The Slash bag from Boyy. We just got our sample and BOYY, is it fantastic!! Leather that feels like butter and so many amazing details — removable straps; gusseted, zipped bottom; zipper pocket on back; straps that can easily be worn on the shoulder or cross body. Honestly, I wanted to write Boyy and ask them if I could buy the sample, it’s that good. 

Well, we love this bag so very much and when we saw the cherry blossom girl’s homage to her red quilted Chanel bag…

…we just knew we were going to have to do our own homage to the Slash bag. Just love the idea of loving a bag so much that it becomes the piece you dress around. We’ll be shooting our little story in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for the results!

images from Jak & Jil via Steven Alan showroom and the cherry blossom girl

I’d like to thank Santa. Or more appropriately, my husband, Tracy. And also David, owner of beloved Chicago boutique, Hazel. Here’s what I got for Christmas…

I love jewelry. All kinds — silver, gold, vintage, costume, fine, big, small, necklaces, bracelets, rings. I think it might come from my father. He used to buy my mother jewelry for every occasion. It got to a point where she had to ask him to stop buying her jewelry because she couldn’t wear it all. My parents were married for 53 years, so she really wasn’t exaggerating — she amassed quite a bit over the years. Anyway, suffice it to say that I always check out the jewels when I am shopping. Recently, when I was in Hazel, David turned me on to yet another new designer: Saundra Messinger. Similar in sensibility to lines like Me & Ro, Saundra’s pieces are classic, yet modern; delicate, yet packed with style.

The matte, uneven finish and artfully-placed tiny diamonds provide just the right amount of shine.

And she gets a little chunkier, too. I’ll be hoping for even bigger pieces in the future!

Let’s face it, diamonds are a girl’s best friend…

Saundra Messinger jewelry is available at Hazel in Chicago or online at KatyBeh.com (all images taken from katybeh.com)

Hope you all had a great holiday !!  Hard to believe 2010 is almost upon us…and ahhhh, spring!  With spring, lots to look forward to in 2010….like the second of my two favorite trends for spring, the prints…ikat, tribal.  I’m usually one for solids and basics, but I really like the energy of this print fashion with it’s bright colors and strong shapes.   Wearable?  Sure!  Confident??  Yes!!  Here is designer Tina Kalivas who was on it since fall09.

images via July Stars and Tina Kalivas

Happy Holidays from our little family to yours.

XOXO,

Arlene and Brandon

It’s that time of year again, LAST CALL!! Arlene and I have been looking forward to this for months now. Since starting our own business (not to mention, being in the middle of a recession), we’ve really had to cut back on our spending and have been dreaming and dreaming of new designer shoes. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for a little bit of Christmas money and are going to high-tail it on over to Neiman’s to see what’s left in our size on the bargain basement rack. We don’t tempt ourselves by visiting NM before the final Last Call markdown ’cause we know we’ll just end up writing checks that our bank accounts can’t cash! We’ve spent the last couple of weeks poring over the FW09 shows on Style.com and we’ve got our eyes on a few goodies!

Chanel (Arlene’s a Chanel fanatic, so keep your fingers crossed for her!)

Also, she always manages to find the most irresistible flats, so I have a feeling she might stumble across this adorable little guy from Chloe…  

There was an awful lot of goodness from Chloe, so I’ll be happy if I can get my hands (or feet!) on anything from that collection. 

We’re both jonesing for this lug sole pump from Prada… 

   as well as this Miu Miu stunner…

I’ve been all about the Proenza pumps and booties since I first laid eyes on them…

       love anything Dries…  

and would happily add a pair of YSLs to my wardrobe…

Even if we don’t find any of the above, I’m sure that Arlene and I will leave Last Call with big smiles on our faces and big style on our feet! Happy sale shopping to all — may you get everything your little heart desires!!

all images via Style.com

Believe it or not, spring is here!  Well, not exactly, but you know what I mean!  One of my two favorite trends for S10 is Utilitarian Chic aka the neutrals.  The neutrals, khaki’s, linen… they always seem to make it on the trend list for spring, no??  This spring is the first I really took note and WANT!  I’d have to say, Ms Phoebe Philo at the helm of Celine had quite a bit to do with that….as well as Chloe and a new line for us, Rachel Comey, and my constant go-to Acne.

images via Style.com & Acne Studios

Admittedly, we talk about Judy Aldridge quite a bit, but we always talk about her style. Well, we do love Judy’s style, but we also really, really love her sense of humor. You get glimpses of her personality on Atlantis Home and Sea of Shoes, but for a giant dose of personality, humor, and style, we opt for Plastic Animal A Day. I love — so much — the way she takes the time to style and shoot a plastic animal a day. So darn kooky and clever — it just makes you love her even more. Here’s a little taste.

EDIT: Judy’s sister, Karen, is actually the current creative, clever and witty force behind Plastic Animal a Day. Thanks for keeping us in stitches, Karen!

Best wishes on Inauguration day…

a little plastic animal Thanksgiving feast…

Love this little eel swimming in the “sea”…

And my personal favorite series…

"This hyena looks like he'd run through the village with a baby in his mouth. And if his mouth were open, I've got a little plastic baby that I'd put in there."

"Look at him, wait, I think his mouth is open."

"There, got the baby in the mouth."

 It’s clear that she loves her little animal family…

has a blast playing with her toys…

and has a keen eye for style and a delightful, slightly twisted sense of humor…

Judy Aldridge: style maven. She knows that even comedy can benefit from a little style!

How about some great style to start off the new week?  This is the stylist of all stylists, Ms Catherine Baba.  After Tommy Ton’s stalking post of Catherine, I virtually stalked her myself.  I love a woman who can really own her style.

images lovingly borrowed from Jak & Jil

This weather is totally throwing Brandon and I for a loop!  We’ve had such mild unseasonal weather that now we’re both unprepared for the snow and the real weather…winter!  I think we thought this fabulous-above-freezing-temp was it till spring??  Well, 40 degrees down to 6 degrees and snow, quickly brought us back to reality.   So I spent a good portion of my day surfing like a mad woman for ideas.  It was a lot of fun to see how others were tackling the cold.  All the cozy accessories and of course, once again, a great pair of boots are a must-have!

images lovingly borrowed from Vanilla Scented, Coppenhagen Streetstyle, Style and the City & Easy Fashion in Paris

Exciting to see the first few photos start sprinkling in of the beginnings of another new season …prefall 2010. With collections that could easily be the current months’ art installation at the MCA, I am always beyond curious and more than anxious to see how Mr Margiela stimulates fashion once again.

ooooo….love the shape of that onesie (??) number and I wish I had that oversize cardi on right now!

images via WWD