Thursday, June 30, 2011

Funky shoes on sale at Barneys

Barneys is having a rare sale right now, and I think the shoe section is the most interesting.

The prices are still pretty high, but are in the splurge instead of totally ludicrous range now.
Here are some different, offbeat shoes I like from the sale.

$279 Pierre Hardy Triple Banded Sandal
I like the mix of textures and materials, and the diagonal strip of tan.

$219 Derek Lam Koko
This pump covers a lot of the foot, but the opening is a seductive V. It looks like it is about to be a shootie, but then turns back into a heel. It would also be good for people with long toes who don't want to show toe cleavage.

$399 Gianvito Rossi for Altuzarra Ankle Strap Wedge
The little yellow strap across the toes makes this shoe so modern and fun.

$169 COOP studded lace up sandalOops, I left part of my shoe at home! But check out this rockin' pedicure I just got...

$219 Sigerson Morrison Metallic Skimmer
These look like the awesome thrift store shoes that the really cool girl in college wore all the time. But without that old-lady smell.

$349 Miu Miu Oxford Mary Jane
FACT: There is no better way to announce your insanity to the world at large than to wear franken-shoes cobbled together from the last 5 pair of shoes you killed in a frenzy of leather and laces.
(cobbled- get it??)

Duane Reade clearance makeup bonanza

I stopped by the DR on 18th and Broadway today to get some boring stuff, and on my way in I noticed a giant 50% off clearance shelf full of all sorts of things including makeup and nailpolish.

I took the opportunity to do a little discount shopping and here is what I ended up with:

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-2 Revlon lipsticks in 035 Blush and 085 Ruby
-Sinful Colors nailpolish in 928 Let's Meet
-Neutrogena Healthy Skin pressed powder in 30 Light to Medium
-Sally Hansen Diamond strength nail polish in 45 Fuchsia Bling Bling and 01 Flawless

I was about to get a million more things, especially when I saw Essie and OPI polishes, but I realized I don't need mascara or eyeshadow right now and I already had colors similar to the OPI and Essie shades.

But for those of you who don't have a ginormous nail color collection, please go hit up this sale!

So far I've only tried the Revlon 035 Blush lipstick and I love it.
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It is really creamy and it is just the right nude color on me and is the exact shade of my lips.
I've tried to find some non-shimmery nudes before and never gotten as close to my real color as this.
I have been really excited about that, and then I started to wonder why I wanted my lips to look like they already looked. I can't explain it. But I do.

Etsy Finds of the Day: Chicago edition

I just went to Chicago for the first time, and I had a lot of fun! Millennium Park was really pretty and I took an architectural boat tour and learned a bunch about building styles.

Here are some Chicago-made or -inspired items from Etsy.
$16 Great Lakes tee shirt
They're Grrreat!

$4 Chicago letterpress cardNice grainy skyline view

$8.95 Chicago map pendant
So you can keep the city as close to your heart as possible

$25 Antique pencil sharpener
Made in Chicago, but you can use it on non-local pencils. I guess. If you have to.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Guess sale has some good men's stuff

$27.50 Anson Cardigan
A good summer sweater to stuff in a bag in case it gets cold in the AC or starts raining.

$11.50 Basic tee
When you buy this for someone, only you know if it is supposed to be short bus special or gold star special.

$24.99 Conor Slit sweater
I like stripes, they make your shoulders look broad. I also like soft cotton sweaters that don't itch.

$39.99 Biker jacket
This jacket is more cotton and faux leather but still gets the job done of looking tough.


$29.99 Lincoln Jean forgotten wash
Not too skinny or too baggy, a lived-in look.

$55 Lincoln jean wood wash
Darker and grittier

Hollow Wedges for Debra

Our reader Debra sadly missed out on her size of the hollow-edge Anthro sandals (get yours if they still have your size!) and wants to find some like it.

Not all of these are her size, but in case you are looking for shoes with holes in the heels as well, maybe these will suit you.

Some search terms that help are:
"hollow heel"
"donut hole"
"hole wedge"

Here are the originals from Anthro:


$178 Anthropologie look through wedges

And here are some alternatives:

$58 Vintage 1940s hollow wedge heel


$28 size 9.5 vintage wedge

$27.90 Runway open toe wedge

$69.95 Steve Madden Champyun

$163 United Nude Mobius shoe

$19.98 Strappy donut hole wedge

$26.99 Strappy Donut hole wedge sandal
Why is yellow more expensive than black? Because yellow cows are rare in the wild. DUH


$21.99 Donut hole slides


$12.99 Splash white wedge sandal


$24.99 White peep-toe hollow wedge


$29.99 Blossom black studded wedge


$29.99 Blossom beige studded wedge
I think these might be the best replacements for the Anthro shoes
$15 Skechers Fritters Natural

$36 Italian Shoemakers Cuba black

Monday, June 27, 2011

Etsy Finds of the Day

$50 Melting wall clock
Made to order, so you specify whichever eerie color you want. Get your Dali on.

 $750 Squared off Hall table
This would be perfect for those tiny entryways where you just wish you could put your keys and mittens and purse on something for a minute

I couldn't pick just one design from jeweler twotightlywound to show you, so here are 3 I like. She is really a master (mistress?) of wire wrapping and beading.

$176 Cosmopolitan
Pink and delicate



$164 Tailored Elegance
Classic and Grecian, though always in style

$159 Ballerinas
I like how the beads fade to darker on the bottom, giving an ombre effect.

Review: Urban Outfitters nailpolish in Smush

For my birthday (yay!) a friend got me two colors of UO's new nailpolish.
Today I decided to try the minty green cream one called "Smush" which reminds me of Snooki.

I think I am a sucker for square bottles and minimal labeling, because I liked the packaging right away:
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The first coat went on pretty streaky:
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The second coat almost covered it, but there were still a few thin spots, so I went for 3.
Here is the end result.
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Overall, ok for the application. I like the color, and I'll update with how long it lasts or how quickly it chips.

UPDATE:
It's been 3 days now and only one small chip, which is great in my book.
I really like the color; it reminds me of the bottom of a pool.

Friday, June 24, 2011

How to shop for women's shorts

Shorts shopping can be hard and stressful. Some people just don't wear them at all, but I think that is a mistake. There is a shorts shape and length out there for you somewhere, and you will be much cooler than in pants, and you'll be able to sit cross-legged in a park unlike when you are in a skirt.

Here are some tips to make shorts shopping a little less daunting:


The proper length for women's shorts:
The goal is to get shorts that cover the part of your thigh that is the widest, and have the seam come down enough so that below it, your leg is just tapering. What you don't want is something like this (sorry anonymous internet bottom-half woman):

Because while this lady has nice legs and isn't showing cellulite or butt cheek, the shorts cut her too high and her thigh is still getting thicker below the bottom of the shorts. (We won't say anything about her pockets sticking out, which is a clear sign you've cut too far)
Her legs would look a lot better with something like this:

With just an inch or two more of inseam, legs look a lot leaner. I tried to pick short shorts and similar legs to illustrate this.

I stick to 3" and above as a safe rule.
Stick your index finger in the crotch of the shorts (when they are on the rack, not on a person or you will get sued and hit). If your finger doesn't reach from the bottom of the shorts to the crotch seam, they are too short for you. 
I made up that rule, but I am sticking to it.

The right color
Bright colors are in right now for shorts, and that can be fun. Before you buy some, ask yourself if you want to draw attention to your hips, waist, and butt, or if you'd rather draw attention to your legs.
If you want people to notice your legs, you are better off with dark colored or denim shorts.
If you want to show off your booty, full steam ahead on the bright colors.

And btw you don't have to be a stick figure to wear bright shorts. I am most definitely an hourglass shape and I got some purple ones and red ones this year.

With colored shorts, you have to be extra careful to make sure they don't look like underwear or bathing suit bottoms, so I suggest ones with a long enough inseam and cuffs or scalloped edges so people really know that you meant to do that.

Here's one good pair:
$39.99 Urban Outfitters Lucca Chiffon scallop short
 Flattering wide waistband, scalloped bottom, long enough for her legs

Shorts shapes to try
There are a bunch of kinds of shorts, and the ones that look good on you are probably similar to the type of skirts and dresses that look good on you.

If you have wide hips or want to hide your thighs, then shorts that flare out and have extra room in them like an A-line skirt might be for you.

Try culottes, they look good on pretty much everyone. They are what happens when shorts and skirts are all grown up and spend some private time in a room together. Culottes look like a skirt until you notice that the woman wearing them isn't freaking out about crossing her legs the whole time.
The key to culotte success is finding a non-hideous pattern and making sure they hit mid-thigh.



 If you want to play up your curves, choose shorts with a similar profile to a pencil skirt- clingy and a little longer.


If you want to show a little more skin, try cutoffs or a higher rolled cuff.







Shorts shapes to avoid
It is hard to look good in loose shorts that go past your knees, especially cargo ones that have lumpy pockets that make you look like you have goiters.
These make you look stumpy and you lose your whole figure in them.


It's also hard to look good in super small hotpants unless you are a teenager or blessed by the heavens. They are so short that they leave nothing to the imagination, and all your buttsweat, lumps, and thigh rubbing is out there for everyone to see.

Anything made out of lycra or any thin stretchy fabric. When you reach the age of (whatever, it differs for everyone) and you start having bumps and underwear lines and stuff you'd rather not show, fabric matters just as much as cut. I have some light and thin silk shorts, but they are flowy and loose. The worst is thin and tight. The thicker the fabric, the less every bulge will show.
This is one reason why shopping at Forever21when you are no longer 21 is good for accessories and tee shirts, but not for bottoms anymore.


What to spend
 Expect to spend more than $20 on a nice pair of shorts. I personally can't stomach paying more than $40 or $50, but it's hard to get a nice cut and quality that make you look good for under $25. See above for the F21 warning. You can't go to teen stores for shorts if you don't have a teen bottom half.

Any questions?
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