2009 - The Year To Get S**T Done

Everyone is writing their resolutions. But I don't like to do resolutions... I've always written goals. In fact, I write down my goals each year. I then save them in the same place so I can pull forward the long term goals that carry over from year to year. And I believe in the power of intention... of writing things down and watching them happen. I've put what I want out there and time and again I've been surprised by what happens. It's amazing in such a positive way.

And this upcoming year seems as if it is going to be one heck of a year! I'm already so inspired by the level of positivity and energy that is out there for 2009. So inspired that my list of goals is HUGE! But in a good way. I'm trying something new for the year; I'm breaking my list down into sections. I usually do a big long list and then organize it by month so they are more concrete. A lot of this year's are all year long so I will need to put some more structure to them. Oh yeah, they range from huge to terribly mundane.

Here we go!

Home - House interior, exterior, improvements, furnishings



♥ Get our living room fireplace lined so we can snuggle in front of it

♥ Get our gravel drive redone

♥ Build a "secret garden" with a boxwood hedge and chairs under the wisteria

♥ Create a Victory Garden to help eat vegan and share produce with friends and neighbors

♥ Finally clear out or sell some of the stuff I've been hanging on to that doesn't have a place

Financial - Money in, out and the future

♥ Pay off what I owe

♥ Save more money

♥ See if I can incorporate more monitization elements to my sites without compromising the site from a holistic standpoint

Social - Travel, Connections, Friends, Social Media

♥ Meet up with folks from my old city that have moved to NC like me

♥ Have more tea parties

♥ Continue the Backyard Movie Nights (wanna come?)

♥ Plan a trip (???) to Austria/Germany for next Christmas

♥ Try and organize outings with my online friends when I travel

Family - Pets, People, Future

♥ Make sure the pets are getting all the health and dental they need, especially Bailey who is 15

♥ Train Napoleon to do more tricks... is walking on a leash far off?

♥ Catch up with my elderly cousin in Ireland

♥ Definitively answer some lingering open questions


Spirit - Emotional, Service, Donations, Volunteering



♥ Get my "A Gentle Paw" pet therapy group off the ground

♥ Develop a vegetarian/vegan group for my area - it's the South... veggie lovers need all the support we can get and people need a way to be exposed to the idea and learn together.

♥ Budget in money to donate to my favorite causes

♥ Budget in money to surprise and delight people

♥ Become more active in the causes I support


Physical - Health, Food, Exercise



♥ Meditate - it's really hard for me to work this in

♥ Do more yoga

♥ Walk and get back to running - maybe a half-marathon by 2010?

♥ Do a Juice Feast - Starting with 30 days but will keep going up to 92 days if possible

♥ Keeping vegan but focusing more on raw, whole foods fewer processed foods

♥ Try to create more boundaries between work and home

♥ Get more sleep

♥ Take fencing lessons again starting in the summer

♥ Learn archery


Personal Growth - Learning, Languages, Reading, Culture



♥ Learn French - our long, long term goal is to move to Paris so I'm laying the groundwork

♥ Read all the exising books I have

♥ Continue my British history reading plan

♥ Listen to all the book and history podcasts I downloaded from iTunes

♥ Journal more

♥ Take a course in beekeeping so we can have an apiary

♥ Watch more old classic movies that I've never gotten around to

♥ Take a class in cordwaining (???)


Creativity - Outlets, Projects, Expression



♥ Write more

♥ Attempt to do quilling

♥ Get the tattoo I have planned

♥ Plan my outfits in advance so I can incorporate more of the cool stuff I have that I get too rushed to remember

♥ Bake more and work more with my cake decorating skills

♥ Plan out the colors and elements I want for Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter

♥ Do more photography (get a macro lense if possible)


Professional - Work, Sites, Teaching, Writing



♥ Find an illustrator for the childrens' book I wrote and self-publish if needed

♥ Grow my Technorati ranking and audience

♥ Transfer my sites to a new platform

♥ Reach 1000 posts by my 2 year anniversary in July

♥ Go to BlogWorld

♥ Teach a class on Social Media

♥ Submit a post to IFB at least twice a month


I have more (if you can beleive it) but these are the main ones.

Have you made your plans? How do you organize them? If you haven't, get on it! Let's get some stuff done!


Photo Credits:
- My House by Me
- Ile St-Louis Stairs by Mohsan
- St. Anton am Arlberg, Tirol, Austria by Kruhme
- For Like Ever poster by Village
- Hand to Paw by Jim Dutcher
- One day's worth of produce by David and Katrina
- Eiffel explosion of stars by Ingiro
- Simple by Messaround
- The Magic is in the Telling by Yulia Brodskaya

Pardon Our Dust

Photo via Flickr by Ruth and Dave

I was testing out font sizes for the site and now it's gone a bit messy on the last post!

Sorry about that.

By the way, do you like the larger size font (here and most of the previous) or the original smaller one?

Thanks!

Poochie

Shoe Customization: Gold Oxfords

I hate when I can't find (or afford) a pair of shoes that I totally fall in love with. Sometimes they don't have my size or they run out. Not that I usually accept those reasons at first. Typically I will still attempt to hunt them down. I'm very patient and will search all over. But if I've already done my shoe hunt and I still can't find them, I'll still try to find a way to get what I want.

The latest pair that I fell in love (okay obsession!) with were these boyish gold oxfords that Kelly Wearstler was wearing on the Domino October 2008 cover. Ever since then, I've been searching and searching for them or for a pair like them. This is how obsessed I was. First I looked at the magazine's "resources" section. Not there... hmmm... Then I tried a simple online search. Nothing. I then contacted Domino editorial. I mean they were bound to know, right? Nope! They said they were Kelly shoes that she had brought with her and that they were custom made. This gave me hope. All I needed to know was where she got them made. Time and distance are no barrier these days, right? Sadly, the Domino staff didn't know where they came from (and apparently they had received a number of inquiries besides mine).

Okay, now I was determined to find out. This was getting ridiculous. So I called her offices. Yes, yes, I have a problem, I. Know. This.

If you can believe this I actually spoke to someone on her staff (alright, I'll admit it. I made up a pretense of wanting them for a photoshoot or something. I told you, I am obsessed with getting something I want). They told me that she had them custom made somewhere in Italy or they were vintage from Europe or something but they/she didn't remember where so there was no further info they could give me.

Yeah. Sure.



I finally gave that all up as a dead end. I figured I would just need to do a search online and see if I could find a good substitution.

But you would think I was searching for the Holy Grail or something. I mean there is a serious opportunity in the marketplace because I found nothing. Well, I actually did find a lot of gold jazz shoes but not a lot of this style of oxfords.

The closest pair I found were this pair from Toast. They were pretty good but first of all they started at size 37, which is way bigger than my 35, although I did actually consider them. But they are around $300 and not quite the right color. Still, as a back up, not a bad choice, right?




Then I was sifting through the YOOX sale and found these Apepazzas. The style is pretty good, albeit a bit too pointy. They describe the color as gold. I'm not sure if I believe them, though. And still $130 plus shipping. Not that that is a huge amount, but it is a lot for a third choice.



Then I remembered I had a pair of vintage deadstock oxfords that I had bought on eBay a while back when I was looking for a off-white bucks alternative. I wasn't too thrilled with them at the time and considered reselling them. This would be a good option for another shoe customization project!

The shoes cost me about $15 and I bought black and antique gold acrylic paints, varnish and a gold leaf pen from Michaels. Total - $15.



The shape is slightly more elongated and these have holes where Kelly's didn't but I couldn't be too picky at this point.

Pristine vintage!

I love the heels on these.

Supplies...

I started out by testing on an interior spot if I could paint the gold right on them or if I needed to do the basecoat of black. I determined that I did need the black to get the right depth of color I wanted. I used the paint pen on lace holes which are metal.

One shoe done with the base coat.

I ended up doing two coats of the black and then I did the gold as each shoe dried. I was worried that the paint would dry and make the leather too stiff but so far that doesn't seem to be an issue.

Both shoes done...

I then did a coat of satin finish varnish to protect them. I could do a few more coats but I'm impatient. I don't put my shoes through too much abuse so I think they'll be okay.

Once they were all dry I had to lace them up. I had a vision of using ribbon laces but I still need to find the perfect color. After going through my boxes of ribbon I picked a few to use for the time being. But I think I'm going to end up getting a pair of black regular type laces for them. More cord-like.

For now I put the mauve-y wire-edged ribbons in, which I think are cute with the gold.

Bows! I edged the ribbon ends with some Fray-chek to stop them from shredding.

What do you think? Of course, they'll look closer to the "inspiration" pair when I get the black laces, but not bad, huh?

I think they are super cute! Now I just need to plan an outfit around them. And the good thing is I can swap out the laces and touch them up if I get any scuffs.

Now I have what I want (sort of), am recycling by giving a vintage piece a new life and saving myself a good amount of money. I like the customization projects I've done so far. Maybe I need to plan on doing more in 2009.

Ensemble du Jour

I'm finally, finally feeling better to the point that I feel it was "safe" to leave the house for more than half an hour. I think I was getting cabin fever. I hadn't left the house since Monday! We decided to go grab some dinner, run to Michaels for supplies for a shoe project (hopefully it will turn out well, I'll be taking pics) and go to the movies.

The movie wasn't great (Four Christmases) but it was nice to be out and put on real clothes for a change. I didn't wear anything fancy but, compared to yoga pants and a 15 year old sweater it was quite a step up. I wore my Gap jeans, a grey wool Mossimo blazer, my Paraphernalia brooch and my black buckle Aerosole heels.



12-27-08 by Princess Poochie

The top was one of the JCrew tissue sequin tees I got on sale over the weekend. I should buy these in more colors because I really like the cut. The v of the neckline dips a bit low and it worked really well under the blazer.



I think these are still on sale on the JCrew site for $9.99. I think I'm going to have to go and get more of the colors. I really like it. Maybe even another of the black, since I know that will get the most wear. Plus, more sequins!

A Flat Bargain

While I was sifting through the online sales (it's getting crazy cheap out there) I did wander into the "new arrivals" section.

Even at full price, Old Navy still has some great bargains, as usual. I found these cute faux-suede flat boots. They grey is pretty and you can see the details.



But I think I like the black ones better. They're kind of a mix of English riding boot and Western cowboy boot styles and I think they would look great with tucked in jeans and an oversized sweater.They look very snuggly to me.




At only $39.95, you can still get a bunch of the sale items too!

Christmas Recap

We don't do a lot of presents for each other during Christmas. We've actually convinced the family to cut out the presents. We just feel that we have so much already and don't really need more.

A big part of our "gift" was spending time at our favorite Grove Park Inn in Asheville. My hubby's parents came down from Chicago to join us for the long weekend (even longer for them due to all the crummy service from NorthWest) and we enjoyed the town and dining and the hotel.



This is a perfect time of year to go because you can enjoy cold mountain air, the big fireplaces and see all the entries for the National Gingerbread House competition. And I got to have a pedicure and spend some time in their delicious spa.



I did end up getting some things while we were there. I bought some sale items at JCrew. We got a bunch of jams from Imladris Farms and some Christmas treats for the pets. It's a weird mix of things that I got - from light blue fishnets and black fleur-de-lys lace stockings to...


(does this picture look a bit pervy to you? WeLoveColors are you the next AA?)

... and a really cool polished septarian nodule like this one. So sex-ay tights and geological samples... that's a pretty good example of the range of things I like.



As for actual gifts, I bought the hubby some neat shirts from Threadless, a graphic novel based on Lovecraft stories and, for both of us, a chess set for the library. He also got some absinthe sugars, slippers and a movie in his stocking.

I got an iTunes gift card, some of my favorite chocolates and my big gift was a pair of these Bose over the ear headphones!





I was so happy to get them. I can't wait to wear them at work because they are uber-comfortable. Better than any others I tried on.

Of course, right now I'm just hoping to feel better so I can get up out of this bed and get some stuff done. This feeling crummy sucks.

I hope everyone had an amazing holiday filled with joy. Did you get a great gift or a big surprise? I'd love to hear about it.

Happy Holidays!


UPDATED: In my delirium, I forgot to add this. I was searching through some old photos trying to find a photo of this hideous clown statue that my aunt got from her mother-in-law years ago. It was made of poorly painted shells and weird bulgy pipe cleaners. Her MIL used to give her an amazingly hideous gift every year. So horrible that they had to be on purpose because you could never imagine that someone would actually give them as a gift with good intentions. But after seeing all of the Ugly S**t on Etsy via Twitter and the Craftastrophe site (my new favorite site, I think)... I'm not so sure.

Now if only I had that clown, I could be selling it for big bucks on eBay.

There's Still Time

I thought after all the stress and craziness we had this year, I would be done and safe coasting into 2009.

As always, I did tempt fate to my own detriment. We had a few snags during our trip last weekend but that actually wasn't so bad.

But then yesterday I was betrayed by my favorite soup!

We had a few of these in the house and I eat them all the time at work but I guess a got a bad one. For the last two days I've been sick in bed with food poisoning.

Another one to add to the Bummer Christmas* list. Right now I'm amusing myself by napping watching A Christmas Story and drinking Gatorade. I do plan on being more productive, so bear with me.

Did you all have a wonderful holiday???

*What is Bummer Christmas? It has long been a thing in my family that we have more "bitter Christmas memories" than good ones. Tales of bad vacations, where the name was coined, to childhood jealousies and, now, feeling deathly ill when it's not even for a good reason. Bah!

Near Misses

One of the shoes I really really wanted this past Fall were these Chanel spat ankle boots. I didn't do a lot of searching because I had already bought the two-toned mary janes and the tights. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't want them if I found them.



But then yesterday I thought I was in luck! Haute Macabre featured these adorable booties on Urban Outfitters.

Aren't these great? Wouldn't these be wonderful and a great option since I couldn't find the Chanel ones?

Yeah, too bad... They're sold out.



Now I'm bummed all over again. Maybe they will come back in stock. It would be a very merry Christmas indeed if they did!

Where in the World...

I'm traveling this weekend... Yeah!


So the posts may be sketchy but if you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, I'll be posting updates fairly often, including TwitPics.


And I'd love to hear back from you too!

IFB Links a la Mode

As we’re wrapping up the last days before the big holidays hit… there are plenty of great posts on how to make things a little easier, shopping, DIY, and there are tons of great interviews and fashion fixes too in this lot.

Links à la Mode : December 18th

39thandbroadway.com - What really happens to Project Runway alumni and why we are sick of hearing, “You should go on Project Runway”!

A Few Goody GumDrops - A Few Goody Gumdrops gets Bright for the Holidays with her new Orange Louis Vuitton Tote!

All Chic - Christmas Jewels

AlysiaMarie - This Month’s Celebrity Hair Trend; Ponytails!

Being High Maintenance, not Bitchy - How to wear scarves without looking like an emo kid

Caged Lilies - Pretty and CHEAP gifts for friends. everything under.

Capitola Girl Jewelry Blog - Chasing the winter blues away by shopping handmade…

Clutch 22 - Stylish gift giving on a budget - there’s still time to do your holiday shopping!

Couture Allure Vintage Fashion - Couture Allure shows how to dress up your shoes for a touch of evening glamour.

Debutante Clothing - A Tribute to Bettie Page: 5 Reasons We Loved Bettie Page

Decline Designs - Petticoat tutorial - so your vintage skirts can have the look they deserve!

Dirty Laundry - How-To: Boyfriend Jeans

dramatis personae - Alternative Uses For Fur

Dress Me Up Dollie - A little DIY chases the winter doldrums away.

Fashion Birdcage - Of Cabbages & Kings Spring/Summer 09 Collection

fashion fille - Fashion Fille spreads the cheer around through boosting fashionistas to enter the weardrobe contest.

fashion in my eyes - Beauty&The Beast with Drew Barrymore

Fashion Pulse Daily - Fashion Pulse Daily gives tips on how to get the biker chic look without having to jump on a Harley.

Fashion Therapist - Where to find the perfect ugly sweaters for all your holiday themed parties:

Fasshonaburu - A shopping gift guide for the self-proclaimed “hipster” on your list this holiday season!

Going to Hell in a Handbag - Consumed by Coats

greystrawberrys - whats in your make up box?

Hot Beauty Health - The Smurfs enters beauty world with a Smurfette Collection

In Life and In Fashion - Easy Holiday Dressing Tips

Independent Fashion Bloggers - We Really Like Your Style

Iole in fashion - Red (dress) fashion tree

Iwanttowearit - Manicurist Yuna Park puts fashion in the fingers of the hottest models for the freshest magazines.

Logical Harmony - How To Find Deals at Thrift Stores : Beyond The Basics

Mademoiselle Robot - Interview with fashion photographer and club promoter Pavla Kopecna.

Nico Assatly - Hot Holiday/Silver bells! cute look for the holidays !

noiretro // style deficit disorder - Limi Yamamoto Spring 2009 collection & DIY Martin Margiela Sandal Booties

Or False Glitter - Going grunge with Sonic Youth

PONY RYDER - exclusive interview with TOPMODEL Iris Strubegger!

Retro Chick - Comfy Christmas Glamour

Shopping and Info - Shopping and Info loves what Jennifer Aniston wore to the Marley & Me Premiere.

Style Amor - Alice In Wonderland Fashion + Movie Frenzy for 2010, Johnny Depp and Mad Hatter Fashion. Yes be ready

Style Discovery - Confession of a jewellery addict and brining an order and clarity to a pile of necklaces.

Style Symmetry - Eyeliah finds inspiration in the Wardrobe Remix Pool!

Summershoes - 11 steps to a perfect homemade manicure

Sweety P Style Files - The Wardrobe Recession Diaries: Stalkin Clerks in the Mall and a Houndstooth Dress

The Bare Skinny - The Bare Skinny gives you the scoop on the unmentionables: Undergarments

THE COVETED - Last-Minute Gifts that Pamper and Relax

Ensemble du Jour

I know it has been a while since I've done an outfit post. Between my traveling and then the hubby traveling and then having the last few weeks of rain and work hell, I've either not had anything interesting on or I just haven't had time to capture what I wore.

This week was short and I had meetings on top of meetings, including several with new and potential clients, so I did make more of an effort.

One outfit that I wore was this:


12-15-08 by Princess Poochie

The outfit was a black camisole, pencil skirt and ribbed tights with vintage black 1960s pumps. Over that I wore my boucle/shiny houndstooth blazer from JCrew and a very special necklace.

Yes, I was very excited to recieve my Paraphernalia Menagerie Cpt Poulet Cultural Attache necklace. I had to wear it right away! I love so much of the Paraphernalia pieces but I especially love the chicken related pieces.



Isn't he handsome? He looks just like my Napoleon. I loves him! Oh, and if you love Paraphernalia too, there is usually a code in the ad over there to the right that you can use to get some of her great pieces at a discount. If you don't see one, just drop me a comment or an email!

A Perfect Pairing

This may not be news to everyone because it hit a day or two ago, but I'm still catching up!

It seems, to celebrate Barbie's 50th birthday, Mnsr. Louboutin will be creating a pair of special pumps in the Barbie Pantone 219 Pink.

Barbie in one of her many fashionable guises - © Rex Features via Vogue.com I actually have this orginal bathing suit, along with a number of other outfits, handed down from my mom

"Barbie needs to wear great shoes because every girl needs to wear great shoes," Louboutin tells WWD. "I guess I always had a little 'girlie side' who liked Barbie."

Mattel is also planning on hosting a special runway show during New York Fashion week featuring 50 other designers creating Barbie-ispired looks. According to Vogue.com -

Fifty designers will produce life-sized outfits inspired by the doll, setting off a string of celebrations. In 2009 a new range of beauty products - boasting such names as All Doll'd Up - is planned, while collaborations with the likes of Vera Wang (a life-size wedding gown which includes a Barbie wearing its own mini version too) and Jeremy Scott (a capsule collection inspired by her), as well as the opening of an House of Barbie in Shanghai, are among other fun and games.

But the power of Barbie doesn't stop there - Mattel will embark on a three-year partnership with the Council of Fashion Designers of America from next February (the first toy company to do so) as well as sponsor New York's IMG organised Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.

If you've seen some of the Designer Barbie collector dolls, I'm sure the fashions will be fabulous... and not all pink. I just wonder how many will look back to some of the original outfits, which were amazing, and which will come up with more modern designs. Personal I love the old outfits, of which I have many from my mom and aunts - they had the original blonde Barbie and the Barbie with the black hair in the bubble-cut. They were amazing.

They had great accessories too, including quilted metallic gold clutches and white and cork wedge shoes. Not the plastic junk you see now. So, there are a lot of directions Louboutin could go with his Barbie shoes. He could do a frothy sandal, like the ones from the Resort line (which I love!)

Of course these bright bright pink wedge sandals would be perfect for Barbie's California girl lifestyle.



But I like the more modern glam Barbie. Wouldn't these Clichys be perfect? I have these and they are HIGH! So they would work with Barbie's tippy-toes.




But, of course, what could be more iconic or classic than the Louboutin Simple Pumps in super girly pink? I mean, I know I had Barbie in mind when I bought them!

Barbie pink shiny heels and Louboutin red soles. Yummy!

I hope they sell them too!

More Reading:

- Vogue.com - here and here

- WWD - here

- StyleHog - here

- Barbie - EverythingGirl.com

- Barbie for Grown-ups
- Barbie Collectors

Subliminal influences

I'm still watching all my favorite old movies when they come on, trying to get back into good spirits. Tonight I was watching Mary Poppins and realized I recognized something familiar.

This is my jacket and my Lou Lou Loves You bow. I thought it was a bright and cheerful combo, right?



Then I realized I must have looked like Burt from the painting scene!



Not that I don't like this. I was just hoping I usually look more like Mary (practically perfect, right?) than Burt dancing like a penguin.

Nice.

Of course, it goes without saying I want that pink pony from the merry-go-round.

Also, I can't believe Dick Van Dyke. This man is 82 (+?) but he still can kick some ass. Did you see him in Night at the Museum? He does not age!



And since we're still on the subject of musicals... here's a clip just for fun. The most romantic scene EVAH!



Yum!

Pet Me Poppa

When I'm upset I tend to self-medicate with old movies, especially musicals.

After crying over lost files for a while I'm watching Guys and Dolls.

I especially like this act - Pet me Poppa.

You have to watch a better version of this, if you've never seen it. I love love love the outfits. Can I go around all day like this... and I want those pom-pom shoes and glittery stockings.

This Kind of Sums It Up

When the month started out with me having to dive head first into our giant trash can, I should have know the universe was not setting me up for a magical holiday season.

So far this month -

- I've been car sick for 48 hours straight
- Stuck with the dogs while the hubby was gone for 4 days during a ton of crummy weather
- Work horrors too many and varied to list

I'd say this weekend capped it off but with the month just being half over I'd think I was tempting fate by speaking too soon because -

- The kitten's mysterious flesh eating disease may be coming back.
- I have more work horrors ahead of me this week
- I have to go to court for a ticket on Friday. The hope is that I'll only have to pay more money than I've already paid.
- I left my computer at work to be updated and cleaned up on Saturday. Not only was it cleaned up, it was cleaned out! All the files I had on my laptop for work are now gone. In theory they are backed up to a drive but now that drive is inaccessible. Which means the proposal I was working on for a presentation on Wednesday morning is gone. GONE!

- And to cap it off, it is my month to be responsible for bringing lunch to our entire office which took almost all day for me and the hubby to make. On the way home from dropping off 4 pans of enchiladas and 2 things of cupcakes at my office for tomorrow, the fan belt in the car broke. So me, the hubby and one of the dogs were all stuck on the highway in the dark in the rain.

Suffice it to say, I have no good outfit pictures and I now demand that this month better improve and 2009 must be awesome to make up for it.

Calling all Magpies

It is becoming more and more apparent that I'm obsessed with sequined thing. I just can't get enough!

I mean, I have the 3 sequined Manolos, the lovely black Oh Deer! Jamocha's and as I look through the closet, all this!

I got this skirt from YOOX last year in the after Christmas sales. It is probably the cause of all this madness.



Then a cute little dress on the cheap from Old Navy. I wear this with tough strappy sandals, a boyfriend cardigan and a belt.





I love JCrew's embellished tees... even if they are over-priced. I don't like crewnecks but I like wearing this under blazers.



I had to swipe Gala's same sequin hoodie. It was just too cute and too reasonable not to. For $20-something bucks from Forever 21, this is really well made.







I also got this cardigan from there...




... and this v-neck. Why, yes, I do like black sequins.

I was VERY excited to get my silver sequin Chuck. I mean, how adorable are these?!? Love them!

And last night I went to Target (evil place!) and saw this tee shirt in black with black sequins. Feather detail done in sequins? Yes, please! And only $10.

I am actually wearing it right this second! It is a crew neck, but I'm wearing it, predictably, under a (grey wool) jacket. I love it!!!

Do you ever find yourself organizing your closet and realize you have become obessed with something?

I think I need to step away from the sequins.

Not Fair

I was going to say: If life were fair, I would have these, but that sounds awfully selfish.

Instead, I'll say: I want these. Give them to me NOW!

This is why I love Resort shoes. Yes, that is the most delicate lilace suede.

Le Sigh!



And these, like a cascade of frangipani blossoms dancing around your feet. They have them in black too, but how could you resist the pink?




Mnsr. Louboutin, I applaud you.

Both at Bergdorf Goodman.

Lavender Suede Platform Slingbacks here

Petal Sandals here

Today's Glamour Level

Not so high...

But they do have sequins!



I've been wanting these for ages... look I'm sparkly!



Happy Tuesday!!!!

Tips from the Luxury Business Newsletter

For my work, I read a lot of information speaking to retailers, especially those targeting the Luxury market. But in this time of economic troubles, even the luxury research group can help provide some tips for "cash-strapped shoppers"

Expert Pam Danziger offers shopping tips for consumers this holiday season. Her credentials as a shopping authority include her latest book, entitled Shopping: Why We Love It and Retailers Can Create the Ultimate Customer Experience from Kaplan Publishing.

My business is advising retailers and marketers how to get shoppers to spend more money when they shop, but this year with shoppers feeling the economic squeeze, it is only right that I turn the research around to help the cash-strapped shopper," Danziger explains.

Danziger offers five tips that will make shoppers more effective this holiday season.

1) Don't buy it just because it is on sale: Finding things on sale is great and bargains give the shopper a thrill, but one of the best ways that shoppers can save money is not to get trapped into buying things they don't really need or want just because it is on sale. You can easily spend too much money if you focus on what you are saving, rather than what you are spending in order to save.

My rule of thumb about approaching items on sale is it is only worth buying IF it is something that you would pay full price for. My advice: Be watchful and careful when responding to sales. Keep your wits about you and only buy if it is really something that you would want at full price. If you wouldn't pay full price for it, than it probably isn't worth buying it on sale.

2) Don't be afraid to spend for quality: This is another trap for shoppers, especially those prone to shop only for sale items. It is often better to spend more, sometimes a lot more, for quality that will give you a lifetime of wear or use than to buy lots and lots of cheaper stuff. You definitely should spend more for an item that is a classic, that will always be in style and appropriate for all occasions. Sometimes you want to go for the cheap, but other times the smart shopper splurges for the best.

I have met shoppers in research who say they only buy something if it is on sale. That is simply a losing proposition because often times what is on sale is the stuff nobody wants anyway. Shoppers should never be afraid to pay full price or spend more if the quality and value is there. And this brings me to my next piece of advice…

3) Educate yourself about what quality is: Shoppers often limit their shopping trips to just the stores they usually shop in and never cross the threshold of a luxury boutique or department store because they feel priced out. Forget it! The only way to learn about quality is to experience it and that means taking time in upscale stores like Saks 5th Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman or Nordstrom to see, feel, touch and try on the better brands.

To be a smart shopper, you have got to educate yourself about what quality is. Then you can take what you learn and apply it to shopping in the mass-market stores, as well as in the manufacturer's outlets and discount shops.

4) Mass-market has never been better: This is the really big opportunity for shoppers today. The retail environment has never been better for shoppers with excellent quality products available at all price points. You can find outstanding quality goods that can rival the luxury brands in stores like H&M, Target, Gap, Banana Republic, J Crew, Ann Taylor, Macy's, the list goes on and on, if the shopper knows what to look for. Armed with education and understanding about the quality features of the top-notch brands, you can shop much smarter and more effectively in any store. You don't have to buy the well-known brand name anymore to get quality, but you do need to be smart when you shop.

5) Think strategically before you go to the store: One of the most profound changes my research has found among shoppers, especially younger shoppers, is how strategically and business-like they approach shopping. They plan in advance by researching over the Internet the products and brands they want and the stores that are their destination before they head out to shop. Impulse shopping takes a back seat, while shoppers become more careful, more strategic and let their left-brain lead when shopping.

The simple fact is retailers play to emotion and pepper their store with powerful emotionally-laden cues and clues that encourage the shopper to indulge, buy and spend. The best strategy for shoppers to block these efforts is to keep their left brain in control and use discipline when entering the retail environment.

Danziger concludes, "Armed with these strategies, shoppers this season can take advantage of the wonderful shopping opportunities available in this recessionary environment without digging themselves deeper and deeper into debt buying more stuff that ultimately may not be worth it. Today's shopper needs to keep focused on value – getting the most value for the least amount of money. Often times that may mean turning away from poor-quality stuff marked down to fire sale prices and trading up to a more premium, higher quality brand that will offer years of use and enjoyment."

About Pam Danziger and Unity Marketing -

Pamela N. Danziger is an internationally recognized expert specializing in consumer insights, especially for marketers and retailers that sell luxury goods and experiences to the masses as well as the 'classes.' She is president of Unity Marketing, a marketing consulting firm she founded in 1992.

Advising such clients as PPR, Diageo, Waterford-Wedgwood, Google, Lenox, Swarovski, GM, Orient-Express Hotels, Italian Trade Commission, Marie Claire magazine, The World Gold Council, and The Conference Board, Pam taps consumer psychology to help clients navigate the changing consumer marketplace.

Her latest book is Shopping: Why We Love It and How Retailers Can Create the Ultimate Customer Experience (Kaplan, $27) is in the bookstores now.

Her other books include Let Them Eat Cake: Marketing Luxury to the Masses-as well as the Classes, (Dearborn Trade Publishing, $27, hardcover) and Why People Buy Things They Don't Need: Understanding and Predicting Consumer Behavior (Chicago: Dearborn Trade Publishing, 2004).

She has appeared on CNN's In the Money, NBC's Today Show, CNBC, CNN International, CNNfn, CBS News Sunday Morning, Fox News' Your World with Neil Cavuto, ABC News Now, NPR's Marketplace and is frequently called upon by the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, American Demographics, Women's Wear Daily, Forbes, USA Today, Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune for commentary and insight.

Pantone Color of the Year 2009: Mimosa

It's always exciting to see what Pantone announces as the new colors for the year. These are the colors you are going to be seeing in fashion and in your home accessory options. Typically fashion leads the way and trends are then translated into decor but you are beginning to see this lag shrink significantly.

As the "global authority on color" we use Pantone products every day in my agency.

When selecting the color for the year, Pantone looks to world trends but they also choose colors to influence the world too. And with this upcoming year's choice, they are certainly doing that. They did not go with a color reflecting a cautious fearful mood, but a strong hopeful one.

The deep, warm, bright yellow, the color of fresh juice...



And the color, perhaps, of hope? The color of change? I think so!



Pantone is not only for art directors or interior designers, although many of their tools are aimed for these uses. They do have a great little Shopping Color guide which is only $20. I bought this deck and it is fun to use to plan out new outfit color combinations and inspirations. They have some books that you should check out too.



If you really want the in-depth coverage and to be ahead of the game, you can download the Fashion Color Report for Spring 2009. This pdf contains the inspiration, prominent colors, signature colors and color philosophy of many of fashion's top designers. It's a great cheat sheet to help guide your choices going into next year.


I'm just going to be reading it because I have a great love of color. I sometimes wish I could narrow down my wardrobe to a more streamlined palette but then I get seduced by a teal or a pink and the black/grey/green parameter goes out the window!

Do you have a favorite color for Spring?

More to learn:
- New York Magazine coverage
- Vogue.com coverage
- Color Matters
- Color Voodoo
- Search Flickr by Color

Dress: Ossie Clark via Vogue.com
Photo credit -Barak and Michelle Obama - EPA via Telegraph UK

Designer Focus - Max Kibardin

It can be awfully hard to keep up with all of the great fashion talent from all over the world. Luckily the Internet makes it easier to create connections and bring focus to work that we may never see.

Max Kibardin has had a few years' worth of collections and has gained some great recognition but is just now getting more prominence outside of Europe. It seems that currently Saks has some level of exclusivity for selling pieces from his collection, although they are not comprehensive... but I'm sure that you could order more directly or track down a stocklist.

In looking at his site, I am loving a bunch of the pieces from his Autumn/Winter 2008 looks. The designs are retro but the metallic materials make them very modern.

One of my favorites is this two-tone mary jane -



But then you get this floral, asian pump. Wildly different. I get a 1920's Hong Kong feel from this.

This snakeskin pump has some great cutout elements.

The heels on these are so great. I love that they are skinny from the back which gives them a delicacy you don't expect.

These may possibly be a contender for the metallic oxfords I want. They don't look too "jazz shoes-ish".

But these are my favorites. I love the shape, the woven detail and especially the dusky teal color.

Not only is Max talented, but he's cute too. You have to check out Miss Imelda's coverage of his previous collections and see more images of his work as well as great information on his influences.

Perfect Pairings

I am very excited to see Baz Luhrmann's Australia. I was totally enamored with Moulin Rouge... more so than I ever expected to be. Much of that was due to the music but the fashion was, of course, amazing.

An Australia looks to be just as gorgeous.

What has really excited me was when I read that Salvatore Ferragamo was creating all of the shoes for the movie.

What is interesting, is that Ferragamo is not interpreting the styles of the era (as Manolo Blahnik did beautifully for Marie Antoinette) or using actual vintage shoes (pulled from the La Rose dead stock for Down With Love) but rather brought out styles from their actual archives to add a unique authenticity to the costume design:

"We are extremely proud and honored to work with the visionary filmmakers, director Baz Luhrmann and designer Catherine Martin. We were very confident that, through their passion and creativity, they would realize an unprecedented vision." states James Ferragamo. "My grandfather, Salvatore Ferragamo, began his career working in costume design for the American Film Company, a precursor to Twentieth Century Fox, so it is only fitting that we carry on his name and our company's heritage by collaborating once again on a film from Fox."

Ferragamo continues, "In fact, in The Covered Wagon (1923) one of the first films that my grandfather worked on, he created a pair of riding boots. These archival boots were referenced when creating the riding boots for Nicole Kidman's character."

In conjunction with costume designer Catherine Martin, the Ferragamo design studio referenced many shoes from the archives, including some worn by aristocrats during the '30s and '40s, characters similar to Lady Sarah Ashley. The color palette and design details, while created to help realize the filmmakers' fantastical vision, were also authentic to the designer and the period. The deep Ferragamo red that features in the evening sandal worn by Kidman's character during the pivotal Governor's Ball scene was already something of a House signature in the '40s. And the ribbed wedge detail featured in the shoe worn by Lady Sarah Ashley at her homestead on Faraway Downs derives from a style created originally for Katherine Hepburn.

All the shoes were made by hand, including this lovely evening sandal, in ruched deep red velvet with stingray accents. The sandal will be sold as a limited edition at Ferragamo stores worldwide. The shoes come in distinctive and collectible packaging and are accompanied by a certificate of authenticity that tells the history and unique features of the shoes.




While I love Victorian and Georgian style of dress, I am completely in love with the Post-Edwardian styles they have used to portray Lady Ashley. The structured, tailored looks with amazing detail work have a very strong appeal for me. I think I would dress this way all the time if I could.



This is in large part due to the equestrian elements that much of these styles are derived from. I rode dressage and did jumping for years and love the look. I actually feel more comfortable in a buttoned-up look like this than I do in something like jeans and tee's.



This movie is going to be EVERYWHERE over the next few months, but if you are eager to begin your immersion, here is even more to get you started:

Interview & Images in July 2008 Vogue

Gallery of images from Australia

I'm very excited to see what shoes they do end up selling and how they are received. Will this movie kick-off a trend for extreme tailoring as Moulin Rouge re-ignited a love of corsetry and decadence?

And just for some added fun, if you love horses, Australia or amazing filmwork, I hope you have seen The Man From Snowy River. This is one of the most amazingly filmed location movies ever and this scene in particular always gets me choked up and fills me with awe:

Near Death Experience

The title pretty much sums up how I feel right now. But as soon as I can get up off the bathroom floor, I'll be on here writing away!

Excuse me....

24 Hours in Savannah

I feel like I've been totally inaccessible for ages and totally slack in the posting department. I had to go on a trip (well, at this writing, I'm in the middle of it, typing from my hotel room at at 12:45 a.m.) with my clients on a super-secret, hush-hush mission to Savannah.

Sadly we were driving which means I was totally wiped out due to car sickness, which I get terribly (along with on planes and boats, etc. Blech!) so I'm terribly behind in writing and reading all the many Tweets flying around today.

In spite of it being little more than a 24 hour trip there and back with little more than half the time in the car and the other half in meetings, I stocked up on provisions. I actually brought more food and drinks than clothes and shoes, if you can believe that. But as I was going to the land of BBQ, meat and butter, I figured pickings might be slim for vegan me. I went to Whole Foods the night before and stocked up on Lara bars, apples, chocolate, crackers, macadamia nuts, and some bottles of flavored green tea.



I'm glad I did because we got on the road really early and the team started the trip by grabbing breakfast at Chick-fil-a.

I munched on a clementine and a Lara bar.

Then for lunch we pulled off the highway into a McDonald's. I really never eat fast food and think McDonald's is the worst but I thought at least I could get a salad, right?

Wrong!

Highway McDs are limited in their options, so I got a small fries, apple juice box and the apple-walnut salad, which was crap!

But I did get a sweet My Little Pony from some one's Happy Meal! It is the purple Pegasus one in the back with the long pink hair.



We were a little early for our meeting, so after dropping our bags off at the hotel, we poked around a few stores including the lovely The Paris Market. I wish I had more to spend because I saw a ton of things I was immediately in love with. Luckily my parents live close by so I can come back when I visit them next time.



I did get one thing, though. This big "P" encrusted with pearls. P for Pink! P for Poochie! Now I need to find a new home for it.



After our meetings, we ended up going to the Lady & Sons restaurant for dinner. It was sort of for research so no choice there. All I can say folks is take your Lipitor. There are no "lite" or real veg-friendly options here, unless you search and modify a bit. I ended up having a fried green tomato and the server helped me out by modifying a salad to be vegan. I added a baked potato topped with their roasted red pepper sauce, so in the end I was more than okay.

It is interesting the Paula Deen story and how in love folks are with her. When we got there a huge tour bus of over 50 folks were just leaving!

After that we went to the Mansion on Forsyth Park which is an AMAZING hotel. I think I need to make a special trip just to stay here. The decor and art just blew me away with its decadence and over the top glamour.

We hung out in the Casmir Lounge and had a few drinks. I had just a single Kir Royale but the rest of my team got a bit... shall we say... "tipsy." And I'm being kind. I had to drive us all home. The lushes! ; )

After a long day it was good to get back, read through 40 pages of Tweets (!!!) and take a hot hot shower. The Marriott we're staying at is in the historic district and they had great in-room toiletries by Davies Gate, which I'd never heard of.

I used the Quinoa shampoo and Amaranth conditioner. I really liked them. I'm going to have to check them out when I get home.

So, now I'm beat. I have a bunch more I could write, but I'm putting my phones on the charger and I've got my outfit all laid out for tomorrow (argyle sweater from Target, khaki pencil skirt, Chanel mary janes, ShoeMissy rosette and JCrew acorn bracelet).

It's going to be an early morning and another long day tomorrow, so I better get to sleep. Maybe I'll have time to do more if I get up on time!

Ensemble du Jour

Sorry this was taking forever! Work has been sooo crazy. I know this month is going to be a mess when I had to dive head first into my trash can yesterday.

What a great way to start the month!

Anyhow... yesterday I wore a grey outfit to match the grey day outside.



12-1-08 by Princess Poochie

The top is from Anthropologie. I loved the contrasting collar and cuffs with the pearly grey buttons.

It has a bit of a school uniform vibe and I enhanced that with a button front little plaid skirt, white tights and my black patent mary janes.

What is it about white tights and black mary janes that instantly transports me back to being a Catholic school girl?

As much as I hated the uniform then, I find I keep dressing in plaid pleated skirts!