are zippers hipster?

Chambray Shirt: J.Crew; Zipper Pants: J.Crew; Necklace: J.Crew; Topsiders: Sperry; Photos: Kristine Constantino:

Better some edge than none at all. Revered "Preppys 'R Us," J.Crew did just that to ensue some snare on what would have been a run-of-the-mill pair of purple pants (if purple pants can ever be run-of-the-mill is yet to be determined) By adding just a little golden zipper maybe 8 inches in length from the pant hem to run up the leg.

1. How fun!
2. Does this make me look hipster?
3. Do I care?

CHECK THE ZIPS

Life's a total gas, looking exceptionally more brunette than usual (who am I?)

Now you see how J.Crew does zippers: A whole lot of class, with a touch of sass, perhaps a hipster does not make. What do YOU think? Are zippers hipster? Share your thoughts!

What to do with natural hues

Something I will reveal about myself: I am drawn to bright colors like a moth to a flame. Whenever natural hues or earthy tones would get involved I instantly became very blase. I had resounding feelings that those saturated colors did nothing whatsoever for my complexion or physique. However, lately (in a recent love affair with BCBG) I have been thinking otherwise. So please, follow me down this road less traveled with colors that blend in, with people who never will :)

Sunglasses: Dolce & Gabbana

Necklace: Francesca's

Tank: Xhilaration

Sweater: BCBG

Jeans: Citizens of Humanity

T-Strap Sandals: Dolce Vita for Target

All photos by my good friend, Kristine Constantino:www.linkedin.com/in/kristineconstantino

Log Surfing (?) Failing (?)

“Some of us come to earth seeing - some of us come to earth seeing in color.”

— Louise Nevelson

Reasons why autumnal colors totally work in the summertime:

1. Summer does not equate b r i g h t, in fact wearing bright colors during summer months are the only time they will blend in, as will you along with them. Who wants to do that?
2. Bay Area Residents: The weather is consistently moderate, never too hot, never too cold. No extremes means something wonderful: absolutely no limits when it comes summertime wardrobing. 
3. *disclaimer* If I see one more chica wearing florals (I, too commit this crime) just because it is summer I am going to lose it. Do everyone a favor and add a little flavor to the office, change it up!
4. Have at the muted greens and caliginous shades of brown - these hues look even better on tanned skin ;)

Stripes not fights

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Necklace: J.Crew

Tank: Forever 21 (Jessica Harvey's closet: www.linkedin.com/pub/jessica-harvey/22/58b/bb9;

Belt: J.Crew;

Pants: Mossimo;

Topsiders: Sperry

All photos by my good friend and colleague, Kristine Constantino: www.linkedin.com/in/kristineconstantino

Let's get one thing straight: stripes for as long as I can remember have represented one thing in life I have simultaneously respected and disdained; uniforms.  Going to a private high school a polo paired with a striped skirt was part of the everyday uniform, to boot with tube socks; I hated that thing. Every time I wore those stripes I swear without fail I would get into some sort of altercation. Be it with my parents, the dean at my high school, or some poor unsuspecting teacher that was just trying to do their job. Soon enough I was associating stripes with a recusant connotation. In fact, just yesterday I fell off a bike (badly might I add) while wearing stripes. Cool, everyone cares, anyways..

*disclaimer: Hi all! I deeply apologize for all of my actions as a teenager. Thank you for not killing me*

Anyway, back to me. As someone who prides herself on having fierce individuality while constantly and consistently doing her own thing I found the whole uniform thing entirely constricting, tauten, even suffocating. I wanted to do my own thing and this institution was hell bent on all of us looking the same, the antithesis of my beliefs, no thanks.

At the same time stripes have been the moniker of a sport I have followed ever since my Dad took me to my first Giant's game when I was 10 (PacBell Park just opened and it was shiny & new!): baseball. Uniforms make sense in that entity; sports, teams, representing unity or that you are only as strong as your weakest player, something along those lines? I would also like to point out that many athletes fall victim to rage while in stripes, much like the teenage Kelly. Just something to think about.. Nonetheless outside of those 9+ innings I had maja issues gettin' behind the whole uniform thing.

Clearly times have changed. I realized that stripes also represented a pretty rad country (I deeply apologize for the imperialism/nationalistic attitude I am about to express, but really I'm not all that apologetic): AMERRRICCAAA. The very definition of freedom. Other than that, Louie Vuitton, Prada, Moschino, WunderKind, and Balenciaga totally capitalized on stripes in the Spring of 2011 and my life has not been the same since *embellishing for dramatic effect* Thus my love affair with stripes began, and if yours hasn't already -- it should. XOXO

DVF ---> HYFR

DVF, three letters, one acronym, with a meaning of epic proportions. For those less familiar you are probably reading this post thinking, DVF, WTF? Let's begin at the beginning (what a concept!) with a small European country that has blessed the world with it's existence in a multitude of ways. I have always been a fan of Belgium and all the pleasures it has brought me in life: Chimay, Brussels, just to name a few. However,  Belgium born fashion icon/designer Diane Von Furstenberg is at the top of the list.  DVF's most notable accomplishment would hands down be the invention of: The Wrap Dress. The wrap dress elicits much of it's grandeur from being flattering on any female figure. Since the weather is starting to smile at us more each day, a DVF dress-icle is a must have essential for a summertime sans sadness (sorry Lana!)

Aviators: Forever 21, Dress: Diane Von Furstenberg, Sandals: Steve Madden

All photos taken by my good friend and colleague: Kristine Constantino: www.linkedin.com/in/kristineconstantino

““I never knew what I wanted to do, but I always knew the woman I wanted to be.””

— Diane Von Furstenberg

Perfect dress for the girl always on the go (or run!)

Shake it! Because if you're not movin' and groovin' you're boozin' and losin'..

Guide to being a girl rule #256: Do not forget to look back at it!