Bendel Breakdown

Saturday I met up with my GBF (Gay Boyfriend) who works at the Henri Bendels Flagship store on 5th ave. we grabbed an amazing lunch and then searched the store for my favorite accessory picks. I have this theory that when women die and go to heaven, it's really the Bergdorff Shoe Department, but Bendels might be a close second since I'm accessory obsessed. If you get easily overwhelmed, this is not the place for you with the exception of maybe when the store first opens for the day. I think it's comparable to how I imagine Santa's workshop to be. I narrowed my favorite picks down to 7 items that if a budget didn't exist, I would've walked out the door with:

This amazing ostrich embossed leather clutch in electric yellow is Henri Bendel branded $250

My second pick is this gorgeous HB silk square scarf from their Megan Hess Collection $148. In the picture below I tied it around my pastel yellow bag for a cute added touch

Ring Party! My GBF and I fell in love with these Erickson Beamon fluorescent rings $148 - $268

I have a special attachment to this Dazzling Blue and Black Auden necklace because the designer Stephen is a complete sweetheart and loves to become friends with all of his clients. Each one of his pieces are handmade so he even will collaborate to make specific pieces for a customer. He also did a collection with J Crew that got a huge reaction. 

This Assad Mounser cuff speaks for itself. It looks like I am ready to go into fashion battle - $428

I found these dangling HB earrings on the 50% table and almost walked out with them before I came across...

The Miu Miu Purple and Pink Sunnies totally sang "Take Me Home Steph" and after I saw that the case for them was pink velvet, I couldn't help myself. I've become a little bit of a sunglass addict but they are just so practical and can totally change your look. I was lucky that this was the ONLY item that I walked out of the store with after my Bendel Breakdown :)

Keepin it Comfy & Casual for Friday with Wedge Sneakers

You can't wear high heels everyday... So that's why they made wedge sneakers! Just kidding (kinda). Today I wanted to spotlight a trend I'm seeing everywhere. Sportswear hit New York Fashion week by storm this September and from it emerged wedge high-top sneakers. From Aldo to Bergdorf Goodman this trend is showing up at all levels of distribution. I would say the most popular brand going after this trend is Ash. They have the cutest silhouettes in the most vibrant pop colors. But let's be real... Are wedge sneakers going to be in next Fall? Or are they going to go into my Good Will pile when I go to transition my closet next year? Who knows.... But I wasn't keen on spending $165-$225 and upwards on something I wasn't sure was sticking around for more than a season. I went on Amazon and sure enough I was able to get a pair for $45 and a pair for $58. If your are looking to test the waters with this trend at an affordable price I suggest you start there. But here are some other links of designer brands and their interpretation of the trend: Ash, Ash2, Giuseppe Zanotti, Prada, Jimmy Choo, and the list goes on

Here is how I wore my wedge tennies on casual Friday. Kept it simple with a zip up sweatshirt from Nordstrom years ago & AG jeans. If you have a body and struggle with finding the right fit in jeans, BUY AG! I'm totally hooked. They have them at Bloomies, Nords, L&T, Saks, Neimans, but if you're looking for a deal I've seen them and purchased them off of online flash sites like rue lala, ideeli, and Hautelook. They are definitely worth the original ticket price though.

 

My pop of color in this outfit comes from the accessories - Gold and Pink. The bracelet was a Xmas gift from my sister and its by Jennifer Zeuner. I love the evil eye and haven't taken it off since I got it (even when I wear silver jewelry). 

The Ring was a birthday gift from my Dad :) It's by Dara Ettinger and he got it from Henri Bendels but you can find a lot of her stuff on one of my favorite jewelry websites Max and Chloe

 

 Lastly the earrings are from C. Wonder