Stylish with Substance

Manolo Blahnik Tweed Boucle d'Orsay

$715.00 by Manolo Blahnik at Neiman Marcus

Bouclé, d'Orsay, big name ... and metallic threads?! Seriously, I'm going crazy for these. I would sell both my little toes to get these, if need be. That might even make wearing them a better experience, seeing as they're notorious Manolo Blahniks. Since I might greatly benefit in pain relief in general from that "sacrifice", you need know that I would do many other things, as well; in ways from smart and moral to DOS-attacking NM.com so they don't sell out.

They simply mustn't sell out before I get my beloved pair. That is why I must act fast, use all my resources and why I say "get these on mah feets NOW" - it's a rare thing I cry!

Endangered Species: Women's Bodies is an upcoming summit with a great goal: to help the self-esteem of women. I won't talk too much about it partly because it is trending now anyway but mostly because it is not nationally spread, and I am no New Yorker (Yankee). ;-) If you want to learn more or you can attend in NYC, click that link for the US branch.

What I'm participating in though, because these issues are important to this blog and myself, is a little meme in the theme from Beautiful You by Julie; who tells female bloggers to "participate" from afar. (I couldn't not join in!)

The blogger posed three questions for others to choose from. I had to select this two-parter,

"Why is body image important to you and what would you like to be your and your wider community's body image legacy?"

1. Why is it important to me? Because it effects my daily and virtually all-day happiness or at least contentment. I am hardly even content with myself. I feel inferior to those whose busts extend beyond their guts, or lack of guts. I assume I'm judged if I'm not wearing the utmost flattering outfit (I try so hard!). No matter what I do, my profile is never great and I worry about "looking pregnant". The thing is if I could live without fear of other women, always women, judging my shape - I would be content to not even try to change. I love food and don't enjoy real exercise in the slightest - no highs, no energy boosts, no big feeling of doing something great for myself. What if I could change the world around me or at least my perception of the world's perception of myself? So many others feel it is needed as well! Health is important, but I'd prefer my heaping (read: ginormous) near-nightly portion of delicious (read: buttered) veggies would hold more importance to my mental well-being than it does.
   
2. My community's body-image legacy? Well, I need a community, first, and it's petites / petite women. I've wanted to help petites better face this world since I was young. Even though I'll never again be a skinny teenager, I will also never again grow one inch. Also since I'm not plus-sized (just round), my community is with the shorties. I want my wider community's body image legacy to be... that women no longer think short is ugly. (It really seems like they and society do!) We constantly hear "long and lean" is the goal, but that's insulting!!! I go crazy when I hear or read of a petite girl feeling unable to wear flats, or living, living, living in heels since age 12 - because her jeans have a P attached to their size. Short is cute and feminine! Men do dig it (along with curves and meat)! Of course there are many men for any shape, but guys are at least cool with dating a girl a foot or more shorter; relax and wear some comfortable shoes on that date, missy. Heck, most men actually prefer comfortable shoes on a girl to heels. (Which man do you want, anyway?) Seriously, take all this from a girl who actually likes girls; not just boys. I love petites--You are hot.
   

Wear what you like and rock what you have! If I have one actually important flattery tip to add to that, it's just "cinch your waist". ;-) Beyond that, let's stop worrying so much. The world will be a better place.

Is Target quality declining (as is the case for at least some other companies in this recession) or is the instance of a "coming apart" clothing item possibly a result of crazy Christmas shoppers?

This photo was taken during the time of Christmas rush, true, but I've never seen such a thing even with years-old mall-brand denim. Jeans have always been known for their ruggedness and holes are usually worn into the knee long before any seams come undone. Denim is like Louis Vuitton bags in item lifespan! Usually, that is the case, but here with this "more premium", William Rast, line at Target, I found this disturbing scene.

It's also true that stitching is not the famously durable portion of denim products. So is this kind of lower quality par for the course with "marts" or, as I suspect, is this a cost-saving measure reserved only to pad profits for the bigger-name brands?

I think I will shop Target with more caution now, even though I enjoy the chain (my small Mulberry bag is great!). I'll likely buy my denim with more  tried-and-true (or at least in my own experience) stores, or perhaps solely shop for the original: Levi's. Still, we must all remember to be cautious consumers especiallly during - even after - a recession, whether in "greedy" America or while dealing with any large corporate products. These are tough  modern times with far lower business morals, but at least Levi's as a company would fall apart of its denim did!

I suppose after this, I must wholly endorse Levi's products for all!

(Yes, that includes petites, like these 27.5" or 29" inseam skinnies. Need! Restock please!) (We do not receive any funding from clicks or purchases of this link or levis.com, currently, or with this post.)

In the past when tragedies, like this recent shooting, have happened I've felt that fashion is too trivial to care so much about on a multi-times-per-day scale. Right now though, I'm posting this after a hiatus relating to personal career woes and worry about overspending. I shed tears for these victims and here I am pondering style.

I recently don't care if I have cash to spend - is this a positive effect from a highly negative event? I don't know. I still fret that blogging will make me desire too much.

I can't make sense of the hate in the world, just like no one can. I really can't tie it in to fashion either, except I must remember that I try to tie in the deepness in my brain back into a fashion blog.

I can't help but think of what John Stewart said this Monday (after the shooting). Things like, "how do you make sense of these types of senseless situations?" Plus things like, "I refuse to give in to that feeling of despair"...

I'm reminded of the at-first-seemingly prick-like mantra that "life goes on". When we are first grieving that sounds like a careless mentality, but it is just both a sad and positive truth. It does not mean that we throw away our love and sorrow, but it is a reflection on how not only life beside us goes on but that eventually we will smile and later find joy again, even though we will always love and care for the gone, or respect tragedies, but that life and grief can coexist. It must for our survival.

We will shop again. Art is a part of life, accessories are sometimes, or seemingly, needed. We must not feel bad for desiring to be stylish. No more so after loss than during triumph.

Never hate yourself because you are beautiful.

Ends are sometimes rough, and is there a perfect way to end a post such as this?

No, but I now want to try to quickly touch upon, after I spoke of why I've been absent, where I've been and will continue to be. I can't promise daily posts now, although I want to try to frequent my blog again. I do know I'm already depressed that I cannot afford these lust-worthy excesses. I can though promise ramblings about my life and fashionable links on my personal Facebook account. It might interest you to friend me in order to follow me. I welcome you (just please mention my blog). My account is: facebook.com/designerella.

Featured:

Fendi The Fendista Patent Leather Sandals

$785.00 by Fendi at Saks Fifth Avenue

Fabulous, yet sensible shoes? Great! Let me wait a year to see if  they make the outlets - yeah right. ;-)