Bucket List Item #16

 Lovelies,

 When I was ten years old, I wanted to be an architect. In part, I was inspired by the documentary on Frank Gehry, a quirky Canadian architect whose use of metal and glass turned the industry on its head. In the documentary, a few of his major works are highlighted, The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao being one of them. After waiting for years, I finally got to visit! I tried to take photos of the most interesting structural aspects of the building, including the varying angles of the sheet metal, as well as the glass panels in the interior.

The museum hosted several temporary exhibitions while we visited, one being the Riotous Baroque exhibition. This installation presented questionably- themed modern day pieces alongside Baroque-era pieces to emphasize the shock value of the Baroque pieces when they were originally released. This was unlike any other exhibition I had ever visited; the way the curator designed the layout of the floor was fascinating.

While visiting art museums, I like to look as artsy as possible. I attempted to do so by combining the colorful striped scarf with a basic striped shirt. I think it provides some great contrast and color to the monochromatic blue base (jeans and blazer). I finished the look with brand new Converse (there's something about the fresh, white rubber accents that makes me feel so pulled together), and my J. Crew schoolboy blazer.  

XOXO,

Em

Notes on the Outfit-

- J. Crew Schoolboy Blazer in Navy 

- Madewell Striped Shirt

- Michel LeBrun Scarf (I purchased this at a small boutique in my town. The designer is based in Paris and makes incredible scarfs! You can shop for some of them here. The site is in progress, but it should be back up soon).

- Abercrombie Jeans

- Longchamp 'Le Pliage' Tote

- Converse

- Dogeared Necklace

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.... :)

Old Town

Lovelies,

So begins the documentation of my summer vacation to Europe!:)  I was really looking forward to this trip because I saw it as a way to expand the content of my blog; while continuing to post outfits, I want to start focusing a bit more on the things I experience while exploring a new country. Luckily, my first stop was Prague, a city who's vibrant and artistic community faced communism and World War II several decades ago. 

 We arrived at the airport after spending around 24 hours traveling to our final destination. IT. WAS. EXHAUSTING. I somehow always think I'm going to miraculously outsmart jetlag and feel happy as a clam when I get off the plane...but unfortunately, it never works out. :/ The combination of policeman riding segways all over the airport (ONLY in europe!) and the unreadable Czech signs made my brain swim just a tad. After finding our luggage, we drove into Prague's city square. The buildings, although somewhat shabby on the outside, are absolutely dazzling on the inside. (Think chandeliers, rare woods, pastel colors and gorgeous lighting.)

These photos were taking outside of the Jewish Cemetery, located just a few blocks away from the city's square, known as the Old Town Square. Prague itself is divided into five sections- Josefov (Jewish Quarter), Old Town, New Town, The Castle of Prague and Malá Strana. The Jewish Quarter is also home to the oldest Synagogue in Europe, which is rumored to hold this mythical creature known as the Golem in its attic. Mysterious? Definitely.

I really liked the atmosphere around the Jewish quarter in contrast with my choice of clothing. I bought the shirt on a Forever 21 run with my dearest girl, Elsa. To me, the construction of the sleeves and the collar seems to reference the 50's. I increased the femininity of the outfit by adding the J. Crew necklace. After a year, I finally wore it! :) I topped it all off with my vintage Dooney, Ray-Bans, Henri Bendel Bracelet and J. Crew flats that I bought in San Francisco.

The pants? They're a story in themselves. Originally, I bought a pair of ripped tomato colored jeans while I was at Forever 21 with Elsa. Just as my heart set on them, I realized the zipper was broken...but, being me, I wouldn't put them down. I told myself I could just sew some hooks and eyes on them, turning them into wearable and ridiculously fantastic pants. With the bonus 5% discount Forever 21 gave me, I felt like I was getting them for a bargain. (Insert LOADS of sarcasm here). Unfortunately, my three hours of sewing while Elsa watched Midnight in Paris didn't exactly work out so hot. The fly gapped strangely, and I felt really awkward in them. In panic mode, I flew to Gap and found these. They're not exactly what I'm looking for, but they'll look great in Winter. (You bet I'm going to find a way to make those pants work, though). (:

XOXO,

Em

Rooftops

Lovelies,

J. Crew Belt

Mulberry for Target Bag, J. Crew Dress.

Necklace- Gift from Cousin

Marc Fisher Shoes, Zoya Polish.

 I asked my mom to take a few pictures on the Rooftop Garden at the Surrey Hotel before heading off to see "Death of A Salesman"... I think they turned out excellently! :)


 The J. Crew dress, which I found online, is made out of a lightweight cotton... absolutely perfect for Spring. I surprisingly didn't own a simple little black dress beforehand. Now, my closet finally feels complete! The necklace was a 16th birthday gift from my cousin...I wear it almost every day! I love how simple, modern and elegant it looks with a bare neck. I purchased the Mulberry for Target bag in December '11 for a last minute winter formal detail. I "borrowed" the belt from my mom's closet (I have an underwhelming amount of black pieces in my closet).


On a side note, "Death of a Salesman" absolutely blew me away. I wasn't expecting such a powerful and honest performance from the incredible cast of actors. Although I found myself literally holding back tears at the final scene, it left me with a message that I've been thinking about all this week. If by any chance you find yourself in New York, BUY TICKETS AND GO. I promise you won't regret it! :)


XOXO,


Em

True Prep

Lovelies,

Betsey Johnson Sunglasses.

Polo and White Jeans, both Ralph Lauren.

Tiffany Key.

I'm finally BACK! 

It's been a wild two months, and I'm so sorry I haven't posted in a while. Between school, volunteering and orchestra, I have barely had time to sleep.... definitely noticeable due to the bags under my eyes. ;) Although I took a brief leave from blogging, some amazing opportunities arose! I was featured in my school's newspaper, The HUB. You can read the article here. ( click on expand, I'm on Page 5)


These past few weekends, I've avoided doing my homework by throwing lots of spring outfits together, but never posted photos of them (this is one of the outfits). I picked up both the polo and white pants at Ralph Lauren last time I went shopping. I absolutely adore the combination of the two pieces together.... Although I look like I'm headed to a polo match, I still feel super sophisticated! The Tiffany Key was a 16th birthday present from my parents. I had a chance to pick out which key I wanted, and this was, by far, my favorite design.

By the way, even if the über-preppy lifestyle isn't your forte, True Prep by Lisa Birnbach is definitely a fun read. (:

XOXO,

Em

Romantique

Lovelies,

I had so much fun blogging about some of my favorite summer products, I just had to write another post. This time, these essentials are aimed towards a soft and feminine look. They're light, sparkly and make you feel totally classy. =)

1) Nars Lipgloss in Turkish Delight- This is the best lipgloss when I'm in the mood for a minimal look. It gives a perfect amount of shine, and the texture is wonderful too. I wouldn't say it's good for a night out, but for day-to-day use, this gloss is your number one.

2) Eaux Naturelles Toilettes by Fragonard- These scents are light and again, perfect for daytime wear. The five scents include Verveine, Cerisier, Freesia, Rose de Mai and Orangier. My personal favorite is Verveine, just because its citrus-based and perfect for any occasion.

3) Zoya Nail Polish in Hermina - This nail polish is a wonderful champagne color that's SO forgiving. (For some reason, doing my nails= impossible, and I almost always get polish outside my nail.) Plus, the formula dries pretty quickly, and sets really well.

4) BareMinerals eyeshadow in Queen Phyllis- I bought this eyeshadow for a dance about a year ago and forgot about it after that....but I rediscovered it in my eyeshadow drawer a few months ago! The color is wonderful, and leaves a champagne shimmer on the lid. The container can be really annoying if not closed well, but the contents inside make up for it.

5)  Trois Petit Cochon Soap Set by Giana Rose Atelier- These soaps are simply adorable. As I said before, I'm much more likely to use a soap that's cute than just a plain bar of soap. They smell wonderful (French Linen, anyone?), and also lather well.

6) Stila Eyeshadow Trio- I picked this up at Macy's about a year ago. I was more attracted to the price than anything. (Stila eyeshadows for $10? YES.) To my surprised, I ended up loving the colors in the trio. All of them have a wonderful texture, and can be applied super easily. Plus, the palette is easy to take on the go.

XOXO,

Em