Here's what I didn't buy . . . and why.

It's a tough time of year to be a reformed binge shopper.  The stores are filled to the brim with new fall goods. Every retailer and their neighbor is having some version of a friends and family sale. Each and every morning my inbox is full of 20% off this and new in that. 

I have a fair amount of self discipline and most of the emails and catalogues end up in their respective trash bins.  Still, the temptations abound and I can't say I haven't thought about making some purchases.  Here's a sampling of what I put in my virtual cart and ultimately decided against.

First up, J. Crew.  Their October roll out actually held my interest, which hasn't happened for quite a while with them.  I was ruffled and sequined out a long time ago.  Their "style guide" catalogue arrived in the mail and I immediately spotted three things to pique my interest.

The wrap skirt, available in red, black, and Bristol blue - a dark teal.  Similar enough to the Tibi wrap skirt I lost out on, and with colors that would coordinate well with my collection of tops and sweaters. 

The great price of $148.00 combined with a 25% off code almost had me.  Checking out the details I noticed polyester with polyester lining.  It wouldn't feel good and it wouldn't sound good.  Pass.

It doesn't get much more office appropriate than a grey dress, and naturally the pocket dress in stretch wool caught my eye. 

 



It's a gorgeous dress, stylish and fitted.  Yet I passed yet again.  I already have 2 grey dresses. 

On to the shoes and the siren call of red suede in a pointy toe stiletto.  What's not to like?

I must admit, these babies almost had me.  I don't have red shoes.  My love of the pointy toe single sole pump is well known.  I adore the color and the texture.  Check out that ankle strap though.  Long enough to go around the ankle a few times, and not removable thanks to those adorable tassels. Would I actually wear them with that thin piece wrapped around my leg?  Not likely.  Another pass.

So there you have it.  A little window shopping that could have hit the credit card to the tune of $650.00 and I hit the delete button.  I think it's safe to say the Crewlade has lost it's hold on me.

There's an app for that

I love scarves. I have a big plastic container full of them.  I try hard to wear them and I manage to pull one out two or three times a month.  I hate to think of them languishing in the closet, as beautiful as many of them are. I have an excuse for the neglect. I am woefully inept when it comes to using them creatively.  I think I know one method of tying.  One.  Scarves can be outfit makers, tame unruly hair and even be worn as garments.  That is, if you know what to do with them. 

Google "scarf tying" and you'll find oodles of You Tube videos instructing you on every kind of tying for any size scarf you could possibly have.  Many of them are professional level and look like they had the backing of a full film crew.  Others are grainy and wobbly, and not in the charming 8mm way.  Sometimes a girl wants some one-stop shopping, without having to search.  Enter the iPad and iPhone version of the Hermes how-to app, Silk Knots. 

 

A collection of pictures and videos demonstrating various methods for using all those scarves gathering dust in your bureau drawer, not just those from the venerable house of Hermes.

 

 

The app is free in the App Store.  

 





My entire fall wardrobe in one place - terrific Tibi

Let's start off with a disclaimer. I'm not supposed to be shopping. I'm not supposed to be surfing the web.  I shouldn't look at the many retailer emails that hit my in box.  I don't need clothes and God knows I don't need shoes.  I had a list for fall and winter, sadly a short pair of seasons in the desert, and I ticked all the boxes on the list.  And then some.  Shopping, done. 

Initially it wasn't that hard to resist when the unappealing email from Tibi landed in my inbox. A bunch of clothes, laid flat against a white background. You'd have to have the imagination of Leonardo da Vinci to see potential.  The mistake I made was clicking through to the website where the clothes are pictured from all angles on actual models.  I don't think my fall and winter wardrobe will be complete without all of these. 

The amazing tropical wool split front pant is high on the wish list.  Slim pants, nicely fitted and gorgeous worn with a heel thanks to that front slit. 

 

Next on the list of kicked up basics, the Anson asymmetrical skirt.  Sure, I have black pencil skirts but none with such an interesting detail as the front panel on this skirt.  It is the perfect combination of ladylike and edgy. 

 

 

 

The last thing in my pretend shopping cart is the silk 3/4 sleeve V-neck top.  It comes in black in addition to the perfect ivory below.  This top, with the two classic with a twist bottoms, would coordinate with a bunch of jackets, shoes and accessories in my wardrobe. 

 

 

 

A grand total of $820.00 for three items, even three as versatile as these, is not in the budget at the moment.  The sale watch begins. 

 

How is your fall shopping going?  Are you finished like me or still on the hunt for things?

 

Making it last - shoe edition

Let's say you've achieved closet nirvana. You have all the fabulous shoes, bags, and clothes a girl could want and you make amazing outfits and look sensational every day.  Even if your reality is a little different than that, you're probably at least part way there and you've got some great things.  You want them to be wearable as long as possible. 

How do you extend the life of your fashion finds?  Let's start with shoes.  Obviously they take a beating, hitting the street as they do.  Their soles wear down, their tips fall off and they can end up in a state that we'll just call less than fresh. 

Let's go inside out.  Whether you wear socks, hose or go commando, you're going to end up with sweat and dirt in your shoes.  When you are ready to put your shoes away for the night, there are a few things you can do to refresh them. The simplest and least expensive is to wipe out the inside with baby wipes.  Yep, regular drug store baby wipes. After all, if they're mild enough to clean a sensitive little baby butt, they're safe for your leather lined shoes.

The normal day to day grime can be wiped away.  A used dryer sheet rolled into your shoe will help keep it smelling fresh.  When you've spent many hours on your feet with the swelling and sweating that comes from that, a little more help is needed. Foot powders can be used in the shoe to absorb moisture and odor.

Now onto the part of the shoe you see.  Wearing suede or light colored leather?  Minor marks can be removed by rubbing gently with a Pink Pearl eraser or a white gum eraser from the art supply store.  Smudges on patent leather blend in after a swipe of white vinegar on a paper towel.  When you scuff the heels of your black pumps, get the Sharpie out of your desk drawer and dab on.

Sometimes self help is not enough.  Find a good cobbler and make friends.  He or she can save your soles.  Think that the red bottoms of Louboutins are the only ones worth saving?  Any shoe can be zip soled, the rubber comes in almost every color of the rainbow and your cobbler can cut it to the perfect size.  Not only does it ensure the bottoms will last, it provides a non-slip surface.

 

 

Pointy toes that wear first on the bottom can be protected with little triangles.  Tips can be replaced with a sturdier version than the one that came on the shoe. A talented cobbler is your shoe wardrobe's best friend.

 

Whether you bought your footwear at Payless Shoes or Saks Fifth Avenue, pay them a little attention and they'll last long enough to make that cost per wear look pretty good.

 

 

 

How many snake print shoes does a girl need?

Please understand that this is a rhetorical question. I don't really want an answer. I have a thing for snake, I'm sure I'll add more snake print pieces to my bulging shoe closet. 

What is it about snake print? The varied colors, naturally. The texture that makes them seem high end even if they're not.  Maybe the exotic nature of snake is a draw.  It's like cocaine to me, I can't seem to get enough and when I have some I want more.

It all started with this pair of Prada pumps.  New in the box for a fantastic price on eBay.  I've worn them at least 100 times, probably more.  They are beige, ivory, grey and black all in one and go with almost everything.  I dropped them off at cobbler today for new soles, that's how much I wear them.

Then I came across these babies on eBay, again new in the box for an amazing price.  From Prada's baby sister Miu Miu, they are perfect for fall.  The snake is different, the pattern more compact. A hypnotizing blend of greens and greys that will make my neutral outfits more interesting.

 

Not happy to confine myself to heels, I also obsessed about flats in a real snake, not just a print. I stalked them for sale for months and months (and blogged about them), finally nabbing the last pair in my size that could be found on earth after receiving a 20% off sale code for 3.1 Phillip Lim.  The crazy pointed toe, the casual loafer style, the gorgeous tones, all reeled me in.

 

 

I know you won't be surprised that I am interested in yet another pair, these gorgeous mustard and black beauties by No. 21.  Once again, unworn and in the box.  The heels are a modest 2.25". 

 



Want to take bets on whether I buy them?

 



An ode to the cropped flare jean

I don't wear jeans often. My office does not have casual Fridays. We may have the rare dress down day connected to the success of the Arizona Wildcats, that's once or twice a year. I live in the desert where at least six or seven months it's far too hot for long pants and certainly for denim.  There are some lovely chilly days in the winter when I wear jeans. I look forward to those opportunities all year long.  Just any old pair of jeans will not do.

I've been searching for the perfect jean for me.  I like a mid rise.  The tummy no longer allows for a low rise pant.  I like a slim cut.  No retro 70s wide leg for me, I lived through that the first time.  I need jeans that will work with flats or heels.  I've spent hours on the internet clicking on image after image until I thought I finally found the pair of my dreams.

Behold the MIH Brighton jean.

Lovely!  A mid rise slim with a little kick flare. Ticks all the boxes.  Except one.  Sold out in my size.  And back to the drawing board I go.

What do you do when you strike out completely and descend into despair?  (Okay, that's a bit melodramatic but these are jeans we're talking about here.)  You reach out for help, that's what you do.  Having seen the gorgeous Tabitha of Bourbon and Pearls in the very style I was lusting after, I emailed her.  She shared the information, the pair that made her stems so gorgeous were J Brand Gigi jeans.  The bad news was the style was several years old and no longer sold.  Undeterred I turned to eBay and there they were.  As worn by many celebrities including Elle McPherson, one of my style icons, they are the perfect combination of rise, rinse and flare. January Jones wears them all the time.

They're fabulous with heels, Audrey Hepburn-esque with flats.  The dark wash is dressy enough to be worn with a black blazer and pumps, and they can go casual with flats and a tee.  I'm giddy waiting for their arrival. 

Who is your muse?

Muse  (myooz)

n.

1. Greek Mythology Any of the nine daughters of Mnemosyne and Zeus, each of whom presided over a different art or science.

2. muse

               a. A guiding spirit

               b. A source of inspiration.

3. muse A poet.

 

In the days of movie magazines, before tabloids and ET (that's Entertainment television, not the extraterrestrial), women had only the images the stars wanted them to see.  Beautiful shots of Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and Katherine Hepburn filled the pages women thumbed through at the beauty parlor.  While they are still relevant fashion icons, we now have pictures of fashion editors, designers, singers, actors and those who seem to be famous for no reason at all. 

 

The explosion of street style photographers, personal style blogs, fashion show coverage and red carpet recaps give us plenty of examples to follow.  Still, finding your own style can be quite a challenge.  It helps to have a muse.  Or maybe more than one.  Following someone whose style you admire and want to emulate can give you a blueprint. 

 

My closet has evolved after using my muses as my source of fashion inspiration.  Here are a few of them.

 

Carine Roitfeld

 

 

Elle McPherson

 

Victoria Beckham