tuesday shoeday: prada fur foldover boot

i've come to the conclusion that these boots are vital to my very existence on this planet.

momma needs a sugar daddy.

midnight special on monday: MY NECKLACE ARRIVED!!!!!

it feels so good to know we've gotten to that point in our relationship where i can just hang out in a tee shirt and no makeup. like a hallmark card only with style.

for those of you who haven't yet RUN don't WALK (virtually, of course) over to courtney williams's goregous etsy site, seventh cloud studio, and take advantage of her AWESOME CYBER MONDAY EXTENDED THRU TUESDAY PRICING!!! 

just use the coupon code "TURKEY2010" at checkout for 15% off your ENTIRE PURCHASE!!! also, don't that as a friendly fashionista reader, you're entitled to a free gift with any purchase, just use the promo code "BLOG" in the "notes to seller" section of your online order form!

i'm off to plan outfits around this gorgeous necklace. you--yes you--go shop now!

monday manifesto: sometimes fabulousity is fate

so anna is my colleague and i love her like my sister from another mister. she's smart, funny, gorgeous, silly, and everything a fashionista could ask for in a cubicle-mate. what's great about anna is that not only is she fun to work with in my *cough cough* real job, she's super into fashion too. this only slightly reduces our general productivity due to excessive amounts of communal online shopping. only slightly.

today, anna came in looking SUUUUUPER CUTE.

she is so much cuter than the giant pile of recycling under my desk. next to the space heater. obviously.

it wasn't until we'd been talking for a few minutes that she mentioned that she had unintentionally put on textured tights and a differently textured skirt, and wasn't sure about the results. to be honest, i think we have a rare and wonderful case of accidental fabulosity here. because i think they really, really work.




the tights are from new york & company, but you have to go in-store ($14.95).


i love the mixture of textured solids that's going on here. this whole breaking-all-the-rules stuff is actually being done quite intelligently by most of the designers i've seen, and even mostly by the people i've seen out and about actually doing it. as i always say, you have to know the rules to break them well, so let's keep doing it that way and avoiding any fashion faux pas.

significant sunday: the end of an era

i believe your decor and home say as much about you as your wardrobe. what gets interesting is when your decor is the artistic equivalent of having your cousin's kid's report card on your fridge; vaguely uncomfortable, raises some awkward questions, but you feel bad about taking it down.

prior to today, my poor roommate and i had been subject to a painting done by our landlord's ex-girlfriend. this was a painting of, i shit you not, a giant pink vagina.

no, seriously.

the first conversation i had with anyone coming into my apartment was "hey! how are you! welcome! yes, that's a vagina. can i hang your coat?"

still don't believe me?

i told you so. 

now, we didn't really have anything better to hang there, and we never really got around to it. finally, today, we said enough was enough. the reign of the giant pink vagina had to end. it was really saying bad things about who my roommate and i are, as people. i mean honestly. anyone who sat in the chair underneath it looked like they'd just been birthed.

so, off to the dress code, where i can just as easily find amazing housewares as i can lucky brand jeans or a vintage brahmin leather bag for $30 or less. and viola. we now rival versailles in both class and glass.

so. much. BETTER.

it's a very important day in a girl's life when a fantastic furniture find is as exciting as jeans or a purse. my membership card to the grown-ups club is totally in the mail, i can feel it.

SIGH saturday

you know when you get all dolled up to go out and it's kind of a big flop?

oh well. at least i rocked polka dots.

freaky friday: high school reunion

best thanksgiving ever. i wore these. obviously.

shoes by colin stuart for victoria's secret, picture by the friendly fashionista herself!

the bag on the left is from chico's, and it's fabulous. the bag on the right and the scarf are both from specialty shops in the outdoor shopping area of rockport, massachusetts, down on bearskin neck. it's a fantastic area to find unique, quality pieces that are one-of-a-kind and a great bargain.

happy long holiday weekend everyone! on to rounds 2, 3 and 4! :o)

thanksgiving thursday: thirsty for more seventh cloud studio?

now, typically i wouldn't be blogging on a holiday weekend, but blackout wednesday was a bit lackluster, AND i found out some awesome news to share with you!

courtney is having a blowout thanksgiving weekend/black friday/cyber monday sale at seventh cloud studio!!!! all the details are listed at the site as well, but from now until tuesday the 30th you get 15 PERCENT OFF EVERYTHING AT THE STORE! just use the coupon code TURKEY2010 at the checkout.

additionally, all friendly fashionista readers STILL get a free gift with purchase, just use the code "BLOG" in the "notes to seller" section of the checkout form.

need MORE ideas on what to buy? (i can't see how, but lucky for you, i have some anyway...)

fire and ice necklace, $45.00

the lovely and graceful neck of my darling friend and sister-of-the-designer kacie williams is, in this picture, adorned by my new obsession. this necklace is such a fantastic size and length, and the shapes and colors are beautiful and universally flattering. this piece would look just as gorgeous with jeans and a blouse as it would with the perfect LBD. the price, by the way, i cannot handle. CANNOT HANDLE. plus 15% off and a free gift? somebody had better grab this before i do! and let's just say i can prove how much i mean that...

sunset beach necklace, $135.00

this necklace is just stunning. i love how it holds its perfectly circular shape, which will flatter just about any neckline (even halter--trust me!). it would look stunning on someone with very fair or very dark skin, so if you're looking for the perfect gift for someone with either complexion--do it. or if that sounds like you, hey--with this sale going on, it's the perfect time to treat yourself to a high-quality, eye-catching piece of statement jewelry.

sea breeze earrings, $16.00

i love these earrings OH so much. they are so simple and graceful, and i love square beads; the shape is so unexpected and simple. also, the drop is the perfect length--not too much, but still stand-out. these will go with anything and can be worn by anyone (with pierced ears, that is). i love the earring hook that these have, too. personally, i find posts to be difficult to wear unless you have very delicate ears, as they get uncomfortable and sometimes don't sit quite right on the ear; however, the typical dangle earring doesn't have a back and let's face it--how many times have you realized, at the end of the night, shit! my earring! (this friendly fashionista has definitely done it way more times than she wants to admit.) this clasp-style dangle combines the best of both worlds. i pretty much only buy earrings like this now, and for the price, this gift is a really easy way to be a good thrifty gifter (i mean, does your sister REALLY need another potholder? didn't think so).

so run, don't walk, your fingers over your keyboard and grab up the good gifts at seventh cloud studio before they're gone! happy thanksgiving everybody, and thank you SO much to courtney for her generosity and general, all-around amazing talent!

monday manifesto: seventh cloud studio holiday hot list BONANZA!!!

i'm more than psyched to share with you holiday hot list number 2, and just in time for the biggest shopping weekend of the year, the time when it becomes most difficult to discern between a good bargain and a good gift.

i'm here to bring you both.

ripple necklace, $48.00

courtney d. williams, the brilliant and talented sister of one of my favorite people in the universe (kacie williams, i'm shouting out to you), has an etsy shop that is. to. die. it's called seventh cloud studio, her colors and textures are absolutely delicious, and every. single. piece. is completely one-of-a-kind. as in, this gift can never be replicated, which is just about the most perfect possible way to give a gift.

all that AND courtney is generously offering all of you a fantastic and fabulous free gift with any purchase made from now through new year's day! gaaahhhh!! who doesn't love free stuff? free handmade, gorgeous, fabulous stuff??!! just put the word "BLOG" in the "notes to seller" section, and the free gift is ALL YOURS! you know what's pretty much the more than most perfect way possible to give a gift? when you get one for yourself with it!

now you may be wondering what to do with all of this overwhelmingly awesome information. well my friends, have i ever let you down? allow me to give you a brief tour of a few spectacular pieces that, to be honest, you'd all better hurry up and beat me to buying because as i said before--they're one-of-a-kind, and when they're got, they're gone.


good as gold necklace, $59.99

 i LOVE this necklace. is everyone paying attention? everyone who may or may not be planning to buy their favorite friendly fashionista a holiday surprise? I LOVE THIS NECKLACE! first of all, the price is ridiculously good. i live near rockport, massachusetts, by all the artisans who craft necklaces that are both very similar and very less reasonably priced. sorry rockport, love you mean it, but it's not me, it's you, and i'm moving on.

loves me necklace, $78.00

now, this is really taking a lot for me to post because of how much i am obsessed with it. first of all, how gorgeous is that model? that would be my fabulous friend kacie, sister of the designer! but, i digress. the asymmetry of this piece is dead-on-trend, particularly the cluster of flowers that i love the idea of placing at a bit of an off-kilter angle (i might even exaggerate it even more than in the picture). this is statement jewelry whose statement is quite plainly "hello GORGEOUS!" simply and utterly stunning.

UPDATE!!!

unfortunately, i couldn't tear my eyes away from the loves me necklace--so instead, i tore into my wallet and bought it myself!!!!

but, don't fear--check out the amazing statement piece below!

on the fringe necklace, $139.00

this is a gorgeous waterfall statement necklace that combines the exact right proportion of beads to length of chain. grab it before someone like me comes along, again!!!!



black and tan beer bands, $22.00/6-pack

how freaking cool is this idea?

let me tell you a little story about our friendly fashionista. my twenty-first birthday, i had a bottle of corona in one hand, and another bottle that was shaped like corona in the other hand, but definitely didn't have corona in it. guess which one i took a big swig from and promptly spat the contents out all over the poor friend who happened to be closest to me at the time?

if only i'd had a black and tan beer band! plus, look how pretty! and let's be honest--those little jangly wine things are kinda cool but they also kinda remind me of ladies-who-lunch-and-annoy-me. these are just plain cool.

how great is it that we can get shopping out of the way before black friday, but still get a black friday deal? HUGE thank you to courtney for her generosity and, of course, amazing talent as a jewelry designer. keep in mind that this offer is good all the way through new year's day, but those pieces are gonna be snapped up quicker than you can say "beer band," so everybody get shopping! and don't forget--put "BLOG" in the notes to seller for your spectacular surprise gift with purchase!

saturday special: an exceptionally difficult decision

kelsi dagger rosabella or penny loves kenny victorious II?

wordless wednesday: carey mulligan

photograph by Peter Lindbergh, featured in the october 2010 issue of vogue

homegirl is flippin' fabulous. LOVE her. 



tuesday shoeday: manolo blahnik lace-up cutout boot

the things i would do to own these border on obscene. 

speaking of shameless, let me know if you have a product you think i might like to feature in upcoming holiday hotlists! sunday's was so fun, i thought i'd do several more, on different topics, as we head into the season of giving (and listing). if you have a product, suggestion, or any old thing you'd like to see here, please let me know by emailing thefriendlyfashionista@gmail.com.

something for sunday: my holiday hotlist, beauty edition

there are many stores into which it is a bad idea to send me. sephora is quite possibly the worst of them.

on saturday, during one of two amazingly fun style consultations i had scheduled, i walked into sephora, innocently thinking i could take a moment to glance at a product i'd seen in the recent catalogue that might interest my client. after five full, silent minutes of standing in front of the nars display, mouth agape, eyes glazed, i decided it would behoove us both if we made a quick exit; after purchasing a multiple orgasm, that is.

in the spirit of the holiday season, a time when it's most fun to have shimmery eyes, glowing skin, and full, red lips, a time when you never know what size your cousin's girlfriend is and beauty products are a phenomenally underrated gift idea, a time when some of you out there might be wondering just what to get for your favorite friendly fashionista, i share with you my holiday hotlist, the beauty edition. the majority of this list is luxurious but basic products on which perhaps a woman wouldn't want to splurge for herself, but are almost universally flattering and useful (with a few fun, funky, fabulously unique items sprinkled in, of course).

NARS the multiple in "orgasm"

even the fringes of the cult of beauty know about nars orgasm, the impossibly perfect blush that puts just the right flush on the cheek of just about any skin tone imaginable. this longtime favorite has won allure's best of beauty something crazy like 11 years running, and nars has turned it into just about everything imaginable - lipgloss, nail polish, illuminator - but the multiple, a creamy stick that can be used for lips, cheeks, eyes, even, ahem, other body parts, is surely the cream of the crop. i mean, they don't call it a multiple orgasm for nothin'.

lancome eclat miracle illuminator

i don't know why, but i am obsessed with this new product. lancome's eclat miracle is a beautiful illuminating serum that is so simple and luxurious to use that it is an absolute no-brainer if you're looking to pamper someone with a truly stellar beauty product. just blend a couple of tiny drops with your foundation and voila! instant glow-from-within-like-you-might-be-in-love-or-just-got-laid. if you really wanna make someone's day by way of lancome, add the l'absolu rouge lipstick in absolute rouge. it's a universally flattering red that's 100% holidays and not in the least bit ho-ho-ho.

tarte cheek stain in "flush"

this gel blush is raspberry scented, water-based, alcohol-free, has sephora's natural seal, improves your skin quality, and makes you look exactly like you just came in from the cold and would love a cup of hot cocoa. i can't really think of anything more convincing to say about it.

guerlain rouge G de guerlain jeweled compact
in gala 21 (true red)

guerlain is luxurious. the jeweled compact with built-in mirror is decadent. and the shade gala 21 is universally flattering. it is the perfect way to pamper your pucker.

and now, for the trendsetter in your life, a few ideas that are a bit more on the daring side...

stila color wheel eyeshadow palette

this holiday edition featuring a rainbow of shades for day, night, or anytime in between is a likely number one on my personal want list. this is the kind of thing that you can't much carry around with you,  but could not be more perfect for girls' nights getting ready to go out.

sephora give me some lip deluxe sampler

i. LOVE. this. idea.

i'm forever thinking i've found the PERFECT lip gloss, until i find the next one...and the next one...and the next one. with this gorgeous set, not only do you pretty much never have to buy lip gloss again for at least 6 months, you can try them all back-to-back, so you will know for sure, with recent memory in tact, which is actually, truly, perfectly perfect.

so, i have given you ideas and gifts and goals; go forth and purchase for everyone in your life who deserves a little pampering, a lot of love, and doesn't need another shopping trip because the oddly-fitting chunky sweater you bought in basic black is just not cutting the mustard.

wordless wednesday: i'm all hot and bothered...

over menswear and heavy eyebrows. i find that often i'll have a very visceral "NO" reaction to a thing, and then end up wanting to make sweet love to it later. i won't even begin to psychologize that.



i have fallen in hard and fast love with this amaaaazing sportmax wool coat, shown on the ridiculously hot emma stone in last month's instyle. can i get in there with her and take both home?

tuesday shoeday: diego dolcini for all mankind

diego dolcini is uh-mazing. his colors, his shapes, his media... i plotz.

this python cut-out shoe is available at luisaviaroma.com. shoes seen below are available via the links provided. the ayers art deco slingback is currently sold out. :o(

i couldn't pick just one.

...or two.

monday manifesto: a day late and a dollar short

well, friday turned into the weekend turned into today. but, as promised, i shall venture boldly into the world of menswear, shoulders back, brow firm, opinion strong.

just to reassure you, i was entirely raring to go on friday. even my clothing for both day and evening was menswear-inspired; for day, i wore my gray wool tapered trousers with a gray, fuschia and cranberry argyle sweater, and for night i wore high-waist, front-seamed wide leg trouser jeans (7forallmankind, on wicked sale now, natch) and a navy pinstriped vest from a three-piece suit i have (the back is entirely sheer black lace - it was stockbroker meets stripper, but in the classiest possible way). but my favorite live band was playing at my favorite bar, and somehow the blog entry got a bit waylaid.

i am here to talk about dress shirts and patterns. listen up, menfolk; i'm so very proud of you for embracing something beyond crisp white, crisp blue, and the occasional crisp butter-yellow, skin tone permitting, and i want to nurture and encourage this instinct. but there are some things that should never have happened, and for those, i must issue y'all a cease and desist.

thomas pink is a high-end retailer of men's dress shirts, and this is your basic no-brainer. his store windows are deliciously colorful like so much penny candy, and the fabrics and patterns are as gorgeous as they are varied. i'd be hard-pressed to find a failure here, as thomas pink follows all of my men's dress shirt creeds: 1. real men wear pink; 2. even more real men wear lilac; and 3. pattern in the lining of a cuff or collar is never wrong.

.



this gorgeous windowpane check shirt (windowpane checks = closet MUST) carries two of my favorite femme-y colors to see on a man, and the pattern is soft and small enough to be paired with a paisley tie (my absolute favorite accessory, and for this shirt, loving this one from the tie bar) with similar colors. additionally, it's a french cuff, and there ain't nothin' wrong with some white gold and rose quartz cufflinks.

that being said, there are ways to go oh-so-wrong:

i call this "the guido frat boy":

.

boys, don't. don't make me explain, don't argue, just don't.

and i call this "the 80's wall street yuppie prepster":

.

unless you want to pick up the women who liked this trend in the 80s (translation: elderly), don't do it. it looks like your arms have toilet paper rolls on the ends.

overall, you can't go wrong if you pick a crisp pale or neutral color with a busily patterned tie, or layer a soft pattern (windowpane check is my favorite, but a textured or embroidered twill-like fabric or gradient-stripes in pale tones are also great choices) with a sharper patterned tie. if you go all-out with the shirt pattern, keep the tie simple, but be wary of wildly patterned shirts; they're very, very difficult to pull off if you aren't joseph gordon-levitt.

i must close with one bit of eye candy for the ladies. for some reason i'm completely obsessed with this gorgeous nanette lepore sweatercoat. why $398?!?! WHY?!?!

thirsty thursday: when our cups runneth over

let me state up-front that this is an exceptionally girly blog entry, and that yes, i do plan on doing more features on menswear very soon (likely tomorrow), so please bear with me while i take a little time for a self-indulgent rant. thank you.

so, much has been said lately about the resurgence of cleavage in the haute couture world. apparently breasts are making a comeback, and i, for one, could not be happier.

photograph by patrick demarchelier

i am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a small person, in any conceivable way. i have a large, sturdy frame, broad shoulders, large... features, long limbs, and stand at a respectable 5'8 1/2". while this can make it difficult for me to wear some of the more delicate trends for slender frames, i am blessed in that my proportions are on-target and slim-hipped, and if the garment actually comes in my size (anywhere between a 10 and a 14, depending), it's likely to work the way it would on someone simply smaller.

that being said, the girls get in the way.

until recently, i'd scoffed at other breastfully-blessed women who claimed to be woefully at a loss to find acceptable undergarments. i'd always found bras that i'd loved and fit well at victoria's secret. but lately i've been craving something... more. or maybe what i really mean is something less.

last season, victoria's secret came out with a "push up without padding," lacy, ribbony corset-style bra that everyone. flipping. LOVED. it sold out quickly, and i only managed to snap up two fairly boring colors. i had hoped to jump on the holiday stock this year, assuming that they would be sure to re-run a line that seemed so successful, but i was disappointed to find this wasn't the case. and so the quest for the perfect unlined balconet began.

turns out, homegirls were right. it has been more than difficult. in fact, i've yet to find it, despite offering up hours of my time to the online shopping gods. to vent my frustration, i submit a handy list of the pros/cons of being large-busted:

.

i think this deserves a disclaimer: i am in no way asserting that this rather tongue-in-cheek list is actually gospel, nor am i knocking anyone's knockers. large, small, in-between, square, polka-dot or purple, breasts. are. AWESOME. i don't care who you are or what you like, there's just plain nothing wrong with a pair of tits of any size. now let's find some gorgeous things in which to carry 'em around.

wordless wednesday: oh, LOUIS.

this is one of the first advertisements in the november vogue. i literally plotzed. this picture doesn't do it justice; go take a look for yourselves.

tuesday shoeday: daniblack indira

frye dannikas were gorgeous--no, BEYOND gorgeous--but my big fat foot didn't fit. that particular style runs narrow, and, well, i do not.

sigh.

time for a rebound affair. though with legs like that, daniblack's indira might have what it takes to woo me long-term.

monday manifesto: i love vintage

for halloween, i was vintage.

.

...and then i bought vintage.

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almost fully recovered...the jewelry is helping.