style at home: karissa

February 17, 2017 by Allison Koehler

A cloudy Friday a fews weeks back, when things were looking particularly bleak, I made my way over to Karissa's for the afternoon. Fresh off a trip to the Women's March (with Karissa!), it felt particularly important to have this creative collaboration and release. Boy, was I right.

Karissa is an actor living in Brooklyn with her husband and their adorable Frenchie. We had an absolute blast together, braving the elements (it was so cold and windy) in the name of fashion. Karissa's beautiful wardrobe inspired a floral theme during our shoot; I love everything we put together and how it all turned out!

See Karissa's take on style in her own words, below:

How would you describe your style?

I really like meshing a bunch of different styles depending on my mood but I think you’d call it edgy, alternative chic.

If you had to wear one piece of clothing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

My Doc Marten combat boots. They are the most comfortable thing I own.

What is your general approach to fashion?

Sexy yet comfortable. In the Spring and Fall I spend almost everyday in high-waisted black skinny jeans and a flowy button down with a blazer or my leather jacket. In the winter I’ll trade the top out with a oversized sweater and big comfy scarf. In the summer you’ll find me in a cute maxi dress or romper. Comfort is necessary.

Jacket, Forever 21. Crop top, H&M. Jeans, Forever 21. Boots, Aldo.

What is your earliest fashion memory?

Playing dress up in my Mom’s old clothes and shoes from the 60s. She had this great pair of green wedges. I’d have them today, but my feet are bigger than hers!

Who is your style icon?

I don’t know if I’ve ever had a specific style icon! I really enjoy the trends from the late 60s early 70s disco era and the punk rock era in the 80s. I feel like I try my best to combine the 2 in my everyday wear.

Favorite brand or retailer?

I shop a lot at H&M and Forever 21 for everyday and evening wear. I just think they have a great collection of styles and colors to choose from and they are pretty reasonably priced. Every now and then I will come across a great find in a thrift store or boutique. And for active wear its Lulu Lemon and VS Sport all the way-It's the most comfortable and versatile in rehearsals.

Dress, Forever 21. Booties, Steve Madden.

Any tips or tricks with regards to style, beauty, or shopping that you want to share?

You can add a blazer to dress up any outfit. I usually never leave home without one, especially living here in NYC. You never know when you're gonna have that last minute meeting, audition, or night out with the ladies. Also never underestimate the power of earrings and a great shade of lipstick.

Thank you so much, Karissa, for your beautiful words and your beautiful soul. An afternoon with you totally helped me out of my post-inaugurational funk!

xoxo,

aok

style at home : mckinzy of powercity films

September 01, 2016 by Allison Koehler

Thanks for dropping by today! If you're just tuning in, last month I started a new series I'm calling Style at Home, where I style and interview creative women in their homes. Here is last month's post on my beautiful friend Steph. This is such a rewarding project and I'm so excited to bring you installment number two!

Mckinzy and I haven't known each other long - we only met in February! But it doesn't take long to love her fresh sense of humor and savvy business ethic. They say making friends as an adult is hard, (it's kind of like dating!) and I would tend to agree if it wasn't for Mckinzy's easy going, down-for-anything nature.

Originally from Seattle, Mckinzy and her husband decided to leap and make the move cross country to New York in 2016. Mckinzy is a freelance executive producer, and together she and her husband own and operate the filmmaking company Powercity Films. Their work is breathtaking, and their latest film, Muir Song, has been accepted to multiple film festivals throughout the country. Pretty inspiring, no?

Just like her personality, Mckinzy's style is colorful, warm, and fun. I had a blast going through her closet for this project, and learned a lot from our little chat about style.

Here she is in her own words on style:

How would you describe your style?

This is really tough for me because I think my style is always changing. I do like to follow trends and try new styles but overall I would say Effortless, Casual, and Feminine always balanced with an edge. I LOVE one-piece dressing and I love leather... romper, coverall, or dress, topped with leather jacket and booties, messy hair and lipstick is my go to look.

Who is your style icon?

These change definitely based on the mood I am in but I have always been inspired by the 60's/70's, mostly because of all of the films during that time. Audrey Hepburn from the late 50's early 60's (think Roman Holiday/Funny Face), Diane Keaton (because she masters menswear, especially in Annie Hall), Stevie Nicks, Brigitte Bardot (I have cut my hair multiple times to try to look like BB), Rihanna.

Dress, Madewell. Necklace is from Kenya, a gift from her husband!

What is your general approach to fashion?

It has to be easy and feel good. That's why I love one-piece dressing so much, a great dress with a few accessories and a great pair of shoes always looks put together. Lately I have really been into dressing for my body which took me until I was a little older to realize unfortunately.... I would try and hide or cover certain parts of my body but when I finally started dressing for my body type and accepting it for what it is I felt so much more confident in everything I wore.

What is your earliest fashion memory?

Probably going through my grandma's jewelry box with her when I was little. She would let me try on all of her rings and she would tell me stories about when my grandpa gave her certain pieces. Also, my mom would let me play dress up in her old dresses. I remember this 80's blue satin dress in particular that I loved. I felt so beautiful in it and would twirl for hours. I have always been very girly.

Suede Jacket, BlankNYC. Sunglasses, Karen Walker.

Favorite brand or retailer?

I love Madewell because they are "easy." Great basics and cute dresses at super reasonable prices. Rag & Bone, Acne Studios, and Rebecca Taylor are currently my favorite labels and I specifically like them worn together. A flirty RB Dress with the classic Acne Mock Leather Jacket and a pair of Rag & Bone booties would be my ideal everyday outfit.

If you had to wear one piece of clothing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I purchased this navy, suede, fringe jacket from Sandro while visiting Paris and I am completely obsessed with it. I will never part from it and I wish it was acceptable to wear it every day.

Jacket, Sandro (THE JACKET!). Top, Equipment. Jeans, Madewell. Shoes, DV Dolce Vita.

Broach, vintage. (It belonged to her great-Grandmother!)

Mckinzy's beautiful engagement ring and her Grandfather's old watch.

Any tips or tricks with regards to style, beauty, or shopping that you want to share?

Something that I learned early on during my time working for Nordstrom was to go the extra step and take care of the investment shoes (and other items) you purchase. Every pair of designer or investment shoes I buy I always take to the cobbler and have vibram zip soles added. This is a weather proof, extremely durable sole that will protect your shoes and make them last so much longer. It doesn't make any sense to buy a pair of designer booties and wear the leather sole in the rain and have them get waterlogged and start falling apart. This is so important to me and I highly recommend!

Thank you SO MUCH, Mckinzy!

Also, I cannot publish this post without mentioning that Mckinzy and her husband Janssen were the cinematographers at our wedding, and the team behind our amazing wedding film. Their work completely blew us away and we cannot thank them enough. You can see our wedding film here, and you can check out their company Native Wedding Films here.

xoxo,

aok

style at home : stephanie

August 02, 2016 by Allison Koehler

A couple of weeks ago, I stopped by Steph and her fiancé Shane's apartment, went through her closet, styled her, and photographed her around her place in some of her coolest pieces. A little background...

After having an afternoon with my friend Marcie a few months back, I realized that styling and photographing talented, creative women in their home was exactly the kind of project I needed to get back into blogging. As I mentally ran through the (long) list of incredible women I know, I immediately thought of Steph.

I have known Steph since before I was born. You could argue that we were always supposed to be friends. My Mom and Steph's Aunt Marsha met in 1970 when they were working as lab techs at the New Jersey College of Medicine. Along with my other "Aunt" Nora (Nubby for short), they have been best friends for nearly 50 years.

Naturally, when Steph and I were born less than a year apart, our parents always guessed we would become friends.

As adults, what Steph and I have realized is that our relationship is more like a sister or a cousin than anything else. We have a mutual fondness for one another other and can go months or even years without speaking and snap back together like no time has passed. Growing up, we saw each other every summer at Tanglewood, where our Moms (and Aunt Marsha and Aunt Nubby and Steph's Grandma Erna) would coordinate this incredible picnic dinner and Steph and I would catch up on our lives while our parents listened to the music. For a while there, we were so different, and yet, incredibly, we were close despite my being OBSESSED with NSync and Steph loving The Foo Fighters.

Steph is one of the smartest people I know. I say this not hyperbolically, because I weirdly keep a mental list of all the really smart people in my life, and she has been on that list as long as I've known her. She has worked in film and tv doing archival research (among other things), is an amazing writer, and has read every book (I AM SERIOUS). She currently works as the Outreach Director for a documentary film impact and engagement campaign.

Aside from her many accolades, she has such an incredibly unique and distinct sense of style; I knew I would want to kick off this project with her. Below are some pictures of my beautiful friend, with her own words on style:

General approach to fashion:

I can’t wear something if it isn’t comfortable. It limits what I wear—for instance, I don’t wear heels—but I’ve been able to find comfortable clothes that are true to my taste. So in that case, why wear anything uncomfortable? I won’t look good if I don’t feel good. Also, I like black and navy blue, very petite jewelry, and basically anything Michelle Williams wears.

Steph in a dress from Pinkyotto, with a whale pillow.

Earliest fashion memory:

I’m not sure I have one earliest memory. I remember stick-on earrings, multi-colored plastic bracelets, and barrettes shaped like hearts and seashells. Picking out manatee and turtle t-shirts, wearing jelly sandals at the beach, and cutting the feet off of Ghostbusters footie pajamas. (A few years later, I remember a bright blue vinyl jacket, oversized Nirvana t-shirts, JNCOs, and Converse.)

Zoe the cat in the kitchen. (Check out Steph and Shane's mug collection!)

If you could wear one thing for the rest of your life:

My mom’s Bruce Springsteen Born in the USA tour shirt. She saw him twice on that tour while eight months pregnant with me, so I’ve basically been a Bruce superfan since before I was born. I borrowed the shirt from her in high school and never gave it back. It’s comfortable and familiar, a link to my childhood and my home.

Favorite brand or retailer:

Most of my dresses are from Pinkyotto, a boutique with a few locations around the city. I started shopping there when the owner sold clothes at a local designers’ market around 2004, then followed her to a shop on E 9th St in the Village, and not long after I moved to Williamsburg, she opened up two stores a few blocks away.