Nora the Explorer

Things I'm Loving

I am in big trouble for the next few seasons. So many of the trends that have been on the runway for F/W 2009 and S/S 2010 are things that I have loved for a while, so it is going to be VERY tempting to buy a lot of really awesome pieces. Something that I've always really liked is the sort of biker-masculine-goth-androgynous kind of thing. Leather, black and gray denim, heavy metals, and more leather.

You can probably also guess that I am enamored with dark nail polish. My favorite polish this season is OPI's "Here today...Aragon tomorrow." It's a dark, slightly shimmery forest green shade that is a wonderful update to black nails. I think it's a particularly nice color that complements silver and gold metals. I'm also loving more shimmery blacks, and dove gray nails are a nice way to stay true to the color story while lightening it up. OPI's "Moon Over Mumbai" is one of my favorites.

I like to invest in high-end staples that will last me for many years. One such recent purchase was my pair of Fiorentini + Baker Eternity boots (pictured above). They are really hard to get ahold of - by the time I decided to buy mine, Barneys had already sold out of most sizes online. I ended up doing a charge-send over the phone with Chalk Boutique in Evanston. I paid a small premium to get the boots from a boutique (on top of the already steep Cook County sales tax), but it was totally worth it. Chalk's customer service was the best - email replies were rapid and polite, and they offered to call me over the phone to place the order. I placed my order right around 4 p.m. on a weekday, and I had them by 12 p.m. the next day - my package was overnighted for a very reasonable, standard shipping fee. I received two hand-written notes in my package, as well as a small, eco-friendly tote that folds into its own travel pouch with "Chalk" emblazoned on the side.

And the boots! Right out of the box I knew I was keeping them. The Italian leather was supple and luxurious smelling right out of the box. Its 'handcrafted in Italy' construction was flawless and, unlike some of its competitors (Frye!), the boots fit like a dream out of the box. They are really fantastic paired with skinny jeans, and they are super sexy - boyfriend approved, at the very least! I already know that I will wear these for years to come. I am super excited about my new addition, and very excited that fall is here! I am also very happy about my experience with Chalk in Evanston, and I would gladly shop again with them any time.

Other items this season...I purchased the Lauren Moshi top above. I love skulls, I love black, I love metal and chains...clearly I had to have it. The various leather and textile motorcycle jackets that are popular now are gorgeous. I have two leather jackets that I'll be wearing this fall - a super-soft, gray Helmut Lang with asymmetrical draping, and a rich, chocolate brown Mike & Chris motorcycle jacket. I also have a great cotton jacket from Monrow that I got last winter. I love that this look is very conducive to layering.

I love all the heavy metals this season, and I have my eye on several things from Noir Jewelry. I love pyramid studs, spikes, whatever.

I love a big slouchy leather bag for fall. I'd really love to get a Balenciaga bag (maybe a City?) in a great functional, neutral color like black or gray. It's definitely one of those items one my wish list that I know I'll use forever, but the cost is a little hard to swallow.

Labels: Fiorentini + Baker, Leather, Metal, OPI, Skulls |