Fashion Blog » 2008 » November

Nothing like an excuse to spend a little cash on yourself before Black Friday rolls around and all you can think of is others…(yuck!!) Think about spending some money selfishly on a new dress for Thanksgiving. If you’re families anything like mine, you won’t have to worry about buying new shoes…we always have Thanksgiving at home and walk around in our holiday gear barefoot. C’est la vie. Happy Thanksgiving, and Happy Hunting for the perfect holiday dress.

Shining Star: You never walk into a party without being the center of attention. And here’s the dress to get you noticed, in an unconventional yet seasonally-appropriate color:

City Style Strapless Dress: $45.46 on sale

Pumpkin Pie Pixie: Maybe you like dressing up a little once in a while. But Thanksgiving? Move aside, boys, you’re in charge of the cooking, everything from the turkey to the pumpkin pie, and you need some shoulder support and housewife-feel. Here’s your dress:

Zanna Lace Dresss - Forever 21: $27.80

Pretty in Pink: You just got back from jet-setting around Paris, Milan, and Rome, and needed an outfit that worked at the discotheque and the family reunion. This dress does it all, and leaves a lot of hip room for turkey stuffin’. Enjoy!

Beaded Cut Out Party Dress - Bebe: $149

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more tube dresses.
                                        Discounts on party dresses.

If you like to stand out, even in the winter when colors tend not to be as vibrant, you can break the rules with bright green double breasted pea coat.  The attached belt is adjustable if you are looking for a more fitted look.  That sounds good to me.  The ability to adjust for some extra breathing room while I pig out on holiday meals!

Le Tigre Pea Coat:  $78.20 (Was: $140) You save $61.80!

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more Le Tigre clothing.
Discounts on women’s pea coats.

*Don’t forget!  Zappos offers free shipping both ways!

Check out this jewelry, all handcrafted by Laurie at Ellebelle, just right for a princess in a winter wonderland.

I love the “berries” on these earrings…

Winter Berries Urban Luxe Earrings with White Moonstone, Red Garnet, Red Onyx and Grey Gunmetal

Then, for your wrist…

Ice Urban Luxe Bracelet handmade by Laurie at Ellebelle.

And more for your ears…

Ice Urban Luxe Earrings with White Coin Pearls and Grey Gunmetal also handmade by Laurie at Ellebelle.

Still not warm enough? Warm yourself up some more with this necklace…

Soleil Golden Citrine Green Amethyst Grey Topaz Sterling Silver Chain Bib Abacus Necklace

Laurie has many more handmade baubles and beauties for you to choose from, all available from her Etsy shop. Check it out!

The new Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, is not THAT bad! I highly recommend seeing it, if for no other reason than the exotic Olga Kurylenko, the newest Bond love interest. While she’s no Halle Berry, Olga plays a mean, troubled with a soft side lover, and sports some powerful looking shoulders. While the true Bond girl fashion of the pseudo-manly tank top and cargo pants is still featured in this film, Olga’s introductory look is quite a statement. It deserves an award, but unfortunately I couldn’t find a full on picture online. So here’s a description: orange tank top, short brown bulb skirt, heavy gold jewelry and silver roman sandals. While the weather may not be attune to this look for New Englanders like myself, maybe some of our other readers will be able to profit this look:

Orange Tank-Top from Old Navy

Skirt: Target

                                                                          
Necklace: Target

Sandals: Ami Club Wear

                                                                   

Find at Smarter.com: Shop for more tank tops.
                                       Discounts on necklaces.

Find out what to wear for a holiday weekend with his family at StyleBakery. 

Girlawhirl has an alternative to wearing a tank or cami with chickies cleavage coverage.

SheFinds thinks liquid leggings are good for skinny thighs, but what about the rest of us?

SheZoom fashion guru Leon Hall urges us to go dig through our closets to find hidden treasures that will revitalize our look.

The Beauty Brains review online, hard-sell skin care products. Are they really worth the money?

This week on Smarter Fashion:  

If you love all things vintage, you will love Lisa’s picks for some great fashion pieces. 

We showed you a deal on another simple, yet versatile black dress…

…and a deal on some comfy and causal boots.

Colleen gets us ready for winter with some picks for great stylish winter boots.

Kim featured some pretty handmade jewelry by Brandi Berry.

Lisa filled us in on a new trend in men’s fashion:  Mantyhose!

Don’t you wish everyday was Little Black Dress Day? In the event that DOES happen, let’s plan ahead. Below are a couple of my favorites along with matching jewelery, handmade by Brandi Berry.

I LOVE the pleat detail on this Illusion dress by Tadashi…

…matched with these brass globe earrings.

…and this custom leaf necklace by Brandi…..

….with a beautiful dress by GF Ferre. If you go to the Ferre link be sure to click on the other images. The detail on this dress is amazing.

Check out Brandi’s shop on Etsy or her blog for more jewelery and peeks her other talents which include web designer, graphic designer and photographer. I love this logo she created for Indie Smiles.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more black dresses.

These suede boots look so comfortable.  And, they are a comfortable $83 on sale.  They aren’t completely flat, but have a very short heel.  These will last you a while, as long as you take care of them.  They come in a variety of colors:  chestnut, purple, sand, green and brown (pictured).

Steve Madden Touring Brown Suede Boots: $83 (Was: $99)

*A none shoe related reminder:  Zappos is offering FREE OVERNIGHT SHOPPING on clothing until December 1st!

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more Steve Madden boots.
                                        Discounts on suede boots.
                                        Buy flat boots.

Introducing Mantyhose, the pantyhose for men. Not sure what to buy the man in your life for Christmas? Tired of giving cufflinks/ties/cologne? Why not buy him a pair of Mantyhose? Or just give him a pair of yours - he’ll never know!

Brought to you by e-mancipate, you can now purchase an entire pantyhose range for your man. Apparantly they help improve your sporting performance.

This guy looks really pleased with his floral navy designed pantyhose.

E-mancipate has lots of helpful tips on how men should wear pantyhose. You can even purchase a book on the entire subject.

These two guys are willing to take on anyone who suggests that it’s not ok for men to wear tights.

At least if you’re man starts wearing pantyhose, you can always borrow a pair from him in an emergency.

Image courtesy of Triple M

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for women’s pantyhose.

What’s on top of your to-do list right now, besides starve to get ready for a lot of turkey, stuffing and gravy next week? Investing in a pair of hardcore winter boots, of course. Why? Because unless you live in the tropics, winter is on its way here, and there’s nothing worse than getting stuck blocks away from your car, miles away from your home, or hours away from your favorite shopping destination when it’s snowing and you don’t have the proper footwear. But the question really is: how do you reconcile safety and warmth with fashion and style? Throw away grandma’s gardening boots, ladies. Here’s a taste of some wintery treats:

The Furs: While I recommend not pairing these with a fur jacket, fur hat and fur gloves, I do think they stand alone as a mighty cute pair of foot attire. They will definitely keep you warm and toasty, and the sturdy treds will make it easy to get a grip on some icy mornings.

                                                                        Sorel Ahnah Winter Boots: $75.95

Ugg Fans Delight! If you’re a true Ugg fan, than these Moon Boots turned winter shoes are for you.

                                                            Gray Down Fur Line Winter Flat Boots: $18.99

Glamorous Entrances: These boots downplay the fur aspect, and give you a nice fashionable boost with a wedge heel. They won’t be the best for icy conditions, but maybe even better in the snow…? Can’t hurt to be lifted off the ground a couple of inches, though it will be harder to run around during a snowball fight.

                                                American Eagle Opal Beaded Wedge Boot: $49.99

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more Ugg boots.
                                        Discount on fur boots.

This is a cute and simple black dress.  It’s supposed to be a summer dress, but with this odd weather, I think fashion wise we’ve needed to make exceptions so we don’t sweat while walking to work from the parking lot.  You can dress it down and wear flats and a cardigan, or shnaz it up with some pumps (or even boots) and bold earrings for a night on the town.

Michael Kors Black Sleeveless Dress: $75.50 (Was: $94.00)

Find at Smarter.com: Shop for more sleeveless dresses.

                                       Discounts on Michael Kors dresses.