StylEyze

Earth Day Couture

2009-04-22T08:34:00.000-07:00

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Earth Day is not only one of my personal favorite holidays, but I honestly believe that everyone should consider everyday to be Earth Day. Whether or not you believe in Global Warming, it's important for all of us to think about our planet and do what we can to keep it clean, healthy and beautiful.

So in honor of this fabulous day, I decided I needed to get my Earth Day style on. But how does one look stylish on Earth Day aside from dressing like an earthy, hippie chick? There are so many ways my friends, so many. On my daily exploration of Forever21.com, I happened upon this wonderful, Earthy delight:
The WWF Panda Logo Tee

For only $16, my purchase of this adorable, fitted tee benefits not only my personal style, but the endangered species of the world as well. And here's why I suggest buying it from Forever rather than World Wildlife Fund directly:

1) You have to join WWF to make a purchase on their site, and I know that not everyone wants to be a member like me :)
* but if you do want to be a member, there are tons of perks! You can join here.
2) The Forever tee is fitted, WWF's fitted tee is $25 and it isn't the same large panda design as this one. Also, fitted tees are much more flattering and fun to wear outside of the gym.
3) It also comes in purple and turquoise!

And even though I am not a huge t-shirt fan, this tee would be so adorable with a pair of black skinny jeans/pants a leather jacket and some cute black heels for a night out. Also a cute business casual alternative with a black pencil skirt and a black blazer or cardigan with platform pumps...talk about office trendy.

Now, go forth and support your planet for less than $20, look hot and celebrate Earth Day! OH and if you want to know the best way to celebrate Earth Day, watch this: Disney's EARTH in theaters NOW. I am literally obsessed with this movie and I haven't seen it yet. The trailer gives me actual goosebumps. I am definitely going to cry.

Those baby elephants are going to be the death of me, I swear.

Vom-Worthy Trends: Socks with Sandals

2009-04-21T14:43:00.000-07:00

I've never been a fan of the whole socks thing. I mean, I get it. They keep your feet from stinking up your shoes by absorbing sweat. But in all honesty, there isn't much else to them. And to me, unless I am at the gym, they will always be just that, ugly sweat absorbers.

Now sure, I can dig the whole tube sock look. It's retro and kinda fun. Yesterday, during Boston's Marathon Monday, socks were a necessary accessory to the "runners" outfits my roomies and I wore:

*Note: Marathon Monday is the one day a year where the Boston Marathon runs through Boston University's campus and hence there is no class that day. No class means that all students drink themselves into an awful oblivion while cheering the runners on. Yesterday Marathon Monday happened to fall on 420, increasing the blackout rate by at least 40%. If you don't know what 420 means, aside from the fact that it's a date in April, ask Mischa Barton. She thinks it's 420 everyday.

So yes, socks happened to be an essential accessory to the great success of my Marathon inspired outfit yesterday. But aside from that, socks are stupid. But you know what's especially stupid?? SOCKS WITH SANDALS.

This awful, disgusting excuse for a fashion trend this season makes me want to vomit through my nose. There are a number of reasons why I hate this trend, aside from the fact that it is aesthetically displeasing:

1) Sandals were created by the Romans with the intention of being worn on BARE FEET. Hence, socks with sandals is historically inaccurate.

2) Sandals are open toed, so as to expose the toes and the rest of the foot openly. Why on earth would you wear socks with a pair of sandals, hence masking the toes and defeating the purpose of an open toed piece of footwear?

3) Sandals were created for purposes of protecting one's feet in warm weather while still allowing the foot to breathe and sweat less in said warm weather. Socks with sandals not only make the foot sweat more but they allow no breathing room for the foot at all in warm weather. And if you are wearing socks with sandals in cold weather then WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU WEARING SANDALS AT ALL??? Put on some damn Ugg Boots, you asshole.

But try as we might, sandal-loving fashionistas cannot ban this heinous trend from rearing its ugly head from time to time. And let me tell you, now is apparently one of those times. In the 90's, Birkenstocks and socks were all the rage. The disgusting look ran rampant across the country via hippie chicks and dirty boys with acoustic guitars on college campuses everywhere. And now it strikes again.

Over the weekend, the ever popular Coachella rocked out in Indio, CA. A modern day Woodstock, this rock n' roll free-for-all brought about rockers, rollers, and cool kids from all across the nation. Coachella is like a stylists' promiseland. Experimental fashion statements are everywhere and the giant polo field is simply seething with style observations and findings galore. But, as I have found from my photo research from the weekend's events, there were many a fashion faux pas a brewing in that desert hippiefest as well.

So what happens when you have an awesome music festival in the middle of 90 degree weather and you add celebrity wanna-be cool kids to the mix? Chloe Sevigny happens. I have no words:

So, as can be witnessed from the crime scene photos above, Chloe had a bit of a run in with the fashion police over the weekend. She violated the NO SOCKS WITH SANDALS fashion law not once, but TWICE. Note the white and, I can barely contain myself, BLACK socks with sandals. A REPEAT VIOLATION! Because you know, it makes so much sense to wear socks with sandals when it's 90 degrees out, socks are completely necessary, right?! ::VOMITS::

Don't ask me how or why, as I have often looked to Chole Sevigny as a fashion icon, a goddess of style, if you will. But somehow, somewhere in the midst of the sweaty rock shows, the $8 beers, the filthy camping bathrooms and the boys with greasy hair...Chloe lost her fashionable dignity and gave into the trend we all love to hate. And with her one wrong move she made it onto Perez Hilton's, Just Jared's, and Go Fug Yourself's Worst Dress Lists for the week! Oh Chloe, how could you!?

At least Chloe has quite the fashion resume to back her up. Almost always on the Best Dressed List in US Weekly, People, and Star, Chloe usually knows her shit but does have a tendency to be experimental with her fashion statements. Well this experiment went a little too far, missy! So please, I beg of you, just because Chloe did it, doesn't mean you should. Who knows how many things she was under the influence of, her judgement was clearly jaded.

And for the record, in case you need a more credible source, according to Just Jared, UrbanDictionary defines socks with sandals as, "A footwear combination worn only by the fashion-challenged.” How's that for some justification? In the mean time, Chloe, I'll pray to the fashion gods to forgive you for your sins.

Project Ugly: The Thrift Store Mafia Revolution

2009-04-19T09:24:00.000-07:00

I have a bone to pick with The Thrift Store Mafia. The Thrift Store Mafia is in fact a name I created for a select group of individuals who are quickly becoming less select and more of an obscene majority. I'm pretty sure you all know who I'm talking about.

You know, those kids with their dirty Keds on. The kids with the 80's tees that they picked up at their local Goodwill. The kids with the plastic Raybans on, the hippie band across their forehead. The kids that ride their bikes around and listen to British New Wave. The girls who like guys who look like they haven't taken a bath in a few weeks, but actually have. The one's who The Cobra Snake takes pictures of all over "hipster" concerts when they are tripping on E and snorting coke in Hollywood. This kinda kid:

Sure, four or five years ago this was a fun, social trend among kids who weren't a part of the in crowd, people who weren't afraid to be individuals, people who screamed "I'M FUCKING DIFFERENT SO LOOK AT ME, YOU ABERCROMBIE WEARING DOUCHE BAG! I HATE YOU AND SO DOES AMERICAN APPAREL!" It was an alternative movement. Wearing American Apparel and shopping at the select Urban Outfitters stores meant you were tres cool, because no one else really did it. Cooler than those "in crowd, yuppie followers" But then, all of the sudden, EVERYONE wanted to be alternative. Because suddenly it was much cooler to be a kid who DIDN'T blend in with the "in crowd".

So the, Urban Outfitters and American Apparel and thrift stores across the nation started getting more popular. And now, it's hard for me to stare out the window of the Newbury Street store I work at without seeing a legging wearing, Rayban obsessed, "hip kid" with giant headphones on screaming "I AM SO DIFFERENT and ARTSY and INDIE MUSIC SAVVY" every five minutes.

Here's my main issue: this alternative lifestyle movement is actually pretty cool, but it's NOT alternative. It's completely mainstream. It's a style that the masses have embraced. More people shop at American Apparel than shop at Abercrombie and Fitch in urban cities. So the reason I despise the Thrift Store Mafia is not because I hate what their wearing (vintage clothing is always awesome and fun to wear and almost always cheaper than department store clothes, plus retro looks are constantly shown on the runways because style loves to repeat itself). I just hate that these people think they are being SO different. FYI you D-bags...artsy kids everywhere are doing the same thing you are.

So take off the granny glasses, turn off the oversized headphones, stop judging the preppy, Gossip Girl worshippers and take a good look around...because you are not alone. You are not going against the grain, baby, you ARE the grain. Welcome to 2009.

Going back to this Cobra Snake character. Never heard anything about him until my roommate Zeny, showed me his site last night. And all I have to say is: CREEPER. This is the dude that made Cory Kennedy famous. Cory Kennedy is the epitome of a SCENE QUEEN, aka: if the Thirft Store Mafia had a leader, she would be it. Basically, The Cobra Snake (aka: Mark Hunter) is a 23 year old photographer who takes photos of her and thousands of other girls exactly like her and posts them on his site. He travels with his DJ buddy to hipster concerts all over (but mainly in the LA underground scene) and then posts the pics on his site for all the other hipsters too "OOOO" and "Ahhhh" at.

He also has The Cobra Shop, a place where he sells "unique" vintage clothing pieces that he found in his photography travels. And you can purchase these works of art for around $50 to $60 a piece, usually more. Talk about THRIFT STORE prices! Sample of what's currently on his site:

I mean, guys, these pieces are SO unique, who wouldn't want to buy them just like ALL the other cool kids are?! Doesn't it just make SO much sense to make money off of a totally alternative movement that no one really knows about? It's so anti-capitalist, it's so anti-Abercrombie, it's so anti-commercial America, it's SO not a mass marketing scheme.

Excuse me while I VOMIT everywhere. These clothes are oversized T-shirts that you can get at your local Goodwill, and this hipster douche puts them on his online store and suddenly they are $60 because he recommends them? PEOPLE WHO BUY THIS SHIT BUY IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT RECOMMENDATIONS, THEY WANT TO BE DIFFERENT.

Do you see my frustration? As a self-proclaimed stylista, I just can't get into this alternative groove. Because for me, style should come naturally. This Cobra Snake, hipster revolution, is so forced, so commercialized, it's gross. Commericalized alternativeism??? WHAT?!

Bottom line: I wear hippie headbands sometimes too, but usually only when my hair is dirty. I like Rayban sunglasses just as much as the next girl. I totally dig this In N' Out tank on Cobra Shop, but I would never pay $60 for it. I never try to dress like anyone else. It's just not my style. I can definitely appreciate the hipster movement, be best friends with a New Wave rock kid, but I will never go to Urban Outfitters and buy a $30 feather for my hair and claim to be an individual. NOT happening. If I buy that $30 feather I will wear it with my mainstream DVF dress and gladly admit that feathers are so hot right now which is why I bought it. I just won't claim to be something that I am not.

So if you like the whole alternative, 80s, thrift store chic thing...more power to you. As long as you're doing YOU. But don't hate on fashion whores, preppy chicks, and gap jean wearing squares in the process. My advice: keep your style alternative to EVERYONE else's, so that you can claim your style as truly and uniquely YOURS. And if fashion doesn't come easy, it probably means your trying too hard.

Fashion Fug of the Day: Katy Perry

2009-04-13T15:40:00.000-07:00

Now this is what I call FUGalicious.

Need I say more? Yes, I do need to say more. Because apparently some people ::cough, cough:: Katy Perry, ::cough, cough:: need some fashion sense slapped into them.

So here's a big red hand print across your face, you print legging wearing fashion abominations!

Printed leggings are disgusting. They are not flattering. They are not cute. They are not artsy. They are inappropriate always. Shame on you for even attempting to make this trend happening, this trend is so NOT happening.

I found these in the window of Zara on Newbury Street in Boston today: (pardon the glare)

Neon paint splashed white leggings. There are simply no words. Oh wait there is one word...NO. Never. Ew. Vomit. Fashion victim. Okay...so that was six words.

Bottom line: your legs are not a walking canvas for fun prints to make you look fatter than you are. It's not cool to be hipster. To be hipster you have to be hip, and you cannot be hip in print leggings. Sorry. I veto this fashion statement to the max.

And Katy Perry better watch her fugly ass, because this fashion police officer has a ticket with her pink cheetah butt cheeks ALL OVER IT.

"I kissed a fug...and I fugged it." - Go Fug Yourself

Shopaholics Anonymous: Rue La La ROCKS

2009-04-09T08:16:00.001-07:00

ATTENTION: SHOPPING ADDICTS EVERYWHERE. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A RELIGION...YOU DO NOW.

I have always been a styloligist. Like Scientologists, minus Tom and Katie and stress tests and strange celebrity temples, but plus awesome clothes and shoes and witty remarks.

Anyways, the Stylology God looked down on me yesterday. She looked down and said, "Marisa, your fashion prayers have been answered."

This god is actually my roommate Gabrielle. And she gave me an invitation through the gates of Fashion Heaven: aka- RUE LA LA. After visiting this site, let me tell you...if i didn't believe before, I believe now.

Rue La La is like a Neiman Marcus going out of business sale...but everyday. I'm talking close out prices on top brands, BUT EVERY SINGLE DAY. Here's the way Rue describes itself:

"Rue La La Is...

Rue La La is... an exclusive, invitation-only online destination where Members discover premier-brand, private sale Boutiques, each open for just a brief window of time. Our focus is a well-edited collection of sought-after offerings from the best brand names in the world - combined with helpful service.

Membership is free. It's also invitation-only. Members shape the community by inviting new Members - and getting a $10 Rue La La Credit when each new friend places their first order.

The discovery of something unexpected, something that imbues the day-to-day with a little magic - these are the "ooh la la moments" we long for. And you'll find them here."

So basically Rue La La is a club, a shopping club. A club where the E-board picks out the best and the brightest and puts everything on sale for unspeakably low prices for a very limited time. And it's invite only, so not just anyone can go...only those who have friends in high places can go. It's a VIP shopping experience. Everyday.

Each brand that is put on sale is called a "Boutique" and each boutique is available for 24 hours. And members can sign up to have email reminders when a sale for a certain boutique starts. You can also preview up and coming boutiques and set reminders for ones that you are most interested in.

Since you can't view the website without being a member, lemme give you a taste of what today's menu looks like:

Juicy Couture

Juicy Couture Gold Suitcase Charm

$48.00

$29.00

Juicy Couture "Juicy" Black Terry Hoodie

$128.00 Only 5 left

$49.00

Juicy Couture "Baby Bell" St. Helens Bootcut Jean

$228.00

$89.00

The prices in bold are the prices you pay. And these items are not last season pieces. They are available at the Juicy website right now, full price. So, as you can imagine, the good ish sells out quick. Email reminders are highly advisable.

Other boutiques today include:

Lagos, Rich and Skinny, and Da-Nang. I personally LOVE Rich and Skinny jeans because they fit so well, plus their website is funny and totally awesome to shop on.

Up and coming boutiques inclue Valentine, Isabella Fiore, and Rock and Republic...just to name a few. So these designers and items are totally legit. I mean come on, VALENTINO people. I previewed that boutique, and BOY am I excited.

Now, looking at this amazing diamond in the ruff, it's easy to lose control. The addict inside of me wants to buy everything and anything. But that's the beauty of Rue La La, it's completely shopaholic friendly. Since you can preview items before the 24 hr period starts, you can pre-shop. Look for the things that you really need, give yourself time to think about the purchase before you go on a frenzy. The site divides things up by category: apparel, shoes, accessories. So I personally know that I DO NOT need shoes right now, so I am not even going there, I am not even going to look at the shoes in any of the boutiques because even if they are on sale for insanely low prices, I don't need them. Tame the holic inside of you, tame her.

And the great thing about all of this is that, all my readers have an invitation if they want it. Simply email me at styleyze@gmail.com and I will be more than happy to send you an invite. (besides the more invites I send, the more shopping money the site will give me!)

It's like I found the key into heaven and I'm just going to let you all in for free. Thank me later when you're rocking that new Valentino bag that you paid under $400 for.

And on that note, I only have one thing to say: I DO BELIEVE.

Songs to Shop to: Big Spender- Adrienne Bailon

2009-04-07T08:34:00.000-07:00

"If you're a big spender, I can be your material girl, live in your material world."

- Adrienne Bailon, "Big Spender"

I am currently listening to this song on repeat.

It makes me want to buy things.

I have a sickness.

I need a Sugar Daddy.

Or a job with an actual salary.

I would like to dedicate this post to Arbo Payton, who constantly feeds my addiction to pop music and encourages me to be as fabulous as possible at all times. Check out his blog, it's for the pop culture obsessive and it makes me smile every day: Freakshow Blur

Shopaholics Anonymous is SO necessary after the Tea Party tonite.

Fashionably M.I.A.

2009-04-06T20:18:00.000-07:00

It's been a while.

My apologies for my two weeks of M.I.A.ness. Between three research papers, a Britney concert, and shiploads of visitors streaming through my apartment, I put the blogosphere on hold. But the good news is that I'm back. And fashion has hardly been put on hold during my absence, so I have a lot to catch up on.

But first, a few musings from my rainy Monday--
1) Rain is possibly the most fashionably un-friendly weather. It's been raining in Boston for almost a week now and I am slowly running out of rain-friendly, yet fashion forward clothing. My solution- wear rain galoshes for your commute to work/school (leopard print from Forever21, because spending more than $30 for water resistant rubber is obsurd and galoshes should be fun and silly, not boring. rain is boring enough as it is.), and carry a pair of super cute flats or sweet sandals in your bag for when you get inside, a nice reward for just having to trudge through the rain.

2) I got the new Victoria's Secret swim wear catalogue in the mail today. This made me happy and sad. It made me happy because it reminded me that summer was on its way. It made me sad because the idea of buying a swim suit when it's 40 degrees out and raining is literally disgusting. But April showers supposedly bring May flowers, hence I will envision a sandy beach when I purchase my favorite items from the catalogue:

The Lilac Embroidered Sliding Triangle Top with Low-Rise Bottoms

This is an awesome suit for two reasons: 1) It is lilac and lilac looks good on almost everyone, plus purp is totally hot this season. 2) The sliding triangle top is better than a string bikini because if you have tig ol' bittays (aka: big boobies) you can adjust the top for better support/coverage without having to resort to some full coverage granny bullshit bathing suit.

The Embroidered Strapless Bra Top Dress

This dress is definitely going to be a staple for me this summer. I LOVE IT. It comes in six different colors, though I love "perfectly pink" and "coffee bean" best. It's double lined, so even though it looks see-through it's NOT. And it had a built in bra! No strapless, uncomfortable shit to deal with. Besides, who wants to wear a bra with a sundress anyways? It's loose and sexy without being whore-ish. And it can be worn during the day for shopping and lunch with mom, to a beach bbq and bonfire, or out to a sunset dinner with your lovah. So versatile, so trendy (ie: totally goes along with the whole boho look that is all over the mags for this summa), and under $100 bucks! Just say yes.

While it's a little early to be talking about summer (I think it's best to talk about beach wear and 90 degree weather after Easter. Similar to the "no white after Labor Day" rule, "no summer talk til after Easter". It's a little sacrelig, especially since it's not even 50 degrees out yet.), I was just so excited about the new catalogue that I had to give a sneak preview.

3) The season premiere of the 5th season of The Hills aired tonight! And in my opinion, as cheesy and as mentally draining and mind numbing as that show can be...it's AMAZING. If for no other reason, the show is amazing because of the clothes. Seriously, those girls are gorgeous and stupid and dramatic (and so am I) and at the same time they deal with all their drama in STYLE. What's not to love???

If one thing besides Spencer Pratt's ugly fucking mug caught my eye tonite, it was Heidi's ski chalet beanie! Feathers are all the rage, and while I would rather slit my wrists and draw a warm bath than buy one more winter hat, her blue ski cap with white feather adornment was SO ADORABLE. Can't secure any pics of it as of right now, but I will be posting it as soon as I can get one. Definitely a hot item/idea to keep in the fashion vault for next ski season!

So, again, I apologize for my missing in absence. I promise I will be back in action, especially since Spring has officially sprung and there is SO much to talk about. In fact, in honor of spring and all its glory, I cordially invite you to a Styleyze Spring Soiree: A Tea Party for the Fashionably Forward, tomorrow April 7, 2009 here at www.styleyze.blogspot.com. Please arrive fashionably late.

PS- Happy birthday to the most stylish mom on the planet, my own Mama Martinez. Love you Mom! Thanks for teaching me everything I know about clothes, class, and cupcakes:)

Fashion Fug of the Day: Jessica Alba

2009-03-20T09:01:00.001-07:00

I have never truly been a fan of Jessica "Don't call me Latina" Alba as an actress, but always a quasi fan of her personal style. (note: I am just as Hispanic as she is, and look a whole lot more Caucasian then she does, but I can't deny that I am still Latina (ie: my last name gives you right to call me Latina)...hence my distaste for her in general) She is usually a little too slut-tastic for my taste, but for the most part she has her shit together.

Bottom line, whether or not she is usually fashionable, recently the fashion police got called on her fugly ass for wearing the most obnoxious Miu Miu feather mini jacket EVER. Observe her recent atrociousness at Paris Fashion Week:

Just Jared reported, "According to the Canadian Press, front-row guest Jessica Alba said she was lusting after a dress with a sheer aqua bodice with a burgundy skirt and one of the mid-calf-length A-line skirts that were paired with bras and fur-lined scarves cinched onto the hips with tie belts."

Excuse me while I go vomit. Feathers are def in this season AND next season but this look is absolutely ridiculous. She looks like she got tarred and feathered before she made moves at Fashion Week. Nice try, Mrs. Alba, but you're definitely not a fashionista, don't hurt yourself trying to be one.

Please note: This is proof that not everyone can pull off every new trend/look. You have to wear what works for you. And some looks are best kept in the fashion archives for all eternity ::cough, cough:: Miu Miu feather jacket....::cough, cough::

Shopaholics Anonymous: Reckless Acts of Shoes

2009-03-18T17:27:00.000-07:00

Spring is coming. Can't you just taste it in the air? I could taste it when I was in LA for Spring break, not so much here in Boston. It's supposed to snow next week. Let's just not even go there...

But at Shopaholics Anonymous, instead of snow, we will talk about SHOES. Specifically sandals. More specifically, sandal shopping. See, sandals are a year-round staple back home in California. A year-long staple that I DEARLY miss. Let's put it this way, when it comes to reckless acts of shopping: I have a shoe fetish. So I was more than excited when I got my daily email from Nordstrom and it read "Sandals Under $100, Free Shipping on All Orders". UMMMM, excuse me while I die a little bit.

Totally clicked on that shit and it lead me to the wonderful world that is Nordstrom's Sandal Shop for Women. And when Nordstrom says under $100, they mean it, and boy did they deliver! I usually feel like Nordstrom tells dirty lies when they say "cheap, affordable, under $$$". The stuff that is actually cheap is almost always less than mediocre, and usually when they claim things are "affordable" they are just pretending that $300 is affordable to the world. I feel like saying, "Here's $30, pretend it's $300 and then your overpriced crap will have the right to be labeled as 'affordable'."

But there were no lies today in my sandal mail, no lies at all. Shopaholics, words simply cannot describe my delight. Stand, and bear witness to all that is fashionably holy: The Nordstrom Sandal Shop: Sandals Under $100.

But before we get in over our heads, lets just review the Shopaholics Anonymous take on this shoe fetish. When we find something we love, we must take into consideration our actual need for these lovable things. So before I let myself get click-happy, I decided to make a quick list of types of sandals that I actually need for this spring/summer season.

1) The everyday Gladiator flat sandal:

Styleyze loves Gladiators because: they are a trendy alternative to flip flops and can be worn with casual clothes everyday or used to dress down more formal outfits.
My favorite gladiator in the Under $100 Shop: Well, it's a tie.

The Jeffrey Campbell "Greta 2" in pewter for $70

And the Sam Edelman "Greco" in gold for $90.

I like the J. Campbell shoe because it's very similar to a pair of my Cynthia Vincent gladiators from two seasons ago that are totally ready for the trash. Hence, they will make a great replacement and I LOVE the color. And I like the Sams because they are SO greek-chic, plus gold is the IT shoe color for this spring, and they will go great with summer clubbing dresses for when I want an alternative to dressy heels.

2) The Platform strappy sandal:

Styleyze loves platforms because: This look is so hot right now, and so flattering/comfortable in comparison to the normal stiletto. Getting this sandal in black or brown will allow me to wear it for seasons to come. Plus I found a shoe-twin of the shoe I hyper-linked above, made by none other than FERGIE.

Did you even know Fergie had a shoe line?? I didn't. She actually has two. Allow me to present: Fergie and her "cheap-o" brand Fergalicious by Fergie. The 'Fergie' line is basically all sandals and heels and the 'Fergalicious' line has sneakers and more casual flats.

Either way, they sell all her 'Fergie' ish at Nordy's. And these lovelies caught my eye for my fave platform sandal:

Fergie 'Teema' Sandal in brown for $99.

They are almost $100 cheaper than the Reports Vanessa Hudge is rocking in the pic above and they literally look exactly the same. Sweet deal.

3) The Wedge Sandal:
Styleyze loves the wedge because: It's a more comfortable alternative to the stiletto heel and makes you look tall and awesome in a sundress.
My Fave from the Under $100 Shop: The Steve Madden "Quantam" Sandal in brown for $79

This shoe is comfortable, easy to pair with any outfit, day or night, and it also comes in black. And the cinched detailing in the center of the shoe strap will create a nice long line between your leg and your foot, accentuating your calves. What's not to love?

So, now that the shoes are all out on the table at under $100. Go forth and explore the 20+ pages of Spring sandal glory. But, like we always say at Shopaholics anonymous, don't let your fetish get the best of you. Before you even click on those links. Make your own list of sandals you want. Look in your closet, do some research, peek in a few magazines to see what styles you like/are wearable for you. and then go and conquer the Nordstrom Sandal Shop.

Shopaholics Anonymous is now out of session, but sweet sandals this Spring are so in.

Fashion Icon of the Day: Rachel Bilson

2009-03-15T12:14:00.000-07:00

I have always love Rachel Bilson (former star from The OC), for her classy, feminine, trendy, and very clean sense of style. She is one of my top five style icons because she always looks put together and seriously knows how to pull a great outfit together for any occasion. Rachel is also known for styling herself for the most part, definitely giving the finger to greedy fashion-whore stylists like Rachel Zoe. Gotta love it!

So when I found pics of Rachel in a recent posting on Just Jared, I just had to share my enthusiasm for her with the world. Yesterday she rocked this amazing ensemble for a day of shopping in LA:

LOVE that navy velvet blazer. It has the cut of a men's blazer, which is a totally hot look right now. I haven't been the biggest fan of it until I saw Rachel wearing it with this adorable dress. The men's suit jacket look can be really reminicent of the 80s, but in a bad way if worn with the wrong articles of clothing, observe:

So Rach totally made this look feminine and classy when she paired her oversized blazer with that adorable embellished navy dress and a pair of neutral platform pumps. Along with a basic black leather handbag, she looks smart, sexy and totally Styleyzed.

A+++ to you, Miss Bilson. Definitely going to keep my style eyes on her for more fabulous ensembles.

Style School: Chic for Cheap

2009-03-14T11:53:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Style School, the place where fashionistas in training put their trendy shoes on and test their style savvy in the streets. It's like the Girls of Hedsor Hall or Charm Schoo l minus the gnarly uniforms and minus the fact that (I am guessing) none of my lovely pupils are alcoholic crack whores with knives and/or razor blades.

At Style School even the hottest of messes can learn a thing or two about how to strut the streets with just a little bit more style in their step. But here at Style School, we like to take things one stiletto at a time, so let's begin with some basics.

Lesson 1: You Always have Something to Wear- A Lesson in Home Economics

When you look in your closet and you say to yourself, "I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR. I DO NOT OWN ANY CLOTHES," that's a lie. You do have clothes. You have lots of clothes. Otherwise you would be naked everyday. And if you're a nudist exhibitionist, that's awesome, but otherwise nudity is uncool. In fact, nudity is illegal in most public places.

It's not that you have nothing to wear, it's that you are tired of wearing the clothes you have OR you feel like you don't have the appropriate clothing for the event you are going to. In most cases, this problem is easily solved. In my apartment, the clothing starved can borrow sick shoes, dresses, and handbags from their totally chic roomie. Unfortunately I don't live in everyone's house. Sorry.

But borrowing is always a great option, unsatisfying in my opinion, but great. The thing with borrowing is that the clothes aren't YOURS, so if you eff that shit up during a blackout drunk night, you're totally screwed. And what if your BFF's dress is totally hot on you and you want to wear it all the time, now you have to ask her before you do and make sure it's dry cleaned before you give it back, it's a hassle. Also, you may not have many people readily available to borrow from.

So if you hate to borrow, like me, then you can always re-invent. I find that when I have "nothing" to wear, I can take a dress or top that I probably wouldn't normally wear to an event and style it in a totally different way to make it work. Allow me to elaborate:

The "No Clothes" Issue: "I need an outfit that I can wear out to dinner with my parents that can also work for when I go to the lounge across the street to meet my friends for drinks after. I HAVE NO EFFING CLOTHES FOR THIS SHIT!!!!!!!"

The Solution via my Style Cookbook:

Recipe: Dinner outfit that can also work to go out in afterward

Ingredients- Sift through your closet for:
-a basic sun dress or even a beach cover up mini dress

-with your go-to black cardigan,

-tied together with a thick or thin black waist belt

-paired with black strappy heels.

Directions:
Wear dress with cardigan over it and leave it open. Wrap belt around your torso tying the separates together, fasten in front. Wear to dinner with parents and be classy. Take the sweater off when you get to the club and leave the belt with the sundress and heels. Wear at club, drink, dance, and be sassy. Repeat with as many different dress and cardigan combos as you like. Do not say you have nothing to wear ever again.
Note: Black is always a great color to use to accessorize with to make a regular day time outfit work for nighttime.

Now let's say that perhaps you don't have a basic black cardigan but you do have a basic black zip-up hoodie. You also have a black NorthFace fleece...do those work? NO, EW. That is disgusting. Save that hoodie shit for the gym. Save that North Face crap for when you go hiking. Bottom line: If you don't have a basic black cardigan, you need to get one. In fact, you should really have two. They are great for almost any time of year and they can pull a ton of looks together for you, no matter what your personal take on style is.

Oh wait, do I hear, "I don't wanna buy one, I don't have money for that right now. I would rather be ugly than spend money"? You're ridiculous. Shut up. There is NO excuse to be a frumpy ass at the Style School.

Please note that the dress and cardigan I picked out as examples in my style recipe are both made by a beachwear company called LucyLove. You can find the line at Pacific SunWear. I chose this line for two reasons:

1) It's a basic casual wear line that anyone can buy, anywhere. It's not by any means "fashion forward". But its realistic that any average person might have a simple dress or cardigan from this line. My point is that basic, non-couture pieces can LOOK super stylish without the price tag or the effort.

2) I recently went to an AMAZING Lucy Love warehouse trunk show at a super cute beach boutique called Holly Sharp in Corona Del Mar (Orange County), CA while on spring break. My friend got that exact black cardigan for $5. YEP. WHOLE SALE PRICES PEOPLE. Proof that sample sale savvy/bargaining instincts can get you what you need, but we will get more into the whole sample sale circuit later.

But seriously, even if there isn't a super amazing warehouse sale near you. Black cardigans and other basic black pieces are not hard to find and not that expensive. I do not suggest going the Forever21/H&M route with your basics though, because you really want them to last you as long as possible. To be honest, the Gap is an excellent source for basic pieces (ie: white button up shirt, basic black pant, khakis, etc). And right now they are on this whole Spring cardigan kick, so go there in six weeks and all that ish will be on the sale racks for DIRT cheap. Plus Gap clothes are truly made to be worn everyday since they are all about the basics, so the quality is better.

Lessons Learned:
- You actually DO have clothes in your closet
- Your own wardrobe is your best tool to use in order to style for less
- The sweetest fashions aren't always at the most fashionable stores
- When it comes to basics, it's okay to fall into The Gap

Stay in school and listen for next time when we put the savvy back into sample sales.

Fashion Week Leak: McQueen Shall Reign No More

2009-03-11T16:46:00.000-07:00

While I've been basking in the West Coast sun for most of the week, I figured I could take some time out on this relatively gloomy day to get back to fashion. And to be quite honest, I'm sorry I did. Talk about bringing down my spring break buzz.

After reviewing London and Paris' shows from the past two weeks, I must admit that I feel like slitting my wrists ans drawing a warm bath. If, in order to stay fashionable next fall, I am expected to wear feathers and ridiculous head adornments all season, I would much rather commit fashion suicide. "What an extremist fashion diva," you say? I dare you to venture to the black abyss that is fashion week reviews and see for yourself.

Usually, when I feature I designer I do it with every intention of highlighting their work in a positive light. However, Alexander McQueen will not be so lucky this week. I am in a style depression and McQueen along with his nasty line of feathers and clown faces shall forever be dethroned and stripped of his title in my style bible. Prepare for true verbal assault, you fashion violator, you.

Yesterday in Paris, McQueen dared to be abstract by releasing his line of dramatic, misogynistic, and blatantly obsurd visions onto the runway. What resulted was nothing short of a fashion shit show. Think French crying clown mime meets Gothic feather factory and VOILA you have the Alexander McQueen FW 2009 runway show. But please do not let my bias sway you, observe some of my personal faves for yourself:

I mean, the possibilities are endless. It's Fall 2009 READY TO WEAR after all. And I am totally ready to wear that white feather jumpsuit with those 8 inch platform heels to my next dinner date. Or I could go out on a limb and be super classy with that giant houndstooth fur coat, lord knows that's a statement jacket! OR I could vomit all over Alexander McQueen and put him on my fashion shit list for being a disgusting abomination to the fashion world.

The question is: What the FUCK was he thinking? Is there meaning to this atrocity? But I doubt anyone truly knows the answer. According to Style.com, "This is a designer who has drawn so much poetry out of the past, yet this time his backward look appeared to be in something like anger, defiance, or possibly gallows humor. Some of the pieces, like a couple of swag-sided coats, seemed to be made of trash bags, accessorized with aluminum cans wrapped in plastic as headgear." Has he perhaps gone so far as to say, like the current economy, that fashion has no where to turn but down? May the fashion gods save our souls.

To top it all off, McQueen's Design-for-All line at Target also launched this week. At least this "cheap-o" line had a little more to show than his nightmare of a runway line. But even still, I'm not all that knocked out. If nothing else, it's very typical McQueen in concept, but hardly very typical Target in price.

One of the featured looks is a hideous blue "tattoo dress". At a whopping $80 for that nasty print, I would much rather get a real effing tattoo.

Some of the other pieces are all right, but nothing to write home about. I loved the smoke colored Studded Denim Jacket, a piece worthy of its price at $60, but it is already out of stock online and in the five stores closest to me. The line has only been out since Sunday, so I guess that's saying something. It means that his brand name does hold some authority in the fashion world, but that's all the more reason for him to be shunned for creating such an awful line for next season. You must give the people what they want, and if you fail to provide, prepare for the onslaught of verbal whiplash.

The signature tee he put out is also tres haute at only $23, but again, it is totally sold out in stores and online. LAME.

One dress that I did like for its simplicity factor, is actually one of the most un-McQueen pieces in the line. Go figure. The One-Shoulder Dress in Ebony is a fun, easy, comfy party dress. The bubble skirt bottom with the black jersey fabric makes it an easy fit on any body type and it's simple enough that you can dress it up with fun shoes, bangles and big earrings for a night on the town. And at $50, it's the perfect go to dress when you don't know what to wear. If you're feeling adventurous, I may suggest wearing a skinny patent leather belt in either black or a neon magenta or yellow around the waist of it to give it a different, more 80s style look. A word of advice, Target clothes usually run big, so either order true to your size or a size below to get the best fit.

All in all, minus some of the okay pieces in his Target line, McQueen gets a big fat F (as in FUGLY) in fashion from me for this season. Worst runway show ever, most over priced cheap-o line ever, fugliest overall performance ever. To summarize:

1) Sad clowns belong in the circus, not on the runway.
2) Tattoos belong on skin, not on dresses
3) Never pay more than $50 for a cheap designer dress at Target, otherwise it no longer really counts as cheap.

In the words of Styleyze: This Queen's reign is over. OFF WITH HIS HEAD!

Shopaholics Anonymous: Jewelry that's Just too Juicy

2009-03-06T08:52:00.000-08:00

Welcome back to Shopaholics Anonymous, the place where it's okay to shop your heart out, but if you must you must, do it with style. Let's begin with a personal anecdote:

I woke up this morning to an email from Nordstrom with this headline: "Just In: Fresh, Affordable Dresses". I can buy a dress from Nordstrom that's not only fresh, but affordable as well? Nordstrom, affordable? The shopoholic inside of me was jumping with joy. I know I'm a dirt broke, but perhaps I can afford an "affordable" dress.

Oh, you best know that I opened that email rather than just trashing it, as per usual. And I'm glad I did. While the dresses featured are less than mediocre, and none of them are actually even under $100, the featured jewelry on the other hand was simply delightful.

Now let's be honest, I am not a fan of Juicy Couture. I hate those God forsaken sweats with a passion. In fact, they are the bane of my existence. Sweats are NEVER a fashion statement, people. Sweats are in fact, for SWEATING in, hence the clever name. So the whole glorified work out clothes thing can go suck it. If I'm going to work out I am not going to wear fake velvet. Do I want to overheat within the first five minutes of my run? I think not.

But Juicy jewelry on the other hand, is quite delicious. It can be obnoxious, don't get me wrong. But usually Juicy does a great job of copying more expensive jewelry trends, adding a little bit of their own flair, and slapping a more affordable price tag on it. In fact, my signature black and gold bracelet is Juicy and everyone always mistakes it for a Chanel bracelet. So, so when I saw the featured "affordable" jewelry in the email, the shopaholic/Juicy jewels fan inside of me simply could not resist.

Shopaholics, allow me to introduce the Juicy "Wish" Necklace. The newest, most affordable, MUST have item on my hit list.

This necklace is so cute! It comes in six different styles, ie: six different charms. It's only $48, but it looks like it costs way more. It's perfect as a gift for birthdays or ::cough, cough:: graduations... :)My personal favorite style is the Mother of Pearl Flower necklace.

And the great thing about this one is that it has a matching ring! SO obsessed. The ring is a little more pricey, $88. It's gorgeous though, a total knock off of last season's giant Chanel flower ring.

But here's where I have to be true to the Shopaholics anonymous mantra: I definitely do not need this $88 enormous ring. It is pretty, and yes I do want it. It also totally matches the Wish necklace. But chances are, I can find a similar one for much cheaper.

And I did.

It took me literally less than one minute to find a mother of pearl, GIANT flower ring at Forever21. And the price tag on this one: $3.80. UMMMMMM. Excuse me? I totally just bought it, in all three colors. (black, cream, and magenta) I just spent less than $12 to get THREE rings for a tenth of the price of what the Juicy ring would have been. And the cream one will match the necklace I want perfectly.

I feel fulfilled. Not only did I allow myself to shop for something I want, but I used self control, and in fact saved $70 and came out with THREE new rings for the price of less than one. This is truly Shopaholics Anonymous at work.

On another note, I still continued to click away on the Juicy jewels on the Nordy's site after I made my Forev purchase. And I found such the cutest new charms for the Juicy charm bracelets! I personally do not have one of those giant bracelets, because they are super heavy and not practical for me, but I LOVE the charms that Juicy puts out for them. My favorite from their new line: The White Elephant

How cute is he!? He's not too pricey, at just $52. And he opens up like a locket with space inside of him to keep things. While this is feature somewhat useless since the elephant is rather small, it's a good place to store earrings if you need to take them out for whatever reason.

I really like him, and I have this great idea of how I can still wear him and not get that charm bracelet. Wouldn't it be so simple and cute to wear the white elephant as a necklace? If you just get a plain gold chain, and stick him on there...TA DA! You have a super cute white elephant locket necklace that you made yourself. And it was only $52. You could even take the flower charm off your wish necklace and replace it with the elephant every now and then; a "wish elephant" necklace, if you will. And India Chic is so in right now, and this elephant is SO India chic.

Sometimes I am so innovative, I scare myself.

So lessons learned from SA today:
- Sweats are for sweating in
- Juicy jewels are your friend
- When it comes to being chic and cheap...use your imagination
- I am wearing that elephant to the Britney concert in 10 days, it's not only India chic, it's totally Circus chic too.

I'm off to California for spring break tomorrow, so stay tuned for updates from the West Coast fashion scene.

Keep it sassy. Styleyze, OUT!

The Professions of a Fashionista

2009-03-04T17:01:00.000-08:00

I need a job man. I am straight up going to graduate in less than 70 days. Like, what is that?! How is it possible that I am going to be thrown into the "real world" in less than three months?

It's all simply too much to handle. I mean, how is a girl supposed to find a job in fashion in THIS economy? And by fashion, I don't mean a job at the Gap. I mean a real, high powered, Whitney Port-esq job in fashion PR. I am talking runway show production, designer representation, magazine networking, clothing line launch parties. I want to feel the cool, early autumn wind blowing through my hair at Bryant Park for Spring Fashion week as I prepare seating charts for the VIPs for the next big show. I don't care what designer it is or which celebs are there, it's not about the people, it's about the CLOTHES.

But I might as well kiss those dreams good bye. The economy has turned against me in the worst way possible. So I may as well give up and take that job selling life insurance, right? WRONG. Eff that. I will not settle. Even if the economy falls down the drain, I will still stand tall.

Here's the thing: Even if my dream job isn't knocking at my door, there are plenty of other great opportunities. I mean, internships are ripe and ready for the picking in pretty much every industry. And a great, paid internship can be just the ticket you need into the job of your dreams. Even if Chanel isn't hiring right now, maybe they will be hiring by the end of the summer and who better to hire than that fabulous, well dressed little intern who was so efficient all summer?...Ok, maybe CHANEL won't be saying that, but a girl can dream, can't she? Bottom line, many other employers will be, so we must not let these hard times discourage us. In fact, now, more than ever, is the time to embrace my mantra of "look good, feel good".

The job market is competitive and sparce right now, so every impression counts. It is essential that if you do get that interview, that you ROCK the shit out of it. So if your dressed like a shmuck, you're already giving the other guy a better shot. I don't care what all these assholes say about "It's all about the experience you have under your belt, that's what gets you the job. It's what's on your resume that matters." Shut up. You're wrong. Does it make any sense to say, "Oh, after my in person interview I didn't get the job. It's probably because they didn't like my resume."? No. That makes no sense. They already read your resume and they liked it enough to talk to you in person. Your resume didn't lose you the effing job, you and your frumpy ass lost it!

So let's do ourselves a favor and make sure that we don't let our poor sense of style lose us the job. In this economy, looks matter. So here are a few helpful hints for how to dress for the big day:

1) Skirts are your friend.
Wearing a nice, classy work appropriate skirt tells a potential employer that a) you are feminine and tasteful b) that you care about how you look and c) that you not only know how to act like a professional, but that you can dress like one too.

High waisted skirts are so haute right now. And I LOVE this trend. They give you a nice silhouette and work well on almost every body type. While I was shopping in H&M the other day I found this:

Love the color, love the waist line. Also, love the price- $29.99 at H&M. Now, obviously you wouldn't put it with a t-shirt for the interview. I'm thinking a white blouse, or a girly white button up shirt (think 3/4 sleeves or cap sleeves to keep the look feminine).

2) Dresses to kill

I also found this little number at H&M:

$49.99 for that amazing floral dress! This would be great for an interview because it has a conservative neckline, and a basic, flattering cut--not too short and not too long. Now, I know my blackberry didn't take the best pic of this one, but here's a close up of the fabric:

It's white and blue floral. I like the white and blue combo for an interview for two reasons:
1) Blue looks good on almost every skin tone
2) It's different from the every day black; when you wear this color combination it will set you apart from everyone else.

This dress will be worn best when paired with a long, navy cardigan. It would also look cute with yellow, but for the work place, darker colors are always better for first impressions, since you don't know what the clothing culture will be like yet. (ie: some places are very suit and tie, others are more trendy/hipster, and some places are even jeans and t-shirt...you won't know til your interview day!)

3) Slap on those Ciggies
I'm personally not a huge fan of pants in general but I realize the rest of humanity is, so if you must: do it skinny. Cigarette style pants are my favorite. (That's a very skinny legged pant with a fitted waist--not low and not high) They aren't typical in a professional setting but they are very flattering and mature looking with a masculine blazer.

I love this one from Urban Outfitters, only $68. It's versatile. You can pair it with your interview pants and a basic white tee underneath along with a fun beaded necklace and heels. It's simple and trendy. Then after the interview you can throw on your favorite jeans and chucks with it to go out for a drink to celebrate how hard you rocked the interview.

So, let's make your plan of attack:
1) Get the effing interview. That's the easy part, because on paper you're a goddess to begin with.
2) Get dressed for the effing interview because in this economy, you can't afford to look like shit. Like you literally cannot afford it.
3) Get the job/internship and prove to everyone that you can indeed beat the bad turn in the economy with your dashing good looks, your excellent sense of style...and oh yeah, your laundry list of amazing achievements and superstar personality.

Now go, conquer the Whitney Port's and Lauren Conrad's of the world. Get that six figure paycheck from Chanel. Buy those Louboutin's you've been dreaming of and wear them in your corner office. Or at least go and get the coffee for the one in the corner office. Whatever works.

Shop-a-holics Anonymous

2009-02-26T12:53:00.000-08:00

I'm in the mood to shop. I want to try on clothes. I want to feel the tags scratching my back as I look at myself in the mirror. I want rude sales girls to roll their eyes when I ask for another size. I want to tear new pairs of shoes from their tissue paper wrapping. I want to walk through the store and stare at my feet in the perfectly untouched leather and smile.

Perhaps I am a sick individual. Actually I know I am. I am addicted to material things. Call me shallow, call me ridiculous, call me cliche, call me obnoxious, but don't you dare call me a shop-a-holic. Because I am too effing broke to shop like a true addict. Oh the things I would give to be able to buy those $800 Christian Louboutin leopard print wedges without a second though. The things I would give.

It's obsurd to obsess over all those things I will simply never have, I know. Sure I could go all Isla Fisher on your ass and throw myself into thousands of dollars of credit card debt. But I would much rather buy the next best thing, not go into debt, and be just as happy.

Welcome to Shopaholics Anonymous (SA). The place where it's ok to be a broke ass hoe who loves all things material. It is here that we shall learn to satisfy our cravings to spend money with class, dignity and a wonderful sense of style.

Lesson 1: You are Not Alone-- The Fashion Gods are Broke Ass Shopaholics Too
How do I know this? I know this because I read Vogue. And every three issues or so, the magazine will include an amazing blessing in the back of the index called "100+ Under 100". This section is a Godsend.

Things from this month's issue that are Shopaholics Anonymous worthy-
1) Khaki Old Navy Trench- $50

To the Old Navy haters- I have had my $30 black Old Navy trench for 4 years now and I get complimented on it literally EVERY time I wear it, and I wear it all the effing time and it's still in great shape!

Already have a basic trench? Well this Spring is all about COLOR so I love this Belted Twill Trench in Cosmopolitan Berry (also only $50!), as a fun alternative to the basic Khaki.

2)Simply Vera by Vera Wang Paintbrush Pleated Skirt @ Kohl's- $40

This skirt is PERFECT for an alternative to a drab work suit. Pair it with a navy blue blazer or cardigan with some sweet navy flats or pumps. If you're going on interviews and want to stand out, this is definitely the perfect look to go for: fun, professional, and trendy. And a skirt like this works on almost every body type.

3) H&M Navy and Red Flower mini dress.

There are many different style options and color combinations of this large rose print dress. It's similar to the Thakoon Floral Print dress phenomenon from last season. It's a great go-to dress for Easter Sunday, graduation parties, bridal showers, even spring/summer weddings.

Lesson 2: Shop with a Goal

Random shopping is always fun on weekend afternoon, but even random shopping should have a purpose. Think about what you actually NEED, instead of shopping impulsively for stuff that catches your eye. At the beginning of every season I write down a list of things I actually NEED to buy for my wardrobe. I copy the list onto a post-it note and stick it in my wallet. So if I go on random shopping excursions, I am reminded of what I should be spending my money on and I have an idea of what to look for. Example: My basic black flat boots are falling apart, they are essential to my daily life in Boston and MUST be replaced. I write down my dilemma and the next time I pass by Saks and their 70% off sales, instead of running to the stilettos, I will open my wallet, remind myself of the holes in my boots and make a beeline to the black leather beauties.

Lesson 3: Resist the Temptation for the Trendy

Trendy, crazy, experimental fashion statements are fun but can be dangerous. Take those fucking metallic spandex leggings from American Apparel for example. Ugliest shit I have ever seen. Only looks good on people with very thin legs, and reminds me of my mom's 80s jazzercise outfits. I mean, if you like to work out 24/8, I guess it works. But the bottom line is that those "disco pants" will only be socially acceptable as casual wear for this season. Next season, they will just look like outdated, shiny trash bags. So why the EFF are you spending $90 on FUGALICIOUS leggings? You're a shopaholic freak of nature. That's why.

You COULD have spent $16 on the same effing shit at Forever21. Don't you wish you had just said to yourself, "I know these leggings are super hipster and fun, and I look so DAMN good in them, but I think I should look a few other places to see if I can get them for a cheaper price. Besides, I know these fit me so I could just order them online if I don't find anything else."

Think before you purchase my shopping addict friend. It will be worth it. And the money you saved on those god awful stretch pants you can put towards those SWEET Navy blue Lamb pumps to go with that amazing Simply Vera skirt.

At Shopaholics Anonymous, we understand that you will always be a shopaholic at heart. To be honest, we wouldn't like you any other way. But at SA, we want to you be the smart and savvy shopper we know you are deep down. So, please, come to the meetings once a week and be enlightened. Fill your closet with only the best, cheapest, and most fashionable finds. And then go out and conquer the world with a little more money in your wallet and that much more style in your step.

The Fascers: The (Fashion) Academy Awards

2009-02-23T19:40:00.000-08:00

They came, they saw, they dressed to kill. Last night's Academy Awards was one of the most elegantly dressed awards shows I have seen in quite some time. The way I see it, those in attendance at the Oscar's usually take one of two roads fashion-wise:

Road 1) The Classic Beauty Look- timeless dresses-- think Audrey Hepburn, Casa Blanca, The Great Gatsby.

Road 2) The Experimental Look- eye catching, inspired looks to talk about--think Carrie from Sex and the City, French Haute Couture, the 80s.

Obviously Road 2 involves a little more risk. Some can rock it, and some can epically FAIL. In honor of the awards last night, I'm going to give out a few awards of my own. Welcome to Marisa's Fashion Academy Awards. The Fascer's. The dresses have made their mark on the red carpet and the votes are in.

The Fascer for Bell of the Ball goes to: Penelope Cruz in Balmain Haute Couture

Her dress has been criticized for being "a bridal gown" but in my opinion it looks like Belle's golden gown from Beauty and the Beast. And who doesn't love Beauty and the Beast? Cruz's gown was classic, feminine and stunning. While she definitely went down Road 1 and kept it safe, she looked nothing short of gorgeous.

The Fascer for Classiest Teen Queen goes to: Miley Cyrus

Gotta say, I loved this dress. It's beautiful, fun, and surprising. Didn't expect Miley to go out on a limb like this. Definitely in the category of Road 2; she's a 16 year old who went with a lesser known designer, Zuhair Murad, and went with a look that's received plenty of bad reviews. Despite the negative BS out there...this dress is amazing. AND despite the fact that I think she is a total snot, Miley looked amazing. I give her a Fashion High Five.

The Hot Fucking Mess Award goes to: Beyonce Knowles

All I have to say is: WTF? No Beyonce, no. BAD Beyonce. She looks like a black and gold plated mermaid on crack. Of course, this lovely ensemble is from her own fashion house, Dereon Couture. She will forever be admitted into the Fascer Hall of Fame for uglist fucking dress, ever.

Fascer for the Most Boring Dress on the Red Carpet: Meryl Streep

Meryl, we know you are old. But your style doesn't have to make you look OLDER. This dress was drab, boring, ugly, frumpy...she didn't even look like she was trying. And the stone grey color of her Alberta Ferretti dress, did absolutely NOTHING for her; definitely not representative of Ferretti's best work. Her daughter's dress outshined hers by lightyears. Come on now, it's the fricken Oscar's for goodness sake! Have a little fun Ms. Streep.

Fascer for the Dress I would be Most Likely to Wear: Jennifer Aniston

Simple, elegant, sparkeling, PERFECT! Miss Aniston out shined Jolie by a million miles! She took the best of both roads with her bold and beautiful fashion statement. The silvery-gold Valentino gown was eye catching yet modestly glamorous. her skin and hair looked golden next to the fabric of the satin gown, and she wore it with a pair of Jimmy Choo Jags; icing on the fabulous cake.

Fascer for the Best Dressed Goes to to: Sarah Jessica Parker

Always in character, Ms. Parker would have made Carrie proud last night. Her Dior Haute Couture white crindland gown was a show stopper to say the least. This gown put her in the best light, all night. Some fashionista police officers have dubbed this "Carrie's better wedding dress choice", but they can shove it. They're just jealous that they didn't get to wear it first. Bitches. And wasn't it fitting that she presented the awards for costuming? LOVED IT. Kudos to you Sarah Jessica, yet another awards show has come and gone and you haven't left your style out of step for even a moment.

So there you have it for the Fascer's 2009. Quite a show, I must say. Over all, the most prominent fashion themes I found were:
- WHITE- this was definitely a snow covered Oscar's
- Royal blue
- SPARKLE- glitz and glam was literally all over the red carpet
- Embellishment- between all the feather and sequins, there wasn't room for much else
- Classic, traditional formal wear- not too many fashion risk takers this year
- Hair pulled back and up

Oscar lessons learned:
- Red is FUG on almost everyone
- Just because your old, doesn't mean you have to dress like it
- Black is boring
- Mermaid dresses are for Ariel...let's keep them under the sea, shall we?

Oh and before I turn in, I have one more, rather important award to give out:

Fascer for the Person I Would be More than Willing to Walk Down the Red Carpet with:
ROBERT PATTINSON

He makes a girl want to move to Surrey, drink tea and eat crumpits for the rest of her life. And that messy hair...oohhh, do NOT get me started!

Until next year, keep it classy. No, seriously.

The Style Bible

2009-02-18T17:26:00.000-08:00

First off, let me say that I am loving the great response I am getting to my blog so far. Keep the comments and suggestions coming. I really appreciate it :)

Secondly, I feel like I should let you guys know a little bit about where I get all my fashion know how from. I want to give you a reason to listen to my psycho babble. Because it all comes from reliable sources, I promise!

So today, we're gonna go back to the basics. I like to call my sources for my fashion mantra my personal "style bible". I get my basic sense of what trends are in each season by religiously following the runway shows during fashion week. I love to use style.com to follow the shows because it's comprehensive. It's the website for Vogue Magazine, so it comes from the fashion gods themselves. My favorite feature is the "create your own look book" section. It allows you to go through the pictures from all the shows (NYC, Paris, and Milan), pick your favorite looks and create your own style guides for the season. At the end of the Fashion Week frenzy for Fall 09, I will post mine on here for all of you to peek through and download if you so choose.

I know, I know, some of you are like, "Well wait a minute, fashion freak, I can't afford the ridiculous prices on runway wear." ME EITHER. But high end styles are where contemporary and low end fashions come from. So I go straight to the source instead of picking through the watered down versions at Urban Outfitters and Forever21. I use the big boys' looks to get an idea for what trends are most appealing, most wearable, and can be best edited to work for ME.

After that, I turn to the tangible bibles: fashion magazines. While I love Elle and Vogue, Harper's Bazaar is by far the best source for shopping ideas, and real, valuable articles about fashion and style. It's my go-to guide for everything fashionable, because it sees fashion for what it truly is: the most artistic form of self expression. Now, if that's too intense to get your head around, I apologize--I can be a bit of a style addict.

A mag that's a bit more well rounded, and a publication that I personally can't get enough of is the newly revamped Marie Claire. It's an all encompassing LIFEstyle guide for the fashion savvy woman. It's less artsy and more down to earth than Bazaar, and if you read nothing else about style, I would recommend you read this. Marie Claire has an excellent shoppers section and usually picks out the best deals for you.

But if shopping guidance is what you truly crave, InStyle is my final go-to mag, particularly for when I am looking to shop for a specific item. (ie: high waisted jeans--they did a four page spread on them last season) It covers all the options for every season, goes over all the high end and the low end stuff, and LOVES free giveaways.

So I take my own favorites from the runway shows, pair them against what the "experts" say in the media and then go to work. And by work, I mean I literally go to my place of work and see what my boss has to say. I work at one of the highest end European designer boutiques in Boston as a sales associate. My boss is the owner and the buyer for the store, Serenella-Boston. She has been in the business for almost 20 years and travels to Milan twice a year to buy from the best Italian designers. Her words are fashion scripture in my book. And while her personal style is more withdrawn, classic, and sophisticated than my own, I have to respect her because she taught me most of what I know now. Bottom line: She plays in the big leagues (aka: she knows her shit).

So that's where all my snobbish fashion superiority comes from. But really only use the few sources that I have at my finger tips. I haven't gone to fashion school because God knows that unless your looking to become a designer, that's a HOT waste of time. The point I'm trying to make is, most of the components from my personal style bible are at your finger tips too. So my suggestion to you: figure out what things most inspire your sense of style. Art? Nature? Sex? (hey, to each her own) Make your own style bible from whatever those inspirations are, so maybe then you can stop listening to my psycho babble every day.

If you don't feel like doing that and you would rather listen to my witty fashion advice, by all means, please do! Fashion is after all a religious experience for some, so everyone is free to worship whom they please :)

Here's my fashion mantra for today:

Shows to watch from NYC fashion week:
Narciso Rodriguez
Sophie Theallet

Marc by Marc Jacobs

Cynthia Steffe

Tell me what you think! I love Theallet's Native American inspired looks, so original and always colorful and fun when most of autumns' looks are more obscure. And Marc by Marc takes the whole sexy lumberjack thing to the next level with all those beautiful plaids; dying to get my hands on that red princess peacoat! Seeing these shows finally gets me stoked for fall...despite the fact that it isn't even spring yet.

Sweet shopping deal of the day: Erickson Beamon for Target Jewelry Line
Sweet, fun, costume-like jewelry that's sure to add that extra BAM to any ordinary outfit. My must have piece from the collection: The Jeweled Flower Ring

How's that for adding a little sparkle to your day?

Designer of the Day: Thakoon

2009-02-17T18:45:00.000-08:00

Fashion Week continued today in the city that never lets fashion sleep. And while I am desperately awaiting pics from today's shows, my personal style bible posted collection photos from yesterday's shows online today. Let me tell you, next fall we are in for a roller coaster of the good, the bad, and the FUGLY. But trust me, we will get to that.

For now I want to share my personal favorite designer at NYC Fashion Week this season: Thakoon Panichgul. A Thai fashion designer who graduated from my own alma mater, Boston University. Panichgul was thrown into the spotlight last fall with his unique take on off-the-wall prints and layering of different fabrics. All school pride aside, this guy totally rocks. His designs are trendy, feminine, and form fitting. And his new line for Fall 09, is more than up to par.

Accesorizing with the reoccurring theme of Russian sportswear, he had his models in ushankas. And while they are hardly a fashion must have for anyone outside of Siberia, they blended in well with his line of small print fabrics and texturized looks. Some critics say his show lacked focus, but if nothing else, I find Thakoon to be utterly consistant. If you need a basic blouse, classic skirt, or a-line dress, Thakoon is your guy. And what's better is that his pieces are truly individual; there isn't anything else out there like them.

My prediction for the look that will get the most press: The Royal Blue Party Frock

Royal blue layered ruffles look amazing on almost everyone and the print he chose for that style makes it look as if she is covered in peacock feathers, which is another reoccurring trend for next fall. Coupled with opaque black tights and sweet ass patent pumps, that look will be shaking its tail feathers all over the fashion spreads next season.

My personal favorite piece from the show: The 60s style Zebra Jacket

I like this because a) It's animal print b) it's an under stated statement jacket c)it screams Jackie-O meets Sex and the City. What's not to love?

If you are liking Thakoon for next season, I suggest trying some of him on for this season. What's that you say? "I'm a broke ass hoe and can't afford his effing expensive shit." Well do I have some news for you, my penniless friend. Thakoon did a line for Target that came out at the end of December and is now on Target.com at clearance prices.

My must have piece from the bargain basement goodies left on the website: The Pleated-Stripe Dress

"That dress looks like a circus tent", you say? Shut up. I know it looks like a tent, and it probably fits like one. But it's on clearance and that allows us permission to edit to make the circus freak into the main attraction-

My fashion editing suggestion:
1) Go to your local fabric store/art store/scrapbook store and buy a yard to a yard and a half of 1 inch to 2 inch thick gross-grain ribbon in either kelly green or navy blue.
2) Tie that sucker around your waist (or wear it's most comfortable, tying it at the hips works too) in a tight bow
3) Cut the ends at an angle to fit
4) Wear the bow in front or in the back, depending on how girly you can stand to look (or tie it in a knot if bows make you vomit)
5) Wear your $22 Thakoon dress with pride and take note of how slimming those diagonal "circus tent" stripes make you look. Also take note of how well the ribbon pronounces your tiny waist and gives you a feminine figure line.
6) Take a picture of how cute you look and send it to me, commending me on an internet styling job well done :)

Never say that you can't afford designer clothes again, 'cause bitch, you got on some fly shit. And it cost a quarter of what you paid for your stupid biology text book on half.com. How's that for looks before books?

Fashion Week Leak: Tribal Fusion

2009-02-16T19:48:00.000-08:00

The tents have been up since Friday in New York City's Bryant Park and Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Fall -Winter 2009 is in full throttle. The most noteworthy of this past weekend's shows would have to be Diane Von Furstenberg (DVF).

When I say noteworthy, I don't necessarily mean that as a GOOD thing. Her theme appeared to be tribal prints meet Moscow couture; Africa meets Russia in mid Autumn. And while it's almost impossible to imagine shopping for NEXT winter when it's still 30 degrees outside, it's even less desirable to wear layers of "nomad" like clothing in obnoxious prints.

Don't get me wrong, I love that DVF owns the whole print circuit. She knows her shapes and colors, that's for sure. But this season she strayed from her normal path, which is perhaps the reason she calls the line "nomad". Be careful Diane my dear, there are many underlying meanings to the word nomad, are there underlying meanings to your newest line besides "hot mess"?

I can't completely bash her line though, I do love that she is carrying over the HUGE tribal trend from Spring into Fall. Because let's face it, there is a true jungle out there when it comes to Spring 09 fashions. My personal favorite is the tribal shoe scene. It's fun, it's wild, and it is an excellent way to make any ordinary outfit go from drab to fab. Louis Vuitton made it the centerfold for their Spring accessory line with their Madonna ad campaign.

I've seen the ad in basically every fashion mag since the January issues have been out. And while I must admit that I find Louis to be a little over the top most of the time, those shoes are HOT. And the great news is that ZARA has a very similar pair out in stores right now. I saw them in the window today at the Newbury Street location in Boston.

Not exactly the same but very similar and instead of the LV price tag you would be enduring, these babies are only $169. Sweeeeet. Now if $169 seems like crazy people prices for super trendy shoes, you're probably right. If you're looking for the same platform stiletto idea but in a more practical form, check out these lovlies by Chinese Laundry for $130 on Piperlime. Same idea, but more likely to last a few seasons than the LV Madonna copies at Zara.

And if stilettos aren't your cup of tea, MIA makes a more comfortable version of the tribal fusion shoe in wedge form. I love wedges because they are so much easier to walk in than traditional heels and they elongate your leg more so than a regular heel does.

My ultimate style suggestion for this Tribal Fusion trend: As soon as the first day of spring decides to roll around throw on a plain white sundress of any style with a pair of wild and crazy tribal stilettos (or wedges) and you will be dressed to kill in any urban (or suburban) jungle.

Fashion Caution: This Tribal Fusion trend should be used to add some fun experimental accessorizing to a very simple outfit (ie: plain white dress, jeans and a simple, unpatterned blouse), do not follow the obsurd fashion example of Madonna in the LV ads...otherwise the fashion police will be all over your fugly ass.

Fashion Forward

2009-02-15T18:59:00.000-08:00

Look good, feel good, live good. Got it? Good.

"Don't judge a book by its cover." = the stupidest quote I have ever heard. If you live by this quote, I suggest that you stop as of right now. In my tasteful opinion, it is within the instincts of human nature for humans to automatically judge other humans based upon one thing only:

1) How they look.

Humans are judgmental, and to tell someone NOT to judge someone based upon how they look at first glance, is to deny them of their natural instincts. Disagree? Then explain this situation:

You see a woman in a tattered trench coat and LA Lakers sweatpants rolling in the mud and screaming at the park. You assume one of two things: a. She is insane, b.she is homeless. But you're wrong. She is an exhibitionist, expressing herself through living art. She just so happens to love vintage jackets, the LA Lakers are her favorite basketball team, and fresh mud is EXCELLENT for exfoliating her skin. You are so wrong, you judgy asshole!

But you're not a judgy asshole. You just made an assumption based on her appearance, because you are human and it is natural for you to "judge a book by its cover".

That said, it is obvious that I think appearance matters. Everyday is a potential for hundreds of first impressions. So why not take advantage of those impressions? Why not look your best, feel your best, and BE your best every day? Even if your best is rolling around in the mud at the park, at least do it with a little bit of style.

This blog is very obviously about style. But I realize that no two people have the same style. And I truly don't care what the fuck you wear. Wanna wear a paper bag? Good for you. I might suggest that you wear it with a belt because it will show off your figure a bit more. Stylize that bag, baby.

But stylizing your life doesn't mean you have to break the bank. Trust me, I know better than anyone that fashion can be costly. But it doesn't have to be. Just because your poor like me doesn't mean you have to dress like a shmuck. I never have money yet I never leave the house without my style in step.

Allow me to be the eyes and the ears of the freshest fashion that won't send you to the poorhouse. If you don't like when people tell you what to do, especially when it comes to what you wear, that's ok. I usually verbally assault people when they tell me what to do. This blog is hardly about me telling you what to wear. It's mainly about me suggesting what NOT to wear. Some people may decide to wear all the things I say not to. More power to 'em. That's their style, may the fashion gods bless their souls.

Bottom line, before I to use my style eyes on you, here's my fashion forward for you to keep in mind:

Everyday can be a good one, just take it one stiletto at a time.

xoxo,

Styleyze

2009-02-12T20:23:00.000-08:00

“ A woman should be two things: classy and fabulous ”

Coco Chanel