The Armory Show

Lovelies,

I was fortunate enough to be in New York City this past weekend to attend the Armory Show. For those of you not familiar with the show, the once-a-year display highlights various artwork from small galleries located across the globe. (A few notable galleries present include the Gagosian Gallery and the Lisson Gallery).  This year's show featured thousands of works, hundreds of which varied in their mediums. I specifically enjoyed the use of film, lighting and recycled material to enhance the gallery experience. I photographed some of my favorite works, which you will find above. It was clear that an exorbitant amount of care was placed in the design of each gallery space (Some of the galleries even had printed wallpaper illustrated by a specific artist!)

Most importantly, the Armory Show cleverly placed several "refreshment stands" along the hallways. I luckily had enough control to stick with one dessert offered at the stands. After sampling a red velvet flavored baked doughnut, I will never be able to eat another doughnut again. Too delicious.

More NYC Posts coming soon!

XOXO,

Em

P.S. I will be hosting a Teen Vogue Girls' Night In 10th Anniversary Celebration tomorrow evening. A new post will follow soon! ;)

Up Close With Gaultier

Lovelies,

Madewell Shirt, Gap Blazer and Pants, J. Crew Crystal Necklace, Longchamp 'Le Pliage' Tote.

Soon after I returned from Europe, my French exchange student Marie arrived. I met her parents last summer while staying at their château in Normandy. Her mom had mentioned she had a daughter who was eager to visit the United States, as she had never been. Over the course of the year, we exchanged emails and things just fell into place. Before I knew it, she was on her way to my hometown. I had an absolutely wonderful experience (I'll discuss more about it later) :)

While Marie was here, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to show her the best of the best in California. Our first stop? San Francisco. While in San Francisco, we visited the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit at the deYoung museum. I'd read about it previously from a plethora of online bloggers who promised that it was an incredible and insightful exhibit. After visiting, I'm SO glad I took their advice! Besides the chance to view some pretty extraordinary couture pieces, the exhibit shed light on how Gaultier incorporated modern culture into his collections. Although this was similar to the Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty exhibit I saw at the Met in June, 2011, Gaultier's exhibit had it's own personality.

I shot most of these photos with my iPhone, since I didn't have my camera with me. Although the quality isn't the greatest, I feel like the softness almost mimics several themes seen through the collection. I took most of the photos up close, as the detail and craftsmanship was mind blowing and, for lack of a better term, EPIC. The leopard dress (above) required, if my memory serves me, 1,008 hours of construction. It's one of the best examples of the quality of haute couture I've seen. Besides the beaded leopard dress, I admired the cream colored chiffon dress (above) as well. I later read that it was Gaultier's first haute couture gown.  Pretty impressive, right?

If you have the chance to visit, I would highly recommend attending. The exhibit runs thru August 19th, so hurry! :)

XOXO,

Em

P.S. Gaultier even signed the wall at the entrance to the exhibit (last photo). Did I touch it? .....yes.... :)

Collar

Lovelies,

Forever 21 Dress, J. Crew Belt, Henri Bendel Bracelet.

J. Crew Cardigan.

Forever 21 Collar.

Dooney and Bourke Purse, Sam Edelman Flats.

The next stop on our vacation was Vienna, Austria. I didn't know what to expect Vienna to be like, except I knew that the pastries would be scrumptious (I love that word). I was completely surprised to waltz into a city filled with absolutely spectacular buildings, gardens, and landscape very similar to Paris. Although the weather was hot and muggy, it was easy to escape by visiting the numerous art museums Vienna had to offer. These photos were taken outside the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Although the museum's grandeur was quite impressive, I have to say my favorite art museum was a tie between the Sucession Building (The museum that houses Gustav Klimt's Beethovenfries Mural), or the Belvedere, which houses Klimt's The Kiss. I wasn't necessarily a big fan of Klimt's art beforehand, but after my visit to Austria, I definitely have a more respect for his work.

My outfit was inspired by the oh-so famous 2012 Louis Vuitton S/S show, which featured a sugary sweet combination of pastels, feathers and metallics. (I previously posted some pictures of a few looks  in my window shopping post!)  Lately, I've been really infatuated with the entire collar trend, as it's incredibly impractical but extremely stylish. I bought one at Forever 21, just to join the pack and experiment with the versatility of the piece. Surprisingly, the collar has been one of the best bargains I have ever found (In case you're wondering, it was only $7. (: On the same trip, I purchased the creme dress. I bought the mint cardigan from J. Crew before I traveled to New York back in April, as well as the Sam Edelman flats. I purchased my bracelet from the flagship Henri Bendel store in NYC. I promise, if I end up going to college in the city, I'm going to find myself broke from spending too much time in 712 5th avenue. :)

XOXO,

Em