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Fashion

Fashion Tip: When Deciding on a New Pair of Sunglasses…

May 21st, 2014 by Karen 17 Comments

Doop-da-doo, don’t mind me!

Yup, don’t mind me. I’m just chillin’ here by the discounted designer sunglasses — you know, taking selfies, mugging for the camera, the usual. 🙂

It happened purely by accident this afternoon. I was walking around Nordies (it’s their Half-Yearly Sale) and came up with what I think is a pretty handy fashion tip.

You see, I’m my mother’s daughter (the woman hasn’t paid full price for anything, like, EVER), and a bunch of the sunglasses were on sale.

So here’s the tip: it’s kind of hard to see what you actually look like when you’re trying on sunglasses in a store, am I right? Even with the mirrors. First, the glasses are tinted, and then there’s the overhead lighting, which is the opposite of flattering and almost never color accurate.

So. I started snapping selfies and realized — dang! It’s a pretty good way to see if a style of glasses is working.

Of course, you know that I had to share this newfound knowledge with the ladies next to me in the store, and pretty soon all of us were trying on sunglasses and taking selfies with our phones, haha!

I think I may have accidentally triggered a sunglasses selfie shopping movement. 🙂

Those Aviators by Ray Ban in the top pic were the first ones that caught my eye (very punny!).

I felt like Carrie Bradshaw at a baseball park circa the SATC early years.

That pair was also very comfortable, but I nixed them because I think you have to be extremely stylish or starring in an old episode of CHiPs (remember that show?) to pull them off successfully.

Or should we go with the tortoiseshell?

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There are 17 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Fashion

The New Zoya Tickled Summer 2014 Collection, and a Quick Fashion Tip

May 5th, 2014 by Karen 21 Comments

Zoya Tickled Collection, Summer 2014
Wearing the new Zoya Tickled summer 2014 collection with my favorite scarf…

Giddy-up, little darlin’! We’re living in the Wild West of the nail polish frontier, where anything goes when it comes to tips and toes.

Once upon a time, not so long ago, when the lacquer landscape was tamer territory, most gals stuck to one shade of polish at a time, and if you felt like pushing the envelope, maybe you’d get a French manicure or a small dangly charm for your pinky.

These days, we’re way more adventurous than that! Whether it’s nail art in your team’s colors, Skittles manis, accent nails, glitter gradients, bumpy textures or ombre effects, anything it goes.

You can even match your nails to your accessories, which is what I’m doing now with the new Zoya Tickled collection ($9 per bottle).

With the six-piece summer release of creamy shades, it kind of seem like Zoya’s channeling Essie (in a very good way). Here my multicolored mani matches my favorite scarf, which I picked up on sale at Anthropologie last summer. 🙂

Zoya Tickled Collection on my nails clockwise from my thumb: Rooney, Tilda, Ling, Rocha and Wendy; nail polish bottles clockwise from the blue bottle: Ling, Rooney and Wendy
On my nails clockwise from my thumb: Rooney, Tilda, Ling, Rocha and Wendy; nail polish bottles clockwise from the blue bottle: Ling, Rooney and Wendy

Zoya Tickled Collection, on my nails clockwise from my pinky: Kitridge, Tilda, Rooney, Wendy and Link
On my nails clockwise from my pinky: Kitridge, Tilda, Rooney, Wendy and Ling (two coats each); bottles clockwise from the green shade: Tilda, Rocha and Kitridge

I’m wearing two coats of each creamy, pigmented shade with Guerlain Le Gel topcoat (two words: shiny, sturdy) on top.

The smooth colors are packed with pigment (no streaks, BTW, not even with Kitridge, the pale pink polish), but a word of caution…

I’m just wearing them with a topcoat here (lazy girl says what now?), but you may want to go all out with these and also wear a base coat.

Then, in addition to that, you’ll probably also want Siri to remind you to reapply your top coat every other day.

Since I skipped the base coat this time around, I started seeing small chips around the edges of four fingernails by the end of the second day…

Wearing a multicolored mani with a matching scarf is one of the quickest fashion tips/conversation starters I know, and an easy way to gussy up a basic outfit like jeans and a tee, or a simple black dress (I do it all the time).

With multicolored manis, I get out of glancing down at my nails as I’m typing. Highly recommended if you spend a lot of time at a computer. 🙂
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There are 21 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Collections, Fashion, Nails, Zoya

Step Out This Spring in a Pair of Wedges

April 15th, 2014 by Karen 16 Comments

This post is sponsored by Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse, and it’s all about spring wedges! For information about my posting policy, please see my Disclaimer.

After a blustery winter spent burrito’d in cat lady socks and knee-high boots, my feet are ready for warm weather. Woo-hoo, sandal season! Here we come!

Winter footwear is fun and all, but I’m partial to spring and summer because 1) I get to show off my pedicures (#priorities) and 2) I can finally wear wedges. 🙂

Yeah, I’m a bit of a shoe hoarder… Wedges, preferably platforms with a good cork heel (I’m only 5’1″, so I like the height), are some of my favorite shoes this time of year.

For high heels, they’re surprisingly comfy. Like, I know that I could spend a day walking around San Francisco in wedges, no problem, but I couldn’t imagine doing it in stilettos.

Plus, if/when it starts drizzling or a heavy fog rolls in (summers in SF can be COLD!) and I’m wearing cork wedges, they’re naturally waterproof.

In spring and summer, you’ll pretty much find me in a pair of wedges every single day. No matter what I have lined up, it’s not hard to find a pair that works with whatever outfit I’m wearing.

When I have a work meeting in the city, I’ll often don a colorful dress and cardigan, and slip a tan pair like these Franco Sarto Sherry wedges ($59.99) on my feet.

Being neutral, I don’t think they aren’t too flashy for a business meeting, but the detailing, in this case the crossed straps, dresses them up a little while giving them some personality.

On weekends, that’s when my fun wedges come out to play. I might put on that same colorful dress, but make a few little changes to the ensemble to take it from work to play.

Or Sunday brunch, which is one of my favorite things!


I’ll just swap out the cardigan for a vintage denim jacket, the bib necklace for a pair of dangly earrings, and the nude wedges for something spunkier, like these navy blue Yvonne wedges by Jellypop ($39.99).

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There are 16 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Fashion, Sponsored Post

Time for a Walk With Stylish Cats in the Vans x ASPCA Authentic Kitty Cat Skate Shoes

April 9th, 2014 by Karen 14 Comments

Vans Cat Shoes

Allow me to get a little cat lady philosophical on ya…

I think that if you’re going to wear something with a cat print on it, be it a dress or a pair of shoes like these Vans ASPCA tennies, for it to really work, the print, from far away, shouldn’t necessarily scream, “KITTIES!”

And then all of the cat ladies out there freak out, LOL!

Wait — hear me out. Before you start throwing Temptations Cat Treats at me, I think that when it comes to cat prints, there’s a fine line between adorably quirky and full-on crazy cat lady, and it’s a line that’s very easy to cross.

Granted, if you do want to go full-on crazy cat lady and rock kittehs

But get up really close, and you see all the cats! Awww!

Yeah, these shoes are super cool. ‘Course, you may appreciate them more if you’re a cat lover, but even if you’re just tolerant of cats, they’re really quite practical for spring and summer.

Starting with the colors, since the cats on the print are in neutral shades, you can wear these shoes with a slew of different outfits. So far, I’ve worn them with dark skinny jeans and a white T-shirt, bright yellow shorts and a loose-fitting heather gray tank top, and even a fitted basic black James Perse jersey dress.

They pretty much go with any of the basics in my closet.

VANS Cat Shoes

And the shoes themselves are also fairly comfortable. Typical Vans. I did have to break them in a little. The canvas was a little stiff at first but loosened up a bit after a couple of walks.

If you plan to wear them without socks, it might help to have a couple Band-Aids around the first few times you wear them. I do that sometimes when I’m breaking in new shoes. I put Band-Aids on the back of my ankles where the stiff canvas touches my skin. That helps a lot.

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There are 14 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Fashion

Strapping Gladiators and Sandals: The Quest for Spring Footwear Continues at DSW!

March 4th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

DSW Spring Shoes
The quest for spring sandals…

When you gotta go, you gotta go.

Uh…no, I’m not referring to “dropping the kids off at school.” (Hehe! I love that phrase.)

I’m talking about shoe shopping, ma! 🙂

You know how when you get the sudden urge to drop everything and just go look at shoes? Happens to me all the time, and there’s no rhyme or reason to it at all. I could be eating a grapefruit on the couch and watching The Walking Dead, and then BAM! — I gotta go look at platforms.

I swear, if we could figure out the science behind it, we could rule the world!

Anywho, I had some boring errands to attend to today (drop something off at the UPS Store, get a loaf of bread, do some filing, pay a few bills) and a to-do list longer than my arm. I really should’ve spent the afternoon with my butt glued to my chair, but instead I looked at shoes.

Yup. Spring sandals at DSW. And from what I saw on the shelves, there are going to be a lot of weird tan lines on feet and calves this spring and summer. Strappy gladiators and sandals with intricate cutouts were all over the place!

Michael Antonio Jeselle Gladiator Sandal
Michael Antonio Jeselle Gladiator Sandal, $49.95
Steve Madden Grete Gladiator Sandal
Steve Madden Grete Gladiator Sandal, $59.95
Madden Girl Knots Gladiator Sandal
Madden Girl Knots Gladiator Sandal, $39.95
Zigi Focused Gladiator Sandal
Zigi Focused Gladiator Sandal, $49.95

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There are 12 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Fashion

Spring Fever Fashion: Anthropologie Dresses and Sandals From Nordstrom

February 25th, 2014 by Karen 13 Comments

Spring fever, I haz it!
Spring fever, I haz it!

Would you feel my forehead please? I think I’m running a fever…a spring fever. 🙂

It’s supposed to rain here tomorrow and, yeah, I’m happy about it because we need the water, but the sunny, warm weather we’ve been having has been such a treat.

If there were a doohickey I could press or a gizmo I could use to fast forward through the rest of winter, I wouldn’t mind that at all. Nope. Is there an app for that?

So over you, winter
Dear winter: I’m so over you.

Earlier this afternoon after my hair modeling experience, I swung by the mall (and the MAC counter) in Corte Madera and walked around for a couple minutes enjoying the sun.

When it starts raining tomorrow (if it starts raining tomorrow), I have to remember that spring is right around the corner.

Perfect time to think “spring wardrobe updates.”

That’s what I told myself when I went into Anthropolgie to look at dresses and Nordstrom to see shoes!

Tiny Gathered Vines Tunic, $128
Tiny Gathered Vines Tunic, $128

The embroidered flowers on this Gathered Vines Tunic by Tiny at Anthro totally reminded me of the spring blossoms I hope to start seeing soon.

I liked this dress. A lot. It was comfy…but I felt a little like I was wearing a table runner from Pier One.

HD in Paris Cabernet Dress
HD in Paris Cabernet Dress, $69

Speaking of comfy, not only did this HD in Paris Cabernet Dress feel as good as a broken-in t-shirt, but it was also ON SALE! Marked down to $69.95 from $118.

I didn’t get it, though. I was just window/dressing room shopping, but I leave the option open to change my mind and go back later this week.

Bordeaux Textured Tank Dress
Bordeaux Textured Tank Dress, $138

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There are 13 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Fashion

Outfit of the Day: The Halogen Katrina Booties in Action With a Cat Lady Approved Black and Gold Anthropologie Panthere Dress

January 24th, 2014 by Karen 13 Comments

Halogen Katrina Booties
The Halogen Katrina Booties in action!

FYI, your nephew may be a world-renowned international kitty supermodel, but when it comes to coaching kitty (and human) models, he’s not exactly Miss J.

I took my new Halogen Katrina Booties out for a spin this afternoon, and when I asked Tabs for a few quick modeling pointers, he wasn’t much help.

Anthropologie Panthere Dress with Halogen Katrina Booties

ME: What do I do with my hands, Tabs!? I never know what to do with my hands. Should I put them in my pockets like this, or have them down at my sides, or grab my lapels like it’s a Benetton commercial? I don’t know! HELP!

TABS: Mrrrow…

ME: What? Could you be a little more specific?

TABS: Meeeowwww. Pffft-pfft!

ME: Um, OK.

I got the feeling he was holding back. I don’t know. Maybe he didn’t want to reveal his modeling secrets or just saw me as a complete waste of his time.

Anyway, it being Friday and all, today I went with a “cat lady on the cusp of the weekend” theme for my outfit. 🙂

I paired a black and gold Panthere Dress from Anthropologie with an ancient denim jacket from the Gap that I’ve had for a zillion years.

Hmm… Maybe I should call the jacket “vintage” instead of “ancient.” Sounds more dignified.

Whatev, it’s hella old, but it still fits, so why not?

Anthropologie Panthere Dress, Gap Denim Jacket and Lucky Brand Necklace

To complete the outfit, I added the Katrina Booties, a turquoise and gold necklace by Lucky and a gold bracelet (sorry, I can’t remember the designer).

This cat lady dress is one of my favorite things in my closet now. It’s very poofy at the waist, which I like, because it’s kind of whimsical, but you could pair it with a fitted jacket with a slimmer silhouette to make it look more streamlined/to counteract the poofy-ness.

Anthropologie Panthere Dress, Gap Denim Jacket and Lucky Brand Necklace

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There are 13 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Fashion

It’s a Fiesta of Feline Fall Fashion, AKA a Cat Lady Clothing Bonanza, at Anthropologie

October 16th, 2013 by Karen 33 Comments

Peter Som for Anthropologie Cat Dress
Wearing a new hairdo and cat lady clothing

We’re lucky we live in 2013, babe. It’s a purr-fect time to be a cat lady, purr-ticularly as it purr-tains to fall fashion.

Fur serious! blinking tabby

I feel like feline fashion has been all over the place lately (hello, tabby cat tee and sweater). Cat-themed clothes are having a major moment.

Of course, you know I’m lovin’ it.

Today after my haircut I stopped by the Anthropologie store at the mall to investigate (read: try on) the latest in fall feline fashion…

Cats are HUGE at Anthropologie right now, and a lot of the stuff is pretty darned cute.

Peter Som for Anthropologie Cat Dress ($198)

Peter Som for Anthropologie Cat Dress
Love this dress!

The best thing about this Peter Som for Anthropologie Dress isn’t the colorful print, or how it could pass for floral from far away (like an optical illusion), or how it miraculously makes waistlines look a little thinner (although that’s fabulous, I gotta admit).

IT’S THE POCKETS!

It has pockets. And they’re roomy, too. So convenient for carrying lipglosses and/or cat treats.

Peter Som for Anthropologie Cat Dress
A closeup of the print

I wasn’t able to find it online…so you might want to check your nearby Anthropologie store for availability.

Tabitha Petite Leopardeau Jacket ($148)

Tabitha Petite Leopardeau Jacket
Spotted: one cat lady

What a fun, flexible piece! You could wear the Tabitha Petite Leopardeau Jacket ($148) loose, by keeping the drawstrings at the waist undrawn, or cinch them in for a more fitted look like I’m wearing in these pics.

Tabitha Petite Leopardeau Jacket
I’m still kicking myself for not bringing this home…

I bet the khaki, black and tan would go well with tons of different shoes, boots and purses.

[Continue reading…]

There are 33 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Fashion

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