Things that are unisex

Question: Who else shares fashion pieces and grooming products with their significant other?


Well, besides everyone that bought Khloe and Lamar's "Unbreakable" he/she cologne...

My husband, Mr. Hot Sexy Lawyerz, is 6'4" and 190 lbs (according to him, the same statistics as Michael Jordan in his prime)(yeah, he's quick to share that factoid) and I'm 5'2" and 86 lbs. I'm literally half of his weight! We obviously don't share jeans or shoes!

But what do we share on a regular basis?

• Scarves. Ever check out the scarves on Mr. Porter? An Alexander McQueen skull scarf is an Alexander McQueen skull scarf... Okay, so Mr. Hot Sexy Lawyerz would never wear a skull scarf anywhere. But in theory, he could wear it too. In practice, I take his cashmere Brooks Brothers check scarf in the winter time whenever I wear red.
• Hats. I wouldn't be caught dead in one of my husband's home team baseball caps. I do however throw on a structured hat to pair with an off the shoulder tee and skinny jeans. He takes my skull caps and wool knit hats all the time.
• We stock up on men's shaving cream. I prefer the men's kind.
• Cologne. When I know I have a big day ahead, I spray on some of his Tiffany for Men cologne. Will he ever spray on any of my perfumes? Never.
• Believe it or not, but sometimes we share watches. It has to be an adjustable canvas strap in order to fit both of our wrists, but we both are into that military-inspired oversized look. He likes that they fit his wrist proportionally. I like the juxtaposition of a men's watch on my tiny, feminine wrists.
• Tote bags. A good, high quality canvas bag is completely unisex!

What is on your list?

Danger zone!

I ran errands today, since tomorrow is my first day at my new job. I had a doctor's appointment downtown this morning, and it was incredibly close to the at&t store (iPhone problems) as well Tiffany & Co. (needed to buy cleaner and get my rings steam cleaned).

I finally went into the Nordstrom Rack on Chicago Ave... it's on my route to work (and back to the train), dangerous. What I love about Nordstrom Rack (besides their sale prices on designer sunglasses) is the fact that they separate the shoes by designer or general brands. If you pop in from time to time, you can sometimes find great shoes (at over 50% off) by designers like Mui Mui, Stuart Weitzman, Lavender by Vera Wang, Coach and Jimmy Choo.

I scored new work shoes! They are Via Spiga's "Jill" pump, as shown in this video produced by Zappos:



Totally classic! Great quality! And the best part, they ran super narrow so the 5.5 fit perfectly!

To top it all off, after I finished my business on Michigan and Chicago Ave. my husband invited me to lunch at Pret-a-Manger in the Loop. Who wouldn't love that?

Suited for a new position

Earlier this week, I accepted a formal job offer to work in communications for an internationally acclaimed art museum. Saying that I am excited about the new opportunity would be the understatement of the  century... Somehow, I fell into a position that merges several of my interests: community outreach and branding strategies, planning mixers and networking events, promoting events and exhibits, e-commerce and marketing for retail and my passion for modern art and design.

Since I will have job duties inside and outside of the staff offices, I decided to go shopping for a few more versatile pieces.

I invited my husband to go with me, now that he's fully broken in as a shopping buddy. I knew we were grabbing dinner and maybe a show, so I threw on a little dress and flats. He met me right after work, so he was fully suited up. We received amazing customer service everywhere we went... and all of the ladies were cooing him in the fitting rooms! One warned me that someone might try to steal him. You know what ZZ Top claims, "every girl crazy 'bout a sharp- dressed man."

I had a few successes!

I found this Theory blazer at Nordstrom:

The best part was that Nordstrom had it in a size 00, so I only had to pay to have the sleeves shortened. I bought the matching pants and a pencil skirt at Bloomingdale's a little over a month ago, because I was able to buy both in my size there.

I'm planning on suiting up for mixers and meetings at the museum. For a casual work day, I can pair the blazer with a silk tee, AG skinny jeans, boots and a silk/cotton scarf. The jacket was pricey (over $400 with Chicago sales tax added), but I am confident I will get use plenty of use out of it... and it fit perfectly.

I noticed that Ann Taylor had a giant sale sign in their window that read, "Buy one full price item, get the second 50% off." Giggity. I told my husband that I needed trousers (truth) and that when the cold weather hits, all I have now are dresses, skirts, denim and one pant suit. They only had size 0 petite trousers. I hated every single style they had... Maybe the size 00 would have been more flattering, but all of their pants made me look twice my age from behind!

Did I leave empty handed? No, I bought a patterned silk sheath dress and a black lace pencil skirt. Both are that perfect mix of professional and trendy. My husband picked out the skirt after seeing it on a mannequin.

After our second stop, I was cut off. Lucky him, I grabbed some gift cards for random restaurants before I headed downtown... so we had a nice Friday night dinner at Ruth's Chris-- for free! 

My first day is on Tuesday... I feel like it's back to school: bought office supplies, went over some preparative reading, bought new clothes, and now I'm nervously deciding what to wear!

Should Fashion Police continue its segment, "Starlet or Streetwalker?"

1,500 petitioners do not think so...

Women's advocacy groups are angry that women that have already been through enough: trafficked, sexual assaulted, abused and emotionally abused are facing ridicule on a popular TV show.

You can read Rachel Lloyd's article via the Huffington Post, "The Power Behind Policing Fashion".

I'm going to put my opinion out there: I'm pro-ho. I do not agree with these women being treated worse than how we regard stray animals in this country. No one attempts to rescue them, even though it's been proven that the majority of sex workers are: trafficked at young ages, threatened with physical violence or death if they leave their pimps, are branded with tattoos like cattle, regarded as property, sexually and physically abused, and suffer from severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

One of my best friends is earning a masters degree in international health policy and studies human trafficking. It happens in the United States of America. More than the majority of the population would be comfortable knowing.

Very rarely does a little girl with a loving, supportive family and decent education decide, "I'm going to be a sex worker and give a man that beats me all of my earnings, when I grow up." I don't see the point in kicking these women when they're down. Abused women are abused women. It doesn't matter if one is forced to walk the streets to survive; she still deserves the empathy and compassion towards all other human beings.

I hope Fashion Police leaves the real working girls out of their footage. They deal with enough crap.

My husband rocks!

My husband just rocks!

He came home last night with a surprise... just because he was thinking about me! He picked out a jewelry stand from Anthropologie, so I have a place to hang my favorite pieces:

It's a little too ornate and clashes with the lamps in the bedroom. We found a different one that is a little more simple, primarily black with gold accents, and would fit in our bedroom a little better on Anthropologie.com. The location by his office obviously didn't have it so we're going to try and exchange for the other style at another location this weekend.

I'm still swooning over his thoughtfulness. I mean, what women doesn't like those little "I was thinking about you" surprises?

Ralph Lauren A/W '11 ad campaign

I just received the new ad images for Ralph Lauren Collection's A/W '11 print campaign featuring MUNICH Models newcomer, Magdalena Frackowiak:

I am delighted to see the references to film noire and exoticism. It's an interesting interpretation of what can be considered Old Hollywood glamour.

I'm especially in love with his ladies' tuxedo:

Despite its full coverage, the tuxedo's feminine and shimmering fabric just exudes sex appeal. I am predicting that we will be seeing this tuxedo on the red carpet in the very near future!

Professional attire in less conservative fields

So, what's a working girl to wear when she doesn't work in a conservative field like finance, accounting or law?

It's a hard balancing act for those that work in either semi-formal or creative fields. You're too old to keep dressing like a college student, but you aren't a "suit" either. Dressing too matronly makes you look like a baby playing dress up in her mother's work clothes.

No, you want to look your age, but of course... polished, sharp and professional for your age. 

This weekend, I am planning on heading to the big department stores downtown for some tailored trousers, blouses and a maybe a new dress or two (I kind of went on a dress spree last month). I also need to find a few pairs of shoes that are stylish, professional and most importantly-- comfortable enough to walk more than a couple of blocks in. 

 I wish Chicago didn't have such brutal winters so soon. It becomes coat weather in October and we're already at the end of August. Dresses really are the creative girl's suit. They're easy. You don't have to worry about matching. There's an implied sense of formality.

I'm loving these two I found on Saks.com:

Purple jersey dress by Emilio Pucci. I love that it has sleeves and is completely undergarment -friendly. 

Patterned sheath dress by Diane von Furstenberg. This is a great day to night dress, as you can pair it with a blazer or cardigan for the work day and lose the outer layer before heading out for happy hour.

One easy way to soften tailored separates is through accessories. I'm a huge fan of the "Taylor Jacobson Uniform": black pants, a silk tee, a black blazer and a statement accessory. You'll want to limit yourself to one accessory, like a chunky necklace or colorful earrings, to keep your appearance focused and professional.

I'm a huge fan of Alexis Bittar jewelry (found in department stores and his boutique here in Chicago). I love these two pairs of earrings I found on Saks.com:

Emerald green adds a pop of color and pairs with almost everything beautifully. Try pairing emerald with navy, black, dark browns, whites, greys, plums, softs blues, lilacs, corals and other cool greens.

Think about mixing textures and materials when purchasing fashion jewelry. Since you want to limit the quantity of jewelry on your body, make sure what you do wear is interesting.

It's become my mission this season to explore my personal style within the restraints of professionalism and weather-appropriateness (because who in the right mind waits for a train outside in 10 degrees in a Diane von Furstenberg dress). Fabulous is working hard and looking good while doing it!

Love getting fancied up!

Picture snapped with my iPhone at our friends' wedding at the Cuneo Mansion:



I love, love, love my gold Elie Tahari dress. Since the entire dress shimmers with gold, I kept the accessories simple with diamond stud earrings, a Louis Vuitton clutch, and strappy sandals with a sharp gold heel by Botkier.

I think it's a great dress to recycle come New Year's Eve!

Lovely lavender and Friday musings

I finally got around to painting my nails and toes for this upcoming weekend. I've been on serious bed rest for almost two weeks, so in a way it's good that we have a wedding weekend to force me to look more like myself. Come hell or high water, I will not wear chipped nail polish and unstyled hair to a black tie event. I may not have my health... but I sure as hell have my vanity!

I'm loving this hue from OPI's Pirates of the Caribbean collection, "Easy As She Rose", as it is the ultimate neutral meets lavender meets pale grey:

I doubt the polish will last until Tuesday, but I have a few meetings this coming week with some arts institutions I am interesting doing marketing/development work for. Within the creative fields, I think this lavender hue is still an appropriate interview color... far from obnoxious, but more stylish than a typical sandy nude.

I haven't decided yet what I'm wearing tonight for the rehearsal dinner, but tomorrow night I'm rocking a gold dress. I figure, if I haven't been able to eat anything for the last 12 days I might as well just rock it out like a supermodel. That whole lemons into lemonade thing... (Though doctor's orders: no fruit and definitely no citrus in any form)

You know what was amazing this week? The @CondeElevator feed on Twitter. I haven't been so entertained since Chris "The Birdman" Andersen was briefly on Twitter (and his handlers made him close his account... shame, his humor was some of the edgiest you'd find on a site full of comics).

My faves?

[Girl holding brownie abashedly in elevator]

Male coworker: I'm not judging you.

Girl #1: She's making me run a million errands this afternoon.

Girl #2: Ooh, will you bring me an iced coffee on your way back?

Teen Vogue-er to Teen Vogue-er: I don't understand why she was so pissed. I'd want to know if something made me look fat.

And my personal fave:

Summer Intern: My driver had SUCH a bad attitude. I was like, "don't complain to me, I didn't eat lunch either! You think I eat clothes?"

True story: when I was a temp/intern for a showroom in New York, I was working at both Coterie (market) and through the pop-up showroom at the famous Mercer Hotel in Soho.

I got into a cab and I could tell the cabby was driving me around to rack up a larger fare. He pretended to not know that the Mercer Hotel even existed... After 20 minutes of frustration, I finally just screamed at him, "How do you not know where the Mercer is?! Everyone is there... Karl Lagerfeld  has a suite there!!!"

Two seconds after I said it, I felt like the biggest snob on the planet. Why would a 40 year old man driving a cab know who Karl Lagerfeld is? Once I recognized the Dean & Deluca a few blocks away (*from all those coffee runs), I had him drop me off on the corner and walked the last few blocks myself.

I told my bosses what happened and what was their first reaction?

"How could he not know where the Mercer is?! Everyone is here!"

I found the @CondeElevator Twitter feed to be hilarious while it lasted. It was all in good fun, and let me tell you: it's very easy to make shallow Bruno-esque statements when you are in a high stress, visually oriented environment and you're running on little food. (In my case, I barely ate anything because I was 1) busy and 2) there's only so many things you can snack on between buyers without risking stains on the samples)

Armani Jeans F/W '11

I'm the first to admit that I love denim. My winter uniform when I worked for AG Adriano Goldschmied was pretty simple: dark skinny jeans, cashmere sweater, fleece motorcycle jacket and tall boots. Easy downtown style. Done.

And I still love that look... so imagine my enjoyment when I received the ad images for the upcoming Armani Jeans Autumn/ Winter '11 campaign. Dark and black denims, lots of buttery leather (or as my friend Daniel and I joke, "leatha"), slim fitting coats and sexy-any-time black dresses. I love it all!

Check out the campaign featuring up and coming model, Julia Saner:

I don't know which I love more: the dress or the shoes!

I'm making a mental note to put together a similar outfit with my like Burberry dress and motorcycle boots.

I love funnel neck coats. I have two and one sweater coat. They are the best-- you don't really need to remember a scarf as you dash out the door. I love the leather detailing on this coat.

This pea coat is in perfect proportion to the trendy flare leg jeans.   

Ah, black skinny jeans, a hoodie and a motorcycle jacket: the perfect fall uniform.

Tommy Hilfiger's Fall 2011 style guide

I love seeing brands reinvent themselves, in a good way. It seems Tommy Hilfiger is going in an interesting creative direction-- far from its downmarket branding, but trying to differentiate itself from other preppy brands like Brooks Brothers.

The new Tommy Hilfiger Fall 2011 style guide, shot by photographer Daniel Riera in a luxury apartment in Amsterdam:

It's probably because Clueless came out in an impressionable time of my youth, but I just love knee stockings.

A little preppy, a little undone.

Why does the female model look 15+ older than the male model? That's right, because she's dressed like Hilary Clinton.

Art or irresponsible publishing?

Miss Thylane Blondeau graces an editorial of Paris Vogue and she's only 10 years old:

The image is, for obvious reasons, extremely controversial. On one hand, it's the same creative concept as television commercials featuring children pretending to be adults while wearing business clothing.

But what is causing a stir is that this 10 year old girl is wearing a low cut dress, four inch stiletto heels, sultry makeup, holding rabbits (a sign of fertility/ virginity) and she's laying on a BED. Is she supposed to be a baby glamazon pretending to be mommy? Or is she being exploited and sexualized for an unintended audience? It seems Paris Vogue is not very sensitive to issues surrounding child pornography.

Just today, PRI reported that authorities will be arresting 77 individuals for one of the largest child pornography rings. They allegedly posted on a web forum where various members gained "status" based on videos/photos of sexual abuse and rape.

What do you think-- is it art or irresponsible publishing?

Designer prices are soaring- because the wealthy are buying

Remember a few weeks ago, I wrote about the economics of designer fashion? Brands are increasing their prices and for early adopters, the resale value on their items is increasing.

The New York Times just posted an article about the same phenomenon: luxury goods becoming more expensive despite the risk of a double-dip recession and a poorly performing market. (Or poorly performing as of this month...)

You can read their unbiased account, "Even Marked Up, Luxury Goods Fly Off  Shelves" 

I wonder how the middle classes will react. Will they allow themselves to become priced out by once attainable brands or will they continue a pattern of aspirational purchasing?

Talk about killer shoes...

I read this shocking news story via the Glamour fashion blog, Slaves to Fashion:

  

Thelma Carter, 46, has been accused of "fatally striking her boyfriend with a stiletto-heel shoe," according to the Augusta Chronicle. "On Sunday evening, Robert Higdon, 58, was involved in an altercation with his live-in girlfriend in the trailer they shared at Augusta Mobile Home Estates, 2526 Milledgeville Road," the paper reports. "His girlfriend, Carter, was charged with murder after she struck Higdon in the head with the spike heel of a shoe, police said. Authorities were called to the home Monday morning when Carter returned to the scene and notified authorities. Investigators are unsure how many times Highdon was struck with the shoe before he died. An autopsy is scheduled for this morning at the Augusta Crime Lab."

It's not the first time a high heel has been used as a weapon--remember when two women were hospitalized last year for attacking each other with stilettos?

I'm really not surprised that a stiletto heel could produce such a fatal outcome. I even have a pair with a metal heel... Would be attackers beware, you would NOT want to attack me while I'm wearing those!

I wonder what they were arguing about that violence seemed like a solution? I guess I'm lucky that I've never been in a situation involving domestic violence.

The most stylish man on The Antiques Roadshow EVER.

Confession: I watch nearly every episode of The Antiques Roadshow. I just love everything about it: the estate jewelry (4 carat Asscher cut diamond with bullet cut side stones from the late 1950s, please!), the artwork, the creepy dolls and toys people keep in their homes just because, ugly furniture people buy because it is "antique" and the things people wear when they know they are going to be on TV. Oh yes, I flipping LOVE The Antiques Roadshow.

I have to salute this man, who showed up in his golf polo and very stylish American Indian -inspired deer skin poncho:

And no, he was not wanting the poncho appraised. He had a small painting from the 1920s worth over $75,000... that will buy quite a lot of fancy ponchos! I love it!

Mui Mui makes the best glitter shoes

When it comes to encasing your toesies in sparkles, no one does it like Mui Mui. No one.

I'm crushing hard on these A/W booties at Neiman Marcus:

Seriously, who ever ends up ordering these must be one disco super fly fox. I want to be friends with her!

Style inspiration: summery illustrations by Jeanne Detallante

Illustrations by Jeanne Detallante for Commons & Sense:

I am loving the idea of a red hair piece, blue leopard dress and rings on every finger.

I have and always will love marching band jackets and black and grey stripe patterns.

Love this for clothing storage!

I found this on a French design blog that I assume focuses on modern children's rooms. If the name of the designer/manufacturer was mentioned, it was not clear enough for my elementary French language skills.

Regardless, I think this would be adorable in a walk in closet or the back of a bedroom door:

I'm kind of obsessed with the unproportional black hook... it has funny feet. If anyone has an idea who designs the hooks, please shoot me an email... Merci!