My Gilt-y Pleasures

I can't tell you how many times I've heard the phrase, "This is why we can't have nice things, Raina!"

Broken, lost, dropped in the Mediterranean Sea, flushed down the toilet, thrown off rooftop decks, you name it, I've had for short periods of time cell phones, cameras, watches, iPods, umbrellas, computers and more. And every time I buy something new in the categories above, I think, "this is the time I won't break it." Yet, it isn't that time.

But seriously, this time I won't break it. Or lose it. Or drop it. Or let it fall out of the car window. I swear! Why? Because this time I'm a big girl. And I'm spending big girl money to put this look together. Also, I've heard that there are people out there who don't use their cell phones as their only means to tell time.

Thus, the piece that started it all:

Michael Kors 

Bel Aire Chronograph Watch in Yellow Gold

$250

Nordstrom

Let's add a few more gilt-y pleasurables to the mix:

BCBG

Enamel Chain Bracelet in Mauve

$25

Amrita Singh

Delhi Bangle Set

$30

amritasingh.com

BCBG

Elastic Link Bracelet

$30

 Henri Bendel

Buckle Up Baby Bangle

$78

For those of you familiar with my friend Dana's fabulous blog possessionista.com, you've seen that this new look of mine is inspired by the lovely (if incredibly jealous) Emily Maynard of The Bachelor's Brad & Emily infamy.

If you aren't following Dana, do it. She's better and funnier than I. Plus, she'll tell you where to find all the great styles on the TV shows you love. Or the TV shows you hate but have the styles you love.

Emily's armful courtesy of Dana and ABC

http://www.possessionista.com

Emily may have found true love on the arm of her new man, but I've found it right on the end of my own arm. Now let's see if we can both keep from losing it this time around.

Barney's, Bloomingdales and Boston!

This little blog of mine started as a way to keep my idle hands and mind busy while I looked for a new job. But the more I wrote, the more I fell in love with writing about what I know best and in turn, making you all listen to my opinions as well as details about my life I wanted to make public.

Many of you know my search has finally come to an end and I'll be starting a new job this coming Monday in none other than Boston, MA. Of course, I Shop This City started in reference to Pittsburgh and where to find style in my beloved hometown. While my blog will continue, I'll simply be shopping a new city. Hitting the streets, pounding the pavement, wearing out my flats...all in search of the style I love in my new home.

I've already bought my first Living Social deal for The Velvet Fly, a little boutique in the North End section of the city. I'm starting already.

Boston, here I come!

The Velvet Fly

28 Parmenter Street

Boston, MA 02113

thevelvetfly.com

Fashion Relief

This blog post is in no way funny, or self-depricating, or witty, or even necessarily fun to read...or write. Please continue anyway.

We've all seen the devastating images of the horrendous earthquake and subsequent unfathomable tsunami that hit Japan, wiping away entire towns, homes and over 3000 human lives. No one is unaffected by the atrocities, including the fashion industry. While some designers are going the Twitter route to convey their thoughts and prayers for those confirmed dead, missing or otherwise displaced, some designers and companies are putting their money where their well-fed mouths are.

Uniqlo, the Japanese-based mass retailer, has truly stepped up and put out. Not only did the company as a whole donate nearly $26 million, President, Chairman and CEO of their parent company, Fast Retailing, Tadashi Yanai made a personal donation of 1 billion yen, over $12 million. They have also donated $8.6 million worth of warm clothing and personal items and will eventually set up clothing and monetary donation bins in all of their stores.

Support the brands that support important causes. Put your own money where your mouth is.

The only state-side Uniqlo store is only in SoHo in New York and unfortunately their website isn't e-commerce capable but Fast Retailing also owns Theory, available at Bloomingdale's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and many other department stores across the country.

Many of the fashion websites you and I visit on a daily basis are also making it very easy to donate money directly to the organizations that help the victims.

Groupon has set up a donation "deal" to send money to International Medical Corps. 100% of your money goes directly to the non-profit:

http://www.groupon.com/deals/international-medical-corps

Gilt Group has a link on their Gilt City site to choose a relief effort. Click on the Global Giving logo on the right side of the screen:

http://www.giltcity.com/welcome

If you aren't a member of Gilt Group, it's completely free to join. Just click the link below:

http://www.gilt.com/invite/rkerman

And of course, you can join the mobile campaign to donate directly from your phone.

• Text "Japan" to 20222 to donate $10 to Save The Children
• Text "Japan" to 80888 to donate $10 to The Salvation Army
• Text "redcross" to 90999 to donate $10 to The American Red Cross

Please help those in need. It's the fashionable thing to do.

Barefoot and Beachy

Call me old fashioned. Call me what you will. But I sincerely believe a woman's place is barefoot...and on the beach. Specifically with a frozen strawberry margarita in one hand and a little bell in the other to ring for her personal cabana boy.

Alas, most of us have to work for a living and can't spend life as we were truly intended. That's what vacations were made for! Vacations and destination weddings, of course.

The Divine Miss D is heading to just such a wedding in two weekends. While discussing her dress options, she suggested the little black dress she is planning to wear to another wedding this season. A gorgeous dress paired with the perfect peep-toe black pumps for which we searched high and low. She looks divine in it...obviously.

But this wedding is different. Set in Key West, FL, I've heard it's right on the sand...no shoes allowed. Barefoot on the beach. Beautiful. But not really the venue for a LBD with 4" heels. It doesn't really scream beachy chic. More like cocktail-party-in-a-downtown-hotel-bar-chic.

I have this image in my head of something light and flowing, possibly something floral, definitely on the shorter side so her bare legs can be shown off and she can truly feel the sand between her toes.

ASOS 

Stone Embellished Shift Dress in Coral

$73 (originally $96)

asos.com

Plenty by Tracy Reese

Ruched One Shoulder Dress

$188

Hip'tique Boutique

hiptiquepa.com

Tibi 

Bahati Strapless Dress

$358  

Green available at piperlime.com

Pink at Bloomingdales

Ann Taylor LOFT

Island Flower Dress

$79.50

anntaylorloft.com

If you don't want to invest in a fabulous dress but still want to look like a million bucks, check out Rent The Runway. Not only do they have gorgeous couture dresses (and accessories) for prices starting at just $50 for a 4-day rental, but you can also sort dresses by occasion, including destination weddings!

Just a few of my favorites all at the lowest rental price:

Rebecca Taylor

Berry Surprise Dress

$50

Tracy Reese

Smokey Floral Ruffle Dress

$50

Badgley Mischka

Mega Magenta Dress

$50

Flight - check.
Dress - check.
Date - check.

The frozen margaritas and cabana boy are up to you.

In The Fashion Trenches

There are certain items every woman should have in her closet. Wardrobe staples that will never really go out of style, you always have a use for them and they'll take you from season to season to season.

Off the top of my head, I can think of at least 10. Last night my good friend Cara specifically asked me about the trench. As we were leaving dinner to go into the rainy, dreary night, she looked at me and said, "I'd like you to write a blog post about trench coats. I've always wanted one, I can never find one that looks good on me and I need some help." Tying the belt on my olive green trench, I assured her that her wish shall be granted.

Isn't it nice that she has her Fairy Shop Girl?

Finding a trench coat in and of itself isn't necessarily that difficult. Almost every retailer sells them, especially during spring. It's the quintessential overcoat for the season. However, finding one that looks good on your body is another animal.

Most trench coats are a double-breasted cut but can be hard to wear for larger busted women. Mostly because it only accentuates the bust area, making it look larger and in charger. But, if worn unbuttoned or at least not buttoned all the way up, you can create a more slimming silhouette out of something that is not usually so.

Cara's difficulty with her trench search is finding one that will work on her very small frame. At 5 feet tall, she has to be careful it doesn't swallow her up and make her little body disappear behind too much fabric. The classic trench should hit right above your knees for optimal wear.

For Cara and other petite ladies out there, styles like the ones below would be ideal. They're shorter than a traditional long trench and have some interesting detail to bring the eye up to the neckline, instead of down to the hemline.

As you can see, the double-breasted style is also less conventional with the funnel neck, making it more flattering at the bust line.

Ruffle Lapel Trench Coat

Ann Taylor Loft

$128

Funnel Neck Trench Coat

Gap

$98

Cotton Perfect Trench

Ann Taylor

$248

There are plenty of women who needn't worry about whether they can ride the big girl rides so for those of you looking for a classic cut with a little fashion flair, there are plenty of beautiful options too.

Ruffled Collar Trench Coat

AK Anne Klein

$105

Macy's

Spring Trench Coat

Sanctuary

$198

piperlime.com

Classic Trench

Banana Republic

$125

You still have two wishes left. Use them wisely. And no, you can't wish for more wishes!

I've Gone To Great Lengths

Those who know me, know I am the first person to suggest short dresses. The shorter the better, baby! Show off those stems. Add super high heels and walk down Main Street like it's the main tent at Bryant Park.

But even I can admit that there are times when that might not be the most appropriate attire. Like say, a trip to the zoo on a Saturday with your kids. Or...ummmmm...uhhhhhhh...I can't seem to think of another instance when a super short skirt and super high heels would not be appropriate. Huh. But I digress.

Let's get back to taking your kids to the zoo, obviously the only inappropriate locale for said Shop Girl-approved outfit. Still no need to look like a schlub just because it's the weekend and you're "off." You can still be comfortable and look chic.

Ladies, I remind you of the maxi dress. Yep, it's back. Although really it never went anywhere. Always chic, always comfortable, always a better option than unflattering shorts and a baggy t-shirt for a casual environment.

This trend is so big for Spring/Summer that it's graced both the runways and stores we all shop in too. No need to max out your credit cards, Platinum, Gold or Debit styles below:

Platinum

Caroline Maxi Dress (available March 18)

Milly

$495

Gold

Botanical Crossway Dress

Anthropologie

$188

Chevron Print Maxi Dress

BCBG

$178

Debit

Aqua Striped Maxi Dress

Bloomingdales

$98

Tinley Road Ruffle Knit Maxi Dress

Piperlime.com

$59

Gladiator sandals and stacked gold bangles or a super long necklace and you're good to go.  Have fun at the zoo.

Target Date: March 13

They're baaaaaaack...

Five years ago, Target started their Go International collaboration with higher-end designers to bring styles usually out of our regular-people budgets within reach. Zac Posen, Proenza Schouler, Tara Jarmon are just a few of the 17 designers who have brought their beautiful wares to the mass-market retailer. But we all know if you don't get to your local store the day they go on sale, they're completely sold out within a matter of hours. We've all missed that boat a few times too many.

Fear not, my fellow Shop Girls! Target is relaunching 34 must-have styles from these 17 designers on March 13. They'll be in stores and online only until April 10 or until they're sold out. But it's only March 2 so you have over a week and a half to plan your attack. Plus, March 13 is a Sunday so you can be waiting to storm the castle when they open at 11 AM.

Just a few of my absolute favorite dresses from the selection at my absolute favorite prices (every single dress in the collection is under $50):

Libertine for Target

Striped Tunic

$24.99

Thakoon for Target

Gathered Dress

$39.99

Zac Posen for Target

Wrap Dress

$44.99

Behnaz Sarafpour for Target

Silk Georgette Lace Dress

$44.99

You have my permission to leave off the "for Target" part when someone asks who makes your beautiful dress.

"Oh, this old thing? It's Zac Posen."

A Love Story For The Ages

This weekend, I flew back to New York for my dear friend Jessica's wedding. She married Andy, a man who after four years together still has stars in his eyes when he looks at her. They are so in love.

But Jess and Andy weren't the only two in love at that wedding. I fell in love too. Whole-heartedly, head-over-heels in love...with a dress. Nay, it was more than just a dress, it was a stunning, head-turning gown, worn not by the bride, but by an innocent bystander guest. Please don't get me wrong, Jess radiated in her magnificent Junko Yoshioka strapless bridal gown. It hugged in all the right places (though as an avid runner, Jess doesn't really have any that are wrong) and in it, she was by far the most beautiful woman in that room, if not the entire borough.

But as a woman who looks at and silently judges every guest's attire (don't judge, you know you do it too) I have to say that these uber-chic Brooklyn wedding guests were for the most part, up to Shop Girl standards. But this dress made me want to own it NOW. The fabric was so smooth, the deep red color so rich and the cut so pretty that it made me want to reach out and touch it.

Sitting at the cocktail hour, my friends Ashley, Mariella and I whispered feverishly about who the designer could possibly be. Badgley Mischka, Calvin Klein, Vera Wang, we threw out couture designer after couture designer. I even thought it could be BCBG but that was vetoed after we decided the fabric looked too high-end.

Enough! On our way from cocktail hour to reception, I decided to put an end to this debate. Separating myself from my group of friends, I quietly attached myself to the dress's...er, I mean girl's group. Gently tapping her on the shoulder, I made a new friend.

No, not Mr. Badgley or Mr. Mischka. Nor Mr. Klein or Ms. Wang. The dress, surprisingly enough was...
ABS Allen Schwartz! I nearly tripped when she told me. What?! It's affordable??? I almost didn't believe her. Lo and behold, I came home today and looked it up online. The girl's no liar.

ABS Allen Schwartz Strapless Gown with Back Bow

Crimson

$194.50

Zappos.com

If you're a size 8, you're in luck. They have two left, but only that size.

If you're not a size 8, I found the same dress at Bloomingdales. Just not in the color I saw at the wedding and not for the ridiculous sale price above.

ABS Allen Schwartz Strapless Gown with Back Bow

Black or Vintage Vanilla

$407

Bloomingdales.com

My dress and I are registered at Christian Louboutin, Judith Leiber and Harry Winston. Invitation to follow...