textures!

two new pairs of flats that could not be more delicate and beautiful:
 

(joie ballerina flats w/ leather fasteners and canvas laces)
 

(pedro garcia--ridiculously beautiful rough cut navy satin flats)

yay, yellow guys...

these are "ethnic" and "ethical."  i know.  i would roll my eyes too.  but they're just so cute and yellow and ornate.  can't help but love them.  and even came in bright blue box and matching pouch.

the prettiest little sparkly flats...

Behold:

Vera Wang Lavendar Label Lisa flats in Gold.  These have been around a while, but they finally went on sale, allowing me to justify their purchase.  I love them.  They are even more glorious in person.  Right now they are hanging out in their little lavendar box, lovingly nestled in tissue paper, thinking warm thoughts.  Of course, I prance around my apartment in them every so often.  Have yet to choose an occasion for their debut.  We shall see.

It's true that bejeweled shoes in general, and flats in particular, have been a lingering trend for many seasons, but I think they are a perfect centerpiece for any number of outfits.  If your closet is full of little black dresses (see below, black + white) , then you should have some bejeweled flats to wear with them.  Also perfect for skinny jeans w/ white t-shirts and simple summer dresses.  Don't go too cutesy though, you're not Alice in Wonderland.  And the great thing about the trend being around for so long is that there are now lots of options in all sorts of price ranges.  Here are some favorites. 

(vera wang gray gillian flats)

(vince camuto black flats)

(miumiu patent leather flats in mocha)

don't hate on jewel encrusted swans

You know those old, Upper East Side ladies that carry jewel-encrusted Judith Leiber peacock/Eiffel tower/houseboat clutches? I know you judge them, but don’t. They’re fabulous.  See below (Grrrawwwr!).

The thing about clutches is that you’re not actually wearing them- you’re just holding them. So if you can’t even hold something outrageous, then you're not giving yourself enough credit. And what’s more is that they’re actually functional! That those old ladies can store lipsticks and credit cards in sparkly replicas of pagodas is downright impressive to me.  Behold:

(I think this pose would hurt my arms.)
 
I mean, imagine if Bjork’s Oscar swan had been a delicate little feather clutch instead of a giant bird dress. Maybe a little awkward, but almost kinda cute! And it would’ve been just the right amount of avian charm to match her creepy Icelandic vibe. So when you’re thinking clutch, go nuts. Neon, sequins, recycled tires… they’re all great.

I don't carry very many clutches (yet another aside about my unglamorous life), but here's a delightful flapper number (Inge Christopher) I recently paired with a bronze Grecian dress.



Yes, it looks like Cousin It, which is part of the appeal (it’s fun to swish around the beads—wheee!). Plus, I love the ornate chain and clasp, and it fits a surprising amount of stuff.

"ethnic"

So this is sort of complicated: vacation souvenirs. Let's face it, we all buy them. In fact, we go to great lengths. Countless vacation hours are spent in bazaars, night markets, and tourist "museums" in search for them. Numerous third-world economies are dependent on our shelling out dirhams and dong for wearable trinkets, totems of our travels.

But if you're anything like me, you hate yourself a little for being the goofy, gauche American tourist savoring a taste of the exotic to take home to your prosaic office life, even if you can't help yourself. And what are you supposed to do once you get home? Complete your weekend wear with the giant jade Buddha you got at the Taiwanese temple?

I suspect there are no right answers here, but here's what I know. It's best to try to refrain from becoming your grade school librarian. You know, the well-traveled and well-meaning lady who paired her turquoise Native American jewelry with her Chinese embroidered jacket (and never failed to insert a story about their origins between your inquiries for Ramona Quimby and Nancy Drew).

If you're wearing anything that could qualify as "ethnic" jewelry, let that be the only thing on your person that does. And when you're looking for that special souvenir, consider whether it is something you might actually wear (This rule, of course, is one to be broken, as I have a sand-colored boys' thobe for which I spent days searching and am glad for it).

black + white

A classic. But surprisingly difficult to pull off. Black and white ensembles dangerously conjure Cruella DeVille and her dalmatian coats, and unfortunately, there just aren't enough of us who can pull off her fabulous two-tone cowlick. There's something early nineties, or alternatively, default-lazy about pairing blacks and whites that has made me kinda resistant.... that is, until now. You see, I've been working a lot these days, which means that lazy dressing is kind of my specialty. I have a uniform of office-appropriate black dresses with ever-so-slight variations. The hope is that the little shifts in sleeve length and nuances in collar detail throw off the co-workers ("She looks generally the same, and yet somehow different...").

To add some white to my boring black surrender to the Establishment, I found a pretty white stone necklace at one of those Korean accessories emporiums while shopping on Melrose last weekend. They've become my new favorite thing. They're just the right kind of weight and length- long enough to dangle right above the navel, heavy enough to feel substantive but not so much that it feels like a fashion albatross.

I think the key to wearing white accessories well is to look for solid, well-made, and simple items. Think anti-bridal. Anything too ornate rings wedding bells. Also try to avoid synthetics- wearing plastics and nylons in white emphasizes the cheapness of those materials, while opting for natural fibers like cotton and silk emphasizes the pure, organic quality of such fabrics.

Paired with a simple white cotton T (Club Monaco) and a black cotton/linen tank dress (Theory):



With another one of my little black dresses (Theory):



Here's a casual black and white combination, taking advantage of the stripes trend, which I have to say, I love. It's so loud and nautical!



French Connection cap-sleeve top, American Apparel three-button tights, and Corso Como ballasox flats (these comfy flats come w/ a little pouch, perfect for on-the-go shoe emergencies)

And of course, the keffiyeh (from Somewhere in Afghanistan):



I know this guy can be unfashionably political and/or off-puttingly hipster, but I got mine as a gift from a very sweet friend, and it's actually been the perfect accessory for fall office ensembles. As an aside, I'm also told it's generally worn by American soldiers as a practical defense against the heat and sand, so I'm thinking it's pretty patriotic, too. See also, "ethnic."