Cucumber on your salad, anyone?

As you may know, the wedding industry and its foibles are a regular source of amusement and/or amazement for me.  Today’s fun?  Lily just brought to my attention the fact that The Knot has its own Chinese wedding page. There’s nothing inherently ridiculous about that — anyone who’s had an Indian friend get married knows that wedding traditions vary hugely across cultures. However, I am LOVING some of the suggestions in their article “Top 10 Chinese Wedding Q&A.”

I have to think that this article was written by a white non-biologist, and here’s why.  Question number three is: Which traditional Chinese dishes will appeal to both our Chinese and Western guests’ tastes?  First, they suggest Peking Duck.  Fine, good.  Fatty, salty, a little sweet?  Who can argue with that?  Here’s the good part:

For your side salad, include sea cucumbers, thought to symbolize harmony and lack of conflict between newlyweds.

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Drool. From Dior.

Shopped out from Christmas?  I certainly was.  My bank account reeling by December 19, I was convinced I would be shopped out for many weeks to come.  And, well, I am, still.  Kind of.  I’m not feeling the urge to actually BUY any grossly expensive additions to my wardrobe, but it’s not keeping me from ogling the hottest of the resort shoes.  It is nothing like strappy sandal weather out there, but here’s a little eye candy for the winter months anyway!

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Winter white from Kenneth Cole Reaction.

No white after Labor Day?  Please.  One of my favorite trends of recent years is the white or cream-colored winter coat.  Living in an urban area where I go everywhere on foot, they’re 100% impractical.  Which is probably why I love them so much.  There are few things as gorgeous on an awful winter day as a woman chicly bundled in a winter-white coat, defying the elements and the gray street slush.  Sure, they require a little extra effort to keep clean, but they’re that little bit of luxury and cheer in the most depressing of seasons.

I, um, already own one (a long Soia & Kyo coat from a couple of years ago), but that has not kept me from desperately lusting after this great number from Royal Underground.  (The chevron detailing on the sleeves?  Shoot me now.)  After the jump, the results of my vicarious romp through the online stores in search of this season’s best.

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I’ve always been a little fascinated by the bridal industry.  So much money spent and so much fuss made for a single day in your life!  Recently, I was lucky enough to have the chance satisfy my curiosity by attending a discussion on bridal trends and the bridal industry and behind-the-scenes tour at Kleinfeld, New York’s destination wedding salon and the setting for TLC’s series “Say Yes To The Dress.”  Kleinfeld owner Mara Urshel and bridal fashion editor Juli Alvarez of the recently closed Modern Bride spoke on the trends and the business of this high-stress industry.

First of all, just going into Kleinfeld is quite a trip.  Even though I know I have in the past mocked the existence of a tv series about nothing but women trying on wedding dresses, I have to admit that I have in fact seen the series.  As with all reality TV, the participants (who have to apply) are selected to up the drama quotient.  I invariably end up thinking either a) “Wow, your friends suck!”,  b) “Wow, your mom is a b****!”, or c) “Dude, CALM DOWN.”  It is quite something else to actually walk into Kleinfeld and see the dresses in person.

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‘Tis the season … for shopping headaches and annoyances.  Yes, folks, the holiday gifting season is upon us.

I love my family, I do.  But finding gifts for my “no drinking, no dancing” born-again in laws?  Impossible for this wine-imbibing city girl.  Tracking down the right baby gift for my friend’s new daughter?  The only time I ever look at baby items is when I’m trying to figure out if my cats will fit into infant clothes (don’t judge me, I work from home - the hours get boring). 

And while I scoot through the infant section of my local department stores at light speed, I do need to find a little something for my friend’s wee one.  So I was thrilled to discover Funkoos, a great little start up company offering something no one else seems to be able to:

High quality, 100 percent organic baby clothes featuring mom-approved details like enclosed embroidery.  Even better, the company is dedicated to fair trade compensation for all of its employees, and gives money back to the environmental charity One Percent For The Planet.

DING!  We have a winner.  Just check out how adorable this is:

Super cute little patterns (like the monkeys on the boy’s outfit) and super soft, breathable cotton.  My friend will be so pleased that her little one will be sporting such stylish, green baby clothes.

You can see the entire line at Funkoos.com.

That’s one difficult present down.  Up next?  The fun-unloving in-laws.

Nothing like a bright tartan print to perk up your winter!

We, um, won’t count the number of winter jackets I own.  But suffice it to say that after filling wardrobe holes over the course of the last several years, I don’t have a reason to buy winter coats this year.  This has of course not kept me from shopping for them.  What I don’t have, aside from an excuse to buy more coats, is a coat in one of this season’s great plaids.  Admittedly, there are a lot of ways that plaid can go bad.  But some of these coats are gorgeous, rich, and interesting — just the little something different your winter wardrobe needs.  After the jump, some of the best of this season’s offerings.

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Curses, foiled again!

I know I’ve mentioned I’ve been trying to get some sequins into my wardrobe for several seasons now.  I finally psyched myself to up actually purchase the Gryphon lovely at top (with a fabulous 25% discount code thanks to Retail Me Not!) last week.  And after all that?   Turns out it doesn’t work on me in the size I ordered. ARGH!  After two seasons?  What to do? Order it in an XS and hope it will fit across my shoulders?  Get something else entirely?  I still haven’t figured that out, but I came across a few possibilities that I thought I’d share with you. More sequins after the jump!

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Is anyone else fascinated/staggered/terrified by the proliferation of membership only online sale sites lately?  There’s been a lot of talk in the media about the crises faced by the fashion industry in the “new economy” — is this going to end up being one of them?   Back when we did our membership only sale site roundup, I had experience with only four fashion-oriented sale sites.  Now?   Gilt alone has four different sale sites, including one for vacations, and I’m a member of at least seven other sale sites, specializing in items from beauty products to home goods.   Even one of our perennial favorite stores, Revolve Clothing, has started its own members-only sale site (Reverse). Several of these sites have launched only within the last few months.

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I have a problem, I’m willing to admit that.  I looooove Adam.  Love it.  I’m perfectly aware that in seasons when I’m trying to save money (like now), I would probably be better off just not looking at the latest round.  Do I have that much self control?  Come on, now.  Since when was self-control any fun?

The ensemble at top is the current object of my desperate lust.  The top by itself, totally cute.  But with the skirt?  The combination of deep colors is just what I need to convince myself that I can survive another winter.  Both pieces come in other colors, but I am in love with the deep purple and blue, serious and sophisticated.

Adam, Adam, Adam.  I might be able to afford that one outfit, but all of the stuff I want?  No way.  Here’s the rest of the haul: read more »

Yowza! From Herve Leger.

As I mentioned in my fall closet update post, I am allowing myself the frivolity of picking up one sequined piece.  Sequins have been in to varying degrees for several seasons now.  I’ve been drooling over them in concept, but somehow I’ve managed to make it to this fall without ever getting my fix.  Lucky for me, sequins are more fashionable than ever this fall, and the stores are bursting with pieces for every budget.  I still haven’t figured out which piece to add to my wardrobe, but my shopping has shown me that there is a lot of really great stuff out there.  After the jump, some of this fall’s best options for glitz.

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