Pining for Proenza

I first fell in love with Proenza Schouler in the fall of 2006 when they presented their Spring 2007 collection.  I've been falling further and further each season since, but Spring 2014 may have been the most spot-on, perfectly "me" collection there's ever been.  Suede, culottes, and shimmering midi-skirts galore, I literally can't get enough.  Oh and that jacket?  It looks like a shredded up berber rug, and I want to wear it now. 

 How could one not be excited about these skirts? 

The shoes are incredible. 

 The final couple of looks paired breezy culottes with chest plate-esque crop tops.  What?!  So good.  Take a look at their full collection here.

RC, I Love You

This summer I learned how deep my love of culottes, palazzo pants, whatever we're calling them, runs.  It runs deep, that love runs so deep.  There's just something about the teeny tiny waist paired with the incredibly freeing wide legs.  Anyways, before this turns into an even sappier love story about culottes, I'll turn it into one about Rachel Comey.  She's created the only three pairs of pants that I need to own next spring, and for that I love her.  I will be saving up every penny for them.

 I'm not sure if this is a romper or two separate pieces, regardless, I need to own all of it.

I should probably just plan to purchase this entire outfit.  

I'm typically not a huge fan of the Spring collections, but thanks to RC I'm feeling quite optimistic about the upcoming season.

My Instagram Life: April Showers

 Spring took over my life this month and the city bewitched me a bit more with each passing {beautiful} day.  Here's a look at what went down in my life this past month as represented on Instagram.  

Up above, I rocked my Michigan pride while supporting the Wolverines in their quest for a national championship, also seen here.  The below throwback pic was a birthday shout out to my big brother, how cute are we?!

 A perfect spring scene in my neighborhood and later in the week, I rocked my new fave summer accessory, a $5 vintage scarf, also seen here.

 Spent a Sunday with friends enjoying a new restaurant and running into some sick rides.

 On what was likely the last day for tights until this fall, I rocked a slight school girl look...

It's been a goal to meet up with friends and have lunch outside at least once during the work week and it is doing wonders. That one hour is pretty magical, NYC just knows how to tug on these heart strings...

There's Just Something About Flowers

 I don't know what it is but I can't get enough of flowers. Ever. Fresh flowers, painted flowers, floral printed clothes of all sorts, I suppose it may be the intense presence of Spring, or the realization that my childhood tomboy phase has disappeared 122%.  

Today I was perusing my "visual inspiration" board on Pinterest and came upon the above image that I am head over heels about, so I clicked around to find more from the painter. Leanne Shapton spent years as an art director, a travel columnist for Elle Magazine, and currently contributes a food and culture column to Canadian fashion magazine, Flare. What I love about her pieces, paintings ranging from watercolors to oil, is the gloomy but quirky aspect that each project.  There's something freakish about the dark details infused with blinding neons that I can't get enough of, what do you think?

Sugary Sweet

This may be the most outrageously creative and gorgeous editorials I've ever seen.  Shot by Will Cotton for New York Mag's Spring Fashion Issue, this photo shoot was sweet and magical but still really cool and kind of sultry.  The first time I looked through the editorial I may have audibly gasped {less rare in my life than you might think, but meaningful nonetheless}.

{I'd be a little upset if I were this Reed Krakoff bag...}

 

Crochet & Medallions

When we experienced 80º weather this week in New York, I couldn't help but get excited for the upcoming summery-ish weather and that's saying a lot because super hot summer days and nights usually make me angry.  While the world isn't remotely ready to see my glow in the dark legs quite yet, I had to put together this cute look with my new J.Crew skirt.  

The medallion pattern reminds me of an old scarf that my mom used to wear or an old tie that my dad would have owned. The top is from TJ Maxx, the necklace is from Madewell and the jacket is Gap {borrowed from my roommate}. 

What are you ready to wear this spring & summer?

Bloom

It's Saturday and Spring is finally here.  I bought flowers this week in honor of the sunshine and warmer temperatures.  Fresh air and the scent of flowers is wafting through my apartment and I couldn't be happier.  {To be honest, I kind of hate the purple ones, but I guess they ARE bright and springy and fulfilling their purpose... so whatever}

Oh and if you have a heart, tonight you'll be cheering for a Michigan victory over Syracuse!  Go Blue!!

My Instagram Life: MARCHing Into Spring

March flew by, but with the combination of daylight savings time {finallyyyy!}, March Madness and the fact that it's finally feeling like spring, it's been a pretty great month.  Scroll through for some of the highlights of my month & find me on Instagram.

"Piggie Smalls" reps UofM at Pork Slope. So wonderful.

One of the accounts that I'm on at work is the CFDA, the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and my team and I were fortunate enough to attend the CFDA Awards nominee announcement event this March.  It was surreal to be surrounded by some of my favorite designers and some of the most prominent in the industry.  The above photo is a view from their offices, the below is a pic of the books that hang on the wall as art.

A J.Crew order showed up at my door with an adorable booklet detailing the history of their famed Ludlow suit.  So cute. 

I spent a Friday evening at the Met, it was wonderful.

Views like this always blow my mind and remind me of the fact that I live in New York City.

One of my very favorite people from the lovely state of South Carolina, Lulie Wallace, was in town with her husband and we got to spend an afternoon catching up!  I once wrote a post about her beautiful paintings, check it out here.

Good Friday came and went, but along with it I spent my Friday eating delicious fried chicken at Pies 'n Thighs in Williamsburg, attending a Good Friday service, and cheering my Wolverines on to an amaaaaazing victory over Kansas.

Then came Easter, another day of stuffing my face silly, spending time with friends and again, cheering my Wolverines on to another win.  I also spent some time getting to know Mabel the cat.  

Can't wait for more and more spring wonderfulness.