Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Fighting It Off

Oy. I had a crabby day today. No particular reason -- I'll chalk some of it up to hormones and some of it up to the relentless heat and some of it can probably be attributed to various & sundry low-level family agitas that are keeping my brain a little busier than I'd like. But it was just a crabby day -- I pretty much hated everyone who crossed my path, which made me miserable. I had a bright spot at midday, when I had a lovely lunch with a dear friend who gifted me with fantastic early birthday presents, but after we parted things got prickly again. I dunno, whaddaya gonna do? We all have 'em, right? Bad days?

By the time I got home this evening I was well & thoroughly sick of myself. I needed cheering up. And what cheers me up best of all (besides my friends & loved ones & this goofcake:)



are pretty things from my closet. So I came home & put on this:




It's just a slip -- a sheer black slip with lace inserts. It's not fancy or expensive -- it's Vanity Fair & I got it at some department store, but it's pretty and it makes me feel sexy. Like Sophia Loren, except without the boobs. Or the Italian accent. Or the mesmerizing cat eyes. Or the electrifying sex appeal. But still... sexy for me.

And then I put on these:



These are the newest beauties in my collection. Ooooooooh, boy, are they fantastic. They're Alaia -- satin with pink croc heels. I was parading around in them at the Neiman's outlet last weekend where they were having a ferocious sale and I had just about decided I couldn't live without them when I rounded the end of a rack of shoes & nearly bumped into a darling friend who wrestled them out of my hands (once I'd taken them off) and insisted on treating me to them as an early birthday present. (Such treats, I assure you, I do not deserve.) The shoes are described as gunmetal gray, but they read as black. The toe is perfect -- exactly in-between round and pointed and thus will never go out of style. The ankle strap is also perfectly in the ankle strap sweet spot -- not so skinny it's too dainty and not so wide it's bondage-y. Very sexy, that ankle strap. I really think everything about these shoes is perfect and destined for immortality. An ankle strap d'Orsay pump can never be wrong. J'adore beaucoup ces chaussures. They've been living on my bedroom dresser since I got them because I want them to be out where I can see them instead of hidden away in the closet.

I've topped the ensemble off with this

Kenneth Jay Lane Garden Flower Necklace
(click photo for a link if you think this would cheer you up, too)

Wonderful Kenneth Jay Lane enamel flower pendant that was still another early birthday gift, from my lunch companion today. (It's not even August yet & I'm already cleaning up in the birthday gift department! Lucky me!) I developed an immense crush on this collection of Lane's when I first encountered it this spring, and my ardor has not dimmed. So now I finally have a wonderful piece of it and it's making me smile all over. This is a happy, happy piece of jewelry -- the pendant is about the size of a golf ball, and I'm going to wear it all the time, I just know. Flowers! And sparklies! And tiny little ladybugs and butterflies! Rarely do I run across things this sweet that are not twee.

So, there you have it. The at-home sartorial stylings of a cranky fashion blogger. Do I look ridiculous? Oh, undoubtedly. Do I care? No, not at all. I feel pretty in my pretty things. And what's even better, these pretty things were gifts from people that I cherish. So not only do I feel pretty, I feel loved.

Now, that? Is some good fashion right there.

How about you guys? Do you have anything in your closets or drawers or jewelry boxes that's a sure-fire mood lifter? Tell me about it!




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10 comments:

Frances said...

God, those are some amazing shoes. A cat is always the best accessory.

I have several very pretty headbands. Not exactly headbands, some of them are quite elaborate : Swarovski, moonstone, feathers(!), ombre silk; a couple of fascinators with baby pink feathers and black netting. Whenever I'm down, I go up to my room and try them on. They always make me feel so glamorous and polo match-y.

Plus a gorgeous lilac and silver necklace from my best friends, and a black satin opera coat with pink flowers embroidered on the hem.

Stephanie said...

Those shoes are indeed perfect!

rosarita said...

I'm so glad you were able to help yourself out of a funk by looking at your pretty things, something I do also. I have amassed an enormous collection of vintage jewelry over my lifetime, and digging through it never fails to make me feel better. I also have quite the collection of beautiful scarves - no Hermes or anything, but many silks from different eras. Bliss. For really awful times, I have a scrapbook that was my grandmother's, just pretty pictures from magazines that she cut out and saved, and cards and things. That one is a sure fire mood boosting/calming force, but I don't dare use it too often as I don't want it to lose it's magic.

Belle de Ville said...

There is nothing like a chic pair of shoes to improve your mood and
those shoes are so chic.
I love the shape of the toe and the pink heel.

Duchesse said...

Crazy for each and every one of these but worn together, I'd say, party for two!

Thumbelina Fashionista said...

Gorgeous shoes! Wow, I'm a sucker for detail.

Sorry to hear that your day was so crappy. If it wasn't for Wendy, Christian, and sangria (I just posted about it), I'd be having a rotten day too. I HATE getting soaked, and my YSLs took quite a beating yesterday. (Grrr....) Thank God for fashion to get a girl through it sometimes!

Haute World said...

I actually keep my new purchases draped on various chairs and couches. It's an instant mood lifter when I enter my apartment. Love those shoes - what a great find!

StyleSpy said...

Frances -- ITA about cats. Also, that opera coat sounds dee-vine.

Madame -- yes, I think I'll be enjoying these for a long time to come.

Rosarita -- What is it about vintage things that make them so cheerfulizing? I like to think it's the good memories they carry.

Belle -- Yep. Shoes are the hot-damn-diggity of cheering-up. Nothing works faster.

StyleSpy said...

Duchesse -- sadly, just me & Shine. Although she seemed to approve...

Thumbie -- Ayyyyy, poor shoes!! Poor Thumbie! (But great CFR dress!!) Hope today is drier!

H-S -- I cannot tell you how glad I am to hear I'm not the only one who does that.

Athenaweeena said...

I have a sleeveless black and white rose patterned prom dress I found on sale one day for almost nothing. I've never worn it out of the house, but put it on whenever I'm feeling down. I love wearing red heels with it.

I also have a dark blue, long sleeve, floor length velvet dress and I can't remember where it came from. I'll never wear it out. I'll put on every beaded and gold chain necklace and bracelet I have and walk around like royality. It makes me chime and tinkle when I walk. *smile