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!!

perfect pumps please!

i am more of an "interesting" shoe person. so i don't often shop for the "traditional" kind of shoe. however, necessity sometimes calls, and like any polite person, i must answer.

this brings us to the pump. not a shoe i normally wear, nor crave. however, a staple to have in the old shoe wardrobe no doubt. i have a rather large place set aside in my heart for Karen Walker from Will and Grace. she is pretty much my favorite tv character of all time. and that's saying a lot, because miss e-stylist here watches a rather large amount of television. don't judge please. ANYWAY - Karen Walker is, 99% of the time, wearing full on uptown Manhattan rich mama clothes. not my personal style, but the woman looks impeccable. i like that. she's perfectly dressed right down to her pumps. perhaps that is what swayed me into thinking i should probably own some. (in case at any moment a magic wand is waved in my direction and i become a fictional billionaire socialite...or a real one, i'm not fussy)

and so, some time ago, i began one of my hunts. as i do. i went pump huntin'. usually i wear flats. this may be because i live in NY and have to walk a lot every day, or it may be because i am a klutz and am afraid of falling. that is neither here nor there. i just wear flats a lot. so heels were a challenge. i decided to start small. i tried on approximately 40 billion pairs of shoes. (give or take a few) in the "ok i can totally manage this without injury" category, i ended up with Christian Louboutin simple pumps in the lower heel height. (left photo). now, let me say here that i can't really afford to buy these shoes full price. i love them like chocolate, but they are pricey. worth it, but pricey. so if you are like me, (i really don't like to pay full price. i'm a sale fiend) i suggest trying them on at a shop, then doing the online scouring to score them on sale. Neiman's often has sales, and Bluefly is a great resource for markdown designer goodies.

0nce i had become ok with that height and worn them out a few times, i decided to get really crazy and go high. this still scared me a bit, so i decided to try a platform pump to even the playing field, so to speak. what i ended up with here was a pretty hot looking pair from ye olde Banana Republic...(right photo) they have enough of a platform in front so as not to give me vertigo, but they look high! i practiced a few nights in my apartment - then went out to dinner wearing them and felt spectacular and fancy. i felt like a lady. well, i felt like Karen Walker, and as she once said "I'm a lady, assface!" what's not to love?!