boot camp

On Saturday my friend Amy and I headed out to do a little shopping have lunch, a rare treat for me these busy days, midway through a full blown house remodel, mother to two busy children, plus a couple of freelance jobs means I am not as much of a shopper as I'd like to be.  It is January so I am perusing the online sales most evenings, trying to fill in the gaps with things that I know will have longevity, or a fun trend that I love and can translate into my spring wardrobe.  I could not give my money away that day, sadly--my Christmas gift card came home unspent. Why is it that when we have the money & time we don't ever find anything and when we are rushed or low on cash that perfect thing always appears? I know, such a problem, right? ;) Nevertheless, I did discover a few things, thanks to Kacy and a Saturday night at home.
Right now for me the footwear of choice is boots.  Over the knee, riding boots, and short boots, I love them all. It is a good time of year to buy them, because despite the wonky sizes available in some larger stores, you can great prices if you know where to look. Here are a few great websites that have lots of great choices to spruce up your closet. Even if you are edging out of boot season, there are great pairs out there that will be perfect for next fall.
Yoox.com.  Kacy told me about this website after I was debating over a pair of boots I had seen in NYC that I could not decide about (see above photo) and she searched by brand and discovered that at Yoox you can get two pair for less than the price of one. They have Costume National, Barbara Bui, Fendi, Mui Mui, Marni-- it is a shoe lovers paradise. Let me know how you do. You are welcome. :)
Shopbop is a favorite of mine and they have some cool kicks that I couldn't resist after seeing them on Belgian model Hanne Gaby Odiele after the Valentino show in Paris this past October. The Elizabeth and James Paul boot will rock with my skinny cropped denim or one of my maxi skirts this spring.  And they are on SALE!  Yay!  
A great site to check out as well is 6 PM, another Kacy discovery that has cozy favorites like UGG Australia, plus L.A.M.B., Frye and other department store brands. Want to price compare? You can go to Amazon and find many of the boots from the department stores there for less, I was surprised how often I discovered a coveted sweater or shoes for a better price.  And of course Zappos is the king of instant gratification so if you are in a hurry, its a good way to go.
Timing is everything and now is a great time to get some new kicks that won't do in your spring clothing budget. Make sure to check the return policy before you buy, it can vary.  Happy shopping.

jeanius

One of my favorite trends over the past year or so has got to be all the incredibly fun denim.  I mean, sure, that true blue pair that look perfect with sassy heels for a night out, tucked into boots or worn with favorite sneakers--will always have a place in my closet.  Like a basic white tees, cashmere sweaters, and riding boots--they are must haves that never go out of style.
But holy cow, never before has there been so many fun choices in denim.  Colored denim hit the streets a couple of years ago, and it was fun to show your attitude in a pair of cherry red Current Elliott jeans, and that sapphire color that was everywhere was the perfect pop of color for those who wanted to stay true blue, sort of.
When I bought my JBrand coated wax denim in venom two years ago they were a fairly new concept as well.  I loved that they were not leather but still had a rock and roll attitude, even for this mother of two.  Now I have wax denim in gray, metallic copper and dark wine.  Did someone say I was 50? ;) Ha!
This spring you can bet you will see more girls on the street in floral denim, from in your face flowers to more demure shy daisies, animal prints, geographics, checks, and lots of solids in green, orange, yellow and peach.  This floral pair from RVCA would look great with a white tee and a bright motorcycle jacket. 
One of the most interesting denim to date is from Hudson Jeans, who are using Photoreal images to make digitally printed jeans.  They were all over everyone's radar this fall but could be dangerously close to a cheesy print jean you'd buy on one of the Hawaiian islands gift shops if you aren't careful, let's just say they have to be styled and worn by a fearless chick who can make it cool even though its crazy.
This time of year, I think everyone is craving a little pop of color to go with their uniform of neutrals, grays, blacks & tan. Spring may be a bit far away on the calendar, but adding some green, coral, or even printed denim is a great way to chase away those winter blues.

new beginnings

Happy 2013!  I am ready to say goodbye to the old and welcome the new, literally when it comes to my home sweet home.  We embarked on a long awaited remodel this past month, which includes a new master and walk in closet (hurrah!) and a new kitchen (double hurrah!)
In the interim, while we attempt to cook in the dining room with the Cuisinart Multi Cooker, a toaster and a microwave, my closet has been sent to rolling racks and cloth bins in the home office. Cringe. I consider myself a great organizer as well as a consistent purger in my closet, but this major clean out and transfer was a challenging one.  I always keep my clothes by style and then by color within that--white to black, so that putting together something new or finding my fav grey sweater is a little easier while I was dealing with the challenges of a 1920's house closet.  Rolling racks and bins are sure not my ideal, but getting everything to that space helped me see what I had and what I should part with.  Here are a few tips for making things work for you in your closet, no matter what you have going on in there.  And what is better than the new year, to get things together in your wardrobe.
First, invest in black velvet slimline hangers. Its a must. You can get them from Amazon, or from Costco in boxes of fifty.  It will not only save you a ton of space, and the velvet material keeps clothes on the hanger, not on your floor, and won't make pokey marks at the shoulders.  The consistent look will add to the organization of your things.
Second, get your things in order by color then by style.  As in white blouses, then cream, etc. While you are organizing you can purge.  And speaking of purging, it is best to do this task while you are in the mood, coffee in hand and ready for a fresh start. Don't start this task late at night when the sofa is beckoning you or you won't be as ruthless as you need to be.  Also, anything that doesn't fit goes into a pile of either alterations or giveaway.  If you have a classic blazer you love that you want to update, that can be easily done at a great tailor shop and is cheaper than investing in a new piece.  If you are waiting to fit into those skinny jeans again from a few years ago, let them go.  Trust me on this.  Unless its a tiny bit until they fit again, let it go. The style of denim will probably be totally out of date or you may not even like them anymore and then you are just wasting room in your closet. Not that I don't want to encourage you to have goals, just be realistic. :)
Same goes with fashion mistakes that are hanging there taunting you. It will be a relief to get them out of the closet and make room for the things that your really love and wear. Plus maybe some lovely new things that you buy with the money you made at the consignment shop!
A trip to Ikea for some cool cloth storage boxes on the cheap will help get your shoes, scarves, belts and other things that cause mayhem in the closet stored together beautifully.
Get going and get organized--and here's to new beginnings.  Happy happy new year my lovelies!