Every year, I (try to) splurge on a beautiful new coat for fall. After all, no one sees the vast majority of my outfit for at least six months of the year in this rainy climate, as it’s covered up by some sort of outerwear. So, I think I’m entitled to a few fantastic choices. Right? Whatever I choose has to be be fun (yes, coats should definitely be fun!), luxe and always make me feel gorgeous…it’s the least I deserve in the midst of all this rain. This season, I’m set on red, and there are a few options I’m swooning for.

DVF Mikhaila coat (previously blogged, but I can’t get enough!), $745

Reiss 40th Anniversary Lilac coat, $935.

J.Crew Symphony coat, $350.

Then again, I could switch the whole thing up and go pink. I know, red is a statement and all that, but I have to tell you – I once owned a pink coat, and I never received as many compliments on anything I owned than I did on that coat. (Which was, incidentally, picked out by the hubs…a fact he loves to point out).

J.Crew Majesty peacoat, $245.

Smythe Mini coat, $895

Or I could ditch the trend and go with a color I’ve been loving for years. This bright kelly green would be the perfect antidote to grey rainy days, and I know from experience that it’s more neutral than it appears at first glance.

DVF Harrington wrap coat, $695

As evidenced by the lovely Leighton Meester…

What coats are you craving this season?

Wow, that was a seriously alliterative title. I’m skipping the usual Friday Finds extravaganza this week, because there are so many fantastic sales going on around the web this weekend, I thought you might rather hear about those. I know you all love a good bargain just as much as I do!

First up, nab this cute little Joie crossbody bag free with any $250 purchase at Saks – just use code WCONTEMP2 (you’ll also get free shipping on $200+ with code SFASHIP). Ordinarily, I’m not much for free gifts, as they never live up to the hype. But even though this one’s free (and faux suede), I actually love it, from the chain strap all the way down to the tassel detail on the closure.

Lots of Friends & Family love going on this weekend. Get 20% off all purchases with code FALLFRIENDS11 at Bloomingdale’s this weekend, plus free shipping (no code required)! It may be time to splurge on that DVF Mikhaila coat I’ve been eyeing all season…or maybe the Harrington vest. {It’s worth noting that Nordstrom will usually match this deal, especially if they carry the same item.}

And more Friends & Family excitement at Endless (thanks for the tip, M!) – again, take 20% off storewide (with the usual exceptions) through the weekend with code SEPEVENT. I’m thinking it’s an excellent excuse to get a little more Loeffler Randall in your life.

Remember when I told you about Matches Fashion a few weeks ago, but lamented their pricey US shipping? Well, today only, free worldwide shipping at Matches with code WWFREE. Some pieces are a little pricier than they would be stateside (damn conversion rates), but some are a steal…like this orange herringbone coat from Weekend MaxMara, which I’m pretty sure would be about $300 higher here.

Quite a weekend for indulging your inner compulsive shopper, no? Any other deals you know about? Share them in the comments, won’t you? Just think of it as retail karma.

I’m craving a great dress this fall. Something I can dress up or down, that will look amazing solo but has enough versatility to be styled a dozen different ways. I hadn’t seen anything that really fit the bill…until I spotted the Brijitte from Milly’s fall collection.

Yes, that’s exactly what I had in mind. The big, bold print is strong enough to stand on its own (just leave that neckline open a bit, so there’s some skin to break up the pattern), but will be easy to mix into all sorts of styling options. And I’m so grateful to finally see a dress I love with a knee-length hem.

For work, styling is simple. Loosen up the neckline, and pair it with a classic blazer with a perfectly nipped-in waist – something in black, navy, even chocolate brown is easy, but I’m feeling tweed for this look too. Keep the leg bare, or add an opaque tight and a great jewel-toned pump (suede if you have it). If you have a less conservative office, a heeled bootie would be amazing too. You don’t need much jewelry with the neck tie on this dress, but a classic gold hoop would be a perfect pairing.

But then, of course, there’s the weekend…and the thing I love about this dress is its 24/7 appeal. Ditch the blazer and add a long cardigan or vest – oh how I love this herringbone vest from Elizabeth & James. You could even funk it up with one of the fur vests you’re seeing everywhere (I know, I know…but trust me – but the fur vests aren’t as scary once you try them on). Keep the ankle booties or try a riding boot* for a bolder choice. Push up the sleeves, add a long pendant necklace in gold (I’m thinking of that pretty chevron locket from Acanthus) or something bolder (perhaps from that amazing Elva Fields), and you’re ready for just about anything.

*Speaking of beautiful riding boots, I have to take a moment to tell you about these. I’ve been wearing those very boots, the Frye Amelia in cognac, nonstop. I cannot get over how much I adore them. The fit is perfect (size down a half size), the color is so striking, and they’re ridiculously comfortable. Best new boot this season, if you ask me.

How would you style this beautiful dress?

Happy Friday, friends – I have so much to show you for this week’s Friday Finds! Apparently, I’m having one of those weeks in which I’m all about pattern. There are worse things.

I may be the world’s only naysayer on the maxiskirt/dress trend, but I just don’t get it. Or, I didn’t…until I tried on this silk version at Madewell on my SF trip last week. It is un-be-lievable in person – the holy grail of maxi skirts. Sadly, floor-length silk felt a little impractical for rainy Portland, but if you’re in a more temperate climate, nab this the second it goes on sale.

Speaking of silk (well, polyester in this case), while I had high hopes for the Karl Lagerfeld for Macy’s collaboration, I only managed to find one thing in the entire collection that I liked: this delicate zigzag blouse. Those high collars are no good on me, but if you don’t have that problem, this is lovely, and a perfect layering piece for fall.

There’s so much Vogue love in the book world this fall…I hardly know which way to turn. But I’m a sucker for a coffee table book with both substance and style, making Nostalgia in Vogue (available in Oct) and Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel (covering her years at both Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar) my picks. Nostalgia in Vogue is a collection of the best Nostalgia columns from the magazine’s history – always a favorite series of mine – paired with some stunningly memorable photo shoots. And if you’re a Vreeland fan, the latter is simply a must – so many fantastical, avante garde photo shoots are reproduced and paired with her inimitable outlook on style.

My sweet friends over at Hammocks & High Tea just launched a few new patterns, all of which are utterly delicious, as Martyn Lawrence Bullard would say. (It’s possible I’m watching too much Bravo these days…) But then there’s also the matter of their new scarves…and, as you’d expect, the combination of supersoft silk and bright color is making me very, very happy.

I’ve been obsessing about these LL Bean Signature trousers since I first saw their fall linesheet over the summer. So far, best trouser of the season if you ask me. Now that the weather’s (almost) cooperating, I’m dying to rock these with a chunky sweater or my Vince moto jacket.

And, last, with all that practicality, we need a bit of fantasy to start the weekend, don’t you think? All of the gorgeous enameled azure and gold in Tiffany’s new Picasso Venezia collection is making me positively giddy. It’s like Van Gogh meets the Medicis…bright, opulent, and definitely a showstopper.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone…see you back here next week!

It’s been a considerable amount of time since I really fell hard for a Marc by Marc Jacobs collection. In years past, the collection has become a bit too juvenile for my taste – though I love the aesthetic, it’s time to admit that I’m no longer 19.

But this fall’s collection is just a touch more grown-up, a bit more refined, and I’m smitten.

The genius of the whole collection, in addition to being adorable, is that it’s incredibly cohesive. Each and every one of those pieces could be mixed-and-matched to dazzling effect – the warm caramels with the vivid emerald green and a hint of tomato red to keep the whole thing from being too serious. In a perfect world, the entire collection would be mine…but if nothing else, those two bags and maybe the color-blocked cardigan definitely deserve a prime spot in my closet.

Check out the entire runway collection here, or skip the middle man and shop it right here.

I’ve spent the last couple of weeks snuggled up with some very fashionable bedfellows, friends: specifically, the September issues. Every year I (like millions of others) anxiously await September, not to go back to school or see the leaves change, but because it heralds the arrival of 800-page magazines in my mailbox. Best mail ever!

After all that exhaustive “research,” I thought the least I could do is share some of my favorite finds from the September issues with all of you. And of course, I’m hoping you’ll tell me what you loved from the issues too!

Harper’s Bazaar has really been outstanding this year – it’s in danger of overtaking Vogue in my heart. This year’s September issue didn’t disappoint, with piles of fantastic photo spreads and aspirational shoots. While I carry no torch whatsoever for Lea Michele, who feels very one-note to me (no pun intended, I swear), I thought the shoot was styled perfectly, and the end result was so soft and pretty, it’s worth a look. But the standout was their shoot with Georgia May Jagger as Margaret Thatcher – while Jagger ends up with an almost Barbie-like façade in most images, it’s an incredibly compelling editorial.

{Lea Michele, shot by Mark Seliger; “Iron Lady”, shot by Terry Richardson; both, courtesy of Harper’s Bazaar, September 2011}

W Magazine did some beautiful work for fall – in fact, the editorial shoot by Steven Meisel was my favorite of all the September fashion coverage. Titled “Transformers,” Meisel photographed several of the fashion world’s best models – first in their natural state, then done up to the very pinnacle of high fashion. The transformations were, truly, jaw-dropping – these images will be in a book someday soon. In addition to being stunning (both before and after), the editorial gives you such a realistic picture of exactly how much goes into a model shot (and makes you feel considerably better about how non-model-like you think you look on any given day).

{Model Aymelene Valade in “Transformers”, images courtesy of W Magazine and Steven Meisel, September 2011}

Vogue is usually the front-runner in all things September, of course…but this year, they didn’t rank as high on my list. Their central fashion editorial, a pet project of Anna Wintour, was an editorial based on her recent trip to China. It didn’t resonate with me – there were some beautiful images, but they were cluttered, and the fashion seemed to disappear in the mess. The shots of Kate Moss’ wedding were amazing, though. And the “My Generation” shoot with Natalia Vodianova was the fashion standout, packed with predictably retro silhouettes and a grainy film texture that gave the shoot that extra dose of nostalgia.

{“Kiss Me, Kate”, photos by Mario Testino; “My Generation”, photos by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott,
both courtesy of Vogue, September 2011}

Lucky is a magazine I look to for function, not necessarily heavy-hitting artistic editorials. They’re brilliant at presenting dozens of bright ideas, and showing you what to do with them. But, they unveiled a massive internal redesign for September, and I’m absolutely in love with it. Cleaner, more graphic layouts, more artistic renderings to give almost a J.Peterman feel to some of the stories, and a few new columns to love. Particularly a new fashion/beauty advice column by beauty editor Jean Godfrey-June, whose opinion I trust implicitly. Instead of showing you my favorite spreads, I thought I’d show you the pieces I bookmarked from this issue. Standouts are the Weekend Chic editorial on p. 96, the Style Spy page on ’40s-inspired tea dresses (so sweet, and perfect for fall), and “Styling the Fall Trends: The Tastemakers”, starting on p. 198. And if I buy nothing else this season, I *will* track down the Fallon necklace Jessica Alba is wearing on page 109 and own it, so help me.

{UGG Lynnea boots, $200; Surface to Air “Forme” vest, $299; Old Navy belted military jacket, $50; White House Black Market slim ponté pant, $78; Jason Wu lace and wool sweatshirt, $1,195; DANNIJO “Sophie” earrings, $220; DKNY “Aura” haircalf wedge booties, $298 (not yet available), all from Lucky, Sept 2011}

Honorable mentions for Elle and InStyle, neither of whom bowled me over. I did love Elle‘s “Hide and Seek” shoot, a take on the fur trend that a few different mags did for the season – model Herieth Paul hit it out of the park. And Alexa Chung’s “Mix Master” spread in InStyle wasn’t groundbreaking, but then their fashion coverage is built to be more educational than artistic, and this was a spread you could take to the sartorial bank.

What was your favorite September issue this year?

So exciting…it’s Fashion’s Night Out! Are you ready to party?

I’ll be checking out the festivities in Portland, where I have it on good authority there are some sweet swag bags (!) to be had, packed with goodies like American Express gift cards, beauty samples, and serious discounts at a bevy of local shops, including Mercantile, Radish Underground and Pendleton. I’m looking forward to taking full advantage – particularly since Pendleton will also be showing their new (and much-anticipated) Portland collection for the first time tonight!

{I heart swag!}

I’m so feeling the FNO vibe this year…it’s like a big fashion party in celebration of my birthday! (What? That’s not it?) In fact, I may even treat myself to some souvenir swag. This year’s tees are actually pretty fantastic – I’d love to layer one under a leather blazer, or pair it with a sweet flared skirt. Leave it to the always-impeccable Anna Wintour to mastermind a souvenir tee that looks like something from Proenza Schouler…albeit circa 1987. Still pretty sure that makes this the most stylish souvenir tee in history.

If you’re in town, stop by and say hi – I’ll keep you posted on my vantage point via Twitter, but will most likely be camped out at Nordstrom, after a pre-game champagne cocktail at Brasserie Montmartre.  If you’re not in the City of Roses, I hope you’ve found the FNO events going on in your city…they’re happening just about everywhere this year! Or, stay home and shop online – I’ve seen one-night-only online specials racing through my inbox at record speeds, so there are goodies to be had just about anywhere.

Do you have FNO plans this year?

Saks announced this morning that they have the first batch of beauties from Olivier Theyskens’ debut collection for Theory…and, well, it’s awfully close to perfection.

I’ll start with the relaxed cream scoop neck sweater, the plaid blazer, the leather shift dress and that fantastic chunky cabled knit sweater, please. And maybe the fur coat. Oh, who am I kidding? One of each, please! (Okay, except maybe that cream ruffly drop-waist dress. Not that.)

It’s my favorite time of year…fall lookbooks are starting to roll in! As always, Vince’s fall collection has me smitten. Relaxed silhouettes, classic styling and just the tiniest bit of edge. And maybe a bit out of my price range…especially all that lovely shearling. Still, it’s fun to dream.

Yes, even that wild cropped fur has me swooning. But I’ll admit it’s the camel car coat that has me double-checking my credit card balances. I can’t explain my obsession with camel, but I do know there’s just something about that buttery caramel shade that always feels so perfectly pulled together, even on your least pulled-together days.

Check out the rest of shopbop’s lookbook of the Fall 2011 Vince collection, and shop the pieces, right here.

Happy Friday, friends! As usual, there’s no rhyme or reason to this week’s list, though I am noticing an abundance of ultra-bright color. It must be summertime.

The hubs and I have some fun travel plans over the next few months, and I can tell you there’s nothing I’d rather be toting my travel gear in more than this bold blue weekender bag. I love the bright hue, the tribal vibe and the leather trim, and I have a feeling it’d be light as a feather.

It’s still a little early to be thinking fall trends, but this ladylike silk blouse from Madewell will be just the thing with those below-the-knee skirts this fall.

After spotting this beautiful street style image from Atlantic-Pacific…

…I can’t stop thinking about adding a chic pair of bright pants to my denim-centric wardrobe. While I’m normally terrified by the idea of a capri, these candy-colored versions from J.Crew look more like an ankle-grazing length than a mid-calf affair, rendering them infinitely more stylish. Now, to pick a color!

And, now that I think about it, that emerald blouse would look pretty amazing with any of these – especially the blue. Be bold, friends!

While I was never a big fan of Gretchen Jones while she was on Project Runway, I have to admit that her new line of jewelry for Piperlime is good. A lot of the pieces miss the mark by *that* much (a spiked earring that would be so much more amazing if the post weren’t dead center, and a long necklace that would be strikingly perfect if the pendant pieces were a bit further down the chain), but there are some styles I’m seriously contemplating. But…no returns allowed on these pieces, so I’m proceeding with caution.

I almost never swoon over baby/kiddie goods (I’m pretty sure I’m missing a gene), but these prints from Heather Ross are a little too perfect. They’re called “Cranky Princesses” – hysterical! Now I just need some little girls to buy them for…

And now, I’m off to spend a fun, relaxing weekend with my BFF, who’s coming to town. I can’t wait! Hope you have something equally fun in store.