#edgify me

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Le Smoking Slipper

Two years ago, the smoking slipper was a novelty item. "They're totally rad, but only if you're Alexa Chung."

Last year, the smoking slipper had a moment. "I need a pair of smoking slippers, the same way I need to go on a juice cleanse."

This year, the smoking slipper has become a staple, giving the ballet flat a run for it's money. "I only have three pairs of smoking slippers, I definitely need a fourth." 

Above are three amazing pairs from Del Toro available now (until December 15th) for pre-order on Moda Operandi. I'm kinda, sorta, maybe, totally obsessified with the red velvet Paris slippers.

About that necessary fourth pair...

I'm seriously considering these bad boys and you should too if you're like me and still rely on your left hand's ability to make an L shape in order to differentiate your left from your right. I'm not proud of it. 

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If It's Not Baroque, Please Fix It

I've been digging the Boroque movement for some time now. The fire was lit when Olivier Rousteing's (Balmain) fall collection hit the runway and I belted out a fabulous opera rendition of Backstreet Boys' "You are...my fire, my one...desire." I actually sounded better than Bocelli. No I didn't, but I sometimes wish I did. The collection was a rock n roll remix of the Boroque trend. With boxy silhouettes and black leather accents paired with ornate beading and faberge patterns, I couldn't get enough. 

Now, more than ever the craving to boroque-ify has struck and I think it has something to do with the holiday spirit. 5th Avenue is practically shouting at you "Get festive, OR ELSE."  Still not on board the Boroque train? Here's some magtastic inspo for ya:

Ornate detailing, brocade, lace, velvet, black and gold, it's like the holiday season came to life...ON THEIR BODEHS.

Now how can I edgify the baroque look, you may ask. To that I say, it's all about juxtaposition. Don't take it too literally. Choose one element that speaks to you - lace, velvet, gold, brocade - and mix it with something unexpected like chambray, white jeans, colored leather, a baseball cozy cap, wedge kicks and/or a gingham bow tie. Play with it till you start doing the mirror dance and BAM, you're baroque-ified. 

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Alexander Wang + Balenciaga = Bawangiaga

Breaking News: Alexander Wang will be named Creative Director at Balenciaga. (Insert random collection of emoticons based on your reaction here.)

Twitter, Instagram and Facebook have been blowing up with the news all morning, but in a peculiar way. Most people seem to be sharing the news without including their personal opinions on the matter. Myself included. I'm conflictified. 

For a blog titled Edgify Me, it's pretty clear how much I adore the Wang man. The dude practically defines the word Edgify. I'm the proud owner of the rock star Emile tote and I am crazy in love with his aesthetic, Beyonce style. His urban, street, athletic vibe lights up my world like nobody else, One Direction style. What he's done with his eponymous brand and how much it has grown in just 4 years is so sick, Ne-yo style. Theres no doubting the man is an expert at what he does. 

However, I am also a big fan of what Nicolas Ghesquiere has done with Balenciaga. The level of design involved in reviving the label was unparalleled. It is clear that by bringing on Wang, Balenciaga is looking to move the brand in a different direction, probably a more commercial one. That's where my hesitation to celebrate comes in. Balenciaga brought something so dimensional, so distinct, so exciting to the fashion industry and I fear the label will lose that pizzazz, that moxy, that artistry in favor of a more commercial, understandable, saleable look. 

It's kinda like taking two foods you absolutely love independent of one another, and mixing them together. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I love chocolate probably just as much as I love Kalamata Olives, but I'm not so sure about the combination of the two, ya feel me? But at the same time you could play devil's advocate and say that it is possible to make fireworks from two unlikely ingredients. If you take the saltiness of the olives and add it to the chocolate, (ever try sea salted chocolate?) it will rockify your world. Seriously though, you should try it. 

After comparing their Spring 13 shows, I started to see more of a sea-salt-chocolate-type potential.

At the end of the day Wang makes magic happen. Only time will tell what the Bawangiaga magic will look like.

P.S. How rad would it be if Bawangiaga became a thing? Like Kimye, Brangelina and Bennifer. When it does, just remember, you heard it here first! 

Thoughts? Opinions? Tell me!

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ShopStyle, They Like Me

Happy day-after-Thanksgiving-weekend to you! 

ShopStyle featured me on their blog today, which is kinda, sorta, maybe a little RAD. They think I'm pretty without any makeup on, they think I'm funny when I tell the punchline wrong, I know they get me so I let my walls come down (in an exclusive interview). Whut?! I feel like such a badass! Today's delusions of grandeur are brought to you by the one and only ShopStyle. 

If you aren't familiar with ShopStyle:

A. You must be living under a rock, caterpillar style, which isn't such a bad thing. It's just that caterpillars eventually turn into butterflies, ipso facto, by discovering ShopStyle, you too will find your wings. 

B. You must be spending more time than necessary shopping online. 

C. Your life is about to change. Drastically. For the better. You're welcome.  

ShopStyle recently relaunched their website which is a basically a fashion search engine, but fancier. You can now see which items are trending on the site, keep a collection of your favorite items, shop by category, brand, price, color, sales and stores, and read about Ace Ventura-loving bloggers like me!

Read the interview and learn some new fun facts about me (like my natural substitute for caffeine, my eclectic taste in music and where I get my sartorial inspiration from) here. 

In the great words of Ace Ventura: Take care now, bye bye then.  

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Plymouth Rock Chic

"Thanks for noodles!" said my 3 year old nephew when his dad asked him what he's thankful for. 

Seems like everyone's in thankful mode these days. After the devastations from hurricane Sandy, and the current situation in the middle east, it seems like the perfect time for Thanksgiving to roll around. 

Instead of celebrating Thanksgiving in the traditional turkey/pumpkin/corn bread style, I decided to learn how to shoot a bow and arrow. Archery is totally Plymouth Rock chic, isn't it? It's also an incredibly fun sport, you should try it sometime. 

Now let's talk clothes, because that's what we do here. How does one dress to look the part of a skilled archer? I was inspired by Katniss. Katniss Everdeen. (For all you Hunger Games illiterates, Katniss is the fierce protagonist who happens to be an expert archer.) 

[Disclaimer: Despite my Thanksgiving and Hunger Games references, no turkeys or humans were injured in the making of this blog post. Although, a paper target did suffer multiple wounds.] 

My interpretation: Side braid, army green pants (these by Current Elliot), and rugged black boots (these by Fiorintini + Baker) and POOF, I'm Katnissified. Before taking my first shot I announced to the instructor that my name was Katniss. Everyone laughed. Until I took my second shot and hit the target! BAM. Who's laughing now? Mwahahahaha (Count Dracula is).

Moving on to Edgify Me's Psychology of Dressing Part Deux: I really believe that dressing for the part changes your state of mind and yields success. You are what you eat wear. Ever hear the axiom "Dress for the job you want"? Apply it to everything in life and watch what happens. Worst case scenario? You have a blast getting dressed. Best case scenario? You realize the power behind dressing for the part and your best self emerges. 

Ok. Last question. This is serious. Are you on team Peeta or team Gale?

(If I weren't deathly afraid of Miley, which I am, I'd voice my opinion. Wink wink!)

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DJ Earworm v. DJ Eyeworm

Today I present to you the DJ Eyeworm look. Remember DJ Earworm? He's the one that took every popular song of the year and created this insane mashup/remix called United States of Pop. So here is the edgified, visual, sartorial equivalent. I revisit my favorite pieces previously discussed on this groovy blog, mash them up and BAM my new name is DJ Eyeworm. My plaid bad boys are back. So are my Minnie pumps, Phoebe and my rad green pom pom. 

How to make a DIY (most abused acronym of the year) Edgified DJ Eyeworm look:

Throw on some plaid bad boys, these by Theory. Add a "Polly want a gluten-free cracker" parrot shirt: Zara.

Layer a holy (in every sense of the word) sweater in bordeaux, one of le key colors of le season, this one is Helmut Lang.

Add a thumbs up, scrunch your nose as such, show em your best "Do you smell what the Rock is cooking?!" eyebrow arch and plop a pom pom on your head. 

Take Phoebe for a Piggy-arm ride.

Throw on some more navy accents; a pair of Minnie shoes, a Zara jacket and throw your tongue in the air like you just don't care. 

I just supplied you with the previously confidential recipe for my DJ Eyeworm look. Free. Of. Charge. You're welcome dear comrades. You are welcome. 

Feel free to adapt this recipe to your own wardrobe. Pull your favorite pieces from your closet and make them work together by layering and accessorizing, mixing and matching. You'll know you hit the sweet spot when you start doing the mirror dance. Works like a charm! 

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Green Day

Not too long ago, my buddy Sophia and I were chatting about the colors, or lack thereof, of the season. "Weh weh weh" she cried, "I have no color in my wardrobe!" 

Clearly, I'm dramatizing her concerns, but she had a point. This season is kind of McDreary in the pigment department. We were both able to agree on oxblood and hunter green as the key colors of le season. Being the extremist that I am not, I decided to have a little fun and exaggerate the hunter green thing a little bit. Fine, a lot. Why? Why the hell not?

*Always deflect a tricky question with another tricky question. 

Let's begin the Green Day festivities, shall we?

Pompoms make the world go round.

Oh hay, where'd my fingertip go?

Bunchy ankles are where it's at. 

Today the sky is grey, the snow is sticking, and the wind is blowing yet here I am, photographed with blue skies, green leaves and chirping birds, laughing it up. WOE IS ME.  

There I am in my head-to-ankle-hunter-green-Gumby-meets-Kermit-meets-the-Incredible-Hulk-meets-the-Jolly-Green-Giant-meets-the-Ninja-Turtles-meets-Oscar-the-Grouch-meets-Shrek-meets-the-Grinch-meets-Yoda look (deep breath).

P.S. How jaw-droppingly rad are those 2 vintage cars in the background?! I mean...

And now for the grand finale:

In which I impersonate one of my favorite characters of one of my favorite movies; Melissa McCarthy's Megan in Bridesmaids. Propping up her leg to block Air Marshal John: "Uh oh. What's that? Uh oh. Somebody found a souvenir." I'm begging you to click here so that you too can be knee-slapping, stomach clutching, doubled over in laughter. TOO GOOD. 

Now for the funzo part. Greenify yourselves: Hat by Bogner Fire + Ice, similar here. Scarf and faux leather shirt both by Zara, my favorite army vest by Strong & Dickerson, waxed hunter green skinny jeans by J Brand, my mom's rockstar of a clutch by Alexander McQueen, sunglasses by Ray-Ban, boots by Loeffler Randall. 

Fabo Photos by Yvonne Harari. 

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Election Day: STOKED

I was never really the political type. I avoided election conversations like the plague. But then my grandma moved in 3 weeks ago. And let me tell you, this woman is a political fireball. She knows every issue inside out. She totally obsessified me. The debates were a momentous occasion with grandma around. There was shouting and name calling, cheering and dancing gangnam style. So naturally, I am super stoked about election day. 

Pre-vote: Getting dressed this morning, I instinctively went for my Pamela Love x J. Crew boyfriend jeans and a white tee. Once I was already dressed in white and blue, I figured why the hell not go for the red too. Truth is, I was wishing I had a pair of denim overalls to wear to the polls. Either way, I felt some serious American pride with all that denim and plaid going on. Represent. 

Post-vote: Why do I feel so good? There were long lines, whining voters, opposing views yet I feel exhilarated. I think it is just an amazing feeling to know that your vote counts. I hate that crap "But my state is not a swing state so what's the point of voting?" IT IS SO IMPORTANT. If Susan B. Anthony knew that women today were just throwing away their right to vote, I think she'd pummel their rear-ends. So...

Bundle up and put on your coat coat coat. 

Let go of that remote mote mote. 

Get out there and vote vote vote. 

I penned that myself. I know, I know, I should consider a career change. 

And if you're still conflicted on who to vote for: