Category Archives: Shopping

Dreaming of a California Closet


I am on Twitter (@CRL26) and I follow Rachel Zoe (@rzrachelzoe) and the other day another fan, of hers, asked what she should wear for an upcoming trip to California.

This was her response: “the weather is gorgeous right now so maxi dresses, pretty blouses, flared jeans, wedges, jacket 4 night. think Cali cool XoRZ”

I have just survived DC’s first “Thundersnow”, and all I can really do is dream of being in California, and having these outfit sets in my California closet!

Have a fabulous, fashionable, foodie weekend!

Fashion, to boot


This weekend I saw this great NY style retrospective on the “new way” women are standing, walking and posing and the shoe that is leading the way.


New York Times
The ankle boot (bootie) is taking over for the knee high (or higher) boot and in the process is highlighting a woman’s long leg, or making a shorter leg look longer, or as Bill Cunningham says, more like a ballerina or a showgirl.  

The best part of this pictorial is that the personal style of the “street models” are all so unique.  They are uptown, or downtown, bare legged, black tights, or tattered stockings and they are all chic and like themselves.  They also look like they might have to find a bathroom… now – but even that beats the bowlegged look of a few years ago!

In any case, we are  not here to talk about stance, or posture, we’re here to talk about shoes!

Here are my favorite booties for under $100, under $250, and the sky’s the limit!  

Happy Shopping and stand proud!

How I sparkled on New Years Eve


On New Years Eve day, at around 10 am we decided we would be having dinner at home.  At 1pm we decided that our friends who also either didn’t make or love their plans would also have dinner at our house.  At 3pm we grocery shopped.  At 8pm everyone arrived.

How did we do it?

Well the cooking and cleaning was a team effort, but the getting dressed was all me!

It was cold, but not freezing so I wanted to be comfortable without neglecting the holiday spirit and all traces of sparkle.

I paired a new cashmere crew neck sweater (Bloomingdale’s after Christmas sale) with a J. Crew sequin pencil skirt that I picked up last fall, and suede boots that have been around for a long time.  Outfit #3 is a very close approximation of what I wore.

I loved this outfit.  Seriously, I mentally gave myself style kudos all night long.  Going monochromatic was easy and it looked beyond polished.  While the gray/silver tones might not have been exact, it all worked because of the sparkle in the skirt and that natural fibers in the sweater the look felt warm and luxe.  I love the idea with playing with this look in other colors, I just tend towards gray.

Where else would I wear it: Office holiday party, luncheon – with the right crowd, dinner out, anytime you want to really shine with sophistication!

Sparkle on New Year’s Eve


Over the last few days I assembled some favorite looks for New Years Eve, and when I put them all together I realized they all had something in common, a lot of sparkle!  Now, if there is anytime that you can or should sparkle it is probably New Years Eve.

I tend to have mixed feelings about New Years Eve, there is a lot of pressure to have a great night, go to a great place and wear a great outfit.  Well, I can’t help you with your plans, there is OpenTable for that, and for the company, well you’re on your own, but at least for the outfit I can be of assistance.


Look 1: If you’re invited to a fancy party, cocktail or black tie, I am all for ditching the black dress and going with some color.  The dress is a classic fit, so in a way it pares down the boldness of the teal, and I personally love the playfulness of the clutch.

Look 2: This look says to me, “I will not the weather win!” As in, it is so cold, but it is New Years Eve and I am going out and looking good.  Party on sister.  You know my affinity for maxi skirts, and sparkle, and this look has it all.

Look 3: A year ago friends of mine hosted a part with the dress theme of “business sexual”, this outfit is that.  I love the Lolli pants from J.Crew which are just as happy swilling champagne as they would be at work in the Spring.

Look 4: Okay, I give.  This is a fantasy outfit.  However, it is attainable.  Our good friends at Rent the Runway have Herve Leger and all of your favorite out of reach brands at much more attainable rental pricing.


Wherever you go, and whoever you’re with, I hope you look and feel fabulous!

The Princess Shops Off the Rack


There is probably no more famous engaged couple than Prince William and Kate Middleton.  The soon to be marrieds will have a royal wedding on April 29, 2011.  She’s beautiful, he’s a prince it’s a perfect match… 

I am sure as there wedding date nears we’ll talk more about weddings and Cinderella, and the pomp and circumstance, but there is one thing to note about Kate, she really doesn’t seem to be a Cinderella.  Kate seems to have a really well put together, modern, sophisticated and yet approachable style.  

How approachable could the future Princess be?  Her engagement photo dress was from last season and from Reiss.  Last season… and from a store with online shopping?  That’s definitely more exciting than a “Kate and Will Forever” T-shirt.
Copyright 2010 Mario Testino / Reuters
Reiss will be re-releasing the dress that Kate wore, but in the meantime, let us see what else we like!
First, no one does coats better than the Brits.  Seriously, no one!  I love the sophistication, and the demure aesthetic of this Bally Coat.  It’s one part lady + one part sophisticated spy.
Bally Coat by Rei

This coat might be a little too Cruella DeVil for some, but I love it.  I love the fur detail, (hangs head in shame) and the slim and structured fit.  Minus the fur, it is quite similar to a coat Mark got for me at Zara last year, which is still fabulous.
Zetta Coat by Reiss
Maybe a dress for the honeymoon?  This dress is sort of the outlier from my favorites, but worth including because it is perfect for resort wear and travel, or everyday is you live in warmer climates.  It is also the Pantone color of the year, honeysuckle…  Delightful!
Aphrodite Draped Dress

Happy Shopping Kate!

Getting Ready for Christmas Morning


Christmas is probably the one day a year when company is almost always around: they are there to eat dinner on Christmas Eve, there to open presents in the morning, and hello, someone even sneaks in in the middle of the night to steal cookies.  Which means the opportunity for picture taking, and frankly looking cute, if not at least presentable always exists.

After a large meal, and any last minute gift wrapping on Christmas Eve the idea of being cute a few hours later when little kids come running to your room squealing with Christmas glee can be a bit daunting.  However, I think I have solved the problem.

We spend Christmas at my brother and sister in laws’ home, with their three kids.  So while I normally come down stairs in a cardigan and leggings, or a Juicy tracksuit (yes, it’s true, just like Gabrielle Solis [Desperate Housewives fans, anyone?]), I’d like to add some holiday spirit to my early morning attire.


Row 1:  I love this set; its playful and even a bit sexy.  This sleepwear collection might be better saved for a Christmas for deux, and happily all of these items are completely wearable and appropriate all year round.  I have loved this robe for a while, as I think it would look just as pretty on a hook as it would on.

Row 2: This set, to me, is like an idyllic Christmas morning.  The long-john inspired p.j.s, the bow detailed socks and the extra ruffly robe are all about having fun and being young, and that is totally Christmas.

Row 3: I love this set, because it feels a little bit extra special to me.  I could totally see these pieces being featured on an episode of Oprah’s favorite things (hey, O!).  The sparkle loungewear from Juicy Couture adds a little holiday shine as an alternative to sweats and a t-shirt, and the long robe is divine.

Some people say that there is nothing more luxurious than treating yourself to really nice pajamas, so maybe in all of your Christmas shopping, you pick something up for yourself too.  After all, you deserve it.

Holiday Shopping Wrap Up: The Daily Batch Gift Guide


For the past few weeks I have been featuring my favorite gift selections for nearly everyone on your list.  Did I miss someone?  I am still taking requests!  Anyway, I am really proud to have found multiple options at large range of price points that I would be truly proud to give and receive. 



I hope these gifts provide you with inspiration for your own list.

Happy Shopping!

Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday


Cyber Monday is a rather recent invention, but a brilliant one no less.  It is a shopping holiday on the Monday after Thanksgiving (today), that gives everyone at work (us) a chance to continue the weekend revelry with deep, deep discounts online.

Having worked in online retail for some really terrific online sites, I can tell you the lure of the computer on this Monday is real.  After eating too much, traveling, and all of the other joys of the season people are slow to jump back into Excel spreadsheets, and are happy to find that soon to be favorite cashmere sweater on sale for 40%.

Here are some of my favorite sales around the Internet – the bonus to Cyber Monday, no parking, no lines, no shlepping.  (Today we are both benefiting from my being oversubscribed to online retailers)

Have fun shopping at:

Bluefly: take an extra 10 – 20% off of everything, saving as much 70% off of the original retail price!

Gap/Banana Republic/Old Navy/Athleta: take 15% off your purchases and get free shipping on any order!

PiperLime: Take 20% off of everything at PiperLime – this is the perfect excuse to pick up that otherwise frivelous clutch, or the too wild for everyday yellow pumps.  You love them anyone, you’ll love them that much more at 20% off.

National Jean Company/Shop the Shoebox: This online retailer carries nearly every brand under the sun, and very happily it is all nearly 20% off.  Take advantage of the savings and the free shipping on orders over $75.

If  you’re looking to go luxe, the big names are also playing the Cyber Monday game.
Saks Fifth Avenue: Take up to 40% off the designer collections at Saks Fifth Avenue, and get a jump start on this sale before it starts in stores on December 1.

Donna Karan: The new Donna Karan New York site is beautifully edited and feels like a true reflection of the designers high and low brands (Donna Karan New York, and DKNY).  The exciting news is that the entire site is 20% off.  Seriously, do not wait.

Ralph Lauren: If you read the blog, you know that Ralph is a favorite of mine.  Forever favorite.  If you also love Ralph, you’ll love taking saving an additional 25% off.  Thanks, RL.

Enjoy all of these sales, and many more – and don’t forget to check the gift guides for the perfect present for you or someone you love!

Google, or Why I love the Internet


Yesterday was the unveiling of Boutiques.com.  Let me just say, “wow”.  It is the newest product offering from Google and it seems that the potential is huge.  

I am Googler; my email, my pictures, the blog they are through Google.  I am sure somewhere in Palo Alto someone could pull up my Google file if one were to exist and know what I love, what I talk about and now what I want to wear.
In a deliberate collision between nerds and fashion mavens, Google has created a new e-commerce site that significantly improves how fashion is presented and sold online. The site, Boutiques.com, which went live on Wednesday morning, may also change how people shop for clothes.
 
Boutiques.com has so many capabilities and components that even Google engineers have a hard time qualifying it. It is a collection of hundreds of virtual boutiques merchandised — or, in the new parlance, “curated” — by designers, retailers, bloggers, celebrities and regular folks. You can shop in the style of, say, the actresses Carey Mulligan or Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen — among the celebrities who signed up — or you can build your own boutique and amass followers who can comment on your taste…
Visually Similar Suggestions for Your Recommended Products
I worked in online shopping and I love online shopping, which I sometimes cheekily refer to as Windows shopping (yes, I am a PC).   The new Boutiques.com seems to have the potential to overtake my favorite shopping site, ShopStyle.com with it’s in depth Google algorithms that are potentially able to find the perfect cobalt suede pumps.  Now, if I get emails or ads for an Elvis album I’ll know Google goofed.
Find me and follow my style as Google continues to evolve it’s algorithms to get my online wardrobe to match my real life wishful wardrobe.

Happy Shopping – let me know what you find!

It’s a Man’s World…


I have an affinity for menswear for women.  I think a perfectly fitting pair of trousers – and I mean perfectly – is better than a skirt any day.  Blame it on the overflow of denim in my wardrobe or my past life in the world of denim retail, but the dearth of skirts in my wardrobe is not an accident.

The high point of men’s fashion is probably the tuxedo.  Let me tell you about tuxedos… When they are not rented, but rather tailored to perfection, and they are worn with a sense of confidence and swagger they are not “Penguin Suits” instead they are amazing. 

To the woman he dares to wear a tuxedo, I say bravo. 

It’s a surprise.  It is daring, and tough, and sexy.  

Well, well, well… What do we have here?  
Gap Tuxedo Perfect Trouser
Do not be surprised GAP if I am trying these on this weekend. And if they are perfectly fitting, do not be surprised if these become an answer to the question, “What to wear?”

Have a wonderful weekend, make it sparkle.