Really? Again?

So I basically JUST got home from California when I was viciously attacked by a particularly nasty viral flu which utterly laid waste to the temple which is my rather crumbling body. Stress and grief from returning from Suzy's (my brother's partner girlfriend lover) funeral after her completely unexpected and sudden death. The virus ravaged me for over a month, taking 15 pounds of my frame, leaving me so weak that to walk to the bathroom of my house left me panting and almost passing out. I'm trying to recover from it...my grandmother just died. So back to California I go. I'll be posting some really incredible shit in the next week to hopefully fund my trip. Also: I need to own Alaia pieces and seriously I don't even remember the last Chanel I managed to score...

A Few Of My Favorite...

I know, I know. Bad holiday reference. To salve your wounded sensibilities, here are a few of my all time favorite eBay searches.
"studded-->clothing, shoes, accessories-->vintage" All kinds of fun stuff comes up.

here

I LOVE NOIROHIO!

Just When You Thought Things HAD To Look Up-

It was just a few short weeks ago I had one of the worst "vacations" of my life back home in California, and right after I got back I received word that my brother's amazing, beautiful, brilliant, talented, sweet, funny girlfriend Suzanne Day had SUDDENLY passed away. I basically got home, sent out some eBay packages, kissed my fiance and my dogs, and got right back on a plane. So I'm sorry I haven't been updating guys, then my laptop took El Crappo as well and I've just not been the best conversationalist as of late. Here's a photo of Suzy. Her loss is being felt like an earthquake in the lives of all who were lucky enough to have known her. I've never met anyone who I had so much in common with, with fashion being one of our greatest mutual passions. I'm deeply sad that we didn't get more time.

Chaos

MIA is the theme lately, huh? I'll wax poetic about one of the worst "vacations" of my life later. At the moment I just wanted to say hi, miss you guys.

Home!

So I'm home in California, Northern this time, which is where my brother and father are. Just spending lots of time trying to help out. I'm going shopping in a little bit, with my brother. Hitting up Harput's Union and some of my favorite haunts. Hopefully I'll find some gems. Oh and my AMAZING girl friend Robyn (of New York roadtrip fame!) loaned me her fricking D60 Nikon so I'm taking some really incredible shots. Now if I can just show my Dad how to take ones of me...

Hiatus Hates Us!

So, my attempt at a vacation ended here, with me in bed sitting upright trying to type with one hand since the other is confined to the cotton equivalent of a convent. Yup, it's in a sling. Actually, the trip back to New York was effing amazing, had such a killer time just zipping around with my friend Robyn; who's from Queens. We've been meaning to take this vacation for over a year. Either it was bad timing, I had some sort of mass emergency (see dog having 4,000.00 dollar joint surgery), or we just couldn't get out of our obligations without ripples of never ending repercussions. Much fun was had stoking out on awesome boutiques and hole in the wall stores stuffed with vintage and a bunch of other weird shit. Gimme a city with a surplus store in a 6 story walk up and I'm perfectly at home.
However...
my health waits for no one and gives no warning, of course. So I'm in a sling because my GOOD arm, the left one, dislocated in my sleep. So the right arm has had two surgeries already and now they want to do surgery on the left (if and when it doesn't respond to PT and continues to be unstable, which it will, duh) AND a revision surgery on the right.
The good news though, is that now I'm on bed rest and such (no it's not just for the shoulder) I can write and update to my heart's content, and list new records and clothes in the shop! I'm in the process of thinking over doing just a straight up friends and family kind of boutique online...you know, membership, etc. Feedback would be greatly appreciated. Here are some shots from the New York trip. I'll post some more later today or tomorrow along with some really cool x-ray copies the orthopedic surgeon gave me. Oh, and anyone have any extra ice packs? Maybe some spare time to play cards with? Hahahahaha...

Livin' It Up In Kill City-Live It, Love It, Never Leave It.

I wouldn't be the woman I am today without the Stooges. There's no one that can touch Iggy Pop, still. Stylistically as well, he's a HUGE influence on me, as are the rest of the Stooges. Matter of fact, I'll have to do a photo post so you guys can see the utter fashion madness that was/is the Stooges. Love it, everyday.

Photo Shoot Outtakes

Proof AGAIN that Karl Lagerfeld is both God, and my Hero.

Seriously. If you don't get the references in this then you need to find ways to educate yourself on Jane Birkin, Mick and Bianca Jagger (perhaps you've seen their GORGEOUS offspring at least? Georgia Jagger?), the seventies and all it's glorious excess, and oh yeah-CHANEL. I am stunned, stuttering, floored. Karl Lagerfeld gets all that is good frighteningly well. He's a true genius, in my opinion. Go watch it here.

MAJOR DILEMMA!

What do you guys think? Should I try to ride out my mini-recession and hold onto my Jeffrey Campbell 99 snakeskin (faux, Christy, no worries, oh AND I MISS THE POOP OUTTA YOU AGHHHHH) wedges and my Jeffrey Campbell sandal wedges? Here they are in all their glory-
They're totally sold out and almost impossible to find, but unlike my Xenon wedges, these size 6's run a bit big so I have not worn the sandal-ee ones at all, and I think the 99's are so gorgeous that I'm a bit afraid to wear them! I'm hanging on the devastating edge of indecision here, kids. I'm also (someone please talk me out of this, wouldja!?) pondering selling the Sergio Rossi pearlescent platforms and the gorgeous Dries Van Noten heels that I picked up recently in NYC at the ever so divine Century 21. Seriously. That place makes my soul weep from joy. For those unfortunately uninitiated, Century 21 is basically TJ Maxx, Marshall's, Ross, Off 5th Saks, Last Chance, Last Call, EXCEPT-this is where mothereffin' Bergdorf Goodman's, Barney's NY, all the HIGH HIGH end retailers go to die. Ugh. Double ugh. You can't imagine how incredible it is. I scored said Dries Van Noten heels, Sergio Rossi platforms, this gorgeous Milly embroidered technicolor jacket in the style of Chanel, 2 pairs of American Apparel sweatshorts which I really needed since Baudie the wonder dog eats all my pajamas (I'm not sure why, but he eats rocks and things like charcoal briquets as well, soooo),

and some other amazing finds. I'll be going back really soon, hopefully with my girlfriend Robyn, who actually knows how and enjoys shopping, and is one of the only women in my personal history who can genuinely hang tough with me when I'm in crazy bag lady bargain hunter mode! (I love you Robyn, you rule!) I actually have a Century 21 budget, which is great because it means I put enough (or try to, anyway) away to go up to NYC, stay for a weekend, eat, and go shopping. How fun is that??? Plus with all the emotional shitstorms and health issues I've been weathering I think it's a swell idea for me to take regular mini-vacations. Don't you agree?
Jeffrey Campbell 99 Snakeskin Wedges

Jeffrey Campbell Polish Wedges

Sergio Rossi Platforms

Dries Van Noten Heels

Milly Jacket

Inspiration For This Week-

A beautiful hawk at University Lake in Chapel Hill, NC, Material's Australian F/W looks, Stolen Girlfriend's Club AF/W looks, and the view coming out from JFK.

Hot Town, Summer In The City

Summer seems to be officially here, my dears. I know my pals down in NoLa are starting to feel it, and here in North Carolina yesterday and today are finally that hot, sultry sun I remember from last year. Good for the garden, bad for the hair. So how do you manage chic style while wearing chignons and shorts? Here are a few of my favorite street style pics to help you along. Don't forget to shop the Street Walkin' Cheetahs shop for some really lovely and low priced (but not low quality) pieces! Photos courtesy of Refinery 29.

Loving her whole ensemble, are those cashmere shorts?! Paired with such a sweet ribbon adorned sweater and a vampy red lip, she could take this day or night no hassle. Nicely done.

Another lovely outfit, and super casual and easy as well. Loving the studded t-shirt dress paired with those vintage Roper boots. Just the right amount of edge. Her hair is amazing too, imo.

Another perfect casual outfit. Loving the leggings with that gorgeous oversized sweater. Plus, I'm a sucker for socks with heels. That takes balls.

But Seriously Folks-

Now and then, meaning every two to three months or so, I get one of those customers on eBay who really makes me crazy. Makes me want to throw in the proverbial towel, as it were. It's really discouraging sometimes. There are so many factors into running a successful online boutique that your average consumer doesn't have to think about, and rightly so. I mean, that's why they aren't running one, right? The deal with eBay is that for over a decade now it's been really the only reliable game in town, but with some pretty hefty price tags for sellers. We pay a ton of fees, and rely on sometimes quite sketchy peeps to give us our feedback ratings. I buy a ton of stuff on eBay as well, though I'm totally not supposed to, heheh, and I almost always leave happy glowing five star reviews of my sellers because I understand how much work it takes just to deal with it on a day to day basis. Recently I sold an Alexander Wang blazer and two and a half weeks after the sale and delivery of said item, the customer decided they thought it was inauthentic. Ouch. Not only is this absurd on several levels, as I've been doing this for a long time, but I can track where I bought it from (Off 5th Saks, and if they're selling fakes then we're all screwed!), plus I have a no questions asked three day return policy. So it makes me sad when people are immediately aggressive and rude. Basically I gave them the refund, and then had to wait another two weeks to get the item back. Le sigh. I know there are way more grateful, appreciative, amazing customers out there than the alternative, but I know Christy and all my compadres at the Buf can definitely relate-sometimes it's the rough ones that stick with you for a little while. So I have been taking a little hiatus, and just now am thinking of listing a new and rockin' batch of designer and vintage. (think a really cool Dooney & Bourke green snake foldover clutch, a brand new with tags Lamb bag, a Red Valentino long sleeve blouse, Twenty 8 Twelve by Sienna Miller, and Alexander Wang)  So we'll have to see. Sometimes it's painful to have to funnel my own cash back into the mix, but after half a decade plus, I still really enjoy slinging clothes, so you guys are stuck with me. I love you all, my gorgeous regulars and friends. I'm not going anywhere.

Excellent.

Images via Stockholm Street Style. Loving the big black floppy hat on that girl in particular.

inspiration and locations.

ugh. jetlag. money woes, but who doesn't have those lately? homesick, and thinking about nyc as another option as well. landed a magazine shoot/cover (?!). we'll see. here's my head in images at the moment, and i'd also like to say that i could totally live in the ace hotel manhattan. yep. i'm writing a full review/article that i'll post after it goes live for the site i'm writing it for. word. where's my room service?