This Shiz Never Gets Old: Shit Girls Say Part 4

Currently Sweating the Small Stuff: Loeffler Randall's Editor Bag

Buy it here.

Top 2 NYMag #NYFW Day 7 Pics

Photo: Youngjun Koo/I'M KOO - Those monkey glasses are hysterical/the bomb.com. That's right. I went there.

Photo: Youngjun Koo/I'M KOO - Ah, the best for last. ZOMG where can I GET THIS?? See the rest here.

 

Forever 21: Wallet Friendly, Jewelry Edit

Many folks turn their noses up to Forever 21 26 (insert your age here), but I am not one of those people. Forever 26 has always been a safe haven for my impulsively trendy ways and there is no greater sign of that then their pages upon pages of accessories. Yes, that cuff will eventually turn to a dull gold-green sheen, but damn you loved it when it looked brand new. So,

I went through 55 of the 157 pages of their jewelry section (not kidding) and picked my top seven items of jewelry that you have to have now. Plus they all equal a measly $67ish. Chump change.  

Musical Musings: Music Worth Rolling In the Hay With

Many of you know, some of you don't, that my beloved went off to the Middle East for most of August 2012. While he was away seemingly every song on the radio was about coming home and waiting for someone to come home - it was agony... I swear it wasn't just me, but needless to say that music got me through his absence and, best of all, he's back! 

Lots of this jimmy-jams have some staying power and I rec you click to listen and purchase if you love/like as much as I do.

Here's the list for easy reference/download-ability: 
1. Come Home, Chappo 
2. I Will Wait, Mumford & Sons (no doy, am I right?) 
3. Flowers in Your Hair, the Lumineers 
4. Mountain Sound, Of Monsters and Men
5. Runaways, the Killers (new song from their new album) 
6. Take a Walk, Passion Pit 
7. Tongue Tied, Group Love 
8. Let's Go, Matt & Kim 
9. It's Nice to Be Alive, Ballpark Music 
10. Little Black Submarines, the Black Keys 
11. Reunion, M83

Doing Baroque Without Going Ba-roke: F/W 2012 Opulent Dressing

Alexander McQueen F/W 2012

The entire point of this F/W 2012 trend is to look and feel expensive. However, not all of us have the ability to make it rain, but do not fear because I know how to mirror this 'rain' look without you missing October's rent. Enter ASOS.com - the single most compelling and bottomless eCommerce site on the net. Yes, it is based in the UK, but with free shipping both ways who cares? I can't stop perusing and buying and perusing and buying - it's clearly a slippery slope. Thankfully 100 bones gets you more than a single pant (as in one part pants - ha - me so funny) and I always feel really good about all the compliments from my purchases. 

First things first though, let's go to the source of this trend to examine the details of the expensive-er versions. For my quarterly splurges and day dream online shopping the one and only place for me is NET-A-PORTER.com (did you know 'a porter' is French for ready to wear? These people are clever folks) and Google of course.

Jessica Chastain in Alexander McQueen at the Oscars, Getty Images

Opulent, embellished, encrusted... Call it whatever you want, but covered in shiny stuff is what it is.  Oh, and don't forget flowers and cherubs...

Check out all of the fancy wares here. These are not cheap, y'all.

Shop all of ASOS' baroque collection here. It's excellent and much more affordable.

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NYC Fashion Week: Someday My Lovelies, Someday

The Cut has gone above and beyond with their coverage of all thing Fashion Week. At the end of week one I am pumped to have access to their treasure trove of street style images. Lucky for you, I did the digging for you and pulled the top-top images for your viewing enjoyment. See the rest of the images here in their slide show.

This woman is SO much cooler than you, oh and skinnier, and did I mention cooler? Zanna Roberts Rassi, Marie Claire fashion editor photo by Youngjun Koo

Give me that purse, right meow! Where-oh-where can I get this?? Photo by Youngjun Koo

Gratuitous male model shot. They are so-o cool with their graphic tees and skinny jeans. Love it. Photo by Youngjun Koo (think that name is a play on 'young gun'? I sure hope so because that is beyond awesome.)

TheWellSet @Simon's Fashion NOW Event

Follow me on Instagram  today @aftonybalogna. I guarantee a few laughs and some thoughtful, not-overly-contrived images.

P.S. Add the new Scissor Sisters song "Let's Have a Kiki" to your party playlists right meow.

Falling All Over Myself - How to Wear Leather Pants

Hey-hey-hey there WellSet readers,

Please excuse the ridiculously long absence from this here blog. I got a new J-O-B and let's just say it rulez. However, a big part of said job is squirting (too graphic?) all my creative juices into the growth of the Laura U brand. That team is very cool and hip and kinda snarky. Which I LOVE and it is 100% me (and them to be honest, couldn't be a better fit out there, ya heard) - so - all creativity go to Laura U|Blog and the other blog spots I manage to hustle us (like the La Dolce Vita spot and the upcoming Fabulous K spot) and lest we not forget the quarterly Laura U|Mag. Thankfully, as Marketing Director of Laura U, Inc. some of my hard work is paying off. All this hustlin' and slangin' of the truly great work of my colleagues has gotten us featured on Houzz Tours and CultureMap. Click through to read the stories, foo.

As for my daily wardrobe and the likes of my Fall 2012 clothing acquisitions lets start from the beginning: with the fantabulous, black leather pants. Always a staple of the rocker set and now the very thin, ex playboy Kelly Wearstler plus a little wear by B-to-the-Yonce leather pants are it for F/W 2012 (Check Neiman's full selection here). I just got some and you should too (those Helmut Lang lovelies - you jelly?). 

With all the amazing options out there from pleather to leather there is something for everybody at most price points. And someday soon-ish (or not) it will be cool enough to wear these bad boys. Maybe they can be worn on Thanksgiving?? 

I can tell it's you, Kelly Wearstler, so skinny.

Beyonce, giving curvy girls everywheres hope.

RIP Jim Morrison, still so sexy right now.

So, now that I have you all primed and ready for the leather pants dance here are my top selections for fall leather pants plus a little outfit that I would gladly wear if the time (and temp) were right. That's right y'all, colors for summer/fall transition. Consider  your mind blown. I can't get enough of a silk blouse with tight pants because lets face it - I am no Kardashian (which spell check just tried to make guardianship - ha).  The floral-esque blouse and watercolor shoes make this outfit lady like rocker chic. LOVE IT.

Can you tell the pleather from the leather? Hint: the price tag gives it away. Didn't stop me!

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Musical Musings: Happy Wednesday - Admiral Fallow

Perfect Memorial Day Playlist + Outfit Inspiration

The Melker Project Remixes by scottmelker

Consider your mind BLOWN. Now please review the following Vogue Street Style pics from Coachella and Miami Art Basel to inspire your Memorial day duds after the jump. Happy LONG WEEKEND!

Daily Music Fix: The White Panda Mashup with Kanye & M83

I Want, I Need: Jimmy Choo Futuristic Bronze Clutch

Holli Rogers is a sage of fashion wisdom (Jimmy Choo, $595)

Marc Jacobs, $489

Holli Rogers is Net-A-Porter's Fashion Director and therefore in my book a fashion saint. She chose a wonderful list of items for Who.What.Wear's packing spread and I absolutely went gaga over this one. So, being me, I scoured the internet to try and find something that us fashion plebeians can afford and rock with equal zeal. It proved harder than expected because when you start searching 'futuristic' things get pretty weird and pretty cheap looking fast. So, forgive me that my cheaper versions are alas not that much cheaper. Maybe you will have better luck than me? 

Z Spoke by Zac Posen, $250

Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby

 
The music! The clothes (no doubt inspiration for the last season's obsession with the roaring '20s)! The ACTORS! I will be seeing this in theaters come Christmas 2012, but I dare say, is it really necessary to see it in 3D? The obsession with 3D has apparently trickled into what I would deem 'real' or 'authentic' cinema. I know Baz Luhrmann (Romeo & Juliet, Moulin Rouge) loves the spectacular-spectacular... Perhaps it will add to the film instead of taking away from it? Here's to hoping.

See some Spring 2012 fashions inspired by the roaring '20s after the jump...

Retail Therapy of a Different Variety

Prada screened a short film (aka, ahem, a commercial) entitled A Therapy, directed by Roman Polanski, at Cannes last night (NYMag). 
I am loving it.

Wedge Your Bets: Statement Wedges for Summer 2012

Expensive selections from Netaporter.com: INSPIRATION

I had too much wine last night and don't want to dumbfound you with my hungover rantings, but my shoe-selecting-spydey sense is working just fine. Check out my favorite fancy-shmancy choices from the mother ship that is net-a-porter.com and then check out my own little R&D from the interwebs (some have color blocking! pastels!). Gotta love a statement shoe. Pair with an easy outfit and let the shoes do the talking. Enjoy my new Nicki Manaj musical obsession "Beez in the Trap" - this white girl loves rap. 

Happy Friday.

Cheap and chic wedges for summer 2012

Just Block It Out: Electric Color Blocking 101

Color Blocking: Chic, Easy and Here to Stay? a la Vogue Street Style Blog

Color blocking is pretty big right now, but beyond that it is one of the easier trends for spring/summer 2012 because you already own clothes that have the aspects needed to pull it off.

1. Pair a bright solid top with a more muted pant - think pastel coral pants with a heather green top - voila: color blocked!
2. Buy something that incorporates the trend in the entire outfit - aka a dress - that takes the guess work out of color blocking because the work is done for you.
3. Wear a neutral outfit - for me that is all blacks or black/camel with denim - and add a color blocked shoe and/or clutch.

Color blocking does not have to be hard or expensive. It can actually be quite easy and fun. When you feel like you are out of your element because of the extensive colors in your outfit don't over think it. Color blocking is fun, modern, and so haute right now. Sorry,  I couldn't help myself. Check out some items I pulled in all price ranges below.