WHY BUY: Forever 21 Stretch Cargo Pants

($22.80, Forever 21)

No, don't reach for your glasses. You actually read that correctly. I bought not one but TWO pairs of stretch cargo pants from Forever 21 and I'm LOVING them. Seriously. They're cotton with a slight stretch, they pull on but not in a mom-jeans way, and they fit perfectly. Well, they fit me perfectly anyway. They're definitely more skinny cargo/ skinny jeans than leggings, so they don't come with any of that leggings-are-not-pants drama. I've been wearing them with a t-shirt, blazer, and booties. They're tapered at the bottom, so they're almost stupid easy to tuck into boots.

Oh, and I actually factually give these an A for quality though that's relative quality considering they're from Forever 21. But for fast fashion, these are really sturdy -- I've worn them for months, washed them (obviously), and they show no signs of slowing down (kind of like, say, the Tea Party, unfortunately). I actually may buy two more pairs for backup.

I bought these in both grey and olive, though the olive is basically your standard-issue khaki/ army green. I bought these in large (because Forever 21 is a store for teenagers, and I am not a teenager, at least not according to my birth certificate), and I'm about a size 8, so if you're an 8-ish or under, go crazy. Get two pairs. I did!

Chill Out, J Brand! Hudson's Doing Skinny Cargos Too, Mkay?

Remems back a few Fridays ago when Catherine posted about lots of fashiony types sharting themselves over J Brand's Houlihan skinny cargo pants and how Bloomingdale's practically exploded trying to keep them in stock? Well, everyone, please calm down and take your seats. Because Hudson Jeans is quietly doing pretty much the same thing, okay?

Observe: Hudson Jeans' Skinny Cargo Pocket Jean from their fully covet-worthy Resurrection line, which is all military inspired.

($305, Hudson, Barneys.com)

SickaThanAverage has a great round-up of all of Hudson's Spring 2010 collection, including Resurrection and DIY, which has exposed zippers like you would not believe.

AND, check out Rich & Skinny's Cargo leggings, if you're still serious about skinny cargos:

($172, Rich & Skinny, Couturecandy.com)

How great would these look with a chunky cream-colored cowl-neck sweater, or a big, boss black sweater?

And if skinny cargos bring out the "aw hell no!" in you, might I suggest some of my all-time favorite, most-comfiest jeans? Hudson's Signature Bootcut Jeans in a light wash. They're kitty-cat soft and hang purrrfectly on my hips, to further the cat symbolism.

($176, Hudson, Saksfifthavenue.com)

(* Disclosure: I was gifted the Hudson Bootcut jeans. But I really do love them.)

Skinny Cargo Pant Party

I'm a little late, but: Have you heard about these things? The pants that Bloomingdale's can't keep in stock and have sold 75,000 pairs of? I've definitely seen some ladies in these pants, and I have to say, they look damn good. (Check out the Sea of Shoes chick in them.)


J Brand Houlihans, $230.

But what's a girl who's morally and practically opposed to paying $230 for a pair of trendy pants, no matter how "very flattering" they are, to do?


Shhhh. Victoria's Secret has a similar pair on sale for about a tenth of the price. Skinny cargo pant in stretch twill, $29.99.

Or, if it's just too hot for your skinny ass out there, try a cargo skirt:


Silk cargo skirt, $19.99.

Beauty Binge: Natural Products Worldwide Lipgloss Pots, Cargo Plant Love & Jane Iredale

Packaging Whore. That should be the name of my next blog. Because I am one. A packaging whore.

Just take a second to consider whether you can even deal with the cuteness of Natural Products Worldwide's (a British gift and design firm) Naughty But Nice little pastried-up lipgloss pots. Just TRY to see if you can handle. Moving right along...

(Apprx $3.80 USD, npw.co.uk)

(Apprx $15 USD, npw.co.uk)

My awesomely thoughtful friend Elinor brought me this little four-pack from her trip to London earlier this year. While usually, novelty beauty products are heavier on the novelty, lighter on the beauty, these l'il guys -- the cream tart in particular, actually moisturize like champs. Sweet!

($20, Cargo, Sephora)

These super cuters Cargo "Plant Love" lipsticks aren't exactly new to market, but they -- and they're irresistible packaging -- are new to me. They're made from all sorts of... green... stuff (green is the new black!) like corn. Six of the shades were designed by celebritayze -- I like Mariska Hargitay's and Evagenline Lily's -- though I like the non-celeb shades best. (And the celebs are super random -- Kim Raver, Denise Richards, Sarah Chalke and Lindsay Lohan... um, probably at least three of them have slept with Charlie Sheen, but at least they've all got fame in common?) Best of all, $2 from each shade goes to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.


Finally...

($24, Jane Iredale)

See, I'm not JUST into the kiddie packaging -- Jane Iredale's Sugar & Butter Lip Exfoliator is totally sophisticado in its dual-sided ingenuity and pretty gold patina, and the product is superb. The brown sugar exfoliator works well, but the ginger and mint plumper is light, lush and lovely and leaves your lips unbelievably soft and smooth. Huzzah! And if you're not into the exfoliator (it does leave a few trace grains of sugar, but that was also because I was practically chewing it off its stick with sugary excitement), check out the regular lip plumper. It tingles but doesn't sting. Huzzah!