Smarty Pants

Allow me the indulgence, my fellow Grand M's, of departing from the usual in order to bring you a bit about my current obsession - the high-waisted trouser.

This week, the Grand Mademoiselle bids adieu to her skimpy summer frocks in favor of glam monochromatic ensembles (today’s choice is a simple black Splendid trapeze dress paired with a chunky white Citrine by the Stones pendant). Still, like all fashion-obsessed Grand M’s, she can’t help anxiously awaiting fall’s more covered-up styles (after all, it’s hard to look chic and polished when it’s 90°F with 90% humidity). In particular, the resurgence of the feminine trouser has her frantically stowing away boxes of skinny jeans to make room for the new, more sophisticated shapes.

Be forewarned: the super high-waisted and exceedingly baggy versions favored by pint-sized celebs like Mary-Kate Olsen can be quite unforgiving on even the slimmest gal, so stick to more timeless straight-leg looks. This fall, Marc Jacobs, a.k.a. the Grand Monsieur himself, paid homage to retro Yves Saint Laurent by showing a number of classic, feminine trousers in his collection.
http://www.style.com/fashionshows/collections/F2007RTW/complete/slideshow/MJACOBS?loop=0&event=show1543&designer=design_house57&iphoto=20&play=false&cnt=15

If you’re not on a runway budget, the Grand M has rounded up the best of the rest in every price range.
Boutique shoppers--check out the lengthy Navarro pant from the always brilliant Diane Von Furstenberg.
http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/main/ProductDetail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524446161779&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=282574492099453&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395222441&bmUID=1185147847618&ev19=1:6

Or scope out the selection at your local J. Crew, where you’ll find surprisingly hip offerings available in Tall sizes, which come equipped with a 36’’ inseam. I especially like the wool City-fit styles.
http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/product.jhtml?id=prod82539361&catId=cat200156

Lastly, for those who want a minimal commitment, the Grand M suggests the flattering Smart trouser (also 36’’) from the Tall department at Topshop, which is fast becoming one of my favorite online resources since the UK store’s web launch last spring. Just remember to convert the sizes--I find that subtracting six is usually a good bet. (Thus, their 10 is our 4, their 12 is our 6, etc.)
http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=19551&storeId=12556&categoryId=42382&parent_category_rn=42379&productId=182597&langId=-1

For the Grand M, proportions are key here. Opt for slim, tailored looks up top, like a belted tunic (à la Jacobs) or a simple tee. And as the weather cools off, this outfit will transition perfectly with the help of a cute cropped cardi or bomber jacket, like one from S.W.O.R.D.

High Shine

Just when it seemed like the sun was the brightest star in the sky, the Grand Mademoiselle found a new obsession to obscure even the glaring light of our fiery, celestial friend.

What better way to drag oneself out of the mid-summer doldrums than a fabulously shiny, high-gloss accessory! Forget the breezy, easy, laid-back, ethnic patterned empire-waisted dress and lets get seriously feminine with a return to the seductively high shine, reflective, frenetically gorgeous appeal of patent leather.

The difference, my fellow Grand M's, is in the tone. Lose the traditional black for alternatives like silver, navy, rich mahogany and even the subtle glow of diluted magenta. The Grand M way to pull off gloss is to pair high-shine accessories with mellow, demure and delicate garb. Be bold and wear wide-leg, indigo trouser jeans with a flouncy ivory tie-neck blouse (the Grand M absolutely loves the new Libertine for Target collection specifically for its focus on the frilly without the fussy). What makes this get-up really sing? A pair of Richard Tyler Rumba heels - with their lusciously glossy, deep purple hue and suggestive open toe, they're just what the Grand M wants to convey her patent attitude without pushing the neon glow envelope. The point, my dear Grand M's, is that patent doesn't mean pushy. It means subtle and conveys attention to detail. Witness the Prada Vernice Sfumata clutch in Rossa, available at Saks, or the Henry Beguelin Patent Leather Messenger at Neiman Marcus. This is the new patent, the less obnoxious patent, exhibited in the gracefully graduated shading from deep fuchsia to ivory in the Prada clutch, and revealed in the tasteful and reserved forest green of the Beguelin. The new patent goes anywhere and does anything by adding that extra something to an otherwise simple outfit. Carry your patent bag with a linen suit, and wear your glossy pumps or even your subdued Eileen Shields Juliette T-Strap flats with a gabardine pencil skirt and Oxford button-down. The Grand Mademoiselle invites you to go ahead and indulge in your inner Vegas by slipping into a pair of Delman Reno's and breaking the patent mold ...


All of the shoes pictured above are available at http://www.barefoottess.com

Another One Bites The Dust

The Grand M's world, it seems, is shrinking fast.

Just when the odds of finding fabulous footwear appeared to swing in our favor, a surge of pessimism has sent shock waves through the hopes of Grand M's everywhere. Elleven Up, is no more, Designer Shoes is closing some of their stores, and the most singularly depressing bit of news/gossip - Nordstrom is scaling back on their larger sizes.

So what is left for the Grand M to salvage among the wreckage and ruins? It is time for the Mademoiselle to turn her heel to the rest of the world and find salvation in the web pages of Barefoot Tess. Everywhere else is, literally, depressing. The Grand M sizes on Endless are simply gross, and Zappo's is mundane if not seriously lacking in inspiration and innovation. Above all else, the Grand Mademoiselle has style and demands a level of sophistication and trend-awareness. She refuses to be buried in Clark's and takes the Fourth of July as inspiration for her own revolution!

Give the Grand M stylish shoes or death...

ANYTHING by Loeffler Randall is guaranteed to secure the devotion of the Mademoiselle, and the Bianca flat and Grace heel are no exception.


Picture it now ... sunset in Milan after a day spent Vespa-ing around the twists and turns of cobblestone alleys. A white linen tablecloth set with candles and all the focaccia and tapenade you can eat ...
Sure beats a stodgy pair of Clark's.


http://www.barefoottess.com/OnlineStore/Designer/LoefflerRandall/LR-Grace-Br/

and

http://www.barefoottess.com/OnlineStore/Designer/LoefflerRandall/LR-Bianca-Bk/

Independence Day: Bring On The Sales!

The Fourth of July means a great deal, whether you spend time honoring that fabulous day back in 76 when us Yanks stood our ground and claimed the earth beneath our feet as our own ... OR you take advantage of spectacular discounts at stores all across this great land!

Here is a list of the Grand M's personal July 4th picks:

Shopbop - Always an amazing selection! Find gorgeous pieces ranging from 30 to 60% off at www.shopbop.com

Nordstrom - You must love Nordstrom, and not just because they'll take back ANYTHING (and I mean anything, I once heard of a woman who returned a used tire) but because they're customer conscious and have excellent sales, find stuff at 50% off! http://shop.nordstrom.com/C/6002242/0~2376788~6002242?origin=tab

Barefoot Tess - What is it about the Fourth that makes people crazy? Get 40% off at online checkout by entering code BIRTHDAY until July 20th. 40%!!! Off Loeffler Randall Bianca flats? The Grand M is so there. http://www.barefoottess.com