Everyday Bag Wishlist

I use the same purse, a Marc by Marc Jacobs which I LOVE, pretty much every single day, but I am constantly lusting over totally practical, but completely out of my price range replacements. Here are a few that I wish lived in my closet.

1. Celine Luggage
2. Proenza Schouler PS1
3. Balecianga Motorcycle
4. Proenza Schouler PS1
5. Mulberry Alexa
6. Chanel Quilted

What bags do you covet?

Until next time... xo

Mad About Mint: The Look for Less

I was given a fantastic idea last night after posting my first Polyvore collage. Why not create the same look, but on a way more realistic budget? With that, the Look for Less was born. I tried to recreate the outfit with all pieces being (about) $50 or less.

Necklace, T-Shirt, Bag, Shoes, Jeans

As you can see, I'm a sucker for Target and Forever 21. Where do you shop for great trends at affordable prices? 

Until next time... xo

Mad About Mint

Have any of you used Polyvore before? I just joined because I love fashion collages so I thought I'd give it a try.

I'm obsessed with the color green, mint in particular. I would be happy having an entire closet full of the color, but since that's unrealistic, I figured I would make a pretend monochrome summer outfit, with some other colors thrown in for good measure.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 

If you had to choose one color to fill your closet with, what would it be?

Until next time... xo

"Spotted on the steps of the Met: an S and B power struggle."

Sarah Burton is having a crazy busy Spring, isn't she? Not only did she custom design multiple wedding dresses for Kate Middleton (excuse me, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge) and her sister, Pippa (how AMAZING did she look in her white gown for the ceremony?), she, as the Creative Director of Alexander McQueen again had all eyes on her this evening at the 2011 Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute Gala, Alexander McQueen's Savage Beauty.

The Met Gala, also known as the Oscars of the East Coast or the Super Bowl of Fashion, always serves as a sartorial highlight of the year. I'll admit that I was glued to my computer, refreshing my fashion blogs constantly trying to catch a glimpse of my favorite stars dressed to the nines. While I'm surprised there wasn't more McQueen catching my eye (I do tend to LOVE him on the red carpet), my eyeballs were still treated to some luxurious, envy-inducing gowns on some of the most beautiful ladies of Hollywood.

Here are my favorites, in no particular order:

Coco Rocha in Alexander McQueen

Isla Fisher in Tory Burch

Evan Rachel Wood in Gucci

Bar Rafaeli in Reem Acra

Dianna Agron in Michael Kors

Zoe Saldana in Calvin Klein

Penelope Cruz in Oscar de la Renta

Nicole Richie in Jason Wu

Margherita Missoni in Missoni

Lea Michele in Escada

Kristen Stewart in Proenza Schouler

Gwyneth Paltrow in Stella McCartney

Gisele Bundchen in Alexander McQueen

Diane Kruger in Jason Wu

Ashley Greene in Donna Karan

Seeing all these stunning gowns has really gotten me excited to glam it up this summer at all the weddings I'm attending. I wonder if any of these designers would want to lend their dresses to me... What do you think the chance of that would be?

Maybe I'll have a chance to visit the exhibit when I'm in New York next month. If nothing else, the Balenciaga exhibit at the De Young Museum here in San Francisco.

Until next time... xo

Title quote: Gossip Girl, "Gossip Girl"

"It's my turn now!"

Another Academy Awards show has come and gone leaving anyone who cares about the movies chattering. At least until we start talking about the 2012 Oscar contenders. While in my humble opinion there were absolutely no shockers, I was still happy to see Natalie Portman and Colin Firth win their respective awards and King's Speech win best picture (even though I haven't seen it yet, but Social Network, in MY humble opinion, wasn't deserving of it).

Click HERE for a list of all the winners.

What surprises me most, and maybe I'm just a naive fan, is how much flack Anne Hathaway and James Franco are getting for their hosting performance. OK. I completely agree that James Franco offered pretty much nothing to the show (except the entertaining Inception-inspired opening), I really believe Anne Hathaway did a great job as a young, first-time host. Yes, she was a little overly excited at times, but wouldn't you be? She was oozing personality, and yes, maybe she was a little too fan-girl, but who cares! Let's be honest. Did James Franco really need to be there? I don't really think so... Anyway, I thought the show was entertaining (and the set was BEAUTIFUL) and I don't care what anyone thinks about that!

Now let's talk FASHION!

Anne Hathaway, with the help of Super Stylist Rachel Zoe "SHUT IT DOWN" (to quote Ms. Zoe) with all 8 of her looks last night. From the Red Carpet to the After Parties. In an effort to not go on and on and on, even though I could, I will break down my favorite 5 of the 8.

On the red carpet in vintage Valentino Haute Couture and Tiffany jewels.

During the telecast in Oscar de la Renta and Tiffany jewels.

During the telecast in Giorgio Armani Prive and Tiffany jewels.

Both during the telecast and at the after parties in Atelier Versace and Tiffany jewels.

Opening the show in Givenchy Haute Couture and Tiffany Jewels.

I knew she'd look incredible and I'm so pleased with what they chose. Plus, I'm still trying to wrap my brain around how she had so many different hair styles over such a short amount of time.

Now let's breakdown my top 5 red carpet looks.

Mila Kunis in (one of my favorite gowns from the Paris Couture shows) Elie Saab Couture and Neil Lane jewels.

Sandra Bullock in Vera Wang and Harry Winston jewels.

Natalie Portman in Rodarte (who designed the costumes for Black Swan) and Tiffany jewels.

Gwyneth Paltrow in Calvin Klein Collection and Louis Vuitton jewels.

Jennifer Lawrence in Calvin Klein Collection and Chopard jewels.

And because I'm feeling especially generous today, here are my honorable mentions:

Michelle Williams in Chanel Haute Couture and Harry Winston jewels.

Mandy Moore in Monique Lhuillier and Harry Winston jewels.

Hailee Steinfeld in Marchesa (which she helped design!).

Goodbye award season. It's been fun. See you in September for the Emmys!

Until next time... xo

Title quote: Nina Sayers, "Black Swan"

"Fashion is not about utility. An accessory is merely a piece of iconography used to express individual identity." "Oh! And it's pretty."

New York Fall 2011 Fashion Week has come to a close (queue end credits music now). There were so many amazing shows and so many amazing street style slide shows, I absolutely couldn't get enough. A lot of themes kept popping up: 70s, reds and other jewel tones, super luxe fabrics, Arizona Muse in pretty much every show, etc, but I guess that's to be expected for fall.

While I loved many of the shows, there were 5 that really stood out to me. Let's check them out!

Ralph Lauren

I've always been a huge fan of Ralph Lauren. There's just something so classic and chic about every collection he puts out. The tailoring and styling is consistently impeccable, and I loved the subtle red, coral and jade details in the accessories of each look. From separates to gowns, each look is something I'd love to have in my wardrobe.

Click HERE to see the entire collection.

Prabal Gurung

Based on one of my favorite characters/crazy bitches in literature, Great Expectations' Miss Havisham, Prabal Gurung's fall collection was super interesting to me. He's been all over the red carpet lately, so I was very excited to see what he'd show for Fall. I really liked the harshness of the accessories (the black leather gloves and black geometrical tights) and the lady-likeness of the fabrics (chiffon and handmade lace) and draping. Plus, a big color on the runways this season, I loved all the different shades of red intermixed with blacks, whites and grays.

Click HERE to see the entire collection.

Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier's shows are usually the ones I look forward to the most each season. She creates the most beautiful pieces that every woman would kill for. And it's not just her unbelievable evening wear that I find to be so stunning. There's also something so chic about her tailored suits and cocktail dresses. And again, color of the season red was splattered throughout the show, showing up in the most incredible places.

Click HERE to see the entire collection.

Michael Kors

30 years in the fashion business has done nothing but make Michael Kors better, if you ask me. His collections are always so "him" and this show proved that if you have an aesthetic that works, and you can be defined by, why change it. Every piece is so completely wearable and should make its way into every womans' wardrobe. The neutral color palette just works and the luxuriousness of all his fabrics make each look look rich. And hey, let's be honest. Don't we all want to look rich most of the time?

Click HERE to see the entire collection.

Carolina Herrera

From the rainbow backdrop to the bold colors on the runway, Carolina Herrera's show reminded me of why I love ladylike fashion. Her simple separates, beautiful wool and fur coats and her dreamy evening gowns with their eye-pleasing jewel tones and watercolor prints, really addressed the woman she is dressing. For me, I find Carolina Herrera's clothes as aspirational - should I become the successful, stylish woman I would like to be, ideally many of her pieces would find their way into my wardrobe.

Click HERE to see the entire collection.

There you have it. Goodbye New York Fashion week. Until we meet again in a few months. At least we still have London to keep our sartorial minds busy for the time being.

Until next time... xo

Title quote: Doug and Lilly, "The Devil Wears Prada"

"Do you practice losing at the Grammys, too?" "No, at the Grammys I always win."

The music world is such a strange place. A strange place that I would give my right arm to be a part of, that is! Musicians, in my opinion, have always been the zaniest of all the popular artists, and the Grammys is the one night a year that we get to see them all together. Plus, I'm always amazed that I forget every year just how popular country music is.

Now, I don't think there were that many surprises, but what do I really know about music. The blogosphere is all aflutter because Justin Bieber lost Best New Artist to "unknown" Esperanza Spalding, but let's get real for a minute. Yes, Bieber is a talented 16 (or however old he is) year old. And, yes, I do have a few of his songs on my iPod, but come on. Did anyone REALLY think he deserved that award? If it's the MTV awards, that's one thing, but this is the Grammys. Britney was WAY more popular Christina back in 2000, but Christina won because she's a more talented musician.

Other than that, the winners didn't really shock me, or anyone it would seem. Like I said, I always forget how much America loves their country music so Lady Antebellum sweeping their awards didn't really surprise me. Plus, I actually like that song (shocking, I know!).

For a list of all the winners click HERE.

Of course, beyond the winners, most of us watch the Grammys for the performances (I can't find decent videos to share of these, so please link me in the comments if you have some!!). There were a few that really blew me away, so let's give them the shout outs they deserve!

Christina Aguilera, Martina McBride, Jennifer Hudson, Florence Welch and Yolanda Adams' Aretha Franklin tribute.

Bruno Mars, B.o.B. and Janelle Monae's throw back performance.

Eminem, Rihanna, Adam Levine, Dr. Dre and newcomer (who I LOVED) Skylar Grey's Eminem/Dr. Dre medley.

Mumford & Sons, the Avett Brothers and Bob Dylan's folk medley.

And finally, (just because it was so fun and I love her) Cee-Lo Green and Gwyneth Paltrow's "Forget You."

Lady Gaga was just OK, even though I LOVE her new single, it really was nothing different than the norm. Muse, who I've seen live and still will say they're one of the best live shows I've ever been to, underwhelmed me a bit as well. Oh well. They won awards so I don't think they'll mind that I wasn't blown away by them.

Now that I've gone over the highlights of the show, let's talk about what's really important: the fashion. While the Grammys always prove to be a night of outlandish style (did Katy Perry think she was still performing at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show?) and out there looks (was that egg pod really necessary, Gaga?), there are always a few starlets that stick with the (relative) norm and shut it down in some amazing 'fits. Let's take a look at my favorites, shall we?

Selena Gomez in (my favorite designer of the moment) J. Mendel.

Lea Michele in Emilio Pucci.

Kelly Osbourne in Tadashi Shoji.

Jennifer Lopez in Emilio Pucci.

I think that just about sums it up. A lot of great performances, a lot of crazy fashion and some folks got to walk away with trophies and bragging rights. One more BIG award show is coming for us soon. What will we do when they're over for the year???

Until next time... xo

Title quote: Joey and Rachel, "Friends"

"My mama told me when I was young, we are all born superstars."

Hey little Monsters! New Gaga track out this morning!! I'm pretty much obsessed with it so you should be, too.

Give your ears a treat here:

I'm totally digging the 80s vibe of it.

And for those of you who missed it, Nicola Formichetti enlisted Lady Gaga to create the soundtrack for his Thierry Mugler Paris Couture week show a few weeks back, where she remixed the upcoming single. And it's AMAZING!

Check it out:

Mark your calendars for May 23 when Gaga's new album hits the street. Can't wait!

Until next time... xo

Title Quote: Lady Gaga, "Born This Way"

"Oh, my god, she's fashion roadkill!"

The 2011 Golden Globes are over. There weren't too many shockers, if you ask me, which, since you're reading this, I'm going to have to assume that you are indeed asking me. Some people/movies/TV shows won awards, while some didn't. Some losers were gracious when the camera panned over to them, while some took the time to reapply their lip gloss (too much making out with Brad, Angelina?). Now we wait a little bit longer to see who takes home the gold in the main event - the OSCARS!!!

For a list of all the winners, click HERE.

But let's move on to what's really important, shall we? The fashion! There were some major hits, as well as some major misses, which is pretty typical for these kinds of things. I was pleasantly surprised by all the color on the red carpet. Some of my favorite hues made appearances, both good and bad.

As per usual, I'm going to go ahead and break down my 10 favorite looks.

Emma Stone in Calvin Klein Collection and Van Cleef & Arpels jewels.

Anne Hathaway in Armani Prive and Van Cleef & Arpels jewels.

Mandy Moore in Monique Lhuillier and Chopard jewels.

Mila Kunis in Vera Wang and Lorraine Schwartz jewels.

Kyra Sedgwick in Emilio Pucci and Ofira jewels.

Jennifer Lawrence in Louis Vuitton and Chopard jewels.

Claire Danes in Calvin Klein Collection and Fred Leighton jewels.

Olivia Wilde in Marchesa and Tiffany jewels.

Leighton Meester in Burberry and Cathy Waterman jewels.

And finally, my favorite (this seems to becoming a trend), Diana Agron in J. Mendel and Cathy Waterman jewels.

There you have it. Another red carpet full of chiffon, diamonds and stilettos. With so many more award shows in the next few weeks, I'm pretty excited to see all the pretty dresses!

Until next time... xo

Title quote: Stanford Blatch, "Sex and the City"