Brunch in Town

Sunday brunch with the girls, involving huge omelettes and lots of cornbread. Followed by brief shopping... It was rather cool out, but sunny, so I had to do the between-seasons mix and match.
(Pose is a bit awkward, sorry).

Dress: Michael Stars
Boots: Corso Como
Belt: Abercrombie & Fitch
Bag: Hobo International

CyberShopping: Sunburn Clothing Cures

I'm in Hawaii, and it's about 90 degrees and scorching hot.
And my excellent sunburn has no mercy (I really did wear sunscreen, promise, but still...)
And I have resorted to wearing my loosest jersey dresses in an attempt to minimize cloth-to-body contact and thereby minimize the pain of sunburn.
What I really want right about now:

Rachel Pally Salsa Dress
$238 at Shopbop
(shown in pewter, also comes in white and midnight)

Oh! What I wouldn't give for loose, flowy tiers and effortless movement that will cool my burning back... Better yet, this dress looks made to move to a rhythm; whether Maui or Rio de Janeiro, think fabulous platform heels, a bright clutch, and Mojitos into the wee hours of morning.

Karen Zambos Vintage Couture V-Neck Tank Dress
$284 at Shopbop

So I know this is a tad shapeless, but the color is rich and you just know the silk will be soft and cool and light. I vote for bronze wedges and an earth-toned bag while out and about at night in Athens.

Milly Sardinia Tile Print Portofino Dress
$323 at Shopbop

This looks like the type of dress that you can throw on with your silver flat sandals after a hot day at the beach and check out the sites. The name says it all: Sardinia! or Portofino! Preferably anywhere in Italy, with a dark tan by a pool. Conversely, bring it to the Bahamas with giganto Tom Ford shades and an anti-Lily Pullitzer attitude.

This post has been Shopbop-heavy (and way too expensive) but a girl can dream...
Sending you sea-breeze blow kisses and flowers for your hair!

Battle of the Belt/Shoe Combo

OK, so I am guilty of re-wearing. But only a belt and shoe combination! They go together so nicely... I couldn't resist! (Plus, the shoes are my fab brand-new ShopBop finds featured in the earlier CyberTravels installment. They are uber-shiny, pretty comfy, and have garnered quite a few compliments!) The belt was given to me by my mom; she found it in the back of her closet from "30 years ago," she says. It's elastic with little gold and silver metal plates, which match the shoe detail.

Look 1 was executed for a semi-casual dinner out with the 'rents.

Top: (unknown)
Jeans: Sass&Bide
Shoes: Dolce Vita
Belt: vintage

Look 2 was thrown on for a casual shopping/errand-running pleasant afternoon.

Dress: Ella Moss
Cardigan: Michael Stars
Shoes: Dolce Vita
Belt: vintage
Bag: (slightly hidden) vintage Coach

Yay for re-wearing! Which combo do you like best?

Tomorrow at 6:00am I'm off to Maui. Adventure posts forthcoming!

Denim Shorts of the Classy Variety

I really, really want tailored, non-ratty, classy dark denim shorts. Why are they so hard to find? Why, fashion gods, is this such a difficult thing to ask for?
Of course, if you don't mind spending a ridiculous amount you can have these lovelies:

Hudson Pleated High Waist Short
$143 at Shopbop
(Pretty much perfectly fits the bill... with bright flats and a plain tucked-in American Apparel tee, one sees spring fashion perfection. Why, Hudson, do you charge as much for shorts as for full size jeans?)
Forever 21 Pleated Denim Short
$19.90
(and these are a little hot-pant-y. although a nice wash.)


Arghh the search goes on...

Warrior Footwear

It seems gladiators of the flat, wedge, and high-heeled species are roaming wild wherever one looks in the jungle of shoe shopping. Honestly, every online site has a spread for them.
But let's be honest: gladiators, with all that extra strappy chunkiness around the ankle, can be just plain unattractive. And yet. They have that magnetic draw.
Today, I will explore the depths of gladiator heel territory:

CARLOS by Carlos Santana "Magnum"
$100 at Zappo's
(Comfort-wise these are an excellent bet and are well-priced to boot. They are the most feminine gladiators I have come across and the most versatile.)

Nine West "Gaulla"
$90 at Piperlime
(These have a heaviness and an androgynous edge which means they are bound to be best sellers... worn with the floaty floral frocks or crisp safari jumpsuits of the season, they scream on-trend and are a good price point. And they won't get stuck in cobblestones! I see a remote village in Italy and your most ethereal white eyelet sundress. Bellissima!)


Linea Paolo "Suzette"
$109.95 at Nordstrom
(I see these as the most classic, grown-up of the styles... they are the perfect balance of a hard-edged gladiator with slimmer feminine lines. Think a pastel-colored belt-waisted shirtdress and soft leather bag in Rome.)

So! Gladiator heels! There are so many high-end, heavy-duty versions but they are unwearable if one is interested in looking relatively normal. Chie Mihara is my favorite of those sorts, though...
Funny how I see them mainly in Italy... back to their birthplace with the chariot races, I say!

Next up: gladiator wedges.

Guess vs. Kors: Battle of Cut-out Wedges!

A friend wore these modern chic shoes to a recent formal event, and I was like, I love!

GUESS by Marciano Savor in Blue Patent
$99.95 at Zappo's

And then I was doing the usual ShopBop browsing ("Neutral Territory: Modern Metallics) and came upon these beauties.

KORS Shoes Danger Metallic Cutout Wedge
$230 at shopbop

And it hit me! Quite a big price difference and the two styles are extremely similar. The Guess ones don't come in silver but we don't always like looking like androids... and electric blue (or hot pink and black - the other options) is so, so major right now.

I am thinking a floaty white dress for the blues, as you cruise through Rome (in a few months). And for the silvers... a killer tan, a jersey LBD, and an oversized neutral clutch. In New York, of course.

Black Pointy Pumps

I could go on for years about wardrobe basics, but basics are... well, they're basically boring.
But not always!
Example: I just purchased a pair of black pointy-toe pumps, and they are the epitome of basic. But! They are not boring! It is partly that they are classically clean, sexily chic, and businessy in the best way. They are fierce. And I mean that in a very non-Top-Model-ish way; I mean it very literally.
My new pair:















Amalfi "Claudia" Pump
$129.95 at Nordstrom
(This picture makes them look so absolutely blah. And maybe they are. They are a basic! But they really do look good on. And these ones are made in Italy... and they will last.)

Another, cheaper, slightly shinier option:






Nine West "Freda" Pump
$49.95 at Nine West stores (sale!)
(These are surprisingly comfortable. But they are made in China! Ergo, the other pair eased my conscience... and will probably last a bit longer. But these are good-lookers.)



The moral of the story: basics are not exciting, but it is so very satisfying to buy a basic that you know will serve you well throughout its lifetime, come trend or high water...

Self-Tanning Bliss

This is not mainly a beauty blog, but sometimes one finds little indispensable beauty products that one simply must pass on...

This Bliss "A Tan for All Seasons" self-Tanning spray ($36 at Sephora) fits the bill for pass-on-able. I prepped with my normal body moisturizer, then spritzed this on to my legs. It was cold, and it didn't spray out evenly, but as soon as I rubbed it in, it dissolved into my skin completely.
A faint cold-grape fragrance remained (not my favorite), but it faded after about 15 minutes (not bad!) and the tan was immediately noticeable.
No dramatic fake-bake or orange glow here; my legs were just nicely tinted into a natural tan color.
A day later, and it's still there. The bottle says the color is buildable - I'll be working on that!

LookBook: Sunday Shopper

Neutrals are the fashion cure to a late-start Sunday.
Sweater Dress: Repeat Cashmere
Tank (underneath): Abercrombie & Fitch
Shoes: Miss Sixty
Bag: Donald Pliner Couture
Necklace: Tiffany & Co.

It's not clear in the pic, but both the bag and the flats have a shimmer in the fabric that ups the fashion factor (otherwise it is just a boring beige outfit).

This is, I think, classic California end-of-winter chic on a sunny day... and with a warm trench coat, it could take you anywhere on the East Coast.

LookBook: Beach Ball

Please excuse the fire alarm accessory...
This was my outfit for a recent formal beach-themed event.
Dress: Nicole Miller
Shoes: Enzo Anglioni
Necklace: unknown

The shoes were surprisingly comfortable - I lasted for about 3 hours of steady dancing before succumbing to the appeal of bare feet.
And the dress was so light and whispery soft.

This would be fabulous evening wear for tromping around a seaside town in Portugal, don't you think?