Outfit Post: Tee Time

Hooray for better lighting in my hallway!

Scarves and tees and leather jackets, these are a few of my favorite things. The crisp Fall weather gives me to opportunity to combine all three making my life easier when it comes time to get dressed.

Here’s the outfit breakdown:

T-shirt: Express – This soft sweater tee is perfect on this crisp fall day. It’s a snug fit so I wanted to make sure I balanced it out with a wider legged pant. I’ve tried layering it with a button-down before, but it’s definitely better without the bulk.

Jeans: Seven for All Mankind – This cut is called the Dojo. They don’t come in petite, so I took them to the tailor and she managed to shorten them without losing too much of the wide leg. This might be old news, but when having your jeans shortened I highly recommend having them reattach them hem (as opposed to creating a new hem and losing the thicker edge) because it keeps the same finished look the jeans had when you bought them.

Jacket: Gap – Leather moto jackets are super popular right not, but this is a style that I have never abandoned. This Gap jacket was stiffer than a 1950’s cocktail when I first bought it over 5 years ago (which is probably why is was on such a steep discount, I paid less than $100), but I knew that I would eventually break it in and it would be worth it when I did. The leather jacket and the jean jacket are equally essential and timeless, I just prefer the former for my style.

Scarf: American Eagle – This is the first infinity scarf that I have ever purchased and I like it, but I don’t love it. It sort of reminds me of a beard because, if you’re a messy eater like me, any food that drops from your mouth gets caught in it (T.M.I.?). Maybe if I stop eating like a savage who hasn’t seen food in a month I won’t have this problem.

Belt: Vince – Belts were never my thing, so when I spent $80 on this one I definitely considered it a splurge. It’s adjustable and it’s a leather/cotton combo and I really bought it because it reminded me of my dad’s uniform belts from when he was in the navy (which I later stole and wore with my “skater” clothes in junior high). Now I wear it all the time.

Shoes: Vince Camuto – I bought these crackled metallic wedges on sale from Piperlime for a wedding at a vineyard (lest I aerate the lawn). They are extremely comfortable and a great height, but I almost didn’t get them because of the brand (see my bizarre issues with Vince Camuto here). Thankfully I was able to look past their poor marketing and put these great shoes into rotation.

Outfit Post: Vampire Weekend

Friday night we went to see Vampire Weekend at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. We had a delicious dinner at Flatbush Farm and then headed over (way too early, we got there before the first of two opening acts went on) to the venue.

The Barclays Center is a nice enough venue (cleanest bathrooms I’ve ever seen), but I found all of the concessions to be extremely overpriced ($9.50 for a domestic draft? That better be super-sized), so I suggest you do the majority of your eating and drinking before you get there.

Vampire Weekend was clearly stoked to be there, but the effects on the new album didn’t sound great on the sound system (any base whatsoever was crazy muffled like you blew a speaker in your ’98 Honda Civic) and the stage was set like Scarface meets a Tommy Bahama ad (faux-marble columns, an over-sized mirror and a loud floral backdrop). Thankfully they placed “Diane Young” early in their set which made me very happy (if you haven’t heard this infectious tune yet you can check out the delightfully bizarre music video here).

Here’s the outfit breakdown:

Dress: Wyatt –  Bought this dress on Bluefly because it struck me as something Debbie Harry would wear. It has long sleeves, but it’s lightweight so it’s perfect for when you’re in between seasons.

Belt: Linea Pele – This belt is a consignment shop find. My What Not to Wear education has taught me that a waist-cinching belt is essential in any wardrobe, so when I saw this one I scooped it right up.

Bag: Pietro Alessandro – This bag is from an online flash-sale (ideeli if I’m not mistaken). This bag is great not only because it’s metallic and therefor versatile, but because it can also be a shoulder bag or a clutch or a cross-body. Foley & Corinna originated this style, but any incarnation you can get of it is a worthwhile investment.

Vest: J. Crew –  I have never been big on the jean jacket or the jean skirt; they were always items I bought because I thought you should have them, but this vest is just so fun and 80’s and versatile that I had to have it. It adds just the right amount of warmth and I know I’ll be wearing it year round.

Shoes: Cole Haan – Flat boots just feel so right in Brooklyn. This was the first time that I wore these boots; as per the salesgirl from the Cole Haan outlet I sprayed the sh*t out of these boots with leather protector and they came out of the concert unscathed.

Scarf: H&M – Chilly weather makes me happy because I love soup and cozy accessories and there are few accessories that I love as much as the scarf. H&M offers a great selection in a variety of colors and textures for about $12. Scarves keep you warm and complete your look; get used to seeing a lot of them here at KimboNotKimmy.