conversation hearts!

i'm the first one to admit that i'm not the biggest fan of valentine's day. i'll complain, but all and all it can be a really cute holiday. personally, i think that you shouldn't need a day to show someone you love them. it should be every day (cliche, i know). i'd appreciate it more to go out february 13th or february 15th.

but i digress...

i am THRILLED to announce my first ever guest blogging series called CONVERSATION HEARTS! during the first two weeks of february (and the fourteen days until valentine's day), there will be guest bloggers with valentine's related posts. 

valentine's day has different meanings to all of us. as a single girl this year, i'm sure it will have a different meaning to me compared to many others. i'm glad that my blog will be able to showcase many perspectives of this sometimes hated, sometimes loved holiday.

so...

HOW DO YOU CELEBRATE VALENTINE'S DAY? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?

ps: if you're one of my guest bloggers, please try to have your posts in to me as soon as you can! <3

i normally don't blog about undergarments..

...but i just haaaad to rave about the new bra i bought.

expensive? no. amazing? YES.

hanes underwire concealing petals bra

 found here

(but you can find them just about anywhere! you can also get the same style wireless)

let me start off by saying that i'm a total hanes girl. i may like aerie's cute designs and pretty decent bras, but my hanes undies are always my go to pairs. so since i knew i loved hanes, i had to give their bras a try. when they went on sale at target for under $10, i immediately went to buy one.

until recently, i've ONLY worn victoria's secret ipex bras. until like...really, really recently. i always had a problem with their bras though. like, literally every time i went there, they gave me a different size. i was buying a few bras for my sweet sixteen that i was having and they gave me three different sizes....during one visit. i ordered a new ipex during the holiday season and it was horrible. they claim that they sell different style bras online, but when i checked out the ipex that i normally get in store it was just as bad. they also used to claim that you can't see ... anything (ahem think of being in the freezer section...vs used to claim that you would have complete coverage)

this hanes bra comes with cute little petals made in it, for COMPLETE coverage! also, there's no gapping and the straps don't fall down. i've been having such an issue with my straps lately it's ridiculous.

...and let me just say my vs bras are ready to go in the garbage because i LOVE this baby. it fits better than any other bra i've ever owned.

i went on the hanes website and saw that they have a lot of other REALLY cute items! who would have guessed? some are available on the website only. i have to admit i kind of like that, because i don't have to worry about a lot of people having it (lol). they seem to have a good return policy too.

stretch cotton wrap front dress

found here

this is a fabulous price for a wrap dress. i think i really like this style too. sometimes wrap dresses can be a total pain in the butt. this one looks effortless! lots of colors to pick from here too.

featherweight pucker t-shirt

found here

oh the detailing! love love love.

foldover convertible dress-to-skirt

found here

i've seen similiar convertible dress-to-skirt items with much bigger price tags! this is a complete steal. the variety of colors is really nice too. my favorite is olive.

sweatpants

found here

i wear sweatpants a lot at home. a little secret? thinner, black types i sometimes dress up for work! these look ultra cozy and how can you beat the price?!

pintuck tank top

found here

so cute! i think i'd want one in every color (lol)

the following three items were on clearance. they seem to have a pretty awesome clearance section too. they may not be available by the time you get to check them out though.

pintuck 3/4 sleeve featherweight tee

found here

love the detailing and love the sleeves!

utlimate cowl neck dress

found here

i think this would look fabulous with some great boots!

ruffle tunic

found here 

love the style of this tunic. i know i'd get a ton of use out of it. i think it would look cute with either leggings or skinny jeans.

WHERE DO YOU FIND YOUR FAVORITE BRAS? DO YOU LIKE HANES?

shoes and more!

i've heard of csn stores before... i believe that i've seen some of their items in magazines and stuff. however, i never really wandered too much around the site. someone from the promo team contacted me to take a look at their site. i can honestly say that i was pleasantly surprised.

csn stores showcases over 200 stores..which provides you the opportunity to shop for just about everything, from home decor, some new bar stools and awesome accessories. i love the selection of purses that they have available, as well as the shoes. here are some of my favorite picks

victoria leather teardrop shoulder bag

found here

this bag is available in a few other colors (chocolate sounds insanely gorgeous!), but i think i actually like the red a lot. i love a pop of color in any outfit. this bag looks really cute as well as versatile - and it gets killer ratings on the site.

rioni virtue weekend carrier in cream with chocolate

found here

the rioni bags that i've seen on this site are really cute! this one is definitely my favorite. i love the colors together.

aerosoles sota water boots

found here

i LOVE the little cuff on this boot!

aerosoles sugar dad leather buckle wedge

found here

these look like the perfect shoes for my spring and summer outfits. they also look super comfy! i love the little wedge.

HAVE YOU EVER PURCHASED FROM CSN? WHICH ARE YOUR FAVORITE PICKS?

ps..on a more random note, i literally cannot stop listening to queen gaga this weekend. LOVE LOVE LOVE I WANT YOUR LOOOOVE!

shop lulu's (... again!)

so remember how lulu's kindly gave the fashion court a 15% off promo code?  

they've kindly extended it until february 27th!

use FASHIONCOURT as the promo code and receive 15% off your order!

lulu's never fails to disappoint me in their selection of clothing, shoes and accessories. they have 462 dresses listed alone, which is pretty amazing! here are some of my favorite picks

potrero hill handbag by hilary radley

found here

i featured this item first because i lusted over it for a while then decided to buy it during their cyber monday sale. let me tell you lovelies, it is an AMAZING bag! the color is pretty much the exact to the picture on the website. i cannot wait to wear this bag in the spring. the detailing is absolutely gorgeous! i definitely plan to purchase many, many more purses from lulu's (and hilary radley!) again.

conversation hearts dress

found here

i think this very well may be the most perfect valentine's day dress on the site. i absolutely love the whimsical feel of it. i may just have to snag one of these for myself!

telegraph avenue dress

found here

this dress reminded me of some of the print dresses that gigi highlighted on her blog. i love that pattern...and those billowy sleeves!

ducati sudded vest

found here

STUDS! ...lol.. i don't think i need to even link to all of my posts about how i love studs, you probably aaaalllllready know. this sort of reminds me of a vest that i've once lusted for.

calico skies dress

found here

another insanely pretty print dress! i love that the beading looks like a statement necklace too!

class reunion dress

found here

i can see why its called the class reunion dress. this dress is va va voooom (excuse me, i'm still on cold meds) and definitely something you wear to impress. i like how the elastic can help emphasize a perfect hourglass figure.

aubree trench coat

found here

this may very well be my favorite tan trench coat that i've ever seen! that bow looks so cute too. 

ethan handbag

found here

STUDS. once again, need i say more? ;o) ... i think the purses are lulu's are all pretty awesome and most are very reasonably priced. i've always had luck with the quality of their purses too. this is another item that i'm pretty sure i'm going to just have to buy!

also...did you know lulu's also has an entire section dedicated to their vintage finds? 

i'm not very experienced with vintage items, so i don't know how reasonable the prices are...but they don't seem outright insane to me. i think i'd purchase vintage items from them because they obviously had to inspect it before they put it for sale. also, they give you great descriptions about each and every single item and how it fits, etc.

1960's fierce fuschia blouse

found here

this is one of my favorite vintage items that they have available! i love the color and the ruffles. i think it would look amazing with a black skirt or black pants.

HAPPY SHOPPING!

feel free to share the code .. we all love some good karma, don't we? ;) 

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE PICKS FROM LULU'S? HAVE YOU EVER SHOPPED THERE BEFORE?

a little update

as i've mentioned, i've been sicky mcsick (clearly i am*still* not in my right mind lololol) the past few days. i really didn't want to take anything, as it feels like a normal cold, so i've been resting (with a snuggie!.. i know i know), eating grapefruits, drinking tea and using vicks vaporub. good times. i just know if i didn't get my flu shot, i would have had a baaad case of the flu. i just feel it lol. this was the first year i actually got one too.

i actually went to work today and roughed it. i think i felt better getting out, but i do looove my sleep. thankfully, i'm off until tuesday and i just have my web course this weekend. thanks for the well wishes!

ANYWAY.

i guess being sick caused me to browse lol.. but here are some recent purchases that i've made:

suede zipper ruffle wedge sandal

found here

i've had my eye on the ella flats from pour la victoire for a while. when i was finally ready to buy them, they were sold out in my size. good thing though. i always see that the fabulous chloe gets some of her shoes from go jane. i browsed on there randomly today and found an inspiration for $15.80! awesome price, especially considering the price of the PLVs. i can't wait to get these!

they also seem to have a few other shoes inspired by PLV...for really good prices. i LOVE the quality of PLV and i can totally justify the money...but it is ALWAYS good to know where to find inspirations instead, especially for really trendy styles!

four leaf clover enamel flower necklace by regina pierallini - nylightmetals

etsy store found here

i've raved about how goregeous these necklaces are. little secret? i'm actually not a big necklace fan...but these are a totally different story. i love wearing my necklaces from her. i wear either my black or white with almost every outfit that i wear and i always get compliments. i ordered a few more necklaces to complete my collection, including the one above. best part? they're only $45 (and they totally look inspired by van cleef & arpels, if not even nicer in my opinion!, which will literally set you back THOUSANDS.) regina is such a talented designer and it is so hard for me not to order everything in her store!

yoga skirted legging
found here

i knew they would either be awesome or a disaster. i'm happy to report that they are awesome. i got the black for christmas and recently ordered the bark (a shade of brown) and the grey - and they're still on sale, in case anyone is interested :o) ... you can really dress these babies up or down! the black is so versatile and the skirt adds a bit of sexiness to the look. i'm happy i went a little out of my comfort zone to try these.

inspired paraty bag

found here

last, but certainly not least is the inspired paraty bag. i'm not the type of girl that loves inspired handbags...especially ones that have inaccurage logos, patterns, etc...but i fell in love with the design of this bag. i like that they don't print the name of the brand anywhere on the bag. i've had my eye on the nutmeg color for aaages. it must have been my lucky day when i checked today, because it was on sale for $19.99! for that price, i snagged the black as well and scored two purses for the price of one (with shipping included in that total!). from what i can tell, it looks like a really nice inspiration bag, especially when i look at the real thing here. and how can you beat that price?!

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR RECENT PURCHASES?

the colors of alice in wonderland

"If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary-wise; what it is it wouldn't be, and what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?"

ever since i was a little girl, alice in wonderland was one of my favorite movies. it still is definitely one of my favorite disney classics. (and according to my parents, i used to call my aunt and uncle tweedledee and tweedledum...which oddly is fitting now ;p)

when i first saw the previews for tim burton's alice in wonderland when i went to see a christmas carol, i nearly squealed in the theater. i cannot WAIT to go see it! it looks absolutely beautiful and amazing. ohhh march, please come soon!

last week, i found out that OPI put out an alice in wonderland collection. SQUEEEE! (sorrrry.)

luckily, my mom has her beautician's license so she gets salon products at a discounted price. i was able to get all four colors and here are my little reviews on them.

(from left to right) off with her red!, mad as a hatter, absolutely alice, thanks so muchness!

i apologize for the lack of irl pics but i haven't had a chance to actually wear them except to swatch them on my horrible, unmanicured nails :P

OFF WITH HER RED!

first, i have to say i was sort of puzzled when i saw two shades of red in the collection. i felt it was sort of repetitive. though, when i looked at each separately they each are a distinct shade and are both equally pretty. this is a subdued red in my opinion, a bit of a creamy red. i like it but it's not my absolute favorite of the collection.

MAD AS A HATTER

the picture of the bottle misrepresents it. it doesn't have a strong purply tone. it looks like rainbow glitter - the best way to describe it. this is one of my favorites! love love love it. it totally can be a faux fix for the deborah lippman happy birthday color (found here)... it looks almost EXACT. i really cannot tell you how much i adore this color. the only complaint i have is that you have to put it on a bit thick and do two coats. i usually do two coats anyway though. it is VERY sheer but once you have two coats, it looks ahhhhmazing.

ABSOLUTELY ALICE

another stand out color for me. such a gorgeous shade of blue. i know i will get a lot of use out of it! like the mad as a hatter color though, it is VERY sheer, so i recommend the same that i said above.

THANKS SO MUCHNESS!

i like this reddish pink better than the other red. this has some serious shine to it! so pretty. (i have to stop calling all these polishes pretty, but they really are!). 

these colors are beautiful! i honestly cannot pick my favorite. the only gripe that i have is the fact that the glitter is a bit gritty. i typically buy the opi designer (ds) series nail polish because it's glittery but not gritty. it's really not a big deal though since most glitter nail polishes *are* gritty anyway lol. all in all - LOVE these colors. i bought a second set since they are limited edition.

ARE YOU AS EXCITED FOR TIM BURTON'S ALICE IN WONDERLAND AS ME? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THESE COLORS? 

ps: i totally hate being sick. i don't think there's anyone who LIKES being sick, but i absolutely hate it. i feel like i've been going through a box of tissues an hour. 

pps: i got the shoes in the mail from my previous post. the calvin kleins were waaaay too small (i ordered a 6.5), the plv danielle boots slouched a bit too much (and i took a half size bigger than i normally do with plv, which is usually a 7), and the wedges (sz 7) were also too big around the ankle. i was completely in love with the wedges though and ordered a 6.5... they came today and fit perfectly! so the wedges win hahaha :P  

these boots are made for walkin'....or maybe these wedges...

don't get me wrong... i love the chinese laundry over the knee boots that i snagged on sale at nordstrom a few weeks ago.

...buttt....buttt...they're kinda...how do i say this nicely...cheaply made.

let's put it this way, if i paid FULL price i'd be one unhappy camper right now. but i didn't, so i can't really complain (as much). the box says "pig leather" but i doubt it's any type of "real leather" at all lol. i really do love the style and fit of the boot, but i doubt that it will last me more than a season. i take REALLY good care of my shoes and i don't expect all little white marks along the seams that i cannot rub off.. OKAY CHINESE LAUNDRY? OKAY? I LOVE MY SHOES.

i know i could bring them back to nordstrom for a refund, but i actually do love them too much. damn you chinese laundry. but i decided that i'm willing to invest in a good over the knee boot.

i headed to my favorite website for shoes, endless. you cannot beat 365 days for a return, free shipping and free returns. (i swear, i have no affiliation with them - i simply LOVE their site).

i came across two pairs of over the knee boots that i decided to order. i know that at least one is definitely going back, if not both.

calvin klein mayson over the knee flat boot

found here

at first, i didn't like these at ALL. i wasn't really feeling the banded elastic top. but the more i looked at them, the more i kind of like them. i don't know if they will overwhelm me though since i'm only a smidge above 5'2. the thing i love about these boots is that you can fold down the top part. although, that might be more of a pain than it's worth. 

pour la victoire danielle boot

found here

oh pour la victoire. how you tempt me, all of the time. i could sit online and order every single pair and every single color of their shoes. i LOVE this brand and it is by far my favorite. the quality is always there and seriously dude...how can you not feel awesome when their logo is "for the victory"? i love this boot because it looks almost identical to my boots from chinese laundry.

and like any good, obsessive dedicated online shopper... i still looked at pretty pretty shoes and came across these lovelies....

pour la victoire savina open toe wedge

found here

OHMYGAWD POUR LA VICTOIRE YOU DID IT AGAIN. like i said below (and in many many many other posts), i effing LOVE their shoes. they have a gift with making fabulous, fabulous sandals that you really cannot find replicas of. and the quality is amazing. the savinas are a bit pricey, i know...but they're an even trade off for the boots if i decide to keep them instead. and in all practicality, winter will be over soon (riiiight?) so i should probably just wear the crap out of my chinese laundry boots now, save my money on boots, and be prepared for the spring. maybe. CRAP. i dunno. they only had two left in stock, and with endless's return policy i figured it was definitely worth snagging them now and making my mind up later.

they're all scheduled to be at my door on january 12th (cuz endless is awesome with their free overnight shipping) ... so i can decide then. i'm hoping i don't love them all...heh. i have to be smart and practical though. arrrrgh.

WHICH SHOES ARE YOUR FAVORITE? DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE BRAND OF SHOES?

style crush: miranda kerr.

i've always adored miranda kerr. there's something about her that sets her apart from most other models. she has such an innocent, sweet face but she effortlessly exudes sexiness. (i may have a girl crush on her..just sayin)

i absolutely adored her spread in the december 09 issue of glamour

and then i opened the january 10 edition of marie claire and saw this

OH MY GOD, I LOVE THAT PICTURE. seriously. it just reminds me of summer and carefree days on the beach. i actually really loved the entire spread...

thank you ms. kerr, for making me feel like summer is just around the corner. especially when it was like five degrees outside today, yikes.

WHO IS YOUR CURRENT STYLE CRUSH? ARE YOU A FAN OF MIRANDA KERR?

image sources: here and here

blog goals for 2010

first i just wanted to share a little feedback on something that i received for christmas from my parents...

very hollywood by michael kors

they actually got me the gift set from macy's, which included the lotion (currently sold out on sephora) and the ring. it was a really good price considering all it came with. let me just say, i put this on my wishlist because a) i love michael kors and b) i love that ring! i never even smelled the scent before..but i love michael kors and totally trusted him with making me smell good ;o) i'm happy that i did because i LOVE it. it definitely lives up to its name. i think it's a very glamorous scent. it kind of reminds me of a perfume that you idolized as a kid, that was sitting on your mother's vanity. the bottle is gorgeous too. i may be addicted (and i'm giving my viva la juicy a rest...even though my fifty something coworker loves it and wants to buy it for herself...oh and she also called it juicy juice last week but hey that's an entirely different story)

so, you may have nosted (WTF. sorry i'm on like my 5th cup of coffee this morniong...yeah, you get it totally.) noticed that i've been posting a bit more often this past week. i'm technically "off" until the end of january for winter break. i have much more free time than i normally do, but i'm still taking a web course and interning. i actually have to leave in a little while haha :P ... so hoping i don't have to answer phones today as a caffeinated mess.

i'll be honest, i think this is the LONGEST that i've kept up with a blog...and i'm sort of proud of myself for that. i know that a lot of people write blogs for themselves and i do agree with that to an extent. i started a journal for myself online to keep a memory of my senior year of high school and if i have 20 entries in it, that's a lot. yes, i do write for myself...but i also love the input. i like getting comments and hearing everyone else's opinion. i think i like the interactiveness of a blog and when i lack it, i don't get inspired.

that being said, i am grateful for my readers/commenters/subscribers. without you, this blog would be nothing.

so i want to make this blog better in 2010.

i'm against "resolutions" and i'm sort of against "promises" ... because i cannot guarantee anything lol.. but i have a few goals for 2010. i want to start posting a bit more. i want to start posting some more outfits. outfit of the day would be awesome but i would never have the time (i'm taking almost 20 credits next semester, plus an internship) or patience to do that lol. i'm starting a few new categories, like style crush, maybe some talk about the places that i've traveled, etc. i want to work on the layout and organization a bit too. i'm also working on some sort of giveaway - because again, i want to show my gratitude :o)

like i said, i blog for me...but i also blog for you guys (err..girls..sorry force of habit :P) too. that being said...

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE FROM FASHION COURT IN 2010?

what type of posts do you enjoy most? what would you like to see more of?

don't hold back. you can be honest and say what you don't like too. i appreciate constructive criticism and additional ideas for the blog as well ;o)

joisy shaw.

dear mtv,

i used to watch ya all of the time. parental control, date my mom, and room raiders? UH, GENIUS. then i stopped watching. dunno if i outgrew the channel or my tastes matured (HAH. doubt that one). i even sort of liked that sixteen and pregnant show you had. and i'm glad you're doing a sequel to that to show that teen pregnancy shouldn't be sugarcoated.

but i digress.

i understand you guys have this new show...jersey shore. or how you'd probably like us to say...JOISY SHAW.

and this is where you have a little italian, jersey born girl using profanity. WHAT THE EFF, DUDE?

okay, i'll admit we have people like them. we do. really, we do. but please don't portray that all of us jersey girls like to be orange, have a poof, TAWLK LIKE THIS, like juiced up guys who are equally orange, and like to hook up with as many guys possible after clubbing at seaside.

and really, for a joisey gawl myself, i don't even like sleazside (yeah, i went there.)

mtv - remember, let's not portray new jersey as one big JOISEY SHAW. we have great things here. and CLASSY PEOPLE. well, as classy as it may get for dirty jersey.

north jersey has nice, normal people. we even boast having the most malls in a certain area in like the world. i'm not making this up. urban dictionary refers to us as the OC of the east coast.

just keep it in mind mtv.

i gotta give ya kudos though. just because i'm defending 90% of the normal people in joisey, i'm not saying its a bad show. keep up the good work, the show ain't too bad for a guilty pleasure.

xoxoxox,

fashion court

ps: can we vote her off the island?

pps: doesn't sammi look like the poor man's leighton meester? kinda? kindddda? although, kinda slutty sammi. kinda slutty.

ppps: readers, you will NOT be watching this show for fashion inspiration.. or i  hope not.

pppps: really, can we vote her off? she's just scaring me.

HAVE YOU SEEN JERSEY SHORE? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF REALITY SHOWS/MTV IN GENERAL?

wake up in the morning feeling like p diddy...

...i'm sure that moooost of you have heard that song lol. i actually found it on itunes before it got super popular. it's so addicting. i usually like dance/pop/hiphop music..anything you can dance to. i do like the slower varieties and even country (tswizzzleee. okay i'll stop) but i like upbeat music lol. anything deep and meaningful can get me a little sad sometimes ;P

ke$ha strikes me as someone different than the normal pop star. never heard of her? well, she was actually on an episode of the simple life and she was the background singer in right round and didn't get much out of it moneywise. that's why she uses a $ instead of an s in her name [i spend too much time on wikipedia, i know :p]  i usually don't blog about music..but i felt she was worth blogging about after i read this quote by her ...

"You can be sexy and attractive and a total fox and not have to wear heels and a push-up bra and spandex. You don’t have to give it all away: it’s really all about confidence."

...i have to admit, i kinda like the girl. and i also agree with her.

sure, she's not exactly the "ideal" role model [read the rest of her interview here for stories of her puking in paris hilton's closet and using a sink as a toilet] but idk, i kinda like her general vibe/style. she's an entertainer and she's definitely suited up for the job in my opinion.

i'll get back to my normal posts about fashion and such...but for now enjoy the song that's been on replay on my ipod for the past few days...(if you don't like pop/dance/etc...save yourself and don't listen :P)

i'd also recommend this..this...and this song ;)

DO YOU LIKE (OR HAVE YOU EVEN HEARD OF) KE$HA? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MORE MUSIC POSTS IN THE FUTURE?

...oh and HAPPY & HEALTHY NEW YEAR! let's make 2010 amazing!