12 steps in heels: step 1

i wasn't ready to publicly admit it last week in case i couldn't go through with it, but today i am officially confirming what i gave up for lent because i need your support in sticking to it. after going a little nuts (ok, maybe freaking crazy is a better description) on my amex last month, and potentially buying a house and/or visiting milan this summer, i decided to give up shopping for lent.

there, i said it. by giving up something i love for religious purposes, i feel that i am taking the first step to shopaholics anonymous recovery.

for myself and my fellow s.a.-ers (not sure? if your closet looks something like the above photo and you're not mariah carey, you belong in this group), i have come up with a "12 steps in heels" program that i will divulge to you over the course of my 40 days and 40 nights until easter.

step 1 ~ make a vow to not shop for a set amount of time that is difficult, yet realistic for you.

if you must buy a gift for someone (birthday, wedding, etc.), that's ok, but determine a price limit before you even step foot in a store. better yet, purchase the gift online so you're not tempted to buy for yourself.

together, we will get through this.

it's a nice day for a...white pair of jeans

spring is approaching - athough at an overnight low of 43 degrees in parts of palm beach county early this morning, it is certainly difficult to believe - and that means it's almost the season for white denim. i know, in palm beach you can pretty much wear them year round, but now is the time you can actually find them in stores. that being said, where is the best place to find them?

i received the following note from a friend and co-worker today:

"ok, so i’m in the market for a new pair of white jeans. who makes the best butt enhancing awesome white jeans (with just like, plain back pockets)?"

i'm partial to my white lucky brand skinny jeans, which i've had for about two years now, but i'm also on the shorter side and she's a little taller. fashion god michael kors is pretty much king of white pants and jeans, but not all of us can afford his $225 to-die-for stretch jeans. i keep coming up with "buts" ... anyone else have ideas for her? help a girl out and post your answers under comments please!

* photo from michaelkors.com

heartbreaker

"you're a heartbreaker, dream maker, love taker. don't you mess around with me."

ok, so maybe my dress won't be breaking hearts while i'm wearing it to work the palm beach heart ball tomorrow, but it didn't break the bank either and i am in love with its tiered ruffles. i bought it online during bcbg's intense sale a few weeks ago - like every other dress i purchased for events recently - and at only $120 marked down from $368, i think it might be my valentine this year.

the loss of a fashion icon: alexander mcqueen

in light of today's sad news, let's look back to one of my first blog posts about one of my favorite dress designs, which was created by alexander mcqueen: no need to hit the gym.

rest in peace mcqueen, we're sad to see you go. there will be a void in the fashion world, and we'll certainly miss your avant garde style, fabulous dresses and crazy shows.

get your pultizer prize tonight

if you are looking for the epitome of palm beach style, just find a pulitzer. and maybe i'm biased because we share the same initials, but if it's the fresh and fun florida fashion you want, turn to kourtney pulitzer. the style heiress was practically born to be in this industry, and she hits the spot with her boutique on dixie highway. i haven't visited the store just yet, but i've heard good things from a few in-the-know friends.

check the place out tonight at kp's girls night out from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in addition to a showcase of the shop's new dresses, denim, shoes, jewelry and handbags, the girlish gathering will be complete with champagne, mini manis and the world-renowned psychic ms. cleo, who i must admit i've always found intriguing!

get the details on tonight's event at kp's style blog (and view pics from past events) or just stop by at 1609 south dixie hwy., suite 3 in west palm beach. i'm hoping to go tonight, but if i can't make it then i'll definitely visit the boutique soon...let me know if you want to join for a girls' day out!

fab find: ballerina flats

i’m not a very leggy girl, so unless i’m wearing a high-waisted skirt, super-short dress or seemingly leg-lengthening tights, i tend to steer clear of flats because i never feel very womanly in them. i’m picky when i do wear them, and choose not to spend a lot when buying a new pair because i know they won’t get much use.

on rare occasions i find something so beautifully feminine and cheap that i can’t pass them up…which is why i rushed down to banana republic when a couple girls in my office told me about the one pair of taupe, jeweled ballerina flats left in my size were now only $20. i’d been eyeing these for a while and the drastic discount was a sign (i like to use excuses like these to validate my purchases).

she purchased a hot pair of nude heels for herself – which unfortunately were out in my size – and there were quite a few others styles on sale too. the size choices are slim though, so hurry if you’re thinking about it! check out the new spring pastels, whites, grays and sequins while you're there...lots of good colors for florida weather.

behind the seams: catchin' a buzz

first, combine two of my all-time favorite things: fishing and fashion. then add in another element that i can't deny i like, alcohol, and what do you get? catchin' a buzz fishing co.

my friend chris therien and his brother rick started the clothing company almost two years ago with a passion for fishing...and maybe drinking too. from west palm, to sebastian, to jacksonville, the florida natives were practically born and raised to live on the water, and in 2008 translated their lifestyle into a line of fishing apparel with options for both casual fishermen (and women!) and more avid anglers.

chris does all the printing out of his house, but the guys are still able to push out a good amount of creative merchandise. you'll find tattoo-inspired and more traditional fishing shirts, tanks, sweatshirts, stickers, tote bags, koozies and more, all reasonably priced and in original designs. i personally love the girls' heart-shaped hook tanks, along with the men's scripted tees, (plus the pinup girl hoodies...so much good stuff that i guess it's hard to pick my faves), but what i really love are the bottle opener hats. they're perfect for a day offshore fishing, inshore at the cove or peanut island, or really inshore when you're tailgating and remembered everything but a way to open your corona. i'm sure my dad will appreciate not having to use a fillet knife or the back of the boat anymore.

check it all out online at www.catchinabuzz.com, where you can do more than just shopping - and keep checking because more designs pop up all the time. find out about the latest in the jax fishing scene, or e-mail them a pic of your catch of the day with you in your catchin' a buzz gear and they'll add it to the site. you'll also find select pieces at crazy fish in jax beach, the conch house marina in st. augustine, or even at a few boat shows and fishing tournaments around the state.

though catchin' a buzz didn't have a booth, chris and a group of his friends were sporting the shirts at the stuart boat show a couple weeks back and practically stole the show. i haven't seen someone's outfit receive so much attention since lady gaga wore her red lace dress and face mask at the mtv music video awards.

so next time you're looking for a good catch, put on a catchin' a buzz shirt and drink up.

i ♥ new kors

remember those perks of the job i told you about in my previous post on hospice evening's oscar de la renta show? well last weekend my job offered me the chance to live out one of my dreams during a palm beach heart ball pre-event.

while preparing for the poolside michael kors and graff fashion show at mar-a-lago jan. 23, i not only had the chance to view michael kors' spring 2010 collection backstage and hear what the man himself had to say about the collection, but i also had a little back-and-forth with him unrelated to his new line. and let me tell you...he is awesome.

i'd say kors one of the nicest celebrities i've met - confident yet seemingly humble, a constant smile on his face, going out of his way to make conversation with those around him, and stopping for every photo requested of him. the highlight of my night: michael kors complimenting me on my mini louis vuitton speedy because of its "old" look. in other words, i've used it so much the past few years that the handles are a deep, deep brown and it kind of looks like i drug it through the dirt.

kors says his line is partially inspired by lady gaga and it shows (another one of my fav things about him. he shares my love for her and was flying out to see her show in new york). models even strutted around the pool to a mix of gaga's "fame" and "love game." the line is much classier than gaga's style though, with touches of jackie o and very much palm beach.


from the "floating" dresses, cut-out ensembles, giant ball necklaces and bond girl-style bikinis, to the pastels, structured shoulders, metallic and nude pumps and high-shine pieces still fit for spring, there wasn't much about the show i didn't love...including the hot male model with the tattoos.


as you can see, i snapped a few pics of the al fresco runway on my iphone, but for a better view of the show, check out the palm beach post's fashion shots, page 2 live blog from jose lambiet, or palm beach daily new's story and video by the fabulous robert janjigian.


by the way, in case you're wondering, i unfortunately cannot afford to wear michael kors myself. instead i wore a purple silk dress with some beautiful draping that i got from bcbg for 70 percent off. but i did have on my less expensive michael by michael kors wedges!