Beautiful Pictures

I have a new favorite blog (besides this one, of course)!  It is by the famed fashion photog Tommy Ton.  His blog is jakandjil.com.  And, it is full of gorgeous fashion photography.  A great place for inspiration, especially on a very dreary, gray and rainy day.  

I have come to love his photography even more after reading an interview that he did last year.  He talks about how he was just a kid who loved fashion, but wasn't quite sure where to go with it.  After trying out different jobs, he decided photography would be the way to go.  He taught himself and eventually started buying plane tickets to London and Paris to sit outside of the shows and take pictures.  And, now the rest is history!  He works for style.com, shoots fashion campaigns and sits in the front row at all of the shows.  It is a great story of following your passion...

The photos below are some recent shots from outside the shows and behind the scenes of Jason Wu and Proenza Schouler...  Love!

These photos are fabulous, but I don't know which is more inspiring... the images or his story???

              

                                      - Allison

*photos courtesy of jakandjil.com

DVF Rocks!

I have a very serious crush on Diane Von Furstenberg.  I love the way that she believes women should embrace their femininity and "wear a dress" while kicking ass.  I also love her prints and the way her clothes fit just right.  Oh, and I love her use of silk jersey... it is a perfect fabric.   Like I said, I heart DVF (especially the dresses)... sigh.

As you can imagine, I was extremely excited to find out that she was re-releasing some of her vintage prints this past month!  And, let me tell you, they are fabulous!  Let's just say, slip on one of these dresses and you will be effortlessly chic for any event this summer... shopping in the Hamptons, sipping a cocktail at the Chatham Bars Inn (a personal favorite!), hosting a party, lounging by the pool or even going to work... these pieces are simply irresistible!

These above looks (and plenty more) are available at dvf.com.

                                   - Allison

*photos courtesy of the huffingtonpost.com, Tim Boxer/Hulton Archive/Getty, dvf.com

An Effortlessly Chic Day at the Hamptons

I was recently asked where the inspiration comes from for the outfits that I put together on my website.  And, honestly, it comes from all over the place.  Sometimes the weather inspires me, a group of colors in nature, a photograph, a song, a very cool piece of clothing or just the idea of attending a specific event... it really depends on the day.  So, I thought that I would try to share with everyone the inspiration behind one of my outfits...

The most important thing to know is that I am completely taken with maxi dresses and skirts right now... a slight maxi obsession!  Then, when it was warm enough to open my car windows not too long ago, I became very excited for summer dressing.  I also happened upon some photos of Tory Burch's home and became totally obsessed with her use of color!  

Then I found this Tory Burch dress, which I am completely in love with... subdued color - more my style...

This dress got me thinking about the casual chicness of the Hamptons... polo matches, shopping, the beach, cool little restaurants...

With all of these images floating through my head (and some that I dreamed up), I thought about what would be a great outfit that I could wear and look very chic in the Hamptons... The dress is a good base. It can be dressed up or down, and I am definitely all about versatility.  I also thought about adding more color or pattern, but that is not me.  I like things that are more understated, so I chose an outfit with a little color mixed with neutrals.  I also decided on more of a daytime look (it would take me further)... I paired the Tory Burch dress with an Acne anorak J.Crew shoes and handbag, an Alexis Bittar ring, a Cartier tank watch (of course!) and I almost forgot a pair of MJB aviators...

Supposed to be in grey, but the image is no longer available.

                                      - Allison

*photos courtesy of Francois Halard for Vogue and Elle, Yatzer.com, newyorkgossipgirl.com, tripadvisor.com, chichisummer.com, netaporter.com, jcrew.com, alexisbittar.com, google.com and nordstrom.com.