Saturday, March 30, 2013

Ace Hotel



                         

While I'm happy I still have a bit more time to wear this jacket I got a few weeks ago, I am really over winter and just want it to be spring already. I can't wait for the nearing days when I only have to choose a few pieces of an outfit and not have to stand in my closet trying to coordinate five layers of clothing each morning! 
But for now, this is what I came up with as I prepared to go to Stumptown Coffee at the Ace Hotel on this rainy morning. This casual look consists of baggy silk pants, which I've been basically living in since I got them, and my favorite black long sleeved Elizabeth & James t-shirt. The weird-shaped Reiss coat is great because of its boxiness, and can be thrown over anything. So happy layering, east coasters, (but for hopefully not too much longer!).
xx, Rachel 
East Coast



Thursday, March 28, 2013

True Blue


The second I ever saw these pants I recalled the hallowed words of 'Miranda Priestly'.  "What you don't know is that that sweater (In my case raw silk trousers) is not just blue, it's not turquoise. It's not lapis. It's actually cerulean." And cerulean they are. Sort of like all those tumblr pictures one sees when surfing through photos tagged with "summer". But like those pictures, my pants (which are made by Eloise) and the accompanied top mix different tones of blue. 



I feel obligated to add that trousers are my best friend. And not the stiff, no-nonsense versions that pervade through L.L. Bean catalogs. The kind that move with your knees and slip over your skin (that is, if you're freshly shaven.) And lucky for me, this style of pant is very relevant.  Whether it be in a tie print or even a worn white linen, it evokes a miraculous blend of elegance and laziness. And with this cerulean color, I feel like I can cheat and never don another pair of jeans for the rest of my life.


Playing a matching game today, I stayed very blue-neutral and wore a Zara top with a mixture of embroidery, micro-sequins and beads. Its made of a sweatshirt material, so with the aforementioned pants, this might just be the chicest pajama set anyone has ever seen. 


By Lizzie Furlong // West Coast








Monday, March 25, 2013

Owen NYC Shopping Event




This past Saturday, Owen, a designer boutique in the Meatpacking district hosted a shopping event with blogger Danielle Bernstein of www.weworewhat.com, and photographed by Guest of a Guest. The idea was to use the store as your closet and put together an outfit, upload it to Instagram, and Danielle and Owen would choose their favorite outfit and award them with a $250 credit to the store! My super stylish friend Mark Eric and I headed over and after carefully scouring the racks filled with pieces from A.L.C., Wayne, Suno, and Genetic Denim, just to name a few, we came up with these outfits for our "#springselfie" submission. 

I went for an all-white look for spring, with the coolest pair of perforated leather Wayne shorts, paired with a short-sleeved silk blouse by A.L.C., and a beautiful nude Sophie Hulme clutch. I topped it off with a black leather hat, (I used part of my gift card to buy a similar suede one before we left), and was ready for selfie time!



                                                 
                         





Danielle in her Owen duds, and me in my winning outfit!

(Photos by Guest of a Guest)

http://owennyc.com/

http://owennyc.tumblr.com/ 



Thursday, March 21, 2013

Three Cheers For Spring


What's a post on March 20th without mention of the Spring Equinox? I've got to admit that I'm glad California can finally have it's day - rather season - in the sun. All this waxing poetic about the 'cozy' feeling of being 'curled up' (no other verb is applicable) inside while it snows was starting to make me nauseous. You still like the snow now, huh, New York? Even in March?

No more shearling coats, no more boots and scarves or even gloves for us! (Not that that was ever really a common sight.) No, spring has veritably sprung here in the West and our season has arrived. In celebration of this annual event, I was finally able to don my share of the Prabal Gurung for Target collection. I really didn't feel it was right wearing lime sandals when it was still technically winter. 




To be fair, the whole winter season obsession really gets a Californian down. We all feel it here. We watch the news about mega-blizzards and snow-days, dropping temperatures and icicles. And what's worse, all those beautiful coats made of heavy suede or wool, the dense furs and innumerable hat options are useless! How am I supposed to look sane while wearing a 15 lb coat when it's 65 outside. 

Finally spring has arrived and, soon after, summer. And no one does spring or summer like California does. No sticky heat, bugs, or summer rainstorms spewing hot water all over. Just dry warmth, an ever-present sun, and too many reasons to skip work and head to the beach. 



But now, to the clothes! Summer is still far away, but donning a printed Diane von Furstenberg mini skirt felt so right. Paired with my favorite cream Karl Lagerfeld blouse, I'm still able to get away with showing so much skin so early in the season. A pair of Prada sunnies and of course the previously mentioned Prabal Gurung for Target shoes are really the only accessories I feel are needed. 


I'm sorry, but I don't mean to gloat. Really, I'm just celebrating the end of instagram pictures of mugs of tea, a snowy backdrop and an alight fireplace. Who else is with me?




Lizzie Furlong - West Coast






Sunday, March 17, 2013

Death to the Platform



Like the rumors suggest, the platform has bid its adieu. Gone are the pseudo-stripper/Kim Kardashian foot profiles. We all have permission to roll our eyes at the newest Louboutin designs propped up in our local shoe salons. How passé!

But in all seriousness, let it be known, I never understood this sky-high trend. Sure, a little lift here and there is wholly acceptable (especially for those of us who don't have 5'11 frames and legs like reeds.) But when did the platforms start extending past three quarters of an inch? Does anyone else cringe in horror when they spot a shoe that looks less like footwear and more like the hoof of a pygmy goat? Even when I was brave enough to try them on for myself, I couldn't help feeling like a satyr.

Really, this profile made Christian Louboutin a household name. YSL's Tribtoo shoe, Charlotte Olympia's array of block pumps, even the horrific Jeffrey Campbell Lita bootie all owe their success on the absurdity of walking 4 inches taller than your natural height. I, for one, want to high five myself for resisting the urge to succumb to this concept.

Now, I'm not hopeful enough to believe that they'll be gone for good. But for now I'm celebrating the comeback of the flat sole. Say hello to the days of slim, feminine feet and more natural heights. Less sole means less weight, which amounts to less tripping over curbs (cats out of the bag - we can't all walk like supermodels.) Also, no more walking like an effing show pony. Wether its a rounded toe, pointed toe or even a square one, as long as they're less than an inch from the ground you can rest assured you won't look like a mutant.

¡Vive la flat sole!

Lizzie Furlong - West Coast

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Going Incognito

There was a sunny day this weekend! I knew this days in advance, due to my constant checking of the weather app, so I already planned on spending it outdoors, soaking up the rays (through layers upon layers of clothing, mind you) and the dirty New York air. We headed to Washington Square park, which was swarming with people, and their happy looking dogs who were probably just excited to be outside free of their sweaters, raincoats, and little snowshoes. I wore my rubber-soled wedges just in case I found myself having to traipse through melting slush, but happily there ended up being little trace of the snowstorm from the day before. 


I was really feeling the theme of leather accents, with the paneling on the sides of the leggings, the sleeves of my coat, and the brim of the hat. If I didn't look enough like a boy already, I layered a flannel over a plain black long sleeve t-shirt for extra warmth and dimension to the outfit.

This (relatively) warm day proved to be a teaser for the hopefully fast approaching sunny days that will have us shedding our wool coats and 5-layer ensembles in favor of short shorts and open-toed shoes.


Hat: Sandro// Sunglasses: H&M// Coat: Zara// Flannel: Vintage// Shirt: J.Crew// Leggings: H&M// Shoes: Cheap Monday

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Can I take a rain check?


Winters last efforts of shuddering this slice of the Pacific have finally materialized in the form of mild rain. Because of this little weather movement, I was forced to throw on a jacket and warm fabrics. I guess this could be winters last hoorah, and my last hoorah of winter dressing to match.

It is laughable (for those holed up under a heater blanket with drifts of white outside their front doors) to say that this post is about winter dressing. To be honest, I feel like a neophyte spouting the ABC's of cold-casual. I get chilly when it's below 68 in my own home. But winter here is much different and translates into a very unconventional wardrobe.


Out at the Malibu Country Mart today, the windows of Intermix and Lanvin already displayed the expected wardrobe of incoming spring. Why in such a rush to switch seasons, CA? Let's savor the last few rain clouds and go out with a bang wearing our most ambitious Moncler parkas (yes, that's an ironic reality) and all-weather boots. Why force jean shorts when there are still Starbucks seasonal drinks to be had? We have enough damn sunshine, let clouds and rain have their last stand.

All hyperboles aside, I do enjoy those days when winter-dressing actually feels credible. Today I was able to put on my knitted turban from Anthropology and adorn it with a beetle brooch. My sweater, a voluminous turtleneck knitted creation, is by Staring at Stars. Over top, to match the brooding sky above, is an moody-green Helmut Lang sport coat. Really in no mood to flatter any sort of figure, I pulled on a pair of silk Leifsdottir draw-string trousers that feel more like luxurious pajamas than pants. A pair of clunky Dolce Vita boots was the my only real preparation for temperamental weather patterns. The purse, by Marc by Marc Jacobs, held the gloves I so desperately wanted to wear but felt absurd donning. 


I'm very interested to know - how does everyone else prepare for the elements? 

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Winter Dress Code


                                          

For the first "East" post in our East//West blog I donned my warmest fur coat, in true New York style, and hit the fashion-forward streets of SoHo with my fabulous friend and photographer, Lacsana.

         
We risked our lives, dodging the continuous flow of oncoming traffic while simultaneously snapping pictures in the middle of charming, cobblestone-paved Greene Street.

                                        
Since one huge fur coat obviously isn't enough to keep my wimpy Californian self warm in this frigid New York air, I layered a pine green leather jacket underneath, also lending a bit of a downtown edge to the look. And as I'm sure you will quickly realize, I am a huge proponent of a good printed pant. They, along with a killer pair of shoes, allow you to wear that same worn in sweater you love three times a week and somehow still make you look perfectly put-together.




I also have an obsession with nail art. 
And decaf coffee. 
This cup happens to be from Delicatessen, the trendy little restaurant on Prince Street, where we sat and snuck stalker glances at Prabal Gurung who was sipping his orange juice just a few tables away!


Hat: AllSaints// Sunglasses: Ray Ban (extra large Wayfarer)// Leather Jacket: Kenna-T// Coat: Max Studio// Shirt: byZoe// Pants: Kelly Wearstler// Fringed Gloves: from LF// Shoes: BCBG Max Azria





Wild Wild [literal] West


As the first official post for the West Coast side of East//West, I had to be literal. Literal in the sense of west. Whenever I think of the grande wild, wild west I conjure images of rowdy rancheros swindling gold nuggets from a saloon card game, snakeskin boots with fiery spurs, and more modern cowgirls who race painted horses around barrels. 

Now though I am representing my perspective on west coast style, not everyone would agree with me when I say 'cowboy' is a style on the outskirts of Malibu, CA. But it is. Oh it is. When I drive down Topanga Canyon or towards the tunnels on Kanan Road, I can't keep count of how many farms, arenas, barns, or stables I see. I may even spot a train of said cowboys hustling horses across the street. It may shock people when they notice how many cowboy-boot clad natives walking around Southern California. It isn't only a place of 365 days of perpetual sunshine and palm trees. There is definitely an unsung cowpoke ballad attached to the landscape. 



Shooting for this look, I really only had one place to consider: Paramount Ranch in Malibu Canyon. Here, on a scrubby patch of land laced with old fencing, sits a very film-famous Western Town. What better background could I have than a general store and a hitching post? Ironically, the section of land containing all the sets was sectioned off for filming. After trying to pass through groups of men handling reflectors and boom poles, and being asked if I was an extra and where was my paperwork, I was kicked out. So I settled for the Santa Monica Mountains as my backdrop.


Which leads me to my outfit. That's really what this is all about. I had to defend my ensemble before there were any suspicious objections to the validity of the style. Because Isabel Marant ushered in a beautiful western mystique in the F/W 2012 collection, I felt relieved to don a pair of much more attainable Zara ankle boots that mix three different tones of [faux] snakeskin. And what could be more western than a pair of suede chaps with billowing fringe? Nothing. However, since I do not own 60 cows or a roping pony (and thus zero chaps), I settled with a vintage scalloped suede skirt in camel. Also by Zara is an equestrian themed shirt with even more buckaroo panache. I particularly like how the buttons travel down and coincide with the buttons on the skirt below.  



Now the earrings, which I am eternally in love with. Because I was already channeling done-up barrel racer or oil tycoon wifey, I felt it only right to go full-fledged Lureen Newsome and add some gaudy jewelry. I snatched these up from Ezza Exclusive, a San Fernando Valley based jewelry designer, who specializes in statement pieces. No other adornment was necessary for this look, I felt like the raw yellow turquoise and door knocker amethysts did the trick. 

Now yeehaw to the comments!