WTFH Is Monki And HOW SOON WILL THEY BE OPENING IN OR AT LEAST SHIPPING TO THE STATES?!?

Dudes. What is Monki? Welp, to answer the question you didn't ask (or, if you did, I'll applaud my the combination of my SEO expertise and you for clicking), Monki appears to be the Swedish version of Topshop (maybe with a little Oak/ Opening Ceremony/ Gargyle sentiment thrown in) Monki just opened up a London store, and according to The Independent, Monki operates over 50 stores in eight different countries... EXCEPT FOR AMERICA. Y, THO, people? Also, HOW SOON CAN THEY GET THEIR ASSES DOWN TO LOWER BROADWAY WHERE THEY BELONG? Or even Times Square? **shudder**

I mean, they refer to their customers as "Monki friends," and they sell a GINORMOUS DENIM PONCHO, which I need to own. Remember, girls -- there's no limit to denim. Well... that's not true...

"Oh, I know! So weird! We just both randomly showed up like this!"

€55, Monki

€30, Monk

These floral cut-out wedges? Seriously though, I'm about to set up some kind of shady Romney-esque offshore boomerang account just so I can ship shit over there and back to the US.

 YOU GUYS. THIS IS THE INSIDE OF AN ACTUAL MONKI STORE. HOW AM I NOT THERE RIGHT NOW!?!?!??!

These Reimagined Spring & Clifton x Reformation Baja Pieces Shouldn't Work...

... Except they totally do.

I swore to myself I'd NEVER wear anything that could even possibly be mistaken for a baja ever again in my life. But then Spring & Clifton x Reformation (the leather-happy vintage revivalists) so so So-Cal-inspired mash-up happened. And also, I told myself I'd eat no sugar this January, and "no sugar" ended up being a half-eaten bag of Reese's peanut butter cups in my freezer. (THAT I BOUGHT FOR MY HUSBAND!!!) We all tell ourselves little lies, don't we? 

The entire collection ranges from $85 - $300 (not bad, IMO). Get in on it at the Ludlow Street store (156 Ludlow) or at thereformation.com.

Michael Kors Pre-Fall 2012: The Key Pieces

Looks like Michael Kors headed west for his Pre-Fall 2012 collection. Quintessential American designer goes quintessentially American, leaves the mortifying stars and stripes and dusty bandannas behind (remember those Guess ads!?), thankfully. Gratuitous use of animal byproducts, asymmetrical hemlines, SUPER cinched waists, slightly S&M-ish straps and harnesses, rugged rucksacks, and, yes, literally cowboy hats (though thankfully none in like, those wretched pinks or mint or something cowgirl types wear.) It's equine-inspired, elegant cowpoke chic, not mechanical-bull-riding cowgirl.

Because I'm Jewish, I can say with 150% confidence that I will never, ever wear a cowboy/-girl hat, but I'm fully behind Michael Kors' thoroughly modern taken on a classic American look.

Here are the key pieces. Giddyup.

Is it warm in here, or is that just my ginormous fur coat-beard?

The British are coming! And I'm not gonna lie -- they're wearing J'AMAZING red coats with fur stoles.

Michael Kors' take on Rick Owens. Results: good, goth-y.

I would do anything for Michael Kors' belted Mongolian lamb jacket. But I won't do a cowboy hat.

Never in a trillion years could I pull off those plaid pants, but I want that bag all over my body NOW.

Funktional Nikki Fur Jacket: All I Want For The Sixth Night Of Chanukkah

$568, Funktional, Barneys

I already have SO much innate Jewish guilt that I have some Chanukkah guilt gelt to spare on this stunning rabbit fur coat by ethereal-meets-wearable LA brand Funktional. It's absolutely stunning in is two-tone elegance. Um, I think the rabbits died peacefully in their sleep of old age. Okay, they didn't. Fur is terrible. I'm a bold-faced hypocrite. But at least it's warm?

+ Chanukkah Gift Guide Day 1: Charles Jourdan taupe heels from Ideeli! 
+ Chanukkah Gift Guide Day 2: Dr Martens black leather satchel!
+ Chanukkah Gift Guide Day 3: Banana Republic velvet sheath dress!
+ Chanukkah Gift Guide Day 4: Aritiza Black Silk Tunic!
+ Chanukkah Gift Guide Day 5: Marais Studded Suede Chukkah Boots!

Terry Richardson Varsity Jacket! (WTF!?)

Hey, anyone know where I can get a varsity jacket with Terry Richardson's name and face on it?

OH! Really? Colette? DONE. This will go perfectly with the naughty cheerleader in a wet t-shirt photos I was planning to take!  /sarcasm

PS: THESE ARE ACTUALLY SOLD OUT. You should probably defriend ANYONE you know who owns this unironically. Or even ironically. ESPECIALLY ironically.

Al Pacino, Master of Layers

I just think everybody needs to see this, okay? This is some serious fashion news. The kind you need to know!

Al Pacino Arrives at Airport, Wears Completely Normal Number of Jackets. In case you are pressed for time, here is the story in pictures.

The end. You're welcome.

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!

This Marc By Marc Jacobs Faux Fur Terry Jacket Is THE BUSINESS

($258, Marc By Marc Jacobs, Nordstrom.com)

You know how EVERYONE is doing faux fur outerwear this fall? Faux fur vests, cropped jackets and stuff? Well I'm kinda "meh" about it. Faux fur's kinda like a laser -- you need to handle it VERY carefully or you could really end up doing some serious damage.

HOWEVER, my coworker Lisa came into work the other day wearing this Marc By Marc Jacobs 'Ridge Loopback' French terry jacket with faux-fur trim. I almost tackled her to the ground in a where'd-you-get-that assault. This jacket is now officially my favorite use of faux fur, since it pairs faux fur with a really unexpected asymmetrical pea coat-style jacket in terry, which is even more unexpected and adorable. It even looked cuter on Lisa than it does on this here model. I suspect it'd look extremely cute on me too. #wants

Style Spotlight: Gap Leather Utility Jacket

($328, Gap)

Gap's new belted black leather jacket stopped me in my tracks when I passed it in the window of their Times Square location. It's clearly not meant to be... yet... since it's sold out in medium (and is it just me or does Gap run ENORMOUS these days), but I've got my eye on you, black leather jacket! You with the super-convenient hip pockets and the skinny, push-up-able sleeves.

More cute leather jackets here at Naag!

I Bought It: Toggle Jacket

I can't stop wearing my basic Gap jean jacket (purchased in a Montreal thrift store and working out great), but I think this might help me break the habit a little bit:


Tulle Clothing toggle jacket, $70.

Kinda awesome, right?

Hayden-Harnett: Surprise Sample Sale!

I left the last Hayden-Harnett sample sale empty-handed, but they made up for it with this sale. They announced it on Tuesday afternoon on Facebook, but sadly I wasn't able to get down to the Nolita store until last night after work. It was obvious from the largely empty racks and the disaster-zone dressing room that they'd had quite a crowd during the day. Amazingly enough, the sale featured actual samples from the fall 2010 line, meaning mostly small sizes. And yet...she shoots, she scores!


The salesgirl was sort of instrumental in convincing me to buy this cool bomber, the Cromwell jacket, in charcoal herringbone. It also comes in brown (below, far left):



Only $60, and guess what it retails for? $538! Jeebus. (Methinks H-H's price points are a wee bit high, but their sample-sale prices, in this case, were just right.) In any case, I win. Is it time for wool jackets yet?



I also got a cozy, cropped sweater vest (above right, worn open). Love that scoop neck! And the zipper! Needed no convincing. $60. No word on retail price, as it's not on the H-H site yet. After a long, annoying day, that's what you call retail therapy, folks.

Some other things from the fall collection that I'll be on the lookout for at the next sale:


Welles large hobo tote, $544, and I guess a Welles hobo/cross-body bag (as yet unavailable)—love that poppy color!



Pistol & Dagger scarf, $95, in many awesome fall colors.



Coats and jackets galore!

The sample sale is at the Nolita store in NYC, on Elizabeth between Houston and Prince, and runs through Sunday, from 12-8 each day. Everything is $20-$70. Long live Hayden-Harnett!

What I Want Now

Hi, everyone, as Nina Garcia would say. I'm back from my amazing, double-rainbow-caliber trip to Yosemite, and I promise not to post anymore dreary hiking gear (though I will say that my beet red Keen sandals, bought on Craigslist, were perfect and kind of awesome). If you want to see some snaps that capture SOME of the glory, as well as me in an Andrew W.K. bandana, click here. I now want to go to like every national park in existence. Acadia, anyone?

In the meantime, however, we have fall to contend with. Uh, almost. It's 95 degrees in New York. But soon, soon, it'll be crisp skirts-and-tights weather. And jacket weather. And this is the THE jacket I want to be wearing:



Rachel Rachel Roy leather "Aries" jacket, $299. Is it not FULL awesome?? Thanks to Sugar Rock Catwalk for the excellent find!

UPDATE, 9/8: This jacket has inexplicably disappeared from the RR site a mere week later! How?! It better come back! Argh!

Binge Basics: Loft Gold Anorak

($99, Loft)

It's an unwritten law that you're gonna need an army or safari-inspired jacket this fall. And it should be law that you own this gold/ mustard Loft anorak. By nature, anoraks are pretty asexual, but by design, the tailoring on Loft's version is fairly feminine, with a slimming cut. Once again, sold!

Oh, and PS, I got Loft's cotton poplin jacket in olive green:

($29.99, Loft)

It's sold out online -- BOOO -- but maybe try and track it down in the store? Or, manage your own expectations and get this stone/ grey jacket instead.

Wish List: Rachel Roy Transformer Zip Jacket

($159, Rachel Roy)

Let's discuss this precious little convertible Rachel Roy jacket, shall we? First of all, the fun animal print makes me believe that a giraffe and leopard mated. Second, it's like the Matryoshka doll of jackets. Why a Matryoshka doll? Because, like the doll, this jacket's got a top part and a bottom part. The bottom zips away to reveal some cropped jacket cuteness, which means it's TWO PERFECTLY GOOD JACKETS in one! And I love a two-for-one deal. As in "more than meets the eye," as in Transformers. And who can resist a good Transformer reference? Not I.

I do have to use this opportunity, by the way, to air a small grievance: I'm super dismayed that the pants the model is wearing above are NOT available for purchase! Don't put it on the menu if I can't order it!

($89, Rachel Roy)

Who's afraid of a metallic pant? Not this girl.