A Denim Date with ELLE and Lucky Brand

One look at my Looks to Emulate board on Pinterest, and it’s clear – denim is my go-to wardrobe staple. With the exception of the steamiest summer days, it’s rare that I want to wear much else. So, when Lucky Brand and ELLE invited me to an Exclusive Denim Fitting Party at the brand’s New York showroom, I cancelled all other plans in the books and headed straight into Midtown.

There, I mixed and mingled with fellow bloggers including Wendy of Nitro:licious and Karen of Where Did U Get That? and best of all, the Lucky Brand Design team, including Creative Director Nico Peyrache (below, with moi!) Nico met with each of us individually to help us find the perfect fit in Lucky Brand, and of course, to chat denim needs and desires.

As previously discussed, I’m committed to this all-American fabric (actually – that’s a lie, denim is from de Nîmes, France… #themoreyouknow), so I’ve got a closet full of dark denim and full color silhouettes that range from skinny to flare. BUT, what I don’t have is an amazing boyfriend jean, and that’s where Lucky Brand truly delivered, with the Sienna Cigarette.

Made of the softest denim imaginable, the Sienna Cigarette walks the line between easy Sunday denim, and dressed-up, date night denim. They’re truly the only flattering “boyfriend” style I’ve ever put on my body. I plan to wear cuffed with everything from my Isabel Marant wedges to my studded Christian Louboutins – after all, with denim like this, it’s all about embracing the contrast.

Explore the denim democracy that is Lucky Brand (they’ve got styles for all body types) online at LuckyBrand.com.

While all opinions expressed are my own, this post was produced in collaboration with Lucky Brand, ELLE and Style Coalition.

Holiday, To Give and To Receive: Net-a-Porter's Ultimate Shoe Subscription

Forget Shoedazzle. This holiday season, (online purveyor of all things beautiful) Net-a-Porter has introduced the ULTIMATE gift for any shoe-obsessed woman, dubbed (appropriately enough) The Ultimate Shoe Subscription.

Delivered once per month will be an exquisite pair of designer shoes of the gift recipient's choosing -think Christian Louboutin, Lanvin, Marc Jacobs and Alexander McQueen, among countless other choices - as well as 1-on-1 styling advice from the NAP team of fashion advisors, the chance to pre-reserve your fave styles, and express shipping (undoubtedly in Net-a-Porter's FLAWLESS gift packaging.)

You know that my perception is skewed when I say that the The Ultimate Shoe Subscription is a bargain at any price, though THE price is $10,000.  If you'd like to send a not-so-discreet hint to someone this holiday season, learn more here!

Object of My Obsession: Christian Louboutin Mad Marta

Since I like to consider myself a forward-thinking woman of the world, it's no stretch to say that I'm already planning my Resort and Spring '11 acquistions. After all, large expenditures should take place only after some planning, yes? Near the top of my list for spring is a nude shoe, the higher the better. Enter the Mad Marta, courtesy of Christian Louboutin.

All practicality aside, and make no mistakes about it, wearing these shoes will require you to PUT ASIDE ALL PRACTICALITY, the Mad Marta is smoking hot, all butter-soft suede and kinky mesh, with a heel that hovers near six inches (including a platform, blessedly.)

This shoe simultaneously says two things: "Fuck me" and "Fuck you."  What could be better?

There's a wait list for these babies - get on it here, and then brace your wallet for the inevitable $1,295 dent.

My New Unit of Measure: Christian Louboutin Pigalle Point-Toe Flats

Photo (yes, that's really me!) courtesy of Today in Shoes.

I've been thinking a lot lately about how your barometer of what's "expensive" changes the longer you work in fashion. When I was a student at FIT, spending $150 on shoes was a fortune.  However, as anyone who knows me can attest, it's been a steep downward spiral since...and one ridden with Loeffler Randall and Miu Miu.

My most recent footwear acquisition takes the cake, however. The Christian Louboutin Pigalle Point-Toe Flats, seen above, rang in at $995 prior to tax, making them officially the most expensive pair of shoes I've ever purchased.

And while I LOVE them (who wouldn't, in all of their spiky, "I could commit murder in the first at any moment" glory?), I can't help but think that I need to now use these flats as a unit of measure. For example, I could have purchased a Hermès Birkin for 10 pairs of Pigalles. A new Jaguar XK for about 80 pairs of Pigalles. Or perhaps a nice one bedroom on the Upper West Side for about 500 pairs of Pigalles.

How do you justify your priciest purchases? Help a sister out and do share your secrets in the comments!

Snag This: Anemone Barbie by Christian Louboutin

Barbie and Christian Louboutin have paired up yet again this season, this time with the intention of strutting down the red carpet in style at the Cannes Film Festival. In a gorgeous green gown with a bold purple bow (designed by Louboutin’s personal Parisian bow maker) and pansy violet shoes, Barbie's ready for paparazzi flashes (and a place of honor on my vanity!)

To snag your own collectable Anemone Barbie ($150), visit www.net-a-porter.com.

Barbie Gets All Doll'd Up by Christian Louboutin (Again!)

Barbie's fashion pace is relentless - I can barely keep up! -  and thanks to haute accessories designer Christian Louboutin, she's just received a second head-to-toe Parisian makeover.  Dressed in a khaki, safari-inspired dress and over the knee, hot pink fringed boots, Barbie is ready to Spring into style this season.

You may remember that Barbie revealed her first outfit in the Christian Louboutin collection last November, the sexy, leather bodysuit-wearing Cat Burglar (which holds a place of honor in my office, I must admit!) Her new look represents a different facet of the Christian Louboutin woman and the designer's style philosophy.  As an added fashion bonus, she comes with a wardrobe of three alternate pairs of shoes, complete with mini Christian Louboutin boxes and signature red felt bags.

This is the ultimate collectible for Barbie fans and shoe addicts alike. To snag your own, visit Net-A-Porter on Wednesday, March 3!

FTC Disclosure: Barbie is a client.

 

2010: Style Resolutions

Perhaps the one exception to style resolution # 1? $725.00 by Christian Louboutin at Bergdorf Goodman

2010 is just a day or so away now, so it's time for me to resolve to be a better woman. Incorporated in the mix of "eat more greens" and "be nicer" are a certainly a few style-related resolutions, namely:

1: Buy only things that I legitimately NEED or unequivocally LOVE. This means that I also need to reduce the dupes in my wardrobe...i.e. how many pairs of glitter shoes does a woman need? How many cardigans? I don't want to know the answer to these questions. Never mind.

2: Weed out things in my wardrobe that aren't "me", don't fit well or aren't flattering - and do my best to make a little cash back; try eBay, bring them to consignment shop or exchange them for credit or cash at Beacon's Closet.

3: Get a firmer grip on what feels professional and authoritative but still appropriate for my job - which is casual and creative.

I'm curious, do you have any style resolutions for 2010? Share in the comments!

Aerosoles, End My Pain!!

As a longtime fashion whore, I'm accustomed to pain. I'll crawl to the ends of the earth...or you know, down Broadway, wearing Christian Louboutin Helmuts (4 inches!) or Marc Jacobs ballet flats that are just a tad too small. But even I have hit a breaking point.

This season, I've decided to find shoes that offer height and style without the side of agony.

Enter the Thready Bear (oy, your guess is as good as mine...) by Aerosoles. Metallic bronze or natural (not pictured) are calling my name...loudly.

Complete with a 3" wedge heel and a fully flexible sole, I plan on pounding the pavement in style this summer.

 

($69, www.aerosoles.com)