Flats that are anything but

Now that I'm taking the T to work and doing lots of walking, I need a pair of super comfortable flats for my commute.  My go-to Tory Burch flats are pretty dead, so I took my friend R's advice (and Oprah's 20% discount) and got myself a pair of Tieks.

They arrived the other day in the cutest packaging, complete with a darling little flower and a handwritten note.  The box was so small I thought it was a mistake: maybe they sent me dwarf-sized Tieks?  It turns out the shoes fold up really, really small.  The nerdy origami-loving girl inside of me did a little dance of joy and wonder upon unpacking the box.

The brilliant thing about Tieks is that they have a split sole, like my favorite Capezio ballet slippers.  So they fold up right in the middle and fit compactly in a small carrying pouch.  Once folded up, they are no more than 3.5 or 4 inches long!  They could probably even fit in a small evening clutch that way.  Also included with the shoes is a fold-out bag I can use to carry the stilletos I'm not wearing for my commute, as well as pant clips that have already come in super handy.

Of course, all of this ingeniousness with the packaging would mean nothing if the shoes themselves were awful.  Fortunately, they are gloriously comfortable.  I love that the soles (in a signature turquoise color) are padded and non-skid.  And the split sole design makes the flats almost as flexible as my real ballet slippers.

Retailing at between $145 to $265 (depending on the color and style), the flats are not exactly cheap.  And I think Oprah's discount is over.  But I hear that occasionally Tieks will announce promotions on their facebook page.

Have you tried Tieks?  What are your favorite flats?  In addition to the Tory Burches, I have a pair of Bloch flats that I love too . . . .

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Chic DSLR Camera Bags, Pt. 4: My Kelly Moore B-Hobo

Among the funnest aspects of traveling through Asia this winter is getting to capture all my foodie experiences through the lens of my new dslr.  My neophyte photography skills may be wonkie, but what makes me feel less like a bumbling idiot of a tourist and more like the  chic visual raconteur I aspire to be is my Kelly Moore B-Hobo bag.

As you might remember, I researched dslr carrying bags quite extensively.  I needed something that would be stylish, roomy, and comfortable, and something that preferably wouldn't scream "camera inside! steal me!"  The B-Hobo bag ended up being perfect.

The bag is well-constructed.  The tough, water-resistant leather exterior has two front pockets (good for extra memory cards) and a back pocket (nicely situated for carrying maps or cash close to your body).  There are also small pockets on the sides of the bag; I keep my iPhone in one and my lens cap in the other.  

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The zippered main body features a padded interior with three resizeable compartments.  The dividers are attached to the inside of the bag with velcro, so it's easy to reposition them to accommodate a larger camera body or to keep an expensive lens tightly ensconced.  On a regular day, I carry my camera in the center compartment, and I store a second lens and extra battery in the right compartment and my wallet and small cosmetic bag in the left compartment.  And when I'm traveling, I store my Slik mini-pro III tripod in the left compartment instead.

No wooden reindeers were harmed in the creation of this photo.

Most importantly, even with all that gear, the bag is still fairly comfortable when worn cross-body messenger style.  (The bag also comes with a short strap so you can wear it like a shoulder bag if desired.)  And as camera bags go, it's pretty sassy: not only is the gray a nice neutral, the distressed leather finish means you don't have to baby the exterior.  

My only complaint is that the cross-body strap digs a bit into my shoulder.  There's a shoulder pad, but the strap buckle happens to hit right at my shoulder, and the pad isn't able to fit over the buckle.  This probably wouldn't happen to anyone who is a taller than I am, as they would be able to wear a longer strap.

All in all, I'm really happy with my purchase.  The B-Hobo bag has made it possible to take my camera with me everywhere.  And at the end of the day, the only way I am going to improve on my photography is with lots and lots of practice, right?!

Do you travel with your dslr?  What's your bag of choice?

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Shopping Hong Kong: Laduree Pop-up Shop at Joyce

In honor of Joyce boutique's fortieth anniversary, Laduree set up a pop-up shop at the boutique's main location in Central.

I was so incredibly giddy to get my hands on bona fide Laduree macarons and confections that I totally neglected to take photos of the shop and cart set-up at Joyce.  Suffice to say, it was tres adorable: the rainbow macarons were displayed in a pistachio green cart, imported from France, and with the shelves filled with Laduree tea canisters, boxes, and bags, Joyce's foyer looked like a mini version of the real thing.

My extravagant purchases -- a box of fresh macarons, a box of chocolate-covered macarons, and a tiny box of nougats -- were packaged for transport in special "Laduree for Joyce" bags.

Cedric Rivrain created the ethereal, whimsical illustrations for the carry-out boxes.

The boutique was out of chocolate-flavored macarons, but I got an array of the others, including citron, raspberry, rose ginger, praline, pistachio, and my favorite, salted caramel.

Thanks to the kindness of my friend Martha, I've had Laduree's macarons before, but there's something about a fresh macaron that is transcendent.

The shells were so, so crisp and airy, and the fillings were perfect: intensely flavored and with just the right amount in each one.

But the boxes . . . oh the boxes are what I love most.  I can't wait to repurpose them for jewelry and other knick-knacks.

If you're in Hong Kong for the holidays, make sure to drop by the Joyce boutique in Central for the Laduree experience.  Unfortunately, the pop-up shop is only open until the end of December, so you'll have to dash there asap.  And while you're there, pick me up a few extra salted caramel macarons, please.  They are heavenly.

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Chic DSLR Camera Bags (and Accessories!), Pt. 3

Greetings from Hong Kong!  I just landed last night, and of course the first thing I had to do this morning was to go to CitySuper, my favorite shopping destination in Hong Kong.  Along with an extensive collection of stationery, pens of all colors and types, and Japanese washi tape, CitySuper also carries an amazing array of DSLR camera accessories, mainly sourced from Hong Kong and Japanese manufacturers.

Since I'm tired of wearing a giant advertisement for Canon around my neck, I got my grubby little hands on a silver camera strap from Coucou Bebe.  Not only is the strap quite darling in its own right, it's padded and lined for comfort.

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I chose the silver since it complements the gray of my Kelly Moore B-Hobo bag, but the line offers eight colors/patterns to choose from, each of which is inspired by a French dessert.  Sweet, no?

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Also at Citysuper were a number of straps from Vlashor, including this sweet floral patterned one that reminded me of a Liberty print.

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They also carry the Tokyo Dreamer strap, which I've had my eye on for years (way before I even thought of purchasing a DSLR).

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I adore my Kelly Moore bag -- a full review to come later -- but if I didn't have a camera bag, I'd be all over the sophisticated options offered by Zkin, another Hong Kong-based company.

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Their bags have a vintage appeal that belies their well-designed (and well-padded) insides.  My favorites from their collection includes "Champ" (above) and "Ropen" (below); they seem like the kinds of bags you'd carry if you were the type to cruise cobblestone streets in a Dutch bike with a bouquet of flowers and a baguette in your bike basket.

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I also like "Kraken," which is a messenger-style bag.

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Zkin also offers a number of leather camera straps that complement the bags.  I loved the Anthropologie-esque lines of the "Chessie" strap, though I'm not sure a leather strap would be all that comfortable.

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Zkin sells its products through an online store, so if you are a Dutch-bike-riding, baguette-and-flower-toting hipster, you need not travel all the way to Hong Kong to find the perfect camera accessories.

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On the opposite end of the style and formality spectrum are the bright and fun nylon camera bags from Hello Lulu.  I'm a sucker for a contrasting lining, so I totally dig the insides of these bags.

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The Hello Lulu bags only come in four styles (two small, two large), but each style has three or four colorways, so there is still quite a bit of variety.

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It's funny -- I don't see a lot of people walking around Hong Kong with DSLRs, but from the looks of the stock selection at Citysuper, it seems like there must be some huge network of fashionista photogs in Hong Kong.

Did any of these items catch your eye?

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Fitness in front, party in back

Oh how I love Lululemon.  It gives me leggings that don't create a muffin top and camisoles that don't let the jiggly bits get too jiggly.  And now I love it even more for this jacket:

Yogi Dance Jacket by Jellyby on Polyvore.com

It's fitness in front, party in back.  The jacket equivalent of a fancy mullet.

And it's my hanukkah present to myself.

I'll be wearing it as I sit on the couch, not exercising.

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Cheap 'n Chic: Iron Ring Wall Mirror

I know giant starburst mirrors have been everywhere lately, and I don't blame you if you're totally over it.  And to tell you the truth, I thought I was too.  But then Copy Cat Chic found me an ginormous bargain over at HSN in the form of this Iron Ring Starburst Mirror, and suddenly I found myself unable to resist the starburst mirror trend.

Call up "Hoarders," because I have fallen into the rabbit hole that is HSN.  This mirror is, according to my husband, "heinous."  But I love it.  The frame is a coppery, rusty iron, which works well with the brass and patina that we already have going on in the living room.  And the rings are totally mid-century chic, bringing a bit of sexiness and curve to the area above our bar cabinet in the dining room.

Plus did I tell you that the mirror is $62.40, and is an uncanny replica of (if not exactly the same product as) this pricey Celeste Mirror, which retails at Williams-Sonoma Home for $195 (original price $350)? And don't forget the 2.5% cashback from Ebates.

Seriously, I am on a home decor bargain roll.

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Boutiques.com

The new Google fashion shopping site, Boutiques.com, made its debut today.  Of course, I had to check it out.  (Ok, I should have been working, but this seemed like a better use of my time.)

From what I can tell, Boutiques.com aims to be a smarter hybrid of Shopstyle and Polyvore.  It "learns" your style through a fairly intensive style quiz, where you can designate the silhouettes, designers, colors, and patterns you love and hate -- my style, it tells me, is a mix between "romantic" and "casual chic."  It then provides you with product photos and shopping links for items it thinks you'll like.  It also offers boutiques curated by designers, bloggers, and celebrities, and gives you the ability to build your own boutique (sort of like the mood boards you can build on Polyvore).

I'm not sure Boutiques.com will be so useful for me -- I tend to only buy stuff from Anthropologie and Lululemon, with the bulk of my wardrobe coming from cheap finds in Hong Kong.  But the New York Times seems to hail it as the second coming of Awesome, so maybe I'm just not quite realizing its potential.

Now, if it were to expand its selection to decor and housewares, I'd be all over it . . . .

Have you checked out Boutiques.com?

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Cheap 'n Chic: Lachlan Glossy End Table

I've been on the hunt for a Parsons end table that would fit over our subwoofer.  Sounds simple, right?  I found about a zillion Parsons-style tables, but all were either too expensive, like this Bungalow 5 one, or too small, like this West Elm one.

Then one night, in a fit of boredom, I surfed Overstock.com and landed on the Lachlan Glossy End Table, which came in white, red, and black.  It was $31.99, with $1 shipping and 5% cashback from Ebates.

Surely, I thought, this was too good to be true.  But the dimensions were exactly right for hiding the subwoofer, there was a sweet drawer for remote controls, and the red was not a bright fire-engine red but a more restrained brick red that seemed to not clash too terribly with our rug. And at $31.99, how could I not try it out?

And I'm pretty thrilled I did!

The table arrived today and took me all of 15 minutes to assemble.  It's got about the same footprint as the IKEA Lack table, but unlike the Lack, the similarly named Lachlan feels substantial, with the heft and feel of real wood.  And even though the table is made out of a combo of melamine and MDF, it looks like it's made of real wood -- you can even see the wood grain pattern through the shiny red lacquer paint.  I'm also pretty psyched about the color.

I'm fairly sure this is the smartest home-related purchase I've made yet, and I'm pretty proud of myself.  Woo hoo!  I think I will reward myself with a new Anthro purchase.

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All Dressed Up

So many beautiful dresses, so few places to go . . . . Sigh.

All dressed up by Jellyby featuring a vintage inspired dress

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Book 'em or wear 'em

Although I quit my Ph.D. and am no longer writing about old books, I can still wear them, right?  Especially when they are miniature, like these whimsical book necklaces handmade from vintage leathers and recycled materials.

Do the Strand Necklace

Alas, Anthropologie is selling these tiny books at a big, big price.

Bookworm Necklace

But Peg and Awl -- who made the pieces for Anthro -- also sells these darling creations at their Etsy store, The Black Spot Books.

Autumnal Library Necklace

It's $350, but still almost $100 cheaper without the Anthro mark-up.

Antique Postcard Book Necklace

The single book necklaces are a bit more reasonable at $40.  It's tres adorable, no?

Mini Book Earrings

Or wear the books on your ears instead.  They're closer to your noggin, so all the book learning enters more quickly through osmosis.

Will you be reading or wearing your reading materials today?

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Chic DSLR Camera Bags, Pt. 2

If you recall my search for a fabulous DSLR bag, my fantasy bag was the gorgeous Ona Nevis bag.  Alas, it's so spendy that I'd have to sell the DSLR to get the bag.  So back to square one.

Ona Nevis Bag

I briefly considered the Epiphanie Lola bag, which at $164.99 is considerably more reasonable than the Nevis.  If it's good enough for the Pioneer Woman and Dooce, it's good enough for me.

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I was concerned though that it might be a bit chunky.  I want a bag that I can alternate between wearing on the shoulder and slung across like a messenger bag, and the Lola looks like it would stick out quite a bit when worn the second way (esp. considering the junk in my trunk . . . and hips).  Also, since I'm a total beginner and don't need to carry around multiple lenses, I can easily get away with a bag with a slimmer profile.

Does such a bag exist?  

Why yes.  Behold the Kelly Moore B-Hobo bag:

Kelly Moore Bags by Jellyby featuring a hobo handbag

It's chic, slim, and as cute worn on the shoulder as it is as a messenger bag.  It's $159.  Plus it comes in green, walnut, black, grey, mustard, and teal.

Kelly Moore B-Hobo

All the bags, regardless of outside color, have a gorgeous lavender lining.

Now I just need to decide on a color.

I'm leaning toward the grey (versatile) and mustard (fun).  Both are backordered for now, but the grey is coming in November, and the mustard in early December.

What do you think?

P.S. If you're also intrigued by the Epiphanie Lola and the Kelly Moore B-Hobo, the most helpful reviews of both I found (with gorgeous and very helpful photos) were written by photographer Michelle Moore.  See her Lola review here.  And her B-Hobo review here.

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Cloche to my heart

It was a balmy 70 degrees in Boston today.  But I know that's not going to last long.  And so far, the only thing that makes the impending winter even somewhat bearable is the amazing hat collection by yellowfield7.

Antique Royal Cloche

Pink Red Cloche

Pink Autumn

Film Noir

Dream Hat

I would like them all.  Each one is only like $400.

Oh well.  A girl can dream, right?

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Chic DSLR Camera Bags

Say you're a fashionable, on-the-go blogger would sooner go without cupcakes than be without her DSLR.  Do you carry your camera around in an ugly nylon man bag?

Of course not.

Or so I'd imagine.

DSLR Camera Bags by Jellyby on Polyvore.com

If someone (hint, hint) were to gift me with said DSLR for Hanukkah, then I'd surely need a gorgeous bag to tote the camera around.

What I adore about the bags above is that they bear no resemblance to nylon/neoprene camera bags.  Rather, they're all chic purses in their own right; they just happen to have neoprene or padded compartments to hold your camera gear.

Stash Messenger Bag

Snugglens Messenger Bag

Snugglens Mini Messenger Bag

Porteen Gear Bag

The above messenger bag options from Etsy are less purse-like, but still chic enough to pair with a cute outfit and stylish enough to not scream to all the thieves of the world "camera! steal me!"

Ona Nevis Bag

My dream bag, however, is still this fabulous Nevis bag by Ona.  The cognac color, the tapestry lining, the brass-colored feet, and the amazing padded compartments that safely ensconce your camera body, two lens, and personal items, like an iPhone . . . I simple love it.

Ona Nevis Bag

Fancy camera people, what do you carry your DSLR in?  When it comes to camera bags, are you all about fashion, comfort, or utility?

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