Handbag of the Day: Mini Saddle Bag

This is the Tarnish Rustic Mini Saddle Bag.  It's $128.  This bag is small and demure in size, but also has some tougher, more masculine features to keep it from being truly sweet.  It's certainly equestrian-inspired, with it's tarnished hardware and heavy leather straps. This would work well with a lot of fall and winter basics as well as the flirty, feminine pieces from spring and summer.  For many, this will be an ideal all-season bag, especially since it isn't very big.  It comes in 2 other colors, but this olive one is my favorite.

Fall Tights: Let's Review

This is ground we have covered before, people.  If you got it the first time, bully.  If you didn't, don't sweat it- it's review time.

1. Tights are not pants.  If this is unclear to you, please read Oops, I forgot my PANTS.

2. Tights CAN be worn with close-toed flats.  Keep in mind that one continuous color (i.e., black tights + black flats) keeps your look streamlined while contrasting colors (i.e., purple tights + black flats) is fun, but less polished, and possibly a little juvenile.  For this reason, I suggest reserving non-neutral tights + flats for weekends and evenings, but every office is different.

Exhibit A:

3. Tights can be worn with peep-toed heels. Notice I did not say OPEN toed or sandals.  There's a difference, people.

NO:

Not only are her tights sagging (gross), this is a sandal.  Sandals and tights should not meet.  You will see people trying to "rock the look" or "mix the seasons."  They're doing it wrong.

Also NO:

This is an open-toed shoe.  And a sandal. 

YES:

This is a peep toe.  And this outfit combines an element from one season (lighter colored shoes for summer) with heavier textures and fabrics from another (ribbed mustard tights and a tweed skirt for fall), demonstrating a great way to mix seasons.

4. Matching non-neutral colored tights with shoes is a great way to add color to your wardrobe, and can be just as flattering as black on black.  This may not be appropriate in more conservative office environments.

Exhibit B:

Love.

Exhibit C:

5. Patterned tights fall into two categories for me: normal and bat shit crazy.

Normal: subtle pattern, slightly contrasting colors, or small section of high contrast

Exhibit D: example of fairly subtle patterns

Exhibit E: example of low contrast

Exhibit F: example of a small section of high contrast

Bat shit crazy: tie dye, anything that references mimes, the Wicked Witch of the West or makes you look like something is growing on you

Um.  The 80s called.  They want their fugly tights back.

So, the Wicked Witch called... you get the picture.

Why? WHY?!

6. Boots are not a cure all.

Some of you are thinking, yeah, whatever, I'll just wear tall boots and only part of the crazy pattern with show.  That'll tone it down!

You know who you are.

Boots can help tone things down, but the reality is that if they tights aren't appropriate without the boots, they aren't going to magically become appropriate with them.

The $41,000 Handbag

You are looking at a $41,000 handbag.

No, I did not add any extra zeros for effect.  Forty one. Thousand. Dollars.

Prada makes this bag.  Out of crocodile skin.  NOT the tears of 1000 blessed virgins, as you'd expect.  Or even the remaining hairs of balding Tibetan monks who devote their lives to crafting handbags for the super wealthy to sling around like it's a $19.99 special from Target.

No, no.  Crocodile.  You know, that fugly animal who eats birds and small children when given the opportunity?  Yeah, that.

So, I get that real skins are pricy to obtain and probably hard to work with.  But this handbag looks like pretty much every other black croc-embossed leather bag in the world.  For $41k, I want unique.  Oh, and I want DIAMONDS and a daily massage.

But, you're saying, the price per wear is so low!  I'll use it for 10 years!

First, no you won't.  If you can afford $41k handbags, you can afford variety.

Second, if you wanted to get your price per wear under $10 (which isn't that impressive BTW) , you'd have to carry it every damn day for over 10 years.  (That's right, I can do math.)

But don't worry, the Prada isn't even the most expensive one available.  Apparently, this mink and cotton number from Fendi can be as high as $44,000.

(Sorry for the crap pic.)


Mink and cotton.  Mink and...cotton.  Does that sound a little weird to you?  Maybe even a little BIZZARE AS HELL?

Yes, yes- mink is expensive, blah blah.  Cotton...not so much.  So if you've combined my overpriced furry animal skin with a common (read: low) natural fiber. I expect a commesurate price reduction.  How does subtracting $42,0000 sound?

Also, I doubt the shoes in that pic come with the bag, but even if they did, would you really be ahead?  They will make you look like you stepped in, and are now dragging around, roadkill. 

I am not going to disclose the most I have paid for a handbag.  But I will tell you that if I carried it every day for 10 years, my price per wear would be less than 20 cents.

Handbag of the Day: Red Leather Hobo

If you have eyes, you've noticed that red one of the biggest! colors! of! the season!

And so, I present to you a lovely red leather hobo bag.  It's $139.95 and your purchase will fund 6% of a mammogram.  The bag is a nice every day size, is lined, and has an interior pocket.  The color is really its best feature; it looks like a lovely shade of true lipstick red.

Shop This Place: Old Gold Boutique

The Old Gold Boutique has the hipster vibe of Urban Outfitters, similar (though pricier) pieces to those at ModCloth, and the cheekiness of ASOS.

Here are a few things I love:

Delicious Green apple ring ($48):

The crazy ring selection alone is enough to make my heart race.  They are all like tiny sculptures for your my finger.

Megumi Ochi Klee red pumps ($240):

The perfect red peep toe for the office.

Leaflet Earrings ($30):

It's Official!

Wear at Work has a specialized Facebook name!  Shockingly, it's WearatWork. 

Here's the link so you can join: https://www.facebook.com/WearatWork

New Feature: In Case You Were Wondering...

In honor of my new page on Facebook, I am starting a new feature called In Case You Were Wondering...  It will replace the Printastic! feature, which was fun, but then got old.

I'm kicking it off with some shoes you may or may not be wondering about.

In Case You Were Wondering...

These are a NO NO NO HELL NO:

Obviously.

Somewhat less obvious are these:

Also NO. Busy patchwork chevrons.  The very worst of the 70s, literally at your feet.  Gross.