{ new bags }

i've been on a bag-buying-bender recently!! these four are my favorite new acquisitions: your classic chanel 2.55, a vintage gold-hardware ferragamo that i'll wear till i rot, that giraffe-applique-pattern charles jourdan clutch that does day-to-night double duty, and this red-froth box with beaded bow that was generously gifted to me by my pals at lena erziak. that one's obviously got #fashionweek written all over it.

{ so much } cool stuff

{ from top: minkpink sunnies, watercolor playing cards, 'celine' skateboard decks, lana del rey (yes, i'm as obsessed with her as you are), halloween-ready sugar cubes, christopher kane clutch, street art that reminds me so much of THIS POST, chanel backpack, the kooples f/w 2011, ysl duffle }

there is just SO MUCH COOL STUFF out there. it's no wonder shopping is so much fun! speaking of, i'm having a little sale of my own, clearing space for new jewels. check it out if you like.
{ above images via THE FANCY // similar lust list HERE }

{ the fancy }

{ pentax camera, chanel clutch, new york times newsprint-scented candle, alexander mcqueen card case, iwona ludyga ring, ny + la tables, emerson made jacket, arne jacobsen chair // all via the fancy }

having a birthday (like i did yesterday) means you get at least a month's week's worth of acceptable excuses to senselessly shop for yourself. which further means, this is the is the wrong time for me to get into the fancy ~ a highly-dangerous site for aesthetically-obsessed online lurkers like myself.

also bolstering my desire to buy stuff? watching american pickers on netflix! are you into it too?

{ westward bound }

you've probably noticed me griping about the weather lately; it's been an especially long winter in new york. luckily, i have a quick trip to california booked for next month, and i'm looking at the planning of it as an opportunity to invest in a few accessory updates, which will help carry my existing wardrobe into the impending spring. usually i (irritatingly) wait till september to find the perfect pair of flat sandals ~ but this year i'm happily embracing a more proactive approach. here are a few things i'm currently stalking online ~ in fact, several of the sandals and sunnies are already on order:

{ above: karen walker 'number one' sunnies ($180), loeffler randall 'ondine' sandal ($325), j.crew 'silvana' sandal ($98) }

{ above: sam edelman 'gigi' sandal ($60), karen walker 'the village' sunnies ($210) }


{ above: house of harlow 'chelsea' sunnies ($138), michael kors 'zen' sandal ($150), cydwoq 'heli' sandal }

{ careful what you wish for }

oh YEAH. i got em.
{ thanks to an eagle-eyed reader & ebay!! }

beso besotted { a glamourai giveaway }

{ above: rochas pump, timmy woods carved minaudiere, modcloth shoe clips }

i totally did it: i bought myself those captivating, cougar-tastic casadei boots for my birthday (okay, maybe i picked up the other prezzies too). but don't think i'm done shopping for spotted stuff! i'm completely besotted!! this year, i know i need a be-speckled bag, blouse, bootie, and bonnet...

{ above: tory burch + miu miu boots // below: yves saint laurent + stuart weitzman boots }

i feel like i could do a trend report on leopard print every single season*, and it would continually be prescient. this motif is forever "back in style." still, it seems to be more relevant than ever this fall ~ especially where accessories are concerned. like i need any more encouragement to stock up on my favorite print!

*oops, i think i HAVE.

{ above: topshop bag, giuseppe zanotti boot }

enter BESO. perhaps you've heard of this super search engine? i for one am among the newly initiated ~ and completely infatuated. beso allows you to browse (what seems like) every store on the internet at once, in pursuit of whatever is currently captivating your imagination ~ be it silky caftans, olive anoraks ~ or leopard accessories. how do you think i discovered that i need most of the gear pictured here?!? it enables you to convince yourself that you're "saving tons of time" while deep into your fourth hour of trolling through new boots and bags. or maybe that's just me?

maybe not! with fashion week (or a new school year) looming, we could all use a frippery refresh. that's why beso and i have teamed up to provide one of you with a pre-fashion week treat, in the form of a $500 gift certificate to the store of your choice!

{ above: coach + valentino bags, rebecca minkoff clutch }

here's how it works: [1] hop over to beso now to find that special something you'd love to wear to the shows next week. [2] pop back over here and paste the beso link to your selection in the comments section of this post. [3] sign your comment with a google ID or email address, so we can reach you if (when!!!) you win [4] next wednesday, september 8th (the first day of fashion week!), i'll randomly select one lucky winner for the $500 prize. bonne chance!!

{ only one entry per person, please. multiple entries will be deleted. }
*** UPDATE 09.08.10: this contest is now closed. thank you so much to everyone who entered!!! and congratulations to JEANY, who won!! ***

{ joos-y couture }

did everyone catch this feature last week on nowness.com? i can't believe i'm just now getting around to blogging about it!
casting director natalie joos (whose incredibly addictive blog i'm subsequently hooked on) took model aurelie claudel and photographer martien mulder to brimfield flea market (one of my personal favorite places!!), where they skipped around for two days ~ shopping, playing dress-up and making photos. sounds (and looks) like a dream!



{ images pulled from HERE and HERE }

for more info on this thrice-yearly flea ~ and how to survive it in style ~ check out this post. see you all there in september?!?

{ brimmy market }

to follow-up last week's flea market survival guide, here's a peak back at my recent brimfield adventures with the beckerman girls (who i became fast friends with after first falling hard for their blog!). it's no accident that we're all grinning from ear-to-ear in nearly every picture ~ we had a gloriously good time! together, we always do.

{ flea market mavens } a complete survival guide

i spent three days of the last week in brimfield, massachusetts, flea marketing with my friends the beckerman girls (below, from left to right: sam, cailli & chloe). they'd flown cross-country from LA, while i drove four hours from NYC for the occasion. obviously, this is an activity we all take pretty seriously ~ albeit one that we consider serious fun!

we've each been hitting the fleas since we were kids, and thus understood certain basic rules of the ritual, like never wear anything 'fancy' (it hurts your hopes of haggling down prices), bring as much cash as you can afford, and make sure your cell phone is fully charged beforehand, in case you get separated from your pack. if you're shopping for clothes (we always are!), wear layers that can come off easily without risking indecency; there will be no changing rooms.

when discussing prices with a vendor, never ask 'will you take X for this?' instead, ask 'what's your best price?' often, they'll quote something lower than what you would've requested. and if you see something you love, buy it right away! it could be gone in an instant (especially if someone else saw you swooning over it).

beyond that, we agreed that there are a few things we wouldn't want to brave the fields without:

1. though we had rain the last day of our trip (when the top picture was taken), the days before demanded wide-brimmed hats to stay cool. remember you'll be outside for hours! 2. most markets are held in muddy cow pastures ~ wellies are the best way to keep your feet clean. just make sure to add in super-cushy insoles; they're always worth the extra 30 bucks! 3. all markets have dining tents, but if you want an option besides fried food or meat-on-a-stick, better bring your own. i always stash a granola bar in my bag; lollipops are also a good pick-me-up when the blood sugar starts to drop. 4. wet wipes! after digging through bins of rusted metals to find that perfect vintage piece, these babies will be your best friends. 5. measuring tape, to make sure that frame/table/rug will be the right size when you get it home. 6. a collapsible wheeled cart is essential if you're shopping for anything large, fragile, and/or heavy ~ particularly home goods. just be sure to observe market etiquette and leave it outside each tent as you go in for a peek. 7. a reusable water bottle and 8. sunscreen are absolutely de rigueur! 9. it only takes one trip to the port-o-potty to scare you into never forgetting hand sanitizer again. 10. a big bag to stash your survival kit & small-sized finds. i like this one because it can be carried as a tote, or converted into a backpack as the weight of your load grows. plus, it's made from repurposed materials ~ and after all, what is flea-marketing if not just glorified recycling?!

finally ~ and most importantly ~ arrive with an awesome attitude! not only will you have a better time, but vendors will be much more apt to give you a good deal if you give them a smile and some sincere respect. as with anything in life, if you choose to make it fun, it will be!!

PS: if you live in the US, click here or here to find flea markets in your state. neither is a completely comprehensive list, but they'll give you a great start!