Mara Hoffman: Fashion Inceptor?

($300, Mara Hoffman, Bonadrag.com)

Guys, I'm really afraid Mara Hoffman is sneaking into my mind and incepting my mind, because her tribal-inspired "Pow" dress is the dress of my dreams.

+ Inception LOLz.

Nobody Does A Bikini Better Than Mara Hoffman

($170, Mara Hoffman, Shopbop.com)

I need a bikini like I need... I don't know. A pair of pink Uggs or something. I will probably never see the water this summer, which I'll be spending under the fluorescent lights of my office. Just like I spent the past 10 summers! But if I were in the market for a bikini, nobody does it better than Mara Hoffman. Right, Carly Simon? Baby you're the best.

Mara Hoffman Is Killing Me Softly

... Case in point:

($290, Mara Hoffman, Bonadrag.com)

Dresses I Wish Weren't $1,120: Chloe's Striped Jersey Dress + "Relatively" Cheaper Options!

($1,120, Chloe, Net-a-porter.com)

ZOMG. Granted, the design and colors of striped jersey Chloe dress are awe-inspiring, um, but, WHY is it over a grand? It's made of fucking JERSEY, people! Look at all the other similarly cute jersey dresses you could purchase for far, far less!

($139, Betsey Johnson, Bluefly)

It's Bluefly, bitches!

($425, Diane von Furstenberg)

Not cheap, to be sure, but it's DVF. Worth every cent for this gorgeous wool frock.

($448, Badgley Mischka, Saks)

Next to Chloe, this Badgley Mischka jersey dress is "a steal!" And it's far more elegante.

($203, Mara Hoffman, Saks)

This doesn't totally apply, even though it is jersey, but I threw it in there because I forgot how much I love Mara Hoffman, and because it's stripey, and because I think it could actually look really cute with some peach-y pumps.

($88, JC de Castelbajac, Yoox.com)

Ok, certainly we're straying a bit too much into total-tennis territory here, but this adorable red-and-white-striped dress feels like a children's book come to life -- now, normally that would be really bad, but the not-too-obtuse scribbles make it whimsical and not too cloying.

NYC Sample Sale City!

Holy crap are there a TON of sample sales going on right about now.

Here they are, laydeez!

DIANE VON FURSTENBERG:
June 5 - 8
Tues, 9 - 6
Weds & Thurs, 10 - 7
Fri, 9 - 3
260 5th Ave, between 28 and 29

NIKKA NEW YORK
May 30 - June 2
Wed - Fri, 11 - 8
Sat, 11am - 6pm
214 W. 39th St, between 7th & 8th Aves., Suite #805
(212) 302-4284

TAHARI & ELIE TAHARI
May 31 - June 3 2007
Thurs, 2 - 7
Fri & Sat, 10 - 7
Sun, 11 - 7
72 Greene St., between Spring & Broome
(212) 239-7272

ELIJAH
May 30 & 31
Weds & Thurs, 10 - 6
The Globe Showroom
263 W. 38th St., between 7th and 8th Aves), 11th floor
(212) 221-6523
Cash and credit

LOTTA STENSON
Find Outlets
Thurs - Sun, 12 - 7
361 W. 17th Street, between 8th and 9th Aves.

And

229 Mott Street, between Prince and Spring


MARA HOFFMAN
May 31 - June 3
Thurs - Sat, 11 - 7
Sun, 12 - 6
70 Greene St., between Spring & Broome
(212) 505-3020

Um, part of me is VERY relieved I'm out of town this weekend! Now go forth and SAMPLE!

I Do... Want These Dresses

A few of you have been up in arms and legs about what to wear to upcoming weddings. Well, fear not, Binge-oids. I've been hording some absolutely gorgeous frocks, some affordable, and, again, many definitely not! Here's the first out of a series of two. This batch: the fancier ones:



($750, 3.1 By Phillip Lim, Bigdropnyc.com)
Completely beautiful, completely out of my price range. I'm consoled though, by the fact that I don't really like the bottom hem.



($629, Sofira, CoutureCandy.com)
I absolutely love this, and I am consoled by nothing. Boooo.



($360, Kay Unger, Saks)
Cuter than a flannel pillowcase with an all-over candycane print, and then you open up the pillowcase and look inside and it's filled with fuzzy, fluffy wide-eyed kittens mewing sweetly.



($340, Mara Hoffman, Shopfrock.com)
Would look gorgeous with some gold sandals wif heels.



($277, Calvin Klein, Saks)
Muy elegante. You'll look less trashy when you get wasted before the reception if you're wearing this deceptively elegant dress. (Hey, it's called a cocktail dress and a cocktail hour for a REASON!)



($136, Betsey Johnson, Overstock)
Okay, a few times this week, I came DANGEROUSLY close to almost ordering this to wear to a wedding in June. The couple is super cool and super not-stuffy and non-traditional, so this would be perfect. BUT when I showed it to a different friend, also a non stuffy person, she asked if, in all seriousness, I was having an early mid-life crisis. I'm not even 30, for Pete Wentz's sake! Anyway, if there's ANYONE who could pull off wearing this to a wedding, I think it's ME! I also think I might order it JUST to SPITE her! Because I'm just that sorta person!



($128, Betsy & Adam, Saks)
Since I've got a lotta red tones in my skin, I almost never wear red. But, if you can pull it off, this is totally adorbs.



($64, Max & Cleo, Overstock)
I usually don't LOOOOVE dots, but these look really subtle, and I like the cut and color -- sorta '40s. You might have to have zero curves to wear this, but if that's you, yay! Get it!


Byeee!

Wants Du Jour

Stuff I want today:

($340, Mara Hoffman, Shopfrock.com)
Mara Hoffman wins again.



($160, Development, RougeGirl.com)
Never in a million dark days would this ever work on me, but it's gorgeous. I want it for YOU.



($61, Vince Camuto, Piperlime)
I'm not always a big fan of whip-stitching, but the bow evens out the "Westerny" look, which I usually deplore. I LOVE the color. And the price! Weeee!