Tsk!  Tsk!  What a bad blogger I am!  I will not provide excuses… Even though I have some good ones… and will instead cut to the chase and chat about my favorite subject – CLOTHES! 

If  following the fashion trends isn’t your “thing” you may not realize that fur is a big-time must have this season.  Never fear though, you don’t have to worry about spending $1000’s on the real McCoy – faux pieces are wonderful alternatives and when choosen with a discriminating eye look quite good and add just the right oomph to your fall skinnies or black legging staples.

There are BAD faux fur pieces out there though – in fact, stylist to the stars Rachel Zoe designed her own line for QVC which in one word can be described as “awful”.  Rachel is known for her love of fur – if you watch her show, you’ll see her swinging around the studio of fashion great J. Mendel in some fab-o coat or jacket that she just “dies” over.  However her line does not reflect the fine craftmanship nor the stylish structure of any new or vintage fuzzie she dons on the show.

So where can you find a more natural looking fur vest that won’t leave you in the poor house?!  Hop on over to Summit Mall or the nearest Express to you!  This brown zip up is super cute and will be cozy too and costs a mere $98.00.  Wear your’s with a black cashmere turtleneck, leggings, and to-the-knee equestrian boots or try with a boho paisley dress and thick brown tights.  Need some extra warmth  and a stylish new layer to your favorite coat?  Don the vest

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3034061?cm_cat=datafeed&cm_pla=outerwear:women:vest&cm_ite=damselle_faux_lynx_fur_vest:264289&cm_ven=Linkshare&siteId=J84DHJLQkR4-RdE8tXH5Hfa_EFAnfrTmFQ

I read recently, that a stylish gal opted to wear the same dress for ONE full year but switched things up a bit by layering jackets, sweaters, turtlenecks, belts, and other accessories to change the look up COMPLETELY!  I must say, after viewing her “diary” of looks it was hard to recognize her LBD as the same in most of the pics!  While I am certainly not insinuating to wear the same exact dress every single day, I do want to share some different ways of styling up a basic so that you can get extra mileage out of it during the work week when that dreaded “I have nothing to wear” hits you square in the face.

I have selected a very plain but full of style black tunic dress that would work on just about every body type but can be changed up easily with the swapping of a flat to a heel and a slouchy sweater to a fuzzy faux fur vest.  All items featured can be found at www.revolveclothing.com

Going on a date?  Chillin’ with some friends and hitting up a movie and a cup of joe, or maybe heading to an end of the season summer picnic?  Perhaps this weekend is a good time to don the white pants for the last go ’round or maybe you want to pull out a brand new “fall” piece and debut it for all to admire.  Whatever the case the following are some ideas in case you need some!  Enjoy the holiday weekend!

So how, to wear the gems above?  And more importantly, where can you buy these pieces?  Look #1 is a sweet pink romper($35) paired with a wide strappy belt ($13) and finished with some fabulous metallic gold pumps with girly ruffs ($128).  You can find all these pieces on lulus.com.  Log on now and ask for over night delivery!

Look #2 features the season’s hottest denim trend – ripped and torn.  I found these skinnies on forever21.com ($29) and finished the look with this sexy-sweet black ruffled halter from Bebe ($79).  Be sure to go mile high and don some sweet stillettos to seal the deal.  I love the dose of leopard on the platform that adds a little extra interest and spice.  Find the shoe on bebe.com for $149.

The final look is all about sequins – again a fall must-have.  Be not afraid to sparkle this season and don shorts, tops, or jackets in the shiny stuff.  I totally dig this Chanel-inspired jacket ($385) found on intermixonline.com and would do it up right with the chiffon bow waistband shorts ($245).  Keep the top beneath simple simon and don a simple white tee or tank – OR try something with a funky graphic.  Skip ruffles or any other embellishment.  The focus is on the jacket here.  Punctuate the look with a colorful bootie that changes up the black and white palette.  Who can resist these aubergine cuties with fuschia trim ($38)?! Get ‘em now on asos.com.

OH – and the floating bow bag?!  Why that’s to go with everything!  I love the boxy shape and the neutral toned bow – Absolutely gorge and will go with anything anytime of year – asos.com – $282.

Who is Taylor Jacobson?  Why she’s the tough as nails, nay sayin’, style-saavy gal who is an integral addition to the cast on “The Rachel Zoe Project” on Bravo  TV.  Yes, “Tay” could use a bang trim, however her eclectic mix of vintage prints and woodcutter plaids  mixed with toughened up leather has me head over heels!  “Tay” has a knack for choosing the perfect shoe to complete a red carpet look and dare I say, looks better in skin tight leggings and drapy blouson tops than her emaciated boss, Rachel who basically gets swallowed up by whatever outfit she thows on over her bones… Hmmph!

So what have I dug on Taylor after the first two episodes?  Well, I can hardly ignore the FABULOSITY of the leopard Dior sheath she poured herself into on episode 2 -  LOVE!  The spunk and spice of the animal print paired with Taylor’s smokey eyes and tousled tresses was perfection and was the perfect outfit to don for a fash bash at Marquee in NYC! While this grrr-eat printed frock featured right isn’t Dior nor is it a sheath – it IS a fabulous way to incorporate animal into your reportoire.  You can find this pretty piece by Diane Von Furstenberg at Dianiboutique.com.  Wear this wrap in the fall with black leggings and over-the-knee boots or booties.

leather leggings

STYLE TIP:  It’s ok to spend a little more on an “investment” piece – in other words something that you will cherish and wear a lot during the season and that will be a closet staple for years to come… Do leather leggings fit that description for you?!  If not skip ‘em and instead spend more on some fabulous over-the-knee boots – another BIG time trend this fall that will mimick the look above nicely.

July 4th is the official picnic day of the year!  Everyone gathers together throws “stuff” on the grill and overall enjoy each other for the afternoon.  But what to wear?  Skip the stilettos to avoid sinking into the grass and instead try a fashionable wedge for height.  If you can forgo the heels for a day stick with flats – either ballet round toes or a slip on sandal.  The following are some ensembles that are sure to steal the show when you show up to your outdoor soiree.

The safari dress featured to the far left is found at Forever21.com and comes in at $28.00 while the strappy wedge sandal can be purchased at revolveclothing.com by Report Signature for $83.00.  Accessorize your jungle-y look with nature inspired colors and materials like feather earrings ($3.80 – forever21.com) and a sweet leather cuff bracelet found at lulus.com.

I also love shorts for a summer event.  When I found these ABSOLUTELY adorable ruffled be-boppers I almost fainted!  Who could resist the pseudo skirt look that is both dressed up and casual since done in a rough and tough chambray.  Pair your favorite new “skorts” with a white top that gets extra attention with an oversized bow and playful buttons, hoop earrings with bows and a playful flat shoe printed with girly flowers and secured around the ankle with a skinny strap. 

Where to shop this look?  Lulus.com:

Top: $35.00

Skort: $32.00

Earrings: $10.00

Shoes: $42.00

The Phillip Lim 3.1 spring summer 2009 collection certainly didn’t disappoint.  One of the stand-out and signature features of the collection was Lim’s use of the zipper as an artsy embellishment.  Zippers were formed into cascading waterfalls against classic silhouettes and the shoes that stomped the runway mimicked the pretty and girly vibe from start to finish.  Mimic the Lim look for less with a few of the key items shown below…

The metallic t-straps shown left are a fabulous Lim look alike and would not only be fabulous with a Lim-like frock but also as an eye catching punctuation with everyday denim, professional pencil skirt, or fun easy-going jumpsuit.  Log onto www.asos.com to purchase.

The purple ruffled T-straps featured right are not only a fun hue, but the added height provided by the platform will provide uberlong legs and a sleek overall effect.  Try a pair of colorful kicks with an all-white ensemble or all-black.  Buy these on www.topshop.com for $190.00.

 To replicate the zippy frock, log back on to asos.com where this  pretty black number that gets a boost of style with the mesh top and ruffled peplum skirt.  Pair this dress with  the gold ruffled pumps above and finish your 80’s-inspired look with some gold shoulder dusting earrings.

I absolutely adore getting a bargain, or finding out the best places to bargain hunt, especially in these rough economic times when a fashionista like myself has morphed into a recessionista practically overnight.  In recent months I have (GASP) not really been in the malls, but unfortunately for my wallet, I have been fastidiously shopping online and have come across the website of websites for all you ladies out there who can’t live without your Loubs or your Dolce.  The site is called “The Outnet” and was founded by the wonderful people who are behind the brainchild (not to mention drool worthy) website net-a-porter.com, and features fabulously discounted merchandise at 60% to 80% off.  There is also a nifty aspect to the site that allows you to bid on certain items and essentially name your own price… This E-Bay’ish option isn’t available all the time though or on all items, but is still pretty sweet.  

What can you find on the site?!  Fabulous lables like Marchesa, Marc Jacobs, Tory Burch, Diane VonFurstenberg, Cavalli, Jimmy Choo, and of course all the important stuff like: handbags, sunglasses, dresses, outerwear, tops, shoes…. This fab-o dress shown here to the right is a Tory Burch find – orginally marked at $600 is now $238 – yes still not CHEAP, but who says it won’t be reduced more?!  AH, it’s simply amazing.  So, check this gem out for yourself .  You’re not going to be disappointed, however be warned, you will get hooked.  www.theoutnet.com.

Memorial Day officially kicks off “Picnic Season”.  There are graduation parties galore (typically outside), July 4th, and just plain BBQ get togethers to celebrate the sunny weather and an excuse to use the grill.  So, what to wear to one of these fetes when formal wear is a no-no, but you still want to look chic and not dessheveled?! 

Loose cottons are typically a good start, since the temps are higher and you don’t want to feel like your clothes are stuck to you.  Linen is another nice option, however it can look messy after sitting for a minute – but definitely breathable and summery looking.  And finally jersey knits – comfort is key with this stretchy material and I love it in a long flowy maxi dress or short halter-neck sundress to the knee. 

Remember to slather with suncreen for daytime and bring a pretty wrap to cozy yourself if your afternoon picnic turns into an all-nighter. Happy Picnic’ing… Don’t forget your sunglasses!

Shorts: Linen – Cheap Chic – the white pair are a mere $9.80!

White Tank: Jersey knit with chiffon ruffle – this top would be awesome with shorts, a skirt, or pants!

Yellow Dress: I love this little cotton bubble hem number and it’s a cheap chic option too – ONLY $19.80

Brown Maxi: Who could resist slipping into this jersey knit brown maxi!? Comfort to the max (easy on the wallet – $22.00) and would look super stylish with an oversized floppy straw hat, wooden accessories, and a wie belt to cinch the waist.

There aren’t too many things in this world that make a fat day disipate – however I have found that on a major water retention day I head for the nearest make-up counter where I am never too chunks-ville for a pretty new lip lacquer, shimmery shadow, or better yet a brand-spankin’ new nail color.  This season there’s lots to choose from… from chalky-white to aluminum-like silver and even in-you-face NEON you can be super stylish with a quick sweep of the polish brush. 

So, you want to skip the French Mani/Pedi and instead use the white polish all over – well then, my friends you are heading into fashion/make-up super stardom.  White is all the rage these days and looks best on skin tones that are blessed with a darker hue.  Fair skinned dolls may have trouble making this new trend look just right however with a tinge of a tan (like Scarlett) may be able to pull it off. Where to buy?  Head to your favorite pharmacy and try E.L.F’s for a mere $1.00

Hate white?  Try a glow in the dark neon in a cool shade like effulgent pink, orange, yellow, green, blue etc… Scared to try?  Don’t be.  THe best way to break yourself in is to do the tootsies first.  The best part?  These shades will shake it up no matter how pale or naturally dark skinned you are – Where to find the perfect 80’s-esque neon?  I think the BEST brand is China Glaze found at many Sally Beauty Supply stores, Essie also is featuring a neon line (shown here) but they aren’t as in-your-face).

Street fashion is my thing – and as my regular readers know, it’s one of my favorite things to feature on SJS postings.  Spring 2009 is a season of many neutrals from pants, tulip skirts, tanks, shoes – even make-up.  While some may shy away from the bland palette there are great ways to wear colors like this that look refreshing, current, chic, and enviable.  Who better than to show us all how to do it right?  Why this New York City hipster who obviously has the same fashion obsessions as many of us do (note the over-sized Louis tote – Love it)… What makes this lady’s ensemble so super cool?  It’s the accessories my friends – your basic bisques, khakis, and lattes will get an uber kick up with some shiny metallics or a dramatically darker shade to offset the similar colors that get lost together.  And finally, what else makes this get-up a little more interesting?  If you take a closer look you’ll see that this lassie layered her borderline filmy top over a triangle bikini top done in another seasonal must-have flower print.  The subtlety of the print adds just enough appeal while not being garish or inappropriate.  Who says swimsuits are only suited for the shore?! (Psst… I found a copy of this lassie’s Louis – Please note that a real LV will set you back far more than $78.00 – bust trust me no one will know the difference.)