Fun Boots For Rainy Weather.

I always think about wearing boots when it rains. The idea of wet feet does not appeal to me and this time of year, there is always the chance of snow or slushy rain due to the temperature rapidly fluctuating. It is better to be safe than sorry and walking around with cold, damp, feet.

Since the fashion season is changing, there are many great, boots to choose from that looks very cool when sported with tights, knee-high socks, and skirts. I have found two pairs that just thrill me and call to my shoe-girl soul.

Above: Tsunamii Black Rubber Rain Boots by Steve Madden

The matte finish and the red, back, zipper just really make these rubber rain boots stand out form the pack. I also love the buckle at the ankle which lends a bit of a military look to them. If I were to purchase rubber rain boots (which I never have) these would be the ones.

Above: Raggae 01 Black Buckled Motorcycle Mid Calf Boots by Qupid

The Raggae boot are definitely a motorcycle boot in style. I am loving the three buckles on them which can be adjusted to fit the legs. Something I always look for since I have thinner legs that swim in most non-adjustable boots. It also means you can wear chunky socks like the model is wearing in this photo. You just adjust the boot buckles to allow for the extra sock bulk.

The Raggae boots are also available in brown:

Above: Raggae 01 Brown Buckled Motorcycle Mid Calf Boots by Qupid

I am just a fan of the black version because they seem "tougher" and more classic in looks.

Both versions have the "wrap around straps" which I love.

Above: Back view with straps wrapping around.

I am so looking forward to spring...and wearing cool boots like these instead of snow boots. Come on warmer temperatures, make an appearance!

If I cannot afford Louboutins....

I have long drooled over peep-toe Christian Louboutin pumps but haven't been able to get a pair because of the price tag. So, I have been looking for a pair of black, peep toe, pumps that would work for me and would be affordable.

I think I have found them:

Above: Saydie 21 Black Peep Toe Lug Sole Platform Heels by Qupid

I love the platform and the sturdy looking heel. I also LOVE that there is a lug sole so I would not be sliding around on polished floors in them. An always frustrating and embarrassing occurrence that happens with smooth., leather soled, shoes. That is a huge plus for these shoes in my eyes. The price tag is right for these shoes to not cost a lot of money at $33.50.

I just may have to consider buying to wear until the day comes when I can afford Louboutins.

Tote Love!

I am totally in love with this tote:

Above: Boxer 1 leather tote by Reed Krakoff  
It is my birthday this Saturday, someone gift it to me. Come on....it is only $1090!
 
Just kidding though I would not mind owning it.

3 blouses I would love to own.

I was wandering the Internet, looking for fashion inspiration, when I came across three blouses that would fit nicely into my wardrobe this spring.

Above: Silk crepe beaded dolman sleeve blouse in mushroom by Chelsea Flower

I love the neckline and the beaded sleeves on the blouse. The colour fits in to my wardrobe which is a lot of grey, taupe, and other neutrals. Most importantly, the blouse looks light-weight and comfortable which is very important to me.

Above: Silk draped neck lace-up detail blouse in safari by Robert Rodriguez

The blouse is in my favorite shade of green and I love the lace-up detail on the shoulder straps, as well as the draped neck. It is a casual top for warmer days which spring (I hope) will have. Definitely modern in look which also appeals to me.

Above: Black chiffon mirror applique layered tank by Robert Rodriguez

This tank I would definitely wear when going out. It has a casual yet dressy look to it with the grey tank underneath the more fancy mirrored chiffon layer. I love the mirrored appliques a lot and the deep scoop of the chiffon arm holes. Just beautiful.

It is fun to see what spring holds in store for fashion and it makes me look forward to the temperature warming up so I put away the coat, hat, scarf, and gloves.

Who designed the necklace? Grace Park's Hawaii 5-O episode on 01/17/11

I was watching Hawaii 5-O this past Monday and couldn't help but drool over Kono's (Grace Park) necklace she wore on that episode.

Above: Grace park is on the extreme left.

I haven't been able to get a screencap of it totally unblocked though I have been looking hard. I really want to have someone, anyone, tell me who could have possibly designed it so I know where to look for it online.

Above: The most "out in the open" photo of it I could find.

I just know it is gold, long, and has beads on it at the bottom. It looked gorgeous and I want one just like it!

So, if you know who designed this necklace and know what necklace I speak of, please tell me! I am dying to know.

Lip Gloss Karma!

Remember how I wrote that I loved Avon's Glazewear Lip Gloss last month?

Well, I entered a contest at Lucky Magazine and won 14 tubes of the stuff in every shade offered and some limited edition colours as well! All arrived in the mail today.

I had good lip gloss karma!

Above: Glazewear Lip Gloss by Avon.

As you can see, I opened the clear version already and applied it to my slightly dry, needing gloss, lips.

I love Glazewear gloss and will be having fun wearing it in various different shades, over lipstick or alone, and throughout this year.

Cheaply trying out fashion without the regrets.

Sometimes, I want to try out a style but don't want to spend a lot of money on the trying it out. When this happens, I look to stores like Forever 21 or H&M to give me a cheaper alternative in case the style doesn't work for me.

The following are a few things I would love to try out this spring but I am limited in cash flow so would not want to take huge risks in trying something new if it turned out that the clothes did not look good on me. So, I am considering using Forever 21 (and other sites like it) to try out different clothing styles that I have never worn before but captures my eye.

I have long wanted to try out a floral dress like this one:

Above: Parlor Music Floral Dress at Lulus.com

I have never worn a dress in this style and the shortness is a bit worrying to me since I hate sitting down and having my underwear clad butt directly on the seat. Ick!

I do love the print, the sheer overlay, the neckline, and the sleeves on this dress. It would be a dress I merely wanted to give a try-out to to see if it suited me and it is easier to just try it out when it costs $34.00.

Another thing I want to try out is flirty skirt like this one:

Above: Striped Chambray Skirt at Forever 21

It is another style I have never tried when it comes to skirts. My major worry is my legs are rather long and thin and I am not sure it would hang well on me. If short skirts flounce too much it gives me that "starved" look since I am slim in body but have women's hips. It is enough of a worry for me to not want to spend much on this style. Forever 21 is offering this skirt for $14.80 so I could take the chance and give it try.

I have wanted to try out tailored looking shorts for a while. They just look so good with long socks and chunky heels. This pair caught my eye:

Above: Chambray Trouser Shorts at Forever 21

Shorts like these give me the same worry as the skirt. They can make my legs look like sticks if not cut exactly right. I would try this pair out without the worry of overspending since they cost $17.80. I could decide if they worked well for me without the hit to my savings. It would also tell me how much use I would get out of them if they did suit me.

I really like the retro 1970's clothing because I can be sure they will work well on my tall, thin, body. Yet, I am not a huge wearer of dresses so when I want to rock a lace-y, white, 70s, retro dress, I would rather not spend much on it.

Above: Snowberry Lane Lace White Dress at Lulus.com
I have long wanted to wear a dress like this but I am not a person who wears a lot of white. White seems to attract every stain to me like a magnet. That is enough to almost make me avoid white clothing all together but I have a love for how crisp white looks.

I love the lace and the bell sleeves of this dress. I also like the length and how it is not too body hugging but defines the body at the same time. I wear a lot of tighter fitting clothing so this would be a nice addition. Plus it would expand my meager dress collection to 4 dresses. The best part? The dress is $38.00 so I would have little buyer's remorse is I ended up not wearing the dress very often.

I love the look of this top:

Above: Unique Kimono Sleeve Top at Forever 21

The style is perfect but in this case it is the colour that gives me pause. I am not into orange and it can make me look "yellowish" in complexion so I have to be careful in the shade of orange I wear. For this reason, I would buy this $19.80 version so that I would feel perfectly fine giving it away to a friend or charity if it turned out to really not look good on me or I didn't want to wear it because of the colour.

Yes, I know, it comes in blue but it doesn't appeal to me in the blue colour...only the orange. Orange is such a gamble when it comes to how it gets along with me so I would be happy not spending a lot of money on the top in case we just didn't get along.

I believe that if you are trying something out that you are not sure will work for you in fashion, you shouldn't have to pay an arm and a leg just to find out it just isn't going to be a good relationship between the two of you. I am sure a lot of us have clothes we bought because of "eye appeal" and disliked once we tried to wear them.

Yet we hang on to these pieces because of the money we have spent on them. They live in our closets, not being worn but not being given away because of the amount put into acquiring them. This shouldn't have to happen.

I have started to try and break that habit and buy the cheaper version of fashion "try outs" to seem if they work for me. Then if they do, I look for higher quality versions and spend the money. It saves my bank account from bad fashion risks piling up and taking up space in closets and drawers.

Comfy and fun for the feet.

I really am intrigued by these sock boots.

Above:Intarsia Over the Knee Boot in Grey/Black by Gypsy 05

They just look so casual and comfy. They are, basically, the slipper boot taken to a higher level of cool.

Above: Side view of boots.

I love that the design on the boots has the black stripe to divide the front design from the back.

Above: Back view.

I love the knit style and the solid sole so that you can truly wear them out and about on your casual dressing days. I would so buy them if I had the money for them right now.

And somewhat related (Hey, we are talking fashion for the feet that is comfy after all!), I found the moccasins I wore as a kid being sold at Shopbop.com.

Above: Thunderbird II Moccasin Flats (Brown) by Minnetonka

Of course, my childhood moccasins were more orange in the brown colour scheme and did not have a rubber sole.

My childhood moccasins had the true moccasin leather sole that ended up being worn through after being worn shiny from walking around in them constantly. They also were not good for walking on rocky or pebbly ground because I felt every little thing on the pavement through the soles. So, the rubber sole addition is a good thing.

They did have the eagle bead design on them just like the modern version does.

Above: Close-up of eagle design.

I think if I were to get them now, I would go for the grey suede version.

Above: Thunderbird II Moccasin Flats (Grey) by Minnetonka

Just my own colour preference speaking here. They are still affordable at  $40,00 which is pretty good when my childhood pair were bought for around $15.00 at a cowboy/western boot store in Pocatello, Idaho in the early 1980s.

If you want to grab a pair they come in many suede colours and I am sure they are just as comfy as they were when I wore them as a child.

Say what?

Consider me baffled. Why you may ask? Well, I am not sure why this dress:

Above: White cape dress by Stolen Girlfriends Club

Would be sold out on the site it is on. It is $394 to begin with and that is a bit hefty a price tag for a dress that looks like a reject form a superheroes themed show.

The breast area on the dress isn't even attractive or enhancing "the girls" in any way, shape, or form. The half and half colour scheme of the breast area just makes the breasts look...ill-formed.

The styling of the outfit at the site is laughable as well. With a 80's aerobics headband and clunky, black, thigh high, suede, boots...really??? It makes the dress appear even more tacky. Maybe tacky is in and I missed the memo?

I am all for fun dressing ideas and pushing the envelope in fashion but there is just some aspects of fashion that will always baffle me. I think this dress will reside in that category because I am not seeing the appeal.

I am just not understanding what is so special about it that it is so spendy and sold out.

Someone enlighten me, please?

Similar dress for less.

So, you have been eyeing the kimono style dress in bright prints at Revolve and other sites online.

Above: Kimono Dress by Akiko

I know I have been giving this dress the glad-eye and pondering if it would look good on me. The minus? It costs $151.00 and that is way out of my budget.

Well, today I was looking around clothing sites and came across this dress at Lulus.com.

Above: Island Romance Red Floral Dress by Collective Concepts

It is similar in style to the Akido dress but a lot easier on the bank account at $59.00. I actually like the print on the Collective Concepts dress a bit more.

You can get a similar look for less if you just keep an eye out and check what other stores/websites have to offer. You just have to have to be patient and keep looking. It can be very rewarding when you find what you have been looking for and save a little money.

Getting good use out of these Christmas gifts!

My mum, the Avon representative, gifted me these two things as Christmas gifts.

Above: Chic and Cozy Sweatshirt by mark at Avon.

The shirt is made out of sweatshirt material minus the fuzzy, next to the skin, side but is surprisingly warm. It is tunic length and has a modest v-neck, not extremely deep but just v-ed enough. The shirt is very comfortable and perfect for cold weather.

Above: Glove Fest by mark at Avon.

These gloves are extremely warm and have the option to be made into fingerless gloves. The sequins with the beads in the center that adorn them give them an extra sparkle. They are a lot darker in shade than in the product photo which I like. Definitely a great pair of gloves.

The very cold weather we have been having makes for fun winter, layering, outfits and the need to stay warm is very important. I am glad I got some warmer gifts this holiday season that I can put to good use when the temperature drops to 28 (F).

Fancy, chunky, costume, jewelry.

I thought I would take a breather from posting lots of "OMG! Look at these shoes!" posts and indulge in my costume jewelry love.

I happened upon this necklace on the Forever 21 website and like it:

Above: Gothic Large Shield Necklace at Forever 21.

I am loving it in the turquoise/silver pairing but it comes in two other colours:

Above: Coral/Gold version

Above: Black/Silver version.

All are pretty and not that pricey at $8.80 so if it strikes your fancy, splurge a little.

Which Do You Prefer?

Which colour of these platform heels do you prefer?

The yellow version:

Above: Covert 27 Yellow Perforated Platform Shoes by Qupid

Or the pink version:

Above: Covert 27 Fuchsia Perforated Platform Shoes by Qupid

I cannot decide which I like better. One moment I am leaning toward the pink and the next the yellow. Both are fun and $31.00 at Lulus.com.

Beautiful Balenciaga Wedge Booties.

I am such a shoe girl. I just think these wedge booties are beautiful:

Above: black and beige leather and suede wedge booties by Balenciaga

I could see myself wearing these with a pair of flared pants. Love the colours and the style.

So tempted...

Look at these clog sandals:

Above: Jacey Clog Sandals by Fioni at Payless Shoes

I am so tempted to get them!

Things I Want To Buy: 01/04/11

There are times when I wish my bank account were healthier so I could splurge and buy things I want.

Today, there are two items I wish I had the money for.

Above: black and gold striped jersey ruched zip detail top by Casual Couture by Green Envelope

The is casual and has the cool zip detail to it. I do not own anything like it and would really get a lot of use out of the shirt.

Above: gold satin and geometric sequin 'Nash' sandals by Calvin Klein

The sandals are simply gorgeous but so expensive at $527.99. I cannot even imagine affording them though I know I would wear them often.

If only my bank account were healthier....

Grunge Is Back?

It looks like Modcloth.com is channeling the spirit of Kurt Cobain of Nirvana a bit when it comes to a few of their recent clothing offerings.

Above: The Tiffany Cardigan at Modcloth.com

Kurt had a green cardigan he wore to tatters. You can see it in the video Come As U Are:



Not only is it my favorite Nirvana song but I longed for his green cardigan back when the video came out. That fact alone makes me seriously consider buying the cardigan at Modcloth...a delayed finding of a long-time want.

This striped sweater:

Above: Garage Rock Sweater at Modcloth.com

The sweater is also like something Kurt Cobain would have worn. He seemed to wear secondhand clothing which accounts for a lot of the cool but worn looking clothing he wore. This red striped sweater could easily have been something he would have been spotted sporting.

It will be interesting to see what other grunge inspired clothing comes back into the current fashion world. I know Doc Martens have become popular again with their new "high heeled" boots.

It is always fascinating when a style that I have already lived through the first time around shows up on the street and in fashion magazines again. It peaks my interest to see what remains the same and what is updated to fit current tastes when this happens. So, I will be keeping an eye out for grungewear and see how the new version looks.

De-Cluttering and Organizing in 2011.

I have decided that this year I am going to aim to de-clutter my life and get it more organized. I have been living in one room and it is really getting cluttered with stuff. Most of this clutter I do need but it is starting to close in on mea bit and I need to really focus on de-cluttering this room so my mind has more room to roam and be creative. I hate the fact I am stuck in one room but I have to make do for now and this means I need to make choices on what I am keeping and what I just don't need anymore. I do not want to be stuck with bags and bags of garbage when I eventually end up packing and moving like I had when I moved to San Diego in 2002.

This means:

- I am going to get rid of those clothes I never wear.

I know everyone one has at least one or two items of clothing that they hold on to thinking they will wear it in the future. I need to let go of one or two of mine and some are things that no longer fit. Just lighten the load so I can have room for things I will need to replace.

-I need to get rid of books I no longer want or read.

These I will probably attempt to sell on Amazon.com since getting even a few dollars back on books that are in perfect condition but just do not want anymore is always a good thing. I have lots of books so it won't make a huge dent to sell books I will never read again but it will free up some space, hopefully.

-I need to throw out random bags (from stores), odds and ends, and papers that have no use to me anymore.

I hate feeling like a pack rat or hoarder so I need to look through everything and get rid of what I no longer need. I just have too much excess stuff that I don't ever use. It needs to go.

-I need to organize things better.

Get stores containers for some things. Sort through others and straighten the piles left behind. This extends to all parts of my life. My organization skills are so lax right now and I am finding it is having an effect on my mental state to have turmoil everywhere.

-I need to revamp my website and possibly change it's URL.

This will be a huge deal and I will focus on it more as the month carries on. It is something I need to do because things are in limbo with my site at the moment and I need to fix that. I also need to consolidate and sort through images...burn photos to disc and off my hard-drive. Revamp the business side of my life so it gets more creative again.

-I need to take a hard look at the people who are in my life.

I am getting a bit tired of people who are negative and unsupportive constantly nagging at me and expecting me to fit their boxes of how life should be and people should be. I have a few too many of these people in my life. I need to keep the positive friends/people and make more positive friends. People who see the world as a wonderful place, have fun, and have more good days than bad. All while letting go of people who cause stress and negativity in my interactions with them. This is very important because my life has enough drama and turmoil in it from time to time. I really don't need the added stress of someone who is negative towards me, disrespectful, or unsupportive to me. Yes, it sounds a bit harsh but it is something that needs to be done.

Hopefully, this will led to me having more free space to tap into my creative side and less stress getting in way of productivity.

Yes, a serious, unfashion related, post from me. People are posting their New Years resolutions and I figured I would post my New Years plans since I refuse to call anything a "resolution" since not many people keep those. Next post will be more on subject and about fashion. I promise.

Blanket Pattern Coat!

This coat:

Above: Botswick Blanket Coat by BB Dakota

It is just a coat that needs to be in my life.

Above: Backview.

I love the pattern on it and the style. It is just perfect for me.

Above: With hood up.

I would get so much use out of it. Curses it is so out of my price range at the moment.