Handbag Haven:

      My blogger friend Paris and I like to do something called "pretend shopping." Meaning we scour all our favorite web sites essentially "window shopping" from the comfort of our own homes and at the end of the venture we swap our favorite online finds. Anyway, while "pretend shopping" for vintage handbags on ebay.com I decided to check out my own personal handbag collection and I realized I really don't need anything new! Sometimes instead of looking at all the things you don't own, its better to "shop within your closet." Rediscover items you forgot about or sell the items you no longer use at a consignment store! 

These are the hidden gems found in 

my stash of purses that I have been 

collecting over the last several years:

Handbags clockwise from top middle:

1: Lavender snakeskin embossed Michael Kors drawstring bag

2: Grey leather bag with gunmetal hardware by 

Betsey Johnson

3: Chocolate brown leather vintage Gucci bag

4: Marc Jacobs studded "Large Single" bag 

(featured here)

5: White patent leather Kate Spade clutch (seen here)

6: Vintage BCBG Maz Azria gold clutch

7: Red vintage coach bag (last worn here)

8: Brown leather coach clutch

9: Hayden-Harnett for Target tan and gold 

shoulder bag (see what I carry in this bag here)

10: Random grey faux fur studded clutch scored 

at a vintage shop

11: Large black leather Chloe bag 

Yours,

Nico

PS, don't forget to store your purses in their dust bags to reduce damage!

The first rain of the season!

      A few days ago we had our first afternoon of rain here in Santa Cruz. Normally I'm not the biggest fan of cold weather but since I have been pulling out all my coats and scarves I was delighted to see such a cloudy day. I put together the following look to stay warm despite the wet weather:

This hat is fantastic, you've already seen 

it featured here as well. The clingy turtle 

neck I've got on is from GAP. Also the hand 

bag I'm carrying is vintage Gucci via Crossroads 

Trading Company (cost me less than a tank of gas!).

This camel colored coat is by Kenneth Cole Reaction. I found it at Nordstrom Rack for 70% off the original retail price!

The skinny jeans I'm wearing are from Alloy. I love this internet company because their pants and jeans come in both petite and tall lengths and their price point is great too, only 39.50! And I LOVE these Bromley boots by Michael Kors, do you recognize them from this post?

                     Hat: Tarnish

                     Faux fur vest: H&M (other styles here)

                     Necklace: vintage Ann Taylor

                     Watch: Michael Kors

                     Purse: vintage Gucci

      Style doesn't have to be coupled with sky high prices. I really enjoy stores like Crossroads, Nordstrom Rack, Marshall's, and even Khol's and Target carry designer collections at a very reasonable price point. Thrift stores and goodwill locations can offer a variety of items to suit your own personal style as well if you are willing to spend the time looking! I encourage you to find those hidden fashion gems at your local discount stores!

Yours,

Nico

PS, all photos are taken by B. Dalke

Hibernating for the winter:

      I'm not actually going to be hibernating this holiday season but I have been stocking up on cold weather items. Here's a handful of my style supplies for Autumn:

Black hat adorned with a Macaw feather perfect for covering up dark roots in between salon visits:

Something Old (Marc Jacobs bag, similar here) and something new (Missoni for Target sweater skirt, can't wait to pair it with tights and oxfords):

I have a massive obsession with all things jewelry (see examples here, here, and here). Honestly my adoration has gotten slightly out of hand so instead of looking for new gems for fall, I decided to explore "the archive" (my treasure chest filled with pieces I have collected over the years) and I ended up rediscovering pieces that I think will work perfectly with my winter wardrobe:

I picked up this tassel at Beverly's Crafts for less than $2, when looped thru a zipper pull, this red tassel gives a basic bag a fresh update:

Found a sleek glass jar at Dollar tree recently and have been using it as a "catch all" for my clothing nick nacks. I keep extra buttons from jackets and pants in here (ever wonder what to do with all those spare buttons? and they always go missing when you need them, right?). Needles, thread, and safety pins are kept handy in this location too. A pretty yet practical way to keep odds and ends organized:

Yours,

Nico