Nana Banana

Resort wear 2010

Nana Banana is gearing up for several weeks of sunshine--first in San Juan, then heading further south to Argentina.  My pasty skin and difficulty finding appropriate swimwear has never made selecting beachy clothes an easy task, but it hasn't stopped me from being a sucker for resortwear.  Give me a psychedelic caftan and hubcap-sized shades or nautical stripes and sweetie espadrilles, top with messy vacation curls, and meet me at the cabana. 

I've been daydreaming outfits all week while swaddled in my Stay Puft Marshmallow sleeping bag coat, and I got even more excited today when I saw these sundrenched shots from The Sartorialist's recent trip to Rio.  Oh to be able to pull off that effortless Brazilian beach look.

What I would like to look like while traveling:

Sights I would like to see:

Yum.

Man Candy Monday: Rev your engines

Greetings friends,

As you know, we here at Nana Banana support anything of the tatted, tall, dark, and handsome variety.  Also, leather jackets.  So it's a shocker that it's taken us this long to feature today's Man Candy special, the motorcycle man. 

NOTE: Nana Banana does not apologize for the barrage of bad puns that is about to take place.  Put on your big girl chaps, it's gonna be a rough ride.

Dear Skinny Tie, you can rev my engine any day.

 

Dear Funny Hat, finish that cigarette so you can come work on my gears.

Dear Hot Tatts, how do you feel about chaps?

 

Dear Happy Face, your smile is too cute for me to make a dirty joke.  Lets smooch.

Dear Road Trippers, is there room for three?

Dear Farm Boy, how bout we park that thing and go for a real ride.

Dear cute brothers, I'm really sorry I objectified all of your friends, I just got so worked up around all those loud engines and grease and leather.  I think I just need a cold shower...care to join me?

PS - Thanks to motorcycle Mark for the pics...and for being a good sport about the captions.  And if anyone out there is newly inspired to take up riding, check out this website.

Stuffed bird: Street style for binge eaters

In packing to go home for Thanksgiving, I inevitably throw sweaters and leggings into a bag and call it a day.  I also inevitably look like a BritBrit departing another dry-out sesh in rehab-land.  I mean, honestly, who dresses up to take a bus from Port Authority?!  Well, apparently that someone should be me.  Because when there's one single bus line that goes from NY to your hometown, you're inevitably going to run into someone you know (likely an ex). 

All of this is to say that this year, I have attempted to look like a functional human being for the holiday.  A functional human being with a serious appetite and the need to store up some poundage for the lean months ahead.  So, here I give you some street style inspiration for your T-giving wardrobes.  Plenty of room for waistline expansion, kids.  

Throw a plaid shirt over your nightgown so you can tryptophan straight from the table to the couch and pass out before it's time to help with the dishes (not that I would ever do that).

Volume is key people.  Also, if you wear florals, grandma is more likely to stop asking if you're a lesbian and/or when you're going to get married and/or why you still insist on wearing those ugly big glasses.

Wear an outfit with room for hoarding leftovers.  (**NOTE: Nana Banana doesn't necessarily condone this look, but all bets are off when it come's to scoring the last slice of pie.)

OK, that is all.  Happy Turkey Day to you and yours.  And may the Black Friday force be with you.

Smooches,

Nana Banana

Wild thing, you make my heart sing

I've never been particularly down with animal prints. I mean, I'm totally into animals printed on tees. And I'm all up in the fur biznas.  Mink stoles, rabbit fur coats, the whole nine. But leopard dresses?  Zebra print tees?  It's always just felt a little happy hour at Applebees.  But lately, I've found myself warming to the look.  Check out these amazing street style shots.  Thoughts?  Should I take a walk on the wild side?  Should I make another bad animal joke? 

Welcome to the jungle!

Nana Banana

 

It's a sunshine day

This week I discovered a long-lost cousin, a happy times band and a great new book.  And it's the weekend.  Lots of reasons to smile today, friends.  In case you need an extra one, I thought I'd put up these.

Have a great weekend!

Nana Banana

Apologies - haven't kept track of where these photos came from.

Layering 101: For short-ening

Today's layering inspiration focuses on using summer pieces like tees and cutoffs.  I like the way she chose to leave the shirt open. And I think it's important to note the length of the shorts (i.e. not booty shorts).  I could do without those flats, but otherwise I think this is a great fall transitional look.

Layering 101: Furever fall

For me, the best part about fall (aside from apple pie) is getting creative with layering.  I've been saving ideas for the past few years on my computer and thought I'd spend the next few days sharing some of my favorite looks, why they work, and how to recreate them.  Today lets look at fur. 

I thrifted a mink wrap awhile back, but the window for wearing it always seemed too short.  You have to wait till it's cold enough to merit such a hefty item.  But--because it's just a wrap--it had to be warm enough that you didn't need a full-on coat.  That's why I was excited when I saw this look:

The outfit underneath is pretty standard--vintage tee, jeans, blue blazer--but the fur really adds a pop of whimsy (and warmth).  

**Apologies that I can't credit this picture.  If you know who took it, please contact me.

Man Candy Mondays: The Stockholm Syndrome

Our Swedish bretheren have given us many things: Ikea, Ace of Base, meatballs. What they don't seem to get enough credit for is the beauty of their men. So today, Man Candy Mondays would like to honor our Nordic brothers.  Kyss!

 

Hello there.  

Need a light?

They do blonds better than California!

They can get away with long hair...

...and funny sunglasses...

...and looking like Mick Jagger.

Tack så mycket to Stockholm Street Style!

Man Candy Mondays: The Euro-Stash Edition

Sure sure, The Sartorialist is a great source of fashion inspiration. But I think if you asked most ladies, I think they'd admit that the real joy of this fashion blog-buster is the constant parade of impeccably tailored Euro-man-candy. Those polished brogues, those raffish ascots, that Harris tweed. This is the stuff of "kept-woman" fantasies. Here are a few of my favorites.

And of course, Mr. Schuman himself is pretty easy on the eyes!

**All photos courtesy of The Sartorialist**

Man Candy Mondays: Fashion's Night Out edition

Fashion's night out wasn't all limp noodles and gay pirates. There was also some serious Man Candy. Straight boys that know their way around a bowtie. New York is spoiling me.

Outside of Tiffany.

At Barneys.  This photo doesn't do them justice.

At Diesel (where we took refuge after they ran out of champagne at Barneys)

I think perhaps we might need a closeup of this one.  Yes?  I thought so...

The best part of the night? Closing things down with my new favorite taco truck, an import from these guys in Playa del Carmen, who I wrote about awhile back.