men's corner: sneakers with style...

today, sneakers are a staple in most men's wardrobes...and your choice speaks volumes...so it's important that you choose wisely...

first of all...let's acknowledge we're not talking here about the shoes you wear to the gym or for your daily run/walk, but rather...sneakers that you can wear out to dinner with your dark jeans and collared shirts, or even with wool trousers and crewneck sweaters...

it's important that you find a pair that fit you properly...and then buy a couple of pairs, so you can give each pair a proper rest between wearings...

these cole haans are available through bullock & jones...who have quite a number of good-looking dress sneakers, by the way...almost every department store now carries dress sneakers...so there's no reason for you to wear your athletic shoes except for athletic purposes... =)

who is your style icon?

in my previous post...i blogged about the beautiful audrey hepburn...
love her style...so simple, so elegant, so lady like...

but there are others that i follow as well...a close second...if not tie in first with gorgeous audrey...would be jackie o...i once had someone tell me that i look like her...well...believe me...i smiled the whole day! she was also a classy lady who always looked so beautiful and well put together...but simple, elegant...and lady like...

seriously...what is there not to love?



i guess now that i think of it...i have a number of my self-indulgent idols when it comes to a clothing style...here is the lovely wallis duchess of windsor...so beautiful & elegant...



and...one cannot talk of style and not mention diana vreeland...



and of course...coco chanel...



there are moments in my life when i stop and think, "how would coco handle this?" or what would jackie do?" to heck with who i think is worth modeling...why not choose a style icon of your own? it might be a glamourous figure from the past, or perhaps your style icon won't be a name others would recognize...it could be a real live person that you know and admire for the certain something she possesses...

could it be a stylish and learned woman in your own community? one of my dear customers, a stylish woman herself...has told me stories of the two big icons in her life...her mom & aunt...born at the turn of the last century, these incredible women did loom large in my customer's life...and in mine as i heard the stories...how amazing it was to see the verve and beauty they brought to their daily lives...

is there someone like that you've overlooked in your life? seek her out and sit at her feet to learn...a style icon worth considering is letitia baldrige...the author of the book a lady, first...she writes of her life in the american embassy in paris, the kennedy white house, and the headquarters of tiffany & company...how could you not learn from her?

one classy lady...

as you can see from the tiny array of books i've accumulated...i adore everything about audrey...i have seen all her movies (some over & over...never to tire of them) read anything i could get my hands on about her...she to me...was a class act...a lady...but not only in her dress...but i've read about her character...her desire to think of others...and help others...one classy lady...



her style of dress consisted of simplicity..."for her, what was important was not decoration and lots of embellishment. she liked very simple things - less was always more for audrey" said auctioneer kerry taylor...

so imagine how badly i would have loved to have been in london this week...why you ask?

i guess you could call it the week of audrey hepburn going on in london this week... kerry taylor auctions will be handling an auction of dresses and other items owned by audrey hepburn...les sigh...

the two most endearing stories i've heard were the following:

one was a friend of audrey's by the name of tanja star-busmann...they met in london when tanja was 15 years old and audrey was 20 or 21...just before her career took off...the two remained long time friends...

tanja used to receive a lot of audrey's hand-me-downs...over the years, boxes filled to the brim would arrive...tanja had stated that opening them was like christmas all over...audrey had even requested that monsieur de givenchy leave larger seam allowances for this purpose...

most of the lots for the auction come from the closets of tanja star-busmann...

the other story that i heard that so touched me was that of audrey's wedding dress in 1952...made for audrey by the rome-based fontana sister's...after her marriage to james hanson was called off...audrey asked the fontana sisters "to give the dress to someone who could never afford a dress like mine, the most beautiful, poor, italian girl you can find."

if you would like to read more on the auction...here are a few bloggers that i thought were interesting...AND with great pictures...

cherie of the shrimpton couture blog wrote: once in a life time

martin of fine estate sales blog wrote: audrey hepburn's wedding dress

and malie of vintage shopping guide did two great posts this week...
audrey goes to auction

audrey hepburn wedding gown to be passed on

so are you an audrey fan?

cashmere & rosemary...

love my cashmere...i have a closet full...to me...there is nothing more luxurious...

how about you?

if you are like me...and have a closet packed with cashmere...how do you keep it princess-perfect? few things are as heart-stopping as the sight of a tiny hole in your favorite sweater...just because you now know how to turn an old cashmere sweater into a snug headband and a decorative pillow...doesn't meant you want your entire wardrobe to end up that way!

mothballs are smelly...i say no no no to the mothballs...

cedar is one way to go...but at times i get tired of that scent...and want something different...

what's a girl to do?? simple...just go out to the garden and snip some rosemary...i've battled those hungry moths myself and was delighted to learn that fresh rosemary wards off the little guys...cut yourself a few stalks (or pick them up in the herb section of the grocery store if you don't have rosemary growing) and place them in and around your sweaters...you might cut a nice bunch and wrap the ends in twine and hang it upside down in your closet...cutting fresh rosemary and replacing it every few weeks is a nice little ritual that gets you out into your garden...and the real bonus is that your closet smells like an talian bakery all the time...ahhh...fresh focaccia! what could be better?

do you have some tricks of the trade to keep your cashmere safe?

domenico winery christmas soiree...

what a fun nite last nite...where?? at domenico winery in san carlos...an estimated 300 women came out for some sipping & shopping...(and a few men as well...most likely to hold all the purchases...)

adena & i set up shop with a beautiful background of the winery barrels...the christmas trees were lit up...and everyone was in festive spirit...





adena & i dolled up in our christmas colors...

theresa, me & etta
theresa & etta...two of my long time customers came by to sip some wine and support me...etta...who just turned 90 this last week...is always dressed impeccably...love that about her!

and isn't the winery backgound incredible??

the shoppers mingling...

more shoppers mingling...

and even more shoppers mingling...

only the best for you...

fuzzy slippers are a must for a pampered princess...your delicate feet must be protected from the elements at all times...encased in a froth of faux fur or puffy feathers...

for as far back as i can remember...my "little" brother (who is now over 6' tall) has given me a new pair of slippers every year for christmas...and to this day...i look forward to the "new" pair i am to receive...some have been leopard (can't go wrong there)...some have been very chic & parisian...some pink & fluffy...more than anything though...it is the fact that it is from him...and this has become a little christmas tradition...all together now...awww....

but i digress...for in-house use, i'll look the other way while you pass on the high heels, as there are many times in life when a girl needs to keep her feet firmly on the ground...and first thing in the morning is certainly one of them...slippers...at times...do seem so mundane...though...

is there a way to move them farther down luxury lane?? bien sur, as the french say...but of course...

not long ago, a friend bought me some purple felt spa booties that come with a liner of lavender seeds...pop them into the microwave for a minute or so...slip them onto your already lotioned feet...and ah...heaven...a bit crunchy to walk in...but the point here is not to walk so much as to recline regally...your pampered feet raised in the air and propped on a lovely footstool...sounds so decadent...and well worth it if you can track them down...

is there a way to feel this way without the spa booties? sure...just choose your thickest...most luxurious cotton socks...sprinkle them with a few drops of water to moisten...and pop them into the microwave...slather lotion on your feet while they are warming up...then pull the toasty socks on right away...alas...the warmth doesn't last long...but it feels delicious...

if you can't find the spa booties in a store near you...try www.redenvelope.com

it's just a "formal"ity...

so...it is the first day of december...and with the hustle and bustle of christmas shopping...there are parties to attend...hopefully...lots of them...yesterday i focused on the men...and the lovely tuxedo (love!)

today...i was going to write about formal wear for the women...and then i thought...why not use the post i wrote as a guest blogger on "princess dominique dishes fashion"

do check out her blog as well...she dishes fashion...for sure...and loves shoes...almost as much as i do... 8) click on the link below...happy december!

so ladies...if you have that party to go to...remember...it's just a "formal"ity...