Friday, May 27, 2011

7 Summer Essentials

7 PIECES TO GREET SUMMER 2011 IN STYLE

A BRIGHT BLOUSY TOP - To go with white jeans, skirts, and shorts. Pair this combo with nude wedges and it's an absolutely delightful outfit. You can also style this "Pink Lemonade" from Poketo for a night out.

Pull it over a tight white mini tank dress, sky high gold heels, and tons of gold jewelry and you are ready to go. Bring on the hot pink pedi!








SPORTY SUNGLASSES – For me, summer means always getting to enjoy the great outdoors and what a better way to do that than with fitness? Whether it's boot camp in the park, hiking, or jogging, you'll want to protect your eyes. Fashiony shades don't always work with your volleyball gear, so you'll want a sportier pair. Try these by Michael Kors.
The turquoise and yellow accents make them extra fun!

MAXI DRESS - There are many styles available, but the maxi dress has taken a turn for the casual this year. We're seeing a lot of cotton and jersey. They are perfect for a casual summer wedding, running around and more. I work in a casual environment, so I can throw on a cardigan or a shrunken denim jacket and wear this whenever. Others may want to save this look for "casual Friday," but add some wood or stone jewelry and you're office-ready.










SMALL CROSS BODY BAG - I call this my "tool around town" bag because it's perfect for brunch, running errands, etc. Holds cash, credit cards, lip gloss, keys, and your phone. This ‘licorice’ version by Poketo is so incredibly soft, you cannot tell it’s faux leather!








I also love this bright marigold by Michael Kors. 


UNEXPECTED SWIMSUIT COVER UP – The Sunburst laser cut outs on this tunic make it a nice break away from the usual sarong and allows you to keep the goods under wraps until you’re ready to unveil that bikini.

Another great find at Poketo!

One very glamorous option is this gorgeous turquoise chiffon maxi. A wide brimmed hat and large sunglasses are all you need to complete this resort-ready look.
American Apparel makes these in 7 different colors!










COLOR BLOCK DRESS - A simple style at a great price! This American Apparel two-tone dress lends itself well to the color block trend and it comes in a variety of colors. My favorite is the Sunshine/Silver.


NUDE WEDGES – This style/color combo will tie up any ensemble nicely. They work for day and night. Piperlime has a HUGE selection! I love these because they are stylish and comfy!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

FALL/WINTER WISH LIST

If I were shopping*, this is what I'd buy for fall & winter. In no particular order . . .

*Yes, I'm on a fast from clothes in hopes of getting my finances in order. See here for details.

Gray knit blazer. Professional and casual, and there's a cute one at Target for $24.99 ($5 coupon in October's O Magazine!) Normally I would justify this purchase. $20 for an on-trend blazer? Great deal! But, a pact is a pact and I can’t make exceptions or else me and my Mastercard will be right back where we started.

Amazingly versatile 4-way sweater – the sleeves and bottom snap off and on, so you can go from short-sleeved tunic to long-sleeved crop in no time! Gryphon New York at Nordstrom, $345. 

Just snap off those sleeves!


Dare I say harem pants? Yes, I realize this trend came onto the fashion scene last year and I was skeptical, but my penchant for comfortable fashion has made them grow on me. If I were shopping for fall, I'd scoop up a pair in a neutral camel or black.
American Apparel
I'd really, really love a dark blue denim wash button down for work. I would pair it with white jeans and other neutral dress pants. Left open, it makes a great layer over tanks (and harem pants!)


Cozy is the name of my game once the weather changes and I would invest in a chunky-knit sweater, in navy or a rich cream. Or both. I might also get a super luxe cashmere cardigan, like the gorgeous mustard DVF cardigan I passed up at an outlet mall in June. So sad! I'm still thinking about it! I’ll be going to Chicago, Vancouver, and Park City this season, so sweaters are in order. Savvy at Nordstrom and Barney’s Co-op currently carry the best selection, including this fun Marc by Marc Jacobs cardigan. 

Comfy cozy!

So hot!

I need something fabulous to wear to holiday parties.  I’m feeling sassy, so maybe something with loads of chiffon - like a glam maxi-dress in the blended tones than were sent down the runways at fashion week.

Bell bottoms-the 70's are back! I just love 70's era fashion. Earlier this summer, I purchased a pair of BCBG bell bottomed cords in gray. Those will placate my yearning for the 7 For All Mankind Rachel Bellbottom from Piperlime, but oh, how I do want those jeans. They are so cool and can be paired with a diverse array of tops. I really want to pair them with the above mentioned cozy sweater and some platforms for a complete 70’s look.

And maybe it's just because the girls in the ads look so free spirited and happy, but I'm all about those Levi's Curve ID jeans. Who doesn't love a pair of jeans that fit like a glove?

Jessica Simpson's “Kiss Me” jeggings. How cute are these?! Click here to view the collection.

A fitted black turtleneck. How I don't have one of these, I don't know. But, I'd really like to layer all my flouncy summer dresses with a black turtleneck and black tights when the temperature drops.

What I'm not into? Those furry vests. Yuck. Regardless of whether they are faux or not (and I'd never ever wear real fur!) I just think they are creepy looking. Like you just got back from hunting and "look Ma, check out my kill!"

I'm also not so into this plaid trend. Please see above for details on my aversion to "hunter wear."

This is my wish list for fall into winter. What are you adding to your wardrobe this fall? Let me know so I can shop vicariously through you!

Monday, August 16, 2010

The Greatest Shopping/Love Story Ever Told

Picture it. Paris, April 2009. My husband and I were set to spend a nearly free week in London (courtesy of my frequent flier miles and the use of a family member’s flat.) Since I had acquired the free plane tickets and a free place to stay, I basically made it known that I’d be going on a Parisian shopping spree on our planned day-trip to Paris. (The hubs was nervously compliant.) In the March 2009 issue of Lucky magazine there was an article detailing the top 50 places to shop in Paris. My dream come true. . . It described all these amazing boutiques and where they were located. Perfect! I took it as a sign and planned out a detailed shopping itinerary.

The day of our planned day trip from London to Paris happened to be the day after Easter Sunday. I soon discovered, after traipsing all over Paris only to find all my planned shopping destinations were closed, that Easter Monday is a bloody buggery holiday in Europe! What?!?! Serious devastation set in. This was the 2nd to last day of our vacation and it was the day that I had been looking forward to most. I was going to go to snatch up a few pairs of amazing flats at the Repetto boutique! I was going to totally splurge on unique Parisian fashion! I was seriously jet-lagged and had only been sleeping 2 hours a night for a week! I cried in a Paris café . . .

That’s when my dear, dear Ken said those magic words. “Would it make you feel better if we went to Louis Vuitton and I buy you whatever you want?” YES!!!! The tears stopped and my jet lag was forgotten. To Champs Elysees!!!!! (It should be noted that the major stores were still open on this holiday – only the precious boutiques were closed.) LV was most definitely open.

So, onto Louis Vuitton we went and it was glorious. After deep contemplation, I selected this gorgeous modified messenger bag and a classic print scarf. Perfection. It was the greatest souvenir ever.





Ken recently made a promise of taking me on a similar shopping spree on our upcoming Vancouver vacation . . . and there’s a Louis Vuitton in Vancouver.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

FASHION, ACCESSORIES, SWAPPING!

“Everyday I wake up and I thank God for my unique ability to accessorize.”   

This inspiring quote is from a postcard the late Stanley DeSantis sent me ages ago. I keep it right above my computer as a lovely reminder of how important accessories are to every wardrobe. These days, I’m pretty focused on accessories since I’m 3 weeks into a shopping-from-my-closet ONLY fashion experiment. Accessorizing is vital.

Accordingly, I recently attended a fabulous fashion event called the ThinkThruFashion Accessory Swap Soiree at the Avalon Hotel in Beverly Hills. The event was put on by Sydne Summer, ThinkThruFashion’s Editor-in-Chief, in celebration of 6 months of her ttF Fashion Staple Series. I’ve been following Sydne AKA @SydneSummer on Twitter for awhile now and find her tweets, links, and twitpics seriously engaging. It was fun to finally meet this Twitter fashion expert in person! 
photo by Felix Salzman

In addition to the swap, Michael Stars had a pop-up shop in one of the poolside cabanas featuring a summer sale of their ultra-luxe cotton pieces. I have a major love affair with high-quality cotton and could have picked up so many of the Michael Stars tops (at great prices!!) but alas, I’m committed to 6 months of no shopping . . . only swapping!

For the swap portion of the event, each attendee was instructed to bring 3-5 accessories that she wanted to swap out. You would turn in your items and receive either a gold (luxe) or silver (chic) star for each item. I ended up with 3 gold and 2 silver stars, so off to the accessory table I went – my stars as currency.

In exchange for my Betsey Johnson sunglasses, 2 bangles, a black bauble necklace, and large green-stoned necklace from the Tori Spelling Collection (yes, you read that right . . .) I got some great booty! I selected a dainty yet weighty gold necklace that I’ve earmarked for my cousin’s September wedding, a neutral 2-toned scarf, and 3 bangle bracelets; one of which was exactly the same as one of the bangles I turned in, except that now I have it in a bright yellow. I’m super happy with my “shopping” experience, though I wish I had cashed in a little earlier, as one of my fellow fashionistas landed a L.A.M.B. watch! 
photo by Ray Wongchinda


Fashion events, without fail, always have the best gift bags. This one topped just about any swag bag I’ve ever gone home with:

·      High-waisted cotton bloomers by American Apparel (looooove!)
·      An adorable sleep mask by Bedhead Pajamas
·      Haircare by Unite Eurotherapy
·      A fab make-up kit that includes 5 eye-shadows, lip gloss, and eyeliner by NYX
·      Anti-aging serum by Bellanue (can’t get enough anti-aging products!)
·      A Style Network emery board
·      Tanning lotion by Beautisol
·      PaperTweet by Knock Knock Nifty Notes (hilarious notepad for us Twitterbugs)
·      Pro Active oil blotters, compliments of Queen of the Quarter-Life Crisis
·      Certificate for a treatment at DERMALOGICA (my favorite!!!!)

Additionally, Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics reps were on hand for touch ups and were giving out full sized lipsticks. Mariska Hargitay’s The Joyful Heart Foundation was the big winner of the night, as there was a benefit raffle that helped raise over $2,000 for the organization which supports survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse. I was happy to purchase a raffle ticket and give money to such a needed organization and was even happier when I won a eco-friendly Hemptress bag!

Although it’s fun & fabulous to attend fashion events with amazing people, swapping is something we can all do on our own, with our own group of friends. I’ve attended various swaps – sometimes with just a few girlfriends; sometimes they’re highly organized with 50+ attendees! No matter the size, you’re bound to find a few items that work with your current wardrobe. To me, swaps are an essential part of closet organization because not only do you get to take home your best friend’s sweater/wrap dress/hat that you’ve been coveting, you have the opportunity to get rid of your own closet clutter. For more on de-cluttering your closet, check out the Wardrobe Consultation under Services at www.soignee-la.com.

Happy swapping and accessorizing!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

GROUND RULES & THE FASHION EVENT THAT FOLLOWS THEM

So far, so good! I have successfully gone 3 weeks without buying a stitch of clothing. Yes, there have been temptations. In fact, there was one major (major!) temptation; the Spring/Summer Sale event* at designer Eva Franco’s studio in downtown LA this past weekend. Eva Franco is one of my favorite designers for her fabrics, style and fit. Her clothes are amazing for all occasions and I knew a sale at her studio (where she has EVERYTHING) would be too risky for my experiment. Sorry Eva!


*side note: Soignee Personal Shopping will be hosting a Fall Sale Event at Eva Franco and you’re all invited! www.evafranco.com


I’ve established some ground rules for myself for these next 5 ¾ months . . .


Obviously I can’t go on for 6 whole months with absolutely no new wardrobe updates. So, I’m not buying any clothes – no event dresses, no new sweaters come winter, no new jeans, etc. However, I am not denying myself shoes and accessories. Come on, I have to! Not buying clothes for 6 months is huge for me. Because I am very much into style, I still want to be able to update my wardrobe, so I'm allowing myself to purchase shoes and accessories. I might die without these.


And, on Monday, July 19th, there is an event that is tailor-made for me! Think Thru Fashion’s Accessory Swap promises to be an amazing fashion experience. I won’t be able to stock up in the Michael Stars pop-up shop, but I will hopefully swap out some of my accessories for some new & fabulous ones. www.thinkthrufashion.com 


Now, what accessories should I bring to give away? I’m thinking that I’ll bring some sunglasses that didn’t turn out to fit my face as well as I thought. Also, I do have this really cool black necklace made of large baubles. It’s rad, but I’m willing to part with it. I won’t be able to part with any of my scarves, so I’m thinking a couple pairs of sunglasses and the black bauble necklace.


I’ll be covering the TTFashion Swap for Soignee-LA, so stay tuned for a full report!

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

An Experiment in Fashion

SHOPPING IN YOUR OWN CLOSET
One of the best jobs I get as a personal shopper is a call for a closet overhaul. First of all, it’s so much fun to go through someone’s closet and clear it of the excess; the outdated, the inappropriate, and the just plain bad. As you can imagine, it’s a lot easier to clean out someone else’s closet than your own since you have no emotional ties to any of the items (“But I wore that to so and so’s fraternity formal!” . . . “Um, that was 12 years ago . . .”)

Once you clean out a client’s closet, the fun continues when you put together fresh, new ensembles out of what they have left. You’d be surprised at how many new outfits you can put together once all the unwearables are removed. Usually, with just a few classic staples added to a wardrobe, you can inexpensively create several new ensembles from what’s already there. Some magazines will have you think that you need a whole new wardrobe for every season. That’s just not true! Sometimes you just need a fresh take on what you already have. I’m hoping that’s going to work for me as I embark on this new fashion journey . . .


FASHION EXPERIMENTATION
Confessions of a Shopaholic; a great book and the story of my life. I’ll admit, I’ve accrued way too much credit card debt ALL due to my habitual shopping. Can’t help it! I love fashion! However, I have decided that as of July 1st, I will not purchase any clothing for at least 6 months. Yikes, I know! I am nervous, but genuinely excited about the whole experimental aspect of it all.

WHY?!
Several months ago, I came across a blog by a fashionista in Nashville who was doing a similar experiment (I’ve not since been able to find that blog, otherwise I’d give her the props she deserves. When I track it down, I promise to give her credit!) Anyway, she is much more brave than I am because she has given up shopping for a full year. I simply can’t commit to that much time, but I was inspired. If I feel comfortable on February 1 to extend my experiment, I definitely will (I think it would be cool to experience a full seasonal fashion cycle,) but for now I can only deny myself for 6 months. Additionally, I’m hoping to save a lot of $$ and cut down my debt. That’s a pretty great reason, IMO (and in my husband’s opinion . . .)


AM I READY?
I actually have a pretty solid wardrobe – would you expect anything less from a professional shopper? I’ve got like 30+ dresses, and tons of tops and pants in a variety of fits and styles. I just can’t gain or lose any weight, which shouldn’t be a problem since I forbid my body to gain 5 lbs, and frankly, my body forbids me to lose 5 lbs.


I did have to stock up on a few things. I hit the Gap for some classic "Long and Lean" jeans-always a perfect fit. I already have plenty of skinny jeans; high and low end, so I just needed a couple of classic fits. I also picked up a pair of white jeans, which can be so versatile. Can’t go 6 months without them so I had to pick up a couple pairs of black leggings. They are a personal staple and style-wise they're not going anywhere anytime soon.

And the day is not over. I can totally hit the stores before midnight, right? 2nd Street in Little Tokyo has several cute shops: No. A, Kimski Vintage, and one of my all time favorites, American Apparel. I may just have to make a stop on my way home (it's not cheating!)

Well, here goes . . .

Friday, April 30, 2010

Summer nights are upon us! And darkness . . .

One of my new favorite hobbies is putting together total looks at Polyvore. So fun!!!

It's hot out and you want to hit the town. Dress up your comfy denim cutoffs with some super high heels, hearts, floral, and bling. Now you're hot.



On the darker side, here is a look that is eerie yet romantic. Very Twilight. I envision this girl running through these woods, pursued by a sexy vampire. She's caught and gives in to the passion. The strapless dress is key for ideal neck exposure.