sale away

How is everyone? Any good sale buys? I myself did not partake in Black Friday madness, and I missed out on everything I had my eye on online. I just wasn't quick enough with "proceed to checkout!" I'm not even that disappointed, I feel like I'm in a good place with my wardrobe right now.

Rick Owens Lilies asymmetric top (Century21/NYC)
Calvin Klein Collection over-the-knee boots (theoutnet.com)
Comme des Garçons wool vest (Second Time Around consignment)
Hermès cuff

Vanessa Bruno Athé double-breasted jacket (theoutnet.com)
Balenciaga leather leggings (yoox.com)
Rick Owens boots (brownsfashion.com)
Elizabeth & James knuckle ring (Intermix/NYC)

collection i'll be stalking

I have trouble keeping up with fashion shows. There are too many of them and too many seasons for me to keep track of - as soon as I think I'm caught up, the next round of runway shows begins.

I don't remember viewing Junya Watanabe's F/W 2011 collection via runway pictures last spring, but when I saw the first shipment at Barneys it was love at first sight. With my solid base of essentials (tuxedo jacket, white button-down shirt, leather pants) I would have no trouble incorporating these pieces into my wardrobe. With end-of season sales, eBay, and discount sites, I'm hoping that at least one of these will land in my closet eventually. Let the obsessive bookmarking and stalking begin!

Junya Watanabe Comme Des Garcons plaid shirt dress
Junya Watanabe cropped pants
Junya Watanabe leather shorts
Junya Watanabe Ester taffeta and faux leather quilted gilet

tough call

I always have trouble getting dressed this time of year. It's as warm as it's been all summer but I'm tired of wearing my summer clothes.

Junya Watanabe CDG studded collar shirt (eBay) // Luxirare cuff // Sara
Berman cropped leather pants (theoutnet.com) // Charles David boots (endless.com)

back to non-basics

took a break from the pretty dressing i've been showcasing lately. this weekend was all about designers who inspire me the most.


Comme des Garcons cropped top with felt appliques;
Ann Demeulemeester blush-colored pants;
vintage beat-up leather belt;
Chloe platform sandals





Junya Watanabe "apron" dress;
Christian Louboutin espadrilles (yay! cobbler was able to resurrect them!);
Marc Bernstein leather and metal wrap bracelet

back in black

House of Holland garter stockings!



at first i wasn't sure these stockings would work since a) they are one size fits all and b) i am not blessed with mile-long legs. i think i pull them off though!



i wore the boots to run errands in the morning then switched to heels to do some window shopping. i should wear heels more often, i'm always running around in flats.






ITEMS (mouse over to view detailed picture)
Comme des Garcons silk tunic (old, from Housing Works Thrift/NYC)
vintage Alaia shorts
Balenciaga boyfriend blazer (old, from eBay)
House of Holland garter stockings (from sevennewyork.com)
Chanel motorcycle boots (old, from Barneys clearance)
Chloe platform sandals (old, from yoox.com)
Alexander McQueen animal print pashmina (from Alexander McQueen/NYC)
Chanel purse with charms





and now for some belated answers to a few questions:

do you only buy things online that you've tried on before?
i do often buy brands that i already own online since i pretty much know how particular brands fit. if it's something i'm unsure about or a brand i'm not familiar with, i will only buy online if the merchant has a good return policy. i know my size in a bunch of different brands so it's easy for me to shop online.

do you have any favorite etsy sellers?
i find etsy a little overwhelming; so far i have only purchased two items, so i am not a big etsy buyer. i do not keep tabs on vendors, i only go on etsy if i am looking for something specific, like a sword pendant.

do you have any favorite eBay sellers?
i don't have favorite sellers on eBay, either. i have a bunch of saved searches for favorite designers. the trick in searching is to use common search engine tricks to maximize a search. for example, one of my favorite saved searches is for avant-garde designers and this is what goes in the search box:

(cdg, comme des garcons, watanabe, demeulemeester, margiela, yamamoto) -(h&m, play,y-3)

the first set of terms in parentheses will search for cdg OR comme des garcons OR watanabe etc. etc., and the second set will exclude certain terms, noted by the minus sign in front of the group - for example, most of the CDG Play stuff on eBay is fake so i exclude those in my search. basically any search trick you can use on google will work in an eBay search field. since the second set is separated from the first set by a space, it will be an "AND" condition - so it will search for all those designers AND exclude certain terms.

here's another example: say i was looking for Stella McCartney items but only from the main line, this is what i would type in the search box:

stella mccartney -(adidas, target, h&m, gap)

so this will search for Stella McCartney items and exclude most of the diffusion lines. i hope you get the idea! if not, i will try to expand in another post...

are your Miu Miu motorcycle boots/Alaia studded boots/DRKSHDW fur-lined hooded sweatshirt/Rick Owens Lilies asymmetrical zipper top for sale?
unfortunately no, those are all keepers!


if i missed any other questions, feel free to ask again!

free stuff

i found these Etoile by Isabel Marant cotton-linen baggy pants on sale last weekend and had to wear them right away. they are sure to be a summer staple for me. when warmer weather hits i tend to go for big and loose rather than tight and tiny, i don't like clothes clinging to me on those hot, humid days. i paired it with one of my favorite t-shirts by Tao Comme des Garcons (closeup of the t-shirt here.)



last sunday was also the perfect opportunity to wear my new Escada jacket which i got from Brook&Lyn's closet swap. this jacket, which used to belong to Daphne tres jolie of Jolie-Laide, was actually one of my first choices from the swap so i was thrilled to get it! i don't have anything like it in my closet.



i love the gold detailing against the navy. i'm already planning its next outfit - i'm thinking jeans and a crisp white shirt.

i can't thank Mimi of Brook&Lyn enough for setting up the swap and i was very honored to receive an invitation to participate. her selection process for swappable items was quite rigorous, but it was totally worth it in the end - all the items i received were in perfect condition.



it was a great experience and an all-around win-win situation - so thanks again Mimi and thank you to all the participants for giving up such great items!

in memoriam I

Alexander McQueen trench. now more than ever, my favorite jacket.









Alexander McQueen trench; American Apparel cotton turtleneck; Comme des Garcons silk tunic; Louis Vuitton x Stephen Sprouse leopard scarf; Lee Angel necklace; Armando d'Alessandro over-the-knee boots; JCrew coat; Prada quilted evening bag; Sermonetta leather gloves

closet cleanout part one

these days my closet cleanouts are less about dumping old clothes than they are trying to figure out why i don't wear certain items as often as others.

take for example this Comme des Garcons dress, which i purchased a long time ago for pennies from a thrift store.



i thought about why i didn't wear it that often and came to the conclusion that it was a little big (it's one size larger than i normally take in CdG) and the length is difficult for me - i would have to wear heels all the time to balance the proportion.

i solved the dilemma by taking it to the tailor and hacking the hem up seven inches. now, rather than it being an awkward length dress, it is a tunic that i can use as a layering piece.



the seamstress did a fabulous job with the hem. she even kept the original style, which is quite a feat considering the delicate silk material.



i felt like i came home with a fabulous new purchase - i can see myself wearing this a lot more often now, in all four seasons.


ITEMS (mouse over to view detailed picture)
Nom de Plume by Yaya lace bustier (from Urban Outfitters/Philly)
Comme des Garcons silk tunic/dress (old, from Housing Works Thrift/NYC)
LNA zipper back leggings
Hermes "collier de chien" cuff
Rick Owens ankle boots (from brownsfashion.com)




also, in my last post someone had commented that a certain Paola Frani skirt seemed to have disappeared from my wardrobe...



i loved that skirt! but back in the day when i was a poor college student i thought i could save on dry cleaning by hand-washing it in cold water. big mistake! i have held on to the skirt despite its sad shrunken state, so if anyone out there has a miracle formula for unshrinking silk chiffon, do let me know :-(


*** last week i finally debugged the javascript i use for the rollover images, so now i can have more than one post on a page. it took a few trials and errors, so i apologize for messing up feeds and bloglovin updates! but pat on the back for me for figuring it out - programming was my least favorite requirement back in college!

i can't decide which shoes to wear

barefoot seems to be the most fashionable (yet least practical) choice for this particular outfit.





isn't this a great shirt? tao comme des garcons. i found it at INA in nolita. people are letting go of some fantastic items nowadays, folks, so check out your local consignment shop next time you're out and about.

sunday, october 26th, '08

ITEMS (mouse over to view details)
Rick Owens sweater
Comme des Garcons "rosettes" tee
Balenciaga mini skirt
blue patent Gucci flats
Elizabeth and James knuckle ring