Sid is Vicious

If I was a boy, I’d only shop at Sid Mashburn. Why, it’s even heaven for a fashion-obsessed girl like me – hmm, come to think of it, why didn’t I buy myself a great men’s shirt to wear with my favorite jeans? Tailors in the window with their little (er, I mean manly) sewing machines, an amazing horse painting over the check-out, ping pong and cocktails while you shop - what’s not to love? Plus, the guys that work there rock the clothes and will inspire you to try something a little different.

Word of the Month: Sartorial

adjective 1. of or pertaining to tailors or their trade: sartorial workmanship.
2. of or pertaining to clothing or style or manner of dress: sartorial splendor.

Also as in The Sartorialist - fashion project and blog extraordinaire by photographer and man-about-town Scott Schuman, where I draw so much fashion inspiration on a daily basis. Get his new book and take a look each morning before you get dressed - it will make you a better, more creative person.

Rica Suave

Some people are triply blessed with brains, beauty and talent. Such is the case for my friend and world-traveler Zach McDuffie. While I’m never lucky enough to see him in person because he lives in Costa Rica, I can live vicariously through his amazing photography of the exotic locales he visits – and you can too.

Next Up?

My fashion radar is going off again. Here are a few predictions for what’s next:
White tights – cute in a schoolgirl sort of way, but made more interesting and sophisticated by pairing them with structured dresses, black poufy skirts and chunky ankle boots.

Velvet – I tried on a fantastic, draped DVF dress in ultra-soft velvet that I am still dying over (OK, I just bought it). Baroque color combos and creative shapes are a must to keep the look from getting too precious or Juicy-sweatsuit-esque (yuck).

Braids – Follow the lead of California’s surfer girls and put a single mini braid on each side of your center part before pulling up in a pony, or two big side braids or one big braid down the back – long hair is a must to work this look, so start growing out now.

Wild Thing

SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS!

Crosstown Expressway

There's a new "It" bag in town and it's the Crossbody (or Messenger) bag. In-the-know readers, get one now before a mass proliferation later this fall. The ultimate for me is the Derek Lam Davina, though it's already sold out so I can't get one! I'm on the hunt for another version in super-soft suede. Here are a few others that fit the bill:

Hermes Victoria II Tote
Be & D Garbo
Fendi Peekaboo Roll
Botkier Taylor

Get It!: Fall Shopping (Affordable Edition)

The gauntlet has been laid. The challenge put forth. The mission: create the ultimate fall shopping list – but this time, on a budget. OK, I’m up to the challenge (Claire!) and to make it all the more difficult, I tracked down each item from my original list and tried to keep it under $100 (OK, there are a few splurges at just under $150). You better recognize. This was really, stupidly hard.

Shoes:
- Chunky black high-heeled boots (Aldo - $150)
- Studded platforms - (Aldo - $125)
- Tan or caramel flat boots, preferably a bit worn-in (Kenneth Cole - $70)

Tops:
- White boyfriend v-neck or drape-neck tee (JC Penney - $17.99)
- Grey wrap sweater (Uniqlo - $39.50)
- Tan blazer (Martin & Osa - $89.95)
- Fur vest (I've been wanting this for two years!) (Zara - $99)
- Leopard print coat (MICHAEL Michael Kors - $149)
- Red patterned blouse (Marc by Marc Jacobs - $74.24)
- Loose black tank top (Topshop - $24)

Bottoms/dresses:
- Black bandage skirt (Topshop - $50)
- White skirt – must be worn with black tights (disclaimer, this is not as poufy as I’d like but it’s still cute) (ADAM - $89.99)
- Skinny, dark jeans (Gap – $69.50)
- Baggy, capri cotton pants (Lulu’s - $34)

Accessories:
- The perfect black tights or patterned black tights (Wolford - $52)
- Gold disk earrings (Kenneth Jay Lane - $24)
- Black bag (Monserat de lucca - $107.25 with “luckybreaks12” coupon code)

Here’s what I’ve learned. Aldo has some darn good designers on staff -- who knows if their shoes are comfortable, or how long they’ll last, but they’re cute. You can’t skimp on a good pair of black tights. White poufy skirts and disk earrings are very hard to find. Zara rocks. I love expensive handbags.