The 3 Best Shoes I Bought This Year

This was a pretty good year for the economy, for iPad owners, and for me, because I bought some puhretty sweet shoes. Here are three of the best pairs of shoes I purchased this year. (In case you were wondering.)

1.) Ce Ce Chin Sloan Black Lace Pump

The kind people at Shoeaficionado.com, which is like Gilt Groupe but strictly for shoes, sent me a gift certificate for a free pair, and I got these Ce Ce Chin -- she's the designer behind 80%20 -- black lace overlay pumps with a beaded heel inspired by vintage perfume bottles.

Here's a better image of the heel's detail:

I wear them with black skinny jeans or my black Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dress.

2.)  Matiko Leila Studded Loafers

($119.50, Matiko, Solestruck.com)

I got these Matiko studded loafers back in July at Solestruck, which has a really excellent collection of boutique brands at affordable prices. They're obviously um, "inspired" by Christian Louboutins. I love them, but within just a few months, some of the studs fell off, and by this point the heels are starting to get small holes in them, though mainly because I guess I walk like somewhat of a total freak. They're deep within the winter of their lives, but for $100, they were well worth it. 

 

3.) Haus Of Price Seashell Booties

($245, Haus Of Price, StantonJames.com)

Yes, indeed I did spend over $100 on black booties covered in seashells. I got these Haus Of Price handmade booties from StantonJames, which I WISH had a location in New York, by the way, and they are absolutely my everything. When I unboxed them, it was like unboxing a thrill, and not even my husband's "were those an arts and crafts project made by residents of a nursing home" inquest was enough to dissuade my instant love. They're SUPER comfortable, and my only complaint is that some of the shells got crushed, but that's the price you pay for wearing shoes covered in real shells. It's a risk worth taking. Anyway, my Haus Of Price booties mean the world to me, they are my everything. Essentially, they're the bootie version of my favorite Toni Braxton song.

The Year In Beauty: These Are My Favorite Things, Part 4

Welcome back!

You, like me, are probably sitting around in your sweatpants, so what better time to check out the fourth installment of my and Beauty Blogging Junkie Amber's favorite beauty products of 2010. I've been writing about beauty every week for Naag.com, so there are plenty of lipsticks, perfumes, eyeshadows, mascaras and wine to cover.

Let's get right to it.

Here are the beauty products we covered in this video:

Me: Davines Number 1 Finest Oil Non Oil For Wizards (a miraculous anti-frizz serum), Revlon Retro Fire and Ice nail polish in Siren, Miss Pucci Perfume and Tom Ford Black Orchid Nail & Lip Set.

Amber: Keratin Complex Serum, Immunocologie Skin Care, and CND Effects Line polish.

 

Watch Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

The Most Terrifying Skirt Ever Created

Today I learned that my nightmares are made of tweed and cost $2100.

($2100, Brian Lichtenberg Gizmo skirt, Alexandchloe.com)

Also, if you're interested in haute horror, please be advised that this skirt only comes in a 4-6. Sorry, ladies!

Saks Sells Sweatshorts

No, that's not a tongue twister. It's just the truth.

($63.00, Gryphon, Saksfifthavenue.com)

And perhaps the most troubling thing about the existence of these Gryphon denim sweatshorts is I actually considered buying them. What? Don't laugh! My baggy, cuffed drawstring denim sweatpants are really working for me in a sort of Isabel Martant-ish way.

By the way, Saks is having a serious sale, and promo code "HOLIDAYS" = free shipping!

Adventures In Weird Handbags

Really, there just aren't enough handbags named after deadmau5. I kid you not, this is called the Matt & Nat Deadmau5 Stellar Convertible Clutch.

($93.50, Mat and Nat, Endless.com)

Or lacquered wooden minaudieres shaped like butler dogs. Named Jeeves.

($139.15, Timmy Woods, Endless.com)

The Year In Beauty: These Are My Favorite Things, Part 3

Welcome back. And here we have part three of my and Beauty Blogging Junkie's Amber's favorite beauty products of 2010. I don't think my cat makes a cameo in this video, but you will see a lot of wine!

The products I love in this video include Topshop's big, fat Lip Crayon -- I truly thought I couldn't do a big, bright hot pink, but it works in Topshop's matte -- Urban Decay's spectacular Naked Palette, which is a celebrations of beachy browns and golds, Sulwahsoo Concentrated Ginsing Cream, which costs a small fortune but is worth every stress-inducing dollar you'd part with for insanely hydrated skin, Honore de Pres Va A New York perfume, which smells like the end of a long night out in New York, Burberry's Effortless Mascara, and Maybelline's Volum Express The Falsies mascara.

Amber's beauty BFFs are Stila Smudge Pot in Kitten, La Prairie Advanced Marine Biology Tonic, Juliette Has a Gun Fragrance Set (Lady Vengeance), Napoleon Perdis Lipstick in Calypso, La Prairie Anti Aging Eye Cream SPF 15 and Alterna Kendi Oil.

Again, my outfit ended up being an exercise in what NOT to wear on TV. But speaking of TV, I'm going to be on VH1's Top 40 Music Videos of 2010 Countdown show tonight, so hopefully I will be exonerated. And the lady who did my makeup did ELTON JOHN'S makeup for years. No, she did not make me look like Elton. Oh well. There's always next year.

($44, Urban Decay)

WHY BUY: Forever 21 Stretch Cargo Pants

($22.80, Forever 21)

No, don't reach for your glasses. You actually read that correctly. I bought not one but TWO pairs of stretch cargo pants from Forever 21 and I'm LOVING them. Seriously. They're cotton with a slight stretch, they pull on but not in a mom-jeans way, and they fit perfectly. Well, they fit me perfectly anyway. They're definitely more skinny cargo/ skinny jeans than leggings, so they don't come with any of that leggings-are-not-pants drama. I've been wearing them with a t-shirt, blazer, and booties. They're tapered at the bottom, so they're almost stupid easy to tuck into boots.

Oh, and I actually factually give these an A for quality though that's relative quality considering they're from Forever 21. But for fast fashion, these are really sturdy -- I've worn them for months, washed them (obviously), and they show no signs of slowing down (kind of like, say, the Tea Party, unfortunately). I actually may buy two more pairs for backup.

I bought these in both grey and olive, though the olive is basically your standard-issue khaki/ army green. I bought these in large (because Forever 21 is a store for teenagers, and I am not a teenager, at least not according to my birth certificate), and I'm about a size 8, so if you're an 8-ish or under, go crazy. Get two pairs. I did!

The Year In Beauty: These Are My Favorite Things, Part 2

Yesterday Beauty Blogging Junkie's Amber and I "unveiled" -- because OBVIOUSLY you were unable to sleep due to the overwhelming suspense -- our favorite beauty products of 2010. And now here is part two for your bemusement. Get it? Because "bemusement" sounds like "beauty" a little!

The products I was all in a tizzy about are: Stila Raspberry Crush lipstain, Clarins' new Barocco holiday eyeshadow trio, and Deborah Lippmann Bad Romance polish. (Check out Matthew Siskin's awesome Gaga graphic that ran with my Naag review of the polish!)

Meanwhile, Amber reviewed Paul and Joe's palette, Chanel nail polish in Riva, and Carmindy All Over Brightener.

(Credit: Matthew Siskin/ Designed Memory for Naag.com)

Let's Try To Make Turbans Happen, 'Kay?

I can count on zero hands the number of times I've worn a turban. But the other day I made a very spurious decision to get my hair trimmed at Mizu Salon -- FANTASTIC decision, by the way, so look for a GLOWING review on Naag.com post haste! -- and HI! They wrap your hair in a perfect towel turban. I'm being halfway serious when I say I kind of want to make turbans work. Don't I look so relaxed and at ease? It's totally the turban talking.

Now, this all kind of begs the question, WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WEAR A TURBAN WITH, fashionably speaking. I haven't actually tried it (yet), but I'd opt for some super casual jeans, a blazer, and an easy t-shirt in a weekend-wear way. Like, the key is to basically MAKE IT SEEM LIKE YOU'RE NOT WEARING A TURBAN, you know? Like it was a cool, casual afterthought. Like, please don't go all Aladdin and do harem pants, gladiator sandals and everything. Because then it's like HEY Y'ALL! LOOK AT ME! I'M DARING TO WEAR A TURBAN! Just pretend you're not!

Anyway, my all-time classic turban inspiration is the photo of the beautiful Marisa Berenson. Think, more that, less this:

 

And check out Camilla And Marc's Spring/  Summer 2011 collection, because turbans are very much happening there.

The Year In Beauty: These Are My Favorite Things, Part 1!

Happy between-Chanukkah-and-Christmas time!
Beauty Blogging Junkie's Amber and I got together, pooled our favorite lip glosses, hair goops and mascara wands, opened a bottle of red wine, and made a couple of videos of us discussing our favorite beauty products of 2010.

I learned a lot from doing these videos! I learned that while my outfit looked adorable in person, it came off as positively uncute on camera. I wore a high-waisted circle skirt whilst SEATED ON MY SMOOSHY COUCH! I look like I was born without a waist. Ugh. Live and learn, people. I learned that making videos is insanely time-consuming, and while I already respected bloggers who regularly devote their time to making their own videos, I now pretty much think they're Jesus. And I learned that Windows Movie Maker was put on this planet to destroy me.

Anyway, hope you like it! There are more where this came from!




And check out my Naag.com review of MAC's Haute & Naughty Lash
and C.O. Bigelow Protein-Enriched Conditioner for Dry & Damaged Hair. Amber hyped up Tokyomilk Bon Bon Shea Butter Hand Cream and Panthera Ultraflesh Mascara, which is SHAPED LIKE A PANTHER. I got excited about that, you'll notice.Who even cares how it works when it looks like that?

Bing Bang, It's Almost My Birthday!

($72, Bing Bang By Anna Sheffield, Oaknyc.com)

My next birthday was exactly eight months ago this past Tuesday! And this charming little lacquered Bing Bang arrowhead bracelet (I'd probably refashion it into a necklace using my pidgin jewelry-making skills) is the PERFECT gift for if you want to celebrate my eighth month of this year, you know? It'd be the perfect companion piece to my hot pink metal Alexis Bittar pendant. We don't want that to get lonely, do we?

Manish Arora: The Obsession Grows

Manish Arora's super psychedelic, kaleidoscopic, Bollywood-takes-a-head-trip prints (he's not called the Galliano of India for nothing) are yet another reason I need to start recycling cans for coins or something, so I can save up and splurge.

($188, Manish Arora, Thecorner.com)

($176, Manish Arora, Luisaviaroma.com)

I mean, COME ON. THIS SHIRT IS CALLED "FLAMING DISCO BALL." That's exactly almost what my parents used as my middle name, but it didn't fit on my birth certificate.

Temperley's Holy Trinity

Just when I think I couldn't possibly love Temperley London any more than I do, I realize I actually could love Temperley even more.

I've impulse-purchased far too many gifts for myself (though, lest you think I'm a selfish asshole, I've bought some pretty ruling presents for my friends and family... HURRY UP, USPS!), so this Temperley Trinity bracelet isn't even an option, but if I were still in the market for some me-presents, this would make the cut:

($145, Temperley London, Temperleylondon.com)

It matches the Temperley Trinity Messenger Bag, which appears to be highly sold out.

($950, Temperley, Temperleylondon.com)

... But lust begets lust, so feel free to channel your unrequited love of Temperley's Trinity bag into the Royal Messenger bag:

($895, Temperley, TemperleyLondon.com)

WISH LISTED: Studded Acrylic Burberry Bracelets!

Ooh! Burberry is getting EDGY! Like how when someone classy and buttoned-up blows your mind with a naughty side you didn't know they had in them. But in bracelet form.

($225, Burberry)

Burberry, coming soon.

Urban Outfitters MADE Me Buy These Black Boots! + PROMO CODES!

DAMN, you Urban Outfitters. You led me right back into temptation again, didn't you? Knowing full well that I'm nearly powerless to you. Especially when you dangle a promo code in front of my nose.

While shopping for THIS awesome gift for my husband (I don't wanna post it directly because he reads this from time to time), I kinda had to get myself a reward of some sort for finding him such an AWESOME present.  Enter, these black leather hiking boots!

($88, Ecote, UrbanOutfitters.com)

I love the wooden stacked heel and the metal D-rings. Hopefully they'll deliver in the cuteness category once I receive them.

($39.99, Cooperative, UrbanOutfitters.com)

I also fully support these really sweet Sherpa-lined Cooperative black boots with a stacked heel. They're on sale!

AND promo code "HEREYOUGO" saves you $25 on $100 and more. GET IT!

Why Buy: Cougar Snow Boots

($200, CougarBoots.com)

Welcome back to Why Buy, people! Why Buy is where we try something awesome and tell you why you should buy it. Today's thing you should DEFINITELY buy is a pair of Cougar Boots. (Disclosure: I was sent a pair to review by the kindly people at Matchstick).

Okay, you know that sigh of relief you either think in your head or actually audibly emit when you collapse into a comfy couch (Side note: Is there ANYTHING better than a comfy couch to come home to? Well, besides a comfy bed. But the comfy couch is your first stop before a comfy bed. You really need both. As usual, it appears I have digressed greatly)? Well that is EXACTLY what happened, both literally and figuratively, when I stepped into my new pair of Cougar Ringo Star boots when I unboxed them.

I got my Ringo Star boots in black, and they're nylon (with suede trim) and lined with what must be heaven-sent baby lamb's wool but is actually synthetic fur that just FEELS like baby lamb's wool. These things are like wearing a warm blanket. Oh, and since they're Canadian, they're built to withstand serious chill, severe weather, and they say "house," it sounds like "moose." (Just joking on that last part, but I WISH these boots talked.)

More selling points! They lace all the way up to just below my knee, and you can fold them down so they make this great faux-fur cuff effect. And they're quietly rugged (like a fancy lumberjack), and I'd even go so far as to say that you could wear them as "cute boots" and not just snow boots. Or both! Julie Christie as Lara in "Dr. Zhivago" would've worn these as they would've matched her babushka perfectly. Sigh... Russia.

Cougar also makes tons of rain boots, like these Regal rain boots, which are a cool take on motorcycle boots:

... as well as this particularly intriguing, though not necessarily Russian, pair I also like.

($124, Cougar Boots, Zappos.com)