The Fall magazines have been pushing intense multi-color eyes. When I was younger, I used to play with my eye shadows a lot more than I do now. The raver days were especially nuts and I still hold a special place in my heart for red shadow. It took forever for me to find this Ana Sui shade.
(new packaging)
I have so many colorful eye shadows I never use but I just can’t get rid of it. Who knows when a Halloween costume will call for orange shadow!?
Keiko Lynn just did a colorful eye tutorial you should check out.
It takes way too much time to scan images so, I just photographed the actual magazine pages. You get the gist. Will you be trying any of these looks for a special occasion?
Out of all of these, ^this^ is more of what I do on a semi-regular basis. Just a plain old black smokey eye, with some plum added in, and not so much on the bottom lash line.
Forever devoted to liquid liner, I finally got some gel eyeliner you apply with a brush and I love it. I had a killer coupon for L’Oreal products so I tried the HIP stuff in Eggplant. It doesn’t budge. The brush provided is really stiff though. Just adding a tiny bit of color around your lash line is an easy way to switch things up and it’s a sneaky way to blend in liquid liner mishaps.
This dress, oh man. Straight off the runway and sold out on Net-a-Porter.
I have two Marimekko pieces… the bf got this shower curtain and piece of fabric for me for X-mas last year. My dad made a wooden panel and it’s hanging in our bedroom. They’ve been around for so long, even my mom had their fabric framed, hanging in her first apartment.
shower curtain
enormous wall hanging
Their Autumn fabrics are now out and I can’t say I like many of them at all for wall hangings, pillows, upholstery, anything. They used to have a lot of variety. You could get these big retro patterns but you could also find an intricate clean repeat. What do you think? I think it looks dingy, boring and old… and not in that good old way.
I used to keep a journal full of cut out pictures of things I saw in magazines and I’ve shared a ton with you in the past. So, what does a grown woman do on a Wednesday night? Well this grown ass woman sat with her September issues spread out, a pair of scissors, a glue stick, paper and a pen. In all the magazines, I honestly didn’t see too many things that I fell in love with. I enjoyed concepts and styling ideas but not many individual items, except for these.
Oh, and I totally ordered the DKNY Pure perfume. I rubbed every last microbe of scent on my wrist off that magazine strip and couldn’t stop smelling myself. So cozy and comforting and sexy. The bf loves it. Part of the profit goes to a microfinance program for vanilla farmers in Uganda as well. I haven’t given up on my beloved Kenzo Amour… it just needs a little rest.
PS- I can’t spell Gabbana obviously
Click for the large version:
In February, I did my big Fall/Winter 2010 fashion post after all of the runway shows, sharing what tickled my fancy. Now that Fall items are starting to fill the stores and the September issues were starting to line the magazine racks the first week of August, you can begin to see what the buyers picked out and what trends will be prominent in stores. Nothing seems so out of the realm of what you might already have hiding in your closet, or you could pick up that missing piece easily and inexpensively to feel current.
All photos via Style.com.
- If I see the word “classic” one more time, I’m going to scream. Classic styles are never not in style. Do we need to be told that they’re really really in style this season? White button ups, pencil skirts, blazers, trench coats, ladylike bags… got it.
- Lace. I don’t do lace. Never have. It washes terribly. I wasn’t expecting to see so much of it (and really piled on) but I guess the pendulum always swings back after all the hard edgy stuff saturating the fashion world the past few years. The metal bracelets that look like lace are kinda neat though.
- Leopard print! I really think it’s going to be the biggest trend for A/W 2010. I wore leopard so much during my punk rock years and even slept on leopard print sheets for about 10 years so I’m still taking a breather. It would be easy to add some leopard bangles, a little cardi, a belt, some flats… The only leopard things I have kept are heels. They may make an appearance, paired with a bright dress.
- Fur. Everywhere. The vintage stuff doesn’t bother me so much. I mean, that game is over. (I do worry that it encourages new production though, since the vintage market can’t fill the demand.) I have a black fox fur muff that belonged to my grandmother. I’ve never used it but part of me is willing to hop on this furry bandwagon for at least one outing when it gets cold out. It’s a vintage muff for crying out loud! How glamorous is that? I also just like saying muff.
- Capes. Get outta here. I’m not wearing a cape. Maybe if I were taller but, I feel like I would look like a Hobbit at 5’1″.
- Proper trousers. Cropped, wide legged, straight leg… whatever. I may just pull out some of my old wider legged pants for the hell of it and feel chic.
- Statement jewelry. The bigger the better.
- Another thing that my height will be nixing – long body-con skirts. That was also part of my grunge days, with Doc Martens. My poor mom had to hem them. All of my velvet and long skirts are gone and I don’t miss it. Yeah, velvet is back in a big way too.
- Ruffles! My god the ruffles! The only way a ruffle is getting on my body is if it’s part of a structured jacket or interesting cardigan. This is my kind of way to do ruffles:
- I already have enough belts, blazers, coats, and I’m covered in the boot department now. (You’ll be seeing more of my boot shopping soon!)
- Longer strapped bags – messenger or just your average bag with a longer strap. I’m going to admit, after using shoulder satchels for sooo long, I finally got one with a shoulder strap and long strap as well. That long strap across my body drove me insane! I got a neck cramp and It’s difficult to maneuver over boobs. I am glad to have it though because there are times when you simply need to have your shoulder free. So, I will use the cross-body strap for those times only. Maybe I just need to quit carrying 20 pounds of crap with me.
- I’m dying to mix neutrals when it gets cooler. Greys and camels and creams and black all together. So soft and cozy!
- I’ve only seen one editorial include the white tights. Dun dun dun dun! I am totally making that look happen this winter. I can’t get white tights out of my head! They were paired with graphic b&w looks, bright minis and with neutrals. We’ll see how this works out in real life, solid or textured. Maybe just some cream leggings worked into a layered look (which are impossible to find for dirt cheap and not at AA).
- Sweaters, sweater knit skirts, sweater dresses (I have two chunky knit dresses I haven’t worn in 2 years and forgot all about! They’re coming out!)
What is your perfect Fall outfit that you have worked out in your mind?
Isn’t it great seeing things you love in a swanky shop then going home and finding it online for waaaay cheaper than the store price? The bf and I are the most ridiculous bargain hunters. If you had a $20 bill in your hand, would you flush it down the toilet? I didn’t think so. If you don’t comparison shop, that’s pretty much what you’re doing. Plus, with smart phones, it’s so easy to look up a brand and the style online while in the damn store to see if it competes. All that saving adds up and you end up being able to treat yourself a lil bit more.
While I love supporting local business, the mark-up can be ridiculous. I got this same bag I fell in love with at Pink from Moxsie instead with a 15% discount on their already much cheaper price + free shipping. 30% cheaper than the swanky store price. I can’t wait until it gets here! It reminds me of Natalia Brilli and her amazing leather work.
So, I checked out this handbag line Deux Lux. I had never heard of it until I saw that bag. They’re vegan (nice word for fake leather) but a really nice thick quality with a lot of heft.. It was started in 2005 by a mother and daughter team. They’re mainly sold in boutiques and Anthropologie. Urban Outfitters has some exclusive designs. I found this new without tags bag for UO on eBay and managed to score it for $18 and free shipping! I think I’m set for bags now.
Here’s the Urban Outfitters pic in black.
Here’s the one I got in mahogany.
It’s been so long since I’ve bid on anything on eBay. I was really inspired by Adrien (from Looks Good From the Back) who scored this Marc Jacobs bag for $50!!! I see other bloggers finding amazing stuff for crazy cheap and Wendy B is always reminding you to snipe to make sure you don’t get outbid at the last second.
Yeah, about sniping… I didn’t do it. I sat like a moron watching the clock tick down on the auction, with two other tabs open with two larger bids ready to confirm if I got outbid at the last second. Ridiculous. No one jacked my bid up though. I got really lucky. This time.
Speaking of hunting… I finally started using Shopstyle and I’m loving it hard! It takes a minute to register and you can search for anything under the sun, tag things for sale alerts in email, put things in a wish list, etc. The interface is really nice. You mouse over something you like to get more info and tag, and click on it to have a new window pop up of the actual place where it’s being sold. (This is how I also found that black bag up above. I never checked the brand at the store so, “covered studs” in bags was the winning search.)
My friend Jen fell hard for this pair of heels at Fab’rik this past Thursday. Unfortunately, they were too wide. She was crushed. So, I hunted for “woven heel” on Shopstyle and found a bunch of other options for her at different price points. (Oh, and I found Jen’s shoes cheaper online too so if you have a wider foot, have at ‘em!)
RIP hot shoes, RIP
I think I would make it okay in a hunter/gatherer society! How do you hunt?
It’s hit me. Fall fever. I’m stricken with an overwhelming desire to get some new boots. I have looked at thousands of pairs online and the new Fall designs are still coming out. I want some sleek flat brown leather boots that I can live in this winter.
Lets’s discuss this for a second. These are the boots I already have:
- Knee-hi chocolate-brown suede 4″ heel, pointed toe, side zip
- 2 pairs of the same knee-hi style in black and brown faux suede – pull-on, slouchy, rubbery wedge heel, thin straps and buckles wrap around
- black leather knee-hi lace-up, side zip, curved heel, rounded toe, I wrote about them 2 years ago here
- rugged flat, slouchy, black suede mid-calf pull-ons that I lived in last winter
- Square-ish toe, light brown suede, knee-hi lace-up, side-zip, with a thick rubbery slight wedge sole, furry inside that peeks out of the laces, very casual but heavy
- plain black suede ankle boots with a 3″ heel and almond toe (they shouldn’t count as boots)
- rainboots with owls on them
This is 8 pairs of boots. What the hell is wrong with me? You didn’t see any flat brown boots though did you? See! I do need them! Here’s what I have my eyes on, regardless:
These are my top choice. Love the distressed brown leather, side-zip.
This heel feels a wee bit too high for what I’m going for. Still sleek and pretty though.
Laces or no laces? I love the details.
For good measure, here are my fantasy boots for Fall. They’re in the August issue of InStyle magazine and I can’t find them online yet, so I took a pic from the page. My god they’re gorgeous!
What’s on your Fall wishlist?
So, until I saw these boots on Shoelust, I had never heard of award-winning Columbian designer Haider Ackermann, who is now working in Europe.
I love the adjustable snaps, heel height and slight platform. The fullness of the slouch isn’t over-the-top. I checked around and found some more styles, all for Fall 2010. So beautiful! So outrageously expensive!
Same basic style – shown snapped at the highest most fitted point. Laser cut leather! via
How simple and gorgeous are these?
In November, I did an epic post for Spring 2010. It irks me to no end that people who are into fashion are forced to think so many seasons ahead! It’s essentially a sneak peek into how crappy and out of style the cold weather clothes you have on now will be 7 months from now. Nice. No… it’s not that bad this time around since not much has changed. Fashion is evolving so slowly and it felt like most designers were just dialing it in, or recycling unused designs from last Fall and even Spring.
So, for future shopping, I would take note of any of these recurring trends:
- There was a lot of fur. It made me uncomfortable. I would like to think that we have evolved beyond this insanity but no. Good looking fake is always an option.
- statement coats – architectural and bold
- deep wine, rust and so much blue
- strong bright prints
- velvet, leather, satin, tweed
- blazers galore! menswear styles in general
- hats! big crazywarm fuzzy hats!
- belted waists – I especially liked the golden brown belts over pale grey
- socks! slouchy, at the knee and above – get thyself some cute sheer trouser socks for a few bucks and try em out! adorbs!
- The white tights at BCBG Max Azria really stood out. They’re always a fashion “don’t” but looked fresh to me paired with graphic solids. Thakoon included them with darks/muted tones. Milly embraced white tights as well- solid. textured and dotted. Adorable with bold minis.
- platform heels, lace-up mid-calf boots – especially with pointed toes
- Also, if you see something wonderful in a dark pewter shimmer… grab it up. Everyone embraced this metalic texture and it was really quite lovely, dramatic, and an easy thing to work into your existing wardrobe, transitioning from day to night nicely.
So here are my favorite wearable picks for Fall 2010, after another grueling amount of time perusing all the collections on Style.com. (Wearable meaning something I would wear in a heartbeat!) I tried to stick with things that actually looked WARM and comfortable and functional, or were just exceptional. Tiny gorgeous dresses were a dime a dozen so I left a lot of those little gems out this time but I did include a few. It’s easier to keep warmth in perspective when you’re sitting at your laptop shivering.
Barbara Tfank
Cynthia Steffe
Donna Karan
Just Cavalli
Badgley Mischka
Rebecca Taylor
Matthew Williamson
Cushnie et Ochs
L.A.M.B.
Diane von Furstenberg
TSE
Lutz & Patmos
Kinder Aggugini
Carlos Miele
Helmut Lang
Michael Kors
ADAM
Burberry Prorsum
Vera Wang
Ports 1961
Chris Benz
Carolina Herrera
Chris Benz
Vivienne Tam
Matthew Williamson
Jeremy Laing
Nanette Lepore
Holly Fulton
Clements Ribeiro
Oscar de la Renta
Mary Katrantzou
Milly
Thakoon
Prabal Gurung
Maurizio Pecoraro
DKNY
Gianfranco Ferré
Dsquared²
Bibhu Mohapatra
Donna Karan
Moschino Cheap & Chic – for Halloween!!!
(all photos via Style.com)
In the early 90s, I was in private school against my will and wanted so desperately to be different, with the dress code and all. Big clunky shoes were my thing. Giant stomping heels that managed to draw attention to my scrawny chicken legs. This lasted into my goth days in high school.
I don’t know why this shape trend is coming back for anything other than the goth scene. These are neither feminine nor flattering shoes. They make your feet look enormous and they’re heavy, cumbersome and awkward to walk in. Childish at one glance and wicked schoolmarm at another. For some reason, people in the fashion world are going nuts over these monstrosities, like this is the new shape of shoes to come. I sure hope not.
Miu Miu is doing them for Spring 2010 in god-awful dated and juvenile prints on delicate satin. Proenza Schouler for Fall 2010 is also embracing the chunk but they’re even worse in leather with that curved heel!
Spare yourself this passing fad but if you MUST, then I would just invest in some cheap clunkers from a goth store. Good grief they’re ugly!
Don’t do it!
Miu Miu S2010RTW
Proenza Schouler F2010RTW
(above images via style.com)
And here’s your standard $40 chunky goth heel fare:
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