Alti Pumps

Its been awhile since I've been tempted to spend money on Loubs but then I had to come across the Alti last weekend at Southcoast. They had the patent all black version and I had to run out of the store in order to stop myself from buying them. This dark red version is pretty nice too. They kinda look like the New Simples but with a higher platform. I'm EXTREMELY tempted to buy these beauties but $825 for pumps that sorta look like ones that I already have?? I dont know...I'll need some time to dwell on this dilemma...

*Note: When I first started collecting Loubs, the expensive ones went for $600ish, nowadays $800ish is the norm...*

Theeey're Back!

Outfit posts are tricky especially if your picky like me. The thing is...its pretty darn hard to come up with poses that not only show off the outfit, but is flattering as well. I'm not exactly camera shy but I just feel silly posing. The fact that I live by myself also basically means I either use the self-timer or I ask my lovely co-workers to help a blogger out :P One of my bestest friends at work, DA, used to be my loyal photog. Then she went away on vacation and by the time she got back, I had become lazy. Since then, DA has moved onto greener pastures and I didn't really think about ever doing outfit posts again until J-AZ came along. She got a kick after seeing some of my old outfit posts and so I recruited her to be my new photog :) We were pressed for time today so we were only able to take a few quick ones and this is the only one that I actually liked:


I wasn't satisfied with such a short outfit post and so I decided try out the self-timer deal. So anyhow...this is totally new and a bit scary but I guess thats a sacrifice I'm willing to make for the sake of blogging.




Dress: Vivienne Tam (my favorite part about this dress is the crochet flower detail on top)

Cardigan: Banana Republic

Shoes: Christian Louboutin (metallic bronze Rolando pumps)

Cute and Affordable

These Via Spiga booties were also in the spring accessories edition of the WWD that DZ bought and I think they're just adorable. I think its those buttons on th side and maybe cus they're two-toned...I'm currently into two-toned shoes. I've never owned anything by Via Spiga cus my mom buys they're stuff so I've always sorta equated Via Spiga to my mom. Anyhow, although its 70+ degress in LA right now...these would be cute with a a winter outfit. Some people stay away from suede shoes cus of maintenance issues but I've never had a problem with any of my suede shoes...I mean yea, I guess if you live in areas where it snows, it wouldn't really make much sense but for people in LA, it's fine :P

Available at Bloomingdales for $260

All Hail Alejandro Ingelmo!!!!!!

I've blogged about Alejandro Ingelmo briefly in the past and I have to admit...I sorta forgot about him until last night. DZ and I were looking through her copy of the spring accessories issue of WWD and I almost wanted to cry when I saw these totally HOT loafer pumps (not the shoes shown here). When DZ figured out that they were by Alejandro Ingelmo, I suddenly remembered that I had once lusted after his MJs (also not the shoes shown here). Anyhow, I'm on his website right now and theres about 3 pairs of shoes that I would LOVE to get. I read that his runway collection is available at Jeffrey (too bad I live on the West Coast) and his regular collections are available at Neimans, Saks, Bergdorf, and Intermix (currently selling the MJs shown here for $695). He also takes custom orders! Anyhow I'm going to write him a quick email right now and see if I can get more info on the shoes I'm lusting after and I'll update with details :)

Bottega S/S 09 Trunk Show

Sorry it took awhile for me to actually blog about the BV trunk show but blame it on the rude ladies at BV who wouldn't let me take pics this time around. I had just started taking pics of the bags when I got yelled at and was told "No pictures allowed". I told her that I was with my SA and she apologized and backed off. When my SA rejoined me, I wanted to make sure that it was still okay to take pics and this other random lady next to her cut in and explained that since none of the items had been officially published in catalogues, pics were not allowed at this time. Watevs...thats why we have style.com! Anyhoo...if you hadn't already seen the collection during the fashion show or on style.com, the color for the upcoming season is ORANGE. Orange ranging from yellow to copper. Orange isn't exactly my favorite but there were some bags that deserved honorable mention:


Some bags and shoes had this flower motif on them and the leather comes in this yellowish color. Now I probably wouldn't fork over the thousands of dollars to buy these goodies but I think they totally fit in with the spring season ;)

**UPDATE: Here is the one and only picture I was able to snap before I had to put the camera away...**


Cute and whimsical flower print on the classic weave.


Its hard to see from this picture but there were bags that had the Bottega weave with embroidered flowers. Pretty cool craftsmanship but again, I personally wouldn't spend money on such a seasonal piece.


Now this WE LOVED!!! DZ and I went crazy over this weaved ostrich bag in copper. Gorgeous!! The only problem is the price tag...$8000! I could buy TWO YSL ostrich muses with that money!


This was a funky but gorgeous hobo. Again the details are hard to see but up close and in person, the color and craftsmenship is just out of this world. Probably my second favorite piece after the weaved ostrich. Great everyday bag...sturdy and would probably be able to fit a whole lotta your crap!

Finally...this funky bag caught my eye cus it looked like a bean bag sitting up on the shelves. Its HUGE and pretty darn out there (translation: I wouldn't spend money on this but I think its cool...). Once again, hard to see but amazing craftsmenship.

In conclusion...while not exactly a fan of orange, I am in awe of the work that goes into Bottega pieces. If I had all the money in the world, I would've ordered the weaved ostrich and the copper hobo. But since the world is not perfect, I'm opting to save my money for my navy large ostrich Muse :)

FYI

I saw the black version of these MJs in the current issue of Allure and was ecstatic to discover that they were only listed as $470. Last weekend, DZ and I went to Southcoast and I was ready to buy these when I realized that the real price is almost twice as much as advertised in Allure. I just spoke to a Chanel rep and she said that Chanel is currently very upset with Allure for the misquote...esp since the price difference is so huge and I'm assuming I'm not the first person who has called them to confirm the price. Anyhow, sorry girls...the actual retail price is $800 NOT $470!

*UPDATE* I also forgot to add that when I was shopping this weekend, the SA at Bloomingdales told me that there might be another price increase in November. Ridiculous!!!!

*UPDATE 2* After looking at this picture one too many times, I sorta want those tights now...if you're interested, they are $250...

Exciting News!

Well, sorta...

After a long, long break...OUTFIT POSTS MIGHT BE COMING BACK!!

Stay tuned :)

Shopping When The Economy Is Down

Over the past years, I've managed to get some great pieces on sale and since our economy is in the gutters these days, I thought I'd blog about how to shop during these trying times. Its simple really...SALES, SALES, SALES!!! If you only shop in the sales section of a store or website, you're bound to come across great deals for great pieces. Sometimes you might have to wait until the season is over but at one time or another, almost everything goes on sale (classic handbags and shoes in classic colors are usually the only things that never go on sale)! You can sign up for discount shopping sites like Gilt, Rue La La, and Haute Look. The key to these websites is to sign in right when the sale begins cus often times, things sell out immediately! On a similar note, The Purse Forum and other blogs are great places to find information about ongoing or upcoming sales. Word of mouth is always good :) And of course there are things like eBay and Craig's List. I've never gotten anything or sold anything on eBay but there are some people out there who are super duper good at finding awesome pieces through eBay so why not?

However, it is important to always keep in mind that IT ADDS UP so even if one thing is bought at a good price, if you buy everything you like, its highly likely that you'll end up doing more damage than good!! I guess the take home lesson is: Shop the sales but be smart and saving is always the answer when money is tight!

Good luck everyone and please remember to share your sale purchases with me :)

Cupcakes Anyone?

I took my brother to Melrose this weekend and we stopped by Johnny Cupcakes since my brother is a fan of his t-shirts. I was a little taken aback when we walked in cus the store is made to resemble a bakery instead of a clothing boutique and for a sec I seriously thought that maybe they also sold cupcakes. Shirts are displayed in glass refrigerators and the employees wear aprons. There are a fake oven doors on the walls and your shirts come packaged in a bakers box. While I'm not really into graphic tees, I definitely appreciated how true the store stuck to the whole cupcakes theme. A fun place to stop by when you're in the area even if you're not going to buy anything :)

Pashminas

For whatever reason, I never wear my pashminas.
I have a handful at home and they just sorta sit in my dresser. It might be because whenever I have one on, I feel like I'm wearing a blanket and find myself constantly adjusting it. A little weird? Eh, watevs. Anyhow, today I wore one of my Betsy Johnson dresses to work and I didn't think a cardigan would go with it so lo and behold...I busted out with one of my black pashminas! Its definitely doing its job and keeping me warm cus God knows how cold it gets in the office :P I still sorta feel like its a blanket and not sure if I'm going to be creating outfits around my pashminas but at least I know I can put them to use on days when I dont feel like a sweater or jacket goes with the rest of my outfit :D

My iPhone Is Crap......NOOOOOOOOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I first got my iPhone, some idiot told me that it was crap. Yea, I know...she must've forgotten to take her medication that day. Anyhow...I was a little thrown off by the rudeness of her comment but decided she was probably still upset that the iPhone had been sold out when she had tried getting one :P After weeks of waiting for the "crappy" nature of the iPhone to expose itself, I am still confused as to why people would refer to this wonderful device as "crap" because it has been oh so good to me :) I have heard some say that the reception sucks and calls get dropped. I get reception on the iPhone in areas that I never got reception in and no, my phone calls dont get dropped. Some say it freezes up on you. Well have you ever had any other phone that had internet on it? Did it not also freeze up on you and honestly...even our desktops and laptops freeze up once in awhile! Some have even said that it just has too much going on. WTF? Maybe if you're so minimalistic, you should stick to good ole land lines ;) Anyhow...I would highly recommend the iPhone to everyone and take my word for it...IT AINT CRAP!

PS: Sorry if this entry is a little bit...harsh...I just have no patience for individuals who go about making negative and retarded comments :D

Flapper Dresses

I've been wanting a flapper dress for awhile now but I haven't really put the work into looking for one. DZ's been looking this morning for me but so far the ones on shopbop aren't exactly what I had in mind. I'm usually not a picky shopper but I have an exact flapper dress in mind...I want it to be beige or white with lots of shiny/glimmery sequin detail...I prefer it to be sleeveless but not with a plunging neckline. The one Kate Moss is wearing in this pic is kinda close to what I'm looking (or more like want since I'm not really looking) for. Cute, right? Of course I wouldn't have anywhere to wear it to but it'll be something nice to just have...you never know when your flapper dress will come in handy ;) Anyhow...if you ever come across a flapper dress that fits my description...be a dear and let me know!

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!

My wonderful SA at Bottega just called to let me know that my special order has just arrived in the US warehouse and I should be able to pick it up within a week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll of course update with pictures as soon as I get it. My SA also invited me to the Spring/Summer trunk show this weekend at the Beverly Hills boutique. If you want, you can call to make reservations with an SA so they can show you around or you can just walk in if you're in the area :) I'll be there Saturday asking questions and taking pictures. Will update with those pictures as well!!

Lucky In Shoes

Some people are lucky in love, I'm lucky in shoes :) DZ told me once that I have extremely good luck when it comes to finding great shoes on sale and today I would have to agree with her. In exchange for lunch and a ride to visit friends at UCI, my brother dutifully allowed me to drag him around Southcoast for a few hours. After about 2 hours of sweater and dress shopping, I decided the shoe department at Bloomingdales would be the last stop for the day. Nothing in particular in mind, just wanted to browse around. When I got to the Chanel section, I noticed several styles on sale and lo and behold...the pumps that I had lusted after when I was waiting for my SA to wrap up my dark silver Reissue was one of the styles on sale. Since the items had just gone on sale...there were plenty of sizes to choose from and I was grinning from ear to ear by the time I was paying for these babies:





My brother was looking at me as if I was some crazy retard but watevs...I GOT ME SOME NEW SHOES (and dresses and sweaters and makeup)!!!

PS: My brother is actually a great person to go shopping with...doesn't complain, holds all my shopping bags, and watches my purse when I try stuff on ;)

PPS: The really funny thing is, my parents were so grateful that I took my brother around AND went to the house to go feed the fish, water the plants, and pick up mail that my mom kept saying that I would get rewarded when they get back...I didn't bother mentioning that I was a step ahead of them and had already started rewarding myself...

I Can't Stop Shopping Online!!!

While my shopping habits have somewhat improved, I'm still shopping a bit too much. The thing is, I feel like I haven't gone shopping in awhile when in reality, I've just been shopping non-stop online! I blame this on Gilt. After returning one of the two dresses I ordered a few weeks ago yesterday, I bought yet another dress today. I think for the past few months, all new additions to my closet has come from either Gilt or ShopBop. Its just too easy. I sit in front of my computer 40 hours a week and when I get bored, I of course browse the internet. I find stuff that I like and with a few clicks, something new for my closet!! This Vera Wang purchase is especially bad since I had planned on going shopping at Southcoast tomorrow! Oh well, maybe I can be a little bit more careful when I'm out shopping tomorrow since I already got a head start today :P

My Cats...

Love Gilt just as much as I do...


Especially Libby...



Anyhow, I think out of all of the discount shopping groups I visit on a daily basis, Gilt is by far my favorite. The designers and pieces up for grabs are always great and the discounts are amazing. They have the pricier selections that run for about $500 and up or the steal deals that go for as low as $60. Packages always arrive within a week and as you can see, the box that your stuff comes in is way better than what you usually get from most online shopping sites. The return policy is 14 days and I'm actually going to have to return one of the dresses I received yesterday since its too big on me so I'll let ya'll know how their return service is ;)

A Big No-No!

I know a lot of people like to wear their sunglasses on their head but everyone should know that thats one thing your NOT suppose to do with your sunglasses!! I get that sometimes its just out of habit or convenience (I also think some girls just dont like to put their sunglasses away because they want everyone to see that its CHANEL! or GUCCI! but thats just lame...) but you seriously risk damaging the frames and lenses. I speak from experiences because my Tom Ford lenses popped out once when I was shopping at Saks and the lady in the accessories department scolded me for wearing them on my head. When your sunglasses are on your head, your stretching the frames out and haven't you noticed that the oil from your hair tends to make the lenses all smudgy?? Dont be like me and wait for the lenses to pop out before you start changing this bad habit...put your sunglasses in their cases when you're not wearing them!

Chanel Jackets

Its a personal goal of mine to start collecting Chanel jackets when I turn 25 :) I dont have any one jacket in mind...I dont really even keep up with what comes out each season but I just know I want one before I'm 30. The problem is of course the price tag. I was reading up on them last week and some people say they go for about $6000?!?!?!? Yea, thats a bit too much for a jacket...I'm willing to settle for 50% :D That might mean searching high and low on eBay but I really dont know if I could justify spending $6K on a jacket...just ONE jacket. Anyhow...I should start doing some research to get an idea of what I want and what to look for...the scary thing is, I'm pretty sure once I start, it'll be hard to stop :/

Best Purchase Ever

When I was 13, ND and I would spend every waking hour talking about N'Sync. JT was of course our favorite and I'm so freakin glad he got even sexier with age. Today I went on a mini shopping spree at Best Buy and picked up the FutureSex/LoveShow Live from Madison Square Garden. The best flippin purchase EVER. My heart melts a little every time he smiles at the camera and whats sexier than a man who can sing and dance AND look that good in a suit?!?! Absolutely nothing. Damn you Jessica Biel...anyhow...I gotta go back to drooling over this DVD...

Life Aint Fair

The other day DZ and I were talking about how some 16 year-olds run around with to-die-for closets because they grew up with trendy moms who have been fashion fanatics their whole lives. Take Suri for example...the child is 2 and is running around in New York shopping at Hermes. Yes, I know...chances are its Katie's stuff thats in the bags but seriously...when I was 2, I didn't go anywhere near a Hermes store. My love of fashion was not passed on from my mother or grandmother...it was something that just sorta came to be. I'm not complaining about having to learn about fashion on my own but its seriously hard not to get jealous of those girls who get to inherit vintage Chanel jackets andjewelry. Oh well...maybe I'll have a daughter one day and she can wear my stuff around and be the cool kid at school :D

I Dont Get It

I really dont for the life of me understand what in the heck is going on with Gucci these days. They slightly redeemed themselves with the Hysteria but then I think they got overly confidant and decided to go all out ugly...I dont know...maybe to see how loyal their fans are?? Anyhow...studs are tricky and they're usually bad news if you decide to go overboard with them...hearts and tassels only complicate the situation...






I mean these bags seriously look like they were designed by a 12 year old...a 12 year old with $1500-2000 to spare.

YSL at de Young (Thanks IC!)

Wow...I had no idea that its been a week since my last post :/ My internet at home has been acting funny and I guess I've been busy at work. Anyhow...for you lucky Bay Area folks...de Young is having a YSL exhibit starting November 1st!!!. The exhibit will feature 130 items ranging from past garments to sketches. You've probably caught on from this blog that YSL is one of my favorite design houses and Yves seriously had one helluva life. So if you're in the area between November - April...go check it out and grab some catalogues for me!!!!

For more info: Go here.

Love It!

What an absolutely perfect way to funk up the classic LBD!! The rest of Natalie's dress is pretty boring...form fitting black dress BUT that sleeve detail makes a world of difference. It almost gives off the appearance that shes got a little mini cape on or something. These days most girls go for that plunging neckline look cus its "sexy" and attention-getting but I honestly think that depending on the design, a lot of clothes that center around a womans collarbone or neck is equally, if not more, sensual than a blatant shout out to your mammary glands :P Maybe its because the focus is shifted to your face?? Anyhow...wish I had this dress but of course its probably way out of my budget :(

Living In A Materialistic World

I'm materialistic. It that a bad thing though?? Whats wrong with buying stuff that I love and so what if they make me happy? Just cause my shoes, purses, dresses, etc make me happy doesn't mean I'm dead inside...I assure you I love my cats, family, and friends to death. Why is it okay for owning a stamp collection to be an acceptable hobby but not shopping? I mean yea, the people who only befriend others because of what they own...thats a little sketchy but I'm not like that. I dont judge others for what they buy or dont buy so why is it so okay for others to judge me for what I buy? Plenty of things in life make me happy but shopping just happens to be one of them. It seems that thats the one thing that gets highlighted the most often. Anyhow...just something to think about...

**Note: Due to some recent comments and questions from friends I would just like to say that this post is not a defensive reaction on my part to comments from anyone in particular. I've been meaning to talk about other people's reaction to my love of shopping for awhile now and finally got around to doing it last week!

Chloe Paraty

I took this picture from WWWD since it displays the Chloe Paraty bag beautifully (the bag dangling from Katie's arm). Anyhow, I'm usually not a Chloe fan (minus the Bay bag) but I'm basically in love with the Paraty right now. I first heard about it from the Bag Snobs and upon first glance, I thought it was just okay. Since then, I've seen it in countless pictures from various websites and realized just how great it is. That shape is what I love. It almost looks like its cinched at the top and is complemented by the gold hardware. According to Tina the Bag Snob, theres a leather and python version. The python version is surprisingly decently priced and I think thats the version that I've been seeing in pictures so I'm kinda curious to see what the regular version looks like. Not sure how long the waitlist is but I almost wanna call the Chloe at Southcoast to see if they have it in stock...not to buy but just to try on :)

Vintage and Sexy and I WANT IT

A little shoulder is ultra sexy and I'm enamored with this vintage YSL top that was featured on the Decades blog yesterday. I agree with the people over at Decades...all this top needs is some skinny jeans and high heels and it'll work wonders for you and your night out. I've already sent out an email to Decades asking about the price and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that its within an affordable range and that it hasn't been snatched up by anyone else yet cus Lord knows things go fast at Decades :P

**UPDATE: The nice people at Decades called me and the price for this sexy number is $380. A bit out of my budget for tops and so I told them to go ahead and pass it along to their London store but if you're interested, hurry up and call so they can hold it for you!!