studded sandals
Thursday, March 22
I'm still on my embellishment kick, hence these sandals, which are on the subtle side but still statement-making. Wear them with...
1. VPL gathered waist dress, $445, lagarconne.com
2. Karen Walker tortoise shell sunglasses, $250, shopbop.com
3. Madewell leather tote bag, $168, madewell.com
4. Zara studded sandals, $49, zara.com
on the set with coco
Wednesday, March 21
Photography runs deep in my family. My dad Co Rentmeester was an award-winning Time/Life photojournalist and a successful commercial photographer (picture iconic Marlboro Man ads during the ‘80s). My older sister and my twin sister are also established photographers. As it happens, I style, help cast and produce a lot of photo shoots for Lucky, and my own home has served as a shoot location dozens of times. So, I am well versed in photo shoots, and for the most part (save the random snafus from bad weather to bad attitude), I enjoy being on them. Fashion shoots are as glamorous as they sound: there are trunks and trunks of next-season clothing and accessories, and seeing them is like getting a glimpse into the (retail) future. And then there is someone (frequently famous) to dress up, along with a whole cast of amazingly creative, well-traveled stylists and assistants, each with their own stories and visions to share.
A few weeks ago I accompanied my twin sister Coliena Rentmeester (a.k.a., Coco) on a British Glamour magazine fashion shoot in LA. And I wrote about it on Madewell's blog. Check it out it here.
P.S. I am on the right in the picture above.
beachy keen
Wednesday, March 21
This pretty embroidered top looks like it was snapped up at some exotic faraway souk. Wear it with...
1. French Connection sheer embroidered blouse, $168, frenchconnection.com
2. Undrest string top bikini, $137, undrest.com; Undrest string bikini bottom, $140, undrest.com
3. Bambould Ltd. little market bag, $58, madewell.com
4. Stuart Weitzman braided rope sandal, $178, nordstrom.com
5. J. Brand low-rise denim cut-off shorts, $93, netaporter.com
leather and lace
Tuesday, March 20
By now you're familiar with my fondness for lace. So it should come as no surprise that I find this lace vintage-looking dress from All Saints perfectly dreamy. Yes, it's prim and possesses a little girl vibe to it. But these things do not bother me. I actually already own a few that look similar, picked up at flea markets in LA and London, but now I will update them by teaming them (i.e., tempering the frothiness) with tough black boots and a black leather jacket or vest. Very Isabel Marant Fall 2012.
white jeans meet track pants
Tuesday, March 20
Yes, they're white jeans, only cooler, more interesting, and up to minute, thanks to the sporty-chic orange side stripes. Wear them with...
1. Topshop cotton sweater, $68, topshop.com
2. J. Crew straw chambray trilby hat, $40, jcrew.com
3. Zara canvas bag, $49, zara.com
4. Minnetonka suede moccasins, $39, madewell.com
5. Rag & Bone skinny white jeans, $200, netaporter.com
the manhattan spree
Monday, March 19
After emerging from the Conde Nast building in midtown Manhattan on Friday afternoon, I headed downtown to Soho. My sister had asked me to return something for her at H&M, since she'd be shooting all day long. (Truth be told, I had stopped by another location in the city the day before and had picked up the floral pants below, which I ended up wearing to the office and getting a handful of compliments from the girls in Lucky's fashion department. In fact, my wearing these pants also precipitated my best friend Jamie and even my stepmother to buy them. The pants are really flattering.) At H&M in Soho I picked up a knee-length A-line neoprene skirt that, I swear, looks like Prada. I didn't even try it on-- I just knew it would be good. And I was dead-on right: I am planning to wear it to a cocktail party on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont to celebrate CFDA's runners-up, Creatures of the Wind. After H&M, I swung by Topshop and picked up the baseball sweater below (and got one for my sis, too). I love that the sweater looks like a jacket--the kind that seems to be in favor with street style photogs and their comely subjects. Next, C. Wonder. Everyone keeps talking about this newish store, how it's similar to Tory Burch, etc. I came across the striped oversize clutch below. Very cute in a preppy, sporty way. Then, my last stop was Dean & Deluca to pick up a baguette and a hostess gift for Lela Rose, who was having an intimate dinner party at her Tribeca home. I left with a big box of scrumptious cookies. It was a happy fun day.
cased goods
Monday, March 19
When I was in New York last week, I spotted this sleek leather clutch at All Saints in Soho and thought how much it reminded me of a Kelly Wearstler clutch I coveted a while ago. The metal clasp is inlaid with frosted shards of quartz. Gorgeous. Now I can't imagine an evening out without it! Wear it with...
1. Diane Von Furstenberg shell flower top*, $595, bloomingdales.com
2. All Saints leather clutch, $130, allsaints.com
3. Prada flame slingback sandals, $990, bergdorfgoodman.com
4. Color-blocked pleated skirt, $75, oasis-stores.com
*I first saw this embellished top--actually a press sample of this top--at Lucky's Rachel Bilson cover shoot a few months ago. It was hanging on the racks, among the five outfits selected for the cover. During the day I would go visit the top just to marvel at its detailing. It's seriously dreamy.
'90s jeans are back
Friday, March 16
First, my twin sister reported last week that Sophia Coppola dropped off her daughter at their preschool wearing what looked like old Levi's 501's from the '90s. Then earlier this week at a Lucky cover shoot, the uber cool, always ahead-of-the-curve fashion stylist was wearing a similar vintage-looking style. Then at a meeting the next day with denim brand MiH, I learned that one of their bestselling silhouettes is the Halsey (above), a high-rise straight leg jean that fits like the pair you had back in the '90s--straight through the legs and relaxed. The style pictured above sold out at Shopbop, but Asos stocks the brand's lighter wash below and MiH will have a dark crisp denim coming out later this summer. Or, you can always dig out your old Levi's.
not your average t-shirt
Friday, March 16
Simple. Summer staple. Statement. Wear it with...
1. Max Mara t-shirt, $282, matchesfashion.com
2. Illesteva Leonard 2 sunglasses, $260, lagarconne.com
3. Jadetribe tote, $148, jadetribe.com
4. J. Crew mesh leather flats, $158, jcrew.com
5. MiH cropped jeans, $175, netaporter.com
the fisherman sweater
Thursday, March 15
For Fall 2012 designers served up the fisherman sweater (a.k.a. cable knit wool sweater) in myriad ways: Michael Kors and Derek Lam elevated them into evening statements, pairing them with sparkly and long skirts, respectively. Rodarte, a line that's consistently inspired by esoteric references, even showed a classic cable knit sweater with cargo pants. Now might just be good time to load up on this cold-weather staple as stores are clearing out their winter stock. Here are some options from Autumn Cashmere and J. Crew.
(Photo: Tommy Ton)