Holly in Heels

So, it ain't fair, I know, but livin' in sweet & sunny Southern California allows us west coast gals to bask in the warm sun for 90% of the year--and even keep our sandals close by to throw on and head to the beach or the mall! We are spoiled, I know, but I really have grown accustomed to the fact that 85 degrees is HOT and 65 degrees is chilly ! Well, not only does this allow for lots of happy hours on the patio or even year-round bbq'ing in our backyard...it allows me to snag some stinkin' sweet deals on sandals when they're goin' on clearance, without having to wait til next spring to sport 'em! Specifically, I'm currently boasting about my recent Piperlime purchase of the long-time coveted Emma Pink 'Laria' wedges: Months and months ago, I blogged about these pink beauties (way back when they were $98!), but patience is indeed a virtue in this case, 'cause they just got marked down tremendously to $29.97! My lovely 'Laria...

Today marks the day of a brand new job for me! That's right, I'm movin' desks and findin' myself in the big bad world of marketing. I'm super excited to take this next step in my career--even purchased a cute, new mod lamp to make my bare, baby desk feel a tad bit more like home. After a generous cup o' joe to send me on my merry way, I'll no doubt be throwin' on my work-ready kicks--perfect to pair with pencil skirts and dress slacks. I figured to mark this fun, special day in my oh-so grown up life (when did that happen?!), I'd do a little post dedicated to just a few of my favorite work shoes... Maybe as basic as they come, Steve Madden's 'Ulltra' pumps are a go-to in my Monday thru Friday closet. Perfectly patent and wonderfully nude, they truly pair with anything and everything. Someday, I might even consider investing in the black patent pump--which is a sure classic for the wintertime. This is a great, round-toe pump that al...

I love to bake. I know, I know...usually us fashionistas spend too much time at the mall and not enough time in the kitchen--but it's no secret that I make a killer banana nut bread and can throw together some yummy-yum choco chunk & peanut butter cookies in a heartbeat! It's sorta a rule in our household now--my hubs cooks (better at improvising) & I bake (best at following directions). Ya think it says somethin' about us?! Well, all Freudian predictions aside, I always like to have something sassy to wear as I'm throwing the flour and brown sugar around the kitchen, and coming up with a sweet creation--don't you? That's why I was utterly IN LOVE when I came across Fashionista Aprons from Susan and Veronica . And wanna know somethin' great?!-- we're givin' an apron away ! I recently interviewed these lovely leading ladies to ask them a bit more about their cute, cute business and the special cause behind it. 1) Tell us about "Susan and...

Call me crazy (maybe even undereducated) but when I laid my eyes on the new 'spat boots' trend about to enter the shoe-scene, I thought to myself, "those are adorable!...too bad I don't know why they heck they're called spat boots!" Wellllll, with wikipedia to rescue, I discovered that a spat is a type of classic shoe accessory covering the instep and ankle. Spats were primarily worn in the late 19th & early 20th centuries, and even still used as a traditional accessory in many marching band uniforms in the U.S. Think Michael Jackson's late-80's Smooth Criminal music vid and you'll remember what I'm talkin' about! This week, my all-time fave Piperlime.com is featuring the ever-growing spat boot trend , and you betta' believe I'm all over that! Very Volatile's 'Cloak' boot immediately caught my eye (and is also a Rachel Zoe pick, fancy that!). The smooth (criminal?) black or taupe leather gives it that classic finis...

It's about this time every year that I begin to wish I lived in New York. All of the other months I'm a happy, happy Cali-girl, but fashion week has got to be the envied event of the year--hosted in NYC when the weather is deliciously perfect, pre-fall. Well, featured on the NYFW runway on Saturday, sporting his white-out Spring 2010 line , was the San Francisco-born, 26-year-old designer, Alexander Wang . Mister Wang believes that "a tee and jeans can be as stylish as a silk dress" so in 2009 he launched T Alexander Wang , a slouchy-sexy line of tees, tanks and jersey dresses! Pretty fun, huh?! He's also held the prize of several coveted awards, including the Vogue/CFDA Fashion Fund Award, and the Swarovski Designer of the Year Award. But let's have YOU to be the judge this time on AW's uber-unique Fall 2010 shoe collection, featuring lots of brand new vibes and tall square chunky heels... Alexander Wang's 'Alana' boots are made of heavenly...

Sometimes I seriously obsess about a certain style of shoe. I see one version in a mag or on a cute, stylish gal on the street, and I go home and search, search, search the internet trying to find a shoe just as adorable (or even more so!). I will not rest until I find it! I went thru that with the leopard pump (luuuuv that animal prints are back for fall), and also about the platform clog that made it's hippie-origin'd comeback. But this week, it seems to have been peep toe oxfords . Yes yes, if you came over and borrowed my laptop, chances are you'd find that's been the most popular google search of the week! This sassy spin on traditional, school-girl inspired oxfords is the perfect shoe addition to your work week outfit, or out-to-dinner garb. Call me crazy, but Amazon.com has some truly great deals on shoes! It's in my new routine to never buy a shoe online from any of the major shoe-sites before doing a quick search on Amazon. I consistently find the same shoe...

Beauty is all around. Let's face it--in the interesting faces of people we come across, the bright colors of sunshine & sky, in a cloudy autumn morning, even in a fresh cup o' coffee, there is bright, shiny beauty. I find beauty in all of these things...but I really find beauty in a fabulous pair of shoes . I can't quite put my finger on what exactly catches my eye about shoes, but ever since I was a wee one, I have adored 'em. I used to slide my tiny-girl feet into my grandmas black patent pumps, and shuffle around the house, like I was in charge! I love that there are endless amounts of texture, color, and style combination you can fiddle around with in one little pair of shoes--add a little lace or some antiquey jewels to dress it up, or make it a peep-toe for a more flirty flair. Ahh, shoe-inspired I am. I was especially inspired by these wintery-sorta photos as captured by my photog friend, Kate Noelle . The pastels, ribbons, and ruffles have me dreaming...

Occasionally, as I peruse the web for fashionable finds, I stumble upon some pretty fabulous online boutiques. I love it when I find a super-chic online spot that has a good SALE too--who can pass up a sale when it includes delivery right to your very own doorstep?! I love. Well, last week my style-scouting fingers came across this virtual boutique that's filled to the brim with good stuff: Plum for Polly . I love that their motto is "all your favorite things in one place"--my kinda place! Plum for Polly has not only has tons of killer threads from fave brands like Alternative Apparel , and Free People , but some pretty sweet shoes too! Their Jeffrey Campbell shoes were stealin' my heart, especially...check 'em out: Even though summer's almost over (tear tear), I cannot help but still droooool over neutral wedges and colorful prints! Hence, my obsession over these Jeffrey Campbell ' Solares ' canvas wedges. They are beyond stunning (especially with c...