New Wedgie

My shoe wardrobe took another turn this weekend when I visited Neiman Marcus in Seattle. To be honest though, I was on a mission for these and so I wasn't too surprised when they became mine. But...Chanel. That's a whole new level.

F*ck-Me Pumps

Okay, so it's a crude title. I know this, but it's a saying, right? So let's go with it. Sadly, I don't own a pair of shoes that can fall under this category as I'm far too prudent to spend the kind of cash warranted for shoes that scream at passersby about their inherent sexiness. But let's pretend I can.

Sexy-ass shoes (as seen at John Galliano)
Despite all the drama surrounding John Galliano as of late, there is no denying that the man is ridiculously talented and can make the single most feminine collection during any given fashion week. That aside, the shoes shown for fall-winter were almost bondage-style (locked-up feet are are so hot, right?) I can't buy these, so pictures will suffice. Squeeee!

Rawr

There are some ridiculously sweet sunglasses out there and I'm beginning to be just as big of a sucker for sunglasses as I am for coats. I'm gonna combine this post with a "purchased item" post because, well, I got some new sunglasses today. I've been coveting these babies since I saw the runway version in the S/S 2011 show:

I wanted the full runway version with the curled sides but it was over $500 at Holt Renfrew so...moving on.

Cat-eye glasses (as seen at Givenchy)
Yeah, I guess these aren't actually sunglasses...but they are furry with panthers on the arms - this makes sense as the collection had a running 'Panther' theme. They are kind of amazing...and really serve no purpose whatsoever. I understand though that the retail version will be sunglasses and it will not be furry, but that takes the fun out it for me.

The Prudent Way

I wore a suit jacket today at work! The thrill here is that I wore the sleeves down all day long and it was perfect with the weather. The jacket is cut in a jockey-style though, so it was perhaps breezier than most. Ahem! Continuing along in my parade into fall/winter wear, the next step:

Sweater-dresses (as seen at Chloe)
To be honest, I don't wear the sweater-dresses I have because they are always too short. However, they look stellar when layered with a crisp shirt and cute belt...and even better when you do it like Hannah MacGibbons did at Chloe, in python print. Also, this length is absolutely perfect...so modest - I want! To be fair though, I don't think sweater-dresses are a "trend" for fall per se - I was hard-pressed to find any other sweater-dresses and when I did (at Sonia Rykiel), it wasn't very interesting. Whatever.

Fall Awakening

I'm in the minority, but I don't like summer nor the way I'm forced to dress for heat. I have great difficulty feeling good about what I wear when I can't layer to the hilt. But, fall is here! September has arrived and so I'm busting out long sleeves. That being said, I'm going to share a few of the key trends heading into fall that I'm going to try to incorporate in one way or another. First up...

Lace (as seen at Lanvin)
I've already subconsciously started veering in this direction as my last two clothing purchases were lace-related. It's so pretty and tasteful, as long as you wear something underneath! Has Zara ripped these designs off yet?

Legend in the Making

Absolutely IN LOVE with my new Swiss Legend Karamica watch...yes, this will tide me over nicely until I (if I ever) decide to splurge for the J12 by Chanel. I want to wear it to bed. In fact, I'm in my pyjamas and I still have it on. Yessssss

Girlish Glee

For the last three Christmases, my Grandpa has unknowingly (funded) bought me Comme des Garçons items, the last two both being shoes. Of course, the first pair was my adored patent oxfords (which have since taken a beating thanks to my face-plant onto concrete last month.) This past Christmas' funding went to a pair of ruffled mary janes, as shown on the CdG runway for Fall/Winter 2011.


Yes, people at work have called them 'clown shoes', but I don't expect most people in this town to understand the appeal. And, like mentioned before, they are well-made and comfortable from the start. And flat! So practical I am...right?

Sally Strikes Again!

I had a manicure last weekend, and while it was nice, every single nail was smudged and imprinted by the next morning. I hate that. Though there are some products that can help with the drying aspect, they can't beat my newest nail obsession - Sally Hansen Salon Effects. I love you Sally!


These little wonders last up to 10 days (though personally I've only made it to six) and needs no drying time. All that, and everyone freaks out when they see them. My favorite is the houndstooth 'Check It Out' - I can actually match them to a pair of Comme des Garçons crops I have!


Not my hand - important because her application isn't good.
They aren't cheap at $10 a box, but for a decent looking polish that chips minimally after several days and can last longer than a week? Yeah, I'll pay. Now I just need to head down into America where the selection is bigger...

source, source

Tim Tam

So I really have no excuse for half the stuff I buy, but I can always justify it. Last summer, I was planning my September excursion to Tokyo, which was experiencing their hottest summer in 100 years. Yippee. Looking into my wardrobe and spotting nothing but a lot of black, I decided to shop - of course. There was a Vivienne Tam sale on Gilt and I thought their butterfly motif of that collection was adorable. So...guess what happened next?



The white one was not sweat-proof enough. Too much information.

Thanks, What Not to Wear

Thanks to the folks at “What Not To Wear”, every 45+ year old woman I talk to believes that all you need to do to look stylish is match your bag and shoes. Thanks a lot, Stacy London and blonde-ish guy.


Unfortunately, this “rule” has been abused. Give them an inch, and they run a mile, as the saying goes. Does the photo above scream ‘style’ to you? (If it does, the next question is whether you are 45+ or not and/or potentially from rural areas. It matters.)


One of the nice things about style and fashion is that generally, there are few rules. Buy clothes that fit you – don’t look at sizes. Buy quality clothes – these are available in all price ranges. Try to wear colours the look good together. Don’t wear mom jeans. Try not to wear only jeans. (I hate jeans.) Also, the cardinal rule should always be upheld – workout pants are not pants.


After going over that, matching bags and shoes doesn’t seem so bad. But unless the bag and shoes in question are black, I think anything else would look kind of silly. See the photos above again if you are unsure about that. Unless you are sporting an outfit like this:


But only in black and white!

Wang

Wang. The Wangster. The Wangman. All these ridiculous nicknames are attributed to Alexander Wang. By me. Which is lame. But anyway.

So as you've guessed by now, most of the time I spend in Japan, I spend inside shops, shopping. Mostly window-shopping though...until I see something remarkable. Shopping at Opening Ceremony (again) in Shibuya, I spotted the most fantastic pair of Alexander Wang shoes. Meet Ines.


Now, no one I talk to seems to like these shoes. I do!! So I tried to buy them. My size was sold out and very expensive in Tokyo.

I tried again a few weeks later at Holt Renfrew here in Vancouver. The very disinterested salesman managed to scrounge me up a size 40 and they were tight. My foot looked like it was swelling inside a tensor bandage. Not the look I was going for. The salesman half-heartedly suggested trying to find a size 41 somewhere else in Canada, checked, and found none. He stared off into space while I decided if I wanted to spend $475 on a tourniquet shoe. I didn't.

Goodbye Ines.

Tilly Bloom

On gloomy days like today (out here on the left coast, anyway), I really like an odd thing to make me smile and remember sunnier times. Cheesy sounding, isn't it?

I first saw Tilly Bloom at the Takashimaya Department Store Shinjuku in Tokyo back in 2009. I was passing through the accessories section, generally overwhelmed by the pearls and delicate gold chains when something completely curious lept out at me.



I immediately flip over the object in question and was greeted by a cute little emblem of the brand - Tilly Bloom. Like the savvy (or cheap) consumer I am, I jotted down the name of the brand and continued on my merry way (because surely I can find this imported item cheaper at home, right?)


Fast forward to Christmas 2010. I order Tilly Bloom for myself and my sister who I have in our gift exchange. I also requested Tilly Bloom from my other sister in the gift exchange. It was a very Tilly Christmas.

Mine:




For my sister:


I was right, ps. Wayy cheaper online! Check out the lass at here.
All images from www.tillybloom.com

Little Bulldozers

That's what I call these shoes - little bulldozers. I guess that's what they feel like to me. Are you sick of my purchases yet? Well, these are an oldie. I bought these last year during my trip to Florida and have been stomping around in them on and off ever since. These aren't by any means luxury, but they don't require any effort to put on, and I like that. Did you know Adidas had a line called slvr?



Again, I'm all about short boots and dragging my feet in them all winter. I know it's bad, but I even wear these to work sometimes when I don't care if I look sloppy. Not exactly office attire. But I'm just a rebel.

Purchases in Memoriam

I'm ashamed to admit that last year after Alexander McQueen died, I joined the crowd that felt the need to try to reach out and grab any residual bits from his empire while they lasted. However, I did this with the thought that he was somehow involved in the McQ line, rather than just supplying the affiliation and inspiration for the brand. Whatever. I wanted McQueen any way I could get it, as some were questioning the very continuity of the entire brand. So I bought some things. First up was this wool/silk blend safety pin scarf.


I appeared as though the online shops selling McQueen were acutely aware of this sudden appeal and prices sky-rocketed. No more $200 McQueen dresses to be found. Maybe the label will finally make some money?

Second item was the next best thing to a $200 McQueen dress - a $200 McQ dress. Unfortunately they only came in S, M, and L...


The dress...fit. But damn it is tight around the bust. I make do and wear it out. This dress assisted me in celebrating my birthday this last December in a dark underground nightclub in Tokyo. Renegade? This is what the brand is supposed to be. I'm going to try to live it.

Bootie Call

For fall/winter, I think every lady needs a versatile pair of ankle boots. At least for now, while they are fashionable. I bought a pair over a year ago and despite some wear-and-tear on the stiletto-ish heel, they are as soft and buttery as the day I pulled them from their box. But Pour la Victoire shoes are like that.



And from the picture above, you can see the flash of the gold studded fleur de lis on the sole. And the heel height? Oh-so manageable.



Pour la Victoire shoes are solid-quality shoes at a very reasonable price - I can personally vouch for that. And ankle boots look great with cropped trousers, skirts, tights, leggings, and most things in between. Just make sure you attend to the leather sole if you have one. Any cobbler worth their salt will make these babies as durable as...well, a non-leather sole.

Rant: Irrational Desire

"Irrational Desire" - this is what Marc Jacobs claimed was the inspiration behind his latest Louis Vuitton collection, referencing people's obsession with LV bags and accessories. The icing on the cake for me was the introduction of a new level of ridiculousness - Mon Monogram - which brings narcissism to a whole new level.


As if LV bags weren't ubiquitous enough, now you can now show how rich and trendy you really are with your initials scribbled on the damn thing. And a racing stripe? Oh...now those are oh-so-hot. Gosh, I'm so full of sarcasm here and it's about as appealing as these bags.


Because I want my backseat to look like this.
Instead of 'J.K', mine would say 'L.O.L'.


I totally just made this online.
There is one positive here about monogramming your bag - at least might think twice before stealing it - unless they have the same initials as you. Still, it's lame.

source, source, source

Et Rope

I got the fever! Spring fever, that is. I know that spring is around the corner when I get the itch to start buying dresses. As you may know, I’m currently doing quite well in restraining to buy more clothes. I hope this doesn’t re-open the floodgates.

So, finally, after my Gilt rant (here), they decided to have a sale. The selection was kind of meh, but I did find a pretty blue dress with some lovely sheer bubble sleeves and a nice silver zipper up the back. And roomy! There’s nothing like wearing a dress out to dinner and being able to let it all out afterward. That’s also an important factor about buying clothes online – buy a silhouette in a size you know you will be comfortable with. Guesswork + tight dresses = bad situation. Also, my first dress by ADAM. I don’t know who that is either.

Boner

I bought this necklace at the end of 2009 - this is a story about the lazy blogger. You see kids, when a blogger is so lazy, they don't attract readers because they are not relevant. This necklace is not relevant. I still like it though and you can probably expect to see this style in your local Claires in a few months, if it's not there already. But how many people can say that theirs is a Rock & Bone branded one!? No one. Because no one knows who that is...? Yep.

Blah post is blah. Tuesdays suck.