essentials: the kitten heel slingbacks

i've been crushing on these Audrey Hepburn chic slingbacks for ages. like all great essential shoes, they're beautiful yet comfy, and stylish for work, weekend, and everything in between. (also perfect as back-up shoes to stash in your bag!)

currently, they (and all Emerson full-priced shoes) are 50% off with code CUPOFJO50 (make sure to use all caps, or the promo won't work).

what do you think? let me know if you get anything from the sale! :)

P.S.: more summer sale gems here.

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dear LAM readers,

as some of you may already know, Google Reader will be discontinued on July 1.

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here's how:

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foundations: stylish sunglasses edition

via jak & jil

shopping for chic and well-fitting sunglasses is surprisingly tedious. for years, i never wore them because i was 1) too cheap to spend more than $10 on a pair and 2) convinced that i just couldn't find any that were stylish and fit my face properly.

after some trial and error, here's my shortlist of the best sunnies under the sun.

stylehacker: summer classics (on sale)

via jak & jil

this year's early summer sales have been slow to inspire me, but i've found some favorites this week. topping off the list is the hawaiian print summer dress from my wardrobe planning post (thanks to a dear reader for the tip!). 

1. park and picnic and brunch and vacation in the hawaiian summer dress

2. city-to-beach in the saint tropez sandals

3. uptown museum to downtown gallery with the art-print PS1 satchel

4. so very Jane Birkin in the classic denim high-waist shorts 

5. summer stripeology 101 with the breezy breton pullover

6. needs no introduction – my favorite skinny slouchy jeans in the perfect lighter wash

7. summer nights and getaway weekends in the luxe silk pjs

P.S.: big sale going on over at Barneys right now too.
P.P.S: my favorite dandy flats on major sale!

what do you think? have you discovered any sale finds lately?

foundations: chic summer pants

while the concept of summer pants may seem like an oxymoron, a few pairs of tried-and-true ones are always indispensable in my wardrobe.

wardrobe planning: summer 2013

it feels very suddenly summer around here: balcony BBQs, the semi-annual Net-a-Porter sale, the Friday afternoon rush in and out of the city. and, rather uncharacteristically, all i want to wear right now are dresses and tropical prints.

essentials: the summer edit

via

a quick postcard from the suddenly 80-degree and sunny city that is NYC all week: staying cool and hands-free with my favorite trio crossbody bag (see my review) and discovering how well oversized tort sunnies go with a coral red lip. hellooo summer.

what are your indispensable accessories these days?

foundations: delicate gold jewelry

via

i remember when my mom took me to get my ears pierced when i was 13. we went to one of those Piercing Pagoda kiosks in the shopping mall, and i was all butterflies and excitement and anticipation. 

review: the trio crossbody bag

triple threat: the perfect trio crossbody bag.

form + function, found. 

stylehacker: en pointe

via

i'm really, really glad that we're swinging back around to the realm of 'single-sole' heels, though i've always loved this classic style. i see platform-fronted skyscraper heels and can't help but immediately think "anklebreaker/Real Housewife/cab-to-curb-only", in that order.

foundations: simplicity and habit

the beautiful Fei Fei Sun via

the simplest foundations are often the hardest to find. 

lookbook: denim on denim

lately i've been really feeling Canadian le smoking with my favorite denim madewell shirt // vintage belt // current/elliott jeans // a chunky statement necklace and trusty Marant boots.

your thoughts re: denim on denim? and what have been your go-tos this month?

stylehacker: the handbag/purse hook

the  nifty handbag hook saves the day with my PS1 satchel

confession: i never put my handbags on the floor or ground if i'm out and about. in NYC, sitting in crowded restaurants or cafes often means that there's no space to sit comfortably and still stash my bag on a not-gross surface. to the rescue: the simple yet super practical handbag hook. 

wardrobe planning: spring/summer 2013 [update]

via la mariniere

i'm about halfway through s/s wardrobe building this season.

road tested: the sleek and chic sandals

my go-tos this spring/summer: 
fave Tkees slim leather flip-flops + my Sam Edelman supersandals 
(super chic + super affordable + super comfy)

this new blog series is brought to you by years of trial and error in shoe shopping.

inspiration diary: April // francophile cowgirl edition

via national geographic

i found this photo the other day and it kind of took my breath away for a moment. it's the perfect inspiration image for the season – leather jackets and denim and chambray and ankle boots are all i want to wear this spring. 

lookbook: leopard is a neutral (spring edition)

my lookbook postcard for spring: vintage leopard print jacket, uniqlo tank, favorite black skinnies, SE sandals (see my review), and mini Celine-esque crossbody bag.

what are you wearing this week?

stylehacker: the luxe mini crossbody bag

new season, new blog feature. starting this month, i will be doing a regular stylehacker series that will feature stylish + functional tips and cool alternatives to those splurgey wishlist items that are always tempting you to spend more than you should. 

first up: the luxe yet nicely priced mini crossbody alternative to the infamous Celine trio. i think i like this version even better than my SA mini bag; like the Celine original, it has three detachable compartments. i also love the muted hardware and sophisticated, neutral colorway. (and with the current 20% off promo, it clocks in at a very nice price!)

             

what do you think? let me know if you get one, or anything else from the sale!

essentials: the oversized sunnies

WANT: these tort (camo?)/slightly kooky-cool sunnies have been on my wishlist for seasons now.
and they never go on sale.
and i'm very, very tempted by the 20% off (WEAREFAMILY13) promo.

what do you think? do you have any essentials that never go on sale?

foundations: chic + comfy budget sandals

ladies and gentlewomen, the sandals of the season.

if you're like me, and prefer to spend less on sandals but still want them to be stylishly versatile and designed with all-day-walkable comfort in mind, then these babies will be your go-tos this spring and summer.