A (Queen) B Sting

If anyone caught the last Gossip Girl, Queen B gave a fashion diss during a priceless scene in which she and her mini-Bs evaluated potential "victims" and "projects.

"Are those last season's Tory Burch flats?" said Queen B.

"Um...I got them on sale?" As you can imagine, the poor little girl scampered away.

I wonder if Tory Burch's PR folks will try to get reparations for their loss? I can't imagine many Gossip Girl fans running off to buy themselves a little "T" stamped Reva flat now.

Inspired by Queen B and her victim, I decided to peruse Tory Burch's sale selection and see what she had to offer. I figured that for us mere mortals that are not scrutinized by Blair Waldorf day in and day out, a little piece of Tory won't hurt. Turns out there's a 3-Day Fall Sale, filled with all sorts of goodies to fulfill the bargainista in anyone.

For those of you in a perpetually warm climate, or those that don't feel bad buying summer stuff on sale to wear for next summer, these sandals are perfect. The tiny little Tory logo adds a bit of luxe, but it isn't way over the top. Plus, the sandal style is pretty universal, and won't go out of style really soon (like, say, gladiators). Grab it for $157.50...the metallic comes in silver and gold, and the croc print comes in black, brown, and tan.



These pumps are pretty cute...the heel isn't too crazy, and they're a nice way to echo the Reva Flat style while getting a bit of height. Plus, they can be casual or fancy, and they're only $187.50.



I'm actually not a fan of this bag at all, I just wanted to point it out because it's apparently a large part of the Tory Burch line. I'm all for suede and crests, but doesn't this bag look strange to you? I don't know, maybe I'm just used to Tory Burch pulling out all sorts of things with T logos on them, as opposed to this new "Buddy" logo. I don't know...somehow to me it looks like Slytherin crossed with Juicy Couture. And for $371.25 (on sale!) I could find many more bags that suit my taste.


Then we have a whole slew of questionably printed Tory totes. I'm really not a fan of these, though I once was, so I don't blame anyone who is. Personally, I just think they look sort of cheap, especially with the straps styled the way they are. But if you're on the hunt for one of the gazillions of printed Tory tote Burch bags, you're in luck...you've got a lot to choose from.









There are also slightly more tame solid versions, which have an edge of mod to them but again, are kind of on the cheap-looking side (especially that $300+ one!).




There's also this leather version, which is slightly better. I'm not really interested in the hole-punch style of the logo, but it's a step up from the canvas.


Personally, if I wanted a bag to have a bit of Tory Burch on it (aka a logo plastered on it) I'd go for this suede tote instead. Yeah, it's expensive. But it's so durable! It's a great casual bag that would go with pretty much everything. Plus, the suede hides the logo just enough that it doesn't look too overdone, but it's still visible.


Another way to incorporate Tory's accessories is to get a clutch or a wallet. The plain logo stamped on the front adds more of a statement, as opposed to being integrated with some sort of strange print. I actually really like these, and would pick them up if they weren't so expensive.







Finally, for the super-bargainers like me that would like to get a piece of Tory without her taking a huge chunk out of our bank accounts, there are these cute little pouches. I actually like the logo here, because it adds a bit of dimension and looks like it's a design element along with the studs. I'm actually seriously considering this...though I wish it was more of a wristlet-style purse than a coin purse.

A Gap at Bryant Park

So while browsing Gap's wondrous sale section, which is an additional 20% off this weekend (score!), I found a couple of pieces that astounded me with little details that made them seem so much more expensive than they were. I've found that Gap has steadily been losing its glow, which I've found to be quite saddening. Back in the day, I always found them to be the steady supplier of basics, but now with more "el cheapo" stores selling basics at a much cheaper price, Gap hasn't really had much to differentiate itself. I love their newest ad campaigns, featuring unconventional yet moving trendsters (The Sartorialist and Karlie Kloss, anyone?), but I feel as though their cries have not been heard by the many consumers out there.

These pieces have given me new hope...if I were the manager of Gap, I would take the fashion a bit more in the direction of these lovely little articles of clothing. They're not totally basic, but they have a little bit of edge, whether in a detail or a cut, that makes them look completely fashion forward. I'm not saying that Gap should pull an Anthropologie and make all of its pieces ultra-detailed and thus ultra-expensive, I'm just saying that they should bridge the gap (no pun intended :) ) between super basics and ultra detailed fashion forward boutique pieces.

This blouse is a perfect example of what I was talking about...it's quite basic and sort of non-offensive, but that gorgeous neck detail makes it seem as though it's much more expensive. Plus, it's a great way to legitimize the price, as many stores like Forever 21 and even Gap's own younger sib Old Navy sell gear that is similar to Gap's but lower in price. ($34.99)


This jacket represents another direction that Gap could go. This piece is a little more tricky, just because it's not a universal trend. I think that this slouchy shape would be perfect for some, and represents the slightly trendier but not overly so way that Gap should go in terms of its looks. However, I do think that Gap should stick to its guns in terms of trench coats and peacoats and other classic outerwear. Just make them look less mumsy, please! ($44.99)


This clutch is something pretty basic, but that represents more of what Gap should be attempting to do with its accessories. It's unassuming, but the studs are reminiscent of pretty recent trends -- enough so to attract buyers, especially buyers that are looking for something that won't go out of style the next day, but something that doesn't look completely dated or boring. ($19.99)


This skirt is exactly the direction that Gap should be taking with its clothes. Structured silhouettes are pretty "in" these days, but this interpretation of that silhouette is much more classic, as is the fabric. The skirt isn't terribly high-waisted, but could be interpreted in that sense, for those that want to be trendier. But I could see a much more classic person wearing this in a business setting as well. ($36.99)

The Zimmerman Telegram

These days I keep seeing young teenage stars popping up at various events, some clad more...pleasantly...than others. While browsing Shopbop, I came across two dresses from Zimmerman that would be perfect for a young star at a casual event. Usually, the teenage wonders do fairly well on more formal occasions, since they can just throw on a cute cocktail dress, but when it moves into the realm of casual affairs, then things can go haywire.

Each dress is $350, well within the realm of a wealthy young star. This strapless, poufy shape is very "in," but the structure, studded detail, and print (on the first one) help set these dresses apart from the crowd. They should be paired with simple, unobstrusive heels just like the ones in the promotional photos.

Runway Rants: Zac Posen

Zac Posen is someone whose name is known to almost everyone, and yet whose aesthetic is not known to many. I can never tell whether he's trying to epitomize classic styles, push the envelope, go girlie, or go avant-garde. I loved his collection focusing on pleats, which Lucy Liu made memorable by wearing a purple dress from his collection. This collection, to me, represented the "mixed" nature of Zac Posen. He's a wonderful designer, but sometimes can get sidetracked. He's sort of bridging the line between mainstream and high fashion, which can get to be slightly awkward at times.

As I've said before, I can never tire of Grecian, draped gowns, no matter how mainstream they may be. I hope someone feels absolutely elegant when wearing this on the red carpet one day...I know I'd die to wear this dress. Though the draping is definitly looking a bit old-school, and not as much like the more recent drapey, Grecian goddess dresses that have often had more avant-garde sculpture to them.

Possibly the most stunning piece of the collection. It's simple, but the metallic fabric makes it modern and the draping flatters the figure perfectly. This is a Rami Kashou-style of dress, which would work on lots of people because it flatters the waist by amping up the hip a bit.

Another stunning Grecian dress. Someone, wear this on the red carpet ASAP! This will most definitely be in demand come movie premiere time.

This dress has kind of a Kenley-from-Project Runway air to it, with the feathery, fluffy skirt and tight-fitting top. You have to be slightly lithe to wear this, but the globular skirt can be quite flattering to many people. Though this may not be as obvious a red carpet choice as Zac Powen's plethora of gorgeous Grecian gowns, this could provide a very classy, retro twist on typical premiere wear.

I hope some teenybopper snaps this dress up fast. It's a pretty unassuming dress, and the whole teeny-cocktail-dress-with-edge is a look that's been done before. But the angelic white colour is new, and could look very fresh on a younger star.

If there were movie stars that were as lanky and tall as models, they could wear this dress. It has a beautiful silhouette, and effectively melds high fashion with wearability. On a model, that is. Unfortunately, on a normal human being, the very low hemline in the front most likely would not be particularly flattering. I can see a less avant-garde celeb modifying this with a straighter hemline, to wear to some sort of event.

This is where the melding of high fashion and wearability gets awkward. This really doesn't appeal to me one bit, and looks like it could be a prom dress gone wrong. Even without the strange train-thing at the back, this looks a little bit 80s to me.

This may look too mainstream, but I absolutely love that top. It just looks so effortless...and for Zac Posen, it probably was. For the runway, the pairing with a grey suede skirt is effective, but I can see someone picking a skirt of their own and making the outfit the foundation for some killer heels.

I'm really, really, really not a fan of animal prints. Zebra, leopard...whatever. The draping on this dress is excellent, but I feel like someone who really shouldn't wear this dress will end up wearing it.

If I was an in-demand movie star and I had a press junket or a luncheon to go to, I'd wear this. It's a perfect, summery, skintone-flattering suit that is both fashionable and sensible. Plus, that skirt could be worn so many different ways.

Slithering Style

A long, long time ago, while I was browsing Fabsugar.com, I came across a "Style This" challenge based on a scenario where you're having drinks with your ex. The "this" that Fabsugar wanted us to style was an incredible serpent ring, from Boucheron. Unfortunately, it also had an "incredible" price of $2,180.


For a while now, that snake ring has been stuck in the back of my head. I love jewelry with little details that make people take a second glance, and this is a perfect way to add a little bite to an otherwise cutesy outfit. So, you can imagine my pleasant surprise when I happened upon this little treasure at Urban Outfitters for only $16.00.


I'll let you guys know how it looks...I'm buying it in gold, personally, because it resembles the Boucheron ring the most. I loved the Urban ring at first glance, but now that I'm writing this post I realize that it doesn't quite have the same fierceness of the Boucheron ring. But hey, such are the perils of being recessionably chic...I'm still going to love that Urban ring with all my heart.

Fanciful Frugal Flats

Isaac Mizrahi flats: metallics are $7.49, patents are $5.99





I'm buying all four! If you're planning on following suit, I would go up a half-size.

Margaret Mead's Fashion

Anthropologie's dress sale is, as always, so close yet so far away...the number of gorgeous dresses available is quite astounding, but alas, the number of gorgeous dresses available in size 0 is astoundingly minute. But I was able to find three picks for our gorgeous Gossip Girls, in celebration of their new season. I'll be honest though, the plot is sort of a side bonus for the gorgeous outfits. And while she's not part of the dynamic B + S duo that tends to take most of the screen attention, I'm beginning to become fond of little Jenny Humphrey and her own storylines.

This ruffly shirtdress would be perfect for Blake Lively, aka Serena van der Woodsen, as she often favours preppy, clean-cut styles with a little bit of a relaxed vibe to them. She'd probably pair it with some simple sandals and beachy waves.


This cute little Peter Pan collared dress would be perfect for Jenny Humphrey...though I'm not so sure about Taylor Momsen, as she's always morphing her styles these days. Not that that's a bad thing -- it's always great to see younger kids experimenting with style. The simple, short-sleeved, prim structure of this dress echoes the dress that Jenny wore to the Vitamin Water party (can anyone say blatant advertising? at least it wasn't alcohol...).


This gorgeous yellow jacquard ruffle-neck dress belongs on the one and only Queen B. Or, should I say, Leighton Meester. Leighton's been experimenting with her style lately, and has emerged with a much more couture-minded style than Blake, who's rocking a very vintage/boho vibe of her own. Leighton's gorgeous skintone would definitely do this dress justice, and the trendy yellow colour paired with an intricate print would love absolutely lovely on her.