Shopping Guides

Oh No I Didn’t: Marc Jacobs Birkenstock-Like Sandals

Oh yes I did …

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When it comes to footwear I am pretty much the polar opposite of Birkenstock sandals. I am more of a designer heels type of girl. Since I started working full-time as a stylist I had to succumb to the siren call of comfortable flat shoes. That call has lead me to some pretty great shoes too, actually … Lanvin ballet flats, Marni flats, Lanvin sneakers, a new-found appreciation for Converse, and even Toms!

However, the need for comfort hasn’t lead me anywhere close to something as dramatic as a Birkenstock sandal. Until now. I’ll tell you how it happened, its a bit more complicated than me just needing comfortable shoes.

It all began when I was shopping for one of my clients. She wanted comfortable shoes that are great for walking (in the summer). She doesn’t wear heels, not a fan of ballet flats, not into wedges either, and didn’t really want sneakers. My options were slim. I was in Barneys and I came across a pair of Marc by Marc Jacobs Pony Hair Sandals. I thought they fit the bill perfectly! Super comfortable, stylish, and versatile. Clearly not my style but they seemed perfect for her.

Tell me why, months later I was still thinking about those shoes? I was fascinated by them. I also found that I was kind of in need for them. You see, I’ve been kickin it out in nature a lot lately. Road trips to the mountains, the desert, nature trails, hiking, parks, etc.  Just call me Miss Wilderness because that’s how I’ve been spending my free time lately.

Which brings me to today. I was at Barneys to check out the latest markdowns and just happened upon the Marc sandals. They were on sale for $89!! It just so happens that I am going on a road trip and these shoes are going to be perfect for my little adventures.

Believe it or not … they actually look cool as shit too. So there. Oh yes I did!

Shopping Guides

Green Line Beauty

Yesterday I made my first ever trip to Green Line Beauty on Melrose Ave. I was running out of my skincare/ beauty essentials and I had a $100 gift certificate to use. So clearly it was my lucky day!  The store is awesome. It’s a tiny little shop next to M Cafe (where I got a delicious kale lemonade) packed full with all sorts of organic goodies. Here is what I got …

Sircuit X-Trap: Daily gentle face wash 4 oz. / $38.00 – I was running out of my Tea Tree Oil Face wash by Evan Healy that I have been using regularly for the past 6 months or so. I was hoping to find that brand at Green Line but I didn’t- so I decided to try something new. Um, I love this stuff!! I used it last night and today after yoga. It smells great, feels great, and it has Zeolite in it! I actually take Zeolite orally so finding it in a face was awesome. Zeolite is an anti-pollutant that help capture impurities so they are completely rinsed away when you wash your mug.

sircuitxtrapDevita Natural Skin Care Solar Protective Moisturizer 30 2.5 oz/ $31.99– I was also running low on sunscreen, which I can never let myself run out of. I wear sunscreen everyday!! Its a must to keep my dark spots away and to keep myself looking all fresh and young! This stuff isn’t thick or greasy, its wonderful — especially for daily use under your cosmetics.

31nxa6m02vl_aa300_Weleda Skin Food, 2.5 oz/ $19.99- I am sure I’ve written about this lotion before … its the best EVER!! This is my go-to moisturizer for my hands and feet. Nothing else works. I used this until I can’t possibly squeeze another drop out. This stuff isn’t cheap (for hand lotion) but its worth every penny.

41rma6x-9kl_aa300_Jane Iredale Eye Liner – Liquid Eye Liners $20.00– I can never have enough black eyeliner and shockingly I was running low on this too. This stuff goes on super-super smooth. The black doesn’t go on as black as I’d like, so I layer a few specs of gel liner on top. Overall I am pretty pleased with this product, my eyes look pretty fierce today.

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Fashion Randomness

My New Accidental Haircut

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I have always had a pretty rough relationship with my hair. It’s been that way ever since I was a child. I’ve been living with thick, wavy/curly, dry, and unmanageable for pretty much my entire life. Because I can’t accept my hair the way it is, I go through all sorts of things to make it different. I cut it, I dye it, and I relax it … pretty regularly. I like change when it comes to my appearance and I like to stand out a bit.  So the last time I visited the salon, I wanted something different. I got a haircut and a dye job. I had my hair cut shorter on the sides and the back and longer on the top. The top was dyed jet black and the sides/back were dyed blue. Like Marge Simpson blue. To achieve that color, my hair had to be stripped of all its color then dyed blue. The end result was pretty fierce in my opinion. I loved it!

About two weeks into this new look, possibly three weeks, my hair was getting a little crazy. It was clearly time for my every-2-month relaxer. I was worried that the blue and black dye would come out, so I went to the store and bought supplies to re-dye it after I was finished relaxing. I told a few people about my plan and no red flags were raised. I even purchased the relaxer and the dye together at the same beauty supply store and nobody batted an eye.

What occurred next was something I was not ready for at all … Let’s just say, I never got to re-dye my hair. When I went to wash my relaxer out, my hair came with it. Thankfully not all of my hair, just the sides and the back. I won’t lie — this was a tearful experience. I looked like a hot mess!!! My hair felt like a Brillo pad a twirl of cotton candy had a love child. Every time the wind blew, more hair came out. There was only one solution, to shave it off.

A very talented hair stylist friend (he works with major celebrities) came over to help (after two days of me wearing a beanie in 80 degree weather).  He saved me down. Way down. I was traumatized for the first few days but after that I just let that shit go and walked around in public with my bald self.  And you know what? Something miraculous happened …

EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHER LOVED MY HAIR! Seriously, I got an unprecedented number of compliments.  Like, 3 people a day were stopping me on street to compliment my hair. Perhaps this little hair snafu was really meant to be. So right now, I am rolling with it. In fact I just shaved down the new growth the other day.

Here is what it looks like (this is Rhianna, I don’t have an decent pics of me to share right now):

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Shopping Guides

Hot Shopping Spot: Little Bird in Aspen

I am vacationing in Colorado and for me no vacation is complete without a little shopping.  Yesterday I stopped into a high-end consignment store in Aspen called The Little Bird. My bargain shopping radar must have been set on high  because I was looking for something to eat when this store caught my eye. My hunger subsided immediately because I was in retail heaven!

This consignment store is one of the best I’ve seen. Why? Because the selection is insane and the price is right too (not dirt cheap but accurately priced for the product).  I fell in love with a couple of items and kind of wish that I didn’t exercise restraint in the store.  Lucky for me, three of the items that I loved are available on their website.

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Chanel East West Quilted Lambskin Shopper

chanel_cambon_71Chanel Cambon Quilted White & Black Tote

dsc03273Hermes Collier De Chien Black Alligator & Silver Cuff

Lauren At Work and In the News

Decorating My Stylist Studio

A few months ago, okay 8 months ago, I turned my second bedroom into a styling studio. I couldn’t be happier with the additional work space. The room gives plenty of space to create looks and to have clients over for fittings.

Right now the room is functional; it has clothing racks, a mirror, and some gridwall for displaying finished looks but that’s about it.  The room is seriously lacking in the design department. For the past 8 months I have been compiling inspiration and now I am ready to start the decorating process.

Here are some of the photos I’ve been looking at for inspiration …

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Shopping Guides

Barneys Sale! Sweet Jewelry Finds

Today marked the first day of the Barneys Spring Sale and in true shopping-addict form, I was there. Believe it or not I was there for a purpose. No I wasn’t shopping for a client (that would have been a sensible purpose). I was there to shop for jewelry (a non-sensible purpose).  The reason being is that the jewelry never seems to makes it past the first markdown and I wanted first dibs. What was on my list was a pair of Fallon earrings and a Fallon ring. When I got to the jewelry counter, they had both pieces but the ring wasn’t in my size 🙁 I also had a skull necklace from Pamela Love on my list. The Pamela Love pieces weren’t on sale but I knew I had to strike before the pieces were sold out and never to be seen again.

I tired on a few other fantastic pieces of jewelry but the frugal angel on my shoulder reminded me that rent was due.  Here is what I ended up getting …

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Fallon Future Compass Hoop Earrings

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Pamela Love 16 Skull Necklace

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I’m totally in love with both pieces!! The earrings are great, especially with my new shorter than usual hair cut and the skull necklace just spoke to me … It’s got a voodoo-esque feeling that I just love for spring. Definitely going to wear that skull necklace with some of the new Dries Van Noten pieces that I got at Neimans.

And if for some freak reason this piece is still at Barneys for the next round of markdowns, I will be adding it to my collection too. It looked amazing on but the “rent is due” voice of reason kept me from purchasing. Thank you, voice.

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Annie Costello Brown Oceanus Necklace

Shopping Guides

Extreme Savings … Runway Style!

Have you all seen that show on TLC called Extreme Couponing? If you haven’t, you must because I LOVE that show!! This weekend I decided that I am that show but for fashion. Paying retail is criminal behavior to me. Why? Because I know in most cases with a little bit of patience you can get the same exact product for way, WAY cheaper (like 80-90% off cheaper).  This weekend I proved myself so right at the Neimans and Saks outlets in Orange, CA.

It was actually my lucky day because 1.) I was being taken on a shopping spree for dominating so hard at work and 2.) there were some major sales happening (extra 40-50% off the lowest marked price).  I won’t tell you exactly how much was spent (my savings was around 85%. You can do the math if you want) but I can tell you that I got around $20,000 worth of merchandise for a mere fraction of the price. I mean a MERE fraction. Here is what I got …

Lanvin:

lanvin runway dress

This dress is SO sick!! I was turning heads when I walked out of the dressing room. The back of this dress has jewels lining the exposed zipper. The best part about this buy is that I wanted this dress when I saw it at the Barney’s trunk show last year. I clearly couldn’t afford the $3,065 price tag. I won’t tell you how much I got it for but I can tell you that there was no comma in the price tag!

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I also lucked out and got the shoes that accompanied the runway look. One of the dudes that worked a Neimans grabbed these from the back. There was only one pair and it was in my size. Swoon.

lanvin trousers

These trousers are to die for! Mine are a wooly type of material and look all cutesy and newsboy like. They fit perfectly too!! I just need them hemmed. I could do the roll-up but I am thinking an ‘I Love Lucy’ cropped pant situation is in order.

Dries Van Noten:

dries van noten beaded jacket

I fell in love with this jacket!! I tried it on, loved it, left it, and turned around and went back for it. Its hard to tell from the picture buts an an amazing hand beaded jacket that weighs about 3 tons.  The original price was over $4,000 but again my final price didn’t even come close to having a comma in it.

dries leopard and floral print dress

Florals and leopards should always be friends! This is another dress that I had been stalking for months and months.  Now thanks to patience and mad skills, this baby is all mine.

dries tribal print skirt

Summertime Lauren is all about tribal prints! I got a Dries skirt almost identical to this runway version. Can’t wait to wear it with some of my new J. Crew jewelry.

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I can’t find a picture of it but I was totally having a Dries moment and found a great tribal print tee shirt from the Spring collection. Its like a combination of the images above 🙂

Stella McCartney:

stella mccartney sequin cardigan

I’ve become cardigan obsessed! I wear my Comme des Garcons cardi almost everyday and if I’m not wearing that one, I’m alternating between my Cavalli and my Cardigan brand cardi.  Now I have another one to throw in the mix! I wore this on Sunday and everyone was freaking out over it.

Givenchy:

givenchy black leggings

It’s really hard to see the detail on these but they are sick in person. So sick that I am getting them altered to fit me perfectly … they didn’t have my exact size.

Celine:

celine beaded bodysuit

I’ve never been much of a bodysuit girl but it when its this one from Celine … I am. It is amazing!! The front is completely beaded and the back is sheer. Definitely excited to create some looks around this piece.

Marni:

marni sequin skirt

The version of the skirt that I took home is obviously more skirt-like than the runway pic. The one I got is a perfectly precious pencil skirt that bubbles out slightly at the top and is covered in that sequin trimmed circle pattern. It’s the perfect statement skirt.

Chloe:

chloe chain waist skirt

This one actually came from Loehmanns but I had to throw in this post for good measure. The waistband is so hardcore and weighs like 20lbs. Definitely have to mess around with some styling ideas before I take this skirt out on the town but the price was right and it has pockets!!

Shopping Guides

Spring Shorties

I’m really not a seasons buff but I’m going to assume its still spring. I think Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer but I really prefer to keep things official …

Anyways no matter what season it is, spring or summer, shorts are a necessity. And because I am so over the cut-off shorts phenomenon I have started to build a new spring/summer shorts collection. Here is what I have acquired so far.  I am really excited to start wearing them too …

rag and bone denim jumper

Rag & Bone denim romper: I actually wore this yesterday and loved it! I paired it with a black Patricia Underwood felt hat and big blue Marc by Marc Jacobs men’s sunglasses.

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Alexander Wang satins shorts: Not quite sure how I am going to wear these thing spring but I do like them a lot. I bet the material is nice and cool in the summer too.

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J. Crew neon pink shorts: These were so funny to me so I couldn’t resist taking them home with me. I don’t know why but they also reminded me of my Mom. She would never wear these but they had a little sprinkle of Mom-ness that I couldn’t pass up.

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