Faux Fur Jacket Buy of the Week!

Fur is definitely making it's mark this season. Thanks to global warming, the earth's weather is all kinds of messed up, so winters are becoming even more bitterly cold.  Which is why I am so obsessed with this Juicy Couture faux fur jacket.  It's cute, there's ruffles, and the faux fur doesn't feel like it came from a mangled dead cat.  Imagine this fur jacket, with dark skinny jeans and heels and your favorite Louis Vuitton bag.  I know, I feel ritzy just imagining it.  We loves it.

Raw Denim: Cool or Just Inconvenient?

Recently, whilst mundanely shopping for jeans, I came across something curious--Raw Denim.  It looks like normal denim, except, it's way weirder and takes a lot more work.  Yes, I said "work". Work before you are actually able to wear your jeans out in public.  The origins of raw denim, I assume, stem from the days when cowboys wore their jeans to wrangle animals, wallow in horse poop, and then sleep in these same jeans as if they were their second skin.  Of course, back then, you were probably only allowed one pair of pants, so it WAS his second skin.  Which is why it confuses me when a guy, living in a land of plenty, would ever consider buying raw denim because there's a lot of craziness involved.  First, you have to buy them seven sizes larger for shrinkage.  Second, you have to soak them in a bath of warm water for like two hours--while you're wearing them--so they will mold to your body!! After about 17 soaks and your legs are all dyed blue, you are to wear them every single day for six months without washing them. Then, by the grace of God, these jeans will hopefully fit, your legs will not have suffered any permanent damage from the dye, and will not have looked like a total douche for going through this ridiculous process when you could have just went two aisles down and picked up normal jeans...that are pre-shrunk, and pre-normal.  Maybe it's a guy's way of feeling cool again like a cowboy.  Except, cool without the wrangling, or the horses, or anything that makes cowboys cool.  So really, you're just left with filthy roach jeans. Cool or just inconvenient?  I think the answer is obvious, and it's not cool.

Pin-Up Girl

I always prided myself on never having to resort to writing the "Look for Less" article because I don't believe in the look for less.    All who have attempted the "Look for Less" know that you can NEVER get the same cool look for less money.  What you will actually be getting is the "Look That Is A Poor and Sad, Semi-Reminiscent of the More Amazing Expensive Look." Or the "Look For Cheap and Will Give You a Rash and Make Your Feet Bleed Because of All the Cheap Clothes That You Just Bought." I know, I have all those looks.  By the same token, I am also loathe to be the girl to that writes the "Make Your Boring Old Clothes Look New Again" article; and yet here I am doing just that.  My recent budget limitations has forced me to seriously find "looks for less".  But, I discovered that instead of finding looks for less, I can update my already awesome wardrobe with some simple accessories.  My current favorite accessory--brooches and pins!  Just by pinning a brooch on the lapel of your blazer, t-shirt or dress, you can turn any ensemble into any look you want.  My personal fave right now are these Elizabeth and James snake and arrow brooches for a Rock n Roll feel.  For a more demure look, pin on your Grammy's Cameo brooch, or a big flower pin a la Carrie Bradshaw.  Whatever your mood, you can find a pin to match it.  Automatic ensemble update without having to wear some sad "look for less" and have people ask you, "are those the fake X?"  Embarassing fashion moment 6576 averted.  We loves it!

Cheap City Chic

I am currently in the process of freeing myself from a man that fancies himself the next Saddam Hussein and his faithful sidekick Cruella de Ville.  Work misery aside, I am now faced with something even more miserable:  living and shopping... on a budget (insert horror movie scream).  I know, totally scary.  But I have discovered that you don't have to look totally roach when you're on a budget.  Here are 5 tips to being cheap and chic in the city: 1.  Wear all black.  Black has many benefits like, hiding your cottage cheese thighs and slimming your muffin top.  I don't think I need to sell you anymore on black.  Anything that makes a chick have to suck in less has to be a plus.  I should know, I haven't taken full breath of air since 1993.

2.  Big sunglasses.  Big sunglasses will always be in because Audrey Hepburn will always be in.  Everyone dreams of being Holly Golightly a la Breakfast at Tiffanys, and what we always remember is her in that tiara and those big sunglasses.  So, since it's not socially acceptable to walk around in tiaras and be a snotty bitch, grab a pair of big sunglasses to go with your Audrey Hepburn all black ensemble.

3.  Big earrings.  Big earrings are super fun because they're so huge.  Any simple outfit can be ultra awesome with some big earrings.  Plus, big earrings shows that you have big cajones--just saying.

4.  Converse. No, you will not be roaming around the city in your cutest heels when you're on a budget because you won't be buying heels for a very long time.  So save those heels for a night out and grab yourself some Chucks. Outfit example:  boyfriend blazer, plain white tee, skinny jeans and Chucks = Super Cute.

5.  Plain white tees.  White tees go with anything and everything.  White men's tees, white button downs, white tank tees...there's no going wrong with white.  Well, unless there's ring around the collar or pit stains--not sexy.  I guess you can go wrong with white. Of course if you're letting yourself sweat into a tizzy to cause pit stains, there's really not much help I can give you anyways.  In that case, eliminate all white.

There you have it.  5 items that are cheap, but will still be chic for many years to come.  We loves it (until we have money again).