Personal Style

In this crazy materialistic world that we live in today, how's a girl to decide what to spend her money on and what to pass up?? The answer is simple: buy things that fit your very own personal style. By personal style I mean the style that was created for you by you, not what the magazines advertise or what the celebrities wear or what your friends have; your personal style should only cater to YOU. Don't invest in a Chanel because your best friend has one, don't buy Louboutins because Christina Aguilera swears by them, and don't buy clothes that looked awesome on your co-worker. Buy a purse because you absolutely cannot live without it, buy shoes that go with the rest of your closet, and save your closet space for items that YOU look hot in. If you always look to someone else for the next buy, you'll end up losing in the long run. Other people don't have you in mind when they shop so why should you have them in mind when you make your purchases?? Don't force yourself to like something just because everyone else says its beautiful, if you don't like it, you don't like and thats fine! You know your body and style the best so why not make yourself your very own personal stylist?? Have confidence in what you love and don't look for others to validate your choices, if they don't like it, thats great for them and for you! Another thing to avoid? Buying things just because its on sale, the store is having a special event, you get money back if you spend a certain amount of money, or the prices are going to increase in the near future. Anyway you look at it, you'll be spending money, whats saving a few bucks if you don't truly love what you buy? In the end, you'll waste more than you spend because those items will just sit in your closet collecting dust. Okay sorry for the tirade...I'll stop now cus I realize I could potentially go on forever...

What a waste...

Is it just me or does this not look like a Halloween cookie made by a first grader?? It kinda looks like Casper the green spirit to me or maybe even a grinning bat. What a waste...spending all those diamonds on this piece of crap...I think the designer asked her 5-year old for design ideas. Sorry but I have plenty of other things that I could spend $22,000 on...yea you heard me, $22K!!!!! I wouldn't even wear this if the designer gave this to me for free...

Paul & Joe Sister Grafiti Herringbone Coat

Although it has yet to get really cold in LA, I feel like its time to start looking for this year's winter coat :) Since I'm not very tall, I have to be really picky when it comes to buying coats...its very easy for me to look like I'm swimming in one! I want something more dressy this year and I want it to be long. The one shown on the left is from Paul & Joe Sister...I would love to walk around with this outfit on...I just need the coat and the chic Louboutins :) As you can see, the back has really cute pleats and when the coat is buttoned all the way, you get a nice collar too. I would say button it all the way up when you want a more dressy look (and also when it gets too cold) and leave the front open for a more casual day look.

Emanuel Ungaro Parallele black pailette tank dress

I know everyone keeps saying sequins will be out by 2008 but honestly I think I could make this dress work even when it goes out again. This is a vintage dress from the 1980s...when sequins were first born :) This dress is a very simple tank dress with a taffeta skirt at the bottom. I love the fact that it doesn't have sequins everywhere and the skirt looks so flowly and flirty. DZ and JK...this would be totally hot with our Activa patent sandals!! In fact, this dress would probably look hot with all my shoes and purses...I want I want I WANT!!

Christian Louboutin Activa Patent Leather Platform Sandals

When I first started this blog, one of my biggest challenges was getting pictures of my blog items in action. Kent would get annoyed if I kept asking him to take pictures of me modeling my beloved shoes, purses, clothes, etc. and Libby's not the most cooperative model :P But I think I've found my solution...get a few drinks in the person and they'll be more than willing to be a model :D DZ willingly let me take a picture of her Louboutin's last night and wa-lah, I have a new post! These sexy Louboutin's were one of the original three Louboutin's that I got back in May. JK and DZ both also have a pair. I was super surprised that DZ wore them out last night since she complained about how uncomfortable they were but I guess they were just too sexy to pass up. These shoes have great height and do a great job of elongating your legs. Looking at this picture makes me want to wear these shoes more...these are probably my least worn Louboutins, I think I've worn them once but thats not because they're uncomfortable. These are actually one of my more comfy Louboutin's but I usually feel too dressed up with these on. DZ also taught me a new trick last night (although I probably should've thought of this a long time ago)...for shoes that fit too tightly on your feet, stuff them with a big ball of socks and leave them like that for a few days...its the same idea as getting them stretched at the stores :)

Christian Dior Wristlet

Last night we celebrated DZ's birthday in Santa Monica and I brought my handy dandy Dior wristlet to keep me company. Kent bought me this for my birthday last year and usually on nights when I know theres going to be crowds and dancing, I choose this over the Fendi clutch. The loops that dangles from your wrist is detachable and the insides are lined with credit card holders. This is sorta like a more convenient wallet. I can get away with squeezing in my camera and eyeliner but that's about it. The thing that I love about wristlets is the fact that you can dance the night away and still rest assured that you'll leave with everything you came with. Of course, if you're in for some heavy dancing, its best to keep wristlets as light as possible since you don't want it clunking down on your sexy dance companion(s). Wristlets, clutches, and small shoulder bags are a must-have since dragging your purse around on a night out is a big no-no. Good job hun, I've taught you well!!

White Jumbo Chanel Original Classic 2.55

I'm so glad I used my good sense and decided to check out Saks before buying the Lanvin Kansas from Barneys because lookie what I ended up getting!! I finally have my hot little hands on my very own Chanel Original Classic 2.55. This is the same exact bag that I got my mom for Mother's Day only hers is black with gold. As you all know by now, Chanel is raising the prices for all Classic bags by about 20% on November 1, 2007. This means my bag will be worth $400 more by next Thursday...so in the event my dad yells at me for buying yet another purse, I can proudly let him know I saved him $400 with my purchase :) I had been contemplating the medium size since the jumbo is on the biiig side but realized the medium is a tad on the impractically small side and that you get the most for your money with the jumbo size (its about $300 more but you get ALOT more room with that extra $300). And you can forget about the small size since thats waaay too small...it has just enough room for a cell phone and you can forget about trying to fit a wallet in there. Ideally I wish Chanel would offer a large size that would be an intermediate between the jumbo and the medium but not every wish can come true so I'll just have to live with my jumbo :)

A word of warning...if you do plan on meeting the November 1st deadline, be careful if you buy it from Saks. The sneaky people there decided to be special and raised the prices last week!! If it hadn't been for that nice Korean SA at Saks, I probably would've been suckered into getting my bag at the hiked up rate. When my SA was getting me a fresh one from downstairs, the Korean SA told me that Neimans and Chanel still had my bag for the original price so when I confronted my SA about this little discrepancy, she had no choice but to sell me the purse without the price hike. Also FYI, only the original white, black, and beige (plus the white and black timeless clutches) will be increasing in prices. All the other seasonal colors will stay as is but they already come at a higher price then the classic colors so its still worth it to go for the original classic in the original colors. I know this may sound terribly complicated and technical but this is the kinda stuff we fashion lovers live for!! I also learned that the Chanel leather textures all have names! For example, my 2.55 is caviar leather due to the tiny bumps on the leather...this feature makes the bag easier to clean and less sensitive than say the soft leather on my Chanel Soft Chain :)

Impromptu Barney's Trip

I have a meeting with China in about 10 minutes but I think I can squeeze in a quick post!

Okay so this morning I woke up and my whole body felt weak so I called and was able to take the first half of the day off :) But of course, I realized I was still strong enough to tough it out at Barneys and so I hurried over to take a quick peek at the Givenchy Two-Tone Shopper and Lanvin Patent Kansas. First things first, the purple patent Lavnin Kansas shown below must've been shot in GREAT lighting because the real thing is this DARK, DARK purple thats basically black. The only difference between the black patent Kansas and the "purple" patent Kansas is the trimming. The black patent is black on black whereas the "purple" patent has brown trimming. I was very close to buying the black patent Kansas since it is a very cute shoulder bag but 1. didn't like the SA at all and 2. wanted to go check out what was available at Saks.

I was also able to check out the Givenchy Two-Tone Shopper shown in the picture above. DZ and I both kinda, sorta liked this bag...the stark color contrast is very eye-catching and the bag has sort of a funky appeal to it. However, in person this bag is kinda like a overpriced, slouchy leather beach bag with really awkward handles. It looks real ugly on your shoulders and is way too big to dangle off of your arms. I really would like to find out the "correct" way of sporting this bag cus I tried many different positions but none looked right...

Check back later for a MUCH more exciting update :)

Lanvin Kansas

I'm still a tad bit bitter over passing up the metallic Lanvin Kansas back in May because the new generation of Lanvin Kansas totes aren't as cute but will have to do for now. I first noticed this eye catching bag on Barney's weekly email and then again when bagsnob Kelly blogged about it. Since DZ loves purple, I've been taking notice of more and more purple things lately and this bag is slowly growing on me. I know patent is in right now but I can't help but think within a few years, all things patent will be deemed cheesy once again. This bag is totally young and hip but I just don't know how much use I would get out of this one. The regular black leather Kansas might be much more useful and durable.

**See update on "Impromptu Barney's Trip"

Dresses, dresses, and more dresses

This year the left side of my closet has expanded at an alarming rate. The left side of my closet is reserved for dresses and skirts and I've basically been obsessed with dresses this year. I wear dresses about 4 times a week and dresses are the first category that I browse through on any website or in any store. Dresses are both comfy and super easy to wear...no need to sit and contemplate if your top matches with the bottom...in one swift move, you have both! Plus, dresses make me feel slimmer :) I realize that I just went shopping but like I told DZ, I'm the type of person who can't stop once I get started...this why its so easy for my shopping habits to get out of hand. I also realize that the weather is starting to get cold but I'm still kinda really into dresses. I've spent the whole morning looking at dresses on shopbop and intermix and here are a few of my favorites:


Alexander McQueen (also comes in a super cute purple)

Marc Jacobs

Generra (I think it would look cuter if the belt is tied tighter)

adampluseve

M Missoni (super cute criss-cross tie in the back)

Stella McCartney

Creepy...

These Marc Jacobs Mary Jane boots gives me the creeps...creative idea but it kinda fell flat. Right on time for Halloween?? Don't they look like feet that are missing the body OR fake legs...

Anyhow, I think I'll just stick with regular mary janes...

Fendi at the Great Wall

Who else but Karl Lagerfield would have a fashion show at the Great Wall of China?? Perhaps it was an attempt to distract us from the recently fugly designs that Fendi has been coming out with. Anyhow, the real reason for this post is Zhang Zi Yi's make-up. My mom and I both think Zhang Zi Yi is very pretty but she lacks a sort of sex appeal and hence falls short of being hot. However, doesn't she look gorgeous in this picture???!! Its the make-up...just look at those eyes!!!!! I would like to track down her make-up artist and bribe them into teaching me how to pull off such dramatic eye make-up. Seriously, even as I write this post, I find myself constantly staring at the picture with a sense of awe and immense jealousy. Yes the make-up is on the dramatic side but how hot would this be for nights out at clubs??? Okay yea I know I don't go to clubs but if I knew how to do this kind of eye make-up, I would at least make an effort to go once in awhile with the sole purpose of showing off my extremely sexy make-up...

Pret-a-porter and Haute couture

If you've ever shopped online then you've come across the category "ready-to-wear" and if you've ever watched ANTM, you've heard Tyra Banks throw the phrase "high fashion" into every sentence. But really, how many of you can define ready-to-wear and high fashion??

Lets start with the ubiquitous term "ready-to-wear" which is a translation of the French phrase pret-a-porter (think NAP). Ready-to-wear can be thought of as the line of clothing that puts bread on the table for every designer out there. These are the designs that are mass produced and designed with the everyday in mind. LA and NY fashion week are both centered around ready-to-wear collections and these are the clothes that slowly but surely filter into designer boutiques and high-end department stores after the spring and fall collections are shown. Depending on the designer, ready-to-wear clothes start in the mid-hundreds and run into the thousands but rarely go above $10K. However, just because something is ready-to-wear does not mean theres one available for every Joe Schmo on the street. Although ready-to-wear will never be one-of-a-kind, many designs from top designers are produced in very limited numbers for very limited periods of time.

The phrase "high fashion" is originally derived from the French phrase haute couture which literally translates into "high sewing". Haute couture is the most coveted category in all of fashion. In fact, there are currently only 10 design houses that are legal haute couture members; Adeline Andre, Chanel, Dior, Lacroix, Dominique Sirop, Emanuel Ungaro, Franck Sorbier, Givenchy, Gaultier, and Jean-Louis Scherrer. There are only 4 foreign members; Valentine, Elie Saab, Armani, and Valentino. The members are protected by law and must adhere to 3 rules: 1. Designs are one-of-a-kind made to order items with at least one fitting with the client 2. Design house operates a workshop with at least 15 workers and 3. Present at least 35 items per season to the Paris press with both day and evening wear designs. Haute couture shows can be identified from the dramatic hair and make-up and the over-the-top designs that often look unwearable. Unwearable because haute couture is not the everyday and is definitely not for everyone...designs start at $10k and can go as far up as $100K. Expensive haute couture is but most fashion insiders will tell you that haute couture items are usually sold at lower prices then it took to make that item. Now that may sound like a joke but haute couture designers use the most expensive fabrics and everything is hand sewn, stitched, and painted; we're talking hours upon hours of careful detailing. Whats even more startling is that haute couture items are rarely sold but are used mainly to boost up the design house's reputation. Couture is one of the most misused and abused fashion terms; just because something is hand-sewn does not make it couture...remember, there are only 14 legal couture members in the world!! My new goal? Wear a haute couture gown for my wedding...hehehehehehhe :)

Desert Hills Outlets

Yesterday was possibly the longest day of my life but I had a blast :) DZ and I got up bright and early to drive the 1.5 hours to Cabazon to donate our hard earned cash to the Desert Hills Outlets. We shopped from 9:30am til 3pm O.O The picture you see here is the outcome of 5.5 hours of shopping. I actually didn't go as crazy as I had anticipated but I'm pretty satisfied with my performance and I'm super proud of DZ for her above normal performance!

Due to the setup, Desert Hills seemed smaller but in general the stores carried bigger and better selections than the Camarillo outlets. Dior, Gucci, YSL, and BV weren't really anything to go crazy over since the hand bag selections were all rather old and even though some of the clothes were decent, they still ran about $800+. Burberry and Barney's were my favorites by far; both had stuff that you wouldn't expect to be at an outlet store. DZ F I N A L L Y got silver shoes and bought a white and pink Burberry scarf at a ridiculously low price...I also loved her new AG jeans. As for me, my new lavender Burberry scarf and teal jacket were my favorite buys of the day.

MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Back during the summer sale season, I went on a small Neimans shopping spree and fell in love with four dresses. I ended up buying three and sending one off to the dry cleaners since it was a little dirty. I didn't have to pay for it in advance and the SA told me she'd call me in about 5 days. When she didn't call me back a week later, I decided to try to give her call. Her extension just kept ringing so I decided to give the dress up, it wasn't worth the pursuit. Well guess what my shopping guardian angel did for me today?! I got a voicemail today from a SA at Neimans and she said she has my Kay Unger dress and to please call her back so that either I come pick it up in person or she can send it to me for free. This is where the muhahahahah-ing begins :) Since the dress had my name on it when it was sent out to the dry cleaners, Neimans thinks I've already paid for the dress and must've just forgotten to pick it up. Which basically means I scored a Kay Unger dress for freeeeeeeeeee. At first when I realized what was going on, I felt like the right thing to do was to let them know that I never paid for it but after consulting with JK and DZ, I decided to just go for it...possibly bad for my shopping karma but hey, wouldn't you do the same??!! When I told my dad this little happy ending he gave me the no lunch is free speech and he's convinced that they will just go ahead and charge my Neimans account. I disagree. If that had been the case, she would have at least asked "Would you like to purchase it or should I put it back on the racks?" Did she do that?? Nope, instead she sounded very worried about me not getting the dress...must be scared I'll sue them for lost property or something. Anyways, the moral of the story?? Who says shopping is just a waste of money...I just earned myself a new dress...


You know, now that I think about it, I've gotten quite a few things for free this week...free Victoria Secret panties in the mail, free medium fries from McDonalds from the Monopoly thing, and now this...LOL...wheeeeeeeeeeee

The Ultimate Silver Shoes

DZ has been talking about silver shoes for months now so I decided to blog about my favorite silver shoes...the Manolo silver d'Orsay that gained notoriety when Carrie Bradshaw famously had them stolen at a party. These shoes are the perfect tone of silver with just the right amount of ornamentation...I'm not a big fan of those bejeweled shoes running rampant nowadays. DZ, these would be great with the lavender dress you keep talking about and it really would work with most colors. These should be a must-have if you frequently attend formal events and parties. For me, I would probably wear them once in a blue moon since my life leans on the more casual side of things and I really don't have the guts to pull off the casual outfit Carried paired these with at the end of the episode. I totally felt for Carrie in this episode...just because certain people don't spend upwards of $500 on shoes does not give them the right to belittle those of us who do...I speak from personal experience and thinking back, I really should have said something but I also realize

its jealousy and insecurity that fuels this sort of rude behavior...

Dior Cannage Frame Bag

I kinda, sorta like this bag but its definitely not a to-die-for bag. However, this bag is one of the better ones to come out of the house of Dior in a looooong time. I can kinda see this bag being cute on my shoulders :) Its lambskin leather with antique brass which is a pretty good combo in my book. This is a pretty low-key bag but it comes with the signature Dior D charm and the Dior stitched pattern. I think the most attractive thing about this bag is the fact that it appears to be a bag for everyday use. Easy to match, durable, no tricky closure designs...in short, you'll be getting a lot of use for your money! I have yet to try this bag on so I can't say with 100% certainty that its cute in person but definitely something to consider as a possible candidate...

The Cruz Sisters

There was a time when I hated Penelope Cruz...yea like around the time when she got with Tom Cruise right after his divorce with my dear Nicole :( Shes grown on me since then but the real star of the Cruz family is Monica, Penelope's younger sister. They almost look like identical twins (FYI...Penelope is wearing the checkered, hooded jacket) but I personally think Monica is prettier...their parents must be so proud! Who else could pull off these outfits??? Converse with dress jackets?! I've seen this combo on guys before but this is the first time I've seen it on two hot girls and I have to say I love it...but I'm not sure if this look is for everyone. Definitely stay away from this outfit if you don't have the tall and thin frame to go along with it :P I applaud the Cruz sisters for taking a chance at theoretically mismatched outfits :)

A crime of fashion...Fendi Sequin Spy Bag

I was browsing through the fall trends on the Neimans website when I came across this absolutely heinous piece of crap. I'm sorry but just because it has sequins on it does not make it okay!!! First of all, everyone knows that sequins will be out within the next year, second of all, this bag is $5000, and third of all, ARE YOU BLIND?! This bag is completely and utterly gross!!! Okay yea sure, if you look past the big huge sequins, you can kinda see some brown leather there but thats just it...YOU HAVE TO LOOK PAST THE SEQUINS. I'm sorry, but I have way better things to spend $5000 on and anyone who even considers this bag should be reprimanded for their lack of good sense. Shame on you Fendi!!

Chopard Happy Diamond Watch

If you don't talk to me on a daily basis, you might not have noticed that I'm currently obsessed with watches. Although a Chopard is not realistic at the moment...I desire to have one by the time I'm married...my parents or my husband can give it to me as a wedding gift :) This is one of the Happy Diamond watches and the cute little free-floating diamonds make me very happy...the price is another story :X Chopard watches, in my opinion, stand above even Rolex watches. There's a certain elegance that you just can't find anywhere else. Chopard watches are usually on the more dainty, lady-like side...perfect for me when I'm in my 30s!! Sadly, at the moment I must refrain from googling too many Chopard watch images since currently the only Chopard's that are in my price range are basically the bottom of the barrel, non-diamond Chopards. I'll make do with the Chanel J12 and Omega Speedmaster...

Specchio Very Prive Pump

Okay you must all be sick of Louboutins by now but I'm so in love with this pewter shade of grey that I just had to share this with you. This is officially my new favorite color and it seems that all of the big name designers seem to agree with my taste :) This is basically the same color that is featured on the Louboutin Bling-Bling peep-toes posted earlier but this comes at a much more affordable price. These shoes would totally make any ordinary black attire the center of attention...Louboutins have that effect on people. Okay I've had enough of all this lusting after Louboutin Prive pumps..I WILL purchase one by the end of this year...full price or sale price...but of course, preferable sale price :P I vow to hold off getting another Louboutin until after I've acquired a pair of Prive peep-toes!! At this point, I'll take any color...nude, black, pewter, white, etc...I just want a pair..NOW!!

Fendi Clutch

I never realized how funky this Fendi clutch bag was until I took a picture of it today. I bought this clutch back in 2005 at the Southcoast Fendi boutique with my sis NY :) We originally went in to take a look at the Fendi Vanity bags which were the IT bags of 2005. However, my eyes were immediately drawn to this fabulous little clutch and I instantly knew I had to have it. This clutch is pretty spacious by clutch standards and comes with a nifty front clasp which locks the bag when its in the vertical position. This clutch goes great with colors like black, white, gold, and brown. I usually save this bag for my rare nights out but I did carry this during my UCLA graduation ceremony and throughout Temmy and Ryan's July wedding. I have absolutely no idea what the technical name for this bag is but whenever people ask me what season it was from, I always tell them "During the Fendi Vanity era" Kent calls this my King Tut bag due to its gold color scheme :P

Yes, clutches are not the most practical investments since they offer only limited space and can be quite a hassle to carry around. However, every girl should own at least one clutch for those nights out at classy restaurants and lounges. I would suggest investing in one fancy, expensive clutch instead of several causal day clutches since I really don't see how a clutch is practical for use in the daytime. I also would suggest that all of you go out and buy the Chanel Timeless clutch before prices go up!!!

Attention All Chanel Lovers...

Okay I have some bad news ladies...Chanel is increasing its prices for the SECOND (or some will even insist the THIRD) time this year. Chanel started off 2007 with a price hike over almost everything Chanel, prices supposedly went up again in September, and now by November 1, 2007, all of the Chanel Original Classics and Timeless Classic bags will increase by another 20%. I called Chanel as soon as SY told me the news and yes, its confirmed. *Sigh* But you know what this means...run your pretty little butts to Chanel ASAP!!! Yes, I know, I'm suppose to wait patiently and inherit my moms BUT I think in a few years from now both my parents and I will be happy I splurged right before the price increase!!!! The price of luxury items have been steadily climbing in price and one my parents' biggest regrets was not buying more stuff when we were in Europe back in 2003...tsk, tsk, tsk...they should've listened to ME!! Thus I think my plan to splurge on a Original Classic is justified :) The small ray of sunshine amidst all of this is the fact that the J12 will remain as is which is good new for my dad...hehehehehe :P Tonight when I have my discussion with my parents about my future watch, I think I'll also bring this whole price increase to their attention as well *wink wink*

Christian Louboutin Thigh-high Boots

I've been meaning to blog about these sexy boots for a while but today I got really motivated after seeing them on J.Lo. Thigh-high boots in general are eye catching but these suede Louboutin's are a step above the norm. These have a reasonably sexy heel height, has the platform height to go along with the heel height, and on J.Lo, they have sort of a slouchy appearance but that might vary depending on the size of your legs :P I also just love suede in general...I know a lot people complain that suede gets dirty really fast but I haven't really had a problem with it. Thigh-high boots will probably get more popular with time and I'm sure more affordable designers will catch-up soon. Of course, the tricky thing about thigh-high boots is picking outfits to go along with it. What you wear should be short enough to show-off your boots but not so short that you'll look like a Vegas go-go dancer.

These boots are designed to go 3-4 inches above your knee so plan out dresses that will be no more than 5-6 inches above your knee. Good thing the whole baby-doll/mod thing is in right now...you should have no problem finding stuff to fit this criteria. And if you're ultra conservative, you can also work the boots with either a short, cropped jacket, or a long coat that is the same length as the dress you have on underneath. Stuff to stay away from are those bouncy "can you see my booty" skirts that were in a few years ago...bad, bad time for fashion but its all in the past now and lets work to keep it that way!

My LN Jewelry Collection

This post is dedicated to my dear friend LN who will sadly be moving onto bigger and better things tomorrow :( I tried to capture the quality, skill, artistic creativity, and beauty of her jewelry but like I warned her, my photography skills just don't cut it :x In the short time that I've known LN, I've tried to buy as much of her jewelry as possible; SY has an even bigger collection since she started at least a year before me :P SY and I usually attack like sharks when LN lets us know she has The goody box with her :) As evident from this picture, LN makes everything from necklaces, to bracelets, to earrings; she also takes special requests and a lot of her items are one-of-a-kind. I'm not saying this just because I'm her friend and I love her, but her jewelry honestly should be sold in stores for much more expensive prices (but of course LN, you should always give HRBL people a hefty discount...). Most people are shocked to learn that these items are hand-made because LN's craftsmanship is really just that good. LN is currently working on her own website for her jewelry and I'll be sure to post her address once its ready! I will miss you and The goody box dearly but I'll visit ya...WINK WINK ;)

BTW LN, Libby loves your stuff too! I've even had her try on some of the necklaces but her fur kinda hides the beads :P

Victoria Beckham Envy Part 2

JK wants her shoes and I want her son! Wouldn't this little boy be perfect for Suri???? Both are ultra cute from ultra rich parents and wear ultra stylish baby clothes :) You can go to purseblog.com to read more about her bag but I'm just more interested in the kid...lol.

My Hero: Karl Lagerfeld

Doesn't this picture remind you of one of those gangster movies where the cool gangsters are dressed all in black and walking in slo mo?? Well this is sort of a gang...a gang of skinny models wearing Chanel lead by their leader Karl Lagerfeld. Karl Lagerfeld is really a leader to all of us fashion lovers out there. He has lead the creative teams behind Fendi, Chloe, and most famously, CHANEL! He also has his own diet book out which teaches you how to lose weight his way (he famously lost 92 lbs in 13 months). Nowadays, most celebrities look to Karl (yes, we're on a first name basis) for approval and you're automatically considered fashionable if you're seen standing in his vicinity. Yes, he is a little on the scary looking side but the man is a creative genius who is fluent in German, French, English, and Italian. He's definitely one of the cool kids in the school yard and one of my top ten heroes :)

Reasons Why I Need to Succeed in Life...

Yes I know, there are more practical things/ways to spend my (and my parents) hard earned money on instead of bags but thats just my passion and theres nothing anyone can do about it :P For as long as I remember, one of my top goals in life was to own a Lana Marks clutch and that goal has not changed; its only expanded to include the Hermes Ostrich Birkin among other exotic handbags. Of course owning a house, providing for my family, and giving back to charity is also on my to-do list but lets just take a moment to pay homage to my favorite 3 wonderfully beautiful but ridiculously expensive bags:

1. Lana Marks Alligator Cleopatra clutch; $100,000. This clutch is adorned with 1,500 diamonds, hand-picked alligator skin, and only 5 are made per year. Charlize Theron and Helen Mirrin both carried this clutch when they won the Oscar. Okay so I can buy my SL 500 with this money but still, admit you love this clutch just as much as me!

2. Hermes Crocodile Birkin; $120,000. This bag breaks my heart...not only is it an Hermes Birkin, but it is a crocodile Birkin whose clasp is decorated with diamonds adding up to 10 carats set in white gold. But you wanna know the truly sad thing about this bag?? It was last photographed on the arms of Britney Spears...not the once toned and fabulous Briney but the now "I'm on suicide watch" Britney. Tragic, I know...of all people, SHE has one of the two ever made.

3. Chanel Diamond Forever; $260,150. Chanel will be releasing 13 of these bad boys this Christmas season. It follows the same trend as the last two bags...crocodile/alligator skin decorated with lots and lots of diamonds and white gold. If anyone was to buy this bag, I would recommend getting it insured and locked up in the bank during the days that its not in use...

I could seriously go on and on with pictures of expensive bags but I think these three are the most extravagant out there. The Hermes Crocodile Birkin ranks first in my heart but I would take the other two as well if offered to me :) Since I'm not greedy, I'll settle for the regular version of all three or even better...the OSTRICH version!!!!!

**PS: I absolutely love all the comments that I'm getting but I don't mean for anyone to feel like they're forced to comment...its just nice to hear back from my friends! But by no means do I want you guys to feel obligated to comment...no pressure people, this is just all in good fun :)**

White Chanel Large Rock and Chain Tote

I don't remember when and where this bag first caught my eye but I think it was roughly around the end of 2006. By the time it was February 2007, I was calling Chanel boutiques like a mad woman. The SA at the Beverly Hill boutique informed me that there would be only 5 of each bag in each color in each size at each Chanel boutique store around the world. I initially put my name down for the black version just cus white is usually such a hard color to pull off and care for and I also was advised by that same SA to get the smaller size since "the big one is HUGE". I was told to expect a phone call sometime in March. If you know me , you know I'm paranoid...I take after my mom. Thus true to my paranoid nature, I also put my name down at the South Coast boutique and double checked my standing on the wait list at the Beverly Hills boutique :) I don't remember what number I was on any of the wait lists but I do remember calling both locations the minute March rolled around. I think from March til April I called Chanel probably every other day and I'm sure I annoyed the hell out of most of the :P Of course I now know that SA's hate persistent callers and usually don't put you high on their priority list unless you've purchased from them before. Finally I got fed up with the Chanel boutiques and decided it was time to hound the SA's at Saks and Neimans. On my first try to both stores, I was informed that they had MY BAG IN STOCK. I took my lunch break to go to Neimans (I miss working at Century City...) and walked determined into the Chanel boutique. The SA there proudly showed me the small Rock and Chain in black and let me know it was mine if I wanted it. I other the hand was trying hard not to cry from disappointment. Much like the mini YSL Downtown, the "small" Rock and Chain really is a toy version of the real thing. Completely impractically and it fits awkwardly on your hand! He probably saw my face and decided to show me the large version. I tried on the large tote in white and was basically ready to hand over my credit card. He offered to sell me the display and I was actually going to buy the display until I found markings on the leather. By then I think he realized I was 100% serious about making a purchase right then and there and so he did the unthinkable...he brought out someones pre-ordered bag from the back and offered it to me. Yes I know, bad bag karma but hey, maybe that person wouldn't even have liked the bag! So of course, I was sold and skipped happily back to work with my new Chanel :)
The bag fits snugly on my shoulder and also looks pretty fabulous dangling off of my arm as well. I've gotten quite a few compliments with this bag from complete strangers...they seem to like the unique shape and the fact that no one else has it. The most amazing thing about this bag is how hard it is to get it dirty! You would think I would have already messed it up by now but dirty smudges come off easily if you just wipe gently with a napkin. With time, the leather has wrinkled a bit but I think that might be on the unpreventable side, plus I think it gives the bag character :) The bag is spacious but not on the unreasonably huge side. I haven't seen it on any other person yet but it does seem to be more accessible in the stores now so perhaps this blog will inspire you to go out and get one for yourself!

YSL Neck Warmer Thingy..

I'm feeling really cold right now and this thing never looked so good. Okay you might be asking, what thing?! This fabulous picture from the YSL runway show displays not only a super cute grey dress that would seriously go great with my YSL black platforms (this grey might be my new favorite color...), but also a very unique winter accessory that I never knew even existed until a few weeks ago. That bulgy thing on this skinny girl's neck is a YSL neck warmer thingy...lol, okay so thats not the technical name for it and more like my descriptive name for it but you get the idea! I honestly wouldn't pair this up with the flowy grey dress but what do I know right? A couple weekends ago when DZ and I were waiting for the YSL SA at the YSL boutique, I stumbled upon the neck warmer and thought it would be fun to try on; we discovered that its actually really cute! Since my dad instructed me not to waste money on useless things and spending $500 on a neck warmer would fall into the category of useless things, I decided to take it off before I fell too deeply in love. If you have $500 to spare, go try one on and let me borrow it if you do end up purchasing it!! I haven't been able to decide which outfits this would work with but if I come up with enough outfits, it just might be reason enough to make the purchase myself :)

Sample/Warehouse Sales

This hot and cold weather that we've been getting lately is starting to get to me. I think I feel the beginnings of my annual cold. I'm extremely drowsy right now and work is tedious so I need to blog in order to keep myself awake.

DZ posted a entry about sample sales last week on her blog and today I'm going to borrow (hehehe) her idea :) I would give the link to her blog so you can read what she has to say but I'm not sure if I'm allowed to do that yet :P

Where do I start?? Sample sales I think is a phenomenon that that reigns exclusively over LA and NY. I personally have a love/hate relationship with sample sales. For those of you who don't know, sample sales are when one designer offers clothes from past seasons at discounted prices; we're talking about 70% or more people! There are also organizations (BDB, Top Button, etc.) that will offer many sales a year from all sorts of different designers. There are various websites that you can sign up for to receive information on upcoming samples sales but sign up for these at your own discretion! It may seem like a good idea at the time but before you know it, you'll be getting emails every day and sometimes more than once a day! Other than filling up your inbox, these info emails will only tempt you into spending your hard earned cash. There comes a point where every LA and NY gal just needs to learn how to pace herself and that requires learning how to say NO to all the sample sale out there. Hey, of course you can go to all if them if you really want to but you'll be one busy gal! You can also rely on word of mouth for getting info about sample sales...let others sort out the emails for you! Lately my friends and I have been bombarded with the sheer number of sample sales going on in the LA area...theres honestly been like 2-3 vendors per week!! Here are some things to expect at sample sales and some tips on how to tackle sample sales:

*Things to expect at sample sales*

1. There will always be a line and the girls in line will not smile kindly at you if you cut by association, meaning you jump up in line because someone you know is in the front of the line.

2. When the doors open, people will break out into a sprint.

3. Depending on how big the vendor is, the racks will be cleaned out within 15 minutes.

4. It will eventually become impossible to find an open mirror.

5. There will be girls trying to trade their stuff with yours.

6. There will be late comers who will form a circle around you, waiting for the clothes you toss out.

7. There will be a LONG and SLOW line to pay.

8. You will see a lot of naked girls walking around.

*Tips on how to survive a sample sale*

1. Come at least 30 minutes before the sale begins.

2. Plan to go with at least one friend and advise them which size you wear so that they may help you grab some stuff too.

3. Power walk (if you don't mind looking retarded, go ahead and sprint) into the sale and GRAB WHATEVER YOU SEE AS SOON AS YOU SEE IT!

4. Try to finish the "shopping" ASAP and begin looking for a open mirror to claim.

5. Take turns trying stuff on with your friend since that way you ensure the clothes that you grabbed will remain with you until you are done (trust me, girls will take other girls stuff).

6. Be nice and give the unwanted clothes to the less fortunate girls.

7. If you want stuff at the lowest possible prices, go during the last day of the sale (but of course, if you want the best pick you must be there when the doors open on the first day).

8. Yes its a sale but still remember to look at the price tags...things will add up and before you know it, you'll be handing over $1000 if you're not careful (I speak from personal experience..)

9. GO TO THE COSMETICS SAMPLE SALES!! Makeup rarely ever goes on sale and its a great place to stock up on gifts for girlfriends.

*Specific Tips for Mike and Chris Sample sale*

DON'T GO ON THE FIRST DAY...you won't be able to move and the stuff are marked at pretty expensive prices...the best time to go is the second day :)

*Specific Tips for Barney's Warehouse sale*

RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN TO THE BACK WHERE THE BAGS AND SHOES ARE...trust me, in less than 60 seconds, the bags will be completely gone and within another 5 minutes, the shoes will be gone as well :)

You're first sample sale will always be somewhat shocking but trust me, you'll become a pro in no time :D

Mike and Chris (INSANE) Sample Sale

Hola! While I am currently fighting a ear infection and caring for my poor Libby who just underwent surgery, I still managed to find the time and energy for the M&C sample sale. I met up with SY and two of her friends at the downtown LA location early in the morning and will have to admit that I was one of those annoying girls who got to cut to the front of the line due to friends :( Oh well, get over it. Anyhoo, I never thought I would find a sale more insane than the BNY warehouse sale but boy oh boy, the M&C sample sale was absolutely INSANE. I think its mostly because they fit 100+ in a room as big as my living room :P As expected, it was a mad dash to get inside and every girl basically grabbed anything and everything that she possibly could. For example, I grabbed everything from medium to extra-small and grabbed doubles whenever I could just in case SY wanted anything. Since there was just too many people in such a small space, it was basically impossible to move. Most of the stuff I grabbed was from the first rack I ran to because by the time I was done with that rack, I was unable to get anywhere else. The four of us eventually reconvened and we were lucky enough to find a free mirror for us to monopolize :) We worked in pairs, two gals would try stuff on as the other two guarded the clothes and kept the "I want it" items safe. Of course no sample sale is complete without the barters who try to exchange their stuff with yours and the eager on-lookers who wait to devour your left overs. All in all, the M&C sale didn't offer me any to die for items and nothing was dirt cheap but I did manage to get my hands on a one-of-a-kind vest that M&C designed but ended up never producing...I have the original sample that was made!!! The picture above is my one regret...I had originally grabbed this dress in peach pink but tossed it out only later to discover that its actually super cute cus my cashier was wearing it...if you do go, please look for the MARCUS MINI DRESS IN ANY COLOR AND I'LL TAKE AN XS OR S!!!! Thanks ahead of time :)

PS: If you do decide to go next year, please take my advice and go on the second day since you will be able to shop in peace and the smaller the crowd, the more willing the staff will be to pull stuff in your size from their hidden stock in the back :) Oh and if you go on the last day, you just might be able to get stuff at cheaper prices than the early birds since by that time, they'll kinda be on the desperate side! And one last thing, if you really must go on the first day and you'll my size or smaller, don't bother grabbing the mediums since they are WAAY big.

Marc Jacobs Baby Gift Box

This makes me want to have a baby...NOW!!! If I had any friends who had babies I would definitely get this for them...how cute is that little infant shirt thingy?!! Any baby would look cute wearing that! Yes I know, baby clothes are a waste of money because the kid can probably only wear it once or twice but I don't care...when I have babies of my own, they will be the most fashionable little babies ever :) All my hs friends will tell you that dressing up my future kids has been my dream since forever and yes, I'll probably end up spoiling my kids but most of you probably will too!! I easily influence others with my love of fashion (I've even managed to educate Kent!) and I so plan on rubbing off all of this onto my future kids as well. I better have a girl since I'm basically planning on having her inherit all of my belongings. My son won't have as much to inherit but he'll be stylin' in baby Lacoste shirts and Polo tees :) Ahhh...can't wait!! Okay you all are probably rolling your eyes right now so I'll shut up...

Christian Louboutin Very Prive and Bling-Bling Peep-Toe Pumps

Every time I see a picture of this shoe, I can't help but to sigh in admiration. This is the Louboutin Very Prive 942 peep toe pump and I'm in love. Please oh please, BNY God...PUHLEEAASE mark this down for the upcoming fall sale...me and JK will love and worship you forever and ever!!!! Mr. Louboutin was kind enough to design the Very Prive style in a whole variety of colors so you'll most definitely find one that best suites you. JK is praying for the black version and I really will take any one of them :) These shoes will most definitely dress up any old dress you may have lying around and what can I say...THEY'RE LOUBOUTIN PEEP-TOES!!! Louboutin also has regular peep toe pumps and sling backs and its pretty ludicrous, but Very Prive cost more simply because the very tip is a different color from the rest of the shoe!

Moving on, next we have the Bling-Bling Peep Toes...yes that's the real name. For the price that they charge you for this shoe...it really should come with some REAL bling. They also have this in black but I absolutely adore this silver color so if I was to pay $1400, I would go for this color. This one, I'll just admire from afar because I know its useless to hope that they would mark this down...but hey, you never know right?!! I'll just add this to the prayer list as well :)

Omega Automatic Speedmaster

If you don't already know, well now you'll know that I desperately want a new watch for Christmas. I know I've been talking about the J12 a lot but this Omega is actually my first love. When my dad was buying the Omega Constellation for me, I had originally asked for this one but of course got denied...lol! Well now I'm more mature and I think this would look nice on my wrist, no? This watch comes in a variety of colors, I know a certain someone with a baby blue one, but my heart is set on a white on white watch. This watch looks amazing in person and is basically the same idea as the J12 only the strap is leather instead of white ceramic. The only reason why I'm hesitant to go for this one is cus, well, its another Omega. I should diversify a little right?? I'm going to wait a little bit and then I'll begin whining to my parents :) Watches are a great investment because if you're like me, you don't go anywhere without it!! And if you get a pretty one like this one here, you'll hardly ever need any other jewelry since this has enough bling. Please let me know if any other pretty watches you come by but don't bother if the watch is in the $10K+ range...

YSL Muse Bag

Doesn't Jessica Alba look like a complete yet super hot bitch in this picture?? I think shes gorgeous but yes, a little on the not very likable side. In any case, shes rocking that beige trench coat and more importantly is showing all of us the correct way to tote the YSL Muse :) I know, you must all be sick of YSL by now but this should be my last piece on it so just bear with me!!

You see, in my perfect world, I would be getting the YSL Muse in blue ostrich AND the Chanel J12 watch for Christmas. But in the real world, I'll be lucky if I can convince my dad to just grant me one of these two luxury items. I can't find any pictures of the blue ostrich Muse online but you just gotta trust me on this one...ITS GORGEOUS!!! The Muse comes in three sizes, oversize, large, and the medium/small size. I think a large or maybe even the medium/small would do for me...the oversize, as seen on Jessica, is way to big for my taste. The Muse is a fairly simplistic bag but the blue ostrich is just to die for. Since I've kinda gone overboard with my purse purchases this year, I think I'm still going to stick with the Chanel J12 and will sadly have to let the ostrich Muse go. Maybe I'll settle for a regular black leather Muse but that one will have to wait until later too cus Bottega is first in line right now :)

**PS: I'm wearing my new YSL platforms and THEY'RE INCREDIBLY COMFY!!! YSL officially has my heart now :) **

**PPS: Again for all you secret blog readers...please leave a comment...it can be as simple as "hi" but I would still appreciate it (ahem...thats you DA!!)...please use JK as an example as she is a model blog reader **

BDB T-Bags Sale and Intermix

Okie so the original reason why DZ and I decided to go shopping yesterday was because of the BDB T-bags sale. This BDB event was waay bigger and better than the Chloe fiasco that we got suckered into earlier this month...thank the good lord! For starters, this event was held at the posh W hotel in Westwood and boasted a reasonable selection of tops and dresses. The sale also came complete with a mini manicure area and a champagne bar/lounge area. If you're familiar with T-bags than you know that we were basically bombarded with crazy, dramatic, and wildly colorful patterns. The basic plan of action for every gal in the room was to just grab what you see and later sort it out in the dressing room (which is another story in itself...lets just say DZ and I unexpectedly walked into a roomful of naked butts and boobs...). I was actually on the picky side for once...there were just certain patterns that were way too out there for me and certain designs were way too low-cut for me :P However, I still managed to walk away with three new tops...one of which is pictured above :D

Since the BDB sale was so early in the morning, DZ and I had time to stop for brunch on Robertson before we headed over to the new Intermix boutique!!! Last week I got super excited over all the great things Intermix had to offer and was even more excited that the boutique was of reasonable size and carried most of the stuff I had seen on the website. However, I am trying to take my dads words of wisdom to heart and decided to spend my money wisely. I walked proudly away with a new MISSONI SCARF!!! Mine is the purple pattern so compared to whats shown here, it has more shades of purple and gold. I tried taking a picture but failed...I even tried using Libby as a model but quickly realized my mistake...she was busy freaking out about how to take the thing off of her body while I was busy freaking out about making sure she didn't damage my new scarf...Any how, since this scarf is way thinner than my Burberry scarves, I wont be able to wear this on really cold and gloomy days but I'll be covered for those sunny but cool days :)


Okay and finally...I forgot to mention that I also got this at YSL...hehehehe. I know she sorta looks annoyed but she was the one who voluntarily jumped in as I was trying on my new shoes :)