Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Locked Up

Wowza! Speaking of strapped in heels how insane, yet incredibly cool are Beyonce's YSL Cage Boots ? A little wild for the average everyday outfit that she's wearing while roaming the NYC streets, but they're pretty cool anyway. However, these babies will cost you. They run about $1600 deep. Insane? Maybe. But these, too, are sure fun to look at. Not to mention the drool worthy YSL Tribute Pump. Not as outrageous as the Cage Boot but definitely pretty for your feet. (Although they may hate you later because of that crazy heel..ugh but I love them.)

Enjoy the foot candy!

xx
Update: Found these babies at GoJane.com. Slowly but surely, this website is becoming my new favorite place to find chic shoes cheap. And these caged heels are definitely wearable. Can't complain.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Strap Me In

I recently saw a picture of these Nine West Yung Boots and thought to myself 'Wow..Must..Have!' So as per my online shopping addiction, I immediately ran to my computer in search of these shoes. Just my luck, they are no longer sold on the Ninewest website. Boohoo. Probably serves me right since I already have a pair of black shoes very similar to them to the average person's eyes, but to me..ugh they are so different. Anyway instead I found these Peep Toe Cage Heels from the ever so fabulous Forever21 website. They run for only $20.80. How insane?! I'm not a huge fan of brown so I'm hoping they come out with another color like silver...mmm that would be perf! But they're fun to look at for now.

Ciao! Ciao!

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Grunge

So after the inspiration post, I thought I'd share some of my latest inspiration. Lately I've been into the whole grunge thing. Well maybe not "lately", it's kind of been a phase I haven't grown out of yet. (Not sure I ever will.) I love the whole '90's grungey look. What I mean by grunge are plaid flannels, ripped jeans, bleached denim (shirts included), chucks, oversized baggy tees, leather, etc. I love everything about the cool laidback look. Plus it gives me an excuse to be messy with my hair. (My friends think I'm weird but I never brush my hair, only when I get out of the shower.) This doesn't mean I don't have my frou frou side, but I'm definitely more grungey when it comes to my everyday style. So enjoy some of my favorite pics as of late.
(lindsay lohan...plus my absolute new fave kristen stewart)

(kstew again + nikki reed...can we just admire her skeleton gloves)

(swoon...robert pattinson)

(the ultimate...johnny depp)

(can't have too much teen spirit...erin wasson)
(mk olsen...a grunge style icon in her own right)

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Suckers

I'm a sucker for sunglasses. I'm a sucker for really cool ads. I'm admittedly a sucker for Twilight. Admiring Karen Walker's latest ad for her new line of sunglasses...major sucker. Seriously the new ad is genius. It totally jumps on the vampire-loving bandwagon while selling its product. I love it. Yes I may have a slight obsession with Edward Cullen, but I don't care this ad absolutely catches my attention and sucked me right in. (No pun intended...well maybe just a little.)

A great ad like this one serves as fashion inspiration for me. I love flipping through magazines admiring the pages. And this one is definitely getting top billing in my book. An ad is not only there for you to look at but it has to successfully sell the product. Hello, how else are they going to make money to keep creating these awesome pictorials?!

I'm actually on the hunt for a new pair of sunglasses, but can't seem to give up my favorite Rayban Wayfarers. I have a bunch of different styles in my sunglasses collection, but I always seem to go back to my Raybans. Karen Walker's line definitely offers a new alternative yet somehow still resembles the famous Wayfarers. Like these Deep Freeze in Milky Pink. So cute. They're another way to add some color into my wardrobe. Plus they're at a reasonable price. That's another thing, I think, like jeans, sunglasses should be more about quality rather than quantity. They should shape your face and enhance your features.

What are some of your inspirational ads? Maybe now you'll pay a little more attention to some of the ads out there if you haven't already. Even if you don't go out and buy everything they endorse, they are fun to look at. Especially when they include fangs.

xo

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

The Denim Jacket

Just as I was about to give my mom my denim jacket to get rid of I took a second look. I tried it on again and thought in the words of Tim Gunn I think I can "make it work." And I am so glad I did. This was several months ago, you know, before the Weather Channel said to expect 70 degree weather this weekend (YES!). Now that the warm weather is finally inching its way in to NYC, I can't help but notice the revival of the classic denim jacket. Whether it's professional business women walking to the office or hipsters downtown for a night out; the denim jacket is definitely in and I'm kind of loving it.
Recently Nicole Richie was spotted at an event for Esprit and Richie Madden Children's Foundation sporting the classic denim jacket, appropriately named the Cool Stretch Jeans Jacket by Esprit. And it doesn't break the bank, only costing $89.50. I absolutely love the way she paired it with a maxi dress, perfect for Spring weather. Another option with a similar look is H81 Distressed Denim Jacket from Forever21. And that one will only run you $29.90. You can't go wrong.
Another way I've been seeing people wear the denim jacket is with mini-skirts and basic tees. It definitely gives off that young and fresh vibe. When it gets warmer pair that with gladiator sandals and you're good to go. But if you don't feel comfortable walking around in a mini, black leggings definitely works well too. Note: Do not wear leggings with a tee (or buttoned down) that does not cover up appropriate areas. Hint Hint. Yes I'm a big fan of leggings (especially now since my options are limited due wearing a brace on my leg for several weeks) but it's a big glamour no-no walking around in leggings and shirt above the waist (unless you're at the gym, even then I wouldn't).

The most important thing to remember when it comes to wearing the denim jacket is: relax. Denim in general is all about that relaxed feel. You should never feel too stuffy in it and that includes the denim jacket. So find a fit that works for you (mine is by Gap from several seasons ago) and have fun with it. Ie: pop the collar, roll up the sleeves, anything goes. I'm considering putting some studs on mine.

The denim jacket is back this season and there's definitely one out there for you, even if it is already in the back of your closet screaming for you to wear it.

xo

Monday, April 20, 2009

Hey Stud


It's funny, sometimes I think that I'm just ahead of my time. I swear I think of some things that I want to wear or just have and people call me crazy. Remember brastrap headbands? Yea there was a time when they were cool. But before they were cool and trendy, I was wearing them and I remember a friend asking me "Why are you wearing a bra on your head?" Hello!!!! It's a bra STRAP, not an actual BRA! Sheesh. Remember Tamagotchi's? Admit it, you know you had one. Mine was purple with pink buttons. But the thing is: I had mine about a year before everyone I knew had one. My mom came home with it one day and said it was going to be the next "it" thing. It took a while but eventually it was.

And now what's everywhere? STUDS STUDS STUDS!!! I specifically remember last summer being bored with a pair of my cutoff denim shorts and decided to spruce them up a little bit. So I dug in the craft closet in my house (Yup I have one) and found some awesome silver pyramid studs. I studded the back pockets. My sisters thought it was too weird and too punk for me, but I thought and still think they're awesome. Now flip through any fashion magazine, one of the hottest trends this season is studs, on everything! Bags, jeans, shoes, jackets etc. Look at MK Olsen's fabulous Alexander Wang Studded Leather Bag. I die! Not to mention Ashley's gorgeous studded Balenciaga belt. Wowza!

Seeing all these studs really gets me inspired to stud practically everything I own. I recently came across one blogger's DIY project of studding her old combat boots similiar to these Free People boots. They are to die for. Love them. Wear them with skinnies like in the picture or even a sleek black mini with a denim jacket. Definitely pair them with something with a girly flare or you can end up looking too masculine.

I also found these bad boys at Singer22 and am now considering studding my beat up black chucks or just buying a new pair of high tops. Especially since these kicks on Singer run for $550 and I can buy a new pair for about $50 and buy the studs at my local craft store.

Wow there really are so many different possibilities in my closet that can use a little spruce up with some studs. Just more to do on my DIY list. Right now finishing up on my own handmade maxi skirt but that's another post.

Get stud crazy!
xo
ps- This takes studs to the next level...LUVzz

Saturday, April 18, 2009

You Little Minx

If you're not into the mint green trend and need a little more color in your life, then you can always go the celeb trend route. Rihanna and Lindsay Lohan are some celebs that have been spotted sporting some non traditional manicures. Rihanna had smiley faces and frowning faces on every other nail, while Lilo (in the above pic) went cat-like on us and rocked some pretty serious multicolored leopard print nails. Even Whitney Port from The City posted a picture of her freshly done manicure. It's something I've never tried before, but I am totally digging it.

Check out Minx Nails, they have tons of different designs for your nails that are way cool. I don't ususally wear animal print but I think I may have to try the pink cheetah.

So take a chance and lighten up.


xo

Friday, April 17, 2009

Mint

I may not be a big color fan when it comes to my wardrobe, but when it comes to my nails: Bring on the Color! My basic wardrobe consists mainly of neutrals. It's not that I'm afraid to wear color, I just prefer not to. Give me an edgy LBD over a vibrant cocktail dress any day. But my love for black sometimes has people mistaken me for part of the Addam's family. (But hey I kind of like that.) So what's a girl got to do to get a little color in her life? Nails Nails Nails!

I love the traditional dark nail polishes like Essie's Wicked and even Chanel's Black Satin. But as the warm weather creeps in slowly, I'm all about bright nail colors. My family and friends know all about my love for nail polishes. I have a crazy collection of about every color you can think of. Purple? Got it. Yellow? Got it. Hot bubblegum pink? Got it. I love to do my own nails not because it saves me the trip to the nail salon but it actually relaxes me being able to do it myself. As well as sewing by hand, but that's a different story.
So after flipping through some magazines and looking at my chipped dark nails, I began to think about what color next. That's when I came across IT! Pictures from Chanel's most recent runway shows where the models wore MINT GREEN nail polish. I Die! Quickly realizing that mint green might actually be the one color I do not have, I made an immediate dash to the drugstore. No luck, no mint green in sight. It can't just be any green due to the chance of it looking like fungus (I've been there, I was too optimistic about a crazy neon glow in the dark green once, not pretty).
Finally today after a trip to target, I found mint green. It's Sally Hansen's Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear and it's actually called Lime Lights. It's definitely mint green but it's a little more shimmery than I'd like. It'll do for now.

So if you're like me and need a little help incorporating some color into your life this summer: paint your nails and GO GREEN!
xo

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Mmm The Smell of....Old?


Yesterday I had an unsuccessful day at the mall with my mom and sister but decided that I cannot go home empty handed. I've recently started reading some fashion blogs (especially Childhood Flames, she is amazing) and a lot of other bloggers rave about what great finds they manage come out with when they go "thrifting". I've always loved vintage tee shirts, especially old concert tees, but I never considered myself a real vintage shopper. When I think of shopping in the city I don't really think vintage shopping. I'm more of a 5th Ave. type of a girl. But reading all these other blogs has really got me keen on the idea of finding one of a kind pieces even if they have been used.

So after the mall I asked my mom if she'd mind if we took a stop to the local Salvation Army. It was kind of strange at first because I have donated there before and it was weird looking through all the old stuff. My sister couldn't get out of there fast enough. I've been wanting a man's oversized cardigan for a while and the first thing I find through the crazy amount of racks was a large multicolored oversized cardigan for 8 bucks.
Then I browsed through some of the women's racks and found some amazing oversized blazers. (As you can tell by now I'm into oversized menswear, it's my thing.) First I found this gorgeous Christian Dior white blazer that fit beautifully. But I can't be that lucky right? Right, there was a huge ink stain on the back that left the jacket unsalvageable. Not giving up, I then found this great light pink oversized blazer that fit perfectly. (Plus it was half off and came out to only $4.50...insane!)

My sister was getting restless so my mom suggested we finish this another time. I was perfectly content with my two findings. I now have an appreciation for thrift stores and totally understand why all the other fashion bloggers out there rave about thrifting. Granted it's not going to be a hit everytime but definitely worth the walk through. I told my best friend about my little rendevous and can't wait to take her. Hopefully I can get some decent pictures of my findings so you can see what I'm talking about.

Like Peter Allen once sang "Everything old is new again!"

xo

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Shred


Wowza!!! Absolutely in love with Erin Wasson's shredded jeans from Topshop in this pic. This definitely has to be one of my next DIY projects. Especially since I don't typically like black jeans, but this look makes me LOVE black jeans. I love the extreme shredding. They are over the top and take the whole ripped jeans trend to the next level but I think that makes them that much cooler.

Plus the lace up boots. Way cool. The pairing of the boots with the jeans is so edgy. I swear my mom has a pair of lace up boots like those lying around in her closet. When I find them, they're mine. Ah the perks of having the same size foot as my mom.

xo

Monday, April 13, 2009

Carried Away With Florals


Yesterday I decided to spend my Sunday night curled up in bed, ice cream in hand while watching Sex and The City The Movie for the umpteenth time. It really doesn't get much better. I've been a devoted fan to the series before it became "cool" to recite Carrie's one-liners. I began watching it from the premiere of the very first episode and it became a ritual to watch it every Sunday night laying in my mom's bed. So it was very traumatic for my mom and I when the series ended. Thankfully I have every season on dvd (which came in to great use living abroad in Florence last year and not having TV for several months) and the movie version as well. Plus I bought my mom this awesome book full of pictures of all the outfits from the movie and the designers.

So last night while falling in love with the characters and clothes all over again, I realized Spring is here and I don't have that staple piece in my wardrobe that is such a HUGE theme in the movie: FLORALS! The beginning part of the movie, Carrie is dressed in a bunch of different floral dresses. Different colors, different shapes; edgy, girly etc. Maybe it's a subliminal message (granted I did run out and buy a large studded belt after I saw the film) but Hey, I want florals.

Being unable to go out and shop as much as I'd like, I resorted to browsing online. The showroom where I work has been getting in great summery pieces from Chalotte Russe. I'm typically not their number one fan but their new pieces are extremely cute and thought it can't hurt to look. And lo and behold, what do I find: a fabulous floral dress. I cannot get enough of this Rose Strapless Dress ($32.99). It's not only florals, but it's black too (anyone that knows me knows I'm not a huge color fan). And the shape! Aside from being strapless, the shape is almost identical to Carrie's vintage red and white dress. It's girly and fun for a summer day yet can easily transform into a night out dress with black pumps (maybe even my studded belt to make it a little edgier).

All in all, a great find. I'm definitely going to go to my local Charlotte Russe to see if it's in stock, if not then that's one more package I'll be waiting for.

xoxo

Saturday, April 11, 2009

If My Feet Could Talk...


...they'd say 'Give Me! Give Me! Give Me!'. What exactly do they (and I) want? Keeping up with the fringe trend, I've been craving Alexander Wang's Alexis Fringe Boots. Mmm, they're delicious. I want, I need, I can't live without. But wait, hold on. Yeah I may want, need, can't live without them, but my wallet says otherwise. Every time I take out my credit card to make a purchase I can almost hear the card mocking me, saying 'You can't afford these!'. And now with these Alex Wang bad boys I know for sure that my card will be screaming bloody murder for me to put my card back in its place. Especially since the Wang boots run for nearly $600.

But I still feel like I need to get my fix on these fabulous boots and thankfully for my bank accounts' sake Forever21 has created a similar boot at a fraction of the cost. The picture above is of the Wang boot and Forever21's take on it. Can you tell which is which? Pretty similar, right? The left is Alexander Wang's Alexis boot and the right is Forever21's take on it.

Now wait, I'm not usually one for a knock-off, but when it comes to something that's as trendy as these boots I can't help but rather pay only $34.90. The Forever21 boots will probably only survive a couple of wears, but it's worth it considering that these fringe boots will most likely be "so last season" in a couple of months and all I'll remember is that I paid $600 on a pair of boots I've only worn 2 or 3 times. I think I'll stick with the Forever21 boots. Bonus: the Forever21 boots are a few inches shorter. At the end of the day my feet will be thanking me.


xoxo

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Fringe DIY

Browsing through some of my favorite websites for a little online shopping therapy, I came across one of my new favorite brands. Wildfox/Whitehorse Couture. (Still waiting for one of my tops I ordered from the brand to arrive.) Looking through some of the newer items I found the adorable Wild Spirit Fringe Tank. It reminds me of something I definitely wore in the 90's when my mom would dress me in oversized tees and neon leggings.

Ready to order this top I thought 'hey, I can do this myself!' Even though what's great about this brand is that it doesn't break the bank, I thought I'd add another project on my DIY list. I just started shredding an old pair of TopShop skinnies. They're already looking cute.


So how to DIY this top? I'm about to experiment just like anyone else would. There are no restrictions. I'm going to start with a Hanes tee first before I cut up one of my tank tops and see what happens when I cut the fabric (ie: shredding of the threads). I'll start cutting vertical slits about two inches and go from there.


Will let you know how it turns out!


xoxo