Sole Mate

Sales are winding down, and some stores have cleared out the summer merchandise already; however, for those few stores still with markdowns, it's worth a shot to check them out for any last minute finds so we headed to the mall to see what was left.  I found a great striped jacket and shorts by Stella McCartney that I'm still deciding if I need (or rather should say if I really want), and David found a pair of shoes that will actually carry over into fall as they are really great brown suede boots by Prada.  He tried on a few other pairs that didn't quite fit right and found a linen and suede Ferragamo pair that he's still thinking about.  I struck out on everything else as there was no footwear for me, but I do have my eyes on some of the newest arrivals.

Men's shoe salon 

Sale time

We found a seat

Checking my messages

Trying on shoes

The Ferragamo (three-toned) pair

Leather vest by Givenchy

Relaxed - tank top by The Row, bracelets and watch by Hermes

I found some he needs to try

A little sparkle for the feet

Slipping them on

He said "hell no"

Jacket by Trina Turk, pants by Alexander McQueen

We'll think about these

Paillette Power

Making your day a little brighter and sunnier is easy when your outfit has a little sparkle.  I love anything that shines and glows on clothes, and it doesn't hurt to have a little movement either.  That's why I was ecstatic when I found this tee shirt in my favorite color (putty) with a neon green color.  It says "BAM" but with a little softness around the edges.  I know this neon and super bright color trend has been on the runway now for a couple of seasons, but we're still seeing some people show it again for fall/winter.  Granted it's a bit more toned down or done in the smallest accented ways rather than full on in-your-face, but I'm grabbing it while I can because color is a new thing for me as I've always gravitated toward neutrals.  It's just a little summer fun and a little glow (around the collar) for me without having to tan.

Neon accent

Tee shirt by Prada and mint green trousers

Take A Hike

It was wild and scary.  I'm talking about my recent adventure into the wilderness, but I decided I needed to get back to nature and take a hike.  It was a bonding experience for me to get outdoors and become one with the trails, the trees, and the bugs!  I meandered along paths covered in rocks and grass and occasionally heard little critters scampering about around me.  I feared for my life but knew I would make it out alive and unharmed as long as I kept looking for the light at the end of the forest.  For my attire, I knew I needed something cool to combat the scorching heat but with enough coverage to keep my delicate skin protected.  My solution of course was a jumpsuit - you know an all in one, and mine had a little ruching hear and there with an elastic waistband for a little expansion room as I knew I would fill up on a big meal after all this activity.  Even though my jumpsuit had a lot of pattern all over, it still read a little neutral to me so I added a splash of texture with a fringed collar.  I kept my heels to a teetering height of course but made sure this time they had a double platform for extra walking comfort (if there is such a thing), and finished it all off with a bag to carry any bug repellant, trail mix, and a bottle of water.  I kept my color palate in earth tones of brown, black, brick, and sand with just a little hint of green to be appropriate with my surroundings and so I could blend in at a moments notice if any unwanted animals approached.  It was a major excursion, and I would only advise the most trained and in shape to take on such an exhausting haul into the outdoors like this, but the reward was fulfilling to get a little dirt under my fingernails and breathe all that fresh air.

Who am I kidding?  You all know I'm just walking around in a modernist urban residential development smack in the middle of the city!

The great outdoor adventure

Which trail do I take?

I think I see a rest stop ahead

Jumpsuit time (by Isabel Marant)

Sunglasses by Prada and fringe collar by Burberry Prorsum

I need water

Chartreuse green bag by Hermes

How much farther?

Surrounded

In the thick of it all

I see an exit

Urban Flounce

Sittin' on a bench, waitin' on my ride was not the time for me to be flirty even though my outfit did give off a little come hither playfulness with all its ruffles and legs spread in the air (take a closer look at the pattern of the top).  It seems frilly with all the layers and sweetly decorated with roses, but with all those white legs mixed in, there is a more aggressive attitude that Thakoon is trying to tell us.  Since my trousers had ruffles and my shoes had ruffles, I needed a little butchin' up so what better way than to add a skull cap!  It just makes all those delicate touches almost disappear, don't you agree!  Seriously though I wanted to balance all the light touches with a few hard-edge pieces like the cap and bag to give a little more seriousness to my Salum ensemble (that's where we were going for dinner).

Sheer delight

Red roses, ruffles, and razor sharp edges

Top by Thakoon

Pants by Comme des Garcons, shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti, bag by Louis Vuitton 

Cap by Louis Vuitton

Delicately dangerous