Calling all Mad Ave worshippers!

Being that I'm majoring in advertising and have a love of fashion, its expected that I am a complete die-hard fan of Mad Men, the AMC drama about advertising agencies in the late 1950's. The name "Mad Men" comes from the start-up of advertising, real advertising, on Madison Avenue when men were the only ones who ran the biz. Those who have seen the show know what the women are often the ones pulling the strings.

So you can imagine my excitement when I saw an opportunity to appear on the show as a walk-on extra by entering a picture of your favorite 50's inspired outfit, a la Joan or Peggy. The show teamed up with Banana Republic to hype the premiere of Season 3, August 16th at 10 pm. All you have to do is go to BR and pick up a Mad Men-inspired style guide, and enter the code on their website along with your best outfit. Long live classic fashion!

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.

If I could turn back time...

... and be back in Milan this spring (I cannot believe it was only a year ago when I was there!) I would have saved my money and bought these Tod's jellies. The Tod's ballerina shoes I bought (for way too much last spring) kill my feet by the end of the day. I can promise you these would not crunch my toes or be difficult to clean from the Pullman dust. My white leather Tod's sitting in my closet? I cannot say the same.
Not that this color is practical, but they also come in black, silver, white, and clear!

Chanel No. 5 brings the heat

My grandmother wore this scent, and the air of mystery surrounding this perfume captures her personality perfectly. Scenes from this take me right back to Paris... and make me question the way women are portrayed as sexual objects that men can't resist (Gender & the Media college course in action). Sleeping naked on a public train? I think not. Still evokes an emotion I can't help but get sucked into.


I think I enjoyed watching a brief history of Chanel No. 5 more than that video however. Check out this site for images of Coco, what flowers are used in the formula, and how it has reinvented itself.
Chanel No. 5: The Story