Amendment #1

I reserved the right to amend my A/W 2010 Must Buy list, so here’s my first change I’m making: different rain boots!

The DH absolutely despises the Hunter Wellies I chose back here. To some degree, I kind of agree that they aren’t the most original design… sometimes I see it and think of black rainboots that fishermen wear (or those guys from the Deadliest Catch)!

Um, yeah, this isn’t really the look I’m going for. But I really want to get a pair of black rainboots, so it stays neutral and work appropriate. I do like the fun colors like red and yellow, but I’m afraid with my looks (a la 16 year old face) and my height (5’1″) it’s going to make me look like this:

 

Again, not exactly a look (or impression) I’m going for as a  twenty-something year old working “professional”. I have a red wool jacket that I adore… and everytime I wear it, everyone calls me Little Red Riding Hood. So, I think it’s in my best interest to avoid colorful rain boots!

In order to make black rainboots work without me looking like some 50 year old fisherman, I need to add some cute detailing or design/patterns for some charm.

Here are some of my NEW picks for rainboots (still undecided!):

Love Moschino, chain detailed boots, $235. I saw these in this month’s issue of InStyle, and I love them! Clean and simple, but definitely an edge with the stylish chain detail.

The infamous Chanel camilla rainboots ($500+). So adorable, I love the camilla flower detailing on the boots. These come in a variety of colors too, but I love the black the most. However, there’s no way I’m going to spend that kind of cash on a pair of PVC!

Burberry Riding Rainboots, $275. One of the few rainboots I like that are made of leather (and rubber soles). Love the knot-tie detail on the upper. However, I don’t know how I feel about leather rainboots. I already have a pair of leather boots, and I don’t think I need another one.

Burberry check rainboots, $225. Cute check design, but I’m hesitant because a lot of my “winter” gear is also Burberry. I don’t want to be caught wearing my check boots, check scarf, and also carrying a check umbrella!! Add that to my trench that I’ll inevitably purchase, that’s just overkill.

So far, these are the only ones I’ve seen that I’m interested in, but I’m sure I’ll find more as the rainy season starts creeping in!

Fall/Winter staple items

I have come up with my list of Must-Buys for the Fall/Winter season. These are all items that I’ve always wanted, but never got around to purchasing for various reasons. I wanted to focus on purchasing a lot of staple items that I can use over and over again throughout the years.

1. Burberry trench.

Classic. Every working woman should have this in her wardrobe. Especially working in the San Francisco Bay Area, the fall/winter season gets very chilly and wet, so this would be a very good investment piece. I haven’t narrowed down my choices for the trench, and I’ll have to go to a Burberry boutique to try on all their styles and choose a color. Prices range from $995~$1495.

2. leather jacket

Okay, this gets trickier. I want to invest in some quality pieces, but a lot of leather jackets are very trendy. Can I find a leather jacket that I can wear for years and years to come, or will I have to retire it after a season or so? As much as I’m in love with the Balenciaga biker jacket (pictured above), it doesn’t seem like a reality for me, priced at almost $3000. A classic leather jacket will do, but I will have to research for a perfect one that will suit me. Otherwise, since I love this cross-zip style, I may opt for a cheaper alternative, such as this one:

$218 from Victoria’s Secret. Much more affordable, plus VS always has massive sales, so I’m sure I can snag this for a reasonable price.

3. Hunter Wellies

I desperately need rainboots. After last winter (rain almost EVERY single day!!) I don’t think I can survive this year in my 4″ boots or Uggs everyday. I need something conservative and practical to wear to work, and I think these work. I am so upset I missed the boat on the $58 special from Restoration Hardware, but I’m sure I can stalk the sales site to find myself a deal on these. Black is the safest color for work, but I wouldn’t mind getting these in navy or dark green. Price: $125.

4. Tailoring clothes I already own (but haven’t worn)

I don’t know if it’s a good thing or what, but even if I buy the smallest size available, it’s still too big for me. Especially skirts. I have two really cute pencil skirts that are too big for me that I need to tailor. One Tory Burch skirt I bought seriously one year ago!! It has been buried somewhere underneath the rest of my clothes and I finally rediscovered it when I was moving in with the DH. The other skirt is a Marc Jacobs courderoy skirt I purchased at a great price on Outnet but seriously WAY too big, and it’s a size 0!

One major article of clothing I must alter is my prized possession… a Balmain coat from my grandmother. She wore it once and I “stole” it from her (ahhh long story), but it is a size 8. I am ultra nervous about altering this piece, I need to hunt down a reputable tailor that has altered coats before. Who knows how much this is going to cost? I wouldn’t be surprised if this sets me back more than my wedding gown alteration!

So that’s it! That’s my Must-Buy list for the fall/winter season, and I am going to STICK to it! I may decide to edit this list, but so far I think I’m set. I know I’ll be very happy at the end of the season when I have my quality investment pieces instead of loads of crap that I usually acquire from sales. Quality over quantity… patience is a virtue.