Hiatus = Over

Alright, to the two of you that are still reading (if there ever even were two of you) I apologize. The end of summer got a little crazy, followed by an even crazier start of fall. Not anything worth noting, just life (you know, that thing outside of the internet. Crazy I know.).

But I am back, the hiatus is over, and I am going to try my darndest to post every day (or at least regularly). So PLEASE add me back to your daily blog-reading routine. I hope not to disappoint.

Today's post is short (I have to ease myself back into this y'all), but I did want to mention one thing:

The easiest way to ruin an outfit? Wearing a ponytail holder on your wrist.

Seriously girls, I have seen some adorable outfits absolutely destroyed these last few weeks. I know it's handy to be able to put up your hair at a moments notice, but please, use a pocket or a purse to keep your hair ties. They are not bracelets, are not chic, and are definitely not classy. FYI.

My PGA 2009 Wardrobe

As alluded to on Twitter and in a previous blog, next week I will attend the PGA Championship golf tournament at Hazeltine in Chaska. I golf a little bit (BF bought me my own clubs for my birthday!), but I have never been to a golf tournament. I bought tickets almost a year ago to give to BF as an anniversary present because I know how much he adores golf (another testament to my superior girlfriend abilities), and now I’m very excited to go! Only one small problem: Attire. I asked BF what he thought I should wear, to which he replied, “I don’t know, whatever you wear to go golfing.” Helpful.

While I do golf, some, I haven’t quite reached the level where I will spend money on golf shirts or shorts. Normally, when I go golfing, I wear some version of a t-shirt and khaki pants (or even… gasp… jeans), which is definitely not something I want to be wearing when I take my picture with Tiger Woods (Oh yes, that is my mission).

So this week I have been on the hunt for the perfect golf outfits. I needed to find something cute for Monday- the first practice round- where picture-taking and autograph-getting is allowed, and then something sophisticated and classy for Sunday- the final day of the Championship round- where no pictures or autographs, or even CELL PHONES, are ok. Sunday is also a good day to look pristine, as out of the two days BF and I are going it is the one that we are most likely to run into people we know, such as co-workers, bosses, business associates, or networking contacts.

I thought, two days, not so bad. I’ve shopped for full weeks of events before with no problem. Little did I know, “Golf” has a very particular look, with added restrictions of no heels (not only will they stick in the grass, they also make it hard to chase Tiger down the 15th fairway waving a camera, he, he), no flip-flops (My feetsies need some support for the long walks), layers necessary for this most unusual Minnesota summer, and lightweight/portable (once again, a hefty handbag won’t help me get my hands on Mr. Woods). After two days of scouring, buying, returning, and speeding down Highway 100 to get the last one of the perfect cross-body bag, I’m exhausted. May I now present, my wardrobe for the 2009 PGA Championship.

Monday:

I picked up this beauty of a dress at Banana Republic. I decided in order to only have to buy one set of accessories; my color theme for the week would be navy. This fit the bill to a T. Lightweight, with the ability to keep me warm while still letting air flow, and most importantly, totally chic and classic. Tiger Woods will be asking ME to take a picture with him.


Sunday:

This was the real trick. How do you look sophisticated while maintaining a summery, flowy, classy look that will let you move? How do you look sophisticated without wearing heels?!

I was lucky to run across this picture of a style idol of mine, Olivia Palermo, for inspiration. Here she is shooting for The City:


I immediately adored the Topshop cardigan, and then decided I might as well re-create the whole look. I already have the Ray-Ban sunnies (a classic I would have worn anyway), but it was up to me to find the shirt, necktie, and shorts. Luckily, Topshop still had the cardigan in my size.

While in Banana, I took a look at some of their white dress t-shirts. They had a few promising options, but all of the women’s shirts were so heavily pleated around the chest and waist that I couldn’t achieve the flowy look Olivia’s blouse has. The whole time I was in the dressing room I was wishing they could just make women’s shirts like men’s, with no pleating or fittings. Then I had an epiphany: Banana Republic sells men’s shirts too! I headed over to the men’s side, and found the perfect white dress tee. Sure the salespeople gave me some weird looks, but it was worth it.

The navy shorts were the hardest to find. No one seemed to have any, until finally, on a whim, I headed into Old Navy- a store I haven’t shopped at in 10 years. Good thing too, these are perfect:

A quick search on Etsy discovered the perfect navy necktie, made by NadineNewYork:
Accessories:

As I said before, I wanted to wear the same shoes/purse both days. I also wanted to create an interesting twist on each outfit, so I decided on red accessories! A pop or two of red is so on trend right now. Here is what I came up with:

I knew this cross-body bag from Dooney was perfect the moment I saw it. Big enough to carry a camera, cell phone, and other essentials for Monday, but not so big I will look like an idiot carrying a huge tote with nothing in it Sunday. Also, cross-body means I don’t have to “carry” it all day.
Loafers by Franco Sarto. On sale. Keep my feet from getting dirty. Have an arch for some support. Perfect.


What does everyone think? Is anyone else going to the tournament? If so, what are you wearing? And if you are, maybe you will spot me! (Hopefully in the clubhouse sitting next to Tiger ☺ )

In Need of a Pick-Me-Up

Today I'm feeling a little frustrated and depressed, so for some fun and chill-time I surfed around on the Tiffany's website. It felt very Audrey Hepburn (except it was lunch, and online), and the movie really is correct- Tiffany's will always make you feel better.

I am loving the new key pendant collection and want to pick one out. However, Tiffany's is always better served as a gift, so maybe I will just drop a few hints to BF. Our two-year-anniversary is on its way. Pray to God he doesn't try to turn it into some cheesy "key to my heart" present. Gag me.

And of course, I played around with the engagement rings. Someday, one of those babies will be mine! (Preferably a 1.5 carat, princess cut set in platinum baby.)

The Fake Debate

For a long time, I thought knock-off designer handbags, clothing, shoes, and accessories were not only morally ok, but also a great way for me to look chic and sophisticated. How wrong I was.

While there are a range of views on the issue of fake designer-wear, I am firm in my belief that knock offs may make you look chic (to the untrained eye who can’t spot a fake in seconds), but there is nothing sophisticated with supporting the plagiarism of countless hours of work and creative energy high class designers put into their collections.

As a writer, I would be horrified if I saw a story I wrote re-printed, either completely or partially, under someone else’s name. And this is for work I maybe spend 10 hours on, at most. Obviously, my horror can’t compare to a designer’s upon seeing their work knocked off, when their product took hundreds of people weeks to make.

The cheap street vendors in New York and the purse parties are bad enough, but what makes me cringe is when reputable stores and designers with the ability to be original decide to take the easy way out and copy.

For instance, this morning, Laura Nelli of Nelle Handbags, a seriously fabulous local handbag and accessories line, tweeted how one bag (and possibly belts) in the new line by Jaye Hersh for Target were ripped off from other designers. For instance, the snakeskin bag:

Jaye Hersh Hollywood Intuition for Target Faux Snakeskin Tote
(From StarTribune.com)

"Jenna" Beirn Handbag

You can decide for yourself, but while not an exact replica, it’s close enough that Laura tweeted that Beirn lawyers are addressing the situation.

This has happened before with Target, and while I love my hometown’s local retailer it upsets me that a large store with so many resources allows knock-offs on their shelves. Another example is Steve Madden, who can produce some beautiful original designs, but also takes “inspiration” from designers for a lot of his shoes.

Another reason I find knock-offs worthless is because they are so easy to spot. Just a few weeks ago, I saw a girl walking downtown with a “Chanel” handbag. Too bad for her, the C’s were stamped on and the leather was visibly fraying. Obviously not Chanel. If you can’t fool people with it, why buy it?

While I wish I could afford a Chanel bag right now, I would rather wait and save my money than blow it on a knock-off. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but when it comes to ripping off designers, I can find other ways to appreciate their work.

What does everyone else think? Do you buy fake? Why?

STYLEDLIFE Throws Party That's Well...Stylish

Tonight I was lucky enough to be invited to STYLEDLIFE's Vintage Glam Private Sale. Although I am on shopping hiatus after my Cliche spree this weekend, I stopped by to say hello to the fabulous owner/founder Kevin (who was rocking an awesome pair of 1970's (my guess) shoes!), sip on champagne, and eat. What can I say, free cheese and crackers, I'm there.

Not to mention the LOADS of fabulous vintage accessories. Kevin and his team scour the nation all year long for the pieces, so you know it's got to be good. I loved a blue and red scarf, made in Paris, but my still-pained check card just wouldn't let me swipe it. Oh well.

The sale continues through the end of July, so stop in if you weren't able to score an invite. I might have to make another trip, when my wallet has been replenished. :)

A Socialite's Weekend...Or Not

This weekend looked good for stepping out in the social-lite, but the best laid plans...

Thursday had me hopeful after the Vita.MN poolside show. My fashion-show buddy and I were a bit shocked at the sheer number of people (we expected a more intimate setting) but we took our row two seats at the end of the runway and tried to stay away from the masses, and the girl who backstabbed me in college standing (yes, HA!, standing) less than five feet away the whole show (except for when she and her friend tried to take two front row seats that were quickly claimed by people who actually paid for them.)

I adored so many of the looks they showed, it is going to be hard to narrow it down to just a few, but here are my favorites (all pictures taken by Alex Uncapher and provided by Vita.MN):

See what I mean? Masses of people.

The cover look. Love the pink top.

Absolutely Audrey.

So socialite.

Emily Weich design. I'm heading to Cliche this week to pick it up!

Perfect summer work attire.

Loving this Max Lorbach.

The teal and navy color combination was my favorite of the night!

(Pictures by Alex Uncapher and provided by Vita.MN)

I would have loved to stay for the after-party, but with a dermatologist appointment at 8 a.m., I wanted to keep my skin as fresh and non-boozy as possible.

Friday I had planned to spend the day with my mom, but some current family drama changed my plans, and so the BF and I spent the evening shopping for Father’s Day presents and dining with friends. Another early night for an early morning of…

Car shopping. Yes, that’s right. I spent my Saturday dealing with skeezy car salesman for my BF. Another greatest girlfriend ever award goes to Minneapolite. We test drove six cars at four different dealerships, and found a few that we liked. My favorite was the Acura TL, but BF didn’t see the point of spending extra money for useless toys (see how much I have to teach him?). He didn’t buy anything, so this week I am searching online for a TL with a few less bells and whistles and a better price.

Saturday night I was hoping to convince BF the Symphony Ball was the way to go, but nu uh, we were headed to the Hennepin County Fair and the demolition derby. Socialite ranking just plummeted. Although I spent most of the evening trying to cover my face (both from being seen and the mud flying everywhere), I did enjoy the crunching sounds of cars crashing just a bit. But not much. We also had a classic romantic moment when we took our post-derby Ferris Wheel ride and the fireworks started just as we reached the top. Cue the “ahhh”s and the sappy music.

Sunday was Father’s Day, and I spent the day with BF’s family watching the Open and eating hamburgers.

So the socialite ranking this weekend was low…but I still had (some) fun. There is always next weekend.

A Socialite's Home and Life Lessons for the Week

Last week, while culminating in painful speeches at my younger brother's high school graduation, was mostly filled with the task I hate the most: moving.

Not only was it moving myself (bad enough), but it was moving BF. BF is finally growing up, and when his roommate took a job out-of-state, I finally convinced him he finally decided to live on his own. I am so proud of my all-grown-up BF, but unfortunately that left him without a moving buddy. So out of gratitude for no longer having to check the hallway before going to/from the bathroom at night, I volunteered. Because I am just that lovely.

However, an hour and a half into scrubbing the stove (no bigger than two feet by three feet), I was severely regretting my decision. Eight hours spent dusting, mopping, vacuuming, and scrubbing quickly shows you why Merry Maids is such a successful operation. Not only does Soft Scrub ruin a manicure, it also left pink blotches on my light-blue cotton tee I wore for the occasion. Ten points for me finally getting the old apartment move-out ready, minus 20 for my ruined Gap t-shirt.

After scrubbing until my hands were raw, it was time to pack. After two years of coming home late and passing out, BF had junk strewn all over the small penthouse. While a lot of it was in garbage bags due to pre-move cleaning, we still had to devote two or three "junk boxes" to various documents, receipts, movies, books, etc. Someday, I swear I will have no such thing as a "junk box."

While I didn't do any heavy lifting, I was responsible for the small boxes and miscellaneous suitcases. Four hours of walking up and down stairs was miserable, but finally done. Life lesson #2: Movers are also in business for a reason.

Currently the new apartment looks like a storage unit with boxes and suitcases strewn about the living room and the mattress still on the floor, a blanket haphazardly thrown across the top. However, now the fun part begins. Decorating.

BF, now a big boy, is ready for new furniture, wall ornaments, and other various items that go along with a well-styled home. This is one part of moving I will never hire out. While I would love to spend a few days with my account manager at Gabberts, BF's "cost-concious" attitude about his new but not permanent home leads me to IKEA. As long as he gets new bedsheets (ok, and a few other items), that's fine with me. Here are a few things I am hoping to pick up on a trip to the big blue buidling this weekend:


I know...long list. But hopefully a long list will also lead to a long list of actual purchases. I'll let you know. (All images are from IKEA.com, except for the lovely crisp bedspread, which is from Target.com.)

What about you, lovely reader? What are your favorite parts about moving to a new place? Do you also dream of one day leaving everything old in the old and re-buying everything new for the new?

I leave you with my dream come true, complete with Carolina Herrera, dogs, and fabulous lifestyle:
Photo: Douglas Friedman for Harper's Bazaar