LACOSTE for J. Crew

Out this Spring 2015 in 30+ J.Crew US stores and online, as well as in Canada, UK & France is LACOSTE for J. Crew.

This is the first time these two iconic brands have partnered, with special polo shirts available for all ages - for baby, kids, and adults.

Jenna Lyons, J.Crew Creative Director and President, and Frank Muytjens, Head of Men’s Design, spearheaded the collab/selection process and have chosen LACOSTE to be part of their “Looks We Love” seasonal section. 

The shirts come in a variety of colors like white, navy, burgundy and orange, retailing from $55-$98. 

How different is this collection from the classic LACOSTE we know and love?

The LACOSTE logo used for the J. Crew Collection is an exclusive archive version from 1983 and is generally blue with a LACOSTE cursive font within the iconic crocodile, making a piece from this collection a must have for any LACOSTE fan. 

Shop the Lacoste for J. Crew collection online. For more about this exciting collaboration, click here.

The Art of Wardrobe Building: The Evolution of Style

Your eye changes so much. My style evolves. Things get pushed to the back of the closet and then they come back again. I had a child. I’m older. I can’t do the things I did when I was younger. So I find ways to make my style more in line with who I am today. It evolves all the time. 

- Jenna Lyons

Jenna Lyons? She knows her style. But she plays around with it. It's tomboy minimalist one day. Tomboy colorful the next.

She looks like she's got it all figured out. And well, she does. Because one thing's for sure, she's comfortable in being who she is at the moment. Because essentially she says, she dresses for the person she is at every stage in her life.

Today feels like a good day to write about personal style again. Because it has been crazy hot, I find myself ditching the jeans and trousers I am known to wear like a uniform. I find myself reaching out for dresses, wearing tunics with shorts. Switching oxfords and leather ballerinas for espadrilles and flat sandals.

I used to hate prints and bright colors, but now, it just feels right. I am not really a dress kind of girl, but the weather's been asking for it. I know, I am resisting it, because I feel it's not my style. But is it really not? Maybe I am at the cusp of a style change. Maybe because I have come to a point wherein my "eye" has changed and what I considered loud and busy has become attractive and appropriate for the weather, for my life right now that is busy running errands, shuttling the kids to their summer activities, squeezing meetings in between, hanging out with friends, etc.

Or maybe this is the after effect of a heat stroke. If you see someone who looks like me wearing a loud Hawaiian shirt, barefoot and toting a tattered straw bag, please go and say hi. That could be me. Ahahaha.

Anyhoo back to our topic. I find that my style depends on the ff factors:

- the weather
- the city where I am at the moment
- whether I am breastfeeding or not (if yes, front buttons are an essential)
- whether the kids are coming with me or not
- whether I'd be walking a lot or just sitting down
- the people I'd be with (if it's the hubby, he'd want me in something more uptown than downtown, and well, we gotta dress up for our man hehee)
- the voice of my mom in my head saying, "Will Audrey Hepburn wear that?" ahahaha

My style hasn't really evolved that much since we moved to the US. I've been doing that French insouciance/downtown NY/with a hint of prep story for over 5 years now. Maybe it really is time for a change. But then again, let's re-visit this topic once this sizzling summer is through.

PS - Ok, tying this theme back to the art of wardrobe building, what happens when you find your style changing? I guess when its a basic, or a piece you absolutely love, keep it. As Jenna says, "things get pushed to the back of the closet, then they come back again." It's always fun to keep a pleasant surprise or two in your closet.

As for you, do you find yourself dressing differently in this weather too?

Work that Workspace

We've upgraded the writing table in our room to a much bigger one, but I am still having trouble keeping it clutter free. I've spotted some organizing contraptions (ahaha, desk organizing is so alien to me wah!) at MUJI and I promised myself I would get to that sooner than soon. In the meantime, I take heart that the ultimate stylish girls I look up to aren't exactly the neatest girls too, heehee.

 Isabel Marant

 Jenna Lyons

I wish I remembered where I got these photos. I think I found the article via a link from The Marant Philes.

Gwynie Wears J.Crew

“She has a relaxed ease and a natural sexiness, goop is a frequent online stop for me... Cool style. Cool site.” - J. Crew's Jenna Lyons (via WWD)

There is an effortless ease to her style that just resonates with me. But Looks 5 and 7 are my faves. Which ones are yours?

Are you a Garçonne?

I like how one of my favorite shopping sites, La Garconne, describes their typical customer, a Garçonne, who is free from the "tight hold of trend" :

Which reminds me of the original Garçonne, Coco Chanel, who has been doing tomboy style since way back when. A true trailblazer! And these vintage photos are a lasting testament to her genius:

Speaking of tomboy, did you know that J.Crew's Jenna Lyons came out of the closet? As my friend Kaye says, "That was totally unexpected". Then again, she's always done very well with tomboy style, she has now literally owned it!

No matter your orientation, I say cheers to Tomboy Style!

My 2010 Wishlist

I didn't really have a Christmas wish list because it was overwhelming to want all these things in one go. I would rather gradually acquire my want list over a course of time, within the year 2010!

Short of asking for Jenna Lyons's closet (more of a huge room actually)...


I would like to work towards adding these to my library/closet/home...

Chances are, this is first thing I'm getting because it's the most affordable! Haha! The Overnight Socialite by Harvard educated author Bridie Clarke.


A dress form from Wolf Form Co. or Fox Model Forms (Belle & Melissa, these cost about $600-$700 dollars for a basic model, Wolf in particular is widely used by design students and established designers like Narciso Rodriguez!)


Black brogues from Church's, although Dear Hubby says I should go for something more feminine.


A lacquered side table and a rustic bench from Pottery Barn, because I am obsessed with fixing up our apartment now that I spend so much time at home. On a whim, I decided to organize our bathroom using Sedona baskets and glass canisters from Crate & Barrel and I was super pleased at how more streamlined our bath looks now with just a few tweaks. Now I can't wait to do little projects one room at a time.



A traditional wool carpet from ABC Carpet & Home. It's an heirloom piece that will add much warmth and color to our living room. Couldn't decide yet if I should go light or dark. Although right now, I'm leaning towards the lighter one...



So far, this is it for now. I'm keeping this list short and sweet! And doable!

(Photos from casasugar.com, amazon.com, wolfform.com, net-a-porter.com, potterybarn.com, abccarpet.com)