RImmel is my new (old) favorite makeup brand.

Yes - this is technically a Fashion blog. But you and I know that a great outfit is usually paired with an equally awesome hairdo and some fabulous makeup.

I confess that I'm an Anglophile. I studied at the Royal College of Music in London my junior year of college, and the experience was nothing short of transformational. The textures you encounter in London are strikingly dissimilar to that of New York, despite the plethora of cross-cultural references. London is a blend of the New World and Old World - architecture stretching back centuries juxtaposed to punk-mod hangouts; churches sandwiched in between local pubs.

The image I left with (and trust me, I had to be dragged out of London; literally) was that Londoners took care of their appearance. For instance, the sidewalks are beautifully uniform and clean - no trash or black gum marks are usually found. And this translates to the canvas of their beauty regimen. Case in point: their most popular drugstore, Boots (the British version of Duane Reade) has an incredible selection of merch in the beauty department, that would put Sephora to shame. For me, it was like being a child in a candy store and a toy store all in one. The majority of stuff I came home with, I purchased at Boots - also because there were many brands not offered in the US, and products not released outside of Europe.

One product line that has made it across the Atlantic, however, is Rimmel London cosmetics. Now, I didn't automatically grab makeup from this brand after reading the word "London" on it (I try to keep my obsessions in check with a bit of restraint) - but on a recent trip out of state, I found myself perusing the beauty aisle in search of a couple of lipsticks in red hues, after searching my makeup bag and realizing I'd left my collection of reds at home. I came across Rimmel's Lasting Finish lipstick line (honestly? because it was eye-level) and out of curiosity, dabbed some color on my wrist. I was pleasantly surprised how easily the color glided on, and how velvety smooth the consistency was. I bought two colors (166 - temptation, a wine-red, and 124 - bordeaux, a dark plum-red) and merrily went on my way.

I do not think I've been more pleased with a lipstick - and that's saying a lot (Sephora's brand lipsticks are fantastic, and Revlon is also a standard for me), but putting this lipstick on makes me want to plan outfits around them! The hues, the lasting color, and the texture of the lipstick are all so wonderful that I'm planning to take a trip back to my drugstore ASAP to experiment with more Rimmel.

Any lipstick brands catch your fancy?

Update: I discovered that Target has partnered with Boots to bring a selection of its store collection to the US! Boots is now available at your local Target! Wooooooo!

Fall is almost here!

(image courtesy of Lida Rose, photographer)

...And I, for one, am so excited. (No, really. You can find me making lists of all the outfit combinations I intend to wear and staring into my closet with a profound sense of wonder...)

To be honest, it used to be my least favorite season. It was always a return to the responsibilities of school, those first few days where you wish it were still summer, under-dress, and get your first Autumn cold...I would always wish I could just forward to Spring (with, perhaps, a quick stop at the first snowfall in Winter!), but now, I plan to relish the season for all its beauty.

Fall clothing is the most fun to wear, in my opinion - because there's a mixture of light and heavy fabrics to work with, and I love the rich color palettes and deep hues!

My excitement for this Fall reached an all-time high when I looked into my closet, and lo and behold, I had everything I could think of to create lots and lots of awesome head-to-toe outfits; a combination of vintage clothing from my mother's generation and classic items from years past, I was ecstatic to discover there was really no need to shop for the season - especially with the minimalist and feminine vibes being big trends (That is basically what my whole closet is about!).

Here are some pieces in my closet that I'll share with you:

Nude Heels - Because it's the new black pump.

Red Suede Heels - Because you can dress it up or down and it's an awesome punch of color to an outfit of neutrals - you can pair it with warm or cool tones and it will look awesome.

Navy Military Blazer - Because it instantly prep-ifies a look, and preppy is very in vogue. You can pair it with white jeans or jean shorts to transition those traditionally summery clothes into Fall, you can also wear it over a skirt/top to give it a look that teeters between dressy and casual. LOVE it. (I got mine at H&M for 30-ish bucks.)

(image courtesy of polyvore.com)

Camel Leather Riding Boots - Because its also one of my signature clothing items. I bought a pair from ZARA as a birthday splurge (since they were a little more than $200) and I swear by them. Comfy, beautiful soft leather, you can wear them with anything, they're very versatile. Dress up, dress down, and you'll always look more put together than if you chose your hi-top sneakers (although I love them, too!!)

Vintage Black Alligator Purse - Because the size of this baby combined with the gold chain strap is reminiscent of the Chanel quilted caviar purse that's soooo popular these days...but it being vintage and one of my mother's items, I love it even more.

LBD...times 20 - Because just one little black dress has never been enough for me - don't have a signature black dress; the black dress is my signature. Black dresses are my bread and butter, and it used to be the ONLY thing I wore. I have one in pretty much every silhouette and fabric. And I won't get rid of any of them! EVER! Invest in at least three: One black tie number, One casual cotton one, and one risque number that you'll only wear because you want jaws to drop.

White Jersey Cotton Scarf - Because it's a layer that fits effortlessly into your bag and goes with whatever you're wearing.

Skinny (Dark Wash) Jean - Because (if it fits right) it makes your legs/behind look fantastic...

Leather Moto Jacket - because paired with a scarf, sunglasses and jeans it is instantly glamourous. I have one in classic black, and one in silver.

Beige Lace Dress - Because you can't let go of how demure and coquette the babydoll look is! Forever21 has a couple empire waisted ones, and Charlotte Russe has a tight minidress number, both between 20-30 bucks.

(picture courtesy of charlotterusse.com)

Plaid Shirts - I have them green, red, and blue and paired with a suit, it adds an androgyny to the look which I love.

And there you have it! That's more or less the stuff I will be able to work with for the fall season.

...So if you see me shopping, tell me to go home. :P

*BAAAAWWWWWK*

For many years, I had an obsession with wearing black, and only black. It was simple, easy to dress up or down, and all the cool kids were doing it. Also, it's literally the only color in my mother's closet, and of course that rubs off on you, too. So my experimentation with color would be in the accessories - makeup, the jewelry, headpieces, shoes, tights, etc. (I loved to wear purple or fuchsia tights with a black minidress!) and I found that pairing black and red, got, well...rather tiresome and old looking.

My favorite thing to do when I'm stumped on how to co-ordinate is look to nature - I mean it - literally, pop open a National Geographic and discover the awe-inducing world! Sure, most of the views would inspire you even in black and white (Ansel Adams is the BOSS of black+white landscapes!) but it is particularly jaw-dropping to see a wild landscape with all its breathtaking color. Particularly interesting, as well, are the fashion styles of other animals. I mean, don't you love a leopard/tiger print every now and then to spruce up your wardrobe, I sure do!

So, to cut my long-winded story short, when I was attempting to pull myself out of my black-blues, I became fascinated with the plumage of birds - particularly the peacock. At first, I'd pair a midnight blue on the lids with an iridescent emerald or olive on the crease, and blend. Iloved peacock eyes, and thought, why don't I take a risk?

I bought myself the comfiest pair of peacock blue velvet flats from Zara (the kind of blue that catches your eye and hypnotizes you! So saturated! So luscious!); velvet and suede are wonderful fabrics for saturated color.

Pretty soon, I was adding more navy, taupe, and olive to my wardrobe, and not only did it compliment my olive skin and auburn hair, but it really added a zing of energy to my ensembles.

There's a trend going on right now of wearing feathers! I totally thought of the peacock again. I bet you the boa is going to be the new winter scarf. I CALLED IT FIRST!

Try letting plumage inspire you in your fashion choices! You'll come up with something fresh and fun to wear - you'll be killing two birds with one stone.

Yeah, I went there.

PS: Just don't go overboard with the feathers or you'll look like you belong in Miley Cyrus's last music video.

(This is a bad thing.)

Feathers & Hues!

Blue Suede Hot Hidden Platform Pumps @ Lulu's, $39

Nude Feather Suede Court Shoes @ ASOS, $168

Stud Feather Clutch @ ASOS, $26

Feather Headwrap @ Forever 21, $8

Feather Skirt @ ASOS, $56

Because Some Like It Haute...

My adorable kitten, Cerulean (Chi-Chi for short) beckons you!

Hello, kittens.

I thought you might want to know that I am on the inside circle of a fabulous, invitation only website (Hautelook.com) for those who love designer brands at dirt-cheap discounts. Which would be you!

If you would like to receive an invitation to said website, e-mail me at le.chaton.noir@lycos.com, and I will send you an invitation code. Okay?

You'rrrrrre welcome!

Nostalgia for the Old Days

I'm sure many of you put the backpack high on your list of daily traditions to be grateful you don't have to endure, once you graduated from your school girl days (it's up there with shower flip-flops, 8am classes, all-nighters for end of term papers, and your twitchy, awkward RA). I have to say, though, if it weren't for the trauma of wearing 40 pounds worth of textbooks to school everyday combined with the fact that you can dress your North Face down, but you can't wear it with stilettos, I would have actually continued to include a backpack in my wardrobe; especially if said backpack looked like this:

Tan Leather Rucksack, $118.36 (via ASOS.com)

Warm chestnut color, plush leather, understated and classy pocket and zipper accents. I'm in love, aren't you? It makes me want to return to academia; although nothing will ever cause me to long for my high school days...*shudder*

Bowler Bags...A Personal Favorite

I love bowler bags, because they're the perfect multi-purpose bag. One day, they can be an ultra chic gym bag, another day, a great "the-weather-jumps-from-winter-to-summer-so-I-have-to-bring-layers" day bag, and another day, it could be the ultimate weekender for a trip upstate.

For those of you who like to travel light, and the prospect of carrying a bag that has ample room for more than your keys, wallet and phone makes your back hurt, the bowler is a "green option" for those shopping days: opt not to carry your multi-purchases in the store's plastic or paper, in favor of your own shopping portable.

So, as you can see, anyone can benefit from a bowler. They're just that cool.

Summery options:

ASOS Washed Ticking Stripe Holdall, $47.35

Bebe Zig-Zag Patchwork Traveler, $139.00

Old Navy Canvas Duffel, $29.50

Colder months:

ASOS Horse Print Bowler, $42.27

Latico Vintage Leather Travel Bowler, $79.00

ASOS Strappy Oversized Bowler, $59.18

All-Year Round (these are a bit pricier but they're multi-seasonal):

Latico PS Medium Bowler, Orchid or Caribe, $120

Tepper Jackson Weekender, $148

LeSportsac Patent Weekender, $98

Tell Me Something...

Why is it that Suri, whose age does not take up all the fingers in her pretty, nail polished little hand, is a fierce fashion icon, while her mother...is not?

Case in point:

(Picture courtesy INFDaily.com)

Perhaps where Katie is concerned, I would enjoy all the things she's wearing separately with different ensembles, but together they make her look like she got dressed in the dark.

However, Suri's get-up...I'd wear it. C'mon! The flowy cream empire waist dress, the black patent ballerinas with knee-highs...the arabian silk/satin olive/apple bag...

So I started thinking...

Is it possible that fashion has slowly been taking cues from Celebrity CHILDREN?

Or is Suri that much of a natural?

Hmmm....