Roi James at Laura Rathe Fine Art

Have you visited Laura Rathe Fine Art yet? They are a full service gallery that represents emerging and established artists in oil, acrylic, and watercolor paintings, sculpture, glass and fine art prints. The gallery is a large, gorgeous contemporary building off of Colquitt St, that I would sacrifice my right arm to live in. Head over there January 15th to see for yourself:)

Laura Rathe

27007 Colquitt St

Houston, TX 77098

Forever 21 Faux Fur Cheetah Print Coat

$39.00

Clearly, this is going to be an incredibly verbose post, full of the minutea of my mood/surroundings/movements/etc when I made this purchase, but first, a more basic expression:

AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay.  So.

I cannot believe I finally have my leopard coat that I have been searching FOREVER for.  You know, if forever meant three months, one of which I wasn't actually searching for it.  Whatever.  It is just so very utterly perfect, the physical manifestation of all my leopardcoat desires.  The material, print, length, fit, even depth of color, is just all so perfect, it's like I imagined it into being.  And of course, the piece de resistance - ONLY FORTY BUCKS.  Topshop and stupid trendyEbayers bidding every leopard thing up to $200+ can SUCK IT.*

I already practically want to live in it - is it outside the realm of sanity to envision myself lounging around the house wearing a big fauxleopard coat, only partly ironically?  I don't even care that this "trend" is partly over; I shall wear/flaunt it joyously anyway, despite the heaps of derision I am almost certain I will receive from friends who (like you, T) are unused to me wearing anything quite so out there.  How funny that in the end, it was yet again Forever21 to the rescue - how did I not think to turn to my original love??  Ahh F21, I shall never forsake thee again!

*one day, I will learn to use eloquence and diction to make my point, but for now, I am too excited so ALLCAPS will have to suffice

T, 1/4/11: Dear A, I'll never doubt you again.  As we discussed, I didn't think you'd ever get your leopard, since all your ebay auctions went for $100+ for dirty, ratty things, and you held steadfast to your max.  But, you found something beautiful, soft, and perfect, for waaaay under anything you previously showed me.  If eBay didn't block bidder IDs, you should email those who bid on dirty/ratty leopards a link to this . . . it's amazing.  I am sooooo proud of you!!!  Paired w/ OTK boots, you are sooo T/E!  Def the best find of 2011; it'll be hard to top.

Forever 21 Colorblock Trimmed Cardigan

$24 Forever21 cardigan (left) vs. $2,199 Buyitnow Ebay Chanel cashmere

Well this is just a lawsuit waiting to happen, but I am firmly on Team21!  (If I could remember what site actually gathered all the blatant F21 ripoffs for sidebyside comparisons, I would send this to them)  Yes yes, copyright infringement, blahblah, I know you are incredibly passionate about this "intellectual property" Ms. von Furstenberg, but really, how can I not support a company that gives me a basically 99% markdown?!  Please continue making beautiful clothes in beautiful colors though, I still love you!  ps.  my exrmie used to be one of ur hubby's specialfriends, so that makes us practically bffs right?!

T, 1/4/11:  Let's just call this purchase a Chanel.  I absolutely abhor this phrase, but "it is what it is."  I have thus added a Chanel tag to this post as well. :)  You have a great eye, whatta find!  I want.

Acquisitions and Additions

I just acquired this nautical sweater by Trina Turk and brown leather platforms by Tracy Reese and I can't wait to wear them.  I bought them from a fashionable friend who hosted a sale of her barely worn clothing.  She held the sale at her home, served drinks and hors d' oeuvres and used different rooms display clothes and try things on.  This would also be a great thing to do with a couple friends, maybe set up a few sections where each person could display their items and then invite everyone you know.  It's a high profile garage sale where the seller makes more than they would at a consignment store and the buyer pays less.

These two dresses will be in the shop tomorrow.  I was going to save them until Spring, but with Valentine's Day and Easter in the near future,  I am sure they will find good homes!

Not Buying Anything NEW and NEW Items in the Shop

Yesterday, I completely forgot to mention our crazy "no buying anything new" goal for 2010.  In fact, I really haven't shared too much about it on the blog because I try to keep posts heavier on visual content rather than writing.  If you aren't sure what I am talking about, let me bring you up to speed...my family and I decided last year that our New Year's Resolution would be to try to not buy anything "new" for the whole year, with a few built in exceptions such as food and toiletries.  The challenge was to put living the "Salvage Life" to the test.  Could we really find the things we wanted and needed by buying used instead of new?  The answer, for the most part was, YES!  We gave creative used and vintage gifts, we found used clothes and shoes for the whole family, we borrowed, we scoured ebay, etsy and craigslist.  I don't think however that I bought less stuff in 2010, I just replaced new purchases with used ones.  I want to think more about what and why I buy in 2011, we'll see how it goes.  If you want to read more about this challenge, visit Adelaide Homesewn's Blog, Maria did an interview with me there.

Today I will start adding some new items to the shop and the first collection will be this sweet group of vintage brooches.  Sometimes when I think of brooches, I think of an old lady pinning Christmas tree brooches all over an already hideous sweater, but let's think again.  Brooches can be worn in so many interesting ways.  Here's five ideas to get the most out of your brooches:

1. Pin a group of three small brooches to a knit cap
2. Secure a piece of ribbon around your waist with a statement brooch
3. Pin it onto a plain clutch purse to spice it up
4. Hang it on a string or thin ribbon around your neck
5. Pin it on a stretchy head band for an instant hairdo

BEST SHIRTLESS DUDE'S

                                                                      
                         
                                                                    ALI KIBA.
 

                                               
                                                               p-square.


                                                                                 
                                 
                                                                    vin diesel.


                                                                                                    
                                                  
                                                                            mike T

                                              
                                                                             50 CENT


                                               
                                                                               Shemar Moore

Sorteio paleta de sombras Jasmyne e Batom Yes Cosmetics!!!!!

Sorteioooooo, uhuuuu, amoooo!!!! Sim meninas, estou super feliz com esse primeiro sorteio do ano, até mesmo já em comemoração ao primeiro aninho do blog!!!!

A Karla Cosméticos ( Jardim América, tel: 27-32260856), essa loja super bacana, parceira aqui do blog, nos presenteou com essa paleta fofa da Jasmyne, que irá direto para as mãos da seguidora que vencer o sorteio. São 24 sombras super pigmentadas, cintilantes e 3 blushs com leve shimmer. Um looshoo!!!

Vejam a cintilância que dignidade!!!

Blushs lindinhos em 3 tonalidades, com brilhinhos dourados.

E....

A Yes Cosmetics, parceira querida aqui do blog, sempre presente também nos nossos sorteios e dessa vez com o batom super tendência, lançamento da linha Sabrina Sato, o "Neon". Para quem quer curtir um look style, esse é o batom, já falei sobre ele nesse post e a cor é demais.

Gostaram????

O sorteio começa hoje, dia 04/01/2011, e vai até o dia 20/01/2011 às 23h59m. O resultado sairá no dia 23/01/2011.

Regrinhas para participar:

• Ser seguidora do blog trend-fashion-today (Clique em "Seguir" na barra lateral à direita).
• Ter endereço de entrega no Brasil.
• Preencher corretamente o formulário abaixo no prazo determinado.
• Somente uma inscrição por seguidora.

INSCRIÇÕES ENCERRADAS, OBRIGADA.

INSCRIÇÕES ENCERRADAS, OBRIGADA.

A vencedora terá 2 dias para responder ao email de confirmação, com seus respectivos dados para entrega, caso contrário, faço novo sorteio com as mesmas participantes. O sorteio será realizado pelo site http://www.random.org/.

Esse presentão da Karla Cosméticos e Yes Cosmetics está esperando por vc!!!

Participem, bjussss!!!