Halloween Fashion

Halloween might just be my favorite fashion holiday of the year.  "Fashion holiday?" you may ask.  Yes, Fashion holiday.  Compared to Spring and Fall runway weeks, and the mullings over of various outfits to wear to new year's celebrations, birthdays, and holidays, Halloween by far takes the cake of the best fashion holiday EVER.  This year, however, I'm cutting it close.  Real Close.
Last year, I worked for weeks on the beloved, and amazing Mr. Peanut Costume:

This year, I'm contemplating two equally as perfect tea-party themed costumes.  One political, and one that is perfectly timeless.  Sigh... the CHOICES!!!  For awhile I had planned on going as Christine O'Donnell a.k.a. "not-a-witch."  I decided that it wasn't "global" enough for people to get, and believe-you-me after the Mary-Kate Olsen/Derelicte debacle of 2008, I vowed never to go down that path again.  So, that's really the purpose of this post, to talk about how I am struggling between two halloween costumes and how I only have 4 days left to make the one I choose (I should note now, that as of a young age, I have been raised that Emersons make our costumes.  This is evidenced by the handmade duck, Miss Piggy, Kermit, Princess riding a horse, "live" Painting, and artist costumes my sisters and I have worn over the years).  Regardless of which I choose, I cannot wait to spend it with dear friends in Austin!  What are you wearing this year?

Swooning for Accessories

In my fashion blog posts, I focus mainly on clothing and shoes.  But today, in this post, I focus on accessories... Not just any accessories:  today the accessories will be amazingly elegant and quite extravagant accessories.  And, accessories that no one really needs.  But, isn't that what makes them so spectacularly amazing?  I can accept that I will never own some of these- but, oh how easy it is to swoon:

Jean Schlumberger 'Bird on a Rock' Aquamarine brooch: $79,000 at Tiffany & Co.

Nancy Gonzalez Crocodile iPhone Case: $325 at Net-A-Porter

Lanvin Tassell keyfob: $275 at Net-A-Porter

Smythson Deluxe Leather Jewelry Box: $3210 at Net-A-Porter

Louis Vuitton (Obvi) Cover Bloc A4: $655 at Louis Vuitton

Crane Scales of Justice Correspondence Cards: $34 at Crane

Tiffany & Co. Business Card Holder in Sterling: $295 at Tiffany

Fashion Sunday.

To me, fall is, and always will be, about tradition.  It's the season where the color palette never changes from red, orange, and gold.  It's the season of homecomings and holidays and football.  It's the season of warmth and of magic.  And, I'm getting a bit too nostalgic.  I'm not sure whether it was the arrival of the Brooks Brothers catalog or my new glasses, or the ever-so-slight change in weather, but my mind has been dancing with thoughts of fall fashion classics...

like my new Wayfarer glasses (I'm incredibly in love with them and they make the scary of my missing corneal cells disappear with their coolness)

Mulberry Bayswater Tote in Oak Natural Leather: $950 at Mulberry

Movado 'Museum Classic' Black Leather Strap Watch

Willliams-Sonoma Home, Red and Ivory Plaid Cashmere Throw: $298 at Williams-Sonoma Home

Burberry Checked Wool-Crepe Shirt Dress: $425 at Net-A-Porter

Burberry Cotton-Twill Trench Coat: $1395 at Net-A-Porter

Many other, beautiful Trench Coats at the Burberry Website

The Frye Company's Jane Stitch Boot, a slightly different take on the legendary Campus Boot:

$298 at The Frye Company Website

And, of course, all the above things are even sweeter (er, nicer) with a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte.  Who do I need to call to get this a year-round drink?  No, seriously, I always want one of these when they are not "in season"

Canton, TX

For many of us who grew up in the Dallas area, Canton, TX was a place where our mothers often escaped on the weekends for the "world-famous" First Monday Trade Days.  For me, Canton, TX was a place where the whole family went.  I remember trips that were unbearably hot.  I remember begging for a sausage-on-a-stick (one of the many culinary delights available at the trade days).  And I remember the feeling that days at Canton would never end (It is undeniably the Smithsonian of trade days/flea markets).  "Canton" is a gigantic conglomeration of people selling antiques, crafts, and junk.  This past weekend, the roommates and I headed east on a beautiful Texas morning to find treasures.  It turned out to be a bit warmer than we thought and extremely more crowded.  Canton is truly an overwhelming undertaking, but afforded some good times and great finds.  Here's some pics from the day:

(we ended up getting the office chair on the far right- truly amazing)

baubles and beads and bags

awesome light hangings

"junk"

I should have bought that sign...

Fashion Sunday: Shoes

Only 5 more weeks until bar results.  Yikes.  But, instead of dwelling upon November 5th and the significance of that date, I will think about shoes.  Shoes have never steered me wrong (ha).  In fact, shoes have brought great happiness in times of testing anxieties (see my May posts).  Today the focus is on shoes fit for my intern schedule, i.e. shoes that can go from days of standing to days of sitting and from days of driving downtown to days commuting on the train (with much walking involved).  Additionally, the shoes have to be black (or in the black family).  So with all those qualities in mind, I peruse the interweb:

Christian Louboutin Simple 70 Leather Pumps: $595

If only my intern salary (ha!) allowed for these.  This may very well be my first purchase after getting a job.  Swoon.

Same goes for these, below:

Jimmy Choo Gilbert Leather Pumps: $495

YES! these are women's shoes.  I'm loving the patent oxford look.  These are by Church's;

Patent Burwood brogues: $425

Cole Haan Air Swan Oxford Pump, found here: $225

Nine West Roothy Black Patent Oxford Pumps, found here: $79

Coach Adra Heel $168

I usually swoon for Coach heels, but these are the only ones I would contemplate buying from their current line.  Shame- they fit so well.

Tory Burch 'Amy' Pump in black: $250

Salvatore Ferragamo Femy Low Heels: $524

...and, a shoe to truly dream about and save one's pennies for:

Manolo Blahnik Patent Leather Mary Janes: $645

for real Swoon.

Happy 50th Anniversary!

Happy 50th Anniversary to my Grandparents!

"That we arrived at fifty years together is due as much to luck as to love, and a talent for knowing, when we stumble, where to fall, and how to get up again."
- Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis, Ossie and Ruby, In This life Together