LVMKE

NYE Milwaukee 2014

Well, unfortunately, I’m not going to be spending New Year’s Eve in Paris like last year. Le sigh. But I’m trying to make the best of it. We have reservations at Carnevor, a swanky steakhouse (Kobe goes there when he’s in town…) and will likely head over to Distil, an upscale cocktail bar, afterward.

I’m really struggling with what to wear, however. The weather forecast is atrocious, to say the least. Temperature: 5 degrees, with an 80 percent chance of lots of snow. Gee, can’t wait. I guess um, on the bright side, that’s better than today. It’s currently 4 below zero. I can’t even get up the motivation to go out to the gym.

So what to wear on a frigid NYE? I’m considering my wool Alexander McQueen dress or my Celine tuxedo pants. Just for fun, I scoured the Net-a-porter sale and created a fantasy outfit. Happy 2014 everyone!

3.1 Phillip Lim Leather over-the-knee boots — 3.1 Phillip Lim leather over-the-knee boots

Versace Fox-trimmed ribbed wool cardigan — Versace fox-trimmed ribbed wool cardigan

Belstaff Campden embellished silk-satin dress

Fall, Fashion and Fun

It has been a very busy fall. I feel like I’ve been traveling non-stop! In October I went to Montana for a week, and in November I flew out to Los Angeles and then spent a weekend in Chicago. I haven’t had time or energy to post anything lately, so I thought I’d just do a quick update and include some fun photos.

I’ve also been busy shopping. I did a lot of damage (the good kind!) in West Hollywood/Beverly Hills. I bought a late 90s Yves Saint Laurent jacket (from the Alber Elbaz era) and a lipstick red L.K. Bennett Davina dress (the same style as Kate Middleton wore!) at Decades — the store featured on Dukes of Melrose on Bravo. I also cleaned up in summer clearance merchandise at Fred Segal, found some great deals at Marshall’s and Nordstrom Rack (including Alice & Olivia dress pants, normally $300, for $25) and bought a funny t-shirt at Kitson (Ain’t Laurent without Yves) — now that’s a fashion philosophy I can get behind!

In Chicago, I scored a black Marc Jacobs Georgie bag for a true steal at the Nordstrom Rack in the northern suburbs. I was told the zipper had been repaired, so it could no longer be sold for full price. It’s a brand new fall 2013 bag and I saved like $1,000! I hope you’re all finding some great shopping deals this fall, too! Happy Thanksgiving!

Belstaff jackets are good for riding yaks and motorcycles

Wearing Zac Posen and Celine at the Breeders' Cup, Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, CA — Wearing Zac Posen and Celine at the Breeders’ Cup, Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, CA

Fashion and Impressionism

On Saturday, my husband and I drove down to Chicago. I wanted to squeeze in a visit to the Art Institute of Chicago to see their current exhibit “Impressionism, Fashion and Modernity.” We saw the same exhibit in Paris at the Musee d’Orsay and wanted to see how it compared here. There were obvious changes, with different paintings and fewer dresses on display. But I think both museums’ shows were well executed, enjoyable and informative. The museum has been hosting a series of cocktail parties in honor of the exhibit (all with themes related to fashion trends of the Impressionist period), and this night’s theme was decolletage. This gave me an excuse to wear my new Jen Kao dress (purchased at Bop in Madison) and my Alexander McQueen heels. I must say, I’ve never had so many compliments — women went crazy over the shoes. They are pretty fantastic!

Phillip Lim for Target bag reveal

After a harrowing ordeal with FedEx, I finally took possession of my new Phillip Lim for Target purse last night. I was really excited when I opened the box and saw bright yellow. Unfortunately it isn’t the mini Pashli bag that I’m craving, but I do like this style. It’s larger with lots of interior pockets and a long shoulder or crossbody strap. I wish the strap was removable, but that’s a minor quibble. I’m hoping to still snag a mini Pashli (in black). Good luck to everyone staying up late tonight and hitting Target stores early tomorrow!

Phillip Lim for Target freebie

Great news! I won a Twitter trivia contest sponsored by Target Style, which means I will be getting a Phillip Lim for Target bag for free! Whoot! The only catch is I don’t know which bag I will receive. I really want one of the little Pashlis, so I’m going to try to buy one anyway just to make sure. If I happen to get a duplicate, I’ll just return one. Hopefully I’ll end up with two fun bags.

The only other piece that I am coveting big time is the Boom! sweatshirt, seen here on Jessica Alba. I love pop art, and this reminds me of the comic book-inspired collection that Phillip Lim showed last fall. I can see myself wearing it to a comic book expo with my husband or even an art museum event. Too fun. Which pieces are you looking to snag from this collaboration?

Jessica Alba attends the 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Launch Event (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

Southridge Mall Steals

Recently I had some time to kill, and a Bath & Body Works gift card to burn. I snapped up a bag full of body wash, but then I realized I still had more than an hour until I was meeting friends for sushi. So I decided to poke around Kohl’s and J.C. Penney to see if they still had any of the Derek Lam and Pearl by Georgina Chapman (of Marchesa) pieces on clearance.

Well, I definitely hit the jackpot. Obviously these designer collaborations didn’t go over very well at the Southridge mall. It really pays to wait around here. I immediately spotted the maxi dress that I had been admiring at Kohl’s, marked 80% off. Score! It was $18, original price $88. At J.C. Penney, I grabbed two dresses – one for $10 and another for $20 (originally $70 and $110). The lace overlay dress, shown above, actually feels kind of Dolce & Gabbana-esque.

I didn’t like any of them enough to pay full retail, but I love them for the clearance prices. It’s great to have cute dresses that you didn’t spend much on, so you can wear them without panicking if someone spills something on you. I just wish I would have had the Derek Lam one last weekend for the Jimmy Buffett concert.

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