Jazzi McG » style

Vacation-Whine

Jazzi — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 16:18:17 +0000

topshop dress; jessica simpson platforms

At this point, a tropical vacation is about as foreign to me as… a tropical vacation. Which is to say, I haven’t been near a body of water that did not exist somewhere off the smog-beaten path in way too long and it’s not in the cards any time soon.

Not that I’m complaining — that 20 minute drive to Malibu ain’t half-bad. I’m just reaching for something to explain why my wardrobe has gone from 0 to a few island prints seemingly overnight. This dress was calling to me from the Topshop website, then it sold out in my size… and that’s when Julia came to the rescue and picked it up for me from the NY store (This is becoming a habit. I’m sorry Julia.). Happy happy joy joy.

In other news, I’m on page 44 of Women’s Health doing a mini-DIY of a white button-up shirt for the August issue! You can pick up a copy or check it out here.

What a Girl Wants

Jazzi — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 18:09:50 +0000

Valet. asked me to take their Female Perspective survey and sound off on men’s style and I had a lot of fun doing so! My guy friends ask (ok, practically beg) for shopping counsel way more than my female friends so take the survey and maybe this will help steer them in the right direction. I’ve been assisting on a lot of men’s shoots lately, and it’s a really different beast from women’s styling (duh) but dudes are refreshing to dress and generally easygoing on-set.

Speaking of men, I saw the most perfectly dressed man at lunch yesterday and wish sushi could have been a more appropriate occasion to snap a photo of him. He was wearing a worn-in grey henley, perfect fitting jeans cuffed just above the ankle with no socks, a slouchy beanie and casual black lace up loafers. I would bet money at least one of those items was Yohji but that he spent no longer than 5 minutes getting dressed. The point in this story? None. But he was hot.

And if any guys read this blog (haaay!) or women that would like to see two devilishly handsome friends of mine who maintain an incredible blog – check out Street Etiquette. Travis and Josh are extremely talented beyond their good looks and inspire me daily.

Thanks Valet. & Cory!

Trendspotting: Boxers?

Jazzi — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 15:37:28 +0000

AA shirt, Habitual jeans, Sean’s boxers, Ray-Bans, Balenciaga wedges, Sweetmint gum courtesy of Orbit

I’ve had my eye on one particular not-yet-a-trend for months now. It hasn’t sprung up but I really think it will. If you put on your Trend Forecaster hat for a second, you’ll note that underwear as outwear has come “in” and then there’s the whole 90s thing (which I swear never really left). Aaliyah was obviously an early adopter but I think this time around boxers will be more femme and prepped up. Or totally grunged up, who knows. I don’t see it being a super mainstream trend or even making it into an F21… it will probably be more like that dying foxtail thing… Wow, I swear I don’t spend this much of my time thinking of fashion as science!

Anyway, I saw this photo on Nikki’s blog and I am currently completely obsessed – I think it’s a great look. I realized I had most of the fixins to try it out, so here is attempt #1 with some old jeans that have sat unworn for years because I’m not a fan of pocket designs… Obviously I need to steal the bf’s jeans too or finally find that elusive pair of perfectly destroyed vintage Levi’s.

And even if my trend prediction is totally off-base, I fully plan to play with boxers a hell of a lot more soon.

Aaliyah in Tommy Hilfiger boxers, 1996. RIP Baby Girl; Boxers photographed by Dom Smith via DirtyFlaws

Of Birthdays & Bowling

Jazzi — Mon, 24 May 2010 17:51:23 +0000

American Apparel shirt and socks, Miu Miu collar, Zac Posen x Target skirt, Sonia Rykiel x H&M hat, Jessica Simpson platforms, Orbit Cinnamint gum [photo by Julia]

Wanted a little good clean fun for my birthday and went bowling with a few friends. Love it when they turn on the blacklight, fog machine and oldies for “Xtreme” bowling. So sexy, so middle school.

The Miu Miu collar was a birthday gift from Sean – pretty sweet. A little SS10 keepsake I probably wouldn’t have bought myself. The rest of the outfit is just begging for pedophiles and I’m pretty sure there were a few lurking the lanes. They must have been good luck though because I finally broke 100!

Happy Birthday to all you fellow Taurians!

What the French, Toast!?

Jazzi — Tue, 18 May 2010 01:36:55 +0000

Altered H&M striped maxi dress, DIY bracelet, random sock garters and OTK socks, Jessica Simpson platforms, rings: Pamela Love, F21, vintage, Made Her Think, Orbit Maui Melon Mint gum

Orbit reached out to a handful of bloggers – including myself – to help reveal their new line of product packaging. I accepted the partnership because I actually DO chew their gum (sugar-free spearmint, baby), I love their ad campaigns (seriously, this is one of my favorite commercials ever) and they gave me creative license to show off the new packaging however I want.

There are like 30 new packages in crazy colors and patterns that aim to go beyond traditional “branding” and venture into accessorizing. Pretty cool. So I’ll be revealing my 5 favorite new packages in the coming weeks. Think of it as fun product placement that shouldn’t otherwise interrupt your (ir)regularly scheduled programming.

Onto the outfit - I snagged this maxi dress at H&M the other day, but standing just 5 feet tall means every maxi dress is super long (and generally unflattering) on me. So I cut it up the front for a different effect. Now my goal is to get the “train” as scuffed up and worn in as possible, which shouldn’t take long. The sock garters have been sitting in my closet for a while and I decided to pull them out as a gum-holster (gum holster, get it!?). More on my DIY bracelet soon, and the hat is Sean’s. He never wears it, so I decided to.

The photos are at F&S fabrics where I was picking up some odds & ends and my nails (trying out rounded nails) are by the amazing and hilarious David at CT Nails #9! Resident L.A. airbrush nail king.

Inspiration: Ashley Banks Style

Jazzi — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 20:29:03 +0000

Ashley Banks’ awesome 90s ensemble in the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Season 4 clip-show “For Sale By Owner” (1994)

Who can resist a Fresh Prince re-run when it pops up on the TV guide? I definitely can’t. In my opinion, it’s the BEST 90s sitcom & possibly my favorite on-screen family ever (right alongside the Bluths, the Fishers & the Addams). Come on, Will! Carlton! Jeffrey!?

Anyway, considering the Fresh Prince comes to mind every time someone calls me “DJ Jazzi Jeff!!!” (on average – twice a week, though I like letting everyone think they’re totally original in coming up with it. I much prefer “Jazzercize”), I don’t know how Ashley Banks has managed to slip my mind as style influence for so long. I should start a blog full of all her awesome outfits! I want to approximate this one asap. Maybe Chloe Sevs can pop it in her next Opening Ceremony collab?

Oh, and yes, that’s Donald Trump looking exactly the same in a 1994 cameo. And speaking of Ashley Banks, remember Tatyana Ali’s Daydreamin? She was like a mini-Janet Jackson.

Anyone care to walk down 90s memory lane with me? Other favorite families? Shows? My short list: Daria, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, My So Called Life, Roswell, Clarissa & Blossom… and Freaks & Geeks but let’s be honest – who actually watched it in the 90s? If you did, props.

What I Wore: Sunshine Day

Jazzi — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:17:41 +0000

Beach Day: vintage dress worn as top, shortalls by Grey Ant, ring by Bijules, Balenciaga wedges

I spent most of last week stuck indoors sick (apparently I threw my body into shock by attempting to start a multivitamin regimen – no joke), so first day back to health we stopped by the beach. I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling much better now that it’s warming up enough to show some – or a lot of – leg. I’m finally peeking out of my Fall/Winter cocoon (which is admittedly mostly mental, since I am in LA…) and I am soo excited for summer.

And of course I didn’t ruin my babes (aka shoes) in the sand. I only had them on for a minute, and the sand shakes right off.

Shopping: Society for Rational Dress & Grey Ant

Jazzi — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:28:52 +0000

Inside (and outside) the Society for Rational Dress studio; wearing a Forever21 dress, AA crop top, vintage Krizia glasses, Mom’s necklace, Jessica Simpson Dany platforms

Spring has arrived in LA and I spent it soaking up some serious sun and a couple sample sales with Sean (who took these photos!). I wore my Jessica Simpson Dany platforms (aka Charles Anastase/Natacha Marro knock-offs) and I’m so on board with all the blogger-love, they’re pretty great – though the originals are better. I didn’t want them in black or tan (and hated the silver), but I got the tan because I knew they would be easy to dye. So I’m taking them to my shoe guy later this week to have them dyed a deep maroon color.

First, we hit Society for Rational Dress, which was tame and organized, and I finally got to check out their beautiful space. I’m obsessed with the straight-jacket chairs (which would be a great home DIY/belt display), and they have the BEST mirror in the fitting area – you know the kind: big, perfect lighting and makes everyone look their best. Not quite sure how I ended up buying a massive winter sweater in this kind of weather (excess Vitamin D makes me loopy) but it was a good deal and has amazing bell sleeves. Odds are I won’t get to wear it til next year… but I also got some leather fringe spat thingies that I will be wearing sooner than later.

Afterwards, we hit up the Grey Ant farewell/moving sale. The brand has been an LA staple for quite some time, but they’re moving operations to NY where they were selected for the CFDA’s new Incubator project. The sale was hyper and crazed and I wouldn’t have expected it any other way. Clothes were flying, and the prices were unbeatable – everything under $20, and most around $5. My heart sank since there were no Status Shades, which I’ve wanted for a while, but luckily I was one of the firsts through the door, so I still left with an armload of cute spring/summer stuff for like $60. More soon.

Oh, and I find out about most of these sweet sample sales from SSLA and/or Refinery 29!

Grey Ant sale madness. bottom: Grey Ant’s Lady of the House, Natalie Levy (raddest chick in the building!)

What I Wore: Botkier Howard Street Satchel

Jazzi — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:53:54 +0000

Bag: Howard Street Satchel courtesy of Botkier; Phi pumps; Topshop hat; H&M dress worn over an old men’s shirt

As far as accessories go, for me, bags have typically been an afterthought, but necessity. I’ve simply never been much of a “bag girl,” though I’ve always been quite the “bag lady“. Get it? Typically, I carry a ton of stuff with me, usually in some throwaway shopping bag or tote (I carried a backpack – a real backpack, not a “fashion” backpack – with my life in it all throughout Fashion Week). Which I guess makes it a little ironic, or totally apropos, that I hosted Fashionista’s “What’s in Your Bag?” and that my first real job in NYC was at a (now closed) bag boutique on Stanton… though both of those gigs played a part my current appreciation and understanding of a good bag.

My taste in bags is rather utilitarian. I love a big, sturdy bag (or backpack) that can take a serious beating. So when my friend Tanya at Botkier sent me their Howard Street Satchel, I was in love. It is massive (though they do make a smaller version) and has the perfect amount of pockets – enough for easy access, but not so many that they get loaded with useless crap. It fits everything; my spare shoes, sweater, DSLR, and then some with room to spare. And I just know it’s going to look better with age & wear.

I’m pretty confident this (and a couple canvas totes) will cover my bag needs for a while – though I will continue to lust after a Proenza, Chanel, & Wang as well. Thank you Tanya and Botkier! [Oh, and did you know it's pronounced an Americanized "Bot-key-err" not the French way? I definitely didn't!]

What’s your dream/ideal bag? Anyone have tips for downsizing all the crap I carry (besides downsizing my bag haha)? It’s giving me back probs.

and check out my Q&A on Botkier’s blog here

Botkier Howard St. Satchel; Yaya Aflalo skirt; Sam Edelman booties

Disclosure: Botkier gave me this bag with no obligation to post about it nor any compensation for choosing to do so. I simply love it and wear it, so I had no problem sharing it here.

Based on a Shoe Story: Balenciaga Wedges Pt. 2 (x3)

Jazzi — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:44:43 +0000

Balenciaga platform wedges, American Apparel Disco pants, Vintage top

The Balenciaga wedges… While it seems like some time after I posted, everyone and their grandma ended up with a pair (I see why!)… I ended up with 3. But who’s counting?

I bought my blue pair before any Balenciagas ended up at DSW in Union Square for $99 (Yes, DSW. I know, wtf). But of course when I found out they were there, I had 2 of my NY bests J. Chesky & G. Darling scoop up the tan & emerald pairs, respectively. Shockingly, all 3 pairs combined cost less than 1 pair at the original price, so while I know it’s still a bit excessive, you must understand how long I’d been after them & why I couldn’t pass them up!

If I’ve learned anything from shopping it’s this: If you love something totally out of your price range, let it go. If it comes back off-season & seriously on sale… you know it was meant to be. Buy 3.

Thank you again shoe gods, I guess that goat I sacrificed did work (totally kidding, PETA). I have successfully broken-in the triplettes and they are getting fantastic mileage.

And to those who asked: (1) They run true to size, maybe half-size small, but eventually stretch (2) I’m barely 5′, so I’m used to huge shoes on a daily basis. But yes, they are probably hard to walk in if you’re not used to a 5″ heel. The wedge helps though.

PS – like my snazzy GIF? Also, not that it matters, but curious: do you pronounce it “jiff” or “giff” with a hard g? Inquiring minds would love to know.

ETA: Hey guys, please don’t email my friends asking them to get shoes for you! 1) call DSW, but I think they’re sold out 2) Julia says, “I only shoe mule for Jazzi, sorry.” Seriously, I linked to them because I love them, not because they’re offering a service.