Me in Melange

My Michael Stars sweaters are HERE!

I've been patiently waiting for these babies to arrive, and they came today....just in time for our cold snap!  Some of you might remember that Michael Stars came out with a cashmere sweater group.  I didn't order them however.  I just wasn't that impressed with the quality of the cashmere, and they seemed sort of expensive for what you got.  This year though, when I felt the knits I was totally impressed.  The knit is a wool/cashmere blend (heavy on the wool, light on the cashmere), but honestly I think they feel softer than the 100% cashmere ones they did the year before.  The styles are all fun, colors great, and the prices seemed right on target with what you were getting for your money!  How darling would the short sleeve pink cowl neck be with a black high waisted pencil skirt?  I smell a holiday party outfit....

O.K., finally some more spring news (installment #1)....

I've needed a little time to decompress from LA market, and look at things again, get organized, and write some orders.  SO...that being said, I'm ready to give highlights :-).

Filly:  AWESOME, Cara and I both saw this line, and it looked great!  We ordered three dresses, a pair of pants, and these topper shirts that I think you guys will love (they are semi-sheer cropped dolman sleeve shirts that you'll wear over a laying tank, or over the dresses).  This was definitely one of the designers that I loved!

Prairie Underground:  Another small designer that Cara and I were really excited about.  More great sweatshirts (a long version for February, and a short version for March).   Colors were nice, muted browns, charcoal greys and ivory! 

Zooey:  This is a new line we picked up that we really liked!  It is sort of a cross between C & C and Velvet...with a little James Perse thrown in.  We picked some of their really great basics (they make a long layering tank that is amazing--I got a free one last year and I've worn it to DEATH), and then they did a handful of novelty dresses in cottons that were great!

Hard Tail:  One of my favortie skirts for spring was from Hard Tail...super simple, pull on with these tiny pleats that were sewn down.  I ordered it in black AND charcoal because I think it will be a great transitional skirt that you could wear with anything!  There were goodies for January/Feb/and March that were great--I focused on their great skirts (didn't love any of their dresses this time around).

Neesh:  Another one of my favorites, this line is new to us and super amazing.  The fabric is like butter (some blended, washable deal), and the styles were perfect for January...easy long skirts, cardigans, and novelty tops.  The colors are classic, black, white and charcoal.  These will be really important pieces to our spring wardrobes--great foundations!

Om Girl:  She did some really beautiful new prints for her tees, and I stocked up on those!  There was also a new double layered fabric that I really liked (and she did a simple pant and zip jacket in it that was wonderful). 

Roam:  She did a new version of the skirt she did for fall, and it is absolutely AWESOME.  A beautiful navy blue, less volumn at the hem than the skirt we have now, and a tiny fishtail.  There were some really neat novelty pieces she did...all in keeping with her Roam mentality (classic neutral colors, simple silhouettes).  The navy blue is super pretty though, it dyes up gorgeous in that double layer crinkle fabric she uses.

Margaret O'Leary:  Some of you probably noticed we skipped Margaret for fall (she didn't do sportswear at all for some reason).  Her spring collection looked great though, and it was the old Margaret O'Leary back and looking fabulous.  We picked some of her really beautiful marbled yarns for January, and there is this one open front little cardigan that I particularly loved.  MOL lovers are going to be excited!

More to follow!

Signed, ME {lv}

New found respect for the tenacity of dogs!

Prison break dog is an hysterical video on YouTube that gives me new respect for the craftiness of the canines!  Signed, ME {lv}

Shouldn't we all have a pink glitter boom box?

   So for Lucia's 4th birthday we bought this sparkling little hot pink boom box, complete with diamond buttons (for those of you with little girls, they have an awesome one at Target for $30) .  John made her a CD of her favorite songs on it (none of which are really "kid" songs because I have determined that listening to Barney and such might actually MAKE me drive off the road.)  So she was just rocking out to her favorite Leona Lewis song, Bleeding Heart.  She sang, "I don't care what they say, I'm allergic to you."  (sounds strangely similar to the actual lyrics which are "I don't care what they say, I'm in love with you."   I haven't stopped laughing.....

Signed, ME {lv}

We're back from LA Market!

Weee'rrrrrreeeeee bbbbaaaacccckkkkkk. :-).  We're officially ready for spring 2009.  Three of us went this time, and I thought I would report on the highlights of the group of designers that I saw.  First, let me tell you all the BIG news.  I rode up the elevator with JT.  JT....as in Justin Timberlake.  Yes, it is true, well, I THINK it is true.  I was in one of the fashion buildings (Cooper building), and was going upstairs.  Got on the elevator with JT and his groupie (girl in ridiculously short skirt and ridiculously high heels).  It was just the 3 of us on the elevator, and although when I first glanced at him I thought, 'that sure looks like him', I wasn't quite sure.  I never did ask him, but I snuck a full on LOOK, and it HAD to be him.  He also said "hi".  Yes, JT said "HI" to me.  I played it cool, didn't pull any high school girl moves and ask for an autograph across my bust.   He has a clothing line, William Rast, which I suspect he was checking on.  Who knows, if it wasn't him, it was a dead ringer and I'll just keep letting my story grow over time.  If you ask me in 3 weeks I might tell you I made out with Justin Timberlake after he threw himself at my feet in the elevator. :-)

  (similar, but he had his shirt on in the elevator!!)

O.K., back to important stuff....like my full fashion report.  List of what I saw:

Citizens, Stewart Brown, Michael Stars, G1, Laurie B., Margaret O'Leary, Om Girl, Roam, Anni Kuan, True Grit, Hard Tail, Cambio, Prairie Underground, Filly, C & C, James Perse, Johnny Was, Pete & Greta

General trends....1)jeans were destroyed--lots of holes, distressing, and this super aged influence.  We also saw the introduction of slightly baggy "boyfriend" jeans.  2)  Colors were bright, touches of neon poped up.  Turquoise, aqua, orange, and yellows.  3)  The "maxi dress" was a really strong silhouette....the maxi dress is basically just a really, REALLY long dress, usually with the spaghetti strap, bare style up top.  4)  There were great relaxed pants, with drawstrings....any cargos were really mellow, without a lot of pocket detailing. 

More to follow.....

Signed, ME {lv}

Full report on more purchases!

I thought I would give the lowdown on a few of my recent purchases which I have loved.  First fab purchase was my Sisters Scoop Neck Tunic.  It is really soft, REALLY soft.  I love that.  It sheds like crazy at first, that part I wasn't so keen on, but it stopped shedding after my first wear.  I put a cream turtleneck beneath it (I own the Velvet Talise t-neck in cream which is awesome for layering, the black is a must have too, I wear these constantly), threw on some of my mud brown Hard Tail yoga pants, and a pair of brown boots.  SUPER comfortable outfit, a nice alternative to jeans, but just as easy and comfortable.  

I also bought the Velvet Catalina Turtleneck, which I wore with my Seven for all Mankind Airbrushed Dojo , jeans (ridiculously comfortable because the denim is a bit lighter in weight and really soft).  The Catalina t-neck is nice because it is heavy enough to wear solo, and the neckline is really pretty with the dropped pleats.  I'm embarassed to admit I ALSO bought the Catalina t-neck in the Artic color which I haven't worn yet, but I LOVE.   

Tomorrow I'm going to try out the OTHER sweater I ordered, the Sisters Long Sleeve Wrap Hoodie , I love how it hangs relaxed and a bit slouchy when you have it tied.  It was freezing today, and I'm sure tomorrow will be equally chilly so I'm having fun layering and getting cozy under my new sweaters!  Signed, ME {lv} 

   

Twitter

So, other than some fashion knowledge, I'm pretty much "behind" the curve, not in front of it, so I'm only just learning about Twitter.  http://twitter.com/  It took me forever to join Facebook, and it may take me forever to actually join Twitter, but my curiousity was peaked, so I investigated.  So those of you who don't know about it, it is basically somewhere inbetween blogging, emailing, and instant messagering.   It is designed to be short posts with friends/family that just gives them tiny tidbits of info....like "now I'm cooking dinner", or "I'm reading a new book."  I'm not sure how this is different from writing on your wall in Facebook, but perhaps it is faster and people do it more often?  I am wondering...between writing on Facebook, Myspace, Blogs, and Emails...are we going to have any time left to actually DO what we are writing about in Facebook, Myspace, Blogs and Emails ?? I'll probably be addicted to in in no time, but I'm still skeptical.  Signed, ME {lv}

Interesting NY Times post!

I thought this was an interesting opinion piece in the NY Times, Why are Discount Stores Full of XS and XL Clothes?  The questions is, why does there always seem to be really small, or really large sizes on sale vs. your average sizes.  The confusion comes from the general understanding that there are more average sizes than either really small or really large, therefore as a buyer your would always compensate for that by ordering twice as many size mediums as XL's for example, so theoretically you'd have just as much chance to have a medium on sale as an XL.  Not sure exactly what the real answer is, or whether I "buy" the explanation suggested, but it is an interesting article nonetheless!  Signed, ME {lv}

Reminder to slow down & take a deep breath....

I've been haunted the last two days by my sister's account of an Oprah show she had watched.  The premise of the show had been about slowing down, not letting your life get crazy, and the horrific mistakes that can happen when you are overmaxed.  Oprah had apparently interviewed a woman (either a principal or vice-principal at a school) who on the very first day of school, varied her routine and was responsible for taking her two year old to daycare (not normal for her).  Long story short, she forgot that she was responsible for the two year old, left her in the car, and the child died from over heating.  Heart wrenching....and I'm sparing you the details that my sister didn't spare me (so you won't have nightmares--maybe).

Anyway, I've thought about it constantly, because my life, like everyone else I know, is maxed out all the time.  I'm always multi-tasking to the extreme, and sometimes I feel like I really am in jeopardy of running out of luck and that one day the thing I forget, or the ball that I drop from my juggling act, will be something horrible. 

Last night my responsibility was to make sure the Weekly Watch was sent out on auto-send early in the morning.  I did it while trying to nurse, AND talk to my husband who has been gone for the last week...meanwhile my two girls and the little girl they had spend the night (no school today here) were jumping out of bed every 10 minutes for one girl crisis after another.  I thought I was paying attention, but somehow managed to send out an old edition (from way back in April).  It is such a little thing, with nothing but a small embarrassing result, but my recollection of my entire evening last week is making me pause this morning.  I'm pausing to s-l-o-w d-o-w-n.  Yesterday was insanely busy, and today really might be the same, except for the fact that I'm changing my attitude.  It might get done late, it might not get done at all, but that is o.k....today I'm slowing down to think and act deliberately.  Signed, ME {lv{

The easiest Christmas gifts....

I adore these cashmere scarves (from a company called Seattle Silk) and they were my easy Christmas gift last year for all my girlfriends.  I bought great boxes, and had them tied up with grosgrain ribbons and adorable gift tags, each with the perfect color for each friend.  Who doesn't love getting a cashmere scarf?  These feel wonderful, and the colors are amazing (even better in person)!   Signed ME {lv}