Cheap & Chic

There are so many great canvas and leather bags (like the Fisherman Tote by Superior Labor) on the market right now, but a lot of them are pretty pricey. A great alternative is the Large Canvas handbag from Forever 21 for under $25. It also comes in gray. Another cute, albeit more expensive, canvas bag is the Sunday Tote at Ladybird.

Lazy Sunday Cardigan

How cute is this Lazy Sunday Cardigan from Ruche? It looks so cozy and perfect for the cooler weather. Plus, at $38.99, it's a steal!

I want this mirror.

Wanna see how you measure up? Check out the Who Tall Are You? mirror at Suck UK. The mirror lists 120 celebs by height. Some the celebs are British and I'm not familiar with them, but it's kinda fun to see how you stack up to the likes of  Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Johnny Depp, Abraham Lincoln, Snoop Dogg, Muhammad Ali and Salvador Dali. It's kind of steep at £80 ($126), but I think it would be a lot of fun at parties.

Suck UK always has a great selection of unusual (but awesome) items--like the Flower Grenade!

Claire Vivier bags

LA designer Clare Vivier makes the most beautiful leather bags. I would take any of her bags, but there are two that I'm saving up for in my "purse bank" -- the La Tropezienne leather tote in Tan (top) and the Leather flat work tote in Silver (bottom).

Goody Spin Pins

When I get lazy I like to pull my hair up into a messy updo, but I have thin, fine hair that slips out of every hair clip (even bobby pins). So, I was skeptical about the Goody Spin Pin. It really is amazing. These pins even managed keep my hair up. The Goody Spin Pin ($6 for two-pack) holds hair so well it’s like using twenty of the other kind. The Spin Pin comes in a blond or brunette finish. I found mine at Target.

Matte black chain necklace

How great is this matte black chain necklace from J Crew? It looks like it could be made of paper. I feel like I'm crushing on a lot of J Crew pieces lately, but they have really hit it out of the park with their 2010 Fall line.

Etsy Shop of Day : Kinies' Shop

The Etsy shop of the day is Kinies' Shophttp://www.etsy.com/shop/Kinies?ref=top_trail. They have a great collection of cute bags. I love the ultra-girly bow on the QT bag. The ruffled waist purse is an attractive, modern take on the "fanny pack".

rennes + ilana tote

Currently coveting the hand-dyed canvas and leather Sker tote from rennes + ilana.

rennes + ilana is a Big Cartel store. I was just recently introduced to Big Cartel, another great site (like Etsy) where artists, designers and craftsmen sell their wares.

Chelsea Crew Grey Heel Booties

I am in love with these shoes. The  Chelsea Crew Tracer Gray Belt Laced Cone Heel Bootie (what a mouthful) is part shoe, part boot. The taupe-gray color is such a great neutral. A nice change from black. These booties have an exposed side zipper and a 3" stacked natural wood grain heel. Only $77? Love it.  Lulu's always has a great selection of chic, trendy, affordable shoes.

Tretorn Wool Flannel Sneakers

Wouldn't these chic Tretorn Wool Flannel Sneakers from J. Crew be perfect for Fall? I love the contrast of the flannel with the satin laces.

Tretorn has collaborated with J Crew for these special edition sneakers. They come with two sets of laces--the satin (shown) and regular cotton (in case the satin is too dressy for everyday). The shoes are $95 at J Crew (available in catalog and online only).

Fade to Black Necklace by Madewell

 I am loving almost everything by J.Crew's little-sister company, Madewell. The new collection by fashion forward Brit, Alexa Chung, is really fun. I like to check their site regularly because they are always adding great new accessories. Right now at the top of my "want list" is the Madewell Fade to Black necklace.  I love, love the ombré effect to the chain. The chain is 32 5/8" and retails for $32.00.

Best. Pants. Ever.

I don't know if everyone has as much trouble finding jeans as I do, but when I find good ones I have to share. The Modern Boot Denim Trouser pants from the Gap are seriously awesome pants. They are a great Fall/Winter wardrobe staple. The dark wash, clean lines and bootcut fit are flattering on every body type and they work well going out and they look really nice so you can get away with wearing them to work. The Gap is also having a big sale this week so they may be cheaper than the already wallet-friendly $59.50.

C'mon share. What are your favorite jeans?

Emma's Imagination

In heavy rotation on my iPod right now is "This Day" by Scottish songstress Emma Gillespie aka Emma's Imagination.

On Monday, Emma's Imagination was crowned the winner of the Sky 1 music talent show Must Be The Music. Emma won £100,000 to help her kick start her career. Read more about Emma here.

J. Crew Outlet Goes Online

Yay!

That cheer you just heard was your wardrobe celebrating. Happy Fall! The J.Crew Factory Store/Outlet is now online! Now you don't have to trek to the outlet mall to get great deals on J. Crew.  Just one minor drawback-- it's only open on weekends...

Take a peek...

Thanks Stephmodo for sharing the good news.

Moop Letter Bag

I'm in the market for a new bag. I need one big enough to haul around my MacBook and everything else I need, you know--sunglasses, 11 lipglosses, gum, mints, pen & notepad, Blackberry, iPod, camera and a brush. The Letter Bag by Moop could be the answer. I love the rusty red color for Fall and it's big enough to hold a 15" laptop, with room to spare. The best part is the bag is made from heavy-duty canvas and water proof cordura to keeps the inside dry. I'm curious, has anyone owned a Moop bag? How do they hold up?

Chevron Earrings

Recently I was introduced to the jewelry company, Jess LC, and now I am completely smitten with it. I want every piece in the Division line, and the Chevron Earrings are definitely on my Must-have List. I've got a birthday coming up in a month...

Initial Jewelry

Lately I have been taken with monogram or initial jewelry. I think it started with my infatuation with Liz Lemon's (on 30 Rock) initial necklace. The real thing was too pricey for my budget so I turned to Etsy. I knew I'd be able to find a great knock-off there.

I found a few like Liz's but then I fell in love with this initial necklace from One Life Jewelry Shop on Etsy. I like it's clean, modern look.

I also like this delicate initial ring from chuxgrafix, also on Etsy. I'm just starting to think about holiday shopping. Perhaps most of my friends with be getting jewelry this year...

Purple Wedge Heels

I am loving these purple suede wedge heels from Target. They would be a perfect addition to my fall wardrobe. And for less than $30? Sold.

Music Monday

Right now I am really digging the Norwegian band Donkeyboy. This band takes retro to a whole new level. They have a Mika-meets-Fleetwood Mac thing going on. Check out their song "Ambition". It's addicting.




The album Brothers by The Black Keys, especially the song "Your Touch" is in heavy rotation on the iPod right now.