Carolina Herrera. Le sigh.

Like so many of my objects of lust, this dress is not something I would have regular use for in my actual life, but I’m still in love. There’s something so quintessentially ladylike about it — it makes me want to put on the perfect pump (I have just the ones) and put my hair in a French twist and be off to tea at the soon to be reopened Plaza. I may not follow “Mad Men” enough to know what happened at the end of last season, but even I am susceptible to a little faintly retro charm.  Would someone like to leave me a substantial fortune so that I can lead that life?

Gorgeous Ted Baker at Bluefly -- too bad it's not his size.

So, I mentioned last month that despite my talking big in March about being the most conspicuously single Femme, I recently started dating someone.  (Amusingly enough, a friend of The Ex’s, and a guy who I’ve known for years and whose Hidden Talents I have mentioned in previous posts.)  One of the most entertaining parts about dating a new guy?  Dressing him up after your own tastes, of course!  Assuming he’s cooperative, there is a special kind of fun in ignoring his actual wardrobe and putting him in exactly the outfit in which you think he will look the hottest.  This is particularly true if you have been admiring said guy’s looks for several years but have not previously been in a position to do anything about it.  Now that we’ve been dating for a couple of months, I figure this is all fair game.

Despite the fact that I’ve known The Man With The Hidden Talents for years, what I didn’t know is that he has a previously hidden talent for hoarding plaid.  He has a truly impressive collection of button shirts, long and short sleeved, in a rainbow array of plaids.  I don’t really have a problem with that — there’s nothing wrong with plaid in concept.  It’s in execution that it becomes problematic.  Anyone with eyes can hardly have failed to notice there are some really horrifying plaids out there.  I decided this would be the perfect opportunity to exercise my fashion talents/treat him like a giant doll and play dress up.  He needs a few more shirts that are not plaid, for choice green.  (He also has several shirts that snap rather than button, but I’ve decided to leave that alone.  I was initially unconvinced by the snap thing, but I am willing to admit I’ve been converted to the point that I suspect he is slightly sorry for having convinced me.  Snap shirts do in fact provide good entertainment value.  Particularly in public.)  And hey, I have time on my hands!

After the jump, my quest for good men’s fashion… which turned out to be a little harder than I expected it to be.

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McQ by Alexander McQueen

I know, this is a pitifully small picture of this gorgeous coat, but it was the only postable picture I could find.  I’m not normally much of a girl for pink (difficult color for me at best), but the ombre effect combining the bright pink with a deep, luxurious charcoal?  Gorgeous.  So gorgeous I can even feel faintly covetous of a coat in the middle of July.  Yet another reason I love Alexander McQueen.

Still need to fill out your summer wardrobe?  Tobi‘s got your back.  Today only (until 11:59 pm Pacific), get 40% off everything with the code GETOUT40.  I’m trying to cut back, but… well, I’ll be checking out that Black Halo dress I’ve had my eye on, and that Laila Azhar dress Lily’s been eyeing?  Everything’s on sale.  Enjoy!

We all know I’m a jewelry hound.  While I have several places I love for investment pieces, I’ve always been a fan of places like Kenneth Cole or Banana Republic for on-trend costume jewelry to keep things up to date.  A recent look through Banana Republic’s website, however, has made me wonder about where they’re trying to go with their jewelry and accessories lines.

After seeing a necklace I liked in Lucky, I perused their jewelry holdings this week.  As I expected, they have several very wearable pieces, most of which are offered at a price that’s reasonable for what they are.  Their 51″ framed jewel chain necklace at $45, fine.  Their glam bib necklace in smoke gray at $69, fine.  It was this piece that really jarred me:

Banana Republic, $198.00.

Don’t get me wrong, I like this necklace a lot.  So much so, in fact that I considered buying it… until I saw the price. $198?  Really?

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I am squealing with delight, ladies! The trailer for The September Issue has finally dropped!  Feast your eyes on this:

Quite simply, it looks A-MAH-ZING.  Our beloved Ms. Wintour could strike a person dead with a single glance, and boy does this film capture her in her glory.

Looks like there is even a speacial quest appearancshe from Uncle Karl!!

You better believe your Femmes will be there opening day.

The perfect summer jacket from Trina Turk.

Welcome to summer!  Wedding season is in full swing.  We’ve covered wedding fashion outdoors, in the church, at the beach, so hopefully you have your eye on the dresses you’ll be wearing at this summer’s ceremonies, but what we haven’t covered yet is, well, the cover-up!  Yes, it’d be great if your dress covered all the bases by itself, but let’s be realistic.  Sometimes weddings will take you in and out of the sun, the wind, and the air conditioning, and you’ll find yourself in need of some help for climate and modesty control.  This is particularly true if the reception is going to be outdoors or in tents and the ceremony is in a church or the ceremony is outdoors and the reception venue is heavily airconditioned.  A pashmina is always a safe choice, but if you’re looking to go a little farther afield, here are some ideas for cute cover-ups that are totally wedding-appropriate.

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A beautiful print in restrained colors. From Theory.

Every year, when summer rolls around, I get excited over the weather, the food, and the fashion.  What looks better after a long, hard winter than easy clothes in cheery pastels?   The fact is, however, those airy summer colors and I?  Well, we don’t get along all that well.  (Can we say washed out?)  The great thing about the psychotic quantity of lead time fashion gives the actual seasons is that by the time the first actual day of summer arrives, the stores are putting out their second wave of clothing.  The fall clothing isn’t quite here yet, but now on offer are summer cuts in slightly deeper, fall-slanted hues.  Perfect.

This season, the stores are full of soft greys and purples, in flowing summer-weight fabrics that will be perfect for long August evenings by the water.  Here are some of my favorites.

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4 1/2" of heel. Ms. Stefani, you do not f*** around.

Summer brings out one of my biggest weaknesses: my love of preposterously high strappy sandals. I loooove strappy sandals, and I love a high heel even more.  Towering over guys like an Amazon?  That’s just part of the fun.

The problem is, I already have more high-heeled sandals than I really need. If we’re going to be completely realistic about this, I have a limited number of venues to which I can reasonably wear a sandal with a 4″ heel, and, dude, I live in the north.  While I admit that I have on occasion worn glittery strappy sandals on the street in January for the sake of looking especially smoking, it takes a special occasion to convince me to wear shoes like this during most of the year.  (An especially cute guy in dire need of being tortured, for example.)

Needless to say, none of this stops me from loving on the insanely tall sandals all over the stores and the internet.  And if I’m going to embrace impractical shoes, I might as well pick ones that rock.  As always, no one makes stilt heels with more attitude than L.A.M.B., which has a whole array of sandals that sport heels north of 4 inches.  Some shoe porn after the jump.

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I loves me some Narciso Rodriguez...

This is a toughie, ladies. I love Narciso Rodriguez at all times — he does clean and elegant like nobody’s business.  But this dress?   I could actually wear this one.  In my real, actual life!  Brunch?  Absolutely!  That puts it several big steps up on most of my objects of lust.  Sadly, the price, uh, distinctly does not put it closer to purchasability.  But I can still look and lust.  Yum.