Tuesday, January 29, 2008

80% Off at French Pharmacie

Unfortunately, I had to miss French Pharmacie's "Welcome 2008" party last Thursday, but I'm sure it was fabulous.

The lovely Jessica called me today to tell me that the sale merchandise at FP has now been marked down to 80% off. I know, I know.

You'll have to enjoy it for me, as all of my spare change is pouring into my new house right now.

So, buy something fabulous and let me know - I'll live vicariously through my readers!

Exciting news - a dream is coming true for IndyStyle this week - I'll be attending New York Fashion Week this Friday. I'm only going to one show, but it's a start! Very exciting.

Friday, January 25, 2008

Validation - I'm Not Crazy for Liking the Butterfly Bag

Ok, so apparently I wasn't absolutely off the mark in thinking that the ShopNBC butterfly bag is a somewhat reasonable facsimile of the Prada. Today, one of my coworkers saw it and asked, "is that one of those new painted Prada bags?" Yes! So I'm not crazy after all. Phew.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Reasonable Facsimile, or Hopelessly Tacky?

Obsessing over the Prada fairy bag - and feeling pretty certain that it will probably price out at $2,000+ - I've been on the hunt for a reasonable facsimile.

I've stumbled upon this Anuschka bag, available at www.Shopnbc.com (my predilection for TV shopping is well-known). I'm kind of feeling it. It's got that artsy, hand-painted vibe of the Prada bag, and a butterfly's kinda close to a fairy, right?

So this is one of those times when I have to ask, am I just deluding myself by thinking that this bag is even on the same fashion planet as the Prada? Is it actually hopelessly tacky, to be carried only by a large aging hippie with long grey hair, who wears a lot of purple? Or is it, indeed, cool and fitting with spring's painterly vibe?

I'm leaning towards cool. I welcome opinions!

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Style Never Takes a Holiday

But IndyStyle does. Sorry for taking such a long break between postings, but you know how it is - between the holidays, buying a new house (more on that to come), etc., things have been almost as crazy as Britney Spears.

But now I'm back and ready to tackle all of the important style issues as they happen in 2008. First off, a couple of observations about the emerging trends I've spotted in my time away from IndyStyle, to help prepare for spring (or for some fab winter vaca somewhere warm):

1) Florals are huge. More specifically, huge florals are huge. We're not talking little "mumsy" floral prints, but big, bright florals that look like you're wearing a painter's canvas. In a good way.

2) Really, anything sort of hand-painted looking seems to be the rage. So in addition to the painterly florals, there are abstracts and - my personal fave - lovely painted fairies from Prada. If I had a first-born kid or a spare kidney, I would sell it for one of the Prada satchels with the fairies painted on them. Yes, it's a gorgeous bag for the spring season...but you can also display it in your home as a work of art.

3) I'm still all about the dress. For a variety of reasons. But mostly because you just throw them on and go. And most of them are pretty seasonless. Even a sleeveless dress - put a turtleneck under it, and you're set.

That's just a topline view. Much more to come, of course.

A note for your calendar: next Thursday, January 24, French Pharmacie is hosting another one of their fab events - a "Welcome 2008" party. In addition to loads of new spring stuff (including I'm sure lots of trends we haven't even thought of yet), the event will also feature an appearance by the designers of "The Woods" jewelry line, a personal fave of mine. Also, you can make an appointment to get a free blow out or polish change to spotlight the new beauty services that FP is so brilliantly offering. Finally, I'm sure it will attract a very stylish crowd, so if you want to meet fellow fashionistas, this is the spot. I'll be there with my boots on!