Archive for July, 2006

the new money hit list

Published
by
threadmettle
on July 26, 2006
in accessories, must-have lists and shoes
. 3 Comments

You may have noticed my 10-day absence—I’ve been working like a mad woman! But as is sometimes the case, more work= more money. Here’s what I’m planning on buying with my new dough:

**Leopard print pointies
I’ve been dying for a pair of leopard print heels ever since I read in July’s Vogue that Rachel Roy wore them with a gingham shirtdress. See the photo below and give in to my undeniable logic: leopard print shoes are utterly fantastic when paired with another pattern.

I feel quite strongly that they must be pointy. And height? I say full on flats don’t do the trick, but too high and—call Heidi Fleiss! There’s a new designer call girl in town. The perfect middle ground is a pair of pointy leopard kitten heels by Italian shoe artist Eduardo Alessi, available at Rapax on 83rd & Madison. Go check ‘em out, but be forewarned: they’re ideal, and a little dear.

leopard print shoes
This photo is way cool, but it ain’t mine! It’s by fellow Flickr user Boston Pozivivor. Check out his pics here.

**A cuff bracelet
I have a tough time with jewelry. Unless I layer it like crazy, it just seems a little too precious. But not so with a big ol’ cuff bracelet! This one from a. cheng is outstanding, don’t you think?
a cheng cuff bracelet

**A patterned bag
How long have I been saying I needed a new bag? About as long as I’ve been putting off breaking the bank to buy one. But now I may reconsider and head straight for a patterned bag. Take this Vivienne Westwood, for example. I first saw it in a consignment shop in London in the winter, and it has haunted me ever since:

Vivienne Westwood Derby Carry
Thanks for the photo, Solis.com.

This bag’s bitchin’, but, admittedly, kind of old news. More recently, I saw a—Lord, please don’t strike me down!—Hervé Chapelier Paris tote in a black and white check. Adorable, but alas, I have no pictures. You’re just going to have to trust me on it.

thank Nieves Lavi!

Published
by
threadmettle
on July 24, 2006
in sample sale shopping
. 6 Comments

Those of you who know me well know that I am a list-keeper. I list things I’d like to do, books to read, and of course, designers whose names I’d like to see in my closet. Occupying a place towards the top of that list is Nieves Lavi.

nieves lavi cami

(Photo from Net-a-Porter.com)

So lively, bold, playful! I’ve said before how much I love this line, but for some reason, I’ve never scooped anything up. That’s all about to change– there’s a Nieves Lavi sample sale coming up! The email read, “Nothing fancy, just down and dirty shopping.” I’ll let you know what I think of it. But you can bet I’ll be there.

When: Thursday, July 27th
Time: 3pm to 7pm (doors close at 7 sharp!)
Where: 458 West 22nd Street (between 9th and 10th Aves.), Apt.#1
Currency: Cash, checks & major credit cards

California shopping recap

Published
by
threadmettle
on July 7, 2006
in shoppin'
. 3 Comments

This might be of little interest to you New York shoppers, but don’t be shortsighted, my pretties: you may soon find yourselves in Cali, wondering where to amble for maximum store capacity. And at that juncture, here it’ll be:

my San Francisco and Los Angeles shopping recap.

I’m from New York, so unless some other locale is chock full of shops (of the boutique and discount variety), sample sales, flea markets, etc., I rarely find myself singing the praises of a city’s retail offerings. Besides, wouldn’t any smart municipality offer tons of great stuff for purchase to their fat wallet-toting residents?

San Francisco certainly did. Plenty of neighborhoods offered promising shopping experiences, from the mall-luxe Union Square to St. Mark’s Place-esque Haight Street. But my favorite by far was Fillmore Street.
Fillmore sign
Fillmore, from Sutter to Jackson, had the best boutiques in SF. There was Gimme Shoes, where I met Loeffler Randall, and Heidi Says, where I spotted my beloved Milly, plus indie regulars like Cynthia Vincent, and news-to-me Tapeet by Vicini. I found the perfect knit leggings at Margaret O’Leary (now there’s one in NY, too!); I delighted in a cache of Dries Van Noten at Cielo, and I stumbled upon the most beautiful bead store I’ve ever encountered, called Surprise Party:
Surprise Party! beads
Yes, SF did good by me.

And so did LA, though I didn’t even make it to Hollywood.
Abbott Kinney Boulevard in Venice is awash in sweet boutiques. I saw Matta geometric prints at Salt (Matta has a boutique on Lafayette), sneakers of all colors and configurations at Waraku, purveyors of Japanese street style. I shopped the usual suspects (Citizens of Humanity jeans, Ella Moss stripes, and yes, my Milly!) at Principessa, and Minnie T’s long skirts were unparalleled. Check out the proprietor:
LA (long skirt) style
So elegant.

Another street to drag is Main Street Santa Monica. Have you ever heard of Burning Torch by Karyn Craven? Well I hadn’t, but I discovered it at Planet Blue, on Main Street. Artisan details, I tell you.

Just a short drive down the road is the sprawling Santa Monica branch of Fred Segal, designer mini mall par excellence. Overall, it was a mash up of all the high-end boutiques and department stores I’ve ever been to, but I fell hard for the jewelry. Check out these necklaces:
Necklaces at Fred Segal
I’d tell you who they’re by, but when I asked, the salesgirl uttered the ugliest words in the retail industry: “I don’t know.”

How very un-Fred Segal.

And definitely un-New York.

there's a new shoe in town

Published
by
threadmettle
on July 1, 2006
in news and shoes
. 1 Comment

What’s more exciting than discovering a great new shoe label? This summer, two in particular have caught my eye.

Loeffler Randall

My expression turned worshipful when I first saw Loeffler Randall at Gimme Shoes on Fillmore St. in San Francisco. From color to height to last (delicate wedges), have you ever seen a more excellent boot? And I can’t resist a dainty metallic fabric flat, either—especially when it’s in pink. Sadly, they’re as dear as they are perfect—the boots weighed in at 600 smackers. I smacked myself and walked out of the store (and found the boots on eBay for $420).

Happily, not all shoes are priced to rival your rent or the cost of an international flight. This summer, aside from retro (or are they just ’80s?)-cool and ultra reasonable Dolce Vita shoes, I discovered All Black:

All Black

I’m a fool for flats—especially faux skin ones that are fairly priced! These darlings are waiting for us at Tani on 72nd between Amsterdam & Columbus.

Speaking of cheap shoes, might I suggest that we not forget Steve Madden? I haven’t bought a pair there in years, but I was tempted by their myriad ballet flats, especially those in red patent…
Steve Madden red patent flats

Clearly the cost of these won’t compete with plane travel, unless it’s the meal you bring on the flight (including a good bottle of wine).