Hopefully by now I haven't totally bored you with
my tie-dye fetish. I just discovered Love Tanjane's hand-dyed jersey dresses and they're too good not to spread the word. They're made in Ojai, which seems a very appropriate setting for the glamorous, California-in-the-70's vibe of the collection. I imagine getting tons of use out of
this strapless tube dress that doubles as a skirt. It's a relatively reasonable $128 and comes in a bunch of colors, though I like the black and white best.
The ankle-length halter, $184, is another great option (still not convinced? Check out this photo of
Nicole Richie looking incredibly foxy in it with braided hair and a snakeskin clutch) and I love the swirly mustard-blue it comes in.
It's officially summer and I still have zero vacation plans. I'm determined to log beach time somewhere though, and when I do, I'm going to take
Garconiera's gauzy cotton sarong with me. I have a bunch of solid-colored
bikinis (black, peacock blue, navy, red) that I like to mix-and-match, and this would work with any combination of them, either knotted around the waist as it's shown here, or criss-crossed around the neck as a halter. The intricate floral print and little baubles on the hem make it look like it could've come from a far away bazaar.
25park.com has two versions, the other in
this warm golden palette, and both ring in at a very moderate $35.
I definitely don't get around to
Express nearly enough.
Just now I was poking around on their site and there were a bunch of things that caught my eye, none of which top $40! From over in the jewelry section, there's this
braided metal cuff ($16.50) and
this bold, Cleopatra-ish necklace ($34.50)—so glamorous. Then there's this effortlessly cute
striped cowl neck dress ($19.50)
that'd look great with
any one of yesterday's Marais USA shoes, and these
wear-them-all-weekend army green shorts ($39.50). And I'm also really drawn to
the crispness and modern-Baroque vibe of
this sleeveless, ruffled white blouse.
Net-A-Porter.com just launched their end of season sale,
and there are some great pieces whose prices have been cut in half. Standouts include
Miu Miu's super-versatile patent leather flat slingbacks (were $430, now $215);
this striped trapeze top with ruched straps (so chic with well-worn denim—was $275, now $137.50);
Tibi's lilac-hued silk crepe halter with
lacy detailing (was $275, now $137.50); and
this heavily beaded kaftan by Antik Batik (was $340, now $170).
In case you missed it: after reading
last week's post about Marais USA's low heeled wedges, a reader referred me to the company's own website, which is AMAZING. I could totally see myself wearing every style in their collection. I'm going crazy for
the $68 Crosby, a flat suede sandal that's a really refined, modern riff on the gladiator.
It comes in a bunch of colors, my pick being this lush magenta-ish eggplant.
The t-strap Mott, $52, is another standout, particularly in emerald green. And I'm always a sucker for
Mary Janes—I especially like the glossy patent leather, wide elastic strap, and $58 price of
these.
Lately, besides
my eternal love affair with flat sandals, I've been
craving more low-heeled wedges. I have one pair (
the red Balenciagas I
wore to that rehearsal dinner last month) and wear them constantly.
They give me a little extra height—never a bad thing—and are the only
heels I have that are seriously, legitimately comfortable. I just
spotted
these black peep-toes on Otte's site and can already see myself
getting tons of use out of them (these would serve me equally well at
the office or for going out). I like their simplicity, and the
patent leather heel and delicate ankle strap adds just the right amount
of interest. They also come
in red if you're feeling a little more
adventurous, and at $85, they cost a lot less than I'd have thought.
It's totally a nosy question I know, but I'm just curious about what
kind of stuff (and how much of it) you guys carry around with you
everyday. I try to keep my day-to-day formula fairly simple:
1.
Wallet
2. Keys
3.
Planner (am I the only one out there still using a paper calendar?)
4. BlackBerry
5.
Paul & Joe Blotting Paper (not only is the case adorable but there's also a built-in mirror)
6. Pen
7.
Aquaphor (
which, most of you agree, is really the best lip balm out there)
8.
Digital Camera
9. Mints
Your turn!
In my ongoing quest for scented candles I was pleased to discover that housewares site
shopdreamy.com has discounted their entire inventory by 20 percent through the end of this month. I've admired the ones by Burn Voyage for a while, but have yet to try one at home. The combination in their
Blue Horizon candle (was $26, now $20.80) seems totally infallible: key lime, pomegranate, ruby grapefruit, and Meyer lemon.
I'm also hugely tempted by
Kobo's White Birch Rosemary candle, which I've actually been lusting after ever since I smelled one in the bathroom (I know, unlikely place to get turned on by a scent!) at
Cafe Cluny a year or so ago. Look out for brands like Lafco, Voluspa, Kai, and
Lollia to round out
their assortment.
I hardly ever buy anything spontaneously—for me, coveting something is half the fun—though in the midst of my insomnia this morning, I broke my own rule. I stumbled on
these sequined Antik Batik sandals on
La Garconne's website and the combination of shiny sparkles on flat sandals (I really do live in these all spring/summer) was too much to resist in my semi-conscious-at-5 AM state. The weather is finally
warming up again in New York City, and I can't wait to wear them with laid-back pieces like my battered denim mini, and the batik sundresses I picked up
last fall in Indonesia. While not cheap at $185, the price doesn't seem egregious for something as beautifully embellished and totally wearable as these. So now I'm curious: what's the last thing you guys bought on a lark?
For at least the next month, Lutz and Patmos is offering 50 percent off EVERYTHING (including sale items!) on
their website.
So what's it going to be, guys? This
featherweight cashmere boatneck striped sweater? This throw-over-everything
short sleeved poncho cardigan? The
Shoreline sweater (quite possibly the prettiest, most feminine take on a hoodie ever)?
This ballerina pink
ruffly-sleeved tee? Use coupon code "finalsale50" to apply the discount.
