what i want today: french wallet by orla kiely

those of you that know me in "real" life know that i've been on the hunt for a wallet lately. well, i found one (okay, i found two), so i won't be buying another. but if i were still on the hunt, this cutie would already be on its way to me as we speak.

by orla kiely, who always makes such unique & cute things. i love the coin purse detail, which makes it feel vintage, and the pattern (vinyl-coated, thank you) is just about as spring-y as you can get. only thing i'm not crazy about is the price...$142 for a cloth/leather wallet is a lot, i must admit. but i think this one would stand the test of time and durability, not to mention making me smile every time i opened up my handbag!

if you agree, pick yours up here - and let me know how you like it!

what i want today: heck, what don't i want?!

it's that time of year, everyone...the spring sales are upon us.

the two that have hit the biggest today are neiman marcus (free shipping with code NMNOW) and eluxury (free shipping with code SOHO), where there are some truly lovely deals to be had. i'd write more about it, but i have to get back to shopping!

can't leave without mentioning a few things that are making me happy...

tods novita D bag, $1100 down to $770













marc by MJ wedges, $345 down to $207














gorgeous woven deerskin satchel by loeffler randall, $855 down to $640...such a steal!

a little friday fun: F&F at hayden-harnett

killer deals to be had at hayden-harnett today only. HH is a line that's known for two things: scrumptious leather and fabulous colors. for summer, what could be better??

i suggest checking out the lorca flap or the tokyo clutch if you like small bags, and the cannes tote , the inka hobo or the havana hobo, if you're a big bag kind of girl (as i am). just, no tassels, please....

click the pic to get a better view :)

happy long weekend, everyone!

what i want today: chalcedony bead necklace

while roaming through the web today, i've come across a darling site called (pun intended) roam.com. i'm loving just about everything on the site, but this necklace in particular is a new favorite of mine. i always forget how neutral blue is (hello, denim?) - i think this necklace would go with just about everything in my closet. and it has the vibe of a certain diamond bead necklace that i was literally stalking when i saw it on sex and the city.

best of all, it's only $72...definitely cheaper than the diamond version, but no less cool. enjoy the bling, and enjoy the site!

what i want today: china

okay, so it's not so much fashion as it is a personal footnote. but it's technically home fashion...and it's my blog, so that's close enough for me.

shortly after my hubs and i were engaged, we started the Great Bridal Registry Debate. the one thing i was sure of, though, is that i didn't want china. too fussy, too expensive, too many storage concerns, said i. it would stress me out, knowing that if i broke a plate, it was a $100 plate (or worse, a discontinued, irreplacable, $100 plate). and dishes shouldn't be a lifelong source of stress. (plus, i was pretty sure i was inheriting the family heirloom china at some point, and how many place settings for 12 can one person really store?)

fast forward to a beautiful bridal tea thrown for me by a dear friend, who gave everyone a cup and saucer from a different china pattern as their 'favor.' how clever is that, i thought! and then, i had a great plan. i was going to collect different place settings of new and vintage china, and "hodge podge" a set together. it would be great! i wouldn't have to pick just one - i could have one of each! it would be kitschy, fun, beautiful, and best of all - if i dropped a plate, it was easily remedied. plus, it would give me a hobby - even better.

see? it's darling!

but then, i went to paris with my hubs last year. where we visited a certain home decoration store. where i fell in love with a certain, astronomically expensive china pattern. it was amazing - completely unique, fun and colorful enough that it would never be "too fancy" to use, but had the potential to be serious when necessary. and i have lusted after it ever since...but with a distant, wistful lust that i knew could never be satisfied. i mean, that china was in paris. i didn't know the designer, the pattern...nothing. i couldn't possibly find it again. right?

right. until i managed to run into it last weekend at bloomingdales, of all places. yes, that's right - it's now totally accessible to me. at $300 per place setting. of course, as i no longer have a substantial group of people who are morally obligated to buy me a gift, when i say "totally accessible", what i really mean is "hauntingly, infuriatingly unattainable".

sigh. i'm thinking maybe at least i can have a teacup...someday.

hmm....maybe i can start a trend, whereby couples get to re-register for their 5th anniversary, and everyone who came to the wedding has to buy them gifts again. i know i'd do it very differently this time around, and i bet i'm not alone. what do you think?

what i want today: to win the new giveaway over at TDO

head on over, comment on this post, and you could score this darling & totally customizable necklace by red freckles. more than worth 20 seconds of your time, don't you think?? ends friday, so head over now!

what i want today: cheap shoes (no, really!)

i'm not sure what's going on, but there's some sort of revolution afoot (no pun intended) among the uber-cheap clothing & shoe retailers of the world. i mean, proenza schouler and isaac mizrahi for target was one thing...but it turns out even the house brands at stores i would normally have turned my nose extremely skyward are actually doing a pretty darn good job!

take some of the shoes below for example. i think they're completely adorable....classic styling, a bit of fun detail, completely user-friendly. um....they're also about $15 at PAYLESS. seriously. now, i think you all know by now that i'm not exactly the biggest fan of, uh, plastic shoes. but in the summer, when all i'm wearing are strappy sandals and flip flops, both of which are going to be destroyed by the number of times i wear them to outdoor parties over the coming months, i can give in a bit to the wonders that are man-made, cheap shoes. (a BIT, i said...)

sure, they still have plenty of gross options at payless for their regulars...i'm just saying i think maybe, considering i could get 2 pairs of shoes i quite like for about $25, maybe i could give them a second chance...just this one time.


keep in mind, though, that the cheap shoe purchase is not for the faint of heart. a few rules of thumb to take with you:

- summer is really the best time of year for this, because you want to be relying on very little leather (er, pleather). you don't want to walk around in obviously plastic shoes. but teensy little straps are much harder to pin down. plus, in some cases, the straps aren't even supposed to be leather - as in the case of these cute little ribbon-strap wedges. patent is also a great choice.


- second, a wedge heel or a flat is your best bet. most traditional heels are going to have the wrong shape to the heel if it's a stiletto, or be too chunky if it's any other style of heel. but everyone seems to get the wedge right. plus, with a wedge, it can be covered in something other than pleather (note these choices have wood and cork heels), adding to the illusion. besides, summer is so not the season for stilettos - they're not exactly beach/garden party friendly.


- third, pick your colors well. white is safe. black is usually safe (but beware cloth, as cheap cloth shoes sometimes skimp on the black dye, rendering them an unfortunate, washed-out tone). metallics are great, and sometimes, bright colors really work too. deep, dark colors in general - browns, navys, dark reds - it just never really work out in cheap shoes.

- fourth, these are shoes you have to see in person. if you must order online, be prepared to send them back. when you're dealing with cheap shoes, what looks gorgeous in a photo can look hideous in person, especially once it's on your foot.

- and last, nothing too fancy - you want shoes that look classy and classic. if you go too far out into a trend, and you do it in cheap shoes, it's going to look like that's exactly what you did. keep it simple, fun, and classic and you're set!

worth noting: alex woo on sale

so, remember the gorgeous 'cypress' necklace i featured a few days ago? the designer does some pretty amazing work overall - i'm very impressed. and lucky magazine has negotiated a 25% discount on all of their pieces (sadly, excluding the little icons collection) through this month. use code luckymag at checkout when you visit the official alex woo website.

i quite like the narissa cuff (pictured), these cute little bamboo-inspired rings (especially in rose gold!), and the vida earrings (but only in gold), which i think would be a good all-purpose dressy earring, as i presently have none.

have fun!

what i want today: anya bag by j.crew

as i was checking out the j.crew spring sale for the millionth time, i ran across this little beauty, and had to share. lately, i'm loving the leather/canvas combo - it's so fresh and light for spring, without any of the kitsch that makes most summer bags a little too casual for everyday use. and i'm a lot less scared to carry a canvas bag when it has the protection of leather on the corners and bottom, as this one does. the black-and-white combo is just so timeless, and i love the classic tote shape of this one. and at 12x15, this one might even hold your laptop (if you have one of those fancy small ones).

down from $325 to $229 on the j.crew spring sale - this is one bag that will get you through many springs and summers to come.

yay mom!!

we all know she's fab, but we have even more to thank her for this week. because it's at times like this that every retailer under the sun is vying for your attention....which translates to some pretty fabulous deals!

kate spade, for instance, is offering 10% off and a free upgrade to overnight shipping (no code necessary). the 10% off is good on full-price AND sale merchandise! only good through today, though.

both shopbop and botkier are offering 20% off - botkier does this a couple of times a year, but it's a real rarity for shopbop. granted, the shopbop code is mysteriously only for "bop basics," but there are still some great pieces on sale that would make it well worth your time. and as for botkier, well, if you haven't experienced their leather, you haven't lived. it truly lives up to the phrase "like buttah". use code BOPMOM2007 for shopbop, and bsxygift for botkier.

my favorite denim line - paige premium - is offering free shipping this week only. not much, but definitely a rarity...they didn't even do this at christmas. again, no code necessary.

last, but certainly not least, if you happen to live near a neiman marcus or a saks, both are having private shopping nights tonight, which translates to a one-night preview of their spring sale. you'll get first dibs on all of the glorious markdowns up to 40% off, while other poor saps are forced to wait at least a week before they go on sale again. strike while the iron is hot!

and when you're all done, remember to thank mom properly - it's all because of her!

what i want today: cypress necklace by gorjana

something about this necklace just makes me happy. maybe it's the fact that it manages to be delicate and chunky at the same time. maybe it's the way it manages to make a plain black top into something special (a look i'm forever trying to achieve). maybe it's because i've had a think for cypress trees ever since i first began spending time in carmel, ca.

or heck, maybe it's because it's on sale right now for $115 at shopbop, which is just more than reasonable for a piece of jewelry this special.

if you like this one, i'd highly recommend checking out some more of this designer's work - it's really stunning. a few of my favorites are here, here and here - enjoy!

i think i'm in love....

i just stumbled across a blog called bunnyshop, and i have to say that whoever is writing this blog is entertaining the he!! out of me! if you have a spare hour to kill, it's a great spot to surf away some work hours :)

a few of my favorite things: refinery 29

i was turned on to this amazing site by the brilliant ladies over at the daily obsession. once i started looking, i literally couldn't peel my eyes away! there are at least 100 things i'm coveting after about an hour on their site...here are just a few:


clutches are beyond hot right now, but as i've been watching old episodes of sex and the city for the umpteenth time, i've realized they were pretty much always hot...and thus, i think they always will be. i absolutely adore this one by goldenbleu, who always does an amazing job on craftsmanship and quality of leather, two of my major sticking points. this one is no exception. i love the navy color (a nice change from classic black or the very trendy metallics we're seeing everywhere now), the texture of the exterior pleats, the cornflower blue suede lining, the fact that it will actually hold everything you'd need for day, as well as being perfect for evening....this is about as close as a girl can get to a perfect clutch. plus, the styling is just so classic - i can definitely see this as a piece you'd carry for years to come. it's actually on sale, and at only $340, you'd better nab it before i do!


this necklace would be just fabulous with so many things, but i'm picturing it with an otherwise funky outfit that needed a touch of girly. the heart locket, the bow detail, the little arrow...it's too cute for words. fortunately, it's not too cute to own - it can be yours for $240.


it's been a long time since i've seen a dress with lines this simple that has felt 'classic,' not 'blah'. but this beauty by twelfth street by cynthia vincent really seems to fit the bill. the buyers over at Bird called this "the most universally flattering frock on the planet," and i'm inclined to agree. the empire style looks great on darn near anyone, especially when the midline is cut at an angle, as it is here. and the bust is cut perfectly, to flatter the well-endowed and the not-so-well-endowed alike. plus, i think the ink blue washed silk is just stunning. best of all, this gorgeous piece will set you back a mere $150. i know, i was shocked too. for a classic silk dress, that's the deal of the century. this could easily go to work with a cardigan or blazer over it, or wear it alone for cocktails after work. with the right shoes and jewelry, i think this could even go to a relatively formal soiree. talk about a multi-tasker! plus, how cute would this be with the clutch and necklace above (i didn't even plan that, i swear!)....a match made in heaven.

drumroll, please...

at long (long) last, i finally have figured out how to list links to my favorite sites on this blog!! i know, i'm a technology wizard. it's amazing, really.

i'm sure the list will get longer, but these are a handful i check daily...i think they'll quickly become favorites of yours too. so, head on over to the left side of the page, and surf your li'l brains out!

back from the big apple!

i know, i know, i'm not ever supposed to call it that. but plenty of you east coasters still refer to my fair city as 'frisco,' so fair's fair.

i definitely ate and shopped my way through the city, and have lots of great things to share with you in the next few days. but for now, i thought i'd give you a rundown of the fun little things i picked up while i was there.

no major purchases, sadly, but i did find a couple of little things i had to bring home. first, i finally got myself one of those adorable "jacobs by marc by marc jacobs...." tote bags (that i thought i'd blogged about before, but now can't seem to find). even more darling in person! (and a big thanks to one of my favorite blogs, love made visible, for the pic). i think this is going to get a lot of use, and hey, at $12, my cost-per-wear should make it basically free! truly, if you're near a MARC by marc store, definitely stop in and pick one (or two) up for yourself. it's a much cheaper - not to mention actually attainable - way to join the environmentally-friendly, "no plastic bags" trend that's running around here. and even if you're not near a store, go here and find one online - they'll ship you as many as you want, for a $10 fee.


and, another find that i can't locate online was a darling little ladybug coin purse from kate spade. i'm currently using it as a wallet, and i just love it - makes me smile every time i take it out of my bag, and it's super soft - if she were using this leather for her bags, i'd be a much bigger fan! no idea how to order online, since i can't find it on the kate spade website, but you could always visit one of their lovely retail locations, or call to order by phone. i know they had 3 in soho as of this weekend - as i made them pull them all out for me to inspect before buying ;)

PS...that gorgeous pic from central park, above, is by my darling hubs. brilliant, isn't he??

before we return to our regularly scheduled programming...

i know it's totally unrelated to everything this blog is about, but it has me pretty darn outraged, so i'm posting it. i think everyone should read this article, or one like it - there are plenty out there. when you think that some of the absolutely outrageous things that happen in other countries are too far away and don't affect us, here's your causal link (law school lingo, forgive me): China Admits Tainted Food Link.

PS: isn't my beagle the cutest thing you've ever seen??