Monday, December 31, 2012

End Of Year Sparkle

Tonight is the big night!  It's New Year's Eve and, for many people, their one big night out of the year.  Whether you are a glamour girl 24/7/365 or just on NYE this is a night to shine, sparkle and pop!

Sequin dresses are big right now and perfect for a NYE bash, but you can make just as big a splash with some glittery, over the top accessories, or a silk dress with a beaded cardigan.  Personally, I love accessories for transforming a simple black or navy dress into a wow outfit.  If you're still having trouble deciding what to wear tonight here are a few items that I used during the holiday season at a variety of parties I attended and a pair of outstanding shoes that belong to a friend of mine.  Perhaps these photos will inspire you as you get dressed tonight!

Most importantly have a great night, best wishes for a happy, healthy 2013 and be safe tonight!  Accessory Generation will be back in 2013 with some new features and more posts of New York's most stylish women sporting their beautiful accessories in style :-)

Kate Spade collar necklace catches the light and shines

The same necklace:  it's covered in bling

Custom made bracelet from a ballroom dance shop, the mecca for bling.
Covered in Swarovski crystals.  

Gorgeous Christian Louboutin sparklers on the well manicured feet of Alexandra Anza.

A beaded cardigan from Talbots.  Festive, yet still conservative for someone
wishing to have a little more coverage.


And, finally, a reminder that sometimes we must suffer for beauty:  that stunning collar necklace is so heavy that it left red marks on my collarbone.  But, trust me, I'll be wearing that necklace again just like I will continue to wear beautiful shoes that pinch my toes.   Like generations of stylish woman before me I love my accessories no matter what and strongly believe in 'no pain, no gain.'  Adios 2012, Welcome 2013!  



Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Color Punch

This is my friend Linette and this is how you use accessories to rock an outfit....She is a beautiful woman wearing a beautiful sparkly blue dress, of course, but the chartreuse evening clutch elevates the entire outfit from great to outstanding and makes both the dress and the clutch pop.  It's an unexpected pairing that looks amazing!  Kudos Linette!










Sunday, November 18, 2012

Fortuna Jewelry Auction

A few days ago I attend a fun preview party for a fine jewelry auction.  The auction house is Fortuna and they deal exclusively in jewelry so they have a selection of baubles that are from the creme de la creme of high end jewelers and fashion houses including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany, Raymond Yard, David Webb and Hermes.  Because this was a relatively small (100 people), by invitation only, preview guests were allowed to try on the pieces including a rare 29.56 ct colored diamond ring.  My favorite piece was a beautiful, colorful brooch that reminded me of a fireworks display.

Diamond and gem-set starfish brooch


One nice aspect of both the preview party and the auction itself is that some of the proceeds go to charity.  The preview party benefited FIT's Couture Council and the auction will benefit a variety of charities of the jewelry owners' choice.  Only a selection of the hundreds of items were on display at the party so I logged onto the Fortuna site:  www.FortunaAuction.com to see everything.  There are some really lovely pieces and many of the opening bids are very reasonably priced, especially considering the high price of precious metals at the moment.  The auction will take place on Wednesday, November 29th at the Fortuna showroom at 608 Fifth Avenue in NYC.  More details are on the web site.  

Yours truly (on the left) with two friends, enjoying cocktails and stunning jewels


Friday, October 19, 2012

Color Me Beautiful

We all have our own unique sense of style and mine may not be admired by everyone, and that's perfectly valid.  I also do not consider myself a style expert by any means, but I think I can accessorize fairly well and offer this breakdown of my outfit for those whose sense of style is similar to mine:

Last night I must have hit a home run in the dressing myself department because I was complimented all evening on my dress, my accessories and even my hair.  It's always nice to hear that you look good, but especially when it is a bit unexpected.  I do get asked a lot where I've gotten certain accessories and dresses, even by total strangers, but last night I even had people touching the fabric of the dress, so I was tickled pink (and yellow and plum).  The dress, a yellow cocktail number, is at least five years old so I wasn't expecting the enthusiastic reception it received.  I bought it to wear to the wedding of two friends, when I was the sole attendant to the bride and she said to wear whatever I wanted as long as it was yellow or pink.  Because the color is very bright and memorable I don't wear it that often, and I guess it was long enough that everyone forgot!   I also usually wear it with black or green accessories, but this time I styled it with  the color plum.  Since most people I know can not afford to buy a new dress for every occasion repeating an outfit is nothing to be ashamed of (even the Royals do it), yet women still always worry what people will think, especially if they are photographed.  This is why accessories are so important.  They not only elevate an outfit, they can transform it.  Think Kate Middleton and how she'll wear the same dress on multiple occassions, even years later, with different shoes, bags and hats.  Kudos to her for her "commoner" common sense in the fashion department, btw.

I had a cocktail party to attend for Memorial Sloan Kettering and I know from past experience that the annual event is a who's who of stylish NYers, so I dug in my closet and pulled out a colorful ensemble.  As I usually do, I mixed up high end with more moderately priced pieces to create an outfit.  Except for the belt, nothing is new this season.  The shoes are new, but not this current season since I bought them discount.  I'm going to spill my shopping "secrets"  and say where everything came from, too, because I'm not one of those women who is threatened by sharing information with other women.  I want to see other women looking pretty, getting a good deal, and feeling fabulous.  Life is too short to be a closet bitch. 

Some of my accessories last night

The purse is from Eric Javits.  I won it (and a matching hat) at a charity event raffle.  The booties are Gucci (they caused me to trip, and almost fall on Madison Ave but I forgive them), purchased at TJ Maxx.  The belt is a recent Halloween gift from my mom (yes, I'm still her little girl and I'm okay with that when accessories are involved).  It has her favorite equestrian theme and is from Talbots. The necklace is from Siman Tu and pulled the entire outfit together because it had all the other colors I was wearing.  That's important for looking pulled together versus like a clown college graduate.

The dress, purse and necklace

As you can see the necklace is big and chunky.  With such a brightly colored yellow dress, the darker plum color was a great contrast that kept it from being too bright.  With this colorful an outfit I chose the neutral booties (first photo) because I didn't want my shoes to detract from the rest of the outfit.  I had enough going on closer to my face and upper body with the necklace, purse and belt.  The rest of my jewelry was plain gold.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Fendi Revisited

Way back in June I posted about Fendi baguette bags and how Fendi was reissuing some of the styles in honor of their anniversary.  Well, I was in Saks Fifth Avenue a few days ago and there was a big Fendi display on the main floor featuring the reissued bags and the new book about the baguette bags and one of the reissued bags is one that I have and I only have two, so what were the odds?  I am a bit surprised that this bag was reissued, because although I personally love it I can't see it having wide appeal since it's more of a novelty bag with the toucan on it.  But, maybe that is why it was reissued, because it's unique. Nonetheless I am thrilled it has been reissued because it is now selling for 85% more than I paid for it seven years ago!  If only the stock market were performing that well!

This just proves what I've always said that if you invest in iconic pieces from luxury brands, like Fendi, the value does go up.  Of course, accessories as investments need to be kept in pristine condition.  Since I did buy this bag as an investment it is now for sale, less than the current listed price in Saks.  If anyone is seriously interested you can send me a message.

Fendi Toucan bag

Close up of the beautiful beading

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Flower Power

Simon Tu necklace

Every time I wear this Simon Tu necklace I get tons of compliments.  Friends and strangers alike will ask where I got it so I wanted to post it and give everyone the scoop on this beautiful piece.  It is from Simon Tu on Lexington Ave and the low East 60's in Manhattan.  Simon, the designer, is in there a lot and he really gets involved in helping the patrons pick out the jewelry which is nice.  Simon Tu jewelry is used a lot on tv and in photo shoots.  The pieces are made from natural stones and are statement pieces.  This necklace is African jade and agate.  Pieces are not inexpensive, but they are not prohibitive either.  I first became aware of Simon Tu jewelry while watching the show Lipstick Jungle that starred Brooke Shields and Kim Raver.  They wore his pieces in almost every episode and I loved the look so I tracked them down.

I love this piece with yellow or beige.  I wore it the other day while shooting a reality show/documentary for Nat Geo with the cockatoo.  I had on a beige dress and the crew wanted me to add something colorful, so my friend Christine loaned me the really cute yellow jacket above, which I now covet!  Later that night I went to an event and traded in the jacket for a long light beige sweater jacket and everyone started asking about the necklace which inspired this post.

Here's a closer look at the flowers:

Semi precious stone flowers

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Greener With Envy

Green is the hot color for Fall, specifically dark green shades like hunter and emerald.  Every store I visit has a beautiful, dark green suede purse for sale.  Green is my favorite color so I am very tempted every time I see one of those luxurious purses, but I already have a dark green suede purse that my mother gave me for Christmas a few years ago.  We think she got it from Bloomingdales, possible Neiman Marcus, we just remember that it was from one of the major department stores and it came in a few colors, but she picked green because she knows I love the color.

Dark green suede purse

The hobo shape of this purse isn't what I normally carry:  I like a more structured bag, but I really like this purse and I love the lighter sea foam green stitching.  

Stitching detail around handle

Green purses are not as common as some other colors, but this Fall they abound, so if you like green this is the time to get one.  Dark green looks great with tan, brown, black, yellow, navy, and so many other colors, it would be great addition to any wardrobe.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Super Swag

Swag isn't just for celebrities on Academy Awards night.  Swag bags (aka goody bags) are given out at many charity events as a little 'thank you' to ticket buyers/guests.  Sometimes, depending upon the event sponsors, the swag is stellar, ie:  a silver David Yurman necklace at MoMA, a CH by Carolina Herrera purse at the Frick, and Tiffany & Co. perfume at AMNH in the past.   Usually, swag is an accessory of some sort like a nice umbrella or a tote bag.   Make up, skincare products, nail polish, sunglasses and fragrance are also popular goodies.  I end up giving a lot of it away to friends or my manicurist (for her daughters) or even to charity.  Sometimes I save up a bunch of the toiletries and donate them to charity when I donate clothes.  I assume that people who need new clothes will also appreciate free shampoo and soap.

Today I attended FIT's Couture Council luncheon honoring designer Oscar de la Renta.  The luncheon was fabulous, with many well known fashion faces and celebrities like:  Sarah Jessica Parker, Anna Wintour, Judith Ripka, Real Housewife Caroline Manzo, Diane Von Furstenburg, Nina Garcia, the Bush Twins, Martha Stewart.....On the way out everyone received an Oscar carrier bag including either a beautiful scarf or a pair of earrings, and a sample pack of six of Oscar's fragrances.  Very generous of Oscar I must say.  I was lucky enough to snag both a scarf and earrings because I was one of the last people to leave and there were only a few bags left and the people manning the table had a couple pairs of extra earrings.  Sometimes the best accessories are free accessories!

Oscar de la Renta earrings and scarf


Fragrance sampler




Saturday, September 1, 2012

Accessories for the Accessories

A few months ago a friend loaned me a cool cow print bag.  When I looked inside there was a small pillow in it still in a sealed plastic bag.  I emailed her and told her she must have left one of her kids' pillows in her bag.  As it turned out she had just come up with an ingenous way to keep the shape of her bags.  Instead of keeping all that annoying paper stuffing inside of bags she had purchased small pillows from Pottery Barn Teen and was using them in all her bags.  They come in a variety of sizes and start at about $10 each.  Totally worth it to keep an expensive bag worth hundreds or even thousands in perfect shape.  I orderd a bunch and stuffed all my bags.  Now I don't have to pull out wads of paper stuffing every time I use a bag. Tip:  leave the plastic wrap on them.

Pottery Barn Teen mini pillow



Also important in keeping bags and shoes in good condition are the pouches (usually felt, sometimes other soft fabric) that most quality ones come with, especially if you store them where dust can reach them.  I keep my shoes in shoes cabinets, but I still leave them in the pouches because somehow in NYC dust and soot seem to be able to reach everywhere.  The pouches are also great for protecting shoes and bags when traveling.   A while back my mother ordered me a few personalized pouches for my bags and shoes.  They are so cute and I use them for the shoes & bags that didn't come with pouches of their own.  They are extra roomy and made of a soft canvas.

Personalized shoe bag

My mother thinks she ordered them from a company called American Stationery.  I think they make nice gifts and would be great for kids going off to camp or college!

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Baby's First Pair of Choos

My mother tells me that, as a baby and small child, I loathed shoes.  She said it was a huge fight to get me to wear them and/or tights, even in the winter.  Hard to believe considering how I LOVE shoes now. 

In last Sunday's New York Times Style Magazine there was an article about Bergdorf Goodman's new shoe salon and they mentioned Manolos (a personal favorite) a lot.  That got me thinking about my first pair of Manolos and my first pair of Jimmy Choos, the two brands that are synonymous in pop culture with luxury shoes, thanks in large part to Carrie Bradshaw on Sex in the City. 

My first Manolos were purchased at their fabulous annual sale over a decade ago.  I got there a few days into the sale.  I didn't want to brave the line that forms the first day in the bitter cold so decided to wait and take my chances.  There wasn't a huge selection left in my size and when the saleswoman suggested these I didn't really love them.  I was hoping for something more basic, but once I put them on I was hooked!  They look smashing with a gray pencil skirt and jazz up an otherwise sedate outfit.  For half price shoes I almost passed over they are still going strong in my wardrobe over a decade later.

Gray, green and pink Manolo Blahnik slingback stilettos.
 
Close up of the front of the shoes
 
 
 
From the moment I put these shoes on I became a Manolo girl.  If you wear Manolos you know what I'm talking about.  Sex in the City sparked a "are you a Manolo or a Choo girl?" debate.  I think they both make beautiful shoes, and I do have some Choos, but overall I find the Manolos fit me better.  I try to get to their sales when I can, because they have some great deals.
 
 
As for the Choos....my first pair was also about a decade ago.  They were a gift from an ass of a boss who was trying to keep me from quitting on him.  Trust me nothing gave me greater pleasure than going over to the Jimmy Choo store and buying a pair full price (which he bitched about to the saleswoman on the phone when she called him for his cc#).   He was so obnoxious to the sales woman on the phone that she didn't charge him tax because she was afraid to call him back and tell him there was tax on the price she had quoted him.  She certainly empathized with me and realized exactly why I deserved the shoes!  He is now long gone as my boss, but the shoes are still part of my collection.  No point in throwing the baby out with the bathwater!
 
 

Plaid with leather flower Mary Jane Jimmy Choos.
 
 
So, I want to know, are you Manolo girls or Choo girls?  Feel free to send photos of your favs!


Saturday, August 18, 2012

Cowgirl Chic

Cowboy boots and booties are back in a big way this Fall.  They've been back for a couple seasons, but things seem to be peaking this Fall.  In fact, I think I'm going to cave and buy a pair of cheap tan suede cowbooties for Fall.  I saw some I loved, but passed a couple times and now I regret it and can't find them.  Project for next week....The reason I'm going to get inexpensive ones is because this trend can't last too much longer.  Here is a picture of really nice, expensive ones from Roger Vivier that I spotted on line...I'm lusting after these....

Vivier tan suede cowboy influenced ankle booties

Of course I already have several pairs of cowboy boots and booties, but they are all vintage and not tan.  I had a fabulous pair of vintage Frye cowboy boots, but during one of my periodic decluttering, downsizing frenzies I gave them away (stupid, stupid, stupid) and deeply regret it.  The three pairs of vintage I have now are still in great condition, and I think I'm going to keep the tall boots, but am probably going to sell the booties, because I can't really see myself wearing them any time soon.  In fact, I think I am going to start selling some of my accessories on Ebay because I have accumulated too much and feel a decluttering episode coming on again. 

Vintage black suede Chilies cowboy boots

I used to wear these with black stirrup pants (okay, dating myself here), black turtleneck and a green blazer when it was cold out and I wanted to be comfortable, but still have some pizzazz on casual work days.  This time around I may pair them with a black dress.

My cowboy booties, or cowbooties as I like to call them, are both Guess.  The black ones are the same ones everyone had in the 90's.  Mine are still in pretty good condition.  I used to wear them with black or blue jeans and a black blazer when I went out with my girlfriends.

Vintage black leather Guess cowbooties

I also have a very special, and I suspect uncommon, pair in white.  I remember buying them because I had not seen anyone with white ones and I had a pair of dark navy jeans with white stitching that they looked amazing with.  (I still have those jeans and they are now vintage, lol.)  The only problem is that NYC is not the cleanest place to wear white cowboy boots, so I only wore them a handful of times.  They are in excellent condition and so comfortable.  If I lived in Texas or Southern California I would keep them and make them a Fall staple.

Vintage Guess white cowbooties

If you're into western wear enjoy the cowboy boot/bootie trend, just please pass on the fringes.  Unless you plan to ride around town on a horse fringes on boots or pants are just over the top and ridiculous.  Fringes are okay on bags as long as they are not paired with an outfit of western wear, because that just screams rodeo.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

In Love With Love and Some Ducklings

Two of my current favorites purchased at local shops in Katonah....not expensive, but fun.  (Special thanks to the cockatoo for letting me use his beautiful feathers as a backdrop.  More of his photos from this photoshoot can be seen on his blog:  www.cockatoochronicles.blogspot.com)

I love the "love" jewelry.  Not only do the pieces make sweet gifts for loved ones, but they are an important reminder to women to take time out to love themselves. 

Love ring on a cockatoo featherbed

On a human finger...

This necklace just makes me smile.....

Duck with ducklings necklace..




Saturday, August 11, 2012

Shoe Mandala

I was in Marshall's shoe store in Bedford Hills looking around and spotted these cute Adrienne Vittadini flats on clearance.




 I'd seen them at TJ Maxx as well and then remembered that Marshall's and TJ's have the same parent company.  They were so cute and so inexpensive I decided to buy them just to hack around in.  A couple of years ago I remember that Kate Spade was selling adorable flats with rhinestone buckles on them that I loved but didn't buy because they were pricey and while I always wear sparkly heels to black tie events and cocktail parties, I figured I wouldn't get much use out of rhinestone flats.  These two pairs together were still just a fraction of the cost of one of those Kate Spade pairs, so I'm glad I had some shoe willpower for once. 

The black ones, which I'm pretty sure are faux patent, actually look waterproof, which is an added bonus, because I'm always lamenting that I don't have any cute shoes to wear in the rain.  The colorful ones are fabric.  I love the  rhinestones--very glam!  There was also a similar style in ivory with a slightly different rhinestone embellishment, but sadly not in my size or a close size that I could make fit.  (Another TJ's may have them yet!) The backs of these are stretchy so the sizing is a bit fluid. 




As I was playing with them at home I created a mesmerizing shoe mandala.



At least it was mesmerizing to me because shoes and things that sparkle always capture my attention.  When the shoes fall apart I can take off the rhinestones and use them in some crafty way, like for a hair clip.



Thursday, August 9, 2012

Summer Sparkles

I don't wear a lot of fancy jewelry in the summer because I don't get that dressed up.  But, I think summer is a great time to wear a little sparkle and to pull out the more delicate pieces with bare arms and tan skin (for those of you who get a tan).  Before I run out the door I've been throwing on one fun piece, like a colorful costume necklace or a watch with a brightly colored band.  Nothing expensive, just a little pop of color to brighten up summer whites and linens.  I've also been wearing my Pomellato Do Do bracelets every day, party because I can't get them off, and partly because I love them (mostly because I love them) and they're just so easy.  The tri colored beads on them are perfect for summer and they look great with my two tone watch.  This week, in Katonah, I found some really cute, brightly colored beaded bracelets with little charms on them that are so adorable I couldn't resist.  I decided to spice up the Do Do trio and add them to my wrist.

Fun stretchy beaded bracelets with sparkly charms

Raspberry beads with horseshoe charm

Rust colored beads with sparkly butterfly


They blend in really nicely and add a punch of color to the Do Dos...They also continue the theme of animal charms.


Lots of ch-arm candy....


Of course, on my wrist they all get scrunched up together, which is how to wear them for that beachy summer look.  If you don't feel very creative lots of stores sell sets that achieve the same look, but I think it's fun and more personal to assemble your own stack as the summer progresses.


Casual summer wrist sparkle


Obviously, I chose bright, bold colorful bracelets, but stacks of neutrals work well in summer, too.  I just sent a set of the stretchy beaded bracelets in neutral colors to a friend for her birthday.  Hers are actually different colors of wooden beads, also a summer staple.  I hope she likes them!    If any readers are sporting a look similar to this I'd love to see photos and maybe I'll post them on this blog.




Thursday, July 19, 2012

Green With Envy

Last night I was out with friends and a few of the girls admired my bag.  We were in mixed company so I decided not to spill the beans and tell them I got it at TJ Maxx for about $20 (if I recall) close to a decade ago.  We'll see if they read this and discover the truth.  I love the color and thought it looked "real" even though I think it's PVC/faux croc with a faux bamboo handle.  The underside of the flap is suede and the cloth lining lists a whole bunch of stylish cities, but there is no brand on it.  I didn't care when I bought it, I just thought it was cute.  Everyone always thinks it's real and that makes it even more fabulous!

Faux croc bag



Independently, I bought these shoes, also probably about a decade ago.  They match perfectly.  I remember I was walking around my neighborhood with the cockatoo and stopped to look in the window at Vanessa Noel.  They spotted him and waved to me to go inside because they thought he was so cool.  While he charmed the staff I bought shoes!  They are a perfect match for the bag, above.  I don't wear them very often, but I really love them. 

Avocado green slides from Vanessa Noel look brand new, but are old.

I love the shades of avocado and different textures.

Perfect summer slides.

I always think that if you buy enough of what you love you will find that you can build your clothes and accessories into full outfits.   Like many women I rely on the same 10% of my closet on a daily basis, so I've challenged myself to "shop my closet" this year and am loving wearing my old things.  It's been so long with some of them that they feel new and that satisfies my fashion wanderlust.  Good for my wallet, good for the planet and good for my soul.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Metallics Make A Comeback

Like a lot of trends metallics come in and out of fashion.  Gold and silver accessories are always in fashion (think strappy sandals and evening clutches) but every decade or two serious metallic fever resurfaces.  I remember attending my friend's Sweet 16 party at Tavern on the Green in the 80's wearing a gold blouse and black velvet pumps with gold, silver and bronze metallic tips.  (Wish I'd kept them!)  This Fall I think we may be seeing a lot of very ornate black and gold outfits.

A couple of days ago when I stumbled onto a sidewalk sale in Greenwich, CT I scooped up two adorable metallic mini bags at half price.  One is rose gold and one is gunmetal.  Both colors I love and a nice variation on traditional gold and silver bags.  I think they're perfect for cocktail parties.


Metallic Michael Kors mini bags in gunmetal and rose gold

A closer look, although the metallics don't photograph that well because of the glare....

Rose gold

Gunmetal

About twenty years ago my mom scooped up three quilted metallic clutch purses at a fabulous sale at a local store near where she used to live.  They were silver, gold and gunmetal.  She can only find the gold and the gunmetal now, but I'm hoping the silver is just buried in her closet.  I remember borrowing the gold one for a party one time.  They are so big and soft, I just love them.  The tag inside says Lisette New York.  Certainly not haute couture, but very fashionable then and now.

Gunmetal and gold vintage clutches

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Something Old, Something New, Something Very Red, White & Blue

I've always loved the 4th of July and have fond childhood memories of spending the day at the local pool and then going to a fireworks display at night, and celebrating my grandfather's birthday at home with family.  He was born on July 4, 1904.  The colors red, white & blue also have fun childhood memories for me because my room was red, white and blue.  I remember the wallpaper my mom picked out:  most of the walls were white with thin blue pinstripes, but one wall had red, white and blue flowers to make it a little girlie.  I also had a red, white and blue rug.  Until I was 16 and begged my parents to let me redecorate.  Then my room became green and blue---my favorite colors!  My birthday is close to the forth so several years I had a cool flag cake at my birthday parties.   I tried to find a photo to scan, but they must all be at my mom's house.

I'm usually in the country on the 4th, but this year I happen to be in the City and I have a big day planned to celebrate.  This afternoon I plan to take the parrots to Central Park for a walk, assuming it doesn't rain.  Then I'm going to Macy's private fireworks party at Chelsea Piers tonight!  I've spent the last 24 hours trying to pick out an outfit that is patriotic and red,white and blue without looking like Uncle Sam on election night.  The front runner outfit is white pants and a navy blue tunic, but I still have some trying on to do.

I have, however, nailed down the accessories.  I am wearing my 4th of July Gucci pumps.  They are red and white with blue bows.  The bows and the sides have stars on them.  I found these two years ago at Marshall's discount shoe store and I love them.  How could I not love them:  red, white & blue & Gucci????!!!  I only wear them once a year, but it's worth it.

Patriotic shoes from Gucci

I'm also going to wear some inexpensive red "pearls" and carry my red Epi leather LV purse.  But, perhaps my most precious accessory today will be a red and blue vintage lucite ring my father gave me when I was about ten.  It wasn't vintage then, but it is now!  This is also the kind of item that gets worn once every couple of years, but I love it.  I think it looks like an ice cube with stripes.

Vintage lucite ring


Happy Independence Day!