Risto Bimbiloski, I'm A Cosmo Girl!

Lately I've been all space cadety and dreaming of Pink Floyd-referencing, cosmic, marbley watercolors and photo prints. Sometimes they're pieces that are actually tie-dyes, but they're so not hippie-chick at all. They're intergalactic pieces that look like they're in a dark and stormy mood, a la Peter Pilotto's Fall 2009 collection and much of Risto Bimbiloski's signature celestial notes.

($99, Laeken, Revolveclothing.com)

I'm lovin' Laeken's pieces and their more of-this-earth prices.

($150, Laeken, Ssense.com)

This Laeken top is the perfect wear-anywhere, layer-with-anything piece.

($759, Tsumori Chisato, SSense.com)

Has there ever been an edifice moodier than the Eiffel Tower?

($75, Risto Bimbiloski, Opening Ceremony)

($384, Risto Bimbiloski, Assembly New York)

A LIGHTNING-PRINT boyfriend blazer = thunderclap of genius.

Now check out more from Risto Bimbiloski's blog, and listen to Metric's acoustic version of "Twilight Galaxy" and just TRY not to cry.

You're REALLY Gonna Need This Nautical Striped Blazer From LOFT

UPDATE: Check out LOFT's nautical striped blazer in all of its glory!

($98, Loft)

Last night I went to the LOFT Holiday 2010 presentation, and while I liked what they were doing with subtle updates to winter classics -- the preppy tweed skirt below with a black silk overlay -- I left with one piece on my YES PLEASE list. The nautical striped wool blazer above. Is it a Givenchy's Springl 2010 blue and white striped blazer? Who can say? But I love the idea of warm wool jacket in a theme usually associated with warmer months. (More cool Breton striped tops here at Dreamhaute.)

And check out that Karen Walker/ Coco Chanel-inspired Breton striped top with a cute floral overlay. Cute on its own or layered under a blazer or safari jacket. I'm into it!

Oh, and speaking of safari jacket, I've been meaning to pick up Loft's safari jacket for forevs. Laziness alone has been a barrier to my owning that jacket:

($79.50, LOFT)

Seriously though, put aside your Mom-jeans conception of LOFT, because they're really stepping their game up (if you're not getting a J.Crew-y vibe already.) And they LOVE a sale. I got an amazing pair of black pegleg harem pants that look like Vanessa Bruno/ Phillip Lim for like $19. They practically paid me to buy them. Point is: LOFT = LOVE

The American Retro Elvis Blazer Got All 'West Side Story On Me'

I was shopping in the always-fabulous Dear Fieldbinder when I happened upon this pin-studded beige blazer by American Retro.

($436, American Retro, Shopbop)

The record skipped and stopped, the skies parted, a fire escape descended from the ceiling and suddenly, I found myself wearing a virginal lilac nightgown and demure ballet flats, singing this:

This Vena Cava Silk Twill Blazer Is Basically A Religious Experience

($495, Vena Cava, Gargyle.com)

I'd denounce my religion for this grey silk Vena Cava blazer.

PUT YOUR PANTS ON!

($630, Smythe, Shopsheboutique.com)

Granted, this blazer IS pretty gorgeous in a Lilly Pulitzer/guilty pleasure way, BUT, WHY is this chick not wearing pants? Like, oh great! You REMEMBERED the do rag AND the lame pose, but you FORGOT TO PUT ON PANTS. You should only be not wearing pants if you're about to get into bed with me OR you're trying to sell me underwear (I've never been in the situation where someone was trying to get into bed with me AND sell me underwear... but I'm open-minded).

ALSO, why is this like the SHITTIEST PHOTO EVER? It's the crappiest, shittiest resolution in the universe. If I'm gonna drop $630 on a blazer, the least you could give me is zoom capability.

Wait, is that Sienna Miller? Yeah? Oh wait, then it all makes sense.

Ashish LUST + Sequined Boyfriend Blazers For A SONG

WHY aren't I wearing this one-shoulder NEON animal print Ashish dress RIGHT THIS MINUTE AS I BLOG THIS... instead of this 532-year-old polyester/rayon robe someone brought my mom back from China. That's not a racialist comment. It's just from China and it's made of really uncomfortable polyblend.

($895, Ashish, Net-a-porter.com)

Oh yeah. I guess I'm not wearing it because it's $895.

OhBTW, speaking of Ashish, I LOVE this Ashish black sequined boyfriend blazer (best friend blazer!), but it's $1020, and HI! The one I got at Fred Flare is $84. So I just saved you $936 (not including tax.) You're WELCOME.

L: $84, Fred Flare; R: $1020, Ashish

Girls, Meets Boy Meets Girl's Perfect Studded Blazer

The dilemma of the curvy girl who loves a boyfriend/ best friend blazer is that if you're not all bones, you need a little cling so you don't look like a bulky box. I love my Topshop satin blazer, but it just doesn't "sit" quite right. So "kudooze," in the parlance of Real Housewives of New York's Ramona, to sportswear/ lifestyle brand Boy Meets Girl's jersey blazer, which fits PERFECTLY and snugs and hugs in just the right places. Bonus: it's got cute little logo studs, which I of course cannot resist.

Kate Voegele in Boy Meets Girl's studded blazer

The studded blazer is from Boy Meets Girl's Spring 2010 collection, retails for $139, and hits stores January 2010.

Appropriately, "Waiting For A Star To Fall" by Boy Meets Girl.

My Fantastic Brunch With Fred Flare! And Jonathan Adler! And Parker Posey! (But Not Charlie.)

Guys! Yesterday I got to go the most wonderful brunch situation. It was a charity brunch hosted by Fred Flare, the proceeds went to God's Love With Deliver (which is a wonderful New York City-based organization that delivers healthy meals to people living with HIV/AIDS), and the guest of honor was JONATHAN ADLER! THE Jonathan Adler! And radworthy woman Parker Posey was there too. The brunch was across the street from the Fred Flare store at tasty Greenpoint yum/ coffee/ vinyl outpost, Eat, and their coffee almost had me ZOOMING down the street it was so strong and good and delicious. Anyway, it was also the year anniversary of Fred Flare's brick-and-mortar store opening (I did a piece about the store at this time last year, and I had the pleasure and honor of meeting Chris, Keith, and Jen at that time).

Anyway, Parker Posey herself toasted the guys and said it best -- it was so great to see everyone smiling and happy. And that smiling, happy vibe at the brunch is same fun and infectious vibe that Keith and Chris and their Flare girls (and guys!) bring to the store.

Fred Flare is one of my favorite stores on EARTH, and that's because Keith and Chris are two of the nicest, hardest-working, most fun and just geniunely good guys who deserve all of their success and more. Happy anniversary guys! And MEWS to Charlie!

Oh yeah, check out the insane black sequined blazer I picked up at the store. DEATH!

($84, FredFlare.com)

It was $84 bucks, but I felt like A MILLION TRILLION bucks in it, which is what Fred Flare's all about.

Oh yeah, PLEASE GTK (get to know) Fred Flare kitty CHARLIE, who, aside from Roris P. Cat, and Simonium Timonium, who's my other cat with Beauty Blogging Junkie's Glambr (long story), and the late, great, Romeo, AKA King Of All Kats, is the CUTEST CAT IN THE UNIVERSE. Then GTK their amazing night out on Fashion's Night Out, where they went on a designer scavenger hunt! Amazements!

Studded Booties, Coats And More Things That Don't Need to Be Studded But I Can't Stop Being Drawn To Like A Magpie

WAHHHH. This girl's so POUTY. WAHSSSSSAMATTARRRR? Don't you like her BLAZER? I do. Duh. BECAUSE IT'S GOT STUDS ON IT.

($158, Priorities, Winknyc.com)

I like how this blazer's by "Priorities," as in, none of mine are straight.

($145, ASOS)

I am committing so many sins just by staring at this black studded swing trench. Ugh.

BEE TEE DUBS! I CAN'T BELIEVE I forgot to tell you that I got a camel-colored studded trench coat from Topshop. It looks like this but it's CAMEL, got it? It was originally $400 something, which is outlandish, but I got it on sale for $200. Still kind of pricey considering it isn't made marvelously, but I'll be wearing on the daily. Huzzah for fall!

($310, Topshop)

OHHHh studded black booties with cone heel! You were MADE in my image, were you not? I CAN'T though. I CAN'T. Super pointy cone heels are NEVER comfy. And $300 is reeedamndick. Hi. Welcome to the dialogue of my internal conflict.

Harlequin-Inspired Shoes From Alaïa & Nude Footwear

Inspired by my silk blazer purchase, I've been on a 1930s tuxedo-y menswear jaunt. Therefore I've been gazing longingly, loving at harlequin-inspired black-and-white shoes. Such as...

($129, nude footwear, Piperlime.com)

These two-toned suede heels are kind of like a girlie tuxedo in shoe form. They're precious without being OVERLY precious and venturing into the dangerously cutesy barf zone. NEED!

($669, Alaïa, TheOutnet.com)

A Deco dream in bootie form. I really should just STOP looking at TheOutnet.com.

($669, Alaïa, TheOutnet.com)

Perforated patent booties are as close to Lady Gaga as I ever want to get.


Oh, so PS, I had a wedding this past weekend, and I needed a nice blazer to wear over my dress (this Christopher Deane dress, which has now seen MANY weddings -- yes, I impulsively bought a pricey-for-me new blazer, but seriously, that Christopher Deane dress has danced with me at like five weddings as well as my own engagement party). So I ended up getting this silk-esque blazer from Topshop:

($145, Topshop)

BTW, the description says navy blue, but friends, it's black. It fits well, but when I saw it on me in a photo we (the blazer and I!) looked kinda amorphous. I'll chalk it up to the fact that I was wearing a waistless shift dress. Lesson learned -- don't wear a slouchy blazer with a shift dress and expect anything less than a net result = slouchy/ no waist look! I won't make that mistake again, but I will rock this with some yes-I-actually-do-have-a-waist outfits: t-shirts and skinny jeans and boots. YAY, FALL!

The PERFECT Boyfriend Blazer!

Unless you've been renting out space under a ROCK or reading about boring-ass health care or something, you know that you NEED a boyfriend blazer (BFB) for fall. I also like to refer to it as a Best Friend Blazer, because what if you're gay? You might not want a boyfriend! But everyone wants a best friend. And everyone should want this blazer, which I just purchased today.

($92, BB Dakota, Chickdowntown.com)

Unlike most boyfriend blazers which are kinda 1930s Marlene Dietrich (and not totally unlike Alexander Wang's blazers that can be a little longer... and a lot more expensive), this one's double-breasted and straight-up 1980s Dorothy Zbornak-stylie with the pushed-up sleeves (so I can free my arms to eat cheesecake!) I'd like to think the late, great Bea Arthur would be proud. Also, my MOM would be proud, since I saved 25% with promo code: "september25." I think that using that promo code precluded me from being able to return it or something (boo!), so hopefully I'll love it.