Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Tags by Ti.mo

I've been a bit slow on the uptake on getting this done. Miss Katie at Breaking Curfew tagged me to tell six habits or quirks about myself that, I'm assuming, no one knows. Since you already know I'm a big city girl who now has three chickens, I'm sure everything else will less odd in comparison, but here we go:

1. My minor in college was Early British Literature. That means I read Beowulf, the Mabinogian and Sir Gawain and The Green Knight... for fun. I also "collect" stories about the Arthur legend and fairy tales.


2. I grew up in South Florida and volunteered at Miami MetroZoo for over five years. Consequently I'm not afraid of any bug, spider, snake or animal and have been bitten or scratched by everything from parrots to wolves to hedgehogs. Heck, I've rescued and relocated coral snakes from my front yard. Plus I don't mind getting messy when it comes to taking care of an animal.


3. I'm a not-so-closet geek. I was doing science fair competitions and reading fantasy/sci-fi in high school, not cheerleading or reading fashion mags. And I still want that darn Kindle!


4. I love really esoteric Victorian silver serving pieces like baked potato and lettuce forks. They come in handy when we have a tea party.


5. We don't watch a lot of TV, especially not reality TV but we'll have movies on all day long. Althought we thought this show was high-larious!


6. I don't like sugary candies but I love to bake and love love love dark chocolate, especially the Black Pearl and Naga truffles from Vosges, Scharffen Berger 77% (even though they sold out to Hershey's - blech!) and the Godiva Key Lime truffle.
   

So there you go! Interesting, who knows. I'm not the greatest on giving out tags, so I'll take a cue from Miss Wendy B. - if you want a tag, just let me know!

Eeeewwww!!!

Does Keith Richards in the new Louis Vuitton ads remind you of anyone????



Namely our new Joker in The Dark Knight?



He's probably about as wacked out and bat-s**t crazy, right?



Not exactly shoes or fashion, but Keith is kind of leathery so... maybe it is related.

Sale! Sale! Sale!

There is an amazing sale going on at Saks right now, including 50% off of some Louboutins.



Personally, I'd like to go for these Jimmy Choo Eita Eel Sandals. They also have the Miu Miu tea cup heels marked down and some other pretty heels I've featured on here before.

Check it out and happy shopping!

Sweet Delights

Macaron a la Rose by ::fanny::

Since I've been babbling about it for a while now, I'm going to New York next week. I've got a work-related event one day but am free to traipse around the city the other three.

I'm hoping to get some shopping in at the big four stores (Barney's, Saks, Bergdorfs, Neimans) but also want to find time to hunt down macarons and maybe go to an afternoon tea.

I'd love to see if anyone in New York at that time would like to maybe meet for dinner Wednesday night or maybe get together for tea or sweets on Tuesday.

Anyone interested? Drop me an email or a comment!

Don't Be a Tough Guy

After I bought the Bluemarine dress from YOOX.com, I determined that I had absolutely no shoes that would properly go with it. I really wanted to pair something strappy but modern and a bit tough. I have some lovely sandals and pumps but not a lot of "tough" shoes.

But I'm finding that I'm more and more drawn to these shoes. I think perhaps, my horizons have been widened by my stylish blogger friends.

I am very covetous of these Gucci Sevigny sandals. The wide strap and double buckles give it the edge but I love the shape of the heel. Nine West did a knock-off of these but, even though they are far more wallet friendly, they just are not executed that well. I'd rather go without than get a shoe so poorly done.

Since those are not likely to be bought any time soon, I've been looking for another option that jumps out at me. These sandals from Nine West are pretty good. I like the strappyness but I wonder if they are dressy enough. They're $80 which isn't too bad




But I think these Everless sandals are more the look I'm going for. The triple straps and toe strap give it sort of a dominatrix-y look which is more my kind of tough.



I'm not sure if I'll get either. I'm sure they would come in handy but I don't need them that quickly. I'm actually sending the dress back. It had a rip in a seam and for the price it was (even way marked down) I don't want to have to worry about it. It is a gorgeous dress though. Now I just need to find another going out dress that I can wear one of these heels with.

Innovations in Packaging

As I've mentioned before I've been helping out with the marketing of SimplySoles.com. The owner, Kassie, is a great person and I like seeing the industry from her perspective because I aspire to starting my own shoe line (shhh! Don't tell anyone) some day or maybe a brick & mortar shoe store in my town.

Kassie has included some great elements into her company's philosophy, such as recycling and giving back to the community. But now she's actually been looking to reduce her packaging and carbon footprint by creating a new way to ship the shoes she sells.



The ShoeShuttle is a very plush quilted two compartment bag with a drawstring ribbon closure. The shoes come from the manufacturer in the bags and then are shipped to you in a recycled cardboard box. I recently got a pair shipped to me and took pictures so you could see how it looks.

With most high-end designer shoes you will get a dust bag with your purchase. I love these bags because I carry my shoes to and from work rather than wearing them while I'm driving. I also use them when I travel to keep my shoes from getting nicked up in my suitcase.



This bag is far superior to any that I've seen to date. Not only is it much thicker and padded but it has two compartments. Usually I have to pull a bag from another pair of shoes so I can wrap each shoe individually (putting both shoes in one bag almost defeats the purpose in my opinion). I love that these are in one bag but individually protected.



I've been looking around to see if there are any other companies who are looking into new innovations in design and packaging. Obviously there has been a lot done with new materials such as vegan-friendly but I haven't seen any new box or packaging options. If anything I've seen boxes get more luxurious and branded.

Personally I keep all of my shoes in their original boxes (or buy/re-purpose a photo-holder box for instances such as with vintage shoes that don't have their boxes) because I have to stack my shoes. And also the boxes help with identification purposes for me. But I like the bag a lot for travel.



SimplySoles is starting with the incorporation of these bags for their own brand of shoes, lillybee, but will be asking the designers that they carry to incorporate the bags for their lines as well. The bag will soon be available for individual purchase as well and are $18.

Has anyone seen any packaging that they thought was innovative or that they really liked? And if you have any thoughts on the ShoeShuttles, let me know and I'll pass it along to Kassie.

Ensemble du Jour

As I've been stressing over what clothes to pack for my trip to NY next week, I've been trying on some items I've had packed away for various reasons. But if clothes have hung around for more than a year it's because I really really like them.

The Outfit
It's still surprisingly cool here so when I decided to wear this skirt, I was able to pair it with a lightweight cashmere sweater in a slightly different shade of grey. For jewelry I wore my jade bangle and a jade circle pendant that my parents brought me from Chine when I was a freshman in high school. Both jade pieces are more white jade than the typical dark green.



For shoes I pulled a tone from the tulip design of the skirt and wore these delicate melon suede Guiseppe Zanotti heels that were a major bargain from a few years ago.



I love the shape of the heel and the color, of course, but I think the tassles were what sold me. I think tassled shoes are so cute.



They're a great tonal mix of suede and regular leather.



The Focal Point
Now typically I'm not sure having a giant flower right at your hips is the greatest idea (and this angle would seem to attest to that) but since it's a pencil skirt it actually isn't too bad. Plus, I love the giant flower skirts that Mizrahi did for Target. I also have the white skirt with the giant pink peony.



I don't think this will come with me to NY but it's pretty cute. I'm glad it's back in the rotation. Now I just need to find more tops to pair with it.

Eeeewwww!!!

Why would anyone think that these "Money Sandals" are a cute idea? What are we in the 80s again?

All I can think about when I see these are the cut up AmEx earrings from "Earth Girls are Easy"

The fact that they used $11 bills is just weird and that they cost $725 takes them out of relm of irony and into the ridiculous.

Would you rock these or do you think they're worth less than the US dollar?

Ensemble du Jour

The Outfit
Another new top to wear today. I got this Mizrahi boatneck top on sale at Target. I like the color combo of the pink and orange. I wouldn't have paid full price for it but, marked down, it's not bad.

I paired it with my dressy denim pencil skirt and then to keep it clean I piled on some acrylic bangles and my vintage Trifari owl necklace.




The Focal Point
I know it may be a bit matchy-matchy but I have several pink heels and this gives me an excuse to wear them. These Charles David round-toe pumps are really cute in a Barbie-ish kind of way. The color is on the purple-y pink side but what also makes them different is the pony hair.



I have a ton of A-line skirts but I'm preferring to wear pencil skirts more and more. I just like the more streamlined silhouette better these days.

Ensemble du Jour

The Outfit
Since it's been pretty cool, even this far into May, I've been holding off on wearing many of my Summer clothes. I haven't even switched out my closets yet. I know that I will get sick of the heat and the clothes soon enough so I don't want to rush it unnecessarily.

Even so, I decided to I wanted to wear this outfit which is comprised of all new items and all from Target. The skirt is a cute khaki circle-ish skirt with big flower appliques. The edges are kind of raw so it has a modern almost graphic appeal. The shirt is a simple jersey top but the neckline is cute and not your standard scoop neck. I bought a wide brown belt and decided to pair it with this to provide a bit of contrast. I don't wear belts very often but I liked how this all went together even though it takes some getting used to for me.



The Focal Point
I might have worn white heels if I hadn't worn the belt but now it called for a darker shoe. I think these Franco Sarto heels have an almost gladiator look to them. I'm not a huge lover of that style but this doesn't take it too far and they add a tough edge, something also a bit new for me.



Now I'm kind of on the look out for more "tough" shoes. I have my eye on a pair, but we'll have to see if I end up getting them.

For Your Consideration

A while back I got this really cute sequin skirt from YOOX. It was a good bargain and you just never know when you are going to need a black sequin skirt, right?

Well, I haven't worn it just yet. My vision was to wear it with a white t-shirt and Chuck Taylors or something but that's for another day. Now I'm thinking of taking it with me to New York and can't decided on the right top to wear with it.



For some reason I'm totally spacing on what to pair it with. I was thinking the deep v-neck American Apparel t-shirt in black (which I don't own, but could get) but I'm not sure. I would typically go for a 3/4 or longer sleeved shirt. I have a whole bunch of black tops that would be okay but I wanted something a little better.



I want something fun and not too boring. Any inspired ideas out there?

Ensemble du Jour

The Outfit
This is pretty close to what I was wearing today although my skirt has more black in in than this one does. I hate when I can't find the exact thing I'm looking for. Regardless, I'm wearing a black and white Mossimo skirt, a black Ann Taylor knit top and some fun 80s-ish accessories.




The Focal Point
I like to wear black and white a lot but I wanted to make it a bit more fun so instead of a simpler piece of jewelry I opted for my Etsy acrylic and pearl cuff.



For shoes I wore my ShoeMissy embellished peep-toes. How fun are they? Survey says... Super Fun!



I don't look great in neons so this is a small way for me to work them in. Plus, they're just cute.

ShoeMissy is always creating new styles so check them out.

Walking On the Clouds

The trouble with Pre-Fall is that you start to see very early gorgeous pieces come out but you have decide... do you get something beautiful now or do you hold out to see if there is something even more amazing down the road? And if you wait, will the early pieces be sold out? Or will you just fall in love with everything and have too much to choose from?

Decisions, decisions.

Here's a perfect example, stunning turquoise snakeskin "Campari" Manolo mary janes.



I have these exact shoes in red and they are amazing. But the bright blue is one of my favorite colors.



If this is Pre-Fall, I have high hopes for the rest of the season.

Leather, Brocade and Temptation

As I get closer to my trip to New York, where I haven't been in ages (shame on me, I know), I realize that I don't have a lot of New York-worthy clothes. I mean, most of my stuff is fun and comfy and good for work but otherwise just eh.

So when Style Spy unfortunately brought the huge YOOX sale to my attention my ears perked up.

Now normally YOOX is crammed with stuff. So much so that it tends to overwhelm me a bit. But I was up not sleeping so I thought I would take a small peak. Nothing serious mind you.

Stupid, stupid me.

I think my wardrobe fears have gotten the best of me because I some how convinced myself I needed all of these things! They're gorgeous and I hope they fit but damn.

First up is this Claudia B. blazer with the cool closure and slightly peplum back. It looks like it could be worn alone as shown for a sexy night out look. We'll have to see if that's a viable option in reality. I'm more worried about showing too much tummy than cleavage.





I always like a good skirt and this Roberto Cavalli is made of an amazing moss green velvet with gold. It may be too much but it could look totally stunning with my velvet Claudio Merazzi heels.





As I was browsing in the skirts section I got totally sucker-punched by this gorgeous silk brocade skirt from Alexander McQueen. I will have to do some serious thinking about what shoes to pair with this... and what top.





What I had actually been looking for were dresses. As I've mentioned, I'm not a huge dress fan and am trying to work more into my wardrobe. I know what silhouettes work well on me and I'm hoping when I try this on it will be what I imagine. The length seems right and I like the v-neck. I may alter the sleeves to be 3/4. But what really drew me to it was the leather detail on the bodice area. It gives it a bit of unexpected toughness that I think is sexy.





Now we just have to try and patiently wait to see if they get here in time and if everything fits! And since it's the big sale, and I've been burned this way by YOOX before, we have to see if we actually get all of them too.

Ensemble du Jour

I did wear something today that I didn't need the camera for, so I can share that with you.

The Outfit
My favorite cropped jeans (I went and bought another pair!) and my grey and pink floral/butterfly print top, both from Target. I brought along my cropped grey Proenza Schouler cardigan from the Go line. But I actually haven't had to put it on here in the office.



For jewelry I'm just wearing my wedding rings, a square cut pink diamond ring and my silver Champagne necklace.



It's a little washed out looking here but I love the pattern in this fabric. The butterflies are so cute. I have an umbrella that almost perfectly matches this too.



The Focal Point
I love the combination of this fuchsia pink and medium grey. I think it goes so well together. Those paired with the dark indigo wash makes for a nice combo. And the super-sparkly Manolos pop against the dark wash too.



This is a nice warmer weather look without being too exposed at work - cropped pants, babydoll top and cute colors.

Poochie Has No Clothes

You may have noticed that this week has been a little light on the outfit of the day posting. The hubby has been out of town since last week fishing which means that I've had to try and keep up with taking care of all the pets, the house, getting ready for work, schlepping the dogs to the doggie day care, going to work and then some community meetings in the evenings.

It kind of sucks.

But he's having a nice visit with his Dad and cousin and uncle so that on the positive side. And I get to go to New York in a few weeks so, he'll have to pick up the slack then. I guess that makes us about even.

Not that anything I've been wearing this week is too awesome or anything. Since I've been carting the dogs to and from the day care place I really haven't worn anything too nice because my older pup likes to lay on my lap while we're driving. And even when they both stay in the passenger seat I still manage to get dog hair all over me. I had to put the lint roller in the car with me because I was so covered. Plus, as the week progresses they get kind of stinky. I can't wait until Friday night when I can wash them. Pe-ew!

I did pull out some more older shoes which were kind of cool but he has the camera too! So I am sans pictures. Once he gets back I'll have to take pics of the shoes I wore (if I can remember that far back!) and post them up.

After this week we'll be back to our regular programming with some added fun of trying to figure out what to pack for the City.

Kick Ass Shoes

I haven't even really had a chance to wear any of my Spring/Summer shoes yet (I was so chilly today I actually was wearing a tweedy jacket to work) when all of the new Fall shoes are now already hitting the market. Time is just flying by.

I'm not sure I would get these and they would be a very large departure outside of my typical comfort zone but I love these sandal/booties by Yves Saint Laurent (even Saks doesn't know what to call them).



I would wear them with jeans or a skirt and then into Fall with some grey tights. Thank goodness tights are still going to be around.

I'm not too sure about the metal embellishment but the heel is just sick! Gah! I love them.



It's too bad these are in pre-order. I'd love to try them on in person when I'm in New York. Just to see if I can actually walk in them.

4 Heels, 3 Ladies, 2 Cities and 1 Big Disappointment

Way back in February the fabulous Queen Marie did a post about these amazing Jil Sander architectural heels she saw in a magazine. Being a Spring/Summer 2008 shoe, they were not yet available, but I blithely gave my heart away to them.

I had been instantly smitten by the grey and pink color combination, the almost non-existent straps, and obviously, the amazing structural heel.



I'm not usually one for overly modern styles but I was just in love with them. When the styles started hitting the stores I immediately looked online. And while there were several in the line that were similar, the pink and grey color combo were nowhere to be found.



So I contacted the main inquiry line and found out that no one in the US had a 35.5 on the stock list. The only store anywhere that got the heel in a 35.5 was the Milan store. Well, distance is no object when you're in love, right?

Vanessa in the Milan store was very helpful and we finally got the payment information all arranged and my heels were winging their way to me.

Except when they finally arrived and I ripped open the box I was in for a disappointment. The heel was pink and grey. Although the pink was more like a grape-y burgundy and the grey was much darker. Not what I wanted at all. I got back in touch with the New York Jil Sander office and they offered to help me by letting me return the shoes to them and by tracking down another option. Sadly the pink and grey slingbacks that I so loved were not going to be made at all! I was so depressed!

But they did say they had an ankle strap version in either pink, pinkish-orange, or grey. The only 35.5s were only available in the Milan store again, so I said send me the pink or pink-ish orange and then patiently waited.



They're both very pretty, no?



A while later the DSL truck pulled up and delivered the long anticipated shoes. I ripped open the wrapping and there they were.... in bright FRICKING ORANGE!!!!



I did not sign up for orange. I would NOT consider them "pink-ish orange". I look horrible in this color orange. UGH!

Yes, they're still a gorgeous shoe but for the cost, I'm not going to keep a shoe that is less than what I wanted. So, sadly, they went back to New York and ultimately Milan. These shoes are better traveled than I am lately.

I will say that the ladies I worked with from Jil Sander were very nice and very helpful, so I don't blame them too much. They just need to not feature heels that they aren't going to make (I'm not talking runway heels, this was featured in a magazine as a item for Spring) and they need to get their descriptions in line. If you're interested in this shoe be advised, the toe strap is very very tight. Just don't tell me about it because I will be so jealous.