Stella McCartney Fall 2011-Inspired Nails

Stella McCartney's quirky, sexy Fall 2011 collection had several standout elements, but her surprising use of peekaboo polka dots outshone all the rest (even those amazing structured gold lame pieces). I love how she avoided the trap of overly sheer runway shows and found an inventive way to show off and enhance the female form. I knew the mix of nude and black would translate well to nails and that the extreme curves dots would add another element of fun.

For the base I picked my favorite nude, OPI Tickle My France, because it most closely matches my skin color. I used my trusty black with the most narrow brush for the curves and dots and threw in a white nail look for a little variety. I think these are my most favorite nails I've done yet!

All photos by Mark Iantosca and Vogue.com

Hey, Brah Vol. 2

1. Sporty: Made by Nikki's Knockout Underwire Racer Bra

2. Minimalist: La Perla's Sensual Underwire

3. Bright: Free People's Cheeky Lace Bra

I'm always on a mission to find the cutest bras that can handle actual boobs because no matter how much I love lingerie, it doesn't always mix with a full C. These three options each suit my requirements for a bra: support and something fun. Made by Nikki's Knockout Underwire Racer Bra has enough tough edge to make you feel like a little badass even when it is completely covered. I just bought La Perla's Sensual Underwire and couldn't be happier. Everything you've heard about La Perla being amazing is true. Lastly, Free People's Cheeky Lace Bra comes in no fewer than 10 fun colors. There's nothing better than knowing you have something fun going on underneath a season-worth of layers.

Check out Hey Brah Vol. 1 too!

Pioneer Woman

I can't help but be completely drawn to this image by Kalle Gustafsson for Marie Claire's October issue that I discovered via StyleMint's excellent Tumblr. Horses aren't my thing, but side braids, cowboy hats, nubby sweaters and the great outdoors sure are. I'm thinking of going for the citi-fied version of the look with this Madewell Trailrider Poncho.

Versus Versace Fall 2011-Inspired Nails

On an impulse the other day, I ran over to Bloomingdale's after work and picked up a few new bottles of polish including Chanel's Graphite. When it comes to metallic polishes, you cannot do better than Chanel. Their colors are so multifaceted it blows my mind every time. In my excitement, I had to find a collection to suit my new glittery, slightly edgy goodness and Versus Versace's Fall 2011 show hit all the right marks. I mixed up the base layer of Graphite with a couple of Nubar's polishes for variety and used painter tape as a guide to get extra-clean lines.

In the photos I am wearing my collection of rings, a Gorjana necklace, H&M sweater and have my favorite Power Support Tibi iPhone case.

Photos by Mark Iantosca and Vogue.com

Need: Giles & Brother Archer Cuff

The clean lines on this beautiful Giles & Brother cuff make it a must-have. I usually favor daintier pieces, but this has enough heft to stand out without being a "statement piece." Fall's chunky knits and long sleeves tend to call for chunkier pieces. It doesn't hurt that the interlocking rings bring to mind Celine's knot bracelet either.

Giles & Brother Archer Cuff, $175, at Net-a-Porter.com

H&M Hair Cuff

I've been spotting a certain item across a few of my favorite blogs recently. That item is H&M's version of the Dries Van Noten Fall 2011 hair cuff. This was literally my favorite wearable trend from the Fall 11 shows and at an H&M price, it must be mine. Unfortunately both of these bloggers live in H&M's homeland of Scandinavia and so far, my combing of Manhattan H&M locations has proved unfruitful. If anyone has spotted this item, please let me know!

Photos via Afterdrk and Fredes Blog

Miu Miu Glitter Bootie-Inspired Nails

Miu Miu officially takes the cake as the brand most imitated on my nails. This is my fourth iteration of Miu Miu nails, but take a look at 1, 2 and 3 to see how just far these posts have come. This time around I decided to take on the shoe of the moment, Miu Miu's glitter booties. For the glitter base I used Chanel's "Holographic" which is probably my only nail polish with a story. It was only available for sale in Europe and I bought it with a voucher from a very upsetting canceled flight from Venice to Copenhagen while I was studying abroad. I used a the nail polish brush to paint a pink tip and a fine paint brush to paint a thinner "X" for the ankle strap. After an even finer black outline and a shiny topcoat, I was done.

All photos by Mark Iantosca. View even more here.

Need: Zara Patchwork Sandal

In honor of Zara's US online shop launching today, I have picked out my favorite item available now. The sad, sad irony is that Zara's shoes rarely fit me. They are often too small and I'm *only* a 40. If these metallic wonders did fit me, I wouldn't want to take them off. And in that uniquely Zara way, they draw inspiration from so many places, it actually makes them unique. How's that for originality?

Zara Patchwork Sandal, $129, at Zara.com

Need: Equipment Daddy Striped Blouse

It isn't hard to fall in love with Equipment's perfect silk blouses. It is hard, however, to pick a favorite. For a while I was all about their Hawaiian prints and you can't go wrong with any of their technicolor solids or sheers. Right now though, it's time to pay attention to this quirky multi-colored striped version of their Daddy blouse. What truly impresses me is how it reads much more expensive than it is. And at $268 for a top, that's not an easy feat. Did someone say Prada? Not me.

Equipment Daddy Multi Varigated Stripe Blouse, $268, at RevolveClothing.com

Also, if you're not following @Equipment_FR on Twitter yet, do yourself a favor and fix that now!

Trend: For the Birds

For as much as I love leopard print, snake print doesn't move me. I'll be skipping over that Fall 2011 trend and heading straight for feather motifs. I like that the different bird prints feel fresh and organic while maintaining that neutral status that leopard print has fought so hard to claim. I particularly like how Mulberry has paired the print with a classic '60s shaped dress and how Rag & Bone has trimmed the mixed feathers with a modern jet black cuff. Elizabeth & James' take on the burgeoning trend is typically crunchy, but let's not forget that we're dealing with feathers here.

Elizabeth & James Nuri Pant, $335, at RevolveClothing.com
Mulberry Peggy Dress, $700, at Mulberry.com
Rag & Bone French Cuff Shirt $475, at Shopbop.com

Isabel Marant Fall 2011 Navajo Nails

My latest nail project was inspired by Isabel Marant's monochromatic Navajo-inspired Fall 2011 collection. I tried to go for something easy and subtle, which along with chic is how I would describe Marant's style. For this I chose Essie's Chinchilly, Sally Hansen's silver nail art pen and a light grey from Brucci. I used the two greys for the base and the nail art pen to draw on different Navajo-inspired shapes (mostly triangles and more triangles). Nail art pens are definitely a really easy way to do nail art, but not ideal for detailed executions.

Photos via Mark Iantosca and Style.com

Fall Shopping Vol. 2

Although it could probably be said of every season, I think there is a strong case for the return of more feminine shapes this fall. Me and my curves couldn't be happier. From the moment I spotted this Donna Karan leather jacket, I knew it was the perfect way to cover up come fall. The nipped waist and patch pockets give the delightfully '80s utilitarian look some sex appeal. I imagine wearing it to work as a ladylike twist on Sean Young in "Blade Runner," trade robot love for Twitter addiction.

Donna Karan Belted Leather Jacket
Rugby Ralph Lauren Donegal Tweed Skirt
ManiaMania Third Mind Cuff
Pour la Victoire Daina Pump

Fall Shopping Vol. 1

For fall, I'm all about the subtle asymmetry of this Ann Taylor skirt. I can see dressing it up for the office and down for a weekend look. A chunky sweater and sleek booties sort of make it work for both occasions. I find this look so flattering and versatile, for $88 I'd even go into an Ann Taylor.

Ann Taylor Asymmetrical Ponte Skirt, $88, at AnnTaylor.com
Thakoon Addition Asymmetrical Chunky-Knit Oversized Sweater, $460, at Shopbop.com
Maison Martin Margiela Set of 4 22-Karat Gold-Plated Knuckleduster Ring, $480, at Net-a-Porter.com
Stuart Weitzman Held Bootie, $425, at Zappos.com

Full disclosure: I walk past both Stuart Weitzman and Ann Taylor on my way to lunch most days. I have to think it's starting to affect me.

Need: Tibi Neon Ribbed Knitted Beanie

For the past three years I've been wearing an electric blue beanie that cost me all of $3 at Duane Reade. When this slightly punky neon pink version popped up on the Tibi Fall 2011 runway, I knew is was perfect (and much-needed) update to my bum hat repertoire.

Note: For me, beanies are strictly winter-only. I have too much thick crazy hair for all of that heat before the temperature drops significantly.

Tibi Ribbed Knitted Beanie, $90, at Net-a-Porter.com

Cushnie et Ochs Fall 2011

I was immediately drawn to these images from Cushnie et Ochs' Fall 2011 lookbook. The play between light and dark within the natural setting is so grabbing. It reminds me of seeing a beautiful landscape ravaged by wildfire. With silver lame. The best part is how the lookbook really shows off the clothes without letting the art direction take it too editorial. I wasn't surprised at all to see that the shoot was styled by Keegan Singh. He is really among the best of the best fashion stylists and his work never ceases to impress me. I am more excited than ever to see what these young talents have in store for their career.

Via Rackk and Ruin