Olsen Mania

On Tuesday, the Olsen twins did a signing for their new coffee table book, Influence, at the Barnes and Noble in Union Square. To hand it to B&N, more than 2000 people showed up in hopes of getting their moment with O squared, and the corporate bookseller did a good job of keeping the mayhem in check. They did less well with the outside mayhem which involved members of PETA wearing “Trollsen” masks and carrying signs to protest the Olsens’ use of fur in their clothing lines, The Row and Elizabeth & James.

The event was huge! There were tons of people and a full-on media pit in front of the desk where the twins did their signing, In order to attend said book signing, you had to follow a very strict list of rules that included a “buy the book or you don’t go upstairs” clause and a definite ”no photos” clause. They were seriously kicking people out for using their camera phones. So, in order to make sure I had something to report on, I kept my camera in check and have pulled a very nice image from the Internet. Though the girls did not read from their book or take questions, they were very nice as each person approached, trembling, book in hand. (And to be quite honest, my ears are still ringing a bit from the screams that erupted when the ladies first took the stage. Think *NSync concert in a high school gym circa 2000). Each fan placed their grail in front of the ladies of the hour and received a smile and signature that will last forever in the heart of each teenage girl and rampant celebritista.

But what were the famed twins wearing on their feet?

 
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)

Well, honestly I don’t know exactly what these are. They are comparatively simple for the ladies in question, but crazy high. These ladies are teeny-tiny little-bitty creatures in real-life, so I get the insane heels, but Damn! they must be tough to walk in. The Hollywood types must take promenading lessons with Victoria “Her Stiletto-ness” Beckham. Cute cute cute. I have some guesses as to the make and model.

Option 1. They are the aforementioned Christian Louboutin Hidden Platform pumps described in my earlier ”Hard Days Work” post. OK, obviously they are not, but the Olsens describe good ‘ol CL as a close personal friend that they see on a regular basis in their book, so this would be a reasonable guess. Obviously, there is an obvious lack of a red sole on the Olsens’ version, so I guess it’s close, but no cigar with this one.

Option 2: They are the YSL Trib Two Platform Pump. These are appropriately sky-high, have a perfect pedigree (YSL is the dog and pony show champion of the fashion world) and current season. See Saks Fifth Avenue ($795). This is certainly a better guess and almost certainly correct.

Overall the event was worth attending and the book is…interesting. There are photos of the twins through the ages (cute babies in the Full House years) and some fascinating interviews with people I have idolized for a long time. My favorites are Diane Von Furstenberg whose clothing and fabrics are beautiful and Karl Lagerfeld who is crazily fascinating in everything he does. His interview is no exception.

I will leave you with a final image:

With love,
Mary-Kate and Ashley 

Bandit Up Your Boots

One of the sad facts of life when one goes to live abroad for a year is that one’s beautiful shoe collection (if this totally hypothetical “one” were to have a vast and much-prized shoe collection) must remain behind.

Yes, I’m separated from most of my footwardrobe by an entire ocean.

So when products come along that can spruce up my shoes and give them a new look, I’m all on board.

Faithful readers may recall one of our posts from back in March about boot wrappers.

That was about a company called Freckles N Fran and a stretchy piece of fabric that can layer over the top of your boots and change up their look.

Even more faithful readers may recall one of our posts from March of last year about Muleos, which are ties and straps that can switch the look of your backless shoes (or your boots, if you wear them like I do.

I have brought both those little goodies along with me to London, and am making good use of them.

If you’re interested in the next step from either of those options in terms of variety (and, sadly, price), then point your browser to The 2 Bandits, who have a collection of boot straps.  No, not the kind you pull yourself up by.  Much prettier than that.

These are fabric and brass decorative straps to be fit around your boots.  There’s a handy dandy video explanation here.

But the concept is pretty self-explanatory, and this California/Texas designing duo has a pretty little product to offer during boot season.

Deck out your stompers with the Napoleonic bee-motif Gypsy.

Rock an Egyptian scarab beetle and a Grecian style with the Athena.

Or forego the brass charm entirely and stick to the bright woven look of the Santa Fe.

Prices range from $48 to $78, which ain’t cheap, but hell, it’s still cheaper than a new pair of boots, and I’m completely sold on the versatility they add to your footwear (wear ‘em up, wear ‘em down, wear ‘em over tights with no boots at all… the options are many).

The Stylish Witch loves her Manolos.

Whenever I wear a pair of pointy-toed shoes or boots, as I did this past weekend, my husband is prone to making comments along the lines of “Well, I can see which boots you’ll be wearing on Halloween.” This type of none-too-subtle witch reference is not lost on me. There are even those who categorically hate all pointy-toed shoes and use the phrase ‘Witch shoes’ dismissively. As for me, I simply shrug off any negativity regarding this classic style – as would anyone who has ever been lulled by the siren call of the perfect pair of pointy pumps. That perfect pair of witch pumps works its own spell on you so that you are unable to resist their particular charm.

Here’s to being the best-dressed witch in the neighborhood.

Manolo, Armani, and Weitzman, Oh My.

Manolo Blahnik Buckled Bootie $765 at Neiman Marcus

Manolo Blahnik Buckled Mary Jane $775 at Neiman Marcus

Manolo Blahnik Bow Pump $735 at Neiman Marcus

Georgio Armani d’Orsay Bootie $745 at Neiman Marcus

Stuart Weitzman ‘Mega’ Bootie $325 at Zappos.com

So many sweet pretties. *Cackle*

Okay, now that I’m back to Earth and off my broomstick, my Never Pay Retail budget tendencies are kicking in. So, here are a few somewhat more affordable alternatives for those of you currently situated in more of a bargainista than fashionista mode.

Daniblack ‘Viceroy’ Bootie Pump $112.50 $150.00at Zappos.com

Carlos by Carlos Santana ‘Vintage’ $78.00 at Zappos.com

In the end, I’m very tempted to grab these truly funky NYLA Knee-high Boots.

NYLA Janette $97.18 $190.00 at 6pm.com

I’ll get you, my pretties.

Hard Days Work

Ok, so some of you may know that I have like a million jobs. Really. Just ask me. At any rate, one of the glitzier ones is that of production assistant for a fashion production company. And by glitzy I mean that average tasks involve being on set during photoshoots and running out to pick up whatever the photographer or stylist might need. Most memorably, I have been sent to fetch body-length human hair and fake boobs (called “chicken cutlets” if ya’ll wanna learn a little industry speak.

But I digress. I recently worked at a photo shoot for a very high end hair and makeup brand. I will not divulge their name because I am really not sure if I am supposed to. But for you clever folk out there it translates to ”Real Gold” from the French. This particular client hires stylists who bring in really incredible stuff. It’s so cutting edge, I get paper cuts (da dum chhhhssss).

 To demonstrate my point, a tableau:

Take a breath now:

YSL, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Louboutin, Louboutin, Louboutin, Givenchy, Louboutin, Balenciaga

Light headed yet?

I did a little research in case any of feel like spending your life savings on a piece of fashion gold.

 Shoe Beauty #1

These are my absolute favorite. If you want to take the plunge, these would be the ones to do it for. I was trying to figure out how to cram these suckers into my tiny clutch or under my blouse. There was much self-recrimination for not being into the whole peasant blouse, tons-of-excess-fabric thing. Behold the grail.

These are the YSL High Heel Lace Up Sandals with Jeweled Medallion in Black Patent. They are a whopping $895 dollars on ysl.com even now as the wintry winds begin the blow down Broadway. But so what. They. Are. Gorgeous.

Shoe Beauty #2

These Balenciaga Gladiator Sandals are obviously not available. The Sex and the City gladiator rampage of ’08 wiped the Internet clean of these highly coveted critters.

However, because I aim to help the readers who are looking to cash in on the end-of summer sales, here is a stand-in which is significantly cheaper that the 600+ price tag on the original. These Vaneli Gladiator Sandals are much cheaper at the low, low price of only 88.79.

Shoe Beauty #3

Pretty, pretty Balenciaga. How I love how you shine through the dark of the night. You add luster to my evening. Unfortunately, these are also no longer available and I couldn’t find a worthy substitute, but I will give you a close-up for contemplation.

 Shoe Beauties #4, #5, #6, and #7

These assorted black pumps are the collective Little Black Dress of the shoe world.

Pictured here is the Christian Louboutin hidden platform pump, $700 courtesy of Neimanmarcus.com. I just think that when you wear these you can’t help but feel beautiful, sophisticated, glamorous, and all those other words that the fashion mags list under the stuff they want to sell you.

Shoe Beauties #8 and #9

Booties are kind of my new thing. The first year that they entered the world of trends I disdained them, looking down on them as underdeveloped boots or overdeveloped heels. However, I have reassessed the situation and realized that they are most excellent.

Shiny, Louboutin booties are an excellent way to get my thinking on track.

And the less shiny Balenciaga version keeps me on the wagon.

Though I couldn’t find either of these. I found this Balenciaga stand-in. They really look very little like either of them, but what’s another shoe to lust after among friends?

They are on sale at overstock.com for 569.99, still pricey, but an excellent discount from the original price of 1195.00.

The weird looks the stylist gave me as I crouched around the shoes shooting photos were totally worth it.

Prada Two Piece Boot

Having slept in last weekend, I ruined my sleep cycle. I had to drag myself out of bed this morning and my eyelids had trouble staying open all morning. Even the surprisingly sunny weather in Seattle is of no avail.

So what’s my cure for the Monday morning blues? I’ve got my eye on this stunning lace up Prada Two Piece Boot with a touch of sheen on the graphite leather. I love that the boots have a slightly granny boot feel to them, but updated in a modern way with an architectural heel, versatile two piece attachment, and a side zipper so my time is not spent lacing and unlacing.

The Prada boot itself gave me a shot of much needed adrenaline, but when I saw the hefty price tag of $1800, my eyes were positively popping out of their sockets. Ah, there’s nothing like a little eye candy to awaken my senses.