We've moved!

One of my first orders of business when I knew I was moving was to order new return address labels :) These are from Colorful Images.

(Image courtesy of Colorful Images)

I can't wait to get them in the mail!

Will be sharing some pics and stories from our move (and new furniture and furnishings!) over the next few days, as well as continue a look at fall fashions.

And since I am heading to Target now for some apartment stuff, I am also going to check out the new Anna Sheffield for Target collection of jewelry while I'm there, which is new in stores as of today...full report later!

A bright spot in an otherwise crappy day!

I am moving tomorrow, as you may have seen me mention before, so I am sitting right now amongst millions of boxes in my apartment. It's a complete and total mess.

One very important box in particular that isn't here, however, is the box containing the Stella & Dot necklace I selected two weeks ago at a party thrown by the lovely JGIWC.

(Image courtesy of Stella and Dot)

If you're wondering why it's not here, it's because the postal service "delivered it" (clearly not directly to me though) and some troll decided to keep it for themselves. I was so angry while trying to track it down-- I've filed a formal complaint with the postal service, but they have pretty much said they can't tell me where it ended up. Nice, right? So much for delivery confirmations.

I am so glad I am moving out of this crappy neighborhood tomorrow and into a doorman building. Where packages don't grow legs and walk away.

So, I also figured it couldn't hurt to just send a quick e-mail to Christine, who was our awesome Jewelry Stylist at the party that night, and she suggested I try e-mailing Stella and Dot customer service, in case they have any additional tracking information to give me so I could do some more detective work.

Well, I called them, and not only were they polite and helpful, they are actually sending me a replacement, something that they didn't have to do. It was honestly the most positive customer service experience I've had in a really long time.

I would highly recommend doing business with Stella and Dot!

What's new at Payless

I've blogged before about how Payless is a great source for cheap and trendy shoes -- much like Forever 21 is a great source for cheap and trendy jewelry.

Well, I went into the store the other day to check out their B.O.G.O. offerings, tried these on on a whim, and was amazed at the fact that they were actually comfortable.

(Image courtesy of Payless)

I normally hate heels, but these were not bad! And I imagine that these would go with many a fall work ensemble.

Get more bang for your buck

FabSugar has a great slideshow up right now with ways to get more bang for your buck -- i.e. necklaces that double as belts, reversible pieces, slouch-able boots, and skirts that double as tube tops or dresses.

Love the creativity!

Movin' out

I need to apologize again for being a bad blogger these last few days ... I am in the process of moving, and it's not pretty. Our apartment is in shambles, there are boxes everywhere, and I just want to snap my fingers and poof! be unpacked in the new place. If I'm being brutally honest, I want to fill up a barrel and light a match. But I digress.

In the mean time though, I figured I would share one of my favorite packing tips--

If you're a jewelry hoarder like me, and wondering how to transport all of those necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings you've accumulated, look no further than your local hardware store, or the Home Improvement department of your local Target.

Voila!

I'm in love . . .

...with this J. Crew t-shirt with the necklace built right in :) It may be a little pricey, but then I guess you don't have to worry about buying a necklace to wear with it ... how's that for positive thinking?

(Image courtesy of J. Crew)

Making the most of what's in your closet

Just wanted to share a great slideshow from InStyle.com about how you can take some of your summer pieces and make them work for fall ... great stuff in there!

My first birthday gift . . .

I am turning 27 this Sunday, and I received my very first birthday gift in the mail yesterday ... a beautiful assortment of earrings from my friend (who is a new mommy as of 3 a.m. this morning!) Kara from all the way out in Chicago.

It came with a hilarious card, as do the gifts she thoughtfully sends me every year, and I can always tell from what she picks out to send me that she had fun shopping and hand-selecting little gifts for me ... I just wish I had the chance to go shopping with her more often!

Now I've got to do some shopping for her new daughter, Abigail Elizabeth Coyle! I am thinking that, among other goodies, a 'Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner' onesie is in order.

Salivating.

I kid you not, I am salivating over the new arrivals from J. Crew ... there are so many pieces I want, I can't even count.

NYCR Picks from the September 2009 Magazines . . . Part One

It's been more than a week and I still haven't made it through all of my September issues ... they are chock full of amazing items for fall! And if we weren't right smack in the middle of a heat wave here in NYC, I would be in the fall mindset even more.

In my first installment of this series :) here are some of the great accessories I've noticed so far--

First up: Lucky

I love that in the "What's your all-time favorite back-to-school / fall trend?" feature, one of the editors answered that she loved buying a new pair of Dr. Martens Mary Janes in the 7th grade.

(Image courtesy of Dr. Martens)

OMG I loved these shoes. And while I'm not sure if I would still be able to pull them off today, I imagine they might fit in with the whole Lisa Loeb aesthetic I was just talking about last week.

I also loved the bohemian feeling of these teardrop stone earrings from Avon's mark. line of makeup and accessories... they were featured in the "What I Want NOW!" section and they're a serious steal at $12.

(Image courtesy of mark.)

PS-- They also show a great little gold-tone bangle from Charlotte Russe -- I could not find that particular style on their web site, but upon further inspection I see that they have tons of these great bracelets, all of which are under $12.

While flipping through the zillions of pages, I also found an ad and coupon for the new Vintage America Collection from Nine West, and it looks pretty interesting. I will have to go check this new line out in stores the next time I am out and about, particularly the frollic boot in this beautiful shade of brown, which look like they could be the perfect complement to dresses and skirts this fall.

(Image courtesy of Nine West)

In the "Maximize Your Clothing Budget" feature, they suggest stocking up on chains like this multi-strand one from Forever 21 (another steal @ $13) and mix them in with your existing pieces of jewelry to create unique looks.

(Image courtesy of Forever 21)

The Accessories Report for fall includes a page on Jeweled Bib Necklaces, which are so fun right now -- they're light-weight, high-impact, and they can dress up everything from a basic t-shirt to a fancy dress. I found a great $11 option, the 'celebration' style, also at Forever 21.

(Image courtesy of Forever 21)

Check back soon for the next round of my favorite picks from the September issues!

Housewife Betty Draper

Well, it's underway...the third season of Mad Men started off tonight with a bang. The only female lead character I haven't talked about on here yet is the biggest one of all -- Betty Draper.

On the surface, she totally looks like a stepford wife, but there's so much more to her than aprons and feather dusters. You can read more about Betty on her Wikipedia page by clicking here.

Betty's wardrobe is so much fun because it's relentlessly feminine. Whether she's baking a pie, slapping Helen Bishop across the face at the supermarket, or riding horses, she is unbelievably classic -- very Grace Kelly -- and everything she wears screams elegance and beauty.

I absolutely love this party dress for her --- I can totally see her wearing it with pearls and a cardigan with a sweater clip.

(Image courtesy of Mod Cloth)

(Image courtesy of Forever 21)

(Image courtesy of eCrater)

When Betty wears a skirt, she goes all out in an incredibly full one, like this black and white print number. And she would pair it with a super feminine blouse, too, like this one.

(Image courtesy of Anthropologie)

(Image courtesy of Anthropologie)

Anna Sheffield for Target coming soon

Fabsugar has a sneak peek at Anna Sheffield for Target, which is scheduled to hit stores on August 30th.

Drinks + Hor d'oevres + Good Conversation + Pretty Jewelry = Happiness.

I had the most lovely evening last night -- I got to attend a Stella and Dot jewelry party hosted by the adorable JGIWC and finally meet many of the bloggers I've been following for awhile now. It was so nice to be able to chat with all of you!

After much debate I decided on the Jenna Pearl & Ribbon Necklace.

(Image courtesy of Stella and Dot)

I cannot wait to receive it in the mail and wear it with both t-shirts and dresses... I love jewelry that multi-tasks!

H&M Style Guide

Just received an email this morning with the H&M Style Guide for fall ... enjoy!

You say . . . I only hear what I want to . . .

I am feeling like, for this fall, I will be embracing the Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories look ... feminine dresses, chunky tights, and motorcycle boots.

Yeah, so, about that Nordstrom Rack coming to Union Square . . .

I know this is probably completely old news to many of you, but I just wanted to mention how intrigued I am by the prospect of Nordstrom Rack coming to Union Square.

Please forgive me . . .

I've been a little M.I.A. this week, so my apologies for that. Work has been crazy and aside from that, Kevin and I will be moving at the end of this month to some fabulous new digs.

I had forgotten how insanely hectic moving can be, with all of the address changes and packing and getting moving quotes, etc. I am so ready to just be unpacked in the new place, it's not even funny!

I will try to get my favorites from the September magazines posted on here as soon as I can-- is everyone liking what they've seen so far in those new glossy issues?

My new spectacles

A big "why, thank you!" to JaneKSass who complimented me on my new glasses -- you may have noticed them resting on top of my September issue of Lucky in this previous post.

They're Ray-Bans, to answer your question, and I was forced to pick out these new specs @ Lenscrafters when my beloved pair of green Francois Pinton glasses broke a couple of weeks ago.

I seriously loved my green ones, but I am falling in love with the new ones more & more each day.

Looking forward to coats . . .

We've been pretty lucky this summer in NYC -- we haven't had nearly as many scorching hot 90 degree days as we usual do. In fact, we've been so spoiled this whole season that I haven't been able to handle the very few hot & humid days we've had-- it's like my tolerance has been compromised or something.

And even though it's still August, I find myself looking ahead to coat season. I just absolutely love the crisp and cool feeling of late fall... that point when you can really feel the weather turning. So when this military coat from Alloy showed up in my email this morning, I was immediately drawn in.

(Image courtesy of Alloy)

I love the popped collar, the belt, the neutral plaid, the length -- everything about it. Even the $109 price tag is pretty good.

Junior Copywriter Peggy Olson

It's time for my next installment in the series, kiddies ... we're looking at the styles of Mad Men ahead of the August 16 premiere of season 3.

This time, I wanted to take a look at Peggy Olson, who is a Junior Copywriter at Sterling Cooper.

(Image courtesy of AMC TV)

Peggy defies all of the conventions of the time period by getting ahead in the male-dominated world of advertising. You can learn all about Peggy's character from Wikipedia by clicking here.

And since Peggy is all about trying to shine in a man's world, there is usually a definite Katherine Hepburn feel to her clothes -- she's all business with a hint of femininity.

I love this silk geo-print bow blouse from Banana Republic-- very librarian chic.

(Image courtesy of Banana Republic)

This maya skirt from Lulu's would be a perfect counterpart to her other pieces, which usually feel more masculine.

(Image courtesy of Lulu's)

I love the details on this shirt jacket from Express. The tie waist, the pockets, and the black piping take it from bland to gorgeous.

(Image courtesy of Express)

And I don't know that I've ever seen Peggy carrying a handbag, but if she did, I bet it would be a very classic style like this one from Ann Taylor. A little pricey for me but an investment piece for sure.

(Image courtesy of Ann Taylor)

I think Peggy would also pick classic styles when it comes to shoes as well, so these suede pumps by Sam Edelman would probably be right up her alley.

(Image courtesy of Endless.com)

My Friday night . . .

...It has arrived. The first of the September issues showed up in my mailbox tonight. I can't wait to dive right in over What Not To Wear and some Thin Mints.

I will definitely be sharing my favorites from Lucky and all of the September issues in the weeks to come.

Fall accessories . . .

I am thinking that this fall, I will be heavily into the accessories. It's one of the quickest and easiest ways to spruce up existing pieces in your wardrobe without making a huge monetary commitment.

Anyways, I think I may have to pick up one of these to sport once the weather gets colder.

(Image courtesy of Lulu's)

Rodarte for Target

This just in...according to NY Magazine blog The Cut-- Rodarte for Target will hit stores and online December 20.

Miley Cyrus & Max Azria for Wal-Mart available now

Miley Cyrus' Wal-Mart line with Max Azria, which I'd previously blogged about, is available now at Wal-Mart's web site. Some cute things, but me thinks I'd never fit into any of the pieces with the juniors sizing.

Office Manager Joan Holloway

I swear, sometimes I think I could blog about the fashions of Mad Men alone. While I am impatiently waiting for the 3rd season to start on August 16th, I thought it might be fun to try and hunt down wallet-friendly versions of the styles worn by the ladies of the show.

We'll start with Joan Holloway, my favorite.

(Image courtesy of AMC)

Here's what Wikipedia has to say about Joan --

"Embodying the role of femme fatale, Holloway is a "bold" and "sassy" character, and role model for all the female office workers. Creating the character, Mad Men's creator Matthew Weiner tried not to make the character appear as a television stereotype, but unpredictable and complicated. The Boston Globe has said that Holloway occupies "a sort of middle ground between the show's main female characters, who represent opposing paths for women of their day"; as Betty Draper (January Jones) gave up a modeling career to become a housewife and Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss) tries to become a copywriter in "a world where men routinely call women "girls", and sometimes literally chase them though the office". Holloway is considered the queen bee of the office secretarial pool."

And here are some modern-day pieces that could make me feel like her:

The Merona Ponte Tab Waist Dress in Plum -- love the oversized buttons and the slim fit, and Joan always accentuates her peachy complexion with saturated colors, so this plum would look really nice on her.

(Image courtesy of Target)

The 1928 Pen Necklace -- the one that was modeled after the kind Joan wears is actually sold out right now online ... this is a similar style with emerald accents. I also love the vintage feel of these knot earrings.

(Image courtesy of 1928)

This Wesleyan Blouse reminds me of one of the necklines Joan wears a lot on the show, and she usually pairs it with a brooch like this.

(Image courtesy of Mod Cloth)

And she would totally tuck all of those fitted blouses she wears into a tulip skirt just like this one from Urban Outfitters.

(Image courtesy of Urban Outfitters)

These mary janes from JCPenney would go perfectly with all of that impeccably tailored office wear.

(Image courtesy of JCPenney)