It’s Only Natural!

Mother Nature and I are not the best of friends. I am not, nor will I (most likely) ever be an “outdoor-sy” girl. Camping sounds like a punishment. Gardening is just gross. Hiking up a mountain? Give me a stroll on a suburban street any day. Especially if that street has little boutiques and a coffee shop. With doughnuts.

So clearly I am not an Earth Child. But I do have a vast appreciation for the beauty and wonder of nature. Being that autumn is quite possibly the loveliest time of year, it’s also the perfect time to indulge in some dreamy nature-themed jewelry. No sleeping on the ground, touching of dirt or encounters with critters necessary!

Fallen leaves necklace $15, Forever 21
















Tree pendant $25, Nana Jo's General Store

















Rooster Feather earrings $130, Alkemie Jewelry

















Twig cuff $250, Elizabeth and James

Pumpkin Paradise

Although the weather is super balmy this week and very un-fall like, I'm enjoying my favorite fall-themed foods which is basically pumpkin flavored ANYTHING! I especially love pumpkin desserts and the old pumpkin pie standby can be a bit monotonous. One of my all-time favorite desserts to make year round is cannoli dip. It's a crowd pleaser every time and super easy to make. With only a couple of extra ingredients you can put a fall spin on this indulgent treat. Perfect to bring to a party, no baking required!

Pumpkin Cannoli Dip

1 8 oz brick of softened cream cheese
1 stick of softened butter
1 cup of canned pure pumpkin
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tsp of vanilla
1 cup semi sweet mini chocolate chips
Dash of pumpkin pie mix

Mix together & chill for at least a half hour before serving. Serve with Ginger snaps.

Out With The Nouveau & In With The Old

The idea of trends consistently amuses me. The amusing part being that the latest & greatest trends of the season are nothing more than recycled trends from seasons (and years) past. These trends only appear new when reinvented or freshly displayed. And what's "it" is only "it" for so long before it's not "it" anymore. Follow me?

I was channel surfing and the movie French Kiss caught my attention. Kind of a hokey romantic comedy, but one that I've always enjoyed. While viewing the outfit Meg Ryan wears for the first half of the movie, I was blown away. The circa 1995 look is dead-on trendy for Fall 2009!

Boyfriend jacket - check

White button up shirt- check

Vest (Ugh) - check

Rounded shades - check

Ankle boots - check

How about that? It proves that the classics never die, they're just reincarnated.

Ladies in Red

Forget Christmas. Take a hike Easter. It's my favorite religious holiday...Fashion Week! As I speak, a multitude of Spring 2010 collections are being shown in NYC. I pray that someday I'll get to attend the shows of my favorite designers. But until that day comes I'll be viewing them via the slide shows on Style.com in my pj's & coffee. Almost as good right? Eh.

So last Sunday I was viewing Chado Ralph Rucci's collection and was immediately drawn to the gorgeous red dress which can be seen here. And it got me thinking. I always say red is my favorite color, but there are practically no red garments in my wardrobe. I think I need good, red statement piece. But what type of piece to choose? Perhaps I should look to some well known ladies in red for inspiration:



Veruca Salt - She may look innocent, but she's a force to be reckoned with. She knows what she wants and she wants it NOW DADDY! Love her dress, but I don't think I can pull of a Peter Pan collar at my age.








Jessica Rabbit - She's not bad, she's just drawn that way. Is it sad I will never be as sexy as her in a red dress? Sigh. And that dress has one hell of a slit...too much for me!
















Dorothy's Ruby Slippers - Being bestowed the powerful sparkle-y pumps gave her the moxie to take out the Wicked Witch of the West. But I've actually already worn ruby slipper heels....to my senior prom!







Heather Chandler in Heathers - When she ruled the school she always wore her favorite red scrunchie. She even insisted on the red ball when playing croquet w/ the other Heathers. No way in hell will I wear a scrunchie!





Nancy Regan - Red was Nance's signature color when Ron was the head honcho. Her style's a little too....senior citizen for me. I'm going to "just say no". I couldn't resist :)











Little Red Riding Hood - She may not be the brightest bulb in the tanning bed, but any little girl who has the guts to travel to granny's through the woods, alone is ok by me! Come to think of it I could use some sort of outwear......aha that's it! A coat it is! Let the hunting begin.

Every Task You Undertake Becomes A Piece Of Cake

One night recently while bored and perusing movies On Demand, I saw Mary Poppins was available. Realizing it had been YEARS since I watched it, I decided to partake. I forgot how delightful it is! Not only do I love the character Mary Poppins (played by the wonderful Julie Andrews) but I'm SO jealous of her. Why can’t I fly with the help of a wise-talking parrot umbrella? Why can’t I have a bottomless handbag? Why can’t I jump into sidewalk drawings, win a carousel horse race and invent fourteen syllable words? And most importantly why can’t I have her practically perfect wardrobe??? After doing a little web window shopping, it turns out her style is alive and well! Emulating a modern Mary Poppins style is easy with pieces like these:



Tapestry Day Duffel $378, Anthropologie















Trench with piping $50, Chinatowner.com














Bow headband $5, Forever 21











Two-tone Mary Janes, $208 Anthropologie











Parrot Handle Umbrella $40, Amazon.com













*Maybelline Mineral Blush in Fresh Plum $8, Drugstores

*For those rosy cheeks the kiddies requested!

The Holy Grail

There are few things on Earth that are coveted by almost every woman. Diamonds. The Dream House. A Miracle Anti Cellulite/Wrinkle/PMS Pill. At this particular moment I’m coveting the perfect pair of jeans. That go-to pair that always looks great and can be dressed up & down at the drop of a hat. If I find these magic jeans all my wardrobe problems will be solved. But alas....I have not been so lucky in the jean department. I have a love/hate relationship with jeans. Eh...it's more like a hate relationship. I've tried countless brands, fits, price ranges etc. No one pair has ever completely satisfied me. As soon as I think I’ve found the perfect pair, something always goes wrong. Like I'll realize the elasticity sucks and they're stretched & baggy out after one wear. Or the color of the rinse considerably fades after only a month's worth of washes. Shopping for a new pair gives me ADDD (Attention Denim Deficit Disorder). Trying to focus on which brands to try on can be overwhelming and frustrating. But no matter how much I hate it, it's a purchase I need to make. So I’m on a mission to find the Holy Grail of Jeans. Every woman should have the perfect jean pictured in her head. Mine is as follows:

#1 Straight leg, Medium or dark blue rinse

#2 The Goldilocks Rise – the rise isn't too low or too high....but just right!

#3 Make my tushie look like a million bucks

#4 Doesn’t cost a million bucks (Within the $100 range)

All other aspects of fit such as waist gaping or length can be easily tweaked by a tailor. As a petite and curvy girl I’ve come to depend on my tailor to create a more flattering fit on many pieces I buy, especially jeans. If you find a good, affordable tailor never let them go!

So does such a pair of jeans exist? Where do I start? I originally planned to narrow my search down to specific retailers/brands that had decent customer reviews & magazine write-ups. I decided instead to just attack the Cherry Hill Mall, picking stores at random. After visiting many stores and trying on dozens of pairs, I found THEM! And at two retailers I never frequent: Banana Republic and New York & Company.

Banana Republic straight leg, mid-rise $80

New York & Company, straight leg mid-rise $39.95

Both fit me wonderfully and both are well under 100 bucks...jackpot! I left the mall without buying either pair, but after thinking it over I may just buy both. That way I can see which pair stands the test of time. Nothing wrong with a little friendly competition ;)

Are Friends Electric?

I wear a lot of black. I adore color and prints but I always tend to gravitate towards black clothing, especially when I'm having a morning wardrobe crisis. To avoid looking completely dull, I love to add a pop of color to a basic look to via a shoe, piece of jewelry, etc. Looking to add color to your wardrobe? You might as well try something REALLY bright or neon. Go big or go home people! Electric shades were all over the Fall 09 runways. Michael Kors, Versace and Marc Jacobs all showed intensely bright pieces in their shows. Don't want to invest in a neon ensemble? Accessories are the way to go...super fun and affordable! Unlike the Marc Jacobs bag Kate Beckinsale is rocking in the pic (retail value around $1000...eeek!) there are bright accessories available that won't break the bank. Here are a few cuties:












Urban Outfitters, plastic two-tone sunglasses $10
















SR SQUARED by Sondra Roberts Neon Bow Clutch, $21






Miss Me Vernice Satin Platform Pump, $40