Lust: Mulberry Margaret Bag

[mamasarollingstone.com]

I'm obsessed with Mulberry's 'Margaret Shoulder Bag,' named after one of England's slightly scandalous royals, Princess Margaret. This bag is one of my faves from fall's ladylike handbag trend. The plum soft pebbled (far right) for $895 is definitely my first pick.
[fabsugar.com]

Kate Bosworth was seen carrying a leopard version (ugh, lucky). The collection also includes clutches, mini bags and zip-around wallets. The crest on the bags is Mulberry's "We Believe in Tea and Cake Crest." What's not to love about that? The logo is complete with English bulldogs, tea cups and cupcakes.

[asos.com]

[urbanoutfitters.com]

Now I must find a more affordable version of this bag. I haven't found anything in that vibrant purple, but I found bags that are kind of similar: the 'Suede Lock Detail Shoulder Bag' from ASOS.com ($67.38) and the 'Croco Lady Bag With Metal Closure' by Kimchi Blue from Urban Outfitters ($58). None feature that super-cool Mulberry crest though!

Dolce Vita for Target

[all photos target.com]

Dolce Vita for Target is now being sold online only. They usually make really fun shoes, but I'm not very impressed with this line. The nine-piece collection features boots, flats and oxfords in prices ranging from $29.99 to $34.99.

My favorite shoes are the studded ballet flats come in gold, pewter and black ($29.99). The 'Buckle Ankle Boots' are kinda cool though not really my thing.

Justin Timberlake's line, William Rast, was just announced as the next designer to hit stores in December. That should be interesting! I don't own anything by William Rast, but I know a lot of people love their denim.

Retro dresses

[style.com]

Wow, Mad Men fever is everywhere. Even Banana Republic is doing a marketing campaign with the AMC show. After finally catching up on my August magazine subscriptions, which feature a ton of fall items despite the heat, I am most looking forward to the fifties retro-inspired looks. I adore the ladylike dresses (bouffants optional) from Prada's and Louis Vuitton's Fall 2010 collections.

I also love the chunky-knit legwear that was paired with the Prada dresses. I can't find them online, but I just purchased some Prada-esque Hue thigh-highs at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale for the bargain price of $8!

J.Crew fall arrivals

[all photos jcrew.com]

Fall clothes are hitting stores despite the sweltering heat, which means that there are some amazing summer sales to be found. I swear that everytime I got into J.Crew I find a bargain. I love fall though, and J.Crew's newest arrivals definitely have me wishing for chilly weather!

The collection includes a lot of muted tones and neutrals, plus there are some stripes, military, chambray and sequins thrown in. I adore the motorcycle jacket-esque 'Rimini Cardigan' ($98) featured in both the e-mail blast at top and in the photo in the nutmeg color. I could easily see that becoming a fall wardrobe staple.

An interesting item is the very-Rachel Zoe 'Mongolian Lamb Vest,' which is going for $800. Wowzer. Or, there's always the lamb tote and purse.

Hopefully when the time rolls around to actually wear these items, there'll be some good sales going on. Here are some other pieces I'm loving...

Nail envy

[sephora.com]

My nails don't hold polish very well. I paint them or get a manicure, and 24 hours later there's a chip. Nevertheless, I don't like my nails bare, so it's the burden I must bear. There are two nail trends that I'm anxious to try out.

Sephora by OPI has created 'Chic Prints for Nails' ($15). Celebs have been a fan of Minx nails for a while (prices ranging from $30-$55). The Chic Prints are similar but more affordable. I like the tiger and fishnet print. Each package comes with 16 patches for one-time application to nails or toes. They seem kind of tedious to apply, but they'd definitely be fun to try for a special occasion.[nylonmag.com]

Another trend that I'm super-excited about is Revlon's Suede nail collection. The best part about these pastel polishes is that they're $3.99, and I'm sure there are coupons to be found, too. I'm obsessed with the beige! These are coming soon to stores.

Lust: Brian Atwood 'Harrison Chain Trimmed Pumps'

[all photos saksfifthavenue.com]

O.M.G. I'm obsessed with Brian Atwood's 'Harrison Chain Trimmed Pumps.' These gorge heels are $1,050 on pre-order at Saks Fifth Avenue. They're like a mullet - business in the front, party in the back! I really do need a new pair of black heels, and these will be my inspiration.
A more affordable version (if you can call it that) is Atwood's 'Maniac' pumps ($580), which I mentioned here. They're available in black, bordeaux and nude - which looks like more of a blush pink to me. These are definitely a good investment though.

Favorite sale of the year

[all photos nordstrom.com]

Ahhh, it's time for the best sale of the year. It seems strange because it seems like I've been pre-selecting the sale for a few weeks now, but it's definitely fun to see everything in-store. Nordstrom dramatically marks down new fall merchandise this time every year for their Anniversary Sale. Hurry because prices go back up August 2!

There are great bargains on fall shoes. According to the guys at my local store, Sam Edelman's 'Una' peep-toe bootie (see top photo) has been flying off the shelves. I love it in both colors - black and taupe suede ($129.90 from $199.95). I also asked my bridesmaids to get a pair of nude Steve Madden 'Disobey' heels for their dresses.

Suzi Chin Maggy Boutique's 'Embellished Mock Two-Piece Dress' is so fabulous because it's just as appropriate for work as it is a special occasion. It's on sale for $98.90 from $148.
I always stock up on workout clothes like my favorite Nike 'Tempo' Track Shorts, which are the only shorts I wear to run. They're on sale from $28 to $17.90.

Here are just a few of some of my favorite items in the sale...

Trouvé 'Studded Leather Motorcycle Jacket' - $198.90 from $298Splendid 'Stripe Cardigan' - $58.90 from $88

J Brand 'The Legging' Stretch Jeans - $109.90 from $178
MARC BY MARC JACOBS 'Ceramic Blade Watch' $267.90 from $400

Velvet Torch 'Lace Fishtail Dress' $35.90 from $54Betsey Johnson 'Sequin Bow Wristlet' - $69.90 from $110

Burberry 'Oversized Sunglasses' - $126.90 from $190

Calvin Klein 'Scarlet' Platform pump - $72.90 from $109.95

Tory Burch 'Verbena' Ballet Flat - $169.90 from $265

Sam Edelman 'Torin' Bootie - $149.90 from $224.95

Dreamy "Inception"

Sorry for slacking on my posts. I'm blaming it on summer and wedding planning. This weekend I saw the much-anticipated Inception. In a word, it was AWESOME! I don't even know how writer/director Christopher Nolan came up with this idea - it's pure genius.

Leonardo DiCaprio is perfection as Cobb, a dream extractor. What in the world is a dream extractor, you say? Cobb and his team, which includes Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), are hired by corporations to steal ideas from their competitors through their dreams. It's never made 100% clear how they manage to do this, but it involves hooking everyone up to a briefcase computer of some sort.

Cobb has been accused of killing his wife, Mal (Marion Cotillard), and is forced to flee the country to take on a new job with the promise of getting his life back. He's hired by Saito (Ken Watanabe) to plant an idea in the new benefactor Robert's (Cillian Murphy - refreshing to see him not play a villain for a change) head.

Miles (Michael Caine) helps him find a new dream architect for his team, Ariadne (Ellen Page). She builds the settings for the dream. In order to plant the idea in Robert's head, they must go through three levels of dreams, which requires heavy sedation. This is risky because if they die in the dream, they will be trapped and stuck in limbo, whereas they'd simply wake up if they died in a normal dream.

Trust me, this movie will confuse you, but in the end all comes together. Inception is so smart and original. It's hands-down the best movie of the year so far. I think Leo will finally get a long-deserved Oscar!

Red, white & blue picks

[sephora.com]

I can't believe that July 4 is this weekend. Where is the summer going? Anyway, here are some of my patriotic and budget-friendly red, white and blue picks for the holiday weekend.

I'm loving Sephora by O.P.I.'s Midnight Mambo nail polish ($9) from their Havana Nights collection. It's a pretty light blue color with chunky glitter - just like fireworks for the nails!
[anthropologie.com]

The 'Guatemala City Sandals' from Anthropologie are quite festive, and they look comfy. They're on sale for $29.95, too.
[anthropologie.com]

Also from Anthro is the nautical 'Know the Ropes Dress' by Moulinette Soeurs. I bought this dress a few weeks ago, and I love it. It's hard to tell in the photo, but it has a slight cowl neck. I think I'm going to wear it to a boat party with a red belt. It's on sale for $69.95 from $148.
[jcrew.com]

J.Crew's white strapless 'Ginny Dress' is a classic summer staple. I love the eyelet design. It looks great with a belt as shown. It's on sale for $79.99 from $148. You could probably find it for cheaper too since my store is offering 20% off all sale items. [llbean.com]

I'm going to the beach this weekend, and my weekend bag of choice is always the extra-large 'Open-Top Boat and Tote Bag' from L.L. Bean. These canvas bags are so durable, and they hold a ton. I like the extra-long handles. Prices range from $17.95-$30.95, and they're monongrammable for an extra $6. They're available in 12 different colors. [nordstrom.com]

Ella Moss's 'Monaco Dress' is 60% off at Nordstrom for $55.90. This bright dress would be fun for a night out.