Albeit informal and likely not able to withstand any type of rigorous scientific scrutiny, men don’t particularly care for Valentine’s Day! The way to make it slightly more bearable is to have them make fun purchases. Here are our top picks for functional, fun & flirty Valentine’s day gifts:
Not sure when it happened, but Nine West went and got a little stylish on me! I haven’t been a big fan since I was in high school but, as of late, they’ve had a few fabulous finds. What I love about this shoe: it fulfills my spring/floral trend quota it opens up endless doors for using color (I can rock all of my colored denim; or switch a go with dark denim + colored tops) it’s ultra feminine (heel
It’s a question all of us have to answer especially in a city like DC, or anyone who dares to brave the next nine months of election hoopla. I love this look because it’s not too dressy or over-the-top but also not too casual (the kiss of death!). It takes basic black and adds a bit of metallic to add pop and polish! Every woman on the go should own a tuxedo jacket {MUST HAVE #4} like this one by Religion
This outfit is for any woman who is just starting out and wants to look fabulous, or any woman who looks in her closet and can’t seem to find something chic yet professional to wear, or any woman who works in a business casual environment but needs to ‘flip the script’ real quick. Shopping List: top: pussybow short-sleeve blouse, $45 bottom: jersey pencil skirt, $15 shoes: patent heels, $45 handbag: tan/black shoulder bag, $63 coat: flare coat with faux fur
If you’re in New York City…. Manolo Blahnik: 31 W. 64th St. btw 5th and 6th Aves Mon-Fri, 10:30AM – 6:00PM; Sat, 10:30AM – 6:30PM; Sun, 12:00PM – 5:00PM We wish we could be there….but alas our wallet couldn’t handle the exercise right now!
I had to show you a few secrets to my organization. One is a paper planner ~ yes, we have loads of electronic and digitial tools but there’s something wonderfully visceral and tactile about paper. That said, this 2012 planner by Sarah Pinto is cute, functional and fully equipped to handle my needs including a month-at-a-glance and a section for my daily and monthly to-do’s. Available online at Sarah Pinto, $20 If that doesn’t suit your fancy, Daily Candy did a
{photo from Style.com} We’re in the countdown phase of Blueprint for Style‘s facelift & Botox ~ only 7 days left! The first African-American supermodel was Beverly Johnson who graced the cover of Vogue in 1974 with the stylistically chic black-and-white by photographer Francesco Scavullo. She is a face that made history and trailblazed for the divas of today – thank you Beverly! David Beckham bodywear launching at H&M on February 2, 2012 worldwide. The nine piece collection will launch in all
Perhaps I’m too good at this already, but I love looking casual yet stylish. It’s an art and, frankly, difficult to do but these Grenson Hannah desert boots will make it easier. %RELATEDPOSTS%
We liked this Fabsugar contest~ Clockwise from top left: Charlotte Olympia, Giuseppe Zanotti, Christian Louboutin, and B by Brian Atwood. Charlotte Olympia ~ we love her cat-faced shoes and stacked platforms. Giuseppe Zanotti ~ the sky-high heels are gorgeous. Christian Louboutin ~ the signature red soles are a sexy classic. B by Brian Atwood ~ his diffusion line is a covet-worthy mix of pumps. My vote is for Charlotte Olympia ~ which shoe designer is your pick for 2011? %RELATEDPOSTS%
There are few things sexier than an educated man… Culo (by Raphael Mazzucco) is a provocative collection that shows the beauty of the woman’s booty! Available at BiggerBooks, $54.14 Ok, I’ve given you the perfect gift and you can just tell her you’re focused on expanding your reading selection…. What do you want me to do? Buy it for you?! C’mon you know that’s not gonna happen, so just splurge..and get educated! %RELATEDPOSTS%
For 2012, I’m focusing much of my attention and hard-earned capital on building up my blouse and necklace arsenals. Funny thing is they’re both fairly difficult to nail down…..truly beautiful blouses are hard to find and pricey when you do; and necklaces can be ‘hit or miss’ but when you find it, you know it! That said, I recently had a necklace commissioned (sounds sexy & haute, right?) by Janelle of JazzyJewelz. I mentioned that I wanted it to be
I just thought these pea-shaped ceramic salt n’ pepper shakers were adorable! Available at Modcloth, $21.99
We’ve got you covered when it comes to finishing off your Holiday look! Every fabulous outfit needs those small details to make it pop and while you could search and find accessories specifically for each look, an easy solution is a coordinated finish that can go with any outfit. Our favorite is the metallic! Neutral-tones: Sam Edelman Novato platform pumps, $50 House of Fraser Untold box clutch, $97 Kapow Wow fringe necklace, $375 Black Haute: Armani sequin clutch, $78 Zara
Not quite sure what to wear to your undoubtedly full schedule of Holiday functions and affairs? Here are a few of our faves ~ a little for some and perhaps a lot more for others! Wes Gordon satin smoking jacket, $2,490 Stella McCartney guipure lace Pamela dress, price upon request Valentino flutter sleeve jumpsuit, $2,290 Elie Tahari Heather dress, $998 Carolina Herrera sequined silk-and-wool Mikado pants and white silk taffeta shirt with black grosgrain placket, price upon request Zara Glitter
Whether they’re ‘stocking stuffers’ or gifts, here are a few last minute gift ideas for him or her. The Gospel According to Coco Chanel ~ $13.57 Drymax men’s dress socks ~ $8.99 Stephanie Johnson petite cosmetic bag ~ $16.50 Nine West convertible, fingerless gloves ~ $20 Stila all day waterproof eyeliner ~ $20 Deborah Lippman Stormy Weather nail polish ~ $16 %RELATEDPOSTS%
We saw this Marky navy blue patent leather brogue and fell in love! Not only will it polish up your navy pant suit, but it works wonderfully for those Holiday parties where you need to step out in style. Oh, Janelle Monáe would be proud. Available at ASOS, $58 %RELATEDPOSTS%
Leopard print is wonderfully versatile and a clutch is the essential every lady needs these days…..wait, along with something to carry her e-reader in! Lodis has created the Siren E-reader Envelope which fits the Kindle, Kobo, nook, Sony reader and a few others. The bonus is it doubles as a fabulous clutch, and comes in camel (pictured), denim or ruby. Available at eBags, $78 (size: 8″ x 5″ x .75″) %RELATEDPOSTS%
A cute pendant necklace isn’t that easy to come across these days but we love this Dalla Nonna honeycomb pendant. The 14K yellow gold pendant has three white sapphires, is part of Dalla Nonna’s portafortuna (“good luck charms”) collection, and comes in sterling silver or as a bracelet. Available at dallanonnajewelry.com, $225 – $825 %RELATEDPOSTS%
This outfit is fabulous because it not only uses what you already have in your closet, but it works to hide a multitude of sins (the wide obi wrap belt is perfect if you want to deemphasize your midsection and create a shape); the vibrant, rich color is different enough to help you stand out but still blend in at any affair; and the accessories add a bit more edginess and zest that only fur can do! Shopping List:
If you’re like me (and even if you’re not), you may have travel plans for the Holidays. What that means is you’ll need to travel light and keep all items functional and versatile. We’ve already talked about the ABCs of boot heights, so you know that ankle boots are the most versatile. With the Holidays and the likely pending celebrations, this Kate Spade Leigh bootie ($298) is perfect with a short dress, to dress up some dark denim, or even
Bookmarks are so 2010….now it’s all about book darts ($10). They let you tab the actual line/word, so you can be more precise in resuming your scholarly pursuits!.
Gloves are a winter essential but these are not only season-appropriate but ideal for the tech savvy mamacita! The Audrey glove has all of the standard cashmere wool lining, blah blah blah but it also has Tec Touch™ pods on the index finger and thumb that allow you to operate your iPod®, iPhone® or other touch screen device without removing your gloves! So we’re talking $80 for warmth, fashion, and the ability to be tech-forward ~ we’re WINNING!!
Ivanka Trump “Crystal” satchel (in bordeaux; also in sand, black, brown) great for a dinner party slightly retro but 100% ladylike elegant and easy priced for instant gratification at $95 .
Daphne Guinness, heiress, fashion iconoclast and philanthropist, has teamed up with MAC Cosmetics to create a collection of lipsticks and lacquers that is due out December 26th. The collection will include items such as nail lacquer in Blueblood and Pro longwear lipcreme in Approaching Storm. Consuelo Castiglioni, the founder and creative director of Marni (the Italian design powerhouse that oozes print-on-print design and patterns) will team up with H&M for a collaboration of expectantly huge proportions. The H&M capsule collection
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