Monaco Mania

My little furry boy Monaco has been feeling a little under the weather these last couple of days.  There is nothing worse than having a sick baby, especially when the little nugget can't talk to tell you what's hurting him.  So like any good mom, I am worried about him but I think it's just upset stomach and I'm sure he will be fine before I know it.  I did a short post awhile ago about Yorkies as 'furry little accessories.'  Honestly I had no idea how popular yorkies were among celebs, but it makes sense.  These little lapdogs make great travel companions and are small enough to easily tote around town.

One of the most photographed Yorkies is Frankie, Miranda Kerr's pup.  Frankie is often seen jet-setting around the world with his supermodel mom.  Don't tell Monaco that this lucky dog was on the cover of Italian Vogue, he will be so jealous! 

Yorkies have a certain air about them, like they know they should be treated like royalty and can get away with anything because they are so cute.  They always travel in style and like to get all the attention they can.


Clockwise, starting at top right:  Molly Sims, Naomi Watts, Hilary Duff, Natalie Portman, Emmy Rossum



L: Karlie Kloss in a Victoria's Secret ad
Top Right: Audrey Hepburn
Bottom Right: Elizabeth Taylor

Monaco has had an interest in fashion since he was 3 months old.  When I first got him, I was so excited to dress him up in teeny little dog clothes.  Since he has gotten older, I have taken it down a few notches and only really make him wear jackets when it's cold and sweaters on special occassions. 


TL: Moochie & Co.
TR: Poochi & Toutou
BL: LuvGear
BR: Poochi & Toutou

While he may not always like getting dressed up, he does love wearing collars.  His favorite brand is UpCountry Inc. because they make special teacup sized collars just for dogs like him.  They have really cute prints and easy snap enclosures.  I just found this cute owl print collar on their website that he would love. 

Monaco's style is very preppy and he tends to pick out plaids, argyles, and stripes.  He also lives for a bowtie.  Here's a few things he's had his eye on for me to buy him- a couple of new button down shirts, a new raincoat, and an adorable harness with a bowtie.  Also, he has had a Bendel's dog bowl on his wish list for quite some time.  A few of his favorite online shopping sites are Glamour Dog, Moochie and Co, Poochi & Toutou, and Posh Puppy Boutique.

Left: all Poochi & Toutou
Top Right: Etsy
Bottom Right: Henri Bendel

 Just when I think Tom Brady and Orlando Bloom can't get any hotter, I see pics of them with their Yorkies.  These pups really are chick magnets.  Just ask my husband, who can't keep women away from him when he has Monaco, especially the drive-thru workers who gather around the window to see him. 

I Can't Stand the Rain

Since I pretty much needed my car to pull a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and turn into a boat to get me to work this morning, I can't help but have rain on my mind today.  To me, rain equals frizzy hair, rain boots, and trench coats, which brings me to another one of my 'wish-list' items- the iconic Burberry trench.   This coat is a classic and reminds me of a Gossip Girl dream sequence in which Blair thinks she is Holly Golightly, reenacting a scene from Breakfast at Tiffany's.  Audrey Hepburn wore a Burberry trench in the film.


Left: Audrey Hepburn
Right: Blair Waldorf

 Back in 2010, I tried to channel this Burberry ad (top pic, below) and wear white jeans with rain boots and an H&M trench.  This jacket will never go out of style and just this Spring, another Burberry ad featured its trench coats and also a super-cute Romeo Beckham.


Burberry ads

So I guess by now I have established the fact that the Brits just know how to do trenches.  Further proving my point are some of my favorite British fashionistas.

Kate Middleton Duchess Catherine, Pippa Middleton, Alexa Chung



We Americans also get caught in the rain and do our best to rock the look.

Olivia Palermo, Jessica Alba, me in MICHAEL Michael Kors

I love that trenches can basically be worn year-round, but there are different types for each season.  I do like white for Spring.  Each of these jackets have the typical silhouette but have a unique twist, such as the tan piping, black sleeves, or lack of buttons down the front.


L: Burberry
Top R: DKNY
Bottom R: The North Face

 Colored jackets are also fun for this time of year.  I have a yellow Gap one I bought years ago that I still receive tons of compliments on, but the olive green, coral and pink would also be fun to wear.



L: J.Crew
Top R: MICHAEL Michael Kors
Bottom R: Soia & Kyo

 These last two jackets are the standard trench in timeless shapes and shades of khaki.  Bottom line, a great trench is an essential and should be a staple in any wardrobe.


L:  Vince Camuto
R:  Zara



Arm Candy

Handcuffs, rope, tattoos...All things I do not want on my wrists.  Actually, I secretly do want my initials tattooed on my wrist but don't worry mom, I'll never do it.  Instead I will stick to adorning my wrists with some arm candy.  I love stacking bangles and bracelets for a cool and unique look.  I think you should have one signature piece and then add interchangeable ones around it, depending on your outfit and mood.

The one thing I wear every day is my Bendel's 'screw you baby cuff.'  That's really what it's called and when I accidentally leave it at home I feel totally naked.  Usually I'm just wearing that, but some days I like to add some other bracelets to keep this one company.


Top:  Henri Bendel, HB, Pappagallo, HB
Left: HB, Topshop, HB
Right: Saks Fifth Avenue, HB, HB

I'm into small leather cuffs right now and Tory Burch has several variations like this one below.  I've also seen wrap around cuffs in several colors at lots of stores.  My sister and I live for Bendel's bangles and this one is unique because of the woven leather.  I love the delicacy of this pretty cross bracelet and the turquoise would be a nice pop of color.  

Top Left: Tasha (Nordstrom)
Top Right: Cara (Nordstrom)
Bottom Left: Henri Bendel
Bottom Right: Tory Burch



I tend to veer towards cuffs since my wrists are so small, and I'm kind of obsessing over this gold chain link cuff.  I also adore this pave blinged out version in rose gold.  This thicker Bendel's bangle is kind of edgy in snake print, while the Tory wrap bracelet is dainty and cute with its little flower detail (or is that a four leaf clover)?



Top Left: Henri Bendel
Top Right: Jennifer Fisher
Bottom Left: Baublebar
Bottom Right: Tory Burch

I seriously have maybe one watch and I never wear it, but I really want to get a new one that I could stack.  Here's a few I found that would be easy to pair with some of my bracelets. 

L:  Michael Kors
C: Marc by Marc Jacobs
R: Burberry
Bottom: Michael Kors

Kim Kardashian is serious about her arm candy too and is often seen posting her new purchases on Instagram.  Kiki's jewelry may be Cartier, but I found a cheaper version of her 'nail' cuff.  It looks like it could also be used as a weapon.  What are your favorite stackable pieces?


Giles & Brother brass spike cuff



Fashion Icon: Victoria Beckham

I have several style icons, but in my first installment of 'Fashion Icon,' I'm choosing to feature none other than Posh Spice herself, Victoria Beckham.  Not going to lie, I totally wanted be Posh back in the day when she was rocking strapless mini-dresses and stillettos.  I'm glad to say that she has evolved from her Spice Girl days into a true trend-setter, creating her own signature looks and even building a fashion empire of her own with her Victoria Beckham brand.  It is one of the most highly respected 'celebrity' clothing lines, as she has shown at fashion weeks around the world for years.  In February, she showcased the launch of her lower priced (but still not affordable to me) Victoria Victoria Beckham line at Paris Fashion Week.  I love Posh's street style- always sleek and polished.  Her looks are very minimalist, yet still interesting and fashion-forward.  She never even breaks a sweat carrying a baby around thats almost her size or shuffling four kids around LAX in 6-inch Louboutins.  She is in a word 'may-jah,' as she would say in her British accent, and the looks below are just a sample of what authenticates her as a fashion icon.


Victoria was doing the cape thing way before Gwyneth Paltrow's Tom Ford 2012 Oscar moment.

She can pull off any silhouette, from shift dresses to high waisted skinnies.

She often wears pieces from her own line, like these form fitting dresses.

She is effortlessly chic in black and white.

We don't see her a lot on the red carpet but she can do formal and still look really cool, never overworked or overdone.

She also happens to have the most gorgeous family on the planet.  Here they are, minus daughter Harper.  And there's Posh working it at the Olympics opening ceremony last year.

Is It Spring Yet?

We are getting so close to Spring, yet it still feels so far away.  I am looking forward to the next few months and have started thinking about what I will be wearing to several wedding showers and church events I will be attending.  Since the weather is so unpredictable here, I like to shop for pieces that I can layer with a knit cardigan or blazer. 

A sheath dress is always a chic, sophisticated choice.  These below are modern, yet not too trendy.  I could also see this tan dress worn in the fall with boots and a light sweater.

L: Limited
C: Anthropologie
R: MICHAEL Michael Kors

I've been seeing coral everywhere and I have to say I love this color for Spring.  This shirtdress is very versatile and could be worn now with ankle boots, and later with nude sandals. 

L: Collective Concepts
C: Rhyme Los Angeles
R: DV by Dolce Vita

The most literal interpretation of the Easter dress would be the floral print, but these below are mature ways to wear floral print without looking like a little kid or a tablecloth.

L: Anthropologie
Top R: Juicy Couture
Bottom R: Prabal Gurung for Target

A few more dresses below that are fit for Spring soirees.

L top: Anthropologie
L Bottom: Bar III
R:  Asos

My mother loved to dress me and my sisters in matching outfits on special occasions, like Easter and Christmas.  They will probably never speak to me again for posting this pic but it was just too funny not to...not sure exactly what year this was taken, but the matching dresses, hair bows and white gloves scream 1991.  We don't dress alike anymore on purpose, but it always seems like we unintentionally coordinate, like on Easter Sunday last year.  We'll see if we can make it happen again this year. 

BCBGeneration dress