Till Monday: R U Cuff Enuf?

Photo credit (left to right from top): Meadham-Kirchhoff on brook&lyn, nast, My Daily Style, Altamira for Teen Vogue, Garance Doré, Karla's Closet

Another thought for the coming work week that doesn't involve links to something new to buy ...

Rolling up your cuffs has a very-slightly-80's feel (if you know what I mean), and revealing something underneath is nothing groundbreaking per se, but both details have the potential to make clothes that you're sick of feel brand-new again.

In other news: now that we're over yesterday's Top Shop opening, we can focus on other VIP arrivals in Soho. My dog Milo is returning from her hiatus in the countryside tomorrow.

(noble beast!)

Jewelry: Hoop Dreams

I have several pairs of earrings that I bought like a magpie. They were so bright and sparkly! I had a vision of wearing them in all their over-sized, rhinestone, Indian maharani glory with just a white tee-shirt and jeans. And I do love the way they look ... in my jewelry box.

What I really wear almost every days is hoops (usually gold). I never have to think about whether they're taking away from what I'm wearing; they are always adding. Once in a while one falls off somewhere and I have to go back to H&M and get another value set of 20 in varying sizes.

But maybe I should upgrade, because there's definitely a new generation of minimalist perfection available. And lots of opportunity to support the artisans of Etsy.

From left to right:

Mizuki $365

Hothoops $13.00 (!!)

Sstargell $22.00 (!!)

Elsa Peretti $265 (These have a dual personality. If your Goth cousin is looking at them, they're something you bought at a piercing shop. If your mom is looking at them, they're 100% Tiffany).

Shoes: These Boots Were Made For Making

Photo credit (left to right from top): Isabel Marant, TFS via Knightcat, Queen Michelle @ Kingdom of Style, Rumi @ Fashiontoast

Part 1- When the March issue of US Vogue came out, I died over this Isabel Marant ad (top left). Everything perfect- shirt, shorts, boots. Never heard of her, but must have boots. Googled. Nothing. Boots? Not happening - don't think she evens sells shoes.

Part 2- Knightcat elucidates with image of model seemingly styling the boots by hand backstage at Isabel Marant (top right).

Part 3- The source of inspiration may differ (and studs instead of chains) but the bottom line is: handicraft may put Steve Madden and Aldo out of business. See Michelle. See Rumi. (Bottom right and left, respectively).

See what you can do with a pair of boots and a pile of biker paraphernalia?

Also of note: Isabel Marant intrigued others (see July Stars). Hopefully about to blow up ... where are the U.S. stockists?

The Basics: Grey Ghosts

Photo credits (left to right, from top): William Wegman, Altamira, My Delusional Mind, Garance Doré for Vogue.fr.

Weimaraners (those grey hounds above) are nicknamed Grey Ghosts. Their coats are the same silvery grey in black and white or in color- no wonder Wegman loved taking their picture.

Sweatshirt grey is the perfect neutral to me. It flatters every skin tone (moreso than black or white I think), and it goes so beautifully with red lips or red nails. I think every basic should come in grey, but they don't! It took some time to round these up, but I want to buy them all and wear them until they fade into nothing.

From top row, left to right:

Forever 21 with neon seams, $9.80.

James Perse, $65.00.

Miss Selfridge, UK 20.00 (they ship to the U.S., pretty low shipping).

KAIN, $88.00.

J. Crew cashmere (an essential), $145.

Norma Kamali french terry blazer for Walmart, $20. Go to the store! It's not online, even though Bazaar says it is.

Shoes: No thigh high boots? Socks for you dude.

The French have a way with language as well as fashion. They have a precise, stand-alone word for thigh high boots (cuissardes), and when they translate the phrase "mommy and me," it comes out like this:


Carine Roitfeld and Julia Restoin-Roitfeld (Photos: Altamira, Garance Doré)

But alas not all of us speak the language. I invest in one pair of black boots a season and wear them out. When I think of putting my money into a pair of thigh high boots, this comes to mind.

I like the look though, in some ways and with some outfits (this is exactly the same way I feel about leggings). And with that, I give you:


Photo credit (left to right from top): Altamira, Elle news blog (Sarah Bates, Katie Carter, Lilia De Gregory), The Sartorialist.

Let's talk about socks (baybeee). It's not fully Spring yet here on the East Coast, and where you are maybe it is never Spring, so there's some time before F09 to experiment. I'm thinking: in contrasting black/dark grey, over tights, above existing black boots.

Here are some to get you started (for about 1/10th the price of the boots).

For further reading on les cuissardes, visit this post on Garance. And for advanced sock-age, visit this image on The Sart. To read about someone who is SO not cutting corners on the thigh-high boot front, you must go here!

Till Monday: Tuck U

Credit (left to right): The Sartorialist, Vogue France (both)

For the coming work week, an office-friendly inspiration:

Take what you got; tuck what you got.

I still have to think twice before I tuck in my shirt because it was the uncool thing to do in SEVENTH GRADE. Time to rethink that notion, because the tuck can really slick-up what would otherwise be sloppy (or just boring).

Happy Weekend!

Bags: Brown is the New Bag

*street style photo from copenhagenstreetstyle.dk

The time will come - maybe this weekend, maybe next weekend, but some day soon, you'll open up your Spring/Summer trunk, closet area, wing of your estate, whatever to see what works this time around.

And chances are, if you spent any time last year at Forever 21, H&M or even Top Shop, half that sh*t is going straight to the charity shop. Even your little sister doesn't want that has-been junk.

So slow down you fast fashion freak! Let's talk about long-term investments. Maybe brown bags aren't just for your frugalista lunch. There's a bare-bones timelessness about this line-up that feels right and will last you at least through next Fall (kinda like that severance package).

From top:

Avril Gau Grady 420 Euros

Duluth Pack Classic Leather Purse (yes, that is the name) $150

Coach Originals Rambler's Legacy $258 (I really dislike most Coach stuff, but these old schoolers are awesome, make a note to yourself to check your mom's closet for some original originals).

Tila March Bonnie Shoulder Bag $895 (there's a darker version on sale here for $595).

Rebecca Minkoff Stud Roadie $575 (for the high-risk investor that wants to bet on this studs business).

The Basics: Clean Kicks

Spring presents footwear problems. In fall and winter you live in boots, then the somewhat warmer weather tempts you to ditch the tights and go boots/bare legs. I urge you to visit some midtown Manhattan bars on a Friday night; you will see ladies that make you rethink this look. And your sandals/flip flops are in hibernation where they belong until it's at least 70 out.

Like a Cadbury Creme Egg, canvas sneakers were born for Spring! They become deliciously relevant right around April, especially in shades of white.

Like a hip hop star, buy more than one pair because once they get dingy you have to throw them out. (I only buy Feiyue, and I buy several at once ... they are so cheap!)

1. John Varvatos for Converse. $95. The lack of laces is appealing.

2. F-Troupe. UK 20 quid. Dance-tastic in plastic.

3. Feiyue. Low tops $64. Available on their site (they ship to the US) and at Lion's Den (also check Urban Outfitters). BEWARE! The martial arts stores on the internet, including Amazon, sell counterfeits!

4. Tretorn. $55. Nicely understated.

5. PAM. $128.50. Gourmet from Australia.

Accessories: Bargain Binns

Tom Binns' Faux Real jewelry collection is an inspiration. You stroll through the Fort Greene flea market armed with a pair of pliers and tell yourself you can make these. Dream on Martha! After removing the Superglue from your tender fingertips and logging off Etsy, take a moment to explore the undeniable influence of the CFDA award-winning ('06) Binns.

1,2,3. The real deal is somewhat hard to come by, try Net a Porter and Shop Bop, or go to his flagship Megastore.

4. Vintage (make sure the mix is magpie enough, like this Sherman piece, and relish spending your money at something called AZillion Sparklz).

5. Top Shop.

6,7. Erickson Beamon for Target. Which came first? Chicken, egg, Binns?

8. The next generation ... Katherine Sturgis. Not so much a bargain but the one-of-a-kind factor is worth it. Thanks to Something Picasso for highlighting this talent.

Web Hunt: Motocross Jeans

Ah, the Balmain motocross jeans ... the stuff of legend, already sold out everywhere and creating debate on the World Wide Web. The "IT" item is dead; long live the "IT" item.

I'm not about knock-offs... these Pratt's motocross jeans at Free People are arguably more wearable than the Balmain because they don't have holes - even HR folks that allow jeans don't want to see Bret Michaels at the coffee machine. These hit all the marks and more in the details. They're 1/10th of the price and actually available in most sizes.

no she's not! (yet)

But I rest my case! Marketers spend zillions trying to instill in your subconscious the desirous drive that just made you click.

The Blogger Interview Series: Jasmine @ Fashiongrail

I've become increasingly curious about the unique breed of entrepreneurial women known as fashion bloggers. Fashiongrail - the home of "celebrity copycat" - covers such a vast range of lifestyle tips, tricks and shopping that it's almost impossible to believe all of the content is created by one Jasmine (especially considering her reign as fashion queen of Twitter). A few words with the lady behind the laptop: