Archives for January 2016

The resurgence of the off the shoulder top has elevated everyone’s blouse game the past few seasons, and it’s easy to see why this piece has become so popular. The exposed shoulders provide just the right amount of skin for a flirty vibe, but the overall cut is modest and flattering to all body types. This top is by local designer and Project Runway Season 1 winner, Chloe Dao. I spotted this silk stunner on her Instagram feed a few months ago, and I was instantly smitten with the silhouette and the gorgeous feather print. In the comments, however, Chloe mentioned she had made only a few of these tops. About a week later, as my sister and I began our annual holiday shopping kickoff at the Nutcracker Market, I ventured into the Chloe Dao booth, just in case. Lo and behold, it was in stock! Chloe was working that night, and she explained to me how she fell in love with this fabric but only had enough to make three of the tops. I couldn’t have been more excited to score this ALMOST one-of-a-kind! And what a treat it was to meet this precious and über talented designer — she couldn’t have been nicer! Although this Dao original is no longer available, I have linked several of my favorite off the shoulder tops below.

I wore this top when I was on vacation in St. Barth over Thanksgiving, so I gave it a laid back, beachy vibe with cut offs and gladiators. But it looks equally chic dressed up with jeans and heels or leather pants and booties for a cooler climate. Fun fact about these shorts: They are Levi’s 501’s and originally belonged to one of my best guy friends in high school. I begged him to give me a pair of his old jeans, and I cut them off and have been wearing them now for over twenty years!

Top: Chloe Dao, sold out (similar by MLM Label, Joie, and O’neill) | Shorts: similar Levi’s and longer Levi’s version | Belt: Hermès (similar previously worn Hermès belt) | Sandals: Loeffler Randall, sold out (similar by Stuart Weitzman and budget friendly version by Chinese Laundry) | Earrings: Calypso, sold out (similar by Yochi) | Bracelet: similar Chan Luu