Wedding Outfit

It's my aunt's wedding on Saturday and I finally have my outfit. She didn't want any of the guests to wear black so I will be wearing a gray dress. This is the best pic of the dress I could find:

It's a gray Alice + Olivia pleated dress with sequins. It's not as "spring-y" as she wants but I think it looks festive enough for a wedding. I'm a little worried about the length though since she's having a church wedding. I'll be wearing the dress with my CL Cosmo Python Very Prives!

I'll FINALLY get to wear these babies out! I'm so excited. I'll be wearing these shoes all week in my apartment to break them in. Hopefully they'll have stretched out enough by Saturday night. As beautiful as they are, they are a pain to break in. Still can't wait though!!!

Now all I'm missing are accessories. I don't need a necklace since the neckline of the dress is already embellished. I also have a ring that goes perfectly with the dress so all I really need is a pretty bracelet. I've been contemplating on getting a Clic Clac H Bracelet:
I've been eyeing one since back in February and I'm pretty close to just caving in and getting one before Hermes has another price increase. I don't think I can justify the price tag considering it's made of enamel so I'm still on the fence. If only they didn't come in lots of pretty colors to tempt me. *Sigh* Hermes also has a leather bracelet that I like but I'm shopping for the wedding and I don't think leather is quite appropriate. I also think that the clic clac is better when worn with other pieces. It doesn't really quite stand out on its own.

My other choice would be a brass cuff from Elizabeth and James.

I love that it has sort of a harder edge. The color will match the bronze undertones of my shoes as well. Price-wise, it's a little cheaper (about $60) than the Hermes bangle but it's definitely not as wearable.

I'll shop around some more. I'll give you guys an outfit update on Saturday.

Lunch and Shopping and Chocolate Brown Dillians

I had lunch with some FAB tpf-ers yesterday and it was a lot of fun! We met up for sushi at Midori Sushi in Sherman Oaks. It was my first time there and I was pleasantly surprised. It's an eat-all-you-can sushi place and the quality of the food was not compromised. Granted I probably didn't get my money's worth but I think it definitely warrants a return trip.

After lunch, we headed to the Rachel Pally warehouse sale in Downtown LA. They had a great selection of stuff but if you have ever tried anything by Rachel Pally, you know how much the material clings to your body. Most of the stuff were also a tad too big for me but I still ended up with 2 tops and a cardigan.

Last but not least, we headed to Beverly Hills for some more shopping!!! I was actually a good girl - didn't buy anything although my list of wants just grew another inch. We went to Saks first because they were having their semi-annual Friends and Family event. We visited the shoe department (most of which were excluded from the sale) to check out what CLs they had in stock. Of course they had the Blue Suede Madame Claude that had me drooling, the camel and black patent decolletes that are my ban loopholes and copper VGs which I haven't seen anywhere yet. The shoe department was kinda packed, probably from shoppers taking advantage of the F&F discount.

Next stop was Barney's and boy was I in trouble there. They had my ban loopholes as well but in jazz leather (my first choice), the No Barres which looked so great on, the bone patent differas which I LOVE but I didn't have the heart to try on because my will can be weak, and these:

CHOCOLATE BROWN DILLIANS!!!!! These were my fave color for the Dillians and I was very much surprised when I saw them on display at Barney's. Even better, the display shoe was my size! Talk about kismet. I had to try them on and of course, I immediately fell in love. I didn't want to take them off but I did and gently put it back on the rack. They are absolutely amazing on but I am sticking to my ban. Aren't you proud of me?

Thanks L for taking pics! I'd love to hang out with you girls again!!!

Gerard Darel: 24-Heure St. Germain Bag

I've been lusting over Gerard Darel bags for a while now but I've never followed through on a purchase. Now that I've seen the Spring/Summer 2009 collection, I'm dangerously close to hitting the "buy" button.

As per the title of this post, my fave is the St. Germain in the 24-Heure size. Well, If I'm being honest, I actually prefer the Utah but since python is illegal in California, I'm going to go with something a little more feasible. The St. Germaine is made of calfskin in a wide array of colors. The color which I love the most would have to be Butter (left) and Sky Blue (not the actual color name). And although I have never really felt the leather, I can only imagine that it's buttery soft.

Gerard Darel's line is not widely available in the U.S. so it's pretty tough to actually "try" one of his purses. There's a couple stores in Southern Cali that actually carries his purses so I guess I can start there.

Note: This is probably the worst-written post in the history on my blog. I wrote the whole thing while watching "We are Marshall" so suffice it to say that I was a little distracted. I heart sports movies. =)

Gray

I think gray is my favorite neutral. Of all the neutrals, I think gray is the easiest to wear and pull off. It goes with ALL colors - which is the function of neutrals but you gotta admit that NOT all neutrals can say the same. And although gray is a color primarily seen in the Fall season, I think there are lighter grays that can be worn in the Spring and Summer especially if paired with something bright.I love this shoulder bag. The gray is perfectly light that it will match almost anything....ok, everything. It also has a playfulness to it that makes it perfect as a spring bag.


My gray cardigan (not the one pictured above) is the most versatile piece of clothing I own because 1.) It goes with everything I own and 2.) It can easily go from day to night. It doesn't look as "formal" as black and you can wear it with yellow or orange without risking looking like a bumblebee or a pumpkin.

I've only recently appreciated the versatility of gray jeans. I like dark jeans and most gray jeans teeter on that border of dark and light. What I realized was that gray jeans, dark or light, go perfect with almost every color boots available. I'm not a fan of black and brown together and since I bought gray jeans, I get to wear all my brown boots with them!

So don't be afraid to add a little bit of gray to your wardrobe. It'll do you some good.


All items above available from NAP.

What happened?!?!?

Why does Rihanna suddenly look like Michael Jackson? What's up with the 80s Jheri curl? So sad... I guess even trendsetters have their off days...

Matthew Williamson for H&M

13 more days!!! I'm kinda loving the jumpsuit.

The collection will be available at the following H&M locations:

Atlanta: Atlantic Station, 231 18th St.
Boston: 100 Newbury St.
Chicago: 840 North Michigan Avenue
Los Angeles: Beverly Center
New York: 34th and Broadway
New York: 51st and 5th
New York: 59th and Lexington
San Francisco: 150 Powell St.

Black Tie Affair

When I think of "Black Tie Affair", I think of men in tuxedos and coat-tails and women in long gowns and diamonds...something like the Oscars.

If you Google "black tie affair", you find this definition:

"Black tie affairs are social events where all attendees are expected to wear formal attire. Both males and females attending a black tie affair make efforts to comply with the dress code and choose clothing that is considered appropriate formal dress for the time of day, the season, and the nature of the event. A black tie affair is different from a semi-formal event, where there is a wider range of clothing options considered to be appropriate semi-formal attire."

Notice that there is a very clear distinction between a black tie affair and a semi-formal event.

If you go on NAP, they have a whole section of dresses dedicated to black tie affairs and NONE of these dresses are knee length. Why? Because knee-length (or even tea-length) dresses are considered to be semi-formal attire and semi-formal attires are only reserved for semi-formal events and NOT black tie affairs.

**End of rant**

Christian Louboutin Pre-Fall Collection

Christian Louboutin's pre-fall collection is now available at Neiman Marcus. While I am not totally blown away by each and every shoe, there were a few standouts.

This is my favorite - the Hyper Prive in Nude Satin with Lace Overlay. NM calls it the Bouquet Pump. The Nude/Lace combo is one of my favorite color combinations that CL ever came up with. This version looks totally elegant and classy. While the older versions were just as pretty, I think the lace in the new version makes a big difference.

I love pee-toe booties. I've been looking for the right pair for about a year now. While these aren't the ones I originally had in mine, I still like them. Maybe it's the suede (I've been told I have a thing for suede shoes). I also like that the ruching makes it a little bit more interesting.

I also have a thing for slouchy boots. And while these aren't tall enough (they look like calf boots), they are still gorgeous. I think I'd hold out for the knee-length version. Perfect for when I move to colder climates.


Available at Neiman Marcus.

Christian Louboutin on Gilt!

Mark your calendars ladies, Gilt will be featuring Christian Louboutin on April 8th! If you're not a member, I think I have a link somewhere on this blog. Some of the goodies that will be featured are:

JS Pump
Retail: $775
Gilt Price: $378

Decoltissimo (still full price at Neiman Marcus)
Retail: $575
Gilt Price: $288

I hope Gilt's server will be able to handle the mayhem that will most likely ensue. Good luck ladies!

Happy Dance Time

My order is at LAX awaiting customs clearance. Woo-hoo! Time to do my happy dance!!! Or should I reserve my happy dance when I receive my package? Hmmm... Well, I'm still doing a happy dance. Woo-hoo!

I NEED new clothes!!

I've been on a buying rampage lately but I've only been buying shoes. Now what is the point of a closetful of shoes if I don't have clothes to wear them with? I'm waiting to start buying clothes until after I quit my job though. I need to be out of work-mode because that might skew my choices.

Anyhow, I think I need to invest in clothes that can go from day to night. I'll be back in school soon and I need clothes that will be comfy enough for school but be stylish enough for me to wear any other time. I used to go to school in tshirts and jeans and sneakers and sweats. I think I'm too old for that sloppy look.

For a more casual school look in the summer, I'd go for something like this:

This look is probably as casual as it gets. The shorts and the sandals are perfect for a Southern California summer. The leather jacket gives this casual look a bit of an edge without being over the top. Casual and comfy without being sloppy...perfect for a back to school outfit.

Jeans are my school staple. Skinny jeans are perfect because you can dress them up and dress them down (the trick is finding one that flatters your figure which is harder with skinny jeans than others). A pop of color is always a breath of fresh air and a fitted blazer pulls the whole look together.

A more current take on jeans is the distressed boyfriend fit. This look can be harder to pull off if not done right because it can look sloppy. I personally like pairing these jeans with a more structured top to contrast the baggy-ish fit. I also like pairing these jeans with heels or gladiator platforms for a more feminine look.

Dresses are great for school as long as the weather permits. Lightweight cotton is great for the summer and it's not too dressy. If the classrooms get too cold, it's always smart to bring along a cardigan. They're pretty easy too...you don't have to think about what top or what bottom to pair it with. You slip it on and you're good to go. Perfect for me since I'm always running late.

I'm so excited to start buying clothes again. =)


Everything posted is available at NAP.

Ebay is NOT my friend

Lately, I've been spending quite a bit of time one ebay. I'm not looking to buy anything. But there's a lot of interesting things being sold on ebay that it's entertaining to browse. Now the problem is when browsing turns to buying.

I have quite the long watch list and sometimes my trigger finger just itches to hit BIN. The best offers also get me in trouble. Sometimes I offer a low-ball offer just to see if I can get away with it and I get in trouble if the seller accepts.

Yes, there are great deals on ebay. Yes, I've taken a few advantages of some of these great deals but when is enough ever enough? Someone needs to block ebay on all of my computers. Really. Not kidding.