Miamify my wardrobe

Dear ESB,

I am moving to MIAMI in the fall for work. I read your fantastic guide to the city and am so so excited for the food, the beach, Wynwood, speaking Spanish, and a new place.

But. I'm nervous, too. I have moved around a ton and always found a great community and made a great life, but this is going to be worlds apart from the Midwestern and East Coast cities where I have spent my whole life. 

My fear of moving is manifesting in the particular anxiety that I don't know how to dress in Miami (I don't think I will have much use for the oversize sweater/short skirt/wool tights outfits that I have perfected). 

I get that fixing my clothes isn't going to resolve the larger problem, but humor a girl. I have a bit of a bonus coming my way soon -- if you were going to spend about $500 to update your wardrobe for such a move, what would you get?

Besos.

*****

WHO SAYS the right wardrobe won't fix everything?? I would never make that ludicrous claim.

Since I have not once set foot in Miami, I brought back the badass Caro, our resident Miami expert....

Hola!

The key to being happy while living in Miami: Live like you’re on vacation. Or at least pretend like you’re on vacation as much as you possibly can. I.E. Go to the beach, drink Miami Vices, wear shorts everywhere.

My six tips for MIAMI-fying your wardrobe:

1. Neon is a neutral. Over here it’s summer year-round, which means you can wear color all the time. Ever since neon arrived at J.Crew, I’ve been keeping these shorts + t-shirts in heavy rotation.

Editor's Note: Stock up! That shit is on sale.

2. Always bring a sweater. Miami air conditioning is not subtle. Find a goes-with-everything cardigan [also on sale] you can leave in your purse because the transition from 90F to 65F every single time you walk into a building isn’t something your body acclimates to all that quickly.

3. Always have on hand: emergency flip-flops and emergency heels. After-work thunderstorms and after-work happy hours are equally likely – you should be prepared for either. Keep a pair of flip flops in your purse to protect your work flats in case of tropical weather, and a pair of black pumps in your car to switch into once you get to the bar.

4. You need at least one dependable clubbing/bar-crawling outfit. Bar-hopping starts at 11:30 PM at the earliest and everyone outside of Wynwood will expect you to wear heels. I default to colorful stilettos and a black minidress I bought at Forever 21, but if I had money to burn I’d go with this BCBG body-con dress [sale sale sale].

5. You need two bathing suits: one to look cute in and one to tan in. And if you heed my advice about living like you’re on vacation, you’re probably going to wear them out pretty quickly.... so consider your tanning bikini an investment. I like the bandeau tops from Victoria Secret because they’re not egregiously expensive and even though they have that fun strappy back detail they don’t actually leave horrendous tan lines.

Editor's Note: PLS WEAR SUNSCREEN. BOTH OF YOU.

6. Frizz-Ease. Because the humidity is real.

*****

And a few updated Miami recommends because my lady Caro knows how to live......

Eat: Butcher Shop, Khong River House, Swine, Uvaggio.

Drink: Broken Shaker (it’s permanent now, and still awesome), The Reagent Cocktail Club, the Martini Bar at the Raleigh Hotel, Wynwood Brewing Company, AC’s Icees.

(Image via Freehand Miami, home of the Broken Shaker)

Be Merry: Spend a day at the Standard, go get cinnamon buns at Knaus Berry Farm, check out the new art museum, rent some kayaks, host a bbq at the beach.

Just because you’re living like you’re on vacation doesn’t mean you need to pay vacation prices for your booze. Find reasonably-priced craft beer without driving to BFE (“Butt-Fucking-Egypt”, aka Kendall, aka, really really far) at: this gas station, this unassuming convenience store, this other unassuming convenience store. And this gas station has a tapas restaurant and an imported wine selection with great priced.

In my original post, I told you the wonders of Publix (cookies, pastelitos, etc), but now that you’re going to be a local, you need to know about PubSubs. Publix Sub Sandwiches: you can order them online ahead of time at most locations now, and getting a chicken finger sub to pair with a cucumber-lime Gatorade and some chilled pinot grigio for a day on the beach is nirvana. Trust me. They put chicken fingers IN THE SANDWICH. You’re welcome.

Finding parking on South Beach takes the same sort of blind faith ancient cultures put into rain dances – believe there will be parking and it shall appear. Be patient. Also, be sure to download the PayByPhone parking app – you can add more time directly from your phone and if your address is local you'll save 20%.

No one is on time anywhere.

Probably because they’re looking for parking.

But don’t take public transportation, seriously. That stranger who punched my friend in the face on the train, he’s punched other people now.

Uber is still not available, but UberX and Lyft are operating illegally anyway and staying true to the city’s time-honored tradition of ignoring most vehicular-related legislature (using your turn signal is widely regarded as a sign of weakness).

Bienvenidos!

Image at top: Zara S/S 2013 via Style Pantry (Maybe more Palm Springs than Miami? Miami style scares me a little, you guys.)

i found your wedding booties

dieppa restrepo at bona drag

don't they look so buttery soft?

the black version is pretty jammin too

the universe owes me shoes

Dear Slightly Buzzed Fairy Godmother,

I'm getting hitched. And it blew up in my face. I wanted 75 people -- we're pushing 200. I wanted a backyard BBQ -- we're having a formal sit down dinner. I wanted to get married in the evening to beat the summer heat -- we'll be saying our vows at 3pm. I wanted a lot of things that aren't panning out -- such is life. It's easy to blame everyone else, but the truth is, while if I could go back and do it again -- I would have fought a lot hard for what I wanted. ​I didn't though, and this is how it is... and I'm going to suck it up. Everyone else being happy will make me happy. 

However, shoes. I feel like the universe owes me a fucking awesome pair of shoes for the amount of shit I've put up for the last year. I'm low maintenance. I have my standard items and stick by them. And I live in Vans -- which I plan on changing into when dancing starts. But I want a pair of killer floral heels for my most put together day.

I'm in love with these [pictured above]. In my mind, they're as perfect as a floral print gets. But I ordered them and just seriously too high- 6 inches. I can walk in them but I'm worried I'll break my ankle before the day is over. Could you help me find something similar? Preferable a floral print with a chunky heel. 

Thanks so much!  

*****

Those look like hooker shoes, sorta. Teenybopper hooker shoes.

I much prefer these Marais wedges.........................................

Is the liberty print too cutesy?


(You could always go with fancy Vans instead.)

Look who didn’t bother taking my advice

She bought the fugly Alexander McQueens and also a blue pair from Lauren Marinis and she looks pretty stoked about it, so what the eff do I know?

(Photos by Craig + Kate. See tons more + all the dets over on Rock My Wedding.)

Wait. WHAT? WHEN DID THESE HAPPEN?

This morning I was sick of wedges.

I am no longer sick of wedges.



THIS IS WHY LOEFFLER RANDALL IS THE OFFICIAL SHOE OF ESB, YOU GUYS.

(Thank you for reminding me when I forget.)

Black nubuck/Mirrored leather or Black dot haircalf/Taupe watersnake

Seeking: Sturdy but sexy heels

Howdy,

I'm getting married outside and have to navigate some pretty treacherous terrain. To avoid a bambi, legs akimbo situation, do you have any suggestions for fabulous, but sturdy heels? Is that even a thing? My dress [pictured above] isn't very forgiving in terms of footwear choices, being shorter, so I want to go all out.

Also, flats are not an option. This is one of the few chances I have to dress girly/appropriately sexy and I want to take full advantage!!

From,
Sexy but sturdy

*****

Dude, wear the SNAKESKIN HEELS! that she designed to go with the collection.

They look sturdy-ish enough to me.

Though you might want an adorable pair of sneakers as backup....

I'm thinking classic white Supergas.

George + Lysa's Rad San Diego wedding

If you look closely, this whole shebang is PERFECTLY COLOR COORDINATED. And yet it's totally Brooklyn-meets-San-Diego cool and supremely unfussy....

George and I been together for 10 years and when we finally decided to make it official, we knew that we wanted 3 things: Mexican food, to have it be a fun & casual affair and for it to take place in San Diego, California (where I grew up and where we met).

With that said, the important things for this bride were:

Wedding Photography

Luckily, it was through a recommendation that we found Rad + In Love. I loved Jamie and Michelle’s photojournalistic approach and the command they had of the medium. They were on the ball in getting our "must have" photos as well as sneaking us away to snap us in the perfect light.

Wedding Invitations

My talented friend, Shiva King is the one who is responsible for these insanely beautiful invites. Since our venue had elements of mid century architecture, Shiva used Illustrator to impart a clean look that is characteristic of mid century design while adding a feminine touch with the bold florals and/or color. She designed the map, flowers, our caricatures and screen printed our cat Gustave Minda onto tote bags.

[Ahem, please note how beautifully Lysa's bouquet matches the save-the-dates.]

Wedding Dress + Shoes

I saw an image of a 1930s Nina Ricci dress and automatically knew that was going to be my wedding dress if I could help it. I scoured ebay, etsy, all the vintage stores in SD, LA and NY for similar styles if not the exact one but to no avail. So with the help of a friend, I decided to design my own dress, using design elements from the vintage one and giving it a modern spin.

I design shoes as a profession and am starting my own line called Aralêzano (stay tuned!) so it’s a no brainer to design my own pair. I collaborated with my friend Juniper Rose on the embellishment, and one of the factories I worked with was kind enough to make my wedding shoes.

And so after our must-haves were squared away, everything else fell into place. We got married at the San Diego Rowing Club on a summer solstice evening. It overlooked Mission Bay, which made for an interesting backdrop with bikini-clad kayakers, a John Mayer blaring boater and a jet packer aerialist.

I walked down the aisle to Waterloo Sunset by the Kinks and we walked out as a couple to Tusk by Fleetwood Mac, all performed instrumentally by Red Pony Clock. After the ceremony, the band continued playing during cocktail hour and we recorded the entire set list as a keepsake. The recording is our most favorite thing from the wedding. This party friendly 8-piece band is awesome and if you are getting married in the LA/SD area, book them!!

After cocktails, the wedding party gave their toasts and this was also another great memory. It was funny, sweet and emotional. No matter how many times I told myself not to cry, I did. Dinner was catered by Ortega’s -- delicious vegetarian enchiladas, fish tacos, chicken tacos, beans, rice, etc; and to cut down on costs, we ditched the wedding cake and bought Julian apple pies instead for dessert.

And from the dance floor, here are three of my favorite moments:

1st dance to The Killing Moon by Echo & the Bunnymen. We were opposed to first dances, but my mother insisted and she knows best. My uncle was kind enough to choreograph and teach us the moves the day before.

The same uncle surprised us with a flash mob Gangnam Style dance, which had my cousins, my mom and George’s parents on the dance floor.

And thanks to Red Pony Clock, they got me on a chair to do the hora and I’m not even Jewish. I told you RPC is party friendly!!

Some advice: the day will go by fast, you will be pulled for every free moment you have for photo ops, you will not get to spend enough time with everyone at the wedding, and you will suffer some sort of post-wedding depression after all is said and done.

Planning a California wedding from Brooklyn wouldn’t have been possible without help and advice from our friends. Everything came recommended to us and every recommendation was perfect.

Especially, thank you to our friend Chris Wojdak, who was our coordinator & florist. She made sure we were on budget, DIYed a few things to do so, and created the most beautiful bouquet I have ever seen. She is truly Wonder Woman (It’s true! She planned the wedding while pregnant and on the day of the wedding, was running around with little Jack strapped to her).

So it’s really our friends that made this wedding all the more awesome, besides marrying my best friend.

Xx
Lysa

Your uncle is RAD.

So is that dress.

And the shoes!!! look even better on.

Basically you killed it, lady.

(Photos by Rad + In Love. Go see more over on their blog!)

Accessorize Me

Dear ESB,

My best friend is getting married to his boyfriend in October, and has asked me to be in the wedding party, to which I said HELL YES!! I'm super stoked. My problem is that I'm having difficulty figuring out what the hell to wear. The restrictions we have been given is that we should wear their wedding colors (black, red, and hot pink). The other important factor is that the wedding is taking place in the woods in Maryland. We're staying at a camp in the woods all weekend. I've almost definitely decided to wear a black jumpsuit (this one, specifically), but I'm having trouble tying the other wedding colors into my outfit.

While I don't think I'll be kicked out of the wedding party for just wearing all black, it would be boring and not in the spirit of their request. First, I tried to look for red shoes (I'm a size 9), but the options that I could find were pretty ugly, or there was no way that I would be able to walk in them in the woods. So, I found a pair of black suede heels that I really like...and then I got stuck. I have no idea how to incorporate one of the other wedding colors into my outfit, let alone both of them.

My style is very simple. Jeans and t-shirts for day-to-day and tailored, nicely cut clothes with very few embellishments, and almost no accessories when I'm dressing up (it sounds really boring the way I described it, but I actually find it really fun, and, more importantly, very me). I'm also a big fan of anything menswear inspired, and I will not wear ruffles of any description. 

I'm still open to shoe suggestions, but I'm mostly looking for help on how to spice this whole thing up with a belt, or jewelry. Bottom line: I need help! Big time! He's my best friend and I want to look awesome at his wedding!

Thanks,
Don't Hate Me Because I Love Jumpsuits

*****

Why does everyone always want to spice things up with a belt??

Has anyone ever SUCCESSFULLY spiced things up with a belt?

YOU DON'T EVEN LIKE ACCESSORIES




If you must go along with his hideous color scheme, you know you have to tie it in with the shoes.

I'm not mad at these chunkers from Zara. (v. woods-worthy)

Dear ESB,

I may not have planned a single detail of my wedding yet, but one thing I do know is that...

I want to get married in LEOPARD PRINT SHOES. Priorities and all that.

Yes, I am after a pair similar to these beautiful Charlotte Olympia Love Dolly shoes (£620), only cheaper and lower. I'm already 5'11". An extra 6 inches and the "You may now kiss the bride" thing just won't work. That said I don't want flats, I want to strut not shuffle. Know what I'm sayin?

Thanks in advance,

British bride on the wild side

x

*****

Cheap leopard print can look pretty cheap. Actually, so can expensive leopard print. Those Charlotte Olympia heels are FUG, imho.

How bout these Moschino Cheap & Chics?

Is £254.17 more in the ball park?

Mom's dress versus Dad's feelings

Good Morning, East Side Bride.

Hell froze over and I'm getting married. I don't care about much of the entire planning process except that I want to wear my mother's wedding dress (short, 60's sheath with a matching swing coat). And, I probably really want to wear her dress because that means I can devote all my wedding-wear money to the shoes - the Rockstud Valentino shoes of my dreams.

My issue is my father. My acts-like-a-12-year-old ever since the divorce OVER 20 YEARS AGO father. He really, really didn't want the divorce. He really, really doesn't like the idea of me wearing my mom's dress - the one that she married him in. Since I'm not wearing it for sentimental reasons, should I forgo the dress that upsets him? Or say, fuck it, and wear what I want even if it makes him uncomfortable?

I should say that I plan to be slightly inebriated at the ceremony as I often am when my parents are in the same room. I've found it's the best way to cope with their shenanigans so perhaps I won't notice if he's pouting.

Best,
The Often Overprotective Daughter

*****

Awwwwww. Cut your dad a break. You can find another dress.



Diana D by Dancian for Io donna via visual optimism

Seeking: rehearsal shooz.

Hi ESB,

FH husband and I are getting married on Miami Beach in March and I've relied heavily on your blog for wedding advice and etiquette. We'll be having a non-traditional rehearsal dinner that will involve rooftop cocktails and dancing. I'll be wearing this DVF dress [pictured above] but can't seem to find shoes that are fun and under $250.  

Any chance you and your awesome crew can help?

Thanks!
Just Missing the Shoes

*****

While I'm on an Emerson Fry kick (thanks, ladies)......

How bout these nude leather ankle straps?

They're a teence over your budget, but look how great her legs look!

G-R-E-A-T

And I feel like they might actually be *comfortable.*

BARNEYS STOLE MY FRIDAY

I just spent the entire day working up a guest post for the Barneys blog. (Not that I'm complaining or anything but PHEW! there's a lot of product to dig through.)

These items didn't quite make the cut, though now that I'm pasting them up I can't think why.

Now I'm second-guessing the whole thing. FML.

tgif?

Dresses (left to right): Lisa Perry, L'Agence, Narciso Rodriguez

Shoes (left to right): Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik

for the vegan on a budget

I can't attest to the quality of these, but I think they're pretty cute.

Python pointy ankle-straps, $60 at Pixie Market

The booties have it.

They beat out the wedges by 84%.

I guess my quiz was too easy?

And I like that they don't go with the dress. That's what I like about them. Just because you're going with Pronovias doesn't mean you have to wear Kate Spade fucking slingbacks, amirite?

POP QUIZ: Which shoes go with this dress?

Dear ESB,

Which do you prefer? There can be only one:

(Jeffrey Campbell)

(Schutz)

Let's have a little Monday morning pop quiz and then tomorrow I'll tell you the right answer.

Fill out my online form.

Seeking: Valentino heels (for a gazillionth less)

Hi ESB, 

So my FH and I are getting married at the end of October. Basically all I want is these shoes for a gazillionth of their actual price. We are getting married on a fruit farm with a little French style courtyard, cobbled stones and all. So, I love the idea of the midi heel on these Valentinos, plus I want to keep these babies on while dancing all night. And no, I don't have a dress yet - but I know it won't be white and it will most probably be an off the rail vintage lace thing.   

Here is the catch - I live in South Africa and since the rest of the world thinks that people in Africa don't do online shopping I can't get anything delivered here. But my salvation is that I will be spending about 3 months in Paris from April. So will the good people that read this here blog please scour the net for me? 

Thank you so kindly, 
Shoe-a-holic.

*****

Let me get this straight....... You're about to go to MOTHERFUCKING PARIS, but you want us to shop shoes for you on the internet??

What goes with a CITRON wedding dress?

Dear ESB,

I have no idea how to accessorize my wedding dress. I don't want to belt it like it is in the attached image. I bought a pair of Cole Haan peep toe heels in bright coral; they are fine, I guess, whatever, I could probably do better, right? I am total crap at accessorizing - I have no idea what jewelry to wear.

Do you have any advice? I am not afraid of color (obvs.), I don't want to spend millions of dollars or anything, we're getting married in Eagle Rock in July, and I am going to have some elaborate mehndi on my palms but I am South Asian so it isn't going to be some Rachel Getting Married shit.

Thanks!

*****

a) you are awesome.

b) i thought i was the only one who hated that movie!

c) YOU GUYS FEEL LIKE SHOPPING??