Personal Style

outfit looks of the week

August 22, 2016

Orange & Blush on an Overcast Day

I can’t control the weather, but can most certainly preside over my attitude and general outlook on it, and of course, life in general. I wore this look for 10 straight hours, and by the time I got home, the overcast skies lent a cloudy halo over my photoshoot plans, but the show must go on! If I could determine the weather, and pick the perfect day, it would be sunny skies, 80 degrees, and no humidity, every single day. But then again, would I truly appreciate it, if every day was as I wanted it to be? Weather aside, we can’t always get what we want, but that’s not an excuse to not work hard and persevere regardless.

Sometimes it exhausts more energy to push yourself to do what lies ahead, than the actual task itself would take up. I’m trying to be better about getting right to the task at hand, with minimal procrastinating in the process, even if it means venturing out to take some photos when rain is eminent.

My new mantra is to cut back on the amount of activities and tasks that I fling at myself at 90 miles an hour, in order to focus better, prioritize, bury my head and get to work. I’m also going to be better at saying no to anything that doesn’t feel like a good fit for me, and that is both literally and figuratively. Thinking about this and looking at my clothing in this look makes me realize that with the exception of the bag, everything that I’m wearing has survived for years through countless purges and re-organizing of my belongings. Maybe it’s a sign that, without knowing it, I’ve been on this path along, right? Or simply put, maybe I just know what I like, and will wear, and stick to it!

In This Look:

Mossimo Top (no longer available; see similar here)

Shoes of Prey (c/o)

Zara Skirt (no longer available; see similar here)

Furla Candy Satchel (see similar here)

Straw Hat (gift)

Avon infinity Ring (c/o)

Sorrelli Riveting Romance Cuffs & Necklaces (c/o)

Kenneth Cole Ceramic Watch (c/o; no longer available ; see similar here)

August 8, 2016

The Three Vacation Essential Looks

by Julia DiNardo

[Ready for a night out in Nassau.]

Packing always produces a lot of self-induced anxiety, as the control freak in me refuses to allow a bag to be checked (even if it’s free), and the weakling in me won’t allow my carry on to get too heavy. My travel routine has condensed what I bring by way of electronics (use the phone as the camera and book storing device), but I’ve also been better about making sure I have just the right amount of versatile garments.

My most recent travels to the Bahamas with my best friend Jamie anticipated a few formal nights mixed with very casual, beachy days, and thus I coordinated practically everything to be interchangeable. As wellness is integral to our lifestyles and is part of our hotel, The Island House‘s mantra, we also needed to ensure that we had proper attire for the gym and/or fitness studio. The three vacation essential looks are the day-to-evening look, the athleisure-to-actual-workout look, and the poolside look.

Here’s a few of the ways that I did it:
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July 24, 2016

The Full Picture

by Julia DiNardo

This was one of my favorite photo shoots in recent memory; loving the pieces in this look and how nicely they all came together certainly has a lot to do with it, but also what is rarely witnessed by the reader is the behind-the-scenes hilarity that ensued. Awkward moments and patience present themselves when you try to conduct a photo shoot on a relatively well-trafficked NYC street on a weekend, and during this particular session some passersby also took my photo (why, and what they will do with them, I will never know),a guy parked his car three feet from me and stared until we were 30 seconds away from wrapping it up, there were some typical “NYC summer” smells, aka sewage, sifting about, and loud, live music was radiating into the air from a nearby beer garden.

You wouldn’t have necessarily gathered that all of this was happening pretty much simultaneously from looking at these images, but anyone, blogger or otherwise, who have attempted to take photos outside in an urban setting has experience with these challenges. You either find it all to be downright hilarious and take it in stride, or it can become maddening. But somehow, I’ve managed to not hear the noise; I think it’s a defense mechanism built into us humans that lays dormant until we live in an overpopulated city setting. On the contrary though, sometimes, when I return home to my parents house and sleep in my childhood room, it’s so quiet that at first it’s almost unsettling. But then I become as accustomed to it as I do blocking out all of that city commotion whirling around me.

Who would have ever thought that filtering what comes through your senses was a skill I would have acquired when I embarked for NYC 16 years ago? Not me! My dad had hopes for a different skill; speaking up and being more assertive. Eh, still working on that one, dad!

In This Look:

Marissa Webb Dress

Henri Bendel Quilted NO. 7 Clutch (no longer available, see similar here)

Aerosoles Bloom Plush Wedges in Pink Suede (c/o)

Jewels: Sorrelli StudEarrings, Assorted Bangle Bracelets (see similar here), Banana Republic Ring

Kenneth Cole Ceramic Watch (c/o; no longer available, see similar here)

On Lips: mark. All Butter Now Lip Treat in Pop Tart (c/o)

On Nails: #ColorCurators: Cupcakes and Cashmere Edition (c/o)

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July 18, 2016

The 1996 Redux

by Julia DiNardo

A lot changed for me during the summer of 1996. I started to develop who I was, and not just who I was expected to be. For the first time in a long time, I felt cool, and marched to the beat of my own drum more than ever. I felt like a leader, and knew what I wanted, with New York City as the goal in mind. This summer, I adopted a new set of friends (in addition to the old ones), some of which were a couple of years older and together we embraced rave culture, donning baggier than baggy pants, crop tops, and the latest sneaker styles, hair in ponytails or pigtails sticking out of the top of a visor. I loved the silhouettes, the music, the freeing feeling of literally dancing to the beat of my own drum (I even began to deejay and spin records during this time). It was an arresting time in my life, and although the teen years can bring their own angst and challenges, I was happy, surrounded by an exciting new world and fashion, fabulous fashion to explore.

Somehow, without noticing it creeping up, 1996 style is back, gaining mainstream popularity at a breakneck speed. I still can’t figure out how 20 years have passed since then, but this time around it’s refined, completely luxe and sophisticated, and WAY easier to wear and pair. It’s certainly form over function in this reincarnation, and by no means does the return of these silhouettes and fabrics indicate a rave subculture, but more of a slightly subversive in-the-know stylish city dweller, going about her ladyboss life. Yeah, I think the 1996 me would be impressed.

P.S. -If you’d like to learn more about the “1996 me,” and what I’ve done in the 20 years in between, check out this great podcast I recently recorded with my high school, Oakland Catholic (RadiOC is soo good! I come in at about 18 minutes).

P1110994 P1110989 Continue reading…

Personal Style

Orange & Blush on an Overcast Day

The Three Vacation Essential Looks

The Full Picture

The 1996 Redux

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