More Chains On The Brain

Having caught the flu during my trip to Portland, I took it upon myself to improve my mood this week with another DIY project involving chains. In my DayQuil-induced state, I might have gone overboard with the chains and safety pins, but I'm satisfied that I've added a heavy dose of attitude to a regular old Russell hoodie.Wearing: striped tank - Richard Chai for Target, DIY chain hoodie -

Because A Girl's Gotta Shop

A quick scan of my always expanding inbox revealed two good reasons to go shopping in L.A. this weekend - sales at Vionnet Boutique (158 N. Robertson) and Choose Chinatown (441 Gin Ling Way). Gotta love a summer sale...now make me proud and go forth and shop!

Trend On The Rise - Chain Mail

Historically worn by soldiers as body armour, chain mail is quietly making a comeback in the form of chic vests, necklaces, and bracelets. Along with embellishments such as studs, grommets, spikes, zippers, buckles, and chains, chain mail evokes that don't-mess-with-me-tough-girl vibe that's been gaining strength recently. (Given my excessive collection of studded belts and shoes, that's good

New Store News

I receive dozens of press releases each day, however, this one in particular caught my eye, and if you live in the Santa Barbara/Ventura area, this might interest you as well:Eclectic buy-sell-trade clothing shop Buffalo Exchange announces the opening of its first store in Ventura County at 532 E. Main Street, Ventura, California, on August 8, 2009. Free parking is available in a garage behind

LAx to PDX

My brief absence the past few days was due to a leisurely weekend trip up to Portland, Oregon. Having been to every other major West Coast city, I figured it was time to see Portland (a.k.a. PDX) for the first time and take advantage of the fact that there is no sales tax. Somehow, the lack of sales tax makes me feel less guilty about buying high end items since my rationale is that the more I'm

In Chains

Inspired by both this post on Fabsugar and fall's tough girl motorcycle trend, I decided to make my own DIY boot chains. The project was so simple it's almost ridiculous. I used some necklace chains of various thicknesses and colors from Michael's and cut them each to a 6" length, then looped each end into a safety pin and attached them to the hem of the shoes. Fortunately, the shoes are made of

First Black Miss England Crowned

The First Black Miss England was crowned in London on Monday night. Twenty year old Rachel Christie took the crown at London’s Metropole Hilton Hotel beating out 14 other finalists. During the pageant Christie won the Helen E Cosmetic Award which guaranteed her a spot in the top 15.

Her crowning does not come without controversy however. Viewers were given a chance to call in their votes for the winner. One of the finalists, Zoey Samale received 2,013 votes. Rachel Christie only received 9. The viewer vote was not the deciding factor however and the judges ultimately picked her as the winner leaving some voters outraged.

The new Miss England is an athlete that competes in heptatathlons and specializes in the 400 meters. She is also the niece of the “most decorated” Olympic British athlete, Linford Christie and models in her part-time. Christie will compete in the Miss World Competition in South Africa later this year.

It’s nice to see that the Black beauty is being recognized worldwide. [Source]

Trend On The Rise - Photographic Florals

Nothing quite evokes the feeling of summer for me like a bold floral print. Reminiscent of the blooming flowers we see in early spring, florals are fun, feminine, and cheerful. I equate them with warm weather, long days, and lots of sunshine - hence my strong liking for them. Daydreams of lounging in a lush garden with a cup of tea, some macaroons, a handful of friends, and great conversation

My Wardrobe, Your Wardrobe

As an avid reader of fashion magazines, I've come to develop a few favorites. British Elle is one such example. It was in an older issue of the magazine that I first read about a British retail site called My-Wardrobe. After a quick browse of the site, I was hooked. The part that really caught my attention? In addition to the easy-to-navigate site, the frequently updated blog, and the selection

Worthy Wedges

Ever since I bought the Aldo "Maune" wedges that are favored by many a fashion blogger, I've been practically living in them. So far, they've been out to the movies twice, on a thrifting expedition, to a few nightclubs, and to two of my favorite restaurants. (Given the ridiculously large amount of shoes I have, that's a lot of wear for a new pair.) For me, few shoes can transition so seamlessly

The French Connection

When this floral frock by French Connection arrived on my doorstep this week via JB and Me, I was nothing short of thrilled. (You may have read about jbandme.com in the "100 Under $100" feature in the July issue of Lucky, my favorite issue to date.) I'll be the first to admit that I'm like a kid on Christmas morning when I find that a parcel has arrived. Perhaps it's the anticipation of opening

Staycation

Please excuse the infrequent postings this week, as I'll be M.I.A. while I frolick in the sun, hop aboard a boat to the Channel Islands, and enjoy other summery activities with my nephew. Today's escapades at the Santa Barbara Zoo included feeding the giraffe, listening to the lion roar, avoiding the rattlesnake exhibit, and then on to downtown so I could conquer the new multi-level Forever 21

2 L.A. Events This Weekend

What's on your schedule for the coming weekend? For L.A. readers, here are two events that are totally worth your time. For more info on these events, click here and here.

Wednesday Winner + Random Things Part 2

A few random things today...first, I'd like to announce the winner of the BB Dakota contest. The lucky winner is Heather, and I'd like to thank all of you who entered. There were some creative comments, and I look forward to doing more giveaways in the future, so if you didn't win - maybe next time!On the blog front, I'm toying with the idea of doing more random posts like this one where I write

The Aftershock Effect

My adoration for floral mini dresses this season continues with the colorful Missouri Mini Dress from British luxury brand Aftershock. I just can't seem to get enough florals, especially as we're in the midst of summer. Graphic florals, realistic florals, photographic florals...I love them all equally! The unique multi-colored halter styling on this dress is unlike anything I've seen. It shows a

Saturday Before Last

Bored with the same old scenery the weekend before the 4th, I decided to head out to Carpinteria, a small beach town just south of Santa Barbara. Little did I know what a great day I'd picked to explore the downtown area. After munching on sinfully scrumptious fruit-covered yogurt from Yo Yum Yum (my latest addiction), I strolled down Carpinteria Ave and came upon a charming flea market on

Trend On The Rise - Hitched Hemlines

images from dorothyperkins.com, allsaints.com, forever21.com, missselfridge.comAdmittedly, there are a few fashion trends that I avoid. For example, bubble hemlines have never appealed strongly to me. I do, however, appreciate a voluminous dress or skirt when done in a refreshing new way. The proliferation of hitched hemlines that I've seen lately has intrigued me and it has also helped to take

Chain Reaction

Feeling newly inspired by the DIY body harness/body chain trend that's quickly traveling through the fashion blogosphere, I got my hands on two of the Shirley drape necklaces from Forever 21, hopped aboard the DIY bandwagon, and embarked on a quick project. image from forever21.comWhile the possibilities for creating a unique body chain are endless, I finally settled on a simple style. First, I

Ship Overseas, Please

images via Dorothy PerkinsMy love for British high street retailers is no secret. They nail key fashion trends each season, have budget-friendly prices, and are months ahead of U.S. retailers on the trend cycle. So when I discovered this week that Dorothy Perkins now delivers to the U.S., I was thrilled, to say the least. I promptly browsed the affordably priced goods and picked out some of my