My Summer has Officially Started!

             

Little League season officially ended this morning, and so did my chronic bad mood...

My girlfriend, Alex, recently commented on watching paint dry and I couldn't help but think I'd rather watch paint dry than sit in the hot, humid, scorching bleachers (10 weeks ago when the season started it was freezing cold) watching 2 hours of my son's baseball game. Ok, I know that sounds bad but I DID do it - for the past 10 weeks, 4 games a week (both boys signed up this year). I supported my would-be Derek Jeters and yelled, "Good eye, good eye" from behind the fence every time they didn't strike out.

Ah, the crazy things love makes you do.

In my early 20's I had a boyfriend once mention that he LOVED a specific Alaia sweater on Drew Barrymore, so off to Charles Gallay (yes, I said Charles Gallay - that's how long ago that was) I trot to buy the same exact, dangerously lowcut, nipple grazing, waist cinching Alaia sweater - let's not even talk about spending my entire month's RENT on the damn thing. The sweater snagged on his motorcycle jacket and as I burst into tears, I realized that I loved the sweater more than I loved him.
Five years and 5 boyfriends later, the new "Love of my Life" told me that all he wanted in a partner was someone who could bake like Martha Stewart. I spent the next 3 months at Williams Sonoma buying mixers and tart pans, scouring recipes from Gourmet and Bon Apetit, and learning all the tricks of the trade - perfecting my tarte tatin. Well, turned out what he REALLY wanted in a partner was a blonde 5'9" 20 yr. old version of Martha. To this day I hate tarte tatin.

But back to baseball....

I love my boys and because I love them I sit with the other moms at 9am on Saturday mornings, freezing or near heat-exhaustion, urging them to run, run, run. And when they don't run fast enough, I wipe away tears and runny noses. And when that's still not enough consolation, I offer them the next best thing to a home run...my tarte tatin.

Yes, the crazy things love makes you do...

The Year of the Mule

The Mule - Shoe of Choice for Cinderella and Pretty Woman.
You can find them in the toy aisle of Target - a six pack (well, 12 pack) sold in a mini vinyl suitcase so that your little Disney princess has accessorizing options for her favorite polyester ballgowns

OR
at Fredrick's of Hollywood, where they are sold next to crotchless panties and red lace push up bras.
Here, the options are aplenty - with platform, no platform, rhinestones, feathers, vinyl, lace, hot pink or leopard.

OR
at Bergdorf Goodman in the...
Say what?
Yup. The mule is EVERYWHERE this spring and I'm slowly warming up this "not-quite feminist" shoe du jour. A few of my favorites include:

Chloe available @chloe.com

Gianvito Rossi Available @bergdorfgoodman.com

Kathryn Amberleigh available @kathrynamberleigh.com

Buyer BEWARE:

Do not attempt to pair these with your favorite Alaia corset top or your Herve Leger bandage dress lest you run the risk of being mistaken for a "happy hour companion" at The Peninsula.

Opt, instead, for a flowy midi skirt and blouse. Or, better yet, throw on a baggy jean - either cropped to the ankle or cuffed (as pulling your pant hem out from under foot is very "Un-Cinderella.")

Vive La Normcore!

Photo: Courtesy of www.levi.com

About a month ago, my super duper hardcore fashionista friend Blake introduced me to the term “normcore.”  I think he used it in the following phrase, “ Whoa Babe, what the hell are you wearing? Is that a Levi’s jacket, for reals? OMG, you’re sooo normcore – I LOVE it!!!” Never one to let a (back-handed) compliment go unrecognized or unappreciated,  I responded with, “Yes, it is and yes, I am! Thank you so very much."

After some extensive journalistic digging  (ok, I googled it and it popped up at the top of the list) I found the following:                                                                                                                                 

The New York Times described the sub-cultural phenomenon known as "normcore" to be:                

  Normcore (noun) 1. A fashion movement, c. 2014, in which scruffy young urbanites swear off the tired street-style clichés of the last decade — skinny jeans, wallet chains, flannel shirts — in favor of a less-ironic (but still pretty ironic) embrace of bland, suburban anti-fashion attire. (See Jeans, mom. Sneakers, white.)                                                                                                                                                                                   2. A sociocultural concept, c. 2013, having nothing to do with fashion, that concerns hipster types learning to get over themselves, sometimes even enough to enjoy maiUnstream pleasures like football along with the rest of the crowd.                                                                                                                                                                                   3. An Internet meme that turned into a massive in-joke that the news media keeps falling for.              

Well, f*** you, Blake (spoken with utmost affection). Vogue tells me that my oversized Levi’s jacket will be the perfect transitional spring piece to throw over my floods and button downs (Please refer to below image to see validation.)                                                                           

http://www.vogue.com/vogue-daily/article/best-jeans-denim-jacket-skirt-shirt-for-spring/?intcid=denim_module#/gallery/denim-guide/7.  

I’ll pair it back to leather leggings and a sweater to wear through the last of April’s chilly days and in June, or I’ll throw it over a not-too-mini skirt with (my new fave) Rag & Bone slip-ons à la Joan Smalls  (Exhibit A) 



Exhibit A      Courtesy of BFAnyc.com

Photo Courtesy of The Blonde Salad

In fact, I’m pulling that bad boy out of the closet right now and layering it over a hoodie to wear to my son’s soccer game. I may even rent a damn minivan and really go balls out (pun totally intended). Normcore, I think I love you.                                              

But back to the Levi’s jacket…Ladies (and Gents), it’s the Levi’s Trucker Jacket. Gals, I highly recommend buying the men's version for that slightly oversized, '90's, comfy-cash look.     You can find it on the Levi’s website:                                                                                          http://us.levi.com/product/index.jsp?productId=21933766&view=all&cos=n&&cp=3146842.3146845.3146860.11896263                                                                                                                                                                        

At under $100, you need this in your life.

I Love Mrs. John L. Strong

February and March are birthday months in our house. Within a period of 5 weeks,  I will have baked 3 cakes, purchased 6 dozen cupcakes, 3 ice cream cakes, 6 dozen balloons, and stuffed about a thousand little plasticky non-chokable goodies into bags. Now, I do realize that I am not the only mom that puts forth the valiant effort to ensure that her precious angels pass out from a sugar coma after a full day of celebration, but somehow, I truly believe I deserve some sort of recognition, praise, or a shopping splurge after this annual extravaganza.
So, what IS my reward? I have the PRIVILEGE of writing out 100 thank you cards. Perhaps I'm being ungrateful. I guess I should be feeling warm and fuzzy over the fact that my children are the objects of such affection that we now have zero sight of the hardwood floor that exists under the mountains of toys that litter the ground. But back to the cards...
I love a present as much as the next girl but I would MUCH rather buy it myself than write a thank you card. Oh well, what must be done, must be done. At least it's an excuse to take a trip to my favorite stationer, Mrs. John L. Strong, and peruse the aisles for a new stash of thank you notes. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the brand, feel free to check out their website at http://www.mrsstrong.com/ . They are one of a dying breed of stationers that employ old world techniques, including hand engraving of their dies and plates, hand bordering of each card, hand lining of every envelope and hand finishing of every item they produce.
So, in case your asking yourself exactly how much all this involved "handy" work will set you back... Well, it ain't cheap. Roughly $125 for a set of 20 cards with coordinating envelopes. It must be the masochist in me that jumps at the opportunity to spend hundreds of dollars to complete a chore I put right up there with cleaning out the garage. But, for some strange reason, when I sit down to write out a thank you on a Mrs. Strong card, my pen glides smoother, the words come easier and the time passes quicker.
I think I once heard that surrounding yourself with beautiful things makes all of life's efforts easier. It could very well be that I said that, because I DO believe it to be true.
So, here's to my beautiful children and Mrs. John L. Strong.

Red Lipstick



Rita Wilson once revealed to me that Tom Hanks hated her in red lipstick. I found that to be quite surprising at the time because every guy I'd ever dated went NUTS (in a good way) whenever I'd wear it.
So, as I was speed reading through my pile of WWD's one Sunday morning I casually tossed out there that I wanted to stop by the YSL counter for a new red lipstick I'd seen, to which Cooper replied, "Really?"
Now for those who don't know my husband, a typical response would've been, "Let's go - I'll drop the kids off at Mom's house." So, "Really?" kinda made my heart sink a little bit.
Is it possible that I've never noticed his aversion to red lipstick in the 7 years we've been together?
Perhaps I wasn't reading him quite right. That had to be it. So I re-phrased my original request, "I LOVE that red lipstick has made such a huge comeback. Do you think I should go buy one?"
Dead silence.
"Cooper?"
"Hmmm?"
"The lipstick?"
"Oh yes, well, Sweetie, it's just, you know, kinda formal. But I guess it depends on the occasion and outfit."
Once again - not the answer I was looking for. So I gave it one last go, "Do you like red lipstick on ME?"
After careful thought he says, "I suppose I'm just not used to seeing you in red lipstick. But whatever you wear looks beautiful. You would know if it didn't."
Ah, sweet Husband. Translation - "I don't care for it in the slightest. Red lipstick makes you look like you are either employed by Ringling Bros. or the Mustang Ranch, and to top it all off, how am I, or the kids for that matter, supposed to get our daily dose of kisses - unscathed?"
Well, it's safe to say that I won't be wearing red lipstick on the daily, but despite Cooper's objection, I find it to be quite marvelous on many women - what do you think? Red lips yea or nay?



Hair

Illustration: Courtesy of Angela Keeler

I've never been particularly interested in hair. That is to say, I don't blow-dry (I'm blowdryer impaired), hate the feeling of product in my hair, and more often than not, tie it up in a knot or ponytail. I do, however, splurge on rather extravagant haircuts, so that should the urge to wear my hair down strike, I am ready - without having to blowdry.
Well, those haircuts, which used to happen every couple months, have now been spaced out to every several months (someone please suggest a great hairdresser in NJ), and I now find myself with hair down to my waist - literally.
So here's the question: Am I pushing it? Should ultra-long locks be reserved for sorority girls and reality-show stars? Such an odd dilemma, as I've never really been that attached to my hair. Over the years I've worn it in a myriad of lengths.  The shorter cuts were almost always impulsive decisions that stuck around due to my impatience with "growing it out." Once past a certain length, my laziness would inevitably creep in and voilà -  I'd become slave to the ponytail. A shame, really, because I've been told by many hairdressers that I have great hair (I'm guessing that means thick and healthy due to my inability to blowdry).
But more questions - Is it totally unrefined and way too granola for a gal in her 40's to wear her hair à la Jerry Hall circa 1977? Does it look like I'm grasping onto my fleeting youth for dear life? Does my "hotness" factor correspond to the length of my mane? Surely I am spending way too much time analyzing this situation.
Oh, where is Garren when you need him...

Sexy Shoes

Years ago I told my girlfriend Tammy, "You need a 110mm heel in your closet" not knowing that she did not even own anything higher than 2 inches. After she sheepishly admitted that she couldn't walk in high heels, I joked that she'd better RUN to buy a pair, lest some vamp in a Nicholas Kirkwood stiletto steal her husband out from under her Prada kitten heels. Cooper (the ULTIMATE high heel conoisseur), who was sitting not too far from us, couldn't help but interject "You don't wear heels? You're lucky you even have a husband."
Well, this may be Tammy's year. This spring, sexy does not have to come in the form of skyscrapers strapped to one's feet. After a multitude of seasons that have showcased the uber-high heel as a must or bust, it looks like designers are finally giving our feet and our backs a break! Now if only they'd start looking out for our bank accounts...

Giuseppe Zanotti  available @ http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/
I want to wear these grey lavender wedges with a bright yellow sundress!



Givenchy available @ http://www.barneys.com/
For those who've asked me how to wear a bootie in the Spring/Summer...ta da!







Valentino available @ http://www.neimanmarcus.com/
Thought I was WAY over studs, but suddenly they feel so fresh again.



Lanvin available @ http://www.netaporter.com/
With denim shorts and an Alexander Wang t-shirt. Perfection!



Givenchy available @ http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/
Make that boring black pencil skirt come to life!




Rene Caovilla available @ http://www.neimanmarcus.com/
What Girly Girl couldn't resist pearls tied with a satin ribbon?



Chloe available @ http://www.netaporter.com/
A little hipster chic for your outfit.

Celine available @ http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/
My personal favorite. The perfect Spring sandal for days in The City.



Giambattista Valli available @ http://www.netaporter.com/
Lady-like meets the 21st century with the metal accents.





Fendi  available @ http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/
If you are a midget, like me, these platforms are a must-buy!
Plus, one of the best color-blocked shoes I've seen this season.



Mean Girls



I'm a girl's girl. I've always loved the company of nurturing, supportive women - epecially my girlfriends. The older I get, the more I treasure these friendships. So important are these women, that they now carry titles like God-Mother (Tammy), Uber-Artiste (Emily), The Hostess (w/ the mostest, Kim), Wonder Woman (Neki), and my Beloved Charmonster (Charlotte - can't begin to describe her in such a small space - must devote an entire post to her one day). I love to brag about my beautiful, talented, generous girlfriends whenever I can - so I find it pretty hard to stomach some of the jr. high school behavior amongst "friends" that I witness (fairly consistantly) at the store.
It wouldn't be so offensive if say the gals guilty of said behavior WERE in jr. high, but these are women - GROWN women in their 30's and 40's, whom I would venture to say went to college and did not hitch their homes to a truck (not that there's anything wrong with that).
Anyhow, one scenario goes something like this:
Group of  4 gals comes in. Gal #1 is the Queen Bee, Gal #2 Lady in Waiting, Gal #3 Worker Bee, and Gal #4 Dog Poop. Queen Bee tries on dress and her 3 friends bow down to worship the Goddess in all her glory. Even I have to admit, the dress looks pretty stunning on her. Worker Bee and Poopsie both try on dresses and #2 snickers and whispers something in Queenie's ear. Queen then tells Worker Bee that she can do better then turns to Dog Poop and tells her that the dress makes her hips look big. Dog Poop just agrees with her mistress and nervously laughs it off. Queen Bee throws down her Black AMEX and re-applies her Chanel lipgloss.
I wanted to kick her....out of the store. And I wanted to slap #4 and tell her not to be such a doormat. Of course I don't - retail is a tough gig these days (my girlfriend Patty tells me I should've charged her double because it would've made her feel even more important in front of her friends - of course I don't, but wish I could).
I couldn't imagine any of my girls uttering one nasty thing behind my back. To my face, that's a different thing, and when it happens I most definitely deserve it. But seriously, we celebrate each other - within our circle and outside to those that may not know us as well. The word "brilliant" is probably thrown around too loosely but we mean it and that is how we often describe our girlfriends, with that single adjective.
I'm trying to figure out whether it is suburban life or just 21st century society that brings out this catty female I've encountered way too often as of late. A society where Kim Kardashian becomes an icon for leaking a sex tape and the Real Housewives draw in millions of viewers with their trash talking and table flipping. What happened to female unity and trying to build each other up? All I've noticed of late, is that women continue to exploit themselves for their 5 minutes of fame hoping to land a big payday at the expense of her best friend, sister or even mother.
To those women, especially you, Ms. Queen Bee, I quote Medeleine Albright:
There is a special place in hell for women who do not help other women.
And in my own words (for all my agnostic and atheist gals):
Mean girls are ugly.

Leeetle Lanvin



Those who know me well realize that my obsession with Lanvin is neither healthy nor financially sound. So, with Alber Elbaz's debut Lanvin Petite Collection, I have seriously gone into a tailspin. My MO pertaining to Lanvin has always been, " I have 4 1/2 months to save so that when X piece hits the stores, this will be my seasonal splurge." But now what? Splurge whilst knowing that my daughter will have to do without her own Lanvin trench? What kind of mother would indulge upon herself before her child? Ok, hopefully everyone realizes that I AM being facetious (kind of), but you may find yourself stowing away twice the amount of stash cash once you see what I'm talking about.
No, there is nothing petite about the cost of Lanvin Petite. Dresses will run just under $1,000. Crazy or just too precious to resist?





Late to the Party

So I found these amazing Hunter boots for my client Amy. Now, I'm normally not a huge Hunter boot fan (a bit bland and generic for my liking), but Amy needed boots and I happened to come across these beauties by chance. By the time I decided I needed a pair in my life as well, they were SOLD OUT! At least here in U.S.
Anyone taking a trip to London anytime soon?

Summer Check List

So after a much needed month long hiatus, I'm back feeling energized and full of inspiration! Just in time... Today I feel that slight stickiness in the air that tells me summer is, indeed, right around the corner.
Well, bring it on - Right after I buy these summer essentials.



These j. crew calf hair leopard print sandals are all the accessory
you'll need for a simple sundress or denim cut offs.



The perfect maxidress - wear this Calypso dress with tons of pearls
to a summer wedding or with flat sandals to a beach barbeque.



Hands down the best denim cut-offs EVER!!!
Not too short for the over 35 crowd. Thank you, Current Elliot.




Channel your inner Bianca Jagger with this white suit from
3.1 Phillip Lim. Sexy alternative to a sundress. 




These Belle peep toe booties are as versatile a shoe as they come.
Wear back to sundresses, shorts and full skirts.



A new classic from The Row. I'm loving the subtle
cream and black tortoise print.
tortoise



Dare to wear your cutest shoes in the rain this summer!
These Valentino jellies are bound to be your "go to" flip-flop.

Go nude at the beach? Absolutely! Tomas Meier's nude maillot
will make you irresistable!



 

Baking in the sun is bad. Say it again...Well, thank God for La Prairie's
new self- tanner. Sun kissed without a hint of Oompa Loompa.