trendspotting: matching short sets

[kirsten dunst in stella mccartney]

Move over rompers, you've got some competition creeping in this summer. Matching shorts sets have announced their presence and I am LOVING it. Although coordinating separates have been on the scene for a couple seasons, they now feel so fresh in sophisticated summer silhouettes. The floral print variations, like the Stella McCartney worn by Kirsten Dunst, above, and Katie Lee's Zara ensemble, below, are especially refined yet completely fun and girly. The best part: these pieces pair together for an easy instant outfit, or can be mixed and matched with other wardrobe staples.

[katie lee in zara]

[kate mara in mulberry]

[bradley agather of luella & june in j.crew]

[kate bosworth in topshop]

[unknown fashionista in zara]

Would you try this mono-patterned look? Tell me, tell me in the comments!

Peace, Love and Neon,

Marisa

want this now: winter wish list

For the first time in my life since my middle school babysitting years when I first earned enough money to buy MAC lip gloss and A&F t-shirts, I have gone a considerable amount of time without shopping. Over the course of the Fall 2010 semester, my wardrobe purchases are as follows: a $24 army green military shirt on sale at LF and a $3 friendship bracelet from Urban. A whoppin' $27.

Not a penny did I spend when I went home to NYC in October for Rebecca's birthday--a weekend we filled with return trips to the Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show, the 25th St Garage flea market, and Pippin, Rebecca's favorite vintage jewelry store. No trip did I make to Newbury with the intension of shopping for things I didn't really need but could definitely use to spruce up my closet.

This is what you get when you decide to spend all 700 of your dollars on a plane ticket and jet off to Europe for five days, working a mere 11 hours a week and earning less than $9 an hour. Figure the math and you'll see there wasn't, and still isn't, enough even for me to pick up a few oversized men's button downs at Goodwill.

The other night, Olivia joined Alex and myself for sushi chez nous and asked me what items I was currently coveting. When I thought about it, I realized I had spent all semester avoiding stores and seductive online shopping sites as to evade what I've been missing. Of course one's natural reaction--as humans are curious beings--is to subsequently embark on a fashion blog and web store binge and catch up.

{image from i want to be alexa chung}

Yesterday, I spent the evening teasing myself by browsing blogs and deducing all that I would buy, should buy, had I the money. I want to be alexa chung was particularly torturous, showcasing perfect pairs of skinny jeans, flats and loafers, tons of uber-stylish, comfortable heels, and babydoll dresses galore.

So after much blog browsing, general style analyzing and the return of my usual spending impulse, here's a list of the items I am currently coveting, dedicated to my fabulous and stylin' friend Olivia:

{the aforementioned second-hand oversized men's button downs, as well as some new in silk, ASOS}

{the perfect dark demin super skinny skinnies, Madewell}

{army green cargo skinnies, J. Brand on Shopbop}

{A black Temple Topper, image by Hanneli via The Man Repeller}

{This turban-inspired knit earmuff headband, Urban Outfitters}

{leopard loafers, Zara}

Speaking of leopard, my fashionable grandlittle Emily was wearing this Nasty Gal blouse at a friend's birthday the other night, and I nearly ripped it off her body and ran. (Oh hi, Temple Topper.)

And I still have yet to purchase a chambray button down! Am I really that far from the times?

At this point, the best I can do is hope for some belated Hanukkah gelt or look into pooling all my Geddes money next semseter-- too bad I'll be simultaneously saving up for a life as a real person in NY! Hopeless? Probably.

Peace, Love and Neon,
Marisa