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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

Wearing Tartan

At the moment, I’m feeling uninspired. It’s depressing! So while I’m over here wallowing, trying to think of some (constructive) rant to go on, I’ll just post more of the stuff I’ve bought. The list never ends.

Pink Tartan is one of those brands that frequently pop up on those online sale sites and generally, I’m not interested in the typical office fare available. But during one fated final sale ages ago (they’ve seemed to cease the ‘final sales’ as of recent times), I decided to take a chance on some wool crepe cropped pants (again with the cropped pants). Wonderful! Well, their sizing is generous enough that a belt is required, but these pants are a dream when it comes to comfort and shape. I need more black pants for work now though…can anyone please make a WASHABLE pair? Enough with these wool/silk-blends people. Don’t make me shop at Suzy Shier or Smart Set! I will die.

Marc-y-Marc

Wow some of these purchases are old! Take, for example, this blue and black dress – I recall wearing this during my March exam last year! Oh well. I still like it. In fact, I’m really partial to Marc by Marc Jacobs.



The clothes generally come in small, medium, and large and are roomy, fun, and interesting. So…in the end, I bought a crapload (for the moment, anyway), of Marc by Marc clothes.



I’m also just going to put it out there right now that the following pants work excellently for bowling. And they are shiny! Who doesn’t like shiny things?



OOPS. I SHOULDN’T HAVE BOUGHT ALL THAT. But it was on a big sale and the clothes were fun and I was confident about the sizing and I was in a blue phase and I can come up more excuses than anyone ever.

Cult Classic

I’m obsessed. I’ve been obsessed with a lot of things in my day – Brad Renfro, designer denim, perfume, Apollo 13 – but that’s ancient history. My newest obsession is Jeffrey Campbell shoes. I know obsession sounds really extreme and kind of psycho, but I what else can you call it when every idle moment on the Internet is spent on solestruck.com deciding which pair shoes I am going to buy next. This is a daily occurrence and very serious.

Let me say that I am kind of practical when it comes to shoes (emphasis on kind of.) I can’t fathom spending the big dollars on crazy-high heels and so my Gucci shoes are runners and my Prada shoes are ballet flats. Get the picture? No Louboutins here (not yet, anyway.) But these…these are another story. They are a mid-price-range shoe with an unbelievable amount of comfort despite their height. I traipsed around Tokyo for nearly two weeks in the 99 TIE, whose heel clocks in at nearly 4”. My next purchase? The Clinic – a 5” behemoth.

99 TIE:





The Clinic:





Seriously…I think there might be a cult starting for this brand alone. Fans are rabid!

You Got "It" Dude

Did anyone other myself go “HUH?” when you first heard that the Olsen twins were going to design clothes? That’s like me deciding that I’m going to start a clothing line. Or Snooki. But the difference here is that their clothes turned out pretty good and me and Snooki are just going to have to settle for being left in the dust. Wait. Why the hell did I bring Snooki into this? Whatever. Anyway, the Olsens are actually regarded with some cred in the industry and frankly, after I bought a pair of Elizabeth & James pants, I can see why. They are nice. I don’t know how much part the Olsens actually had in the design, or if one can really screw up a pair of black pants, but…yeah. I like them. But I’m also a sucker for ankle pants.

Haan-ds Down

I used to think leather jackets were reserved for older people who shop at Danier Leather. I mean, my parents picked up new leather jackets each spring when the winter coats were on clearance and frankly, they weren’t flattering or fashionable (sorry Mom). However, I got a bee in my bonnet (so to speak) last winter and I set out on a hunt for one…from someplace else. Well, it turns out that the someplace was a Rue La La sale, and though the model and styling were absolutely horrific, I saw beyond to a sweet Cole Haan jacket at a decent price.







It’s hard, isn’t it? To look past the dowdy ensemble and boring hair? Gosh these pictures are unflattering to the jacket. Trust me…it looks better on me!