All Over "Over-the-knee"

The day I dreamt about has come! I found the ultimate cheap and chic source for over-the-knee boots. The site is called piperlime.com and features TONS of styles/colors/heights. The site even features celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe's personal picks for the season.

Check out some super cute options:

Restricted Vamp Boot ($110)

Very Volatile Joust Boot ($105)

Chinese Laundry Trust Me Boot ($119)

These boots look great with a floral print dress or even blouse and a pair of shorts. You can also just throw some leggings on when the weather starts getting cooler. Happy fall everyone :)

LL at Ungaro

Controversy and publicity-the two effects the chief exec of Emanuel Ungaro hoped for when he hired Lindsay Lohan as the French line's new creative director, are now surely a reality. The line debuted and while the heads at Ungaro claimed that they wanted to add an element of "shock" to their fashion brand, the result was a shock on the faces of all the buyers and editors in attendance. The NY Times had this to say about the show:

"Celebrity fashion designers have, until now, been a mostly American phenomenon, with lines targeted to department stores under labels by Jennifer Lopez, Gwen Stefani and Justin Timberlake, among many others. But Ms. Lohan’s arrival at a 45-year-old Paris house known for $1,500 dresses and a tradition of couture craftsmanship is entirely different, something akin to a McDonald’s fry cook taking the reins of a three-star Michelin restaurant."

A greasy fast food chef? Ouch. Poor LL might have to wait another few years before the fashion world is ready to take her seriously. I think the review at Style.com put it best:

"This quickly devolved into a bad joke of a fashion show, one with questionable color combinations, "bad eighties" draped silk jackets and drop-crotch pants, old-fashioned and ill-judged fur stoles, and, yes, tasteless sequin pasties. To top it off, the fabrics and the construction lacked the finesse you expect from a famous Avenue Montaigne brand."

I didn't think the looks were THAT horrible. Of course, the recurring use of neon mixed with black didn't really scream high luxury. Still, here are some of a few looks that turned out alright:

Emanuel Ungaro Spring 2010

Chanel's Coco Cocoon

Slated to debut tomorrow, Chanel's newest Coco Cocoon handbag line is causing quite the stir. The company released shots from its campaign in July containing none other than British sensation Lily Allen. The campaign, styled and shot by the kaiser Karl Lagerfeld himself, features Allen as a modern-day, leather & glove wearing Audrey Hepburn.

Now, I'm not the biggest fan of Lily but the idea for this shoot is sensational! Of course, anything the kaiser touches undoubtedly turns to gold.

Tory's Tie Dye Leather

In honor of her guest-starring role in Gossip Girl, below is my favorite look from the young and talented American designer Tory Burch's new Spring 2010 line. She incorporated tie dye leather! I didn't even know it was possible but it looks super chic:

She also debuted a new strappy sandal in several colors, which are equally as gorgeous:

I cannot wait to see all of her new handbags!

Tory Burch Spring 2010 Line

Arm Candy

Load. It. On.

I love the chunky, shiny, rock&studded one-armed look for fall. Very rockstar. Start with a watch and pile on from there. The less your bracelets match, the better. As far as tones, contrasting is your best bet! I suggest these brands to help you start:

Made Her Think: Silver Stud Wrap Cuff ($165)

CC Skye: Leather Bracelet with Gold Screws ($105)

Giles & Brother: Multi Chain Bracelet ($125)

As always, Forever21 is your absolute BEST bet to turn to for variety, check out their website for all of their amazing deals. Here are a few I found and plan to pick up very soon:

Braided Rhinestone Chain Bracelet ($10.80)

Polished Pyramid Bracelet ($9.80)

Karina Grimaldi

If you don't know who Karina Grimaldi is, you've been missing out! She is a great designer working out Miami who incorporates silk fabrics into pretty much all of her designs. I first looked into who she was when I spotted this super cute feminine top with ostrich feathers ($130):

The top comes in a bunch of other colors and is available on shopbop.com. After looking into her bio I discovered that she is from my hometown of Buenos Aires, Argentina! I LOVE that she came to the US to work on her fashion and is making such beautiful, feminine pieces-all on her own. Add some timeless silk pieces to your wardrobe and please support this up-and-coming designer. Check out this other super versatile silk top:

Antonella Combo Top ($141)

Black on Black

One of the biggest trends in watches right now is bold & oversized. For fall, I recommend black on black-for a the ultimate dark, sleek and sexy accessory. A black on black watch is definitely for those of you who want to stand out from the crowd.

My favorite watch brand as of lately is Michael Kors. He came out with a classic yet affordable line of watches that I cannot get enough of.

Here is the newest version of his take of black on black, the Midsize Chronograph Watch ($195):

For a more timeless look, I suggest one of his gold editions. I own the yellow gold version of this watch, but the rose gold is to DIE for! Check it out ($250):

It is very reminiscent of the legendary Rolex Daytona watch in Rose Gold (Lindsay Lohan sports one regularly). Most of Michael Kors' watches are uni-sex too!

Balmain 2010: "Jungle Chic"

One of my all time favorite brands, Balmain, just had their Spring 2010 show in Paris! If you have never heard of the brand, they are responsible for the infamous Michael Jackson military jacket. The show was breathtaking and contained a rocker vibe with a flowy yet glitzy edge. Models sashayed down the runway in mainly black, gold, peuter & army green. New York Magazine is calling the collection "jungle chic." Take a peek at some of the main looks:

Rihanna and french Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld were both in attendance for the show. For a full on slideshow of the whole spring 2010 collection, click here:

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/style/fashionweek/runway.html#spring_2010_balmain

The Studded Belt Statement

If you are only planning on making one splurge purchase this fall, BUY THIS BELT! It is the same belt you saw all over the Sex & The City movie and can go with pretty much anything! The label is called Streets Ahead and the vibe is definitely rocker.

You can wear it like a regular belt or jazz it up by wrapping it around a loose dress to hug your curves or strap it on over your coat to look tres chic ($145):

The rocker studded trend is huge this fall, why not add an adorable belt to your closet?

Nicole Does It Again

Nicole Richie has released quite a few new pieces for her affordable and oh so fabulous jewelry line called House of Harlow 1960. Named after her baby girl, the line has done really well since it first debuted and already has a large celeb following.

The pieces are bold yet classic and can be worn for just about any occasion! Check out some of the new pieces below:

14kt Gold Crystal Pave Bangle with Cream Leather ($110)

Leather Stations Necklace in Black ($79)

14kt Gold Starburst Cocktail Ring in Cream ($50)

Bandage Dress Trend: Splurge vs. Steal

As a special request, I am dedicating this post to the evening dress phenomenon known as Herve Leger. The french designer is best known for his creation of the ever so popular "bandage" dress. His signature look is made of amazing, curve hugging bandage material that can easily transition from day to night.

Celebrities absolutely adore the brand, with everyone from Lindsay Lohan to Victoria Beckham donning the look since it exploded onto the scene. Although he's been around for over a few years, the dresses are still a hot ticket. Last fall he incorporated tonal dresses as well as the use of sequins. This fall, it's all about dark colors and the dominatrix look.

Now, I personally don't own any Herve Leger dresses (as much as I'd LOVE to) but what I did recently was purchase this great version from the one and only Bebe ($89):

I love the color for fall and can't wait to pair it with a cute pair of black leather cut-out booties. In case you were curious, here is the inspiration from Herve Leger ($1,250):

A GORGEOUS dress but still, why spend over a thousand dollars when you can spend under a hundred?

If you love Herve Leger...

Love all the Herve Leger designs but not the sky high prices? Lucky for us, BCBG just came out with what I think is the greatest bandage skirt ever made. It hugs you in all the right places and comes in the cutest colors!

The skirt is currently available in teal, orange, fuschia, grey, black...or my personal favorite-deep purple ($138):

Pair it with a leather jacket and loose tank, just like LC:

Don't wait, stores are selling out like crazy!