Wickity Wickity Wicker

($34, Urban Outfitters)

Sure, carrying a clutch in grab-and-go NYC is about as smart as leaving a $50 bill on the doorstep of your urban apartment building and hoping to find it later (we once had a ladder stolen out of our front yard in broad daylight, I repeat, A LADDER!!) or your car running, unattended, while you run inside to go to the bathroom -- you're just asking for it to be taken. Still, this wicker clutch is so summer-chill, it might as well come with its own wrap-around porch and a glass of lemonade.

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A Few Fun, Affordable Spring Picks

For a minute there, I was like, maybe that post title could be a palindrome. Then I was like... fuck it. It's late. So here are the cute and affordable items, in descending order of cost:

(Apprx $132 USD, Topshop.com)

From the new Kate Moss Topshop collection. Now, honestly, I wasn't blown away by her initial offering. But I love this. I'd love it even more if it didn't have the little ruffle at the waist, but we know ruffles are quite in. Even if they're definitely not universally flattering. Still, I love the embroidered detail and the simple colors.

($48, 80%20, ActiveEndeavors.com)

I wouldn't wear all of 80%20 designer Ce Ce Chin's shoes, but I love the ideas and inspiration behind them. And I am totes enamored of these robin's egg blue punk loafers -- also available in "grape" (hee!) and green.

($39.50, Delias)

Boy shorts aren't always the MOST flattering, but I love the classic tie-neck '40s/'50s look here.

($29.50, Old Navy)

Two cute new suits from Old Navy. They both hit stores April 1. The golden metallic one is a BIT American Apparel (in the bad way), except that it isn't cut below one's crotch. It also HAS a crotch, so that's good. Anyway, metallic definitely has its place on the beach (though it may be its only place I think it's okay in non-accessories form), so I endorse this suit, but the brown one is even better.

($10, Malina, ManicTrout.com)

Never mind that the site's name sounds like a tedious jam band (which is redundant.) These vintage lucite earrings are really sweet, and they're actually tiny -- just a quarter-inch. Tee!

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My Trip To The Mall + Mary-Kate Olsen's Orange Wayfarers

A few weekends ago, I traveled down to my half-hometown of Virginia Beach. While down there, I stopped into Lynnhaven Mall with my sister, who wanted to check out the new Wii games. (My parents and I got her a Wii for Chanukkah and her birthday because we are collectively awesome.)

First of all, I must congratulate Lynnhaven Mall on doing an excellent job keeping up with the forward-march of time and integrating itself seamlessly into the 21st century. (For excellent stories and photos of abandoned malls, check out one of my favorite blogs, Labelscar, which tracks malls into their obsolescence, which is nostalgic and creepy and fascinating to me.)

Anyway, mid-mall, Easter Bunny photos were in full effect (some things never change -- as long as there are suburban shopping malls, there will be opportunities to sit on the laps of the Easter Bunny and/or Santa for an overpriced photo), and while we considered doing the stupid high-school-level ironic photo, we opted for an even more juvenile approach: standing in front of the Easter Bunny photo area and aiming for a photo. (Again, some things never change.)

The half-assed result, featuring my sister:

This all leads me to the fact that Lynnhaven Mall has a For Love 21, brought to you by the makers of Forever 21, except it's accessories-only, like a Claire's or Icing or whatever store you're probably a bit too old to shop at but you do anyway, like me.

So, I popped in and picked up these fun orange wayfarer-style sunglasses:

($5.80, Forever 21)

And then, lo and behold, who should I see traipsing and tramping about gay Paree but little ol' Mary-Kate Olsen herself, wearing a startling similar pair of orange sunnies!

(Credit: JustJared.com)

Ugh. If I had a Euro for every time MK tried to waste my flavor!

Apparently hers are Benjamin Eyewear (more on that at FabSugar), by Benjamin Montoya, whose new line was featured in FOMK (friend of Mary-Kate) Jenni Kayne's S/S '08 Fashion Week show in New York and can run you up to $500, so looks like I saved a cool $494.50! How you like me now?

Should you indulge in a pair of Benjamins, might I suggest these great pair of clear ones, named after Jenni Kayne. They'll set you back about three and a half Benjamins:

($325, Benjamin, LeeLeeLunettes.com)

More cute retro sunglasses:

($85, Sabre Vision, AntiApparel.com)

More of my wayfarer obsession:
+ Love Lily Allen's
+ Love Sienna Miller's
+ No love Paris Hilton's

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High Rollin' On Hump Day (Translation: Expensive Stuff)

All of the following items have the following in common:

1.) They're gorgeous.
2.) I want them all.
3a.) They're all $169 and up.
3b.) In my world, things $169 and up qualify as "expensive."

Let's take a looksee, shall we? In declining order of dearness, meaning the closer you get to the bottom, the greater your chances become of being able to afford stuff (if you're me).

($895, Anya Hindmarch, Vivre.com)

DEFINITELY not a plastic bag.

($390, Celestina, Vivre.com)

Beautiful, timeless, worth doing some "creative refinancing" on the monthly budget for... almost maybe.

($385, Jill Stuart, Shopbop.com)

So sweet, and more subdued than your typical red-and-black cherries fare.

($365, MZ Wallace)

Gorgeous everyday bag. Love it in orange too.

($363, Alexis, ActiveEndeavors.com)

And you, faux croc ombre envelope clutch -- I covet you most of all.

($216, Maria Bonita Extra, ActiveEndeavors.com)
Possibly the greatest ballet flats/ skimmers/ whatever ever.

($169, Prairie New York, CoutureCandy.com)

I'm starting to feel a bit "meh" bout jeweled embellishments at this point (but not 100%), though this is supes cutes. But don't click the "indigo" version if you're easily offended!

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RAWR! Animal Print Accessories!

I gots the jungle feber, yo, and I caught it from these gorgeous animal print bangles.

($738, Hidgalo)

Lovely, but un poco mucho dinero for me.

Some cute dupes:

($68, Kenneth Jay Lane, Bloomingdale's)

Ah, Kenneth Jay Lane. KJ. One of my fave costume jewelry peeps. "The old work horse" (for any of you Waiting For Guffman fans.)

($38, Home Shopping Network)

Hm! HSN! Who knew?

($17.34, Asos.com)

Not quite animal print, yet subtly safari!

($30, Betsey Johnson, Macy's)

You know that feeling of waning willpower, when you tell yourself you're only got stop at two pieces of pizza but then you house two more even though you know you "oughtn't"? That's basically the same warning that's going off in whichever part of my brain houses "online shopping," telling me that I'm gonna be buying these even though I probably shouldn't.

($1.80, Asos.com)

Sadly, that voice might even compel me to buy this -- it's a shower cap (and, if you refer to my no-shampoo manifesto, I do use shower caps on the regz) . With a cow print. AND devil horns. Because I can actually appreciate that they took it THAT far.

($34.50, Gap)
($34.50, Gap)

Not that you'd ever DARE to wear your animal print accessories with your Gap giraffe print bikini, but just so you know... it's out there. So cute. I wish I knew what sound a giraffe makes so I could throw that up there.

K. I'm 'Bingin' and bouncin'! Bye!

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Old Navy's Safari Style

Dear Todd Oldham,

I know we don't know each other personally, but I used to like watching you on House of Style back in the day on MTV. I'm sorry that neither your clothing line nor, let's be honest, that Bravo show you hosted worked out. But I'm over the moon over the news that as of October 2007, you've been named the new creative director of struggling Old Navy.

Old Navy's always been there for me, but only sorta in that last resort sorta way. In much the same way that you'll eat the last, sorta crappiest looking thing in your pantry -- the thing you wouldn't touch but only turn to out of starving desperation -- Old Navy is usually last on the list.

But I have hopes that much as you were able to resurrect shitty old college couches by recovering them with animal prints, you'll be able to breathe life back into Old Navy, which, it seems, is now "The O.N."

And, seeing as how I have a weird giraffe-print fetish, I'm hugely enamored of your new urban explorer line of safari-inspired stuff:

So much cute animal-print stuff, and so easy to shop for! And I truly love the citrusy yellows and greens. Lovely change from Old Navy's usual crop of primaries and pastels.

More stuff I'd readily buy:

($29.50, Old Navy)

While there's been much ado about this dress, I'm a much bigger fan of this one. Nice way to do florals and safari without doing too much of either.

($19.50, Old Navy)

Speaking of ado, there's been plenty of it over the giraffe-print clutch, but I'm also fond of the squiggly olive-print clutch too.

($15, Old Navy)

Sweet, simple little keyhole top -- a classier alternative to a tank or Tee.

($19.50, Old Navy)

I do believe I need both of these animal-print and animal-print-inspired (because I'm not sure what animal is red and grey, but I'd sure like to meet him!) flats. (MKHo blogged about the lemony ones not too long ago. Psychic style sisters!)

($4, Old Navy)

We all need undies! I have a pair of similar hipster unders, and they fit perfectly and have held up after many a'wash. (Because I'm hygienic like that!) And these are waaaay cheaper than the awesome yet expensive Cosabella bottoms I blogged about befo'.

Okay, well, Todd, I realize that this has become more of a personal shopping list than a letter. I'm off the ballet (yay!), so I'll end this now with this old-school House of Style clip.

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Tripping On Acid (-Washed Jeans)

Y'all, true-confessions time: I don't do any illegal drugs. Nothing. Not even the wizard. Nothing against it, really. I'm not like str8 edge or anything. I just don't enjoy it. And I hate the smell of "drugs." I really do. As a teenager, I worked too hard on accepting my nose to put up anything up it or risk ruining it at this point. And I'd rather spend money on designer finishing powder than the other kinda designer powder. Plus, growing up, I was "that kid" who totally believed that after, like, merely GLANCING at trace residue of any narcotic, I'd pull a Helen Hunt like in the infamous made-for-TV-movie Desperate Lives, where she flies out a third-story window, Superman styley, after like a milligram of PCP. And now I'm pretty much "that adult." And my drug of choice is carbs.

Anyway, to my knowledge, I have never ingested acid or any other hallucinogenic drug (except for Sparks). But right now I question whether or not I am currently tripping my face off, because I just bought a pair of acid-washed jeans:

($68, Lux, Urban Oufitters)

I am not positive what I will wear with them, but I will make it my mission to wear them thoughtfully and tastefully, with honor and integrity, to cherish and respect them all my days (can you tell I've been to two weddings so far this month?) Seriously, the intent is here is not to dress up like a one-woman '80s parade, but to perhaps wear them in lieu of skinny black jeans, with a nice solid, neutral-colored Tee, perhaps. Or with a wine-colored Tee. With some nude heels. See? A nice mix of the greatest hits of yesterday and today!

I'm sure some of you out there are recoiling in horror, but fuck that. They're gonna rule. We'll see. You'll see! Whatever, HATERS! (God. This must be how Kanye feels!... Funny side note: my dad calls him "Conway.")

More acid-washed jeans:

($69, Furst Premium Denim, LF Stores)

Earlier this month, in my obsessive cigarette jeans post, I blogged about how these acid-washed Furst Premium Denim 1820s at LF were trying to holla at me, but at $174, I was not about to hollar back. Well, thanks to the magic of SMS, I received a a text from MK on Saturday informing me that LF is having their one-and-only sale of the year (seriously, how do you just have ONE sale??), and everything in the joint is 60% off.

MK does not lie. Anyway, I tried them on in a size 29, which must be more like a size 4/6, (I'm about an 8/10) because it was Sausage City. So, no go, bro. A chick who works there told me that the 1820s are Furst's slimmest/ skinniest cut, and she also weren't telling a lie. I think the 30s would've even been too tight. So, that's when I harnessed the power of the Innernets and found those Urban acid-washed. Done! But yeah, if you're an 8 or under, check out those deals on Fursts at LF. They're almost all sold out at the Court Street locay, but it looks like they're in stock online.

($77, Sass & Bide, Bluefly)

These are a Lucky Shops exclusive. I'm not sure what that has to do with Bluefly, but I'm pretty sure I tried on a pair of Sass & Bide jeans at the Lucky Shops event, and they ruled. I sorta really want these. They're a nice mix of acid-wash and grey, without too much of the former. And a great price for Sass & Bide.

($265, Casette, MadisonLosAngeles.com)
These are fairly hot but also fairly 'speners.


($330, Grey Ant, Tobi.com)

Brown acid = the sophisticated PhD. to your master's-level black acid-wash.


Also, back on the LF sale tip, I swooped down on those Jeffrey Campbell ombre heels:
Were: $120.
Got 'em for: $48. I don't think they're online (boo), but there were a few pairs at the court Street LF.

While I was there, I also picked up:

($15.20, Adia Kibur, LFStores.com)

I'd been <3-ing these for a while in black. Then they went on sale and I opted for the bottom bronzey brown ones instead.

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Paris Hilton's Inadvertent Argument Against Old-School Wayfarers

Okay. While I still love brightly colored wayfarers, (ThreadTrend's also on board with me) I'll side with those of you on the anti bus after seeing these white wayfarers on Paris. While I love many elements of street style, ON THEIR OWN (hint hint, Paree), the head-to-toe Souja Boy look should be left to, well Soulja Boy.


Speaking of hip-hop style, I just bought these old-school Reebok Freestyle hi-tops to wear with my grey skinny jeans:

($29.97, Reebok, Finish Line)

Why? Well because I own no green metallic hi-tops, of COURSE! Also, I found promo code: 141705, and I saved $3. Hlr!

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Even More Safari Style!

A follow-up to yesterday's Ports-centric safari-style post:

($80, Cosabella, ActiveEndeavors.com)

Hawtness! As underwear, not outer. Obvz.

($219, Fendi, Forzieri.com)

The leopard-print fades into the Fendi logo. Gorgeous!

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Slightly More Fashion Week: Ports 1961 Runway Photos

Pee the photos (from NYMag.com) of the Ports 1961 show I was lucky enough to attend last night.

The pieces I loved the most were the gorgeous, lush solids with minimal adornment:








Only thing I wasn't loving: noticeable quantities of fur. Boo!

Other thing:

Girl needs to lay OFF the spaghetti Bolognese, nomesayn?

Affordable ways to add safari style to your wardrobe without killing half a generation of rabbits -- scarves!

($92, Tolani, ShopIntuition.com)

Yay! So versatile! A scarf for all seasons!

($46.52, Asos.com)


($45.62, Asos.com)

Both totes cute, say, for a LOWER EAST SIDE safari! Where you hunt for specimens of ironic eyewear!

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