Recently in 2008 Spring Category

A funny thing happened on the way to work this morning.  I was feeling so good to begin with, I got up early and ran 4 miles which is a total miracle (not the 4 miles, but that I got up early!) and then put on what I thought was a very cute outfit...  my new Gucci shoes (yes I took my own advice and snapped them up in the second round of markdowns in the Gucci sale), a Juicy Couture linen dress and a vintage Marc Jacobs bag -- with yellow gold jewelry to match the bag and shoes' hardware, classic 18k hoop earrings, my chunky fleur de lys signet ring and Raymond Weil 18k watch...

So anyway, I'm walking down the street going to work and this cute guy (with really cool sunglasses) runs after me and asks if I would be willing to be interviewed and photographed for Rouge magazine. It's a Candian magazine that's starting in the US.  So we had a mini photo shoot right there on the street and they asked me some questions about my style, etc.  So unless the pictures turn out horribly, I'll be in the September issue!  he he he, how funny!

Well I hope everyone has a nice long 4th of July weekend. Cheers.

The Met's Costume Institute Gala was last night.  The Gala kicked off the new Costume Institute exhibition "Superheroes" Imagery in Fashion (May 7 - Sept. 1, 2008).  The gala's  Honorary Chair was Giorgio Armani and Co-Chairs George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Anna Wintour.  As usual everyone who is anyone was in attendance.
Here's Anna Wintour in an interesting silver Chanel Haute Couture dress.
   
You can see all the photos here.

Here are my votes for the best and worst dresses.
Worst: Christina Ricci in Givenchy Haute Couture

Best: I hate to say it, but Eva Longoria in Marchesa

I'm not a big fan of Eva, but this dress was a great choice. It stands out because of the color and detailing. I also liked Kelly Klein, in a green Calvin Klein Collection dress and Scarlett looked quite good in Dolce & Gabbana with a corset style top.

I love cool beach towels, so here's a great find that doesn't cost a fortune.  These Missoni 40 x 70" beach towels are 100% cotton and made in Italy.

They're at Neiman Marcus. $134 - $188. There are also some other designs at Pioneer Linens. $149 - $168.

Prada is featuring this fairy print on handbags and clothes in their 2008 Spring Collection.

It's supposedly been a big hit - is sold out, and has been called by some the "bag of the season".

Well, I'm afraid that it's just plain ugly and hideous. I've never been into fairies anyway, but even if I was, I woudn't want them on my $2000+ handbag.

Marc Jacobs (I mean "collection", not Marc by Marc Jacobs) makes some seriously AMAZING bags like of course the classic Stam bag, but it seems that many of his great bags are only made one season and then you can't get it anymore.  BOO HOO.

Like these two bags, that  I just love.  The Capra Bag:

And the Karen Bag:

I love how he uses metal link shoulder straps and the quality of the leather.... and the rather giant snap buttons at the top of the framed bags...

I'm dying to smell these Guerlain Aqua Allegoria scents:  Mandarine-Basilic,  Tutti Kiwi and Herba Fresca.  I tend to like light, citrus and green scents all year round but they're really perfect for Spring and Summer.

They always explain fragrances so beautifully, but then when you go and smell them sometimes they are disappointing. Here's what they say about these three:

Mandarine-Basilic - Aptly named, this citrus concoction is as bright as a mandarin. And when the namesake fruit is paired with the crispness of basil, you get one sparkling, radiant, and lusciously luminous eau de toilette.

Tutti Kiwi - The lively and mischievous Tutti Kiwi imparts its crisp and tangy hue upon your skin for a quick energy fix. Frosty lemon and mandarin join the elegant blend of kiwi, geranium, and sweet mock orange to create a surprising mélange.

Herba Fresca - As fresh as the morning dew and as green as sap-filled stems, Herba Fresca is redolent of a luscious green garden early in the morning. Clover, spearmint, and the crisp aroma of crinkled leaves are enhanced by a tangy zest, the delicate scent of lily of the valley, and cyclamen petals.

I seriously want to run out to Sephora RIGHT NOW and smell these. They sound so yummy.  I love the bottles too, the way the top looks like a honeycomb and that it's a spray. And they're reasonable at $52 for 2.5 fl oz.

I already have the Pamplelune Aqua Allegoria (based around the tangy effervescence and delicate bitterness of grapefruit's golden zest, the composition tingles with fruity, orange notes and the silky caress of vanilla and patchouli. Consider it a kick-start to vitality--and an antidote to gloominess) which I don't love as much as I thought I would because of the patchouli (too strong).

As the weather gets warmer I find that there's nothing better than a sleeveless jersey knit cotton long dress.  In the summer they're casual and cool and in the spring you can wear with a sweater.

The LA brand Gypsy05 makes one in 100% organic cotton, available in 10 solid colors for $100 and with an ombre effect available in 5 colors for $119. Kate Hudson has the gray one. The cut has a deep V neck and twisted straps.

The deep V neck is a great style, but not the best for everyone (those who need a little support up top), so the same style dress with a halter top is better.  Victoria's Secret has some like this.  I don't really like Victoria's Secret clothes in general, but for a casual beach dress I think it's okay.  This one (below) comes in 4 colors and is only $59.

This one looks great too... it's $98 and comes in 2 colors the great teal color shown below and black. It's a cotton/modal/spandex blend, so the modal will give it really nice drape. And that's (the modal content) probably why it's more expensive.

Harper Collins is sponsoring a sweepstakes for a Hermes Birkin bag in conjuction with the April 22 release of the new book, "Bringing Home the Birkin" by Michael Tonello.  You can enter here.

Woo hoo!  Who wouldn't kill for a free Birkin bag!?  The book sounds pretty good too.  It's a true story about this man and how came to do what he does: track down Birkin bags for people who don't want to wait forever for one on the Hermes waiting list.  Just the sort of light entertainment that's good for a "beach read".

LV has released a new bag design: the Galliera city bag.

It comes in 2 sizes, the GM ($1360) and the PM ($1180). I like the shape and the big size. You can buy them at eluxury.

If you're like me, then you might be having trouble cramming all of your clothes into your closets.  (yes, even with seasonal removal of stuff that never gets worn!)  So, a little while ago I replaced all of my wooden hangers with these super thin hangers I found at Bed, Bath and Beyond.

They have a velvety-like texture so even slippery clothes don't fall off.  They're black and silver so they look somewhat sleek.  They are pretty inexpensive, $9.99 for 10 or $39.99 for 50, and you can also buy a 3 pack of pant hangers for $9.99. You can hang 4 pairs of pants on each one.

I guess these Bed, Bath & Beyond hangers are knock-offs of the Joy Mangano Huggable Hangers, Home Shopping Network has sold over 175 million of them!  Crazy, ha?  On HSN, you can choose from many different colors and you can pick gold or silver tone for the hook at the top. They sell for $44.95 for 36.

I have to admit that I prefer the look of all-matched wood hangers, but they just take up way too much space!  Someday when I get a huge walk-in closet then I can switch back...

The Michael label by Michael Kors makes some very reasonably priced and cute shoes.  Check out this one, the "Molly" Platform.  $133 at zappos.com

I like that it's got the slingback so it doesn't fall off your foot. I have a similar Anne Klein pair (without the slingback) that are just so hard to keep on my feet. I also like that they are leather (upper and footbed) but have a rubber sole. I'm not a stickler for comfort, but rubber soles are so much easier to walk in when it's a platform shoe and also are more durable. And in a shoe this price, it's not like you're going to keep them forever anyway, so having a leather sole that you can replace is not that important. It says the heel is 3 3/4", that's great.  I just love how it's so easy to find proper high heels these days (I mean 3 3/4 and 4"), it used to be a lot more difficult. 

Louis Vuitton's Spring 2008 collections are out.  They're featuring some spring-y colors and designs.

Freesia Platform Sandal $740.  I love the wood heel and platform! I love walking on shoes like this, I even like the "clomp, clomp, clomp" noise they make when you walk on a hard floor, and how you feel sort of like a geisha. (does anyone else know what I mean?)

Monogram Inclusion Ring $215.  I don't usually like pink at all, but this would be fun to wear and would be okay to add a little color to an outfit.

Cadenas Key Holder $325. I just love this keychain... a bit pricey, but it's so cute with the lock and key and convenient with a clasp and a key ring.

Last, the Monogram Tisse Beach Towel. $425 Other than Hermes, this has got to be the ultimate beach towel! An homage to the classic LV trunk.

I am sorry to say that I have to retract my "favorite things" status of the Old Navy tank top.  They were such a great value, for a long time; but I find that the cotton quality has gone down severely. I guess this isn't too surprising considering that they cost only $6 (on sale) each. I have tons of them, and I guess they'll have to be worn to the gym only. 

The good news is that I've found a replacement that's only slightly more expensive.  The Gap "favorite ribbed tank" is $14.50 or $10.00 on sale.  It's got a finer rib and the cotton feels softer. Overall, it's thinner so better for layering and a bit longer which is good for wearing with low waisted pants. I think they run a bit big though, so size down.    

Another good option is the J Crew "solid washed favorite tank" for $16.50. I think it's a little thinner than the Gap one so the white would be somewhat see-through. Maybe it's a bit too long, but since it's thin material it scrunches up without being too bulky.

For the non-budget constrained, James Perse!  He now does his long tank top in a cotton/modal blend $45 at Bloomingdale's, Saks, etc. etc. I love modal, it's softer than cotton and more drapey.
I think the Gap option is the best value and the one I'm going to stock up on. I buy a bunch of these every season, so cheap is good. I can't stand white tanks that don't look pefectly white anymore, so I end up getting rid of a lot of them. And no, I don't like to use bleach because it's too harmful to the cotton fibers.

Hideous or fabulous?  Just kidding, it's just hideous!  No question about it.  I mentioned before that I pretty much hate everything she wears, so I had to put this up.  I couldn't resist.  Is that mean?

Anyway, a picture is worth a thousand words...

Vanity Fair has this rather nifty shopping tool on their website now (http://www.vfinsider.com/interests.asp). 

You drag your "interests" into the box and it picks out a "personalized" shopping list for you.  For example, if you choose "for her" and "classic" one result is this cute trench from BCBG. $278

Or "indulgent" and "of the moment" you get this Diane Von Furstenberg "Lipari" gown. $750

It's fun, but you may find that it doesn't work that well if you really want to buy something.  The link to the BCBG site does not link right to the coat, you have to look for it, and it's not available in khaki - only navy, and it's not $278 - it's really $298. 

As long as I'm harping on Vogue, check this out from their on-line feature "10 Best Dressed - Week of 03.29.08"... #4 is Carla Bruni-Sarkozy in Christian Dior arriving in London to meet the royal family.   PLEASE, that is the most ridiculous and dowdy get up I've ever seen, I don't care if it's Dior. Yuck, not good, in any way.

The April issue of Vogue, the "Shape Issue", features an article about Laura and Kate Mulleavy of Rodarte.  Apparently Vogue asked them last Fall to go on a 4 month program of personal training and healthy meal delivery, to be featured in this issue.  I found the article that accompanied their (the sisters') journal about the experience so smug and distasteful. It's truly cringe-worthy.  Here are a few quotes from Sally Singer's article. "Our hope was that these two talented sisters could learn to spend a little time on themselves and not devote every hour of every day to making magical, ineffably gorgeous dresses."  [nothing like a good old veiled insult] "We wanted these two young women to learn good habits now, so that they would have the peace of mind and the energy to prosper..."   [WTF, how insulting!]  "They were (and are) perfectly happy with themselves, regardless of what the scale or the jeans label says.  Both are completely without vanity where their own looks are concerned. (How rare to find women with such values. If only we could clone their parents!)"  [yeah, right we almost believe that you appreciate their values]

Uggh.  When did we all forget that vanity is a vice not a virtue?  I'm not saying that I'm against vanity or advocate lack of personal care I just think it's gross that Vogue would publish this when they clearly do not appreciate these two women at all, to Vogue they may be great designers but they just don't fit in unless they conform to the fashion world ideal better.

This Spring Giuseppe Zanotti has come out with some crazy looking cut-out wedges in various styles.  Hideous or Fabulous?  I'm going to have to say hideous.  Although I would wear them, I think they would look great for part of a mod Halloween costume.

Cutout Turquoise Satin Wedge - available at the Giuseppe Zanotti boutique 806 Madison Ave., NY - $675

Cutout Leather Sandal Wedge - available at Zappos.com Couture - $754

Cutout Leather Sandal Wedge with Zipper Detail - available at Net-a-porter.com - $695

Has anyone else noticed that the number of amazing handbags in the marketplace has grown exponentially over the last several years?  It's impossible to keep up with.  Maybe it's even ridiculous.  It makes me think of Thomas Couture's "Romains de la Decadence" (it's hanging that the Musee d' Orsay in case you don't know what this is), except we now have EXCESS more so than vice (although us and the Romans are/were very good at both).  The excesses available to us are so compelling though...  back to the bags... you know, it used to be great if you had a Prada, Gucci and Louis Vuitton.  But now there are like a gazillion "it bags". Marc Jacobs, Chloe, Mulberry, Luella Bartley, Botkier, Kooba, Balenciaga, Burberry... it goes on and on.  Even stale old brands like Bally are getting into the game with updated styles that of course, cost about $1000. Here's Jessica Alba with her Bally "Jana" bag and the Bally "Soledad" bag $799, that is on sale right now at zappos.com for the bargain price of $599.21.

I guess this is ridiculous, but before this weekend I had never been to a Loehmann's store.  I suppose I gave up on the bargain stores a long time ago, after going to TJ Maxx etc. and finding that they never had anything good.  Loehmann's however has the brands separated onto their own racks so you don't have to search through a ton of junk to find what you want.  This weekend they had labels like Theory, Joie, James Perse, Juicy Couture, Generra, True Religion, Seven for All Mankind, Calvin Klein, DKNY, etc.  So... I found a silk jersey Diane Von Furstenberg dress from the Spring/Summer 2007 collection!  Similar to this one:

The print is Gaudi Wave in Moss.  Okay, it's kind of ugly, but aren't a lot of DVF's prints kind of ugly?  But they're not REALLY ugly because they're meant to be retro.  The cut of the dress I found is different, it is the button front style with a belted drop waist.  The dress normally sells for $345 and I got it for $79.99 less 10% for joining the  Loehmann's Insider Club (signing up for that is free), so $72!  Isn't that crazy!!!

Here's another great deal.  Spend $500 in contemporary sportswear at Neiman Marcus (www.neimanmarcus.com) and get a cool Tory Burch tote bag for free! And/or free shipping on orders over $150 with code NMHIP. These offers are only good through the end of the weekend 3/23.

It's the perfect time to get this 3.1 Phillip Lim Beaded Paisley-Print Dress ($675) that Kate Hudson wore recently out and about in Miami. 

Ralph Lauren is having an online "Friends and Family" sale - 30% off full priced items through March 28th! (http://www.ralphlauren.com/home/index.jsp?camp=0321FANDF)

What's with this poor guy's outfit? Is that really supposed to inspire us to shop? Ugghh. I don't think so. Anyway, we can forgive them for that, for 30% off!

Rain boots are seriously geekdom territory, but you only have to get caught out in the pouring rain once in $500 shoes to learn your lesson.  Whenever it's really raining I wear my super geek rain boots, or if it's supposed to rain later in the day, I'll at least bring my Converse sneakers for emergency use.  Here are some Burberry rain boot options for anyone who wants to join me in super geekdom.

I wish they hadn't made the Burberry logo so big on these, that's kind of tacky, but oh well.  Burberry "Logo Plate" rain boots $190.

Burberry "Knit Cuff" rain boots $210. I'd really love these if they didn't have the knit cuff. Maybe it's possible to stuff it down into the boot instead of folding it over?

Tomorrow's the first day of Spring, so it's a good time to go through your umbrella inventory to get ready for rainy season.  I love cool umbrellas.  The only problem is that I tend to lose them.  I've left 2 Burberry umbrellas in cabs, I'm on my 3rd one now.  Despite this, I like to have at least one nice umbrella along with several of the NYC standard issue $3 umbrellas ($5 if it's raining).

Here's the super deluxe ultimate umbrella: Louis Vuitton Arc en Ciel Umbrella $580 at eLuxury. Okay, that's expensive... BUT it's made with real wood, brass and leather.  Not a lot of umbrellas can say that much.

Here's a reasonable priced one from Burberry. The Slim Walker Umbrella $165. Their umbrellas run from $695 for a super deluxe one similar to the LV above, down to $140 for a mini folding umbrella.

This one's not very exciting looking, but it's very heavy duty for wind. Davek Umbrella available at frontgate.com $99.50.

This one is only $38 and has a nice wooden handle and cool link print. Banana Republic $38.

In the spirit of Saint Patrick's Day, here are some festive green things to wear/carry. 

Bezel set emeralds and diamonds on a 14k chain @ Ross Simons on sale $1,015.75

Theory rayon tank dress in shamrock green @ Bloomingdale's $285

D&G Woven Straw Tote @ zappos.com couture $949

I posted a couple of weeks ago (see Feb. 26th entry) about high heeled gladiator sandals for Spring.  I found another good pair, so I had to put them up. They have a 4 1/2 inch heel and are $268.  I've found Coach shoes to be very well made and a good value... just not in the same league as Gucci, etc.  You cannot buy a real Gucci shoes for $268 anymore, well maybe flip flops.  That's because Gucci shoes are hand made in Italy and Coach shoes are not. 

Bluefly. com has this super cute Abaete silk dress on sale for $246.00, regular retail $410. I love the contrast of the black collar and pocket trim against the ivory silk.

I wasn't that familiar with this label so I looked it up. Abaete is designed by Laura Poretzky. She studied fashion at RISD and worked for Ralph Lauren before starting her own label. The aesthetic is intended to "capture French femininity, Brazilian sensuality and American simplicity"... this makes sense because Laura was born in France, her mother is part Brazilian and she lives in the US (New York, of course).  She has shown during fashion week at the Bryant Park tents and been featured in Vogue, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, etc. It's so great how small designers can be so successful these days.

For Winter this year I got a couple of day dresses that I've been loving. I guess I'm having a dress renaissance, because I usually don't wear them. I'd like to get a couple more for Spring. Dresses are so comfortable, but you look nice and put together since you are, after all, wearing a dress. I like Juicy Couture, Ella Moss and Velvet for day dresses, you can also find small labels at boutiques that you may have never heard of, but have great designs. Shopping at small, non-chain boutiques is fun too because you know that the entire world will not have the same thing. Whereas with a Juicy Couture item, anyone could (and does) have the exact same thing. Knit dresses made of modal or rayon blended with cotton are amazingly comfortable and drape nicely.I tend to like solids more, but some prints can be great. J Crew has some interesting ones this season - they are so bold, I think they are love or hate. Black is great, I think ALWAYS, yes even in Spring and Summer. It's my favorite color and transitions well from day into evening in case you don't have time to change before you go out.

Velvet Basila Jersey Dress w. bubble hem $114 

Ella Moss Crochet Dress $162  

Juicy Couture Linen Dress $198 

Rachel Pally Keyhole Dress w. open back $211 

Velvet Etna Shanghai Dress $215 

LinQ by Carole Little Ruffle Sleeve Dress $138

JCrew Ischia Silk Print Dress $335

You can find some great dresses online at www.revolveclothing.com, sometimes you can get lucky and find something good at www.bluefly.com.  Or if you're out shopping - Bloomingdale's, Scoop, Intermix and Searle are always good bets or little boutiques in SoHo... or whatever town you're in, give the little boutiques a try - you can find some great and unique pieces!

Lately, I'm feeling like I'd really like a big clunky stoned cocktail ring.  What is a cocktail ring you ask, well according to Wisegeek and Wikipedia, the cocktail ring is a dramatic, large ring set with precious or semiprecious stones, worn at cocktail parties. "The cocktail ring was especially popular during US prohibition at illegal cocktail parties. Such a ring flaunted not only the fact that one was drinking illegally, but also that one was doing it with style."

Surprisingly enough, you don't have to spend a fortune to get a decent cocktail ring. What I mean by "decent" is NOT a ring that is "costume" jewelry. www.Ross-Simons.com is a great place to find reasonably priced jewelry, they often have 20% off sales too. Here are some examples (with sale prices - there is a sale now through March 9th).

10 carats Cognac Quartz in 14k $280

12 carats Smoky Quartz in 14k $468

9.45 carats Smoky Quartz with White Topaz in 14k $292

But, if there were no budget, I would definetly go for something like this (see below): Gucci 21 carat Smoky Quartz Horsebit Cocktail Ring in 18k $3390!

I usually hate nearly everything Katherine Heigl wears (seriously, those sunglasses make her look like an alien), but check out this super cute cropped trench.

I'm going to try to figure out who makes this. Juicy Couture makes something similar, but not quite. Mabye it's Marc Jacobs or Burberry??? I'll report back when (if) I figure this one out.

In case you're going to buy a trench coat and you need a new scarf too - - check out this GORGEOUS Hermes!  I love the color and the nautical design.

The square scarves now cost $355. Wow, I remember when they were $250. The dollar being in the crapper sure sucks. If you don't have an Hermes store near you, you can buy online at www.hermes.com, but the selection is severely limited.  But they do have some of their fabulous bracelets online, like this one, which is perfect if you have an H name.

InStyle magazine is saying that one of the top 12 trends for Spring is trench coats.  Uh, duh!  Aren't trench coats always in style?  I am personally obsessed (and have been for several years) with finding the perfect one that doesn't cost a fortune.  (yes, someday I will get a coveted Burberry!) Banana has come close, but in the last few years they had been cutting them A-line, which I think is a mistake.  A trench coat should be cut straight. Banana has one this season too, the online picture isn't very good (see below) you can't really tell if it's A-line or not, and the description doesn't say either.  Anyway, here are some options:
  Loro Piana $1995 

Dolce & Gabbana $1695 

Burberry (longer) $995 

Burberry (shorter) $975 

Prada $795 

Banana Republic $198 

Gap $88 

Banana is having an online special right now, 15% off until March 1, so the $198 trench would be $168.30!  $795 for the Prada seems quite reasonable, but it looks more flimsy than the others so maybe it's not lined?

The NY Times reported today that New York City shut down 32 vendors of counterfeit luxury goods yesterday as part of a Bloomberg initiative to curtail this sleazy business.  They seized over a million dollars worth of fake Prada bags, Rolex watches, Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses, etc. Yay!  I am really sick of seeing every loser on the street with a [fake] Louis Vuitton bag.  Sorry if that seems snobby, but I don't buy fake things...  I save my money and buy the real thing.  How could one ever feel good about carrying a fake bag?  I just don't understand.  Luxury items can be had by anyone these days... it just takes some of us longer to be able to buy them, and maybe we buy less.  But that's what makes these things special.

One of the funny things about fashion is that sometimes there is a very fine line between the truly hideous and the fabulous.  The fashion-forward are the ones who usually test this line, to varying degrees of success.  Think Sienna Miller, the Olsen twins, etc.  These Jean Paul Gaultier "ankle sneaker boots" are a good example of the hideous/fabulous.  They're an interesting mix of canvas, suede and patent leather and have a killer 5" heel.   

I think with the right outfit these could actually be very cool. And one certainly wouldn't have to worry about everyone having the same shoes! (they're $825 at eluxury)

J Crew (www.jcrew.com) is having an extra 20% off sale items right now.  It's a great time to stock up on basics, but you have to do it fast because they always run out of the good colors/sizes when they have the extra 20% off.  Here are some examples:  Classic Cashmere Cable Cardigan - regular price $160, sale $99.99, extra sale $79.99. 

Links Print Silk Tank Dress - regular price $140, sale $69.99, extra sale $55.99. 

Chino Liana Jacket - regular price $110, sale $49.99, extra sale $39.99. 

Those are just seriously amazing prices! Shop carefully though, it's final sale - no returns or exchanges.

I have to admit that I am something of a history geek.  I love reading about European history in particular. Even historic fiction can be great.  (the good authors do tons of research and don't change history, just embellish the details surrounding it)  So what I'm getting at is that I've had a long love of heraldry.  I ran across a great jewelry company called Pyrrha.  They're based in Vancouver, Canada and they cast pendants and rings from antique wax seals in either 14k gold, silver or bronze.  They use many of the common symbols of heraldry:  lion, dragon, griffin, fleur de lys, stag, anchor and crown, among others.  

Historic heraldic coats of arms often featured mottos. Some of Pyrrha's designs include a motto in Latin or French like "Vitrus Sibi Premium" (virtue is its own reward), "courage sans peur" (courage without fear) and "L'espoire me reste dans l'orage" (my hope remains even in the storm).  You can check out all of their designs on their website, www.pyrrha.com.

We're seeing a lot of the gladiator style high heel sandals for Spring this year.  With platform or without, many with wood heels.  They're also showing the gladiator flats, but personally, I don't like those.  I'm a heel girl (always).  The high heel gladiator is a pretty versatile look - wear with skinny jeans, pencil skirts, tunic dresses, shorts etc.  Here are some options from drool-worthy Chloe and YSL to quotidian Nine West.

Chloe Platform $920 

Yves Saint Laurent "Tribute" $760 

Tod's "Plateau" $595  

Michael Kors "Granger" $164 (on sale) 

Daniblack "Nance" $140 

Nine West "Gaulla" $89 

The Nine West shoe is a Rachel Zoe "pick" on piperlime.com. I'm not sure that' a selling point though. I suspect her association with a Gap, Inc. company has more to do with a fat check than her actually liking most of the shoes. (Okay, maybe that's too cynical?)

We already know that all of the magazines are talking about brights for Spring 08. Yellow of course, also Hermes orange, kelly green, cobalt and turquoise blues, etc. etc. I think a great way to accomodate a trend that you may not want to wear in clothing is with a handbag.  Here are some high to low ideas.

Jimmy Choo Maddy $1595   

Zac Posen Hobo $1295

Mui Mui Hobo $1095 

Marc Jacobs Palai Royal $895 

Coach Slim Carly $478 

J Crew Carnaby Carryall $198 

Nine West Gain Hobo $49.99 (sale)

There have been some photos out recently of Nicole Kidman with just ridiculously large lips. Ugghh.  Why? Why? Why oh why would a beautiful woman make herself look like a clown like this?  Okay, I know "thin lips" are not attractive, but huge ridiculous lips, come on?  I guess this is nothing new.  I was watching season 4 of Las Vegas on dvd and I see that Nikki Cox's lips in this season have continued their trend of getting larger every season.  (other serial offenders: Lara Flynn Boyle, Meg Ryan, Donatella Versace) I certainly believe in making one's self better, even with plastic surgery etc. (if absolutely necessary), but it should be at a level that is not completely obnoxious.  These designer noses, huge boobs and clown lips have just gone too far.  This is not attractive in any way. Please world, stop.

Keeping on the jewelry vein from yesterday... the jewelry piece that I am dying to get right now is pretty much anything from the Alhambra line from Van Cleef & Arpels. It comes in both white and yellow gold in a lot of different styles, some with inlays of mother of pearl, onyx or tiger's eye.  I love the quatrefoil shape, which they call a "clover" presumably because they figure the average moron doesn't know what a quatrefoil is.  (Art history anyone???) The quatrefoil was common in Moorish architecture (thus the name for the collection, Alhambra) and later in Gothic architecture. Years ago I went to the Alhambra Palace in Granada (Spain), wow, seriously beautiful place.  The courtyard of the lions there is amazing. Everyone must go!

Van Cleef doesn't have prices on their website, but according to InStyle magazine, this 18k bracelet goes for $1,500.  That seems quite reasonable to me.

I love tiger's eye, so maybe I'd get the single pendant in tiger's eye and yellow gold. 

Here's Reece who apparently has 2 different styles. I wonder if she actually bought them, or if they gave them to her?  It looks like mabye the Byzantine Alhambra style in the first picture and either the Vintage Alhambra or regular Alhambra in the second.

You can check out all the styles here: http://www.vancleef-arpels.com/en/van-cleef.html#/alhambra/  Happy shopping (or dreaming).  Cheers.

On the silver topic... What better way for a Gucci girl to combine her love of all things bamboo with sterling silver?  The answer is Tiffany's Bamboo Sterling Silverware!  I'm not sure if normal people still think it is necessary to have sterling silverware, personally I think it is de rigueur.

Side note, they used to make bamboo jewelry also, as part of the Tiffany Nature collection but sadly, it was discontinued. I have the bamboo hoops that weigh a ton (uggh) but look great!

Diamonds are a girl's best friend, but it's good to mix things up right? I was recently given the Elsa Peretti Teardrop earrings and this gift has caused me to have a Tiffany sterling renaissance. I dug out my collection and polished it up and (re)realized that I LOVE this stuff.  I'm not sure why I hadn't worn any of it in so long.  (okay maybe because it's annoying to have to polish it, more on that below) Tiffany's designs are so classic. My favorites are the Atlas collection , the Peretti bean and the Peretti teardrops.  And buying them in sterling makes them affordable to most people... although "affordable", it is kind of an outrage when you consider how much 925 silver costs (its dirt cheap), the markup Tiffany has is INSANE.  But hey, they have to pay for the nice blue boxes and their designers, and for some really expensive real estate. 

Frank Gehry even has a line now!  Tiffany's calls it "a bold new vision of arresting shapes and forms".  I guess that's what you'd expect from the man who designed Bilbao [Guggenheim]! I like the Torque line. (3 pendants in that collection at left) He's also doing some bone china bowls and vases that are really cool.

Note to guys everywhere: if you don't know what to get your girlfriend/wife/mistress etc. you cannot go wrong with something from Tiffany's.  (note of caution - do NOT buy Tiffany on Ebay, it's most likely FAKE and made in China) 

Oh, last quick note on polishing sterling... I learned this a long time ago. Take a pan and line it with aluminum foil, boil some water and get out some baking soda.  Put your jewelry items in the pan on the foil, pour hot water over it and dump in a few teaspoons of baking soda.  It will fizz... let it sit there for several minutes then take your stuff out and buff it with a soft cloth and it's like new!  This works if the tarnish is not really bad - if it's really bad then you can do this, but you'll need to use silver polish too to get all of the tarnish off.  Don't use this method on soft stones or pearls though!

As I was doing my Gucci update yesterday I was thinking about the color yellow since they're featuring that color in their spring/summer line.  We've been seeing yellow a lot more in the last year or so.  Yellow on the red carpets was huge in 2007.  Reece Witherspoon in Nina Ricci, Angelina Jolie in Emanuel Ungaro, Kate Hudson in Dior, Thandie Newton in Fendi, Kerry Washington in Oscar de la Renta, etc. etc.

For us mere mortals, yellow is popping up a lot this Spring. Take a look at J. Crew's spring preview catalog that they shot in Rome (don't get me started Rome... that's an entry of its own), it's full of yellow.  Like the really cute Fontana dress, see below.

Net-a-porter is featuring yellow as the "Y" in their 2008 A to Z of Spring Fashion.

I have to admit as a person who pretty much lives in black, charcoal and denim; I tend to be slow in adopting color.  But I think I'm going to get some yellow this Spring!

Hi again.  Just a quick entry here.  Did you know that Gucci is now selling their women's ready-to-wear line on their website?  Previously they had only sold accessories on the site.  It's great to be able to look at the pieces all in one place with great photography and different views. You click on an ensemble and it lists all of the different pieces and the matching accessories. It's also interesting to be able to see the prices.  A pair of black jeans is $435, a great silk shantung short dress is $1530. Personally, when I'm at their New York stores I don't shop the clothes.  I'm willing to splurge for shoes or a handbag, but the clothes are a bit beyond me right now (budget, not desire!) So it's cool to be able to see them online.  And hey, $435 for jeans is not that bad... I thought they'd have been more.

My last quick Gucci note is that their sleek new New York store is now open.  It's at the corner of Fifth and 56th, the same block as Tiffany's.  This new store replaces the store at Fifth and 54th. It's huge - now the largest Gucci store anywhere.

If you're like me, then you believe that a perfectly designed shoe is like art. I would definitely classify Christian Louboutin's simple 100 mm pumps as this type of shoe.  Sorry I don't have some better pictures, with other angles.  It looks much better in person. 100 mm is just over 4 inches, the leather is super fine and soft, the shoes are incredibly light (of course as with any decent shoe the soles, lining and outer are all leather, this makes them really light), the round toes are the perfect round - rounded oval, and of course the distinctive red soles. Wow!

Isn't that just beautiful, in a classic style-icon sort of way?  If they put shoes in museums, these would have to be there. Louboutin's platforms are more popular, but I don't think they have the simple perfection of these.  They make the exact same shoe with an 85 mm heel, but to me the aesthetic is slightly off with the lower heel. 100 mm is perfection.

Louboutin shoes have been around since the early 90s, but it's really just in the last few years that they've become the ne plus ultra of shoes.  It used to be Manolo and Jimmy Choo, but now I'd say it's certainly Louboutin.  It doesn't seem like celebrities even wear any other shoe (okay, I'm exaggerating).

Here's an old picture of Nicole Ritchie in a similar pair of his pumps.  I think she looks seriously great, don't you? 

Louboutins can be hard to find depending on where you live.  New York actually has 2 stores, Madison Ave. and Horatio Street.  How lucky are New Yorkers?  You can also get them at Bergdorf, Saks, Neiman Marcus, etc. I think Saks has the best online selection.