Le Sigh - Givenchy Wingtip Boots

I have a new obsession...

I am seriously in covet with these Givenchy over-the-knee lace-up wingtip boots from the Fall/Winter 2012 Menswear collection.

I know I don't need any more lace-up boots but damn are they stunning.   And brown.  So totally different and necessary.

The full look...

Maybe I'll just send a small inquiry out to the world and see what I get back.

Wish I was a boy

It's not often that I say this, but looking at these sweet Prada monkstrap oxfords in deep violet,  I wish I could wear them.  I love the straps, color and distressing.  

There are 3 designs in this special collection from Prada for Bergdorf Goodman's 111th anniversary. I can't fit into them and they're not really my husband's style. So sad for me, because these are sharp!

Ensemble du Jour: 12-10-10

I got all ambitious on Friday night and took a whole slew of pictures for posts.  I've been meaning to take outfit posts all week but have been leaving so late from work that it didn't work out.  But I had time on Friday so I thought I would try the auto-timer.  But the angles and lack of light made them all turn out crummy, so I asked the hubby to take a few shots.  Somehow I look like I'm 2 feet tall in a Willy Wonka room.  How did he even manage that?!?

But look - my hair's still dark!  And apparently I've lost all my lipstick and eyeshadow!  Whoo hoo!

But I did have sort of a cute outfit on.  Purple cardigan from New York and Company, lavender polka-dot cami from Target, woven, almost knitted skirt from Anthropologie (about 8 years ago), brown tights and Nine West TwoStepr pumps.

The details are what make this skirt, the overlapping panels, woven together multi-colored yarns/threads, the mint green velvet ribbon stitched through and the pom-poms.

I actually tried to style this similar to how the skirt was styled in the catalog.  I wish I'd saved it.  At the time they had these awesome wingtip heels in the shot and I couldn't find them in my size.  So I gave Nine West a shot and came away with two perfect pairs that had all the details I was looking for. 

These are great because they fit perfectly and are not too high for walking around all day.

They're so snazzy, I love them. They feel like precursors to all the brogues and oxfords I'm wearing now.

Le Sigh - Brian Atwood Patent Spectator Pumps

Here's a sexy take on the menswear spectator wingtip - Brian Atwoods gorgeous bi-color peep-toe pump with pinked and perforated backstay.

Simple. Elegant. Sex-ay!

Available at Neiman Marcus - $695... Le Sigh!

Snappy Dressing

Dear Gentlemen,

I beg of you. Please, please, please start wearing suits more often. Preferably 3 piece suits or suits with suspenders. French cuffs and cufflinks if you have them. And laced up shoes. Not slip ons.

Trust me on this. The extra effort it takes will repay you in spades!

(And if you haven't seen Inception, dammit, why not? It's smart, original and has an amazing wardrobe. Plus my boy Cillian!)

Some tidy hair would be good too.

Let's just end it with these two images

And if you add some witty banter like Bogey, you're golden.

Pleasent dreams!

Imitation = Flattery?

Okay, now I'm really ticked off!

My love for Miu Miu's shoes this Fall has been well documented (here, here, and here). Look at the inspired and elegant design and colors of the Miu Miu shoes. The colors are balanced and the material is of a quality that keeps a design that could be "busy" or too masculine looking classy and feminine.



Even the more exuberant color combinations and styles look quirky and fun.



And these shoes are like no other ones out there for Fall. There was a lot of menswear styles being put out, but these were unmistakable. And I fell for them hard.



Now Steve Madden, the notorious design thief (past offenses here and here), has finally crossed my line with "his" new Spec heels!

WTF?!?!?

They look cheap and plastic and, while some of his color combinations are okay, most of them are TACKY!







These are not all of the color combinations available, there are more on the site. But I think these last two are the worst! The actually offend me!





Can we say "clown shoes"?

Ugh!

Can somebody please sue this company already? I like nice styles that are affordable but I don't like blatant theft of intellectual property.

Get out your coats! Hell may be freezing over!

For a very very long time I have been a Payless-hater. I really looked down on their shoes as cheap (in the bad way, not the Target way) tacky, plastic and cardboard crap. To put it mildly. But I have to give them some credit. They are trying to update their image and product line and are taking cues from Target's capsule designer collections by pairing with the likes of Patricia Fields (stylist for Sex and the City, etc.), Abaeté, and Lela Rose.

And they aren't doing a bad job, either.

I really like the Abaeté line's Cabri Zip boots. And from some pictures I've seen, their Spring items, which will hit in February, look pretty cute.

But to keep my tailored menswear trend going - and to give me extra mileage for all of the cute cute socks I've bought, (I think I need some flat boots too, but that's a whole other story!), I was intrigued by they Lela Rose line at Payless. Now if you know me, you will know that this is like George Bush saying, "Hey, maybe that Al Gore does have a point about that global warming stuff." Shocking, unexpected and out-of-character. But, I try to be open-minded, ya know.

So anyhoo, Lela Rose. Capitol Hill Barbie brought these to my attention as I don't usually frequent the Payless stores or website. And I think they are pretty cute. Here are some of the runway shots -



One thing I did notice is that the runway versions are much more refined and look to be of a better quality than what they are selling to the masses. The red peep-toe for example is 1000% nicer than what I saw online. If the stores were selling that runway shoe with that heel, I would bolt right down there. But the heel on the actual product is much chunkier. So, a little deceptive advertising there, but what do you expect?

What I ended up buying were the three heels below. The black and brown versions of the Finsbury pump and the black Birchin t-strap.






I'm sure the material is very very faux, but at least I won't have to worry about them getting ruined or anything. And for $25 and $30 respectively, they are a good bargain. Shipping was free - or you can ship to any store for free and go pick them up. The good thing is that if you hate them, you can return them right there. The bad thing is that you have to go into an actual store.

; )

One thing I was surprised at is that not all the stores are getting them. Just as malls, some big box stores and department stores do, the "higher end" area Payless stores are getting the line while the rest of the schlubs are not. I can't believe Payless has the nerve to segregate product based on area household incomes. And where I live isn't a run-down area, but the store near me was not getting the line. It kind of ticked me off. How dare Payless look down on my area!

I can't believe I've been dissed by Payless. What is my world coming to?

What do these look like to you?

I like the menswear style, but what do these look like you?


Chie Mihara Zashi Kiltie Pump - $345

Do they look like Cthulhu or...



or Davy Jones?



Discuss!

Gatsby Dreams

I aspire to a dream life filled with cool spring days spent in the shade of an elaborate Victorian gazebo sipping lemonade and having afternoon tea.


watching the cricket match, or...


playing croquet, or...



relaxing in my tennis whites after a rousing match.

In my imagined world there are garden parties and Pimms cups in silver cups. I love the casual aristocratic look of the gentlemen in their whites from the 20's. In my mind its a blending of British and New England old school. Maybe that's why, when these Parrotfish (!) Oxfords went on sale at Anthropologie, I had to have them.

They're a creamy white leather with pink, yellow, white and grey striped silk with lovely leather soles. I wore them today with a white shirt and capris - a nod to the classic men's style of yesteryear.

Once we install the gazebo and croquet lawn in the front yard, I'll invite you over on a Saturday afternoon for a round.

Tailored for Fall 2007

Looking at the Fall runway shows, menswear is again going to be big going into Fall/Winter '07. I love wingtip and spectator styles and I think Miu Miu is going to have another hit with these shoes. The colors of the Naplak bootie will pick up the subtle tones in a pair of plaid pants.

I really like the way the leather fans up on the front of the heel version (these come in the same color combination as above).

Spazzolato, also by Miu Miu - The grey fans by the heel will be like little wings, perfect with a black wool pencil skirt.

Marc Jacobs Saddle Platform keeps the traditional details, but pairs them with aubergine leather, black suede and ultra-stacked heel for an edgier take on the style.

Juno tries to do a straight lift from the Miu Miu designs. I think maybe a little too close, but their colors are a bit more muted.

I'm also going to find some more affordable options at Target for working the menswear style into your Fall wardrobe.