M by Madonna

Rumor has it clothing store chain H&M will be unveiling a clothing line later this year designed by Madonna called M by Madonna.

I already adore H&M, and am getting pretty excited about this new line. At right is one of the just-released promo pictures, along with our dear Madge wearing a pair of M by Madonna sunglasses, and some sketches of soon-to-come clothing (click on image to enlarge).

BTW, I totally want those sunglasses.


(thanks, PITNB!)

New Posts at TargetCulture.com

Check out 2 unbelievably awesome purses I found at Target online, then find out how to save on shipping when buying them! ; )

Dear Katie Holmes/Kate Cruise/Whatever your name is these days,

Katie, Katie, Katie... what's happened? You're young. You're adorable. Yes, you just had a baby, but you look FABULOUS for it.

So why do you insist on wearing clothing that makes you look like you're 80 years old?

You used to dress all sorts of cute, not that long ago. What's happened since then?

Both the outfits in the pictures here are from wedding-related events. The gold outfit on the right (I know you cant't see it all, but it's seriously something I'd expect my grandma to wear) was from the Rehearsal Dinner. The frumpy black top with polka-dot skirt on the left are from a recent post-wedding party back here in the States. Now, most brides would take care to look their best for their wedding, and the events surrounding it. You have all the time, money and resources in the world and THIS is what you come up with?

I can only assume one thing. This must be a Crazy Tom influence.

It makes me sad. It's a shame to have such a beautiful young woman go around looking this bad. Please, Katie. Wake up. Leave this insane Scientology wierdo. Come back to the real world.

Sincerely,
Everyone

Got Mom Jeans?

Reverse Fit Jeans-- "High-quality denim. Sits just above the waist, full through the hip and thigh, tapered leg opening."
$39.50.

Get them now, at Gap.com!



Dear Lord, WHY????

Dressing for the Holidays

Head on over to Target Culture to read my post of hot holiday dresses at Target, and how to dress up an old dress with fun, new accessories.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

I've been noticing some very cute coats and jackets lately, especially over at Old Navy (one of my favorite stores). And as it turns out, they're having a sale on their jackets already! So go check out some of their winter goodies here. My two favorites are the Women's Cropped belted Trench Coats ($58, left) and the Long Belted Trench Coats ($68).

Target also seems to have some really great coast online, for even better prices! I like the Mossimo® Black: Wool-Blend Coat with Portrait Collar ($49.99, right)-- get it in basic black, charcoal, or khaki, or for a fun kick go with Venetian Red! I'm also loving the Wool-Blend Tailored Pea Coat, though unfortunately at $99.99 the price isn't quite so cute.

For some more warm-and-fuzzy outerwear options (such as the Emma Coat, $78) head over to Delias.com, or for some edgier, funkier options (such as this Faux-Leather Military Jacket, $48) check out Kohl's (stores probably have a better selection than the website).

Fit to a T

Every fall/winter, I always feel like my winter wardrobe is lacking. A big factor in this is that I have a very hard time finding long-sleeve tops that I like-- either the fit is bulky, the sleeves are too short, the lnegth is too short, etc etc etc.

Well, I think I've found my perfect fit this year. And where else would I have found it other than at Target? =P

I was shopping there the other day and happened upon a stand full of their Mossimo Black long-sleeve t-shirts, both crew-neck and V-neck styles, $9.99 each. The shirts aren't *quite* as fitted as I'd like them to be, but otherwise they're nearly perfect-- the material is soft, the sleeves are nice and long the way I like them, the hemline comes down far enough to cover the waist nicely, and each style comes in several different colors, from plain ole white and black to royal blue or plum. I've already stocked up on a few, and they'll be very much a part of my basic winter wardobe for this year!

While you're shopping for your long-sleeve T's at Target, also keep an eye out for their Mossimo Black Ultra-Soft sweaters, also available in crew neck and V-neck styles, for $17.99. I fell in love with those, too!

Ankle Boots

Another growing trend I don't quite understand is the ankle boot. Stars have been wearing this look with everything from shrts to dresses to skinny jeans.

I think it's ugly.

I guess I'm just a firm believer in that boots should be worn under (and be mostly hidden by) your pants. The only exception is knee-high boots, or maybe some of the slouchy boots that have been coming out lately that you tuck your jeans into. But, basically, it needs to come up between mid-calf and knee-high. Otherwise I think they just look... wierd.

Ankle boots cut your legs off at the ankle. This is only ok for those with long legs (who have plenty to spare) but for the rest of us it ain't doing us any favors. Celebrities have been pairing these with otherwise gorgeous cocktail dresses on the red carpet, and the boots just ruin the look of the dress. I can't help but think "ew" every time I see them. And worn with skinny pants... well, we've covered the perils of skinny pants already, I don't think there's a need to go over them again.

So... yeah. Let's just stay away from the ankle boot, shall we?

Forever 21... revisited

I haven't been inside Forever 21 in a while. usually the store almost seems a bit schizophrenic to me-- so much stuff all over the place, it's hard to see what's really there and it takes a while to pick through it all. But today my sister and I went up to San Francisco and stopped by the Forever 21 store off Market street, and oh my lord it was wonderful. I was entranced by the jewelry. The best part? It's all uber-cheap (as in $3-$6 each for their necklaces, earrings, etc). So, if it breaks after wearing it a couple times you still totally got your money's worth. ; )

There were a LOT of dressy tops that had the high-neck, puffy-sleeve style to them. At first I kinda turned my nose at them, but then my sister tried a bunch on and they actually looked way cute on her. Case in point, one of the tops I saw on the hanger in her dressing room I immeidately thought "ew" but when it was on her it looked adorable. I'm not sure I could pull that look off myself, but I think I may have to take an extended trip on my own to Forever 21 sometime soon where I'll just take stuff off the rack and try it just to see what it looks like.

(sorry for no pictures, but I can't get images off the Forever 21 website)

Fall Into Old Navy Sweaters

Fall is approaching. It's still fairly warm here in California, but I am noticing the evenings and mornings getting cooler. I think we still have a few months left before it's time to pull out the winter sweaters, but that doesn't mean I can't start shopping now... ; )

Old Navy has a very cute collection of new sweaters for the season. Here's a sampling of a few that caught my eye :


I think this kimono-sleeved sweater ($26.50) may be my favorite. I just really like the style. It comes in several colors, too, though I really like this plum shade. It'd be kinda interesting to layer this over a long-sleeved shirt... hmm....




The V-neck sweater ($24.50)... a bit of a classic. I'm not sure how low the neckline goes, you could potentially wear this alone (or, well, with a nice push-up bra underneath) for a conservative-yet-still-naughty going-out look, or layered over a tank top for a more cutesy look. I have a couple sweaters in this style that I wear over and over all winter long. This one comes in 7 different colors, so I may need to stock up on some more.




I think this metallic hooded sweater ($34.50) looks like a cute casual look. I'm curious to see what it looks like in person, though. I'm not sure I want the "metallic" part to be too obvious. It's also a bit more pricey... we'll see. It also comes in gray and dark brown.




Another good, simple option-- the long henley sweater ($26.50). I like the longer length, and it looks nice and cozy for wearing around, without being bulky. The colors are pretty basic (dark brown, camel, white, black) so it'd be fun to open up the buttons and wear a brith-colored tank underneath it.






I've found that I really like a lot of the sweaters that Old Navy comes out with each fall. I may wait till some of these go on sale... though with Old Navy you never really know what's gonna still be around in 2 weeks and what will be gone. Check out OldNavy.com to see the rest of their sweaters.

You Have Got to be Kidding Me

This is the latest Gap ad campaign. I had to do a double take when I saw these ads in a magazine recently. I mean, c'mon... black skinny pants, white socks and black loafers? Add the white glove and black hat and you've got Michael Jackson circa 1985. I mean, I realize the 80's are still back and all, but seriously? With WHITE socks?

I don't know... I guess I just don't get the skinny pant trend anyway. The only people that can wear them are tall, skinny models with no hips. Honestly, I'm really sick of all the magazines trying to convince us that skinny pants are "flattering for every body shape!" because that's just a load of bull. Anyone with hips that tries to wear them will only end up looking even wider, and many of these pants (like the ones above) end right at the ankle or slightly above, which means that anyone who's not 5'10" (or super svelt) looks dumpy. I can sorta see wearing them longer, pulled over high heels, but I don't really like that look much either. I'll accept wearing skinny pants tucked inside tall boots, that's about the only way I think they call look good, and that's usually b/c the boots will be a bit chunky and help balance out the rest of your legs and hips.

*Sigh* Do I need to go out and buy a bunch of flared and boot-leg cut pants before they all dissappear?

Kailo Chic (pt 2)

I've posted about this before, but it was a long time ago and I think it deserves another mention.

So, my friend Kara Whitten (who's a style genius) has come up with this line of handbags and accessories named Kailo Chic. Her stuff is BRILLIANT! She makes it all by hand, it's all incredibly adorable, and great quality. She custom-made me this great little bag (mentioned in this post) that I use all the time when I don't want a bukly purse hanging on my shoulder, and most recently I got a pair of her acrylic earrings ($18, pictured left) and some of her headbands ($12). I've been incredibly happy with all of them. I may need to buy up a bunch of her stuff as christmas presents this year. ; )

Definitely go check out her site and see what she has to offer. If you have any questions, or get inspired and want her to custom make something for you, you can email her at KaraJade@kailochic.com.

I *heart* Steve Madden

I've found over the years that one shoe designer I continually find myself drooling over is Steve Madden. I adore his women's dress shoes. One day, when I have enough to money to justify buying my shoes someplace other than Payless (and the occasional splurge at DSW), I will buy myself some gorgeous Steve Madden heels. Till then, I'll just have to do with my Payless ripoffs.

Here's some of the shoes I've been dreaming about lately:


I have been REALLY into peep-toe pumps lately-- very retro, totally classic, and just gorgeous. And there's something about leopard print that makes it a classic that never goes out of style (as long as you wear it right). These would look killer with a simple little black dress. Also available in zebra print. ($169.95)








These are just simply gorgeous (available in purple, red, and brown as well). I wasn't kidding about the peeptoes-- they're just about all I've had my eyes on lately! (link, $169.95)








Here's a very cute pair of flats. In this color scheme, they'd dress up any outfit and add a bit of personality and flair. They're also available in black or gold leather, and in black suede. I have a pair of black flats very much like these (with the flower and everything) from Gap and I adore them, though they don't provide a whole lot of support... these look like they have a thicker heel, giving you a bit of shock absorption when you walk. (link, $89.95)





And then there's these... (also available in black and gold) Gaudy? Yes. Necessary? Of course not. So unbelievably fun to wear? YES! Ok, so if I really were to get these I'd go for the more subtle black (though, honestly, I'm tempted by the gold). But you can't deny that these would lend quite a kick to any outfit, and what else are shoes for than for fun? Ok, so walking and comfort, but that's during the day time. Nighttime is a whole different story... ; ) (link, $109.95)

POLL!

Ok, fellow fashionistas, I need your advice!

This saturday my step-sister and I (whose birthdays are 4 days apart) are having a joint birthday celebration at a bar. I want to wear one of the following dresses-- I realize I may end up a bit overdressed but, ya know what, it's my birthday and I can dress how I want to! ; ) Plus I bought these dresses last month and haven't had a chance to wear them yet, and don't know when else I will.

Soooo... without further adew, here's dress #1:



And, dress # 2:



(If you click on the pictures you can see larger versions of them)

So, which one should I wear?

My Favorite Work-Out Pants

I have 2 pairs of Victoria's Secret's Yoga Pants (one solid colored, one side-stripe). They are my FAVORITE work-out pants. They're soft, they fit well, and they're flattering. They come in an array of colors and 3 different styles (there's also the fold-over style to choose from) and cost only $29, which considering VS prices isn't bad at all.

VS also offers a cropped yoga pant (in solid, and fold-over) for $25. I'm thinking of getting one or 2 of the cropped pants, since it'll still be warm enough here for a while to wear outside, and to/from the gym.

We all know it's important to work out-- it's good for your body, and it's good for your soul (helps releive stress, etc). I like to use cute work-out clothes as extra motivation. These pants have become a staple in my gym wardrobe, fitting and feeling so much better than other styles I've bought most other places for the same price range.

PS- Use the offer code FA63241 at check-out to get free shipping on orders of $100 and over. This offer code is valid through Oct 20 2006 (though I find you can get this offer, one way or another, just about any time).

Also, VS has implemented this super-neat system where they send you a prepaid return stamp in case you need to return any item in your order. Just stick it on an envelope and when they recieve your return they'll charge you $4.95 for shipping. No need to stop by the Post Office to buy postage for the package!

Foot Petals: Your Feet's New Best Friend

I discovered Foot Petals on a trip to Nordstrom's a while back. I was immediately drawn to them-- my biggest problem when wearing heels is that the balls of my feet will start to ache from walking and dancing, and when wearing flats I got the same ache in my heels. I'd been searching for cushioning inserts I could slip into my shoes to help alleviate this problem. I had tried some gel inserts, but they didn't have any adhesive so they slipped around a lot and were annoying.

Foot Petals are slim and have an adhesive strip on the bottom. This means you can't change them from one shoe to another, but it also means they'll stay put. There's a variety of different cushions available: ball of the foot, heels, back of the heels (to prevent the back of your shoe from slipping or rubbing), whole foot, for small straps on strappy sandals. I bought the small strap inserts (which I used as back-of-heel cushions on one pair of shoes and it's made them wearable again) and the whole foot ones. I don't recommend those, the "one size fits all" means it's hard to hit your heel and ball of your foot at once. The separate heel and toe cushions should work better, and be a bit easier to slip into deeper shoes like boots.

There are also lots of gift sets with differtent combinations of each of these inserts all in one package (such as the Fancy Feet or Strut N Style kits). Each of the inserts come in black, grey, pink, and beige, to blend in a bit easier to your shoes (some cushions such as the toe tips come in additional colors, such a zebra stripe). And they're small and sleek enough to be worn even with open sandals.

Go to the Shop section to purchase these little foot savers, or find a store nearby to check them out in person. Your feet will thank you!

DIY Inspirations

My shopping drive goes in cycles. I'll be in a make-up kick for a few weeks, then I'll get really into looking for hair products or maybe accessories, other times I'll be really into clothes. Lately, I've been on more of a beauty-product kick, window-shopping at Sephora and researching hair products online.

Then today I went to Borders and looked through the latest People Style magazine. As I looked through all the upcoming trends for fall (many of them resurgences of last year's trends), I got inspired. All of a sudden I found myself making a shopping list-- cropped leggings (finally giving in), a skinny belt to wear high on the waist over longer tops, skinny jeans (just to be able to tuck into my boots), perhaps an oversized sweater?

Then I started thinking-- why waste money on trends that, although fun to indulge in, probably won't last another season? So I've gone DIY. Last winter I was totally into the opaque/textured/patterned tights trend. So as soon as I got home, I pulled out a pair of black opaque tights. Why spend money on leggings when I can "recycle" these? So I cut them off below the knee. I'm thinking of wearing them with a skirt, as shown at right (you can click on the pictures to see them bigger). I'm not totally crazy about it yet... but we'll see. (btw those shoes are the adorable little mary janes I spied at Payless recently... I just had to have them)



Now, to the skinny jeans.... I've been contemplating getting a pair of these for a while. Let me be clear-- I firmly believe that this style of pant is really suited best for ultra skinny gals with little to no curves, and most of the rest of us that actually have hips should probably stay away. However, I'm really liking the tuck-your-jeans-into-your-boots look, which is nearly impossible to achieve with bootcut or flared jeans. So, not crazy about the idea of spending money on a pair of pants that, again, will probably survive through this fall and winter and not much longer, I took a look into my own closet... and at a pair of grey Mossimo jeans that I got from Target years ago (at left). They fit me well, and have a nice flare to them, but I don't wear them very often... and I'm not sure why. But they seemed like the best candidates for this experiment.

I cut the seam open (on the inside of the leg) up to about the knee, then used safety pins to bring in the leg and make it more of a straight leg. I then used black thread to sew the leg back up, and afterwards turned the leg inside-out to cut the extra fabric off. I also cut them off above the ankle, to prevent them from bunching up there inside the boot. It's a pretty shoddy sewing job overall, seeing as I don't sew... But as long as you don't look at the inside seams very closely it's not very noticeable. And now I can wear my jeans with boots! (like my outfit at right) The shirt is a very cool cowl-neck top I got at Target today, for $13 (also available in black, purple, olive green, light brown, and maroon). The silver belt, which I am SO excited about, is actually a necklace, also purchased at Target today (for $12), that works absolutely fantabulously as a belt with this top. I have a party to go to this saturday and I am very much looking forward to wearing this outfit!

I may make another trip to Target on friday (when my weekly budget re-sets), to look for a skinny and/or wide belt to wear at my waist, and take a second look at some other cute tops I saw today.... ; )

The Tank

Tank tops are one of my favorite items of clothing. They are simple and low-key, yet can be incredibly versatile and flattering. They are the ultimate wardrobe staple. And even a plain ole combo of jeans and a tank top can be dressed up and chic'ed out when the right jewelry and accessories are added.



Two of my favorite places to buy your basic tank top are Target and Old Navy. Target's Juniors Mossimo Long and Lean tank top is a steal at $6.99 (picture above, click here to see a limited selection of colors online, I usually see tons more in the store). Target also offers the FormFit tank top (in the underwear section). I believe these usually come in packages of 2 for about $6-$8, either in white or some combination of white, black, and grey. They're a really great basic tank, and since they're so cheap you can build up a whole back-up wardrobe of them so you don't have to live in fear of stains. I have one in white and gray, and need to go back and get a few more.





Old Navy has their Perfect Fit tank tops, now in a longer length. I adore these tank tops and have several-- the fit is great, especially the longer ones (I was never fan of their tank tops until they introduced their longer length ones, now I have about 4). And they come in a bazillion colors. These usually cost about $8.50, or $7.50 when you buy 2 or more. Right now certain colors (purple iris, creamy orange, and carribean blue) are on sale for just $4.50!

I'm loving that tanks are coming in longer lengths now, usually about midway down the hips. It's a great length for those of us with shorter torsos.... and those of us who are fond of low-rise jeans (the long tops help hide any accidental panty-peek). It also allows you to play with current trends such as tying a scarf or belt around your natural waist (which only looks right if you're wearing a longer top). You can wear your tank alone, or layered over another one in a matching or contrasting color. It can be worn with jeans and flip flops, of with a skirt and cute heels. I've even seen them worn underneath a skimpier top or dress. They're like a great blank canvas that you can built whole outfits around!

I think you can see why I like them so much. ; )

Great Deals at Delia's

There's some sweet clearance deals over at Delias.com right now. I've always viewed Delia's aa a bit more of a teenybopper trend store, but they're still worth checking out from time to time b/c they'll have some really cute items and their prices aren't bad. They almost always have very cute and unique shoes, that's one thing that's drawn me to them in the past.

Anyway... so I was browsing their website and looking through the sale items and found several very cute things! For example:


I LOVE skirts just like this one (Yasmin Knit Skirt, $14.99). It's flowly, it's flirty, it's long enough so you don't have to be all paranoid always about what you may accidentally be showing off to the world... basically, skirts like these are a perfect alternative for girls like me, who normally live in jeans or pants. And the color is fairly neutral, so it can be paired with some fun colored tops.



I also really like this top (Nora Tank, $12.99). I'm liking the trend toward longer-length tops, and this one looks nice and light and flowy. You could probably use it as a layering piece, layering a tighter-fitting light tank top underneath it (perhaps one with a shelf bra so you don't have to worry about a strapless one). This would actually probably look very cute with the above skirt.


These shell earrings ($5.99) are fabulous! I love love love them! They're the perfect fun earring to wear when you want some stand-out jewelry but still want to keep your look low-key and casual.


These printed ballet flats ($14.99) are just too fun. To be honest I'm not entirely sure how or when I'd wear them, but they'd definitely add a bit of pizzazz to any outfit!

There's lots more to check out, including some fun printed t-shirts, and LOTS of jeans (most for about $20). Happy browsing! =)

The Devil Wears Prada

I went and saw this movie with a friend this afternoon, and as a movie that comprises so much about fashion (even if it is high fashion which I never talk about here) I thought I'd talk a bit about it. The movie itself was cute. Normally these kinds of movies seem to dreadfully predictable to me, but I honestly was not entirely sure which way this one was gonna go at the end. Overall, entertaining. Especially since I adore Anne Hathaway. I remember when she was Get Real, a sitcom that lasted about 2 seconds, back when I didn't even know who she was. The there were the Princess Diary movies which, yes, incredibly cheesy, but she was so cute and adorable and honest and real that I instantly liked her. I'm really glad she's jumped into the world of grown-up-people movies (Brokeback Mountain, Devil) and may make a good career for herself. She really was a big driving force in me wanting to see this movie.

I thought she did a great job in this movie. Her actions, feelings, and motivations were believable, and she was relatable. Her hair and makeup looked gorgeous the whole time. However I noticed something about the clothes, the glamorous high-fashion clothes she was wearing. She seemed...awkward in them. The clothes were wearing her, instead of the other way around. Maybe it's b/c she's still getting comfortable with herself as an actress. Maybe it's b/c I envision her as more of a laid-back kinda gal. Maybe it was part of the movie, to show that she never really "fit in" with that crew.... I don't know. But it seemed to me that, on all the other fashionistas in the movie, their clothes seemed an extension of their bodies. With Anne, they seemed like something she was wearing for a part, but not really her thing.