A nice spring coat.

Labels: indie design, stay toasty

Having been somewhat indulgent in the sparkling wine arena last night (there's nothing girlier than sparkling wine - except almond sparkling wine), I'm feeling somewhat fuzzy. Were I to indulge again this weekend, maybe on a lawnchair with my bare feet in the grass and a margarita in my hand, I would want to wear one of these dresses. And that's all the commentary you get because FUZZY.




(twigs and branches dress and river of grass dress, both from Anthropologie)

Labels: dresses

Alternate title: Spring Dresses if You're Attending a Funeral.


All right, this one might be a bit short in the skirt to be funeral appropriate, but it's quite sweet in a black sort of way. My mistake! It claims to be a polka dot chiffon dress. My computer monitor is a bit dim. If there are polka dots I'm not seeing then you really don't want to wear it to a funeral. Unless the deceased is Irish; I hear the Irish have themselves quite a party when someone kicks it. In which case, polka dots and thigh display might be fully warranted.


Gray is quite popular recently, and I encourage it. For both its durability and its red shoe options. (I think gray dresses look awesome with red shoes. If I'm wrong, don't tell me. Because it's way too late now.) Rosette cami dress.

Labels: dresses

Part one because I am lazy and can eke several days worth of posts out of one tired topic by not showing them all at once. It's called building suspense, people! Actually, it's not. But what screams "spring" higher and screechier than a strapless, stripey dress? Nothing! That's what! (Please note, dress will not actually shriek at you. But your roommate might if she sees you've bought another dress but not yet paid the phone bill. Not that any of you would do that. Just saying.)



How about a dress that reminds me of a butterfly for some inexplicable reason? Yes, I like it too.


And that's all you get for today. OOH, THE SUSPENSE.

Labels: dresses

"It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up."

Ferris was referring to a Ferrari, but this dress is so much better than a Ferrari. Especially if you don't know how to drive a stick. Silk color block dress by Chloe.

Labels: choice, dresses

Of the three main design elements on this jumper, I'm not usually a fan of two of them. Farmer overalls: no. Hearts: no. Skirt pleat: yes. If you do the math, I'd have to say I don't like it. And yet, I do like it. It works. Kate Hurst's denim pinafore obviously defies mathematical logic.



Her ruffle dress is swingy and cute and features no design element that gives me even a moment's pause. Lovely.

Check out the rest of Kate Hurst's designs here.

Labels: dresses, indie design, whimsy

Sometimes you need a break from the little black dress. The LBD (and the LWD) certainly has its place. Unfortunately, that place is often on every third woman in the room. Instead pull out your LBP (little black pants) and top with this humdinger. The Hortensia one-sleeved tunic is made of handloomed Tussar silk, with beading on the bodice and contrasting silk fuscia lining.

Check out the glass bead strap:


Women in LBDs will be flocking to your side all night, hoping you'll drop shopping tips. Not to mention petting your sleeve. (Check out the rest of Tarsian & Blinkley's socially conscious line.)

Labels: indie design, tops

Yes, I do believe I did. Therefore. White bags that don't require the sale of your first-born:


It's vinyl, which accounts for the price and also allows you to casually wipe off the hollandaise sauce while continuing your conversation, rather than panicking and maybe shrieking incoherently because LEATHER, OH MY EXPENSIVE LEATHER! Quilted start tote, $22.50 from Delia's.


I really like the design details on this one. In fact, I may have to go out and buy it. Hell, my library fines are more expensive than this bag. Accent handbag, $25 from Isaac Mizrahi for Target.


If vinyl isn't for you, but neither is a $1400 price tag, try the Seaport market tote, $248 from J Crew. Luxury leather and antiqued brass hardware at one fourth of the price of these babies.

Labels: bags, bargains

I couldn't own a white bag, simply because my bags tend to attract unseemly amounts of ketchup and, strangely, blue dye from my favorite teal Old Navy hoodie. But white bags are a big thing this spring. Here are a few fancy-shmancy ones. I'll do another post with cheaper versions, so no one feels the need to become an investment banker or sell their soul to afford a damn purse.







(Ostrich bag from Loro Piana, caribou satchel from Prada, ray bag from Etro.)

Labels: bags, choice

I rail against shorts on a regular basis. Which makes me look stupid, now that I've decided to buy a pair. To be clear, these shorts hit just below the knee instead of above it. This makes all the difference. Ahem.


My search has begun. And possibly ended, as these cropped pants from Delia's are both cute and cheap.

Labels: bargains

I haven't worn big earrings since I graduated from the eighth grade. I would make an exception for these beauties. But I will never wear bike shorts again. (Large drop earrings from Shopbop)

Labels: jewelry

My favorite holiday has arrived. Spa Week, April 16-22, offers spa-y things (that's the scientific term for facials and massages and scrubs and such) for 50 bucks. Check the web site for participants.

Labels: skincare

"C.J., your necklace is a monument to bourgeois taste."

One of my all-time favorite quotes from The West Wing, immortalized by a snooty Brit who may or may not have actually been snooty and British, but he certainly had the best bit part this side of Hollywood.



I'm not entirely sure what this is, but I'm thinking it's not bourgeois.

Labels: indie design, jewelry

I just paid my credit card bill. On it was a trip to Sephora that equaled the rough equivalent of two nice meals (with alcohol) in San Francisco. In other words, only slightly less than the gross domestic product of Lithuania. In a good goat year. What did I buy on this pricey excursion? Not a hell of a lot, to be frank. Some lip balm, sunscreen, and a wee bottle of face wash. This just makes me feel stupid and, people, I don't like to feel stupid. Hence, rethinking the skincare approach. This makes me very female doesn't it? To have a skincare approach. To even use the word "skincare." Yes.

Instead of spending piles of cash at Sephora or Kiehl's or any of my other usual haunts that somehow don't include Walgreens because I am a product snob (no one in my tax bracket should be allowed to apply the phrase "product snob", by the way), I turned to my fridge. Everyone has read these articles in blogs and magazines, these "Save time and money by washing your face with ketchup!" kinds of articles, but rarely have I found one that explains why it's a good idea to wash your face in ketchup. (It's not, by the way. Don't use ketchup.)

Honey

Honey rocks. It tastes good and apparently does everything but scrub the bath tub. Impressive results from what is essentially bee vomit. Honey is, according to my internet research, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. Which means it will clear up existing infections and help skin heal while preventing new messes. It also draws moisture, which we all love, especially when it comes in a $5 squeeze bottle rather than a $45 pot that could also be used to store pennies. Two of them.

You can mix honey with brown sugar or oatmeal for a scrub or mask, or just use it plain as a dual cleanser and moisturizer. Here's what I do, if you care:

I rinse a washcloth with warm water open up my pores and loosen whatever is in there. Which usually doesn't bear thinking about. Then I smear the honey on my face and rub it in. Rinse off with the warm wash cloth and splash on cold water to close the pores again.

For a straight honey mask you do the exact same thing, only, after applying the honey, let it sit for 15 minutes. I've never actually done this because it requires me to sit still for that long.

Here's a whole host of other honey uses.

Citrus

Original source for alpha-hydroxy acids. It's much cheaper to go to the source, my friends. Grapefruit and lemon are best, as I'm not sure you'd want to deal with orange juice. Lemon is a bit harsh, so unless you have a few layers that need removing, use it sparingly on the face. It is good for elbows, knees and hair. Grapefruit is gentle so I use it on my tender, blushing skin. If I've eaten a grapefruit for breakfast, I'll take the rinds with the extra grapefruit flesh into the shower with me. After washing my face, I'll massage in the grapefruit - face, neck, chest. Rinse it off and voila. No mess, no painful credit card bills.

Part II will be coming soon. In the meantime, here are things in your refridgerator you shouldn't put on your face: tabasco sauce, mustard, cheddar cheese. You're welcome.

Labels: bargains, skincare

Sometimes you just want to wear a dress that looks like a long t-shirt. Though perhaps the word "long" shouldn't be applied to the garment below. New favorite for such purpose: Susan Monaco. I posted one of her dresses last week and made the mistake of finding more. My love is now official.


Here's a crew neck dress that appears to be identical to this one. Except if it wasn't exactly the same, it probably wouldn't have a different name and web page. Online retailers, thou art confusing. I swear, they look the same to me.


Yum. Gather string halter dress. Now that looks cozy. As cozy as one can be in a halter that some punk could slip up behind you and untie.

Labels: dresses

Not exactly a weekend look, but I love this cropped jacket and lace-up skirt from Nanette Lepore. I imagine this is what Jessica Rabbit would wear if she got a job.

Labels: skirts, tops

Clearly, every day needs a new bag. Or maybe I just couldn't think of a better title.


(Large Meredith bag from Kooba.)

Labels: bags

I pulled up some nice things with reasonable price tags. For once. But don't get too excited. My blogging theory is that since I can't buy any of this stuff anyway, I may as well go big rather than small. So I will continue to post shoes that no one in a normal tax bracket gets to buy. But for now: spring clothes that won't make you wince and grab your wallet to stroke it sympathetically.


Just made for those wedges and ballerina flats and kitten heels. Or flip flops. Yeah, definitely go with the flip flops. Spring is for hopping joyously, not tottering precariously. Tropical flower dress, $30 from Forever 21.


White pants = appearing impossibly OCD as you spread a handkerchief over you seat before sitting on it or getting chocolate stains on your butt. But they're cute. BCBG Max Azria white twill capris, $38 from Bluefly.


I confess a weakness for polka dots. And those rope wedge heels are very now. I now confess that I have no idea what that means, but I heard someone say it on Legally Blonde and those girls knew their clothes. Polka dot espadrilles, $39 from American Eagle Outfitters.



Now, that's spring. Nice with those white pants above. Acrobat peach linen henley, $25 from Bluefly.

Labels: bargains, dresses, shoes, tops

Like Spanish, neutrals are supposed to be easy. Spanish was not easy. But that, my friends, is because I am neither linguistically blessed nor prone to paying attention in class. Neutrals in the shoe and bag department have typically been brown or black and, sadly for those of us who claim to be smart, not as straightforward as one might assume. No, we're not talking rocket science but there is always that moment when you're dashing to and fro getting ready, your mind is otherwise occupied, you throw on your black coat on your way out the door and realize your brown boots now clash. You don't change because you don't have time and you figure that in the great scheme of things it doesn't matter. At all. And then you spend the entire day cringing when you pass reflective surfaces.

Don't do that. Do this instead:


(patent d'Orsay pump from Manolo Blahnik)

Labels: choice, shoes