lookbook

How refreshing- florals in the fall! Lauren rocks the look with a belt (it toughens up the dress and brings down the girly-ness of it all). I am not too much into all that is sugar and spice (I wear plain tanks and flat boots on a regular basis) so mixing a slightly studded belt with a nice dress makes it all ok. Enjoy some inspiration below. :)

1) Forever 21 $20

2) Forever 21 $23

3) Rojas at Chickdowntown $91

4) Urban Outfitters $88

5) Jill Stuart at Shop Bop $214

Some Rihanna Inspiration: The Printed Dress

2009-10-12T20:11:00.002-04:00

Printed Dress- American Apparel $42

Sandals- Dillard's $60

Book this Look- Gwyneth Paltrow

2009-10-12T19:47:00.003-04:00

Boyfriend Blazer- Urban Outfitters $88

Jeans-Forever 21 $25

Pumps- Chinese Laundry at Piperlime $70

Some Over the Knee Hotness

2009-10-07T21:26:00.005-04:00

I want a pair of over the knee boots, I am not going to lie. I own a gazillion pairs of boots already, in various shapes and sizes but you know how it goes- you get one style, walk right out the door and realize you just want one more. Ugh. Falling victim to consumerism is suuuuch a pain :P I have tried to suppress my overwhelming desire for the over the knee style, but it just comes back to haunt me, mostly in the middle of the night (i'll wake up in a cold sweat) or as I daydream at work. It is imperative that I quench this thirst and it will get done this weekend, oh yes it will. I am currently knee deep (haha get it- knee deep cuz this is a post on over the knee boots and I just made it link to a commonly used expression, thus attempting to increase my level of pun cool-ness) in research mode and I do believe I have found some top contenders. What's so cool about the over the knee style is that it amps up your sensuality all while keeping that urban cool vibe we are all trying to effortlessly convey. You can wear the boots with jeans, a hoodie and a bf blazer or pair it with a skirt (oh la la all right) and and off the shoulder top. Its all very exciting times. Enjoy!

1) Shop Bop $1045

2) Free People $98

3) Urban Outfitters $398

4) Charlotte Russe $45

5) Jeffrey Campbell at Shop Bop $250

Some Sienna Style

2009-10-07T21:05:00.002-04:00

Oxford Shoes- Steve Madden $80

Shoulder Bag- Forever 21 $35

Leather Jacket- Urban Outfitters $128

Malin Akerman's Accessories

2009-10-05T20:43:00.002-04:00

Fedora- Tilly's $20

Scarf- Top Shop $32

Book this Look- Lauren Conrad

2009-10-05T19:37:00.003-04:00

Skirt- Urban Outfitters $58

Purse- Spiegel $34

Leather Jacket- Top Shop $260

Some lunchtime blog browsing

2009-09-30T11:35:00.004-04:00

Chic Intuition is inspired by Marni

Fashion Under $100 gives us Polka Dots for under $50

Coco's Tea Party shares some goodies from the Outnet

Who What Wear Daily discusses the coolness of transitional leather

Idle Fascination shows us really Where The Wild Things Are

Coco Avant Chanel- Some Inspiration

2009-09-28T19:38:00.006-04:00

Fashion followers vary in pretty much all fashion related aspects. Some find Alexander McQueen revolutionary while others just don't get it. What was with those painted on lips for Fall 2009 anyways? Some fashionistas embrace today's faded denim vests, white oxford shoes and shoulder padded blazers while others prefer to stick to the mainstream "playing it uber safe" staples of leggings, cardigan and a Longchamp bag (me!). Some will only shop Chickdowntown while others regularly check the Forever 21 sale rack for some goodies. But if there is one thing we all have in common, one bond that holds us together, one thread that keeps us united, it is our deep admiration and appreciation for Coco Chanel and her contribution to fashion today. Her tweed suits, layered pearl necklaces and the infamous 2.55 bag still garner the attention of most fashion magazines. Coco Chanel embodied the less is more approach with that oh so famous quote that I tell myself most days before I leave my place: "When accessorizing, always take off the last thing you put on." I had the opportunity to go see "Coco Avant Chanel" and I gotta tell you- it was fabulous. I am pretty sure that I was her in a past life. I mean her love of stripes, her desire to only wear flats, never let her hair down and rock the menswear look. Hell-o! So me. You can call me Gabrielle from now on, thankyouverymuch :) Oh and here is some fun times Chanel inspiration below. Oh and one a sidenote, Audrey Tautou was fabulous as Coco Garbielle Chanel in this movie. It is definitely a must see. Enjoy! :)

Stripe Top- Old Navy $10

Jacket- J. Crew $188

Necklace- Max & Chloe $60

Cardigan- American Eagle $40

Pencil Skirt- Max Studio $59

Tweed Vest- Madison Los Angeles $278

Fedora- White House Black Market $48

Fantastic Walmart boots for $40! Yeah that's right.

2009-09-27T22:27:00.005-04:00

So I had one goal this weekend- find myself some hot fall boots to wear for the next few years. I wanted them pretty, flat, comfy and easily removable- without having to sit for 5 minutes to lace, zip or tie them up. My impatience, by the way, really limits my wardrobe :P. The thing is that I as willing to fork $200 for a pair. I just wanted to leave this weekend with boots. I headed to Aldo and found a few that were ok but it did not feel right. Something told me to wait. I told myself, ok tomorrow, go back and see how you feel. In the meantime, I headed to Walmart for the Maybelline pulsating mascara (more on that later). When at Walmart, I always take the time to browse the clothing section as it occasionally happens that you can unearth a few lovely inexpensive treasures. Well this is where I found my boots- chillin in the shoe section, minding their own business and looking all fly. The boots were $40 and they were proud of it. Seeing as I appreciated their hotness and the price made my knees weak, oh and I am also an eternal pessimist- I thought clearly something must be wrong. They must hurt. When I tried them on, my feet felt like they were being engulfed in a bed of clouds, and not the sparse it may rain clouds. No no. It was more like the Care Bears super fluffy can I take a nap on it pretty please clouds. I tried to play it cool but my enthusiasm was evident. I grabbed a pair and never looked back. I wore them the very same night and confirmed what I already knew deep in my heart- it was meant to be. The very next day I went back as I remembered that I had seen another pair in a different style and color, also at $40. But the love lightning does not strike twice, does it? Yeah in this case it did. I bought my 2nd pair of Walmart boots and the rest is love history. Who knew some cheap ass cute boots could make me this happy. Sigh.
Oh and the Maybelline pulsating mascara- very very meh.

Check out the boots below!

The American Apparel Circle Scarf

2009-09-24T21:44:00.006-04:00

I was having brunch with some friends last weekend and as we were getting ready to leave, I noticed my friends scarf. Strange I thought- it was like one wide tube. So I asked her what the deal was and she proceeded to explain with much enthusiasm that the scarf was from American Apparel. The Circle Scarf is made from all the leftover fabric not used on any garments. She was not too keen on spending $34 on scrap but she appreciated the versatility so much that she was going to bight the bullet and purchase another. Apparently there are like 5 million ways you can wear this circle scarf. Now seeing as efficiency and practicality are my middle names (seriously check out my birth certificate), I was down with this circle scarf. It's pricey for what you get but...but the cost per wear is pretty darn great. Imagine a scarf that's a skirt that's a dress that's a shawl that's a cape. Pretty cool. If spending $34 for a tube of fabric does not tickle your fancy,(regardless of its uber-versatility), the internet provides us with a few DIY solutions:

Chic Inspector has a great piece on how to make your own circle scarf.

Trendology made her own scarf from an old curtain.

Chictopia shows us a few suggestions on how to wear the scarf.

If you like You Tube, check out the Circle Scarf Tutorial by Owlsayhoot

Purchase your own here:

The Circle Scarf- American Apparel $34

Noteworthy Blog- Idle Fascination

2009-09-24T21:34:00.003-04:00

Lookbook is a great blog, don't get me wrong. It's chock full o' yummy visuals and where to purchase said visuals for an equally yummy price. But there are many fabulous blogs out there. One that I feel the need to highlight is Idle Fascination- packed with witty commentary and up to the minute trends, its definitely worth a read... am just sayin'...

Check it out here :)

Free Counteronline blackjack

2009 Emmy Awards

2009-09-20T22:32:00.001-04:00

Pics courtesy of Just Jared