Summer and barefoot go together: freedom, casual, easy living. Heading to a wedding on the beach? An afternoon on your yacht? Poolside at the resort? Don’t let your toes go bare with just a little polish: flash your feet with style!

No, I’m not talking ankle bracelets or toe rings: they’re soooo last millenium. I’m in SoFlo and the trendy beachwear are almost sandals…. literally: Almost Sandals.

I’ve seen them on the beach, but hadn’t seen them in stores until I saw Almost Sandals in the window of  The Legacy in downtown Delray Beach.

Perfect for when you want to go almost bare…with style! $19 at The Legacy or online. Personally: I like the shell style!

The Details:

Every August we start to hear the question: Is it OK to wear white after Labor Day? Mais oui! In fact, as I’m writing this its a sunny 42° September morning in Chicago, and I’m wearing white jeans and long-sleeve black t-shirt. However, it is time to switch-out my summer white Furla bag for a Fall bag.

Last week TBG had a short trip to London, and while normally I’d finagle my way to go with him, the trip was so short I didn’t even consider it. Due to international travel hassles, TBG arrived at Heathrow nearly 3 hours before his flight, and after a touchy-feely British TSA invasion, he ended up with nearly 2 hours until boarding time. How to spend a few hours in the airport: shopping at Harrods, bien sur! So when the cab brought him home Friday night, Mignette and I were downstairs to greet him. The first thing out of the cab: a giant shiny green Harrods bag. For Moi.

In the bag: a new bag! I scored a new black Jimmy Choo hobo bag, light weight with lots of interior pockets. (Apparently it was also available in plum, but no returns to Heathrow!) For the last 6 days my new bag has stayed in its Harrods bag, decorating our bedroom floor, but this morning I decided to make the seasonal bag switch. (Yes, I use other bags throughout the season, but I always have a go-to bag ready each season. And btw: I do have a winter-white bag I usually use around the holidays.)

So I dumped the contents of the Furla onto the bed, anticipating a quick switch to the Jimmy Choo. Even I was surprised at a few things I found on the bed:

• a folded up stack of $20s: $80. Who knew?
• 2 iPhone earbuds and a charger: apparently I fear going into iPhone withdrawal
• 3 different bottles of eye drops
• about $4 worth of change: no wonder the bag was so heavy
• a fan, and battery operated pen-fan: I was using the bag in SoFlo, so that makes sense.
• 2 containers of migraine pills: both with pills (on my trip to Boston in July I had the containers but no pills: and a migraine )
• lipgloss, eyeglasses, empty eyeglass case, tide-out, Altoids, hand-creme, plastic hairclip
• reusable plastic shopping bag (which Trader Joes would probably like me to use)

Naturally no wallet or sunglasses: they were on the dresser. But not bad! The change is heading to Starbucks for a “free” chai latte (tall, skim, extra water, extra hot) and the $20s are my little secret…TBG never reads my blog.

Note: I didn’t ask, and I haven’t checked, but I’m guessing it would have been cheaper for me to fly with TBG to London than his airport shopping spree.

Color Blocking is the hot summer fashion trend that is carrying over into the Fall: combining 2 or more bold colors that normally don’t go together.

I’m taking fashion to the tailgate: I’m color blocking my M&Ms! For TBG’s book party a few weeks ago, I went online and purchased single-color bags of M&Ms in the traditional Notre Dame colors of blue and gold, plus added a few bags of green M&Ms, which ND has been sporting more and more the last few years. Ten 7oz packages at $6.99 each with shipping almost $100: yes I did! Then I mixed them together to flaunt the ND colors. (You can buy the bags already color-mixed, but that costs even more!)

But a few handfuls later, those M&Ms quickly dwindled and only the photos remain.

Now that Notre Dame tailgating season has commenced, I wanted to recreate the ND color theme: at a lower price.

So yesterday on my now-weekly Target trip: voila! I bought the 42oz party size bag of plain M&Ms for $6. Last night watching Flipping Out (how appropriate!), I poured the entire bag into a bowl and picked out the blue, green and gold M&Ms and put them in a clear water bottle for decorative, sanitary tailgate munching. Then, I picked out the red M&Ms, leaving me with a bowl full of orange and brown M&Ms: perfect for Halloween next month.

And the left-over reds? Dessert!

Not bad for $6 and an hour of TV-watching.

note: yes, I know that is not the traditional ND blue: but have you seen this year’s The Shirt: Kelly Blue!

For sister Lisa’s 40th I needed to celebrate both the big 4-0 and her recent move to the burbs.

With two little girls she’ll soon hit soccer mom status, and cold windy Chicago Fall days ensure some long Saturdays with a folding chair and a venti extra-hot Starbucks while the teams learn the rules of the game.

How to heat-up the day? Try a mini-flask studded with pink Swarovski crystals, and personalized with her name.

39 years 51 weeks...and counting

I bought it at McAdams Ltdfor $35.00, plus engraving. Lisa can provide the liquid heat.

Tres chic! Bon Anniversaire Lisa!

Moi tip: if anyone is reading, Christmas isn’t far off and Moi would love her own personalized crystal flask!

Save the Date: Global Holiday Marketplace

I’m in NYC  to kick-off the holidays, and I’ll be sure to check-out the holiday edition of the Indagare Souk  at New York’s Taj Pierre Hotel  November 15, 16 & 17.

One of my deepest impressions from my 3 weeks in India last year is color: vibrant blues, hot pinks, shimmering golds, electrifying greens. The colors, the smells, the sounds, the tastes: it’s impossible to use words to share the welcome but overwhelming assault on my senses. Just look at the gorgeous sarees we saw worn by local women as we toured:

How can you sample the colors and patterns of India? Just in time to start your holiday shopping:

Indagare Holiday Souk will be at New York’s Taj Pierre Hotel November 15, 16 and 17:

The Indagare Holiday Souk is a special trunk show featuring treasures we have discovered on our travels. Cult fashion label Irving & Fine will present gorgeous new tunics and coats as well as chic silk dresses. We also have new evening and resortwear from Cambodia and the Philippines. Among the treasures that make special, one-of-a-kind presents: hand-beaded bags and jewelry from Venice and Florence, brightly colored silk scarves from Cambodia, delicate knits from Peru, incredible suede and leather coats from Kenya, cashmere shawls and blankets from India and crocodile and python clutches from Nicaragua.

You too can experience the stimulation and excitement of the exotic colors and style of the fashions of the world: See you at the Souk!

Indagare is a sophisticated travel site that not only shares insider’s information on travel, but provides a format for members to share tips and experiences and recommendations for turning your dream vacation into the journey of a lifetime. And now, through the Indagare Holiday Souk, travel shopping can come to you!

the details:

• Monday November 15 – Wednesday November 17
  • Monday November 15 12noon-6pm
  • Tuesday November 16 10am- 8pm
  • Wednesday November 17 10am-6pm
• The Taj Pierre Hotel New York, 2 East 61st Street, Suite 1025  NYC (at Fifth Avenue)
  
• for more about Indagare travel and shopping insider tips sign-up for Indagare’s newletter
  

Moi Tip: a subscription to the Indagare newsletter is the perfect holiday gift for your favorite traveler: and it’s free! Or for the extra special gift, a membership to Indagare!

A tweet from Saveur Magazine featured international candy bars that are hard to find in the US: British Cadbury Crunchie Bars, Swedish Daim Toffee Bars, and Indonesian Silver Queens. That’s the problem with being both a traveler and a grocery store junkie: you easily become addicted to foods that may not be easily available.

When I get a craving for  ethnic groceries I head to World Market, a one-stop global shopping bazaar for

• foods: Cadbury chocolates, German cake mixes, Italian olive oils, Indian curries, Dutch cocoa powder, spices of the world
• fashions: jewelry, purses, scarves
• beers and wines from around the world
• furniture and accessories including beds, sofas, candles, rugs and curtains, artwork
• kitchenware: platters, French coffee presses, grilling tools
• bed and bath: towels, soaps and lotions, storage units

My shopping list yesterday:

square Italian white plates? Check!

Christmas and Halloween candies? check!

Plus, a few packets of miso soup mix and Dutch salted black licorice.

Why shop World Market? Variety, good prices and fully stocked shelves. Plus, World Market offers a Rewards Program: World Market Explorer. Special discounts, $$ off coupons, and more.  I’m shopping now!

Sadly, World Market carries many mustards but not my favorite Handlmaier’s Sweet Bavarian Mustard. And I stock-up on Daim bars at Ikea: sometimes I enter Ikea from the exit and strictly shop the Swedish grocery store: a great little market!

Moi tip: World Markets (also called Cost Plus World Market) are found throughout the US, but if there’s not a store near you, shop online! Explorer members often have free shipping deals.

Moi tip encore: Need a gift? World Market has a variety of giftable items from wines to soaps to table linens to chocolates to toys to dog treats: and wrapping paper and cards to complete the package!

One of my deepest impressions from my 3 weeks in India last year is color: vibrant blues, hot pinks, shimmering golds, electrifying greens. The colors, the smells, the sounds, the tastes: it’s impossible to use words to share the welcome but overwhelming assault on my senses. Just look at the gorgeous saris we saw worn by local women as we toured:

How can you sample the colors and patterns of India? Just in time to start your holiday shopping:

Indagare Souk will be at the Chicago Peninsula Hotel Tuesday, October 26th through Thursday, October 28th:

The Indagare Souk is a special trunk show featuring an edited selection of products from designers and artisans who we have discovered in our travels in such countries as Cambodia, Colombia, Argentina, Kenya, India, and Italy. The well-curated selection includes fashion, accessories, jewelry, objects and housewares, many of them hand-crafted. Most of the vendors also support local communities in their home countries.

You too can experience the stimulation and excitement of the exotic colors and style of the fashions of the world:

• jewelry from India and Venice
• accessories from Africa, Asia and Peru
• cashmere from the Himalayas
• clothing from the Philippines, Lebanon and
• and sooo much more!

See you at the Souk!

Indagare is a sophisticated travel site that not only shares insider’s information on travel, but provides a format for members to share tips and experiences and recommendations for turning your dream vacation into the journey of a lifetime. And now, through the Indagare Souk, the travel can come to you!

the details:

• Tuesday October 26 – Thursday October 28
• The Grand Suite at The Peninsula Hotel Chicago, 108 East Superior Street
• 10am – 6pm
• for more about Indagare travel and shopping insider tips sign-up for Indagare’s newletter

Moi Tip: there will be a special talk at 6pm on October 27 by Melissa Biggs Bradley, founder of Indagare: The Best Trip You’ll Ever Take: Planning and Executing Life-Changing Travel.

Like most little girls who grew up idolizing Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the little blue bag was my ideal of the perfect gift. But as time passed and I became a label snob, my love switched to the European labels, especially for jewelry and handbags.

Unless you haven’t looked at a magazine or passed a bus stop, you have seen the ads for Tiffany’s new line of leather and silk handbags. So I stopped in the Tiffany store on Michigan Ave for a first-hand look. The Tiffany’s handbag line is original, colorful and practical. Moi lusts include:

• python leather shoulder bag with a Tiffany-blue lining

• garnet silk clutch studded in colorful crystals with a detachable chain handle

• Tiffany-blue satin bracelet bag with a silver lining

But Moi fave in the Tiffany leather collection is from the series of reversible totes

Chic, practical and affordable: what more could I ask? Features I love

• reversible: suede on one side, and metallic leather on the other. With rain and snow, so practical
• contrasting or coordinating colors: color-coordinate to your wardrobe
• two sizes: small and large. I prefer the large: to corral all the stuff from a day of shopping or sightseeing
• folds flat: perfect for travel!
• a small zippered pouch in metallic silver attaches to a long interior leather strap with a hook. Detachable for an easy separate bag. The leather strap also could hold your keys: no more searching in the dark

But which color to choose?

I’ve been hearing alot about the massive Forever 21 store that opened last month in Times Square NYC: 4 floors of bargain priced trendy fashions for girls and guys. But I had no reason to stop in. That changed last week when Moi  niece visited, and we went on a 13 birthday celebratory shopping spree. 1st stop: Forever 21 for fabulous and affordable back-to-school wear.

Wow! The scoop:

• 4 floors of fashions, bright lights and action
• 100,000 square feet of floor space
• 121 dressing rooms
• 7 days a week, 8am-2am
• 600 employees
• 100,000 visitors per day

Forever 21 tries to have something every shopper, including faith 21 extended sizes, HGT 81 kids,  maternity, 21 Men and more!

A few of Moi favorite finds:

white tank with built-in necklace $19.80

rose-colored shirred sleeve cardigan $29.00

antique cuff bracelet $7.80

black leggings $4.50

studded skinny jeans $19.80

slouchy ankle boots $22.80

Moi Tip: Don’t live near a Forever 21? Check out there online store: free shipping on orders over $40!

Moi Tip Encore: Leave plenty of time to shop: it’s a big store. The staff was very nice, but not too helpful: we were looking for leggings and several sales people told us to check the bins by the cash registers on each floor. This took us 25 minutes with 4 floors! No one seemed to be sure where anything was, only where it might be.

Moi Tip Thre-peat: When you leave the store, be sure to walk across the street and stand on the pedestrian mall in front of the Marriott Hotel, looking up at the jumbo-tron over the Forever 21 store: you’re on TV! Forever 21 projects the street life in front of the store, with a cute commercial overlay. We watched ourselves (and others) acting goofy on tv for about 15 minutes: who said everything in NYC is too expensive!

It all started with Lance Armstrong’s LiveStrong yellow rubberband bracelet: we lived in Paris at the time, he was of course our Tour de France hero. Wearing the bracelet was a fun chic way to proclaim our national pride, plus it inspired envy in all our French friends who of course wanted their own LiveStrong band. Trading ensued.

Wearing one or multiple rubber wristbands has become an increasingly trendy way to proclaim your allegiances:

• pink Race for the Cure (even a pink thumb-band)
• school colors to honor your alma mater
• white fundraiser for your church

This year the kids are even more into rubberband bracelets with SillyBandz, in colorful animal and logo shapes.

The trend has expanded to include adult fashionista arms layered with stretchable bangles made of rubber, beads, stones and metal.

Moi? I went classic retro for my wrist band. On my recent Paris trip I strolled into Cartier and selected the Cartier Trinity Wristband, Cartier’s symbol of love, friendship and fidelity. TBG gifted me several pieces from the Trinity collection throughout our 30th anniversary year, so the Trinity collection is very personal to me. As I always mix silver and gold jewelry, the circles of pink, yellow and white gold are very Moi.

But did I choose classic black cord? Mais non! My trinity wristband is made of French blue cord, bien sur! and if I tire of the blue (highly doubtful) Cartier will graciously make a new band at any time, in the color of your choice. Hmmm, that could be a dangerous promise!

Moi tip: If you like the Cartier Trinity Wristband and are traveling to Paris soon, consider buying your bracelet on your trip. With the current euro v. dollar exchange rate the bracelets are priced cheaper in Paris, and with your non EU resident status you can get your VAT refund at the airport, saving another approximately 15%. This strategy works for most French luxury goods.