My bff was cleaning out her closet and was about to toss a silk scarf from Paris before I stopped her.  The scarf wasn’t Hermès, mind you, but it was gorgeous nonetheless.

I couldn’t believe she would consider tossing it, when you can wear silk scarves in so many fabulous ways!

If you’re truly lost on how to wear a scarf, take note from the French and tie that scarf simply around your neck and pair it with a basic white-t, skinny jeans and flat shoes. Throw a blazer over-top and you’re set for a stylish Sunday brunch with your ladies.

The tying options for a larger, Hermès style scarf are endless.  You can tie it around the handles of your Birkin (cause we all have one of those) or wear it as a halter dress.  Yes, you read that right, you can tie two Hermès scarves together to create a dress, spaghetti strap top or basic halter! Très chic!

Below is a video depicting seven ways to tie your Hermès scarf. My favourite part of the video has to be the soundtrack, but the adorable HK Hermès Silk Ambassadors are super informative with their mad scarf tying skills.  So take the 8 mins to check this vid out.

redbird style audrey purse

It’s no secret that I LOVE handbags. After seeing yellow clutches on the Marc Jacobs NYFW runway show and Rachel Zoe, celebrity stylist, spouting the return of polka dots, have I got a purse for you!

Redbird Style is a Seattle blogger who writes about her hip, handmade accessories. Her unique creations are showcased in beautiful photography, taken by her partner in crime, her husband. What a great combination–accessories and photography!

The Audrey Purse is a one-of-a-kind, yellow canvas bag with hand embroidery. The polka dot lining really takes this purse to the next level and couldn’t make you more in style for spring 2010.  The best thing of all? Redbird Style has an Etsy store which means you can easily order her pieces from anywhere in the world!

What are you waiting for? Get rid of your bad case of the Mondays and brighten up your day with a fab new bag.

Photo courtesy of redbird style

Costume Jewelry Tricks

Do you buy costume jewelry at stores like Forever 21 and H&M? I am not ashamed to admit that I do.

When I buy gold costume (ie fake or faux) jewelry I hate when the gold colour chips and starts to expose the copper coloured metal underneath. The best way to prevent chipping is to coat your new faux gold jewelry with clear nail polish.

In the fall, I bought a faux gold ring from Forever 21 in Montreal for $4.99. To prolong its life, I redo the clear nail polish coat every two months or so. This past weekend, I bought a pair of faux gold earrings from H&M (pictured above) in Toronto and I just finished coating them in clear polish. These babies should last much longer now!

As a side note, I find silver costume jewelry chips much slower than faux gold and the clear polish doesn’t coat it as well. Feel free to experiment, but I would limit the clear polish trick just to faux gold.

Elizabeth and James Jazz Pumps

I first beheld these shoes during the Christmas sales and I cannot get them out of my mind.  They are gorgeous.

Picture these Elizabeth and James Jazz pumps  with a pair of sexy Wolford stockings with a back seam running from your foot up the length of your leg.  Finish the look off with a pencil skirt and a crisp, white shirt.  Keep the clothes simple so the focus is on the shoes and stockings.

Now that’s a sexy look!

Elizabeth and James is the line designed by the ever fashionable Olsen twins (Mary-Kate and Ashley, in case you didn’t grown up in the 80′s with Full House).  The stylish siblings started designing clothes and then moved onto gorgeous shoes.  They teamed up with Steve Madden and use only the best quality leather materials.  Elizabeth and James shoes aren’t cheap but they certainly are unique, youthful and drop dead gorgeous.

S ince the Jazz pumps are technically out-of-season (they were released in May 2009), you should be able to find them for good value online or in-store.  In Canada check out the shoe departments at Holt Renfrew. In the US hit up Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom or Bloomingdales for their selection of Elizabeth and James shoes.

Wolford Back Seam Tights

Finding the Perfect Bag

Selecting the right purse is an important part of looking stylish and attractive. Your purse says a lot about you.  There are many things to consider when you are ready to purchase a new handbag:

1 Select the occasion Is the purse an everyday work purse, or an evening bag used once or twice? Work styles are functional, practical and stylish. Casual styles are natural-looking basket-weaves, florals, patterns and designs. Evening purses are elegant, shiny, metallic and flashy.

2 Stick to a set price range Look for a sale or clearance if you have a limited budget.

3 Decide on a colour Classic neutrals like black, beige, navy or even red are good office choices. If you are going out at night, choose a color, shape or pattern that attracts more attention. Bright colors and pinks are good for spring and summer, parties or the beach.

4 Choose the size you need Is it a purse or a tote? How much space will you have to store it at work? What do you want to keep in it? Sometimes, a smaller purse is better. It will hold your essentials without bogging you down with unneeded stuff.

5 Consider alternative materials You don’t need to go with traditional leather. Look at bags made of fabric or natural fibers. Consider a washable purse, too.

6 Decide how long you will use the purse If it is just for one season, you may want to opt for the inexpensive but trendy route found at accessories departments of budget chains or variety stores. If you want to keep it for a year or more, go to a department store and look for something sturdy and stylish from a reputable brand. Keep your budget in mind when you decide this.

7 Consult a friend or salesperson Ask someone if you aren’t sure what will best meet your needs. If you want further inspiration, look at style magazines or online.

Tips

• Clean the accumulated clutter out of your bag every few weeks.
• Check online for sales.
• Don’t throw out your old purse if you might want to switch–It’s always nice to have options.
• Try local thrift stores for good quality, designer brands. Last year’s classic purse may be donated and you can get a really good deal and be in style.

Warnings

• Designer fakes may look like an original designer piece but they will likely fall apart.
• Fake designer bags are stealing!
• Save yourself the embarrassment of admitting your bag is a fake, there are many good, quality leather handbags available at affordable prices.

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual.

Michael by Michael Kors Prescott Zip-Around Clutch

Clutches are great little handbags that compliment a cocktail dress without stealing the show. Recent trends I have observed are zip-around clutches. The best part about these adorable clutches is they can double as an everyday wallet.

You can keep the zip-around clutch safely stowed in your laptop bag at work and carry the smaller clutch while après-work grocery shopping (perhaps not as glam as après-work cocktails, but seriously, we’re not on the set of Mad Men). I absolutely adore the versatility of these zip-around clutches!

At the moment, my favourite zip-around clutch is the Michael by Michael Kors Prescott Zip-Around Clutch. It is convenient, sophisticated and fabulous with any ensemble. This charming clutch has a zip around leather pull with rouched detailing which also flatters evening looks. The clutch includes the Michael Kors signature logo engraved on the front snap and an appealing design pocket that easily holds your business cards or a new suitor’s phone number.

My fave element about the Michael Kors clutch? The current price tag: The black leather, Prescott Zip-Around Clutch is currently reduced from $168 to $88.50 online at Neiman Marcus. Don’t forget you can also get free shipping with code SHOPNM for a limited time.

How can you resist? I know I can’t.

Prada OTK Boots

All I want for Christmas is a pair of OTK boots!

I first read about over the knee boots (OTK) on the pages of Vogue’s September issue and then saw them soon after on the streets of Montréal, Canada’s gateway to European fashion.

Your initial thought on OTK boots might be: boots that creep up the thigh are strikingly similar to boots a “lady of the night” might wear while prevailing a street corner at 3am.  The key to wearing this style appropriately is to be mindful of heel height and boot material.  6″ platform stilettos in vinyl don’t exactly reek class, however, a low heel in suede are definitely 9-5 business friendly.

“You want OTK boots fitted around your ankle”

The best style for work is a flat or a kitten heel (basically a miniature stiletto, under 2 inches in height).  When trying on these boots, look at how the fabric sits around your ankle – you want OTK boots fitted around you ankle rather than baggy.

Do you ever get the feeling when you’re shopping that you have a nemesis who has purchased everything in your size like 10 minutes prior to you entering the store?  Mid-December is a perfect time of year to get a pair of fashionable boots on sale and in your size.  You can wait until early-January, but if you’re anything like me (size 6 figure and size 9 feet – okay okay, size 6 when I have the flu and size 8 when healthy), your sizes tend to disappear first in the sales.  So hit up those stores early!

The OTK look is a worthwhile investment as it will still be in vogue fall/winter 2010.  If you live in a smaller town where trendy boot shops aren’t readily available, check out Brown’s Online…$5 and they’ll deliver right to your door!

Check out the below video to see how trendy, yet real women wear their OTK’s in NYC.

Hermès Black Crocodile Birkin with Diamonds

1 Hermès Birkin
“It’s not a bag: it’s a f***ing Birkin!” shrieks Samantha, in Sex and the City, when she attempts to use Lucy Liu’s name to move up the legendary Hermès Birkin waiting list. What she means is this isn’t any bag, it’s the ultimate fashion status symbol.

Named after chanteuse Jane Birkin, the inception of the Birkin, in 1984, is the stuff legends are made of, as the truth is still shrouded in myth. According to author Stephanie Pendersen, in her book, Handbags, What Every Woman Should Know, the bag’s idea first came from a plane trip Birkin took, when she found herself sitting next to Hermès president Jean-Louis Dumas.

Jane Birkin admits to owning only one of her namesakes. Ironically, in 2006 she announced she was retiring her Birkin as, “ I love my Birkin bag, but I lug so much stuff around in it I believe it is part of the reason I have tendonitis.”

“With a price tag of nearly $150,000, the bag is made to special order.”

On Forbes magazine’s Most Extravagant Handbags list , Hermès is one of the leaders in the field. The Hermès Birkin in Croc Porosus Lisse is no boring, standard issue 35cm Birkin. This limited edition boasts 9-carats of shiny diamonds, with 1.86-carats on the lock itself. With a price tag of nearly $150,000, the bag is made to special order. According to Forbes, there are only two currently in existence, a rare bag indeed!

With the price tag of a Birkin starting around $7,000, only the most affluent women can afford to carry one. Even the wealthiest women must wait for an exquisitely stitched Hermès Birkin bag, so to own one screams exclusivity.

Hermes has stores all over the world, its flagship being in Paris. Its Paris workrooms produce only five Birkins per week, which explains the long waiting lists!

Reportedly, former Spice Girl, Victoria “Posh Spice” Beckham, has one of the largest Birkin collections in the world, worth over $2,000,000!!  Oh to be rich & famous, married to David Beckham and the owner of a mansion with a room exclusively dedicated to your fab collection of Birkins – I. Heart. Posh.

Victoria Beckham, Hermès Birkin Devotee

Check out the rest of the Top 10 “It” Bag list:
Part One; Part Two; Part Three

The “It” bag phenomenon has slowed tremendously in recent years as fashion houses find one style simply isn’t enough to carry through an entire season. As the Top 10 continues, you’ll notice a shift back to classic pieces.

“They are most definitely not it bags in the sense that they become isn’t bags the next season.” – Poppy Harlow, Journalist.

4 Marc Jacobs Stam
The Stam, named after popular Canadian model, Jessica Stam, debuted on the catwalks of Marc Jacobs in Fall ’05. The bag has a modern look with a vintage Marc Jacobs twist. The Stam features a frame top and soft quilted leather body with gold hardware and kiss-lock closure. This bag hit the mark as designer quilted bags are  experiencing a revival, thanks to Chanel, and vintage inspired bags have been growing in popularity.

The Stam remains an “It” bag thanks to Marc Jacobs’s trademark style and impeccable detailing. Jacobs keeps the Stam fresh with new colours available every season. In fact, as I was writing this post, I was alerted that the Stam is on sale.  If you would like to purchase one in taupe, check it out online reduced from USD $2,495 to $1,672.  On sale?  Yes.  Bargain basement pricing?  Sadly, no.

Cost: $1,600+

Marc Jacobs Stam in Black

3 Fendi Baguette
The Baguette was the première “It” bag dominating fashion for more than a decade. This petite purse was introduced in 1997 and was designed to tuck daintily under your arm like a stick of bread, hence the name. With more than 600 versions released in different colours, fabrics and patterns, Fendi’s Baguette became a cult item and caused a frenzy as consumers clamoured to scoop up the latest style seen on every celebrity arm.

What do women love most about the Fendi Baguette? It’s the only French loaf that doesn’t cause women to gain weight!

Cost: $600 (for a fabric version) and up

Fendi Baguette

Photo courtesy of http://www.flare.com

2 Chanel 2.55
Often the first bag a style-maven will splurge on, Chanel’s 2.55 has been an haute hit since its birth more than 50 years ago. Introduced in February 1955, it represents Coco’s quest to balance functionality (double flap, ample pockets and chain strap that can be worn short or long) with frills (luxe quilted leather and a gilded clasp). Karl Lagerfeld reissued an anniversary bag in February 2005 and continues to introduce new fabrics, shapes and embellishments each season.

Before the reissue of the 2.55, the bag fell out of fashion with the younger generations.  As we know, a classic never dies and with young starlets sporting the bag on popular MTV television shows, like The Hills, the bag experienced a resurgence into popular culture.

Cost: Starting at $1495

Chanel 2.55 (reissue)

Check out the the complete list of “It” Bags:

Part One; Part Two; The No. “It” Bag

After drooling over yesterday’s post of “It” bags, I present you with a new list to covet.  Today’s list features contemporary designers eager to leave their mark on the distinguished “It” list.

7 Alexander McQueen Novak
The Novak was introduced in 2005 as a rival to the YSL Muse.  Gucci apprentice, Alexander McQueen, decided it was his time to craft an epic bag.  Inspired by actress Kim Novak the bag comes off strong, enforcing the feminine appearance embodying both vintage and future in one.

The immaculate details and precise stitching make this bag stand out in the sheer monotony of vastness in the bag world.  Sizes range from small, medium to large, the materials vary from calf leather to crocodile and the colors travel the rainbow, including the extremely popular red version (pictured below).

Cost: $1,200 to $13,000

Alexander McQueen Novak in Red

6 Chloé Paddington
Like the Novak, the Paddington was released in 2005.  The bag especially appealed to younger women.  At the peak of the Paddington craze they were harder to find than sunken treasures from the Titanic.  Reportedly, the popular online retailer, Net-A-Porter, sold 376 Paddingtons in 36 hours and then had a waiting list of 700!  Unbelievable!!

The popularity of the Chloé bag can be attributed to its super slouchy, soft leather, which is both durable and scratch resistant.   The downside, it weighs in at a hefty three pounds!  The signature lock alone weighs half a pound–at least you’ll look fabulous toting it straight to your chiropractor’s office.

Cost: $900+

Chloé Paddington

5 Balenciaga Lariat
The Lariat handbag was the “It” bag of 2001, but was first released in 1998.  It smoothly settled  in as the celebrity handbag of choice due to the clever Balenciaga marketing campaign which ensured celebrities, like Kate Moss, were photographed using it after receiving the Lariat as a free gift (oh to be famous). The Lariat’s design, sometimes known as ‘Le Dix’, is inspired by fringed leather biker clothing and is now a classic must-have bag.

The Lariat was one of the first designer handbags to have a long waiting list, increasing its desirability. Women everywhere decided they had to have this bag before the store shutters came down.  Small,  simple and with an appeal utterly incomprehensible to anyone not fashion obsessed.

Cost: $1400+

Balenciaga Lariat in Silver

Photo courtesy of http://www.flare.com

Check out the rest of the list:

Part One; Part Three; The No. 1 “It” Bag