street style: summer girls, noir dames and spies, and lots of coats

I haven't done a street style post since January (!), so this one's pretty big.  There are some cute summer looks here, but there were so many coats in my favorites that they make up half of this round-up. But the good news is there's something here for everyone, no matter what hemisphere you're in!

summer girls

*Cute nautical stripes and baggy-ish shorts in Genoa. | The Sartorialist

*Folkloric flower pockets! In London. | The Locals

*I just want to step inside this photo and live in it.  Love the pattern mixing.  At the Rimini Grand Hotel. | The Sartorialist 

spies and noir dames

*I love black, and this lady in Helsinki is wearing it all so well. | Hel-Looks

*She may have a camouflage bag and be sporting shades, but I would totally notice this woman and her perfect cycling ensemble.  In Milan. | The Sartorialist

*Proof that you don't have to be in head-to-toe black to look dangerous.  Love the shades, the silver bag, and the lacy skirt--all of it, really!  China Fashion Week. | WGSN Street

slightly wacky winter

*Another pair of sunglasses I'm coveting, and I also love the furry cuffs on this gingham coat.  Paris. | The Sartorialist

*Loving the striped dress, fantastic cranberry coat, and big black handbag. | WGSN Street

*Only in Helsinki!  You really can't be bummed out about winter if you're wearing a furry lavender hat, pink scarf and platform creepers, and carrying such a fun bag.  And it really looks great on her. | Hel-Looks

somewhat more sedate winter

*I feel like this would have been a winter uniform for me if I still lived in NYC.  Love the layering of that fantastic cropped plaid jacket over a longer shirt, and the platforms with the rolled up jeans. Paris. | Street Style Aesthetic

*Furry gray coat + furry mustard scarf + giant black bag = yes, please.  Milan. | The Sartorialist

*This big tapestry coat thingy looks like it was stripped from an old couch.  And I love it.  Paris. | Street Style Aesthetic

Are you enjoying the weather where you are?  Which of these outfits do you most want to be wearing?  I'm at that stage right now where I'm not quite ready for summer to end, though I'm--as always--looking forward to the arrival of autumn (my favorite!).  So part of me wants to be wearing that chic striped shirt and shorts look, and another part wants to cuddle up in that furry gray coat and mustard scarf.

xo

K

i spy: hearts on frocks, dark glamour and serious moonlight

Inspiring me now: gals wearing their hearts on their frocks, light interiors and dark exteriors, louche glamour, a great writer trying on wooden eyeglasses, and a perfect summer "street style" shot (I want to be wearing that outfit and on that beach in the Sartorialist photo!).  You can see more of this on my Pinterest and Tumblr. 

clockwise, starting in upper left corner:

*La Morphinomane, Vittorio Matteo Corcos, 1899 | Wikimedia Commons

*Schiaparelli Haute Couture, Fall 2014-15 | via

*Boris Lipnitzki, Jeune femme sortant d’une voiture, Paris, 1934 | via

*Lesser Ury, Nelken in grüner Glasvase, 1906 | Wikimedia

*Charles Baudelaire, Les fleurs du mal, Paris: Michel Lévy frères, 1868–69 | Christie's

*Maeve Brennan of Harper's Bazaar trying on a pair of wooden frame glasses, 1945.  Photo by Nina Leen.  This month I read Brennan's book of city stories that she wrote for The New Yorker, The Long-Winded Lady.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever lived in or just plain loves New York City. | via

*Apertivo Before Dinner at Rimini Grand Hotel Rimini.  Great outfit, beautiful photo, gorgeous setting! | The Sartorialist

*Martin Lewis, Winter Moon, 1918 | Indianapolis Museum of Art

*circa 1940s German found photo of a young girl in fancy dress | Raymondx1 on Flickr

*artist unknown, Süddeutsches Interieur, 19th century | Auktionshaus Bergmann

xo

K

street style: tartan, granny chic, and bundled up Finns

It's time for another street style post.  And since it's winter in the northern hemisphere, I've seen many fantastic, inspiring outfits!

*Manchester, UK / The Mancorialist
*via
*Helsinki / Hel-Looks 

Tartan!  I love how the gal in that first photo is echoing the fella's red plaid coat with her scarf.  They match without being grotesque.  I could not find a real source for the fellow in the center, but I think we can all agree that he is killing it.  I love a man in a duffel coat.  Or a pea coat.  The girl on the far right is adorable, and I would have definitely worn a version of this outfit (creepers, plaid shorts with tights) in the 1980s. 

*Paris / StyleSight
*London / StyleSight
*Paris / Street Style Aesthetic

70s chic, granny chic, Wednesday Addams chic.  I love it all.

*Helsinki / Hel-Looks
*Helsinki / Hel-Looks
*Helsinki / Hel-Looks

The ladies (and men!) of Helsinki seem to have the most fun of anyone in the world getting dressed--if the Hel-Looks site is anything to go by.  And they certainly know how to wear cold weather gear and look great doing it.

Got a favorite among all these looks?  I'm leaning toward granny chic in the yellow coat, but I've been dressing like the female half of the Mancorialist couple a lot this winter.

xo

K

street style: coats, boyish tailoring, and perfect layers

I prefer cool weather fashion to that of warmer weather, so I guess it's not a huge surprise that the last time I did a street style post on this blog was in March.  What is surprising (or not, I guess) is that the looks that caught my eye over the summer were all pretty autumnal.  In fact, there aren't really any surprises here if you know me.  If it's plaid, has a great collar, is kinda boyish or interestingly layered, or involves contrasting prints--I love it!

This first set all involves stylish women in coats.  That first gal is my favorite.  I'm 100% certain I could not pull off socks and pumps, but she can--and I love the plaid fur-collared coat over the plaid dress.  Magnificent!

1 / Soho NY / Lord Ashbury

2 / Milan / The Locals

3 / Paris / Street Style Aesthetic

4 / Melbourne (?) / StyleSight

I love tweed and tailoring--for ladies and gents.  I wore wool knickers in 5th or 6th grade similar to those of the gal on the left.  I don't think I'd try it again, but boy does she look cute in them!

1 / London (?) / StyleSight

2 / Milan (?) / StyleSight

3 / London / Street Style Aesthetic

Cardigans and big bags (or suitcases, in Vanessa's case).  I love the yellow and gray outfit (with her orange hair!) on the left...really love that cardigan and the dress' collar.  And Vanessa, well...Vanessa can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned.  I am always inspired by her outfits, and this polka dot dress and flowered cardi is perfection.

1 / London / Street Style Aesthetic

2 / Vanessa of Two Squirrels Vintage in New Zealand / Two Squirrels blog

I'll try not to wait so long before the next street style post!

xo

K

more wintry street style

Winter seems to be having a hard time loosening its grip on the northern hemisphere.  (We still have a frozen lake and snow on the ground here in Michigan.  I have not yet stashed away my winter coats.)  This apparently hasn't stopped many stylish ladies from getting out and looking fabulous, as evidenced by several of my favorite street style looks from the past two months.

l-r: Solanah of Vixen Vintage

Parisian street style via Face Hunter

Helsinki street style via Hel-Looks 

I love all three of these looks so much, and one thing they all have in common (and which I always struggle with) is the wearing of amazing headgear.  Some day maybe I'll learn how to rock a headscarf the way Solanah and that fashionable Helsinki gal do.

NYC street style via Stylesight

Wikki of Luukku

NYC street style via calivintage

Copenhagen street style via The Locals

That red embroidered coat is just amazing, and I love the combination of maroon/burgundy and gray that Wikki is wearing.  My favorite, though, might be the young woman on the left, who is kinda grunge (plaid, creepers, pea coat, knit hat), but super cute.  And I'm loving the coat and big cozy scarf worn in the Copenhagen snow, on the right.  I just love seeing fashionable folk actually out in the snow!

xo

K

street style - winter edition

I realized yesterday I haven't done a round-up of my favorite street style looks since last July!  So here's a collection of some of my favorites from this past fall and winter, which are my favorite seasons fashion-wise.  

l-r / Manchester, England via Hoy Fashion / Martell & Donya Campbell in London via Street Style Aesthetic / tartan pants via Stylesight

After I collect my favorites, I usually try to look for themes.  This one--pants!--was easy.  If you look closely, you'll see two pairs of black watch tartan pants here.  All these pants are what might be called "high waders," a style I like.  Especially when it allows the peeking through of cute socks!

l-r / Paris via Street Style Aesthetic / Berlin via The Locals

Both of these looks have a touch (or more) of the folk about them.  I admire the explosion of color and texture the woman on the left is rocking; but I'm really in love with the (more wearable?) look on the right.  That black coat with the fur ruff, the peek of that amazing-looking dress (skirt?), the Docs, and the cool bag.   Fabulous.

  

l-r / London via The Locals / Paris via Stylesight / London via The Locals

These three looks are all about color.  You can see I love burgundy (maroon, oxblood--whatever you want to call it), and it looks amazing here paired with both amber/gold and with navy blue.  Even the girl in the center has a touch of it in her shoes.  Speaking of center girl, I love how nearly everything in her outfit is shiny, yet slightly muted.  It's a very cool look.

You can see more of my favorite street style looks on my Tumblr and on my "they wore it well, now" Pinterest board.

xo

K

street style: the UK wins the gold

Here's a little round-up of street style that has caught my eye so far this summer.  You'll notice a trend--my favorites tend to come from the UK.  The styles showcased on blogs like the Sartorialist and those that cover Milan and Paris (and the fashion show-goers there) tend to be too polished for me.  Hel-Looks is always fun and refreshing to look at, but sometimes a bit too wacky and hipster-ironic for my tastes.  But ladies and gents in London seem to hit it just right!  I'm generalizing, but the Brits really know how to combine classic style with a touch of eccentricity.  And they seem to like their vintage!  (If anyone knows of any great street style blogs from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester, etc., please let me know.)

London street style via The Style Scout / Milan via Street Peeper /  London via The Style Scout

I love the sweet, simple nautical-ish style on the first girl, that red lace skirt is amazing, and so is the print on the dress on the far right!

Helsinki street style via Hel-Looks / London via The Style Scout

A couple cool coats.  The printed/painted (?) velvet one on the right is my favorite.  I know it's been very rainy and cool in London, but that photo on the right was supposedly taken in July.  I so obviously live in the wrong country.

London via Street Style Aesthetic / Glasgow via Advanced Style / London via Street Style Aesthetic

Wonderful menswear--on gents and a lady!  I love all of these looks, but  particularly the sharp-dressed fella on the far right.  His socks!

xo

K

street style roundup

I just realized I haven't done a street style round-up since mid-March.  I went to look through the images I'd collected since then--and there weren't that many.  I had houseguests in April and May and not as busy on the internets, so that may explain some of it. 

Kiev street style / Face Hunter

What an amazing skirt--shimmering stripes of bronze and silver!  But I also like the pops of neon yellow and the cute cardigan.

1. Kater / All this Happiness  2. NYC / The Sartorialist  3. London / The Style Scout

Fabulous coats always make me happy.  I especially love Kater's pattern-mixing here, and the colors on that Londoner's plaid coat.

1. garconniere   2. Milan / The Sartorialist

Trenchcoats--a little less wintry, a little more springy.  I love garconniere's earthy green and brown color mix and that fab hat--so great with her flapper-esque hair!  And that outfit on the right...can I have it all please?  Including the amazing tights and t-straps, and that bag?  Thank you.

xo

K

street style roundup

It's not quite spring here, but winter has definitely retreated.  It's cool, gray and drizzly this morning, but the lake is all open water.  It's the time of year when I most need style inspiration.  Here are some of my favorite street style shots, gathered over the last couple months.  And categorized into themes.  Because I thought I'd make an attempt at being organized for a change. 

First up, the Pink and Maroon Combo.  I'm not much of a pink fan, but with a deep wine-y red?  Most definitely. 

Paris fashion week via Face Hunter / London fashion week via Street Style Aesthetic

Great Coats!  It seemed like I finally started seeing some stylish ladies in tights and coats and other winter gear over the past couple months.  I particularly love--head to toe--the look on the young woman on the far left.

LFW via Peter Stitgter / Helsinki street style via Hel-Looks / Glasgow street style via Les Garcons de Glasgow

Colored Tights Brigade!  These women are really rocking colored tights--and you can even see it in their expressions.   I aspire to that kind of confidence.

London street style via Street Style Aesthetic / Andrea of Andi B. Goode / Eline of A Fluffy Blog 

Layered Eccentricity.  I'm digging the use of layers here--particularly the layered textures on the gal on the far left.  (And in case you can't see it in the photo, the dress on the center girl has a Brillo print!)

LFW via Style Sight / London street style via Les Garcons de Glasgow / London street style via The Style Scout

I also gave the blog (well, the header) a slight spring makeover.  Hope you like it!

xo

K

street style, the wintry 1990s edition

I keep seeing summery, bare-legged looks in the street style blogs that I follow.  I don't know if it's just a really warm winter everywhere, if these blogs happen to be shooting in warmer countries, or if they're just reposting old photos because it's hard to get good street style looks when everyone is all bundled up.  I happen to love coats and winter fashion, though.  (Actually one blog that always has a lot of folks on the streets in coats and scarves is Helsinki's Hel-Looks.)  Here are some of the street style looks that have caught my eye since I last did this back in November.

London (Style Sight).  Great layering, cute shoes, plaid!  Pretty great hair, too.

Kater of All This Happiness.  I just love everything about this.  The soft blue and gray together, the length of the skirt, the flats, the cute bag.  And the beret!  I am really digging berets lately.

Barcelona (Face Hunter).  So sassy.  I love the plaid pants and scarf.  And the short bangs remind me of myself in the 90s.  (I'm seeing a lot of looks lately that harken back to things I wore in the 90s, and they aren't disturbing to me in the way that 80s fashion reruns are.)

Berlin (Style/Clicker).  She looks a little like Elizabeth McGovern!  I love the deep green plaid coat paired with the floral dress.  And the cool bag.  And the beret!

Helsinki (Hel-Looks).  This one is a last minute addition.  Although she is totally cute, I'm mainly including this because I'm pretty sure I used to own that coat (or its twin)!  I recognize the pumpkin color and the buttons.  I bought it at a J. Crew sample sale (probably in the late 1990s).  Change the Docs to black, pants to jeans or a dress, and hair to a reddish bob--and it's me in 1995!

xo

K

street style

I love street style blogs, and I think I get the most fashion inspiration from these "real girls" on the street.  Here are some of my favorites from September and October.  You might notice a lot of these come from London.  I admit to being an Anglophile, but also--I really do have an affinity for the way the ladies of Great Britain dress.  They seem to like vintage, aren't always overly polished, and embrace a bit of eccentricity.

Louise of Pandora, via The Clothes Horse.

London street style, via Style/Clicker.

London street style, via The Style Scout.

Either London or New York fashion week, via Stylesight.

Milan fashion week street style, via Facehunter.

Helsinki street style, via Hel-Looks.

Paris fashion week, via British Vogue.

London fashion week street style, via Style/Clicker.

xo

K

street peeped!

Photo by Phil Oh/Street Peeper

Most mornings I like to peek at a few street style sites.  One that I never miss is Street Peeper, which features stylish folk from all over:  NYC, London, Paris, Chicago, Tokyo.  Imagine my excitement when I peeped Street Peeper this morning and saw my dress--well, a dress I sold--featured!  It's worn by blogger Ann Somma of Holier Than Now.  The dress is from the 1960s and is by Johnnye Jr.

Here's my product shot--not nearly as fun and exciting as seeing it on a real live lovely person in NYC!

Thanks to Ann for buying and wearing the dress--and to Street Peeper for featuring Ann in it!  You gave this little ole Michigan vintage seller quite a thrill.

xo

K

his and hers

A pair of outfits from last week and the weekend, courtesy Andy and me. I thought he looked particularly cute when we went thrifting last Thursday: vintage 1970s black flag Levi's, 1950s black oxford shirt, retro Eddie Bauer sneakers, and a reversible olive drab plaid 1960s windbreaker. And a pint of Founder's Pale Ale.

The colors in my Saturday outfit were loosely inspired by the image below from the Street Style Aesthetic blog. My outfit: 1950s dress, Target cardigan and tights, 1950s woven straw and leather handbag, Old Navy shoes.

I love this woman's look. Well, perhaps the ankle socks are not for me (though cute on her), but I love the skirt with the big bow in front, and especially the cyan blue sweater with the oversize mustard clutch. I went with a turquoise dress and chartreuse shoes, but probably wouldn't have thought of those shoes if I hadn't seen this photo.

xo

K