Let's Try To Make Turbans Happen, 'Kay?

I can count on zero hands the number of times I've worn a turban. But the other day I made a very spurious decision to get my hair trimmed at Mizu Salon -- FANTASTIC decision, by the way, so look for a GLOWING review on Naag.com post haste! -- and HI! They wrap your hair in a perfect towel turban. I'm being halfway serious when I say I kind of want to make turbans work. Don't I look so relaxed and at ease? It's totally the turban talking.

Now, this all kind of begs the question, WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WEAR A TURBAN WITH, fashionably speaking. I haven't actually tried it (yet), but I'd opt for some super casual jeans, a blazer, and an easy t-shirt in a weekend-wear way. Like, the key is to basically MAKE IT SEEM LIKE YOU'RE NOT WEARING A TURBAN, you know? Like it was a cool, casual afterthought. Like, please don't go all Aladdin and do harem pants, gladiator sandals and everything. Because then it's like HEY Y'ALL! LOOK AT ME! I'M DARING TO WEAR A TURBAN! Just pretend you're not!

Anyway, my all-time classic turban inspiration is the photo of the beautiful Marisa Berenson. Think, more that, less this:

 

And check out Camilla And Marc's Spring/  Summer 2011 collection, because turbans are very much happening there.

Bing Bang, It's Almost My Birthday!

($72, Bing Bang By Anna Sheffield, Oaknyc.com)

My next birthday was exactly eight months ago this past Tuesday! And this charming little lacquered Bing Bang arrowhead bracelet (I'd probably refashion it into a necklace using my pidgin jewelry-making skills) is the PERFECT gift for if you want to celebrate my eighth month of this year, you know? It'd be the perfect companion piece to my hot pink metal Alexis Bittar pendant. We don't want that to get lonely, do we?

Temperley's Holy Trinity

Just when I think I couldn't possibly love Temperley London any more than I do, I realize I actually could love Temperley even more.

I've impulse-purchased far too many gifts for myself (though, lest you think I'm a selfish asshole, I've bought some pretty ruling presents for my friends and family... HURRY UP, USPS!), so this Temperley Trinity bracelet isn't even an option, but if I were still in the market for some me-presents, this would make the cut:

($145, Temperley London, Temperleylondon.com)

It matches the Temperley Trinity Messenger Bag, which appears to be highly sold out.

($950, Temperley, Temperleylondon.com)

... But lust begets lust, so feel free to channel your unrequited love of Temperley's Trinity bag into the Royal Messenger bag:

($895, Temperley, TemperleyLondon.com)

WISH LISTED: Studded Acrylic Burberry Bracelets!

Ooh! Burberry is getting EDGY! Like how when someone classy and buttoned-up blows your mind with a naughty side you didn't know they had in them. But in bracelet form.

($225, Burberry)

Burberry, coming soon.

I Can Has Ray-Ban Wayfarers?

Ray-Ban Wayfarers are the trench coat of sunglasses -- they're timeless, they look good on everyone, and everyone should own at least one. Or several pairs, if you're me.

The nice folks at ShadesDaddy asked if I'd like to review a pair of sunglasses, and since I'm becoming somewhat of a Wayfarer hoarder, they kindly sent me a pair of Ray-Ban's Button Pins - Summer Special Series #4 Wayfarers, which have fun, hazy badges and little peace signs printed all over them.

($125, Ray-Ban, Shadesdaddy.com)

It's like someone took Kevin Arnold's big sister Karen's political ethic and printed them on a pair of sunglasses.

What I love about Wayfarers is that the style is instantly identifiable, but Ray-Ban keeps renewing a tried-and-true product with unexpected new prints, patterns and colorways (impossible to resist for a collector like myself) without altering the signature Wayfarer shape.

I'm especially into the whimsical pink-striped take on these tortoiseshell Wayfarers:

($125, Ray-Ban, Shadesdaddy.com)

And as a New Yorker of 10 years, I have to endorse the Rare Print Subway Series. (I own them in orange with the Subway print on the inside).

($120, Ray-Ban, Shadesdaddy.com)

Oh, and sidenote: these aren't Ray-Bans, but it's worth mentioning that these plastic black sunglasses, hand-beaded with seed beads by jewelry designer Jenny Dayco, just moved to the top of my very very long covet list. Available at Oliver Peoples.

Thief & Bandit Makes My Very Favorite T-Shirt

($40, Thief & Bandit, Etsy)

My little sister lives in Richmond, Virginia, and she has tons of friends who are making cool things that I always want to buy. Often I'm super lucky and she buys them for me! Such as my very favorite t-shirt made by her friend Amie Cunningham who created Thief & Bandit -- it's all handmade, and it's all fun, craftsy shirts with fun, tribal-inspired squiggles and designs, and fabric accessories in bright colors. JUST LOOK at that t-shirt and TELL me it doesn't remind you of all things Tom Tom Club!

($48, Thief & Bandit, Etsy)

I hope you like this fabric necklace, but I hope you don't like it as much as I do, because I really want it. So I can wear it with a white t and a blazer. Or maybe even a busy t-shirt, because busy is the new black.

Check out Thief & Bandit's site, their blog, and Thief & Bandit on Etsy and get to buying cute stuff!!

Tom Tom Club - New Music - More Music Videos

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.

This Necklace Perfectly Captures The Essence Of New York's Nightly Dilemma

($26.95, Steven Shein, Karmaloop.com)

Good question, because they ain't gonna pay for themselves. RIGHT, ladies?

Snowpocalypse Shopping!

My neighborhood. That MIGHT be a car in the bottom left corner.

I don't know if you heard, but New York City basically turned itself inside out after it snowed here. What? You didn't hear that it snowed in New York? Well it did. You could bury bodies in my three-foot snowbanks in my backyard. (Note: PLEASE don't.)

Anyway, here are the things I contemplated buying:

($259, Elly Clay, Stantonjames.com)

I'm really not a clutch girl myself, but if I were this zippery animal print clutch. Oh wait? There's a chain strap? Hm. Considering moving this from "maybe" to "very possibly."

($129, Aryn K, Babelfair.com)

For YEARS I avoided tie-dye for fear of any and all associations with Birkenstocks, dirty toenails, baggy corduroy pants, and the band Phish. (I will admit a BRIEF dalliance with Phish my sophomore year of high school, but in my defense, everyone was doing it, and it was short-lived. I admit that they do possess a certain level of musical proficiency, but if I wanted to listen to the sounds of a vacuum cleaner, I'd plug in my Dyson, feed it an electric violin, and lay on the couch.) Anyway, I've slowly realized that a black or grey tie-dyed garment, and not, say, a rainbow swirl, can be mysteriously cool. I really love Helmut Lang's shadowy, smoky prints. Anyway, the point is, a DARK tie-dye -- like this great asymmetrical jacket -- can be so appealing. Any combination of red, green, yellow and blue = Ben & Jerry's. Don't do that.

Jewelry I Love and Want Right Now

I could devote an entire blog solely to my love of Alexis Bittar. Just a few more pieces I love, all from his Lucite line ...

($150, Alexis Bittar)

My Kryptonite. Gah! Shit's bringing me down! I'm powerless in its presence!

($150, Alexis Bittar)

I mean SERIOUSLY.

($85, Alexis Bittar)

I'm not a huge fan of red, but these are so slim and smooth, that I'd so do it. (I WOULD!)

($110, Tarina Tarantino, Shoplastyle.com)

I'm not so much a fan of Tarina Tarantino anymore, but I'll make an exception for these. Very elegant, yet not too stuffy. By the way, here's a 20% off coupon for ShopLAStyle: cookie29891. (Looks like a one-time use thing, so someone hurry up and use it!)

($32, Llyon LA, Blondette.com)

While I'm not into crosses, these are cute. And cheap!

(Apprx $1,199, Lulu Frost, Kabiri.co.uk)

Would this be more than my apartment's monthly rent? Yes. Would this be the most beautiful thing in my apartment? Indeed.

Jacquie Aiche Panther and Snake Rings!

I lurve all the snake stuff Refinery 29's on top of, but what of the panther! It should NOT be overlooked!

($318, Jacquie Aiche)

She's also got a great snake ring too:

Call 310-854-2750 to order. And/ or get her gorgeous evil eye necklace online:

($350, Jacquie Aiche, MadisonLosAngeles.com)

Tuleste Market: Moar Chunky Jewelry, Pleas!

With the economy in the shit tank, both my and my fiance's jobs on the line, AND a wedding on the horizon, the absolute LAST thing in the UNIVERSE I need is another piece of jewelry (especially after my Pade Vavra binge, which was absolutely one of the best non-essential purchases I've made in my entire life). But if I WERE going to buy ANOTHER chunky necklace, it'd be this Tuleste Market necklace:

($135, Tuleste Market, ActiveEndeavors.com)

I love the silver and blue combo.

Check out these necklaces by Tuleste Market -- East Village-based sisters Satu and Celeste Greenberg:

($185, Tuleste Market, Shopbop.com)

Delightfully Dynasty!

($129.50, Tuleste Market, Shopbop.com)

Thoroughly modern! AND on sale!

From the Tuleste Market site.

Gift Alert: Tracey Tanner

Just ran across these fabulous leather accessories by Tracey Tanner, thanks to one of my favorite wedding blogs (I still read just a few, okay?), East Side Bride. Tracey Tanner's leather wristbands, in particular, are totally badass and would make great gifts. A few of my faves, which would also make great gifts FOR ME, should you happen to be in the market for same:

Sparkle triple-wrap band, $45.

Space stud band, $35.


Mono square double-wrap band, $45.


Bar wristband, $35. You can get up to five rows of studs!


Scale wristband, $85.


Fin wristband, $45.

There are also small, medium, and large bags, wallets, pouches, etc.

Go get 'em!

Quickie Coin Purses & Wallets + I'm Mad At Ya, Marc Jacobs!

Um, Marc Jacobs wants you to pay $39 of your hard-earned American dollars for this beaded coin purse. Um, does it have money tree seeds inside? Maybe it will hold the 39 cents that 39 American dollars are currently worth in foreign currency. I know it's leather and handmade, but it's also derivative of those shoddy (yet fun!), kitschy little favors I used to get at like birthday parties and Purim carnivals that are worth probably a whopping 4 pennies.

($39, Marc By Marc Jacobs)

Ridiculous.

You could also save yourself $32.50 and get a DOZEN widdle coin purses:

($6.50, ToyDepot.com)

... Or... just go to the toy section of your local supermarket/ drugstore/ 99-cent store, MARC!

($34, Billabong, Lulus.com)

Super sweet birdy print wallet! I LOVE me a nice flat billfoldy wallet with a classic kiss lock.


ALSO, please check out these adorable and for-a-good-cause wallets created in tandem by Poketo artists and lil writers, who lent the words. Proceeds go to the 826LA Writing Center. They're only $20, made of vinyl, and (hi)LOLarious!

($20, Chris Bettig and 10-year-old writer Sophie, Poketo.com)

Click to enlarge, obvz.

($20, Mark Todd and 9-year-old Roberto, Poketo.com)

Roberto wrote himself into the story. Stick to what you know, kid! That's what I always say!

($20, Christine Castro and 9-year-old Brian, Poketo.com)

My favorite. It's about well-dressed spy animals! Brian, you're a genius. Call me, mean it!