.prints for the minimalist.

i'll admit it. my closet can get hum-drum when it comes day to day wear. for awhile i only wore prints on the occasional basis, but lately they've been happily popping into my wardrobe more often- and i'm happily embracing the change. below are a couple of new and old pieces that i'm excited to wear thru summer and fall. if you are also prone to a minimal-style, my best advise is to start small and add accordingly.

below: asos printed trousers, lucky brand woven sandals, and my favorite printed bag, which had been gifted by a remarkably amazing family friend. 

xxo, dany

.my favorite t-shirts story.

a souvenir i bought myself from a wedding weekend in austin, tx is where this love story begins. i always wanted the catchy slogan in the form of a boys' tee, but never had a reason to buy one until i visited the lone star state. the fit was perfect at purchase, so naturally i wore it when i could, all the time. i lovingly chose it as my workout out top, where it stayed for a year and a half in my corporate gyms locker and laundry systems. every lunch i used my texas shirt, and daily it was washed and folded back into my gym locker. hard workouts got me the coveted wear and tear, and while i no longer wear it to the gym, its tucked away in my closet and worn frequently, but delicately. its earned it.

xxo, dany 

.liu jo.

liu jo fall campaign with miss kate.

xxo, dany

.guilt-free cheeseburger.

a great home-made burger always makes me smile. i rarely eat the burger with a bun, so preparation is all about the veggies and perfectly-cooked meat. below is my favorite recipe for an amazing burger, enjoy!

xxo, dany

burger recipe:

• 85% ground beef 
• one egg
• sprinkle of gluten-free bread crumbs (just a dash!)
• coarsely-cut red onion
• a splash of worcestershire
• a splash of liquid 
• salt & pepper to season

alternative bun:

• sauteed spinach (olive oil quickly tossed in pan)
• red onions for garnish on top
• tomato slices
• sharp cheddar (optional, just as good without)

i use my foreman grill and love a medium rare burger, so 6 minutes cooking the burger in total. place the the spinach on the bottom for a perfect bun alternative. spread a little ketchup on the top once cooked and lay the cheddar on top to melt. add the tomato, red onion and salt and pepper, and wah-lah!

.vegas x instagram & lpt.

below are a few quick shots i took on my last week's girls weekend. last minute we scrambled for reservations and to all of our pleasant surprises the newly revamped tropicana became our knight in shining armor. nights out to tryst and hyde rounded up the weekend. i know have a new love for viva las vegas.

xxo, dany

.mmmmm hmmmm, marni fall.

great presentation of marni's upcoming fall shoe collection. i love how substantial their heels are, great for stomping.

xxo, dany

.its all in the wrists.

114 degrees out today....arm candy is the new layering.

xxo, dany

.the detail, valentino.

.haute couture, 2012.

xxo, dany

.shoe crush.

charlotte olympia heels, love!

buy here! for me. ;)

xxo, dany

.white with a spot of blue.

times have changed. gone are the days of no white after labor day, which gives us ladies all the more reason to pick out key pieces for year-round wear. below are a couple of picks ive found, happily all under $200, go white!

xxo, dany

left to right: hepburn leather platforms (asos.com, $46), helmut lang white tee (outnet, $44), high-rise retro flares (old navy, $20), models own cairo sunglasses (asos.com, $25), white leather backpack (asos.com, $199)

.impossible conversations.

last week i was thrilled to walk the met exhibit, schiaparelli and prada: impossible conversations. being the rule-abiding museum visitor that i am, i was terrified to take pictures through the no-camera exhibit, fearing a large, stern museum bodyguard (ie. an elderly, sweet, museum volunteer) would escort  me out mid-snap and mid-exhibit. i digress....the exhibit was smart and well curated. my two favorite parts were baz luhrmann's film of the designers conversing and the neck up/knees down exhibit where a pairing schiaparelli's hat and prada's shoe show the true genius of these two strong women.

xxo, dany

.shoelandia.

i love the random flea market shoe pile. i often wonder what era they were worn and the lives they led.

xxo, dany

.happy fourth!.

xxo, dany

.project: stenciled jeans.

on a hot summer day (today) i had the most brilliant idea. stenciled jeans. the very current native-american isabel marant jeans inspired me to try this trend on for size, in form of large hawaiin-esque flowers down man skinny jeans...i'll do my best to explain how i did them.

xxo, dany

project: stenciled jeans

the jeans: i chose a pair of clearance mens faded skinny jeans with a slight drop-crotch for $10 that fit great, amazing!

 

the supplies and prep-work:

supplies: 

•  fabric paints
• doilies (cut out center) & large flower print (cut out each flower to use as a stencil)
• dishwashing sponges (cut into six squares)

cutting to fit: i made sure to try on the pants with a pair of heels to ensure they were cropped to the correct spot. tip: always give a smidge extra of length since this will fray after the first use.

fraying: we used heel-smoothers and wood board to gently fray the jean edges, the fraying will continue to occur over continuous use.

 

in progress:

the most challenging part, which i neglected to take pictures of, is the light paint application to the stencils to ensure the full flower/doily is seen. i used the cream and gold paint and layered the outline and inline of the flower stencil. my sister used the doilies and flowers in red on a pair of daisy dukes, another great look...

the end product:

 

great right?!?

any questions, let me know!

xxo, dany

.wall, washington and 13th.

wise words from the city.

xxo, dany

.hamptons x instagram.

a few photos from a very relaxing weekend. love summer weekends on the east coast.

xxo, dany

.poleci & doo.ri sample sale x me.

ok, so i went a bit overboard with the poleci and doo.ri sample sale this week. thankfully, j.r., a fantastically amazing sales rep, calmed nerves and helped my sisters and i dream up all of the pieces chosen. below are a few (er, yes, not all) of the pieces i picked up. left to right (ultra-light gray tank, orange silk shorts, ultra-light navy tank, gray trouser skirt (high slit, so great), sheer black button up, disco drape black skirt). summer and fall are looking UP!

xxo, dany

.KLU interwined with southhampton.

i love KLU's editorial below, it reminds me very much of my style inside of my sister's english cottage, where i'm relaxing this weekend. fitting yes? i think so.

xxo, dany

.a stroll to the met.

one goal this week was visit ellsworth kelly's exhibit at the met showcasing his extraordinary plant sketches. as luck would have it, we walked past several unexpected treats on the way. again, great things seem to when you commit a full day to the experience.

oh! and i tried my first macaroon, and they're my new favorite sweet.

more on the actual met visit to come...

xxo, dany

.landed.

tuesday night, 8:57 pm. welcome sign at jfk.

xxo, dany