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In 2013 I resolve to wear more Chanel!

By on January 4, 2013 in Fashion

Chanel windowsWhat girl wouldn’t want to wear more Chanel? I certainly would love to dress head to toe in the line inspired by Coco Chanel’s elegant tweed suits and little black dresses. As I stopped to enjoy the windows at the Chanel store in Beverly Hills I wondered what sort of lifestyle one would need to spend a day in the frilly chiffon dress or the pale pink tweed jacket. Certainly such confections wouldn’t work well in my life filled with driving children around and sitting in front of computer drawing. I didn’t look at the price tags, but I’m sure these clothes cost a great deal more than a teacher and freelance designer can afford. So really, resolving to wear more Chanel when I can’t afford to buy one of their dresses second-hand and have nowhere to wear it if I did seems more than a little silly.

But I can still dream!

Chanel Windows

Chanel Windows

Chanel WindowsAll dreaming and silliness aside, like most Americans I’ve made several resolutions for 2013. Most of them are rather dull, like saving for retirement or getting up 15 minutes earlier in the morning so I can tidy the house before taking the kids to school. Of course there are the usual suspects as well. I resolve to walk every morning and I need to loose the five pounds I gained over the holidays. Unlike my resolution to wear more Chanel those resolutions will probably take place, and if I can do them for long enough like anything else they will become habit.

In 2013 I only have one fashion resolution:I want to create an excellent basic wardrobe. Over the last couple of years I’ve really had fun with fashion. I’ve bought, and worn, a lot of bright colors and exuberant prints. Faux fur, skinny jeans, and wild platform shoes have made their way into my life. It’s been fun, but I can’t help but notice that I don’t have a single pair of good quality slim black trousers. There are other holes in my wardrobe as well, holes that can’t be filled up with printed jeans or hot pink fitted denim jackets. I’ve already started buying some basic pieces, and I’ve noticed how much more chic my outfits look when trendy is mixed with basic, high quality essentials.

One day I’ll have that Chanel Suit. It is on my “bucket list”, but so is an Hermes scarf, and that I think I might be able to afford this year.

Chanel Windows

Happy new year everyone!

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Caving in to Pinterest

By on June 21, 2012 in Blogging, Fashion, Life

Like all designers I’m a very visual person.  I started collecting photos from magazines when I was in high school. Later, in college, I taped my favorite “swipe” to the wall above my art table.  Now I pin inspirational images onto a cork board in my studio. You can see part of it in the photo above. The board changes as I find new images I like or outfits I would like to try myself.

Pinterest is an on-line inspiration board, so you’d think with my history of collecting photos that I would have tried this new social media platform as soon as I heard about it. But no, I resisted. You see when I started blogging I happily jumped on every new social media platform and exciting application that came out, and oh there were so many. Somewhere out there is a very neglected “My Space” page with my name on it. I actually used to check my “Klout” score and care. “Flavors.me” was picked up without hesitation and then dropped with disgust. My poor “Tumblr” page sits collecting cyber dust. Meanwhile people with names I cannot pronounce add me to their circles on “Google Plus”. I ignore them. My “LinkedIn” account is kept up for appearance sake but the only social media sites I used daily are Facebook and Twitter.  Recently I very hesitantly added “Instagram” to my list of social media apps. I do like it, but use it every so often and just for fun.

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How to afford REAL designer clothing (on a non-designer budget)

By on September 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, Shopping, Style Advice

How do you add REAL designer clothing to your wardrobe without spending a fortune?  If you live in a large metropolitan area it’s simple; Buy them used at a high-end resale or consignment shop.  I know people who have found amazing Lanvin, Karl Lagerfeld and other designer pieces in bins at thrift stores, but I’ve never been that lucky. Thankfully, I can indulge my love of elegantly styled, beautifully made clothes at “Clothes Heaven” in nearby Pasadena, California.

Oscar De La Renta

Below and above are two cocktail dresses by Oscar de la Renta.  My photos do not do them justice.  These are the sorts of garments one expects to see on a mannequin in a museum. Instead, they’re for sale. If only I was a size 4!

Here’s a closeup of the details on the dress.

I can’t say that any of these clothes are CHEAP.  These are not Goodwill prices, but they are much, much reduced from the original cost.  Speaking of price tags, some of these clothes still have the original tags on them.  One of the dresses I purchased had never been worn.

Chanel

This Chanel cardigan was covered with tiny, printed, sequins. It’s details like these that make me almost feverish.  I think it’s the reason I fell in love with fashion in the first place.  Clothing like this is wearable art.

If I ever have a hankering for a real designer logo purse, this is the place to go. Below, Chanel purses lie in a pile, waiting to be found and loved.

For the truly obsessed, a Chanel umbrella waits in the window.

I found this chain link print rather beautiful.

I love the thrill of the hunt that comes with purchasing garments second hand.  Finding something great, in my size, that I can afford, that looks amazing, is really something special. One day I will find a Chanel suit that fits me. It’s a total fantasy, but I hope if I look long and hard enough the perfect one will come my way. I could never afford one new, but resale stores like this one might make the fantasy a reality.  This peach tweed suit was a little too tight, and at $2,000 I really can’t afford it even used, but I can dream!

Escada

A adore the print on this Escada dress. Unfortunately it’s a very small size so I will never be able to call it mine.

Accessories

The beauty of purses and jewelry is that you don’t have to find one that fits. You just have to find one you like, and there were lots and lots that I liked, starting with this snakeskin clutch.

This beaded clutch really took my breath away.

…and the shoes!!!!! Jimmy Chou, Prada, Jimmy Chou, and on and on all lined up just waiting to be worn again.

There was a whole rack in my size, but I didn’t purchase any shoes.  Actually, I didn’t purchase anything I photographed here.  One of the things I love about “Clothes Heaven”  is that the lovely owner, Lorraine, was very nice about letting me click away all over the store. They won’t let you do that when the clothes are new let me tell you!  I find looking at designer clothing as fun as buying and wearing it.  I find all those wonderful details, fun prints and beautiful fabrics inspirational.

I did a post on this store way back in November on my former blog.  It’s faded into the web now that I gave up the domain name, so I thought I should write about the store once again.

Do you ever shop at resale or consignment stores?  What do you think of the experience? Are there any high-end resale stores in your area?

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