Fashion Blog » 2007 » May

I love a good flip flop as much as the next girl, but I get sick of watching the whole world pad around in rubber shoes every summer day. Might I suggest a dressed up version, the slingback thong sandal, perhaps? Thongs are just as comfortable as your favorite flip flops, but they pack way more style and you can probably get away with them at work.

Check ‘em out:

Left To Right: Zinc $58.95, Carlos by Carlos Santana $85.95, Kate Spade $129.99, Lilly Pulitzer $151.95, Prada $299.99, Ralph Lauren $428.95, Valeni $85.95, Unisa $73.95

Wowza. Now that is one heck of a shoe. I read the comments on Zappos, and they were all very positive. Satisfied customers said they were comfy and that they got lots of compliments on them. I buy that since they might look better on…I mean they would have to right? A metallic gladiator shoe. Leave it to Stuart Weitzman.

They’re on sale for $195 (originally $250)

Would you wear these? How would you wear these?

For those of you who can’t get on board with the whole handbag thing, here’s a good alternative to keeping your junk in your pockets. This little clutch is big enough to carry your cards, cell, and cash, but small enough to not make a menace of itself–it’s 8 inches across. I love the classic style and that it’s got a zippered pocket inside. And look at those snappy pockets in the front: perfection. Carry it on your wrist and make everyone jealous.

I`m not always against celebrity fashion lines. For instance, I like Gwen´s L.A.M.B. offerings, and I´ve even caught myself admiring a Jessica Simpson item or two before I realized what was happening. Sarah Jessica Parker´s shabby Bitten line, however, is a different story.

While I´m not a subscriber to the Carrie Bradshaw cult, everyone was making such a big deal about Bitten that I, too, got caught up in the hoopla and was interested to see what SJP had up her sleeve. Yet what I saw was a disappointing collection of obviously cheap, super boring basics that I don’t think SJP would bother wearing if she didn´t stand to make a profit.

None of the Bitten pieces cost over $19.98, and it shows. The draping is awful and unflattering unless you`re a rail–one curve will leave you looking bumpy and lumpy in these colorless outfits, which is unfortunate since the line goes up to size 22. A refreshing move if the clothes were well-tailored.

And where is any evidence of the quirky fashion sense that the Sex in the City star is so famous for? I mean, who wants a pair of grey drawstring elastic-bottom pants and cheap tees? Where´s the point of view? What´s the point of view? I can´t figure it out. Blah.

If you’re so incline, see Bitten line here.

Around Mother’s Day I noticed a few blogs promoting this Etsy nest pendant, and I thought it was weird. I don’t think it’s cute at all, and I’m rather certain my mom wouldn’t appreciate it as a gift. Maybe I’m egg phobic, but it just kind of grosses me out–don’t birds use hair and other sick stuff to make nests? I couldn’t ever wear such a thing.

Now, I’ve come across a new piece of eggy jewelry, and I’m even more disturbed:

I think a baby turtle coming into the world is a beautiful, wondrous thing, but I don’t want to display a 14 karat gold depiction of this event around my neck. I bet they’re really slimy and alien like when they emerge out of the confines of the egg. Maybe I just have a general fear of nature.

But, alas, I know a lot of people are into turtles, so if the fancy strikes you, this pendant will set you back $125. Hmm….

It’s official, Americans love their Levis. Women’s Wear Daily reports that in its “Customer Loyalty Engagement Index” Brand Keys, a company that studies brand devotion, Levis rank
highest in the denim category among people aged 18 to 60. These results are based on a survey that asked over 3,000 people to name the last brand of jeans they purchased.

Here’s a complete list of the denim brands we feel bonded with:
1. Levis
2. Joe’s Jeans
3. True Religion
4. Wrangler
5. Tommy Hilfiger
6. Diesel
7. Guess
8. Rock & Republic
9. Seven for All Mankind
10. Gap
11. Lucky

What denim brand do you feel connected to?

I write this having just finished the city portion of my summer vacation to Mexico. I have to admit, I`m a notorious over packer. What can I say? I like options. However, as usual, even though I brought half my closet, I ended up wearing only half the clothes I stuffed into my suitcase–the one I had to lug around the crowded streets of Mexico City while trying to find my well-hidden hotel as well as through the busy and confusing airport.

On the flipside, my husband has a well-earned reputation for packing too light, which frees him up to help me shoulder some of my extra baggage, but generally means he runs out of presentable clothing by about day four of a seven day trip. Seriously, by the end of the journey, his one pair of jeans could probably walk on their own.

So, the lesson here is to pack right–not too light and not too heavy. Here are some lesson-learned packing tips:

Daytime Essentials:

Tops:
Bring a week’s worth of tops. You might think you can get away with less, but after you´ve been walking through the city all day, you´re not going to want to do a repeat performance with the same sweaty garment the next day. I know other travel guides might implore you to bring less, but trust me. Just roll them tight to save space. If you´ll be gone for more than a week, bring some Woolite and handwash those suckers.

Go for lightweight cotton t-shirts and button downs that will dry quickly. Check the weather, and choose your sleeve lengths accordingly. Don´t make the mistake of bringing a bunch of light colored tops since cities tend to be dirty and unkind to pristine garments.

Bottoms:

Bring only bottoms you feel 100% comfortable in, since you`ll be wearing them more than once, and you´ll be on the move. I say, bring 2 pairs of jeans, a skirt (or shorts) and a pair of casual non-denim pants (in a breathable material). I wouldn´t recommend anything light-colored–only bring things that can endure public transportation and big crowds. If it´s really hot where you´re going, switch out one pair of jeans with shorts or a skirts.

Shoes:

Bring two pairs of versatile shoes that look alright with all your outfits and can withstand at least 6 hours of walking. This is one time where comfort must precede fashion. Oh, and I don´t recommend flipflops in foreign cities, since they all but scream, “I´m an American tourist!” When in Rome, you know.

Nighttime Essentials:

You really don´t need to bring too many nightime outfits, since you´ll be spending less time in them and probably won`t be sweating as much. Bring something you can wear to a nice restaurant and, if you´re a clubgoer, bring two outfits that will suit that purpose, perferable stuff that´s hand-washable. If you´re going to a city with a pub culture, your daytime clothes will do you just fine. Oh, and bring some cute shoes for crying out loud.

A checklist of extras:
Umbrella
Sweater
Light Coat
Workout clothes–just one outfit (handwash and air dry after wearing)
Hat
One day bag, one night bag
A dark bra, a light bra
Cotton underwear (remember, you´ll be walking around)
Lots of socks (they don´t take up too much space, so you can`t bring too many pairs)
Bathing suit
Flip flops (in case your shower is yuck)
Sunglasses

Normally, I’m not turned on by the offerings of online stores like Casual Living, but recently I spotted this dress on their site:

At first glance, it didn’t do anything for me, but now I’m into it. If you ask me, it’s very Chloe Sevigny, and it reminds me of a Borne dress that I saw in the May issue of Lucky. The Born dress is $396 while the thrift-store-find-esque Casual Living dress goes for a cool $59, is cut to flatter most shapes and would look hot with simple leather sandals or even some ankle strap platforms. I like the 80s appeal of it, and the hearts make me think Moschino.

Am I crazy or is this kind of cute?

Michelle Trachtenberg almost never catches my eye, but when I saw this pic of her on Trashionista, I actually took some interest. I covet almost everything about this ensemble. For one thing, the dress has the rare half-sleeve that I´m always looking for and never finding. I like the way she lightened up the chocolate color, which normally I would frown upon in summer, with the chunky gold bracelet and the cream and gray snake skin clutch. She also added some whimsy to the simple dress with a very chic headband topping her parted `do. Very nice. And check out the contrasting tomato red polish–my goodness! My only complaint is the shoes. I wouldn´t mind them in fall or winter, but black leather mary janes in May? I just can´t abide by that. Michelle should have gone for some cream colored flats or some tan heels. Duh.

It´s no secret that the Gap has been struggling for a couple of years now, and even with its success with the Design Editions line, which featured some cute variations on the plain white shirt by Thakoon, Rodarte and doo.ri, they´re sales in April were still dreadful. I´m not surprised.

What does surprise me is that they keep doing the same old boring styles year after year, begging the question of how many gray crew-neck t-shirts can one person own? I don´t think I´ve been enticed to try anything on at the Gap in years, no matter how many celebs and models they get to hawk their blah colors and equally blah fashion POV.

The Gap used to do classic really well, but these days, J. Crew leaves them in the dust with their far more interesting vibrant colors and modern cuts. When I shop, I want pieces with edginess not faded navy blue hoodies or beige turtlenecks, year after year. As for basics, yeah, I want them, but I prefer the quality and cut of the likes of American Apparel to the much-to-be-desired quality that the Gap has been dealing lately. And this comes from a person who used to buy black Favorite Tees in bulk.

Who’s with me?

Image: Source