The best fall bootie

The hottest little shoe for fall I've seen yet is this Norland Scalloped high heel bootie by L.A.M.B. Gorgeous black suede is embellished with bold red stitching and layers of petals down the front. That towering 4.5" covered heel is tall--especially for me, a self-professed comfy flats girl--but for a shoe this beautiful, I'd happily suffer any pain. Too bad the price tag, at $425, is hard to swallow. I've been on the lookout for a good copycat and the online Topshop boutique offers the Sicily Frill boot, which is a watered down version with less frills, zero topstitching, and is priced at a far more affordable $135. Unfortunately, other discerning customers must have snatched it up already because it's completely sold out on the website. If you know of any similar shoes, please let me know!

Welcome back to the '90s

My attempt at '90s fashion for a coworker's themed birthday dinner turned out to be an interesting one--I was told that my look veered toward somewhat the late '80s and early '90s. With a L.A.M.B. printed T-shirt tucked into a lime green Diane von Furstenburg cotton skirt, I had the colorful mismatched clothes down pat. Then I added black Converse and knee-high black socks, plus a chunky necklace from Subversive for Target jewelry for good measure! While I was slightly more put-together than I should have been, getting all dressed up for a theme party was a load of fun and the experience made me think about theme parties I could host in the future.

Street Spotting: Starbucks lady

So a few weekends ago I was exploring Robertson Boulevard and ducked into Starbucks to try their new Vivanno smoothie..mmm. As I was sipping my chocolate banana creation, I spotted an L.A. fashionista in a sheer gray racerback dress which she had accessorized beautifully. She wore a braided belt around her waist, black strappy sandals, a Balenciaga-like bag in a cream-colored print with a scarf tied around its handle, and sleek sunglasses pushing the hair out of her face. She looked so model chic that I snapped a few pics of her as she ordered her coffee. I'm really into her shoes, so I did some poking around on the 'net and found these similar L.A.M.B. T-strap sandals which easily add an edge to any outfit. I also liked how she kept the outfit itself simple, choosing instead to embellish heavily on the accessories. I'll definitely have to take a tip or two from this lady the next time I take a stroll down Robertson Boulevard.

A zipper rosette shoe

As if Gwen Stefani couldn't get any hotter, I just discovered this zip rose sling back pump by L.A.M.B. Yeah, you heard right. Look closely and you'll see the pretty rosette balanced on that shoe is outlined by a zipper, which gives it a very funky, very Gwen rock 'n roll vibe. With a whopping 5" stacked heel, this shoe isn't for everyone, but imagine how amazing this would look paired with the right pants (for me, cropped and form-fitting chinos) or a pencil skirt! I love shoes that have a little character and these satin L.A.M.B. beauties, with their zipper detail and towering heel, scream of self-confidence and spunk--just what every woman needs! These will set you back just over $315, but hey, who ever said that money can't buy you assurance?

Young, Broke, and Fabulous Striped Dress

This Young, Broke, and Fabulous flirty striped dress with ruffled hem and dropped waist tie instantly reminded me of Japanese fashion. When I lived in Japan, this kind of dress is exactly what so many young Japanese girls would wear and what trendy stores like Cecil McBee carried. Japanese style isn't for everyone, but I always enjoyed seeing the girls pushing the limits of fashion and going totally over the top! I can see a Japanese girl pairing this dress with sky-high heels, leggings, long curly hair, and crazy accessories.

For the States, I'd tone down the effect and keep it simple. I think this super comfortable dress (it's a luxurious blend of cotton and cashmere) would mesh well with skinny jeans (try a stretchy pair by Cheap Monday) and vibrant shoes for an unexpected pop of color (these L.A.M.B. platforms come to mind!). With that kind of ensemble, you'll definitely look young and fabulous--just not necessarily broke!