Yellow Socks/Red Shoes

Some people are born with great style and many of them happen to live in New York.

While picking through the wares at the Brooklyn Flea in Fort Greene this weekend, this fabulous combo caught my eye. Cuffed pants, yellow lace socks and brown oxfords with red soles. Where does one even find such things let alone realize that they should be worn together in perfect harmony?

The whole look was so unstudied and great. I loved the worn-in menswear elements: scuffed shoes and the shreaded hem of her jacket.

I tiptoed around behind this trendsetter, trying to snap a quick photo. (Sadly I am still too shy to walk right up and ask, eep!)

A Face Only A Mother Could Love

As you know, I recently commissioned a portrait of my dog Marlow as an anniversary gift for my boyfriend.

Will I be considered a crazy dog lady if I do another?

There are none of my illustrations on the site today because I didn’t want to detract from the sheer greatness of the work of J. Penry.

An artist and illustrator from NYC, Penry has really landed on something special with his series of pet portraits. If you have ever thought that your pet is really a little demon or a beauty queen or a dapper dan of sorts, Penry will capture that in a portrait.

The illustrations twist a little knife into my pet-loving heart as I see visions of my dog illustrated with Liberace hair or a set of bunny ears. Penry’s style is such a great mix of creative talent and wit mixed with so much skill (it’s hard to draw animals like that!).

Light As A Feather

There’s no question, feathered hair accessories are hot right now. I imagine peacocks must be walking around in the buff since many of us have taken to dressing our tresses with their plumage.

This beautiful headband from Maison Michel reinvents our feathered headdresses with the bejeweled gold Bambou Feather Headband. Far more than your average hair accessory, this is actually a piece of jewelry for the head.

(Beauty like this doesn’t come cheap but hey, now you can finally toss out that old tiara, right?)

I have noticed my fair share of gold feather accessories lately and this one is the fairest of them all.

Photo from Marie Claire, September 2009

Room/Outfit + Gemma Ahern

Well, it’s another Friday and another Room/Outfit post. I think I am going to make them a regular Friday installment for a while. Finish the workweek off with something good, right?

The inspiration for today’s Room/Outfit comes from acrosss the pond in the UK. This incredible apartment belongs to Gemma Ahern and Russell Lewis. When I first saw it featured in the New York Times and then on Design*Sponge, I immediately wanted to head out and buy gallons of dark grey paint. I love the clean, modern lines of the decorating scheme and the playful touches and pops of color.

An outfit inspired by this room needs to be classic but with a twist. When pulling the look together I thought of another current favorite fashion reference, Mad Men.

I wanted to use clean and tailored lines and break them up with some unexpected novelty pieces and of course, color.

The finished product is part Joan Holloway, part sexy librarian and all style.

Photo courtesy of Design*Sponge. Outfit clockwise from top left: Coach Leather Gloves, French Connection Rollin Dress, Organic by John Patrick Swing Cape, J.Crew Neon Ankle Socks, Karen Walker Righteous Sunglasses, Lanvin Papillote Bowling Bag, Anthropologie Winter White Oxfords, J.Crew Neon Skinny Belt.

Cosmically Entwined

I don’t think there is anything Lily Raskind could make that I would not want to wear.

I’m serious, the brainchild behind the label Sunshine & Shadow could probably screenprint a garbage bag and I would wear it with pride, knotted up at the hem like one of her S/S 09 t-shirt dresses.

Luckily, this Fall I am off the hook on making good on that promise as Sunshine & Shadow is offering up this amazing hand-dyed fabric necklace.

Raskind is definitely not afraid of color and I love the way the bright neon sits against a black backdrop dotted like a starry sky. Her innovative use of tie-dye and shibori methods transports a skill you probably learned at summer camp into an entirely new and fashionable realm.

Raskind is even cool enough to share some of the tricks of her trade with the rest of us.

This beauty is available at Bird in Brooklyn. I’m heading there myself this weekend to pick one up!

Sweat It Out

I’m sorry I’ve been away. I went home to celebrate a milestone birthday for my father and have been eating too much birthday cake and not doing quite as much drawing as I would like.

But, I’m back and I love these new sweats from Buenos Aries-based line Puta.

Sweatsuits have been enjoying an extended moment in the sun for the past several years. Puta does them one better by mixing the old school silhouette with bold 80s-throwback prints in bright colors.

I would be just as pumped wearing them to the gym as I would out on the town. No matter where you do, everyone will know, you’re ready to get physical.

Turn This Room Into An Outfit + Lisa Mayock of Vena Cava

I was thrilled (!) by the overwhelming response to my Turn This Room Into an Outfit post over on the Design*Sponge guest blog a week or so ago.

It was my favorite post for the week as well and I think it would be fun to continue it as a regular segment over here on Looks Good To Me.

Today’s Room/Outfit inspiration hails from the DS sneak peek into the home of Lisa Mayock of Vena Cava. In honor of fashion week, I thought it would be fun to focus on the home of a fashion designer. Especially one whose line is a favorite of mine.

I love Vena Cava for the varied and eclectic references that inspire their work. Their prints are always inspiring and they maintain a great blog which offers up lots of inspirational bits and insight into what makes their work so damn fabulous.

In pulling together this outfit inspired by Lisa Mayock’s living room, I also tried to diversify my style a little bit and find disparate items that become elevated and chic when brought together.

The main thing was to reflect the cozy-comfort of the room. It is stylish without trying to be. I hope I have captured some of that in this outfit.

Photo courtesy of Design*Sponge. Outfit clockwise from top left: Rag & Bone Kato Boyfriend Shirt Dress, Kenneth Jay Lane Tassel Necklace, Peruvian Alpaca Wool Sweater Vest, Hue Ivory Tights, Alexis Bittar Gunmetal Bangle, Forever 21 Black Bangle, Rachel Comey Barbaro Booties, Lovely Pieces Handmade Tote, VPL Cincher Belt

Take Another Picture With Your Click Click Camera

My last post about our trip to Portland is a bit of a sentimental one.

Before we left, Andy bought a wonderful new camera and spent the days on our vacation snapping away. The Oregon Coast is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen in my life. The endless beaches, architectural rocks and moody mist all take my breath away every time we go. Whenever we are there, we scheme about one day having a beach house of our very own. Set into the hills overlooking the beach.

I am so impressed with Andy’s camera skills. With his photographs, he has managed to bring a bit of that incredible scenery back with us.

Although I love living in the city, I do often wish for the country and beach. Now, these photos will transport me there, every time I need a little breath of salty air.

I have included a few of my favorite shots here. Sorry they’re so tiny!

The Best Part

My favorite thing about staying in Portland is the Ace Hotel and its attached restaurant Clyde Common. I imagine myself living there in the style of Eloise at the Plaza, running through the hallways with Marlow and going downstairs for Chevre Rice Pudding with Blackberries every night.

With its picture windows and long wood cafeteria-style tables Clyde Common is the perfect setting for endless dinners, great conversations and bottomless bottles of wine. The glowing interior makes you completely forget the fact that it is most likely raining outside.

The restaurant incorporates the same European-style flair that is also seen in some of my favorite east-coast restaurants like Marlow & Sons and the Robeling Tea Room. When I am there I feel very much at home.

She Ain’t No Rookie

I am taking a quick break from my Portland posting (yes, I am still going with that one) because it’s fashion week!

This year there a giant outpouring of fashion bloggers covering Fashion Week. Sitting in the front row, attending all of the parties, hosting events, it is mind-boggling that this medium has burst onto the scene in the way it has. I am enjoying reading their coverage because truth be known, I find it all a little overwhelming and have to let things simmer a bit before diving in.

My favorite style blogger fashion coverage thus far has got to be from Tavi of Style Rookie. Tavi has been getting a lot of attention lately especially as a cover girl for UK magazines Pop and Love. She’s coming on the scene in a big way and she’s only a teenager!

I love Tavi because she talks about fashion with real, unadulterated, raw emotion. There is a little bit of Tavi in all of us. Her voice is the same one I hear in my own head when I see something new and amazing. That awww, YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHH ohmygodohmygodohmygod reaction that usually comes along with hand-flapping and jumping in circles. At my age, these outpourings usually stay inside of my head but not Tavi. She says it loud and says it proud and I just love her for it.