In Spades

Style... in abundance

Fashcap

FashCap1When In Spades first started I began a series called Fashcap as a way to share new, noteworthy and inspiring stories in the fashion world. As I celebrate my second year of blogging, I’m feeling a sense of renewed energy and inspiration for things I want to tackle in my third year, so each Friday I’ll be resurrecting Fashcap as a way to share the things I’m currently swooning over.

1) I’ve had these Zara mules on the brain for months now and keep awaiting the day they come back in stock in my size. At $119 they’re stylish, comfortable and the perfect staple to have in your spring/summer wardrobe.

2) If you follow me on Instagram, you know I attended Create + Cultivate Los Angeles last weekend. Besides being a super inspiring day of fresh, educational content, it was an amazing networking opportunity. Pictured here with my dear friend Kara of Kara Loves Coco, we discovered a new beauty line called H20+ Beauty.  Stay tuned for a review of their products coming to the blog!

3) A lover of elegant staples, I was thrilled to find Dresshirt, a company that creates silk button-ups with a customized message on the back. Now the question is, what message should I choose?

4) I’ve been a huge fan of Alber Elbaz for an eternity and now that he’s on Instagram, I’m more enamored than ever of his creative and kooky spirit.

5) Quirky accessories are totally up my alley.  These translucent TikTak clutches from Urania Gazelli are whimical and oh-so-fun.  What’s not to love?!

Photos courtesy of Zara, Create + Cultivate, Dresshirt, Alber Elbaz and Moda Operandi/Urania Gazelli.

Pop Art

Yigal2a Yigal6a Yigal8 Yigal5 Yigal7 Yigal10 Yigal1 Yigal4b Yigal3a Yigal11 Back in March, I had the rare and wonderful opportunity to meet Yigal Azrouel at a trunk show benefitting Miracle Babies. He is as charming and passionate about fashion as you would imagine, and I had a blast playing dress-up in his SS16 and resort collections (not to mention the sample pieces he brought from New York from his yet-to-be released FW16 collection).

I immediately gravitated towards this pop art print dress. I’m quite picky when it comes to prints, but this presented the perfect balance between understated elegance and whimsy. The scuba material is super flattering and kind of irreverent at the same time, which made me fall in love even more.

As with most of the items in my wardrobe, this dress carries with it a special story. I’m a firm believer in wearing pieces that not only make you feel good on the outside, but also spark something magical on the inside. I love that Yigal himself helped me pick it out. One day when I can no longer wear it and have to pass it on to someone else, the story of its origin will continue.

Yigal Azrouel dress // Maje leather jacket (sold out, similar here) // 
Prada sandals (sold out, similar here)

Year Two

YearTwo2 I’m feeling super excited and nostalgic because today is the 2 year anniversary of In Spades!

I remember reflecting on my first blog anniversary and feeling so bright eyed and appreciative of every opportunity and new friendship that had come my way because of the blog. In year two, that same appreciation only runs deeper. The difference is the lens in which I see my world. While I am by no means a veteran, there is a special confidence that comes from another year of experience. The comfortable feeling of knowing that this is what I’m supposed to be doing and the future is open for me to mold.
When you find your tribe, everything changes. I treasure this feeling of community. The encouragement of my blogger friends from across the country. Becoming a regular at New York Fashion Week; witnessing the culmination of 50 years of fashion and discovering new designers that immediately stole my heart. The relationships I’ve built with brands I love and am inspired by. Being featured as a stylist, art director and influencer on dynamic projects.
As our creativity grows and transforms I think it’s important to remember we all start from scratch. I remember starting my blog in the fall of 2013 and telling no one about it because I felt embarrassed. And look at all of the wonderful things that have come out of something I was initially ashamed of! If there’s one message I can impart on anyone thinking of starting a creative project, it’s just do it. It’s really that simple. Begin. Take a note from Ira. He always fires me up.
Here’s to Year Two!
A big thank you to all my readers, peers, friends and family for your continued love and support. It means more to me than you’ll ever know.

“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.”
– Ira Glass

The Aùma Effect

Auma7a Auma8a Auma9a Auma6 Auma4 Auma1 Auma13 Auma12b Auma11a Auma10 When I first started covering New York Fashion Week I discovered a line from Norway that immediately caught my attention. Aùma presented clean lines, precise tailoring and a beautiful blurring of masculine and feminine silhouettes. I was hooked from the very first look.

In the seasons since, I have only grown more enamored with Aùma. With a propensity for structured volume and texture, they achieve what every fashionista hopes to attain – a signature look that is anything but boxed in. As someone who veers away from being categorized, I appreciate the freedom of expression Aùma grants the wearer. They create clothing with a clear, but experimental vision. One that harmonizes with the life and spirit of the wearer.

This printed skirt with delicate overlay has become a spring staple. I’ve paired it with a chambray button-up for a more casual look, a men’s oversized dress shirt when I’m feeling edgy, and a sharp shouldered wrap blazer when I want to command attention. It works with everything. Harmonious. And that’s what intelligent fashion is all about.

Auma skirt (c/o) // Club Monaco top (on sale for $29) similar style here // 
Zara shoes (sold out, similar here) // Forever 21 necklace (sold out, similar here, here and here) // Janessa Leone Mica hat

10 Gallon Jeans

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By now you know my love for volume and texture runs deep.  Thankfully culottes, flares and other wide leg pants have been making a serious comeback for the past couple of seasons.  While skinny jeans still have a place in my wardrobe, there’s something very eclectic about a pair of pants that make most people do a double take.

I know these pants are a big stretch for most.  But their 70s vibe of Farrah Fawcett on a skateboard really make me smile.  They remind me of summer days as a kid where my only objective was to “have a Coke and a smile.”  I love their old school vibe and the fact that they can be worn with just about any type of shoe or top.  Personal style should be about dressing for yourself and what makes you feel good, not someone else.

So, I encourage you to find your “crazy pants” equivalent and go for it.  Do you.  Not what you think someone else would do.


Guess top (old, similar here and here) // Rachel Comey Legion Jeans (more affordable here and here) // Stuart Weitzman Nudist sandals // 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Sunglasses (old, similar here and here)