Nancy Drew

I loved this article from the New York Times about the continuing influence of Nancy Drew.

"Nancy Drew was invoked last week during the Senate confirmation hearings for Judge Sonia Sotomayor. She has said that her Nancy Drew represented boldness and intelligence, the books a gift from a hardworking single parent. In recent years, Laura Bush, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Gayle King and Diane Sawyer have described themselves as fans."

Nancy had a big influence on me as well. I grew up reading all the old Nancy Drew books, and loved reading about such a fearless, smart heroine. Yes, I loved her sleuthing, but I also loved her style: classic, preppy, all-American, and okay, maybe a little prim. My image of her is in a little sweater set and pencil skirt, with a scarf in her hair as she drives her little blue roadster around River Heights. What would Nancy wear in 2009? I'm thinking Marc by Marc Jacobs, 3.1 Phillip Lim, and of course Tory Burch.

Nancy Drew Modern Wardrobe by austinshopping featuring Tory Burch

Polyvore

Have you guys been to the Polyvore website yet? If you're into fashion, you need to go check it out immediately! It is so fun. The New York Times recently ran an article about Polyvore:

Polyvore is a user-generated fashion magazine filled with user-generated ads. The people who go to it play fashion editor and create collages featuring pictures of clothes, accessories and models from across the Web. Readers view the collages, which the site calls “sets,” and if they click on a dress or necklace, they are taken to the Web site that sells it.

Even if you don't want to take the time to create your own collages, some of the sets that the other users put together are amazing. For example, search for "Chanel" and you might find the adorable outfit shown below, put together by a user of the site. If you click on any of the items, it will take you to the site where you can purchase them. It is such a great mix of creativity and commerce, I'm loving it! Warning: highly addictive!! I could play on this site all day.

shopping at chanel with LC and Lo by amandarocks featuring Forever21

Espadrilles

I really likethese elastic strap brown espadrilles, on sale for $47.40 at Bloomingdales. They remind me of the espadrilles that Jennifer Aniston wore with cute, cuffed boyfriend khaki's (picture from Instyle.com. Check out their "look for less" version of her outfit.)

Bib Necklaces

Lucky magazine recently posted this slideshow of some really amazing bib necklaces. They're pretty pricey though, so if you're looking to try out this trend without laying out quite as much cash, here are a few less expensive options. I love bib necklaces because they're such a great way to dress up the basics you already have. Pair them with a tank or tee and suddenly you have a really

special, unique outfit.

1. Loops and Whorls Necklace - $38, Anthropologie. A more modern take on the bib necklace, in coral colored acrylic.

2. Livia Necklace - $48, Anthropologie (above). So elegant, with a great vintage feel.

3. Textured Flower Bib Necklace - $16.80, Forever 21. Pretty metallic flowers with rhinestone accents (right).

4. Elodie lace bib --$27, Etsy. A simple and sweet lace version.

7. Jeweled medallion necklace--$6.80 Forever 21. Dramatic black jewels and filigree.

8. Briana bib necklace -- $88, Guess by Marciano. Absolutely beautiful rhinestone necklace.

9. Rumor Satin Bib Necklace -- $10.80, Forever 21. Cute, black beaded necklace.

11. Jewel Cluster Ribbon Necklace -- $12.80, Forever 21. Colorful, fun jeweled necklace.

12. Chiffon, Tulle and Cotton Rose Bib Ribbon Necklace -- $58, Etsy. Gorgeous, cream colored fabric roses (above).

Strawberry Carmex

Remember Lip Smackers, the flavored lip glosses that were in the caboodle of every 11 year old girl? I loved them, and had a ton of flavors. Fast forward 20 years later, and I feel a little too old to stock Lip Smackers in my makeup bag, so I was pretty excited when my friend Ashley introduced me to strawberry flavored Carmex. I'm completely addicted to this stuff. It has the signature tingle of the original Carmex, but has a really sweet strawberry scent (it's not flavored, but it smells amazing). It's also super moisturizing and has SPF 25. Only $1.79 at drugstore.com.

The new Ann Taylor

Have you guys been in Ann Taylor lately? The old girl's had work done, and she is looking fabulous! Now, Ann Taylor has great quality at reasonable prices, and I used to buy a lot of stuff there. But in the past few years, the clothes have been downright matronly. Well, I went in the other day and was really excited to see really modern, cool clothes. Apparently, they have a brand new design team, and in my opinion, they are doing a great job at performing some much needed updating.

The collection for fall is all about gray and purple, sheath dresses and pencil skirts, and soft, feminine tops. I am loving it. My entire closet is already gray, so I had made a rule that I would buy no more gray or black for fall. What can I say, I'm weak. I already can tell I'm going to have to buy some of these pieces, they are so pretty and so reasonably priced.

Here are a few of the standouts:

1. Ruffle Front Shift Dress (top, left) -- sleek, but the ruffle collar makes it a little softer. $170

2. Merino wool grosgrain trim cardigan (above, left) --gorgeous deep blue color, ribbon trim at the neckline and little rhinestone buttons. $95

3. Tropical wool pencil skirt (top, right) -- beautiful, classic shape in a great lightweight wool. $110

4. Chiffon trim cardigan (above, right) -- the picture does not do this justice. This cardigan has a really sweet vintage feel to it, and feels slightly distressed. So pretty, and only $55. Also comes in gray and black

5. Short sleeve long cardigan (left)--the softest cotton, and I love the long, modern shape. You can wear this now and into fall (and here in Texas, winter for that matter). On sale right now for $60. Also comes in a bunch of other colors.

Textured Gray Scarf from Target

I found this cute gray scarf at Target last weekend, and I had to pick it up in preparation for fall/winter. It's a really pretty deep gray color, and has a really cool texture to it. The website has named it "Heavy Crinkle Wrap", and while possibly not the most creative name they could have come up with, it's a very good physical description at least. It has a nice weight too it (hence, the "heavy") and basically looks like someone wadded it up into a ball and threw it in the bottom of their purse for a few weeks (hence, the "crinkle")--but in a good way! It has a lot of volume, and will be perfect to wear with long sleeve T-shirts this fall in my freezer of an office. $14.99 at Target stores and online.

OPI Matte Nail Color

I'm totally intrigued by OPI's new line of matte nail polishes. It could be awesome, or it could look like you took a magic marker to your nails. The color I'm most interested in is Russian Navy, featured in the gorgeous Marie Claire shot above. Shiny blue nail polish is a little much, but matte seems more wearable. Per OPI, the matte colors don't wear as well, and you're also not supposed to wear a topcoat with them, so this is definitely not a low-maintenance look. But can't you see this against all the fall jewel tones? Definitely worth a try I think. It comes in several other shades as well, including Alpine Snow (a bright white, which may or may not make you look like you got into the white-out while bored at work) and Lincoln Park After Dark (the classic deep, deep plum).

Boyfriend Jeans

I love the boyfriend jean trend, and after seeing Sloan's outfit on the season premiere of Entourage, I became a little obsessed with recreating her look. (See above - I know this is a horrible picture, but it's the best one I could find) I love the way they styled her for this episode.

So the thing about boyfriend jeans is that since they're slouchy and distressed, they can look a little bit sloppy if worn wrong. So I like the idea of wearing them with

something a little dressier on top. It could be a tank with a blazer or cardigan for day, or a little sequin top for evening. I like them worn with a belt and heels for the same reason, and I like a chunky, strappy leather shoe as shown above.

I really like these boyfriend jeans from Ann Taylor Loft for $69.50. They're distressed, but they don't look ratty.

For the gray tank, I like this one from Splendid, for $44 at Neiman Marcus, which has the drapiness of the original.

And for the blazer, this black one button blazer from Urban Outfitters for $78 is the perfect length, not too baggy and looks cute with the sleeves rolled up.

You've got to top them off with some chunky leather sandals, and I like this pair from piperlime for $79, which have the ankle strap and the right toughness about them. If you don't want to wear heels, I think this outfit would also look cute with black gladiator flat sandals.

Plaid

If I'm reading the fashion tarot cards correctly, we are all going to be swathed in plaid this fall. Yes, swathed. And I for one refuse to pay $200 for a plaid shirt. No, I will not, and I forbid you from doing so either. So I'm rounding up some for under $50.

I like the cute cotton blue shirt (above, left) at Delia's, for $39.50. Basic, but cute and it looks like it has a nice fitted shape.

How adorable is this shirt (above, right) at Charlotte Russe? I love the color, the longer length, the ruffled placket and the cute little tie waist. (Check out this cute flannel top at Forever 21 too for $17.80)

I love this slightly distressed version (left) at The Buckle for $28, with puffed sleeves and a subtle metallic thread woven in. (This plaid jacket at The Buckle is pretty cool too, and on sale for $48)

I kind of love this laid back look, even if it carries a slight risk of looking like a woodsman/lumberjack. Definitely not worth spending too much money on, because there are a ton of cute tops at great prices out there. Happy hunting! (pun intended--sorry!)

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

If you follow me on twitter, you know that I am obsessed with the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (or NAS, as my friend Jocelyn calls it). Jocelyn and I have kept up a constant email chain of communication about the NAS for about a week. I logged on Thursday night, and they had shut down the site, and instead just had a countdown clock to the beginning of the sale, which started at midnight pacific time. It made me so anxious, I considered staying up until the sale opening...I went a little sales crazy. Luckily, I remembered I had a real job to go to Friday morning, so I consoled myself by waking up at 5:30am Friday, jumping out of bed as though it were Christmas morning and running in to get on my laptop and shop.

Saturday morning, I showed up to Nordstrom at opening time, thinking it would be a mob scene. There was no one there. Clearly I am alone in my obsession (well, me and Jocelyn). It DID get very crowded later in the day though.

They had a lot of great stuff, and here are some of my picks.

1. Cole Haan Air Petra Boots (above, left) with Nike Air technology--the answer to my riding boot quest. $189.90, off from $298, also available in chocolate brown (my preference).

2. Me Too 'Limit' Ruffle Ballet Flat (above, right) -- cute patent leather flats in amazing colors, including violet (shown), green and red. $59.90, off from 89.95.

3. Hudson boot cut stretch jeans (very top) -- dark rinse and classic boot cut shape. $119, off from $176.

4. Nanette Lepore "Leading Lady" dress (right) -- gorgeous tweed dress, cute sweetheart neckline, and a great price for this designer, who is a genius. $219.90, off from $348.

5. Kooba "Devin" Tie Front Hobo (below) -- my personal favorite...I wish I could justify this purchase. I love the teal color, and the adorable tie. Honestly, I'm getting sad even looking at it. Oh Kooba. I have a feeling I am going to be pining after you all fall. $379, off from $575.

The Anniversary Sale ends August 3, and a bunch of stuff is selling out, so go now! Let me just add--Nordstrom has THE best customer service in the world. If something you love is sold out online or in our local store, call the store and see if they can order it for you from a different store. They are the best!

Meline Collection at Shiki

Stopped by Shiki today, and found they were showcasing designs by Meline for Austin Fashion Week. I loved the two blue dresses pictured above, really cute and comfy, both with really cool details. And both were very reasonably priced at under $100. There were some really fun tops as well. Sorry for the short notice, but the pieces will only be at Shiki through the end of the day today.

FYI, Shiki also has a ton of William Rast jeans on sale for just over $100.

Corey Lynn Calter Pop Up Shop

I saw this cute dress by L.A. based designer Corey Lynn Calter at Anthropologie a few weeks ago and thought it was so cool, so when I saw she was coming to Austin for fashion week, it was at the top of my list of fashion week events. My friend Ilyse and I went by to check out her pop-up shop over on South Lamar today, which is open through Sunday. There was a fairly good selection of tops and dresses, along with some accessories and even some children's clothes. The standout items were definitely the dresses though--above are some of my favorites. You can see several of the dresses had the same silhouette--fitted through the bust, slightly high waisted, and very full skirts. All of those dresses were around $150. But my favorite was the gorgeous teal dress with gold foil leaves, shown above, far left. It was so pretty, and even better, totally comfortable. It has a really cute elastic waist, and it's racer back. Very unique piece, I really loved it, it was $215. I love all the colorful, really different prints she uses. Her pieces are carried locally by By George, C. Jane, and Envie.

Shop Review: Hem Jeans

Went to Hem today with my friend Ilyse for another Austin Fashion Week event, this one for Elee Designs. The designer only had a few pieces displayed--I'm not sure if we were just there early and

they didn't have all her pieces out, or if that's all there was.

Regardless it was fun, and I love Hem (warning! their site has sound). It's all denim, and it's all fabulous. They have an incredible selection of all the premium labels, like True Religion and Hudson, and also some that I'm not familiar with but that looked amazing. They have every cut and style you can think of. They have a very substantial men's section, which I thought was cool...although not many men I know would set foot in here. If I suggested my husband pay $200 for jeans, he would laugh until he became hysterical.

I found the prices to be on the high side, but the service seemed excellent. We were greeted warmly when we came in, and the salespeople were cheerfully pulling pair after pair for the customers they were helping, and that counts for a lot--when you're dropping that much money, you want to make sure you find the best pair you can. It's also nice to be able to go to one shop and find that kind of variety.

Being the bargain shopper that I am, I headed straight for the recycled denim section, where they have gently used premium brands at discounted prices. The jeans were in great shape, and they had a really good variety of brands, cuts and sizes. I loved this Rock and Republic pair, and they were only $80. Unfortunately, since my husband is sick I had to drag my 5 month old son with me, and I found he does not enjoy shopping as much as I do, so I didn't have time to try them on. I'm seriously tempted to go back this weekend though.

People for Fresh at Adelante

Just got back from Adelante, a really cute boutique at 35th and Lamar (I'll be posting a shop review soon), for a showcase of designs by People for Fresh. Here's a picture of the designer, Hazelle Samson. She was so sweet, and absolutely adorable. She's standing next to my favorite piece, a gorgeous silk maxidress. This picture really doesn't do it justice, the print is really beautiful, the fabric has an amazing feel to it, and I love the bright blue color. She also had some really pretty tops in the same fabric, and some tops that were a really cool almost mustard yellow color. As part of Austin Fashion Week, Adelante is hosting a launch party for People for Fresh tonight from 6-8, with appetizers, cocktails and a DJ. They're raffling off a piece from People for Fresh and an Adelante gift certificate, so go check it out!

Austin Fashion Week

Austin Fashion Week has begun! This is the first year for this event, and I love the concept--local boutiques and salons host designers (most of them local designers), with complimentary cocktails, food, and beauty treatments. Several of the shops are offering discounts as well. They have a great website, with a really easy to use calendar, so you can plan which events to go to. The hard part is picking between events. This is a great way to support our local retailers and maybe check out some shops you haven't been to yet. Did I mention free cocktails?

My trend obsession for fall

I'm so over summer right now, it is just waaay too hot outside, so my thoughts have already shifted to building my fall wardrobe. And I am pretty much obsessed with buying some dark skinny jeans and tall riding boots. Yes, I know I am jumping on this bandwagon incredibly late. In all fairness, I wanted on last year but the thought of maternity skinny jeans made me more nauseous than pregnancy itself.

I don't want to spend very much on the skinny jeans, since I will not be wearing them with anything but the aforementioned boots (in my opinion, girls with hips cannot get away with skinny jeans and flats). So I'm thinking about this pair of dark wash Diva skinny jeans at Old Navy.

They have a little spandex so I'm hoping they'll keep their shape for a little while at least. And they're only $29.50, which means I can spend more on boots!