Poppy Shop

So I've been a HUGE Coach fan my entire life (I even wear the fragrance) so I was pretty psyched when I heard they are releasing a new line with a friendlier price point. Poppy was recently released with a younger, vibrant feel. I'm loving the website design (you have to try the intro quiz for fun!) and items offered. From jewelry, scarves, jackets, shoes and of course bags this new line is sure to deliver. I have my eye on a gold tote called Poppy Op Art Glam Tote (also cute in orange below). I will certainly be on the lookout when I'm in the Carlsbad Premium Outlets in a month!

Gilty Pleasure

About a month ago, my most fashionable friend invited me to gilt.com with one warning: hide your credit cards. I brushed off the invitation at the time knowing little about the site. I kept seeing it pop up in fashion-forward blogs and tweets. So I went to the site and sure enough, invitation only (thanks again for the invite!).

Now I'm addicted. I found the high-end twin to my Felix Ray Target find... for about quadruple the price. But still, I'm hooked. There is already a need to set aside a fund for this site.

Interested in joining? I personally invite you :)

Cheap & Chic!

InStyle Magazine tipped me off to these cute but cheap swimsuits at Walmart. The line by Norma Kamali offers mix & match two pieces, all for $15 each. Or you could opt for this glamorous one piece for $20:
I'm considering it myself, although I'm not sure of the quality. If I was a bigger Walmart fan I would head over to the nearest store today. Check out more options at the Walmart site.

Harmony Between Man and Machine

Prius has done it again. I am blown away every time I watch the new Prius commercials. They manage to be emotionally moving and inspiring at the same time. This clip shows the making of one spot including the vision behind it and logistics of using people to make the world surrounding the Prius. Its a little long, but starting at 4:10 you can watch the clip of "Harmony". Not only will they catch the attention of all those eco-friendly people out there, but hopefully the rest of the world through the beautiful imagery.

Welcome to My Closet

This will always be one of my favorite commercials due to the comedic play on gender differences and fantasies we all have. I'm still laughing after the 100th play. If you're not already familiar with this wonderful Heineken commercial, enjoy.

Summertime Means Beachwear!

So I've been looking for a big wicker-esque tote with a gold/metallic finish for the summertime. I didn't have much time to look when I was back on the westside of Washington state so I've been keeping an eye out in the latest magazines I picked up. By chance I was going back through some old pages I pulled and found this Felix Rey for Target bag from a spread in Bazaar a few months ago.
I immediately hopped on the Target website, praying for a discount, and sure enough 50% off! It's marked down to $22.48. The inside is even more adorable.
I'm hoping my mom can find it on the westside so I can save the almost $10 in shipping (yikes!). Either way, there's no way I'm missing out on this one. I also fell in love with a similar design with a Chanel-style gold chain that detaches.

The 'Nordstrom' Experince

My mother and I have been extremely loyal shoppers of Nordstrom. We attend the Anniversary Sale, well, annually and often refer to it as "mecca". So we were pretty much in shock when the head of the house at the Cafe came out and started scolded my mom for having a food allergy. She requested that our sandwich be made on a separate board due to a tomato allergy. The waitress made a note of it, but when the person in charge saw the slip, she came out to recommend that she order a salad (which looked like an even bigger risk despite the fact that we could watch the prep station). With such comments as "You know how it is when you go to a restaurant" from the head of the house, we were both appauled and my mom ended up just ordering a cookie and dessert.
Next we moved on to the salon shoes section where there were racks and racks of designer shoes on sale (*the heavens opened the instant we descended the escalator with a collective "AHHH"). I told my mom that if I found the Tod's jellies that I've been drooling over on sale that I would buy them. Sure enough, there they were in purple, blue and clear. After 3 "Oh my god"'s from myself, my mom was further shocked that no sales person came over to assist me as I tried the different sizes on. One lady finally approached me and honesty answered my question (some redemption) but then disappeared. I had to approach the salesman to receive the shoe pair, who then pawned off my request to another saleswoman. She (thankfully) was extremely helpful, although I was already sold on the purchase. She gave me her card and made a kind offer to stretch my other pair of Tod's ballerina flats since I mentioned they were too small. I will certainly be sure to find her, that is if I go back to the Bellevue store. You will most likely find me at a different Nordstrom next time.


Regardless, I'm in love. My new sandals go with everything, although I offer a strong advisory to wearing them in the rain. I got caught the other day in an intense rainstorm and had to shuffle to my next class.

Inspiration Found

I've discovered that *news flash* I'm not alone in the endless hunt for everything beautiful. I don't know why it never occurred to me that everything beautiful may also be beautiful in another person's eye. While browsing through the settings of blogger I discovered an area that featured blogs, where I stumbled upon Swish and Swanky, a featured blog right now. This quaint blog immediately caught my eye with images of Audrey Hepburn and a room designed entirely around Eiffel Tower sculptures. How exhilarating!
This blog led me to several other wonderful sites that I've added to my "places for inspiration" links. One site incredibly pleasing to the eye is Sweet as a candy; I have to learn how to crop photos in an interesting way like she does. I also appreciated the collection of photos she placed together, a great place for an instant pick-me-up.
I can only hope this site will evolve to mirror the inspiration and intrigue that these sites evoke. I will keep collecting images and ideas for when that day comes.