Have you noticed Furla lately?

May 14th, 2013 No Comments

When I first saw this slouchy messenger bag in Tootsies, the softness of the leather instantly converted it from cute to coveted in my eyes. As a handbag designer, the quality of the leather/skins brands use always intrigues me. I’d never seen cow treated like this before and still be so supple. Usually cow is pretty stiff and takes a while to wear in.

The next surprise came when I looked at the label: Furla. Furla, that’s a brand I haven’t thought about in a while. Then I checked the price; $495, wow, not bad in comparison to its style competitors like Rebecca Minkoff. (Furla totes are more akin to the big boys such as Ferragamo.)

On all fronts I was so pleasantly surprised with this bag! After a month of the NYC hustle stuffed to the gills as you see above, it has proven its quality and still looks exactly the same as the day I bought. Impressive is an understatement.

This little hobo sparked my curiosity and led me to Saks to see what else Furla is up to these days. I think you’ll like what I discovered!

An array of totes in bold colors and skins that are similar to those of the trending designers but just different enough to have their own style AND pricepoint. My personal favorite is the last one. Must be all of those years hunting with my dad and collecting rattle snake tails that draws me to the snake skin.

I can’t stand having something everyone else is wearing (aka the Givenchy Phantom bag) which is why I have respect for Furla’s new direction. I have always considered the brand to be well-made, but too conservative and safe for my taste. As we can see whoever is at the helm now is going to great lengths to shed that rep and make a big statement.

These totes range from $895 to $1895 (if I remember correctly). Choo, McQueen, Valentino, Marc Jacobs, and other brands you love seem to be two to three hundred more expensive for the same style. You can also find Furla clutches in the same color schemes, but surely you know my feelings about a clutch :)

In other handbag news, I hear Valentino is coming out with some amazing styles. I’ll check into Editorialist to see when they surface. More on that site later.

Wait. Are those…? She’s wearing CROCS?!

April 23rd, 2013 2 Comments

Yep, and loving every step of it!

I told my friend Julie last night at dinner, and she just shook her head and cringed until I explained the sandal style you see above. Rubber, lightweight, cute, comfortable, waterproof, dirtproof, and most importantly New York proof (and kidproof for that matter).

Now, I didn’t find these on my own. You can imagine I’m not hauling it to the Crocs store in my Guiseppes. I was lead to the brand by Joseph, a former designer for Crocs who so graciously brought me a pair to a recent meeting.

I’ve NEVER been a Crocs fan. Honestly, I can’t fathom why anyone would wear those ugly things. My parents said the same thing about Uggs before they slipped them on and felt how comfy they are, so I’m guessing the same is true for the rubber clogs. I didn’t tell Joseph any of this because I obviously didn’t want to be offensive, nor does it really matter in the grand scheme of things.

So when I accepted the Crocs box, I thought “Oh no,” but when I opened it “Oh wow!”came out of my mouth. Inside was an unbelievably lightweight pair of rubber wedges. Unfortunately they didn’t fit so I took them back to the Crocs retail location on the Upper West Side and discovered a world of cute and ridiculously comfy shoes.

With warm weather around the corner, I honed in on the sandals. After finding t-strap Mossimos flats at Target, buying them in 3 colors, and wearing each until I had to throw them away, I prefer a shoe with an ankle strap over a flip flop. Crocs has tons of both!

Besides being rubber, slim, flexible, waterproof, dirtproof, and lightweight, some have some little ball things on the inside that almost massage your feet as you walk. Overall, it’s like wearing nothing. The price is very right, starting at $30 a pair.

Left to right:

They come in a variety of colors. Be advised, I bought a half to a whole size smaller than I usually wear.

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“Pink is my signature color.”

April 9th, 2013 1 Comment

Love me some Steel Magnolias! “He doesn’t know whether to wind his butt or scratch is watch.” It’s been too long since I’ve watched it…

I really thought red was going to be my color for Spring, but “Whitney,” a new color from Jouer, has pulled me over to the dark side (those of you who remember my Julia days can understand why I have an aversion to the shade).

Whitney is actually more hot pink than it looks in this pic. I tame it with a little mauve lip liner and then pop with my go-to top coat, Revlon “Shine City.”

Whitney Head to Chin

Diesel aviators from LASC in WeHo (yes, it’s “gay” man’s store, but I would shop there for anyone)
Miguel Ases earrings from Tootsies
Whitney Jouer lipstick + Revlon “Shine City”

I’ve been wearing Whit for a week and haven’t switched to another color no matter what the outfit. I just keep my makeup palllet neutral. One of the reasons I like the pink over red is the fact that I can wear a little heavier eye liner with it. Red really demands a simply eye so you don’t look like…well, you know.

Now, anything pink catches my eye and I instantly want to buy. Of course shopping in Bergdorfs the other day that wasn’t a possibility, but you can see why I was intrigued.

I have yet to find a loafer that I like and looks good on me. With my long feet, that’s a hard bill to fit! And now that the weather is getting warm, I think I’ve missed the boat until fall.

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My statement sunnies for spring/summer

March 26th, 2013 No Comments

Left, Tom Ford. Right Roberto Cavalli.

As for the other trends here: Red lipstick by TF and green jeans are Hudson.

And you? Send me pics of the shades you’re loving right now. We need some reader style up on this blog.

Mary@MoreThanMary.com

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More is More for Holiday Attire

December 19th, 2012 No Comments

This time of year is really the only time I can think of (besides Halloween) when we can break the rules and over-accessorize. In the spirit of being festive!

Usually you pick one statement piece and let it shine atop your outfit. Now I’m saying pile them all on. Wear metallics, statement jewelry, and a bright red lip altogether. Go on, throw on those red shoes too. Of course you can go overboard, but this is your chance to play.

Let’s take Taylor as an example. As always Taylor Swift looks amazing, but would you say she looks festive? I don’t think she does. I would love to see a big statement necklace and some shoes with character.

Here’s a key to pulling this off: the accessories you choose shouldn’t be be festive in their own right (Ranjana Khan above). You don’t want to beat the issue to death before people’s gaze makes it to your waist. You want your individual pieces to create one festive look. I wish I had some examples to show you of successful ensembles, but I’m hoping now that I’ve mentioned this to you, you’ll notice women embracing the “more is more” holiday sensibility and give it a shot.

I’ll take some more pics and post them here after I’m out and about a little bit more. You can always follow me on tumblr to keep up as well!

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Understated and elegant or excessive?

November 13th, 2012 No Comments

Did you catch Ceelo’s watch on The Voice last night? All gold, yellow diamond-crusted face, gigantic and uuuugly! Must weigh a ton and cost at least a VP’s year’s salary.

Excessive is an understatement.

Dolce & Gabbana released a line of limited edition styles with 18 karat hold accents. Subsequently these frames are $595.

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather pay $395 for gold plate wrapped in plastic. ($195 is more like it, but that’s another issue).

So even though these Dolces are elegant, my vote is excessive.

These glasses bring up another issue for me as well. I haven’t seen anything new or interesting in the sunglasses market. I’m bored of my favorite (wait, second favorite) accessory! I guess that’s why there is a need and consumption for real gold accents.

On the bright side, I can wear my current collection and save about $700 a year. :)

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Get on the hunt for fall.

October 23rd, 2012 No Comments

Not that green isn’t fashionable every fall and winter, but it’s making a bigger statement this year. Above are a few ways I’m bringing it into my wardrobe this fall.

Starting top left and going clockwise:

H&M real leather bag
Chanel Les 4 Quadra Eyeshadow in Premier Regard
Claudia Lobao emerald jewelry
Green hairband
Gianvito Rossi Winged Pump

I also love a dark green tailored dress instead of a normal LBD. Hope I run into one sometime soon….

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My method to beat the anxiety of getting dressed for an event.

September 25th, 2012 2 Comments

Over the years so many of you have come to me for advise on getting dressed for events, in particular reunions and weddings. The biggest obstacle being choosing a dress within your budget. To make this video, I teamed up with your best resource for designer dresses on a budget: RentTheRunway. There still seems to be a barrier to order due to the size factor, but that’s why they send you two sizes.

What’s next, you ask? In this video I offer you a checklist to make sure you have everything you need.

When looking for makeup artists and stylists in your city, I have two suggestions: referrals from friends and recommendations from the sales associates on the designer level of clothing stores. They send their biggest spenders to the best, and they’ll be happy to do the same for you if you simply ask. You can also check my list of contacts here. The Dry Bar will give you a great blowout for $35 or $65 for an up-do. If you’d like to refer your stylist, please leave their contact info in the comments below. Your stylist and MTM readers would greatly appreciate it!

As always, I’m always happy to help you personally if you have specific questions. Simply email me mary@morethanmary.com.

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