Notes From a Fashion-y Weekend

It starts the minute I leave the plane & doesn't let up until I leave the place. When not otherwise wildly calculating how much good NYC food and art I can devour in the too-short time I have in the city, I'm thinking one of three things:

1) OK, I'm simply not cool enough to been in the same room with that fashion-y chick. In fact, I'd just as well give up now and hang out at Times Square with the rest of the faux-Coach bag toting tourists (faux Coach, people? For reals?) and just embrace my suburban non-hip-ness; or

2) Where can I sit for a few hours and take notes on the fashion-y chicks, so I know what trend is going to hit Austin or (fill in the blank non-NYC city) 6 months from now? Even though I can't possibly hope to pull off or, in some circumstances (looking at you, Skinny Jeans), want to pull off most of the hipster (speaking of, I hate the term "hipster", but can't come up with anything else - thoughts?) trends . . .

3) I fancy myself to be something of a sarcasm afficionado - not at black belt level, but rather an amateur devotee of the Snark Arts - but these people take tough to a whole 'nother level. This is no shock to, er, anyone, but it nonetheless surprises and (usually) delights me every time.

So this fabulous weekend was no exception, and in between Serious Theater Going - although I really should have smuggled in some vodka for this particular Russian playwright - and dining at not one yummy, embarrassingly celeb chef related restaurant, but TWO yummy, embarrassingly celeb chef related restaurants, I observed the following trends (from my mostly Midtown and SoHo perches, for you natives - guessing my time in Jersey at the Giants game should not be referenced in any fashion writing) soon to be seen / that will continue to be seen on mallgoing teenagers near you:***

***Important, Special Note to Readers: I make no representations that I actually know what I'm talking about here, aside from, you know, not being blind. Plus, I like to make judgments about total strangers. Thank you for your understanding.

1) The braids thing was everywhere - still. Certainly this trend has been kicking around for a while, but Manhattan was the first time I've seen it on a, you know, actual live person - not even the tragically hip Urban Youths trolling about their South Congress wilds here in Austin have trotted this one out to the best of my spying knowledge. After seeing Lauren Conrad do this look over and over again - not that I watch shows like "The Hills", mind you - I'm surprised to see this trend still going on:

(credit: The Hollywood Gossip via Flickr)

2) Skinny jeans - on men. SKINNY JEANS ON MEN. (Edited to Add: I've seen this amongst the tragically hip of Austin as well, just not in such frightening numbers. Gaah.) Just when I have almost - almost - come to terms with women who, under their own free will and American Express account, willingly purchase jeans guaranteed to make your assets look larger than necessary. . . . I cannot take a man seriously who wears skinny jeans. There, I said it. Massive overgeneralization, yes, and I'm happy to be proven wrong here - perhaps if Johnny Depp wanted to prove me incorrect in person? - but nonetheless, no no no no no no NO.

3) Anyone still have their "Reality Bites" VHS tape and memories of Winona Ryder pre-arrest? Good, because by all the flannel shirts and jackets I saw, 1992 is back. This takeover doesn't look as prevalent as the skinny jeans disastertrend, but I saw it often enough to take note.

4) Knee-high boots atop the skinny jeans, preferably flat/slouchy or equestrian-inspired (like these gorgeous Cole Haans en route to me thanks to my marrying the right guy - thanks, AH!). Again, this has been around for a while, but it seems like things are going either in the 80s slouchy or traditional, horsey (yay!) direction. Special bonus points to the few uber-hipsters with the beaten-to-death motorcycle boots going on - can one buy them looking that trashed, or is the idea that you just wear them until they fall apart?

New Yorkers, does this sound about right to you? Or are these everywhere now, and I've been too lost in my little pink-and-green enclave to notice?

Gone Shoppin'

(Because by now you've probably deduced that the usual "Gone Fishin'" doesn't apply here. I prefer my peaceful views of water to be accompanied by a lounge chair, trashy magazines excellent book, and swim-up bar.)

Pretty Headquarters is temporarily relocating for a fantastic mini-break full of: (1) if you ask me, a long weekend of Varsity-level shopping, theater-going, and wining and dining (to include the best hot chocolate ever for which I once traipsed across the Park and oh was it so worth it YUM YUM YUM); or (2) if you ask the anonymous husband, football-watching and wining-dining.

So I'm off to act like a silly tourist and simply enjoy spending time with the truly wonderful AH and avoid my computer and plan plan planning my life, all the while remembering to be grateful for these times that he and I have right now; speaking of, thank you, readers, for your nice comments to that post. And while we're on the subject of nice, I hope you all have a truly excellent weekend and fun Halloween.

PS - For those of who concerned about HRH Pug's welfare - and why wouldn't you be, given the landmine strewn Danger Zone (cue the Kenny Loggins song) he apparently lives in . . . he is staying here with his Staff, much as I'd prefer to bring him with and go traipse around the Plaza (which in my imagination is just as it once was) Eloise style . . .

(credit: Wikipedia)

Preptastic Find - Vintage Monogram Jewelry

To counterbalance the heinous Target shoes I recently covered here, as well as my football and action-movie laden weekend du testosterone, I bring you these Pretty treats hot off the November "In Style" magazine presses. Yet another sign that prep is on its way back?

(credit: Delicate Raymond and In Style Magazine)

See the teeth-achingly adorable Carrie Underwood & necklace from Delicate Raymond in top right corner. In addition to her jewelry, may I also order her impossibly perfect hair?

(credit: Delicat e Raymond)

Behold the "Vintage Monogram Necklace", 14-kt gold-filled, $165. Not to endlessly invoke "Sex and the City" - except that I basically spent 5 years of life watching little else, so please bear with me - but this very much reminds me of what Charlotte's classic take on the ubiquitous "Carrie" nameplate necklace would have been. Love the pearl detail and delicate chain AND the reasonable price tag. Not sure where the "vintage" comes from, but I'm not one to let an overused adjective get in the way of a fashion find.

(credit: Delicate Raymond)

Alternatively, I also adore this chunky gold bracelet version for $275. Something about the bigger gold pieces seems right for Fall '08, but the monogram bit transcends the trend.

Merry weekend to all, and to all a good night . . .

Dude Detox, aka Fantasy Handbag Shopping

Despite the daintily feminine appearance here at the Pretty, I do love the occasional bout of being one of the guys, and this weekend was no exception. In fact, it was so exceedingly testosterone-and-football laden that I now find myself dazedly glued to the couch here at Pretty HQ, stuffed to the gills with residual libations and fried goodness, desperately seeking a return to the feminine normal. And to erase some of the more distressing guy conversations from the weekend, but I fear a cure surely involves additional libations, and I'm seeking a non-alcoholic cure to that which ails me (as well as a much-needed end to my run-on sentences. My apologies to any Grammar Queens amongst us.)

To further my girly cause, I've fashioned a fortress comprised of "In Style" and "Town & Country" issues and superduperdelicious cupcakes (more on these later) and am considering throwing some, ahem, FPs on top for good measure - just picture a slightly more stylish, tasty take on the refrigerator box fort you used to make in your backyard as a kid, and you'll get the idea - but I'm finding that a bit of fantasy retail therapy is also in order to ensure the boys will keep away for a bit.

And so I bring you my fall 2008 lineup of Fantasy Handbags, a lineup of classic purses so extraordinarily beyond the Pretty Budget that there is no risk of my actually ordering them. Nay, much like an ethereal, captivating work of art, I merely enjoy basking in their beauty and knowing that they exist somewhere in the world. I would of course be even more overjoyed if they existed in MY world, but at least they are distracting me from conversations about bodily fluids or the AP Rankings . . . so without further ado:

(credit: Bergdorf Goodman via Flickr)

Tod's Dokt Tote. Love the prim outline in the interesting color as well as the totally useless yet wonderful key fob thingy. Not unlike the Kelly bag (WHICH I WILL OWN ONE DAY IF THE UNIVERSE CARES ONE WHIT ABOUT ME. Sigh.), no?

(credit: Bergdorf Goodman via Flickr)

YSL Majorelle Tote. I've decided the logo-y "Y" actually stands for "Y doesn't the Universe put this in Pretty's Christmas stocking post haste?" and is therefore acceptable (and looks removable to boot). Otherwise, faboo color & again with the prim, classic silhouette.

(credit: Bergdorf Goodman via Flickr)

Valentino Side-Bow Duffle. Once again, I'm besotted with the bow, particularly this irreverent, sideways one in the rich black patent.

[credit: Business Week (??) via Flickr]

I'm officially (late) on the Goyard bandwagon.

Lovelies, what are your fall fantasy handbags?