Style on File

1. In Fendi  2. In Valentino  3. A more casual look 

(I believe all of these images originated on The Sartorialist at one point or another)

If you're like me, you have a personal style icon.  She might be your mom, your sister, a classmate, or celebrity.  For me, Giovanna Battaglia, stylist and L’Uomo Vogue fashion editor, is my style inspiration.  She can pull off virtually any skirt length imaginable, wears minimal make-up and has an impeccable shoe collection.  She can pull off a variety of looks effortlessly.  To me, she is the epitome of chic.  Like her, I try not to stick to one look; I like to try new things and feel comfortable in a variety of clothing combinations.  No matter what Giovanna is wearing, she always makes it look classic and chic.  What do you think of her style?  Who are your favorite style-setters?

Room for Squares

1. House by: Claude Parent   2. DKNY F/W 2010 3. Herve Leger F/W 2010 4. Versace F/W 2010 5. Balenciaga F/W 2010 

1: Architectural Digest 

Just your daily dose of fashion and architecture inspiration!

Girls in Their Summer Clothes

Photos: wwd.com, urbanoutfitters,.com, uo via fashionupdate.wordpress.com, jcrew.com

I need to go shopping really, really badly.  I cannot emphasize this enough.  I've become a bit bored with my current look and the street style photos from the Coachella Music and Arts Festival have inspired me to change it up a little bit.  I'm planning on going shopping on Saturday, for dresses mostly, but if I have the chance to snag some more boho pieces I'm all for it.  I love how free and comfortable everything looks, breezy and perfect for the summer months--or this weekend for that matter since its going to be around 85 degrees in my area!

See Through Soul

Schuylkill River from the highway, Balmain S/S 2010, 3.1 Philip Lim S/S 2010, Rodarte S/S 2010, 

Flower Power

The Fall Collections were great but do we really want to be thinking about winter right now?? I know I don't and the 80 degree weather that had me running around town in shorts, and drinking iced coffee actually made me think it was summer already. On one of those days I snapped some Spring floral photos that inspired this post which includes looks from Erdem, Dries Van Noten, and Oscar de la Renta Spring/Summer 2010.



And for more eco-conscious floral fun at affordable prices check out H&M's Garden Collection! They have some really great pieces made from recycled materials that I REALLY want to buy.

Arte por el Arte

This sculpture and the silver tree I photographed for A Tree Grows Part II are both located in the sculpture garden of the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. If you figured out that the the other trees were not growing in Brooklyn, I'll tell you where they were growing. The 1st photo was taken from the backseat of the family van when we were leaving Jones Beach in Long Island NY, the 2nd photo was taken while riding shotgun on my way back from Ithaca College in Ithaca NY where there is no shortage of beautiful trees in Fall, Numbha 3 is inside a canopy covered walkway in Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton NJ, the one underneath was taken during the BLizzard of 2010, and the final photo is of two trees on the roof of a building across the street from the Met on 5th Ave NYC (click to enlarge the photo and look at the architectural details). So these photos basically document a year in my life through trees. cool.

A Tree Grows Part II

A Tree Grows

The Blizzard of 2010

Looks from the Preen F/W 2010 Runway

Do I wish I was wearing that sweater coat right now!

Snow Patrol

View From My Window


Images from: Elle Magazine October 2009, Urban Outfitters Catalog, J. Crew Holiday 2009 and January 2010 Catalogs, H&M Magazine Fall 2009

This blizzard is pretty amazing. So I stayed inside and made a collage.

Snow and Sobering Thoughts

Since tomorrow's a snow day for me, tonight was the perfect time to catch up on some fashion news. I read 2 incredibly informative and interesting blog posts, one on Altamira about the a model's style and the press she receives and the impact of these factors on her bookings. I also read the "Behind the Scenes: The Product Specialist" post on Cathy Horyn's On the Runway blog. It is a very sobering account of the shift of American Fashion production from 7th Ave. to Asia as well as the de-emphasizeing (I might have just made up this word) of the technique of pattern and garment construction and quality of fit, and the emphasizing of a garment's marketability and sales. This post was eye opening and I encourage you to read it if you get the chance. For those of you who are more visually stimulated, look up to see 2 Givenchy Pre-Fall 2010 looks (from Style.com). It seems that we will soon be seeing a minimalist look from Tisci and I can't wait, everything that man does is genius. I will try to get some good snow pics for you tomorrow, but for now you'll have to be content to stare at this one from December!

Inspiration: Koi

I just thought I'd give you a little post to tide you over until tomorrow's post about my day off. It is good to be done exams and not have to worry about a thing! Anyway, I was not sure what to write about until I stumbled upon a photo my mom took of the koi pond in the Urban Outfitters Headquarters at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. This photo reminded me of some of my favorite looks from the Spring Collections but I didn't want to show you only clothing that's old news, so after some searching through the mostly black, white, and grey Pre-Fall collections, I found this Zac Posen gown. His collection was bursting with the colors of Koi: black, orange, and grey, as well as bright red and pink. I must say that I was pretty impressed by the new collections, especially Givenchy. Riccardo Tisci is definitely one of my top 3 favorite designers, but that's a whole other post, so I'll stop rambling and let you enjoy the pictures.


Balenciaga S/S 2010


Calvin Klein S/S 2010


Gucci S/S 2010


Zac Posen Pre-Fall 2010

Runway Photos: Style.com

Pre Fall 2010

Carolina Herrera Pre-Fall 2010
Photo: Style.com



Lake bordering Grounds For Sculpture NJ, November 2009

The Elements of Style

Images from: Vanity Fair, Urban Outfitters, Real Simple, Vogue, J. Crew, and Harper's Bazaar

Last night, instead of going to bed, I was overcome with the desire to make a collage. Since the collage is so big it obviously wasn't going to fit in my scanner so you'll have to make to with the photo I took of it.

This collage perfectly describes my personal style; it's all about contrasts. As I'm sure you've noticed, I wear a lot of classic pieces, but I love to mix them up with unexpected elements. My favorite part about getting dressed is creating a juxtaposition of styles. I love to mix menswear with girly items, play with different textures and fabrics, and emphasize volume, proportion, colors, and prints. If you've ever wondered what sets your style apart, collect some images that you like from magazines, cut them out, and put them together. Making a collage or inspiration board is a great way to acknowledge the characteristics of your style.

Monday Madness

This photo I took of King Leer by: Seward Johnson at Grounds for Sculpture earlier this month reminded me of the spectacular Givanchy Haute Couture Show. If you haven't already seen it, it is amazing. Hopefully these photos will inspire you to take a look.



Photos By: Style.com