Of a Kind Sale, and Riding Clutch by Fleabags

I love shopping online, and Of a Kind makes it a true pleasure. To celebrate Independence Day, they're offering 25% off all editions through 7/8 with the coupon code JULY4THEWIN. I featured this site a year ago, and since then they've only been cranking out more goodness.

My most recent acquisition has been the Riding Clutch by Fleabags.

Made in the USA from canvas and vegetable-tanned leather that is supposed to patina with time, this slim, casual clutch fits an iPad (or a few reading and writing materials) perfectly. I've fallen in love with the idea of a blank canvas of a bag that goes perfectly with denim.

Every Of a Kind package is a tactile and aesthetic experience. Enclosed with each item is an autographed luggage tag specifying edition information and number.

My favorite part about Of a Kind, however, is their "Meet the Designer" bios and "Behind the Scenes" features that give us an intimate view of the person and process behind the item. Even better, Of a Kind has become a gateway allowing me to follow new designers that I probably wouldn't have been exposed to otherwise. For instance, I now am dreaming of Fleabags' The Original Flea: White.

I've already taken advantage of the sale to order two pieces of jewelry, one delicate and one tough:

Ero Ring by Silva/Bradshaw

Mercury Collar by LESS

What would you choose? Which editions on the site catch your eye? Share what you think of the concept behind Of a Kind.

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Nicholas Kirkwood Roses & Bottega Veneta Splatter

The winter sale season is winding down, and with that hopefully the shoe-induced damage to my wallet. I picked up two pairs from Neiman Marcus this week.

First up, the Nicholas Kirkwood floral-print satin pump.

The print is lovely, and I can see myself wearing these to holiday parties with either cocktail dresses or dark cigarette jeans. What cinched the deal for me was the description of the low-cut vamp as leg-lengthening; this shot of Kirsten Dunst certainly is convincing.

And then I have long admired this Bottega Veneta printed silk T-strap pump ever since seeing it in a beautiful ad spread. Tonight, it popped back in my size range.

The chaotic, exuberant Jackson Pollock print is reined in by the delicate ladylike straps. Asymmetrically arranged colored jewels on the front add to the shoe's louche charm.

Now if only I could afford that dress.

Beautiful shoes are on their way to me in the mail. As always, a prayer to the shoe gods: may they fit.

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Yes, That Yellow Proenza Schouler Skirt

I raced home between work and rehearsal to order from Opening Ceremony the blanket wrap skirt by Proenza Schouler for half off; it sold out within a few hours later. I would wear this legendary skirt with a long-sleeved black top and chunky black booties.

This is shaping up to be the season of skirts.

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A Preen Present, and a Thank You

As Best Things in Beauty would say, "Still shopping for you?" I'm always shopping for myself! And it's all the sweeter when I do it at a deep discount.

Carter wool crepe midi skirt by Preen from Net-a-Porter.

Isn't it gorgeous? When it finally went on sale for nearly a thousand dollars off, I pounced. The site had sold out of x-small, and I hesitated over whether the small would be right for my size zero figure; then I reasoned that the skirt still would look great on me, and hit the order button.

As soon as I opened up the package, I knew the skirt was perfect. The colors are jewel deep, the silk-lined wool is luxuriously heavy, and size small fits me like a dream. I would wear it with a dark gray blouse, like the model above, and with my camel Burak Uyan pumps for a bit of contrast. The skirt hits higher on these models, but on me the hem comes down nearly to my ankles. (And I'm a respectable 5'6"!) I may leave it that way, or have it hemmed.

The most color accurate out of the lot.

Merry Christmas to myself! And to everyone reading, happy holidays! My little blog has grown quite a bit in the past few months, and I am grateful to all those who have joined me on this journey.

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Splendid Frost Kaleidoscope or, Christmas Came Early

What's even better than new Le Metier de Beaute kaleidoscopes? Vintage kaleidoscopes, of course. Thanks to Messy Wands who unearthed a cache of discontinued gems, Splendid Frost soon will be the newest addition to my burgeoning collection. I can't wait to wear this treasure to holiday parties.

This may be a good occasion to share my kaleidoscope collection. It is modest, but growing rapidly. Most of these posts are accompanied by eye looks and tutorials.

Capitol
Come One, Come All
Oscar de la Renta
Silk Road

And then there is Antiquite Poupee, created by Dustin Lujan. It is absolutely beautiful. The shades look almost patinated with age.

Le Metier de Beaute's textures and pigmentation are unparalleled. Some of the kaleidoscopes can be tricky to find, but isn't that part of the thrill of the hunt? In the end you feel like you possess something truly special.

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All In an Hour's Work

You know what's a rush? Scoring at a steep discount the very last unit of each of the beauties below, and all in under one hour:

Mixed media fringe bib necklace by DANNIJO from Net-a-Porter.

Suede ankle boots by Ann Demeulemeester from Saks.

And the piece de resistance:

Lasercut satin and leather booties by Nicholas Kirkwood from Barneys.

Between this and Black Friday, I foresee many Shoe Porn posts in the near future.

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Black Friday Debriefing

Two or three decades from now, Black Friday is going to be enshrined as a federal holiday and recorded on calendars. Like any good American consumer, I celebrated yesterday by shopping incredible deals. My purchases were limited to online, however: why put up with lines and shoving people?

From Shopbop's BIGEVENT discount, I picked up several major pieces that I've had my eye on for a while:

Proquo Felora Pants by Theyskens' Theory - High-waisted, wide-leg pleated tweed pants in dark green.

A Line Maxi Skirt by L.A.M.B. - Long wool twill skirt in camel.

Theodora Necklace by DANNIJO - Brass curb-chain necklace made with beads and natural stones.

Hollei Pendant Necklace by DANNIJO - Brass snake-chain necklace with Swarovski crystals and a pendant locket.

I've also been patiently counting down the days to Net-a-Porter's annual massive designer sale. As soon as it rolled online yesterday, I jumped on the site and scooped up two fabulous pairs of shoes:

Studded calf hair kitten-heel sandals by Valentino. For a long time I've wanted to acquire a pair in this popular style, and the calf hair pattern is a gorgeous textural contrast to the taupe leather straps and brass studs. I can't wait to wear these with dark ankle jeans.

Then I also got cutout suede and leather sandals by Burak Uyan. I've already featured this new shoe designer, and I'm excited to add a second pair to my collection.

In addition to the distinctive design, what appealed to me was how they look on the model. There's something about the ankle area that I'm just crazy about.

Shoe Porn posts coming! Both styles have sold out entirely already, so I'm glad I struck while the iron was hot. Shoes sell out fast in Net-a-Porter's sales. So do bags, and I had to leave behind this striped python and velvet wallet by Bottega Veneta.

I would've loved to carry it around as a clutch, but I had to make choices. I do still have my eye on the Lislia oxidized multi-strand brass necklace by DANNIJO.

For this Black Friday, I went big. Finally, and this does not qualify as a Black Friday deal, but I just found out about it yesterday and had to immediately order it.

Deborah Lippmann Edge of Glory 3D Holographic Nail Lacquer, made for Gaga's Workshop. Aaah!

Available exclusively at Barneys, this kit creates an absolutely phenomenal look. Valentine Kisses has a whole series of amazing swatches. On the nails, the polish appears black with flecks of intense blue, amber, and green: it evokes the stained glass I have seen in European cathedrals. I ordered the complimentary gift wrap, and actually am thinking about simply waiting until Christmas to open it.

Goodness. Now I need a shopping detox. The Antiquite Poupee Kaleidoscope Eye Kit by Dustin for Le Metier de Beaute is also on its way in the mail. Too damn many boxes.

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