Tag Archives: style

The Perfect Gift for Mom, Sister, Wife… or Lover

More is More, a beautiful customizable fragrance by the always luxe and classic Judith Leiber

Talk about a special treat. The gift of this fragrance opened up a new designer door of culture for me. I’m talking about Judith Leiber. You’ve probably heard her name, if you haven’t been lucky enough to own one of her purses yet. They’re special – and special occasion – pieces, so you’ve likely looked longingly at one in a glass case as it sparkled under bright department store lights.

Like this kitschy beauty, which sells for around $5,900 at Bergdorf Goodman

I first heard of Judith Leiber over 30 years ago from my beautiful (and oh so classy aunt), Candace, who lived in the Hollywood Hills. She was married to a hot shot screenwriter who made it in the 1970s and 80s, so she knew all of the beautiful designers. Judith Leiber was already a classic by the time I was a kid. She was known for her beautifully crafted, intricately jeweled minaudières, evening purses made of a metal shell usually encrusted with Swarovski crystals, plated with silver or gold in fun designs like a peach, peacock, watermelon, cupcakes, or snakes.

One of many Judith Leiber masterpieces

And now her legacy lives on with the first daily customizable fragrance. Fashioned in a stunning sculpted perfume bottle adorned with Swarovski crystals, this isn’t your ordinary perfume. It’s a piece of olfactory heaven and a gem for the bathroom or vanity — just like her handbags.

With More is More you can choose from three separate scents that work together as one, depending on your mood or flavor that day. Just select from a sliding dial at the top to get More Gourmand, More Zest, or More Floral and create your own mix. It’s the perfect gift for the maximalist (or minimalist who likes variety) in your life.

How it Works!

FYI: Jerome di Marino, the nose behind the fragrance, loves combining More Gourmand with a touch of More Floral for an indulgent, sexy scent. So, yeah, this is pretty much the perfect gift for any woman in your life.

The legend herself, Judith Leiber

But perhaps the most fascinatingly beautiful thing about this brand is the origin story of survival… the woman herself, Judith Leiber aka. Judit Pető. While researching this piece, I learned that she fled Nazi Europe from Hungary, lived in a house with other refugees, and finally made it to America to find success and meet/marry her first and only husband of over 70 years. She was awarded the highest honors for design in her field, has a museum of her works, and, if all that isn’t impressive and interesting enough, she passed away just a few hours after her husband at the ripe old age of 97. Talk about a long, amazing life filled with survival, beauty, and art.

Looks gorgeous, smells great, feels good. Your mom or wife or girlfriend will thank me.

More is More by Judith Leiber

Latest Fashion Find: Carla Sta Cruz Handbags

The Julia Tote in Black/Aqua
The Julia Tote in Black/Aqua

My latest fashion find from Carla Sta Cruz. Perfect for traveling in style.

Originally from Manila, Phillipines, Carla graduated from Parsons and is now a New Yorker but visits Manila every 3 months where she produces her collections.

Inspirations: Savage Beauty at the MET inspired a more cerebral approach to fashion design as art. Inspired by designer brands like Givenchy, Tom Ford, and Alexander McQueen, Carla brings edge to classic good looks.

Price: The Julia tote is $450
Website: www.carlastacruz.com

Live Large. Spend Small.

When we caught wind of a hot Stanford chick who launched a guide to living well on the cheap, we had to learn more. We’re all about living well on a shoestring. Sure, luxury is worth the spend. It provides jobs, feeds families, and bolsters local economies, but when you can live well and save… well, that’s what we’re all about, baby.

Enter: Broke Girl’s Guidea lifestyle digital and mobile media company targeting the modern day “it girl” aged 18-35 who is cutting edge and rich in taste, yet discerning about how she spends her money. For her, BGG serves as the hip and in-the-know friend who keeps her up-to-date on everything cheap and chic, delivering her the news via an email newsletter, website, social media sites and her smartphone/tablet.

BGG provides a daily local email newsletter that offers a “hip bite” of editorial information on fashion, dining out, style and local events, as well as curated round ups of deal sites (e.g. Gilt, HauteLook) and retailer sales (e.g. urbanoutfitters.com, local West Hollywood boutique). In addition, BGG leverages its relationships with local and online retailers to offer exclusive deals to its subscriber base. For instance, there is currently a $1,000 giveaway to Gilt City that is being offered to new sign-ups. The website serves as an archive of newsletter content as well as includes additional cheap and chic musings. BGG will soon be launching a shopping channel with affiliates to allow its users to purchase goods that are highlighted on the site. And, since launching just two months ago, BGG has tripled its subscriber base.

Not too shabby…

www.brokegirlsguide.com

CitySlips: Travel Ready, Foldable Ballet Flats

CitySlips: Foldable, Funk-tional Ballet Flats

They call them funk-tional and all I can say is… they saved my feet on Saturday night as I slipped off my new red Manolos and had to walk several blocks to find a cab in the city at 2am. CitySlips foldable ballet flats are the genius result of two NYU friends and students who knew the obvious.

Women want to save their beautiful toes in between torture, but we don’t want to sacrifice our shoulders or our backs by hauling big clunky tennis shoes with us everywhere.  As the story goes… Susie Levitt and Katie Shea were oh-so-familiar with the pain caused by pointy pumps and strappy stilettos. Their love/hate relationship with these fashion icons wasn’t helped by the fact that these petite powerhouses both stand no taller than 5’2”. One too many encounters with shoeless socialites and barefooted babes led to their AH HA moment… CitySlips was born.

These entrepreneurial sole-sisters came up with a concept and design that allowed women to carry back-up ballet flats comfortably, compactly, and conveniently. Juggling classroom term papers and corporate term sheets throughout their senior year of college, Susie and Katie enlisted the opinions of friends, the help of NYU professors, professionals and mentors. Nine months later (their baby, literally!), they now have a product that is travel ready, funk-tional, and affordable. Now, well-heeded women on-the-go can enjoy these fabulous sole savers. All I know is… they saved mine.

These foldable travel flats are the future. Plus, the little satchel the shoes come in also turns into a small tote to carry those Manolos home.

Retails $24.95

www.cityslips.com