But i am OK with that

OMG, I look like my dog. Rowdy and I also have the same temperment: a little sweet, a lot bitchy and we will bite you if you grab our tails

Aud lang whatever

I am leaving my friend in domestic drudgery, the vacuum, behind and celebrating 2009 in DVF's super fine detailed tuxedo wrap dress. Look at those arm buttons! So cool! I have been alerted that Bethlehem Pa is dropping a Peep next New Years. I am so there, especially if it is a real peep that I can then eat at 12:01 am

Whur ihs muy bukit

Yeah, I can fit into size 26 skinny jeans but they smoosh my tush! I had a butt there yesterday, I think. Shoes look good tho'

Lip Lawn

I am obsessed with the quirky yet practical. www.curiosityshoppeonline.com fits the bill, offering fun stationary, quirky teapots and this hilarious mustache key holder for $40

Resolve

I got this cool bracelet as a gift. I am pretty sure it came from Anthropologie. It is small so it doesn't fall off my wrist and I love the 60's vintage style of the cursive initial and mother of pearl center.

I won't bore you with a best of 2008 lame ass list, who cares especially since they are all the same. How about some resolutions? In one of this week's Wall Street Journals there was an article about influential person's resolutions and I found it interesting that two of the creatives, Diane VonFurstenburg and that nut, Philippe Petit, who walked the tightrope between the the Trade Towers said the same thing. They don't use the calendar turn to the new year as an opportunity make a resolution. Rather, they use situations and inspirations to make a resolutions all year long. Ya know, keeping the flow. Conversely Mitt Romey resolved to stop sleeping in his suit and I resolved to start sleeping in my bra

Look what I got

70% off French Pharmacie. Got some J Brand dark super skinnies too and there is plenty of denim left for you. Though I tried on a lot of dresses, shockingly, I bought none. Usually the brands FP carries, like Phillip Lim, Castle Starr and Jovovich-Hawke look weird on the hanger and just great when you try them on, but not this time. Which may be a good thing. I mean 75% off of $1700 is still a lot of money. Saks was totally picked over, not a sale handbag in sight but I am not surprised with 60% off clearance prices

They lasted less then 3 hours

If you need to restock your creativity just hang out with some kids. The original project was cornflake wreaths (like rice krispie treats but with green dye) but some of us took liberty with production. The tree was on point for the holidays but the Christmas Monster on the above left required some serious thinking outside the box. Or maybe just some great spin

Desperate Dad gift

Burger King released a new body spray that smells like, you guessed it, charred meat. It sold out within 2 days and no word on if they will make any more. Surely people are buying this as a joke, or perhaps this huge marketing ploy was never produced at all. I'd like to get some and put it with my pets.com sock puppet

What fun

So I got a new laptop for Xmas thanks Santa and have been just messing with it all day. I found this site called skinit.com that allows you to order some kind of sticker for it, ya know, to make it special. You can even design your own, I built a pink one with paint splatters that says "go away" but it would not let me save it to show you, some Nazi copyright thingy, I guess. So I really like this one, it is sort of Murakami and includes the mandatory color scheme and if I could find the model number on this machine I'd be ordering it up TODAY

Truly a black Friday

I am fearful, as in filled with fear, for the well being of my retail friends. Nowhere I went today from Dillards to Toys R Us to Kmart to Goodwill had nary a deal or customer to be seen. Come on, 50% of regular prices on fall!! I want 75 at least. OK Guess had an additional 60% off clearance but my closet is just full up on hoochie summer party dresses so I could not take advantage. Online was much better. I got this Felix Ray neck warmer thingy from Gilt because my scarf tying skills are abysmal unless, funnily enough, I am in Italy or New York City, where I must pick it up by osmosis. Anywhoo, Gilt Groupe and Ruelala has some nice clearance and I am headed over to Nieman Marcus and Saks.com to see what they have for mamma

Stay Puff

Giambattista Valli is the new designer for Moncler, the European purveyors of utilitarian but expensive puffer coats for the St. Moritz set. He has added a couture level to this winter's collection and they are unbelievable styled and dare i say architectural which is pretty hard to do with something so squishy. I still think it would be adding the poundage no matter how much lace and sequins you glue to it but it would be cool to own one just for it's sculptural quality

I like it raw

Dad and I are giddy with oyster consumption. Express skirt, vintage sweater with the greatest bracelet sleeve details, slightly ruched and double buttoned

Homestead

My sister and her fabulous 20's style with a cool bob, vintage sheared mink swing coat (mine) and flared trousers from Tahari. She has always has much better bags and is effortlessly skinny, bitch. My mom has had those Ficus trees for 25 years and I can't even commit to a calling plan

Brown bears are much friendlier

One of the great things about going home is trying all of the beauty products that you find in drawers and that your sisters bring with them. Hits: Bliss Brightening Oxygen Facial, ceramic flat iron and Crabtree and Evelyn gardener hand balm. Miss: Clinique Dewy Smooth makeup which should just add line enhancer to the title to be honest and Chanel Haute Chocolat nail varnish. Just say no.

Milly sweater which is coming off and getting returned and grudging concession that it's Christmas holiday socks

Toledo is Fkn Cold

I don't think my friend liked what you said about my coat

Crazy Talk

When I was in 6th grade i had a boyfriend or rather a boy i was "going with", whatever the hell that means, who was showing me a place in the woods where people parked and he would find rubbers to which i replied "what's that?" thinking he surely did not mean shoes. And I was right. AWKWAAAARD. Melissa Plastic Dreams designs these amazingly tacky plastic shoes that are just so sweaty feet cool and 80's redux I don't know what to say. Maybe for a rainy day run to the Quick Pix in Korean town or something

Genteel Poverty

I almost look rich here, if i didn't have that huge rip in my coat and am missing one side of my sunglasses. Poser

hakuna matata

the Murat is jusr great for seeing shows because it is so tiny. You walk in and it's all fancy and old world and the next thing you know you are getting close enough to Ministry to get spit on by Al. Arden top, Chloe skirt

And I hate your house

Don't miss that train

The whole Victoria's Secret PINK thing just annoys me. Why don't you just call it "My vagina is attractively colored"? Really, just gross. But I did fall for this VS top, but I think it was the embroidered dog and the fact it was, like, a dollar at a garage sale. On a not related note........The Best Party Song EVAH!!! www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmWfTDZvvkM

Hooray for hot rollers

Total Farrah hair. And I like it.

Ridiculosity

Guess what horribleness I saw today, appropriately enough, on the clearance rack? A purple satin v. short strapless romper, for a cocktail playdate, I suppose. So very many wrongs in one outfit. This is why I will never be totally comfortable with Forever 21. But then, again, they have this $39 mirror stud tote so I will have to forgive them

Circle Center

The downtown Nordstrums is really stepping it up, adding Gryphon, Hanii G and lots of Tracey Reese to it's Savy department's selection. This $695 girly jacket was by Mcgrubb or Mcgribb, unsure of the spelling, I hate it when labels are in this inscrutable cursive. Justin Timberlake's line, William Rast, took up a few racks, mostly jeans, it was very street and slightly military in its embellishments and lines. Good markdowns on Ella Moss, handbags still boring

So very orange

Find of the day

Americas top 40

Did you know there is a "Night Tracks" set of videos on Youtube complete with spinning turntable in the sky? I found it last night and oh boy seeing Missing Persons, Heavy D and the Boyz and some Ray Parker Jr takes me back to staying up all night watching TBS hoping they would play a favorite and getting some fashion tips from the Go-Go's. In honor of this I wore my bubble mini and a bejeweled sweater complete with obvious pink bra strap but skipped the enormous bangs part of the equation

Gilty

Alexander McQueen! $328 marked down from $1810! Sold out! GAH!

I have to admit I have been totally holding out on you. I have not shared. It is true, the proverbial online sample/closeout sale does exist. And they can be really good. Showing up daily, only running a few days and selling out quickly, same joys EXCEPT you can (usually) return. Great prices, current merchandise and lots of photos. OK, I will spill. One of my favorite bargain fancy fashion sites is Gilt Groupe. Milly, Marc Jacobs, Hollywood, you know, edgy department store type brands. You can sign up at http://www.gilt.com/invite/triplejoy333 . Ruelala is also a good one. Prada, YSL Gucci bags, the good ones, Wolford, DVF and strangely enough Steiff stuffed animals( good for me, i am a fan). I just found Hautelook, but have not ordered from, out of LA, currently showcasing Mackage, Thomas Wylde and Chaoirrol jewelry. I have now confessed and I will even send you an invite if you email me

Loving the shiny puffer thing

I don't know why, usually I avoid anything that adds volume. It started with a cinched waist vest from H&M last year that in retrospect, really needs to be let out more often, and now I see it everywhere. Target has one for men which would look pretty nice on a certain someone with a chunky turtleneck sweater, yummy. This beauty I found on some weirdo website www.offbroadwayboutique.com and is a steep $417 but love the details like the fat cuffs and toggle closures

It looked OK in the mirror

I know I put a big NO edict on skulls but this Thomas Wylde sweater is just too great. I wish you could see the extra part of the collar. It is so long you can tie it across the neck, use it as a hood or tie it under the arm though I don't know why you would want to do that. Bonus, I got this thing at, like 90% off from French Pharmacie which is the only way it was coming home with me because it was originally $1200. I am not kidding

I know squirrel not crow but still funny

So I was having a good day, then a cautiously good day, then a really good day and then a really, really bad day but it ended all good when I read at the gym my favorite edition of the New York Times magazine "The Year in Ideas." People (even you!) are always having ideas that if brought to fruition could make them millions of dollars. Like my sister's idea to import hard cider back in '92, or my high school boyfriends idea of a tongue scraper in "86, both of which are now in production, or my sister's ex's idea about sports licenced office chair covers, feel free to steal that one. I am not quite done reading it but the best so far is the Vending Machine for Crows. OK, so crows like shiny things like coins, they are always picking them up. If they figure out they can put them in a vending machine which will then dispense seed and corn, well, everybody wins. Crow-take-advantager-vending machine-owner gets rich, the crows get fat and coin pollution is kept to a minimum. God, just genius

North by Northwest

I am a sucker for modern interpretations of 1950's style. Take the basic silhouette, add something fun and BAM I will buy it. Chicago designer Veronica Scheaffer does this nicely with her line Coco Irene. This limited edition blouse is not the best of the collection, by any means, but I love love the wrist ties. Flirty! It's all in the details, baby. You can find this stuff at cocoirene.com or on Esty where you can get last seasons stuff at a discount.

Really good or really bad

I am obsessed with Tim Walker, the style photographer's, new book which is like an anthropologie catalog of famous people. I am hoping it is super fashiony and not just arty and it is on my xmas list hint hint MOM. Sadly, it does remind me of that pricing debacle involving the Slim Aarons book "What a Wonderful Time" I bought for a few bucks in a boxed lot and sold it for $50 and then found out it was worth $1500 and almost threw up but then again I did buy a frying pan for $5 and sold it for $800 so maybe I my antique dealer karma is now even

Yes it does have sparklies

This is as Christmas sweater-ey as i get. Elf shoes!

seriously disgustingly good

Currently, presently eating the Vosges Mo Better Bacon bar which is chocolate and bacon in a gourmet package. O. M.G. Crunchy. Salty. YET. Chocolate. It just works

No, not that

Though it looks like I am about to be be crushed by the fingers of death here, I think the shirt turned out to look quite nice tho I am hardly the tie dye type of girl. In fact i am so not tie dye, I felt totally weird going to Rusted Moon Outfitters today to buy a gift for my hunting dad and triathlete sister knowing that even the mandatory cute but overly interested in my boots puppy, not to mention the windburned staff, could sense the I was a poser who does not even like outside. I am surprised they even asked if i needed help without sniggering but ultimately they did and I got some seriously warm long underwear

What time is it

Grey Ant is always overdoing that 80's thing. It is like a theme with them. While this certainly flies in LA, in the Midwest the people wearing this look are not trying to be ironic or remotely hip. When I saw these STATUS $253 glasses on Pharrell I thought "blueblockers" but heck, they are no bigger then my ginormous Gucci ones I lost after a week and replaced with $9.99 Mossimos, equally large, to no one being the wiser. The red ones are a bit cartoon-ey. Hey Flava Flav party at Talbott Street tonight! Free VIP with viking helmet

Not bad for sloppy seconds

I got these two shirts at the Michigan rd /126th Street Goodwill. The tee is C&C and the cardi is hazel hazel which I think Anthropologie carries. Cute huh? That store was jam packed with people and even though they just had a 50% off everything sale last weekend they are doing it again on the 20th. Be forewarned: it is nuts and shoppers are bitchy

New meaning of the word graphic

Doesn't it look like I cut this out of wallpaper and glued it over the picture where my shirt should be? And I wore this all day! In public! It does have some cute thumb holes in the cuffs. Perhaps that will be my excuse

15 days

Reviewing other blogs, I see I have been remiss by excluding a holiday gift guide. Apparently it is mandatory. So lets get started. Umm, well, I may be kind of snotty about this but you cannot go wrong with books. Amazon can point you to some obscure hobby themes, I find Dads unilaterally love some kind of war biography. Or go local. The IMA has a great new design center i am sure you have heard all about and they have some really cool shelter and furniture tomes that will appeal to your arty friend or just one who likes to think they are all highbrow. they will think you are the greatest for realizing their good taste. Everybody wins!! Esty.com is that crafting site and i get a little frustrated because there is. just. so. damn. much. product. But you can kind of narrow it down by kid/baby/jewelry/prices limits and that makes it bearable. i got this cool cape from superflykidzshop for $12 for my niece and you can get a custom one for $36 but it probably too late for that. Never underestimate a person attachment to their pets. Breed specific dog stuff (ornament, notepad, decorative pillow) or just some funny biscuits (poochie sushi) will seriously impress unless they have crossed the kid threshold in which, to quote John Couger Mellencamp "dogs become dogs". You can always make something. Cut up a sweater sleeve to make a coffee huggie. Glue/sew something fun to glove wrists. Dig out that memory card. Snapfish has some fun products you can make with your yearly photo tally. What else can you possibly get your mom anyway, she buys whatever she needs/wants, besides a mug commemorating your family trip to Cabo? Am I right?

Not in my recycle bin

Besides Perez and Go Fug Yourself, I always check notcot.com daily. It can get a little tech-ey but they have a notcouture section at the top that always has some interesting things. Like this dress made of phone book pages by Jolis Paons. Oh I'd recycle this. Right to my closet. Speaking of recycle and green and stuff, i have some cutie new retro print canvas shopping bags in my Ebay store. The magic Mushroom ones are particularly fun

What 55 bucks will get you

What is it with the balloon bunnies? First Jeff Koons , then Sportsac with their goth kid backpack and now the Picnicabunny from the Japanese design house Eding:Post. Ok, Ok it is practical. You stuff your nylon shopping bag into the bunny when you don't need it and the bunnyhangs out on the side when you do. So cute though redefining M=EC2. order at www.greenergrassdesign.com

Again with the peacocks

Ya gotta watch it with beaded sweaters, it can be too much Nana or 80's Patsy. This vintage one is pretty cool, it is very peacock-ey with the colors and swirls and I love the little extra on the sleeves. It would look great with this Urban Outfitters skirt, n'est pas? Just need some shoes this color.....

Urban Outfitters

Ok this is one of those things that looks really great in photos but is completely unwearable in real life. I saw this in Vegas and for one thing it is completely sheer and for another is made of a terribly scratchy polyester nastiness. Seems like a steal at $68 but that is a print not actual studding and even the great name of this line silence and noise cannot make up for that

Preppy Handbook gift guide

Classic velvet slipper shoes. Just add pipe and Grandfather's Piaget. Though Stubbs and Wootton was started in 1993 it is soooo 1950's WASP what a wonderful time boarding school. If you can swing it they have something for everyone, embroidered with motifs like dogs, hunt horns, some semblance of plaid and the occasional skull for the dapper. Starting at $395 direct from Palm Beach and climbing higher for custom, you can also find them on Ebay for around $125. But don't tell Muffy

winter percentages

winter hats- 50% animal ears

barn jacket- 75% 1980's

hair-86% ratty

bringing your tree stand to the xmas tree lot- 100% genius

Not just nylon bags

Kate Spade bags are rather ovah for me but I so admire her personal style. As well as the stylist team that puts together those ads. i want to be in there. i saw this great dress in Vegas for $345 in her shop at Caesar's or whatever that Roman mall is and just loved it. Yes, it is unsurprisingly retro and sized S, M, L which i hate in fitted frocks, sweatpants OK, but not a cocktail dress. There was also an amazing lobster print coat, alas just huge, but majorly on sale. KS line of apparel is super edited and not at all edgy but the quality is there and you will only find it in her, I mean Liz Claiborn's, stores or online

Maybe if they weren't 5 and I didn't have to buy 3

Totally not down on the Ugg things as far as fashion but I do cop to owning a pair that never leaves the house b/c they are the best slippers. Thought I'd get the kids some since they like to be just like Mommy, except in the not making a mess part, but they are 89 freaking dollars and the fake ones at Target are $15 how much of a choice is that especially since they have a castle AND a cupcake on them

Daym, it's cold

This seems kind of Maude-ish but in actuality even worse: a maternity sweater. Crazy me, I just love the sleeves though and they purple goes nicely with the grey pallet I am going with for F/W 2008-09

The things i do for you

So I am reading my In Touch and besides lying about celebrities they also have some shopping pages where i saw this low priced/high style line twelvebytwelve which looked oddly familiar and then I realized it was a subsidiary of Forever 21 with which I have forever a love/hate relationship. 12x12 allegedly has better construction and more unusual designs poising itself to appeal to 30 somethings and i have to admit it's pretty mad fresh though I am not 30 something or even 15 despite my use of mad fresh. The website is terribly confusing so I will be forced to go to a store to see it in person. Gah! Circle Center!