Happy Caturday!

This Pretty Much Sums It Up.....

Embellished Ears

Lately I can't get enough of ear cuffs. When I wear one I always feel I look like I'm wearing a be-dazzled blue tooth but I don't care.  I love them anyway! Here are some of my favorite options. And if you have the time to browse, Etsy is a treasure trove of unique ear cuffs.

Clockwise from top: Feather Cuff / Maria Black Crescent Cuff / Asos Petal Cuff / Brass Mermaid Cuff / 

Cara Couture Flame Cuff

Happy Caturday!

Shoe Love

Jimmy Choo Twain iridescent patent-leather pumps

Nicki Minaj for Kmart

Nicki Minaj debuted some looks for her new Kmart collection on Instagram last week. And.....I actually really like the first outfit. I mean, it's not the most wearable look ever but what was I just saying about crop tops and matchy matchy outfits?

Photos via Nicki Minaj's Instagram

Happy Caturday!

These Need To Be On My Feet Now!

Let me present to you the Charlotte Olympia She Wolf embellished leather pump. Um yeah.....these are awesome! Little wolfies on your feet! Although the cats are still my favorite animal shoe, these are ranking pretty high up there. I particularly love their toothy grins and rhinestone eyes.

Phillip Lim x Target

If you haven't already checked out whole Phillip Lim for Target collection you should do that right now. You can see it all here. Seriously it's all so good. There's a lot of work appropriate separates, a few pretty party dresses and a large selection of handbags. There's even stuff for the dudes too so feel free to drag your BF to Target when the collection becomes available on September 15th. 

My favorite pieces so far are the "Boom!" sweatshirt, the navy and black faux leather trimmed dress, and the adorable little cami/short sets.

Reading is Fun! (Fashion Edition)

I love to read and I love fashion, so naturally I enjoy books about fashion. As much as I adore Olympia Le-Tan's book clutches, I find a real book to be so much more satisfying. I could spend a whole day lost in the pages of a good book. And when it comes to reading about fashion, the non-fiction stories are often the best. Fashion people are fascinating and the tales of how they made it are inspiring. Here are some of my favorite memoirs, biographies and tales of fashion history that I've read over the years.

Chanel: A Woman of Her Own by Axel Madsen

No list of must-read fashion books would be complete with a Coco Chanel biography. This pick covers Chanel's entire life from birth to her comeback at age 70. It's a fascinating read about a truly amazing life.

The House of Gucci by Sara Gay Forden

I didn't know much about the history of Gucci when I started this book but holy cats was it interesting. Murder! Greed! Betrayal! And through it all an iconic house of fashion is established. The story takes you all the way from the founding of the company through the comeback of the Tom Ford years.

Alexander McQueen: The Life and Legacy by Judith Watt

Filled with beautiful pictures of clothes that are no less than works of art, this book is a McQueen fan's must-have. The book covers McQueen's childhood years up through his tragic suicide at the age of 40. Besides the gorgeous pictures, the book is filled with commentary from those who knew Lee the best. 

Blow by Blow: The Story of Isabella Blow by Detmar Blow

One of Alexander McQueen's earliest and most loyal supporters, Isabella Blow's life was both fascinating and tragic. The book, written by her husband, follows Isabella's life and career in fashion including her relationships with Lee McQueen and Philip Treacy.  

Front Row: Anna Wintour by Jerry Oppenheimer

This unauthorized biography of the Vogue editor's rise to the top of the fashion food chain is a fun, gossipy read. Oppenheimer does his best to reinforce The Devil Wears Prada reputation of Wintour in this book. Whether it's completely accurate or not, it sure is entertaining!

Grace: A Memoir by Grace Coddington

Grace Coddington writes her account of life as a model to working with Anna Wintour as the Creative Director of Vogue. The book is totally worth it just for Grace's adorable sketches and the entire chapter she devotes to her cats. 

Bringing Home the Birkin by Michael Tonello

A fascinating tale of how Tonello made his living re-selling designer items online and the quests that took him around the world in search of the coveted Hermes Birkin.

The Beautiful Fall by Alicia Drake

An amazing book that weaves together the lives of Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld in 1970's Paris. So good. Go read it now.

I'd Probably Sell My Soul For This....

No seriously.  I love this bag. Just looking at it makes me happier. I can't imagine what it would be like to touch it. If you feel the same as me (and don't mind blowing an entire months rent on a handbag) you can get it here.

Happy Caturday!!

Summertime Chi

I've been a little absent from the blog lately trying to enjoy Chicago's much too short summer.  I've been doing a lot of this....

and going to a lot of these....

and hanging out with these girls....

and making my nails look like fruit....

and loving the new Marc Jacobs makeup collection (full collection hits Sephora today!)

and of course shopping, but that's an activity enjoyed year-round.  For now I've been trying to avoid the new Fashion Outlets of Chicago.  A brand new designer outlet mall could be extremely dangerous to my wallet. I'll crack someday soon and stop by on my way home from the office. But for now I shall be proud of my ability to stay away since this discount shopping heaven first opened its doors.  9 days and counting!  :)

Catvertising

In honor of International Cat Day, which was yesterday in case you missed it, Fashionista was at it again improving designer's Fall ad campaigns by adding kitties. The Proenza Schouler one kills me.

Images via Fashionista

Matchy Matchy

I've been really into the crop top trend this summer. I mean, probably not as much as Miley Cyrus but I've been working a few different midriff baring looks lately. It's such a fun trend that's perfect for summer and actually very flattering if done right. This is not the way you rocked a crop top look in the 90's complete with low-cut flares and a dangling belly ring (full disclosure: I still wear a belly ring.  It's a simple barbell with a stone and I like it, so there).  The new fresh way to wear crop tops does not require you to have a perfect six pack and can in fact make your waist appear smaller.  The trick is to pair your crop top with a high-waisted bottom. I've also really been feeling a matchy matchy look lately. A fun patterned top with a matching bottom in the same pattern just feels really good to me right now. I'm currently loving this knit version from Topshop.