Nonetheless. It is my favorite time of year! My mission this week will be to seek out and find all those "must have" Harper's Bazaar and VOGUE looks at REAL people prices--and then determine if the are wearable off the catwalk or streets of Manhattan.
On my list: Trench coat, baggy trousers (a la Etro or Akris), statement shoes-jewelry-and clutch, great neutral bag with a longer strap (preferable in leather or suede), neon pops (see Michael Kors and Marc Jacobs), easy layerable
tank-tops (like those from The Row)--the looser fitting the better, the boyfriend blazer, something sparkly, a pair of booties that don't make my calves look giant, and the newest freshest beauty look out there for fall (and don't worry, I won't be bleaching or shaving any eyebrows even though Armani, Balmain, Calvin Klein, and many others are sporting the look in their fall ad campaigns and runway shows). I am also in the market for a perfect white button-up, a light weight scarf, a new pair of jeans or two, a great party dress, and chic wear-with-anything watch.This will take me all week, but I will be posting my finds--along with pictures--as I go.
I want to preface this shopping excursion with this: I am quite skeptical of several of these falls trends--particularly neon and pointy shoulder pads. I am of the old school which meant fall was the return to all of the deliciously sumptuous neutrals--gray, beige, camel, blush, charcoal, black, navy, cream, etc.--in great fabrics like cashmere, silk, and wool. Pair these with subtle gold touches and you have a perfectly polished and transitional ensemble for work or play. I find the problem with statement pieces is that they tend to make too loud of a statement. And who wants to go around shouting the same thing at every occasion all season? The key is to find a good weighty sculptural piece that will be the finishing touch to any outfit, but not actually BE the outfit. See the difference? Louis Vuitton has a necklace out for fall
that is the former, it is huge, and unavoidable--so for us that will need to re-purpose 
our purchase for more than one "look" this is not a good choice. However, Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquiere created some amazing bangles--that look more as if they belong in the MOMA than a jewelry shop, which add just-the-right-touch of Modern to any fall composition.I have my work cut out for me--and I am setting my price limit at $150 for each major piece, and $50 for smaller items such as necklaces. Of course, there is room for fudging if something is particularly fantastic. My favorite haunts are: the 70% off rack in the BCBG Max Azria boutique at Dillard's or the freestanding boutique (I also like Kenzie--and Antonio Melani is great for work pieces), the SAKS outlet--they email me coupons--for high end pieces at a great price, Forever 21 for seasonal pieces, Express (just make sure you weed through the sleazy stuff), the Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Zara, Target, Nordstrom, and Wal-Mart (which I used to loathe, but have been very pleased with of late).
More soon to come!
