Dress and Primp

Burberry Prorsum Fall/Winter 2011 - Live Stream from London

2011-02-21T09:59:00.000-08:00

Talk about bringing fashion to the masses. Burberry upped the fash-technology ante by streaming live today to 150 countries and on screen at the famous London Picadilly Circus. It was quite the show. And I have to say that since I couldn't make it to London Fashion Week, (next year, right?) I really appreciated the live stream.

What i loved most was the music, a mix of romance oldies like "You Don't Own Me" by Lesley Gore with other 50's/60's style crooning (Was that Adele I heard?) against winter whites, mod 60's style colors (brown, blue, orange and yellow), jewel-colored plaid coats and of course, the classic khaki Burberry trenchcoats. I read somewhere that the playlist could be downloaded on iTunes Demand, but I wasn't able to find it so I'm hoping the play list pops up somewhere online soon. Never the less, the mood was romantic with a tinge of heart break. I'm not sure what the storyline for the collection was suppose to be but in my mind it was about a young woman who breaks up with a lover after realizing he doesn't fully appreciate her and that she's better off without him. She then decides to jet off to rainy London to write a novel about her heartache and perhaps find love again. Again, that's my take on story, not theirs.

One of the sections that really stood out to me was the Winter Whites. I especially loved these crisp, tailored white dresses, which seem like a chic alternative to the LBD (Little Black Dress). And I'm especially loving the cut-out backs and black trim details. I would have never thought to wear white like this in the fall and winter, but looking at this collection it makes sense.

Over all, I loved the collection. Although I'm not a fan of fur (real fur, anyways) I was intrigued by the fur accents and pieces like the fur skirts which seem appropriate for the cooler weather. And as always, I love that new editions of the classic Burberry trenches. It *almost* makes me wish for rain. But what was more exciting to me was being able to watch the show as it was happening. Thanks Burberry!

Christopher Bailey, you've done it again, ol' boy!

*In case you missed the show you can watch it on Burberry's website.

H&M/Forever 21 Conundrum

2011-01-30T17:35:00.000-08:00

I love you, but you give me a headache.

Anyone who has ever been to New York City can tell you that the shopping here is a sight to behold. You could pretty much spend a whole week 'touring' all the shops and stores alone. Pretty much every major brand/clothing franchise/department store has a store in NYC and what's great about them is that many have much larger inventories than their sister stores throughout the country.


Looked all over. Couldn't find these ANYWHERE.

Case in point: Forever 21 and H&M are HUGE here. And by huge, I don't just mean they're popular. They are literally HUGE stores here with several locations. Despite their large sizes and bigger selections (as if there isn't enough), there's one thing that's been really bothering me every time I visit a store: You cannot find anything that you're looking for!

You walk into the store and notice all the fabulously dressed mannequins, find a piece of interest only to discover they are no where near the mannequins at all. So then, you spend several trying minutes hunting down said item only to be lost in the overloaded sales floor. How cruel of them to tease you with such stylish pieces only to hide them on the sales floor or worse, not even carry it at all.

These nude sandals (photo) were on display in the Seattle H&M back in November. I've spotted them in several H&M's since then and have searched and searched every floor, rack, and shelf trying to find this pair in the store. No luck.

Another time, I spotted a pair of really cute tan booties on a mannequin at Forever21 and searched everywhere in the store trying to find them. I found a sales associate and asked what size shoe the mannequin wore because if it was my size I wanted to try it on (and possibly buy them). Having worked retail for several years I know taking things off mannequins not unheard of, especially if it's likely to result in a sale. But this associate promptly informed me that it was 'against company policy' to take anything off a mannequin. I then explained to him that the shoe wasn't on the salesfloor and he replied, "Sorry. Guess we don't have them in stock." Ok, then why are you advertising it on the mannequin?! Frustration then ensued.

Let this be a lesson to all you H&M and Forever21 shoppers. Try not to get seduced by the clothes and accessories on the mannequins. You're likely to be disappointed by not being able to find them on the sales floor. Take time to review the racks with an open mind and if there is a specific item you're looking for, you're better off just buying it online. Save yourself a headache and avoid 'the hunt' in stores.

Forever21 and H&M, stop teasing your shoppers! If you don't have it, don't display it.

Updates and Changes to Come

2011-01-30T16:53:00.000-08:00

Once again, I've completely lagged behind in the blogging. And once again, I'm planning to change all of that soon. Part of this blogging lag has been due to my very big move to New York. Yes, that's right, the Big Apple. After many years of hoping, wishing and waiting I have finally arrived here to pursue my dream job. I'll be totally honest, it's been quite the struggle establishing a new life here, but I'm slowly and surely pushing forward. The good news is, being in the fashion capital of the country I've got access to a lot of great fashion and beauty shops, events, and stories. And I plan to share all my fashion, beauty and shopping adventures here. The bad news is that Dress and Primp might be moving over to Word Press in the near future, but I'm not sure yet. I've got a lot of blogging to catch up on. But when or if I decide to make the move, you'll definitely be the first to know. Till then, I'll try to do more blogging here. Please keep reading.

Stay beautiful!

-Nancy

Getting 'Lucky' with Lucky

2010-10-24T19:44:00.001-07:00

Last week, I attended the Madewell Denim Roadtrip with Lucky Magazine and had the absolute pleasure and honor of meeting Editor-at-Large Elise Loehnen. First off, let me just say that Lucky is my favorite magazine of all time and I've been a huge fan since the first $1 issue back in 2000. It was the magazine that launched thousands of fashion and beauty dreams and also inspired me to pursue a career in fashion writing. But that's another story for another day. Let's get back to my time at Madewell.

I must admit that until this event I had never actually stepped foot into a store, but wowie, I'm sure glad I did. It was like stepping into my dream closet. Practically everything in the store I wanted
(and felt I needed). The plaid shirts, cozy grampa sweaters, skinny cords, lace-up boots, printed scarves, black lacey dresses, printed skirts, galore! I wish I had remembered to bring my camera with me otherwise, I would have taken more photos. And I was so entranced by the clothing that I didn't really think to snap shots with my phone cam.You'll have to check out their website to see all their fall goodies. Elise and her sidekick Rachel were telling me that every Madewell store they had been to was completely different because of the geographical region.And I must say, I can't wait to see them! Madewell is definitely my style and I will surely be back soon.

The only downside to Madewell was the price point. It was a little steep for my budget. However, while I was browsing the sales racks I happened across this little beauty.What can I say? I'm a sucker for sparkly things and this will be quite festive for the holidays and will add a little *sparkle* to any day outfit. So, I had to have it.

Click. Click. Shop. Shop.

2010-10-18T12:25:00.000-07:00

I think I'm slowly starting to join the ranks of the millions of online shoppers out there. I realized this yesterday as I made my second clothing online purchase of the month. That's completely unheard of for me! I usually prefer actually going to the store and being able to touch, see and feel potential purchases before I whip out the credit card. And even though I currently work at a department store and near many lovely shops, lately I've found myself growing less inclined to actually "shop" at these places. See, the thing with me is that I'm a major browser, which in turns makes me a slow shopper. I can rarely go in and get out. If I find something of interest I will linger for an hour or two, or three to see if there is anything else I like. After a while, I get indecisive and overwhelmed by choices that sometimes I just give up and walk out empty-handed. Waste of a good hour, I know. That's why I find online shopping so alluring for several reasons:

Everything is organized and categorized making browsing quick and easy.
If I find something I like but am curious about other ways to wear it I can go to Polyvore.com and find the same item or similar items and see possible outfit ensembles.
In the time it takes me to browse one store on a typical shopping trip in person, I can browse several online.
Web apps like Amazon Wishlist and RightCliq make it really easy to bookmark possible purchases so that when I can afford something I can remember exactly where to get it and how much it is. And it's also great for comparison shopping.
Shopping from home makes it easier to see what's missing from my wardrobe and what can go together with my potential purchases. Plus, I'm saving a couple extra dollars on gas since I'm not having to the store which means more money for my shopping spree! ;)

Ideeli is slowly starting to fuel my online shopping addiction. They have such great deals on brand name stuff. This is what I picked out yesterday. Nothing super fancy, but much needed in my fall wardrobe:

Tulle Tunic Pullover Sweater ($24, Orig. $50)

I recently discovered that my sweater collection is in serious need of an update and this one looks super comfy. Plus, I have a thing for the color purple.


People's Liberation Belle Ultra Skinny Jean ($29, Orig. $99)

Another item lacking in my wardrobe are nice skinny jeans to tuck into tall boots and such. Black is great because it can be dressed up or down. But what really sold me is the 29 inch inseam. Totally essential for shorties like me.

Ideeli, you're killing me....and my wallet.

A Model for 5 Minutes

2010-09-30T20:26:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I almost forget to mention my little modeling stint at Barneys last month with Shipley & Halmos. By "modeling stint" I meant that I was fortunate enough to find out about their model call via Seattle Met Magazine's blog Wear What When.Turns out that designers Sam Shipley and Jeff Halmos were in the midst of a road trip across America compiling photos for a book they're making titled "We're An American ______." The book is due out in December, I think.

After work, I headed over to Barneys, but not before sprucing myself up a little bit (nothing like a photo shoot after a long day of working hard and sweating, right?). The "models" were asked to fill out a little fill-in-the-blank questionnaire that included the question, "What's your favorite bone?" Being the cheeky girl I am I wanted to write, "My funny one." But alas, self-conscientiousness got the best of me, so I wrote "hip" instead. Looking back, I think I should have stuck with my first answer. sigh. Oh well. I got my chance in front of the camera for a few minutes while Sam snapped a few photos of me and chatted me up. I tried to look as cool-but-nonchalant-cute-but-not-trying-too-hard as much as possible. I'm crossing my fingers that I'm one of the lucky few who get to be featured in the book. Although, I was informed ALL photos would be put up on their Facebook page before the book came out. Yes! For our "hard work" all the models were rewarded with Smart Water and fluffy yummy cupcakes. I also spotted Cam from Needle + Thread and bravely introduced myself to her and told her that I really enjoyed her blog. She was quite nice and answered a few questions I had about being burgeoning blogger. I also spotted Seattle Met Magazine fashion editor Laura Cassidy at the event too. Unfortunately, I was not brave enough to approach her. I'm still a bit of a wallflower when it comes to mingling with big fashion gurus randomly. But if I want to work in the industry I need to get over it, right? Hey, if I managed to get myself in front of a camera and put some of my old Barbizon Modeling School skills to some use, I could have managed to talk to a local Seattle fashion celebrity. Next time!

*Photos taken with my phone camera. So please excuse the blurriness.


The "photobooth."

Laura Cassidy's photo session. Didn't want to get too close and seem like some kind of fashion stalker. haha.

No Matter The Weather You Can Still Treat Your Feet

2010-09-26T22:35:00.000-07:00

Summer may officially be over according to the calendar, but the weather seems to be holding up quite well in many places. Where I live there have been quite a few pleasantly warm days even though September is nearly over. This in turn means a few more days of sandal-wearing fun. However, I've learned the hard way that if you're going to wear open-toed shoes you better make sure your toes are ready to be displayed.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not much a mani/pedi-kind of girl. I mean, I love getting them when time (and money) permits but I usually neglect my nails until I happen to glance at my hands or feet more closesly and gasp in horror. For instance one day, well into sandal-season, I happened to glance down at my feet and noticed they were, for lack of a better term, "jacked up." They were in serious need of makeover if they were going to ever see the light of day in public. So I hauled myself over to the nearest nail place and sheepishly asked for a pedicure. I'm always fascinated by nail people so while my backside was being massaged by the salon's robot chair I was sitting in, I watch as my nail lady meticulously made over my ragged looking feet. A hour later, my shame was washed, buffed, and filed away and my little piggies were looking pretty. Added BONUS: I found a pair of jeweled-starfish Miss Trish sandals on clearance for $12 next door at Target shortly after. Boo-yah!


Notice the flower detailing on the big toes? I've seen this on others but never tried it myself. Turned out quite nice, no?

Absolutely love the jeweled starfish and pearl! Like wearing jewelry, but on my feet.

I thought I knew how to dress myself

2010-06-03T18:21:00.000-07:00

It's recently occurred to me that perhaps I lack the chic fashion sense that I seem to think I have in my mind. At least, this is what I'm assuming is my problem every morning when I go to get dressed. I find myself standing (naked or wearing some weird pajama set) in front of my closet stuffed with clothes and scratching my head wondering what to wear. I'm sure you've all been here before.

And for me the usual routine goes a little something like this:

Have an idea of an outfit in mind.
Go to find key pieces only to discover many are in some sort of unwearable state or unable to befound at all.
Being pressed for time (or too lazy) decide to concoct another outfit idea.
Approach the bottom-to-top or top-to-bottom approach, but then realize weather conditions need to be checked first. If you live in a persnickety climate like the Northwest, you understand how important this step is.
Look up weather and factor in activities for the day/night, hours on feet, whether activities are indoors or outdoors, likelihood of running into someone you know (say from high school), etc.
After an hour or so of this complicated style equation, I might actually decide on a pair of footwear and start from there.
If weather permits bare legs, I check to see if my legs are presentable for public display. If so, I can at least eliminate the need for pants and stockings. If not, then I'm in trouble. And as it so happens, they're not.
Decide to play it safe and go with jeans, but which ones? Skinny? Long and boot-cut? Dark wash? Light wash? Cuffed? No-cuff?
After finally deciding on suitable pair that A) doesn't give me a muffin top, B) isn't stretched out and baggy in an unflattering way and C) makes my butt look good, I move on to tops.
Try on about 20 different tops with corresponding layering pieces but am unsatisfied with anything.
Take off all clothes and end up back in weird pajama set (or underwear) and start again.

And no, this isn't a once-week-thing either. This happens nearly every single day! It drives me crazy! Not only is it extremely frustrating but it's also very time consuming. Yes, I have even been late to events/appointments/meetings because I could not figure out what to wear. How is it that I've managed to work in clothing retail for six years, help countless of other people put outfits together and yet I cannot even dress myself?

I think it's time to re-evaluate my wardrobe and perhaps get some outside help before I start dressing like this (see side photo) everyday.

Notice the clashing of the purple dress with pink scarf and blue bag. What was I thinking when I put this outfit together?*hides face in embarrassment* It looked much better without the scarf, trench, and bag but considering it was cooler outside I needed to layer up. Still, it's no excuse to go out looking like this.

Must get my dressing act together soon. I refuse to spend the rest of my life staring at my closet wondering what to wear!

Oh Hello There

2010-06-03T17:26:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness. I did it again! Tsk tsk on me. It's been months since I last posted. Well in my defense, I've had some important and very sad personal and work-related situations I needed to deal with and so blogging was the last thing on my mind. But I'm back, feeling better, and ready to rock and roll again.

As you can see, I've changed the layout a bit on here on my blog. I couldn't stand the previous look anymore so I decided to switch things up a bit. I imagine that it will change again once I start getting into the blogging groove. So I'm open to any design or content suggestions anyone might have. They would be much appreciated.

Ok folks. Well, here we go again...

-N

p.s. I hope it's sunny and warm wherever you are. Please send some of it my way!

Fantasy Wishlist: Nude Christian Louboutin Patent Leather Pumps

2010-02-28T18:56:00.000-08:00

Christian Louboutin Nude Pumps

Pretty much everything I could want in a heel:

- Perfect go-with-everything color.
- Comfortable heel height (3 inches).
- Patent leather automatically makes it water-repellent which is perfect for rainy Northwest weather.
- Beautifully crafted shoe, simple in design but heavy on style.

Now, let's just ignore the whopping $595 price tag and we're good to go ;)

This is a Croc?!

2009-12-23T21:30:00.000-08:00

Yes, apparently it is. Wouldn't look like it at first glance, right? I'm intrigued, especially by this fuchsia color. They look like pretty cute holiday shoes. I admit that I am not at all a fan of the original Crocs. However, I do have a pair of plain rubber ballet flats for those rainy spring Washington days in silver. But these little gems have seriously got me thinking about giving Crocs another go. What do you think?

Crocs Lily Winter in Plum $40.00

Birthday Goodies!

2009-12-04T20:42:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to me...Happy Birthday to me...

Ah yes, I've made to another year and what a year it has been. Joy, sorrow, love, adventure, drama, heartache, it's all been crammed into one whole year. While this particular birthday starts off on a bit of a sad note with the recent news of my father's cancer, I've tried to look on the brighter side of things today. After all, life is a celebration. And so to celebrate I went out and did a little bit of much deserved and needed retail therapy. Here's what I came away with:

Sephora knows what this birthday girl wants and needs....

Sephora Brand Super Shimmer Lip Gloss
Too Faced Shadow Insurance eyeshadow primer
Bliss Blood Orange + White Pepper Hand Cream

Sephora Super Shimmer LipGloss (left to right): Precious Pink, Rosy Glow, Bronzed Beauty

First off, I've been in dire need of eyeshadow primer. I've been using my Mac concealer as a shadow primer and it's worked fairly well. But it doesn't seem to have the staying power as a real eyeshadow primer. I tried Too Faced's shadow primer last year when it came in a cute little gift set I got from work. I was pretty impressed its lightweight and ability to really make my eyeshadow colors pop! And what impressed me more is how little I had to use. A tiny little tube lasted me for about a month or so, which means I'm probably set until my next birthday with this full size tube.

The lipglosses are the real reason I went to Sephora today. I'm one of their Beauty Insider members so I got a free gift :) Yay! And this year's gift, I must say, is much better than last year's which was a bottle of vanilla-cake scented bubble bath. It did not smell that yummy :( But these cute little lipglosses smell amazing! I can't quite put my finger on the scent, but it's sweet and kinda fruity and the colors are very very pretty.

And with winter weather upon me here in the great Northwest, my hands have literally been creeping my out with their dryness. I've heard rave reviews about Bliss's hand creams so I thought I'd try out the Blood Orange + White Pepper flavor. I love citrus scents in the winter. According to aromatherapy, it's suppose to be uplifting and it very much is to me. So far, I'm impressed with the results. My icky dry hands are instantly transformed into soft smooth ones. Not greasy and absorbs easily. Nice!

Finally! Jeans that actually FIT me! (and no alterations needed)...

I have found my saving grace as far as denim goes. dELiA*s!! Their "petite" length in their denim fits me to the T. And I couldn't be happier. As a shorty at 5'1" it's rather difficult finding jeans that fit and flatter. People think that just because I'm small I can just slap on any ol' pair of small jeans and they should magically look good on me. Not so. But thankfully, Delia's jeans are not only good in length but overall fit too. I've finally found a decent pair of skinny jeans in the Morgan style that do not a) Give me a muffin top and b) Do not require me to roll up three times. And I got a pair of the Bailey's in their "Short" length which funny enough, is long on me, but just enough so I can wear some cute heels. BONUS: They were on sale - Buy one, get one 1/2 Off! At under $50 a pop, they're pretty reasonably priced. Hooray!

Morgan Low-Rise Skinny Jean $44.50

Bailey Low-Rise Jeans $39.50

All dressed up and no place to go? Fine with me.

2009-07-10T14:04:00.000-07:00

Due to my financial situation I'm currently staying with my parents. While I enjoy not having the extra expense of rent, I have found living "rent-free" comes at a price: a lack of privacy or rather, an increase in interrogation.

Don't get me wrong, I love my parents but their constant questions about my day-to-day activities are starting to get to me. I would think by now they would have understood that I am clothes-and-make-up-obsessed therefore, it is not unusual for me to "dress up" even when I don't have any particular place to go.

Whenever I dress in something other than a t-shirt and jeans my mother asks me every time without fail, "Where are you going all dressed up?"

On my days off, when I don't have to rush out the door, I like to take a little extra time and experiment with my makeup. I'm starting to realize that I cannot do this when my parents are up or around because then they ask me (with a little too much suspicion in their voice), "Where are you going?"

"No where."

"Then why are you putting on makeup (or as my dad puts it 'painting your face')?"

I just like to put on makeup and should I decide to step out into the public, I'd like to be presentable. What's wrong with that?

Do I really need a reason to dress and primp?

I love Unconditional Love

2009-05-28T01:42:00.000-07:00

I’m back! Yes, I realize it’s been like 8 months since my last post. Well I’m back now so here we go...

I am SO excited to have finally discovered a Sephora close to me. The nearest one is in Seattle. Too far for my makeup fix. And I ran out of my beloved Bare Escentuals bareMinerals yesterday so I needed to replenish ASAP. Lucky for me, the JCPenney in Puyullap happens to house a mini-Sephora. *squee*

Now I LOVE Sephora. Something about being surrounded by beauty products and sampling lipsticks, glosses, moisturizers, etc. to my heart's delight makes me so giddy. And today I found a new favorite perfume, Philosophy’s Unconditional Love. I smell hints of raspberry and vanilla. I sprayed a little on my wrist earlier and haven’t been able to stop sniffing myself since. It smells soo good!

Not only do I love Philosophy for their great products but I also love their notes on their packaging. Here’s what they say about Unconditional Love:

Once upon a time there was a person who swore they would love you forever. Their love moved on but your love stayed in the same place. Consider the opportunity to love the greatest of all blessings, even when love doesn’t go your way. The love you give is the love you get and it is all good no matter where love takes you. Let the ability to love another belong to you forever and ever because real love stories never end.

Ah love. It smells so sweet.

The Kindness of Strangers

2008-09-05T18:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my roommate told me about this $10 sale going on at this amazing shoe store downtown. And me, being a sucker for a good deal and also a self professed shoeaholic, just had to go and check it out. So I did after work today and found the most comfortable and chic pair of sandals. Bronze, gladiator style with some stone embellishment, perfect for spicing up an outfit but subtle enough to wear casually. I didn't pick them up at first because I wanted to look around some more. Big mistake, a group of girls helping their friend inside found out about the sale and got excited. Unfortunately, one of them had the same size feet as me and tried on the same pair of sandals but in black (which I also wanted to get, $10 com'on!) and sadly to my dismay she spotted the bronze ones too. She was so caught up in her excited she kept leaving one of the shoes out and I kept asking her if she had both shoes for the set. I was disheartened to say the least. The perfect sandal was in my hands and foolishly I lost them. Then I noticed one of the bronze sandals in my size was still out and I searched all over trying to find the partner, hoping there was two pairs so that she could one and so could I. But alas, I had a feeling she had the other match so I hesistantly asked her and she discovered she did, I reluctantly handed her the one in my hand and sighed heavily. Oh well. Better luck next time...I'll find a pair next year. Then to my surprise she asked, "Did you want them?" I was like, yeah! But I didn't want to make her feel bad. After all, she was the one who grabbed them, not me. I was stupid enough to put them back down. I think she could tell I was torn and she hesistantly said I could have them. Score! I thanked her as best I could, I even thanked her as I was leaving the store with my treasures in hand. I could tell she didn't want to give them to me, but I was so grateful nonetheless. I wish I could have done something for her in return. That was very big of her.

Super sales like this can bring out the worst in people, but this showed me that sometimes there is a ray of hope. You gotta share the wealth. I hope whoever that girl was, something amazing happens to her soon, whether it's finding another great pair of shoes for a steal or getting asked out by a cute guy. I'm sending my positive thoughts her way in return for her unselfishness. I hope that someday I can do the same for someone else.

Say what?

2008-06-27T20:27:00.000-07:00

One of my biggest pet peeves is when people mispronounce well known names, especially in fashion. I don't know why, it just does. Although, I confess that some of those designer names can be tricky. However, if you claim to be a fashionista, you better have your pronunciation down.
I remember a time back when I was a modeling instructor, my co-instructor and I were giving a lecture about famous fashion models and she mispronounced the name of a very well known model, Iman. Instead of pronouncing it "E-mon" she pronounced it "I-man," which just killed me. I mean this was coming from a girl who proclaimed she dedicated her life to fashion, yet anyone who enjoys fashion,has read a fashion magazine, or is a David Bowie fan(because she's his wife), has at least heard the name "Iman" before. But I digress.

So last night one of my friends was telling me how much she wanted a Her-mees (Hermès) Birkin purse, the iconic uber-fashionista IT bag. Yes, I wanted to correct her and tell her it's pronounced "Air-mess." But with the euphoric look on her face as she dreamed about having such a legendary(and expensive) purse, I just didn't have the heart to correct her.

Hey, you could get this one for about $14,000...what a deal.

Photo Credit: Ebay

Farmers Market Finds

2008-04-13T14:36:00.000-07:00

I've lived in Bellingham for approximately two and half years now and surprisingly I've never gone to the renowned city treasure—The Farmers Market downtown. As soon as I found out it recently started I made a promise to myself to check it out as soon as possible. So, yesterday I finally made an appearance was immediately disappointed in myself for not having come sooner. I couldn't have asked for a better day because it was a gorgeously sunny with the temp well into the 60s. Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos at the market as I was completely wrapped up in the wondrous site before me. But I can tell you that it was a feast for the senses with bursts of colors from all the merchandise, bustling of people, delicious smells from the food vendors and the sound of street musicians playing.

I was equally impressed by the large selection of handcrafted jewelry and apparel. While I love finding good deals on jewelry anywhere, I'm usually pay a little bit more when it comes to hand-made jewelry that is unique. So, of course I wanted to buy everything I saw. But I didn't. I managed to snag a few gems and even a few things to add to my wardrobe. I definitely used up some of my graduation money. But it was nice to treat myself to a few well-earned treasures.

Here are earrings I bought from local jewelry maker Gloria Shannon. I've been a little hesitant to buy earrings the past few years because I've gotten allergic reactions from them. But these pair to my great surprise don't bother me at all. Maybe because the posts are real sterling silver.

I got the fabulous grey hoodie from Red Boots Design. I love the flower motif and the colors, very spring-y and a great alternative to my peacoat now that the weather is getting warmer.

This comfy cotton skirt is from Texture and I got it for 50% off! What a bargain and it fits great too. It's made from organic cotton and it's got a little bit a lyrca in it to give it some stretch, which is why I could squeeze into an XS. The top part comes up a little too high but I can remedy that by folding it over. Also there's hidden zippered pocket in the front big enough to carry cash and cards for casual shopping trip sans bulky purse (like going to the Farmer's Market).

I don't remember the name of the vendor I bought this bracelet from, but it was another great sale item ($11). Handmade with blue glass and copper beads. It's much prettier in person. This photo doesn't do it any justice. I'm usually not a bracelet person, but with bracelets like and others I saw I can see myself easily becoming one.

Ok, so these items I didn't necessarily buy at the market but I figured since I was downtown I might as well check out the local shops. And of course, I can't resist a good sale or a great pair of shoes.

Mavi Jeans from a great little shop call Georgie Girls. This pair was 30% off. I love the color and wash and they're long enough to wear with my shorter heels. The store offered free hemming, but for this pair I decided to keep them a little long because I know I'll be wearing a lot of heeled sandals this season.

Of course I couldn't be downtown without stopping at my favorite shoe shop Mi Shoes. It's been a while since I've been in and I was excited to see all the new styles. This particular pair by Pink Studio has the perfect heel height, high enough to make me feel taller but short enough to comfortably walk in. And this color is a great neutral for spring and summer and will transition nicely into fall with thick stockings.

Call me crazy

2008-02-19T22:56:00.000-08:00

But I happen to like Old Navy clothes. Old Navy is the youngest of the three Gap companies, and like any little sibling it often gets neglected. Sure, it's isn't exactly known for its fashion foward sense of style, but for the past two years it's upped it's design ante and managed to come out with some rather stylish looking clothing. And this season, I'm pleasantly surprised with its Urban Explorer collection. But what surprises me most are the pieces that I can't stop thinking about. Take for instance these white canvas platform sandals ($34.50). Ok, so the idea of buying cute shoes from Old Navy might not make any sense, but I can't stop staring and drooling at these things every time I walk by them. So I plan to get a pair of these soon since the weather is finally starting to get a little warmer. And I think I might be pairing them with a cute top and a pair of colored shorts.

Image from oldnavy.com.

Welcome

2008-02-16T14:17:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to start a fashion/beauty blog for quite some time now and I've finally gotten around to it. So here it is. I nicked the name from the fashion/beauty blog from Jane magazine's online site. Sadly Jane is no longer being published, but it was a good magazine. I'd like to think I'm paying tribute to the legacy the mag left behind in it's pursuit to help young women everywhere feel and look their best. Well that, and I just absolutely loved the blog name. So, here it is. Enjoy. -N