I've Been a Bad Girl

I'm supposed to be on a ban but it's sad how bad it turned out for me. I'd love to post pics but my mom reads this blog and she might have a coronary. Haha.

It sucks because I know I won't be able to shop for a long time. If things turn out the way I planned (which it hardly ever does), I'll be quitting my job in about 2 months time...earlier than I originally intended.

Well, c'est la vie. I have to start re-learning how to save. This time next year, hopefully, I'll be looking for apartments somewhere a little colder and a bit more expensive.

xoxo.

Hot Mess...Aubrey O'Day

Oh my. Where do I even begin?

Usually, I like the monochromatic look. Aubrey took it a step too far by matching her dress with her shoes and her hair and her tan. It's like watching this golden brown blob walking about. Her dress is actually nice. It's the styling that's all wrong. First off, the hair and makeup makes her look like a washed out tranny. She would've probably looked better if her ponytail wasn't too high. Oh, and those shoes. Yes, the color is a perfect match to the dress but she doesn't have to be matchy-matchy. Wine patent rolandos or something in deep purple would've provided a lovely contrast to her dress.


Note: I understand that it's tough to be under the public's scrutinizing and critical eye because there are always people who will talk shit about you. The least you can do is to try NOT to add fuel to that fire. Start with hiring a stylist. If you can't afford one, start by reading magazines and fashion blogs or at least asking a friend's opinion.

Battle of the Blues

After I bought my Turquoise Suede Ron Rons, I knew I needed another pair of blue shoes (even before I wanted yellow shoes). Actually, I think I've been wanting a pair of blue shoes ever since I saw these Chloe shoes on NAP last year:

I already have a pair of navy shoes and I wanted one in a lighter shade of blue. When I saw these Chloes, I knew I found the perfect shade of blue. I also like the asymmetrical peeptoe. I like that these shoes can be dressed up and dressed down. What I was a little iffy about was the heel. The shape of the heel is a little too old-fashioned for me. So the search continued and then these:

Electric Blue Suede Madam Claudes. I think these were the shoes Elvis had in mind when he sang about blue suede shoes. The color is an eye-catching shade of blue with a perfectly sexy straight heel. Now, I'm am in deeper doodoo with my shopping ban so all I can do is drool over these babies.


Pic of MCs from tpf.

Luke Grimes

As I checked the Barney's website today to look at some shoes, I noticed the new ad campaign and the face looked so oddly familiar. Not familiar in the sense that I knew the person but familiar in the sense that I've seen them before.

It took me a second to realize that the familiar face was none other than Luke Grimes from Brothers & Sisters. I've only started watching that show recently and Luke's character, Ryan, isn't the most attractive/appealing on that show but he looks kinda hot in the Barney's ad campaign.

Big difference right? It's got to be the styling and the lighting.

Anywho, what I was really checking the site for, before I got momentarily sidetracked by some cute boy (ok, slightly cute boy) were yellow shoes. For some reason, I've been wanting a pair of yellow shoes. No, I'm not buying anything just yet. I just checked the site to ogle at pretty shoes.

First up, Christian Louboutin Yellow Suede Ron Rons.
I actually have these in Turquoise and they are really cute and quite comfy. But it's suede and I'm afraid it'll get dirty unless I get it treated. But still, perfect summer shoe.


Next shoe, Christian Louboutin Python Rolando in Yellow.This picture totally does not do this shoe ANY justice at all. Definitely the sexier shoe of the two but I already have these in Gold Laminato. It's a little too close in color but the skin is TDF! I love exotics but I'd probably get these in the Roccia.

Oh yellow shoes. Perfect for summer but not that perfect for my wallet. Maybe I should go back to looking at pictures of cute boys.

Christian Louboutin Differa

JJ blogged about these shoes back in December. Back then (up until lately), I thought they were just whatevs. I mean, yeah they're a little aggressive, a little bit trashy, but like I said I was feeling a little bit "eh" about these shoes. Not something I would consider purchasing. Until recently.

You see, some shoes don't have shelf appeal. This, for me, was one of them. These are the type of shoes that I normally see in a store, pause for a sec, and move on to the next shoe. Not necessarily something I'd pick up and try on. Until recently.

What changed my mind? Seeing the shoe on...aka modeling pics. Seeing these shoes on an actual person makes a world of difference. Seeing them on actually makes me want to try them on.

Uh Oh

Um, I was just reading my blog and I forgot I posted this a couple days ago: Shoes.

Um, hmmm... I don't even know what to say except... I forgot about it. Or maybe I just got too excited. Nevertheless, I am ashamed (ok, maybe not really).

But I promise it was worth it!

Retail Doom and Gloom

When is this economic downturn ending?

I get alerts from WWD and these days almost all the headlines are about losses. It's not entirely surprising with the current state of our economy but it still bothers me. It bothers me because I know it affects us all. It bothers me because I know I'm quitting soon and won't have disposable income (well, I guess I won't have ANY income when I quit). I hate it but I guess it was inevitable. Markets eventually correct itself and the more inflated the market, the bigger the crash. I guess we had to prove that theory the hard way.

On the up side (yes, there is an upside but probably only applies to Americans), the economic crisis has affected exchange rates. Which means, shopping overseas can save you hundreds of dollars. This is also probably the best time to go an a vacation.

Special Gift for a Landmark Birthday

This year I'm turning 30. I figured I'd celebrate it by buying myself a special gift. After going about it in my head for a while, I thought that a special purse would be the best choice. Last year, I missed out on a Black Metallic Reissue. With that in mind, I thought about getting that for my birthday. Yay, right? Not really. Not nearly special enough.

So, I'm back to square one. What is that special purse that will make my birthday all the more special? The answer came to me in about 2 seconds. Hermes Birkin. Now I haven't been a fan of the Birkin. I've always thought they were a little ostentatious for an old lady looking purse. But after looking at a few pictures, I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I'm a convert. I still don't like all of them. I especially hate some of the leathers (Togo most of all) but some of them are just really dreamy. The hard part is getting one in time for my birthday. Well, the harder part is actually getting me to buy one. LOL. I'd like something blue or pink or purple.

30 cm Blue France in Courchevel in GHW

30 cm Rose Dragee in Swift with PHW

35 cm Violet Porosus Croc with PHW
(IN MY DREAMS ONLY!!!)

Pics from TPF

Love the Hair!

One of my friends has been trying to get me to cut my hair. I've had the same hairstyle for the longest time and she thinks that I should think about cutting my hair short. If I did, I'd love to get Heidi's haircut! Doesn't she look amazing? I love her hair!

CL Roccia Python Very Prive

I don't think I've ever been shy about my love for all things python (and fur). I have been waiting for a special occasion for a splurge like my big 3-0 (especially since Python is illegal in California).

Being a regular on tpf doesn't really help my shopping "problem" because the pic on the left greeted my today. How beautiful is that shoe? One of my UHGs, the Python Very Prive. There's a lot of chatter about the red tip, how burgundy tips are better but I don't think it matters. It's so pretty!

Now, I'm banned. Which is extremely unfortunate because these babies usually sell like pancakes. The LV boutique ordered 2 size runs but being a 37, 2 size runs won't help. *Sigh* I'm hoping that with the current economic climate, I'll still have a chance. Oh who am I kidding? The shoe gods haven't been that kind to me in the past...maybe this time I'll be lucky?

March - No New Shoes

Remember when I said I'm limiting myself to 3 pairs of shoes this year? Well, that plan didn't work. I ended up with 8 shoes this month alone!!! Don't give me that look. I returned a pair and I sold another pair so that is really a net of 6 pairs. Um, still a lot. I guess I'm just doing my part in stimulating the economy although I really am not allowed another pair of shoes...at least for the month of March.


Note: Just because I'm not buying anything for March doesn't mean I haven't started my list for April...

City Sandals Debuts at a Birthday Party

We were invited to a distant relative/family friend's daughter's first birthday and Christening today. I really wanted to wear something comfy since the weather was enjoyably warm so I decided to debut my new City sandals. Most comfortable CLs I own, hands down. I'm so glad I bought these shoes.

Top - People's Liberation
Shorts - Necessary Objects
Leather Jacket - S.W.O.R.D. (only worn for about 10 minutes)
Shoes - Christian Louboutin City Sandals

Marie Antoinette Debuts at SCP

Last February 24th, at the CL Boutique at Shouth Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA culminated the North American début of the Marie Antoinette, a limited edition shoe (only 36 pairs were made) from world renowned shoe designer, Christian Louboutin. The Marie Antoinette is a collaboration between Msr. CL and master embroiderer Jean Francois Lesage. It is meant to capture the essence of its namesake Queen of France.

And what's a début without an appearance (coupled with shoe signing) from Msr. CL himself?

Of course, as a semi-rabid fan of CLs, I heard about this event sometime last year. I knew I had to be there since I missed his BNY and Saks appearances last year. There were speculations going around about the signing that I decided to contact SCP. I wanted a shoe anyway so I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone. This was the most painful part. The SAs kept changing their stories of which shoes are allowed to be signed. The first version I got was when I picked up my Watersnake New Simples. I was told it was ok for me to bring it on the day of the signing since I bought it 2 weeks ahead. A few days later, I got an email telling me that I need to return the shoes if I wanted them signed. That weekend I go back to SCP and was told that I didn't need to return them after all. I ended up picking up 2 more pairs of shoes. On the day of the signing, I brought my Watersnakes and was told that they were giving priority to people who bought shoes that day. Mind you, I had already been in line for about 2 hours when this announcement was made. I was towards the front of the line and they're telling me I had to go to the back of the line? F* that. What's a girl to do to keep her place in line, why buy another pair of course. Yes, 4 pairs (all regular price) in the course of about 2.5 weeks. Anyway, after that whole fiasco, I was a happy camper getting to meet my shoe hero.

showing him my shoe, looking oh so giddy

getting ready to sign my shoe

tpf-ers in line

my signed shoes

future CL-aholic

Oscars Red Carpet Do's and Don'ts

Do...

...look amazing.

...look stunning.

...look sophisticated.

...look like Angelina Jolie.

Don't:

...look like a Christmas tree.

...look like you're wearing drapes.

...look like you're wearing curtains.

...whack people with your gown.

Los Angeles Cobbler Resource

A trusty cobbler is a shoe aficionado's best friend. Good ones are hard to come by. You don't want to have to go through a trial and error period with a new cobbler especially if you are sending him some of your prized possessions. Thankfully, the LA times came out with an article listing 4 of LA's best cobblers.

These cobblers can do anything from resoling a pair, to dyeing leathers and even giving your shoe a whole new look! So ladies, take out those shoes that are gathering dust in the back of your closets and head straight to these shoe masters to give new life to your shoes!

1. Pasquale Shoe Repair
5616 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles. (323) 936-6883. 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday.

2. Arturo's Shoe Fix
9643 Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. (310) 278-9585. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday, closed Sunday.

3. Shoe Wiz 22
Beverly Connection, 100 N. La Cienega Blvd., Suite 106, Los Angeles. (310) 657-5010. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

4. Eddie's Shoe Repair
13716 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. (818) 789-1972. 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday.

**Note: When I used to work retail, we sent our shoes to Shoe Wiz.

For full article, click here.

Hmmm, that's a little off...

I just finished watching last Thursday's episode of Ugly Betty that I Tivo-ed. Danny is dating Molly, who is an elementary school teacher. This week's episode is all about Fashion Week and Danny invites Molly as her date. She shows up in this dress:

Derek Lam Self Tie Ruffle Dress, $1890 at Shopbop

I actually think the dress is quite cute. It totally reflects Molly's sweet sensibility. Probably not appropriate for Fashion Week, but it definitely caught my eye. Now imagine my surprise when browsing through Shopbop, I actually came across said dress and the price tag is a whopping $1,890. Now, I know it's just a TV show, but how is this school teacher affording $2,000 dresses???? Yes, she is dating a rich man but she wore the dress before he gave her a makeover. Anyway, I just wanted to rant...carry on...

What Shopping Ban?

Um, what was that? Shopping ban? What's that? HAHAHA... Seriously, I think the more I restrict myself when it comes to shopping, the worse it is for my wallet. Considering that the last time I really shopped was back in December, I've been really good. So, for my good behavior, I opted to treat myself to a few goodies.

First, my first exotic CL - Watersnake New Simples. I really wanted my first exotics to be python but it's kinda hard to go around the python ban in CA. I will find a way to get those pythons to me...maybe for my birthday (or hopefully sooner!).


My first BRIGHT CLs - Turquoise Suede Ron Rons. Talk about a statement shoe, these shoes are BRIGHT.

My first metallic CLs - Gold Laminato Rolandos. I was a little afraid of this shoe but they hurt less than my declics. Go figure.

William Rast & People's Liberation Warehouse Sale - I really don't need another pair of jeans so I bought 2 black pairs!!!! Haha, I figure since they're black they're not REALLY jeans (it makes sense in my head). I also bought a tshirt and a funky looking top.

I'm also waiting for a few more packages to arrive. Hopefully they arrive by the end of the week. Hmmm, I don't know if I should enforce another ban. It seems to have the opposite effect. Oh well.

Madewell + Shopbop = LOVE

Love, as in EYELOVETT!!!! I'm a big fan of Shopbop. I've mentioned that site quite a few times here. I think I might have mentioned my love for Madewell a couple times too. Now I can mention both in the same sentence. YES!!!

My Humble CL Collection

I may not have as much as others (yet), but I like my current collection. I'd love a few more, no surprises there, but for now this is what I have and I love each and every one of them. Enjoy.

Family Pic

L to R - Grey Suede Declic, Beige Watersnake New Simple, Turquoise Suede Ron Ron

L to R - Purple Suede Scissor Girls, Tortoise Patent Very Prive, Black Kid Scissor Girls, Black Patent Activa

Spring Wedding

My aunt is getting married in May (CONGRATS!!!) and because it's a Spring wedding, she wants the guests to wear yellows, pinks, greens or champagne colors (per the request of the bride - no black please). Of course, not only am I excited for her, I'm also excited about what I'm wearing. I'm trying to work around my shoes and if money was no object, I'd love to wear any of these:


Christian Lacroix Asymmetric Puff Dress, $4,895
I love the whimsical details of this dress. It looks like such a happy dress. That said, it's perfect for a Spring wedding.



Stella McCartney Asymmetric Mini Dress, $1,395
This minimalist dress is what a sophisticated wedding guest would wear. Chic but not over-the-top with details, flirty but not overtly sexy.



Thread Social One Shoulder Dress, $495
The cute dress in the perfect Spring shade of coral is sure to turn heads. I love the details to show off that toned back. Also, it's not a bank-breaker so it's even more perfect!


Note: I just noticed that all three dresses are asymmetrical.


All dresses available at NAP.