wedges everywhere...

{faryl robin 'madison' at nordstrom.com}

I was shocked when my friend sent me these Faryl Robin wedges from Nordstrom that are strikingly similar to the negative space wedges that I posted about yesterday...down to the little red stitches at the ankle and the front strap that wraps around the platform!

It looks like Faryl Robin had a version of these last year that are actually on sale now at endless.com...

How will I decide which I like better?


Related articles...

• must have these wedges
  

skinny cargos...i actually love them

{image: Nordstrom.com}

Leighton Meester is wearing them on the set of Gossip Girl and all of your favorite jeans designers are carrying them in their Fall collections, but are skinny cargo pants actually cute??

I have to admit that it took me about a year to try this skinny version of what Abercrombie survived on back in the mid '90s. The idea of dressing up cargo pants and pairing them with heels just sounded too ridiculous to me...but now here I am and I find myself actually loving my new pair!

I snagged my own pair of Sanctuary "Peace" Skinny Leg Cargo Pants at the Nordstrom sale in Herb (Army Green), but they still have them available (at full price...sorry I didn't tell you earlier...I just wasn't sure how I felt about them). If you're not willing to drop $250 on some trendy cargos that might go out of style by next year, I would definitely recommend these at only $118. Here's why I am loving them them:

• military green is one of my favorite colors for everything...such an under-appreciated neutral
  
• more comfortable than skinny jeans
• more flattering than flared baggy cargos
• surprisingly do look cute with heeled booties! (although I wear them with flats)
• the pockets don't actually add bulk...they actually are flattering because they break up the skinniness (if that makes sense)

My Sanctuary cargos are pictured above and I actually am obsessed with the gray lace-up military boots that are also pictured (another exciting Nordstrom Anniversary Sale find!)...but we'll talk about those another day...if you are interested, they are Charles David "Regiment" Boots, now available at full price.

{j brand "houlihan"}

I like all of the seams and zippers on these...embellishments break up the skinniness! I wouldn't wear them with clogs, though...too much "Fall Trends 101"...well, maybe you can pull it off with the right styling...

{current/elliott slouchy skinny cargo}

These look pretty darn comfy and would have been perfect for summer...

new wayfarers for spring

Thinking about spring sunglasses already? I am!

I have definitely succumbed to the retro Wayfarer trend over the last couple years and these new styles are adorable...the floral patterns remind me of sunglasses I had when I was a little girl, but somehow these are more chic because the pattern is subtly hidden on the inside...how clever!

And how cute are the NYC subway map patterns???

The floral pattern comes in black, blue, and white, and the subway map pattern comes in orange, red, and white online at Nordstrom.com.

customer service in an internet world

{Image: slashgear}

I just read an interesting article about Apple's success in customer service and retail experience. I don't understand why everyone hasn't adopted the customer service business model...shouldn't providing a positive customer experience be a priority for all businesses, whether they be restaurants, pharmacies, boutiques, electronics stores, or any other sort of retail establishment?

Apple is no longer the Nordstrom Tech, they're the New Nordstrom

We live in an internet world, so I do think that Nordstrom needs to update their customer service model to include more web-related interfaces. Not everyone wants to deal with a human face-to-face when they are shopping, but they still want a happy and pleasing experience.

Let's figure out how to do that...

nordstrom half-yearly starts today

I've been a big fan of Nordstrom sales ever since I was a little girl. It's probably part of being from the Pacific Northwest since Nordie's is such an integrated part of the culture up there, but I always mark my calendar for the first day of their famous Anniversary and Half-Yearly sales. Even with all of the shopping in New York, I actually missed Nordstrom when I was living there because they are so consistent and have great customer service (which you definitely won't find in Manhattan.) The sales are the best!

The Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale for women and children starts today at Nordstrom stores and online. Pre-Fall merchandise in all departments (Savvy and t.b.d. are my favorite!) is on sale for about 33%-40% off.

the perfect boyfriend jacket

I am so excited that I finally found my perfect long blazer for Fall! Most designers are referring to it as the "boyfriend jacket" but I like to call it a long blazer because it has tightly fitted arms and shoulders that are really meant for a woman's body. I think a real boyfriend jacket would have a roomier and bulkier fit like the boyfriend jeans.

My to-die-for long blazer is the Vince Lightweight Boyfriend Jacket. I tried it on at Nordstrom and it is fabulous...just what I have been searching for for six months now! I love that it has very slim shoulders and sleeves for a perfect feminine fit. It is long enough to cover your butt so you can wear it with leggings or super skinny pants. An added little touch is that is has 3/4 sleeves so it looks super cute layered over a long sleeved tee.

Unfortunately this fabulous find is $440, so I'll have to keep an eye on it and let you know when it goes on sale...

Related articles...

• long blazers for fall
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nordstrom sale finds...

I finally made it to the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale yesterday. Most of the items that I had my eye on from the catalogue were all sold out already, but the salespeople said that they usually get more stock in after the first week of the sale.

Here are my favorites:

Joie Mesa Pintuck Top

The photo doesn't really do this blouse justice. It's a beautiful deep raspberry hue with the softest silk. It puffs a little at the shoulders and has a very flattering fit. Love it!

Linea Paolo Fae Flat

Soft, comfortable, and versatile flats.

Ruby & Bloom Gem Moccasin

These are so adorable! Very casual and comfortable mocs.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Posh Turnlock Jazz Bag

Soft definitely seemed to be my theme for the Nordstrom sale this year. Everything I loved had an amazing texture. This is a classic medium-sized Marc Jacobs leather bag for a great price.

nordie's anniversay sale starts tomorrow

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale starts tomorrow Friday, July 17 at 7am. This is definitely one of my all-time favorite sales. It is reliable (it happens at the end of every summer) and it is super organized!

If you are unfamiliar with the wonderfulness that is the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, I will explain why it is so great. Unlike most sales and discount stores where it's just a jumble of whatever didn't get sold last season, the Anniversary sale is the opposite. The fashion geniuses that they are pick what will be in style for Fall and have a pre-sale on brand new items. They have a catalogue that debuts about a week before the sale that features all of the items that will be going on sale. It's always fun to start thinking about sweaters and boots when the sale comes along! The sale only lasts until Monday, August 3 and then the Fall items all go up to regular price so I usually try to make it in the first few days.

You can see this year's catalogue online here: Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Catalogue

I was excited to see that the buyers agreed with me on many of my quick picks for Fall 2009. There are definitely lots of rocker-inspired looks with leather jackets and tall boots. Here are some of my favorites: