When I first looked at the Fall 2011 runway collections, I was torn about the abundance of velvet. Growing up in the ’90s means I remember the last time velvet was really popular and I shudder at the thought. But thanks to the genius of our favorite designers this fabric has been given new life.

Velvet is luxurious. It’s rich. It’s generally heavier, making it the perfect winter fabric. It’s also extremely soft to the touch, meaning a velvet dress could be the perfect way to get your crush to come a little closer (though hopefully it doesn’t encourage him to rub you inappropriately).  If velvet dresses have you feeling like yourself as a five-year-old (when your mom made you pair it with crochet knee socks), there are a lot of tops or jackets (like the motorcycle one!) that are a fresh, updated take on the fabric. And if you’re not convinced a major velvet piece is for you, there are plenty of accessories to add some luxury to your outfits.

Below are 15 rich, velvety pieces I’m loving. Click on the image for all the shopping info! Read More »

As stores begin to release their spring lines, I am finding myself torn.

Of course I can barely contain my excitement at the thought of wearing floral mini dresses and buying a pair of the must-have pastel jeans. But then I catch a glimpse of my leather jacket thrown over my chair and feel a pang of guilt.

Will my go-to winter pieces ever understand that I don’t have a choice? Come spring I will be forced to stuff away my motorcycle jacket in a box with my cashmere sweater and leather boots, and lock them away until next winter. And for a while I will forget about them, too excited by the fact that white pants and open toed shoes are back in my wardrobe. And they will sit there, cold and lonely, until the snow begins to fall once again. Read More »

Some of us are extremely frugal – we buy new clothes once a year and never let window displays tempt us into spending our food allowance on a new pair of heels. The rest of us set find ourselves failing miserably year after year as we break our news year’s resolution of spending less money as a sale induced coma ends in yet another mini shopping spree.

Whether you only buy the necessities or find any and every excuse to purchase a new outfit (Friend’s birthday? Job interview? Your favorite idol contestant moved on to Hollywood?), there is one staple we can all agree is essential to a complete wardrobe: jeans.

And while we all have our favorite pair that are fraying at the bottom and growing holes in the crotch (thank you, thighs that rub together!), it’s inevitable that there is a growing stack of denim in the bottom of our closet.

We might not be able to explain our denim obsession, but it is completely necessary to have jeans in a variety of colors, washes and cuts. You have to have your skinny jeans to tuck into boots, your boot-cut to wear with your converse and cropped for flip flops in warmer months. Not to mention the dark wash for a dressier vibe and the distressed for casual ensembles

So its no surprise that what I am totally craving right now is, you guessed it, a new pair of jeans. The style I must add to the pile? A pair of embellished skinnys.

Embellishment is popping up everywhere this season; it’s dressing up t-shirts, pea coats and motorcycle boots. And now I must have it on my thighs. The perfect pair? Shopbop’s Custom Denim Skinny Jean with Studs by Earnest Sewn. Read More »