The Scene
Had plans for a girls night out this evening but canceled at the last minute. Wasn't feeling up to it. Plus I figured I should rest up if these old bones were going to make it through back to back Halloweening this weekend.

Spent the night watching must see TV...and fielding texts from Jean Bean and Peaches. They were at a masquerade ball tonight. For YSL. Ugh, disgustingly, Eyes Wide Shut FABULOUS!













































Thanks to Twitter and Mr. Newton, I felt like I was at the party with Leigh Lezark too. Well, except she was wearing Balenciaga and I was wearing PJs.








































































































































































The Outfit
bebe blazer
American Apparel sweater
BCBG skirt

The Accessories
Urban Outfitters zipper rosette headband
YSL bag and heels

The Grade
A

















The Commentary
Built the outfit around the - duh! - YSL accessories. Also threw in a little Forever 21 for good measure.





























Normally boring basics become anything but boring when paired with statement accessories (metallic shoes! leopard print bag! spike necklace!)








































































































Loved how chic I felt. Pulling together unexpected separates is always tougher for me than just throwing on a dress. So I'm thinking today wasn't a total waste: found a new go-to look that I can easily reinvent by mixing up the accessories.

Only one problem: no matter what I do or don't do this skirt always ends up HORRIBLY WRINKLED by the end of the day. Felt like a damn dirty ape. No YSL ball for the wrinkled.

The Scene
Longest hump day ever. Thank god for the hilarity that is The Onion.


How To Find A Masculine Halloween Costume For Your Effeminate Son




The Outfit
Fashion District dress
Image wrap sweater

The Accessories
Old Navy flats
Chanel bag

The Grade
B-




















The Commentary
Look at my face. So exhausted this morning. Couldn't conjure up enough energy for anything too complicated. Thank god for LGD - little gray dresses.
















































































Love them paired with splashes of fuchsia. Takes a neutral from snoozer to wowser.
















































Think fuchsia is actually one color that works on almost anyone - brunette, redhead and blond. If you need to ease into it, think splashes instead of head to toe.




























































































And splashes of Chanel never hurt anyone either ;)

The Scene
Here's a tip: if you are feeling remotely maudlin, skip Where the Wild Things Are. Saw it on Sunday and can't seem to shake its aching melancholy loneliness.

Or maybe I'm just PMSing. Like a wild thing.


























The Outfit
Banana Republic blazer
Dolce and Gabbana dress

The Accessories
Burberry inspired scarf
Marc Jacobs maryjanes
Chanel bag

The Grade
C+
















The Commentary

Built the outfit around the orange and black scarf
































But really it was another childhood fave that was the real inspiration.























Can't believe it's Halloweiner week. My absolute favorite time of year. Gotta love a holiday that has everyone asking, "What are you going to wear?"

The Scene
Bolted awake in the middle of the night, feeling like I'd forgotten something. And then it dawned on me: I hadn't checked the weather in Cancun before booking our flights. Like an idiot.

And OF COURSE every site on the entire Interwebs was predicting rain all 7 days of our trip. Total shit storm headed straight for the Mexican Riviera. Just my luck lately.

I called the airline this morning to see if I could switch destinations. The Mexicana agent sweetly told me in his lilting Spanglish that making the change would be an additional $500...per ticket. I said fuck you very much, hung up and dissolved into a hot mess of tears.

They weren't so much tears of "Woe is me, my impulsive fabulous tropical vacation is ruined." They were more tears of anger and helplessness, tears of why the fuck is everything so fucked up lately, why can't I seem to get anything under control.

Control is a major issue for me. Always has been. I think it is for most women.

(Interestingly, I think it may be behind my interest in fashion. After all, I figured out at an early age, no matter what is happening in your life, you can always control how you present your self to the world. It may be nothing more than smoke and mirrors but hey, it's something, in this perception is reality world.)

I've been actively working on the control issues over the past few years, learning to flow more and resist less. Learning to breathe, learning to be present. Metabolizing the fact that I can't control anything except my own reaction to things. You know, all that eastern philosophy, self-help stuff lost puppies lap up like water.

But today the weather in Cancun was the straw that broke the camel's back. It became just one more thing I couldn't control...like that meatball size tumor in my mom's brain that is about to turn our lives upside down.

Today I realized I still haven't processed all the challenges ahead, realized I hadn't sat down to think about things. I've just been go go going. I haven't wanted to look into the heart of the unknown, I haven't wanted to break down.

I just wanted to control this one thing. This one trip. This 60th birthday present to the woman who has risked and sacrificed everything for me. I wanted it to be perfect. For her.

But today the universe reminded me: nothing is perfect and that the semblance of control is just an illusion. The universe told me this through my saint of a mother who called me back after I left a hysterical message on her phone. She told me everything will play out how it's supposed to - with the trip and with that meatball of a tumor.



The Outfit
Thrifted top and coat
Theory pants

The Accessories
Chanel bag
Tory Burch shooties

The Grade
B is for bananas




























The Commentary
Figured a splash of color would serve me well today on the outside since the inside was dark and murky. Never would have known I was wrestling some pretty fugly internal demons, huh?






































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































Never underestimate the power of fashion. Especially a pair of hot shoes when you're feeling not so hot.