holiday party in the nude

even at your office party you can do it! ok - let's clarify shall we? i'm talking about the nude SHOE you dirty little birds.

the nude heel is one of the best tricks in the book. in case you don't have the book - allow me to "flesh it out" for you. (heehee). the gamut of brightly colored, sequined, or otherwise party-rific dresses that are no doubt on your mind at the moment can cause a bit of confusion when it comes to footwear. the best way to go when you're dazzling them up top is to stay basic down below. and basic does NOT have to mean boring. the nude heel is remarkably sexy. it makes your legs look like they go on for miles. obviously the trick is to find a shoe in your general skin tone (and obvs, if you're anywhere but warm, you'll be wearing a nice sheer pair of tights that make your legs look au naturel but better)

i have nude sandals for summer, but recently embraced this idea for winter. going to a birthday dinner for a friend of the family, i broke out the new nudes. i felt long, lean, sexy. and was also complimented on the shoe sitcho by one of the ladies attending, whom i consider to be quite in the loop when it comes to these things.

as with everything in the world of style, you can find a nudie to fit your budget. i love the shape of the Aldo shoe, i'm newly obsessed with Pour la Victoire shoes, and it goes without saying that the Louboutin is the dream shoe... regardless of the dollars spent - you can feel like a million. it's a little trick i highly recommend to balance out the festive frocks you'll be fa-la-la-ing around town in this holiday season!

close enough!

it's almost the 12 days of Christmas right? and it's the first day of Hanukkah so - it's holiday time. officially!

i was out shopping today in the mecca - the small radius of space that includes Barney's, Bergdorf's and Bendels. remarkably it was not so crowded that i felt the need to pull out my invisible uzi gun. i was shopping for a client, not for myself i might add. but i was reminded of the insane lure of holiday shopping. they just make it so EASY. starting on the main floors of the shops, there are tables of goodies and delights, for relatively small prices, that make you think "so and so would LOVE that". even if you haven't spoken to so and so for a year. these people, they're good. they lure you in. but you know what? it's a good lure. because what isn't nice about giving a nice little bit or bob to someone you care about - even if it was Bergdorf's that gave you the idea?

share the love this holiday. in whatever form. this little Dogeared necklace made me happy with the idea you give someone 100 wishes. we could all use a little wish now and then...

oh the 60s... you look nice

i've been a bit into looking at pictures of Jane Birkin lately. sort of the ultimate cool euro fashion chic of the 1960's. i definitely factor a little bit of her into my daily "who am i today?" routine... it's always been in me, but lately a deeper fascination is creeping in and i find myself scouring the interwebs a bit more...

i am also styling the groom at my dear lovely friend's wedding. and bless his little socks if he is not TOTALLY into (and fully capable of, i might add) rocking the 60's mod suit. how much do i love this? a lot.

nothing personal against the rockers of today. but to be perfectly honest - does anything beat the way the Beatles looked in their suits? i mean COME ON - perfection. (don't get me wrong - i'm also way into the later John Lennon look - but that's another story for another day). it's put together, it looks slick, and for those of you gents who don't care to think much about dressing - it really is kind of a no-brainer.

perhaps it's part nostalgia. times appear as if they were much more simple then. modern life is so freakin complicated. but hey, since we're here, i guess looking good can make the complication feel a bit less harsh...

in the fashion court system...

the jury is still out for me in the case of denim leggings vs. not denim leggings....

i think the fore-woman (yes, that would be me) is leaning toward a huge settlement FOR the denim leggings... let's review the case.

i love jeans. i wear jeans almost every day of my life. i love leggings. the days that i am not wearing jeans, i am wearing leggings. it makes more than a little bit of sense that to combine these two things would be a style match made in heaven... i'm pretty sure i just cracked my own case.

having dug around on the trusty interwebs, these 2 seem to be the forerunners for my affection. i like the more jean-y look of the joe's jeans, (top pair - $78) but i like the price tag of the hue version (bottom - $28) ... what is a girl to do?! investigate, clearly. this requires a re-con mission. i will be putting together my csi kit and heading out tomorrow to cement my verdict.

(bang gavel here)

the scent of a woman

hooo-wah!

the ever quotable madame coco chanel once said of perfume "It is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory of fashion that heralds your arrival & prolongs your departure." and i could not possibly agree more. since my very first foray into perfume (Lauren by Ralph Lauren in high school. loved it beyond all possible measure) i have been hooked. i adore having my own scent. i love that perfume smells different on everyone - it is the ultimate in unique accessorizing. i've run through exactly 5 scents in my lifetime - and have landed on the keeper. Coco Mademoiselle. it's a recent addition to the Chanel "library" of perfumes - a sort of twist on Coco (which was my previous scent). i am obsessed with the way it smells. and every person i come in contact with tells me i smell good, that they associate the smell with me, scent related compliments that make me oddly happy. if i go a day without my perfume - i feel weird and naked. it's worse than forgetting my jewelry. i actually do not feel like myself without it.

it is WELL worth a little investigation into your signature scent. things can go horribly wrong with trying, some perfumes make me feel dizzy or sick to my stomach, or give me a headache. so try before you buy - always give them a test run - on your wrist - NOT your neck. (too close to the nose!!) but once you find it - the reward is supremely satisfying.

when in doubt, just ask Mizz Chanel! she always knows what to say.

rodarte reminder!

sorry - these images are a bit wonky... they are a bit of the old iphone snap, cut and paste magic.

alors, the Rodarte collection for Target is comin', and it's comin' soon. i am saving up my pennies because what little they have allowed us glimpses of is more than a bit
drool-worthy. this jacket and belt are my faves thus far - and will be on my "dear santa" list without a doubt. (i will be playing the role of both child and santa in this scene). at $12.99 and $39.99 - how can santa say no??!?!!?

the entire collection tops out at $79.99 - which is pretty flingin' flangin' fantastic if you ask me. and since you are reading here, you have asked me.

there are some gorgeous mesh and lace lingerie looking dresses that all seem to run $39.99 - fabulous. and really sweet lace cardi's that run $29.99.

december 20th the collection will hit the shops and the interwebs. i will be awake early that day, coffee in hand and clickin' key ready!!!

(for more pics - check out December issues of Vogue, Marie Claire, Elle and People StyleWatch)

do (good)-esday

today is world aids day. there are lots of different charities out there that give back - so it's a buffet to choose from. one that's been around for a while and to which i am partial is the Gap's partnership with Product-red. they always have a selection of really cute items that give proceeds to fight aids in Africa. different designers pop in from time to time to do products. this time 'round it's Stella McCartney, who did this tee. (who doesn't want a piece of Stella? you know you do...)

most of the stuff is in the $30 range. and come on now - i think that we can part with $30 on world aids day. there's a whole selection of new t's at the Gap. and if you're cruisin' for something else - there is a whole load of stuff available out there. i've even seen a Product-red netbook. (which, i admit, if i hadn't already got my little nettie, i probably would have purchased).

go on - get your charity on kids! it's do(good)-esday!