what's cookin'

my Rebecca Minkoff morning after clutch.

it was such a beautiful day.  finally some nice warm, sunny weather.

Theory romper, misc. rings, unknown necklace, Ray-Ban sunglasses, Rebecca Minkoff bag, Michael Kors watch, Cynthia Vincent for Target wedges.

love love looove these shoes.  so comfortable.  i walked around in them a good portion of the day, and never once had to complain that my feet hurt.

Cynthia Vincent for Target

i would like to thank my wonderful friend Alyssa for being compulsive enough to drive 40 minutes to the next closest Target to pick these up for me, and pair for herself of course.  i'm a lucky girl, because Cynthia Vincent's line for Target sold out immediately online, and is basically nonexistent in Target stores.

for $29.99, i can't get over how beautiful they are.  just trust me, wait until you see them on.  well done Cynthia, well done.

it takes real talent to be able to design a pair of wedges under $30 when most Cynthia Vincent shoes are $300 or more.

the magical world of fashion

loving Ulrich Schroder's interpretation of the world's leading fashion designers as Disney characters in Elle Spain's April issue.  here are a few of my favorites.

Karl Lagerfeld.

Sonia and Nathalie Rykiel.

John Galliano.

makes me want to break down and buy Chanel flats, and then walk around Magic Kingdom all day wearing them.  all the while eating Mickey Bars.

on the topic of wedges...

i found these Deena & Ozzy Colorblock wedges for $38, which are still $80 in stores.  at 3 inches, they're the perfect height, and very comfortable.  i'm loving the contrast of grey and black, the peeptoe, and the cutout detailing.

worn with Silence + Noise boyfriend blazer, Reformed dress, Floral and Polka Dot locket, Michael Kors watch, and Banana Republic clutch.

high heels, hard times

according to a recent CNN article, heels tend to get higher during economic recessions.  "we have entered a moment of heightened impracticality in footwear," Elizabeth Semmelhack, author of  "Heights of Fashion: A History of the Elevated Shoe," said.  so this must be why my recent shoe searches yield results of 4 1/2 inch heels.

while some are spraining ankles, suffering blisters, or complaining of foot cramps from torturous footwear, i'm experiencing a whole different type of discomfort.  mental discomfort.  i'm 5'7", and when i put on 4"+ heels, i tower over most people, men included, whenever i go out.  being one of the tallest people in a room makes me feel very uncomfortable.

nonetheless, i love my heels.  and will continue to endure the pain.  just as most women do.  here are some killer wedges that i'm dying for.

Cynthia Vincent, Daryl.  4 1/2" wedge, 1/2" platform.

Pour La Victoire, Tula.  4" heel, 3/4" platform.

Elizabeth & James, Swoon Woven Wedge Booties.  3 3/4" heel.

girl in the blue scarf

if you have read any of the Shopaholic books, then you know the impact a silk scarf can have in a girl's life.  it changes everything.  which is why i had to purchase this Christian Lacroix one.  i told myself i would wear it everyday, that it would light up my face, that everywhere i went, people would refer to me as the girl in the blue scarf.  alright, i exaggerate, but you see where i'm going with this... i needed this scarf.

my first Gilt purchase.  Christian Lacroix silk scarf, ailes de papillon.

in 1978, Hermes hired Lacroix as a color scheme and hands-on design assistant.  the colors used in this particular scarf are beautiful.  it's mostly composed of shades of blue, but one corner of the scarf has a wave of gold and magenta.  the movement and colors of the design remind me of the northern lights.  Lacroix then went on to work with Jean Patou's fashion house, and later Emilio Pucci.  he has since created his own collections.

Peach Valley for lunch.  Dior sunglasses, American Apparel tank and skirt, Christian Lacroix scarf, Rebecca Minkoff bag, Michael Kors watch, and Tory Burch flats.

back to life...

...back to reality.

i'm back in the States from an amazing time in Costa Rica.  however, the week ahead of me unfortunately entails two papers and a microeconomics exam.  the papers, i can handle.  the exam is a different story.  see, me and economics, well... we don't get along too well.

to hold you over, here are a couple pictures of me in my gypsy 05 dress.





i'm also carrying my rebecca minkoff morning after clutch.  i was convinced i wouldn't be able to travel safely without a cross body bag, and i've been wanting a rebecca minkoff for some time now.  i've been secretly coveting my friend alyssa's neon yellow MAC for some time now, so getting one to ensure that my personal belongings would be safe (in a beautiful bag) seemed like the perfect excuse.

i love how the bag looks with certain outfits when you shorten the chain by looping it through where it usually hooks, and instead hooking it by the leather shoulder strap.

i'll post more on the details of my trip once my week dies down... that is if i make it through my exam aliiive.

hola Costa Rica

and the verdict is...



essie canyon coral.  i decided that i'm going to save the orange for the summer.  i have found the best top coat ever: seche vite dry fast top coat.  honestly, my nails remain unchipped and shiny for over a week.  this stuff is good.



i spent this evening packing for my trip to Costa Rica!  i pick up my friend Tara who is flying in from Buffalo to Orlando tomorrow.  our flight leaves 6 a.m. saturday, and we're meeting up with six other girls.  the eight of us are first stopping at my friend's uncle's casino for lunch in San Jose, and then were making our way to Jaco Beach for eight days.  the only other country i've been to is Canada, so i'm pretty excited to put my passport to use.  of course, i desperately needed a passport case, and thankfully my mom found this one for me.  the lime green is so cute, and the inside is cotton candy blue!



the first thing i thought when i knew i was going on this tropical vacation was that i needed a maxi dress.  it took several weeks to find the perfect one, but i finally found it.  i've wanted a gypsy 05 maxi for some time now, but have been nervous to order online not knowing how the sizes run and how the dye job looks in real life.  lucky me.  i found one at indigo here in Gainesville... on sale!  this baby was originally $146.00 and i got it for $60!  i love it.



the length is so perfect.  it drags.  that might urk a lot of you.  but in my opinion, there's nothing worse than a short maxi dress.  a maxi dress that falls at the ankles just cuts you off too soon.  the longer the length, the more lanky you look.  woo for that.







the back on this is just perfect.  it's very revealing which is a nice contrast to how much the length covers up.  i'll show you better pictures of the dress from when i wear it on my trip.

well, i've got my fedora ready for when i step off the plane.  i plan on eating a lot of guacamole (among other things), reading My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler, drinking fruity drinks, and zip lining through the jungle.  time to finish updating my iPod.  adios Gainesville!