I love statement jewelry, especially pieces made by those with a strong streak of creativity and an eye for sculptural forms.
Mariam Nassir Zadeh, Totokaelo, and Creatures of Comfort seem to get the right mix.
Arielle De Pinto, Manu, Anndra Neen and Samma are a few designers that I really love.

Every time I wear this necklace people ask me if I made it myself.
Unfortunately the answer makes me feel like a failure.
You can find Lauren Manogian’s (Manu) work at Bona Drag, Pour Porter and Anica.

This piece (I forget who made it) is from Maryam Nassir Zadeh.
I love the look of oxidized materials. This looks like a treasure dug up in the Southwest.

Peppercotton (crystals in a mesh tubing)

Lizzie Fortunato “Mad Men” necklace.
Available at Anica in San Francisco.

I forget who made this

Samma.
Available at Domahoka and Maryam Nassir Zadeh and Anica

Arielle De Pinto.
I have two of my friend’s web necklaces (thought I lost one and then it resurfaced a year later). All of Arielle’s work is amazing.

Available at Lambs Ear, Creatures of Comfort and Totokaelo.

Broken Fab

Anndra Neen.
Sold at Ten Over Six, Kirna Zabete and Roseark.

Been alternating my time between prop styling fashion editorials and lookbooks and working on freelance illustration. I don’t need to decide which “I do” so I’m doing both! Artists who work across disciplines and utilize various methods are my favorite. Playing around in both fields keeps me on my toes and when I’m in doubt I just think: Andy Warhol.

Currently, I’m prop styling a fashion editorial with Turner and Erica Blumenthal and the photographer Nicholas Routzen. Turner actually styled the very first Blood is the New Black lookbook in 2004, when I was art directing. That’s how we met oddly enough. In preparation I’ve visited numerous home-goods stores and local prop shops like Prophaus, Elephant Props, and Props for Today. Once inside a prop house it’s as if you’ve arrived at the best vintage store on the planet! Everything is perfectly organized with and rows upon rows of dishwares and decorative collectables organized by color and shape. Really magical even if you’re only looking.

I’ve also hit up fabric stores like The City Quilter and Mood in hopes of finding 1920′s inspired fabrics. All I have left to do is get my hands on the amazing (and expensive) textiles by John Robshaw and Madeline Weinrib (from ABC Carpet and Home) without spending my own money and I’ll be all set!

Here are some iphone pixxxx

I love a long epic necklace.

Huge jangles from Morocco, those that channel my nine years of Girl Scouts, diy affairs full of knots and braided rope, lanyards, embroidery, and metal. Monkey’s Fists! Carrick Knots! Friendship Bracelets! I will channel them all.

Elizabeth came over, after a trip to the hardware store, for a necklace Crafternoon. A few days later, new friends, and a round two of necklace making that involved cutting up old teeshirts, keychains, knotted clothing line, tassels, and twine. Photos of our successes to come.

Here is some great jewelry, a lot of it by smaller designers, from Kabiri. I love this website and what they sell! If only dropping hundreds on a necklace was no big deal.

+ Kapow Wow

+ Uli Rapp

+ Lizzy Fortunato

+ Lanyard

+ Fernanda Pereira

+ Comfort Station

If you can, buy this stuff, or you can have a Crafternoon and make your own version that is janky but a totally fun activity whilst watching the Rachel Zoe Project and this season’s craptastical Project Runway. Nothing a little hardware store, some wine, and old teeshirts and clothing line can’t take care of.

Of course, now that Opening Ceremony shoes I’ve been wanting are within my reach,
they don’t have a size 9.

Would you ever buy shoes that were a half-size or a full size too big or too small if they were on epic-sale? They’re open-toe, lace up, and sling back; maybe it’s an option?

Look, Jeffrey Campbell tried, and the verdict is clear: FAIL

Here are some other shoes that might satisfy my craving for a peep toe with a sling back with a wedge.
Too many trends all at once? Maybeeee

Jildor Marc by Marc Jacobs Patent strappy thing

Neiman Marcus Elizabeth and James

ELuxury Opening Ceremony Lace Up Wedge

Zappos BCBG Max Azria Harper.
These are sorta mall-girl but I kinda love them?

Bluefly Pour La Victoire Black Lace Elena Peep Toe Booties

I have no idea what the deal with Pour La Victoire is,
but they seem to be giving Jeffrey Campbell and Dolce Vita a run for their money.

Revolve Clothing Jill Stuart Melia Cut Out Wedge

Ok, and the following two are clearly not what I’m looking for, but Mary Janes still hold a place in my heart.

Saks Repetto Mary Jane

Bluefly Velvet Angels Black Strappy Flats.
Don’t think I’ve forgotten about the original version of these!

I have been scouting out the sales on teh internets. Looking for Lover, Opening Ceremony, 3.1 by Phillip Lim, and Rachel Comey items to drop in price. Here are some cute pieces I’ve found.

APC’s website 1920′s Stripe Top.

Shop Bows + Arrows Lover Dress

Totokaelo Rachel Comey Bodysuit

Totokaelo Rachel Comey Sing Sing Wedge

Kick Pleat Opening Ceremony Elastic Tie Heels

Kick Pleat Hand Necklace by Aesa

Aloha Rag Cacharel Floral Shorts

Otte NY Sunshine and Shadow Tank

Creatures of Comfort Surface to Air Jumpsuit

La Garconne APC shorts

Need Supply Co Silent Black Sea Skirt

Shop Diavolina 3.1 Phillip Lim Jumpsuit

Standard Deviation Vena Cava Madfet Skirt

Twenty Thirty Fourty Opening Ceremony Floral Top

Beklina Mociun Desert Shorts

a blog i found while researching cute online boutiques:

http://if-i-owned-a-boutique.blogspot.com/

My most worn items in my wardrobe are, unsurprisingly, black. If it’s an “I really shouldn’t…” moment, and it’s black, there’s my excuse. Last year my favorite purchase was Gryson’s “Hannah” bag in black leather with brass hardware. I found it for half off and with free shipping. Oh yeah, I’m sneaky.

Suffice to say, I don’t need another bag. But browsing through some online shops I was struck by several really tempting numbers (on sale I might add) by Martine Sitbon, Mayle, Sissi Rossi, Linea Pelle, and Jerome Dreyfuss (in that order). Someone else buy them and save me from myself!

I’m already mentally beyond Christmas (as I was raised a Jew, this holiday thing to me is logistically annoying and boring). Are there NO native New Yorkers who stick around? How is it possible that all* my friends are from another state?

Anyway. Besides starting a new art project, I’m thinking about the New Year. And getting a 2009 daily planner to fill. I stumbled upon a slew of really amazing Korean agendas on Ebay and some others that do the job.

Fresh Apple
Daily Color
Draw your Tomorrow
Day By Day

Color Diary
Banana Eat Yellow

Hello Lucy

Cocoro
Coco
Panda Schedule

and here are some others I didn’t bother to show the images of:
Agenda
Red Moleskin
Shinzi Katoh
Travel Journal

*Ok, minus Elizabeth

One of the things I’ve been into recently, besides old beat up mirrors, blanc de chine and various white ceramics, is glassware. Glass water bottles, old vases in various sizes and colors, seltzer and milk bottles. And as of today, moonshine jugs.

I stumbled into Michelle Varian in Soho this afternoon. Amid all the tempting gift items were a selection of different sized, probably handmade, jugs. They started at $70 so I looked up equivalents on Ebay.

I need more excuses to display hydrangeas in my apartment. No, seriously! This is all Gossip Girl’s fault. “Hydrangeas!” And I think they’d look cool in one of these huge jugs. Also, I like saying how I need some “huge jugs.” Ok maybe not.

I also love these water bottles remixed in glass. I have really no use for one, but I like. They sell them at MV, Moon River Chattel, and Urban Outfitters.

I think I’ve decided I’m not really into Alexander Wang.

Today I braved the rain and made my way to Tribecca for his sample sale. The elevator doors opened onto the 3rd floor and there was Wang, casually talking to some cute brunette and avoiding the fray three floors above. His epic showroom, with fancy Chesterfield couch, looked just as the Selby showcased.

Despite the sale opening to the public at 3, I showed up at noon. Racked mentioned that the press preview started at 10 and they weren’t checking ids. So, I get there and it’s pleasantly pretty mellow. It’s picked over a bit from all the hungry fashion editors two hours earlier, but I found a lot of things in my size (4) and that I had seen online and always wanted to try on. Girls were going bananas for the distressed shorts but I realized, that’s not really me, sorry. Actually, nothing really did it for me.

The cuts were anti-boob, the tent dresses made me look like a secret fatty, the silk tanks had cheap looking hems. Maybe it was the prices, which while 50-75% off, were still too much. The vest dress was 325, a drop-waist wool skirt was 180, a black cocktail dress 220, tanks 80. The skirt I really liked actually, but the credit card minimum was 200. I’m not going to unload 325 on a dress I’m lukewarm about, so I left empty handed and assume the annoying orange Long Island girls next to me snatched my finds.

Here are some things I tried on and passed. Surprisingly, none of the skirts I can find online. Maybe they were for next season.

My friend Kyle and I share a similar affinity for Mid-Century Danish modern furniture. However, he is in possession of a drivers license, a truck, estate sale knowledge, a warehouse, and muscles…. so he wins the hunt. Luckily, he sells his finds at the Brooklyn Flea and on his blog, sit and read furniture, so pleebs like me can benefit from his good eye. If i needed a couch or a desk these might be mine:

I discovered the fashion label Bensoni this summer in Seattle during my Sneaker Tour. At some cute boutique I ended up purchasing an antique white henley, remixed in silk, with small gold-trimmed black buttons running down the front. The blouse has since become one of my favorite purchases. It goes with everything, the cut is great, and I love wearing it because it feels like diamonds.

When I returned to New York, I couldn’t find anything else by the two ex-Parsons fashion students except on La Garçonne. Until now. There is some bananas online sample sale on The Savvy going on until tonight. The site is some sort of site like Gilt Group and a lot of the clothing is roughly 80% off. Sweetttttt.

In between finding a new studio to work in and packing up all the contents of my old one, I’ve been snooping on Ebay for presents. This week I’m on the look out for threadbare Oriental and Navajo rugs, white ceramic mixing bowls, vintage Klein tool bags, and milk glass mugs.

Here are some Fire King mugs I particularly liked

After a trek to Red Hook’s Fairway for Thanksgiving Day supplies, James drove me to Bird in Park Slope. A pair of Loeffler Randall lace-up boots were niceee. And very expensive. So expensive the sales girl said she hadn’t risked trying them on. I tried them on anyway. I never know when something will appear on Ebay and if the fit is ok. Then I stumbled upon these dead ringers for the “Matilde” made by BCBG Girls. Adventures in Copyright? Sure. I don’t buy 700 dollar boots.

Loeffler Randall Matilde

BCBG at Zappos

Tomorrow, bright and early, I am hitting up some sample sales. I really shouldn’t. I don’t want anything (ok ok aside from rainboots, a gray wool coat, a tiny floral skirt, and a Woolrich Woolen Mills coat for the boyfriend).

Past sales have resulted in many crazy pieces and the majority of non-vintage items in my wardrobe. An Alexander Herchovitch black and white seedbeaded jacket that is so heavy it’s the punchline of key practical jokes, several Vena Cava and Lyell silk blouses and jackets, pairs of Sigerson Morrison heels, Alice Roi bouses, and most everything I have by Built By Wendy.

So, I will, like an idiot, brave the cold and hit up the Steven Alan Sample sale bright and early. And then maybe these:

SALES
Jill Stuart : 60% off the Entire Fall 08 Collection Thursday and Friday. 100 Greene St 11-8
Steven Alan: 30-75% off. Thursday through Sunday. 87 Franklin Street. 8:30-8 » Continue Reading…

Rainboot and umbrella shopping has officially begun.

I’ve amassed several cheapie bodega umbrellas, but I want something durable and (most importantly!) cute. I’ve been trying to find a duck-handle umbrella in New York for years.

I may pony up the insane shipping and order one from Lederer de Paris.
Otherwise, one of these babies might do the trick.

» Continue Reading…

I am on the hunt for a pair of rubber boots for the upcoming gross season. I’m torn between trying to find a pair of simple black boots from Target or J Crew to replace my stolen Hunter boots, or getting a pair of clunky classic Duck Boots from LLBean

Things I want an excuse to buy:

A circular decorative rug, white metal 1930′s style bed, fancy taper holder, burled wood side table, and faux hanging birdcage for tea lights. I know I know birdcages are very Anthropologie. And guess what? That’s where all this stuff is from.

Charming mmmg pen and adorable Shinzi Katoh notebooks and files from The Little Happy Shop

Mini colored pencils and Sukie “new leaf” notebook from Uppercase. Their panda blog is also totes cute

This is way too cute. I don’t need a water bottle or a bento box but I am weak… especially for “french girlish mood” and “today is so fine day!!!” journals by Japanese Zakka designer Shinzi Katoh.

Great for Cram Cream, Milimeter/Miligram, and Sugar Pine Beauty lovers. And those who won’t be traveling to Tokyo any time soon.

Available at : his website and online shop

Dug back into the ebay addiction. I haven’t bid on anything yet, but I’ve got my eye on these babies.

Summer aint over yet.

(PIX MISSING — BLAME FLICKR!!)

Kicking into Fall.

I just splurged and purchased several things from this UK design shop Present and Correct. I couldn’t help myself!

This isn’t necessarily what a ordered, but a sampling of some cutes: