Rain Drops Keep Falling On My Head

Wet, cold, puddles, wind; no one wants to go out in such unpleasant weather. We'd all rather curl up in bed with our warm blankets, read a good book, or lounge around lazily while the rain steadily pit-pats outside.

Unfortunately, we are not all so blessed with the fortune of getting to do just that. Some of us have to brave the nasty weather beyond our front doors.

In preparation for the journey into inclement weather, one must don the appropriate attire. This does not mean put on the most drab outfit that you own just because it's gross outside and therefore you have the right to look gross too. Last time I checked the constitution, there was no clause saying that in the presence of rain or any other disagreeable weather, you have the unequivocal right to dress publicly in garb that is synonymous with the word...dare I say it...frumpy. Eew. Instead, one must dress in an outfit that will say the minute you step out the door "C'mon weather, I can handle whatever scenario you throw my way. Nothing will stop me from looking incredible."

With the gloomy, rainy weather I see out my window, I leave you all with an outfit for those days when you must make a splash somewhere else other than your home.

Pour les femmes:

No Downpour on a Stylish Outfit by KikiAnkrom featuring Jimmy Choo boots

Items in this set:
BURBERRY, 2.495 EUR
Jimmy Choo for Hunter Rain Boots Are Back in Stock - Phew! - StyleList, $395
Prada Saffiano Lux Bowler, $1,390
Crystal and Lemon Quartz Earrings, $495
Felix Rey black bow detail walking umbrella, $48

Pour les hommes:

It's Raining Men by KikiAnkrom featuring J Crew bags

Items in this set:
Messenger Bags, Men's Belts, Men's Wool Cap & Scarves - J.Crew, $595
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust Mens Watch 116233-WRJ, $8,750
JUNYA WATANABE, 975 EUR
Prps jeans, 390 GBP
Cole Haan 'Air Penny' Moccasin, $120

And even if you are so lucky as to be that person splashed by a car driving by or the one who stumbles into a large puddle, at least you'll be looking dirty chic instead of just dirty dirty.

So with your fashionable outfits ready, open the door and make splash wherever your day takes you.

Paris, Je t'aime.

With Paris fashion week right around the corner, I find myself longing to be back in that beautiful city! L'amour, le vin, la belle langue et bien sûr LA MODE; tous sont incroyable!

It's quite hard to describe how amazing Paris really is. You can look at pictures of the Eiffel Tower and the Seine all you want but there is this incredible atmosphere of the city that you can only feel and understand if you go.

I love its mix of historical elegance with modern technology, local open air markets with high-end boutiques, and Parisians with the constant flow of tourists. You are never bored in this city. There is always something to do, something to see, or something to eat :)

Must-Dos in Paris (aside from the standard: La Tour Eiffel, L'Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, etc.)

Art Enthusiast: Musée D'Orsay

Book Worm: Shakespeare & Company

Jazz Cat: Caveau de la Huchette

Sweet Tooth: Ladurée (macarons are a must)

Not-So-Scaredy Cat: The Catacombs

Show Stopper: La Moulin Rouge

And of course no trip to Paris would be complete without a runway ready ensemble:

Paris, Je t'aime by KikiAnkrom featuring Lanvin dresses

Items in this set:
Lanvin dresses, 2,565 GBP
Christian Louboutin Circus 120 cutout boots, $775
Large Leather Suitcase, 220 GBP
WGACA Vintage Chanel CC Lock Bracelet, $750
Macarons, $1.75

One Week Down!

After 7 days of browsing online boutiques, of making trips to the outlet malls, and of reviewing London fashion week trends, I've officially somehow made it one week without buying any clothes! Only a mere 51 more weeks to go. No biggie; it'll be a cinch...

For now, I'll celebrate my one week of no shopping with a little party ensemble I put together. And, for those of you in Atlanta, get your party outfits from the closet because GA CITY STYLE is having their debut celebration this Saturday at Whiskey Park. If you happen to find your stylish selves there, remember the paparazzi will be watching so be sure to dress to impress.

Rock with Glamour by KikiAnkrom featuring Roberto Cavalli accessories

Items in this set:
3.1 Phillip Lim - Prikkede silkekjole - pudder - YouHeShe.com, 3.800 DKK
Leather Lace Up Ankle Boots, 1,100 GBP
The Cassette Society Black Oversized Studded Clutch Bag, $165
Roberto Cavalli Spider Swarovski crystal ring, $430
Emerging Fashion Designers : Stars and Infinite Darkness :..., $120

"Practically Pandora-Perfect"

Basso & Brooke's Fall 2010 RTW collection is nothing short of intriguing. The line was inspired by the silk road and contained a vast array of patterns and colors. None of the pieces seemed overly complex in construction; however, many had you take a second look to really capture the amount of detail in the prints.

Here's a look at a few of my favorites from the collection:

Test #1

One thing's for sure Orlando can't be beat on Outlet Malls. Literally around every corner is one to tempt you with so called deals. Today, two of my roommates wanted to hit up the outlets in search of a cheap but cute white dress to wear to a glow party this upcoming Thursday. An invite was extended my way to accompany them on their shopping adventures. Naturally, I wanted to say yes right away, but then the sad thought of not being able to buy anything passed through my mind. However, I still said yes and used this as my first "test"....

...And I passed!!

I wouldn't say I got an A+ on the test, but a nice average B would suffice. I had my moments when I wanted to make a nice designer purchase. Its hard saying no when you see a good deal on a Burberry jacket or Lacoste polo! One day I will be able to breeze on by the stores without wanting to drop a dime. One day...

But for now, a couple of the stores I had to say goodbye to

*had to throw in V.V. for my southern friends :)

Green and Growing or Ripe and Rotting

With Spring (hopefully-I'm sick of the cold weather) around the corner, it's time to start the Spring cleaning of the wardrobe. No more dead blacks and grays of winter. Light and bright colors and warm earth tones will breathe new life into your day-to-day ensembles.

Green and Growing (YES)

_

______

__

Ripe and Rotting (NO)

____

No Butts About It

OK, I lied. It's all about the butt.

BUTt seriously, how in the world can this be trendy? I realize some people try to stay ahead in the fashion world so as not to fall behind, butt this is in no way shape or form attractive. Ass may be in class, but this bottom half will never be deemed classy.

For a sophisticated derrière, try these skirts instead:

J Crew Unagi Tweed Pencil Skirt

Marc by Marc Jacobs Rosette Skirt

BCBG Max Azria Knit Power Skirt

Lady and (Not) the Tramp

I really hate when girls think they look “hot” when in reality they look inappropriate and to put it simply…skanky. With that being said, if you have any questionable wardrobe choices, please be kind to others and pickup a copy of Derek Blasberg’s book Classy. It goes on sale April 6.

In the words of Coco Chanel,

"A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous."

"That is All."

Tim Gunn from Project Runway and Tim Gunn's Guide to Style will be at Georgia State University this upcoming Monday, February 22 from 3-430pm. He's part of their 2009-2010 Speaker Series. Here is the link to the Facebook invitation.

There will be a presentation followed by a Q&A session. He will also be available to sign his book Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste, and Style.

For those interested in working in or knowing more about the fashion industry, this talk would be a great one to hear. Gunn has had plenty of experience in the fashion world. He was the chair of the Department of Fashion Design at Parson's: The New School for Design and is now chief creative officer for Liz Claiborne.

If I were in Atlanta, I would definitely mark this on my calendar.

So in the words of Tim if you can "Make It Work" to be there.

That is all.

P.S. You might need a little SAT tutoring in the Tim Gunn vocabulary first. He has a way with words...

Blaze(r) on By

The temptations have already begun. I hear clothes saying "My girl" when I look at them.

This morning among the assortment of emails I had waiting for me was one from Madewell featuring the perfect spring blazer. It was an off white striped academy blazer and was even paired with the cutest oxfords, which I have been wanting for the longest time...and not the white and black kind that I wore during my private school days. Ohh, how my eyes widened at the thought of having such articles in my wardrobe. But as I was roaming their site, the little voice inside my head repeating "Don't give in" grew louder and louder, and thoughts of making a purchase subsided.

For those of you who have not gone cold turkey from shopping, here is the blazer with the cute oxfords as well as two other outfits of theirs that I loved.

Also, if anyone loves Mary Kate Olsen or for that matter doesn't or if you just need a laugh, check out MK parodies here.

Ensemble: Jour Un

Day 1: Easy.

However, unlike other addictions, I have a feeling that day one might be one of easiest days. Time to break up with shopping. If this relationship were on Facebook, it would now say "it's complicated." I'm at the stage where I'm trying to get over it but something keeps drawing the two of us together...but it needs to stop. Starting now.

Here is my outfit for the day, which mainly consisted of getting a nice ashen cross on my forehead and filling up with gas. Quite the hectic schedule.

Disregard the terrible photoshop. It was being fussy.

A simple outfit for a simple day. Nothing too crazy or bland.

Welcome to the Wardrobe

Some of you may find me insane for doing this challenge.

Scratch that, probably all of you think I'm insane.

However, don't think I jumped into this without a day or two loaded down with shopping bags. I mean if I'm to go a year with no clothing purchases, I figured I needed to "stock up." And no, that's not cheating. A few essentials were needed for the journey...and perhaps some nonessentials were thrown into the mix too.

A peek of a few of my last minute buys:

(Perhaps, you shall find some inspiration for your future purchases.)

Black Skinny Jeans

A Bretton Stripe Tee and Dress

Black Studded Skirt

A Gray Blazer

Tie Dye Pants

Basic colored tees and an assortment of leggings including a houndstooth pair and some velvet ones to go a tad bit out of the norm.

P.S. Don't worry, I too think I'm slightly crazy.

It Has Begun...

The plastic will not be swiped and hangars will meet no new friends this year. It's a year of rediscovery. Times may get rough but the light at the end of the tunnel WILL get brighter and brighter.

But for those who doubt me, step right up and place your bets. Will this shopper make it a whole year without purchasing clothes? Only time will tell.

Though I have faith...

"I can do this. I can do this. I can do this..."

Frantically Running Around Making Last Minute Purchases

Spring Forward to Fall

As the days wind down to the start of my "no clothing purchase diet," I'm watching New York Fashion Week's Fall RTW collections to get inspiration for any last minute purchases needed to ensure that I remain somewhat in vogue for the coming year.

Diane Von Furstenburg has caught my eye. Her collection was classy with the perfect amount of tomboy to scream chic and commanding.

However, Altuzarra commanded the aggressive femme fatale look for Fall. A powerhouse outfit is a must in every women's wardrobe.

For the Fall, I definitely need lots of bright colors. Not necessarily hot pink or neon yellow bright but colors that make a statement. Take Lela Rose's Fall RTW collection as an example. Loved her use of color throughout it. The colors were not overpowering. Rather, they added character to the clothes by not being the standard browns and grays of Fall.

I'm trying to get the shopping bug out before I start my new "diet."

However shopping to me is like a sweet tooth's love for ice cream. It just feels good. This shopping detox is going to be one heck of a journey.

To Shop or Not to Shop?

While catching up on my latest Twitter updates the other day, I stumbled upon a post from Time that caught my attention. Six women who decided to give up shopping for a year! A whole entire year! Not a week. Not a month. Not even 6 months, but a full 365 days of not swiping that plastic for the latest duds. How in the world could this be possible? I read the article and was certainly intrigued by the challenge of not making a single clothing purchase for an entire year. I, for those who don't know me personally, am kind of sort of i guess you could say slightly obsessed with the fashion world and have an urge to shop. Not just with buying designer labels but with finding that steal of a deal so good you can't pass it up no matter how low the bank account might be looking. Glitz and glamour come at price. It's not easy looking good even when wearing jeans a tee shirt. For me this no shopping "dare" posed a challenged to looking chic. However, being me, I like a challenge. I mean last year I did go vegetarian for a full 9ish months before I was finally sucked back into the meat eating world. No, I didn't go vegetarian because I had just read Skinny Bitch (though it did have some gross parts) but because I liked the idea of trying to do something that seemed completely unreasonable to a number of people. Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that perhaps I shouldn't look at no shopping for a year as a burden to looking stylishly fabulous but as one of the greatest fashion challenges out there. I mean how many people can say, no matter if they love shopping or hate it, that they went an entire year without making a single clothing purchase? Not many. I want to be one of those few...not to mention, I'd save a buck or two.

The Rules:

1) Challenge begins 17 February 2010 at the start of Lent. Originally, I was just going to do it for that time period, but I figured I'd push myself a little more...

2) It lasts for an entire year until 17 February 2011.

3) NO clothing purchases.

4) May buy accessories and shoes. However, the challenge is to learn how to rework my current wardrobe so this shouldn't be done all the time.

5) Have fun. Play around. Revamp the old for a new and fresh look. Perhaps a new favorite outfit will come out of this.