easy, breezy

i first "met" Zara when i lived in Paris.  i'm pretty sure that was before the store even came to the States...  but i was obsessed with the amount of tres chic things i could get on my petit budget... cut to today, and Zara is easily accessible back in the old USA for a price friendly good looking item. they just opened a massive store in the Grove out in LA, and my bff and i did some serious time in there and found some goodies...

their new lookbook is delivering some perfect summer pieces - following the "don't try too hard" credo i love to live by.  they ooze summer cool and comfy - and can be taken all over the style map depending on how you accessorize.  this is now a full on bi-continental love affair!

summer dreams

when i graduated college i went on vacation to the south of france.  it is, quite literally, the most beautiful place i've ever been.  it was like being in a Cezanne painting.  i came back with the best tan i have EVER had, and with a lifelong obsession with espadrilles and straw bags.  i had my straw bag for years, until the leather straps got worn to within an inch of their lives. living in the city, it's a bit hard to work the whole espadrille and straw bag thing into the daily wardrobe... but this year there are a number of shoes and bags that are doing their best to urban up the beach staple.  and i'm LOVIN it. 

monday's jewels... hello Dannijo!

i always enjoy stumbling upon a new designer.  gives me something new to obsess upon.  especially in the jewelry department...  i'm currently loving on Dannijo. it's kind of rocker meets lady - it's kind of perfection in how it hits that mark.  they use a lot of oxidized silver, gunmetal, and pretty it up with crystals and pearls.  there are a few different collections, all of them with some crazy cute pieces.  at this moment in time i am particularly enamored of these ADORBS earrings and this amazing ring... i have a feeling this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship!

to wear... or not to wear...

spring and summer are slowly creeping upon us.  (not as fast as i'd like, quite frankly.  i'm a bit over this whole rain and chilly thing)  i am READY.  have switched out the wardrobe (perhaps a teeny bit early but i am eager) so bring it on!

the question was posed to me - what NOT to wear this summer.  i mulled it over a bit - and it's more thematic than specific.  what NOT to wear in summer?  anything too tight or too short.  let's be honest.  .01% of the population can pull it off.  and even those girls teeter on looking like a hoochie.  wearing something too tight does NOT make you look thinner - it makes you look bigger.  and too short - well that's just going to show your bits when you move the wrong way.  so DON'T.    another NOT for summer is anything too structured or overly "put together".  a head to toe "look" just "looks" like you're trying too hard.  and summer is SO not the time to try to hard.

this inevitably brings us to what TO wear, to avoid the above tribulations...  for me, summer is the time of the dress. it is the easiest possible piece of clothing imaginable.  it's one thing - you put it on and you're dressed.  how great is that?  then the fun part - the accessories.  add a belt and some heels -  you're dressed.  flat sandals?  you're casual.  but let's focus...  the dress.  aside from being ridiculously easy - it is also nice and cool, which is always a bonus.  there are literally dresses for every conceivable shape and size.  and for every possible occasion.  i am of course a HUGE fan of the tee shirt dress, as a logical extension of my love of the tee.  and they are out there in droves right now - American Apparel has some brilliant dresses for great prices, and the LA Made drapier versions are fantastic.  if you're feeling a little boho, the tie-dye Gypsy 05 tee -- LOVE....  if you're in an office and need to look a bit more "dressed" so to speak - i've become a bit obsessed with this Gypsy 05 silk shirt dress.  i've seen loads of others as well - they are out there in abundance...   you can also swing into the mix the tunic.  they're also out there EVERYWHERE - H&M has them in droves, and i am currently loving on this cute little number from Tolani...  go for an easy fit - not too tight, not too sloppy.  go for a length that works for you - a little bit above the knee works for almost everyone.  if you have killer legs - go a teeny bit shorter.  if you're feeling shy - throw on some leggings!   and develop a loving relationship with belts. makes one dress into two looks!

the bottom line is that spring and summer are the fun months - back to childhood - even if you're not on school vacation for the whole summer (and who doesn't wish we all were?) you can still take it easy a bit and take it down a notch - and that includes getting dressed. 

notes on a sandal

well, a pair really.  Sam Edelman has, over the past few years, been hittin' it out of the park consistently with SUPER cute summer shoes.  and with a happy making low price tag.  (come to think of it, there is some sort of black hole or bermuda triangle in my closet, because i just switched out shoes for spring - and a really cute pair of S.E. sandals i bought last year seem to have disappeared....hhmmmmmm).  this year is no exception.  i saw the Gigi sandal on a number of ladies out in LA where they are fortunate enough to sandal WAY before we east coast girls have that luxury.  it is pretty much the perfect go-to sandal for everyday walking about - and it comes in a load of colors and textures... adorable leopard print to go with my sparkly red toenails?  yes please!!

stuck on you

every once in a while there is a little something that i see somewhere.  i don't buy it, because i am in the midst of an effort to be more fiscally responsible.  most of the time (proving my new thing is good) i forget about it over a matter of time.  but there are some things that just won't quit.

today's version of the above story is this Elizabeth and James feather ring.  it's killin' me!  it's so pretty and so perfect.  i've been a fan of the E&J jewelry since the first collection.  it's just on the right side of bad-ass for my tastes.  i have a little silver dagger pendant that makes me extremely happy.  (picked up during my swashbuckling pirate obsession phase...works nicely with the pirate boots, i must say)  they have some really nice new pieces out this season, gorgeous cuffs of twigs and feathers - but let's focus, shall we?...  it's also comes in the cool 2 finger version, but the north/south ring just rocks my world.... it's really the perfect plumage for spring, don't you think?

low price loooove

i know i only recently sang a song of love for H&M. so perhaps this makes it a full on spring fling, or even true love.

i'm a bit bemused by all the "festival fashion" advice being flung aroud out there. it's a wild homage to Kate Moss, really. before the shots of her in her adorable Glastonbury duds, no one gave a rat's patootie what to wear to a rock show. it certainly wasn't worthy of so many style guides. if you're a rocker - you rock it out. seems simple enough.  but it is quite the buzz out there right now.

unless you personally email and ask me - i will not go there.  where i WILL go is to a little collection that H&M is doing. it's called the Festival Collection (hence the above babble) but what it REALLY is, is a collection that will donate 25% of sales to AIDS awareness projects. that in itself is super-fantastic - then on top of it - there are some really adorbs pieces. a LOT of them actually. all counted there are at least 5 things i'll be running to get my stylie little mitts on. (HELLO fringey dress!  come to mama)  at their prices a girl can afford to go a little nuts. the collection hits stores on May 20 - so mark the old calendars.  rock shows attendance optional.  looking fabulous? let's all do it!

cloudy day cheer up

morning cruises of the interwebs generally offer the "yada yada yada" chatter.  99.5% of the stuff is white noise that i am not interested in.  but let's have a little moment for that other .5%.  it's the high octane fuel that mama needs! 

today's high octane - like a jolt of delicious hot coffee - is offered up by none other than Alexander Wang.  not much of a shocker there, i know.  but the man really shows no sign of slowing down or dropping the ball.  his Fall 2010 accessories are, as is the norm - GORGE.  there are the lovely thick buttery leather totes and the ubiquitous Rocco that we all know and love by now.  do i want one more and more every time i see them?  sir, yes sir.   and this zippered tote is like my siren song.  BUT there are also some new shapes (hello adorable little wristie.  would you like to come live with me?) and, some pretty hardcore structure.   kind of loving it, i must say.  these clutches are beyond hot. LOVE. once again A.W., i tip my hat to thee.   is it too early to make a Christmas list?

hide the bloop!!!

everyone has it.   every real person.  if you don't, then rock on - you are lucky.  or you work out 23 hours a day.  or you have had some lipo...  but for the rest of us - as we're on the way to there (i'm doin the ab work, but lord knows it ain't instant.  oh how i wish it were) - can't we have a solution for "the bloop"?

let's say you're doing the jeans and cute summer top thing. the jeans are low-rise.  because we love them that way, don't we?  and the top is a bit thin, as it's warmer out...  it sounds perfect right?  you're all ready to accessorize with glee to make it a perfect get-up.   you look in the mirror.  wait..... what the hell is THAT?  well... it's the bloop.  it's the "will float around your middle like an annoying bug" part of us that is the hardest thing to diet away and/or firm up. now -- don't stop doing the exercises and eating right.  even if it's not immediate, it's good for us.  so we will do it, right?  right.

BUT  in the mean time - for the love of all things fantastic - we should look good in what we're wearing.  we deserve that don't we?!?!??!  there have been "shaping" garments around for ages.  they will suck you in and hold you tight.  Spanx, in particular, are lauded by many as the single best invention of mankind.  but what if you just want to hide the bloop?  AHA!  someone is listening!  YummieTummie has a line of tanks and camis to go under your tees, that will hold you like a star-crossed lover, and keep you fab until the sit-ups really kick in.  sigh.  i do love a good idea.

in praise of organization

i should start by saying my brain is FAR from organized. when i was working as a casting director i had 2 amazingly fantastic people working with me, who were the epitome of organization. add to that an amazing woman in our office who was basically the brain of ALL of us scattered directors. a perfect storm we were.

sadly, i now have to flip and flounder to get myself together, organizationally speaking. there is one area i have mastered. my closet. oh my closet. when we moved in 2 years ago, my bf built me the closet of dreams. organization central with racks and dividers and such. i cannot recommend this highly enough. you can go all the way and do a customised closet or you can do pre-fabs that you tweak to suit you. either way, it's genius. you can actually SEE all your stuff. what a concept!!

today i did my favorite chore of the year. the spring summer season swap. hello sandals!!!! i've missed you. you look great. hey sundresses! aren't you lookin fine! they are now sitting and hanging proudly (and highly organized) for all to see. did i stand in the closet for a while in admiration? i did indeed. i may not remember what i'm supposed to do tomorrow, but i know where every pair of shoes is. it's a start.

gardening at night

it's not nighttime as i write this, but how can i resist using an REM song as title for a post?

i am a wee bit late in the game with this collection - but it's one i wanted to see for myself, and it has been a bit of a doozer of a month, so i've just now been able to....  H&M recently put out a "garden collection" made of sustainable or recycled materials.  and the pieces are GORGE.  i took my sister in law and 2 nieces to H&M, and we all went completely mad and tried on almost the whole collection between the 4 of us.  i may go back for more too - the prices are INSANE.  my sister in law and i each got the pretty little hippie tunic - it's shown in white in all the ads, but it also comes in a realllllly pretty soft pink which we chose.  the beauty of it lies in the fact that the 2 of us have very different styles - so these pieces can work for everyone.  i'm big on the sustainable/recycled idea - and i really hope that they re-stock (as always - any new collection at H&M does have the habit of flying out the doors) AND hope they continue doing new collections in this vein.   i didn't purchase it - but this little red jacket is abs fabu.  and there are a number of other tunics and tops that i LOVE.

the long and short (yep maxi and mini dresses are in the collection!) of it is --- go check it out!

cheap thrill - literally - cheap is in the name

a few years ago i made the startling discovery of a brand called Cheap Monday. no false advertising either.  they had the penultimate INK black skinny jean that i had been searching for - for a mere 60 bucks. those crazy Swedes really know how to knock it out of the park when they want to.  first ABBA, then IKEA, now this???  i mean COME ON.

cut to today.  not only are there a few patched up pair of jeans that i rather adore, but there is a new Spring '10 line of sunnies just out - the Clairvoyant Collection -that are ridiculously cute.  and cost THIRTY FIVE DOLLARS.  i put that in all caps, because, well if i were with you - i would be saying that rather loudly.  once i mastered how to not lose my sunnies, i became a bit of a collector.  and these just may weasel their way into the collection.  finding a good pair at a good price is a rare thing indeed.   they are a bit tricky to find, it seems... there is a store in Brooklyn called Alter that carries them, but if you are not there, it's well worth a little web-lookie-loo to score a happy score like this.

she keeps on keepin on!

about 3.2 seconds after the whirlwind tour of fashion emporium type dept. stores to promote the new spring line of Winter Kate, the fabulous Mz. Richie now has previews coming out for the fall collection.  it's a little darker (thematically as well as color-wise) than the gorgeous, ethereal hippie-chic spring stuff. and it's equally gorge. she says her inspiration was the movie "From Hell" (starring Johnny Depp and about Jack the Ripper - it's a win win hot/weird sitcho)   i'm a bit in love with the red dress.  and the white cape rocks my little world a bit too - i'm imagining quite the fantastic night out in that little number... and the peacock jacket?  amazers.  with a pair of jeans, a silk tee and some heels?  good to go.

these days everyone and their sister who gets 13 minutes of fame spews out a "celebrity clothing line".  most of them are absolute rubbish, and last about as long as the "celebrity's" "fame".  once again Nicole Richie seems to be setting herself apart from the pack, with the second consecutive collection that is unique and wearable. 

just a quickie

spring has sprung!  i've re-arranged the wardrobe, outside it's gorgeous, my bf is struck with allergies, and sales are starting to happen! so it is official.

go have a lookie at shopbop - they have a spring sale running with merch up to 70% off!  woot!

ode to a spring scarf

as it IS an accessory, it will probably come as no surprise to anyone that i am OBSESSED with scarves.  i wear a scarf every day - through every season.  in the winter, as i despise cold, and i like to shake it up, i wear two.  and then comes spring - beautiful spring.  it's warmer - but it can get chilly.  a girl needs a scarf!  i'm most hooked on the linen version - because it somehow keeps you warm and cool all at the same time.  it's some sort of weird scarf voodoo magic that i don't question, i just blissfully indulge.  hands down my favorite is the Love Quotes version, they are HUGE and infinitely cozy, they look fantastic, and they come in almost every conceivable color.  if that's above the realistic spend-y range --  H&M has a pretty rock solid collection of similar scarves - one of my faves is a cream to red ombre scarf that i got there 2 years ago.  loves it.  and as they do, the Gap and Banana Republic are well in on the action.  they both have some really nice scarves at a totes decent price point.  as does the ever beloved JCrew....  aside from the practical solution -- it's pretty genius for adding a pop of color or pattern to an otherwise simple outfit.  add a gorgeous scarf to a t-shirt and jeans or some dull work attire, and it takes it to the next level. 

sunny side of the street?  hot.  shady side?  cold.  solution - scarf.
outside?  hot.  inside with AC?  freezing.  solution - scarf.
boring but totally comfortable outfit?  solution - scarf.
see where i'm going with this?  it's pretty much the solution to all your problems.  next i will put my mind to world peace and ending all bad things.  until then - wrap up dolls!!