upcycling your home

A bout of "upcycling" in my apartment this weekend has inspired a search for budget chic decorate ideas. This home tour on The Nest caught my eye and is right on par with the modern, playful atheistic I'm channeling. Enjoy!

california dreaming

I'm back from a little vacation in California for a wedding in the Redwoods which was AH-MAZING. Really. The thoughtful detail from decor to food (prepared by Top Chef Lorraine... she's super sweet) made it the kind of wedding that had all my nearly engaged friends (and me) arguing about who would have to follow up this event. Traveling reminded me how much I love making purchases during my travels - breaks up the monotony of shopping and selection of your local hunts.West coast style is SO different from what we have going on in the Midwest. Plus everything comes home with a sweet story and promise of being a piece you won't see running all over Birmingham or Royal Oak.

What I wore for the wedding... Forever 21.. So comfy!

Blissful Home in Santa Rosa. I got two super amazing necklaces there. Home decor was out of this world. 

Santa Rosa has incredible vintage jewelry... here is the ring that was sent IMMEDIATELY to my BF in case he ever does buy a ring...:)

Bluegrass wedding in the Redwoods

ebay fashion gets a make over

Check it out! I love eBay's new makeover. Same auction concept, but now has a boutique feel and search is MUCH more user friendly. My favorite update is the thumbnail view when you find your desired product category. Roll your mouse over each pic to see time left, price and # of bids.

Also launched is the Fashion Vault. Apparently it's time limited (48-72 hours) designer sales for eBay members. Their take on off priced merchandise sites - see Gilt, Ruelala, and The Outnet.

For those using eBay to fill their designer/couture/vintage/rare cravings, curious what you think...

The Jane Bandwagon

Seaofshoes.com

I cannot hold it in any longer. What I speak of is the HUGE crush on Jane Aldridge of Sea of Shoes that has been brewing and twisting and burning in my little internet filled blogger heart.

Honestly her posting about Marfa, Texas and SXSW in Austin last week put me over the edge.

Tell me you can't resist her amazing fashion sense, eye for what's lovely and general coolness. This girl is the bees knees and has the goods to back it up. I've joined the bandwagon, the Jane bandwagon. Not that I'm against paying kudos when it's do, but sometimes if you join something too late, something that everyone else has already oohed and aaahed, I seem a little Debbie come lately. Whatever, I say!

Jane, you are an inspiration!

One of many Marfa pics that I love and ooze cool.

Polyvore is spying on you... b/c you're cool

the beautiful ordinary by rockAfella featuring TopShop shoes

And because you're the virtual Anna Wintours and way ahead of the fashion curve, Polyvore, the virtual styling tool, is going to sell all of your good ideas (boiled down into trends... such as you hate chokers, but love long beaded necklaces) to companies (buyers, trend forecasters) for money. That's not necessarily a bad thing... assuming "they" listen to what your "buying" i.e. taking the time to put into your sets.

The New Yorker, in their April magazine, reported about Polyvore in an article by Alexandra Jacobs entitled, "Fashion Democracy: the world of virtual Anna Wintours."

Polyvore is actually a rather brilliant way to engage and track a very covetable consumer. Youth & early adopters, regardless of age, are hard to pin down and even harder to build allegiance and regular communication. 6.6 million fashion forward ladies do this every month on Polyvore. 1.4 million are registered users and 200,000 are creators using the sites daily.

Because users - dubbed stylists - clip and paste anything on the web to complete their sets, a careful onlooker could deduce important shopping and taste trends far earlier in the market process. Thus sidelining already passe must-haves before valuable time and money is spent putting out merchandise that no longer connects with consumers.

From my days as a social media manager and internet dork, Polyvore is an internet platform that is an ideal way for a creative company to provide a service AND to keep tabs on what the cool kids are doing. You see everything they like in real time as styled/merchandised by them - music, art, fashion, celebrities, cosmetics, and images. It's kinda nuts and a little tiny gold mind sitting under their noses. I bet Jenna Lyons at J. Crew is all over it. I would be...

From the article:

Polyvore’s most valuable asset is the intelligence that it gathers about its users’ preferences. Every day, in a section called Zeitgeist, the site presents top-twenty lists of users’ favorite brands, trends, and celebrities. Sometimes these rankings are easily explicable—after the February 11th suicide of Alexander McQueen, his brand hovered around No. 1 for weeks, as distraught creators rushed to make tribute sets—but they are sometimes just a reflection of fashion’s eternal riddle: Why boyfriend shorts? Why now? Part of the company’s business plan involves selling the statistics it’s tabulating (which Lee called “a gold mine of analytics”), to designers and to store buyers, in order to manage inventory more effectively.

“We have so much data about what is being matched with what,” said Lee, a dedicated setmaker who, like other regulars, calls herself a Polywhore. “If I click on Calvin Klein, do I also click on Helmut Lang? Are gladiator sandals going in or out? Are skinny jeans about to die?”

The company is not yet profitable, but I imagine soon they will. One other mantra that stuck with me that Polyvore keeps close is ... "Do what the user loves and the money will follow." That, of course, was what Jess Lee, 27 and VP of product management, learned from her time at Google under Marissa Meyer. I would say she is on right track.

Shop to build, not to fill

"My closet is full of problem pieces." - Fanatic but frenzied in Ferndale

I love this client because she is enthusiastic. Overly so. She buys every piece she loves from every store without ever thinking about how it plays back into her current wardrobe.

End result?

A fragmented and frustrating set of shitty options. Attempts to mix and match lead to hair pulling and in some cases tears. Yes, tears. I've seen it.

Who doesn't have a pesky problem child that refuses to be matched, that gets pulled out only to be shoved back in the closet? The perfect final touch is always missing: the shoe, bold accessory, or maybe a belt of just so color and texture.

In the last few years of working with clients in a number of ways - from total hand holding to jotting down must-have pieces - I have developed the sure fire recipe for successful shopping.

First...

The List

Carry a well-thought out list of what you need in your purse every season. A word to the wise: there are pieces that have been on my list for two years. They carry over every season when I don't find exactly what I want. For me, it's a perfectly cropped black leather jacket with 3/4 sleeves and that elusively tasteful animal print handbag. These vital additions are so important to my closet, I will wait for the stars to align and right piece to appear.

then...

True Love

Like the right guy, the right piece is out there. Do not settle for "I like it" or you will pay dearly. Only buy things you LOVE. I mean LOVE. Like the "I will think about this piece until I'm 80 if I don't have it right now." There will always be something else. In fact, the most absolutely perfect right thing does exist, you need to be patient until you find it.

When that happens...

Three Amigos

As you hold a garment in your hands, think: do I have three ways to wear this piece with what's already in my closet? Think meaty, main course pieces like pants + sweaters, but also run through shoes, accessories and the right handbag. If you can't think of three, put it back. The time, energy, and money necessary to attain the complementing elements will deter you from ever getting any decent wear from this purchase.

then...

Save or Spurge

Bottom line: spend on classics, save on trends. Burberry trench - buy it for $800. It's built to last and you'll be chic into your 50's and saying "I bought this lovely thing 20 years ago." Some crazy sky scraping stilettos covered in gems and studs - save your hard earned $$$. Check out Steve Madden or Aldo. You'll be storing those heels faster than you can say, "Will this go on sale?"

Almost there...

Slow and steady wins the race

I consult about wardrobes every day. Beware: not every trend, not every designer is for everyone. Be picky. Be selective. Take time. Creating a good wardrobe that inspires you and makes you over-the-moon about getting ready comes from thoughtful and disciplined shopping.

Shop to build, not to fill.

Finally...

Make the purchase and love it to death. But most of all, take care of it. Put it on the right hangers, launder appropriately. Don't leave your prized possessions - investments or otherwise - on the floor where dogs, babies and boyfriends roam.

Happy shopping.

96 episodes, Six Seasons, Four Friends, One Amazing City

Imagine my joy upon receiving the complete Sex in the City DVD box set today.

Every Sunday for six years, I plugged into HBO to marvel in envy at the unfolding lives of four friends who were everything I wanted to be: smart, funny, and fashionable. Like Carrie, we all have our John James Preston and what was so appealing was that Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte were lovelorn and love seeking too. Just like us.

And, it's true, I'm falling in love all over again. STC will always hold a special place in my heart; it's like my coming of age TV series.

asian furisode

I'm sorting through my photo archives to find the Midwest version of this Asian coming of age photo... stay tuned.

daily devotional: asian fashion

I stumbled upon Made In Girl magazine and love it. See fun/cute/playful/original fashion below. It's not a secret that I have a HUGE-O crush on asian people...especially their fashion taste. Check out Tokyofashion.com for more street-spritation.

bunny chic

Look at Ms. Kate doing her thing in Aspen. I love her tone downed, accessible glamour. If this were True Blood, that look would have me in a spell. Uou can recreate this for yourself VERY easily. One pinch skinny pants, a dash of vintage fur and a faux skin bag = cold weather chic.

comfy winter daywear

Urban chic look. Cameron Diaz looks comfortable and ready to take the city in style. Her quilted black boots add interest to a classic Fall shoe. A slouch knit hat gives a touch of boho.

date night looks for easy evening

SPJ is one of my loves. She has that Kate Moss "I just happen to be running late and this what I grabbed out of my closet." Easy chic, like she doesn't try. I also love how she isn't 14 years old like most every other "gotta have" celebrity look. You can create this easily from your own closet - jeans, suede wedges, black blazer, light weight tee or a see through knit and a bright purse. So cute and so easy... :) Perfect for date night or a quick dinner with friends.

look to love

As a personal shopper, one of the best parts of my job is helping people find their style. It's not as simple as it seems or looks when you're an Olsen. I often times make inspiration boards for my clients showing looks that embody their lifestyles but open up their thinking to shapes and styles that bring more of their personalities to the table. I clipped this photo for myself. Definitely two of my favorites, they look stunning yet totally themselves in Zandra Rhodes caftan (MK). No uniform here, no standard boring LBD. I try for this every day when closet doors or grabbing something new to add ... IS IT SPECIAL? IS IT ME? WILL I LOOK LIKE EVERYONE ELSE?

Seeing Red

I love red accessories. They perk up classic black or every day denim. Make a LBD sexy x2 with vixen red platforms. No restrictions here - You can always walk into any vintage or resale store to find that perfect red something.