The Scene
Ran some errands in the morning and then went to return the Rogan for Target stuff at Barney's. The salesboy was snarky as all out about it. Ugh. Reminded me why I LOATHE shopping at "trendy" stores. Why I should pay for some retail person to think they are better than me/ judge me I have no idea. Give me my Forever 21 girls who could care less about me any day ;)

Plus the guy was no Mensa candidate. He almost refunded me the whole amount of my THREE purchases when I was only returning two items. Had to point this out to him. I worked retail in high school and at a rocket company two years ago. I know retail isn't easy but it's not rocket science. F.

Since their sale was still going I walked around. Saw lots of strappy gladiator shoes. All still waay too expensive. In the $200-$400 range. Bought some resale ones yesterday for $60 that look way more pricey. Can't wait to debut.

Sidenote - Noticed that EVERYONE had gorgeous shoes at the Chanel party. Invariably, I wanted every shoe. Even the unfortunate lady of a certain age in a Target dress had some amazing Vuitton sandals on. Shoes can really make a dress. Not sure it works the other way around tho.


Peeped some Marc and DVF dresses I liked in the $100ish range. Didn't LOVE them so kept on truckin. No shopping frenzy today.

Then I happened upon this Diane Von Furstenberg that I've been eyeing. Marked down to $110. Tried it on and liked it but again didn't NEED it in my life so walked away. Besides the angle from the front wasn't as flattering. Too bouchy under the boobs.




Decided to take a peep at the sale shoes and guess who had the same idea? RACHEL BILSON. I was dazed by the sea of shoes and nearly didn't recognize her. She is MINISCULE. She STARED me down as she walked by, gave me those "Come on, recognize me" eyes. No me gusta. So I stared back at her blankly even though I wanted to bust out the camera.



Refrained tho. At the Chanel party I justfied talking blatant pics because everyone expected to be photographed. It was a party. Celebrities were technically working. Today she is just shopping, living her life. But what are the odds that I would see her today when she was the ONLY celebrity I wanted to see at the Chanel party and didn't??? Weird. I texted G and she said it was fashion fate. Must be.



She was wearing skinny jeans and flats and a generic black sweater. Yawn. Did I mention she was TINY???? Looked like a 14 year old. I picked this picture just to show how small she is. I imagine her dog walking friend is not an Amazon. She's just normal, my height.

Summer was talking a bit loud in that "notice me!" way. Again, ugh. Had about 20 pairs of shoes strewn in front of her. Was fingering a pair of pink ruched Christian Loubatins last time I looked.

Oh and she was with a friend who was SUPER dressed up. Full makeup and hair and dress and heels. Ironic because Rachel was totally raggamuffined out, not a drop of makeup or hair product. I imagine you know you are going to be photographed when you go shoe shopping with her and want to look your best. In fact, when I was leaving I saw this paparazzi in the window looking for the best shot. Mental note: Maybe I should become a stalkerazzi.


Headed out to the hospital with Mr. Diabolina to see M&M. She was as bubbly and positive as ever. So inspiring. With a little help from her hubby she got herself in a brace and in her wheelchair and showed us around her PT facilities. She wore weightlifting gloves to wheel herself around and not chaff her hands. Heartbreaking but amazing.

Doctors are saying she's likely going to be there another 5 weeks. Her goal is to be able to stand on the day she leaves. In the meantime, tomorrow is her anniversary and she is HOSTING A PARTY IN THE REHAB HOSPITAL COURTYARD!!! Amazing.

She is the ultimate party planner and it's great to see her acting like herself. Have a lovely visit and am very positive she will walk again.



Got dinner with the mister and then called it a night early. Fun but emotional day.






The Outfit
Forever 21 dress

The Accessories
Chanel black and white earrings
Forever 21 bracelets
Chanel chain tote
Steve Madden wedge patent gladiators

The Grade
B+




The Commentary
Have been dying to pair these shoes with this dress for a while now. Love the contrast. So Euro, so Chanel. Simply chic.

Seeing Gwyneth and Natalie do black and white ensembles it at Cannes over the last week made my need even more urgent. Gawd did they look radiant in their confections ;)




Today's outfit was really the warm weather version of this January look with the same eyelet dress and color palette. Felt a bit chunky monkey today even after a good workout. Boo. White tends to do that to my psyche. Sigh.

Please note this dress is as scandalously short as I get. Was super conscious of the attention flashing this much leg garners in the viewing public. Women scowl, men leer. Eeks.

I detest being perceived as ho-ish. Mr. Diabolina is bemused by it. Think he likes the attention. Actually I know he does.

But I think the shortness is balanced by the high neckline. And the good bag, frankly. Ultimately, it's not the outfit. It's how one carries oneself. And I like to think I hold myself in a way that says high fashion not low rent - even when I am in ostensibly "sexy" looks. (p.s. The word sexy bothers me. Peaches and Mr. Diabolina like to draw out the "s" to gross me out. F!)


The bracelets are new. Me loves. Very Marni.



Except mine cost $5ish instead of hundreds.

So now for the contents of that Chanel goodie bag. Drum roll....





We got a Chanel lipstick in a color named Attitude and a silver quilted lipstick case with mirror inside and interlocking C's outside...



Yawn? Yup.
Disappointed? Yup.
Ungrateful beotch? Yup.




Sigh. I really wanted the nail polishes. Never expected jewelry. Though it would have made me weep with joy.

G did find out that the silver cases are exclusive to the Robertson store and cost around $200. Yes, 200 hundy for a lipstick case!!! That no one REALLY needs. Luxury brands will stop at nothing to make women part with their money. Rascals.

p.s. In addition to being adorable and a big deal fashion editrix, G just got into two top 10 business schools. So proud of her I could burst!!!!

The Scene
I went, I saw, I conquered Chanel last night. How is one supposed to go into a boring ole office after achieving such fashionable fabulousness? Sigh.

Hectic day followed by a relaxing work dinner for Mr. Diabolina's firm. The summer associates have arrived so we're going to be doing lots of funny events in the coming weeks. Being the social butterfly that I am, I typically love it. We'll see about this year...

Pop in to visit The Peeper since we're in her hood and she's by her lonesome with her hubby out of town. Catch her watching the end of The National Spelling Bee. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. The kids, the parents, the judges. All of it's like a bizarre SNL sketch. Here's an excerpt with the baby who won.


We giggle and take pics to make her hubby jealous and catch up and cuddle. Ends up being waaay harder to see her than I had imagined. Realized just how much I miss seeing her. Every day. Wah. Change is tough...



The Outfit
Forever 21 bubble dress
Fuchsia wrap sweater

The Accessories
Fashion District beaded necklace
Louis Vuitton earrings
YSL bag
Manolo Blahnik shoes
Banks&Biddle bangle

The Grade
A



The Commentary
Wanted to keep the fabulous train going today. Thought about repeating this look that I loved from March. But instead decided to keep the dress as the foundation of the look and switch out the accessories.

Decided the sweater went well with the dress. Adoring this turquoise /fuchsia combo. So summery but somehow elegant.

Then added the Louis Vuitton earrings. Just look at how each earring matches the outfit so perfectly. Makes me giddy and gleeful.






And then came this beaded necklace. Remember how lovely it looked when I combined it with a blue dress and the sweater before? Interesting how different today's blue dress makes the look, no? It's the dressier material and the print.

Debated whether to wear the MJ clutch or the YSL. Decided to anchor the shoes and the bag in the brown of the dress' print. Made the look more polished, sophisticated.

And the Manolos were a bit of an ode to SATC, opening today. (Jean Bean saw it and says it's good. She laughed, she cried. Hearing the same things from my pretties Tam and MissJordyPants. So.so.so.excited!)


At dinner, Mr. Diabolina randomly whispered to me, "Congratulations on being the hottest chick here." EEEEEE!!! Must admit that after 10 years his continued lasciviousness makes my heart pitter patter. Love that we're still in love. Love that we like showing each other off. Love love love.

I told you once that I dress for other women first and Mr. Diabolina second. I think that dynamic reverses though when it's one of his work events. I do love playing the sassy accessory/appendage role.

After seven years, his coworkers know I am smart, accomplished, funny, independent. So I can feel free to dress as fancifully and fabulously as I want. I don't have to worry about toning it down or being conservative (read:dowdy.) I can be my sassiest self.

Plus it's always fun to be the breath of fresh (fashion) air among a group of buttoned up suits...

happy happy weekend!

Chanel Store Opening Party on Robertson

The Scene
Chanel. Today was all about Chanel. Period.

Sure, I took meetings, reviewed documents, emailed with Jean Bean about New York and Sable Crow about the weekend.

But all I could think about - ALL day - was that G was taking me to the Chanel boutique opening on Robertson. Felt like I was floating on quilted clouds emblazoned with interlocking C's.

G and I traded emails about what we were planning to wear.

Here's mine:

"I previewed the outfit for Mr. Diabolina last night. Wearing this purty mid thigh forever 21 dress that I can't find online to show you. It's like a nude color, tiered, with a pearl neckline. Wearing it with Prada ombre black and pinky shoes. And my Chanel bag. Straightened my hair as good as I can on my own which isn't very good. Sigh.

Jewelry still a mystery. Likely go less is more tonight.

What time should I be at your house?? What are you thinking??? Black and white???

praying for nail polish gift bags - can't they throw us that bone???

D"

***

Here's her email back:

"ack, your outfit sounds so cute, oh the pressure!

ok, so minor dilemma for me, b/c for some reason i've been going to more events lately so the only cute thing left for me is this simple black Trovata dress...but it has great details (i know you're a detail girl!)...side buttons and pleats around the neckline...and just B&W shoes...Pedro Garcias that i scored at a sample sale...

so be at my place at 7:15-7:30?

crossing fingers and toes for some darn polish! c'mon people, blue satin is already old, right??"

***

The nail polishes I was greedily hoping they'd give us in a gift bag are these four exclusive colors to the Robertson boutique. I mean I know the economy is bad but can't Karl spare $25??

Midday found out another friend Victoria was attending the opening too. Shared with her my wish for a measly nail polish and she wrote me back this INSANE email:

"i'm sure they will do that or better. at the last chanel opening last fall we got pink and white resin double C cuffs... my sister almost fainted. see you soon!!!"


A FREE CUFF??? After I picked myself up off the floor, I zipped through the rest of my day and raced home. But got stuck in terrible Lalaland traffic and was running waaay late. Still had to iron my dress. Eeeks.

Called Mr. Diabolina. Asked him frantically if he thought the dress I planned to wear looked terribly wrinkled. He said no.

But when I got home he was ironing my dress, beer in hand, watching the Lakers!!! WHAT A GUY!!!!! I must have sounded like I was having a panic attack. I don't deserve him.

The party was everything one would hope it'd be. Chic, exclusive, first class. From the flower arrangements to the Chanel branded napkins, I was in heaven.

I always get giddy at these events. Adore partying at luxury stores after dark. Makes me feel like I'm being naughty, like I might get locked in and have to play with all the bags overnight.




Tthe oversize Chanel shoes and jackets were deliciously trippy too.



Made me feel tiny and a little like Alice in Wonderland.









Here I am standing next to a Diabolina sized Chanel No 5 perfume bottle. Um, I NEED it.



Also need this. Not sure what it is. A top? A necklace? No matter, I know I need it ;)








The rotating carousel in the window was diabolical genius. A little big girl's dream!!!!!



It was a nod to the amazing runway show Karl staged last season.








The fashion tonight was interesting. Total mix of high and low.


This older woman in the Jovavich-Hawk for Target dress and the Hermes bag was KILLING me all night. Not in a good way.





Now for the star sightings. They were a solid B. Nothing beats the night G took me to the Golden Globes. We rode in an elevator with Jennifer Garner and her Ben and peeped Jim from The Office. Best ever.

Tonight there were Gossip Girls. We spied Leighton Meester talking to a blonde in purple. Over G's shoulder. See?




Had to snap a closer pic because gawd she was stunning. Gorgeous flawless bird-like face.







And that ughy Michelle Tractenberg was there too. Here she is talking to Maria Menounos from Access Hollywood over G's head.


These are the to die for pumps MT was sporting. Yes, those are interlocking C's IN THE HEEL.
TOO. MUCH!






Here's Maria having a total girl moment. Looking like a kid in a candy store...if the candies all cost thousands of dollars.



She said to us, "I mean, just LOOK at this shoe! I want it." Amen, sister. Every girl should have Chanel pearls dripping off her feet.







Supermodel of yesteryear Amber Valleta was there.



Angie Harmon too. (There's Leighton again over the blond's shoulder.)








Flawless hair the both of them. Love how the beautiful people always find the other beautiful people at these parties.









Representing the Chanel grand dame set was Kathy Hilton. G and I smelled her before we saw her. Reeked of old lady perfume. Blech.

Arriana Huffington was one of the last to arrive. G was very excited. Victoria tried to get me to go up to her and say, "You blog, I blog, let's take a picture." But I was too shy.







Wonderful night topped off with a delish little white gift bag. Gonna make you guess what was in it...to make you comment...since my comment count has been lagging and I am a whore for comments. Come on readers, it's how I stay motivated to write, it's how I even know you're out there ;)





Thanks to my lovely G for a lovely night. She is a true gem. Proud to call her my friend.









Oh yea and here's what I wore to work.


Image dress, Stella McCartney shoes, Louis Vuitton Damier.












And a Chanel necklace close to my heart.












p.s. Here are some professional shots from inside the party.

p.p.s. EVEN MORE PARTY COVERAGE ON FASHION DAILY!!!