-Ask Not What Your Benjamin Can Do For You, Ask What It Can Buy You-

While chatting up a friend of mine, we got on the subject of what we would buy if handed a $100 and told we could only buy a piece of jewelry with it. Now, other than my year long wish to get a black kitty cat with a pink butt hole from Swarovski, there have been a few things lurking in my jewelry folder that I'd rather lurk in my jewelry box:

I love that natural stones are making a come back. Especially bold ones. And the science geek in me is damned sure in love with this tektite and silver ring from elseetee2 ($90):


$90
(Tektites are pieces of natural glass that form due to meteorite impacts.)

I'm fascinated by how absolutely predatory this high polish ring from Leviticus is. It's pretty much dinosaur-tastic ($94):


Now, I'm aware that the next one on my list is a little over the $100 budget, but it'd totally be worth selling some lemonade to get any of the beautiful pieces available from Pyrrha ($134):


Their talisman pieces are all castings of old wax pressings and the chains come in a surprising variety of lengths. They actually remind me of the antique Spanish coin my father wears constantly. All the more reason to love it. Especially with the beautiful phrases they offer- the one shown reads "Je ne change qu en mourant" I change only in death..

Now, the last one I could actually buy three times over with our crisp old Benjamin and share with friends. At $35 a pair, these cement pearls are a fantastic alternative to the WASP standby. My partner in fashion crime, JP clued me into these amazing little studs from Metsa:


Over time and exposure these little darlings actually change colors rendering each one entirely unique to the wearer.

So completes my foray into maybe-if-I-had-some-dough. Of course, if you'd love to put a smile on my face I wear a size seven ring and prefer a 20 inch chain for my necklaces. Just saying.

-The Bride's Best Bitch-

It's that moment that every little girl dreams of. That moment that every mother wants to see happen for her child. And my friends, that moment has finally been realized.

I own my first designer gown.

A Badgley Mischka.



I mentioned before that I'm the maid of honor for my best friend's wedding. The original intent was to hike on down to David's Bridal for the $99 special, but once we realized the shop was way the hell out in BFE we decided to hit up the heaps of boutiques that litter Boca Raton first.

The dress was actually the first one I tried on, but after about a dozen others, the bride, her mother and myself all agreed the first one was the winner of the lot. The gown itself is a gorgeous goddess style cinched empire that we ordered in black and I honestly felt beautiful in it. That doesn't happen often so when it does, it's worth the payment plan that follows.

The great thing about it is that unlike most bridesmaid gowns I see, this is one I'll be getting use out of over and over again. I can either keep it full length and use it as my theater/ballet gown (I'm so waspy it hurts sometimes), or have it hemmed after the wedding to be my new LBD.

The dress also finally justified a shoe purchase I'd been saving for for about five months: a pair of blush suede five inch stilettos from Steve Madden. They're everything I hoped they would be for the last half year. Plus, they're an amazing carry over option for my every day looks. I'm smitten.

The only thing left to sort out is my jewelry, which will be solved with a dip into my mother's insane collection (I'm hoping for some bold emeralds or green sea glass) and a clutch. While I was originally thinking snake skin, I'm on the fence again. Oh, the decisions.

1. Badgley Mischka evening gown $400 (gulp, and thank fuck for layaway)
2. Emerald collar from Cartier
3. Caryssa blush suede pump from Steve Madden $90

-How You How To-

So, I've found myself in those post-college years where that weird little transition happens from the last of my teenage refuse and into the Big Girl World. Unfortunately, I've found myself struggling in a few places on how to exactly wade through my current wardrobe, discard what just doesn't work anymore and polish up what does.

The Big Scary of this for me is when comes it to looking like an adult without loosing all the stuff I still love.

Not really the most unique of dilemmas, but it's one most of us are going to run into at some point. Nobody wants to loose themselves in the process.

This is when the style guides can make a big difference. My fashion wife,Jessie, swears by The Lucky Guides:


I've been meaning to buy these for a long while now. I'm addicted to the magazine that inspired it and soak it up the second it shows up in the mail. Word is these two guides are pretty spectacular when it comes to breaking down the basics of fashion and explaining things like silhouettes and layering.

Most people who dig fashion are more than familiar with Nina Garcia if only because of the slavish devotion people develop when it comes to Project Runway. However, the Marie Claire fashion director has made a name for herself with a three fashion guides- The Little Black Book of Fashion, The Style Strategy and The One Hundred::


All of Garcia's books tend to have a pretty good response and The One Hundred is an itemized look at the key components to a strong wardrobe.

I was actually a little iffy on whether to get this next one. It's Lauren Conrad's Style. The Hills and all those shows came after my time and honestly confused the hell out of me. I went to high school in Boca Raton, which can be pretty posh and alienating to the kids that were more interested in avoiding interaction and hiding behind building during lunch to read books.

However, it was on sale at Target the other day, and seeing as how Monster High has yet to release a Ghoulia doll into their collection, I spent my $13 on this instead:


Conrad's puns and asides can be a little cornball, but the advice is the sound mom-ish stuff we have all heard along the way, like "dressing for the job you want, not the job you have", that sort of thing. And there's nothing wrong with that. The book also touches base on hair and makeup as well as a fairly useful strategy for packing to travel.

Love her or hate her, Rachel Zoe is a ridiculous character. That's pretty much what I love about her. JP constantly replies to our swapping of clothing links with "I die." and then I pretty much die laughing in response. Personally, I love the boho 70's look Zoe lauds. I just like it with a bit more edge to it. But still, it's something that makes me nostalgic for the family pictures I see of my mother and young grandmother. And of course, she has her own guide- Style A to Zoe:


By most accounts, the book is mostly pictures of Zoe and her entourage with a smidge of actual advice. And to be honest, sometimes pictures are more helpful than a blow by blow of exactly what to wear since it shows how to wear it. I haven't had a chance to get this one yet, but I intend to soon.

The important thing to remember though is no guide is going to tell you how to dress and still feel like yourself. You have to be the one to do that, but the guides can be helpful in pointing you in the right direction and that's exactly how they should be used.

Just like with art, the best way to develop style is to pay close attention to the stuff you like and go from there. Incorporate what you can with what you have and eventually the look is going to be completely you and unique.

-Stallions and Ivories-

I grew up riding horses. I absolutely love them. Percherons are my favorite. They're truly wonderful animals. So like any good equestrian I was familiar with the name Hermès, even before I realized they were a fashion house. To this day, I still want a Hermès saddle. Only now I also want a scarf to go with. Particularly, this zodiac themed one.

However, of course, I now realize the true scope of how far flung their range of items, and while the saddle would be welcome, I also wouldn't think twice if offered anything from their classic line, especially anything from the Spring/Summer 2011 collection:


It's so magnificently Zorro without being so precious that it marches into Amélie territory. The end result is that now I want a mousseline cape and an Andalusian to ride off into the sunset in Spanish-nod glory. It's Jean Paul Gaultier's final undertaking for the house and I was absolutely smitten.

Now, as an aside, I have the dreaded fashion crisis so many of us deal with in our twenties: Bridesmaid gown shopping. One of my oldest friends is getting married in six months and the rush is on to find my maid-of-honor gown. Now if I had the budget, my first impulse would be to grab an Elie Saab. Since I don't, I shall gawk in slack jawed awe:


Floaty, draped and pops of beautiful color (Green! Coral!) and just really god damned beautiful, I'd love to be able to claim one of these gowns for my future stint as Best Bitch, but it isn't to be. However, the bride will be in town next week for us to go dress shopping so hopefully I'll find something that has even a whisper of Saab's beauty. A girl can hope.