pinning for friday #8

If my Pinterest could talk, it would say, "Girl, get yourself to a therapist so you can get over this unhealthy obsession with dressing up sneakers." Seriously though, it might take an intervention by concerned friends. Because I'm totally loving my obsession with these outfits. If you want to follow along throughout the week, I promise I pin things other than sneakers. (And by other things, I may mean lots of recipes revolving around butternut squash and pumpkin.) Have a comfy, but still chic, weekend!

Images 1, 2, 3, 4

and do: get dressed #6

For the past two years, when it comes to shoes, I've been obsessed with booties. Love the cool girl look. Love that you don't have to worry about your skinny jeans bunching or the leather around the ankles softening and ending up with a pair of unintentionally slouchy boots. But, just like by the end of summer when we're all ready for sweaters, I feel the need for a counter to the bootie. Namely, a tall boot. Perhaps even an above-the-knee? I don't know if I can pull it off, but this week I'm dreaming of pairing tall boots with wispy dresses. A counter to my more typically minimalist, sporty style. I'm dreaming of something romantic. Something bohemian. A different decade's cool girl.

Image via Vogue.

pinning for friday #6

Easy. Minimal. Chic. That's my attitude towards dressing and cooking this week. P.S. -- never tried a fried egg over pasta? Stop. Go to the kitchen. Do it now. All you need for deliciousness is pasta, an egg, salt, and parmesan. If you're not hungry now, have it this weekend. Enjoy it and everything else this Saturday and Sunday brings. And if you want to follow my pins throughout the week, you can find me wishing and daydreaming over here.

Images 1, 2, 3, 4

and do: get dressed #5

With the changing of the seasons comes the changing of the clothes. A month ago I was dreaming of chicly dressing down a fancy pencil skirt with a casual t-shirt. Today, I'm looking to stay a bit warmer. So I'm loving all the ladies rocking fancy skirts with the most comfy casual of all closet items -- the sweatshirt. It's inspiration to carry me through till legs must be covered too.

Image via

and do: go to a museum #3

A primary disadvantage, as I see it, with not having the means to teleport is missing museum exhibitions in cities far away. Really, I just want to pop in and pop out. There is so much to see. And when it comes to art, a computer screen just doesn't cut it. For this edition of go to a museum, I'm daydreaming of visiting the upcoming exhibition "A Queen Within" opening October 19 at the World Chess Hall of Fame (yes, really) in St. Louis. From the exhibition website:

Produced by an international team of thought-leaders, curators, fashion insiders, and chess players, the exhibition focuses on the how storytelling as well as the various archetypes of the queen have captured the imagination of innovative fashion designers.

Image: Charlie Le Mindu, SS2010 via World Chess Hall of Fame 

and do: dive into the september issues

I understand there are people out there who will cite endless page after page of advertisements (before you even get to the table of contents) as a negative to the otherwise glorious September issues. I am not of said camp. The September ads are my favorite part. It's totally appropriate to say I geek out on the them. I am fascinated by the choices designers and labels make when it comes to advertising. There are those that focus on close-ups of the product. Those that choose the high concept art direction route. Those that are consistent season-after-season. (Who wants to take a bet on when a Michael Kors ad will not feature a plane/car/boat?) Often more than oogling the clothes I find myself wondering why the art directors chose certain angles? Why is the model looking straight at the viewer, or glancing to the side? I look at the framing, the background, the balance, and, yes, the clothes.

Different ads draw me in and cause me to linger. Sometimes it's the clothes. Sometimes it's the art of it all. Here are a couple stops I've made so far in Vogue's September issue (and I just made it to the letter from the editor).

Oscar de la Renta (above): The vibrancy of this image is totally lost online. In print it is so rich.


Valentino: I love it when fashion photographers quote art history. This woman could be a portrait from a Dutch master. The still-life on the left didn't appear in Vogue, but makes the 17th century inspiration that much more apparent.



DKNY: This one it was the clothes that drew me in.


Chloe: Again, the clothes here. The outfit on the left is what I wish I were wearing this fall. So easy and effortless.