Irish lassies! Shop no further

Heading out Wednesday for a St. Patrick’s Day party? For those going to a classier affair than your basic frat house tavern, might I recommend the below. We absolutely cannot believe this fabulous Stella McCartney dress has not sold yet – I’d personally pair it with a super short, cropped leather jacket and some peep-toe booties like the ones I scored from Beacon’s Closet yesterday. If you need further inspiration, see how Lindsay Lohan styled it here.

DVF Dylann Wrap Top, paired with the designer's Biby Pant; Stella McCartney Double Layer Dress

Spring essentials: The trench

If you purchase nothing else this spring, grab a new trench. Of course trenches never go out of style, but we’ve seen them celebrated in unique ways lately. Vogue UK suggests belted with the buttons undone, while Gryphon has debuted this bell-sleeved version designed by mother-daughter team Judy and Jane Aldridge (of Sea of Shoes fame).

We’re of course suggesting this Covet Shop version, which brings a a bit of noir-ish, yet feminine, glamour to the staid classic.

Who's That Lady? Turn heads with this Dolce & Gabbana Ruffle Trench

Spring essentials: The new bag and sandals

Nothing puts a spring in your step more than a delicious new bag or some strappy sandals to go with your fresh new pedi. My picks this week…

Sigerson Morrison Davis Sandals, Bottega Veneta Woven Hobo

Spring essentials: The light sweater

Toss either of these gray sweaters in your oversized bag for when it gets chilly people-watching at your favorite sidewalk cafe, and try belting them with any of these smokin’ new belts (from Miu Miu, YSL, and Gucci) posted this week.

Shrug, Blugirl by Blumarine; 3.1 Phillip Lim Pocket Sweater, Miu Miu Rocker Belt

Clockwise, from left: Queen Latifah, Jessica Biel, Elizabeth Taylor, Drew Barrymore, Juliette Binoche, and Benecio Del Toro

Vintage Chanel

Pisces are typically found enjoying the finer things in life, such as strolling Via Montenapoleone or attending an exclusive museum fundraiser. What to wear? This Chanel pant suit, of course.

Chanel 2pc Pant Suit (new!); Rochas Square Patent Pumps

Water Sign Frocks, and Nails to Match

Since I only discovered new BFFs, Ginger + Liz during Fashion Week at the Robert Verdi Luxe Laboratory Suite, I hadn’t included them in my nail polish round up last week. So in honor of these two gorgeous ladies and their polish collection (which is free of toluene, formaldehyde or DBP), here are two of their smokin’ shades paired with some new Covet Shop outfits.

From left: See by Chloe Color Block Tank Dress with Hold the Drama polish; Temperley Jumila Kaftan Tunic with Trance polish; Etro Flutter Silk Dress

Last But Not Least – Shoes

Because Pisces must always maintain an air of mystery and left-of-center edge, let’s not forget important details such as shoes. God forbid a Pisces should ever have to wear dreary loafers or simple pumps, so we’ve put together these selections for the more boho Pisces – perfect for spending the workday lounging around at your friend’s studio drinking sangria, or sneaking off for an illicit tryst.

Stella McCartney Knit Booties; Jill Stuart Claudia Boots; Prada Butterfly Wedges

Tripping Out? Go ask Alice

Inset, colored fringe and a soft punk edge for the hair at Cynthia Rowley; Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter

Is anyone not running out to see Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland when it hits on March 5? The thought of this psychedelic  overload is inspiring us to be a bit more daring these next seasons — and along those lines we loved Cynthia Rowley’s new fall/winter collection (above, with jewel-toned fringe). Being backstage, we also got to see Eva Scrivo’s crimped extensions up close: Gorgeous, textured and edgy, and practically good enough to eat.

Dying to know who did Johnny’s makeup…speaking of beauty, you’ll also need to get your hands on OPI’s Alice in Wonderland collection, reviewed here brilliantly by All Lacquered Up.

Absolutely Alice; Mad as a Hatter

Now that you’re in the mood, some Covet Shop picks we’ve assembled for the occasion:

Outfits, from left: Temperley Mini Kaleidoscope Dress, Balenciaga Giant Work Bag, Stella McCartney Velvet Stud Sandals; Milly Ruffle Tube Top, Missoni Geometric Skirt; Marni Circle Shift Dress, Pierre Hardy Suede Pumps

Delicious reds, for your nails

Valentine’s Day ends tomorrow, of course, but celebrate red nails all month anyway (it is, after all, American Heart Month). Booking an appointment at my favorite nail salon, Jin Soon, as we speak, after assembling this juicy collage.

Jin Soon for M.A.C., Dance All Night; Sephora's Red Alert 6; Chanel Le Vernis, Shanghai Red; Nars' Vintage, Limited Edition in Hunger; Essie's After Sex; London Underground by Butter 3Free

Tattoo You

We heard that Anya Hindmarch opened some Pop-Up Tattoo Parlours this week in London and NYC (which unfortunately ended yesterday), but what a fabulous idea. We heart the mermaid (below, at left). But if you want to go hard-core, pay a visit to Sailor Jerry (”Stewed,” at right). And don’t forget to pick up your new, bad-ass consignment outfit online at Covetshop.com.

S.W.A.K., the Covet Shop team

On point were panelists Deirdre Sullivan (Social Media, PR, & Partnership Director at IDEELI), Orli Sharaby (Sr. Social Marketing Strategist, Lifestyle at 360i) and Ziv.

Needless to say, our ears perked up when the discussion turned to…

1) Up High or Down Low: Do trends emerge from haute couture or street style?

At left, remixed street style looks from Looklet, on-the-street with the Sartorialist, and a look from the Weardrobe 100. Couture runway looks at right

This is, as panelists pointed out, about the creative vision, inspiration and fantasy of couture — as opposed to real human beings going about their daily lives (albeit very stylishly). Who’s inspiring whom and despite the tension between the two, are they more intertwined than may be obvious? According to Ziv, the most inspirational online style influencers are focused on unique pieces that represent who they are; and the key is mixing high and low. “There are no more trends, seasons are irrelevant,” she says. “They are all about putting their personality out there.”

2) The future of fast fashion, vintage and consignment

Fast fashion? It has it’s place, but — said panelists — for bloggers and new designers using social media to promote their brand, building identity and voice means pieces that feel fresh. “No one needs another jersey dress in this economy,” said Sullivan.

“People are consuming way too much,” said Ziv. “Now, I’m seeing people buying, wearing and selling to the next generation. These objects can and should be preserved — not something disposable.”

We agree. A quality garment has a history, a story that can and should be passed along.

Vintage bags, grab 'em while they're hot. From left: Louis Vuitton Neo Cabby GM; Chanel Vintage Floral; Bottega Veneta Clutch

Case in point: Almost all our vintage pieces — such as all the hot items we listed in this first post about Virtual Vintage in October (including my faves, the Dior floral pant) — get swiped up so fast it’s become hard to keep up. However, on a sad note the NY Post recently reported that many of the classic vintage shops on 7th and 9th streets in the East Village and throughout the city have had to close shop. Let’s hope that’s not the case. We need on and offline inspiration in our constant hunt for those iconic pieces around which to craft personal style.

The iconic sailor shirt makes a comeback.

For example, The Wall Street Journal reports on “stripes galore” in spring orders at Saks, parades of blue-and-white clad mademoiselles promenading in the streets of Paris, and the allure of hunky deck swabs; while WWD’s couture preview says Anne Valérie Hash has slashed up a Jean Paul Gaultier Breton shirt for her upcoming show based on reworked garments. Fortunately, Covet Shop has some fabulous new Chanel finds that we’ve just released!

From left: Chanel Vintage Quilted Shoulder Bag, Temperley Beatrice Sweater Tunic, Chanel Patent Riding Boots; Chanel Vintage Floral Bag, Marc Jacobs Ruched Cocktail Dress, Christian Louboutin Heart Patent Pumps

Perusing the blogs further, the craze for green polish, especially Chanel’s Jade Le Vernis nail color, is going strong and (at post time), we noticed a bottle that sold on Jan. 19 for $305. Mon Dieu. Does this mean we’re out of the recession?

I’m Dreaming…

…of winter white. Love this, each season. How to wear it?  It’s definitely not for certain skin tones, and I personally would go for something rich and creamy as opposed to white-white, but pure white can work too. For inspiration, we served up some looks and pics of the latest celebs wearing this trend for inspiration, gathered up from a variety of fashion pundits online.

Nicole’s Winter Covet Shop Picks

Since, clearly, I can’t get enough of black and white, two outfits to choose from…and be sure to check in with What’s New on Covet Shop: Items like this Burberry trench and Alexander Wang Tropical Wool vest won’t last long. Especially since we were recently featured on one of our favorite sites, SheFinds! Thanks to the editors there for thinking of us and helping spread the Covet Shop love.

Baby, it’s Cold Outside

Last, it’s been absolutely freezing here in New York yet this week I’ve seen lots of women scurrying around town with bare legs during work hours. Ladies, why? Literally, just the other [extremely windy] day I stood next to a shivering, bare-legged damsel on Broadway and Spring who – when the light turned – ran as fast as she could, curled over and click-clacking down the sidewalk, to her office. Is it just me or aren’t tights in? I can see forgoing stockings of any sort if you’re going to an evening event and wearing a gown, but for work?!?

Bags, bags, bags. Here’s a tip for you Wise Men out there stumped for gift ideas: I can’t think of any woman who wouldn’t love to receive a hot new handbag, no matter the occasion. That you saved a bundle on it can be our little secret.

Somehow, these reminded me of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. From top: Cartier La Dona Satchel; Marc Jacobs Stam bag (reduced to $475); Balenciaga Cherche Midi clutch (reduced to $495)

A gift…for you. Sometimes holiday entertaining makes us just want to escape south to Florida or the islands. For such pursuits, you deserve a new dress and sunglasses after all that cooking and baking.

From left: Milly Truffle dress (reduced to $110) and Gucci Buckle glasses; Cavalli Leopard Sheath dress and Tom Ford Samantha sunglasses; DVF Lura dress (only $62!) and Marc Jacobs Gold Bar shades

And finally, Five Golden Rings. This is actually more like 12, interlinked, to form a cuff for the classic vintage Chanel lover on your gift list.

Vintage Woven Cuff by Chanel: $800, reduced from $895

Let’s start with Sag’s style icons: Namely, celebrity Sagittarians who are totally badass and reckless – like Tina Turner, Kim Basinger, Tyra Banks, and Jim Morrison. How can you go wrong?

Sagittarius style icons, daring and dangerous

A fire sign, Sagittarius (the archer), is infamous for its good-natured yet reckless lust for life and – to quote the Darkside Zodiac – “anarchic joy of sheer naughtiness.” Sagittarians have been bit by the lure of wanderlust, and seek life’s meaning through a never-ending string of adventure. Above all, if you are a Sagittarius you are most likely an extrovert and, that being said, we’ve picked out some key pieces that demand attention.

The ultimate Sagittarius statement: A Femme Fatale Manolo Blahnik Nezin ankle boot

Look-at-me YSL Garnier ring and Louis Vuitton Neo Cabby logo bag

DSquared2 Cable Knit Fur Trim jacket, ideal for that spontaneous shopping trip to Moscow

Happy Birthday, Sag! Also, don’t forget: To celebrate the season, free ground shipping on orders of $300…

Who knew "holiday sweater" season started in November?

Everyone has a crazy aunt, who will probably be wearing one of the above (that she hand-embroidered) on Thursday, which is all the more reason you should counter with a festive, family-appropriate —yet stylish —outfit to impress the fam. But picking the Thanksgiving outfit can be tricky, depending on the situation. Below, some suggestions if you’re…

1. Heading home to a small/conservative town. You may have chosen to move to a more urban center a while ago, but too much “city slicker” flair likely won’t be appreciated back on the farm. To avoid snide comments or ridicule about your “witch” (read: pointy) shoes, or “gloomy” look (read: anything black), it’s best to plan ahead and stylishly tone it down.

DVF blouse, Robert Rodriguez pencil skirt, Tod's driving loafers

2. Meeting the in-laws, or your new boyfriend’s parents. Again, best to play it safe. Don’t overdo it with an overly flashy bag, and choose your outfit based on some key information from your SO. Preppy? Conservative? Upper-crust? Here, from left, we paired: A Milly halter with Frankie B. jeans and Sigerson Morrison studded flats (throw a black blazer or shrug over this); Abaete Burn Out Dot Dress with Marc Jacobs short pumps, and a Trina Turk blazer (and classic pant) with Marc Jacobs Suede Ribbon Pumps.

From left: Casual, Upscale and Preppy looks (but all stylish)

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Covet Shop!

Not to mention, I walked away with two amazing fall scores, both seen below if you scroll down: The Love Moschino blazer (killer details) and plum Thread Social dress (hangs really well, both belted or no, fantastic color).

Click here to become a fan of the Bowery Bazaar

For those who love to troll the fleas, the Bowery Bazaar is small—thus easier to navigate than some of the city’s multiple flea-bazaar-outdoor-market-craft fair things cropping up (mostly downtown and in Brooklyn). This one’s still new, and will probably grow into its own, but worth a look…especially for jewelry-hunters. Spotted yesterday was a vendor selling necklaces and bracelets made with tiny GI Joe guns and recycled shotgun shells collected from shooting ranges, just right for paying a stylish tribute to veterans or your favorite serviceman/woman.

Up next: Thanksgiving Sweater Don’ts, and Covet Shop Meet the In-Law Dos