Back in Black

sweater blouse by Nine West, pants by T Tahari, sunglasses by Emilio Pucci, silver cuff from Mexico, patent peeptoes by Kenneth Cole Reaction

A Pen, A Dryer, and A Designer

This was the only piece from Alexander McQueen that I’ll ever own. It was from the collection Lee McQueen did for Target, and it was $20, but still, allow me to get a little bit sentimental and repeat: the only piece I’ll ever be able to afford from this famous label.

It was a shirt. Not just any shirt, but a nude, button-up cotton shirt with roll-tab short sleeves. The kind of shirt one can wear to work. The coolest part about it was the hot magenta buttons and accents. In this photo, the last photo taken of it before its demise, I wore nail polish to match it (Zoya Mieko).

90% of the time, I do the laundry at my house. But when my husband has a day off, or gets really zealous on a Saturday, he wakes up early in the morning and does all the laundry. And I really appreciate it, believe me!

However, when I do it, I go through all my husband’s pockets to search for ink pens. You see, he carries a pen on his person at all times, and there have been a few days that he forgets to remove it before throwing a pair of jeans or shorts in the hamper. So I am very careful to do a pen shakedown. My husband is not as careful, and this is the reason a few weeks ago, I opened the dryer on a husband-did-laundry-day to see an ink pen. And blue ink marks. Lots of marks. On most of the clothes and all over the inside of the dryer. And all over my McQueen for Target shirt.

While he can sometimes salvage ink-stained clothes (and if he can’t, he’ll donate them to Goodwill, in case some one else likes wearing ink-stained clothes), I cannot, unless it is very minor. In this case, the case of ink marks on a light-colored shirt, I said goodbye to McQueen and threw it away.

The Good Stuff Lasts

striped sweater by Calvin Klein, navy cotton skirt by Calvin Klein, cream patent slingbacks by Stuart Weitzman

I have a few nice pieces that I paid a lot for and they have lasted me many years. I love this sweater and skirt, bought on the same day, at least seven years ago. The skirt has a denim color and texture but is very lightweight. The pale blue and grey striped sweater is very thin but has no pilling or pulls in the thread. The shoes I paid almost nothing for when I found them at Marshall's, but since they are Weitzman, I expect they will last even longer than the clothes! This outfit almost matches, but not quite. Click for larger photos.

Recent Splurge: Pucci Sunglasses

I loved reading Nina Garcia’s style books earlier this year. I checked them all out from the library and pored over them, learning more than a few things. One of her recommendations is, if you can’t afford a piece of clothing by one of your favorite designers, to incorporate their style into your closet by buying one of their accessories. Designer belts, jewelry, wallets, and scarves can all be had for a fraction of the price of a dress, jacket or sweater. I like this idea a lot better than purchasing a cheap designer knock-off.

I started looking for big, black sunglasses last winter. I love, love, love my Ray-Ban aviators, but after wearing them for four years, I was ready for something different. Nordstroms was having a sale, and I found a pair that I really liked and looked great on me: sunnies by Emilio Pucci. They were on sale for $99, down from $285. I decided to save for them. However, when I had saved the money, I went back and they were gone.

About six months later, Gilt had a great Pucci sunglasses sale. And there they were! And they were $82! Even better, though still a splurge. I purchased them. Here they are.

Red Shirt Friday

red shirt from Express, white Joe's Jeans in Muse, red perforated belt by Preston & York, white wedge sandals by Kenneth Cole Reaction

I love white pants in the summer. And Joe's are my favorites, I have five pairs! But what makes this outfit is the red. Red shirt, belt and lipstick. I love red. Click photos for closeups!

An Architype of High Arches

I have the highest arches this side of St. Louis. My arches are so high, you could drive a large order of golden french fries under them. When I leave a footprint in the sand, the ball and the heel are not connected, if you know what I mean. And I mean that.

No, I’m not talking about my eyebrows, my friends, I'm talking about my feet. And as such, I have to purchase shoes with caution. Shoes that go over the top of my foot may rub, like gladiators and mary janes. Sling-backs or low-sided shoes are my arch-enemy.

My arches don’t cause me any pain. But I do wish I could find a brand of shoes that were designed with a high arch in mind. Maybe the high-arch architect of the shoe world. Can you relate?

The Outnet Score!

blouse by Lela Rose, skirt from Banana Republic, strappy wedges by Circa Joan & David

Do you remember The Outnet's Birthday Sale last April 16? It was a sale in which The Outnet allowed some of its designer clothing and shoes to be sold for $1, but you had to wait for the email, and you had to be quick! There was limited stock and a secret start, the sale was only accessible by email, and you were only allowed to purchase one item.

This was a much-anticipated sale, to say the least. And when the U.S. sale started, around 4:30 or 5:00am, it was a mad online rush. I was one of those girls waiting by my email that morning, and I was shocked that I scored anything. But here it is, a cream cotton Lela Rose blouse, normally $650. When it arrived, it officially became the most expensive thing in my closet. Since I got it for $1, you better believe I'll spend the money to get it drycleaned when the time comes. So I can wear it for the rest of my life. Click photos for closeups.