aloha, adasa

Sadly, one of my absolute favourite online boutiques has gone out of business and/or has been taken over by a rival boutique which I absolutely despise.

I blame the state of the economy coupled with the counterfeits running rampant on eBay, CraigsList and the like.

In any case, thank you for the first pair of True Religions I actually liked among other purchases and awesome customer service all day, everyday!

"fakes are never in fashion"

T'is true. See link below to learn more about the Anticounterfeiting Alliance led by Harper's Bazaar.

http://www.bazaarelite.com/fakes_more.asp

No, dear, the $20 LV you got on the street in New York City is NOT just as good as the real thing and yes, dear, people can tell.

armani dresses the wife and versace the mistress

Thanks for reaffirming this, Donatella.


This is a toughie - sophisticated skirt suit with elegant clutch or hot pink trenchcoat with clear hooker slides?

I'll take the former.

Pictures (respectfully) stolen from: NeimanMarcus.com

opi: holiday in hollywood

Double-you tee eff OPI. Why must you keep coming out with these fantabulous new polish colours when I still have not finished my bottles from your equally fantabulous previous collection!

And I do my nails every week.

There is a solution for those of with nail polish A.D.D. - the mini-collections. For every collection, OPI does a sample of four polishes in bottles 1/4 of the size of normal bottles. I've been lucky enough to find one for the Russian collection and Holiday in Hollywood collection. Granted, they do not contain every single colour but I'd like to believe that they choose the prettiest ones.

Picture (respectfully) stolen from: OPI.com

happy black friday!

This would be my favourite holiday of the year if I were not Canadian. For my Canadian friends, Black Friday is the day after American Thanksgiving where stores have the most amazing deals of life, ever. People literally start lining up the night before the electronics stores and Woodbury Commons. It's the equivalent of our Boxing Day.

Thank goodness for online shopping - $250 Christian Louboutins are not worth my sanity.

RevolveClothing.com launched the 2nd round of its massive Thanksgiving sale. I snagged the Diesel belt and Keds I've been eyeing for a little while, along with this gorgeous Da-Nang shirt with a ridiculous markdown!

Pictures (respectfully) stolen from: RevolveClothing.com

i'm such a tool

I realized this amidst my weekly dorm room 'inventory' check to make sure I had enough clothing to last me the next few weeks at school.

I do, and it's mostly Abercrombie. And I'm actually really embarassed.

Their t-shirts and sweatshirts are extremely comfortable and cheap and amazing campus wear. The sweaters they make have gotten a little bit better in terms of quality (the cashmere is actually decent - still scratchy after some wear though) and the cuts are fairly up-to-date. I wouldn't touch their denim with a 3 meter pole, but I do have an Abercrombie winter jacket.

This sweater, for example. I love it. You can't even tell there's an Abercrombie logo on it.

Allegra - $89.50

I can see a concentrated effort to revamp their image, especially from some minor changes on their website. They actually have a lookbook now. Granted, said lookbook is not really groundbreaking in any way, shape or form, but it's a start. They've also introduced a section called 'Fashion Fleece.' While I can't really deduce how 'Fashion Fleece' is different from 'Classic Fleece,' again, it's a start.

Fashion Fleece vs. Classic Fleece: Can you tell which is which?

The best part about Abercrombie? Their clearance section is constantly being updated! Since their styles never really change from year to year, you can always stock up for the following year cheaply at the end of the season.

So yeah, I guess I'm a tool. I just can't stay away!

Pictures (respectfully) stolen from: Abercrombie.com

i wish karl lagerfeld were my friend

Between he and Pierre Bergé, I don't know who would be more fun to gossip with.

The latest and greatest on Balenciaga:

"Prints are for middle-aged women with weight problems."

It's funny because it's true.

twenty8twelve by sienna miller

I absolutely adore this collection.

I am not by any means a Sienna Miller fan. I've been told she is a style icon and while I don't disagree, I am not a fan of her style. I prefer structure and simplicity while she is more boho and crazy. She takes risks that I never would.

When I heard she had a line out, I dismissed it almost immediately. Actually, I'm pretty sure I have never seen anything from it until today after browsing the Neiman Marcus Private Sale.

And now, I absolutely adore this collection.

Twenty8Twelve Jacket $430, Bow-tie Dress $460

This outfit has a very romantic feel to it. The dress is a stunning colour and the bow is a fantastic accent. The tuxedo jacket is the perfect accessory.

Twenty8Twelve Cropped Leather Jacket $550, Tank $230, Skinny Jeans $260

These pieces are a bit edgier. The detailing at the back of the jacket is very pretty. I'm not sure I'd pay $230 for a tank, especially one as unappealing as this, but it complements the jacket nicely.

Sienna Miller, not that you care, but you have my eternal respect for designing such gorgeous clothing. Even if you do wear pantyhose alone in public.

Pictures respectfully stolen from: NeimanMarcus.com

on the fence: AE Cable Knit Slipper

So how do these work exactly?

American Eagle AE Cable Knit Slipper in 'Grey' $34.5o

Do you wear them with socks? Because then the socks would show from the back. But it's too cold to wear them without socks.

I kinda like them though. Cable knit is hot.

Picture (respectfully) stolen from: AE.com

tis the season to be jolly

Sale season has arrived. Neiman Marcus has their 30% Private Sale today only, Nordstrom just began their Half-Yearly sale and Saks' Preview ends today.

Time to get your shop on!

the christmas book

I arrived home last weekend to find that my Christmas season highlight had arrived - the hard copy of the 100th Anniversary Edition Neiman Marcus Christmas Book.

The clothing is great and everything, but I had to skip right to the fantasy presents. This year did not disappoint with everything from artwork (chocolate paintings) to a conversational robot. And who knew a private classical concert would cost more than a submarine?

It is currently available online for your perusal as well.

booty rockin' everywhere

Sometimes being a 23 sucks. It's actually impossible to find nearly-impossible to find denim, such as these very pretty, very scandalous Rock and Republic Simon Shorts in 'Vain' wash. I'm pretty sure I'd never leave the house in them, but they are quite nice to look at.

Picture (respectfully) stolen from: Blaec.com

i'm a tough bitch

Nothing makes me feel more powerful than a Theory dress shirt. I don't know what it is, but it sure beats the crap that H&M messily staples together and calls clothing.

It almost makes me want to be a banker, or a lawyer, or some other type of career where business professional is mandatory attire.

Almost.

Pictures (respectfully) stolen from: Adasa.com

double take: laundry by design

I had never heard of Laundry by Design until scouring the Saks sale pages today. I couldn't help but notice how similar some of their pieces were to M Missoni.

From left: M Missoni Serpent Stripe Wrap Dress $795, Laundry by Design Shiny Print Wrap Dress $225

From left: M Missoni Wave Stripe Knit Dress $695, Laundry by Design A-Line Zig Zag Knit Dress

The Missoni signature zig-zag print is popping up everywhere. Nothing beats the original though.

Pictures (respectfully) stolen from: Saks.com

the neiman marcus le balenciaga lariat

Old news, but Neiman Marcus is celebrating its 100th birthday with exclusives across its wide array of designers. My favourite is their limited edition Balenciaga City in a rich turquoise-blue colour and giant gunmetal hardware, pictured below.

If Harper's Bazaar can agree that the Motorcycle handbags are now considered classic, this baby will be worth a fortune in a few years as its quantities are very limited.

I still love my Ink more.

Picture (respectfully) stolen from: Forum.PurseBlog.com

the resort previews are already out!

It seems as though the fashion weeks just ended. We're still in autumn mode, but designers are releasing their Resort collections to department stores already. They're looking good.

I'm rather fond of the new Stella McCartney. Linens, warm pink and purple florals and pale green give it a light, spring-like mood.

Pictures (respectfully) stolen from: NeimanMarcus.com

october shopping

Here are the fruits of my online shopping addiction for the month of October.

Keds 'Champion Buffalo Mini Slip-On' in Black/White Smoke: I've been seeing buffalo print a lot lately and decided to jump on the bandwagon. These shoes are cute, comfy and unique. What more can you ask for? Oh yeah, cheap!

Aldo 'Ritter' in Cognac: I'm in love with these boots. They were a bit pricey for Aldo, but they are gorgeous in real life. The colour I got (Cognac) is darker and much prettier than the one pictured (Camel). These boots can be dressed up or down easily.

Ugg 'Mini' in Mink: Aren't they cute? I love Uggs. These need no description.

Juicy Couture Velour Suit in Haze: The colour I got is richer than the one pictured, but this is the closest I can find. Juicy suits are ugly. I know. I completely agree with the masses. But they're great for exam days and bumming around. Comfort is key!

Juicy Couture Top Zip Small Pouch in Maroon: Cutest make-up bag ever. My school bag is huge, so this makes it easy for me to keep track of my smaller essentials (chapstick, eyeliner, gum, keys) so that I can actually find them when I'm digging around for them.

Urban Outfitters Plaid Crinkle Scarf in Brown and All-Son Plaid Duo Fold Scarf in MaroonRed: I love scarves, I love flannel, and I love plaid. What more can I say? I just realized that these are both mens scarves. What is it with me and men's scarves?

Nanette Lepore 'Symphony Striped Dress' in Charcoal: Last, but certainly not least, my "day" birthday dress. I've coveted this since it came out in August and finally took the plunge and bought it. Picture it with red tights and black shoes. I can't wait to wear it!


So yeah, I have issues because this is me "cutting back" on shopping.

Pictures (respectfully) stolen from: RevolveClothing.com, Saks.com, UrbanOutfitters.com, OnlineShoes.com, AldoShoes.com

breakout: quentin and claude

My definition of a "breakout" designer is one who does not yet have a Wikipedia entry, but designs rather attractive clothing. The duo behind 'Quentin and Claude' fit the bill.

As L.A.-based designers, Olaf Derlig and Moises Chavez have the typical laid-back/rock star partier/skater boy feel to their graphic t-shirts. Their scarves, however, are fantastic. They remind me of the women's scarves that Morphine Generation came up with earlier this year. Very soft cotton with pretty abstract pictures.


Shots of their Spring 2008 collection are already up on their website (http://www.quentinandclaude.com/) and definitely worth checking out.


Pictures (respectfully) stolen from: Revolveclothing.com

oh, how the almighty have fallen

The new designs by True Religion are not looking pretty. From the front, they still have their perfectly distressed and whiskered washes. The back is an entirely different story.


They've butchered their original red and white tag in favour of a Levis-esque tan patch. The pocket shapes have also been slightly altered, to give a rounder look. Along with this redesign, they've introduced a new set of painted horseshoes, pictured left. Tacky much?

Perhaps that's the driver behind their falling share price. Shareholders are not keen on ugly back pockets.

Pictures (respectfully) stolen from: RevolveClothing.com

how to wear clashing colours with style: m missoni

Fall/Winter 2007 is amazing. That's all.





Pictures (respectfully) stolen from: Saks.com

the shopstyle facebook application

is genius.

It allows you to create "looks" using items from various online boutiques and department stores. If you're a huge online shopper like me, it's a great way to organize your wardrobe too!

Picture (respectfully) stolen from: Facebook.com

trend alert: embellished blazers

I love blazers. They make you look polished, no matter what cami you've thrown on underneath. And I will never forget the black pinstripe blazer with light pink accents including a cameo brooch from Le Chateau that I neglected to purchase and have regretted ever since.

These two in particular caught my eye for the season. Both share similarities but are strikingly different in the look they strive to create.

From left: Eve Gravel 'English M' Jacket - $180, Miss Sixty 'Chiu' Winter Jacket - $398

A definite improvement from the tacky designs of Rock & Republic. No wonder the only place you can find these are on eBay or department store outlets.

Pictures (respectfully) stolen from: LuxeLabel.com, RevolveClothing.com, HonestForum.com

soia & kyo > mackage

Though both labels come from the same Montreal-based design team, I can't help but favour Soia & Kyo, pictured below.

Soia & Kyo 'Millie' Double-Breasted Trenchcoat - $224

Soia & Kyo 'Eliana' Coat - $325

It's cheaper. It's younger. And Mackage has those rather unattractive leather patches on the pockets of the majority of it's F/W08 coats, reminscent of a well-dressed hobo.

Mackage 'Filippa' Coat - $660

Mackage 'Jessy Ann' Short Coat - $495

Mackage does have the one-up in the chic but cozy sweater department though.

Mackage 'Amira' Sweater Cardigan - $363

Pictures (respectfully) stolen from: RevolveClothing.com

double take: forever 21

Who knew?

We have this lovely cashmere Vince sweater from last fall's collection priced at $275. The Forever 21 version, albeit somewhat less luxurious though complete with safety pin, is available this fall for a whopping $32.80.

Next we have the Splendid V-Neck Empire Waisted Dress that I coveted for months last winter, fully knowing that the dress would not complement my body type. Forever 21 has an eerily similar version available now at $22.80. (Tie at the back not pictured.)

The moral of the story can be construed two different ways: wait a little while and get designer designs for less the following year, or don't shop at Forever 21 unless you want to be wearing last season's clothing.

Pictures (respectfully) stolen from: Forever21.com, Canada.Forever21.com, Nordstrom.com, Saks.com

i've only just discovered urban outfitters

Seriously. Where has it been all my life?

I know that it's touted as THE place for wannabe hipsters to find their stuff, but they actually do have some really cute clothing and accessories. You'd be hard pressed to find such a wide selection of inexpensive scarves anywhere else online.

Among my favourites:

Lux Lili Tuxedo Bomber - $68.00

Diamond Ruched Scarf - $24.00

Plaid Flannel Bootie - $48.00

Pictures (respectfully) stolen from: UrbanOutfitters.com

opi: from russia with love

With its gorgeous shades and creative names to match (Suzi says da, anyone?), how can any polish lover not love OPI? The new Russian collection is to die for, my favourite being Siberian Nights pictured below.


Black nails are out, but almost black nails are so chic!

Picture (respectfully) stolen from: OPI.com

the hype behind anya hindmarch

is completely unnecessary.

A) "I'm not a plastic bag" - what's so clever about that?
B) She is actually making them limited edition! I thought the purpose was to save the environment and get as many people as possible on the bandwagon.
C) Am I the only person who sees that it's just a canvas bag?

I prefer this one:

Pictures (respectfully) stolen from: style-files.com, thisnext.com

trend alert: fall 'it' colour royal purple

I love purple. It's just so rich and elegant. Needless to say, I'm quite excited to see it popping up in Fall collections.

From American Eagle

to Juicy Couture

to Juliana Jabour (LOVE her.)

I actually just bought the most gorgeous purple pashmina from (don't judge me) Liz Claiborne. The colour is absolutely divine.

Purple is my new favourite colour.


Pictures (respectfully) stolen from: AE.com, RevolveClothing.com, ShopBop.com

m by mj this season

...is doing it, big time.

I love this dress. Its shape, colour, everything. It's so versatile - school, work, anything.

Very similar to the first at first glance, but way different. The neckline is a bit more flattering for those with curvier figures. I don't really know if I'm a fan of the hemline yet, but still a gorgeous piece.

This jacket is amazing. I don't know what it is about it that I love, but I love it. It looks quite similar to the Rails jacket I just posted, but I like the darker grey better.



Pictures (respectfully) stolen from: ShopBop.com

'rails' has made my life complete.

I cannot express how much I love this collection.

Pretty clothing that is COMFORTABLE? Now there's a notion.



I'm obsessed with this look. Extremely simple, but chic.



I can totally picture this with red semi-opaque tights and black Frye boots.

See more at http://www.railsclothing.com

It's stocked at Revolve (Yay!) so Canadians can rejoice.

Pictures (respectfully) stolen from: RailsClothing.com, RevolveClothing.com

the fabulous lululemon limited edition hoodies

I actually have a funny story about mine.

I ended up at my local mall after a day of running errands with some time to spare. It had been a while since my last visit and after walking around for a little bit, I was pleased to discover that they had recently opened a lululemon.

Upon entry, something caught my eye. A new Limited Edition 'When We Met' Remix Hoodie casually strewn across one of the tables. I quickened my pace and my heart started racing. Would I get lucky? Would it be my size?

It wasn't. It was the next size up. I tried it on anyway. It was a tad big, but I was planning on wearing it as a jacket anyway. Success! I had wanted one of the LEs for a little while now but was unsuccessful in my search (especially since most of them were ugly). As I disrobed from the hoodie, I noticed myself getting a little bit more attention than usual.

A girl I noticed to be wearing the Cypress Green Grid Limited Edition Hoodie was whispering to her companion and pointing at the hoodie. Another girl who had just entered the store with her friends looked at what I was carrying and exclaimed "That's the one!" It seemed as though everyone left in the store was waiting to see if I would put it down so that they could snatch it up.

I didn't. And now, I'm the proud owner of this baby.

Needless to say, I felt a little bad. But hey; all is fair in love and shopping.

the quest for a classic black wallet

I began my search for the perfect wallet approximately 3 days ago. I haven't made much progress.

I love my current wallet to pieces but a) It's old, b) It's monogram (kind of), and c) I see it everywhere. I decided that I needed to expand my investments into 'classic pieces' to a 'classic wallet.'

I had three basic requirements. It has to be black leather with silver hardware, must be the long chequebook style, and must have a coin pouch (I need somewhere to store my Starbucks money!)

I started by going through the various websites I know, looking for those that met all or most of my specifications. This did not go well.

This Prada was the first one that caught my eye.

Black leather, coin pocket, chequebook style and GORGEOUS!, but alas; gold hardware. I had to press on.

I then happened upon this Gucci.

I can live with the monogram, I really can. I own a purse with black on black canvas monogram and it really is quite tasteful. It's hard to actually see the print unless you're up close. What I cannot live with is the coin pouch. Buttons to hold in coins? Really now, it should be functionality before fashion. And buttons do not hold in coins nearly as well as zippers do!

After finding nothing else on Raffaello Network, I moved to the the Purse Forum to search through what other members had been using to stash their cash. While searching through the Hermes sub-forum, I fell in love.

This is a blue lizard Hermes Bearn (owned by Potiron on tPF). It is the most beautiful thing that I have ever laid eyes upon. I was in mid-dial to find out if Hermes Toronto had the colour, leather and style in stock and stopped when I found out it costs $2,400 USD. Really.

A colleague pointed me in the direction of this little cutie by Marc by Marc Jacobs on the Neiman Marcus website.

Unfortunately, it does not come in silver hardware! That didn't stop me from purchasing the matching Marc Jacobs coin purse that does.

Then, finally, I found it. It. And in the most unlikely place too.

I despise Coach for everything but their wristlets. The quality is good for the price, but I don't know what it is about them that just screams "I'm a high school girl and I think I'm awesome."

But it was Coach that showed me the perfect wallet. Black leather, silver hardware, coin pocket and long cheque-book style. It's pretty fabulous looking too, I must say.

My search is now complete! Now all that's left is convincing them to ship to Canada.