Nine West's Vintage America Collection

As evidenced by my last post, I've been planning to go into fall kicking and screaming, wearing white pants and backless tops and hiding my tights under my bed. Since June was so rainy and cold, I feel like Mother Nature owes me an extra month to wear sundresses and sandals.

But then I saw this month's Lucky, and I started to get a little excited about putting my sweaters and corduroys back into rotation. And then I saw pg. 189, which featured items from Nine West's new Vintage America Collection. Lucky is doing a giveaway of $200 gift cards to Nine West, and I'm in it to win it. So what would I blow $200 bucks on?

I'd definitely start with the Roll Tab Boyfriend Tunic, $59. Plaid continues to be a personal obsession, and I plan to rock it in full force as soon as the temperature goes below 60 degrees. This top looks perfectly cozy, and it has that "I'm too confident in my sexiness to need to show all that skin," while still being form-fitting and cute. The roll-up sleeves and bib front give it a little more character than your typical button-down. I'm digging the tunic length, although if it were dress length I might love it a little more.

Ok, so buying these boots would already put me over the $200 mark, but I don't care: I need them, I want them, oh baby, oh baby. The knee-high Fiddle Boot, $169, does a fantastic job of mixing in Western inspiration with everyday style. Having grown up in Arizona and ridden horses for half my life, I tend to be a little suspicious of anything that tries to imitate Western style. I've worn chaps, and riding boots, and spurs, and I have no desire to bring that look to the East Village. But the cowboy influence is subtle in these boots--just some silver studs up the side and a practical mini-heel. I also like how these appear to have a good amount of structure, so they won't slouch down your calves and make your legs with stumpy.

These boots would get ruined in about five minutes on a real ranch, and that just makes me love them more. The Frollic boots, $99.99, come in three luxe suede colors, and I want the lightest brown, in order to form a perfect set with the medium brown boots I already have and the black boots above, that I own in my imagination. Sure, I'd have to put in a bit of work to keep them clean from sidewalk slush and subway grime, but looking killer in suede boots is the ultimate reward.

But a girl can not live in boots alone. Enter the Coby flats, $69.00. My passion for shiny studs and girly patterns is well documented, but I have to confess that I'm digging this gunmetal green color. It's so unexpectedly pretty, and will match nearly everything while not fading into the background. I'd love to wear these with a cranberry red dress, or maybe a loose cream sweater with super skinny jeans.

Purple pt 2: Sweaters and Accessories

I want to prove that my obsession with purple extends beyond dresses, so here are some more purple options if you're not ready to commit to knee-to-neckline purple.

The Amanda cardigan, $28 at Lulu, maintains a fine balance between sophisticated and sporty. The front corners are extended, so you can wrap it around your waist ballet-style or maybe belt it, and the sheer fabric makes it really versatile as the seasons change. My favorite thing about it, however, is the subtle stripes of lighter purple that give it a very vintage, lived-in vibe.


This Free People Turtleneck, $59, has its own unique spin on stripes: skinny lines of lime break up the solid purple top, making it seem very "hippest girl in a college town." I also like how the "turtleneck" is more of a very slight cowl neck, so you get the interesting neckline but not the prudish, overheated and stiff effect turtlenecks sometimes give off. The tunic length is so cozy, too.

I forgot to include this in the purple dresses post, but since it fits my stripes theme I think it's alright to include it. The Puella Port Striped Tunic Dress, $125, is so effortlessly flirty and feminine. The two shades of purple compliment each other perfectly, and the vertical stripes on the off-the-shoulder neckline prevent the dress from getting too prison uniform. I'm obsessed with the open neckline, actually; I'd love to wear this with my hair in a loose bun at the nape of my neck for maximum hotness.

Now onto the purple accessories! The Crush Purse in Purple by Melie Bianco, $79 strikes me as a bit "sophisticated European traveler who is maybe sort of trashy but otherwise so much fun." The gold hardware gives it a super-luxe look, and the roomy interior and long strap are super practical. I like how simple the shape is-- it makes it the perfect fit for a fun royal purple.


The Bamboo Blackberry Raspberry Knotty Toe Flat, $20, is a straight-up adorable take on the basic ballet flat. The twisted faux-leather over the toe gives it extra interest, although with such a great plum color you don't really need it.