Thursday, December 8, 2011

So Long!


In the words of the immortal Von Trapp family, "So long! Farewell! Auf wiedersehen! Good night!"

It's been fun, but I gotta be honest - I'm tired and overwhelmed and with three kids (four, if you count the husband and honestly, I do) and a job - I'm outmanned, outgunned.... and outdone by the many, many great bloggers out there. I'm gonna let this Blog go. I appreciate all those who - whether you commented or not - stopped by and read. Perhaps I'll try again some day.

But for now, adieu, adieu to you and you and you - my three faithful readers. :)

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Sequins for Your Nails


Unless you're one of the sparkling cast of "The Real Housewives," you probably don't wear sequins on a daily basis.

Deborah Lippman's "Stairway to Heaven" ($18) lets you inject a bit of daily shimmer in a tasteful, non-cable TV way.

Despite the hokey name, "Stairway to Heaven" is a delicate, glittery polish with iridescent shimmer. It's like sparkly snow for you nails.

The polish is pretty all by itself and wears well. Because it isn't a solid color, as it slowly chips and fades away, the polish still looks pretty good. And it is better to just let it go because it is a bear to try and take off.

Monday, November 28, 2011

All Out of Love


Flashback: A year ago (see post here), I really, really liked these pants.

Now, I can't stand 'em.

Such is the fickle nature of fashion.

These J Crew chinos went overboard on the distressed trend — super ripped, paint-splattered — and when I pulled them out of the closet the other day and put them on, I felt incredibly.... silly. They looked goofy. That trend train pulled out of the station a looooong time ago. I feel like a nerd even putting them into the donation pile. I mean, is it obnoxious to donate ripped pants to the poor? I dunno, but it seems even more wasteful to chuck 'em. Perhaps I should sew up the tears.

But, we've all done it, right? Bought something uber trendy, only to turn on it later?

Friday, November 25, 2011

Friday Shoe Haiku: A Jimmy Choo Book


A Jimmy Choo book?
That's what I'm talkin' about
'Cuz I can't wear 'em*



*or afford them.

Shoe n' Tell: Jimmy Choo makes some beautiful shoes that I can neither wear (too teetery, usually) nor afford. A new coffee table book "JIMMY CHOO XV," though, seems way more my speed. It looks at the 15 most significant shoes from the company’s archives and reflects on what has made them hallmarks of the brand style and renown. Pretty pictures of pretty shoes? Sign me up.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Gobble Gobble


In my family, Thanksgiving isn't a dress-up holiday.

We come to eat.

This seems like the appropriate way to be comfortable (stretchy pants!) and not look like a slob (stretchy pants!): Equipment twill shirt; Daftbird v-neck tee (my favorite, favorite, favorite white T-shirt in the whole wide world); Monrow silk drawstring pants; Jeffrey Campbell sandals (designed, obviously, before he got heavy into that overdone platform thing even '70s Cher would think twice about wearing).

Hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving. I am coasting — not hosting — so it's off to the in laws and balmy Phoenix.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

What the...? Wednesday


The Manolo Blahnik "Swan" is $1,295.

I don't get it. I just don't get it.

Every time I look at the pump, it gives me the willies because it looks like a spider creeping up onto an unsuspecting foot.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Bundled Up (for the Desert)


It's been feeling positively San Francisco-like, with the damp breezes and chill. It's wonderful, especially since it gives me a chance to pull out warmer stuff, like cords.

Outfit: Splendid moto jacket; Converse One plaid shirt; J Crew trouser cords; Doc Marten Mary Janes; random red scarf.

Monday, November 21, 2011

A Traffic-Stopping OOTD


No, it's not traffic-stopping because it's hoochie. It's traffic-stopping because of those bright yellow cords. They're as hue-riffic as a crossing guard's vest. Still, they make for good color blocking.

Outfit: Young Fabulous and Broke top; J Crew bootcut cords; Forever XXI rhinestone necklace; Etsy.com pyramid ring; watch ring; B Makowsky leopard bag; Jessica Bennett pointy-toe flats (that, truth be told, might be too pointy for me these days. Still trying to decide).

Friday, November 18, 2011

Friday Shoe Statement of Fact


They went on sale, so I bought 'em.

Shoe n' Tell: Two months ago, I started lusting for these Born "Kai" sneaks (read here). After seeing them in person and trying them on, I had to have. I still can't guarantee that two pairs of leopard sneakers is enough.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Big* Bags


*Yeah, the "big" in the post title refers to the price tags. Yowza. But boy I love a purty bag.

Topping the Best Bag List:
• This Botkier Eden bag's bright colors are fun and unexpected on such a classic shape. Now I'll just have to lurk the sample sales and hope this shows up for a fraction of its $595 original price.

• Put "Alexander Wang" and "bag" in the same sentence and that always adds up to triple digits. At nearly $800, the Jane bag is all that and two family-size bags of chips.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

How'd She Do That?



This is the coolest look — style goddess Taylor Tomasi Hill knotted a men's shirt to wear beneath a mini skirt. Love that.

I keep trying to blow the image up so I can figure it out. Did she tie the rest of it at her waist? How come all those uber fashionable types are the only ones who can layer with reckless abandon and not have lumps and bumps beneath their clothing?

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Shopping For Dudes



My husband rarely shops.

He finds the experience so painful (and when I'm with him, so do I) that he just doesn't do it.*

But, around this time of year, I feel charitable and so even though much of what I buy Mr. Picky Pants ends up getting returned (too stylish), I will still take a stab at clothes shopping for him.

This year, I decided to try cruising one of my favorite sites, Revolveclothing.com, for inspiration. But the dudes in the photos all look so.... goofy. I got distracted and found myself looking more at them and their odd poses (even they look like they feel stupid), that I couldn't take any of the pieces seriously. Doesn't the guy in the graffiti letterman jacket look just like he followed Joey's (from "Friends") "smell the fart" acting advice?!?!

*The one exception is Costco. Dude loves shopping at the big warehouse. But bringing home five years' worth of batteries and a pack of 80 pairs of socks doesn't count as quality shopping. In my book.

Monday, November 14, 2011

An OOTD....For Warmer Weather


The weather has finally turned — there's a nip in the air! Rain!

And, I'm completely short-circuiting about what to wear.

As it hovered in the 80s — in fall — I cooked up super cute autumny ensembles. Now that it's chilly, I'm drawing a blank.

I did, however, buy this ultra fab Alexander Wang blouse on sale (with a code on top!), and I had grand plans to wear it beneath a jacket. But the top is so great that it's a shame to cover it up. Tried everything — tuxedo jacket, long black blazer, short Chanel-ish, studded jacket. Nothing looked right. So, I shivered long enough to take this photo to remember to wear it....in March.

Outfit: Alexander Wang zipper detail sleeveless shirt; J Crew "Minnie" pants; Me Too sandals; Club Monaco studded clutch; Forever XXI bracelet.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Friday Shoe Haiku: A Follow-Up


So, what do you do
With traffic-cone orange tennies?
Well, wear them, of course.

Shoe n' Tell: I posted last Friday about these Tsubo sneaker wedges and was asked for an outfit. So, here's what I did: Line cardigan over a Forever XXI cami; Benetton long-sleeved gray tee; Mossimo Supply Co. cargos and those wacky orange shoes. The 6-year-old still thinks they're "silly." But, he also thinks plaid and tie-dye are a marriage made in heaven.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Shop — It's the Law


So here's a website I never thought I'd be trolling. It's for the U.S. Marshals Service.

This email grabbed my attention when it arrived the other day. This is the top of it:

Convicted Embezzler Sue Sachdeva's Designer Shoes, Purses, Clothing Being Auctioned

WASHINGTON – Hundreds of items, including designer shoes, purses, and clothing, formerly belonging to convicted embezzler Sujata “Sue” Sachdeva are being sold via an online auction by the U.S. Marshals Service through November. The property, which includes brands such as Armani, Manolo Blahnik, Brooks Brothers, Chanel, Fendi, Gucci, Donna Karan, LAM and Louis Vuitton, was seized and forfeited in connection with the criminal prosecution of Sachdeva, who was convicted of embezzling $34 million from the Milwaukee-based company, Koss Corp. Auctions will run continuously through November, with the current sale of 101 lots ending Nov. 10, at www.txauction.com. Nearly all of the items are new, many with tags. 

Well, hellloooo, Manolo.

Alas, Sachdeva's feet are bigger than mine, but if you're an 8.5, check out the site. Lots of Judith Leiber little bags, too.

Who knew?

There are also abandoned and impounded vehicles being auctioned off by the city of Austin, if that's more your speed.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Old-School Polyvore



Move over, Polyvore.

Love the site, really. In fact, noodling around on it is one of my favorite time sucks even though I'm so impatient that I don't really figure out nice ways to layout ensembles. So, I've gone old-school — as in, craft-store sketch book.

Call it Polyvore 1.0.

I've managed to collect a few folders full of ripped-out magazine pages — cool clothes and shoes, hairdos I want to try, beauty products to investigate. Problem is, with the outfits anyway, I forget what exactly it was I wanted to duplicate. Ah, the joys of rapidly approaching senility. So, I bought a sketch book and plastered its pages with all my ideas, using pens to point out exactly what it was I thought looked neat. The journal looks incredibly juvenile because I am not especially artistic, but everything is together — and I remember why I saved it in the first place.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Get A Lift



News to me: Neroli — aka orange — is a natural mood enhancer.

I'll take a double shot, thanks.

This time of year is a stresser with not one, not two, not three but four — FOUR — birthdays along with the holidays. Oy. I'm not even gonna think about how badly work will suck after a recent downsizing.


So, I've taken to huffing my lotion-slathered arms to feel less stressed. This is the cream causing me to do the quasi Mary Katherine Gallagher* routine — 100 Percent Pure's Blood Orange body cream ($15). It has that crisp, bright smell of a freshly cut orange. It's not too heavy and lasts just long enough for me to feel a smidge better about all the things that haven't been done yet.

Other nummy-smelling orange stuff:

•Evan Healy's Orange Blossom Facial Hydrosol. It's a tricky one to track down because it depends on the availability of orange blossoms. But, I have a rapidly-dwindling bottle, and now I'm going to use it quite sparingly. Nothing is more refreshing than a spritz on the face with this stuff.


•100 Percent Pure's Clementine Hand Wash ($11). Clementine, blood orange, it really all has that same brisk citrus smell, which is fine by me.

*MKG is an old "Saturday Night Live" character portrayed by Molly Shannon. Her main schtick was sticking her hands under her armpits and smellin' 'em. Almost makes "Dick in a Box" seem evolved.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Mad for Plaid


Plaid is so fun.

It means a nip in the weather and hot cocoa and the holidays.

Here is a little ensemble created from a recent swap party find — a little plaid dress. It's a little short, so I paired with tights. An H&M vest and Stuart Weitzman boots AND


my new favorite tiki necklace polish things up. Tiki Timo is his name, and that whitish powder means he glows in the dark. It's from a local glass artist Bronwen Heilman, who creates the coolest stuff out of recycled glass.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Friday Shoe Haiku: Sporty Heels


So, hip or goofy?
Gwen Stefani would rock 'em
I say so, so hip.


But, for a second opinion, my 6-year-old son says: "Silly."
Why, I asked.
"They're sneakers and they're high heels."
So, there you have it.
Shoe n' Tell: These Tsubo "Drilon" wedges were an impulse buy — $44 and free shipping and they're orange and they're sneakers with a wedge and...and...well, I needed them. Needed.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

DIY: Cropped Pullover Shrug Thingy



So, I did it.

Made good on my threat to attempt to make my own, way-cheaper-than-Alexander-Wang pull-on shrug/turtleneck hybrid (see yesterday's post). Not too bad, huh?

This was an old J Crew turtleneck. I cut it just above boob level and did a longer shirt-tail hem in the back. Didn't even need to hem it because the ends just roll up (something to note so that it doesn't end up too short). Beneath the homemade shrug — a C & C California tank top.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Oddsession of the Week: Cropped Sweaters


Normally cropped shirts do nothing for me.

And yet, I love these cropped sweaters, especially the tan Alexander Wang — excuse me, the color's called "husk" — because it gives the appearance of a two-tone dress.

Perhaps the appeal lies in how these are cut — they're high, not right at the poochy belly — so it looks like a faux bustier. Cute. Also freakishly expensive — they're a third of a sweater but with triple-digit price tags. I dregged up an old black turtleneck and I'm gonna get all PS I Made This on it and see what happens.




Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Kevin Murphy Hair Resort — For That Beachy Look



And to think of all those years spent perming.

But, in my defense, big hair and spiral perms were all the rage in college. If I'd only known back then the only thing I needed was the right product..... Ah, hindsight.

But, I found Kevin Murphy Hair Resort Beach Texturiser (sic — love those Aussie spellings) and so I'm thankful now that I've got the nice waves back. After tossing all my hair products laden with bad chemicals, I've had a hard time finding something that's clean and can still make my hair wave properly. This seems to be the stuff.

Like a light gel, it has a slight tangerine-ish smell. Oddly, it's really pretty stuff, too — kind of shimmery. You can use it either on damp hair and then diffuse or use it to finish and lock in curl after blow-drying. Good stuff.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!


Even if you're dressed like a giant, pseudo-marshmallow treat, you can still look fashionable.

Have a happy Halloween, my peeps.

Friday, October 28, 2011

A Very Apologetic Friday Shoe Haiku


So sorry, Dansko.
I talked smack, but I was wrong.
I so love these shoes.


Shoe n' Tell: So, in a recent post, I talked about my angst over kinda liking a pair of Danskos even though I worried that they were nurse-y and stodgy. Well, I had not seen this pair back then. I got a 6 p.m. sale notice and while trolling the site, saw
Dansko Rory, on sale for half price and free shipping. They reminded me of a much-beloved pair of Jessica Bennett high-heeled, lace-up oxfords with sexy cutouts. They were a fierce pair of shoes, so fierce that I bought them even though they were a full size too big. After my foot surgery, they were a size and a half too big. I rehomed them with a friend. I still think about them. But these, these are even better because they're comfortable! Cute, too. I take back what I said. I'm not wrong often, but I'll admit it when I am — especially if it's still to my benefit.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Oddsession: Varsity Jacket

My dad tried to talk me into a varsity jacket a couple of times while I was in high school.

I wouldn't go for it.

I actually did have letters to put on it, but we had some nasty school colors (dingy, bad green and a puke-y gold) and besides, I didn't so much want a letterman's jacket as I wanted a boyfriend with a letterman's jacket. Yeah, that didn't really work out.

Fast forward, ahem, some years later and I have this insatiable desire for....a varsity jacket. It's the latest oddsession (see definition here). The chicks in the magazines all look so cool with the skinny pants and varsity jacket. Somehow I'm afraid I might look like I'm trying too hard since I'm fairly far removed from high school. Still, I love...

Junior varsity jacket ($88) from ShopNastyGal.com (possible the worst-named clothing site ever.)



Funktional's varsity jacket ($290). Almost too cool for school.



• This 3.1 Phillip Lim jacket with leather sleeves ($1,450) is just too cool for my wallet.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Sequins by Day



I love sequins. Love, love, love.

But, when am I, a working mom, ever going to wear them? On the soccer field? On that one night every six months when I'm out past 6:30 p.m.? Wearing them to work is really my only option.

Sequins for day, though, is a completely doable look. This Express modal-cotton tank top is cream and has matte sequins, both of which tone down the chacha-ness of the sparkly look. Throwing on a military vest further de-blings.

Outfit: Georgie vest; Express (super sale!!) sequin tank; Old Navy skirt; Streets Ahead leopard cuff; Jeffrey Campbell sandals.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

True Confession Tuesday


I am tired of laundry. Sick and tired of it.

So this weekend, during load 29, I found a few items in the hamper that made me dubious of their dirtiness.

"No way did she wear that one all day!" I said, eyeing a sweater that couldn't possibly have been on longer than 10 minutes since the temperatures recently dipped into the 60s for about, oh, 10 minutes.

So, I folded it up and put it back. I sense a reduced amount of laundry in my future.

Hey, don't judge me — I did sniff it first.


* * * * * *

I think polygamy is cool.

Oh, those polygamists get a bum rap. But those wives have got it goin' on.

Think about it, ladies, if you had the choice, wouldn't you rather have a wife instead of a husband? I mean, when I have the day off, I'm racing around, trying to mop the floor and do dishes and basically just work to keep the health inspector from shutting us down. When he's home? Yeah, he's making fantasy football deals or playing video games.

Yeah, I wouldn't mind me a sister wife.

* * * * * *
And the deepest, darkest one of all...... Once, the Tooth Fairy may have been a little short on cash and, uh, how do I put this? She may have recycled money from the piggy bank to pay for a tooth.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Not-Quite-Martha-Stewart Halloween Decorating

So, doesn't this look just so Martha Stewart — if she decorated trailer parks? Here is why you shouldn't automatically buy the 90-percent-off holiday stuff at Target, even though it is 90 percent off. This plastic Jack-O'-Lantern was, like, 40 cents, so I couldn't resist. Plus, it seemed green — you just stuff recycled newspaper into it. But, as you can see, it's slumpy and, well, lame. The only saving grace is that since it's been propped beneath a mesquite tree, it's now splattered with sap and kinda looks like it's been shot several times.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Friday Shoe Haiku: Knockoff Knockdown


Can you tell the Frye?
When it comes to knock-off shoes,
Target does quite fine.



Shoe n' Tell: That top photo is the Frye Harness 12 R ($228). The pair right here is Target's Mossimo Supply Co. "Katherine" leather boots ($59.99). I tried the Frye boots on a few years back and loved, loved, loved. The Target version is a spot-on copy.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Splurge vs. Steal: Ruched Dress


This Alice and Olivia mid-length ruched jersey dress is awesome. My friend bought it on sale, and now it's only available in budget-busting full price.


Express' rouched (sic) scoop neck dress is a more reasonable $49.90 — plus that store ain't stingy (there is always a coupon goin' on), so we'll overlook the misspelling.

A modal/cotton blend, this dress is soft enough and has the same side ruching as the A&O version. The A&O has some sexy, lump-covering extra butt ruching that this version doesn't. Though the Express dress comes in a bunch of other colors, the marled gray looks best because it gives a more casual vibe and, quite frankly, hides the cheapness of the fabric.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

What the...? Wednesday

Some of the weird stuff that's caught my eye this week...


This crazy Eugenia Kim scarf (with the ungodly price tag of $231) is so odd. It looks like something your mean grandma — if she hated you — would make and give you for Christmas.


I also don't understand this See by Chloe purse ($295) that looks like it was made out of one of those crazy-haired angora bunnies. This is not an outfit enhancement — it's animal cruelty to the polyester beast that died to create it.


Slice O Matic? More like LaZassOmatic. Seriously, slicing — MERE SLICING — is so hard that you need a special tool that will take you three times as long to wash as an ordinary knife?
You can't tell me that repeatedly pressing down on a handle is easier (or as satisfying) as slicing a blade through a cucumber. C'mon. Still, it is the cheapest of all these oddities at $19.99.