if only...

My friend Marti blogged recently about all of the items she would buy with infinite means. It got me thinking about the handbag that has been foremost in my mind although furthest from reality: Sofia Coppola for Louis Vuitton. This is one of the promotional photos on the LV website, no doubt shot by Sofia herself. I love the cobalt but would take any color...IF that is I could afford the absurd $4000 price tag!! Even if I could, spending that much on a bag sort of makes my head spin (especially without some CCs on it). Doesn't make it any less pretty though.

Sofia's muse Kirsten Dunst has been out and about in LA sporting it.

And then the director/designer herself at NYFW with Kirsten of course but luckily Kiki brought a different bag.

It's a really simply designed bag but like Sofia herself (and her movies) the simplicity of the design is what makes it. Would love to see it in person.

Also, check out what my friend Marti is dreaming of.

feeling tomboy

sorry for the lapse in posting lately. I think I felt like no one was reading...but I heard that some are. So I guess I should be more attentive. I am working (mentally) on some new and exciting posts that are yet to come but in the meantime....

I have been inundated with emails from all those lauding their new Fall collections. Since I am knee-deep in a house renovation I have tried to simply window-shop. While window-shopping, I fell hard for all the new tomboy stuff out there, and at affordable places like Urban and J.Crew. The latter is really nailing it lately. So I picked a couple of items from their Fall preview that are very boy and very decidedly not your typical frou-frou J.Crew.

I love this monochromatic look. I have been unconsciously dressing in all one color lately. I thought maybe it was because I have an overabundance of navy and black. Now apparently it's a trend. I love how the manly tie is paired with super tight khaki pants.

While this is a totally weird outfit (and picture), I love the shirt. I love pullover henleys - they are not done more often. This shirt is straight up APC at half the price (and probably better quality - sorry, APC.)

Okay maybe this doesn't fall into the tomboy category, but I really like this dress. You might have to look like a model for it to be flattering but it's really plain while having clean and simple lines at the same time.

And to end, a very cute "accessory" piece as I see it: this grey merino vest. The outfit is no good but styled in a different way, with skinny jeans or the dress above (in black) with Isabel Marant ankle boots or gladiator sandals or clog boots and it's an outfit-making item.

Everything is from jcrew's new fall arrivals.

Timeless pieces

I bought this jacket 10 years ago at Saks in NYC. It's a Marc by Marc light gray denim military jacket. I don't think a year has gone by where I haven't worn it at least 15 times. It is one of those timeless wardrobe staples that you don't anticipate when you buy them but realize soon after how much you are really going to where it. Year after year.

tried and true: part one

Looking through the L.L.Bean Christmas catalog today, I noticed this cute mock-neck cardigan sweater in a Nordic pattern with nice metal buttons..and (for some unknown reason) a random little skier navigating his way down the front of the sweater. This one quirky detail makes this otherwise kind of boring and very "LLBean"-esque cardigan a unique piece.

It reminds me a lot of the Paul&Joe cashmere sweaters (I don't think they are doing them anymore) that were a totally normal piece - like a solid, red cardigan - and then they would just have an owl on the side, staring at you. Or I used to have a pink Paul&Joe cardigan that for some reason had a frog holding an umbrella in the rain on the back of it. Also not unlike Lucien Pellat-Finet cashmere sweaters (see below) but less dark, less skulls and marijuana leaves and more happy, snowy adventures.

Like I said, quirky but still cute. The L.L.Bean sweater, by the way, is 100% merino wool and sells for $79.

And after discovering this one interesting piece, I felt inspired to look through the rest of the L.L.Bean catalog and even the website to see what other diamonds in the rough were to be found. I found a very cute cotton flannel tartan robe in the men's section, available in a variety of different plaids (I like the red tartan). It is also moderately priced at $49.50.

And since duck boots are all the rage right now and L.L.Bean basically invented them with their "Bean boots", I found these tall shearling lined versions that are actually a little more wearable than real duck boots. I mean, it's hard to go to work wearing duck boots and not look like you are going hunting. Am I wrong?

Because of their durability (and craftsmanship, I'm sure), they are a little more pricey at $184.

All items are available at llbean.com. And the Lucien Pellat-Finet picture was borrowed from the blog Tweed and Velvet.