Recently in Shopping Category

Guess what? It is finally freaking cold here! I can't wait to go outside and freeze my nose off. If only it would snow, I would be perfectly happy. In the meantime, here are some scarves to keep your neck nice and toasty.

1) Hoodie Scarf- The evening star sets in the east, and yet I choose a mortal life, so I might devote myself to you Aragon, son of Arathorn, heir to the crown of Gondor! And my scarf, look how cool, it's is also a hood! (If you don't get this one, don't worry. I am just a giant dork.)

2) Pringle of Scotland- When I was a kid we used to go to this really awesome department store in Hamilton, Bermuda, Triminghams. It was there that I got my first perfume, and my first Pringle scarf. Now I am desperately trying to track one down on the web, and having no luck. Nevermind They are gorgeous and thick, and you can get them at Bergdorfs. Here is something tartan and similiar from Balmoral. I think my point here is, go to the men's section at your local deparment store!

3)Thin Striped Washed Wool Scarf- Oh this one is nice. I can see myself, magically six inches taller, and ten pounds thinner, wearing this with a thin green jacket, my perfectly pointy elbows begining to poke holes in the sleeves. I am having a coffee at Cafe Gitane, and playing with the edges of my lovely scarf, as Jacques tells me a vapid story about sleeping with Ivanka. Oh look at the time! I must be off to a go-see, and then to meet Natasha at Cipriani Downtown for a negroni.

This week has just been the pits. I am looking for a new job, and sending out resumes is just the most soul deadening thing. It's almost like looking at real estate: the line between what you want and what you can afford is frustrating. The one you want, is always just at your fingertips, out of reach.

I have been not much fun to be around. I know RC is being patient, but I need to get out of this mindset! So I decided today to make a list of things that make me really happy, whether they relate to fashion, beauty or not. Here goes:

1) A new manicure

2) The first ten minutes of a massage

3) My cat when she sits QUIETLY next to me while I write.

4) Getting a really unbelievable pair of shoes on sale. I have a pair of black suede YSL pumps, with teeny bows, that I got at a last call sale at Neiman's. They are so exquisite; if Nicole Kidman were a shoe she would be them.

5) Arrested Development, the TV show. If you haven't seen it, please go and get it now.

6) The way my apartment smells after my boyfriend gets out of the shower.

7) Landing at an airport. Especially on vacation.

8) Red lipstick. Even though I never wear it, I like to have it.

9) Guerlain tortoise shell compacts. Tres chic!

10) Shopping for fall clothes!

11) The smell of California on a sunny day after it rains.

12) The view of the Empire State Building from Tompkins Square Park at night

For the past year or so friends of mine have been dropping some subtle and some pointed remarks and suggestions about my bag. For example, imagine being in a shop and having a friend pick up a bag and saying to you in a cheerful and upbeat voice:
"Oh isn't this a great bag? You should TOTALLY get it."
Me: "Yeah it is cute. I SHOULD get it. Let me try it on."
Usually I then try it on, and the strap is too short, or there is some unecessary dingle or dangle, or the zipper is in just the wrong place. I, disappointed, sigh, and hold up the bag I have carried almost everyday for the past four years.
Once you have your perfect bag, it's hard, no, impossible to find a replacement. I am not one of those bag of the season girls, (though I wish I could afford to be,) throwing down a grand here and grand there for the hot new thing. No I am a thoughtful purchaser. I take my time, and don't rush it, and usually, eventually, over time, I find what I need.
The bag I am having trouble replacing now (and I agree with my friends, it needs a long nap) is a Miu Miu. It is brown with off white stitching, and a gold bit style clasp. It is the perfect size for the New Yorker, rolled up, and a bottle of water. More then that, and it is too full. One of the charming things about it, is that it is lined with a lovely brown satin, and it has a great little pocket inside. The straps are the perfect size- the go perfectly over my shoulder without pinching my armpit (I can't stang bags with short hard straps- who actually CARRIES a purse, as oppose to slinging it over a shoulder?). When I bought it, it was the most expensive thing I had ever bought. And it probably still is, though it has more then earned its keep.
Recently, when I was in California for a weekend, RC and I went to some outlets, and I was tempted by another bag; it was the closest to actually investing in a new bag since the Miu. This was an eggplant Tod's. It was lady like and grown up, and had lots of little compartments. The straps were a bit snug, but the main pocket was a great size, and overall it would have been a nice change. Also the fact that it had been marked down from the thousands to the low middle hundreds didn't hurt.
But it wasn't perfect. It would have looked weird with my green winter coat. And it was maybe too ladylike for the likes of me, who dumps things on the ground hither and thither.
And so the vigil continues. I got started on this little rant by a picture of a Chloe bag in a Neiman's banner ad on the New York Times homepage! Please forgive my preciousness- I just felt like sharing.
PS- the pictured bag is kind of like the Tod's one I liked.

There is a really interesting article in the Styles section of the Times today about a store called the Free City Supershop in Malibu, CA. For those of you unfamiliar with it, as I was before the article, it is the kind of place that sells vintage bikes, tee pees, and $200 t-shirts. The woman who created it, Nina Garduno, is behind the menswear at Fred Segal. The marketing pitch for Free City is that instead of just consuming, like at the Gap, you go there to actually have a shopping experience. Interesting that "superstore" connotes a large discount retailer, when this place aims to be just the opposite.

The article makes it seems as if this woman is reinventing the shopping wheel because you can buy all sorts of unrelated, yet groovy things in one place, for lots of money, with free orange juice! She is flying in the face of recieved consumer wisdom by ignoring price points and demand, and instead creating her own demand with unique products, in a cozy space full of love. This is catnip to a high end market that values location, authenticity and exclusivity. But I don't think she is all that groundbreaking. She is, however, part of a definite trend at the luxury level of the market. Certain stores have been creating this sort of, lets call it, delightful experience for years, not just Colette, and Corso Como. And her claim that its no longer about jeans, but about t-shirts, well, any kid on the street of New York, Tokyo, or London could tell you that.

After the jump: Some other stores that give good experience.

I don't know about you, but I can't even look at my Ugg boots anymore. This past week we had a brief moment of almost cold. As I perused my limited choices of warm footwear, my eyes landed on the aforementioned Uggs. There they sat, right up front, practically waving their hands in the air, saying "Pick me! Pick me!"

"Ugh", I thought to myself. Instead I put on a pair of cashmere socks and my blue Vans. But that's not going to cut it soon. In a matter of days, we are going to need warm boots. Boots to keep out the damp and the cold. But I want a pair that look cute too! Here are some ideas, in case you feel the same way I do.

1) J.Crew's Tahoe Boots- These giant shearling slippers are demented in the best way possible. A strap here, a bit of stray shearling poking out there- they would look right at home on Annie Hall, stomping around in a Wisconsin winter. They are so odd, with their weird low leather sole, and brass details, that they are chic, and I love J.Crew for them.

2) LL Bean Boots, 10" Shearling lined- These are not for the faint of heart. You can almost hear them say "Ma'am, you're feet will be warm! And they will be dry!" I can see them paired with a little Chloe dress. You will be the belle of the ball. Think early '90's Kate Moss, only instead of Doc Martens, hunting boots! (PS.- If you have any fear, know that I first saw these on a good friend of mine who is an amazing stylist.)

3) Burberry Shearling Cuff Boot- I say, bit of a cold snap this morning, eh? Glad I popped over and got these boots. Wouldn't want to miss out on any hunts. Quite warm, dear chap, quite warm. Good thing too, they keep these bloody old country estates so blasted cold. Think I'll go have a spot of tea, maybe a crumpet or two. Cheerio! Feet still warm!

The Jimmy Choo Sample sale was advertised as beginning at 1pm. I arrived at 11 am, prepared to wait. I had brought with me a croissant, a cup of tea, and the New Yorker. The line was not very long, and I was pleased with my spot. There were sure to be goodies left over. Balancing the tea, and the magazine, I settled in, and prayed that the woman behind me would not continue to talk on the phone for the duration.

My last experience with the Jimmy Choo sample sale was two years ago, and it took place at a tiny hotel in midtown. I had gone with my good friend PJD. She and I had waited from 11 to 1 on a long, and very vocal line. Everyone on it was jostling for position, and PJD and I played "spot the biggest diamond." The ladies kept trying to name drop PR people they knew to the bouncer, trying to get in earlier, to avail, and the crowd got increasingly cranky. We stood cramped, as the editors floated out, with bags of bags, boots and shoes. If they hadn't let us in when they did, there would have been a riot. And when we did get in, in groups of ten, the selection was pretty picked over. No bags left, no boots either. By the time we left, there was a line out the door and around the corner. So that was what I was expecting this time, and was why i got there so early.

My first job out of college was at a women's magazine. One of the prerequisites for the job was definitely some sort of sense of style. There were certain rules you learned, and adhered to, very quickly. One of them was the no tight rule. All winter we showed off our fashionably bare legs, and froze our toes off.

Thank god the times have changed! Last week in the New York Times there was even an article about how some chic girls are going without even a skirt, and just wearing tights or leggings under long sweaters and shirts. Bless!

One quote that really got me in the article was when some muckety at Wolford declared that women should really only wear expensive tights. Is that true I wondered? He had a good point about the closeness of the material to our delicate skin. But then again, he also had a vested interest.

This weekend I had occasion to road test three pairs of tights. None were as expensive as Wolford tights, (which run in the $40 range,) though I was tempted to go out and buy a pair in the interest of this post. In fact my intention was to find some really expensive ones to road test, but I think what I discovered was more interesting. Here are my findings, in case you are wondering.

Pair #1- Sparkle and Fade Low Rise Tights ($10- Urban Outfitters). I wore these to dinner on Friday night. They were truly awful. They crept up my tummy when I sat down, and immediately rolled down the second I stood up. They itched like poison ivy, and worst of all, when I put them on I realized they weren't just black, they had black spots on them! Grade: F

Pair #2 Hue Opaque Tights with Control Top ($11)- The most comfortable of the bunch. Very smooth fit, and lovely and soft against the skin. I didn't immediately want to rip them off when I got home. I like control top in tights, not just because it makes me feel slim, but also because I think it helps the tights stay in place. The difficult thing is finding the right control top- one that holds you in, but doesn't squeeze you. These were just very nice and simple, but a little too thin to wear as leggings. Grade: B+

Pair #3 Spanx Tight End Tights ($24)- The great thing about these is that they feel impossible to rip. They are strong, comfortable, and well, live up to the name tights. I felt really held together by them, and if you have a long enough sweater, you could wear them in place of leggings, because they are nice and opaque. The only real problem I had with them was that the control top was really long in the thigh, so that every time my skirt fluttered or bunched, you could see them. Also, towards the end of the day the waist band began to fold over. Grade: B

So there it is. Price did not really matter. The classic dorky Hue's win the day. They are availible almost everywhere; I got mine at Bloomingdales, where they were on sale 2 for $17!

Yesterday I went for a shop with my mother. We walked up Bleeker street, and stopped in almost everywhere. My birthday is coming up and I got two really great things, an amazing dress at Annalore and a winter coat. The dress is clearly a winner. It is a red and mint print on kimono silk. The kind of thing you pass on to your kids, and worth it. But what makes something worth it?

Putting all the MBA nonsense aside, such as labor, rent on the store, just looking cool but serving no higher purpose, etc, I wanted to figure out at what price I was willing to buy certain things, and why, because sometimes being overpriced has nothing to DO with actual price.

Rule #1- The Design/Quality Ratio: I stopped into Reiss, a new bridge chain from the UK. The clothes are undeniabley snazzy. There were lovely flapper style beaded dresses, and some nice coats and tops. I tried on a swingy grey wool jacket. It was 350$. I felt as though the piece was overpriced at that. The wool wasn't that nice, it was thin and mean. The fit was way off. Later in the day I bought a heavy canvas coat with a fur hood elsewhere, for more. The difference was in the details here. The coat I ended up with had versatility and yet wasn't particularly "this season." But it was classic. So my coat formula was: Design (Quality) +Longevity+Details=Price.

Rule #2 The Complete Knowledge Factor: I balk at buying tank tops full price at J.Crew. They are 15$. But I know that I can get them for 12$ at the outlets, and even less then that on sale. Same with Club Monaco. I've bought them in the past, and loved them for a week, but they go all loose the second you wash them. Not worth the 15$. American Apparel tanks are 15$ too. But I buy them without guilt, despite the companies completely irritating marketing and stores. I have never seen dumber or ruder sales people. But I like the idea of the factory in LA. So I am willing to adjust my price point by a few dollars if it mean better working conditions. Interesting. The formula is 3= My bleeding heart (Quality) - Sales Environment.

Yesterday Fate, disguised as my best friend KD, saw fit to lead me to Madison Avenue in the 60's and 70's. KD, in her quest to try on every single wedding dress in New York had booked us an appointment at a certain bridal atelier, beloved by socialites and movie stars, and which sits at 77th and Madison. Having some time to kill, I walked up the avenue from 59th street.

Anchored by Barney's at the southern end (60th street) this stretch of Madison really is magical. The store windows are filled with desirables, from Givenchy to Gucci, to Jimmy Choo to Floris (the gorgeous soap shop, where you MIGHT be able to afford something.) It was a beautiful day and I was happy just to watch the hustle and bustle of people going in and out of the stores.

Unlike downtown, (my usual stomping grounds,) with its affected layers of disinterest, Madison is about shopping and luxury to the highest degree. If you are rich enough to shop there, why bother with the pretense of cool? Instead enjoy and indulge, and maybe stop for a coffee at the old school 3 Guys diner or a steak tartare at La Goulue. Just make sure to keep your dog tucked in its bag under the table.

The thing I liked the most about Madison Ave was that even though it was filled with lots of international luxury brands, there were still pockets of localness, and indeed, the place felt much more like a true neighborhood, then a tourist trap. It's just a neighborhood where, when you need a little something to wear, you run out to Carolina Herrera, instead of the Gap. For example, as an older lady walked her well-groomed Pekinese, a man from the Penhaligons shop came out with a dog biscuit. The woman, who was elegant, stopped for a chat with the gentleman, while the dog enjoyed its snack.

I strolled and window shopped, and dreamed about all the glorious clothes, so close yet so far away. I, hidden behind my sunglasses, looked closely at everyone who walked past. It was like being a tourist in your own city, imagining who everybody was, and what they were up to.

From now on, when I start hearing Petula Clark in my head, urging me to go "Downtown," I think I will head uptown for a stroll instead.