S & B: The Anti-Recession

While browsing Saks Fifth Avenue for potential prom gear, I came upon two high-fashion (and by high fashion, I mean high priced) dresses that were polar opposites in pure Serena and Blair fashion.

Serena


vs.

Blair


I'm a little dubious about both...the Blair dress has sequins on it, and I know that sequins might not be high class enough for Ms. Waldorf. But I'm even more unsure about the Serena dress -- at first glance it seemed to be a "sexy Serena" sort of thing, kind of like a slight hearkening back to the days of badly behaved Serena. But now that I look at it, it's veering into Baby Phat territory. Hmm....

Runway Rants: Marc by Marc Jacobs

This collection had pretty slim pickings, if not for the fact that a large part of the collection was geared towards men. I did have a few favourites, though. Coincidentally, my top two picks were black...I say coincidentally because my wardrobe happens to be mainly black as well.

Ms. Posh Spice was affiliated with the Marc Jacobs brand for a little while, and something makes me think that her influence must have come into play here, if just subconsciously. Though Victoria Beckham has been looking a tad bit more relaxed lately, I think this dress would still be completely up her alley, complete with huge sunglasses.


This is pure Jacobs genius...Blair Waldorf runway, done right. The mixture of textures is perfect, as are the black lace-up boots that add just the right edge.


Also, is this the new trend in high-waisted skirt-like items? The sweater knit would contrast well with a flimsy tank, though I don't think I see myself wearing anything like it.

Marc, Two Ways with Outerwear

For those of you that are still into large day clutches, you might want to check out this little gem at Bergdorf Goodman.


It's on sale for $195, and it was originally $260! I would buy this in an instant if I wasn't already over-budget with clothes/accessories/beauty (all of the new MAC collections are so tempting!), because it's completely my style. I love the colour, because it goes with everything and because it isn't specific to any season. And come on...it's Marc Jacobs! For me it's been pretty hard to find something from the Marc Jacobs line (as opposed to the Marc by Marc Jacobs line) that's even within my price range. But alas...my credit card isn't exactly welcome to a $195 dent at the moment, so I decided to style two outfits for you guys using this clutch.

The first one is meant for a young, yuppie lady who's fairly well-off and is meeting her girlfriends for lunch. She wants to look put-together, but not like she's put much effort into what she's wearing. First of all, my entire palette for this outfit would be neutrals. Wearing lighter-coloured neutrals ensures that nothing will be clashing and that you will look polished. Plus, because the palette isn't beiges and browns, there's no risk of "muddying up" your clothing palette. I would start off this outfit with a classic trench, styled exactly the way the model has it with the belt tied rather than buckled. What's underneath doesn't matter, as long as it's some sort of sheath that doesn't really show through, which makes the trench a little sexier. I would add a pair of beige heels, like the ones below. What I love about these is that they add a touch of youth and edge to the outfit, and set this young yuppie lady apart from all of the other trench-wearing young yuppie ladies out there. Did I mention they were on sale? I would wear this outfit with loose, Serena van der Woodsen-esque waves.


You can get the trench from Nordstrom for $84.90 here, and you can get the heels from Shopbop for $112.80 here.

The other look is on the other spectrum as far as young yuppie ladies go. This one is meant for a more trendy, fashionista-type girl, who wants to look as polished and perfect as she can without going too over-the-top. While I was browsing Shopbop's sales, I came across a fabulous cape from Thayer which is a great alternative to typical outerwear. The neutral beige colour keeps it from being over-the-top, but this cape is perfect for our Blair Waldorf wannabe. I would pair it with a coloured shift dress, like the green and pink ones I've shown, for a simple pop of colour. Finally, I would top the whole outfit off with these great ankle boots from Piperlime. They're very Whitney Port, and border the line between edgy and girlie.


You can get the cape from Shopbop for $338.80 here, the green dress from Nordstrom for $183.90 here, the pink dress from Nordstrom for $165.90 here, and the ankle boots from Piperlime for $44.99 here.

Fanciful Footwear from Net-A-Porter

When I buy designer shoes, I always try to go for shoes that stand out and that require a second glance, but at the same time go with many things and will not go out of style in the next two hours. So, if you guys are looking for some footwear of your own that satisfies these criteria I'd suggest you take a look at the Net-A-Porter shoe sales. It might be out of a lot of peoples' budgets, and a lot of shoes are only available in one or two sizes, but the "thrill of the hunt" is a lot of fun for me...and so very rewarding when I find a pair of lovely designer shoes to adorn my feet.

I know Juicy Couture doesn't really qualify as "designer," but they've come out with some pretty cute things lately. Usually, if you go for things like shift dresses and stay away from things that...are made of velour, you should be okay. These lovely little bow flats go with lots of things, and they're pretty and girly enough to be worn in spring. Plus, they're on sale for $105.


I am in absolute love with these Burberry flats -- the colour is gorgeous, the stud details are cool without being crazy, and it's on sale! Too bad most of the world agreed, since these are only available in sizes 9.5 and 10. But if you happen to be one of those sized I would go straight over to Net-A-Porter and snap these lovelies up, because it's a piece of Burberry for only $197.50.


This pair of shoes highlights what I said earlier about a pair of designer shoes that is wearable and not too crazy, but still merits a second look. These Miu Miu heels might not be that wearable, but come on...they're gorgeous. And they're only $197.50! What more could you ask for.


These pink Fendi flats are kind of like a more subtle Tory Burch flat. I'm not going to lie, I don't mind a little bit of labeling as long as it's not over the top. I like these because they have a little Fendi logo that's visible, but they're also a lovely pair of pink flats that would add some instant spring into a beige-y wardrobe like mine. They're a little bit pricier, at $220.50, but still not bad for Fendi.


Finally, I'm sure you all have seen these Marc by Marc Jacobs mouse flats somewhere, but I'm featuring them anyway. Why? Well, because these flats are the epitome of what I said earlier about what I look for in a pair of designer shoes. They're flats in grey and black, so that makes them very wearable. They're Marc by Marc Jacobs, which is the holy grail of cute flats. And, the adorable mouse detailing isn't crazy but it definitely merits a second glance. And yeah, I guess $227.50 isn't that momentous a sale, but if you're into cute flats these shoes could very well be worth it.