So what was in the bag?!

As I anticipated on my last post, I promised to talk about my second personal shopper adventure with my anonymous friend.

So you might or might not recall, our mysterious shopper is a very practical person, leads a fast-paced life and has a love/hate relationship with shopping and fashion…this is where I come to the rescue.

On our second shopping spree we decided to go back to Zara for some more basics that were easily matchable, wearable and most importantly, washable. There is to be no dry-cleaning involved people!

So what did we go for this time? I’ve had my eyes on the wax coated skinny jeans for a while, it’s the latest denim trend. Not only are they the vegan alternative to leather pants, they’re budget-friendly so hundreds of euros less than the leather variety. If you’re not happy with Zara’s version of the waxed denim, be sure to check out J Brand, Hudson Jeans, Rag&Bone or for the more sophisticated dudette, Victoria Beckham.

Of course, you know how infatuated I am with denim shirts. A simple denim button up can go so many different ways, the possibilities are just endless. Simply a must-have.

Sweater vest or sleeveless cardigan was another one of our snatches. These knitwear pieces are so versatile they can be worn throughout the four seasons and are also great for layering during the crisp months. And our last item is a mao collar white blouse with black piping on the neck and cuffs which I thought was a great addition for some work/social wear.

I really really meant it when I said ‘this is where I come to the rescue’ on the previous paragraph. This was my friend’s actual purchase of the day……shocking. This is as far as I let her choose anything for herself ever again!

Kidding!!! These are actually kinda cool, no? Paired up with her new green coated denim….? think about it…..

Told you you’d be seeing more of this jacket. I snatched this up from my mom last time I went home, it’s a gorge vintage fringed jacket she got in Wyoming at a local shop two decades ago. I also scored that Moschino patent belt (+ a black one) which I remember seeing her wear before I was even able to take my first steps. Ok I’m exaggerating, but you get my point. I’m wearing J Brand jeans in the Japanese twill and Beau Coops booties (previously seen here). The paisley foulard is actually a men’s scarf I found at some sample sale a couple years back and the evil eye necklace is from a shop in Beirut called Sunflowers, mentioned here.

This season, many designers opted for airy, sheer fabrics which we immediately associate to summer and warm weather, however, layer these with a few key leather, wool or tweed pieces and you’ll make the perfect chic autumn outfit.

But don’t let their choice of textures mislead you. That peasanty, flowy, boho chill mix is everything but innocent. It’s all about cheeky games of peekaboo and infantile-inspired collections such as we see on Carven’s ‘Introduction to Summer 2012′ Collection and Victoria Bekham’s newly revealed DVD Collection inspired by comic character- Emily The Strange.

This Fall/Winter, do not be afraid to reveal subtle flashes of skin, it’s all about finding the right balance between being modest and conservative with a twist of aloof naughtiness.

This is why I love this editorial I bookmarked on the latest issue of Jalouse magazine dubbed ‘Cimes City’. I describe it as Heidi meets Lolita meets Little House on the Prairie gone rogue. Here are my favorite images, take a look…

I know you’re probably thinking, how is having bare legs going to keep me warm, the girl is half naked most of the time! Well, I’m a true believer that if you have the right coat, scarf, gloves and beanie…you’ll be all set to take on some crisp weather…plus, it’s not like you’re outdoors most of the time, right?

Can’t seem to get these Current/Elliott jeans off me. I’ve been asked several times recently (by some very silent followers who are too shy to shoot their questions live!) how to wear animal print jeans.

So for the fourth third time in a week, I decided to wear these darlings again just to get you inspired.

I’d say keep it clean. Go for a simple t shirt or silk boyfriend button-down. Just keep in mind that your bottoms are already busy and represent that loud statement piece in your outfit, so don’t try to overshadow them with anything extra snazzy.

In other words, let them have their little self-indulgement moment all to themselves!

This time around, I decided to wear them with this grey wool/cotton blend v-neck and my fave super soft distressed leather trench, which reminds me so much of that one trench Burberry conceived for their 2012 Resort Collection, except for well..a slight color variation.

Love the whole idea of having some furriness peep out from the sides, so I threw in this cropped fur vest which not only adds a touch of texture to the look, it also keeps me super warm.

AND, you’ve probably already noticed, but I’m a huge huge fan of ankle booties and have been using them since forever, in particular these Western inspired fringed ones which are unbelievably comfy. Notice the leg game going on there? that’s what makes these stiletto jeans so special, although I’m not sure I’ll be able to pull off the no-sock-look all throughout winter…doubt it.

In case you’re wondering, no, I didn’t get bronchitis from going out with wet, slicked back hair…I did go out, but managed to stay indoors while having my all-time favorite Martini rosso with a curl of orange peel with ma peeps.

Jeans- Current/Elliott 

v-neck- Helmut Lang

leather trench – vintage

fur vest- gift from mom & sis

booties- Mango

I was feeling rather ladylike this weekend, so I decided to wear this new floral, midi skirt I recently snatched from a vintage shop in Milan.

It’s very wooly, probably because it says 100% WOOL on the washed out tag inside…(genius) Anyways, it’s perfect for this sudden cold front Russia kindly brought to us these past few days. And..it’s got pockets! The scarf was also a victim of the snatching episode at the vintage shop.

I didn’t want to make the outfit too girly-like, so I wore it with this military-inspired velvet blazer I own to make it less ‘happy girl’ and a bit more aggressive and current. Then I opted for a simple longsleeve tee to give it a carefree twist + ankle booties. I decided to throw on a belt as well, cause I wanted to hike up my skirt a little more (what’s up Dave Matthews!) so the wavy-like details on my booties would show.

Midi skirt and scarf are both vintage, black velvet blazer is Marc Jacobs. Longsleeve tee is from Urban Outfitters.

Charlotte Ronson booties and Asos socks.

Giant Pompon Balenciaga bag and raccoon tail is from when I was 10, no kidding.