Denim for Days...

After several years of lots of wear and love, three of my favorite pairs of designer jeans gave out this winter. After mourning their demise and a desperate attempt to patch them (which helped until I had to wash them again) it was time for some new jeans. So, I took my tax return money denim shopping last week. 

Since I had a limited budget and needed at least 2-3 new pairs I decided to invest in several pairs of inexpensive jeans instead of splurging on one nice pair. Four for the price of one--plus a pair of shorts and a skirt--can't argue with that!! Especially since even the lower-end brands are starting to catch up with designer denim technology, so I was actually pretty impressed with the jeans they had to offer. Remember my Denim Guide posts? I featured both Gap and H&M jeans as affordable options to try, and now I'm back with updates! 

On the first stop of my shopping excursion I ended up with one pair of the legging jean from Gap Factory in a nice medium-dark wash. They are fairly stretchy and super skinny, but the one thing I didn't love about the Gap jeans was the stitching on the pockets--I would have gotten a dark denim pair too if the stitching didn't stand out so much, but as it was I ended up only getting the medium wash pair. I also got a second pair of  my favorite boyfriend shorts in a light wash with distressing which I am so excited about for the summer. 

After that successful purchase I decided to stop in H&M and see if anything caught my eye, but I really wasn't expecting to be impressed with their denim quality. I have one pair of jeans from H&M that I wear all the time, but I am always wary of the quality and sizing there. I was surprised to find that their jeans were actually fitting me really well, and for the price I couldn't say no. I got two pairs of their Skinny Super Stretch jeans, one in a dark wash and one in grey with rips, each under $30. I always prefer super stretchy jeans since they are easier to move in and incredibly comfortable. So, I also got a pair of super skinny shaping jeans which have a ton of stretch and are really flattering. I rounded out my denim excursion with a patchwork denim skirt which I can't wait to style with crop tops and sandals for summer.  

Which pair am I most impressed with? The H&M shaping jeans from their &Denim line. These cost a bit more than any of the other pairs I bought, and I am always hesitant to spend $50 on any item from H&M since their quality is sometimes not great, but I decided these were worth the price. They are incredibly stretchy, which I love, and fit snug and skinny while still being amazingly comfortable. I got them in a dark wash with a mid rise waist, and I have a feeling these are going to be a new favorite. Let's see how they hold up now :)

Now that I have a revamped denim wardrobe (ok, ok, I might have gone a little overboard with the denim lol) I should be all set of a while! These are all staple pieces that I will wear over the summer with sandals and tanks, and I know for sure will get a ton of use all fall and winter. All of the pairs that I got are mid rise and super skinny and they are all long enough on me too! The super stretch jeans from H&M definitely run the longest, while the other pairs hit just above the ankle bone on me. It is nice to have several pairs to rotate through if you are a jeans-every-day kind of girl. 

A note about shopping these brands: I always go down a size or even two at the Gap, so I ended up getting 28s in both the jeans and shorts. At H&M I always go up a size or two, and ended up with a size 10 and 12 in the super stretch jeans, and a 30/32 in the shaping jeans.

xoxo, CC

Caught My Eye...

Wow, who can believe it is the last day of March already? The good news is warm spring weather is even closer around the corner, so if you ask me it is definitely time to start preparing our closets for sunny days.

The best part about spring shopping is that #taxreturn money helping me out. On my radar right now are lace-up sandals, espadrille wedges, super ripped jeans, and fresh prints. Keeping a pastel & neutral palette makes it easy to mix and match these pieces for a versatile spring wardrobe. I already ordered the J Crew romper which I am really excited about since it seems like such an easy piece to dress up or down and wear all summer long. Next up: find the perfect lace up sandals. I like the option pictured above, but they are super pricy! I linked to a more affordable version below which might be the pair I end up getting...

Which of these items is your favorite for spring?

Shop these looks: J Crew Romper, Espadrille wedges, Distressed jeans, Heeled lace up sandal (affordable option from Chinese Laundry), Anthro Dress, Rebecca Minkoff saddle bag, Old Navy patched denim jacket, Kate Spade ice cream phone case, J Crew lace sweater, 

Aztec Tee

Remember a few years ago when 'aztec' prints were all the rage? Styles that are so trendy can feel a little passé after a few years, so what do we do with those pieces now? 

I decided to update my aztec tee by pairing it with distressed jeans and a leather jacket. This edgier vibe felt fresh and fun. With the tee partially hidden under the jacket the print becomes an more integrated aspect of the outfit instead of a bold in-your-face trend. I'll be honest, I mostly wear this tee just around the house, so it was nice to be able to incorporate it into a put-together look that felt both interesting and cool. Since the look is primarily black and white I brought out my baby blue clutch to add a little color. 

Tee: ModCloth (old). Jacket: Zara. Jeans: H&M. Booties: Steve Madden. Clutch: Rebecca Minkoff (similar). 

xoxo CC

Cherry Blossom

One of my favorite things is seeing the flowers beginning to bloom in the spring. Just last week a little tree on my block burst into bloom with tiny pink flowers, and I spotted more pink-floral trees in Central Park, by the reservoir (which you may have seen on my instagram). Pale pink florals have even been making their way into my outfits!

Lace-up shoes are one of the top trends for spring. While I've got my eye out for the perfect lace-up sandal, I decided to pull these flats out of the closet. These were one of my first purchases from Zappos when I first discovered the site back in high school. I love the embroidered dragon motif and the lace-up detail. They are slightly edgy and so unique with a playful vibe that totally fits my style. I haven't worn these in quite awhile, so it was fun to bring them out since they are back on trend, and pair them with some newer pieces. This silky cherry blossom floral tee was the perfect piece to match with the shoes' colors and even continue the Asian-inspired vibe. It is fun to mix something new with an older piece to update the look and bring a little fresh excitement to an old well-loved piece. 

I got this tee a little bit oversized, so I like to wear it tied up on the side or tucked a little. The neutral tones make it easy to wear, but the blush pink shade and flecks of green add a bit of color too. I like the way the floral earrings and pink sunglasses bring out the color in the top. Even though the shoes are over eight seasons old the look is fresh and fun for spring, mixing casual neutrals and fun, colorful accents. 

Top: Zara. Jeans: Jbrand (similar). Shoes: Ziginy (old). Bag: H&M. Sunglasses: amazon. Earrings: Urban Outfitters (old).

xoxo CC

The Met & Marie Antoinette

Happy spring everybody!!

Over the weekend I took a trip to the MET to see the Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun exhibit going on through May 15. Somehow it was only the second time that I've been to the MET even though I live so close! I made the extra effort to go see this exhibit because I have always admired her works, and I absolutely love everything Marie Antoinette, fashion icon of her time. Vigee Le Brun was the royal portraitist to Marie Antoinette and did numerous portraits of her and her children before the French Revolution. 

The exhibit was much bigger than I expected, with about 5 rooms dedicated to Vigee Le Brun's artworks. All of her famous works of Marie Antoinette as well as her well-known self portrait were there. It is kind of incredible to stand in front of a painting and know that French royalty stood before that same work over 200 years ago admiring it. Seeing so many of these works that I've studied and admired, knowing they traveled from all over the world for the exhibit, is really amazing. The portrait below of Marie and her three children was impressively large in real life with the figures slightly larger than life-size, a fact I had never realized before when studying the painting and which creates a sense of awe at it's sheer size and mastery. Two portraits of Marie Antoinette that I have studied in art history classes (below), one painted to replace the other after the queen's casual dress caused scandal when displayed at a salon, were shown side by side for the first time ever in this exhibit.

The exhibit explored the various stages of Vigee Le Brun's career, from her early works in her teen years, to her first public showing upon acceptance into a guild, highlighting her work for the royal family and other nobles, into her escape from France during the Revolution and the work she did while traveling abroad in exile. It was particularly interesting to see how her career was shaped as one of only a few female painters of such talent and recognition. I learned that she submitted allegorical works to the academie in hopes of being accepted at a history painter, but was not awarded the title because of her gender. Therefore most of her works are portraits, and it was interesting to notice that most of the subjects were female themselves, often wearing sumptuous dresses and jewels. One thing I noticed particularly was that several of her paintings featured people smiling with an open mouth, showing their teeth. This was very uncommon at the time since portraits were meant to be serious and often meant to portray the power and social status of the sitter. One of my favorite works that I saw in the show that I had not seen before was one of two friends seated together with their children in a tribute to friendship and family. So many of the works in the exhibit were still in their original ornate frames, many of which were inscribed with a title or description. 

Check out more about Vigee Le Brun and see what current shows are open on Artsy.

After the exhibit, we went to see the Masterpieces of Chinese Painting exhibit which showcased many scroll works of painting and calligraphy dating as far back as the Tang and Song dynasties. There was an incredibly detailed scroll painting of narcissus flowers that intricately interwove in a tangle of stems and buds over about 10 feet of paper. It really makes you admire the time and patience put into such works. Many of the scrolls were stamped with collectors stamps, a sign of appreciation for the art and a fascinating addition that shows the artwork's travel and history. I love the Astor Court garden room that sits nestled between the Chinese art galleries. This space, flooded with natural light and encircled in rock formations, a pool of live fish, and traditional wooden awnings, feels like you are stepping outdoors into a tranquil courtyard. With that on our minds a late lunch of ramen nearby at Meijin seemed like the perfect way wrap up the afternoon. 

xoxo CC