One thing I can tell you, I hate maternity clothes.

Maybe I would like them if I took a traveled in time to 2005, but for the most part that’s impossible. Getting ready for 400 fashion bloggers can be a nightmare when everything fits wonky, and maternity clothes aren’t my jam. However, I figured to invest in a few good dresses and headed down to Pea in The Pod. Luckily they had a beautiful Ksenia dress by BCBG (which also comes in regular size.. or maybe works as both?), that I would want to wear regardless, especially paired with a white motorcycle jacket. With beautiful pleats, pretty colors it is very springy, and of course being February, I’m already ready for spring fever.

Gigi New York was giving bags to the VIPs at the IFB Conference, and luckily there was one the same color as my dress! It’s perfect for those of us who love tiny bags and clutches.

Another thing I found difficult was finding a pair of cute flats. I can’t walk in heels anymore, especially if I’m on my feet all day. Luckily Topshop had a cute pair of shoes, that again, would be perfect for spring.

Photos by Dustin Fenstermacher

Instead of handing out descriptions Jonathan Simkhai had his moodboard for his presentation handed out. Black and white photocopies of old photos of The Specials, a ska band from 1970′s London. As someone who loved ska music back in high school, and loved photo copied ‘zines, this show might be a revitalizing treat or a cringe-worthy trip down memory lane. As I turned the corner, it turned out a revitalizing treat. The checker motif repurposed with multi-colored tribal patterns, color blocked bomber jackets, and mod-inspired clean-cut-but-edgy silhouettes. It was a mashup that only could be inspired by ska music which is probably one of the first mashup genres of alternative pop music. Well done.

Before leaving for the show, I was trying to get dressed in a way that looked chic enough for fashion week, warm enough for post-blizzard temperatures, and somehow flattering enough with my transforming body. It occurred to me that transforming my wardrobe is now an everyday thing, as I rolled up a fur vest that no longer fit so I could wear it as a collar.

Perhaps that’s the tone I was feeling going into the show, as the models walked down the runway at Alexandre Herchovitch, the use of transforming upside-down tops into peplums. Clothes change their meaning when repurposed, here the upside-down peplums had an undressed quality, described by the designer “erotic feeling when the clothing, similar to the petals of flowers, fall from the body revealing lingerie-inspired pieces.” Crisp yet disheveled, undressed, and dressed up. I liked the semantics of the collection, which felt more like dissecting a piece of art rather than looking at a collection of things to wear next season. Who knows, I’ve been known to wear clothes upside down, so perhaps it’ll inspire my fall wardrobe this year.

Hi there, I’m sitting here getting everything ready for the IFB Conference tomorrow, and yes, it’s been a while. I’m sorry. A lot of things have been going on, as you all know, I’ve been spending all my time working on IFB, but also last fall, I found out I was having a baby. Which is great, because being 38 and all, and one of the last of my friends (who want children) to take the plunge, it was a happy moment. But I didn’t want to share, because I had a miscarriage, one over the summer, which was heartbreaking, and I didn’t feel comfortable talking about it. In a way still don’t, but it’s part of the reason why it was hard to balance the blogs. But this baby, seems to be doing well so far, I’m 21 weeks. and having a boy! Over the fall, I was tired, bloated, and working on IFB, so it really didn’t leave a lot of time to take photos and blog. One day I’ll learn balance.

Anyway, the IFB Conference is almost here, it’s always exciting that 400 bloggers are getting together just before fashion week, and while it’s a challenge season after season, I’m thrilled to see everyone. Another thing that’s always fun to do right before the conference, and before fashion week is to shop and get everything together. Last season, I picked up quite a few things from the new Piperlime store in Soho, which were some of my favorite pieces, until my clothes didn’t fit anymore. This season, they’ve partnered with me to show what I would wear getting ready for fashion week. Last night I did some last minute shopping, and because maternity clothes basically suck, I found some amazing pieces that would fit someone 5 months pregnant, because I don’t one of those cute pregnant bumps, it’s more like my boobs doubled in size…and yeah… but anyway. It was great to find some cool clothes to wear, the shift dress by Tibi, is classic, has a great amount of stretch, goes with pretty much anything, and the coat by Maison Scotch has a great fit in the shoulders, which for an oversize blazer coat, is perfect. I also have a habit of buying leopard print shoes, which these NineWest booties really have a great heel height, as this is as high as I can go in my current state.

For all of you going to the IFB  Conference, I really look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow!

Photos by Taylor Davies!

There are three major things you can do for your skin to keep it looking fresh. Cleanse, moisturize and exfoliate. I’ve been a fan of exfoliation since my teens, it’s the quickest get rid of those dead skin cells. However, many exfoliators can be quite harsh, and even damage your skin. I learned this during a facial, when I went in for microdermabrasion and the aesthetician recommended a lactic acid peel instead because I had a few broken capillaries. This opened the eyes to the whole world of peels. While doing peels at home is not recommended unless you know what you are doing, there are some home treatments you can do that are safe, easy and very effective.

Recently, I’ve been trying out peel pads, there are a few on the market, at first I tried Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Extra Strength Alpha Beta Peel which at $85 is cheaper than a facial, but still steep, and with a 2-step process, it can get complicated, but the results were wonderful. I loved how the peel pads made my skin feel.

When the Dr. Dennis Gross peel pads ran out, and not wanting to shell out another $85, I tried the Peter Thomas Roth ‘Un-Wrinkle’ Peel Pads at $45, it was nearly half the cost, and with 60 pads, they wold last twice as long. The Un-Wrinkle Pads contains 20% proprietary complex of alpha, beta and gamma exfoliators (including glycolic, salicylic, lactic and linoleic acids) and amino acids, which are the building blocks of peptides. I really wish I knew what all of that meant, but in reality, I could tell from using them for a few weeks that my skin softened up significantly. I didn’t notice any “un-wrinkling” but I did like the direction the texture of my skin was going. My teens and 20′s were plagued by pimples, and once that cleared up, my skin shows the aftermath of that with enlarged pores. The pads don’t erase the pores, but they do make them less of a nuisance.

How to use the Un-Wrinkle Peel Pads:

They’re relatively simple to use, after washing your face, take a pad out of the jar and gently apply to face and neck. Let it stand for up to 3 minutes, then rinse with water. I have found that you really have to rinse well, maybe even do a light second wash because the product is a bit sticky when it dries. I find the best time to use this is at night, because you can wash your face, apply the pads, brush your teeth, and then rinse it off.  If you have dry skin, use 1-2 times, normal skin 3 times a week, and oily skin you can use daily.

In end, I found the peel pads to be an excellent way to exfoliate without irritating my sensitive skin, and definitely a part of my skin care regime.

What do you use to exfoliate?

It’s officially sweater season. I keep collecting sweaters that all have a very similar theme, slightly oversized, chunky, and super cozy. There is something very comforting about snuggling up with a chunky sweater, and when the weather starts cooling down it’s time to get the most out of snuggling up.

Personally, I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with chunky knits, I love them because they feel good to wear, but often, with my figure find that it’s way too easy to go down the frumpy lane. Often times what I’ll do to battle the frump, is to mix it up with different textures and layers. Here I’m wearing a Massimo Dutti sweater gifted from the US site launch. The texture of the knit and the relaxed fit which could work well for the weekends, or dressed up with an edgier pair of leather pants. Here I’ve gone with a more casual look with an army jacket, suede skirt, knit tights and my trusty pair of booties. Mixing the textures gives the outfit a bit more character, and even if it does lean towards the more cozy side.

Wearing: Sweater: Massimo Dutti sweater* • Army Jacket: Zara • Tights: Uniqlo: Knit Beret: Eugenia Kim • Bag: 3.1 Phillip Lim* • Shoes: Rachel Comey • Sunglasses: Stella McCartney

Items with an * are a gift. Photos by Amanda  Boyce.

When I buy a pair of shoes, there are two requirements:

1. They have to be comfortable enough to handle 5 flights of stairs and at least 5 blocks of continuous walking
2. They have to look good

These two requirements are harder to meet than you’d think. Sure, it’s possible to carry an extra pair heels in a bag, but I don’t like doing that. It’s rather embarrassing switching shoes on a street corner or a vacant doorway. Flats could be an option, but they just don’t add that bit of sophistication as a pair of heels. Surprisingly enough, a little heel can go a long way. More often than not, it’s more the toe box that makes a pair of shoes frumpy, not the heel height. Here I’ve put together a list of all the shoes that could meet my two requirements. I’ve tried on most of these shoes personally, and own a few pairs. Most of the time anything under 3.5″ will be bearable for a full day’s wear, even if you do have to walk a lot.

1. Loeffler Randal Tasmin Studded Pumps $395 *
2.  Steven Fearles Cap Toe Pumps $149.00
3. Nine West Adriana $89*
4. J.Crew Everly cap toe wool pumps $298  *
5. Jean-Michel Cazabat Saga Wedge Pumps $235.00
6. 3.1 Phillip Lim Ava d’Orsay Pumps $450.00*
7. J.Crew Valentina patent pumps $238 **
8. Yves Saint Laurent Clara 55 Pump $600**
9. Kate Spade New York ‘Dijon’ Pump $298 *
10. Tabitha Simmons Pixie Satin Pumps $697 *
11. Valentino Patent Leather and Studded Leather Slingback Pumps $945 *
12. Anne Klein – Zya (Black/Pewter Glitter)  $79

Which shoes are on your wish list?

The “smokey eye” is the most sultry of makeup looks. Along with red lipstick it’s a classic. The problem is unlike red lipstick, it’s hard to wear the smokey eye during the day, without looking like you’re still wearing makeup from the night before. There are ways to tone it down, so you still have that smudgy, somewhat tousled appeal, yet fresh enough to wear during the day. Not to mention, it’s a lot easier than you think!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Eye Shadow: I’ve been using BareMinerals READY Eyeshadow 8.0, from the IFB Conference VIP gift bags. It’s probably the most versatile pallete I’ve ever had.
• Concealer: The NARS Concealer is great, I really like how it’s easy to put on. And basically, it’s sole purpose in my makeup drawer is for the corners of my eyes, which tend to get dark.
• Eye Shadow Brush & Dome Brush, these two brushes are indispensable!
• Mascara: After hearing so much about DiorShow, I’ve decided to give it a try. It’s a great mascara.
• BROWN Eye liner: Brown liner is more subtle than black. Sephora has a great waterproof kohl liner for $9, which has a great consistency and goes on nicely.

Step One: Apply a light color eyeshadow to the inner corners of your eyes.

I would recommend a nude color similar to your complexion. I also usually apply concealer in the corners of my eyes to make sure it’s bright.

Step Two: Apply your “base color” to your top lids and your lower lid.

For some reason I’m a big fan of block colors with eyeshadow. Here is no exception. In this case, I’m using a gold eyeshadow which adds a glimmer of color that is not too different from my natural skin tone. The application process is simple, sweep over the lid top lid with the eyeshadow, then repeat the process on the lower lid. Be careful on the lower lid to only apply on the outer edge of your eyes.

Step Three: Using a dome brush, apply a dark brown eyeshadow to your eyes as if it were an eyeliner.

I generally sweep the outer corners of my eyes with the dome brush. It give the smudgy look without being too severe.

Step 4 & 5: Apply brown eyeliner to the waterline of your eyes, and apply mascara

Some people don’t like applying eyeliner to the waterline, so you can just apply to the lash line. I’ve stayed away from wearing eyeliner beneath my eyes, not because I don’t like the look, but because I felt they closed up my eyes too much. What I didn’t realize is you don’t have to use a pencil on the top and the bottom. For me,  it’s best to chose either between the top lid or the bottom lid, but never both. It’s amazing how that will open the look of your eyes.

And wella! You have daytime smokey eyes!

What is your favorite way to wear makeup during the day?

For a long time I’ve been trying to figure out what my “style” was. I’m not a badass, that’s for sure. I’m also not buttoned up and proper. One day while figuring out what I liked, it dawned on me that it lies somewhere between edgy and preppy. While it’s a trend that’s floating around it’s a nice place to be, because sometimes it’s good to be a lady, and sometimes it’s necessary to be a bit rock and roll.

These are my favorite black pumps. I finally bit the bullet and invested in a proper pair of high quality pumps. It was hard to find because a lot of heels these days are super high, and finding a good 3″ pump that isn’t totally frumpy is difficult. I highly recommend Yves Saint Laurent for this. These ones have been great and easy to wear all day.

Wearing: Jacket: Zara • Blouse: Aritzia • Jeans: Rag & Bone • Shoes: Yves Saint Laurent Bag: 3.1 Phillip Lim*

Items with an * are a gift. Photos by Amanda Boyce.

I love tweed. The texture, the warmth, the feeling of being proper when you wear it. It’s such a rich fabric. When fall rolls around my favorite thing to do when it gets cold enough is to break out the tweed.

Here I’m wearing 3.1 Phillip Lim trousers I bought for the IFB Conference. It was way too hot to wear tweed back in September, so it’s nice to be able to get some wears now it’s colder out. I love the yellow ochre which adds a bit of color to an outfit, especially since I like to cozy up in cashmere, the J.Crew Tippi sweater is a good pick, I sized up so it’s super cozy. Of course baggy trousers and a chubby sweater can be a bit frumpy so I spiced it up with a bold necklace, colorblocked ankle boots, and and a Zara jacket worn like a cape. It really edges it up, but I’m still comfy and cozy.

Wearing: Trousers: 3.1 Phillip Lim• Sweater: J.Crew  • Jacket: Zara  • Necklace: Karla Deras for Roman Luxe* • Sunglasses: Stella McCartney • Booties: Rachel Comey • Socks: Aldo • Bag: 3.1 Phillip Lim*

Items with an * are a gift. Photos by Taylor Davies.