Filed under: Featured Posts

Barbados Boondoggle

La Vida Loca - Hilton Barbados Resort

La Vida Loca – Hilton Barbados Resort

Aside from bingeing on shoes and dark chocolate, the next best thing for curing the winter blues is immersing yourself in the sun. So when my hubby recently informed me he was heading on a 4-day business trip to Barbados, which conveniently coincided with Valentine’s Day, I decided to tag along.  (more…)

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Filed: Featured Posts, Shopping Safaris

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Say It Ain’t So. Silver Is The New Black!

R13 Metallic Painted Skinny Jeans

R13 Metallic Painted Skinny Jeans

In my ongoing quest to find the perfect pointy-toe pump (a classic style that instantly elongates your legs), I came across a few resort ’13 standouts worth sharing. Not that I actually need any of these nor do I have the disposable income to warrant such frivolity. Then again, chasing toddler twins on the cobblestone streets Dumbo, Brooklyn in 4″ metallic stilettos (the shade du jour this spring), just might pave the way to my pursuit of happiness.  (more…)

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Filed: Clothes Encounters, Featured Posts, Shop Talk, Trends

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Calling the Fashion Junkie Community! I Need Your Help To Curb My Compulsive Shopping Habit!

Fashion Junkie Comes Clean

Fashion Junkie Comes Clean

It’s hard to believe David Letterman, one of my favorite comedians, admitted he suffered from severe depression for 6 agonizing months. I watched his surprising confession on the Oprah Winfrey Network the other night and asked myself, “How could such an incredibly talented and successful person, beloved by so many, suffer from depression?” Then I thought, if only he went shopping!

Joking aside, I too happen to suffer from mild, situational depression along with 19 other adult Americans. But rather than turn to serotonin-enhancing drugs a la Prozac, I’ve masked my symptoms over the years via daily exercise and sadly, compulsive shopping. While I’m not proud of this behavior, nor am I asking for your sympathy, in light of Lance Armstrong’s recent confession, I felt that now seemed like an opportune time to air my dirty laundry.

The reality is depression and compulsive shopping (a.k.a. oniomania, yes, there’s even a clinical name for it) are inextricably linked, with the latter affecting roughly 6% of the American population. I’ve always been aware of my affliction, but, until now, I felt too proud to face the all too many, well-dressed skeletons in my closet. While I won’t divulge exactly how much damage I’ve done to my depleting savings account until Oprah asks me, I am ready to come clean and admit that retail therapy is only a BandAid solution to a much bigger problem. In case you’re wondering, the rush of euphoria that comes from receiving a “present” in the mail pales in comparison to the regret, feelings of guilt and costliness, which lasts far beyond the next fashion season’s new arrivals.

With the proliferation and ease of online shopping, ubiquitous in-store and online retail promotions (end of season sales are my downfall) and advent of flash-sale sites, it’s no surprise compulsive shopping and shopping bulimia  (my personal vice thanks to free shipping and returns) has become so widespread. It came to no surprise that even the Oxygen network debuted a show last fall entitled, “My Shopping Addiction.” For further insight regarding oniomania warning signs and treatment, check out Fashion Junkie’s interview with compulsive shopping expert Terry Shulman.

As a first ditch effort in my recovery, I’m asking the Fashion Junkie community for your support and guidance every step of the way of my rehabilitation. From here on in, every time I get that craving for a coveted pair of Alexander Wang pointy-toe pumps, a buttery-soft leather motorcycle jacket (a major compulsion of mine thanks to Mackage) or an outlandishly priced Celine handbag (surprisingly, something I still don’t own), I promise to post said item on this site and solicit your advice before pulling the trigger. With your help, I’m hoping that this crowd-solving experiment of mine will put me on the road to recovery.

xo
Fashion Junkie

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Filed: Clothes Encounters, Featured Posts, Shop Talk

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The French Invasion

Looking to inject a little joie de vivre into your wardrobe? Lucky for you, a plethora of hipster Parisian-based boutiques recently landed stateside. With kooky names like The Kooples, Zadig & Voltaire and Maje, these ultra cool outposts offer the crème de la crème in contemporary fashion. Herein, some sweet French finds to suit every style and budget. Sorry, Laduree macarons not included.

Maje

Channel your inner Rachel Zoe (but French) with flirty ‘n feminine staples from this trés chic Parisian chain. I’m crushing over pretty much everything, including this two-toned lace top, punchy crimson coat (Fall’s “It Color”) and eye-popping electric blue blazer. The ultimate pièce de resistance: a studded black leather cuff. Available at Bloomingdale’s shop-in-shops and Maje.com. Prices range from $79 – $1,200.

Sandro

This hipper sister store to Maje stocks a stellar rotation of on-trend Boho-chic staples that exude that special je ne sais quoi. Available at Bloomingdale’s shop-in-shops and us.sandro-paris.com. Click here for store locations.

The Kooples

You just might go cuckoo over this edgy masstige label. Note the sleek Savile Row-inspired tailoring and androgynous vibe. Strikingly similar to All Saints, n’est-ce pas? Available at select Bloomingdale’s locations. NYC flagship coming soon. Prices range from $50 to $550. Visit thekooples.com

Zadig & Voltaire

Rock ‘n roll accents and somber shades rule at this posh Parisian paradise. Though made to look like effortlessly chic street fashion, the price tags beg to differ. Reluctantly, I’ve become a bonafide Zadigian. Available at select Bloomingdale’s. Click here for flagship store locations in NYC and L.A. Prices range from $65-$900. Visit us.zadig-et-voltaire.com

Other French newcomers guaranteed to empty your wallet: Celine, Jerome Dreyfuss, Isabel Marant, Comptoir des Cotonniers and Surface To Air. Happy spending!

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Filed: Clothes Encounters, Featured Posts

Crowns & Jewels

What does modern dentistry and jewelry have in common? Quite a lot, according to Sabine Le Guyader and Jill Martinelli, the dynamic duo behind Lady Grey, a wickedly fashionable line of homegrown baubles.

Martinelli and Le Guyader got their start in prosthetic dentistry and orthodontics, while earning bachelor’s degrees for metalsmithing and jewelry design. How apropos! Named after Lady Jane Grey, the naughty wife of King Henry VIII who was beheaded for adultery after only nine days on the throne, this line of grisly, yet gorgeous hardware will instantly transform even your most frightful frocks into an unexpected masterpiece.

I’m digging their claw-like bracelets adorned with human teeth (cast in gold, silver and bronze), all meticulously handcrafted with torches (don’t try this at home!), special molds, metal-welding and other daunting devices you might find in your dentist’s office. That, or a Medieval torture chamber.

Unleash your devilish side and reinvigorate your wardrobe with eye-catching spear necklaces encrusted in silver bismuth, apex-shaped studs and gold-brushed cuffs with spikes…without fear of retribution. Get your Lady Jane fix at Elizabeth-Charles.com. Pieces start from $199.

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Filed: Featured Posts, Trends