Tag: fashion

Packing Light: Laura Mayes, Headbands

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Yesterday’s cute headband was hardly the only one in Laura’s travel arsenal — this one is from Urban Outfitters. There’s something so Texan about all of her hair accoutrements; I kept expecting her to clip on a fake ponytail for fullness, or pull a wig out of her duffel bag. Then again, I’m the one who packed set of hot rollers for a beach vacation.

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Her dress is White House Black Market and I love the full skirt. So comfortable when you’re traveling.

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Also well suited to impromptu musical numbers. Do you get the impression that Laura has never worn a sweatsuit in her life?

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Her houndstooth heels are vintage, and are clearly a commitment to cuteness.

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Another simple sundress, this time from Target.

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Her scarf is also from Target, though her shoes are Gucci:

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When I was asking Laura about her clothing brands, I said, “Do you realize all of your stuff is either Prada and Gucci or Target and TJ Maxx?”

“That’s so me,” she said.

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Packing Light: Laura Mayes, Accessories

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This photo makes me so happy. It’s the quintessential traveling-with-the-girls shot.

Anyway, here’s an example of how some very slight changes in accessories help you stretch your travel wardrobe. You can dress for a day of sightseeing, and then just make a few changes for dinner without packing a separate outfit. Laura’s Gap flats and her black sundress from Urban Outfitters both pack down to almost nothing.

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My lord, I love this hat from Urban Outfitters. I want to see her toss it jauntily in the air Mary Tyler Moore style. Laura Mayes, you’re gonna make it after all.

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Laura’s oversized vintage locket is from Uncommon Objects in Austin. She’s the only person I know who has actual photos in her locket. This makes me feel that she can be trusted. Laura would never read your diaries while she’s house sitting.

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Here Laura swapped the sunglasses and hat for a felt headband from Saks and a pair of shell earrings from Claire’s. The effect is slightly dressier, and now we can head out to share a bottle of wine. Let’s do.

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Packing Light: Laura Mayes, Outfit 2

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Laura called this vacation her “planes, trains, and automobiles trip” because every mode of transportation was involved — including boats — and all of us dragged our suitcases along. Laura usually packs by stuffing a massive suitcase with anything at hand and then crossing her fingers. But with so many location changes she knew the steamer trunk would grow tiresome, so she made it a goal not to check her bag.

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Packing light for Greece was a particular challenge because she had a few days of business meetings in New York tacked on the end. I unfortunately didn’t get shots of her NYC outfits, but she managed to fit everything into a carryon by heeding my advice to pack all dresses and items that can do double duty. This is Laura’s swimsuit coverup, which doubles as a dress for daywear.

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Update: Laura said in comments, “Also, the dress/cover up was purchased from a street vendor in Cozumel. For about $4. I know. I hate my own guts.”

Tomorrow, one dress done two different ways.

Packing Light: Laura Mayes, Outfit 1

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Speaking of The Industrious Laura Mayes, I took some photos of her outfits while I was in Greece so we’d have another perspective for the Packing Light series. Laura is an Emmy-winning writer, editor of the new Kirsty book, and fellow Broad Summit organizer. I love having her around, because even when she’s tired or having a rough time, she still seems joyful.

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See what I mean?

Laura’s earrings are from Target, and she stole the flower from a bush on the hotel grounds. I was scandalized.

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Laura also dressed up her ponytail by covering the band with a bit of hair. In case that seems like a Houdini-style achievement to you, here’s a quick how-to:

-Pull your hair into a ponytail like usual,
-take a piece of hair from your ponytail and wrap it around the rubber band until the end is on the underside of your ponytail,
-secure that bit of hair beneath the band with two bobby pins crossed over one another in an X shape. Note: You’ll want to tuck the bobby pins into your hair as you pin so they don’t show.

And voila.

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Laura got her dress at a vintage shop in Houston, and her sunglasses are Prada. Laura can have Prada sunglasses because she apparently doesn’t lose them every time she wears them like I do.

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This yellow cuff is from a New York boutique, and Laura keeps it in heavy rotation.

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Her patent red ballet flats are Gucci. Laura is another friend who tends to be serious about her shoes. I personally think it’s dangerous to wear “there’s no place like home” shoes when you’re vacationing in Greece, but Laura lives on the edge.

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For the record, this is how Laura responds when you’ve been barking orders at her as you photograph and then you say, “Now, dance, monkey! Dance!” She takes direction well.

Tomorrow we’ll discuss Laura’s Mighty-inspired packing strategy.

Mighty Closet: Mai Le, Outfit 5

Whoops. Future posting snafu — sorry if you were looking for this on Friday. Now without further ado:

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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Thanks for letting us into your closet Mai! You have me thinking very differently about shoes, my friend.

Mighty Closet: Mai Le, Outfit 4

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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:

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It is delicious.

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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Tomorrow, we wrap up Mai’s closet feature with her cocktail look. Her shoes will end you, people.

Mighty Closet: Mai Le, Outfit 3

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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

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And again, a little something happening at the heel.

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

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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.

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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

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Mighty Closet: Mai Le, Outfit 1

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At last, a new Mighty Closet! Did you think the day would ever come?

This is my very fun, multi-tasking friend Mai Le, who blogs about street style over at Fashioni.st. (The Masons have been featured on Fashioni.st a few times over the years, and now it’s Mai’s turn in front of the camera.) In addition to blogging, Mai is an artist who makes excellent plushies, and her interest in the emerging San Francisco street food scene led her to launch banh mai, a Vietnamese sandwich delivery service. She is the best dressed sandwich maker on record.

The Wild Oats denim jumpsuit she’s rocking above was only $5 at the Alameda Flea Market, and this outfit is the kind of thing she’d wear to make and deliver sandwiches.

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These are three stacked vintage belts, two leather and one twine. You never know when a jumpsuit might fall down.

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Mai’s squared off rings are both from Oakland Museum of California annual White Elephant Sale, which is legendary. Her Mary ring is so Gillmore Girls.

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The Rodarte-inspired fishnets are from Etsy, and as you can see, Mai is very serious about her shoes. These are Martin Margiela nail heel booties. I’m not totally sure about the mechanics of walking in them, but the nail is an accurate representation of how I feel about stilettos.

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A view from the back gets you a better look at that heel. Here’s a pump from the same season, and the over-knee version.

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Mai’s eyeliner is Nars kitty and her lipliner is Nars dragon girl.

Tune in tomorrow for her first-date outfit. Actionwear!