Trend Shopping: Military Earrings

Last Sunday, on the way to the "Brooklyn loves Michael Jackson" fete in Prospect Park (an open field, free-for-all dance and sing-along party organized by Spike Lee to celebrate the King of Pop's birthday), I spotted a guy on the sidewalk selling unique handmade accessories made out of reinvented Majorica pearls and military patches. I immediately zoomed in on these trendy earrings and had to get them since they were such a good buy at $10.

Aren't they unique?

Mr. Vendor (I forgot to ask his name!) also had a gorgeous multistrand long pearl necklace which he had decorated with the same military patches, but at $40, I couldn't afford them!

You can glimpse the pearl necklace on the far right of the table

I wore the earrings yesterday on my first day at school, with a nautical/Frenchie-inspired outfit. I got several compliments on the earrings, so it was indeed a worthy purchase! 

 H&M top, Funk Your Junk belt (got it in Ottawa, Canada), vintage Polo Ralph Lauren linen pants (a hand-me-down!), Alice+Olivia for Payless oxford-style flats.

If you decide to seek out Mr. Vendor, take the Q train to Prospect Park and exit towards Ocean Avenue.

Just look for the pot-bellied man with a single dangling earring in his right ear!

Boots, boots, boots!

When I was fashion editor, Google was my friend whenever I needed a crash course on the new trends for each season. I know, I know, I should be subscribing to all these fashion magazines, fashion blogs, and online sites, and reading WWD religiously. If I plan to spend an hour online though, I almost always end up spending half a day glued to my seat, and  most of that time is spent in that vortex that is Facebook. So I have long figured that I am not likely to get anything productive done if I trawl through these fashion resources daily.

So when I wanted to find out what the shoe trends will be for the upcoming Fall season, I just Googled "Fall/Winter 2010 shoe trends." The styles that have been catching my eye are inspired by hiking, military and ski boots. They're either buckled or laced-up, and some are lined with a warm material, whether it's a ribbed knit or shearling. I think the lining is what attracts me most - anything that'll keep my feet warm during the freezing cold is a fashion do! They'll also go really well with my winter wardrobe, which sees me mostly in pants, but even if I do wear a dress, they'll still go fabulously!

Chloe boots from Net-A-Porter. Love the rich suede look and the wearable wedge!

Alexander Mc Queen, also at Net-A-Porter. The buckles and shearling lining are to die for but I might also die tripping in such extremely high heels!

My favorite! These boots caught my eye right away when I saw the Burberry runway show. Photo also from Net-A Porter.

Of course lusting on a budget means I have to shop smart. I found a similar style at Urban Original (for the past few days, I have been obsessed with this site! Obsessed!) It's cute but with a heel height of five inches, it's way too much for someone who pounds concrete every single day.

Anne Michelle booties for only $30.90 at Urban Original

I did not want to shop, and I have been holding myself back but when I found out that their summer sale was extended (25% off everything!) I succumbed to temptation. I ended up buying the following pairs:

Suede thigh-high boots, $27.90; leopard booties, $25.90; unlaced ankle boots, $32.50.

 

 

 

The suede and unlaced flat boots will be perfect for walking around, but I had to get the leopard booties as a nod to the animal print that is all the rage this season. 

And because I had to have my hiking booties, I also got this pair from Go Jane, since it was out of stock already in Urban Original:

Lace-up lug-soled boots $27.50 from Go Jane

Whew! That's a lot of shoes and there are still more, more, more that I want to buy! More on that in the next post!

How about you? What fall footwear are you dying to own?

Friday's Outfit

My good friend Happy David recently celebrated her one year of living here in the Big Apple with a potluck dinner. I had to dress up of course, I will exploit any reason to dress up haha! Here is what I wore to the party:

Photo by the boofra, whom I have already commissioned to take all my "style" photos

I have already worn this outfit twice and within weeks of each other, which means I really, really like it! The top is from Urban Behavior, bandeau bra from SM Department Store (about Php 150 or $3.50, skinny cargo pants with zippered hem from Almost Famous but bought in Strawberry ($30), lace-up platforms from Parisian by SM Department Store (bought for only Php1,299 or roughly $29), four-layered pink gem bracelet from Forever 21 ($7), white leather wrap-around bracelet with studs, a gift from my friend Nikki), mixed in with a single elastic rhinestone bracelet, part of a set bought in Landmark (Php 150 or $3.50). Oh and aviators by Ray-Ban (free from a press event) and bag from Mango (bought years ago, I have forgotten the price!).

I love anything sequined!

I am loving the top from Urban Behavior, which I bought in Canada for the amazingly low price of $5!!! It's cropped and loose, which makes it perfect for the summer, but it'll also make a good layering piece when the cold weather starts. And though it's sequined, the hue is still very neutral so it's easily wearable during the day. And the deep armholes make it very sexy, so you can let a pretty bra peek out without looking too outrageous.


I'm thinking of what to wear with it next, but haven't decided yet so watch out for its next appearance!

$89 for three laser removal sessions?

I subscribe to Groupon, which sends daily deals to my inbox. If you've never heard of it, here's what the site has to say about the service:

"Groupon features a daily deal on the best stuff to do, see, eat, and buy in a variety of cities across the U.S., Canada, Europe and soon beyond (read: Space). 

We sell stuff we want to buy. A great price is only half the battle - it's also got to be a great product or service. Between our top-rated business partners and unbeatable prices, you should feel comfortable venturing out and trying something new - just because it's featured on Groupon. We want Groupon to be an addiction you can feel good about."

Although I've never bought in the past, I am sorely tempted to buy today's deal. Imagine three laser sessions for $89??? Even when converted to Philippine pesos (yes, I still have a habit of converting even though everybody tells me it's not the best thing to do in one of the most expensive cities in the world!), it comes out to only Php4,000, which is about the price of one laser session.

2,537 people have already bought!

I "LOVE" these shoes

I've heard about French Sole before, the arbiter of supposedly comfy ballerina flats. Here is what www.nymag.com has to say about the brand:

"A sanctuary for fed-up cosmopolitan women who’ve walked their last stiletto steps, French Sole is an oasis of ballet flats. The walls are jam-packed from floor to ceiling with identical pink shoeboxes. (Indeed, the surreal tiny space can trigger something akin to a psychic bunion.) Inside those boxes are more than two dozen variations of one kind of footwear. Some flats are a bit tacky (leopard prints in questionable colors, gaudy floral patterns); others are more stylish (timeless solids, trendy metallics). But with prices inching up as high as $350, your extravagant new pair of ballet flats just might usurp your old slingbacks in the end. — Melissa Noble"

I would always pass by their shop every time I walk up or down Lexington Avenue, until one day, lured by a "Sample Sale" sign, I went in and instantly spotted these gorgeous metallic flats. 

Can you guess what it says?

My $5 shoes

Two month ago, I happened to pass by a Payless and decided to come in for a quick look around. Didn't really see anything interesting at the first floor, so I went up to the second floor, where shoes in my size were on sale. At the very bottom shelf of a display stand, nestled in its ratty shoebox, I saw this hot pink leopard spotted platform sandals by Alice and Olivia for Payless. The pink round sticker declared it was $5 but I couldn't believe my eyes, so I had to check with a salesperson to confirm. True enough, it was only five bucks! What a steal!

I managed to make the strap stand properly, courtesy of skills I picked up from Louie Aguinaldo, product photographer extraordinaire!