I'm a winner

I was thrilled today to learn that I had won a pair of Kill City jeans courtesy of Rachel over at That's Chic! I've never really won anything like this before, so I am super excited to have won. Each entrant was supposed to submit a description of how they'd style the particular pair up for grabs - this was my winning "look:"


I'd wear these with either my Fiorentini + Baker Eternity boots or my Mini Market Jodhpur wedge boots. On top I'd wear a basic black James Perse tank with a vintage Kenzo swing coat over the top, belted at the waist with a vintage Lacroix belt. I would accessorize with ridiculous, chunky, bright jewelry from one of my favorite Etsy sellers, BeijoFlor.


I was thrilled to have been picked out of the many readers that entered. It certainly makes me feel like I know what I'm talking about when it comes to clothes and styling. :) I hope this is a sign of good things to come for 2010! I am staying downtown at The Drake with Loli to ring in the New Year (the Chicago Chanel boutique is on the first floor ohgodohgod), so I am really looking forward to that!


P.S. Seriously, check out BeijoFlor on Etsy. I am totally addicted to these bright, organic pieces. They're going to make me go broke!

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Black rats



Selling a pair of the highly coveted Sass & Bide Black Rats here.

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Shoe Lust


Shoes by Opening Ceremony


Hi, my name is Nora, and I am addicted to shoes. Particularly these.

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Four days and the Smart Home

I am slowly preparing for the GRE. I'm taking it on Wednesday. I'm really not looking forward to it, and $150 seems like a lot of money to spend on a test when I'm only applying to one school - though I must admit, if I'm going to apply at all, the program I'm applying to is absolutely a perfect fit for me. This time last year grad school was totally not on my horizon at all. Right now it's...sort of on the horizon. I would be ecstatic to get in to my program of choice and have that door opened for me, but I have a perfectly viable - if not in some ways more appealing - contingency plan that I would also be content with. I have always been a strong standardized test taker, so I'm trying to not get too worked up about the exam.


Today I went to the Museum of Science and Industry, somewhere that I probably haven't been since middle school. Loli and I went with my mom and aunt to check out the Christmas trees before picking my brother up from his apartment for break. The trees were cool (though no Brazil tree - what the hell?), and we got to take in some other exhibits as well. We went to the White House exhibit, which had a lot of artifacts and ephemera from various administrations, as well as the main attraction - a scale model of the White House with fully decked out rooms. The attention to detail was great - I liked the little version of Bo in the yard, and I had no idea the movie theater was so big!


The thing that I was interested in during the trip was the Smart Home, Chicago's greenest house. The house was incredibly sexy and of course very eco-friendly. I loved the open floor plan and the abundance of various decks and outdoor spaces that are part of the house. Despite a $500,000 price tag for that particular model, the house was very efficient while remaining modern and livable. I would have honestly moved right in if they would have given me the option. Even the bathroom fixtures were very architectural and to my liking. You would never know you were living in a house that only cost $10 a week to heat and light.

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Christmas volunteering

Before coming back home for the holidays, I researched a variety of ways that I could be active in the community, and have continued my search since I've been back, looking for means of giving my time to those less fortunate. I've always been an active volunteer with a variety of organizations since elementary school, and I enjoy doing it as a means to fill my time while I have a break from most of my other obligations. 


I've researched food banks, homeless shelters, even the Salvation Army and similar giving-based organizations (though I've been soured toward SA for the recent controversy surrounding their alleged immigration verification process). Frankly, the entire process has left me extremely frustrated. It is VERY difficult to find information on local organizations looking for more than just money during the holidays. It seems kind of messed up! There are very few outlets for the average person to donate their time, particularly if you don't belong to a church or philanthropic organization. I'd rather not just throw money at a cause or drop off a toy in a toy drive box (though both of these types of programs have their merits, and I plan on participating in a toy drive alongside whatever volunteer opportunities I can find since I donate money to other groups throughout the year). I just think it's strange that with the prevalence of the internet and the number of needy families and individuals around the country, particularly during times of economic hardship, that there are so few resources for people looking for local opportunities to help others. I'll probably resort to calling around to different food banks in the areas to see if they need drivers or other types of labor.


Just some of my thoughts on something I've been frustrated by this holiday season.

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Lions and leopards and LaCroix, oh my!

Lately I've been getting into the wonderful world of vintage accessories. Buying new jewelry just doesn't give the same satisfaction - the thrill of the hunt is virtually eliminated, and it doesn't feel as special when there are four identical pieces sitting next to it or just under the counter. I also have a major soft spot for ethnic jewelry - I regularly wear a strand of metal beads from Ethiopia with a strand of fat blue beads (made from recycled glass!) from Nigeria.
Two of my most recent pieces I actually found in the same shop. The first is a great Christian LaCroix signed belt, complete with huge buckle and monogrammed star charm. The belt reminded me of styles by the fantastic (and often insanely priced) Judith Leiber and Christopher Ross.
The other piece is a Bergere stunner from the 70s - a leopard cuff with maximum shine that wraps all the way around and has a nice weight to it. Very Kenneth Jay Lane, though with better craftsmanship and attention to detail. The stones on this piece are actually clear, but it photographed green from all the gold.
My aunt also brought over two fantastic, delicate rings to give me tonight. Each has a row of eight stones (one has sapphires, the other has diamonds), and they fit together in a wave shape. She bought them in the 70s in San Francisco and they no longer fit, so they were passed on to me! A nice surprise. I was actually able to stack them with another sapphire and diamond ring that I already wear on a daily basis.
I also picked up a really interesting (and surprisingly sexy) YSL sweater, but I haven't been able to get a picture of it yet.








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