Image Grenade

With a pending office move into one of the most cycle unfriendly districts in Center City, I’m gradually coming to terms with the fact that walking may quickly become the preferred method of transport.

I love a good walk, but I hate the weight of my ultraprotective laptop bag. Fortunately I’ve found the perfect laptop backpack by Built NY.  These neoprene backpacks are sized based on shirt size (medium and large) and because they’re lightweight and micro thin, it’s easy to slide this puppy under my wintercoat which not onlyprovides extra protection from the elements, but also from too close for comfort commuters,   on days when weather forces me out of the elements and into public transportation. Available in Black, Olive, Woodgrain black and Olive for $80 at www.builtny.com.

For evening I like the Full Monty. A fabulous evening suit, with fabulous hair, nails and lips; red of course. But some-days, I just want to pop out of the house with out having to layer on all the slap and just look put together; not made up. While red lips are nice, when you’re off to pick apples and just watch a game at your local park, I don’t want to look like I’ve been biting at someones neck. You want a nice neutral that’s friendly, that basically looks like your lip color (in an ideal world) and not all Joan Collins vixen. For me, that color was a limited edition homage to Raquel Welch called “Legendary Femme”, but as that tube dwindled to mere scraping I’ve been searching for just the right shade. Little did I know it would come at the perfect price of just $5.99. My hot new ordinary day shade is Rimmel’s Lasting Finish Lipstick in “Just So.” I’m raving about it and making sure I have a tube in every handbag, gym bag and laptop case I own because it’s nude enough to be neutral, with just enough pink to keep your lips from looking like the rest of your face. It’s fresh, it’s glowy and much like the American Express card, or in my case, my eyeliner, I’d recommend you don’t leave home without it.

Rimmel’s Lasting Finish Lipstick in “Just So” available at drugstores in the US and UK, around $5.99 in US/ 5.99 pounds in UK.

There are some days when you don’t want to be an adult in business clothing and a sedate string of pearls. It’s those days for which Tatty Devine was made. This kitschy purveyor of baubles and beads, with locations in SoHo and on Brick Lane, plays home to a plethora of beads, brooches, cuff-links and hair accessories that are playful and current. From the hugely popular David Cassidy necklace to price tag cuff links, and pearly king brooches, you’re sure to find something, your fashion rival either doesn’t have, or doesn’t have the guts to wear. My current favorite is the limited edition Rob Ryan necklace. 

But don’t let the medium, plastic, fool you into thinking these babies cost pennies as some are rather expensive, but you’re sure to find a bit of truly divine tat, with a touch of whimsy that’s sure to garner double takes from your entourage.

SoHo Store57b Brewer Street   London
W1F 9UL
Tel 020 7434 2257236  Brick Lane Store
236 Brick Lane   
London
E2 7EBTel/fax 020 7739 9191Open daily 11am-6pm
Closed Mondays and Bank Holidays 

As the temperatures drop and precipitation begins to fall, the ground under foot becomes a bit difficult to navigate and boots become the footwear of choice.

While I’ve been known to spend hours trolling the pages of Zappos for the perfect boot, O magazine’s  Creative Director, Adam Glassman, just made your search  a bit easier with his “Boot Bible” .

Whether you’re looking for the trendy over the knee boot or practical ones that will allow you to walk from point A to Avenue B without getting your feet wet, his guide provides some 70 choices in 9 categories.

Yes, I know Oprah should be promoting my site, and not vice versa, but I simply had to pass on the link to save you from my boot searching induced headache of fall 08.

And once you’ve found the perfect one for you, don’t search store after store for them. Order them online at Zappos as free delivery and returns make shopping and trying them on incredibly easy and they carry virtually every brand known to man. I mean, just because the boots are made for walking, doesn’t mean you want to waste time traversing the mall or the highstreet to locate them.

Visit the link to the article:

http://www.oprah.com/article/style/fashion/pkgfallfashion/200811_omag_boots

Shop Zappos

www.Zappos.com