tidbits

inspired by some awesome blogs.

• i want one soooooo badly. apparently, however, it cost an arm and a leg (a bun and a pickle in this case??). anyone want to teach me how to crochet?? - DaddyLikey (which is the funniest thing everrrr, btdubs)
• good call, ladies. pat feild, do not drop the ball on this one. --Fashionista
• h.o.ween is right around the corner...this year i am thinking... lucy and ricky, since matt and i pretty much are them already expect matt's not latino. --the Glamourai
• for those of you with cable and a love for the hills and the city, catch these hilarious recaps here and here (respectively). and don't tell me what happens i have to watch online the day after the show. --The Cut Blog

hold up!

wait a minute!

i mean, whoa! aykm? this site is fantasitc! i just checked out theoutnet.com and have been trying to control the gasps and coos while cruising the site. i subscribe to a lot of different sale sites/emails, but the outnet is something different. first of all, the breadth and depth of their merchadise selcetion is amazing. they have everyting from juicy to 3.1 philip lim to burberry and celine. and all the sales are between 40% and 60% off! so that means you can get these pants (originally $340) for $102!! a pair of dress pants at h&m cost almost that much and these are hella nice and built to last! amazing!

my favorite part of the website is the "dress me" page. you need clothes for the office? hop on over to slick separates. feeling trendy? check out "back to the 80s" or "monochrome". not feeling trendy? that's cool too over in "classic styles". i loooooove this feature, it totally takes the hassle out of online shopping! (i know, i know. shopping sitting down is not a hassle per se, but clicking through endless pages of stuff you don't want is just annoying). remember to sort prices low-to-high so you don't get intimidated. oh, and! if it turns out that say, thakoon, just doesn't cut for your body, simply send it back for a full refund or exchange (not on shipping, duh). in the world of online shopping i don't think it gets any better than this.

 

so go ahead, put a little love in it!

knubs and a weave

over the weekend i took all my tearsheets from the september mags (i had a LOT) and assembled them into one nice inspiration book. a little cheeseball, i know, but it cleans up a lot easier and it turns out it's quite helpful. when looking back through all the pages i had torn out, i figured out what i was most attracted to this season. and that, my friends, is texture. yes, more than any color or silhouette or designer in particular,  texture--anything that made me want to reach out and feel the fabric-- was ripped out and sprayglued. 

with my inspiration as such, and the weather turning awful (i hate the fall, but that's another post all together), on tuesday i got crafty with my tights and paired them with my black woven boots. the colors match but the textures contrast in a really cool way.

tights: gap, paris (turned inside out). boots: handmade in italy, available here

shannon

this morning on the way to work i came across the most darling girl at the bus stop. her clutch caught my eye first-- i love the vintage feel and wearing it to work is brilliant! since i'm officially a blogger now, i asked her to pose for me so i could share with everyone the super cute outfit she had on. she kindly obliged, and i am pleased to present the newest addition to the signature styles segment!

she's wearing:

shoes: bcbg, thrifted. skirt: jcrew. blouse and scarf: h&m. purse: iman (gifted). feather hairclip: tigerlily

shannon also gave me a hint for a new shopping opportunity: hayes valley. i haven't been there in a million years but have reason to go this weekend; the local label tigerlily sells their wares in the area (and, there's a boutique that sells MaraisUSA shoes--doublescore!) thanks girl!!

tom-toms

while we're on the topic of shoes that are cute and affordable, i give you: TOMS with laces!!! now i don't usually go for laces, but a) these laces look minimally annoying and b) it says you don't even need them! these colors are perfect for fall, and in case you want two pairs (hey, decisions can be really hard to make some days) keep in mind that for every pair you buy for youself, a little kiddie in a developing country will get a pair too! sweet deal!

perfect for the place des vosges

a few weeks ago one of my oldest friends, kailey, showed matt and i around the marais --an almost too cool neighborhood in paris. she brought us to an excellent breton crepe restaurant, then to the swedish cultural center for some courtyard coffee, then to 'merci' aka the coolest store in the entire world, and finally to chill in the places des vosges. it was sitting here amongst the french hipsters and beautiful families, that i realized i want to live here. one day i want to look and act as effortlessly cool as the parisians manage to do.

the first step to accomplishing this is, obvi, owning all shoes produced by MaraisUSA. owned and founded catherine chu and haley boyd (also the designers, natch), MaraisUSA is named after the iconic, eclectic neighborhood that straddles the third and fourth arrondisements.chu and boyd have used their parson's educated minds to create super cute shoes, adored on covetable on so many levels. i'm telling you, all i need to do is to wear any pair of these and stand outside the Musee Picasso and i'll fit right in!

below are some of my favorites, though i am not lying when i say it's hard to choose just one (or four). but at prices this good you don't have to. plus, if you purchase now you can save 25% off by entering POLKADOTS at check out. and that totes means you can add those boots to your order...all the cool kids are doing it.

army boots, $98

tuxedo boots, $145

oxford, $88

two-toned flats, $64

classic pump, $96

tidbits

inspired my dear annie in new york:

• i actually have been listening to this song on repeat for, oh, over an hour. it's just such a great jam that when it ends all i want to do is hear it again
• too cute: tu.tu.blu. the clothes are adorable, the site is playful, and the model is beautiful.
• here is where this inpirational chica is headed! can you believe? i am so excited for her to rock it down south...not to mention my wishlist is miles long. textile developer in peru?! send me one of everything, please??
• oh, no big deal she just got her start in the textile world at the ultra-hip up-and-coming bodkin.

the weather tamer

so, i clearly need more practice in this whole 'modeling' thing. i haven't gotten past looking like a huge goofball in every shot. oh well! consider it part of the evolution...

friday night: went to a will's for a sampling of bourbon drinks at the bachelor pad. a casual night with friends called for a fun, casual outfit. this impromptu photo shoot happened in the middle of our street, waiting for the bus. enjoy:

wearing:

jacket: vintage "weather tamer" (yes, that is actually its name). blouse: vintage, ebay.

 acid wash jeans: zara italy. shoes: minnetonka. 

i heart backgammon pin: my grandma's. belt: gap? bag: chanel. bangles: shotwell

nicole b

part of my intention in starting this blog was to showcase the signature styles of those around me. to start of this segment, i have enlisted the help of my awesome classmate, nicole. today we'll be looking at what she wore to our saturday morning class. i don't even know how she looks so good so early, since i put on what i wore the night before. 

without further ado, nicole:

what she's wearing:

dress: forever 21. cardigan: h&m. tights: hue. shoes: baker's. belt: aldo accessories

it should also be noted that homegirl has flawless hair and makeup for every class. seriously, her hair is smooth and shiny and her eye make-up is impeccable. this is a skill i wish i had, and might have to hit up my girl for a few lessons! 

tidbits

• i keep getting 'reminders' from chanel to be the first to own the "chanel cocoon" bag. i know i won't be on the list, but in case you are, here's the link.
• lovely, lovely editorial at numero korea this month. ms. jessica stam is looking stunning as ever.
• holy natural inspiration! crests and waves, maaaaaan.
• updates: my first modcloth is package is on the way! and this little diddy should be arriving today via ebay.

mc madness

if you click through the lovely ladies' blogs featured on the right, you'll notice that ModCloth makes quite a few cameos. i've recently discovered the reason: it's AMAZING. the site is jam packed with all sorts of goodies... dresses, shoes, sunglasses, rompers, you name it! let's take a look at what i consider to be some first-glance highlights:

one of the first images i saw when visiting the site. i'm pretty sure i DIED. (you'll come to learn that i have a thing for pugs AND big glasses so this is pretty much a slice of heaven right here):

next up, a wild horses maxi-dress. also available in chest-ire cat and wolf form. the description calls it "100% amazing" and i could not agree more:

i saw this skirt over at orchid grey and fell in love... my darling boyfriend may or may not have ordered one for me, i'm crossing my fingers:

last but not least, one of the many items i drool over whenever Jessica from WhatIWore has it on. if it weren't out of stock, i would've snatched up this goodie in a minute. this necklace makes everything look fantastic:

i could go on and on (and on and ON) but it's way more fun to check it out for yourself! everything is so well priced, and so cleverly named (i'm also a sucker for puns) that you could spend hours and paychecks at modcloth. and that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing!

oops... my b!

so, oops there was a little bit of a hiatus in there but i swear i have really good excuses (some of which are fashion related). but i missed this style outlet, so don't think a month away means i'm calling it quits!

first, i went to europe with the boyfriend for two weeks. we went to amsterdam(for nine hours), florence, santa margharita ligure, and paris. it was fantastic:

then i got back and went to some very special friends' wedding. SO much fun...best friends and dance parties all around:

then i got the flu. i was flat out on the couch for three days. no picture necessary.

then i styled a fashion show! a friend (hi, joanne! again!) asked me to help her style her friend's new line. the line in and of itself is awesome--go check it out at www.amanathwal.com and i had so much fun styling it up:

as you can see, i've been kinda busy. meanwhile....new york fashion week happened! we have lots to catch up on, and i plan on covering it all, so please keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times and remain seated until we come to a complete stop.