In our house, the inventory of wine glasses is at a low by December. You know how it goes, the long stems crack when they’re forced too aggressively into the dishwasher by large hands (not that I don’t appreciate help with the washing up, Patrick , then there are the casualties from the summer barbecue season, and of course, some fall into what we in our household call “drama”. Anyhow, we need to replenish our cupboard to prep for our holiday entertaining. And we’re guessing you might be in the same boat. If the wine is good, show it some respect with decent glassware. Make an investment in wine glasses that will wear well, feel right, and look pretty on the table. Here are our personal favorites at the moment. In the spirit of the season, keep in mind that a pair of wine glasses can also make a lovely gift.

1. Crate and Barrel Marcel Wine Glasses, $11.95 each.
2. Williams Sonoma Riedel “O” Trio, Bordeaux, $29.95 for set of three.
3. Target Riedel Vivant Red Wine Glasses, $30 for a set of four
4. Williams and Sonoma Edward Wine Glasses, $80. for a sets of four.
The red wine glasses at the top of the post are from Martha Stewart’s Holiday Collection at Macys. They are a wonderful, vibrant red and will make any holiday table-setting explode with color. – S

I realize this post is all very premature considering it’s still 75 degrees out, but I couldn’t help but start thinking about fall outfits. While cleaning out my closet this past weekend, I came across this black puffer vest (below) that used to be my uniform in college. It was a staple during the brutally cold winter months in Maine–I don’t think I ever took it off! I wore it more for warmth than fashion, though, which is usually the case with the puffer vest. However, since resurrecting it from my closet, I started to think about more fashion-forward ways to wear it…
I think the trick to wearing a puffer vest is layering, and putting it with things you might not expect. I kept this look fairly monotone, using shades of black and grey, and a little stripe for interest. Cinching it at the waist definitely pulled the outfit together and slimmed out all the layers. And since it was quite heavy on top, I kept the bottom part simple and body conscious (you’ve got to show you have a body under all those layers!).
Add vest, Vera Wang for Kohls sweater, Majestic stripe tee, vintage belt, Topshop necklace, Theory scarf, Topshop skirt, American Apparel leggings, ski socks, Opening Ceremony boots. How do you guys like to wear your puffer vest? – L

Whenever we go to antique shows, I’m always drawn to the vintage jewelry tents–ask Suzanne, I could sort through bins and bins of old necklaces and rings for hours! Lately, I’ve been collecting vintage rhinestone necklaces, otherwise known as costume jewelry. I’m crazy for Tom Binns-esque pieces (no doubt inspired by these older forms), and I’ve found that layering a bunch of these vintage necklaces with your own string of pearls or colored beads can yield a similar result (but much, much less expensive of course).
Below, a box full of rhinestone necklaces, brooches, bracelets, and rings. Jackpot!
I came away with two necklaces and one bracelet for $50 (below). I’m looking forward to spicing them up and pairing them with some more unexpected pieces.
I’ll definitely be on the look-out for any neon-colored stones or beads that I can mix with my rhinestone pieces a la Tom Binns (below). Love how this looks!
My other jewelry find were these great silver bangles from Tibet. I grabbed a few to wear together on one arm. I like how these are sort of rustic-looking, but at the same time really detailed and beautiful. At $4 each, they were a steal! – L

Always on the look out for great knock-offs, we stumbled upon this sleeveless lace dress last week at Forever 21 in Union Square–clearly “inspired” by the lacey frocks that were sent down the runway at Prada’s fall 2008 show. In fact, I’m in awe at how similar the actual pattern of the lace is to the real thing. Talk about counterfeit. Regardless, I was pleasantly surprised by the heaviness of the fabric and the close fit of the dress. It would make a super chic cocktail dress, and could easily make its way into the winter months worn with tights. I can see it being a great layering piece once the weather gets colder too. A little lace peeking out of your winter coat? Oo la lah.
I kept the look simple here so you guys could see the lines and texture of the dress, but I’m looking forward to mixing it up a little bit and adding some color next time. Worn above with Nicole Brundage pewter t-strap heels. Have you found any great knock-offs lately? Please do share! – L prada dress, prada knockoff, counterfeit prada, prada lace dress knockoff

While out and about last week, we made a quick stop at Zara on 5th Avenue to see what they had in store for fall. In search of something we could share, and wear both now and into the autumn, we seized upon a fantastic blue and white blouse, reminiscent of many of the microflower prints from Chloe’s f/w 2008 collection. At $49.99, it was just the pre-fall pick-me-up we were in need of. Since purchasing it, neither of us have been able to take it off. My turn next, mom!
I’m wearing the blouse underneath an old Phi menswear-inspired vest with black ridding-style leggings and Givenchy lace-up wedge-booties. Definitely the more fall look of the two. Below, Suzanne pairs the blouse with a Trina Turk white accordian-pleat skirt, vintage studded belt, and her Delman sandals. I love how fresh and summery she makes this top look.
If there’s one thing we’ve taken away from purchasing this inexpensive, yet super cute top, it’s that you really can update up your late summer or pre-fall look with a cheapie–the challenge is shopping your closet to put the rest of the look together! Have you guys found any transition pieces that you think will look great now and two months from now? Comment below to share! – L . transition clothing, Zara blouse, knock off chloe, fake chloe, knock off chloe blouse, mother daughter outfits, outfits mothers and daughters can share, pre-fall, fashion designer, fashionable clothing, Teen Vogue, Lauren McGrath, fashion reproductions, fashionable knockoffs

We’ve been receiving lots of e-mails recently asking for advice on how to put together an outfit on a budget. So, we decided to put our budget shopping skills to the test. With a total price limit of 100 dollars for the ENTIRE outfit, we set out to some of our favorite bargain stores in search of great pieces that won’t hurt your wallet.
Before I even hit the stores, I came up with an idea in my head of the style I was going for. I’ve been really into the whole rockabilly-punk look lately (think: studs and grommets mixed with more traditional prints like gingham and plaid), so I figured I’d try and put my own bargain-savvy spin on the style. I started with this great denim studded skirt from H&M. At $49.95, it was definitely the “big ticket” item of the look. I love finding ways to layer pieces over one another, so I paired a blousy red floral top underneath a black and white gingham button-down (both from Forever 21). When you’re wearing two tops like this, it’s best to use a belt to cinch it all in at the waist (this one’s from H&M). The shoes were the finishing touch, and super cheap at $14.99 by Fioni at Payless. With almost nothing left over, I decided to do a little DIY project and make some friendship bracelets to stack on my wrist. I learned how to make the one below from watching my dear friend and Teen Vogue editor Mary Kate Steinmiller’s fantastic tutorial on MTV’s House of Style. Click here and you can make them too! Not nearly as professional-looking as MK’s (sold at Charlotte Ronson in NYC), but not bad and it was so fun and easy to make. Let me know if you’d like to see more features like this one in the future and I’ll get right to it! – L