Brrrrr

1. Juicy Couture Faux Fur Jacket, $269
2. MICHAEL Michael Kors Faux Fur Trim Puffer, $159
3. Mara Hoffman Shawl Wrap Coat, $660
4. TULLE Long Belted Coat, $115
5. MICHAEL Michael Kors Belted Camel Wool Trench, $250

Winter coats - we all need them. But who wants to be boring in black or built like the Michelin man (unable to put your hands at your side)? Not. I. So I have picked my favorite coats to snuggle up.

I love love love me a faux fur chubby.  Sometimes a cropped fur jacket can channel more Jenny from the Block and less every day wear, but I think this one from Juicy is adorable.  It looks super warm and perfect for nights out or a day full of errands. 

For the puffer, I say the MICHAEL Michael Kors jacket (that everyone and their neighbor has) is the best buy. There is a reason its so popular, it is warm and actually fairly slimming. I have the above version from Bluefly, but you can also get a similar one from Macy's for $120, act now!!

For color, I threw in the purple Tulle jacket. Two years ago I bought an emerald green wool Marc by Marc Jacobs jacket and I have yet to regret the high price tag. I get a MILLION compliments on my chic coat, and it doesn't matter that it won't go with all colors, the coat makes (and covers) the outfit no matter what. You don't have to be boring in black.

The Mara Hoffman coat I die for and wish I could make an addtion to my closet, but alas, I have no need for it this time around. Maybe next winter. Just had to put it up for all the bloggersphere to collectively swoon at its coziness.

Website I Love

I was lucky enough to meet Hanneli Mustaparta during Fashion Week when I was a minion stuck at the door for check-in. She is a stunning former model who takes street style photos of high fashion names, my favorite. Hanneli was so sweet and I couldn't help but admit my love for her blog. Normally I would try not to geek out so hard to someone I recognize, but she was so gracious and happy to learn I was a follower. All the pictures are of herself and friends in expensive designer or cheap vintage threads.

Hanneli has been everywhere lately, she was all over the Fashion Week scene and showing up in Vogue. Doesn't hurt that she's gorgeous and impossibly thin, but what a wonderful life she has, simply from a blog about pictures of interesting fashionistas.

Sigh, I have high hopes for this blog.

Inspiration Board: Hilary Duff

I mentioned in an earlier post that I am trying to incorporate more scarves into my wardrobe. I look at pictures of my girl HDuff and she has the right idea. Scarves have become her signature look - she throws on the accessory and voila, girl's got an outfit. She's all about the big accessories to slim down the body and I like her thought process: big earrings, big glasses, big scarf, big purse deflect from anything busting out on that hourglass figure.

You could go with the a skinny scarf, the traditional long scarf wrapped around, the oversize square scarf or an infinity loop (the latter two are new favorites of mine). Trust, this is so easy to pull off and seem stylish. I wore a red square scarf tied around my neck with a long black GAP tank, Uniqlo black boyfriend blazer, dark J Brand Lovestory flare jeans and black booties and was told multiple times how cute I looked. And it was so PLAIN, the scarf is just what pulled it all together. So go forth, my children, and invest in a scarf from H&M or Urban Outfitters and you too can be as stylin' as me and HDuff.

 

Obsession of the Moment

I tend to be a pretty plain dresser. I'm not so creative as, say, Emily from fav blog Cupcakes and Cashmere. My outfits aren't always inventive or colorful and I'm constantly looking for an easy way to tszuj up an ensemble. (Side note, I remember Carson Kressley from Queer Eye always used tszuj in reference to boosting an outfit a bit, adding a little oopmph. I had to google its exact spelling, who knew the spelling was quite so ridiculous)

I can't stop thinking about the Charmer boots from Kelsi Dagger.  These shoes are the ultimate for me right now.  Laser cut leather to look like snakeskin, they hit above the knee and are so sexy even without a high heel.  Any outfit I throw together with this pair will seem instantly cool and pulled together. Add these boots with a tunic and leggings, you'd swear I was a Kardashian (oh yes I went there, judge away).  You can get them now on sale in black for $196, they also come in dark brown and cognac at other retailers like Piperlime and Endless. I'm stuggling to decide what color to get!

Currently my credit card is on a spending freeze to keep priorities in check, like paying for health insurance and a recently purchased mattress. But that's no fun, its much more enjoyable to picture myself purchasing these boots and frolicking around the city.

Model Stalker: Lily Aldridge

For whatever reason, I'm obsessed with models. Can't explain it, just am. I love recognizing their faces in editorial spreads and advertisements, seeing which ones are on every major runway and in pictures from fabulous parties.  My all time favorite will always be Karlie Kloss (see header of blog). But recently I have become more and more intrigued with Lily Aldridge,  age 25 and from LA.

She is the face of campaigns like J Brand and Victoria's Secret

Engaged to Kings of Leon singer Caleb Followill, have been dating since 2007

Obsessed.

Is She Serious: Taylor Momsen

It's hard for me to understand Taylor Momsen's angsty teen faux rebellion. Mainly because I wasn't handed a stick thin figure, celebrity friends, and thousands of dollars at age 16. Rather, I had to navigate the halls of high school with frizzy hair and body issues like the rest. I'm sorry, remind me again what she has to be so bitter about in life?

Taylor, it's not our fault you hate society. Please don't punish us with those God Awful extensions anymore. And while you're at it, wait a few years until you dress full-fledged whore. You can always be a closet skank like the rest of us were at your age. Maybe that's why you are such a freak, you don't have traditional examples of teens in America to guide the way. Instead, you idolize 90's train wreck Courtney Love and live behind in the times. Get a clue - you have very little promise of a career, and alienating all normal Gossip Girl fans is not doing you any favors for your dismal Hollywood future.


* image pulled from JustJared.com

GG Love

I skipped on commenting about last week's GG episode cause I thought it was Eh, only so so. This one kicked it up a notch but went out with a bang (literally). My thoughts:

• Juliet's creepy and desperate tone when "running into" Serena + the Bump It in her hair was so uncomfortable, I physically cringed.
• Only Serena's psychotic and insecure outburst when stalking a guy would come off as endearing as opposed to stage 5 clinger.
• "I'm gonna hit the cheese table" sounds like something I would say in an awk moment. Not so well played Humphrey.
• AND there is NO way that Serena can remember the Gettysburg Address in an instant from elementary school but not pick up on the Single White Female vibe that Juliet puts off.
• One of the minions guesses what the tape holds, "A Nelly Yuki snuff film?" Brilliant writers, well done.
• Chuck/Blair Hate Sex, amaaazing. The slow motion and Chuck's bow tie were just too, too much. Ahh, its moments like this that are why I live for TV.