The Overall Look

Overalls are not a new trend by any means, you probably wore them when you were little and you've probably been seeing celebs rocking them for months, but as summer is winding down I've found that overalls are the perfect look for the moment in between seasons.

 I took a trip to Ikea this past weekend in my corduroy overalls which was perfect for the summer weather outside and the cool Ikea store.  

Overalls - Zara 

Me being used as a human tape measure. 

Alexa Chung rocking dungarees/overalls for colder weather. 

Overalls come in many colors, lengths, and styles which is great. Here is a classic jean overall look from a thrift store in SF.

Overalls - No Name Thrift Shop in SF

There are so many different ways to wear overalls, hope you get inspired to find new ways!

Post by Tallulah Axinn

The Back to School Backpack

Simple

Left - Mum & Co, Top Right - Julie Brown, Bottom Right - Kimchi Blue

Statement

Left - Mum & Co, Right - American Apparel 

It's that time of the year again - the either dreaded or eagerly awaited start of the school year. Here are some of the backpacks I'm loving for back to school season.

Post by Naima Drecker-Waxman

24 Hours in Sonoma

Summer is finally winding down... Students are headed back to college, hipsters are heading to Burning Man, and I'm getting in my last opportunities to bask in the sun. Last weekend my friend invited me to stay with her in Sonoma. For once I actually packed perfectly (thanks Naima), but packing well for a short weekend around the pool basically meant lounging in my swimsuit all day. So, this video is less about the clothes than the scenery.

Tallulah: Swimsuit - Zara

Hope you are enjoying your last moments of summer wherever that may be!

Post by Tallulah Axinn

The Abbey: Move-In Dinner

 

It's that time of the year - the yard is full of first years and their equally confused and excited parents, the good old "what did you do this summer?" conversation (read: competition) is happening at every chance run-in, and you're mentally preparing yourself for a semester of HUDS by forcing your parents to take you out to that one last really good dinner. And if you're in my situation and that last dinner is in Cambridge instead of at home, I have the place for you.

The Abbey is located on mass ave and is just a short walk from the quad. Despite being a bit of a hike compared to the classic Russ House, the Abbey is worth it for the cozy setting, huge windows (providing the perfect natural lighting for your insta), and, of course, delicious food. The hike can also be an advantage during move-in when reservations have your favorite locations in the square booked up.

The theme is new american with a menu boasting your classics all done up (think: you're not ordering just french fries and ketchup, you're ordering truffle fries with roasted garlic mayo). Pro tip for vegetarians: order the menu tapas style and pick out your favorite apps and sides with friends. My personal favorite was the wild mushroom pate on grilled ciabatta. 

Of course if your last really good meal with the parental unit was at home, the Abbey makes an equally wonderful spot to catch up with friends. Or, alternatively. the perfect place to take your potential love interest of the new school year if you're looking to impress them with your excellent taste in locales. 

Post and Photos by Naima Drecker-Waxman

The Socially Acceptable Version of Sweats & a Sweatshirt

Getting dressed in the morning is one of my favorite things. I love spending time trying on different outfits and choosing different accessories, but sometimes nothing feels right and I just feel like staying in my pajamas. As someone who is adamantly against leaving the house in sweatpants, I never actually let myself just stay in my pajamas. This is where The Socially Acceptable Version of Sweats & a Sweatshirt comes in very handy. 

Joggers aka Sweats

Joggers: Zara, Shirt: LF, Jacket: Dreamers, Shoes: Dr Martens

Joggers are basically more tailored, aesthetically pleasing sweatpants, allowing you the comfort without the outward appearance of laziness.

Wrap/Sweater/Shawl/Blanket with Sleeves aka Sweatshirt

Yes I still look like a fool but at least I feel nice.

This is my second version of this type of jacket and I couldn't recommend it enough. This is literally the coziest jacket I've ever warn; you feel so nice without looking like a slob. Bonus points: wrap it completely around yourself for the full blanket/burrito effect. It may seem silly, but I have actually gotten a ton of compliments wearing it this way. 

Hopefully this will help you find your own ways to disguise sweats and sweatshirts into more fashionably acceptable outfits...

Post by Tallulah Axinn

Not So Sports Luxe

Shirt - American Apparel, Skirt - Topshop, Shoes - Adidas, Earrings - Gift

No longer outlandish and confusing, sports luxe has hit hard with continued popularity over the seasons and its own trend spinoffs like health goth. (wait I'm sorry - is health goth a lifestyle?). I'm not fully on the sports luxe bandwagon but I am inspired by it. That inspiration got me to my just short of sports luxe look (but, unfortunately, not to the gym).

The sports? A pair of white adidas that have been my favorite summer shoe. The not-so? Instead of pairing these sneaks with an elevated sports look (think mesh inserts and $500 track pants) I went for a scalloped skirt and gray tank. The feel is still sports luxe to me, though not in the most typical sense, because a nice skirt elevates a sportier tank and sneakers look. 

I wore this look for a day of research and lunch trip to hi-rise on mass ave. 10 out of 10 would recommend the faro an feta salad. 

Not pictured: the ridiculous number of caramels I followed up my lunch with (because hello I had a salad! I'm healthy!). 

Post by Naima Drecker-Waxman.

Photos by Priyanka Narayan.

How to Style Difficult Clothing Items

Do you ever find clothes that you loooove, but just can't figure out how to wear? My latest purchase, a high slit dress? a shirt with a long tail in the front and back? feels too long to be a shirt, but definitely too short to be a dress (although I have been known to mistake obvious shirts for dresses). I'm going to style this item for three different occasions that will hopefully inspire you to see different ways to style tricky items in your closet.

Look 1: Casual

Dress/Shirt: Topshop, Joggers: Zara, Shoes: Spinns (Japan)

Look 2: Brunch

Subtly revealed the skirt at the sides.

Skirt: Topshop, Shoes: Seychelles

Look 3: Going Out

Leather Jacket: McGinn, Jeans: Frame Denim,  Shoes: Dr Marten

After compiling these different outfits I've decided that this was definitely made to be worn as a shirt, but nevertheless the ambiguity of the item opens up a lot of fun options!

What items in your closet do you have trouble styling?

Post by Tallulah Axinn

Photos by Zahra Axinn

All American Girl

Cardigan - Brandy Melville, Shirt - French Connection, Jeans - Zara, Shoes - Adidas 

With the combination of my official return to Cambridge and the date hitting double digits yesterday it's starting to feel like the end of the summer. And, while I'm fantasizing about lining my mantle with pumpkins and watching the New England foliage turn into my favorite shades of orange and red, I'm also sad to lose the feeling of carefree fun that accompanies this season.

Cap - borrowed from a friend, Necklace - Bauble Bar

Of course it's not gone yet and I was definitely feeling relaxed summer vibes in a blue jean-white shirt combo I wore to the High Line before I left home. The combination of sneakers, ripped jeans, and a cap made me feel very all-american in a way that I didn't expect to love so much. I was also surprised at how much I liked these jeans on me. I've been into boyfriend jeans from a distance for a long time but only decided I could pull them off when I tried on this distressed pair at Zara a few months ago. So far I've been loving the look of a nicer white top with these pants but still need to play with what else pairs nicely. I'm excited to keep you posted on how I style them in the fall.

The High Line

Okay remember at the beginning when I said I can't wait for the leaves to change? Well reinterpret that sentiment as a little bittersweet because looking back at the greenery on the High Line I am sad to think of it disappearing. Here's my public commitment to more time in the outdoors before that happens!

Post by Naima Drecker-Waxman.

Goodbye Japan, Goodbye Hair

It has almost been a week since I got back from Japan and I'm finally back to my California lifestyle which means drastic style choices, Mexican food and music festivals!

You know that feeling when you realize you need a haircut and then can't stop thinking about it? That happened to me right when I got to Japan but I wasn't willing to risk having someone cut my hair anywhere else but my trusted hair salon, so I had to wait until I got back. And I'm so glad I did!

I did not think I was going to cut my hair so short but I'm so happy with it! Thank you Isabel!

Dress and Sweater: Zara

Another item on my list for when I got home was obviously Mexican food!

Here's a little outdoor patio at Nopalito. Photo: @nopalitosf

I can never get enough fish! Pictured from front to back: Tostada de Trucha al Crudo, Ceviche, Tacos de Pescado al Pastor

Nothing like a homemade popsicle to cool you off in the SF heat/post-mexican food spiciness. Photo: @nopalitosf

Tomorrow marks the first day of Outsidelands Music Festival in Golden Gate Park, defintely my favorite thing to do in SF in August! The lineup (music and food) looks amazing and I can't wait to go for the 5th time in a row!

Post by Tallulah Axinn

Packing for a Short Trip

I am queen of the short trip. And while I take the title queen pretty lightly (meaning I'm self proclaimed queen of whatever is convenient in the moment), 5 years of traveling at least once a month for school gives me a little credibility for this particular declaration. So I have a few tips and tricks for traveling lightly for a weekend or a week that I want to share with you for any end of the summer vacations, conferences, or road trips.

Godiva Shampoo, Jungle Conditioner, Buffy Exfoliant + Body Butter

The first things I'd purchase to make your life 10 times easier for any trip in the airport with just a carry-on are solid shampoos, conditioners, and lotions. I have a confession: I have an irrational hatred of distilling my liquids into travel containers. I'm lazy about pumping my shampoo in a 2 oz plastic container, I fear my lotion spilling in my bag, and I don't want to take out a ziploc full of containers for TSA. So instead, I invested in solid products from Lush. I never thought I'd be such a convert but these products last forever, travel well, and smell great. 

My second toiletry recommendation is a small travel bag. I use a little black bag from Muji that I can hang up in my hotel room. I love this bag's mesh compartments because everything is visible and I don't need to rummage around to find my hairbrush under tubes of mascara and eyeliner in a (potentially cuter) makeup bag. 

Muji Hanging Travel Bag

When it comes to clothes, advanced planning is your friend. I used to decide to bring X bottoms, Y tops, Z shoes, etc. but that left me with odds and ends that I wasn't sure how I wanted to piece together in the mornings of my trips. Now I am a firm supporter of packing outfits instead of pieces (and getting extra time to sleep in or see sights instead of figuring out what to wear). I like to draw out the outfits I'm going to bring. Having a visual "packing list" to consult also lets me imagine different combinations of pieces so that I know I'm not stuck to one look.

When actually packing your clothes I recommend rolling them up instead of folding them on top of each other because it makes it easy to see what you have if you're living out of your suitcase.

Skirts & Pants - Topshop

For my small carry-on (or just a more accessible bag if I'm not flying) I have a few musts. I like to bring multiple forms of entertainment or work (like printed out readings for class in a folder, a magazine, and a notebook). I also need my travel documents and IDs, laptop, wallet, glasses, and phone with me. To save money in the airport I always try to bring a snack, knowing that if I don't I'm going to spend 5 dollars on the granola bar I could've gotten at Trader Joe's for 1. For my trip to Chicago I was missing lunch so I packed a wrap that I made in the morning. To carry all of this I used my (new!) leather backpack from urban.

Assorted Essentials

Planning to travel for this week also taught me some tips and tricks that I learned by messing up (pretty severely). One, always check what day you are supposed to return home!!! I'm attending a training that ends on Saturday and accidentally booked my flight out for Sunday, leaving me scrambling to find last minute housing accommodations because changing my flight would cost more than my original round trip (thx Delta). Two, read up on the public transit of the city you're visiting. As a New York kid, I expect buses to run frequently and all week. That's how I ended up waiting 20 minutes for a bus in Chicago on Sunday that only runs on weekdays. Despite the blunders, I made it to my conference center safely and am excited for a weeklong training on community organizing!

Post by Naima Drecker-Waxman

Too Hot, Hot Damn

I'm in the final stretch of my time here in Kyoto! I've finished all my classes and now I just have to prepare for exams. It's been so hot this last week that studying in an air conditioned room doesn't seem so bad...

Or an air conditioned shopping mall... I've been making some last purchases before I leave (it's sale season here I had to!)

I got this dress at a store in Kyoto Station, they're having their summer sale! 

                     

Keeping cool(ish) in the 90 degree weather with some ice cream!

Everyone wears super loose clothing here and denim everything.

                    

One of my favorite drinks! Salt & fruit, surprisingly good and refreshing in the heat...

Anyways, I'm off to the Mitarashi festival to purify myself before I buckle down and study this weekend! Happy Friday!

Post by Tallulah Axinn 

Lower East Side: Brunch at Two Hands

In the strange meeting point of Little Italy, SoHo, and Chinatown is Two Hands cafe - described on their website as "good food by good dudes." I can only testify to the good food but how bad can any dude who decorates his cafe in dreamy clouds be?

This cafe was my Sunday brunch destination. Scared off on Saturday by crowds plotting the perfect brunch gram, a roaring stomach demanding to be fed, and open windows indicating no AC in 90 degree and humid weather, I made my return to Two Hands a day later to enjoy an acai bowl next to my portable fan

(Kidding. But wouldn't it be funny if I did bring one?)

With its reasonable prices, good service, and picturesque interior, Two Hands is the perfect place to spill details about rowdy Friday and Saturday nights (or, alternatively, listen in on what your table neighbor's unbelievable now-ex-boyfriend did! And with her own sister's college roommate's math TA!).

To dress for the occasion (read: opportunity to eavesdrop on unsuspecting strangers), I slipped into my (only?) skirt and paired it with a Jurassic Park tee (because this was no upper east side boozy brunch with unlimited bloody marys, a view of the park, and pastel dresses accessorized with pearls). Limited by the fact I'm yet to wash some seriously dirty white adidas, I went for black converse and threw on a vintage mini backpack I bought off a girl on facebook in high school (bless you buying&selling NYC).

I've been holding off on the graphic tee and miniskirt combo, unsure of whether I could pull it off or not, but after one wear I'm sold and have a feeling this outfit is going to make a reappearance.

Would you believe me if I said I'm not an outfit repeater I'm just german and this is what we do?

Top - Target, Skirt - Topshop, Shoes - Converse, Bag - Vintage

Maybe I'm getting too sentimental because this was my last weekend home in New York before I end the summer with a trip to Chicago and an early return to school (courtesy of debate preseason - hold the laughter), but I'm going to say it anyway: I'm going to miss this city so much. And if you have a chance to be here then visit the lower east side for good food, at Two Hands or elsewhere, and Sunday adventuring.

Post by Naima Drecker-Waxman

Gion Matsuri: Before the Typhoon

Gion Matsuri is a week long festival that someone described to me as "Kyoto's version of Mardi Gras". Gion Matsuri started in the 9th century to appease the god of the Yasako Shrine, Susanoo-no-mikoto. It ends on Friday with a huge parade, but because of the weather forecast I chose to go on Wednesday! 

The festival is full of food, music and floats made especially for the parade! 

Here is a float that my friend's host sister's friend's brother (that's a mouthful) plays music for! This connection allowed us to see the float up close and personal, but unfortunately only men can go inside....alas....

The festival is frequented by locals and tourists alike, all dressed up in their yukatas (summer kimonos)! This is my friend Nicole in her beautiful Yukata!

The back of her obi came undone. Fashion emergency!

All fixed!

A few details. 

Also got to try some delicious food!

This is called Tamago Senbei. Apparently they only sell these at Gion Matsuri. Octopus cracker with egg, puffs, and sauces! Delicious and fun to eat!

Kyoto is apparently going to be hit with a typhoon tonight/tomorrow! So I'm glad I got to visit the festival when the weather was still nice. I'm told not to worry about the typhoon that it's fun as long as you're inside...we'll see.

Hope your weekend plans are looking brighter than the weather!

Post by Tallulah Axinn

A Friends inspired Shopping List

So I'm a little bit late on the Friends bandwagon but with my newfound free time this summer I have become thoroughly addicted. And it's not just the characters, the love stories, the feel-good-ridiculousness, it's also Rachel's style that has me binge watching daily. So to start off your Monday I bring to you a little style inspiration from my most recent TV obsession.

For those of you who aren't Friends fanatics the basic thing about Rachel's style is this: it's simple. And I love that. She keeps it minimal but perfectly fitted and flattering. And while there are some looks that are questionable at best its her staples that are making it onto my back to school shopping list.

My love affair with the Rachel look started with turtlenecks. They are her go-to piece and they look so good every episode that I cannot wait till the summer is over literally just so that I can stock up.

To keep it seasonally appropriate there's also the slip dress. A classic for all the Friends ladies, the slip dress is effortlessly stylish and often pulled off sans bra (yes please). Perfect for hot summer days when you just can't be bothered with layers.

You know what else Rachel loves? Plaid. Whether its trousers paired with a simple black top or her iconic mini skirt paired with a cropped sweater, Rachel's plaid gets me excited to pull that Urban Outfitter's skirt I always meant to wear out of its storage box. 

While a collar can make your look a little too schoolgirl for my taste, a chunky sweater or a (you guessed it) turtleneck keeps the outfit from looking like a bad halloween costume. As for the plaid pants, keep it modern by swapping for a black and white grid pattern.

Add caption

The last item that made it onto my shopping list (courtesy of Rachel) is an oversized oxford. Because what rom com (or, in this case, sitcom) doesn't feature a gorgeous girl pulling off this shirt better than her boyfriend? Well I'm determined to pull off this look and am getting serious inspiration from Rachel's rolled sleeves and gold bracelets. 

What TV characters inspire you? Let us know in the comments - and happy Monday!


Post by Naima Drecker-Waxman
Photos by Warner Brothers.