clutchable

I have a new little purse, unlike any other purse I've had before.  I suppose you could call it a clutch, which is what they're calling it over at Zara, but it's pretty big for a clutch, and it also comes with a perfect little shoulder strap.  So it's a purse.  That you can clutch.  It's some magical size that works both in hand and on shoulder, and I'm totally enchanted.

I've never been much of a clutch gal, but after picking up this little guy last winter I've seen how useful they are when you're just running out the door and only need a few things.  But this, this fabulous hybrid, this is going to change the way I do things for sure.

More details...

see through

glasses - booth & bruce / lipstick - maybelline / shirt - zara (old) / tank - h&m (old)  / bralette - gap / pants - gap / boots - dv

Sort of been living in this simple uniform of a sheer tank and cropped pants with an army shirt over the top for the cooler mornings (yes, autumn is coming!).   I don't usually do sheer, but this feels somehow safe in spite of the translucency.  It's a question of balance I think.  As usual in my outfit posts, a lot of these items are from years gone by and no longer available, but here are the details for the ones that are and some alternatives for the ones that aren't...

one, two, buckle my shoe

Some might call me boot obsessed, but that's ok, I can deal with that.  Meet my newest addition to the family.  I had mixed feelings about being suckered into such blatent knock-off-land, but then I realized that these holey shoes and boots have simply become a new part of the global sartorial vocabulary.  Yes, Balenciaga, you did them first.  But you did such a good job that everyone wanted a piece of it, and now we all (kind of) can.  I'm beyond excited about the pair that I snagged. I think they're perfectly balanced: just the right amount of tough and streamlined with the perfect little lift at the heel.

More on my holey boots...

in which they get me again

I managed to make it through the entire summer (and sales season!) without a single fashion purchase, which is major feat for me.  Seems like my saving streak is over though, as Zara just released the August/September 2013 lookbook and it is killing me.  So many things I am going to need.  So much willpower I am going to not have.

Come, drool along with me, and prepare your pocketbooks...

skirting the issue

A simple outfit that's becoming my go-to uniform for summer weekends: a T by Alexander Wang classic pocket tank, a jersey maxi skirt from Zara, Rag & Bone Vespa sunglasses, Hawaiana flipflops (invisible, but there), a great big silver cuff from a market in Peru, and a solid leather tote I picked up at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul many moons ago.  Most of that's not available anymore, but you can come pretty close.

Some options, and some secrets...

sleeveless

This is all I want lately.  A simple button down shirt, hold the sleeves.  It's a way to stay cool without looking like you've given up.  Sadly, there's only one of these in my closet right now, and it's silk and reserved for special occasions.  Me thinks me needs more.

Some options on the table...

light layers

It's officially spring here in Madrid.  We've done daylight savings time, there's little blossoms blooming everywhere, it's chaotically alternating rain and sun in a totally unpredictable way, and it is finally warm enough to go outside without a big coat on.  Rejoice!  Since it's been a while since my last outfit post, and nothing makes me happier than lots of layers (they call me an onion around here) and I thought I'd show you how I've been piling it on lately.  Nothing fancy, just simple, comfy, easy lightweight layers.

On the left: hat - Anne Demeulemeester // sunglasses- Paul Frank // necklace - mashallah pendant I've had (literally) since I was born // hoodie - American Apparel // parka - Filippa K // t-shirt - T by Alexander Wang // pants - Zara //  sneakers - Zara

On the right: hat - forte forte // jacket - the kooples // scarf - zara (ancient, but it's just a sheet of jersey fabric - DIY anyone?) // bag - cos (last season) // blouse - zara // jeans - fidelity // boots - moma

As you can see, a lot of these items have been in my closet for ever, so you might not be able to get the exact same pieces now, but here are some other options currently available...

for a nomad

Was this blouse made just for me? I think it might have been.

More details...

da bomb

What the what? This insanely intricate, decadent, shiny and gorgeous bomber from Zara stopped me in my tracks.  Practical?  Possibly not.  But I seem to care less and less about that lately.  It also reminds me of a black and hot pink satin bomber I had when I was a kid, embroidered with sunglass-wearing cherubs and the word "Angelinos".  Yeah, I was that kind of a kid.

It also got me thinking about bombers in general, the new incarnations we're seeing (again, obviously), and then when I saw  this neoprene one from T by Alexander Wang I was convinced this issue needed further investigation.
Most folks online are showing it mini and shrunken, which is very cute, but I'm more inclined to wear it like the lovely Ivania does, oversized and cozy, like a big neoprene hug.  (If you're not familiar with her blog check it out, she is a brave minimalist if ever there was one.)

More bombers...

unsneaky sneaks

Yeah, those are my feet, in the funnest, most outrageous sneakers I've ever seen.

What was I thinking...?

double your fun

Sometimes one shirt is just not enough.  Go ahead, double up, pile it on, mix and match.

And remember to cuff your sleeves...

harrow two ways

I spent the entire weekend in my new boots.  So good.  They are indeed as comfortable as I'd hoped, and I can in fact walk for hours in them.  Saturday night my boots and I even stayed out til 3 in the morning (a huge accomplishment for a homebody like me) and my feet barely complained at all.

harem revival

When I was 15 I bought some şalvar (otherwise known as harem pants or, less elegantly, drop-crotch pants) on a summer trip to Turkey.  Came back to the States super excited to rock them and was informed that MC Hammer had beaten me to it.  Needless to say, that put a damper on my sartorial plans.  Then a few years ago they were back, minus the Hammer, but it was such a frenzied fad and I had such mixed feelings about the whole thing that I couldn't really fully embrace the cultural appropriation at that time.  Then they were gone, as a trend at least.  Now it's all quieted down and they seem to have become, simply, another option.  And I'm much more inclined to pick up a pair.  The other day at Zara I grabbed these silky lovelies on my way to the dressing room on a whim and I actually thought they looked pretty great.

Here's a few more options that I think would be fabulous for the holiday season...

birthday suit

My birthday's coming up this week and I think maybe I need to get myself a present.  Like a nice boxy masculine coat.  Tried this one on at Zara yesterday and left totally smitten but also mildly confused.  Unbuttoned it looks stunning, so cool I almost can't even stand myself in it (though the buttons may need changing - a wee bit too shiny for my taste - but that's an easy fix).  Close it up and it goes kind of wonky.  Too much room on top with nothing to anchor it, and then very fitted across my (somewhat ample) derriere. It's ok, but not perfect.  But then, I could just wear it unbuttoned all the time, right?

I can't stop thinking about it.  I may be in love.  And I think maybe it's ok for a birthday purchase to not be the most practical item in the world, no?  What would you do?

basic goodies

Today I shipped off 6 more dvds to film festivals in an ongoing process that gets more streamlined but no less annoying by the day.  To celebrate I ducked into Zara on my way home.  Picked up some superb basics, I'm kind of over the moon about them.  Check them out...

dear zara

I know you have a crazy fast turnover and that's part of why you're so successful, but please keep this coat in stock for another month so I can buy it when I get back to Spain.  Ok?  I'm kind of in love with it.  Thanks.

beach essentials

I'm back!!  Almería and Málaga were ridiculously beautiful and relaxing, and through it all I ate like a champ and rested like a pro.  I'll tell you more about the trip later (with a few recommendations in case any of you find yourselves in Southern Spain any time soon), but for now I thought I'd post what turned out to be my beach essentials.

1. black bikini - ok, mine's from H&M, but I dream of having a luxurious yet basic Eres swimsuit like this one day
2. kindle - loaded with tons of fiction and nonfiction, something for every possible mood
3. baseball cap - again, mine's from H&M, the men's department, but anything to block the sun while you're napping face up will do.
4. a coverup - this sheer cotton shirt from Zara was perfect (especially since, unlike the model here, my legs are not 5 ft. long, so it was much longer on me), both for when the sun was hitting too hard, or when the wind was sandblasting us.
5. sunglasses - these, picked up in Madison last summer, are still my favorites.  My other countless pairs are feeling neglected, but I'm trying to reduce object-induced guilt.
6. sunscreen for your face - this one by Kiehl's is still my go-to here in Spain, but in the US I also swear by Peter Thomas Roth
7. peshtemal - turkish bath towels are the best for the beach; they take up very little room in your bag and are great for laying on, drying with, and wearing as a wrap.
8. notebook - for recording all the ins and outs of your trip, your thoughts or dreams, or for planning that novel that you're gonna write, one day, you swear,
9. sunscreen for your body - something with a high spf, applied liberally, every few hours.  That's how I went from Snow White to Beyonce.  Ha!  Seriously, I came back with what I thought was a savage tan but literally NO ONE noticed.  Just goes to show you how very very pale I was to begin with.  Now I just look normal.
10. a favorite pen - not your father's cherished mont blanc fountain pen, just a good solid fat pen that makes you happy, that you can scribble with even when you're weakened by hours of sun and sea.
11. flipflops - havaianas for me, always.  They never give me blisters.  But that part about them not getting hot in the sun?  Lies.  Nevertheless, I love them.

neck candy

Zara is not somewhere I go for jewelry.  I go there a lot, for pretty much everything else, as I'm sure you know if you've been following me for any length of time,  but jewelry?  I honestly never even look at it.  Until now.

Wow.  I know statement necklaces have been all the rage for a while, but honestly I never would have expected to see something like this at Zara.  And I love to be surprised. 

This one's more subdued and delicate, but still a bit unexpected.  Check out some more outrageous neck candy from Zara after the jump...

maggie's closet

We shot Jack this weekend! It was incredibly exciting, exhausting, thrilling and nerve-wracking, all at the same time.  Among the myriad of my responsibilities was the styling.  Jack hung out in his bathrobe and pjs for the most part, but his dear wife Maggie dressed for work.  She wore this lovely skirt from Massimo Dutti paired with a simple nude blouse from Zara:

But of course I picked up tons more work clothes for her just in case.  See what else was in her closet after the jump...

worth it?

I brought home this amazing chiffon layered sweater from Zara today.  My heart is still racing from the experience.  No, not from the joy of finding a piece that feels like it was made just for me, but rather from today's shopping experience as a whole.

Read on...