for jennifer....

so, jennifer asked for a favor, and i'm never one to turn down a challenge.

I have a mission for you, if you choose to accept!

Find me a cheaper version of these pretties! Please? I grabbed this pic from BlissfulTiff's blog and she says they're Marc Jacobs... I'm in desperate need of some simple black closed toe heels.

okay, dearie. black heels. here are some of my picks:

so, i realize these chinese laundry numbers are a wedge, not a heel. but i think for daywear, they'd actually be more comfortable, and they definitely have the character of a heel. plus, they jazz up the classic just a little, with the toe detailing. $59.95 here.










i'm also really liking these seychelles pumps - again, classic with just a little flare to keep them interesting. $64.95 from nordstrom.













these linea paolo pumps have a toe and vamp that's almost identical to the marc jacobs shoes you showed me...but a narrower heel, which won't be as comfortable. still, for looks, these are pretty close. $89.95, also at nordstrom.













michael by michael kors seems to be the mid-range shoe line of choice for fall...they've done a great job. these pumps have a bit of a platform, which should make them more comfortable. i think they'd be great for work. a little pricier at $138.95, but they'll last longer than some other brands would.













i just picked these up in brown, but i think they're lovely in black as well. i think the lower heel makes them a perfect work choice. they're from one of my new favorite shoe sites - plazatoo.com. they're $98, with free shipping and no tax :)













and, i'm just throwing these in because i completely love them. kenneth cole reaction, $89.95.











so, how'd i do??

a site worth sharing...

so, i have to take a moment to give props to one of my new favorite online boutiques - coco's shoppe. heather, the owner, makes every effort to carry eco-friendly lines...which isn't really all that important to me, but it is to some. what IS important to me is great customer service, and coco's has that in spades. every time i've purchased something from heather, she's emailed back and forth with me to help me ascertain the fit on a line i haven't tried before, or to figure out items that would be flattering on my body type. plus, she carries a number of lines that i didn't have a lot of experience with before stumbling across her site, as well as some old standbys. definitely check out the park vogel merchandise - they have some really gorgeous pieces. i also love the laundress line of products that she carries.

and, the shop's stock is all quite reasonable - another peeve i have about many other online boutiques is that you can't find anything for under $300. not so here.

right now, she's offering $20 off a purchase of $100 or more, by entering code FPA06 through sept. 10. and she never charges shipping (thereby avoiding another major peeve of mine). so, take a look - i think you'll enjoy!

grey shoes for fall

all things being equal, which of these grey shoes would you choose, if you only wanted one pair for fall?

and, speaking of shoes...designer imposters

i never cease to be amazed by the abundance of designer rip-offs that make it into mainstream fashion. over the summer, there was a pair of flipflops with a wraparound strap around the back - saw them by at least 4 designers.

then, there was the casual platform peeptoe that came out first at KORS, then at steve madden, and then at payless, of all places.

and, i couldn't help noticing how much the steve maddens look like the dolce vitas, which look like the jeffrey campbells (which i love, by the way).....

i love playing fashion 'memory'....it's like a little reminder of childhood :)

i knew i'd come up with something :)

ooookay, so another lovely blogger, closettherapy, has helped me regain my mojo by advising me of a quite darling little jewelry site: trunkshop.com. they have a fun mix of indy designers and some really great vintage pieces (at fabulous prices). some of my favorites:

this pearberry necklace combines three of my favorite things right now: gold, blue semiprecious stones, and the leaf/feather design. i love that it's different, without being ostentatious - i could easily take this from work to going out with friends. plus, it's just so pretty!

















i love this 'traveler necklace,' for a couple of reasons. i think the clear glass is a great way to wear a large pendant without it looking like a large pendant. and (here comes the literary geek in me), the designer named it in reference to the great robert frost poem: "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." (the road not taken). one of my favorite oldey timey sentiments, and one i'd definitely benefit from carrying a reminder of around my neck.















i'm normally not much for bracelets, but i think this one is just stunning! i love the big links, and i think that rough-cut quartz piece in the center is completely fabulous. talk about a conversation piece! plus, it has that 'charm bracelet' vibe, without the loudness and clankiness of the real deal.









perhaps best of all, the lovely ms. closettherapy has arranged for a 15% off discount sitewide on trunkshop - just enter CLOSETTHERAPY at checkout. but do me a favor, and spend some time on closet's delicious blog if you're going to take advantage of the discount. she definitely deserves credit for scoring that deal! besides, her blog is really quite fabulous, and definitely worth a read :)

absence makes the heart grow fonder...

sorry i've been MIA for a couple of days.....the shopping mojo has been noticeably absent. i'm hoping for a new dose tonight, though, so stay tuned!

site of the day - serious shoe sale

so, i had never seen this site before, but was referred over, and oh my...their summer sale is one of the best i've seen. everything on the sale is an ADDITIONAL 40% off the lowest marked price, meaning you can score some serious deals.

my favorites:
KORS "bleeker" espadrilles: they were "the" shoe to have this summer, and i don't seem them vanishing by summer '07. originally $198, down to about $80 (but only in a size 10...this means you, dailyobsession!)






converse jack purcells: $16. yes, really.







delman "libby" pumps: from $265 down to $87






bernardo "medieval" thongs: another summer must-have, marked down from $91 to $40.






seriously, get them now....we aren't going to see deals like this for another year!

help....i am weak.....

so i've already purchased these and returned them once, but now they're back online, and i still love them. i returned them because i was thinking the studs made them a little too short-term trendy, and because i basically own the entire spring loeffler randall line at this point.......but i'm still totally jonesing for them. they were seriously stunning on - really so beautiful. and if i'm going to have suede shoes, better they're black, so they don't show all of the scuffs and screw-ups that ensue whenever you own suede.

i was so hoping they'd vanish off the website, so that i wouldn't be faced with this dilemma. no dice.

so...WWYD?

i hope you'll join me in collectively screaming "WTF"???

can anyone explain to me what's happening here?? i mean really, the color (aptly termed "bubblegum")....the fur....it's like the sweater boots from the 80s, but much, much worse. and you have to love the little pompoms at the back....in case they weren't hideous enough without them. and yes, it's real fur. actual rabbits died to make these boots. it's enough to turn even me against fur.

sadly, there's limited availability, according to the seller - so get yours "while they last."

today's ensemble

i have to blogbrag, because i look pretty freaking cute today, if i do say so myself.

the ensemble: my brand new yorick t-shirt with a black cardigan (mostly buttoned up, so you can just see the top of the tree on the t-shirt), white eyelet knee-length skirt, red crocodile skinny belt around my actual waist (a trend i am really adoring, by the way - talk about flattering!), and my black loeffler randall talias.

oh yeah, and accessories - a very cute bracelet i picked up at banana republic (the colors are darker in person, much better than the pic), and my cute little stam bag wannabe.



i decided i really wanted it to be fall, but i wasn't convinced enough to bust out my new grey flannel skirt, so i thought this was a great compromise :)

that's right, i'm pre-season.....and damn cute :)

quote of the day

Yogi Berra - "If you ask me anything I don't know, I'm not going to answer."

i'm so putting this above my desk.

thursday's "on the cheap" IOTD

so, with patent leather and red being all the rage this fall, i can't help thinking these little beauties are just the ticket for a wallet-conscious fashionista. you could always go with the classic red patent ballet flat, available in a number of permeations this fall (from jeffrey campbell, me too, and sigerson morrison, to name a few). but i'm kind of digging the ruffle, and i think these would be really fun peeking out from grey flannel pants.

and believe it or not, $16.99. yes, really. payless.com - run fast!

designer of the day: joy gryson

very very new to the scene, but joy gryson had me at hello, handbag! she has some really gorgeous designs for fall, and is falling right in that dangerous price range somewhere between the mid-range designers (coach, KORS, marc by marc jacobs) and the high end (vuitton, marc jacobs, need i go on....), leaving you with the dreaded "i could, but will my husband divorce me?" debate.

a little blurb on gryson, courtesy of style.com:

Searching for that perfect fall carryall—one that your friends won't be able to place, but will simply have to have? Look no further than Gryson, a new line just hitting stores. Designer Joy Gryson earned her chops at Coach, Calvin Klein, and, most recently, Marc Jacobs—which means she knows her way around an "It" bag. Her contenders for that title feature soft Italian leathers, suede linings, braided details, and brushed-metal hardware. They're luxe, yet cool, where other must-have totes can be uptown, uptight, and, worst of all, obvious. If you want to be the first in the front row to have a Gryson, better grab one now.

i'm loving all of her designs, but these two (pictured) are my absolute favorites. the colors are both just so rich and saturated, and the detail is really impressive. the brown is being touted as the new "it bag" by several fashionistas, but that just makes me more inclined toward the grey :) plus, i'm always thrilled at the prospect of owing a bag that i know is nice, but not everyone can point to and know exactly what i paid. can't wait to check them out in person!

if you love them like i do, you can buy them here, and here .

item of the day: oh deer, peeptoes!

there's something i just LOVE about these darling peep toe platforms. the color's a little different, but i think it would go with darn near anything, and really jazz up an otherwise basic outfit. and i love the red sole - very louboutin.

plus, sarah jessica is wearing them, which is always enough for me. and at only $98, how can you go wrong? (or $113 if you order from zappos, which might be worth it for the free shipping - or if, as in my case, you have boat feet and need a size that flipfloptrunkshow doesn't carry - though then, i'd suggest getting a price adjustment).

also available in chocolate suede, red suede, and black leather. i think the red would be particularly fabulous, given the trend toward red this fall.

question of the day

so, in honor of thedailyobsession's post today about how to wear skinny jeans, let's talk fall trends. since i think fall 2006 is probably the most dramatic turn of events in the last 5 years, what fall trends are you most and least looking forward to this year??

most: i love the loose tops, since they hide a tummy (and i can frequently go down a size, which is always a good thing). and there is a truly fabulous crop of boots out this fall, i must admit.

least: oh lord, there are so many things i hate about the fall collections this year, but i'd have to put leggings at the top of the list. not crazy about skinny jeans, but at least they have some structure, and if you wear them with a bum-covering top, you can sort of make it work....but leggings are just bad. hmm, or ankle boots. i hated ankle boots the first time around, so the reincarnation makes me extremely unhappy.

your turn.....

found a pic of the sigerson boots

from last week:


fabulous, i know. if anyone spots them in a size 11, let me know!

item of the day

okay, today's item is totally affordable, and completely darling to boot...especially if you vaguely recall being a literary person once upon a time, as i do (that was before law school beat every last drop of creativity out of me).

this shirt is the first 'for sale' item by a blog that i think is pretty darn fabulous, and i have to say that i really just love it. cute, creative, and cheap....talk about the 3 "C"s!

quick, get one soon, before (a) they're gone, or (b) they double in price.

technical query, and a comment

for those that are fellow blogger.com people, how is it that everyone but me can figure out how to post links to other websites on the left-side of the page?? help!

also, i think i'm going to try letting any old person post replies to my blog, instead of just the VIPs who registered at blogger. at least for a while, until i start getting too many offers for methods to enlarge my penis.

hahahahahahaha!!!!!!

i bow before shoewawa....who has an otherwise fabulous blog, but this entry is particularly hysterical. sorry, angela :)

item of the day

well, it's a mass-produced, over-marketed IOTD today....but i still think it's purty, especially for the price. i like the more structured styling, which is very "in" this fall....but i think it's subtle enough that the style will have more longevity than the 'mega coin purse' styles that are so hot right now.

$298 at your local banana republic store, right now. also came in caramel (it's out of stock online, but i'm pretty sure a store could track it down for you), but i'm in the market for black, so i'm satisfying my own selfish wants here :)

you can have your very own if you buy it here.

yay or nay

would you buy these boots? (the chocolate ones)

would you buy them if they were $39.99??

lol...wow, this sounds like an infomercial waiting to happen. "these fabulous suede flat boots can be yours for just two easy payments of $19.99."

so, what do we think - yay or nay?

i may have changed my "must have" boot....

....for one featured in the september issue of "lucky" (see post below).

i can't find a pic of it online other than in the online 'lucky shoe guide' video, but here it is, in all its fabulousness! (it's the first shoe featured in the video)

belle by sigerson morrison - fabulous color, and a good compromise between two other pair i was looking at, since i think the style is more casual, but the color lends it to dressier looks as well. can't wait to wear them with a navy print shirtdress!

they aren't released for a few weeks, but i'm on the list for the preorder :)

yee haw!

CNN Breaking News -- A federal judge has ruled that the federal government's warrantless wiretapping program is unconstitutional and ordered it ended immediately.

sweet!

okay, sorry for the political interlude....now back to our normally shallow programming :)

m.i.a.

sorry all....i'm on a business trip to salt lake city this week, and have been down with the last 24 hours dealing with west african tiki tiki virus (aka, the worst flu i can ever remember having). good news is my clothes fit better.

hopefully you'll hear more from me soon :)

item of the day

as i was doing my morning perusing of a few random websites, i came across this so-unique necklace by rachel leigh. not much to look at now, perhaps - but i really think it would be fabulous against skin. plus, there's something i really love about the design - i think it would inspire me.

and for $88, you can't really go wrong!

fashion blues

so.....i'm a little ashamed to admit this, but i'm going to anyway, because it's got me feeling a little blue today. i have recently developed a major, MAJOR crush on a certain handbag. a handbag that it would be completely ridiculous of me to spend $1,300 on, even if i had said $1,300 to do so, because i know it will be out of style in a year. but for now, it's hotter than hot. and i'm in love. i've even considered (this is how bad it is) buying the handbag from nordstrom, knowing they'll take anything back, and returning it in six months when i'm over it. ugly, i know.

so.....in an effort to temporarily allay my extreme covetousness.......for the first time in my life....i bought a fake. which is something i have always been completely and emphatically opposed to.....if that tells you anything about how badly i want the real bag. now, it's not a REAL fake (ie, it doesn't actually come with the fake dustbag, the fake nameplate, etc - i couldn't quite go that far). but it's a fake, nonetheless.

anyway, it arrived today, and i just have to say, for those of you who might consider the fake as an option.......it's not. i don't get the rush of "wow, i love my bag" when i look at it. i get a feeling of guilt, inferiority, and....cheapness. and the bag isn't really 'cheaply' made...i mean, it's leather, brass hardware....it could be much, much worse. i probably would even really like it....if it weren't trying so hard to stand in for a bag it will just never be.

and, after looking at it and feeling these things, i checked the return policy. 15% restocking fee and i have to pay return shipping...to asia. guess i'm keeping my depressing purchase after all.

so, if any of you have any words of wisdom, or ways to cheer me up about this dismal purchase, i'd love to hear it.

i can honestly say that i have learned my lesson, and solemnly swear to you all that i will never buy a fake again. it's just not the same....

wild kingdom

so, last week was a skunk....you all remember that episode, right? and before that, it was an opossum, a giant toad, a family of raccoons, and a whole colony of bloodthirsty squirrels (a long, but hysterical, story). and yesterday, it was a tortoise. yes, that's right - my dogs found a tortoise (be sure to check out the photo gallery if you really want to gross yourself out). and not a small one - this guy is at least a foot long, and that's just his shell. the hubs thinks our neighbor is keeping it as a pet. my question: what weirdo would keep a giant tortoise wandering free in their backyard as a pet???

answer: i have some very, very weird neighbors.

it's true, actually....they're nuts. we have one we affectionately refer to as 'crazy cat lady,' another that's 'scary cat lady' (yes, these are two distinct people), we have 2 different neighbors within a 3-house radius that routinely park cars on their lawn (can you hear the dueling banjos?), and the neighbor across the street has literally 7 cars and trucks. only 4 of which run, at last count.

that's right - i live in classic redneck, white-trash suburbia. i'm thinking of getting an extra couch to put on our front porch. possibly something involving velour.

shoe of the day

i have been lusting after these marc jacobs shoes since the very moment i saw them. i'm not sure if it's the snakeskin, or the gold, or the suede, or the combo...or just the sheer craziness of the style. it's this perfectly prim silhouette, turned into something totally bold, and certainly unique. i'd wear them with a black suit, and feel anything but bland, throw them into the mix with a black dress (hello, sexy), or maybe even jeans and a cropped jacket. the opportunities are endless....and the shoes are fabulous, even at $395.

thank god they are no longer available in my size :)

PS - i should mention that jcrew has, true to form, attempted to usurp (er, rip off) the creative genius that is marc jacobs, with their own, far inferior, version. for a mere $75 price difference, puh-lease. satin instead of suede, considerably less funk and fun, and what exactly is going on with those beads? no thank you.

and speaking of entertaining yourself.....

okay, i admit my husband had to teach me how to play this....but i'm totally in love with it now. i love the popping noise they make, and the little mini-animals are too cute! this should definitely help you kill an hour or so today....

designer imposters....

so, i knew that designer knock-offs existed...but i have never, ever seen anything like this! seriously....while i wouldn't partake, i'm completely fascinated by the quality and detail - it's freaking amazing. entertain yourself for a while, why don't you?

shoe of the day

am i the only one who thinks these are pretty fabulous? maybe a little too 'sandal' for fall....but i'm thinking it's possible these could look pretty great with tights?? maybe? or have i just finally been sucked into The Evil That Is The Fall 2006 Leggings Trend?

it's entirely possible, you know....last night, as i drifted off to sleep (so give me some credit, as i was only partially conscious), i was trying to think of how to make my most comfy black skirt work for fall, and it occurred to me that it might just work with my loeffler randall talia heels and, yes, black footless tights. now, i'm not saying i'll DO that....i'm just saying it might, maybe, possibly work.

i know, i know. i have no willpower.