This Week On Fashion Me Fabulous

-- We discuss saving and splurging on some designer goods while laughing at some others.

-- How does the way staff treats you effect your view of a store?

-- becca reviews Marshall's new shoe store.

-- Nasty Gal Vintage has delightfully funky finds.

-- Mike looks into men's scarves.

-- Worst Fashions gets a bad review for taking the fun out of clothes.

-- If you're stuck in the office, you can at least dress in dreams of the ocean.

Project Design: Flower Necklaces

Project Design is our own friendly competition where we put together collection of independent designers for you to rate on your very own imaginary runway.

This week, to welcome summer, here are some flowered necklaces. Which delicate bloom will you wear?

Sunshiney Sunflower Sun Sun Sun Necklace by torque


Secret Garden by theGlassOnion


Flower Vase in the Window Necklace by BeadsInTheBelfry


Out The Window. Necklace by MiaBeads


Nature Lover's Necklace by botanicalbird


Assymertical Love Necklace by MagpieCollections

more at twiigs.com...

The Horror: Patricia of Paris

All I can think when I see this shiny green dress by Patricia of Paris is "They're after me Lucky Charms!" What is up with the styling in this photo? The rasta hat and knee socks are not making the ugly dress more attractive. Thinking that people would want more choices in their garish vinyl clothing, the dress is also available in yellow, turquoise and black. The black version is almost twice as much as the others, ringing in at a whopping $474!
Sadly, that is not the end of the horror. Kimora and Heatherette, consider yourselves on notice. Patricia of Paris is out for your tacky bedazzled crowns. I can't even describe what I'm seeing because the level of fug is killing my braincells. This space age homage to smoking is $600.
Ms. Patricia seems to have something against family pets, or else why drag them into her hot mess. A dress (and fringed bag!) of random pets sells (I hope not) for $537. The dog and cat dress is a mere $474.
Not pictured, because this "body of work" is giving me a serious headache, are offenses to zebras, neon skulls, and some tasseled monstrosity.

With all the fabulous Etsy seamstresses we've featured, I have to ask why Patricia of Paris is in production and good designers are still sweating over their Singers?

Concerning the Help

For her birthday, becca and I went shopping in Chicago. I wore lightweight wide leg black pants, a white silk ruffle front shirt, a teal tweed swing jacket, my signature dark grey beret, and uber comfy purple mary janes. becca opted for comfort over fighting her flouncy skirts in the Windy City and donned almost entirely Simply Vera. Black skinny jeans, green pintucked tee, navy cardigan, and the same purple mary janes. (If they still made them, you bet we'd post about them every week.) We looked nice and non-touristy, but we certainly didn't fit in on the Gold Coast. Still, we wanted to check the seam work and fabric quality of some of the clothing we only ever see on style.com.

The young makeup girls in Barneys gave us that up and down disapproving stare of death, which becca greeted with a huge grin. The older sales associates didn't offer to show us anything, but didn't mind that we were there. A middle aged woman running into the stock room with arms piled high with boxes of Prada and Azzedine Alaïa stopped to tell me she liked my jacket. As a whole, I wondered if Barneys trains their new employees differently.

We stopped at ikram because of their beautiful window display. The armor inspired dresses of chiffon were, literally, traffic stopping. Once in the boutique, the sales people followed us at a distance. Their crossed arms and scowls did not give the impression they were waiting to help us. After fifteen minutes of watching us discuss avant garde skirts and determining that our gasps were about the designer name not the prices (because purchasing wasn't even a thought in our heads), they started talking to us. One clerk in particular started showing us the couture ikram and no other store in America carries. We then had a nice discussion about how horribly disappointing and safe celebrity fashion choices are.

Our destination was Jake, the Midwest's only McQ retailer. The staff was laid back and friendly. One guy filled us in on McQ and a young woman told us about the fit. We had a nice talk about haute couture and saving or splurging in designer fashion. I'd certainly go back there if I had my eye on a particular piece from an up and coming designer.

What do you do when store staff mistreats you? How does the service or lack thereof affect your view of the store?

These dresses by 3.1 Phillip Lim
and Christopher Kane were even
prettier in person.

Dress Up Your Curves: Plus Size Belts

Belts are a great way to cinch the waist and accentuate curves. A curvy girl can really benefit from a flattering, structured, and well styled belt. When I decided to post about plus size belts, I was surprised to find very few fun, plus size belts. These are a very versatile accessory, but they are apparently a little hard to come by in larger sizes. I did find a few though, all under $50.


Pictured:
(Top Row)
Avenue Patent Buckle Stretch Belt $20
Avenue Double Buckle Patent Stretch Belt $22
Avenue Exotic Croc Belt $20
(Bottom Row)
IGIGI Triple Buckle Belt $45
IGIGI Buckle Belt $45
Torrid Black Woven Wide Belt $20

Cowel Neck Hoodie Dress

I love the idea of a girly hoodie. As a small, curvy woman, I need more shape so my clothes don't overwhelm my frame. Plus, who doesn't want the constant embrace of soft fabric? Venni Caprice, yet another fabulous seamstress on Etsy, makes cowl neck hoodie mini dresses in a variety of styles and prints. My favorite is this black and pink version with the tight cuffs. The pink is soft and feminine, and the wallpaper print on the black body give it extra personality. The dress can be worn with or without the reversible obi. My only desire is that it would be knee length, because monitoring the exposure potential of my lady bits is neither comfy nor cozy.

Supposed Worst Fashions

Long time Fashion Me Fabulous readers know that we like to read and review fashion books. When I saw Worst Fashions: What We Shouldn't Have Worn...But Did by Catherine Horwood on my library list, I was excited. I thought it would be a great laugh over snap crotch body suits, sagging pants, and orange spray on tans, or historical messes like Victorian corsets or eighteenth century powdered wigs. Instead, Ms. Horwood seems to cling to fashion rules of the 1940s and 50s and abhors having grown up in the 60s and 70s.

While becca and I agree with the author on paper dresses, unisex outfits, logos, fanny packs, hotpants, plastic clothes, and sweat suits worn out of the gym, Worst Fashions is primarily a cautionary tale of how too many personal fashion rules can eliminate the fun of getting dressed.

Bad fashion is something that is incredibly impractical or constantly threatens to expose your personal bits. Something is not bad fashion just because it's not your taste or made or someone with a different body than yours. Since there are exceptions to every rule, it's better to say "This item isn't for me," than to completely ban things from your wardrobe like Ms. Horwood has with many fashion staples.

Expect becca and I to be posting some rants in the next couple weeks about Worst Fashions' choices. While we certainly wouldn't want anyone to waste their time reading this book, it does contain a cautionary tale to be told.

It's a good rule of thumb to not wear living things,
like these goldfish disco platforms.

Shoe Find: Marshalls Shoe Mega Shop

Today I stopped in Marshalls new Shoe Mega Shop on my way home from work. If you aren't familiar with Marshalls, it sells off-price merchandise from designer and mid-range labels. You can find some amazing deals if you aren't concerned with buying stuff from the latest collections. I've found some amazing deals there over the years. Be warned, it takes some dedicated shopping to find the good stuff.

Now, select Marshalls stores have a Shoe Mega Shop. It's an expanded shoe section with a pretty impressive selection. Overall, I liked the shoe shop. The prices are great. While prices and brands probably vary each week and at each store, most of the shoes cost under $40, except for some of the pricier name like Ralph Lauren, Cole Hann, Jessica Simpson, Steven by Steve Madden, and some Anne Klein. The $40 and under brands are mostly Nine West, Aerosoles, Naturalizer, Soft, Born, Bandolino and Dollhouse. There are even several shoes available for under $20 such as LEI, Impo, Mudd, Union Bay and a few others. These are pretty good prices, and the clearance is even better.

However, you will find the best deals if you have a small foot. This isn't unusual, but size 6 or 6.5 will walk away with a bundle of clearance (including $40 Cole Hann sandals!) I wasn't totally disappointed with my big foot either. I found quite a few size 11's (no 10.5, but those are barely manufactured so I won't hold it against them). I'd take a few points off for most of the size 11 shoes being a bit granny, but I found a nice pair of basic pumps. Overall, I would have liked to see more wide widths and larger sizes. Those of us will larger feet (long or wide) would love more deals.


Right now the selection is mostly comfy and cute sandals and professional shoes. There were also a lot of fun, colorful shoes. I expect some great boot deals in the winter.

As with any off-price store, the selection can be hit or miss so shop often. But the prices are great and worth the hunt. Click here to find a Shoe Megashop near you.

Also, while you are there, look at the purses. They have some great prices on purses.

Buying into Nautical Clothing

If the nautical look makes you as happy as playing hookie for a day on the beach, here are some nautical inspired clothes to work into your wardrobe.
Top: red keyhole bra top, Victoria's Secret $21.99
girl's anchor chasmere cardigan, J.Crew $128
ruffle cropped cardigan, Victoria's Secret $12.99
navy with cream piping button shirt, Forever 21 $22.80
Bottom: anchor print tank, Forever 21 $7.80
white navy red stripe shorts, Abaete, Bluefly $99.99
red stripe short shorts, Forever 21 $19.90
red and tan striped tank, American Apparel $28
navy rope halter, Triton by Tufi Duek, Bluefly $180
black stripe high-waisted shorts, French Connection, Nordstrom $118
Top: navy shirtdress with red piping, Urban Outfitters $68
yellow dress with pleats and buttons, Julie Haus "Boardwalk", Kitson $325
belted red white navy dress, L.A.M.B., Saks Fifth Avenue $285
yellow stripe tee dress, Urban Outfitters $38
red and yellow color block dress, AKA New York, Shopbop $140.40
Bottom: cream navy and gold stripe dress, Forever 21 $22.80
yellow and navy color block dress, Marc by Marc Jacobs "Indigo", Nordstrom $201.90
navy shift with white trim, Neiman Marcus $65
vertical navy stripe dress, Julie Haus "Maddox", Revolve Clothing $220 (sold out, but it's coming back)

You may also be interested in Summer Sailor Pants, Light Denim for Spring 2008, Pasty Me Needs a Big Hat.

Save or Splurge: Designer Deals

I love designer clothing. I especially love the quality, construction and amazing attention to detail. Clothing like this seems like both a treat and an investment. I would love a great piece of designer clothing, but it falls way outside of my budget. This means I'm left to stumble upon a designer deal.

However, even designer super deals are well over $100 at best. My wallet still doesn't like to stretch that far unless it's stretching for a perfect classic piece. For the most part, designer deals are a splurge. If I find the perfect little black dress, a great shoe, or the best fitting pants in the world I will spend the money. But if it isn't a piece that will expand my wardrobe, I'm not will to pay for a designer piece just for the sake of having designer clothing.

I think this is the mistake most people make when they find a great price on a trendy designer piece. They buy it, not thinking about how they will work it into their wardrobe or if it is really the quality they are paying for. Most designer deals are found on things people didn't buy, and there may be a reason no one bought it. You could be lucky with a unique size, sense of style or just being in the right place at the right time. However, you could also end up buying the ill fitting dress with the trendy print you'll hate next year.

Jael Paris posted some great designer deals to build your wardrobe last week, some of them are still available.

Pictured:
McQ Crepe Cowl Dress, Was $253, Now $126

Nasty Gal Vintage on Ebay

I've been watching Nasty Gal Vintage for a while, eagerly awaiting the opening of their online store. Months and months have gone by, so they must be sticking with Ebay. It makes sense, because whatever they're doing for advertising is working. Auctions usually start at an affordable $9.99, but many have skyrocketed at the end date draw close. This teal batwing cape coat has me drooling, but it's been bid up to over $300 with a few hours left in the auction.
There's plenty that's still in the affordable range. This silver drapey 1980s cocktail dress is endlessly sexy and currently under $25. I've also gone crazy for this coral chiffon cape dress that's still under $50. (I completely blame Style Bubble for my interest in this dress because she makes such things work.)

These lovely items were just listed. This military inspired halter dress fits perfectly with summer's perennial nautical look. For you mod loves, check out this 1960s psychedelic print ruffled mini dress.

Nasty Gal Vintage stocks clothing from many decades, but they all look timelessly funky. If you're a little offbeat, this is a store to bookmark.

Spring Salvations Con't

Despite the gloom and doom prophesied in my last article concerning menswear , I promised three sartorial 'messiahs' to cheer the bleak face of guy's clothing for the spring months... and hook, crook or something else that rhymes with "ook" we're going to finally get to them... one at a time.

Although the scarf has enjoyed a resurgence, as noted months ago as the freezing and bitter touch of winter last drove us indoors, most men pack them back in their closets come the first hint of warm weather; now though, thanks to an oft ignored segment of the fashion industry, neck wear has become spring and summer chic once again.

Rising both out of the long history of European style, and a 'bandito' bandanna fling in of all things the skater "punk" scene, scarves are all over the place for guys, and in styles that even 5 years ago would have been considered too over the top.

While the youth stores pandering to the kids (such as the Canadian retail giant West 49 and their Quebecois subsidiary D-Tox) sell simple pre-tied (and in some cases, knitted) bandannas, they share a common aesthetic shift to Middle Eastern design patterns with the more upscale boutiques and chains. Varying in price and quality, these scarves are virtually unrecognizable from each other, providing guys with a "youthful", and more importantly, accessibly cheap way of looking amazing as spring blooms.

Top image from D-Tox featuring pre-tied bandanna $15
Bottom image from Le Chateau fine knit scarf, similar pattern $50

Craftiness on the Web

-- D.I.Y. Naturally shows us how to whiten our teeth without chemicals.

-- Style Bubble had a great experience buying a handmade garment through Etsy.

-- Loving ruffles? Thread Banger made a ruffle vest.

-- Flying Saucer made her own version of the spiked Louboutins from Rodarte's FW 08 show.

-- Have some tired old tees? Justina B. knows how to rework them.

Prada's Flower Heel Mary Janes

While shopping in Chicago with becca, we stepped into Barney's to ogle the things we would never be able to afford but have been looking at since the Spring Summer shows in September. The shoes called to us, and none so loudly as Prada's flower heeled mary janes. They are even prettier in person. The colors are bright and perfectly matched, and that heel is an artistic endevor. My size was on display, so I thought I'd see if they fit like a $900 pair of shoes.
Shame on you, Prada. Shame. How did you manage to make these shoes fit so strangely? My toes barely poked out, so I looked toeless. There wasn't really room for my pinky toe because the band was squeezing so tight. I would think the shoes were narrows as designer shoes tend to be, but the heel was so wide my foot couldn't possibly stay in it. If I can't even wear them, how can anyone walk in them?

Those $600 Louboutins are looking better and better.

Get What You Pay For?

This pink and orange diamond pattern maxi dress by Issac Mizrahi is actually quite pretty. I like the simple shape and bold colors. I can image a willowy girl with mocha skin attracting every eye in the room in it. Net-a-Porter doesn't say what it's made of, but my guess is silk. What makes this dress a horror is the $4,555* price tag.

I'm pretty sure that people who buy ready-to-wear designer clothes pay little attention to price, and as Oustapop commented on that hideous Marc Jacobs dress, if designers can fool someone into paying such an outlandish price, the problem lays with the shopper. Still, if I were to spend thousands of dollars on one piece of clothing, I'd go for something with fine tailoring and so much detail Forever 21 would never be able to knock it off. For example, the pleat work on this two piece Zac Posen grapevine dress is sheer art. Matthew Williamson is also selling a maxi dress, but his is hand painted. Or I could buy this bold butterfly print dress by Alexander McQueen, who I dearly love. All three of these dresses are at least $1000 cheaper than the Issac Mizrahi.
That concludes today's bout of fantasy shopping! What would you buy with your imaginary $4,555?

*Since writing this a few days ago, some of the prices have dropped, but none as much as the Isaac Mizhari dress. It appears the shopping masses agree with me.

This Week On Fashion Me Fabulous

-- End the nightmare of buying jeans.

-- becca is repulsed by jumpsuits, while Jael_Paris is up in the air.

-- Net-a-Porter has some sweet buys.

-- Find out why we're skipping the biggest fashion film of the year.

-- Get ruffles from the chain stores. Get ruffles from Etsy.

-- Try out nautical fashion for summer.

-- becca ponders what price to pay for a summer bag, but she's fallen for these indie purses.



And tomorrow is becca's 23rd birthday. Dear, I have a serious lack of pictures of you where you're not exhausted from running a newspaper, editing a literary journal, enduring food poisoning while lost on Michigan backroads, directing a play, writing a thesis, or making food for a small army. This weekend, I will take an embarrassing amount of pictures of you shopping in Chicago. Happy birthday!

Project Design: Ruffled Tops

Project Design is our own friendly competition where we put together collection of independent designers for you to rate on your very own imaginary runway.

Earlier this week, Jael Paris posted about buying into ruffles. Etsy sellers have some amazing ruffled pieces, which ruffle top would buy?

Victorian Ruffle Dusty Mint Cowl Tank by SUMOMOSUKI


FROU FROU by Rose La Biche


50s style bombshell halter by Darhling


Bastion Top by desirapesta


Flared top by cocoirene


Dancehall dress by neneee

more at twiigs.com...

Summer Nautical

Some fashionistas call nautical a trend, but since it pops up every summer, I'd say it's a staple. Nautical style comes from traditional sailing themes like stripes, wide leg sailor pants, rope, anchors, shells, etc. The color scheme is based around signal flags. While red, blue and white are the colors most commonly associated with this look, yellow and black are other acceptable colors.

I've read several complaints about the nautical look on other blogs the past few weeks, calling it costumey, but there are ways to avoid that. If you don't want to look like a yacht owner, opt for color block instead of stripes, throw yellow in the mix, or just keep the nautical elements to your accessories.

Maybe it's the Great Lakes influence, but the idea of a costumey sailor look doesn't bother me. I see it as an opportunity to play with flattering prints and colors.

What do you think of the nautical look?

Find the Perfect Jeans

Zafu.com helps you find the perfect jeans and a variety of price ranges. Zafu also has a plus size jeans finder. Pants are my hardest fit, and the quest for the perfect pair of jeans has been a life long journey so far. I've decided to turn to Zafu for help.

Tonight I had a plus size friend test Zafu. It came up with several workable-looking options and many of them were actually only about $20 to $30. However, I tested the dress pant finder and it only found one pair of $80 pants that I know do not fit because I've tried them on. The jeans finder did work a lot better though.

So, before you head out for your next jeans shopping adventure, start at Zafu for some tips (but leave the dress pants to experimentation).

The Importance of Pattern

The gold butterfly inspired trim on this camisole gives the navy ethnic pattern a slight art nouveau look. But in metallic purple with the watercolor floral print, it just feels like something your Aunt May might pick up at a flea market. The "quasar" cami is available in these prints and one more from Urban Outfitters for $38.

Sitting Out on 2008's Biggest Fashion Film

The Sex and the City movie is premiering next week. Judging from the amount of press it's gotten from the fashion blogs, everyone with even a mild interest in fashion is supposed to care. Yet I don't. I've never had cable, and never seen the show. Since the lives of the rich and fabulous don't interest me, SATC doesn't even merit a spot on my Netflix queue.

Cute but not revolutionary.

I missed the Carrie Bradshaw fashion icon boat. On the one hand, I can see how the clothes were shockingly different from the grunge and faux goth attire of the 1990s. I can also appreciate a strange mash of styles and contrasting looks. Piles of pearls with a tee is alright by me. Heels and jeans are a particular favorite, and don't get me started on my deep love of big brooches. Unfortunately what I see women emulate the most is spending a months rent on a Fendi baguette or Manolo Blahnik stilettos, as if the designer name will bring a fabulous life or exquisite sense of style. Fashion has always been about art and expression for me, so I can't relate to clothing as status. I may love the Fendi B bag, but that has more to do with my buckle and patent obsessions than the desire to have other women know what I spent on my purse. (No, I don't have a B. Maybe when the price drops down to $200.)

Accessories are an easy way to take risks, so why don't more women try?

I especially don't understand the fascination that Sex and the City holds for women here in the Midwest where wages are generally lower, warehouses outnumber offices, and the lack of sidewalks destroys any $700 shoe purchase. (I'll withhold my thoughts on what it's like to love fashion in Practicalville for another post.) Plus, some of the City styles just don't translate here. I remember when Carrie was donning nameplate necklaces, and white shirts over a black bra. In middle America, we just call that trashy.

Ninety's midriffs aside, these looks don't work off the show and certainly not for the average midwestern woman.

Are you a fan of Sex and the City styles? Can you explain it to my thrifty midwestern self?