update ~ clothes for bros: nike id

remember my friend who was looking for advice on which color shoes to create and purchase from nikeid.com (because gators always want advice from seminoles, of course!)? well he took our collective advice, with one minor change. he chose the second pair, with more black and less pink, but then added the hot pink laces, which i think was a definite plus. check them out:


and if you're looking for a pair of the hottest kicks for yourself, either check out nike id online like him to create your own, or visit the local nike store at the gardens mall where i lead the nike run club every monday and thursday (free raffle for shoes & gift cards tonight!) for a pre-set pair. everyone who works in the store is awesome and should be able to help you out, but i know from various personal talks with them that brett and steve are the ones to chat with if you're looking for the latest on the stylish sneaker scene, whether or not you're an athlete.

since my hobbies range further than fashion and i'm also a runner, brett, steve and the store manager claudia helped me pick out the newest and best in racing shoes, the lunarglides. for a flat-footed girl (or guy) like me, this is the only pair of light racing shoes that have not caused an injury...and it doesn't hurt that they are really good lookin'. my fav color palate is the baltic blue - volt - techno blue, but i chose the above metallic summit white/orange pair because i plan to wear them with my dad's old orange & black john i. leonard high school track shorts for the chicago marathon in october...but more details on that topic in a later post...

vintage jewelry: who, what, wear...

vintage is undoubtedly hot right now. all the celebs are wearing it and all the fashion mags talk about it, but it can be a difficult thing to translate into everyday wear for the average person. think about it - pepto-bismol pink 90s bridesmaid dresses from goodwill don't exactly fit the "vintage" category girls want to be seen in (unless you were at my 21st birthday "waltz" in tallahassee several years ago...), and you're better off purchasing something new rather than the raggedy dior handbag filled with old gum wrappers from the local consignment. luckily for us, house of lavande's vanessa nedvins (remember her from a few posts ago?) was nice enough to share the "who, what and wear" for going vintage.

who:

jewelry is a great place to start when testing out vintage, because in my opinion, there are less chances to go wrong and anyone can wear it. age and style savviness are not factors.

vintage jewelry, specifically hol, is seen all over the red carpets and in everyday wear on many celebs. if you're looking for inspiration, take note from ashley tisdale at the mtv movie awards, evan rachel wood at her premiere in paris, emmy rossum out for a walk around the city, or my personal faves rachel mcadams, sophia bush and leighton meester on other stylish outings. nedvins told me she found it especially exciting when nicole richie started wearing hol since she owns her own jewelry line and is such a trendsetter in the industry. when asked about other celebs she'd like to style, she mentioned kate moss or heidi klum since they are both inspirations in the fashion world.

zoe saldana wearing hol

what:

see my "behind the seams" post on hol or visit its web site.

as for what trends are in, nedvins says the "chunky 80s-style, club-kid feel" is and will continue to be popular in accessories for a bit, so vintage is perfect for picking up this trend. stackable bracelets are also in style, as well as layered necklaces (maybe pair one of hols jeweled czech pieces with a few long strands of pearls...), and statement necklaces of course. silver is also being asked about in the store a lot recently, which is interesting since gold had made such a strong comeback for a while.

wear:
wear pieces that make you feel special. nedvins believes customers should choose something that a.) brightens their face, and/or b.) induces a memory. she sees both types of purchases in her store: "many women choose specific house of lavande pieces because of an emotional tie - maybe the piece reminds them of something their grandmother wore. the younger set, however, is wearing hol because it is a way to be different and stand out. they can look stunning without wearing something everyone else can buy at the mall."

1960 hattie carnegie ~ $348

the real where:
like most fashions, styles in vintage jewelry varies from one place to another. places like new york, chicago and palm beach all have different ideas and classifications for vintage and trends. nedvins says new yorkers are more fearless and riskier - think lots of plastic bracelets and other bold pieces - and the only other place similar to nyc is l.a. chicago, on the other hand, is classier and higher-end, rather than experimental like new york. think vintage chanel.

and if you're a regular to my blog or live in the area, you probably know that there is no other place like palm beach. according to nedvins, palm beachers either come in already knowing what they want, or they see something that strikes them and they just have to buy it right then. there's no real rhyme or reason to their purchasing habits. palm beachers are also careful not to be too "old" even when wearing vintage, are slightly more reserved in their choices, and have more awareness between what is real and fake.

when:

depending on the style, vintage can be worn anytime, but hol pieces are perfect for adding an extra special touch to spice up an outfit for an event or interview, or changing a day-to-night look just by switching up a few pieces.

ashley tisdale wearing hol at 2009 mtv movie awards

why:

the real question is why not. wearing vintage gives you a tie to the past. vintage jewels are not able to be replicated and can't be found in regular retail stores today. when you're wearing them you have peace of mind that no one else will have the same thing, which can't necessarily be said if you show up to an event wearing harry winston, van cleef & arpels or tiffany's. and my favorite reason why: in my experience, vintage pieces are always fantastic conversation openers.

1960 unsigned multi victorian ring ~ $1,200

how:

if even after nedvins' tips you can't decide how to wear vintage jewelry, hol offers styling services to help choose what's right for you (which i should have put to good use - notice how some of the pieces i was drawn to tended to overwhelm my weirdly tiny arms!). hol stylists use fabric swatches and/or photos of outfits and their owners to put together five or six looks with various ornaments before purchasing. many celebs and their personal stylists go this route, so you'll be in good company!

cityplace gets fruity: apricot lane now open

cityplace has gotten a little fruity for fashion since new retailer apricot lane opened its largest store to date in its 6,000-square-foot space across from the plaza this week. the shop will hold its grand opening event this weekend, with special discounts throughout the store and complimentary food and beverages for customers all day saturday and sunday.

if you're not familiar with apricot lane, don't worry, you will be soon. it was named one of nine "hottest retailers" in 2008 by the international council of shopping centers (icsc), and one of entrepreneur magazine's top 500 franchises.

the store is filled with edgy and earthy apparel and accessories from miss me couture, pink polka dot, signorelli soul revival, salvage and other up-and-coming designers, as well as shoes from naughty monkey and sergio zelcer, but it's the premium denim lines that have me excited. i'm hoping to shop for a new pair from joe's jeans, 7 for all mankind, dylan george or frankie b. soon.

and guys shouldn't feel left out - besides being the first apricot lane location to carry a full selection of shoes, it's also the first to have a section for men's wear.

from the photos i've seen it looks like a great place to shop for gifts too, which is convenient because i have a few friends' birthdays coming up soon...plus the fringed maxi dresses above have me a little excited too (like i need another one!). i'll check it out next week to give you an update!

* chance to win * apricot lane's apparel debuted as part of the silent auction at cityplace uncorked earlier this month, and now you can enter to win some of the pieces at tomorrow night's sparkle party at blue martini...which should be hot for some and tacky for others, but nonetheless a lot of fun!

81 years of marriage backed by one dress

this past weekend provided evidence for something i've been trying to prove all along: the perfect dress will lead to a lifetime of happiness.

ok, so maybe it was the partner and not really the dress that equated to happiness, but when i looked at my grandparents' wedding photos at their 52nd anniversary party this weekend, i was inclined to think otherwise. my grandmother was breathtaking in her stunning silk gown, with my tall, dark and handsome grandfather at her side. they look like a couple straight out of an old elvis movie.

but what caught my eye when looking through their wedding album were the wedding announcements. they were much more stylish in the 50s! they not only described my grandmother's "floor length gown of off-white rice silk and lace with a sabrina neckline," "long pointed sleeves and a sash at the hipline that crossed in the back," and "fingertip veil...held by a lace crown accented with seed pearls and sequins," but they also detailed the dresses, hairstyles and flowers of the bridesmaids, flower girls and even the mothers of the bride and groom. this is even more detail than you'll find in the new york times wedding pages!

side note: this bridal gown (and the veil!) has actually led to a total of 81 years of marriage and counting, since my mother also wore it when she married my father in 1980. she made it her own by wearing it without the hoop and lacing the sleeves. though my mom wore it for sentimental reasons and not for the sake of fashion, she is so lucky she made this classic and timeless choice...have you seen any of the poufy-shouldered disasters from the 80s?!

now since both my mother and my grandmother both weighed less than 100 lbs on their wedding days, i won't be able to fit one leg in the dress, much less wear it on my special day. my hope is to take pieces of it to add to my own when the time comes.

fab find: dvf at 70% off

i know i've been slacking and need to push some more style stories out soon (exciting news coming the next few weeks on gameday dresses, a chic new spa in town, florida fishing apparel for both guys & girls, and tips on wearing vintage jewelry...), but until then i wanted to post this week's fab find.

one of my fav designers is diane von furstenberg, but unfortunately i can't afford to add all her pieces i want to my wardrobe. when it comes to purchasing at full price i tend to stick with classic staples, like her wrap dresses, and i have a hard time splurging on the other items that catch my eye. lucky for me, the final summer sale can now be found on dvf.com, so i can get my fix on the fun pieces without the steep prices. and unlike many other final sales, the goods are actually still stylish and relevant, especially because in florida we can wear summery pieces all year round.

i like to use designer sales as a time to buy things i might normally shy away from - maybe pieces a little bolder than my usual taste, or something super trendy that isn't worth spending the full amount on. so treat sales as your time to stand out and have fun. here are my discounted dvf picks, clockwise starting upper left:


donna cover-up in striped travelling knots in pink ~ $90 (originally $300). i'm all about the jumpsuits right now and this one is so feminine. meant to be a swimsuit coverup, but in so.fla we can get away with wearing it for more.

tes cover-up in warhol camo red ~ 67.50 (originally $225). such a cute cut and the print - inspired by andy warhol art - is a fresh take on the typical camo.

mecca shoes in red suede ~$84 (originally $280). as you'll see from my post last week, i think every girl needs a pair of red shoes, and at a price like this, these wedges can't be beat. if you're not into bright red and want something a little more subtle, dvf also has them in brown "luggage" leather, which brings me to the next item...

25" rolling carry-on in retro frog ~ $135 (originally $475). dvf always finds a way to make this typically boring accessory hot. jump on this price while you can, but if you miss it, the loehmann's in legacy place usually has some dvf luggage in stock.

you are not oksana baiul

while looking at photos on facebook last night i was reminded of a trend that i would like to go all tanya harding on...

figure skater dresses.

unless you are oksana baiul or have a body like jessica stroup, you probably want to stay away from this style. it's not new, but lately i've noticed them popping up everywhere. american apparel made them famous, and i've seen copies on the racks of both urban outfitters and forever 21 recently (proving it unfortunately must be a growing trend), and while they always look cute on the hanger or on tv, most women cannot pull these off in real life. shiny nylon is rarely flattering.

most of my beef with this dress is due to the top. it is just not suitable for a bra, even strapless, due to its super-tight fit that shows every line. it's a catch-22 though, because the material also doesn't allow most of us to go braless either without looking like someone who could be found on the sketchier side of 45th. as a result, those who wear them are often stuck with a mishapen bust that, trust me, guys would prefer to have displayed on a better platter.

if you're still itching to try out the look, do it like my friend did at a bachelorette party last year - in black with very feminine or sexy heels. she is the only non-celeb i've seen whose been able to pull off this look.

dark hues will cut down on the shine that comes across too 80s in other colors (yes people, it is possible to be too 80s). and since black is naturally slimming you don't have to worry about the thin stretchy material hugging places you prefer to hide. and flats only make you look like a 10-year-old ballet dancer, so please stick to pumps.

and don't wear it with a studded or glittery belt, which i shockingly saw last night. even though i don't like the color or shoes chosen, an acceptable way to accessorize this style of dress is shown on the aa web site and below, belted with the brand's signature sash.


urban outfitters also now carries the figure skater dress in a material and pattern that works a little better for those who prefer to stay away from the scary fabric like me.

what do you think of the trend? are you turned off of it too, or am i just bitter because i wouldn't look like silver from 90210 if i were to sport the same style?

fab find: more shoe sales @ aldo.com

i know we already did a shoe sale post today, but this fab find was too good not to pass on. aldo.com has taken an extra 50 percent off it's already reduced clearance prices until tomorrow (boots not included - i know, i'm upset about it too!).

the prices are ridiculously low, especially on red shoes for some reason. here are a few ruby red looks fit for dorothy that i picked out:


priced lowest to highest, starting upper left:

douentza ~ $3.96 (originally $19.99). this little cherry-colored peep-toe flat is less than $4, need i say more?!

hortense ~ $19.99 (originally $70). some navy mary janes with crimson accents for those not looking to make the all-red commitment.

craine ~ $22.49 (originally $90). sexy yet work-appropriate scarlet suede shoes.

voetmann ~ $24.99 (originally $100). probably the best deal i found. the extra platform upfront on these deep reds add a full five inches.

p.s. now that we have the sale prices out of the way, here's another thought for you...has anyone else noticed the weird style names given to all of aldo's shoes?

fab find: free shipping & sales @ ninewest.com

with summer sales ending soon and back-to-school shopping about to begin, now's the time to look out for those last minute deals.

for one week only, ninewest.com is offering free standard shipping. plus, with up to 50 percent off select styles, you simply must take advantage of this fab find.

the free shipping applies to any purchase, but being the shoe girl that i am, i was immediately drawn to that particular section on the web site. so if you're having a difficult time deciding between round-toed pumps, ballet flats or gladiator sandals, let me suggest two specific styles i recently purchased:


originally $89, the brown kwest platform sandals shown above has been marked down to $59.99, plus nine west is discounting sandals by an additional 30 percent, which makes them only $41.99! i wear mine with everything from jeans and shorts on weekends, to pencil skirts and shift dresses at work. i also have the james gray suede slingbacks shown in the photo, which are only $49. such a seemingly simple shoe, i get compliments on these everytime i wear them, including today with my belted silver top and dark gray pinstripe pants!

so let's say you're not interested in last season's styles. then cash in on your free shipping by ordering nine west's new vintage america collection, which includes shoes, handbags, belts and denim (i also saw a few gingham shirts in the mix!) inspired by american heritage. you can purchase some of the styles already out, like the tobacco leather karma tote for $179 shown below, or preview and pre-order a piece from the upcoming fall collection like my fav, the johnboy boot in taupe suede for $189. and yes, the free shipping still applies to the pre-order, which will ship by sept. 8.


tell me, what intrigues you more? are you using the free shipping to get the best sale prices, or are you looking to get your cowgirl side on with the new collection?