Mighty Closet: Margaret Stewart, Outfit No. 8
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Are you seeing this, Internet? This is Margaret Stewart prevailing. Right after we took these photos, she performed a brief tap number.

It would never even occur to me to purchase that vest, let alone tie it jauntily and pair it with wide-leg trousers. Also, wouldn’t it make a great maternity piece? It would. Vest is by Splendid, and the open front knit cardigan seems to be a signature piece for that brand. Trousers are from H&M.

Two-tone shoes are by Greater LA.

The necklace/collar is handmade by an artist in Buenos Aires. Margaret bought it on the street a couple years ago. You’re already plotting how to make one for yourself, aren’t you? Me too.
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Mighty Closet: Margaret Stewart, Outfit No. 7

We took these last summer, so of course there was a romper involved. This one is from H&M. Man, rompers are really representing on Mighty Girl of late.



The side view on these kills me. Again, I think I need more interesting shoes. I lost my notes on where these came from — Margaret, let us know in comments if you remember.

This brooch was a birthday gift from me, and it’s becoming my sisterhood pin. Everyone I love gets one whenever there’s cause for celebration. It’s by Elefante è Vida, whose shop I’m always loathe to share, but Margaret has forced my hand. I would shake my fist at her, but I’m too flattered by her sweetness in wearing it. Aww, Stewart.
Mighty Closet: Margaret Stewart, Outfit No. 6
You may remember my friend Margaret from the Mighty Closet I did with her a few months ago. Ms. Stewart is one of my inspirations when I get dressed — she has a great eye and such a sense of fun — so when I took her photos, we did two sets. Here’s round two:

I covet this skirt. It’s so versatile and swishy.
When Margaret tried on this outfit, she wasn’t sure about the puffy Diane von Furstenberg shirt. She often pairs this skirt with a fitted black T-shirt. I felt like it depended on what she was going for; Margaret said she wasn’t sure she wanted to go for Eva Peron:

But come on. She rocks this.
The skirt is Marimekko for H&M, and it has me convinced that long skirts and T-shirts are the perfect San Francisco uniform. As User Experience Manager for You Tube, Margaret needs a lot of day to evening looks that don’t seem strange when the tech guys are still wearing sneakers at cocktail hour. Separates are the perfect option if you need to look presentable, but not overly fussy.

This antique ring is a tiny frog resting on a lilly pad. Margaret’s little girls are already fighting for ring rights.

Her versatile pointy-toe pumps are BP from Nordstrom. You may recognize them from my site banner.

The lacquer Bean Pendant is Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co. The hair is from God.
Mighty Closet: Mai Le, Outfit 5
Whoops. Future posting snafu — sorry if you were looking for this on Friday. Now without further ado:

Ka-POW! That that, little black dresses.
This is Mai’s cocktail dress, the kind of thing she’d wear as a wedding guest. It’s a Diane von Furstenberg column dress, which she picked up at a vintage store on Divisadero.

Her shoes are certifiable. They’re by Walter Steigler, and I’m still trying to figure out the physics involved. The downside is the pain, the upside is that Mai never has to carry around a compact when she wants to check her lipstick.

Mai looks so badass in this picture. We should have posed her with a baseball bat beating down an intruder. Hindsight.
Anyway, it’s cold at night in San Francisco, so every dress needs a layering piece. This denim jacket is Junya Watanabe for Comme des Garcons.


The jacket has so much detail, stitch patterns, shoulder slits, but the printed lining is particularly fun. Mai’s Caveman hammered ring from is from Fancy Jewels, and her square ring is from a trip to Mexico City.

Another piece that’s even cooler from behind. Mai is the master of walking away from you.

She picked up this two-finger ring in Bangkok. It’s the kind of accessory that elevates the most boring outfit. Not that Mai has ever had that problem.

Thanks for letting us into your closet Mai! You have me thinking very differently about shoes, my friend.
Mighty Closet: Mai Le, Outfit 4

This is secretarial Mai and her trusty steed, a 1978 Raleigh Rampar 3-speed. The blouse is vintage, and this is an outfit Mai would wear to deliver her sandwiches — one of which I happen to be eating as I type this:

It is delicious.

So many of Mai’s outfits have unexpected pockets, it’s tempting me to sew pockets into all my skirts. (More pockets in women’s clothing, designers! I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but girls totally have hands.) Mai’s skirt is by Feral Childe an Oakland/Brooklyn label. It’s from this Spring’s Yosemite Collection.

The day-glo shoes are a bit of a DIY project. They’re by Again and Again, but Mai cleaned them up and painted them. Why has it never occurred to me to try this? Tights are by We Love Colors.

Vintage gold clutch with room for a hundred dollar bill, and a lipstick. And a cellphone and an extra pair of tights.

Here’s a detail shot of Mai’s dreamy headband with a little girl gazing up at an airplane. It’s the Cloud 9 gold headband by YellowGoat. Works particularly well against Mai’s dark hair, I think.

Tomorrow, we wrap up Mai’s closet feature with her cocktail look. Her shoes will end you, people.
Mighty Closet: Mai Le, Outfit 3

Here’s what Mai wears out to hear live music — a short skirt because she knows she won’t be sitting much anyway, and extra comfy shoes for the same reason.

Her V-neck sweater is Comme des Garcons for Play. It comes with the creepy little heart.

I’m pretty covetous of Mai’s pink sequin skirt, though I doubt I’d get the use out of it she does. For example, I’d wear it on New Year’s Eve; she wears it grocery shopping.

Who makes a sequin skirt with pockets? F. House, a Ho Chi Minh City-based designer — Mai spent several months in Vietnam recently. The skirt is a sample that never went into production.

Mai’s shoes are by Ann Demeulemeester. Great for travel, and for round about the cauldron goings on.

And again, a little something happening at the heel.

Her bag is also Comme des Garcons. It’s a Beach Ball Handbag and has big leather knots on either side.

Mai did her hair in about fifteen seconds by rolling it up from the bottom and securing with bobby pins. I don’t know why more women don’t use bobby pins anymore. They make it so easy to pull your hair back in an interesting way.

Mai loves to jump in photos. She’s an instigator of jumping photos too. Tomorrow, join us for Mai’s Secretary About Town look.
Mighty Closet: Mai Le, Outfit 2

This is Mai looking suspicious in what she describes as her first date outfit — first dates put me in a dubious frame of mind as well, my friend.

Her versatile gray jacket with red detailing is by Grey Ant, which is based in L.A.

The purple tights are by We Love Colors, and her black platform wedges are from Loeffler Randall’s Summer ’07 collection. Shoes that offer a compelling view as you walk away are the best kinds of shoes.

Cute right? This view is undoubtedly wasted on Mai’s dates, however. In my experience, very few guys are looking at your shoes as you walk away, even if you’re wearing wooden wedges topped with a metallic insole.

This is Mai humoring my request for a cheesy ’80s pose in celebration of her vintage Laura Ashley dress. It’s violet jacquard with a drastically shortened hemline and big ol’ sleeves. Mai favors volume or detailing in her sleeves, and if you ask her opinion while thrift shopping “great sleeves” is her highest praise.

The vintage belt is part of Mai’s signature Superhero Prom Queen chic. Every time I see her, I kick myself for not wearing more belts.

As you can see, Mai’s style is refreshingly eccentric. I don’t know anyone else who dresses like her, so I find her pretty inspiring. We were at a bachelorette party in Vegas a few years ago, and she wore a full-on ’80s prom dress out clubbing — massive sleeves, zero irony. Knowing Mai will be in a crowd of friends means I can wear something outrageous without worrying that I’ll be alone in my exuberance.







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