ZOMG Shoes!

My new Chanel shoes!!!! :) I got them on sale at Neimans (which only takes cash, Neimans card, and American Express btw.)

New Fall Jacket

I got a new Wildcat 3-in-1 Jacket in Iris for my trip to Amsterdam!

Coordinated, but not matchy-matchy

I think that fashion has evolved to being more about coordinating and less about matching. Matching your shoes and handbag or handbag and dress are out. It's more about coordination and things just "going" together.

Think complimentary colors:
- Brown and pink
- Brown and blue
- Green and pink
- Gray and orange
- Purple and orange


It's all about the color wheel, and going for colors that are opposite so that each color stands out more. Analagous colors (those right next to each other) are out, where complimentary (directly across from each other) or triadic (three colors evenly spaced apart) are desired.

It's also important for people to be coordinated, but not matchy matchy. Remember the fabulous article, How to Dress Like the Perfect Couple? It's pretty important to have your man match your purse. A few weeks ago, my sister and I were wearing black and pink. That would have been too matchy matchy, except I had a pink skirt and black top; where my sister had a pink top and black bottom--so, it looked nicely coordinated. Take my outfit today, for example... I'm wearing a gray dress over an orange shirt and I have a gray and orange bag that matched exactly! Did I use it?... No! Instead, I chose a lighter gray bag with orange trip so it was more coordinated and didn't blend in with the outfit.

So, remember, go for coordinated and not matchy-matchy. Go for colors that compliment each other instead of "match" together.

Focus on booties, shoe boots, boot shoes...

So, an awesome now style is a bootie or shoe boots (as described by Christian Louboutin [wikipedia]) or whatevah. I am looking for a pair of booties!

These are FIERCE!



Okay, so I've realized that I probably shouldn't (note the probably) get them because they are:
(1) $770, which is half (or maybe 1/3 depending on the bag) the price of a new Chanel handbag
(2) I'd probably kill myself in heels that high (though they do have a 20mm platform!)

Badminton and Shopping

Badminton (Wikipedia)
So, I have to admit that I haven't read the entire wikipedia article on badminton because it's just so freaking long! So far, I have gleaned:
- That my tennis serve is not appropriate for badminton, as it must be hit from below the waist and underhand.
- The general rules are like tennis from the way you hit the shuttlecock, but the scoring is like volleyball (play to 21).
- That there is no true badminton fashion. Badminton is rolled into fashion for tennis and squash... I don't know that I'm comfortable with that.
- That I like Ellesse tennis fashion.
- Having something to aim at is excellent for your badminton game. Like, the middle of your opponent's chest (especially if they have a target on their t-shirt) or their nose works well also.

Shopping
So, I went shopping with Mr. Studmuffin this past weekend for some transition clothes for him. I'm a huge fan of Old Navy when it comes to stylish yet comfy clothes that you know are only going to last a couple of seasons. We got some nice button down shirts that can be layered with t-shirts for only $8! Then I placed an online order for some jumper dresses for myself and costumes for my kiddies. :p

I envy men's fashion

Okay--so is it slightly unfair that men's fashion is not as big of a deal as women's fashion? Take Nordstrom's Fall Fashion Guide for example, women have trends for apparel, shoes, handbags, accessories, beauty, etc. What do men get? Men get peacoats, hoodies, puffy outerwear, and the cardigan. What men do you know who wears a cardigan?

Though, I do envy men and their ability to look fashionable in comfy clothes. All men need is a dark pair of jeans and a cool t-shirt or a nice pair of slacks and a dress shirt. Women have to coordinate patterns, textures, colors, etc. and pay attention to all of the other details, like accessories, handbags, shoes, hair, makeup, etc. Plus, there's the high heel thing... okay, maybe it's just me who is a little obsessed with high heels and am willing to suffer for fashion. :) But, I have to admit that women like the fuss, it's fun being girly and picking out outfits. I guess if guys had to do it, they'd give up and walk around naked all day, which would be rather inappropriate.

Shoot 'Em Up and Halo 3 and Fall Fashion

So saw Shoot 'Em Up last night with Mr. Studmuffin. It was a pretty awesome movie. I read that it was only 1 hr and 20 min, but then again--that's the right length for a movie like that--2 hours of the same type of humorous violence would get boring. :) I guess my favorite scene was the "love scene" of the movie and some cheesy quote after he shot a bazillion bad guys, which I won't mention here, hehe :). "Do we just suck, or is he really good?" And remember parents, a bullet proof vest for a baby is a much better investment than a crib. I, for one, have learned from this movie that getting a tank is much better than a standard stroller. Yeah, I don't mind violence in a comic book type of way with blood squirting all over the place--I guess it's reminiscent of the Kill Bill movies, which I really enjoyed (should go watch them again!).

So Halo 3 is coming out (Sept. 24)... and we're probably going to go to whatever midnight release thingie they have at Gamestop. And of course, I need something to wear. It would be completely unimaginable for me to wear my old Halo 2 tshirt--that is beyond "so last season", so I was very happy to see that for Halo 3, there is a new ladies' tshirt with bling! So, of course I had to order it.


Fall Fashion
One of the best fall fashion articles that encompasses all of the latest trends I've seen, Fall For Fashion (The Korea Times).

Fall's color palette is predominantly dark, but gray is this season's "it" color. However, there are flashes of jewel tones such as royal blue and purple and touches of metallic that brighten up an otherwise dark look.

Before you start shopping, remember to choose one or two trends to follow. Start off with last season's clothes, and update your look with key pieces. For example, flirty shift dresses can transition in fall, when paired with dark tights and ankle boots. The swingy dress look can be updated with platform shoes.

The verdict is still out on whether skinny jeans will remain a wardrobe staple for this season. Some fashion magazines are already urging women to throw out their skinny jeans, and replace them with the more figure-friendly wide-leg versions.

You can still get some mileage out of skinny jeans if you pair them with knee-high boots or ankle boots.

For coats and jackets this fall, it is a return to minimalism. Black tailored jackets are always a good investment, and can be used for several seasons.

No outfit will be complete this season without the trendiest shoes: platform heels and ankle boots

Don't forget the season's "it" bags. Chanel introduced Coco's Croco bag, a luxe quilted satin bag with a chain handle. Bags made out of exotic skin like crocodile and alligator, are among the season's most expensive items. For party girls, the colorful and embellished clutch bag is a must-have.

What you want sometimes isn't what's best for you...

So, I've come to realize that what I want isn't always what's best for me or what I need. Take dating and relationships for example... would it be awesome if I found someone who essentially let me have my way all the time? You think it would, but really, that's not what's best for you (and probably not not what you really want). The best person for you is someone who challenges you (sometimes) and complements you (as well as compliments you). Same thing goes for arm candy... sure--you may want some sweet arm candy, but it's more important to find someone you have a lot in common with and who understands you. Though, if they're arm candy in addition to those things... I really can't complain. ;)

Another tidbit, I've ordered Chanel: Collections and Creations, which seems like a pretty cool book, and is one of the Fashion stars in 8 stylish fall reads from Dallas News. I'm starting to have conflicting feelings towards high fashion and luxury goods right now, though. While "fashion is good for the soul", a new book out called Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster really put into perspective the marketing of luxury and fashion to make it for the masses. In The conceit of luxury, they explain how some high fashion goods are made for cheap in Asian countries and then sold for a huge margin (OK, remind me to buy stock in LVMH). In an article entitled, Money Bags, they described Hermes bags ($6k++) as the last true luxury,... where you go to the shop and pick out the style, leathers, stitching you want and then your bag is hand crafted and prepared on waiting list that is 6 months to a year. Now... is $6k too much to pay for something made just for me? Maybe I should learn how to make handbags.

I'd like to think that I like old school brands like Chanel because I think they are timeless and classic. I also love the thinking of Coco Chanel and what she stood for. Buying my Chanel handbag was an experience, I went to the actual store that was once the apartment of Coco Chanel on 21 Rue Cambon, in Paris. I really love the way my bag looks, the pebbled leather, the silver hardware, and the way it smells. I feel glamorous carrying my handbag, and hey, shouldn't every woman feel that way? We'll see... maybe fashion is the new smoking.

Well,... if I go the anti-luxury route, I guess I would save more cash for vacation and video games... :)

Fashion advice for your resume

From Why your resume annoys employers (CNN)

Fashion designer Coco Chanel had a personal rule: Before she left the house, the style icon always removed one piece of her ensemble to avoid the faux-pas of wearing too many accessories.

Were Chanel alive today and working as a hiring manager, she would likely offer similar advice to job seekers: You don't have to include everything.

"men are a little bit more important than handbags but less important than shoes"

How to Dress Like the Perfect Couple by Ashton Kutcher.

At any rate, [men] are merely accessories.

Mmm, arm candy.

Most expensive handbags...

Forbes List

Even I have my limits. :)

Fleece Jumper

Whee, wearing my new Free People fleece jumper. Mine is a navy blue one with light green, trim however, but you can see the style there. Or, I just call it my "apron dress". I'm wearing it with jeans though, since it's a little short. It's reminiscent of the yellow apron I wore when I was a kid.

High-End Hello Kitty

So, what's up with the high-end Hello Kitty craze?

Neiman Marcus - Hello Kitty fine jewelry (by Kimora Lee Simmons). Yeah... a hello kitty watch for $3550?... that's even extreme for me. :)

Cashmere Hello Kitty sweater... saw one today by Generra for about $100 at Loehmann's, which means that full price, it was something like $200. Okay... I have to admit it's pretty cute. :)

Of course, I've blogged before about the pink head necklaces (which resemble Hello Kitty a lot), and those aren't cheap either! I mean really, a girl in love with Hello Kitty needs a big fat bank account these days.

For more on other strange Hello Kitty products: Helo Kitty Hell.

Pink shoes

Today I'm wearing my pink shoes with the white wedges! :) The rest of the outfit is a pink cap sleeve gauzy top that matches, and denim capris. My parents didn't say I looked like a Chinese country girl or anything today, and my mom even said my top was cute! My dad said it was "not bad" -- which, I'll just choose to take as a compliment. Gotta love my parents. :)

Yeah, my dad should criticize my fashion considering he bought two red hardware "handy-strap" things at the dollar store for $1.50 each to make suspenders! Let's count the things that were wrong:
(1) he wanted suspenders
(2) he was making suspenders
(3) they were red
(4) made out of dollar-store who-knows-what (they had handles on them... which he cut off).
List goes on and on. :)
He was going to attach them to his pants using safety pins... I gave him the ones that you use for cloth diapers. :) Then, he was sewing the back... I suggested that he just use duct tape--and he said that was a dumb idea. HAHA. Then, it turned out he didn't need safety pins because he was just going to loop the suspenders through a belt that he would wear too. So, yah... end up wearing a belt WITH red supenders. OMG. Anyways, I might just go to Lowes and buy him some suspenders for $10.

Shoes and Necklaces...

So, did some damage recently on lots of shoes and necklaces... I guess I better shop for more stuff in between! :) You can see more in the Shopping Gallery--like the necklaces I got! :)

My favorites are the pink shoes with the white wedge heel. The best deal must be the Tahari brown sandals that I got at 80% off for $16.

Jewelry

So, a little synopsis on the latest jewelry things I have been looking into.

Always a favorite of mine, is Ben Amun Jewelry, specifically in the "Dream Catcher" style. A couple things that appeal to me are hand crocheted earrings and this necklace. There used to be a greater selection on Bluefly, and hopefully it'll come back soon.

Miss Sixty Jewelry is new, but I don't really like any of it. Something cute from tokidoki or tarina tarantino appeals to me more.

Another interesting "new" gemstone is the Rose de France, which is essentially a light lavender colored amethyst. Still undecided about what the value is, but something like this rose de France ring is nice. I am on the search for a gemstone ring, but not sure what to get after my awesome pink tourmaline ring, which is kind of like this one.

Of course, any Chanel necklace would make my day. Or, I can scrap it all together and just shop at Tiffany's. :)

New discoveries

Hmm... some new stuff!
Tokidoki: Momabella necklace

Tarina Tarantino: Hello Kitty Ring, Hello Kitty Pendant, And the best one ever...!!! ... I Hate You

Accessories

I'd like to stress the importance of accessories in one's wardrobe, especially while traveling! A simple necklace can make any outfit a true "outfit" -- like you thought about it and put it together. The necklace doesn't even have to match, it can simply just "go". For instance, wearing pink? You can wear a green necklace! For traveling, what is more easy than carrying a couple of necklaces and earrings that will make your outfits pop?

New Dress

I got the cutest little linen, floral cap sleeved babydoll dress from Old Navy the other day. I can't wait to wear it... probably when it's a little warmer.

Paris

Tue Apr 4 10:34:51 EDT 2006
Hi all... recently got back from a business trip in Paris. I expected to work insane hours... and I did. :) I can say that I am a really horrible tourist... didn't going to the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower. We did go to Versailles one day... but, it was not that enjoyable because of all of the Japanese tourists and tour groups. However, I did have my priorities straight and went to THE CHANEL store, 31 Rue Cambon and THE Louis Vuitton store on the Champs Elysees. The highlight of my trip?....