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!!