July 15, 2011

formulaic

Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin: 13 Juli
Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin: 13 Juli
Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin: 13 Juli
striped, braided & herbal
Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin: 13 Juli
Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin: 13 Juli
square & triangle
Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin: 13 Juli
earrings - handmade by Carie of Pretty Little Mountains, won in giveaway / striped dress (worn as a top) - Old Navy / tote - Forever 21 / braided belt - vintage, thrifted / skirt - homemade from vintage fabric / watch - Arkonaplatz flea market, Berlin / woven flats - UO

I think this pretty much sums up a standard formula for an outfit I'll like:

{ ( stripes + bright colors ) x ( cognac + gold accessories ) } ^ ( print-mixing ) = perfect

Honestly, it's a formula I come back to again and again (and again and again), and it never fails to make me feel great. When in doubt, I know I can always reach for some combination of these items and come away feeling put together.

I wore this a few days ago for a meet-up with super-sweet reader and fellow blogger Anja of A Heart and Soul Story - it was great spending an afternoon getting to know her better, and it was a lovely reminder of why I enjoy blogging so much. I have met (and, er, 'met') so many incredibly smart, funny, beautiful and stylish women through the blogging community, and I am consistently amazed that I have so many awesome, thoroughly engaging readers sweet enough to stop by, see what I'm up to, and even say hi once in a while - so thank you. I don't want to get too mushy here, but it really does mean a lot to me.
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35 comments:

  1. Whitney ReidJuly 15, 2011 at 1:00 PM

    Cute! I starred this in my RSS feed so I can borrow this idea later. ;) I love the formula--it's genius! 

    Whitney
    whitneybetweenthelines.blogspot.com

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  2. Carly CramJuly 15, 2011 at 1:04 PM

    I love your earrings!

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  3. KatieJuly 15, 2011 at 1:34 PM

    great pattern mixing! simply perfection! and i love those earrings!

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  4. sarahJuly 15, 2011 at 2:06 PM

    read this before i got dressed in the morning, and when i walked out of the door, i realized i was wearing a striped red top, brown braided belt, gold necklace, and patterned tights. sorry to be such a copy cat! thanks for the inspiration :)

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  5. Lynne TanzerJuly 15, 2011 at 3:51 PM

    I'm going to buy something from pretty little mountains immediately. Those earrings are spectacular!

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  6. Callie GislerJuly 15, 2011 at 3:55 PM

    Emily, I don't know how you do it, but I have never seen someone do simple and chic as well as you do! I absolutely love the color of your skirt. And it's even cuter paired with stripes. Thank you for the endless style inspiration!

    Callie
    unladylikeblog.blogspot.com

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  7. MarjoleinJuly 15, 2011 at 6:49 PM

    I really love your outfit :) And I've been meaning to ask you, what is the nailpolish you are wearing? Sorry if it's been asked before :)

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  8. cnaryJuly 15, 2011 at 9:34 PM

    Is this near Tiergarten?  I don't know Berlin well, so probably a bad guess. 

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  9. Sara Jane ElizabethJuly 15, 2011 at 10:28 PM

    As always, love the pattern mixing. That skirt is darling!

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  10. Diana SmithJuly 16, 2011 at 1:08 AM

    i LOVE the stripes with that mustard yellow skirt! I think I might try something like this!

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  11. academiaemilyJuly 16, 2011 at 9:26 AM

    It's good to have a formula for an outfit you love. Mine right now is wide-leg jeans + patterned top + sandals. I use it on mornings where I can't think properly about clothes, or when I know I'm going to have a tough day, OR when I know I'm going to have an awesome day and want to feel even more awesome. Your formula is lovely and I really like the subtle pattern mixing. And I adore your earrings. I may need some.

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  12. HannahJuly 16, 2011 at 12:42 PM

    How awesome are those earrings?! So awesome!!

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  13. Anja_AHeartandSoulStoryJuly 16, 2011 at 5:10 PM

    It was so great to meet you as well, definitely one of my favorite moments of the last week!! I had such a great time and got so many great ideas from our talk. Thx again! and yes, this definitely is one of your greatest looks and works so well every time! The skirt is still on my wishlist ;)

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  14. LizJuly 16, 2011 at 11:24 PM

    What a completely perfect formula.  I love it!

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  15. Julie Del MooreJuly 17, 2011 at 12:49 AM

    My favorite skirt AND my favorite earrings!  You look great!  

    And I love reading your blog!  So, thank YOU =)

    Julie Del @ J.Bird

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  16. the other emilyJuly 17, 2011 at 5:29 AM

    Haha, feel free to borrow it anytime! It never fails to make me feel cute. :)

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  17. the other emilyJuly 17, 2011 at 5:29 AM

    Thanks Carly, these are some of my favorites!

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  18. the other emilyJuly 17, 2011 at 5:30 AM

    Thanks Katie - there's just something about blue and white stripes, I feel like they go with just everything.

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  19. the other emilyJuly 17, 2011 at 5:31 AM

    Haha, well I'm glad to have inspired you, even subliminally. :)

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  20. the other emilyJuly 17, 2011 at 5:32 AM

    Aren't they just lovely? I don't think Carie has a shop for her designs yet, but I know she's planning to open an etsy shop soon!

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  21. the other emilyJuly 17, 2011 at 5:35 AM

    Aw, thanks Callie, that's such a sweet thing to say! I am pretty seriously in love with this skirt, it's one of those things I know I'd try to save if my house was on fire. :)

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  22. the other emilyJuly 17, 2011 at 5:36 AM

    Thanks Marjolein! And I don't think anyone's asked about this one before - it's Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro #310 - Sunset Orange.

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  23. the other emilyJuly 17, 2011 at 5:38 AM

    Nope! It's a totally reasonable guess based on all the vegetation though - this is actually a little park on the median of a street near our home in Prenzlauer Berg, which is north and east of Tiergarten, across the river (and the former Wall).

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  24. the other emilyJuly 17, 2011 at 5:38 AM

    Thanks Sara!

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  25. the other emilyJuly 17, 2011 at 5:56 AM

    Thanks Diana - definitely go for it! :)

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  26. the other emilyJuly 17, 2011 at 5:57 AM

    Ooh, I like your formula too! I may need to start seeking out some lightweight patterned tops on my next thrifting expedition.... :)

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  27. the other emilyJuly 17, 2011 at 5:58 AM

    Haha, thanks Hannah! The best part is that because they're leather, they weigh almost nothing.

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  28. the other emilyJuly 17, 2011 at 5:59 AM

    Aw, yay! I had such a nice time, and I'm glad our traveling schedules managed to intersect - and that my unfortunate choice of meeting point didn't make us miss each other!

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  29. the other emilyJuly 17, 2011 at 5:59 AM

    Thanks Liz! :)

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  30. the other emilyJuly 17, 2011 at 6:01 AM

    Aw, thanks Julie - I love writing it, but it's really most rewarding because of all the cool people it connects me to. :)

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  31. LaurenJuly 17, 2011 at 5:18 PM

    I think this formula is proven to be a success. :) Great outfit, and the earrings are a fun detail.

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  32. cnaryJuly 17, 2011 at 11:15 PM

    Ah, thanks, I didn't get up to Prenzlauer, ran out of time.

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  33. tasty moogJuly 18, 2011 at 1:24 PM

    that is some great vintage fabric!

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  34. the other emilyJuly 19, 2011 at 4:11 PM

    Thanks Lauren. :)

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  35. the other emilyJuly 19, 2011 at 4:11 PM

    I pretty much grabbed it the second I saw it at the thrift store - it actually used to be a set of pleated kitchen curtains!

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