In the Mood for a Heart in a Cage

Photography by the Pixie Zooey Ingles

You might see an abundance of posts about sweater dresses as winter continues. There's nothing I love more than waking up in the morning and just throwing on a sweater dress without a second thought. Socks and tights will help keep your legs warm through the day and there's nothing more convenient or warm than a large sweater layered with a good jacket.

What I'm Wearing

Jacket: H&M
Dress: Sparkle & Fade
Bra: Free People (seen here)
Tights: Uniqlo (similar)
Socks: UO
Necklace: UO
Shoes: Sole Society

Rock the Coats: Our Favorite Outerwear this Season!

J.Crew 2012 Winter Coats

The colorful pastels and neons of summer seem to have found a home in this year's winter coats! We couldn't resist the temptation of taking advantage of the opportunity to find a coat that pops amongst the crowd and wanted to share some of our favorites with you. Here you'll find a coat for every occasion and more! Hopefully we've covered all the bases to make this winter as warm and cozy as it should be. Let us know how you like our picks!

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Xiang

"Chicago may be the windy city but San Francisco comes in a close second. Since it's windy almost all year long in SF, my favorite coats tend to be leather to block out the wind. Leather jackets can easily accompany casual looks as well as add a bit of edge to a dressy outfit. I also love long coats to keep me warm from head to toe. There's nothing like a long coat to accompany a dress and leggings to a formal occasion but they can also be worn everyday as well. I actually had a chance to try on the short Coach jacket recently and loved it! It matches perfectly with my new Coach purse even if I do prefer a longer jacket. Lastly, since I've lived in Seattle for a bit, I know to always be prepared for rain. Raincoats tend to be synonymous with trenchcoat but I tried to pick a couple others choices to accommodate the classic trench."

Long

 left to right: Madewell, miu miu, Maxmara Studio

Short
left to right: Coach, Ted Baker, Marc by Marc Jacobs

Leather

left to right: Free People, River Island, DVF

Rain

left to right: American Apparel, Jones New York, Free People

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Jen

"Xiang did a great job covering leather coats so I skipped that category all together and instead, I subconsciously included a coat with leather detailing in almost all of my categories. I mentioned in one of my last posts that leather panels were one of my favorite trends this year and, as you can tell, I really meant it. Every year I never miss an opportunity to hit the slopes so I included some snow jackets that I've been eyeing lately. I don't think I've ever worn a cape but I do think they are incredibly versatile and can look amazing no matter how dressy or casual the outfit. Even though Burberry makes the most perfectly cut jackets, I think my favorite is the long jacket by Club Monaco. For a quarter of the price of a Burberry coat, you get a coat that looks lux with any outfit. "

Long

left to right: Club Monaco, Moschino, Mackage

Short

left to right: J. Crew, Burberry, Rick Owens

Rain

left to right: Valentino, Victoria's Secret, Steve Madden

Snow

left to right: Mackage, The North Face, Moncler

Cape

left to right: Alexander McQueen, SheInside, Burberry

Firing Up for the Fourth of July!

Free People 2012 July 4th Collection

Summer is definitely not short of celebrations and one of our favorites is the Fourth of July! With the holiday just around the corner I can already smell the aroma of BBQ and fireworks in the air. However you decide to spend your July 4th holiday, we've got an outfit for you! Xiang and I put together a range of outfits that vary from simple to patriotic for all your independence day needs. If you've already got the perfect outfit in mind, don't worry, we even put together a handy accessory board for those that just want to put a little pizazz into their outfit!

July 4th Accessories

Hairband: Nasty Girl

Star Earrings: Emilio Pucci

Gold Star Ring: Romwe

Super Star Tights: UO

Sun Glasses: Orla Kiely

Blue Scarf: AA

Gold / Silver Ring: Emilio Pucci

Bag: Free People

Beach Towel: Forever 21

Scarf: Nasty Gal

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Xiang

"If you are looking for an alternative of wearing american flag patterned stuff to celebrate July 4th, then consider working with red, white and blue color palette. Pick one primary color and add the other two by accessorizing! This also makes your outfit more wearable for the other 355 days of the year :)"

Dress: AKIRA

Shoes: Le Sport in Denim and Red

Belt: Ruche

Tote: Tommy Hilfiger

Sun Glasses: Ray-Ban

Hat: Pachacuti

Shirt: TopShop

Skirt: ANTIK BATIK

Shoes: Converse

Necklace: Aubin&Wills

Bracelet: Alex + Ani

Sunglasses: Nasty Girl

Necklace: Nasty Girl

Tank: Wet Seal

Shorts: UO

Sandals: Lanvin

Bracelet: LK Designs

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Jen

"I tried to pick out three outfits that would work for events that are more formal, casual, or somewhere in-between. I do like the cheesiness of the american flag patterned clothing. Only on July 4th can you really pull off such overt patriotism and still look fabulous."

Dress: Karen Millen

Blazer: SMYTH

Shoes: J.W. Anderson ALDO Rise

Shirt: Club Monaco

Jacket: BDG

Shorts: American Apparel

Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell

Dress: TopShop

Belt: Proenza

Clutch: Free People

Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell

In the Mood for the Highlights in Life

Photography by the Vigorous Michael Shriver 

First I bought the shoes and then I found myself buying everything in that same color. Maybe I'm optimistically looking forward to a bright summer or I just need a little highlighter in my life. Whatever the reason, you won't miss me walking down Broadway in these hot shorts for sure.

What I'm Wearing

Shirt: Forever 21 Cutout Shirt (similar)
Bra: Free People Scalloped Lace Bandeau
Shorts: Forever 21 High Rise Neon Shorts
Shoes: Carola Remer Collection For H&M
Nail Polish: American Apparel Neon Yellow

In the Mood for Rays of Spring

Love that spring is here, even though it is still a bit chilly to just be in a sun dress. In this weather I like layering a soft sweater on top of something for summer. It is also fun to mix different textures and adding in a bit accessories.

What I'm Wearing

Hat: Vintage (similar)
Sweater: Gilly Hicks (similar without the bow)
Dress: Free People Ballerina Tunic (similar)
Patterned Tights: American Apparel Geo-Mesh Tight
Bracelet: Vintage pearl necklace wrapped around. (similar)
Shoes: INC (similar)