Al Pacino, Master of Layers

I just think everybody needs to see this, okay? This is some serious fashion news. The kind you need to know!

Al Pacino Arrives at Airport, Wears Completely Normal Number of Jackets. In case you are pressed for time, here is the story in pictures.

The end. You're welcome.

I Bought It Files: SHARK Bracelet & Faux Fur Leopard Print Coat!

I realized yesterday that AN ENTIRE DAY HAD PASSED without me engaging in ANY sort of online shopping experience. So today I vowed to right that terrible wrong.

I had an online gift certificate to Fred Flare, which is one of my favorite stores of all time (run by some of the nicest PEOPLE of all time -- Chris, Keith and Jen are LITTLE MIRACLES), which is why I'll soon be the proud owner of a new leopard-print faux fur coat AND a Disney Couture shark bracelet. TWO NECESSITIES, of course.

($78, FredFlare.com)

I've been on a mission for MONTHS now to find a great faux fur coat, and I hope this one delivers. It's no Wren fur coat, but it's also not $795, now is it?

($54, Disney Couture, FredFlare.com)

I'm not necessarily a Disney person, nor am I usually into licensed merch (often it skeeves me out), but I do positively LOVE Disney Couture's jewelry, particularly because it doesn't look like kid Disney stuff. And it's made really well. My Disney treasure chest ring, also from Fred Flare, looks brand-new after years of wear. Oh yeah, and Disney Couture's Tron merch is out of this world. (Get it?) Anyway, I ended up buying this shark bracelet. Because I really really needed a shark bracelet, as it turns out.

Oh yeah, get 30% off with code word "Flare." YAY! Love a sale!

This Marc By Marc Jacobs Faux Fur Terry Jacket Is THE BUSINESS

($258, Marc By Marc Jacobs, Nordstrom.com)

You know how EVERYONE is doing faux fur outerwear this fall? Faux fur vests, cropped jackets and stuff? Well I'm kinda "meh" about it. Faux fur's kinda like a laser -- you need to handle it VERY carefully or you could really end up doing some serious damage.

HOWEVER, my coworker Lisa came into work the other day wearing this Marc By Marc Jacobs 'Ridge Loopback' French terry jacket with faux-fur trim. I almost tackled her to the ground in a where'd-you-get-that assault. This jacket is now officially my favorite use of faux fur, since it pairs faux fur with a really unexpected asymmetrical pea coat-style jacket in terry, which is even more unexpected and adorable. It even looked cuter on Lisa than it does on this here model. I suspect it'd look extremely cute on me too. #wants

Style Spotlight: Gap Leather Utility Jacket

($328, Gap)

Gap's new belted black leather jacket stopped me in my tracks when I passed it in the window of their Times Square location. It's clearly not meant to be... yet... since it's sold out in medium (and is it just me or does Gap run ENORMOUS these days), but I've got my eye on you, black leather jacket! You with the super-convenient hip pockets and the skinny, push-up-able sleeves.

More cute leather jackets here at Naag!

I Bought It: Toggle Jacket

I can't stop wearing my basic Gap jean jacket (purchased in a Montreal thrift store and working out great), but I think this might help me break the habit a little bit:


Tulle Clothing toggle jacket, $70.

Kinda awesome, right?

Hayden-Harnett: Surprise Sample Sale!

I left the last Hayden-Harnett sample sale empty-handed, but they made up for it with this sale. They announced it on Tuesday afternoon on Facebook, but sadly I wasn't able to get down to the Nolita store until last night after work. It was obvious from the largely empty racks and the disaster-zone dressing room that they'd had quite a crowd during the day. Amazingly enough, the sale featured actual samples from the fall 2010 line, meaning mostly small sizes. And yet...she shoots, she scores!


The salesgirl was sort of instrumental in convincing me to buy this cool bomber, the Cromwell jacket, in charcoal herringbone. It also comes in brown (below, far left):



Only $60, and guess what it retails for? $538! Jeebus. (Methinks H-H's price points are a wee bit high, but their sample-sale prices, in this case, were just right.) In any case, I win. Is it time for wool jackets yet?



I also got a cozy, cropped sweater vest (above right, worn open). Love that scoop neck! And the zipper! Needed no convincing. $60. No word on retail price, as it's not on the H-H site yet. After a long, annoying day, that's what you call retail therapy, folks.

Some other things from the fall collection that I'll be on the lookout for at the next sale:


Welles large hobo tote, $544, and I guess a Welles hobo/cross-body bag (as yet unavailable)—love that poppy color!



Pistol & Dagger scarf, $95, in many awesome fall colors.



Coats and jackets galore!

The sample sale is at the Nolita store in NYC, on Elizabeth between Houston and Prince, and runs through Sunday, from 12-8 each day. Everything is $20-$70. Long live Hayden-Harnett!

What I Want Now

Hi, everyone, as Nina Garcia would say. I'm back from my amazing, double-rainbow-caliber trip to Yosemite, and I promise not to post anymore dreary hiking gear (though I will say that my beet red Keen sandals, bought on Craigslist, were perfect and kind of awesome). If you want to see some snaps that capture SOME of the glory, as well as me in an Andrew W.K. bandana, click here. I now want to go to like every national park in existence. Acadia, anyone?

In the meantime, however, we have fall to contend with. Uh, almost. It's 95 degrees in New York. But soon, soon, it'll be crisp skirts-and-tights weather. And jacket weather. And this is the THE jacket I want to be wearing:



Rachel Rachel Roy leather "Aries" jacket, $299. Is it not FULL awesome?? Thanks to Sugar Rock Catwalk for the excellent find!

UPDATE, 9/8: This jacket has inexplicably disappeared from the RR site a mere week later! How?! It better come back! Argh!

Binge Basics: Loft Gold Anorak

($99, Loft)

It's an unwritten law that you're gonna need an army or safari-inspired jacket this fall. And it should be law that you own this gold/ mustard Loft anorak. By nature, anoraks are pretty asexual, but by design, the tailoring on Loft's version is fairly feminine, with a slimming cut. Once again, sold!

Oh, and PS, I got Loft's cotton poplin jacket in olive green:

($29.99, Loft)

It's sold out online -- BOOO -- but maybe try and track it down in the store? Or, manage your own expectations and get this stone/ grey jacket instead.

Wish List: Rachel Roy Transformer Zip Jacket

($159, Rachel Roy)

Let's discuss this precious little convertible Rachel Roy jacket, shall we? First of all, the fun animal print makes me believe that a giraffe and leopard mated. Second, it's like the Matryoshka doll of jackets. Why a Matryoshka doll? Because, like the doll, this jacket's got a top part and a bottom part. The bottom zips away to reveal some cropped jacket cuteness, which means it's TWO PERFECTLY GOOD JACKETS in one! And I love a two-for-one deal. As in "more than meets the eye," as in Transformers. And who can resist a good Transformer reference? Not I.

I do have to use this opportunity, by the way, to air a small grievance: I'm super dismayed that the pants the model is wearing above are NOT available for purchase! Don't put it on the menu if I can't order it!

($89, Rachel Roy)

Who's afraid of a metallic pant? Not this girl.

Major Mike & Chris Sale!

YES REALLY! Bad Joan has lots of cute Mike & Chris stuff for under $100. Not much of their boner-inducing leather jackets, but many gorgeously designed lightweight jackets, blouses, and dresses.

($55, Mike & Chris, Badjoan.com)

($55, Mike & Chris, Badjoan.com)

($58, Mike & Chris, Badjoan.com)

($58, Mike & Chris, Badjoan.com)

Hello, Moto!

It took almost till the last day of September, but I've finally given up the summer ghost. That little spate of Indian summer was nice, to be sure, but as of yesterday, I've told myself no more open-toed shoes. Sweaters. Tights. BOOOOOOOOOOTS!!!!! And this means shopping. Hooo boy, do I love shopping. Here's what I picked up on two separate, very quick shopping stops yesterday. Shopping at its most efficient!


First, this awesome, faux-leather moto jacket from H&M. It has that washed/crinkly effect and I daresay it's quite good-quality faux leather.


It looks hot on, will go with lots of stuff in my closet, and was $49.99. SOLD!


Also scored at H&M (one of the last three remaining) was this great blousy print dress. It has a tiger on it.


ROWR! It was $29.99. SOLD!

That was my lunch break. After work, I was headed to a happy-hour party in Williamsburg. On the way, I stopped in to Mini Minimarket. There I found the following awesomeness:


Blowfish "Willis" booties, $83 at Zappos. I've never been a big ankle boot person, as I think in general you need to have skinny-minnie legs to pull them off, but these worked on me for some reason. I think. I love the wide opening and the chunky heel and the overall shape, and the bonus-fun purple interior.


I had a moment where I thought, Maybe I should look around, see what other ankle boots are out there, if ankle boots are indeed an option for me, and then I thought, No. These are obviously the booties for me. SOLD!


I also bought a pair of skinny jeans, partly to tuck into the ankle boots and party just because Levi's fit me really well and are really well priced. I think I got these Levi's Superlow 524 Poetic Skinny jeans, $32, in the "dark sky" wash.

And then I got some Hue tights in dark indigo and medium gray. I just hope I'll be able to pack them into my already overstuffed tights drawer.

Bring it, autumn!

Harlequin-Inspired Shoes From Alaïa & Nude Footwear

Inspired by my silk blazer purchase, I've been on a 1930s tuxedo-y menswear jaunt. Therefore I've been gazing longingly, loving at harlequin-inspired black-and-white shoes. Such as...

($129, nude footwear, Piperlime.com)

These two-toned suede heels are kind of like a girlie tuxedo in shoe form. They're precious without being OVERLY precious and venturing into the dangerously cutesy barf zone. NEED!

($669, Alaïa, TheOutnet.com)

A Deco dream in bootie form. I really should just STOP looking at TheOutnet.com.

($669, Alaïa, TheOutnet.com)

Perforated patent booties are as close to Lady Gaga as I ever want to get.


Oh, so PS, I had a wedding this past weekend, and I needed a nice blazer to wear over my dress (this Christopher Deane dress, which has now seen MANY weddings -- yes, I impulsively bought a pricey-for-me new blazer, but seriously, that Christopher Deane dress has danced with me at like five weddings as well as my own engagement party). So I ended up getting this silk-esque blazer from Topshop:

($145, Topshop)

BTW, the description says navy blue, but friends, it's black. It fits well, but when I saw it on me in a photo we (the blazer and I!) looked kinda amorphous. I'll chalk it up to the fact that I was wearing a waistless shift dress. Lesson learned -- don't wear a slouchy blazer with a shift dress and expect anything less than a net result = slouchy/ no waist look! I won't make that mistake again, but I will rock this with some yes-I-actually-do-have-a-waist outfits: t-shirts and skinny jeans and boots. YAY, FALL!

The PERFECT Boyfriend Blazer!

Unless you've been renting out space under a ROCK or reading about boring-ass health care or something, you know that you NEED a boyfriend blazer (BFB) for fall. I also like to refer to it as a Best Friend Blazer, because what if you're gay? You might not want a boyfriend! But everyone wants a best friend. And everyone should want this blazer, which I just purchased today.

($92, BB Dakota, Chickdowntown.com)

Unlike most boyfriend blazers which are kinda 1930s Marlene Dietrich (and not totally unlike Alexander Wang's blazers that can be a little longer... and a lot more expensive), this one's double-breasted and straight-up 1980s Dorothy Zbornak-stylie with the pushed-up sleeves (so I can free my arms to eat cheesecake!) I'd like to think the late, great Bea Arthur would be proud. Also, my MOM would be proud, since I saved 25% with promo code: "september25." I think that using that promo code precluded me from being able to return it or something (boo!), so hopefully I'll love it.

Pointless Over-The-Top Desires: 3.1 Phillip Lim Sequined Jacket

($1,500, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Net-a-porter.com)

I could do without the black ribbon sleeves, but who's counting. Check out that gorgeous metal work on the front. Now I've got something to wear if I ever make it out to the Liberace Museum.

Topshop's Answer To The Michael Jackson Jacket!

After my unfortunate stumble upon that tie dye/ airbrushed jeans monstrosity from Topshop earlier this week, my faith was restored when I discovered what I'm POSITIVE is Topshop's updated take on the classic red 1980s Michael Jackson jacket.

($160, Topshop)

Actually, it kinda looks more like Liza Minnelli jacket, but let's not be picky.

+ More sequin jackets I love.

Oh yeah, I saw on the "news" that Michael Jackson had an all-sequin bedspread. Vom. Also, I had a cornflower blue all-poly fake MJ jacket back in the day, haters. And I went to Israel when I was little and my parents bought me this peach-colored shirt with Michael on it. It was DOPE on a ROPE and I WISH I had an adult-sized one now. Boo.

SALE ALERT! Black Mason by Michelle Mason Silk Anorak

(Originally $520.00 -- SALE: $231.75, Mason By Michelle Mason, Barneys)

Shit's ill, son! Black silk asymmetrical jacket? It's tough but not too tough. The kinda black jacket that says "I'm a bad ass, but I still smell nice," you know? Like, you're the boss, but you still take time to floss. GET THIS. NOW.

FashionBinge Demonstrates Fortitude: Mike & Chris Chapman Jacket

($745, Mike & Chris, Net-a-porter.com)

Wants versus needs, wants versus needs. I am demonstrating DISCIPLINE and FORTITUDE by not rationalizing how this Mike & Chris leather jacket is SUCH a good deal (even though it is) and how I work hard (because I do) and therefore DESERVE IT (because I DO!)... I'll just let it... sit there. And admire it from afar. Sigh.

+ Shop the Net-a-porter sale. Or don't. It's still depressingly overpriced.

Mackage And Housing Works Want You To Donate Your Coat During Fashion Week!

Outwear brand Mackage -- think slim but warm jackets that evoke European ambiance and post-Soviet pathos, if jackets are capable of doing that; Jessica Biel, Eva Mendes, Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Halle Berry, Hilary Duff, and Penn Badgley are fans -- is not only the sole outerwear brand to show at Fashion Week, but they've also partnered up with Housing Works to accept your gently loved coats.

Donate your coats between February 13 and February 22 at any of the following Housing Works:
143 West 17th Street
157 East 23rd Street
306 Columbus Avenue
1730 Second Avenue
245 West 10th Street
202 East 77th Street
122 Montague Street, Brooklyn

Additional Drop-Off Locations:
Warren-Tricomi Salon @ The Plaza Retail Collection – 1 West 58th Street, 2nd Floor
Algonquin Hotel – 59 West 44th Street
Joe’s Pub Public Theater – 425 Lafayette Street
Zampa Wine Bar + Kitchen – 306 West 13th Street
5 Ninth Restaurant/Bar – 5 Ninth Avenue

And, should you feel like it, you can bid on one (or all) of three Mackage coats donated by Maggie Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard and Lindsay Price. The coats will be auctioned online at Shophousingworks.com until February 19th at 7:00pm. You can check out the coats in the windows of the Housing Works at 17thStreet.

And, by the way, not only are the Housing Works thrift stores some of the best thrift stores in New York, but their proceeds benefit homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with HIV and AIDS. Housing Works is also the largest community-based AIDS service organization in the United States, and the country's largest minority-controlled AIDS service organization.

Alexander McQueen for Target!

ACT LIKE YOU KNOW!

Alexander McQueen's up next for Target!

The collection hits Tarjayz March 1, 2009 and runs through April 11, 2009 as part of Target's new Designer Collaborations hook-ups with established designers.

More from WWD/ Racked:

McQ Alexander McQueen for Target will feature lightweight sweaters, skinny jeans, bubble dresses, slim skirts and cuffed shorts. Signature pieces include a coated cotton poplin black trench, a rock ’n’ roll gray denim cropped studded jacket, a men’s wear-inspired tuxedo blazer and a color-blocked one-shoulder dress with bubble hem. The collection also will include swimwear and cotton voile print scarves.

The collection has a muted color palette of black, white, gray and tan with accents of cobalt blue and bright pink. Studs and mesh give items an edge. For example, a chambray sleeveless shirtdress has stud detailing, there’s a mesh wrap dress and an open yarn zipper cardigan. Graphic prints and silk-screen photographs give tunics, dresses and T-shirts visual interest. The Leila silk-screen T-shirt with a necklace collar was designed for The Duke Spirit lead singer, while other band members are immortalized on a sleeveless jersey T-shirt.

Can't wait that long? Check out a few less-than-a-fortune McQueen pieces...

($219, McQ ByAlexander McQueen, Bluefly)

Cute, no?

(Currently $73, Alexander McQueen, eBay)

Fun red military-inspired Alexander McQueen trench for a SONG! That is, until someone jacks it up to the price of a small country...

($399 Buy It Now, Alexander McQueen, eBay)

$399 ain't bad for iconic, stripey McQueen. Or, go find something cheaper at Trash & Vaudeville.

(Currently $125, Alexander McQueen, eBay)

Kinda whackadoodlydoo, but I like. The design reminds me of Will Broome.