I want to Payless!

I have not been in this store for ages and am wondering when it took this amazing turn for the best!  They too have jumped on the band wagon along with Target, Kohl's, JCP, etc. and brought in higher end designers for limited time collections... Not to mention they have totally stepped it up with some amazing looking designs that are all their own.  Take a peek below and head to a store or buy online - I hope they have my size!!

Color Block booties by Lela Rose - These are on clearance now!!!

Perfect colors for adding a pop to a simple LBD or as a peek of color with a pair of trouser jeans.

Menswear Mary-Jane's... Pretty sophisticated! Match these up with a pleated skirt and flowy blouse.

Love the color - LOVE the braided rope trim!  Is it Spring yet?

Gorgeous wedge!  Charcoal grey flannel with a black patten heel... What's not to like?

This is a must-have... Although I'm going to need to see this in person as the faux wood wedge may be too fake looking...

Could this be the most perfect neutral heel??  The knot is lovely. 

January Book Review

I've decided that one of my main resolutions for 2012 is to tackle the stack of books I have been collecting and just never seem to finish.  My book of choice for January is Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. by Sam Wasson.  I read this in 3 days which is a huge accomplishment for me!  It's a New York Times Bestseller that takes you back to the first thought in 1951 of the lovely Miss Holly Golightly - World renowned character from Truman Capote's novel Breakfast at Tiffany's - to what later became a ground breaking movie that actually pushed through cinema & society barriers in 1961.  It's a great sneak peek into old school Hollywood, the fashion scene in Paris, NYC's privileged society and all the politics that went into making this movie. 
You will be so excited to finish the book and re-watch the movie with all the fun insider information you get in each chapter.  I came to love a whole new cast of characters...

Babe Paley - NYC Socialite and Truman Capote's head "Swan".  She was a main part of what would become the character, Holly Golightly.

 

Blake Edwards - Director of Breakfast at Tiffany's... Certainly not any one's first choice, but proved himself genius with the conception of the rowdy Cocktail Party scene in the movie.

 

Hubert de Givenchy - The Godfather of Holly's famed opening scene gown.  My favorite stories in the book involved Audrey's shopping trips to Paris for her wardrobe in the movie.

Do you think she would let me borrow her clothes?

Makeup Makeover

OK - Time to say OUT with the REALLY old cosmetic purchases made throughout the years and IN with some great, new basics.  My drawer is jammed packed with beauty items that I had labeled Must-Haves, but ended up being a bit too trendy for my look.  So I set out to collect some great replacements that have quickly become a part of my daily routine.

I highly recommend this NARS lip glaze (shown in Eros).  It's perfect for all skin tones and looks lovely on it's own or over a rich lipstick color for a subtle shimmer.  Plus, using a lip brush feels so luxurious :-)

Good for all skin tones - Perfect Peachy-Pink, matte blush (Peach Fusion) - gives you a sweet, flushed look.

HUGE "A-Ha" moment... Toss out that old, archaic torture device that actually rips out lashes when you clamp down and instead treat yourself to a HEATED eyelash curler.  It take seconds to get a faux-lash-like curl... And don't worry, it does not get anywhere near as hot as a flat iron.

Perfect palate!  Stila is my ultimate when it comes to great color sets.  This case has a great mix of shimmer and matte colors and the big bonus is the smudge free, water proof eyeliner that goes on like a liquid with the control of a pencil.  Hands down the best eyeliner I have come across yet!

I am a believer!!  I had a sample of this product and used it a couple times after moisturizing and before foundation and the smooth texture it gave my skin was well worth a full size purchase.  It's perfect for toning down larger pores in the "T-zone" and also seemed to fill in my SUPER FINE lines :-)

Flat Out LOVE These!

A Must-Have in every color (and there is plenty to choose from), these ballet flats from H&M are a huge savings compared to the pair I was eyeing at J Crew.  For only $12.95 these perfectly comfortable flats will go with everything on a day my feet are begging for some time off from heels.  Scoop up a few pairs for yourself ~ they are in the stores now!

H&M

Lovely with a LBD (Thank you, Audrey)...

Or comfy / casual with leggings

Would work perfectly with these great cigarette pants (J Crew).

They added some pretty Spring colors... Guess I'm headed back to grab a few more!