Is This Some Kind of Cruel Joke?

The fashion gods have been having some laughs at my expense. I'm starting to wonder if they feel cheated by the fact that I got such a great deal on my romper, or maybe they're just sick of my shopping spree and want it to end before I'm broke. Whatever the reason, the fashion gods have played some cruel tricks on me.

Trick #1 - Plasticland is having a huge blowout sale. No, that's not the evil trick. The evil trick is that when I went to check what was included in the sale, I saw that the most beautiful shoes ever were on sale. I had been coveting them for months, and now they were only $24.65. Score, right? Wrong. They only had one pair left, and it was a size 5 1/2. Since I wear a size 7 1/2 or 8, this left me screaming, "Nooooooooo!!!" and shaking my fist at the sky.

Trick #2 - Uniqlo has finally opened an online store! When I heard the news, I did my signature happy dance and rushed to the Uniqlo website to buy some goodies. Only then did I find out that the online store only ships to the UK. I'm starting to think that someone is trying to tell me to move to the UK, what with this and the Topshop Charity Fashion sale. Well you know what, sneaky person who wants me to move, that's not an option right now. So back off!!! (Do not mess with the wrath of an angry fashionista)

Trick #3 - I have excitedly waited for reviews of Bitten by SJP, especially since it would be a big production for me to get to a Steve & Barry's. I mean, I know I want to get that houndstooth coat when the fall line is released, but should I brave the summer selection? Well, I have officially read two reviews. This one made Bitten sound fabulous, and this one made it sound like a waste of time and money. I feel like I'm talking to the scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz and he's telling me to go both directions. Any thoughts on Bitten that will help me decide? Be a doll and help a girl out.

So far that's it for cruel tricks, but this has all happened in the last two hours, so who knows what's next. C'mon, fashion gods, where is the love?

How to be Glamorous

Hello, dahlings. I don't know about you, but as summer approaches, I'm feeling the need to be seriously glamorous. I'm not talking fur coats, cigarette holders, and a hoity-toity accent (although you can't deny that Cruella deVille and Holly Golightly are dripping with glamorosity), but I do want to exude that air of fabulousness. Yes, the price of glam can be quite high. Yes, I don't have that kind of money. But I won't let that deter me! Glam can and will be done on a budget! Here's how I intend to do it:

1) Paint your nails and lips a bright cherry red! This is the cheapest way to appear glamorous, and boy does it work! Marilyn Monroe and Jerry Hall knew (and know) what they were doing!

2) Frost yourself! Okay, so the term "frost yourself" came from that timeless chick flick How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, during which it referred to diamonds, but I'm on a roll with movie references and needed to slip that in here. After all, what's more glamorous than Hollywood? Movie references aside, I suggest wearing large fake jewels. A glamorous woman is a woman whose very presence demands attention. And how could you possibly be ignored if you are glimmering with gems? You will be the talk of the town!

3) Dress it up! A glamorous woman is always looking her best when out in public. Wear clothes that flatter you, and opt for dressy over casual whenever possible. When you take your fabulous self to the pool, wear retro-style swimsuits that positively ooze glam. (May I suggest this or this?) Also, big shades will really pump up your look.

4) Treat yourself! To appear glamorous, you should feel glamorous. It's important to recognize that you are beautiful and successful in your own way, and to treat yourself accordingly. I'm not suggesting blowing out your credit card on all those pairs of designer shoes you've been coveting (A huge debt is not so glamorous), but give yourself the occasional gifts. Whether it's buying a facial kit and some nail polish to have a girls' night with your friends, eating a second slice of cake every so often, or taking a long, luxorious bubble bath, it will do wonders for your mood and confidence.

5) Be a Lady! Now that you're treating yourself nicely, it's time to be nice to others. (Hopefully you already do this.) After all, a glamorous lady needs friends to keep her grounded, and no one will want to be friends with you if you are overly snooty. Manners are key!

These are just a few ways to join me on my journey toward glam. Of course, I won't be sparkling and impeccably dressed every day, but I'd like to think that my self confidence and good manners will mantain an aura of fabulousness even when I'm slumming (Oh c'mon...I know I'm not the only one who resorts to cut-offs and a cropped tank when it's 90 degrees out). And the red nails? I think I can rock those all summer long.

For more inspiration:
-Watch Sex and the City. Samantha and Carrie are always glamorous.
-Look at this editorial for some pool-side glam.
-Watch movies featuring Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Jane Mansfield, and other actresses of old Hollywood. My favorites are Some Like it Hot and Breakfast at Tiffany's.

The World's Most Fashionable Slippers

Yesterday I was walking back to my car after a doctor's appointment, when I noticed a cute little store called Monroe Salt Works. It was full of kitschy things- paper lanterns, pottery, table linens, handmade soaps and beauty products, jewelry, asian-inspired purses, pajamas, etc. But its crowning items were these amazing slippers spilling from a big wicker basket. They were extremely soft and shaped like cowboy boots with embroidered flowers. Now I know that for most of us, summer is practically here, but these slippers were wonderful and on sale and I just couldn't help myself. You know how it is. I have been on a week-long shopping spree that really needs to end (in case you were wondering, I've recently bought/ordered: a skirt, my romper, neon hairclips, 2 shirts, a hair product from Cake - more on that later, a sequined headband, and my slippers). Anyway, I am now hopelessly in love with my new, incredibly comfortable slippers, and I feel that it is my duty to share them with you. Wonderful person that I am, I have scoped out a website where a few styles of the slippers are on sale for $23.50, which is even less than I paid for them. I urge you to scoop them up here before you have to pay full price again! A greater selection of styles can be found by clicking on the links found here. And now for some pictures:


These are the ones I bought. Hooray!


Sleepwear with a sense of humor. These make me giggle.


Punked out slippers. Need I say more?


Pretty slippers for extra-sweet dreams.

Now my feet will always be cozy and fashionable. No buyer's remorse here.

My New Romper

Not too long ago, I was going on and on (and on...) about the LBR I was interested in buying. I finally got around to purchasing it online on Thursday, and it arrived in the mail today. When I opened the package, I was very suspicious because the romper looked tiny, but when I put it on, I was in awe (and not the bad kind). Not only was it supremely comfortable, but it looked amazing! Sure, it was a bit tighter and clingier than it looked on the model, seeing as I haven't worn a size zero since I was around 12 years old, but it was very flattering that way. You may remember that my last post on the LBR focused on how versatile I suspected it was. Now that I have a LBR of my very own, I intend to prove it. (Just so you know, the quality is bad and the color is slightly off because it was kind of dark and my self-timer is not kind to my photos. Boo.)



See? See? I knew it! I will sooo wear this everywhere. I am practically jumping up and down with delight.

Isn't it wonderful when something you buy is even greater than you hoped it would be? Have you made any great buys lately?

Yet Another Reason Why I Should Move to the UK

Like giving money to charity? Like shopping? Like good bargains? If you didn't answer yes to one of those questions, then clearly you are not a member of the human race. (Maybe you are an extraterrestrial?) If you are, in fact, a human, and you are lucky enough to live near London Manchester, Brighton, or York, then head over to the Topshop Charity Fashion Sale. You won't regret it. There will be heaps of used clothing for a fraction of their original price, as well as "music, tea, cakes, pampering and Topshop Style Advisors to help you shop the stalls." If you want to sell your old clothes, then book a stall and recieve a goody bag, a 20% off discount at Topshop, and you'll be entered to win several fabulous prizes. And to make it even better, all the money from the the sales will go to National Domestic Violence Helplines across the UK & Ireland run by Women's Aid and Refuge.

Lucky human British people. I wish I was one of you.

DIY Runway Accessories

A few days ago, I was browsing through all the old DIY posts on Style Bytes, and was inspired by the way Agathe found ways to recreate certain runway accessories on her own for a fraction of the price. So, I headed to style.com, determined to find my own DIY projects, and here's a few of the things I came up with:


The Carolina Herrera sunglasses on the left aren't very practical, but I think they look amazing perched on that model's updo. And I think they could be easily made with a pair of old sunglasses and some lace or even a paper doiley. Just glue on the lace or doiley with modge podge or some other gloss, cut off the excess, and add an extra coat to seal it. I also like the Karl Lagerfeld lace arm warmers on the right. I plan to look for an old lace shirt and cut the sleeves off to make some of my own. Both the sunglasses and the arm warmers would look fantastic with a black leather jacket or vest, no?


If you look at the Anna Sui fall collection, it's bursting with DIY projects. I especially like the necklace on the left, which could be made with a small picture frame. Cut a piece of construction paper to fit the frame, cut some aluminum foil or gold paper to make letters, and glue them to the paper. Put it in the frame, and glue a wire loop on the back. Use the loop to attatch the frame to a necklace. I also like the waist pouch on the right, which could be created by sewing a piece of fabric to act as a belt loop on the back of a pouch and threading a chain (which you can get at the hardware store for very cheap) through it.

Let me know if any of you attempt these projects, or if you come up with some of your own. I'd love to see pictures! Email me! If I manage to find time to get the supplies I need, I'll post photos of my own projects. I'm not very crafty, but I did recently sew sequins on a somewhat drab trapeze tank and add a ribbon around the waist. I was very proud, since it turned out pretty well. You can see it here.

Shopping for Guys

Shopping for guys can be extremely hard.

Today my brother asked me to pick out some (relatively cheap) new shirts and sweatshirts for him online. At first I was at a loss for where to go, because most of my prefered shopping websites are targeted at women. When I finally settled on Forever 21, it was a complete bust. I was shocked to find a meager selection of ugly, vaguely hipster clothing was all that was available for men, and my brother was shocked to find that I would consider shopping for him at such a terrible store. Of course, I immediately showed him the beautifully abundant womens' selection so that he could see why I had thought to shop there, but the damage was done. My wonderful twin brother has a bad opinion of my favorite store, and I can no longer speak to him. I wonder if Forever 21 realizes that their tiny mens' selection is causing rifts within families?

Only slightly discouraged, I continued on my valiant quest for decent mens' clothing. I logged onto the Urban Outfitters website and headed straight for the clearance section. I thought I was having better luck there, but my brother didn't like almost anything I picked out. And the things that he did like, he was too embarassed to wear to school. I needed to try a different store.

Okay, I told myself, it's time to pull out the big guns. Third time's the charm, right? I gritted my teeth and went to ASOS. And you know what? The sale section was chock full of things my brother wanted for his wardrobe. Mission complete!

I have often wondered why most guys fear to take any kind of fashion risks, and always end up acrediting it to general laziness and a lack of interest. It turns out that the reason my brother won't abandon his uniform of baggy jeans and plain t's is because (according to him) his friends would laugh. I think that any guy can come up with interesting and unique outfits, given access to a thrift store or ample amounts of money, but many fear the reaction of others or don't know where to look. To make matters worse, there are few stores that cater to men interested in expanding the limits of their wardrobe. I don't know what can be done about this, but I do think it's unfair.

The bottom line? I'm glad I was born a girl.