Month: October 2017

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Mani Monday – Skeleton Edition

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“Let’s give him a hat and a cane and make him dance.” said my seven year old son in his second grade art class.  “Did you still want to add a dog?”  “No, that would be mean to Cupcake.”  I smiled and was touched by his consideration for our Puggle.  He proceeded to show me how to blend the clay and I was so impressed with his skeleton (in the bottom right corner) that it inspired my Halloween mani.  I look forward to trick or treating in the neighborhood with my Astronaut.

The manicure and nail art are by Olive & June.  The colors is “Off Duty Style” by Essie Gel Couture (my new favorite polish that wears like gel, but is not gel).

Items in the photos include:

Zadig & Voltaire Skull Scarf

Clare V Green leopard print Pouch

Clare V Embossed Leather Pouch

Clare V Striped “Oui” Long Sleeve Tee

Cult Gaia Ark Bag in Black

J. Crew Shoes

Zadig & Voltaire Hooded Cardigan

Karen Millen Blurred Leopard Print Dress

John + Jenn Leopard Sweater

Ted Baker Black Bell Sleeve Top

Happy Monday!

XO,

JAE

 

Casual Friday

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I am breaking out the light flannel  now that LA’s heat wave has broken and the temperatures are finally down in the double digits.  I love this mini buffalo check in blue from   J. Crew.  I styled it with high rise (11 inch!) slim boy jeans from Madewell and my leopard pumps.

 

 

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Shirt

Denim here and here

Shoes (older style similar here, here and here)

Happy Shopping!

XO,

JAE

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Rugby Soft

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This rugby shirt brings me back to high school, only I don’t remember my rugby shirts being this soft.  J. Crew has done an excellent job of bring back their 1984 rugby shirt and making it slimmer and softer (than at least I remember).   I have it in two of the three colors; I am tempted to make it a rugby trifecta with the olive and champagne version.  I featured the blue and white here.  All three colors are now on back order, but they will be worth the wait.  I have worn both shirts with everything from jeans to shorts to skirts and dressed them up and down.

I styled the pink and navy with dark denim, sparkly flats and a custom Parker Thatch canvas clutch.

 

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Rugby Shirt

Canvas Pouch

Denim

Shoes (older style these and these would look great)

Happy Shopping!

XO,

JAE

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Mani Monday – from Whine to Wine Edition

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The heat in Southern California has brought out a little whining in me about the lack of fall weather.  I recently heard someone say that they did not understand how people could complain about the heat, when we really have endless summer.  It was an ah-ha moment for me and a reminder that I was not enjoying the present.  I love warm weather.  I decided to embrace that extension of summer but also decided it was time for a fall mani.  So I went from whine to wine.  I love this burgundy color and added a little abstract plaid with two more colors and some negative space.  Looking down at my fall nails even in ninety degree heat makes me smile and welcome fall.

The manicure and nail art are by Olive & June.  The colors are “Gala Vanting”, “Take Me to Thread” and “Surrounded by Studs” all by Essie Gel Couture.  This polish is amazing.  It is not gel, but lasts forever and rarely chips.

Items in the photos include:

Ferragamo Flats

Faux Fur Vest

Bernardaud Naxos Mug

Madewell Striped Tee

Ted Baker Dress

Sandro T-shirt

Ted Baker Dress

J.Crew Floral Top

Joie Leopard Bomber

All Saints Zebra Dress

J.Crew Pebble Print Top

Karen Millen Sweater

Vince Plaid Bomber Jacket

Gucci Snake Flats

J. Crew Faux Fut Vest

Tory Burch Plaid Plants

J. Crew Plaid Bomber

Happy Monday!

XO,

JAE

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Black and Blue Rules

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Running late and the first to arrive.  Twice this week I have overslept or run late and still managed to be not only on time but also the first to arrive.  It made me realize that maybe I can push it and not play it so safe all the time.  I don’t play my fashion choices nearly as safe as I did in my youth.  You never would have seen me combine blue and black. At the time it  almost seemed as crazy as white after Labor Day (another thing you will catch me doing now).

I will still wear a seat belt, make sure my kid is in his booster correctly, secure my house, buy organic produce and drive much differently than I did as a teenager.  But when it comes to fashion, I am challenging old rules.

I styled the graphic tee with a sweater blazer (love the stripes on the cuff and the inside), high rise “true black” jeans and navy sequined flats.

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Sweater Blazer here or here

T-Shirt

Sunglasses (on sale!)

High -Rise Black Jeans

Shoes (older style these and these would look great)

Happy Shopping!

XO,

JAE

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Plaid and Roses

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High-rise denim meet cropped bomber jacket – a match made in heaven.  My second pair of Madewell denim are the boy jean with a super high 11 inch rise.  They are perfect with a cropped bomber.  Before these jeans, I could not make a shorter jacket work.  Don’t get me started on how comfortable they are.  I styled the plaid bomber jacket with a rose t-shirt for a little pattern mix.  The plaid also comes in this adorable skirt which would be so cute with tights or boots.

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Bomber Jacket here and here

T-Shirt

Sunglasses (similar here)

Denim here and here

Shoes (similar here and here)

Happy Shopping!

XO,

JAE

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Mani Monday – Reinvent Me Edition

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“I can take that meeting on Tuesday if that is the only time that works, but my chakras are likely to be a bit out of whack.”  I half joked to my husband as we were confirming a meeting.  “Well we don’t need that on a regular basis.  I’ll avoid Tuesdays in the future.”  Neither my husband nor I would be described as woo-woo or new age, but we both know that the class just works for me.

I go to classes regularly at Unplug, a meditation studio in Los Angeles where the Tuesday Chakra balancing class led by Camilla Sacre-Dallerup takes place.  She is a gift and her approach and strategies are so simple, yet profound.  I wrote about how her approach and a particular mediation bolstered my cleaner eating habits here.  I was so excited to get my hands on her new book, Reinvent Me.  The cover also served as the perfect nail art inspiration.

 

The manicure and nail art are by Olive & June.  The colors are “Looks to Thrill” by Essie Gel Couture and “Alpine Snow” by OPI.

Items in the photos include:

J. Crew Scarf

Tory Burch Tote

Jonathan Simkhai Dress

Madewell Striped Tee

Loeffler Randall Slides

Hugo Boss Jacket

Joseph Fair Isle Sweater

Happy Monday!

XO,

JAE

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Cozy in Pink

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“Mommy, it’s 59 degrees outside right now.” said my seven year old at 7:00 am.  “I’m wearing pants today?”

“Are you sure?  It will be warmer later.  Do you want to just wear your jacket?”

“I’ll wear that, too.  It should be Autumn by now.”

“True, it is technically Autumn.”  I try to put something together for a morning meeting that I won’t be sweating in by mid-day.

When I got an email and saw this cashmere sweatshirt from Madewell on Instagram I knew I needed to check out it immediately.  It is so soft and lightweight, perfect for this cooler in the morning but warm by mid-day weather.  It will also be great for layering when it actually does stay in the 50s and 60s all day.

While I was there I checked out the denim that they are so well known for.  I tried a few pairs and had trouble choosing just one.  They have a slim boyjean with an 11 inch rise that were a nice take on the slim boyfriend jean trend.  They are on my list.  The slim straight was a great fit.  I love that it is clean and straight without being super skinny and they are so comfortable.    I completed the look with my favorite driving shoes that are 12 years old (you can read about finding them in Antwerp here) and one of my favorite Legend of Lido clutches.

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Cashmere Sweatshirt

Denim

Clutch

Shoes (similar here and here)

Happy Friday!

XO,

JAE

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All Buttoned Up

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“Congratulations!  You knocked it out of the park.  We are extending an offer.”  said the voice on the other end of the line.  I was so excited about my first job out of college at a management consulting firm in San Francisco.  I could not wait to go shopping for my work wardrobe.

This was before the tech boom and there was no such thing as business casual.  In fact, I had been strongly discouraged from wearing pantsuits.  “The manager of the office prefers skirt suits in dresses”, was what I had been told.  This was not in writing or an employee handbook, of course.  It was not that long ago.  It is still is hard to believe.  I did not really consider it a hardship at the time, but eventually the need to wear hosiery (and have at least one spare pare at my desk) got old.

I was more conservative then with my skirt suits, dresses, modest necklines and reasonable (though always above the knee) hemlines.  The firm where I worked was “buttoned up” and conservative.  There was something reassuring about having a “uniform”.

A few years later casual Friday was introduced.  I was a not a fan.  I hated having to put a more casual look together.  I was in charge of recruitment for the firm and often had interview rounds on Friday.  I felt it was unfair to ask an undergrad or even an MBA to interview without their uniform.  So I insisted on those Friday’s not being casual and I was the bad guy.

I continued to wear suits long after the dress codes were truly business casual.  Eventually I did not want to look like an auditor, so my business attire evolved into business casual.  I miss the more formal dress (minus the hosiery).

I was drawn to the simple statement buttons on the sleeve of this top.  I styled it with a new pair of vintage crop jeans (with a step-hem) and a clutch and navy sequin shoes.

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Top

Denim

Clutch

Shoes (older style but I love these)

Happy Shopping!

XO,

JAE

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Mani Monday – Star Edition

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Who are the stars of your story? I have been asking myself that question in a number of ways.  In my meditation practice I am working on making my internal narrator a positive one.  That voice has a lot of air time and it is not always kind.

Last week my husband and I attended a memorial service for someone my husband worked with right after business school.  I never met her and she was gone far too young to breast cancer.  The service was beautiful and inspiring.  The stars of her story had genuine love for her.  She had made her friendships and interactions count. The finite nature of our lives was brought home, but I also thought about how she will remain a star in the stories of those whose lives she impacted.  Life is short.  I am dedicated to flashing the smile, extending the kindness, going the extra mile, attending the concert or performance and being present.  I want to be a positive star in the lives I touch and in my own story.

The manicure and nail art are Olive & June.  The color is “Haute to Trot” by Essie Gel Couture.

Items featured in the photos include:

Studded Jean Jacket

Gingham Bell Sleeve Top and Tweed Shoes

Floral Dress

Legend of Lido Clutch

Star T-shirt

Star Blouse

Star Dress

Chloe Heel

Faux Fur Jacket

Moon and Stars Sweatshirt

Embroidered Denim Shirt

Glitter Clutch and Pink Ruffle Sweater

Gucci Slide

Star Denim Jeans

Star Denim Dress

Star Purse

Miu Miu Shoes

Kate Spade Bag

J. Crew Jacket

Givenchy Bag

Happy Monday!

XO,

JAE