Fashionable Web Finds

In honor of Labor Day and celebration of our shopping de-waggon-ing, we bring you the best that the internets have brought to us lately . . . we've only road tested a few of these yet, and thus hesitate to give them our Pretty Seal of Perfection, but these seemed too good to keep to ourselves.

**The following two are courtesy of our BF-J, who - when not otherwise flitting about the globe saving humanity and generally being fabulous - can be counted upon to send us incredible finds . . .

Beauty Habit - lots of off-the-beaten-path luxe brands we've been dying to try for home and self, like Tracie Martyn skin care, as well as classics like Diptique candles - for when you just need a $55 candle.

(credit: Kaboodle)

R. Nichols - darling, whimsical stationery and tote bag finds that will likely find their way onto my Christmas shopping list this year. Think I've also read about this site on another blog I frequent (?) - if this was you, please leave me a comment so I can give you credit [Edited to Add: ThirdCoastPreppy was the prepster with the mostest, on whose blog we saw this as well. Thanks for alerting us, TCP!]. In any event, apparently you can now call in personalized stationery orders as well, and you know we feel about our personalized stationery here at the Pretty.

(credit: R. Nichols)

Note that this card is called "Dog Service Chocolate", which very much sums up our daily existence.

(credit: R. Nichols)

*** Proceed only if you dare with these next two. I'm new with both, but already they've managed to land in my inbox and whisper sweet, discounted nothings in my ear . . .

Gilt Groupe - remember this Tibi dress on supereeediculous sale? It's from a site rather unfortunately - or should we say "unfortunatelye"- named Gilt Groupe. The site works like an online sample sale - every so many days a few new designers go on sale for a very limited time, before which an email reminder goes out to members and a preview of sale merchandise is made available. Membership is by invitation only, but I think you can contact customer service for an invite, or you can just leave me a comment with your email so I can send you one.

I encourage you to get past the Ye Old Merry Englande-y name and investigate the serious designer bargains to be found - designer like "Zac Posen", for example, who I can almost afford when discounted this low, but there are actually affordable ones too. In my one experience so far, the discounts were deep (as in 75% off deep), the purchase process easy, and shipment immediate and fast.

Shop It To Me - for more goodies in your inbox, check out this one, which I believe I discovered over on Corporette. In any event, you select the brands and category of clothing / accessory items you want sale information on, and the site emails you updates as often (we picked the twice weekly) as you prefer. Looky at these deeply discounted goodies delivered to my inbox today:

(credit: Nordy's)

We can't pull off this silhouette or pattern, but love it anyways. DVF, more than 50% off!

(credit: Nordy's)

And so continues our Milly love affair . . .

** Bonus Timewaster: we stumbled onto The Purse Forum message boards one day while doing our Emergency Handbag Shopping research, whereupon we were delighted to find (1) an absolute weath of information on any accessory brand you can imagine; and (2) people with apparently even more time on their hands than moi. Whether you're looking to authenticate an Ebay purchase or attempting to unlock the mystery that is the Hermes waiting list, this is a fun place to waste spend some Precious Moments.

With that, dearest darlings, we wish you a fantastic Labor Day Weekend!

Et Tu, J Crew?

We hereby hurl ourselves from the shopping wagon and dust off the royal "we" to bring you this potentially upsetting fashion alert. So as we did our daily usual stroll through the J Crew website, we happened upon this:

(credit: J Crew)

- and -

(credit: J Crew)

While we object to this style of jean far less than we do the skinny jean - we may have even cuffed a pair or two of wide-legged jeans back in early 90s day - we do take issue with J Crew so obviously cribbing from a certain Xenu-inspired celeb:

(credit: People)

As we often do when adrift in the throes of a fashion mystery, we asked ourselves - what would Fantasy GBF Tim Gunn ("WWFGBFTGF") do? Turns out Tim says this look of hers is a big ol' no, and we therefore feel even more justified in saying it - Katie, ergo J Crew, must be stopped.

Katie looked soooo adorably chic just weeks ago, back when she was playing Society Lady Dress-Up and stealing Birkins out of Posh Spice's closet. Therefore, Katie, we urge you to go back into the closet - insert obvious Tom Cruise joke here - and please take our usually reliable J Crew with you.

What do you all think? Have I missed something here, or is this as Britney-at-the-VMAs-level tragic as I suspect it is?

**********************************************************************************

Important, Secret Note to Readers: We hope you weren't put off by the Snark Factor and subject matter of last night's posting . . . we promise that we're the very picture of dainty feminine delicacy. Uh, well, most of the time. You definitely don't want to see us dancing, for example, but fortunately we're able to avoid that most of the time thanks to that kind feature of post-high-school dances known as the "bar."

Important Note to Motorcycle Man in My Blind Spot

Pretty HQ
123 Princess Grace Way
Principality of Monaco, by way of Austin, Texas

Dear Motorcycle Man in My Blind Spot:

I simply had to write and tell you how elated I was to see you throughout my morning commute. Lest I become lonely during those pre-caffeinated minutes, there you were, driving at my exact speed, right next to me, EACH and EVERY time I wanted to change lanes. My invisible friend, you sped up when I sped up, slowed down when I did - all at an awkward arm's length while avoiding eye contact withe me, in charming manner of junior high slow-dance partner.

Oh, the ten minutes I spent trapped behind the 18-wheeler inexplicably perched in the highway fast-lane while you blocked my path to move around him - delightful! Who am I to get to work on time, when I can instead spend Precious Moments watching your too-short Dockers flap, flap, flapping in the faux-rebellious biker breeze just so?

Dearest, it would be unforgivably selfish to keep you for my own personal commutes, so I simply insist that you seek out alternate female companionship on tomorrow morning's drive. Every woman should experience that bumper-to-helmet intimacy that we just shared. In fact, I firmly believe that sharing you is the best idea since Chelsea Clinton discovered the flatiron. Otherwise, we might be forced to beat you with a motherloving flatiron, and we certainly don't like to encourage violence here at the Pretty, do we?

Smootches,
Legallyblondemel

PS - Princess Pilates - you who pulls her mat thisclose to mine despite the near-empty studio - you're on deck, sweets.

Signs You're Not in That Romantic Dating Phase Anymore and Stuff

Me: "Hi honey, you're home!"
Anonymous Husband: "Hi! I'll be right back - let me run to the bathroom." (shuffles off)

AH: (shuffles back with gleeful smirk on face) "SO, I take it someone has been in the bathroom recently?"
Me: "I have no idea what you're talking about. We've been over this. As a lady, I don't do that sort of thing."

AH: "Riiiiight. So the dog was tooting in the bathroom again, eh?"
Me: "Exactly. You really need to do something about that. Anyways, what's for dinner?"

(And they all lived happily ever after. The end.)

The Texas Chronicles, vol. College Football

In which I blatantly attempt (1) to talk about something other than shopping AND (2) to win the love and admiration of Anonymous Husband & Southern football types

So this Saturday begins what is now ritual for me - the University of Texas football season.

(credit: Austin Neon)

Allow me to tell you just what a ginormous surprise this was & is to Little Miss Southern California here. Back in my homeland, people generally follow football, either college or professional, only when their team is doing exceptionally well or when the surf is bad - we define "fair weather fan." This even applies, albeit to a lesser extent, to traditional football schools like SC. By the way, not to provoke any Gamecocks amongst you, but where I come from, "SC" = University of Southern California. Don't shoot the messenger - just saying. It just so happens that I hail from a SC family, so I did grow up vaguely aware of the sport - but just barely.

(credit: Here in Van Nuys, Flickr)

In honor of my late Grandfather, I bring you Tommy Trojan, SC landmark & mascot.Yes, things did get interesting at Chez Pretty during the Texas-SC national championship game.

I didn't really know a tight end from a tight rope until the Anonymous Husband came along. So imagine my surprise when the AH took me on one of our first dates to a Texas game - and I actually enjoyed myself. Quite a bit. I'll confess it largely had to do with the AH himself, but I was also blown away by the spectacle of it all. This was a large event - girls dressed in cowboy boots and burnt orange (Note: where do they find cute dresses in burnt orange, a color that looks good on precisely 2 people???), people swarming outside the stadium drinking and chatting away, tailgates the size of most weddings I've attended . . .

. . . and that's all before the game begins, when fans actually start singing and jumping around and those fun men in tights start running to and fro. I'm still unclear on most of the actual game specifics - unless it's a pro game and Tom "Better than a Birkin" Brady is involved - but AH is a good sport about explaining things to me, and I do get into it.

Californians reading this, don't fret - I'll still join you for a fabulous sale or day at the beach instead, but I'm telling you, these games are, like, totally fun. So much so that I - mostly - don't complain about how for the price of season tickets someone could be me some Serious Jewels.

As for my other dear readers, if my Sitemeter is any indication, many of you hail from those wonderfully Southern, football-by-God states where fans actually dress up fancy-like for games and the parties are even more large than in Texas. I will graciously accept any and all invitations to attend your fabulous tailgates, and I even promise to dress nicely and (mostly) behave myself!

The Texas Chronicles, Vol. McNay Art Museum

In which I again try to talk about something other than shopping or eating . . .

So a few days ago, while waiting on the Houston runway willing the plane to take off already, I eagerly tore into the latest "Southern Accents", which I recommend you go buy immediately if for no reason other than to clasp eyes on the drool-worthy Pretty Houses and the fabulous farm that Granny Smith Green recently visited.

However, what truly caught my attention was the feature about the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, an exceptional, if small, collection located in a striking Spanish Revival home on a hill. As you walk through the museum, you feel as if you're looking at carefully selected art in a friend's (very nice) living room. Many brides, including this former one, take their bridal portraits around the carefully manicured grounds here as well; Californians, please leave me a note if you need help translating this wonderful Southern tradition.

But back to me, my favorite subject- the McNay is also where the Anonymous Husband and I had our wedding reception. As an art lover - particularly art that enhances one's wedding reception - it was a unique pleasure having the best party of my life here:

(credit: McNay Docents)

The McNay is known in Texas for its modern collection, particularly its sculpture, but it also has some of the late nineteenth - early twentieth century works I love and wish I had studied more of in undergrad, including van Gogh and Degas.

Should you find yourself in San Antonio, in addition to checking out the Riverwalk and other tourist areas, give an hour or so to visit the McNay. As the magazine quite accurately notes, this is in a lovely neighborhood with plenty of good restaurants, quietly beautiful homes, and shop- . . . . um, you know, the "S word" from which we're semi-retired.

On the Pretty Bookshelf

Since I'm semi-retired from my favorite vices at the moment, I figured we'd chat about my one redeeming hobby - reading. Usually I'd just post these in one of those handy "What I'm Reading" sidebars, but I suspect this current crop is particularly revealing . . .

What I Like to Casually Mention in Smug, Self-Important Manner that I'm Reading:

(credit: Barnes & Noble)

In fairness to moi, I have actually started reading this. It is magnificent so far, so much so that every word is worth lingering over; this is code for the fact that I'll finish this sometime in 2025.

What I'm Actually Devouring as Fast as Possible:

(credit: Barnes & Noble)

Fashionistas, take note - this is a truly excellent, enjoyable read about the business and marketing / psychology behind the fashion industry. To my great relief and delight, I'm learning that a Frenchman I've never met - Bernard Arnault, LVMH founder - is to blame for my handbag and champagne predilections.

What I Am Secretly Dying to Read but Was Too Embarrassed to Be Seen Buying at the Houston Airport (So I Thought I'd Post it Here on the Internet)

(credit: Barnes and Noble)

Dear Santa, please keep in mind for my Christmas stocking - in the unlikely event I don't get over it already and just order it online, that is.

I promise that we'll get back to our favorite vices shortly - just as soon as our next paycheck arrives. In the meantime, please leave me a comment if you're reading something you would recommend. Because buying books doesn't count as shopping, right?

Important Weekend Announcement

As our glorious weekend in the hinterlands of southern California draws to a close, we must announce our immediate, semi-permanent retirement from the following:

Smarmy, self-reverent musical theater

Highly recommended if you are eager to upset yourself or loved ones. However, it must be said that (1) we had a hugely enjoyable time just going to the theater, not to mention making fun of it and (2) the music itself is pretty good, if you can ignore absolutely everything else about it.

Eating

"The Only Burger I Will Ever Truly Love"

(credit: Palate Revolution)

Shopping

(credit: Saks)

Also credit to Retail Ninja SLynnRo, who kindly brought to our attention an incredible deep discount site featuring, amongst other deals, this Tibi dress we've been Jedi-mind-trick willing to go on sale. If you whisper sweet nothings in the comments, we might even tell you the site - and/or stop talking about ourselves in the royal "we", if you're exceptionally nice.

(credit: Saks)

Also credit to the BF Committee, without whom we may have overlooked this MARC gem entirely.

**Important Exception**

(credit: Citysearch)

We will still accept any and all kind invitations to this club and scheme to gain membership by whatever means possible. Work hard, Anonymous Husband!

Due to our semi-retirement, which is effective immediately, we hereby announce that we're just going to have to find something to talk about for the time being aside from our favorite subjects - eating, shopping, and smarmy, self-reverent musical theater. Just as soon as we determine what on Earth that might be, we'll be back in touch.

Double-Double Weekend

We hereby announce our early blogging departure this week as Pretty HQ temporarily relocates to our hometown, land of the preternaturally blonde and tan. We are of course looking forward to visiting friends, the beach, and temperatures under 100 degrees, not necessarily in that order, but we also confess intention to pursue a few other areas of interest:

Eating

(credit: In n' Out)

Behold the only fast-food burger I will ever truly love. I am an unabashed homer about this and will entertain absolutely no objections - I'm looking at you, Whataburger - in regards to same.

(credit: Palate Revolution)
It's a fish taco, darlings. Not a feature in most Tex-Mex restaurants, unfortch, so I suggest you hurry out to the lower Left Coast and try one sometime.

You may be picking up on a food theme here, and you would be right. If I weren't so incredibly vain - er, concerned about Anonymous Husband's happiness, that is - I'd drown myself in chocolate (preferably from here) post haste. Happily, the AH shares my love of good food, so I have a companion doing hateful things like exercise between meals. Obvs. these rules do not apply while one is on vacation, when we - ahem, I, - in addition to gorging myself, prefer to be doing things like . . .

Shopping (duh)

. . . Emergency Handbag Shopping. Alarmingly, we've just learned that Junior League starts up much sooner than expected. So in (not-at-all dissimilar) manner of shy high school freshman praying her wardrobe will work social magic, I'm off to my hometown mall to replace my battle worn everyday tote, perhaps with one of the following:

(credit: Shopbop.com)

(credit: Saks)

Blatantly Attempting to Gain Reader Love

Calling all Banana Republicans, here's a discount code: 15% off $150 or more, enter PQVQ8K2CP8G1 at online checkout. The fall collection is largely adorable, so if I didn't have the EHS shopping to do, I'd be using this myself.

Wishing everyone a happy weekend . . .

Pretty Goes Global: News From Down Under

MT. ISA, AUSTRALIA - We are ten types of overjoyed to bring you this ridiculous little gem, in which the mayor of Mt. Isa, a small town in the Australian Outback, announces a most intriguing plan for balancing out his fair hamlet's male-heavy population . . . importing the, ahem, Rather Not Prettier Than Everyone Else ladies of Australia. For a more scholarly take on this, see here; as we have absolutely no scholastic pretension here whatsoever, our pretension schedule being rather full at the moment, I leave that discussion to others.

(credit: MyStore.cc)

What I'm positively agog to know is how the mayor plans to lure these un-Pretty women to Mt. Isa. If this were happening in the United States, the obvious solution would be to do a reality TV show, but I'm not certain our friends to the south go for that sort of thing. What then - free plastic surgery for the homely applicants? Louboutins for all - although one does wonder how those gorgeous red soles would do in the outback? Or is the mere possibility of marrying a Mt. Isa man enticement enough for Australia's unfortunate-about-the-face? Selfishly, would those same enticements work in my quest to defeat Paris at her own game?

While we're at it, this begs the question of what sort of responses our now-favoritest mayor might encounter upon approaching these women. Given that we ourselves are the very picture of feminine decorum*, we would of course demurely decline and be done with it, although we cannot say the same for others. *Or ourselves, as it may turn out, since we've had the new "Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood" theme song stuck in our head for the past 24 hours and may understandably be driven a wee bit mad. Not as mad as the irate women of Mt. Isa, but still . . .

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In other breaking news, we've been honored by the excellent blog, The Preppy Princess, with a "Diamond Award!" I confess that I'm not exactly certain what such an award means; however, as I am assuredly not the sort of girl to decline diamonds or compliments, I gratefully accept. In keeping with the rules of the award, I hereby anoint the following Most Worthy Blogs & ask them to pass along the favor. Not all of these appear to accept comments - or perhaps they are just clever enough to block mine - so hopefully they catch this here:

SLynnRo
Grosgrain Bride

Sippycups ARE For Chardonnay

One Fabulous Mom
Southern Comfort
Etiquettely Correct
Nautical by Nature

Pretty Icons - Christy Turlington Burns

I figure it might be fun to take the occasional peek outside of the Fearsome Foursome (hereinafter "F4") - of course, HRH Princess Grace, Mrs. Kennedy Onassis, Audrey Hepburn, and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy - for classic style inspiration. Lord knows we don't fear being derivative here at the Pretty, but we thought it might be nice to give credit to someone outside of the F4 who consistently gets her chic style right on her Reva flats.

So please raise your hand if you remember the day of the supermodel, when the cover of fashion magazines invariably featured an actual fashion model. Back in the 90s day, these ladies were also 4 - Naomi, Cindy, Claudia, and Christy. Christy, she of the feline, icily elegant good looks, has long been my favorite, but it has only recently come to the Pretty's notice how fantastic she looks in her everyday - ok, everyday red carpet (insert oxymoron here) - life. Yes, yes - she'd look divine in a paper bag, but it's An Official Pretty Stance that Ms. Turlington Burns actually puts some thought into looking classic while trend-appropriate, knows the fits and colors that work for her, and stays age-appropriate without being dowdy.

I can just hear you thinking now, "Really? Does CTB need any more help in her impossibly glamlife than she has already?" Before we let jealousy rear its un-Pretty head, bear with me as we evaluate the hard evidence:

Doesn't your heart just go out to these other two, particularly Talbots Spice there on the right?
(credit: Zambio)

(credit: New York Social Diary)

(credit: Hamptons.com)

Rather lovely, no? Now let's take a look at her chic accessorizing:

Edward "Better Than a Birkin" Burns
(credit: DayLife)

Because our very own Adorable, Anonymous Husband frequents this blog, we'll hastily speed along to also note Ms. Turlington Burns' two delightful, Ralph Lauren-style children, wonderfully named Finn and Grace. Can't remember what those two look like? Neither can I, perhaps because to our knowledge (please correct me if I'm wrong here), their likenesses weren't sold to Whatever Magazine for $14 million dollars. * *Let me qualify that snark by saying kudos who donate these funds to charity, but still . . . something strikes us as odd about the selling the pics bit. As soon as we have our Official Stance figured out on this, we'll get back to you . . .

Based on this evidence, we're sticking to our argument that CTB is worthy of putting in our Pretty Icon Pantheon. It's admittedly a rather high bar for us mere mortals to aspire to - it's really beyond dispute that CTB's every waking moment is full of sunshine and unicorns and rainbows - but who doesn't want to glimpse the magic kingdom every now and again?

**Important, Secret Note to Readers: A few Pretty friends - as in, the ones that we've been lucky enough to know in person - have happened upon this blog, so we regretfully inform you that we must bring all of our outrageous lies to an end effective immediately. Well, most of them. We trust that wild exaggerations and a loose grasp on reality shall remain acceptable. Thank you for your understanding.

Design for Dummies (i.e., me)

Attention all you latent interior designer types, I am in dire need of assistance. Having precisely zero creative talents, hence my delightfully mundane profession, there's as much likelihood of my morphing into Candice Olson as there is of Steve Sanders having anything to do at all other than the 90210 remake.

Oh, Steve. You can leave the man-perm behind, but it will never leave you - or our hearts.
(completely gratuitous photo courtesy of www.abcnews.com)

But back to interior design . . . so I am pleading for some help in putting together my new home's master bedroom. While I fully intend to live in a place like this someday - pillars make me unreasonably lightheaded with happiness - I'm currently in a contemporary, Asian-influenced, revamped ranch home. It's the perfect, funky Austin home for us now, but we will likely move post-little people-arrival into something larger and more traditional.

Hence my problem of how to bridge the design elements between something contemporary enough to suit my current house while keeping things somewhat traditional. I think this style is called "transitional"; Barbara Barry, one of the few designers I do know, seems to embody this well - love her stuff. In any event, while we're playing up the contemporary, Asian-theme in the "public" areas of the house, I'd like to keep the bedroom slightly more traditional.

Since Anonymous Husband absconded to Beijing with the Pretty Camera, I'm going to have to bore you with some internet photos. Overall, the master bedroom is small, so I'm trying to keep things light and airy as possible to emphasize the space I do have. Here are my Restoration Hardware linens:

And I painted the walls a lovely, lighter shade of that sage blue with white trim and hung some wonderful, inherited, white & taupe-framed drawings on either side of the bed:

Our night-stands have incredibly awful rose-gold handles we've replaced with bronze ones, better matching the other fixtures in the house / planet. You have to pinky swear, right now, that you won't sit there thinking "How tacky is that I Pick Pretty and her faux-gold handles? Does she think she's living at Caesar's Palace or something?"

So I'm in need of (a) an actual, grown-up bed; (b) a throw rug, probably 2 x 3, incorporating this sage blue/chocolate/white theme; (c) table lamps for the beside tables; and (d) an ounce of taste and decisiveness when it comes to (a) - (c). Here are some ideas:

Restoration Hardware strikes again. I'm thinking these clear lamps will emphasize the light & draw the eye up; like the classic outline with the modern material.

(credit: Ballard Designs)

The bed is giving me difficulty because we're limited on height (to around 46 inches) thanks to a window behind our bed. Anonymous Husband prefers a low, Japanese-style bed, whereas I believe in a Princess & Pea style giantess number. This strikes me as a good compromise.

So I beg of you, darling, kind readers with actual design taste, please point me in the right direction. Don't feel that you need to spare my feelings; they've been stunned senseless by an excellent Coppola cab anyways. Thank you in advance!

Bikini? Check. Passport? Check.

Pretty HQ has just confirmed that for the New Year's holiday, our operations will temporarily and blissfully relocate here:


During this time frame, please direct any Pretty correspondence or margaritas (rocks, extra salt) to my attention via the swim-up bar.

Adventures in Vanity, Weekend Edition

With the Anonymous Husband away, I've enjoyed a particularly productive SSB weekend. Amongst other fun, here's the Narcissistic News that's fit to print:


Photofacial: As part of my quest to be Prettier Than Everyone Else, I went for one of these facials today, which are meant to be helpful for us fair, freckly, paranoid about aging sorts. I decided to bump things up a notch facially, but not quite as far as we did that one time with the acid peel right before a South Beach bachelorette party. Trying to get into Nikki Beach looking like you've made it to second base with a meatgrinder isn't an experience I'd wish on anyone; my peelage was so bad that I had to be hidden behind our Boob Buddy to make it past the bouncers.

But I digress . . . given the scary-looking instrument thingy and numbing cream involved, the photofacial was surprisingly pain-free. Afterwards, I felt slightly numb and warm, as if I had a nice tan on my face. I am assured by my aesthetician that there will be no down time; we all know what (baldfaced liars) wildly optimistic sorts these ladies often are, but so far, I only have slight darkening where the freckles are meant to disappear and a wonderful, taut (not Nicole Kidman Botox-attack taut, just pleasantly firm) feel. Has anyone else done one and/or happen to know if my face will fall off in a day or so?

Shopping: Because I believe in following through on my promises, I also implemented my Economic Stimulus Package to great effect. Behold the following on-sale, tax free, coupon-discounted finds at Banana:

(important note: not sure why this model looks so gastrically distressed in manner of stern algebra teacher; this is actually a wildly flattering top for those of us hoping to emphasize the chesticles. Back to the point - this one comes in a number of great jewel tones & Tory-esque patterns.)

(white eyelet blazer, to be added to my burgeoning "Texas air conditioning protection" collection. Was $60 off the original price before the additional discounts. Lots of good summer picks on sale right now.)

I also investigated the fall Lilly line and was impressed with the daywear. Because we also believe in having a Pretty Savings Account, appearances notwithstanding, I displayed massively impressive self-restraint and put these on the list for next month's purchases:

(both the Chanel-esque cardigan and the completely adorable top beneath. Tough to see, but the top has this wonderful snaffle-bit pattern and squared off neckline.)

(loving the horsey, Betty Draper-esque trend. This is one I can feel good about; although I may be a poser about a lot of things, riding horses isn't one of them. Although if I stopped buying nice clothes, perhaps I could once again afford an actual horse . . . )

Over at Neiman's, we again displayed monumental self-restraint amidst the impressive sales that were going on, and just noted the strength of the Milly and Theory collections in particular:

(Yes, it's 1,500,000 degrees here at present. Yes, I want it anyways.)

(Did all that tomato red at the Oscars kick this off? Whatever the reason, bravo.)

And this little handbag started flirting with me from across the cosmetics department. Intrigued by its siren call and beautiful frame, I approached tentatively. After some small talk, I informed the handbag that with its trendy violet color, it unfortunately fell into the Fall Fling sort of purchase, and that I'm more in the market for a Lifetime Investment Bag at that price point. Marc Jacobs, you nearly lured me in again, you saucy minx!

September "Vogue": In further proof that the universe sometimes gets things exactly right, the ginormous September "Vogue" appeared in my mailbox the very same day AH departed. I could have used his help to lug the beast inside, unfortch, but all 798-pages and I somehow made it directly over to my couch.

Don't let yourself be put off by the inexplicably awful cover - the ever-hilarious Fug Girls dissect this in detail here - because there's some good stuff inside, including:

• Attention Power Preps: according to Cole Haan, loafers with actual pennies in them are back - in fun colors and patent leather this time. BF-J will never speak to me again if I purchase these, having made me take a blood oath to burn my loafers years ago, but those of you not under a Fashion Fatwa might be able to enjoy:
  

• An excerpt from Candace Bushnell's (the original "SATC" author) new book is included. From the passage, it looks promising - there's even a self-deprecating Mr. Big joke - but I've been fooled by Ms. Bushnell before. In stark contrast to the TV show, I tend to find her written characters a tad one-dimensional even while they are compelling, but I'll surely fork over the $24.95 only to prove this to myself again.

I'm off for a restorative SSB merlot . . . hope you all had an equally fabulous weekend.

Freaky Fashion Friday . . .

. . . in which Juicy Couture produces . . . tasteful clothing I'd actually be seen outside of the house in???

This alarming development came to my attention via the August Saks catalog. Let's take a look again to make sure we're not just having a few too many of those champagne bubbles of which we're so fond
:
See what I mean? This from the company who brought us tarted-up, $200 velour PJs* with lurid scrawls across the backside as acceptable outerwear? *Note that I'm completely fine with it as home-wear - in fact I own the Target knockoffs myself for couch lounging - but just saying it's strange seeing cute young women walking down the street in bedazzled jammies.

What's next - dogs laying down with cats? Heidi and LC reuniting over touching ritual Spencer-cide? Fortunately this ensemble comes with an equally alarming price tag, or else I'd actually consider buying each and every piece. Pass me the smelling salts, darlings . . .

(Insert Meaningful Title Here)

That title isn't actually meant to be facetious (for once) . . . we here at Pretty HQ have been musing quite a bit lately about how to round out our mission statement of being Prettier Than Everyone Else with the flip side of it - actually doing something useful for our little corner of the world here. No, really - I mean it. While I am taking a stab at that here and recently here, as always, I absolutely could do much more & look forward to the day when I can devote far more time to something besides (in addition to) internet shopping and that whole paid job thing. Not necessarily in that order, but hopefully you see where I'm going with this.

So as part of this, just wanted to share a lovely article here and post there (worth a scroll through the series of posts & this excellent, quirky blog in general, particularly if you were a fan of the excellent, quirky "Freakonomics" book), both of which feature some fortunate people walking the talk, as it were. Particularly with that last piece, I'm impressed with some people's ability not just to enter into the philanthropy world for some of the usual social & financial benefits - I'm as guilty as anyone on this count - but to also dive in and have a go at understanding the people they are trying to serve.


We will now return to our regularly scheduled snark and dramatic self-reverence in manner of Brenda Walsh. That is all.

Important Note to the CW

Pretty Headquarters
123 Princess Grace Way
Principality of Monaco, via Austin, Texas, United States of Pop Culture

August 14, 2008

Dear CW:

This has recently been brought to our attention. Whilst we suspect you are up to the usual promotional trickery, this letter is to remind you that nonetheless, We Are Watching You, CW (cue The Police song). Donna Martin is an inimitable, irreplaceable part of the "90210" experience; after all, it is not your average girl who can overcome cripplingly bad SAT scores and tragic dye job to become a contestant in the Rose Bowl pageant and maintain an unbelievably posh beach apartment, (nearly) all the while maintaining her virginal status!

Therefore, we politely ask that you pay Ms. Martin exactly what you're paying Kelly, Brenda, and any others (Aaaaahndrea?) making a command appearance, lest you Incur Our Wrath. After all, you do not mess with the Tori:

(credit: NYC Arthur at Flickr)

(Note the vastly improved color and makeup jobs since the Peach Pit years. Let's reward a girl a for a lesson well-learned, no?)

Thank you for your prompt and professional attention to this matter.

Warm regards,
Moi, Pretty HQ

Intro to Lilly 101

Back in the hinterlands of Southern California, I heard rumor of this label known as Lilly. My species will flaunt their plastic surgery without batting an (false) eyelash, but are generally not spotten in the wild wearing tasteful shifts. Nonetheless, I glimpsed the occasional Lilly, always worn by someone from That Other Coast, usually at a Junior League function. My interest was piqued, but it seemed like a birthright to those from the South & Southeast - much like the NYC girls have the market on the latest designer handbag or the LA girls do on the trendiest jean or facial filler.

Fast forward a bit, and I find myself in Central Texas where, believe it or not, the prep-per-capita ratio skyrockets. I begin my retail research in earnest, tentative about the bright Lilly colors and vibrant patterns, but wild about the very Jackie a-line cuts and the prospect of chic yet heat-friendly attire.

So when I receive the recent In the Pink sale code (which I'm sure you all have, but just in case - enter 0812 for 40% off the summer season, sale ends 08/14) , I decide to begin investing* in the best way - with a ginormous sale. No searingly bright colors or electric patterns just yet, but here's what is en route to Pretty HQ after months of intensive research and admiration:

*Important, Special Note to Anonymous Husband: Yes, you can invest in certain clothes and accessories - they yield dividends of happiness! Your yet-to-be-conceived daughter will thank you someday! Exclamation point!!

(love the flattering sweetheart neckline & subtle pattern. Patience, darlings - I may get to the bright stuff yet!)

And as part of my Weekend Economic Stimulus Package, I'm investigating the fall season (my favorite so far) in person, particularly:

(hooray for boatnecks & their mysterious slimming properties. I don't question, I just purchase.)

(*Important note to Californians / other non-preps here: This one pushes my prep boundaries, so I see this as a shirt for work, where prep overcomes competence. Fear not, pets - I haven't started putting pennies back in my loafers yet or anything.)

(but in "True Navy Horse of Course"; love the DVF-esque lines on this)