LoveBidBuy

For Realz??

2012-10-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

In our modern day society it's hard to know what's real anymore. These days, most fur is faux; boys can be girls; and so-called 'reality' TV shows are carefully scripted and produced. Indeed, the days of J.Lo's 'I'm Real' pigtails are dead and gone and in their wake is a slew of empty promises and unfulfilled expectations.

When it comes to getting a good fashion deal the same is also true. Now I've been around the block. Yes, I've tried and tested them all - 50% off, 2 for the price of 1, buy 3 get the 4th free - and while some have offered my fake Fendi wallet the occasional glimmer of Recessionista hope most of them are just like the Wonderbra. You think you're on to something big but once you get into it you realize there's nothing really there at all.

So forgive me for being somewhat sceptical when I was asked to consider The Real Real as the so-called 'Real Deal'. Discount Chanel? Try another fool. Burberry trenches for less than $200? I wasn't born last Christmas. Carolina Herrera smiling within the parameters of my credit limit? I don't think so. I wasn't about to fall folly to the impressively glossy photographs this world wide website was trying to seduce me with. But on thorough examination I would venture to say that The Real Real might actually be, well, for realz. This online consignment world is the Paris Fashion Week version of my local Goodwill store - times a hundred. It thoroughly shames all other resale models. By cleverly grouping all designer labels together into mini collections that are on-sale for limited periods of time it puts the haute in haute consignment.

Yes, my Recessionista friends, The Real Real is the real deal. Really.

All Laced Up

2012-09-16T22:39:00.001-07:00

Now I'm a girl whose loved and lost. When it comes to making up and breaking up I've done it all - the live-in boyfriend; the psycho restraining order boyfriend; the boyfriend who didn't realize he was my boyfriend.....you name it and I will have loved 'n lost it. But there is a certain true love that has remained ever faithful to me throughout the years. When all else has failed (and oh my, have they failed) this lover has always adored me, flattered me and made me feel good no matter what. Ladies and gentlemen, my true love is lace....

Now let's get this straight, this is no fair-weather romance we are talking about here. I didn't need Kate Middleton's wedding dress to seduce me. My relationship with lace was born back in the 80s when I was. I was adorned in the fabric, Desperately Seeking Susan style, more times than I care to remember.

So it's really no surprise that the second item I am choosing to sell on the Love Bid Buy Ebay store is none other than lace! I have been in love with this little shrug for many a year but sadly it's not getting the wear that it used to and it's time to bid adieu. This was a piece from the fabulous collection Milla Jovovoich designed for Mango back in 2007. Of course, it's perfect over evening wear but I also love it with a black tank top and jeans for a look that's modern and chic. Happy shopping my fabulous Recessionistas! And remember.....a portion of the proceeds from this purchase will be donated to charity.......

The Love Bid Buy E-Bay Store

2012-09-02T20:01:00.001-07:00

It was always bound to happen. At some certain point in time the name of this blog was due to make sense. And that day, my Recessionista friends, is today.

On this very Labor Day weekend I am officially launching the Love Bid Buy E-Bay Store. The concept is pretty simple – you see something you love, you bid on it and you buy it. Voila! It has been my life-long dream to make Hollywood Glam accessible to the masses and through this Ebay Store I shall be doing just that. But don’t expect to find pages and pages of items to trawl through – I fervently believe in quality over quantity and so I will be bringing you one exclusive designer find on a month to month basis.

And my magnanimous ways don’t just end there. What will set Love BidBuy’s Ebay Store apart from all others is that I want to give back. A portion of the proceeds from every single item sold on this store will be donated to charity. And if you would like to sell clothes on Love Bid Buy to support your own charity you can email me here.

So without further ado, I present Love Bid Buy’s inaugural item for sale – this gorgeous Robert Rodriguez shift dress (see below). Don't forget to come back next week for styling tips!

Happy shopping my friends!

Dublin Does Dallas

2012-08-26T23:15:00.000-07:00

When you grow up in a quaint country with simple values and honest beliefs, such as where I hail from, it's easy to be intrigued by the lands of far away. Indeed, even places like Dallas are to an Irishwoman, as exotic and foreign as Hawaii is to a Himalayan. So for an innocent cailin like myself to find return tickets to non-other than the aforementioned apparition of glitz and glamour in my sweaty paws it felt like I had stumbled across a genie within the lamp. To me, Dallas was the very embodiment of the words razzle-dazzle. Forget Hollywood, there's simply no glam like Dallas glam and I couldn’t wait to lap up every last sequin and coiffed curl. In preparation for my trip, I began fervently trawling through my wardrobe trying to find anything with a hint of gold lame, I immediately started to coat my nails in only shades of deep, dark red and I quickly learned how to best mould my hair into a chic chignon. Decked out in as much costume jewelry as my wrists and neck could take I was set. Dallas - beware.

Upon my arrival I was perturbed not to see the newer generation of The Ewings ambling around the airport, I was surprised to find myself the most glammed up guest at dinner but by the time day two rolled around and I still hadn't set my sights on a single Dallas debutante I was starting to feel down right short changed. Where was the dose of shoulder pad chic that I had so longed to see?

Perplexed, I decided to take myself off for some much needed retail therapy, quietly confident that my thirst for gaudy glamour would soon be quenched. Now, I'm a cup half-full kinda gal but my level of designer dud disappointment has never plummeted so low as on this shopping trip. Simply trading their Uggs for cowboy boots, the looks were less Joan Collins and more Jersey Shores. There were no shoulder pads, no carefully powdered noses and not a single teased hair in sight. Indeed, the current trend could only be likened to how Daisy Duke would look if she started turning tricks. And let me tell you.....it ain't pretty. Think of every bad photo you've ever seen of Britney coming out of a Rite Aid and then you will start to get the picture. As it transpires, the heart of Texas is indeed the homeland for such treats as Anna Nicole Smith and Tila Tequila. Forget Vegas, what happens in Dallas should most certainly stay just there....

So while Dallas didn't quite live up to the intoxicating level of exoticism I had so anxiously anticipated in the glam department it most certainly floated my boat when it came to getting a great deal. Should you ever find yourself in this area, you must make it your business to visit F.I.G. - the Fashion Industry Gallery of Dallas. Amongst my many great finds was the entire new Rachel Zoe collection, an abundance of Trina Turk delights not to mention Rich & Skinny (oh yes, one day I shall be!!), Belle & Cline and many more of my favorite frivolities. Oh and did I mention that everything was 70% off?

That's my kind of exotic........

What A Woman

2012-07-19T20:43:00.000-07:00

While I've always prided myself on being a woman of many talents I fervently fail at the prospect of fulfilling any of those so-called 'talents' that allegedly come with being a woman. My Stuart Weitzman stilettos couldn't navigate their way to where the dishes are washed in my apartment (somebody mentioned a "sink" one time before). I have proof that I used my oven to store sweaters long before SJP ever conceived of the concept - yes, my darling Dolce cashmere, I still think of you fondly. And it's fair to say that any and all of my past beaus have had a notably superior ability to negotiate their way around a kitchen than I ever have or care to - well, I guess I have to give them something. Indeed, I always remember one of my favorite male roommates of times gone by telling me that he hoped I had talents in the bedroom as I was deemed 'bloody useless in every other room of the house'. Touche.

The times they are a-changing. It would seem that these days us gals are more likely to utter those fateful words to a question such as 'do you drink wine on weeknights' than in any other social 'norm' of a situation. I do. Having long since recognized that adding 2.5 children to your resume is not necessarily a life-long goal (except for you JK!), for the last couple of decades we've been replacing bread-making with bread-winning; going Dutch with 'I've got it'; and patch-work quilts with politics.

Yet despite these aforementioned activities of the bra-burning variety, modern technology has somehow managed to seduce my inner domestic goddess. Having recently been tantalized by a Martha Stewart Craft iPad app that a colleague introduced me to (don't laugh, this is the new love of my life) it would seem that said Mrs. Stewart has suddenly become my newest Jiminy Cricket. I dare say I've created a monster. Within days of discovering this I found myself making my own organic ketchup (I speak no word of a lie), signing up for jewelry making classes and begging my friends to join me at the Renegade Craft Fair this weekend. It seems I've gone from femme fatale to Suzy Homemaker in a matter of mere minutes. The thoughts of whiling away my Saturday afternoon at an indie craft fair gives me the sense of satisfaction I once believed could only ever be achieved with the big O - overdraft protection plan.

As with most things in my life, when I commit to something I do it 110 percent. So I am embracing this new found domesticity with the same passion and enthusiasm that has most bored housewives greedily thumbing through Fifty Shades of Grey - only a little more vanilla......;) And, hey, if Anastasia Steele can learn some new tricks I guess so can I.......

Summer Lovin

2012-07-08T22:26:00.001-07:00

Aaaaaah summer is nigh and the air is feeling sweet. With the Fourth of July under our belts, the most sought after season is most definitely upon us. And of course those summer rays have the inevitably sumptuous feelings of summer lovin’ following closely in their wake. You know the type that I’m talking about…..the type where everybody is out and about and just looking for a good time…..where you get to fall in love multiple times a day. There is truly nothing that beats it….

Nonetheless, with every silver lining some rain must fall. When the temperatures keep heating up, a little more skin is ultimately on show and so ensues the battle of the bulge versus the bikini. If you’re like me and your weight fluctuates as often as Kim Kardashian’s marital status then the summer months are something you both look forward to and loathe in equal measures. I love nothing more than the thoughts of frolicking on a beach in Santa Monica. I yearn year-long to drink out of coconuts in Costa Rica. Some might even say that my perfect pastime is reveling in the thoughts of beach-trotting along the Californian coast. Yet with every sandy dream that saunters through my mind comes that inevitable knot of anxiety in my un-abbed stomach that betrays my true feelings of trepidation. Ultimately, beaches = bikinis.

The bikini celebrated its 66-th birthday this week and with that came some revelations that were not completely unsurprising to me. Low and behold, the bikini was indeed created by a man. Shocker. Furthermore, his designs were defined by the ability of their flimsy fabrics to be pulled, with ease, through a wedding ring. Interesting choice. Indeed, while the bikini is one of the more fun fashion choices it is undoubtedly one of the more feared. Let’s face it, our LBD can hide a multitude, our itsy bitsy polka dot bikini…..not so much. So what’s a girl to do when she’s got curves in all the right places but her credit cards are overbaked??

There are a multitude of online stores offering swimwear available at discount prices but, as in life, it’s not always easy to know who to trust. One of my more favored is www.everythingbutwater.com . It offers some of my favorite designer labels at rock bottom prices. Every bikini-clad starlet you’ve ever seen wandering across the pages of People magazine and the like has endorsed these brands. Another old reliable is www.bluefly.com – this was one of my more favored un-heard of treasures, until of course Heidi Klum had the audacity to promote it on her internationally acclaimed show, ProjectRunway. Seriously, is there anything more irritating than that? It’s like when you stumble across a secret song that you fall in love with and the next minute it’s been played on every radio station every minute of the day. Yes, Gotye. I’m talking about you.

Nonetheless, when all else fails and you need a cheap buy I’ve had many a seasonal success with the ever-favored Target. But just like a good summer romance don’t expect it to last longer than just that…………..a summer.

www.target.com

Fashion Soup For The Soul

2012-05-01T12:35:00.001-07:00

Is there such a thing as a truly selfless act? I have asked myself this question many times over and have found that I can argue both sides eloquently, efficiently and tooth ‘n nail. Yes, I admit, if you could all tune into hear the voices in my head, even just for a few moments, you would be highly entertained. As with most Sunday’s, I spent this past one laminated to my couch stroking my hangover and feeding my pickled brain with a hefty slice of reality TV. The program of choice was a recap on the first year of married life of the Royal darlings – Will and Kate. I lost an hour of my life watching their toothy grins shake hands and kiss babies from all sorts of walks of life. I learned about all their different philanthropic endeavors and commitments to human rights, what’s more, I learned that LK Bennett pumps do indeed a Princess make. Yet while various different media moguls were lauding this pair as the new Mother Theresa duplicated and incarnate I had to wonder – are they really partaking in these charitable enterprises for no other reason than the good of mankind or is it because their beady eyed publicist in the background has told them to do so?

The same could be said for so many celebrities. Now don’t get me wrong, I think Angelina Jolie looks great in the myriad of different Muslim veils we’ve seen her in – not least because they cover her husband-stealing face – and I applaud her for saving the children of so many fallen countries. But it’s hard to be convinced that these acts of kindness, which we are all encouraged to support, are completely genuine when there’s a camera capturing their every stunning angle.

But then again, for us lay people, the same could also be true. I strive to be a good person. I genuinely want to be a beacon of angelic-like virtuity with a high moral fiber that people enjoy being around - and if I can do so while looking like Heidi Klum above, so be it. I’ve often benevolently given to numerous Goodwill Stores (yet, I’ve always managed to get a copy of the tax receipt). I helped an old lady across the street recently (but, I told everybody about it). I raised money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (in exchange for being trained for a marathon – go team!). So at the end of the day, is an act ever truly selfless if you are getting something out of it?

Indeed, often my Catholic guilt gets the better of me when I over-analyze these situations and I contemplate ways in which I can better my soul. I’m guessing Katie Holmes is on the same search for morality (in a Scientologist kind of a way) as she is now teaming up with Tommy Hilfiger to launch a new charity collection this Spring. The Promise Collection will support the Millennium Development Goal which is dedicated to halving poverty by 2015.

Ever the Doubting Thomas, my suspicious little mind is of course calculating Katie Holmes’ gain from this but, when I saw the bold color palettes and animal prints this collection has to offer God dammnit – who cares!!! My wallet is on a perpetual diet in order to afford whatever I deem as my most desireable duds so if there’s the opportunity for me to get a little fashion soup for the soul while I’m doing so why the hell not?!

So perhaps such thing as a selfless act does not exist but I guess as long as nobody gets hurt in the way.....who am I to pass judgement? And on that note, pass me my credit card bill - I need to figure out how much of Katie's collection I can afford.......all in the name of solving world poverty, of course......;)

Love Is In The Hair.....

2012-04-27T15:53:00.000-07:00

Those that know me would agree that I have a pretty laissez-faire attitude about most things in my life. I’m never one to be concerned that the dishes need to be washed, I rarely notice if somebody is rude to me and I’m certainly not about to get upset over the fact that my low-fat latte is not, in fact, low in fat. A wise soul once told me not to sweat the small stuff and I carry this trinket of advice with me everywhere I go. Indeed, I’ve ultimately realized that the essence of an easy, breezy Cover Girl will never be determined by your shade of lip color but your ability to simply not a give a damn.

The same could be said for my sense of style. Although I have dedicated many a Saturday afternoon to reruns of America’s Next Top Model and can chat eloquently about Tom Ford’s latest collection, I’ve never particularly been a slave to the ebb and flows of the ever-changing fashion whimsies on any personal level. I really don’t care if floral frocks are a big thing this season, my grandmother’s curtains are hanging exactly where they need to be – nowhere near me. Just because Anna Wintour has determined that blunt fringes are very a la mode does not mean you will find me running breathlessly to the hair salon. Yes, I did continue to wear those 7 For All Mankind jeggings until there were holes in the ‘seat’ but what can I say – I just loved them! You see, I’m a simple girl at heart. While I love the pomp and posterity the fashion world has to offer I have neither the will nor the want to dedicate myself to it wholly.

And when it comes to my hair I’m even less laissez-faire and more laissez-couldn’t-be-bothered-doing-anything-at-all. While I love nothing more than running my fingers through my long, luscious locks L’Oreal has yet to convince me that the process it takes to make them well, long and luscious, is worth it. While Kim Kardashian came out with an entire collection of jewelry dedicated to tricking out one’s tresses my hair styles flip-flop between the ever reliable ‘hair down’ (when clean) and ‘hair up’ (when not clean). Rinse and repeat.

Nonetheless, when flicking through In Style’s latest edition I realized that I have not been taking advantage of one of the most available, adaptable and affordable fashion accessories that I have readily in my possession – my hair. Why a simple braid can upgrade an ensemble from earthy to ethereal, a side-swept pony-tail can convey a look that is rock chic and a messy bun can transform dowdy to diva. How have I allowed this Recessionista friendly fashion tip pass me by for so many years??!

So while it’s fair to say my laissez-fair attitude serves me well for the most part, sometimes we can all do with stepping it up a knot(ch!).......maybe L'Oreal was right after all.......

Frequently Flying And Fashionable

2012-04-12T23:19:00.013-07:00

There are certain guilty pleasures one should only ever indulge in an entirely solitary fashion. The fact that you need to dodge group Sunday night activities because the thought of missing Khloe and Lamar proclaim their financially induced undying love for eachother gives you a nervous tick should never be discussed in company. Enjoying your Granny’s Bolognese sauce to the point that it is not uncommon for you to lick the plate clean is grounds for never introducing one's friends to your family. That your desire to live alone is based entirely on the fear that one day somebody might notice your dodgy looking toe (and your desire to caress it while watching infomercials) is a substantiated concern.

Indeed, our guilty pleasures can often determine our demise. There’s the dry wit that transforms friends to foes, the sweet tooth that turns a svelte figure to sumo-style status, the wine glass that fits a bottle. Yet the most fervent reason why a guilty pleasure goes from great to God-damn awful is when we cross the line from secret to socially acceptable. We’ve all been there. You’re three Chardonnays in and your arch nemesis is finally showing a more humane side to herself by confessing her unrequited love for some boyo of times gone by. You start to feel that perhaps you’ve more in common than you may have previously realized and begin fervently nodding your head as she describes her feelings of angst and anger. Before you know it you’re giving her the low-down on your last relationship and for the first time ever you realize that she gets you. She really, really gets you. It seems like the perfect moment to order another bottle and start quoting from the tome of poetry you wrote about her brother. Epic fail.

I was more recently reminded about the importance of keeping one's guilty pleasures.....well....guilty and to oneself. You see, people-watching is in fact one of my more favored pastimes. There’s simply nothing better. I love the style and I love the lack there-of. The opportunity to while away a couple of hours judging people who I deem as less sartorially savvy than myself is a temptation I give into time and time again. One might almost call it a sport.

And there’s really no better opportunity to people-watch than at an airport. On a recent layover at LAX I turned that frown upside down when I realized that my delayed flight was going to allow me an additional 50 minutes to cast my eye over the trendy LA concourse-come-catwalk. It suddenly hit me that I was only a mere hop, skip and a jump away from the glamorous locations that fill the pages of my favorite glossy magazines. Serious excitement. I could sense that a star sighting was somewhat imminent and felt confident that at the very least I’d stumble across some fun fashion frocks.

As it transpired, the depths of my designer label disappointment knew no end. As I scanned my eyes from suitcase to suitcase I was confronted by hideous ensemble followed by even-more hideous ensemble. No Victoria Beckham. No Kim K and to add insult to injury, these get-ups weren't even bad enough to be funny. It was the 2012 Spring-Summer Drab Duds Collection and I felt no qualms about sharing my dismay with a nearby almost-fashionista like myself.

I was quickly reminded of the fact that people-watching is undoubtedly an exercise you should never do in pairs. What I deemed as a casual, yet humorous musing that would surely get a laugh out of my newly found non-friend was apparently interpreted as an abhorrent attack on female-kind and I was asked to keep my comments to myself. It's true, my simple passing remark over our fellow passengers lack of style somehow metamorphized me into a sexist, a racist, an ageist and, above all, a b*tch.

It was a humbling experience further exasperated by the fact I had to sit next to this girl on the flight. Qu'elle domage!

Nonetheless, I stand firm in the fact that these outfits were beyond bad. Ladies, we don't need to push the boat out when we are travelling but, it would be nice to think we could at least put some sort of thought into our ensembles.

The guiltiest part of my guilty pleasure would be, of course, if I couldn't navigate a recessionista way out of the black hole that was the blah value of the outfits I surveyed. So here's Miranda Kerr doing it simple but doing it well. Enjoy......

[1] Cameron Newsboy Cap, $9.80 at forever21.com
[2] Streetwear Boyfriend Jacket, $42.95 at nyandcompany.com
[3] Jones New York satin-finish Pashmina, $28 at dillards.com
[4] Rerock Skinny Leg Jean, sale $29.99 at express.com
[5] L.L. Bean Signature Mariner Leather Purse, $155 at llbean.com
[6] N by Nicole Miller 'Renee' Flats, sale $34.99 at jcp.com

The Castle And The Couture

2011-04-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

I've always been something of a late starter when it comes to trends. I was the last to rediscover leggings, I was oblivious to the notion of hipster chic and I still haven't quite wrapped my head around the comeback kid that is the clog. But perhaps more shocking for most was my inability to jump on board with the hysteria that was the Royal Wedding. This time last week I just couldn't have cared less about either Kate Middleton or Prince William and quite simply couldn't fathom the fever pitch hype over their pending nuptuals. Nonetheless, when I woke up yesterday morning and my iPhone indicated that a Princess had been born I became instantly obssessed! I guess all it takes is a little Alexander McQueen couture to grab my attention.

The Dress. I have to say, I was at first a little surprised by her choice. Kate Middleton definitely appears to be quite fashion conscious and tends to veer towards silhouettes that, while not spray painted on to her, show off her physique. I guess I was expecting her to go with something a little more modern, a little younger and a little more fashion conscious. That being said, The Dress truly was exquisite and a timeless piece. The fact that it is so reminscent of Grace Kelly's is indicative of how classic a style she went for. As you all know, I am a fervent fan of lace and the fact that she encorporated this fabric as part of her design means we'll be seeing even more of it! I loved the juxtoposition of the high laced back of the dress versus how low the bodice was. We got to see some skin without seeing any at all and I think this kept a more youthful feel to the dress. I think the thing I'm most shocked about is the fact that she did her own make up! If I was her, I'd have had employed seventeen separate make up artists to work their magic on me and I'd have made them all do party pieces to entertain me while doing so. Another good reason why I should never be given any power.......;)

Not only did Britain gain a Princess yesterday they also gained a Most Eligble Bachelorette. Kate Middleton's sister, Pippa, was elegance personified yesterday in her custom designed Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen gown. I've a feeling we're going to see alot of brides trying to emulate her look. The feel of the dress was young, fresh and modern and the button details on the back was simply stunning. Click here to see who donned this design two years ago - I think you'll be surprised! For the evening reception hosted by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace, Pippa opted for an emerald green Temperley London design and Alice Temperley was quoted as saying that she was a pleasure to work with. As Kate's Lady in Waiting I'm excited to see her style evolve.

And then there were the great unwashed - the guests! Oh Tara Palmer Tomkinson - I'd almost forgot you existed!! Just to fill my American friends in, back in the 90s TPT was the Tara Reid of the British socialite scene. Her crazy partying ways lead to many a tabloid headline and ultimately resulted in her nose collapsing due to certain alleged "overindulgences". TPT certainly continued to deliver the shock factor with this top to toe cobalt blue ensemble. While she is getting slammed by many critics I have to say that I kind of love the look! While she does look like she's going to the Mad Hatter's Tea Party and not the Royal Wedding she certainly has managed to get tongues wagging over her Deborah Milner creation and for that I take my Fascinator off to her!

Another firm favorite was Victoria Beckham sporting her own design. While heavily pregnant she still looks absolutely impeccable. I love her sleek pony tail and can you get over those sky high stillettos??! Now I'm a girl who likes her heels but I don't think I could ever handle seven inchers - especially pregnant. VB is the ultimate dedicated follower of fashion.

The rest of the wedding was a blur of Philip Treacy Fascinators and dress coats but I'd be here all day if I were to try to go through them all. I will leave you lovelies with a picture of Kate's second dress of the evening. Another beautiful Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen design.

I guess the only thing we need to worry about now is what the hell are we all going to talk about now that this wedding is over???!! Hmm........what's Lindsay Lohan stealing these days.......??!

Bedazzled or Be Duped??

2011-04-23T10:44:00.000-07:00

I’m every marketer’s dream. Wrap it in pretty packaging and have some random celebrity endorse it and I will undoubtedly make a purchase. Dita von Teese has a new brand of margarita mix (The Margadita!)? I’ll drink it! Brooke Burke is selling Skechers? I’ll wear ‘em! Julianne Hough has a new dancing-inspired fitness DVD? I’ll use it! Yes, I’m somebody who shops on my gut instinct alone and am never concerned about price or practicality until after the fact. And when that gut instinct has been pre-disposed to some form of Hollywood hype my inner sensibility doesn’t stand a chance.

The wave of celebrity reality TV shows has had a traumatic effect not only on my savings account but on my sense of self. Every time I see a Kardashian sashay across the screen draped in designer duds I cannot help but feel a little pang of jealousy. Yes, I often feel like an extra from Carly Simon’s music video “It Should Have Been Me” (although I could never quite understand how anybody could really want to fight for some boyo in a lime-green striped polo shirt – then again, I salivate over thigh-high Loboutin boots so what the hell do I know?). It seems like whenever I turn on the TV or open a magazine I am fervently reminded about how unfabulous my life is, of everything I cannot afford and how in no capacity is anybody trying to keep up with me.

I’m already a slave to celebrity fashion lines at the likes of Target, Kohls and JC Penney and no doubt will be adding Sears to this list once the Kardashian Kollection launches this August but, I’ve been slow to jump onboard with the wave of celebrity endorsed fashion websites – until recently, that is. This week, Lauren Conrad launched a beauty inspired website http://www.thebeautydepartment.com/ which gives hair and beauty tips galore. Recently, the spawn of Hollywood’s sharpest tongued critic, Melissa Rivers, became editor for http://www.shoparatti.com/. This is a pretty interesting website which promotes various daily deals from 60% off YSL sunglasses to discounted beauty treatments. Apparently Ms Rivers fervently scours the internet each day to bring us the best discounted deals of all things fabulous and fashionable. How magnanimous of her!

But of course, my favorite celebrity fashion website of the moment is that of my girl crush Kim Kardashian. I fervently ignored the postings on Facebook and Twitter about Shoe Dazzle for quite some time but relented this week. This website is fabu-less. Literally. Every single item on it costs a mere $39.95 and they suggest certain styles to you based on a personality test you take. What’s more, if you invite your friends to partake and they make purchases you can earn style points which ultimately result in further discounts. Loves it! Oh and did I mention how cute this website is? It is a haven for all things girlie – I was putty in their hands. I’m opening my wardrobe doors to these two beauties below and am awaiting their arrival with breath that is bated.

It’s easy for us to be seduced by star power and duped into departing with our hard earned cash for less than top-notch products. What I like about the shoes I was presented with on Shoe Dazzle is that they are definitely very current trends that probably have little longevity. Yes, you heard me right! But, this is actually a good thing. As I’ve said before, we should only ever invest big $$ in classic, timeless pieces which often leaves little room on our credit cards for the more fun contemporary items. I’ll be rocking these fun Shoe Dazzle designs like I’m partying on the Sunset Strip with enough money in my wallet to, well, actually party on the Sunset Strip.

Ladies, I encourage you all to bedazzle like a superstar with Shoe Dazzle.

UPDATE: Received my shoes - love, love, love!!!!!!!

Junie Shoe $39.95

Transit Shoe $39.95

Men Are From Mars, Women Are.......Crazy!

2011-04-15T17:47:00.001-07:00

“How do I look?”

No crueler words were ever spoken from a changing room door. Indeed, when it comes to discussing a woman’s outfit men can never win. Whether this question is posed to your brother, father or prospective suitor they are instantly doomed. Boys, incase you weren’t already painfully aware, us women are so persnickety about our clothes it’s best to avoid going shopping with us at all costs. Even the slightest misunderstood word or wrongly interpreted glance can result in us going from nought to nuclear in a matter of moments and dissolving into a blubbering heap on the floor. I firmly believe that I have been called fat many times over. When I falsely accused my recent beau of taking a photo of my derriere one Sunday afternoon I fully believed he was doing so to show his friends evidence of the biggest, fattest ass he’d ever had the misfortune to expose his eyeballs to in his life. It transpired he wasn’t taking a photo of me at all. When I was asked one time why I preferred a Queen sized bed to a King I automatically assumed the gentleman in question was referring to the fact that surely such a small-sized bed couldn’t possible accommodate the mass of my beached-whale like body. He was a mattress salesman who worked on commission. And of course there was that whole awkward experience at Macy's when the sales assistant brought me a size 8 shoe instead of a 7.5 which I deduced was his way of telling me I had cankles. I was later made aware of the fact that he was part of a special needs program.

Sane, I am not. But am I unlike any other woman? Not so much.

Indeed, even when we receive a compliment from a man we manage to draw the negative out of it. If I’m told a dress looks good on me I always feel the need to explain that it would probably look a lot better with sleeves that would cover up my bat wing arms. Words like ‘hot’ or ‘sexy’ instantly lead me to believe that the eye of the beholder sees me as a real life fishnet-stocking-wearing-corner-skulking whore. And God help the poor fool who pauses for even a milli-second after being asked the question “do I look good in this?”. He may as well instantly start walking the last mile. A fairer scenario would of course be to furnish your partner with an array of flash cards with phrases such as “you look amazing”, “wow, have you lost weight?”, or “I’m the luckiest guy in the world”. At least if he’s given fair warning of what the expected response is he might have a fighting chance. Indeed, the same could be said of all aspects of our relationships. At the end of the day, when I ask a guy a question pertaining to how he feels about me I already have the EXACT response that I want to hear conjured up in my mind and any deviations from this are to me, unacceptable. If a girl wants a guy to tell her he loves her and he doesn’t well then, he may as well hate her. And the same is true when we ask a guy how we look. Should he fail to use the exact key word we are looking for we are crestfallen and ergo deem ourselves to be, amongst other things, fat.

Yes, we are complex little creatures who should be loved, feared and loathed in equal measures. The more amusing part of this equation of course is the myth that women dress to impress men. Nothing could be further from the truth. Women dress for women. At the end of the day, when I step out in a red-soled shoe few men will recognize the subtle hint of Louboutain wafting through my ensemble. No man will realize that the delicate pendant caressing my neck once came from a perfectly wrapped blue box. How can they be expected to know that a wrap-around dress is not just a dress but the signature look upon which DVF’s entire fashion empire was built? So given that this is the case, why should we ever care whether a guy thinks our outfit is hot or not??

In a perfect world, straight men would never go shopping with straight women. A woman can only expect another woman to steer us along the winding road of fashion dos and don’ts and prevent any potential buyer’s remorse that we may teeter towards. Unfortunately in this day and age free time is more valuable than cash and the opportunities to partake in such acts of female solidarity are few and far between. So what’s a girl to do when the only other alternative involves posing that heinous question “how do I look?” to a lover??

Pose. Pose is the answer to all of our worries. Not only is this iPhone app free but it allows us gals to get an honest opinion while shopping solo. Simply snap a picture of yourself in possible purchases and share them with a group of predetermined female friends for fast feedback before saying yay or nay. Perfect. Not only will this app save you time and of course money it might also save your relationship.

Gentlemen – you can thank me later!

Take A Walk On The Wild Side

2011-04-11T17:28:00.000-07:00

Fashion fads may come and go but, we'll always have leopard print. Like so many other celebrities, the Kardashian girls are avid fans. Whether it be boots, bags or beautiful dresses you can always expect to see one of these sisters sporting this family favorite look. Like so many other women, Kim, Khloe and Kourtney like their clothes to make a statement. Indeed, for those fluent in fashion it is understood that a pant suit indicates work mode, a maxi dress implies that summer is nigh and a polo-neck sweater says ‘not tonight, boys’. Nonetheless, donning this daring design can be a tricky business. As with so many things in life, often the image we are trying to portray does not end up being that which we ultimately convey. While a leopard print mini dress adorning the body of Kim Kardashian might ooze sex appeal in a magazine editorial, we must remember that those who pursue this sartorial endeavor and then trot out to the local pub often end up looking more whore than wholesome.

Yes, there are few patterns which can create such controversy. With leopard print, there is a fine line between the luscious and the lewd. In fact, it's probably easier to identify the cons to this jungle fever look as opposed to the pros (although given the propensity to look like a day-shift hooker in the design perhaps 'pros' was a poor choice of words). A prime example of the gruesomely garish side to leopard print was exemplified at the Grammy Awards this year. When Nicki Minaj stepped on to the red carpet eyeballs everywhere started to bleed. Ever loyal to the shock factor, Minaj’s top-to-toe Bride of Frankenstein inspired leopard print ensemble was the epitome of what not to wear and the embodiment of fashion road kill – literally.

Nonetheless, it is possible to take a walk on the wild side without looking, well, too wild. When I daydream about clothes of the leopard print variety my mind immediately turns to high fashion - Dolce & Gabanna satin shirts and Jean Paul Gautier bodices. I think of the myriad of Cavalli dresses we’ve seen adorn red carpets and influences from the fervently fallen from grace, John Galliano. Needless to say, the subjects of my musings are only ever pipe dreams. At the end of the day, I’m a little more TJ Max than Milan so I've allowed my inner animal instincts to roar with pieces from H&M, Zara and Victoria Secrets. Below are a few of my favorite things. So what are you wild things waiting for?? Go get your grr on........Jimi would want you to.....

Zara Blazer
$129

Betsey Johnson Shoes
$124

Victoria Secret Draped Cardigan
$49.50

You Can Stand Under My Umberella

2011-03-24T17:31:00.000-07:00

When I packed my spotted handkerchief many moons ago and made the arduous journey across the Atlantic to the land of opportunity there were many thoughts that trundled through my mind. I thought of the family and friends I was leaving behind, I thought about the new adventures that lay before me but most of all I thought about the fact that I was venturing away from the dismal rain that torments my homeland and moving to the Californian coast where sun and surf would no longer be associated only with vacations. Foolish girl. Today, for the first time in my life, I arrived to work and was able to physically ring rain water out of my socks. Indeed, my sartorial indulgences over the past number of years have always relied on the assumption that the weather in San Francisco is permanently chilled out. For the most part, it never gets too hot or too cold here and it’s only when venturing to the East Coast do I ever freak out and scour the internet for a warmer winter coat (we don’t tend to need them lined out here on the wild wild west). Nonetheless, unexpected weather days like today seem to constantly catch me on the hop. I just don’t own very many warm sweaters nor does anything in my wardrobe resemble waterproof. I thought my flat, over the knee black Zara boots were a smart choice for today but they are now lying damp and dejected beneath my desk being singed by a portable heater. Sad. To add insult to injury, there allegedly hasn’t been a drop of rain in Ireland for the last three weeks. Sadder again.

While I love the fast lights of Jay Z and Alicia Key’s New York City I’ve never been enamoured by its’ weather. I’ve sweated my ass off on the subway and slipped on ice in the fall but NEVER have I stooped so low as to buy rain boots. If I’m to be perfectly honest, I don’t believe anybody whose age is in the double figures realm should ever don such atrocities. My friends on the East Coast look completely ridiculous when wearing them and I am never afraid to tell them so. Nonetheless, desperate times call for desperate measures and I have found myself trawling through the internet today trying to find the least offensive pair of galoshes known to mankind. Why a grown adult would wear any type of boot with images of ‘Hello Kitty’ slathered all over them is completely beyond my comprehension – and don’t even get me started on rainboots of the Croc variety. In my opinion, a rain boot is like flesh colored underwear – it serves its purpose but best kept unseen. For this reason, some of the preferred choices that I came across are what I would like to describe as ‘blink-and-you’ll-miss-it’ rainboots. This biker boot inspired rain boot below seem like an acceptable choice to me. Just as a strawberry blonde is not easily identified as the spawn of a red-head so too does this not appear to be in the 'gum boot' family at first glance.

Chinese Laundry at DSW
$44.95

But rain-proofing our wardrobes does not just end with a simple boot. Finding a presentable rain jacket proved almost trickier than sourcing a rain boot - apparently this is a garment designed purely for the middle-aged. Wannabe designers take note - there is most definitely a gap in the market for cool rain coats! Nonetheless, I did come across this little cutie below from my favorite boutique Tar-jay (shhhh!!). And what better way to finish off your ensemble than with this to-die-for Parisienne inspired umbrella from Distinctive Umbrellas.

Target $29.99

Distinctive Umbrellas $19.95

But if all else fails, just go DIY like this!! FIERCE!!

St Patrick's Day - Fashion Parade or Parody...???

2011-03-09T10:53:00.000-08:00

There are few public holidays that can be associated with style and grace. Indeed, whenever I think of any bank holidays my thoughts tend to veer towards images of ‘girls gone wild’ as opposed to ‘God, what a country’. Any Fourth of July party I’ve ever attended could have been cast and directed by the illustrious Joe Francis. From the bad 'stars n stripes' t-shirts to the Statue of Liberty foam hats, people tend to present themselves as parodies of the festivities as opposed to actual proponents of it. But, few holidays can measure up to the fashion road kill that is St Patrick’s Day. Now I know, I know – this is not an official holiday in the U.S of A but, let’s face it – it may as well be.

Ah St Patrick’s Day. A Holy Day of Obligation for us Irish at home. A celebration of our Patron Saint and one of the most unflattering colors known to mankind. To be fair, us Irish were never really given a fighting chance. With our pale skin and alcohol-induced red faces – supermodels we were never destined to be but the emerald tones so associated with our country must have been the brainchild of the British as another means to keep us down. Nobody looks good in it. Throughout the years, I’ve collected an array of St Patrick’s Day accoutrements. From the ever classy ‘Kiss Me I’m Irish’ t-shirt to Heineken logoed braces and the always-stylish green cowboy hat (cos as we all know, the cowboy hat is a staple in Irish daily fashion wear) – you name it and I’ve got it.

So with the onslaught of Paddy’s Day emails (no, not Patty's Day - get it right, Americans) threatening various pub crawls and green colored alcoholic treats I got to thinking – how does a girl stay fashionable in the face of fashion road kill?? Let me tell you, if you are looking to don the color of the Emerald Isle but would like to steer clear of any items of clothing that feature imagery of either shamrocks or leprechauns there are slim pickings out there. The trick with this atrocious color is the old ‘less is more’ rule. Unfortunately the fellow I met en route to the Prince concert last week was blissfully unaware of this. He was sporting a green and white paisley jacket, green corduroys and a wide-collared green shirt. The ensemble literally hurt my eyeballs and that it was not an ode to this Irish festival was even more baffling. On St Patrick’s Day, I’m more interested in wearing a green tank under a chiffon black cardigan, or a casual little sundress with ballet flats. Here were a few of my favorite finds…….or if I’m to be a little more honest……these were pretty much the only wearable items I was able to find after trawling the internet for well over an hour.

Old Navy $14.50

Target $18.00

Old Navy $19.90

Zara $29.90

I repeat - sliiiiiiim pickings! Try as we may, there are few real fashion trends that lend themselves to this day and it is fair to say that those who truly embrace the festivities of this holiday can only ever end up looking like St Patrick's Day vomited all over them. Nonetheless, when I look at the picture below I can't help but smile. Sartorially savvy?? Absolutely not but the craic must have been mighty.........

Happy (almost) St Patrick’s Day!!

Red Carpet Fashion or Faux-Pas??

2011-02-28T12:58:00.000-08:00

Forget the casting couch, all it takes is a well-crafted red carpet look to propell a fledling starlet from relative obscurity to Hollywood's hottest commodity. It is no coincidence that JLo's career went from strength to strength after she donned a super sexy how-low-can-that-neckline-go Versace number to the Grammys back in 2000. Had you ever heard of Liz Hurley before she attended Hugh Grant's 1994 'Four Weddings & A Funeral' premier wearing THAT dress?? But with the fashion successes have come of course the inevitable faux pas. Unfortunately for Hollywood, beauty is not in the eyes of the beholder but in the sharp-tongued quips of a certain Mz Joan Rivers (I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't looking forward to E!s Fashion Police tonight!). Indeed, there are many stars whose fashion choices remained ingrained in our minds for all the wrong reasons. Perhaps Lara Flynn Boyle and Bjork were anticipating the 2011 meteoric success of Natalie Portman's movie 'Black Swan' but unfortunately for them back in the early 2000s when they channelled a ballerina and a swan respectively their looks were deemed more duds than divine.

However, we can rejoice in the fact that no such atrocities graced the red carpet of the 83rd Academy Award Ceremony last night. I'm guessing the A-Listers MUST have read my piece about loving lace as there was an abundance of the delicate fabric featured last night (yes, ScarJo - I'm talking to you). I thought that I was going to find it difficult to choose just five of my favorite looks but when I woke up this morning I couldn't have been more certain of my choices. Here it goes...........

Mila Kunis was undoubtedly my best dressed of the night. This Elie Saab creation is simply divine. Both feminine yet chic, understated yet making a statement I absolutely adore the soft chiffon fabric and draping detail. Having not read the reviews today my only fear is that she may come under fire for the similarities between this silhouette and the red belted Alexander McQueen design she wore only a few weeks ago at the SAG awards (click here). But I still love you Mila!!

Cate Blanchett is a woman who knows what looks good on her and this Givenchy Couture creation is no exception. The simplicity of her hair and make-up juxtaposed with the intricacy of the beading and pleating on this dress is spot on. She absolutely nailed this look from head to toe and I'm so glad we got to see this dress on her and not some other starlet. She definitely wore it well and I love the fact that she took a chance with this dress. I'll be interested to see what the other critics make of the flash of neon yellow beading but I give her two enthusiastic thumbs up.......!!

Gwyneth Paltrow definitely does not always get it right on the red carpet but this Calvin Klein choice was flawless. She literally looked like she was shimmering down the red carpet. I loved her straight hair and simple make-up. This was a much more modern feel than a lot of the other girlier garments seen last night but she still managed to keep it feminine and sexy in an understated fashion. And she's lucky - cos that performance an Oscar nomination did NOT make!!

Halle Berry in Marchesa - simply divine. No. Other. Words. Necessary.

Being age appropriate on the red carpet is not something we always see. Whether it be Miley Cyrus looking like a cigarette-smoking, martini-swirling divorcee or Sharon Stone shamelessly grasping at her former siren-like status, too often we see examples of mutton dressed as lamb or lambs draped in their mother's pearls and looking like mutton. Fourteen year old Hailee Steinfield looked exquisite last night in this Marchesa gown. The dress itself had layers of detail from the full-skirt to the delicate feather like beading and she looked every inch the Oscar nominee. I love that she managed to look sophisticated yet true to her age and I can't wait to see what fashion choices she wows us with in the future.

And with that - award season has come to a close. I've decided not to be a hater and to keep my thoughts on those who maybe should have considered staying at home to myself. I do want to give a special 'good on ya girl' to the gorgeous Anne Hathaway and her meticulously styled looks that graced the screen throughout the evening. I read today that on average, she changed every 23.75 minutes! I thought she did a fantastic job as co-host and having Rachel Zoe as her stylist most definitely payed off.

Now, let's see how soon we can start getting some knock-off versions of these dresses!!! Which was your favorite??

Maybe 'Copy' Was A Clever Cat.......???

2011-02-23T18:27:00.000-08:00

I’ve often been told that imitation is the best form of flattery. I think this pearl of wisdom was first bestowed to me when my arch nemesis school mate stole my first boyfriend. “She just wants to be like you”, my Mother insisted, “you should really be flattered”. The idea was further ingrained in me when my little sister’s best friend frequently tried to steal my favorite thigh-length peach crochet sweater before finally pleading with me “when you die, can I please have that”. The aforementioned wannabe shall remain nameless but A.D. – you know who you are. These miscellaneous copy cats are often the bane of our high school existence. You know the type – the girl who latches on to any kind of group scenario and pauses to see how the leader of the pack is going to respond to a situation before vehemently nodding her head in agreement; the girl who just happens to produce a rhinestone studded denim jacket less than a week after you bought yours and who swears her mother insisted she got a matching bowler hair cut and the idea was never hers. Now, if I’m honest - I’ve always been deluded with notions of grandeur about myself. Namely, I’ve always believed that I have a unique sense of style but at the end of the day when it comes to fashion – does originality really exist or are we all just trying to imitate somebody else??

Whether it be the playground or the pages of glossy magazines, most of our fashion sense has evolved through emulating others. I’ve come to realize that my Mother’s pearls do not a fabulous outfit make however, thanks to a tip from Rachel Bilson (via InStyle magazine) I’m learning to once again embrace lace and have been adding little accents of it to my wardrobe. Indeed, proof that the bankability of the Hollywood star is a major force in the fashion industry has been seen in the increase of ‘celebrity designers’. If you want to dress like Beyonce, you can do so at ‘House of Dereon’, if you fancy looking like Jennifer Lopez check out her JLo line or if you want to rock out like Gwen Stefani you can flex your credit card at L.A.M.B. Indeed, these stars have realized that not only is imitation the greatest form of flattery – it’s the very foundation that second homes were built on.

Needless to say, the cost of being a copycat can downgrade a fashionista to a mere mortal recessionista which is why I have become a huge fan of celebrity lines at, dare I say it, Target (if you pronounce it like tar-jay it will make you feel better). Worse again, I recently made purchases at Kohl’s. I kid you not. While browsing aimlessly on the World Wide Web I stumbled across Lauren Conrad’s ‘LC’ line of clothing for the aforementioned ‘boutique’. What can I say?? I fell in love. How was I supposed to resist her black sweater with the lace panel in the sleeve that was 20% off on President’s Day?? Rachel Bilson TOLD me lace was going to be a big thing this season and LC seduced me with her rock bottom prices. Furthermore, her ballet flats pictured below are featured in this month’s In Style magazine are so cute and a great addition to anybody’s wardrobe. I know I will wear these for work all the time and at a mere $36 – how could I refuse??!

Yes, I do have notions of grandeur about myself. I do like to think I can rub shoulders with the elite and fashionable and roll with the high rollers but truth be told, I just don’t have the spending power. Therefore, I am delighted that Tar-Jay is introducing their ‘Go International Designer Collective’. Over the past number of years, Target has seen its fair share of celebrity fashion lines with guest designers including Jean Paul Gaultier (although I have to say – I hated every piece in his collection, namely the lame swimsuit). They have decided to launch a new line with 34 of the best-selling dresses from previously featured designers including the likes of Zac Posen, Libertine and Alice Temperely. Better again – all of these dresses will be under the $50. Ah, how I love the sweet sense of satisfaction that comes with getting a deal. Now I know that this line will not be launched until March 13 but just knowing that I am going to buy this gorgeous Rodarte design below gives me the same butterflies-in-my-stomach sensation as if George Clooney were about to kiss me.

Judge as you see fit – I’m off to day dream about hemlines and handsome men and how I can continue to copy cat my way through this fashionable life…….

LC Conrad for Kohl's

Rodarte for Target

The Price Of Popularity

2011-02-17T17:14:00.000-08:00

The SAG awards have been and gone, we’ve finally got the Grammys behind us but the crème de la crème of award ceremonies is looming ever so near and the question on all of our lips is - what the hell are WE going to wear to the Oscars??! Now, don’t be foolish. My Sunday night expeditions to these star studded events have solely consisted of cup cake parties at my friends’ homes with the award show on somewhere in the background. There’s been no red carpet, no Ry Ry Seacrest chomping at the bit to get the latest scandal and I’ve already worn the same pair of shoes twice. Joan Rivers would eat me alive. Nonetheless, us girly girls (and even girlier boys) have been donning our favorite party frocks, pumped up the wigs and all in the name of bringing a little Hollywood glitz and glam to the Bay Area.

Whether it be award season, holiday party overload or wedding after wedding after wedding – we all go through periods of time where the ratio of fabulous frocks in our closet versus number of events to attend do not an even match make. Facebook is intent on completely ruining my best intentions to recycle my wardrobe as social events are now not just confined to actual attendees. Instead even my virtual friends know that the LBD I donned at my friends’ birthday party in LA last year was the same that I threw a belt on and wore just two weeks ago in New York. Haters. Of course the logical thing to do is go out and spend, spend, spend but my W2 just gave me the finger and that highly anticipated tax refund just ain’t looking so big and juicy anymore.

I think my favorite store in the world is my sister’s wardrobe. It’s the only place where I can find designer brands literally for free. Throughout the years, I have been the proud ~~cat burglar~~ recipient of Pied a Terre shoes, Chanel bags, copious amounts of cosmetics and endless quantities of random t-shirts and sweat pants. It’s quite the Aladdin’s cave for a modern-day-money’s-tight minx like myself. But since that harlot has high-tailed it off to live in another country I am without the resources I have previously relied so heavily on. Now I can’t borrow her cocktail dresses, her shoes are no longer mine to take and worse again, I’ve actually had to start purchasing People magazine myself.

But have no fear my little Recessionistas, as I have found the solution to this heinous predicament. Rent the Runway. Yes, Rent the Runway is beyond a shadow of doubt my new BFF. Finally, cocktail and evening dresses from the likes of Diane von Furstenberg, D&G and Vera Wang to name but a few are within our reach. For a mere fifty bucks, I can now rent one of Herve Leger’s famous bandage dresses and compete against the likes of JLo and Kim K above to truly see who wore it best (note to self: I will not win). Perfect. And for a more complete look, you can even rent from their jewellery collection. I’ve abstained from doing so however as I fear a case of the Lindsay Lohans “I didn’t realize I still had it” would come over me and I’d never be able to pull of that Kimberly Ovitz white knit dress she wore to court the other day. Child bearing hips are a true curse.

So go, rent and be merry my friends. Rent the Runway is a true God send for those busy party seasons we often find ourselves in. Thankfully, the price of popularity doesn’t need to wave an angry fist at your credit card anymore.

WHERE TO GO?? http://www.renttherunway.com/

Winter Wonderland

2011-01-10T15:37:00.000-08:00

Is it just me or has it been winter FOREVER??

For the last two months the San Franciscan weather monster has had an insatiable appetite for the cold, the dreary and the downright dismal. Never have I experienced such bitter conditions in the city before and what’s worse, this frosty feeling seems to be permeating its way through our bodies and souls. Pedestrians are bustling through the streets with their heads down and bulldozing through anything that crosses their paths, cyclists are even less likely to stop at a red light and as sale prices hurtle towards the ‘70% off’ world fellow shoppers are becoming even more ruthless. Somebody actually kicked me in Macy’s the other day. True story.

But fear not, there is light at the end of the tunnel. We are starting to see the first sprinkles of Spring collection colors in stores. My gym is attempting to lure me back with promises of a ‘beach body’ and America’s favorite fame-whoring family are already promoting their new swimwear line (yes, the Kardashians for Beach Bunny Swimwear’s new 2011 collection is now available and yes, I’m just jealous cos I want their lives). Ah, summer is nigh and thoughts of flirty dresses and colorful tanks are tantalizing my sartorial senses.

But do not be fooled. Do not allow yourself to be seduced by BCBGs sassy summer window displays. Ignore the Victoria’s Secret swimsuit catalogue that is winging its way to you as we speak. For Recessionistas like us, now is not the time to start thinking about shorts and tees. Get your crystal balls out girls, cos we need to start thinking about NEXT winter.

Don’t you raise your eyebrows like that at me! I speak the truth. Just yesterday I was perusing through Betsey Johnson’s store admiring an array of stunning winter coats that were 60% off. Piperlime has an insane sale on their boots collection and Neiman Marcus is finally talking to me in a language that I can speak. Right now, stores nationwide are a virtul winter wonderland of accoutrement delights at rock bottom prices. Indeed, sometimes in life you need to take a step backwards in order to move forward. Well, as a Recessionista, sometimes you need to shop for this season after the fact. Just think about it, is there anything more priceless than finding a jacket or pair of boots that you have coveted for months on the 'Clearance' rack?? Doesn’t it just give you that extra swagger in your step when you really find a bargain? And think about it, as this season is (hopefully) winding down and the opportunities to wear winter clothes will dwindle you’ll find that come next winter you’ll have an array of virtually unworn garments adorning your closet walls.

And that’s when you start investing in swimwear…………see where I’m going with all this??! Tread carefully though – you don’t want to complicate your seasonal shopping too much and end up looking like Kim Cattrell below……

Louboutins For Lunch.....

2011-01-04T22:54:00.000-08:00

You’ve got the dress. You’ve perfected the smoky eye trend. Your vintage purse is simply divine but those clumpy old black pumps with the heels wore down just do not complete the look. So where does a recessionista turn to when you’re a shoe-aholic working off bad credit?? The Italians (and Claire Bear) say that you should always match your shoes with your bag. Indeed, this has been a simple fashion rule that I have followed for years. I always remember, many moons ago, marveling at this hot blonde wearing an LBD and rainbow striped pumps. I’m not joking – they were genuinely rainbow striped pumps of the Castro variety. I, in all of my nineteen year old wisdom, thought they were AMAZING but I was assured by my slightly more mature and infinitely fashion wiser friend that she looked cheap and nasty. It wasn’t much long after this that I learned this to be a fashion faux pas of catastrophic proportions on the streets of Milan. Indeed, sadly as one gets that little bit more mature and softer in the hot bod department you come to realize that less truly is more. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve never followed the advice of taking one thing off before I leave the house (were I to do this I’d probably join the ranks of P Hilton and Britney Spears in the unfortunate and unflattering angle-photo department). Nonetheless, I have realized that garish colors and mis-matching pieces can often look just that – garish and mis-matching.

A great dress is one thing. But there are few feelings that parallel donning a really sexy pair of heels. I HATE flat shoes. The best they can ever be is cute. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m no stranger to strutting my stuff in them in a work environment or on a leisurely Sunday stroll but truth be told, us women all feel much sexier and stronger in a pair of killer heels. And men feel it too. There are certain shoes that evoke in men that ‘leave them on’ lust and trust me honey, that doesn’t come with a kitten heel.

So what I am about to disclose to you goes against the very ethos of this blog but here it goes – you need to spend money on shoes. There. I said it. Ladies, I do hate to admit it but it’s true. Now, I absolutely do not believe in spending money on fad shoes. A flowery espadrille or purple pump might go well with your specific look du jour but they’re not going to last you a lifetime. Think of Manolo Blahnik’s ‘Mary Jane’. Now that is a perfect shoe – sexy but still conservative, and above all insanely versatile. The only thing a shoe like that may not work with is a summer dress and let’s face it – there are a million $30 –a-pair of shoes at Marshalls or Target that will complete that look. Now if I were to pick a favorite shoe I’d have to go for the slick red-soled Louboutin. These shoes are simply – divine. I’ve been lucky enough to add a few of these babies to my wardrobe and wearing them is a guilty pleasure (I sometimes just wear them around the house). Now, I know – they are obscenely expensive but trust me, I get so much wear out of mine that it truly is worth it. One of the most sacreligious crimes a fashionista can commit is to not wear your more expensive items. Come on, we’re all guilty of it. You spend money on a pair of shoes and because they were so damn expensive you feel the need to only wear them on ‘special’ occasions. Au contraire, my friend, the reason why you bid adieu to your hard-earned American dollars is solely so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor. It’s not often that I truly splurge but the biggest pleasure that comes with splurging is of course to enjoy the item (or items in some cases) - even if it means wearing your Louboutins while doing the dishes.

My darling Recessionitas, if Carrie could live off Vogue for dinner, we can have Louboutins for lunch….

Shoes Glorious Shoes.....

2010-10-12T11:34:00.000-07:00

Forget mood rings, the easiest way to tell how a woman is feeling is to look down.....waaaay down. If she's donning a pair of killer heels chances are she's in a sexy kind of mood, flip flops and she's carefree all the way, slippers - take cover cos she's not in a good one!

One of my most favorite shoe websites is ShopTheShoeBox. From Badgley Mischka to BCBG, Steve Madden to Stuart Weitzman this website is a haven for shoe lovers! And what's even better is In Style magazine has teamed up with them to offer their readers a special discount. Lucky for you guys I'm an avid In Style-ee and am only delighted to share the promo code with y'all. Simply type in INSTYLE20 and you will receive a 20% discount off ALL of the shoes on their website (except existing sale items!). Yes, my friends - get shopping! This offer is only valid until October 31 so get your shop on!! Maybe your shoe closet will start to resemble Mariah's below (c'mon, a girl can dream, right?!).

Also my little Recessionista friends, In Style are doing a promotion right now where it's only $19.50 to subscribe to their magazine for an entire year - do it!!

Don't forget to let me know what you buy........

WEBSITES http://www.shoptheshoebox.com/

http://www.instyle.com/

Tom Ford Sunglass Sale on Monday 10/11

2010-10-10T14:41:00.000-07:00

Nothing says I'm an A-Lister more than oversized shades and now Tom Ford is having an exclusive sunglasses sale for one day only - which means even D-Listers like us might be able to afford them!! Become a member of SeenOn (one of my favorite websites) and snag a pair.

Send me in a pic of you in your oversized shades and I'll post it on the LoveBidBuy Facebook page.

Happy Shopping!

I'll See If I Can Pencil You In.......

2010-10-08T12:31:00.000-07:00

What are you doing this weekend?? Here's where LoveBidBuy will be........

WHO??     Free Night of Theater California
WHEN??   Friday, October 8, 2010
WHAT??   Theater Bay Area are promoting the theater community in the Bay Area with a collection of free performances from 10am-4pm. More importantly - they are giving away over 5,000 free tickets to an array of theatrical productions in the Bay Area. So cool!
WHERE?? Union Square
WHAT'LL IT COST?? Nada!
WEBSITE?? http://www.tixbayarea.com/

WHO??     John Lennon's 70th Birthday
WHEN?? Saturday, October 9, 2010
WHAT?? Shotwell Studios is hosting a party on what would've been Lennon's 70th birthday, complete with a "Be My Yoko" art installation, a Lennon-Yoko Ono-Beatles look-alike contest and an open mike for fans to pay tribute to Lennon through poems, songs or stories
WHERE?? Shotwell Studios, 3252 19th Street, SF at 8pm
WHAT'LL IT COST?? Ten bucks!
WEBSITE?? http://www.ftloose.org/

WHO?? Fleet Week!
WHEN?? Sunday, October 10 from 1pm onwards
WHAT?? The Full Blue Angels Air Show - cool spectacles in the sky, hot boys on the ground!!
WHERE?? San Francisco's Waterfront (or your friends roofdeck)
WHAT'LL IT COST?? Nothing!
WEBSITE?? http://www.fleetweek.us/

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass - The ONLY Place To Be This Weekend.....

2010-09-30T23:30:00.000-07:00

There is truly NOTHING better to do in the city this weekend than go visit the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in Golden Gate Park.

What is it?? Celebrating its' TENTH anniversary this year, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival has been Mr Warren Hellman's most generous gift to the city of San Francisco and attracts music lovers from all over the globe. Whoever thought it was even possible to view up to ninety different music acts at six stages over three days??! Well this weekend only folks - it is!

Some of my favorites are the wonderful Steve Earle, Emmy Lou Harris, Exene and Patti Smith. Check out the line-up here!

C'mon folks - it's a FREE show. And of course, let me know what you think of it!

Free For All.....

2010-09-12T16:54:00.000-07:00

Ask any of my exes and there is one thing they will all surely agree upon – I have a very suspicious mind. I’m one who bases my opinions on people not on what they tell me but on what they hold back. I’m a great girl for reading between the lines and I’ll never accept anything just on face value. I’m also a fervent believer in the fact that there’s no such thing as a free lunch – let’s face it, a man never buys you a drink in a bar just to be ‘nice’. Even if my bank balance is hurtling towards overdraft status I will always pay my own way. I just don’t like being beholden to others. So when I started hearing all the rumblings about these great ‘free’ movie nights in parks all over San Francisco my spidey senses were piqued – there had to be a catch. I wasn’t going to be conned into this one so easily. Despite the valiant efforts of many of my friends to lure me to Dolores Park with promises of bottles of wine and their boyfriend’s cute friends I resisted for many months. It just didn’t really make sense to me. I guess I’m a sucker for the unattainable. If you put a price tag on it that I can’t afford I will base my entire existence on how I can procure it. Make it free and therefore within reach of the masses and I’m just not so sure that I’m interested. Nonetheless, with pay day being a pipe dream right now and no plans on a Saturday night I somehow found myself making my way to movie night at Washington Square in North Beach. And yes – it managed to seduce me.

I suppose another reason why I was a fervent disbeliever is that of course I’d already seen the films that are shown at these movie nights so I couldn’t quite get on board with the hype. However, I realize after my experience on Saturday night that it is all about the ambience….the mood…..the feeling…..and the movie is in essence just the thing that facilitates all this. I was quite clearly a novice to the scene. I minced down there in my new tank dress (I’m OBSESSED with eBay at the moment btw!) only to find it a solid minus 20 degrees cooler than my previous destination and getting colder by the second. Were it not for the fact that my friends car was loaded with clothes she was giving to Goodwill I probably would have only lasted about forty minutes. Another reason why I love her. The thing about movie night is it’s all about the spread. We were clearly a lot less organized than our fellow movie goers who had come equipped with tables, glassware and crock pots of food but we managed to pull together a sizeable feast within minutes - multiple blankets, layers of clothes, a couple of bottles of wine from Trader Joes (thank you once again to the lady in the yellow hat who seemed to be the only ingénue who thought to bring a wine key and therefore somehow became responsible for opening all the vino for the entire park), some delicious chocolate covered caramelized pecan delights and a phenomenal pizza from Tony’s. Seriously – I could have sat in the park all night just eating and drinking and laughing with friends. The movie, Amelie, was so cute and with the Cathedral of St Peter and Paul (the church where Marilyn Monroe married Joe DiMaggio) as our backdrop I just couldn’t help thinking to myself – life’s not too shabby right now.

As I steamed myself in a piping hot bath after the fact (note to self – bring lots of layers!) I just couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. I had such an incredibly lovely evening. And what’s more – I spent literally no money. Love it! The girls got the vino and I splurged an entire twenty bucks on the pizza. Had I spent my night in a bar I’d have bid adieu to at least four times this much money. Had I spent my night at home I’d have felt sorry for myself. And probably given that much money to the Chinese delivery guy. I also started thinking about what an incredible city San Francisco is and how much it facilitates the recessionista lifestyle. There are so many free activities available to us in this city. Just last week I was meandering through Golden Gate Park when I stumbled upon a free concert by the Golden Gate Park Brass band. It was so cool. It was something that I would have neither paid nor planned to go to see but randomly finding it was so special. Of course, probably the most phenomenal free event in the city is coming up in the next couple of weeks – the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival (October 1-3). Yes, yes, for those of you that know me you will realize there is an element of shameless self-promotion going on here (I am lucky enough to work for the company that produces this festival and will be out in Golden Gate Park from September 27th onwards working on set-up) but regardless, this is an undeniably amazing gift that Mr. Warren Hellman gives to the city. The festival takes place over three days and with six stages features over 90 incredible acts including Patti Smith, Emmylou Harris, Joan Baez, Mike Patton and Steve Earle (these are some of my favorites). Seriously, even though I work on this event when I take a step back I sometimes can’t believe that this level of talent is available to us for zero dollars. So pack a picnic and get yourselves out to the park for a frugalista-friendly few days of fantastic music.

Being serious doesn’t really suit me but let’s face it – the last few years have not necessarily been kind to most of us financially. We need to forget about keeping up with the Joneses. Look outside the box. Check out the free street fairs and festivals that your city has to offer and you can still live that fun, diverse city lifestyle and stay out of the red. I’d love for you guys to share with me what other fun, free events you know about. Leave a comment here or on the LoveBidBuy Facebook page. We gotta help each other out, sistas!

So I guess I need to start eating my words cos after my experience last night I reckon there probably is such thing as a free lunch in this city……..

WHERE TO GO?? Film Night In The Park

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival

When I wasn't looking at the screen this was my view!

LoveBidBuy

For Realz??

All Laced Up

The Love Bid Buy E-Bay Store

Dublin Does Dallas

What A Woman

Summer Lovin

Fashion Soup For The Soul

Love Is In The Hair.....

Frequently Flying And Fashionable

The Castle And The Couture

Bedazzled or Be Duped??

Men Are From Mars, Women Are.......Crazy!

Take A Walk On The Wild Side

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