have a sparkly new year!

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we had the most fun new years eve with explosions and silly string. it was the best way to ring in the new year! i dug up our goals that we made last year, and of course we fell short on a few that will likely end up on the list this year. but we also hit a few, which felt really good! i can't wait to sit down today and think about what we want to accomplish in the next year, it'll be a nice refresh and a good chance to see how far we've come.

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this shoot was so much fun. since we didn't have any other projects while my aunt was in town, we had her help us with it. sydney is wearing a sparkly sweater that we found at the rack (for $13), a teal and purple sequins anthro skirt from a couple of years ago, and some hot pink steve madden heels. her jewelry is vintage. she is wearing bobbi brown plum lipstick, my new fave. it was so hard to narrow down pictures, i seriously want to share all of them because they are so cute! here's to a very sparkly new year!

 

styling by bobette carpenter, hair and make up by angela pedersen, photography by brittany carpenter

fashion / new year's eve inspired by mickalene thomas

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i have thought about doing outfits inspired by artworks for a long time, i just never found the right inspiration/concept. then, one day as i was walking around the national museum of women in the arts (for my internship), i saw it. i had seen lots of mickalene thomas works, but this one was perfect. it had recently been hung and i was so happy to see it in person.

mickalene thomas (b.1971) is an african-american female artist who reembodies her own stereotypes. she takes inspiration from andy warhol's repetitive prints: originally this work was one in a series of forty, a-e-i-o-u and sometimes y (2009), that was displayed on a single wall. rather than silkscreen or paint, thomas uses rhinestones as her medium, and somehow creates so much depth and variation even when using just black. many of her works are multicolored and patterned, but i love the simple two-tone coloration of this work.

for this new year's eve outfit, i tried to use a simple palette of hot pink and black rhinestones (sequins are close enough right?). i got that velvet brand dress at the rack at the beginning of the year for no reason other than it was the best thing i have ever seen. we paired it with some pink leggings (that weren't quite the right color, but we were working with what we had). the shoes were old bcbg ones with the best wooden heel and patent leather. we had to add even more sparkle with the rhinestone bracelet. we used my favorite nars lipstick in 'schiap' with liquid eyeliner and all the other normal make-up. 

ps. i'm so happy to have my model back! i love being able to style and photograph and not worry about modeling!

currently obsessed / topshop sweaters

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i have decided that i need more sweaters in my life. like right now. i just discovered these ones from nordstrom (they're all topshop brand), and they actually aren't too expensive. which is your favorite? 

ps. how much do you love the combination with all of those fun shorts. i'll take a pair of each please!

fashion / getting cozy

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i'm not going to lie. i'm a pretty pathetic homebody. i love that i have a job where i can work from my bed, and that my internship is only part time. most of the time i like to stay cozy and warm, and have no problem being lazy for a day out of the week. this weekend jarman and i ran around town trying to cross things off of our tourist list before we leave dc (one month from today! and that is not a happy exclamation). i was so happy to put together an outfit that was cozy enough to make me not feel the need to stay in bed all day. that fur vest is like living in the best blanket ever. and i know i ragged on jeans last week, but these pilcro jeans have been worn in enough to be (somewhat) comfy. oh and i am loving this hat with a leather bill (similar here). jarman almost laughed it back to the store when i first bought it, he had literally never seen me wear a baseball cap and was shocked. i stood my ground and have loved wearing it.

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fashion / an ode to silky pants

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i am all about comfort., especially living in a city where i walk everywhere.  over the past year i have basically eliminated all jeans from my everyday-wear. the other day i tried wearing one of my few pairs remaining, my hudsons that i always thought were so juicy and comfortable, and realized that they are really just the worst. whoever said jeans were cozy or relaxing were dead wrong. 

luckily over the past year silky and cotton pants have really made an appearance, and have completely filled my closet. they have changed my life. not only are they super inexpensive, they come in so many different colors and prints.  i am so happy to wear them around town and not be bothered by pants that are too tight or stiff. i love that the ankles cut style shows off my shoes and that i get to tuck all of my shirts in. i know this post is completely pathetic, but i am just so happy that i have been liberated from jeans and have found a new and better side to wearing pants. rather than wearing dresses and skirts every day, i get to take on an even more sophisticated look.

thank you, silky pants, for improving my quality of life. 

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what i'm wearing: blue pants with black stripe from target, for $6. for some reason on the site they are $9. i also got the leopard pair and am so happy about it. steve madden leopard loafers. target pink skinny belt, which is on sale for $4.50. madewell kensington satchel. my shirt was on sale at anthro a few months ago, and my scarf was one of the few things i bought in italy.

 **this post was made possible by my mom, who purchased the pants and mailed them to me.