Recently in 2009 Category

I have always loved Gucci's use of bamboo.  I have some strappy sandals with bamboo heels, a wallet with a bamboo turn-lock closure, shoes with bamboo adorned horsebits, bamboo print Boston bag, bamboo keychain....  Oh, and not Gucci, but I also have the gorgeous Tiffany Bamboo Nature hoop earrings (the style has since been sadly discontinued).

What I really lust for now is the new Jackie bag with the bamboo-topped tassels.  As I've lamented before, it's not going to happen because the bag is $2100.  That's just too crazy even for me!

The bamboo-handled bag, was developed in a Gucci backroom in Florence in 1947, by craftsmen who were charged to muster all their powers of innovation to think their way around war-time shortages - yet still make objects that met the Gucci standards of desirable exclusivity. It is also a testament to the booming craftsmanship and design that put Italy on the map after World War II. Once it was articulated and attached to the bag by four metal loops (using the least amount of the precious commodity possible, in the on-site forge), the bamboo handle became a piece of design history.

Over the decades, the bamboo went beyond its origins as a pragmatic solution, and became a device used on generations of new bag shapes, gradually transforming itself into a Gucci visual code. Bamboo-inspired patterning has branded multiple products - from umbrella handles to headscarves, watch-straps and jewellery, and has even been carved wittily into a pair of golden stiletto heels. It is a part of the House's heritage - like the horsebit, green-red-green webbing and the GG - that has proved amazingly capable of time-travelling, staking its place in the fashion of the moment according to what design calls for at the time.

"Anyway, Mrs. Obama has made it clear that her well-stocked closet is her business. Last March, in an interview about the new White House organic garden, she took a playful poke at her husband. "He doesn't understand fashion," she said. "He's always asking, 'Is that new? I haven't seen that before.' It's like: 'Why don't you mind your own business? Solve world hunger. Get out of my closet.' "

Excerpt from 'Wrapped in Their Identities' by Cathy Horyn, New York Times.

I thought this was funny.  The article is actually about both Sarah Palin and Michelle Obama and how they helped bring attention to fashion this year...

According to People Style Watch, here are 2009's biggest fashion trends (view slideshow and vote on them here):

picture source: peoplestylewatch.com

1. suiting dresses (yes - menswear fabrics like wool plaids - I have one from Banana and 1 from Nanette Lepore, love them both)

2. lace tights (yes - got mine from Banana)

3. cuffed khakis (no - I don't think this was really a "trend")

4. formal short shorts (yuck - "trend" if you're tacky like Heidi Montag)

5. fingerless gloves (sorry, no)

6. thigh high boots and jeans (done right these can be very cool, but I didn't buy any this year)

7. fur vests (no - not a vest person)

8. tie-dye jeans (hell no)

9. cross-body bags (no, boring)

10. black leather pants (come on, not a "trend" these are classic for every year)

11. multi color pearls (pearls were big in general, didn't have to be multi color)

12. jean jackets and maxidresses (no)

13. fringed sandals (hell no)

14. cropped harem pants (hell no)

15. denim vests (again, not a vest person)

16. ripped black jeans (yes, ripped jeans but not in black)

17. exaggerated shoulders (most can't pull this off, ok if it's Balmain...)

18. cut-out sides (these have been around for years - think Black Halo dresses)

19. gray leopard print (okay but didn't buy this year)

20. puff-sleeve dresses (weah - that means no)

"If the doorman at Bergdorf Goodman seems a little more cheerful than usual this holiday season, or a salesman at Prada or Hermès offers to find a pair of shoes in your size without rolling an eye, do not act so surprised. Retailers are being extra nice, and not just to the regulars."

Excerpt from the New York Times, 'During a Recession, Holiday Shoppers Are Given A Hero's Welcome' by Eric Wilson

Yay, good news for common man!  It's about time!

Tiffany's has a nice gift guide, with many surprisingly affordable options.

For example, this Elsa Peretti Color by the Yard necklace in sterling and aquamarine is a quite reasonable $125. 

Tiffany Key Pendant, 2" long in sterling silver, $175.

Tiffany Snowflake earrings in sterling silver, $175

A gift in the Tiffany blue box is always nice...

I received my J. Crew Holiday catalog in the mail yesterday. They used a beautiful matte paper for the cover and finished it with metallic text... talk about getting all the details right...

Anyway, it's a treasure trove of great gifts... and things for one's self of course!  They also have a nifty gift guide on the site, here.

I love this dramatic necklace, the Salon Necklace, $150. It's a cool tangle of chains in gold plated brass with glass stones. A bit expensive perhaps for costume jewelry, but it's quite a statement piece.

Here's an interesting tee shirt designed by Stella McCartney for Gap's (PRODUCT) RED line. 50% of the profits go to the global fund to fight AIDS.

Stella T, $28

It's quirky.  I think I like it more than I dislike it. The printed-on necklaces are a bit weird, but maybe cool-weird.  Generally, I'd rather just wear necklaces...

I was out and about over the weekend, running errands, shopping etc. I stopped in at Banana and tried on this dress that I had seen before but not had time to try on.

Wool Blend Textured Sheath Dress, $152

When I looked at it on the hanger, it looked very narrow, which was a good sign. I've found over the years that Banana tends to run their sizes large and cut hips into many of their designs that I just don't have - so I knew this was going to be good. I tried on the 0 and it was perfect, no gaping at the sides of the skirt and a nice length, not too long, not too short. The reviews on BR all say that the dress runs small, and yes I'd agree that for BR it runs small, but in truth it probably just runs true to size.

I like the detailing at the neck and the fabric is nice, textured but still soft.

I didn't buy it though because I have one of their 40% off coupons that is only good on Wednesdays... so hopefully they'll still have my size on Wednesday.  $91.20 is a great deal for this dress!

I've totally had a dress renaissance over the last couple of years.  It is so great to just be able to throw on one piece and go. Perfect for mornings when you're running late and don't have time to put together an "outfit"...

The new Banana Republic downtown flagship store at Broadway and Prince is now open.

This weekend they're having a Grand Opening on Nov. 21 and 22. They sent me a postcard about it, offering 25% off at the new store during those two days.  It's not clear if you need to bring the postcard or not.  Maybe if you don't have one, you could say you forgot it?

There is a good slide show of the new space and layout at NY Magazine, here. It kind of reminds me of J. Crew's vibe, which I doubt is what they were going for.  It looks nice for sure!

Chanel has released their Holiday Colour 2009 collection. And - - if you order from Chanel's site directly through Dec. 16th, yout get free shipping and complimentary gift packaging.

I love the Les Tissages Lames de Chanel (Shimmering Tweed Highlighter), $60. I am such a sucker for highlighters, they seem lighter than blush and are supposed to give you the much desired look of "radiance".  Who doesn't want that?

But, since I already have two highlighters, I probably don't need another... darn.  I am trying to remember the concept of "need" more since this whole horrible, tedious recession thing happened...

Oh, other good news the Trapeze color nail polish is now available by itself for $23. Previously it was only available as part of the gift set mentioned on Oct. 19th.

I mentioned the other day that I've just had a birthday.  I'll admit that I've reached an age where I wish that would stop happening.  It's funny, suddenly finding after being "young" for one's whole life, that perhaps you're not anymore?  It's a strange disconnect because inside you feel the same.  Perhaps it is a bit more amplified for me with my life choices, being single and childless (quite by choice), there is nothing that makes me feel older. I suspect that the responsiblity of parenthood certainly changes one's perspectives.

So with fashion, I'm pretty much in the same place I've always been. (except I admitted to wearing flats to/from work, something I'd never have done in my 20s)  Skinny jeans, leggings, mini skirts, crazy tall boots, booties, torn jeans, boyfriend shorts, a dash of leopard... these are all fun fashion things that I participate in.  Is that wrong?  Am I going to wake up one day and see a Nicolette Sheridan in the mirror or Mariah Carey?  (I guess I'd rather be Nicolette since at least she has the body for the inappropriate clothes she tends to wear)

For example, goodness, this is SO a don't. A skinny little 20-something could get away with this without looking like a sl*t.  But this just does not work, at all. 

It's an interesting dilemma.  Something to think about... well really I'm not that old... yet. I've always tended to mix trendy items with classics so I think I'm okay...

Harper's Bazaar has the section in each issue where they show items for dressing your age - 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond.  I find there is usuallys stuff in every section that I would wear. I think the key is how you mix it and remembering what is appropriate for your body. As unfair as it may seem to some, I think you can stretch more youthful looks into older age when you are thin... things still look the way they're supposed to (or not - case in point above).

I received for my birthday yesterday a most wonderful surprise, this very tiny Nespresso Citiz Espresso machine.  Its footprint of 5" wide x 14-1/2" deep fits even the smallest NYC kitchen.

The machine is made in Switzerland and has an impressive 19 bars of pressure and uses the super-convenient Nespresso pods. Mine came with the Aeroccino+ Milk Frother, although the machine is also available separately.  I think it's smart that they made the frother separately since so many people only drink espresso and not having the frother built into the machine keeps the size down.  It comes with samples of all their coffee pods so you can figure out which is your favorite.

Yay! I am totally excited to try it out!

"For months now, consumers have been hunkering down in an economic storm, buying only what they need to survive, like groceries, diapers, medicine -- and shoes.

Shoes?

The American public, it would seem, cannot carry on without new shoes. Boots, booties, sneakers, pumps -- for the last few months they have all been selling well as the broader economy struggles toward recovery."

Excerpt from A Not-So-Guilty Pleasure by Stephanie Rosenbloom, New York Times

Good grief, it's November!  Bummer, the best part of Fall is over already, now it's time for cold... and the holidays.

Anyway... it's never a bad idea to start thinking about holiday gifts early.  There's nothing worse than getting caught in say, the second week of December, having done no shopping at all!  These days so many stores and brands make up convenient gift sets to make it easier for us.  Okay, so maybe that's little lame and lacks originality - - but how original can you be, really, when you think about it - - none of us "need" anything anyway! 

Since I'm such a fan of Fresh products, I think their gift sets are a nice idea because given as a gift, they will certainly get used.  Unlike some chachke that could sit around in a closet for years.  They've got some nice sets this year, you can browse them here.

In particular, I really like the Petite Candle Trio, $45. It's 3 - 70g candles in frankincense, myrrh and gold packaged in a beautiful gift box.  It's worth it just to find out what the heck frankincense smells like!

They also have a limited edition Brown Sugar Gift Set, $75 that includes 400g Brown Sugar Body Polish, 100 ml Brown Sugar Body Cream and 250g Brown Sugar Oval Soap. The soap is (unfortunately) only available with this gift set. I LOVE the smell of the brown sugar line so I would love to be able to buy the soap alone too.

Last time I ordered from Beauty.com I got samples of Frederic Fekkai's Full Blown Volume Shampoo and Conditioner.  I am very picky about hair products so it's great to have a chance to try them before buying.  These are made for hair just like mine: fine/thin/flat.

Both the shampoo and the conditioner are $23 for 8 fl. oz. Both are billed to create "luxurious, voluminous hair". They use baobab leaf extract which acts as a plumping agent on each strand of hair.  The shampoo has a really rich lather and nice smell.  It's described as lime mint.  It's not too minty though.  I hate, for example, Aveda's rosemary mint because it smells way too minty... really, who wants to use a product that smells like toothpaste on your hair????  Fekkai's is not like that, it's just enough to be fresh.  The conditioner was nice too, light but not too light, it gets the job done.  Fine hair can tangle so much, but a heavy conditioner is just overpowering and flattening, so it can be difficult to the find something just right.  I really liked both of these products...  There is also a hairspray in the line. I don't use hairspray so I won't be able to comment on that...

I saw the black version of these shoes in Self magazine of all places.  (for some reason they do a few pages of fashion, which seems a bit out of place in a health/fitness magazine...) But anyway, I loved the shoes.  The pyramid studs are very on-trend.

Rafe Carine $275

They're leather and also have a leather sole.  4" heel and aprox. 1/2" platform.  I don't like them as much in this ruby color, but it's a dark red at least which I think is more versatile than bright red.

I am wondering though, why they are so expensive?  They are made in China, and since when did Rafe become some great brand? I'd expect these to be under $200.

"THE $300 pair of designer jeans is now, courtesy of the recession, the $200 pair of designer jeans."

- exceprt from Preshrunk Prices by Eric Wilson, NY Times Style Section about premium denim prices coming back down from stratospheric.

This is a horrible day to arrive at, but I'm going to have to buy some flat shoes that are not sneakers.  After so many years of wearing 4 inch+ heels for 10 hours or so a day, my feet now prefer to walk to and from work in flats (HORRORS, how embarrassing).  Even more embarrassing however is the fact that these flat shoes have been over the last year or so, Converse sneakers (yup, the ones preferred by 20 something hipsters in skinny jeans).

Granted, some days I do wear skinny jeans; but on other days I have to admit they look quite ridiculous with what I'm wearing.  I was trying to convince myself that it was okay, with the anonymity of the city, and since it was only back and forth to work.... But after merciless commentary at my office I realize I should get something flat and comfortable and slightly more attractive.

An obvious choice is the ubiquitous Tory Burch flat.

I am fairly certain that almost every girl on the Upper East Side has some variation of the Reva flat.  Personally, I would never get them with garish gold insignia on the toe. The black version above is less obnoxious. These are $195 at Bergdorf.  I think that's a bit excessive considering I am trying to replace a $42 sneaker and these are meant to be primarily utilitarian.  I would NEVER wear them for fashion, I just don't believe in flats, plain and simple.

The only other shoe I can think of was this ballet flat with a Chanel-esque black leather camellia flower on the toe that I saw at the Shoe Box, they were an obscure Italian brand called Prego - - and were $300!  Crazy.  At least those would be more original...

Chanel has a new eye kit, Le Regard de Noir (smoky eye essentials), everything you need for the perfect smoky eyes, all packaged in a beautiful case.  It's a great gift, for a friend or yourself!  I don't know about you, but I need serious help with the smoky eye... I hope this comes with instructions!

It includes Les 4 Ombres shadows in smoky eyes, Le Crayon Khol pencil in noir, Exceptionnel de Chanel mascara in noir, Le Pinceau Ombre #2 brush and a mini size of Demaquillant Yeux Intense makeup remover.  $140.

Vuitton has always been very collaborative with artists and designers from Sprouse to Murakami, to Peter Marino for the massive interiors of the New York 57th Street store...

Their new book, Louis Vuitton: Art, Fashion and Architecture, explores 80 of their collaborations in a beautiful edition designed by Murakami. It features a special cover, jacket and plexiglass slipcase silkscreened in the Damier pattern.  Published by Rizzoli.  $130.

" So, for this dreaded excursion, I paired my newly mutilated motocross pants with a black 82nd Airborne "Death From Above" T-shirt and boots from my "Frankenhooker" collection -- an outfit loosely translated as "No, I'm not interested in a Michelle Obama-inspired, stretch satin, office-party 'mistletoe moment' dress, thank you very little."  "

Cintra Wilson on the prospect of visiting/reviewing Ann Taylor, excerpt from 'At the Office, A Job Well Done', New York Times.

Based on this, you wouldn't expect the reveiw to end up a good one.  But it's a fair bias for her to start with.  As I mentioned earlier this Fall, Ann Taylor has always seemed like boring clothes for office robots with no style... but their new designer Lisa Axelson seems to be bringing them out of this. In her review Cintra highlights better quality in the details like quality fabrics with nice hands, felt lining under collars, pinstripe lining in jackets so you can roll up the sleeves... etc. Nice little extras that make the clothes much nicer.  She sums it up, " Ann Taylor's office-wear may still be 98.9 percent edge-free, but it is concentrating on the right values: timeless lines and longevity. Other chains would be wise to follow in the plucky working girl's conservative (yet spike-heeled) footsteps."

From October 22 - 26, Caudalie is offering a 20% off friend and family sale good on anything! Use code FALLHARVEST at checkout.

This is a great opportunity to try their new Premier Cru anti-ageing cream. It's normally a rather steep $150 for 1.7 oz, but on sale it would be $120.

Caudalie isn't a brand you'd expect to go on sale, EVER, so this is a good time to stock up... you could even start early holiday gift shopping!  My favorite products are the gentle cleanser, creme contour eye cream, beauty elixir and Premieres Vendages moisturizer.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about Chanel's nail color, Trapeze... and that I couldn't find it yet.  Well, this weekend I was at Bloomingdale's 59th Street (they've unveiled their new ground floor space with a more deluxe beauty department and a huge new David Yurman boutique) and I found it. 

It seems to only be available as part of a three color gift set, Trio Exclusif de Vernis, $65.

It includes Trapeze (a silvery gray), Allegoria (a pink nude) and Tulipe Noir (a rich plum black), they come in a chic little travel case.

Net-a-porter has this beautiful Chloe dress in plum that I love!  I would never spend this much on a dress though...

Chloe Strapless Pleated Silk-Blend Dress, $3,015

That is just a ton to spend on a dress!  For that, you do get some nice tailoring - the all-over pleats, built-in corset and bubble hem.  Also, for this price, I suspect that the belt it comes with is of the super-nice quality of all Chloe leather items. 

I love how they tempered the fanciness of the dress with the brown leather belt. It's like a dash of equestrian English country on a classic dress ...

 Just to stay on the topic of Chanel for another day... here's what I'd like to buy from the Chanel beauty counter:

Blush Duo Tweed Effect in Tweed Sienna, $45

Rouge Allure Luminous Satin Lip Colour in Ardent (limited edition), $30

And, I saw this gorgeous color, Trapeze, in a magazine but it doesn't seem to be available anywhere yet.  I asked at the Chanel counter at Bloomingdale's and no one knew what I was talking about... and the Chanel website doesn't have it either.  The only place I could find other evidence of its existence (and a picture) was an ebay auction that had it selling it for $49.99!  I would just wait, it should cost $23. The ebay auction says it's a Holiday '09 color so it should be out soon and hopefully it will turn up here on the Chanel site.

I'm having a bit of Chanel day myself... I'm wearing my only Chanel jewelry - a double chain necklace with a double C pendant and double C hanging earrings with camelia flowers.  I don't usually wear them together... but what the heck...  I bought them both at the Chanel store on 57th street, and what a great experience that is!  They are SO nice even to plebians like me who could never afford their clothes.  I was impressed by that.  I would never buy Chanel on ebay because there are so many fakes, and the real items are usually totally overpriced (like the above nail color).  I used to be a bit of an ebay addict, but I've largely given it up.  I do not want to support the trade of counterfeit merchandise in any way, and we all know that ebay is a huge facilitator.

Chanel's show was on Tuesday.  They decked out the Grand Palais in a farm theme inspired by Marie Antoinette's Petit Hameau at Versailles.

Photo: Valerio Mezzanotti for The New York Times

There is a good slide show of the looks at the New York Times, here.

Of course there were a lot of tweeds, that's pretty standard Chanel.  What I really did not like are the following:

Clogs (nearly every model in the show wore clogs), many with strange lace-up legs

Exaggerated Bell Shaped Skirts

Pink with lace

Crochet Looks

I guess I'm alone in this, the critics liked it.  The New York Times' Suzy Menkes says "...expressed such a fashion joie de vivre and a dizzying desire to buy".  And Cathy Horyn: "...was completely charming; the clothes were great, too".

The 2009 Christmas book is now available to browse online.

It's always full of the most decadent gifts, the stuff people really want!

Here are some hightlights:

Valentino boots and hobo. (bag comes in taupe, red and black) Boots $1495, Hobo $2395.

Gucci Icon Bit Tote, $1190.

Milly Panne Velvet Dress, $495

Roberto Coin Capri Plus Earrings, Necklace and Bangles, $1750 - 13500.

You can order a copy of the catalog for $15, here.

Saturday Chanel releases their new collection of casual handbags and travel bags, Coco Cocoon. The marketing campaign is featuring Lily Allen.

I think Lily Allen is a rather curious choice, but I guess Karl is fascinated by her.  Just a couple of years ago she was a chubby mess, hardly a paradigm of beauty; but she does look pretty good these days, especially when decked out in Chanel!

The bags are available in nylon or lambskin.  I see why they say "casual" they are most certainly that.

This bag reminds me of some very inexpensive bag, I'm not really sure, Le Sport Sac or something?  Or a Member's Only jacket sewn into a bag?  I don't know, not so good...

Shopbop has a nice feature/slide show on ways to wear the season's lingerie-style looks. Think black lace, slip dresses, stockings, bustiers, sheer tanks and the like...

I love this black lace dress (above) American Retro Lizzy Dress, $254. Certainly a cheaper way to get a bit of the look is these gorgeous Falke stockings, $59.

As a product junkie, it's always exciting when one of your favorite brands comes out with a new product.  Caudalie has just introduced Premier Cru La Creme. It is $150 for 1.7 oz. Okay, yikes, that seems like alot, but La Mer is $130 for 1 oz. So in comparison, Premier Cru being about $88 for an ounce, it's not a bad deal.

Caudalie's three signature patents: titrated Resveratrol and Viniferine from Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte grapevines, and grape-seed polyphenols combine to create unparalleled age-fighting power.

Here's what each do:

-Grape-seed Polyphenols (OPCs): Protect skin from premature aging caused by UV rays, pollution, and environmental aggressors, by forming a shield against free radicals. Reinforce capillaries, boost cutaneous microcirculation, and help maintain an optimal level of hyaluronic acid in the dermis to preserve suppleness and elasticity.
-Resveratrol: Stimulates sirtuins (longevity proteins) that increase the lifespan of skin cells by 160%. Activates cellular renewal, redensifying the dermis, smoothing away wrinkles from the inside, and redefining facial contours.
-Viniferine: Regulates the production of melanin and protects melanocytes from free radicals in order to prevent the appearance of dark spots. Restores radiance by restarting cutaneous microcirculation.
-Vinolevure: Retains up to 100 times its weight in water. Offers exceptional moisturizing and protective properties that reinforce the immune system.

Wow, it sounds great.  Right now, Sephora has an exclusive on it.  But you can get a 100 ml sample from Caudalie's website with any purchase of $100 or more now through Oct. 6th.

Here's an interesting way to wear leather: take a very classic dress design and make it leather.  This is exactly what Rag & Bone has done with their Raw Edge Leather Dress ($995 - eek!).

It's great for going out worn as above with cool boots... but the great thing about the design is that it's classic enough that you could throw on a long cardigan and some tights and wear it to the office too.  With a piece this expensive you'd want to get a lot of wear out of it...

Ann Taylor seems to be working on shaking the dust off their rather staid image.  They advertised heavily in all of the September issues and got some decent editoral coverage as well.  I always saw Ann Taylor as work wear for your Mom, very classic not trendy, rather boring...  But this Fall's collection is a bit different.  They have a new designer, Lisa Axelson, previously of Club Monaco and Gap/BR.  She was brought on board last Fall. [quote] "I'm thrilled to have the incredible opportunity to restore a chic, fashionable point of view to Ann Taylor," said Axelson. "I hope to deliver covetable pieces that are modern and sophisticated and make our clients feel fabulous," she added.

This dress was featured in their September marketing:

Silk Tiered Strapless Dress, $240

The shoes, Perfect Platform Pump, $175

Here's a cool and relatively inexpensive over-the-knee boot.  This looks seems to be a Fall must-have, but I don't think it's smart to spend a ton on the really trendy looks. 

Boutique 9 "Charissa" Belted Boots, $285

They have a 3.75" stacked heel and are leather with fabric lining and leather sole.  I like the round toe and substantial look, they would nicely balance out a look with leggings and a long sweater for example.

Today you can get a nice selection of Gucci Swiss-made watches at Bluefly for half off!  I love the bamboo and horsebit styles in particular...

Some examples...

Gucci Taupe and Natural Bamboo '6800' Series Watch, SALE $438 (regular $875)

Gucci Black Alligator 'Signoria' Horsebit Petite Watch, SALE $598 (regular $1,195)

They even have a couple of travel clocks, this one is in chocolate Guccisima leather, Gucci '200' Alarm Clock, SALE $175 (regular $350)

Here's a cute pant that's great to show off the shoes of the season, J. Crew Minnie Stretch Twill Pant, $79.50.

They have a side zip,  slim fit with two-way stretch and J. Crew's "city fit" low rise waist.

The London Times has a nice piece today, Confessions of Vogue's Shopaholics, about what various Vogue editors will be buying during Fashion's Night Out.  It includes the editors from Vogue: Italy, Britain, US, Russia, France, Greece, China, India, Germany, Spain and Japan.

Here are Anna Wintour's and Carine Roitfeld's.

Anna Wintour, American Vogue

When I first mentioned Fashion's Night Out to my friend Vera Wang, a fashion designer here in New York, she gave me a quick double take. While her business, like everyone else's, was having to ride out the recession -- Vera always jokes that she has this knack for opening a store just before some new global cataclysm hits -- it had never crossed her mind, not once, to stop shopping. "Anna," she said, laughing, "I did shop, I do shop, and I will continue to shop!" For Vera, hitting the stores is about more than an act of acquisition. It's one of self-invention and self-empowerment, no matter how small and inexpensive her purchase might be. It's Vera's attitude that I'll keep in mind when I do the rounds on September 10.

I'm going from Macy's in Queens to Manhattan, where I'll drop by Ralph Lauren, the Oscar de la Renta store -- Oscar promises to sing! -- then Intermix to see Sienna Miller, and on to Barneys, Bergdorf Goodman, Dior, Saks Fifth Avenue (where there will be a William Rast pop-up shop), and Sean John, finishing up at the Meatpacking block party hosted by Theory and Diane von Furstenberg.

What am I looking to buy? Something in red, some new boots, and some kind of savage fur (that's American Vogue shorthand, so you know, for a rough, shaggy stole or collar of some kind).

It's not a lot, but isn't that the whole point of shopping these days (and probably should always have been)?

You don't need much, just whatever you'll love and that will really mean something to you.

Carine Roitfeld, French Vogue

What is most important for me about the clothes I buy is that they fit perfectly. I bring almost all my new clothes to my retoucher and spend a lot of time with him to make sure that they fit me as if they were completely tailor-made. I buy mostly classic, timeless pieces, such as knee-length pencil skirts: I always buy a few every season and never get tired of them. But I am also a real fashion addict and every season I fall in love with a few eccentric, strong, designer pieces that I just have to get. Those strong, wild, pieces complement my more classic clothes.

Finally, I have to say that the thrill of falling in love with a piece of clothing, of rushing to the store, hoping it will be available, trying it on and leaving the store with the precious package, is still a real pleasure and can relieve a headache!

Here are a couple more cool things for Thursday!

Register your American Express card at AmEx's website and if you spend $300 (total) or more at 2 participating Fashion's Night Out stores, you'll get a $50 statement credit!  Sign up your card here.

Also, all of the Fresh stores will be open late. The coolest thing is if you dontate some clothes, they'll give you a $50 gift card towards a future $100 purchase.

I think it's going to be a good evening!

Fashion Week starts on Thursday, and it's also the night of Fashion's Night Out.  As I previously mentioned there are a bunch of cool events going on.  Here are a few more.

RSVP here: http://www.whoscoming.com/socialdiva/FNO.html

I ran over to Sephora to smell Stellanude.  It is very strong on the rose, I didn't get any pink grapefruit scent at all from it...  The rose is a nice rose, at least, not the fake rose. But I think it's a bit too heavy on the rose for me.  Overall I expected it to be lighter.

I think I might like Stella Sheer better.  The notes are lemon, green apple, rose and amber.

Stella McCartney's new fragrance Stellanude is available now at Sephora. The notes are Moroccan Rose, Grapefruit, White Peony, Pink Pepper, Precious Vanilla, Grey Amber, and Musk.

I'm very curious to smell it.  I don't like musk at all and sometimes I like rose, sometimes not.  I used to love a Bulgarian rose water hydrosol that I can no longer find. It had a delicious real rose smell; not the fake, overbearing and old-lady smell that rose can sometimes take on.  Depending on the mix this one could be great... or not so much.  I will report back after I smell it.  The reviews on Sephora so far are all good.

Okay, I know, People magazine is a bit cheesy but I pretty much have to read all of the September issues.

Here's what they're saying...

pg. 30 "Looks to Keep"

- wide belts

- boyfriend jeans

- biker jackets

- florals

- snakeskin accessories

- super high heels

- one-shoulder looks

- lace

"Looks to Lose"

- electric blue

- feather headbands

- short harem pants

- mod

- sheer

pg. 68 "Fall Style Essentials" as per Isaac Mizrahi

- brights worn with black

- plaid

- tailoring (proper fit)

- layering

- belts

- all of the above, worn with confidence

pg. 122 "10 Fall Must Haves"

- red

- saddle bags

- ruffles

- leopard

- black leather

- lug sole heels

- bold necklaces

- sheath dresses

- neon pink + black

- leggings

pg. 139 "5 Hot New Beauty Trends"

- bright lips

- metallic eyes

- polished waves (hair)

- sculpted cheeks

- green nails

pg. 148 "Good Finds"

- sparkly shoes

- bright bags

- embellished tees

- vintage look jewelry

Shopbop has a cool new feature that allows you to browse runway looks and then click directly to the items for purchase.

After you choose the designer, there are about 5 or 6 looks direct from the runway. Not all items are available though, like below, the jacket and boots are available but not the leggings.

Elle's September issue included (p. 265) "The Elle Fashion 25" trends for Fall:

1. camel coats

2. capes

3. toggle coats

4. coats with robe style ties

5. mini dresses

6. neon

7. grecian styles (draping)

8. one sleeve looks

9. deep v-neck blouses

10. lace blouses

11. white shirts

12. optical stripes

13. menswear trousers

14. draped skirts

15. leather shorts

16. legging pants

17. embellished biker jackets

18. tuxedo-inspired styles

19. ruffles

20. chalk stripes (pinstripe)

21. over-the-knee boots

22. day clutches

23. drawstring pouch style bags

24. buckle boots

25. treaded soles

"True art cannot be encompassed in a handbag, no matter how oversize, or over-pimped said handbag may be."

Something to think about!  Excerpt from 'Vuitton Bags The Big Shots' by Amy Thomas, New York Times Magazine

Here are the Fall trends as per In Style:

- ladylike luxe

- lace detailing

- ornamentation (shine, sequins, chunky jewels, fur)

- legs (tights, overknee boots, leggings, minis)

- country/equestrian

- city (motorcycle jackets, zipper details, chunky metal necklaces, studs, grommets)

- structured tailoring (coats, jackets, suits)

- dark sparkle (sequins etc. with black and dark gray)

- draping (goddess looks, draped dresses, tops)

- fur accents (vests, scarves, wraps)

- bright coat or camel coat

- cardigan

- day dress (sheath dress, etc)

- romantic shirt (white w. ruffles, lace, bows or pleating detail)

- leather jacket (motorcyle, zippers, punkish)

I received my September J. Crew catalog in the mail yesterday.

Here are my picks:

pg. 8 - Metropolitan Suede Ankle Boots, $250 (made in Italy)  They have a 3 5/8" inch heel with a 3/8" hidden platform.  I wish they were a little higher, and I would also prefer them in regular leather.  Otherwise, they're a great option for Fall's bootie trend.

pg. 16 - Wool Herringbone Professor Blazer, $198. This is a great jacket to wear with skinny jeans and chanel flats... or any jeans for that matter.  Or if you're really skinny you could wear it with leggings and tall riding boots.

pg. 27 - Destroyed Denim Short, $98.  In Marie Claire's September issue, the "Model Spy" showed several models (on their own time) wearing denim shorts with black tights.  These would work perfectly for that look to carry them on into the Fall.  The problem with these though is that the smalles size is 26, and they run quite large... that size was way too big for me.

pg. 36 - Italian Cashmere Shirred Popover Sweater, $178. I like the feminine look of the shirred boat neck collar. This looks so comfy.

pg. 42 - Chunky Gem Jewelry, various prices. Virtually every magazine is showing chunky jewels for Fall, they have the look in bracelets, necklaces and earrings.

 pg. 57 - Silk Tiered Cami, $88. This is a cute, flirty top that would be great for going out, wear with skinny jeans and some tall heels or booties. I like the black, aubergine and toffee. I suppose if one wanted to participate in the "neon" trend, then the autumn sun and bright papaya would be good.  (I'm opting out on that one)

Here's what Bazaar is saying for for Fall 2009:

"Secrets of Effortless Style - Fall's Key Pieces" (pg. 227)

- strong shouldered blazers

- sequins (dress, jacket or tee)

- tailored evening shorts

- microminis

- cropped baggy jeans, paper bag jeans

- neon vest (ugg, really?)

- doubled up cuffs

- statement necklaces (bib, etc)

- tough chic booties

From further on in the magazine, looking through the editorial pages here are more trends:

- dresses - one-shouldered and lady-like tailored styles

- jackets - collarless, leather (motorcycle), boyfriend

- pants - cropped, skinny, pleated

- 80s retro / menswear mix

- brights (including neon)

- ladylike suits

- leopard

- metal (studs, grommets etc)

- fur

- chunky jewels

- red

- nudes

- booties and over the knee boots

"LET THE GAMES BEGIN ... Style as we sometimes forget, is really about fun, plain and simple. You can feel it in the air in Manhattan in September: the irrepressible red-lipstick laugh, the up-tempo sidewalk rhythm, as the world's most beautiful women walk out in their new clothes..." - Vogue, Point of View, September Issue (p. 463)

Gwyneth's line for the French brand ZOEtees (known for their chic jersey basics) goes on sale Monday.  It will be sold exclusively online at the UK site matchesfashion.com.

The collection inlcudes jersey dresses, vests, slouchy jumpsuits, leggings, blazers etc. Prices begin at about $165.  The bummer though is that shipping to the US from the UK site is 30£. Yikes, that's about $50!

I love this dress though. It's chic but also looks SO comfortable.

Proceeds from sales will go to the charity, Kids Company, a London based organization that helps inner city children.