Jerseylicious

This past weekend, I visited my very best friend Sarah, who lives in Hoboken, NJ. Sarah and I grew up together in West Virginia and she's probably the farthest thing from a "Jersey Girl." We both had a laugh when we went out for drinks on Friday night...clearly we were in another world.

According to D.C. standards, I'm what we call "flashy." I like accessories. I don't wear cardigans and I don't own a single polo golf shirt. I wear winged liquid eyeliner to work, I fill in my eyebrows, and it takes me 30 minutes to do my hair (which grows from my scalp, not from a scalp of an Indian woman). On Friday though, I felt like a natural beauty midst the Mystic Tans, bracelets-for-earrings, hair extensions, fake eyelashes, acrylic nails, black eyeshadow and leopard print bandage dresses. These girls take it to the next level, and we clearly were stomping on their turf according to the nasty looks we got.

It was a very memorable weekend though....from having a running bet that every B.I.C.-headed guy was a cop (they all were), to trapping and releasing feral cats at 4am, to witnessing a guy getting choked out on the hood of my brand new car and sending two people to jail...it's the kind of weekend that you can only have with your best friend :-)

The Human Rubik's Cube

Perhaps one of the most famous pieces of 20th century art is the most simple, yet has become the inspiration for an entire decade of fashion- just think of Mod, Twiggy, and shift dresses in the '60s. Kinda reminds me of the Rubik's cube. I wonder if this is where the idea of "color-blocking" was born.

C-blocking is one of my favorite trends this season. The juxtaposition of complementary colors in a single outfit or accessory is genius. I don't have a lot of patterns in my closet, so I often find myself wearing an array of neutral colors, or chiffon blouses with black pants to work. Now that the weather is warmer, I am going to make a conscious effort to wear more color and shake up my look a bit.

I also think it's pretty when you combine colors from the same family, like pinks, reds, and oranges as seen above. Below is my take on the trend with a bone colored sateen blazer from H&M, colbalt blue silk racerback tank, navy wide-leg trousers, and my new Michael Kors Ostrich satchel (mine is tangerine).

The Man Who Looks Like an Easter Egg

You have probably seen him walking around Georgetown. He is the opposite of rugged. He is the man who owns a collection of navy blue brass button blazers. He is the male version of Blair Waldorf. He wears...pastel.

If a guy wants to look like a marshmallow Peep, hey, that's his prerogative. But when that guy tries to be smooth and attempts to pick up a girl, he should expect a laugh. I'm not saying that they're aren't girls wearing Lily Pulitzer that totally dig dudes in croakies, comb-overs, and baby blue pants with lobsters embroidered all over them. I'm just saying that I don't understand it. I like pink shirts on guys sometimes...I think I have even bought a pink tie for an ex boyfriend once...but D.C. has been overrun by WASPs and I'd like to have someone explain it to me before I confront someone in madras shorts at Gold Cup.

Now, I didn't realize this, but as I was scouring the Internet for pictures that capture the essence of my pet peeve, I learned that there is a name for these outrageous printed pants. They are actually called "Go-to-Hell" pants...that explains everything.

Go-to-Hells by Flusser. I don't recommend wearing this boxers-as-pants look, fellahs.

Insta-love

I know I'm a little behind the times when it comes to technology. For instance, my apartment saw its very first router since I've lived there, meaning no Internet since September. I don't have DVR. I bought my iPhone 4 a month before the new version came out. I just bought a car with keyless entry. And I just discovered Instagram.

Shut the front door because I. Have. Arrived. I seriously don't know what I've been doing without this little gem for all these years (hmmm...It may have only been around for a year or two, in which case I don't feel that bad about being a laggard and not an early adopter). I know what I've been doing....Spending too much damn time taking and retaking photos of myself and over-using the phrases "Oh, that's my bad side." and "I look toothy in that picture." or "Ok, now this time let me have my arm on my hip and chin down."

No. More. With a touch of a button, gross pictures insta become vintage and artistic and blurry to make up for any snaggle tooth or ponch. Hallelujah.

This is my outfit before the miracle. skinny pants: Gap (similar here), blazer: United Colors of Benneton, vintage necklace and studs, vintage bracelets, Michael Kors watch, Tod's bag (similar here), Nine West pumps

Pajama Party

I've never been one to wear matching pajamas. Full on flannel never interested me. Maybe it's because I thrash around in the middle of the night and wake up in a cold sweat. Dunno. Maybe I need to get that checked out. In any event, come 11pm on a weeknight, you'll find me in stolen hospital scrubs and an old sorority t-shirt.

I've been seeing lots PJ pants as daywear, however, and I can't help but think they're an adorable addition to a Springtime wardrobe. The best way to pair them is with a structured blazer and edgy heels. If paired with ballet flats and a lightweight top, you'll literally look like you've just rolled out of bed.

He puts the "chic" in Dashiki

I want to be besties with this guy. Somehow, he captures the lingo of a snarky fashion girl, yet makes it seem sincere and HILAR. How is it that an overweight gay with a Zach Galifianakis beard is fabulously enviable and can rattle off a slew of obscure designers and make it believable?! Hash tag: Totes Amaze

Meme to the next lev...

Cape Fear

It's Tuesday morning, aka the morning after Courtney Robertson received the final rose from Ben (Wishes-He-Was-Still-A-Bachelor) Flajnik. While Court's snagging of the coveted Neil Lane diamond engagement ring was a shock to the masses, what was most surprising in that episode was the ABC producers' choice of outerwear for the ladies. Lindzi with her wizard's cape reminiscent of Scarlet O'Hara's green velvet drapery dress, and Courtney with her white cape and black leather gloves that made her more evil-looking that usual...if that's even possible.

I love me some cloaks and capes and any other type of coat that you can think of, but the ones that the ladies wore last night were less Gweneth Paltrow and more Cruella De Vil.

Gweneth at the 2012 Oscars in Tom Ford

Courtney v. Lindzi

How it should be done, trading in "costumey" for chic and a touch of avant garde

Un-Winter

Along the Potomac, and much of the Northeast for that matter, Winter 2012 has been anything but wintery. Last year's "Snowmaggedon," as my fellow D.C.ers dubbed it, left us all wondering if that kind of torrential snow-fall was to be expected every November through March. I'm glad to say that we haven't had so much as 2 inches of snow this year, and while that makes driving on the beltway enjoyable tolerable, it makes dressing a difficult task each morning. What to wear when it's technically winter yet my Weather Channel app is telling me to expect a high of 77 degrees? You Miamians have a difficult life- the calendar says wool coat, yet you live in a caftan and gladiator sandal type of world.

Olivia Palermo in a lightweight blouse and darling shorts- textures say it's summer but colors and style are still appropriate for winter