Cheryl Shops

Every summer, I rent a house on Fire Island with a bunch of friends, and it's one of my favorite things ever. If you've never been to Fire Island—we rent in the mellower western part of the island, not the party-party Pines—it's one of the most relaxing places on earth. There are no cars and there's not much to do (other than go to the beach, go to the grocery store, or take a bike ride), which makes it perfect for overstimulated, stressed-out New Yorkers such as myself who need to chill the eff out. Of course, the best part is being able to spend quality time with my friends, and I love checking out the ladies' vacation-wear. Last weekend, my friend JO broke out a fabulous caftan that she bought in Thailand, and all of a sudden, my go-to Calypso cover-up started looking like a has-been. So before I head back out for a full week of pure laziness, I'm vowing to outfit myself with a fabulous caftan. Here are some of the contenders.

left to right:

I've been meaning to write about Show Me Your Mumu for awhile—the line was created by two former New Yorkers who sound like the most kooky, fun girls ever. They make easy, breezy printed pieces from tank tops to pants, but of course they excel at their namesake, the Hana TruMu. It's packable and wrinkle-free, and if that print doesn't make you think beach, then I don't know what will.

L'attitude is one of my favorite sites for jewelry and accessories; everything they carry is very "Oh yes, I picked this up in Goa," except you don't actually have to go anywhere. Yay Internet! Anyway, they have all manner of fabulous coverups, but this mermaid caftan from Beach Candy is one of my favorites because the print looks like fish scales and thus fulfills my Ariel the Little Mermaid fantasies.

I rave about Mara Hoffman's prints every Fashion Week, and if you think they look great on a runway, imagine how mind-blowingly cool they'll look on the beach. Cool kaleidoscope prints like the one in her Pow printed coverup are practically made for caftans, aren't they? Pass the umbrella drinks.

And speaking of ladies who know how to vacation, would you expect anything less than this Tofino long caftan from Tory Burch? She really stepped up the game with this one—it's silk, and it looks like something you'd see in an old Slim Aarons photo. It's also dry-clean only, which means you might not be able to actually wear it on the beach, but it's so chic, you could get away with wearing it pretty much everywhere else.

Peasant tops were really popular about 12 or 13 years ago—one of my first summers in NYC—and I wore them so much, I completely OD'd on the trend. Even though they kept coming back from time to time, I just couldn't go there again. Until now. Maybe it's the Joseph Altuzarra influence, or maybe time simply heals all wounds, but regardless, a good peasant top sounds like something that will totally hit the spot right now, especially considering NYC has gone from spring to subtropical rainforest in sixty seconds and Memorial Day weekend kicks off in three days. I plan on pairing mine with cutoff shorts, platform sandals, and a frosty beverage. Cheers!

Last week I had a meeting that let out early, so I found myself in Rockefeller Center with a few hours to kill, and instead of going back to the office, I decided to check out our competitors, or, as you might call it, shop. One of my first stops was J.Crew, and whenever I go into one of their stores, I want to buy pretty much everything—which is why I usually try to stay away from them—and that was definitely the case, primarily due to the newest arrivals from their ongoing collaboration with Liberty of London. I am admittedly a big sucker for Liberty's prints, although I prefer the larger-scale botanicals to the ditsy florals; there's just something about them that makes me happy. And if you're suffering from seasonal affect disorder like I am, there are antidotes galore: scarves, shoes, makeup bags, clutches, plus shirts, skirts, dresses, pajamas, swimwear, and even ties for men in bright colors and fun motifs. But lest J.Crew have all the fun, Liberty is also collaborating with a bunch of other retailers this season, from Nike shoes to A.G. Jeans. Here are some of my favorites.


Clockwise from left:

Printed denim can be a hard sell, but AG Jeans always fit fantastically, and the print on these ankle-length leggings is almost tonal, making it a bit more subtle.

I don't run, but the quiet print on these Nike Free 5.0 Liberty sneakers almost makes me want to. Although, knowing me, I'd probably end up wearing them to run errands on the weekends. (That still counts as "running," right?)

Drinking coffee out of a fun mug is one of the little things you can do to brighten your day. This quirky Hello Kitty x Liberty mug has the added bonus of being so unique, no one will steal it from the office dish rack.

Of the many awesome items in J.Crew's Liberty collection, some of my favorites are the swimsuits. I love the exotic look of the Lord Paisley bandeau and matching bottoms.

But my favorite print is the Tresco floral, shown here in scarf form but also available in a skirt, a shirt, a clutch, and numerous other items. It's so tropical and bright, it's enough to take your mind off of whatever nastiness is going on outside.

I am willing to admit something embarrassing: I watched Gossip Girl until the bitter end. I have no idea why—the plots were ridiculous, clearly everyone gave up on pretending the characters were still in college, and I think by the second-to-last season, I was probably more invested in the show than the actors themselves. But much like Sex and the City—a show which also, sorry to say, really went downhill in its last season—Gossip Girl was great NYC eye candy: good landmark spotting, beautiful sets, fabulous clothes. Costume designer Eric Daman was genius at outfitting all the characters—Blair in her Upper East Side princess garb, Chuck in his cheeky suits—but the way he dressed Serena was my favorite; she was so out of touch with reality that she didn't think twice about wearing, say, a sequined top and a tube skirt to an internship. Was Serena going to a party or coming from one? You never knew.

I didn't realize what a void the finale of Gossip Girl had left in my life until I went to Renzo + Kai's showroom last week. Designed by Mrinalini Kumari, who's been embroidering clothes for designers like Armani, Etro, and Valentino since the '90s, Renzo + Kai is a relatively new contemporary line that showcases her love of embellishment. And the first thing that came to mind while checking out the spring 2013 collection was Serena van der Woodsen. The line features fun, flirty pieces like rompers and party dresses, all finished beautifully with intricate sequins, beading, chain trim, and various luxe details. Much of the work is subtle enough that it can be worn for day, lest, unlike Serena, you actually have a day job. Of course, the standout pieces are the ones better suited to evening, but don't let that stop you. Let's ooh and ahh, shall we?

Zoom in on this top and you'll see it's beaded all over, so it almost looks like chain mail. You could totally get away with wearing it to work under a blazer or sweater. Intermix has a very similar exclusive style here.




Speaking of work-friendly styles, I love the graphic black-and-white look of this top, but upon closer look, the stripes are sequined. Surprise! Here's a similar style at Saks.


I am a sucker for sequined skirts, but I was particularly taken with this aqua number—believe it or not, the sequins were actually soft and kind of matte, making it totally wearable for day. Shopbop has another great sequined skirt, however unless you actually are Serena van der Woodsen, I'd recommend it for after hours only.

Have you ever seen a more glamorous romper? I want to go on vacation somewhere exotic, like Antigua, just so I'd have somewhere fabulous enough to wear it. Shopbop has it in blue.
Gossip Girl may be over, but I fully intend on carrying the Serena van der Woodsen flame with sequins and beading for day. She may have been dressed inappropriately, but she looked hot and, more importantly, looked like she was having fun. And I think we can all use a little more of that in our wardrobes. You know you love me, xoxo.

Happy 2013, dear readers! I am generally not one to make resolutions—my attitude generally is, if you want to change something, why wait until January?—but there is something tempting about giving one's life a refresh. Or at least one's style. Like most New Yorkers, I rely a bit too heavily on black and gray, so this year, I vow to lighten up—in both my wardrobe and my disposition—with shimmery shades of aqua.


Clockwise from left: 

I'm tagging along on MW's work trip to Miami this weekend, which has me thinking about swimwear in a major way. This very Sienna-Miller-on-a-Mediterranean-yacht Milly pailette-trim tunic will look lovely over the peacock-print Paraty bandeau bikini top and bottom from Vix.

My friend JO lives above the Giuseppe Zanotti store on Madison, and if I were her, I'd be broke by now. I mean, with shoes like these iridescent suede buckled sandals, how could you not?

I've had my eye on a skirt from AllSaints Spitalfields for awhile, but their Ariel skirt may be the style to finally make me take the plunge. Who doesn't want to look like a mermaid?

Speaking of mermaids, I tend to stick with classic reds and beiges in the winter, so when I need a little pick-me-up, I'm going to paint my toes with Mermaid's Dream by Deborah Lippman.

One of the items on my fashion bucket list is an estate aquamarine cocktail ring; until I can afford a real one, I would be happy to rock this beautiful Siyabona woven ring from Alexis Bittar, which happens to be chalcedony with crystals.

I work in an office where we're allowed to wear jeans only on Fridays, and somehow I still have a reputation for being one who dresses up. This is probably because I wear skirts more of the time, at least in warmer weather, when I find it too hot for pants of any kind, period. Coincidentally, our air conditioning was just "fixed" (I was not aware it had been broken!), and lately I've been freezing my butt off. All of a sudden, pants are looking pretty enticing. Particularly, I'm in the mood for tuxedo-inspired pants with a contrasting side stripe, the more unconventional the color the better.
Left to right:
Milly Kiera Tuxedo Pants, $285
StyleStalker Laudree Pants, $121
10 Crosby Derek Lam Cropped Combo Pants, $227.50
Rag & Bone Dwight Pants, $325
Vince Camuto Colorblock Houndstooth Ankle Pants, $119

Today's post—a new recurring feature here on Cheryl Shops—is inspired by Veruca Salt, the spoiled girl in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory who meets her demise after falling down a chute for bad eggs. But there are no bad eggs here, just things I'm totally obsessed with, which, at the moment, is python: prints, textures, real, faux, whatever. My python picks are as follows:





Clockwise from top left:

I'll admit, I'm a total sucker for nail art, but so far I've been pretty uninspired by the ready-made offerings. Until now, that is—how cool are these At Your Fingertips nail stickers from ModCloth?

Equipment's silk blouses are so fantastic, I already own three of them and am hankering for another. Next on my list is this vividly dreamy python-print number, also here in more sizes and colors.

When it comes to exotic skins, few do 'em better than Kara Ross. This divided cuff is a chic choice from her lower-priced line.

Much like its namesake shoes, Jimmy Choo perfume straddles that fine line between glamorous and trashy. If this perfume were a woman, I'd like to get drunk with her. That said, I don't know what's more fantastic—the scent itself or the pink python box that holds it.

Zadig & Voltaire is a line I get very excited about when in France, but I forget that it even has stores here. Based on how sexy and French this silk chiffon skirt is, perhaps I should pay more attention.

My coworker has this exact Michael Kors Hamilton satchel, and let me tell you, it is one good-looking bag. The python texture is embossed, and it's a lovely, very subtle contrast to the blush-pink color of the leather.

And because we know Michael Kors knows his exotic skins, here's another winner, a pair of actual snakeskin sandals that I'm completely besotted with at the moment.