jakenna + nike


When all is said and done, we have a lot of living to do. I think it's natural for mid-twenty-somethings to go through mini-mid-twenties-something crises and start with questions. Am I doing the right thing? Is this how I imagined my life to be at this point? Am I working at the right job? Am I happy? Is there enough champagne in my mimosa? But I had a moment during this Nike shoot. I was standing on top of my rooftop, the Manhattan skyline was glimmering in the distance and a crew of the dopest Nike folks in the world worked around me as a photographer snapped pics. Of me? This little mid-western girl. And I realized that I'm making some pretty awesome life decisions. No need for a mid-twenties-something crisis here. I've got plenty of champagne in my mimosa. And lots to celebrate :) Thanks to everyone who made this day as awesome at it was.

Love,
JaKenna

brrrr: vintage sweater + broach


Peek-a-boo. I see you argyle socks and vintage broach :) It's chilly, but you keep me warm.

Remember when I said I was excited to start blogging again? Allll the way back in my last post? I think I'm most excited about the NIke photos about to launch in a few days... Whaaaa did she say Nike? Hells yeah, I did. Hells yeah. Stay tuned.

Love,
JaKenna
Vintage Teal Sweater & Broach
Ralph Lauren Argyle Socks

stylelist + jakenna changing: 1 turtleneck, 6 looks

IS IT CHEESY to say that I almost teared up while reading and clicking through my Stylelist feature? Christina Anderson, the Fashion Editor, writes beautifully and somehow makes me sound... well, like me. Or the me I hope to live up to someday :) And Raydene Salinas takes the most stellar pictures. Thank you both so much, for a fun- and fashion-filled day!

Full Feature: 6 Ways A Turtleneck Crop Top Can Take Your Wardrobe From Summer To Fall

Love,
JaKenna

snoozerloser + jakenna changing















SECRETLY, I'VE ALWAYS wanted to be a witch. From ages 6-11, I was a witch for Halloween. Hocus Pocus might as well play as background music to my life. Sabrina? My role model--wait, you flick your wrist and your room is clean? Jeal.So, when Sonia Tay, the design mind behind SnoozerLoser, asked me to work with her on a witch-themed fall collection, my nose twitched and my mind conjured up the glorious scene of Jack, the pumpkin king, singing to the moon from a curled mountaintop.And in reality, the shoot was more than I could have imagined. Sonia has an incredible eye and her taste for skeleton themed, silk-screened dresses and blouses goes right along my addiction to biological anthropology. Skull, don't be jealous. I'll be posting separate looks of my favorite pieces in the coming weeks. Be on the lookout, my friends :)

graffiti'd love: american apparel chiffon + topshop pleats

YOU'RE TOTALLY THINKING: How the ef did JaKenna paint this entire mural? Oh, you thought I just had the talents in digital communications strategy, style blogging and rocking the synth? Well, you're right. I didn't paint that ish, but isn't it perrrrrrrty!?



But more importantly, isn't this outfit the cutest? The top/skirt are closet staples (remember this and this gem?), but the shoes are new. Hello thrifted Trotters from a flea market in DC. Hello!

♥
JaKenna
Shoes: Trotters

think cool: forever21 skirt + urban outfitters top

THINKING CHILLY THOUGHTS is the only thing getting me through this NYCHEATWAVE. That and the coolhaus ice cream truck... #realtalk.


Sometimes Forever 21 can surprise you. Like when this navy zippered skirt popped out of nowhere and matched perfectly with my polka dot top. Like me + Big Gay Ice Cream or brunch + bloody mary's. Just meant to be.

♥
JaKenna
Shoes: Topshop
Blue Zipper Skirt: Forever21
Polka Dot Top: Urban Outfitters

double take: a little wicked top + cheap monday skirt

I WORE THIS top yesterday. What of it?



And I was all like nu-huh, I love that crop top thiiiiiiiiis much. And she was all like no way, you love that top at least thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis much. And I was like, yeah you're probably right.

♥
JaKenna
Red Vintage Crop Top: A Little Wicked
Black Sheer Skirt: Cheap Monday
Flats: Topshop

rocknrolla: american apparel chiffon + topshop jeans

BLACK STUDDED BOOTS. Check. Black shirt. Check. Black pants. Check. Actually they're Navy... but dah-ha! Black & white pictures win again.





RocknRolla Status. Achieved.

Anyone who has seen me during the last 30 days has seen this outfit no less than 28 times. Truth. You won't see me in it tomorrow, though. False.

AND since there are SO MANY American Apparel button-up colors to choose from, you may see a variation of this look as we leap gleefully into Summer. I just want to remain as honest as possible about that :)

Dusty Violet! Tiffany! Grenadine! Oh My!

♥
JaKenna
Boots: TopShop

east village romping: pinky otto culottes + steve madden virrtues

LEAPING + BOUNDING! I thought: "This cabbie must think I'm ca-razy! Jumping in the street to get these shots. HA!" And then I realized that a girl jumping in the street is the sanest thing dude has seen all day. #NYC





Culottes (aka women's pants cut like a skirt). All the rage. They say so much (What? Purple snakeskin doesn't do it for you?), so I like to keep the rest of the look simple. I'll also pair with a black tank for a nighttime look and am always just as hippie-pleased with myself. ✌

P.S. Do you spy SKULL hiding in the accessories pic? Sometime she's my inner shy coming through. Belie' dat.

♥
JaKenna
Culottes: Pinky Otto
Tank: TopShop
Belt: Vintage Christian Dior
Sunnies: Stolen Acquired from Coachella

laces: zara knee high socks + urban outfitters skirt

MGMT'S ELECTRIC FEEL came on while shooting this outfit and my body... it started a'twitchin and a'movin and I jumped back to 2008-just-graduated-Duke-and-drove-with-windows-down-in-the-jeep-BLASTING-that-ish-JaKenna. #Memories.

I've been wearing this Urban Outfitters skirt at least twice/week since I bought the damn thing 2 years ago (see! see!). It's the bestie and I heart pairing lace + lace for a play on textures. Nice depth.

Top: Forever 21 (syke it's a dress!)
Skirt: Urban Outfitters
Knee High Socks: Zara
Velvet Wedges: TopShop
♥
JaKenna

the navy series: zara striped blouse + knee high socks

IT TOOK ME a sec to figure out the best way to wear this Navy Zara striped blouse, but shaazzaaaaa I did it! And now I want to wear this outfit overandoverandover again. #DONTJUDGEME. Let's welcome this outfit to The Navy Series.

Special SHOUT to the one and only RenaReborn, where I never fail to find one-of-a-kind jewels. Like you don't love this piece. Psh.

Red Pea Coat: Forever 21
Striped Blouse + Knee High Socks: Zara
Lace Skirt: Urban Outfitters
Necklace: RenaReborn
Belt: TopShop
♥
JaKenna

jakenna & max: american apparel sheer + zara knee highs

FINALLY! PICS FROM my shoot with my favorite not-to-mention-handsome photographer, Max Bernetz, are trickling in.

Oh, hey old friend old dear old pal, American Apparel sheer shirt! Oh how I need love you. I keep finding new ways to wear this while secretly cursing past-JaKenna for not buying one in every damn color. Paired with these Zara knee high socks, and you've got one naughty very well-behaved school girl...

Sheer Shirt: American Apparel (also seen here and here!)
Pleated Shorts: Forever 21
Belt: Vintage! Christian Dior
Shoes: TopShop
♥
JaKenna

holy jeans! topshop jeans + madewell shirt +urban outfitters leather jacket

FULL DISCLOSURE: THESE jeans did not come with holes, they created themselves. Why? Because I wear stuff. And I wear stuff I like... A LOT. Alas, they now serve 2 purposes:

1) Strategically placed air-conditioning vents now provide much needed circulation. We walk a lot in NYC and it's natural to sweat. IT IS.

B) 90's grunge holy jeans and plaid shirt + 80's hair band rocker curls strangely = 2011 NYC gal. You do the math.

And S/O to the cropped leather jacket! The Urban Outfitters sale rack will forever have a place in my heart for this one. You + Me = Us. 


Leather Jacket: Urban Outfitters
Plaid Shirt: Madewell
Jeans: Topshop
♥
JaKenna

seeing red: j brand wide leg jeans + rena reborn top

HOW BEAUTIFUL AND awesome is this coat? More details on that later...

HOW BEAUTIFUL AND awesome is this shirt!? I visited my good friend, Rachael Rush (owner of the fashion boutique Rena Reborn in the East Village), last week and stumbled upon this beautiful printed top. Rachael has an eye for vintage pieces, some would call her an expert :-)

 Remember that obsession with anchors? Yeah, it's alive and kickin'.
Peace baby!
Red Coat: Forever 21
Wide Leg Jeans: J Brand Jeans
Top: Vintage! From Rena Reborn

♥
JaKenna

autumn pastels: ben sherman chambray + american apparel peaches


I'M SORRY WHAT? It's October? How did that happen? Well, can I still wear pastels? Ok then. DONE.

GOOSEBUMPS! And I don't mean the wildly thrilling and expertly written children's horror stories, I mean the precious results on a chilly Autumn day.

SIDEBAR: Ben Sherman has THE BEST CHAMBRAY SHIRTS. I ♥ many features: the backwards buttons on men's collared shirts, the slim fit, the cool color, I could go on... the versatility, the-button-spacing-is-sexy-on-a-woman, the...

Chambray Shirt: Ben Sherman
Jeans: American Apparel
Shoes: Sperry Top-Sider
♥
JaKenna

tomboy style: j brand red skinnies + ben sherman men's chambray shirt

REMEMBER THAT TIME I called out the blog Tomboy Style for being one of my style inspirations? Well, I also tweeted that ish and guess m-fing what? Lizzie Garrett, author of Tomboy Style, reached out to lil' ol' me to be featured on the blog for a Q&A session! Whaaaaa? Me? You think I'm interesting? Cool. Giggle.


I took these pics to honor the Tomboy Style in all of us chickies :-) Be on the lookout for my Q&A!

♥
JaKenna
Shirt: Ben Sherman
Jeans: You know by now. J Brand baby.
Shoes: Sperry Top-Siders
Bag: Vintage! Dooney & Burke
Sunnies: Ray Ban

keep it simple: j brand red skinnies + ralph lauren white tee

IT'S A JEANS and t-shirt kind of day. Maybe it's the weather, maybe it's my mood or maybe it's the ease and comfort of slipping in to a good pair of jeans + a soft tee to set the world right. The tomboy in me is ecstatic! And tomboys are sexy. You know it's true.

Inspiration for today's look:
TomBoy Style - If you like me, you'll like her. But keep me liking me more :-)

♥
JaKenna
Jeans: J Brand
Tee: Ralph Lauren
Sunnies: Ray Bans

jeans and tees: j brand red skinny jeans + rebel yell tee

YOU MIGHT BE seeing a lot of these jeans in the coming posts as I seem to have developed an addiction... I can't help it! They add such a bright pop to every outfit and I can.not resist a good pop. Tell me, honestly, WHO CAN RESIST A GOOD POP?

And after enduring some sort of Canadian post office strike, my Chains of Love Ex-Boyfriend necklace finally arrived! Close up pics to come with the next outfit.

♥
JaKenna
Jeans: J Brand
Tee: Rebel Yell
Necklace: Chains of Love

seriously rain, go away: topshop tank top/booties + urban outfitters skirt

THESE THREATENING RAIN clouds can go the EF back to April Showers. It's August in NYC for cryin out loud. Where's the sun? Where's the warmth? The choking humidity and sweat stained shirts? Jeesh.

Moving on... I LOVE THIS SHIRT. I previously posted it paired (say that 3 times fast!) with Zara culottes. People trend to combo flowy with tight, but flowy + flowy is much sexier. Leave some to the imagination girls :-) And isn't this heart print sweet and sugary?

♥
JaKenna
Heart Top + Booties: TopShop
 Black Lace Skirt: Urban Outfitters
 Belt: Vintage! Dooney & Burke

big stripes: h&m striped tee + diy jean shorts

DON'T YOU LOVE stripes and jean shorts? Me too! Obviously...

I was wearing this BIG STRIPED shirt while walking in the EVil last summer when a Mickey Rourke looking fellow (quite dapper actually, and if by dapper you mean 80's rocker with a full beard and RUSH tee) said, "Nice shirt!"

I wonder if his mind took him the inmate route, rather than the nautical... Either way, "Thanks!"


I dream of having a mohawk one day... one day doggumit.

These jean shorts are a DIY project, which I totally encourage; however, if you don't have any old jeans to cut, check these brights by Wildfox (Cobalt! Red!) and Blank NYC via Nasty Gal.

And I think pairing these with anything over-sized is key. The shorts are already tiny and tight, no need to whore it up on top... Unless that's your thing, of course, then by all mean. #imnotjudgingyouontheoutside

Try BIG STRIPES, BIG DOTS, BIG AMERICAN FLAGS instead!

♥
JaKenna
Jean Shorts: DIY
BIG STRIPES: H&M
Booties: Aldo