Now Wearing...

Mini straw hat - H&M
Black square pattern scarf - Deena & Ozzy, Urban Outfitters
Gray tank - Park Vogel
Black shorts - Alexander McQueen McQ for Target
White studded sandals - no name brand from Century 21

iWant: Bea Valdes Mombassa

As you probably realized, I am a sucker for shiny objects and "junk jewelry" is no exception, at least that's what I call pieces that aren't precious gems, gold and boring :) Although I'd hardly call these stunning pieces by Bea Valdes "junk". Bea Valdes is a Phillipines born handbag and jewelry designer whose fascination with embellishment from an early age lead her to start creating handbags experimentally in 2001. The detail is drool worthy but the prices are pretty prohibitive to me owning anytime the near future (at $750-1650, not to mention bespoke pieces). Right now I'm really feeling the Mombassa necklace pictured above! It's the perfect statement necklace that has a slight tribal feel.

Here are a couple other pieces below to give you a sense of her style.

You can check out her pieces at Henri Bendel, Barneys, Saks Fifth Avenue, Kirna Zabete and Holt Renfrew or online at CoutureLab.com.

Next Target Bag Designer: Carlos Falchi

Please note photos are not of Carlos Falchi's Target collection but of his current collection.

Target has done it again and nabbed the Brazilian-born American designer Carlos Falchi to be the next designer for it's affordable handbag collaboration. This announcement comes on the heels of recent collabs by Felix Rey, Hayden-Harnett, Anya Hindmarch, Devi Kroell and Botkier to name a few.

Falchi has been designing bags for over 3 decades and has won the prestigious Coty Award for accesories design in 1983 as well as been nomnimated twice for CFDA's Accessory Designer of the Year Award. Falchi’s signature look of vivid color combinations and unusual patterns and textures is achieved by unique leather treatments and a passionate involvement with the distinctive design of each skin.

Falchi’s designs will hit Target's nationwide and target.com on October 11th, 2009. WWD reports "the 13-item line will consist of faux snakeskin handbags in jewel tones such as plum and teal with contrasting shades of brown, black and gray. Some handbags will utilize collage or patchwork techniques."

Now Wearing...

Black oversized vest dress - H&M
Body Jewelry - Bliss Lau "Cross My Heart"
Dark teal leggings - H&M
Studded fringe flats - Zara
Black bag - Gryson for Target
Blue & teal bangles - from India

End of Couture? Chrisitian Lacroix Bankrupt

This bleak economy has taken it's toll on fashion, and now couture. Christian Lacroix has filed for bankruptcy protection in which a court will decide whether to liquidate assets or restructure the company. Could this be the end of couture as we know it? Christian Lacroix was the last remaining house under old couture rules.

The NYT reported:
Although the designer hopes to hold a small presentation during the July couture season, this was the last house established under the formal couture rules. Even a restructuring would most likely have severe implications for the 125-member staff.

It seems that while other companies were focusing on collaborations to bring in cash, the house of Lacroix dropped their diffusion lines and was focusing on luxury only. Unfortunately that strategy didn't quite work and lead to fall sales dropping 35% and losses for 2008 were $14 million! Hope this isn't the end for Lacroix and the loyal and ridiculously wealthy couture clients will show their support.

Trend Report: Knuckleduster Rings

I've been on the look out for the perfect knuckle ring for years, and over the past few months I've noticed a huge wave of knuckleduster rings coming through. Knuckle rings are hot. They're tough, edgy and when done right, chic. When done wrong, they can be oh so tacky.

My recommendation when wearing knuckle rings is to keep it simple. If you plan to wear a knuckle ring, don't load up your arms with chunky bangles or bracelets. And unless you're intentionally dressing like a ghetto girl or over-accessorized pop starlet, no hoop earrings.

Melody Ehsani, $50 & Made Her Think, $110The first ring is a little kitchy, but since it's in mirror rather than colored plastic, it works. The second ring from Made Her Think is one of my favorites because the shape is less expected. I wanted to buy one last week from Save Fashion, but they were out of my size! Sad day.

Lauren Ramirez, $190 & Bijules, $229-$250I like these rings because they're simple, sleek and from young designers with noteworthy collections. You can check out more from San Francisco's Lauren Ramirez on etsy.com and New York's Bijules at bijulesnyc.com.

Vane, $120Being a unisex ring, this piece from Vane is the most masculine and the toughest of the bunch. I love it for its New York pride and classic knuckle ring style.

Now Wearing...

During my trip home to Toronto, I packed pretty light, so my accessories are repeats :) I also packed my dirty clothes so I could do laundry hence they are mostly things I've worn recently!

Long Angled Tank - Rick Owens
Acid Wash Jeans - Habitual
Heavy Chain - DIY piece of chain tied with a ribbon
Leaf Pave Necklace - Rachel Leigh
Straw Bowler - H&M
Strappy Gladiators - Delman
Holding a Lululemon Zip & Botkier purse

A Few More Sample Sales

Who: Foley & Corrina
What: Private bag sale where bags are 50 to 75% off. Appointment Only, Call 212-529-2338
Where: 114 Stanton St between Essex and Ludlow St
When: While Supplies last.Daily noon—8pm.

Who: VPL by Victoria Bartlett
What: The spring collection by is 50-75% off, including swimwear, beachwear, lingerie, and knits.
Where: 39 W 38th St, nr 6th Ave. 6th Floor.
When: May 27-29, 2009. 11am-6pm. 646-912-6142.

Who: Nolita and Rare Sample Sale
What: Tops are $10, shirts are $15, skirts are $15, and pants are $20. Merch for men, women, and children.
Where:39 W 19th St, nr 6th Ave, Suite 610
When: May 27-30, 2009. 10am-7pm

Who: Emanuel Ungaro
What: 70-80% off retail for men’s, women’s, bridal and accessories from 2008 and 2009 collections.
Where:The Warwick Hotel, 65 West 54th Street; 212.249.4090
When: Wednesday, May 27, 12pm to 7pm; Thursday, May 28th and Friday, May 29 from 9am to 7pm

Now Wearing...

Neon Necklaces - DIY
Plaid Dress - Rogan for Target
Sash - Taken from another dress
Straw Bowler - H&M, From the Men's Section
Bangles - Forever 21

H&M Opening Event

What: Celebrate the grand opening of H&M's newest location. The first 200 shoppers in line at the grand opening will receive a free T-shirt, an autographed photo of Estelle and an H&M Access to Fashion Pass valued from $10 - $300.
Where: 86th Street and Lexington Avenue Location
When: Thursday, May 28th at noon

Karl Who? Lagerfeld's Tote of Choice

I've collected enough free tote bags over the years be it from Topshop, YSL, Target Bulleye bodegas...and yet I kind of think this one is especially awesome! Karl Lagerfeld was spotted at the Nice Airport in France yesterday carrying a "Karl Who?" tote. Crack me up..Another reason to love the man!

Inspiration: Fringe Fascination

Back in October, Lani reported that Fringe was trending. Well forget about bohemian fringe! I'm all about this luxe flapper look! It's a couple months old but I just stumbled through this spread in British Vogue recently and it helped me remember that Fringe is here to stay through Spring 2009. I loved the movement in these shots and particularly the fringe metal/bead necklace in shot 5! Sooo hot!

Now Wearing...

My outfit today totally reminds me of the 90s TV Show Blossom :)

Polka Dot Floral Dress - Vintage
Straw Bowler Hat - H&M, From the Men's Section
Strappy Gladiators - Delman
Leaf Pave Necklace - Rachel Leigh

Sample Sales This Week: NYC - Updated

Who: Falls
What: Cashmere sweaters, silk tops, dresses, and jackets for $50 or less. Deep discounts off current and past collections. Mention Refinery29 and receive an extra 20% off your purchase!
When: One day only, May 28 10AM–7PM
Where: 262 W. 38th St., nr. Seventh Ave., Ste. 1503 (917-622-6379);

Who: Vera Wang
What: Discounts on Ready to Wear
When: May 28-30, 2009. Thurs-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat Noon-4pm
Where: 225 39th Street, 9th Floor, b/n 7th & 8th Avenues

Who: Julie Haus & Gustto
What: Joint Sample Sale on samples & production clothing and handbags
When: May 27-29, 2009. Wed-Fri 11am-7pm
Where:39 W 38th St nr. Fifth Ave, 6th fl. Wed–Fri 11am–7pm

Who: Charlotte Ronson Spring/Summer 2009 Sample Sale
What: Up to 80% Off on Clothing and shoes from past and current seasons
When: May 27-29, 2009. 10 am – 7 pm
Where: 1071 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 301, New York

Who: Nicolas K
What: Mens' & Women's Spring 2009 at 50-60% Off Overstock and 75% Off on Samples
When: May 29-31, 2009, Fri 10am-8pm, Sat 11am-7pm, Sun 11am-6pm
Where: 208 W 29th St, nr 7th Ave. Cash and credit card with $200 minimum accepted.

Who: Saks 5th Ave Bridal Sample Sale
What: Up to 70% Off on hundreds of gowns including dresses by Vera Wang, Amsale, Monique Lhuillier, Kenneth Pool
When: May 27-June 9, 2009. Mon-Sat 10am-8pm, Sun Noon-7pm
Where: 611 Fifth Ave., nr. 49th St. (212-753-4000)

dupli-Caught: Mango vrs Dries Van Noten

Dries Van Noten Left, Mango Right

Remember how I reported recently that Topshop was "borrowing" from the Jewelry design at Dries Van Noten? Well looks like Mango has jumped on the knock off bandwagon. Did they think we wouldn't notice? While the design of the top and dress that the print was used was definitely not Dries, the print was clearly straight off the Spring 2009 runway!

Mango's Gloria dress retails for $84.90. The top version retails for about $35 and is not available online. While the Dries Van Noten would probably be around $900, as the skirt version retails for about $440 online. The fabric of the Mango version is a thin slinky jersey while the Dries Van Noten is a 100% Cotton woven fabric. There are also slight differences in the print, the Dries Van Noten's squares fade into almost nothing and all the squares are even and not distorted, while the Mango verson has the squares slightly bigger and skewed on some parts to try to dramatize the optic effect. I understand inspiration is one thing, but shame on you Mango for not hiring graphic designers to create new prints.

Now Wearing...

HATS! It was so nice out this weekend that my friends and I hit up Central Park twice! We had a picnic (cough, feast) both times. And in celebration of the nice weather and long weekend, I decided to bust out the hats.



Mini Straw HatThis one was a hit in the Upper West Side. At brunch, two older women were obsessing over my hat, and I got comments from a handful of strangers on the street, including one of the biggest hip hop dudes I've ever seen. I guess it is "original shit".



Wide Brim Straw HatI'm extremely paranoid about skin cancer and sun spots on my face, so I always bring this hat along whenever I have plans to be in the sun for extended periods of time - park, beach, etc. The only thing I dislike about this particular hat is that the straw is too brittle for me to fold up into my bag, and in the future, I think I will buy a hat with a tighter weave for more protection from the sun.



TurbanI bought these cap a couple weeks ago when I was home in California since I thought it would pair nicely with the ruffles on my swimsuit. I love this turban because it reminds me of old swim caps from the 1950s, and it's perfect for keeping hair in place on windy days.

Notes of Neon

Notes of Neon part two of our photo shoot with Sam Friedman was inspired by 80s iconography and neon love. To create this look, we each pulled the brightest pieces in our wardrobe and added a few key accessories - lime green headphones, bombox handbag, and piano key skirt (courtesy of Erin's roommate, Nicole). Accessories and the little details can really make a look.
On Lani, we layered three shirts to add color and pulled each of the two undershirts to the side instead of letting them lay flat to avoid creating more horizontal lines. Then to break up the top and make it more playful, we added the pink corsage and a chain necklace, which was actually a belt. And at the bottom, we added pink socks to balance the color on top.

On Erin, the neon lanyard necklaces were all handcrafted using a variety of knotting techniques. To make the piano key skirt really pop, we layered black lace ballet tights over bright yellow ones, and we finished the look with equally playful black and white drip paint flats.
It was really warm out that day, making it the perfect time for ice cream! We hit up the famous Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory for a scoop of peach and strawberry. Mmm...! Ice cream, good weather and play time in fun outfits, we live for moments like these.
A special thank you to the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory and Jay & J Nail in Dumbo for giving us a place to change throughout the day.

Now Wearing...

Light blue trapeze dress - H&M
Gray jelly sandal wedges - Alexandre Herchcovitch x Melissa
Sunglasses - Forever 21
Hat - no name, TJ Maxx

These heart bracelets are party favors from ages ago! I always thought they were so cute I didn't have the heart (no pun) to throw them out, and now I'm really glad I didn't. I've been wearing them a lot with my neon cardigan and pastels for a little extra pop.