Lust: Lavin + Shoe Challenge

Lavin by jennaw featuring platform high heels

After browsing around SSense today, I have such a crush on Lavin. I love the soft colors and sturdy almost boxy lines, I even like the snakeskin even though animal print isn’t usually my thing.

Who’s your fashion crush of the moment? Give me something new to drool over before I spend my rent on Lavin shoes!

—–

Shoe Challenge Outfit #3

362 days, 47 pairs left

I hate that this photo came out blurry because the outfit was so cute! High waisted pants are so comfy and chic and the black studded flats I could walk all day in without a single foot ache.

 

Lust: The History of Louboutin

What better way to celebrate the day of which single people do not speak and start off Shoeper’s Shoe Challenge than with a history of the most famous of red soles?

Here, 10 facts about the easiest way to a woman’s heart:

1. Louboutin opened his first store in Paris in 1992.
2. Red soles date back to Louis XIV, who wore them to attract attention while dancing.
3. Louboutin was born in Paris in 1963.
4. Before launching his own line, Louboutin worked with Chanel, YSL, and Maud Frizon.
5. The very first pair of Louboutin red soles were painted with nail polish.
6. A 12 year old Louboutin used to sneak out of school to watch the Paris showgirls perform.
7. Louboutin’s red soles have inspired the Louboutin manicure and Louboutin Barbie (now that bitch really DOES have everything!)
8. J.Lo. has a song dedicated to Louboutins.
9. At 16, Louboutin left school to become an apprentice shoe maker.
10. Every Louboutin boutique was designed by Louboutin himself.

Happy Singles’ Appreciation Day!

Love: Shoeper Shoe Challenge

When I saw Kristin Marie had joined the Shoeper Shoe Challenge, I knew I had to do it as well!

If you haven’t heard of the Shoe Challenge, it’s a mission to dig in your closet, find all your shoes, and wear every pair over the course of a year. It’s a risky endeavor: any pair you don’t wear has to find a new home.

More info and shoe pics after the break…

Love: Fabulous in February

The wonderful lady behind A Working Mom’s Closet has posted a challenge… to say three positive things about yourself every Monday in Feburary. The goal is to hold off winter blues and get a little positivity and self love happening around the blogosphere. At first this may not sound like a challenge at all, but most of us grew up in a culture where it’s not nice to say nice things about yourself. So, at the risk of sounding like an egomaniac, and defying culture norms, here are my first three things:

1. I love that I’m tall

I can see over people and things, my students never complain that they can’t see me when I interpret, and I can reach the top shelf of stores all by myself. I get comments pretty much every week about why tall girls shouldn’t wear heels (“aren’t you tall enough??”) but heels make me feel sexy and while my height might be a problem for other people, it’s never been for me.

2. I love my hair

I’ve put my hair through the wringer (and the bleacher, the flat ironer, and the hairdryer) and it still loves me back and behaves well. It’s been every color of the rainbow and changes nearly as often as my moods, but in a world where plain black clothes are the norm, hair is my little indulgence in self-expression.

3. I love my eyes

My eyes look just like my dad’s, the same dark brown and the same long lashes (and those lashes got me a modeling gig with Sebastian Trucco when I was younger!). For years, Brown Eyed Girl has been my favorite song, and while I played around with colored contacts for a bit, I just don’t feel right when brown eyes aren’t looking back at me in the mirror.

—–

So that’s it, there are my three positive things put out into the universe. Post your own at A Working Mom’s Closet!

Love: The Perfect First Date Outfit

After extensive research this weekend, I’m proud to say that I have figured out the surprisingly sexy but perfectly appropriate first date outfit for a casual dinner or movie night. Turns out our mothers were right, it is good to leave a little to the imagination (and what does that better than an oversized sweater?) but the beater peeking out from underneath and an eye-catching statement necklace keep it from looking too sloppy or granny. Pair with skinny jeans to show off your shape and a pair of FLAT over-the-knee boots.

Perfect First Date by jennaw featuring gray boots

What do you think? Is this a look you’d wear on a casual date? What would you wear to something a little fancier? Post your Polyvore sets in the comments!

Lose: TSA Security Overkill

This story cracks me up because my friends have been telling me my shoes are actually weapons for years. Now, the TSA agrees. Taz Arnold had to fight to keep his precious Loubies after the TSA threatened to confiscate them. Looking at the shoes, it might be understandable if you didn’t know that the TSA allows crafting scissors, medical syringes, and knitting needles – somehow I doubt anyone is going to hold up an airplane with a shoe (even a fabulous one).

Check out these pics from the original article on Yahoo:

Here at Lust, Love, Lose, we’re on your side Taz (and loving your Louis Vuitton Keepall!)

What do you think? Should shoes be banned? Would you ever put Louboutins in your checked luggage? Comment away!

Lust: Mid-Decemeber Wishes

Is it just me or is it getting to be that part of December that’s a little exhausting? The snow stopped being novel a week ago, the malls are packed, I’m still getting over my last cold, and Christmas music is so firmly stuck in my head that I know it’ll be there until at least Valentine’s Day. Here, five things that would make my mid-Decemeber a little brighter and get me through to the Holidays.

Beat Winter Blues by jennaw featuring skinny pants

one: My hands get so dry in winter, this L’Occitane lotion set would be perfect to throw in my bag and the box is so pretty too! ($25)

two: I die for this Balenciaga leather tote – big enough for all my work and school supplies and sturdy enough to survive the Rochester weather ($1,256)

three: These DKNY pants would look great tucked into boots and would keep my legs warm all day, plus the higher waste would help suck in the winter weight I’ve managed to gain! ($89)

four: Michael Michael Kors gloves are the ultimate winter accessory, functional and beautiful ($53)

five: I’m a heels girl all the way (the higher the better!), but sometimes a comfortable flat can get you further quicker and there’s nothing I’d rather wear running across the campus parking lot than these DV by Dolce Vita over the knee boots ($110)

Love: Vintage Clothing

‘Love’ posts are all about fantastic, affordable fashion that you can buy today without putting a dent in your wallet. One of the best ways I’ve found to do that is by making my way through every Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Value World I can find. It’s a great way to find pieces both current and vintage on the cheap, but it can be time consuming. So lately, I’ve been checking out online resellers; these fasionistas do the collecting for us and then post them organized by size and style for online shopping pleasure.

One shop that’s caught my eye is Fluke Store over at Etsy. So, being the journalistic weirdo I am, I emailed the shop owner who agreed to be interviewed for Lust Love Lose, and also to provide a discount to readers (more on that below). Here’s an example of just a few of the items available in her shop:

LLL: Thanks so much for agreeing to be interviewed, can you introduce yourself?

FS: I’m Marian, 30 years old Live in Chicago near the lake in neighborhood with indie people.

LLL: What attracted you to vintage clothing?

FS: Wearing vintage makes you look different. Not everyone will have the same item as you. Also knowing for example that coat from 50s it’s not only coat. It has history to snuggle me in. That’s what make me to look at the vintage in different way. Like an old wine.

LLL: You have so many great vintage pieces in your shop, where do you find them?

FS: Chicago is and has been a place with a lot of auctions I’m lucky to have so many interesting people around me. My lovey friend  Sarah S. (now 68 years) use to own one of biggest modeling agencies back 30 years ago. Through her I met so many people who used to be in the fashion business. Also estate sells here in Chicago are amazing, I hunt in the North part of the city.

LLL: How do you decide which pieces to sell?

FS: As you see my store is new and I’m still learning. I want to put all of them together, but that doesn’t work. I just opened 2 more stores in Etsy and want to separate and make browsing more comfortable for my customers.

LLL: Is there an era you like best?

FS: The Great Depression era and the 1940s

Now for more good news, Marian has offered Lust Love Lose readers 15% off her shop if you enter code “SUR” at checkout.

Do you love vintage finds? Found any hidden treasure at a Goodwill lately? Leave me a comment and let me know!