Tuesday, August 30

Lust item for Fall.

There hasn't been much reason to give Salvatore Ferragamo a second look... until this season. I've always regarded Ferragamo as looking a little bit old, or should I say mature, so I was pleasantly surprised to see their new "it" bag for the Fall Season.




The Crochet Bag is finally done tastefully right with an updated, slouchy shape and enough hardware to give it a young appeal.

I could do a ton with this bag.

But, I can also do a ton with $1390. So this shall remain on my "lust" list for now... I'm sure the trend will not last too long... and furthermore with my clumsiness it will be next to impossible to keep this clean!


...pssst....
One more lust item...


Fendi Embroidered Spy Bag.

Sunday, August 28

On a Personal Note...

I just wanted to address some questions~

Yes.. "Fall" articles are coming! The comic below illustrates how I feel about upcoming fall fashion... Okay, not really. I'm excited... I have a lot of ideas and thoughts I can't wait to write about... but it's hard to get in the mood for Fall Fashion when you have 102 degree weather outside!!! (Darn this heat wave in LA!)



And I typically update the blog in "batches"... Once I think of one thing to say I pretty much come up with another 5 or 6. I typically try to do a few articles a week but some weeks I'm busier than others at work. i.e. Right now we are getting ready for another Denim Sample Sale... after about 10 hours of seeing, sorting, trying-on, and just swimming in denim it's hard to think about clothes.

But I just got back from Shu Uemura's Fall makeover... so I will be writing about that soon! And I just got a new digital camera so I will be taking more pictures of recent purchases.

And I want to thank those of you who leave comments... if you ever have any questions or what not please let me know where you are from as well (in both comments and e-mails)! It will help me answer your questions. For example someone asked me recently about Winter coats... and depending if you're in LA or NY the concept of a winter coat is much different :P

Okay, well that's it for now. ~.~

Saturday, August 27

Denim Glossary

Jeans are getting more complicated by the season~ and they will remain a staple in our wardrobes for at least another decade so it's time to brush up on your denim vocabulary. :)

Courtesy of ShopEtc.com

abraded (adj.): Describes the battering jeans go through to achieve a vintage look.

baking (v.): Treating jeans with a resin, then putting them in an oven so chemicals can merge with fibers to add color, stiffness, and make creases permanent.

broken twill (n.): combines the left- and right-hand twill fabric weaving processes (see definitions for both, below) to create more texture and help the fabric retain its shape (read: wear them 20 times and they won't bag in the knees).

fit block (n.): The pattern each designer uses to create his or her signature silhouette.

global sanding (v.): Using hand or power sanding tools to abrade (see above) an individual pair of jeans.

hand (n.): The feel of the denim, from soft to coarse.

hand tacking (v.): Hand sewing tucks and flaps so certain areas fade less during laundering (stitches are removed before sale).

left-hand twill (n.): Fabric woven to the left, a more intricate process that produces a suppler product than right-hand twill (see below).

right-hand twill (n.): Fabric woven to the right. More common and easier to manufacture, but often not as soft as left-hand twill (see above).

ring spinning (v.): An older method of machine spinning cotton into yarn with an emphasis on twisting, not just stretching the fibers; slower and more expensive, but produces stronger cotton.

rinse denim (n.): Raw fabric that has no washing procedure and is simply rinsed before arriving at the store; produces the toughest jeans.

rise (n.): The length of fabric from the crotch seam to the top (or, depending on the maker, sometimes the bottom) of the waistband; one label's seven-inch rise may be slightly higher or lower than the other's, so always try them on.

selvedge (n.): The reinforced edge of a bolt of denim fabric, which is woven so that it won't unravel; this super-durable edging is now highly desirable when making couture jeans.

slubby (adj.): A term applied to cotton yarn that is less smooth, more textured with nubs and character.

stitch count (n.): The number of stitches per inch on the jean's seams; 12 stitches per inch takes longer to sew and uses more thread than, say, 8 stitches per inch, but makes the seam stronger.

stone wash (v.): Stones (usually pumice stones) put in the wash to soften the fabric.

sundries (n., pl.): Extras like metal rivets, Swarovski crystals and decorative stitching on the back pocket.

tear-and-repair (v.): An aging technique that involves taking a screwdriver or other tool and tearing small holes in the jeans then sewing them closed.

wash (n.): The color and texture produced by the finishing process of washing the jean; creates varying results, such as an aged appearance or enhanced softness and can include applying colored dye and resin.

weight (n.): The lightness or heaviness of the denim. Approximately 8 ounces is a breezy, cotton-y fabric; 14 ounces is on the hefty side.

whiskers (n.): The flattering wrinkles around the crotch of the jeans. Sometimes behind the knees, too; called a "moustache" in Europe.

Study hard! There will be a pop quiz in September!!! www.the-warehouse-sale.com for details.

Friday, August 19

Weekend Sale-ing

LA Girls get ready for a weekend of shopping~


Saturday Only, 10:30 to 3:30
Click here for driving directions.
LA's Fashion District hosts a Saturday Sample Sale (usually it's on the last Friday of the month). This sale usually brings outside vendors that don't have a showroom at the mart. Though not as filled with high-end labels as the Friday Sample Sales, it's a good chance to get hip trendy duds to fill out the rest of your summer wardrobe at ridiculously prices. I will bring along some denim to fill up a booth too so look for me ~.~


Saturday and Sunday
1201 W. 5th Street, Los Angeles
Click here for details.
If you are more into the indie-designers, there will be a fashion exhibit downtown this weekend also. Clothes and accessories for men, women and pooches accompanied by a live DJ and some runway fashion shows.


Until August 21
Barker Hangar, Santa Monica Airport
And for those procastinators that have put it off until this long, come to the last stretch of the Barney's Warehouse Sale. They are constantly restocking throughout their 10-day sale so no doubt you'll find something here.

Sunday, August 14

Chip & Pepper

I went to the "first ever" Chip & Pepper sale this past Saturday~

It seemed like they really did open their vaults from the first day they were in business~ there were items circa 1990's (i.e. Golf Punk) but there were a lot of tee's and accessories from more recent seasons too.

I picked up a couple T-shirts including the one below for $20 each. (Retail, $45) I love how C&P tee's feel so vintage~ soft and thin enough for the summer, but not sheer. I also got a cute leather belt for $50. (Retail $160)





So, I came home happy. :)

Thursday, August 11

Go, go, go!



Yay!

This year I found a lot of:
- Barney's private label 3/4 length tweed coats in an array of colors.
- Diane vonFurstenberg dresses from Spring/Summer 05. A BIG selection.
- Lots of Marc Jacobs trousers, short sleeve blouses and dresses.
- Basic dresses by John Varvatos, perfect for shifting or cocktailing.
- Wedding dresses!
- Cotton twill bermuda shorts at $29 in pink, white and khaki.
- Marc by Marc Jacobs' Summer '05 bow-tie canvas shoes for $115.

If you have the patience to sort through the madness, then I highly recommend this sale this time around. There are a lot of good "transition" pieces that you can wear through the beginning of Fall. Also right now is a good time to stock up on occasion dresses. And if you can't stand the crowd and the girls changing left and right, at least stop by for the shoes... shoes never fail me =)

Tuesday, August 9

Honestly!

Every forum has about a billion "Is this real?" posts dedicated to denim auctions on eBay. And who can blame them? 90% of the Seven and True Religion jeans on eBay are fakes.



HonestForum.com


In steps the Honest Forum, where self-proclaimed denim experts frolick to help eBay buyers distinguish authentic denim from the not-so-authentic. So the next time you are thinking of buying denim on eBay, stop by the Honest Forum first to get edumacated on the little details that make-up an authentic pair of jeans. There are step-by-step guides with pictures to help you along. There are lists of reputable sellers as well as notoriously deceptive sellers. Because seriously- they make really good fakes nowadays.

Monday, August 8

Watch Out

"Fashion designer Marc Jacobs has announced that he is creating a collection of fine watches. Jacobs will pair up with Fossil, Inc. for this latest edition to his clothing, perfume and purse empire. The fall collection of watches will be vintage-inspired with girly accents such as ribbons straps and small oval faces. The watches will be available in specialty and high-end department stores in Europe, Asia and the United States, but the designer’s boutiques will get them first. The watches will retail from $650 to $2,500. A line of lower-priced watches will be released under the Marc by Marc Jacobs name in fall of 2006. The watches will be more widely distributed."


I can't wait to see these...

They're here!

The long awaited collaboration between 7 for all Mankind Jeans and Great China Wall. Retail $295-395. Available now at shopbop.com or eluxury.com.








I'm not into paying over $300 for jeans... but if I saw these in a store... and happened to try them on... and they look as good on me as they do on the model... then I might be tempted...


I really like the 2nd pair.

Spray-On

When you're lying on the beach in 90-degree heat, I've found it best to spray on the essentials. These are my favorites from my trip to Maui last week:


Kiehl's
Vital Sun Protection Spray SPF 15, $17.50
A light alcohol-based SPF spray that virutally disappears after you spray it on. Well, by disappears I mean it's non-sticky, the actual SPF part stays on a long time. :) It's purse and beach bag sized, so it's great for on-the-go touchups throughout the day! A non-messy alternative to thick gunky SPF's. (Also comes in an SPF 25)


Frederic Fekkai
Sun Protectant Spray For Hair with Shea Butter, $22.50
A smell-good spray to protect hair & scalp from harmful UV sprays. (After all, our head and shoulders get the most sun exposure) Just spray on after your shower to protect all day. On the days I did a lot of swimming, I sprayed it on as my hair was air-drying, to get rid of the sea-salt stink :P


Evian
Mineral Water Spray, $5
I think this is just water, and I'm not really sure what the EXACT benefits are (besides, of course, moisturization) but this just feels good after 20 minutes of being in the sun or during a long flight. Or right before bed. Or right when you wake up.


Henri Bendel
Body Veil in Rose Petals, $22
The root of my spray-on addiction; I bought this lotion at Bath & Body Works and now I'm too lazy to put on regular rub-on lotion. It's a light spray but very moisturizing. It also absorbs very quickly so there's no stickiness factor- perfect for summer!


Clarins
Sun Care Oil Intensive Tanning SPF 4, $27
And of course for those times you are lying around in the sun to get some actual color, you're going to need more than just protection. This tanning oil produces a really nice long-lasting bronze (as compared to the Banana Boat tanning spray I tried which just made me DARK). Although it is a little sticky (duh, it's oil) so I'd suggest using a really BIG towel to lie on, because once you get some sand on you, it's over. :)