editor’s note: big, wonderful giveaway starts monday…don’t miss it!

normally, i’m something of a vintage-phobe.  i wish i was that girl that steps into vintage shops and finds treasures…but i just walk in and smell mothballs.  i’ve never been able to see the potential in vintage, but i’ll forever envy those that do.

that said, i do love a good ‘vintage-inspired’ style, so when allison burt-tilden first sent her designs over for me to check out, i fell hard for their updated vintage feel.  each piece in her shop, abt arcade, feels like something that once belonged in my nana’s jewelry box, but reimagined to be a more hip, more modern version – exactly what i’m after.  in fact, each of allison’s designs is made from a mix of new and vintage pieces, redesigned to create a totally mod look with just a hint of a vintage feel.

hands down, my favorite piece is this ‘zooey deschanel’ necklace ($38)  it’s made of vintage beads and new chains, so the result is part jackie o and part downtown hip.  it’s just the sort of thing i can picture michelle obama (ahem, or me) pairing with a classic crewneck cardigan and tee to really make the look stand out.  i can’t even get over how much i love it!

if you’re after something a little more tongue-in-cheek, my inner child is screaming for that soft-serve ice cream charm ($24) paired with a vintage orange lucite bead.  it would also make a fabulous gift for a little sister.

oh, and did i mention that i don’t think there’s a single thing in her shop over $40?  such a steal!  check out all of the goodies, but you might want to nab your favorites quickly.  since each piece is part vintage, once they’re gone, well…you know.

maybe i’ve been reading the bloggess too much, or maybe i just need to take a xanax, but i feel the snark rising up in my fingers, and i just can’t stop myself from the following.  i just received a press release from a certain company (which i adore, by the way), about a certain plaid shirt, featured in the following photo:

now, as i said, i love this company, and shop there altogether too often.  and so, i’m not going to defame them here when i’m really just annoyed about an entire trend (ahem, and actress).

first and foremost, i just think taylor momsen’s mom, or agent, or somebody needs to take her aside and tell her she is looking increasingly like some sort of homeless street urchin/crack addict hybrid, between the excessive eyeliner, the stringy hair and the oversized everything. she just kind of…well, she scares the holy living hell out of me, that’s all.

that said, my big gripe here is actually with the plaid flannel shirt in question. it’s just that my tolerance for the reincarnation of this particular trend is very, very low.  i didn’t much care for it when grunge was cool back in the ’90s, and it’s just one more decade i feel no need to relive (i’m looking at you, 1980s).

but even if i *did* want to wear a plaid flannel shirt, i’d want it to be trim, tailored, and just generally more chic, no?  i mean, if all i want is a baggy flannel shirt, i can get that at ll bean, target, or even sears for that matter, and probably for under $20.  i definitely don’t need to spend $140 on it (oh, did i not mention the one taylor momsen’s wearing is $140?  yeah.).

all that said, if this is a trend you simply can’t resist, allow me to offer a few suggestions that don’t, you know, make me want to throw things at innocent celebrities.

left is by mike & chris, on sale for a very respectable $75. it is not flannel. i think that’s a good thing, as is the very girly styling. i’m especially loving the farrah fawcett hair on the model (man, i am on fire today).  right is by steven alan, the king of the plaid shirt. i actually kind of love this one, and would highly recommend it.  even though it’s more expensive than the one i’m snarking about.  i know…i have no excuse for myself.

okay, snark over for now…but i’m right, aren’t i?

i was so, so convinced i’d make it through this year without needing to splurge on a scarf from epice.  clearly, i was wrong.

i can not even handle the gorgeousness of this (also in caramel, but that gives it more of a native american vibe). it’s modeled after a vintage german poster.  sigh!  i am a wee bit annoyed that goldyn seems to be selling it for $40 more than most stores will, but then i guess since it’s not available anywhere else, they get to overprice it a bit – early bird, worm, and all that.

personally, i’ll be stalking anxiously waiting for it to arrive at my favorite local haunt.

i swear, the color theme this week was totally unintentional.  but i couldn’t let october go by without showing you a few things i’m loving in support of breast cancer awareness (BCA) month.

as you probably know, each october, virtually every designer and beauty line under the sun releases a limited-edition pink item in support of breast cancer.  breast cancer blenders, breast cancer flat irons, even breast cancer soap…the options are endless.  in each case, anywhere from a nickel to 100% of the proceeds go to fund research for a cure.  always one to shop for a cause, i thought i’d show you a few of my favorites.  fair warning: i do tend to lean toward the products that donate most or all proceeds to charity – giving $5 from a $200 item doesn’t do much for me.  after all, if you’re shopping for warm fuzzies, you might as well go all out!

i loved this necklace before i even knew it was for BCA.  gorgeous gunmetal chain, and i am crazy for that rose gold feather – so unique, perfect for everyday wear, and really reasonable at $75.  it was designed by elizabeth and james, and is available exclusively at shopbop.

every year, OPI releases a special shade of pink for BCA, and this year’s “pink of hearts” is a personal favorite of mine.  it works as a one-coat sheer (though it’s a little brighter than my usual ‘samoan sand’), but is also great full-strength.  it’s a sweet, preppy pink that goes with anything.  and it’s only $6 at amazon!

these flamingo notecards from linda & harriett are so cute, i had to share.  they just make me think of happier, tropical places – i’d love to send them out to friends right about now, when we’re struggling to remember those warm summer days.  you get 6 cards for $14, and 20% of proceeds go to a cancer center in new york.

this one’s pretty cute:  bambako is a headband designer, and has come up with seven different designs for BCA – each named for a breast cancer survivor the designer knows.  plus, a whopping 100% of proceeds go to the susan g. komen foundation!  personally, i’m partial to the feathered ‘rue’ band, but i could definitely see the ‘gloria’ and ‘rhoda’ being darling for holiday fetes.

and last but not least, i can’t resist a cute pair of PJ’s, especially when i know it’s for a good cause.  i love the bright pink and yellow flowers on this set by sleepyheads (on sale for $36), but they have a whole “shop for the cure” section of their site.  any item you find there will get you a 10% donation to breastcancer.org.  sweet dreams indeed!

if you have the cash, this is a great month – and a great excuse – to spend.  besides, who doesn’t need a little pink in their life? if you’ve come across any great BCA products, drop a comment and let us all know…the more ways to spend, the better for everyone!

i’ve always loved jade, and have secretly wished it would reappear in fashion.  while you can find jade in virtually every color under the sun, i’m especially partial to the classic milky green hue.  it’s so striking, beautiful and unexpected.  at long last, it’s back in a big way, and i can hardly wait to take full advantage!

it all started with chanel’s new jade nail colors for spring, which were all the rage during fashion week…

…which i was reminded of today when i spotted these amazing stephen webster jade earrings in an “what would she wear” post over at whowhatwear this morning.  at $510, they’re not coming home with me any time soon, but i love the classic jade juxtaposed with that gorgeous deco-meets-punk setting.

turned out, i also loved WWW’s budget pick from janna conner (in fact, i have the identical earrings in rose quartz, but now i’m wishing i could trade!):

and now i’m just hunting down all things jade…like this scarf (marked down to $49 at virginia johnson)….

…and these beautiful personalized jade note cards from iomoi…

…it’s a slippery slope, you see.  but i’m definitely looking forward to adding a little more jade to my life.  how about you?

blue is always one of my absolute favorite colors, especially in fashion.  but this year, i have it particularly bad.  i’ve been feeling the itch for a new handbag, and while i’m sorely tempted to splurge on the anya hindmarch of my dreams, this marc by marc is oddly appealing to me.

it’s nothing new…in fact, this style has been around for years now.  but i’ve always sort of had my eye on it from afar, and lately, the siren call is getting louder.  that said, i’ve been “off” designer bags recently, and have found myself leaning more toward less-known brands.  but this MbyMJ faridah hobo just seems like the perfect addition to my bag collection.  i never seem to fall for black bags, but i’m long overdue for a new basic.  this ink blue would be a perfect alternative, and ideal with my near-constant wardrobe of jeans (plus, no annoying transfer color from my denim).  i used to have a phobia about mixing navy and black…but then i realized how often i wear black with denim, and realized i might have been onto something all along.

this bag is light as a feather (marc recently changed the leather he uses for all of his lines), the slight coating on the leather means it will resist at least some of the constant winter rain, and the style slouches beautifully when worn (slouch being a highly important factor in oversized bags).  it will be easy as pie to throw on my shoulder and forget about, which is key for me these days.

oh, and it’s 25% off (through today only) if you grab it at saks via their friends & family promotion.  use code FRIENDS2 to take this one down from $448 to $336, then tack on free shipping with code OCTSHIP9 (hint: nordstrom will also price-match this one for you!)

one more do-gooder…given my current state of mind, i just can’t resist this one. the owners of linda & harriett, which designs some of my absolute favorite cards, is having the most wonderful event today!  it’s “just because day,” in honor of designer liz’s mom, linda, who was apparently always very courteous and sweet, just because. how fabulous is that?!

to celebrate, just email lindaandharriett@gmail.com … uh, quickly (the offer expires basically right now (9 am pst), but i’m going to email their press rep and ask for a few minutes of an extension for y’all), and include your full name and mailing address. they’ll send you a blank card, absolutely free, for you to address and mail to whoever you like.  how sweet is that?!

we’re doing a little good this morning, checking out these darling tote bags created by versace to benefit the starlight foundation.  they’re going on sale at gilt this morning at 9 am (pacific) for $250 each, and 100% of the proceeds go right back to starlight and to the one foundation, which is helping kids impacted by the 2008 earthquake in china.

the bags were designed by kids in need, and the results are really sweet – i particularly love those little luggage tags showing you which kid designed your bag.  i know $250 is on the high side for a tote, but these are awfully cute, i must admit.   plus, if you’re a versace lover, it’s definitely your one chance to own something with their label for $250.  and if you’re a frequent versace shopper (ahem, because i know so many of you read this blog), buying a bag gets you 20% off at the boutique through 12/1/09.

but really, it’s for charity.  so, if you’re in the market for a fun tote, or are looking for an extravagant holiday gift for a teacher in your life (how amazing would these be for a teacher?!), look no further.  check out more details here, or buy at gilt starting at 9 am (if you need an invite, just click their pic on the left side of this page)!

leopard print seems to be *the* accent of the season and, while i’m generally pretty frightened of the stuff, i’ve also been oddly curious.  after all, the color scheme does make up the perfect neutral, and it’s a more unexpected accent to black than red.  the trick, i think, is using just a touch.  it’s so easy to go overboard, and the distance between chic and tawdry when it comes to animal prints is distressingly short.

if i’m going to get it right this season, i think i’ll start with these leopard-print flats from ralph lauren.  the birthplace of polo is definitely not the first place i’d look for something along these lines, but i think ralph’s typical overdose of prep is the perfect solution in this case – it balances out the print, and keeps the look chic, without a trace of cheap.  a leopard heel just feels a little too….something…for me, but this sweet ballet flat should do the trick nicely.  especially for under $100.

since we’re a bit behind, i thought i’d do a quick mega-post of some things i’ve come across recently and thought “i have to show those to my readers when i’m back!”

it’s finally, officially fall where i live – it’s my favorite season, and i can hardly wait to break out the scarves, cashmere sweaters and boots (yes, the flat boots have finally won my heart).  i have a respectable collection of both after last year’s gluttony, but there are a few pieces i just know i’ll need sooner than later.

i fell hard for this beautiful patchwork scarf by echo designs ($78) when i saw the above photo in a catalog recently.  in fact, i adored it so much that i honestly couldn’t believe it was the same scarf when i looked it up on echo’s website – from those pics, i’d have never given this one a second glance.  to settle the score, i asked echo to send it along so i could check it out in person (a dirty job, i know).  readers, in person, this scarf is absolutely gorgeous.  perfect color palette, great patterns, and lightweight, gauzy wool i can hardly wait to bundle up in.  trust me on this! (for better pics, go here. also, a great picture of the red & yellow version here.)

splendid actually makes a quite good cashmere, and their prices aren’t horrible ($209 for this one).  this shadow stripe v-neck breaks all of the rules about horizontal stripes – the neutral color combo is sure to keep the look flattering.  and wouldn’t you love to see this under a blazer?

this season, i’ve abandoned (or, have made up my mind to abandon) my grey cardigan obsession, and am now after a camel version*.  camel can stand up to grey any day as an unexpected, classic neutral, and it goes with literally everything. this option by brochu walker ($325) doesn’t really qualify as a cardi, as it’ only a half-buttoned option.  but i adore the soft, drapey neckline and the thumbholes on the sleeves – both seriously cozy features, which is what i’m after this time of year.

(*in a perfect world, i’ve actually found my camel cardigan…now i just need to find the $500 to bring it home!)

and, yes, boots.  so far, these are the style i’m most loving for fall.  i’ve loved frye’s paige boot for years, but this season’s distressed grey version ($345) might just be too much for me to resist.  the only thing holding me back is the fact that that gorgeous front detail will never see the light of day, as i still refuse to tuck my jeans into my boots (a trend best left to ladies without hips).

so, what are you craving for fall?