In Spades

Style... in abundance

Leather Jacket Layering


Today kicks off a very special week.  In 48 hours I’ll be in New York for fashion week!  If you’ve been following me for a while now, you know this is my version of Dollywood.  Six days of nothing but crazy inspiration, major adrenaline and lots and lots of lattes.  Be sure to follow me in Instagram for NYFW coverage in real time!

The February shows are always a little trickier than September, simply because of the weather.  Eva Chen once famously said that dressing for the February shows is easy because all you need is a statement coat and jeans. I totally agree with her, so the topic of layering has definitely come up while packing.  This California girl gets cold when the temperature hits 60, so you can only imagine how easily I become a little ice cube in NY.

Other than ordering long underwear (yes, I went there), I’m planning on styling coats on top of coats.  Layering got me thinking about how much I love multiple textures in one look, so I took a nod from this outfit and went for a more California friendly version for my OOTD.

First, my leather + suede jacket gives a bit of an edge to the cable knit tunic underneath.  For something with a little color pop, I raided my husband’s closet and grabbed this blue and white striped button-up.  I love how the extra long sleeves give the look an unexpected element.  With three layers on top, I wanted to keep the bottom half simple, so I went for jeans with no distressing and a basic block heel boot.

This look is a great example of using off-the-cuff elements (no pun intended) to add some personality into an otherwise basic look.  What pieces in your closet can you repurpose in new ways?

Next stop… New York!

Maje leather jacket // COS sweater // Ermenegildo Zegna shirt // IRO jeans // Zara boots
Nars lipstick // Laura Mercier lip pencil

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The Perfect High Rise Jeans

I wanted to kick off the week discussing one of my favorite topics – denim.  Mid to high rise jeans are everywhere and when it comes to this style, Levi’s have pretty much been my go-to.  (I recently talked about how to score a great vintage inspired pair for less than $100.)  The only thing that gives me hesitation when it comes to slipping on a pair of Levi’s, is that you have to get through the break-in period.  As anyone who’s sat through a long car ride or 3-hour brunch in brand new jeans can attest, the break-in period can be rough.  They’re stiff, barely give and are usually the first thing you take off when you get home.

I recently came across Citizens of Humanity Liya jeans and found the answer to my break-in woes.  With a selvedge denim wash, they achieve the perfect broken-in look and feel.  As soon as I slipped them on, I knew I’d struck gold.  Substantial and super soft to the touch, the are true mid-weight denim.  No stretchy legging vibes here.  Comfortable to wear all day through numerous errands, they maintained their shape and didn’t stretch out.

One of the dangers of high rise jeans is looking a little too mom-ish.  Don’t get me wrong, a vintage silhouette is great, but we don’t want to throw it back too far.  With an 11 inch front rise, button fly and tapered leg, the Liya’s achieve the perfect balance between vintage and contemporary.

I highly recommend giving these jeans a shot if you’re looking for a slim, high rise pair.  Here are a few things to consider when purchasing:

  1. Size down – I went down a full size and panicked that I’d barely be able to button them, but they fit perfectly.
  2. Fold them, never hang – This goes for all of your jeans, but because these are selvedge denim, you definitely want to fold them in a drawer as opposed to hanging them to avoid damage.  No knee creases!
  3. Don’t wash them – to sanitize, put them in a ziplock bag and store in your freezer for 24 hours.
  4. Enjoy! These jeans are high-rise, slim fit, mid-weight perfection.  No ugly mom jeans or flimsy legging style here.  Their cropped hem looks great folded or worn down.  They seriously go with everything!

Vince cardigan (on sale) // Ashley Rowe top // Citizens of Humanity Liya jeans //
Alexander Wang heels (similar here) // Celine bag // Retro Super Future sunglasses

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