THE TOP THAT POPS

Another fashion doodle, as promised. This one inspired by a post of Atlantic-Pacific's featuring her Cynthia Vincent top and Loeffler Randall kicks.

xoxo,

EÀLM

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ROBE BLANCHE

A little piece of post from Paris. I adore the French and their easy-chic coolfactor of wearing nothing but a shirtdress, sprucing it up with a slim belt and heels, and looking like a million bucks. Inspired by their elegant simplicity, and in continuing on with my New Years' resolution to revitalize my daily routine, I am now starting my days with a morning workout and getting into the habit of carrying nothing but a scarf and a clutch... unless I have my laptop (for which there will also be a very simple and chic-francais inspired crossbody bag... you know, in case boyfriend and I also decide to transport via bike or vespa.)

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LITTLE PIECES OF SAN FRANCISCO

Part one in a capsule collective of videos by my friend and amazing photographer Paige Hermreck. The music by Jonsi is perfectly synced to clips of a month in the city. See a little "behind the scenes" of our beach shoot at 00:52! Enjoy!

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MILK + HONEY

dress | j.crew

shoes | audrey brooke

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NOUVELLES CHAUSSURES

Spring shoes in sweet pastel hues. 

I had forgotten how much I love the comfort of an ankle strap! Usually I shy away from closed-toe pumps because it's so hard for me to find some that I can deal with. I grew up playing a lot of soccer, and so I'm very weary of putting too much pressure on my toes... retained memory of old injuries, I'm sure. My new Audrey Brookes fit me like Cinderella's glass slippers, and I'm dying over the perfectly neutral shades of seafoamy-grey and taupe snake. I'll show them to you in a look soon!

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CLUTCH LUST

Shindigs and party scenes alike, a girl needs her trusty bag. Half of us carry enough things around in them to constitute a mobile home. If perchance your new year's resolution to get fit is already falling through mid-January, at least your purse is something you can instantly lighten up — go small this spring with a clutch! Enjoy  some eye-candy that won't add any extra pounds:

Alexander McQueen bone serpent skull knucklebox

Vivienne Westwood classic orb wallet

Bond edith envelope clutch

Diane Von Furstenberg tonda raffia clutch

Elie Saab small box clutch

Diane Von Furstenberg nude

Asos leather faux stingray clutch

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SOMETHING BLUE

I have been given the honour of bridesmaid in one of my best girlfriends weddings this year, and our dresses are... yep, blue. Navy blue to be exact. Now this treat has me on the hunt for matching or slightly off-tone shoes to go with my dress. Of course the bride thinks I'm crazy to be planning for heels when the ceremony is taking place on a beautiful open meadow 

(heels = sinkholes in dirt)

... but I think I can live with that. Without a few crazies, weddings just wouldn't be proper parties! Here's a peek at what I've searched out so far...

I SEE BLUE... by eclecticalamode | FOLLOW ME on Polyvore!

Not that I'll be wearing Balenciaga, Giuseppe Zanotti, Manolos, or Charlotte Olympias... god I WISH I had that kind of budget! But these pieces of footwear perfection are going to be my leaping off point of inspiration. 

Of course if any of these designers care to make this girl's closet dreams come true...

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MUSIC SELECTOR IS THE SOUL REFLECTOR

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WHAT HIS STYLESAYS

Meet Jess Lam, Co-Founder of the popularly growing fashion site, StyleSays. I got the chance to sit down with this dapper dude over coffee and chat a bit about fashion, social media and the business behind a start-up. Jess not only has a good head on his shoulders, but he also lends verisimilitude to my testament that there are some seriously stylish guys in SF. Read on for snippets of our convo, and be sure to check out StyleSays for yourself, you'll be hooked.

Jess with intern Tiffany at SF's Fashion's Night Out last Fall

EÀLM: 

While you hail from a midwest town, your transition to the San Francisco lifestyle seems to have been a very easy move for you. Tell me about the likenesses and differences you may see from Oklahoma to California, and would you say that your personal style has changed much between the two?

JL: The transition was pretty easy for me because I started imagining myself moving to California while still a teenager. I imagined lots of beaches and palm trees. I was right for the most part since I spent my first few years in California at Stanford. To my surprise there were some big similarities between the two states. The people may have different political views on the surface but both are kind and honest. At least from my personal experiences. My style has definitely changed, especially in the last year. I dressed somewhat conservatively in high school, trying to stay within the norm. I was pretty nerdy. While living in SF I've been exploring different styles and finding what I like best. I still have a long way to go.

EÀLM: How would you describe your personal style and your tastes for things, material or not?

JL: I prefer a minimalist style in both fashion and design. I really respect the thought that goes into creating simple, beautiful designs with a purpose. Of course it's always fun to throw in some loud colors but I'll save those for the weekend.  

EÀLM: What first fueled you and your development team into creating StyleSays? What does it mean to you?

JL: First and foremost I think it's gone this far because we really enjoy working together. I'm surrounded by some of the smartest and most talented people I've ever met. Originally we came together to make e-commerce much more enjoyable for shoppers, ourselves included. We noticed that so much of online shopping is about discovery. I loved sending my friends new clothing and music that I come across. Then if they liked what I sent sometimes I buy it. We realized that friends, peers, bloggers or almost anyone can influence your taste, so we wanted to integrate that into the online shopping experience. So when you come to StyleSays you'll most likely discover clothing you've never seen, stores you didn't know existed and people who can show you how to tie it all together in an outfit. To me StyleSays is about increasing shoppers' confidence through discovery and validation from a fashion focused community. Making people feel better about the way they look is something that I can be proud to wake up every morning and do.

EÀLM: Amen to that! There are so many great features I see you and the team implementing almost daily! And your traffic is rapidly increasing. Tell me a bit about the idea of featured stylists.

JL: Some of my biggest learnings while creating StyleSays have come from fashion blogs and their authors. Everything from community development to putting together ridiculous Jeffrey Campbell wedges with a new Givenchy bag. For readers they teach them how to adopt new trends, create lasting wardrobes, and discover their own style. All of this combined instills self confidence in people just like we want to with StyleSays. About a month ago we realized these fashion muses should be as much a part of StyleSays as the clothing. What good are those new leopard heels if you don't know how to wear them? Look to a Featured Stylist for the answer.

a Featured Stylist collage on the welcome page

EÀLM: So true. I certainly love seeing the ways multiple fashion muses can pull things together, and discovering new products and vendors is always a fun experience, like finding a long-lost friend with matching Charlotte Olympia heels you both bought on the same day. Where do you look for new ideas and trends to pull from for featured products on StyleSays?

JL: Ah I may have given this away a bit with my previous answer. I keep a strong pulse on fashion blogs that post clothing and trends the StyleSays community will like. I'm starting to trust my own judgement more and more but then again my knowledge is based off what I've learned from these bloggers. One great thing about being in San Francisco is that I also get to witness a lot of unique styles in person. I feel like a lot of our featured items also come from what inspires me on the street. 

Thanks Jess! Looking forward to more exciting happenings at StyleSays.

Check in with SS now: We're giving immediate access to 15 of Alison's readers. Use the promo code stylesays.freshfashion.245 at signup.

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DIM SUM

Bf and I had dim sum the other day at my favorite place to go, Fu Lam Mum.

I can never get enough of the jasmin tea, steamed pork buns (my favorite), shrimp balls, sesame balls, egg custard and dumplings! Delish. It would be fun to go back for Chinese New Year.

mmm...

Also check out this interactive mini mag I partnered on with Trendy Lime! Savvy last-minute fashion tips for your Chinese New Year parties!

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TROUVILLE SUR LA MER PAR MONET

The other day I went strolling about a beach, distilled from a painting by Monet.

outfit:

fence knit shorts | forever21

cable knit cotton sweater | j.crew

gauzy bi-layer skirt | american apparel

photography by Paige Hermreck | www.paigehermreck.com



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