Fall 08

Sometimes we wish Net-a-Porter would just put the darn frocks on a real person. This Miu Miu Double Zip Dress just doesn't look as nice on that mannequin as it did on the runway. Now, we know that this could be the result of some post-fashion week fabrication adjustments. We also know that it might be more to do with Net-a-Porter's sample size, but, regardless, the charm is lost. On the runway this dress is a body skimming jewel-toned piece of perfection. It makes the model look curvaceous and blends that old world silhouette with modern details a la the frock's hardware. What does it look like on e-commerce? It looks like a shift dress with neon sleeves. The product description reads, "exquisitely tailored" but, by the looks of it, it's a sack dress. To be honest we can't tell just where the problem lies. It's either the lack of, er, human being, holding the garment up or it's that the sample size is larger than the mannequins frame. Either way, we hope that the fashionistas buying this Miu Miu frock for $1,640 will know to check the proper runway exit. We're pretty sure in twenty years we will look back on these discrepancies and roll over onto our sides in a fit of laughter.

Today we bumped into a gallery of some outerwear options for Fall 08 and found ourselves daydreaming of the possibilities. Alas, we experience this song and dance every season. First we draw up an ideal fall wardrobe, the coat being an integral part of this scene, and shortly after the beloved purchase is made it finally gets cold. We will acknowledge the fact that some places do not get as cold as others and that some people need not walk fifteen blocks from the subway to their apartment but in New York, we do. That said, the coats we buy in September hardly ever make it past the holiday season and maybe, you know, that's fine. We're just saying. Or maybe, you never know, we could think ahead and skip the chic short-sleeve number in favor of something more substantial. Being chic, in any context, means dressing appropriately and yet having your own sense of style. Maybe this season we'll try to think ahead, and leave those coveted short sleeve numbers for the Californians. Below, our best guesses at what might help you brave a harsh winter in New York. Sigh, and below that, the coats we really wish we could wear as our winter jacket.

We've come to a decision about our Fall look and we feel the need to share. It came to us through editorial osmosis, from seeing these two items separately, and then together, and then separately, until we finally began to feel like this should come to represent our entire fall look. The ankle boot and short pant combination, editorialized at left in the Topshop Fall 08 look book, is easy to put together at any price point. Our plan, in case you're curious, is to start with the trousers and boots and build out our other blouses and frocks and jackets once those two key pieces have been established (we're thinking a navy trench, marching band jacket, Lyell blouses, and sheer boyish tops). So, this weekend we went and bought the LD Tuttle Nebula boots which we'd been eying for some time. To save some money on the trousers we intend to employ a little DIY by finding an inexpensive trouser at Express, The Gap, or Uniqlo and then having them tailored in the Lower East Side to be on the short and narrow. We're hoping to find a range of colors. We're pretty excited. We'll keep you posted on our work and in the meantime, if you fancy this styling for your Fall wardrobe, our favorites are below.

For the sake of convenience we're going to pretend we didn't see these Jimmy Choo Glenys Python Sandals. We're going to pretend we didn't see them because for once we actually prefer the low-end version. Jeffery Campbell who makes super comfortable and super affordable trendy shoes, has taken this Choo shoe and exaggerated its look. We're pretty sure there are twice as many straps as the Choo, we're pretty sure the Campbell version is one of the darn sexiest Fall 08 sandals we've seen to date. The Marly Black Patent Leather Platform is a mere $110 (compare that to the Choo at $1,550) and will serve you well when it's still warm enough for sandals though a chill in the air calls for something a little more dense than a flimsy summer heel. Below, the top five strap-happy sandals we've been eying, at a diverse range of price points.

We're not going to patronize you by asking rhetorical questions about whether a $365 dollar sweater is 'worth' it. Let's just call a spade a spade and say that you have the money to spend on such things, you don't, you happened to be first in line to the sample sale, or you wait until it's twenty percent off and buy it online. Anyway, we know it's somewhat boring of us to be exited about a neon pink cardi that looks like something you might find at the Salvation Army, but we can't help ourselves. Truth is, this cardigan, over some wild frock or pair of six inch heels, would get more mileage than anything. In the winter, when long, heavy layers are so necessary, having a bright something to cozy up to is always welcome. To us, this looks like one of those pieces that you put on one freezing cold morning and think yourself, "You know, I'm really glad I ended up buying this." Now, invest in some of the rich indigos from Chloe's Fall 08 collection and you've really made a wise investment. The combination or navy, neon pink, and pale skin almost makes us ready to put our shorts and light frocks in storage and gear up for the long winter.

This wonderful bag is color blocked and a hybrid of two popular handbag shapes. For that reason, the tonal Chloe Joan shoulder bag feels like a fresh design to us. In terms of the shape it's a mix between a bucket bag and a tote. It's a bucket bag in its cylindrical shape and cinched opening but tote-like in that the bottom of the bag has no perpendicular panel of leather. So it's bottomless bucket or some such thing. Anyway, we like it. We're also big fans of the color combination on the bag. We usually carry big, solid color bags and it can be inconvenient. Like, for instance, when your blouse is the same color it can give you a monochrome block-person look without warning. Having a bit of color on your handbag will help break up your look a bit. Net-a-Porter says the hardware is equestrian-inspired which didn't occur to us at first glance but they're right. Anything equestrian has long been across the board okay in Coutortureland, making this handbag next to perfect in our minds. Sigh, if only we didn't see the Forever 21 knock-off coming down the conveyor belt.

Whoa there, three-hundred-and-twenty-eight dollar hammer pants. We love you. We love you because you sold out all summer from the various designers that decided to make you and now, in the wee hours of fall, you've delivered from a designer we trust and at a price we can afford. We promise we will try not to cheat on you.

These slouchy brushed twill trousers will probably sell out in a week or two, unless, because it's Shopbop, they miraculously sit there for a month. But seriously, we're guessing fashionistas worldwide have caught onto this trend by now. Judging by the fit on the model, these trousers run big. She is probably wearing a zero but, even though they are meant to billow, they still look kind of gigantic on her (the waist should be tighter, no?). So, ladies, that means if you wear a size 26 jean (and not a 24) you should probably still by the size zero, and so on. Oh, just when we thought we were going to die from fashion-starvation, we find these goodies. Looks like we'll survive August after all.

Staples has always been our go-to space for the coming of a season. Being that we are more or less, total nerds, the concept of 'basics', 'must-haves', and, well, 'staples' have always been of keen interest to us. When we were little, going to Staples (the store) meant fresh everything--from never been sharpened pencils to pristine notebooks. We have to say that we get a similar feeling now, when we start imagining our fall wardrobe. After we makes lists of what we'd like and edit our closet a little bit, we go after the staples. Putting away a new leather jacket or pair of trousers feels almost like it did to put that loose leaf in our trappers. That said, on our list this season is a new pair of black boots. If there's anything that's making its rounds on e-commerce right now its these items, so now is the time to scope out what requires replenishing. From motorcycle to riding boots, the variations of black boots are diverse but, overall, we're noticing high rises (right under the knee and right over) and sleek, seamless shapes. Black boots with a sheen (mostly by way of patent leather) are also popular as are the dipped cuff that we see in riding boots. Sigh, if only everything were as simple as it is at the beginning of a season, or first page of a notebook.