High Clicks!

Natalie Massenet has just made $76 million dollars as the head of Net-a Porter, an e-commerce site that reinvented shopping by delivering internet high fashion labels, and has now sold her 10 year old company to the Richemont group. It has become a world wide phenomenon with people buying a Fendi bag in Russia, YSL dress in NYC, and Bottega Veneta sandals in Greece. Net-aPorter has been bringing in about 10,000 customers a month, even in the recession. Massenet concentrated on stocking less expensive escape products, but 20% of sales are from women who spend $30,000 regardless of the financial meltdown. Massenet , the daughter of an English Chanel model and an American movie publicist, lived in Paris, studied Japanese at UCLA, worked at WWD in the West coast office, then moved to London and worked for Tatler magazine.
She understands U.S. high end consumers and raised $1.2 million dollars by recruiting people from magazines and stores. She has made a dot.com site that is headquartered in London and NYC shine the spotlight on IT and fashion.

Swap that LBD for a LWD

No summer wardrobe is ever complete without a hot LWD (little white dress for the abbreviationally challenged). The Galway dress by Tulle is a perfect example of a day-to-night sundress that's perfect for the warmer weather that's sweeping in. Get it at www.lulus.com for only $53.

For a flawless daytime look, instead of a military inspired jacket, try the same idea but in a vest to stay cool. We love this vest from Sauce and think it's amazing enough to be named one of our splurge-worthy picks. Find it at www.NationalJeanCompany.com for $92. Pair with some metallic flat sandals and you're good to go.

For a killer night-time look, wear the dress with a pair of wedges that incorporate an exotic skin like these Jones New York 'Dance Wit It' Reptile Wedges. Get them from www.DSW.com for $49.94. Finish off the look with some simple gold jewelry and hit the town!

Memorial Day Essentials

If you have Monday off like I do (thanks Robin!) you'll be celebrating Memorial Day with some sunshine and, with our help, some very chic and affordable accessories. If a picnic in Central Park is on your agenda, tote this multicolored picnic basket from Target for only $14.99. It's practical and trendy all at the same time. Get it from your local Target store or at www.target.com.



A must-have are some fun and brightly colored shades. Don't splurge on glasses you won't wear every day and get these fun Miracle Wear Sunglasses for $8 on www.lulus.com. The detailing on the sides of the frames makes them look like they're worth more than they cost and the shape is flattering on almost any face shape.



My splurge-worthy find for a fabulous Memorial Day is this Fuji Instax Instant Camera. It's the Polaroid's younger, and more trendy, cousin. The instant mini photos come out in seconds and have a vintage feel to them that make fore a great keepsake from a fun-filled day. You can find it at www.urbanoutfitters.com for $130.

So take these picks of ours and go be, undeniably, the most stylish memorial day-er out there.

Designer Duds for a Steal

Thrifty girls rejoice! Daily Candy's blogging about the most fabulous new fashion designers and styles has come to a head with their sample sale site called www.Swirl.com. It's free to sign up and takes about 30 seconds and then you're off into shopping heaven! Swirl offers up to 80% off of clothing and accessories from our favorite established designers along with buzz-worthy up-and-comers. But if you see something you love, don't delay! The sales are on a time limit and you don't want to miss a chance to own that to-die-for Felix Rae clutch, for example, (pictured above) which will be off of the market this Saturday, so get to clickin'!

Rainy Chic

A little rainy weather, much like today's conditions in NYC, is no reason to let your chic style go by the wayside. An array of trendy umbrellas, rain boots and weatherproof coats are on the market that will have you doing the rain dance just so you can use them. We love the Bella Pagoda Pinwheel Umbrella in black and white from www.Umbrellas.net
for $129. It comes in a variety of other colors as well. Another fave is the Plask Boot in the cypress shade from Tretorn. With a mid-height wedge heel, these rain boots (which look more like a legit pair of boots that happen to be waterproof) can easily carry any fashionista from day to night in all weather conditions. Find them on the Web site www.Shoesteal.com for almost half of the original price. And our most loved splurge for weatherproof gear is the asymmetrical hooded raincoat from Smythe. It is insanely stylish and will keep you wearing it despite the conditions outdoors. You can find it at www.netaporter.com for $650, and in our opinion, it's worth every penny :).

Do Jellies Right This Summer

Jellies have been re-emerging in the fashion world for a while now, but the warm summer weather has inspired designers to add an abundance of colors and styles to the jelly sandal realm and adding more ways than ever to get in on this trend; without reverting back to those blister-prone chunky jelly sandals of your adolescent years. Steve Madden has created one example of this in a brilliant flat-style interpretation (above, left) for his Steven line. The Jellys come in a variety of colors and I recommend using a site like www.Zappos.com that lists them for $69.95. Another cute option is the Jelly Jangle thong sandal from Poetic License (above, right). It has a hint of color and the flower applique is a cute way to add a little somethin' somethin' without going gaudy. They are listed for $42.00 at www.Endless.com.