Ensemble du Jour - Graceful in Greenery

I am so excited to be wearing my Spring/Summer dresses. I'm sure I'll be complaining about the heat soon, but as of right now, the weather was balmy and the sun was bright.

I paired my ModCloth Graceful Greenery dress with a lavender cardigan and for shoes, I wore it with chartreuse Manolo Blahnik Sedarabys (for work) and then lupine Converse Chucks (for play).

I love the photo print of a cool floral-filled and wooded glen...

A vintage purse goes perfectly with this dress...

I hope you had a great holiday as well!

Looking a Little Green

I don't do neon very well in clothes, especially neon yellow or green.  I am just to pasty pale to be able to pull it off.

But accessories... those I can do!

So I was excited to see my favorite Manolo Blahnik Sedaraby in a hot chartreuse.

Maybe I need to get these, pair them with a neon pink a blast into Summer!

Manolo Blahnik Sedaraby in chartreuse green - $755 from Bergdorf Goodman

Selection made - Manolo Blahnik Butterfly Sedaraby d'Orsay

I'm sure you are thrilled to know... I chose the d'Orsays!  They're my favorite style and the most comfortable.

Stunning, no?

Butterflies on the Brain

I've got butterflies on the brain....

Which would you choose?

The slingback or the d'Orsay?

With the slingback you see more of the sweet fabric but the d'Orsay is such a lovely shoe and one of my favorite styles from Manolo Blahnik?

Thoughts????

Le Sigh - Manolo Blahnik Sammy in Pink Tweed

Even when it's barely the end of Fall, it doesn't seem too early to be thinking about peep-toe heels, especially when they are as sweet, pink and pretty as Manolo Blahnik's Sammy d'Orsays.

The peep-toe d'Orsay style from Mnsr. Blahnik is one of my favorite shapes.  I think a pink bouclé tweed version is definitely a must have!

Ensemble du Jour - 10-6-10

So 10 years later, it seems I've finally bought into the whole military-olive-green jacket trend.  But I swear I bought this way earlier in the year.  It's just been too darn hot in NC to wear it until now.  But I love it.  I found a long jacket with the great color and all these wonderful details.

Of course, being a bit more girl-y, I paired it with a tonal Michael Kors sequin tank and a denim pencil skirt.  I love sequins.  There, I've said it.  You didn't know, did you?

Isn't it cute?!?  It's by Kayla and I bought in sale on YOOX.

Lots of pockets, which are great, but what got me is the knotted cuff detail.

Here's a better view of the tank, which came from Macy's and is now on sale (darn it!).  The sequins have a bit of a camo pattern that I think you can see in my picture above.

I paired this with my camo Manolo Blahnik Sedaraby d'orsay heels.   They're the perfect green and combine the same mix as the outfit - satin, camo, crystals.

Here's a better view:

I hope we keep enough of the Fall weather so I can get some more use out of the jacket before Winter really sets in.  At least it is a piece that I can wear forever.

Keeping Camo

I've been seeing a lot of camo print still out there.  I love the quote that camo is the leopard print option for men.  But I'm liking the more refined takes on olive green and camoflage.  One of my favorite options are the Manolo Blahnik Sedaraby.

I bought mine a few years ago and they are still one of my favorite heels. They're a bit pricier now but you can still find this classic style at Nordstrom.

Camo, like leopard, isn't going anywhere so these will still be current years from now.  Invest if you can!

Shoes for a Modern Princess

The term princess is often used in a negative way. A girl who is spoiled and bratty and too "precious" for words. But I think adding a bit of princess to your wardrobe in entirely necessary. No matter your style, everyone needs a dash of the special, a bit of sparkle and something to make her feel like dancing in clouds or walking on bubbles.

The Fendi "Cinderella" platform is definitely for the modern princess. Graphic and powerful with a Lucite platform that gives the impression of floating above the ground and delicate fabric wrapped around your feet.



The Christian Louboutin Poseidon peep-toe is for the sea-god's rebellious younger daughter. Someone who wants to break out, party and shine, shine, shine.



A flower fairy or English princess surrounded by an unruly scented garden would be perfect in these heels. I love Manolo Blahnik's Sedaraby shape but with the Impressionistic pattern.




The Swan Sister would love these delicate Manolo Blahnik Eila feather sandals. They're made for the most delicate feet and need a full tulle skirt to do them justice.




I see these Valentino Fairy Tale sandals as the perfect shoe for Cinderella-in-transition. They're delicate but distressed. A bit messy but still gorgeous.

Yes, another Sedaraby from Manolo Blahnik but with the rose print they are the perfect shoe for Brier Rose. She loves to surround herself with rosebuds and kittens.

One of my favorites of the new season are these Rene Caovilla sandals. The swirling flower straps remind me of a transformation scene. You could walk down the street feeling as if you were surrounded by singing flowers, bunnies and speaking birds.

I don't want practical shoes. I don't need shoes that ground me, I need shoes that help me live my fairy tale. That lift me up and make me want to dance down the street singing. I'm looking for the special.

I'd love to see your fairy tale shoes too!

Fendi "Cinderella" - from Bergdorf Goodman (in-store only)

Christian Louboutin "Poseidon" - Saks Fifth Avenue

Manolo Blahnik Floral "Sedaraby" - Bergdorf Goodman

Manolo Blahnik "Eila" - Neiman Marcus

Valentino "Fairy Tale" - Bergdorf Goodman

Manolo Blahnik Rose "Sedaraby" - Neiman Marcus

Rene Caovilla "Flowerboing" - Bergdorf Goodman

In Disguise

For those of you who like the Manolo Blahnik camo Sedarabys (modeled here by yours truly)...

... they are gorgeous...

... there is a new style with the camo satin. These very elegant sandals. What a great sexy shape, right?



There is also a peep-toe "mary jane" version. But I don't like them.. the heel is too chunky and I don't like velcro shoes (velcro on $700+ shoes!). And there is a slingback but I think they are too conservative for the fabric, and a hideous heeled flip flop looking thing (WTF?) that I hate. Just my opinion of course!

I kind of want the sandals now. Would that be too greedy and wrong?

Donning the Purple

I was looking back on some older posts and realized I went through a bit of a grey suede phase there and then I was all over blue satin too. I think I just get a color stuck in my head and fall in love with it, obsessively search it out and can't get enough.

Now I'm in love with purple/lavender/violet/fuschia heels. Not pink, because lord knows I have tons of pink (not that I'd turn more down! And, OMG! That list is from '97 and I know I have even more now!) And I realized, I don't think I have any shoes that are purple. I do have some with purple in them but no purple, no lavender, nothing!

Can that really be true? So instead of opening up every shoe box to be sure, maybe I should just get some... ya know... just in case.

Right?

I am currently smitten by all of these. I love the Sedaraby shape. It's a gorgeous shoe.



But do I prefer Raspberry, above, or Purple? Do I love the Raspberry one because the color is called Raspberry? Is it too close in color to my Guess Pyramid heels? Maybe I should just start with Purple and then figure out a way to get the Raspberry too. Oh and did I mention I'd love to have these in white?



I know I wrote about these before, but, I still can't get them out of my mind. Dammit!



And now these. I adore these Viva Lolo heels. They're so adorable and have such a classy shape. The color is so unique. WANT!




I am also seeing a growing obsession for deep peacock teal shoes too. I must be stopped!

Ensemble du Jour

This outfit is one of the (many) that I brought with me to New York and didn't end up wearing.

The Outfit
A v-neck grey tee with buttons bought on sale at the Gap with a green cardigan from Target. I'm wearing my cropped jeans and for jewelry I'm wearing my jade bracelet and necklace again. I'm just loving the pale translucent greens of the two pieces.



The Focal Point
But what inspired the color choices were my camo Manolo Blahnik Sedarabys. Yes, these are the same style worn in SATC ("the" silver heels in episode 83) but I think I prefer the fabric over the silver leather.









I especially like the dyed green stacked heel.



Sooo cute, right?



I know I've recently purchased a few new items. But I need to hold off on getting more new stuff and focus more on what I have. I'm going to hold off on the buying for a while (ohhh but the Pre-Fall stuff is coming. Must. Re-sist.) and see how I can mix up my current stuff in new ways.

Can we make it to the end of the year??? We'll see!

Getting off on the wrong Foot

Oh, Manolo, how we love you.



As a purveyor of some of the finest footwear the world has ever seen, Manolo Blahnik reveals he is less than impressed with the recent vogue for clumpy shoe shapes and chunky heels.

"They don't even look like shoes," the designer says. "It's like talking in Chinese. I don't understand them at all. The past few years have been aesthetic hell for me. It's because designers have forgotten about the importance of the harmony of extremes."

And the modern media doesn't fare much better, in his opinion. "I'm totally confused," he admits in Style magazine. "I don't even know what taste is anymore. Frankly, I can't bear to buy magazines. I get so upset."

- Courtesy Vogue.com UK

Congratulations are in Order!

Mnsr. Manolo is a genius, as we all know and worth of much admiration and accolades for the beautiful shoes he creates. I love them because they fit me like a dream due to their amazing architecture and are simply stunning. Here are a few of my personal favorites (some already in the collection and some soon to be joining it)

Satin Camouflage Sedaraby:



Resort '07 Oro Sequin Pump:



The Urban Myth Black Patent Mary Janes:



Now Mnsr. Manolo has been given a new honor (per Vogue):



He has been worshipped by the glitterati for his unashamedly beautiful designs for years and now Manolo Blahnik has received the ultimate accolade: being made an honorary CBE, or Commander of the British Empire.

The Spanish-born, London-based shoe designer has received the award "in recognition of his status as one of the most successful and influential designers of our time".

Culture Secretary James Purnell, who presented the honour, commented: "Manolo Blahnik is one of only a handful of designers whose name is synonymous with their product. His avant garde designs mixed with timeless classics ensure that women all over the world are desperate to get their hands on a pair of Manolos. By basing his business in London, Mr Blahnik has played a huge part in enhancing the reputation of the capital as a leading fashion industry centre."

And Manolo himself couldn't be more thrilled with his new title. "It is the greatest privilege to have been appointed by Her Majesty the Queen to receive such an honour for my small contribution to the fashion industry in Britain," the modest designer said. "I'll always be proud and grateful for it."

Love him! In honor of this momentous occasion, I'm wearing a stunning pair of his creation - see the Ensemble du Jour for a peak!