My Fantastic Brunch With Fred Flare! And Jonathan Adler! And Parker Posey! (But Not Charlie.)

Guys! Yesterday I got to go the most wonderful brunch situation. It was a charity brunch hosted by Fred Flare, the proceeds went to God's Love With Deliver (which is a wonderful New York City-based organization that delivers healthy meals to people living with HIV/AIDS), and the guest of honor was JONATHAN ADLER! THE Jonathan Adler! And radworthy woman Parker Posey was there too. The brunch was across the street from the Fred Flare store at tasty Greenpoint yum/ coffee/ vinyl outpost, Eat, and their coffee almost had me ZOOMING down the street it was so strong and good and delicious. Anyway, it was also the year anniversary of Fred Flare's brick-and-mortar store opening (I did a piece about the store at this time last year, and I had the pleasure and honor of meeting Chris, Keith, and Jen at that time).

Anyway, Parker Posey herself toasted the guys and said it best -- it was so great to see everyone smiling and happy. And that smiling, happy vibe at the brunch is same fun and infectious vibe that Keith and Chris and their Flare girls (and guys!) bring to the store.

Fred Flare is one of my favorite stores on EARTH, and that's because Keith and Chris are two of the nicest, hardest-working, most fun and just geniunely good guys who deserve all of their success and more. Happy anniversary guys! And MEWS to Charlie!

Oh yeah, check out the insane black sequined blazer I picked up at the store. DEATH!

($84, FredFlare.com)

It was $84 bucks, but I felt like A MILLION TRILLION bucks in it, which is what Fred Flare's all about.

Oh yeah, PLEASE GTK (get to know) Fred Flare kitty CHARLIE, who, aside from Roris P. Cat, and Simonium Timonium, who's my other cat with Beauty Blogging Junkie's Glambr (long story), and the late, great, Romeo, AKA King Of All Kats, is the CUTEST CAT IN THE UNIVERSE. Then GTK their amazing night out on Fashion's Night Out, where they went on a designer scavenger hunt! Amazements!

Sweater I Need RIGHT This Second! Animal Bandido At Fred Flare!

It should be much more than obvious why I NEED this rainbow bright reversible magic pyramid sweater. It's $95, but really $47.5 per side when you think about it! It's by Barcelona brand Animal Bandido, and it's available at Fred Flare, where you can also read a lil moar about the brand.

It's like a cotdamn Tom Tom Club video come to LYF!


Also, I went to check out the opening of Fred Flare store in Greenpoint, and it was like retail Disney -- the happiest place on earth! And speaking of Disney, I picked up this Disney treasure chest ring for $44 -- I'd wanted it for forever:

($44, Disney Couture, Fred Flare)

I love it so much I slept in it...


... And I got these denture ice cube trays!

($10, Fred Flare)

So necessary! So best!

Oh yeah, Fred Flare ALSO carries JONATHAN ADLER products! LOVE! Come holidaze, I'll be goin' crazy bonkers coconuts bananas shopping there. Especially shopping for MEEEEEEE!!!! WEEE!

Got $16? Get Fred Flare's Golden Rhinestone Blossom Ring!

($16, Fred Flare)

Love this semi-conservative, granny-chic, vintage-looking faux gold and rhineystones ring from my favey humans, Fred Flare! BTW, Fred Flare now has their own TAXI ADS! I will up and PLOTZ when I see one, especially if I see the elusive SUV cab! Those are the bee's KNEEZY, WHEEZY! The only thing that'd make this better would be hailing a Fred Flare cab, opening up the door and discovering it was really CASH CAB!

+ Speaking of rhinestones, here's David Hasselhoff, unfortunately, singing "Rhinestone Cowboy."

Jeffrey Campbell's Lita Heels: NOW TOTALLY SPIKED

$188, Jeffrey Campbell, FredFlare.com

Jeffrey Campbell Lita heels, now TOTALLY SPIKED. For her pleasure. In the words of that great poet, Kanye West, "That's right put in work, move your ass, go berserk."

When you're done ordering the cat tapestry Lita heels, pre-order the spiked heels at FredFlare.com.

And SPEAKING OF Fred Flare, CONGRATULATIONS to Fred Flare founders/ owners Keith and Chris, who just got married earlier this month. I profiled them in 2008, Fred Flare store first opened, and they're truly two of the most genuine, generous, hardworking individuals I've ever met. Their store -- and their all-things-cute-all-the-time mantra are so joyfully cheerful and refreshing. So go indie, and shop Fred Flare! These guys deserve your support.

Warm Up! Grey-Day Accessories! Plus: Fred Flare's New Store!

The weather went from pleasant to fucking February in like a week. Here are some warmy woolies and stuff in lovely neutral greys to stay warm in, kay?

($14, Lulu's)

Berets aren't usually my thing, but this one does a nice job of straddling that dangerous line between "oui oui hee hee!" and hackeysacking.

($20, Fred Flare)

The sweet pom pom makes me wanna do snow angels, and the wooden button keeps this grey-day hat from a.) flying off yo damn head and b.) being too cutesy-cute. ALSO, you can save save save on shipping with promo code "STORE CUTE." Why? Because FRED FLARE is opening their first-ever brick-and-mortar! FINALLY! Also, I wrote a lil story about it for Metromix New York! Read, believe, ACHIEVE! It's an interview with Chris and Keith (the brains behind Fred Flare), and two sweeter souls don't exist in this world, with the exception of my boyfriend and my cat. Wait... not my cat. He's a total jerkface. Anyway, you MUST go check out the store in Greenpoint and go spend your bucks on Jonas Brothers wayfarers and bags like this... oooh or this We Are the Superlative Conspiracy bag... or this bustier dress in black or red...

($22.50, Alloy)

Yeah, so I really love this grey scarf too.

($21.50, Victorianbird, Etsy)

Stripy fleecy sweatshirty scarf! Sing huzzah!

($9.99, Target)

I like how these heart gloves are like stop-light inspired. JUST THINK of how much funner driving would be if the lights were HEARTS instead of just circular-lights. Of course, then we'd probably just get sick of them and never notice. Ahhhh ennui.

($12, Lulu's)

Perfect winter socks for boots or bummin' around the house. I like to put on some super warmo socks WITH my slippers, for extra-warm crumb bum effect!

OH YEAH: coming soon -- a big-ass scarf post by a special guest poster!! Until then, control your parameters. 'Kay nighty nite!

Cuteness Roundup: Four Cute Things of the Day

Three of them cheap, one of them not.

1.) This adorable Fred Flare dress:
(Just $40!)
Again, sorry my more graciously endowed sisters: this one ain't for you. But it is cute, cheap and looks incredibly soft. Bonus: Fred Flare sends cute little extras with your order! (I swear I don't work for them. I just love cute little extras.)


2.) Another adorable Fred Flare dress, this one plaid:
($44)
At first I was skeptical, but check it out with pants. It's way less cutesy (and thus more tolerable):




3.) Seriously cute nautical hoodie:
($49.99, Chica Boom, ModCloth)
Again, slightly My Chemical Romance (am I sensing my own theme here?), but I'm all in favor of cute hoodies that don't look totally shlumpy and can therefore be worn with heels to work. (Well, with heels and PANTS to work).


4.) Swoon-worthy Faryl Robin cut-out pumps:
($159, Polkadotsandmoonbeams)
Love the shoes but not the price. They're not available until February 2007 or so, which is good because that gives me three months to justify spending nearly two Benjamins on shoes. Weee!

I Bought It Files: SHARK Bracelet & Faux Fur Leopard Print Coat!

I realized yesterday that AN ENTIRE DAY HAD PASSED without me engaging in ANY sort of online shopping experience. So today I vowed to right that terrible wrong.

I had an online gift certificate to Fred Flare, which is one of my favorite stores of all time (run by some of the nicest PEOPLE of all time -- Chris, Keith and Jen are LITTLE MIRACLES), which is why I'll soon be the proud owner of a new leopard-print faux fur coat AND a Disney Couture shark bracelet. TWO NECESSITIES, of course.

($78, FredFlare.com)

I've been on a mission for MONTHS now to find a great faux fur coat, and I hope this one delivers. It's no Wren fur coat, but it's also not $795, now is it?

($54, Disney Couture, FredFlare.com)

I'm not necessarily a Disney person, nor am I usually into licensed merch (often it skeeves me out), but I do positively LOVE Disney Couture's jewelry, particularly because it doesn't look like kid Disney stuff. And it's made really well. My Disney treasure chest ring, also from Fred Flare, looks brand-new after years of wear. Oh yeah, and Disney Couture's Tron merch is out of this world. (Get it?) Anyway, I ended up buying this shark bracelet. Because I really really needed a shark bracelet, as it turns out.

Oh yeah, get 30% off with code word "Flare." YAY! Love a sale!

Get 25% Off Errrything At Fred Flare

Fred Flare, my all-time most favorite shop that exists on planet Google Earth (my Stan-ship knows no bounds) is having a little sale: get 25% off with promo code "birdie" through December 6.

... Which explains why my sister will be getting a set of coasters that look like a cheeseburger for her upcoming 30th birthday.

$6, FredFlare.com

Jog Into December In Some Snowjoggers

Winter is the most huzzah-worthy time of the year, IMO. I LOVE cold weather, I LOVE bundling up, and I LOVE anything that reminds me of growing up in the snowy arctic freeze that was winter in Cleveland, Ohio. Like, why don't they make Freaky Freezies in adult sizes, hm?

Anyway, I LURVE Snowjoggers winter boots because they're basically where a kid can be a kid... or whatever. Except they're for gwon-ups, but they come in bright, fun colors, and they're like moonboots but not as ridiculous.

I have a pair of the Sno-Coney blue, yellow, and red ones, which are like straight out of a Rainbow Brite Christmas special...

But I LOVE the new buffalo plaid ones from Fred Flare:

($88, Snowjoggers, Fred Flare)

... Or, check 'em in green and black from Karmaloop:

($80, Snowjoggers, Karmaloop)

+ Check out more Snowjoggers here.

Ashish LUST + Sequined Boyfriend Blazers For A SONG

WHY aren't I wearing this one-shoulder NEON animal print Ashish dress RIGHT THIS MINUTE AS I BLOG THIS... instead of this 532-year-old polyester/rayon robe someone brought my mom back from China. That's not a racialist comment. It's just from China and it's made of really uncomfortable polyblend.

($895, Ashish, Net-a-porter.com)

Oh yeah. I guess I'm not wearing it because it's $895.

OhBTW, speaking of Ashish, I LOVE this Ashish black sequined boyfriend blazer (best friend blazer!), but it's $1020, and HI! The one I got at Fred Flare is $84. So I just saved you $936 (not including tax.) You're WELCOME.

L: $84, Fred Flare; R: $1020, Ashish

Stress Shopping = Maripol x Marc Jacobs Madonna Makeover

Sooo, yesterday I was under the gun at work, so I stress shopped, which is what happens when pressure and adroitness lead to a brief power shopping binge. So I finally pulled the trigger and got that Marc Jacobs Maripol plastic spiked necklace I'd been considering:

($41, eBay)

Maripol, a French artist, was Madonna's stylist during her "Like A Virgin" days. Or, as I like to refer to them, her salad days. Not to be confused with her Botox days.

Check out more Maripol x Marc Jacobs at the Marc Jacobs site. Annoyingly, most of it's only available in the store, which I tend to NEVER visit due to potential lack of impulse control. But it's all super affordable.

And check out this old-school video of Maripol interviewing Madonna.

Oh yeah, and I also stress shopped this adorable white lace top from Fred Flare

($34, BB Dakota, Fred Flare)

If I were a gambling woman, I'd put my money on "immediately" when wagering a bet as to how soon it'll be before I spill coffee on this.

And now, please to watch Madonna perform one of my all-time favorite songs: "Into The Groove." (This came on at my wedding while I was talking to some "grown-up" and I wanted to push them over to get onto the dance floor. Truth.)

Hold The Phone ... And Your Nose... CK One Is Back!

French roll your relaxed fit jeans, spray up those bang rolls, bust out those Coke Classic rugby shirts, and mark your calendars because CK One is coming BACK! Srsly! January 20 is gonna be a historical day and NOT just because the Obamas are gonna paint the White House black. But because CK One -- AKA eau de '90s -- is gettin' reborned with a brand-new marketing campaign, including print ads shot by Steven Meisel (gotta at least give it that!), and a new soundtrack by British artist Jamie Burke. And you get speakers too. You laugh, but that shit sells like WOAH abroad. Also, look for an all-over body spray that comes with an oversize pump, for dat extra stank.

WWD has more on CK One redux.

+ In even more shocking '90s news Malibu Musk is STILL IN PRODUCTION!

+ Suggested purchasing: Let's Paint the '90s Coloring Book!

($13.95, Fred Flare)

And speaking (highly!) of my favies at Fred Flare, make a Valentine for 'em, why doncha? It's for charity!

Soundgirl Sample Sale, Y'awl!

My very beloved Soundgirl is having an in-house (sorry non-NYC-ers) sample sale through Thursday, August 23. I hit it up, and here's what I got:

($62, Soundgirl, Fred Flare)
They had this there for $30, I think.


($68, Soundgirl, Lilygraceonline.com)
I got this but with a purple background. It's a weeee bit snug, but oh wells. It was about $30 also, I think.


($62, Soundgirl, Amazon)
I got this for about $15, but it was missing the sash (boo). I'm gonna cut off the shoulder ruffles. Also, Fred Flare has it on sale for $24.



($46, Soundgirl, Vendima)
This was $30, I think.


Other stuff I admired but did not buy:
($64, Soundgirl, Vendima)
Super cute "Bunny Hutch" dress in London Fog, from their Fall 2007 collection.


($63, Soundgirl, Zappos)
This one was there for about $20.


($64, Soundgirl, 80spurple.com)
They had this for about $20, but I couldn't find it in the right size, and I truly do not need another hoodie.


Anyway, get thee to Soundgirl! Here's the info:

Lovely People Shoes and Soundgirl Sample Sale!

Wednesday August 22nd and Thursday August 23rd
10am – 6pm

Shoes: $60
Boots: $75
Clothes from $5 – 150

1385 Broadway
5th floor
between 37 & 38th streets
For more information call 212.730.0377

Mmmm, Mittens

So, depending where you are right now, you may or may not be experiencing mitten weather. I personally busted out my H&M five-dollah specials, in wacky chartreuese and magenta and lined in fleece, the other day. Alas, they are looking a bit worse for the wear (imagine that! H&M merchandise, breaking down!) and I'm sort of in the market for a new pair. Gloves are fine and dandy but mittens are way more fun, and you can't do any serious tasks with either mittens or gloves on, so you might as well go with the mittens. To the Internet we go!



Fred Flare mittens, $9.99! Want!



Convertible gloves/mittens, see, are all the rage. These Urban Outfitters "marled" mittens are only $18.

Old reliable Gap has a pair of convertible gloves with a fun splash of yellow on sale for $13.65.



Old Navy sweater-knit mitten-gloves, $12.50. Dig that pom-pom!



J. Crew multistripe convertible gloves, $28. (In case the Fred Flares sell out.)



Anthropologie's $78 mittens have detachable arm-warmers, for when you're wearing a T-shirt under your winter coat and the sleeves are kind of open (a frequent problem in my world).



Orla Kiely's mittens look nothing like her trademark pretty prints, but they do look really warm. Sorta like warm oven mitts. Meh. They cost $279. Double meh.



Crowded Teeth convertible gloves, $19.99. Go outside! (That's the gloves talking, not me.)



Pretty bizarre "two-finger" Free People mittens, $78. Huh?



They also have these striped ones, for $38...



...and these elegant cream-and-black ones, if such a word can be applied to mittens, for $48. Still a bit much for knitted mittens if you ask me.