Tips from a J.Crew Stylist

Not sure if you've seen this floating around pinterest, but I found Fashion Tips from a J.Crew Personal Stylist to be really useful!  My favorite part is how to roll sleeves.  I have a chambray shirt that I love but the sleeves always come undone.  I'm definitely going to try this trick the next time I wear it!

Pretty Umbrellas

My cousin, Theresa, recently clued me into the Elements of Style blog.  I'm obsessed, especially with her new home renovation.  It's a fantastic blog that you must check out if you haven't already.  (I'm always so late into the game!) So as I was perusing her blog tonight, I discovered her fashion line: Two Penny Blue.  Their main focus is blazers but they also have a great jewelry, bag and...wait for it... umbrella line!  I love the fun colors and they're at a great price point, from $29 to $57.  These will definitely make you stand out from the crowd on a rainy day!

25 Ways to Tie a Scarf

Now that it's cold-weather season it's time to dig out all those scarfs.  But first, watch this video.  I had no idea there were so many ways to tie a scarf!




(Found via Rambling Renovators)

Stretch Shoes with Ice

Have you heard that you can stretch shoes with ice?  I just stumbled upon this after reading The Lettered Cottage's post.  This is perfect for me because lately my feet have swollen due to the pregnancy. So I watched this video:




And decided to give it a try:

Put plastic bags filled with water in your shoes and place in the freezer.

Freeze for a few hours and then remove ice from shoes.  So easy!

The verdict?  It definitely worked!  But I think I need to try this again and really make sure the ice gets into the toes of the shoes.  I think next time I'll do less water in the bags.  (PS... these are Cole Haan shoes that I got at Marshalls for $40.  I don't think I would have tried this if I paid full price for them!)

And since we're on the topic of shoes, I thought I'd share this tip with you:

These are awesome.  

They're terry cloth shoe insoles from Aldo.  They have a rubber backing and slip easily into your shoes.  My biggest pet peeve is sweaty feet so these are perfect for absorbing the moisture.  Then you can just take them out and toss them in the washing machine whenever you want.  Plus they add a little extra cushion to your step. Genius! 

You can get these at Aldo but they don't have them on display.  Just ask for them at the counter.  Or you can purchase them online.  They come in black or white.

Toms

I just got my first pair of Toms in the mail today (they were sold out in the UWS) and I'm in love.  They're lightweight and extremely comfortable... the perfect summer shoe!

DIY 5 Minute Summer Scarf

Now that the weather is getting warmer, I need a few more summer scarves (an oxymoron, I know, but I love the look) to add to my repertoire.  I love the circle scarves at American Apparel but decided to make my own.  They're beyond easy to make. 

I bought a yard of jersey fabric at Mood for $12.  (And can I just say that I have so much more respect for the contestants on Project Runway... I have no idea how they select their fabrics so quickly.  I was in Mood for an hour and a half trying to pick out fabric for just one scarf!)  This piece of fabric was large enough so that I could cut it in half lengthwise and make two scarves out of it.

There is no need to hem the sides of the jersey fabric because it doesn't fray.  Although you certainly could if you wanted a more finished look.

Next fold the fabric in half and line up the open edges.

Pin the edges together.

Zip the pinned together edges through your sewing machine with the zig zag stitch.  (I was testing on a different piece of fabric in these next few pics... sorry I don't have pics of the original.)

For the life of me, I still can't sew in a straight line.  But this is a simple project and perfection is not necessary.  It will be bunched up and wrapped around so you won't even see the seam. Trim off the excess fabric.

Here's the seam line flipped right side out.  See?  Looks fine, crooked seam and all.

And here is the finished scarf!  It literally took about 5 minutes to make and looks so chic.  You can wear it looped once...

or looped twice.  It's lightweight, comfy and is the perfect spring/summer accessory for any outfit. 

Essie Merino Cool

I found my new favorite nail color, Merino Cool. It's from Essie's 2010 Fall Collection. It's the perfect shade of purple with lots of gray...LOVE!

L.L. Bean Signature Line

I'm really impressed by L.L. Bean's Signature line of shoes, bags and accessories. They all have great texture and updated styling and it's L.L. Bean so you know they're really well made. Plus the price point is right in my range. Love!

Saltwash Canvas Picnic Bag, $75

Downeaster Sport Wool Tweed Bag, $85

Pebbled Leather Clutch, $75

Cuff, $39

Wood Inset Ring, $29

Leather Brogue Shoe, $129

I envision wearing these shoes with cuffed boyfriend jeans, a tweedy blazer and scarf, along with the cuff, the ring and one of those swell handbags on a blustery day. I love getting my prep on in the Fall!

True Prep Book, $19.95

And of course, L.L. Bean Signature line wouldn't be complete without them selling True Prep, and updated spin off of the classic Preppy Handbook.

Warby Parker Recap

A while ago, I blogged about Warby Parker, the online eyewear boutique. Well, soon after I blogged about them they contacted me and invited me to visit their new offices in NYC! (This is one of the many reasons why I love being a blogger!)



So a few months ago I swung by their new digs in Union Square. I was graciously greeted by all of the very cool employees and they directed me to the showroom area. I was able to try many of the different styles and narrowing it down to just one pair was extremely difficult!



Each pair of glasses was exactly how you would expect from the pictures online. The vintage style frames are stylish, are made of high quality materials and are extremely comfortable.

I finally ended up choosing the Colton glasses in Sandlewood Matte.

A couple of things: Warby Parker has amazing customer service. After I had placed my order, I got an email right away suggesting that I might want to go with their ultra thin lenses because of the strength of my prescription (I'm totally blind). Just the fact that they caught that and were looking out for my best interest, blew me away. Secondly, it took less than a week to get my glasses in the mail. The convenience of it is phenomenal. The only downside is that since it's an online company you have to go somewhere to get them fitted. Unfortunately the first time I tried to get them fitted I went to LensCrafters. They were pretty incompetent and didn't get the fit quite right so I had to go a second time somewhere else to get them re-fitted. But this had nothing to do with Warby's and for the price, I'll definitely take that extra step.

The Warby Parker team hard at work.

So there you have it. My experience buying Warby Parker glasses online was wonderful and I highly recommend that you try them out for yourself!

Warby Parker

I've been searching high and low for a pair of glasses that I really like. You see, I'm a contacts girl and I never take out my contacts. Literally. I don't even own a pair of glasses and I tend to keep my contacts in for a month! But I'm trying to be more responsible and take better care of my eyes so I desperately need a new pair of glasses. However, the search has been exhausting... everything that I like is $700+ for frames and lenses and I don't want to spend that much on glasses that I'll only wear occasionally. Right now I'm looking for the "nerdy" glasses that are a little bit trendy and in the know Liana suggested I check out Warby Parker.



It's an online glasses company that sells the frames and the lenses for $95! Not only that but with every pair of glasses you purchase they donate a pair of glasses to someone in need. Check out their noteworthy mission statement:

A collaboration between four close friends, Warby Parker was conceived as an alternative to the overpriced and bland eyewear available today. Prescription eyewear simply should not cost $300+. The industry is controlled by a few large companies that have kept prices artificially high, reaping huge profits from consumers who have no other options. By circumventing traditional channels and engaging with our customers directly through our website, Warby Parker is able to provide higher-quality, better looking prescription eyewear for under $100.

We believe that everyone has the right to see. Unfortunately, millions of people around the world today don’t have access to proper vision care. To help address this problem, Warby Parker partners with renowned non-profits, such as RestoringVision.org, to deliver one pair of glasses to someone in need for every pair that we sell. In doing so, we enable you to share the gift of vision with someone who can’t see today and give them the opportunity to read, to work and to live a fuller life.

It's a pretty remarkable company! So I'm thinking about purchasing these:



Or maybe these:




Heck, for that price maybe I can get both. I'll let you know how they turn out!

Inspired by Jenna Lyons

Did you see Jenna Lyons on Oprah yesterday? She's the executive creative director at J. Crew and of course, lives a tres fashionable life. You can see additional photos of her gorgeous brownstone in Brooklyn here. Anyway, I was inspired by her fashion advice:

• Make a statement with jewelry.
• Balance feminine pieces with tomboy accents, like a military blazer.
• Wear opposites. If you're wearing something tailored, sprinkle in some sequins.
• Mix textures—pair tweed with silk, for example

Plus she was wearing these amazing sequin pants so she inspired me to break out my sequin scarf. I bought this cool scarf from Luxe and Lavish a while ago never had the guts to wear it such a sparkly item during the day. Sometimes I just need a little encouragement!

Nautical Stripes

Maybe it's because I just saw Coco before Chanel (an amazing movie, by the way)...


Or because I just watched Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations episode on Brittany...

But I've just been craving anything and everything with nautical stripes.

Capelet by Harvey Faircloth

Vintage Stripe French Market Tote by jillbent found via you are my fave

Lovely spring dress by Shoshanna