A Brooch with the Most

This flamingo is a 1940 Cartier brooch encrusted with diamonds, rubies, citrines, and sapphires. It was commissioned by the Duke of Windsor for the love of his life, Wallis Simpson. Their relationship was the scandal and love story of the last century. King Edward VIII surrendered the throne of England in 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson, a twice-married socialite from Pennsylvania.

This beautiful flamingo jewel encrusted brooch was first sold at auction in 1987, one year after Wallis Simpson's death. It was again sold at auction by Sotheby in November 2010.

No, I didn't buy it :(

Bargain Brooches

I have loved pins/brooches for decades ( the whale pin I wore in my second grade school portrait ).

Cartier jewel encrusted brooches are a little out of my price range but, I do truly love my eclectic, mostly vintage collection.

None of the pieces may have cost as much as a house, but to me they are priceless !

So here is a great idea I saw in W magazine... wear your brooches in a cluster. If one brooch makes a statement then three brooches make a shout!

And to complete the look be sure to wear a strange little organ grinder monkey hat with a cloth hairband over your ears.

OMG ( again )

So once again a fashion launch for a guest designer at Target sold out before I ever even saw the products!

This time it was the hat launch by some New York millinery dude on Oct. 30. I went to a small Target on Nov. 1 and there was no sign of the launch so I asked a saleswoman working in accessories

" Where are the hats that were advertised in Vogue as being available Oct. 30? "

The saleslady looked at me like I was crazy and claimed to have no knowledge of any such hats. Puzzled, I looked around and saw no special hats.

The next day I stopped at a larger Target ( so it was just 3 days after the launch ) and this is what I found...

an almost empty display of the NY designer hats :(

It was the Missoni launch again-over before it started!

I wonder who is the next Target guest designer and will the product sell out before I can even admire their designs...

Hats for Sale!

Be still my hat lovin' heart...

Finally Fall Fashion!!

Fall is a fabulous time of year ( and yes, there are seasonal changes in SoCal )!

Fall is time to pack away the shorts and sun hats and start wearing real clothes.

My Fall favorites this year include;

short sleeve tops over long sleeve tops

laying on the stripes ( I may like stripes more than dots...)

skinny pants ankle length, NOT capri

a whole mens wear vibe

pointy toe shoes ( which I thought I was over )

On a good day all these looks come together within my existing wardrobe and on other days I am compelled to go hunt for imagined missing necessities.

1,2, decorate your shoe

Purchase one pair of red cloth shoes on sale, add a late night grande skinny vanilla latte and fabric pen, and ta dah (!) a reborn uniquely my pair of red shoes.