25 Days of Style: a Fashion Blog Series

     I do a lot of deep thinking during my morning bike ride and an idea that I'm simultaneously excited and a bit unsure about came to me today. The truth is, I'm turning the big two-five at the end of the month and Fashion Blog's one year anniversary, incidentally (or not?) is on the 25th of January as well. On top of everything else, I've made several New Year's resolutions that I intend to keep with one of them being more active with this blog, especially after this past summer's hiatus that turned into a soul searching excursion. So why not kill two birds with one stone, or in this instance three, by starting a style series! So for twenty five days, I will be documenting my day to day ensembles and sharing styling tips along the way. The only rule that I have is that I have to photograph and write a styling post everyday for twenty five days. This will be a good exercise for my styling muscles, a great way to celebrate Fashion Blog's one year anniversary on Blogger, and hopefully will soften the blow of turning twenty-five.. 

Takes a deep breath. Here we go. 

p.s. Please don't mind the polaroid. I was going for like an empty canvas play on imagery -- with the bare dress form and nude slip -- and it just turned out to be like a really cheesy and poor resemblance of a Marilyn Monroe-esque pictorial. Trust me, this was one of the best takes. 

Love, KB

To see the 25 days style series, click the pictures! 

Fashion Heads Up: Jason Wu for Target Look Book

     As Gossip Girl would say, OH-EM-GEE. The look book for the complete collection of Jason Wu for Target is here and I think I've just died and gone to heaven -- pastel color palette, bows, lady like dresses with modest hemlines, pleated dresses and skirts, poplin collars, nautical stripes, and florals! It's one thing to see sketches of a collection, but it's quite another seeing the work come to life. All of the teasing from magazine ads and Target Style on Twitter is finally over and it sure didn't disappoint. Not only does the collection feature all of these gorgeous dresses, but also separates (skirts & blouses) and accessories -- satchels and scarves! What's great about this collaboration, aside from the fact that it's totally affordable (price range $20 - $60) is that it's completely wearable and has such classic styles and silhouettes which mean that they're going to become the staple pieces in any lady's wardrobe. I can already picture which ones are going to be my go-to pieces and making mental notes (as we speak or I guess type..) of what I'm going to aggressively grab and rush to the register. I sure hope I don't have to fight anyone on February 5.. Wish me luck. 

Love, KB

Current Craving: Bejeweled & Embellished Collars

     I admit that the end of the Christmas holiday season along with the cold and dreary winter months can indeed be depressing, but that doesn't mean your cold weather wardrobe has to be! When the temperature drops I gravitate towards a lot of heavy knits, layering, and a little bit of sparkle! It may be a little too early to break out the florals just yet, but you can definitely add color to your winter outfits by mixing a lot of colorful knit sweaters and jewelry! Or better yet, bejeweled collars! Through a lot of Instagram-ing I noticed this recurring pattern thanks to Madewell, its resident muse Alexa Chung, Teen Vogue, and Modcloth. I'm already a huge fan of chunky and bib statement necklaces and what a better way to incorporate them than with knits and collars! I'm also in love with the resurgence of these poplin or "peter pan" bejeweled collars! It's pretty much my next favorite combination next to neck ties and poplin collars. Très chic, oui?


knit sweater by Cooperative -- Urban Outfitters 
chambray shirt by Banana Republic 
necklace by Natasha 
jeans by BDG -- Urban Outfitters 
boots by Steve Madden 


Love, KB

Do you have Instagram? Come find me! kdb06e 

Grace Coddington for Vogue -- A Man for All Seasons: Marc Jacobs

     There is no doubt that Grace Coddington is the greatest living stylist, but when you group her work with Annie Leibovitz and Marc Jacobs something magical happens. In the January 2012 issue of Vogue, a feature story, A Man for All Seasons, explores the world that is Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton. Jacobs was in the midst of creating his Spring 2012 collection for Louis Vuitton in Paris and talks about the upcoming exhibit "Louis Vuitton -- Marc Jacobs" that will explore the transformation of the iconic 158-year-old-leather-goods company into the major fashion house that Jacobs created it to be when he joined Vuitton in 1997. Starting on March 6, the Musee des Arts Decoratifs will open its doors to the exhibit which will have an entire floor dedicated to Jacob's work (one for each year he has designed for Vuitton?) So for this feature story which was photographed by Leibovitz, Grace has highlighted some of Marc Jacob's past work for Vuitton -- roughly from the Fall 2003 to Spring 2008 collections -- (I have that Spring 2007 look, the one with a bag of fresh flowers, tacked on my inspiration board!) and the current spring 2012 collection from Paris, in which the idea was of lightness, prettiness, and gentleness. I'm sure the exhibit will attract the same crowds as the Alexander McQueen's Savage Beauty exhibit at the MET in NYC along with those LV logo-crazed shoppers that can always be found outside the flagship store. A summer Paris trip anyone?

Love, KB

Fashion Heads Up: Jason Wu for Target

     Quick! What does Zac Posen, Kate and Laura Mulleavy (Rodarte), Erin Fetherston, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez (Proenza Schouler), and Margherita Missoni all have in common?! If you guessed a capsule collection for Target then you're correct! You can only imagine how pleasantly surprised and excited I was when I opened my new February issue of Teen Vogue to find that Jason Wu will be joining the ranks. The print ad which features a signature Wu feminine and lady like dress and satchel is said to be inspired by French films and the actress Jean Seberg. While the rest of the collection, Wu's first with my favorite designer-labels-turned-affordable retailer, will feature pieces like poplin dresses, pleated frocks with sailor-striped hemlines, dainty silk blouses with neck ties and collars, and sportier knits and tennis skirts, Wu says that it's not going to be a carbon copy of his RTW collections, but rather something completely separate yet still very wearable and true to his design aesthetics. The limited edition collection will debut in stores February 5 with a price range of $20 - $60.  I've heard enough, you had me at Wu. I just hope I can get my hands on it unlike that Missoni for Target fiasco which sold out within hours. I hope that camping out the night before wouldn't be necessary this time around. *fingers crossed. 

Love, KB