Look at this sweater: it’s breathtaking! Great knit pattern, color, oriental colar detail… But look closer… three quarter sleeves!
For cold season, when you think of a jacket or a coat that has to go above that sweater… quite inconvenient. Also, it ends too short, above the hip line. The overall shrunken look of this sweater leaves the uneasy feeling of a laundry went bad. Diane, what happened here?
Jill Stuart brand was launched in 1993 by a New Yorker with the same name. Since the early childhood, Jill was surrounded by fashion. Her parents owned a well-known in the sixties ladies’ boutique, called “Mister Pants”, which was located on the Fashion (7th) avenue. As a teenager, Jill began her creative career by designing jewelry and handbags, and when she was only fifteen years old, she already sold her first accessories collection to Bloomingdale’s. In the early eighties, she launched a signature line of accessories that became quite popular. And in 1993, Jill Stuart lunched her signature women’s wear collection.
Jill Stuart (above)
When I discovered Jill Stuart’s collections, I was so pleasantly surprised by her ultra feminine, vintage-like pieces, that are so nostalgic and yet so contemporary. I am particularly fascinated with her fragrance and beauty collection adorned with Swarovski crystals and created as if for a snow queen.
Hand Mirror (above)
“Jilly in a Bottle” Eau de Toilette (above)
“Jilly in a Bottle” Eau de Toilette. The bottle was designed to capture the beauty of a big, sparkiling diamonds. The seven flowers in the middle are decorated with Swarovski crystals.
Top Notes: Sweet and fresh aquatic fruity note; Cassis, Pair, Green Apple, Lemon, Aquatic Green
Middle Notes: Romantic flower note concealing a delicate and beautiful glamour; Bulgarian Rose, Gardenia, Peony, Lily of the Valley, Indian Jasmin, Magnolia, Tunisian Orange Flower.
Base Notes: Soft and deep sensual musky note; Musk, Sandalwood, Cedar Wood, Amber, Vanilla.
“Tribeca – Whitney” Gold Hobo Bag (above)
New season, old trend (from at least two cold seasons ago) – a sweater dress! As much as we all love sweaters, long sweaters, sweater dresses… with leggins, thick tights, lace fashion tights, we all have to admit, you’ve got to have a slim midline to look great in long sweaters and sweater dresses. If you have thick waist, or no waist, or love handles, better stick with empire waist and semifitted clothes.
I love Adrianna Papell’s Knit Turtleneck Sweater Dress. The price is ridiculous; this is what I call a precious find. Low price for a great looking, good quality, stylish piece.
Adrianna Papell is a 29 year old US brand, mostly known for it’s feminine evening and special occasion dresses. This piece is an exception, a pleasant surprise that will win the brand lots of fans.
Victoria’s Secret has released a new limited edition shimmering collection – the “Gold Edition Dream Angels Heavenly”, which will be available in stores and online, sometime in September 2008.

The Gold Edition Heavenly collection will include three types of products:
Shimmering Eau de Parfum (2.5 oz. , $54)
Shimmering Hair and Body Spray ($24)
Shimmering Luxe Lotion ($29)

The eau de parfum is infused with real 18K Gold. For all of us, who’ve been devoted fans of this “#1 Fragrance in America” for years and years, there’s no need to describe the scent. However, if you have not tried it before, here’s a brief description:
Fragrance Type: Vanilla Oriental
Top Notes: quince, cardamon
Middle Notes: white peony, freesia
Low Notes: white musk, sandalwood, vanilla
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Coco Chanel Quotes
“Fashion fades, only style remains the same.” Coco Chanel
“I don’t understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little – if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that’s the day she has a date with destiny. And it’s best to be as pretty as possible for destiny.” Coco Chanel
“In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.” Coco Chanel
“If a man talks bad about all women, it usually means he was burned by one woman.” Coco Chanel
“A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.” Coco Chanel
“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.” Coco Chanel
“As long as you know men are like children, you know everything!” Coco Chanel
“Success is often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable.” Coco Chanel
“A woman is closest to being naked when she is well dressed.” Coco Chanel
“How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone.” Coco Chanel
“Don’t spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door.” Coco Chanel
“Elegance is not the prerogative of those who have just escaped from adolescence, but of those who have already taken possession of their future.” Coco Chanel
“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” Coco Chanel
“The best color in the whole world, is the one that looks good, on you!” Coco Chanel
“A women who doesn’t wear perfume has no future.” Coco Chanel
I was wearing a pair of gorgeous Linea Paolo cut out botties at the lingerie trade show.
Linea Paolo “Brennan” Oxford Pump (left)
One woman asked me if these were Balenciagas, and when I told her they were not, she said that mine were the knock-offs of Balanciaga style. Not offended a bit, I only began to wonder, if Balenciaga was first to introduce the cutout booties style, and if so in what season, beecause as far as I know, this trend really started catching in the Spring / Summer of 2008, but is continuing to gain popularity, and many Spring 2009 lines are introducing styles with these features.
The cutout booties provide the high-cut coverage of a bootie, combined with the airiness of a sandal. They can be have cut away sides, open toes, cut out heels, or any combination of those features, cutout booties are for all seasons from early Fall to early Summer. Cut out booties usually have high heel which adds some sex apeal to mult-seasonal dressy look. They can compliment almost any simple of dressier outfit from jeans to dresses.
I looked through the internet for those Balenciaga boots or shoes that looked so similar to my Linea Paolo “knock offs” but could not find any, but this pair that looks somewhat similar.

If this is what she meant, than I choose my Linea Paolo boots, or oxford pumps. While searching for Balenciaga cutout booties, I came accross other styles that look more similar to my Linea Paolo booties. One is leather oxford pump by Philosophy di Alberta Feretti.
There is nothing better than a smart reinvention of the successful past. A big fan of “Nude on Nude” (regular), and later “Nude on Nude” (Shimmer Wash) eye shadow palettes, I absolutely love the new “Shimmering Nudes” palette from Bobbi Brown.
“Shimmering Nudes” Palette (above)

“Nude on Nude Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow Palette” (above)
The new “Shimmering Nudes” palette includes a combination of soft, pearlized Shimmer Wash Eye Shadows and high-shimmer Metallics to softly illuminate eyes, and Espresso Eye Shadow to line eyes. Comes with a dual-ended Eye Shadow/ Eye Liner Brush.
Unlike “Nude on Nude” palettes that have only 5 colors, this palette has 7:
1. Nude Beach Metallic Eye Shadow
2. Nude Mist Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow
3. Naked Eye Shadow
4. Nude Glow Metallic Eye Shadow
5. Mica Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow
6. Nude Spice Metallic Eye Shadow
7. Espresso Eye Shadow
And lastly, don’t try to save money by buying brushes somwhere else. Bobbi Brown brushes are the best.
Treat yourself to a cupcake, and not just one, but four! This delicious lip gloss set is made by “Two’s Company” and is available in four different flavors: Raspberry, Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry.

The glossy fragrant lip glosses are presented in cute little mini cupcake containers with flip-top lids. The box measures 3″ x 3″ x 1.5″ tall. Cupcake Lip Balms measure 1.25″ tall by 1.35″ wide.
Another lip gloss set by “Two’s Company”, called “Petite Sweets”, is available in three flavors: Chocolate, Vanila and Strawberry.
They are here… Five new fragrances, each with their own scent and style has just been launched by Gwen Stefani, in cooperation with Cot. The new fragrance collection is devoted to Harajuku fans. The fragrances come in a form of five small dolls, each of which has its own personality, style, and a fragrant note.
The collection came as a result of Gwen Stefani’s long time fascination with fashion style of Harajuku youngsters, from which she also drew her music and style inspiration. Her music reflects her fascination with this Harajuku style, as well as her streetwear line, purses, watches, etc.
A small note for those of us who are not familiar with Japan and Tokyo: Harajuku is the area around Harajuku station on the Yamanote line in the Shuibuya ward of Tokyo.
There had to be five fragrances as each of them represents different styles of women. Each of the dolls consists of two parts. The upper part is the doll itself, fitted on a pedestal-like glass base filled with the fragrance. The outer boxes give a story of the perfume doll enclosed inside.
Harajuku Lovers collection includes fragrances Love, Lil’ Angel, Music, Baby and G, and each of them is devoted to one of her back vocals, Harajuku Girls, reflecting their fashion and life styles, while one represents her.
Inspired by the electric street scene of the Harajuku shopping district in Tokyo, the Harajuku Lovers collection captures the lyrics and iconography from Gwen Stefani’s albums. A fatal attraction to cuteness.
Beauty lust alert: Lancôme is launching its luxe Maharani Jewels collection this month. Inspired by the exotic jewels that would adorn the neck of a Maharani, or princess, this collection celebrates the colorful and elaborate designs rooted in Indian culture.

Particularly covet-worthy is the collection’s elephant bronzer.

Packed with shades of shimmery gold and bronze powder, this compact bears the charming figure of an elephant (often regarded as a symbol of India) embossed right into the powder. Definitely an object of desire, the bronzer and the rest of the Maharani Jewels collection is scheduled to hit stores later this month.
















