the long awaited purse...

two things that i don't mind spending some money on...are shoes & handbags...i want good quality...good leather...well made...and with this criteria...i have shoes & handbags that last a really really long time...in fact...most times when i get complimented on my shoes or handbags...the next question is...who are they by...and did i purchase them recently...and i usually need to say...that i got them years and years ago...

so...about six months ago...i was having coffee with a girlfriend of mine...and she was commenting on my handbag...and how she just couldn't afford a good handbag...but yet...she would spend little to no money on bags...that well...didn't look to hold up well...and usually didn't...nothing wrong with that...if you don't mind continually buying new handbags...

as we talked further...she seemed to think that a good handbags cost in the thousands...which i then let her know that there were plenty of great handbags to choose from without spending thousands of dollars...but still getting a good quality leather classic handbag...

so i challenged her...as she was not able to "just run out and spend money on a good handbag"...but i knew that she was an extensive coffee drinker...put aside your daily $4 for a latte in an envelope marked "handbag"...i mean...let's do the math...$4 multiplied by 5 days...multiplied by 4 weeks equals $80...times 5 months equals $400

guess what we went out to purchase today? isn't it a beauty? she is over the moon excited...

michael kors large bedford bowling satchel
neiman marcus

my faves at the sag awards...

truth be told...i watch the award shows simply for the fashion...and sunday nite had me flipping channels constantly...as nothing was really grabbing my attention...

although i loved the "color" on the red carpet...from the luscious green on emily blunt...to the gorgeous rose on sofia vergara...all that to say...the color was more spectacular then the actual dress itself...i also really took notice to the out of the box jumpsuit on rose byrne...i loved that it was so different...a junpsuit...on the red carpet...it worked...but it wasn't an absolute fave of mine...

so i was left with two favorites...this is where i take everything into account...from the hair..to the make-up...to the dress...to the shoes...it all matters people! i mean have you ever seen a fabulous outfit put together...and then your eyes fall on the shoes...and the outfit is suddenly not so spectacular? i have...or the hair...or the _________ (fill in the blank)

so...here they are...my absolute favorite was ashlee simpson...she truly surprised me...looking all grown up and stunning...i would kill for that dress...to have in my own closet...but i digress...back to ashlee...she looked amazing...from head to toe...

ashlee simpson in jenny packham
photo source

and emma stone...loved that the dress was short...loved the shoes..and the clutch? no words...

emma stone in alexander mcqueen
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who was your fave?

you had me at hello: sporting some green leather...

something my close friends always tease me about...the color green...and stripes...because most times when i am out shopping...i tend to gravitate towards anything green...and stripes...many other things as well...but when i have items in my hands...my girlfriends will usually have the opportunity to say to me "oh look...green...what a surprise"...or "stripes? shocker"

but yet...i feel i am still unpredictable in my dress...even with green & stripes...guiding my way...

so can you imagine my delight when i was perusing my february issue of vogue...and saw this lovely? the color had me at hello...but then...when i inspected it closely...i realized this gorgeous top is leather!

is that not the most perfect shade of green? celine leather top...only $4,850...uh yeah...this "had me at hello" will remain in my dreams...

scanned by moi

is the iron lady on to something?

i read an interesting article this morning...that a fellow image consultant had posted on facebook...entitled "lessons from the iron lady" written by vivia chen in the careerist...

the article spoke of margaret thatchers "uniform" and what about it worked...how wearing a skirt vs a pant may help you in how you are perceived in the work place...

the whole conundrum of career dressing...needless to say...has really changed over the years...and sometimes...when i read articles such as this...i wonder...just how far along we have really come...

back in the day...when i was completely saturated in corporate america...my wardrobe of choice...every day...was a business suit...but even then...some 15 to 20 years ago...i never wore the basic black, brown or navy blue suit...did i have them? yes...but there was always color in my dress...and many times...my suits would be brighter colors...then the standard navy blue or black...this was my personal style...and it did not deter my climb up the corporate ladder...

but what is standard? and what makes it standard?

when i am working with career women...there is that fine line of not being "too sexy"...all at the same time of not being "too manly"...or worse...looking dowdy...personally...seems like there are too many "too's" to follow...but ultimately...i believe it is about finding your own personal style...and not conforming...to one way of dressing...

many will argue that clothes don't make the man (or woman)...but first impressions do exist...whether we like it or not...

what are your thoughts? do you think women today need to dress like a margaret thatcher look alike to get ahead? do you think women need to hide their feminine side? just asking these questions makes me feel like we are going backwards in time...

photo source

fashion funnies: stylists to the old masters...

a clip from french & saunders...and you thought this work was easy... =)



hope you are enjoying the weekend...

the challenge...

i've been talking about wanting to try my hand at sewing for quite some time...truth be told...i've been nervous to start...as the last time i sewed something...well...it was back in high school...and that was many many many years ago...although...at that time...i remember sewing a pantsuit...a pantsuit that fit me very well...

i wonder where that went? wish i still had it...but i digress...

one of my closest friends...has sewn occasionally...curtains...things like that...and one of the complaints that her & i always have...is finding that "oh so perfect" skirt in that "oh so perfect" fabric...that only exists in our head...so for the longest time we have been saying just that...we should make it ourselves...

well...saying it and doing it are two completely different things...at least for me...but...my girlfriend also knows that i am very competitive...and so...she in her brilliance...presented to me the challenge...

and of course...she knew i wouldn't say no...

so...we have decided to start with a pencil skirt...i think the judge will be my own mamacita...since she has been a seamstress her whole life...of course...i won't tell my mamacita that one of the participants is me...just to keep it fair...although i know in my heart of hearts that she would be fair...

so i am posting it on the blog...i guess to keep me accountable...

we have decided on the item...i guess next step will be finding a pattern that we both agree on...although i'm thinking...i need to start with the basics...like threading the sewing machine...although...i have been told...over and over...that it is like riding a bike...once i start...it will all come back to me...well...we shall see...

i'm super nervous...but excited for the challenge...any tips for me?

photo source

styling in the kitchen...

check out the lovely i received under my christmas tree this last year...i have to say...i have been feeling very stylish in the kitchen as of late...and it has to do with my new apron...

i had been looking for months...yes months...to find the "right" apron...that would go with my kitchen...but more then that...that would go with my style...many of the ones i was seeing...were...well...not me...

well...my dear friend had been on several shopping trips where i would check out aprons...and critique why each one was just not right...well...she listened... =)
black & white...AND polka dots...pure heaven...

do you put much thought into your apron? do you even use one?

come to think of it...i've got some vintage ones stored away somewhere...maybe i should pull those out...