Good Enough To Eat

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, so with food on my mind I found a few pieces out of Spring 2009 Ready-To-Wear that have me licking my lips. I think I have a fashion "rumbly in my tumbly."

This Alexander McQueen frock screams a light and bubbly Rose Champagne. Pop the cork, bring out the flutes, it's time to celebrate.

A flirty John Galliano chiffon dress will have us all eating our greens. Make sure and top your salads with something as delicious as the hat. It makes the outfit, and a breathtaking topper to your veggies will undoubtedly do the same.

They are a staple and everyone's favorite Thanksgiving starch: mashed potatoes. This Chloe belted top and slack in no way says 'starch' but it has me indulging nevertheless.

Make room on the table for the turkey, but like this shaggy Louis Vuitton mini-dress, staying away from traditional is a must.

Chocolate mousse. Hot chocolate. Fudge. Chocolate pecan pie. Hershey bar. Whatever your favorite chocolate secret may be, embrace it. This Bottega Veneta dress is guilt free, classic, and even a little bittersweet.
Bon Apetit!

It's Never Too Early...

We have entered the period I will gleefully refer to as the "post Oct. 31" time of year, and thankfully, the inappropriate Halloween costumes are buried, once again, in the back of the closet.

Enter: Starbuck's red holiday cups. Mini Hershey bars wrapped in Christmas colors. "Frosty the Snowman" and "The Jolly Christmas Postman." The Nutcracker. (Hum the Tchaikovsky songs. You know you remember them.)

The list goes on and on and even though Thanksgiving is still two weeks away, I can't help it, Christmas has hit me. I'm already listening to Christmas songs and it's only a matter of time till I start living in my (perfectly Texas) Merry Christmas Ya'll SMU shirt. Bliss.

With that said, I want to spread the spirit. And in my opinion, the earlier, the better. After all, November and December are the only two months out of the year that we all get full permission to act like five year olds and indulge in all the sweets we can get our Christmas-red fingers on.

So here's what I suggest to make the holidays as fashionably perfect as possible. And since the economy these days does not lend itself to extravagant gifts and opulent buying adventures I suggest we all make the best out of the little things.

First: Humor your inner child and purchase a ticket to go see a performance of The Nutcracker. Texas Ballet Theater will begin performances Dec. 5 and with tickets starting at $19 it is a justifiable expenditure. But, if money is a real crunch - as it is for most - do a Google search and find a community ballet company that is performing the timeless story and reserve your ticket. Better yet, ask around and find out which of your fabulous friends have daughters performing and invite yourself to tag along.

Second: Buy a bag of candy. Any flavor will do so long as it is wrapped in Christmas colors. Put them in a red or green bowl of your choosing, and place it somewhere prominent in your home. At around $4 a bag, it's an affordable treat.

Third: Red nail polish, enough said. Visit your local pharmacy or Sephora and choose a deep, dark red. It's easy to find a bottle that fits your desired color palette and budget. There's always something about red nails that make any outfit a little more glamorous and in the holiday spirit. It'll make Mrs. Clause proud.

Fourth: If you haven't already, visit www.pandora.com - the free Internet radio - and search for Holly Jolly Christmas by Burl Ives. It will create the perfect Christmas radio.

Fifth: Treat yourself to something that sparkles. Don't be too tacky but this Christmas season, instead of splurging on a new Christmas dress, update your trusty Little Black Dress with an embellished skinny belt or a statement necklace. Places like Forever 21 carry tons of sparkly accessories. And while not a big fan of attention getting glitz, there's something about glitter that makes me think magic, and there's nothing like the Christmas season to make magic absolutely irresistible.

Most importantly, smile. Times are tough, so pop the trusty Christmas C.D. in your car and let yourself go back to the times of childhood and Christmas magic at its purest. Smile, because the best Christmas gift we can give ourselves is a month of happiness. Tap in, your inner 5-year-old will thank you.

Is It A Bird? A Plane? No, It's Prada

A picture can say a thousand words and in this case, Miuccia Prada's Fall 2008 shoes speak volumes.

Airplanes, flowers, strength, elegance. It seems to me that the ultra chic female pilot from the future would be happy in these shoes. In fact, the shoes themselves seem ready for take off. The art of drapery has been moved from the torso and interpreted on the foot and the result is absolutely smashing.

With the Fall 2008 collections we saw the beginnings of a yearning for a statement shoe. (Its replacement of the handbag has been astonishing.) And in an economic climate where many are yearning for security these shoes seem able to prepare you for any imminent treading through the murky financial mud.

All in all, I applaud these shoes. Wearable? Perhaps with the correct outfit and personality. Statement making? Absolutely. The trend of awe-inspiring footwear continues into Spring 2008

Warning: As the weather warms up, across the board, shoes will become higher, and harder to walk in. After all, the world is becoming harder. Taking a painless stroll is becoming near impossible. Clothe your feet accordingly.

The Best Bear

Leave it to Karl Lagerfeld to create his self portrait in the form of a teddy bear. The Steiff teddy, whose joints pivot, comes complete with opaque aviator sunglasses and evokes Kaiser Karl in every sense of the word. From the Italian wool jacket, to the poplin shirt (with Karl-esque high collar); the black silk tie to the tailor made boots the ever so chic teddy is clearly not for cuddling purposes. Did I mention the Swarovski crystal tie tack and the crystal KL belt buckle? Ultra glam -- Lagerfeld style of course. Want one? Prepare for a hefty price. But for a mini Karl $1,500 may be worth it. I know I want one, but hey, a girl can dream.

This fabulous teddy is highly recommended for that fashionista on your Christmas list who "has everything." Your Karl bear awaits: www.neimanmarcus.com

Dallas Does Fashion Week

It's that time of year again.

Fashions have been shown in New York and Paris and now it's time for Dallas to have its own Fashion Week. NorthPark hosts the semi-annual Fashion at the Park event as a taste of what has been seen on the major runways around the world. It's also a way for designers with boutiques at NorthPark to help promote their business to a shopping and style savvy Dallas clientèle. And let's just say that Dallas' best dressed and best financially endowed know how to look fabulous. Texas may be a red state, but when it comes to going to great lengths to knowing about and representing fashion, being conservative is not an option.

Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera have stunning boutiques at NorthPark and will again be headliners of this year's Fashion at the Park. Watch out, Dallas newcomer Roberto Cavalli is making his way in to NorthPark this year with a boutique and an appearance at Fashion at the Park.

Unlike last spring, this year's Fashion at the Park event is more of a garden party. The indoor- outdoor feel of the tents were refreshing and combined with Dallas' perfect fall weather attendees could not ask for more.

Today I went to the Dillard's show, styled to replicate the pages of Vogue. Rocker Chic, Knitwear and Purple Rain were the three major themes of the show. My expectations, I must admit, were low and judgmental. I was mistaken and what I expected would be a somewhat dumpy, not-so-trendy display turned out to be a high energy fashion fest. It's true that Dillard's is not Barney's or Neiman Marcus but the affordable pieces were styled flawlessly (except for some of the excess Ed Hardy pieces for menswear) and looked undoubtedly expensive. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised. I must admit though, I'm counting the days till Oscar de la Renta. There is nothing like seeing a couture finale gown strut down the runway. Last year is still fresh in my mind. But what can I say, I live for this stuff.

The Great Thing About Fall

The leaves are starting to change, Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte is back and it's just cool enough to bundle up a bit. It's sweater weather: the unique type of weather that happens just before the extremities of winter come upon us. The mornings are cool enough to trade in the iced-coffee for hot tea and the afternoons bring warmth that help propel us through the long days. It's this time of year that I can't resist a shopping adventure, or two, or three. And while the in between season shopping is never an easy task it is often the most fun. It also seems that during the fall the tiniest of purchases always invigorate the wardrobe and make me re-excited about the clothes I already have.

My favorites for a quick update that will give you the satisfaction of a new fall wardrobe include:

• A few new dresses: find ones in darker shades, eggplant, brown and navy are my favs. Make sure they fit comfortably and land at the knee (nothing too short please), sleeves are also a must, tank-tops are for summer only. Tip: Any dress belted at the waist is flattering and slimming.
• Opaque tights: Black opaque tights should be a closet staple. Knit tights in beiges and grays are also growing on me. Pair the tights with one of your new dresses as the weather gets cooler and you'll stay toasty and feminine.

• Ankle boots: Splurge on the Tory Burch Patent Platform Ankle Boot. A statement shoe is a must this fall. Take a peak at Prada's Fall 2008 collection (the shoes had wings!) for ideas.

• Scarves: They are everywhere! Pretend you are a Parisian and begin a collection of light, over-sized scarves in a multitude of colors and patterns. The scarf may be one of the leastexpensive ways to update an outfit. The temperature rules regarding the wearing of scarves have also changed, it no longer needs to be 40 degrees to bundle up in one. So long as the pieces you pair it with are weather-appropriate, the scarf is acceptable.

• Double headbands: Think of Blair and Serena from Gossip Girl, they've started a headband revolution and I am perfectly content to join. I recently snagged a leopard print one from Forever 21 (gasp!) for $5. But watch out, what you put in your hair is also considered an accessory, so don't go overboard with the other extras you choose to wear with them. I'd say there's a perfect accessory formula: Never exceed three. Depending on the outfit I would suggest a hair accessory, earrings (pearls, or diamond studs) and then one wild card...a necklace, ring, bangles etc.