it’s been a long time. a REALLY long time. a GINORMOUSLY long time since i’ve made an ‘if money was no object…’ post…!

truth be told, i’ve been *trying* not to look at clothes and such too-too much for months…being pregnant and all, it’s sort of like, hrm, can’t wear that, so i don’t even want to look at it right now, if you know what i’m sayin’.

and also…i have so many other things to be thinking about, doing, and yes, spending money on (hello, impending BABY!)…

and i am trying to be careful and considerate about what i DO buy (as evidenced by so much of what i write about and have been writing about for some time, about making smart choices, about ethics, about being green and creative…and all that jazz)…

but… STILL, i have been sort of quietly obsessing over a few things…okay? i am human, after all. at least, i think so!

so, *sigh* here goes…

there’s no way i’d ever be able to afford these paloma picasso stackable gold and semi-precious rings, from tiffany’s, but…a girl can dream.

ms. picasso is calling them ’sugar stacks’…how apt! they are so delicious…they totally remind me of candy. i almost want to eat them!

being a long-time jeans fiend, i’m all about this pair of higher-waisted dark skinnies from that most classic of jean purveyors, levi’s (a long time fave of mine, btw).

so simple and perfect: a normal-ish waistline (at least compared to the past’s low-lows), no stupid whiskering, straight, and narrow. just the way i like it.

if i wasn’t very, very pregnant (and about to be even more round than i currently am!), i’d snap those up so fast it’s silly. i’d be wearing them non-stop, oh yes.

*crosses her fingers and hopes to the gods she snaps back figure-wise after having le bebe royal*

well-designed orange shoes are SO hard to find! yes, i did find a superb pair of orange snakeskin wedges a while back at a local shoe store (paolo, which is located on hayes street, and also over on fillmore, both here in san francisco), and i love them like i love no other pair of shoes in my collection.

but –STOP THE PRESSES!!– i do believe i’ve tracked down another superb pair that i feel suit me down to the ground…and i am of course coveting them like mad: these schindler sandals by rachel comey, to be found over at creatures of comfort.

the ankle strap is sturdy and wide, the sole is comfortably flat, the peep-toe keeps things summery, and the criss-cross over the toes has just a teensy bit of texture in the way of the lines, keeping things subtle yet interesting.

if by some chance you want more of this kind of thing, do check out my past flights of retail fancy in the ‘if money was no object…’ archive.

i was not posting much the last month or so. but, such is life. instead of posting (which takes a lot of energy, surprisingly!) i was instead doing a lot of relaxing, resting, trying to feel better, a lot of watching t.v. and surfing the web (very easy to do when you have energy for little else, dontcha know?).

in my travels, i came across a lot of things that delighted my eyes. does it mean i’ll run out and buy them? probably not.

but, if money was no object…(and i could actually justify getting more stuff!)…

there’s something cool and almost summery about this blue resin bead necklace from j crew. i am enamored with it’s simple boldness.

speaking of j crew, i am over the moon about this silk ruffle neck halter, worn under that cashmere henley-style sweater. the neckline of the halter is more than a little feminine with the ruffles, but not at all over the top. a nice level of restraint. but i know for a fact the coupling of the yellow and the red-orange is what sends me over the edge with mad love, as both are among my favorite colors (of late, and in general).

color always finds a way to make me fall deeper in love with something i covet. funny, that.

this fruit-stripe-y sisal bag found at sustainable style source a greater gift just seems so summer-like to me. perfect for bringing some sweetness and light to a dark winter day.

bonus: it’s made by a cooperative in kenya that includes akamba tribespeople, whose female members are skilled weavers.

continuing the ethnic aesthetic and awesomeness, i’ve always been a fan of african prints and latin american weaving. thus, both of these totally comfy-looking, uber colorful skimmer sneakers by keep from keep make me smile widely. i don’t wear sneakers very often, but rubber-soled footwear this stylish makes me want to make an exception.

see past flights of my shopping/fashion fancy in my if money was no object archive.

wow, it’s been almost two months since i did an if money was no object… post? suffice it to say, stuff is really piling up in my (very virtual) covet cupboard!

so let me get to it!

i’d surely like any of these exceedingly lovely things, if, of course, money was no object…

monotone is obviously magnificent, as proven by this all-white brooch by mary pearse made from the seemingly incongruous materials mix of diamonds, silver and plastic.

it’s available at sienna gallery. [via dear ada, whose blog is full of lovely things!]

leather is one of my favorite “fibers”…it’s warm, it’s organic, it’s supple and it’s literally quite visceral, a very real metaphor for our own skin. i can’t get enough of leather, and love working with it myself, when possible.

kingdom of style just posted this stunningly beautiful fitted leather vest by grai, which is available @ hejfina. when i saw it, i audibly gasped. i am so enamored of this particular piece i can feel the desire for it in my gut, like an ache.

the two sides of the vest are distinct, yet they work together beautifully: the back is tough and sexy (note the piercing at the top by the collar), and has fitted, body-conscious shaping. the front has soft, sensuous folds that cascade down from the high neck to the hip and are pulled in by a cinched waist. it’s one of those pieces i can sort of see with everything i own: over blouses with voluminous puffed sleeves, simple v-neck tees, pencil-thin denim skirts…i’m not sure i’d be able to take it off!

if the dollar wasn’t such crap at the moment, i’d cave and buy these bright red patent leather oxfords from topshop. fie on you, terrible U.S. economy!

i like them because they are a saucy, offbeat take on the ubiquitous shoe o’ the season, punchy and different and not as staid as they might be if they were in plain ole black. always have to do things a little bit differently…

ringtone 3595 nokia mobile tringtone phone free 3360 nokialg 3200 free ringtonecell phone boyz 69 ringtoneringtones free nextel absolutlyringtones 702pc from adding ringtoneringtones nokia 2260 Map

with the upcoming move (and needing to outfit the new apartment with a few new pieces, etc.) and some potential travel back east this fall (during which i will likely want to do some shopping, natch!), i’m thinking that putting the kibosh on most spending for some time to come is probably the best course of action for me at the momento.

but that doesn’t stop me from looking or coveting, right? nah…i suppose i’ll always be looking! doesn’t cost anything unless one crosses the bridge into actual buying, right?

so, keeping in mind the description of my crazy aesthetic sense in my recent missal, if money was no object…i’d certainly go for thus:

i’ve been wearing my classic gold elgin watch for several years now. ok, i LOVE gold, and i LOVE my elgin watch, but now i am kind of wishing for a watch that’s a bit more on the sporty/colorful/chunky side. i quite like these two futuristic looking styles shown below, in my favorite color, orange!

the top one is the vega watch by nixon (via amazon.com), and the bottom is the zub 20 zot watch by matthew waldman (via momastore.org).

san francisco can be a cold, windy, beastly place for much of the year. one MUST dress in layers, or you basically risk freezing. and somehow, my wardrobe is mostly bereft of thin, fitted sweatshirts and sweaters, which are actually just the thing when one needs to layer up but not look like the michelin man. i think this lightweight cashmere hoodie (or one like it) from j. crew would begin to solve my (lack of) hoodies/light sweaters problem:

maybe i’ve said this before (or meant to), but i actually really LOVE j. crew. they make classic pieces in bright colors, in nice quality fabrics, with nice finishes for a decent price point. their clothes may be marketed in a very preppy, new england sort of way, but almost anything they make could just as easily be styled to compliment many an individual’s idiosyncratic sartorial expression. for example: the hoodie pictured above could just as easily been worn (my way!) with a barrage of contrasting, colorful vintage or handmade fabric pins splattered across one side of the shoulder/bust area, emerald green high waisted, wide-legged jeans (man, if those existed, they would be HOT!), and red woven leather vintage heels. or it could be popped over a simple, subtly patterned or solid colored structured shift, and worn with ballet flats, for someone who’s a bit more conservative. and on, and on. and the darn thing comes in a huge passel of colors…one of them is sure to suit any given person.

i still love my skinny jeans. i know some people are saying they are “out,” my knee-jerk response to those people is: “who cares.” but i am admittedly sort of caving and feeling the siren-song-like pull of the option to don a slouchier jean silhouette, something like these wide leg jeans from goldsign (via shopbop.com):

just looking at them takes my blood pressure down a notch…they look as comfortable as pajamas!

the cracked leather on these t-strap heels from frye (via urban outfitters) is ace. it’s a nice texture that seems to be popping up a lot at the moment. plus they are shinny. and i am all about the shiny!

is it just me, or is frye making some amazing styles these past few seasons or so? very classic really, and simultaneously more than a little fashion forward. and they are using superb materials and craftsmanship. the quality of the leathers and the stitching on all of them is super evident just by a quick glance at them, and the heels of many of the shoes seem to be made of wood. which, i think i have mentioned before several times, is really important to me. i loathe when companies use fake materials just to cut corners. give me the real thing, if possible, designers! if i love it, i’m willing to shell out the dough to get the nicer stuff! i’m not just interested in the *look* or a shysty, half-assed facsimile.

(clearly i’m feeling a slouchy glamourous thing at the moment, with a dash of the sporty. so yeah, i’d wear all that together. *head spins*)

a few lovely things i wouldn’t mind acquiring…if, of course, money was no object…

deborah rice was a neighbor of mine back when pete and i lived in brooklyn. a former model and all-around beautiful person, deborah makes the most exquisite hand-made metal jewelry…all of it has a very sexy, sculptural, organic feel. there’s something almost visceral about them, with the ripped, gaping openings, you know? but it’s good. i particularly love these dangling earrings and this asymmetrical necklace, part of a larger collection that deborah is now offering:

i can totally imagine these particular (or any of the pieces in her body of work) with a very minimal black dress, upswept hair (if i had any!) and lots of bare skin…any other kind of busy-busy ensemble would fight for attention and take away from their simple, yet standout look, methinks.

from a recent post on shiny squirrel i found the label figmint. i’m loving the relaxed, arty feel of their fall 2007/winter 2008 collection…the hoods, cowls, drapes and fabrications (knits, primarily) exude a laid-back aesthetic that conversely suggests quite a bit of attention to detail.

i suspect that part of the reason i am grooving on this particular label/collection because i tend to be all about the comfort factor when it comes to clothes, mostly…wearing lots of knits, cowls (that i typically make myself, like this or this), leggings, tights, boots, and the like.

and actually, admittedly? a big thing that really appeals about these looks above, is the styling, i.e., the black tights with brown platform sandals or brown boots, not even the clothes themselves, which are of course, definitely lovely, as said. weird the things i fixate on, ha!

cocktail hats are all i can think about at the moment. and well, shoes (when do i ever not think about shoes??)…but really, my mind is primarily occupied with visions of cocktail hats and ways i want to wear them. this obsession with cocktail hats has sort of reached critical mass within my own fashion-addled mind.

i envision cocktail hats with everything…jeans, cute little thrifted dresses (from whatever era, you know i don’t discriminate!), shorts, whatever. dressed up, casual, everything in between. actually, i quite like the idea of wearing them with casual ensembles, because of the visual irony/clash of it all. or like, wearing a cheap chic casual outfit with like, a fancy hat and fancy shoes. that sort of thing.

cocktail hats, or really, any little fancy hats of a similar ilk, are a fun way to explore fashion on another level through the utilization of accessories, another point of visual interest on the map of the moving human form. they are truly indulgences…we don’t NEED to wear them, they don’t have any practical purpose (like shading or protecting the head, for instance) but they add an air of intelligent, sophisticated play to any ensemble.

cocktail hats are absolutely nothing to be afraid of. such hats can be worn anywhere if you *believe* that they can be worn anywhere. simple as that.


(that’s in answer to the inevitable retort…”but where would i wear them??”)

…and actually, that’s my philosophy on anything fashion-related. fashion: love it, believe in it, have fun with it. who CARES what the hell others think of what you wear? be courageous.

and i gotta say, while i am seeing cocktail hats here and there in magazines and on people now and again, they are still a rather rare sight on the streets. it would be nice to change that.

so without any further ado…here are some swanky cocktail hats i’d snatch up, if, of course, money was no object…

a fascinating facinator from an ebay seller who goes by the unwieldy name of HAZEL CHURCH HATS LADIES RED HAT (huh?)…her store has a section filled with fancy cocktail hats…packed to the brim with fun, feathery fripperies.

katie burley of san francisco is behind the goodly green fun shown here, a hat called “apple martini“…the perfect topper for getting one’s drink on. put it on your crown while you guzzle a beer.

in my fashion fantasy land, that sweet sassy green hat would look mighty fine with an orange or red dress in more of a modern cut…perhaps even something a little 80s in its aesthetic. just sayin’. i think i have just the item in my closet already…!

boring sidney makes all sorts of hats, most of which have a gorgeous gothy sort of feel, but the bright hues and exotic peacock feathers (looking a little like antennae?) on this particular topper really get my blood racing:

love it paired with the pink hair (a wig, methinks, but still, so lovely!).

the great thing about a lot of cocktail hats is that they are really like sculpture…bits and bobs and feathers shoot off of them, interacting with negative space in an unexpected way. they are also incredibly dynamic, in a static state, as well as when one is in motion. they move as you move, constantly changing shape.

this one by chimerablossom has a lot of movement, as that feather swoops right on back. it has a dark beauty, almost too lovely for words.

here are some other places to find super amazingly fabulous cocktail hats that i’ve managed to uncover of late. i am happy to share!:

-artikal
-gena conti custom millinery
-fino fino
-patrick bay millinery
-philip treacy (the favored milliner of the late isabella blow)

i’m going to keep searching around for more amazing cocktails and facinators, and will report back with any particularly stunning finds, but feel free to pipe in if you know of more sources for such!

cheers!

again, it’s been a while…it’s always a while in between these sorts of things. more so as time slips into the future. guess i am not worth my weight in fashion salt. a poor “fashion blogger” i suppose. perhaps i am not the latter at all! a distinct possibility.

fall’s almost here. i haven’t been paying much attention to the coming fashions, except in passing, as my mind’s been occupied by other more pressing thoughts and other inwardly focused mental machinations.

i have but one thing on my mind lately, and would love to have, if of course, money was no object…

i need a new pair of black boots. the pair i bought for $2 at the salvation army last fall were claimed as a potty by my black feline fiend/friend, girl, a few weeks back, and umm, yeah, as such, i’m loathe to keep wearing them…as one might expect.

i believe these black frye tina campus boots (@ shopbop) would make a fine replacement for said thrifted boots. they fit my aesthetic and fashion philosophy to a tee: fine materials (nice leather and a REAL stacked wooden heel), simple, classic shape. subtile sexiness imbued by the small lift provided by the aforementioned heel. bold, in its simplicity. form following function. in other words, perfection.

wow, it’s been a long time since i have done an if money was no object post! apparently the last one was on june 26th! so it seems the right time to do one again.

patchwork-y and quirky is the name of the game for me of late, as evidence, i present these objects of my affection, below, for your perusal.

these felt baubles my french designer virginie bois are cartoonishly amazing:

this patchwork-y tank by alexandre herchcovitch (available at creatures of comfort, one of my favorite online retailers, hands down) has a riotously colorful look that exudes relaxed though extroverted cool:

my friend erin weckerle of sodafine manages to stock her shop chock-a-block with the most amazing wearables. it’s smart, understated, and intelligent stuff…that absolutely seethes with style and a downtown/arty sophistication. she carries this particular pair of chie mihara shoes in her shop (online and otherwise). and i can’t stop thinking about them and imagining them with many a thing in my now smaller and more serviceable closet:

i love the thick width of the ankle strap, and the revealing cut of the shoe. it’s flat and sensible, yet also sexy and almost a little retro-futuristic? is that even possible?? i don’t know, but i do know i find them covetable.

i haven’t owned a pair of converse in over 15+ years. i’m probably they are everywhere again these days, embraced by the punk/indie crowd (neither of which i identify with at all). thus, i find them to be overwhelmingly ubiquitous, not really thing and i’ve generally refused to wear them or anything like them. however, i might make an exception for this pair of red label patchwork converse kicks (available at delia’s), whose general aesthetic is so “me” it actually factually hurts. plus they support project red, the global fund to fight aids, tuberculosis, and malaria, so even better.

and okay, this isn’t anything REMOTELY wearable, but if money was REALLY no object, i’d take this mid-century beaut of a house in west nyack, new york please:

imagine it, of course, without all their old-fashioned/country stuff…and with some nice mid-century/modern pieces peppered throughout instead. that fireplace spot is BEGGING for a sizeable piece of amazing art. the whole space is LUSTING for color and life. and that staircase…those WINDOWS! ahhh. *deep sigh*

yup, we’re definitely considering a move back east…eventually.

if money was no object…

i’d take any of these:

these interestingly beaded earrings by meeshka, which have a lovely colorway that is reminiscent of the seashore and summertime:

here be the ‘fennel’ earrings by one of my favorite jewelry designers the world over, kyo hashimoto. her latest jewelry collection is called ‘the anatomy of f’. all the pieces in this latest group of designs have a name beginning with ‘f’.

these subtly remind me of the interesting tribal ear stretchers some folks wear.

i love all the hand-wrought crochet/felt jewelry by kjoo! these earrings of hers are rather lovely, with their found-object feel:

not much gets me going over at UO these days (it mostly looks and feels cheap, and a lot of it is not my personal style) but i am very enamored with this graphic tote. i have always been a sucker for geometric prints and bright colors.

though i don’t use it much anymore (because of great changes with the site that i don’t like), i still collect/organize some links to things i love over at stylehive. feel free to peruse, if you’re so inclined.

it’s weird…i used to search the internets all the time for cute things. i don’t do it so much anymore!

but i did manage to scrape a few things together for an if money was no object… post. there’s always a little something something hanging about and haunting me, of course.

i’m not so much into silver these days (too gaga for gold instead), but i like the perfect wonky yet carefully considered modernness of these dangling earrings by trinkitsch (who, by the way, sells lots of other lovely pieces i wouldn’t mind snagging). this particular pair reminds me of the mobiles of modernist sculptor alexander calder.

i’ve long been a fan of the shoe designs of british cobbler tracey neuls (aka TN_29). i’ll take any of these, please:

speaking of offbeat/cool footwear, does anyone out there know of a shoe blog focusing on irreverent, original, fashion-forward shoes? i’m NOT talking shoewawa, so don’t suggest it. something more independent?…something more “design-y”, less “designery”, if that even makes any sort of sense to anyone except me! hah.

anyone, anyone? comment if you know of anything.

most logo tees bore me, but i like the overall graphic print across this one for delia’s:

a bit childlike, but it makes me smile. interesting how the whole tee has been considered a canvas for design and print, not just a logo or image slapped on the front, etc. i like that. inspiration for some screen printing work i’m currently doing, in a loose way.