Happy New Year's Everyone!

Happy New Year! by CrewCat featuring nude shoes

A treasure of a book...My Mother's Clothes (an album of memories) by Jeannette Montgomery Barron

I was shopping online at www.katespade.com and came across a wonderful little book called My Mother's Clothe's by Jeannette Montgomery Barron and have also linked you to Barron's site under this particular book's name.  What a treasure for so many reasons, but mostly how she has reflected upon so many beautiful memories of her mother tied to fragrance, classically beautiful designer frocks like her mother's gold Yves St. Laurent jacket (gasp)!  If I could only find something so lovely.  Here is the thing, I remember so many items like this that I adored too like my of my grandmother's vintage teal-colored tween coat which I stupidly sold many years ago because I could not envision myself wearing it.  Now I could just kick myself!  

I love how Montgomery described the impeccable care her mother took for her clothing with "tissue stuffing the arms".  I often wonder if my daughter too, will look back at the love I have for fashion and beauty finds and my own unusual way or organizing and storing things.  I wonder if she will remember the beautiful perfumes that line my dresser.  I look at my pieces now and know exactly which will stay throughout the years.  And, my daughter has begged me to save my Manolo's and Choo's which I think is kind of funny, but she will likely remember how excited I got when I was holding one of those beauties in my hands!

This is a beautiful little book and I have flipped through the pages over and over.  I love the photographs and how she indexed the designer pieces in the back.  You can tell she must of loved her mother dearly and while fashion does not make us, I do think in many ways it defines us in how we see the world or how we feel deep inside.  I know how fabulous I feel when I can put on a DVF cherry red dress with classic black sling-backs.  

photo by Jeanette Montgomery Barrett

One last note, on page -22- there was a photo of her mother's Bill Blass tiger print jacket which reminded me of a jacket from Ann Taylor that I have been dreaming of and finally purchased with their 40% off sale.  It is a new item, the leopard jacquard jacket at $228.  It is stunning and as the author is now wearing her mother's jacket with jeans, I will hope that this one I recently purchased will hang around for awhile too!

Do you have an item or two that you love and will likely have in your closet for many years?  Do you have a piece from a beloved relative?

Happy Holidays everyone...

The Love of the Sequin...J. Crew's Sequin Sweatshirt

At $98, I could barely justify purchasing not only because it is a sweatshirt, but I have literally jammed my winter wardrobe with an abundance of sequins.  So I became prey again to one of J. Crew's sparkly wonders with the sequin sweatshirt in heather dove which is like a cream or oatmeal.  I got so many complements on this one and even more than the Haya which I purchased a few weeks back.  This one is subtle and would look equally chic paired with jeans or a pencil skirt.  It is unbelievably comfy and cool!  

The bigger question is why I continue buy one gift for someone and another for me!  So if you are up for a personal splurge and into this season's sparkle like I am, than this is a great investment, if that can be considered for a sweatshirt!  What are your favorite sparkle pieces this season, J. Crew or other?

Talbot's Spring 2011...Beautiful Lookbook & November's "As Seen Ins"!

Finally, something to get giddy about!  I am so glad that Talbot's is continuing a fresh, modern and unique approach to fashion.  Some have called their last couple of seasons a "reinvention" or "revival".  The Spring Lookbook  continues with the same spirit while also filled with their gorgeous classics.  They have brought back beautiful a-line skirts and dresses.  The colors range from fresh pastels to bold with teal, marigold and cream/crisp white sprinkled in.  Check out page -12- with a tan leather topcoat which I am loving!  The printed swing jacket on -23- is so sunny and adorable.  I am glad the pencil skirt returns with the same page -12- print; page -35- boasts a pencil skirt in cream/white with a daisy lace overlay.  I also love the sweet parisian floral dress on page -48-.

This is truly a collection and love how they have threaded the prints, bold colors and great shapes throughout.  I think this is hard to pull off in-store without getting off track.  This has been my major complaint with J. Crew over the last couple of years because the runway/collection simply did not translate to store.  And JC's collection items continue to be a bit eccentric for my taste and not quite deserving the category they fall within.

Talbot's keeps a slightly higher retail price on their core items, but frankly the quality remains and continues to offer surprises as well.  I am looking forward to Spring with Talbot's.  Some of the items will be released starting in January.

One last note, Talbot's was featured InStyle November 2010 highlighting their "reinvention" and shoes!

Need I say more!

Happy shopping and have a wonderful weekend!

Tinsel, pouchette, really?

J. Crew, J. Crew, where have we gone wrong?  Tinsel bags, really?  Someone is going to need to do some convincing on this one if in fact it is deemed Collection and high quality...


A little sparkler of a bag made of shimmery metallic satin and covered with strips of festive tinsel. We topped it off with a grosgrain bow and a removable skinny leather strap. Poly/wool/acrylic. Drawstring closure. Hematite-plated brass hardware. Interior patch pocket. Satin acetate lining. Part of J.Crew Collection. Import.


Collection?  Import, from where, the craft store?  Yes, it is a little sparkler of a bag, but Collection-worthy I am afraid not.

I am certain my 9-year old daughter could have come up with something more chic for my Holiday accessories.  This is really embarrassing.  I am wondering if any of the JC designers called out desperate and cheap-looking, but surely they must have thought that one of us would buy this.  I almost wish I had not seen this.  I do not even think this could by styled up.  Where is the unique and classy?  Where is the notable J. Crew Collection that actually deserves $158 and not because tinsel was slapped all over it.  I am getting a little tired of a higher priced tag serving as appeal to a true piece of fashion either in clothing or accessories.  This one is a major fumble?  Any differing thoughts on this baby?