Promptly Put Together

Every time I come across a picture of Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr off the job, I'm put to shame. While my casual wear is all-too-often a sweatpants/sweater combo, she consistently looks composed, fresh-faced, and classy, even when strolling into the airport. Sure, she's a supermodel and has a figure that looks good in everything (and the money to buy everything), but her ensembles are actually quite uncomplicated and easy to put together. 

I'm guessing that this is her secret: with a busy schedule traveling, working (especially these past couple months with the spring shows), and being a mom, she sticks to several basics like easy t-shirts, well-fitting jeans, versatile boots, and structured bags; then she adds on fun accessories at her whim. This way, her outfits are really already planned but never boring, very methodical yet seemingly effortless. I've broken down her dressing technique in terms of timeless essentials and trendier add-ons in hopes of maybe looking a bit less disheveled--even if I'm only walking to the grocery store. You're welcome, passersby.

START WITH...

1. Bowling Bag with Luggage Tag, $72, topshop.com// 2. UO Cateye Sunglasses, $14, urbanoutfitters.com// 3. Aerie Sunkissed T, $19.50, aerie.com// 4. Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick in Legendary, $19, sephora.com// 5. MOTO Indigo Leigh Skinny Jeans, $76, topshop.com// 6. ASOS Leather Look Skinny Pants with Panel Detail, $53.72, asos.com// 7. SE Boutique Ake Wedge Bootie, $99.95, dsw.com// 8. J.Crew Painter Striped Cotton Top, $43, net-a-porter.com

ADD: Red Heels

ADD: A Chic Patterned Coat

ADD: A Leather Skirt

ADD: A Tote and a Biker Jacket

ADD: Suede Boots and a Fuzzy Sweater


Images via instyle.com

xo Heidi

[PRESS PLAY: "Set the Fire to the Third Bar" by Snow Patrol & Martha Wainwright. Available on iTunes.] 

Obsessing Over...

...the new trailer for On the Road

Although I mainly write about style, one of my other passions is books. I've always been a fan of English class, and I love how much you can learn from a piece of literature, especially after dissecting and discussing it; you end up seeing things you didn't think were in the text before. And when I really connect with a story and its characters, the book takes a hold of me just the way a great movie does. I've found just that with Jack Kerouac's On the Road, the 1957 all-American tale of the Beat generation, sex, drugs, adventure, and self-discovery. 

I finished reading it about a month ago, so when I came across the trailer for the novel's film adaptation, I couldn't have been more thrilled. Although I'm a firm believer that the movie version is never as good as the book (though this past year's The Help was the best book-to-big-screen movie I've ever seen), I love seeing printed stories come to life on screen, and this time is no exception. With Francis Ford Coppola as a producer and big names like Garrett Hedlund, Amy Adams, Viggo Mortensen, and Kirsten Dunst in the lead roles, I have high hopes that this movie will do Kerouac proud. 

xo Heidi 

Get Ready for the Drop

[Prada's retro spring looks were completed with cateye shades and ultra-feminine cocktail earrings.]

As I've mentioned before, I truly don't consider myself much of a girlie-girl. I wear a lot of t-shirts and my nails are more often unpainted than painted (I blame laziness). But one sector of femaledom I do heavily indulge in is jewelry. Chunky necklaces, layered bracelets, and mismatched rings overflow my jewelry box right now, but I have the greatest weakness for earrings. From tiny studs to super long tassels to colorful metal pendants, my ears are typically bedecked in any style under the sun. That's why I'm so excited about the comeback of drop earrings (sometimes called cocktail earrings). And this season's take on them is still undeniably ladylike but a bit ballsier, very I-drink-tea-with-my-breakfast-but-can-do-a-kegstand-as-well. Or maybe that's just how I see them.

Left-Right from Top Row: Imperial Ice Drops, $24, baublebar.com// ASOS Heart and Pearl Drop Earrings, $14.32, asos.com// Sweet Zinnia Chandelier Earrings, $98, katespade.com// MARC BY MARC JACOBS 'Bonkers' Statement Earrings, $78, nordstrom.com// 3D Point Drop Earrings, $20, topshop.com// Dannijo Silver-plated Swarovski Crystal Drop Earrings, $99, theoutnet.com// Dangling Flower Earrings, $4.80, forever21.com

xo Heidi

[PRESS PLAY: "Kiss with a Fist" by Florence + the Machine. Available on iTunes.]

Split Purse-onalities

GOOD HEIDI

1. Marshmallow Puff Clutch, $29.97, charmingcharlie.com// 2. Clarkeye Readers, $14, urbanoutfitters.com// 3. Tazo Decaf Chai Tea, available at grocery stores// 4. L'Oreal Paris Nail Color in Butterfly Kisses, $5.99, available at drugstores// 5. Anthropologie Bow Hair Tie (old)// 6. Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Nail Color in Blue-Away, $4.99, available at drugstores// 7. Candy: Fun Dip and a leftover Christmas candycane.// 8. Revlon Moon Drops Lipstick in Orange Flip, $6.99, available at drugstores// 9. 6-Pack Fruit Earrings, $4.95, hm.com for H&M store locations

Marc Jacobs said it best in this month's InStyle: "Why should you have a look you stick to? Fashion should be bold colors and bright prints one day, and soft pastels and lace the next day. Really--indulge your mood and whims." And I couldn't agree more. While I often feel like throwing on my Sperrys, a t-shirt, and jean shorts, I just as often get a hankering to don my leather skirt or lace-up combat boots. I avoid limiting myself to one style. My signature look? However I'm feeling that day. 

A-LITTLE-LESS-GOOD HEIDI

1. Charming Charlie Metallic Multicolor Clutch (no longer available))// 2. Urban Outfitters Sunglasses (no longer available)// 3. Target Ring (old)//4. Revlon Color Stay Eyeshadow in Sultry Smoke, available at drugstores// 5. Essie Nail Color in Licorice, $4, amazon.com// 6. White Zinny Wine (B-day present from parents)// 7. Revlon Nail Color in Ruby Ribbon, available at drugstores// 8. Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella, $24, sephora.com// 9. Forever 21 Earrings (old)

xo Heidi

P.S. I don't actually carry wine around with me in my purse. It's just such a cute little bottle that I had to feature it somewhere. I swear!

[PRESS PLAY: "Hang Me Up to Dry" by Cold War Kids. Available on iTunes.] 

Bright Eyes

Each season brings about not only fresh looks in fashion but in beauty as well. And with a bland morning routine of brown eyeshadow, mascara, and black liquid liner, I couldn't be more excited about the new eye makeup trends. 

For the fall shows, designers debuted creatively glam eyes; from Stella McCartney's ultraviolet mascara to Anna Sui's bold swipes of liner to Roberto Cavalli's luminescent multi-hued lids, there were looks for every occasion and personality on the catwalks. And I admire how well each eye makeup look complemented its clothing counterpart: McCartney's preppy, pared-down pieces in gray, black, and blue with the indigo mascara, Sui's mismatched rocker-boho style with the graphic eyeliner, and Cavalli's lush and over-the-top ensembles with the different colored shadows. Lucky for us, the cosmetics are a bit more affordable than the actual runway outfits.

STELLA MCCARTNEY'S INDIGO LASHES

The Product:

Golden Rose Perfect Lashes Blue Mascara,

$9.99, amazon.com

ANNA SUI'S COBALT CATEYE

The Product:

MAKE UP FOR EVER Aquarelle in 3 (Bright Blue),

$20, sephora.com

ROBERTO CAVALLI'S PEACOCK EYES

The Products:

SEPHORA COLLECTION Prisma Chrome Eyeshadow in Purple Prisma 40 & Emerald Facet 25,

$15 each, sephora.com

Images via 1, 2, 3, & 4

xo Heidi

Complementary, My Dear Watson

[Apparently while Jessica Alba has been absent from movie-making (um, what was the last film she was in?), she's been learning how to expertly add color to her wardrobe in the most fun way.]

As a Chicago girl, I grew up carefully avoiding pairing the colors blue and orange; they're the official hues of the Bears football team, so wearing the color combo either signified an impending game or a sports spirit day. But spring's fresh juxtaposition of cool aqua and playful orange has me rethinking this hang-up. As recently seen on stars like Jessica Alba and Emmy Rossum, the unlikely collaboration just works, allowing each color to pop to its fullest. But blue and orange are complementary colors (they're across from each other on a basic color wheel) so the collaboration actually makes sense both scientifically and artistically. And sartorially too, since whether you top persimmon pants with a sky blue sweater or just swipe on tangerine lipgloss to flatter your cornflower dress, you're guaranteed to look more like a fashionista on E! than a Bears fangirl on ESPN.

1. Freida Pinto mixes it up in a Marni for H&M dress (bonus: it's only $79.95!)// 2. Gumdrop Studs, $38.00, katespade.com// 3. Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Excite, $24, sephora.com// 4. Lattice Back Crop Vest, $48, topshop.com// 5. Emmy Rossum flaunts her aqua covered shoulders with the help of orangey lipgloss.// 6. Kimchi Blue Envelope Tote, $59, urbanoutfitters.com// 7. Estee Lauder Pure Color Eyeshadow Palette in Blue Dahlia, $45, saks.com// 8. Muted Shade Buttondown, $88, anthropologie.com// 9. Jessica Chastain offsets her copper locks with a watery blue frock.// 10. Poppy Orange Skinny Jean, $44.50, ae.com// 11. Jessica Alba once again exhibits what a color connoisseur she is in a turquoise blazer and orange blouse.// 12. Elizabeth banks glows in a neon Atelier Versace mini. A shade this bright could easily be tempered by adding robin egg's blue heels.// 13. Larysa Platform Sandal, $79, ninewest.com
Photos via retail sites and instyle.com

xo Heidi

Home Sweet (Someday) Home

[My dream location: in a city but surrounded by plenty of homey touches like flowers, candles, and a patio]

All pictures via Pinterest

If there's one thing Pinterest will make you do, it's plan. It'll urge you to start planning a present for a friend, a holiday treat, a drink to mix, a far-off wedding (!), a weekend outfit, and my recent favorite, a future dream home. I'm not quite sure where all the lovely pictures on Pinterest (and furthermore, Tumblr) even come from, but they clearly show that some people out there are living the good life. While I may never end up in a NYC penthouse or a Parisian apartment, I'll decorate wherever I do live (even if it's a suburban townhouse) to be eclectically rustic with obvious touches of glamour. And thanks to Pinterest, I have several ways to do so:

1. Picture Cluttered Walls

2. Bright Doors

3. A Wall of Books

4. Patterned Armchairs

5. Oversized Wooden Dining Table

6. Crazy Wallpaper

7. Exposed Brick

8. And Lots of Chandeliers!

 xo Heidi