this:

(Levis canvas knapsack)







(JCP private label broadstripe long sleeve t-shirt, LF floral linen blend shirt and red pin dot spread collar shirt) 


I liked the pin dot shirt so much I got it in navy too


















Many, MANY outfits compiled from the sea of sartorial snap ups I got this weekend to come... stay tuned! 

Umm... This Be Good: Carven et Zespa Floral Brogues

There's an upcoming work trip where I've decided I'm going full "Editor Drag". My color scheme for said polish is white, black, brown and blue. 

I have many items already in my wardrobe and a few others on my radar to pick up. 

Perhaps these nerd chic for Spring Carven et Zespa floral brogues

 need be part of said shopping list

Plus they'd be the perfect Easter shoe too. 

Which reminds me, I'm off for Easter break, kids. 

Enjoy all them jelly beans and Cadbury mini eggs! 

And I'm Off...

for the Santa Claus times

I''ll be back Wednesday. 

Unless I get that Billion dollars and trip to Turkey I asked for and then, cheers and ciaos. 

It's a Gift: Let's Go Gay it Up in Colombia!

(Columbia: Next on the Pink Agenda?) 

This gift is pointed right at you, Miss Ciara. You know you love you some South and Central America and it appears that Colombia is on the path towards legalizing gay marriage

Maybe all dem dollas comin' in from us gays who've anointed it a nouveau gay travel hot spot are speakin louder than hate. 

Funny how that works. 

So this May, let's andale, andale down Columbia's way and whoop it up Mac-Ci style! 

Perhaps I Need to Book a Flight to Finland

“We have a very long design heritage,” the [Finnair] spokeswoman said. 

“We really believe that design can make life better.”

No wonder Finnair has chosen to colab with fellow Finnish pop art print powerhouse Marimekko on "tableware, teapots, linens and blankets that the airline will use as part of the three-year deal" and all available for purchase en route and through Finnair PlusShop. 

Says Mika Vehviläinen, Finnair CEO. “Our goal is to become a design airline, and bring our customers unique experiences for all five senses. Cooperation with Marimekko is an important step towards this target. Finnair aircraft will become roving ambassadors of timeless Finnish design and creativity, giving our customers a special experience when they fly with us.”

Wow, you would not be hearing that from American Airlines, honey. 

(Thanks to WWD and Finnair.com for photo, facts and quotes)

Let's Play Catch Up

The one upside of Hurricane Sandy shuttin' the city down is I finally have some time to go through the many, many events of the past month and process them. 

So let's play a little catch up with a cute little video of 'The Lamothe House', the hotel we stayed at during our New Orleans trip two weeks ago

Mr Taurus and I just flew back from our three year anniversary trip to New Orleans 

and boy are our arms tired! 

Beat, Incomplete.....

Fashion Weeks, vacations and the arrival of candy corn has me feelin' BEAT.........

See you Monday

Volcano Pacaya

I promise this is the last of my Guatemalan vacation stuff

Just wanted video evidence I did indeed climb volcano Pacaya.