My Love Affair w/ the Euro

October 30, 2009

Filed Under : STYLE

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[Image via Asos]

I have a strong affinity for European exports, whether it be Belgian chocolates, Eiffel Tower-shaped lamps, or Topshop. Now Topshop has recently set up camp in NYC and started a U.S. website so they’re not totally UK-based anymore. But still, the Topshop style is very much European and therefore falls under the category of Euro exports in my world.

Topshop is not the only UK clothing company that has captured my heart. For one, there’s Asos. It has an ultra-trendy vibe like Topshop but at lower price points (for the most part). If I’m on the hunt for a trend – say, a velvet, puffy-sleeved mini dress (pictured) – then I will find it on the Asos website without a doubt. But it’s not all trendy pieces, my friends. Asos also has a great collection of classic pieces like tailored dresses and pencil skirts that will fit perfectly in your work wardrobe. Word to the wise: if you register on the website and tell them your birthday, they send you a major coupon as a birthday gift. That’s all I’m saying!

Another one of my UK favorites is AllSaints. The style is definitely a little more edgy with a color palette ranging from blacks to grays to navy blues (they do throw a tan in the mix every so often). I love the outerwear and leather but my favorite pieces on the Allsaints website are the knitwear. The sweaters are big and chunky – just how I like them!

So if you need a European fix (like I do on a daily basis), these UK clothing websites are the best antidote.

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[Image via Allsaints]

Patterned Tights

October 28, 2009

Filed Under : STYLE

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Unless it’s the month of July or August, my legs are guaranteed to be whiter than unbleached flour (points for a food reference?). Maybe that’s an exaggeration but I still like to cover them up in the winter months. The perfect way to cover up your legs and still look ultra chic? Tights. Now you’re probably thinking that tights have been in style every winter since 1999 so this is not a novelty assumption I’m making here. Well, my friends, the style of tights varies each year and this year it’s all about patterned tights.

Any kind of pattern will do: leaf pointelle-stitch (pictured above), lace, diamond, polka dot, cable knit, houndstooth, herringbone, etc. Pair them with a wool skirt or rolled shorts and you have instantly classed up your fall wardrobe. Or, even better, pair them with a sequined dress for a fun holiday party.

The best place to look for patterned tights is at Bare Necessities. They have a whole section dedicated to patterned and textured tights. My favorite are the Wolford Polka Tights but I don’t think I’m classy enough to spend $55 on tights so instead, I found these on eBay for $6.87. A little sketchy that they’re from South Korea but you can’t really beat $6.87. J. Crew also has a surprisingly great collection of hosiery.

Now pick out your favorite pattern and add a little pizazz into your outfit.

[Image via J. Crew]

An Evening with David Sedaris

Filed Under : MY LIFE

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Here at The Style Eater, I won’t often venture into topics outside the realm of style and eating, but today I will make an exception to tell you about one of my all time favorite authors, David Sedaris. I went to the Irvine Barclay Theater last night to hear Sedaris give a reading and I swear I’ve never heard anyone speak so eloquently and humorously at the same time. Of course, that’s exactly how his writing is but to hear him read aloud in person is something I’ll never forget. My glasses kept fogging up because I was laughing so hard – you may not think the two are related but they are. Sedaris read snippets from his diary as recently dated as October 17th, new “fables” he’d been working on, and a hilarious in-depth about jury duty.
Before the reading, Kyle (my lovely boyfriend) and I waited in line to get one of our books signed. While Sedaris was signing, he drew a picture of an obese cat on the inside cover of my book and predicted that Kyle and I would break up in 2017. Though it was quite a disconcerting comment, it still left me wondering who would keep the signed book (complete with fat cat) if that were to happen…
…just kidding, darling!

It’s how they do it in Paris

October 26, 2009

Filed Under : STYLE - TRAVEL

doitinparis If you’re like me and you obsess over anything related to Paris (i.e. Parisian style, Parisian macaroons, and Parisian men, oh la la) then you must visit one of my favorite websites, Do It In Paris.

Ok so maybe the website isn’t exactly about Parisian men but it does offer everything else a Paris-loving girl could ask for, from fashion tips to fun recipes to trendy places around the city.

Best part? The amazingly chic illustrations like the one at left. OMG, don’t you just love it? The illustrations alone bring me back to this website day after day. Every week, under the “Love it, Check it Out” section, the site posts a new illustrated look and tells you all the components needed to complete the look. For example, this illustration at left is Balmain-inspired so they list similar drummer-boy jackets and shredded jeans for you to complete your very own Balmain look.

If you ignore the shoddy French-to-English translation of this website, you will find everything you need to satisfy your thirst for all things Parisian.

[Image via Do It In Paris]