the ghost of handbags past

one of the services i offer as the-e-stylist is a closet overhaul.  this is based largely upon the immense satisfaction i have had over the years after doing a MAJOR rampage on my closet.  being able to see and find your things and coordinate them makes life much easier.  and as a side note makes it poss for you to dress better!  it's now one of my favorite things to do.  i have in times past made a mistake or two. but  i've mastered it now - through often doing mine and loving doing it for clients.  the ghost that haunts me of my own cleanings is the Botkier Trigger bag.  i bought it about 7 years ago - just when the line was just coming out.  i became obsessed, scoured the world and found the one i wanted.  i called ahead (it was in LA and i was going there for work) and had them hold it - it was the last one in stock. i literally jumped out of a car on the way to the airport home to pick it up.  and MAN did i love that bag.  the design is perfection for someone like me.  my bf frequently refers to me as Mary Poppins, because i am consistently digging around in my bag in search of something amongst the everything.  the Trigger has compartments and pockets that aleviate such woes.  long story short - LOVE the bag.  so the question still haunts me as to exactly why i decided to sell it on ebay...  everything else i have ever sold - never missed it.  this is the one.  my ebay achilles heel.

anyhoo - cut to now.  i've been casually looking for a new one every since. they turn up every season in limited colors - but i don't need ANOTHER black bag, and i've never fallen in love with any of the other colors.  until now.  a little Botkier birdie on twitter sent me looking at LunaBoston - and lo and behold this gorgeous creature.  as they say (whomever "they" are)  seek and ye shall find!

say hello to my little friend

i went out for a friend's bday celebration on Friday night.  (got totally busted for wearing the Elizabeth and James blazer AND the Paige Denim cargos i recently blogged about...oops!! good friend - good reader!)  when it came time to pay, i got ridiculously annoyed by the size of my wallet.  i love the wallet - it holds everything but the kitchen sink.  it was the first "big girl" wallet i ever bought.  but its glory is also its downfall.  i don't always WANT everything but the kitchen sink.  especially when i'm carrying a smaller bag.  and the option of just shoving bills and credit cards into a bag does not go well with my rather klutzy and air-headed tendencies.  solution?  small wallet.  for some odd reason i hate wallets. (i waited till my 30's to buy a real one)  my mind wanders to little coin purses instead.  do i want the Balenciaga version?  duh.  of course i do.  i stop myself from figuring out a justification for the spends with the fact that i often carry a Balenciaga bag.   and i would feel a bit of a wanker pulling out a matchy-matchy purse from a purse.  PHEW.  many dollars saved.  this little Marc by Marc Jacobs fella fits all the requirements.  perfect size to fit credit cards, ID, money.  small enough to fit in a smaller bag for evening.   looks adorbs, color is spot on.  he calls the style Totally Turnlock.  i call it totally perfect.

once, twice, three times obsessed

it was probably about 8 years ago that i developed one of my unhealthy obsessions.  (no, not chemical or romantical.  financial.)  the Balenciaga motorcycle bag.  lord have mercy on my wallet sinning soul, i fell hook, line and sinker for it.  it's the most perfect bag that exists, in my mind.   i've been practicing "safe shopping" for a while now, due to my "self employed" status. beyond boring and annoying - but i know it's the right thing to do.  sometimes, i believe the universe is testing us.  and this is a test.  this year marks the 10th anniversary of the motorcycle bag. to mark the occasion, they will put out a number of limited edition bags, some of which will be exclusive to Neiman Marcus.  (aka the cathedral of testing) including this one.  i want this bag so badly i would lick a sidewalk to have it.  but alas, i shall stay on my straight and narrow because i believe there will be a karmic reward.  or maybe the reward will be that i'll win the lottery - and then, if it's not too late, i can buy the bag!!  sigh.

shop and feed

doing good things is a good thing.  i'm a strong believer in karma, and i also just think that it's nice to help out someone who is not as fortunate as you are.  combine this with my, shall we say, "affinity" for shopping, and we get to the "shop for charity" happy place.  in this happy place today, we find this gorge handbag designed by Joy Bryant with Botkier.  sold exclusively at ShopBop -FIFTY percent of the proceeds go to Oxfam, a charity fighting hunger.  i know the bag is not cheap - but that also means a nice chunky donation to a good cause, n'est-ce pas?

fringe benefits

tis a previously posted fact that i am in love with my JJ Winters fringe bag.  i put it away for the freezing winter and have recently put it back into rotation full swing for the nice weather months. these little boho babies seem to be popping up EVERYWHERE now - and i'm feeling the pull of temptation to add a little more fringe into the mix!  wearing fringe just feels good, it swishes as you walk and it just makes you feel a little bit more sass in every step.  LOVE it..  you can run the gamut on what you spend.  in the interest of fiscal responsibility, i will skip the lovely fringed bags by Jimmy Choo and Givenchy.  there's a fantastic mid-range with from JJ Winters, Charlie My Love and Susan Farber.  AND you can also go the route of the super cute bag my niece got at H&M, or this cute Forever21 bag... get swingin' dolls!

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?

pour vous!

Pour la Victoire makes some pretty hot shoes.  it's a scientifically proven fact.  by my science, at least.  hands down my most comfortable and fully wearable, (possibly even to escape a bear attack if that were to occur) 4 inch heels are courtesy of said maker of fine shoes.  and now, coming in July, is a collection of equally edgy-hot handbags.  it's like someone just put icing on the cupcake!!! 

WANG it!

first let me tell you how i've missed you my stylies. i am UNDER it with a flu that i hope is not swine. it's a doozer - of the "i can barely mentally function" variety. but i'm actually able to sit upright today so i am BACK bitches.

while on my back, i was able to read. and one of the things i read is that Alexander Wang's spring collection is now avails. of course this excited me, because as you know, i love me some Wang. pardon any entendre there, dirty birds!! clickity clack - i cruise the interwebs... and i came to the realization that my reaction to Alexander's things tends to fall into two categories. one: WOW that is amazing and gorge. two: i never knew i needed that until i saw it, and now i cannot live without it. i'm assuming that reaction number two is what makes him a super genius. the perfect example - i was blisteringly unaware that i MUST have an army green bag. now that i know - it's all i can think about.

there are apporoximately 8 bags that fell into category 2, and pretty much every single piece from the T line. and 3 dresses from the main line... and a couple of skirts... oy vey. it is probably a very good thing that i am under the weather and not able to go to Barneys and abuse my credit card at the moment.

carry around a good feeling

and a gorgeous bag too! it's a beautiful thing to see that people care about other people. part of looking good is feeling good - and what better way to feel good than to know you are helping someone in need.

from the 21st to the 29th of January - 15% of all sales at Kooba.com will go to Doctors Without Borders to help Haiti. this is an amazing charity -- and a big one considering all medical attention people need there at the moment.

in addition to doing a good deed - these bags happen to be drop dead amazing - i'm particularly fond of this little number here... think of it as Kooba Karma!

nudge nudge, wink wink

i used to work in SoHo. extremely dangerous for a lady like myself. factor in 12 years of lunch break/ coffee break/after work walks - and what you have is strong support for the fiscal maintenance of NYC. you're welcome, city of mine. there were, a long time ago, little boutiques in that hood. now it's more of a mall store type sitcho, with boutiques sprinkled in here and there, holding fast to their tiny spaces. those are the places i love. one of said teenies was Wink. i wanted so much to love it - but it was never quite right, it wasn't set up properly and it drove me nuts.

cut to today.... i am a self-employed uptown girl. it is a bright sunny day, so i decided to take a walk to get the blood moving. turned out to be both good and bad. it's frickin freezing out, which i hate. but i did get some fresh air, and did do some re-conn on boutiques along Columbus Ave., including Wink. after driving by it a while ago in a taxi i thought "everyone deserves a second chance". i am glad i went. walked in - LOVE! it's small, but perfectly laid out. not at all crowded, but a good solid amount of stuff. they happen to carry the Plush leggings i mentioned the other day - yum. (they come in denim too- tres cute). i began a mental shopping list which includes an adorable chiffon ruffled skirt. (as soon as it's warm out!) and this supercalafragalistic JJWinters bag. they also have some new House of Harlow jewelry - first time i've seen it in person rather than interwebs - and it (of course) is VERY cute. add to the list? check. i would have added a couple of pairs of shoes to my list, but i have placed myself on shoe probation. so i did not. on top of all the goods, the 2 girls working were great - friendly and helpful but not pushy. my kind of ladies.

it's a little bit of an accessory haven i must say. every time you turn your eyeballs around - there is a bag, a shoe, a scarf or a piece of jewelry to make you say "OOH!! hello!" and thus on this day, new addition to the mental neighborhood of "happy place". a new addition to my sunny day walking route. a fab addition to my stylist's arsenal... who knew addition could be so fun?

i heart cobbler

not the dessert. well, i actually do like cobbler - but that's not relevant here.

in the interest of planning all the delights i may want to bring into my life from the rush of fashion week, i have been thinking of ways to cut costs and corners in the wintery season. (and i know - i still must pontificate on things on point that will spark your lust - i promise i am getting my act together and weeding through...i blame the stomach flu)

one such genius method is finding a cobbler you like. i have found a place just a few blocks from my home. when you find this person - your life will be forever altered. (no pun intended) shoes and boots you thought had met their demise come springing back to life in new found glory. i had a pair of boots that i thought were dead to the world, and i was quite upset, as they were not of the "inexpensive" variety. BUT my cobbler slapped a new sole on, put some rubber on there to boot (hahahahaaaaaaaaa) and somehow erased every bit of evidence of the scratches and niks that had made them nearly dead. amazing. and then - the handbag. you know i do go on about spending on bags and shoes, as investment pieces. one of said investments, this bag, was a bit messy from a few years of tough love. the leather at the bottom had been ripped and in a few places worn to the bone. i was crazed at the thought of having to lose it - because i had seriously invested.... so i gave it a shot and took it to the lovely cobbler and my god if she did not make it new again. i was in awe when she pulled it out of the brown paper bag to show me. somehow - and i honestly still can't see seams or anything - i think perhaps she is magic... she made it perfect again.

i don't know why fall makes me all cobblery - maybe it is dessert related. but i will be taking another of my bags and a couple of pairs of shoes in - to breathe new life into them. (thereby saving me money from not buying new - and allowing me to go a bit more spendy for spring!)

piperLOVE

turn to page 24 in your notes, where you made note of my mention that Piperlime.com (or, as some of us fetishists like to call it, "heaven" for shoes and bags) would soon be adding clothing to their repetoire... lo and behold - the time is nigh. the Piperlime apparel section has gone live my dears! LIVE baby!

they sent me cute pics from their pre-launch celeb-wing-ding, where the adorable Jamie Lynn Sigler picked up some goodies -- and let me know that now even us non-celeb superstars can get our hands on their goods!

i'm a little bit stuck in a mental loop picturing this little DKNY number over leather leggings....

whatevs - more leather lover!

don't judge me ok? i can't help my leather fixation.

i have been completely and utterly OBSESSED with Linea Pelle belts for years. i got one at Century21, and it was love at first wear. (i would go on more about Century - but it's not really fair to those of you who aren't in NYC so i shall hold my tongue. you're welcome) the belts are perfection. they are what i would make for myself if i were a maker of belts... a beltiere-iste.
i have now acquired a couple (or few) more, as a girl might do... they're just friggin amazing.

last year(ish) - the line expanded to handbags. gorgeous. i wanted to use all caps, but i don't want to be that girl. but they are all cap worthy. OK? the leather is seriously butter soft - you cannot help but touch it - and the designs are a mixed bag (hahahahaaaaaaaa) of simple and cool.

and then - oh - i faint a bit... they added jewelry. we all know by now how i feel about leather jewelry. i enjoy it. let's say that. and these bracelets, they just make me feel happy on the inside. the same way a kitten would. or a puppy... it's just good stuff.

i suppose what i am trying to say is - "hey ladies (and dudes) - check out Linea Pelle!"

bulls and bears of shopping

i've yammered on in the past about "investing" in pieces. and it's not me doing the thing i do so well - justifying purchases... that is a horse of another color, and one that i shall not speak of at this time... i do that mainly for tim anyway. :)

if you are into fashion, into style, into looking good and being smart - then listen up. you can absolutely buy some stuff at lower prices. most especially - trends. it's truly not worth spending a lot on a trendy piece - because by its very nature, it will be out of style next season. so as much as i may drool over all the studding - i'm not out buying the high end bits of it... may lust and love, but most likely will not buy. so - trends, and then t-shirts, undies, socks, things like that, you can also get away with not spending a lot - because they are replaceable, they get worn out. but certain things are truly worth spending for. things that you know you will wear forever. a good coat, a good bag, good shoes, good jewelry, the perfect pair of black pants... there honestly aren't that many examples - those are the examples in my own closet.

a good way to calculate whether something is an investment worth indulging in, is by doing the "cost per wear". for example - this bracelet by Ippolita - i bought it right before i was laid off almost a year ago. oops. oh well... so for the sake of argument, let's say it was 300 days ago. (that's almost a year) and i wear it pretty much every day - which means it's already being worn at a dollar a day cost wise. gimme another year (and i'm sure i'll keep wearing it daily) and we're down to 50 cents. so -- what i'm saying is - that for less than a cup of coffee, i get to wear this beautiful thing every day. makes sense, right? and i make coffee at home, any way. voila!

you can't apply this to purchases made on a whim - it seriously does have to be a piece you LOVE and will wear all the time - doesn't have to be daily - but all the time. (thank god for ebay - so the mistakes that are made can be sold!!) shopping on a whim in general is a bit dangerous... do the day rule - if you see it, wait a day. if you really love it, you'll make the effort to go back.

so THINK when you shop. a 50 dollar bag that falls to shreds after wearing it twice is not a good buy... spend wisely and you will spend happily. and you can tell people you're an investor.

lusty lusty

ok, i know i've been in a bit of an edgy mode lately, with all the leather leggings and skirts and studding and whatnot...(i even ordered a bedazzler with a bajillion piece stud kit so i can stud myself silly... scarves, a purse or two, maybe a pocket here and there... but don't worry, i promise not to go overboard. i swear.) and i love it - i love it i love it i love it.

however, there is a classic part of me as well. and said classic part is lusting so desperately for a Chanel bag lately. i know it's a pricey splurge. and i won't do it until i've got several clients secured and under my belt and paid up. (by the way - have you told your friends about the-e-stylist.com? not the blog - the services?... just a wee reminder...) but once i'm feeling a bit spendy and successful with styling - i may just have to reward myself... in the mean time i plan on perusing the possibilities.... and also going into deep internal life mode with this lovely photo from the Chanel fall pics... how amazing would this skirt look with a fitted white tee shirt (cotton or cashmere) and some black boots? and a belt with some studs on it? wow - look at that! we have come full circle!!!!

well lookie here....

ye olde JCrew, purveyor of fine basic goods since ... well since a long time ago, gives good sweater. it's true. they do. they are excellent quality, they have an amazing color range and they are not over priced.

i decided today at some point that i was desperately in need of a LONG cardigan. now, i must say here that i have (and have always had) a lot of cardigans. my friend kim makes fun of me and calls me cardigan lady. i have always worn them regardless of whether they were in or out of "style" at the moment. what i do NOT necessarily have is a nice long cardigan. the craving kicked in today. i guess the ac made me chilly. to add to this - i got the new JCrew catalogue in the mail. and inside.... the perfect perfect perfect long cardigan. i would style it completely differently than in this pic - i'll be puttin this bad boy over tees and leggings and jeans; belting it - wide, skinny, you name it; chunkin on the jewelry. i love it. i might have to get a couple of them...

seek and ye shall find my friends. the force is strong!

ps -also some super cute bags and jewelry going on in the JCrew right now! check it out!!!

red alert! SALE time!

it's the most wonderful time (la,la,la) of the year....

there are the January sales... it's true. slash and BURN of prices to dump all the "santa didn't get this for you" merchandise. however, that is winter. and i am far more of a summer gal myself. so MY favorite time is AUGUST sales. what what what!

all the department stores are doing it - and now the boutiques are joining in. check out this little goodie at Hayden-Harnett. gorgeous handbags, and they recently added shoes - which are super super cute, and they have some leather jewelry, upon which i waxed lustily a few posts ago. so all things considered - this sale makes me a little goose-bumpy! peruse, enjoy, perhaps buy!

yay august!

bag gorgeousness

my bff Kim lives in LA which is sadly 3,000 miles too far away from me. but it does give me an excuse to go out there, and in addition to getting to see her - i always meet some of her friends, all of whom are amazingly creative. (she's like a magnet for people - she's fab and i love her)

one of these friends that i met years ago, Michelle Frantz, a bag designer, is now working for Donna Karan. the collection is BEYOND gorgeous and i kind of want every single one of them. i love seeing people getting places - and it's even better when they are making beautiful things!

beyond adorable

these bags are a) super cute and practical, as any good tote should be, and b) give 30% of the proceeds to a childrens charity. so, i ask you - what is not to love about THAT? hmmm... i'm going to add a c).
c) they are affordable, which plops them directly into cheap thrill territory my dear stylies.

i'm thinking this will be a perfect gift to give people - and i may just have to get myself one... if i behave. hey look! i behaved!

the website I am Beyond has a bunch of very cute things in addition to the bags - so check it out and do some good while you satisfy your itch to purchase!!! ( and then you can use the bag to carry all the other things you purchase!) it just keeps getting better. beyond better!

another Lucky post...

it seems i like Lucky magazine a bit... i do. it's true. i think it's a genius mag for the style hunter (and bargain hunter!!) another thing i like a bit, ok a LOT, like Lucky, is the iPhone. recently i dropped my poor iPhone in the toilet, and murdered it. it was accidental phone-slaughter. and i am a little embarrassed to admit how utterly and completely lost i felt without it. (happy ending is that BF bought the new version and donated me his old one. i am complete once more)

ANYWAY. there is an app on the iPhone for Lucky mag. it's called "Lucky At Your Service". when i saw it, it felt like the first time i saw whipped cream on top of ice cream. it has little sections for shopping for shoes, bags, Target, all of which make me happy, and they just keep adding more goodies in there. if you do not have an iPhone, fear not. they also have this little shoppers helper online -- it's well worth a look, to shop or just to cruise it!