Reflections of a Shopaholic - A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words (Roughly)

(Michael Kors photo via whowhatwear.com)

Do you resemble the girl in this photo? If not akin to her body type, then perhaps you have her style? Truthfully, I couldn't feel further away from this image than if it were a picture of Will Ferrell dressed in drag. Ironically, I do own skinny black pants, sexy black heels, a great black tote (not fur, but still fab), and an oversized gold Michael Kors watch. I also have a few gold (plated) cuffs and a simple black long-sleeve shirt as pictured above, yet my everyday ever-so-casual ensembles are the complete antithesis of what this girl is wearing. (I was unknowingly wearing my t-shirt inside out this morning until my 3-year-old pointed it out...) The last time I looked close to this snazzy (in the daylight) I was sans les bébés!

Seriously, do you know where this fab fashionista is headed because my life seems so drab in comparison! Please tell me! Lunch with a girlfriend? A casting call? How about Paris? How can something as simple as a photo have me questioning my entire existence, leaving me wondering if I should throw in my diaper bag and flats and rack up my credit card for a fantasy life that doesn't even exist? I guess that's advertising for you!

Any unresolved questions about my former shopping habits seem so clear in moments like these - no wonder P and I were shopaholics!

Lust or Must? Nixon Time Teller Rubber Watch

Nixon Time Teller Watch, $60

A lemon colored watch! How beautiful! In these drab days of winter this little gem seems like the perfect pick-me-up. I own a lovely Michael Kors watch (which I dutifully pined over for a year and a half before taking the plunge) but despite all its gilt and glory it is not appropriate for every occasion. Do I wear it to yoga? Not so much. Is it proper attire for the elliptical? Not really. In those sporty moments my arm is bare. Yes, totally bare! And alas, the clock on the wall of the gym or the digital display on my phone just don't hold a flame to this trendy timepiece.

This watch is sunny, delightful and positively perfect for those days when you want to rock your Lululemons not your Louboutins. So I guess the big question is would a $10 imitation fill the void, or for a few extra dollars (read $50) does this Nixon deserve a place in my wrist candy rotation?

Love, A

poll by twiigs.com

The Day I Met the Missonis

This story takes place in early autumn 2011. All the events and anecdotes are completely true. No one's names have been changed. This was one of the highlights of 2011 for me and I'd like to share it with you.

Missoni for Target pop-up

Sarah May and I had arrived in NY just two days earlier, coming to town for the IFB Conference (read more about that here), and having only one day left before heading back across the border, we had a serious pow-wow weighing various options of how to spend our last day and night. We were staying in Brooklyn so we had to decide: would we be coming back for dinner or when we hit the city in the morning would we need to be prepared to stay well into the eve (i.e. what to bring, what not to bring and outfits that would [or wouldn't!] be able to go from day to night, natch) and, once on the isle of Manhattan, where would we go and what would we do? In a city with endless possibilities, we were momentarily immobilized by the sheer wealth and breadth of choice. Plus, it was Fashion's Night Out which we knew we wanted to attend, but added a whole other level of where to go at what time and with whom. There were only two things I knew for sure: since it was Sarah's first time in NYC (and since I am a former resident) I felt it was my duty to show her the best time possible and 2) I really wanted to go to the Missoni for Target pop-up shop in Bryant Park. I had been lusting over practically the entire collection (as had most people!) and the chance to get a sneak peek was too tantalizing to turn down.

Ms. May in the diner

After our brief tete-à-tete, we concluded that first and foremost we were hungry! We took the train over and up to my old subway stop at 66th & Broadway. Perfect, really since the tents for fashion week now live at Lincoln Center. We breezed down the sun filled, super wide sidewalks, ducking into one of my fave hotels The Empire (the site of this epic moment) so I could show Sarah the sumptuous art deco lobby. There were people everywhere and we almost (literally) bumped into Erin Wasson who was coming out as we were going in. It's Fashion Week y'all and when you're right across the street from the tents you're bound to come face to face with a supermodel or two. On we ventured in search of food and found it not too far from the hotel in the form of the quintessential New York diner. We had burgers with french fries and coleslaw, seltzer with ice and watery coffee. And pickles! (Don't even get me started on the pickles!)

The pickles

When we could eat no more, we paid our lovely, diminutive waiter and headed clear down Broadway all the way to Times Square. Seeing Times Square live and in person is quite a sight. And seeing with someone who has never seen it before (and who is one of your closest friends) is a very near second. It is not an exaggeration to say I felt lucky to be by her side and honored to have been the one to take her there first. To cap off this lovely moment, we even caught a glimpse of a few sailors, enabling Sarah to snap this photo and making our visit truly complete.

The sailors

We banged a left at 42nd street bound for Bryant Park. There aren't many things I'll wait in line for, life is just too short, but Sarah and I agreed Missoni for Target would be worth the wait,