SHORTS, TIGHTS & CAT-EYES

I think the tights and shorts combo here is totally laid back and cool. The texture of the tights pairs well with the sleek black trouser short and brown oxford shoe. What really makes you stop and look though is the big, thick, lux scarf wrapped around her neck. So lovely with her pretty complexion and perfectly applied cat-eye liner. I love a clean cat-eye liner any time of day. Of course, keep in mind there are different levels of cat-eye intensity, and I would say to save the dramatic, smokey-eye cat-eye for a night out. For daytime though, or anytime, a little chic make-up and the right combination of pieces can make afternoon wear much more interesting.

PROENZA SCHOULER SPRING 2011

I love little jackets with skirts for spring, and of late I am adoring a little slouch in my blouses and slacks. Proenza Shouler's Spring 2011 show displayed these qualities perfectly. Sometimes I like clothes or hair to look just a bit messy, just a little undone, to avoid that overly 'done', overly matched look. So I say, rumple your hair a little (and go easy on the hair products and overly aggressive straightening iron) and loosen that blouse just a tad and play it all off cool with confidence.

CHANEL LOOK

This look is inspired by Coco Chanel's legendary black dresses with white collars - especially her ruffled collars. We took a basic black H&M dress and layered a Milly blouse with a ruffled collar underneath and voila!, a classic Chanel inspired look. This sheer collar is also reminiscent of pretty sheer collars we saw at Valentino and Jason Wu for spring. The necklace is from a boutique we stumbled upon in Tokyo.

DENIM SPRING 2011

Denim has a very laid back, cool feel. You can dress it up or down but either way you never look like you tried too hard. We also think denim and camel shades look so pretty together so we paired this denim top with a camel scarf. H&M denim tunic, Banana Republic trench coat, leggings from Target, scarf from a street vendor in NYC, and Steve Madden boots.

INSPIRATION : AGYNESS DEYN

This look is inspired by the the model Agness Deyn's edgy/androgenous/rocker style. She somehow always manages to look chic in a non-traditional, punk, boyish kind of way that is still totally feminine - kind of sounds like an oxymoron but it works. Here, accessories and a baggier shape on top take slim cropped trousers in an edgy direction.

PONCHO

I still have a winter look I want to share before the season is over, for those of us still living with frigid temperatures (I was just in Vail, CO this past week and it was cold, cold, cold). This Poncho was given to my husband by his father, who is Peruvian and brought it back from Lima. Of course, I had to steal (technically borrow) it for myself. This poncho is made out of the softest alpaca and is one of the most warm and luxurious things I've ever worn - it's like wearing a large cashmere blanket - so cozy and comfortable. There was also a great poncho that came down the runway of the 3.1 Philip Lim Fall/Winter 2010 show. I also liked some ponchos/capes at the Vena Cava and Alexander Wang Fall 2010 shows as well. Since the poncho was the highlight of this cold weather look, I decided to keep the rest simple with black pant-weight leggings and flat, knee high boots.