Nobody Does A Bikini Better Than Mara Hoffman

($170, Mara Hoffman, Shopbop.com)

I need a bikini like I need... I don't know. A pair of pink Uggs or something. I will probably never see the water this summer, which I'll be spending under the fluorescent lights of my office. Just like I spent the past 10 summers! But if I were in the market for a bikini, nobody does it better than Mara Hoffman. Right, Carly Simon? Baby you're the best.

Two Pieces Of Jewelry I Won't Be Buying

($695, Haute Hippie, Shopbop.com)

This is some Mad Max ish that looks like someone attached some chains to road kill. And I'm uncomfortable with it.

($21.95, Neivz, Amazon.com)

Though not as uncomfortable as I am with this boobs ring! It's fine to have boobs, and fine to have rings, but I'm uncomfortable standing having arrived at the intersection of both. It's an intersection that just doesn't need to exist.

The American Retro Elvis Blazer Got All 'West Side Story On Me'

I was shopping in the always-fabulous Dear Fieldbinder when I happened upon this pin-studded beige blazer by American Retro.

($436, American Retro, Shopbop)

The record skipped and stopped, the skies parted, a fire escape descended from the ceiling and suddenly, I found myself wearing a virginal lilac nightgown and demure ballet flats, singing this:

New Shoes! Louise Goldin For Topshop Studded Heels

I wish Blogger had a "likes this" button. Because I'd be hitting it HARD over these Louise Goldin for Topshop studded heels.


They're $310 at Topshop.com. The black and rose ones (the rose are my faves) are online February 5, and the cream ones are available beginning March 2010. All of the Louise Goldin heels hit Topshop in New York in late March.

OR, if you can't wait, pick up some Rock & Republic needle-heel Nika heels

($295, Rock & Republic, Footcandyshoes.com)

... Or Kenna, the gorgeous boot version of Nika. It's on SUPER-DUPER sale at Shopbop.

($297, Rock & Republic, Shopbop.com)

This Is Really Happening Again: The Long Jersey Skirt

($138, Rachel Pally, Shopbop.com)

Really? This is really coming back? I mean, I like Rachel Pally, and also, there's nothing INHERENTLY wrong or bad about a long jersey skirt, except that it OFFENDS ALL OF MY SENSIBLE SENSES AND SENSIBILITIES! It's fine if you're Orthodox (I guess? Would Orthodox women wear this?), at the beach, or pregnant, but it's just such a meh look that takes me right back to the summer of 2003. I mean, I just cleaned out my closet and dropped some of these like a bad habit. Either wear shorts -- IF YOU MUST -- wear a CUTE SKIRT WITH SOME SEMBLANCE OF SHAPE, or suck it up and wear pants because you hate shorts like 98% of the rest of the female population. Long jersey skirts are like zzzzzz shapeless sacks and you should not be wearing one if you've graduated from college and/or are not on the beach and if you don't want people to think you're hiding other people under there. Also, do you really wanna look like a gypsy? No. That's all. Kbai

Win Frye Boots Courtesy Of Shopbop

It's Chanukkah and almost Christmas, Kwanzaa will soon be upon us, and who DOESN'T want to stop spending and start WINNING at the holidays and at life in general? The nice folks at Shopbop.com have given FashionBinge a $100 Shopbop.com instant gift card to give to ONE of you lucky hos.
You could win, oh, say a pair of Frye boots or whatevs else you want from Shopbop.com.

So, go to Shopbop.com, and tellll me what you'd get in the comments.

You have until December 23rd to enter. The LOLziest comment is also the winningest... Aaaaand GO!

Dying For (Some But Not All) Daryl K Dresses

($352, Daryl K, Shopbop)

Probably because I'd see unloved, neglected pieces on the racks at Loehmann's and the like, I used to think of Daryl K as slightly skanky clubwear. But perhaps I think wrong (after all, this button-down couldn't be farther from slutty) because I LOVE this brown "paper bag" dress. This photo doesn't do it justice and only exacerbates its wet-look-ness. In person, it actually looks much classier and less shiny. It's extraordinarly soft too, but what really sold me is the amazing zipper trim. Okay, I will say that the cinched arms flatter absolutely no one, but I love the zipper trim so much I might almost overlook that. Well, what I guess I'm saying is that I love 75% of the dress. Though of COURSE, not with the boots.

I also love some of the dresses she's doing as part of her "Daryl K-189 & Co-Op" collaboration with Barneys Co-op. Check 'em out here.

I do, however, reserve the right to HATE this:

($780, Daryl K, Shopbop)

Um, $780 for a schmatte that looks like the scraps I used to practice sewing on? Um, no. This looks like 10 accidents.

Amazing Recession-Busting Deals on Diane von Furstenberg

If you can't make it to the DVF sample sale (for the sake of my sanity and savings, I am skipping it, but it was a hard decision -- Racked has the insider report... per the comments, I cannot BELIEVE some chick is driving up from Maryland!!?!?!?!?), check out two great deals I found online:

($320, Diane von Furstenberg, Shopbop)

The DVF Suede Pharaoh High Heel Boot was originally $640, now $320. Also, if you're reading this RIGHT NOW, you can get non-sale items for 20% at Shopbop with promo code SNOWDAY (until Tuesday, 10/9 at 11:59pm). So, these boots don't apply, but full-priced stuff does. Also, purple suede boots aren't me, but have at 'em if you can do.

Anyway, also check out this ridick chain-print DVF wrap top:

($209, Diane von Furstenberg, QueenBeeGirls.com)

Try using promo code qb20sale for 20% plus free shipping (expires December 15), which brings this to just $167.20! Mazel tov!

Frye On Bluefly!

Two quick Frye picks from Bluefly:

($246, Frye, Bluefly.com)

The "Vicki Campus" boots in grey at $152 less than on the Frye site.

($156, Frye, Bluefly.com)

The "Lisa" bootie -- so cute and significantly less than the ones on Zappos.

($94, Frye, Shopbop.com)

Not on Bluefly, but DEFINITELY on sale. These are the "Fiona" Oxfords I blogged about the other week, but they're even cheaper than the ones on Frye and than the $129 dark brown ones on Urban Outfitters.

YES, Please: VPL Dress

($275, VPL, Shopbop.com)

I own no VPL. Nor do I own any YSL for matter, but I always admire the bondage-meets-ballerina aesthetic of VPL and, in the case of this "Breaker" dress, their use of not-boring neutrals. Want.

Tell Me About It, Stud: My Love Affair With Studded Flats Continues

Greetings from the couch, where I'm still parked. Two iced coffees later... I think I'm starting to sprout roots, and I'm pretty sure I gave myself scoliosis just today. That Tom Petty documentary is STILL on ("Comprehensive, revealing and epic in scope..." um... yes, it all of those things). I REALLY need a shower, FYI. SOS... Anyway, I came across these studded ballet slippers today:

($48, Capezio, Bonadrag.com)

They're cool but a little too literal and look pretty uncomfy. They did remind me of how much I love pyramid studs though, especially when they're used in unexpected ways, like with a pair of pretty pink ballet slippers.

Some more studded flats:

($425, Loeffler Randall, Active Endeavors)

Gorgeous, but I'd love them far more without the ankle strappage.

($88, Theory Shoes, Shopbop)
Sorry, but these are repulsive.


($211, Maloles, Zappos Couture)

So elegant.

($59, Jessica Simpson, ShoeMall.com)

Eeek. Cognitive dissonance issues -- cute shoes but they're Jessica Simpson! What to do? What to do?

($50, Calypso)

Cheaper, though only available in sizes 6 and 11.

($174, Kenneth Cole, Endless.com)

Not cheap, but sizes for all!

($12.99, BCOutlet.com)

Only available in size 7, but cheap!

($12.99, GoJane)

Cheapy Mccheap!

($29, Adi Misbehave, Overstock)

Lotsa colors, but the black ones are safest, don't you think?

($12.99, Go Jane)

Eek. Is it bad that I like these?

($41, Matiko, 6pm.com)

Not bad. But I don't understand the idea of the name "6pm." Anyway...

($41, Michael Kors, Overstock)

Pretty, preppy, punk-y! Only left in size 8. Yay if you're an 8, boo if you're not.

($287, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Net-a-porter.com)

I do believe these are the Marc Jacobs studded ballet flats that started it all. Brightest Young Things show you how to make your own!

($126, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Saks Fifth Avenue)

These Marc by Marc Jacobs studded flats, however, are unforgivable.


Finally, you (and by "you," I mean "I") also need some pyramid stud earrings:

($88, Wendy Nichol, Ravinstyle.com)

NEED!

($72, Argento Vivo, Bluefly)

Sophisticado.

($39, Whats That Cat, Etsy)

Etsy seller Whats That Cat has really sweet handmade pyramid stud earrings with sparklies. They're made of polymer clay and look really cool.

($20, Michelle Chang Jewelry, Etsy)

Super cuties sterling silver pyramid stud earrings from Etsy seller Michelle Chang Jewelry. Very much want!

Cuteness Revisited: '80s Graphic Prints and Splatters!

While still dreaming of the pieces I dug up on the wings of Nicole Ritchie's Chanel-print airplane dress, I discovered this:

($185, Julie Brown, ActiveEndeavors.com)

Though do yourself a favorite, and put something on underneath.

And pair them with...

($49, Tarina Tarntino, ActiveEndeavors.com)

And...
($115.50, Ash, Shopbop.com)

These heels are the heat.

Damn You, 'The Hills' Girls!

Like you, I am probably way too old to watch The Hills, and I'm certainly too old to relate to them. But I accept the fact that fashionwise, it's Sex and the City Lite. Unlike SATC, however, I would actually wear some of the casual-cute stuff the girls wear, and I can actually afford some of the stuff too. To be clear, I condone these pieces regardless of the fact/ despite that, not because, they've been worn by The Hills girls.

A few examples:
Damn you, Lauren Conrad! Here you are at the MTV Upfronts in a PEACOCK dress, WHEN YOU KNOW peacocks are my thing solely and exclusively!

($385, Elizabeth and James, Shopbop)

And it actually looks cuter on Lauren than this chick.




The red carpet dress Whitney Port wore to the season finale of The Hills is apparently one of her own "Eve & A" designs. There's something super glam and '80s, in like a Robert Palmer girl/ Dynasty-but-refined sort of way.

Speaking of Whitney's clothing line, here's a snap from the upcoming collection:
The 20-piece "Eve & A" collection launches this fall. And by the way, in case you were wondering, Whitney's dad is Jeff Port, who owns the apparel company Swarm, which manufactures a young men's line called Shades of Gray, so it looks like she already has some exposure to the biz.


Granted, Audrina's matriarchs never passed down to her the "no-white-bra-with-darks" rule of womanhood, nor the "thou shalt not matchy-match" rule, but I love the shoes:

($175, Kenneth Cole)

Appropriately enough, they're called "Hill Top."

($89, Kenneth Cole)

Another cute Audrina pick... again, one I like regardless of the fact that a Hills chick has toted it around to Le Deux. Actually, this is probably WAY not fance enough for Le Deux, but it is perfect for Urth Cafe, no?

($79, Torn by Ronny Kobo, Intermix)

Lauren likes this one, and it's cute, but not as cute as its striped sister:

($85, Torn by Ronny Kobo, Intermix)

Hee! Check out the snake around the anchor! And check out the designer: she's like just a few injections away from being the next Lisa Rinna.