Lemme Have Labels

For the die-hard label lovers amongst us (pot - you're black!) - what to do when we either (1) can't afford the screaming-label item or (2) think its a little like shooting fish in a barrel?

Well here's a little treasure hunt for you: track down an authentic "uniform" from a high-end boutique. We're talking Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, etc.

Forget about wait lists - these things are much more exclusive! Do the math: many hundreds of "wait listed" items are sold per store, but only a few dozen (at most) uniforms are distributed to employees.

And in case your idea of a uniform is garishly-colored, double-knit polyester with a large "Name Patch Disk" on the breast, you need to revise.

Madame Shock recently happened upon a stock of deliciously fitted, elegantly tailored, little black wool blazers with satin center plackets and bold gold zippers at front and cuffs. Alors! Wouldn't you know it, the LV zipper toggles (and dismembered labels) declared themselves to be unmistakably Louis Vuitton?

Of course Madame can't reveal the name of the ex-employee who coughed up the cache (so to speak) but you can find similar on eBay. They're uniformly stellar (forgive the obvious pun)!

Think about it, bien sur: what designer worth his or her Moroccan vacation home is going to dress the showroom's vendeuse(s) in anything less than the best? ... Exactly.

So while your friends are all trotting around with multiple, identical versions of a "unique" wait-listed IT bag...why not show up in a truly original Chanel?

The Good Book: Your Inspiration Bible

There are so many books we should be maintaining - a food journal, a diary, our kids' baby books - but the most purely indulgent (and low-maintenance!) is your Inspiration Scrapbook.

You know what we're talking about: every designer, stylist, or artistic personality has some version of it - a bulletin board, a wall, a book, or a poster filled with images and objects that inspire their current creative endeavor. YOU, my dear chic friend, ARE your current creative endeavor, so your book is a never-ending journey through the styles, people, ideas, quotes, colors, pictures, clippings, musings that help you pursue your vision.

We prefer a book over a wall or bulletin board for several reasons: it's portable, it's able to fit in a tiny office, and it maintains a permanent archive of all our past genius!

There are no rules, other than to fill it selfishly with exactly what you like. Our current pages are filled with lots of fashion tearsheets, of course, plus quotes, travel dreams, clips from gossip rags illustrating what we Don't Want To Be, and great examples of women growing old gracefully (check out the guns on Betsy Bloomingdale, 40+, in 1969!).

Go forth and gather, paste and post!