MANIAMANIA

If you are anything like me, just the thought of wearing anything mass produced could induce unattractive hives. Nothing is as much an instant buzz kill as coming across someone sporting the exact same thing as you. However, these days unless you sketch and design you're own clothing, jewelry, accessories, etc., then being an individual can be quite difficult. It all comes down to the styling.

When time is of the essence, the easiest way to change the look of your outfit is by switching up your accessories. Introducing, MANIAMANIA, a jewelry label by Melanie Kamsler and Tamila Purvis. MANIAMANIA produces exquisite cuffs, rings, necklaces, earrings, and more made out of natural materials. Their pieces will be the perfect addition to your "where does she find this stuff" collection.

My favorites:






STALACTITE cuff

 


INITIATON necklace

 


LABYRINTH tri-ring

  



Crave more? Shop the full collection here and check out the film for their second collection, Dust, below.

Jimmy Choo and the Ugg Boot




Jimmy Choo for Ugg Australia

 
While women worldwide are no doubt (and with good reason) simultaneously shoving their Ugg boots to the never seen desolate corner at the back of their closets, founder and CCO of Jimmy Choo, Tamara Mellon, has decided to do a capsule collection in collaboration with Ugg Australia.

Tamara, through the brand Jimmy Choo, has an undeniable reputation for adorning women worldwide with incredibly designed bags, shoes, and boots. Because of this, it comes as a huge surprise that this collab has come to fruition.  At least we finally know what the merge of an Ugg and Choo would look like... basically, an overpriced Ugg boot with jeweled embellishment. This might has been a collaboration Tamara should have steered clear of.  

Judge for yourself here...

...it's the SOMB

Shopping for fun is great, but shopping for a cause is 10x better. There is nothing more apt to convince a savvy shopper to spend more than when a donation of the proceeds goes to a deserving charity. When I find fantastic sites that offer amazing fashions for an even better cause I feel it my duty to pass the info along to all of you. Shirt Off My Back, or SOMB, gives you the opportunity to donate a school uniform to a student in Africa with every t-shirt, sweatshirt, or pair of pants you buy. Their mission: "...to ensure that children are not denied an education simply because they cannot afford a school uniform."

I would get this men's lightweight pullover hoodie for myself.

A shot from the SOMB 2010 lookbook:

Designer Rachel Roy in her SOMB hoodie:

Get your SOMB apparel at http://www.sombstyle.com/

Morning inspiration...



I am far from being a morning person. Unless there is a large iced coffee with a dollop (very precise measurement) of half n half and 2 teaspoons raw sugar staring me square in the face upon wake up it takes quite a while to get my brain functioning normally. So, it is a treat to see these beautiful red roses when I open my eyes. Flowers, with their vibrant colors and intoxicating scents, can liven up any room. When given by the right person, they become something more valuable; something you try your hardest to stall the inevitable 3-5 day demise... in this case, they have become my morning inspiration.

Decadestwo.1 does Chanel...

I hope everyone has their favorite tailor on speed dial!!

I have my eye on these...

  Chanel - Pink Ribbon Tweed Asymmetrical Jacket

Chanel - Pretty Blue Long Ribbed Cardigan

Chanel - Yellow/Gray Ribbon Boucle Tweed Skirt

Chanel - Dusty-Mauve Sheer Knit Dress

Balmain...ia!!

You know the holidays are near when all you see on every storefront and every website in big bold lettering is: Sale, Sale, Sale!! The truth is the more I see the word "Sale" the more inclined I am to completely forget I'm supposed to be shopping for others and not for myself. My solution? Buy one get one... I mean if you're saving over 50% off retail then it's like buying two for one, no? We'll see what my bank statements have to say about that logic. In the meantime, The Outnet is having a HUGE sale on Balmain everything, at up to 80% off. Now mind you... 80% off of Balmain is still near or over the $1000 range, but a girl can dream, right...

New music: Flyleaf

I confess. Prior to Guitar Hero, my taste in music was limited to whatever records were in constant rotation on my favorite radio stations. Flyleaf, however, is one of the few bands I have always enjoyed. Their soulful melodies and meaningful lyrics are my go-to when I just want to kick back and get lost in the sound.

Flyleaf - Remember To Live



William Rast for Target

With all the hype of Lanvin for H&M, it's easy to forget the mecca for designer/mass market collabs Target (Tar-jay if you're fancy). Just in time for hysteric holiday shoppers, Target is gearing up to launch it's William Rast for Target collection December 19th. I was initially put off by the William Rast line, largely due to the fact that it was created by Justin Timberlake. Not everyone with a name and money can be a designer, although nearly all try... However, by keeping the details minimal and the cuts simple, William Rast is decidedly uber cool and wearable. Although in my opinion poorly styled (can we lose the bandanna? thanks.), the individual pieces of the Target collab are definitely worth braving the holiday crowd.

My Favorites:

 

Images courtesy of: Fashionista.com