What I Love Now! - September Jewelry Edition

As much as September usually is more of a time to feature sweaters and coats, given the sudden heatwave around the San Francisco area - I'm more inclined to think of other delights at the moment. Frankly, jewelry goes with almost any weather!


Handmade: Alex Monroe makes handmade jewelry that is just gorgeous. Their line, The Peacock and the Crow is just fantastic and captures the two birds exquisitely

Alex Monroe Crow Feather Ring, $180 (UK)

Alex Monroe Large Peacock Hoops, $225 (UK)

Couture: Dior's Incroyables and Merveilleuses rings are just insane, crazy, amazing and inspiring (also probably unaffordable for most of us). Unlike real flowers, these won't wilt when the cold fall winds come by.

Incroyables and Merveilleuses Libellule Ring

Incroyables and Merveilleuses Gracieuse Ring

Incroyables and Merveilleuses Cerise Ring

Links a la Mode: Are You a Follower of Fashion?

Are You a Follower of Fashion?

Edited by: Ann of Holier than Now
Last week marked the end of New York Fashion Week. Post-show, the editors, buyers and bloggers went to work to define and list the trends, hoping we'll follow along. But for many of us, the sheer shirts of Spring '11 were are about as realistic for our wardrobes as a meat dress. Instead, we looked outside of Lincoln Center at the street style of individuals, hoping to find the inspiration to zig when everyone else is zagging. This week's post celebrates the path less ... followed, with counterpoints on everything from current trends to blogger compensation and competition.

Links à la Mode: September 23

• Any Second Now: Dolly Bats & Clobber at Bona Drag
• A Pretty Penny: Newsprint Manicure
• Beauty and The Recession: They Put WHAT in Your Lipstick?
• Beautifully Invisible: The Meat Dress: Fashionable, Art or Just Controversial?
• Beyond Fabric: How To Pull Off A Bow Tie
• Cloud of Secrets: Wishing for a Spirit Style Guide
• Despising Life is So Passe: The Glories of Thigh Highs (and How to Make Them Work)
• Gretchen Blogs: When To Work For Free
• Holier than Now: Animal Print, Rainbow Hair, Layers - It Must Be Fall '10. Or Is It?? A Contest.
• Independent Fashion Bloggers: Evolving Influence Recap: Love & Links
• It's Symmetrical: A Shopping Revelation Inspired by an Anonymous Comment
• My Closet In Sketches: Unlikely Combinations for Fashion Inspiration
• Oranges and Apples: On Competition in the Blogosphere
• The Button Owl: On Liberation in the Age of Implants, Pornography and Pole Dancing
• The Chic Addict: A Pale Skin Girl in a Tan Obsessed World
• The Column of Samantha Tyler: A (Sarcastic) Look at Winter's Hot Trends
• The Daily Julie: fashionSpark: Fashion Design, North Carolina Style
• The Pursuers: A Love Letter to Legwear
• Tickle Me Chic: Labels that Lie: How Vanity Sizing has Become an Epidemic
• View from 5 ft. 2: New York Fashion Week Street Style - The Pictures You Haven't Seen
• Violet Revolution: Edgy and Stylish Fall Fashion

Review: Leifsdottir Rose Print Silk Blouse

Leifsdottir Rose Print Silk Blouse, $149 (orig $228)

This was a great blouse in pictures and looked so romantic and well so me! I found one at Nordstrom Rack. It was a bit large (a size 4), but I decided to try it on anyways. I have to admit that in person the blouse was less stunning. The silk is rather thin, especially given the original price point. For whatever reason, the floral pattern didn't pop on me. The one I tried on had many undone ties which created more confusion (what do you do with the tie under the arm anyways?) than romanticism. 

Verdict: I passed on this one, though having only a larger size to try own may have skewed the overall look for me.

Tip: After doing some more research back home, I realized that this is selling as the Silk Cotillion Blouse on the Leifsdottir website for only $89.95 in a lot more sizes.

Links a la Mode: Influences, Impressions, and Interpretations

Working the new season with fabulous new discoveries.
Influences, Impressions, and Interpretations of Fashion and what it all means

Edited by: Marie Denee of The Curvy Fashionista

It is without a doubt that fashion makes the world go round. Just last week, Fashion's Night Out helped revive the economy, fashion week's across the world bring together old friends, new friends, and those in between. Technology fused with fashion now offers inside perspectives- once only exclusively shared. Adding to this breath of fashion are those who blog.

This week's roundup offers a retrospect of fashion as New York Fashion Week comes to a close, designers have teased us with what's to come, and the world comes back to life- the fashion blogger's mind only now begins to race with influences, impressions, and interpretations of Fall Fashion and what it all means...

• Amanda Brohman: How the nerds(and their style) conquered the fashion world:
• Amanda Lee Dot Org: How to Make High Heels Bearable
• Denim Debutante: Wearing White AFTER Labor Day
• Dirty Hems: Fashion is a Tramp: the cyclical nature of cultural appropriation in fashion, particularly pertaining to the homeless & "hobo-chic"
• Dramatis Personae: Fall Fantasy Lookbook- the bits and pieces I'm coveting for Fall '10
• Fashioncents: 3 guidelines for wearing or not wearing socks with shoes. It's time we all got on the right foot with this one.
• For Those About to Shop: So much invaluable information at the IFB conference. I decided to take Gala's advice and write my first "how to":
• Grechen Blogs: how to make your fashion blog more user-friendly
• Houndstooth and Tortoiseshell: So, how do you make it in the fashion industry: Real life advice on how to break into the fashion biz from a successful runway producer.
• Interrobangs Anonymous: Gender roles in fashion blogging:
• Mimosas in Bed: The big apple gets evolved
• Pretty Shiny Sparkly: The Thrift Virgin - One girl's deflowering when it comes to thrift shopping fashion.
• Previously Owned: Exclusivity vs. availability: New media taking over?
• SLSVGG Fashion: The best bits of London's Fashion Night Out
• Style Eyes Fashion: Join the evolution for a new fashion democracy - do you get fed up with being told what you 'must have for the season ahead' here's how to end the dictatorship and have your say.
• Style Spotting: Fashion's Night Out in LA with celeb stylist Taylor Jacobson and her collaboration with Kasil denim. Loved her hot rocker chic!
• The Curvy Fashionista: My Fall 2010 Luxe(wish)list- aka my birthday wishlist
• The Lingerie Addict: Should You Buy Your Lingerie Online or In Stores? A brief guide to knowing the best place to buy your most intimate fashions.
• The Little Curly Girl: The camel coat is one of the most talked about pieces for Fall 2010. Will you be wearing one this season?
• Your Saving Style: A Thought About Real Women

Leather Shorts, Oh My!

Of all trends, it seems that leather shorts (yes real leather gals, not pleather!) have started popping up all over the place. While I welcome the idea of dressy shorts, and they are a great way for gals to show off their legs without being too ostentatious about it, I have to wonder about the practicality of wearing these.

The don't seem like a good choice on a hot day when you traditionally wear shorts, but they wouldn't be warm enough for a cold day either. Overall though, they do seem more chic when paired with black semi-opaque tights. Below are some examples:

The Row Lesley Leather Shorts, $1,100
The ever so chic Row has them in this season's camel colour.

Free People Shakuhachi Leather Shorts, $398
A more rugged version is made by Free People. Fashionable carpenters and plumbers rejoice?

Urban Outfitters t.b.a. Harriet Short, $168
For the truly brave at heart girl, UO carries a version in metallic gold that makes you look ready to disco at any moment. Love the paperbag waist regardless of the crazy colour.

Trouvé Leather Shorts, $198
Nordstrom carries a more understated version in black - perhaps a way to replace one's black leather miniskirt?

Readers, what do you think? Are leather shorts just a 15 second fad or this season's greatest investment piece?

Anthro Secret Sale Cardigans

Anthropologie has just re-released a couple of sale items now accessible if you had it on our wishlist. (See Roxy's post on the wishlist method for more details).

1. Bougainvillea Cardigan is now available again in XS at $69.95 (orig $128) - yep you thought it was sold out but apparently not!

2. Forsythia Sprig Cardigan is now available in XS at $19.95 (orig $98) - this one was a big surprise because I think it was released quite a long time ago

Check your wishlists, ladies! Have you seen any other items pop up as now available on your wishlists? If so please share in the comments!

Kate Spade Twirl Free Music Playlist

As part of it's Twirl perfume launch, Kate Spade is giving away free music. I downloaded it myself and it appears to be a 30 minute file of its own, rather than individual songs. However, it's a pretty nice selection and appropriate for the Kate Spade brand. Think more along the lines of pop/jazz, not rock n roll.

Links a la Mode: Working the new season with fabulous new discoveries

Working the new season with fabulous new discoveries.

Edited by: Florrie Clarke of Intrinsically Florrie

I've  been overwhelmed by the quality of the submissions and I hope you'll  enjoy reading these as much as I have. This week the issue of workwear is tackled whether as a fashion blogger you're heading to Fashion Week  or you're not sure how to translate your everyday style to the office.  The latter is a dilemma I'm often confronted with when dressing for  work. Through the links I have also gleefully discovered some wonderful  designers to dreamily sigh over the work of; these garments would most  definitely fit into my wardrobe perfectly, be it in the smart section or  the purely frivolous one.

• A La ModestReintroducing the morality within green ethical fashion
• Bachman's Sparrow What better way to greet the new season than a beautiful, one-of-a-kind statement necklace?
• Beyond FabricEnhancing your image: posture and body image.
• Boheme NoirTen ways to style the classic Chanel jacket young & fabulous.
• Fabulous Finds Girl Ann Wiberg creates future vintage by recycling materials with Trash-Couture.
• Fashezine Inspired by the sensuality of Joan, the determination of Peggy, and Betty Draper's elegance, a girl goes mad for Mad Men.
• Fashion Limbo Brand Love or I Want What She's Wearing - How brands fail to get me and what/who truly inspire me
• Grit and Glamour Staying true to you when dressing for dress code.
• Hello beauty! Review and makeup lesson video with the NARS Fall 2010 Collection with NARS National Makeup Stylist Janice Daoud
• Intrinsically Florrie Exploring the historic city of Bath in style.
• Manda Bear Fall Outwear Finds, Beauty Goodies and other Treasures.
• Mis Papelicos A first Ebay buy and what to look for when shopping online.
• Oranges and Apples A vintage wedding dress on a budget, plus some ideas for styling it.
• Poetic and Chic In which I spot the most beautiful pair of Louboutins and get inspired.
• Pull your socks up! What do you do with an inherited, precious and much-coveted family heirloom?
• Retro Chick Retro Style for Autumn: Lena Hoschek Autumn Winter 2010
• Seven Deadly Cyns Death by Cosmetics- the dangers of harmful ingredients in our beauty products and what you should look out for.
  
• The Coveted What to Wear to NYFW
• The New Professional How high is too high for heels in the office?
• Wit & Whimsy Designer on the Rise: Whitney Pozgay

Review: Boucle de Souffle Jacket

Elevenses Boucle De Souffle Jacket, $128

style #18997494

I thought this jacket was going to be amazing in person - but hardly! It was a great disappointment. I tried on the 0 but it fit very large on me.

Verdict: Not for petites! Wondering if Anthro is sizing up it's clothes because I seem to be having the issue of things fitting too large recently.

Review: Edme & Esyllte 1952 Skirt

Edme and Esyllte 1952 Skirt, $138

style #18883264

I've been coveting this skirt for several weeks and took the plunge to buy (at full price eek!). The skirt itself is made of a sheer stiffer silk, more like an organza than a chiffon, that flares nicely. The waist is trimmed in cotton. Really great if you want that Dior New Look feel with a small waist and flared skirt. At 5 ft 1, it hits me under my knees.

Verdict: I've not been terribly impressed with a lot of the early fall releases, but this one I had to snap up. 

Links a la Mode: The End of Summer? No! The Beginning of Awesome!

The End of Summer? No! The Beginning of Awesome!

Edited by: Thom of The Sunday Best

For the past week I've been listening to Cee-Lo Green's fantastic send-off, F@#* You, and little else. At the same time I've been reading a lot of the hand-wringing in the press about bloggers and whatever are we going to do about them, along with our responses both here and on our blogs. And the two have combined in my head to form a single determination - bloggers need more swagger. I don't mean anger, of the you-don't-respect-us variety, or apologetics, of the we-are-as-legitimate-as-other-media variety. I mean swagger, the kind of swagger that comes from doing something well and knowing you're good at it. So whatever other themes might knit together this week's links, they all share that important characteristic - swagger. Step up to the plate, knock it out of the park.
Join us at IFB’s Evolving Influence Fashion Blogger Conference @ NYFW

Links à la Mode: September 2nd

• A la Modest - The Mystery and the Magnificent Monki
• All Tumbled Down - Fancy Style File
• Any Second Now - My Fashionable Heritage
• A Pretty Penny - Fashion Fitness and Floggers
• Awakened Aesthetic - To Covet: Cold Comfort
• Beautifully Invisible - The Corset: The Sexiest of Sexy Shapewear
• Beyond Fabric - Size and Fit: Shirts
• Bright Lights, Big Style - Losing Style in Fashion
• Chic Steals - Long-awaited Interview Outfit
• Fashion Cents - When to Alter Your Clothing
• Independent Fashion Bloggers: How Blogging Changed My Life
• My Closet in Sketches - Outfit Sketch
• Oranges and Apples - Thinking About Aging
• Ramblings With Rin - Before Meets After
• The Coveted - Design Your Own Shoes With Jeff Silverman
• The Demoiselles - Millenials: We Are the Revolution
• The Fashionista Lab - The Emmys: Red Carpet Recap
• The Lingerie Addict - Is Expensive Lingerie Worth the Cost?
• The Pursuers - Cheer Up, Margot
• The Sunday Best - Let Them Eat Bread
• What She Should Have Worn - Copy Cats

Wanted: Wearhouse UK Clothing

I found out about Wearhouse one day when I asked a Brit gal about her chic, well-made tops. It's a UK brand with a focus on in-house design for fashion forward females who appreciate design and quality. Luckily they also ship to the US - though I have yet to take a personal plunge on ordering something.

Below are some of their Fall trend releases:

My own favorites from the site are:

1. Roleau Yoke Tunic, $89 - Love the black scrollwork on white!
2. 70s Cape Sleeve Blouse, $72 - Lovely blouse in a blush silk, very understated but unique.
3. Ruched One Shoulder Dress, $97 - Great cocktail dress and the ruching adds so much more interest.

4. Elfin Bow Shift Dress, $89 Aren't the bows along the shoulder cute? Yet still sophisticated.