shoe inspiration from 1958

i am not a shoe girl.  i know, that’s blasphemy, but they just don’t do anything for me.  i have collected a good amount of shoes in a variety of shapes and colors over the years and just realized today that i’ve gotten a little lazy with my shoes.  i don’t wear high heels to work anymore.  1 1/2″ and flat boots are my staples.  why be in pain by the end of a day of heels?  it’s just not worth it to me.

but, because i love old fashion videos, i decided to try to get a little inspired by shoes from 1958.  check out the flower shoes – very carrie bradshaw!

how to stay warm and stylish in the winter

tip #1 is to pick one statement accessory. did you find a cute hat that keeps you warm and doesn’t mess up your hair? did you receive an eye-catching hand woven scarf?  wear that statement accessory confidently and pair it with neutrals, like a black hat or gray gloves.

and if you don’t have a statement accessory, check out the family-run business of FutureCraft.  they make hand woven scarves and hats in beautiful designs and prints.

and for tips #2 and #3 on how to stay stylish in the winter..check out my article on the Examiner. com.  i’m now a boston fashion and style examiner.  :)  let me know what you think!

best of the golden globes 2010

congrats to the cast of 2 of my fav shows, glee and mad men, for winning golden globes last night! and congrats to these 4 people for winning the clothing menu’s best dressed awards. :)

best dressed couple – emily blunt and john krasinski

i don’t think i’ve seen john krasinki looking so good before – i’m loving the navy suit! i’m going to go ahead and give the credit to his fiance emily blunt’s stylish influence. her ballerina inspired dress is so perfectly pale pink – she looks beautiful.

best fashion trend i hope we see more of – maggie gyllenhaal

i love this mermaid dress on maggie gyllenhaal that stands out from the crowd with its origami influence across the top.  i like the subtle use of the geometric shapes and i hope we see more origami inspiration in the spring.

best dress that no one else likes – zoe saldana

this dress didn’t get very good reviews, but i don’t care – i like it.  i think the rose color is pretty and the ruffles and gatherings around the chest are fun.  i love the texture of the dress and kudos to zoe for taking a chance with it!

pics from yahoo.com

pura vida

that’s where my boyfriend and i were a year ago.  we were were sitting on the beach, ziplining through the rain forest, and getting away from the cold in beautiful costa rica.  so in case you are lucky enough to be getting away to someplace warm or if you are living below the equator – here are some bikinis and beach totes you can bring to the beach.  lucky you!

anazara : Zoe Bikini : LAYERxlayer : bobbin

(500) days of zooey deschanel

so i finally got around to watching (500) days of summer this weekend, starring the lovely zooey deschanel, and i loved it!  there were a lot of things i liked about the movie – the story, the directing, the music (just bought the soundtrack), and of course – the fashion.  zooey deschanel’s character was very “50′s chic.”  she wore soft colors, like powder blue, and conservative dresses and skirts.

if i knew summer in real life, i would recommend she check out the online shop at UK based store, toast.  the clothes from toast are modern, with a hint of vintage, and in fun prints.

movie pics from imdb.com

choices, choices

it’s winter sale season – yay! that means not feeling so guilty about a shopping splurge at your favorite store and it means the beginning of gearing up for spring..and warm weather. here are some items on sale from some of my favorite independent designers – clothes from the super stylish Erika Hendrix and Built by Wendy and from organic and sustainable designers Stewart + Brown and Elroy. happy shopping!

ginnifer goodwin's looking good!

he’s just not that into you has been airing on hbo and the new season of big love starts up again soon – both of these featuring the beautiful ginnifer goodwin. although i cringe at the things her characters in the movie and tv show do, they have reminded me of who much i like her confident style.

i like that she isn’t afraid to stand out in something a touch different. whether it’s in a bright pink dress in a flattering shape or a vertical ruffle down her dress or her recent short pixie haircut, she always looks amazing!

these dresses are precious

aren’t they? from portland, oregon based clothing line church & state, i love the muted colors and sophisticated shapes of these dresses. and they are usually made extra special with an “old-fashioned” touch, whether it be buttons or ruffles, etc.

hello 2010!

happy new year’s everyone – hope you all have a fun and safe night out!

it’s been almost a year since i started the clothing menu.  i’m really looking forward to continuing this blog in 2010 and learning more about the latest indie fashion lines and what styles you all want to see more of.

before we enter into 2010, i just want to take a quick look back at 2009 on the clothing menu and share the most popular posts and links of the year:

top 3 posts:

1) cotton style with zooey deschanel

2) i heart rachel bilson’s style

3) dress like betty draper

top 3 stores i’ve linked to:

1) sohomode

2) Built by Wendy

3) ouma

enjoy!

fashion tips for a new year's eve party

hope everyone had a good holiday weekend!  now it’s time to gear up for new year’s eve.  what kind of party are you going to?  whether you’re heading out to a fancy bash at a club or bar or laying low with friends, here are some fun and easy style tips from celebs that hopefully you can use for your party outfit.

the key tips to take from emmy rossum and anne hathaway are to add a pop of color to your outfit if you’re going for the black and white look (either in your jewelry or an accessory, like a scarf) and layering up with a black blazer.

hope you have a fun and safe new year’s eve!

pics from people.com