after so many years of struggling with my pepsi-brand glasses…no i don’t mean coke lenses. i mean actual glasses that were made by the pepsi company, i upgraded my life with warby parker.

now let me just state that i stumbled upon this amazing brand at least three years ago while thumbing through a magazine. it has taken me that long + two eye infections + two home try-ons to actually get a pair, but…

so voile! i am a preston girl in gimlet tortoise. i am obsessed and finally feel like an adult with a vision problem. not a middle schooler who can’t see.

things are lookin’ up

other styles i ♥:

• winston (close contendor during both try-ons)
• huxley
• ainsworth

How delicious is this room?

Even the most minimalist can’t deny the p(ink).power of this gorgeous space.

And those tie-dyed shades. D.I.E. (i’m currently dipping everything in sight in pink paint)

There is nothing little girl about this rose-hued room. This is all lady, baby.

{image via lonny magazine}

well now that it is creeping towards the 70s (wahoooooooooo), let’s talk the jams baby! i am all over the place in terms of what i’m listening to and my Mayday playlist certainly reflects that.

• Phoenix always reminds me of my last trip to LA- surviving off of four hours of sleep a night, pounding coffee and blasting “1901″ down the 110. Excellent Mimi moments. Well, I’m hoping that the French poppies will be the soundtrack for a new set of fun times with their latest album Bankrupt. “Drakkar Noir” and “Chloroform” literally melt into each other, so you have to listen in succession. “Buckle up, we’ll chase each other…” Ok, fine.
• A$AP Rocky might have girl troubles, but I have a serious f@ckin’ A$AP problem. This man has taken over my life, and I’m ok with it. “Suddenly” made the list because it’s not a club-banger- it’s (my) man showing off that he’s more than just an oh-so pretty face. ASAP-MIMI-4EV.
• I don’t know how I’ve gone this long without becoming obsessed with “Power Fantastic.” It’s slow and sensual, so pretty much exactly like every other Prince song I love. “What it is, is what you want and need.” This man…
• I’m a country girl- deal with it. I think Florida Georgia Line might be my new favorite simply because their name is so damn country. But “Get Your Shine On” is so freakin’ perfect and fun. It makes me want to pull on my cutoffs (clearly so does everything), and rock my sugar shaker with a beer in hand!
• The only man I would leave A$AP for is Gary Clark Jr. GCJ is my soulmate and “You Saved Me” is our soul song. The first time I heard this track I was speech-sound-motion-less. My cry level is at 99% over 50% of the times I hear it. It rounded out 2012 as my favorite song of the year, and might be giving ’13 a run for its money. “You’ve got it all baby. I’m so addicted.”
• Sam Sparro is perfection, and “Hearts Like Us” is his battle cry of being fucking everything I need in life. Need more?
• If I only listen to “R.I.P” to hear 2Chainz say “Got-got-got a pocket fulla dead bread,” then I have lived a full life. That beat is pure old-school Atlanta club days- I love it!
• This acoustic version of one of my favorite Fleetwood songs has been on heavy rotation since that treasure chest of a re-release of Rumours. The harmonies blew my mind.
• Florence got me through a crazy ass Q1- yes, I organize my personal life in fiscal quarters. “Swimming” literally kept my head from exploding too many times to mention. I remembered the chorus, Flo.
• I know “S’wonderful” has been done millions of times, but João’s version is the sexiest. With one note, he makes me feel like I’m on the most romantic vacation imaginable. “You have made my life so glamourous…”
• I have been a Fiona stan since I was nine- I performed one of her songs at a pool-party talent show, shit was serious. But it has only been 17 years later that the power of her lyrics have resonated. “Slow Like Honey” hit me like a pile of bricks a few months ago and I listen with caution now. Fiona was my Amy before Amy was my Amy. Get it?
• Beyonce’s “Dance For You” is just some good old-fashioned sexy fun. And the video is other-level, B. Bow down, indeed.

somehow the fifth month of the year has snuck up on us!

wasn’t it just february? i’m confused.

i’ve decided to take the first week of the month by storm with a whole slew of inspo shots. i am constantly saving images on my iPad and they just stay trapped in there like little prisoners of war.

well, they’re busting out, baby! happy cinco!

so to combat my feelings of utter poverty, i decided to spend half an hour on net-a-porter compiling my second wishlist. remember how fun the shoe version was?

i used to be the most major of dress-wearers. and then one day i just packed them up and put on the pants. well, as the weather warms up i am in a sudden frock frenzy. NAP is the source for my fix.

1. when it comes to stripes, i am an absolute jailbird. i love that the michael kors slim sheath creates the illusion of a perfect hourglass figure, while the d&g fit&flare is so old hollywood off-set. i would pair either style with a sleek top-knot and a bright pink lip.
2. during my dress drought i have steered clear of almost anything girly. but i would go full-femme for these two styles. the off the shoulder carven is so “look at me i’m sandra dee,” and what girl didn’t want to be olivia newton-john? blame it on my preppy past, but i am having such a toile moment. the safari print and laser cuts on this carven piece give it some serious edge.
3. the following will not be a surprise. leather = mimi oxygen. it’s probably due to my obscene collection of vintage leather at a steal. well this a.wang and isabel marant are no steal but man are they obscenely good. the cutouts against that virginal white is perfect for a night of acting up. and studded red leather basically speaks for itself.
4. i have this weird thing where i sometimes wear long(ish) shirts as dresses. i even went so far as to rock a thrifted blazer as a dress only to quickly discover it was not. these styles fulfill that fantasy while actually being dresses- score! the simplicity of the shape on this margiela is combatted with a rich mustard hue and funky hem. the status-printed Mary Katrantzou would make me feel like the stylish younger wife a Miami drug lord. another one of those weird fantasies of mine.

never stop dreaming, y’all!

If you ask anyone who knows me- well or otherwise- what my burning building piece of clothing would be, the answer would be unanimous.

Denim Cutoffs

Over the past five years, they have become my twelve-month staple. With tights and pumps in the winter, bare legs and Converse in the summer. I’ve worn them in the club as much as by the pool. My collection includes three standouts in steady rotation- baggy Levis from Urban, a stolen Abercrombie pair and a DIY True Religion set in white. Is it wrong that I truly believe they are as versatile as any other denim item? Yea, maybe.

Well, I’ll take it because some of my best memories involve my good ol’ cutoffs. Miami ’09, ND ’08, Miami ’13, Dallas ’11, Miami ’06…

With warm weather finally making an appearance on the East Coast, go ahead and get ready to cut up. You won’t regret it, I promise.

Mimi’s short-shorts for the win:

• one 
• two 
• three 
• four 
• five

{image via lucky magazine}

So.

Great News. NYC Mimi is officially un-homeless.

After what is quite possibly the worst experience in Modern America, I found a home that I am OBSESSED with through and through. I was sure after I left my beyond beautiful house in DC last summer that my dream space was years…decades away. I mean New York is not exactly the real estate capital of the world.

But I found it- a gorgeous one bedroom for one single girl on the East side with a real kitchen and hardwood floors and high ceilings.

So now that I’ve paid my dues (in so many ways) to the NYC real estate goons, I can get to the fun part.

To quote my mom after I got the keys, “Great. Let’s decorate!”

Bear with me over the next few weeks, but I can’t help but devour inspirational rooms as I go on the design journey of my first ever place all to myself

See something online I should see too? Email me more inspo highendrearend@gmail.com.

{image via la dolce vita blog}

Remember when I blogged an old outfit for inspo? Well, lessssss do that again.

“She want that old thang back…”

This look was from one of my favorite days in 2012- a boozy dinner during an amazingggg work trip to San Francisco.

The entire look is so Mimi and so effortless. Ok, so red leather is not exactly effortless but you nahmean.

I paired an older than dirt cardigan (I swear it’s from Delia’s) with $25 vintage leather and an enormous necklace. Charlie Louis (my grandma’s LV) completed the look, as she frequently does, and bangs and a red mani set it all the way off.

As the weather (finally) warms in NYC, I’ll break out that skirt but pair it with stripes and statement earrings against pulled back hair.

Revisit one of your favorite memories from last year and remix an oldie but goodie look from that day.

Gwen is just the gift that keeps on giving. Just beyond everything.

And I cannot stop listening to “Looking Hot.” 

Go figure.

{Sights}

{Specs & shades: Warby Parker; Gant by Michael Bastian}

{Soundtrack}

{Scents}

{Smarts}

{Sexy}