Speaking of boots

It is snowing and raining out. My hubs is sick with a cold that gets worse and not better as the week goes on. And so I do not know if we shall venture out tonight. Our revelry may consist of Scrabble in our cozy living room. But even so, it shall be revelry adorned with these new elfen booties, bought on major sale with some Christmas pocket money.

Wishing all you pretty, smart birds a happy 2010.

Interesting

Isabel Marant "Otway" boots, sold out everywhere, $1295.

Aldo "Zabrocki" boots, on sale for $119.98.

Last post on this topic, I swear

The Rodarte pieces arrived and are very nice quality. I'm wearing the print shirt today under a black and white tweedy jacket (as shown in fuzzy phone photo). The tan-and-black dress is basically a slip dress--elastic waist, no zipper--but the fabric feels nice to the touch. The blue dress is very, very short, but quite well cut, actually. The zipper seemed to be broken but on closer examination there was a misplaced piece of thread obstructing it so I got out my scissors and it's fine now.

I was at the Annapolis Target with Liz on Sunday where they still had quite a few pieces--the lace camisoles, the gray asymmetrical sweater (feels nice to the touch, but it's $45. ?), the tulle skirts (cute, but so wispy and tiny), the floral halter dress (a LOT of these. Sweet retro fabric but I think the dress design is maybe not appealing), and one silver leopard sequin dress not, alas, in my size. Overall, a solid thumbs up.

watch-a doin'?

the search for both a snazzy gold watch and a classic bib necklace that is not just relegated to the holiday season is officially over and i owe it all to free people's designer jewelry boutique. not only have i found that the regular jewelry is fairly well priced and therefore appropriate for glamorous hippies all around. but the newly launched boutique which features one-of-a-kind creations from antique pieces that are truly original (and striking!) has captured my heart. e., a boho friend of ours, loves this line and raves about it when it comes up and until now it did not grab my attention as something rave-worthy. well, my friends, i stand corrected. e. is victorious. and my pennies are officially pinched. enjoy.

Addicted to Crystal...Renn

The blog Fashionista had been one of my daily reads for a while but I got kind of fed up with what seemed to be an unceasingly shallow voice. I don't know if they have new writers now or what but in my occasional visits back the past couple of weeks I've been increasingly wooed. With their newest post, I'm sold. They picked up on the Terry Richardson photos of a "regular" model and a "plus size" model (the gorgeous and deservingly buzzed-about Crystal Renn) in the same outfits. Check it out:

Designers: the line that clothes "look better" on the very thin girls because they're like "coat hangers" is such a crock of baloney that I hope you choke on your own b.s.

surprise!

so love,

i bought them for you. tan and mustard in medium.
last two in Pennsylvania.
my sister is shipping them up.

love love

Go Go Gadget...alarm clock

So I was hanging out with my aforementioned friend E. last night, and when it began to approach midnight we put on our coats and boots and mittens and hats and ran through the snowdrifts from the bar to my apartment where we booted up my computer and went directly to target.com.

... No Rodarte.

Then we thought, well, Target is headquartered in Minnesota. Maybe it will go up at 1, when it officially becomes 12/20 in central time? By then Chris and his friend Mike had followed us home, so we all sat around drinking hot cider and watching Muppet videos on YouTube and "What Up With That" SNL sketches on Hulu until 1:00 when we checked target.com again. No dice.

I think bedtime wound up being 3ish and I consequently didn't pull myself out of bed until 10:30. Before I even brushed my teeth I went to the laptop. ALL THE LACE CARDIGANS that I so badly wanted were already sold out!! Arrrrrghhhhhhh! And the knee socks, TOO!

Anyway, I wound up ordering the tan and black lace pattern dress, the pale blue dress, and the pink print tee shirt. When I'm in MD and VA next week I might beg someone to take me to Target in case the DC denizens haven't snatched up all the lace cardis in the stores (I REALLY wanted the tan one). I'd also love to find the orchid-colored tank. The tulle slip dresses look too wispy/sexy for me to be able to wear to work, though the silver sparkly leopard dress (also sold out) would have been perfect for New Year's.

I'll post reviews when the package arrives!

Chats and emails

me: ahem


i just wanted to tell you that the rodarte for target collection goes on sale sunday

so i might have to get up and order a few of the pieces

Chris: Oh snap!

me: oh snap is right

Chris: let's do it!

go babe go!

me: hehe

Chris: go babe go!

i'll make you a celebratory breakfast
___
 
me to E. (black and gray-wearing fashionista friend), 4:18 pm
my rodarte list is, i think:

the lace cardigan in both black and tan
that tan dress with the black lace pattern
those lacy knee socks
and maybe either the black tulle slip dress or the pale blue swiss dot dress. i'm still thinking.
i wish the tulle skirt was in a color other than navy or mustard; as it is, i don't want either of those.

E. to me, 4:20 pm
I think I might literally, actually order it all. Literally.

me to E., 4:21 pm
the day i see you in mustard yellow is the day i fall off my chair.

E. to me, 4:22 pm
You never know, is my policy with this collection. I am still annoyed I didn't order more of Rogan. Won't make the same mistake.

Rich bird pretty nest

The other pretty bird brought up home goods.

If I had $1360 (and no conscience), this is the coffee table I would snatch up. I don't know why I love it so. It doesn't even have an undershelf. It's just ... so .... lovely.

The other day I mentally decorated an imaginary house. I have a real problem.

But I'll mail you my blueprints if you're curious.

oh, ann

i must take a moment to recognize ann taylor and whoever their new designer is lately because they went from decidedly housewife to definitively hot. their new designs, though not my dreamlike ethereal preference, have a beauty that is real, something tangible for day and night. their blouses walk the pretty/professional line making them an ultimate pretty bird smart bird site right now for clothes i can conference in and take for a wine date later. also, they take the time to offer special discounts and promotions to educators through their LOFT Loves Teachers link, which deserves an extra nod from pretty smart birds all around.

no place like home

...for a little holiday pick me up. while fashion is my love, fashioning my home is new source of joy and ambition for me and apartment 48 has me raring to go. not only are any of these gifts both adorable and useful, they are the kind of gift a friend can re-purpose over and again to continue to make her life interesting. tired of the water pitcher? put some flowers in it and group with other decanters for a crystal centerpiece! don't want to waste your polka dot beauty on your keys, toss them onto the cake stand with your outgoing stationary and move the polka dots to your nightstand then fill with pretty jewelry or a lovely bed of found rocks, wildflowers, or mistletoe. no fruit salad to fill your pretty bowl? use some hanging wire to affix it over your ceiling bulbs and finally replace the ever-unattractive standard ceiling lights in new york apartments-just remember to take it with you when you upgrade...

Well played.

Via The Sartorialist.

if you want to be the cocktail queen

save those pretty pennies and indulge in one of the beautiful confections from peruvian connection. i know the name throws one a bit but when you go through the bevy of comfy alpaca dresses to the cocktail section you enter an incredible world of intricate beading and ladylike dresses seen rarely now, though they have forever lived on in my heart. Navy rosettes, midnight velvet, creme tulle beading...it is the dress junkie's version of a wardrobe ice cream sundae...ah.

mad bomber!

i am getting one this year
to replace the one that i know was surreptitiously thrown away...
that is final.
and this is the chosen one.
buddha be damned.

Polka Dot Bomber, American Eagle, $29.50

time time time...

...see what's become of me, as the bangles so aptly put it, seems to be the perfect motto for my new lusty timepiece obsession. Archive Jewelry is selling a beautiful vintage line crafted from old timepieces that is the perfect mix of my classic it-girl chic with a steampunk, rocker girl vibe that all my underground music friends can still respect. i'm just saying, my wishlist is growing by the second and Archive Jewelry is currently filling my top three to five slots. wait make that my top six...

Recessionista: no holiday dress this year

I got this necklace at Forever 21 the other day, and it is even more awesome in person. Best $14, ever.

Hey, if J.Crew did it...

I know. I didn't believe it either. But Lands End (yes, THAT Lands End) has launched a new line called Canvas that's actually ... pretty cute.

I mean, remember when J.Crew basically only sold khakis? So why not?

Must remember this

I suppose outfit recaps are no good without a photo, but oh well. The other night on the subway I saw a girl wearing:
black tall stacked heels with a white or cream-colored rim
very opaque black tights
palest pink pencil skirt
light brown leather jacket (not tan, not cognac, not chocolate)

and it looked so amazing. I don't know what she had on under the jacket but in my head it was a longsleeved black cashmere crewneck with a simple pearl strand.

and the kudos go to...

...Boden for being spot on when it comes to being both classic and fun. These are the kind of clothes that make a rainy day feel sunny and a rain-drenched girl look like a lady. These looks have wit and charm and might be seen on say a modern day Anne Bradstreet orating, "Let Greeks be Greeks, and women what they are!" right before she steps off her soapbox to have a pint. Bravo, cheerio, and every other euphemism for just straight up, "yay."

romeo, romeo

if there were one coat that i would determine was my soulmate this would be it: light enough to be worn in fall, heavy enough to be an inside outfit in the winter, classic cream and black with cranberry accents, perfect for my smart self and my pretty self and within economic reach if i could just skip the red wine at dinner. i am now imagining it over emerald chiffon dresses and with white tees and red lipsticks...my world will never be the same. oh anthropologie, thou art my muse.

The only wedding post, I promise

My wedding is over and so it's too late for me to pick out bridesmaid gifts (I gave them each a different necklace, some vintage and some handmade, from Etsy), but if I could go back in time (and be richer) I would have loved to buy these initialed medallions from Lisa Leonard. So pretty. Found via Once Wed.

to be a stud(ded lady)

this outfit is decidedly lovely, cool lady chic. not only will it work for a variety of girl situations like dates, shopping, brunch, and storming the Capitol in the face of sexist, closed-minded policies but it can easily be switched via shoes and bottoms to meet a plethora of other needs: cap-toe ballet flats for teas and lunching with grandmother; seafoam green converse for batting cages, bowling, and dog walking; and incredibly intimidating and hot studded booties for dates, drinks, and Rocky Horror Picture Show Midnight screenings. what else could a girl ask for?

Speaking of jackets

Now THIS is how you wear a trench.

Via the Sartorialist, of course.

Fashion finds in Iowa!

I don't NEED another jacket. But after I saw a woman in France wearing an army-ish jacket and looking more chic than anyone has in the history of the world, I've sort of idly kept my eyes out. And when I saw this one at the Gap, the last one on the rack and marked down from $80 to $24.97...well, I couldn't help it. And it's a more appropriate weight for the 67-degree weather than the wool coat I packed.

pretty. smart.

to read for me has always been divine. something about the paper and the ink and the smell of wisdom is rather arousing. i feel pretty doing it. and smart. however, there is always that moment when i pull out a book and think to myself how ugly the cover is and what a monstrosity are books that seek to advertise for publishers first and showcase the work within only second. i once ripped off the cover of Gone with the Wind because it was such a ghastly design that i was embarrassed to be seen with it and much preferred the asthetic offered by the yellowed, curling pages and the rich black ink.

however, we smart people, with our love of pretty things need to hide our dreaded covers no more. here you will find a stunning array of clothbound classics released by Penguin Group. not only are they timeless classics they are also encased in a timeless array of cloths, patterns, and hues that you can be proud to use and display. needless to say, i can see this is the start of a beautiful friendship...

wishlust

if i were to wish upon a star for the loveliest whimsy i could find these are the things that would magically appear in a fairydust fog for me to enjoy...
Quill and Owl Paperweight, www.apartment48.com, $24-30

Bumblebee Coin Purse, www.anthropologie.com, $24

Feather Clip, www.etsy.com, $20-28

Bow Ring, www.fredflare.com, $59

if you want to be the coolest girl at the cafe...

...then wear these and remember to pair with tons of chunky rings and cuffs a la Rachel Leigh or CCSkye and to bring your most loved journals, sketches, charcoal sticks, and even a fountain pen or two.
Then think and be beautiful.

Free People Over the Knee Boot $348
Anthropologie Striped Tee $68
Tolani Floral Scarf $85

Clashing prints gets me every time

I recently stumbled across the blog Wikstenmade, written by indie clothing designer (and Brooklyn resident) Jenny Gordy. I confess to spending an hour mesmerizedly going through its archives. I love the simplicity of the clothes she makes and the glimpse the blog gives into the life of a working artist.

In this outfit, I love the play between colors and patterns.