Pull Yourself Together: I’m Not Made of Wood…But Everything I Own Is February 19th, 2012 By

As I’ve mentioned a million times, I grew up in NYC, so much of what surrounded me was made of concrete and steel (and neurosis). It’s not like I grew up on a construction site, but you know what I mean. I have to think that’s the reason I’m drawn to wood. Wood-paneled-everything. I might as well have been born in Amish country or the inside of an Ikea dresser. Wood has even spread to the inside of my purse. And I’m not saying I carry around old logs in my handbag, although there are some old sticks of gum at the bottom of it that are as hard as oak right now.  Everything from my iPhone cover, to my earphones (they’re great, by the way)—I even just bought some wood sunglasses (expect me to lose/break these in no time.)

clockwise, l-r: CHERRY WOOD COVER FOR IPHONE, $15.00, Amazon; VERSAUDIO EARPHONES, $49.99, Green Cupboards; SHWOOD NESKOWIN SUNGLASSES, $135.00, End Clothing; BLUE Q KNOCK ON WOOD ZIPPER POUCH, $8.64, Amazon.

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Pull Yourself Together: Ankle Boots
Are Just Like Slippers February 13th, 2012 By

I wear an ankle boot every day. Literally. That’s all I wear. To me, ankle boots are the closest thing to a slipper without looking like you’ve given up on life. They slip on and off easily, they’re not constricting, and they go with everything. And if, you’re sort of on the shorter side like I am, they still make you look long. I’m not sure what my move is gonna be when summer rolls around because my feet have not seen the light of day in months and months: My feet are the Howard Hughes of my body, sans the urine jars. (If you are unfamiliar with Hughes and urine jars, please Wikipedia it, as it’s a reference you should know.) Well, this got dark really fast. My point was supposed to be that you should  get yourself some ankle boots. I tend to gravitate towards suede for some reason. Maybe it’s because it gives them that fuzzy look I like so much in slippers. And don’t worry, I leave the house often (albeit, hesitantly). Bonus: Ankle boots are pretty much on sale at this point in the season.

clockwise l-r: ELIZABETH AND JAMES SWELT FLAT CUFF BOOTIES, $175.00, Shopbop; SAM EDELMAN PETTY SUEDE BOOTIES, $160.00, Shopbop; DOLCE VITA PASCAL LOW SHAFT HIGH HEEL BOOT, $44.97, Piperlime; RACHEL COMEY MARS BOOT, $269.50, Frances May.

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Pull Yourself Together:
It’s Charming February 10th, 2012 By

Anyone who knows me knows that I like to give and receive ridiculous (as in, stupid) gifts. In fact, Elise can vouch for that, as I am fairly certain she’s received a novelty-sized pen and foam cowboy hat from me at some point. Last year I gave my friend an XXL nightshirt of a cat in rollers that says “I Hate Mondays” as a bachelorette party gift. My most recent obsession is looking for ridiculous charms to wear on my already crowded charm necklace. The sillier, the better. In fact, I have one of a taco that my boyfriend gave me a while back. I should actually attribute this new fixation to him. Now I just find myself trying to think up of stuff I like just to see if they’ve made a charm for it, and surprisingly (or frighteningly) they have. So if you’re my friend, know that there is a vacuum cleaner charm somewhere in your future. I mean, A CROISSANT AND A WINNEBAGO????

clockwise, l-r: CROISSANT CHARM, $28.50, Classic Charms; MOVABLE LAPTOP CHARM, $73.00, Classic Charms; MOTORHOME CHARM, $29.50, Classic Charms; FRENCH FRIES CHARM, $36.50, Classic Charms.

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Pull Yourself Together:
Neon Knits February 8th, 2012 By

I tend to play it pretty safe when I shop for stuff I plan on wearing on my body. My goal is to deter as much attention from the areas I’m so-so with and accentuate the ones I like, BUT SINCE THEY DON’T SELL CLOTHING FOR A WINNING PERSONALITY, I’ve settled for the next best thing, which is neon sweaters. Now, I may have already talked about neon in one of my earlier posts, and I think I may have said that you should keep it to a minimum and only use it as an “accent” piece. This is where I have proven myself wrong (SHOCK), as is evident from the fact I am wearing a chunky neon grandpa sweater (seen below) as I type this. It was a major score at a very depressing thrift store. The neon knit stood out like a beam of light in a dark, sad ocean of Talbots sweaters and cat-piss stained pillows. But hey, that’s Toledo, Ohio for you. In any case, it’s my new “thing”, so here are a few for you to take a look through.

clockwise, l-r: CHUNKY KNIT GRANDPA CARDIGAN, $4.99, very depressing thrift store; NEON ORANGE GRANDPA SWEATER, $45.00, eBay; FEATHERWEIGHT CASHMERE CARDIGAN, $178.00, J.Crew; BUTTON-FRONT CARDIGAN, $39.95, Gap.

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Pull Yourself Together:
Cold Feet Cure February 1st, 2012 By

And by “cold feet”, I’m not talking about anxiety. Believe me, no website holds enough space for my anxiety stories. I’m talking about having feet that are literally cold all the time. Elise is known to suffer from this problem, I know. We’ve talked about it at length, which is why she was forced to buy Ugg Boots once and I was forced to make fun of her until the end of time. However, the issue of cold feet was no laughing matter when I lived in Chicago briefly last year. The idea of a place being unbearably cold is sort of unfathomable right now, since NYC basically feels like Spring Break in mid-January due to global warming. But I have seen and experienced freezing cold first hand, and nothing is worse. I tried every kind of sock and shoe combo, until I found “the one”—my feet stayed warm in -10 degree weather. I chalk it up to the geniuses at Muck who lined these water proof boots with faux shearling and the makers of WigWam socks (based in the very cold state of Wisconsin). What I most appreciate is that they still looked good and I can also wear the boots when it rains. I got double the use out of them: They’re my all weather boots, if you will. Most importantly, they’re not Uggs, my dear, frigid Elise.

l-r: ORIGINAL MUCK BOOT COMPANY WOMEN’S RAIN BOOTS, $84.95, Online Shoes; WIGWAM EL PINE SOCKS, $13.95, Shoe Mall.

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Pull Yourself Together:
On Soft Skin January 30th, 2012 By

Surprisingly, I have very soft skin. I don’t know how that is, since I drink enough wine & vodka to suck my skin dry like a cactus. And I never drink water. In fact, I hate water. Hate the taste of it. The only thing I can drink that is remotely similar to water is seltzer. So, my secret to soft skin is either genetics or bath products, and since I don’t like giving my parents too much credit for anything, why don’t we go with the latter. An ex-boyfriend once referred to my hands as being “as soft as his grandma’s.” Needless to say, we’re not together anymore. However, my relationship with the products/brands below has remained tried and true—after all, they’ve been much gentler on me than my ex.

clockwise, l-r:  SUPERBLY RESTORATIVE ARGAN BODY LOTION, $35.00, Kiehl’s; OLE HENRIKSEN RUB N’ BUFF SPA SALT SCRUB, $48.00, Beauty Bar; PERLIER WHITE ALMOND MOISTURIZING CREAM BATH, $16.50, Fragrance Net.,p/>

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Pull Yourself Together:
Built By Wendy January 27th, 2012 By

When I was living in Williamsburg, Brooklyn many, many years ago, I used to go to a shop called Mini Mart on Bedford Avenue. At the time I wore colorful barrettes in my hair, platform shoes and baby-tees. I basically looked like a Bratz Doll. Mini Mart sold a lot of what my aunt would call “funky” things, which is probably how she referred to the blue streak in my hair at the time. On one particular day I decided to shop for a pair of classic, form fitting, black pants. I WAS GROWING UP. That’s officially when my love for Built By Wendy started. I wore those pants until they were ripping at the seams. Then I bought another pair, and another pair. And today, it’s one of the only brands that has stayed with me throughout all my wardrobe phases. Built by Wendy has been around for 20 years now. It’s a great DIY story. I was later lucky enough to know Wendy Mullin, its founder, personally. She is one of the most stylish and nicest people I know. That’s probably why so many great musicians love and wear the brand—It’s classic, but with an edge. Don’t you kind of agree?

clockwise, l-r: PAINT SPOTS & STRIPES LONG DRESS, $360.00, Built By Wendy; BOUCLE OVERCOAT, $415.00, Built By Wendy; SOLID GOLD DOT KNIT DRESS, $275.00, Built By Wendy; CAVALRY TWILL ZIP TROUSER, $165.oo, Built By Wendy.

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Pull Yourself Together: Let’s
Call Them Splotchy Glasses January 26th, 2012 By

I’ve owned a pair of brown Ray Ban Wayfarers for a few years. The thing is, I’ve never been too bold when it comes to sunglasses because I don’t like drawing too much attention to my face. The things that come out of my mouth already do that for me. However, the other day I stumbled across a pair of sunglasses with a classic shape (still stuck on Ray Bans) that had a hint of something different: A pattern that was what I describe as “splotchy.” It was kind of like tortoise shell, or my skin after drinking a bottle and a half of white wine. Now that everyone—including my mom and all of my aunts—have the same Wayfarers as me, I figure there’s no time like the present to get out of my comfort zone and try these on for size. Maybe something louder on my eyes will force my mouth to be more understated.

clockwise, from l-r: RAY BAN WOMEN’S SUNGLASSES RB 4132, $131.99, Best Buy Eyeglasses; VERA WANG COSMO RETRO SUNGLASSES, $150.00, Nordstrom; RAYBAN CLASSIC WAYFARER IN TORTOISE, $150.00, Nordstrom; JUICY COUTURE WOMEN’S SUNGLASSES ERA/S, $87.20, Best Buy Eyeglasses.

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Pull Yourself Together:
On The Road January 23rd, 2012 By

I was on a road trip for the past four days, which explains why I haven’t posted anything/bathed. This was the first road trip I’d been on in a while and it reminded me how they’re a lot like belly button piercings: They both seem like a good idea when you’re a teenager. Nonetheless, I made the most out of it: I’ve been constipated for a total of five days now but I had my first meals at both Applebees and Cracker Barrel, so I guess I broke even. And yes, I’m sure the two are linked. The other thing I came away with on my road trip is knowing how to pack for one. The trick is to travel light and warm. Coffee is a must, sweatshirts are a way of life, and having snacks and personal belongings readily available is key. I would also suggest carrying extra Baggu bags (not pictured) just to have extra space to organize and lug back any and all thrift store purchases made on the road. I’m pretty certain all the shopping I did is what turned what should’ve been a 15-hour drive into a four-day journey.  It was well worth it—the $2.00 Unicorn artwork and rainbow sweater I bought proves that.

clockwise, l-r: ALADDIN TRAVEL MUG, $10.49, Target; LIGHTWEIGHT FLEECE SWEATSHIRT, $110.00, James Perse; ABINGDON TOTE, $88.00-$98.00, J.Crew; RAINBOW SWEATER & UNICORN PAINTING, $amazing.

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With a Little Help
From My Friends January 18th, 2012 By

I’ve done a fair amount of dinner party polling in my day—all official, clearly—about whether people prefer to shop alone, or in roving packs of friends (who all maintain voting rights in the dressing room).

There are two distinct camps, and both seems to have an equal number of adherents. Online, it seems to work in the same way. There are those who dart from site to site, covertly and clandestinely, who sneak their packages into the their homes and closets and are loathe to share their finds with a wider audience for fear they’ll be copied—or mocked. And then there are those who put every potential purchase in front of a panel, whether it’s through e-mail, text, or Facebook.

I  believe in a world that hangs out somewhere in between these two extremes, where you can take recommendations from trusted friends—in a lowkey way—while still following the pitter patter of your heart. After all, when I decide I want printed floral jeans, I don’t want to be told that they’re insane! (it’s sort of like announcing the name of a child that’s not yet born—if it’s not signed, sealed, and delivered, everyone feels welcome to offer an alternative that they prefer…whereas, if it’s a done deal, they hold their tongue!)

We try to keep this balance in mind when putting together stories for Beso, because as much as we want to surface products you all might not otherwise find, we want to provide a space where it feels safe to just like what you like. To that end, I’m pretty excited to bring a host of my friends (and former magazine colleagues) on as contributing editors to Beso. These are women I turn to for shopping advice almost daily, whether it’s for a vacuum cleaner recommendation, or a tip on a designer I should look to for a truly inspired necklace. Because I trust them through and through, I’m hoping you will too!

And speaking of social shopping, I’m pretty thrilled to announce that I’ve just joined Opensky as a curator! Please, please FOLLOW ME, not only to get access to my sales (all things I love so much I would, or have, bought them in bulk!), but also to be nice. Because, let’s face it: I don’t want to be the least popular one at the Opensky party! I’m up against supermodels like Molly Sims and Veronica Webb and Top Chefs galore (including Padma Lakshmi and Martha Stewart). And while you’re at it, follow Kim France, too: As the founding editor of Lucky Magazine, she pretty much taught me everything I know about being an editor (I love her Opensky tagline, which acknowledges that Lucky was the first magazine to democratize style). Kim is also a friend with excellent, and relatable taste. Going shopping with her is one of life’s greatest pleasures…she can truly intellectualize and justify anything—to that end, she’s arguably one of the only people I’d listen to, should she tell me I’m not allowed to wear floral print pants.

P.S., I love the last round of emails from you guys—please keep them coming at elise@beso.com.

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Pull Yourself Together:
As Bought From TV January 16th, 2012 By

I don’t watch a lot of TV. Not because I don’t want to. But simply because I’ve had to make a conscious decision to not own a TV because of the black hole that can be basic cable. The minute I turn it on, I revert back to toddler years, where anything shiny and moving takes the form of entertainment. Example: I was house-sitting for my friend the other day when I realized that I had been watching an infomercial for a cleaning product for 30 minutes—I probably thought I was watching a rerun of The Nate Berkus Show. In any case, this is isn’t the first time I’ve been stuck in an infomercial vortex. In fact, I’ve often taken it one step further and bought whatever product they’re trying to sell me. Which brings me to “As Seen on TV” products that I fully endorse. See, not all of them are Pajama Jeans® (Google it and be horrified). Some actually have good use and work. Starting with the product that is near and dear to my heart (and face and legs and underarms), the No!No! hair remover system. IT WORKS AT REMOVING MY ITALIAN SHAME. And if your cat has the same problem, so does the FURminator.

clockwise, l-r: NO!NO! HAIR REMOVER SYSTEM, $270.00, Neiman Marcus; FOOD SAVER VACUUM SEALER, $141.29, Amazon; MAGIC BULLET, $49.99, Target; FURMINATOR DESHEDDING TOOL FOR CATS, $52.99, 1800PetMeds.

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Pull Yourself Together:
Go-Go Juice January 12th, 2012 By

I love coffee a lot. In fact, I probably drink around four cups a day. One of the easiest ways to make me not want to hang out with you is if you tell me that you gave up coffee and then go on a long spiel about loose-leaf teas. I have no way of relating to you, sorry. And that’s not to say that I’m a coffee snob.  I’ll drink any kind of coffee—the way an alcoholic will try to get their hands on any type of alcohol. Did you ever see that the episode of Intervention with the lady who drank Listerine to give up booze? Tragic (also, I’m two coffee beans away from being that lady). But coffee makes me feel good. Like I’m walking on a rainbow of jittery magic. Which brings me to these coffee makers. I wanted to pay tribute to my two loves: Color & coffee. Thank you for both brightening my day. And if that sounds crazy, well, it probably is. It’s around 3am and I’m on my tenth cup.

l-r: BODUM ICED COFFEE FRENCH FRESS, $65.00, Macy’s; DE’LONGHI KMIX 5 CUP COFFEE MAKER, $129,99, Bloomingdale’s.

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