I Heart Carlos Santana!

I absolutely couldn't wait to rock my new boots by Carlos Santana! And that's how this outfit came about....

I know the boots are just plain black, but if you take a look at the detail (folded leather with a slightly curved-in heel) you'll notice that little bit of edge that I saw in them. I decided to go with some basics on the bottom and the top (black and off-white) to allow the boots and the handbag to "pop" a little more. The top with the zipper front is New York and Company and cost about $39. The leggings are from Walmart--yes--Walmart and were about $8. Why not??? The handbag is no-name and I found it at Old Faithful (AKA Gabriel Brothers) for about $14.99. (Take a look at the detail--velour with faux snakeskin trim.) The earrings were a gift. And the beloved boots, of course, are by Mr. Santana and cost about a buck twenty. Black boots are black boots though and they'll last forever (or at least through the help of my cobbler!)

"Sex and the City"-Inspired

I picked out this outfit this morning while I was running on the treadmill at the gym. I had to give a "Sex and the City" Tour this afternoon so of course I was inspired to dress a la Carrie Bradshaw. I was going through my clothes in my head with the hopes of wearing my new black boots and for some reason, this red dress came to mind... I haven't worn it in a while so I figured it would be a good to get some use out of it and it would be perfect with black accessories. Well, black turned into leopard, black and metallic since I decided to wear my flats (I was running behind scheduled and running in heels is a nightmare and a hazard!) So I wore my metallic Alfani flats I got at Macy's ($60), carried my black-patent Maxx NYC handbag from Purdy Girl ($100), wore my Boston Proper leopard coat ($80), 2nd-hand J. Crew tights from my old roommate (free) and of course, the red dress by Dick and Jayne Los Angeles which was $95 at a boutique on Bleecker Street.

Bohemian Chic

This is one of my signature styles--Bohemian Chic. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE boots! These boots are from Aldo and I got them last year for about $120. They are actually being resoled now by my shoemaker. I wore them to death. As for the shirt/dress (it can be worn as both), it's from Forever 21 and was about $25. The Spring 2009 Dolce & Gabbana Runway was my inspiration for buying this. It had that pajama look and in the spring I paired it with cream tights and booties. For fall, I went with brown though, which created a more bohemian feel. The brown stockings I'm wearing are from a NYC street fair and I think they were like 3 for $6. The yellow, fringed handbag is by Chocolate and I bought it for $14.99 at Gabe's.

A Blog of Outfits

I had a friend tell me the other day that she was inspired to shop and dress up when she sees me in my outfits. She suggested that I post them on my ShopNYC Tours website. It made me think and I realized that I definitely have a unique style and what's really interesting about my wardrobe is that I'm a bargain extraordinnaire. I credit my mother for this. She's always had THE eye for a bargain and I've definitely inherited that trait from her (which saves me a lot of money!)

Rather than posting my outfits on the website, I decided it would make sense for me to keep a blog. I figured I can keep a daily--or possibly weekly (depending on how busy I am) "diary" of my wardrobe. I will be writing a little blurb about each outfit and what inspired me to dress that way and then mentioning where the styles can be found and what will be most shocking is how much these items cost. I do not carry $1500 handbags or wear thousand dollar dresses. I do not buy $500 shoes. I love vintage shopping but I will not spend $400 on a vintage dress. I read all fashion magazines but I do not follow specific trends and I absolutely detest the cost of some of the fashion. So--it will be interesting to see what others think of my style and my bargain abilities.

Here's my first outfit:


I've been really inspired by purple this season, which was actually a big accent color for me back in Fall 2005. (That's another thing about me--I'm really hesitant to get rid of anything because I KNOW it will come back around sometime in the next few years.) Although--the purple items I'm wearing here were actually acquired this season. The shoes are by Soho Lab and retail for about $50 or $60. I got them from Gabriel Brothers in Pennsylvania. You're going to hear A LOT about Gabe's. It's like a Rugged Warehouse or Marshall's or TJ Maxx or Filene's Basement but about 70% less than those prices!) Yes--it's a dream come true! The purple scarf was a birthday gift from my best friend from high school. She still knows me well! As for the skirt, it's H&M circa 2006 and cost about $35. The pink printed top is by Impulse California and I got it from Gabe's as well. It was an ultimate steal--about 4 bucks. The handbag is by Mondani New York but I got it at--you guessed it. And it was $14.99. Lastly, the earrings were a gift from a boutique in Long Branch, New Jersey.