Library Time

Although I don't officially qualify as a Shaw resident (I am technically Bloomingdale, represent!), I have lived damn near close to that area for over 4 years now. I walk and bike through Shaw quite often, if not daily, and have watched the demolition of the old library give way to the gradual construction of the new one. And I must say, the architecture of the new structure, combined with the interior design and the Craig Kraft sculpture acting as the cherry on top...really blew me away. I honestly think it's one of the most modern and intriguing structures to grace DC and I'm very proud to say that it exists in Shaw. The building looks more like it should be situated in downtown L.A. with papparazzi hovering outside, waiting to catch photos of celebrity kids leaving with their nannies carrying audiovisual materials.

Blouse: Wasteland, Pants & Purse: unidentified store-upper west side, NYC, Wedge Sandals: Target, Sunglasses: KAPSoul (downtown Los Angeles boutique)

Sculpture: Craig Kraft

I've taken photos with one of his sculptures before, you can view one here. They are dispersed around D.C. and I always get excited when I come across one. I am always drawn to the light and bright energy of the sculptures, which is why I believe this is the perfect fit to go with the new library. The sculpture really connects to the building, making it all more of a composition to look at, rather than just an isolated building. Having this sculpture outside really brings a charge to the building and ignites the whole atmosphere with an almost manic vitality. And that is my kind of art.

So about the outfit...this blouse is wonderful! Perfect for hiding any amount of jigalo you might have going on in the tummy area whilst looking fabulous and ultra flattering. It's so billowy and comfortable, the perfect time to wear it is when there is just a little bit of wind to make it fly.

The top is a consumption from my recent California trip. It hails from Wasteland on Melrose Avenue in L.A., a store I could have spent the night in, had they not wrangled me out of there at closing time. I caught just about their last 20 minutes before closing for the night and didn't get to try on half of what I wanted to, but came out with a good haul, nonetheless. Wasteland is a mixture of new items and racks upon racks of vintage/resale goods. The difference between a store like this and something like Marshalls or the Salvation Army is that everything is adorable. It's not so much picking through a bunch of junk to get to the good stuff as it is grabbing every other item you look at and then narrowing your huge pile of "yes" items down to what you can afford while biting your nails in the dressing room.

The back of the shirt dives into a sexy V shape, but is connected by a thin slice of fabric at the top, which looks great and helps to keep it all situated correctly around the shoulder area.

And aren't the sunglasses oh so Cali movie star chic...aah my new favorite pair :)