We are neither blobs nor little girls

It is so difficult to shop these days. I don't do lace, ruffles, oversized sweaters, booties, peeptoe booties (eeks), gargantuan purses or outfits (please, please, no outfits). So that pretty much rules out most of the current offerings. Don't want anything to do with looking like a fairy, your grandmother, or a blob.

I like tailored pieces along with some feminine style (have to show those legs). Clothes should help define your shape, not drape!

Found this store in San Franciso that had a good mix of clean lines and feminine allure. Picked up a killer military trench coat. But, for our weather, I prefer a look like this - the aforementioned blazer that your boyfriend would wear, but accentuates the waist, the wily dress that your boyfriend wants you to wear, and of course heels! Always wear heels.

Aritzia is the store. Mostly in Canada but a few locations in the states: http://aritzia.com/

A sassy little number - Upcycled, Vintage China gets a new life!

Upcycling and repurposing..... I adore these words! Don't get me wrong, I love a brand new and beautiful item, but the market is overflowing, fortunately, with more and more amazing and unique products that are also somewhat eco-friendly. (We must consider the resources that are expended while recreating these products.)

For the past several years, and probably every day, I have spent at least one minute on the internet looking for some sort of product or another. I always seem to have this idea of exactly what I want....and it takes me forever (and even worse, sometimes never) for me to find that perfect item!

I love ETSY, I am a real voyeur - i can get stuck there for hours....looking for nothing, yet finding everything that I definitely don't need, but suddenly MUST have. It seems like nearly all of the sites that I have spent any time on lately, are from Turkey! The ring above is another example. They have somethin goin on over there....and I LIKE IT!

The beautiful and simple ring pictured above is upcycled from a 1970's piece of china. The daisy image is so flirty and feminine, the colors are very modern and chic, and the design is simply powerful...I just can't get enough of it.

I am woman, hear me rrrrrooooooooaaaaaaaaar!

The artist is RecycleJewels of Istanbul, Turkey. To see more of these delicious designs, click HERE!

If you're looking for a sexy, classic, forever piece...try THEORY.

From t's to leather, Theory always...and I mean ALWAYS produces some of my favorite pieces. Cheap? No. Worth the extra penny? You bet your bottom dollar!!!!

The Boyfriend Blazer is all rage these days, but rare is it that you can walk in and out of a store within twenty minutes with the perfect, affordable piece....until now.

Theory has once again delivered with the French Terry Jacket. Retailing at $120 USD.......how can you deny it?

ps, get a Saks Fifth Avenue credit card and earn reward points for the purchases you make. That's a WIN-WIN to moi!

ModPlexi - Clearly Modern Design

One of the contributors to The Basically Blog has just recently purchased a new home, and Melissa and Wendy of ModPlexi in Austin, Texas made her some new house numbers!

As the ModPlexi ladies put it themselves, "Our address plaques will make a fresh first impression when people see your house. " You know what? They are right on the money! The simple, unique, and colorful designs will welcome any guest into your home. Consider it foreshadowing into the awesomeness behind door #1.

ModPlexi is also responsible for some additional crazy, cool art (including fabulous album cover frames) made from recycled and found objects!

These ladies reduce, reuse, recycle, AND re-purpose! YOU GO, GIRLS!!!!!

Check 'em out!

The SWANKIEST boots in all the land!!!

I am in L.O.V.E. with these boots... just as I have been for several years now. Being cheap, I find it hard enough to swallow $200 for a pair of jeans, much less $400 for shoes that are very seasonal to Central Texas. If I lived in a colder climate, these boots would have been in my closet YEARS ago.

The Frye Boot Company is known for it's quality ,and if you will get enough wear out of them, they are totally worth it.

The Paige Riding Boot is perfectly distressed, fits like a glove, and extremely versatile as they would be beautiful worn with dresses, leggings, or jeans. (god forbid short shorts, too)

In Austin they can be found @ Allen's Boots on Congress Avenue. Everyone else may find them online @ the Frye site!

Happy Shopping - go on, YOU DESERVE IT!