Inspiration: Prabal Gurung

New York fashion week just started off with a bang, and I couldn’t have been more excited about Prabal Gurung’s Spring 2015 Ready-to-Wear collection.  I just about melted over his sporty, Himalayan-inspired Fall 2014 Ready-to-Wear, so I was ready to see what Prabal Gurung would do next.  And I was nothing short of amazed! His mix of sporty pieces with flowing detail creates the perfect concoction of style.

LUX_0038I’m equally adoring this architectural urban warrior look.  

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But what really caught my eye were these two high-neck, flowing gowns.  (They are seriously works of art.)  The accent colors in each dress are strokes of design genius – and they just look downright cool.  

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Prabal Gurung even launched a new shoe line that was featured in his runway show.  So enjoy that little bit of eye candy, too!

(All photos from Style.com)

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Spotlight: Preserve.Us

Preserve.Us just launched and I couldn’t be more excited about it.  (Seriously the homemade-lovin’-fashion-girl in me is squirming with pure elation.)  Preserve sells it all – clothes for both men and women, home goods, kitchenware, jewelry, and even some tasty looking hot fudge!  

Preserve is teamed up with different artisans and small business owners from the around the U.S.  They have set their first goal to give 5,000 children a meal, 2,000 children a blanket, and 2,700 children a cozy sweatshirt.  Their hands-on philanthropic goals are both reasonable and grassroots-oriented.  

I’m all about the Briella Maxi Dress and the soon to arrive Stone Bangles, both pictured above.  They’re even perfect when paired together!

And on a final note, the company’s take away message is just as inspiring as the items its selling:

“We acknowledge that we are human and are flawed. But please accept, our intention is to do something pure. So we ask you, let this be a conversation. Help us grow. Help us give. Please critique us, teach us and be patient with us in the process, as ultimately we are all in this, this spinning sphere, together.”

How Bun-derful!

It’s August.  It’s hot out.  To all my long-haired ladies out there: having your hair hang down your neck all day can get a little stuffy.  So you choose to throw it up in a bun.  But who’s to say that you can’t have a little bun fun?  I’m a big believer in summer hair accessories – so I love to spruce up my bun.  It adds creativity without relying on your same old, played out outfit ornamentation.

Throw some flowers around your bun.  Adorn it with a delicate gold or brass chain.  Throw a bow beneath the back of it.  Anything goes in this realm of hair fun!  Chances are, you already have something hiding in your closet that you can wrap around your bun for an instant upgrade.  Start with ribbon or a long necklace wrapped around, and play from there.

Now all the boys will be checking out your bun – but in a good way!

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Spotlight: Melody Ehsani

I need to preface this post by saying that I’m not usually one for too much bling-bling.  But then I came across these Melody Ehsani earrings, and I knew I needed them! These super chunky, fun earrings are perfect for channeling your inner Miley (because let’s be honest with ourselves for a second, we all adore her style at least a little bit….).  And I must admit, the moment I put them on I felt like I could take on the day.  It was a “we flawless” moment.  I wore mine with a deep red-hued flannel, black soft shorts, and cream high-tops.

Check out Melody Ehsani’s online shop for some more design eye candy – you won’t be sorry!

 

New York, New York!

I just returned home from a quick trip to New York where I truly had one of the best weeks of my life! The energy and vibrancy of NYC cannot be replicated.  I had the greatest time just wandering around the city, trying to hit as many places as I could.  I was able to eat at my favorite restaurant, Rouge Tomate and buy an abundance of French macarons from Ladurée SoHo.  And I was staying right next to some of my favorite shops: Aritzia, Topshop, and Madewell.  But just so you’re not misinformed, I didn’t just shop and eat the entire time! Maybe……. 🙂

Compared to Los Angeles, New York style has elevated sophistication.  Clothing inspiration was everywhere I looked! I love the chic, cosmopolitan silhouettes of garments that are worn in NYC. Not only that, but it seems like anything goes when it comes to street style in New York – from seemingly-insane print mixing to pencil skirts paired with high-tops, this city has it all!  What’s more, the modern simplicity of many of the outfits I saw perfectly coincided with New York’s architecture – the harmonious mix of formal and casual mirrors the combination of tall skyscrapers with street markets and hotdog stands.  New York really has it all.

Just feast your eyes on THIS to push your boundaries and find some style inspiration for yourself!

– Kasey

Spotlight: Soko

I must admit that I’m currently gushing over Soko.  It’s a little bit like love at first sight.  For me, the allure of this company lies right in its founding story, that Soko was “created by women for women to help ‘fashion a better world.'”  Founded in 2012 by three incredibly inspirational women, Soko’s site sells some pretty divine jewelry.  This jewelry is created by about two dozen independent men and women living within the developing world.  Through their partnership with Soko, these artisans have the ability to establish and manage their own businesses and create jewelry that is sold worldwide, connecting them to the global economic system.

Soko sells an array of gorgeous metal, wooden, and beaded jewelry, ranging from necklaces, to bracelets, to earrings, and rings.  I’m currently loving their turquoise beaded bib and brass chevron choker (both pictured above).  The detailing on both pieces is absolutely beautiful.  And because they are different lengths, these two necklaces are perfect for layering together! (I’m also a huuuuuuuge fan of both turquoise and brass, so I love them even more when they’re together!)  The beaded bib was created by Veronicah, a woman living in Kibera, a slum just outside of Nairobi.  In every piece she creates, Veronicah uses natural materials that are environmentally sustainable.  Ojiko designed and created the chevron choker.  He specializes in woodwork and metalwork (as you can see in this delicate and chic necklace).  The money that we spend purchasing these items goes directly back to Veronicah and Ojiko because Soko cuts out the middleman.  How efficient is that!?

Needless to say, I might just be Soko’s #1 fan.  Not only is the jewelry extraordinary, but the personalized relationships that the company has with its affiliated artisans is inspirational and uplifting!

– Kasey

Inspiration: Indonesia Part II

Little known fact: Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world! Despite its overwhelming heat and humidity (96%….ouch!), it’s appropriate to cover your shoulders and legs while in the city.  Because of the intense mugginess, that meant lots of drapey layers, which ended up being rather comfortable.  I was wearing relaxed and loose clothing that I practically could have been sleeping in, so I coined the term PJ chic!

Since being back from Indonesia I have certainly continued to embrace this PJ chic attire.  I try to stay away from over-patterned, bright harem pants because they are hard to pair with sophisticated tops and jackets, so neutrals are the way to go (if you don’t want to look like MC Hammer, that is).

So my advice for wearing easy lounge pants that you can convert to a more formal setting?  Keep them neutral, and try to stay away from crazy patterns.  I always like wearing mine with booties, but you can also spice them up with chunky heels for a boho vibe.  I own the Talula pants posted above in black, and I kid you not, I wore them for 3 days straight after buying them.  They are unbelievably comfortable, and they hit the ankle at just the right spot! Here are a few of my other favorites:

I promise, once you start wearing these pants, you’ll want to say sayonara to your jeans!

– Kasey

Above: Talula Los Feliz Pant

Catherine Malandrino – Gisella High-Waist Harem Pants

Loft – Lou & Grey Linen Drawstring Pants

Inspiration: Indonesia Part I

This summer I had the opportunity to conduct research in Indonesia for one month.  I traveled around Yogyakarta, Bunaken, Manado, Bali, and Lombok, experiencing a broad array of cultural tradition, religion, food, and art.  My research was based around fashion and identity formation, so I was lucky enough to get up close and personal with the intricate designs of Indonesian batik – and I even got to do it myself!

Batik is a form of fabric design in which wax is applied to cloth and then dyed various times.  The fabric remains its natural color where the wax was applied because the dye is unable to penetrate through it.  Wax can be applied to the fabric multiple times, creating detailed and ornate designs.  The artisans who design batik garments spend months creating them.  (I bought a batik tapestry that took 2 months to make!)  The labor that goes into creating these works of art is truly awe-inspiring.

After returning to the states, I began searching for garments that had batik motifs.  Sure enough, I found my pot of gold at Free People.  I have been Free People obsessed for the past 7 years, and season after season, it never lets me down.  So I was particularly excited to find a little slice of Indonesia carried in my favorite store.  These festive scrunchies are perfect for throwing your hair up on a lazy Sunday morning, or keeping your hair out of your face during a hot yoga class.  And I’m mildly obsessed with this white patterned kaftan.  I love the ease and effortlessness of it.  Throw it on, add some brass bangles and beaded sandals, and you’re set for the day!

 

A huge piece of my heart still remains in Indonesia, but I know I’ll be traveling back there soon!

Above: Hyperion Bodycon Dress

Batik Scrunchie Trio

Orea Kaftan

Spotlight: The Little Market

The Little Market was actually the first global online marketplace that I happened upon.  And evidently, I immediately fell in love with it.  Founded by everyone’s favorite Laguna Beach girl, Lauren Conrad, and her FIDM friend and student-in-crime, Hannah Skvarla, The Little Market collects accessories and home goods that are handmade by artisans around the world – from South America, to Africa, to India.  The Little Market provides a living wage to the artisans that it collaborates with.  Not only does this provide a steady income, but these artisans are given a sense of empowerment and fulfillment – something that every woman deserves.  The Little Market also provides a bundle of information about each product so you are able to see directly where your money is going and how it is supporting these local artisans.

I’m currently loving The Little Market’s beaded bracelets from Guatemala.  I’m a sucker for stackable bracelets, especially as an easy-to-wear summer accessory.  (Maybe that’s just because they remind me of summer camp friendship bracelets!)  But these are so chic and easy to wear alone or even stacked with your favorite bangles.  I’m all about the cotton candy mix of rose gold and baby blue.  These four bracelets will most definitely be adorning my wrists ASAP: Beaded Bracelet – Blue + Gold ($14), Braided Beaded Bracelet: – Light Gray + Rose Gold ($16), Wrap Bracelet – Peach + Rose Gold ($24), Wrap Bracelet – Light Blue + Rose Gold ($24).  The latter two bracelets were created by women partnered with Wakami, an organization that provides business training programs, organic gardens for food, and solar energy for electricity in impoverished areas like Guatemala.

Stayed tuned for more posts about The Little Market!

– Kasey

Let’s Get Started

Happy Sunday from my bed!

My name is Kasey, and I am a Los Angeles native, born and raised.  I’m an enthusiast of all things fashion and style, and I am a firm believer that inspiration can be found in all places!

My mom told me that I started dressing myself before I could walk.  So at the age of thirteen when I had the epiphany that I wanted to become a part of the grand world of fashion, my mom wasn’t surprised at all.  I’m currently studying cultural anthropology and sociology.  So how do fashion and anthropology tie together you ask?  Culture shapes what we do each day, which includes what we’re wearing while we’re doing it.  Our identity is our own personal culture, which contributes to the larger category of fashion culture.  So in a sense, our daily clothing choices are shaping not only our personal identity, but the vast, stunning array of fashion that exists in the world.

As a self-proclaimed global citizen I’m aware of the socioeconomic situations of undeveloped and underdeveloped countries. (It’s practically what my anthropology degree is based around.)  So I try to search for jewelry and clothing that contributes to these countries in some way.  I love buying garments and goods that are created by artisans around the world – it’s an uncomplicated way to make an impact on a person’s life!

I’ll be sending information your way about global market fashion companies, what they’re selling, and how you can wear it, as well as street style that inspires me.

Stay tuned for some fashion fun!