If you haven’t realized by now… I’m a Vegan.  It’s something about which I’m very serious and very proud.  It’s also something about which I have no interest in preaching.  If someone has questions, I’ll happily give answers – I think everyone should be informed about animal “farming” and the effects of meat & dairy on the body… but believe it or not – I don’t preach.

I do, however, LOVE jewelry… and the silver-plated “Vegan” necklace from PETA is my new obsession!  Mine just arrived in the mail – and I can’t stop wearing it.  It’s bright (looks great with a summer tan!), stylish and a total conversation starter!

 Designed by Jason Landver of Lucas Design International, it’s a complete steal at $20!

I was walking through REI yesterday when I spied these… how incredibly cool, right?  And I typically don’t care for many things stainless steel, but stemmed drinkware – C’mon!  Perfect for evenings at the Hollywood Bowl or Ravinia – or even just to “class up” your camping gear, this stainless steel drinkware will last you an eternity (and you can ditch the toxic, nasty plastic pieces) and looks oh-so-chic!  Available in Martini, Wine and Margarita form.  Is it wrong that I want a Champagne version as well?

Priced at $9-$10 per stem AND will last you a lifetime!

I’ve been tending to my first actual garden with the utmost attention & love… in addition to the flowers, I’m raising tomatoes, anaheim peppers and BASIL!  The peppers are delish – but a little limiting.  I do use them every time I cook Mexican though.  And the tomatoes have come in on the small side and the bounty isn’t exactly plentiful.

But the basil… oh, the BASIL!  The smell of it… and of course, the taste.  I want it in everything – from salads to pastas to sandwiches.   It’s sharp and fresh with just a beautiful bit of spice.

Gorgeous, right?

 So, I went on the search for non-food related products… now I can enjoy Basil even when I’m not eating.  Check the Sweet Basil soy candle by BSAB Candles.  With hints of Vetiver, Terragon, and Cypress… this little beauty is sure to comfort and stimulate at the same time.

Why not a little basil for your hair?  MOP’s organic basil mint shampoo & conditioner are the perfect beauty solution for those of us who just love the fragrance of this great, green herb!

 And what could make cleaning less of a chore?  I think by now you know… Mrs. Meyer’s has an entire line of household cleaners scented with basil!  I cannot stand to clean, but this has to make it better, right?  From laundry detergent & dryer sheets to window spray & surface wipes – this gorgeous-smelling group cleansers is officially on my shopping list!

I’ve been tending to my first actual garden with the utmost attention & love… in addition to the flowers, I’m raising tomatoes, anaheim peppers and BASIL!  The peppers are delish – but a little limiting.  I do use them every time I cook Mexican though.  And the tomatoes have come in on the small side and the bounty isn’t exactly plentiful.

But the basil… oh, the BASIL!  The smell of it… and of course, the taste.  I want it in everything – from salads to pastas to sandwiches.   It’s sharp and fresh with just a beautiful bit of spice.

Gorgeous, right?

 So, I went on the search for non-food related products… now I can enjoy Basil even when I’m not eating.  Check the Sweet Basil soy candle by BSAB Candles.  With hints of Vetiver, Terragon, and Cypress… this little beauty is sure to comfort and stimulate at the same time.

Why not a little basil for your hair?  MOP’s organic basil mint shampoo & conditioner are the perfect beauty solution for those of us who just love the fragrance of this great, green herb!

 And what could make cleaning less of a chore?  I think by now you know… Mrs. Meyer’s has an entire line of household cleaners scented with basil!  I cannot stand to clean, but this has to make it better, right?  From laundry detergent & dryer sheets to window spray & surface wipes – this gorgeous-smelling group cleansers is officially on my shopping list!

I have to tell you… I love the clothing we sell at Green with Glamour.  I pretty much wear something from GwG everyday.  And we don’t currently sell Loomstate – not for any reason other than we’re not much of a Tshirt & jeans gang.  They do great casual separates, but for women, cute dresses and feminine silhouettes are more our speed.  Anyway, I was doing my weekly Nancy Drew-ing for a bargain buy, when I came across this super cutey and ordered the “neutral” directly.

100% organic cotton scarf – $12 at Overstock.com!

I recently moved into an awesome little house in the Silver Lake Hills of Los Angeles.  Some of my friends have refered to it as a “treehouse” because it seems suspended high in a group of trees… and with these trees comes – you guessed it, BIRDS!  I’ve put up a couple of feeders for the local songbirds – but it’s the Hummingbird feeder that I watch the closest.

Fast, colorful & focused, the Hummingbird may be one of the smallest birds on the planet but it’s inspiration on design is huge!

Check out these super-cool magnetic bookends!!!  Made fairly in Mexico from 100% recycled aluminum and powder-coated in red or white… this is clearly the coolest way to display your books.

For the little ones I found this oh-so-cute organic cotton onesie. I’ve actually given it a bit of thought… and I’m pretty sure if they made this in an adult-sized tee, I would totally wear it (and I’m not even a t shirt type of gal)!  But back on topic, this little number also has a corresponding knit cap… it’s just about too much to stand!

And last but not even close to least… the feeder!  WAY cuter than the classic design, this lovely multi-bird smorgasbord is crafted from recycled glass and available in 4 colors.  I can’t recommend enough that you add one to your outdoor space… watching these little beauties are a true inspiration!

What can I say… Summer is almost here and Margarita is my mood!  I typically don’t care for “Margarita” glasses, with their cactus stems or blue rims (gag.), but check out these lovelies from Target.  Clean, modern lines, crafted from recycled glass and at $20 for a set of 4… they’re a steal!

Salt my rim, fella?

Last year I discovered Melissa… It’s a wonderful (and reasonably priced) Brazilian shoe line made of recycled/recyclable/non-toxic rubber!  I bought 3 pairs last summer – 2 pairs of flip flops and 1 pair of peep toe flats and I’ve gotten MILES & MILES out of each.  They’re chic-looking, durable and totally comfortable!  In fact, I posted about coveting their breezy Campana style months ago, but now I just saw on Green Gretchen… they’re doing 7 colors of slingbacks, People!

 Melissa offers a wide range of style… Including pumps, gladiators and super-cute Tstraps designed by Vivienne Westwood!

Last year I discovered Melissa… It’s a wonderful (and reasonably priced) Brazilian shoe line made of recycled/recyclable/non-toxic rubber!  I bought 3 pairs last summer – 2 pairs of flip flops and 1 pair of peep toe flats and I’ve gotten MILES & MILES out of each.  They’re chic-looking, durable and totally comfortable!  In fact, I posted about coveting their breezy Campana style months ago, but now I just saw on Green Gretchen… they’re doing 7 colors of slingbacks, People!

 Melissa offers a wide range of style… Including pumps, gladiators and super-cute Tstraps designed by Vivienne Westwood!

Ever wanted to cover a less-than-attractive floor in a snap?  Well, I was recently faced with this issue when I moved into a new place and realized my new kitchen floor is tack-y!  I hit some of my bargain-y online faves and thank you Overstock.com for this perfect and REALLY reasonably-priced (not to mention simple & chic) 100% recycled Harrison cotton rug!

Available in several colors & sizes, this basic but in my case, life-saving bargain sells from $19.99 (runner) to $44.99 (4′8″x8′) and with Overstock’s everyday flat rate $2.95 shipping… we’re talking serious deal!

Let me start this by saying… I love Zulu baskets.  They’re intricate, hearty and gorgeous.  They also celebrate the ingenuity and artistic talents of a culture that is not my own.  That being said, for years the Fair Trade options out there weren’t exactly plentiful and once you got your fill of Zulu baskets, Peruvian pottery or batiked textiles from India… that was pretty much it.

Well, NOT ANY MORE!  There’s a wonderful awareness of the importance of buying “local” these days.  Food, wine, furniture, artwork and even clothing… and I think it’s fantastic!  Not only are we boosting support of artisans and farmers, etc. in our own communities, but we’re reducing the amount of cross-country and even international shipping – which in turn has the potential for greatly reducing our overall carbon footprint on this beautiful planet of ours.  I’m on board, I get it, I completely support it.

Recycled papier mache lamp made fairly in Haiti 

However… a good number of us reading this post have the luxury of being from a fully “developed”, democratic and capitalist society.  We may take for granted that buying locally is one of many options rather than the only one.  For many people across the globe (in developing nations) their lives, work and total existence are drawn from only their own small village or their over-populated, highly polluted and economically devastated city.  And for many of our brothers & sisters in said situations… decent wages, health care and education is scarcely even a dream.  Enter FAIR TRADE!  

Blue & White Ceramic planter made fairly in Viet Nam

Social welfare organizations all over this crazy planet have taken on the glorious mission of not only securing fair wages and health care for workers & artisans in these developing nations where their governments have failed them, but sometimes also providing schooling for the worker’s children and housing for the families.  AND Fair Trade is also a wonderful way to celebrate the craftsmanship and artistic methods of talented people worldwide!

Lotus journal made fairly in India 

Yes, this has been a long introduction to some of my favorite Fair Trade finds and if you’ve lost track… my point is – buying local is an amazing concept.  Do it with Godspeed.  But also, remember our friends, remarkably crafty and living with much less, and support this wonderful thing we call FAIR TRADE!  We all deserve at least the necessities, don’t we?

Clay & Sisal woven bowl made fairly in Swaziland

We’re introducing a new feature to Living GwG called “Bargain of the week”.  We scour the market weekly for something chic & sustainable that won’t break the bank.  Enjoy!

Oooooooh… warm weather!  Which makes me go Mmmmm… lemonade!  Or Mmmmmmmm… vodka & lemonade – even better, right?  Well, which ever poison you pick the Luigi Bormiolo recycled glass pitcher  at Walmart is ready to serve.  A clean, classic design, the LB (as we like to call it) will work with anything from Danish Modern to American Traditional.  And at $19.98, it’s also the perfect hostess gift for any summer fete!

 One of the reviewers on Walmart’s site said, “It adds some elan to my lemonade.”  Oh la la!

We’re introducing a new feature to Living GwG called “Bargain of the week”.  We scour the market weekly for something chic & sustainable that won’t break the bank.  Enjoy!

Oooooooh… warm weather!  Which makes me go Mmmmm… lemonade!  Or Mmmmmmmm… vodka & lemonade – even better, right?  Well, which ever poison you pick the Luigi Bormiolo recycled glass pitcher  at Walmart is ready to serve.  A clean, classic design, the LB (as we like to call it) will work with anything from Danish Modern to American Traditional.  And at $19.98, it’s also the perfect hostess gift for any summer fete!

 One of the reviewers on Walmart’s site said, “It adds some elan to my lemonade.”  Oh la la!

 I don’t mind telling you – I like breakfast in bed.  Nothing feels more lazy and luxurious than watching an old movie and sharing a tray, topped with mimosas, Gimme Lean, tofu scramble & toasted bread, with my husband on a lazy Sunday.  And I take my bed & my bedding quite seriously… I don’t get to spend a whole lot of time in my bed, so when I do – it had better be good, right?  I’ve been sleeping on organic cotton and/or bamboo bedding for a couple of years now and it just feels right.  Soft and chemical-free, sustainable sheets can’t be beat!  But now that our bedding is a couple of years old, it’s getting ready to make the move from our bed to an animal rescue (btw… they also take old towels, blankets & coats – find one near you and keep a pooch or kitty comfortable).  So, I find myself happily shopping for some new sheets.

Amy Butler is a recent discovery.  Her first line for Wellspun (and available as of early June at Bed Bath & Beyond – believe it or not) is playful & grown up at the same time.  Bright colors, certified organic cottons and modern floral motifs make Amy’s bedding that kind of bedding that adds an instant finished feel to a room. Take an all white room, add some Amy Butler bedding… and you’re done!

And then there’s Rubie Green!  The pieces are fresh & fun, but they SO remind me of my childhood days spent in Lily Pulitzer frocks running around my grandparent’s Florida house.  Also, 100% organic cotton and also 100% d-i-v-i-n-e!

 Photo & Rubie Green 411 thanks to great design blog,  Green Your Decor!

Now GO… sleep, drink champagne, devour a DVD and enjoy all of the amazing things a “green” bed can be!

This is Deana’s latest post for The Green Girls.

 I don’t mind telling you – I like breakfast in bed.  Nothing feels more lazy and luxurious than watching an old movie and sharing a tray, topped with mimosas, Gimme Lean, tofu scramble & toasted bread, with my husband on a lazy Sunday.  And I take my bed & my bedding quite seriously… I don’t get to spend a whole lot of time in my bed, so when I do – it had better be good, right?  I’ve been sleeping on organic cotton and/or bamboo bedding for a couple of years now and it just feels right.  Soft and chemical-free, sustainable sheets can’t be beat!  But now that our bedding is a couple of years old, it’s getting ready to make the move from our bed to an animal rescue (btw… they also take old towels, blankets & coats – find one near you and keep a pooch or kitty comfortable).  So, I find myself happily shopping for some new sheets.

Amy Butler is a recent discovery.  Her first line for Wellspun (and available as of early June at Bed Bath & Beyond – believe it or not) is playful & grown up at the same time.  Bright colors, certified organic cottons and modern floral motifs make Amy’s bedding that kind of bedding that adds an instant finished feel to a room. Take an all white room, add some Amy Butler bedding… and you’re done!

And then there’s Rubie Green!  The pieces are fresh & fun, but they SO remind me of my childhood days spent in Lily Pulitzer frocks running around my grandparent’s Florida house.  Also, 100% organic cotton and also 100% d-i-v-i-n-e!

 Photo & Rubie Green 411 thanks to great design blog,  Green Your Decor!

Now GO… sleep, drink champagne, devour a DVD and enjoy all of the amazing things a “green” bed can be!

This is Deana’s latest post for The Green Girls.

“Swapping is the new Shopping” is the motto of Posh Swaps, a new clothing, accessories, etc. swapping site based in the UK… and I love it!  It’s a new endeavor, so the picking are still slim but the concept is brillsville – and I’m sure it will take off.  It’s a super “green” (as long as you’re not constantly shipping between the States & the UK), chic and free way to update your wardrobe.  You can swap, buy or sell goods on the site – so there’s an option for everyone!  And though Posh Swaps’ offerings are still on the sparse side…I found 3 pieces to seriously pursue.

I have to give Green Grechen her propers… as it was her blog that turned me onto PS.

Here’s Deana’s latest article for The Green Girls…

I have to admit… I’m not a big Wal-mart shopper.  I try to stay away from big, bargain-y, corporate stores (I’m currently working on weening myself off of Target – which is harder than it looks).  Anyway, I couldn’t even tell you if I have a local Walmart, but I digress.  I am very interested in businesses that work to help the planet’s condition – as I run one myself – and I remember reading a couple of years back (in The Wal-mart Effect by Charles Fishman. I didn’t read the whole book, just excerpts.) that by accident Wal-mart had made one of the most influential “green” business decisions of the 1990’s.  You see, in the mid 90s, one of the corporate big brains over at Wal-mart had decided to do away with deodorant boxes.  Remember those… pretty much every mainstream deodorant roller came in a glossy cardboard box!  Well Wal-mart realized they could cut costs & merchandise more by doing away with said boxes.  Their high level corporate greed/good business sense ending up saving a little bit of our planet.  As Fisher says, “Millions of trees were not cut down, acres of cardboard were not manufactured only to be discarded, 1 billion deodorant boxes didn’t end up in landfills each year.”  Well, good for them I thought… but as I considered them to be doing so much other “bad”, I made note & moved on.

Let’s move forward over a decade to the present, shall we?  I’m reading a favorite blog of mine, Green your Decor, just the other day and she’s talking about all of this lovely, FSC-certified wood  patio furniture and recycled glass tableware that she just bought at Wal-mart. Um… what?  So, I check out her selections and they’re not bad… not mind-blowing, but decent-looking basics that could definitely work as core pieces in a stellar outdoor situation.

Ok, then I go to Walmart.com and head for the “search” function (This is a common practice of mine. I often go to”big” websites – from Target to Neiman Marcus – and search the words “recycled”, “organic”, “bamboo”, you get the idea).  Let me 1st say, searching their site for the word “organic” proved to be confusing. It brings up a whole “shop earth-friendly” page riddled with ads for Clorox’s new “green” campaign & whatever “helpful” thing Tide detergent might be doing right now, but once you carefully sift through their kind of overzealous propoganda… you can find some decent items.  And whether Wal-mart is doing this a a marketing ploy and not because they love the planet the way we do (which I am convinced is the case), the bottom line is they are bringing sustainable goods to a major market that probably wasn’t looking for them.  It’s got to end up doing some good, right?  But as always, please be mindful of where your products are made – and the conditions in which the people who make your favorite goodies work.

Here’s Deana’s latest article for The Green Girls…

I have to admit… I’m not a big Wal-mart shopper.  I try to stay away from big, bargain-y, corporate stores (I’m currently working on weening myself off of Target – which is harder than it looks).  Anyway, I couldn’t even tell you if I have a local Walmart, but I digress.  I am very interested in businesses that work to help the planet’s condition – as I run one myself – and I remember reading a couple of years back (in The Wal-mart Effect by Charles Fishman. I didn’t read the whole book, just excerpts.) that by accident Wal-mart had made one of the most influential “green” business decisions of the 1990’s.  You see, in the mid 90s, one of the corporate big brains over at Wal-mart had decided to do away with deodorant boxes.  Remember those… pretty much every mainstream deodorant roller came in a glossy cardboard box!  Well Wal-mart realized they could cut costs & merchandise more by doing away with said boxes.  Their high level corporate greed/good business sense ending up saving a little bit of our planet.  As Fisher says, “Millions of trees were not cut down, acres of cardboard were not manufactured only to be discarded, 1 billion deodorant boxes didn’t end up in landfills each year.”  Well, good for them I thought… but as I considered them to be doing so much other “bad”, I made note & moved on.

Let’s move forward over a decade to the present, shall we?  I’m reading a favorite blog of mine, Green your Decor, just the other day and she’s talking about all of this lovely, FSC-certified wood  patio furniture and recycled glass tableware that she just bought at Wal-mart. Um… what?  So, I check out her selections and they’re not bad… not mind-blowing, but decent-looking basics that could definitely work as core pieces in a stellar outdoor situation.

Ok, then I go to Walmart.com and head for the “search” function (This is a common practice of mine. I often go to”big” websites – from Target to Neiman Marcus – and search the words “recycled”, “organic”, “bamboo”, you get the idea).  Let me 1st say, searching their site for the word “organic” proved to be confusing. It brings up a whole “shop earth-friendly” page riddled with ads for Clorox’s new “green” campaign & whatever “helpful” thing Tide detergent might be doing right now, but once you carefully sift through their kind of overzealous propoganda… you can find some decent items.  And whether Wal-mart is doing this a a marketing ploy and not because they love the planet the way we do (which I am convinced is the case), the bottom line is they are bringing sustainable goods to a major market that probably wasn’t looking for them.  It’s got to end up doing some good, right?  But as always, please be mindful of where your products are made – and the conditions in which the people who make your favorite goodies work.

I’m a man that can very easily characterize my tastes as simple and classic. While some may look at those words as code for “boring” and “safe”, I like to think of my likes and dislikes as a lifelong cultivation of the few things in this world that actually achieve perfection – the perfect martini – always gin, three olives and just the right amount of vermouth, the perfect glazed donut (the best vegan one I’ve found, fyi, was at Ronald’s Donuts in Las Vegas). Forget your apple cosmo-tinis and your butterscotch drizzle. I want the tried and true, the old standby, the consistently perfect – the classic.

When it comes to clothing, I’ve always been a lot more J. Crew than Dolce and Gabbana, but when I began “greening” my wardrobe a few years ago, I did hit some early roadblocks. For some reason there are many out there who hold the belief that men who care about the environment like to wear earthy sandals and graphic tee shirts emblazoned with images of flowering trees or endangered animals… ugh. Luckily, my classic tastes command a fairly specific, yet simple uniform. On most days, you’ll find me in my black No Sweat sneakers, my pair of Good Society straight legged organic jeans, and either a crisp, untucked, Oxford shirt or well worn flannel depending on my mood. I can do casual no problem, but when the occasion calls for something more formal, I’ve found my biggest snag to be in the shoe department. As you might of guessed, my shoe of choice when wearing a suit or dress slacks… the classic loafer. But the search for a well-made, good looking pair of vegan men’s dress shoes will turn up quite a few dead ends.

Women’s fashion has certainly answered the call, with designers like Stella McCartney offering $800 pairs of vegan shoes, but non-leather men’s dress shoes are hard to come by. You certainly won’t find them at Barney’s or Neiman Marcus. Even Zappos.com, which prides itself in carrying a wide variety of vegan shoe alternatives, offers nothing that will sufficiently compliment a suit. The best selection I’ve found so far is at Noharm. Not an enormous array of styles, but for sure the most handsome and rich looking you’ll find.

The NoHarm classic loafer

Their philosophy is to synergize high fashion with ethical consumerism. Amen brotha. Next to Noharm, the only other really decent selection of vegan men’s dress shoes I’ve been able to find is at Mooshoes.

I’m partial to “The Avalon” by Vegetarian Shoes.

They’re a bit more of the causal variety of loafer that you’d be more prone to wear with a pair of jeans, that is, if you’re the kind of guy that wears loafers with jeans.  Mooshoes has a larger selection than Noharm, but you kind of have to sift through some of the more office-y and orthopedic looking styles to find the ones you want.

Overall, still not a lot to choose from, so view this post as more of a plea than a guide. Shoe designers of the world… men still need dress shoes. Don’t make me wear a pair of hemp Simples on my 10^th wedding anniversary!

POST BY N.A.

San Francisco is a shockingly beautiful city… seriously, I was shocked.  I’m a fairly active traveler – and though SF is a short jaunt from LA , I had never actually heard much good about it, so I was never inspired to go (and I had always pictured it as dreary weather hovering around grotesquely painted Victorian townhomes).  My loss, I guess… though I do believe everything happens at a purposeful time and place (and I’m already planning my 2nd visit).

Our stay was short (2 days, part of a 10 day birthday holiday for my mother that took us up to the rustic, tucked away Shelter Cove down to sea lion-ladden shores and super-luxe hills of San Simeon), but suffice it to say… San Francisco has my number.  Dining, Drinking & Lodging is a whole other story, but here we focus on shopping!

As every big city typically does, San Francisco has a decent representation of the upscale boutiques – Hermes, Chanel, Loro Piana, etc. in the Union Square area, but now that I no longer buy new silk or leather… I have little use for these stores and instead look for vintage & 2nd hand pieces from these lines (the hunt is far more fun & rewarding).  Gump’s, however… GUMPS!

I had heard stories about Gumps – I’ve even ordered some of their catalog pieces, but Mon Dieu… the store is the real thing!  It’s like Bergdorf’s decor section times 10.  The perfect selection of vintage & antique tableware mixed with an incredibly edited  collection of new.  Go for yourself.  I can’t do it justice, but I will mention some of my favorite pieces…

Antique Meissen porcelain dishes for a lofty $1700 per table setting.  The Black Court Dragon pattern is pristine, stunning and as relevant today as it was at it’s production over 100 years ago.

Um… and the wind was nearly knocked out of my by Phillipe Starck’s remarkable “Fool” vase (I really shouldn’t be surprised, right?) for Baccarat.

And I do have a soft spot for those fantastic Finnish blown glass Toikka birds by Iittala.  My husband has given me a couple as gifts because he know my fondness for birds and my love of great design… well, Gumps had the biggest, most beautiful Toikkas I’ve seen!

And of course, their collection of John Derian trays was wistful & sublime!  Impossible to resist!

A lot of Gumps’ goodies aren’t available online… so do yourself a favor and GO!

Needless to say, shopping was non-existent in Shelter Cove unless the General Store counts and our days in Napa were spent in wineries and restaurants rather than boutiques… though the St. Helena Olive Oil Company was outstanding!  The ultimate place to stock upon organic, locally made oils, mustards, pasta sauces and vinegars.

 And then on to Carmel-by-the-Sea… one of my favorite little hamlets!  It’s a very quiet, very beautiful, very low key, VERY WASP-Y little town – which for me also makes it a FANTASTIC place to second-hand shop.  We hit up the ASPCA and Yellow Brick Road benefit shops… both teaming with old people and their donated wares.  These are the places I hunt for vintage costume jewelry pieces, books, tableware & crystal.  And though I was really impressed by the amount of current designer pieces (tons of Miu Miu shoes!) the local boutique, Girl Boy Girl, had donated to the ASPCA shop all I found (or had the patience to find) was the brilliant out-of-print book by one of my design heroes, David Hicks on Living – with Taste (I love that the phrasing almost makes it sound like a burden… but actually Mr. Hicks speaks to those interested in design & living well on just about any budget).

Seriously… click to enlarge & absorb.  This man had a gift!

 A bit disappointed, but remembering that I really don’t need a thing… I continued to shop.  On to, Consign Couture,  the high end 2nd hand store nestled right in the downtown area.  Scads of Gucci, Chanel, YSL, Dolce & Gabbana… shoes, suits and handbags – none at a particular bargain (they know what they have), but if ever I jonze for that perfect, basic black Chanel suit – I know where I’m going.  Long… very, very, VERY long story short – I found a crisp, white cotton, man-tailored, french-cuffed shirt by Ralph Lauren, paid the lady and bounced.

 POST BY DEANA