Why ModCloth.com is one of the Best on-line stores!

I am not going to deny that I SHOP a lot. I have more clothes then I could possibly wear, unless you layer layer layer, which I do for that very reason.

I also e-window shop on a daily basis, and when I do my first stop is always modcloth.com. I first discovered ModCloth about a year ago, when the advertisement popped up on my Facebook advertising bar. I have been hooked ever since. Their selection of affordable cute dresses, underpinnings, skirts and TIGHTS is unique and fashion forward.

The price point means you can buy without guilt, unlike its “older” sister Anthropologie where you feel the hit as soon as you purchase, unless its on sale of course. Anthroplogie and Modcloth are not connected . Modcloth.com only do a limited run of things, so you have to buy quick not to miss out. If you do miss out they have one of the best features of any e-commerce store. The notification of restock! Just one click and you are instantly added to a list or eager customers waiting for the product to either be returned or restocked...I have on many occasions used this feature, and missed out.

The quality is hit and miss, that depends on the piece. Some things just look better on-line, it’s the lighting and the Photoshop. But, I have never really been disappointed with a purchase, since there are always reviews and they are usually spot on.

Another feature that is totally awesome is "Be the Buyer" In this tab you can be the buyer of ModCloth, voting on sample pieces. Sadly sometimes they don’t make it online, and I am left feeling disappointed that I will never get to wear such an interesting piece. Other times, there are pieces so hideous that I wonder who on earth would one wear something in such an odd combination of floral and stripes and in that color way. By the time it makes it past the sample stage it is “sometimes” cuter and more interesting....sometimes.

I had the chance to meet them at a job fair, and they truly reflect the brand.
Their inspirationally story of a start-up has inspired me time and time again. I have been toying with the idea of starting an on-line business since I got laid off from Knoll. I think I am finally ready to take the plunge! I will be starting a KICKSTART in the next few weeks. So watch this space.

This particular ModCloth dress is called cutely “English Seaside Dress”, when I purchased it I pictured Nathan, Max and I strolling the boardwalk in Brighton eating cotton candy/ Candy Floss and watching the Channel...The closest that dream came to was running around the boardwalk of Rehobeth Beach, riding the tea cups and hoping that Max wouldn’t throw up all over my new dress...

With the transition of weather we are currently in ( Finally! ) I paired my “English Seaside” dress with a pair of microfiber calzedonia tights in gray. The slip is from Urban

Max is pushing me out to the way in this shot. He wanted to be in the picture

Gray and White lace tights

Lace is a popular look this spring, so why should your legs miss out on all the attention  

This pair of tights I bought at Anthropologie a year ago. I also have them in black. 

They are grey with a printed white lace design. They are very eye-catching, hard to miss especially in contrast to a darker skirt. I have been wearing this skirt a lot lately. Its from H&M. 

I have love to wear full circle skirts with cardigan, it makes me feel like I am a fifties housewife. 

The cardigan is from Eileen Fisher. 

I love adding lace whenever possible to an outfit. 

As far as white tights go, I don't particularly care for them although I do personally own opaque white tights, white fishnets and a few white tights that have a crochet type feel. I will try and integrate them into my summer/spring wardrobe. I also have a pair of Cervin white seamed stockings, I wore for my wedding in 2006. . 

I feel white tights are only appropriate for small girls preparing for their first Holy Communion or for ballet or to wear with a school uniform. 

If you do wear white tights, its important to choose the rest of your outfit wisely. To wear all white, could make you look like a nurse. Pairing it with other neutrals can look both modern and sophisticated. In this grim April month, winter white can be the natural transition to a zesty crisper summer white.

This pair of white lace tights have a light floral motif

This pair of Wolford White Tight, have a Cervon design. 

My New Black Lace Top and Top Shop Socks!

As the weather begins to change, there are many options for leg wear apart from the usual tights and leggings. 

A fifties inspired trend, now on the rise, makes great use of a under utilized piece of hosiery-the ankle sock.  Ankle socks are not just for the gym , you can find them in jazzy prints, lacy floral and simple fishnets.

  

This trend started emerging in fall 2010, and it has been fun accumulating pairs here and there. This particular pair of grey lace ankle socks are from Top Shop. 

Top Shop has a unique collection of hosiery, very London- Darling! Top Shop carries of the moment trends as well as the staples. They were even voted best place to buy hosiery in NYC by Time Out New York, that will all change once I open up my store....watch this space. 

Happy St Patty's Day in Calzedonia

Typically on St Patricks Day New York turns into a sea of GREEN!  Today was no exception, green pashminas, green accents and even green socks. I typically don't wear the color green, but decided in the spirit of the holiday I would try and russell something up. I thought at least I had green tights-but I think I gave them away...After a lot of digging I found a green shirt, that I purchased before Max was born, so I was amazed that it even still fit!

In lieu of Green tights, I wore a pair of tartan hold ups from Calzedonia Fall 2009. Sort of golfing leprechaun look. I am also really loving that I can now take my daily photo outside, and wish I would of done this since the beginning.

Check out Max's tartan green socks!

Thursday Friday's "Together Bag" and Calzedonia...Birkin Chronicles Part 1

I often get asked where the name of this Blog comes from. In my days as a Bergdorf Goodman employee many a Birkin bag, real and fake, would be plopped down in front of me usually followed by a Black American Express card. With these two ultimate symbols of status usually came a list of 20 products, many duplicates, that my customers would need for their various houses, jets and of course handbags.

It was usually easy to spot the fake bags, mostly because of the shoddy stitching and the lack of stylish owners. Occasionally, I wouldn't be able to tell and one would have to give the customer the benefit of the doubt based on whatever else they were wearing or how much they would spend.  It became a game my co-workers and I would play. I eventually became really good at it. Especially when the stakes were high, and the potential commissions! 

While reading "Who Moved my Cheese", a book my former fiancée had become obsessed with I decided to set myself some goals. It felt natural to have targets in the lead up to marriage. Among the many aims I set for myself, was to one day own a, genuine, Birkin Bag. The Hermes classic immortalized by Jane Birkin. Not because I wanted to be defined as a lady who lunched and spent my husband's money. However, while I was working at Bergdorf some of the most successful women in New York would glide through with their Birkin swinging on their arm spending the money they had worked hard for -and broke through glass ceilings to obatain. Women entrepreneurs that had started and ran a successful business.

At the time I was unaware of the cost, thinking the Birkin couldn't of cost much more then a few thousand dollars, but not totally clueless I did work at Bergdorf... My Birkin Bag aspiration was solely based on the environment that I worked in, in contrast to the world I really lived in- outer borough, skinny jeans, ironic tee shirts and taking home a "retail paycheck".  So I decided that by the time I turned 30 everything should have fallen into place. 

By the time I turned 30, I was married, but not to the Cheesy fiance- I have a 3 year old son, who I love dearly and incidentally costs far more than a real Birkin to send to Pre-School.

Then- I stumbled upon THURSDAY FRIDAYS "Together Bag" in the New York Times- SEE BELOW. The Birkin Bag for the rest of us.

Okay it isn't THE Birkin but it is MY Birkin- The Together Bag is a POP Arty version of my favorite classic. Naturally my outer borough-self jumped on the canvas Tote- Totally smothering my Madison Avenue alter ego.  Hey a real Birkin doesn't cut it for a shift at the food co-op, canvas is King in the current eco-atmosphere. I just wish I could have the real thing in my closet…some day. 

Meanwhile back to the hosiery - Today's Hold Ups are from Calzedonia, part of the GIGANTIC haul Nathan brought me home a few weeks ago. I have to resist everyday not to call Carmen at the Calzedonia Shop in London, and have her send me a pair that I am missing from the Spring 2011 catalog. The Hold-Ups are black with a small brown dots! They compliment the texture in my skirt perfectly and totally work with my new bag! 

Stocking Around Town-Mabel wearing the same Fab Cream and Damask Tights

Below is my friend Mabel, rocking the Cream and Damask Tights I wrote about in the previous post!

If you have a photo wearing hosiery I have talked about, send it in!

Stand out with these Great Damask and Cream Tights

On most days I consider my hosiery the center piece of my outfit. I first pick my hosiery and then create an outfit around it. With some of my more ornate pairs, this usually means something completely black and basic. So not to take away from the beauty of the hosiery. Today, I went with a complete deco look with a great pair of cream tights, from Anthropologie.

I fell in love with these tights the first time I saw them on line in October of 2010. To me the only problem was that they are white and thick Cotton! Then when I finally got around to seeing them in person I discovered they are more cream and a cotton blend. So I took the plunge and purchased them. After purchasing them they sat in my new purchase bin waiting for the right day to debut!

The tights have a beautiful Damask pattern going up the front and the back of the leg, so it's very important that they remained straight on the leg. Sometimes with cotton blend tights, that are one size fits all that it can be a little difficult. The cream color automatically draws your eye to the tights so keeping my outfit simple, left the tights to make a statement.

A special thanks to Max who took all of these photos!

He is only 3.5 but he already has a great eye!

Grey and Purple Madness Part 1

For the last few days I have worn nothing but grey and purple. Not on purpose I swear! I really do own other colors, but sometimes it feels comfortable to be in just one or two colors. Maybe I will be one of those people that only wears certain colors. Which isn't the worse thing in the world is it? There are tons of people who only wear black and no one thinks twice about that being unusual.

Purple is definitely my favorite color, it suits me and I am automatically drawn to it over any other color. If I had to pick a shade it would almost always be a warmish purple like the aubergine shade in the photo below day 1. In the colder months I am drawn to cooler purples like the mauve color in day 2 below.

Day 1

Day 1's grey tights are part of the samples I received from Jleana Calze, an Italian Hosiery manufacturer

that I am hoping to work with on developing my own line. They are the perfect shade of grey, very opaque not sure of the exact denier and have a vertical horizontal design.

Day 2

Day 2's tights are from Hansel from Basel a great little Indie brand that has a very hipster vibe with vintage twists. I really enjoy the color combos and unique look to their range. These tights are a thick knit, are very comfy and super warm. They sort of remind me of a pair of tights I would of worn as a kid. 

I think it would be fun to continue on the trend of the two color look, so I will finish out the week in only grey and purple. Lucky for me I have at least 15 pairs of gray tights and 14 of purple, so stop by for round two of Grey and Purple Madness...

My day with Eileen Fisher

Today, I had the great pleasure of making a presentation to Eileen Fisher herself. She is as you would imagine, graceful, collected and completly witty! It was amazing pleasure to meet someone whose company histroy has always inspired me. As I continue on my journey on getting my store from a concept to reality, I will always keep in the back of my mind how Eileen Fisher got her start!

Today's hold-ups are another new pair from my Calzedonia, I paired them with a simple black skirt and black tee. The crinoline is from Anthropologie and adds a little body to my simple skirt.

I also am including a photo of the amazing flowers that Nathan bought me for Valentine's Day.