Calypso Love

I've become enamored with Calypso St Barts' style and flowing dresses. This morning I really wanted something with a drape, so I threw on this Kelli dress from last fall.

Now I know it's not customary to wear velvet in the summer, but silk velvet is extremely lightweight. And besides, we chucked those ancient rules about white, Labor day, and contrast colors eons ago...

My favorite thing about the Kelli is the soft, easy, back drape. I find that so many cowl dresses are cut so low you really can't wear a bra or undergarment beneath. But this one stops right above the bra line. Perfect.

Braids, feather and suede earrings, natural waves. It's easier to leave the house without all the heat styling ever since my rockin' hair-genius/buddy/assistant gave me quick-fix trim over the weekend!

Dress: Calypso, Heels: Charles David, Earrings: NYC Boutique, Bracelet: Unknown boutique

So out with the rules. Velvet in June? Check. Painfully high, gladiator heels? Check. More searching for new ways to wear what I've got? Check.

With Love,

Noa B

Free People Fringe Fest

Inspired by the hit show "Girls" and the character of Jessa, I've been wearing white, boho dresses and tops nearly every day. (More to come soon).

This top is a Free People score I nabbed on sale several months ago but hadn't yet debuted.

It's so femmy, and I just hadn't found a way to strike the right balance, until I added denim back in...

 

Jeans plus a rad choker I was gifted on my recent trip to Israel tied it all together.

 

 

That, plus my favorite LAMB bag, flats, and extra jewelry did the trick.

 

Jeans: Hudson, Bag: Lamb, Top: Free People, Jewelry: Israel, Flats: BCBG

Now go find your inner, groovy chick.

With Love,

Noa B

The "Jessa" Look: Inspiration

Ladies, can we seriously talk about the season finale of the HBO hit show, GIRLS? More specifically, can we discuss "Jessa's" wedding dress? The whole look for that matter?

I have been seriously enamored with the "Jessa" character since this show began airing. I want to wear every stitch the brilliant costumer, Jenn Rogien, has put on this beautiful girl.

If you're not a fan of this show, here's the look that took Jessa down the aisle. And I'd love to tell you where to buy it, but it's vintage--hooray! (I mean, look at those sleeves--and the shoes, the shoes)!!

While you can buy the Alexander McQueen heels with the skulls, the dress will be a little harder to come by. So here are some fabulous finds that will help you emulate this look. I can't wait to show you all my version, coming soon. In the meantime, create a "Jessa" look of your own with these options:

Anthropologie's Morning Story dress has the white cotton vibe down. You can grab it here.

Haute Hippie always nails it, especially with their Embellished Peasant Dress, which you can find at shopbob, here.

And here's BHLDN's version, the Persephone dress, available here.

Free People is carrying this Retro Sleeve Dress whose cutaways are gorg! You can nab it here.

And of course, there's ASOS, where you can grab this Peter Jensen, shift dress.

For more cottony goodness, here's a Rebecca Taylor shift available at Wasteland.

And to read more about how the "Jessa" look came about, check out this lovely interview with Jenn here.

With Love,

Noa B

Caftan love

Wanna just throw on a smock and be a hippie, painting a canvas with a flower in your hair?

This sheer caftan is brilliant to lounge about the house in. And to head out, I just need to add a pretty, little slip to keep it from looking too sheer.

...Ahhh, summer nights at last! If you want to feel like a flower child, come check out this number at My ETSY store.

With Love,

Noa B

White Tee+ Shoe Fix= 80's Fun!

Remember those rad, Edelmann heels I wanted to have augmented? Well I finally found a way to make them fit "just right". And what makes a spiked heel just a little more fun-casual? A favorite, little, white tee to marry it to.

 

This renovation was really easy. I took these babies to my local cobbler at Shoe Lab in Century City, and he devised a strap which he secured between the lining and back of the heel of my shoe. He matched the color and texture beautifully, and thanks to him I can finally wear these without my heel slipping out and making me skid.

Tee: Nordstrom BP, Skirt: Mikkat Mansion, Vest: Trade, Clutch: Vintage, Hat: F21, Heels: Sam Edelmann

So there you have it. Got a shoe that gaps in the back? Consider adding on a strap and you'll never have to trade them in!

With Love,

Noa B

Paisley Dress Reworked

I'm such a fan of Biba style, and when I found this dress last year I was determined to re-work it and make it body flattering and updated in cut.

So I hacked out about 8 inches around the waist, removed side seams and pockets, and tailored it into a more typical, elastic banded, A-line cut. 

I rediscovered it in my closet and had to wear it out for the weekend.

I'm so inspired by it that I'll be bringing you more Biba looks to come, so stay tuned, and check out my ETSY store here to find more such items for sale! 

Dress: Vintage reconstructed, Belt: Vintage, Hair band: Goody, Sunnies: Stolen from Hubs, Heels: Dolce Vita

With Love,

Noa B