Envy! Look at this super gorgeous dress Gwyneth wore the other day to the Iron Man II Photocall. It's from Victoria Beckham's Spring 2010 collection.




I think it's the back that is most spectacular with the exposed zipper!

Here is the dress as shown on the Victoria Beckham Collection website.

I mentioned a long time ago that I've been looking for a pair of flats because my boss makes fun of me when I come in wearing my Converse sneakers... (and then change into Gucci, Louboutin or Marc Jacobs)  I was beginning to think that I was going to have to break down and buy some Chanel ballet flats because I have not been able to find anything quite right.  The thing is, I hate flats, so frankly I didn't/don't want to spend a lot on them.  Their purpose for me is function only... that being walking to and from the subway on my way to and from work.  I always used to just wear my beautiful shoes, but I've been caught in bad rain twice wearing Gucci and that is just unacceptable.  One pair was ruined, one pair I sort of saved because I ran into a store and bought socks and took the shoes off and ran the rest of the way home in socks - yes, seriously I did that.  The shoes are not ruined, but they'll never be perfect again.

So.... anyway, I found some flats online the other day that I thought might be acceptable.  They're Aerosoles of all things - comfortable shoes!  Ha, funny!  (not something I usually consider)

Aerosoles Beckton Flat, $55.95


They arrived yesterday and I like them well enough to keep them.  I think they'll do the job and they aren't hideous.  They have that cute ballet slipper look.  The quilted toe is slightly Chanel-esque.

I can't believe how long it took me to find something!  I would have bought Tory Burch flats long ago if I could have found a pair that didn't have the huge gaudy gold thing on the toe.  They used to have a pair with the big round thing on the toe done in matching black leather, and that would have been okay.

This (Reva Flat, $195), I find a bit garrish to say the least.

There are some good deals to be had at Bloomingdale's if you hurry...

You can take 20% off selected items (it's a good selection) when you spend $250 - $499 and 30% off when you spend $500 or more.


Here's an example:
Herve Leger Black Signature Dress, regular $850, with sale $$595.

Good news for New York fashionistas... Rock & Republic is having their first ever NYC warehouse sale starting on Friday!

Among the new arrivals from Anna Sui at revolveclothing is this quirky sweater: Anna Sui James Coviello Tiger Cardi in Cream, $383.



I've always liked Asian motifs like the tiger and dragon.  This particular tiger has such a cute face - BUT would I want to wear it?  And if so, would I pay $383 for it?  I doubt it.  (If I had a bigger clothing budget I might get it just for that cute face and wear it around the house...)

You can view the rest of the Anna Sui new arrivals here.

I always love seeing what new things J. Crew has come up with.  Check out their new arrivals here.


I like this slouchy cardigan with no buttons.  Everyday Cardigan, $88.  It's made with merino wool.

This Zoe Tees dress just came in at the outnet.com. No doubt, it's a great deal, down to just $88.75 from $355. It looks good on the mannequin, I'm just not sure how it would look in reality. It's available in gray and dark purple and black and off white.  I'm sure the fabric is wonderful as it's a blend of 70% lyocell (so soft) and 30% wool.


What do you think?

Whites and nudes are very chic for Spring. I'm loving this Nanette Lepore dress, and I'd pair it with some simple nude pumps.

Nanette Lepore Vivacious Dress, $348


I love the gathering and the exposed side zipper.

Some basic Christian Louboutins in nude would work, or these Valentino Slingbacks, $675.

 
Stuart Weitzman Peep-Toe Platform Pumps, $345.

I was introduced to Flora in late 2004 when they brought the pattern out of the archives for shoes, bags, scarves etc. etc. for Cruise Collection '05 and Spring/Summer '05.

I bought these shoes!  I know they are ugly in a way, but they are also unexpected - and whenever I wear them I get a least one compliment from a stranger!  One time someone actually took a picture of them... seriously!  I think it's time to bring them out... it's feeling like Spring finally...

Right now Gucci isn't doing too much with the Flora pattern.  They do have a few scarves in the Spring/Summer '10 collection available. Here is the classic one, white background 35" square silk. Flora Foulard, $355.

Here is the background on Flora from the Gucci website:

Flora, one of the most loved Gucci icons, was born as a special commission for Princess Grace of Monaco in 1966. The princess had paid a visit to the Gucci store in Milan with Prince Ranier. Having bought a green "bamboo bag" Rodolfo Gucci insisted she selected a gift. When she relented she asked for a scarf. Rodolfo was distressed: he felt Gucci lacked one special enough for his distinguished guest. He immediately contacted the renowned illustrator Vittorio Accornero, to design the most beautiful floral scarf he could create. The next day Accornero returned with his painting: it was the "Flora", a multicolored flowered template that was destined for an unimaginably extended future.

Flora kindled such long-lasting affection among European women that they passed it onto their daughters. One was Caroline of Monaco, who wore a blouse in her "mother's" scarf-print as a teenager; another, the much younger Frida Giannini, whose own mother loved the print as a girl in Rome. Re-connecting with that feeling, Giannini's revived Flora on printed canvas bags for summer 2005, was met with overwhelming demand. Other Flora variations, re-scaled, re-coloured and abstracted, made it onto Forties/Seventies inspired print dresses for summer 2006, into jewelry and on evening bags. They were all hits: living proof of the power of a Gucci icon 40 years after it was first imagined.

Today I'm almost wearing this outfit from the J. Crew catalog...

I ordered the striped tissue tee way back in December and it finally arrived!  So if you want one, you better order now before they run out again.  (Classic Stripe Tissue Tee, $32.50) The jeans are the Ankle Stretch Toothpick Jean in Twilight Wash, $125.  They are not really "ankle" on me though, so they look a little bit different. 

For jacket - I'm wearing a wonderful old Theory jacket.  I'm not sure if they still make it... it's that stretch fabric they used to use for everything.  Now they do most things in the Tailor stretch wool, which is also great...

Shoes - Marc by Marc Jacobs round toe black pumps.    I got these Fall of 06 if you can believe it and I still LOVE them.

Bracelet - I am wearing one of J. Crew's chunky pearl bracelets.  It's not online, though is similar to the one below.  It seems like a cheap version of the one below, as if it were made for the J. Crew outlet, but I didn't get it at an outlet... I got it at J. Crew Princeton NJ.  I wonder if they ever put outlet items at the stores?

Earrings - Blue Nile 18k Hoops (yikes, they're $195 now! I'm glad a got mine a few years ago before gold went up!)  These are totally classic earrings that everyone should have in their jewelry wardrobe.

And an 18k gold snake chain that I've had for a while with a key pendant that I got in Kusadasi, Turkey!  I got my key before Tiffany came out with their keys, so I'm not a copier! You can get a nice key pendant from Blue Nile now (yes, they copied) for much less than the Tiffany gold version... check it out here.