Studs + Stripes

Haute Hippie silk blouse (similar here), 

Rag and Bone Bedford Cardigan, 

Rebecca Minkoff Studded Winston pants, 

Marc Jacobs Crosby Sutton bag (last seen here), 

H and M necklace (similar here), 

Zara slingbacks.

Happy Halloween everyone! 

And, adios Hurricane Sandy! Here's hoping if you're on the East Coast you've come out safe and dry on the other side of the storm. Our section of Brooklyn wound up holding up pretty well, but we have some friends in lower Manhattan who were not so lucky. Our thoughts are with everyone who's coping with the storm aftermath.

As for tonight, we'll be forgoing the usual Halloween festivities and heading out to more subdued celebrations. Our good friend in the city will be hosting a little candlelit dinner at the East Village restaurant Maharlika from 5PM on, and there will be a pretty cool party going on at the Wythe Hotel at 9PM. As for my outfit, these pants are 'costume-y' enough right? I actually wasn't sure how I felt when I saw them on the hanger, but I kind of dig how they look on! And this sweater? One of Micol's amazing new fall purchases. She's going to have a really hard time getting this sucker back...

xL

Studs & Sandy

Studded longsleeve dress (similar here), 

Joie oversized cardigan (similar here), 

Nanette Lepore handbag (also seen here), 

80%20 Rina boots in Cocoa, 

Vintage sunnies.

So if you've been watching the news, you may have heard about a small storm called Sandy making her way up the East Coast. NYC is directly in her path. I was hunkered down in my apartment with my dog, along with random foodstuffs I bought in a panic at the grocery store and a six pack of Modelo I thought was essential when I saw everyone else in line grabbing beer to add to their carts. Don't worry Mom, I also bought a gallon of water. But then I got bored, so I grabbed a car over to Lauren's to wait out the storm in her company. Now we're holed up in her apartment waiting it out together!

These pics were clearly NOT taken today, but over the weekend when there were brief patches of a sunny sky over Brooklyn. With the storm on it's way the weekend was unseasonably warm (last year at exactly this time, it snowed) so Lauren was able to go outside sans tights. The rugged boots take this nighttime dress down a notch and make it perfect for daytime carousing.

xx, M

PS. If you're in Sandy's path, stay safe! We'll be back blogging on the other side of this thing.

Poncho Perfect

Poncho c/o Subtle Luxury (more here), 

World Market Evergreen pashmina,  

Tom Ford sunnies (last seen here), 

Monoprix fringe bag (last worn here), 

Seven bellbottom jeans, 

F21 'Paris' tank, 

14th + Union booties.

I have a confession to make: I've never owned a poncho. 

Until now. And I think I'm officially obsessed. 

Not only is this quite literally the SOFTEST piece of clothing I currently own (check out the 2nd shot down, which shows the texture in all of its glory), but how cool is this print? Perfect to throw over basic jeans and a tank to meet up with Micol for an early happy hour on a crisp--but not too cold--Fall day. 

xL

So Clutch

Vintage sweater and necklace, 

Merona denim shirt, 

J Brand jeans (similar here), 

Fold-Over Clutch c/o Shoemint, 

Pepper boots c/o 80%20, 

H and M ring.

The weather in NY lately has been so crazy that it's almost hard to believe it's really Fall. I've already switched out my summer wardrobe (and realized I have far less space in my closet when it's being taken over by humongous sweaters) but some days it's too hot for anything within easy reach. Then I have to go digging through carefully folded containers of tees and dresses, which at this point I should probably just leave lying around until it starts to snow.

Am I complaining too much? I'm sorry. I have a horrible sinus cold that has rendered the top half of my face completely useless. I'm officially a mouth breather who's gotten far too little sleep over the past three days.

So on a lighter note, check out Lauren's new clutch from Shoemint's new Vegan handbag collection. I love the contrasting materials and that it's HUGE. You could even fit JK Rowling's new book in that thing....

xx, M

Hey, Pumpkin!

On Lauren: Reiss blouse, American Apparel shorts, Hue tights, 

Simply Vera Wang ankle boots, Snakeskin Flirty c/o Rebecca Minkoff, 

Love Chainz ear cuff from La Di Da Dee.

On Micol: Madison Marcus feather fringe blouse, Elizabeth and James Blazer,
J Brand Lea Leather Jeans, Vintage 70s Style Clogs, 
Double Heart Necklace c/o Rebecca Minkoff.

This weekend we threw ourselves headfirst into the spirit of Halloween as Micol hosted her annual pumpkin carving party on Saturday, complete with a full whiskey bar and the return of Studio Marcy, (Micol's portable self-portrait studio that she sets up during parties to document the evening).

It was a gorgeous, crisp Fall night. The perfect weather to finally break out tights (in my case) and new leather pants (in Micol's). After a few hours spent carving pumpkins and toasting pumpkin seeds, the evening culminated with my boyfriend taking first prize for his expertly carved Obama design (see my Instagram above), and a late-night dance party that had us all sore the next morning.

What will you be doing this year for Halloween? Any costume ideas would be super welcome.

xL

Designer Deal! 20% Off Rebecca Minkoff Jewelry

Last night we stopped by the Rebecca Minkoff showroom for celebratory cocktails over her jewelry launch and an exclusive preview of her 2012 Holiday line. We stuffed our faces with cupcakes, chatted with new friends and drooled over her latest pieces. I'm personally obsessed with the necklace in the top photo, and just might need to pick it up as a super early Christmas present to myself.

We also have a special surprise for you guys! Shop now and receive 20% Off ANY of her jewelry pieces. Just use code RMJEWELRY2012

Happy Shopping!

xx, M

Country Time

Red waxed jeans c/o Big Star, 

Thrifted Chanel logo tee from Wasteland, 

Brooklyn Industries assymetrical hat (similar here), 

Zara cardigan, 

Alexander Mcqueen hobo bag (last worn here), 

LF Wedge boots (similar look here).

Last weekend, itching to get out of the city, Micol convinced me and a handful of our girlfriends to pack a day bag, rent a zipcar minivan, and drive 2 hours north to a little farm called Barton Orchards for a day of apple-picking, hay-rides, corn mazes, and pumpkin patches.

While I'm a city girl at heart, I must admit that the country has its charm. The leaves were just starting to turn as we drove down windy roads in the Hudson Valley, the air was crisp and fresh, and we ate just about the largest meal I've ever had when we stopped at Cracker Barrel on the way up. At the farm, we ran around the property like we were ten again, buying corn kernels to feed the goats and alpacas, and getting lost in a cornfield for the better part of an hour. 

My shitkicker boots served me well at the farm, accumulating a ton of dirt, but giving me just enough of a lift that I wasn't trodding through the mud. And how great are the color of these jeans (again, part of my latest obsession with the color red)?! Something about their hue just screams Fall to me.

xL

Down to Business

F21 Peplum skirt (similar style here),  

Vintage blouse, 

Tahari pumps (last seen here),  

Michael Kors Tortoiseshell watch, 

Jealous Tri-Zip Satchel c/o Rebecca Minkoff.

It took a lot of cajoling to get Lauren out of the house wearing this outfit. Even though she put it together herself (stealing my bag in the process) when she saw the complete ensemble in the mirror she realized, to her own horror, that she looked like she was on her way uptown for a business lunch. We were actually headed to La Esquina for margaritas and tacos.

This may be a bit more business than is typical for Lauren but I'm always a fan when she switches things up. And considering she's able to work from home, frequently in pajamas, I think it's good for her to remember how the 9-5 of us live. Except I never look this chic.

xx, M

Elevated Sweats

Vintage YSL sweatshirt,

H and M beanie, 

80%20 Callie boots, 

AG Adriano Goldschmied leatherette leggings, 

Mango studded shoulder bag, 

Martin + Osa jacket (last seen here).

We're super excited to share with you guys a feature we did for Brooklyn Magazine of some our favorite Fall Fashion trends. Above is just one of the looks... to see more check out the full feature here!

xx,
L + M

Fancy Pants

Simply Vera Wang tee (similar look here), 

DIY bleached jeans c/o BDG (similar here), 

14th + Union booties (also worn here), 

Vintage necklace, 

Alexander Wang crossbody bag, 

Astralagus bracelets c/o Wanderluster.

Micol and I shot this look last weekend, before the recent cold front blew in and left us all freezing! On this particular day we went out for a late brunch at Extra Fancy, a pretty new bar/restaurant on Roebling that's quickly become one of our faves. There's nothing like glam jewelry to dress up an otherwise casual look, so I opted for these amazing bracelets from NY-based jewelry designer Wanderluster. If you think this arm candy is awesome, wait til you see their necklaces...

Also - can anyone tell what's different about me in this look? If you guessed my HAIR, you're correct! Micol made me straighten it, which is a rare occasion, but was kind of fun. Not only is my ombre that much more noticeable, but I think it also makes me look much more Asian (for those of you who didn't know, I'm 1/2 Vietnamese). So, which 'do do you prefer?

xL

Sailor Stripes

DKNY thrifted blazer (similar here), 

H and M striped top, 

Joe Fresh zip-up jeans, 

ASOS platform heels (last seen here), 

Mango studded shoulder bag, 

DIY charm necklace.

Remember when Lauren confessed to loving all things RED this season? Well, as you can see, she wasn't lying and I may actually need to stage an intervention if it gets out of control. But I'm totally on board with this look, where she paired a new blazer with a striped top and a studded, structured bag. It's totally nautical, with a little bit of hard rock thrown in. I think it works.

We shot this look in front of a new coffee shop that's being built on Havemeyer, conveniently equidistant from our two apartments. We spoke with the owner, who is also from our OLD stomping grounds in the East Village (millions of people in this city and it's still so small), and he promised us that it would be complete in a few months time. Will this become our new local haunt? Guess you'll have to wait and see...

xx, M