Rachel Zoe's Betty coat with fur

I cannot believe I'm admitting this publicly, but I think I love Rachel Zoe's new clothing line:

I am seriously crushing on her Betty coat with faux fur, available at ShopBop for $550.

Seriously crushing...

Aveda bath salts!

I finally went to Aveda and claimed my free birthday "personal blends" product. Three months later... my little coupon expires tomorrow!

I had them mix sandalwood and ylang-ylang in bath salts for me:

I also picked up an extra bottle of hair conditioner, since I recognize that these marketing efforts are to bring customers into the store to drive sales. I think of the birthday post card deal like a 50% off sale to take advantage of!

I have a feeling I will need the bath salts next week... I have a mixer event on Tuesday, an opening event on Thursday and a work event with Pharrell's vodka launch party both on Friday night. I have a feeling that all of those party shoes are going to HURT by Saturday morning!

Rainy day hair.

It's rained the last four mornings here in Chicago. I gave up on wearing my hair in a braided bun this morning and left for work with freshly showered hair instead:

I think my hair is finally long (ahem, heavy) enough that it waves instead of coils. My husband hates it, but I don't think it is that bad... I'm actually planning on getting it cut to wear with waves (though that might mean having to straighten and then wave it if my hair loses its weight) since I am ultra-paranoid about "moon face" from prednisone use.

I definitely packed on a few pounds instantaneously... not that it was such a bad thing! I just don't want to look like a giant lollipop! 

By the way... huge recommendation again for Dior's Diorshow Extase mascara. I'm only wearing that mascara and Dior's lipstick in a soft pink... not bad for walking from the train to work in the rain without an umbrella!

Elizabeth and James ballet flats

I am totally wanting to order these Elizabeth & James ballet flats on sale at the Outnet:

I hestitate since they are a metallic suede and we're entering a Chicago winter any week now... On the other hand, I think they are tres chic and would be perfect for work events! 

Can anyone advise how Elizabeth & James shoes run?  

Coming to my coffee table soon: Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty

Lately, it seems as though everyone else uses my Amazon Prime account more than I do... After reading The New York Times Sunday issue with my husband yesterday, I remembered that there were a few books that I had been meaning to order and just kept forgetting to.

I'm still waiting for Waiting for Frank Capra. Is it a film based on a book? Why can I not find the book? When will this film be released, The New York Times... when?! (Note: they probably clearly explained this in the preview I read, but my tired eyes may have missed it)

But Waiting for Frank Capra got me back on Amazon, and I ordered one fashion collector's book and one historical novel I had been meaning to purchase for months:

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty covers the wildly successful exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I am quite the Alexander McQueen fan, so it seems like a no-brainer purchase. I can see myself this winter curled up in front of my fireplace, drinking hot chocolate, and just flipping through my books filled with painfully beautiful pieces of couture. 

The exhibition at the Met holds historical significance as one of the most successful museum exhibitions of all time, with an impressive endowment recovered through record-breaking membership sales (even international tourists bought $70 memberships in order to wait in the shorter "member's only" line).

The Paris Wife

The Paris Wife is a historical novel about Ernest Hemingway's first marriage, which met its demise after the couple moved together to Paris. I am completely fascinated with Ernest Hemingway... I sometimes joke with my husband that I might be him reincarnated; I love boxing, writing, Cuban food, French spirits, living fearlessly and cats. Oh, and I might have a nasty temper from time to time.

As a first wife, I will admit that a story surrounding Hemingway's first marriage, the wife that supported him before his inmeasurable success, caught my attention. I absolutely love marriage and if something ever happened to my husband (or marriage), I have no doubt in my mind that I will want to get remarried. I recognize that relationship dynamics are different based on experiences... In my experience as a first wife, marriage brings calmness, stability and the feeling that you finally have the strength of two people instead of just yourself. Navigating through changes in a relationship is difficult and I am curious to read a (fictional, sure) account of how a couple can go from building their own world around themselves to crossing to a point of no return and separation.

Speaking of spouses, I picked up my new Stuart Weitzman suede dress boots yesterday and my husband loves them. He was so gaga over them, he couldn't even focus on completing a sentence about how much he loves them. I still need to spray them down with extra protection, but I think wearing them for him this weekend can be arranged... If you are looking to order a sexy pair of boots online without trying them on (they run narrow and slim, BTW), I definitely recommend ordering a pair!

Saturday morning attire.

We attended the most beautiful morning wedding yesterday at the Elkridge Furnace Inn, outside of Baltimore, MD. Every perfectly appointed detail was so painfully stylish that I (with very modern tastes) was completely swooning over my friend Amy's charming New England -style wedding. The quaint and historic venue, lush natural backdrop (river bluffs) and rustic elements were just too sweet!

I also adored everyone's appropriately chic garden attire! Especially the guys!

Pictured above is my husband wearing lavender and our friend Danny (what is he looking at?) in robin's egg blue.

My husband and I took the first flight out of O'Hare yesterday in order to leave our bags with the hotel concierge and make it on time to the 10 am ceremony. I was quite the sight to see at O'Hare at 4:30 am, strolling through security in a cocktail dress, 5" high heels, and over 400 (prescription) pills thrown in my Louis Vuitton shoulder bag...

I wonder at what point in my life, I woke up and became Karen Walker?

Any great boutique recommendations in Baltimore?

I am going to be spending the weekend in Baltimore (and possibly, a few hours in D.C. on Sunday) and would love some recommendations for some great high-end boutiques.

One of my favorite things to do in a new city is shop for memorable items. I can buy all of the big department store brands here in Chicago, so I like to look for smaller, more exclusive labels while out of town. I also like combining this activity with leisurely lunching.

If anyone has any great recommendations for the Baltimore area, please leave me a comment or shoot me an email.

Style inspiration: Annie Hall

Okay, so I'm not actually posting images from the film Annie Hall... Still, my heart went (neurotically) aflutter when I found this photoshoot for Bolero in my inbox: 

I've made up my mind: I need to go shopping for a great hat for the fall!

At this point, it's classified "necessary."

Proportion Play

I have a thing for proportion. In fact, I stayed late at work tonight working on some press materials because the proportions of the text to visual images seriously angered me like an old man trying to return soup in a deli. Going by instinct hasn't failed me yet, and if something just doesn't look right... it doesn't look right.

I'm loving this upcoming photoshoot in Glamour, shot by Markus Pritzi:

What makes this picture so visually interesting is the contrast between the slim cigarette and the wide, sculptural shoulders. I love the pop of blue on the collar--- it makes the white work as a fall look!

I actually would totally wear the outfit on the left to work. The absolute best way to style a clean, basic outfit is with a pair of stand-out shoes!

I find the sculptural shaping to be very avante-garde, despite references to early 1960s design. Wide doll-like collars and glove-length sleeves are both incredibly playful... I don't see this look working for the professional set, but I think the right art student or a style icon, like Sophia Coppola, out there could rock it!

Sephora's 500 Points Perk-- it's awesome this month!

For those unfamiliar with Sephora's "Beauty Insider" program, the perks are pretty simple: for every $100 you spend, you can get a deluxe sample from a rotating selection. It's not as much product as a full size product, but it's a great way to build up a toiletry bag for traveling or try a product out for a few weeks. For every $500 you spend (if you waive your deluxe samples), you earn 500 points that you can cash in for either a full size product or some sort of beauty kit (it's predetermined and changes every month). Oh, and you get something free on your birthday.

I saved up the points in my beauty bank this time to go for the big kahuna.. and it is a good month to do so! I ended up getting a travel cosmetic case full of travel sized ultra-luxe anti-aging skin care. It's a pretty sweet hook up: Strivectin anti-wrinkle/ anti-stretch mark cream, Dr. Brandt microdermabrasion facial polish, Lancome anti-aging concentrate, Bliss facial wash, Boscia black clay beauty mask and other moisturizers.

As for reviews from my purchased beauty haul, I think the stand out product is Dior's Diorshow Extase plumping mascara. Oh my god, I have been buying both the classic Diorshow and the Blackout formulas believing that both were different- but perfect. The newer Extase formula is the best of both worlds-- a classic look with some dramatic fullness (without being too black or harsh). You really do need only one swipe per eye... and my lashes looked just as long as when I was using RapidLash religiously.

I love, love, love this mascara.

I also purchased a L'Occitane eye cream that I have yet to open, my trusted L'Occitane shea butter hand cream (this new medicine I'm on is drying my skin up!) and a Dior lipstick in a color named "Pink Cherie" that is the perfect, sweet nude pink.

I've been feeling terrible these last few months and have been looking even more so. I've needed a few beauty pick me ups... and I'm crazy excited for this month's 500 Point Perk. It definitely gives me more to play with!

Skinny Girls-- You've got to know Stuart Weitzman

If you are on the thinner side, you no doubt know how annoying it is to find a tall boot that's thin enough to lay against your calves. Of course you will find Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik to run narrow... but the general rule is the more expensive the designer; the skinnier the pieces are cut.

Frustrated after a trip to Cole Haan at Northbrook Court, where the boots had so much space off my calves that I looked like Puss in Boots... I swung by Stuart Weitzman. Some of Weitzman's styles are little dowdy for my taste, but he also has some more contemporary lines too.

Major rave for the staff at the Stuart Weitzman at Northbrook Court. The salesperson really listened to what I'm looking for and what my needs are: a boot to accommodate my weight loss, cover most of my legs while wearing office dresses and needs to be polished enough to wear to work. She brought out some great suggestions considering my age, my occupation and my petite size. She even sized me correctly!

I now wear a size 5 shoe. No one believed me that your feet can shrink with weight loss, but I used to be a solid size 6. Then I went down to a 5.5... and she actually had to order me a pair of boots in a size 5!

I came home with this over-the-knee style to wear with leggings, tunics and office dresses:

The style is called the "Mainline," and it's insanely comfortable. The boots are made with the softest napa leather on the planet, so the over the knee height still works with you. I took a size 5.5 with this one because I'm planning on wearing nice, comfy winter socks with them. My foot also doesn't slide forward as much, since it has a short wedge heel.

For a dressier pair to wear with suits, cocktail dresses and "knock 'em dead" attire, I ordered these in a size 5 and they should be here next week:

This style is called the "Jeffe" and I feel like Catwoman in these boots. They were way more comfortable than I was expecting, though I had to size down. The salesperson explained that this is common with high heels since your foot moves forward. According to the salesperson, the suede is already Scotch-Guarded, but I am still going to give them a quick spray down with Shining Monkey car interior spray, aka the best leathergoods product on the PLANET.

I think I'm covered for the fall and winter season!

Why no MBFW posts?

I fell really, really ill this week. It's terrible.

Last night, all I had the energy to do was sip a giant bottle of Sprite, nosh on some mashed potatoes and gravy from local joint Jak's Tap and flip through my telephone book -sized copy of Vogue's September issue.

I'm currently expending all of my fashion energy by contemplating to wear for work and a date to the theater after. I totally scored us seats (center floor) for the private dress rehearsal performance of Broadway Chicago's Red at the Goodman Theater tonight. My husband is so excited, he put on his snappiest suit and accessories this morning.

Style Inspiration: Ramp Magazine photoshoot

Ramp photoshoot, shot by photographer Tony Kelly:

I love boots season! A good pair of boots makes anything look so empowering!

Men's Style: Baldessarini F/W11

The collection theme for the upcoming autumn/winter 2011 season is 'Colorado Playboys'. Individual, unconventional and sophisticated – just like the label's maxim – is exactly how model Fabian Schweizer appears on the motifs. The production took place in the city of love, Paris.

It's boots season!!!

Literally on Sept. 1, the weather in Chicago dropped 20 degrees. We've entered fall... and that means it is boots and cashmere weather!

It also means I need to scramble to find some decent leggings/hosiery for the upcoming cold winds... I've found it incredibly difficult to find bottoms that fit me right now (at 86lbs, due to a health issue... that is NOT an eating disorder) so I have been purchasing dresses to wear.

I found some boots I might want over at Bloomingdale's... which is super easy for me to get to now that I work a few blocks east of Michigan Ave.

I'm in the market for a dressy wedge boot and a tall boot to pair with dresses. I'm assuming a heel would still be okay for commuting since the city is usually very good with making sure slush is removed from Michigan Ave. For a $400 monthly HOA assessment, I'm assuming our building will have consistently salted side walks towards our L stop.

I'm thinking of these two, but hesistant since they are suede:



Coach "Ambyr" wedge boot




Cole Haan "Air Talia"

 In other shoe-related thoughts, I have to think about what flats I will be wearing tonight for an event we're hosting at the museum. Normally, I would wear sandals today since I am getting a pedicure at the Red Door Spa before going to work but I will be wearing a black dress shirt tucked in a lace pencil skirt. Ballet flats or red Marc Jacobs loafers?

Or just pick up a new dressy satin or bejeweled pair to wear for events?

Mad for cat prints!

Confession: Sometimes my husband and I feel like the only people alive not obsessively in love with the show Mad Men. I just don't feel any nostalgia for the era... To me, those atomic ranch homes and lifestyle aren't something to feel nostalgic for. But then again, I appreciate city amentities like fast and reliable public transit or truly walkable neighborhoods.

Another confession: I do, however, have an inexplicable style-crush on Tom Ford's A Single Man.

Anyways, Banana Republic is capitalizing on the Mid-Century Modern uber-trend and has released a capsule collection in honor of AMC's Mad Men: The Women's Capsule Collection.

I am totally contemplating ordering this leopard print cardigan while the web store is offering 40% purchases made online this holiday weekend:

I think the leopard print cardigan would look fabulous with a black pencil skirt or with a grey tee and dark denim. It's also available in a grey print as well.

Living Color

Daniella MIDENGE photographed a beauty series featuring the latest colour popping make-up looks for GRAZIA. Booking by Michaela Henning.

I love the combination of the neon red and neon green.