shop, bop, and romp

I recently became acquainted with ShopBop.Com. I haven't had a chance to look around the site much, so as I wandered through it a bit today, I saw that I had options to look at different styles of clothes. I was pretty delighted to see that one of the search options is "romper." I had to take a look.

I often wonder if the romper is like the poncho, and will continually come back into style, but only to everyone's chagrin. I can say this much---I hate ponchos, but I love rompers. I love that they can be dressed up or down, can be worn with heels or flip-flops, and can be shorts or pants. They're actually pretty perfect all year-round, and, again, I really freaking love them.

The following is a list of reasons why rompers can be  are fabulous:

Posted by: Carla

It-Girl: Miss Kelly-O

I'm totally loving Kelly Osbourne these days. Alleged tax evasion aside, girlfriend has completely turned her life, and her look around. Kelly's gone through exposing her entire life on TV, attempting a music career, coming in third on Dancing With the Stars, starting and ending a pretty serious relationship, and most recently, she's become the face of Madonna's Material Girl line, and filmed a movie.

Did I mention that she also went through an incredible weight loss, gave up drugs and alcohol, and became a total fashionista? It is these last few changes that impress me most. Although I believe curvier girls can be super hot (helllloo Adele), it's great that Kelly seems to have become more confident, stylish, and above all, so darn happy.

Seriously, her smile is infectious. I love this girl. I love her clothes. People who are famous for having famous parents are not usually my favourite, but I can't help but root for Kelly. I hope she gets everything she wants. Especially if that includes even more fabulous ensembles for me to drool over.

Posted by: Carla

Lets Get Some...

So one of the my many habits whilst putting off school work is checking out Tommy Ton's fantastic street style photos on Style.Com. These photos embody some of the coolest aspects of style--breaking the rules, wearing ridiculous pieces, and being totally fearless.

The cool thing about shoes is that, since they're all the way down on your feet, you can indulge in some of the craziest styles while remaining (if you choose) a little bit more tame on top. (Really, though, opting also for a crazy-fierce bag is usually a good idea. Bonus points of it totally does NOT match your shoes.)

In this spirit, I've sifted through about a thousand current shoe styles to bring you 20 of my favourite ridiculous shoes. I've decided that 2011 is the year I should most definitely start wearing beautiful little pieces of art on my feet. Which ones are your favourites??

Posted by: Carla

It Was An Itsy Bitsy, Teeny Weeny...

In the (undisclosed) location from which I'm currently blogging, there has been a discernible weather pattern: it snows, and then the snow melts into rain, and I get to see the grass again. Then, overnight, we receive half a foot of snow again. It's been pulling this crap for about a month, and to compensate it, I've been searching out my favourite spring items.

To celebrate the fact that summer (technically) HAS to come sometime, these are some bathing suits that I think are prrrretty cool:

 First of all, bikini pieces are pretty much begging to mixed and matched. Be creative! 

I'm pretty obsessed with ruffles. They're so adorable and classic, and if you're lacking in the chest or derriere region, they add a little extra.

Another trend that's been pretty huge lately is the super sexified one-piece, which I'm pretty enthusiastic about. 

As far as bathing suits go, however, nothing really beats the classic 1940's look. 

What's really cool though, when you're out in the sun, is rocking a fabulous maxi-dress. If you feel a little exposed in a bathing suit, there is certainly nothing wrong with covering up in a great flowy dress.

Finally, my pro-tip for all of my fashionably-delicious readers: the leather-face look is never, and will never be in style (Sorry Donatella...) So, you heard it here first: wear your sunblock! If you want a tan, do it the old-fashioned chemical way, and remember that melanoma is never sexy.

Also, I know the straw fedora has been hanging around since about 2008, but Neiman's is still selling them, I'm still in love with them, and I will still be rocking one this summer.

Posted by: Carla

Next Stop, Vegas Please

My fellow blogger, Kiran, is jetting off to Vegas soon. Although she is a super fashionista with probably the best style of anyone I know, I felt it would be fun to blog about my fashion recommendations for such a trip. As Kiran rightly states "Vegas fashion is god-awful. Shiny, pleathery and tacky tacky tacky." She obviously doesn't want to end up looking like Charlotte in Atlantic City...(pink, sequinned, low cut and purchased from the gift shop.....eeww)

Thus, my recommendation for Kiran is to incorporate the excessive fashion that is Las Vegas into accents and accessories. Since no one should wear too much sparkle, I think she should try it on a bag, on some shoes, as embellishment on jackets or skirts. When wearing something glittery it should be matched with something super classy to keep the look together. Considering Kiran is a super classy gal, it shouldn't be a problem.

Match a super fierce embellished jacket with dark skinny jeans and some bad-ass heels. 

Allow a flashy bag to be the only glittery accent. The bag can be Vegas, while the rest of the outfit will be pure K-Sang. 

Rock a tight, embellished bandage dress. 

Match a baggy, white or neutral colour top with a tight, high waisted sequinned skirt. Pair it with some bright patent pumps. 

Rock a fairly neutral, yet classy outfit, like a white top tucked into a pair of skinnies with a belt, and bust out a pair of of glittery pumps. 

Posted by: Carla

Wednesday Night Musings

I will be the first to admit that I could easily make it onto PETA's shit list for my dietary habits alone. That said, I read an interesting article in Flare magazine that outlined the craftsmanship that goes into one Louis Vuitton bag. It was an interesting, yet nauseating article.

At first, I thought it was pretty cool because I often get flak from friends who complain about how expensive luxury items are. This article was handy because it outlines how much time and effort goes into making one bag, thus why it costs so much. One bag is hand crafted by an expert.

The disturbing part of the article came when I realized how many animals die in the service of creating a purse. For example "[i]t can take up to five alligator skins--to maintain consistency in colour, grain and thickness--to make one of the Fall '10 collection's Carrousel handbags..." The writer also talks about how some of the bags are made of ostrich and calfskin. A quick browse at the rest of the Fall 2010 line shows bags made also of fox fur, crocodile skin, and mink fur.

Perhaps what is most disturbing about my (ever so naive) revelation of the day was when the author nonchalantly mentioned how much of these materials are wasted. "Ostrich, for example, doesn't have a uniform texture, so much of a skin may not be used." She describes how the worker meticulously cuts and measures the skin until "the rest is set aside, likely to be discarded." The writer mentions all of these observations without a hint of remorse.

But what can I say? I'm not perfect. I eat meat. I own leather shoes. But at the same time, reading this article really made me think of how many animals are killed and then wasted in the name of fabulous purses. I don't think any bag is fabulous enough that I could feel ok with 5 dead alligators.

Solution? Buy canvas. Buy faux. I have a closet full of less than 100$ non-leather purses, and I love them all. I'm going to write a letter to the magazine. Its silly, but I'm going to do it anyway.

Posted by: Carla

From New Beginnings: Alexander McQueen Fall 2011 RTW

Alexander a McQueen, now a brand more than just a designer,  is now described as a culture,  "the juxtaposition between contrasting elements: fragility and strength, tradition and modernity, fluidity and severity." 


Sarah Burton's Fall 2011 line shows a strong departure from Lee McQueen's last few shows, while maintaining all of the masterful artistry that the line is known for. Indeed, I remain fascinated at how well the McQueen name has endured without skipping a beat. This seems to be a testament to how well McQueen worked with his team, including Burton, while remaining a great inspiration after his death. 


What's amazing about Burton's fall line is its attention to detail, its macabre whimsy and its use of textures. Without much colour her garments still invoke imagination. 


Some favourites: 

Posted by: Carla