OMG I Die!

So Christian Louboutin released a couple preview pics of his Spring 2010 line and wow... bananas! I am so in love with these.
Now only if I could justify spending $1086 on shoes they would be mine!

Jeggings = Jeans + Leggings

Hot or Not? That has been my internal question on this trend, and I think my final answer is 'It Depends'. Until recently I was leaning towards Not because I was with the Just-Wear-Your-Skinny-Jeans camp. But I have been rocking my (plain) leggings recently and have been loving them. They are just so comfy, and seriously they really are the only way to go when wearing thinner/clingier long tunic tops. So then come along my awesome new OTK boots (#95 if you are counting) and I was thinking that shoving my jeans into these was kinda a pain. I wanted the versatile, casualness of my denim but wanted the ease and comfort of leggings. Thus me needing a pair of jeggings! This leads me to the 'depends' part of answer. Obviosuly I think they are great for pairing with boots, tunics and the like. I am, however, in the definitive NO camp for wearing them like an actual pair of jeans. Really, there is no substitute for a solid pair of pants (unless you are Lady Gaga but that's another post). My final verdict... Jeggings are a definite yes for this fall/winter but they belong in your accessories pile and not the pants!

Shoes, the Recession's Not-so-Gulity Pleasure

I came across this article in the NY Times today and found it... interesting. While it was informational and definitely had its funny moments, it also left me with a tad of a sour taste in my mouth. I just feel some of the lines were mocking women buying shoes... but maybe its just me. What do you think??

lust/want/need/love... NOW

So I have been wanting a pair of gray ankle boots for awhile now but I can't seem to find the perfect pair. These Aldo boots are out of my price comfort range (at $170) but I can't get over how hot these are. I mean the folded V ankle cuff, the studded platform, the stiletto heel.... I'm drooling. Anyway, let me know if you find a similar style that is more wallet friendly. Until then, I will dream of you Zinke.

Pantless People

Halloween is my favorite holiday. And no, it’s not about the candy. I LOVE dressing up. I mean you get to dress up as something totally different and try new things with no inhibitions… well I still have some, but you get the idea. Anyway, this year I decided to go as the spectacularly fabulous Lady Gaga. Only “problem” is that she is a serious advocate of the pantlessness look. In order to totally own this outfit and be the best Lady G out there I have been hitting the gym harder than usual and focusing on the gams…. But I digress. Gaga is out there on the fashion side but I gotta give it to her. She loves pushing the envelope, going all out, and is totally unapologetic about it all. After a year filled with pantless Gaga and Beyonce joining in on the fun, we are starting to see this in all parts of the fashion world. If you noticed, many top designers sent looks down the runway this past month that would definitely be defined as pantless. It’s only a matter of time before this hits mainstream… I just hope it doesn’t go as bad as I have in my head. But I have a feeling that this Halloween will be filled with pantless people trying out this trend in one form or another. I mean just in my group of friends there will be 4 of us sans pants on the 31^st! (In addition to my Lady Gaga will we have a Beyonce and two Single Ladies backup dancers of the male variety ala SNL!)

Hello. Good Buy.

I love Target. It's no secret that I shop there at least once a week. Not only do I buy all my groceries there but they almost always have great fashion and accessories for very budget friendly prices. Tonight I went to target to find some navy blue tights to wear with a dress I recently purchased on HauteLook.com. Sadly, they didn't have any navy blue tights but I found so many great things that I had a very hard time not buying them all! Instead of the original tights I ended up getting some great lace patterned tights that I have been meaning to get all season long. I also found a great black and white checkered scarf that was on clearance. To top of my purchases I bought a jersey pencil skirt from the new GO International collection that is a fabulous pink and black houndstooth. A few of the things that I did not buy (on this trip anyway) included a great silver boyfriend watch, a bold oval black cocktail ring, a belted strapless houndstooth dress (also from GO Int'l), an infinity scarf (there were 2!), and some great red plaid pointed toe flats. Needless to say Target is not only a great place to save money on household items but you can style yourself in all the latest trends with out breakin' the bank!

L.O.V.E.

Seeing as it is “Fashion Week Season” I have found myself a little behind with getting around to looking at all the pictures/slideshows and reading articles about the shows that I am interested in. So today I was playing catch-up on the WSJ site checking out their fashion section, reading an article about London’s fashion week when I came across this Burberry Prorsum trench-dress.

To me it was just breath-taking. I can’t get over the shoulders! I mean it’s just so strong and yet undeniably feminine all at the same time. Usually I am not a big fan of lavender but it just works so well for this piece. Gah! Just love it and wanted to share a little tiny piece of my fashion love with you all. Happy Monday!

I Die. OMG I Die.

Talk about a fabulous deal! Today on 6pm.com they were featuring select Oh Deer! shoes for $15.95. That is more than 75% off retail in some cases! Now if you don’t know Oh Deer! they are great shoes that retail for well over $100 in almost all cases. I have never bought a pair but I have tried a few on and they are defiantly well made and comfortable shoes, not to mention cute. So obviously when I saw this sale I got super excited. I couldn’t decide which ones to buy! After much internal debate (and external, thanks B) between styles and colors I ended up buying the Slash sandal in green (I saw these in a boutique a couple of weeks ago on sale but they didn’t have my size) and the Jester mini-wedge in purple. With shipping and tax I spent a total of $41.87. The combined retail price of these shoes is $375. That means I saved over 88% on this purchase!!! Can it get any better? I think not. To make sure you cash in on future sales like this head over to 6pm.com and sign up for their emails. :)

91

It official, you asked for it. As of this afternoon I will have a total of 91 pairs of shoes! 91! I am totally ridiculous and yet still want more. This is why I had to build a shoecase (more on that later) and its already full! Anyway, how many pairs do you have??

Update: A friend suggested that I throw a 100 party when I reach that mile stone. I think its a great idea so I will keep you all posted ;) Only 9 more to go...

Bring on the Boots!

I definitely caught boot fever this season. We all know that boots are always a part of fall and winter trends but I really feel that this year it really IS all about the boot. We have been seeing such a wide range of styles that it is so easy for anyone to get caught up in the wave. Of course there are the motorcycle boots that I obviously love. But there are also booties, cage styles, over-the-knee, platform, cowboy inspired; the list just goes on and on. I, as always, have a wish list a mile long but I wanted to share just a couple that have really shot to that top of that list. The first is a Calvin Klein over-the-knee boot that I saw in a Dillard’s ad in the September Issue of Vogue (where else?!?). They not only have the great over the knee styling that I love, but they have a great buckle detail that give it just that extra pizazz! The second boot is part of the J. Aldridge by Sea of Shoes collection from Urban Outfitters. I just can’t get over how awesome these look. The peep toe with the lace up front is just sick. So… anyone want to buy me a present?? :)

OMG Shoes!

This past Friday was my birthday and I have to say that totally celebrated with shoes! I realized that I bought/received 4 pairs of shoes last week. Obviously it was a happy birthday ;)

The first pair that I bought was the Steve Madden Cheryl in Midnight blue. I can’t tell you how long I have been on the lookout for the perfect blue shoe and once again SM came through for me. They were included in the Fall Preview Sale so they were already 40% off, but then I had an extra 25% off + Free Shipping birthday coupon so I scooped them up for a great price. These were my birthday treat to myself…

Then came along the great sandal clearance email from Aldo (Thanks M for passing it along). I had been eyeing these great beaded sandals with ankle straps almost all summer but either they had been too expensive (originally $70) or didn’t have my size in the store when they were on sale (only to $30). So when I spied them for $17.95 and in my size you know I jumped all over that! These were just my I-wanted-them-and-they-were-a-great-price buy.

Pair #3 came in the form of Nine West’s Oskari wedge in Ivory. Once again these have been on my wish list for some time but of course I was waiting for the best time to buy. I had another 25% off coupon to NineWest.com that I was planning on using for these shoes but then about a week ago they sold out of my size L Needless to say I was pretty bummed, but then Endless.com came to my rescue. They dropped the price on the Ivory and I bought those right away because I didn’t want to be disappointed again. These were my “They are actually a present from someone else because they gave me birthday money” shoes…. So thanks T&V!

Last but not least is the gift from my wonderfully fabulous boyfriend. Can I just say that he seriously is the best gift giver ever!!! He bought me my Steve Madden Motorcycle boots that I blogged about earlier! Yay! And I can say they are fabulous… great quality, awesome fit, super comfy. He is such a smarty and bought them during the Nordstrom Anniversary sale so he got a great deal on the price too. What can I say I trained him well ;) Needless to say I made some great additions to my closet (although I am running out of room again) and it was a fantastic birthday!

Trend Alert

This past January I was taking a class entitled Fashion Presentation. One of the projects was to give a PowerPoint presentation to the class predicting a fashion trend that you thought would be coming in the next year. We were required to do some historical research since we all know that trends tend to recycle themselves about every 30 years or so. Well my prediction was that Fringe vests would make there way back into the spotlight… and guess what? I was right! We have been seeing fringe on many accessories the past few seasons and I knew it was only a matter of time before it started showing up on the clothes themselves, and what better place than the oh-so-popular vest! Also, with the 40th anniversary of the infamous Woodstock this year we were bound to see some of those fashion influences pop up somewhere. As the fringe vest is now in the current fashion spotlight there are tons of opportunities to jump on in from all price points. Target currently has an option that is offered at the wallet friendly price of $14.99 and it has good reviews… so go fringe yourself!

Kick Start

It’s that time of year again… Fall. Well it’s not really fall (and won’t be for a long time here in the south) but now is the time when all the fall merchandise is making its way into the stores and magazines. One trend that I am all about is the motorcycle boot. I love the tall shaft with a low, somewhat chunky heel and buckle details around the ankle and top look. Nordstrom featured a Steve Madden boot (the Frenchh) in their Anniversary sale that fit this description perfectly. I almost bought them as boots are the one exception to my (current) rule of not paying over $100 for a pair of shoes, but lucky for me I discovered a look-a-like pair at Endless for half the price! The Mia Liv boot is priced at $48.97 and you can barely tell the difference between the two. Hopefully the Liv will soon call my closet home ;)

Bringing Home the Blog

So I have been neglecting my blog… yes I know this, you don’t have to point it out to me, lol. Anyway, I am going to try to get back in the blog groove b/c I actually have a few things that I would like to share. I am going to start off with a book review of Bringing Home the Birkin by Michael Tonello. It is a memoir of his adventures as a reseller of all things Hermés, especially the infamous Birkin bag. I have to say that this was the book that I had been waiting to read all summer! Not that I really had to read this exact title, but in the sense that I wanted something intriguing, and funny, and intelligent all wrapped in one. I kept reading these titles that advertised all of this but totally fell flat for me so when I picked up this book I was pleasantly surprised. On top of the previously motioned qualities, it’s EXTREMELY interesting for any fashionista, or for that matter anyone who knows any of the rumors and tales of the exclusivity of the Birkin bag. Tonello effortless leads you through his life and Hermés learning curve with wit, humor, compassion, adventure, and tons of information. Seriously I can’t recommend it enough so just stop by your local library or bookstore and pick up a copy already!

Confessions of a ... Shopaholic?

I don’t consider myself a shopaholic. I mean we all have those few and far between impulse purchases but other than that I feel that I am more of a debater. Should I really buy this dress? When will I actually wear this? Is it going to go on sale next week? ... You get the idea. Well, sadly I have to say that all these preconceived notions of myself flew out the window with my discovery of a few websites that are along the lines of an online sample sale. These websites carry collections from fashion designers to luxury home goods for only a limited number of days at dramatically reduced prices. These sales “open” at 11:00am and then it’s every shopper (and their internet connection) for themselves! If that collection is popular you best be logged in early and ready to pounce because they fly off the shelves faster than surgical masks in Mexico City.
On Tuesday Lauren Conrad was featured and the prices were to DIE for! We are talking 80-90% off everything. Almost all the items were on hold or sold out with in 1 minute. This however did not detour me. I found the dress I wanted and, what can only be described as manically, hit the refresh button. Luck, and persistence, were on my side and I was able to snatch up the dress when it became available again (someone foolishly let it back into the wild)! YESSSS!!!! Pure euphoria!!! I bought a dress from LC collection for 84% off!!! Score!!!
The reflection came only after the elation subsided. Was that really me? Obsessively stalking a piece of clothing for almost an hour online just to say that I landed that elusive piece of fashion at a reduced price? Yes. And I would (and probably will) do it again. All I have to say is that I feel bad for you if I was to ever encounter you at a real sample sale and we were after that last pair of Prada boots in a size 9. Watch your back. I am not afraid to fight dirty!

The Infinity Dress

The infinity dress. The convertible dress. The 7-in-1 dress. Call it what you will but I love them. Victoria's Secret has had one listed for a couple of seasons and I have always wanted one, however not enough to spend over $100 on it. Recently, while I was in Mexico on vacation (no I do not have swine flu) I saw one in a little shop (almost $50 and not good quality). This did provide me with the opportunity to get my hands on one to see how it was made though. The design was so simple I knew that I could easily make this dress myself. Upon doing some research on the web I found a couple of sites that showed how to do it with one stitch! One! Thus began my adventure.
I went to a local fabric store and found some great turquoise jersey fabric on sale so I bought the needed amount and set off to make the dress... and many mistakes, lol. The first skirt I cut out I ended up making the waist about 2x too big (mistake in calculations due to excitement), thus leaving with me not enough fabric to make the straps once I cut out the second skirt. So I had to go back to the fabric store (about two weeks later) to get more fabric for the straps. Once I had those cut out and pinned the parts together I cranked up my sewing machine.... and about 20 min later I had a finished dress!!! Of course the first thing you do is try it on...... I guess I didn't really think about where the dress was going to sit on me and in the end the "waist" is still too large. And to top it off I didn't quite catch the ends of one of the straps in a seam so I have a little flap at the end.
Even with these problems I have to say that it actually looks okay :) Given the fact that it can be worn so many ways I can easily wrap the straps in ways to cover up my mistakes. So in the end I still ended up with my infinity dress and have learned from the mistakes and can now easily make another for me or my friends. So who wants one???

Surf's Up

The internet is the ultimate time wasting tool. From the great procrastination power of facebook to the mindless wanderings on Wikipedia, there is always something to do on the web. As I tend to spend way too much time wandering around websites I find “new” favorites all the time. In the last few weeks I have come across three websites that have easily made their way into my top slots… for now. Check them out. Hopefully you will love them as much as I do!

fmylife.com

I don’t really know how to describe this website besides hilarious and awesome. Just check it out :)

Polyvore

Lets you express your inner stylist/magazine editor! I put together a nice layout for a girlfriend to help give her ideas on a girls night outfit.

ModCloth

The newest of my favorites… it has really cute stuff at great prices (Check out the shoes!). I would say it has a similar style to Urban Outfitters but has a lot of other options as well.

Sex is coming back!

People Magazine has confirmed that there will be a sequel to the hit Sex and the City: The Movie! All the major players are signed on including writer/director Michael Patrick King. They are set to start shooting this summer with it being released in 2010.
I for one am super excited! I loved the series and own the collectors box DVD set. I hosted a 'Cosmos and Manolos' party for the first movie and now am definitely planning another in 2010 :)

Latest Obsession

So one of my latest shoe obsessions is the fold-over ankle bootie. I just can't get over the great styling of these. You can't go wrong with skinny jeans or my favorite... a skirt with tights and some added flare of leg warmers! I know it sounds a little much but believe me, when put together with all the right pieces, that is one puzzle that every girl should have! There are quite a few of the fold over booties out there but I am currently lusting over the color choices of Dolce Vita's Wynona Ankle Boot. I mean I can't bring myself to decide between the orange, the cream, the black, the brown... the list goes on.

A Little Shout Out

I just wanted to give a little shout out to two of my good friends who completed the Disney World Marathon this weekend! I am not one of those people who have running a marathon on my list of things to do but I still think that its a great accomplishment. So, way to go J&M! I am proud of you both :)

A Few of My Favorite Things

What girl would not want a pair of designer shoes for her birthday? Well that is just what Barbie is getting for her 50th Birthday! As 2009 marks the iconic doll's landmark year it has been announced that there will be a special runway show at Fashion Week in NYC this February to celebrate. Christian Louboutin (the designer of the iconic red sole stilettos for those fashion virgins) has designed a pair of heels in the classic Barbie 219 Pink that will be debuted at this runway show. 

I for one can barely wait to see what these will be like and I am sure will soon become my newest (unattainable) shoe obsession. I mean... What is better than Barbie and Louboutin? Not much!