Flashy New Year

I'm not going to be subtle in the new year if my recent aquisitions are any indication.

It's all metallic and shiny and iridescent and FUN!

I saw this metallic cable knit sweater at Gap when walking in downtown Chicago and promptly ordered it and the stripe-y skirt it was paired with.

I was also smitten with over-the-top gold sweaters and this cable-knit version from Michael Kors is perfectly excessive.

I've been eyeing up this faux leather cutout dress from Betsey Johnson and when prices dropped, I nabbed it!

A while ago I saw a gorgeous shot on Pinterest of a woman wearing a gold foil skirt paired with a white button down shirt.  I knew I needed to get one.  This one from Zara's is perfect.

Plus this dark green coated denim skirt was calling to me too.  Also Zara.

Spring will be here soon.  The Sugarberry dress from Anthropologie is perfect for day or night.  I love the unusual color especially since it is covered in pailettes.  Plus 50% off and then another 25%, made it actually pretty reasonable for such a fancy dress.

But the best are the shoes I've been stalking went on sale!  Sophia Webster's iridescent peep-toe crown heels - aka Gigi - are finally mine!!!

So yeah.  Nothing subtle here!

Maybe I need a metallic silver sweater too.... hmmm....

Investing in Gold

Pinterest is getting to be deadly.  I keep seeing images like these and deciding that I must go out and grab these items myself.  I need gold for Fall.

I've been off gold for a while but this season, it just seems right.  As real gold shoots up, I find myself wanting to add it back in.  But not real gold... I want burnished vintage warm old gold.

I want to wear gold with red, with black, with navy and brown and especially leopard print and tortoiseshell.

So my first and best bargain was this leopard print clutch from ASOS.  With a coupon code, I nabbed it for about $25 (it's only $35 now) and have received tons of compliments on it.  I've been searching for a clutch that grabbed my attention, was the right size and price and this is it.  I've been wearing it to work the past few days and it's funny how a clutch makes you feel instantly more put together.

This even has great metal accents and, on the upside, I don't have to worry about it getting ruined!

I have to admit, I've been wanting this watch for over 4 years.  I finally found a good price on Amazon ($50 off!) and caved.  I love a chunky watch and Michael Kors created the perfect one.  It's acrylic tortoiseshell and just dreamy.

But then Pinterest and my sucker-ness for sequins got me again...

Zara got me with this sequin "wallet" clutch. (They also got me to get this polka-dot jacket but sadly it didn't fit right and had to go back.  Sad face.)

So yes, me and chunk watch-clutch-magic-time is going to be happening all winter long.

To add to my clutch-bracelet soiree, I found some great pieces at my favorite antiques fair.

Not the hex nut bracelet, of course.  I made that during my big craft weekend.  It's amazing how photogenic these are.

Nope, my two vintage pieces were these great mesh bracelets.  They are so comfy to wear.

The teal accent is going to go perfectly with my new mary janes.

Little mesh bracelet... just as sweet.

And my favorite finds were these Volupte cigarette case and compact with a gorgeous Persian enameled motif.

The case is tiny but I'm going to use it as a clutch. Just pop my cards and id and that's it for a night out.  No keys carrying that night. Or I can pop it into one my my new clutches instead of my overstuffed wallet.

I usually default to silver, but this season, it's all about gold.

Ensemble du Jour - 7-13-10

A few folks asked for an outfit shot when I mentioned what I was wearing with the YSL Tribute heels (yesterday's Shoe of the Day), so here you go!

I was going to try and get an actual shot of me in the outfit but we had a monsoon here so I was stuck at work until late. But we needed the rain so I can't complain too much.

The cardigan is from Target, the skirt is Michael Kors and the necklace is the Wendy Brandes Little Woolf necklace.

The shoes, of course, are the YSL Tributes...

The petal peep-toe.

I love the lamplight here.

And the contrast heels, which are a soft off-white.

I'd love to get a pair of the really high YSL Tribtoos but I don't think they are still making the ones with the yellow soles. Hmmm...

Patterns and Scale - Dior Spring Couture 2008

I wish that I had more time to immerse myself in all of the runway shows, especially Couture, because they level of fantasy and excess are best displayed there. And while I hope that more of that attention to detail will translate over to real life, I know that much of it can only live well when it is just "a dream".

In Galliano's Spring 2008 show for Dior, I was just swept away but what he presented. I loved the use of over-scaled patterns and silhouettes. You could see the very open and fresh-faced 60's mod influences, especially in the jewelry but you also see the intrigue and glamour (influenced by a favorite of mine - the Madame X Sargent painting) in the make-up (made especially sultry in the non-organic embellishments), and the nods to Klimt in much of the pieces' embellishments.



It was interesting that the tempered the excess of the clothes with a simple wardrobe of shoes. Yes, they, in and of themselves, are excessive but in using the same style (only varied in color and material) he kept the focus firmly on the clothes and helped to ground the variety of shapes, patterns and textures.



As the Manolo has said before, we are passing the zenith of this style of shoe. Especially when, you see a high-concept shoe on a couture runway concurrent with equally outlandish styles available for anyone to buy. Not just high-end, although they are there, but modified to a mass-market level.

Here are some examples all available now:

Guiseppe Zanotti at Piperlime - $750



Kors Michael Kors at Saks - $230



Nine West Taildrop - $79



Check out more of the show and detail shots on Style.com

Photo montage - Catwalk Queen & Shiny Style

How To: Caring for Exotic Accessories

Because of the texture trend for fall incorporating exotic materials, I thought I would pass along this useful How To on caring for your exotic materials. Partial credit goes to Neiman Marcus for providing information. Thanks for the customer service!

Feathers:



Per Kiss Curl at Etsy and eBay, you should use a soft baby brush or natural bristle paintbrush to comb your feathers back into place and remove any dust. Brush in the direction of the feather grain. Feathers are very fragile so do not get them wet if at all possible.

Alligator, Crocodile or Lizard:



If your accessory is of crocodilian genus (like my vintage lizard bag) you need to treat it with high-end leather conditioner more often than you would regular leather. But before you use conditioner all over, make sure to test a small drop on a hidden spot. To remove excess dirt, wipe with a soft, damp cloth.

Ostrich:



On ostrich (like this Bottega Veneta hobo), don’t use any chemicals or conditioners. Simply sprinkle oily spots with talcum powder and wipe with a soft, dry cloth.

Snakeskin:



Like human skin, snakeskin will age more quickly if exposed to sunlight, so take special care to keep your serpentine accessories (like these Michael Kors Cairo pumps) out of the sun. While the scales will naturally lift over time, you should never apply any product; simply wipe with a lint-free cloth in the direction of the scales.

Exotic materials, whether new or vintage, are an investment and, like any purchase, require care and attention. They can be more delicate, but therein lies their unique beauty. Take care of them and they will make you look good for a long long time.

Textures of nature

Over the weekend it finally got kind of cool, so when we went to this really great antiques show, I was exited to pull out my cozy wraps.

I was still excited when this morning rolled around. It was chilly in the morning so I decided to wear a sweater. Unfortunately was in the 80's today and it was way to warm for wearing a sweater. I looked way too excited for Fall and, probably, pretty stupid.

Anyway, I wore my new Old Navy sweater in a light heathered teal, my brown skirt - the classic Johnathan Adler "happy chic" color combo.



I wore my vintage alligator peep-toe slingbacks with it.

I got these on eBay and they fit perfectly. They are rather high but have a perfect silhouette.

I'm trying to stick to my palette of black/grey/white/silver/red/green/blue, so most of my Fall pieces are very clean and streamlined. Not overly patterned.



I'm going to add some punch to these basics with accessories like unique vintage jewelry, bright scarves, gloves, socks and tights and lots of texture from natural materials and exotics.

Those vintage heels will great with the bright opaque tights. I also bought these Michael Kors "Cairo" heels in python. Their one of the pricier pieces I bought for Fall, but so classic and well made that they are truly an investment piece. These will be great with dark brown tights, light taupe knee socks, black and green.



I'm also going to start trying to wear more of my unique accessories. I have several hats and lots of vintage gloves. And besides eBay and antiques shows, Etsy is fast becoming my go to spot for finding neat stuff.

I fell in love with this Copper Pheasant feather fascinator about a month ago. I love the colors and the pattern of the feathers and that it is unlikely that anyone will have something like it. I had it in my shopping cart for a while but when I went back to get it, it was gone! On Etsy, things are mainly one-of-a-kind and handcrafted, so it's best to get them asap.

I was totally bummed. How surprised was I when I saw that the purchaser was Miss Style Bubble herself. I'm in good company then, because I ran right back to Etsy, saw that KissCurl had another one in stock and bought it straightaway.



Gorgeous, gorgeous! And, since my hair is auburn, it will look so cool!



And because I love feathers and black and white, I bought the Spotted Guinea one as well.



Now I just need to learn how to do my hair in a messy updo or something.

Exotics are the trend for Fall, and a lizard/alligator/crocodile handbag is a classic that will never go out of style. Neiman Marcus sent me an email asking me if I was "living the life of luxury". Okay, so probably not by their standards, especially when they have a bunch of $1000 plus designer bags made of exotic materials listed on their site.

They are gorgeous, but for that much money, I don't want to see a bunch of the same waltzing around town. Well, I know they probably won't be around my town, but it's the principle darn it! And why would I need these engineered to be "must-haves" when I can find a gorgeous piece like this:



This nearly-pristine lizard doctor's frame bag is so in style it's scary. Marc Jacobs must have a stash of these inspiring him because I know I've seen bags like these on the runway. The color is a perfect neutral tan. The interior (with original mirror) is perfect and the shape is eternal.

I have to get the handle stitched - an easy job at the shoe repair - but that is really the only flaw.

And get this... it was $50 at the antiques show I went to this weekend. How crazy-amazing is that?



This is the kind of thing you can totally luck into but you have to pounce! Do not hesitate just get them when you see them! You can always re-sell them on eBay later if you don't love it.

I'm also going to get a lot of wear out of my vintage La Rose black leather and creme/black lizard pumps. I need to get the insole glued down, but the vintage deadstock is in amazing shape.



Manolo Blahnik is doing a water snake heel this Fall in a similar material. It runs about $700. These are under $100 from Circa Sixty-Three.



So lots of great texture, patterns and materials. And by buying vintage and supporting small artisans, not a huge price tag.

Plus lots of fun!