Own: Dresses...lately.

So, I guess I spoke too soon.  Either that or Mother Nature heard all my whining and decided to dump the hot, hot summer on me.  However the heat came to be in NYC, I am thankful!

The city lights up when the sun is running through the streets.  People awaken from hibernation, whether the winter was cold or not.  You can see people rubbing their eyes in disbelief as they emerge on the weekends to find friends day drinking on rooftops in Williamsburg and lounging around Sheep's Meadow in Central Park until dusk.  Ayyyy, it's just a lovely time.  LOVELY!

It's also incredibly inspirational for fashionites near and far.  The sun gives you an excuse to bear that extra bit of skin you were hiding when the weather was only 75 degrees or put on that skirt that you bought back in December.  People leave behind their dumpy cardigans (forgive me, I have yet to meet a cardigan that I didn't think was dumpy) and break out the tanks and the mini skirts and the wedges.  I love it!

I shed my cardigans recently and rocked a couple simpler and less skin bearing dresses to work (SURPRISE!).  As much as I love to show that leg, but sometimes it's ok to keep it under wraps.

Dress #1, a gift from my mom.

This isn't a dress I would usually wear.  When my mom first pulled it out, I could only think to myself...."she wants me to be a Stepford wife....today.  UGH."  But you know what?  I wore it to work the other day and people loved it!  I kept thinking to myself when I walked out of my apartment, "this dress is SO not me" but it turns out that sometimes that doesn't matter.  It's really just about how you rock it.  It was so dainty and ladylike.

Dress #2, desperate buy.

I was going to be spending the night at my boyfriend's house and I had nothing to wear.  Out of desperation, I dragged myself into the Gap and was pleasantly surprised by this extremely comfortable maxi dress that will get lots of wear this summer.  Paired with a pair of my mom's old school hoop earrings, it was perfect.

The summer is young.  Get out there and try on a little something new.  Wear something comfortable instead of that next big thing (are bodycon dresses still in?  They are terrible in this weather- read: sweat stains galore).  Enjoy! :)

Obsess Or Own? New Summer Bag

So, it's May.  I'm still waiting for the consistently warm weather to finally hit NY.  Don't get me wrong- I don't mind it being the mid 70s, but I want to break out my spaghetti straps and mini skirts!  It's practically JUNE.  When, Mother Nature?  When!?

Anyway, when that weather finally does get here, I want to have a cute crossbody bag that will be my summer buddy.  I have found one that I think is adorable!

What's the problem, you ask?  Well, my question to you all is, is this bag worth almost $600??

Should I do it!??

Oh yeah, and it's by Marc Jacobs.

I'm sorry. I abandoned you and that was wrong of me.

I've been irresponsible and moody.

I've been an unfit blog writter!

But I'm back and I'm sorry.  I hope you'll forgive me.

For the last few weeks I've been devoid of inspiration.  I just haven't really seen anything worth writing about.  So rather than waste your time and write about things I don't really Ogle, Obsess, or Own, I just didn't write.  But I should have told you!  Now, you know.

The good news is, I have been bitten by my writing bug again and I'll have some new posties up before you know it.  Thanks for sticking with me.

Own: Zara's Perfect Summer Heel

I'll be the first to admit that I have way too many pairs of shoes, but when the warm weather hit, it was like something in my brained zapped on and I had to go out and look at shoes again.

Lots and lots and lots of shoes.  In an ocean of options, I did manage to find one shoe that I just had to have.  They were perfect and I knew it and I couldn't let them get away!

After visiting three different Zara stores to find this shoe to try on (if you know me, then you know this is HUGE.  I HATE going into Zara.  In NY, all Zaras are madhouses), I bought them and I couldn't be happier.  I present to you, my perfect summer heel:

Zara Strappy Heels

They fit like a glove and they're actually quite comfortable.  For a heel that's going to get me through the summer, $90 is not bad at all.  Check them out for yourself!

Birthday Week Aftermath.

UPDATE:  Here are a pair of the adorable earrings:

So, I bet you're all wondering, after all that Ogling and Obsessing last week, what I actually got for my birthday.  Unfortunately, nothing from any of my Birthday Week posts...I guess there's always next year.

BUT!  I got some wonderful accessories from my Party Cat friend (Hello Kitty earrings!) and a very cute and festive off-the-shoulder top from another good friend.  Pics to come!

I was taken to one of the best sushi dinners I've ever had and I got to see all my friends.  I'm thankful every day for the people that I have in my life and I can't believe that they are all so good to me.

And just like that, Birthday Week was over.

Birthday Week: Day 4 Ogle, The Perfect Leather Jacket

Sometimes I think trends are going to go away and sometimes I'm totally wrong.

I was wrong about leather jackets.  I thought they'd be a two-season and done kind of thing, but they weren't.  They've been here for a few years now and every year that leather jacket weather comes around (you know, it's in the 50s outside and it's just a little cloudy), I wish I had the perfect one!

I've resisted buying one now for a couple years because I have a really rad one that my mom passed down to me- the epitome of the motorcycle jacket from the 80s (shoulder pads and all), I think it's time to get real and get one that feels a little more like me, though I totally give my mom props for being so damn cool back in the day.

Here are the ones that I really love:

love the asymmetrical zip and the simplicity of this one by Surface to Air

Variation of the Surface to Air one, but with a little more neck by Veda

BUT THIS ONE.  THIS ONE IS PERFECT.  Of course, it's the most Ogle-able and by Rick Owens.

It's almost summer and I can't wait for summer to get here, yet I'm writing about something I want for the fall?  The brain works in mysterious ways.  Go figure.  

Birthday Week: Day 3 Ogle, Paris

Since the tender age of Kindergartentry, my parents had me enrolled in French classes.  I happily learned French from then up through college where I minored in the language.  Where has that skill taken me?  No where.  Not even to France!

Well, I've had enough.  I want to go to France.  Not just anywhere in France- I want to go to Paris, the world's most romantic city.  I want to see the Eiffel Tower.  I want to experience the nonchalance of real French people.  I want to drink fancy wine.  I want to walk through a fresh market.  I want to eat a whole French baguette with real butter.  I want to do it ALL!

When do I want to go?  In the summer, of course, when everyone else wants to go...when airfare is upwards of $1,000 for a 6-hour flight.  Insanity.  And Ogle-worthy.

Photo by Tone <3

Ay, mes cheries....peut-être un jour...mais ce n'est pas ce jour-là....mais, j'espère un jour très prochainement. Une fille peut rêver!

Birthday Week: Day 2 Obsess, Jenni Kayne Orsay Flats

I had never heard of Jenni Kayne until Pinterest, and thank goodness for Pinterest!  I was cruising around one day and found a beautiful monochormatic shorts suit and had to go down the rabbit hole.  I clicked through the images until I found the image's source which was the Jenni Kayne site (Which has e-commerce!  Yay!).

It was then that I found these awesome shoes, the Orsay Flat:

They are such a great shape with a slightly pointed toe.  It's just something that's a little different from the usual flat.  They come in lots of joyful spring colors, too.

My favorites are the Chambray and the Nude ones.  It's very hard to choose favorites, but sometimes it has to be done.  LOVE THESE.  AH.

These would also make great Summer to Fall transition shoes!  So birthday dream-worthy...

Birthday Week: Day 2 Super Ogle, Van Cleef and Arpels Alhambra

In Day 2, the daydreaming continues....with Van Cleef and Arpels.  While I'd love to have everything and anything that is Van Cleef and Arpels, the Alhambra is what I truly covet.

Amazing Rose Gold Bracelet from the Sweet Collection

Diamond Pendant from the Magic Collection (ahhhh it IS SO MAGICAL)

Classic Alhambra necklace from the Vintage Collection

I hate to choose something so cliché, but I've loved this collection from Van Cleef and Arpels for a while...a very long while.  You've seen it- it's the clover wrapped in gold.

Last year, the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum featured an exhibit that put years of Van Cleef and Arpels jewels on display.  They were incredibly lavish, uber-decadent and some, even gaudy (it pains me to say that, but it's true).  The bling in that exhibit was SO serious.  They displayed jewels that had been donned by the infamous Elizabeth Taylor and Princess Grace Kelly.  

While the exhibit faced some harsh reviews, I think that I got out of it what was intended- a feeling of amazement and joy seeing all these glittery gems all around me.  It was like I was five again, dreaming of all the beautiful things that princesses had (literally!).  Millions and millions of dollars worth of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and the like surrounding me- I mean, I don't think there will be another time in my life when I can lay my eyes on such extravagant jewelry.

I think that the Van Cleef and Arpels brand is so beautiful and classy.  So many luxury brands out there have given away their prestige to make an extra buck (Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Fendi..you get the idea), but I feel like Van Cleef and Arpels has been able to keep themselves elevated and maintain a level of luxury that so many brands have sacrificed.  God, that sounded so snobby, but if something is expensive, it should BE expensive.  It should be reserved for those that can afford it not priced at $600 for a fabric bag that can be easily knocked off.  I'm just saying.

Anyways, I'm really starting to like this business of blogging just about crazy things that I can't have.  It doesn't make me want them less, but at least I can get it off my chest.