fffabulous

cinderella shoes

These Manolo Blahnik Something Blue Satin Pumps are THE Manolos of the Sex and the City movie. And, in my opinion, they couldn't have found a better pair of Manolos for this movie; but yet again, if you ever have the chance to go to Barney's and check out their Manolo Blahnik shoes, you'll want them all because they are all equally gorgeous, yet they are unique and totally timeless. My absolute favorites are the Manolo Blahnik high heel leopard shoes and the Manolo Blahnik patent leather open toe mary jane.

Going back to the movie, I love these cobalt blue satin shoes because they are like a fine pair of jewelry with the crystal broach detail, with the advantage that you can walk in them. Ha! I also love the cobalt blue color - I have a big thing for the Klein Blue in general, and my love for blue jeans may just be another reason why I love it so much. And the heel...oh the heel! Do I need to even mention how fffantastic Manolo heels are? You can buy a pair of Manolo shoes without even trying them on because that heel -even a 4 1/4" heel- is as stable as ever. Note that Manolos run small, so always get a half size larger than you typically wear.

I would consider buying these gorgeous Manolo Blahnik Something Blue Satin Pumps because they'd go with everything, from a pair of jeans to a little white suit (wink wink), and even with a very nice looking man called Mr. BIG.

get a glow with aveeno

Off season, I am a big fan of the Comodynes Self Tanning Towelettes for Face & Body, and when the summer comes, I enjoy laying down in the sun -in moderation and with my sunscreen on- to get a nice glow. Lately, I became intrigued when my girlfriends kept talking about Aveeno Active Naturals Continuous Radiance Moisturizing Lotion, saying that it was the best tan enhancer ever. My friend Dee, a fffabulous designer who also designed our fffabulous logo (to be unveiled soon), sent me this small blurb about why she loves this Aveeno moisturizing lotion so much. Aside from being convinced that I should be using this lotion from now on, I enjoyed every word of her review...gosh, Dee is really talented!

"Dear fffabulous Editor:

I am thoroughly enjoying the sun as I sit on my balcony watching the sky turn wonderful shades of blue while reading fffabulous. I wanted to take a moment to comment not so much on summer as to what happens post summer. Right now many people are skipping off to the sand and soaking up sun to get that tan they so love. The smart people however are absorbing less UV and looking to creams to enhance that sunny glow. But post summer, we see too many celebs and friends walking around with that splotchy orange day-glow look that simply reeks of botched self tanning job.

I wanted to mention however that I am one of those perpetually tanned people due to my ethnic background whom many people always proclaim, "I wish I had your skin color!" Well I have a secret too. Women of color and even of darker complexions can use self tanning products to even out their skin tone for a flawless look and an amazing glow. I personally swear by Aveeno Active Naturals Continuous Radiance Moisturizing Lotion. Not only does it work gradually but you can dial up the darkness of the tan. Women of colour have a better go at using self tanners because our skin absorbs more of what turns our fairer friends orange.

So I say don't be afraid of using self tanning creams regardless of your skin tone and don't forget the gloves! I highly recommend Aveeno's product to be added to your list of fffabulous products.

-Miss Dee"

charlotte wears eres

I am currently vacationing in Nice, and what to do while on vacation in Nice? Go to the beach and soak up the sun like no other of course! Lucky me! There is also the option to pay a visit to the Brangelina twins; that may come later during my stay. Ha!

So I haven't bought a swimsuit in 2 years, and it is about time I get a new one. I still have yet to buy a Salinas swimsuit or Rosa Cha bikini that my Brazilian girlfriends recommended to me; but when in Rome, do like the Romans do. Plus, I am French, so it's another good reason to shop French! One of the most famous brands for swimwear here is Eres. I have long fantasized about owning one of their legendary bikinis but never bought one. The fact that Charlotte wears the Niko Milla Bandeau swimsuit from the Eres Swimwear 2008 line in the Sex and the City movie makes it even more tempting to splurge on a nice swimsuit that looks like candy (I love the pinkish-mauve Idole color). I am usually not that into one-piece swimsuits, but this one is too adorable to pass up. Plus, I love the lacing on the front and the fact that this bandeau suit comes with a removable strap. Hooray for minimal tan lines!

a lil bit dramatic

Dang, does it feel good not to be the only one to succumb to romi boutique's newest finds and splurge on yet another cute tee. Masami got another adorable top there and one that I don't already have. Hmmm, is that even possible? Apparently, yes. I absolutely love the LITTLE BIT tees featuring cartoon characters such as Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny and other characters from the Flintstones. Here is the one Masami got:

"After my shopping spree in Manhattan this summer, I promised I was done... but I guess I was wrong! When I saw this vintage-style adorable pink Tee at Romi's boutique in San Francisco, I couldn't resist heading to the fitting room. Growing up, my two fave cartoons were the Flintstones and Casper and I religiously took my daily Flintstones vitamins, I'm serious! Of course this LITTLE BIT DRAMATIC tee with "Pebbles" embellished with orange crystallized Swarovski elements could not go back to the shelf. I HAD TO HAVE IT!! The soft cotton and distressed fabric-look goes so well with my jeans. I was all smiles on my new acquisition. And isn't the LIL' BIT DRAMATIC line funny too?"

love keychain

What's not to like about the LOVE keychain Miss Louise from St. Louis sports in the Sex and the City movie? Nothing! Although, I did do some research and concluded that this beautiful keychain was totally out of my budget. The LOVE keychain was custom created by H.Stern specifically for the movie and costs a small fortune. Check out the June/July 2008 edition of the H.Stern e-magazine to view all the H.Stern beautiful custom made pieces of jewelry that Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte wear in the movie. The LOVE keychain is on page 6!

Anyway, I am not a big fan of knock-offs in general, but when my friend Masami sent me this link to a cheaper version of the LOVE keychain (Masami is so resourceful!), I had to feature it 'in the name of love'. Not only is it affordable, it is also really cute, big (no more excuses to lose your keys; that comment is for me, eh eh!), and it simply says LOVE. And all we need is love, right?

fffabulous sale: j brand love story jean

Although J Brand is famous for its skinny jeans, the J Brand Love Story Bellbottom Jean is the pair that all the celebrities wear—from Kate Moss and Paris Hilton to Katherine Heigl and Courteney Cox. Now that's hot! And don't you all love it when the most fffamous pair of jeans on Earth is on sale?

These jeans just fit perfectly: they make the perfect butt and the longest legs with the flare legs and 35 inch inseam. And the lapis dark blue wash and the charcoal/dark grey wash are perfect for this Fall. Both are classic and will go a long way with any shirt and pumps or any sweater and boots in your wardrobe.

it's fffabulous SATC week

A couple of weeks ago, I watched the Sex and the City movie for the third time (I know it's crazy, but I love this movie even more each time I see it), and I realized that I have dropped the ball BIG TIME on featuring all the cool stuff Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte wear and carry around in the movie. So here it is. Once again, it's fffabulous SATC week for all of you fffabulous fffashionistas. Yay!

I absolutely love the white Chanel purse Charlotte carries when they arrive in Mexico – btw, don't you all love how they travel with such fancy hats, dresses, and heels? I'd so be wearing my sweatpants and flip flops! Anyway, one of my girlfriends owns that Chanel purse in black and it is adorable. It is very similar to the Chanel Medium Lux Tote: it is classic (of course, it's a Chanel) with a modern twist with its unstructured shape. Aaaah! I so want it! Unfortunately, I couldn't find it anywhere (Chanel purses are so hard to find), and I may be tempted to ‘borrow’ the Chanel Medium Lux Tote on Bag Borrow or Steal just for the sake of carrying a Chanel purse around for a week. Plus, all my Louis need to get used to the idea they have to cohabit with a Chanel, and that can't happen overnight, right? Ha!

And, here is a fun poll for you!

chanel gold fiction

When I hear something is 'limited edition', I usually get ecstatic and want it even more. Crazy, huh? It worked once again and this time, for the right reasons. Vicky and I went to get our nails done last weekend, and the nail salon had all shades of the Chanel's limited edition nail polish. My very favorite was the Chanel Facette d'Or Gold Fiction nail polish. How can you not feel like a million bucks when you wear this on your toes AND fingernails??? Everything you walk on or touch becomes sacred (at least in my book). And if you also wear the Huile Prodigieuse® Or from Nuxe, oh my! You're a queen!

Chanel released two other limited edition colors that are equally adorable: the Fantastic color (or should I say fffantastic? Eh eh), which is a subtle plumby red that is perfect for the summer, and the Kaleidoscope color, which is a metallic dark gray that'd look great in the fall, especially if coupled with a metallic purse.

Oh, and I ended up choosing the Chanel Orange Blossom nail polish. This color is absolutely delicious, just like candy. I'll wear Gold Fiction next and Kaleidoscope just after that.

fffabulous.com in flock gloss

Hey guys! No fancy clothes featured today, so you won't have one more reason to spend the big bucks on that insanely expensive pair of jeans I got. Ha!

I nonetheless have some great news to announce. Flock, the social Web browser that helps users connect, discover, and share the best of the Web, released its new Gloss Edition today. And fffabulous.com is one of the 13 default fashion websites (lucky 13!) featured in their Fashion and Beauty Favorites Menu, along with Bellasugar, InStyle, Glam and Fabsugar. Yay!

The Gloss Edition, which will center on fashion, celebrity news and entertainment, is just like any other browser (think Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari) but with a fashion twist to it, as it features media streams for fashion interviews, red carpet events and the latest styles from the industry's top brands. InStyle, Glam.com, ThisNext and Popsugar.com are just a few of the partners that are now one click away for fashionistas, gossip hounds and celeb worshipers to get more of what they love, including profiles of the next best designers, who Angelina is adopting and how to dress for fall. Women in the workplace, at home, in school and around the globe are already visiting these sites daily; now they can access them all in one place at Flock and be the first to know when Matthew McConaughey finally puts his shirt back on, or when George Clooney decides to settle down.

Check out fffabulous.com in Flock Gloss' Fashion and Beauty Favorites Menu and enjoy!!!

Flock Gloss Edition Browser is available as a free software download for Mac, PC and Linux at http://www.flock.com/gloss.

fffabulous sale: anlo drew trouser jeans

It's fffabulous sale time again! Yay! I am usually not a big fan of sales because I've noticed that I either buy clothes that I don't need or I just don't love them as much as clothes I've had a big crush on (you know, that love at first sight thingy?). But my metaphysical ramblings on sales shall be addressed in a later post because I have something very important to talk about.

I went to romi boutique the other day to help a friend find a cool pair of jeans, and I ended up with this gorgeous and super trendy pair of Anlo jeans. Adios, shopping diet! I totally fell for the Anlo Drew Trouser Jeans in Abyss and for a lot of reasons: these jeans have a super nice dark wash, a great trouser-style tab waist, and a wide leg that will flatter any figure. And the high waist is not too high, so don't get scared because you're gonna love it! These jeans also have a few perks I couldn't ignore: they are super long (34" inseam), have fffabulous button details (my girlfriends could tell they were Anlos right away), and they make a great butt (my friends noticed this right away too. Ha!). These jeans are ON SALE, too, for $132 from $220. Nice! And they are so cute that as soon as my friend Vicky saw them on me, she wanted a pair for herself. She tried mine on to check out the fit and size, and she was sold immediately. Not to mention that her order is already in. Doesn't this tell something?

Oh, and talking about sizing, these trouser jeans size big, so get a size smaller than you usually wear for a perfect fit. As an example, I wear a size 27 in Citizens and a size 28 in 1921, and I got these jeans in size 26 and they fit perfectly. Go get them now before they run out!

dress up your macbook

Miss Erica followed my advice and got a MacBook of her own. But I may be the one who follows her advice now that she has taken it a step further by personalizing her brand new Macbook laptop with an animal print skin. I may even get the exact same zebra print skin, since the leopard print skin is nowhere to be found!

"I've recently left behind my old PC for a Macbook, and let me tell you, the transition has been very smooth. My new Macbook is just wonderful to me—it looks good, behaves well, and is 13''. But better yet, I get to style my new baby up! So I bought the Isis Dei Zebra Skin online, which is made out of high quality PET plastic and reversed silk screened for extra protection. It can be applied and removed super smoothly without leaving any sticky residue; so if my computer ever needs a new outfit, I can easily switch it up. Not only is this skin a good way to protect my laptop from scratches, it looks absolutely stunning! The zebra print looks truly amazing; it is stylish and blends perfectly with any Macbook, black or white. I was immediately sold just by looking at pictures of it! Now my Macbook gets to be well-protected and well-dressed! It's great!"

twill twenty two tee

My friend Masami happened to stop by the mall after the gym and bought this very adorable Twill Twenty Two short cap sleeve tee . She liked it so much that after she bought it in pink, she went back to the store to get it in navy blue! This tee is totally adorable, super comfy (100% cotton), and fits perfectly; plus, it goes with everything. And I love the rhinestone buttons that give this tee a nice sophisticated touch without being over the top.

Masami wore her pink tee with a white pair of jeans last weekend and the navy blue tee at work with a nice pair of dark jeans. Both looked amazing, but I especially love the navy blue tee. I am always in black in the winter, and navy blue is a nice alternative for the summer; it is a neutral and it is super classy. And it goes very well with dark jeans. Now I'm gonna have to watch more closely for new stuff from Twill Twenty Two!

fffabulous sale: restoration hardware towels

I always love popping into a Restoration Hardware store to check out their newest stuff (this is actually how I found the perfect Christmas gift last winter, and it was a big hit!). I love their bathroom décor: it is super cute, well equipped with all sort of fancy mirrors, containers, candles, etc., and very well color coordinated with their bath linen collections. I bought the Ultimate Turkish Towels in red a couple of years ago and I still love them so much to this day! And I was happy to hear from my friend Natala that there is a 20% sale on these towels through August 3rd. "Here are some notes on why I love the Restoration Hardware Ultimate Turkish Towels:

• Plushness: these towels are truly plush and luxurious feeling. They are thick and you feel warm when wrapped up in them -- but they aren't so heavy that you feel like if the towel isn't fully tucked it will fall off.
• Wear over time: I have been impressed with how they last -- they dry quickly (so they don't smell damp or moldy) and the color hasn't faded on my towels year after year of use.
• Color selection: I really appreciate that they have committed to a standardized color palette -- that they maintain year after year. It allows me to buy more towels in sky every year during the annual sale.

From a price comparison, I think when on sale, these towels are a deal. High quality towels can be spendy, but these are approachably priced with that 20% discount at $40 for a bath sheet. Those bath sheets are just awesome too."

lisa t fine jewelry

I thought I'd talk about one of the most fffabulous splurges I've done lately. I went to Lisa T.'s private party last May and fell for the most gorgeous chain and diamond cross pendant; but I didn't feel too bad for two reasons: 1. it is drop dead gorgeous and goes with everything; it nicely dresses up any Sharon Segal tee I wear, and it even looks great with a white tank top and sweatpants on weekends; and 2. my friend Masami bought a superb morganite (light pink) and diamond platinum cocktail ring, which she wears every single day; she  gets complimented for it all the time. So worth it!

Check out the Lisa T. fine jewelry website; you'll fall for any of her handmade 18k pave eternity bands (a specialty) or fashionable bangles that I would love to eventually stack.  All her pieces of jewelry are so classy yet modern, custom-made, and simply unique. I'm sure you'll find the perfect ring, necklace or bracelet that was handcrafted just for you! And I already have my eyes on this white gold necklace with unique pave links because it'll look fffreaking fffabulous on me, and diamonds are a girl's best friend!

Pictured here are Lisa T.'s most popular stacking bands ($600 each). You can get one at a time and stack'em up!

jawbone bluetooth headset

If you live in California, you should already know – and maybe the hard way – that since July 1st, you can't talk on the phone while driving unless you are using a hands-free device. I have never used a headset before, and I was motivated to find a good AND fancy one. I came across Jawbone and fell for their gold 'goldy lips' bluetooth headset. It is absolutely gorgeous, functions very well (just remember to have the Voice Activated Sensor rest on your cheek), and people might mistakenly think it is a Louis Vuitton headset (okay, they know me too well!). Also, the Jawbone bluetooth headset comes with 3 sizes of earbuds and 2 sizes of earloops for you to customize your fit. I love it so much that I don't want to take it off...and I was one of these people who used to say: 'take it off, you all look like robots with this on!'. Ha! The only 'issue' I have is that I need to remember to charge one more device when I get home. And I'm not good at remembering these things. Oh well!

And to add to the perks, you can get $20 off your Jawbone headset if you've already gotten a ticket for talking on the phone while driving – now that's smart marketing right there! To get your discount, go to the hands free ticket processor page, enter your state and ticket number, and click on 'process ticket'. You're in for the discount. Yay!