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.

Look at these coats! Don’t you want to crawl inside everyone one of these warm snuggly oversize soft things? I do. We are hopefully pulling some Burberry for our upcoming shoot and I hope it’s not too hot that day, because I plan on pretending I own it and wearing all over that woods upstate.

I need. Don’t even care which.

Inspired by my recent post I’ve decided to unleash some more anthropomorphic favorites of mine. Thanks to Wacky Stuff on flickr and The Dark Victory‘s blog for the googly eyed dogs. Anddddd thanks to the o.g. inspiration Louis Wain.

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/

I’ve been feeeeeeling mourning jewelry. I don’t really have any goth in me and I don’t think I could pull off wearing a ring with some dead person’s hair… but maybe. The Victorian way of memorializing the dead; be it photographs of them “sleeping,” photographic portraits on brooches or in lockets, forget me not flowers, woven and knotted hair filled rings is creepy and beautiful.

Here are some images and ebay auctions I liked:

ring

9ct mourning ring with hair

in memory of

photo locket

brooch

hinge bracelet

bow brooch with table-worked hair

enamel brooch

15ct mourning ring

mourning locket with photo and hair

enamel jet black brooch with dangling beads

forget me knot/not

ebay category

Nancy Kwan was a fox.

I don’t know why, but I didn’t realize until today that Kwan is the girl from “The World of Suzy Wong,” and the model from Terence Donovan‘s photo of Vidal Sassoon’s famous bob. This image became, basically, the mod icon of the era. ANDDDD she’s the woman from the PEARL CREAM video. My mind just exploded.

I first encountered Suzy Wong in a “Sex Race and Representation” class years ago; it’s a film that inspires discussion about Orientalism, the exotic, the “Other.” Kwan plays the “classic” role of the hooker with a heart of gold and there are a lot of cringe worthy scenes ripe with Asian stereotypes. The film is definitely a product of its time, but also pushed some boundaries because I think she was the first famous (half) Asian actor in an American film out of America-before Asian roles were filled with white men and women playing dress up.

I’d like to find more photos and information on non-white sixties ladies. Time to do some research.

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

I’ve done a bit of Ebay sleuthing and came up with some rings to watch. I’m feeling black cameos, poison rings (in particular this odd King Tut number), high school and signet rings from the 20s, and anything in rose gold.

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