Shit. I Spent $500 Before Breakfast + Nelly's Vokal Tanktop

The other morning I woke up before work with a dangerous combination of YOLO mentality and the shopping shakes -- that jittery, antsiness that overtakes me when I haven't engaged in some middle-class TJ Maxx version of conspicuous consumption. It's like if you deprive yourself of sugar or carbs or Vanilla Dunkaroos -- sooner or later you're gonna just break down and faceplant, Valley Of The Dolls style, into a double-stuffed pizza pillow of your design.

Anyway, while shopping for my husband's upcoming birthday, I ended up finding one thing for him (though he is extremely difficult to shop for), and about four things for myself. So, happy early birthday to me!

The damage:

$179.10, DVF x Current Elliot, Saks.com

I've been sweating this DVF Loves Current/Elliott denim shirt dress for months. It went on sale from $398. When I bought it earlier this week, it was $238. Today it's $179, so I called for a price adjustment and Saks was great about doing that. ALWAYS do that! You're leaving money on the table, people. Don't let shame hold you back! That's $80 I can now spend on shoes instead of wisely saving it!

$42, Volcom, Zappos.com

Volcom chambray tank procured! I've been looking for one of these to pair with maxi skirts and little circle skirts. Commence summer of chambray! By the way, am I the only one who thinks of Vokal when I hear "Volcom"? You know, Nelly's erstwhile clothing company? As in when he shouts out "Vokal tanktop on at this point" in "Hot In Herre"? No? Just me?

$94, Mad Love, Karmaloop.com

Impulse buying this trippy Mad Love Lippy sweater may be the most shameful part of the entire a.m. binge. Shameful because I really feel no remorse about it at all. It either matches or is a complete and utter rip on my Wildfox lips shirt:

$15, Nissa

Picked up two Nissa rope bracelets. Because I really need two bracelets that could double as hardware store bits and bobs. By the way, Nissa always has promo codes, so get on that. Karmaloop too.

Oh hey, by the way, the Vokal site hasn't been updated since 2004 (which explains why it's all in Flash), and, according to that update, the brand expects "big things for 2005." You. Are. WELCOME.

Must be the money.

Outfit Post/ GPOY: Current Elliott Leopard-Print Stiletto Jeans + Kurt Cobain Sweater

My Current Elliott leopard-print jeans arrived from Community Collection, and they're the absolute apogee of comfort. It's all I can do to keep from wearing them every day. And you know what? So what if I did? It's one of the joys of living in a relatively free country. Same pants every day? Not your problem! Stay noninterventionist about it. In the words of T.I. and Rihanna, live your life. But I digress.

Outfit:
+ Sweater: Dex: I've been looking for slouchy, '90s leaning (Kurt-ish RIP!) sweaters, and when I found this black and grey mesh sweater at ShopAddiction.com, I went in.
+ Jeans: Current Elliott
+ Boots: Marais
+ Necklace: Anthropologie (sold out)

T.I. - Live Your Life - Music - More Music Videos

It's Cute Sweater Weather!

Aside from a few highly uncomfortable, confusing days of Seattle-like humidity (SO BAD FOR MY HAIR, Y'ALL!!), it's ALMOST sweater weather here in New York! Since most of my sweaters have horses or cats on them -- there's a time and place for that, of course, but it's definitely not all the time nor is it any place -- I realized it's time to step up my sweater game. Fortunately, the nice folks at Lands End Canvas sent me their Striped Button-Back Sweater in orange. I don't have very strict criteria when it comes to sweaters (usually my main criteria involved... cats and horses), but this sweater is so perfect that's it now become the prototype, to cite Outkast. I'm wearing the medium, and it's a perfect fit -- roomy, but not in a Grandpa's Sweater kind of way. And it's thick and snuggly and perfectly soft without a single annoyingly itchy fiber. Not. Even. One.

Because I always stand in my own doorway with my hand on my waist! CHEERS!

Ohai, welcome to my alcove. Like my sweater?

Best part: BUTTONS UP THE BACK, people!!!

$39.99, Lands End Canvas

It also comes in navy. Seriously, this sweater's so good a STRAIGHT GUY AT WORK asked where I got it. And a quick note on Lands End Canvas -- they're pros at classic, mix-and-match basics (sweaters, khakis, stripey cotton tees) a la J. Crew or Madewell at half the price. With an EXCELLENT shoe selection. And they're NEVER not having a sale (case in point -- cute stripey sweater's on sale!!). Run and tell that.

Tie-Dye Done Right

I treat tie-dye like I treat tequila -- cautiously, sparingly, and never after 3AM.

($200, Diesel Black Gold, Farfetch.com)

That said, this Diesel Black Gold is everything right about tie-dye. Think moody, inky darks, to avoid looking like you took your style inspo from a container of Wavy Gravy or Phish Food.

It's Time For... CAT FASHIONS!

In honor of my cat Sim's untimely demise, here are a bunch of cheery cat clothes and accessories. Yes, I'm a cat person. DEAL WITH IT. I used to try to air on the side of discretion when shopping for or styling myself with cat-related fashion, so as not to look overly young. But at this point, I'm like fuck it.

($78, Marc By Marc Jacobs, Zappos.com)


($35, Marc By Marc Jacobs, Zappos.com)

Love Marc By Marc Jacobs' Fantastical Tale cat rings in brass and black resin. See? Marc Jacobs gets it!

($76, Your Eyes Lie, Topshop)

British upstart Your Eyes Lie makes excellent, photorealistic digital prints -- like this giant cat print dress -- on the softest jersey dresses. They look fantastic with leggings, run large (yay!), and are super layerable.

($13, Asos.com)

Two baby kitties in a heart ring! Ee!

MAC's Fabulous Felines collection is obviously my favorite collection of all time. When I found out they were doing a cat collection, I almost fell out of my chair. Why I wasn't asked to be a consultant on the collection I will never know, but I'll let it slide. This time.

My favorite of the Fabulous Felines are the Leopard Luxe eyeshadow quad. LOOK at that gold! And that muted orange! So autumnal chic.

($36, MACcosmetics.com)


($14.50, MACcosmetics.com)

Love MAC's Cunning very berry lipstick. It's sold out online, so check your local MAC store.

($25, Paul & Joe Beaute, Beautyhabit.com)

It's CAT LIPSTICK! LIPSTICK IN THE SHAPE OF A CAT! I wrote about it for Naag.

($40, Joseph Aaron Segel, Prettysnake.etsy.com)

Designer and RISD professor Joseph Aaron Segel sources vintage sweater and prints cats and sews hilarious, huge stuffed animals eyes onto them! And check out his Pretty Snake acid cat screenprinted t-shirts!

($38, Joyrich, Karmaloop.com)

LOVE Joyrich because they always have comfie, casual, cheeky streetwear. Love Karmaloop because they ALWAYS have promo codes.

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!