Obsessed with...

... Frye Engineer Boots 12r www.zappos.com. In black. So cool. Don't ya think? Hello, husband! This is a giant bloggin' hint for ya.

I looove these boots for their cool factor. I think they'll add an edge to any outfit, but I'm kinda liking the idea of wearing them with dresses and tights. Obviously my leather moto jacket will have to sit one out when wearing these because the effect would be way too costumey. Of course these would be great with black skinny jeans and whatever else. They have a whatever kind of a vibe about them, don't you think?

For those of you who don't love the idea of a mid-calf boot (they can be slightly less than flattering), look no further than the Engineer 15r. These are slightly higher. Or...you could go lower and do the 8r. Both very cool options.

I, myself, am still a big fan of the 12r.

Now if I were to, say, get these boots for a gift...I'd be a happy girl!

I missed you!

Did you miss me?

Shu Amore

I'm typically a nudist...when it comes to lip color, that is. I've been looking for, oh I don't know, 24 years to find that perfect natural-but-better lip gloss/stick/pencil/balm/whatever and I have quite the arsenal of contenders.

I've never gone over to the dark side. That is, of course, until yesterday. After weeks of being bombarded by images of vamp-y, purple-y lips (Who What Wear www.whowhatwear.com did a particularly convincing article recently) I decided to take a walk on the wild side and try a dark lip.

And so fate (or habit) led me to Barneys www.barneys.com and I traipsed on over to the Shu Uemura counter and got lucky...er, so to speak. My lovely readers, I'd like to present to you Gloss Unlimited, color pr 059n www.shuuemura-usa.com. OK, so maybe the color name is slightly clinical sounding, but the color is fab. It's a dark and moody purple, but not Halloween purple. So fresh...and I think... so chic with an otherwise bare (meaning mascara only) face and hair pulled back.

Painting the Roses (Valentino) Red

Let's take a break from the shop talk for a moment and discuss Valentino the Last Emperor. So I watched it last night and loved it. Now, I know, this was not a significant part of the film (or is it...) but like a scene out of Alice in Wonderland I could not stop laughing when Mr. Valentino had the less than perfect patches of grass spray painted green. Like the Queen of Hearts before him, this was a testament to an eye for perfection. It's the details...the amazing hand crafted details...that make a Valentino couture gown a piece of art.

One nation...

I pledge allegiance to...this t-shirt...

Just call me Goldilocks. In my quest for the perfect t-shirt, I have come across many that are too (something) or not quite (something) enough. Never have I found one that was just right...until I came across this Easy Scoop Neck Slub Jersey Tee by Nation Ltd. www.intermixonline.com.

This was so perfect that the logical thing to do was buy four. I started out with one, but I loved it so much I wore it 2 days in a row (gross) and I had to have more. Four seemed like the right amount (and it was all Intermix had left). This was months ago and I continue to wear this tee (in white) all the time. I wore it so much that the pocket fell off of one...and it kinda made it even better. I kid you not.

It provides the perfect undone slouch when paired under jackets (and it looks especially cool under my favorite leather Moto http://harleyshops.blogspot.com/2009/08/hello-moto.html) and its amazing how it takes my favorite top (http://harleyshops.blogspot.com/2009/08/my-must-have-for-fall.html) from evening wear to day-appropriate. Love it!

Ah Choo!

Just when you thought shoes couldn't get any higher...they didn't. One of the (many) trends that came out of the S/S 10 New York fashion week was the resurgence of the flat. I'm thinking this was a reaction to the high, higher, highest trend of recent past...but I for one am thrilled. My feet hurt, OK? I always was a big supporter of the chic ballet flat, but I'm not exactly what you'd call tall so I took advantage of the crazy-tall heel craze just so that the rest of the world wouldn't literally loom over me. But now that we are all coming back down to earth, let me profess my love of the Jimmy Choo 'Witty' Flat http://www.nordstrom.com/.

They sparkle! They're happy! (The picture doesn't really do them justice. They are brighter and have glitter running through the patent leather!). I just purchased these shoes last week and I wore them every day since. The key is to pretend they are neutral (which they kinda are...) and go from there. Obviously they punch up basic black, white and grey (my uniform of sorts), and they look insane with jeans, but I particularly loved them paired with a Kelly green top.

So tell me, my lovely readers, are you happy that flats are back?

AsymmeTry

For those of you who follow my blog or know me (even if you only kinda know me...or met me once. Briefly.) you know that I LOVE Barneys http://www.barneys.com/. I was out shopping with my hubby today and as we were walking in, I asked him "How can someone not love it here? Even you...the guy who hates shopping... LOVES Barneys." OK so maybe he isn't quite as enthusiastic about it as I am, but the boy likes it and that's saying something, trust me.

So I was perusing the racks and I came across this cute asymmetrical T by Alexander Wang top and even though I've seen it before (Did I mention I am an avid Barneys shopper?) and overlooked it, I decided to try it on. LOVE. I was definitely wearing the right clothes to try it on with (black skinny J Brands http://www.jbrandjeans.com/ and leopard print Jimmy Choo flats http://www.jimmychoo.com/ ) and the whole look felt incredibly cool and easy.

This is definitely a look best suited for night and not for work (this, if you were wondering is what I wear to work http://harleyshops.blogspot.com/2009/08/workin-it.html), but all it really needs is a simple long chain necklace to add a little something and...that's it. Done. I'm ready to go.

Waxing and Wanging

Honestly? I'm on the fence. I adore Alexander Wang www.alexanderwang.com ! I mean, how can you not? He is so cute! That said, I was eagerly anticipating his Spring 2010 RTW show and I was both disappointed and blown away. OK, now...don't hate me. Hear me out!

The second half of the show was perfection. Give me black and white and I'm a happy gal. This bodycon white dress is definitely going to find it's way into my closet this spring. I'll be waiting (im)patiently at Barney's www.barneys.com for its arrival. I love the sexy cut-outs and the fact that it's revealing yet...not. It's perfection.

This black sparkly number reminds me very much of one of my must-have items http://harleyshops.blogspot.com/2009/08/my-must-have-for-fall.html and provided me with some inspiration of how to wear it. The skinny track pants are so chic and slightly off-putting at the same time (very Wang, I think). I will definitely try some variation of this look using my Gryphon www.intermixonline.com

So now that I have professed my love for the second half of Mr. Wang's show, I gotta say the first half didn't do it for me. This is RTW, and I am searching for a piece from this look (below)that works for me. I just can't seem to find one. I find the proportions odd and the color combo very non Wang-y.

And this look...well I just don't love my belly button SO much that I need to frame it in my dress. Forget the fact that I'm not the biggest fan of khaki (I'd be willing to risk looking preppy for Alexander Wang), I just really don't understand the cut-out. Maybe you'll hate me for this (I hope not because I looove all of you!), but I just don't like it. OK?

On a side note...I need to know where Mr. Wang gets his white t-shirts from. They seem to have become something of a uniform for him (loves it!) and it looks like the perfect white T. Any insider information for me?

merci beaucoup, jean-claude

For those of you who read my last post, you are aware that a certain creature (ahem! Jean-Claude) destroyed a darn good pair of shoes. I looked high and low for their replacement and

voilà! Here they are. After much consideration I have chosen Manolo Blahnik's Creon sandal http://www.barneys.com/. OK now. Let's get down to it, shall we? I'm never one to let something like weather or walking to get in the way of wearing a fab shoe, so even though I live in Chicago and the winters are chilly (that's putting it really really really gently), I plan on rocking these shoes all season long. I am a big fan of the tights/open toe shoe look so obviously that is going to be the best weather solution. I am a big fan of Hue tights, especially the Opaque tights http://www.barenecessities.com/ in black (I only wear black because...I just do, but I really love the choice of bold colors on other people!).

A little black dress, a pencil skirt, something kinda girly, skinny black pants...what outfit wouldn't benefit from a little Manolo enhancement?

The other, more obvious, option for my beautiful new shoes is to just go with the rock vibe and pair them with an ankle jean, sloppy t-shirt, and little leather motorcycle jacket (for which my love knows no bounds)http://harleyshops.blogspot.com/2009/08/hello-moto.html. What do you think, lovely readers? What would you rock these shoes with?

Jean-Claude Van Damn it!

Allow me to introduce you to the newest member of the family...Jean-Claude. Hello and how do you do, Claude? OK, now I love love love my animals...but I wouldn't normally write about them on my fashion blog. Dogs do not wear clothes (never! I mean, a cute collar is fine, but a sweater? No thank you!) and they should NOT be treated as accessories (rather VIP members of the family, of course!). Why then, my lovelies, am I dedicating this blog to Jean-Claude? I'll tell you...he has managed to bridge the gap between pet and fashion...DESTROYER. OF. FASHION.

Imagine my shock and horror when I discovered that Claude chose my fabulous Marc Jacobs wedges to use as his chew toy. They were perfect...so chic, so easy to walk in, they worked with almost everything! And now...they are dead. Well, I am off to search for their replacements and I'll let you know what I find. Jean-Claude is so frickin' cute I forgave him of his fashion sin and all is right with the world...if he gets hold of my Louboutins, I might not be as forgiving. I can't even think about it...

Obsessed with...

...Citizens of Humanity Avedon Slick Skinny Jeans.

These jeans are...now I don't want to sound too crazy here...my new best friend. I want to buy these jeans a drink. This pair of jeans just might be the one. I am considering leaving my husband to go off and elope with these jeans. Too much?

Well, let me say this: they passed the movie test with flying colors. What is the movie test, you ask? Well my lovely readers, the movie test is as follows...

The jeans must be comfortable enough to sit through a Harry Potter flick for the third time (don't judge me!) without losing their shape, stretching out, or digging in and leaving those oh-so-attractive marks on one's body. Let me tell you...these jeans passed with flying colors.

They are the perfect shade: dark, but not too inky. They are super stretchy. Like I could do the splits stretchy (except I can't do the splits...). The fabric is some random 44% rayon/29% cotton/25% cupro/2% polyurethane combo. I don't know what that means exactly, but it does wonders for the tush. They aren't too low in the rise, but they aren't too high. They are super skinny yet I feel like I am wearing my favorite sweat pants.

I mean...does it get any better? Simply put, they are just perfect. Go buy 'em now. You can thank me later.

Hello Moto...

I LIVE for the day that the Chicago weather gets crisp enough to break out my much beloved leather motorcycle jacket. If I'm being honest with you, my lovely readers, I sometimes wear it even if it's still bathing suit warm because I adore it oh so much.

My jacket is just the way I like it... old, old, old, perfectly beat up and worn in. The leather is soft and it's cropped in such a way that is feminine but tough and cool. I don't know what to say...I love my jacket.

While mine is one of a kind and irreplaceable (I don't even like thinking about life with out it, it's just too sad) the Doma Cropped washed-leather biker jacket (pictured left) www.net-a-porter.com/product is pretty close to perfect in my book.

How to wear it? Well, as I'm sure you know, the big thing to do all last year was to pair it with something girly to strike a cool balance. While I'm certainly not over the idea, I am over talking about it. I get it, I get it. One is tough, the other is sweet. Together you get a look that is tough and sweet...yeah yeah yeah it's fine. Right...so how to wear it? With everything! Make it a part of your style, make it a statement. Wear it every day in every way you can think. I think it looks particularly amazing with a body conscious cashmere dress and opaque black tights It's important to make sure your accessories don't compete...a leather cuff, for example, is just too costume-y. On the other hand, how great would it look with a pair of black patent ballet flats? With dark skinny pants? And the softest, slouchiest(?), comfiest(??) t-shirt you can find? Yes, Please!

Workin' it

When I grew up I decided that I wanted to sell real estate http://www.bairdwarner.com/rebecca.ravenna and be wildly successful so that I could, simply put, buy stuff. So I got my license and to celebrate the momentous occasion, I bought a Chanel wallet http://www.chanel.com/. With a fabulous partner/mentor (love you mom!!!!) by my side I began my climb up the real estate ladder and discovered that not only was I good at it, I loved it too. Now...what to wear to work? This was a challenge. No, seriously...it was! I am 23, and so I will not, nay...I flat out refuse to wear the sad post-college ill fitting business suit that all of my friends so sadly wore. Not me, no thank you! But then what to wear?

I wanted to hold on to my personal sense of style, yet I needed to be professional. I was being trusted with million dollar + homes (so fabulous!) and had to look the part. And so, I cultivated a sort of formula that goes something like this...Ahem...

Structured Jacket+slightly sexy dress +posh bag that holds everything (and I mean everything)+AMAZING shoes=totally chic yet totally me business attire. Allow me to illustrate...

Now I totally switch it up, and depending on who I'm working with and what I'm doing, I can totally get away with jeans and an amazing top or even a slouchy t-shirt with a cute jacket. I think it's best to keep my denim dark and slim so that they almost look like skinny dress pants. My absolute favorite jeans are, but of course, J Brand http://www.jbrandjeans.com/. I love their simple, clean lines and the fact that they fit perfectly. As always, I believe the right shoes and bag can elevate an otherwise casual ensemble. Something high and shiny always does the trick and even though I'm on my feel all day I'd gladly suffer through a little pain. For a pair of Louboutins, wouldn't you? They are, after all, what I work so hard for!

Blazer: Proenza Schouler http://www.net-a-porter.com/

Cashmere Dress: Rag and Bone http://www.intermixonline.com/

Bag: Mulberry http://www.mulberry.com/

Booties: Stuart Weitzman http://www.stuartweitzman.com/

Pumps: Christian Louboutin www.christianlouboutin.com/

My Must-Have for Fall

This Gryphon www.intermixonline.com top is, in a word, perfection. In two words, must have. I see myself wearing this all season long and in oh so many ways. How shall I wear you, let me count the ways...
* With an Audrey Hepburn skinny black pant and patent pumps www.christianlouboutin.com... Ooh, or with a moto style denim with a little bootie...
*OR over a long sleeved burnout t-shirt and super skinnies...
*OR!!!under my favorite leather jacket (with who cares what else...this top would even make sweatpants look amazing...not that I'm suggesting you try it!) would be divine.

My head is spinning with ideas, simply spinning!

And by the by, I am always open to suggestions. How would you style this, my lovely readers?

Happy aniversary/birthday/just because indeed!

http://www.barneys.com/

A BIG thank you to my wonderful hubby who gifted me with the oh so lovely Givenchy Nightingale in a beautiful black patent faux croc! Not only does he know that all good things come in a Barney's box, but he understands (or at least he pretends to...) why this black bag is vastly different from my many other black bags. This will surely be my go to purse for the foreseeable future. Big kiss, Paul!!!!

Very Exciting!!!

Hello my lovely readers. I have but just a small favor to ask of you...please check out this article from the Wall Street Journal. Look closely, you may spot a quote from yours truly.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204884404574362712014868686.html

Even though it is just a small part of the article, it was such a thrill to be interviewed! The lovely Katherine Rosman of the Wall Street Journal, found my blog (which, let's be honest is just the most flattering!!!) and called me for an interview. As a writer with a new blog, it just doesn't get any better to know that someone else is reading what I put out there. So thank you for all of you who support me! I'll keep writing in hopes that you all keep reading.

Balmain Envy

Let's be honest, shall we? Balmain is not in the budget at this stage in my life, which is a shame, I think. I believe that 23 is the age where one can get away with a shoulder pad that rivals that of a linebacker. While I may possess the nerve to wear such threads, the cash...a different tale my friends.

I have been obsessing over the strong shoulder for some time now and regretting ripping the massive shoulder pads out of my mom's vintage St. John jackets. But wait...there is hope for me still!

Imagine my delight when I walked into Zara www.zara.com and saw that it not only was stocked in my favorite color scheme (black, white, grey, and navy please!) but it was full of strong shoulders!

My most exciting purchase was a black sweater with...but of course!...a perfectly proportioned strong shoulder with a dusting of beading for emphasis. A close second came in the form of a boyfriend blazer with enough padding up top to give me the personal space I so desire, but not so much that my beloved hubby made a football joke (that would have gone over my head anyway) Each item was well under the $100 price point so both my inner fashionista and inner accountant (yes, I am a diverse gal) will be plenty pleased.

Ugh...now I'm thinking of the little boxy jackets that I left behind because I had strong-shoulder blinders on. A trip back to the burbs (Zara-Chicago is not slated to open until November so until then I have to make the journey) might be in my future. After all, variety is the spice of life!

Does it get cooler than this?

Um...it couldn't possibly. Love me some Giuseppe Zanotti!

Dress: Herve Leger, www.intermixonline.com
I am thinking this shoe would be the perfect compliment to the LBD...

Dress: Lela Rose, www.shopbop.com ...and the exactly right antidote to a frilly dress.

What do you think, my lovely readers? I say yes please!

what feels right for night

The sexy top/jeans combo no longer feels fresh to me. Perhaps it's because this was the standard uniform all through college and maybe, just maybe because the post college bar scene is a sea of sexy (and also not so sexy) tops and jeans as well. I. Have. Had. Enough!

What feels right to me now? I kept the silhouette the same...skinny on the bottom, a bit loose on top, and high high high heels...but switched it up a bit. Super skinny black pants, a ravaged t- shirt (my favorites are from Elizabeth and James www.shopbop.com/ElizabethandJames and Nation http://www.revolveclothing.com/ ) some unexpected jewelry (high/low combo of vintage costume and my mom's old gold chains that are all tangled up in an accidentally imperfect/perfect way) great shoes (tonight's are going to my YSL wooden platforms that I got in Paris http://www.ysl.com/ ), and my go to bag for evening.

I'd like to chat about the bag for a moment, readers, if you don't mind. I bought my Balenciaga motorcycle bag http://www.balenciaga.com/ 4 years ago and it is still my favorite. I swear, it instantly makes whatever I have on just a bit more cool. I am not a biker chick...but I long to be. I named my dog Harley after all! This bag- though oversold and if I'm being honest with myself, more than a bit over trend wise and I carry it with no sense of irony- just makes me feel good. Four years later it is perfectly beat up. It keeps getting better with age. If you took one look at it, you'd know it's been , lived in and has some stories to tell. Very biker chick if I do say so myself. I will wear this bag until it falls apart, and even then I'll probably replace it and wear it daily until it gets just right again. I love it that much.

If you are looking for a fresh take on this bag, look no further than Balenciaga's arena bracelet. It's hard to find ever since being featured in my bible, Harper's Bazaar http://www.harpersbazaar.com/, so I suggest getting on the wait list fast. Just promise me you won't wear the bracelet and bag at the same time!

lollapaloser

the back-up dress

my carefully planned out outfit

what I actually wore, which wasn't so bad, just not great

It was not easy getting dressed for Lollapalooza. I did my music fest fashion research, studying http://www.whowhatwear.com/ and http://www.themidwasteland.com/ trying to get the look exactly right. I wanted that laid back, cool girl/hipster vibe (not my usual fashion orientation, but that's another topic for another day) and I finally got it exactly right. Unfortunately it all went out the window when I stepped outside. Scorching heat and humidity drove me to dress for comfort (ugh...the worst!) and OK...I'm not being exactly truthful here. Here is what really happened...

I left the house wearing an adorable Karina Grimaldi jumper http://www.intermixonline.com/ with my Gucci fanny pack (circa Sex and the City, season 4 thank you very much!) and my signature Ray Ban gold aviators http://www.rayban.com/. I ignored the heat and decided that I would suffer through it. I picked up my Starbucks (grande black iced tea with 3 splendas, thank you!) and walked over to my parents to meet my little brother, Matt (That's him in the straw fedora!). I figured we'd be on our way. Not so much. I was greeted at the door by my father and instead of a "hello", all I got was laughter. The same response from my mother...and then I was told by Matthew that he would not be seen with me dressed like that. Though all agreed that I looked adorable under normal circumstances, (I have gotten very positive feedback from my jumper. Plus, it is the only amendment to my no shorts policy) I looked ridiculous. I was so bummed...so offended...so flustered because I literally own nothing that would have been appropriate for sitting in the grass on a 90+ degree day while drinking beer. Not my style. I don't own a single pair of shorts (again, I have a strict policy against them) and it was kind of windy for my backup outfit (yes I planned a backup outfit). What was I supposed to do? I'll tell you, darling readers.

I took a pair of scissors to leggings and made bike shorts, topped it with a grey tunic that I hadn't figured out how to wear yet (it's a bit casual for my every day taste) and threw on a cute pair of gladiator sandals. I ended up fairly happy with what I wore, and my brother deemed it appropriate and said he would sit with me.

To read more on my day at Lollapalooza, head on over to Josh Feld's, my fellow blogger, site http://feldthoughts.blogspot.com/2009/08/lolla-recap.html where he conicals our experience and my run in with a hippy chick who didn't grasp the concept of personal space.

je t'aime

It's been over a year and I still obsess over my ultimate fashion moment. That moment is, of course, my wedding. No one in the history of brides loves her wedding more than I did, and do. My dress, my shoes, my flowers, the MOH, and of course, the hubby...all fabulous!

Paul knows me so well. My engagement ring (above) was perfect. He got it exactly right. It's vintage art deco (belonged to my great grandmother's) and has a whole history behind it, which I love. To keep it from looking too sweet, I almost always wear dark polish (Lincoln Park After Dark, please!). Finding a wedding band was tricky, so I went to my favorite fashion outpost, Barney's, http://www.barneys.com/ and found a tiny diamond band that didn't exactly match but totally worked. I never leave the house without my rings.

I wore none other than the amazing Monique Lhuillier http://www.moniquelhuillier.com/ and the most glittery pair of LBs http://www.christianlouboutin.com/. They were my first Louboutins and I was really just looking for an excuse to buy an insanely expensive pair of shoes. The purchase started an unfortunate (fortunate?) desire for pricey footwear and my collection has grown exponentially. I'll do a whole shoe blog soon...don't worry!

The MOH, my incredibly chic auntie wore Riser Goodwyn http://www.risergoodwyn.com/. I mean, how cool is she? She is my shopping soul mate and we are very bad influences on eachother!

Oh, and of course then there is Paul, my husband and best friend. Despite how we look in our picture, we are not, in the least bit, a lovey-dovey couple. Paul and I are about as sarcastic as people can get with out being off-putting (though sometimes we cross that line too), but when I look at our weding pictures it makes me fall in love all over again. I am talking, of course, about my shoes.

Hi...

I started this blog as an outlet for my pent up fashion aggression. When I got married last year (more on that later) I was hit with the harsh reality of adult responsibility. My paycheck no longer went directly to Barney's www.barneys.com instead, it went toward things like my mortgage, my car payments, and groceries. Oh, and med school tuition. It just so happened that I married an adorable, handsome, funny, and brilliant wannabe doctor. This also meant that I was the only one getting a paycheck, so I had to make it count.

I had always worked in fashion and am a writer by trade, but shopgirl about town at some of the most amazing stores in Chicago, fabulous as it is, does not pay the bills quite like some other jobs. And let us not lament over the woes of a starving artist. Writing short stories was out of the question as well. And so I had to make a decision. Work in fashion, or buy it. Dear readers, I chose to sell out and make enough cash so I could shop. And while I love love love my job, I miss the every day chatter about all things fab, chic, and fashionable. And so here we are. My blog.

I'll be discussing all things fashion. What I wear, what I want to buy, my latest obsessions, amazing street style, beauty, where I shop, and so on.

Dedicated to the love of my life, Paul. And of course, Harley, for whom my blog is named for.