Studs Studs Everywhere

I am generally not a shoe person even though"shoes are the new handbags". I'd rather spend my money on a designer pair of sunglasses and rock Payless then splurge on Loubs. But every once and while a pair of shoes catches my eyes, last season it was the Burberry studded sandals. I couldn't past a newsstand stand or look at an editorial without being reminded that I lacked the requisite grand to obtain the object of my lust. By the next season they had trickled down to the high street and i was able to find a pair for $15. (At this dingy store off of 34th St for all you New Yorkers. I also found an amazing pair of gladiators for $5 which inspired a man to come up to me and offer to give me a massage after telling me about his fetish for feet. But that's another story.)

Hardly the Burberry sandals but close enough to satisfy my penchant. This season I noticed the designers have decided to put the stud trend on over drive.

This Gucci shoe is a gaudy way of interpreting the trend. It removes all of the punk infused elements of the Burberry sandal and makes them overly glam. Maybe the shoe isn't ugly but it surely isn't right for my my style. It surprises me that Gucci would come out with this sandal since they are leaning away from their traditional glamazon image and toward a more boho chich one.

On the other hand I love Christian Louboutin's take on the trend. While the gold is a bit much for me, the black version of the sandal is def worth eat beans and rice for a month for. Although the shoe is def more glamorous than the Burberry the spikes keep the shoe edgy. Plus I love the dominatrix influence as I have been know to play that role every once and awhile:)

Which take on the trend do you prefer? Am I totally off about the Gucci pair?

Hi my name is ... and I'm a shopaholic

So I have a problem with shopping and I'm going to start blogging again in an attempt to keep my self out of the stores. We'll see how things go. Look for pictures of my outfits, recent purchases, and my opinion on everything under the sun related to fashion.

Pete Wentz

Currently I am obsessed with Pete Wentz. He is one of the most fashionable and unique male celebrities around now. By managing to make punk look colorful, wearable, and approachable Pete has developed his own style. Call it punk lite. DKNY has recognized Pete's talent and commissioned Pete to launch a juniors sportswear line for Fall 07. I can't wait to snatch up a hoodie.

Pete is known for colorful tees and hoodies. He manages to express style without seeming over the top or effeminate like most well dressed men.

Eye shadow even works on Pete. Possibly because his extensive tattoos balance the femininity of the eyeshadow.

As a product of the Chicago suburbs like Pete, I like to incoporate hints of punk into my wardrobe with vans, chucks, and black nail polish (I wore it before it became trendy). I'm trying to find a Pete inspiried hoodie, although the singer's line is dissapoiting. Hopefully, his line w/DKNY will be better.

Update: This hoodie is hot.(http://www.bandmerch.com/java2/BandMerch/clandestine/index.jsp?referrer=&content=/store/css5/ProductPage.jsp&product=2789) I'm going to order it once I start working again. Or maybe Pete's hotness is clouding my judgement?

Spring Break from NYC to Hati

Here is the article I wrote for my campus publication about Spring style in NYC: be an upper east side princess for a day, chill with the hipsters, or wild out in Hati.
Spring Break offers the savvy dresser an opportunity to break out and go wild—in a manner of speaking. Whether you want to create a new style persona or avoid looking like a tourist, a working knowledge of clothing customs is imperative. Here is a guide to help you decode dressing from NYC to Haiti.
Several areas in NYC are known for their inhabitants’ distinct style of dressing. The area closest to home is the Upper East Side, extending north from 59th to 96th Street and east from Central Park to the East River. Upper East Siders are not afraid to display the wealth that their neighborhood is associated with. Fur, designer bags, and town cars saturate the area.
If you plan on visiting the famed Upper East Side designer boutiques or legendary department stores, you’ll want to dress the part. But don’t despair; services are available to help you look like a Park Avenue princess for a day. The website Bag Borrow or Steal (www.bagborroworsteal.com) loans designer handbags to aspiring heiresses. The classic Chanel flap bag and the trendy Marc Jacobs Stam bag cost $100 dollars a week to rent. If you want to purchase the aforementioned bags new, you’ll have to part with $1000. Bag Borrow or Steal is helping democratize designer bag “ownership”. If you’re going somewhere and you need to arrive in style, try renting a town car from AA Executive Town Car and Limo. Rates are $45 per hour but, the service you’ll receive from boutique employees who assume you’re wealthy is priceless.
If the Upper East Side feels too pretentious and expensive, try journeying below 14th Street. The best accessory for a Barnard woman in this area is a map. The predictable city grid simply disappears here. In addition to a map, skinny jeans, vintage tees, quirky accessories, and athletic shoes such as Converse and Vans are must-haves. Most Barnard students will need to alter their wardrobe only slightly to appear like a native. Designer jeans are a huge don’t. Leave your Sevens and True Religion denim at home. Brand free pockets or Levis’ are favored downtown. Androgynous and dramatic punk inspired highlights are also in. If adding pink highlights or shaving half of your hair is too drastic, try wearing a wig. It will give you the flexibility of a temporary transformation. Maybe you’ll fall in love with your new look and decide to make it permanent.
The proverbial Spring Break occurs in slightly warmer places than NYC. The West Indies, which include Jamaica and Haiti, is a popular Spring Break destination. They are the perfect location to escape the doldrums of New York black and grey. Here bright clothing is standard. It’s normal to see a man wearing green shoes with a pink top. Vladimir Michel, a 21 year old Haitian-American, said West Indian style was originally driven by economics. “Haitians don’t care. They buy whatever they have on their backs.” Originally West Indians dressed in clashing apparel because most people couldn’t afford to match. Now vivid colors are a matter of cultural pride; upper class Haitians wear them as well. Vladimir warns tourists to leave jewelry at home because kidnappers usually target jewelry wearers.
Whether you’re traveling to a new country or staying in New York City, Spring Break is the perfect chance to break out and explore a new style. If you’re pursuing a maximalist approach toward fashion in the Upper East Side and the West Indies or a minimalist approach in the Lower East Side, have fun. And remember that simple striking confidence is the best accessory of all.

Spring Trends

I was in and out of the hospital all last week. One plus was tons of free time to pour over gratis spring fashion issues I received as gifts. Here are the season's trends I plan to participate in.

1.Clear Purse.

The Chanel logo prevents the clear bag from looking cheap. But I'm not sure if the highstreet version works. Also I'm afraid subway thieveswould be more prone to steal my wallet with the ability to see exactly were it's placed in my bag. 2.Futuristic tights :

Balenciaga runway American Apparel version. Although I've heard these tights stretch alotttt with wear but, I only plan to wear them a few times.

Hot Pants:
Chanel runway

Old Navy bikini bottoms I plan to wear with opaque tights and ballet flats.

Ode to the Olsens

Hate them or love them, the Olsen twins are the most influential celebrities in fashion right now, other than Ms. Moss. The twins have been heckled for wearing soo much fur, but they were vindicated as the runways were awash in fur (faux and real) this season. Here are some of my favorite looks.

MK wore this in Soho during Fashion Week. As a New Yorker, I know it was cold as hell but she looked cute despite the bland tabloid bloggers comments.

The twins are great b/c they can incorporate high fashion trends into their signature looks. Ashley pulled of this Prada inspired turban w/o looking like a walking trend by keeping everything else classic, her signature look.

What a sophisticated spring outfit crisp, clean, and toughened up by black riding boots.

MK with another hit, and the jazz shoes I want so badly. I love the super short tee and tights combo. I wear it all the time, although I know I shouldn't.

After seeing a picture on the left, I was inspired to purchase a vest. I want one similar to the vest on the top to wear in the summer as a shirt like Ashley.

Although I admire MK style more than Ashley's b/c of her fashion risks and quirky style, I'm more of an Ashley.

I tend to mix tradition pieces with trends. I wore a dress/leather jacket outfit before I saw this picture of Ashley and love to wear big tees with heels so I don't look too over dressed for school.

Sometimes, I have to draw the line. Here is a MK with a look I love but could never pull off. Are you more of a MK or an Ashley?

Shopping Online

I've only purchased a few items online and they've all been poor to mediocre. I purchased some clothes from Urban that I never wear, a pair of riding boots that soles cracked, and a cheap scarf. Today I took the plunge back into online shopping.

I saw this shirt at Urban but passed it up. Now I think it's kind of cute. As an African-American, I have policy against buying items with white faces on them. This shirt borders on breaking that rule but I decided to go for it. I wish they'd used Naomi's name as well.

It'll be so fun to wear with a scarf, gym shoes, and simple jeans.

I'm thinking about buying this DVF dress on sale. I couldn't wear this print in a cooperate/political environment and it's too dressy for everyday but this deal is too good to pass up. I just hate buying things without trying them on. Also this dress will be identified with a specific season, although I don't care.

I love stilettos but, those shoes are for girls who have a towncar, can afford a taxi, or live in a town where people drive. Since I am neither I tend to stay away from stilettos. These shoes look rich and are sexy without killing one's feet.

I'm not sure about these shoes. The detailing looked better initially.