Other Things To Be Thankful For

Everyone needs to be wearing these shoes this summer! They are right up there with clogs -- highly recommendable to pregnant people or any woman who gets a pedicure for the foot massage. Worishofers were all the rage in Brooklyn circa 2006, and I'm taking the liberty of bringing them back. If Birks can come back, anything is possible. Ugly shoes are where it's at y'all! 

. . .

Also, I went to the liquor store a stone's throw from our new house and low and behold they have my favorite wine ever -- a Chenin Blanc/Viongier blend -- in the cooler! Further proof that this house was my destiny! Keep it in stock, people!

And lastly, after 32 years I have finally subscribed to premium movie channels, and it is the most decadent and amazing thing I have ever treated myself to. Even more than the cleaning lady. She is amazing, but it in different way, like if we didn't get her we may have exploded from stress, resentment, and misery. HBO is just awesome, no strings attached.

Puttin' On The Glitz

Somebody tell my husband to pick this necklace up at J. Crew in time for my 31st birthday. It may be a little dressy for everyday wear but I think I've got to keep reaching for the brass ring. I'm keeping my clicky heels, and give me my old lady brooch flower necklace. Add some red lipstick and it's on. Oh yes, it's on.

The Next Generation Of Shoe Horse

And so it begins.

Now that the weather is cooling down it's time for Baby SevPrez to lace up. I haven't yet put her in the Cons myself, but I assume that at some point I'll get down tying her shoe laces (with a double knot) fast enough to get the job done before she runs away. The fact that my mom has done it several times so far is not all that encouraging... She is a baby whisperer and a magician. But I am her daughter, so there's some hope.

The little one has also been signing up a storm. "Open" is a particular favorite right now. It's interesting to see how she applies the concept of open to things you wouldn't think of. I try not to tell her too often, but I'm pretty sure she's a genius.

From Souls To Soles

Ever since I started my new job I became acutely aware of what turns out to be a collection of shoes I own. I never thought I really had that many pairs. I love shoes, of course, but never considered myself a shoe-horse.

On my first day of work I wore my turquoise suede strappy heels (yeah I said turquoise suede -- chosen by the same part of my brain that picked out the teal velvet couch). They have a decent heel, and they are fabulous. They make me happy to wear them, and I especially enjoy wearing them with an otherwise casual outfit (ripped jeans). Knowing what I know now, my new coworkers were wondering who was this crazy girl with the fancy shoes that make noise? Where does she think she has come to work? They definitely got some comments, not bad, more like "Do your shoes always make noise?" and I facetiously promised to bring the shoe. Tomorrow, purple flats. The day after that. leapard pointy toes with black bows. I was half-kidding, but I became aware that it was definitely possible for me to go into my closet each morning and put on a shoe-show.

These photos are just the beginning. If I really focused on it, I could devote an entire week to shoe pics. Not that you'd be all that intersted.

Happy Labor Day Weekend. It's a big deal here at the Jersey shore.

Fashion Illustration

Proof that I am not Garance Dore:

Yes, I spelled topknot wrong.

Drawing people is hard. I wish it was easier. I love Garance, Rene Gruau, Samantha Hahn, et al. I suppose what makes their work so special is that they make it look easy.


Anyway I was thinking of wearing this ensemble for something that is going to be filmed and may appear on national television. Chose a look that will hopefully make me look thin and put together. Nothing too special or outlandish. Felt like I wanted to get my vision down on paper. This is the 2nd attempt and this is where I rest. 


Happy weekend.

Top 5 at 8.5

5 things that are saving me as I get more and more pregnant, in case you find yourself in a similar situation or know someone else who is.

1.  The Snoogle Pillow. My mother-in-law got a hot tip from her pregnant niece that this pillow was a must, and I've had it ever since Mother's Day. It's shaped like a G so it supports you head, belly, and legs. I've had great nights sleep with this thing although when you roll over it's a bit like wrestling an alligator in the night.

2.  MIA clogs from Urban Outfitters. Stylish arch support for my 12 hour days. They never even gave me a blister! And they are much cheaper than Hasbeens, which I love but are outrageously expensive for wooden shoes that are going to get smelly and beat up. When I see pregnant women waddling around in flip flops I cringe. You wouldn't be waddling if you would just wear proper footwear! I still walk faster than 65% of the people in Penn Station. So far so good.

3.  Covergirl Outlast Lip Stain in Wild Berry (essentially bright red). Focus on my red lips not my double chin! Took a recommendation from Cup of Joe and don't regret it. I layer a little Black Honey Almost Lipstick from Clinique over it to make it look less like I drew on my lips with a red magic marker and to freshen the color up during the day. 

4. American Apparel tank dress. Mine's a little longer than the ones on the site -- thankfully it goes past the knees which has become my preferred hem length. Not sure if it's because their website is pervy and models are only allowed to wear XXS or if I have an older version, but I think I'm going back for another sometime this week. The 90 degree weather makes me feel like I need more dresses, and STAT!

5.  Sunbeam electric heating pad. I keep this sucker plugged in on my couch at all times so any time I sit or lay down I can use it on my back to soothe any aches and pains or loosen up tight muscles. It is a must after a long day or a long pop up! The cats like it too.

Clogs in action.

Lunch Hour Shopping, Commute Hour Drawing

Inspired By Rene Gruau

A few years ago my sister-in-law gave me a wall calendar featuring the artwork of Italian illustrator Rene Gruau. At the time I had never heard of him. But twelve months later, when it was time to take down the calendar, I had become wildly attached to the brightness, ease, simplicity, and sophistication of his work. My heart grows ever fonder to this day. My favorite image from the calendar, above, hangs over my dresser. I think it was probably the subconscious inspiration for my yellow chairs. Who wouldn't want to be that woman? Or any of the women in his images, for that matter.

Particularly her.




















His posters and prints sell for several thousand dollars, and I can't find any new calendars or other low-price point items in the marketplace right now. Thank god I saved my calendar. And thanks to my sister-in-law for having such discriminating taste in the first place!


Gruau, who died in 2004, said, "I'm self-taught. I never had any formal instruction, I simply taught myself by studying other artists. I never took myself seriously but I took my work very seriously." Amen to that.

The Woman Behind The Bob

On Tuesday night I went with a very fashionable friend to see Anna Wintour, long time editor-in-chief of American Vogue, be interviewed at the 92nd Street Y by Jonathan Tisch. For those of you who may not follow fashion, Wintour is quite a character in the fashion world, and was the real life inspiration behind Meryl Streep's Miranda Priestly in the movie The Devil Wears Prada.

She, like many high profile female head honchos, has the reputation for being tough, demanding, unreasonable, and unlovable. She doesn't usually grant many requests from the media (perhaps owing to the fact that she controls her own very powerful media platform), so tickets to this interview went fast, and it was a full house.

The house included two fervent PETA protesters who were sitting but feet away from us in the balcony. They stood up, unfurled their banner, and began to shout in earnest about how Wintour has animals skinned alive for fur, until a security team rushed through the doors and whisked them away. A few sycophants tried to drown out the protesters with their own proclamations of undying love and loyalty for the editor. It was quite a show, and it seemed our tickets had just paid for themselves in entertainment, regardless of how the interview went. We felt a bit like extras in The Devil Wears Prada.

Anna picked up right where she left off once the hubbub died down, as if she had just paused for Tisch to sneeze. She acknowledged that everyone has a right to their own opinion, and on the topic of fur, hers is that Vogue reports on the fashion industry, and as long as fur is a part of it, Vogue will report on fur. 

It was then that I began wondering if Wintour would ever turn her face to the crowd, or if we would be looking at the left side of her blonde wall of hair for the entire hour. She sat cross legged, leaning forward into the microphone, and did not once turn to the audience to smile, get a reaction, or preen. (Very different from Martha Stewart, who I suppose is conditioned by her daily television show to make every appearance a performance, even if it is a painfully wooden one.)

It is at this point that I must refer you to a visual aid, if you are not familiar with Wintour's iconic bob. 

It is always the same shape, color, and length. Never a split bang, never a flyaway. I had actually asked my friend over dinner beforehand if she thought it could be a wig, because her hair is so perfect and full. We thought not, but whatever it is, that baby is impressive. It is the iron curtain of hairdos, used by Wintour to shield herself from prying eyes, or maybe to conceal a pair large, Dopey-like ears?

We learned some interesting tidbits about Wintour and how she works. She didn't go to college. Her personal fashion icons growing up were Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton. She always trusts her gut to make decisions, and doesn't believe in market research. Her criteria for a new hire is someone she would want to spend time with, someone with personality (Andre Leon Talley, anyone?), someone who is unafraid to disagree with her.  She has tremendous respect for the fashion industry and its ability to work in unison to achieve a goal, and has spearheaded several projects that prove this conviction: 7th on Sale, a benefit for HIV/AIDS, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, which fosters promising up-and-coming American designers, and the Met Costume Institute Gala, which is pretty much the best party ticket in New York.

She was extremely poised and well spoken, giving generous, straightforward answers to Tisch's questions. You must know how happy this made me after the Martha incident -- I wasn't expecting much. Wintour continues her mini media blitz this Sunday, when 60 Minutes airs a bio piece on her. All this has me wondering: what's her agenda? Am I so alienated from the high fashion industry that I don't realize it's dying in this recession and needs Wintour to go out there and drum up some sales and enthusiasm? Doubtful. I may be cheap, but I can still recognize Thakoon when I see him on the subway. Would that really do the trick anyway? A Wintour press tour is not putting spending money back into people's pockets. 

Things to ponder as I stroll through the racks of H&M, TopShop, Zara, and Uniqlo on my lunch break.