Eddie Borgo's drives me wild.

After seeing him discuss his inspiration for Spring at Neiman Marcus, I have gone mad for this guy. So young, so talented, and so grounded. I love EVERY single piece he creates. Haven't heard of him? Check out his site or see what pieces he has on Net-a-porter.

Horse hair=genius

Style for Hire

Yours truly is now a Style for Hire Stylist.  Check out the site to find out how to book me for your personal stylist experience.

www.styleforhire.com
follow me @ SFH_CAAlison

Fringing upon Spring

My inspiration today! Fringe is all over, and I made sure to add some touches of it in Simon Fashion Now!

Need From Nairobi

At such an affordable price, I will have to scoop up this Vivienne Westwood bag or clutch! Below is the description from the website


Handmade in Kenya, this bag is made from recycled materials by marginalized communities of women, with the support of the International Trade Centre's Ethical Fashion Program of the United Nations. The Ethical Fashion Program supports the work of over 7000 women who live in conditions of extreme poverty but who have a strong desire to improve their lives. Through the programme's extensive network, some of the poorest people in the world now have access to a job and income that subsequently benefits the entire community. All women involved in Vivienne Westwood's Ethical Fashion Africa collection are empowered by the pride they take in their work and new skills learnt. With a press stud fastening, the Lightning Shopper opens to a beautiful lining and one internal press stud pocket. The handles of this piece measure at 51cm. Please note that the colour of the stitching and material used may vary. This is due to the recycled nature of these items, complementing their intrinsic value.

Spring Inspiration......

Top, Banana Republic.  Bottom, Bloomingdale's

Packing Heat

My least favorite part of traveling is unpacking.  In fact, sometimes my suitcase stays packed when I get home until I use everything in it. I very much enjoy the packing process, but I know its not easy for everyone.  You pack too much, you pack too little or just plain never bring the right things.  I have it down to a science at this point.  I travel for work mostly, so I always feel it necessary to look stylish as my outfit is my business card.  But, packing for style and practicality can be the hardest part.

 How does she do it?

She DOES her weather research
She DOES find out what the plans for your trip are (no sense in needing a ball gown and not having one)
She DOES pack bottoms and outer wear that she can repeat
She DOES strategically plan her outfits so as not to pack unnecessary items (such as belts or shoes)
She DOES pack one extra outfit
She DOES take pictures so she can remember those outfits
She DOES take a picture of accessories for inventory purposes
She DOES pack a travel steamer and a small styling kit (double stick tape, safety pins, needle and thread, lint remover)
She DOES NOT bring an excess of shoes (they are the heaviest, next to jeans that weight 3 pounds)
She DOES NOT pack a bottle of wine (She learned the hard way)

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No trip planned?  Too bad I don't know a travel agent or I would plug them right about here.

Flea-ing the Scene

I like to Flea (I coined it).  I usually go to my favorite little place across the way from it (Lola's on fairfax) to participate in bottomless libations paired with fruit to gain energy.  I stop off at the ATM and pull out exactly my limit, as not to over spend which is easy to do at the flea market.  The stroll across the street is just long enough to gain excitement, just short enough to not lose interest on the way there, as I AM a Gemini.

I walk in and usually gasp every 5 steps at things I wish I needed {deer antlers, chandelier crystals, and assorted animal skins}  However, it's jewelry that I always need, and its just the place to find unique one of a kind new and vintage pieces.  Like the gem below, the real starfish dipped in gold that I bought for $20.










A few helpful tips when flea-ing:

* Take a full walk around the entire market first then come back to the booths you like best.
* Put things on hold if you can, most vendors will let you.
* DO NOT purchase the first thing you fall in love with, some vendors might have the same thing (or similar) for cheap.
*  Haggle a bit, chances are they will always come down $5 or $10.