Ok, so I lied just a little bit.
In reality, I need coffee, mascara, plus some highlighting cream and blush to get me going in the morning (er, and a hearty breakfast)… that’s all!
This was such a fun post to shoot. Tom and I hunted down some cool graffitied/artsy walls in Manhattan, stopped for pizza in Little Italy, took pictures in the middle of a quiet, treelined street near Bowery (made me nervous being in the middle of the road, eek!), stopped at Think Coffee, and ended the night at a Thai spot before heading back to Brooklyn. These kinds of adventurous days need to happen more often in life!
But back to the outfit and these high-waisted jeans. They’re from Madewell, and after being helped by an awesome associate at the store near Union Square, she convinced me to get these… and not to wash them very often. (Something I’m working on!) She said (her name is Erinn), that she has a pair herself, wears them all the time, they go with everything, etc. It was one of those shopping experiences where I felt like the person was genuinely friendly, kind, and super helpful.
These High-Riser Skinny skinnies happen to be faded, too. I was ultimately looking for jeans I could wear at work (meaning a darker wash) and these weren’t what I had in mind, but Erinn convinced me. I bought them and promptly fell head over heels… to the point that I will wear them even when it’s a sweltering 90 degrees in NYC (as it was on the day we shot these photos). I love the way the denim feels; there’s something sexy about these jeans. They’re great for day, as you can see here, and you can easily throw on heels or metallic sandals to get them ready for night.
I’ve worn them to work, but I try to always wear heels and a dressy top/blazer with them (tune in next week and I’ll show you how I do it!).
Below is the shot from our Think Coffee stop. (By the way, that’s my Ban.do planner, which I take everywhere. It’s the prettiest one I could get my hands on, and it’s $20!! The gold-spotted white cube is a Ban.do mobile charger, which totally saves me when my phone is about to die.)
A few tips about finding new jeans: Go to a store! Don’t order online. Especially when you’re investing good money in a pair that you want to last. Take your time with it, and try on a bunch of fits, washes, and styles. Enlist the help of a sales associate if you feel comfortable. (I asked the awkward “Does this make my butt look weird?” to the Madewell associate, Erinn, and she was super cool and down-to-earth about it. She made the whole buying-jeans experience less intimidating, when it can be very much so!). There’s nothing like knowing before you buy that they look amazing on you. Another point: I try to avoid whiskering; I don’t think it’s very flattering (at least on me). While I love the look of worn-in denim, I like that the Madewell pair I’m wearing is faded, but not in a super obvious way.
Curious about trying high-waisted jeans, or just adding another pair to your closet? Here are some similar styles in black, starting at $25: Old Navy, H&M, Gap, Free People, NastyGal, Madewell.
The sleeveless top I’m wearing is from TJ Maxx. It’s the breeziest thing I could wear on a hot day. Here are some other smart, funny options: moon child, je ne regrette rien, Shakespeare, champagne, stripes, lashes and lipstick.
And you’re gonna need a cute bandeau bra that’ll peek out from the sides of your sleeveless tee. Here are a few cute ones: sea green, black and lacy, hot pink, endless patterns, pretty lacy straps, simple black and gray.
Xoxo, H
P.S. Tune in next week for part two of this post: all about dressing up these awesome jeans. It’s easier than you’d think. ;)
Photographs by Tom Schelling.