Stylish with Substance

Recently, I discovered bloggers doing this "30 before 30" thing. Depressing: Some goals are so big that these girls seem so young. (Hint: the link at the end of this post sums up both me and why I feel this way.) I have half a month from this publish date (longer since I started) if I were to do this; for October 30th, if they're all new they'd have to be so tiny. I think I've accomplished about 4 "big" things in my life; that's 26 small or shallow things to list. Fascinating.

On the other hand, I'm probably overreacting and just bummed that it seems I cannot participate in the meme so "relevant to my life".

At least I AM NOT bummed about turning 30! (You don't scare me anymore!) Wow. Make that #5 huge thing. (Ah, ah, ah.)

Sure, I'm not married like I wanted and I'm not engaged. And I know we're not going to elope by October 29th.

But that's OK. I'm OK with that. I have my soul mate - that's what I truly meant I wanted in my heart.  (Naiive me also thought crazy kids got all hitched all fast, so whatevs to her!) And there's nothing wrong with other scenarios for other people, either. That was my dream; my common, archaic dream - see, yes, I'm old.

So what's there to be afraid of? Being old? Oh my GOD, I'm proud of that! I will be so happy to actually be the decade inside of me. Sure, I'm a youthful, innocent goofball. But I'm also a crotchety fart. I've dressed halfway toward granny (in a good way) since I was somewhere around 24. I'm Coco, not Karl. I never partied or drank heavily. Never, ever, ever wanted to "sleep around" and I darn sure didn't want men who wanted that, either. I never appreciated the sterotype of wild 20-something.

"27" year-old (lying) Charlotte York got crabs, and I got insulted by those fabulous women more than once (well, I was a teen back then but that's almost worse). I'm really eager to join the "cool kids adults" club! (They have a little more insurance.)

Our twenties are supposed to be so great, eh? Well, some of mine were, but I won't miss my oily skin or 20-something "hotness" I was supposed to have. ****!!! I haven't had that "prime" body since I was 19! ****, my thirties could be that age! I probably have under 50 pounds to lose (goal is fuzzy) and now that I've found something to replace my soda habit, two pounds a week is more doable. (And my new doctor's a PITA, a really good PITA, so I can't get away with gaining weight, and I have to see the dude regularly.) A person can lose 100lbs in a year, maybe not I, but that leaves room for error.

Maybe I'll turn this into 35+ lbs down by 31!

And what if not?

Age isn't anything but a number!

...

And of course, there's always this: (Why I'll never be an adult a.k.a. Internet forever!!! ---Hyperbole and a Half)

The news I'm referencing is definitely too much for some sensitive people to take. You can read about it online, for example on the Huffington Post.

Note: part of what I'm about to write may also be a bit much for some!

I know this instance is not "unique", and maybe not even rare - I can't "get into" all the stories of the world, but somehow there are certain moments in time that strike one a bit harder. Sadly, there have been other recent events similar in scope, yet this is merely the one that caused me to start typing ... and I did not want to stop at something like a Facebook status update.

Also, please be aware that I know of the existence of sociopaths and understand what they are. My words are merely the utterance of shock, compassion and emotion; sensitivity; we need more of it.

I wanted to preface with this notes, but know I still welcome any genuine comments about anything - except detailing violent specifics, of course.  (I just happened to foresee some cynical questioning. Cynics are great; they are literally some of my best friends, including my soul mate; but you guessed it, that's not me.)

Do not copy! -- 2011 - Lauren-Noelle Meade

For Maria Elizabeth Macias Castro

... Read my thoughts after the jump.

Lately, I've been yearning for a new Sex and the City; well at least a show (scripted, please!) with women wearing the latest fashions who are likeable (no housewives, thanks) and maybe, only maybe a tad younger.

Michael Patrick King, the man who produced HBO's Sex and the City, has a new sitcom pitched to deliver some of what many women must be craving, but far from all of it. It has the city, the sex and the fashion ... with a cast from a *new-SAT-scoring* age. The set is Queens, the fashion isn't all high, and also unlike his older masterpiece, no one in this twosome is disproportionately wealthier - I guess that tastes quite savory after the unabashed overspending in Sex and the City 2, when Carrie joined the rest of the foursome in (matrimonial, for her, and even greater) fortune.

The series premiered last night on CBS (though it has the aura of The CW) at 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time, and like many pilots, it had jokes that fell flat and characters who were slow to bloom. The preview of next week also wasn't promising.

Still, there's good, even beyond the peeks at high fashion pieces (Chloé, Louboutin and Chanel [for the huge pearl necklace] made the accessories du nuit).

I can imagine myself commisserating and bonding over budget and style with Caroline, the former-heiress of a Madoff type; this rich "b*tch" and "dumb" blonde is actualy nice with a decent business mind and an SAT score in the 99.65 percentile.

The second broke girl is Max, the tough-talking hard worker who, I imagine, won't be keen on talking style with Caroline - which might mean this series is to leave us with a bad taste for fashion, but time will tell and I doubt that's desired by creators. What the girls can share is a business dream and at least some morality, with Max hopefully teaching Caroline to drop all of her inherited "shady business" instincts. Meanwhile, Caroline vowed to impose some self-esteem onto her cynical new friend.

It looks like the goal for this show's series finale, if these girls can make it there, is to strike it rich with a cupcake shop. While baked goods fare well today, the writing of this show threatens to not make anyone in its credits any richer.

Bottom line, if this series picks up, I may at least have some up-through-2011-fashion viewing pleasure met, but I doubt the substance of this show will ever have me addicted like King's queens of HBO. For now, I keep DVRing but I'm finicky, and not just with my own accessories.

Photo credit

This simple runway-themed category, Three is a Trend, from the Harper's Bazaar fashion blog has me inspired. I've never found the time, strength or sanity to pull this kind of post out of a fashion week (let alone a series) so I doubt I ever will, but ooh I wish!

What a nice way to quickly get a feel for the upcoming seasons.

Now, as for this being done with what's currently in stores, that I could do. I always have the sanity for some shopping! In order to do this, they would need to be micro trends or sub trends, but I still feel like I'd need an entirely different name. I'm guessing it would revolve around those times when seeing a sub-trend (of a trend that's so me?) or trend combos (neck bows + camel!) x-number of times has made me want it.

Beyond that I just have to think more. Maybe the combo idea has more to it?

Anyway, here are some preview images from the H.B. blog.

Peplum for all.

Birds for the dames.

Inspired, yourself?

(Read Part One, a prelude) On D Day (national debut day, in this case turned slightly doomed for most fashionistas) I had a somewhat normal schedule, as in I couldn't get out shopping until night on that work day. Super normal on a weekday, right? The norm??

Apparently, Missoni is not business as usual when it comes to Targét collabs.

Me, I'm not really a shop-online girl unless it's a necessity for some reason, and living in South Florida, a land of rejecting high fashion (aside from downtown Miami and Boca Raton - IMHO) I saw no necessessity to torture myself with the uncertainty of such things (sizing, mostly, plus "shipping cost" morphed into a single 4-letter word to me amidst recession).

Apparently, the locals agreed ... except seemingly the masses were not held back by normal business hours, and I hadn't anticipated this.

Perhaps when it came to the Target collaboration with Missoni, things changed around my parts. I'm guessing driven by the virtual signature of the brand's items (zigzag = designer = rich! shiny! droooool) people wanted this stuff more.

Around 9 p.m., I arrived at "Sawgrass Super Target" and entered close to the apparel section, then began puzzling at the "Xhilaration" tops under the grand Missoni banner. I asked a nearby, busy employee if Missoni had "all" sold out and was told yes. Cocking my head, I asked about "non-clothing Missoni" (I had been daydreaming about those bright bath towels) and, distracted, she confirmed and added that there were 3 coats left, inexplicably (my opinion) relocated to in front of the women's dressing rooms. (Why weren't they prominent?) Seemingly shocked, she claimed that they had "sold out" by 10 a.m. ... In non-Miami Florida?

Another local Target, later on.

By the night of the 13th, in Sunrise, Florida, there were those puke-colored coats (the ones hung by the fitting rooms) and, despite that one clueless employee telling me the 3 green coats were all that remained, miscellaneous items scattered around, mostly out-of-place and hard to find. Also plenty of notebooks and several shoes (shoes fitting me!) were rightfully stocked. There was one lone, misplaced knit sweater that, luckily in a way, helped me realize I am allergic to these knits, even at Target, a land of non-wool and happiness in cardigans pour moi. (I can't wear any animal fibers except occasionally sheepskin.) This means I don't have to worry about trying to find a dress from this collection in the future, and I can save that money for my personal favorite clothing item, the tie-neck top. (Just saying.)

Finally, there was probably every single last black & white carry-on luggage piece they probably even stocked for that morning. Why? (We're working on theories.)

All this general lack of stock helped me realize that I really, really did want that darned bath towel! Oh well, if it's meant to be it will be.

I did pick up these shoes and the made-for-Target by the makers of Foot Petals inserts to go in 'em. I'm heading back for more of those, I tell ya.

I haven't yet been able to take my own photos of these pumps, and this story's still not quite finished, either! I really wanted to throw this up so I can talk about something else, as well, though. :-)

In the end the question is: was this really worth it to that many people to take the day off to buy discounted "designer" or were there just too many people working their eBay jobs minute 1? Eh? Eh?