I want want want…

I so badly want a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes. I see them everywhere now. Khloe Kardashian wore them the day she was fired in Celebrity Apprentice 2. I saw it on a girl at work. And I have fallen in love with the red sole… so classy and sexy. But they cost a fortune!

My husband will flip if I buy them. Should I open a new bank account, deposit a check and spend that money on the shoes? That way the charge will not show up in the bank and credit card statements. Will he notice that one check has not been deposited? I hate Fidelity, where all the accounts have been combined so we keep track of all the money. Damn! One day…

I tell myself that if I lose xx number of pounds, I will have justification for rewarding myself. Or I could just buy and not deal with my husband, since he did not give me anything last Anniversary (recession…).

The website is so awesome.

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Jill Stuart

I have heard of Jill Stuart, but came across the designs for the first time on Gilt. They feature drapery and pleats, and I cannot figure out what the essence is. What does the designer stand for? Not much innovation in designs. I like how the dresses flow though. Frills, pleats, and ruffles have been done to death in Spring & Summer 2008. I hope we continue to see pleats; I really like pleated tops and skirts – so classic!

The dress below is weird looking with ruffles all over, not sure how it would look on “real people”. Love the shoes though.

The ruffles of this top remind me of crocodile skin. On close-up the ruffles/pleats are done well, but overall crocodile/alligator-like. But the shoes are charming.

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More sales from Gilt Groupe

I love Gilt Groupe and their sales. My second fav is Rue La La. I don’t like The Top Secret because their site is blah. Gilt is truly high fashion, Rue La La has stuff that you can actually buy because it is easier on the wallet. I wanted to post Alexander McQueen pictures but the sale has ended at Gilt – sob. I love the dark beauty in his clothes, reminds me of old country Wuthering Heights-type of darkness. And I love the subtle structural elements in his skirts.

I came across Josie Natori lingerie. Gorgeous lace camisoles! I love the sexy romantic look of lace in any form.

Now for some rants. The Ports 1961 blouse below is dull and boring, and costs retail $785, sale $218. All the clothes by Ports are dull and boring and ridiculously overpriced. Who buys them? A better (much) cheaper is available on our site.

I hate high-rise pants – they remind me of mommy-jeans. They make a person look much older. Everyone has a version of sailor high-rise – who brought back this style? If a toothpick model cannot look good in them, nobody can.

I like crinkle. It looks good in pictures and on models. But would you really wear the below dress? Doesn’t it look too crumpled, and not in a making-a-fashion-statement-way?

The only dress I like from Ports is the one in white – its romantic and sweet, perfect for a date. But a common style.

Now for shoes. As Carrie Bradshaw said, “I will literally be the old woman who lived in her Choos”! I was reading in Internet Retailer that women spend the most on Handbags (3 times that of clothes), and then on shoes. Wow! No wonder handbags are so expensive. Shoes you can get at big sale prices, not handbags. I love the wedge below from Pour La Victoire. Lovely! And the bootie, and 3 oxfords in snake skin, white, and marroon. I love everything marroon… looks so sophisticated and rich. And I have a soft spot for booties and oxfords. So “tailored” and European. If only they were comfortable!

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DVF’s gorgeous Spring collection

I love love DVF’s spring collection “Rock Goddess”. Her dresses are always gorgeous, classy, and chic, with a dash of romance. All the clothes truly represent freedom. I especially love the studded dresses in purple ombre and multi-color. Totally sets the stage for a Fall rock & roll trend. Love love love it. There is a 10% discount on Facebook for fans – get 10% off new items through Feb 28 with code fbsts09 (all lowercase). I like the video better on her site.

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Designer wear at ridiculous prices

Through subscriptions to various invitation-only sites, I have come across many great designer deals. Some of them astound me with their ridiculous prices for terrible-looking stuff, and for mere basics.

Check out the Cynthia Rowley silk scarf dress (more like a potato sack) – it looks hideous on the model, quite unlikely to look good on anyone. Retail price = $407, now $38

The Hooded Open Front Cardigan below by Malo is even more ridiculous. Its 100% silk and retail price is (hold your breath) $2,515!!! Sale price $248. Best to give it to a homeless person who will have some value for this. Malo’s clothes are in general over-priced and quite basic.

And the one below by Valentino Roma – a cami with 70% wool, 20% silk, 10% cashmere, made in Italy. Retail price $340. The cashmere and silk do not justify the hefty price tag. Sale price is $48, which is more in line.

The Oversized Parkha below by Bamford – retail $2,195, sale price $248. It is of good quality, but seriously, very unflattering on any shape. Totally mismatched with the capris worn by the model. From behind it looks like a crumpled foil.

No wonder nobody is buying luxury clothing anymore – at least not at full prices. Yes, designers need to get bad designs out of their system to create really good ones, but are the ridiculous prices justified? Obviously customers paying the prices are worse – why would a designer not want to make money if customers are paying? Hopefully the one good thing from this tough economy will be that these excesses are purged for good.

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Hale Bob’s take on prints

I came across a new designer through Rue La La, Hale Bob, and love the playfulness captured in the use of prints in fabrics. The collection features fun and flirty dresses and colorful tops and tunics. Really cute!

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